Purification of water contaminated with Hg using horizontal subsurface constructed wetlands

As a global pollutant, Hg (Hg) since the turn of the last century has received increased attention. Decreasing the emission of Hg into the food chain and the atmosphere is an effective way to reduce the Hg damage. The current study provided information about pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) constructed wetlands (CWs) to remove different Hg species in polluted water. Synthetic wastewater was fed to two HSSF CWs, one was planted with Acorus calamus L and the other was unplanted as a control. The total Hg (THg), dissolved Hg (DHg), and particulate Hg (PHg) from five sites along the HSSF CWs were analyzed to describe the process of Hg removal. Results show that the CWs have high removal efficiency of Hg which is more than 90%. The removal efficiencies of THg and DHg from the unplanted CW were 92.1?±?3.6% and 72.4?±?13.1%, respectively. While, the removal efficiencies of THg and DHg in planted CW were 95.9?±?7.5% and 94.9?±?4.9%, which were higher than that in blank CW. The PHg was mainly removed in the first quarter of the CWs, which was also revealed by the partition coefficient K_d. To a certain extent, the effect of plants depends on the hydraulic retention time (HRT). The results in the current study show the potential of the HSSF-CWs for restoration from Hg-contaminated water.

     

Environmental issue of exotic catfish culture in Uttar Pradesh

A survey was conducted in Uttar Pradesh to enlist the available exotic fish species in culture. The culture and feeding details of unofficially introduced Clarias gariepinus was collected from 419 ponds existing in rural areas of 23 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The data indicated that 32% ponds were culturing exotic fishes of which 79% cases are of monoculture of exotic African catfish. Feeding analysis of these exotic African catfish revealed that 7% cases subsist on natural pond feed while 29% cases are fed on slaughter house waste. In 32% cases of the exotic magur monoculture, chicken waste was given whereas 11% cases were recorded with fish waste feeding. The possible threats and environmental risks of such unauthorised and indiscreminate culture of exotic magur has been discussed in this paper.     

Inhibitory effect of high soil pH on growth and mineral metabolism of rice and its reversal by zinc

Increasing soil pH retarded growth, tillers and bio-mass production of rice cultivar Sarjoo-52. Application of 10 to 15 kgZn ha(-1) increased the bio-mass by 33 to 41% at pH 8.5 and 27 to 32% at pH 10.3. Panicle length, rachis branches, total spikelets, filled grains, grain size were all adversely affected to the tune of 19, 23, 40, 74 and 21%, respectively by higher soil alkalinity at pH 10.3. Alkalinity resulted in 19, 31 and 65% spikelet sterility which reduced to 3, 21 and 55% at pH 8.5, 9.5 and 10.3, respectively by Zn applied @ 15 kg ha(-1). Grain yield reduced to 50% at pH 10.3 but Zn in general, raised the yield levels by 1.6 to 2.3, times. The chlorophyll decreased by 36 to 50% whereas carbonic anhydrase activities decreased only by 13% due to increase in soil sodicity and alkalinity. Further, increase in pH caused significant decrease in Zn, Ca, Mg, P and K concentrations but phenomenal rise in Na content Zinc application, apart from increasing tissue Zn content, elevated Ca :Na and K :Na ratio resulting in improved growth and yield of rice under soil sodicity and alkalinity.     

Antimicrobial resistance among enteric bacteria, isolated from runoff of the Gangotri glacier, western Himalaya India

An attempt has been made to study antimicrobial resistance among the coliforms, faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci isolated from the runoff of the Gangotri glacier. The number of multiple antibiotic resistances (MAR) coliform isolates increases from upper stretch (33.33%) to lower stretch (83.33%). All faecal coliforms (100%) and faecal streptococci (100%) of lower stretch of study area showed multiple antibiotic resistances. Among coliforms, the value of Antibiotic resistance index (ARI) was found maximum in lower stretch (0.34) followed by middle stretch (0.29) and upper stretch (0.25).     

Carbofuran induced impairment in the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal-gonadal complex in the teleost,Channa punctalus (Bloch)

The effect of chronic exposure to carbofuran (4.5 ppm in static water) for six months on the gonadal histophysiology and hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal complex was studied in Channa punctatus. Experimental observations revealed significant inhibition of gonadal development with associated degenerative abnormalities as evidenced by ovarian and testicular histology and reduced gonadosomatic index. Degenerative changes in ovary were exihibited by stage I (oogonium) and stage II (immature/non-vitellogenic) oocytes as marked by perinuclear ooplasmic lysis, clumping and dissolution resulting in disintigration of nuclear material altogether attributed to complete degeneration of such oocytes. Testicular deleterious changes included degeneration of spermatogenic elements and necrosis of interstitial cells of Leydig. Correlative histophysiological changes were also observed in the pituitary gonadotrophs and hypothalamic, nucleus pre-opticus, neurons that were smaller, inactive and less in number with associated necrosis. Corresponding to the changes in nucleus pre-opticus neurons, significant inhibition of brain monoamine oxidase enzyme activity was also recorded in treated group. These observations suggest that carbofuran even at low concentration level under long-term exposure is capable of inducing retardation of gonadal development which might have been mediated through the impairment of the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal-gonadal axis in this species.     

Between-group encounters among bonnet macaques (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Macaca radiata</Emphasis>)

Socioecological theory suggests that between-group competition is an important factor affecting the nature of primate social relationships. Between-group encounters in macaques may involve female resource defense, male mate defense, and male resource defense. We observed between-group encounters in two groups (a forest group and a temple group) of bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata). We observed 102 encounters in 875 h of observation of the forest group (1.40 per 12-h day) and 58 encounters in 907 h of observation of the temple group (0.77 per 12-h day). Aggressive interactions between groups occurred in 32.4% and 29.3% of encounters in the forest and temple groups, respectively. Overall, we found little support for the female resource defense hypothesis. Females in both groups rarely participated aggressively in between-group encounters. We found support for the male mate defense hypothesis. For example, males of the forest group were more aggressive during encounters in the mating season than in the non-mating season. Males were also aggressive to females from their own group immediately following encounters. We also found partial support for the male resource defense hypothesis. Encounters in the forest group occurred in a feeding context more often than expected based on time budgets. Also, males in the temple group were more often aggressive in food-related encounters than in other encounters. The findings of this study suggest that socioecological models of primate social relationships need to distinguish male and female strategies during between-group encounters and integrate the resulting functional outcomes.Communicated by T. Czeschlik     

Leaching behaviour of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in surface soils derived from dredged sediments

Leaching of heavy metals from land-disposed dredged sediment spoils is a potential environmental hazard. The leaching behavior of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in surface soils sampled from abandoned dredged sediment disposal sites was assessed. Using simple mass-balance calculations, the significance of the leaching test results with respect to metal migration into underlying clean soil was appraised. The potential leachability, defined as the amounts released at constant pH 4, decreased in the order (% of total contents): Zn (58%) approximately equal to Cd (49%)>Cu (5%) approximately equal to Pb (2%). The kinetics of metal release were determined in a cascade shaking test using de-mineralized water acidified to pH 4 (HNO(3)). Metal concentrations in the leachates were low and metal migration was, assuming uniform convective flow, predicted to be of no environmental concern. It is emphasized that any long-term prediction of metal migration is uncertain.     

Translocation of metals and its effects in the tomato plants grown on various amendments of tannery waste: evidence for involvement of antioxidants

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of different amendments of tannery sludge on physiological and biochemical parameters of tomato plant (Lycopersicon esculentum L. Mill). The accumulation of metals (Cr, Fe) in different parts of tomato plants grown on tannery sludge amended soil increased in a concentration and duration-dependent manner. The accumulation of both the metals was found lowest in the fruits of the plant. The statistical analysis of the results showed an increase in chlorophyll and protein contents in lower sludge amendment ratio at all exposures followed by a decrease at highest (100%) sludge amendment ratio. Lipid peroxidation enhanced in both root and leaves of sludge grown plants of tomato at all the sludge amendments and exposure periods, which is evidenced by increased malondialdehyde content, however the maximum increase was found in the roots (43.63%) and leaves (56.66%) of the plant grown on 100% tannery sludge at 60 d, over respective controls. The level of antioxidants, cysteine, non-protein thiol and ascorbic acid increased in the sludge grown plants of tomato to cope up with stress induced by the excess amount of the heavy metals present in the tannery sludge. The maximum increase was found in cysteine content (75.53% in the leaves), non-protein thiol content (92.68% in the roots) and ascorbic acid content (29.66% in the roots) of the plant at 75% tannery sludge after 30 d. The tomato plants were found well adopted for minimizing damage induced by reactive oxygen species, when grown on tannery sludge amendments in the present study.     

Persistence, degradation and leaching of coumaphos in soil

Dissipation, degradation and leaching of fresh 14C coumaphos, alkylated 14C coumaphos and aged residues of 14C coumaphos from vats were studied in alkaline sandy loam soil in soil columns in the field under subtropical conditions in Delhi for a year. Dissipation, degradation and bound residue formation was more in case of alkali treated coumaphos than fresh coumaphos. After 365 days total residues of fresh coumaphos accounted for 33.25% while that of alkali treated coumaphos was 19.12%. Bound residue formation was almost double in case of alkali treated coumaphos (18.95%) than fresh coumaphos (9.53%) after 150 days followed by release of bound residue in both the cases. The proportion of metabolites 4-methylumbelliferone, chlorferon and potasan collectively was 86.05% in fresh coumaphos extractable residues while the same was 91.74% in alkali treated coumaphos after 365 days. Aged residues from vats containing copper sulphate and buffer were found to be more persistent in soil as total residues remained were 95.58% in comparison with 83.09% total residues of aged residues from vats containing only buffer after 150 days of treatment. Copper sulphate seems to inhibit the degradatiion of coumaphos in soil by microorganisms. Chlorferon was the major metabolite in generally all the samples. Coumaphos did not leach below 10 cm in all the cases.     

Response of two cultivars of Triticum aestivum L. to simulated acid rain

The present experiment was aimed at assessing the impact of simulated acidic precipitation (SAR) on growth, biomass accumulation and yield of two cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), Malviya 206 and 234, varying in cuticular thickness and leaf area. Wheat cultivars were exposed to simulated rain acidified to pH 5.6 (control), 5.0, 4.5, 4.0 and 3.0 from 30 days of age, twice a week for five weeks. The plants received ambient precipitation of unknown acidity, as well as the acid rain treatments. Growth parameters such as shoot height, root length, and leaf area were reduced significantly in treated plants at different growth stages. Above and below-ground biomass also decreased significantly in the plants treated with acidic precipitation. Relative to control, the number of grains per plant and yield per m(2) declined significantly at all SAR treatments. The hypothesis that the variety with thinner cuticle and greater leaf area would be more susceptible to acidic precipitation was not supported by the present study.