Effect of Heavy Metals on the Blood Protein Biochemistry of the Fish CYPRINUS CARPIO AND ITS USE AS A BIO-INDICATOR OF POLLUTION STRESS

Cyprinus carpio were exposed to two non-essential (Hg and Pb)and two essential (Cu and Ni) heavy metal salts at lethal andsub-lethal concentrations. Blood serum total protein, serum globulinand serum albumin was analysed every 2 hr for 24 hrs andagain at 48 and 72 hrs. Serum protein and globulin level showedan intial sharp increase from 2 to 20 hrs, followed by decline thatextend over a period of 72 hrs. Serum albumin showed an initialimmediate decline from 2 to 4 hrs, followed by an intermittent period of recovery and decline that extend over a period of 72hrs. Both lethal and sub-lethal concentrations of metal salts elicited asimilar pattern of response varying only in magnitude. The use offish blood serum protein, albumin and globulin measurements as general indicators of pollutant stress response isdiscussed.     

Trace Gas Emissions from Biomass Burning from Northeast Region in India—Estimates from Satellite Remote Sensing Data and GIS

Biomass burning associated with shifting cultivation areas from the northeastern region of India is an important source of trace gas emissions in the Southeast Asian region. In the present study, satellite data pertaining to IRS-P4 OCM data and DMSP-OLS has been used to quantify the intensity, areal extent and amount of biomass burnt in the northeastern region states at district level. Trace gas emissions have been quantified both by using IPCC based emission ratios and ground based emission ratios obtained from field based studies. Areal estimates with respect to shifting cultivation areas from IRS-P4 OCM satellite data of 4th April 2000 suggested nearly 112.99 km² of the northeastern region of India affected due to shifting cultivation. In the study, DMSP OLS nighttime data has been used to capture the real time fires during the dry season. The results suggested high amount of fires during the March season when compared to April and May. Using the emission ratios obtained from the ground-based studies and IPCC emission ratios, the emissions for the individual non-CO₂ trace gases have been computed in a GIS framework using the biomass data, combustion factors and emission ratios. Results suggested emissions of 2.063 Mt CH₄, 17.94 Mt CO, 1.419 Mt N₂O, and 51.28 Mt NO _x and 2.643 Mt release of CH₄, 3.7204 Mt CO, 0.145 Mt N₂O, and 8.477 Mt NO _x , respectively, from biomass burning due to shifting cultivation for the year 2000, from the northeastern region in India. The study highlights the importance of Satellite Remote sensing data and GIS in quantifying the trace gas emissions from biomass burning.     

Recycle of bio-waste banana and sisal fiber filled harmlessness epoxy hybrid composite for automotive roof application

Insists of polymer matrix composite is prepared by using natural fiber facilitates high tensile, flexural, and impact toughness properties. The natural fiber utilization in the polymer matrix can overcome the synthetic fiber demerits of poor compatibility, high moisture absorption, and high cost. The present research investigates developing a low-cost, environmentally eco-friendly epoxy hybrid composite using different volume percentages of chopped natural waste banana (0Vol%, 5Vol%, 10Vol%, and 15Vol%) and sisal fiber (0Vol%, 15Vol%, 10Vol%, and 5Vol%) through hand mould hot compression technique. The presence of natural waste banana and sisal fiber on tensile strength, flexural strength, and thermal adsorption properties of the epoxy hybrid composite are evaluated by ASTM test standards. The ASTM standard measured test results of epoxy hybrid composite with and without natural waste banana and sisal fiber were compared and sample three was identified by good tensile strength, flexural strength, and better thermal adsorption properties compared to all others. The sample three epoxy hybrid sample is recommended for automotive roof application.     

Inequality in water supply in India: an assessment using the Gini and Theil indices

Provision of drinking water is considered to be an essential public service. Ensuring adequate water supply remains a challenge in Indian cities that are experiencing rapid growth and often exhibit a mismatch between increasing demands and inadequate supply infrastructure. This study quantifies the existing inequality in water supply within Indian cities through Lorenz curve, Gini coefficient as well as Theil indices. Two types of Theil indices are estimated to gain different perspectives: water supply and population-weighted. Both the Theil indices are disaggregated, according to economic and regional categorisation of the cities, to explore the within- and between-group inequality. The water supply and population-weighted Theil indices provide different outlook of the inequality amongst the cities. But the population-weighted index is often better and pragmatic. Further, the inequality in access to tap water in India is studied by estimating modified Lorenz curves and Theil indices. Again, the Theil indices are decomposed into within and between components according to economic and regional grouping of states. The results suggest that there is disparity in supply of water in India, and infrastructure has to be boosted to meet the growing demand. This study is a step towards quantification of water supply inequality. The approach used in the study can contribute to monitoring of water supply equity as well as in formulating sustainable and equitable water policies.     

Removal and recovery of toxic nanosized Cerium Oxide using eco-friendly Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

• Eco-friendly IONPs were synthesized through solvothermal method. • IONPs show very high removal efficiency for CeO₂ NPs i.e. 688 mg/g. • Removal was >90% in all synthetic and real water samples. • >80% recovery of CeO₂ NPs through sonication confirms reusability of IONPs. Increasing applications of metal oxide nanoparticles and their release in the natural environment is a serious concern due to their toxic nature. Therefore, it is essential to have eco-friendly solutions for the remediation of toxic metal oxides in an aqueous environment. In the present study, eco-friendly Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (IONPs) are synthesized using solvothermal technique and successfully characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM respectively) and powder X-Ray diffraction (PXRD). These IONPs were further utilized for the remediation of toxic metal oxide nanoparticle, i.e., CeO₂. Sorption experiments were also performed in complex aqueous solutions and real water samples to check its applicability in the natural environment. Reusability study was performed to show cost-effectiveness. Results show that these 200 nm-sized spherical IONPs, as revealed by SEM and TEM analysis, were magnetite (Fe₃O₄) and contained short-range crystallinity as confirmed from XRD spectra. Sorption experiments show that the composite follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Further R²>0.99 for Langmuir sorption isotherm suggests chemisorption as probable removal mechanism with monolayer sorption of CeO₂ NPs on IONP. More than 80% recovery of adsorbed CeO₂ NPs through ultrasonication and magnetic separation of reaction precipitate confirms reusability of IONPs. Obtained removal % of CeO₂ in various synthetic and real water samples was>90% signifying that IONPs are candidate adsorbent for the removal and recovery of toxic metal oxide nanoparticles from contaminated environmental water samples.     

Triclosan in Fresh Water Fish Gibelion Catla from the Kaveri River,India, and Its Consumption Risk Assessment

Triclosan is a common antimicrobial agent that is found in significant levels in the aquatic environment and may elicit effects on aquatic organisms through unexpected modes of action. In this study, triclosan was quantified in fish from the Kaveri River, India, by using the gas chromatography and mass spectrometry technique and it was found in the range of 0.73–50 ng/g wet weight (ww). The mean bioaccumulation factor based on water (BAF_w 820) and sediment (BAF_s 2.12) in the Kaveri River showed that triclosan is accumulative in fish, and reflects its feeding behavior. The bioaccumulation indicates triclosan's persistence or prevalence throughout the river stretch. Human risk assessment through dietary intake demonstrated that the triclosan exposure is five orders of magnitude lower than the acceptable daily intake (50 μg/kg bw) and US EPA reference dose (300 μg/kg bw/day). This investigation is the first to report the bioaccumulation of triclosan in freshwater fish from India. Further, the results indicate that this fish acts as a biomarker of exposure for triclosan and thus shall be used to report triclosan pollution in the future.     

Assessing the hydrocarbon degrading potential of indigenous bacteria isolated from crude oil tank bottom sludge and hydrocarbon-contaminated soil of Azzawiya oil refinery,Libya

The disposal of hazardous crude oil tank bottom sludge (COTBS) represents a significant waste management burden for South Mediterranean countries. Currently, the application of biological systems (bioremediation) for the treatment of COTBS is not widely practiced in these countries. Therefore, this study aims to develop the potential for bioremediation in this region through assessment of the abilities of indigenous hydrocarbonoclastic microorganisms from Libyan Hamada COTBS for the biotreatment of Libyan COTBS-contaminated environments. Bacteria were isolated from COTBS, COTBS-contaminated soil, treated COTBS-contaminated soil, and uncontaminated soil using Bushnell Hass medium amended with Hamada crude oil (1 %) as the main carbon source. Overall, 49 bacterial phenotypes were detected, and their individual abilities to degrade Hamada crude and selected COBTS fractions (naphthalene, phenanthrene, eicosane, octadecane and hexane) were evaluated using MT2 Biolog plates. Analyses using average well colour development showed that ~90 % of bacterial isolates were capable of utilizing representative aromatic fractions compared to 51 % utilization of representative aliphatics. Interestingly, more hydrocarbonoclastic isolates were obtained from treated contaminated soils (42.9 %) than from COTBS (26.5 %) or COTBS-contaminated (30.6 %) and control (0 %) soils. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) separated the isolates into two clusters with microorganisms in cluster 2 being 1.7- to 5-fold better at hydrocarbon degradation than those in cluster 1. Cluster 2 isolates belonged to the putative hydrocarbon-degrading genera; Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Arthrobacter and Brevundimonas with 57 % of these isolates being obtained from treated COTBS-contaminated soil. Overall, this study demonstrates that the potential for PAH degradation exists for the bioremediation of Hamada COTBS-contaminated environments in Libya. This represents the first report on the isolation of hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria from Libyan COTBS and COTBS-contaminated soil.     

Electrokinetic-enhanced phytoremediation of soils: Status and opportunities

Phytoremediation is a sustainable process in which green plants are used for the removal or elimination of contaminants in soils. Both organic and inorganic contaminants can be removed or degraded by growing plants by several mechanisms, namely phytoaccumulation, phytostabilization, phytodegradation, rhizofiltration and rhizodegradation. Phytoremediation has several advantages: it can be applied in situ over large areas, the cost is low, and the soil does not undergo significant damages. However, the restoration of a contaminated site by phytoremediation requires a long treatment time since the remediation depends on the growth and the biological cycles of the plant. It is only applicable for shallow depths within the reach of the roots, and the remediation efficiency largely depends on the physico-chemical properties of the soil and the bioavailability of the contaminants. The combination of phytoremediation and electrokinetics has been proposed in an attempt to avoid, in part, the limitations of phytoremediation. Basically, the coupled phytoremediation–electrokinetic technology consists of the application of a low intensity electric field to the contaminated soil in the vicinity of growing plants. The electric field may enhance the removal of the contaminants by increasing the bioavailability of the contaminants. Variables that affect the coupled technology are: the use of AC or DC current, voltage level and mode of voltage application (continuous or periodic), soil pH evolution, and the addition of facilitating agents to enhance the mobility and bioavailability of the contaminants. Several technical and practical challenges still remain that must be overcome through future research for successful application of this coupled technology at actual field sites.     

Water quality assessment of Majhiaon block of Garwa district in Jharkhand with special focus on fluoride analysis

Fluoride in groundwater is known to contaminate the water sources globally. Jharkhand, one of the states in the eastern part of India, is known to have excessive fluoride content in groundwater sources. The present work involves assessment of water quality with special reference to fluoride in Majhiaon block of Garwa district in Jharkhand. Iron, nitrate and arsenic were also tested for the water samples collected from site. Eight hundred forty samples were tested for fluoride on site using colourimetry method, and one tenth of the samples were brought to laboratory for iron, nitrate, arsenic and fluoride analysis. Results show that 402 samples were having fluoride above permissible limit. Iron and nitrate were found to be beyond permissible limits in 302 and 286 water samples, respectively. More than 50% of samples collected from school had fluoride levels above permissible limits. Arsenic was well within the limits. However, few samples shown were excessive of iron and nitrate.     

Studies on urban drinking water quality in a tropical zone

Anthropogenic activities associated with industrialization, agriculture and urbanization have led to the deterioration in water quality due to various contaminants. To assess the status of urban drinking water quality, samples were collected from the piped supplies as well as groundwater sources from different localities of residential, commercial and industrial areas of Lucknow City in a tropical zone of India during pre-monsoon for estimation of coliform and faecal coliform bacteria, organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and heavy metals. Bacterial contamination was found to be more in the samples from commercial areas than residential and industrial areas. OCPs like α,γ-hexachlorocyclohexane and 1,1 p,p-DDE {dichloro-2, 2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethene)} were found to be present in most of the samples from study area. The total organochlorine pesticide levels were found to be within the European Union limit (0.5 μg/L) in most of the samples. Most of the heavy metals estimated in the samples were also found to be within the permissible limits as prescribed by World Health Organization for drinking water. Thus, these observations show that contamination of drinking water in urban areas may be mainly due to municipal, industrial and agricultural activities along with improper disposal of solid waste. This is an alarm to safety of public health and aquatic environment in tropics.