Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Antimicrobial Activity of Citronella Oil

Antimicrobial Activity of Citronella Oil Background of Study According to Tzortzakis Economakis, (2007) and Arshad et al. (2014), essential oils are volatile, complex mixes with have a solid smell and also structured by fragrant plants as secondary metabolites. Essential oil can be retrieved from plant parts such as buds, leaves, wood, bark, herbs, flowers, twigs, seeds and whole fruit by extraction technique such as steam distillation, cold pressing or extraction (Calo et al., 2015; Burt, 2004). Bakkali et al. (2008) and Calo et al. (2015) stated that essential oil components consists of two groups, terpene compound and aroma compounds. Wijesekara et al. (1997) and Hodges, (2014) also mentioned that terpene hydrocarbons and additionally their oxygenated subordinates, for example aldehydes, acids, alcohols, esters and ketones that presence in essential oils give the unique characters such as antimicrobial properties, antibacterial properties, antioxidant properties and antifungal properties. Citronella oil or scientific names Cymbopogon Nardus L. Randle or C. Winterianus Jowitt is one of the essential oils which is give impactful smell and lemony (Smoron, 2001) with have blue-green leaves that develop over to a tallness of 1.5 meters tall (Hodges, 2014) and are not entirely oil but less soluble in water (Calo et al., 2015). According to Man et al. (2012) citronella oil is well known by its character as mosquito repellent. Besides being mosquito repellent, antimicrobial properties is one of the properties that been investigate latterly (Billerbeck et al., 2001 Victoria et al., 2012). Calo et al. (2015) have summarized that essential oils and their components have been proven to have ability to control the safety of food and naturally contain active compound that can be found in many plants that give ability in reducing microbial growth in effective ways. Thus this finding plus with negative customer attitudes toward food preservatives made the uses of essential oil expan ding in demand to be as potential natural antimicrobials. Furthermore, Calo et al. (2015) highlighted that a perfect antimicrobial would be one that is accessible in huge volumes as a secondary desirable good and safe to consume. Thus, the citronella oil is one of the criteria that suit to be a perfect antimicrobial agent. Based on Environment Protection Agency (EPA), (1997) study, citronella oil is non-toxic and not harmful to human and animals. By inhibition of fungal growth or microbial in products, citronella oil can decrease the danger to human and animal health and make more demand for fruit and vegetable consumption since it can inhibit the growth of this creature. Thus, for this reason it often been proposed to do research in expanding toward the uses of essential oil. Problem Statement Food borne disease outbreaks that usually caused by microbial have made an attempt in reducing product safety and can affect market demand. It has been assessed that upward of 30% experience the food borne disease (WHO, 2014). Moreover, Acharya et al. (2011) stated that from 250 food-borne diseases microbial infection in foodstuff is the major disorder. Food borne diseases are the aftereffect of ingestion of foodstuffs tainted with microorganisms or chemicals and this can happen at any part in the process from food production line to consumers (WHO, 2014). Results from food borne disease is diarrhea and vomiting, this symptoms executes 1.8 million youngest consistently around the world in 2000 (WHO, 2002). A report by Sharifa Ezat et al. (2013) highlighted that number of cases that been reported as food poisoning caused by contamination of microbial shows higher incidence rate and number of cases compare to other disease such as Dysentery, Tyhoid, Cholera and Hepatitis A within year 2000 until 2009. While in agriculture industry, pathogenic and toxinogenic growth are one of the major issues that can influence cannot only fresh produce but also effect human health, economic loss and ecological security (Ru Li et al., 2013). Not only that, post harvest itself also loss their fresh produce during the supply chain and much of this is because of fungal and bacterial disease (Sivakumar Banos, 2014) for example contamination of Aspergillus niger that produce enzymes such as cellulose, amylase and pectinase (Ru Li et al., 2013) that cause food spoilage. Thus to combat this problem especially to control plant pathogenic growths, synthetic fungicides have been utilized because it do not give bad influence on the appearance or nature of the product (Cabral et al., 2013). Unfortunately, broad utilized of synthetic fungicides can affect human and animal that can lead to cancer, toxicity, environmental problem and long degradation period (Cabral et al., 2013; Calo et al., 2015). Antimicrobial chemical is one of the synthetic fungicides that have been used in agriculture such as aromatic hydrocarbons, benzaimidazoles and sterol biosynthesis inhibitors. Fludioxonil which is phenylpyrrole and Pyrimethanil which is anilinopyrimidine are the most popular one that used to control plant disease. Unfortunately, some of these compounds are not biodegradable and unfriendly to nature because it can presence in soil, plants and water also subsequently influence people through food chain relation (Cabral et al., 2013). In spite of the fact that synthetic fungicides have been thought to be the least expensive also best approach to avoid postharvest disease, the unfriendly effects to nature have reduce their acceptance. Objectives of the Study The goals of this study is to To investigate the antimicrobial activity of citronella oil To study the applications of citronella oil in foods To study the mechanical properties of coated PP film and the control PP film Scope of Study In conjunction with the problem statement and objectives of the study, all activities such as desk study, laboratory activities, data analysis and report writing are conducted in one scope of study. The scope of study can be portrayed as: i)Â  Laboratory activities PP film preparation Where the coating solution will be prepared and after preparation of coating solution the PP film will be coated with the coating solution. Fruit sample and E. coli sample The PP film that been coated with solution is then tested on the bacteria growth sample and the fruit sample. ii)Â  Data analysis Measure the ‘zero inhibition zone’ After the sample left for 5 days the clear zone will be formed around the PP film for the bacteria growth sample. The length of clear zone will be measured. Evaluation on fruit sample The PP film that been coated with solution is then tested on the fruit sample by wrapping the fruit sample. The condition of the fruit sample will be evaluated. Mechanical properties The strength of coated PP film and the uncoated PP film will be identifying with an appropriate machine. iii)Â  Report writing Preparation full report After getting the result from lab test, the discussion of the result will be made and prepared. Presentation of project report The study that been made along the semester 1 and semester 2 will be present in front of the panels.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Emily Dickinson: How Illness Shaped Her Writing Essay -- Biography

Emily Dickinson has a characteristic writing style. Dickinson’s use of dashes and â€Å"randomly† placed capital letters throughout her work give her a unique style that is contradictory to her time. Many believe that it was her genius that caused this while still others believes it was her illness that contributed to her characteristic writing style. Lyndall Gordon's biography â€Å"offers a major revelation: evidence that Dickinson suffered from epilepsy. The author makes her case partly through prescriptions that Dickinson received (the papers still survive) and reinterprets poems such as "I felt a Cleaving in my Mind" to describe the poet's condition. She writes that ‘sickness is a more sensible reason for seclusion than disappointed love.’ Epilepsy carried a stigma, and Gordon explains that because diagnosis was ‘rarely uttered, still less put on paper, there's little chance of explicit evidence’† (Ciuraru). â€Å"Gordon makes a pe rsuasive case for the link between epilepsy's visual and cerebral distortions and Dickinson's extraordinary language† (Showalter). By examining the imagery, diction, symbolism and tone in the poems â€Å"I Felt a Funeral in my Brain†, â€Å"I Felt a Cleaving in my Mind† and â€Å"Pain†, the reader can decipher the characteristics of Emily’s illness brought out in her writing. Through the use of imagery, diction and symbolism in these three poems, the reader can get a sense of the pain and distraught that Dickinson may have felt because of her illness. In â€Å"I Felt a Cleaving in my Mind† the speaker talks of how â€Å"my Brain had split† (2). The word â€Å"Brain† (2) is capitalized to add emphasis on the word. To have one’s brain â€Å"split† (2) gives the illusion of one’s brain actually being rendered in two. To have this actually happen wou... ...is experiencing. Pain is described as â€Å"an Element of Blank† (1). â€Å"Blank† is nothingness. â€Å"It cannot recollect† (2), it cannot remember a time when it was not there. It is difficult and hard to live with. The speaker cannot remember â€Å"When it begun-Or if there were/ A time when it was not-â€Å"(3-4). The illness has become such a part of the speaker’s life, she cannot remember a time when it did not occur. The speaker â€Å"has no Future† (5) with the pain of the illness. The illusion of infinity with the illness and pain is given and reiterated in the next line with â€Å"It’s Infinite contain-â€Å"(6). The only future the speaker has is â€Å"New Periods- Of Pain† (8). Because all the words are capitalized the reader is given the feeling of finality. That this is all there is, nothing more than pain. The dash causes the reader to pause and digest this information and the finality of it.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

My Room

The wall is cream colored. There are all sort of modern facilities in my room what makes it very comfortable to live. There is a double size bed in the left corner of the room which is made by wood and it is very comfortable to sleep on it. There is lamp beside my bed and a sofa as well. My room has got a big window. It looks so beautiful when light comes through the window in my room during the morning and twilight. There is a reading table with chair Just under the window.I put all of my necessary things for study on this table. I also put my personal computer on it. Beside my table, there is a nice wardrobe where I keep my clothes and valuable things. It has got a big mirror on the cover. There are a good numbers of pictures of my family and friends hung on the wall. When I feel depressed, I take a look on these pictures to make my mind happy and cheerful. All pictures are neatly placed in their proper spots In a collage. My room has got a balcony too.I have a sliding glass door g oing out to my balcony. The view from my balcony is really amazing. I usually go there before the sun set and like to see the beauty of nature. I can see the road opposite of our apartment from the balcony. There is a rocking chair in my balcony. It gives me amazing feelings when I sit on my rocking chair and take breath from cool breeze. I always like to keep my room neat and clean. All of these In my room make me very comfortable and relax. I love my room very much. My Room The wall is cream colored. There are all sort of modern facilities in my room what makes it very comfortable to live. There is a double size bed in the left corner of the room which is made by wood and it is very comfortable to sleep on it. There is lamp beside my bed and a sofa as well. My room has got a big window. It looks so beautiful when light comes through the window in my room during the morning and twilight. There is a reading table with chair Just under the window.I put all of my necessary things for study on this table. I also put my personal computer on it. Beside my table, there is a nice wardrobe where I keep my clothes and valuable things. It has got a big mirror on the cover. There are a good numbers of pictures of my family and friends hung on the wall. When I feel depressed, I take a look on these pictures to make my mind happy and cheerful. All pictures are neatly placed in their proper spots In a collage. My room has got a balcony too.I have a sliding glass door g oing out to my balcony. The view from my balcony is really amazing. I usually go there before the sun set and like to see the beauty of nature. I can see the road opposite of our apartment from the balcony. There is a rocking chair in my balcony. It gives me amazing feelings when I sit on my rocking chair and take breath from cool breeze. I always like to keep my room neat and clean. All of these In my room make me very comfortable and relax. I love my room very much. My Room The wall is cream colored. There are all sort of modern facilities in my room what makes it very comfortable to live. There is a double size bed in the left corner of the room which is made by wood and it is very comfortable to sleep on it. There is lamp beside my bed and a sofa as well. My room has got a big window. It looks so beautiful when light comes through the window in my room during the morning and twilight. There is a reading table with chair Just under the window.I put all of my necessary things for study on this table. I also put my personal computer on it. Beside my table, there is a nice wardrobe where I keep my clothes and valuable things. It has got a big mirror on the cover. There are a good numbers of pictures of my family and friends hung on the wall. When I feel depressed, I take a look on these pictures to make my mind happy and cheerful. All pictures are neatly placed in their proper spots In a collage. My room has got a balcony too.I have a sliding glass door g oing out to my balcony. The view from my balcony is really amazing. I usually go there before the sun set and like to see the beauty of nature. I can see the road opposite of our apartment from the balcony. There is a rocking chair in my balcony. It gives me amazing feelings when I sit on my rocking chair and take breath from cool breeze. I always like to keep my room neat and clean. All of these In my room make me very comfortable and relax. I love my room very much.

Friday, January 3, 2020

Colored Glass Chemistry How Does It Work

Early glass derived its color from impurities that were present when the glass was formed. For example, black bottle glass was a dark brown or green glass, first produced in 17th Century England. This glass was dark due to the effects of the iron impurities in the sand used to make the glass and the sulfur from the smoke of the burning coal used to melt the glass. Man-made Glass Coloration In addition to natural impurities, glass is colored by purposely introducing minerals or purified metal salts (pigments). Examples of popular colored glasses include ruby glass (invented in 1679, using gold chloride) and uranium glass (invented in the 1830s, glass that glows in the dark, made using uranium oxide). Sometimes it is necessary to remove unwanted color caused by impurities to make clear glass or to prepare it for coloring. Decolorizers are used to precipitate out iron and ​sulfur compounds. Manganese dioxide and cerium oxide are common decolorizers. Special Effects Many special effects can be applied to glass to affect its color and overall appearance. Iridescent glass, sometimes called iris glass, is made by adding metallic compounds to the glass or by spraying the surface with stannous chloride or lead chloride and reheating it in a reducing atmosphere. Ancient glasses appear iridescent from the reflection of light off of many layers of weathering. Dichroic glass is an iridescent effect in which the glass appears to be different colors, depending on the angle from which it is viewed. This effect is caused by applying very thin layers of colloidal metals (e.g., gold or silver) to the glass. The thin layers are usually coated with clear glass to protect them from wear or oxidation. Glass Pigments Compounds Colors iron oxides greens, browns manganese oxides deep amber, amethyst, decolorizer cobalt oxide deep blue gold chloride ruby red selenium compounds reds carbon oxides amber/brown a mix of manganese, cobalt, iron black antimony oxides white uranium oxides yellow-green (glows!) sulfur compounds amber/brown copper compounds light blue, red tin compounds white lead with antimony yellow