The impact assessment of Diwali fireworks emissions on the air quality of a tropical urban site, Hyderabad, India, during three consecutive years

Diwali is one of the largest festivals for Hindu religion which falls in the period October–November every year. During the festival days, extensive burning of firecrackers takes place, especially in the evening hours, constituting a significant source of aerosols, black carbon (BC), organics, and trace gases. The widespread use of sparklers was found to be associated with short-term air quality degradation events. The present study focuses on the influence of Diwali fireworks emissions on surface ozone (O₃), nitrogen oxides (NO _x ), and BC aerosol concentration over the tropical urban region of Hyderabad, India during three consecutive years (2009–2011). The trace gases are analyzed for pre-Diwali, Diwali, and post-Diwali days in order to reveal the festivity’s contribution to the ambient air quality over the city. A twofold to threefold increase is observed in O₃, NO _x , and BC concentrations during the festival period compared to control days for 2009–2011, which is mainly attributed to firecrackers burning. The high correlation coefficient (~0.74) between NO _x and SO₂ concentrations and higher SO₂/NO _x (S/N) index suggested air quality degradation due to firecrackers burning. Furthermore, the Cloud–Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation-derived aerosol subtyping map also confirmed the presence of smoke aerosols emitted from firecrackers burning over the region. Nevertheless, the concentration level of pollutants exhibited substantial decline over the region during the years 2010 and 2011 compared to 2009 ascribed to various awareness campaigns and increased cost of firecrackers.     

Cost–benefit analysis of beach-cast harvest: Closing land-marine nutrient loops in the Baltic Sea region

Harvesting beach-cast can help mitigate marine eutrophication by closing land-marine nutrient loops and provide a blue biomass raw material for the bioeconomy. Cost–benefit analysis was applied to harvest activities during 2009–2018 on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, highlighting benefits such as nutrient removal from the marine system and improved recreational opportunities as well as costs of using inputs necessary for harvest. The results indicate that the activities entailed a net gain to society, lending substance to continued funding for harvests on Gotland and assessments of upscaling of harvest activities to other areas in Sweden and elsewhere. The lessons learnt from the considerable harvest experience on Gotland should be utilized for developing concrete guidelines for carrying out sustainable harvest practice, paying due attention to local conditions but also to what can be generalized to a wider national and international context.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01641-8.     

Eco-friendly PEG-based controlled release nano-formulations of Mancozeb: Synthesis and bioefficacy evaluation against phytopathogenic fungi Alternaria solani and Sclerotium rolfsii

Controlled release (CR) nano-formulations of Mancozeb (manganese-zinc double salt of N,N-bisdithiocarbamic acid), a protective fungicide, have been prepared using laboratory-synthesized poly(ethylene glycols) (PEGs)-based functionalized amphiphilic copolymers without using any surfactants or external additives. The release kinetics of the developed Mancozeb CR formulations were studied and compared with that of commercially available 42% suspension concentrate and 75% wettable powder. Maximum amount of Mancozeb was released on 42nd day for PEG-600 and octyl chain, PEG-1000 and octyl chain, and PEG-600 and hexadecyl chain, on 35th day for PEG-1000 and hexadecyl chain, on 28th day for PEG-1500 and octyl chain, PEG-2000 and octyl chain, PEG-1500 and hexadecyl chain, and PEG-2000 and hexadecyl chain in comparison to both commercial formulations (15th day). The diffusion exponent (n value) of Mancozeb in water ranged from 0.42 to 0.62 in tested formulations. The half-release (t_1/2) values ranged from 17.35 to 35.14 days, and the period of optimum availability of Mancozeb ranged from 18.54 to 35.42 days. Further, the in vitro bioefficacy evaluation of developed formulations was done against plant pathogenic fungi Alternaria solani and Sclerotium rolfsii by poison food technique. Effective dose for 50% inhibition in mgL^?1 (ED₅₀) values of developed formulations varied from 1.31 to 2.79 mg L^?1 for A. solani, and 1.60 to 3.14 mg L^?1 for S. rolfsii. The present methodology is simple, economical, and eco-friendly for the development of environment-friendly CR formulations of Mancozeb. These formulations can be used to optimize the release of Mancozeb to achieve disease control for the desired period depending upon the matrix of the polymer used. Importantly, the maximum amount of active ingredient remains available for a reasonable period after application. In addition, the developed CR formulations were found to be suitable for fungicidal applications, allowing use of Mancozeb in lower doses.     

Sewage treatment by vermifiltration with synchronous treatment of sludge by earthworms: a low-cost sustainable technology over conventional systems with potential for decentralization

Earthworms’ body works as a ‘biofilter’ and they have been found to remove the 5 days’ BOD (BOD₅) by over 90%, COD by 80–90%, total dissolved solids (TDS) by 90–92%, and the total suspended solids (TSS) by 90–95% from wastewater by the general mechanism of ‘ingestion’ and biodegradation of organic wastes, heavy metals, and solids from wastewater and also by their ‘absorption’ through body walls. Earthworms increase the hydraulic conductivity and natural aeration by granulating the clay particles. They also grind the silt and sand particles, increasing the total specific surface area, which enhances the ability to ‘adsorb’ the organics and inorganic from the wastewater. Intensification of soil processes and aeration by the earthworms enable the soil stabilization and filtration system to become effective and smaller in size. Suspended solids are trapped on top of the vermifilter and processed by earthworms and fed to the soil microbes immobilized in the vermifilter. There is no sludge formation in the process which requires additional expenditure on landfill disposal. This is also an odor-free process and the resulting vermifiltered water is clean and disinfected enough to be reused for farm irrigation and in parks and gardens G. Bharambe—GU & Research Assistant (Under Rajiv K. Sinha), U. Chaudhari—GU (Worked on vermiculture project).     

In vitro development of resistance to arsenite and chromium-VI in Lactobacilli strains as perspective attenuation of gastrointestinal disorder

Inadvertent intake of inorganic arsenic and chromium through drinking water and food causing their toxic insults is a major health problem. Intestinal bacteria including Lactobacilli play important regulatory roles on intestinal homeostasis, and their loss is known to cause gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Probiotic Lactobacilli resistance to arsenite and chromium-VI could be an importantfactorfor the perspective attenuation of Gl-disorders caused by these toxic metals/metalloid. In the present study resistance of arsenite (up to 32 ppm), Cr-VI (up to 64 ppm), and arsenite plus Cr-VI (32 ppm each) were developed under in vitro condition following chronological chronic exposures in Lactobacilli strains. Comparative study of biochemical parameters such as membrane transport enzymes and structural constituents; dehydrogenase and esterase activity tests, which are respective indicators for respiratory and energy producing processes, and the general heterotrophic activity of cells, of resistant strains showed similarities with their respective normal parent strains. The resistant strains were also found to be sensitive to antibiotics. Findings indicate that these resistant probiotic Lactobacilli would be useful in the prophylactic interventions of arsenic and chromium GI-toxicity.     

Scanning electron microscopic studies and growth response of the plants of Helianthus annuus L. grown on tannery sludge amended soil

The plants of Helianthus annuus L. var. modern were grown in the soil amended with different amounts of tannery sludge (10%, 25%, 35%, 50%, 75% and 100%), collected from Wastewater Treatment Plant Jajmau, Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh, India) under field conditions. The effect of tannery sludge amendments was studied on the growth performance of the plant, i.e. root length, shoot length, leaf area and number of leaves after 30, 60 and 90 days of exposures. The root length of the plant increased up to 35% tannery sludge followed by significant (p<0.01) decrease at higher amendments, whereas the shoot length of the plant increased with increase in sludge amendment ratio at all the exposure periods, compared to their respective controls. The number of leaves and leaf area in the plants of H. annuus increased at all the amendments of tannery sludge at initial exposure periods (30 and 60 days); however, it decreased at higher sludge amendments at highest exposure period (90 days) as compared to their respective controls. The analysis of scanning electron micrographs of the leaf surface of H. annuus grown on 50% and 100% tannery sludge after 90 days showed an increase in the frequency of stomata and trichomes, closure of stomata and degeneration of certain cells in the sludge grown plants.     

A cost-effective microbial slurry technology for rapid composting of municipal solid wastes in waste dump sites in India and its feasibility for use in Australia

This short article reports on commercial composting slurry now available in India. The slurry culture containing active decomposer bacteria and enzymes is spread on the surface of the garbage and inside the heaps in windrows constructed at waste dump sites. The microbes produce hydrolysing enzymes to break down the long chain complexes of the organic substrates. About 1 kg of slurry culture in the colloidal emulsion form mixed with 20 litres of water is sprayed on about 3 m of solid waste. For one tonne of waste 200 litres of slurry water are needed. The waste heaps are turned once in 7 to 10 days for proper aeration and the inoculant slurry is sprayed at each turning to enhance decomposition and to maintain the proper moisture level which is usually 45–55 percent. The process is exothermic and the windrows reach a temperature of 70°–75°C within 24–36 hours, killing many harmful pathogens and repelling all birds, stray animals, flies and mosquitos from the dump site. The entire process is completed within 4–6 weeks and as the decomposition is completed the temperature falls to normal. About 40–45 percent of the undecomposed matter is of recyclable materials, and of the rest about 25–30 percent requires safe disposal in adjacent land-fill sites. The problem of emission from tip gases and of leachate and discharge of effluents is greatly reduced. The foul odor of the tip also disappears within 2–3 days of sanitization. The compost produced is rich in sodium, potassium and phosphorous as well as certain trace elements, and contains active nitrogen fixing and phosphate solubulising bacteria.     

Renewable energy programmes in India

There is increasing optimism regarding the possible role that renewable energy technologies can play in the coming decade in the energy sector in India. Some recent developments and trends within the renewable energy sector that are responsible for this optimism, and the likely investments of the order of US$1210 million in the next four to five years, are discussed. The paper includes discussion of the recent changes in the implementing institutions, innovation in financing renewable technology investments, and a shift from financial to fiscal incentives. In addition, wind power generation, small hydro, photovoltaic and gasifier programmes are analysed in some detail.     

Net primary productivity of some aquatic macrophytes in sewage-sullage mixture

Sewage-sullage mixture from Raipur city is spread over a vast area surrounding the city. This mixture has a pH always above neutrality with high turbidity. Transparency was nil with the absence of phenolphthalein alkalinity and dissolved oxygen. Hardness was high with low nitrogen and phosphorus concentration. Human consumable. acquatic macrophytes are cultivated in such waste water. Net primary productivity of three macrophytes: Ipomoea aquatica, Marsilea quadrifolia and Nelumbo nucifera were evaluated while being cultivated in such sewage-sullage mixture. Productivity was determined either with periodic biomass removal (I. aquatica and M. quadrifolia) or through removing the biomass only once at the time of growing season (N. nucifera). Growing season productivity of up to 27.48. 19.81 and 9.49 g m(-2) and day(-1) and extrapolated productivity of up to 100.30, 72.31 and 34.64 mt. ha(-1) yr(-1) was recorded for I. aquatica. M. quadrifolia and N. nucifera respectively. Thus, these macrophytes are yielding a high amount of human consumable biomass from an area which neither be a useless wetland.     

Fresh water blue green algae from three agro-climatic zones of Uttar Pradesh, India: distribution pattern with seasonal variation

The paper deals with 45 species of 21 genera of fresh water blue green algae (BGA) from three different agro-climatic zones of Uttar Pradesh. Samples were collected from different habitats varying in physico-chemical properties. Out of 45 species, 13 species belonged to order Chroococcales, 31 to order Nostocales, while only 1 species belonged to order Stigonimatales i.e. Fischerella mucicola. The physico-chemical parameters like pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, nitrate, nitrite and rainfall play an important role in the periodicity of BGA. A positive correlation was found between dissolved oxygen (DO) of different ponds and species diversity, except in the case of western region of Uttar Pradesh (Farukhabad and Mahoba districts) where a positive correlation was found in electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids.