Estimating fugitive bioaerosol releases from static compost windrows: feasibility of a portable wind tunnel approach

An assessment of the fugitive release of bioaerosols from static compost piles was conducted at a green waste composting facility in South East England; this representing the initial stage of a programme of research into the influence of process parameters on bioaerosol emission flux. Wind tunnel experiments conducted on the surface of static windrows generated specific bioaerosol emission rates (SBER2s) at ground level of between 13 and 22 x 10(3) cfu/m2/s for mesophilic actinomycetes and between 8 and 11 x 10(3)cfu/m2/s for Aspergillus fumigatus. Air dispersion modelling of these emissions using the SCREEN3 air dispersion model in area source term mode was used to generate source depletion curves downwind of the facility for comparative purposes.     

Methane emission from rice paddy soils, aerotolerance of methanogens and global thermal warming

In vitro methane emissions from different rice paddy soils and algal mats were studied under anoxic and atmospheric conditions. Methane production from rice paddy soils cultivating different strains of rice was found to be appreciable under anoxic conditions, but considerably reduced under atmospheric conditions, and dependent on rice cultivars (strains). A contradictory result was obtained with a Gobindabhog cultivated rice field (a strain of rice with aroma), where methane yield under anoxic was greater than that under atmospheric conditions. The results indicated aerotolerance of methanogens or the possible existence of microaerophilic methanogens. The results from algal mats corroborated these findings.Methane has been considered to be an important greenhouse gas contributing significantly to global thermal warming (GTW). Flooded rice paddy fields have been considered to be a most prominent source of abiogenic methane emission, though considerable uncertainty exists regarding the true estimates of methane emission. Factors affecting methane emission and its abatement have been examined. In spite of increasing methane emission, rice cultivation leads to enormous utilization of the green house gas carbon dioxide and release of oxygen to the atmosphere. Thus, the contribution of methane to GTW (from rice paddy cultivation) is more than compensated by carbon dioxide absorption.Appropriate steps have been suggested for the reduction of methane emissions, the most important of which is the restoration of methane sinks.     

Innovative application of facile single pot green synthesized CuO and CuO@APTES nanoparticles in nanopriming of Vigna radiata seeds

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Nanopriming is an emerging field of science which uses nanoparticles in solution to improve parameters of seed vigor. This leads to an initial...     

Integration of pen aquaculture into ecosystem-based enhancement of small-scale fisheries in a macrophyte dominated floodplain wetland of India

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The rapid degradation, overexploitation, and encroachment of floodplain wetlands have led to considerable decline in fish diversity and production...     

The impact of mucormycosis (black fungus) on SARS-CoV-2-infected patients: at a glance

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The emergence of various diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic made health workers more attentive, and one of the new pathogens is the black fungus...     

Dispersion of odour: a case study with a municipal solid waste landfill site in North London,United Kingdom

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are a potential source of offensive odours that can create annoyance within communities. Dispersion modelling was used to quantify the potential odour strength causing an impact on the community around a particular MSW landfill site north of the London area in the United Kingdom. The case studies were completed with the short-term mode of COMPLEX-I, software developed by the US-EPA. The year 1998 was chosen as a source of baseline data. It was observed that by 2004, when the landfill will progress towards the west and a big band of the area towards the north would be partly/fully restored, the maximum contribution of the new sources giving higher odour concentrations would be in the southwesterly regions away from the landfill. Concentrations as high as 25.0 ou(E)/m(3) were observed with 3 min averaging time in the southwesterly areas as compared to concentrations of 20.0 ou(E)/m(3) at 10 min averaging times. However, the percentage frequency of such critical events occurring would be low. All other surrounding farms and small villages would be exposed to the concentration of 3.0 ou(E)/m(3) on certain occasions. In the year 2008, the majority of the filling fronts would be filled with wastes with no contributions from the active and operational cells. The maximum odour concentration around the landfill site for 1 h averaging time would be approximately 3 ou(E)/m(3) about 1.0 km north and 500 m west of the landfill site. For 3 min averaging time, the stretch of 5 ou(E)/m(3) band would be up to 2.5 km towards the north of the landfill site. It is argued that further analysis of the model calculations considering effects of wind direction, frequency of wind direction, stability of the atmosphere, selected odour threshold, integration time of the model, etc. would form a basis for calculating the separation distances of the landfill site from the surrounding community.     

Water toxicants: a comprehension on their health concerns,detection, and remediation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Water is an essential moiety for the human use since a long time. Availability of good-quality water is very essential, as it is used in almost all...     

Assessing poverty and livelihood vulnerability of the fishing communities in the context of pollution of the Churni River,India

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The present study exhibits a critical outlook on the poverty and livelihood vulnerability of the fisherman community in the context of persistent...     

Pollution assessment and mapping of potentially toxic elements (PTE) distribution in urban wastewater fed natural wetland,Kolkata, India

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - East Kolkata Wetland (EKW) is one of the largest sewage-fed wetlands in the world, which support the livelihood of thousands of peoples. However, at...     

Comparing the environmental impacts of paracetamol dosage forms using life cycle assessment

Environment, Development and Sustainability - A medicine can be administered in varied dosage forms which are having different environmental impacts. Two dosage forms of paracetamol (tablet and...