Attributes of occupational injury among workers in the chemical industry and safety issues.

Case-study research was carried out with a view to find the attributes of occupational injury among workers in the chemical industry and to enhance safety issues. Injury data were collected and processed in terms of different variables, such as age, gender, skills, type of hazard, etc. Pareto analysis was then applied to find a pattern of occupational injury among the workers. The study revealed that 79.52% of the injured workers were in the 40-59 age group; 57.14% of accidents occurred during the 1st shift; 73.26% of accidents caused injury to hands, feet, chest to thigh, arms and eyes; and 70.93% of injuries were caused by pumps, carrying and lifting, vehicles, pipelines, valves, and grinding. Surprisingly, no one was injured in the group of temporary workers. The paper also provides specific suggestions followed by some action plans.     

Loofa sponge immobilized fungal biosorbent: a robust system for cadmium and other dissolved metal removal from aqueous solution

The potential of loofa sponge discs to immobilize fungal biomass of Phanerochaete chrysosporium (a known biosorbent) was investigated as a low cost biosorbent for the removal of Cd(II) ions from aqueous solution. A comparison of the biosorption of Cd(II) by immobilized and free fungal biomass from 10 to 500 mg l(-1) aqueous solutions showed an increase in uptake of over 19% when the biomass is immobilized (maximum biosorption capacity of 89 and 74 mg Cd(II) g(-1) biomass for immobilized and free biomass respectively at a solution pH of 6). Equilibrium was established within 1h and biosorption was well defined by the Langmuir isotherm model. The immobilized biomass could be regenerated using 50 mM HCl, with up to 99% metal recovery and reused in ten biosorption-desorption cycles without significant loss of capacity. This study suggests that such an immobilized biosorbent system has the potential to be used in the industrial removal/recovery of cadmium and other pollutant metal ions from aqueous solution.     

Stimulating student’s pro-environmental behavior in higher education institutions: an ability–motivation–opportunity perspective

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The slow and inadequate environmental performance of higher education institutions is attracting the consideration of researchers toward a behavioral...     

Biosorption characteristics of unicellular green alga Chlorella sorokiniana immobilized in loofa sponge for removal of Cr(Ⅲ)

Loofa sponge (LS) immobilized biomass of Chlorella sorokiniana (LSIBCS), isolated from industrial wastewater, was investigated as a new biosorbent for the removal of Cr(Ⅲ) from aqueous solution. A comparison of the biosorption of Cr(Ⅲ) by LSIBCS and free biomass of C. sorokiniana (FBCS) from 10-300 mg Cr(Ⅲ)/L aqueous solutions showed an increase in uptake of 17.79% when the microalgal biomass was immobilized onto loofa sponge. Maximum biosorption capacity for LSIBCS and FBCS was found to be 69.26 and 58.80 mg Cr(Ⅲ)/g biosorbent, respectively, whereas the amount of Cr(Ⅲ) ions adsorbed onto naked LS was 4.97 mg/g. The kinetics of Cr(Ⅲ) biosorption was extremely rapid and equilibrium was established in about 15 and 20 min by LSIBCS and FBCS,respectively. The biosorption equilibrium was well defined by Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The biosorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The biosorption was found to be pH dependent and the maximum sorption occurred at the solution pH 4.0. Desorption studies showed that 98% of the adsorbed Cr(Ⅲ) could be desorbed with 0.1 mol/L HNO3, while other desorbing agents were less effective in the order: EDTA ＞ H2SO4 ＞ CH3COOH ＞ HCl. The regenerated LSIBCS retained 92.68% of the initial Cr(Ⅲ) binding capacity up to five cycles of reuse in continuous flow-fixed bed columns. The study revealed that LSIBCS could be used as an effective biosorbent for the removal of Cr(Ⅲ) from wastewater.     

Anguilla anguilla L. oxidative stress biomarkers responses to copper exposure with or without beta-naphthoflavone pre-exposure

The redox cycling of heavy metals as well as their interactions with organic pollutants is a major contributor to the oxidative stress resulting from aquatic pollution. Therefore, in order to evaluate beta-naphthoflavone (BNF), Cu and BNF/Cu-induced oxidative stress with single and subsequent exposures, research was carried out in European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.). Eel gill and kidney oxidative stress biomarker responses such as lipid peroxidation (LPO), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and total reduced glutathione (GSH) to a single 24 h exposure to two copper concentrations (Cu-1 microM, 2.5 microM) and BNF (2.7 microM) with or without 24 h BNF (2.7 microM) pre-exposure were investigated. Cu exposure alone showed a significant gill GST increase at the lowest concentration and GSH content decrease for the highest concentration. Double BNF exposure in gill demonstrated a significant increase in LPO, CAT, GPX and GST, as well as a decrease in GSH content. However, in sequential BNF/Cu exposures, only the highest Cu concentration exhibited a significant increase in LPO and GSH as well as a decrease in GPX (vs. BNF + CW). In kidney, Cu exposure alone showed a significant CAT and GSH contents decrease for both concentrations, and at highest concentration in GPX; as well as GST increase at the lowest concentration. Double BNF exposure showed a significant increase in LPO and GST. Nevertheless, in sequential BNF/Cu exposures, both concentrations exhibited a significant increase in LPO and decrease in GSH contents. Moreover, LPO was also increased significantly in comparison to BNF+CW and the equivalent Cu exposures without BNF pre-exposure. Concerning GPX, a significant increase was observed at highest Cu concentration. In GST, a significant decrease at the lowest Cu concentration and increase at the highest Cu concentration was observed. Summarizing, a simple copper or BNF exposures have no ability to induce LPO in both gill and kidney. However, double BNF exposure induced LPO in both organs and sequential BNF/Cu exposures potentiated the risk of peroxidative damage occurrence in both organs. BNF/Cu interference on antioxidant responses differs between the studied organs. In gill, antagonistic effects were denoted with probable reflex in terms of peroxidative damage increase. In kidney, BNF pre-exposure prevented CAT and GPX inhibition by copper; though, no advantage of this effect was perceptible as defence against LPO generation. Considering BNF as a surrogate for a PAH and the detected interactions with copper, as well as the likelihood that these effects would be observed in polluted ecosystems, current results demonstrate their relevance to actual ecological exposures contributing to a better knowledge on oxidative stress mechanisms in fish.     

Potential of immobilized bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) peroxidases in the decolorization and removal of textile dyes from polluted wastewater and dyeing effluent

Immobilized peroxidases from Momordica charantia were highly effective in decolorizing reactive textile dyes compared to its soluble counterpart. Dye solutions, 50-200 mg/l, were treated with soluble and immobilized bitter gourd peroxidases (specific activity of 99.0 EU per mg protein). The decolorization of dyes with soluble and immobilized enzyme was maximum in the range of pH 3.0-4.0. The effect of different temperatures on the dye decolorization was monitored and it was observed that all the dyes were maximally decolorized at 40 degrees C. In order to examine the operational stability of the immobilized preparation, the enzyme was repeatedly exploited for the decolorization of the dyes from fresh batch of dye solutions. Even after 10 cycles in each case the immobilized preparation retained nearly 50% of the initial enzyme activity. The immobilized enzyme exhibited more than 90% of the original activity while the soluble enzyme lost 33% of the initial activity when stored for 40 d at room temperature. Mixtures of three, four and eight dyes were prepared and treated with soluble and immobilized bitter gourd peroxidase. Each mixture was decolorized by more than 80% when treated with immobilized enzyme. Dyeing effluent collected from local dyers was treated with both types of enzyme preparations. Immobilized enzyme was capable of removing remarkably high concentration of color from the effluent. TOC content of soluble and immobilized enzyme treated individual dyes, mixture of dyes and dyeing effluent was determined and it was observed that higher TOC was removed after treatment with immobilized enzyme.     

Cytogenetic studies in green mussel, Perna viridis (Mytiloida: Pteriomorphia), from West Coast of India

Chromosomes of Perna viridis were characterized by karyotype analysis, C-banding and nucleolus organizer regions (NORs). The diploid chromosome number was confirmed as 30 and the karyotype is composed of ten metacentric and five submetacentric chromosome pairs. Constitutive heterochromatin blocks were found on all chromosomal pairs except chromosomal pair 15, which showed uniform staining throughout the entire chromosomes. Silver staining revealed nucleolus organizer regions on telomeric region of four chromosomal pairs, viz. 1, 3, 7 and 11. This is the first comprehensive study undertaken on chromosomes of Perna viridis.     

Lead in particulate deposits and in leaves of roadside plants, Karachi, Pakistan

Lead concentrations were determined for particulates which were deposited during one year on the leaves of roadside plants in Karachi. The particulates were collected from the leaves at a height of one metre. The lead accumulated by the leaves of different species was also measured. A statistically significant correlation was found between the number of passing petrol driven vehicles and the lead concentration in the deposits at different designated sites. However, no significant correlation was found between the concentration in the deposits and the lead accumulated by the leaves. A lead concentration of 30.00±6.6 ppm was recorded as the highest concentration in the particulate deposits, while maximum lead accumulated by the leaves was noted as 3.12±1.09 ppm.