Bioreactors for treatment of VOCs and odours – A review

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odorous compounds discharged into the environment create ecological and health hazards. In the recent past, biological waste air treatment processes using bioreactors have gained popularity in control of VOCs and odour, since they offer a cost effective and environment friendly alternative to conventional air pollution control technologies. This review provides an overview of the various bioreactors that are used in VOC and odour abatement, along with details on their configuration and design, mechanism of operation, insights into the microbial biodegradation process and future R&D needs in this area.     

Removal of fluoride from water by using a coagulant (inorganic polymeric coagulant)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Excess fluoride (F) ion of drinking water is a major problem in many areas of India and causes harmful effects such as dental and skeletal fluorosis....     

Development of an analytical method for analysis of flubendiamide, des-iodo flubendiamide and study of their residue persistence in tomato and soil

Flubendiamide is a new insecticide that has been found to give excellent control of lepidopterous pests of tomato. This study has been undertaken to develop an improved method for analysis of flubendiamide and its metabolite des-iodo flubendiamide and determine residue retention in tomato and soil. The analytical method developed involved extraction of flubendiamide and its metabolite des-iodo flubendiamide with acetonitrile, liquid-liquid partitioning into hexane-ethyl acetate mixture (6:4, v v?1) and cleanup with activated neutral alumina. Finally the residues were dissolved in gradient high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) grade acetonitrile for analysis by HPLC. The mobile phase, acetonitrile-water at 60:40 (v v?1) proportion and the wavelength of 235 nm gave maximum peak resolution. Using the above method and HPLC parameters described, nearly 100 % recovery of both insecticides were obtained. There was no matrix interference and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method was 0.01 mg kg?1. Initial residue deposits of flubendiamide on field-treated tomato from treatments @ 48 and 96 g active ingredient hectare?1 were 0.83 and 1.68 mg kg?1, respectively. The residues of flubendiamide dissipated at the half-life of 3.9 and 4.4 days from treatments @ 48 and 96 g a.i. ha?1, respectively and persisted for 15 days from both the treatments. Des-iodo flubendiamide was not detected in tomato fruits at any time during the study period. Residues of flubendiamide and des-iodo flubendiamide in soil from treatment @ 48 and 96 g a.i. ha?1 were below detectable level (BDL, < 0.01 mg kg?1) after 20 days. Flubendiamide completely dissipated from tomato within 20 days when the 480 SC formulation was applied at doses recommended for protection against lepidopterous pests.     

Persistence and degradation of coumaphos in model cattle dipping vats

The stability of coumaphos [O,O-diethyl O-(3-chloro-4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-7 yl)phosphorothioatel was studied in model dipping vats under field conditions using 14C-labelled and unlabelled coumaphos, with or without additives. The stability of coumaphos in model vats increased significantly by maintaining a pH of 5 by addition of superphosphate. Copper sulphate amendment did not seem to have any additional effect on stability. Potasan was the major metabolite in addition to chlorferon and 4-methylumbelliferone. Coumaphos concentration was doubled in the sediment of vat treated with copper sulphate as compared to the control vat as a result of emulsion breakdown. Chlorferon was the only metabolite detected in the sediment of the former vat indicating inhibition of the anaerobic degradation.     

Monitoring of Ganga Water and Sediments Vis-à-Vis Tannery Pollution at Kanpur (India): A Case Study

The leather industry, besides being a major contributorto the Indian national economy, is unfortunately alsoone of the major polluters. The present articlediscusses the influence of the wastes on thephysicochemical characteristics of the Ganga water andsediments. Two sampling sites have been chosen atKanpur, the first before and the second after thepoint where tanneries are located. The samephysicochemical parameters which have been determinedin the wastes have been monitored at these two sitesfor two seasons. The results reveal that mostparameters increase as the river traverses betweenthese two points. The increase in values of parameterssuch as BOD, COD, Cl^-, and total solids could bedue to the domestic wastes just as much as to thetannery wastes. Phenols and sulfides, can also comefrom other sources, but their probability of comingfrom tanneries is higher. However, chromium is oneparameter which can primarily be identified tooriginate from the tanneries. The speciation of thesediments for chromium reveals that the leakage ofchromium into the Ganga is taking place at the secondsite. There is almost a ten fold increase in chromiumat the second site as compared to the first. At thefirst site the surface chromium is primarily in theresidual fraction while at the second site it is inthe Fe–Mn oxide fractions.     

Waste management policies for industrial symbiosis development: case studies in European countries

Industrial symbiosis (IS) emerged as a self-organizing business strategy among firms that are willing to cooperate to improve their economic and environmental performance. The adoption of such cooperative strategies relates to increasing costs of waste management, most of which are driven by policy and legislative requirements.Development of IS depends on an enabling context of social, informational, technological, economical and political factors. The power to influence this context varies among the agents involved such as the government, businesses or coordinating entities. Governmental intervention, as manifested through policies, could influence a wider range of factors; and we believe this is an area which is under-researched.This paper aims to critically appraise the waste policy interventions from supra-national to sub-national levels of government. A case study methodology has been applied to four European countries i.e. Denmark, the UK, Portugal and Switzerland, in which IS emerged or is being fostered.The findings suggest that there are commonalities in policy instruments that may have led to an IS enabling context. The paper concludes with lessons learnt and recommendations on shaping the policy context for IS development.     

Demonstration of sperm head shape abnormality and clastogenic potential of cypermethrin

Adult male Swiss albino mice were administered ip. suspension solution of cypermethrin in 0.15% DMSO at the doses of 30 mg, 60 mg and 90 mg/kg b. wt. daily for 5 days. Another group of animals was injected cyclophosphamide ip. (60 mg/kg b. wt.) in similar manner which served as positive control. Effect of cypermethrin on body and testes weight and sperm head morphology was studied. Clastogenic potential of cypermethrin was studied by using modified Allium test. The cytological changes were studied in the root tip cells of Allium cepa after 3 days treatment with three different concentration of cypermethrin (0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 microg/ml). The results revealed that body weight gain was considerably reduced in higher dose groups, but the testicular weight did not change significantly in any of the cypermethrin treated groups. However, a significant elevation in the number of abnormal shape of sperm head was noticed in higher dose groups as compared to control. It was observed that the abnormality in the shape of sperm head was dose-dependent. The cytological changes in the root tip cells of Allium cepa indicated that cypermethrin is having toxic effects on the root tip cells in the form of stickiness of chromosomes and also affect the mitotic activity. This study suggest that cypermethrin may have the potential to induce adverse effects on sperm head shape morphology of mouse as well as clastogenic effects on root tip cells of Allium cepa.