Abstract: The requirement for maintaining data integrity in laboratory operations is critical for regulatory compliance. Automation of procedures reduces incidence of human errors. Quality control laboratories located in low-income economies may face some barriers in attempts to automate their processes. Since data from quality control tests on pharmaceutical products are used in making regulatory decisions, it is important that laboratory reports are accurate and reliable. Zinc Sulphate (ZnSO4) tablets is used in treatment of diarrhea in pediatric population, and as an adjunct therapy for COVID-19 regimen. Unfortunately, zinc content in these formulations is determined titrimetrically; a manual analytical procedure. The assay for ZnSO4 tablets involves time-consuming steps that contain mathematical formulae prone to calculation errors. To achieve consistency, save costs, and improve data integrity, validated spreadsheets were developed to simplify the two critical steps in the analysis of ZnSO4 tablets: standardization of 0.1M Sodium Edetate (EDTA) solution, and the complexometric titration assay procedure. The assay method in the United States Pharmacopoeia was used to create a process flow for ZnSO4 tablets. For each step in the process, different formulae were input into two spreadsheets to automate calculations. Further checks were created within the automated system to ensure validity of replicate analysis in titrimetric procedures. Validations were conducted using five data sets of manually computed assay results. The acceptance criteria set for the protocol were met. Significant p-values (p < 0.05, α = 0.05, at 95% Confidence Interval) were obtained from students’ t-test evaluation of the mean values for manual-calculated and spreadsheet results at all levels of the analysis flow. Right-first-time analysis and principles of data integrity were enhanced by use of the validated spreadsheet calculators in titrimetric evaluations of ZnSO4 tablets. Human errors were minimized in calculations when procedures were automated in quality control laboratories. The assay procedure for the formulation was achieved in a time-efficient manner with greater level of accuracy. This project is expected to promote cost savings for laboratory business models.
Abstract: In order to evaluate the effect of phosphate and Zn bio-fertilizers on the yield, phytic acid (PA), Zn concentration and PA/Zn molar ratio in bean, a field experiment was carried out for two years. The treatments included two cultivars of bean (Talash and Sadri), four levels of P (P0, P1: 100 kg ha-1 triple super phosphate (TSP), P2: 50 kg ha-1 TSP + phosphate bio-fertilizer, P3: phosphate bio-fertilizer), three levels of Zn (Zn0, Zn1: 50 kg ha-1 ZnSO4, Zn2: Zn bio-fertilizer). Phosphate bio-fertilizer consisted of inoculum of mycorrhizal fungus and Azotobacter and Zn bio-fertilizer consisted of Pseudomonas bacteria. The results revealed that there was significant difference between yield and Zn concentration between years. The effect of cultivar was significant on studied parameters. The lowest content of PA and PA/Zn were obtained from Talash. P treatment caused to significant difference on parameters in which P2 caused to increase yield, P and Zn concentration, and decrease PA and PA/Zn by 21.8%, 38.2%, 33.4%, 17.4% and 38.6% respectively. Zn treatment caused to significant difference on studied parameters. The maximum number of parameters were obtained from Zn1 and Zn2. The higher Zn concentration led to lower content of PA and PA/Zn. Using of P and Zn bio–fertilizers were caused to increasing nutrient uptake, improving growth condition and reducing PA and PA/Zn molar ratio.
Abstract: This study is concerned with the optimization of
fermentation parameters for the hyper production of mannanase from
Fusarium oxysporum SS-25 employing two step statistical strategy
and kinetic characterization of crude enzyme preparation. The
Plackett-Burman design used to screen out the important factors in
the culture medium revealed 20% (w/w) wheat bran, 2% (w/w) each
of potato peels, soyabean meal and malt extract, 1% tryptone, 0.14%
NH4SO4, 0.2% KH2PO4, 0.0002% ZnSO4, 0.0005% FeSO4, 0.01%
MnSO4, 0.012% SDS, 0.03% NH4Cl, 0.1% NaNO3 in brewer’s spent
grain based medium with 50% moisture content, inoculated with
2.8×107 spores and incubated at 30oC for 6 days to be the main
parameters influencing the enzyme production. Of these factors, four
variables including soyabean meal, FeSO4, MnSO4 and NaNO3 were
chosen to study the interactive effects and their optimum levels in
central composite design of response surface methodology with the
final mannanase yield of 193 IU/gds. The kinetic characterization
revealed the crude enzyme to be active over broader temperature and
pH range. This could result in 26.6% reduction in kappa number with
4.93% higher tear index and 1% increase in brightness when used to
treat the wheat straw based kraft pulp. The hydrolytic potential of
enzyme was also demonstrated on both locust bean gum and guar
gum.
Abstract: Zinc borate is an important boron compound that can be used as multi-functional flame retardant additive due to its high dehydration temperature property. In this study, theraw materials of ZnSO4.7H2O, NaOH and H3BO3werecharacterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and used in the synthesis of zinc borates.The synthesis parameters were set to 100°C reaction temperature and 120 minutes of reaction time, with different molar ratio of starting materials (ZnSO4.7H2O:NaOH:H3BO3). After the zinc borate synthesis, the identifications of the products were conducted by XRD and FT-IR. As a result,Zinc Oxide Borate Hydrate [Zn3B6O12.3.5H2O], were synthesized at the molar ratios of 1:1:3, 1:1:4, 1:2:5 and 1:2:6. Among these ratios 1:2:6 had the best results.
Abstract: This study examined the effects of zinc (Zn) from
different sources and microbial phytase on the broiler performance,
biochemical parameters and digestibility of nutrients when they were
added to broiler diets containing low available phosphorus. A total of
875, 1-day-old male broilers of the Ross 308 strain were randomly
separated into two control groups (positive and negative) and five
treatment groups each containing 125 birds; each group was divided
into 5 replicates of 25 birds. The positive control (PC) group was fed
a diet containing adequate concentration (0.45%) of available
phosphorus due to mineral premix (except zinc) and feeds. The
negative control (NC) group was fed a basal diet including low
concentration (0.30%) of available phosphorus due to mineral premix
(except zinc) and feeds. The basal diet was supplemented with 0.30%
phosphorus and 500 FTU phytase (PH); 0.30% phosphorus and
organic zinc (OZ; 75mg/kg of Zn from Zn-proteinate); 0.30%
phosphorus and inorganic zinc (IZ; 75 mg/kg of Zn from ZnSO4);
0.30% phosphorus, organic zinc and 500 FTU phytase (OZ + PH);
and 0.30% phosphorus, inorganic zinc and 500 FTU phytase (IZ +
PH) in the treatment groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively. The lowest
value for mean body weight was in the negative control group on a
diet containing low available phosphorus. The use of
supplementation with organic and inorganic zinc alone or in
combination with microbial phytase significantly (P
Abstract: In production of medicinal plants, seed germination is
very important problem. The treated seeds (control, hydro priming
and ZnSO4) of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) were evaluated at
germination and seedling growth for tolerance to salt (NaCl and
Na2SO4) conditions at the same water potentials of 0.0, -0.3, -0.6, -
0.9 and -1.2MPa. Electrical conductivity (EC) values of the NaCl
solutions were 0.0, 6.5, 12.7, 18.4 and 23.5 dSm-1, respectively. The
objective of the study was to determine factors responsible for
germination and early seedling growth due to salt toxicity or osmotic
effect and to optimize the best priming treatment for these stress
conditions. Results revealed that germination delayed in both
solutions, having variable germination with different priming
treatments. Germination, shoot and weight, root and shoot length
were higher but mean germination time and abnormal germination
percentage were lower in NaCl than Na2SO4 at the same water
potential. The root / shoot weight and R/S length increased with
increase in osmotic potential in both NaCl and Na2SO4 solutions.
NaCl had less inhibitor effect on seedling growth than the
germination. It was concluded that inhibition of germination at the
same water potential of NaCl and Na2SO4 resulted from salt toxicity
rather than osmotic effect. Hydro priming increased germination and
seedling growth under salt stress. This protocol has practical
importance and could be recommended to farmers to achieve higher
germination and uniform emergence under field conditions.