Hydrochemical characterization and pollution assessment of groundwater in Jammu Siwaliks,India

Physico-chemical groundwater (GW) parameters were evaluated to understand the hydrogeochemical processes in the Siwalik plains of Jammu and Kashmir, India. During the 2012–2013 post-monsoon (POM) and pre-monsoon (PRM) seasons, GW samples (n = 207) from deep bore wells and shallow open wells were chemically analysed. Cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺ and Fe²⁺) and anions (HCO₃ ^?, Cl^?, SO₄ ^2? and F^?) showed a wide spatio-temporal variation. Results suggest that weathering and dissolution of carbonates and silicate rocks is the main source of water mineralization. The major hydrochemical facies is characterized by Ca-Mg-HCO₃ and Ca-HCO₃ during the PRM and POM seasons respectively. The presence of sulphate-bearing water in a large number of the samples indicates a significant role of gypsum dissolution and anthropogenic contamination of the GW. Factor analysis (FA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) revealed that the variability of hydrochemistry is mainly related to rock-water interaction, dissolution of carbonates and other lithological units as well as the influence of anthropogenic activities in the area. Overall, it was found that the GW quality is within the limits of human consumption. The higher concentration of a few chemicals indicates an increasing trend of industrial contamination of the GW. For sustainable development of the portable GW in Siwaliks, it is necessary to minimize the adverse impacts of the anthropogenic and industrial contamination on the GW resources through best management practices and prevent its further contamination to a level that could make GW unsuitable for human uses.     

Mass transfer and bioremediation of aromatics from NAPL in a baffled roller bioreactor

A non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) containing dissolved naphthalene or phenol was used to simulate water insoluble contaminants which are produced during the processing of oil sands. Mass transfer and biodegradation of organic contaminants in the aqueous phase were studied in a baffled roller bioreactor. Mass transfer of both naphthalene and phenol from NAPL into the aqueous phase was completed in less than 60 min, by which time naphthalene reached its saturation concentration in the aqueous phase and phenol was completely transferred into the aqueous phase. Pseudomonas putida (ATCC 17484) was subsequently used in biodegradation experiments in the baffled bioreactor containing the model NAPL contaminant. The optimum loading of NAPL for biodegradation of naphthalene at 500 mg/L was found to be 40%. High biodegradation rates (136.4 mg/L h for naphthalene and 13.2 mg/L h for phenol based on the working volume of the bioreactor) were achieved. In the case of simultaneous biodegradation of naphthalene and phenol, the highest total biodegradation rate of 102.6 mg/L h was achieved.     

Health risk assessment of drinking arsenic-containing groundwater in Hasilpur,Pakistan: effect of sampling area,depth, and source

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Currently, several news channels and research publications have highlighted the dilemma of arsenic (As)-contaminated groundwater in Pakistan. However,...     

Investigating the Interdependence Between Non-Hydroelectric Renewable Energy,Agricultural Value Added,and Arable Land Use in Argentina

We examine the dynamic relationships between per capita carbon dioxide emissions, real gross domestic product (GDP), non-hydroelectric renewable energy (NHRE) consumption, agricultural value added (AVA), and agricultural land (AGRL) use for the case of Argentina over the period 1980–2013 by employing the autoregressive distributed lag bound approach to cointegration and Granger causality tests. The Fisher statistics of the Wald test are examined, and the existence of a long-run cointegration between variables is proved. There are long-run bidirectional causalities between all considered variables. The short-run Granger causality suggests bidirectional causality between AVA and agricultural land use, unidirectional causalities running from AGRL to NHRE and from NHRE to AVA. Long-run elasticity estimates suggest that increasing AGRL reduces carbon emissions; increasing AVA increases GDP and reduces pollution, AGRL, and NHRE; and increasing NHRE reduces AVA and AGRL. Thus, it seems that agriculture and renewable energy are substitute activities and compete for land use. We recommend that Argentina should continue to encourage agricultural production. The substitutability between agricultural and non-hydroelectric renewable energy productions, and their competition for agricultural land use, should be at least reduced or even stopped by encouraging research and development in second-generation (or even in third-generation) biofuel production and in new technologies for renewable energy and for agriculture more efficient in land use.

     

Effect of oil pollution on function of sandy soils in protected deserts and investigation of their improvement guidelines (case study: Kalmand area,Iran)

Soil pollution is one of the most dangerous sorts of environmental pollutions because of waste materials, fossil fuels, etc. Unfortunately in developing countries, there are very few arrangements to prevent soil pollution due to the fossil fuels and to improve polluted soil. In this research, influences of gas oil on properties of Kalmand protected area’s sandy soil near Yazd, Iran, were studied. It was found that gas oil constituted 5.25% of soil weight in the refueling station in the region. Therefore, cleaning and strengthening of the soil by adding cement rather than expensive and complicated methods were the most important goals of this research. First, the influence of gas oil on soil properties was studied, and to improve the soil, different percentages of ordinary portland cement were added to the polluted sand to study the improved soil properties using laboratory tests. It was found that unconfined compressive strength, cohesion, and angle of internal friction of sample with 16% cement and 8% gas oil after 28 days of curing were higher than those of the specimen of 6% cement and 14% gas oil, at 4.6, 5.4, and 1.3 times, respectively. Moreover, based on falling head tests it was observed that permeability of the stabilized specimens decreased substantially. From SEM tests, fewer voids were observed in the stabilized samples, which led to less pollutant penetration into the soil. According to EDX, although dangerous elements in the contaminated specimen made up 3.99% of the specimen total weight, addition of cement introduced considerable amounts of elements that are vital for pozzolanic reactions. Therefore, it can be concluded that addition of cement to the gas oil-polluted soil not only can improve geotechnical properties of the soil and reduce its permeability, but also is very efficient for environmental issues.     

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 roof rain water harvesting of runoff capture and household consumption

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In recent years, the occurrence of floods is one of the most important challenges facing in Hamadan city. In the absence/inefficiency of urban...     

Heavy metal contamination and exposure risk assessment via drinking groundwater in Vehari,Pakistan

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The presence of toxic substances in aquifers, particularly potentially toxic heavy metals, is an important environmental and social concern worldwide....     

Capability of Secale montanum trusted for phytoremediation of lead and cadmium in soils amended with nano-silica and municipal solid waste compost

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The purpose of this study is to evaluate the capability of Secale montanum trusted for phytoremediation of contaminated soils with lead (Pb) and...     

High reduction of ozone and particulate matter during the 2016 G-20 summit in Hangzhou by forced emission controls of industry and traffic

Many regions in China experience air pollution episodes because of the rapid urbanization and industrialization over the past decades. Here we analyzed the effect of emission controls implemented during the G-20 2016 Hangzhou summit on air quality. Emission controls included a forced closure of highly polluting industries, and limiting traffic and construction emissions in the cities and surroundings. Particles with aerodynamic diameter lower than 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) and ozone (O₃) were measured. We also simulated air quality using a forecast system consisting of the two-way coupled Weather Research and Forecast and Community Multi-scale Air Quality (WRF-CMAQ) model. Results show PM_2.5 and ozone levels in Hangzhou during the G-20 Summit were considerably lower than previous to the G-20 Summit. The predicted concentrations of ozone were reduced by 25.4%, whereas the predicted concentrations of PM_2.5 were reduced by 56%.