Health benefits valuation of regulatory intervention for air pollution control in thermal power plants in Delhi,India

This study estimates minimum marginal health benefits (morbidity reduction only) of air pollution control and total health benefits arising from regulatory intervention regarding the adoption of the World Bank emission guidelines (WBEG) for thermal power plants (TPPs) in Delhi. The Industrial Source Complex-Short-Term Version–3 (ISCST3) model has been used to estimate the contribution to air pollution from TPPs. The household health production function (avertive behaviour) has been used to value health benefits of air pollution control. The study revealed that the ambient air pollution due to TPPs is reduced by between 62.17% to 83.45% by adopting the WBEG. Annual marginal benefit due to reduction in exposure to air pollution by 1 μg m^?3 is estimated to be US$0.353 per person. Total annual health benefits for adopting the WBEG for TPPs are estimated at US$235.19 million. This study provides a novel methodology to evaluate health benefits of regulatory intervention.     

Field Evaluation of DRAINMOD 5.1 Under a Cold Climate: Simulation of Daily Midspan Water Table Depths and Drain Outflows1

Abstract: The hydrologic performance of DRAINMOD 5.1 was assessed for the southern Quebec region considering freezing/thawing conditions. A tile drained agricultural field in the Pike River watershed was instrumented to measure tile drainage volumes. The model was calibrated using water table depth and subsurface flow data over a two‐year period, while another two‐year dataset served to validate the model. DRAINMOD 5.1 accurately simulated the timing and magnitude of subsurface drainage events. The model also simulated the pattern of water table fluctuations with a good degree of accuracy. The R² between the observed and simulated daily WTD for calibration was >0.78, and that for validation was 0.93. The corresponding coefficients of efficiency (E) were >0.74 and 0.31. The R² and E values for calibration/validation of subsurface flow were 0.73/0.48 and 0.72/0.40, respectively. DRAINMOD simulated monthly subsurface flow quite accurately (E > 0.82 and R² > 0.84). The model precisely simulated daily/monthly drain flow over the entire year, including the winter months. Thus DRAINMOD 5.1 performed well in simulating the hydrology of a cold region.     

Physico-Chemical Quality of Drinking Water in Rohtas District of Bihar

Water Quality Survey of Rohtas district of Bihar was conducted. Samples were collected from differentsources and analysed. 209 samples were collectedfrom 196 villages. Results of water quality surveyidentified the problem areas in respect of high iron,manganese, fluoride, nitrate and brackishness of water in the district.     

Effects of soil amendments on the bioavailability of heavy metals from zinc mine tailings

A study was conducted to test the effects of soil amendments on the bioavailability of heavy metals in a zinc mine tailings containing soil to plants, using the Indian mustard plant (Brassica juncea) as a test organism. Zinc mine tailing containing soil was amended with humus soil (HS) and phosphatic clay (PC). The zinc mine tailing containing soil (ZMTS) was characterized for heavy metals. It was mixed with PC and HS, and four mixtures were prepared. The first mixture contained ZMTS, and served as a control. The second mixture contained ZMTS and PC in the ratio of 1:1 (w/w). The third mixture contained ZMTS and HS in the ratio of 1:1(w/w). The fourth mixture containing ZMTS, PC and HS in the ratio of (2:1:1) (w/w). A slight increase in the bioavailability of Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn was noticed with increase in the incubation time from 14 to 42 days. The bioavailability of Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn from ZMTS alone in Brassica plant was in the range of 94-99% up to 42 days. Addition of PC and HS to the ZMTS soil reduced the bioavailabilities of Pb by (15%), of Cu by (20%), of Zn by (20%) and of Mn by (25%) in the mustard plant. The data showed that PC in the presence of HS had a high affinity for the heavy metals in the order of Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn.     

Reduction of pollutants in pulp paper mill effluent treated by PCP-degrading bacterial strains

Two PCP-degrading bacterial strains, Bacillus cereus (ITRC-S6) and Serratia marcescens (ITRC-S7) were used for the treatment of pulp and paper mill effluent at conditions; 1.0% glucose and 0.5% peptone at 30 +/- 1 degrees C at 120 rpm for 168 h of incubation. These two bacterial strains effectively reduced colour (45-52%), lignin (30-42%), BOD (40-70%), COD (50-60%), total phenol (32-40%) and PCP (85-90%) within 168 h of incubation. However, the highest reduction in colour (62%), lignin (54%), BOD (70%), COD (90%), total phenol (90%) and PCP (100%) was recorded by mixed culture treatment. The bacterial mechanism for the degradation of pulp and paper mill effluent may be explained by an increase in the cells biomass using added co-substrates resulting liberation of significant amount of chloride due to bacterial dechlorination of chlorolignins and chlorophenols this showed reduction in colour, lignin and toxicity in the effluent. Further, GC-MS analysis of ethyl acetate-extractable compounds from treated pulp paper mill effluent reinforces the bacterium capability for the degradation of lignin and pentachlorophenol, as many aromatic compounds such as 2-chlorophenol, 2, 4, 6-trichlorophenol and tetrachlorohydroquinone, 6-chlorohydroxyquinol and tetrachlorohydroquinone detected which were not present in the untreated effluent.     

Use of preserved museum fish to evaluate historical and current mercury contamination in fish from two rivers in Oklahoma, USA

We examined the effects of a commonly used preservation technique on mercury concentration in fish tissue. After fixing fish muscle tissue in formalin followed by preservation in isopropanol, we found that mercury concentration in fish muscle tissue increased by 18%, reaching an asymptote after 40 days. We used formalin–isopropanol-preserved longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) from the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History to examine historical changes and predict current mercury concentrations in fish from two rivers in southeastern Oklahoma. Glover River was free-flowing, while Mountain Fork River was impounded in 1970 and a coldwater trout fishery was established upstream from the collection site in 1989. Mercury concentrations in longear sunfish from Glover River showed no historical changes from 1963 to 2001. Mercury concentrations in longear sunfish from Mountain Fork River showed no change from 1925 to 1993 but declined significantly from 1993 to 2003. We also compared mercury concentrations of the most recently collected longear sunfish in the museum to mercury concentrations of unpreserved fish collected from the rivers in 2006. Concentrations of mercury in museum fish were not significantly different from mercury concentrations in unpreserved fish we collected from the rivers. Our study indicates that preserved museum fish specimens can be used to evaluate historical changes and predict current levels of mercury contamination in fish.     

Moving to sustainability by learning from successful fisheries

There are two diverging views of the status and future of the world's fisheries. One group represented largely by academic marine ecologists sees almost universal failure of fisheries management and calls for the use of marine-protected areas as the central tool of a new approach to rebuilding the marine ecosystems of the world. The scientists working in fisheries agencies and many academic scientists see a more complex picture, with many failed fisheries but also numerous successes. This group argues that we need to apply the lessons from the successful fisheries to stop the decline and rebuild those fisheries threatened by excess fishing. These lessons are stopping the competitive race to fish by appropriate incentives for fishing fleets and good governance. The major tool of resetting incentives is granting various forms of dedicated access, including community-based fishing rights, allocation to cooperatives, and individual fishing quotas. Many of the failed fisheries of the world occur in jurisdictions where central governments are not functional, and local control of fisheries is an essential part of the solution.     

Pteris umbrosa R. Br. as an arsenic hyperaccumulator: accumulation, partitioning and comparison with the established As hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata

The capacity of the Australian native fern Pteris umbrosa to function as an arsenic (As) hyperaccumulator (shoot:soil As concentration >1) was examined by growing plants under glasshouse conditions in an inert medium supplemented with As. Arsenic preferentially accumulated in the fronds, a trait of a hyperaccumulator. The As concentration of fronds decreased with age, being particularly high in the croziers and low in the senesced fronds. Below ground, rhizomes accumulated more As than adventitious roots. Uptake from a range of solution concentrations followed Michaelis Menten kinetics up to a soil solution As concentration of 400mgl(-1). The K(m) for As uptake by roots suggested the operation of a low-affinity carrier. The predicted Nernst membrane potential indicated that uptake was against the electrochemical gradient of As. At 600mgl(-1), the rate of As uptake increased and phytotoxic effects were indicated by a significant decline in biomass. Arsenic uptake and translocation in P. umbrosa and Pteris vittata were similar at low exposure to As. At higher exposure, As uptake and translocation by P. vittata increased more than in P. umbrosa. The growth rate of both ferns was similar, whereas the biomass distribution was not, with P. vittata having a much larger root mass. This suggests that As uptake by P. umbrosa roots was very efficient and may be improved by stimulating root growth to enhance its potential.     

Trace element levels in adults from the west coast of Canada and associations with age, gender, diet, activities, and levels of other trace elements

The purpose of this study was to assess trace element levels in whole blood, serum and urine of 61 non-smoking adults living on the west coast of Canada and to determine their association with the following variables: age, gender, diet, participation in certain hobby and/or occupational activities, and levels of other trace elements. Participants or their spouses were employed as oyster growers and were originally recruited to study the absorption of cadmium from oyster consumption. Trace elements were measured using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A telephone interview was used to assess participant's intake of selected foods and the amount of time they have spent on certain activities over the lifetime. Comparison of results to previous studies revealed that blood lead, blood mercury, serum nickel, serum selenium and urine molybdenum levels were generally higher in this study than have previously been measured, possibly due to higher consumption of seafood in this sample. Men had statistically higher levels of serum iron, blood lead, and serum selenium, while women had statistically higher levels of serum copper and blood manganese. Blood lead levels increased with age. Diet had a statistically significant association with several elements. Consumption of spinach, seaweed, organ meats, and shellfish tended to be positively correlated with trace element concentrations and consumption of various forms of potatoes tended to be negatively correlated. Several statistically significant correlations were also observed between trace elements.