Effect of nickel exposure on serum amylase activity in nickel-plating workers

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of nickel (Ni) exposure on serum amylase activity in nickel-plating workers in Bangalore (India). Sixty-nine subjects using Ni during the electroplating process formed the exposed group. An equal number of age- and sex-matched subjects working in the administration section formed the control group. Urine Ni levels were determined using a flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Serum amylase activity was determined using spectrophotometric method with 2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl-α-D-maltotrioside as substrate. A significant increase in urine Ni and serum amylase activity was noted in nickel platers as compared with the control group. The level of serum amylase activity was positively and significantly associated with Ni content in urine of nickel platers. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to assess the effects of Ni exposure, life style confounding factors and presence of gastrointestinal problems on serum amylase activity. The analysis showed that the subjects who had urine Ni levels beyond 10?µg?g^?1 of creatinine, nickel platers category, smoking and body mass index variables were significantly associated with serum amylase activity. The results of this study suggest that the increased serum amylase activity observed in nickel-exposed subjects could be used as a biomarker for investigating pancreatic function in Ni exposure.     

Integrated approach of assessing sedimentary characteristics of onshore sand deposits on the Velankanni coast, Tamil Nadu, India: sheds light on extreme wave event signatures

The refraction of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami waves caused drastic devastation along East coast of India, mainly in the area of investigation. Here, we appraise and integrate the sedimentary characteristics and microfossil studies of the area. The gigantic tsunami waves caused the landward fining of sediments that were carried as suspended load. Tsunami sediments have distinctive characteristics, like fine-to-medium grained sand, moderately to poorly sorted sediments which indicating sudden winnowing followed by tranquil flood. Positively skewed grain size distribution indicating unidirectional transport, and mesokurtic to platykurtic character implying poorly sorted single source origin. The species of benthonic foraminifers and ostracods reside in marine environment indicating shallow water origin of sediments. The onshore deposits are vertically divided into three depositional units interpreted from Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) signatures—Unit 1 is a relatively continuous parallel layer indicative of calm environment; Unit 2 has paleochannels and burial scarps, seen as oblique reflections that might be indicative of an intense erosional environment; Unit 3 is interpreted as 2004 tsunami layer, has three subunits. Each main units have been separated by Heavy Mineral Concentrated (HMC) layers, deposited by continuous wave action (~?20 cm) and by the tsunami (>?30 cm) activity, evidenced by low magnetic susceptibility values at the bottom compared to the top of the HMC layers. GPR has been effectively utilized in this paper as subsurface imaging tool for the interpretation and reconstruction of stratigraphy, and also helped to unearth the erosional and depositional environments.     

Retarding fluoride accumulation in Amaranthes viridis through liming and implications of phosphorous treatment

With an objective to retard fluoride being taken up by the plants from soil, a study was carried out on Amaranthes viridis. Four groups of treatment were carried out vis-à-vis fluoride alone, fluoride and calcium, fluoride and phosphorous and fluoride, calcium and phosphorous together at three different concentration levels vis-à-vis 1, 10 and 25 mg/kg soil of each. Sampling was carried out first on day 45 and at the end of reproductive phase on leaf and seed for accumulation of fluoride in the plants. It was observed that fluoride accumulation in plants could be averted through soil amendment by calcium treatment in the form of calcium carbonate thereby reducing the risk of human and livestock exposure to abnormal levels of fluoride through food chain other than protecting plants from getting affected. At the same time, fertilizing the soil contaminated with fluoride by superphosphate would aggravate fluoride accumulation and exacerbate fluorosis problem in human and livestock through food chain. Therefore it is recommended to use acid water-soluble orthophosphate or anhydrous dicalcium phosphate or soluble pyrophosphate fertilizers as an alternative.     

Studies on degradation of 14C-chlorpyrifos in the marine environment.

Degradation of 14C-chlorpyrifos was studied in a marine ecosystem for 60 days and in marine sediment under moist and flooded conditions using a continuous flow system allowing a total 14C-mass balance for a period of 40 days. In the marine ecosystem, 14C-chlorpyrifos underwent rapid degradation and very little (1-2%) 14C-residues of the applied activity were detected after two months in sediments. Clams were major component of the ecosystem and played a significant role in degradation of the insecticide. In the continuous flow system chlorpyrifos did not undergo substantial mineralization. Volatilization accounted for 0.8-1% loss during first ten days of application. The amounts of extractable 14C-activity were higher in flooded sediments than in moist sediment. More bound residues were formed under moist conditions. TCP (3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol) was the major degradation product formed under both moist and flooded conditions, its formation being higher in the latter conditions. These studies underline the role of clams in degradation of chlorpyrifos and lack of microbial degradation. In absence of clams, chlorpyrifos underwent abiotic degradation in marine sediment with formation of bound residues.     

Early-season agricultural drought: detection, assessment and monitoring using Shortwave Angle and Slope Index (SASI) data

Early season or crop-planting-period (ES/CPP) drought conditions have become a recurrent phenomenon in tropical countries like India, due to fluctuations in the time of onset and progression of monsoon rains. ES/CPP agricultural drought assessment is a major challenge because of the difficulties in the generation of operational products on soil moisture at larger scales. The present study analyzed the Shortwave Angle Slope Index (SASI) derived from Near Infrared and Shortwave Infrared data of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, for tracking surface moisture changes and assessing the agricultural drought conditions during ES/CPP, over Andhra Pradesh state, India. It was found that in-season progression of SASI was well correlated with rainfall and crop planting patterns in different districts of the study area state in both drought and normal years. Rainfall occurrence, increase in crop planted area, and decrease in SASI were in chronological synchronization in the season. Change in SASI from positive to negative values is a unique indication of dryness to wetness shift in the season. Duration of positive SASI values indicated the persistence of agricultural drought in the crop planting period. Mean SASI values were able to discriminate an area which was planted in normal year and unplanted in drought year. SASI thresholds provide an approximate and rapid estimate of the crop planting favorable area in a region which is useful to assess the impact of drought. Thus, SASI is a potential index to strengthen the existing operational drought monitoring systems. Further work needs to be on the integration of multiple parameters—SASI, soil texture, soil depth, rainfall and cropping pattern, to evolve a geospatial product on crop planting favorable areas. Such products pave the way for quantification of drought impact on agriculture in the early part of the season, which is a major inadequacy in the current drought monitoring system.     

Hydrochemistry of Wet Atmospheric Precipitation Over an Urban Area in Northern Indo-Gangetic Plains

Rain water samples were collected to study the chemical composition of wet atmospheric precipitation (first event) over the Lucknow city in the northern Indo-gangetic alluvial plains. The samples were collected in the month of July, 2005 from different sites. The wet precipitation samples were analyzed for pH, EC, major ions (, Cl⁻, , , , F⁻, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, ) and heavy metals (As, Cd, Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Hg, Pb, Se, Sn, Ti, V, Zn). The pH values of wet precipitation samples ranged between 6.5 and 8.7. The analysis of linear regression applied to the set of studied variables and computation of neutralization factors showed that neutralization occurred in precipitation samples and Ca²⁺ had the maximum neutralization capacity. It was found that Cl⁻, , Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺ in the precipitation samples originated mainly from crustal/anthropogenic sources in the region. On an average Fe, and Al accounted for >72% of the total concentration of trace metals in the wet precipitation samples followed by Zn (>10%). Enrichment factors calculated for heavy metals over reference background level in seawater and Earth’s crust showed relatively higher enrichment of Zn. The principal component analysis (PCA) identified the possible sources of ionic species and heavy metals in the wet precipitation samples.     

Perspective on the Therapeutic Applications of Algal Polysaccharides

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Algae are an enormous source of polysaccharides and have gained much interest in human flourishing as organic drugs. Algal polysaccharides have aroused...     

Electrocatalytic conversion of nitrate waste into ammonia: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate waste into ammonia allows both the removal of nitrate contaminants and an alternative production of ammonia compared to...