Impact of Fly Ash from Coal-Fired Power Stations in Delhi, with Particular Reference to Metal Contamination

Indraprastha Power Station (IPP Stn) and Rajghat Power House (RPH), owned by Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking, are both coal-fired power stations located on Ring Road in New Delhi. Ash content of the coal used ranges between 38–47%. The ash is collected in electrostatic precipitators which have an efficiency of 99.3% (IPP station), and 99.7% (RPH). There are instances of major dust pollution around the power stations from fly ash dispersal. The main method of disposal of fly ash from the power stations is by mixing with water, the resultant slurry is pumped through pipes to ash disposal ponds. The supernatant from these ponds is discharged into River Yamuna. Field studies have revealed large quantities of fly ash being deposited into the river. Local populations of Eichhornia crassipes have reduced dramatically between 1987–1995, with a marked reduction in the year 1994–1995. Field studies, conducted in January, 1995 have investigated the impact of fly ash dispersal in the Delhi region with particular reference to metal contamination. Elemental concentrations for a range of elements are determined by ICP-AES in fly ash and top soils along four transects from the power stations up to a distance of 8 km. The effects of fly ash leachates from the ash settling ponds on the river are determined by analyzing river overbank soils and vegetation for their elemental contents. It is concluded that fly ash dispersal from the stacks are a source of alkali, alkaline-earth and to some extent heavy metals in soils in the vicinity of the power stations, and enrichment of elements in river overbank soils are a result of discharge of fly ash leachates from ash disposal ponds. However, the impact from both these sources of metal contamination is not large enough to give cause for concern. Marked reduction in populations of Eichhornia crassipes downstream of the river where it receives leachates from the ash disposal ponds are attributed to turbidity of the ash pond leachates and metal toxicity. Elemental enrichment in the floodplain soils, as a result of fly ash particle deposition during monsoons, may enhance the horticultural value of these soils as is shown by a healthy cultivated crop of Brassica juncea.     

Arsenic and sulfur nanoparticle synthesis mimicking environmental conditions of submarine shallow-water hydrothermal vents

Arsenic and sulfur mineralization is a natural phenomenon occurring in hydrothermal systems where parameters like temperature and organic matter(OM) can influence the mobilization of the toxic metalloid in marine environments. In the present study we analyze the influence of temperature and OM(particularly sulfur-containing additives) on As and S precipitation based on the recent discovery of As-rich nanoparticles in the hydrothermal system near the coast of the Greek island Milos. To this end, ...     

Oxidative treatment of simulated dyehouse effluent by uv and near-UV light assisted Fenton's reagent

UV/Fenton, near-UV-visible/Fenton, dark Fenton, and H₂O₂/UV reactions have been used to treat simulated dyehouse effluents representing wastewater from the textile dyeing and rinsing process. Experiments were carried out in a lab - scale photochemical reactor using concentrations of 0.5–25 mM H₂O₂, 0.04-0.5 mM Fe²⁺-ion and different dilutions of textile wastewater. To assess the extent of mineralization, decolourization kinetics and the effect of different fight sources on treatment efficiency, DOC, optical density at 254 nm and 600 nm wavelength and residual H₂O₂ concentrations were measured during the course of the advanced oxidation reactions. Comparative evaluation of the obtained results revealed that the decolourization rate increased with applied H₂O₂ and Fe²⁺-ion dose as well as the strength of the synthetic textile wastewater. The best results were obtained by the near - UV/visible/Fenton process with a decolourization rate constant of 1.57 min⁻¹, a UV_254nm reduction of 97% and a DOC removal of 41% at relatively low doses of the H₂O₂ oxidant and Fe²⁺-ion catalyst within 60 min treatment time.     

ROLE OF EROSION PROCESSES IN TRANSFER OF RADIONUCLIDES: RESULTS OF FIELD EXPERIMENTS1

ABSTRACT: An experimental one-year fieldwork has been conducted in the vicinity of the Chernobyl NPP, within an agricultural watershed, to study the transfer of radionuclides brought into the environment by the disaster of 1986. Presented are results of observation of the washout of ¹³⁷Cs from the runoff plot both in natural conditions and under artificial rainfalls. Beside traditional hydro-logical methods, new techniques were used allowing to consider microtopographical peculiarities of the runoff plot and their role in the redistribution of radionuclides. The estimate of the annual mass balance for the soil and the radionuclides within the runoff plot has shown that, regardless of significant areal variation of their concentration, the ¹³⁷Cs washout with the solid runoff resulted from artificial rainfalls amounts to some 1 percent of its reserves in the uppermost 5 cm of the topsoil. The same parameter for the natural runoff is lower by an order of magnitude. Both these factors of self-purification are about two times less than natural radioactive decay of ¹³⁷Cs.     

Microstructure of settlement-marks in the otoliths of tropical reef fishes

The morphology and ultrastructure of the otolith settlement-mark was examined in 44 tropical reef-fish species spanning nine families. A classification scheme based on similar otolith characteristics is presented. Three major categories are identified based on changes in increment width and optical qualities of the settlement-mark. Of the 44 species examined, 39 possessed “abrupt” settlement-marks (Type I) characterised by a rapid decrease in increment width (up to 50% reduction) over settlement. Type I settlement-marks were found in all nine families examined. The 39 species spanned the whole range of possible larval durations (Pomacentrus moluccensis, 15 d ± 0 SE; Naso hexacanthus, 91.2 d ± 2.97 SE). Four of the 44 species possessed “zonal” settlement-marks (Type II), featuring a band of increments that are wider than pre-settlement increments. Species in this category are the labrids Corisaygula, Thalassoma bifasciatum, T. lunare and an unidentified acanthurid (Acanthurus sp. 2). One species of acanthurid (N. brevirostris) possessed a “gradual” settlement-mark (Type III), manifest as a gradual decrease in increment width during the settlement period. A possible fourth type was identified from the literature. Gnatholepis thompsoni and Coryphopterus glaucofraenum possessed a settlement-mark with increment widths that increased post-settlement. Available data suggest a poor relationship between the structure of the settlement-mark and the magnitude of metamorphosis (previously reported as internal and external morphological change). Evidence suggests that the increment profile over early development and the increment transitions associated with the settlement event are taxon-specific and may enable late-larval stage fishes to be identified to species level. Received: 21 May 1997 / Accepted: 3 February 1999     

Heavy Metal Toxicity Responses of Two Willow (Salix) Varieties Grown Hydroponically: Development of a Tolerance Screening Test

The E.U. funded BIORENEW project is investigating bioremediation of industrially degraded land using biomass fuel crops, including willow. One of its goals is to develop a rapid screening test to assess the metal tolerance of large numbers of willow varieties. This should reflect how a plant will respond to heavy metals under various field conditions and in the long term. A preliminary experiment tested two varieties of contrasting ability to thrive in metal-contaminated soils. Trees were exposed to a metal cocktail in three different strengths of background solution. An appropriate strength solution (1/4 strength Hoaglands) was identified for differentiating variety performance, based on its effect on the biomass of plant fractions relative to control fractions. This is a response to heavy metals which can be quantified rapidly and simply. The relative performance of the varieties was comparable to their performance in field studies. This test will be used to assess the tolerance of further varieties.     

Biodegradation kinetics of surfactants in seawater.

In this paper, a general kinetic model for degradation processes of surfactants is proposed. The model equation is v = K2S2 + K1S + K0, where v is the substrate consumption rate in the biodegradation process, S is the surfactant concentration in the medium and K2, K1, and K0 are kinetic constants. From this general expression, different simplified equations can be obtained (where K0 = 0; K2 and K0 = 0; K2 = 0; K2 and K1 = 0), which are representative of the process for different operating conditions. This model was tested by measuring the degradation of two different surfactants (Sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, LAS; and Sodium dodecyl sulfate, DSNa) under two different temperatures (5 and 20 degrees C). Values predicted by the model are close to experimental data obtained.     

A COST‐BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF WATER QUALITY PROTECTION IN THE CATAWBA BASIN1

ABSTRACT: The primary objective of this study was to perform a cost‐benefit analysis of maintaining the current level of water quality in the Catawba River basin. Economic benefits were estimated using a stated preference survey method designed to value respondents' willingness to pay for a management plan to protect water quality in the Catawba basin over time. From the surveys conducted with 1,085 area residents, we calculated an annual mean willingness to pay of $139 for the management plan, or more than $75.4 million for all taxpayers in the area. Over the five‐year time horizon in which respondents were asked to pay for the management plan, this resulted in a total economic benefit of $340.1 million. The Watershed Analysis Risk Management Framework model was used to estimate the amount of management activities needed to protect the current level of water quality in the basin over time. Based on the model results, the total cost of the management plan was calculated to be $244.8 million over a ten‐year period. The resulting cost‐benefit analysis indicated that the potential benefits of this management plan would outweigh the costs by more than $95 million.     

Materials,fuels, upgrading,economy, and life cycle assessment of the pyrolysis of algal and lignocellulosic biomass: a review

Climate change issues are calling for advanced methods to produce materials and fuels in a carbon–neutral and circular way. For instance, biomass pyrolysis has been intensely investigated during the last years. Here we review the pyrolysis of algal and lignocellulosic biomass with focus on pyrolysis products and mechanisms, oil upgrading, combining pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion, economy, and life cycle assessment. Products include oil, gas, and biochar. Upgrading techniques comprise hot vapor filtration, solvent addition, emulsification, esterification and transesterification, hydrotreatment, steam reforming, and the use of supercritical fluids. We examined the economic viability in terms of profitability, internal rate of return, return on investment, carbon removal service, product pricing, and net present value. We also reviewed 20 recent studies of life cycle assessment. We found that the pyrolysis method highly influenced product yield, ranging from 9.07 to 40.59% for oil, from 10.1 to 41.25% for biochar, and from 11.93 to 28.16% for syngas. Feedstock type, pyrolytic temperature, heating rate, and reaction retention time were the main factors controlling the distribution of pyrolysis products. Pyrolysis mechanisms include bond breaking, cracking, polymerization and re-polymerization, and fragmentation. Biochar from residual forestry could sequester 2.74 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per ton biochar when applied to the soil and has thus the potential to remove 0.2–2.75 gigatons of atmospheric carbon dioxide annually. The generation of biochar and bio-oil from the pyrolysis process is estimated to be economically feasible.