Evaluation of environmental impacts of Integrated Industrial Estate��Pantnagar through application of air and water quality indices

Large-scale industrialization, population inflow, and rapid urbanization coupled with unfavorable meteorological conditions often induce significant degradation of urban environment. In order to assess the extent of environmental impacts due to establishment of the Integrated Industrial Estate??Pantnagar (IIE-Pantnagar), ambient air and groundwater were monitored from June 2007 to May 2008. Collected baseline information was normalized and interpreted with the application of air (AQI) and water quality indices (WQI). Among the pre-identified air pollutants, suspended particulate matter was found to be the principal culprit to deteriorate ambient air quality, with a maximum annual concentration of 418.5 ??g/m³. Monthly average concentrations of respirable particulate matter (aerodynamic diameter < 10 ??m) also persist at a critical level with an annual maximum of 207.3 ??g/m³. A segmented linear function with maximum operator concept was used to compute AQI, and the developed index was found well suitable to demonstrate temporal variations of ambient air quality. The computed AQI value for the selected study region varied from moderate (97.0) to very poor pollution level (309.2) in respect to developed air quality standards. Furthermore, an integrated WQI was developed comprising 9 parameters, and among all the 10 pre-identified locations, the average groundwater quality was found acceptable in terms of Indian drinking water standards. The maximum WQI (70.6) was found at the Kichha Railway Station during summer months, revealing moderate pollution load. Industrial discharge from IIE-Pantnagar coupled with other industrial setup may hold responsible for such kind of degradation of water quality. In contrast, WQI computed at Rudrapur City demonstrate minimum (15.0?C22.1) pollution load. For 95% of the monitoring period, the computed WQI was found acceptable for all selected locations with few exceptions. The application of WQI to assess temporal variations in groundwater quality was therefore found satisfactory.     

Comparative study of polyhydroxyalkanoates production from acidified and anaerobically treated brewery wastewater using enriched mixed microbial culture

The production of polyhydroxyalkanoates(PHA) from wastewaters using microbial mixed cultures(MMC) has been attracting increased interest because of PHA's biodegradability characteristics. Production of PHA by an MMC enriched with PHA-accumulating bacteria was compared using anaerobically treated and acidified brewery wastewaters under various feeding strategies, namely pulse and batch feed addition. To obtain an enriched MMC, a sequencing batch reactor was inoculated with activated sludge fed with acetate and subjected to aerobic dynamic feeding. The enriched MMC was able to accumulate PHA up to 72.6% of cell dry weight(CDW) with pulse addition of acetate controlled by the dissolved oxygen(DO) concentration in the reactor. In a batch accumulation experiment with acetate,the PHA content achieved(28.5% CDW) was less than that of the pulse feeding strategy with the same amount of acetate(～2000 mg C/L). Using anaerobically treated and acidified brewery wastewater fed in pulses, the maximum PHA accumulated by the enriched MMC was similar for both wastewaters(45% CDW), in spite of the higher volatile fatty acid concentration in acidified brewery wastewater. The pulse feed addition controlled by the DO concentration was difficult to implement for wastewater as compared to acetate because the difference in DO concentration between substrate availability and depletion was low. For the batch addition of acidified wastewater, a slightly lower PHA content(39%CDW) was obtained. These results show that both brewery wastewaters can be utilized for PHA production with a similar maximum PHA storage capacity.     

Treatment of oil spill by sorption technique using fatty acid grafted sawdust

Treatment of oil spills remains a challenge to environmental scientists and technologists. Among all the existing techniques used for oil treatment, sorption is a popular technique because it is cheap, simple and effective. Among the various sorbents used, sawdust appears to be the most attractive material in terms of cost, versatility and abundance. In the present work, the efficacy of surface modification of sawdust by fatty acids (oleic acid, stearic acid and decanoic acid) and vegetable oils (castor oil or mustard oil) is demonstrated. Sorption of seawater contaminated with crude oil and also weathered oil was greatly enhanced by the surface modification. The results show that oleic acid grafted sawdust (OGSD) has the best sorption capacity for crude oil as well as weathered oil.     

X-ray absorption and photoelectron spectroscopy investigation of selenite reduction by FeII-bearing minerals

The long-lived radionuclide 79Se is one of the elements of concern for the safe storage of high-level nuclear waste, since clay minerals in engineered barriers and natural aquifer sediments strongly adsorb cationic species, but to lesser extent anions like selenate (SeVIO4(2-)) and selenite (SeIVO3(2-)). Previous investigations have demonstrated, however, that SeIV and SeVI are reduced by surface-associated FeII, thereby forming insoluble Se0 and Fe selenides. Here we show that the mixed FeII/III (hydr)oxides green rust and magnetite, and the FeII sulfide mackinawite reduce selenite rapidly (< 1 day) to FeSe, while the slightly slower reduction by the FeII carbonate siderite produces elemental Se. In the case of mackinawite, both S(-II) and FeII surface atoms are oxidized at a ratio of one to four by producing a defective mackinawite surface. Comparison of these spectroscopic results with thermodynamic equilibrium modeling provides evidence that the nature of reduction end product in these FeII systems is controlled by the concentration of HSe(-); Se0 forms only at lower HSe(-) concentrations related to slower HSeO3(-) reduction kinetics. Even under thermodynamically unstable conditions, the initially formed Se solid phases may remain stable for longer periods since their low solubility prevents the dissolution required for a phase transformation into more stable solids. The reduction by Fe2+-montmorillonite is generally much slower and restricted to a pH range, where selenite is adsorbed (pH < 7), stressing the importance of a heterogeneous, surface-enhanced electron transfer reaction. Although the solids precipitated by the redox reaction are nanocrystalline, their solubility remains below 6.3 x 10(-8) M. No evidence for aqueous metal selenide colloids nor for Se sorption to colloidal phases was found. Since FeII phases like the ones investigated here should be ubiquitous in the near field of nuclear waste disposals as well as in the surrounding aquifers, mobility of the fission product 79Se may be much lower than previously assumed.     

Effect of hypobaric hypoxia on visual evoked potential at high altitude

The effect of hypobaric hypoxia on visual evoked potential (VEP) was studied in 27 male volunteers at sea level (SL), during the 1st and 3rd weeks of their stay at high altitude (HA) of 3,500 m and in the 1st week of their return to the sea level (RSL). Exposure to high altitude (HA) led to significant changes in VEP. The N1 wave latency of both right and left eye was significantly increased (P<0.05) during 3rd week of stay at the altitude which persisted even after the return to the sea level. The latency of P1 wave of both right and left eye was higher in 3rd week at high altitude but not significant statistically. But the delay in P1 latency persisted in 1st week of their return to sea level which was significant (p<0.05) statistically as compared to sea level. The latency of N2 wave was significantly decreased (P<0.05) during the 1st week of stay at HA and returned back to basal value in the 3rd week of stay at HA in both right and left eye. However, the changes observed in NPN complex in terms of wave latencies were within the physiological limits. The amplitude of wave N1-P1 of both the right and left eye did not show any change. The changes observed reflect the process of acclimatisation to 3500m high altitude.     

Performance assessment of the indigenous ceramic UF membrane in bioreactor process for highly polluted tannery wastewater treatment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The present study evaluates the performance of an indigenously developed ceramic ultrafiltration (UF) membrane in a lab-scale membrane bioreactor...     

Surface characteristics of shales and implication on metal sorption

Differences in surface characteristics between alkaline and acidic shales are demonstrated in the present study. The alkaline shales are characterized by convex surface titration profiles, while the acidic shale exhibits a concave titration profile. Analysis of surface functional groups reveal that carboxylic acids predominate in alkaline shales and the acidic shale is characterized by C=S, C=N (pyridine derivative) and urea (C=O) functional groups, while it lacks –COOH group. The close proximity between pH and point of zero charge for the most acidic and alkaline shales indicate that surface complexation may not play a dominant role in sorption when the system pH is controlled by these sediments.     

Assessment of flubendiamide residues in pigeon pea in different agro-climatic zones of India

Supervised field trials were conducted at the research farms of four agricultural universities located at different agro-climatic zones of India to find out the harvest time residues of flubendiamide and its des-iodo metabolite on pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) during the year 2006-2007. Two spray applications of flubendiamide 20 WDG at 50 g (T(1)) and 100 g (T(2)) a.i./ha were given to the crop at 15-days interval. The foliage samples at different time intervals were drawn at only one location, however, the harvest time samples of pigeon pea grain, shell, and straw were drawn at all the four locations. The residues were estimated by HPLC coupled with UV-VIS variable detector. No residues of flubendiamide and its des-iodo metabolite were found at harvest of the crop at or above the LOQ level of 0.05 μg/g. On the basis of the data generated, a pre-harvest interval (PHI) of 28 days has been recommended and the flubendiamide 20 WDG has been registered for use on pigeon pea by Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India and the MRL has been fixed by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India under Prevention of Food and Adulteration as 0.05 μg/g on pigeon pea grains.     

Uptake of Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn by the Water Hyacinth, Eichhornia Crassipes (Mart.) Solms from Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) Leachates and Slurries

The main solid waste product from coal-fired power stations is pulverised fuel ash (PFA), which can be enriched in toxic elements. Disposal of PFA by dry (in landfills) or wet (by slurrying) disposal methods can release these elements into the environment. Thereafter, the contaminants can be taken up by biota such as Eichhornia crassipes, a common aquatic plant, which has the ability to accumulate elements from water. This study investigates the uptake of Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn by E. crassipes grown in leachates and slurries prepared from two different PFA samples. PFA samples were obtained from Indraprastha Power Station (IPP Stn.) in New Delhi, India and the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station in the UK. E. crassipes grown in PFA leachates and slurries at 1:5 and 1:50 solid:liquid (PFA:deionised water) ratios show that the plant has a very high accumulation capacity for Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn from both leachates and slurries and the uptake of these metals is stronger in the roots than in the tops of the plant. Metal accumulation, as shown by the accumulation factor (AF) values, is higher from both leachates and slurries for plants grown in the 1:50 (PFA:DIW) ratios than in the 1:5 ratios, initial metal concentrations being higher in the 1:5 ratios than in the 1:50 ratios. Lower metal accumulation in the plants grown in slurries than in leachates is related to the high turbidity of growth medium in slurries resulting in ash particles adhering to the root surfaces thus reducing the surface area of metal absorption. Eichhornia plants are able to reduce the pH of all leachates, especially the highly alkaline Ratcliffe leachates to near neutral conditions. Accumulation of Cd and Zn by the plant is higher from the lower pH IPP leachates than the Ratcliffe leachates, indicating that these metals are more soluble and bioavailable in the acidic medium. However, accumulation of Cu and Ni is independent of the pH of the leachates, indicating that other factors, such as metal species, presence of complexing agents in the growth solutions, and effects of competing metal ions may be contributory factors towards the metal uptake and accumulation by the plant.