Municipal solid waste management in Lahore City District,Pakistan

This study deals with generation, composition, collection, transportation, and disposal, as well as the present cost of the waste management on the basis of 60% collection of the total waste and the cost of proposed improved system of management on the basis of 100% waste collection using the IWM-2 LCI model. A GIS map of Data Ganj Bakhsh Town (DGBT) of Lahore City District showing communal storage facilities is also provided. DGBT has a population of 1,624,169 living in 232,024 dwellings. The total waste generated per year is 500,000 tons, or 0.84/kg/cap/day. Presently 60% of the MSW is collected and disposed in open dumps, while 40% is not collected and lies along roadsides, streets railway lines, depressions, vacant plots, drains, storm drains and open sewers. In DGBT, 129 containers of 5-m³ capacity, 120 containers of 10-m³ capacity and 380 skips of 2.5-m³ capacity are placed for waste collection. The overall collection and disposal cost of the MSW of DGBT is $3,177,900/yr, which is $10.29/ton. Modeling was conducted using the IWM-2 model for improved collection and disposal on the basis of 100% service, compared to the current 60% service. The modelled cost is $8.3/per ton, which is 20% less than the present cost, but the overall cost of 100% collection and disposal increases to $4,155,737/yr.     

Microwave-Induced Modification of Physical and Functional Characteristics and Antioxidant Potential of Alkali-Soluble Cell Wall Polysaccharides of Nelumbo nucifera Rhizome

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - The alkali-soluble cell wall polysaccharides (CWPs), extracted from Nelumbo nucifera rhizome flour (NNRF), were treated with microwave radiation to modify...     

Removal of Novacron Golden Yellow dye from aqueous solutions by low-cost agricultural waste: Batch and fixed bed study

The present work describes the removal of Novacron Golden Yellow (NGY) dye from aqueous solutions using peanut hulls. The experiments were performed with native, pretreated and immobilised forms of peanut hulls. The effect of various operational parameters (pH, biosorbent dose, initial dye concentration and temperature etc.) was explored during batch study. NGY showed maximum removal at low pH and low biosorbent dose. High initial dye concentration facilitated the biosorption process. Maximum dye removal with native, pretreated and immobilised biomass was found to be 35.7, 36.4 and 15.02 mg/g respectively. The experimental data were subjected to different kinetic and equilibrium models. The kinetic data confirmed the fitness of pseudo-second-order rate law for NGY biosorption. The equilibrium modelling was carried out by Freundlich, Langmuir and Temkin models. The isothermal data of NGY removal were best described by Freundlich adsorption isotherm. Negative values of Free energy change (Δ G⁰) for NGY with native and pretreated biomass depicted the spontaneous nature of biosorption process. In column mode, the effects of bed height, flow rate and initial dye concentrations were optimised. Maximum NGY biosorption (7.28 mg/g) was observed with high bed height, low flow rate and high initial concentration in continuous mode. Bohart–Adams model best fitted to the data obtained from column studies. The results indicated that the peanut hulls could be used effectively for the removal of dyes containing wastewater.     

Construction of double tube granular sludge microbial fuel cell and its characteristics and mechanism of azo dye degradation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can obtain electrical energy from extensive organic matter and complete wastewater treatment at the same time. The...     

Inoculation of Azospirillum brasilense and exogenous application of trans-zeatin riboside alleviates arsenic induced physiological damages in wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Due to increased industrialization, arsenic (As) in the soil has become a serious issue for wheat production since past few decades. We investigated...     

Industrialization,Freight Transport and Environmental Quality: Evidence from Belt and Road Initiative Economies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Belt and Road initiative has been proposed by China to initiate the cooperation among relevant countries in sector of energy and Trade. The...     

Optimization of alkaline extraction of natural dye from Henna leaves and its dyeing on cotton by exhaust method

The alkaline conditions for extraction of natural dye from Henna leaves were optimized and the resulting extract was used to further optimize its dyeing conditions on cotton by exhaust method. Dyeings without any mordant were compared with those obtained with premordanting and postmordanting with alum and iron. It was found that dyeings produced with alkaline extracts of Henna leaves have better colour strength than the dye extracts obtained in distilled water. Furthermore, dyeings with alkaline extracts have moderate to good fastness properties and that mordanting did not result in any significant improvement in fastness properties. Finally, in comparative studies between synthetic and this natural dye, it was inferred that natural dye has good potential to act as co-partner with synthetic dye.     

Economic potential of recycling business in Lahore, Pakistan

The state of household waste recycling in Lahore city, Pakistan with a population of 7.2 million was analyzed. Data on solid waste recycling were gathered from residents of low-, middle- and high-income groups, as well as from scavengers and junkshops. The recycling activities in Lahore exert a significant impact on resource conservation, creation of jobs, provision of economic opportunity and reduction in the magnitude of waste disposal problems. A cost analysis is presented to show the income that can be generated through a well-planned recycling program. It is shown that 21.2% of all recyclable waste in Lahore is recycled, and it generates an amount of Rs. 271 million (US dollars 4.5 million) per year through the informal sector. However, if the recycling practice is owned by the formal sector, it can save an amount of Rs. 65 million by reducing the collection cost. If recycling is adopted as an industry, it can generate revenues of Rs. 530 million (US dollars 8.8 million) per year and can also save enormous amount of energy, as well as the natural resources.     

Occupational health and safety issues in the informal economic segment of Pakistan: a survey of construction sites

This research covers the current status of occupational health and safety (OHS)-related practices in the informal construction segment of Pakistan. Data were collected, through interviews, from 316 construction sites employing 3577 workers. The results of the study reveal that both employers and workers lack knowledge of OHS laws/standards and no practices of this nature are enacted at these construction sites. Alarmingly, work-related accidents, whenever they happen, are not given due attention and there is no formal injury-report system. The informal construction industry employs a huge portion of the informal workforce, and lack of OHS happens at tremendous human cost. These research findings may thus play their role in strengthening the case for reforms in the sector. This study, if properly utilized, may also enable employers of the sector by increasing their knowledge about OHS practices and, as a result, trying to offer safer environments for their workers.     

Synthesis of magnetite-based nanocomposites for effective removal of brilliant green dye from wastewater

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The present study aims at evaluating the batch scale potential of cotton shell powder (CSP), Moringa oleifera leaves (ML), and magnetite-assisted...