An innovative technique for lake management with reference to aeration unit installed at lower lake, Bhopal, India

Water is key element in human life. All forms of life upon the earth depend upon water for their mere existence. Life & water may be aptly said to be two facets of the same coin. Most of the water bodies are getting polluted due to domestic waste, sewage, industrial waste and agricultural effluent. The present study is designed to ascertain the effectiveness of artificial aeration cum Ozonizer unit installed at Lower Lake, Bhopal for assessment of water quality. Various physico- chemical parameters like pH, Dissolved oxygen, Biochemical Oxygen demand, Chemical oxygen demand, nitrate, phosphate and bacteriological status were studied to assess the extent of deterioration in water quality of Lower lake and at the same time to assess the performance of the dual aeration system in improvement of water quality.     

Seasonal variation in amylase, invertase, cellulase activity and carbon dioxide evolution in a tropical protected grassland of Orissa, India, sprayed with carbaryl insecticide

A distinct seasonal variation in the enzyme activities and carbon dioxide evolution in soil, with a maximum in summer, was observed in soil treated with carbaryl and in control soil. There was no significant difference in the rate of enzyme activity between 0 and 10 cm and 10 and 20 cm depth of soil. Carbaryl insecticide applied at a normal agricultural dose did not have any inhibitory effect on soil enzyme activity, or on the rate of CO(2) evolution. However, the cellulase activity was greater in the surface soil of the control plot than in the treated plot.     

Changes in amino acid profile and metal content in seeds of Cicer arietinum L. (chickpea) grown under various fly-ash amendments

Seeds of Cicer arietinum L. plants are edible and a valuable source of protein. Accumulation of toxic metals in the edible part of the plant, grown in fields close to fly-ash (FA) landfills, may pose a threat to human health. In the present study, the effects of FA and its amendments with different ameliorants viz., garden soil (GS), press mud (PM) and saw dust (SD), on total soluble protein contents, amino acid composition and metal accumulation in seeds were investigated in var. CSG-8962 and var. C-235 of C. arietinum. Plants accumulated adequate amounts of essential metals viz. Fe, Cu, Zn in seeds, while the toxic metals such as Cd and Cr were taken up in smaller quantities. The accumulation of Cr and Cd was less in var. C-235 than var. CSG-8962. Amendment of FA with PM enhanced the amount of soluble protein and amino acids in both varieties and was found to be superior among all tested ameliorants. Both quantitative and qualitative analysis of amino acids showed better response in var. C-235 as compared to var. CSG-8962. Thus var. C-235 seems to be suitable for cultivation in FA contaminated areas due to more accumulation of essential metals and less accumulation of toxic metals in seeds. Application of PM may further improve the growth of plants and nutritional quality of seeds.     

Role of microbes,metabolites and effector compounds in host–microbiota interaction: a pharmacological outlook

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Microbial cells react with intestinal surfaces and produce enzymes and metabolites that influence human health, host metabolism and immunity. Gut...     

A multivariate statistical approach for the evaluation of spatial and temporal dynamics of surface water quality from the small reservoir located in the drought-prone area of South-West India: a case study of Tiru reservoir (India)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - With the use of different multivariate statistical analysis methods, spatio-temporal fluctuations in the water parameters of Tiru reservoir located at...     

Modeling the predictors of consumers’ online purchase intention of green products: the role of personal innovativeness and environmental drive

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Our society faces mounting pressure regarding the necessity of green consumption as issues related to the environment will likely become a severe...     

Synthesis and Evaluation of Mechanical Property of Chitosan/PVP Blend Through Nanoindentation-A Nanoscale Study

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Biocompatible chitosan/PVP blends of different weight ratios were prepared by the solution casting method. The blends were characterized for morphology,...     

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.     

Haematological characteristics and bone fluoride content in Bufo melanostictus from an aluminium industrial site

Fluoride concentration in bones and differential haemotological characteristics (RBC, haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpusclar haemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume) were measured in amphibians, Bufo melanostictus, collected from fluoride-contaminated and -uncontaminated areas. The average haemoglobin content, total RBC count and haematocrit (%) in blood samples were found to be significantly reduced, while mean corpuscular concentration and volume were significantly elevated in individuals from the contaminated area in comparison to those from the uncontaminated area. Fluoride concentration was approximately 11 times greater in the bones of toads from the contaminated area.     

Study on the fluorescence characteristics of bromadiolone in aqueous and organized media and application in analysis

The fluorescence spectroscopic behavior of bromadiolone (anticoagulant rodenticide), a substituted 4-hydroxycoumarin derivative, was investigated in water and in organized media like micelles and cyclodextrins. A detailed study on various photophysical parameters like fluorescence intensity (I_F), quantum yield (), lifetime (τ) and steady state fluorescence anisotropy (r) of bromadiolone in aqueous and in organized media was carried out. Bromadiolone in aqueous solution was observed to be in an aggregated state, thereby showing weak emission due to self-quenching. Marked enhancement of fluorescence intensity was observed in organized media like micelles and β-cyclodextrin. A preliminary investigation has been done to find out whether this enhancement of fluorescence can be used to develop a sensitive analytical method for determination of bromadialone in aqueous media. A linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity and concentration of bromadiolone was observed in the range of 0.15–7.9 μg ml⁻¹ in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and 0.5–26.4 μg ml⁻¹ in β-cyclodextrin medium. The lower detection limit was found to be 37 ng ml⁻¹ in presence of CTAB and 23 ng ml⁻¹ in β-cyclodextrin. Comparison with 4-hydroxycoumarin, an unsubstituted analogue, was made.