A. Amutha Jaisheeba

The effects of work environmental noise and perceived stress on early morning free cortisol levels after awakening were investigated in a group of workers. Previous studies revealed that cortisol levels showed a significant increase after awakening, with high intra individual stability.The aim of this study is to evaluate whether Workers exposed to environmental noise and possible psycho-social stressors could be at risk for alterations on plasma cortisol levels compared to a control group in Morning and Evening. Plasma cortisol levels were determined in 100 Construction workers, 100 Teachers and 50 Drivers.The mean cortisol values of different workers were significantly higher when compared with the control of both male and female. The mean cortisol level detected both in morning and evening were very high inWorkers when compared to the Controls. The authors hypothesise an effect on plasma cortisol levels in workers exposed to environmental noise and possible psycho-social stressors.

By adopting Vermi technology the dye soaked and chemically treated hard natured dry flower industrial waste, which became a major problem to the industrialists and one of the public nuisance to the people of Thoothukudi was converted into a value based bio-product, the vermin compost to some extent. This study was only a pioneer and hence a further improvement in the technology may improve this process a more successful one. In this experiment the hard mega sized dry flower industrial waste were pulverized into small pieces and mixed with cow dung in the ratio of 1:1 and 2:1 and earthworms were allowed to act on them. A separate control was maintained using cow dung and leaf litter. The process of vermi compost completed in the control on 80th day while in the treated, the process was preceded beyond 120days. The net compost obtained in control was 98.8% and in treated it was 85.7 and 62.08 in 1:1 and 2:1 ratio. The biochemical analysis also showed a remarkable alterations such as reduction of S, H and C/N ratio which are at the acceptable level by the plants.