Construction of bacterial consortium for efficient degradation of mixed pharmaceutical dyes

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Synthetic dyes are established colorants in the pharmaceutical industries for the coating and coloration of tablets, capsules, etc. to mark the...     

Study of the variation and the effect of geo-chemical composition on the external background radiation level

The study to generate the baseline of natural radiation and radioactivity in East and West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya, India was conducted to determine the different radiation dose in selected stations. Twenty stations were selected in both the district, which include Shillong the capital of Meghalaya and the Domiasiat area, which has been identified as one with a Uranium ore deposit. The dose was measured using a Micro-R-Survey meter and from the measurement it was found out that the absorbed dose in both the districts ranges from 0.04 to 1.66 microGy h(-1). The maximum dose was observed in Kylleng (0.72 microGy h(-1)) and the minimum in Mawphlang (0.06 microGy h(-1)). Average absorbed dose and equivalent dose were found to be higher than the Indian and world average values by several orders. The radiation levels distribution was found to be non-uniform through out the selected study area.     

Semi-analytical study on environmental dispersion of settling particles in a width-independent wetland flow

Environmental Fluid Mechanics - Predicting the evolution of environmental dispersion of settling particles in wetland flows has a wide range of applications in ecological engineering. In the...     

210-Polonium studies in some environmental and biological matrices of Domiasiat uranium deposit area, West Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India

The study was performed using a silicon surface barrier alpha spectrometer at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India. Through the study, the observed ²¹⁰Po activity in water sample from different locations in the Domiasiat area ranges from 0.04 to 0.69 Bq/l. The daily and annual intake of ²¹⁰Po through water was also estimated and the mean value of 0.72 and 263.61 Bq, respectively, were observed. It is observed that the effective doses through water were higher than the World Health Organization recommended dose of 0.05 mSv/year. The total annual effective doses through terrestrial ingestion for all the locations was studied and the mean annual effective dose was observed to be 0.315 mSv, which, when compared to the worldwide and the Indian values, was observed to be slightly higher. The mean activity in soil is found to be 124.8 ±5.7 Bq/kg and in meat the activity is 0.43 ±0.05 Bq/kg. In fishes, an activity of 0.48 ±0.07 Bq/kg in Garra lamta, 0.29 ±0.02 Bq/kg in Neolissocheilus hexaganolepis, and 3.3 ±0.1 Bq/kg in Macrobrachium sp. is observed. Activity concentration in plant samples was analyzed and the activity ranges from 0.020 ±0.002 to 9.69 ±0.35 Bq/kg. Committed effective dose by the adult population of the Domiasiat area through intake of ²¹⁰Po through these food items was also determined and compared with the Indian average value and the worldwide average value.     

Indoor air pollution and women’s health in India: an exploratory analysis

Cooking and heating with solid fuels (wood, charcoal, crop waste, dung, coal etc) generates high levels health damaging pollutants in the home. This study is designed to test whether easy availability of cheap harmful fuels, income stratificatiom within society and awareness regarding negative health impact, causes tuberculosis and asthma, among adult married female respondents, along with profiles of their fuel selection. An empirical exercise, by applying binary logistic model and multivariate regression model, has been carried out using Third National Family Health Survey data conducted in India during 2005–2006. The results of binary logistic model indicate that with easy availability of biomass fuels, respondents are more prone to their usage. Therefore, availability/supply of least polluting cooking fuel may be ensured in reducing the level of IAP to eradicate IAP-related disease affecting most adversely the women. So easy availability and low cost of cleaner cooking fuel should get the priority in the policy criteria of the government.