Sodium hydrosulfite is conventionally used for the color stripping of reactive dyes in the textile industry. However, research has been focused on eco-friendly processes to reduce wastewater generation in recent years. This study is aimed at estimating the color stripping efficacy of ozone according to reactive dyes’ chromophore groups. The dyed cotton-knitted fabric with three reactive dyes that have phthalocyanine (Reactive blue 21), diazo (Reactive black 5) and monoazo (Reactive yellow 84) chromophores was treated with ozone. The effect of the experimental parameters (pH, ozone dose and treatment time) was examined on the dyed fabric samples in terms of lightness and bursting strength properties. The results show that the decolorization efficiency of ozone varies with the type of chromophore group. The maximum color removal was achieved for the Reactive blue 21 dye of the phthalocyanine group at optimum process conditions (pH 3, Ozone dose 7 g/h, exposure time 40 min) followed by the reactive dyes that have dioazo and monoazo chromophore groups, respectively. The bursting strength of the fabric sample decolorized using ozone remained stable throughout the study. Moreover, the ozone-stripping effluent meets the environmental quality standards and can be reused up to at least four cycles without affecting the stripping efficiency. Hence, it can provide a sustainable alternative to reduce water consumption in the textile sector.

The present study involves the chemical and bacteriological analysis of water from different sources i.e., bore, wells, bottle, and tap, from Peshawar, Mardan, Swat and Kohat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, Pakistan. From each district, 50 water samples (10 samples from each source), regardless of urban and rural status, were collected from these sources and analysed for sulphates, nitrates, nitrites, chlorides, total soluble solids and coliforms (E. coli). Results indicated that majority of the water sources had unacceptable E. coli count i.e.> 34 CFU/100mL. E. coli positive samples were high in Mardan District, followed by Kohat, Swat and Peshawar district. Besides this, the some water sources were also chemically contaminated by different inorganic fertilizers (nitrates/nitrites of sodium, potassium) but under safe levels whereas agricultural and industrial wastes (chloride and sulphate compounds) were in unsafe range. Among all districts, the water quality was found comparatively more deteriorated in Kohat and Mardan districts than Peshawar and Swat districts. Such chemically and bacteriologically unfit water sources for drinking and can cause human health problems.

The present project was envisaged by using rice husk as a substrate for processing with the objective to produce a nutritionally enriched bulk feed ingredient and to explore its potential as wheat bran replacer in total mixed rations for the ruminants. For this purpose rice husk was subjected to different processing techniques using acid, alkali, water treatment and fermentation to prepare processed moiety on pilot scale. All these processed materials were included in experimental ration at a fixed level (20 %). All iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous rations were offered to experimental animals (n=36, 22 male 14 female Lohi sheep almost evenly distributed in experimental groups) having almost uniform body weight (BW). During 60 days of the trial, no significant difference (p =0.067) in the daily feed intake among the different experimental groups was recorded. Maximum feed consumption was recorded in HT (hydrothermal treatment) 1096.69±26.8 (mean± SE) while lowest in NC (untreated husk) 974.91±18.8 followed by 1069±28 in FT (Fermented), 1045.81±27.7 in BT 1042.47±33 in AT and 1032.17±32 in PC group. A significant difference (p=0.039) in the weekly body weight gain (BWG) was recorded among the experimental groups. The highest weight gain was found in PC (0.977±0.75) followed by FT (0.972±0.71), AT (0.931±0.65) and BT (0.92± 0.53) while lowest was recorded in HT (0.70±0.603) and NC (0.808±0.088). The FCR calculated was found to be significantly (p=.000) different in all the six experimental groups. Minimum FCR was found in HT (7.68±0.64) followed by an ascending trend in AT (8.0 ±0.675), BT (8.09±0.833), NC (9.92±0.64), HT (10.645±0.675) and in PC (11.684±0.804) group. No mortality was observed. It can be concluded that rice husk can be successfully processed and can replace the wheat bran. Moreover, fermented husk by using Pleurotus florida can process rice husk into a nutritionally dense ingredient.