International Letters of Natural Sciences Vol. 79

Abstract: Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Nepeta nuda subsp. albiflora Boiss. were reported in this study. The ethanol and water extracts of Nepeta nuda subsp. albiflora were prepared and used for biochemical analyses. Antioxidant capacities of the extracts were evaluated by three different in vitro bioanalytical methods including a reducing antioxidant method and two radical scavenging antioxidant methods. The water and ethanol extracts of the plant sample were found to have effective antioxidant potentials. Phenolic content of Nepeta nuda subsp. albiflora was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Rosmarinic acid (182.0±4.5 µg/g), apigenin (84.5±57.6 µg/g), and quercetin (44.5±62.9 µg/g) were identified as major compounds in the ethanol extract of the plant sample. This study has a potential scientific base for further studies about Nepeta nuda subsp. albiflora related to plant biochemistry and plant based pharmacological industry.

Abstract: Improved soil fertility is a requirement for enhanced crop production. Combination of inorganic and organic fertilizers improve crop productivity while reduce environmental degradation. An experiment was carried out at Eastern University, Sri Lanka to study the effect of Foliar Application of Banana Pseudostem Sap on Yield of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) in sandy regosol. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design having five treatments viz; recommended inorganic fertilizer N, P, K as basal and N as topdressing (T1), N, P, 1⁄2 K as basal with recommended N as topdressing and foliar spray of 1% , 3%, 5% and 7% banana pseudostem sap solution (T2-T5) at 3^rd, 5^th, 7^th and 9^th week after planting. The results revealed that significant difference (P<0.05) were noted on number of pods per plant at 1^st and 2^nd picking. Higher number of pods per plant, maximum pod length and girth were in T2 while low in T1. Sun dried weights of pods and number of seeds per pod were significantly (P<0.05) varied at each picking. Further, cowpea yield at each picking were higher in T2 compared to tested treatments. The present study suggested that, among the tested treatments N, P, 1⁄2 K as basal with recommended N as topdressing and foliar spray of 1% Pseudostem sap solution at 3^rd, 5^th, 7^th and 9^th WAP would be the most suitable for cowpea production in sandy regosol.

Abstract: The article presents the results of studies on the content of artificial (¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr) and natural radionuclides (²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K) in tissues and organs of various individuals of pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Zaporizhzhia (Dnipro) reservoir. It has been revealed that in the bones of sexually mature pumpkinseed females, the content of radionuclides ¹³⁷Cs and⁹⁰Sr is 24.7% and 28.6% less, respectively, than in the bones of males. Summing up the materials of radioecological studies of 2017–2018, the following sequence of tissues and organs of the pumpkinseed by the ability to accumulate radionuclides was obtained: bone> muscle> scales> gills. Research results can be useful for further study on the fish radiation load in the basins of the Dnipro River and during monitoring radioecological research. It was determined that the content of radionuclides in the pumpkinseed muscles did not exceed the permissible levels of radionuclide content for fish as a food product (permissible levels of radionuclide content for ¹³⁷Cs – 150 Bq/kg, ⁹⁰Sr – 35 Bq/kg).

Abstract: Amino acids composition of Thryonomys swingerianus is reported. Whereas protein values (g100g^-1) were liver (74.1), kidney (91.5), heart (84.6); corresponding total amino acid values were 93.5, 83.2 and 80.6. True protein from the crude protein of the samples ran thus: liver>kidney>heart. Of the twenty parameters reported on, liver was best in 12/20 (60.0%), kidney and heart both shared the second position of 4/20(20%) each. Among the essential amino acids, leucine predominated in both liver (7.96g100g^-1 protein) and kidney (8.11g100g^-1 protein) but valine (6.21g100g^-1 protein) predominated in the heart. The P-PER values were; P-PER₁: 2.78 (liver), 2.91(kidney), 0.716 (heart) and P-PER₂: 2.71 (liver), 2.90 (kidney), 0.564 (heart). However, there was a reverse between liver and kidney in the EAAI values with liver (92.0) > kidney (90.2) > heart (87.6) with corresponding BV values of 88.5 > 86.6 > 83.7. In the amino acids scoring pattern, Ser was limiting in liver (0.533) and heart (0.394) but Thr (0.490) in kidney in whole hen’s egg score comparison; in FAO/WHO scoring standards, Thr was limiting in liver (0.988) and kidney (0.625) but Leu (0.459) in heart. In pre-school requirements, liver recorded no limiting amino acid whereas Thr was limiting in kidney (0.735) and Leu was limiting in the heart (0.486). T. swingerianus red viscera was compared with the red viscera of livestock animals (cattle, sheep and pork) as well as FAO/WHO/UNU standards for total essential amino acids. Our results when compared with the livestock red viscera (without Trp) and FAO/WHO/UNU (g100g^-1 protein), we have heart: grasscutter/cattle/sheep/pig:45.3 /46.0/42.7/46.6; kidney: grasscutter/cattle/sheep/pig: 47.6/43.8/42.5/46.7; liver: grasscutter/cattle/sheep/pig: 50.7/47.7/41.5/47.5 and grasscutter liver/kidney/heart/ FAO/WHO/UNU:50.7/47.6/45.3/32.8 showing that all the red viscera values in T. swingerianus were better than the essential amino acids in the FAO/WHO/UNU standards and livestock red viscera. Statistical values showed that significant differences existed among the samples at r_=0.01.

Abstract: Lake Mainit is one of the largest lakes recognized as Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) in the Philippines with rich fishery resources. However, the lake is at risk from heavy metal contamination due to inputs of industrial, agricultural effluents and small-scale mining activities. The present work evaluated levels of heavy metals namely cadmium, lead, and mercury from key aquatic fauna and sediments from seven strategic sections of the lake in 2018. Muscle samples of all seven fish species assessed were below detections limits (BDL) for tHg and Cd. Trace concentrations of Pb in the muscles were detected in Oreochromis niloticus, Glossogobius giuris, Channa striata and Vivipara angularis but values were within safe ranges. Trace concentrations of Pb in the riverine crab (Sundathelpusa sp) exceeded safe limits. Both Cd and tHg were below detection limits in the three invertebrates assessed. Traces of Pb were detected in S4 (Magtiaco) and S5 (Jaliobong) below standard limits (0.05 ppm) only during the southwest (SW) monsoon but Pb were not detected across all stations during the NE monsoon of 2018. For Cd, however, trace concentrations were detected only during the NE monsoon wherein Cd in S2 (Mayag), S3 (Magpayang), S4 (Magtiaco), S5 (Jaliobong), S6 (Dinarawan) and S7 (Kalinawan) exceeded standard limits for Cd in waters (0.01 ppm). Concentrations of tHg in the water were not detected across the two sampling seasons in all seven tributary stations. In sediments, Pb were all detected during the southwest monsoon with highest Pb concentrations in S6 (Dinarawan) and S7 (Kalinawan) which exceeded safe limits. Trace Cd in sediments were mostly below detectable limits. Concentrations of tHg in sediments exceeded safe limits during the SE monsoon in S4 (Magtiaco) and S7 (Kalinawan) areas. These findings recommended that continuous heavy metal monitoring must be conducted. It is also strongly suggested to evaluate the presence of heavy metals in other aquatic organisms and assess the ecological risk posed by these heavy metals though heavy metal speciation analysis.