Agricultural injuries in Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh in India

Increased use of farm machinery along with other agricultural inputs has enhanced the production and productivity of Indian farms. Simultaneously, it has also increased occupational health hazards on the farms. Major occupational health hazards are farm related injuries. Very little information is available about the type and nature of agricultural injuries on Indian farms. In the present study, agriculture injuries data were collected for the period 1996–2000 for the Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh in India. It has a total population of 1.4 million while 0.75 million were associated with agricultural activities. The agricultural injuries incidence rate was 0.8 per thousand workers per year in the study area. Out of all agricultural injuries, 9% injuries were fatal. The highest number of injury victims were in the age group of 30–44 years. The highest percentages of injured victims were literate but non-matric. The monetary loss due to agricultural injuries in the study area was estimated to be about US $730,000 per year. To minimize agricultural injuries, development of interventions and trainings needs to be organized at block levels for proper and safe operation of agricultural equipment.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Low Volatile Content Polyurethane Dispersion from Depolymerised Polyethylene Terphthalate

In the past few decades, governments and international agencies have been placing more emphasis on the improvement of production technique, working conditions and reduction of the toxic emission to the atmosphere. In this context aqueous polyurethane dispersion was synthesized from depolymerised polyethylene terphthalate (PET) waste. 1,4-Butanediol was used in PET depolymerisation. Polyurethane dispersion films were characterized using differential scanning calorimeter, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeable chromatography, etc. Incorporation of PET waste in polyurethane dispersion was an added advantage in waste management and produced better quality polyurethane dispersion.     

Pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide adsorption to soil organic matter

The adsorption and mobility of pyrethrins (Pys), the major insecticidal components obtained from the pyrethrum daisy Tanacetum cinerariifolium, and piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a pyrethrum synergist, were determined in soil using batch-equilibrium and reverse-phase thin-layer chromatographic techniques. Two soil management practices were used, soil mixed with yard waste compost (COM) at 50 t acre(-1) on dry weight basis and no-mulch (NM) bare soil. Adsorption isotherm experiments were carried out using known concentrations of Pys (Py-I and Py-II) and PBO mixed with known amounts of COM or NM soil at constant temperature and pressure until equilibrium was attained. Pys and PBO in soil extracts were purified and concentrated using solid-phase extraction cartridges containing C18-octadecyl bonded silica. Pys and PBO residues were quantified using a high-performance liquid chromatograph equipped with a UV detector. Adsorption studies showed that compost amended soil adsorbed more Pys and PBO than native (NM) soil. Py-I adsorption was greater than Py-II and PBO. Adsorption of Pys and PBO to humic and fulvic acids was also studied by reverse-phase thin layer chromatography (RPTLC). Results indicated that humic acid, a significant component of organic matter, reduced Pys and PBO mobility. Pys and PBO mobility decreased as the concentration of humic acid in the mobile phase increased.     

Chromosomal abnormalities among welder trainees

Serial cytogenetic observations were made on a group of 273 military recruits who were being trained as welders at Aberdeen, MD. The trainees were being exposed to presumably increased levels of ozone in the course of their welding school experience, and it was the purpose of this study to determine whether or not ozone, at low-to-moderate doses, is capable of inducing chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes.Previous exposures and the past medical experiences of the trainees were determined by questionnaire, enabling us to obtain a profile on the medical-social characteristics of the study sample. Each welder was to serve as his own control, having a blood sample drawn at the beginning of his twelve week training program, prior to ozone exposure, with two post-exposure bloods being obtained at 6 and 12 weeks after the start of the program.Ozone levels and the levels of the oxides of nitrogen were determined in the immediate area of the welding. The ozone levels were repeatedly found to be negligible, with the nitrogen oxides appearing to be the primary toxic agents involved. For those 165 subjects on whom two blood samples were obtained, and for those 86 on whom all three blood samples were obtained, no statistically significant increases in chromosomal aberrations were found.     

Environmental and Cost Assessment of a Polypropylene Nanocomposite

This paper describes a study on the use of a polypropylene (PP)/layered silicate nanocomposite as packaging film, agricultural film, and automotive panels. The study’s main question was “Are the environmental impacts and costs throughout the life cycle of nanocomposite products lower than those of products manufactured from conventional materials?” The conventional (benchmark) materials studied were pure polypropylene as packaging film, pure polyethylene as agricultural film, and glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene as automotive panels. In all three cases, the use of the PP nanocomposite resulted in a reduction of the amount of material used, while ensuring the same functionality. Material reduction was estimated using Ashby’s material indices and amounted to ?9% for packaging film, ?36.5% for agricultural film, and ?1.25% for automotive panels. It goes without saying that a product’s impact on the environment will decrease when less material is used. The production and incorporation of nanoparticles, however, may have additional impacts. We found clear environmental benefits throughout the entire life cycle when the PP nanocomposite is used in the manufacture of agricultural film. We noted some cost benefits when the nanocomposite is used in the production of agricultural film and automotive panels. If the price of nanoclay is at most €5,000 tonne then the cost of nanocomposite packaging film is also lower than that of the conventionally produced product.     

Arsenate and arsenite-induced inhibition and recovery in two diazotrophic cyanobacteria Nostoc muscorum and Anabaena sp.: study on time-dependent toxicity regulation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Exposure time, metal bio-accumulation, and upregulation of ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle are the key factor that provide tolerance against...     

Torque Production Using Hand Cranks in a Simulated Gear-Operated Valve Opening Task

Hand cranks are used in a variety of industries to actuate valves and in other gear-operated applications. In order to evaluate these types of operations and their compatibility with operator strength capabilities, a rotational dynamometer was used to measure torque production capability of operators using a hand crank at different heights and angles (with respect to the coronal plane). The tests were conducted for both clockwise and counterclockwise rotations using the dominant arm of each test participant. A total of 18 tests were completed by each of five male right-handed test participants. A 0° declination angle, counterclockwise operation, and both 40.65 cm and 60.96 cm heights were found to be associated with the greatest torque production capabilities.