Sustainable Water Purification and Energy Generation Over Crystalline Chitosan Grafted Polyaniline Composite

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - The present research demonstrates the design and development of a dual-compartment water purification proto-plant for microbial degradation of organic...     

Study of chromium immobilization behavior in unbound and concrete bound ferrochromium slag

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Disposal of ferrochromium slag, a major industrial solid waste generated during production of ferrochromium alloy has been a serious problem owing...     

Modeling and multi-objective optimization of commercial ethylene oxide reactor to strike a delicate balance between profit and negative environmental impact

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The present work emphasizes the development of a generic methodology that addresses the core issue of any running chemical plant, i.e., how to...     

In vivo and in vitro control activity of plant essential oils against three strains of Aspergillus niger

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Contamination of environment and food from the prevalent spores and mycotoxins of Aspergillus niger has led to several diseases in humans and other...     

Physicochemical characterization of hydroxyapatite and its application towards removal of nitrate from water

A laboratory study was conducted to investigate the efficiency of hydroxyapatite (HAP) towards removal of nitrate from synthetic nitrate solution. In the present research HAP synthesized from egg-shell was characterized using SEM, XRD, FTIR and TGA–DSC. The removal of nitrate was 96% under neutral conditions, using 0.3 g of adsorbent in 100 mL of nitrate solution having an initial concentration of 100 mg/L. An adsorption kinetic study revealed that the adsorption process followed first order kinetics. Adsorption data were fitted to a linearly transformed Langmuir isotherm with correlation coefficient (R²) > 0.98. Thermodynamic parameters were also calculated to study the effect of temperature on the removal process. In order to understand the adsorption type, equilibrium data were tested with the Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm. The process was rapid and equilibrium was established within the first 40 min.     

Comparative Toxicological Evaluation of Untreated and Treated Tannery Effluent with Nostoc Muscorum L. (Algal Assay) and Microtox Bioassay

The relative sensitivity of tannery effluent before and after treatment was compared by employing Nostoc muscorum and microtox assay in laboratory. The effect on chlorophyll, protein and biomass content of Nostoc muscorum was studied with the luminescent property inhibition of Photobacterium phosphorium and compared with algal bioassay. The results of microtox assay after 5, 15 and 30 min of exposure were compared with data obtained from algal bioassay. It was observed that the luminescent property of Photobacterium phosphorium in microtox assay as well as the chlorophyll content of Nostoc muscorum in algal assay were the most sensitive parameters in toxicity evaluation of tannery effluent. The microtox assay produced notably comparable EC50 values with that of algal bioassay. The microtox assay of toxicity showed that EC50 (%) in 30 min was 3.19 and 63.49 for untreated and treated tannery effluent, respectively while in algal bioassay the EC50 for chlorophyll was in between 0-2.5% and 100%, respectively, in untreated and treated effluent. More than 60% reduction of toxicity was noted in treated tannery effluent in both test system.     

Metal biomonitoring in water resources of Eastern Ghats,Koraput (Orissa), India by aquatic plants

Biomonitoring of toxic metals in the water resources used by indigenous tribal communities in Koraput district, Orissa, India was carried out under the National Technology Mission Project. Most of the water bodies catering for the day-to-day needs of the local inhabitants were found to contain high concentrations of Fe and Mn in addition to Cr, Cd, Pb and Cu. The water bodies supported by a great number of phytodiversity and the plants growing therein accumulated significantly high amounts of these toxic metals, submerged plants being more efficient than floating ones. The species like Chara corallina and Spirogyra spp. showed significant potential to magnify Cd and Pb in their tissue several times more than the concentrations in surrounding water. The levels of metals in the plants occurring at places where the metal content is very high could be used for indicating the status of water.NBRI Research Publication No. (437) NS.     

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.     

Bioccumulation and toxicity of Cu and Cd in Vallisneria spiralis (L.)

Accumulation of Cu and Cd by Vallisneria spiralis was studied under laboratory conditions. Plants showed ability to reduce 5 µg ml^–1 Cu background concentration to below 0.05 µg ml^–1 (m.p.l., WHO 1985) within 48 h. The Cd concentration of 1.0 µg ml^–1 was reduced to below m.p.l. (0.005 µg ml^–1) in 168 h. Cysteine synthesis was more under Cd stress condition. Both the metals were toxic to the plants at higher concentrations; more in the case of Cd.NBRI Rsearch Publication No. 417 (N.S.).     

Spatial variability and temporal changes in the trace metal content of soils: implications for mine restoration plan

Trace metals in soils may be inherited from the parent materials or added to the system due to anthropogenic activities. In proposed mining areas, trace metals become an integral part of the soil system. Usually, researchers undertake experiments on plant species selection (for the restoration plan) only after the termination of mining activities, i.e. without any pre-mining information about the soil-plant interactions. Though not shown in studies, it is clear that several recovery plans remain unsuccessful while carrying out restoration experiments. Therefore, we hypothesize that to restore the area effectively, it is imperative to consider the pre-mining scenario of metal levels in parent material as well as the vegetation ecology of the region. With these specifics, we examined the concentrations of trace metals in parent soils at three proposed bauxite locations in the Eastern Ghats, India, and compared them at a spatio-temporal scale. Vegetation quantification and other basic soil parameters accounted for establishing the connection between soil and plants. The study recorded significant spatial heterogeneity in trace metal concentrations and the role of vegetation on metal availability. Oxidation reduction potential (ORP), pH and cation exchange capacity (CEC) directly influenced metal content, and Cu and Ni were lithogenic in origin. It implies that for effective restoration plant species varies for each geological location.