Soil health is represented by its continuous capacity to function as a vital living system. Since soil health is the major driving factor for sustainable agriculture, it has to be preserved. Microorganisms are an essential and integral part of living soil infl uencing various biogeochemical cycles on major nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorous and other minerals and play superior role in maintaining soil health than other biological component of soil. They also have the capacity to suppress soil borne pathogens and indirectly help in agricultural productivity. Besides contribution of specifi c microbes to soil health by participating on nutrient cycles, certain other microbes directly/indirectly promote plant growth through the production of phytohormones, enzymes and by suppressing phytopathogens and insects. The vast functional and genetic diversity of microbial groups including bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes supports in all the above ways for soil health. This book chapter gives an outline of such microbes and their contribution in promoting soil health and its role as soil health indicators.

Microbial Inoculants in Sustainable Agricultural Productivity

Characterizations of Pickering emulsions stabilized by starch nanoparticles: Influence of starch variety and particle size.

Soluble starch formulated nanocomposite increases water solubility and stability of curcumin

The adsorption of cationic dyes Basic Yellow 28 (BY28) and Basic Red 46 (BR46) from an aqueous solution by graphene oxide (GO) as adsorbent is presented. Graphene oxide is prepared using a modified Hummers’ method and characterized by Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and zeta potential measurements. Adsorption properties of cationic dyes using GO were studied in different dye concentrations (10–50 mg L −1 ), pH of the solutions (3.0–11.0), and temperature range of 20–60 °C. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied to fit the adsorption data. Equilibrium data fitted very well with the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of BY28 and BR46 onto GO was 68.5 and 76.9 mg g −1 , respectively. The experimental kinetics data were analyzed using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion kinetic models. The kinetic studies showed that the adsorption data followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. In addition, various thermodynamic parameters, such as the Gibbs free energy (ΔG°), enthalpy (ΔH°), and entropy (ΔS°) were calculated and it was revealed that the adsorption of BY28 and BR46 was spontaneous and endothermic.

Equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic studies on adsorption of cationic dyes from aqueous solutions using graphene oxide

Rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate (RHT), one of the potential cholinesterase inhibitors, has received great attention as a new drug candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. However, the bioavailability of RHT from the conventional pharmaceutical forms is low because of the presence of the blood brain barrier. The main aim of the present study was to prepare positively charged Eudragit RL 100 nanoparticles as a model scaffold for providing a sustained release profile for RHT. The formulations were evaluated in terms of particle size, zeta potential, surface morphology, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Drug entrapment efficiency and in vitro release properties of lyophilized nanoparticles were also examined. The resulting formulations were found to be in the size range of 118 nm to 154 nm and zeta potential was positive (+22.5 to 30 mV). Nanoparticles showed the entrapment efficiency from 38.40 ± 8.94 to 62.00 ± 2.78%. An increase in the mean particle size and the entrapment efficiency was observed with an increase in the amount of polymer. The FTIR, XRD, and DSC results ruled out any chemical interaction between the drug and Eudragit RL100 polymer. RHT nanoparticles containing low ratio of polymer to drug (4:1) presented a faster drug release and on the contrary, nanoparticles containing high ratio of polymer to drug (10:1) were able to give a more sustained release of the drug. The study revealed that RHT nanoparticles were capable of releasing the drug in a prolonged period of time and increasing the drug bioavailability.

/pdf/development-of-a-nanoprecipitation-method-for-the-entrapment-x3nd59h8m3.pdf

Development of a nanoprecipitation method for the entrapment of a very water soluble drug into Eudragit RL nanoparticles.

Fluorescein 5(6)-isothiocyanate starch maleate (FISM) nanoparticles were prepared by covalently attached fluorescein 5(6)- isothiocyanate (FITC) with starch maleate. FISM nanoparticles with a mean particle size of 87 nm were formed via selfassembly upon precipitation in ethanolic solution. FISM nanoparticles were strongly fluorescent with maximum emission wavelength of 518 nm. The fluorescence of FISM nanoparticles can be quenched by silver (Ag+) and lead (Pb2+) ions in a concentration dependent manner. We have demonstrated the first use of FISM nanoparticles as cheap and effective fluorescent sensing probes for Ag+ and Pb2+ ions with detection limits as low as 2.55 × 10-5M and 3.64 × 10-5 M, respectively.

/pdf/fluorescein-labeled-starch-maleate-nanoparticles-as-28xowj6ul7.pdf

Fluorescein-labeled starch maleate nanoparticles as sensitive fluorescent sensing probes for metal ions

Controllable particles sizes of starch nanoparticles were synthesized via a precipitation in water-in-oil microemulsion approach. Microemulsion method offers the advantages of ultralow interfacial tension, large interfacial area, and being thermodynamically stable and affords monodispersed nanoparticles. The synthesis parameters such as stirring rates, ratios of oil/cosurfactant, oil phases, cosurfactants, and ratios of water/oil were found to affect the mean particle size of starch nanoparticles. Starch nanoparticles with mean particles sizes of 109 nm were synthesized by direct nanoprecipitation method, whereas by using precipitation in microemulsion approach, starch nanoparticles with smaller mean particles sizes of 83nm were obtained.

/pdf/size-controlled-synthesis-of-starch-nanoparticles-by-a-3kdquihrzr.pdf

Size controlled synthesis of starch nanoparticles by a microemulsion method

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Fluorescein-labeled starch maleate nanoparticles as sensitive fluorescent sensing probes for metal ions

Size controlled synthesis of starch nanoparticles by a microemulsion method