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.     

Pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables from Pakistan: a review of the occurrence and associated human health risks

The main objective of the review is to document, assess and analyze the results of the previously reported data on levels of different pesticides in selected fruits and vegetables from Pakistan. The findings of the previous studies clearly indicated that more than 50 % of the samples were contaminated with organophosphate, pyrethroids and organochlorine pesticides. Many studies reported that among fresh fruits and vegetables tomato, apple, melon, mango, grapes, and plum crossed the FAO/WHO permissible limits for these contaminants residual levels. The comparison of other regions showed that observed levels were found above maximum residue limits (MRLs) in 50 % of the samples but were in agreement with the studies from neighboring countries like China and Bangladesh. Higher hazard risk index (HRI) values were calculated for dieldrin, methamidophos, o,p′-DDT, diazinon and p,p′-DDT in apple, mango, banana, melon, potato and onion. The review also highlights that data on pesticide residues in foodstuff is scarce which should be overcome by further extending studies from different areas of Pakistan. In order to ascertain the provision of food suitable for human consumption, it is imperative to monitor pesticides in food commodities by the country’s authorities and enforce guidelines based on permissible limits.     

Microbial contamination of drinking water in Pakistan—a review

Water pollution with pathogenic microorganisms is one of the serious threats to human health, particularly in developing countries. The main objective of this article is to highlight microbial contamination of drinking water, the major factors responsible for microbial contamination, and the resulting health problems in Pakistan. Furthermore, this study will be helpful for researchers and administrative agencies to initiate relevant studies and develop new policies to protect further deterioration of water supply with pathogenic microbes and ensure clean and safe drinking water to the public in Pakistan. In Pakistan, water at the source, in the distribution network, and at the consumer tap is heavily polluted with coliforms and fecal coliforms all over the country. An overview of more than 7,000 water samples reviewed here reveals that an average of over 71 and 58 % samples in the country was contaminated with total coliforms and fecal coliforms, respectively. Drinking water contamination accounts for 20 to 40 % of all diseases in the country, which causes national income losses of Rs 25–58 billion annually (US$0.25–0.58 billion, approximately 0.6–1.44 % of the country’s GDP). Improper disposal of industrial and municipal wastes is the most important factor responsible for water pollution in the country followed by cross-contamination due to old and leaking pipes and lack of water filtration and disinfection facilities. There is an urgent need for emergency steps to stop further deterioration of water quality and improve the existing water quality so as to protect the public from widespread waterborne diseases.     

艾比湖湿地不同水淹条件下土壤养分变化研究

为探明不同水淹条件对艾比湖湿地土壤养分含量的影响,文章以其东南部为研究区,根据遥感影像图将研究区划分为经常性水淹区、季节性水淹区、无湖水淹没区,对其研究区内27个采样点的81个土样中有机碳、速效磷、速效钾含量进行分析,揭示不同水淹条件下土壤养分的变化。研究表明:(1)研究区内土壤有机碳、速效磷、速效钾变异程度较高,属于中等变异。距湖远近影响下,含量逐渐增加,且变幅较大。各指标含量大小分别为无湖水淹没区>经常性水淹区>季节性水淹区;(2)垂直梯度上各指标含量呈现为0～20 cm>20～40 cm>40～60 cm,即随着土壤深度的不断增加,土壤有机碳、速效磷、速效钾含量随之减少。表层变化明显,土壤深度越深,含量变化幅度逐渐变小。(3)水分是影响土壤养分含量空间异质性的重要因素之一,空间分布上距离湖面越远,受到水淹条件影响越小,土壤养分含量会越多。各指标条带状较明显,含量自西南向东北呈逐渐增加趋势。(4)经常性水淹区水分与有机碳呈不显著正相关,与速效磷、速效钾呈显著负相关(p<0.05)。季节性水淹区水分与有机碳、速效磷、速效钾呈显著(p<0.05)和极...     

典型石油城市道路积尘重金属污染及健康风险评价

从新疆典型石油城市克拉玛依市采集52个道路积尘样品,测定其中As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Pb和Hg 6种重金属元素的含量,采用地质累积指数法与美国环境保护署（USEPA）推荐的健康风险评价模型,分析了道路积尘重金属污染及潜在健康风险。结果表明,克拉玛依市道路积尘中As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Pb、Hg的平均值分别为新疆土壤背景值的1.62、1.75、0.99、1.50、1.24、2.94倍,道路积尘中6种重金属元素的地质累积指数(I_geo)平均值排序为Hg>As>Cu>Pb>Cr>Cd。其中,Hg处于轻度污染,其他5种元素均处于无污染水平。总体上,As、Cu、Hg的I_geo从西北向东南呈减小趋势;Cd的I_geo空间分布较为离散,出现两个同心圆状分布格局;Pb、Cr的I_geo呈现均匀分布格局。健康风险评价结果表明,克拉玛依市道路积尘中重金属元素的非致癌风险及致癌风险均处于安全范围内,主要暴露途径为手-口摄入,儿童受到的健康风险高于成人,As是克拉玛依市道路积尘中最主要健康风险元素。     

The role of infrastructure,socio-economic development,and food security to mitigate the loss of natural disasters

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study shows the impact of risk (hazard, exposure, and vulnerability) and resilience (infrastructure, information and communication technology,...     

Assessing spatio-temporal trend of vector breeding and dengue fever incidence in association with meteorological conditions

Th aim of this study is to investigate spatio-temporal trends of dengue vector breeding and epidemic (disease incidence) influenced by climatic factors. The spatio-temporal (low-, medium-, and high-intensity periods) evaluation of entomological and epidemiological investigations along with climatic factors like rainfall (RF), temperature (T_max), relative humidity (RH), and larval indexing was conducted to develop correlations in the area of Lahore, Pakistan. The vector abundance and disease transmission trend was geo-tagged for spatial insight. The sufficient rainfall events and optimum temperature and relative humidity supported dengue vector breeding with high larval indices for water-related containers (27–37%). Among temporal analysis, the high-intensity period exponentially projected disease incidence followed by post-rainfall impacts. The high larval incidence that was observed in early high-intensity periods effected the dengue incidence. The disease incidence had a strong association with RF (r = 0.940, α = 0.01). The vector larva occurrence (r = 0.017, α = 0.05) influenced the disease incidence. Similarly, RH (r = 0.674, α = 0.05) and average T_max (r = 0.307, α = 0.05) also induced impact on the disease incidence. In this study, the vulnerability to dengue fever highly correlates with meteorological factors during high-intensity period. It provides area-specific understanding of vector behavior, key containers, and seasonal patterns of dengue vector breeding and disease transmission which is essential for preparing an effective prevention plan against the vector.