Central Composite Design Model to Study Swelling of GrA-cl-poly(AAm) hydrogel and Kinetic Investigation of Colloidal Suspension

In the present study, the flocculation behavior of crosslinked copolymer GrA-cl-poly(AAm) hydrogel has been studied for the removal of turbidity from waste water. Sodium borohydride has been used for the reduction of the Gum rosin acids by which it gets converted into rosin alcohols. The reduced Gum rosin alcohol was crosslinked by the use of MBA and copolymerized with acrylamide using KPS as a redox initiator. Synthesized sample was then optimized for reaction conditions like reaction time, reaction temperature and the amount of solvent, monomer concentration, initiator concentration and pH of the reaction medium in order to get maximum percentage swelling. Synthesized samples were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron of microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. Response surface methodology (RSM) based central composite design was used to study the effect of pH of swelling medium and temperature to maximize the percentage swelling. A statistical model (ANOVA) predicted pH 7.0 and temperature 40?°C as optimum operating conditions in order to get maximu swelling. GrA-cl-poly(AAm) hydrogel was found to be pH and temperature sensitive. Kaolin has been employed as a coagulant. The flocculation efficiency of the synthesized polymer was studied as a function of polymer dose, temperature and pH of the solution. GrA-cl-poly(AAm) observed to show maximum flocculation efficiency (95%) with 70mgL^?1 polymer dose in pH 5.0 at 30?°C. The adsorption capacity of malachite green dye removal (95%) was also studied with this synthesized polymer. The results validate that GrA-cl-poly(AAm) hydrogel has significant flocculation and dye removal properties and can be employed as an effective and low-cost material for removal of impurities from waste water.     

Assessment of arsenic content in soil,rice grains and groundwater and associated health risks in human population from Ropar wetland,India, and its vicinity

In the present study, potential health risks posed to human population from Ropar wetland and its vicinity, by consumption of inorganic arsenic (i-As) via arsenic contaminated rice grains and groundwater, were assessed. Total arsenic (t-As) in soil and rice grains were found in the range of 0.06–0.11 mg/kg and 0.03–0.33 mg/kg, respectively, on dry weight basis. Total arsenic in groundwater was in the range of 2.31–15.91 μg/L. i-As was calculated from t-As using relevant conversion factors. Rice plants were found to be arsenic accumulators as bioconcentration factor (BCF) was observed to be >1 in 75% of rice grain samples. Further, correlation analysis revealed that arsenic accumulation in rice grains decreased with increase in the electrical conductivity of soil. One-way ANOVA, cluster analysis and principal component analysis indicated that both geogenic and anthropogenic sources affected t-As in soil and groundwater. Hazard index and total cancer risk estimated for individuals from the study area were above the USEPA limits of 1.00 and 1.00 × 10^?6, respectively. Kruskal-Wallis H test indicated that groundwater intake posed significantly higher health risk than rice grain consumption (χ ²(1) = 17.280, p = 0.00003).     

Commensal in conflict: Livestock depredation patterns by free-ranging domestic dogs in the Upper Spiti Landscape,Himachal Pradesh,India

In human-populated landscapes worldwide, domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are the most abundant terrestrial carnivore. Although dogs have been used for the protection of livestock from wild carnivores, they have also been implicated as predators of livestock. We used a combination of methods (field surveys, interview surveys, and data from secondary sources) to examine the patterns and factors driving livestock depredation by free-ranging dogs, as well as economic losses to local communities in a Trans-Himalayan agro-pastoralist landscape in India. Our results show that livestock abundance was a better predictor of depredation in the villages than local dog abundance. Dogs mainly killed small-bodied livestock and sheep were the most selected prey. Dogs were responsible for the majority of livestock losses, with losses being comparable to that by snow leopards. This high level of conflict may disrupt community benefits from conservation programs and potentially undermine the conservation efforts in the region through a range of cascading effects.     

Seed pre-soaking with 24-epibrassinolide reduces the imidacloprid pesticide residues in green pods of Brassica juncea L.

The effect of 24-epibrassinolide seed soaking on imidacloprid residues in green pods and mature seeds of Brassica juncea L. plants was investigated. The activities of the antioxidative enzymes glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, ascorbate peroxidase and guaiacol peroxidase, and the content of glutathione were determined. Imidacloprid residues in green pods were analyzed and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, revealing that 24-epibrassinolide treatment resulted in a decrease of residues by almost 30%. In mature seeds, no pesticide residues were detected. Activities of all the antioxidative enzymes and glutathione content were found to be high in plants grown in soil amended with 300 mg imidacloprid kg^?1 soil, but pre-soaking with 100 nmol L^?1 24-epibrassinolide further enhanced the activities of all these enzymes and the glutathione content.     

A low-cost process for efficient hydrolysis of deoiled rice bran and ethanol production using an inhouse produced multi-enzyme preparation from Aspergillus niger P-19

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The study deals with the management of deoiled rice bran by converting it into ethanol using a multi-enzyme preparation produced in-house...     

Geospatial strategy for sustainable management of municipal solid waste for growing urban environment

This paper presents the implementation of a Geospatial approach for improving the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) disposal suitability site assessment in growing urban environment. The increasing trend of population growth and the absolute amounts of waste disposed of worldwide have increased substantially reflecting changes in consumption patterns, consequently worldwide. MSW is now a bigger problem than ever. Despite an increase in alternative techniques for disposing of waste, land-filling remains the primary means. In this context, the pressures and requirements placed on decision makers dealing with land-filling by government and society have increased, as they now have to make decisions taking into considerations environmental safety and economic practicality. The waste disposed by the municipal corporation in the Bhagalpur City (India) is thought to be different from the landfill waste where clearly scientific criterion for locating suitable disposal sites does not seem to exist. The location of disposal sites of Bhagalpur City represents the unconsciousness about the environmental and public health hazards arising from disposing of waste in improper location. Concerning about urban environment and health aspects of people, a good method of waste management and appropriate technologies needed for urban area of Bhagalpur city to improve this trend using Multi Criteria Geographical Information System and Remote Sensing for selection of suitable disposal sites. The purpose of GIS was to perform process to part restricted to highly suitable land followed by using chosen criteria. GIS modeling with overlay operation has been used to find the suitability site for MSW.     

Persistence and risk assessment of spiromesifen on tomato in India: a multilocational study

Supervised field trials were conducted at four different agro-climatic locations of India to evaluate the dissipation pattern and risk assessment of spiromesifen on tomato. Spiromesifen 240 SC was sprayed on tomato at 150 and 300 g a.i.?ha^?1. Samples of tomato fruits were drawn at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 days after treatment and soil at 15 days after treatment. Quantification of residues was done on gas chromatograph–mass spectrophotometer in selective ion monitoring mode in the mass range of 271–274 (m/z). The limit of quantification of the method was found to be 0.05 mg kg^?1, while the limit of determination was 0.015 mg kg^?1. Residues were found below the LOQ of 0.05 mg kg^?1 in 10 days at both the doses of application at all the locations. Spiromesifen dissipated with a half-life of 0.93–1.38 days at the recommended rate of application and 1.04–1.34 days at the double the rate of application. Residues of spiromesifen in soil were detectable level (<0.05 mg kg^?1) after 15 days of treatment. A preharvest interval (PHI) of 1 day has been recommended on tomato on the basis of data generated under All India Network Project on Pesticide Residues. Spiromesifen 240 SC has been registered for its use on tomato by Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. The maximum residue limit (MRL) of spiromesifen on tomato has been fixed by Food Safety Standard Authority of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India as 0.3 μg/g after its risk assessment.     

Persistence behaviour of imidacloprid and its metabolites in soil under sugarcane

The persistence and metabolism of imidacloprid in soil under sugarcane were studied following application of imidacloprid at 20 and 80 g active ingredient (a.i.) ha^?1. Soil samples were collected at different time intervals (7, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 days after application), and the residues of imidacloprid and its metabolites (6-chloronicotinic acid, nitrosimine, imidacloprid-NTG, olefin, urea and 5-hydroxy) were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. In soil, the total imidacloprid residues were mainly constituted by the parent compound followed by 6-chloronicotinic acid, nitrosimine and imidacloprid-NTG metabolites. Maximum residues of imidacloprid and its metabolites were 4.29 and 7.81 mg kg^?1 in soil samples collected 7 days after the application of imidacloprid at 20 and 80 g a.i. ha^?1, respectively. At both doses, these residues declined to below the detectable limit in soil after 90 days of application. Olefin, urea and 5-hydroxy metabolites were not detected in soil. Dissipation of total imidacloprid residues did not follow the first-order kinetics with a coefficient of determination value of 0.883 and 0.838 for the recommended dose and four times the recommended dose, respectively. The half-life (T _1/2) value of total imidacloprid was observed to be 10.64 and 10.10 days for the recommended dose and four times the recommended dose, respectively.     

Assessing the impact of irrigation treatments on thiram residual trends: Correspondence with numerical modelling and field-scale experiments

The present study was undertaken to study the trends of transport of thiram, a dithiocarbamate pesticide, at different time and depth in the fields under real field conditions for wheat crop. Numerical simulations were carried out by solving the coupled soil–water content movement and mass transport equations using HYDRUS- 1D. The supplementary data used for paramaterization of HYDRUS-1D comprise of irrigation treatments, climatic conditions, and soil characteristics. Results focus on the effects and influence of irrigation treatments on pesticide persistence and mobility. Modelling results were in good agreement with the experimentally determined thiram concentrations. Application of the model to measured field data of thiram movement indicates that the modelling approach can provide reliable and useful estimates of the mass flux of water and non-volatile pesticide in vadose zone. For policy-makers and planners, some regulation strategies are suggested for controlling inappropriate pesticide application under deficit irrigation or rain-fed conditions.     

Contamination of nitrate and fluoride in ground water along the Ganges Alluvial Plain of Kanpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India

Nitrate-N and Fluoride concentrations were analyzed in shallow and unconfined ground water aquifers of Kanpur district along the Ganges Alluvial Plain of Northern India. Kanpur district was divided into three zones namely, Bithore, Kanpur City and Beyond Jajmau and sampling was carried out three seasons (summer, monsoon and winter). The data set consisted of the results of water samples from around 99 India Mark II hand Pumps, which were analyzed for summer monsoon and winter seasons. In Bithore zone, 19% of the samples exceeded the BIS (Bureau of India Standards) limit 10.2 mg/l as nitrate-N and as high as 166 mg/l as nitrate-N was observed. 10% and 7% samples in Kanpur city and beyond Jajmau zone respectively, exceeded the BIS limit. The Frequency distribution histogram of nitrate-N revealed a skewed (non-normal) distribution. Both point and non-point sources contribute to the ground water contamination. Especially in Bithore zone, the point sources could be attributed to the animal wastes derived from cows and buffaloes and non point sources could be due to the extensive agricultural activity prevalent in that area. Fluoride concentration in most samples was within the BIS maximum permissible level of 1.5 mg/l. No significant seasonal variation in water quality parameters was observed.