Fabrication of TiO Spheres and a Visible Light Active α-FeO/TiO-Rutile/TiO-Anatase Heterogeneous Photocatalyst from Natural Ilmenite.

High-purity (98.8%, TiO) rutile nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using ilmenite sand as the initial titanium source. This novel synthesis method was cost-effective and straightforward due to the absence of the traditional gravity, magnetic, electrostatic separation, ball milling, and smelting processes.

Heavy metal accumulation in two synanthropic avian species in Sri Lanka.

We assessed the levels of Pb, Cd, and Mn in contour feathers of the feral pigeon (Columba livia) and house crow (Corvus splendens) obtained from five urban/suburban locations across Sri Lanka, using the AAS following wet digestion. Our key objectives were to compare accumulation levels in the two avian species with different foraging habits and living in common locations, and to establish baseline information on the presence of these metals in multiple locations in Sri Lanka with varying levels of urbanization. Owing to reservations that have been expressed by previous workers regarding the use of feathers for assessing heavy metal pollution, we first tested the efficacy of contour feathers by using our data for comparing the coefficients of variation in metal levels within and between locations.

Immunological detection of the Weligama coconut leaf wilt disease associated phytoplasma: Development and validation of a polyclonal antibody based indirect ELISA.

Weligama coconut leaf wilt disease (WCLWD) causes heavy losses in the coconut cultivations of southern Sri Lanka. The in-house developed and validated indirect ELISA was based on specific polyclonal antibodies raised in female New Zealand White rabbits, against partially purified WCLWD associated phytoplasma. This ELISA has the potential to distinguish secA PCR confirmed, WCLWD associated phytoplasma positive palms from phytoplasma free palms at high accuracy (93%) and sensitivity (92.

Cadmium-induced toxicity on larvae of the common Asian toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider 1799): evidence from empirical trials.

This paper investigates the toxicity of cadmium (Cd) on young stages of the common Asian toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider 1799). Signs of acute toxicity were evident in tadpoles repeatedly exposed to five concentrations ranging from 0.002 to 2 mg L(-1)of Cd which included environmentally relevant levels.

Preliminary assessment of U.K. human dietary and inhalation exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

This study reports concentrations of BDEs 47, 99, 100, 153, and 154 in outdoor air [median sigmaPBDE (sum of BDEs 47, 99, 100, 153, and 154) = 18 pg m(-3)] in air from a range of office and home indoor microenvironments (median sigmaPBDE = 762 pg m(-3)) and vegan and omnivorous duplicate diet samples (median sigmaPBDE = 154 and 181 pg g(-1) dryweightforvegan and omnivorous diets, respectively). Median daily human exposure to sigmaPBDE via inhalation is 6.9 ng/person and 90.

Is there an industrial future for phytopharmaceutical drugs? An outline of UNIDO programmes in the sector.

Although a substantial proportion of the health-care expenditure of developing countries is spent on the acquisition of drugs, this is only sufficient to serve about a quarter of their population. Therefore it is inconceivable that WHO's goal of HEALTH FOR ALL by the year 2000 could even be approached without consideration being given to the role in health care systems of herbal medicines. In this endeavour, traditional herbal medicines must perforce be granted the benefits of modern science and technology to serve future global needs.

Historical overview of the cinnamon industry.

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Nees in Wall) is one of the world's oldest spices. Sri Lanka is the main provider of cinnamon, mainly exported as "cinnamon quills." From a phytochemical viewpoint, cinnamon is q uniquely interesting plant.