Simultaneous quantitative monitoring of four indicator contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) in different water sources of Central India using SPE/LC-(ESI)MS-MS

Environmental occurrence of CECs poses a great threat to both aquatic life and human health. The aim of this study was to optimize and validate SPE/LC-(ESI)MS-MS method for simultaneous quantitative monitoring of two sub-classes of CECs (pharmaceuticals and hormones) and to estimate the concentrations of select CECs in environmental water samples. For all the tested analytes, recoveries in laboratory reagent water were greater than 81%. Average percent (relative standard deviation) RSD of the analytes in recovery, repeatability, and reproducibility experiments were ≤?10%. Determination coefficients (r²) of primidone, diclofenac, testosterone, and progesterone were estimated to be 0.9979, 0.9972, 0.9968, and 0.9962, respectively. Limits of detection (LOD) for primidone, diclofenac, testosterone, and progesterone were 4.63 ng/L, 5.36 ng/L, 0.55 ng/L, and 0.88 ng/L, respectively. Limits of quantification (LOQ) for primidone, diclofenac, testosterone, and progesterone were 14.72 ng/L, 17.06 ng/L, 1.766 ng/L, and 2.813 ng/L, respectively. Average recoveries in environmental water and wastewater samples were greater than 74% and RSD were ≤?7%. Trace levels (68.33–125.70 ng/L) of primidone were detected in four environmental water samples, whereas diclofenac was not detected in any of the tested sample. Trace levels of progesterone were observed in two environmental samples (16.64 –203.73 ng/L), whereas testosterone was detected in STP inlet sample (178.16 ng/L).     

Performance evaluation of biodiesel from used domestic waste oils: A review

Global warming, high-energy demand and availability of new technologies are among the factors catalyzing the search for alternative sources of energy. Currently, there is renewed interest in obtaining energy from wastes hitherto meant for disposal. Increased costs of disposal and their attendant problems of heavy environmental loading are some aspects making the disposal option unattractive. These wastes are sources of energy and among the several sources of generating this energy are the waste-to-energy (WTE) categories with potentials for useable fuel production. The WTE materials are mainly used domestic waste oils (UDWOs), municipal solid waste (MSW), agricultural and industrial wastes. However, the latter wastes are not attractive as they consist of innumerable hazardous contaminants. The UDWOs are arguably a safe and cost effective source of useable fuel. Their conversion offers the merits of a reduction in greenhouse gas emission (GHG), enhancing fuel diversification and a qualitatively comparable energy output to fossil diesel fuels. Thus, UDWOs could significantly contribute towards achieving the 2020 and 2030 goals of substituting approximately 20% and 30% of petro-diesel with biofuels in US and EU, respectively. Moreover, attaining the forecasted annual production rate of 227 billion liters of biofuel by most active stakeholders in the biodiesel industry could be easily achieved.This review aims to analyze the performance of biodiesel fuels obtained from UDWO and to demonstrate the suitability of applying these fuels as substitutes to mineral diesel in various industries. Benefits of UDWO as a biodiesel feedstock were as well highlighted.     

Effect of heavy metals on earthworm activities during vermicomposting of municipal solid waste.

The effect of heavy metals on the activities of earthworm species Eudrillus eugineae was studied during vermicomposting of municipal solid waste (MSW) spiked with heavy metals. The activities of earthworms, in terms of growth and biomass production and number of cocoons produced, were monitored periodically, and the concentration of heavy metals in earthworms and substrates was determined at definite intervals. Laboratory-scale experiments were performed by mixing individual heavy metals in MSW. Copper, cadmium, chromium, lead, and zinc were selected for the study. The study concludes that heavy metals tend to accumulate in the body of earthworms; hence, the inherent concentration of heavy metals in the substrate before vermicomposting must be considered in view of composting of MSW and its application to soil. It was observed that copper and cadmium were toxic for the worms at 1.5 and 0.1 g/kg of the waste, respectively. The studies also suggest that earthworms are susceptible to the free form of heavy metals. Cadmium is the most toxic metal, followed by copper. Based on the investigation and observation, it was also found that earthworms should be separated from castings before the use of castings in soil amendments.     

Assessment of the impact of pesticide residues on microbiological and biochemical parameters of tea garden soils in India

The main aim of this study was to assess the impact of pesticidal residues on soil microbial and biochemical parameters of the tea garden soils. The microbial biomass carbon (MBC), basal (BSR) and substrate induced respirations (SIR), β -glucosidase activity and fluorescein diacetate hydrolyzing activity (FDHA) of six tea garden soils, along with two adjacent forest soils (control) in West Bengal, India were measured. The biomass and its activities and biochemical parameters were generally lower in the tea garden soils than the control soils. The MBC of the soils ranged from 295.5 to 767.5 μ g g^{? 1}. The BSR and SIR ranged from 1.65 to 3.08 μ g CO₂-C g^{? 1} soil h^{? 1} and 3.08 to 10.76 μ g CO₂-C g^{? 1}h^{? 1} respectively. The β -glucosidase and FDHA of the soils varied from 33.3 and 76.3 μ g para-nitrophenol g^{? 1} soil h^{? 1} and 60.5 to 173.5 μ g fluorescein g^{? 1}h^{? 1}respectively. The tea garden soils contained variable residues of organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides, which negatively affected the MBC, BSR, SIR, FDHA and β -glucosidase activity. Ethion and chlorpyriphos pesticide residues in all the tea garden soils varied from 5.00 to 527.8 ppb and 17.6 to 478.1 ppb respectively. The α endosulfan, β endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate pesticide residues in the tea garden soils ranged from 7.40 to 81.40 ppb, 8.50 to 256.1 ppb and 55 to 95.9 ppb respectively. Canonical correlation analysis shows that 93% of the total variation was associated with the negative impact of chlorpyriphos, β and α endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate on MBC, BSR and FDHA. At the same time ethion had negative impact on SIR and β -glucosidase. Data demonstrated that the pesticide residues had a strong impact on the microbial and biochemical components of soil quality.     

Enrichment and isolation of endosulfan degrading and detoxifying bacteria

In the present study, degradation of endosulfan by a mixed culture isolated from a pesticide-contaminated soil was studied in batch experiments. After two weeks of incubation, the mixed culture was able to degrade 73% and 81% of alpha and beta endosulfan respectively. Endodiol was identified by GC/MS as degradation intermediate. The toxicity studies of endosulfan before and after degradation were carried out using micronucleus assay on human polymorphonuclear cells. The findings suggested that the metabolism of endosulfan isomers by the mixed culture was accompanied by significant reduction in the toxicity. Studies were also carried out to quantify the degradation potential of the individual species in the mixed bacterial culture. Two cultures identified by 16S rRNA as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Rhodococcus erythropolis were found to be responsible for majority of the degradation by the mixed culture. S. maltophilia showed better degradation efficiency compared to that by R. erythropolis. This is the first report of endosulfan degradation using the above-mentioned organisms.     

L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase activities in submerged rice soil amended with municipal solid waste compost and decomposed cow manure

The field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) as a soil amendment on L-asparaginase (LA) and L-glutaminase (LG) activities. Experiments were conducted during the wet seasons of 1997, 1998 and 1999 on rice grown under a submerged condition, at the Agriculture Experimental Farm, Calcutta University at Baruipur, West Bengal, India. The treatments consisted of control, no input; MSWC, at 60 Kg N ha(- 1); well-decomposed cow manure (DCM), at 60 Kg N ha(- 1); MSWC (30 Kg N ha(- 1)) + Urea (U) (30 Kg N ha(- 1)); DCM (30 Kg N ha(- 1)) + U (30 Kg N ha(- 1)) and Fertilizer, (at 60:30:30 NPK kg ha(- 1)) through urea, single superphosphate and muriate of potash respectively). LA and LG activities alone and their ratio with organic-C (ratio index value, RIV), straw and grain yield were higher in DCM than MSWC-treated soils, due to higher amount of biogenic organic materials like water-soluble organic carbon, carbohydrate and mineralizable nitrogen in the former. The studied parameters were higher when urea was integrated with DCM or MSWC, compared to their single applications. The heavy metals in MSWC did not detrimentally influence the above-measured activities of soil. In the event of long term MSWC application, changes in soil quality parameters should be monitored regularly, since heavy metals once entering into soil persist over a long period.     

Effect of phytohormone pretreatment on metabolic changes in Vigna radiata under salt stress

Efficiency of pretreatment as foliar spray of indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid and kinetin (6-furfuryl aminopurine) each ranging from 10(-7) to 10(-5) M in restoring the metabolic alterations imposed by NaCl salinity (E.C. value 4.0 m mhos/cm) was investigated in Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek. Application of NaCl resulted in about 7% and 9% decrease in phenol content in mung bean leaf and root respectively. In leaf, NaCl caused 40% increase in polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity over the control set. This effect was accentuated in root, where salinity caused 200% increase in the enzyme activity. In leaf and root of mung-bean plant, ascorbic acid content decreased about 29% and 31% respectively under salinity stress as compared with control. Ascorbic acid oxidase enzyme activity increased under stress by about 55% and 23% respectively in leaf and root. It was noted that all the three growth regulators used in the present study were able to overcome to variable extents the adverse effects of stress imposed by NaCl solution.     

Effect of kinetin on leaf protein content and its profile in mung bean under salt stress

Application of NaCl resulted in about 67% reduction in amino acid content and 24% reduction in buffer soluble protein content in mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek.] leaf as compared with the control. Gel electrophoretic profile of buffer soluble protein content in leaf of mung bean showed an extra band in between 29 kD and 45 kD in stress protein profile as compared with control. It was noted that the foliar spray of kinetin (6-furfuryl aminopurine) used in the present study was able to overcome up to certain extent the adverse effects of stress caused by NaCl.