Study of physico-chemical characteristics of water bodies around Jaipur

The present study has been undertaken to evaluate physico-chemical parameters (pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, free carbon dioxide, alkalinity and hardness) and zinc concentration in water bodies in and around Jaipur. Water samples from Jalmachal Lake, Nevta Lake, Amer Lake and Ramgarh Lake were analysed. Results reveal that the water of Jalmahal Lake is most polluted due to high pH, hardness, alkalinity, free carbon dioxide, zinc content, and a low level of dissolved oxygen. Contrarily Ramgarh Lake is least polluted, as it has high dissolved oxygen and low pH, alkalinity, free carbon dioxide, hardness and zinc content.     

Investigation into atmospheric deposition through precipitation studies at New Delhi (India)

Rain water samples were collected during the monsoon of 1994, using automatic wet-only and manual bulk collectors at a height of 30 m above the ground at the National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi. The average pH of the rain water was 5.7 and its chemical composition was dominated by NH₄ and SO₄. The free acidity of the rain water was found to be due to S04 rather than N03 and it was mainly neutralized by NH₄ and Ca. Calculation of sea salt fraction and enrichment factor revealed that this site is free for marine influence. On an average the bulk samples had 13% higher concentration than that of wet-only samples which may be due to the deposition of soil-derived particles during the 24 h period of exposure. The higher neutralization factors of Ca and Mg in bulk samples and highest dry deposition rates for Ca in comparison to other components, indicated the positive interference of dust particles in neutralization.     

Economic valuation of health impacts of air pollution in Mumbai

Air pollution leads to serious negative impacts on health. Thephysical evidence is compelling. An attempt has been made inthis paper to establish dose-response relationship of AmbientAir Quality Index and human health, based on time spent by anindividual in different microenvironments during one day.Economic valuation of morbidity and mortality has been attemptedthrough lost salary approach. The results show that theavoidance cost is 29% of the total health damage cost.     

Qualitative Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds in Outdoor and Indoor Air

The present work attempts to identify VOC's in outdoor and indoor air in Mumbai City India. Ambient air was adsorbed on especially fabricated stainless steel cartridge packed with activated coconut charcoal at uniform flow rate. Qualitative identification of VOC's was done by thermally desorbing air from the cartridges and subsequent analysis on Varian GC-MS using NIST Library. The outdoor monitoring locations include residential area, commercial area, industrial, airport, petrol pumps, traffic junctions, arterial roads, highways, slums, parking area, service garages and municipal dump sites. The indoor locations comprised of air-conditioned and non air-conditioned offices, bedrooms, shops and instrumentation laboratory. The identified VOC's include aldehydes, ketones, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic acids, oxygenated hydrocarbons, amines, esters and halogenated compounds. Thirteen VOCs in outdoor air and seven in indoor air amongst those identified, figure in the list of Hazardous Air Pollutants listed in Title III of the U.S. EPA Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.     

Level of organochlorine pesticide residues in dry fruit nuts

The use of pesticides on cash crops and exportable food commodities had always been a serious concern. Fruits form one of the important constituents of human diet, in that they give one third of the requirement of calories, vitamins, and minerals. This study has been carried out to determine the level of organochlorine pesticides namely HCH, DDT and Endosulfan in raw fruit nuts. Nuts have proteins and high level of fat content. These properties of nuts attract organochlorine pesticides to accumulate. The analysis of organochlorine pesticide residues in commonly used dry fruits like Cashewnut, Walnut, Coconut, Chilgoza, Chironji, Makhana, Resins, Apricot, Almonds, Date palm, Pistachio nut collected from local market of Lucknow India has indicated presence of very low level of HCH (0.007-1.328 mg kg(-1)), DDT(ND-0.140 mg kg(-1)) and Endosulfan (ND-0.091 mg kg(-1)). There are no MRL values established for nuts in the country. This finding is based on a smaller number of samples, which however suggest that the presence of low level of DDT, HCH and Endosulfan might be due to environmental rather than direct exposure.     

Deltamethrin-induced alterations in serum calcium and prolactin cells of a freshwater teleost,Heteropneustes fossilis

Deltamethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide widely used in many countries, causes significant adverse effects in aquatic ecosystems. The concentration of deltamethrin in water reservoirs and the run off from agricultural areas (in water) in many countries range up to 24.0?µg?L^?1 which is higher than the recommendation of the European Union standard. Hence, in this study the effects of deltamethrin were investigated, i.e. its toxic impacts on the freshwater catfish Heteropneustes fossilis in terms of serum calcium and prolactin cells (located in the rostral pars distalis region of the pituitary). The fish were subjected to deltamethrin for a short-term experiment (96?h; 1.5?µg?L^?1 e.0.8 of 96?h LC₅₀) and a long-term experiment (28 days; 0.37?µg?L^?1 e.0.2 of 96?h LC₅₀). After short-term deltamethrin exposure, serum calcium levels decrease. No histological change in prolactin cells is noticed throughout the short-term experiment. Fish exposed to deltamethrin for 7 days also exhibit a decrease in serum calcium level. This decrease persisted until the end of the experiment (28 days). Prolactin cells of fish treated for 14 days with deltamethrin exhibit increased nuclear volume and degranulation, increasing progressively from the 21st day onwards. After 28 days, a few degenerated cells are discerned. The results of this study show that deltamethrin is moderately toxic for the freshwater fish H. fossilis by producing adverse effects on serum calcium and prolactin cells. Hence, it should be used with caution in areas near fish-inhabited waters.     

Full scale treatment of hazardous wastewater through thermal reduction

An attempt has been made to present the data relating to full scale application of evaporation‐incineration technology for containment of wastewater emanating from H‐acid (mono sodium salt of 1 amino‐8‐hydroxynapthalene 3,6‐disulphonic acid) production with recourse to zero wastewater discharge. The wastewater is acidic with high concentrations of COD and total dissolved salts and BOD/COD ratio of 0.11. NO_x, SO_x, SPM and CO from stack emissions are within the standards stipulated by the statutory bodies.     

Arsenic accumulation in root and shoot vis-a-vis its effects on growth and level of phytochelatins in seedlings of Cicer arietinum L

Arsenic (As) contamination of water and soil has become a subject of prime interest due to its direct effect on human health through drinking water and food. In present study two varieties (CSG-8962 and C-235) of chickpea, Cicer arietinum L., which is a major supplementary food in many parts of India and a valuable source of protein, has been selected to estimate the level of arsenate in root and shoot of five day old seedlings vis-à-vis effect of arsenate on seedling growth and induction of thiols including glutathione (GSH) and phytochelatins (PCs) and their homologues. Both varieties accumulated arsenate to similar levels and most of the metalloid was confined to roots, only about 2.5% was translocated to shoot. Plant growth was also not affected significantly in both the varieties. Arsenate exposure significantly induced the levels of thiols including PCs and homophytochelatins (hPCs). The induction of thiols was much higher in roots than shoots and was greater in var C-235 between the two tested ones. Thus, both varieties tolerated and detoxified arsenic through chelation with GSH, PCs and hPCs, primarily in roots, however var C-235 performed better     

Devicyprin induced gonadal impairment in a freshwater food fish, Channa punctatus (Bloch)

Synthetic pyrethroids are the recent major class of broad spectrum, photostable, organic insecticides used in agricultural, domestic and veterinary applications and now account for more than 30% of global insecticide use. Cypermethrin is metabolized and eliminated significantly more slowly by fish than by mammals or birds, which may explain this compound's high toxicity in fish compared to other organisms. The present communication deals with histoanatomical alterations in the gonads of a local fresh water food fish, Channa punctatus exposed to 0.033 ppm (96 hr LC50 X 1/10) concentration of a synthetic pyrethroid, devicyprin (cypermethrin 25%) in aquatic medium of aged tap water for 15, 30 and 45 days respectively. In testis, exposure dependent histological damage has been observed in terms of vacuolization, condensation of spermatogonic cells, distortion of tubular epithelium, shrinkage of interstitial cells and general inflammatory responses. Longest exposure of 45 days has resulted in peculiar starry-sky appearance of the testicular tissue. Gross histo-anatomy of ovarian tissue reveals epithelial lesions, inflammatory responses, stromal hemorrhage, increased interstitium and shrinkage of yolk vesicles towards periphery These findings are quite suggestive of reproductive impairments leading to delayed gonadal maturity and adversely affecting processes of sperm production and ovulation and thus, the fish production.     

New methodologies for security risk assessment of oil and gas industry

The oil and gas industry forms a vital and large part of the economy of any country. It provides crucial support to transport, manufacturing and energy sectors, produces valuable exports and provides huge employment. This industry along with fertilizer plants, petrochemical plants, etc., which handle hazardous chemicals, are potential targets for deliberate actions by terrorists, criminals and disgruntled employees. The process industries face different levels of threats. It is imperative to analyze the entire threat scenario before taking steps to counter it, otherwise each and every threat will have to be treated as most severe, thus resulting in a huge and wasteful expenditure.The Security Risk Factor Table (SRFT) and a Stepped Matrix Procedure (SMP) have been developed to assess the security risk of oil and gas industry as well as the other chemical process industries. While the SRFT deals with the effects of individual threats, the SMP deals with the cascading/domino effects which a lone, low probability event can cause. A case study of a refinery has been performed to show the application of the ideas presented.