A promising niche: waste to energy project in the Indian dairy sector

The dairy sector is known to have significant local and global environmental impacts; but it also has proven renewable-energy generation potential. This paper analyzes a specific niche experiment in the Indian dairy industry, wherein cattle waste management is carried out by a multitude of stakeholders. These include the waste collectors, local technology adopters, research institutions, multilateral donor agencies, the Indian government, technology suppliers and operation and maintenance teams who have managed an uninterrupted 1 MWe energy production over the past 4 years. This analysis uses the sociotechnical regime framework to study the interaction of social, technological, economic and policy-related aspects relevant to the niche experiment. The analysis shows a potential to contribute to the development of two complementing regimes—one related to cooperative waste management and the other related to grid-connected renewable-energy-based electricity generation. Key factors for a successful development are not only a long-term financing protection through government subsidies to cover higher capital cost and a preferential tariff related to energy throughput, but also the adaptation of technology, the embedding in the local cooperative structure and the removal of regulatory barriers.     

Toxicity of endosulfan on growth,photosynthesis, and nitrogenase activity in two species of Nostoc (Nostoc muscorum and Nostoc calcicola)

Treatments of the cyanobacteria Nostoc muscorum and Nostoc calcicola with the insecticide endosulfan (5, 10, and 20?µg?mL^?1) inhibited growth, photosynthetic pigments, photosynthetic, and nitrogenase activities. The sensitivity of N. muscorum to endosulfan was higher than that of N. calcicola. The toxic effect of endosulfan was more pronounced on phycocyanin; however, a considerable reduction in chlorophyll a and carotenoids was also noticed. ¹⁴C-fixation appeared to be more sensitive to the insecticide than photosynthetic oxygen evolution. Endosulfan caused strong inhibition of photosystem (PS) II activity whereas PS I was least affected. The inhibition of PS II activity was partially restored by electron donors (DPC, NH₂OH, and MnCl₂) at low dose of endosulfan. Nitrogenase activity was significantly suppressed in both species by the endosulfan at high dose (20?µg?mL^?1). On the basis of our comparative analysis, N. calcicola was found to be endosulfan resistant and can be used in paddy fields for better productivity under pesticide stress.     

Concentrations of Hchs and Ddts in the Tissues of River Dolphins,Platanista Gangetica,From the River Ganges,India

Abstract

Concentrations of HCH and DDT organochlorine insecticide residues were measured in blubber, muscle and oil samples from three specimens of river dolphins, Platanista gangetica, from the River Ganges, India. Concentrations of HCH and DDT ranged from 94 to 289 ng g^?1 and from 1324 to 9388 ng g^?1 on wet wt. basis respectively. Comparisons are made with other aquatic mammals and other studies on river dolphins. P. gangetica appears to exhibit similar patterns of accumulation with age and with ß-HCH and p-p′-DDE being accumulated to higher levels than other HCH isomers and parent DDT and its other metabolites, respectively. These organochlorines may pose a health risk to river dolphin populations that are already showing evidence of environmental stress. Further studies are recommended.     

Variations in physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of water during breeding of Cyprinus carpio in a closed hatchery system

Physico-chemical and microbial characteristics of culture water were examined during the induced breeding of Cyprinus carpio in a controlled environmental system. Water temperature, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, phosphate, pH, ammonia nitrogen, total bacterial count, hardness, salinity, carbonate and bicarbonate were estimated before and after spawning and hatching. Average alteration in water pH before and after spawning was 7.91-7.57 and 7.86-7.58 respectively. Total hardness, carbonate and bicarbonate showed insignificant variations. Nitrate, ammonia nitrogen and phosphate contents significantly increased after spawning and hatching p < 0.05. The average increase in nitrate was from 2.94 to 8.62 microg l(-1) after spawning and 3.10 to 8.49 microgl(-1) after hatching. Ammonia nitrogen contents were sharply increased from an average of 0.011 to 1.87 mg l(-1) after spawning and 0.013 to 0.56 mg l(-1) after hatching. The average phosphates increased from 2.59 to 4.15 microg l(-1) after spawning and 2.61 to 4.03 microg l(-1) after hatching. Dissolved oxygen was sharply depleted even after a continuous aeration. Temperature played a vital role during breeding. No successful breeding was observed at a temperature of 17 degrees C or below and 31 degrees C or above. There is a significant association between temperature, spawning and hatching (p < 0.05). By optimizing temperature, the breeding success of this carp was achieved with a statistical significance of p < 0.05. Total bacterial count was significantly increased after spawning and hatching. It was related to the amount of discharge and may cause mass mortality of fish embryo and spawn in a closed hatchery system.     

Watershed development in India. 1. Biophysical and societal impacts

This paper recommends a revision of watershed development policy in India in relation to the planning of development interventions involving agricultural intensification and rainwater harvesting following biophysical and societal impact studies carried out on two watershed development projects in Karnataka. A need for changes in policy has arisen in response to progressive catchments closure at the basin level and declining volumes of water flowing into village level reservoirs (known locally as tanks). Flow reductions have occurred largely as a result of increased agricultural intensification over the past 10–15 years. Field levelling, field bund construction, soil water conservation measures, farm ponds, the increase in areas under horticulture and forestry and the increased abstraction and use of groundwater for irrigation are all contributing factors to reduced flows. Planning methodologies and approaches, which may have been appropriate 20 years ago for planning water harvesting within watershed development projects, are no longer appropriate today. New planning approaches are required which (1) take account of these changed flow conditions and (2) are also able to take account of externalities, which occur when actions of some affect the livelihoods of others who have no control or influence over such activities and which (3) contribute to the maintenance of agreed minimum downstream flows for environmental and other purposes.

Antecedents and outcomes of contingent workers' attitudes toward their temporary help services firm: A unit level longitudinal investigation

This study explored the unit‐level antecedents and outcomes of contingent workers' attitudes toward their temporary help services (THS) firm. It was proposed that (a) client‐orientation levels of the THS firm's full‐time staff would influence the level of support received by contingent workers, (b) staff supportiveness would be reciprocated by these workers in the form of favorable firm‐directed attitudes, and (c) contingent workers' attitudes toward the THS firm would influence two unit‐level outcomes—client reported service failure, and voluntary turnover rates of THS staff. Support was found for all the hypothesized relationships in a longitudinal study utilizing survey data gathered from 1324 full‐time employees, 570 contingent workers, and 1951 clients; and archival data on staff turnover from 46 strategic business units (SBUs) of a THS firm. These results are discussed within the context of employee–organization relationship (EOR), contingent workforce, and service management literatures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Conservation agricultural practices for minimizing ammonia volatilization and maximizing wheat productivity

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A large amount of ammonia volatilization from the agricultural system causes environmental problems and increases production costs. Conservation...     

Nanomaterials photocatalytic activities for waste water treatment: a review

Water is necessary for the survival of life on Earth. A wide range of pollutants has contaminated water resources in the last few decades. The presence of contaminants incredibly different dyes in waste, potable, and surface water is hazardous to environmental and human health. Different types of dyes are the principal contaminants in water that need sudden attention because of their widespread domestic and industrial use. The toxic effects of these dyes and their ability to resist traditional water treatment procedures have inspired the researcher to develop an eco-friendly method that could effectively and efficiently degrade these toxic contaminants. Here, in this review, we explored the effective and economical methods of metal-based nanomaterials photocatalytic degradation for successfully removing dyes from wastewater. This study provides a tool for protecting the environment and human health. In addition, the insights into the transformation of solar energy for photocatalytic reduction of toxic metal ions and photocatalytic degradation of dyes contaminated wastewater will open a gate for water treatment research. The mechanism of photocatalytic degradation and the parameters that affect the photocatalytic activities of various photocatalysts have also been reported.

     

Degradation of indulin, a kraft pine lignin, by Serratia marcescens

Serratia marcescens isolated from decaying coconut pith exhibited high lignolytic activity. Growth on indicator medium, analysis of residual indulin, and infra-red spectroscopic analysis indicated the lignolytic potential of the isolate. Ortho-Coumaric acid, ferulic acid, 2,3-dihydroxy cinnamic acid and protocatechuic acid were identified as intermediates involved in indulin degradation by S. marcescens. Qualitative confirmation and quantitative estimation of the intermediates were carried out by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC).     

OPTIMIZATION OF MULTIPURPOSE RESERVOIR SYSTEM OPERATION1

ABSTRACT: The goal programming approach for multipurpose reservoir operation has been proposed and applied to the Bhadra reservoir system, having irrigation and hydropower production as dual purposes, in India. The objective of the model is to satisfy sequentially a series of operating criteria. Two goal programming models, one with the objective function as minimizing the deviations from storage targets and the other with the objective function as minimizing the deviations from release targets, have been formulated and applied to the reservoir system under study. The results proved that the model with release targets is preferred over the model with storage targets for determining operational policies for multipurpose reservoir system.