Determination of the utility of groundwater with respect to the geochemical parameters: a case study from Tuticorin District of Tamil Nadu (India)

In modern living, rapid development has created an increase in demand for groundwater. An endeavor has been made to understand the hydrogeochemical parameters to determine the utility of groundwater. This situation is severe in coastal hard rock aquifers due to the influence of salinity ingression and other anthropogenic influence. A total of 135 groundwater samples were collected from the coastal aquifer of the Tuticorin district and analyzed for major cations and anions during premonsoon (PRM) and postmonsoon (POM). The ions analyzed were used to determine the drinking, agricultural and domestic utility of groundwater. The electrical conductivity (EC) contour shows that the groundwater quality is poor along the coast. The parameters were compared with WHO (Guidelines for drinking water quality recommendations, WHO, Geneva, 2004) standard for drinking purpose. A groundwater classification method has been developed for groundwater in the area using a dynamic water quality index (WQI). On the basis of the WQI so computed, groundwater in the area has been spatially classified into “excellent,” “good,” “poor” and “very poor” to “Unsuitable” water types variation lithologywise. Corrosivity ratio and hardness were noted to be higher and found to be unsuitable in majority of the regions for domestic purpose. Higher fluoride concentration was noted in the central part of the study area represented by complex geology comprising of the hornblende biotite gneiss and charnockite. Sodium percentage (Na%), sodium absorption ratio, residual sodium carbonate, Wilcox (Classification and use of irrigation waters, US Department of Agriculture, Washington, 1955), permeability index, residual sodium bicarbonate, magnesium hazard, Kelly’s ratio and potential salinity also indicate that most of the groundwater samples are not suitable for irrigation purposes.     

Pathways of rural change: an integrated assessment of metabolic patterns in emerging ruralities

While rural transformations are nothing new in human history, current processes of rural change occur under multiple forces at an unprecedented pace, involving profound and unexpected changes in land use and users, and rapid transformations in the metabolic patterns of rural systems. The present special section aims to shed light on current drivers and pathways of rural change by analyzing, under a common conceptual and theoretical framework, examples of new ruralities that are emerging as responses across different world regions. Within this context, this introduction presents: (1) common research questions of the six presented cases of rural change; (2) the general theoretical and methodological framework of integrated assessment of societal metabolism adopted to analyze rural systems and (3) the main contributions and conclusions that could be drawn from six context-specific case studies from Asia, Latin America and Europe.     

Creosote DNAPL Recovery‐Well Design for Mass Removal

Sites with dense nonaqueous‐phase liquid (DNAPL) contamination present significant remediation challenges in terms of technical practicability and cost. Remedial approaches to DNAPL sites often follow a management approach rather than removal or eradication approaches, particularly due to the uncertainties associated with the benefits of partial source mass removal, as complete source removal is unlikely. Mass‐removal technologies should be evaluated for all DNAPL sites, although implementation of recovery technologies will be limited to a few sites based upon site‐specific factors. Sitewide remedial strategies that employ source reduction, where applicable, and incorporate associated risk‐reduction technologies, including monitored natural attenuation, are advised. Creosote DNAPL sites are particularly challenging, as they are predominantly composed of low‐solubility polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that form long‐term continuing sources. Additionally, the physical properties of creosote DNAPL, including high viscosity and relatively low density, result in significant migration potential and considerable dissolved‐phase groundwater impacts. An innovative creosote DNAPL source recovery well design was developed to achieve separate‐phase removal of pooled creosote DNAPL. The design presented herein employs modified circulation‐well technology to mobilize DNAPL to the engineered recovery well, where it is gravity‐settled into a sump to permit separate‐phase mass removal of the emplaced DNAPL source without groundwater production or treatment. A discharge mass flux protocol was developed to verify dissolved‐phase plume stability and the benefit of the source mass removal. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Evaluation of heavy metal content in digestate from batch anaerobic co-digestion of sunflower hulls and poultry manure

In this experimental study, the biogas digestate from mesophilic batch anaerobic co-digestion of poultry manure and an agricultural residue, sunflower hulls, was characterized, particularly in terms of heavy metal content, in order to evaluate whether the biogas digestate was suitable for land applications. Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg were detected in the biogas digestate in each trial, however, their concentrations were always lower than the limit values stated in Turkish regulations. The main source of heavy metals in the biogas digestate seemed to be the poultry manure, not the agricultural residue. The commercial feedstuffs that are frequently supplemented with various essential elements to promote optimum nutrient supply and optimum growth rates may have contributed to heavy metals presence in the biogas digestate. The results indicated that the biogas digestate from anaerobic co-digestion of manure and agricultural residue could be utilized as fertilizer in agricultural applications.     

Preparation and Characterization of Three Different Derivatized Potato Starches

The use of native starch as a thermoplastic polymer is limited by its fragility and high water absorption. Due to the presence of several hydroxyl groups in its structure, water acts as a natural plasticizer of starch, modifying its properties. It is necessary to chemically modify starch molecules by replacing hydroxyl groups with other functional groups to reduce water absorption. Chemical modification of starch granules also alters its swelling and gelatinization behavior. In this contribution we describe the chemical modification of starch and its influence on its hydrophilicity and heat resistance. Acetic acid, maleic anhydride and octanoyl chloride were used as derivatizing reagents. The effectiveness of the treatments was evaluated by means of infrared spectroscopy. Different tests were conducted in order to evaluate the influence of the different chemical modifications on starch structure and properties. Results showed that the treatments effectively reduced starch moisture susceptibility, while substantially altering other properties such as amylose content, swelling power, solubility, and heat resistance. Finally, films were prepared from native and derivatized starch and their surface polarity was evaluated.     

The impact of infield biomass burning on PM levels and its chemical composition

In the South of Italy, it is common for farmers to burn pruning waste from olive trees in spring. In order to evaluate the impact of the biomass burning source on the physical and chemical characteristics of the particulate matter (PM) emitted by these fires, a PM monitoring campaign was carried out in an olive grove. Daily PM10 samples were collected for 1 week, when there were no open fires, and when biomass was being burned, and at two different distances from the fires. Moreover, an optical particle counter and a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) analyzer were used to measure the high time-resolved dimensional distribution of particles emitted and total PAHs concentrations, respectively. Chemical analysis of PM10 samples identified organic and inorganic components such as PAHs, ions, elements, and carbonaceous fractions (OC, EC). Analysis of the collected data showed the usefulness of organic and inorganic tracer species and of PAH diagnostic ratios for interpreting the impact of biomass fires on PM levels and on its chemical composition. Finally, high time-resolved monitoring of particle numbers and PAH concentrations was performed before, during, and after biomass burning, and these concentrations were seen to be very dependent on factors such as weather conditions, combustion efficiency, and temperature (smoldering versus flaming conditions), and moisture content of the wood burned.     

Indoor air quality (IAQ) assessment in a multistorey shopping mall by high-spatial-resolution monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOC)

In order to assess indoor air quality (IAQ), two 1-week monitoring campaigns of volatile organic compounds (VOC) were performed in different areas of a multistorey shopping mall. High-spatial-resolution monitoring was conducted at 32 indoor sites located in two storehouses and in different departments of a supermarket. At the same time, VOC concentrations were monitored in the mall and parking lot area as well as outdoors. VOC were sampled at 48-h periods using diffusive samplers suitable for thermal desorption. The samples were then analyzed with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The data analysis and chromatic maps indicated that the two storehouses had the highest VOC concentrations consisting principally of terpenes. These higher TVOC concentrations could be a result of the low efficiency of the air exchange and intake systems, as well as the large quantity of articles stored in these small spaces. Instead, inside the supermarket, the food department was the most critical area for VOC concentrations. To identify potential emission sources in this department, a continuous VOC analyzer was used. The findings indicated that the highest total VOC concentrations were present during cleaning activities and that these activities were carried out frequently in the food department. The study highlights the importance of conducting both high-spatial-resolution monitoring and high-temporal-resolution monitoring. The former was able to identify critical issues in environments with a complex emission scenario while the latter was useful in interpreting the dynamics of each emission source.     

Cleaning painted surfaces: evaluation of leaching phenomenon induced by solvents applied for the removal of gel residues

Cleaning is one of the most important, delicate, and at the same time controversial processes in the conservation treatment of paintings. Although a strict definition of cleaning would be the removal of dirt, grime, or other accretions (surface cleaning), in the conservation field, cleaning is used in the broader meaning to include thinning/removing altered or “unwanted layers” of materials without damaging or altering the physicochemical properties of the surfaces to be preserved. The cleaning of unvarnished paintings is one of the most critical issues that are currently discussed. Several studies exist regarding different cleaning tools, such as gels, soaps, enzymes, ionic liquids, and foams, as well as various dry methods and lasers, but only a few have been performed on the risk associated with the use of water and organic solvents for the cleaning treatments in relation to the original paint binder. The aim of the study is to verify analytically the behavior of water gelling agents during cleaning treatments and the interaction of the following elements: water or organic solvents applied for the removal of gel residues with the original lipid paint binder. For this purpose, the study was conducted on a fragment of canvas painting (sixteenth to seventeenth century) of Soprintendenza per i Beni Storici, Artistici ed Etnoantropologici del Friuli Venezia Giulia (Superintendence for the Historical, Artistic and Ethno-anthropological Heritage of Friuli Venezia Giulia), Udine by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and scanning electron microscopy.     

A review of plant–pharmaceutical interactions: from uptake and effects in crop plants to phytoremediation in constructed wetlands

Pharmaceuticals are commonly found both in the aquatic and the agricultural environments as a consequence of the human activities and associated discharge of wastewater effluents to the environment. The utilization of treated effluent for crop irrigation, along with land application of manure and biosolids, accelerates the introduction of these compounds into arable lands and crops. Despite the low concentrations of pharmaceuticals usually found, the continuous introduction into the environment from different pathways makes them ‘pseudo-persistent’. Several reviews have been published regarding the potential impact of veterinary and human pharmaceuticals on arable land. However, plant uptake as well as phytotoxicity data are scarcely studied. Simultaneously, phytoremediation as a tool for pharmaceutical removal from soils, sediments and water is starting to be researched, with promising results. This review gives an in-depth overview of the phytotoxicity of pharmaceuticals, their uptake and their removal by plants. The aim of the current work was to map the present knowledge concerning pharmaceutical interactions with plants in terms of uptake and the use of plant-based systems for phytoremediation purposes.