Elevated level of arsenic negatively influences nifH gene expression of isolated soil bacteria in culture condition as well as soil system

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Comprehensive studies on the effect of arsenic (As) on free-living diazotrophs that play a crucial role in soil fertility by nitrogen fixation are still...     

Characterization and tropical seasonal variation of leachate: Results from landfill lysimeter studied

This study aims to characterize the leachate and to investigate the tropical climatic influence on leachate characteristics of lysimeter studies under different seasonal variations at KUET campus, Bangladesh. Three different situations of landfill were considered here as well as both the open dump lysimeter-A having a base liner and sanitary landfill lysimeter-B and C at two different types of cap liner were simulated. The leachate characteristics, leachate generation and climatic influence parameter had been continually monitored since June 2008 to May 2010, these periods cover both the dry and rainy season. The leachate generation had followed the rainfall pattern and the open dump lysimeter-A without top cover was recorded to have highest leachate generation. Moreover, the open dump lysimeter-A had lower total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonia nitrogen (NH(4)-N) and TKN load, while both the COD concentration and load was higher compared with sanitary landfill lysimeter-B and C. In addition, sanitary landfill lysimeter-B, not only had lowest leachate generation, but also produces reasonable low COD concentration and load compared with open dump lysimeter-A. Result reveals that lysimeter operational mode had direct effect on leachate quality. Finally, it can be concluded that the knowledge of leachate quality will be useful in planning and providing remedial measures of proper liner system in sanitary landfill design and leachate treatment.     

Developing the first halophytic turfgrasses for the urban landscape from native Arabian desert grass

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Climate change is occurring and is influencing biological systems through augmented temperatures, more inconstant precipitation, and rising CO2 in the...     

Characterization and adsorption capacity of modified 3D porous aerogel from grapefruit peels for removal of oils and organic solvents

With the rapid industrialization, especially offshore oil exploitation, frequent leakage incidents of oils/organic solvents have adversely affected ecological systems and environmental resources. Therefore, great interest has been shown in developing new materials to eliminate these organic pollutants, which have become worldwide problems. In this study, a cost-effective, environmentally friendly porous aerogel with three-dimensional (3D) structure was prepared from grapefruit peel by a facile hydrothermal method as the adsorbent of oils/organic solvents. The as-prepared modified grapefruit peel aerogel (M-GPA) showed mesoporous structure with high specific surface area of 36.42 m²/g and large pore volume of 0.0371 cm³/g. The excellent hydrophobicity of M-GPA with a water contact angle of 141.2° indicated a strong potential for adsorption of oils and organic solvents. The high adsorption capacity of M-GPA for a series of oils and organic solvents was 8 to 52 times as much as its own weight. Moreover, the M-GPA was easily regenerated and a high adsorption capacity recovery above 97% was maintained after five adsorption–regeneration cycles. Therefore, the M-GPA is a promising recyclable adsorbent for the removal of oils/organic solvents from polluted water.

     

Tracking Cholera in Coastal Regions Using Satellite Observations1

Jutla, Antarpreet S., Ali S. Akanda, and Shafiqul Islam, 2010. Tracking Cholera in Coastal Regions Using Satellite Observations. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(4): 651-662. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00448.x Abstract: Cholera remains a significant health threat across the globe. The pattern and magnitude of the seven global pandemics suggest that cholera outbreaks primarily originate in coastal regions and then spread inland through secondary means. Cholera bacteria show strong association with plankton abundance in coastal ecosystems. This review study investigates the relationship(s) between cholera incidence and coastal processes and explores utility of using remote sensing data to track coastal plankton blooms, using chlorophyll as a surrogate variable for plankton abundance, and subsequent cholera outbreaks. Most studies over the last several decades have primarily focused on the microbiological and epidemiological understanding of cholera outbreaks. Accurate identification and mechanistic understanding of large scale climatic, geophysical, and oceanic processes governing cholera-chlorophyll relationship is important for developing cholera prediction models. Development of a holistic understanding of these processes requires long and reliable chlorophyll datasets, which are beginning to be available through satellites. We have presented a schematic pathway and a modeling framework that relate cholera with various hydroclimatic and oceanic variables for understanding disease dynamics using the latest advances in remote sensing. Satellite data, with its unprecedented spatial and temporal coverage, have potentials to monitor coastal processes and track cholera outbreaks in endemic regions.     

Multiwell Technique of Saline and Nonsaline Groundwater Pumping from Coastal Aquifers

In this article, the authors explore their recent study, which introduces the concept of extracting saline water and fresh water simultaneously from groundwater aquifers to produce water that is suitable for irrigation. To achieve these results, multiwell modeling concepts are used to exploit both the saline and nonsaline aquifer domains from geologic formations where a freshwater aquifer domain is either underlain or overlain by a saline aquifer domain. The water from these domains are either mixed to an acceptable salinity level after independent withdrawal from separate, saline or nonsaline domains present within the same aquifer, or mixed from the domains to achieve acceptable levels of salinity before withdrawal.     

Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of Guaribas river water (Piauí, Brazil), influenced by anthropogenic action

In general, tropical rivers have a great impact on human activities. Bioaccumulation of toxins is a worldwide problem nowadays and has been, historically, overlooked by the supervisory authorities. This study evaluated cytogenotoxic effects of Guaribas river (a Brazilian river) water during dry and rainy seasons of 2014 by using the Allium cepa test system. The toxicogenetic variables, including root growth, mitotic index, and chromosomal aberrations, were analyzed in meristematic cells of A. cepa exposed to water samples taken from the up-, within, and downstream of the city Picos (state: Piauí). The physical-chemical parameters were also analyzed to explain water quality and possible anthropogenic action. Additionally, the presence of heavy metals was also analyzed to explain water quality and possible damaging effects on eukaryotic cells. The results suggest that the river water exerted cytotoxic, mutagenic, and genotoxic effects, regardless of the seasons. In addition, Guaribas river presented physico-chemical values outside the Brazilian laws, which can be a characteristic of human pollution (domestic sewage, industrial, and local agriculture). The genetic damage was positively correlated with higher levels of heavy metals. The pollution of the Guaribas river water may link to the chemical contamination, including the action of heavy metals and their impacts on genetic instability in the aquatic ecosystem. In conclusion, necessary steps should be taken into account for further toxicogenetic studies of the Guaribas river water, as it has an influence in human health of the same region of Brazil.     

One-dimensional model for biogeochemical interactions and permeability reduction in soils during leachate permeation

This paper uses the findings from a column study to develop a reactive model for exploring the interactions occurring in leachate-contaminated soils. The changes occurring in the concentrations of acetic acid, sulphate, suspended and attached biomass, Fe(II), Mn(II), calcium, carbonate ions, and pH in the column are assessed. The mathematical model considers geochemical equilibrium, kinetic biodegradation, precipitation-dissolution reactions, bacterial and substrate transport, and permeability reduction arising from bacterial growth and gas production. A two-step sequential operator splitting method is used to solve the coupled transport and biogeochemical reaction equations. The model gives satisfactory fits to experimental data and the simulations show that the transport of metals in soil is controlled by multiple competing biotic and abiotic reactions. These findings suggest that bioaccumulation and gas formation, compared to chemical precipitation, have a larger influence on hydraulic conductivity reduction.     

Hydrocarbon and elemental carbon signatures in a tropical wetland: biogeochemical evidence of forest fire and vegetation changes

Evidence of changing vegetation in the tropical wetland (Rawa Danau, west Java, Indonesia) over the past 7428 years is illustrated by elemental (soot) carbon (EC) and n-alkane composition of sedimentary geolipids. In this study, vegetation changes and relevant controlling factors (e.g. forest fire and climate change) were documented on a decadal to centennial scale. The n-alkane composition that changes with depth might record changes in sources of organic matter (OM) in the wetland. The presence of EC (0.01–0.24% of organic carbon: OC) during late (0–1700 cal. year BP) and mid (3500–4500 cal. year BP) Holocene (at depths 0–50 cm, and 160–210 cm) indicated that large-scale forest fires severely affected the tropical vegetation. The hydrocarbon indices (CPI: carbon preference index, MCN: mean carbon number, and HVI: hydrocarbon vegetation index) significantly correlated with one another while a comparison of EC profile with the profiles of hydrocarbon indices indicated that n-alkane composition of the geolipid in lake sediment could record signatures of changes in catchment vegetation. Forest fire and vegetation changes might be related to regional climatic shifts relating to ENSO activity as well as being influenced by human influences.