Chemical and microbiological examination of well and Nile water

The chemical composition and microbiological contamination of well water and Nile River water used for drinking were investigated in localities around Khartoum, Sudan, to present baseline data. The chemical analyses results obtained indicated that public health hazards due to pH, Ca⁺⁺, CO₃^??, HCO₃^?, and NO₃^? are unlikely in all the samples studied, while Na⁺ and Cl^? ions concentrations in well water warrant some attention. Contamination from organic matter and suspended material is also negligible. Microbial contamination with coliform and fecal coliform is high in surface wells and in the Nile River, but negligible in deep bores, tap water, and mineral water. The logarithm of the colony count ranges from zero for mineral water to 6.8 for water from the White Nile. In addition to drawing further attention to the well water and Nile water used for drinking by a wide sector of the population, the microbial count data for water from the Nile disagreed with the generally held belief that the Nile, being one of the largest rivers of the world, carries no detectable fecal contamination. Our data also did not support the belief that the White Nile is more contaminated than the Blue Nile.     

Supplementation with selenium nanoparticles alleviates diabetic nephropathy during pregnancy in the diabetic female rats

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The bioactivity of nanoparticles has engendered a promise in scientific communities for developing novel therapeutic strategies. This study...     

A systematic review of the utilization of waste materials as aggregate replacement in stone matrix asphalt mixes

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The daily utilization of a large amount of raw materials is causing a rapid depletion of natural resources. The growth of the human population is...     

Exergy for better environment and sustainability

In this paper, some key aspects and definitions of exergy are presented, and practical examples are given in order to highlight its usefulness in design, analysis and performance improvement for various types of energy processes for better environment and sustainable development. The relations between exergy, sustainability and environmental impact are illustrated to show how improving the performance of the process through exergy efficiency affects the environmental impact and sustainable development. Both exergy and energy efficiencies for various systems/processes are also studied for comparison purposes.     

Life cycle inventory of the commercial production of compost from oil palm biomass: a case study

This paper compared the life cycle inventory (LCI) obtained from three commercial oil palm biomass composting projects in Malaysia which use the open windrow composting system. The LCI was obtained and calculated based on the functional unit of 1 t of compost produced. The input of the inventory are the feed materials such as empty fruit bunches (EFB) and palm oil mill effluent (POME); and utilities which include electricity generated at palm oil mill and diesel used. Composting 2.0–2.5 t of EFB and 5.0–7.5 t of POME required diesel from 218.7 to 270.2 MJ and electricity from 0 to 6.8 MJ. It is estimated that the composting emitted from 0.01 to 0.02 t CO_2eq/t_compost mainly from diesel used to operate machineries. Composting saved 65 % of time required for a complete degradation of POME when compared to ponding system, and 89 % of time required for a complete degradation of EFB compared to mulching. In terms of land required, it required 36 % less land as compared to ponding for POME and 99 % less land as compared to mulching for EFB. Based on the case study, diesel was found to be the main contributor to the environmental impact. There is a potential of upgrading the process to be more economical and environmental friendly. Using electricity as the source of energy has a lower footprint for the composting process. Instead of using raw POME, studies had reported that using treated POME either from anaerobic ponding or digested tank can accelerate the composting process.     

Pesticide handling practices by vegetable farmer in Kenya

Pesticide handling practices have a strong bearing on the exposure of toxic effects to target and nontarget organism. A clear understanding of determinants of pesticide handling practices is a precondition in the design and implementation of policy intervention. To accomplish this, a household survey of 425 respondents was conducted in 2008. Majority of the farmers (85 %) had inappropriately handled pesticides, mainly through, unsafe storage (23 %), unsafe disposal of leftover in either sprays solutions, or rinsate and empty pesticide containers (40 %), failure to wear the required minimum protective gear (68 %), or overdosed pesticides (27 %). However, majority of those farmers were aware of the risks of pesticide use, with over 81 % expressing the view that pesticides have harmful effects on human health, livestock, beneficial arthropods, and on water. Econometric models showed that pesticide handling practices were significantly influenced by variation in record keeping, main source advice on pesticide use, toxicity of pesticide, and geographical location. Pesticide risk perception and negative impacts experiences had no association with handling practices. The study recommends policymakers to design effective, participatory, and location targeted outreach programmes, which deal specifically on promotion of record keeping and reduction in use of harmful pesticides.     

Predictors of poor outcomes among patients of acute methanol intoxication with particular reference to Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Methanol intoxication is a global problem with serious morbidities and mortalities. Apart from the lifelong disabilities experienced by methanol...     

Samsum ant venom protects against carbon tetrachloride–induced acute spleen toxicity in vivo

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Many active molecules used in the development of new drugs are produced by ants. Present study assessed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties...     

Currently used organophosphate and brominated flame retardants in the environment of China and other developing countries (2000–2016)

This review summarizes the environmental occurrence of new brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) and organophosphate compounds (OPs) in the environment of developing countries since 2000. The ban on the production and use of commercial formulations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have paved the way for the high use of NBFRs and OPs in consumer products to fulfill the fire safety regulations. Recent studies have shown that the ever increasing production volumes and extensive use of these chemicals as additive FRs and plasticizers have resulted into their ubiquitous occurrence in all environmental compartments. Although presumed to be safe for use and the environment, recent studies on their occurrence and persistence in the environment have raised questions. Due to the lack of awareness, research interest, and availability of technical facilities, limited scientific data is available on the occurrence of these chemicals in developing countries. In this study, we collected reported data and provide an overview of environmental occurrence of NBFRs and OPs in abiotic and biotic matrices of different developing countries. Finally, research gaps were identified with recommendations for future research work and would be useful towards the environmental management of these toxic chemicals.     

Iowa Statewide Stream Nitrate Load Calculated Using In Situ Sensor Network

Various techniques exist to estimate stream nitrate loads when measured concentration data are sparse. The inherent uncertainty associated with load estimation, however, makes tracking progress toward water quality goals more difficult. We used high‐frequency, in situ nitrate sensors strategically deployed across the agricultural state of Iowa to evaluate 2016 stream concentrations at 60 sites and loads at 35 sites. The generated data, collected at an average of 225 days per site, show daily average nitrate‐N yields ranging from 12 to 198 g/ha, with annual yields as high as 53 kg/ha from the intensely drained Des Moines Lobe. Thirteen of the sites that capture water from 82.5% of Iowa's area show statewide nitrate‐N loading in 2016 totaled 477 million kg, or 41% of the load delivered to the Mississippi–Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB). Considering the substantial private and public investment being made to reduce nitrate loading in many states within the MARB, networks of continuous, in situ measurement devices as described here can inform efforts to track year‐to‐year changes in nitrate load related to weather and conservation implementation. Nitrate and other data from the sensor network described in this study are made publicly available in real time through the Iowa Water Quality Information System.