An insight into the influence of low dose irradiation pretreatment on the microbial decolouration and degradation of Reactive Red-120 dye

The influence of low dose irradiation pretreatment on the microbial decolouration and degradation of Reactive Red-120 (RR-120) dye was investigated in detail by using Pseudomonas sp. SUK1. About 27%, 56% and 66% decolouration of 150 ppm RR-120 dye solution was observed by applying 0, 0.5 and 1 kGy doses, respectively, in the first step followed by microbial treatment for 24 h under static condition. Similarly, about 70%, 88% and 90% TOC removal was observed by applying 0, 0.5 and 1 kGy doses, respectively, in the first step followed by the microbial treatment for 96 h under static condition. The radiation induced fragmented products of RR-120 at doses of 0.5 and 1 kGy were investigated by FTIR and electrospray ionization-MS analysis. The induction of the enzymes viz. laccase, tyrosinase, azoreductase and NADH-2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol reductase was studied in the decolourised solution obtained after irradiating 150 ppm RR-120 dye solution with 0 and 1 kGy doses followed by the microbial treatment for 96 h under static condition. The enzymatic degradation products were studied by FTIR, HPLC and GC–MS. The toxicity study of the treated dye solution on plants revealed the degradation of RR-120 into non-toxic products by combined radiation-microbial treatment. This study explores a reliable and promising way to use industrially viable dose (?1 kGy) and microbial strain viz. Pseudomonas sp. SUK1 for permissible safe disposal of dye solutions from textile industries.     

Phytoremediation potential of Petunia grandiflora Juss., an ornamental plant to degrade a disperse, disulfonated triphenylmethane textile dye Brilliant Blue G

Phytoremediation provides an ecofriendly alternative for the treatment of pollutants like textile dyes. The purpose of this study was to explore phytoremediation potential of Petunia grandiflora Juss. by using its wild as well as tissue-cultured plantlets to decolorize Brilliant Blue G (BBG) dye, a sample of dye mixture and a real textile effluent. In vitro cultures of P. grandiflora were obtained by seed culture method. The decolorization experiments were carried out using wild as well as tissue-cultured plants independently. The enzymatic analysis of the plant roots was performed before and after decolorization of BBG. Metabolites formed after dye degradation were analyzed using UV–vis spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Phytotoxicity studies were performed. Characterization of dye mixture and textile effluent was also studied. The wild and tissue-cultured plants of P. grandiflora showed the decolorized BBG up to 86 %. Significant increase in the activities of lignin peroxidase, laccase, NADH-2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol reductase, and tyrosinase was found in the roots of the plants. Three metabolites of BBG were identified as 3-{[ethyl(phenyl)amino]methyl}benzenesulfonic acid, 3-{[methyl (phenyl)amino]methyl}benzenesulfonic amino acid, and sodium-3-[(cyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-ylideneamino)methyl]benzenesulfonate. Textile effluent sample and a synthetic mixture of dyes were also decolorized by P. grandiflora. Phytotoxicity test revealed the nontoxic nature of metabolites. P. grandiflora showed the potential to decolorize and degrade BBG to nontoxic metabolites. The plant has efficiently treated a sample of dye mixture and textile effluent.     

Application of multivariate statistical techniques in hydrogeochemical studies—a case study: Brahmani–Koel River (India)

This study presents the usefulness of multivariate statistical techniques, such as correlation matrix, cluster analysis, and factor analysis, for the evaluation and interpretation of complex water quality data sets of Brahmani–Koel river along the Rourkela Industrial Complex, India, and the apportionment of pollution sources/factors. The correlation study suggests that dissolved heavy metals, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) are contributed by anthropogenic sources. The results of R-mode factor analyses revealed that anthropogenic contributions are responsible for increase in metals of the river water, which is mainly responsible for contamination of the river. It also reflected that the level of pollution in the river was very high. The factor score plot and loading plot have been drawn, which indicate that the polluted stations are identified by the heavy metals. The relationships among the stations are highlighted by cluster analysis, represented in dendograms to categorize different levels of contamination. An attempt has been made to study the degree of contamination of the river waters by using a tool like enrichment ratio (ER). The ER for heavy metal concentrations concluded that metals like Ni, Co, Cr, and Fe are showing high enrichment with respect to global background and metal ions like Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn show high enrichment with respect to local background.     

The latent structure of landscape perception: A mean and covariance structure modeling approach

Mean and covariance structure (MACS) modeling is used to explore a central question in contemporary environmental psychology: “How should human environments be conceptualized?”. Specifically, an expanded version of the preference model of landscape perception proposed by S. and R. Kaplan is presented. The proposed model not only constitutes a respecification and deepening of the Kaplans’ model but also presents an integrative perspective that simultaneously considers the interrelations among cognitive, motivational, affective, evaluative, and behavioral tendencies in landscape perception. In a series of four studies, we develop and validate multi-item measures of various constructs, test the measure invariances, and the structural model. The findings reveal the crucial role of various constructs that originally were hypothesized by the Kaplans but never included in the model tests. In addition, positive and negative feelings induced by the landscape emerge as antecedents to landscape perception. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

PFOS or PreFOS? Are perfluorooctane sulfonate precursors (PreFOS) important determinants of human and environmental perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) exposure?

The extent to which perfluorooctanesulfonate precursors (PreFOS) play a role in human or environmental exposure to perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) is not well characterized. The diversity of manufactured PreFOS and its degradation products (e.g. C(8)F(17)SO(2)R and C(8)F(17)SO(2)NR'R', where R is H or F, and R' and R' are various) has made it difficult to track their fate. Temporal trends of PFOS in both humans and wildlife are discrepant, thus it is difficult to predict future exposure, and hypotheses about the role of PreFOS have been raised. Although abiotic degradation of commercially important PreFOS materials requires further research, current data suggest that the yield of PFOS is negligible or minor. On the other hand, in vivo biotransformation of PreFOS yields PFOS as the major metabolite, and >32% yields have been observed. In Canadians, exposure to PreFOS was equivalent or greater than direct PFOS exposure prior to 2002. In most ocean water, PFOS is dominant to PreFOS, but in the oceans east of Greenland there may be more PreFOS than PFOS, consistent with the fact that whales and humans in this region also show evidence of substantial PreFOS exposure. Quantitative assessments of PFOS body-burdens coming from PreFOS are complicated by the fact that PreFOS partitions to the cellular fraction of blood, thus biomonitoring in serum under predicts PreFOS relative to PFOS. Many unknowns exist that prevent accurate modelling, thus analytical methods that can distinguish directly manufactured PFOS, from PFOS that has been biotransformed from PreFOS, should be applied in future human and environmental monitoring. Two new source tracking principles are presented and applied to human serum.     

Microbial dechlorination of chloroorganics and simultaneous decolorization of pulp–paper mill effluent by Pseudomonas putida MTCC 10510 augmentation

The physicochemical analyses of pulp-paper mill effluent revealed that it was dark brown with 1761?±?2.3 color PtCo units having slightly alkaline pH, high biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand values, and contained large quantities of organic and inorganic constituents, well above the prescribed standards. The bacterial growth, color reduction, and dechlorination were evident in all the four sets of experiments with different possible combinations of nutrient supplementation and Pseudomonas putida augmentation. A high degree of decolorization at 29.7% and 27.4% was observed by the effluent native microflora during 48 and 24 h, in unaugmented effluent supplemented with glucose + yeast extract and glucose + peptone, respectively. The extent of decolorization in glucose + yeast extract unaugmented effluent also corresponded with high degree of dechlorination (59.3%) during 60-h incubation (SET III). An appreciable level of growth, decolorization, and dechlorination was evident in nutrient unsupplemented P. putida augmented effluent as well as in the control natural effluent. However, a maximum level of growth response (OD 1.641-1.902) during 36-48 h, removal of color (39.72-48.2%) during 24-36 h, and chloride ions (80.1-83.5%) during 36 h was achieved in P. putida augmented effluent supplemented with glucose + yeast extract or peptone. Therefore, supplementation of effluent with glucose and yeast extract or peptone and concomitant augmentation with P. putida is required for efficient effluent decolorization and detoxification.     

Investigation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in old consumer products in India

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) used extensively over the past 3 decades as flame retardants in most types of polymers, all over the world, have been identified as global pollutants. PBDEs pose various health problems such as thyroid hormone disruption, permanent learning and memory impairment, behavioral changes, hearing deficits, delayed puberty onset, fetal malformations, and possibly cancer. Many measurements of PBDEs in various matrices from Sweden, Holland, Japan, the USA, and elsewhere have been reported, but few measurements are available for India. In this study, a preliminary screening of different congeners of PBDEs has been performed in different old electronic and consumer products with an objective to build capacity in order to analyze PBDEs and BFRs. Six different samples, foam from upholstery, motherboard of a computer, children toy composite sample, old vanishing window blind sample, electrical wire sample, and PVC flooring sample, were collected and analyzed for the presence of the following PBDE congeners: BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154, BDE-183, and BDE-209. It was found that three out of six samples were positive for the presence of PBDEs. Three congeners were detected in the samples, i.e., BDE-47, BDE-153, and BDE-209, of which, highest concentration was of BDE-209. Among the samples, motherboard of computer showed the highest concentration of BDE-209 followed by window blind and foam from upholstery. The results of this preliminary investigation indicate that PBDEs are still present in the old consumer products which can be an important additional source of exposure to the population.     

Enhanced enzymatic removal of anthracene by the mangrove soil-derived fungus, Aspergillus sydowii BPOI

• A. sydowii strain bpo1 exhibited 99.8% anthracene degradation efficiency. • Four unique metabolic products were obtained after anthracene degradation. • Ligninolytic enzymes induction played vital roles in the removal of anthracene. • Laccase played a crucial role in comparison with other enzymes induced. The present study investigated the efficiency of Aspergillus sydowii strain bpo1 (GenBank Accession Number: MK373021) in the removal of anthracene (100 mg/L). Optimal degradation efficiency (98.7%) was observed at neutral pH, temperature (30℃), biomass weight (2 g) and salinity (0.2% w/v) within 72 h. The enzyme analyses revealed 131%, 107%, and 89% induction in laccase, lignin peroxidase, and manganese peroxidase respectively during anthracene degradation. Furthermore, the degradation efficiency (99.8%) and enzyme induction were significantly enhanced with the addition of 100 mg/L of citric acid and glucose to the culture. At varying anthracene concentrations (100–500 mg/L), the degradation rate constants (k₁) peaked with increasing concentration of anthracene while the half-life (t_1/2) decreases with increase in anthracene concentration. Goodness of fit (R² = 0.976 and 0.982) was observed when the experimental data were subjected to Langmuir and Temkin models respectively which affirmed the monolayer and heterogeneous nature exhibited by A. sydwoii cells during degradation. Four distinct metabolites; anthracene-1,8,9 (2H,8aH,9aH)-trione, 2,4a-dihydronaphthalene-1,5-dione, 1,3,3a,7a-tetrahydro-2-benzofuran-4,7-dione and 2-hydroxybenzoic acid was obtained through Gas Chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A. sydowii exhibited promising potentials in the removal of PAHs.     

Enhancing disaster management by mapping disaster proneness and preparedness

The focus of most disaster management programmes is to deploy resources-physical and human-from outside the disaster zone. This activity can produce a delay in disaster mitigation and recovery efforts, and a consequent loss of human lives and economic resources. It may be possible to expedite recovery and prevent loss of life by mapping out disaster proneness and the availability of resources in advance. This study proposes the development of two indices to do so. The Indian census data of 2001 is used to develop a methodology for creating one index on disaster proneness and one on resourcefulness for administrative units (tehsils). Findings reveal that tehsil residents face an elevated risk of disaster and that they are also grossly under-prepared for such events. The proposed indices can be used to map regional service provision facilities and to assist authorities in evaluating immediate, intermediate, and long-term disaster recovery needs and resource requirements.     

Charismatic leadership and follower effects

On the basis of the current theories of charismatic leadership, several possible follower effects were identified. It is hypothesized that followers of charismatic leaders could be distinguished by their greater reverence, trust, and satisfaction with their leader and by a heightened sense of collective identity, perceived group task performance, and feelings of empowerment. Using the Conger–Kanungo charismatic leadership scale and measures of the hypothesized follower effects, an empirical study was conducted on a sample of 252 managers using structural equation modelling. The results show a strong relationship between follower reverence and charismatic leadership. Follower trust and satisfaction, however, are mediated through leader reverence. Followers' sense of collective identity and perceived group task performance are affected by charismatic leadership. Feelings of empowerment are mediated through the followers' sense of collective identity and perceived group task performance. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.