Occurrence, finger printing and ecological risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Chenab River, Pakistan

Seventeen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were studied in surface waters (including particulate phase) from the Chenab River, Pakistan and ranged from 289-994 and 437-1290 ng l(-1) in summer and winter (2007-09), respectively. Concentrations for different ring-number PAHs followed the trend: 3-rings > 2-rings > 4-rings > 5-rings > 6-rings. The possible sources of PAHs are identified by calculating the indicative ratios; appropriating petrogenic sources of PAHs in urban and sub-urban regions with pyrogenic sources in agricultural region. Factor analysis based on principal component analysis identified the origins of PAHs from industrial activities, coal and trash burning in agricultural areas and municipal waste disposal from surrounding urban and sub-urban areas via open drains into the riverine ecosystem. Water quality guidelines and toxic equivalent factors highlighted the potential risk of low molecular weight PAHs to the aquatic life of the Chenab River. The flux estimated for PAHs contaminants from the Chenab River to the Indus River was >50 tons/year.     

Financial development,international trade,and environmental degradation: a nonlinear threshold model based on panel smooth transition regression

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Environmental degradation has severely affected the natural cycle of ecosystem. It’s high time now and humans should execute strategies...     

Dynamic interactive links among sustainable energy investment,air pollution,and sustainable development in regional China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This research investigates the dynamic interactive associations among sustainable investment in the energy sector, air pollution, and sustainable...     

A review on detection of heavy metals from aqueous media using nanomaterial-based sensors

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The extensive release of heavy metals into the natural water bodies has become globally prevalent from past few decades. Heavy metal toxicity is...     

An empirical investigation of nuclear energy and environmental pollution nexus in India: fresh evidence using NARDL approach

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Environmental pollution caused by carbon emissions is an emerging issue to study among researchers. The nexus between environmental pollution and...     

Nexus between green logistic operations and triple bottom line: evidence from infrastructure-led Chinese outward foreign direct investment in Belt and Road host countries

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The Belt and Road initiative (BRI) mainly relies on the traditional and underdeveloped logistical trade routes including the terrestrial and oceanic...     

Arsenic and lead in the indoor residential settings of different socio-economic status; assessment of human health risk via dust exposure

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In the present study, occurrence of arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) is reported in rural and urban household dust (floor and AC filter dust) of the Kingdom...     

Understanding the Local Socio-political Processes Affecting Conservation Management Outcomes in Corbett Tiger Reserve,India

Several measures have been recommended to guarantee a sustainable population of tigers: sufficient inviolate spaces for a viable population, sufficient prey populations, trained and skilled manpower to guard against poaching and intrusion, banning trade in tiger products to reduce poaching, and importantly, the political will to precipitate these recommendations into implementation. Of these, the creation of sufficient inviolate spaces (generally in the form of protected areas) has created the most issues with local resource-dependent communities, often resulting in significant challenges for tiger conservation policy and management. Very little empirical research has, however, been done to understand and contextualize the local-level socio-political interactions that may influence the efficacy of tiger conservation in India. In this paper, we present the results of exploratory research into the ways in which local-stakeholder groups affect the management of Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR). Using a combined grounded theory–case study research design, and the Institutional Analysis and Development framework for analysis, we identify the socio-political processes through which local-stakeholder groups are able to articulate their issues and elicit desirable actions from the management of CTR. Increasing our awareness of these processes can help inform the design and implementation of more effective tiger conservation management and policy strategies that have the potential to create more supportive coalitions of tiger conservation stakeholders at the local level.     

Samsum ant venom protects against carbon tetrachloride–induced acute spleen toxicity in vivo

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Many active molecules used in the development of new drugs are produced by ants. Present study assessed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties...     

Lignin and its effects on litter decomposition in forest ecosystems

Lignin is a major component of plant litter. In this review, we found lignin comprises a complex class of organic compounds whose concentration differs greatly both between and within plant species. There are many analytical methods for detecting the composition and structure of lignins. As lignins are enormously complex compounds, chemical assay is difficult and different methods vary with the results. Lignin plays a significant role in the carbon cycle, sequestering atmospheric carbon into the living tissues of woody perennial vegetation. It has also great effects on nitrogen dynamics of forest ecosystems as well as other ecological processes. Lignin is one of the most slowly decomposing components of dead vegetation, contributing a major fraction of the material that becomes humus as it decomposes. Lignin is highly correlated with decomposition of litter. Thus, there is evidence that the lignin concentration is a more influential factor than the other chemical concentrations, in determining the rate of leaf litter decomposition of different forest ecosystems. Although a great number of researchers have addressed lignin's role in litter decomposition, still there are many aspects of lignin biogeochemistry that are not known. This lack of information hinders complete amalgam of lignin effects on litter decomposition processes and dynamics of nutrient cycling.