Research Papers
Trust and cooperation among urban poor for transition to cleaner and modern cooking fuel
Nayak Bibhu P, Werthmann Christine , Aggarwal Veena
| 2015
A significant percentage of households in India still use firewood, kerosene and other biomass as cooking fuel. A survey on household energy consumption patterns in Hyderabad revealed that monthly expenditure of urban poor on firewood or kerosene is as much as the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder. However, poorer households do not switch to LPG due to the high initial investments for an LPG connection.
Study of nanotoxicity: Current need
Mishra Rohit Kumar, Dey Pannalal
| 2015
Nanotechnology has potential to improve almost all aspect of human life. With the advent of nanotechnology a number of engineered nanoparticles have made their importance in our day to day life. But history has taught us that the development of every new technology is accompanied by risks. Hence it is highly required to study all possible risk factors associated with any technology. This article is a glimpse of the toxic effects of nanoparticles and emphasizes on detailed effects on nanoparticles on human health and environment.
Starch/polyethylene nanocomposites: Mechanical, thermal, and biodegradability characteristics
Manjunath L, Sailaja R R N
| 2015
Tapioca starch has been crosslinked and blended with 10% low density polyethylene (LDPE) with varying quantities of silane treated nanoclay using an epoxy functionalized LDPE as compatibilizer. The mechanical, thermal, water absorption, and biodegradability characteristics were investigated. The mechanical properties were considerably improved by crosslinking as compared to uncrosslinked composites. The flexural properties increased by more than 50% while tensile strength increased by one and half times.
Specific oxygen uptake rate gradient – Another possible cause of excess sludge reduction in oxic-settling-anaerobic (OSA) process
Khursheed Anwar, Sharma Meena Kumari, Tyagi Vinay Kumar, Khan Abid Ali, Kazmi A A
| 2015
Oxic-settling-anaerobic process (OSA) has established that anaerobic followed by aerobic process in a cyclic reaction reduces the biological sludge growth. However, the mechanism behind the process of reduction is still undefined. The recirculation of aerobic sludge from a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) to an anaerobic side reactor at the rate of 3.8–9.8 gVSSrecycled/gVSS resulted in sludge reduction from 3% to 51% (Average = 14.6–39.8%) in comparison to absence of OSA process in conventional SBR.
Special Issue on ‘Nuclear energy and Indian society: public engagement, risk assessment and legal frameworks
Ram Mohan M P, Rajesh Babu R
| 2015
India’s Parliamentary election in 2014 witnessed formation of a new government. One of the first visits the new Prime Minster made was a trip to Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai – cradle of India’s nuclear programme (Department of Atomic Energy 2014). The visit is historic and has wider significance in many ways; showing continuity of policy and purpose and a real political statement that the government may be new, but the government’s thrust on nuclear programme is not for bargain.
Solar lighting for rural households: A case of innovative model in Bihar, India
Palit Debajit, Malhotra Sangeeta,Pandey Manish K,Bankoti Nikita
| 2015
Though conventional grid extension has been the predominant mode of electrification in the country, there have been several initiatives and policy support to rural electrification efforts through renewable energy means, particularly solar. This study evaluated a Solar Home System (SHS) project operational in one of the rural districts of Bihar, India and presents the analysis of technical, financial, and institutional aspects of project and its impacts.
Socio-technical assessment of solar photovoltaic systems implemented for rural electrification in selected villages of Sundarbans region of India
Murali Rashmi, Malhotra Sangeeta, Palit Debajit, Sasmal Krishnapada
| 2015
The power situation in rural India continues to remain poor with around one-third of the rural population without access to any form of electricity. The consequence of which is kerosene being used as a major source of lighting for un-electrified households as well as households with intermittent access to electricity in rural areas. While grid based electrification has been the most common approach, decentralized renewable energy options especially, solar PV systems have also been adopted as a cost effective mode of electrification.
Sequence and expression variation in SUPPRESSOR of OVEREXPRESSION of CONSTANS 1 (SOC1): homeolog evolution in Indian Brassicas
Tanu Sri, Mayee Pratiksha, Singh Anandita
| 2015
Whole genome sequence analyses allow unravelling such evolutionary consequences of mesotriplication event in Brassicaceae (?14–20 million years ago (MYA)) as differential gene fractionation and diversification in homeologous sub-genomes. This study presents a simple gene-centric approach involving microsynteny and natural genetic variation analysis for understanding SUPPRESSOR of OVEREXPRESSION of CONSTANS 1 (SOC1) homeolog evolution in Brassica.
Scaling up of off-grid electrification is one of the key priorities of developing countries across
Krithika P R, Palit Debajit, Sharma K Rahul, Sahni Mitali, Malhotra Sangeeta
| 2015
Scaling up of off-grid electrification is one of the key priorities of developing countries across the world trying to meet SE4ALL objective of universal energy access by 2030. However,scaling up off-grid electrification projects is beset with many challenges as most such projects end up becoming islands of excellence without being able to expand and deliver impacts at a larger scale. There are several reasons for this inability to scale up including lack of resources, lack of finance, policy and regulatory barriers, and lack of champions to steer the project.
Role of seed and kernel size, thickness and weight on oil content in Jatropha curcus L., - a study with Northeast India accessions
Goswami Naba Kumar, Saharia Dipankar, Kar Ashish
| 2015
Jatropha curcas Linnaeus (Euphorbiaceae) is commonly known as Physic nut or Purging nut or JCL (Jatropha Curcas Linnaeus) and is a native of Mexico and tropical South America. It is now found almost in all the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world (Holm et al 1979). Jatropha curcus was distributed by Portuguese ships via the Cape Verde Islands and Guinea Bissau to other countries in Africa and Asia (Heller, 1996). It is a shrub or small tree with yellowish rufescent latex.