Use of 2–methoxyethyl ether and nitromethane as oxygenated additives for performance improvement and emission reduction of CI engine: experimental investigation and numerical simulation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Diesel engines are playing a vital responsibility in the field of automobile, agriculture, construction, and power generation. In the present world,...     

全氟辛酸(PFOA)对蚯蚓的毒性作用

为考察全氟化合物的土壤生态毒性,以赤子爱胜蚓为模式生物,通过人工土壤染毒方法研究全氟辛酸(PFOA)对蚯蚓急性毒性、回避行为和SOD、CAT等抗氧化酶活性的影响。结果表明,PFOA对蚯蚓的急性毒性作用与染毒时间和染毒浓度相关,实验求得PFOA对蚯蚓毒性作用7和14d的LC50值分别为816.58和792.50mg·kg-1;蚯蚓在160mg·kg-1PFOA暴露浓度下表现出明显的回避反应。在10～120mg·kg-1PFOA长时间暴露下,蚯蚓体内SOD出现"低促高抑"的变化趋势,而GSH-Px则总体上被PFOA所抑制。     

Mosquito biodiversity of Dibru-Saikhowa biosphere reserve in Assam, India

Entomological surveys were conducted for three consecutive years in core and buffer zone of the Dibru-Saikhowa biosphere reserve in pre monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. A total of 52 species of mosquitoes under eleven genera have been detected. The genus Anopheles (18 species) was the predominant followed by Culex, Aedes, Mansonia, Armigeres, Mimomyia, Ochlerostatus, Malaya, Toxorhynchites, Ficalbia and Aedeomyia. The buffer zone of the forest reserve where human habitations are there exhibited the presence of maximum number of species (49 species under 10 genera) in comparison to core zone (42 species under 10 genera). In buffer zone, maximum numbers of species (38) were recorded in monsoon season followed by post- monsoon (35 species) and Pre-monsoon season (34 species). Whereas in core zone, maximum number of species were collected in post monsoon season followed by pre monsoon season and monsoon season. In Core and buffer zone, the maximum species were recorded from the ground pool habitat and slow flowing stream respectively. Among the disease vectors, the potential Japanese encephalitis vectors incriminated in India were very much prevalent. This study provides the list of available mosquito species recorded for the first time in the Dibru-Saikhowa biosphere reserve.     

Potential of Anopheles philippinensis-nivipes complex mosquitoes as malaria vector in north-east India

Anopheles philippinensis-nivipes complex mosquitoes, captured in outdoor human landing catches and light traps in human dwellings from four different sites in Assam state and adjoining areas, were examined (n=1670) for the presence of circumsporozoite antigen (CSA) through enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), using species specific capture monoclonal antibodies, of Plasmodium falciparum and two Plasmodium vivax polymorphs (Pv 210 and VK 247). In ELISA, 28 pools were found positive for CSA that accounted for minimum sporozoite rate of 1.7% (95% CI 1.11-2.41). Twenty five percent (7/28) of the positive pools were reactive for P. falciparum and between the two polymorphs of P. vivax, VK 247 was predominant with 77% (20/26) of all P. vivax positive pools. Results were suggestive of most likely involvement of Anopheles philippinensis-nivipes complex mosquitoes in malaria transmission in north-east India.     

A focus of lymphatic filariasis in a tea garden worker community of central Assam

A survey for lymphatic filariasis was conducted among tea garden workers of central Assam. Of the 656 night blood samples examined, 31 were found positive for Wuchereria bancrofti parasite (microfilaria rate 4.7%). Microfilaria rate was higher in male (7.3%) than females (2.1%). Culex quinquefasciatus was incriminated as vector mosquito.     

Physico-chemical characteristics of breeding habitats of Anopheles dirus (Diptera:Culicidae) in Assam,India

Larval ecology of Anopheles dirus, the main vector of forest malaria in north-eastern region of India, was studied in relation to physico-chemical characteristics of its breeding habitats in a rain forest area of Assam, India. Shady stream side pools, positive for the breeding of An. dirus, had significantly higher amounts of total hardness (P < 0.024) in comparison to negative pools of similar type. When compared with An. dirus negative breeding habitats, in hot-wet as well as in cool-dry seasons, An. dirus positive shady ground pools showed higher mean values of total alkalinity, hardness and chloride content, whereas lower pH, dissolved oxygen along with higher total alkalinity and hardness were possessed by An. dirus positive stream side pools. Specificity of breeding habitats of An. dirus in relation to its ecology has been discussed.     

Newly developed Fe3O4–Cr2O3 magnetic nanocomposite for photocatalytic decomposition of 4-chlorophenol in water

Chlorophenols, typically 4-chlorophenols are highly toxic and non-biodegradable organic contaminants which pose serious threat to the environment, particularly when released into aqueous medium. The removal of these pollutants by efficient method has received worldwide concern in recent past. A new Fe_3O_4–Cr_2O_3 magnetic nanocomposite was synthesized by wet chemical method under ultrasonic irradiation. Microstructure and morphology of the nanocomposite were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction(XRD),Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR), and a transmission electron microscope(TEM). Magnetic and optical properties were studied by a vibrating sample magnetometer(VSM) and an ultraviolet–visible(UV–Vis) spectrophotometer respectively. The magnetic nanocomposite(MNC) was used as photocatalyst for effective decomposition of 4-chlorophenol in water under ultraviolet(UV) irradiation.     

Total concentrations, fractionation and mobility of heavy metals in soils of urban area of Guwahati, India

This work describes the results of assessment of the heavy metals, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in urban soil of Guwahati City, India from 31 sites of five different land use types covering residential, commercial, industrial, public utilities, and roadside. Sequential extraction procedure was used to evaluate the relative distribution of the eight metals in exchangeable, carbonate, reducible (Fe?CMn oxide), organic and sulfide, and residual fractions. Of the eight metals, Cd and Co occur in lower concentrations (Cd <?< Co) in all types of land, and concentration variation from one type of land use to another is not much significant for both the metals. Ni presence is more than Co, and the concentrations show some variation depending on land use status. Average Cr and Cu concentrations are ??100?mg/kg, but Cr has a significantly higher presence in industrial land use. The results are similar in case of Pb. The two metals, Mn and Zn have domination over the other metals, and the values are ??300?mg/kg. Industrial and roadside soil contains much more Mn, while commercial soil is most enriched with Zn. Of the metals, Ni has the largest proportion (~42%) bound to the exchangeable fraction and Co, Cr, and Pb also have appreciable proportion bound to the same fraction. A significant amount of Co is associated with carbonates. The reducible fraction has bound considerable quantity of Mn and Zn, while most of Cu is associated with the organic and sulfide fraction. Both Cd and Pb are dominantly associated with the residual fraction. Computation of the mobility factor of the metals indicates Mn to be the most mobile metal present in the soil samples.     

Solute transport in a semi-infinite homogeneous aquifer with a fixed point source concentration

This study derives an analytical solution of the advection–dispersion (AD) equation commonly used to describe the transport of pollutants in a semi-infinite homogeneous aquifer. When an extra constant source term is added to the AD equation, it changes the solution of the equation. The AD equation is solved analytically using Laplace transform. Also, the equation is solved numerically using an explicit finite difference method and its stability condition is presented with the aid of matrix method. For the solution of the AD equation the following considerations are made: (1) The dispersion and velocity are considered as time-dependent; (2) dispersion is expressed as directly proportional to the square of velocity; (3) there is also diffusion; (4) there is some initial concentration and the aquifer domain is, therefore, not pollutant-free; (5) There is a time-dependent exponentially decreasing input source; and (6) the concentration gradient is assumed to be zero at the exit boundary. It is found that the contaminant concentration decreases with time contrary to what happens when the extra term is not included.     

Arsenic mobilization in the Brahmaputra plains of Assam: groundwater and sedimentary controls

Arsenic (As) mobilization to the groundwater of Brahmaputra floodplains was investigated in Titabor, Jorhat District, located in the North Eastern part of India. The groundwater and the aquifer geochemistry were characterized in the study area. The range of As concentration in the groundwater varies from 10 to 440 μg/l with mean concentration 210 μg/l. The groundwaters are characterized by high dissolved Fe, Mn, and HCO₃ ^? and low concentrations of NO₃ ^? and SO₄ ^2? indicating the reduced conditions prevailing in the groundwater. In order to understand the actual mobilization processes in the area, six core drilling surrounding the two target tube wells (T1 and T2) with high As concentration (three drill-cores surrounds each tube well closely) was done. The sediment was analyzed its chemical, mineralogical, and elemental compositions. A selective sequential extraction suggested that most of the As in the sediment is bound to Fe oxides fractions (32 to 50 %) and the competition for adsorption site by anions (PO₄ ^3?) also accounts to significant fractions of the total arsenic extracted. High variability in the extraction as well as properties of the sediment was observed due to the heterogeneity of the sediment samples with different chemical properties. The SEM and EDX results indicate the presence of Fe, Mn coating along with As for most of the sample, and the presence of As associated minerals were calculated using PHREEQC. The mobilization of As into the groundwater was anticipated to be largely controlled by the reductive dissolution of Fe oxides and partly by the competitive anions viz. PO₄ ^3?.