Severity of zinc and iron malnutrition linked to low intake through a staple crop: a case study in east-central Pakistan

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Micronutrients deficiency in soil–plant and human is well-addressed; however, little is known about their spatial distribution, magnitude of deficiency...     

Phytoplankton as index of water quality with reference to industrial pollution

In this paper Shannon-Weaver (SI-3.58-4.07, SII-3.1-3.72, SIII-1.64-2.25, SIV-2.54-2.95 and SV-3.09-3.23) diversity index was applied to surface phytoplankton to study the water quality status of river Bhadra receiving Mysore paper mill and Iron and steel mill effluent. A total of 45 species of phytoplankton belonging to 5 classes were recorded and study indicated that the phytoplankton diversity (Chlorophyceae-19 species, Bacillanophyceae-16 species, Cyanophyceae-07 species, Euglenophyceae-2 species and Chrysophyceae-1 species) did not reveal the same type of water quality (water temperature 24.62-27.32 degrees C, pH-7.08-7.25, electrical conductivity-67.49-201.94 micromhos/cm, dissolved oxygen-4.13-5.98 mgl(-1), chloride-12.30-40.85 mgl(-1), calcium-6.49-23.74 mgl(-1), total hardness 28.98-76.65 mgl(1), magnesium-4.69-15.92 mgl(-1), total alkalinity-77.26-86.53 mgl(-1), BOD-1.88-4.01 mgl(-1), COD - 16.53-45 mgl(-1), phosphate-0.001-0.53 mgl(-1), sodium-2.70-7.46 mgl(-1) and potassium-2.37-7.88 mgl(-1)). The investigation emphasized the need of phytoplankton community as index of water quality polluted by industrial effluents at the downstream stretch of the Bhadra river.     

Sources and toxicities of phenolic polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a group of 209 congeners that differ in the number and position of chlorines on the biphenyl ring, are anthropogenic chemicals that belong to the persistent organic pollutants (POPs). For many years, PCBs have been a topic of interest because of their biomagnification in the food chain and their environmental persistence. PCBs with fewer chlorine atoms, however, are less persistent and more susceptible to metabolic attack, giving rise to chemicals characterized by the addition of one or more hydroxyl groups to the chlorinated biphenyl skeleton, collectively known as hydroxylated PCBs (OH-PCBs). In animals and plants, this biotransformation of PCBs to OH-PCBs is primarily carried out by cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases. One of the reasons for infrequent detection of lower chlorinated PCBs in serum and other biological matrices is their shorter half-lives, and their metabolic transformation, resulting in OH-PCBs or their conjugates, such as sulfates and glucuronides, or macromolecule adducts. Recent biomonitoring studies have reported the presence of OH-PCBs in human serum. The occurrence of OH-PCBs, the size of this group (there are 837 mono-hydroxyl PCBs alone), and their wide spectra of physical characteristics (pKa’s and log P’s ranging over 5 to 6 orders of magnitude) give rise to a multiplicity of biological effects. Among those are bioactivation to electrophilic metabolites that can form covalent adducts with DNA and other macromolecules, interference with hormonal signaling, inhibition of enzymes that regulate cellular concentrations of active hormones, and interference with the transport of hormones. This new information creates an urgent need for a new perspective on these often overlooked metabolites.     

Beyond dichotomies: Gender and intersecting inequalities in climate change studies

Climate change and related adaptation strategies have gender-differentiated impacts. This paper reviews how gender is framed in 41 papers on climate change adaptation through an intersectionality lens. The main findings show that while intersectional analysis has demonstrated many advantages for a comprehensive study of gender, it has not yet entered the field of climate change and gender. In climate change studies, gender is mostly handled in a men-versus-women dichotomy and little or no attention has been paid to power and social and political relations. These gaps which are echoed in other domains of development and gender research depict a ‘feminization of vulnerability’ and reinforce a ‘victimization’ discourse within climate change studies. We argue that a critical intersectional assessment would contribute to unveil agency and emancipatory pathways in the adaptation process by providing a better understanding of how the differential impacts of climate change shape, and are shaped by, the complex power dynamics of existing social and political relations.     

Influence of mercury from fly ash on cattle reared nearby thermal power plant

Cattle grazing nearby coal-fired power stations are exposed to fly ash. The present investigation aims to assess the environmental and health impacts of fly ash containing mercury emitted from thermal power plant. The health effect of fly ash were studied using 20 lactating cattle reared within a 5-km radius of s thermal power plant for the possible effect of fly ash such as the alterations in hematological and biochemical parameters of blood, milk, and urine. Results indicated that the hemoglobin levels (6.65?±?0.40?g/dl) were significantly reduced in all the exposed animals. Biochemical parameters viz., blood urea nitrogen (27.35?±?1.19?mg/dl), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (43.39?±?3.08?IU/l), albumin, and creatinine were found to be increased, whereas serum glutamate pyruvic transaminase (29.26?±?2.02) and Ca²⁺ were observed to be statistically insignificant in exposed animals. Mercury concentrations estimated in the blood, milk, and urine of exposed (n?=?20) and control (n?=?20) animals were 7.41?±?0.86, 4.75?±?0.57, 2.08?±?0.18, and 1.05?±?0.07, 0.54?±?0.03, 0.20?±?0.02?μg/kg, respectively. The significant increase (P?<?0.01) in the levels of mercury in blood, milk, and urine of exposed animals in comparison to control indicated that the alterations of biochemical parameters in exposed cattle could be due to their long term exposure to fly ash mercury which may have direct or indirect impact on human populations via food chain.     

Preconcentration technique for the determination of trace elements in natural water samples by ICP-AES

A procedure was developed for the determination of Cd, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, Mn, Pb and Mo in water samples by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) after preconcentration on a morpholine dithiocarbamate (mor-DTC) supported by bagasse (Saccharam aphisinaram). The sorbed elements were subsequently eluted with 4,M HNO₃ and the acid eluates were analysed by ICP–AES. The influence of various parameters such as pH, flow rate of sample, eluent concentration, volume of the sample and volume of eluent were investigated to enhance the sensitivity of the present method. A 20,mL disposable syringe served as preconcentration column. Under the optimal conditions Cd, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, Mn, Pb and Mo in aqueous sample was concentrated about 100-fold. The sorption recoveries of elements were higher than 99.6%. The method is also applied for the analysis of natural and spiked water samples.     

Chromium accumulation in submerged aquatic plants treated with tannery effluent at Kanpur, India

Aquatic macrophytes have been widely studied because of their capability of absorbing contaminants from water and their subsequent use in biomonitoring. This study presents a comparison of Cr accumulating potential of submerged aquatic plants viz Vallisneria spiralis and Hydrilla verticillata. These plants were treated with various concentrations of treated tannery effluent collected from UASB, Jajmau, Kanpur under repeated exposure in controlled laboratory conditions in order to assess their maximum bioaccumulation potential. The maximum accumulation of 385.6 and 201.6 microg g(-1) dry weight was found in roots of V. spiralis and the whole plants of H. verticillata, respectively at 100% concentration after 9th day of effluent exposure. The chlorophyll and protein content of both species decreased with increase in effluent concentration and duration. At highest concentration and duration a maximum reduction of 67.4 and 62.66% in total chlorophyll content, 9.97 and 4.66% in carotenoid content and 62.66 and 59.36% in protein content was found in V. spiralis and H. verticillata respectively. Anatomical studies in both V. spiralis and H. verticillata was carried out to assess the effects of metal accumulation within the plants. Changes in the anatomical structures of both plants exhibits the capacity of these species to act as indicator of effluent toxicity. The high accumulation potential of Cr by both plants revealed their capability to remove pollutants from effluent.     

Characterization and optimization of conditions for biodegradation of sella-rice mill effluent

The sella-rice mill effluent is a major environmental pollutant requiring proper treatment before disposal. The present study has been conducted to isolate and characterize micro-organisms capable of growing on sella-rice effluent and to optimize conditions for its rapid bioremediation. Using three different types of media (LB, YEPDA and PDA), a total of 139 isolates were isolated from effluent samples collected from three different locations. Out of these, 45 isolates were found to utilize starch on starch medium, eight isolates showing high efficiency. For the optimization of conditions for maximum utilization of starch by selected isolates, parameters such as effect of addition of carbon and nitrogen sources, effect of growth factors, temperature and pH were studied. Maximum growth (absorbance of 2.10) and starch-utilization (varying in the range of 2.33 to 3.62) was observed on starch medium supplemented with peptone and yeast extract at 30 degrees C with a pH of 6.0. These bacterial isolates also reduced the amount of starch (80.10%), BOD (64.24%) and COD (75.0%) of sella-rice mill effluent after 15 days of incubation. On the basis of morphological and biochemical characteristics, the selected isolates were found to belong to the genera Lactobacillus and Micrococcus.     

Intercontinental tests of the effects of habitat patch type on the distribution of chitons within and among patches in intertidal boulder field landscapes

Patchy distributions within landscapes may be caused by migration in response to different types of habitat patches. Intertidal boulder fields are landscapes in which boulders are discrete habitat patches, often with chitons attached to their under-surfaces. Chiton densities and associations with patch edges differed between boulders overlying coarse- versus fine-sediment types, with greater densities occurring over fine sediments. We tested whether adult migration caused between-boulder distributions by measuring immigration and emigration following experimental replacement of coarse sediments with fine sediment under boulders. We also assessed whether the manipulations altered chiton positions relative to patch edges, and large-scale generality was tested by including data from two continents. The manipulations did not influence the association of chitons with edges or amounts of emigration, but chitons did display positive density-dependent immigration that mirrored their distributional patterns, indicating the importance of immigration. Strikingly, all results were consistent between continents despite involving different species and even genera of chitons. By using boulder fields as a small-scale, easily manipulated landscape, we show that, even in sedentary organisms, patchy distributions within landscapes can be caused by migration alone, without the need to invoke mortality or larval recruitment.     

Sewage fluxes and seasonal dynamics of physicochemical characteristics of the Bhagirathi-Hooghly River from the lower stretch of River Ganges,India

ABSTRACT

To understand the temporal variations of the physicochemical characteristics of the Bhagirathi-Hooghly River (BHR), three locations representing three districts of West Bengal were selected. The material fluxes from 34 drains during pre-monsoon season was quantified. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that no significant spatial variations were observed for the physicochemical parameters, whereas seasonal variations were significant. The mean discharge was found to be highest (247.2?×?10³?m³?d^?1) in the midstream drains. Highest mean concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) (7.35?mg?L^?1) and nitrate (0.81?mg?L ^?1) were observed during the post-monsoon season followed by the monsoon and pre-monsoon. According to the BIS, WHO and the European standard of water quality (pH, 6.5–8.5; Nitrate, 0–2.5?mg?L^?1;DO, ≥5?mg?L^?1), the results of the respective parameters revealed the BHR system is maintained at high to good water quality, meaning that the BHR system is slightly altered from its pristine environment. The mean concentrations of biological and chemical oxygen demands were found to be high during the monsoon season, revealing that a large quantity of refractory organic matter is transported to the eastern Bay of Bengal from the Ganges.