Cover

Contents and Other Pages

Realistic Decontamination of Fe2+ Ions from Groundwater Using Bentonite/Chitosan Composite Fixed Bed Column Studies

Bentonite/chitosan composite was synthesized and characterized by different techniques including XRD, FT-IR, SEM and TEM to detect its physicochemical properties. The composite was introduced in realistic purification application to reduce the dissolved iron content in raw groundwater sample by fixed-bed column system. The plotted breakthrough curves and the related mathematical parameters revealed that the column achieves iron removal percentage of about 69% from 6.6 L of water after adjusting the factors affecting the system at 3 cm bed thickness, 5 mL/min flow rate, 5 mg/L concentration and pH 6. Applying the column system to remove iron from groundwater under the same conditions can achieve iron removal percentage of about 69% from a total volume of 8.2 L of water. The interaction of the metal on the column was attained after 18 hours and the saturation time was attained after 27.5 hours which revealed the high performance of the composite in the designed column system for the purification of groundwater.

M.E.M. Hassouna and M. H. Mahmoud

The Kinetic Model for Decolourization of Commercial Direct Blue 2 Azo Dye Aqueous Solution by the Fenton Process and the Effect of Inorganic Salts

The study of Fenton’s oxidation and degradation of Direct Blue 2 (DB2) as the commercial azo dye in synthetic aqueous solution has been accomplished. The optimum oxidative degradation reaction conditions were achieved as follows: pH = 3.50, [H2O2] = 1.1×10-3 M, [Fe2+] = 1.0×10-4 M for [DB 2] = 1.0×10-4 M. Under optimal conditions, 80% of decolouration efficiency was carried out within 15 min of reaction. An engagement between the kinetics of the colour removal rates (ln k2) versus Lazo bond was carried out at the different pH levels. The colour removal rate was increased with decreasing of Lazo bond, in the order of pH: 3.5 > 5.0 > 2.5. The second-order kinetic model provided the best correlation of the data. Effects of various inorganic anions (such as Cl–, SO42-, CO32-, etc.) was studied to enhance the oxidation efficiency of Fenton reaction. Advanced oxidation technologies were developed in this study especially with dealing with contaminated textile wastewater over the use of chemical treatment.

Hasan F. Al-Rubai, Ahmed K. Hassan and Bahaa M. Altahir

Groundwater Recharge Potential Sites in Semi-Arid Region of Man River Basin, Maharashtra State, India: A Geoinformatic Approach

The prosperity of the entire biotic community depends on two broad components of nature; land and water. The basaltic rock is known to have poor storage and transmission capability. It gets fully saturated during monsoon but a situation of rejected recharge results in post-monsoon and early summer months. These aquifers also drain naturally due to high water table gradient formed by sloping and undulating topography. The available and new groundwater recharge potential zones can better augment by adopting a scientific and multi-sectoral approach for making the future plan. The study area encompasses Manganga River basin, bounded between Lat. 17°54’ N to 17°00’ N and Long. 74°27’ E to 75°31’ E. The study area is in basaltic terrain with undulating topography. The spatial and non-spatial data generated based on various thematic maps such as geology, lineament density, geomorphology, slope, drainage buffer, land-use land-cover, soil texture and soil erodibility have been prepared using satellite data. The groundwater prospects maps generated by overlay analysis of the spatial thematic maps were grouped into five classes and their distribution are: very good/excellent, good, moderate, poor and very poor. The results show that a major portion of the study area falls in the category ‘poor’ followed by ‘very poor’. Based on the outputs derived from groundwater recharge potential zones, an action plan for watershed development in the study area has been suggested like the development of percolation/water retention ponds at the identified sites and tube/bore/open wells along the dense lineament zones. The aspect related to conjunctive use, groundwater legislation, the involvement of NGO’S, women and community participation, mass awareness, adoption of advanced irrigation system etc. will play an important role in conserving and developing the precious water resources.

V. M. Dikshit

Comparative Study: The Adsorption Disparity for Tetracycline and Cefradine on Cornstalk Biochar

The study gives the elimination of two kinds of antibiotics, tetracycline (TC) and cefradine (CF) by adsorption process, on the biochar derived from cornstalk. Dense, multifaceted and thick fragments of raw cornstalk almost all vanished at a pyrolytic temperature above 400°C. The carbon content increased from 60.48% of the raw cornstalk to 75.5% of the cornstalk biochar pyrolyzed at 600°C (BC600), while the oxygen content decreased from 17.31% to 6.94%. The uptake of each TC and CF on the cornstalk biochar was highly pH-dependent. The maximum adsorption capacities of TC and CF at 298 K calculated from the Langmuir mannequin have been 28.0 and 38.0 mg/g, respectively. The Columbic interaction and ?–? electron-donor-acceptor interaction between cornstalk biochar and CF/TC molecules played the main role. The experimental records were well outfitted by way of the ability of the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, indicating a possible chemisorption process to some extent. Isotherm result implied that both adsorption and partitioning contributed to the uptake of TC and CF onto BC600.

Khan Ahmad Ali, Guoting Li and Wenchuan Wang

Effective Removal of Cr(VI) from Aqueous Solution Using Modified Orange Peel Powder: Equilibrium and Kinetic Study

A new adsorbent modified from orange peel (OP) was successfully synthesized by ethylenediamine crosslinking method to remove Cr(VI) from wastewater. The modified orange peel powder (MOPP) was investigated in a batch adsorption system, including both equilibrium adsorption isotherms and kinetics. Effects of several factors, including adsorbent dose, initial pH and Cr(VI) concentration were studied. The data indicated that the pH was not an essential factor that affected the adsorption process, it has a wide pH range from 4 to 10, and high adsorbent dose and lower Cr(VI) concentration could increase the Cr(VI) removal efficiency. Equilibrium data were analysed using the Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models and found to be well represented by the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum capacity (qmax) obtained from Langmuir model was 52.08 mg/g at pH 6.0. The kinetics of adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation. The results suggest that MOPP is an inexpensive and efficient adsorbent for removing Cr(VI) from aqueous solution.

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

Correlation Analysis Between PM2.5 Concentration and Meteorological, Vegetation and Topographical Factors in the Urbanized Ecosystem in Beijing, China

With the economic growth and massive industrialization, the air quality of China in general and industrial regions in specific has saturated with different health hazard pollutants. Among the pollutants, PM2.5 is posing some serious threats to the society. In this study we evaluated the correlation between PM2.5 concentration and 12 different meteorological, vegetation and topographical factors in Beijing, China. We used the Difference Index (DI) method and dark pixel method to retrieve the PM2.5 concentration of 30m and 1km spatial resolution. Spearman correlation analysis method was used to analyse the correlation between PM2.5 concentration and three types of 12 factors. The results showed that the forest land can play a major role in decreasing the PM2.5 concentration in the air, as in this study a significant drop of (18.78%) was observed in PM2.5 concentration in the regions having coniferous forest. Moreover, the PM2.5 reduction rate was positively correlated with forest vegetation coverage (FVC). Our results demonstrated that relative humidity, air pressure and water vapour pressure were positively correlated with PM2.5, while air temperature and wind speed were negatively correlated. The altitude and slope showed a weak negative correlation with PM2.5 concentration, while, aspect was very weakly correlated with the PM2.5 concentration. The findings of this study could help design the urban green space planning and air pollutioncontrol in the heavily populated urban ecosystems.

Haiying Feng and Haixia Feng

Analysis of Watershed Characteristics of Nalagarh Watershed, Himachal Pradesh for Optimization of Recharge Structures and Management of Groundwater

The study involves the study of Nalagarh watershed in Himachal as a topographically delineated hydro-geological entity which is allowing the entire surface runoff of its sub-watersheds to channelize through defined streams and drainage network to certain points in the watershed. Geomorphic analysis of Nalagarh watershed has enabled the study of qualitative and quantitative parameters of the watershed for efficient utilization and optimizing the management of its surface and groundwater resources. As Nalagarh valley has recently witnessed the highest industrial growth in the district and State of Himachal Pradesh, the study becomes all the more impertinent. The watershed has been delineated into 13 micro watersheds, based on the geomorphic analysis. To use the surplus monsoon runoff, a detailed study has been carried out for the computation of utilizable runoff and the number of structures that can be planned for its utilization. To effectively plan the rainwater harvesting structures, the morphometric analysis has been done.

Reena Ahuja and Naval Kishore

Groundwater Modelling Using Visual Modflow in Tirupur Region, Tamilnadu, India

Most of the textile and dying process industries in Tirupur region do not have proper wastewater treatment plants and they discharge the effluents in unlined channels and streams. Due to the issue, the groundwater in Tirupur is highly polluted. For analysing groundwater condition, groundwater modelling is used. For groundwater hydrologist, groundwater models are a vital tool. Nowadays, a lot of computer programs have been used for modelling groundwater. Visual MODFLOW software uses a finite difference method for solving the complexity. They can be used for simulating the behaviour of composite aquifers as well as the effects of irregular boundaries and different processes such as solute transport and groundwater flow. This paper evaluates the impact of industrial effluent in groundwater value in Tirupur region by five different scenarios.

K. Arumugam, T. Karthika, K. Elangovan, R.K. Sangeetha and S. Vikashini

Spatial and Temporal Changes and Driving Factors of Desertification in the Source Region of the Yellow River, China

The source region of the Yellow River, located in the north-eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is an important water conservation region and ecological barrier of the Yellow River. In this paper, based on remote sensing technology, multi-period Landsat remote sensing images in the source region were taken as the main information source. With the assistance of field investigation, we monitored the spatial and temporal changes of desertification in the source region from 2000 to 2019. The results show that the area of desertification in the source region has accounted for 9.36% of the total area, of which the light desertification land is the major portion. The desertification is mainly distributed between the southern margin of Madoi Valley basin and the northern margin of Heihe Valley basin, and is distributed on the river valleys, lakesides, ancient rivers and piedmont proluvial fan, showing the form of patches, sheets and belts. The growth rate of desertification in the source region was 87.47% from 2000 to 2010. With a high growth rate, the process of desertification was represented by the rapid spread of desertification. From 2010 to 2019, the growth rate of desertification was 37.32%, which was relatively slow. But the moderate desertification land maintained a straight linear growth trend, showing an increasing trend of desertification degree. Through the analysis of the driving factors of desertification in the source region of the Yellow River, this paper argues that the special geographical location, climatic factors, rodent damages and human activities are the main causes of desertification.

Q. G. Liu and Y. F. Huang

Effects of Different Tillage Measures on Soil Microbes and Enzymatic Activity

To reveal the effects of different tillage measures on soil microbes, enzyme activities and nutrients, eight different treatments were combined with different tillage methods to study the effects of different tillage measures on soil microbes, enzyme activities and nutrients. The results showed that in the flowering stage, the number of bacteria in the soil was higher than that in PT1 (ploughing + early ridging), RT1 (rotary tillage + early ridge) decreased by 22.6%. PT2 (ploughing + early subsoiling) was more than RT2 (rotary tillage + early subsoiling), PT3 (ploughing + conventional subsoiling) than RT3 (rotary tillage + conventional subsoiling), PCK (rotary tillage + conventional ridging) than RCK (rotary tillage + conventional ridging) increased by 13%, 22.9%, and 3.5%, respectively. The bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes in the whole rotary tillage treatment (rotary tillage) were higher than the tillage treatment (ploughing). Except for the invertase, the urease, phosphatase and catalase activities of the ploughing treatment were higher than those of the rotary tillage. When entering the pod-forming period, the number of soil bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes in rotary tillage were higher than tillage, the soil sucrase activity in rotary tillage was higher than that in ploughing. RT1 was significantly higher than PT1 and PT2 by 11.1% and 11.7%, but the soil urease, phosphatase and catalase activities were higher in ploughing than rotary tillage. The available nitrogen and the available potassium were opposite. At the stage of tillage, the number of bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, urease activities and sucrase activities in the rotary tillage were higher than ploughing, while the activities of phosphatase and catalase were higher under ploughing. In the mature stage, the soil urease and catalase activities were higher in the tillage treatment, while the phosphatase and sucrase activities were opposite. On the whole, advance inter-tillage improved the soil environment to some extent on both tillage measures, especially T2 (subsoiling).

Binglin Huang, Mengxue Wang†, Xinjun Jin, Yuxian Zhang and Guohua Hu

Study on the Efficiency of the Synchronous Alkali-ultrasonic Pretreatment of the Low Organic Matter Sludge and its Influence on the Microbial Population in the Anaerobic Digestion System

To solve the problem of the low anaerobic digestion efficiency of the minimal organic matter sludge, the study proposes the synchronous alkali-ultrasonic pretreatment technology of the low organic sludge. The research results show that the collaboration between alkali and ultrasonic has significant effects on pretreatment efficiency. The pretreatment efficiency of the sorts is as follows: synchronous alkaliultrasonic treatment > alkali-ultrasonic stepwise treatment > ultrasonic-alkali stepwise treatment > ultrasonic treatment > alkali treatment. The synchronous alkali-ultrasonic treatment system has strong processing effectiveness. Compared with the control group (the raw sludge), the concentrations of the supernatant SCOD and VFAs of the low organic matter sludge after the pretreatment increases by 15.4 times and 59.64 times respectively, and the supernatant that is easily biodegradable organic matter increases by 19.1%. The gas production after alkali-ultrasonic synchronous pretreatment of the anaerobic digestion system of the sludge increases 58% higher than the control group (without pretreatment ). The results of the high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA in the anaerobic digestion system of the sludge, at the genus level, show that the dominant functional bacteria in the system mainly includes vadinHA17, Peptoclostridium, Peptostreptococcaceae, Tissierella, Syntrophomonas, Synergistaceae and Aminobacterium. The dominant functional bacteria genera in the systematic archaea group mainly include Methanosaeta (70.33%), Unclassified (2.74%), Methanosarcina (15.49%), Methanobacterium (5.31%), Methanospirillum (2.18%), ARC26 (1.04%), Methanobrevibacter (1.62%). The abundance of functional bacteria at the genus level was higher than that in the control group.

Shihu Liu, Lei He, Pengcheng Zhao, Xuejie He, Xingxing Zhuo and Jian Zhou

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Dianhydride (EDTAD) Modified Coconut Frond for Removal of Pb(II) Ions: Kinetics, Isotherm and Thermodynamic

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic dianhydride modified coconut frond (ECFP) was prepared, characterized and applied as a potential adsorbent to remove Pb(II) ions from aqueous solutions. Factors influencing adsorption such as pH of the solution, adsorbent dosage, Pb(II) concentration, contact time, and temperature were investigated. The optimum conditions for adsorption of Pb(II) ions were at pH 4 and dosage of 0.02 g. Adsorption reached its equilibrium state in 30 min for all Pb(II) concentrations. Chemisorption was suggested as the rate-limiting step as the adsorption process correlated well with the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. Based on adsorption isotherm results, Langmuir model fitted the experimental data well, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 84.03 mg.g-1 at 300 K. Based on the thermodynamic study, Pb(II) adsorption occurred spontaneously with the enthalpy and entropy changes recorded were 0.0615 kJ mol-1 and 241.28 J K-1 mol-1, respectively. It was found that the nature of adsorption was endothermic as the ?Ho value obtained was positive.

Nur Ain Mohd Nizam Prushotman, Megat Ahmad Kamal Megat Hanafiah, Noorul Farhana Md Ariff and Shariff Ibrahim

Evaluation of Health Level of Land-use Ecosystem Based on GIS Grid Model

The evaluation of health level of land-use ecosystem provides important support for the regional health and social-economic sustainable development. To measure and study the granularity characteristics and spatial differentiation law of ecological health level of land-use in Yibin City, based on PSR model, taking kilometre grid as an evaluation unit, spatial exploration method was used to reveal its spatial differentiation law, and the decisive force of each factor was visualized through the factor detector. The results show that: (1) The health level of the land-use ecosystem in Yibin City is generally good, and the regional development is relatively balanced, but there are significant differences between the municipal districts and suburban counties. The average index of comprehensive health level of landuse ecosystem fluctuates around 0.60, the land for health level accounts for 46.07% of the total area, the land for sub-health level accounts for 29.78%, the land for unhealthy level accounts for 24.15%. (2) The health level of land-use ecosystem had a strong spatial correlation, which was mainly positive, and there was a significant spatial agglomeration pattern, dominated by HH type or LL type clusters. (3) The difference of human activities was the main factor that affects the spatial differentiation of ecological health level of land-use in the whole city, followed by the difference of natural system resilience, and the other factors were soil properties, landform and policy regulation. Finally, it was concluded that tightening the upper limit of capacity, holding the ecological bottom line, insisting on the intensive utilization of land, optimizing the spatial layout of “production, life and ecology”, adjusting the industrial structure, and developing ecotourism will become the necessary measures for Yibin city to improve the ecological health level of land-use and build a famous ecological city of landscape culture.

Wei He, Zheng Li and Dingqian Jing

Causes of Air Pollution in Bangladesh’s Capital City and Its Impacts on Public Health

Air is one of the precious natural resources which is essential for living beings. Pollution in the urban areas like Cairo, Delhi, Mexico and Dhaka far surpasses the acceptable limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Urban air pollution in the South Asian region is approximated to cause more than 300,000 deaths and billions of cases of respiratory disease per year. In Bangladesh, about 200,000 people die each year due to air pollution as the WHO estimates in 2018. The air in Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh, has worsened to a level that the city has been identified as one of the most polluted cities in the world. Taking the problem with utmost importance into consideration as it is related to public health, air pollution is being treated as one of the priority issues. The level of pollution in the roadside environment is deeply connected with the density of motor vehicles plying on the roads. This situation is expected to worsen further in the upcoming days due to the increasing number of motor vehicles resulted from rapid economic growth and industrialization. This paper aims to provide the present status of air pollution in Dhaka city and some specific recommendations for making the city a better living place by reducing its air pollution.

Kudrat-E-Khuda (Babu)

Nature of Waste and Disposal Practices Among Different Business Holders Around Industrial Area of Rosslyn, Pretoria, South Africa

Waste disposal and management is a serious concern especially in most of the developing countries. Both big and small business holders may influence the quality of their immediate environment. The present study investigated the nature of waste and attitude of different business units towards waste disposal practices around the industrial area of Rosslyn, Pretoria, South Africa. Mixed method approach was used to carry out the research. 138 questionnaires were administered to owners of small and medium-sized business units and managers of big companies. Questionnaires were used to collect information on the nature of waste and attitude towards waste disposal and management. It was noted that the industrial area in Rosslyn is dominated largely by small and medium-sized business enterprises. The level of education of most of the small-sized business units was below matric level. The most common types of waste generated were papers, plastics and discarded food in some disposable materials. The small business holders did not consider waste separation as an important issue and also the purchase of different waste bins for wastes separations. The small business holders believed that it is the responsibility of the government to provide different waste bins. From the companies that render services to big companies, metals are separated for recycling mainly because they can be sold to other companies. Concern for the environment or human did not have any impact on waste management. The study concluded that though there are waste bins in the study area, these seem inadequate thus leading to improper waste management systems around the industrial area in Rosslyn. Workers and small companies’ holders did not see any reason why they should be concerned about proper waste management. Campaigns and education on waste management should be intensified to change attitudes towards proper waste management.

J.O. Olowoyo, L. Mpagane and S. Nyathi

Temporal and Spatial Analysis of Alpha and Beta Activity Concentration at Al-Tuwaitha Site, Baghdad

Temporal and spatial analysis of air particulates sampling collection from the in and outside the Al-Tuwaitha, south of Baghdad, was carried out to measure daily gross alpha and beta activity concentrations (AAC and BAC) during the period from January to April of 2017. The results show that most frequencies are within the interval 1-1.49 Bq/m3 for AAC and 3-3.49 Bq/m3 for BAC. Also, the radioactivity levels within the site for both AAC and BAC were found to be higher than those around the outside. Across all air samples at the studied site, the monthly arithmetic means were 3.0 ± 0.5 and 6.7 ± 0.9 Bq/m3 for both AAC and BAC. It was found that a hotspot for both AAC and BAC in air layer with values of 4.0 and 8.5 Bq/m3 respectively situated at ITR-5000 reactor northwest of the site, which is a major source of radioactive contamination, but with wind action. This contamination disperses according to its prevailing direction that is southeast. 6.7 ± 0.9

Wedyan G. Nassif, Basim I. Wahab, Monim H. Al-Jiboori and Abdulrahhman B. Ali

Assessment of Heavy Metal Concentration in Tissues of Three Owl Species From Visakhapatnam, India

The occurrence of heavy metals into the environment through various natural and anthropogenic sources is inevitable due to their persistent nature. This study investigated the concentration of heavy metals lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and chromium (Cr) in liver, kidney, muscle and bones of three different species of owls namely Indian Eagle Owl (Bubo bengalensis), Barn Owl (Tyto alba) and Spotted Owlet (Athene brama) from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Given their sentinel role, birds can be used as suitable and reliable indicators in monitoring the quality of the environment. From the study, it was observed that Bubo bengalensis accumulated the highest concentration of metals followed by Athene brama and Tyto alba. On an average, the concentration of Zn (1.67±1.40 ?g/g) was higher than Pb (0.079±0.05 ?g/g) and Cr (0.99±1.11 ?g/g). Among all the species, Spotted Owlet (Athene brama) recorded the highest concentration of Zn in bone (3.98 ?g/g) whereas in the bone of Indian Eagle Owl (Bubo bengalensis) 2.44 ?g/g of chromium (Cr) was reported. Pearson’s correlation of the data showed significant positive correlations in the absorption of metals by the tissues. Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA was applied to validate the results and check whether the groups originated from the same population. Additionally, Principle Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that Pb showed a strong relationship with both Zn and Cr and might be due to the differences of sources of these elements in the environment.

Sanchari Biswas, Ch Ramakrishna and Y A Maruthi

Effect of Variable Compression Ratios on Performance and Emission Phenomena of DI CI Engine Fuelled with Palm Stearin Biodiesel-Diesel Blends

Rapid depletion of fossil fuels and escalating crude oil prices led the researchers to ascertain alternative feedstock as a substitute for mineral diesel. Biodiesel produced from non-edible sources was one among them. In the present investigation, palm stearin wax, a residue of palm oil extraction was used as a value-added feedstock for the production of biodiesel. Palm stearin biodiesel (PSBD) was derived from this feedstock using single stage transesterification process involving methanol and sodium hydroxide as a catalyst. PSBD was blended with mineral diesel at 20% (D80PSBD20) and 50% (D50PSBD50) in volume basis. The effect of variable compression ratios on the performance and emission phenomena of direct injection CI engine was analysed for test fuel blends. The tests were carried out for compression ratios 17:1, 17.5:1 and 18:1. Among all the fuel blends, D80PSBD20 blend showcased better performance characteristics along with reduced exhaust emissions at compression ratio of 18:1.

V. Hariram, N. Balakarthikeyan, S. Seralathan and T. Micha Premkumar

An Evaluation of the Green Performance of Chinese New Energy Enterprises From the Perspective of Social Responsibility

To evaluate the green performance of Chinese new energy enterprises, a performance evaluation system entailing four dimensions of social responsibility, management of liabilities, market-related responsibility, safety, and environmental responsibility was constructed. This system was subsequently applied to analyze and assess the green performances of 18 energy enterprises in China with their social responsibility. Results show that the green performances of most of the energy enterprises with social responsibility are hierarchically based. Specific countermeasures were proposed for promoting the health of energy enterprises and their sustainable development. These measures to be implemented by energy enterprises include establishing and perfecting systems for managing liabilities, sustaining the market, strengthening responsibility for security, and making diligent efforts to fulfil their environmental responsibilities.

Le Yang and Yue Zhang

Applicability of the Surface Water Extraction Methods Based on China’s GF-2 HD Satellite in Ussuri River, Tonghe County of Northeast China

Surface water is the most important and common water resource on earth. Accurate and effective mapping and detecting of surface water have been made possible by remote sensing technology, highresolution satellite data, playing an important role in surface water monitoring and mapping, which has become the current hot research for water information extraction in recent decades. Therefore, in this paper, we tested and analysed four models to extract water bodies using China’s GF-2 HD satellite (GF- 2) image, including Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Modified Shadow Water Index (MSWI), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Object-Oriented Method (OOM). The results showed applying water extraction models can map surface water with an overall accuracy of 0.8935, 0.9256, 0.9467 and 0.9357, respectively. SVM owns the highest overall accuracy value of 0.9467, followed by OOM. SVM performed significantly better at surface water extraction with kappa coefficients improved by 9.00%, 5.00%, and 2.00%, respectively, which yielded the best results and used to map surfaces water bodies in the study region, while index methods (NDWI and MSWI) are mostly classified into the water and non-water information based on a threshold value, with higher total omission and commission errors at 12.45%, 25.64%, 6.38% and12.87%, respectively. Therefore, we proposed SVM as the best algorithm to identify water body and effectively detect surface water from the GF-2 image.

Wenfeng Gong, Tiedong Liu, Yan Jiang and Philip Stott

Comparison of Lead Tolerance and Accumulation Characteristics of Fourteen Herbaceous Plants

To compare lead (Pb) tolerance and accumulation characteristics, 14 herbaceous plants were treated with different concentrations of lead (0 mg?kg-1, 500 mg?kg-1, 1000 mg?kg-1, 1500 mg?kg-1, 2000 mg?kg-1) through an indoor pot experiment. Results indicated that the shoot dry weights (DWs), tolerance index (TI) and root tolerance index (RTI) of 14 herbaceous plants decreased with the increase of lead concentration. After comprehensive evaluation, Campsis grandiflora, Polygonum lapathifolium, Lolium perenne, and Poa annua were confirmed as tolerant plants to be cultivated in lead-zinc mining area. Moreover, shoots of the Rudbeckia hirta could effectively absorb the lead (I I) with the bioconcentration factor (BCF) of 2.29. The translocation factor (TF) of 6 herbaceous plants were larger than 1.0. They are: Polygonum lapathifolium (3.04) > Medicago sativa (2.49) > Rudbeckia hirta (1.72) > Talinum paniculatum (1.44) > Capsicum annuum cv. 276 (1.36) > Trifolium repens (1.21. Finally, after integration the BCF, TF and repair potential indices, we found that Rudbeckia hirta had a good restoration potential and its lead cumulation in the shoot was the highest (2.576 mg per plant) when the concentration was up to 1000 mg?kg-1. Therefore, Rudbeckia hirta could be identified as a pioneer species of Pbhyperaccumulator.

Xiongfei Cai, Xinjie Yu, Li Lei, Bin Xuan, Ji Wang, Lingyun Zhang and Shijie Zhao

Variability and Modelling of Soil Moisture, Salt and Organic Matter Content in a Gravel-Sand Mulched Jujube Orchard

Characterization of the variability of soil moisture, salt content and organic matter content (SOM) is of great significance in agricultural production management and sustainable soil utilization. We present a case study of the variability and modelling with the depth of soil moisture, salt and SOM in a gravelsand mulched jujube orchard, using Geostatistics and Kriging interpolation. Soil moisture, salt and SOM were measured in 256 samples collected from a gravel-sand mulched jujube orchard in the 0-10, 10-20, 20-30 and 30-50 cm. Soil moisture, salt and SOM were more variable in the surface soil, due to several environmental factors, the coefficients of variation (CV) of soil were lower than 23%, indicating weak to moderate variation. The coefficient of variation of moisture and organic matter decreased with the depth and the salinity increased with the depth. There is a significant correlation between each soil layer, which decreases with the increase of the soil layer. The accuracy of the function model with depth as an independent variable and soil properties as a dependent variable is higher than 0.88. To master the relationship among soil depth, salinity, soil moisture and organic matter content can provide theoretical value for agricultural comprehensive management.

Wenju Zhao, Jiazhen Hu, Zongli Li and Jie Sheng

Bioremediation of Diesel Oil Contaminated Soil by a Novel Isolated Potential Oil Degrading Staphylococcus argenteus MG2 Bacteria Using Biostimulation Method

The potential oil-degrading isolate Staphylococcus argenteus MG2 was used for bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil. Hydrocarbon degradation by the soil microorganisms was evaluated in a soil experimentally contaminated with diesel oil. The effects of six different biological treatments on hydrocarbon degradation were determined during a 50 days incubation period to evaluate biostimulation via inorganic fertilizers (NPK) or manure (compost) with and without inoculum of Staphylococcus argenteus MG2. Eight soil samples were used: (S) uncontaminated control soil; (CS) contaminated soil; (CSF) contaminated soil + N-P-K fertilizer; (CSC) contaminated soil + compost; (CSI) contaminated soil + Inoculum; (CSFI) contaminated soil + N-P-K fertilizer + Inoculum; (CSCI) contaminated soil + compost + Inoculum; (SCSCI) sterile (oil) contaminated soil + compost + Inoculum. Percentage of oil degradation during bioremediation treatment of 50 days was found to be (CS) - 32%, (CSF) - 70.80%, (CSC) - 75%, (CSI) - 84.40%, (CSFI) - 91%, (CSCI) - 93%, (SCSCI) - 94% respectively. Results showed that not only inorganic nutrients NPK and compost stimulated hydrocarbon biodegradation but inoculation of Staphylococcus argenteus MG2 also enhanced hydrocarbon degradation. The microbial count was found to be higher in SCSCI soil sample. The germination percentage and growth of leguminous plant (Vigna radiata) in the treated soil was also notably greater. It may be concluded that the Staphylococcus argenteus MG2 bacteria possess remarkable oil-degrading properties and can be effectively employed in the bioremediation of oil-contaminated soils and can be used for agriculture purpose.

Mahima Golani and Krishnan Hajela

Haematological and Serum Biomarker Responses in Heteropneustes fossilis Exposed to Bisphenol A

The present investigation was carried out for 21 days to explore the sub-lethal toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA) of concentration 0.714, 1.428 and 2.142 mg/L (1/10, 1/20 and 1/30 % of 96 h LC50) on haematological and serum biochemical parameters of Heteropneustes fossilis. Routine haematological parameters like total erythrocyte count (TEC), total leukocyte count (TLC), haemoglobin content (Hb), haematocrit (Hct), erythrocyte indices, total serum protein, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin, globulin, uric acid, and creatinine were examined as toxicological endpoints. The findings of this study revealed that BPA had a negative effect on both the haematological and serum biochemical parameters of Heteropneustes fossilis. The study revealed a significant decrease in red blood cell count, haemoglobin concentration and haematocrit percentage (anaemia) while white blood cell count showed a significant increase in all treatment groups (p < 0> 0.05). The results of serum biochemistry in BPA exposed fish showed enhanced serum AST, ALT, urea, uric acid and creatinine but decreased serum total protein and albumin. This might be due to the possible disruption of haemopoietic tissue or impairment of liver and kidney function. Based on the results, we conclude that BPA is toxic to Heteropneustes fossilis and its occurrence in the environment may threaten the health of aquatic species. Accordingly, it suggests that haematological and serum biochemical parameters could be effectively used as reflective bioindicators in ecotoxicological studies.

Bhawna Srivastava and P. B. Reddy

Water Environment Quality Analysis Based on Information Diffusion Theory and Fuzzy Neural Network

Reservoirs play a key role in many infrastructure functions for people like flood control, irrigation, and water supply. In this work, we focused on the water quality evaluation model for Shimen Reservoir. Based on the monthly changes of factors such as pH, nitrate, ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and total nitrogen (TN) in 2013 and 2014, the information diffusion theory and fuzzy neural network technology were utilized to evaluate the water quality comprehensively. The probability distribution of these four factors in the reservoir was analysed and the water quality of the reservoir evaluated. The results show its reliability and these two methods can provide a basis for water quality control of Shimen Reservoir. Furthermore, the methods can be universally applied to the analysis and research of water quality in other regions.

Hai-tao Chen, Ke-ke Xie and Wen-chuan Wang

Influence of Government Subsidies for Green Technology Development on the Performance of Chinese New-Energy Automobile Enterprises

Recently, facing situations of insufficient energy and harsh environmental conditions, new-energy vehicles begin to enter people’s lives. But considering many factors such as price and market acceptance development of new-energy automobile market must not lack government incentives. In recent two years, the government’s subsidy for green technology development to new-energy automobile enterprises has entered the post-subsidy era. To explore the sustainable development of new-energy automobile enterprises, Foton automobile was selected as the research object and the scale of government subsidy for green technology development to Foton automobile was clearly defined, the performance was analyzed by using multiple regression method. Results show that government subsidy and tax return for green technology development have a positive effect on Foton automobile’s performance, environmental regulation stringency has a significant positive moderating effect. Referring to the conclusions, some suggestions were put forward for Foton automobile’s future development and the development of newenergy automobile industry.

Hongjun Xiong and Yi Shen

Physicochemical Properties of Jatropha podagrica Biodiesel Blends and Their Effects on Tractor Engine Performance and Emission

Jatropha biodiesel produced from Jatropha podagrica oil by alkaline-catalysed transesterification was blended with diesel in the ratios of 88:12 wt% (B88) and 12:88 wt% (B12). The fuel properties, consumption rate and exhaust gas emission characteristics of J. podagrica biodiesel, diesel and their blends were assessed. The results showed that J. podagrica seed oil have similar fatty acid profile with those of Jatropha curcas cultivated in Thailand and other South-East Asian countries. Blending of J. podagrica biodiesel and diesel enhanced the fuel properties of the blends, similar to those of the diesel. However, the B88 blend emitted lesser pollutants when compared to B12 and petrol diesel, making it very ideal for use as a promising alternative to the petrol diesel used in the mini tractor for farming activities. The results from the current study form a basis for further research on the use of B88 as a fuel source.

S. Nuanual, P. Maneechot, P. Thanarak, A. Phuruangrat and S. Artkla

Wetland Plants’ Chemical Ecology for Iron of A Ramsar Site in An Indo-Burma Hotspot: In-Situ Bioaccumulation and Phytoremediation Implications

Biogeochemistry of iron in wetlands is inextricably linked with chemical ecology of aquatic biota impacting the ecology of wetland plants and human health. Therefore, its bio-accumulation in plants is of extreme eco-technological relevance in quest of potential phytoremediation tools. To this end, the Fe concentrations in water and four invasive alien macrophytes (Eichhornia crassipes, Lemna minor, Pistia stratiotes and Salvinia cucullata) of Loktak lake (a Ramsar Site) were measured. Further, the outcome of the present research can assess the efficiency of these plants in Fe-phytoremediation. Concomitantly, to get an explicit Fe-macrophyte’s chemical ecology scenario of Loktak lake, physicochemical parameters as well as biodiversity attributes were also investigated. Results revealed that among the four plant species, Pistia stratiotes accumulated the highest amount of Fe concentration and thus act as the best bio-accumulator of Fe. Further, the extent of Fe bio-accumulation was as Pistia stratiotes>Lemna minor>Eichhornia crassipes>Salvinia cucullata. The study revealed the importance of the selected invasive wetland plants as the potential bio-agents of Fe accumulation.

Prabhat Kumar Rai and M. Muni Singh

Comparison of Structural Stability and Erodibility of the Purple and Loess Soils Based on Le Bissonnais Method

This paper aims to study structural differences and anti-erodibility properties of purple and loess soils in hilly terrains of southern and northern China. Yoder’s method and Le Bissonnais method were used to determine the distribution of soil particle sizes, mean weight diameter (MWD), and geometric mean diameter (GMD). The sequences of water-stable aggregates in different sizes were as follows: On one hand, the sequence of purple soil aggregates was W2-5mm>W0.25-0.5mm>W0.5-1mm>W0-0.053mm>W0.053- 0.25mm>W1-2mm>W>5mm. On the other hand, the sequence of the loess soil was W0-0.053mm>W0.053- 0.5mm>W0.25-0.5mm>W0.5-1mm>W2-5mm>W1-2mm>W>5mm. Three LB treatments were carried out and the results were as follows: MWD and GMD of soil aggregates in the loess soil presented the trend of slow wetting (SW)>wetting stirring (WS)>fast wetting (FW), while those in the purple soil were WS>SW>FW. Under SW treatment, purple soil had higher erodibility factor (K) than loess soil, close to the result of Yoder’s method. Yet under WS and FW treatments, K values of purple soil were much lower than that of loess soil (P<0.05). A significant difference in K, MWD, GMD, and soil organic matter (SOM) values was found between purple soil and loess soil (P<0.05). Slope positions greatly influence MWD, GMD, SOM content for the two soils (P<0.01), and the interaction between soil type and slope position showed an extremely significant positive correlation to MWD and GMD (P<0.01). Our study indicates that, under different breakdown mechanisms, purple soil has a more stable structure and higher anti-erodibility than loess soil. The results of this study will provide a theoretical basis for further understanding of the erosion mechanism of the main soils in China.

Y. Wang, Z. Wu, F.T. Li, Y. Deng, X.L. Liang and G. Wang

Lockdown Impact on Particulate Matter and Role of Meteorological Parameters in the Transmission of Covid-19

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first noticed over Wuhan, China during December 2019. The spreading characteristics of COVID-19 infection from one person to another are resulting in a growing number of infected cases and created massive stresses across the world. The rapid dissemination of COVID-19 infection declares it as a pandemic. In India, till the mid of May 2020, there were around 75,048 confirm with 2440 number of death cases, specifically due to COVID-19. To break the chain of COVID-19, the Government of India had decided to implement the lockdown, first implemented on 23rd March 2020. Some of the significant benefits of lockdown resulted in the reduction in atmospheric pollutants of the cities across the world. The study is based on the fine and coarse particulate matters (PM) data corresponding to before lockdown and during lockdown periods. The efforts were made over Delhi (DEL) and one of the neighbouring cities, i.e. Gurgaon (GW) considering the duration 1st January 2020 to 15th May 2020 to understand the impact of lockdown on the particulate matter, i.e. PM (PM1.0, PM2.5 and PM10). Our investigation shows the decline in PM concentration during the lockdown period. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in DEL, India, and the inhabitants of about 14 million people. The significance of the particulate matter, temperature (°C) and relative humidity (%) on the dispersal of COVID-19 virus and its association to the total number of cases (TC), active cases (AC), recovered cases (RC) and death cases (DC) with special reference to DEL were also discussed.

Manish Sharma and Pargin Bangotra

Socio-Economic Utility of Coastal Flora Growing in and Around Mangrol Taluka (Junagadh) of Gujarat

Halophytes are widely distributed throughout several regions due to the presence of the saline condition. The present paper reflects vegetation cover along with plant species of different kinds in the coastal area of Mangrol taluka of Gujarat, India. It consists of 25 plant species under 25 genera and 12 families of angiosperm. During the field survey, observations were made and plant characteristics and habitat of flora were studied. The main objectives of the present study are the identification, baseline survey and utility of saline plants in the area. The utility of the plants such as ecological and economic (such as medicinal, industrial and commercial, etc.) which can reflect their significance to the society. Majority of the plant species found are naturally occurring, but a few of them are agricultural plants used for various purposes. Due to increasing population growth, urbanization and especially over-demanding medicinal plants people are harvesting without any knowledge of regeneration and conservation, due to which many species are threatened. Because of this, it is very important to conserve plant species, which are extensively utilized in various purposes.

T. B. Chudasama and S. J. Vyas

Biosorption of Manganese by Amended Aspergillus versicolor from Polluted Water Sources

This study deals with the adsorption capacity of the powder of Aspergillus versicolor (Ascomycota) as a bioadsorbent for the removal of manganese ion from polluted water samples. The effect of various experimental parameters such as the effect of pH, quantity of the fungus powder, contact time with the manganese (II) ion solution and its concentration on the biosorption capacity was conducted to optimize them. Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) plates amended with 100 ppm of Mn(II) ions were used for growing the fungus isolates and standard spread plate method was applied. The plates were incubated at 27°C for 4 to 7 days, then the grown fungi were killed by adding 0.5 N NaOH, washed with doubly distilled water, dried out in hot air oven and finally ground into a very fine powder. The results verify that the optimum pH value for manganese biosorption was 6. The rate of adsorption of manganese by Aspergillus versicolor was very fast reaching a maximum within 15 min at 31°C. Maximum removal efficiency occurred on the use of 0.3 g A. versicolor powder. The maximum metal uptake was relatively observed at 90 ppm manganese concentration. Manganese removal process decreased with increasing metal concentration. The desorption study showed that manganese was recovered up to 81.53% using 0.1 N HCl rendering the possibility of the adsorbent regeneration. Experimental results have been analysed using a Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models. Surface morphology study of A. versicolor powder using SEM analysis, assured its irregular surface nature.

A.H. El Maghrabi, M.A. Marzouk, M.A. Elbably and M.E.M. Hassouna

Adsorption of Acid Orange 7 in Aqueous Solution by Biochar from Peanut Shell Supported with Clay Mineral Kaolinite

Biochar was prepared from the peanut shell. Then, it was mixed with the clay mineral kaolinite and stirred under the magnetic stirrer. The biochar derived from peanut shell supported with clay mineral kaolinite (B@K) was obtained. Adsorption experiments of dye Acid Orange 7 by B@K were conducted. The characteristics of B@K were determined by the elemental analyzer, specific surface area meter, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer and the model axis-HS. The experimental results showed that a large number of oxygen-containing functional groups appear on the surface of B@K, which is beneficial for binding dye ions. The adsorption process fits well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. It indicated that the adsorption process was both physical adsorption and chemical adsorption. Chemical adsorption is the main adsorption process. Langmuir isotherm model can better describe the adsorption isothermal process of B@K on dye Acid Orange 7. The adsorption process is monolayer adsorption process.

Keyuan Huang, Wangying Li, Yue Wang, Bin Liu, Ruolin Xu, Jing Dai, Xitong Zheng, Ningcan Yang, Muqing Qiu and Li Han

Decontamination Efficiency of Phenylethylene by an Activated Carbon-Based Adsorbent

A sudden leak of phenylethylene is an urgent issue for the surrounding environment. To mitigate its negative effect, the decontamination efficiency of phenylethylene on an activated carbon (AC)-based adsorbent was investigated. Factors such as the particle size and the temperature, that could affect the adsorption ratio, were explored. Meanwhile, the efficiency of AC, pretreated with different KMnO4 and NaClO concentrations, was examined. It was proven that the decontamination efficiency was higher for the 300-mesh AC compared to the 200-mesh AC. The introduction of the oxidizer, KMnO4, had a negative effect on phenylethylene adsorption. Nevertheless, the NaClO-modified AC showed a positive influence on phenylethylene removal, while its decontamination gradually improved with the increase of the NaClO concentration. It was also found that the adsorption rate of phenylethylene was ascended with the temperature rise. After 1 h of adsorption with AC heated to 200°C, no phenylethylene desorption was observed.

Wang Shouzhong, Zhou Zhen, Zhang Tong, Fang Xiaojun and Miao Chaoyang

Combined Treatment of Real Sugar Industry and Sago Wastewater Using Hybrid Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (HUASB) Reactor

This paper presents the performance of Hybrid Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (HUASB) reactor in treating combined real sugar industry and synthetic sago effluents. Sugar industry is one of the most important agricultural industries which discharge the effluent in a huge quantity that creates environmental problems. The disposal of untreated sugar industry effluent in soils and water bodies has received much attention since decades ago. So, in this study, it was decided to inoculate the HUASB reactor with seed sludge from the existing anaerobic digester treating sago wastewater and then it was started by using synthetic sago wastewater, and then it was fed with the combined real sugar industry and synthetic sago wastewater. The reactor was fed with the combined effluents of a real sugar industry and synthetic sago wastewater at different mixing ratios having the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) ranging from 4450 to 5360 mg/L with HRT of 24 hours. The pH, COD removal, volatile fatty acid (VFA), alkalinity and biogas production were monitored for various inlet of COD values. The inlet and outlet pH was between the range of 5.62 to 7.36 and 7.53 to 8.18 respectively. The VFA and alkalinity varied from 36 to 84 mg/L and 926 to 998 mg/L respectively. The biogas production varied from 10.6 to 13.2 L/d. The maximum COD removal of 94.4% and the biogas production of 13.2 L/d was reported at pH 8.11 at the mixing ratio of 60/40 (sago/sugar industry wastewater).

T. Kavimani, K. Balaji and G. Gnanapragasam

Removal of Lead from Drinking Water by Bioadsorption Technique: An Eco-friendly Approach

India is the world’s largest user of groundwater, accounting for 25 per cent of the world’s extracted groundwater. Contamination of water bodies is the main problem for degrading the potable water quality in India. The contaminants, mainly cadmium, chromium, nickel, lead, zinc, copper, calcium, fluoride, nitrates, etc. have a significant impact on waters. There have been several advancements in technology for removal or reduction of these contaminants in water such as reverse osmosis, UV filtration, distillation and ion exchange. But these methods are not found to be eco-friendly and costeffective. This paper elaborates various techniques of organic nature that can be used to reduce/ remove the heavy metals from water bodies using orange peels as a bioadsorbent and detailed experimentation for the removal of lead ion concentration from water. In the present study, synthetic water with various heavy metals of known concentration was treated by a bioadsorbent (orange peels) by changing various parameters such as adsorbent particle size, dose, initial pH, etc. At pH 7, dose 0.5 g, and adsorbent particle size of 250 ?m, a drastic reduction in the concentration of lead from 10 ppm to 0.213 ppm in 50 mL synthetic sample was observed.

Prasenjit Mondal, B. P. Yadav and N. A. Siddiqui

Solar Light Induced Photodegradation of Brilliant Green Dye by Barium Calciate (BaCaO2) Nanoparticles

The study on photodegradation of Brilliant Green dye was done by barium calciate nanoparticles (BaCaO2). The BaCaO2 was prepared by solution combustion synthesis. The analytical instruments like SEM, XRD, EDAX, and UV-absorption spectroscopy were employed for characterization. All the experiments were accomplished under various irradiation conditions such as sunlight, UV light and dark conditions. The obtained results examined the percentage of degradation capacity of BaCaO2 on Brilliant Green by differing the Brilliant Green concentration, pH and catalyst loading. The percentage of degradation was 98.93% in 20ppm of dye concentration at pH 6 with a constant catalyst concentration of 0.7g/100mL. This proves that the synthesized barium calciate nanoparticles are more efficient in removing Brilliant Green from the wastewater.

K. Nagendra Naik, K. Yogendra and K. M. Mahadevan

Operating Performance of China’s Environmental Governance Industry Under the Impact of COVID-19

With the continuous emergence of environmental problems in recent years, governments of various countries attach great importance to the application of key core technologies such as energy conservation and efficiency, low carbon environmental protection, resource recovery and recycling. The implementation of environmental management concepts is emphasized such as clean production and energy efficiency. As a result, the environmental governance industry has achieved rapid development. However, under the impact of COVID-19, the operation and development of environmental governance industry may be restricted. To explore COVID-19 influence on the operating performance of China’s environmental governance industry, Dongzhu Ecological Environment was selected as the research object, and the operation performance of Dongzhu Ecological Environment was analyzed by using the factor analysis method. The results show that the operating performance of Dongzhu Ecological Environment gets up a lot, with the rise of the whole industry due to the epidemic. Additionally, some management implications were put forward that adopted by the environmental governance industry to better promote the coordinated development of economy, society and environment.

Zhaohua Leng

The Effect of Ejectors on Reduction of Indoor Air Pollution in the Welding Room

In this study, the ejector installation has been designed and processed according to the plan and further investigated the effect of the ejector’s performance on reducing air pollutants in a welding chamber. This is done after gas and dust particles appear during the welding process. The measurement of air pollutants was carried out in two conditions. The first condition during the welding process was without using the ejector and the second condition is when the welding process continues and the ejector runs simultaneously. The measurements were made for carbon monoxide (CO) gas, nitrogen monoxide (NO) gas and total suspended particles. The ambient gas sampler was used in measuring CO and NO gases, while the Staflex air sampler measures dust particles. The results show that when the ejector is run or in the second condition, carbon monoxide and nitrogen monoxide and total dust particles are lower in concentration compared to the situation when the ejector is not running.

Sattar Yunus, Makmur Saini, Rizal Sultan, Rusdi Nur and Ibrahim

Study on Quantification Method for the Risk of Soil-Plant-Human System Environmental Pollution Caused by Sewage Irrigation in Agriculture

Long-term sewage irrigation can cause accumulation of contaminants in soil, which imposes severe damages to soil and plants and further triggers many chronic diseases in human bodies via the food chain. In this paper, the effect of sewage irrigation on changes in concentration of contaminants in soil and its relationship with the concentration of contaminants in the main agricultural plants are discussed, and a health risk assessment is performed on the contaminant exposure suffered by people in the sewage irrigation area. Based on this, an environmental pollution risk model for the soil-plant-human system was established for research on the acceptable irrigation concentration of contaminants in sewage and the safe service period of sewage irrigation. A practical example adopted in this paper proves that arsenic pollution caused by sewage irrigation to soil-plant-human body system in the irrigation area imposes a comprehensive risk degree of 0.40, the acceptable arsenic irrigation concentration is 0.086mg/L and the safe service period for this irrigation area is 150 years. Thus, the reclaimed water shall be subject to innocuous disposal under scientific guidance for agricultural irrigation.

Xin Huang and Lin Qiu

Evaluation of the Effect of Sewage Irrigation on Groundwater

In areas with water resources shortage, sewage irrigation can alleviate the contradiction between supply and demand for water. However, long-term use of sewage irrigation will affect soil, crops and groundwater. In this paper, irrigation water and groundwater in different irrigation source areas were sampled and analysed respectively to study the effect of sewage irrigation on groundwater. The irrigation water was evaluated for Cl-, Cd, Pb, Cr6+, As, Cu, F-, TP, Hg and Zn as standards for irrigation water quality which along with Nemerow index method were used for comprehensive evaluation. The result of the evaluation is that the water quality of the reclaimed water, domestic sewage and mixed sewage meet the requirements of the agricultural irrigation, and the industrial sewage pollution index is relatively high and less suitable for agricultural irrigation. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was adopted to evaluate groundwater quality, using Quality Standard for Ground Water (GBT14848- 2017) as evaluation factor standard and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), chloride (Cl-), nitrate (NO3-N) and nitrite (NO2-N) as evaluation indicators. The results of the evaluation showed that the water quality of 2 monitor wells among the 11 monitor wells was within Category II, 6 within Category III, and 3 within Category IV. With regards to the influence of different irrigation sources on groundwater, the comprehensive evaluation results are reasonable as well. According to the comprehensive membership grades, it can be concluded that the influence of different water sources on groundwater quality, in turn, is reclaimed water < domestic sewage < mixed sewage < industrial sewage. The evaluation results are in line with the actual situation in the study area.

Xiuli Li and Xiaoyu Li

Hydrochemical Characteristics and Water Quality Assessment of Surface Water and Groundwater in Agriculture Demonstration Base, Jiagou District, Northern Anhui Province, China

Jiagou district, located in Northern Anhui Province, China, has been taken as an agriculture demonstration base for several decades, but limited hydrochemical work has been conducted on the water resources. The objective of this research was to understand the controlling processes of hydrochemical evolution and the water quality for drinking and irrigation. Twenty-seven samples of surface water and groundwater have been collected and analysed for major ions. Although the values physicochemical parameters are subjected of spatial fluctuation in different water resources, calcium and bicarbonate is still the dominant ion in the cations and anions, respectively. The values of all the parameters are within the WHO maximum permissible limit for inhabitant drinking. The predominant water type is Ca-Mg-HCO3 and Ca-HCO3. The hydrochemical methods (Gibbs diagram, Mg/Na and HCO3/Na versus Ca/Na diagram and ion ratios) suggest that rock-water interactions furnish the dominant major ion sources of the samples. Carbonate dissolution, silicate weathering and ion exchange have the predominant contribution to the origin of chemical solutes, as well as a slight function of halite dissolution. The USSL and Wilcox diagram reveal that all the samples have low salinity and low sodium water. It is of good quality suitable for irrigation, and it can be used for irrigation of most crops on most soils with less negative impacts.

Jie Ma, Linhua Sun, Song Chen, Zhichun Li, Ting Gao, Hongbao Dai and Haitao Zhang

Effectiveness of Sagittaria lancifolia as Detergent Phytoremediator

The extensive use of detergent causes a high level of it to contaminate water body. This study was aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Sagittaria lancifolia plant as a phytoremediator for water contaminated with detergents. Sagittaria lancifolia was planted in medium exposed to detergent at various levels (10, 50, 75 ppm) with two different detention times (7 and 14 days). Remediated water was tested of its toxicity using Xiphophorus maculatus. LAS removal rate, BOD, plant morphology, and mortality of X. maculatus were recorded. The result showed that S. lancifolia had a high level of LAS removal rate, the longer detention time (81.53 ± 0.37% at 14 days) with significantly lower BOD (27.48 ± 0.78mg/L). Plant leaves showed signs of necrosis and chlorosis during detergent exposure. Detergent water remediated for 14 days induced the lowest rate of mortality in Xiphophorus maculatus. Thus, Sagittaria lancifolia can be applied to remove the organic contaminant from the water body.

H. Fitrihidajati, F. Rachmadiarti, F. Khaleyla and E. Kustiyaningsih

Isolation of Fungi and Optimization of pH and Temperature for Cellulase Production

The crystalline structure of cellulose makes it difficult to degrade and so most of the cellulosic waste in nature is disposed of by biomass burning. Cellulase enzyme system is potent enough to convert cellulose into glucose. Fungi are known to produce an array of hydrolytic enzymes. This study involves isolation of high potential cellulolytic fungal strains from the soil and optimizing pH and temperature conditions for enhanced cellulase production. The fungal strains were isolated from soil using serial dilution and pour plate techniques and screened using Congo red test and FPase method. Based on hydrolytic zones formation and cellulase enzyme production, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus flavus were found to show the highest potency for hydrolytic enzyme production at pH 5.8-6.0 and temperature range of 40°C-50°C.

Sheetal Barapatre, Mansi Rastogi, Savita and Meenakshi Nandal

Evaluation of Sugarcane and Soil Quality Amended by Sewage Sludge Derived Compost and Chemical Fertilizer

The impact of compost prepared from sewage sludge in addition/alteration to chemical fertilizer makes a unique direction for effective waste management with high crop productivity. The study aims to compare the quality, agronomic parameters of sugarcane amended by sewage sludge compost with that using optimum chemical fertilizer (NPK 150-50-90 kg/ha) in the two random fields near sewage treatment plant (STP) of our institute and also to predict the soil quality in that field before sowing and after ripening. Dimensional analysis, Brix, Pol, Purity, Sugar recovery and other necessary quality analysis were estimated for the sugarcane samples. Similarly, soil physico-chemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, forms of nitrogen, organic carbon and other nutrients were also monitored. Obtained sugarcane purity of 89.2% from sludge derived compost (SDC) over the 82.8% using chemical fertilizer amendment leads to the sustainable management system. The % recovery of 12.23 of cane shows the optimum value for the compost amendment. The results scientifically reveal the suitability of sludge compost to the replacement of chemical fertilizers in terms of productivity and soil quality.

P. Balaganesh, M. Vasudevan, S. M. Suneethkumar, S. Shahir and N. Natarajan

Industrial Pollution Governance Efficiency and Big Data Environmental Controlling Measures: A Case Study on Jiangsu Province, China

Industrial economic development, which is characterized by high input, high pollution, high consumption, and low benefits, causes environmental pollution problems to be prominent due to the increase of industrial pollutants every year. Blind expansion of investment scale regardless of governance efficiency of industrial pollution can lead to a certain amount of resource wastage. Thus, improving the governance efficiency of industrial pollution is an important method to solve industrial pollution. In particular, applying big data on environmental protection for environmental pollution management can improve the efficiency and quality of pollution control, and ensure comprehensive examination and governance of environmental pollution. In this study, research on industrial pollution governance efficiency in foreign developed countries was reviewed. Furthermore, industrial pollution governance efficiency in Jiangsu Province, China was calculated and certain measures were proposed to prevent and control industrial pollution by applying big data on environmental protection. Results demonstrate that the trend in which industrial pollution governance of emerging technologies, such as big data, penetrate into environmental protection and human capital input can significantly decrease industrial wastewater and industrial solid wastes. Technological innovation makes remarkable contributions to industrial waste gas control. To increase industrial pollution governance efficiency, this study proposes certain measures, such as establishing a scientific and highly efficient big-data monitoring network system for ecological environment, fully utilizing block-chain technological advantages in industrial pollution control, constructing a perfect big-data sharing and processing platform for environmental protection, and increasing sharing and application values of big data on environmental protection. Research conclusions can provide important references to reduce industrial pollutant emissions, increase the efficiency of industrial pollution governance, increase applications of big-data on environmental protection, and construct and perfect a big-data sharing platform for environmental protection.

Jianwei Lu

Desulfurization of Fuel by [Bmim]CoCl3 and Potassium Monopersulfate

Functional ionic liquid [Bmim]CoCl3 was prepared with potassium monopersulfate compound (PMS) to form extraction catalytic oxidative desulfurization system for benzothiophene (BT) removal. The best reaction conditions for removing BT were as follows: m (ionic liquid) = 2 g, m(PMS) = 1.5 g, C (initial sulphur) = 500 ppm, T = 40°C ~ 50°C. The desulfurization rate could be reached at 92.4 %. The ionic liquid still had higher activity after 5 cycles of reuse which exhibited that there was only a slight difference in the amount of the oxidant. It was proved that [Bmim]CoCl3 ionic liquid combined with oxidant PMS has an excellent desulfurization performance.

Jun Zhang, Hang Xu and Yang Li

Performance of Semi-dry Anaerobic Digestion of Organic Solid Waste in Mesophilic Continuous Operation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of anaerobic digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid waste to biogas in a mesophilic (32°C) continuous digester at a total solid concentration (TS) of 12%. The digester was operated with different organic loading rates and constant retention time. The performance of the reactor was evaluated using parameters like pH, volatile fatty acid (VFA), alkalinity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), ammonia-N and biogas yield. During the reactor’s start-up period (first phase), the process is stable and there is no inhibition occurred. In the second phase, the reactor was fed in continuous mode with different organic loading rates and constant retention time. The highest volatile solid (VS) degradation of 65.9%, with specific biogas production of 368 L.kg-1 VS fed was achieved with organic loading rate (OLR) of 3.1 kg VS.m-3.d-1 and a retention time of 30 days.

B. Sajeena Beevi, G. Madhu and Praseetha P. Nair

16S rRNA Phylogenetic Analysis of Heavy Metal Tolerant Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria

The present study was aimed to characterize the bacterial isolate DDI(I)1 isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Ocimum grown in New Delhi (India). The isolate exhibited multiple plant growth promoting activities namely ammonia production, production of phytohormones, hydrogen cyanide, solubilization of minerals, tolerance against heavy metals, etc. The isolate was morphologically and biochemically characterized and it was found that DDI(I)1 belongs to genus Pseudomonas. Further, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the isolate shared 99% homology with Pseudomonas fluorescens.

Shuchita Verma and Baljeet Singh Saharan

Water Quality Evaluation by Monitoring Zooplankton Distribution in Wild Ponds, Noakhali, Bangladesh

Pond water quality was evaluated by identifying and estimating zooplankton during monsoon in Noakhali, Bangladesh. Three wild ponds were chosen for monitoring zooplankton distribution which are not used for fish culture or any other commercial purposes. In this study, the Wetland Zooplankton Index (WZI) was employed to engage the zooplankton genera according to their specific WZI values. Two of the sampling ponds were found to have moderate water quality. Additionally, another pond was found with nearly good water quality. Total zooplankton was observed as 5541.67±176.77 ind/L, 9608.34±271 ind/L and 9541.67±176 ind/L in three different sampling ponds. There were four groups of zooplankton as Rotifera (6 genera), Copepoda (4 genera) and Cladocera (6 genera) identified in all the sampling ponds. The physicochemical water parameters as water temperature, water pH, total alkalinity, free CO2, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite were also evaluated in sampling ponds.

Najmus Sakib Khan, Md. Saiful Islam, Jaber Bin Abdul Bari and Naznin Akter Tisha

Geoelectrical Variations in Residential Area of Ojongbodu, Oyo, Southwestern Nigeria

This study is aimed at mapping the geoelectrical variations in the residential area of Ojongbodu, Oyo, Nigeria. Thirty vertical electrical sounding stations were occupying across the study area using PZ-02 Earth resistivity meter. Four subsurface layers involving topsoil, two weathered layers and bedrock were mapped, with clay being the most dominating soil type in the third layer, which is about 3.9 m below the first two layers. The thickness of the third layer itself is about 10.4 m. About 70% of the bedrock is fractured. The thickness of clay in the third layer cum fractured bedrock could aid development of differential settlements in buildings or total collapse of structures within the study area.

T.A. Adagunodo and O.P. Oladejo

Full Journal Issue