Improved light extinction reconstruction in interagency monitoring of protected visual environments

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Regional Haze Rule (RHR) in 1999. The RHR default goal is to reduce haze linearly from the baseline period of 2000 through 2004 to natural background in 2064. EPA-recommended method for estimating baseline and natural haze uses the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) light extinction formula. The IMPROVE formula predicts light extinction from measured aerosol chemical concentrations and estimates of the relative humidity multiplier. On average, the IMPROVE formula overpredicts 6156 nephelometer days (24-hr average measured particle light scattering, bsp) of data by 25%. A new IMPROVED method that reconstructs light extinction using a concentration power law model overpredicts these nephelometer days of data by just 2%. Ignoring the 20% lowest light scattering days, this new IMPROVED formula has a 3% underprediction bias over the 4925 highest nephelometer days with light scattering > or =8 inverse megameters. For comparison, the IMPROVE formula has a 12% overprediction bias for the same days. The IMPROVE formula overprediction averages 77%, 27%, 17%, 9%, and -5% broken down by quintile from lowest to highest nephelometer measured light scattering days. The new IMPROVED formula average overprediction is 21%, -5%, -5%, -2%, and 0%. So, agreement between measured and predicted light scattering improves by modifying the current IMPROVE light extinction formula.     

Bioleaching of zinc and copper from anaerobically digested swine manure: effect of sulfur levels and solids contents.

Anaerobically digested swine manure (ADSM) generally contains high concentrations of zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu). These metals levels exceed the land application regulations of municipal biosolids of many European countries and are on the borderline of exceptional quality in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) 40 CFR part 503 standards. From this perspective, a series of batch tests were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of bioleaching of Zn and Cu from ADSM so that the produced biosolids could safely be applied to land. The effect of different substrate levels (sulfur) and total solids content (as high as 9%) on metal solubilization was investigated. The results showed that metal solubilization efficiency for both Zn and Cu declined significantly with an increase in total solids from 3 to 6% and then to 9% at the same substrate level. Metal solubilization increased proportionately with increases in substrate concentration up to 6% of total solids content. However, at 9% total solids content, metal solubilization was insignificant at all substrate levels tested. At a 6% total solids level and 10 000 mg/L of substrate, 94% of Zn and 72% of Cu were solubilized. Bioleaching was also found to be effective in destruction of pathogens with approximately 2.5 log-scale reduction. The residual biosolid was found to meet the Class A biosolids standands of U.S. EPA 40 CFR part 503.     

Removal of congo red from aqueous solution by bagasse fly ash and activated carbon: kinetic study and equilibrium isotherm analyses

Present investigation deals with the utilisation of bagasse fly ash (BFA) (generated as a waste material from bagasse fired boilers) and the use of activated carbons-commercial grade (ACC) and laboratory grade (ACL), as adsorbents for the removal of congo red (CR) from aqueous solutions. Batch studies were conducted to evaluate the adsorption capacity of BFA, ACC and ACL and the effects of initial pH (pH(0)), contact time and initial dye concentration on adsorption. The pH(0) of the dye solution strongly affected the chemistry of both the dye molecules and BFA in an aqueous solution. The effective pH(0) was 7.0 for adsorption on BFA. Kinetic studies showed that the adsorption of CR on all the adsorbents was a gradual process. Equilibrium reached in about 4h contact time. Optimum BFA, ACC and ACL dosages were found to be 1, 20 and 2 g l(-1), respectively. CR uptake by the adsorbents followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Equilibrium isotherms for the adsorption of CR on BFA, ACC and ACL were analysed by the Freundlich, Langmuir, Redlich-Peterson, and Temkin isotherm equations. Error analysis showed that the R-P isotherm best-fits the CR adsorption isotherm data on all adsorbents. The Freundlich isotherm also shows comparable fit. Thermodynamics showed that the adsorption of CR on BFA was most favourable in comparison to activated carbons.     

Performance evaluation of waste activated carbon on atrazine removal from contaminated water

In this study, the potential of spent activated carbon from water purifier (Aqua Guard, India) for the removal of atrazine (2 chloro-4 ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1, 3, 5 triazine) from wastewaters was evaluated. Different grades of spent activated carbon were prepared by various pretreatments. Based on kinetic and equilibrium study results, spent activated carbon with a grain size of 0.3-0.5 mm and washed with distilled water (designated as WAC) was selected for fixed column studies. Batch adsorption equilibrium data followed both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm. Fixed bed adsorption column with spent activated carbon as adsorbent was used as a polishing unit for the removal of atrazine from the effluent of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating atrazine bearing domestic wastewater. Growth of bacteria on the surface of WAC was observed during column study and bacterial activity enhanced the effectiveness of adsorbent on atrazine removal from wastewater.     

Characterizing the source/sink behavior of double-layer building materials

A model is developed to predict the rate of mass transfer between a double-layer material and indoor air. The model allows non-uniform initial material-phase concentrations in each of the two layers and a transient influent gas-phase concentration to be considered. This model builds on a recently validated single-layer model and should prove useful in predicting the behavior of double-layer material assemblies. Many indoor furnishings and building structures are comprised of layers of different material. The approach taken here represents a first step in the development of a more generally applicable multi-layer model. An analytical solution to the double-layer model is obtained and a parametric analysis is performed illustrating the behavior of the model as a function of the primary model parameters. The paper concludes by examining the potential use of thin diffusion barriers to reduce material emission rates and a hypothetical example of emissions from an adhesive that is part of an adhesive/material assembly.     

Persistence of alpha and beta isomers of endosulphan and endosulphan sulphate in diverse soils of India as influenced by flooding

Laboratory studies were undertaken to evaluate the persistence of alpha-endosulphan, beta-endosulphan and endosulphan sulphate in four diverse soils under non-flooded and flooded conditions. Significant variations were observed in the extent of persistence of the three chemicals in different non-flooded soils with maximum persistence observed in Alfisol and the least in Mollisol having near neutral pH and higher organic matter. Degradation was more in all the flooded soils than in the non-flooded counterpart but in Vertisol under flooded and non-flooded conditions, the rate of degradation of endosulphan sulphate was found to be nearly same.     

Lead induced spermatoxicity in mouse and MPG treatment

Protective efficacy of MPG (2-mercaptopropionyl glycine) was studied against the toxic effects of lead acetate in Swiss albino mice. The animals were treated with single dose of lead acetate @ 180, 200 and 250 mg/kg b.wt. in presence and absence of MPG. The results indicated that the body weight was slightly higher in MPG treated groups on day 10 as compared to only respective lead treated groups in all the three dose level. However, significantly lower body weight was observed in both lead treated and lead along with MPG treated groups as compared to control. Patten of mortality is similar in both lead treated and lead plus MPG treated groups. Conspicuous degenerative changes in testicular tissues and elevation in sperm head shape abnormality were observed in both lead treated and lead along with MPG treated groups but the sperm head shape abnormality and damage were more in lead treated groups as compared to lead plus MPG treated groups. But this difference was non-significant between the two groups. These observations suggest that MPG may not be significantly effective against lead induced damage in testicular tissues at cellular level. However, MPG is able to maintain slightly lower level of sperm abnormality in all the three dose level as compared to their respective lead treated groups. Further, studies are needed to find out the optimum dose of MPG for protection against the lower doses of lead induced lethality as MPG is not significantly effective against the higher doses of lead.     

Seasonal ovarian cycle in freshwater teleost, Labeo rohita (Ham.) in Tarai region of Uttaranchal

Seasonal ovarian cycle, based on histophysiological changes, and correlative variations in liver were studied in an Indian major carp, Labeo rohita reared in captivity under ambient environmental conditions in Tarai region of Uttaranchal. The oocyte features used for marking ovarian cycle included nuclear-ooplasmic ratio, yolk vesicle incorporation into ooplasm, number and size of nucleolus and differentiation of follicular layer. Based on these features the ovarian cycle in L. rohita was divided into five phases i.e. resting, preparatory, pre-spawning, spawning and post-spawning/regression. The resting and preparatory phases were characterized by the dominating presence of chromatin-nucleolar and yolk-vesicle stage oocytes. The pre-spawning phase ovary was marked by the prevalence of yolk globule stage oocytes having cortical alveoli and differentiating follicular wall. The oocytes containing densely packed yolk-granules and large masses of yolk vesicles and also exhibiting germinal vesicle movement (GVM) signified the ovary of spawning phase. The ovary in regression phase contained pre-ovulatory atretic oocytes and significant number of oogonia. The histophysiological changes in liver showing augmented biosynthetic activity during preparatory and pre-spawning phases seemed well correlated with the gonadal development. The increasing water temperature and day-length apparently was favourable for the gonadal development in L. rohita.     

Biodegradation of wastewater of Najafgarh drain,Delhi using autochthonous microbial consortia : a laboratory study

There are seventeen drains, which discharge their untreated urban and industrial wastewaters into the Delhi segment of river Yamuna. The Najafgarh drain is the first and the largest drain, and it alone contributes 1667.84 mld i.e. 60% of the total wastewater discharge into the river Yamuna and as such add 81.36 tons of BOD load per day. As per the available data approximately 95% of the wastewater of this drain is biodegradable. In the present study, an attempt has been made to reduce the BOD load and COD levels of wastewater of Najafgarh drain using autochthonous microbial consortium. During this study the raw wastewater samples were treated for 6 h time interval with different concentration of consortium. It was observed that by increasing the existing microbial population in the wastewater sample by 150-200% there is a significant decrease in BOD and COD levels. Finally, BOD/COD ratios before and after biotreatment have been analyzed to assess the efficacy of the natural consortium.     

Assessment of deposition of MEMC (seed dressing fungicide) in exposed rice grain through study of seedling growth parameters

Rice seed grains exposed to 240 ppm of seed dressing fungicide, MEMC showed increase in deposition of mercury with increase in period of observation (0h to 48h) in 765+/-5 mg of intact endosperm. The gradual increase in mercury deposition in intact endosperm caused simultaneous decrease in mercury content of the seed coat. Exposure periods of 5 to 20 min with 240 ppm of MEMC showed 5.5 to 8.72 microg of mercury deposition in 765+/-5 mg of intact endosperm. Increase in period of exposure (3 to 20 min) to 240 ppm of MEMC and also increase in chronic treatment to lower concentrations (1.5 ppm to 24 ppm) to seed grains have shown similar results in seedling growth parameters. Lower period of exposure or exposure to lower concentrations, both showed a significant inhibition of root growth, however the shoot growth showed stimulation. But higher exposure period or exposure to higher concentrations brought inhibition of both root and shoot growth. The exposure period showing 50% of root growth inhibition of 72h old seedling was calculated to be 10 min So also the chronic treatment showing the 50% of root growth inhibition was calculated to be 9 ppm. Ten min exposure of rice grain to 240 ppm of MEMC showed deposition of 7.11 microg of mercury in 765+/-5 mg of intact endosperm at 48h of observation (optimal phase of germinating process). Regression analysis indicated that by the time of 72h the intact endosperm and developing seedling might have acquired with a minimum amount of 10.23 microg of mercury from the seed coat. Finally it can be said that 10.23 microg of MEMC might be bringing 50% root growth inhibition in 72h old seedlings and 16.71 microg of mercury causing 50% inhibition of both root and shoot growth of 120h old seedlings.