Characterisation of coal and its combustion ash: recognition of environmental impact and remediation.

Energy generation from coal poses an environmental drawback due to the abundance of some potential hazardous elements (PHEs). A few PHEs (As, Sb, Cu, Mn and Zn) are noticed in the coal collected from thermal power plants of India. Among them, As and Sb are depleted while Cu, Mn and Zn are enriched in fly and bottom ash.

Is saliva a potential biomarker of arsenic exposure? A case-control study in West Bengal, India.

Saliva is a biological fluid that has not been used extensively as a biomonitoring tool in epidemiological studies. This study presents the arsenic (As) concentrations in saliva and urine samples collected from populations of West Bengal, India who had been previously exposed to high As levels in their drinking water. We found a significant (p < 0.

Copper(I) hydroxyapatite catalyzed Sonogashira reaction of alkynes with styrenyl bromides. Reaction of cis-styrenyl bromides forming unsymmetric diynes.

An efficient Sonogashira coupling of terminal alkynes and styrenyl bromides has been achieved under the catalysis of hydroxyapatite-supported copper(I). The trans-styrenyl bromides produce the usual trans-enyne products, whereas the cis-styrenyl bromides lead to unsymmetric 1,3-diynes by the cross coupling of terminal alkyne and the alkyne generated from the cis-styrenyl bromide. A series of trans-enynes and unsymmetric 1,3-diynes have been synthesized by this protocol.

Hydroxyapatite-supported Cu(I)-catalysed cyanation of styrenyl bromides with K4[Fe(CN)6]: an easy access to cinnamonitriles.

An efficient cyanation of styrenyl bromides by K(4)[Fe(CN)(6)] has been achieved under the catalysis of hydroxyapatite-supported copper(I) producing a variety of functionalized cinnamonitriles in high yields. The stereochemistry of the styrenyl double bond is preserved during the process providing the same stereoisomer of product.

Assessment of arsenic exposure from groundwater and rice in Bengal Delta Region, West Bengal, India.

Arsenic (As) induced identifiable health outcomes are now spreading across Indian subcontinent with continuous discovery of high As concentrations in groundwater. This study deals with groundwater hydrochemistry vis-à-vis As exposure assessment among rural population in Chakdaha block, West Bengal, India. The water quality survey reveals that 96% of the tubewells exceed WHO guideline value (10 μg/L of As).

Copper nano-catalyst: sustainable phenyl-selenylation of aryl iodides and vinyl bromides in water under ligand free conditions.

A simple and efficient procedure for the synthesis of aryl- and vinyl-selenides has been developed by a copper nanoparticle catalysed reaction of aryl iodide/vinyl bromide with diphenyl diselenide in the presence of zinc in water. (E)-Vinyl bromides produce (E)-vinyl selenides stereoselectively, whereas (Z)-vinyl bromides provide mixtures of (E) and (Z) isomers. The catalyst was recycled.