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Effect of Water Chemistry on the Uptake of Co(II) on Graphene Oxide Investigated by Batch Technique

The uptake of Co(II) on graphene oxide (GO) by an adsorption process as a function of pH and ionic strength in the absence and presence of humic acid (HA) or fulvic acid (FA) was studied using batch technique. The results indicated that the uptake is strongly dependent on pH but independent of ionic strength. A stimulative effect of HA/FA on Co(II) uptake was found at pH < 7> 7.0. Kinetic studies suggest that Co(II) uptake on GO could be described more favorably by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The uptake isotherms can be described better by the Langmuir, Freundlich, and D-R models than by the linear model. The thermodynamic data calculated from the temperature-dependent uptake isotherms suggests that the uptake of Co(II) on GO is spontaneous and endothermic. Results of this work are of great importance for the environmental application of GO in the treatment of Co(II) from wastewater and indicated that GO is promising for the natural attenuation of Co(II) and related metal ions from aqueous solution.

X. Tang, J. Luo, L. Wang and X. Li

Ethnobotanical Study and Plant Diversity in the Forest of Kedarnath Valley, Garhwal Himalaya, India

The present study was carried out in the forest of Kedarnath valley in Garhwal Himalaya. The aim of the study was to access the diversity status and ecological status. The study was conducted following the stratified sampling techniques by placing quadrates (1m×1m) for herbs, (5m×5m) for shrubs, and (10m×10m) size for trees in the forest area. A total number of 221 plant species were recorded during the floristic survey in the project area. Plant diversity of the project area encompasses 49 species of trees, 28 species of shrubs, and 144 species of herbs. Important value index, the Shannon diversity index, and total basal area species were recorded. The tree density in the present study was highest in the Kedarnath valley which ranged from 0.3 to 8.5 no./ha. Shrub density in the present study varied from 0.4 to 13.5 no./ha, whereas herb density ranged between 0.2 to 22.4 no.ha-1. Total basal cover (TBC) for trees showed a range of 9.542 to 0.075 m2.ha-1, and the Shannon diversity index (H) for tree species was recorded from a minimum of 0.976 to a maximum of 3.048. The horrific disaster in the Kedarnath valley in 2013 caused a lot of damage to the bugyals (High altitude grass) and forests of the valley. About 500 species of vesicular medicinal plants, fodder plants, and other important plant species were washed away (Botanical Survey of India 2015). The current study is a pioneer in the aspect and can be helpful in making district forest plans, protocols, and implementation of forest policy to protect the forest by local people.

Chandi Prasad, Ramesh C. Sharma and Rahul Kumar

Study on the Electrochemical Anticorrosion Effect of Piezoelectric Materials in the Internal Environment of Water Supply Pipeline

The problem of corrosion in water supply pipelines not only poses a considerable threat to the safety of drinking water but also causes a large amount of water wastage due to the leakage of the pipeline network, which can be a chronic problem for a municipal water supply system, as observed in Beijing and other cities in China. In this study, a new piezoelectric PVDF fiber membrane was prepared by electrospinning process, and a piezoelectric anticorrosive film was fabricated based on the internal environment of the pipeline. In the simulated water supply pipeline environment, based on the principle of the piezoelectric effect and the principle of cathodic protection, the electrochemical corrosion protection effect of piezoelectric materials in the water supply pipeline environment, under different water quality conditions, was investigated by a single factor experiment. The results show that piezoelectric anti-corrosion tablets have an obvious inhibitory effect on pipeline corrosion under different pH values, ammonium nitrate concentrations, chloride ion concentrations, and sulfate ion concentrations. Furthermore, under the conditions of pH neutral, alkaline, and high ion concentration, the piezoelectric anti-corrosion sheet can protect the pipeline by 100%. Additionally, since the piezoelectric material can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy and does not cause pollution during the experiment, it has good environmental and economic benefits. The use of piezoelectric materials for preventing corrosion of pipelines is a frontier exploration. We believe that the improvement and development of material properties, and the combination of these new materials and traditional techniques, will provide new ideas and methods for pipeline anti-corrosion technology.

T. Li, G. Li, X. Zhang, S. Xu and H. Ghougassian

The Increasing Trend of Black Carbon and Organic Carbon in Jordan During the Period of 2007 to 2018

During the last decades, carbonaceous aerosol extinctions such as black carbon and organic carbon extinctions exhibit an increasing trend across the globe. Measurements of carbonaceous aerosol in Jordan were done using satellite data during the period 2007 to 2018. These measurements were done in four locations of Jordan - Irbid in the north, Amman and Az-Zarqa in the middle, and Ma’an in the south. Black carbon extinction in Jordan increased slightly (slope = 0.0001) during this period, while organic carbon extinction increased slightly (slope = (0.7 – 10) x10-5) in three locations and decreased slightly in one location (Irbid location (slope = -2x10-5)). Organic carbon extinction measurements were greater than black carbon extinction measurements in all locations with varying ratios depending on the location of the measurements. Black carbon and organic carbon scattering measurements have the same behavior as extinction, with larger values in the north and smaller values in the south. Scattering values of organic carbon are larger than black carbon scattering values. Scattering values of organic carbon increased slightly in all locations (slope = 0.0001) while scattering values of black carbon decreased in three locations (Irbid, Amman, and Ma’an) and increased in one location (Az-Zarqa). Column mass density and surface mass concentration measurements show that organic carbon had larger values than black carbon in all locations besides that both organic carbon and black carbon had values decreasing when we go from north to south.

K. M. Hamasha

Procuring Plant Services for Ecological and Human Well Being

Ecosystem services offered by two native tree species viz. Azadirachta indica, Morinda tinctoria, and four exotic species viz. Tamarindus indica, Prosopis juliflora, Leucaena leucocephala, and Ipomoea carnea in the Mathippanur village of Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, India were assessed to augment their valuable ecosystem services and to get the management strategy for sustainable use. The selected plant species provide economic benefit through their products, regulating soil health, sequestering carbon, and supporting nests of animals. However, they cause discomfort to the associated vegetation and human beings. Both native and exotic species play a crucial role in the ecosystem and the removal of exotic species will lead to disturbance in the ecosystem resilience. For sustainable management, mixed plantations of tree species can be raised in barren and fallow lands. The plantations will aid in monetary support to the local inhabitants, people’s participation in resource management and conservation, and effective use of land and tree services.

K. Saraswathi and K. Selvam

The Current Use and Management of Single-Use Items (SUIs) in the Fast Food Industry in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

This study aims to determine the composition and the weight of individual single-use items (SUIs) generated in the selected fast-food restaurants (FFRs) in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data of SUIs consumed per day from 126 FFRs covering six popular fast food companies (FFCs). At the same time, waste from 30 FFRs was collected, and its composition and weight were determined. Consequently, the amount and composition of the waste varied among the studied FFCs and is dependent on the food menu, the number of franchises for each FFC, customer number, size, and the type of SUIs used at these restaurants. Total waste collected across the six FFCs was 6 t.d-1 and was equivalent to 1560 t.yr-1 in HCMC. Of which, single-use plastic items (SUPIs) waste and single-use paper items (SUPaIs) waste accounted for 39% and 28%, respectively. The total weight of unnecessary SUPIs (condiment containers, straws, and forks) generated was about 44 t.yr-1. The results suggest that the necessity of standardizing the type and size of the SUIs used at the FFRs, phasing out the use of unnecessary SUPIs, improving the local waste management practices through material recovery and recycling.

Thi-Kim Chi Do, Sunil Herat, Le Van Khoa and Prasad Kaparaju

Soil Organic Carbon Stocks and Its Driving Factors Under Different Land-Use Patterns in Semiarid Grasslands of the Loess Plateau, China

Fencing for grazing exclusion and grazing are common land-use methods in the semi-arid areas of the Loess Plateau in China, which have been widely found to change grassland soil organic carbon (SOC); however empirical studies that evaluated driving factors of soil carbon (C) stocks under the different land use are still weak. In this study, we investigated soil physicochemical and soil respiration (Rs) in the fenced and grazed grassland, to study the soil C stock variations and the main driving mechanism of soil C accumulation. The results showed that bulk density (BD), soil moisture content (SMC), and soil porosity (SP) had no significant difference between fenced and grazed grassland. Fencing increased the SOC, total nitrogen (TN), and C/N ratio, and significantly increased the aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB), and the amount of soil large macro-aggregates in the topsoil layer (0-10 cm), and the soil stability was improved. Meanwhile, grazing increased soil temperature (ST) and Rs. The soil C stock in the topsoil layer (0-10 cm) of fenced grassland was significantly higher than that of grazed grassland. The soil C/N ratio, BD, and MWD explained large proportions of the variations in soil C stocks. Our results indicate that fencing can improve the stability of soil structure, and reduce Rs, then increase soil C stocks, which is an effective way to improve soil C stocks of grassland ecological in semi-arid areas of northwest China.

Hao Zhang, Jianping Li, Yi Zhang, Yutao Wang, Juan Zhang, Xu Luo and Ru Zhang

Species Diversity, Soil Nutrients Dynamics and Regeneration Status of Sal (Shorea robusta) Forests in Western Himalayan Region of India

Sal (Shorea robusta) forest is found in an extensive array of conditions in Western Himalaya. It has been heavily used for commercial purposes. Thus, we did a study to gather the information on sal forests occupying a broad range of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve which spans across an extensive range in the Western Himalaya. We tested the species diversity, soil nutrients status, and regeneration potential of the Sal forest. Vegetation was sampled in 10 transects zone of 20×20 m2 plots covering an area of 10.0 ha area. Trees, saplings, seedlings, shrubs, and herbs were sampled along the transects in the Chilla forest division of the tiger reserve. Samplings were done every 200 m along the transect with the help of the Nested quadrat method. Altogether 64 species were recorded: 24 trees, 12 shrubs, and 28 herbs. Environmental variables like pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available potassium, available phosphorous, and soil texture were also recorded to observe the effects of these environmental variables into diversity attributes. The Shannon Weiner index for trees was 1.350, for saplings 1.774, for seedlings 1.679. For shrub species, it was1.96. The Shannon Weiner index for herbaceous species in the rainy season was 2.8, in winter it was 2.36 whereas in summer it was 2.46. We concluded that the management of sal has enhanced the diversity and soil nutrients dynamics in the study area. Sal diversity also has enhanced the growth of co-dominant species like Mallotus philippensis, Aegle marmelos, Listea chinensis, Naringi crenulata, Ehretia laevis, Cassia fistula, etc. in the study area. Although we did not find any seedlings of the sal during the present study, the regeneration potential of sal forest increasing with a greater number of associated species provide a favorable environment for sal species.

Akash, M. Zakir, Navneet and B. S. Bhandari

Climate Responsive Strategy Matrix for Designing Buildings in India

The starting point for a good design of any building project is the analysis of the macroclimate and microclimate of the building site that encompasses an understanding of temperature, radiation, wind, precipitation, topography, vegetation, ground cover, etc., which together describe the site climate. Although urban context somewhat unifies, climate and topography prevalent in India are varied and diverse. Most part of the country is hot, while some regions are dry throughout the year, some are humid and some others are composite. The building design features, therefore, need to vary with the diversity to provide comfortable environments naturally. The context and the requirements for thermal comfort provide the basis for building siting, selection of building form and envelope, fenestration design, choice of materials, and other aspects. The paper proposes and discusses the various climate-responsive design strategies that are best adapted for the different climatic zones of India and presents such design interventions and features as a comparative matrix. Such a comparative presentation is novel, convenient, easy to comprehend, and provides a useful toolkit for building designers. The climate-responsive interventions in building design proposed in this study have the potential to enhance built environments naturally, thereby mitigating the adverse environmental impact. The proposed strategies are also validated through a sample field survey responded by building professionals from various climatic zones of the country.

N. Thakur, D. Parashar, C. Chidambaram and M. Dharwal

Effect of Wheat Straw Biochar on Thermophysical Properties of Loessial Soil

Soil thermophysical properties are the key factors affecting the internal heat balance of soil. In this paper, biochars (BC300, BC500 and BC700) were produced with wheat straw at the temperatures of 300, 500 and 700°, respectively. The effects of biochar amendment at the rates of 0%, 1%, 3%, and 5% on the thermophysical properties (thermal conductivity, heat capacity, and thermal diffusivity) of a loessial soil were investigated with and without water content respectively. Although the bulk density of soil significantly decreased with biochar amendment, due to enhancing soil porosity and organic matter content, the thermophysical properties of soil did not change largely with biochar amendment rate and pyrolysis temperature. Water content exhibited significant effects on the thermophysical properties of soils added with biochars, where the thermal conductivity and heat capacity of soil were linearly proportional to water content, the thermal diffusivity initially increased and then decreased with the increase of water content. In the meanwhile, there was no significant correlation between the biochar amendment rate or pyrolysis temperature and thermophysical properties. The results show that water content should be mainly concerned as a factor when the internal heat balance of loess soil is evaluated, even though the soil is amended with biochar.

B. W. Zhao, Y. Zhao, H. Liu, Y. Q. Li, K. X. Duan and X. Zhang

Water Quality Evaluation of Wenyu River Based on Single Factor Evaluation and Comprehensive Pollution Index Method

Wenyu River is the “mother river” in Beijing. In recent years, the research on the water quality of the Wenyu River has increased gradually. In this paper, the monitoring data at Shahe Reservoir, Lu Tuan Gate, Xin Bao Gate, and Ma Fang sections for each month in 2019 were adopted. The single-factor evaluation method and the comprehensive pollution index method were selected to analyze the current situation of the water quality of Wenyu River in the Chang Ping section and its temporal and spatial variation trend. The single factor evaluation method showed that the dissolved oxygen exceeded the standard seriously in all other months of the year except that the situation was better in May, June, and July. The ammonia nitrogen content reached the highest level in January, followed by a month-by-month decreasing trend. After June, each section basically met the requirements of Class v water quality. The comprehensive pollution index method shows that the water quality of Shahe reservoir varies greatly throughout the year, and it is in grade v for 6 months. The evaluation results of both methods show that the water quality of all sections of Wenyu River in 2019 was mostly in category v.

Li Linjun, Men Baohui and Peng Rui

Real-Time Fine-Scale Measurement of Water Quality Parameters Along the Bagmati River in the Kathmandu Valley

Real-time fine-scale data was collected along the Bagmati River, in Kathmandu Valley, using mobile and fixed sensor system during the winter season. The water quality parameters; pH, conductivity, total dissolved salt (TDS), salinity, oxygen reduction potential (ORP), dissolved oxygen (DO), and turbidity were measured in the space domain using a fixed sensor and mobile sensor (small rafting boat loaded with sensor) systems. The water quality parameters from the fixed sensor system revealed that the Bagmati River was comparatively less polluted upstream from Gokarna to Tilganga sites and molecular oxygen present in the water was enough to decompose organic pollutants. However, the water quality downstream from Tinkune to Balkhu sites was degraded drastically making it unfit for living organisms. Temporal variation of water quality attributes that human activity significantly enhanced pollutants which severely degraded the water quality in the daytime. The fine-scale space domain heat map data of the mobile sensor system also suggested that the water quality continuously deteriorated from Shankhamul to Sundarighat sites. The ORP value was always negative and decreased with downflow and becomes -263 mV near the Sundarighat Bridge. The mixing of tributaries and increment of solid waste and untreated sewer along the river enhanced pollutants excessively and decreased oxygen level to zero. The results attributed that decomposition of the sewer by microorganism consumed almost all oxygen which produced volatile compounds and generated malodorous odor downstream of Bagmati River.

M. P. Adhikari, N. B. Rawal and N. B. Adhikari

Reagent Activated Cotton Fiber for Rapid Determination of Aldehydes in Diverse Matrices

A method to capture and analyze aldehydes in either solution or gas samples on cotton fiber, activated with O-benzyl hydroxylamine (OBA), is developed. The stability of the reagent activated cotton fiber (RACF) with and without capturing aldehydes was 17 days and 24 Hrs, respectively, qualifying the technique for field applications. Thus the aldehyde capturing can be done outside the lab using RACF in any closed environment and bring back to the lab for the quantitative analysis.. The analytical method is based on the gas chromatographic analysis of aldoxime formed between aldehydes and OBA on RACF. Optimized experimental conditions required 50 mg of RACF to capture aldehydes with a reaction time of 15 minutes. The technique detects aldehydes much below the permissible exposure limits of 25 ppm for acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) and 0.75 ppm for formaldehyde (HCHO). The method’s detection limits are 4 ppb of HCHO, 8 ppb of CH3CHO in the gas sample, and 1.5 ppb of HCHO, and 19 ppb of CH3CHO in the solution or aqueous sample. The analytical method was validated within the established quantitation ranges as per the required International Council for Harmonization Guidelines (CPMP/ICH/381/95). The RACF is a quick tool to measure aldehydes in a polymer sample, laboratory cupboards or refrigerators, and chemical products. The method described here complies with green analytical chemistry principles such as reduction in a solvent, chemical sample size and waste generation, cost-effectiveness, and usage of a biodegradable substrate.

S. Tantry, K. Tharpa, Ajay Kumar, Arun Kumar and B.H.S. Thimmappa

Photoelectrocatalytic Oxidation of Textile Industry Wastewater by RuO2/IrO2/TaO2 Coated Titanium Electrodes

Photoelectrocatalytic Oxidation (PECO) system prominently increases the migration of photoexcited charges, hinders the fast recombination of electron-hole, and increases the period of photogenerated holes. In this article, we constructed a novel PECO system to degrade textile industry wastewater by RuO2/IrO2/TaO2 coated titanium electrodes. The result shows that PECO treatment can effectively reduce the color and true color of the secondary pollutants present in the wastewater. It is confirmed that a synergistic effect exists between photocatalysis (PC) and electrocatalysis (EC). Moreover, we discussed the influence of pH, current density, electrolyte concentration, and stirring speed. The maximum decolorization efficiency of textile industry wastewater with a pH of 8.2 was found to be 96% under the optimum condition stirrer speed of 200 rpm, an electrolyte concentration of 0.05M, a current density of 15 mA.cm-2, and at a treatment time of 30 mins. The UV-Visible spectra confirm the degradation of textile industry wastewater.

R. Rathinam and M. Govindaraj

Reliable and Sophisticated Techniques to Evaluate LDPE Degraded Compounds by Streptomyces werraensis SDJM

The modern world in the present era made life miserable due to extensive usage of plastic. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is widely consumed in every part of the world starting from baby products to garbage bags. Humans and animals are affected due to the usage and disposal of LDPE in the environment. To safeguard the environment from deleterious effects, biodegradation of LDPE was studied by isolating a potent Streptomyces werraensis SDJM strain from garbage soil. The degradation assessment was performed to identify the LDPE degraded compounds such as octane, decane, tetracosane, hexacosane, dotriacontene, tetratiacontene, tridecone, tetracontane, and pentacosane, using a sophisticated technique - liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LCMS). The end product of LDPE biodegradation, carbon dioxide was measured by the GCMS-SPME technique. Field trials in garbage soil for a period of three months reveal 71.26% weight loss compared to laboratory test results where the weight loss was 60.05%. The morphological changes and structural changes of the polymer in fields were assessed by SEM analysis and FTIR analysis after one month of incubation. The test results in field trials were promising and convincing to overcome the LDPE pollution in presence of S.werraensis SDJM strain.

N. Deepika and R. Jaya Madhuri

Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of PM2.5 Sources and Pollution Events in a Low Industrialized City

In recent years, cities in southern China have experienced severe air pollution, despite having few sources of pollutants. To study the pollution characteristics of PM2.5 in these “low industrialized” cities, a numerical method based on the HYSPLIT4 Model and Kriging Spatial Interpolation Technology was established. Simulation results showed that the PM2.5 pollution in Guilin was affected by both internal and external sources. The backward air mass trajectory from July 2017 to June 2018 was simulated using the HYSPLIT model. The cluster analysis results indicated that the direction of trajectory ? accounted for 63.09% of the air pollution in the city. The average concentration of PM2.5 pollution was 45.94 ?g.m-3. The pollutant originated from the “Xiang-Gui Corridor.” The location of the sources was collocated with high industry regions. The spatial characteristics of the four pollution processes in the winter of 2017 were analyzed using a spatial interpolation method. The results showed that the transport of air masses in the direction of trajectory ? was obstructed by a mountain system in the northeast. Therefore, two air pollution accumulation centers and a topographic weakening zone dominated by internal and external sources were formed. It can be inferred that the air pollution in Guilin is affected by both internal and external factors. These results provide important theoretical and technical support for regional air pollution control and environmental protection.

R. Xu, Q. Tian, H. Wan, J. Wen, Q. Zhang and Y. Zhang

Water Erosion, its Relationship to Total Suspended Solids and Water Quality in the Lower Basin of the Usumacinta River, Tabasco, Mexico

Total suspended solids are an indicator of material constituted by sedimentable solids, suspended solids, and colloidal, whose origin is erosion, wastewater discharges, and agricultural waste. The objective of this research was to determine territorial water erosion, its relation with total suspended solids, and the water quality in the lower basin of the Usumacinta River in Tabasco. Three sampling points were established, located in the municipalities of Tenosique, Emiliano Zapata, and Jonuta, in the state of Tabasco. Water samples were collected during 12 monthly sampling campaigns in an annual cycle, and the total suspended solids were determined according to the provisions of the NMX-AA-034-SCFI-2015 standard. Water erosion was calculated based on the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and with the use of geographic information systems (GIS). The results obtained were statistically analyzed, finding that the measured maximum TSS concentrations are 130.92 mg.L-1 in Boca del Cerro, 165.28 mg.L-1 in Chablé, and 113.91 mg.L-1 in Jonuta which are within the permissible concentrations for protection of freshwater aquatic life and agricultural irrigation according to ecological criteria of water quality (CE-CCA-001/89), in Mexico. The lower basin of the Usumacinta River has areas with extreme erosion (990 tons.ha-1yr-1), with conditions that accelerate the erosion process, such as annual rainfall between 1805 mm and 2250 mm, clay soils located on slopes greater than 16%, and agricultural soils. These events cause loss of the soil fertile layer where agriculture is developed, also giving rise to the accelerated transport of suspended solids; which negatively alter the quality of the water of the Usumacinta River.

G. Rodríguez-Martínez, I. Galaviz-Villa, S. Partida-Sedas, C.A. Sosa-Villalobos, R. de G. Bernal-Ramírez, V. Alcántara-Méndez and A. García-Saldaña

Optimization of the Water and Fertilizer of Rice in the Cold Field and the Biochar Application Amount Based on RAGA Model

This paper proposes an optimization method based on the RAGA model. Taking rice from a cold area as the research object, this article selects irrigation volume, nitrogen application volume, and biochar application volume as experimental factors, and rice yield, water use efficiency, greenhouse gas emission comprehensive warming potential as influencing indicators. The research design is D311 Field trials by 3 factors of 5 levels of saturation. Hence, we can obtain the data on rice yield, water use efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions and comprehensive warming potential under different levels of water and fertilizer, and biochar application, and regression equations were established respectively. The RAGA model was used to simulate the regression equations. The optimal combination of water and fertilizer, and biochar was obtained as follows: irrigation amount is 7230 m3.hm-2, nitrogen fertilizer application amount is 92.13 kg.hm-2, and biochar application amount is 30 t.hm-2. The optimal rice yield obtained under this combination is 9452.20 kg.hm-2. The water use efficiency is 1.94 kg.m-3, and the comprehensive warming potential of greenhouse gas emissions is 4546.73 kg.hm-2. The combined application of water and fertilizer, and biochar optimized by this model can provide a theoretical basis for achieving high yield, water-saving, and emission reduction of rice in cold areas, and it can also provide a reliable calculation method and idea for solving similar optimization problems in the field of agricultural production.

Y. Li , S. Yi , Y. Lin and S. Liu

The Construction of Regional Ecological Security Pattern Based on a Multi-Factor Comprehensive Model and Circuit Theory

Various ecological problems have become increasingly prominent due to the accelerated growth of urbanization. Ecological security and ecological conservation have become an important topics in the current scenario. This study took southern Anhui as an example, constructing comprehensive assessment models to conduct source identification from three perspectives, i.e. ecosystem services, ecological sensitivity and residents’ ecological needs. Landscape resistance surface was built based on the reciprocal of habitat quality and night-time light data. According to the circuit theory, the ecological process in the heterogeneous landscape was simulated to identify ecological corridors, extract pinch points and divide barriers that need improvement, thereby to construct the southern Anhui ecological security pattern (ESP). The pattern comprised 20 ecological sources, 37 ecological corridors, 9 pinch points and 2 levels of improvement areas. Specifically, ecological sources were mainly distributed within the area of Huangshan city and Xuancheng city, mostly covered with trees; ecological corridors were mostly located in the northern part of the research area; pinch points were mainly farmland or beside construction land; the primary improvement area was mainly in Chaohu city and Maanshan city, while the secondary improvement area was distributed around the primary area. The study discussed the diversified improvement strategies of different barriers and introduced the optimization scheme “one centre, two wings, one belt”, providing planning advice for decision-makers. The study expanded the construction of regional ESP, and partly guided the steady development of ESP of southern Anhui.

H.R. Yu, Y.Z. Wang , Z. Liang and C.K. Min

Amylase Production by Aspergillus niger and Penicillium Species by Solid-State and Submerged Cultivation Using Two Food Industrial Wastes

Amylase enzymes are starch degrading enzymes and have received a great deal of attention due to their perceived technology importance and economic benefit. Amylase enzymes are considered important enzymes used in starch processing industries for the hydrolysis of polysaccharides like starch into simple sugar constituents. This enzyme is also involved in the commercial production of glucose. Solid-state cultivation and submerged cultivation have tremendous potentials for enzyme amylase production by using different solid substrates like rice bran, wheat bran, coconut oil cake, and groundnut oil cake which are rich in starch. These agro-industrial wastes are considered cheap raw materials for the production of amylase. Wastewater from the industry like brewery can also be used as a liquid substrate for submerged cultivation. It may have the possibility of depurination of wastewater. In the present study, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium species were isolated and their amylase activity was determined by the starch hydrolysis method. Enzyme production was done by using coconut oil cake as a substrate for solid-state fermentation and brewery wastewater as a substrate for submerged fermentation. The enzyme produced by the organisms was extracted and enzyme assay was done by the Dinitrisalicilic method (DNS method). The protein estimation was done by Lowry Folin’s method. The qualitative assay was carried out by performing Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS).

J. Mary Sheela, K. Divya and S. Premina

The Physicochemical Characteristic of Activated Carbon Based on Sludge and Preparation Method

To understand the features and best preparation of sludge activated carbon (SAC), and the pore structure, component, adsorption characteristics, and the yield rate of SAC, many tests have been carried out. The study illustrated that the pore structure was mostly mesopore and amorphous pore such as the ink bottle hole. In terms of different preparations to obtain SAC, the yield of SAC in sample No.1 achieved 88.09%. Using the preparation of ZnCl2 as an activator, the iodine adsorption value was significantly higher than other preparations. However, the content of quartz in sample No.1 achieved a maximum of 52.51%. Charcoal was detected in all samples except sample nos 9-12. The adsorption capacity of Cu(II) and Cd(II) reached a maximum of 600.02 mg.kg-1 and 383.2 mg.kg-1. The results showed an optimum preparation condition, which was by using the ZnCl2 as an activator, 2:1 as the impregnated ratio, 40% concentration in activator and at 400ºC reaction temperature could create rich pore structure and charcoal inside.

H. Lu, F. Luo, Q. Zhang, J. Li and L. Cai

Contributions of Land Utilization Differences and Changes in Zhongyuan Urban Agglomeration to Regional Thermal Environment

Accelerated urbanization has given rise to sharp environmental changes in urban underlying surfaces, thus changing the regional thermal environment and endangering the ecosystem balance. The thermal environment is complex, and the influence laws of land utilization differences and changes in the thermal environment in different seasons and under different daytime and nighttime conditions are unclear. In this regard, effective measures should be implemented to reduce the regional thermal environmental effect and determine the influence laws of land utilization differences and changes in the regional thermal environment. Zhongyuan urban agglomeration was applied as the study area. Two-year MODIS eight-day synthesized surface temperature product and land utilization monitoring data were obtained by remote sensing and used to analyze the influencing characteristics of different cities and land utilization types on the thermal environment of urban agglomeration from the angles of interannual differences and seasonal differences. During 2010-2018, the area changes in different land utilization types in the study area are significant with decreasing farmland area and increasing forest land and construction land. The farmland and forest land have the most significant influences on the regional thermal environment, where the farmland exerts a warming effect on the regional thermal environment and the forest land exerts a cooling effect. In different seasons and under different daytime and nighttime conditions, the construction land shows a strong warming effect on the regional thermal environment. The contribution indices of Changzhi city and Jincheng city to the thermal environment of the urban agglomeration are negative, so they exert the cooling effect. The warming or cooling role played by Handan city, Liaocheng city, and Xingtai city in the thermal environment is transited under different daytime and nighttime conditions, namely, they exert the warming effect in the daytime and the cooling effect in the nighttime. The seasonal differences in the contributions of different cities to the regional thermal environment are the most apparent in summer and winter. The contribution indices are generally high in summer and winter and low in spring and autumn. Conclusions have theoretical significance for scientifically regulating the regional thermal environment.

Qingkong Cai, Erjun Li, Yafei Zhang, Guo Wang and Chao Chen

Chemical Composition and Nutritional Value of Paddy Straw Milky Mushroom (Calocybe indica)

The edible milky mushroom is the most widely cultivated mushroom in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Studies were conducted on the cultivation and nutritional analysis of this mushroom. The pure culture of Calocybe indica was carried out in the laboratory. The culture was maintained on potato dextrose agar slant and sub-cultured at a regular monthly interval to sustain their fruiting vigor. The above stock culture was used in studies. Wheat grain spawn of C. indica was prepared in glass bottles. The filled paddy grain spawn of C. indica was used at 6% level to the wet weight of the substrate and the beds were spawned. After harvest, the mushrooms were dried at 40°C under the hot air oven to make it powered for further analysis. The collected fresh mushrooms were dried in shade and coarse powder was analyzed for nutrients namely moisture, crude protein, lipid, ash, crude fiber, and minerals. It shows the dominant compounds of protein, fiber, and carbohydrate and the contents are 14.11%, 8.30% and 5.62% respectively. Lipid, ash, ether extract and pH contents are 4.06%, 7.04%, 3.15% and 5.4% respectively. The carbon and nitrogen contents are 33.60% and 3.56% respectively. In the estimation of saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids present in C. indica, totally, 17 fatty acids were recorded. In the estimation of essential and non-essential amino acids present in C. indica, totally, 15 amino acids were recorded. In the estimation of minerals composition present in C. indica, it was recorded that the species had a good resource of mineral composition. Totally, 6 macro minerals and 8 micro minerals were recorded. This investigation may provide that the paddy straw substrates can be recommended for the commercial cultivation of C. indica to obtain highly nutritious mushrooms.

G. Chelladurai, T.K. Yadav and R.K. Pathak

Study on Catalytic Oxidation, Flocculation and Sedimentation of Acidizing and Fracturing Wastewater

The acidizing and fracturing waste fluid in a wellsite in northern Shaanxi was treated by catalytic oxidation and flocculation precipitation. It investigated the effect of different coagulants and their dosage and the wastewater pH on coagulation precipitation. As for chemical oxidation experiment, it investigated the effect of oxidant dosage and reaction time on its treatment effect. The results showed that when 30% hydrogen peroxide (volume percentage) was added at the dosage of 0.3% and oxidized for 50 min, the pH was adjusted to 7.5 and 350 mg/L polyaluminum chloride (PAC) and 4 mg/L polyacrylamide were added (PAM); after processing the waste liquid, total iron, chemical oxygen demand (COD), chromaticity, and average corrosion rate were reduced from 252.75 mg/L, 3427.50 mg/L, 624.15°, and 0.1226 mm/a to 0.12 mg/L, 275.18 mg/L, 125° and 0.0217 mm/a, respectively; effective removal of iron and color, reduced COD, and controlled corrosion was achieved.

T. Yu, F. Wang, H. Hu, C. Qu and Le Zhang

Removal of Various Contaminants by Highly Porous Activated Carbon Sorbent Derived from Agricultural Waste Produced in Malaysia - A Review

This paper aims to review recent studies in preparing activated carbons from different types of agricultural wastes in Malaysia and how it can help Malaysia manage agricultural waste. It can be seen that most biomasses can be used as precursors to produce activated carbon for a wide range of pollutants and this adsorbent can be modified to optimally function depending on the types of pollutants. Under optimum dosages, modification through chemical activation using acidic, basic, or drying agents has significant effects on the selectivity of the analyte adsorption. The acidic activating agent causes the activated carbon to have negatively charged acid groups which enable it to adsorb cationic adsorbate while the basic activating agent causes the adsorbent to have a positive surface charge and enable it to adsorb anionic adsorbate.

N.Z. Zabi, W.N. Wan Ibrahim, N.S. Mohammad Hanapi and N. Mat Hadzir

Experimental Investigation on Concrete with E-waste - A Way to Minimize Solid Waste Deposition

In recent years, the generation of Electronic waste (E-waste) has increased to a greater extent worldwide. The use of electronic devices has proliferated in recent decades and proportionality, and the quantity of electronic devices that are disposed of is growing rapidly throughout the world. Electronic waste (E-waste) typically includes general household electronics, discarded electronic gadgets, and circuit boards. With the growing use of consumer electronics, there is a huge generation of E-waste every day. Reuse of E-waste plastics as aggregates or filler in some or other forms of in construction industry may be considered as economical and technically viable for solving the disposal of a large amount of waste and this can be used as aggregates and fine filler in concrete or the construction of flexible pavement. The idea was to determine whether E-waste plastic components can be used as an alternative to conventional material like bitumen, filler in the bituminous mix in a flexible pavement structure. This is an effective alternative solution to reduce the growing quantity of E-waste.

P. Muthupriya and B. Vignesh Kumar

Fabrication of Ag/TiO2 Cotton Fabric to Enhance Photocatalytic Degradation of Anionic Dye

Ag/TiO2 composite fabric was prepared by coprecipitation with TiCl4 as a titanium source and AgNO3 as a silver source. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analyzer (TG) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR). The photocatalytic activity of synthetic fabrics was measured by the degradation of anion dyes under ultraviolet light. The effects of silver loading concentration, fabric area, initial concentration, and photocatalytic time on photocatalytic activity were investigated. The experimental results showed that the degradation rate of Ag/TiO2 composite fabric on anion dyes could reach 70.76% in 50 minutes, indicating that the prepared Ag/TiO2 composite fabrics had high photocatalytic activity.

S. Fu, Y. Dong, L. Liang and X. Meng

Time Series Analysis of Decadal Precipitation Pattern at Selected Cities of Southern India

To characterize and explore the short-term climatic patterns over the last decade (Jan. 2009 to Dec. 2018), the present research has been carried out, involving time series analysis of precipitation pattern in three cities of Tamil Nadu, namely, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, and Chennai, referring to deltaic, coastal and highly urbanized cities of Tamil Nadu, respectively. The study involves time series empirical analysis, decomposition, exponential smoothing, and various stochastic modeling. Herein, the location-specific suitable models are obtained and specific predictions are being carried out, as well.

T. S. Subbiah, P. Parthiban, R. Mahesh and A. Das

Analysis on Pollution Hazards and Recycling Strategies of Logistics Packaging Wastes of E-Commerce Enterprises

The emergence of China’s e-commerce industry leads to the rapid expansion of the express delivery industry, and the environmental pollution problem triggered by the express packaging wastes has become increasingly critical, severely impacting human health and sustainable social development. The literature regarding the pollution and recycling strategies of e-commerce logistics packaging wastes was first complied with and summarized in this work. Then, the research hypothesis of multi-subject (e-commerce enterprise, government, and third-party enterprises) in the recycling of e-commerce logistics packaging wastes was established. Finally, the effect of multi-subject participation in the recycling of e-logistics packaging wastes was surveyed via questionnaires using structural equation modeling. Results demonstrate that under the background of high-speed e-commerce development, the package pollution problem has become an important problem influencing environmental pollution in various countries across the world. The overall Cronbach’s alpha value of the questionnaires was 0.903, indicating good reliability. The observable variable- standard factor loading coefficient, was always greater than 0.5, indicating that the construct validity was accurate. Third-party and e-commerce enterprises played a significant positive role in the recycling effect of e-commerce logistics packaging wastes, with regression coefficients of 1.981 and 0.575, respectively. The government did not show any obvious influence on the recycling effect of e-commerce logistics packaging wastes. The pollution hazards of logistics packaging wastes of e-commerce enterprises can be effectively mitigated if e-commerce enterprises lead the green consumption needs, the government accelerates the perfection of laws and regulations related to the e-commerce logistics packaging, and a third-party professional recycling system is established, among others things. The study results will be of great reference significance for deeply analyzing the problems existing in the current express package pollution control and their causes, exploring the factors influencing the recycling effect of e-commerce logistics packaging wastes and enriching the multi-subject recycling strategies for express package pollution.

Zhongchao Hao

Biosorption of Malachite Green by Dry Cells of Isolated Free Living Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria

Contamination of water with Malachite green (MG) may threaten aquatic and human life. Nitrogen-fixing Azotobacter sp. is an efficient adsorbent for the removal of MG from dye solutions. The optimum pH for the biosorption process was determined. The maximum adsorption capacity and the effect of different adsorbate concentrations were detected. The kinetics and isotherm models for biosorption were constructed. Optimum adsorption of MG by Azotobacter sp. was obtained at pH 6.0, biomass concentration was 0.05%, initial dye concentration was 50 mg.L-1, and contact time was 600 mins. Dye adsorption exhibited an increase with contact time and initial malachite green concentration. The kinetics of the adsorption process was best followed by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model which confirms the chemisorption process. The adsorption equilibrium data fit well to the Langmuir model indicating a monolayer adsorption behavior onto a surface of Azotobacter sp. with a finite number of active sites. Maximum biosorption capacity was found to be 142.8 mg.g-1 of bacterial biomass. The dry biomass of Azotobacter sp. has proved to be an efficient biosorbent for the removal of synthetic dyes from actual industrial effluent that is contaminated with up to 400 mg.L-1 dye concentration.

A.M.M. Mawad, H. Albasri and H. A. Temerk

Urban and Rural Airborne Particulate Matter: Seasonal Variation of Alpha Activity in Kanyakumari District

All forms of life on earth including man have evolved in the presence of radiation and have always been exposed to them from the natural environment. The health effect from exposure to alpha particles depends greatly on how a person is exposed. If alpha-emitters are inhaled, swallowed, or get into the body through a cut, the alpha particles can damage sensitive living tissue. In this paper, investigations have been made to determine the presence of alpha activity in the air. Hence, the alpha activity was measured by collecting Airborne Particulate Matter (APM) non-simultaneously on Whatman filters from ten sampling sites in Kanyakumari District during the summer and winter seasons using a high volume sampling method. The sampling sites are characterized by different contributions from ore refining factories like Indian Rare Earths (IRE) Limited, mountain areas, some industrial, non-nuclear activities like tiles and brick factories in and around the Kanyakumari district. The alpha activity in airborne particulate matter collected was determined by Alpha Counter and their results were tabulated.

C. Jesu Raj and J. Prema Kumari

Influence of Evaporation on the Hydrogen and Oxygen Stable Isotopes in an Enclosed Water Body: A Case Study

"It is of great significance to study the influence of evaporation on the protection and management of regional water resources. In this study, water samples have been collected from a typical enclosed water body, Liuxi, a small brook in the campus of Suzhou University in May and June, and then analyzed for their hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes. The results indicate that the samples collected in June have higher d18O and dD values relative to the samples collected in May, and both of them have d18O and dD values plotted at the right of the meteoric line, in combination with their lower deuterium excess (d-excess) values relative to the meteoric line, implying that the water has been influenced by evaporation. Moreover, the d-excess values showed decreasing and increasing in different sampling sites, which was demonstrated to be influenced by different extents of evaporation. Based on the calculation, the residual water quantities were 70–75% and 51–70% for May and June relative to the initial water, which indicates that about 10% of the water had evaporated during May and June."

X. Zhao, L. H. Sun and X. Y. Qiu

Insilico Molecular Docking Studies of Volatile Compounds Identified by GC-MS from Tagetes Species Against Mamestra brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758)

Plants evolved to be a potential source of pharmacologically active compounds that are being widely accepted as insect repellent compounds for generations. Products of natural origin are mostly preferred over synthetic compounds because of fewer side effects on human health and the environment, have the potential to be produced locally, cost-effective, and are proved to be more efficient. They are best suited in organic food production and can play a much greater role in developing countries as a new class of eco-friendly products for controlling pests. In turn, the development of repellents is desirable alternatives to synthetic chemical insecticides for controlling pests. In the process of continual search for insect-based repellents of natural origin, a wide number of Tagetes species have been archived and all parts of this plant from root to seed possess a range of phytochemicals that are responsible for the repellent activity. The present study concentrates on the identification of active volatile compounds from Tageteserecta leaves by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and further evaluation through molecular docking studies of identified compounds against Mamestra brassicae.

S.R. Krishna Motukuri , D. Vijaya Nagini, J. Nallamothu and S. Karthikeyan

Study on Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics of Regional Annual Precipitation

The study of the temporal and spatial evolution of precipitation is of great importance for the efficient use of water resources. This paper examines the long series of precipitation in Henan province from 1959-2018. Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA) method and Mann-Kendall (MK) test were used to analyze the characteristics of precipitation trend changes. Mann-Kendall (MK) mutation test and the sliding T method were used to study the jump features of precipitation. Wavelet analysis of the cyclical characteristics of precipitation. The results show that the spatial distribution of precipitation in Henan Province is uneven, with a gradual increase from north to south. The precipitation of northern, central and southern regions showed a downward trend, while that of western regions showed an upward trend. Both the northern and southern regions experienced jump features in precipitation around 1975 and 2008, while the western region experienced jump features around 1962 and 1980, and the central region experienced jump features around 1980; There are 3.5 different scales of “abundance and depletion” in the northern, western and southern regions, with a first principal cycle of 28a, and 5.5 different scales of “abundance and depletion” in the central region, with a first principal cycle of 17a.

Xianqi Zhang, Zhiwen Zheng and Rulin Ouyang

Assessment of Heavy Metal and Pesticide Contamination in Banana Fields and Development of Phytoremediation System in Kozhikode District, Kerala, India

Analysis of soil samples collected from various banana fields in Kozhikode district was carried out to identify the extent of heavy metal and pesticide contamination. Analysis by atomic absorption spectrometry revealed contamination of lead in some of the banana fields (Omasseri, Balussery, Vengeri & Nanmanda) in the district. The Gas Chromatogram analysis revealed that the banana fields in Kozhikode district were free of organo-chloride and organo-phosphate pesticide contamination. Among the several ornamental plants evaluated for assessing lead phytoremediation potential, Dianthus chinensis L. showed the highest phytoaccumulation potential. Chrysanthemum indicum L., Ruellia simplex C. Wright and Lantana camara L.also showed high lead accumulation. Therefore, these ornamental plants could be used in phytoremediation to remove lead from contaminated soils.

T. Arathi, K. P. Rahna, Delse P. Sebastian and Satheesh George

Contamination of Cadmium, Lead, Mercury and Manganese in Leachate from Open Dump, Controlled Dump and Sanitary Landfill Sites in Rural Thailand: A Case Study in Sakon Nakhon Province

The contamination of heavy metal in leachate was investigated at various sites with different solid waste management, namely an open dump, controlled dump, and sanitary landfill. The results indicated that all four heavy metals investigated (cadmium, lead, mercury, and manganese) were present in the leachate at all solid waste management sites. The highest cadmium and lead concentrations were each observed in open dump leachate samples, while the highest manganese and mercury concentrations were each observed in controlled dump leachate samples.

K. Ruengruehan, R. Junggoth, S. Suttibak, C. Sirikoon and N. Sanphoti

In-vitro Effects of Chlorpyrifos and Monocrotophos on the Activity of Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in Different Tissues of Apple Snail Pila globosa (Swainson, 1822)

The impact of two organophosphorus insecticides [Chlorpyrifos (CPF) and Monocrotophos (MCP)] on non-target wild natural gastropod, Pila globosa (apple snail) from the paddy fields was studied. The activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was monitored on foot-muscle and hepatopancreas tissues of control and exposed snails. In the foot- muscle AChE inhibition progressed and reached 54.19% and 63.13% of the control, whereas, the AChE inhibition in the hepatopancreas reached 46.96% and 53.67% over control after 48 hours of exposure to 1.5 mL.L-1 and 2.5 mL.L-1 CPF respectively. After 48 hours of MCP exposure at 1.5 mL.L-1 and 2.5 mL.L-1 separately, the AChE inhibition of foot muscle was 49.07% and 57.59% respectively while in hepatopancreas it was 44.65% and 48.84% respectively. Our results show more inhibition of AChE activities on the foot-muscle than hepatopancreas in a concentration and time-dependent manner with greater severity by CPF in comparison to MCP. AChE inhibition increased with the increasing exposure time.

S. Pal, S. Maity, S. Balachandran and S. Chaudhury

Portrayal of Textile Based Pollutants and its Impact on Soil, Plants and Fisheries

The textile industry occupies a significant hold on the global economy. This substantial industry often generates a large volume of effluents exceeding the permissible limit of discharge in the different regions of the world. Therefore, textile effluents act as pollutants altering the natural composition of various components of the environment. This paper discusses the impact of textile-based pollutants on agriculture including plants, soil, water and fisheries. The observed result is significant because textile effluents exert a widespread negative impact on the respective respondents, though plants show few positive effects. Prior treatment of textile wastewater is necessary before applying it to the soil, as there is a possibility of affecting the plant ecosystem via soil media. Plants are benefitted in terms of germination and growth, due to irrigation by textile effluents with proper dilution. The physical and biochemical properties of water streams along with aquatic organisms are impacted by these specific discharges, leading to even severe deterioration of particular living creatures. Pollutants released from various steps of textile processing have adverse effects on the environment, disturbing the food chain, ecosystem, and overall ecological balance.

M. Riza, M. N. Ehsan and S. Hoque

Impact of Environmental Subsidies on Environmental Technology Innovation of Polluting Enterprises

Environmental technology innovation plays an important role in solving pollution control problems. Under the background of the green development of the polluting industry, environmental subsidies have become an important financial instrument to make up for the lack of capital market. To explore the motivation of environmental technology innovation supported by environmental subsidies, using the data of listed polluting enterprises in China from 2013 to 2019, the impact of environmental subsidies on environmental technology patents of polluting enterprises was discussed from the perspective of selective industrial policies. Results show that environmental subsidies stimulate the total number of environmental technology patents and non-invention patents to increase significantly, showing the behavior characteristics of enterprises pursuing innovation quantity while ignoring quality. When enterprises expected to get more environmental subsidies, they make environmental technology patents to seek support. The above phenomenon is only significant in the state-owned enterprise group and senior executives group with a technical background in the group analysis results. The number of environmental technology invention patents of private enterprises increased significantly. The selective environmental subsidies policy stimulates the strategic innovation of enterprises, while the environmental technology invention patents representing substantive innovation and high-quality innovation are not improved significantly. The managerial implication of the conclusions is that the government should not only consider increasing environmental subsidies to polluting enterprises in the future but also should support better regulatory policies to improve the level of pollution prevention and control through environmental technology innovation.

Chunwei Han

Chemical and Pathogen Impacts on Human Health near Aquaculture Areas in West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India

Water is essential for all living organisms in the universe. Chemicals can cause contamination in groundwater near aquacultural activity areas. Keeping in view the hectic aquacultural activity in surrounding locations of Akividu town in West Godavari District of AP, India, it is proposed to assess the chemical and microbial contamination of waters to suggest remedial measures to protect the quality of water for safeguarding the health of the public residing in the nearby habitations who consume these waters for drinking purposes. 16 Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for assessing the physicochemical parameters viz., pH, Electrical conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved solids (TDS), Total hardness (TH), Total Alkalinity (TA), Na+, K+, Calcium, Magnesium, Chloride, Sulphate, Nitrate and Phosphate, Irrigation parameters like %Na, SAR, KR RSC, and microbial analysis. The study results revealed that the samples were contaminated chemically and also with pathogenic bacteria like Pseudomonas, Citrobacter freundii and Escherichia coli which can cause water-borne diseases. Further, a health survey was carried out to verify the adverse effects to be caused by the chemical and microbial contamination of water on people’s health. The health survey results indicated the sufferings of the people who consume this water for drinking and domestic purposes. The waters are to be treated accordingly to control the chemical and bacterial contamination by using the available treatment methodologies before considering them for drinking purposes.

D. Nageswara Rao, T. Bhaskara Rao and P.V.S. Machiraju

Evaluation of LDPE Degradation Under Controlled Composting

The compost burial test was performed to determine the degradation of commercially available low-density polyethylene in natural compost for a period of six months. Biodegradability of polyethylene films in compost was monitored using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-Ray, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and weight reduction analysis. After six months of compost exposure, a major change over the surface of LDPE was observed. SEM images clearly showed the exfoliation and cracks on the film leading to degradation. The other analysis also showed a change in the thermal properties and crystallinity of the LDPE films. The composting method could prove to be the reliable and ecological method of degrading plastic waste without hindering the natural ecosystem.

S. Singh, S. Shankar and Shikha

Successive Saccharification of Waste Paper as a Resource for Bio-product Development

Environmental pollution and the exploitation of fossil-based products are topical issues that should be a matter of concern to the global population. The production of bio-based substances from waste biomass is a way to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and limit environmental pollution. Enzymatic catalysed saccharification of cellulose is an important step for the bio-conversion of biomass such as waste paper into glucose that could be utilized as a feedstock for the production of value added bioproducts and this process can also be considered as an alternative route of waste management. During this study, fresh cellulase enzyme from Trichoderma viride was incubated separately with seven different waste paper materials during twelve successive incubation periods of 2 h each. The amount of sugar released from each paper material during each incubation period was determined. The highest sugar concentration released from each paper materials was produced during the first incubation period except the filter paper for which the highest amount of sugar was produced during the 9th period of incubation. During these optimum sugar producing incubation periods the highest total sugar concentration was released from brown envelope paper (3.3 mg.mL-1 followed by foolscap paper (3.0 mg.mL-1) and office paper (2.8 mg.mL-1) while the lowest amount of sugar was released from Pick ’n Pay paper (0.6 mg.mL-1). The relative saccharification percentage was also calculated which showed that filter paper produced the highest amounts of sugar followed by newspaper, and foolscap paper with advertising paper from a retailer. Pick ’n Pay offered the highest resistance towards cellulase catalysed bio-conversion into sugar.

K.M.P. Mokatse and J.P.H. van Wyk

Effect of Oxidation on the Formation of Disinfectant By-products of Low Molecular Weight Organic Matter

Some natural organic compounds (NOC) such as aromatic compounds can trigger the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). In chlorination (disinfectant) process resultant water quality depletes. Some safe alternative oxidants are needed for cleaning water pollutants. KMnO4 had shown better oxidation results, especially for reducing aromatic and non-aromatic organic compounds present in water. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of KMnO4 and Ca(OCl)2 oxidants on the concentration of high and low molecular weight organic matter including aromatic compounds in the water sample. In this experiment, artificial organic compounds, namely sinapic acid (high molecular weight aromatic compound) and resorcinol (low molecular weight aromatic compound) were used to identify the characteristic of organic matter under different molecular weights. Sinapic acid and resorcinol were oxidized by using KMnO4 and Ca(OCl)2 with a minimum contact time of 60 minutes. Samples were analyzed for aromatic contents and total organic carbon (TOC) before and after completion of the experiment by using UV-Vis spectrophotometer at 254 nm wavelength (UV254). It has been observed that both oxidants increased TOC concentration. Ca(OCl)2 produces a higher percentage of organic matter degradation by-products (DBPs) such as chloroform (CHCl3) a highly toxic compound than KMnO4. Since Ca(OCl)2 has a higher oxidation potential than KMnO4. It has been observed that KMnO4 is a safer oxidant than Ca(OCl)2 as potassium permanganate produces less amount of DBPs.

E. N. Hidayah, O. H. Cahyonugroho, M. Mirwan, R. B. Pachwarya and M. K. Asrori

Study of Change in Physico-Chemical Parameters by Treatment of Sludge from Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) with Earthworms

One of the most vital problems of environmental protection concern is that of solid waste disposal. This problem continues to grow with the growth of population and the development of industries. The Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) already establishes itself as a service to society at large, contributing towards a cleaner environment. However, the inappropriate disposal of CETP’s hazardous sludge can cause serious environmental problems. The sludge if sent for landfilling may cause groundwater contamination, changing the soil fertility parameters as well. The research presented here is carried out to explore the ability of an epigeic earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae to transform the sludge produced from CETP into a value-added product i.e., vermicompost. In this study, six samples of feed mixture were used with different ratios of CETP sludge, cow dung, and sawdust. Physico-chemical parameters such as pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Volatile Solids (VS), Total Nitrogen (TN), Nitrate Nitrogen (NO3--N), Ammonium Nitrogen (NH4+-N) were characterized to analyze the quality of the compost formed. All these parameters are in the agreement with recommended standards of mature compost. The result shows that vermicomposting technique when used, epigeic earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae can work as a favorable alternative solution for the disposal of CETP sludge.

S. Maheshwari, P. Kriplani, A. S. Jethoo, P. Kumar and M. Khwairakpam

Impact of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Morphological and Biochemical Components of Arachis hypogaea L.

The present investigation aims to study the comparative effect of different treatments of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and biochemical constituents of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). The plants were raised in the field with different treatments of fertilizers like arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), Azospirillum (AZM), market waste compost (MWC), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). The plant samples were collected after 15, 30, 60 and 90 days for the measurement of different growth parameters. The analysis of the morphological and biochemical parameters such as shoot and root length, fresh and dry weight, total leaf area, chlorophyll ‘a’ and ‘b’, total chlorophyll, amino acids, starch and total sugar was made at different days intervals. The effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth parameters and biochemical constituents of leaves was significantly increased in all the treatments. In general, bio-fertilizer applications are to boost the effectiveness of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF), Azospirillum (AZM) and market waste compost (MWC) on nodulation and yield of groundnut. The organic fertilizers treated plants showed better performance than the inorganic fertilizers and control.

T. Azhaguthasan, T. Ravimycin and K. Santhi

Evaluation of Ecological Environmental Pollution in Green Building Construction

The long-term extensive development mode of China’s construction industry has resulted in the enormous consumption of energy resources, increasingly severe environmental pollution, and serious ecosystem degradation. Green construction is an essential route to implement the ecological civilization construction policy and achieve green building in China’s construction industry. However, enormous environmental pollution has been generated because of a series of problems in China’s green building construction, such as the lack of a scientific evaluation system for green building construction, loose field construction management, and weak awareness of environmental protection among constructors. Therefore, in this study, a pollution evaluation index system for green building construction was established from three aspects, namely, resource utilization, environmental load, and environmental management, to evaluate the class of ecological environmental pollution triggered by green building construction. Next, a model combining the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation was built, followed by a case study. The results revealed that resource utilization was the main factor causing ecological environmental pollution in green building construction, accounting for 63.70%. Energy conservation and application of new pollution control technology were level III factors that should be given considerable attention. In the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, the degree of membership of “good” was 0.4855, which was the maximum, indicating that the ecological environment of green building construction in this study was at “good” level, thereby indicating the environmental friendliness of green building construction. This study will be of positive reference values for identifying the ecological influencing factors of green building construction, reducing the waste of resources of green buildings, promoting green construction technologies, and innovating green construction management.

Shang Li

Comparative Analysis of Municipal Solid Waste Management in Kochi and Indore

Conventionally, the general understanding of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management is collecting solid waste and its disposal through its developed channels or outside contracts. However, depending upon the situation and context, the definition of MSW varies between countries across the globe. For instance, in countries like Singapore and Japan, Municipal Solid Waste is defined as general waste. However, while categorizing the general waste, the industrial waste component is considered for Singapore and not for Japan. Similarly, different countries associate different definitions for MSW and it becomes a difficult challenge to suggest a single unified definition applicable for all countries. This paper aims to do a comparative analysis of Waste management in Tier-II cities of India, Kochi and Indore. Kochi is ranked 372nd and the latter 1st according to the latest Swachh Survekshan undertaken as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Urban) by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. This paper highlights what the key elements missing out in the management of waste in Kochi from the reference perspective of Indore and identifying the measures Kochi needs to undertake to improve its ranking among the cleanest city in India are.

B. Paul and D. Paul

Spatio-Temporal Variability of Gamma Radiation Profile Along the Southern-Indian Coastline (Poompuhar to Nagapattinam Stretch)

The present study is aimed at evaluating the radiation profile along the coast of the Poompuhar- Nagore range, which is known to be hydrodynamically active and is enriched with anthropogenic activities. The study of radiation on the coastal belt and evaluating their dynamics (magnitude and spatio-temporal variability) is crucial both for the coastal inhabitants as well as possible exploration of rare-earth minerals. The effective gamma radiation during the new moon along the coastal range varies between 0.9 to 3.55 ?sv.h-1, respectively. The annual equivalent dose is estimated up to gamma radiation of 0.26 to 2.80 ?sv.h-1. Generally, the concentrations of the gamma radiation measured are elevated in certain areas namely Chinnagudi, Kuttiyandiyur, and Chandrapadi. In particular, the gamma radioactivity is high at Chandrapadi and Chinnagudi during the new moon as it shows considerable amounts of radiation. There is a definite variation due to the moon phase on the gamma radiation profile of the area studied. Out of the eight coastal villages under study, about 60% of the coastal line shows high levels of gamma radiation during both new moon and full moon phases.

T. Stalin Subbiah, R. Mahesh, P. Parthiban and A. Das

Analysis on Tourism Environmental Pollution and Tourism Economy-Ecological Environmental Coordination Degree: A Case Study from China

The rapid development of the tourism industry, range expansion, and intensity growth of human tourism activity have all caused intensifying ecological environmental problems while bringing considerable economic benefits. The ecological environment is currently faced with huge pressures due to the unreasonable tourism resource development, annual decrease in bearing capacity of the tourism environment, and excessive tourism consumption. To coordinate the relationship between tourism economic growth and ecological environment, this work carried out a case study based on Shandong Province, China. First, four aspects of environmental pollution caused by tourism were analyzed. Second, the tourism economy-ecological environmental coordination degree model and index system were established and then the coordination degree in Shandong Province from 2002 to 2019 was estimated. Results show that the tourism industry causes the following typical pollutions: water, soil, air, and noise. The coupling coordination degree (D) between the tourism economy and ecological environment in Shandong Province increased from 0.100 in 2002 to 0.995 in 2019, indicating the transition from serious imbalance to a high-quality coordination state. It is suggested to further promote tourism economy-ecological environment coordinated development by innovating the tourism-economy coupling development mode, creating the entire tourism industrial chain, increasing efforts in tourism reform, and exploring and implementing ecological compensation policies. Research conclusions have important significances to further study and explore the development status between the tourism industry and ecological environment and realize the coordinated development between the tourism industry and regional economy.

Zhong Wei Wang and Huan Le Han

Nitrate-Nitrogen (N-NO3-) in Ground Waters of Agricultural Zones in Tabasco, México; Risks for Aquatic Life and Human Health

Nitrate nitrogen (N-NO3-), the most common pollutant in groundwater, is a result of the effect of diffuse sources of pollution like agriculture and animal husbandry intensive. The land use for these economic activities is very common in the Los Ríos sub-region in the state of Tabasco, Mexico, where the Los Ríos and Boca del Cerro aquifers are located. The aim of this research was to assess the concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen (N-NO3-) in groundwater, determine the quality in agreement with the maximum permissible limits established by national and international regulations, and the risks to the public health and aquatic life. The spatial distribution of N-NO3- was determined using the inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation technique. The average nitrate-nitrogen concentration was 0.76 mg.L-1, while the maximum concentration observed was 3.98 mg.L1. This does not exceed the maximum permissible limit (MPL) established in the national and international normativity for drinking water. However, in 50% of the sampling sites, the concentrations of N-NO3- exceed the MPL established in Mexico for the protection of the life of seawater. Relatively low concentrations of N-NO3- have shown to be toxic to certain aquatic organisms, and the aquifers studied discharge a third of the water to the rivers in the area, which flow into the Laguna de Términos Campeche and the Gulf of Mexico. Laguna de Términos Campeche is one of the most diverse and rich environmental systems on earth, where numerous ecosystems converge such as coastal lagoons, wetlands, mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs.

I. Galaviz-Villa, C.A. Sosa-Villalobos, N.L. Lagunes-Reyes, C. Landeros-Sánchez, M.A. Castillo-Ferat, A. García-Saldaña, S. Partida Sedas and A. Cabal Prieto

Microbial Reduction and Detoxification of Chromium from Tannery Effluent by Natural Inhabitants

Chromium (Cr), a chemical agent, has long been used extensively in leather tanning. Hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) found in tannery effluent is highly toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic to humans. Transformation of Cr-VI to its trivalent counterpart, Cr-III, is the basic process in its detoxification, and microbial transformation of Cr-VI to Cr-III has been one of the most widely studied forms of Cr bioremediation. This study aims to explore the ability of naturally occurring bacteria in reducing and detoxifying Cr in vitro and also from tannery effluent. Five efficient Cr reducing and detoxifying bacteria were isolated from tannery effluent, their morphological, cultural, physiological and biochemical characteristics investigated. They were identified as Aeromonas eucrenophila, Bacillus megaterium, B. carboniphilus, B. licheniformis and B. subtilis. Coincubation of the isolates with varying concentrations of potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7), a Cr salt, in minimum salts medium, pH 7 revealed notable reduction and detoxification of Cr within 24-72 h as determined by 1,5-diphenylcarbazide colorimetric method and atomic absorption spectrophotometry, respectively. The isolates exhibited substantial resistance or tolerance to 125 to 500 ppm K2Cr2O7. Bacterial detoxification or reduction of was increasingly increased as the incubation period increased from 24 to 48 or 72 h and substrate concentration increased from 125 to 250 or 500 ppm. Most of the isolates exhibited increased reduction and detoxification at 37°C compared to that at 30°C or 45°C, and at pH 7 or 8 compared to that at pH 5 or 6. Furthermore, all the isolates exhibited highest detoxification or reduction when peptone was used as carbon source instead of glucose or ammonium acetate. In a chosen or optimized condition of 37°C temperature, pH 7, 125 ppm K2Cr2O7 concentration and 48 h incubation period, most isolates exhibited 85-99% Cr reduction and detoxification from tannery effluent. It was, therefore, inferred that the isolates have potential as biological agent in reducing and detoxifying Cr from industrial effluent.

Sawkat Ara Pinki, Md. Reazul Karim, Dipankar Dewanjee, Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan, H. M. Abdullah Al Masud and Md. Imranul Hoq

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