Heavy metal contamination in the sediment and plants of the Sundarbans,India

Heavy metals are one of the hazardous contaminants in the total environment. The present study shows that the Sundarbans soil is contaminated with sludge and moderately contaminated with Cd and Co according to Contamination factor (CF), Enrichment factor (EF), Index of geo-accumulation (Igeo), and Ecological risk factor (ERF). The correlation, principle component analysis and factor analysis showed that Mn and Fe might have lithogenic origin whereas Cu, Pb, Co and Cd have anthropogenic inputs. The screening quick reference table (SQuiRT) shows that Cu and Cd may exert a possible toxic effect on the sediment dwelling biota. The phytoremediation study revealed that the endangered Heritiera fomes leaves can accumulate 80% of cadmium from the soil, which is highest based on this study as compared to other mangroves. The study also indicated that threatened date palm Phoenix paludosa leaves can accumulate 74% and 73% of Cu and Fe, respectively, from the soil. Now a day, there has been a spurt in mangrove plantations worldwide for the conservation of mangrove ecosystem using ecological engineering approaches. The present study is very much useful to choose a proper plant to decontaminate the soil from various heavy metal pollutants for effective management of mangrove wetlands.     

In vitro evaluation of the effect of dibutyl phthalate on electrogenic sodium-linked glucose transport in isolated rabbit ileum

Dibutyl phthalate, a known endocrine disruptor, is a commonly used plasticizer that influences the glucose homeostasis. The present study elucidates the effects of dibutyl phthalate (1 and 5 mmol/L) on electrogenic sodium-linked glucose transport in the isolated rabbit ileum with ‘Ussing chamber.’ Serosal addition of dibutyl phthalate has no effect on glucose-based electrogenic changes in short circuit current, and no effect of dibutyl phthalate is observed on ileal tissue conductance and catalase activity. However, mucosal addition of dibutyl phthalate in the presence of glucose shows a trend of decrease in short circuit current compared with the control. This indicates that dibutyl phthalate may have a deleterious effect on the electrogenic intestinal glucose transport.     

Impact of financial development and technological innovation on the volatility of green growth—evidence from China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - China’s green growth has shown a trend of fluctuation year by year. Simultaneously, Chinese local governments have pursued simple economic...     

Air pollution and child health: the impact of brick kiln pollution on children's cognitive abilities and physical health in Pakistan

Environment, Development and Sustainability - This study explores the adverse impact of air pollution, caused by emissions from brick kilns, on the children’s cognitive ability and physical...     

Self-perceived mental well-being amongst Malaysian dentists

Purpose. To assess Malaysian dentists’ perceptions of their mental well-being. Methods. A self-administered questionnaire was developed based on a conceptual framework of mental health and well-being model. Two aspects were assessed, namely the physiological (two domains) and the psychological (six domains). Participants were asked to rate their experiences of the aforementioned aspects using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from all the time to never. Results. The response rate was 81%. Most of the dentists (61.7%) perceived having positive mental well-being. Under the physiological aspect, most respondents reported that they were ‘generally happy’ (93.3%), but about 30% stated they were ‘stressed physically and emotionally’. Of the six domains under the psychological aspect, positive well-being was observed in the ‘sense of coherence’ and ‘behavioural stress’ domains. Participants who were above 40 years old, married and had children reported having a more positive mental well-being when compared with their counterparts. Conclusion. Overall, most Malaysian dentists perceived having a positive mental well-being. It is crucial, however, to closely monitor and initiate early interventions for those with negative symptoms to ensure the safe practice of dentistry.     

Nexus between IT capability and green intellectual capital on sustainable businesses: evidence from emerging economies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study aims to determine the moderating role of IT capability between green intellectual capital (GIC) and business sustainability in...     

Pb-induced changes in roots of two cultivated rice cultivars grown in lead-contaminated soil mediated by smoke

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Nowadays, public concerns regarding deleterious effect of lead (Pb) is on rise due to its abundance and toxic effect on plants and other living...     

A comparative decision-making model for sustainable end-of-life vehicle management alternative selection using AHP and extent analysis method on fuzzy AHP

Environmental protection and sustainable development are getting increasing attention in the automobile industries. Environmental consciousness has increased, and sustainability has become an important requirement for the management of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs). The proper management of ELVs can bring improved sustainability performance for any society or organisation. There are several alternative options for ELVs management such as reuse, repair, reconditioning, remanufacturing and recycling. Environmental legislation is forcing original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to manage their products at the end of their life cycle to reduce their potential environmental impact. An appropriate selection model for sustainable ELV management alternatives in the dynamic, competitive and regulatory environment can enable a firm to satisfy economic, environmental, social and technological requirements. This study proposes an integrated model to select the dimensions and criteria for evaluating sustainable alternatives for the proper management of ELVs. First, the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method is used to select the most important dimensions and criteria for sustainable alternative selection. Next, a hierarchy has been constructed to develop a systematic technique to solve the alternatives selection problem. An analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and extent analysis method on the fuzzy AHP (FEAHP) model have been used based on the hierarchy to evaluate the most suitable alternatives from the sustainability point of view. The strength of the proposed model is that it compares the results of both methods, the imprecision of experts’ opinions is considered in the evaluation process and the model is easy to use.     

Adsorption of Cr(VI) by NaOH-modified microporous activated carbons derived from the wastes of Amaranthus retroflexus,Magnolia soulangeana,and Tanacetum Vulgar L.: mechanism,isotherms, and kinetic studies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The study was designed to synthesize microporous activated carbons from the wastes of three medicinal herbs by NaOH as an activator followed by...     

Sustainable application of cochineal-based anthraquinone dye for the coloration of bio-mordanted silk fabric

Natural colors particularly animal-based colorants are employed in the field of cosmetics, food, and flavors and also gaining popularity in textiles, due to their soothing nature. In this study, the microwave-assisted extraction of colorant from cochineal insects for dyeing of bio-mordanted silk has been carried out. Acidic, methanolic, and acidified methanol solubilized media were used to extract the natural colorant from cochineal under microwave irradiation for 1–6 min. Bio-mordants have been employed at optimized conditions to make the process greener and sustainable. It is found that acid solubilized extract of pH 4, employed at 55 °C for 55 min containing 5 g/100 mL of Glauber’s salt as exhausting agent has given high color strength onto microwave-treated silk fabric. Suggested ISO standards for colorfastness have revealed that bio-mordants have given excellent color depth and excellent rating of fastness properties, compared with chemical mordants used. It is found that microwave treatment has not only improved the dyeing behavior of colorant extracted from cochineal in acid solubilized medium but also enhanced the color characteristics onto bio-mordanted silk fabric.