Dry aerial fallout of organochlorine insecticide residues in Delhi, India

Monitoring of airborne dust in Delhi during May to July 1985 revealed residues of DDT varying from 1.3 to 7.14 ng mg(-1) (4.06-22.31 ng m(-2) day(-1)) with an average of 3.32 ng mg(-1) (10.38 ng m(-2) day(-1)), and HCH which ranged from 0.46 to 2.35 ng mg(-1) (1.44-7.34 ng m(-2) day(-1)) with a mean of 1.16 ng mg(-1) (3.63 ng m(-2) day(-1)). The concentration of total DDT was almost 3 times greater than that of HCH.     

Adsorptive removal of Cd2+ ions using dolochar at an industrial-scale process optimization by response surface methodology

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this work, performance of laboratory-synthesized dolochar has been investigated for adsorption of Cd2+ ions in a large-scale process with the...     

PAHs Contamination in Bank Sediment of the Yamuna River, Delhi, India

This study was performed to elucidate the distribution, concentration trend and possible sources of PAHs in bank sediment of river Yamuna in Delhi, India. The levels of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons in the sediment fraction < 53 μm. Reference standards and internal standards were used for identification and quantification of PAHs by HPLC. The sum of 16 PAH compounds ranged from 4.50 to 23.53 μg/g with a mean concentration of 10.15 ± 4.32 μg/g (dry wt.). Among 5 sites studied, the site, Income Tax Office (ITO) was found to be the hotspot attaining highest concentration. Predominance of 2–4 ring PAHs suggests a relatively recent local sources of PAHs in the study area. Moreover, molecular indices based source apportionment also illustrates pyrogenic source fingerprint of PAHs. No significant temporal trend was observed.     

Assessing Respiratory Morbidity Through Pollution Status and Meteorological Conditions for Delhi

The study focuses on assessing the status of respiratory morbidity in Delhi over a four years period from 2000–2003. An attempt was made to investigate the role of important pollutants (SO₂, NO₂, SPM and RSPM) and various meteorological factors (temperature minimum & maximum, relative humidity at 0830 and 1730 hrs. and wind speed) in being responsible for respiratory admissions on account of COPD, asthma and emphysema. The study showed that winter months had greater exposure risk as pollutants often get trapped in the lower layers of atmosphere resulting in high concentrations. Statistical analysis revealed that two pollutants have significant positive correlation with the number of COPD cases viz., SPM (r = 0.474; p < 0.01) and RSPM (r = 0.353; p < 0.05), while a meteorological factor temperature (minimum) has a significant negative correlation (r = −0.318; p < 0.05) with COPD. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed for COPD as dependent variable and R² value of 0.33 was obtained indicating that SPM and RH(1730) were able to explain 33 percent variability in COPD. The partial correlation of SPM and RH(1730) on COPD was higher than any other combination and therefore they can be regarded as important contributing variables on COPD.     

Spatial Characterization and Prioritization of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil-Water Resources in Peri-Urban Areas of National Capital Territory (NCT), Delhi

Due to rapid industrialization and urbanization during last two decades, contamination of soils by heavy metals is on an increase globally. Lands under peri-urban agriculture are the worst affected. In NCT, Delhi about 14.4% of land area is chemically degraded. In order to take care of this problem, recently the Supreme Court of India ordered to shift various non-confirming (about 39,000 units) industries to regions outside NCT, Delhi. However in spite of this, there have been several reports and parliamentary debates on the phyto-toxicity and extensive accumulation of heavy metals in the region. Literature review revealed that the basis of these debates is a few studies on some point locations in/around Delhi. It was further observed that information on the distribution and extent of heavy metal pollution problem in the region was completely missing. The present study was thus basically aimed at assessing the spatial distribution/extent and type of heavy metal pollution in the study area, for enabling future designing of appropriate site-specific management measures by the decision makers.For this, detailed spatial information on bio-available heavy metal concentrations in the soils and surface/sub-surface waters of NCT (Delhi) was generated through actual soil/water surveys, standard laboratory methods and GIS techniques. The study showed that concentration of all micronutrients (viz. Zn: 0.05–0.18 ppm; Cu: in traces; Fe: 0–0.5 ppm; and Mn: 0–1.2 ppm) and most heavy metals (viz. Ni: 0–0.7 ppm; Pb: 0–0.15 ppm and Cd: in traces) in the surface/sub-surface irrigation waters were well within permissible limits. However Cr concentrations in irrigation waters of Alipur and Shahdara blocks were far above their maximum permissible limit of 1 ppm. It was further observed that Ni and Cr concentrations in the drinking waters of almost entire test area were far above maximum permissible levels of 0.02 and 0.01 ppm, respectively. Bio-available concentrations of several heavy metals (viz. Pb: 0.1–2 ppm; Cd: traces; Ni: 0.05–2 ppm and Cr: 0–0.4 ppm) in the study area soils were also observed to be well within the maximum permissible limits. However there were point Cu contaminations (5–10 ppm) in the sewage-sludge amended soils of vegetable growing areas near south Shahdara block. This was attributed to increased Cu availability due to oxidized acidic conditions generated by over-irrigation of agricultural lands. Available Mn concentrations in Kanjhawala, western Najafgarh and Alipur soils were also observed to be above maximum permissible limit of 10 ppm. This was observed to be mainly due to the geology (i.e. presence of Mn rich sedimentary rocks) and prevalence of reduced acidic conditions, due to paddy cultivation, in these areas. It was further observed that there is acute zinc (Zn) deficiency (< 0.6 ppm) in paddy growing soils of north Kanjhawala, Alipur and some parts of Najafgarh and Shahdara blocks due to extensive leaching of available Zn fractions to lower soil horizons. Similar available Zn deficiencies in high pH (8.5) soils of areas around Bamnoli village in E-Najafgarh block were also observed.     

Principle and applications of microbubble and nanobubble technology for water treatment

In recent years, microbubble and nanobubble technologies have drawn great attention due to their wide applications in many fields of science and technology, such as water treatment, biomedical engineering, and nanomaterials. In this paper, we discuss the physics, methods of generation of microbubbles (MBs) and nanobubbles (NBs), while production of free radicals from MBs and NBs are reviewed with the focuses on degradation of toxic compounds, water disinfection, and cleaning/defouling of solid surfaces including membrane. Due to their ability to produce free radicals, it can be expected that the future prospects of MBs and NBs will be immense and yet more to be explored.     

Is black carbon a better predictor of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon distribution in soils than total organic carbon?

Black carbon (BC) and total organic carbon (TOC) were quantified in the surface soils of Switzerland (N = 105) and Delhi (N = 36), India, to examine their relationships with contents of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). BC content in Swiss (background) soils (N = 104) varied from 0.41 to 4.75 mg/g (median: 1.13 mg/g) and constituted 1-9% (median: 3%) of TOC. Indian (urban) soils had similar BC concentrations (0.37-2.05 mg/g, median: 1.19 mg/g), with relatively higher BC/TOC (6-23%, median: 13%). Similar to TOC, BC showed significant positive correlation with lighter PAH, but no correlation with heavier PAH in Swiss soils. In contrast, heavier PAH were significantly correlated only with BC in Delhi soils. It seems that TOC governs the distribution of PAH in organic matter rich background soils, while the proximity to emission sources is reflected by BC-PAH association in urban soils.     

Persistence,degradation and leaching of coumaphos in soil

Abstract

Dissipation, degradation and leaching of fresh ¹⁴C coumaphos, alkylated ¹⁴C coumaphos and aged residues of ¹⁴C coumaphos from vats were studied in alkaline sandy loam soil in soil columns in the field under subtropical conditions in Delhi for a year. Dissipation, degradation and bound residue formation was more in case of alkali treated coumaphos than fresh coumaphos. After 365 days total residues of fresh coumaphos accounted for 33.25% while that of alkali treated coumaphos was 19.12%. Bound residue formation was almost double in case of alkali treated coumaphos (18.95%) than fresh coumaphos (9.53%) after 150 days followed by release of bound residue in both the cases. The proportion of metabolites 4 ‐ methylumbelliferone, chlorferon and potasan collectively was 86.05% in fresh coumaphos extractable residues while the same was 91.74% in alkali treated coumaphos after 365 days. Aged residues from vats containing copper sulphate and buffer were found to be more persistent in soil as total residues remained were 95.58% in comparison with 83.09% total residues of aged residues from vats containing only buffer after 150 days of treatment. Copper sulphate seems to inhibit the degradatiion of coumaphos in soil by microorganisms. Chlorferon was the major metabolite in generally all the samples. Coumaphos did not leach below 10 cm in all the cases.     

Effect of UV radiation and temperature on mineralization and volatilization of coumaphos in water

This study was undertaken to determine the dissipation and degradation of coumaphos [O-(3-chloro-4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-7-yl) O,O-diethyl phosphorothioate] under different sunlight conditions and at different temperatures. The effect of the ultra violet (UV) component of solar radiation was also studied using quartz tubes in addition to other radiation in the visible range using glass tubes and the results were compared with those obtained under the dark light conditions. Water suspensions of coumaphos were incubated at three temperatures viz. 22°C, 37°C and 53°C in closed systems to study the effect of temperature. Volatilization, mineralization and degradation of coumaphos increased with an increase in temperature and exposure to solar radiation, particularly under the UV component of the solar radiation. Major loss of the pesticide occurred through volatilization. The optimum temperature for the degradation of coumaphos was found to be at 37°C. The data obtained from the mineralization and degradation studies indicated that 53°C crosses the biological range for suitable growth of microorganism. UV radiation exposure along with maintaining temperature at 37°C may prove useful in the dissipation and/or degradation of coumaphos prior to its disposal as waste from cattle dipping vats.