Soil properties and crop productivity as influenced by flyash incorporation in soil

Field experiments were carried out during 1996–97at Gulawathi, Muthiani and Salarpur Villages, IARI Farm, NewDelhi and NCPP Campus, Dadri to evaluate changes in soilcharacteristics and growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.),mustard (Brassica juncea L.), lentil (Lence esculentaMoench.), rice (Oryza sativa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) byvarying amounts of flyash addition (up to 50t ha^-1) in soils atsowing/transplanting time of crops. Flyash addition in areasadjoining NCPP Thermal Power Plant, Dadri, Ghaziabad, U.P.ranged from 5–12 t ha^-1 yr^-1 in 1995–96. Shoot and root growthand yield of test crops at different locations after flyashincorporation resulted in beneficial effects of flyashaddition in most cases. The silt dominant texture of flyashimproved loamy sand to sandy loam textures of the surfacesoils at the farmers' fields. The increased growth in yield ofcrops with flyash incorporation was possibly due tomodifications in soil moisture retention and transmissioncharacteristics, bulk density, physico-chemical characterssuch as pH and EC and organic carbon content. The response offlyash addition in the soil on soil health and cropproductivity needs to be evaluated on long-term sustainableaspects.     

Assessment of hydrothermally modified fly ash for the treatment of methylene blue dye in the textile industry wastewater

Dyes and pigments are one of the major water pollutants and if not discharged properly cause ecological disturbance. Considering this, the current study investigates the application of thermal power plant by-product, i.e., fly ash for the elimination of a hazardous methylene blue dye from its synthetic aqueous solution. Experiments were conducted in batch mode to study the effect of pH, temperature, adsorbent dose and contact time. Highest dye removal (94.3%) was achieved at pH 10 using adsorbent dose of 10 g/L in 90 min of contact time at 40 °C. However, for cost-effective operation at neutral pH and room temperature (30 °C), it yields 89.3% dye removal having similar dose and contact time. Equilibrium isotherms for adsorption were analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm equations. The results revealed that the best fit model of adsorption closely followed Langmuir adsorption. Based on adsorption isotherm models, thermodynamics parameters ΔG, ΔH and ΔS were calculated. The negative value of ΔG and ΔH revealed that adsorption process was exothermic, spontaneous and physical. The present work suggests that through simple process hydrothermally modified fly ash has the potential to be used as cost-effective and efficient adsorbent for the treatment of wastewater from textile industries.     

Construction of multifunctional NH2-UiO-66 metal organic framework: sensing and photocatalytic degradation of ketorolac tromethamine and tetracycline in aqueous medium

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Existence of pharmaceutical residues in water has endangered environmental pollution worldwide, which makes it ineludible to develop prospective...     

Chemometrics in assessment of seasonal variation of water quality in fresh water systems

The spatial and temporal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated in Gomti River, a major tributary of the Ganga river (India). A total of 96 samples (water and sediments) were collected from eight different sites over a period of 2 years and analysed for 16 PAHs. The total concentrations of 16 PAHs in water and bed sediments ranged between 0.06 and 84.21 ??g/L (average (n?=?48), 10.33 ± 19.94 ??g/L) and 5.24?C3,722.87 ng/g dw [average (n?=?48): 697.25 ± 1,005.23 ng/g dw], respectively. In water, two- and three-ring PAHs and, in sediments, the three- and four-ring PAHs were the dominant species. The ratios of anthracene (An)/An + phenenthrene and fluoranthene (Fla)/Fla + pyrene were calculated to evaluate the possible sources of PAHs. These ratios reflected a pattern of pyrolytic input as a major source of PAHs in the river. Principal component analysis, further, separated the PAHs sources in the river sediments, suggesting that both the pyrolytic and petrogenic sources are contributing to the PAHs burden. The threat to biota of the river due to PAHs contamination was assessed using effect range low and effect range median values, and the results suggested that sediment at some occasions may pose biological impairment.     

Decreased acid deposition and the chemical recovery of Killarney,Ontario, lakes

Lakes in Killarney Park near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, have shown dramatic water quality changes including general increases in pH and alkalinity, and decreases in SO4(2-), base cations and metals. While some lakes have recovered to pH > 6.0, many are still highly acidic despite decades of improvement. Very high historical S deposition related to emissions from the Sudbury metal smelters dominated the acidification process in this region. However, since the implementation of substantial S emission controls (90%) at the smelters, the Sudbury emissions are no longer the major source of S deposition in the Sudbury area. Wet deposition of SO4(2-) and SO4(2-) concentrations in lakewaters at Killarney now approach values in the Dorset, Ontario, area, about 200 km from Sudbury. This suggests that the S deposition to the Killarney area is now primarily from long-range transport, not from local sources. Studies of Killarney lakes are revealing the complex nature of the chemical recovery process. As lake acidity decreases, other changes including decreased Ca2+ concentrations, increased transparency, and altered thermal regimes may potentially affect some of these ecosystems. It is clear that continuing assessments of the recovery of Killarney lakes, within a multiple-stressor framework, are needed.     

Effects of Regional Reductions in Sulphur Deposition on the Chemical and Biological Recovery of Lakes within Killarney Park, Ontario, Canada

The lakes in KillarneyProvincial Park, located 40–60 km southwest ofSudbury, Ontario, were some of the first lakesin North America to be acidified by atmosphericpollutants. Acidification affected thousandsof fish and invertebrate populations in dozensof lakes. Since the 1970's, water quality hasimproved in response to atmospheric pollutionreductions and some lakes have alreadyrecovered to approximately their pre-industrialpH levels, as inferred from diatom microfossilsin lake sediments. Since the 1970's, fishspecies richness has not changed substantially,but zooplankton species richness has increasedin acidified lakes. The critical sulphur load,the amount of SO₂-derived acid depositionthat can occur while still maintaining suitable water quality, was estimated to beexceeded in 38% of the park area in 1997. Depending on which of four possible NorthAmerican emission control scenarios (CLR =currently legislated reduction; CLR + 25%; CLR+ 50%; CLR + 75%) is achieved by 2010, theprojected critical loads will be exceeded inabout 0-30% of the park area in the future. There are many factors that can affectbiological recovery rates of damaged lakes, butit is expected that biological recovery willlag considerably behind observed chemicalrecovery rates.     

酸沉降作用的降低和安大略省基拉尼湖泊的化学恢复

毗邻加拿大安大略省萨德伯里市的基拉尼公园中的湖泊都表现出明显的水质变化,其中包括pH值和碱度的普遍增加,SO2- 4、碱基阳离子和金属浓度的减少.经过数十年的改善,尽管一些湖泊的pH值已经大于6,但仍有许多湖泊的湖水酸度却一直很高.过去,萨德伯里金属冶炼厂排放引起的过高的硫沉降左右了这一地区的酸化过程.然而,自从冶炼厂的硫排放被严格控制之后(排放量降低了90%),萨德伯里地区的硫排放就不再是该地区最主要的硫沉降源了.目前,基拉尼地区的SO2- 4湿沉降和湖水中SO2- 4浓度已经十分接近约200km外的安大略省多赛特地区,这就表明基拉尼地区的硫沉降现在主要来自于长距离传输,而不是当地污染源.对基拉尼湖泊的研究揭示了化学恢复过程的复杂本质.一旦湖水的酸度降低,就会引起一系列的变化,包括Ca2+浓度的减少,透明度增加和热力学状态改变.这些变化可能会潜在地影响一些生态体系.因此很明显需要对基拉尼湖泊的恢复在多胁迫因子的框架内继续进行评价.     

Evaluation and sensitivity of cyanobacteria,Nostoc muscorum and Synechococcus PCC 7942 for heavy metals stress – a step toward biosensor

This study attempted to determine the effects of heavy metals on the photosynthetic blue-green algae for their potential to use as a biosensor. The bioaccumulation of metals and its effects on pigments of Nostoc muscorum and Synechococcus PCC 7942 were assessed. The culture was grown in BG 11 liquid medium supplied with different metals like mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) and incubated (µM 20 concentrations) for 10 days under optimal conditions. The accumulated amounts of metals were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The stress effects on photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll a (Chl a) were monitored by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). Bio-concentration factor (BCF) reached a peak in cells on the 2nd day of incubation followed by a gradual reduction. The highest reduction in the pigment concentrations (Chl a and β carotene) was observed at 20?µM?L^?1 Hg treatment. The results indicate that, cyanobacteria may serve as both potential species to be used as a biosensor and used to clean up heavy metals from contaminated water. These changes were analyzed with the long-term goal of exploiting cyanobacterial cells as biosensors.     

Diatoms as indicators in the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program-Surface Waters (EMAP-SW)

As a part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program-Surface Waters (EMAP-SW), sedimentary diatom assemblages were studied from 66 lakes in the northeastern U.S.A. to evaluate the applicability of diatoms for this nation-wide monitoring program. Sediment cores were collected from the study lakes and diatoms were analyzed from the top (present-day) and bottom (pre-industrial) sediment samples. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to examine which environmental variables correlate most closely with the distributions of diatom taxa in the top (surface) samples. Forward selection and Monte Carlo permutation tests showed that diatom species distributions were significantly related to total lakewater phosphorus (TP), pH, chloride, Secchi depth, and lake size and maximum depth. We developed weighted-averaging calibration and regression models for inferring TP (r ²=0.62), chloride (r ²=0.61), pH (r ²=0.86), and Secchi depth (r ²=0.62). An index of overall lake disturbance was also developed. Our diatom data indicate that marked changes have occurred in the study lakes since pre-industrial times as a result of anthropogenic activity.     

Anti-barnacle biofouling coatings for the protection of marine vessels: synthesis and progress

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Marine biofouling has gnawed both mobile and non-mobile marine structures since time immemorial, leading to the deterioration of designed operational...