Seasonal variations in physico-chemical characteristics of River Yamuna in Haryana and its ecological best-designated use

Various physico-chemical characteristics of the River Yamuna flowing in Haryana through Delhi were studied in the summer (April 1998) and winter (Jan.-Feb. 1999). Ecological parameters like dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, nitrate (NO3-), sulfate (SO4(2-)), and phosphate (PO4(3-)), were analyzed and compared with standard permissible limits to assess the best-designated use of the river water for various purposes. The river in Delhi upstream was of better quality whereas the Delhi downstream stretch was polluted as indicated by very low DO and high total dissolved solids (TDS), electric conductivity (EC), total hardness, Na+, K+, Cl-, F- and SO4(2-). The differences in various parameters were statistically significant (p < 0.01) when compared for the Delhi upstream and downstream stretches of the river, particularly in summer. DO and TDS were found to be two important parameters, which showed strong correlation with several other parameters and hence can serve as good indices of river water quality. The river tended to recover from the pollution stress after flowing through a distance of about 80 km downstream of Delhi.     

Changing patterns of organochlorine pesticide residues in raw bovine milk from Haryana, India

Bovine milk samples were collected and analyzed during 1992 and 1998 from rural areas of 14 different districts of Haryana state for the presence of HCH and DDT residues. The study revealed that the mean residues of ΣHCH in raw bovine milk have declined by 67.5% while mean levels of ΣDDT have decreased by 92.8% during six years gap. The obtained results reveal that during 1992 p,p'-DDT was the main component followed by p,p'-DDD, α-HCH and β-HCH while in 1998, p,p'-DDE and β-HCH followed by p,p'-DDT were relatively more as compared to other isomers and metabolites of these pesticides.     

Burden of disease for workers attributable to exposure through inhalation of PPAHs in RSPM from cooking fumes

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), some of which are classified as possible carcinogens (WHO), have been detected in cooking fumes in...     

Determination of vapor pressure-temperature relationships of current–use pesticides and transformation products

Sub-cooled liquid vapor pressures (P_L ⁰) of current–use organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides (chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos methyl, diazinon, fipronil) and selected transformation products (chlorpyrifos oxon, heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol) were determined at multiple temperatures using the gas chromatography retention time technique. Results were utilized to determine vapor pressure-temperature relationships and to calculate enthalpies of vaporization (ΔH_vap). While results for chlorothalonil and diazinon were comparable with published values, the measured value for fipronil (1.82 × 10^{? 6} Pa) is almost an order of magnitude higher than the reported literature value (3.7 × 10^{? 7} Pa). The availability of vapor pressure temperature relationships for these chemicals will aid in pesticide risk assessment development and improve the effectiveness of mitigation and remediation efforts.     

Assessment of regional climatic changes in the Eastern Himalayan region: a study using multi-satellite remote sensing data sets

In this study, an attempt has been made to capture the sensitivity of a mountainous region to elevation-dependent warming and the response of a glacier-laden surface to increasing greenhouse gases (GHGs) and aerosol concentration. Some of the changes Sikkim has undergone due to urban sprawl are as follows: an increase of ~0.7?±?0.46 °C temperature in the past 40 years at an altitude of 5.5 km; a 2.21 km²/year rate of loss of glacierised area in the past 33 years; an increase in absorbed longwave radiation (6?±?2.41 W/m²); an increase in heat fluxes (2?±?0.97 W/m²); a decrease in albedo during the last 30 years; an increase in the concentrations of carbon dioxide (4.42 %), methane (0.61 %), ozone (0.67 %) and black carbon column optical depth (7.19 %); a decrease in carbon monoxide (2.61 %) and an increase in aerosol optical depth (19.16 %) during the last decade; a decrease in precipitation, water yield, discharge and groundwater; and an increase in evapotranspiration during 1971–2005. Detection of three climate signals (1976, 1997 and 2005) in the entire analysis is the quantification of the fact that the climate of Sikkim is moving away from its inter-annual variability. An increase in temperature (0.23 °C/decade) at higher altitude (~5.5 km), suppression of precipitation, decreasing water availability and rapid loss of glacierised area are the evidences of the fact that air pollution is playing a significant role in bringing about regional climatic changes in Sikkim. In this study, change detection method has been used for the first time for the estimation of change in a glacierised area of the region.     

Bioconversion of lawn waste amended with kitchen waste and buffalo dung in to value-added vermicompost using Eisenia foetida to alleviate landfill burden

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Enormous quantities of waste such as lawn waste (LW) and kitchen waste (KW) are generated in urban institutes, proper management of which is...     

Determination of vapor pressure-temperature relationships of current-use pesticides and transformation products

Sub-cooled liquid vapor pressures (P(L)(0)) of current-use organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides (chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos methyl, diazinon, fipronil) and selected transformation products (chlorpyrifos oxon, heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol) were determined at multiple temperatures using the gas chromatography retention time technique. Results were utilized to determine vapor pressure-temperature relationships and to calculate enthalpies of vaporization (DeltaH(vap)). While results for chlorothalonil and diazinon were comparable with published values, the measured value for fipronil (1.82 x 10(-6) Pa) is almost an order of magnitude higher than the reported literature value (3.7 x 10(-7) Pa). The availability of vapor pressure temperature relationships for these chemicals will aid in pesticide risk assessment development and improve the effectiveness of mitigation and remediation efforts.     

Suitability assessment of dumpsite soil biocover to reduce methane emission from landfills under interactive influence of nutrients

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Biocovers are known for their role as key facilitator to reduce landfill methane (CH4) emission on improving microbial methane bio-oxidation....     

Chromium (VI) tolerance in two halotolerant strains of Nostoc

The present study reports on chromium (VI) tolerance of two cyanobacterial strains Nostoc linckia and Nostoc spongiaeforme isolated from salt affected soils using uni-algal and bi-algal systems. Besides distinct halophilism, the two strains exhibited remarkable tolerance to chromium (VI) and revealed 1.2 to 2.8 times more chlorophyll in the presence of the metal. While phycobilins and carotenoids also increased in Nostoc linckia with total dissolved salts (TDS) as well as metal, a decline was observed in Nostoc spongiaeforme in the presence of Cr (VI). Relative algal biomass (as % of control) showed significantly higher values (123-239) in Nostoc linckia in the presence of salt, metal and combination of the two. In Nostoc spongiaeforme it declined in the presence of metal (72-81) but increased in the presence of salts (143-249) and also in the binary systems (121-440). The bi-algal consortium showed relatively less tolerance to salt and metal stress. Nostoc linckia (20 day culture) showed upto 40% chromium removal whereas Nostoc spongiaeforme showed up to 12% removal, indicating greater suitability of the former for use in bioremediation studies.