Organochlorine pesticide contamination of ground water in the city of Hyderabad

Organochlorine pesticides are ubiquitous and persistent organic pollutants used widely throughout the world. Due to the extensive use in agriculture, organic environmental contaminants such as HCH, DDT along with other organochlorine pesticides are distributed globally by transport through air and water. The main aim of present study is to determine contamination levels of organochlorine pesticides in the ground water of Hyderabad City. Water samples were collected from 28 domestic well supplies of the city. For this study, random sampling technique was applied, all the samples were collected in high purity glass bottles and refrigerated at 4 degrees C until analysis. Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) is used for the extraction of organochlorine pesticide residues in water sample. The collected water samples were pre-filtered through a 0.45 microg glass fiber filter (Wattman GF/F) to remove particulate matter and were acidified with hydrochloric acid (6N) to pH 2.5. Methanol modifier (BDH, for pesticide residue analysis, 10 mL) was added to water sample for better extraction. SPE using pre-packed reversed phase octadecyl (C-18 bonded silica) contained in cartridges was used for sample preparation. Prior to the extraction, the C-18 bonded phase, which contains 500 mg of bonded phase, was washed with 20 mL methanol. The sample was mixed well and allowed to percolate through the cartridges with flow rate of 10-15 mL/min under vacuum. After sample extraction, suction continued for 15 min to dry the packing material and pesticides trapped in the C-18 bonded phases were eluted by passing 10 mL hexane and fraction was evaporated in a gentle steam of Nitrogen. In all samples pesticide residues were analyzed by GC (Chemito-8510) with Ni63 ECD detector. Helium was used as carrier gas and nitrogen was used as make up gas. The injection technique was split/split less. All the samples analyzed were found to be contaminated with four pesticides i.e. DDT, beta-Endosulfan, alpha-Endosulfan and Lindane. DDT was found to range between 0.15 and 0.19 microg L(-1), beta-Endosulfan ranges between 0.21 and 0.87 microg L(-1), alpha-Endosulfan ranges between 1.34 and 2.14 microg L(-1) and Lindane ranges between 0.68 and 1.38 microg L(-1) respectively. These concentrations of pesticides in the water samples were found to be above their respective Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) values for Humans.     

Source of radium in a well-water-augmented Florida lake

A study of the lake waters of Saddleback Lake, Florida was undertaken with the goal of determining the source of elevated radium activities in the lake. Four radium isotopes, (226)Ra, (228)Ra, (223)Ra and (224)Ra, were measured and activities of all the four radium isotopes were substantially greater in the well water used to augment the lake as compared to the lake waters. In the surface water, radium activities were highest close to the well used for augmentation in the initial sampling. Activities initially decreased with time after augmentation from the well ceased. The (223)Ra/(226)Ra activity ratio decreased during the first month of sampling and closely followed an exponential decay curve based on the (223)Ra decay constant. Trends in the activities and the (223)Ra/(226)Ra activity ratios support the conclusion that the well used to augment the lake was the dominant source of (223)Ra and (226)Ra to Saddleback Lake during this study. The (224)Ra/(226)Ra activity ratio did not follow the expected trend of exponential decay based on the (224)Ra decay constant. While the augmentation well supplied some (224)Ra, these results suggest that there must be an additional source of (224)Ra to the lake. The most likely additional source of (224)Ra appears to be the ingrowth of (224)Ra on the sediment within the lake from (228)Ra (via (228)Th).     

Carnivore-Caused Livestock Mortality in Trans-Himalaya

The loss of livestock to wild predators is an important livelihood concern among Trans-Himalayan pastoralists. Because of the remoteness and inaccessibility of the region, few studies have been carried out to quantify livestock depredation by wild predators. In the present study, we assessed the intensity of livestock depredation by snow leopard Uncia uncia, Tibetan wolf Canis lupus chanku, and Eurasian lynx Lynx l. isabellina in three villages, namely Gya, Rumtse, and Sasoma, within the proposed Gya-Miru Wildlife Sanctuary in Ladakh, India. The three villages reported losses of 295 animals to these carnivores during a period of 2.5 years ending in early 2003, which represents an annual loss rate of 2.9% of their livestock holdings. The Tibetan wolf was the most important predator, accounting for 60% of the total livestock loss because of predation, followed by snow leopard (38%) and lynx (2%). Domestic goat was the major victim (32%), followed by sheep (30%), yak (15%), and horse (13%). Wolves killed horses significantly more and goats less than would be expected from their relative abundance. Snow leopards also killed horses significantly more than expected, whereas they killed other livestock types in proportion to their abundance. The three villages combined incurred an estimated annual monetary loss of approximately $USD 12,120 amounting to approximately $USD 190/household/y. This relatively high total annual loss occurred primarily because of depredation of the most valuable livestock types such as yak and horse. Conservation actions should initially attempt to target decrease of predation on these large and valuable livestock species.     

Initiatives and outcomes of green supply chain management implementation by Chinese manufacturers

This paper aims to explore the green supply chain management (GSCM) initiatives (implementation) of various manufacturing industrial sectors in China and examine the links between GSCM initiatives and performance outcomes. We conducted a survey to collect data from four typical manufacturing industrial sectors in China, namely, power generating, chemical/petroleum, electrical/electronic and automobile, and received 171 valid organizational responses for data analysis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the data. The results are consistent with our prediction that the different manufacturing industry types display different levels of GSCM implementation and outcomes. We specifically found that the electrical/electronic industry has relatively higher levels of GSCM implementation and achieves better performance outcomes than the other three manufacturer types. Implications of the results are discussed and suggestions for further research on the implementation of GSCM are offered.     

Residential vapor‐intrusion evaluation: Long‐duration passive sampling vs. short‐duration active sampling

Sampling indoor air for potential vapor‐intrusion impacts using current standard 24‐hour sample collection methods may not adequately account for temporal variability and detect contamination best represented by long‐term sampling periods. Henry Schuver of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste stated at the September 2007 Air & Waste Management Association vapor‐intrusion conference that the US EPA may consider recommending longer‐term vapor sampling to achieve more accurate time‐weighted‐average detections. In November 2007, indoor air at four residences was sampled to measure trichloroethene (TCE) concentrations over short‐ and long‐duration intervals. A carefully designed investigation was conducted consisting of triplicate samplers for three different investigatory methods: dedicated 6‐liter Summa canisters (US EPA Method TO‐15), pump/sorbent tubes (US EPA Method TO‐17), and passive diffusion samplers (MDHS 80). The first two methods collected samples simultaneously for a 24‐hour period, and the third method collected samples for two weeks. Data collected using Methods TO‐15 (canisters) and TO‐17 (tubes) provided reliable short‐duration TCE concentrations that agree with prior 24‐hour sampling events in each of the residences; however, the passive diffusion samplers may provide a more representative time‐weighted measurement. The ratio of measured TCE concentrations between the canisters and tubes are consistent with previous results and as much as 28.0 μg/m³ were measured. A comparison of the sampling procedures, and findings of the three methods used in this study will be presented. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Real-time hydro-environmental modeling and visualization system for public engagement

Quantitative environmental impact assessment (EIA) provides a tool for decision makers and the public to understand issues relating to sustainable development. The use of advanced hydro-environmental modelling and visualization technology can help to provide an intuitive and interactive digital platform to better communicate EIA issues and thus promote continuous public involvement and stakeholder engagement. Such a platform must be based on a robust hydrodynamic model engine that provides seamless predictions from the near to far field. This lecture summarizes the key issues of impact assessment in urban coastal cities, and presents examples of impact assessment of several major sewage outfalls, including the Hong Kong Harbour Area Treatment Scheme. The predictions of a recently developed Distributed Entrainment Sink Approach (DESA) for dynamic coupling of the near and far fields are compared with alternative “actual source" approaches and field experiments. The conceptual elements of a real time water quality forecast and management system are outlined.     

Superfund cleanup: Designing containment remedies for recreational reuse

In July, 1999, EPA announced its Superfund Redevelopment Initiative, the Agency's effort to help communities bring Superfund sites back into productive use in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment. As part of the Superfund Redevelopment Initiative, the Agency is developing reuse design guides that provide technical information related to the design of remedies that safely support reuse. The design guides focus on the reuse of containment sites, and address such topics as settlement, gas control, irrigation, drainage, and operation and maintenance. Case studies of redeveloped sites are also presented in the guides. EPA is currently developing design guides that address the reuse of Superfund sites for commercial purposes, wildlife areas, parking lots, recreational sports fields, and golf courses. This article provides information on the first guide in the series‐the reuse of Superfund sites for recreational purposes.     

Evaluating CO2 reduction strategies in the US

We constructed a model to simulate emissions of CO₂ from electricity generation in the US and, using the model, we developed 20-year projections of emissions under various regulatory scenarios.     

Male mating bias and its potential reproductive consequence in the butterfly <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colias eurytheme</Emphasis>

Male mating biases may be a widespread feature of animal mating systems but the phenotypic consequences of these biases are often unclear, especially in species for which the operational sex ratio is strongly male-biased. In Colias butterflies, male choice is thought to be one of the factors responsible for maintaining a female-limited genetic color polymorphism, in which female wings appear either yellowish-orange or white (the “alba” variant). Previous studies have indicated that alba females of two montane Colias species mate fewer times during their lifetime, possibly as a partial consequence of this bias. Here we report the results of a field study of male mating behavior and female mating biology in Colias eurytheme, conducted under conditions of high (summer) and low (spring) population densities. Our data show that despite a substantial male bias in approaching alba vs yellowish-orange phenotypes [ratios of 0.08:1 (spring) and 0.28:1 (summer)], alba females did not contain, on average, fewer or smaller spermatophores. Not one of the 308 sampled females was virgin, but females of both phenotypes accumulated spermatophores with age, and tended to carry fewer, larger spermatophores in spring. These data suggest that significantly fewer (or lighter) spermatophores need not be an obligatory or simple consequence of a strong male bias in butterflies. We discuss these findings in light of the known, thermally and density-dependent complexities of alba reproductive biology and of the Colias mating system.