Removal of thiobencarb in aqueous solution by zero valent iron

A cost-effective method with zero valent iron (ZVI) powder was developed for the purification of thiobencarb (TB)-contaminated water. The removal treatment was performed in the batch system. A sample solution of 10 ml containing 10 microg ml(-1) of TB could be almost completely treated by 100mg of ZVI at 25 degrees C for 12h of treatment time. Since the formation of chloride ion in the aqueous solution during the treatment of TB was observed, the removal of TB with ZVI may contain two processes: reduction (degradation) and adsorption. Because the present treatment for TB is simple, easy handling and cheap, the developed technology with ZVI can contribute to the treatment of agricultural wastewaters.     

The Role of Foreign Direct Investment in Urban Environmental Management: Some Evidence from Hanoi, Vietnam

In recent years flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) to developing countries have rapidly been increasing. It is now an important contributor to the national economy and urban growth in scores of developing countries. Rapid urbanization in these countries is leading to many problems in the cities. Existing urban infrastructure and municipal services have been unable to cope with the increased demand arising from growing population and rapid economic growth. Consequently, the environment in these cities has deteriorated alarmingly. This paper assesses the role of FDI in urban environmental management (UEM) by analyzing the linkages between them for Hanoi City in Vietnam. The paper's analysis and findings are presented under three main themes: one, FDI, employment and income; two, FDI and environmental degradation; and three, potential of utilizing FDI for the provision of urban environmental infrastructure and services (UEI&S) in order to improve the urban environment. Both primary and secondary source data have been used. Policy implications of the research findings are drawn from the perspective of sustainable development.     

The use of date palm as a potential adsorbent for wastewater treatment: a review

Background

In tropical countries, the palm tree is one of the most abundant and important trees. Date palm is a principal fruit grown in many regions of the world. It is abundant, locally available and effective material that could be used as an adsorbent for the removal of different pollutants from aqueous solution.

Review

This article presents a review on the role of date palm as adsorbents in the removal of unwanted materials such as acid and basic dyes, heavy metals, and phenolic compounds. Many studies on adsorption properties of various low cost adsorbent, such as agricultural waste and activated carbons based on agricultural waste have been reported in recent years.

Conclusion

Studies have shown that date palm-based adsorbents are the most promising adsorbents for removing unwanted materials. No previous review is available where researchers can get an overview of the adsorption capacities of date palm-based adsorbent used for the adsorption of different pollutants. This review provides the recent literature demonstrating the usefulness of date palm biomass-based adsorbents in the adsorption of various pollutants.     

Enhancing consultation practices on Air Quality Management in local authorities

Schedule 11 of the Environment Act 1995 underpins the requirement for consultation on air quality issues. The ongoing air quality review and assessment process represents one of the largest locally based science policy and communication initiatives ever undertaken in the UK. This paper outlines the practice of consultation and communication for Air Quality Management (AQM) and reviews the interaction between Environmental Health professionals, as the leading actor in the AQM process and other stakeholders involved in air quality consultation, including the public. Results are presented from a widespread questionnaire survey of English local authorities. Data indicate that the majority of air quality consultation has been carried out with statutory consultees (by sending the review and assessment reports) and the public (via websites and leaflets) in the form of information dissemination.     

Human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) in seagrass ecosystem: an example from the east coast of Bintan Regency,Kepulauan Riau Province,Indonesia

Seagrass ecosystems have a role as providers of ecosystem services and have been used by fisherman for a long time. Information about the connectivity between seagrass ecosystems and fishermen in Indonesia is limited; therefore, this study aims to measure the relationship between the seagrass ecosystem and fishermen in Bintan Regency, Kepulauan Riau Province, Indonesia. The research was conducted from December 2014 to May 2015 in the villages of Teluk Bakau, Malang Rapat, Berakit and Pengudang. The human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) approach was used to measure that connectivity. Seagrasses, planktons, fishes, crabs, squids and mollusks were observed during the East and North seasons. The results showed that HANPP in the East season (March–May) is 62.8 Gg (77.1%) and in the North season (December–February) is 68.8 Gg (84.5%) with an efficiency of, respectively, 77.7 and 79.7%. The traditional fishermen are highly dependent on the seagrass ecosystem. They use the seagrass ecosystem in both the East and North seasons. The proper management of seagrass ecosystem is needed in order to make the life of a traditional fisherman in the Bintan Regency sustainable.     

Hand-arm vibration disorder among grass-cutter workers in Malaysia

Introduction. Prolonged exposure to hand-transmitted vibration from grass-cutting machines has been associated with increasing occurrences of symptoms and signs of occupational diseases related to hand–arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out using an adopted HAVS questionnaire on hand–arm vibration exposure and symptoms distributed to 168 male workers from the grass and turf maintenance industry who use hand-held grass-cutting machines as part of their work. The prevalence ratio and symptom correlation to HAVS between high and low–moderate exposure risk groups were evaluated. Results. There were positive HAVS symptoms relationships between the low–moderate exposure group and the high exposure group among hand-held grass-cutting workers. The prevalence ratio was considered high because there were indicators that fingers turned white and felt numb, 3.63, 95% CI [1.41, 9.39] and 4.24, 95% CI [2.18, 8.27], respectively. Less than 14.3% of workers stated that they were aware of the occupational hand–arm vibration, and it seemed to be related to the finger blanching and numbness. Conclusion. The results suggest that HAVS is under-diagnosed in Malaysia, especially in the agricultural sectors. More information related to safety and health awareness programmes for HAVS exposure is required among hand-held grass-cutting workers.     

Effects of cyanobacteria producing microcystins on seed germination and seedling growth of several agricultural plants

The effects of cyanobacteria aqueous extracts containing Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) on the seed germination and growth of Pisum sativum, Lens esculenta, Zea mays and Triticum durum were investigated. Experiments were carried out on a range of doses of the extract (equivalent to 0, 1.6, 2.9, 5.8, 8.7 and 11.6 μ g MC-LR/mL). The results confirm that these plants were sensitive to cell-free extracts of a toxic Microcystis and that germination inhibition was dose dependent. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that P. sativum is the most sensitive tested species with a 97% germination rate reduction and L. esculenta was the most resistant. At the 8th day, the exposure to the microcystins (MC) resulted in a significant decrease of plant epicotyls length, roots length and a net inhibition of lateral root formation. It is concluded that MC could affect also terrestrial plants seedling germination and growth. Therefore, the use of water for irrigation contaminated by MC could exert negative biochemical effects on seed and plant metabolism which might influence the agricultural crops.     

Critical success factors of sustainable manufacturing practices in Malaysian automotive industry

The purpose of this study is to examine the critical success factors of sustainable manufacturing practices (SMPs) in Malaysian automotive industry. The questionnaires were designed and distributed to the 50 respondents. The pilot study sample consists of 26 respondents from 50 questionnaires, with an average response rate of 52%. The results of reliability analysis show that social responsibility is critical factor influencing the direct SMPs implementation success. By implementing SMPs in Malaysian automotive industry, it can assist company to improve the quality of management. Thus, this study recommends that the future research explore the influence of SMPs on sustainable performance in Malaysian automotive industry.     

Measuring the impact of the pet trade on Indonesian birds

The trade in wild animals involves one‐third of the world's bird species and thousands of other vertebrate species. Although a few species are imperiled as a result of the wildlife trade, the lack of field studies makes it difficult to gauge how serious a threat it is to biodiversity. We used data on changes in bird abundances across space and time and information from trapper interviews to evaluate the effects of trapping wild birds for the pet trade in Sumatra, Indonesia. To analyze changes in bird abundance over time, we used data gathered over 14 years of repeated bird surveys in a 900‐ha forest in southern Sumatra. In northern Sumatra, we surveyed birds along a gradient of trapping accessibility, from the edge of roads to 5 km into the forest interior. We interviewed 49 bird trappers in northern Sumatra to learn which species they targeted and how far they went into the forest to trap. We used prices from Sumatran bird markets as a proxy for demand and, therefore, trapping pressure. Market price was a significant predictor of species declines over time in southern Sumatra (e.g., given a market price increase of approximately $50, the log change in abundance per year decreased by 0.06 on average). This result indicates a link between the market‐based pet trade and community‐wide species declines. In northern Sumatra, price and change in abundance were not related to remoteness (distance from the nearest road). However, based on our field surveys, high‐value species were rare or absent across this region. The median maximum distance trappers went into the forest each day was 5.0 km. This suggests that trapping has depleted bird populations across our remoteness gradient. We found that less than half of Sumatra's remaining forests are >5 km from a major road. Our results suggest that trapping for the pet trade threatens birds in Sumatra. Given the popularity of pet birds across Southeast Asia, additional studies are urgently needed to determine the extent and magnitude of the threat posed by the pet trade.     

An experimental and a numerical study of horizontal earth-air heat exchanger in a hot climate

Earth-air heat exchangers (EAHE) are devices used in the geothermal technique in order to reduce energy consumption in buildings. In this study, a simulation was conducted through the computational fluid dynamics platform FLUENT 6.3 for the prediction of thermal performance of the EAHE that describes the variation of the air temperature inside the tube. For this, it was necessary to design the heat exchanger while respecting the design and the actual dimensions of the experimental set-up, and stating that the temperature of the wall of the horizontal tube of the exchanger is equal to that of ground at 3 m depth. It should be noted that in assessing the temperature along the two sections vertical (input and output) of the exchanger, opting for a function (UDF) the user define function. Finally, noting a good agreement between both experimental and numerical study, and showing that a significant reduction in temperature at the outlet of the exchanger to a difference of 20 °C, confirming the effectiveness of the heat exchanger.