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Background: The concentration of silica in occupational conditions is well defined and estimated around the world. Many countries in the world have developed air standards for occupational conditions based on the percent silica in ambient air. This is due to the pulmonary effect caused by silica yielding diseases like silicosis and pneumoconiosis. In India, occupational exposure to silica dust is regulated by Directorate General of Mine Safety (Tech.) (S&T) Circular No. 1 of 2004 Under Reg. 123 of Coal Mines Regulations, 1957 for any metal/non-metal mining operations estimated gravimetrically. As no silica standards are prescribed in India for non-occupational conditions, venturing into such analysis was well envisaged and perceived. Methodology: Air sampling was done at identified locations through high-volume samplers for 24 h, twice a week in pre-monsoon season (March to June) and the Whatman filter paper was sonicated at sufficient speed to isolate dust particles for energy dispersive X-ray. Results: The percentage of silica in "PM10" was found lowest in mining sites (15%), and highest in transportation sites (35%) and mid-value for mixed sites (24%). Thus, risk level gets magnified due to addition of finer dust generated in transportation and mixed sites than mining due to diesel driven vehicles. Burning of any fossil fuel generates high percentage of finer dust (< 2.5 µm). Conclusions: There should be proper prescribed standard for silica for non-occupational conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust pollution is common in Indian roads and several industrial settings (including mines) that affects human health. Identification and characterization of the dust particles in the mining area is essential for knowing the properties of the dust that effectively causes ailments to humans, particularly among workers those who are working in unorganized industrial settings. The present study aimed to determine the level of dust pollution and to know the size and characterize the dust particles in the Pachami-Hatgacha stone mine areas of Birbhum district, West Bengal, India. Dust samples were collected and analysed for Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) to determine the size and shape of the particles, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) to determine the free silica content, and X-ray Florence (XRF) analysis for quantitative estimation of components in the sample. All the analyses were done following standard instrumentation and techniques. The size of the dust particles was much less (ranges 101–298 nm) than the size of respirable particles (2500 nm). Those were mostly generated as well as precipitated during peak working hours of the day. Presence of considerable amounts of silica was confirmed by the FT-IR (strong and broad band at 1000 cm−1) and XRF analysis (76.85% SiO2). Exposure to these dust particles may cause severe health impairments. Therefore, interventions like wet drilling and blasting, sprinkling of water during peak working hours, and awareness of use of personal protective devices among workers are required to reduce the risk and hazards associated with dust pollution to the health of miners and inhabitants around the mines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust suppression system plays a significant role in mining and allied industries. It has become an integral part of the environmental management system. Dust emission from mining and mineral processing industries poses environmental and health problems to workers and surrounding people. Dust creates a reliability issue in machinery and ventilation systems, causing infrastructural damage and the industry's financial losses. This paper deals with a smart dry fog dust suppression system which has been developed for effectively controlling dust emission from mining and mineral processing activities. The system has been implemented in an iron ore crushing and screening plant in India, and its efficacy has been evaluated for controlling dust emission. The installed dry fog system reduced dust concentration to 0.10–0.17 mg m−3 from the prevailing dust concentration of 0.62–1.73 mg m−3 in work zone areas, which was much below the permissible limit below 1 mg m−3 where silica content in the dust was less than 5%. Percentage of free silica in the work zone dust reduced to traces from 3.61 to 4.80%. Similarly, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in the ambient air were decreased to 90–99 μg m−3 and 49–58 μg m−3 from 185 to 250 μg m−3 and 148–200 μg m−3, respectively. Further, concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 were drastically reduced by 51.35–60.4% and 69.69–71.0%, respectively. The reduced dust concentrations in the ambient air were within the prescribed limit of PM10 (100 μg m−3) and PM2.5 (60 μg m−3). The system significantly reduces dust and free silica concentration in the work zone areas below the permissible limit. The system controls dust emission with an increase in production as it has been found that the number of nozzles is directly correlated with a reduction in dust. Furthermore, the system does not change the raw material's mass as water added to dust is less than 0.01% of the raw material. The system is designed to give the best results within the closed environment of the plant. The system helps in eco-friendly and clean mining. The system reduces the breakdown and maintenance cost of mining equipment, thereby decreasing overall operating costs. Further, the system minimizes mine workers' health problems, like silicosis and severe other occupation diseases. The system is automatic, cost-effective, energy efficient, and easy to maintain. Further, the system is capable of handling dust problems in the closed environment of crushing and screening plants. These properties make the system techno-economically feasible for installation in mineral processing plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roads are one of the major contributing factors for the economic and social enhancement of any country. Its importance further increases if the economy of a country is based on agriculture. From the total land area of India, more than 20% is covered with soils having high swelling and shrinkage potential and low strength. Any type of construction over such soils will not last long due to subsidence and crack formation. So, in order to overcome such situations, some soil stabilization techniques have to be adopted, since removal and replacement will lead to heavy economic burden. This paper presents the effect of adding rice husk ash (RHA) and stone dust on various index and engineering properties of weak soil. Various doses of RHA (5, 10 and 20%) along with 6% cement and stone dust (10, 20, 30 and 40%) are used for stabilization. Tests are carried out to determine consistency limits, specific gravity, differential free swell, compaction characteristics and soaked California Bearing Ratio (CBR). Test results indicated significant reduction in swelling potential and improvement in CBR value of soil, thus decreasing the thickness requirement of pavement and saving costly base and sub-base aggregate materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of air that we breathe is one of the more serious environmental challenges that the government faces all around the world. It is a matter of concern for almost all developed and developing countries. The National Air Quality Index (NAQI) in India was first initiated and unveiled by the central government under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Campaign). It was launched to spread cleanliness, and awareness to work towards a clean and healthy environment among all citizens living in India. This index is computed based on values obtained by monitoring eight types of pollutants that are known to commonly permeate around our immediate environment. These are particulate matter PM10; particulate matter PM2.5; nitrogen dioxide; sulfur dioxide; carbon monoxide; lead; ammonia; and ozone. Studies conducted have shown that almost 90% of particulate matters are produced from vehicular emissions, dust, debris on roads, and industries and from construction sites spanning across rural, semi-urban, and urban areas. While the State and Central governments have devised and implemented several schemes to keep air pollution levels under control, these alone have proved inadequate in cases such as the Delhi region of India. Internet of Things (IoT) offers a range of options that do extends into the domain of environmental management. Using an online monitoring system based on IoT technologies, users can stay informed on fluctuating levels of air pollution. In this paper, the design of a low-price pollution measurement kit working around a dust sensor, capable of transmitting data to a cloud service through a Wi-Fi module, is described. A system overview of urban route planning is also proposed. The proposed model can make users aware of pollutant concentrations at any point of time and can also act as useful input towards the design of the least polluted path prediction app. Hence, the proposed model can help travelers to plan a less polluted route in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in our environment. Its presence in air, water, and soil makes it a serious threat to living organisms and has become a critical challenge across ecosystems. Present study aimed to assess the abundance of MPs in aerosols and street dust in Varanasi, a typical urban city in Northern India. Airborne particulates and street dust samples were collected from various sampling sites around Varanasi City. The physical identification of MPs was conducted by binocular microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while elemental analysis was made by energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX). Finally, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used for chemical characterization of MPs. Presence of MPs in both aerosols and street dust from all selected sampling sites was confirmed, however with varying magnitude. MPs of different colors having the shape of fragments, films, spherules, and fibers were recorded in the study while fragments (42%) in street dust and fibers (44%) dominated in aerosols. Majority of the MPs were < 1 mm in size and were primarily polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, and polyvinyl chloride types. The EDX spectra showed the presence of toxic inorganic contaminants like metallic elements on MPs, especially elements like aluminum, cadmium, magnesium, sodium, and silicon found to adsorb on the MPs. Presence of MPs in the airborne particulates and street dust in Varanasi is reported for the first time, thus initiating further research and call for a source-specific management plan to reduce its impact on human health and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimenting with forms that lie outside the boundaries of traditional ethnographic research, in this paper I think with Haraway's (2016) notion of sympoiesis as a platform to reimagine my engagements with place after recently returning home from my pedagogical work as visiting artist-researcher-teacher at a school in Goa, India. I imagine sympoetics as methodological engagement that conceives poetry, not as a purely individual, reflective practice, but rather a co-compositional performance that attends to the polymorphic, often contradictory relations of humans and materials as they are entwined with place. Following the ephemeral movements of India's red dust, I attend to the intersections of seemingly disparate materials, specifically a child's pencil and waste materials, and the ways in which they gather meaning together/apart among local/global red dust assemblages. By highlighting and decentering colonial undertones in ethnographic methodology with children and attending closely to anticolonial stories told through my relations with the red dust of India, this paper works to both sit with-and stir up-discomfort, toward more complex, contentious, and responsive accountabilities with place. Using sympoetics to trace the movements and impermanence of red dust, this performance is intentionally partial and aims to situate research in the midst of "not yet" and unknowability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beedi is the most common smoking form of tobacco used in India. The rolling of beedis is performed primarily by women in settings that lack occupational safeguards. The aims of this protocol are to establish methods for the study of occupational exposures among women beedi workers and their experiences and challenges working with unburnt tobacco. This protocol employs a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach. Qualitatively, we plan to explore the experiences and challenges faced by women beedi workers using photovoice, a community based participatory method. Occupational exposures to pesticides will be assessed through the use of silicone wristbands worn for seven days by workers, and exposure to toxic metals and metalloids will be assessed in dust samples collected in the homes of workers. The outcomes will be analyzed to form policy recommendations to improve the occupational health of women beedi workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising emissions of reactive nitrogen (Nr) from transport, industrial, and agricultural sectors in India have resulted in its consequent interactions with the removal mechanism of the atmospheric dust. This study, therefore, reports the fluxes of reactive nitrogen along with other inorganic species through dustfall over six sites of Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) characterized by the changing dynamics of its different land-use pattern. The highest Nr fluxes were observed at site SMA Industrial estate (SMA; NO3− = 16.45 ± 10.17 mg m−2 day−1, NH4+ = 16.33 ± 16.00 mg m−2 day−1) and lowest at site Chuchchakwas village (CV; NO3− = 1.24 ± 0.16 mg m−2 day−1, NH4+ = 0 mg m−2 day−1). Sites Mukherjee Nagar (MN), Peeragarhi Chowk (PC), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and Noida Phase II (N-II), on the other hand, showed 3.59 ± 1.00, 3.39 ± 0.61, 2.98 ± 0.84, and 3.36 ± 0.78 mg m−2 day−1 of NO3− fluxes and 0.30 ± 0.06, 0.22 ± 0.04, 0.21 ± 0.04, and 0.22 ± 0.05 mg m−2 day−1 of NH4+ fluxes, respectively. The fraction of the total ions in the water soluble extract of the dustfall was also noticed to be the highest at the SMA site (22.2%) and lowest at the CV site (1.5%) with MN, PC, JNU, and N-II showing 3.5%, 3.7%, 2.9%, and 3.9% of their respective contributions. Relative abundances of Ca2+ and SO42− in the dustfall substantiated the stoichiometric reactions involved in Nr scavenging. The role of Ca2+ in the spatiotemporal variability of Nr fluxes was established with the help of neutralization ratios and regression plots. Morphological and particle size analysis further confirmed the anthropogenic-induced crustal interferences in the summertime dustfall fluxes of Nr species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spring 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns led to a rapid reduction in aerosol and aerosol precursor emissions. These emission reductions provide a unique opportunity for model evaluation and to assess the potential efficacy of future emission control measures. We investigate changes in observed regional aerosol optical depth (AOD) during the COVID-19 lockdowns and use these observed anomalies to evaluate Earth system model simulations forced with COVID-19-like reductions in aerosols and greenhouse gases. Most anthropogenic source regions do not exhibit statistically significant changes in satellite retrievals of total or dust-subtracted AOD, despite the dramatic economic and lifestyle changes associated with the pandemic. Of the regions considered, only India exhibits an AOD anomaly that exceeds internal variability. Earth system models reproduce the observed responses reasonably well over India but initially appear to overestimate the magnitude of response in East China and when averaging over the Northern Hemisphere (0–70 ∘ N) as a whole. We conduct a series of sensitivity tests to systematically assess the contributions of internal variability, model input uncertainty, and observational sampling to the aerosol signal, and we demonstrate that the discrepancies between observed and simulated AOD can be partially resolved through the use of an updated emission inventory. The discrepancies can also be explained in part by characteristics of the observational datasets. Overall our results suggest that current Earth system models have potential to accurately capture the effects of future emission reductions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jaipur is a key site to study Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) due to unpredictable variation of atmospheric Aerosols particles in the recent years. Aerosols Optical Depth (AOD) and Angstrom Exponent (AE) were investigated over the semi-arid region, Jaipur (26.9124° N, 75.7873° E) Northwestern India during the April-2009 to December-2017 utilizing AERONET CIMEL sun-photometer level-2 data for aerosols spatial and temporal characteristics. The Aerosols Optical Depth AOD500 nm, AOD440 nm, and AOD340 nm were observed maximum in July-2011 and minimum observed in March-2013. The monthly mean Angstrom Exponent (AE) was maximum (1.53 ± 0.43) for 500-870 nm, (1.49 ± 0.4) for 440-870 nm, and (1.19 ± 0.32) for 340-440 nm in September 2011, while the lowest value recorded (0.26 ± 0.12) for 340-440 nm, (0.16 ± 0.08) for 440-870 nm and (0.15 ± 0.07) for 500-870 nm during June 2014. The backward trajectories analysis was performed using the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectories (HYSPLIT) model to determine the sources of large aerosol loadings over the Jaipur region, and air mass simulations from the back trajectory, suggest that the Thar desert northwestern part of India is the source of highest aerosols dust particle over the study area during the pre-monsoon season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air quality monitoring (PM2.5, CO, NOx, SO2 and EC/OC) was carried out at highway toll plazas, municipality toll plazas and control sites (n = 23) in the National Capital Region of Delhi, to determine the exposure of toll plaza workers to air pollution and its effect on lung function. Lung function indices (n = 45) were also measured for these workers. The results reveal the high level of air pollution at almost all locations with PM2.5 values exceeding the national permissible limit except at a few control sites. Observed reduction in lung function indices was significant over years of occupational exposure even after adjusting for age, amongst non-smoking outdoor workers. This study found pollutant concentrations were highest at municipality toll plazas with minimum protective work area. The paper suggests measures to reduce the exposure of outdoor workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution in the form of particulate matter (PM) is becoming one of the greatest current threats to human health on a global scale. This paper firstly presents a Bayesian space–time hierarch piecewise regression model (BSTHPRM) which can self-adaptively detect the transitions of local trends, accounting for spatial correlations. The spatiotemporal trends of the approximately anthropogenic PM 2.5 removed natural dust (PM 2.5_No Dust) concentrations and the corresponding population's PM 2.5_No Dust exposure (PPM 2.5 E) in the global continent from 1998 to 2016 were investigated by the presented BSTHPRM. The total areas of the high and higher PM 2.5_No Dust -polluted regions, whose spatial relative magnitude of PM 2.5_NoDust pollution to the global continental overall level was between 1.89 and 14.68, accounted for about 13.4% of the global land area, and the corresponding exposed populations accounted for 56.0% of the global total population. The spatial heterogeneity of the global PM 2.5_NoDust pollution increased generally from 1998 to 2016. The areas of hot, warm, and cold spots with increasing trends of PM 2.5_NoDust concentration initially contracted and then later expanded. The local trends of the global continental PM 2.5_NoDust concentrations and PPM 2.5 E can be parted into three changing stages, early, medium, and later stages, using the BSTHPRM. The area proportions of the regions experiencing a decreasing trend of PM 2.5_NoDust concentrations and PPM 2.5 E were greater in the medium stage than in the early and later stages. The local trends of PM 2.5_NoDust concentration and PPM 2.5 E in the two higher PM 2.5_NoDust polluted areas, northern India and eastern and southern China, increased in the early stage and then decreased in the medium stage. In the later stage (recent years), northern India displayed a stronger increasing trend; nevertheless, the follow-up decreasing trend still occurred in eastern and southern China. In the first two stages, more than half of the areas in Europe experienced a decreasing trend of PM 2.5_NoDust concentration and PPM 2.5 E; later, more than half of areas in Europe exhibited increasing trends in the later stage. North America and South America experienced a similar local trend of PPM 2.5 E to Europe. The PPM 2.5 E trend in Africa generally increased during the study period. • First presentation of a Bayesian space-time hierarchy piecewise regression model detecting self-adaptively transitions. • Firstly applies a developed Bayesian space-time model in investigating the global population's exposure to PM 2.5. • Deeply analyses the spatiotemporal trends of the global continental PM 2.5 pollution removed natural dust. • Details the spatiotemporal trends of the global population's exposure to anthropogenic PM 2.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first study of accessing the Pt, Pd and Rh levels in road dusts collected from Hyderabad city, India, as these metals, emitted from automobile catalytic converters, are accumulating in the environment causing concern about human health and ecological risks. Samples were analyzed by ICP-MS following preconcentration by NiS-fire assay and Te coprecipitation. Pt (1.5-43 ng/g), Pd (1.2-58 ng/g) and Rh (0.2-14.2 ng/g) concentrations obtained were above upper crust values, but were lower when compared with several other cities around the world. Dust samples from road junctions and traffic signals with heavy and erratic traffic flow showed higher PGE levels than those from roads with low and free flow traffic suggesting that traffic flow conditions greatly influenced emission of PGE from the catalyst. Significant correlation of Pt, Pd and Rh indicate a common source for these metals. PGE were also positively correlated with Ce, Zr, Hf and Y. These positive inter-element correlations identified traffic as the main source of PGE emission to the roadway environment. The results obtained indicate to an appreciable increase in auto catalyst-derived PGE. In consideration of the adverse effects of PGE, monitoring their level and transformation paths is of prime importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study estimates the radiative forcing by biomass burning and dust aerosols over the Indian subcontinent, with emphasis on the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) during the period from January 2021 to April 2021, based on multiple satellite and reanalysis datasets. In this respect, we used retrievals from the Moderate Resolution Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) system, as well as reanalysis data from the Goddard Earth Observing System, version 5 (GEOS-5), the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2), the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), and ERA-Interim. According to the MERRA-2 and the CAMS, the highest black carbon (BC) concentrations in January 2021 were 7–8 µg m−3, which were significantly lower than measurements performed in main cities along the IGP, such as Patiala, Delhi, and Kanpur. The meteorological data analysis accompanied by the CALIPSO lidar measurements showed that the vertical distribution of total attenuated backscatter (TAB) could reach altitudes of up to ~4–5 km and could be transported over the central Himalayan region. The spatial-averaged daily aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) values over the Indian subcontinent from January 2021 to April 2021 were found to range from −51.40 to −6.08 W m−2 (mean of −22.02 ± 9.19 W m−2), while on a monthly basis, the ARF values varied widely, from −146.24 to −1.63 W m−2 (mean of −45.56 ± 22.85 W m−2) over different parts of the study region. Furthermore, the spatial-averaged daily BC radiative forcing ranged from −2.23 to −0.35 (−1.01 ± 0.40 W m−2), while it varied from −15.29 to −0.31 W m−2 (−2.46 ± 2.32 W m−2) over different regions of southern Asia, indicating a rather small contribution to the total aerosol radiative effect and a large presence of highly scattering aerosols. Our findings highlight the importance of growing biomass burning, in light of recent climate change and the rapid decline in air quality over North India and the Indian Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exposure of atmospheric dust particles on four common medicinal plants (Ocimum sanctum, Andrographis paniculata, Catharanthus roseous, and Kaempferia galanga, which are available in the study area and cultivated by the local people for medicinal purposes) affects their growth, levels of essential biochemical constituents and heavy metal concentration. The plant species were grown by pot cultivation in an industrial area with high levels of coal dust to assess the capacity of heavy metals accumulation in their leaves and changes in allometry and biochemical parameters. The results showed that annual average SPM and dustfall varied between 195.88 to 645.97 μg/m3 and 17.55 to 41.16 g/m2/month, respectively. Dustfall at different polluted sites was 2.4, 2.1, 1.5, 1.4, and 2.3 times higher than at the control site. The most prevalent heavy metal in atmospheric particulate matter was Zn, followed by Pb, Ni, Cu, Co, and Cd. Plant allometry measurements such as height, stem width, root length, petiole length, and leaf area are shown to have a strong and significant (p<0.05) negative correlation with dustfall and SPM. Total chlorophyll and RWC were inversely proportional to the dust load present in all the species. Except for Andrographis paniculata, chlorophyll and leaf-extracted pH of plant species were moderately correlated with APTI, whereas no correlation was noticed for ascorbic acid. A positive correlation between SPM and heavy metals in leaves was observed. The results implied that the cultivation and collection of medicinal plants from the study area could be potentially toxic to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aims at the characterization of the dust particles in South India through an image analysis of glass samples inclined at a tilt of 0° and 13° for four different exposure periods (approximately 30 to 40 days/exposure period). It aims as well at the study of the different factors influencing the accuracy of the image analysis of dust particles. The analysis of the shape factor reveals that the dust particles on tilted surface (13°) have regular shapes, and irregular shapes are more observed in horizontal surfaces. The size analysis of the dust particles with magnification of 20 × has revealed that the size distribution is in the range of 0–4 µm but more concentrated in the range of 0–1 µm. However, with 10 × magnification, larger particles are more detected. Furthermore, average results from three sample images seem to be more precise and representative than results from two images. The fractional coverage area of the dust particles on the sample has been calculated and compared with the transmittance losses. These two variables are found to be proportional with an R2 of 53%. Nevertheless, the comparison showed again that three images give better results with an R2 of 75% against 11% for two images. The results obtained in this study are very useful for the development of high precision soiling sensors that are based on image analysis and outdoor soiling microscopes, which are the main components for an efficient and economic cleaning of solar PV modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophobic organic contaminated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and CHNS (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur species) are explosively associated with road dust particles. A few organic contaminants are toxic in nature and have an unpleasant effect on human health. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the United States–Environmental Protection Agency has considered several PAHs and PCBs as carcinogens for human beings. In the proposed study, the anthropogenic contaminants present in road dust were assessed in six representative diversified sites i.e. industrial, commercial, office, residential, construction and traffic intersection in Delhi NCR, India. Roadside dust samples were gathered in premonsoon, monsoon and postmonsoon seasons and characterized for PAHs, PCBs and CHNS. The concentration of total PAHs (16 Nos) and PCBs (6 Nos) of the selected sites ranged from 0.27 µg/kg to 605.80 µg/kg and 0.01 µg/kg to 41.26 µg/kg, respectively. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance study suggested that the presence of O = C = O, Si–O, carbonyl, acidic or aliphatic esters group were associated with road dust particles. Hydrogen and sulphur concentrations were not detected in the selected road dust samples. Carbon and nitrogen concentrations varied from 2.24% to 16.82% and 0.69% to 14.5%, respectively, seasonally. In the premonsoon season, road dust was distinguishably contaminated as compared to monsoon and postmonsoon season, which might be due to movement of contaminated road dust from adjacent locations. It was perceived that Delhi NCR organic contamination in road dust was much below as compared to other countries. It may be concluded that due to the presence of significant amounts of carbon and nitrogen concentrations in the road dust, to a greater extent, road dust can be fertile and might be advantageous for green belt development to mitigate air pollution. The utilization of road dust will further bring down the burden of landfill sites and may lead towards sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, distribution of metals in different geochemical forms, their mobility and bioavailability in bulk surface dust samples of Bhiwadi industrial cluster (BIC) in Rajasthan, India, was assessed by modified Community Bureau of Reference (m-BCR) sequential extraction procedure. Potential risk of metals in surface dust to environment and human health was evaluated using Contamination factor (Cf), Mobility Factor (MF) and Risk Assessment Code (RAC), and carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk. Residual fraction contained significant amount of metals as Cd(55.86%), Cr(86.05%), Fe(90.06%), Mn(69.94%), Ni(66.08%), and V(71.80%). Pb(52.43%) was present in reducible fraction, while Cu was equally distributed in reducible (27.66%) and oxidizable (28.20%) fractions. Zn was equally distributed in acid exchangeable (33.15%) and reducible (35.01%) fractions. High Cf values were observed for Zn (1.32–16.98), followed by Pb (0.38–11.23) and Cu (0.26–8.22). RAC indicated high risk of Cd, Mn, Ni and Zn to environment due to their high mobility and toxic nature. Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd showed highest mobility (potential bioavailability) in samples collected around metal casting, electroplating, and automobile part industries. Data indicated that metals can bio-available with the changes in redox conditions in environment. Ingestion was major pathway for carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks followed by dermal and inhalation. Hazardous Index value (6.32) indicated higher susceptibility of children for non-carcinogenic risk as compared to adults. Carcinogenic risk of Cr, Cd, Ni and Pb was higher than acceptable levels in surface dust, suggesting a high risk of cancer to exposed population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cement dust is a significant source of occupational exposure affecting lung function and respiratory health. A higher burden of respiratory morbidity is known among factory workers involved in cement production. Globally or from India, there are no estimates of this burden from informal workers exposed to cement dust. Objective: To assess difference in lung function and respiratory symptoms among informal workers exposed to cement and those unexposed, using a comparative community based cross-sectional study from purposively selected areas in Delhi, India. Methods: Using a portable spirometer we measured lung function and collected respiratory symptoms from conveniently sampled informal workers (n = 100) exposed to cement dust, 50 indoor informal workers (tailors), and 50 outdoor (vegetable) vendors. Regression analyses were performed to compare respiratory symptom score and lung function parameters, adjusted for age, body mass index, smoking, socioeconomic status, and years of occupational exposure. Findings: Exposed workers had significantly lower lung function (PEF = –750 ml/s and –810 ml/s and FEV1/FVC (%) = –3.87 and –2.11) compared to indoor and outdoor groups, with three times higher chronic respiratory symptoms when compared to the unexposed groups. The cement dust exposure was observed to be associated with PEF (mean difference (MD) = –0.75L, 95%CI = –1.36 to –0.15, p = 0.01), %FEV1/FVC (MD = –3.87, 95%CI = –6.77 to –0.96, p = 0.03) and respiratory symptoms (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study generates evidence regarding the respiratory burden of occupational exposure among vulnerable informal workers. There is an urgent need for policy reforms to safeguard health from occupational exposures, especially among informal workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an umbrella term for a spectrum of disorders caused by the inhalation of organic dust or low molecular weight chemicals. Bagassosis, a rare form of HP, is an allergic reaction caused by inhalation of bagasse dust, which is used in manufacturing several products. Very few cases of bagassosis have been reported in India, owing to the growing industrialization adapting organized sectors for preventing occupational health disorders. Nevertheless, a small population is being exposed to bagasse dust, shadowed by inadequate protective equipment, leading to the occurrence of this occupational disease. Here, we report a case of bagassosis in a 25-year-old male, brick-kiln worker, who presented with respiratory complaints. He underwent a transbronchial lung biopsy that aided in confirmation of the disease, but developed pneumothorax as a complication, which was managed with an Intercostal drain. He was started on corticosteroids, following which his symptoms improved significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Sewage treatment plant workers (STPs) are exposed to gaseous pollutants (H2S) and bioaerosols and their health is at risk. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate exposures to dust, 1,3 Beta D Glucans, endotoxins and gaseous pollutants in different process plants and to provide suitable recommendations. METHODS: Gaseous pollutants and bioaerosols (inhalable dust, 1,3 beta D-glucans and endotoxins) were evaluated in two sewage treatment plants (STPs) of Ahmedabad city, India. The concentration of H2S, CO, CH4 and Cl2 were monitored in two process areas of STPs using real-time gas detectors. The dust, 1,3 beta D-glucans and endotoxins were evaluated as per standard methods. RESULTS: The mean concentration of H2S exceeded the permissible exposure limit of 10 ppm, whereas the concentration of other gaseous pollutants (CO, Cl2 and CH4) were below the permissible exposure limits of Indian Factories Act, 1948. The inhalable dust concentration was also within the permissible exposure limit of 10 mg/m3 as per Indian Factories Act, 1948. CONCLUSIONS: Significant exposures to gaseous and bioaerosols were found in the work environment of STPs. The paired t-test result showed a significant difference between two STPs for H2S, 1,3 beta D-Glucans and endotoxins. STPs were advised to reduce the exposure to H2S and bioaerosols as per CPCB guidelines applicable to India to prevent health effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vertical structure of atmospheric aerosols over the Indian mainland and the surrounding oceans and its spatial distinctiveness and resultant atmospheric heating are characterised using long-term (2007–2020) satellite observations, assimilated aerosol single scattering albedo, and radiative transfer calculations. The results show strong, seasonally varying zonal gradients in the concentration and vertical extent of aerosols over the study region. Compared to the surrounding oceans, where the vertical extent of aerosols is confined within 3 km, the aerosol extinction coefficients extend to considerably higher altitudes over the mainland, reaching as high as 6 km during pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons. Longitudinally, the vertical extent is highest around 75 ∘ E and decreasing gradually towards either side of the study region, particularly over peninsular India. Particulate depolarisation ratio profiles affirm the ubiquity of dust aerosols in western India from the surface to nearly 6 km. While the presence of low-altitude dust aerosols decreases further east, the high-altitude (above 4 km) dust layers remain aloft throughout the year with seasonal variations in the zonal distribution over north-western India. High-altitude (around 4 km) dust aerosols are observed over southern peninsular India and the surrounding oceans during the monsoon season. Radiative transfer calculations show that these changes in the vertical distribution of aerosols result in enhanced atmospheric heating at the lower altitudes during the pre-monsoon, especially in the 2–3 km altitude range throughout the Indian region. These results have strong implications for aerosol–radiation interactions in regional climate simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metals can be apprehended in the atmospheric environment of copper and iron mining areas of Jharkhand, which falls in one of the most mineralized areas of India with extensive mining and industrial activities. The study was taken up to appraise the metal contamination in the atmospheric dust to evaluate the metal fluxes and associated health risk considering the seasonal variations. Sixty samples were analyzed for As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and the contamination levels were assessed by various indices. The metal content of dustfall samples exceeded the average shale values for most of the metals. Higher metal concentrations were found in the locations in close vicinity of mining and industrial areas. The principal component analysis suggested both geogenic and anthropogenic sources for metals in the atmospheric dustfall. Human health risk as determined by hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) suggested considerable risk to the child populace through the ingestion pathway for both the mining areas, higher being in iron mining areas. The metal flux and the health risk were higher in summers as compared to winters for both the mining areas. Consequently, the results advocate the necessity of periodic monitoring of the freefall dust of the mining areas and development of proper management strategies to reduce the metal pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India as a hotspot for air pollution has heavy black carbon (BC) and dust (DU) loadings. BC has been identified to significantly impact the Indian climate. However, whether BC-climate interactions regulate Indian DU during the premonsoon season is unclear. Here, using long-term Reanalysis data, we show that Indian DU is positively correlated to northern Indian BC while negatively correlated to southern Indian BC. We further identify the mechanism of BC-dust-climate interactions revealed during COVID-19. BC reduction in northern India due to lockdown decreases solar heating in the atmosphere and increases surface albedo of the Tibetan Plateau (TP), inducing a descending atmospheric motion. Colder air from the TP together with warmer southern Indian air heated by biomass burning BC results in easterly wind anomalies, which reduces dust transport from the Middle East and Sahara and local dust emissions. The premonsoon aerosol-climate interactions delay the outbreak of the subsequent Indian summer monsoon. Black carbon produced by human activities impacts climate. Here, the authors find that black carbon-climate interactions regulate Indian dust during the premonsoon season and further affect the outbreak of the subsequent Indian summer monsoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A record for an abysmally high number of lightning discharges in a single day occurred on 16 April 2019, where almost 58,066 flashes (cloud to ground + inter cloud) with a maximum of 179 flashes/min were observed over India. Researchers have hypothesized that an intense Western Disturbance (WD) caused these high numbers of lightning flashes, which prevailed in the northwestern part of India and spread over much of the country. Instead, in this paper, it is suggested and shown through multiple datasets that a dust intrusion into the storm altered cloud characteristics at the microphysical level, most likely favouring charge separation in cloud particles. The back trajectory calculation indicated that there was a south-westerly transport of dust/ aerosol which converged within the secondary flow associated with the WD and lofted into the higher levels. It is hypothesized that the entrainment of dust acting as cloud condensation nuclei as well as ice nuclei induced a favourable condition for charge separation. Also a dust-boosting feedback loop was set up due to the prevailing intense WD which further accelerated the electrification process and led to the catastrophic lightning. • Intense lightning activity accelerated due to dust entrainment into WD. • Aerosol indirect effect as observed from multiple satellite observations. • Evidence indicate dust boosting feedback loop led to catastrophic lightning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women spend relatively more time in indoor environments in developing countries. Exposure to various indoor air pollutants leads them to higher health risks according to household air quality in which they reside. Particulate matter (PM) exposure with their exposure duration inside the household plays a significant role in women's respiratory problems. This study measured size-segregated particulate matter concentrations in 63 residences at different locations. Respiratory dust depositions (RDDs) for 118 women in their different respiratory regions like head airway (HD), tracheobronchial (TB), and alveolar (AL) regions for the three PM size fractions (PM10, PM2.5, and PM1) were investigated. For different positions like light exercise and the sitting condition, RDDs values found for AL region were 0.091 μgmin−1 (SD: 0.067, 0.012–0.408) and 0.028 μgmin−1 (SD: 0.021, 0.003–0.126) for PM10, 0.325 μgmin−1 (SD: 0.254, 0.053–1.521) and 0.183 μgmin−1 (SD: 0.143, 0.031–0.857) for PM2.5, 0.257 μgmin−1 (SD: 0.197, 0.043–1.04) and 0.057 μgmin−1 (SD: 0.044, 0.009–0.233) respectively for PM1 to females. RDDs values in the AL region significantly increase as PM10 (11%), PM2.5 (68%), and PM1 (21%), confirming that for women, the AL region is the most prominent affected zone by fine particles (PM2.5). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides baseline information about the total annual dust fall, and its constituents and seasonal variation, from a sub-tropical opencast coalmine area in Bina, India. Dust samples were collected monthly for 2 years (June 2002–May 2004) from five sampling sites in the region and analyzed in the laboratory for water-soluble and -insoluble matter. Water-insoluble components constituted the major fraction of the total annual dust fall. Two-way ANOVA indicated significant variations in dust fall at different sites, over the months and in their interactions. The dust deposition rate was highest during summer (March–June), followed by winter (November–February) and lowest in the rainy season (July–October). Maximum dust fall was observed near the coal handling plant (at site 2) followed by the receiving pit of the coal handling plant (site 3), near the main sub-station (site 4), Jawahar colony (site 1) and Gharasari village (site 5). An inverse and significant relation was observed between dust fall and precipitation. Our studies have shown that the main residential areas are experiencing higher levels of dust fall which makes them unsuitable for living. We suggest that residential areas should be moved farther away from the mining area in the opposite direction of prevalent winds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Silicosis is an irreversible, incurable and progressive occupational disease caused by prolonged exposure to crystalline-silica dust while working in the relevant industries. Conventionally diagnosis is done by chest radiology, often in an advanced stage as early symptoms often go unnoticed. Early detection and necessary intervention (secondary prevention) could be a realistic possible control strategy for controlling silicosis as no effective treatment is available to stop and/or reverse the pathological process. Additionally, these patients are also vulnerable to pulmonary tuberculosis, which often becomes difficult to treat and with uncertain treatment outcome. Considering India has a huge burden of silicosis and silico-tuberculosis, a rapid and inexpensive screening method was realized to be an urgent need for early detection of silicosis among silica dust exposed workers. Serum club cell protein 16 (CC16) is evidenced to be a useful proxy screening marker for early detection of silicosis as evidenced from the recent research work of ICMR-National Institute of Occupational Health (ICMR-NIOH), India. In this study a lateral-flow assay for semi-quantitative estimation of serum CC16 level was developed. The detection was performed using gold nanoparticles conjugated anti-CC16 monoclonal antibodies. A sum of 106 serum samples was tested to do the performance evaluation of the assay. A concentration of 6 ng/ml or less produced one band, 6.1–9 ng/ml produced two bands, while more than 9 ng/ml produced all the three bands at the test zone. The sensitivity of the assay was 100% while the specificity was 95%. This assay may be used as a sensitive tool for periodic screening of silica dust exposed vulnerable workers for early detection of silicosis in them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ahmedabad is an urban site in western region of India. Dust loading and its variability are very high over this semi-arid location. A state-of-the-art ground-based Raman lidar has been used for the study of day-to-day variability in vertical distribution of aerosol loading over Ahmedabad (23.02° N, 72.57° E) from 8 to 11 May 2018. We have done a comprehensive study about vertical profiles of aerosols across two wavelengths recorded simultaneously, namely, 355 nm and 532 nm, over this location. An interesting hump feature has been noted on 9 May at around 18 h (Local Time), with an additional peak at 19 h on 10 May. The loading over this region has more fine-mode aerosols than coarse-mode particles. Further, findings from ground-based lidar have been compared with MACC-II model simulations and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization on-board Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observational. Back-trajectory analysis showed majority of the influx came from middle-east, carrying mineral dust and traces of marine aerosols from Arabian Sea, except for 11 May, where low-level dust carrying trajectories and also coarser dust particles were not seen. This type of manifestation has also been observed while classifying aerosols over Ahmedabad using Lidar Depolarization Ratio and Lidar Ratio obtained from Raman Lidar. Fine mode aerosols have been characterized as industrial, vehicular and marine, while coarser as mineral dust and biomass burning. This study focuses on local variation and classification of aerosols based on size and type, which will further help in better estimation of radiative budget and other impacts of aerosols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disposal of used lubricant oil in an ecosystem is a serious environmental threat. In this context, recycling waste lubricant oil into a valuable product has an immense commercial and environmental significance and is a challenging area of research. In this article, we have demonstrated the use of waste lubricant oil as a partial replacement of diesel oil of ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) explosives. Moreover, the effect on detonation properties and rock fragmentation patterns by the use of lubricant oil based ANFO in blasting operation has also been studied. The field trial experiments were carried out with lubricant oil based ANFO explosive to demonstrate the real applicability of the prepared explosive composition at Nimbeti Limestone open‐pit mine of Shree Cement Limited, India. These explosive compositions revealed effective detonation performance. Importantly, air quality was analyzed during blasting operations to indicate that the emitted toxic fumes such as CO, NOx, and fine dust particles (PM2.5 & PM10) were found within the permissible limit at the mining area by the use of lubricant oil based explosives. Further, rock fragmentation analysis indicated that ANFO explosive compositions with 20 %, 30 %, and 40 % (w/w) lubricant oil in diesel oil revealed good rock fragmentation as compared with normal ANFO in the conducted experimental blast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temporal variability of the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) over Mahabaleshwar was studied for a period of 1 year from 1 December 2015 to 30 November 2016 using microwave radiometer (MWR) observations. The PBLH over Mahabaleshwar was found to be the highest during the pre-monsoon (March–May) season and lowest during the winter (December–February) season. The seasonal mean of PBLH was estimated to be 339±88 m during winter, 485±70 m during pre-monsoon, 99±153 m during monsoon, and 438±24 m during post-monsoon season. Frequency distribution analysis of PBLH during pre-monsoon season revealed that the formation of turbulence internal boundary layer (TIBL) is evident. In contrast, cold and moist air mass during the monsoon season enhances the wind shear with lower buoyancy term which results in lowering of PBLH. The comparison of PBLH between MWR and radiosonde observations shows a good correlation (r2 = 0.66, p=0.001). The growth rate was observed to be 388 m/h during pre-monsoon, 206 m/h during winter, 57 m/h during monsoon, and 167 m/h during post-monsoon season. The seasonal mean concentration of PM2.5 was found to be 42.3±4.6 μg/m3during winter, 33.4±8.7 μg/m3 during pre-monsoon, 6.6±2.2 μg/m3 during monsoon, and 26.1±1.7 μg/m3during post-monsoon season. The effect of higher loading of scattering-type aerosol (dust particle) was also investigated as a case study. The analysis reveals the inverse relationship between the PBL height variability and the particulate loading indicating the importance of aerosol direct effect. Analysis of the ventilation coefficient (Vc) revealed that the dissipation potential was higher (1736 m2/s) during pre-monsoon season as compared to (1191 m2/s, 455m2/s, and 1580 m2/s) winter, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was intended to investigate the metal concentrations in the leafy vegetables, irrigation water, soil, and atmospheric dust deposition in the iron and copper mining areas of Southern Jharkhand, India. The study aimed to develop a multivariate linear regression (MVLR) model to predict the concentration of metals in leafy vegetables from the metals in associated environmental factors and assessment of the risk to the local population through the consumption of leafy vegetables and other allied pathways. The developed species-specific MVLR models were well fitted to predict the concentration of metals in the leafy vegetables. The coefficient of determination values (R2) was greater than 0.8 for all the species-specific models. Risk assessment was carried out considering multiple pathways of ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact of vegetables, soil, water, and free-fall dust. Consumption of leafy vegetables was the major route of metal exposure to the local population in both the metal mining areas. The average hazard index (HI) value considering all the metals and pathways was calculated to be 5.13 and 12.1, respectively for iron and copper mining areas suggesting considerable risk to the local residents. Fe, As, and Cu were the major contributors to non-carcinogenic risk in the Iron mining areas while in the case of copper mining areas, the main contributors were Co, As, and Cu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates chemical composition of rainwater (RW) and its contribution from different sources collected over the period of two years (2016 and 2017) at a high altitude location (1380 m above mean sea level) located at Mahabaleshwar situated in the Western Ghats in Peninsular India. The volume weighted mean pH of RW was found to vary between 4.57 and 7.51 (average 5.95) indicating overall alkaline nature of the RW. Prominent ionic species in the RW were Ca2+ (25%), Na+ (19%), Cl−(23%), SO42− (10%), and Mg2+ (9%) with NH4+, NO3− and K+ together forming about 8% of ionic composition. Moreover, ample presence of dust source (Ca2+) was found that acted as a major neutraliser to the acidic ions. The order of Neutralisation Factor of ions was Ca2+ > Mg2+ > NH4+. In addition, a strong correlation between Na+ and Cl− (r ≈ 0.99) further suggested substantial supplement of marine (NaCl) component to the RW. The impact of local anthropogenic activities such as fossil fuel/biomass burning was observed apart from some contribution from the long-range transport. The high contribution of non-sea salt fractions to Ca2+, SO42−, Mg2+ and K+ showed a substantial effect of crustal and continental air masses. Results of source apportionment for the RW composition by using the Positive Matrix Factorization technique indicated four factors i.e. Marine and long range transport (Na+, Cl−), crustal (Ca2+, Mg2+), emissions from the fossil fuel and biomass burning (NO3−, SO42−) and the agriculture/farming activities (NH4+). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production of ordinary Portland cement is consuming enormous energy and releases high carbon dioxide. Additionally, the use of river sand as fine aggregate has a direct effect on the erosion of river banks due to excess sand mining and hence, the use of river sand in concrete is banned in many developing countries. Hence, the assessment of concrete with blended cement and locally available alternative fine aggregates is the need for current construction practices. India becomes the ‐largest sugar producing country, a massive volume of bagasse ash (44,200 t/day) is discarded as waste. Similarly, marble processing plants dispose of marble slurry dust. An exploration of the use of agricultural and mining wastes in crusher sand‐based concrete is not yet reported. The current investigation focuses on the potential use of bagasse ash and marble slurry dust as pozzolan and alternative to crusher sand respectively in concrete and interlocking paver blocks. Compressive strength and capability against abrasion were investigated for bagasse ash and marble slurry dust blended concrete and paver block. Besides, water‐based tests were adopted to examine durability performance. Results from the study indicate an enhancement in abrasion resistance and a substantial reduction in permeability for blended concrete than control concrete. Optimum replacement levels were found to be 20% for bagasse ash and 25% for marble mining powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent organic pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pose a serious risk for human health and the environment. In this study, PCBs contamination and sources of ambient air, road dust, and sediments in the most polluted city in India, Raipur, has been measured over the period 2008–2015. The seasonal variations of particulate matter (PM), elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), and carbonate carbon (CC) were studied, and maximum concentrations were detected in the December–January period each year. Total PCBs concentrations in the ambient air (associated with PM), road dust, and sediments samples during 2008 were in the 186–645 pg m−3, 102–537, and 241–538 ng g−1 range, respectively. 2-chlorobiphenyl (PCB-1) and 4-chlorobiphenyl (PCB-3) were the dominant chemical compounds identified. A substantial vertical migration of the PCBs in the sediments was observed. Concentration variations (spatial and temporal), correlations, and sources of PCB are discussed. In particular, an average increment rate of 6.2%, 4.9%, and 5.4% of PCBs concentration in the particulate matter (PM10), road dust, and sediments, respectively, was observed over the 2008–2015 period. The reported data points to India's low degree of accomplishment of the Stockholm Convention's requirement to phase out the use of PCBs in equipment by 2025 and ensure elimination of PCBs by 2028. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric dust can play a very important role in the polluted atmosphere. This has a direct impact on human health, global warming, climate change, visibility, precipitation, cloud formation, and so on. To evaluate the atmospheric dustfall rate and their mineralogical aspects, three separate sites were selected, namely mining, suburban, and control for dust sampling. Dustfall samples were collected at monthly intervals from copper and iron mining areas, in Singhbhum, India. The average atmospheric dustfall rate varied from 7.51 to 28.58 g/m2/month, and 7.40 to 26.37 g/m2/month during the summer and winter seasons, respectively, in the copper mining areas. At the same time, an average atmospheric dustfall rate varied from 7.23 to 76.99 g/m2/month during summer season and 6.48 to73.92 g/m2/month during the winter season in the iron mining area. The major minerals identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of dustfall samples from copper mining area were quartz, kaolinite, pyrite, albite, and magnesio hornblende. However, in the case of iron mining area, the major minerals found were quartz, cristobalite, hematite, magnetite, biotite, albite, ilmenete, pyrite, rutile, and dolomite. Overall, the intensity of dust pollution is greater in the vicinity of mining and industrial sites of the copper and iron mining areas. Implications: The study has been conducted in the copper and iron mining areas of East and West Singhbhum districts of Jharkhand state, respectively. The aim of the present study was twofold, namely, (i) to evaluate the dustfall rates (ii) and to characterize the mineralogy of atmospheric dust. East and West Singhbhum are the significantly industrialized areas of India known for the mining of copper and iron ores, steel production, power generation, and other related activities. In order to improve local people's living conditions, there is an urgent need for baseline data of dust pollution and its general characteristics based on scientific disclosures to allow policy recommendations and their implementation. Therefore, the study falls within the scope of the journal. The atmospheric dustfall rates were found to be higher during the summer season due to increased dispersion caused by the high wind speed during the summer season. During the winter season, lower rates were observed due to monsoonal rainfall washout and higher relative humidity, which reduces dust resuspension. However, the present study considered the extent of dustfall rates and their mineral characteristics. An immediate need arises to regularly monitor the dust pollution and to implement suitable dust control system like wet dust suppression and airborne dusts capture for dust abatement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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To understand distribution, toxicity, and health risk assessment of Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Zn, Fe, and Mn, 33 surface dust samples were collected during June 2015 from Bhiwadi Industrial Area (BIA) in north India. Average metal concentrations exceeded their corresponding values in upper continental crust depending upon metal(s) and sampling site(s). Industrial emissions resulted in high contamination factors and high pollution load index for metals. The BIA falls under least to moderately for Mn, unpolluted to heavily and extremely for Ni and Cu, Pb, and Zn and moderately to extremely polluted region for Cr. Inter-metal correlations and PCA indicated common and mixed sources for metals such Ni–Cr electroplating and alloys, battery recycling, stainless-steel, electrical wires, galvanizing, vehicular emissions, and wear and tear of vehicle parts. Non-carcinogenic health risk due to metals in surface dust was high in children compared to adults and major pathways were ingestion followed by dermal and inhalation. Surface dust in BIA falls under hazardous category as metals leached in toxicity characteristics leaching procedure and waste extraction test exceeded their prescribed regulatory limits. Leaching of metals can cause contamination of surface water, groundwater, and soils in surrounding areas, and can pose risk to human health and ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, road dust is a major source of inhalable particulate matter in any urban environment. This research seeks to assess the elemental composition of road dust at Vellore city, India, and to evaluate its health risks. For this, dust samples are collected from 18 locations in the study region. The collected samples are digested and analysed for about 25 elements using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy, of which 19 elements have concentration greater than the detection limit of the instrument (Al, Ba, Ca, Mg, Sr, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Zn, In, K, Li, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb and Rb). The highest mean concentration is noted for Fe (22,638.23 mg/kg) followed by Ca (13,439.47 mg/kg), Al (8445.89 mg/kg) and Mg (3381.20 mg/kg). Enrichment factor (EF) and contamination factor (CF) are calculated for 10 trace elements: Cu, Co, Cr, Ga, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr and Zn. Elements Ga and Zn show the highest EF and CF. Source identification recognized that crustal material and traffic as the major sources of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Further, the health risk assessment is performed for nine PTEs and identifies that Fe, Pb, Cr and Co are elements with the highest health index. Health index of these elements suggests a possible health risk. Ingestion is the major pathway, and children are found to be at a higher risk compared to adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large uncertainty exists today in quantifying the absorbing aerosol snow darkening effect (SnoDE) and its relative role compared to the direct radiative effect (DRE), especially at the regional scale. Using a regional climate model over an enlarged South Asia Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) domain, here we isolate these effects and examine their impacts on the dynamics of the Indian pre-monsoon and summer monsoon (ISM) circulation. Our results clearly indicate that the regional dynamics associated with the pre-monsoon and ISM are highly sensitive to both aerosol SnoDE and DRE, with the SnoDE dominating during the pre-monsoon, and the DRE during the ISM. During the pre-monsoon, the deposition of aerosols on the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau (HTP) reduces the surface albedo, leading to an increase in absorption of solar radiation and accelerated snow melting. The associated increase in surface and tropospheric temperature draws dry air from central Asia towards northern India and along the Himalayan foothills, creating a low-level anti-cyclonic anomaly over eastern India and the Bay of Bengal. This limits the northward propagation of southwest winds and leads to a decrease in precipitation over the central and eastern parts of India during the pre-monsoon and across northern India in the following ISM. Conversely, an increase in precipitation during the ISM is due to the strengthening of southwest winds caused by large-scale convergence over the Arabian Peninsula. The shift of winds from central Asia towards northern India in the SnoDE and towards the Arabian Peninsula in DRE leads to contrasting effects and can possibly modulate the monsoon onset dates. The SnoDE, with a prevailing contribution from dust, leads to an increase in precipitation over the HTP, which is amplified during the ISM when DRE is also considered. Our study provides evidence that both these aerosol effects have substantial impacts on the pre-monsoon and ISM dynamics and hence need to be considered in climate model simulations over the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study enhances the understanding of the particulate matters (PM2.5 and PM10) and their physical and chemical behavior over the Taj Mahal, Agra, in North-Central India. The mass concentration was determined, and the shape and size of the particles and chemical characterizations have been carried out using SEM–EDX. The high level and significant variation of PM10 (162.2 µg m−3) and PM2.5 (83.9 µg m−3) were observed. The exceedance factor of the present study region is in critical and moderate condition. Morphological characterization reveals the particles of different shapes and sizes, while elemental analysis shows the presence of Si, Al, Fe, Ca, K, Cl, Mg, Na, Cu, and Zn. The dominance of Si indicated the contribution of natural sources, i.e., soil over this region. Three significant sources, viz. soil/road paved dust/vegetative emissions, vehicular/industrial emissions, and intermingling of dust and combustion particles, have been identified using principal component analysis over North-Central India. Health risk analysis of particulate matter identified carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic metals in the present study, which comes in contact with human beings during inhalation. The non-carcinogenic risk was much higher than the acceptable level. The high carcinogenic risks were found in Zn in PM10 and Cu in PM2.5 for both children and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern organisations are in search of initiatives which will enable them to be sustainable as well as gain a competitive advantage. Lean, Six Sigma and Green initiatives are some of the widely used tools which aid the organisation to be sustainable. Recent studies have suggested that the integration of Green and Lean Six Sigma (LSS) will create a powerful methodology and help organisations to be sustainable. Yet, many organisations have found it difficult due to the lack of a generic implementation framework, which can be used for any processes and cultural context. The purpose of this study is to answer the research question: how to implement a sustainable Green LSS initiative in the organisation. Through a critical analysis of previous literature, an implementation framework is developed and practically implemented through a case study to reduce the graphite and dust pollution in a mine in India. Within case analysis, it is conducted to develop propositions, future research directions and managerial implications. This is a first study to develop and practically test a generic implementation Green LSS framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor dust is one of the key sources contributing to indoor air pollution (IAP) in rural households. It acts as a media for various toxicants like heavy metal depositions and causes severe health risks. The present study deals with investigation of metal concentrations and morphological characteristics of indoor dust generated in varied fuel types followed by estimation of health risks for women and children in rural households in Telangana, India. Indoor floor dust samples were collected from households using biomass and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as their cooking energy during winter to evaluate the morphological and chemical characteristics in the aforementioned dust samples. A morphological (SEM-EDX) analysis revealed the presence of carbonaceous particles in biomass-based households and mineral-rich crustal sources in LPG-based households. As observed from ICP-OES analysis, there is a significant difference in mean concentrations of Al, Co, Cr, Fe, Zn, and Ni based on fuel type, except for Mn and Pb. From Pearson's correlation analysis and principal component analysis, it was observed that the biomass households were dominated by Zn, Al, Mn, Cr, and Pb, which could have been contributed from biomass burning deposits, crustal sources, and unpaved roads, while Cr, Pb, Fe, and Mn dominated in LPG households, indicating their origin from leaded paints (Pb and Cr) and crustal sources. The health risks associated with these heavy metals to women and children were investigated using an EPA health risk model. The values from the model indicated that both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were within the safe levels for both subjects. This study not only establishes chemical and morphological characteristics of indoor dust, but also quantifies the role of fuel type. Implications: The present study provides the latest geographical evidence of chemical and morphological characterization of indoor dust particles in varied fuels; i.e, biomass- and LPG-based households and associated health risk assessment in a sub-tropical rural site in Telangana, India. Nevertheless, further research is essential from various regions across the country for more heavy metal analysis and factors impacting these levels. One of the major limitations of the present study is the analysis of few metals and measurements in only living area locations. Future studies can include soil and road dust, as well as kitchens and bedrooms, to provide more comprehensive analysis of dust compositions in varied environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies based on models and observations show that dust aerosols have an impact on the timing and distribution of the Indian summer monsoon but the transition of various Indian summer monsoon‐associated atmospheric features which unfolds in the process is still not clear. Through regional climate simulations, this study identifies the different phases of the change in the mean distribution of monsoon related characteristics in response to local dust forcing. The deposition of dust along the slopes of the Tibetan Plateau results in a heated atmospheric column (elevated heat pump) over there starting from May. This drags the monsoonal flow towards the foothills of the Himalayas before the conventional monsoon onset over India, which tends to decrease the rainfall over central India and increase it along the foothills of the Himalayas during May and June. July is the period of transition during which the reversal of various atmospheric conditions takes place. The elevated heat pump completely vanishes with the wet deposition of dust, which reduces the vertical wind over the Tibetan Plateau. The removal of dust increases the temperature over the Indo‐Gangetic plain, which efficiently drags the moisture carrying southwesterly towards central India. Meanwhile, stronger horizontal divergence of moisture towards the Bay of Bengal reduces the rainfall over central India and these atmospheric conditions further intensify during August. These results provide strong evidence of the role of dust aerosols in shaping the Indian summer monsoon distribution over India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated steel plant generates a large amount of blast furnace flue dust - about 18-22 kg/t of hot metal - as a by-product of the production process. The major component of this flue dust is iron oxides and coke fines. The recovery and reuse of this iron and coke is very important with increasing price of conventional resources. Cement plants on the other hand are looking for alternative fuel and raw materials as a substitution to the traditional fuel and raw materials, thus co-processing of the flue dust is a solution for both the industries. The study gauges the potential of flue dust utilization in a cement plant in India, using an experimental trial of one month and also analyses the techno-economic feasibility of the co-processing route. Since flue dust contains iron which is a limiting constituent in the limestone deposit of this plant, feasibility of reducing the iron content in the flue dust was evaluated through the magnetic separation route. The objective was to utilize maximum quantum of flue dust with acceptable iron content and high energy content. It was observed that the magnetic separation does not effectively segregate the iron present in the flue dust and neither increases the energy content. The cost analysis of the usage of flue dust also revealed that flue dust can be used effectively by the cement industry if its cost ranges in an acceptable range of USD 35-39 (approximately). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study reports the characterization results of settled dust particles in different indoor micro-environments of an academic institution in India. Field emission scanning electron microscope analysis of indoor dust revealed the presence of mineral particles, fly ash, and soot particles of different morphologies. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis of indoor dust indicated that crystal particles are comprised of elements such as C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe, and Ti. These elements accounted for more than 99% of the samples. The average content of O (42.7%) and C (18.9%) in the dust particles was found to be higher than their natural abundances. The concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 were observed in the range of 88-58, 37-33, 23-29 µg/m3, respectively. Except temperature, other parameters such as volatile organic carbon, carbon dioxide concentration, and relative humidity were found to be within comfort limits of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Abbreviations: ASHRAE: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers; CO2: carbon dioxide; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; EDX: energy-dispersive X-ray; FESEM: field emission scanning electron microscope; FTIR: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; IAP: indoor air pollution; IAQ: indoor air quality; HAP: household air pollution; OAP: outdoor air pollution; PM: particulate matter; VOC: volatile organic carbon; WHO: World Health Organization [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Identification of allergens by intradermal test in patients with asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema. Materials and Methods: Intradermal test was performed in 100 patients of Ambala over an 8-year period to identify the common allergens. A total of 197 allergens including 50 types of pollen, 19 fungi, 17 insects, 14 types of dust, 6 animal dander, 7 types of fabric and feather and 82 types of foods, dust mite, and parthenium were tested. Results: In this study, the major allergens were pollen (51%) followed by foods (28.9%), insects (26.9%), fungus (12.6%), dusts (6.7%). Among pollen allergens, Brassica campestris (8%) was a major allergen followed by Ageratum conyzoides (7%) and Artemisia scoparia (6%) Cannabis sativa, Cynodon dactylon and Maerua arenaria (5%). Among the fungal group, Alternaria tenuis, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigates, Candida albicans, Penicillium sp., Rhizopus nigricans (3%), Fusarium solani (2%) were found. In the insect group, mosquito (7%), ant (6%), grasshopper (5%), locust (male), moth, and house fly (4%) were the major allergens. Among the dust allergens, grain dust rice (3%), straw dust, house dust, and grain dust bajra (2%) were found. Among the food allergens, prawn (5%), almonds, Baker's yeast, Bengal gram (3%) and mushroom, mango ripe, rajma, cinnamon, chocolate, beans fresh, and areca nut (2%) were found. Conclusion: It can be said that the knowledge may help to create a mapping of allergens in this area and help to treat patients by immunotherapy or avoidance strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The spatio-temporal variability of aerosols over Indian subcontinent is mainly due to transported dust from adjacent deserts (Thar and Middle East deserts), local emission due to anthropogenic activities and prevailing meteorological conditions. On large scale, the quantification of transported and locally emitted aerosol from these regions is complicated. Here, we used empirical orthogonal function ( EOF) analysis to identify these regions and their variability by using 33 years of Total Ozone Monitoring Spectrometer ( TOMS) satellite data. The maximum variability in aerosol is explained by first two EOF modes (70.31 and 20.57%) over Indian subcontinent. The major aerosol, i.e. transported dust from adjacent deserts confined to NW India and Pakistan, is observed in first leading mode, whereas biomass burning, industrial and dense populated region of southeast and eastern region of the Indo-Gangetic Plain ( IGP) are revealed in the second dominant mode. The EOF analysis is carried out specifically for the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons over Indian subcontinent as maximum aerosol loading is observed during this period. The region of NW India, IGP, Pakistan and northern Arabian Sea explains maximum variability in both seasons. The first three leading modes and their relationship with different atmospheric and surface variables are carried out for pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons. This study explains the potential role of aerosols on reduction in cloudiness, increased shortwave at the ground, land-surface tropospheric warming and its feedback to other related processes. This study strongly suggests that there is a need for further appropriate observational as well as modelling study on the role of semi-direct aerosol effect over Indian subcontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People living in coal mine and other coal-based industrial areas are prone to health risk from heavy-metal exposure in dust emissions. Establishing the source of the toxic metals in dusts is important for policies for minimizing their human exposure risks. Dust samples from commercial and residential areas of Jharia coal mining town (India) were collected and analysed for major and minor elements. Fe, Ca, and Al were the most abundant major elements in the dust samples. Although the absolute concentrations of heavy metal in the dust followed more or less a similar trend, the enrichment factors (compared to control) of heavy metals decreased in the order: commercial site (Rb > Cr > Pb > Ni > Zn > Cu > Co > Sr) and residential site (Ni > Cr > Rb > Co > Sr > As > Cu > V). Pollution load index, calculated based on the relative enrichment was higher for the residential site (1.534) than for the commercial site (1.366). Seasonal variations were significant for As, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Sr. The concentration of all the elements was higher in winter season, except the Pb content was higher in summer. Enrichment factor, principal component, and cluster analyses suggest that Cu, Cr, Co, and Ni in dusts originate from coal, and Pb and Zn from vehicular and traffic-related emissions. For exposure risk assessment, the total chronic daily intake calculated for each element of interest was divided by the corresponding toxicity reference dose to yield hazard quotient. The hazard quotient values were <1.0, indicating no risks to people from these heavy metals; however, the physical dust may have human health effects. Further studies are needed on the direct health effect of dust particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]