Evaluation of pesticides multiresidue contamination of khat leaves from Jazan region,Kingdome Saudi Arabia,using solid-phase extraction – gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

The habit of khat chewing is widespread with a deep-rooted sociocultural tradition in these regions and as such poses a public health problem. The use of pesticides is considered to be indispensable practice for the production of adequate food supply for the increasing demands by the global population and for control of insect-borne diseases. Thus, contamination of the environment with pesticides and entry of these chemicals into the food chain is unavoidable especially in developing countries. The main objective of our current study was to assess pesticide pollution of khat leaves (unknown origin) obtained while being smuggled into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to be used in Jazan area. A total of 120 khat leaf samples were extracted using solid-phase extraction followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis for the presence of 69 standard pesticides using an internal standard, tiphenyl phosphate. No pesticide residues were detected in all the studied samples. These data as preliminary and more experiments need to be performed to confirm our present findings. Routine monitoring of the pesticide residues is important for the prevention, control, and reduction of environmental pollution and also for legal decisions to minimize health risks.     

Levels of selected heavy metals in commercial fish from five freshwater lakes,Pakistan

The levels of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn and Hg are estimated by atomic absorption in the muscle of six commercial species of fish belonging to five freshwater lakes of Pakistan. The species included Mastacembelus armatus, Tor putitura, Mystus seenghala, Wallago attu, Catla catla and Labeo rohita. The fish were procured in comparable weight ranges so that a viable comparison of trace metal content could be effected. As, Fe, Pb, Zn and Hg showed elevated levels of 0.006–6.967, 0.933–6.133, 0.060–4.108, 0.978–5.363 and 0.030–3.211 μg/g, wet weight. The relevant statistical parameters, such as standard deviation, standard error, skewness and its t‐value are also reported for establishing the randomness of the distribution in relation to the corresponding data of freshwater lakes of the world and examined in view of species‐specificity and origin.     

Participative Versus Assigned Production Standard Setting in a Repetitive Industrial Task: A Strategy for Improving Worker Productivity

Abstract

The participative standard with feedback condition was superior to the assigned difficult (140% of normal) standard with feedback condition in terms of worker productivity. The percentage increase in worker productivity with the participative standard and feedback condition was 46%, whereas the increase in the assigned difficult standard with feedback was 23%, compared to the control group (no standard, no feedback). Worker productivity also Improved significantly as a result of assigning a normal (100%) production standard with feedback, compared to the control group, and the increase was 12%. The participative standard with feedback condition emerges as the optimum strategy for improving worker productivity in a repetitive industrial production task.     

Pakistan’s plastic bag ban: an analysis of citizens’ support and ban effectiveness in Islamabad Capital Territory

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The excessive consumption of single-use plastic bags in recent years has fueled plastic pollution leading to considerable adverse consequences for...     

Aerodynamics of ancient egyptian Obelisks and their structural response to Boundary Layer wind

Environmental Fluid Mechanics - Ancient Egyptian obelisks have been carved thousands of years ago and survived many earthquakes and wind storms. This study examines the aerodynamic characteristics...     

Temporal variation in leachate composition of a newly constructed landfill site in Lahore in context to environmental pollution and risks

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study investigated the seasonal and temporal variations in the extent and source of physiochemical and toxic trace elements in the Lakhodair...     

Taurine modulates dynamics of oxidative defense,secondary metabolism,and nutrient relation to mitigate boron and chromium toxicity in Triticum aestivum L. plants

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The present study was undertaken to appraise the efficacy of exogenous taurine in alleviating boron (B) and chromium (Cr) toxicity. Taurine protects...     

5-fluorouracil and curcumin with pectin coating as a treatment regimen for titanium dioxide with dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer model

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Colorectal cancer was inducted in Wister rats using titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) and dimethylhydrazine (DMH) and treatment using...     

Performance evaluation of dolomite production waste in development of sustainable concrete: hardened properties and ecological assessment

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Dolomite production waste is a by-product generated by dolomite mining, causing environmental pollution and other associated issues worldwide. In...     

Does regional energy consumption disparities assist to control environmental degradation in OBOR: an entropy approach

China launched the One Belt & One Road (OBOR) initiative to minimize the energy resource shortage. The China’s nearby countries are rich in energy resources especially Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Asian countries which make them ideal locations to cooperate with China in terms of energy resources, as 42.8% of world energy consumption belongs to OBOR countries. The present study elaborates the spatial distribution pattern of energy consumption disparities and its impact on environment. To do this, an entropy approach is utilized to compute the energy consumption inequalities in OBOR and its regions. The spatial and Pareto analysis show that MENA, East, and Southeast Asian economies have the highest degree of energy consumption inequalities, while European and Central Asian economies show the lowest energy consumption inequalities in OBOR region. The long-run estimates indicate that energy consumption inequalities enhance the CO₂ emission in OBOR and its region except South and Southeast Asia. Financial development also has a significantly positive impact on CO₂ emission in all models for OBOR and its regions except East Asia. Based on findings, the spatial distribution analysis is applicable to maintain balance in regional energy consumption inequality within OBOR and its regions.