Spectrophotometric method for the determination of chromium (VI) in water samples

A simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of chromium has been developed. The method is based on the diazotization of Dapsone in hydroxylamine hydrochloride medium and coupling with N-(1-Napthyl) Ethylene Diamine Dihydrochloride by electrophilic substitution to produce an intense pink azo-dye, which has absorption maximum at 540 nm. The Beer's law is obeyed from 0.02-1.0 microg mL(-1) and the molar absorptivity is 3.4854 L mol(-1) cm(-1). The Limits of quantification and Limit of detection of the proposed method are 0.0012 microg mL(-1) and 0.0039 microg mL(-1) respectively. The method has been successfully applied for the determination of chromium in water samples and the results were statistically evaluated with that of the reference method.     

Generation, storage, collection and transportation of municipal solid waste--a case study in the city of Kathmandu, capital of Nepal

Solid waste management (SWM) services have consistently failed to keep up with the vast amount of solid waste produced in urban areas. There is not currently an efficient system in place for the management, storage, collection, and transportation of solid waste. Kathmandu City, an important urban center of South Asia, is no exception. In Kathmandu Metropolitan City, solid waste generation is predicted to be 1091 m(3)/d (245 tons/day) and 1155 m(3)/d (260 tons/day) for the years 2005 and 2006, respectively. The majority (89%) of households in Kathmandu Metropolitan City are willing to segregate the organic and non-organic portions of their waste. Overall collection efficiency was 94% in 2003. An increase in waste collection occurred due to private sector involvement, the shutdown of the second transfer station near the airport due to local protest, a lack of funding to maintain trucks/equipment, a huge increase in plastic waste, and the willingness of people to separate their waste into separate bins. Despite a substantial increase in total expenditure, no additional investments were made to the existing development plan to introduce a modern disposal system due to insufficient funding. Due to the lack of a proper lining, raw solid waste from the existing dumping site comes in contact with river water directly, causing severe river contamination and deteriorating the quality of the water.     

Respiratory problems of workers in the zarda industry in Kolkata, India.

This study was undertaken to assess the pulmonary and respiratory problems of workers in a zarda factory. A total of 70 permanent zarda workers (50 manufacturing workers and 20 office ones) were studied in a factory in Baguihati, Kolkata, India. The study included (a) completion of a questionnaire (on pulmonary and respiratory problems), (b) measurement of physical parameters, (c) spirometry and (d) measurement of peak expiratory flow rate. At the same time, the worksite was analyzed with an OSHA-recommended ergonomics checklist. Many zarda manufacturing workers complained of respiratory symptoms. Continuous exposure to the tobacco processing environment reduced the workers' lung volume and peak expiratory flow rates. Our study indicates that zarda manufacturing workers may have respiratory and pulmonary disorders related to exposure to tobacco dust in their work environment.     

Assessment of environmental benefits of flyover construction over signalized junctions: a case study

In the present study, the impact of the flyover construction to curb traffic congestion problem has been assessed in terms of traffic decongestion, time saving, fuel saving and emission reduction. A flyover has also been constructed over four signalized junctions in the main commercial area in Nagpur city, India. It was found that about 35% of the total traffic is diverted to the flyover, which results in a reduction of about 32% in the total emission generation. Travel on the flyover resulted in as much as 60-70% saving in time, compared to the travel on the main road, particularly when all the four signals are found to be in the red phase. The loss of fuel for combustion and the associated cost resulting from waiting for the signal to change are also estimated, and these are found to be significant.     

Assessment of land degradation and its impact on crop production in the Dry Zone of Myanmar

Land degradation in terms of soil degradation is a major environmental issue posing threat to sustainable livelihood in the semi-arid region of Central Myanmar. However, the studies on soil degradation status and its impacts in this region are very scanty. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of land degradation on crop production both in terms of area and yield in the Dry Zone of Myanmar. Remote sensing and geographic information system-based modelling was utilized to assess and map soil erosion rates. Household survey was conducted to understand the causes of land degradation and its impacts on crop productivity and livelihoods. It has been found out that the current rate of soil erosion ranged from 0 to 114 t ha^–1 yr^–1, and that the average rate of soil erosion increased from 14.2 to 54.6 t ha^–1 yr^–1 over a period from 2000 to 2012. The major types of land degradation were physical and chemical soil degradation. Farmers identified topographic condition, soil types, improper crop management practices and climatic factors as the main causes of soil erosion. The observed crop yields of monsoon rice, groundnut, sesame and cotton in the highly degraded area were 3–12 times lower compared with the yields of these crops grown in less degraded area. Livelihoods of the farmers in the high-degraded area were affected by crop yield reduction, increased cultivation cost and increased uncultivable land area. The impact of land degradation on crop production was dependent on the severity of degradation. This suggests that advanced conservation measures are immediately required and the supportive policy strategies need to be implemented to educate farmers and to strengthen extension services for sustainable land management in the Dry Zone of Myanmar.     

Estimation of maximum scour depths at upstream of front and rear piers for two in-line circular columns

Previous investigations indicate that scour around bridge piers is one of the most important factors for the failure of waterway bridges. Hence, it is essential to determine the accurate scour depth around the bridge piers. Most of the previous studies were based on scour around a single pier; however, in practice, new bridges are usually wide and then piers comprise two circular piers aligned in the flow direction that together support the loading of the structure. In this study, the effect on maximum scour depth of the spacing between two piers aligned in the flow direction was investigated experimentally under clear water scour conditions. The results show that the maximum scour depth at upstream of the front pier occurs when the spacing between the two piers is 2.5 times the diameter of the pier. Two semi empirical equations have been developed to predict the maximum scour depth at upstream of both front and rear piers as a function of the spacing between the piers, in terms of a pier-spacing factor. If the new equations for the pier-spacing factor are used with some of the existing equations for scour at a single pier, the predicted scouring depths are in good agreement with observed results. The S/M equation exhibited the best performance among the various equations tested and was recommended for use in prediction of the equilibrium scour depth. The findings of this study can be used to facilitate the positioning of piers when scouring is a design concern.     

Electricity planning and environmental issues in selected Asian countries

This paper discusses the key issues related to the supply- and demand-side options for the improvement of the environmental performance of the electricity sector in 10 countries of Asia. It also discusses the growth of the electricity sector and its contribution in the total emission of pollutants from the use of commercial energy in the selected countries.     

Arsenic contamination of soils and agricultural plants through irrigation water in Nepal

This study monitored the influence of arsenic-contaminated irrigation water on alkaline soils and arsenic uptake in agricultural plants at field level. The arsenic concentrations in irrigation water ranges from <0.005 to 1.014 mg L(-1) where the arsenic concentrations in the soils were measured from 6.1 to 16.7 mg As kg(-1). The arsenic content in different parts of plants are found in the order of roots>shoots>leaves>edible parts. The mean arsenic content of edible plant material (dry weight) were found in the order of onion leaves (0.55 mg As kg(-1))>onion bulb (0.45 mg As kg(-1))>cauliflower (0.33 mg As kg(-1))>rice (0.18 mg As kg(-1))>brinjal (0.09 mg As kg(-1))>potato (<0.01 mg As kg(-1)).