National and Regional-Level Human-Environment (Ecosystems) Interactions: Some Empirical Evidence from China

The state of human-environment (ecosystems) interactions—ecosystems (land cover classes), population, biodiversity hotspots and protected status—is examined in the eastern coastal zones, the eastern region, the middle region, the western region and the whole of China. The analysis is based on consistent, comprehensive, geo-referenced and recent datasets and advanced analytical Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. A comparative national and regional priority ranking of the provinces was conducted using the total score of eight indicators, for the four dimensions of human-environment (ecosystems) interaction. Using, these ranks, all the provinces were grouped in low, high and medium priority provinces. The comparative ranking and categorization of provinces will be useful for designing policies and management operations for spatially-differential scientific planning and management of environment (ecosystems) at the regional and national levels in China.     

Cleanup of biological extracts by a Pasteur pipette column and a comparison of in vivo-accumulated chlorinated pesticide residues with other clean up systems

Biological samples are extracted with n-hexane/acetone (60:40) and 1 mL of the concentrated extract is eluted through a pasteur pipette column prepacked with alumina (0.3 g) and silicic acid (0.25 g) with 10 mL n-hexane (containing 4% acetone). The fat and other co-extractives are retained by the column and clear eluate is directly injected on a GLC column for determination on electron capture detector. A comparison of the Pasteur pipette cleanup with the modified method of Cole et al. (1967) on 41 samples of fish, One Step Method, (Ahmad and Marolt (1986] on 86 samples of fish and Maunder et al. (1964) on 10 type of wildlife (100 samples) was made. The Pasteur pipette method gives results which are significantly higher (p greater than 0.5) than the other methods except the One step method. The Pasteur pipette method has a detection limit of 0.01 microgram/g for DDT and its metabolites.     

Antimicrobial resistance among enteric bacteria, isolated from runoff of the Gangotri glacier, western Himalaya India

An attempt has been made to study antimicrobial resistance among the coliforms, faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci isolated from the runoff of the Gangotri glacier. The number of multiple antibiotic resistances (MAR) coliform isolates increases from upper stretch (33.33%) to lower stretch (83.33%). All faecal coliforms (100%) and faecal streptococci (100%) of lower stretch of study area showed multiple antibiotic resistances. Among coliforms, the value of Antibiotic resistance index (ARI) was found maximum in lower stretch (0.34) followed by middle stretch (0.29) and upper stretch (0.25).     

Carbofuran induced impairment in the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal-gonadal complex in the teleost,Channa punctalus (Bloch)

The effect of chronic exposure to carbofuran (4.5 ppm in static water) for six months on the gonadal histophysiology and hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal complex was studied in Channa punctatus. Experimental observations revealed significant inhibition of gonadal development with associated degenerative abnormalities as evidenced by ovarian and testicular histology and reduced gonadosomatic index. Degenerative changes in ovary were exihibited by stage I (oogonium) and stage II (immature/non-vitellogenic) oocytes as marked by perinuclear ooplasmic lysis, clumping and dissolution resulting in disintigration of nuclear material altogether attributed to complete degeneration of such oocytes. Testicular deleterious changes included degeneration of spermatogenic elements and necrosis of interstitial cells of Leydig. Correlative histophysiological changes were also observed in the pituitary gonadotrophs and hypothalamic, nucleus pre-opticus, neurons that were smaller, inactive and less in number with associated necrosis. Corresponding to the changes in nucleus pre-opticus neurons, significant inhibition of brain monoamine oxidase enzyme activity was also recorded in treated group. These observations suggest that carbofuran even at low concentration level under long-term exposure is capable of inducing retardation of gonadal development which might have been mediated through the impairment of the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal-gonadal axis in this species.     

Persistence, degradation and leaching of coumaphos in soil

Dissipation, degradation and leaching of fresh 14C coumaphos, alkylated 14C coumaphos and aged residues of 14C coumaphos from vats were studied in alkaline sandy loam soil in soil columns in the field under subtropical conditions in Delhi for a year. Dissipation, degradation and bound residue formation was more in case of alkali treated coumaphos than fresh coumaphos. After 365 days total residues of fresh coumaphos accounted for 33.25% while that of alkali treated coumaphos was 19.12%. Bound residue formation was almost double in case of alkali treated coumaphos (18.95%) than fresh coumaphos (9.53%) after 150 days followed by release of bound residue in both the cases. The proportion of metabolites 4-methylumbelliferone, chlorferon and potasan collectively was 86.05% in fresh coumaphos extractable residues while the same was 91.74% in alkali treated coumaphos after 365 days. Aged residues from vats containing copper sulphate and buffer were found to be more persistent in soil as total residues remained were 95.58% in comparison with 83.09% total residues of aged residues from vats containing only buffer after 150 days of treatment. Copper sulphate seems to inhibit the degradatiion of coumaphos in soil by microorganisms. Chlorferon was the major metabolite in generally all the samples. Coumaphos did not leach below 10 cm in all the cases.     

Primary biodegradation of linear alkyltoluene and alkylbenzene sulfonates

Studies on the primary biodegradation of linear dodecylbenzene sulfonate, linear dodecyltoluene sulfonate, linear C(10-14) benzene sulfonate, linear C(10-14) toluene sulfonate, commercial samples of linear C(10-14) benzene sulfonate and branched dodecylbenzene sulfonate (DDBS) were carried out using a microbial culture developed from garden soil. Results show that linear alkyl toluene (LAT) is as degradable as linear alkylbenzene (LAB) in 7 days. However, a slower rate of degradation was noted with LAT. Various distributions of the positional isomers of the phenyl ring in the alkane chain of C(10-14) LAB showed no change in the pattern of primary biodegradation.     

Determination of endosulfan residues in eggplant (Solanum melongena) by ELISA

Eggplant samples were analyzed for endosulfan residues using ELISA, a technique recognized as a promising tool for screening environmental contaminants. Calibration curve for endosulfan was standardized using kits developed by CFTRI Mysore. Farm gate samples of eggplant from 12 different locations were analyzed. The matrix effect was removed by charcoal clean-up. The results were compared with gas chromatographic (GC) analysis. The residues in different samples were in the range of 5-226 ppb. Correlation coefficient between the two methods was found to be 0.98.     

Efficacy of various amendments for amelioration of fly-ash toxicity: growth performance and metal composition of Cassia siamea Lamk

Plants of Cassia siamea Lamk were grown in garden soil (control), fly-ash (100%) and fly-ash amended by various ameliorants (cowdung manure, press-mud, garden soil; 1:1, w/w). The plants survived in fly-ash (100%) though their growth was less in comparison to the treatments. Fly-ash+press-mud (1:1, w/w) proved to be the best combination as growth (total biomass, leaf number, photosynthetic area, total chlorophyll and protein) was significantly high in this treatment followed by cowdung manure and garden soil. Leaves and roots accumulated significant amount of Cu, Zn, Ni and and Fe. However, the concentration of all the metals was more in roots than leaves except Ni. Although, fly-ash contains high amount of metals but the metal uptake was more in the plants grown in fly-ash+press-mud mixture. Inspite of high metal availability in fly-ash and press-mud mixture, plant growth was good. This might be attributed to the some metal detoxification mechanism active in this treatment. The present study concluded that C. siamea seems to be a suitable plant for developing a vegetation cover on fly-ash dumps.