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Kinetics, Isotherm and Thermodynamic Properties of the Basement Complex of Clay Deposit in Ire-Ekiti Southwestern Nigeria for Heavy Metals Removal

Raw kaolinite clay collected from Ire-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria, was used to adsorb some heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Ni and Cu) from their aqueous solution through batch experiments. Adsorption studies were performed at the different temperatures, concentration and time to determine the kinetics, isotherm and thermodynamic properties of the adsorption processes. The adsorption thermodynamic properties showed that sorption of Cu, Cr and Ni on the raw clay was exothermic, while adsorption of Pb was endothermic. The negative values of ?G for Pb adsorption revealed the feasibility and spontaneity of the adsorption process while the positive ?G values for Cu, Cr and Ni sorption showed non-spontaneity of the adsorption process. Langmuir, Freundlich and Elovich isotherms were applied to explicate the nature of adsorption process, while Pseudo-first-order (PFO), Pseudo-second-order and Elovich kinetics were applied to literarily determine the adsorbate-adsorbent interaction. Pseudo-second-order kinetics was the best fitting kinetics for adsorption of the metals on the raw clay.

S. S. Asaolu, S. O. Adefemi, O.A. Ibigbami, D.K. Adekeye and S. A. Olagboye

Accumulation Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements for Major Crops and Farmland Around A High-arsenic Coal Mine in Xingren, Guizhou, Southwest China

This study assessed the contamination by toxic elements (TEs), including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and arsenic (As), and their accumulation characteristics in soil-crop systems in Xingren, Guizhou, southwest China, by using the target hazard quotient (THQ) to evaluate the possible health risk in the target area. The mean value of the geo-accumulation index (Igeo; 1.95, 1.89 and 1.96 for rice, maize and Coix lacryma-jobi L., respectively) shows As in partial contamination level. The potential ecological risk index (RI) values show that 90% of samples exceed in considerable ecology risk level (120 < RI> stalk > leaf > husk >edible part. Maize showed a major restriction in TE intake compared to rice and Coix lacryma-jobi L. The THQ of As was from 0 to 6.33 in all the plant samples, which indicates that the THQ exceeded the safe limit (THQ=1) in some samples. The total THQs (TTHQ) had a similar trend as RI, further indicating the potential health risk of the elements in combination. These data indicate that local people experience significant health risks if they ingest crops from the investigated area.

F.X. Qin, Y. Yi, J.Y. Gong, Y.B. Zhang, K. Hong and Y.K. Li

Comparative Analyses of the Inhibitive Influence of Cascabela thevetia and Jatropha curcas Leaves Extracts on Mild Steel

The inhibitive properties of the extracts of Cascabela thevetia and Jatropha curcas were comparatively studied on corrosion of mild steel in H2SO4 acid. The extracts of both plants contained active phytochemical constituents such as tannins, saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes and phenols which made them useful as good corrosion inhibitors. The extract concentrations were varied from 0.3 to 1.5 g/L during both the gravimetric and gasometric analyses for an exposure time of 7-28 days. The weight loss of the coupon, corrosion rate, surface coverage and inhibitive efficiency was evaluated for both the extracts. The results of the gravimetric and gasometric analyses indicated that inhibitive efficiency increased with an increase in the concentration of inhibitors and the highest was 55.77% for Jatrophas curcas at the concentration of 1.5 g/L. The weight loss was a little lower for Cascabela thevetia (4.36 g) compared to Jatrophas curcas (4.66 g) at the highest exposure time used (28 days). Cascabela thevetia has a better surface coverage (0.68) than Jatropha curcas (0.61), hence, Cascabela thevetia inhibits better for a 7-day exposure time. However, when the mild steel was further exposed for more than 7 days, Jatropha curcas exhibited a better inhibitive property. The highest and least hydrogen gas evolution was obtained at 0.3 g/L concentration (7 minutes) and 1.5 g/L concentration (1 minute) for both Cascabela thevetia and Jatropha curcas leaves extracts, respectively. Based on the results, the utilization of extracts of Cascabela thevetia and Jatropha curcas leaves as replacements for toxic organic inhibitors in industries are recommended.

A. S. Adekunle, A. A. Adeleke, P. P. Ikubanni and O. A. Adewuyi

Assessment of Health of River Ganga at Varanasi, India

World across, there is an increasing concern about river health. In India, Ganga River Basin Management Plan (GRBMP) 2015 considered River Ganga as an ecological entity. This paper attempts to present a framework for river health assessment in India and discusses its applicability for River Ganga near Varanasi. In the proposed framework, the River Health Condition (RHC) is assessed through the calculation of River Health Index (RHI) on a 0-100 scale and categorized as Acceptable or Poor. RHI is calculated by using selected parameters/indices normalized on the 0-5 scale based on their critical and target values. River Health is presented through a coloured circumscribed pentagon each of whose side represents one of five indicator groups: i. Organo-electrolytic-bacterial qualities. ii. Nutrients, iii. Algae, iv. Macroinvertebrates, and v. Fish. Application of the proposed framework has been tested and explained using observed data for four seasons per year for two years from five locations of River Ganga near Varanasi. The colour of circumscribing pentagon reflects overall river health condition at a given location and each side of pentagon reflects health score concerningto one indicator group. The analyses indicate that the health of River Ganga near Varanasi is improving with time. The river health is found at its best level during Spring season and unstable during Post Monsoon period at most of the locations. The severely reduced RHI indicate “Overstressed” condition of River Ganga at the confluence points of River Assi and Varuna, which are evidenced by the presence of pollution tolerant biotic species. There are clear stretches of the river near outfall points which are nutrients rich and organically polluted causing poor health of river showing a disturbed balance of biotic species. Indicator group score based RHI gives a clear identification of critical parameters which may be used in strategic planning for river health restoration.

Sonali Saxena and Prabhat Kumar Singh

Hazards of Environmental Disruption in Mine Goafs and Stability Evaluation in Gaofeng Mining Area

China is rich in mineral resources with many points and broad faces in metal and nonmetal mines. However, numerous goafs are formed due to backward mining technology, low intensification degree, incomplete safety precautions, and the excessive exploitation of mineral resources, thus leading to severe environmental disruption. Accidents, like goaf collapse, are major geological disasters in mine production, and goaf stability evaluation is of great importance for reducing natural disasters in goafs and implementing environmental protection. The hazard types of environmental disruption caused by mine goafs were first analyzed in this study. Then, an influence factor index system of goaf stability was established, and a case study of a mine goaf in Henan Province was conducted using an analytic hierarchy process (AHP)-based fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model. Results show that the hazards of environmental disruption in mine goafs are manifested in the structural failure of surrounding buildings, massive water and soil loss, the exhaustion of water resources, the degradation of soil quality, and the remarkable reduction of overlying animals and plants. Technical factors exert the maximum influence on underground goaf stability with the total weight value reaching 72.42%, and the influence weight of goaf span on goaf stability reaches 21.43%, followed by goaf area and pillar distribution with influence weights of 18.58% and 11.17%, respectively. Through fuzzy AHP-based comprehensive evaluation and calculation, the goaf stability of the Henan Sandaozhuang open-pit mine in the case study belongs to grade (ordinary), that is, the goaf stability is in the ordinary state, and the evaluation result reflects the reality. The study results have improved the reasonable stability and safety management scheme for complex multi-layer goaf and solved complex goaf hazards faced by Gaofeng mining area, so they will be of general significance for the environmental governance of other underground mine goafs.

Chun Bai, Meng Xian Yun and Jun Mei Wang

Heavy Metal Accumulation in Soil-Wheat System of Coal Mining Area and Health Risk Assessment: A Case Study in Northern Anhui Province, China

An investigation of 43 soil samples and their corresponding wheat samples collected from Qinan (QN) and Luling (LL) coal mining areas in Suzhou, China, was conducted to study the accumulation of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr and Ni) in the soil-wheat system, and to evaluate the potential human health risk posed by heavy metals from long-term ingestion of local wheat. Results showed that Cu, Zn, Cd and Ni were accumulated in the soils from the two mining areas, higher proportions of all the investigated metals in residual fraction were recorded, while large amounts of Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb were also observed in the bioavailable or potential bioavailable fractions. Metal contents in the different parts of wheat mainly followed the order of Root>Stem>Grain. The trends of Bioaccumulation factor (BF) and Translocation factor (TF) values were Zn>Cd>Cu>Ni>Pb>Cr and Cu>Cd>Zn>Cr>Pb>Ni, respectively. Correlation analysis suggested that the accumulated metals in the grain were mainly supplied from exchangeable and carbonate bound fractions in soil. Since the health risk posed by heavy metals ingestion was very close to the maximum allowable limit, the safety of wheat consumption in the coal mining areas should be continually concerned.

Q. Li and S. B. Zhou

Potency of Mancozeb Conjugated Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Goat, Cow and Buffalo Urine Against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Causing Anthracnose Disease

Silver nanoparticles of 22-40 nm size were synthesized using goat, cow and buffalo urine. These nanoparticles are conjugated with a fungicide (Mancozeb). The antifungal activity of these conjugated nanoparticles (Mc-AgNPs) was tested against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides which causes anthracnose disease in various fruits and vegetables. This fungus infects during pre and post-harvesting seasons causing a significant decrease in the quantity and quality of the product. The fungicide conjugated AgNPs were characterized by UV-Visible, FTIR, SEM and XRD analysis. The synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by the UV-visible spectroscopy. The shape of AgNPs was found to be spherical. The Mc-AgNPs from goat, cow and buffalo urine exhibited 146.15%, 133.33% and 114.28% more antifungal activity than the fungicides alone respectively. The results indicate that the Mc-AgNPs from goat urine showed more efficacy than cow and buffalo urine. The fungicide-conjugated AgNPs drastically reduce the amount of fungicide to be applied against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, which in turn reduce the hazardous effect caused by fungicides. Further, these can be tested to control other pathogenic fungi also.

S. N. Raghavendra, H. S. Raghu, C. Chaithra and A. N. Rajeshwara

Spectroscopic Characterization of Palm Stearin Biodiesel Derived Through Base Catalysed Transesterification Process

In this research work, the characterization of the palm stearin biodiesel was made using Nuclear Magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FITR) and GC/MS methods. Analysis of the composition of fatty acids was done using the GCMS apparatus based on the retention time. Fourier transform infrared spectrometer was used for the spectrum analysis of the various functional groups and bands located in it. The properties of the palm stearin biodiesel were predicted adopting the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. Measured values of the properties were the density at 18°C as 0.88 g/m3, kinematic viscosity at 35°C as 3.4 mm2/s, the calorific value of the palm stearin as 37121 kJ/kg and the flash and fire points of the biodiesel as 130°C and 160oC respectively. The rapid and correct characterization of the palm stearin biodiesel was made by the NMR.

V. Hariram, N. Bala Karthikeyan, S. Seralathan, T. Micha Premkumar and J. Godwin John

An Improved InVEST Ecological Service Evaluation Model Based on BP Neural Network Optimization

The land is the material basis for human survival, and the contradiction between people and land has become increasingly prominent. The land ecological problem has gradually become a hot spot of concern. It is imperative to make a scientific evaluation of the land ecological quality and propose reasonable and feasible improvement measures and recommendations. At present, domestic research on environmental cost and environmental cost degradation mostly focuses on theoretical discussion, and there are few applications and practical research on enterprise environmental cost management. Based on the principle of protecting the ecological environment, this paper creates an ecological service assessment model to assess the real economic cost of land use development projects. From small community projects to large-scale national projects, because environmental costs are difficult to estimate, this paper uses the recovery cost method and the preventive expenditure method to quantify environmental costs. The cost of environmental degradation mainly comes from water pollution and air pollution. This paper uses the pollution function method to quantify the cost of environmental degradation. The InVEST model is used to evaluate the value of ecosystem services, and the BP neural network method is used to optimize the ecosystem service model, and the sensitivity analysis of the data is used to feedback the impact of the project on ecosystem services. The ecosystem service model based on neural network optimization makes the accuracy of data measurement results reaching 99.7%, which makes the model having a good generalization. Taking a paper mill as an example, this paper evaluates environmental costs by resource consumption cost, environmental degradation value and environmental governance cost, and estimates environmental degradation costs by major environmental governance costs. Finally, the environmental cost and environmental degradation cost are integrated, and the ecosystem service model is established. The neural network model was established in the Matlab environment based on the InVEST model, and the model simulation results of the ecosystem service system were obtained. Compared with the InVEST results, the results of this paper have better authenticity and market utilization value. Although a paper mill was used as an example, the system was evaluated and the evaluation results were analysed. Compared with the actual situation, there is a certain reliability. However, due to the limited data, the number of verifications is insufficient for the system. It is hoped that more data can be verified later to ensure its reliability.

Feng Wang, Wenlong Chen and Lei Niu

Evaluation Index System Construction for Geological Environmental Bearing Capacity and Its Application in Henan Province, China

Geological environment is a resource base, environmental base, and engineering base for human socioeconomic activities. The main function of the geological environment is to provide stable and safe living space and essential resources for the existence and development of human society. However, geological environmental problems become increasingly prominent in some provinces in China due to fragility of the geological environment, uneven population distribution, backward economic development, and massive construction projects. The function of geological environments in some provinces to support sustainable economic and social development is evidently insufficient, and the threshold values of their geological environmental bearing capacity nearly reach the upper limit. For example, Henan Province, China, an evaluation index system for geological environmental bearing capacity, was established from three aspects, as follows: natural hazard, geological disaster, and disaster control. The weights of evaluation indexes were calculated using the variation coefficient method. Finally, the geological environmental bearing capacity of Henan Province during 2010-2018 was measured through the comprehensive evaluation method. Results showed that the constructed evaluation index system for geological environmental bearing capacity, which consisted of 34 indexes, was scientific and reasonable. During 2010-2018, the geological environmental bearing capacity of Henan Province was superior or excellent. Geological environmental bearing capacity can be improved by reinforcing the construction of legal rules and laws for geological environmental protection, carrying out research work regarding geological environmental bearing capacity, launching geological environmental monitoring and early warning system construction, and implementing feasibility demonstration for the geological environment of major construction projects. The study results can provide practical guidance and reference to realize the predictive analysis of geological environmental bearing capacity and coordinate human socioeconomic activities and geological environment.

He Ziguang, Zhang Yujiao, Huang Lei, Duan Zhao and Lin Jianhao

Study on Sewage Purification Effect in Surface Flow Constructed Wetland

The status quo that the shortage of water resources in North China and the arbitrary discharge of sewage in rural areas have led to the deterioration of water environment, which not only aggravates the contradiction between supply and demand of regional water resources but also brings harm to people’s life and health. How to properly discharge sewage according to the actual situation in rural areas is a question that needs to be answered urgently. The method adopted in this paper is to build a constructed wetland with low cost and simple operation and maintenance in the study area, and purify the water quality through parallel + multi-stage cascade surface flow constructed wetland system. The results show that the purification effect of the wetland system is acceptable, and the removal rate of each index shows a decreasing trend with time. The larger the area is, and the more plant species there are, the better the removal effect will be. The trend of concentration change along the water flow path of each index is also gradually decreasing, and the decline in the early stage is larger. The method of standard index evaluation is adopted to evaluate water quality purification effect of the wetland system, and all indexes reach the standard. In accordance with the Surface Water Environment Quality Standard (GB3838-2002), after wetland purification, the water quality indexes of COD, TP, NH3-N and DO all reach Class IV water quality standard, and BOD5 reaches Class II water quality standard. The wetland system effectively reduces the impact of arbitrary sewage discharge on the water environment in rural areas and achieved water quality purification and ecological restoration. The quality of the living environment of local residents is improved. The beautiful environment also promotes people’s awareness of protecting wetland ecological environment.

Xiuli Li

Analysis of Soil Characteristics Near the Solid Waste Landfill Site

In this project, the study of soil characteristics due to the municipal solid waste was carried out in a selected location around the recently closed Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) dumpsite located opposite to Periya Eri in Chromepet, Chennai. Soil samples were collected from the selected location, i.e. 2 sites within 1500m from the dumpsite and another 2 sites beyond 1500m from the dump yard. Total 12 soil samples from 4 sites were collected from a ground depth of 0-30cm, 30-60cm and 60-90cm below the surface. The collected soil samples have been analyzed for pH, moisture, total organic matter, ash content, total organic carbon, specific gravity, conductivity and bulk density and the result were compared with the standards. The study suggested, providing Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs) around the solid waste dump site/landfill for reducing the leachate concentration before entering to the soil and thus soil contamination can be minimized to some extent and this technology is cost-effective and eco-friendly since the materials used in the barriers are locally available and low-cost which is sustainable and protect human health, nature and the environment. This study indicated that soil properties did not reach high pollution levels, and therefore posed a low eco-risk potential in surface soil near the landfill.

P. Vijayalakshmi, P. K. Raji, P. Eshanthini, R. Rahul Vijay Bennet and Rajesh Ravi

Enhanced Enrichment Characteristics and Inhibition Kinetics Characteristics of the Anammox Granular Sludge

The anammox granular sludge was enriched by shortening the hydraulic retention time (HRT) (from 27 h to 6.67 h) in the UASB reactor, which was fed with ammonium chloride and nitrite as the substrates, and the effect of different HRTs on the nitrogen removal performance of anammox granule sludge was studied. After 159 d of operation, the total nitrogen loading rate (NLRTN) reached 1.72 Kg/(m3·d), the total nitrogen removal rate (NRRTN) reached 1.33 Kg/(m3·d), and the removal efficiencies of NH+4-N (NRENH+ 4-N) and NO-2-N (NRENO-2-N) were over 95%. The ratio of DNO-2-N/DNH+4-N was 1.31 and DNO-3-N/DNH+ 4-N was 0.24, which complied with the chemical reaction stoichiometry of anammox. The colour of anammox granular sludge changed from light red to deep red; the percentage of granular sludge larger than 1.5 mm was the highest, which proportionately accounted for 62.32%; and the surface of the granular sludge was found, via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), to contain abundant functional groups. The inhibitory effect of substrates (NH+4-N and NO-2-N) on anammox was studied via an inhibition kinetics batch test using anammox granular sludge (Day 159) in the UASB reactor, and the test results were fitted in the Haldane inhibition model with correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.9912 and 0.9949.

Z.Z. Wang, Y. Ji, H. Zhang, L.N. Yan, D. Zhao and P. Gao

Interaction Between the Tourism Industry and Ecological Environment Based on the Complicated Adaptation System (CAS) Theory: A Case Study on Henan Province, China

Pressure over the destruction of the ecological environment by the tourism industry from the blind development of tourism areas, tourism projects that destroy the ecological environment, tourist overloading during holidays, and poor environmental protection awareness among tourists is increasing. Seeking a balance point between ecological environmental protection and tourism industrial development is key in the sustainable development of the tourism industry. The Complicated Adaptation System (CAS) theory is an important theory in the current system, which focuses on the interaction of the internal elements of a system. Analyzing the interactive development between the tourism industry and the ecological environment based on CAS theory is one way to achieve the harmonious coexistence of the tourism industry and the ecological environment. A case study on Henan Province, China, is conducted, the literature on the interaction between the tourism industry and ecological environment is reviewed, and the environmental pollution status of Henan Province caused by the tourism industry is summarized. Moreover, the complex adaptation of the tourism industry and ecological environment is analyzed. Research results show that most studies support the belief that the tourism industry generates substantial environmental pollution. Environmental pollution from the tourism industry in Henan Province is reflected in tourist overloading, the direct effects of pollution from tourism consumption, damage to cultural relics in star-level tourism areas, and in dwindling habitats for plant and animal survival. Analyzing the interactive relationship between the tourism industry and ecological environment has scientific value and is worth promoting. This relationship is established based on CAS theory from four characteristics, namely, clustering, nonlinearity, flow, and diversity, and three mechanisms, that is, labelling, an internal model, and building blocks. The research conclusions can serve as a reference to better facilitate tourism industry development, estimate the relationship between the tourism economy and ecological environment, and combine ecological tourism and green technological innovation effectively.

Zhong Wei Wang

Toxic Trace Metals and Pathological Changes in Organs of Rats Fed with Extract of Polluted Grasses

The present study investigated the pathological effects of trace metals in organs of Wistar rats fed with extracts of grasses collected from areas surrounding mining industries. The rats were examined for clinical signs during the experimental period and the concentration of trace metals in organs was examined using ICP-MS. The kidneys were analysed for pathological changes under Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Generally, trace metal concentration in the organs of the rats followed the order Zn > Cu > Mn > As. These trace metals were bio-accumulated more in the spleen than kidneys and livers. Clinical signs such as hair loss, reduced fluid intake, pale ears and feet and skin irritation were observed. TEM investigation of kidney glomeruli showed pathology such as the presence of mesangial deposits, as well as the villous formation and effaced foot processes of the podocytes. Trace metals were bioaccumulated in the organs of the rats and spleen had a higher concentration, which might have negative effects on the organs. It was concluded from the study that plants harvested from polluted sites might be harmful when consumed as they have the potential to induce organ dysfunction.

T. A. Modise, M. L. Mpholwane, C. Baker and J.O. Olowoyo

Assessment of Drinking Water Quality and the Efficiency of the Al-Buradieiah Water Treatment Plant in Basra City

This study was conducted on the oldest water treatment plant in the city of Basra, which is the Al-Buradieiah Water Treatment Plant (BWTP) during the period from December 2017 to March 2018. The study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the plant by calculating the efficiency of sedimentation, filtration and sterilization basins, as well as to examine the water quality by examining the physical and chemical characteristics of raw water and treated water in this plant and then compare it with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Iraqi standards. The results of this study showed that the efficiency of sedimentation basins is 54%, while the efficiency of filtration basins is 24% and sterilization efficiency ranging from 37 to 65%. As well as, laboratory results of treated water quality have also shown that the turbidity equal to (7.24 NTU), electrical conductivity (EC) equal to 5040 µS/cm, the total dissolved solids (TDS) equal to 3380 mg/L and the total suspended solids (TSS) equal to 190 mg/L of the water outside from the BWTP. All these water quality results are higher than the WHO and Iraqi standard limitations except the value of pH, which is 6.9 and within the permissible limits.

Ahmed Sadiq Al Chalabi

Legislative Norms from the Perspective of Water Resources Management in Zhejiang Province of China

As an important material resource of human being, water resource is of great significance to promote sustainable development of economy and society, and it must be managed and utilized reasonably. Water resources management in Zhejiang Province has always been at the forefront of China, but the lagging development of the local legal system has seriously hindered the construction of water ecological civilization. To meet the actual work demand of water resource management in Zhejiang Province of China, its social development and water resource management situation in 2019 was probed by using comparative analysis. Results show that water resource management and local legal system construction has a logic relationship and that their hidden dangers and shortcomings in the practice of water resources legal system in Zhejiang Province of China. Legislation standard path and countermeasures are put forward for water resources management in Zhejiang Province of China.

Chencan Liu

Valorisation of Natural Waste: Dam Sludge for Road Construction

The Algerian dams are in a more or less silted state. Fergoug dam is the most silted dam since it records a rate of siltation of 95%. The siltation of the dam is undoubtedly the most dramatic consequence of the problem of erosion in Algeria. The investigations are at two levels: either prevent the solids to arrive in the dam (that is to put obstacles to break the forces of the runoff water, but we can only hope partial results) or the evacuation of sediments by appropriate management of bottom. But in our opinion, their valorisation in the field of construction is the most appropriate solution. This valorisation helps protect the environment and natural materials. Many mud treatment methods are often used to improve the insufficient geotechnical properties before reuse for a certain function in the structure. Lime treatment is one of the most common methods of converting soils to new materials that provide the desired performances. The objective of this work is to study the mud behaviour of the Fergoug dam (Algeria) for its use in the application of road engineering. The study consists of reconstituting samples of the Fergoug dam mud with various proportions of lime in the laboratory and subjecting them to various tests (Proctor, VBS, CBR index, DRX, etc.). The results obtained are encouraging and therefore allow the valorisation of sediments of the Fergoug dam which are a cumbersome waste for the environment.

A. Larouci, Y. Senhadji, L. Laoufi and A. Benazzouk

Adsorption of Dye Reactive Brilliant Red X-3B by Rice Wine Lees from Aqueous Solutions

In this study, the adsorption performance of rice wine lees on reactive brilliant red (X-3B) was studied. Five aspects of SEM, FTIR characterization of rice wine lees, initial X-3B pH, rice wine lees dosage and initial dye concentration were studied. The characterization of rice wine lees indicated that it was a good adsorbent due to its larger specific surface area. And the experiment results showed that pH had a great influence on the adsorption effect of rice wine lees, and the adsorption performance decreased with the increase of pH. At the same time, the removal rate of reactive brilliant red X-3B increased with the increase of the dosage of rice wine lees and decreased with the increase of initial concentration of dyes. In the meanwhile, the experimental data were fitted to find that the adsorption of Reactive Brilliant Red X-3B by rice wine lees followed the Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorption kinetics was consistent with the intraparticle diffusion model and the maximum adsorption capacity was 12.376 mg/g.

Q. Wang, F. F. Xi, L. P. Liang, Y. T. Zhang, Y. Y. Xue, Q. Wu, L. B. Cheng and X. Meng

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Air Quality in Delhi, India

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the biggest health calamities that the world has faced, which has infected millions of people and lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths all over the world. It has impacted the economic, social and health aspects of the countries to quite an extreme level. But an indirect positive impact can also be seen on the environment. In this paper, taking the example of Delhi, one of the most polluted cities of India, an analysis has been done to compare the levels of air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NOx and ozone) during the lockdown and the same period in the previous years. The study shows that the extent to which the industries, vehicles, power plants etc. release the air pollutants and severely impact the environment and human health. As during the lockdown when all such activities were either stopped or very much restricted, a reduction of almost 60% in the particulate matter pollution and up to 40% in the NOx pollution was observed while the ozone levels were reduced by 30-40% as compared to the same period during the previous two years. In the end, some suggestions have been made which can play some part to control air pollution once the lockdown is over.

Apurva Goel

Use of Crystalline Silica Waste for Enhancement of Engineering Properties of Black Cotton Soil

Construction of pavement layers on subgrade soil with excellent properties reduces the thickness of pavements and consequently reduces the initial cost of construction. However, construction of pavement on poor soil subgrade like black cotton soil is unavoidable due to several constraints. In such a situation, the enhancement of subgrade properties can be attained by the addition of foreign materials. The worldwide growing usage of cement has led to a larger collection of crystalline silica from the cement manufacturing plants. The disposal of the crystalline silica is extremely challenging and also causes an environmental impact. Hence this waste material can be used for enhancement of the strength of the weak soils. Chemical analysis has revealed that crystalline silica is rich in oxides such as silicon oxide, aluminium oxide and calcium oxide. In this study, the black cotton soil is blended with 8%, 12%, 16%, 18% and 20% crystalline silica by the weight of the dry soil. Laboratory tests, namely, standard proctor compaction test, California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test and Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCC) test were carried out to examine the performance of crystalline silica mixture in black cotton soil. The outcome suggests that a potential increase in crystalline silica content enhances the maximum dry density (MDD). The results also indicate there is a huge potential to use crystalline silica as an admixture to strengthen the black cotton soil. Moreover, the employment of crystalline silica might also benefit the environment and construction cost.

M. Selvaraj, M. Krithigaisrilatha, S. Syed Masoodhu and N. Natarajan

Biogas Investment Intention of Large-Scale Pig Farmers Under the Emission Trading System

Based on the field research data of 424 large-scale pig farmers in Zhejiang Province, this paper takes the biogas fermentation as the main adoption behaviour of pollution treatment, and make the quantitative analysis on the biogas investment intention and its influencing factors on large-scale pig farmers under the emission trading system. The research shows that the emission trading system can encourage large-scale pig farmers to adopt biogas fermentation to deal with pollution and make environmental protection investment for waste resources utilization, which mainly depends on the pig breeding scale, the biogas digesters purchased or not, the benefit evaluation of biogas fermentation and the biogas fermentation technology service existed or not, rather than environmental awareness. Therefore, it is feasible to introduce the emission trading system into the agricultural non-point source pollution control with pig breeding pollution as the typical example. For the pig breeding industry, emission trading can be transformed from the traditional redistribution of environmental capacity to the redistribution of production scale.

Wenjie Yao

Effect of Seed Priming Treatment with Nitrate Salt on Phytotoxicity and Chlorophyll Content Under Short Term Moisture Stress in Maize (Zea mays L.)

An experiment was carried out to appraise the effect of seed priming treatment with Mg(NO3)2 against various levels of externally imposed moisture stress by polyethylene glycol-6000 on phytotoxicity in shoot and root and chlorophyll content in maize plant under laboratory conditions. The phytotoxicity of shoot and root was increased as the elevated levels of PEG-6000 towards T1 to T4 (i.e. 1.5 to 4.5 %, Set-I) as compared to control set (T0, i.e. without treated set), while the least values of phytotoxicity were recorded in T5 and onwards increased slowly up to T8 (i.e. 1.5 to 4.5 % of PEG-6000 + primed seed, Set-II). The same trend of phytotoxicity was recorded for both the plant parts at both the times of observations, i.e. shoot and root 120 and 240 hours. The chlorophyll content of shoot was recorded in decreasing trend onwards from T1 to T4 in treatment set-I as compared to T0, i.e. control. While the highest amount of chlorophyll content was recorded in T5 followed by T6 as compared to the rest of the treatments.

Varinder Singh, Anaytullah Siddique, Vijai Krishna and Manpreet Singh

Microclimate Energy Considerations in Building Design for Arid Regions

Climate is one of the main parameters that can influence building designs in Iraq. Analysis and assessment of microclimatological data can aid urban architects and engineers to optimize human comfort through environmentally sustainable practices. The results indicated that the long-term measurements of total solar insolation and ambient temperatures have increased by 2.9% and 6.5% respectively. Albedo resulted in good correlation with heating coefficients and temperature of R2 = 0.89 and 0.63 respectively. Annual cooling degree days and heating degree days have reduced, while annual mean ambient temperatures and annual solar radiation have increased.

A. A. Alaskary, A. M. Hasson, M. J. Jweeg and M. L. Al-Waily

Diversity of Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in a Temperate Forest Ecosystem, Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Indian Himalayan Region

Observational studies aiming to elucidate the differences in butterfly fauna along altitudinal gradients in Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary were carried out during 2014-2015. The study revealed a total of 2591 individuals belonging to 46 species and 35 genera under six families of butterflies. Four species under legal protection were also recorded. Family Nymphalidae was the most dominant with 22 species followed by Pieridae (12 species), Lycaenidae (4 species), Papilionidae, Riodinidae (3 species each) and Hesperiidae (2 species). Higher values of species richness, abundance and diversity were recorded for transects at the low altitudinal site. Species such as Aglais caschmirensis (Fruhstorfer), Pieris canidia indica Evans, Pieris brassicae Linnaeus and Byasa polyeuctes letincius (Fruhstorfer) were most abundant, while Dodona ouida Hewitson, Udara dilectus Moore, Aulocera padama Kollar, Talicada nyseus (Guérin-Méneville) and Argynnis childreni (Gray) accounting for 1.38% of the total individuals of butterflies, were least abundant species during the study period. Results of the study on diversity and distributions of butterflies are preliminary ones which would help in strengthening the biodiversity status of the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.

M. K. Arya, A. Verma and P. Tamta

Capital Enrichment, Innovation Capability and Environmental Pollution Effect: Evidence from China’s Manufacturing Industry

In recent years, the issue of environmental pollution caused by the manufacturing industry has been widely criticized. To explore the relationship between capital enrichment and environmental pollution, the mediating effect model was constructed by using the panel data of 28 sub-sectors of China’s manufacturing industry from 2011 to 2017. Results show that the phenomenon of capital enrichment is mainly concentrated in industries with high-profit margins, intensive technology, national policy support, and resource or national monopolistic positions. Both capital enrichment and innovation capability have a promotion effect on inhibiting environmental pollution, but with the decline of innovation capability, the effect of capital enrichment on pollution weakens. Innovation capability plays a mediating role, which leads to the mechanism of capital enrichment ? innovation capability ? environmental pollution. The impact of capital enrichment on environmental pollution under different levels of innovation capability is heterogeneous, and the effect is stronger in high-tech industries.

Fengju Xu, Lina Ma, Xiaoying Li and Najaf Iqbal

Bioaccumulation of Vanadium in Selected Organs of the Freshwater Fish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch)

Extensive industrialization and urbanization have introduced domestic as well as industrial wastes into aquatic ecosystems.Dueto lack of proper treatment and improper mode of disposal, the water bodies have become more polluted with toxic substancesand their adverse effects including mortality to aquatic organisms, are becoming more prominent.In recent years, much attention has been paid to the possible danger of metal poisoning in humans as a result of consumption of contaminated fishes.Vanadium is a rare elementfound combined with certain minerals and mainly from the production of certain alloys used in jet engines. Humans may be exposed to excessive vanadium and may develop adverse vascular effects.In the present investigation, efforts have been made to investigate the effect of sublethal concentration of vanadium (6.5 ppm; 10% of 96h LC50) on the bioaccumulation in gill, liver and skin of the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis for 60 days. The pattern of bioaccumulation was in the order liver > gill > skin. Theresults suggest that the organ-specific variation is directly related to the structural and functional change, proximity to the toxicant and presence of ligands having high affinity to vanadium.

Ambili Ravindran and M. V. Radhakrishnan

Alginate Incorporated Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes as Dispersive Micro Solid Phase Extraction Sorbent for Selective and Efficient Separation of Acidic Drugs in Water Samples

Innovative development of a simple and rapid dispersive micro solid phase extraction (D-?-SPE) method combined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) based on alginate incorporated with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Alg-MWCNT) was developed for the analysis of five selected acidic drugs in the water sample. The effect of dispersive micro solid phase extraction parameters such as the mass of sorbent, sample pH, extraction time and desorption time on the peak area of analytes were optimized. Under the optimum extraction conditions, a linear response was achieved in the concentration range of 1 ?g.L-1 to 500 ?g.L-1 (R2 ? 0.9959). The limits of detection for the method at a signal to noise ratio of 3 were between 0.03 ?g.L-1 and 0.08 ?g.L-1. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of four acidic drugs in tap water samples with relative recoveries ranging from 75 % to 105 %. The proposed Alg-MWCNT sorbent showed high potential as an alternative sorbent for dispersive micro solid phase extraction of acidic drugs in aqueous matrices.

N. Z. Othman, N. S. M. Hanapi, W. N. W. Ibrahim and S. H. Saleh

Concentration of Trace Metals in Blood and the Relationship with Reproductive Hormones (Estradiol and Progesterone) of Obese Females Living Around A Mining Area in Brits, South Africa

Obesity is a rapidly growing problem in South Africa, with 70% of women reported as being obese. Studies have reported that high levels of trace metals may impair the production of reproductive hormones, which may, in turn, interfere with normal oocyte development in females. This study investigated the concentrations of trace metals in blood samples of obese individuals living around a mining industry and examined the overall effect on reproductive hormones of these obese females. A mixed-method research approach consisting of qualitative and quantitative (cross-sectional descriptive survey) was used in the study. Only females with BMI ? 30 were allowed to participate in the study. Blood samples were collected in two 5 mL tubes from each of the participants. Concentrations of trace metals in the blood samples were determined by the use of ICP-MS. Hormonal level measurement was also carried out. The results showed that the trace metal concentrations in the blood samples of participants were in the order Mn > Cr > Co > As > Pb > Cd. The mean concentrations of Mn, Cr, Co and As were above the WHO standards. The hormonal analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between estradiol and progesterone levels with Mn concentration. Cr and As concentrations showed a negative correlation between estradiol and progesterone levels. Also, a negative correlation was established between estradiol levels with Pb and Cd concentrations. The study showed that exposure to trace metals as pollutants may have an impact on the general and reproductive health of obese females living around mining activities.

G. N. Lion, G. A. Ogunbanjo and J.O. Olowoyo

Treatment of Effluents Containing High Total Dissolved Solids By Multi-Effect Evaporator

Pharmaceutical effluent disposal is a serious problem in the present times. The manufacturing process involves the use of both organic and inorganic compounds, which contribute to high chemical oxygen demand and dissolved solids. The common techniques used to extract available salts and to produce reusable waters are evaporation and cooling. Evaporators are equipment used for evaporation which is a kind of heat transfer system in which transfer mechanism is controlled by natural or forced convection. Multi-effect evaporators in many industries are used for volume reduction and cutting down the waste handling cost. This paper focusses on studying the efficiency of multi-effect evaporators in the pharmaceutical industry for the treatment of high total dissolved solids (HTDS) waste streams. The feed and condensate parameters were monitored for three years. Competence of the treatment process is presented in terms of reduction in TDS and COD. The current study evaluates the efficiency of MEE in terms of removal of total dissolved solids and chemical oxygen demand. Removal efficiencies are more than 98% for TDS and 50% for COD.

Sareddy Ravi Sankara Reddy, Manoj Kumar Karnena, Bhavya Kavitha Dwarapureddi and Vara Saritha

University-Industry Knowledge Collaboration in Chinese Water Pollution Abatement Technology Innovation System

University-industry knowledge collaboration is one of the keys to overcoming the current development bottleneck in water pollution abatement technology in China. To explore university-industry knowledge collaboration in Chinese water pollution abatement technology innovation system, characteristics and dynamic evolution law of knowledge collaboration were analyzed by using patent data from China for the period 2000-2018. Results show that university-industry knowledge collaboration continues to increase and experiences three development phases in Chinese water pollution abatement technology innovation system. University-industry knowledge collaboration in each province (city) keeps growing and the difference between provinces (cities) is decreasing, but the difference remains significant. The scale, scope, and depth of inter-regional university-industry knowledge collaboration continue to increase, but they are still not large enough. Although the scale and linking efficiency of university-industry knowledge collaboration improve significantly, the subgroups are too many and the agglomeration degree of networks is low.

Guoxin Liu, Pengfei Zhang and Feng Zhang

Variation in Concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 During the Four Seasons at the Port City of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

This paper presents a summary of PM2.5, PM10 and gaseous pollutant concentrations measured during each season of the year from March 1, 2018 to February 28, 2019 in Visakhapatnam city (17.6868°N, 83.2185°E) located on the east coast of India. The city is studded with 14 major industries and surrounded on three sides by mountains and the Bay of Bengal on the fourth side. The monthly variations of mass concentrations of PM2.5, PM10 and gaseous pollutants SO2, NO2 and CO recorded revealed the impact of atmospheric pollutants originating from industry, urbanization and increased automobile traffic. The seasonal variability of PM concentrations, highest in winter and lowest in summer, is observed. The annual averages for 2018 in Visakhapatnam are 103.5 ± 55.1 ?g/m3 and 111.5 ± 29.1 ?g/m3 for PM2.5 and PM10 respectively. To establish the causal relationship between PM2.5, PM10 and the gaseous pollutants we used Pearson correlation and regression statistical methods. The Pearson correlation coefficients between PMs and gaseous pollutants were either high or moderate. Regression results further confirmed that NO2 and SO2 significantly impacted PM2.5 and PM10 in Visakhapatnam city.

Kavitha Chandu and Madhavaprasad Dasari

Influence of Expressway Construction on the Ecological Environment and the Corresponding Treatment Measures: A Case Study of Changyu (Changchun-Fuyu Lalin River) Expressway, China

With astounding advances, China expressway construction has caused inevitable environmental destruction around the construction projects. A series of expressway construction-induced environmental problems is caused by the noise pollution of machinery and equipment in expressway construction, atmospheric pollution caused by fuel consumption, soil contamination caused by abandoned waste materials and gases generated by asphalt mixture during road paving, and increasing traffic volume. In this study, the literature regarding expressway construction-induced environmental pollution was combined by taking Changyu (Changchun-Yulin Lalin River) Expressway as an example. The impacts of expressway construction on the ecological environment were analyzed, and feasible treatment measures were proposed. Results show that the expressway construction in various countries across the globe aggravates the regional ecosystem damage unavoidably to a certain extent; The environmental impacts caused by Changyu Expressway are manifested at five aspects, namely, water environmental pollution, vegetation deterioration, heavy metal pollution, water and soil losses, and induction of geological disasters; The environmental impacts of expressway construction can be mitigated by reasonable route selection, strengthening planning and environmental protection, preventing water and soil losses, reinforcing atmospheric pollution detection, reducing sewage discharge, enhancing vegetation recovery, and relieving the impact on animal habitats. The study results serve as an important reference for identifying the sources of expressway environmental risks and lowering the environmental pollution caused by expressway construction to an acceptable level.

Gao Jiayin, Zhang Mingfei, Hu Zhaoguang and Shan Wei

Assessment of Groundwater Pollution Due to Textile Industrial Activities in and Around Tirupur Region, Tamil Nadu, India

Groundwater is the most important resource for human consumption and the support of habitat and for maintaining the feature of base flow to river courses, while its quality is necessary to ensure sustainable safe exploit of the resources for all purposes. The untreated or inappropriate industrial effluents discharge on the surface causes harsh groundwater pollution in the industrial area of the nation. Sixty groundwater samples have been collected from boreholes and water samples were analysed to examine the groundwater quality of Avinashi-Tirupur-Palladam region. The samples were examined for the physico-chemical parameters like pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS), major cations like calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+) and major anions like bicarbonate (HCO3-), carbonate (CO32-), chloride (Cl-), nitrate (NO3-) and sulphate (SO42-), along with fluoride. The abundance of major cations and anions was investigated. Spatial distribution map based on total dissolved solids indicates that the Noyyal and Nallar river basins, central regions of the study area, are more affected. The chemical parameter data of groundwater samples of the study area are plotted in Gibbs’s diagram. Based on the Piper diagram, different water types were identified. Hydro-chemically, the quality of the groundwater for human consumption was determined. The ion concentration distribution indicates that most of the groundwater sample locations in the study area are not suitable for domestic use.

K. Arumugam, T. Karthika, K. Elangovan and A. Rajesh Kumar

Exploring an Environmentally Friendly Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) Technology for Improving Engineering Properties of Cement-Stabilized Granite Residual Soil

This study explored Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) technology to improve the engineering properties [i.e., unconfined compressive strength (UCS)] of granite residual cemented-soil through calcite precipitation. The influence of age and cement mixing ratio on strength, stiffness and the stress-strain relationship of MICP induced calcite precipitation in granite residual cemented-soil was investigated. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to analyse the microstructure characteristics of the cemented-soil. Based on the results, the cemented granite residual soil reinforcement mechanism was proposed. The following conclusions were obtained: (1) MICP technology can significantly enhance and improve the engineering properties such as strength, stiffness and toughness of cemented-soil. Compared with the control group, the maximum growth rate of the test group was 87.5%, and the maximum growth rate of the elastic modulus was 141.18%; (2) Soil particles were cemented through MICP technology, making the cemented-soil surface denser; (3) The MICP technology makes the cemented-soil treatment method more sustainable for its use in improving the stability of geo-structures.

Shuang Li, Yan-ning Wang, Dong Liu, Ankit Garg and Peng Lin

Drinking Water Quality Assessment and Predictive Mapping: Impact of Kota Stone Mining in Ramganjmandi Tehsil, Rajasthan, India

Rajasthan generates 1055 million litres per day as wastewater, out of which 27 million litres is treated and nearly 1028 million litres untreated wastewater is discharged in various water resources. The present study is based on the impact of Kota stone or limestone mining on water resources. Among those villages and census towns, experiencing mining activity, a total of 26 surface water and groundwater samples were tested and analysed. Mining waste often creates eutrophication, toxification, temporary hardness and sometimes permanent hardness. The mining belt was 17.54 km2 in the year 2000 which further increased to 24.25 km2 in the year 2018. The parameters analysed were pH, EC, TDS, alkalinity, total hardness, calcium and magnesium hardness, DO, COD, chloride, sodium and potassium. The predictive mapping for the mining belt was executed in Arc GIS software using Inverse Distance Weightage (IDW) method. The mean of pH was 9.13, TDS 457.12 mg/L, total hardness 593.52 mg/L, calcium hardness is 205.54 mg/L, magnesium hardness 387.53 mg/L, COD 442.2 mg/L, Na+ 139.9 mg/L, K+ 19.40 mg/L, Cl- 318.29, DO 3.04mg/L and alkalinity 14.02 mg/L.

Arushi Rana and Rashmi Sharma

Efficient Adsorptive Performance of Medical Stone Decorated by Carbon Dots

Carbon dots could significantly change the property of a normal material and have received wide attention in the recent decade. In this research, glucose as a carbon source, carbon dots decorated medical stone (CD-MS) was successfully synthesized for efficient adsorptive removal of organic pollutants. Pyrolytic temperature and glucose concentration for the adsorbent preparation were proved to have a significant impact on the adsorptive performance. The optimal pyrolytic temperature and glucose concentration were found to be 300°C and 0.5 M, yielding the optimized adsorbent 0.5CD-MS-300 superior to other carbon dots decorated MS. Surface morphology analysis demonstrated that the carbon dots were successfully immobilized on the surface of MS while the atomic ratio of C increased from 2.6% of the raw MS to 11.25% of the 0.5CD-MS-300. Three organic pollutants including p-nitrophenol, orange II and methylene blue with different charge properties were employed to explore the adsorptive performance of the 0.5CD-MS-300. The results indicated that the surface of 0.5CD-MS-300 was negatively charged while carbon dots had significantly improved the adsorption capability of the raw MS. As such, the resulting adsorbent 0.5CD-MS-300 can be considered as a powerful adsorbent for the removal of some organic contaminants from wastewater.

Baolong Zhao, Leilei Hu, Hengjia Kang and Zhihong Zheng

Riparian Zones and Pollination Service: A Case Study from Coffee-Agrosystem Along River Cauvery, South India

The study aims to understand the influence of pollinator visitation rate to coffee plantations located along the riparian zones of river Cauvery in Karnataka, using distance as a criterion. Plots were fixed at 10 m, 30 m and 60 m points from the edge of riparian zone towards the coffee plantations. In each of these three points, five plants were selected. In each plant, four branches with approximately six inflorescences per branch were observed for 15 minutes and the visitation rate of selected floral visitors to Coffea canephora was recorded. To understand if a riparian zone was a suitable pollinator habitat, bee colonies in the riparian zone were identified through a transect of approximately 500 m adjacent to the study plot. The total number of bee visits for Apis dorsata, Apis cerana, Tetragonula iridipennis and Apis florea was 18,100 for an observation time of 9540 minutes. A. dorsata and A. cerana were the main contributors to the total number of visits. The visitation rate of pollinators, A. cerana and A. dorsata decreased with increase in distance from the riparian zone. Additionally, colonies of A. cerana and A. dorsata were found in the riparian zones indicating riparian zones as potential pollinator habitats. A negative relationship has been observed between total species visits and distance indicating a reduction in species visits with increased distance from the riparian zone. Conservation of riparian zones increases pollination service to adjacent coffee plantations along with a multitude of other ecosystem services.

N. Deepthi, B.C. Nagaraja and M. Paramesha

Experimental Study on the Permeability and Microstructure of Remoulded Silty Clay Corroded by Landfill Leachate

This paper explores the macroscopic permeability characteristics, pore distribution, mineral composition, and microstructure changes in remoulded silty clay under different concentrations and different back pressures through flexible-wall triaxial permeability tests, nuclear magnetic resonance tests, X-ray diffraction tests, and scanning electron microscope tests. The results of the flexible-wall triaxial permeability tests indicate that the hydraulic conductivity of the landfill leachate with different concentrations increases to the peak value in 108-132 h period and then decreases to a stable value in 252–264 h period under the action of different back pressures. The nuclear magnetic resonance tests show that the pore distribution of the remoulded silty clay is macropore after it is corroded by the leachate. Increasing the concentration of landfill leachate and reducing the back pressures can reduce the overall development effect of pores. The X-ray diffraction tests show that the weakly acidic corrosive environment provided by remoulded silty clay and landfill leachate reduce respectively the contents of montmorillonite, muscovite, and illite by 33.52 %, 23.57 % and 63.51 %, while kaolinite and albite increase by 283.40 % and 188.64 %. Finally, scanning electron microscope tests show that the corrosion of landfill leachate and the plugging of organic pollutants in the infiltration process reduce the apparent pore ratio of the microstructure of remoulded silty clay and the hydraulic conductivity gradually decreases.

Chaofeng Wang, Haijun Lu, Dinggang Li and Jixiang Li

Analysis of Air Quality Characteristics Based on Information Diffusion Technology in Beijing, China

To study the characteristics of air quality and the relationship between air quality and weather factors, based on daily meteorological data from 2016 to 2019 in Beijing using information diffusion technology, the probability distribution of air quality index in different seasons and the development trend of air quality have been studied, and the relationship between weather factors and air quality discussed. The results show that: 1) According to the air quality, the order of the four seasons is summer, spring, autumn and winter. In summer, the frequency of moderate air pollution and above is about 2.54%, and the frequency of serious air pollution is about 0%. In winter, the frequency of moderate air pollution and above is 17.83%, and the frequency of serious air pollution is 2.93%. 2) The air quality of Beijing has been improving in recent years, which shows that with the strengthening of air pollution control efforts, certain results have been achieved. 3) Quantitative analysis of the relationship between winter air quality index and temperature and wind in Beijing shows that the degree of air pollution in winter increases with the increase of temperature and decreases with the increase of wind force. The frequency of mild air pollution and above is about 8.91% when the daily maximum temperature is below 0°C and 48.78% when the daily maximum temperature is above 9°C. The frequency of mild air pollution and above is about 45.17% when the daily maximum wind force is level 0, and 20.89% when the daily maximum wind force is level 3 and above. Examples show that the information diffusion technology can make full use of the location information of the sample points by transforming the traditional sample data points into fuzzy sets, and achieves good results in frequency statistics and trend fitting. The model established in this paper has the value of popularization and application.

He ji, Chen Haitao, Duan Chunqing, Chen Xiaonan and Wang Wenchuan

Optimization of Protease Production by Bacillus isronensis Strain KD3 Isolated from Dairy Industry Effluent

Proteases have a broad range of applications in pharmaceuticals, detergents and food processing industries. Protease producing strains are used profusely in industrial applications and the bioremediation process of wastewaters. In the present research work, efficient protease producing strain was isolated from dairy industry effluent. Screening of protease activity by isolates was checked by growing them on milk agar (skimmed) by spot inoculation method and further estimation was performed using quantitative protease assay. The efficient protease producing strain was identified based on morphological as well as biochemical characteristics as per standard keys of Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, later confirmed by 16s rRNA sequencing and BLAST analysis as Bacillus isronensis strain KD3. The maximum protease was produced at 42°C; pH 7-8; 200 rpm; and 7% inoculum concentration after 48h of the incubation period.

N. S. Patil and J. V. Kurhekar

Simulation of Nitrogen Pollution in the Shanxi Reservoir Watershed Based on SWAT Model

This study applied the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to the Shanxi Reservoir watershed, a drinking water source in Zhejiang Province, China. The important sources of non-point source pollution (NPS) in Shanxi reservoir watershed are agricultural fertilizer application, domestic sewage and livestock breeding, this brings new challenges to water source management. The simulated runoff and water quality parameters total nitrogen (TN) were compared to those of the observed values in the watershed. The Nash-Suttcliffe efficiency (NSE) was 0.94 for monthly runoff during the calibration period 2007-2010, and 0.84 during the validation period 2011-2012. The model can well satisfy the simulation of runoff. For monthly TN of Sancha water quality monitoring station, the NSE is 0.7 in the calibration period of March 2009 to April 2011, and 0.75 in the verification period of May 2011 to December 2012. For the Jiujiang water quality monitoring station, the model index parameters are slightly lower than Sancha, but it is also very good for water quality simulation. The four parameters of total nitrogen, organic nitrogen (ORGN), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N) were used to analyse the nitrogen pollution of Shanxi Reservoir watershed. The multi-year monthly average results of nitrogen pollutant loadings show significant differences, with large fluctuations every month. ORGN and NH4-N showed a consistent trend, showing a steady growth trend from January to June, peaking in August and continuing to decline in other months, and NO3-N peaked in March. The pollution load of TN in Shanxi reservoir watershed ranged from 142.27 kg/km2 to 725.31 kg/km2, showing a large spatial difference. The pollution load of the tributary basin is weaker than that of the main stream, which generally shows an increasing trend from upstream to downstream. Overall, the pollutant load is consistent with land use and agricultural production and living conditions, showing typical characteristics of non-point source pollution. Through the establishment of regional nitrogen pollution model and the study of pollutant distribution characteristics, this study puts forward some suggestions for controlling the nitrogen pollution load of the Shanxi Reservoir watershed, optimizes the agricultural planting mode, and intercepts the pollution sources that are not directly discharged into the water body.

A-long Li, Chen Haitao, Liu Yuanyuan, Lin Qiu and Wang Wenchuan

Adsorption of Pb(II) in Aqueous Solution by the Modified Biochar Derived from Corn Straw with Magnesium Chloride

Lead wastewater not only causes deterioration of water quality but also further enters the human body through the food chain and is harmful to human health. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find an economical, simple and efficient water treatment technology to treat lead-contaminated wastewater in waterbodies. In this paper, the modified biochar derived from corn straw by magnesium chloride is prepared. Adsorption experiments of Pb(II) in solution by the modified biochar are carried out. Experiment results show that the modified biochar mainly contains C and O elements, and a large number of functional groups. The adsorption amount of Pb(II) by modified biochar reaches 5.15 mg/g under 0.2 g of modified biochar, 25 mg/L initial concentration of Pb(II) ion, reaction time of 480 min, temperature 25°C and at a speed of 200 rpm. The adsorption process of Pb(II) ions in solution by the modified biochar fits on the Freundlich isotherm model. Pseudo-second order kinetic model can better describe the adsorption process of Pb(II) ion in solution by the modified biochar. The process of adsorbing Pb(II) ions in solution by modified biochar is dominated by multi-layer adsorption process and chemical adsorption process.

Keyuan Huang, Yuanyuan Cai, Yaowei Du, Jun Song, Huan Mao, Yany Xiao, Yue Wang, Ningcan Yang, Hai Wang and Li Han

Adaptations to Climate Variability and Agrarian Crisis in Kolar District, Karnataka, India

The dynamics in climatic variability is prominently affecting the agriculture system, particularly the small and marginal land holding farmers in arid and semi-arid regions which are highly vulnerable. The present study in Kolar district assessed the variability scale and dynamics of rainfall over the decades, it revealed the current day’s agrarian crisis, resulting in impacts on farmers and adaptations by farmers to changing situations. The study also reveals that over the decades there has been a considerable variation in rainfall pattern in the study area but there was no significant average rainfall variation till the last decade, after which there was a significant seasonal variation that directly affects the sowing pattern and associated agricultural practices. The exploitation of groundwater for water-intensive commercial crops has increased rapidly from the past decade that resulted in the critically depleted groundwater table. To meet the livelihood demands some farmers were observed to have shifted to non-agricultural occupations. It is a serious threat at this point of time as the agriculture output has to be fed to the larger portion of the society and decreased output from agriculture eventually leads to inflation. So, it is very crucial to adapt all possible measures to retain farmers in agriculture practice. Hence, understanding and scientific assessment of the risks associated with the changing climate and its variables is the need of the hour, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions which are going to be highly vulnerable. Studies like this will help in policy-making and management planning to cope up with the dynamic climatic factors.

B.N. Krishnakanth and B.C. Nagaraja

Phosphorus in the Sediments of Yangzong Lake, China

Total 150 sediments samples were collected from the Yangzong Lake, and the total phosphorus, pH, redox potential and organic carbon were analysed to quantitatively study the dispersal and sources of phosphorus and its influential factors. The results indicated that the total phosphorus content in sediments was 318-3931 mg/kg, which decreased slightly with depth. In the sediments at the depths of 0-2cm, 2-4cm, 4-6cm, 6-8cm and 8-10cm, the phosphorus contents were 1151mg/kg, 1126mg/kg, 1138mg/kg, 1057mg/kg and 893mg/kg respectively. The contents of phosphorus in the sediments were high on both north and south banks and reduced gradually towards the centre of the lake. Before the 1980s, the phosphorus distribution in the sediments was mainly influenced by natural factors such as pH value, redox potential and organic matter. But after the 1980s, the phosphorus distribution was mainly affected by the position of sewage discharge. Sources of phosphorus in the sediments have changed from the local source to the multiple sources, and from the point source to surface source. Currently, soil erosion and agricultural non-point source pollution are the main sources of phosphorus in Yangzong Lake.

Yuxi Zhang, Bing Zhou and Jiansheng Shi

Quality Assessment of Groundwater from the Coal Bearing Aquifer in the Xinji Coalfield, Anhui Province, China

In this study, a total of 50 groundwater samples from the coal-bearing aquifer in the Xinji coalfield (one sub-coalfield of the Huainan coalfield) have been collected, and their major ion concentrations have been measured for the evaluation of its suitability for drinking and irrigation, and then the mechanism controlling the water chemistry have been analysed. The results indicate that the groundwater samples are slightly alkaline with TDS higher than the freshwater (<1000 mg/L), and most of them are classified to be Cl- and HCO3- types. The groundwater samples have WQI range from 5.63 to 179 (mean = 64.9), suggesting that these samples are good for drinking. However, the results of sodium adsorption ratio and residual sodium carbonate indicate that only a few of the samples can meet the requirement of irrigation, but must be treated before application. Gibbs diagram and the relationships between major ions, as well as the factor analysis, imply that water-rock interaction is the main process controlling the groundwater chemistry, including the dissolution of evaporate minerals and the weathering of silicate minerals.

S.B. Feng and L.H. Sun

Risk Perception, Choice of Source and Treatment Decision: Exploring Water Consumption Behaviour in Darjeeling, India

Using a unique dataset of 524 households from an urban hill town of Darjeeling in India, this study addresses two key issues of (a) determining the drivers of risk perception from water use, and (b) understanding whether water treatment decisions and choice of water sources are jointly made by the households. The results from probit model show that the age of the head, perception of the aesthetic qualities of water (odour and colour), education level of the head, the volume of improved water used, water treatment decision and expenditure on the water are the significant drivers of risk perception. The results of a rare investigation on the likelihood of the joint decision of treating water and choice of water source show that these decisions are indeed jointly made in the study area. Households decision to treat water from an unimproved source and the choice of improved water can be seen as substitutes.

Pravesh Tamang and Sebak Jana

The Influence of Atrazine on the Growth, Development and Oxygen Consumption of Pelophylax nigromaculatus Tadpoles

Amphibians grow and reproduce in water, and are sensitive to water pollution. Atrazine is one of the widely distributed herbicides that can damage the amphibians. To study the influence of atrazine on the growth, development and oxygen consumption of Pelophylax nigromaculata larvae, 26 stages of tadpoles were raised in water containing different concentrations of atrazine (0, 8, 16, 32 and 64 ?g/L). After treatments at different times (10, 15, 20, 25 d), the snout vent length (SVL), total length, body width and the bodyweight of tadpoles were measured, and oxygen consumption of tadpoles was checked with an aquatic biorespirometer. The results showed that with the increase of treatment time, the SVL, whole length, body width and the bodyweight of P. nigromaculatus tadpoles of each concentration group increased. At the same treatment time, the SVL, whole length, body width and the bodyweight of P. nigromaculatus tadpoles gradually decreased with the increase of concentration. Compared with the control group, the oxygen consumption in the treatment groups increased in the short-term treatment (10 d), had no difference in the medium-term treatment (15 d) and decreased in the long-term treatment (20 and 25 d).

Minyi Huang, Qiang Zhao, Yaqi Zhang, Yuxiang Lin and Yinhua Ma

Net Anthropogenic Nitrogen Input (NANI) Evolution and Total Nitrogen (TN) Concentration Response in Zhaoshandu Water Source

The nitrogen concentration/flux of water is very sensitive to the response of Net Anthropogenic Nitrogen Inputs (NANI), but the research on the dynamic response of nitrogen concentration to NANI is still rarely reported. In this study, the source of Zhaoshandu water source in Zhejiang Province, China, was used as the research object. The dynamic response of total nitrogen (TN) concentration to NANI in the basin was quantitatively analysed from 2005 to 2014. The results show that the NANI of the water source has a growing trend. It has increased by 6.73% in ten years. The average annual average of NANI is 85.76 kg (hm2·a-1), which is 1.7 times the national average of 2009. The average contribution rate of atmospheric nitrogen, chemical fertilizer nitrogen, food and feed nitrogen and crop fixed nitrogen is 40.98%, 34.06%, 20.25% and 4.7% respectively. The spatial difference of NANI is large, showing an increasing trend from the upstream mountainous area along the downstream. The sub-basin 2 is the key source of nitrogen pollution in this water source. NANI is the only independent variable of the TN concentration regression model with a variance interpretation rate of 55.4%. In the future, it is necessary to reduce the nitrogen input intensity of nitrogen, food and feed for chemical fertilizers as the main target, and to achieve the goal of water quality improvement by reducing the NANI intensity in the basin.

A-long Li, Hai-tao Chen, Yuan-yuan Liu, Lin Qiu and Wen-chuan Wang

Study of Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella Strains and Multivariate Analysis for Water Quality Assessment of Tigris River, Baghdad, Iraq

The present study aims to assess the pollutant impact from everyday untreated or partially treated industrial wastes, wastewater treatment plants and Baghdad Medical City wastewater discharge into Tigris River, Baghdad, Iraq. Water samples were collected from seven locations of the Tigris River near Baghdad Medical City in November 2018. Morphological characteristics and biochemical methods were used to characterize Escherichia coli and Klebsiella isolates revealing that the Tigris River accumulate different amounts of antibiotic-resistant E. coli and Klebsiella sp. isolates and that pattern of resistance is different in each site. E. coli was the predominant bacterial contaminant at site 1 which is near sewage of several hospitals in Baghdad Medical City. The influence of different water quality parameters (total dissolved solids, electric conductivity, alkalinity, turbidity, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphate ion, nitrate, sulphate, chloride) and heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Co, Cu, and Ni) were investigated at bacterial contaminated site 1. Besides, physiological parameters (pH value and temperature) were applied. The results revealed that these parameters were within Iraqi standards levels with a slight increase in pH and temperature at site 1.

Ban O. Abdulsattar, Jwan O. Abdulsattar, Khetam H. Rasool, Abdul-Rahman A. Abdulhussein and Mohammad H. Abbas

An Empirical Study on the Environmental Effects of Industrial Spatial Agglomeration Since the Reform and Opening-up

In the past 40 years after China adopted the reform and open-up policy, China’s expediting industries spatial agglomeration has resulted in severe damage to the environment. In China, the one whether the pollution haven hypothesis (PHH) is true or not is the hot issue under the research of academic circles. By establishing the mechanism model of industries spatial agglomeration and environmental pollution in this paper, we discovered upon our empirical study that China’s industrial spatial agglomeration process had apparent threshold characteristics for environmental pollution, those direct investment and scientific innovation of foreign merchants apparently improved environmental pollution, so PHH is not true in China and such conclusion provides empirical support for China’s industrial agglomeration and environmental policymaking. At the end of the paper, the policy proposals for improving environmental pollution in future are made, which have important significance for China’s high-quality economic development.

S.R. Yan, H. L. Huang, W. H. Li, L.N. Wang, M.W. Tian and H.P. Yan

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