Monitoring of Carbon Abatement in Forestry Projects — Case Study of Western Ghat Project

The forestry sector is being increasingly considered for abatement of greenhouse gases. A number of projects are likely to be implemented, particularly in tropical countries. It is essential to measure, record, and verify the carbon sequestered or emission avoided due to implementation of the forestry mitigation options. In this paper a set required parameters to be monitored for estimating carbon flows, monitoring methods, and institutional arrangements are presented along with a case study of the Western Ghat Forestry and Environment project. Monitoring carbon flows in forestry sector projects is different due to a long gestation period and location- or site-specific variations in various parameters, particularly rates of C sequestration and emission. Parameters to be monitored include C sequestration in vegetation and soil, rates of wood extraction, wood use related emission, litter, production, decomposition from litter, and soil. Methods include field vegetation monitoring, soil study, houschold and industry surveys, and laboratory investigation. Investigations, analysis, and report writing should be carried out using local educational institutions, NGOs, and consultaney firms. Verification could be taken care of by external agencies. Case studies of the Western Ghat Forestry and Environment project showed that less than 10% of the project budget may be adequate for intensive monitoring of carbon flows. The parameters to be monitored and methods required for any forestry mitigation project is nearly identical to that of any typical forest conservation or reforestation project.     

Genotoxic assessment and optimization of pressmud with the help of exotic earthworm Eisenia fetida

Genotoxicity of pressmud (PM) to Allium cepa was investigated to assess its toxic potential and to elucidate the effect of vermicomposting to reduce its toxicity. The PM produced as a waste by product of the sugar cane industry was mixed with cow dung (CD) at different ratios of 0:100 (V₀), 25:75 (V₂₅), 50:50 (V₅₀), 75:25 (V₇₅) and 100:0 (V₁₀₀) (PM:CD) on a dry weight basis for vermicomposting with Eisenia fetida. Different concentrations of 100 % PM sludge extract (10 %, 20 %, 40 %, 60 %, 80 % and 100 %) and negative control (distilled water) and positive control (maleic hydrazide) were analyzed with A. cepa assay to evaluate frequency of chromosomal aberrations before and after vermicomposting. Percent aberration was greatest (30.8 %) after exposure to 100 % PM extract after 6 h but was reduced to 20.3 % after vermicomposting. Exposure to the extract induced c-mitosis, delayed anaphase, laggards, stickiness and vagrant aberrations. Microscopic examination of root meristem exposed to PM sludge extract showed significant inhibition of mitotic index. Also, the mitotic index decreased with increase in concentration of PM sludge extract. After vermicomposting the mitotic index was increased. However, increasing percentages of PM significantly affected the growth and fecundity of the worms and maximum population size was reached in the 25:75 (PM:CD) feed mixture. Nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium, electrical conductivity (EC) and pH increased from initial feed mixture to the final products (i.e., vermicompost), while organic carbon, C/N ratio and potassium declined in all products of vermicomposting. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was recorded to identify the changes in texture with numerous surface irregularities and high porosity that proves to be good vermicompost manure. It could be concluded that vermicomposting could be an important tool to reduce the toxicity of PM as evidenced by the results of genotoxicity.     

Removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous system by ion-exchange and biosorption methods

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Pollution due to heavy metals is currently a serious problems affecting water bodies. The removal of heavy metals is of great concern due to their toxicity at...     

Crystalline hydrous ferric oxide: an adsorbent for chromium(VI)-contaminated industrial wastewater treatment.

Synthetic crystalline hydrous ferric oxide (CHFO) (particle size 0.14 to 0.29 mm) has been used systematically for adsorptive chromium(VI) removal from contaminated water. Batch experiments were performed as a function of pH, contact time, solute concentration, and regeneration of adsorbents. Column experiments were performed for breakthrough points in the presence and absence of other ions and treatment of industrial effluent. The optimum pH range was 2.0 to 4.0. The adsorption kinetic data could be described well by both second-order and pseudo-first-order models. The isotherm adsorption data at 30 +/- 2 degrees C obeyed the Langmuir model best. The monolayer adsorption capacity was 35.7 mg/g. Chromium(VI)-rich CHFO could be regenerated up to 89 +/- 1% with 2.0 M sodium hydroxide. Regenerated column reuse showed a decrease (10 to 12%) in breakthrough capacity. Finally, the CHFO- (dried at 300 degrees C) packed column was used for the recovery (98.5 +/- 1.0%) of chromium(VI) from contaminated industrial waste effluent of Hindustan Motor Limited (Hooghly, West Bengal, India).     

Characterization of saccharides and other organic compounds in fine particles and the use of saccharides to track primary biologically derived carbon sources

A total of 134 aerosol samples (d_p < 2.5 μm) were collected at one rural site and one urban site in Texas from November 2005 to July 2006 to investigate the different sources that contribute to the ambient levels of different compounds. In particular, saccharide compounds were studied as potential tracers to track aerosols of biologically derived origin. The ambient concentration, seasonal variation, and urban/rural comparison of major saccharides and other organic compounds including normal alkanes, hopanes, and carboxylic acids were determined and analyzed relative to characterizing sources of PM2.5. Saccharides, together with other known molecular markers, were analyzed by a positive matrix factorization model and eight source factors were isolated that provide meaningful interpretation of aerosol sources. Three isolated factors were characterized by the dominance of different saccharide compounds and were attributed to wood smoke, sucrose rich bio-aerosols, and fungal spore derived bio-aerosols. It was estimated that wood smoke and primary biologically derived carbon sources contributed 22% and 14% to the measured ambient PM2.5 mass at San Augustine and 16% and 5% to the measured ambient PM2.5 mass at Dallas. The relative PM contribution from other resolved sources were also calculated.     

Soil quality index as affected by different cropping systems in northwestern Himalayas

Soil quality assessment provides a tool for evaluating the sustainability of soils under different crop cafeterias. Our objective was to develop the soil quality index for evaluating the soil quality indicators under different cropping systems in northwest Himalaya-India. Composite soil samples were taken from the study area from different cropping systems which include T₁ (forest soil control), T₂ (rice-oilseed, lower belts), T₃ (rice-oilseed, higher belts), T₄ (rice-oats), T₅ (rice-fallow), T₆ (maize-oats), T₇ (maize-peas), T₈ (apple), T₉ (apple-beans), and T₁₀ (apple-maize). Physical, chemical, and biological soil indicators were determined, and it was found that soil enzyme activities involved in nutrient cycling were significantly higher in forest soils, which were reflected in higher levels of available pool of nutrients. Carbon stocks were found significantly higher in forest soil which was translated in improved soil physical condition. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to reduce multidimensionality of data followed by scoring by homothetic transformation of the selected indicators. Pearson’s interclass correlation was performed to avoid redundancy, and highly correlated variables were not retained. Inclusion of legumes in the apple orchard floor recorded highest soil quality rating across the treatments. Cereal-based cropping systems were found in lower soil quality rating; however, the incorporation of peas in the system improved soil health.     

Thermal and FT-IR Characterization of Gigantochloa levis and Gigantochloa scortechinii Bamboo, a Naturally Occurring Polymeric Composite

This research presents, thermal (TGA, Kinetics, DSC) analysis and FT-IR characterization of two bamboo species viz. Gigantochloa levis and Gigantochloa scortechinii at different position and locations (Internode and node). The internodes and nodes of Gigantochloa levis and Gigantochloa scortechinii exhibited similar thermal stability, observed up to 200 °C. The decomposition of cellulose and hemicelluloses component of the bamboo species occurred between 220 and 390 °C, while the degradation of lignin was observed above 400 °C. The kinetic studies revealed that Gigantochloa levis is more sensitive to degradation as compared to Gigantochloa scortechinii. The FT-IR studies were carried to assign the functional groups available at different positions and locations.     

Vermiremediation of dyeing sludge from textile mill with the help of exotic earthworm Eisenia fetida Savigny

The aim of present study was for the vermiremediation of dyeing sludge from textile mill into nutrient-rich vermicompost using earthworm Eisenia fetida. The dyeing sludge was mixed with cattle dung in different ratios, i.e., 0:100 (D₀), 25:75 (D₂₅), 50:50 (D₅₀), 75:25 (D₇₅), and 100:0 (D₁₀₀) with earthworms, and 0:100 (S₀), 25:75 (S₂₅), 50:50 (S₅₀), 75:25 (S₇₅), and 100:0 (S₁₀₀) without earthworms. Minimum mortality and maximum population build-up were observed in a 25:75 mixture. Nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium, and pH increased from the initial to the final products with earthworms, while electrical conductivity, C/N ratio, organic carbon, and potassium declined in all the feed mixtures. Vermicomposting with E. fetida was better for composting to change this sludge into nutrient-rich manure.     

Climate change impacts on critical international transportation assets of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS): the case of Jamaica and Saint Lucia

This contribution presents an assessment of the potential vulnerabilities to climate variability and change (CV & C) of the critical transportation infrastructure of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It focuses on potential operational disruptions and coastal inundation forced by CV & C on four coastal international airports and four seaports in Jamaica and Saint Lucia which are critical facilitators of international connectivity and socioeconomic development. Impact assessments have been carried out under climatic conditions forced by a 1.5 °C specific warming level (SWL) above pre-industrial levels, as well as for different emission scenarios and time periods in the twenty-first century. Disruptions and increasing costs due to, e.g., more frequent exceedance of high temperature thresholds that could impede transport operations are predicted, even under the 1.5 °C SWL, advocated by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and reflected as an aspirational goal in the Paris Climate Agreement. Dynamic modeling of the coastal inundation under different return periods of projected extreme sea levels (ESLs) indicates that the examined airports and seaports will face increasing coastal inundation during the century. Inundation is projected for the airport runways of some of the examined international airports and most of the seaports, even from the 100-year extreme sea level under 1.5 °C SWL. In the absence of effective technical adaptation measures, both operational disruptions and coastal inundation are projected to increasingly affect all examined assets over the course of the century.