Assumption College

The intangible desire to explore the mysteries of the universe has driven numerous advancements for humanity for centuries. Extraterrestrial journeys are becoming more realistic as a result of human curiosity and endeavors. Over the years, space biology research has played a significant role in understanding the hazardous effects of the space environment on human health during long-term space travel. The inevitable consequence of a space voyage is space ionizing radiation, which has deadly aftereffects on the human body. The paramount objective of this study is to provide a robust platform for performing biological experiments within the Earth's stratosphere by utilizing high-altitude balloons. This platform allows the use of a biological payload to simulate spaceflight missions within the unique properties of space that cannot be replicated in terrestrial facilities. This paper describes the feasibility and demonstration of a biological balloon mission suitable for students and scientists to perform space biology experiments within the boundary of the stratosphere. In this study, a high-altitude balloon was launched into the upper atmosphere (∼29 km altitude), where living microorganisms were exposed to a hazardous combination of UV irradiation, ultralow pressure and cold shock. The balloon carried the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to investigate microbial survival potential under extreme conditions. The results indicated a notable reduction in biosample mortality two orders of magnitude (2-log) after exposure to 164.9 kJ m^-2 UV. Postflight experiments have shown strong evidence that the effect of UV irradiation on living organisms is stronger than that of other extreme conditions.

Abstract: Biochar is a potential sorbent for the removal of frequently detected pesticides in water.In the present study, the thermodn. application and the kinetic models of endrin adsorption from the aqueous medium onto the biochar derived from the acacia wood produced at 500 °C were evaluated.Biochar was characterized using proximate, ultimate, and surface characterization methods.Batch experiments were conducted at 25, 30, and 35 °C for a series of endrin solutions ranging from 100 to 500 ppb using adsorbent water in the following ratios 0.5 g/L, 1 g/L, 2 g/L, and 3 /L.The neg. Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) value indicated the feasibility of endrin adsorption on the Acacia wood biochar (ACBC500).The decrease in the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) with rise in temperature indicated the high favorability of endrin adsorption at lower temperatureThe ΔG value proposed that the adsorption proceeded through physisorption by van der Waals force, London dispersion forces, hydrophobic interactions, and hydrogen bonding.The entropy and the enthalpy changes (ΔS > 0, ΔH < 0) indicated that the electrostatic forces contribute substantially in the adsorption of endrin onto the ACBC500.The equilibrium adsorption capacities (q_e) of ACBC500 predicted by the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models for endrin were 245.65 μg/g and 200.02 μg/g, resp.The exptl. equilibrium adsorption capacity value of ACBC500 for endrin was very much closer to pseudo-second-order value.The study result indicated that the Acacia wood biochar (ACBC500) can be highlighted as a promising low-cost adsorbent for aqueous endrin removal.The calculated thermodn. parameters also indicated that the adsorption was feasible, spontaneous, and exothermic in nature.

A highly sensitive yet simple plasmonic refractive index (RI) sensor consisting of Au trimer hollow nanocylinders surrounded by an Ag hollow nanocylinder is proposed with a wide range of applications in the near IR range. The plasmonic behaviour of the structure is studied by analysing the absorption cross-section on illumination by electromagnetic (EM) wave using the finite element method (FEM). Nanoscale detections can be realized by using the shift in resonance wavelength of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in response to the change in RI. The optimized RI sensor gives a maximum sensitivity of 2545.4 nm/RIU, figure of merit (FOM) of 43.90 RIU−1 and sensor resolution of the order of 10−5 RIU. The proposed sensor can detect even small variations in RI of the order of 10−5 RIU with a sensitivity of 1998 nm/RIU. With the observed high sensitivity, resolution and quality, the sensor can contribute a lot to health-care applications and is found highly suitable for multiple detections covering broad range of RI including bio-analytes, chemicals, and gases.