Doped graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) catalysts for efficient photodegradation of tetracycline antibiotics in aquatic environments

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Tetracyclines (TCs) antibiotics are very common and often used in both human and veterinary medicines. More than 75% of TCs are excreted in an active...     

Hydrogeochemical behavior of arsenic-enriched groundwater in the deltaic environment: comparison between two study sites in West Bengal, India

Groundwaters have been collected from deltaic areas of West Bengal (Chakdaha and Baruipur blocks) to record their hydrogeochemical characteristics, and to verify the mechanism of arsenic (As) release. The data reveals that shallow (<70 m) groundwaters in both areas are of Ca-Mg-HCO(3) type; however deeper (>70 m) groundwaters in Baruipur areas are slightly enriched with Na, Cl and SO(4), indicating possible saline water intrusion. The groundwater is anoxic (mean Eh: -124 and -131 mV) with high levels of As (mean: 116 and 293 mug/L), Fe (mean: 4.74 and 3.83 mg/L), PO(4) (mean: 3.73 and 3.21 mg/L) and Mn (mean: 0.37 and 0.49 mg/L), respectively for Chakdaha and Baruipur areas. The observed values of As and bicarbonate (mean: 409 and 499 mg/L) in the shallow aquifer are indicative of redox processes (e.g., oxidation of organic matter) favouring the release of As. Moreover, the presence of DOC in the shallow aquifer suggests that organic matter is young and reactive, and may actively engage in redox driven processes. Our study further confirms that both Fe- and Mn-reduction processes are the dominant mechanisms for As release in these groundwaters.     

Individual energetic state can prevail over social regulation of foraging in honeybees

The energetic state of an individual is a fundamental driver of its behavior. However, an individual in a eusocial group such as the honeybees is subject to the influence of both the individual and the colony energetic states. As these two states are normally coupled, it has led to the predominant view that behaviors, such as foraging, are dictated by the colony state acting through social regulatory mechanisms. Uncoupling the energetic state of an individual honeybee from its colony by feeding it with a non-nutritious sugar, we show that energetically stressed bees in a colony with full food stores do not consume this food to meet their energetic shortfall but instead compensate by first reducing their activity level and then by increasing their foraging rate. This suggests that foraging in eusocial groups is still partly under the regulatory control of the energetic state of the individual and supports the notion that regulatory mechanisms in solitary insects have been co-opted to drive altruistic behavior in eusocial insects. The observation that energetically stressed bees also experience higher mortality during foraging also suggests that energetic stress mediated by a variety of factors can be a common mechanism that underlies the recent observation of bees disappearing from their colonies. We also discuss how nutritional imbalance in a social insect individual can alter its behavior to influence colony life history.     

Employee reactions to corporate social responsibility: an organizational justice framework

We seek to bridge the macro concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) with micro research in organizational justice. A theoretical model is presented whereby employees' perceptions of CSR impact their subsequent emotions, attitudes, and behaviors, mediated by instrumental, relational, and deontic motives/needs, as well as moderated by organizations' social accounts. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Recycling/reuse of plastic waste as construction material for sustainable development: a review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The exponential rise in the production of plastic and the consequential surge in plastic waste have led the scientists and researchers look out for...     

Titanium nanoparticles attenuates arsenic toxicity by up-regulating expressions of defensive genes in Vigna radiata L

Arsenic(As)-toxicity is recognized as one of the major environmental problems,affecting productivity of crops worldwide,thereby threatening sustainable agriculture and food security.Progression in nanotechnology and its impacts have brought up concerns about the application of engineered nanoparticles(NPs) in various sectors of the economy,including the field of agronomy.Among various NPs,there has been a rising amount of interest regarding the effects of titanium NPs(TiNPs) on plants growth and development,and their fate of abiotic stress tolerance.Hence,the present study was aimed to assess the ameliorative potentialities of chemically and biologically/green synthesized TiNPs to alleviate As-induced toxic responses in Vigna radiata L.The results revealed that exposure to As hindered the growth indices(radicle length and biomass) and membrane integrity,while were improved with the application of chemical and green synthesized TiNPs.In addition,treatment of As provoked the accretion of reactive oxygen species(superoxide and hydrogen peroxide) and malondialdehyde(a lipid per oxidized product),but were diminished by the supplementation of chemical and green manufactured TiNPs.The experimental data also signified that exogenous application of chemical and green synthesized TiNPs conferred tolerance to As-induced oxidative injuries via perking-up the expressions of antioxidant genes and enzyme systems viz;superoxide dismutase and catalase.Therefore,the present study inferred that chemically and green synthesized TiNPs,particularly green manufactured,effectively mitigated the adverse impacts of As by augmenting antioxidant machinery,thereby proving its potentiality in the alleviation of As-toxicity,at least in Vignaradiata L.     

Optimal sizing of different configuration of photovoltaic,fuel cell,and biomass-based hybrid energy system

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The need for power is rising on a daily basis all across the world. Due to the finite supply of fossil fuels, it is critical to develop innovative...     

Pollution assessment and mapping of potentially toxic elements (PTE) distribution in urban wastewater fed natural wetland,Kolkata, India

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - East Kolkata Wetland (EKW) is one of the largest sewage-fed wetlands in the world, which support the livelihood of thousands of peoples. However, at...