This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.
Muhammad Imran Khan currently works as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan. He received his master degree in Environmental Engineering from Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China and his PhD degree from Environmental Biotechnology Lab at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea. He did a Humboldt postdoctoral fellowship and worked as a Guest Scientist at Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany. Muhammad Imran Khan does research in multidisciplinary fields such as environmental science (environmental microbiology, environmental pollution, ecotoxicology, and bioremediation etc.), environmental engineering and agriculture. He is currently working on the projects related to microbial degradation of organic pollutants (petroleum hydrocarbons, PAHs, explosives, and pesticides etc.) and crop productivity improvement through the use of beneficial microbial bioresources.
The contamination of crude oil in soil matrices is a persistent problem with negative repercussions because of the recalcitrant, hazardous, and mutagenic properties of its constituents. To mitigate the effect of crude oil contamination in soil, the use of microorganisms is a cheap and feasible option. In the current study, bacterial species from numerous polluted oil field surfaces were isolated and examined for their ability to degrade crude oil. Random soil samples polluted with hydrocarbons were collected and various bacterial isolates were isolated. Results revealed that 40% of total isolates had potential use for hydrocarbon biodegradation, the synthesis of exopolysaccharides and the solubilization of phosphorous. Following isolation and characterization to degrade crude oil, a pot trial was conducted using maize inoculated with the four best strains—i.e., S1 (PMEL-63), S2 (PMEL-67), S3 (PMEL-80), and S4 (PMEL-79)—in artificially hydrocarbon-polluted soil with concentrations of crude oil of 0, 1000, and 2000 ppm. Results revealed that S4 (PMEL-79) had significant potential to degrade hydrocarbon in polluted soils. The root length, shoot length, and fresh biomass of maize were increased by 65%, 45%, and 98%, respectively, in pots inoculated with S4 (PMEL-79) Enterobacter cloacae subsp., whereas the lowest root length was observed where no strain was added and the concentration of crude oil was at maximum. Moreover, S4 (PMEL-79) Enterobacter cloacae subsp. was found to be the most effective strain in degrading crude oil and increasing maize growth under polluted soil conditions. It was concluded that the isolation of microorganisms from oil-contaminated sites should be considered in order to identify the most effective microbial consortium for the biodegradation of naturally hydrocarbon-contaminated soils.
Mukkaram Ejaz; Baowei Zhao; Xiukang Wang; Safdar Bashir; Fasih Haider; Zubair Aslam; Muhammad Khan; Muhammad Shabaan; Muhammad Naveed; Adnan Mustafa. Isolation and Characterization of Oil-Degrading Enterobacter sp. from Naturally Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soils and Their Potential Use against the Bioremediation of Crude Oil. Applied Sciences 2021, 11, 3504 .
AMA StyleMukkaram Ejaz, Baowei Zhao, Xiukang Wang, Safdar Bashir, Fasih Haider, Zubair Aslam, Muhammad Khan, Muhammad Shabaan, Muhammad Naveed, Adnan Mustafa. Isolation and Characterization of Oil-Degrading Enterobacter sp. from Naturally Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soils and Their Potential Use against the Bioremediation of Crude Oil. Applied Sciences. 2021; 11 (8):3504.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMukkaram Ejaz; Baowei Zhao; Xiukang Wang; Safdar Bashir; Fasih Haider; Zubair Aslam; Muhammad Khan; Muhammad Shabaan; Muhammad Naveed; Adnan Mustafa. 2021. "Isolation and Characterization of Oil-Degrading Enterobacter sp. from Naturally Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soils and Their Potential Use against the Bioremediation of Crude Oil." Applied Sciences 11, no. 8: 3504.
Extraction and exploration of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs) to satisfy the rising world population's fossil fuel demand is playing havoc with human beings and other life forms by contaminating the ecosystem, particularly the soil. In the current review, we highlighted the sources of PHs contamination, factors affecting the PHs accumulation in soil, mechanisms of uptake, translocation and potential toxic effects of PHs on plants. In plants, PHs reduce the seed germination andnutrients translocation, and induce oxidative stress, disturb the plant metabolic activity and inhibit the plant physiology and morphology that ultimately reduce plant yield. Moreover, the defense strategy in plants to mitigate the PHs toxicity and other potential remediation techniques, including the use of organic manure, compost, plant hormones, and biochar, and application of microbe-assisted remediation, and phytoremediation are also discussed in the current review. These remediation strategies not only help to remediate PHs pollutionin the soil rhizosphere but also enhance the morphological and physiological attributes of plant and results to improve crop yield under PHs contaminated soils. This review aims to provide significant information on ecological importance of PHs stress in various interdisciplinary investigations and critical remediation techniques to mitigate the contamination of PHs in agricultural soils.
Fasih Ullah Haider; Mukkaram Ejaz; Sardar Alam Cheema; Muhammad Imran Khan; Baowei Zhao; Cai Liqun; Muhammad Arslan Salim; Muhammad Naveed; Naeem Khan; Avelino Núñez-Delgado; Adnan Mustafa. Phytotoxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons: Sources, impacts and remediation strategies. Environmental Research 2021, 197, 111031 .
AMA StyleFasih Ullah Haider, Mukkaram Ejaz, Sardar Alam Cheema, Muhammad Imran Khan, Baowei Zhao, Cai Liqun, Muhammad Arslan Salim, Muhammad Naveed, Naeem Khan, Avelino Núñez-Delgado, Adnan Mustafa. Phytotoxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons: Sources, impacts and remediation strategies. Environmental Research. 2021; 197 ():111031.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFasih Ullah Haider; Mukkaram Ejaz; Sardar Alam Cheema; Muhammad Imran Khan; Baowei Zhao; Cai Liqun; Muhammad Arslan Salim; Muhammad Naveed; Naeem Khan; Avelino Núñez-Delgado; Adnan Mustafa. 2021. "Phytotoxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons: Sources, impacts and remediation strategies." Environmental Research 197, no. : 111031.
The main purpose of this study was to examine the impact of different phosphorus (P) fertilizers and organic manures alone and in combination with Bacillus sp. MN-54 on growth, yield, nutrient uptake, chlorophyll (SPAD value) and crude proteins content of chickpea. The simple manure (SM), processed manure (PM), single super phosphate (SSP), and rock phosphate (RP) were applied individually and in different combinations to the soil in pots, and the chickpea seeds treated with Bacillus sp. MN-54 were sown in the selective pots. Results showed that individual use of SM, PM, SSP, RP, and strain MN-54 significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) the nutrient uptake, growth, yield, and protein content of chickpea as compared to control treatments. While the combined use of SM or PM, SSP or RP, and MN-54 further enhanced this effect. Among different treatments, combined use of RP, PM and MN-54 proved the most effective treatment showing increase of 37.5 and 42.6% in shoot and root lengths, 43.4 and 38.3% in fresh and dry shoot weights, 36.1 and 36.5% in fresh and dry root weights, 45.8% in no. of pods, 43.6% in nodules counts, 16.0% in 100-grain weight and 31–36% nutrient uptake over control treatments. Our findings suggest that the co-addition of organic manures and P fertilizers along with plant growth promoting bacteria (i.e., Bacillus sp. MN-54) not only increases the growth and yield but also improves nodulation, nutrient uptake, and crude proteins content in chickpea.
Muhammad Khan; Muhammad Afzal; Safdar Bashir; Muhammad Naveed; Sara Anum; Sardar Cheema; Abdul Wakeel; Muhammad Sanaullah; Muhammad Ali; Zhongbing Chen. Improving Nutrient Uptake, Growth, Yield and Protein Content in Chickpea by the Co-Addition of Phosphorus Fertilizers, Organic Manures, and Bacillus sp. MN-54. Agronomy 2021, 11, 436 .
AMA StyleMuhammad Khan, Muhammad Afzal, Safdar Bashir, Muhammad Naveed, Sara Anum, Sardar Cheema, Abdul Wakeel, Muhammad Sanaullah, Muhammad Ali, Zhongbing Chen. Improving Nutrient Uptake, Growth, Yield and Protein Content in Chickpea by the Co-Addition of Phosphorus Fertilizers, Organic Manures, and Bacillus sp. MN-54. Agronomy. 2021; 11 (3):436.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Khan; Muhammad Afzal; Safdar Bashir; Muhammad Naveed; Sara Anum; Sardar Cheema; Abdul Wakeel; Muhammad Sanaullah; Muhammad Ali; Zhongbing Chen. 2021. "Improving Nutrient Uptake, Growth, Yield and Protein Content in Chickpea by the Co-Addition of Phosphorus Fertilizers, Organic Manures, and Bacillus sp. MN-54." Agronomy 11, no. 3: 436.
Petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) contamination of soil is a widespread global environmental concern due to the persistence and recalcitrant nature of PHCs. The PHCs are highly toxic and their removal from the terrestrial ecosystem is necessary to maintain soil as well as human health. Here, a pot experiment was performed to examine the impact of Enterobacter sp. MN17 and biochar addition on the growth of mungbean plants and PHCs removal from diesel-polluted soil. For this purpose, soil was contaminated artificially with diesel to achieve a final concentration of 5000 mg kg−1. Untreated and Enterobacter sp. MN17 treated mungbean seeds were sown in pots. Sugarcane bagasse biochar was applied as an amendment in respective pots along with the recommended levels of essential nutrients. Results showed that PHCs significantly suppressed the seedling emergence as well as agronomic and physiological attributes of mungbean as compared to un-contaminated controls. However, the co-application of Enterobacter sp. MN17 and biochar significantly reduced the phytotoxicity of PHCs to mungbean plants and effectively increased the seedling emergence, shoot and root length, shoot fresh and dry biomass, root fresh and dry biomass of plants up to 24%, 54%, 52%, 52%, 54%, 55% and 60%, respectively as compared to controls. Similarly, 30%, 57%, 64%, 36% and 57% increase in chlorophylls contents, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, sub-stomatal conductance, and photosynthetic rate, respectively were observed in their combined application as compared to respective controls. Furthermore, the co-addition of biochar and Enterobacter sp. MN17 could remove 69% and 85% higher PHCs from unplanted and planted pots, respectively, than that of their respective controls. Our results suggest that the co-application of biochar and Enterobacter sp. MN17 may be useful in enhancing plant growth and eliminating PHCs from contaminated soil.
Muhammad Hayder Ali; Muhammad Tayyab Sattar; Muhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Naveed; Munazza Rafique; Saud Alamri; Manzer H. Siddiqui. Enhanced Growth of Mungbean and Remediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons by Enterobacter sp. MN17 and Biochar Addition in Diesel Contaminated Soil. Applied Sciences 2020, 10, 8548 .
AMA StyleMuhammad Hayder Ali, Muhammad Tayyab Sattar, Muhammad Imran Khan, Muhammad Naveed, Munazza Rafique, Saud Alamri, Manzer H. Siddiqui. Enhanced Growth of Mungbean and Remediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons by Enterobacter sp. MN17 and Biochar Addition in Diesel Contaminated Soil. Applied Sciences. 2020; 10 (23):8548.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Hayder Ali; Muhammad Tayyab Sattar; Muhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Naveed; Munazza Rafique; Saud Alamri; Manzer H. Siddiqui. 2020. "Enhanced Growth of Mungbean and Remediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons by Enterobacter sp. MN17 and Biochar Addition in Diesel Contaminated Soil." Applied Sciences 10, no. 23: 8548.
Lead (Pb) is considered an important environmental contaminant due to its considerable toxicity to living organisms. It can enter and accumulate in plant tissues and become part of the food chain. In the present study, individual and combined effects of Bacillus sp. MN-54 and phosphorus (P) on maize growth and physiology were evaluated in Pb-contaminated soil. A pristine soil was artificially contaminated with two levels of Pb (i.e., 250 and 500 mg kg−1 dry soil) and was transferred to plastic pots. Bacillus sp. MN-54 treated and untreated maize (DK-6714) seeds were planted in pots. Recommended doses of nutrients (N and K) were applied in each pot while P was applied in selective pots. Results showed that Pb stress hampered the maize growth and physiological attributes in a concentration-dependent manner, and significant reductions in seedling emergence, shoot and root lengths, fresh and dry biomasses, leaf area, chlorophyll content, rate of photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance were recorded compared with control. Application of Bacillus sp. MN-54 or P particularly in combination significantly reduced the toxic effects of Pb on maize. At higher Pb level (500 mg kg−1), the combined application effectively reduced Pb uptake up to 42.4% and 50% by shoots, 30.8% and 33.9% by roots, and 18.4% and 26.2% in available Pb content in soil after 45 days and 90 days, respectively compared with that of control. Moreover, the use of Bacillus sp. MN-54 significantly improved the P uptake by maize plants by 44.4% as compared with that of control. Our findings suggest that the combined use of Bacillus sp. MN-54 and P could be effective and helpful in improving plant growth and Pb immobilization in Pb-contaminated soil.
Muhammad Junaid Afzal; Muhammad Imran Khan; Sardar Alam Cheema; Saddam Hussain; Muhammad Anwar-Ul-Haq; Muhammad Hayder Ali; Muhammad Naveed. Combined application of Bacillus sp. MN-54 and phosphorus improved growth and reduced lead uptake by maize in the lead-contaminated soil. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2020, 27, 44528 -44539.
AMA StyleMuhammad Junaid Afzal, Muhammad Imran Khan, Sardar Alam Cheema, Saddam Hussain, Muhammad Anwar-Ul-Haq, Muhammad Hayder Ali, Muhammad Naveed. Combined application of Bacillus sp. MN-54 and phosphorus improved growth and reduced lead uptake by maize in the lead-contaminated soil. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2020; 27 (35):44528-44539.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Junaid Afzal; Muhammad Imran Khan; Sardar Alam Cheema; Saddam Hussain; Muhammad Anwar-Ul-Haq; Muhammad Hayder Ali; Muhammad Naveed. 2020. "Combined application of Bacillus sp. MN-54 and phosphorus improved growth and reduced lead uptake by maize in the lead-contaminated soil." Environmental Science and Pollution Research 27, no. 35: 44528-44539.
Muhammad Imran Khan; Keunje Yoo; Seonghoon Kim; Sardar Alam Cheema; Safdar Bashir; Safdar Bashir And Joonhong Park. A Sporolactobacillus-, Clostridium-, and Paenibacillus- Dominant Microbial Consortium Improved Anaerobic RDX Detoxification by Starch Addition. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 2020, 30, 839 -847.
AMA StyleMuhammad Imran Khan, Keunje Yoo, Seonghoon Kim, Sardar Alam Cheema, Safdar Bashir, Safdar Bashir And Joonhong Park. A Sporolactobacillus-, Clostridium-, and Paenibacillus- Dominant Microbial Consortium Improved Anaerobic RDX Detoxification by Starch Addition. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2020; 30 (6):839-847.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Imran Khan; Keunje Yoo; Seonghoon Kim; Sardar Alam Cheema; Safdar Bashir; Safdar Bashir And Joonhong Park. 2020. "A Sporolactobacillus-, Clostridium-, and Paenibacillus- Dominant Microbial Consortium Improved Anaerobic RDX Detoxification by Starch Addition." Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 30, no. 6: 839-847.
Arsenic (As) has been recognized as one of the most toxic metalloids present in the surface soil contaminating food chain and posing threat to human life. Sulfur (S) fertilizer is often supplied in paddy soil for rice growth, but its impact on As mobility and related bacteria remains poorly understood. In this study, a pot experiment was set up with two different types of sulfur treatments (element sulfur and Na2SO4) to evaluate the effect of sulfur fertilizers on As speciation in porewater, As fractions in soil, As accumulation in rice plants. Besides, rhizosphere bacterial composition and functional genes that might influence As mobility were also studied. The results revealed that the addition of 150 mg/kg Na2SO4 decreased As(III) and As(V) concentrations in soil porewater at maturation stage by 77% and 64%, respectively. With the same sulfur content, Na2SO4 was more effective than element sulfur. The addition of sulfur fertilizers promoted rice growth and reduced As accumulation in shoots, further reduced As translocation from root to above-ground parts by 39–59%. The addition of sulfur fertilizers had little effect on genes involved in As metabolism. However, the relative abundance of Fe(III) and sulfate reduction related genera increased with the addition of 150 mg/kg Na2SO4, consistent with the increase of Fe(III) reducing bacteria Geobacteraceae and sulfate reducing gene dsrA. The phenomenon likely influenced the decrease of As concentrations in soil porewater and rice uptake. The outcomes indicate that promoting Fe- and S- reducing bacteria in the rhizosphere by sulfur fertilizers may be one way to reduce As risk in the soil-rice system.
Xianjin Tang; Luyao Li; Chuan Wu; Muhammed Imran Khan; Maria Manzoor; Lina Zou; Jiyan Shi. The response of arsenic bioavailability and microbial community in paddy soil with the application of sulfur fertilizers. Environmental Pollution 2020, 264, 114679 .
AMA StyleXianjin Tang, Luyao Li, Chuan Wu, Muhammed Imran Khan, Maria Manzoor, Lina Zou, Jiyan Shi. The response of arsenic bioavailability and microbial community in paddy soil with the application of sulfur fertilizers. Environmental Pollution. 2020; 264 ():114679.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXianjin Tang; Luyao Li; Chuan Wu; Muhammed Imran Khan; Maria Manzoor; Lina Zou; Jiyan Shi. 2020. "The response of arsenic bioavailability and microbial community in paddy soil with the application of sulfur fertilizers." Environmental Pollution 264, no. : 114679.
Arsenic (As) is a potential contaminant in sewage sludge that may affect waste treatment and limit the use of these waste materials as soil amendments. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an important and effective process for the treatment of sewage sludge and the chemical speciation of As is particularly important in sludge AD. However, the biotransformation genes of As in sludge during AD has not been fully explored. In this study, the influent and effluent sludge of anaerobic digester in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) was collected to investigate the species transformations of As, the abundance and diversity of As biotransformation genes was explored by real-time PCR (qPCR) and metagenomic sequencing, separately. The results showed that arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)] were predominant in the influent sludge, whereas the relative abundance of monomethylarsenic acid (MMA) increased by 25.7% after digestion. As biotransformation genes were highly abundant, and the As(III) S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase (arsM) gene was the predominant which significantly increased after AD by qPCR analysis. Metagenomic analysis indicated that the diversity of the arsM-like sequences also increased significantly after AD. Most of the arsM-like sequences in all the influent and effluent sludge samples were related to Bacteroidetes and Alphaproteobacteria. Furthermore, co-occurrence network analysis indicated a strong correlation between the microbial communities and As. This study provides a direct and reliable reference on As biotransformation genes and microbial community in the AD of sludge.
Weiwei Zhai; TianYue Qin; Liguan Li; Ting Guo; Xiaole Yin; Muhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Zaffar Hashmi; Xingmei Liu; Xianjin Tang; Jianming Xu. Abundance and diversity of microbial arsenic biotransformation genes in the sludge of full-scale anaerobic digesters from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Environment International 2020, 138, 105535 .
AMA StyleWeiwei Zhai, TianYue Qin, Liguan Li, Ting Guo, Xiaole Yin, Muhammad Imran Khan, Muhammad Zaffar Hashmi, Xingmei Liu, Xianjin Tang, Jianming Xu. Abundance and diversity of microbial arsenic biotransformation genes in the sludge of full-scale anaerobic digesters from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Environment International. 2020; 138 ():105535.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWeiwei Zhai; TianYue Qin; Liguan Li; Ting Guo; Xiaole Yin; Muhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Zaffar Hashmi; Xingmei Liu; Xianjin Tang; Jianming Xu. 2020. "Abundance and diversity of microbial arsenic biotransformation genes in the sludge of full-scale anaerobic digesters from a municipal wastewater treatment plant." Environment International 138, no. : 105535.
Extensive milling processes have deprived wheat flour from essential nutrients. The objective of the current study was to assess the nutritive quality of commercial wheat flour (soft flour (SF)) through analyses of proximate composition and functional properties as well as quantification of benzoyl peroxide (BPO; added as bleaching agent in the SF) by comparing the results with whole wheat flour (WF; never received any additives). The samples included commercial SF purchased from the local supplier of different flour mills (who use BPO as additive) and a control sample without additives was prepared by grinding the seeds harvested from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.; Inqulab 91) crop grown in the experimental field of University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, under optimized field conditions without any fertilizers and insecticides. Functional properties (including bulk density, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, emulsifying activity, foaming capacity, least gelatinization concentration and gelatinization temperature) and proximate composition (including moisture content, ash contents, crude protein, gluten and starch contents) were determined and compared for all the samples. Benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and Benzoic Acid (BA) quantification was performed through High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Finally dietary intake was estimated for BPO and BA. Results showed that SF had lesser fiber, protein and ash contents, whereas, higher damaged starch, fat, gluten and bulk density. A parallel experiment under selected conditions (temperature, time and solute concentration) showed dissociation of BPO into BA soon after the exposure. Observed BA range (13.77 mg/g after 16 h) in SF and exposure level assessment (44.3 ± 1.36 mg/kg/BW) showed higher intake of BA on the consumption of SF. The results revealed the superiority of WF over SF in nutritive qualities as well as free of toxicants such as BA.
Numrah Nisar; Faiza Mustafa; Arifa Tahir; Rashad Qadri; Yaodong Yang; Muhammad Imran Khan; Fuyou Wang. Proximate composition, functional properties and quantitative analysis of benzoyl peroxide and benzoic acid in wheat flour samples: effect on wheat flour quality. PeerJ 2020, 8, e8788 .
AMA StyleNumrah Nisar, Faiza Mustafa, Arifa Tahir, Rashad Qadri, Yaodong Yang, Muhammad Imran Khan, Fuyou Wang. Proximate composition, functional properties and quantitative analysis of benzoyl peroxide and benzoic acid in wheat flour samples: effect on wheat flour quality. PeerJ. 2020; 8 ():e8788.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNumrah Nisar; Faiza Mustafa; Arifa Tahir; Rashad Qadri; Yaodong Yang; Muhammad Imran Khan; Fuyou Wang. 2020. "Proximate composition, functional properties and quantitative analysis of benzoyl peroxide and benzoic acid in wheat flour samples: effect on wheat flour quality." PeerJ 8, no. : e8788.
Muhammad Imran Khan; Zaffar Malik; Ghulam Hassan Abbasi; Sardar Alam Cheema; Muhammad Dawood; Muhammad Babar Javed; Muhammad Rafey; Malik Noman Mansha. Alleviation of Toxic Effects of Untreated Wastewater on Selective Vegetables Using Soil Organic Amendments. Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleMuhammad Imran Khan, Zaffar Malik, Ghulam Hassan Abbasi, Sardar Alam Cheema, Muhammad Dawood, Muhammad Babar Javed, Muhammad Rafey, Malik Noman Mansha. Alleviation of Toxic Effects of Untreated Wastewater on Selective Vegetables Using Soil Organic Amendments. Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi. 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Imran Khan; Zaffar Malik; Ghulam Hassan Abbasi; Sardar Alam Cheema; Muhammad Dawood; Muhammad Babar Javed; Muhammad Rafey; Malik Noman Mansha. 2020. "Alleviation of Toxic Effects of Untreated Wastewater on Selective Vegetables Using Soil Organic Amendments." Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi , no. : 1.
Pesticides contamination is a global environmental and public health concern due to their carcinogenic and highly toxic nature for all kind of living organisms including plants, animals and humans. Pakistan as an agriculture-based country, annually use a huge amount of organochlorine pesticides (OC) to control insect pests and different diseases of crops, resulting in environmental contaminations and their subsequent exposure to humans. Unfortunately, more than half million people are endured annually from OC pesticides and other agro-chemicals poisoning in Pakistan. However, recent data on the uses, contamination and exposure of pesticides in Pakistan are largely unavailable. This review summarizes the recent information and provides data on consumption and contamination of pesticides with a particular focus on their exposure to humans in Pakistan. Studies must be conducted to precisely determine the current use, contamination level and exposure of pesticides in Pakistan.
Muhammad Imran Khan. Use, contamination and exposure of pesticides in Pakistan: A review. 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleMuhammad Imran Khan. Use, contamination and exposure of pesticides in Pakistan: A review. . 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Imran Khan. 2020. "Use, contamination and exposure of pesticides in Pakistan: A review." , no. : 1.
The present study was conducted to explore the role of different types of vermicomposts (VCs) prepared from different substrates to improve soil health (physical and chemical properties) and wheat plant growth under field conditions. Different combinations of vermicompost prepared from different substrates (cow dung, paper waste, and rice straw) and inorganic fertilizers were applied in soil using wheat as a test plant. The impact of three different VCs on physico-chemical characteristics and nutrient availability in soil was evaluated to examine their efficacy in combination with chemical fertilizers. Temporal trends in vermicomposting treatments at various stages showed significant improvement in physico-chemical attributes of the VCs substrates. All the plant physiological attributes showed significant response where N:P:K 100:50:50 kg ha−1 + 10 t ha−1 cow dung vermicompost was applied. In addition, post-harvest analysis of soil not only revealed that different combinations of the vermicomposting treatments improved the soil health by improving the physico-chemical attributes of the soil. Conclusively, application of cow dung vermicompost along with recommended NPK not only improved crop yield, soil health, reduced insect (aphid) infestation but also fortified grains with Zn and Fe.
Zubair Aslam; Safdar Bashir; Waseem Hassan; Korkmaz Bellitürk; Niaz Ahmad; Nabeel Khan Niazi; Ahsan Khan; Muhammad Imran Khan; Zhongbing Chen; Mansoor Maitah; Khan; Chen. Unveiling the Efficiency of Vermicompost Derived from Different Biowastes on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Plant Growth and Soil Health. Agronomy 2019, 9, 791 .
AMA StyleZubair Aslam, Safdar Bashir, Waseem Hassan, Korkmaz Bellitürk, Niaz Ahmad, Nabeel Khan Niazi, Ahsan Khan, Muhammad Imran Khan, Zhongbing Chen, Mansoor Maitah, Khan, Chen. Unveiling the Efficiency of Vermicompost Derived from Different Biowastes on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Plant Growth and Soil Health. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (12):791.
Chicago/Turabian StyleZubair Aslam; Safdar Bashir; Waseem Hassan; Korkmaz Bellitürk; Niaz Ahmad; Nabeel Khan Niazi; Ahsan Khan; Muhammad Imran Khan; Zhongbing Chen; Mansoor Maitah; Khan; Chen. 2019. "Unveiling the Efficiency of Vermicompost Derived from Different Biowastes on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Plant Growth and Soil Health." Agronomy 9, no. 12: 791.
Nickel (Ni) is a naturally occurring metal, but anthropogenic activities such as industrialization, use of fertilizers, chemicals, and sewage sludge have increased its concentration in the environment up to undesirable levels. Ni is considered to be essential for plant growth at low concentration; however, Ni pollution is increasing in the environment, and therefore, it is important to understand its functional roles and toxic effects on plants. This review emphasizes the environmental sources of Ni, its essentiality, effects, tolerance mechanisms, possible remediation approaches, and research direction that may help in interdisciplinary studies to assess the significance of Ni toxicity. Briefly, Ni affects plant growth both positively and negatively, depending on the concentration present in the growth medium. On the positive side, Ni is essential for normal growth, enzymatic activities (e.g., urease), nitrogen metabolism, iron uptake, and specific metabolic reactions. On the negative side, Ni reduces seed germination, root and shoot growth, biomass accumulation, and final production. Moreover, Ni toxicity also causes chlorosis and necrosis and inhibits various physiological processes (photosynthesis, transpiration) and cause oxidative damage in plants. The threat associated with Ni is increased as Ni concentration increases day by day in the environment, particularly in soils; therefore, it would be hazardous for crop production in the near future. Additionally, the lack of information regarding the mechanisms of Ni tolerance in plants further intensifies this situation. Therefore, future research should be focused on approachable and prominent solutions in order to minimize the entry of Ni into our ecosystems.
Muhammad Umair Hassan; Muhammad Bilal Chattha; Imran` Khan; Muhammad Aamer; Muhammad Nawaz; Abid Ali; Muhammad Imran Khan; Tahir Abbas Khan. Nickel toxicity in plants: reasons, toxic effects, tolerance mechanisms, and remediation possibilities—a review. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2019, 26, 12673 -12688.
AMA StyleMuhammad Umair Hassan, Muhammad Bilal Chattha, Imran` Khan, Muhammad Aamer, Muhammad Nawaz, Abid Ali, Muhammad Imran Khan, Tahir Abbas Khan. Nickel toxicity in plants: reasons, toxic effects, tolerance mechanisms, and remediation possibilities—a review. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2019; 26 (13):12673-12688.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Umair Hassan; Muhammad Bilal Chattha; Imran` Khan; Muhammad Aamer; Muhammad Nawaz; Abid Ali; Muhammad Imran Khan; Tahir Abbas Khan. 2019. "Nickel toxicity in plants: reasons, toxic effects, tolerance mechanisms, and remediation possibilities—a review." Environmental Science and Pollution Research 26, no. 13: 12673-12688.
Asian dust (AD) events have received significant attention due to their adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. However, detailed information about airborne pathogens associated with AD events is limited. This study monitored airborne bacterial communities and identified AD-specific bacteria and the potential hazards associated with these bacteria during AD events. Over a 33-month period, 40 air samples were collected under normal atmospheric conditions (non-AD events; n = 34) and during AD events (n = 6). The airborne bacterial communities in the air samples collected during non-AD events (non-AD sample) and AD events (AD sample) were evaluated using both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. The bacterial diversity increased significantly, along with the 16S rRNA gene copy number, in AD samples (p < 0.05) and was positively correlated with PM10 concentration. High throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the relative abundance of the phylum Firmicutes increased substantially in AD samples (44.3 ± 5.0%) compared with non-AD samples (27.8 ± 4.3%). Within the phylum Firmicutes, AD samples included a greater abundance of Bacillus species (almost 23.8%) than non-AD samples (almost 13.3%). Both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods detected common predominant species closely related to Bacillus cereus during AD events. Subsequent multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and enterotoxin gene assays confirmed the presence of virulence factors in B. cereus isolates from AD samples. Furthermore, the abundance of bceT, encoding enterotoxin in B. cereus, was significantly higher in AD samples (p < 0.05). The systematic characterization of airborne bacterial communities in AD samples in this study suggests that B. cereus pose risks to public health.
Keunje Yoo; Il Han; Kwan Soo Ko; Tae Kwon Lee; Hyunji Yoo; Muhammad Imran Khan; James M. Tiedje; Joonhong Park. Bacillus-Dominant Airborne Bacterial Communities Identified During Asian Dust Events. Microbial Ecology 2019, 78, 677 -687.
AMA StyleKeunje Yoo, Il Han, Kwan Soo Ko, Tae Kwon Lee, Hyunji Yoo, Muhammad Imran Khan, James M. Tiedje, Joonhong Park. Bacillus-Dominant Airborne Bacterial Communities Identified During Asian Dust Events. Microbial Ecology. 2019; 78 (3):677-687.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKeunje Yoo; Il Han; Kwan Soo Ko; Tae Kwon Lee; Hyunji Yoo; Muhammad Imran Khan; James M. Tiedje; Joonhong Park. 2019. "Bacillus-Dominant Airborne Bacterial Communities Identified During Asian Dust Events." Microbial Ecology 78, no. 3: 677-687.
Higher accumulation of salts causes osmotic and oxidative stresses to plants. Salicylic acid (SA) is one of the naturally producing phenolic compounds and has important roles in regulation of physiological and biochemical mechanisms in plant under biotic and abiotic stresses. The present study was designed to evaluate the possible effects of foliar- and soil-applied SA and bagasse compost (BC) addition on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth in saline soil. For this purpose, a pot experiment was conducted on soil with artificially imposed salinity (EC 14 dSm−1). After 15 days of wheat seed germination, the SA (0.5 mM) was applied by foliar and soil applications. Results showed that the artificially developed salinity significantly reduced the root and shoot length, leaf area, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and grain yield etc. of wheat plants; however, foliar or soil application of SA and BC addition significantly alleviated the adverse impacts of salinity on these attributes. In non-saline soil, soil application of SA with BC performed better than foliar application but in saline soil, reverse trend was observed. In general, under salinity stress, foliar application of SA showed better modulating impacts on wheat growth than soil application of SA. Our findings suggest that foliar application of SA with BC addition could be a better way to improve plant growth under salt stress conditions and may have important implications for enhancing crop productivity under salt stress environment.
Muhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Aqeel Shoukat; Sardar Alam Cheema; Shafaqat Ali; Muhammad Azam; Muhammad Rizwan; Rashad Qadri; Mohammad I. Al-Wabel. Foliar- and soil-applied salicylic acid and bagasse compost addition to soil reduced deleterious effects of salinity on wheat. Arabian Journal of Geosciences 2019, 12, 1 -9.
AMA StyleMuhammad Imran Khan, Muhammad Aqeel Shoukat, Sardar Alam Cheema, Shafaqat Ali, Muhammad Azam, Muhammad Rizwan, Rashad Qadri, Mohammad I. Al-Wabel. Foliar- and soil-applied salicylic acid and bagasse compost addition to soil reduced deleterious effects of salinity on wheat. Arabian Journal of Geosciences. 2019; 12 (3):1-9.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Aqeel Shoukat; Sardar Alam Cheema; Shafaqat Ali; Muhammad Azam; Muhammad Rizwan; Rashad Qadri; Mohammad I. Al-Wabel. 2019. "Foliar- and soil-applied salicylic acid and bagasse compost addition to soil reduced deleterious effects of salinity on wheat." Arabian Journal of Geosciences 12, no. 3: 1-9.
Acidity of soils poses numerous drastic impacts on physical and chemical properties of soils along with diminishing the soil nutrient status. A pot experiment was conducted to improve the soil physicochemical properties and wheat production in strongly acidic soils (Ultisols) of tropical and subtropical regions of China. Sludge biochar (C1), straw biochar (C2), and quicklime (CaO) were applied in different combinations in the soil, and wheat was grown till maturity. The results revealed that at 4% C1 + 100% CaO, soil pH was amplified by 64%, while exchangeable H+ and Al3+ contents reduced significantly at C1 treatment with and without lime application (p˂0. 05). A significant reduction of 18 and 17% in soil bulk density was observed at 4% C2 and 4% C2 + 50% CaO, respectively. Soil surface cracks in terms of crack area and crack length at 2% C1 + 50% CaO were reduced by 33 and 29%, respectively. Tensile strength of red soil decreased with the addition of amendments and the highest decrease (31%) in tensile strength was observed at 4% C1 + 50% CaO. Shear strength tests exposed that biochar and lime treatments showed slight enhancement (15%) in the internal friction angle (φ) at 2% C1 + 100% CaO and decreased (83.31 and 84.22%) the cohesion (c) value at 2 and 4% C1 in combination with a 50% CaO. The amendments in combination significantly increased the wheat biomass and wheat grain yield (103 and 131%), respectively, at 4% C2 + 100% CaO as compared to the control. The recent study suggests that biochar as well as lime can be effective to improve the physicochemical properties of red soils and wheat yield.
Zaffar Malik; Zong Yutong; Lu ShengGao; Ghulam Hassan Abassi; Shafaqat Ali; Muhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Kamran; Moazzam Jamil; Mohammad I. Al-Wabel; Muhammad Rizwan. Effect of biochar and quicklime on growth of wheat and physicochemical properties of Ultisols. Arabian Journal of Geosciences 2018, 11, 1 -12.
AMA StyleZaffar Malik, Zong Yutong, Lu ShengGao, Ghulam Hassan Abassi, Shafaqat Ali, Muhammad Imran Khan, Muhammad Kamran, Moazzam Jamil, Mohammad I. Al-Wabel, Muhammad Rizwan. Effect of biochar and quicklime on growth of wheat and physicochemical properties of Ultisols. Arabian Journal of Geosciences. 2018; 11 (17):1-12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleZaffar Malik; Zong Yutong; Lu ShengGao; Ghulam Hassan Abassi; Shafaqat Ali; Muhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Kamran; Moazzam Jamil; Mohammad I. Al-Wabel; Muhammad Rizwan. 2018. "Effect of biochar and quicklime on growth of wheat and physicochemical properties of Ultisols." Arabian Journal of Geosciences 11, no. 17: 1-12.
Prebiotic yogurt (PY) with improved galacto-oligosaccharides (GalOS) was produced through transgalactosylation of lactose followed by physico-chemical and organoleptic evaluation. The chemical composition of fresh and prebiotic milk was statistically (p > .05) similar except for lactose which was reduced from 4.8% in control milk to 1.9% in prebiotic milk. Lactose in PY (1.44 ± 0.01%) was statistically reduced as compared to control yogurt (3.4 ± 0.02%), while other parameters, that is, fat, protein, pH, and acidity were statistically similar. Lactose (60%) was bio-converted producing 0.9 g GalOS, 0.9 g glucose and 0.55 g galactose per 100 g of PY as determined by assay kits and HPLC. The organoleptic evaluation for color, consistency, and overall acceptability was statistically similar for both yogurts while taste and syneresis were improved in PY due to newly produced monosaccharides and GalOS, respectively. It can be concluded that transgalactosylation of milk lactose improves acceptability of PY and is important for lactose intolerant individuals. Lactose intolerance is a serious issue around the globe and it is highly required to produce low lactose or lactose free dairy products. In the present study, major part of milk lactose has been converted to prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides using beta-galactosidase and the prebiotic milk has been used to produce yogurt with significantly reduced lactose. This process is very much required in dairy industry to produce novel dairy products with reduced lactose.
Awais Raza; Sanaullah Iqbal; Azmat Ullah; Muhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Imran. Enzymatic conversion of milk lactose to prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides to produce low lactose yogurt. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation 2018, 42, e13586 .
AMA StyleAwais Raza, Sanaullah Iqbal, Azmat Ullah, Muhammad Imran Khan, Muhammad Imran. Enzymatic conversion of milk lactose to prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides to produce low lactose yogurt. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation. 2018; 42 (4):e13586.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAwais Raza; Sanaullah Iqbal; Azmat Ullah; Muhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Imran. 2018. "Enzymatic conversion of milk lactose to prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides to produce low lactose yogurt." Journal of Food Processing and Preservation 42, no. 4: e13586.
Environmental contamination with arsenic (As) is a global environmental, agricultural and health issue due to the highly toxic and carcinogenic nature of As. Exposure of plants to As, even at very low concentration, can cause many morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes. The recent research on As in the soil-plant system indicates that As toxicity to plants varies with its speciation in plants (e.g., arsenite, As(III); arsenate, As(V)), with the type of plant species, and with other soil factors controlling As accumulation in plants. Various plant species have different mechanisms of As(III) or As(V) uptake, toxicity, and detoxification. This review briefly describes the sources and global extent of As contamination and As speciation in soil. We discuss different mechanisms responsible for As(III) and As(V) uptake, toxicity, and detoxification in plants, at physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. This review highlights the importance of the As-induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as their damaging impacts on plants at biochemical, genetic, and molecular levels. The role of different enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and ascorbate peroxidase) and non-enzymatic (salicylic acid, proline, phytochelatins, glutathione, nitric oxide, and phosphorous) substances under As(III/V) stress have been delineated via conceptual models showing As translocation and toxicity pathways in plant species. Significantly, this review addresses the current, albeit partially understood, emerging aspects on (i) As-induced physiological, biochemical, and genotoxic mechanisms and responses in plants and (ii) the roles of different molecules in modulation of As-induced toxicities in plants. We also provide insight on some important research gaps that need to be filled to advance our scientific understanding in this area of research on As in soil-plant systems.
Ghulam Abbas; Behzad Murtaza; Irshad Bibi; Muhammad Shahid; Nabeel Khan Niazi; Muhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Amjad; Munawar Hussain; Natasha. Arsenic Uptake, Toxicity, Detoxification, and Speciation in Plants: Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Aspects. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2018, 15, 59 .
AMA StyleGhulam Abbas, Behzad Murtaza, Irshad Bibi, Muhammad Shahid, Nabeel Khan Niazi, Muhammad Imran Khan, Muhammad Amjad, Munawar Hussain, Natasha. Arsenic Uptake, Toxicity, Detoxification, and Speciation in Plants: Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Aspects. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018; 15 (1):59.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGhulam Abbas; Behzad Murtaza; Irshad Bibi; Muhammad Shahid; Nabeel Khan Niazi; Muhammad Imran Khan; Muhammad Amjad; Munawar Hussain; Natasha. 2018. "Arsenic Uptake, Toxicity, Detoxification, and Speciation in Plants: Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Aspects." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 1: 59.
In this study, the raw wastewater (RW), and effluents from the acidogenic phase (AP) and methanogenic phase (MP) in a swine wastewater treatment plant were collected to investigate the occurrence and transformation of arsenic (As), as well as the abundance of As metabolism genes during the anaerobic digestion (AD) process. The results showed that total concentrations of As generally decreased by 33–71% after AD. Further analysis showed that the As species of the dissolved fractions were present mainly as dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), with arsenite (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V)) as the minor species. Moreover, real-time PCR (qPCR) results showed that As metabolism genes (arsC, arsenate reduction gene; aioA, arsenite oxidation gene and arsM, arsenite methylation gene) were highly abundant, with arsM being predominant among the metabolism genes. This study provides reliable evidence on As biotransformation in swine wastewater treatment process, suggesting that AD could be a valuable treatment to mitigate the risk of As in wastewater.
Weiwei Zhai; TianYue Qin; Ting Guo; Muhammad Imran Khan; Xianjin Tang; Jianming Xu. Arsenic Transformation in Swine Wastewater with Low-Arsenic Content during Anaerobic Digestion. Water 2017, 9, 826 .
AMA StyleWeiwei Zhai, TianYue Qin, Ting Guo, Muhammad Imran Khan, Xianjin Tang, Jianming Xu. Arsenic Transformation in Swine Wastewater with Low-Arsenic Content during Anaerobic Digestion. Water. 2017; 9 (11):826.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWeiwei Zhai; TianYue Qin; Ting Guo; Muhammad Imran Khan; Xianjin Tang; Jianming Xu. 2017. "Arsenic Transformation in Swine Wastewater with Low-Arsenic Content during Anaerobic Digestion." Water 9, no. 11: 826.
Improper decisions concerning animal carcass disposal sites pose grave threats to environmental biosecurity. However, only a few studies have focused on the effects of different land-use types on the composition of carcass-derived pollutants and microbial responses to the disturbances. This study was conducted using soil microcosms with minced pork built from arable land and forest soils for 5 weeks. To compare the risk induced from different land-use types by carcass burial, the soil properties, the microbial community, and multiple-antibiotic-resistant bacteria were evaluated for microcosm containing 0, 1.5 and 7.5 g of minced pork. The abiotic properties, including pH, organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, significantly increased, regardless of the land-use types and applied load masses. The microbial diversity indices of the forest soil were reduced, whereas those of the arable land remained relatively stable. The disturbances produced from carcass-derived pollutants altered the bacterial community structures differently for the different land-use types. The treatment increased multiple-antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the both soil samples, although the increase in the forest soil was significantly less compared to the arable land soils.
Il Han; Keunje Yoo; Bo Ram Kang; Jee Hyun No; Gui Nam Wee; Muhammad Imran Khan; Tae Young Jeong; Tae Kwon Lee. A comparison study of the potential risks induced in arable land and forest soils by carcass-derived pollutants. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 2017, 40, 451 -460.
AMA StyleIl Han, Keunje Yoo, Bo Ram Kang, Jee Hyun No, Gui Nam Wee, Muhammad Imran Khan, Tae Young Jeong, Tae Kwon Lee. A comparison study of the potential risks induced in arable land and forest soils by carcass-derived pollutants. Environmental Geochemistry and Health. 2017; 40 (1):451-460.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIl Han; Keunje Yoo; Bo Ram Kang; Jee Hyun No; Gui Nam Wee; Muhammad Imran Khan; Tae Young Jeong; Tae Kwon Lee. 2017. "A comparison study of the potential risks induced in arable land and forest soils by carcass-derived pollutants." Environmental Geochemistry and Health 40, no. 1: 451-460.