Dr D V Prabhu is Adjunct Professor and former Head of Chemistry Department of Wilson College (University of Mumbai)Mumbai.He served as the Dean of the Faculty of Science of University of Mumbai. His research interests are Reaction kinetics, catalysis and Environmental Chemistry.He has to date published 45 papers in peer reviewed journal and has 11 conference papers besides 76 presentations in National and International Conferences.Dr Prabhu was the Editor of International Journal of Chemistry (ISSN 2249 2119,CODEN IJCML6 during 2012-2016 and at present, is Chief Editor of Green Chemistry and Technology Letters (E-journal) e ISSN 2455 3611 and Editor in Chief of GP Globalize Research Journal of Chemistry ISSN 2481 5911.He has been awarded the Best Chemistry Teacher Award by the Chemical Research Society of India in 2006.He is General Secretary of Association of Chemistry Teachers (India) Supervisors: Research Advisor Phone: +91 22 28811497, 09870226899 Address: Department of Chemistry , Wilson College Mumbai 400007,India
The pollution of coastal waters around cities is largely due to unregulated discharge of industri... more The pollution of coastal waters around cities is largely due to unregulated discharge of industrial, agricultural and domestic wastes. Mumbai City has a large dairy industry which processes raw milk into several food products and in the process, large amounts of water effluents containing dissolved sugars, proteins and fats are produced. These effluents are released into the marine waters after a meagre preliminary treatment. Thus, the marine environment is adversely affected and marine life gets depleted. The health of a water body is defined by physicochemical parameters like BOD, COD, DO and pH. Dairy waste is rich in microorganisms which help in its biodegradation by wet oxidation. The carbonaceous organic matter in dairy waste is oxidized in the presence of microorganisms: Carbon in organic matter + O2 -------> CO2 + H2O + Biomass. The kinetics of biodegradation of dairy waste by wet oxidation has been studied in detail with particular reference to the effects of i) salinity [(Cl-)= 0 to 20000 mg per litre] and ii) temperature on the rate of biodegradation. The biodegradation follows first order kinetics and the oxidation rate was monitored by estimating the dissolved oxygen present initially and at regular time intervals during the reaction using the Alsteberg azide modification of the Winkler method. The study confirmed the negative impact of salinity on the rate of biodegradation of dairy waste. Thermodynamics plays an important role in chemical reactions occurring in the oceans during degradation of organic wastes. The effect of temperature (20 and 27 degrees Celsius) on the rate of degradation of dairy waste was studied and the energy of activation and other thermodynamic activation parameters like enthalpy of activation, free energy of activation and entropy of activation were evaluated using the Arrhenius equation, and correlated with the reaction mechanism of the biodegradation reaction. From the dissolved oxygen values obtained, the BOD values were calculated at different salinities and temperatures and correlated with the rates of biodegradation of the organic wastes under study. The kinetics of biodegradation of a synthetic sample, Lactose-Peptone was also studied.
The oxidation of secondary cyclic alcohols, Cyclopentanol, Cyclohexanol and Cyclooctanol has been... more The oxidation of secondary cyclic alcohols, Cyclopentanol, Cyclohexanol and Cyclooctanol has been investigated using Sodium-N-chloro-p-toluenesulphonyamide (Chloramine T) in alkaline medium. Cyclopentanol is used in the manufacture of perfumes and pharmaceuticals and Cyclohexanol is an important feedstock in the manufacture of polymers especially nylons and plasticizers. Cyclooctanol is also used in the preparation of perfumes.The kinetics of oxidation of alcohols was studied under first order conditions with respect to the organic oxidant i.e. [CAT] << [alc.].The progress of oxidation was followed by iodometric estimation of the unreacted oxidant at regular time intervals during the course of the reaction. The effects of alcohol concentration, oxidant concentration, temperature and ionic strength on the reaction rate have been studied and suitable reaction mechanisms and rate laws have been suggested. The thermodynamic activation parameters of the oxidation reaction have been...
Recent Progress in Chemical Science Research Vol. 6, Jan 16, 2023
The oxidation of the isomeric perfumery phenols,Eugenol and Isoeugenol found in Indian spices has... more The oxidation of the isomeric perfumery phenols,Eugenol and Isoeugenol found in Indian spices has been carried out using 1) inorganic oxidants in acidic medium and 2) organic oxidants in alkaline medium. The kinetic aspects of the oxidation have been studied with respect to the effects of phenol and oxidant concentration and temperature on the oxidation rate. Suitable reaction mechanisms have been suggested for the oxidation of the phenols under study.The Thermodynamic activation parameters have been evaluated and interpreted in terms of the reaction mechanisms suggested.
For all the oxidants used, the sequence of oxidation rates of phenols is Isoeugenol > Eugenol.
The oxidation of secondary cyclic alcohols, Cyclopentanol, Cyclohexanol and Cyclooctanol has been... more The oxidation of secondary cyclic alcohols, Cyclopentanol, Cyclohexanol and Cyclooctanol has been investigated using Sodium-N-chloro-p-toluenesulphonyamide (Chloramine T) in alkaline medium. Cyclopentanol is used in the manufacture of perfumes and pharmaceuticals and Cyclohexanol is an important feedstock in the manufacture of polymers especially nylons and plasticizers. Cyclooctanol is also used in the preparation of perfumes.The kinetics of oxidation of alcohols was studied under first order conditions with respect to the organic oxidant i.e. [CAT] << [alc.].The progress of oxidation was followed by iodometric estimation of the unreacted oxidant at regular time intervals during the course of the reaction. The effects of alcohol concentration, oxidant concentration, temperature and ionic strength on the reaction rate have been studied and suitable reaction mechanisms and rate laws have been suggested. The thermodynamic activation parameters of the oxidation reaction have been...
Current Topics on Chemistry and Biochemistry Vol. 4, 2022
The Catalytic impact of inexpensive and less hazardous transition metal ions on the oxidation of ... more The Catalytic impact of inexpensive and less hazardous transition metal ions on the oxidation of perfumery alcohols has been investigated.As a green initiative ,transition metal ions Mn(II), Co(II),Ni(II),Cu(II) and Zn(II) have been used to catalyze the oxidation of primary acyclic alcohols, secondary cyclic alcohols and primary unsaturated alcohol, Cinnamyl alcohol by Ce(IV) in an acidic medium. The effect of temperature on oxidation has been studied and the thermodynamic activation parameters of the oxidation have been evaluated.Suitable reaction mechanisms have been suggested for the oxidation of alcohols in the presence and absence of the transition metal ion catalysts.
Physical Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Wilson College, Mumbai-400 007, ... more Physical Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Wilson College, Mumbai-400 007, India<br> <em>E-mail</em> : dvprabhu@rediffmail.com; prabhu_s@vsnl.com <em> Fax </em>: 91-22-3633088<br> Physical Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Mumbai-400 007, India<br> <em>Manuscript received 5 October 2004</em> A kinetic study of the hydrolysis of the imines, salicylanil, its methyl and chloro derivatives and <em>N,N'</em> -disalicylidene-<em>p,p'</em>diamino<br> diphenyl methane has been done in the pH range 2.20-12.65 in the temperature range 25-55ºC. The comparative<br> rates of hydrolysis are in the sequence, salicylanil ><em>meta</em>> <em>para</em>> <em>ortho</em> and salicylanil > <em>N,N'</em>-disalicylidene-<em>p,p'</em>-diamino<br> diphenyl methane. The synth...
A systematic study has been carried out to explore the water quality index of ground water of var... more A systematic study has been carried out to explore the water quality index of ground water of various tehsils of Rampur district. Twenty five water samples from tube wells, open wells and hand pumps at various locations were collected and analyzed for pH, nitrate, turbidity, total dissolve solid, chlorides, total hardness, alkalinity and fluoride. In this study overall water quality of Rampur district is very poor and unsuitable for drinking purpose. Water quality of Bilaspur, Shahabad and Rampur city shows that water may not be used for drinking as well as domestic purpose. Present study recommends that the top priority should be given to water quality monitoring and indigenous technologies should be adopted to make water fit for drinking after treatment such as defluoridation, desalination.
The pollution of coastal waters around cities is largely due to unregulated discharge of industri... more The pollution of coastal waters around cities is largely due to unregulated discharge of industrial, agricultural and domestic wastes. Mumbai City has a large dairy industry which processes raw milk into several food products and in the process, large amounts of water effluents containing dissolved sugars, proteins and fats are produced. These effluents are released into the marine waters after a meagre preliminary treatment. Thus, the marine environment is adversely affected and marine life gets depleted. The health of a water body is defined by physicochemical parameters like BOD, COD, DO and pH. Dairy waste is rich in microorganisms which help in its biodegradation by wet oxidation. The carbonaceous organic matter in dairy waste is oxidized in the presence of microorganisms: Carbon in organic matter + O2 -------> CO2 + H2O + Biomass. The kinetics of biodegradation of dairy waste by wet oxidation has been studied in detail with particular reference to the effects of i) salinity [(Cl-)= 0 to 20000 mg per litre] and ii) temperature on the rate of biodegradation. The biodegradation follows first order kinetics and the oxidation rate was monitored by estimating the dissolved oxygen present initially and at regular time intervals during the reaction using the Alsteberg azide modification of the Winkler method. The study confirmed the negative impact of salinity on the rate of biodegradation of dairy waste. Thermodynamics plays an important role in chemical reactions occurring in the oceans during degradation of organic wastes. The effect of temperature (20 and 27 degrees Celsius) on the rate of degradation of dairy waste was studied and the energy of activation and other thermodynamic activation parameters like enthalpy of activation, free energy of activation and entropy of activation were evaluated using the Arrhenius equation, and correlated with the reaction mechanism of the biodegradation reaction. From the dissolved oxygen values obtained, the BOD values were calculated at different salinities and temperatures and correlated with the rates of biodegradation of the organic wastes under study. The kinetics of biodegradation of a synthetic sample, Lactose-Peptone was also studied.
The oxidation of secondary cyclic alcohols, Cyclopentanol, Cyclohexanol and Cyclooctanol has been... more The oxidation of secondary cyclic alcohols, Cyclopentanol, Cyclohexanol and Cyclooctanol has been investigated using Sodium-N-chloro-p-toluenesulphonyamide (Chloramine T) in alkaline medium. Cyclopentanol is used in the manufacture of perfumes and pharmaceuticals and Cyclohexanol is an important feedstock in the manufacture of polymers especially nylons and plasticizers. Cyclooctanol is also used in the preparation of perfumes.The kinetics of oxidation of alcohols was studied under first order conditions with respect to the organic oxidant i.e. [CAT] << [alc.].The progress of oxidation was followed by iodometric estimation of the unreacted oxidant at regular time intervals during the course of the reaction. The effects of alcohol concentration, oxidant concentration, temperature and ionic strength on the reaction rate have been studied and suitable reaction mechanisms and rate laws have been suggested. The thermodynamic activation parameters of the oxidation reaction have been...
Recent Progress in Chemical Science Research Vol. 6, Jan 16, 2023
The oxidation of the isomeric perfumery phenols,Eugenol and Isoeugenol found in Indian spices has... more The oxidation of the isomeric perfumery phenols,Eugenol and Isoeugenol found in Indian spices has been carried out using 1) inorganic oxidants in acidic medium and 2) organic oxidants in alkaline medium. The kinetic aspects of the oxidation have been studied with respect to the effects of phenol and oxidant concentration and temperature on the oxidation rate. Suitable reaction mechanisms have been suggested for the oxidation of the phenols under study.The Thermodynamic activation parameters have been evaluated and interpreted in terms of the reaction mechanisms suggested.
For all the oxidants used, the sequence of oxidation rates of phenols is Isoeugenol > Eugenol.
The oxidation of secondary cyclic alcohols, Cyclopentanol, Cyclohexanol and Cyclooctanol has been... more The oxidation of secondary cyclic alcohols, Cyclopentanol, Cyclohexanol and Cyclooctanol has been investigated using Sodium-N-chloro-p-toluenesulphonyamide (Chloramine T) in alkaline medium. Cyclopentanol is used in the manufacture of perfumes and pharmaceuticals and Cyclohexanol is an important feedstock in the manufacture of polymers especially nylons and plasticizers. Cyclooctanol is also used in the preparation of perfumes.The kinetics of oxidation of alcohols was studied under first order conditions with respect to the organic oxidant i.e. [CAT] << [alc.].The progress of oxidation was followed by iodometric estimation of the unreacted oxidant at regular time intervals during the course of the reaction. The effects of alcohol concentration, oxidant concentration, temperature and ionic strength on the reaction rate have been studied and suitable reaction mechanisms and rate laws have been suggested. The thermodynamic activation parameters of the oxidation reaction have been...
Current Topics on Chemistry and Biochemistry Vol. 4, 2022
The Catalytic impact of inexpensive and less hazardous transition metal ions on the oxidation of ... more The Catalytic impact of inexpensive and less hazardous transition metal ions on the oxidation of perfumery alcohols has been investigated.As a green initiative ,transition metal ions Mn(II), Co(II),Ni(II),Cu(II) and Zn(II) have been used to catalyze the oxidation of primary acyclic alcohols, secondary cyclic alcohols and primary unsaturated alcohol, Cinnamyl alcohol by Ce(IV) in an acidic medium. The effect of temperature on oxidation has been studied and the thermodynamic activation parameters of the oxidation have been evaluated.Suitable reaction mechanisms have been suggested for the oxidation of alcohols in the presence and absence of the transition metal ion catalysts.
Physical Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Wilson College, Mumbai-400 007, ... more Physical Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Wilson College, Mumbai-400 007, India<br> <em>E-mail</em> : dvprabhu@rediffmail.com; prabhu_s@vsnl.com <em> Fax </em>: 91-22-3633088<br> Physical Chemistry Section, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Mumbai-400 007, India<br> <em>Manuscript received 5 October 2004</em> A kinetic study of the hydrolysis of the imines, salicylanil, its methyl and chloro derivatives and <em>N,N'</em> -disalicylidene-<em>p,p'</em>diamino<br> diphenyl methane has been done in the pH range 2.20-12.65 in the temperature range 25-55ºC. The comparative<br> rates of hydrolysis are in the sequence, salicylanil ><em>meta</em>> <em>para</em>> <em>ortho</em> and salicylanil > <em>N,N'</em>-disalicylidene-<em>p,p'</em>-diamino<br> diphenyl methane. The synth...
A systematic study has been carried out to explore the water quality index of ground water of var... more A systematic study has been carried out to explore the water quality index of ground water of various tehsils of Rampur district. Twenty five water samples from tube wells, open wells and hand pumps at various locations were collected and analyzed for pH, nitrate, turbidity, total dissolve solid, chlorides, total hardness, alkalinity and fluoride. In this study overall water quality of Rampur district is very poor and unsuitable for drinking purpose. Water quality of Bilaspur, Shahabad and Rampur city shows that water may not be used for drinking as well as domestic purpose. Present study recommends that the top priority should be given to water quality monitoring and indigenous technologies should be adopted to make water fit for drinking after treatment such as defluoridation, desalination.
Proceedings of International Conference on Designing a Sustainable Future :Advances and Opportunities, 2023
The 12 principles of Green Chemistry provide a blueprint for sustainable development. One of the ... more The 12 principles of Green Chemistry provide a blueprint for sustainable development. One of the important principles of Green Chemistry is the use of catalysts to improve reaction rate, reaction yield and atom economy. Homogeneous catalysts have been found to be more effective than Heterogeneous catalysts. The sequence of catalytic efficiencies of the transition metal ions has been determined for each alcohol under study. The oxidation rate was determined using kinetic methods and suitable reaction mechanisms have been suggested for the oxidation of perfumery alcohols in the presence and absence of transition metal ion catalysts
Chemistry is a science whose progress is exponential as it touches every aspect of our existence ... more Chemistry is a science whose progress is exponential as it touches every aspect of our existence and provides all the things required for life to survive on this planet. Chemistry is rightly called the Science of Life. Chemical processes provide food, clothing, shelter medicines, and energy to sustain life. Feeding the ever-increasing population is a big challenge calling for increased production of crops, minimizing losses during their harvesting and storage and use of new, improved varieties like Genetically modified (GM) food grains and pulses. The use of fertilizers has increased manifold over the years, leading to an increase in the production of food. Clothing is made from plant fibres like cotton and silk. New and better varieties of cotton have been developed. Nylon, produced by the polymer industry is also a critical clothing material in some parts of the world. New materials like composites, fly ash bricks, and polymeric wastes are being increasingly used for construction purposes, especially for housing and roads. Research for the synthesis of new drugs to combat diseases is a continuous activity, and the pharmaceutical industry has a considerable investment, especially in our country. Indigenous medicine systems like Ayurveda, Homoeopathy and Unani are also contributing to health welfare, especially in India. Of late, nanomedicines are emerging as an essential area of medicine. Non-conventional energy sources like solar, nuclear, hydro, biodiesel and wind energy are being increasingly tapped as possible substitutes for the fast depleting coal and oil reserves. The International Solar Alliance, initiated by India, aims at forging a strong partnership between all nations to tap and use solar energy.
Society, at large, has to realise the gravity of environmental degradation and participate fully ... more Society, at large, has to realise the gravity of environmental degradation and participate fully in the mitigation of environmental problems. This article discusses the Indian initiatives and the important milestones in the path of environmental protection and pollution abatement. The commitment of the Indian Government to the cause of public awareness of environmental conservation is reflected in its outreach and educational programmes involving its ministries, environmental monitoring agencies, NGOs, academic and research institutions. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has played a leading role in the national priority programmes of environmental monitoring, assessment and pollution control. All the stakeholders have succeeded to some extent in creating public interest in environmental issues but much more needs to be done. National level institutions like NEERI, NIO and TERI are actively involved in research to find feasible solutions to our environmental problems and in the dissemination of relevant information through their publications. In our country, voluntary organisations and NGOs have been contributing immensely to environmental causes. Following the directive of the Supreme Court in 1991, environmental education is a compulsory component of school and college curricula. India has contributed significantly to the deliberations at COP (Conference of the Parties) fora especially the recently held COP-21 in Paris. Our suggestions for creating a pollution-free world have always been welcomed by the participating countries especially the developing countries. This article also presents the results of an environmental study carried out in Wilson College, Mumbai in which the effect of salinity on the rate of degradation of effluents released in marine waters, was quantitatively studied using reaction kinetics.
The Catalytic impact of inexpensive and less hazardous transition metal ions on the oxidation of ... more The Catalytic impact of inexpensive and less hazardous transition metal ions on the oxidation of perfumery alcohols has been investigated.As a green initiative ,transition metal ions Mn(II), Co(II),Ni(II),Cu(II) and Zn(II) have been used to catalyze the oxidation of primary acyclic alcohols, secondary cyclic alcohols and primary unsaturated alcohol, Cinnamyl alcohol by Ce(IV) in an acidic medium. The effect of temperature on oxidation has been studied and the thermodynamic activation parameters of the oxidation have been evaluated.Suitable reaction mechanisms have been suggested for the oxidation of alcohols in the presence and absence of the transition metal ion catalysts.
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Papers by Damodar Prabhu
For all the oxidants used, the sequence of oxidation rates of phenols is Isoeugenol > Eugenol.
For all the oxidants used, the sequence of oxidation rates of phenols is Isoeugenol > Eugenol.
National level institutions like NEERI, NIO and TERI are actively involved in research to find feasible solutions to our environmental problems and in the dissemination of relevant information through their publications. In our country, voluntary organisations and NGOs have been contributing immensely to environmental causes. Following the directive of the Supreme Court in 1991, environmental education is a compulsory component of school and college curricula. India has contributed significantly to the deliberations at COP (Conference of the Parties) fora especially the recently held COP-21 in Paris. Our suggestions for creating a pollution-free world have always been welcomed by the participating countries especially the developing countries. This article also presents the results of an environmental study carried out in Wilson College, Mumbai in which the effect of salinity on the rate of degradation of effluents released in marine waters, was quantitatively studied using reaction kinetics.