Utilization of Cellulosic Wastes in Textile and Garment Industries: 2. Synthesis and Characterization of Cellulose Acetate from Knitted Rag

Cellulose acetate (CA) was synthesized from knitted rag, a cellulosic waste of Textile and Garment industries, in the glacial acetic acid, and subsequently acetic anhydride (Ac₂O) in presence of concentrated H₂SO₄ reaction medium. A low to high substitution products were obtained from single step up to seven steps acetylation of cellulose. In this way, it was possible to produce low cost and different grades or substituted acetylation derivatives of cellulose. The synthesized CA was characterized and investigation of its physical characteristics was done. Solubility, acetyl content, acetic acid content, degree of substitution, and molecular weight of CA increased gradually with the increase of the number of reaction steps attaining optimum value at the fourth step. The acetyl and acetic acid content of CA were increased from 39.95 % to 44.25 %, and from 55.73 % to 61.73 % respectively. Similarly, degree of substitution and molecular weight of CA were increased from 2.47 to 2.94, and from 74,249 to 121,437 respectively.     

Study of two species prey-predator model in imprecise environment with MSY policy under different harvesting scenario

Parameters involve in various ecological models are mostly uncertain due to ever changing characteristic of nature. This article, deals with a basic predator–prey model where ecological parameters are considered as parametric-functional nature of interval numbers. The dynamical behaviors of the model system have been discussed in the imprecise environment. Moreover, the concept of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) has been incorporated in the model system under imprecise environment, and MSY policies under different harvesting scenarios have been discussed. Finally all the analytical findings are testified through extensive numerical simulations and the article ended with a conclusion.

     

Spatial distribution of trace elements in surface sediments of Hooghly (Ganges) river estuary in West Bengal,India

The spatial distribution of trace elements in surface sediments of the Hooghly estuary was studied over the monsoons in 2014–2017. As, Cd, Ni, Pb and U were two- to sixteen-fold the crust means with increasing levels toward the estuary, with Ni peak during the post-monsoon. Pearson’s correlation matrix, cluster analysis, enrichment factors and pollution index revealed the anthropic source and association of trace elements with Fe, Mn and Al and of Pb with U. Geoaccumulation index revealed for Ni an extremely contaminated situation at the estuary water during monsoon and for Cd a heavily contaminated situation at freshwater location. The potential contamination index was >6; thus, sediments were very severely contaminated by As, Cd and Ni with worst situation for As and Cd at fresh and brackish water and during post-monsoon. The overall ecological risk was severe, 300≤RI<600 at all sites and seasons, especially after the monsoon, at fluvial and brackish locations.

     

Gene expression signatures in PCB-exposed Slovak children in relation to their environmental exposures and socio-physical characteristics

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Our previous gene expression studies in a PCB-exposed cohort of young children in Slovakia revealed that early-life exposures to PCBs and other...     

Comprehensive investigation of various re-refining technologies of used lubricating oil: a review

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Waste lubricating oil is considered to be a hazardous waste and has tremendous impact on human health and environment. The present review...     

Efficacy of electrical resistivity and induced polarization methods for revealing fluoride contaminated groundwater in granite terrain

The accumulation of fluoride (F) in groundwater is a common phenomenon in India and worldwide. Its location can be identified through a direct hydrochemical analysis, which was carried out in Kurmapalli watershed (located 60 km SE of Hyderabad city), Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India affected by F contamination. The results of the hydrochemical analysis showed that F varied from 0.71 to 19.01 mg/l and its concentration exceeded the permissible limit (i.e., 1.5 mg/l) in 78% of the total 32 samples analyzed. The highest F value (19.01 mg/l) was found near Madnapur village, which is located in the central part of the watershed. Resistivity and induced polarization (IP) surveys were also carried out to reveal the zones where elevated F-contaminated groundwater exists. The objective of this paper was to highlight the utility of resistivity and IP surveys, using hydrochemical constituents as constraint, for the successful delineation of such contaminated/polluted groundwater zones in the granite area.     

Agricultural GHG emission and calorie intake nexus among different socioeconomic households of rural eastern India

A study was conducted to examine the interrelationships among socioeconomic factors, household consumption patterns, calorie intake and greenhouse gas emissions factors in rural eastern India based on household survey data. Findings indicated that higher monthly per capita incomes (12.1–80.1$) were associated with greater average calorie intakes (2021–2525 kcal d^?1). As estimated by the FEEDME model, in total 17.2% of the population was calorie malnourished with a regional disparity of 29.4–18.2% malnourishment. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were calculated only on the basis of crop and livestock production and consumption. Rice accounted for the highest share of total GHG emissions, on average 82.6% on a production basis, which varied from 58.1% to 94.9% in regional basis. Rice contributed the greatest share (~?65% and 66.2%) in terms of both calories and GHG emissions (CO₂ eq y^?1), respectively, on a consumption basis. We conclude that extensive rice farming and increasing animal product consumption are dominant factors in the higher carbon footprint in this region and are likely to further increase with increase in per capita income. This study provides useful information to help for better crop planning and for fine-tuning food access policy, to reduce carbon footprint and calorie malnutrition.

     

Validation of two air quality models for Indian mining conditions

All major mining activity particularly opencast mining contributes to the problem of suspended particulate matter (SPM)directly or indirectly. Therefore, assessment and prediction are required to prevent and minimize the deterioration of SPM due tovarious opencast mining operations. Determination of emission rate of SPM for these activities and validation of air quality models are the first and foremost concern. In view of the above, the study was taken up for determination of emission rate for SPMto calculate emission rate of various opencast mining activitiesand validation of commonly used two air quality models for Indianmining conditions. To achieve the objectives, eight coal and three iron ore mining sites were selected to generate site specific emission data by considering type of mining, method of working, geographical location, accessibility and above all resource availability. The study covers various mining activitiesand locations including drilling, overburden loading and unloading, coal/mineral loading and unloading, coal handling orscreening plant, exposed overburden dump, stock yard, workshop, exposed pit surface, transport road and haul road. Validation of the study was carried out through Fugitive Dust Model (FDM) and Point, Area and Line sources model (PAL2) by assigning the measured emission rate for each mining activity, meteorologicaldata and other details of the respective mine as an input to the models. Both the models were run separately for the same set ofinput data for each mine to get the predicted SPM concentrationat three receptor locations for each mine. The receptor locationswere selected such a way that at the same places the actual filedmeasurement were carried out for SPM concentration. Statisticalanalysis was carried out to assess the performance of the modelsbased on a set measured and predicted SPM concentration data. The value of coefficient of correlation for PAL2 and FDM was calculated to be 0.990-0.994 and 0.966-0.997, respectively, which shows a fairly good agreement between measured and predicted values of SPM concentration. The average index of agreement values for PAL2 and FDM was found to be 0.665 and0.752, respectively, which represents that the prediction by PAL2 and FDM models are accurate by 66.5 and 75.2%, respectively. These indicate that FDM model is more suited for Indian mining conditions.     

Toxicity of neem pesticides on a fresh water loach, Lepidocephalichthys guntea (Hamilton Buchanan) of Darjeeling district in West Bengal

Static renewal bioassay tests were conducted to evaluate the acute toxicity of two neem based biopesticides, applied widely on tea plantation namely, Nimbecidine and Neem Gold either separately as well as, in combination to the fingerlings (mean body length- 4.46 +/- 0.15 cm; mean body weight- 0.49 +/- 0.15g) of a fresh water loach, Lepidocephalichthys guntea (Hamilton Buchanan) acclimatized to laboratory conditions prior to experiment. The 96 hours LC50 values for Nimbecidine and Neem Gold and the combination of the two were 0.0135 mgl(-1), 0.0525mgl(-1) and 0.0396 mgl(-1), respectively. The regular water quality analysis showed, that with increasing doses of biopesticides, dissolved oxygen level was lower and other parameters like pH, free carbon dioxide, total alkalinity total hardness, chloride ions of water increased. The fish under toxicity stress suffered several abnormalities such as erratic and rapid movement, body imbalance and surface floating responding proportionately to the increase in concentrations of the toxicant biopesticides. The 96 hours LC50 values proved Nimbecidine more toxic than Neem Gold and the combination of the two biopesticides.     

A comparative study on the decomposition of edible and non-edible oil cakes in the Gangetic alluvial soil of West Bengal

An experiment has been conducted under laboratory conditions to investigate the effect of decomposition of two edible oil cakes, viz. mustard cake (Brassica juncea L) and groundnut cake (Arachis hypogaea L), and two non-edible oil cakes, viz. mahua cake (Madhuca indica Gmel) and neem cake (Azadirachta indica Juss), at the rate of 5.0 t ha^?1 on the changes of microbial growth and activities in relation to transformations and availability of some plant nutrients in the Gangetic alluvial (Typic Haplustept) soil of West Bengal, India. Incorporation of oil cakes, in general, highly induced the proliferation of total bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi, resulting in greater retention and availability of oxidizable C, N, and P in soil. As compared to untreated control, the highest stimulation of total bacteria and actinomycetes was recorded with mustard cake (111.9 and 84.3 %, respectively) followed by groundnut cake (50.5 and 52.4 %, respectively), while the fungal colonies were highly accentuated due to the incorporation of neem cake (102.8 %) in soil. The retention of oxidizable organic C was highly increased due to decomposition of non-edible oil cakes, more so under mahua cake (14.5 %), whereas edible oil cakes and groundnut cake in particular exerted maximum stimulation (16.7 %) towards the retention of total N in soil. A similar trend was recorded towards the accumulation of available mineral N in soil and this was more pronounced with mustard cake (45.6 %) for exchangeable NH₄ ⁺ and with groundnut cake (63.9 %) for soluble NO₃ ^?. The highest retention of total P (46.9 %) was manifested by the soil when it was incorporated with neem cake followed by the edible oil cakes; while the available P was highly induced due to the addition of edible oil cakes, the highest being under groundnut cake (23.5 %) followed by mustard cake (19.6 %).