Increasing risks for emerging infectious diseases within a rapidly changing High Asia

The cold and arid mountains and plateaus of High Asia, inhabited by a relatively sparse human population, a high density of livestock, and wildlife such as the iconic snow leopard Panthera uncia, are usually considered low risk for disease outbreaks. However, based on current knowledge about drivers of disease emergence, we show that High Asia is rapidly developing conditions that favor increased emergence of infectious diseases and zoonoses. This is because of the existing prevalence of potentially serious pathogens in the system; intensifying environmental degradation; rapid changes in local ecological, socio-ecological, and socio-economic factors; and global risk intensifiers such as climate change and globalization. To better understand and manage the risks posed by diseases to humans, livestock, and wildlife, there is an urgent need for establishing a disease surveillance system and improving human and animal health care. Public health must be integrated with conservation programs, more ecologically sustainable development efforts and long-term disease surveillance.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01599-7.     

Fine route for an efficient removal of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) by zeolite-supported TiO2

Zeolites HY, Hbeta and HZSM-5 with different physico-chemical properties were chosen as support for TiO2 to illustrate their adsorption, dispersion and electronic structure in photocatalysis. The extent of TiO2 loading was monitored by XRD and BET surface area measurements. The adsorption capacity of HY zeolite was found to be high and hence chosen for further modification to continue the investigation. Photodegradation kinetics were carried out with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in aqueous solution. The extent of 2,4-D degradation on TiO2/HY loading revealed the importance of adsorption in photocatalysis. Mineralisation studies on all three zeolites with 1 wt.% TiO2 loading demonstrated the good dispersion properties of TiO2/HY. Its photocatalytic activity was found to be excellent with formulated 2,4-D. Comparison of relative photonic efficiencies demonstrated that supported photocatalysts exhibited higher activity than some of the commercial photocatalysts. The high activity of supported TiO2 is due to synergistic effects of improved adsorption of 2,4-D and efficient delocalisation of photogenerated electrons by zeolite support.     

Sustainable textile dyeing processes

Textile effluents are characterized by high chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, pH and colour. Fabric preparation steps, such as desizing, scouring, bleaching and mercerizing, use various chemicals and plenty of water. The occurrence of unfixed dyes and other electrolytes in effluents poses serious threats to the environment. Available end-of-pipe treatment procedures are either expensive or not efficient; hence, a large number of small-scale industries succumb to this problem. So, finding an alternative eco-friendly process of textile production is of paramount interest. Here, we review three potential eco-friendly systems applicable to textile dyeing processes to minimize salt and water consumption. First, we review application of enzymatic processing in fabric preparation. Secondly, we review the use of biodegradable organic salts, such as trisodium citrate, magnesium acetate, tetrasodium edate and sodium salts of polycarboxylic acids, as fixation and exhaustion agents. Finally, we review various surface modifications of cotton to reduce the volume of effluent and total dissolved solids.     

Role of climate risks and socio-economic factors in influencing the impact of climatic extremes: a normalisation study in the context of Odisha,India

Economic costs imposed by climatic extremes have been increasing over the years and are expected to follow a similar trend in the coming years as well. Such costs are incurred due to two factors: (1) natural climate variability and anthropogenic climate change and (2) exposure and vulnerability of socio-economic factors. The impact of these factors as identified separately through a ‘normalisation technique’ is analysed in the existing normalisation studies conducted mostly in developed country contexts; these have produced mixed results. However, one needs to enquire about the influence of the above two factors in a developing country context where the anticipated impacts of climate extremes are significant. This study, therefore, makes an attempt to adjust impact data, in terms of the reported population affected and economic damages of three extreme events, namely cyclones, floods and droughts, together for societal changes between 1972 and 2009 in Odisha in eastern India. Further, the second component is analysed in two ways: (1) assuming that exposed socio-economic factors are equally vulnerable similar to the other normalisation studies, i.e. no adaptation and (2) incorporating adaptation in the existing normalisation methods—which has attracted less attention so far in the literature. The results suggest that: (a) both the natural climate variability and the socio-economic factors influence the increasing damages in the recent decades, and (b) when adaptation is introduced in the normalisation model, economic losses have reduced significantly compared to the estimates using the existing normalisation models.     

Biosorption of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) ions from aqueous solution onto the solid biodiesel waste residue: mechanistic, kinetic and thermodynamic studies

In this present study, the biosorption of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) ions from synthetic aqueous solution on defatted J atropha oil cake (DJOC) was investigated. The effect of various process parameters such as the initial pH, adsorbent dosage, initial metal ion concentration and contact time has been studied in batch-stirred experiments. Maximum removal of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) ions in aqueous solution was observed at pH 2.0 and pH. 5.0, respectively. The removal efficiency of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) ions from the aqueous solution was found to be 72.56 and 79.81 %, respectively, for initial metal ion concentration of 500 mg/L at 6 g/L dosage concentration. The biosorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy and zero point charge. Equilibrium data were fitted to the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models and the best fit is found to be with the Freundlich isotherm for both Cr(VI) and Zn(II) metal ions. The kinetic data obtained at different metal ion concentration have been analysed using the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion models and were found to follow the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The values of mass transfer diffusion coefficients (D _e) were determined by Boyd model and compared with literature values. Various thermodynamic parameters, such as ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS°, were analysed using the equilibrium constant values (K _e) obtained from experimental data at different temperatures. The results showed that biosorption of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) ions onto the DJOC system is more spontaneous and exothermic in nature. The results indicate that DJOC was shown to be a promising adsorbent for the removal of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) ions from aqueous solution.     

Health hazard assessment in an industrial town with the help of GRAM-GIS

Unplanned industrialization and urbanization are causing health hazard mainly in developing countries. It is essential to assess the magnitude of future hazard in an industrial town. The geographical information system is a special type of tool evolved to analyse geographic data for efficient planning. In India large-scale industrialization started after independence. New industrial towns have been established and Durgapur in West Bengal is one of them. In this study an indigenously developed GIS package GRAM has been used to assess air quality in Durgapur town. Using GIS, interpolated maps have been prepared showing the distribution of five pollutants, i.e. carbon monoxide, total oxidant, nitrogen-oxide, sulfur-dioxide and suspended particulate matter. The maps have been used to find the pollutant standard index of the area. The final map shows that the PSI index is high and ranges between the unhealthy to very unhealthy category. This map has been combined with a present landuse pattern. There are three pockets of extremely poor air quality zones which generally match with industrial units. Areas around these units are the potential zones of health hazard. Large numbers of patients admitted in hospitals here suffer from obstructive diseases. Most of them belong to the working age group. This may indicate that the main work force is exposed to the health hazard due to industrial pollution.     

Biosorption potential of brown algae,Sargassum polycystum,for the removal of toxic metals,cadmium and zinc

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this research work, the biosorption potential of brown algae, Sargassum polycystum, was investigated for the removal of toxic metals, cadmium (Cd)...