Composting of municipal solid waste by different methods improved the growth of vegetables and reduced the health risks of cadmium and lead

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Reutilization of putrescible municipal solid wastes (MSW) in agriculture can provide valuable plant nutrients. However, it may pose serious...     

Application of a “closed-can” technique for measuring radon exhalation from mine samples of Punjab, Pakistan

Using the closed-can technique, radon exhalation rate measurements have been carried out for shale and coal samples collected from various mines located in the Chakwal and Makarwal areas of Pakistan. For the two areas, the measured average values of the exhalation rates from shale are 1.45±0.13 and 0.67±0.25 Bq m⁻² h⁻¹ and for coal are 1.0±0.03 and 0.65±0.32 Bq m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively. These values are much lower than the measured exhalation rates from alum-shale-based Nordic concrete which has values in the 50–200 Bq m⁻² h⁻¹ range. The lower values of the measured exhalation rates from the shale and coal deposits in the Chakwal and Makarwal areas are indicative of their lower uranium contents and mine workers in these areas do not face any abnormal health hazard due to radon since the exhalation rates have been found to be on the low side.     

Elemental contamination in urban parks of Rawalpindi/Islamabad—a source identification and pollution level assessment study

The soil quality of urban parks is of vital importance as the children playing in the parks get themselves easily contaminated. A study was conducted to assess the level of elemental pollution caused by constant urbanization and industrialization, in various parks of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The soil samples, collected from 14 urban parks of Islamabad and Rawalpindi areas, were analysed for their elemental concentrations. In each sample, 32 elements were quantified using semi-absolute k (0)-instrumental neutron activation analysis and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The quality of analysis was assured by analysing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reference material IAEA-S7 (soil). The pollution level was assessed by enrichment factor, pollution load index and our suggested indicator called "average toxic element concentration". The elemental concentrations measured in the parks of two cities were compared by t test. Four sources of different elements in the soils were identified by employing principal component analysis and cluster analysis. The results of multivariate techniques grouped all parks into four classes. The use of enrichment factor indicated the presence of Ni at slightly higher level in all parks while the pollution load index revealed that the parks of Rawalpindi were relatively more polluted as compared to that of Islamabad. The hot spot areas of elemental concentration were closely related to high traffic conditions.     

Nexus on climate change: agriculture and possible solution to cope future climate change stresses

The changing climate scenarios harshen the biotic stresses including boosting up the population of insect/pest and disease, uplifting weed growth, declining soil beneficial microbes, threaten pollinator, and boosting up abiotic stresses including harsh drought/waterlogging, extremisms in temperature, salinity/alkalinity, abrupt rainfall pattern)) and ulitamtely  affect the plant in multiple ways. This nexus review paper will cover four significant points viz (1) the possible impacts of climate change; as the world already facing the problem of food security, in such crucial period, climatic change severely affects all four dimensions of food security (from production to consumption) and will lead to malnutrition/malnourishment faced by low-income peoples. (2) How some major crops (wheat, cotton, rice, maize, and sugarcane) are affected by stress and their consequent loss. (3) How to develop a strategic work to limit crucial factors, like their significant role in climate-smart breeding, developing resilience to stresses, and idiotypic breeding. Additionally, there is an essence of improving food security, as much of our food is wasted before consumption for instance post-harvest losses. (4) Role of biotechnology and genetic engineering in adaptive introgression of the gene or developing plant transgenic against pests. As millions of dollars are invested in innovation and research to cope with future climate change stresses on a plant, hence community base adaptation of innovation is also considered an important factor in crop improvements. Because of such crucial predictions about the future impacts of climate change on agriculture, we must adopt measures to evolve crop.

     

Enhancement of natural radioactivity in fertilized soil of Faisalabad, Pakistan

Background, goal, and scope

Natural radioactivity in phosphate rock (PR) is transferred to phosphate fertilizer (PF) during the manufacturing process of the PF. The continuous addition of the PF to the cultivated soil accumulates the radionuclides in the land and increases the level of radioactivity in the soil. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the enhanced level of accumulated radioactivity due to the continuous addition of the PF in the farmlands of Nuclear Institute of Agriculture and Biology (NIAB) at Faisalabad in Pakistan. The selected study area consisted of the highly fertilized farmlands and an unfertilized barren land of the NIAB.

Introduction

The understudy area is very fertile for the growth of various types of crops; therefore, four agricultural research institutes have been established at Faisalabad and NIAB is one of those. The NIAB has developed various research farmlands at different places in Pakistan. The crop yield has been increased by adding various fertilizers in the farmlands. The addition of the PF accompanied with the radionuclides enhances radioactivity in the fields. Human being is exposed directly or indirectly to this radiological hazard. A prolong exposure may become a cause of health risk.

Materials and methods

The area of study consisted of three types of lands: the land under cultivation for the last 40 and 30?years called Site 1 and Site 2, respectively, and the barren land was called Site 3. A total of 75 soil samples were collected within the crop rooting zone (up to 25?cm deep) of the soil of the NIAB farms. The samples were dried, pulverized to powder, sealed in plastic containers, and stored to achieve equilibrium between ²²⁶Ra and ²²²Rn. Activity concentrations of the radionuclides ²³⁸U (²²⁶Ra), ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K in soil samples were determined by using a high resolution gamma ray spectrometry system, consisting of an high purity germanium detector coupled through a spectroscopy amplifier with a PC based MCA installed with Geni-2000 software.

Results

The measured activity concentration levels of ⁴⁰K were 662?±?15, 615?±?17, and 458?±?20?Bq?kg^?1, ²²⁶Ra were 48?±?6, 43?±?5, and 26?±?4?Bq?kg^?1, and that of ²³²Th were 39?±?5, 37?±?5, 35?±?5?Bq?kg^?1, respectively, in the soil of the Sites 1, 2, and 3. Gamma dose rate 1?m above the soil surface was 55, 51, and 40?nGy?h^?1 from Sites 1, 2, and 3, respectively. External dose rates in the rooms constructed of the bricks made of the soil from Sites 1, 2, and 3 were 161, 149, and 114?nGyh^?1, respectively.

Discussions

Activity concentration values of ⁴⁰K and ²²⁶Ra in the soil of Sites 1 and 2 were higher than that in the soil of Site 3. The relative rise of ⁴⁰K was 43?% and 34?% and that of ²²⁶Ra was 85?% and 65?% respectively in these sites. Activity concentrations of ²³²Th in all these sites were in the background range. Gamma dose rate 1?m above soil surface of Sites 1 and 2 was 40?% and 30?% respectively higher than that from the soil of Site 3. The rise in activity of ⁴⁰K and ²²⁶Ra and gamma dose from the Site 1 was greater than that from the Site 2. The least activity and dose were observed from the Site 3. Gamma dose in the dwellings made of fertilized soil bricks of Site 1 and Site 2 were respectively calculated to be 41?% and 32?% higher than that in the abodes made of unfertilized soil bricks of Site 3.

Conclusions

Activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra and ⁴⁰K were observed to be enhanced in the fertilized farmlands of the NIAB. Outdoor and indoor gamma dose as radiological hazard were found to be increasing with the continuous addition of PF in the understudy farmlands.

Recommendations

It is recommended that naturally occurring radioactive metal should be removed during the process of manufacturing of the PF from the PR.

Prospective

The rise in radioactivity in the farmlands due to the addition of the PF can be a source of direct or indirect exposure to radiation that may enhance cancer risk of the exposed individuals.     

Assessment of radiological hazard of NORM in Margalla Hills limestone, Pakistan

Studies on naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) in the limestone from the Margalla Hills have been carried out by measuring gamma activity and to access its radiological implications if any. For data acquisition, a High-Purity Germanium detector was employed. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th, and (40)K were found to be 14.32?±?0.24, 2.05?±?0.04, and 13.80?±?0.20 Bq kg(-1), respectively. These values are relatively lower as compared to that in the limestone of other countries and much lower than the values reported for the natural building stones. The average specific activities due to (226)Ra were found to be higher when compared with (40)K and (232)Th. Indices of radium equivalent activity (Ra(eq)), internal hazard (H(in)), indoor absorbed gamma dose rate (D(R,)), and corresponding annual effective dose (E(eff)) were also determined for the limestone-made rooms. All of these indices were found to be in the lower ranges. The Margalla Hills limestone does not pose any excessive radiological health hazard as a building material and in industrial uses for a common man.     

Radium equivalent activity in the light of UNSCEAR report

Radium equivalent activity (Ra ( eq )) has been in practice for the last 40 years for the assessment of radiological hazard of radioactivity in environmental materials. The in-practice model for the calculation of the Ra ( eq ) has been critically reviewed in the light of the UNSCEAR 2000 report. Annual effective dose (E) values of (232)Th and (40)K were found to be not equal to that of (226)Ra derived from the activity concentrations of these radionuclides used in the expression for the Ra ( eq ). Therefore, a modified model has been proposed for the determination of the Ra ( eq ) for outdoor external exposure to gamma rays. The relation between the E and Ra ( eq ) has been explored. It is recommended that while describing the radiological hazard of the materials containing radioactivity, there should be no need to calculate the Ra ( eq ) if the E has already been determined or vice versa.