Research Papers
From Linear to Circular: Pathways for Sustainable Lifestyles
Joshi Sukrit , Kaushik Trinayana
| 2023
As countries around the world commit to more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to climate action, it has become increasingly important that policies deal with de-coupling economic growth and environmental degradation, and re-coupling growth with planetary and ecological sustenance. Towards this, SDG-12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) acts as the bedrock of strategies aimed at accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals. This Policy Brief outlines pathways to nudge behaviour towards a Circular Economy approach and away from linear production and consumption.
Building the Climate Resilience of Sub-National Infrastructure
Rashmi R. R, Pathak Dhriti, Sánchez Isabel Clara Eugenia, Ahuja Ritu
| 2023
Extreme weather events and climate change-induced disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity across the globe. This has devastating impacts particularly for sub-national entities such as cities and local regions that continue to record higher infrastructural damage and losses during climate change-induced extreme weather events and disasters. Building back better, post-pandemic, therefore necessitates building robust resilience systems by mainstreaming resilient infrastructure in the planning of these countries, especially at the sub-national level.
Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles: Metrics, Instruments, and Proposals for G20
Kedia Shailly, Pachauri Ash, Khetan Ishan, Sevilla Norma Patricia Muñoz
| 2023
The promotion of sustainable lifestyles ought to be seen from the perspective of consumption and production systems and life-cycle approaches that include resource extraction, manufacturing and processing, use by consumers, and disposal. Mainstream frameworks on sustainable consumption and production, including SDG 12, fail to capture downstream segments of resource consumption and production systems especially when it comes to lifestyle choices.
Application of fluorescent transients to indicate nutrient deficiencies in a microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica
Nagi Gurpreet Kaur ,Corcoran Alina A. , Mandal Shovon
| 2023
Here we studied the effects of nutrient deficiency, focusing on Ca, N, S, Mg, Fe, on photosynthetic performance of Nannochloropsis oceanica to determine the abilities of fluorescence transients to detect nutrient limitation. We conducted a two-level (replete/deplete) fully factorial experiment for each of 5 nutrients and found different responses to nutrient limitation. A potential indicator of N limitation was trapped energy per reaction center (TRO/RC), as the synthesis of photosynthetic reaction center (RC) declined under N deficiency and eventually the ratio of TRO/RC increased.
Concentrating omega-3 fatty acids in Nannochloropsis oceanica oil by using enzyme immobilized nano-silica systems
Jain Priyanshu , Mandal Shovon , Minhas Amritpreet Kaur , Puri Munish , Barrow Colin J.
| 2023
Burning agricultural waste causes local air pollution and global warming. Agricultural waste, such as rice husks, contains silica reserves that can be processed into nano silica and used as a substrate for the immobilization of enzymes. The present study attempts to develop efficient silica-based nano-biocatalysts for concentrating omega-3 fatty acids in algal oil by hydrolyzing specific short-chain fatty acids. In this regard, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and rice husk ash (RHA) were used as precursors to obtain nano-silica supports.
Characterization of the Red Biochromes Produced by the Endophytic Fungus Monascus purpureus CPEF02 with Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities
Kaur Mehak , Goel Mayurika , Mishra Rahul Chandra ,Lahane Vaibhavi, Yadav Akhilesh K. , Barrow Colin J.
| 2023
Food colourant, Monascus, polyketide, bio-pigment, antimicrobial Food acceptability and appeal are significantly influenced by colour. Harmful effects associated with synthetic colorants are well established, and research is currently focused on developing natural, synthetic chemical-free substitutes from fungal sources, with broad applications in food, medicine, textiles and agriculture. Additionally, the market’s dearth of natural red colour substitutes requires the creation of novel red pigment alternatives from secure and scalable sources.
A comparative assessment of biomass pretreatment methods for the sustainable industrial upscaling of rice straw into cellulose
Kaur Prabhpreet, Bohidar Himadri B., Pfeffer Frederick M., Williams Richard, Agrawal Ruchi
| 2023
Prior to the bioconversion of low cost, renewable lignocellulosic residues such as rice straw into value added bio-products, their recalcitrant structure needs to be fractionated by using various pretreatment methods.
Hydrogels in Agriculture: Prospects and Challenges
Kaur Prabhpreet, Agrawal Ruchi , Pfeffer Frederick M. Williams Richard , Bohidar Himadri B.
| 2023
Hydrogels retain substantial quantities of both water and nutrients within their three dimensional polymeric network. As such they have the ability to modify the local micro-environment of seeds/seedlings to enhance their growth outcomes. In terms of both safety and sustainability, the use of natural biopolymer based hydrogels is more advantageous. The network structure of hydrogels is typically formed by physical interaction and/or chemical crosslinking between polymer chains.
Recent advances in research for potential utilization of unexplored lichen metabolites
Kalra Rishu , Conlan Xavier A. Goel Mayurika
| 2022
Several research studies have shown that lichens are productive organisms for the synthesis of a broad range of secondary metabolites. Lichens are a self-sustainable stable microbial ecosystem comprising an exhabitant fungal partner (mycobiont) and at least one or more photosynthetic partners (photobiont).
Antimicrobial Agents Based on Metal Complexes: Present Situation and Future Prospects
Sharma Bharti , Shukla Sudeep , Rattan Rohit , Fatima Musarrat , Goel Mayurika ,Bhat Mamta , Dutta Shruti , Ranjan Rakesh Kumar ,Sharma Mamta
| 2022
The rise in antimicrobial resistance is a cause of serious concern since the ages. Therefore, a dire need to explore new antimicrobial entities that can combat against the increasing threat of antibiotic resistance is realized. Studies have shown that the activity of the strongest antibiotics has reduced drastically against many microbes such as microfungi and bacteria (Gram-positive and Gram negative). A ray of hope, however, was witnessed in early 1940s with the development of new drug discovery and use of metal complexes as antibiotics.