Gamma irradiation of municipal sludge for safe disposal and agricultural use.

Gamma radiation was found to be an effective tool for hygienization of municipal wastewater sludge. The sludge received from the primary settling tank of a municipal wastewater treatment plant was gamma irradiated using a cobalt-60 source in a sludge hygienization research irradiator. The process parameters were adjusted to effectively eliminate coliform bacteria in the sludge and to prevent their regrowth. Irradiated sludge was found to be free of fecal coliform and could be directly disposed after drying in a landfill or used as manure. It could also be used as a medium for growth of Rhizobium sp for obtaining a bio-fertilizer.     

Decolorization of synthetic dyes using a copper complex with glucaric acid

Selected azo, acridine, triphenyl methane, anthraquinone and thiazine-based dyes were decolorized using a catalytic system consisting of Cu(II)/glucaric acid/H(2)O(2). More than 90% decolorization was obtained with 100 ppm Acridine Orange, Azure B, Chicago Sky Blue, Crystal Violet, Methyl Orange, Poly B-411, Reactive Black 5, Reactive Blue 2, and Remazol Brilliant Blue R within 24 h. Seventy to eighty percent decolorization was achieved within the first 6 h. The decolorizaton was not affected by pH. The involvement of hydroxyl radicals produced in the system in the decolorization of the dye molecules was confirmed by electron spin resonance study.     

Alumina-supported oxime for the degradation of sarin and diethylchlorophosphate

1-(4-Chlorophenyl))-N-hydroxymethanimine and cyclohexyl-N-hydroxymethanimine were synthesized and a well-established oxime, i.e., 2-[(hydroxyimino)methyl]-1-methylpyridinium chloride was purchased. Thereafter; all were loaded over Al₂O₃ using incipient wetness technique. The prepared systems were characterized using surface area analyzer, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer and thermogravimetric analyzer. Kinetics of the degradation of sarin (GB) and simulant, i.e. diethylchlorophosphate (DEClP) was studied over synthesized oxime impregnated Al₂O₃ and results were compared with well reported oxime impregnated Al₂O₃. Kinetics of reaction was found to be following the pseudo first order reaction kinetics. The order of reactivity of the prepared systems was found to be cyclohexyl-N-hydroxymethanimine/Al₂O₃ > 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-N-hydroxymethanimine/Al₂O₃ > 2-[(hydroxyimino)methyl]-1-methylpyridinium chloride/Al₂O₃ > Al₂O₃. From the reaction kinetics it was observed that the reaction with DEClP was faster than with GB. Cyclohexyl-N-hydroxymethanimine/Al₂O₃ was found to be the most reactive system with half-life of 0.94 and 15 h for DEClP and GB respectively.     

Seed maturity indices in Aisandra butyracea--a multipurpose tree species of lower Himalaya

Fruits of Aisandra butyracea (Roxb.) Lamb. were collected from two sites located at different altitudes in Kumaun Himalaya for analyzing the seed maturity in relation to various fruit and seed characters. The mean seed size (length x width) across the collection dates varied between 186.44 +/- 0.05 and 238.17 +/- 0.5 mm2 across both the elevations. The fruit colour changed from dark green in the beginning to pale yellow on the maturity. The range of seed moisture content (62.83 +/- 1.33 to 63.46 +/- 0.89%) coincided with maximum germination. The colour change and seed moisture content appear to be the major indicators of seed maturation in A. butyracea.     

Sustaining Asia's groundwater boom: An overview of issues and evidence

This article suggests that Asia’s groundwater socio‐ecology is at an impasse. Rapid growth in groundwater irrigation in South Asia and the North China plains during the period 1970–95 has been the main driver of the agrarian boom in these regions. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China account for the bulk of the world’s use of groundwater in agriculture. On the plus side, groundwater development has provided sustenance to agrarian economies and millions of rural livelihoods. On the downside, it has created chronic problems of resource depletion and quality deterioration. While problems of groundwater depletion, pollution and quality deterioration are indeed serious, so are the consequences of the degradation of the resource for those that have come to precariously depend upon groundwater irrigation. Three problems currently afflict groundwater use: depletion due to overdraft; water logging and salinization; and pollution due to agricultural, industrial and other human activity. The pathology of the decline in groundwater socio‐ecology reflects a remarkably similar pattern across regions. The critical issue for Asia now is: what might be done to sustain and revive these groundwater socio‐ecologies vital to the region’s economy? This article reviews a variety of techno‐institutional approaches. However, transposing lessons from the industrialized world uncritically in the Asian context may not work. A more nuanced understanding of the peculiarities of Asia’s groundwater socio‐ecology is needed.     

Developing biofuels industry in small economies: Policy experiences and lessons from the caribbean basin initiative

With increasing concerns about rising energy demand and cost, diminishing oil reserves, and climate change, Central American and Caribbean (CAC) nations have the opportunity to become producers of low-carbon sustainable biofuels for domestic consumption and foreign exchange earnings. While the region has a number of comparative advantages for developing a vibrant biofuels sector, including favorable climate and significant agricultural experience, the experience under the favorable Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) has exposed significant technical and non-technical barriers that must be overcome. Using information compiled through interviews with industry executives, government policy makers and civil society stakeholders, we provide a critical analysis of this experience focusing on non-technical barriers to investment. Survey results suggest that political uncertainty, poor regulatory frameworks, and lack of institutional commitment and business incentives are the main non-technical barriers. Having laid out the challenges, we propose potential policy positions to stimulate growth of the regional biofuels sector. Results point to the need to prioritize enhancing national legislation, developing risk prevention plans, creating supply and demand side incentives and increasing multilateral collaboration. While these findings are derived from the Caribbean Basin experience, they may also be applicable to small economies in other regions that are considering policies for biofuels industry development.     

Preparation of jet engine range fuel from biomass pyrolysis oil through hydrogenation and its comparison with aviation kerosene

The Bio-oil was produced from the pyrolysis of agricultural wastes (Eucalyptus sawdust) and discarded soybean frying oil. The temperature of the pyrolysis system was initiated at 28°C and increased to 850°C. Atmospheric distillation of crude bio-oil was performed and a fraction at a temperature range 160–240°C (pyrolysis oil) was separated and subjected to GC-MS, ¹H-NMR, TGA and FTIR analysis to identify the different properties and compounds present in pyrolysis oil. It was noticed that there was an abundance of oxygen and nitrogen containing compounds as well as other reactive species in pyrolysis oil. To reduce the amount of these species, the pyrolysis oil was subjected to hydrogenation in the presence of NiMo as a catalyst. After hydrogenation, the atmospheric distillation of hydrogenated bio-oil was performed and another fraction at temperature range 160–240°C (hydrogenated bio-oil) was separated and analyzed by the same techniques. It was noticed that during hydrogenation, more than 60% oxygenated and other reactive species were converted into hydrocarbons. Hydrogenated bio-oil showed very similar physico-chemical properties such as distillation curve, density, viscosity, freezing point, flash point, the presence of hydrocarbons and enthalpy of combustion as aviation kerosene also known as QAV-1.     

Gibberellic acid and urease inhibitor optimize nitrogen uptake and yield of maize at varying nitrogen levels under changing climate

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Worldwide, nitrogen (N) deficiency is the main yield limiting factor owing to its losses via leaching and volatilization. Urease inhibitors slow down...