Potential effects on the marine environment of dredging of the Bonny channel in the Niger Delta

This study is an assessment of the possible effects of the dredging project on the water quality of the surrounding environment. Water quality data for the Bonny offshore river were collected. The parameters assessed were temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), nitrogen as nitrate, and phosphate. The concentrations of TDS, TSS, and nitrate far exceeded the permissible standard. There were significant differences between the dry and rainy season values of BOD5, TDS, TSS, nitrate, and phosphate. Also, the sediment physicochemical analysis indicated the presence of heavy metals such as Pb, Fe, Cd, Zn, Cr, and elements such as Ca, K, and Na. Following an assessment of the potential impact of the project using interaction matrix and checklist questionnaires, results showed that the major physicochemical parameters influenced by dredging are DO, TDS, TSS, heavy metals and calcium, potassium, and sodium. Mitigation measures for eliminating or reducing the negative impacts of dredging are presented.     

Study of electromagnetic radiation pollution in an Indian city

Electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell phone towers is a form of environmental pollution and is a new health hazard, especially to children and patients. The present studies were taken to estimate the microwave/RF pollution by measuring radiation power densities near schools and hospitals of Chandigarh city in India. The cell phone radiations were measured using a handheld portable power density meter TES 593 and specific absorption rates were estimated from the measured values. These values of electromagnetic radiation in the environment were compared with the levels at which biological system of humans and animals starts getting affected. The values were also compared with the international exposure limits set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The highest measured power density was 11.48?mW/m(2) which is 1,148% of the biological limit. The results indicated that the exposure levels in the city were below the ICNIRP limit, but much above the biological limit.     

Receptor model-based source apportionment of particulate pollution in Hyderabad, India

Air quality in Hyderabad, India, often exceeds the national ambient air quality standards, especially for particulate matter (PM), which, in 2010, averaged 82.2?±?24.6, 96.2?±?12.1, and 64.3?±?21.2 μg/m³ of PM₁₀, at commercial, industrial, and residential monitoring stations, respectively, exceeding the national ambient standard of 60 μg/m³. In 2005, following an ordinance passed by the Supreme Court of India, a source apportionment study was conducted to quantify source contributions to PM pollution in Hyderabad, using the chemical mass balance (version 8.2) receptor model for 180 ambient samples collected at three stations for PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 size fractions for three seasons. The receptor modeling results indicated that the PM₁₀ pollution is dominated by the direct vehicular exhaust and road dust (more than 60 %). PM_2.5 with higher propensity to enter the human respiratory tracks, has mixed sources of vehicle exhaust, industrial coal combustion, garbage burning, and secondary PM. In order to improve the air quality in the city, these findings demonstrate the need to control emissions from all known sources and particularly focus on the low-hanging fruits like road dust and waste burning, while the technological and institutional advancements in the transport and industrial sectors are bound to enhance efficiencies. Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board utilized these results to prepare an air pollution control action plan for the city.     

Assessment and monitoring of long-term forest cover changes in Odisha, India using remote sensing and GIS

Deforestation and fragmentation are important concerns in managing and conserving tropical forests and have global significance. In the Indian context, in the last one century, the forests have undergone significant changes due to several policies undertaken by government as well as increased population pressure. The present study has brought out spatiotemporal changes in forest cover and variation in forest type in the state of Odisha (Orissa), India, during the last 75 years period. The mapping for the period of 1924–1935, 1975, 1985, 1995 and 2010 indicates that the forest cover accounts for 81,785.6 km² (52.5 %), 56,661.1 km² (36.4 %), 51,642.3 km² (33.2 %), 49,773 km² (32 %) and 48,669.4 km² (31.3 %) of the study area, respectively. The study found the net forest cover decline as 40.5 % of the total forest and mean annual rate of deforestation as 0.69 %?year^?1 during 1935 to 2010. There is a decline in annual rate of deforestation during 1995 to 2010 which was estimated as 0.15 %. Forest type-wise quantitative loss of forest cover reveals large scale deforestation of dry deciduous forests. The landscape analysis shows that the number of forest patches (per 1,000) are 2.463 in 1935, 10.390 in 1975, 11.899 in 1985, 12.193 in 1995 and 15.102 in 2010, which indicates high anthropogenic pressure on the forests. The mean patch size (km²) of forest decreased from 33.2 in 1935 to 5.5 in 1975 and reached to 3.2 by 2010. The study demonstrated that monitoring of long term forest changes, quantitative loss of forest types and landscape metrics provides critical inputs for management of forest resources.     

Shoreline change analysis of Vedaranyam coast, Tamil Nadu, India

The coastal zone is one of the nation’s greatest environmental and economic assets. The present research aims at studying the shoreline changes along Vedaranyam coast using conventional and modern techniques including field sampling, remote sensing, and geographical information system (GIS). The study area was divided into three zones. Dynamic Land/Sea polygon analysis was performed to obtain the shore line changes at different time periods between 1930 and 2005. From the multidate shoreline maps, the rate of shoreline change was computed using linear regression rate and end point rate. Further, the shoreline was classified into eroding, accreting, and stable regions through GIS analysis. The eroding, accreting, and stable coastal stretch along Vedaranyam is observed as 18 %, 80.5 %, and 1.5 %, respectively. Net shoreline movement is seaward, i.e., the coast is progressive with an average rate of 5 m/year. A maximum shoreline displacement of 1.3 km towards the sea is observed near Point Calimere. During the Asian Tsunami 2004, the eastern part of the study area showed high erosion. Sediment transport paths derived from the grain size analysis of beach sediments collected during different seasons help to identify the major sediment source and sinks. Point Calimere acts as the major sink for sediments whereas Agastiyampalli and Kodiakkarai are found to be the major sources for the sediment supply along the Vedaranyam coast. Shoreline change study from field and satellite data using GIS analysis confirms that Vedaranyam coast is accreting in nature.     

Prediction of the solubility of zinc, copper, nickel, cadmium, and lead in metal-contaminated soils

Risk assessment of metal-contaminated soil depends on how precisely one can predict the solubility of metals in soils. Responses of plants and soil organisms to metal toxicity are explained by the variation in free metal ion activity in soil pore water. This study was undertaken to predict the free ion activity of Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, and Pb in metal-contaminated soil as a function of pH, soil organic carbon, and extractable metal content. For this purpose, 21 surface soil samples (0–15 cm) were collected from agricultural lands of various locations receiving sewage sludge and industrial effluents for a long period. One soil sample was also collected from agricultural land which has been under intensive cropping and receiving irrigation through tube well water. Soil samples were varied widely in respect of physicochemical properties including metal content. Total Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, and Pb in experimental soils were 2,015?±?3,373, 236?±?286, 103?±?192, 29.8?±?6.04, and 141?±?270 mg kg^?1, respectively. Free metal ion activity, viz., pZn²⁺, pCu²⁺, pNi²⁺, pCd²⁺, and pPb²⁺, as estimated by the Baker soil test was 9.37?±?1.89, 13.1?±?1.96, 12.8?±?1.89, 11.9?±?2.00, and 11.6?±?1.52, respectively. Free metal ion activity was predicted by pH-dependent Freundlich equation (solubility model) as a function of pH, organic carbon, and extractable metal. Results indicate that solubility model as a function of pH, Walkley–Black carbon (WBC), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-extractable metals could explain the variation in pZn²⁺, pCu²⁺, pNi²⁺, pCd²⁺, and pPb²⁺ to the extent of 59, 56, 46, 52, and 51 %, respectively. Predictability of the solubility model based on pH, KMnO₄-oxidizable carbon, and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-extractable or CaCl₂-extractable metal was inferior compared to that based on EDTA-extractable metals and WBC.     

Distribution of radionuclides in surface soils, Singhbhum Shear Zone, India and associated dose

Gamma emitters were estimated in surface soils from a mineralized zone in Eastern India using high purity Germanium detector-based high resolution gamma spectrometry system. Activities of ²³⁸U, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ²³⁵U, ²²⁷Th, ^234mPa, ²¹⁰Pb, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs were 79?±?50, 81?±?53, 65?±?23, 4?±?2, 5?±?4, 92?±?50, 97?±?45, 517?±?201, and 4?±?2 Bq/kg, respectively. Most radionuclides were observed to follow log-normal distribution. The correlation between physicochemical properties of the samples, like pH, organic matter content, particle size, and moisture content were also studied. Activity ratios of ²²⁶Ra/²³⁸U, ²¹⁰Pb/²²⁶Ra, and ²²⁷Th/²³⁵U indicated deviation from secular equilibrium in some samples. The associated annual effective dose ranged from 0.07 to 0.24 mSv and the mean was calculated to be 0.12?±?0.04 mSv for this region, indicating it to be one of normal natural background radiation.     

Simultaneous analysis of endosulfan, chlorpyrifos, and their metabolites in natural soil and water samples using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Analysis of endosulfan, chlorpyrifos, and their nonpolar metabolites in extracts from environmental aqueous and soil samples was performed using a gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) technique. Full-scan GC–MS analysis showed poor sensitivity for some of the metabolites (endodiol and endosulfan ether). A multisegment MS/MS method was developed and MS/MS parameter isolation time, excitation time, excitation voltage, and maximum excitation energy were optimized for chosen precursor ions to enhance selectivity and sensitivity of the analysis. The use of MS/MS with optimized parameters quantified analytes with significantly higher accuracy, and detection limits were lowered to ~1/6th compared with the full-scan method. Co-eluting compounds, chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos oxon, were also analyzed successfully in the MS/MS mode by choosing exclusive precursor ions. Analysis of soil and water phase samples from contaminated soil slurry bioreactors showed that the MS/MS method could provide more reliable estimates of these pesticide and metabolites (especially those present in low concentrations) by annulling interferences from soil organic matter.     

Suspended particulate matter estimates using optical and acoustic sensors: application in Nestos River plume (Thracian Sea,North Aegean Sea)

The present study investigates the use of combined methods of optical and acoustic sensors, in collaboration with direct in situ measurements, for the calibration and validation of a model transforming acoustic backscatter intensity series into suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration datasets. The model follows previously elaborated techniques, placing particular attention to the parameterization of the acoustic absorption index as a function of water physical properties. Results were obtained from the annual deployment (during 2007–2008) of an upward-facing acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) (307 kHz), equipped with a Wave Array, and an optical backscatter sensor (OBS), at the bottom of Thassos Passage near Nestos River plume (Thracian Sea, Northern Greece). The OBS was calibrated through linear regression, using 2007 and 2012 field sampling data, exhibiting an error of 13–14 % due to chlorophyll presence. The ADCP signal was calibrated through simultaneous measurements of backscatter intensity and turbidity profiles. Harmonic analysis on the model-produced SPM concentrations explained the tidal influence on their variability, especially during the summer. Empirical orthogonal functions analysis revealed the impact of waves and wave-induced currents on SPM variability. Finally, Nestos River sediment load was found uncorrelated to the SPM change in Thassos Passage, due to the dispersal and sediment deposition near the river mouth.