A methodology for solid waste characterization based on diminishing marginal returns

A methodology is developed for estimating the number of waste sorts for characterizing solid wastes into categories based on diminishing minimum incremental information. Convergence in the square of the coefficient of variation with successive waste sorts is used to indicate cost-efficient termination of sampling at substantially reduced numbers of sorts in comparison with existing methodologies. These findings indicate that the numbers of waste sorts beyond that determined using the proposed methodology do not add substantial marginal gains in information and/or reduction in the confidence interval of the estimate. The methodology is demonstrated using waste composition analyses from the Greater Vancouver Regional District where 22 waste sorts are examined. The proposed methodology is simple, and the number of waste sorts can be estimated with a hand-held calculator and utilized in the field.     

Trajectory of an oil spill off Goa, eastern Arabian Sea: field observations and simulations

An oil spill occurred off Goa, west coast of India, on 23 March 2005 due to collision of two vessels. In general, fair weather with weak winds prevails along the west coast of India during March. In that case, the spill would have moved slowly and reached the coast. However, in 2005 when this event occurred, relatively stronger winds prevailed, and these winds forced the spill to move away from the coast. The spill trajectory was dominated by winds rather than currents. The MIKE21 Spill Analysis model was used to simulate the spill trajectory. The observed spill trajectory and the slick area were in agreement with the model simulations. The present study illustrates the importance of having pre-validated trajectories of spill scenarios for selecting eco-sensitive regions for preparedness and planning suitable response strategies whenever spill episodes occur.     

Longevity,calling effort,and metabolic rate in two populations of cricket

Intraspecific variation in a resting metabolic rate (RMR) is likely to be an important determinant of energetic-resource use and may influence the resources subsequently available for allocation to traits not directly associated with somatic maintenance. The influence of RMR on resource availability could be especially important for condition-dependent sexual traits, such as cricket calls, that are themselves energetically costly to produce. RMR may also be associated with longevity, either negatively because individuals with a high RMR burn resources faster and die young, or positively as individuals with high RMR are more able to accrue resources to fuel survival. Additionally, the associations between RMR and other characters may vary across populations if differential selection or drift shapes these traits. Here we tested for differences in RMR, body mass, calling effort, and longevity in two populations of cricket Gryllodes sigillatus and then evaluated the potential influence of RMR on calling and longevity. We find that RMR, calling effort, and longevity varied across populations, but mass did not. Controlling for population and mass, RMR was not significantly associated with calling effort, but was negatively associated with longevity. These findings suggest that male crickets that live fast die young.     

Innovative application of facile single pot green synthesized CuO and CuO@APTES nanoparticles in nanopriming of Vigna radiata seeds

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Nanopriming is an emerging field of science which uses nanoparticles in solution to improve parameters of seed vigor. This leads to an initial...     

Degradation of synthetic dyes using nanoparticles: a mini-review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The industrial revolution has marked a strong impact on financial upgradation of several countries, and increase in the industrial establishment...     

Experimental study and comparative analysis of modified solar paraboloidal dish–thermoelectric generator systems

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Solar energy is one of the major sources of renewable energy which contributes for environmental protection and pollution reduction. Methods and...     

Practical life cycle assessment through streamlining

Life cycle assessment (LCA) provides a concept, framework, and method to identify and evaluate the environmental burdens of products and processes. An ongoing concern of companies trying to implement LCA is the value of LCA in supporting actual decisions versus the resources and time needed to conduct a “full” LCA. In response to these concerns, there has been a lot of activity surrounding the “streamlining” of LCA to keep it more manageable yet provide useful and acceptably accurate results. This article explores the concept of streamlining, discusses where and how streamlining decisions can be made in an LCA, and presents issues related to conducting more streamlined LCAs. Due to the wide variety of purposes and scenarios in which LCAs are conducted, it is difficult to devise a one-size-fits-all method for streamlining. Instead, we have focused on presenting the streamlining options in the context of major decision points that are common to most LCAs.     

Developing an indicator set for measuring sustainable development in India

The global agenda of sustainable development (SD) will get a major boost from the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries. This requires effective planning and understanding of the SDGs at the national level and developing sound SDG indicators that account for country priorities. Currently, there is no formal SDG indicator set in India, but the process for it is underway. This paper has attempted to propose a unique technique for identifying the most representative indicator set for SD measurement in India based on the SDGs. Considering the needs and preferences of the country, a three‐stage process is proposed to develop the priority indicator set. The application of the approach has been presented for SDG 7, which relates to energy. This is supported with a background on India's SD progress. The proposed technique is simple yet effective, and can be easily replicated by other developing countries.