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Water pollution is a major concern for a decaying river. Polluted water reduces ecosystem services and human use of rivers. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the irrigation suitability of the Jalangi River water. A total of 34 pre-selected water samples were gathered from the source to the sink of the Jalangi River with an interval of 10 km and one secondary station's data from February 2012 to January 2022 were used for this purpose. The Piper diagram exhibits that the Jalangi River water is Na+–HCO3− types, and the alkaline earth (Ca2+ + Mg2+) outperforms alkalises (Na+ + K+) and weak acids (HCO3− + CO32−) outperform strong acids (Cl− + SO42−). SAR values ranging from 0.35 to 0.64 show that water is suitable for irrigation and poses no sodicity risks. The %Na results show that 91.18% of water samples are good and acceptable for irrigation. RSC levels indicate a significant alkalinity hazard, with 94.12% of samples considered inappropriate for irrigation. PI findings show that 91.18% of water samples are suitable for irrigation. Apart from the spatial water samples, seasonal water samples exhibit a wide variations as per the nature of irrigation hazards. Gibbs plot demonstrates that the weathering of rocks determined the hydro-chemical evolution of Jalangi River water. This study identifies very little evaporation dominance for pre- and post-monsoon water. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) test illustrates that there are no spatial variations in water quality while seasonal variations are widely noted (p < 0.05). The results also revealed that river water for irrigation during monsoon is suitable compared to the pre-monsoon season. Anthropogenic interventions including riverbed agriculture, and the discharge of untreated sewage from urban areas are playing a crucial role in deteriorating the water quality of the river, which needs substantial attention from the various stakeholders in a participatory, and sustainable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased mismanaged plastic has led to widespread microplastic (MPs) contamination in the marine environment. Our study investigates MPs across the inner, outer, and mangrove regions of the Kollidam River estuary on the east coast of India. Surface water and sediment samples at 18 locations were analysed for size, shape, colour, and polymer type. The average MP abundance in surface water and sediment was 2.42 particles. m−3and 1580 ± 705 particles. kg−1d.w. respectively. The predominant polymer types observed were PP (40%), PE (26%), and PAc (24%). Medium-sized particles (1–2.5 mm) are more in surface water (44%), and small-sized (0.01–1 mm) particles dominate in sediment samples (50%). The most common MP shapes were fibres and fragments, with transparent MPs being the most frequently observed colour. The results highlight that the mangrove region acts as a potential sink for microplastic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geomorphology, geohydrology, lithology and ecological features of the area influence the uranium content in groundwater. The groundwater samples were collected from 75 locations of Davanagere district, Karnataka, India. Uranium analysis in the water samples was done using LED fluorimeter, based on fluorescence of dissolved uranyl salts. The uranium concentration in water samples varied from 18.41 to 173.21 μg L−1 with a geometric mean of 39.69 μg L−1. Higher uranium concentration in groundwater was observed in Harapanahalli and Jagalur taluk of Davanagere district, which falls in the Eastern Dharwar Craton, which is generally known to contain more radioactive minerals than the Western Dharwar Craton. The effective ingestion dose and lifetime cancer risk to the population were calculated using the obtained uranium concentration in drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is in direct contact with the soil and rocks that dissolve many compounds and minerals including uranium and its daughter products. 210Po is one of the decay products of 238U series that cause internal radiation dose in humans when consumed in the form of water and food, including sea food. Therefore, activities of 210Po have been studied in ground and surface water, and in food samples that are commonly used in Chamarajanagar region of Karnataka, India. The average 210Po concentration in bore well water samples and surface water samples are 3.21 and 1.85 mBq L−1, respectively. In raw rice and wheat, the average values of 210Po are 96 and 41 mBq kg−1, respectively. In millets and pulses, the average activity of 210Po is 157 and 79 mBq kg−1, respectively. Among food items, the highest activity of 1.3 kBq kg−1 is observed in marine crabs and the lowest activity of 2.6 mBq kg−1 is found in milk samples. The average ingestion dose due to 210Po in ground and surface water are 2.8 and 1.62 μSv y−1, respectively. The ingestion dose due to various food samples to the population is also calculated. Total ingestion dose due to 210Po to pure vegetarian population and general population are 38.09 and 590.80 μSv y−1, respectively. The concentration of 210Po in water samples and food samples of this region are in a comparable range with the world and Indian average values and lies well below the recommended guideline level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of uranium and its decay product radon in water are the most important concern in human health. In this paper, efforts have been made to measure and correlate the uranium (Using an LED Fluorimeter) and radon concentrations (Using SMART RnDuo) in the water samples from the Budhakedar region of the Garhwal Himalaya to assess the risk. The concentrations of uranium and radon in the water samples were found to vary between Below Detection Level (BDL) to 1.70 Bq L−1 (with an arithmetic mean of 0.15 Bq L−1) and 0.43 to 1.29 Bq L−1 (with an arithmetic mean of 0.75 Bq L−1) respectively. The annual effective dose to the inhabitants of the study region was also calculated for the different age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines 52 water samples from diverse locations in the Dehradun district, measuring radon activity concentrations with a scintillation-based monitor. The findings indicate an average concentration of 33.97 Bq/L, ranging from 3.35 to 99.25 Bq/L. Beyond this, the research estimates annual effective ingestion (µSv/y), inhalation (µSv/y), and total (µSv/y) doses attributed to radon in the drinking water samples, offering insights into potential health risks. Additionally, the study explores spatial patterns in the dataset, providing a geographic perspective on radon distribution across the region. This spatial analysis enhances our understanding of localised exposure risks, contributing valuable information for public health and environmental considerations in the Dehradun district. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurements of radon concentrations in drinking water sources in and around the Main Central Thrust (MCT) region in Garhwal Himalaya, India, were carried out using the scintillation detector-based SMART RnDuo technique for radiation protection purposes. Radon values in the analyzed samples were observed between 1.1 and 183.9 Bq L−1 (AM = 19.7 Bq L−1). Radon values in 94% of the samples were found well below the World Health Organization (WHO) reference limit. The estimated radiation doses for different age groups were found higher than the WHO safe limit of 100 µSv y−1 (from all sources including radon) except for the age groups of 0–12 months infants and 1–3 years children. The results of this study may be useful for future studies on epidemiology, examining hidden faults, uranium exploration etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the concentrations of uranium and heavy metals in drinking water samples from Garhwal Himalaya, India determined using LED Fluorimeter and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), respectively. The radiological (carcinogenic) and chemical (non-carcinogenic) risks associated with the consumption of uranium in water were estimated for the public. The concentrations of natural uranium in the analyzed drinking water samples vary from 0 to 21.57 ppb with a mean value of 1.54 ppb. The average concentrations of heavy metals in the analyzed drinking water samples were found to be in the order of iron (3.99 ppm) > zinc (0.32 ppm) > copper (0.04 ppm) > nickel (0.01 ppm) > chromium and lead (Below Detection Level). The estimated risk quantities were found to be lower than World Health Organization (WHO) and United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guideline values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hydro-geochemical study for water-quality assessment was conducted in the Tuticorin region of Tamil Nadu in southern India during the pre- and post-monsoon seasons of 2022 and the water samples are examined to comply with BIS and WHO guidelines. In the present study, the values of TDS (75%), Mg (37.5%), and TH (25%) have exceeded the permissible limits namely 500, 100, and 600 mg/L, respectively. The WQI proposed by CCME is used to analyze water suitability. The Pearson correlation and principal component analysis are used to study the relationship between various physicochemical parameters and principal components of water quality, respectively. Piper & Gibbs diagrams are plotted to identify the water types and the main water type predicted by the piper plot is Ca-Mg-Cl-SO4 which makes up 74.3% of the the samples studied. WQI suggests that 22.5% and 50.0% specimens have excellent water quality during pre and post-monsoon seasons, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic chitosan beads (MCB) were synthesized using a co-precipitation method and made to react with epichlorohydrin (ECH) to get the cross-linked derivative (ECH-MCB). In the FTIR spectrum of chitosan (CS) and magnetic chitosan beads, band appeared at 606 cm−1 attributed to Fe–O group in case of MCB. The strong adsorption band at 3438 cm−1, due to –OH stretching vibration, indicates that the hydroxyl groups in chitosan molecules were involved in the cross-linking of ECH-MCB. The surface of magnetic chitosan beads is smooth as compared to the rough surface of cross-linked beads as established by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) proving the better adsorption. The EDX of epichlorohydrin cross-linked magnetic chitosan beads gives the composition of elements present in terms of weight and atomic percentages. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) establishes its three-stage degradation for MCB and ECH-MCB. Two endothermic peaks were observed at 96.28 °C for MCB and at 99.61 °C for ECH-MCB using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It is found that zinc metal ion sorption efficiency in terms of adsorption capacity of ECH-MCB (qmax is 0.059 mg/g) is significantly higher than MCB (qmax 0.0488 mg/g). Various factors affecting the uptake behavior of metal ions such as pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and temperature effects were investigated. The correlation coefficient R2 values lie between 0.9 and 1.0 and fitted well with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The equilibrium parameter RL values support that the adsorption (0 < RL < 1) is a favorable and spontaneous process. The thermodynamic parameters confirm that it is an endothermic reaction which results in an increase in the randomness of the adsorption process. The beads were regenerated by using easily available, economical chelating agent, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) which forms considerably stable five-membered complex with Zn+2 ions on desorption. These beads prove as promising materials for the removal of pollutants from industrial wastewater. In the case of Hindon water sample, the Zn(II) level was within permissible limits of 1.01 mg L−1 from initial concentration of 4.34 mg L−1 after 20 min of adsorption, and for Yamuna water samples, it was 1.00 mg L−1 from 9.69 mg L−1 after 40 min of adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals in the agrarian wetlands have substantial implications for the environment, agriculture, and human well-being. This study is a comprehensive examination of heavy metal concentrations and hydrochemical characteristics in the Kol wetland system, a Ramsar site located on the southwest coast of India. It represents the first comprehensive assessment of the distribution of nine heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, Fe, Ni, Mn, Co, and Cr) to evaluate Kol wetland water suitability for aquatic life and irrigation purposes. To achieve this, surface water samples were collected during two consecutive monsoon periods in September 2018 and 2019. The average concentrations of the heavy metals in the Kol area were: Zn (0.31–618 µg/L), Cu (BDL-212 µg/L), Fe (30.17–4418.5 µg/L), Mn (1.2–506 µg/L), Ni (BDL-61.96 µg/L), Cr (BDL-61.96 µg/L), Cd (BDL-46.19 µg/L), Co (BDL-4.03 µg/L), and Pb (BDL-103 µg/L). While Cd and Zn exceeded recommended limits by the US Environment Protection Agency, all metal concentrations fell within acceptable levels for irrigation set by the Food and Agriculture Organization. The spatial distribution pattern revealed significant disparities among the three zones of the study area, with the central and southern regions exhibiting higher metal concentrations than the northern zone. Pollution indices indicated that Kol water is suitable for irrigation, with medium contamination and threat to aquatic life noted at the S3 station. Principal components analysis highlighted siltation processes and anthropogenic activities as likely sources of heavy metal contamination. This scenario provides valuable data for strengthening the supervision of the Kol wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hydrogeochemical analysis of Chilka Lake Ramsar sites has been conducted to measure the surface water quality status and ecological suitability for aquatic habitats. Degree of contamination, water quality index and ecological risk index field-based techniques were employed to analyse the hydro-chemical properties using 48 water samples from across the entire Ramsar region. Among them, 14 predominant factors were identified. The Ramsar area is categorized into five water quality and ecological risk zones with reference to Indian and World Health Organization water quality standards. This field-based study reveals that in the southern, southeastern, and central parts, about 9.89% and 16.12% of areas experienced very poor and poor water quality standards, respectively. Thus, this research work will help government authorities and policymakers formulate appropriate strategies and regulations for controlling and reducing the contamination levels in the Chilka Ramsar region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the study is to present an assessment report of radon concentration in the underground water of Bokaro district, Jharkhand, India. Water samples were collected from tube-wells at 100 different locations scattered throughout the district. The radon (222Rn) concentration level varies widely between 3.5 and 598.9 Bq/l with an average value of 145.8 Bq/l. In this paper, total annual effective dose of the samples and associated excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) were estimated also to assess the health risk due to the consumption of the radon rich water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present work deals with radon (Rn-222) activity measurement of deep tube-well water samples collected from Raghunathpur and Jhalda, two municipalities of Purulia district, West Bengal, India. Concentration of Rn-222 in water samples collected from Raghunathpur municipality vary from 11.82 ± 0.95 to 155.64 ± 2.33 Bq/l with an average of 49.78 ± 1.81 Bq/l, whereas for Jhalda municipality the concentrations vary from 12.08 ± 1.02 to 74.74 ± 2.12 Bq/l with an average of 39.06 ± 1.40 Bq/l. The total annual effective dose associated with Rn-222 activity has been estimated for three different categories viz. adults, children and infants in terms of inhalation and ingestion. Additionally, pH and the major cations (Na+, K+, Li+, Ca2+) present in the water samples are also measured to observe the possible correlation with the Rn-222 activity. The results indicate that the groundwater in these two municipalities are radiologically safe in terms of Rn-222 and thus do not provide significant health threats to the local inhabitants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a growing concern over the occurrence of fluoride (F−) in groundwater and the impact of F− exposure on human health issues over the past decades. So, this study conducted a regional–scale assessment of the occurrence and trend of groundwater F− distribution [2014–2018] integrated with locally field–based investigations on F− exposure to a few selected families (10 households and 35 respondents) and reason behind their consumption of F− containing water (n = 18). In the local study, water samples were collected from multiple sources around the selected households by dividing them into consumptive and non–consumptive use. Results revealed that across the state of Andhra Pradesh, the occurrence of F− is more than the permissible limit in groundwater, and it has been increasing over the years (2014–2018) (average SD is 0.55), and the local study showed that the groundwater had an average of 1.5 mg/L F−, while other sourced water had an average of <1 mg/L F−. Most interestingly, nine families are consuming non–F− containing water (<0.52 mg F−/day) which is commercially available, while only one family is consuming F− containing groundwater and being exposed to >3 mg F−/day. This disparity in fluoride exposure is dependent on economic stability and health exposure policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurements of radon activity in water samples from several parts of Karnataka were studied. Drinking water quality is a routine tool in health and environmental research. Radon exposure puts the entire public at risk for radiological damage through inhalation and ingestion. Radon concentrations were measured using the emanometry technique. Estimated 222Rn activity concentration in water has been found to vary from 2.05 to 28.02 Bq l−1 with an average value of 7.38 Bq l−1. For all samples under study, the total average annual effective doses are much less than the safe limit of 100 μSv y−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem services provided by wetlands are essential for communities living near wetlands, especially in an underdeveloped semi-arid landscape. The land use land cover changes and ecosystem degradation and water quality change over the past few decades have had immense effects on declining wetland ecosystem services. With the degradation, it is exerting superfluous effects on wetland communities including loss of livelihood, and decline in other wetland services like fishing, aquaculture, fuelwood, fodder, and many more. The present study attempts to assess the changing nature of wetland health, water quality, and declining ecosystem services of Mount Abu wetlands in Rajasthan, India. For assessing the change of wetland extent, we have used the remote sensing–based data for preparation of land use land cover change from 1992 to 2020. The water samples have been collected from the wetland, and different biophysical parameters of the water have been tested in the laboratory. A questionnaire-based household survey has been conducted to understand the perception of the wetland communities on the loss of ecosystem services over three decades. Further, a correlation and cluster assessment has been conducted to understand the degradation of wetland health in the selected wetlands. The study results indicated deteriorating conditions of wetland health and declining ecosystem services in the study area over the time periods. The land use land cover change analysis indicated a decrease in the spatial extent of the wetlands in the study area. Wetland communities are being affected due to the degradation of wetland health. The study recommended executing a wetland management plan for long-term conservation and livelihood management for the Mount Abu wetlands and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oceans are changing on a global scale. Zooplankton of the marine ecosystem are microscopic myriads of diverse, floating and drifting animal-like organisms found either on or near the surface of water bodies. Zooplankton samples were collected from the surface water and substratum of the ship hull during the study period from June 2015 to May 2016. Population density ranged from 68 000 to 194 000 cells/L was recorded in the water and substratum of the ship hull. Shannon–Wiener's diversity index (H') values ranged from 4.97 to 5.57 (bits/ind) at station I and station II. Simpson's richness ranged from 0.967 and 0.977 at station I and station II. Pielou's evenness index (J') ranged from 0.976 to 0.994 at station I and station II, respectively. In total, 56 and 48 zooplankton species were recorded in water and substratum of the ship hull in the Chinnamuttom harbor water, respectively. Among the recorded zooplankton, calanoid copepod was found to be dominant followed by ciliata, cyclopoida, harpacticoida, polychaeta, amphipoda and barnacle nauplii in water samples, whereas in substratum samples the Harpacticoid copepod was predominant followed by ciliata, cyclopoida, calanoida, polychaeta, amphipoda and barnacle nauplii. Among the estimated zooplankton, the copepods were found to be dominant throughout the year in the selected site and seasons with appreciable numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics have become a serious concern in the contemporary world due to their widespread and hazardous nature. This study investigates microplastic distribution in one of the largest brackish water lagoons in the world (Chilika Lake, India) to bridge the knowledge gap in a transitional environment. Sediment and water samples were investigated to estimate microplastic count and were categorized based on their shape, color, size, and polymer type. The overall abundance of microplastic in sediment and water sample from Chilika Lake varied from 25.2 ± 9.8 items/kg to 7 ± 2.2 items/kg and 110.7 ± 35.6 items/100L to 26 ± 8.1 items/100L, respectively. Anthropogenic activities such as extensive fishing activities and tourism were attributed to be the major source of microplastic besides upstream loads through inflowing rivers. Fragments and foams were the most commonly occurring microplastic shapes in sediment and water samples, respectively. Sediment samples were found to be highly abundant in microplastic particle size <1 mm. Water samples were dominated by white-color foams in 2–5 mm size range of microplastics. Ten different types of microplastic polymers were identified, of which polypropylene and polystyrene were the most dominant microplastic in sediment and water samples. Microplastic morphology showed surface features that can be attributed to their weathering. The study provides baseline information on microplastics in Chilika Lake to develop an insight into the associated environmental and health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Authors in their earlier study confirmed the high specificity of spherically shaped pectin-g-poly(amidoxime)-Fe composites for the removal of fluoride ions even at trace levels. In view of that, in this study, the above revealed composites were used in real conditions by using water samples from different rivers of Himachal Pradesh, India, and also performed the scaled studies in prototype column filter to conclude the capability of pectin-g-poly(amidoxime)-Fe composites for translation research. The results showed a marginal reduction of ~ 10% in the fluoride adsorption capability of spherically shaped pectin-g-poly(amidoxime)-Fe composites in real conditions from different rivers of Himachal Pradesh, India, in comparison to the simulated water-system. Afterward, the results were confirmed by FTIR, SEM and TEM studies to describe the mechanistic details. A prototype column filter was constructed with spherically shaped iron-impregnated-pectin-poly(amidoxime) composites to analyze the applicability in fluoride adsorption for domestic and industrial scale. The results demonstrated that the column filter established with 1.0 g adsorbent media was capable to treat 3.0 L of 10 ppm fluoride solution much lower to the permitted WHO maximum limit of 1.0 ppm. Also, the adsorption study was extended for transition metal ions of major concern i.e. Zn2+, Fe3+, Pb2+, and Cu2+ to assess the potential of pectin-g-poly(amidoxime) as a comprehensive solution of universal application. The findings concluded that the synthesized composites in spherical shape can be a guide for the media selection or as media/filler along with carbonaceous materials (in already existing technology) in constructing the economical portable filter of high efficiency to protect public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River water pollution and water-related health problems are common issues across the world. The present study aims to examine the Jalangi River's water quality to assess its suitability for drinking purposes and associated human health risks. The 34 water samples were collected from the source to the mouth of Jalangi River in 2022 to depict the spatial dynamics while another 119 water samples (2012–2022) were collected from a secondary source to portray the seasonal dynamics. Results indicate better water quality in the lower reach of the river in the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Principal component analysis reveals that K+, NO3−, and total alkalinity (TA) play a dominant role in controlling the water quality of the study region, while, CaCO3, Ca2+, and EC in the pre-monsoon, EC, TDS, Na+, and TA in the monsoon, and EC, TDS and TA in the post-monsoon controlled the water quality. The results of ANOVA reveal that BOD, Ca2+, and CaCO3 concentrations in water have significant spatial dynamics, whereas pH, BOD, DO, Cl−, SO42−, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, CaCO3, TDS, TA, and EC have seasonal dynamics (p < 0.05). The water quality index depicts that the Jalangi River's water quality ranged from 6.23 to 140.83, i.e., excellent to unsuitable for drinking purposes. Human health risk analysis shows that 32.35% of water samples have non-carcinogenic health risks for all three groups of people, i.e., adults, children, and infants while only 5.88% of water samples have carcinogenic health risks for adults and children. The gradual decay of the Jalangi River coupled with the disposal of urban and agricultural effluents induces river pollution that calls for substantial attention from the various stakeholders to restore the water quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uranium is characteristic lithospheric component and is found nearly in all kinds of soils and waters; in any case, its quantity changes from water-to-water contingent on their cause. Subsequently, in the current investigation, the concentration of uranium in groundwater tests was estimated utilizing LED fluorimeter and the related health hazards appraisal was checked. The concentration of uranium ranges from 0.5 to 10.7 μg L−1 with average value of 2.76 μg L−1. The excess cancer hazard was seen in the scope of 1.416×10−6 – 30.309×10−6 with an average of 7.804 ×10−6. This mean estimation of the excess cancer risk in the Kanchipuram locale is less than the greatest adequate degree of l.67 × 10−4 as per AERB (2004). Consequently, there is no hurtful impact to the neighbourhood individuals who are devouring the water in the examination zone. The average cancer mortality and grimness chances were determined to show that the probability of cancer-causing chances related to water test and significant health was evaluated utilizing hazard quotient from chemical harmfulness of uranium. The values watched for hazard quotient in all areas in the examination are beneath the edge estimation of 1, as recommended by USEPA. This shows that there are no unsafe impacts on the nearby individuals in the investigation zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study report the concentration levels and distribution pattern of the organochlorine insecticides residues in water and sediments of the Harchandpur pond. The water samples were collected from three different sites and analyzed for their insecticide profile. We used liquid-liquid extraction followed by GC-ECD for the determination of these compounds. Out of 18 water samples analysis, the average residue concentration for all the six insecticides was between 0.45 and 11.11 µmg/l. The residues of dieldrin 11.11 µmg/l. constitutes the major component followed by heptachlor, aldrin, gHCH permethrin and DDT. The percent occurrence was the highest for aldrin>permethrin, dieldrin>gHCH> heptachlor>DDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study characterises the quality of groundwater for the Ludhiana district of Punjab, India by analysing water samples collected from 152 locations spread across 3767 km2. The samples were analysed for 18 parameters consisting of pH, EC, TDS, TA, TH, major anions and cations. The parameter values have been used to calculate the drinking water quality index of the study area which suggests that 2.6, 57.9, 32.9, 4 and 2.6% of the samples fall under the excellent, good, poor, very poor and unsuitable categories, respectively. The sequence of abundance for ions (in meq/l) as revealed from the laboratory tests is Na+ (37.1%) > Ca2+ (30.8%) > Mg2+ (29.1%) > K+ (2.8%) for cations and HCO3− (80%) > Cl¯ (8.9%) > CO32− (6.5%) > SO42− (3.9%) > NO3−, F−, PO43− (< 1%) for anions. The spatial variability of these parameters has been depicted through the use of interpolation maps. Evaluation of different ionic ratios indicates that carbonate weathering and silicate weathering are both significantly affecting the groundwater chemistry with a slight dominance of carbonate weathering. Also, the ion exchange process is taking place in the area as confirmed by CAI index values. In terms of saturation index, the groundwater is undersaturated with respect to halite, fluorite and sylvite, whereas it is supersaturated for calcite, dolomite and aragonite minerals. The principal components in PCA explained 75.4% of the total variance with 29.1 and 28.3% contributions from PC1 and PC2. Both of these components indicate towards the geogenic and anthropogenic influence on groundwater mineralization of the area. The analysis suggests that groundwater for the study area is suitable for drinking in most of the region expect in a few places. Such a study could be used to understand the current status of groundwater quality in the area, the results of which can be used to prevent further contamination and sustain the resource for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diatoms are unicellular, photosynthetic (autotrophic), eukaryotic organisms often classified as among the algae. They are scientifically known as Bacillariophyceae. Diatoms study can be used in medico-legal purpose to solve the cases of unclaimed drowned or dumped bodies. The detection of diatoms in the organscan contribute to a diagnosis of death by drowning, a process referred to as the 'diatom test'. This study was conducted in the department of Forensic Science, SHUATS, Prayagrajwhich included the extraction and identification of diatoms from the collected water samples from three different sites of Ganga River in Vindhyachal. The acid-digestion method was used for diatom extraction. 27 samples were collected (3 from each site) in the month of January, February, March 2022 from 3 different ghats of Vindhyachali.e Babu Ghat, Pakka Ghat, Diwan Ghat. Samples were taken from surface, 1 feet and 2 feet deep inside river. After examination and analysis total 18 genera of diatoms were found. The identified diatoms were of greatecological importanceand plays an important role in criminal investigations related to pre-mortem or ante-mortem drowning deaths in Ganga river at Vindhyachal, district of U.P, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and analyse the water quality in the Tulsishyam region in terms of corrosive and scaling properties. Thermal water samples (TWS), groundwater samples (GWS), and riverwater samples (RWS) were collected and analysed for a variety of geochemical parameters in various locations throughout the Tulsishyam region. The pH of such thermal springs ranges between 7.1 and 7.4, suggesting that they are neutral, and the temperature ranges between 39 and 42 °C. To determine the corrosive and scaling properties of water, various indices such as the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI), the Puckorius Scaling Index (PSI), the Ryznar Stability Index (RSI), and the Larson Index (LaI) are used. According to the indices described previously, all water samples are extremely corrosive to intolerably corrosive with a significant abrasion rate. The chemical composition of the fluids is also investigated in relation to the weathering processes. Sulphate has a significant negative link with chlorine and a weak correlation with bicarbonate, whereas chlorine has a moderate correlation with bicarbonate, according to multivariate analysis. Industrial usage of water samples from the study area should be limited due to the aggressive nature of the water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the complex environment of physical, chemical, and biological processes in water bodies, it is always challenging to model the water quality while dealing with nonlinear behaviour of water quality variables. To assess the surface water quality of Gwalior-Chambal region, India, this paper applies the artificial neural network (ANN) process as it has been proven an efficient process to handle the nonlinear data. During the pre- and post-monsoon season of 2021, a total 49 surface water samples in each season were collected and examined for various water quality parameters such as Turbidity, pH, Total Hardness, Total Alkalinity, Total Dissolved Solids, Chloride, SO4, NO3, PO4, DO, BOD, COD, and MPN. Noteworthy, all surface water sources were found unfit for drinking as the MPN value of all water samples was estimated more than zero with mean value of 481.88 and 239.20 for pre- and post-monsoon season, respectively. The value of ANN based water quality index (WQI) ranges from 27.79 to 103.42 and 33.78 to 96.70 for pre- and post-monsoon seasons, respectively. In order to develop a consistent and accurate ANN based WQI model, the paper applies Levenberg–Marquardt's three-layer backpropagation technique in ANN structures that contains 13 contributing neurons, nine hidden neurons, and one output variable. Computed values of performance statistics justify the accuracy of developed model over multiple linear regression model in predicting the WQI in both seasons. The developed model is also expected to be useful for other than Gwalior-Chambal region for surface water quality assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of bisphenols (BPs) has been well documented in the aquatic environment of many countries, but such studies from India are quite limited. The present work aimed to determine the occurrence of BPs in surface water (n = 96), tap water (n = 172), and packaged drinking water (n = 42) and estimate their exposure to humans. For this, a simple, sensitive, cost-effective, and green analytical chemistry method based on dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) was employed. Bisphenol A (BPA) was found as the most prevalent bisphenol (mean concentration range = 980–6470 ng/L) in all the water samples, with a % detection frequency of 17–39%. Bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol Z (BPZ) were also detected in all types of water samples. The mean estimated daily intake (EDI) for total BPs (tap water and packaged drinking water) was found to be 474.37 ng/kg b.w./day in adults and 665.65 ng/kg b.w./day in children, respectively. This indicated that the total exposure to all the detected BPs obtained for adults and children was lower than the temporary tolerable daily intake (t-TDI) recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (4 μg/kg b.w./day), thereby posing no substantial risks to humans from consuming water from the tap and/or packaged drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is a precious natural resource. In this densely populated country, most of the areas are facing groundwater scarcity. Now, it is very challenging and also important to evaluate the aquifer and set mitigation, management strategy to provide a safe drinking water demand in this present Holocene time. Tantaria watershed of Bemetara district has been considered as study area because of its down going trend of water table and increasing trend of SO4 concentration in groundwater. To manage and set mitigation strategy for this problem, numerical groundwater modeling software GMS has been used. Water level and water sample have been collected from six different places of the study area and water sample have been tested in laboratory; the concentration of SO4 in three wells (Well No. 2, 3 and 4) are more than the acceptable limit. Hydrological data, empirical values and equations are used for the development of the groundwater transient flow-transport model, water budget estimation and to know the impact of over pumping by the help of MODFLOW & MT3D. The developed model is calibrated by matching computed and observed data with a fair level of accuracy. The study shows that the area is under threat with present rate of water extraction i.e., depletion of water table and rise of SO4 concentration. If this condition will proceed then water table of this area will deplete 2–2.5 m till 2022. So to mitigate this future out coming there is a need to reduce the pumping rate 20% than the present time which is deduced from the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally growing demand for agricultural and farm foods has more or less become dependent on chemical pesticides to maintain the supply chain, which undoubtedly boosts agricultural production. However, pesticides not only impact the target pests but cause hazard to human health. Pesticides are ubiquitous and can be found in almost every component of the environment. They can therefore impair human and biota health when present over the threshold level. The present study assessed the concentration of commonly used pesticides for agricultural purposes but get mixed in different sources of water, as such fifteen sampling sites along the upper Jhelum basin of Kashmir valley were chosen. For the analysis, 60 water samples were obtained from different water sources. Gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used to determine pesticide residues in water samples. Pesticide residues from 10 of the 26 commonly used pesticides were detected in water samples. Difenoconazole had the highest concentration among the pesticides detected, with a mean concentration of 0.412 ± 0.424 μg/L ranging from 0.0 μg/L to 0.8196 μg/L. The target hazards quotient (THQ) was used to quantify the possible noncarcinogenic health risks associated with drinking pesticide-contaminated water. Only chlorpyrifos and quinalphos were detected >1 in RWS3 (1.6571), RWS4 (1.0285), RWS14 (1.2571), and RWS15 (1.2000) sample sites, implying that the drinking water poses a health risk to humans. Hence, pesticide hazards should be mitigated and rigorous monitoring is needed to reduce pesticide residues in drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study makes an attempt to mainly design to analyze the impact of fluoride in plain tropical central India and affecting health conditions of the school children. Fluoride naturally, a toxic material for the human beings but its more concentration in the body due to anthropogenic activities increases the risk of more dangerous outcomes. We utilized ionic concentration, hydrochemistry, fluoride content and health risk assessed from the different collected water samples in the month of June, 2017. This study shows the concentration of fluoride content in water sample ranged from 0.08-2.4 mg/l (mean = 0.6 mg/l) and had positive relation with the pH (r= 0.49), HCO3 - (r= 0.29) and Naþ (r = 0.20). Few, 9.18% water sample out of total collected samples were exceeding the permissible limit (> 1.5 mg/l) of fluoride content in groundwater which was not suitable for drinking purpose due to the heavy loading of fluoride content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AMS experiments were conducted to use 129I as a tracer of the outspread of nuclear pollution from the 2011 Fukushima Nuclear Accident over India, China and the Arabian Sea. Water samples were collected repetitively between 2016 and 2020. Seawater samples from Shanghai and from Disneyland Hong Kong had low iodine concentrations of 1.4 × 107 atoms/L. However, the India big rivers and the Arabian Sea, have about one order of magnitude higher iodine concentrations on average 2.3 × 108 atoms/L. The values of the 129I tracer concentrations decrease towards south-west direction in the Arabian Sea and is reduced for rivers in the Himalayan region close to Tibet. At Muscat and Salalah, located on the Oman coast, the measured concentration in water samples were on average 2.2 × 107 atoms/L. The enhanced concentation of the 129I tracer in India is likely produced by internal pollution sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrosion in the distribution network pipe can lead to pipe failure and water quality problems. This study assesses the corrosion or scaling potential based on the Water Quality Index (WQI) of drinking water in the distribution networks of Patna, Bihar, India. The water samples were collected from 18 points of the distribution network. In situ parameters like temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, and TDS were measured. Other parameters such as Alkalinity, Total hardness, Calcium, Magnesium, Chloride, Residual chlorine, Sulfate, Nitrate, and Dissolved oxygen were examined in the laboratory. Corrosiveness indicators, such as the Langelier saturation index (LSI), Ryznar stability index (RSI), Puckorius scaling index (PSI), Larson-Skold index (Ls), and Aggressive index (AI) are being used for water sample corrosion prediction. Experimental Corrosion rate (CR) is analyzed to show the actual prediction of corrosion. WQI was calculated to observe the effect of water quality on Corrosiveness indices and CR. A general conclusion was reached that LSI concludes 66.67% corrosive, 22.22% scaling, and 11.11% neutral, RSI concludes 88.88% corrosive, 5.56% scaling, and 5.56% neutral, PSI indicates 38.88% corrosive, 5.56% scaling, and 55.56% neutral, Ls indicates 94.44% scaling, and 5.56% corrosive, AI indicates 77.78% corrosive, and only 22.22% scaling. The average Experimental Corrosion rate is found at 1.91 mils per year. In this study, a weak correlation (r = 0.35) between Corrosion rate and WQI has been observed. A weak correlation is also observed between corrosion rate and corrosiveness indices (r < 0.5). It is concluded that the Corrosiveness Indices fail to represent the actual behavior of water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study describes a new dataset that estimates seasonally integrated agricultural gross primary productivity (GPP). Several models are being used to estimate GPP using remote sensing (RS) for regional and global studies. Using biophysical and climatic variables (MODIS, SBSS, ECWMF reanalysis etc.) and validated by crop statistics, the present study provides a new dataset of agricultural GPP for monsoon and winter seasons in India for two decades (2001–2019). This dataset (GPPCY-IN) is based on the light use efficiency (LUE) principle and applied a dynamic LUE for each year and season to capture the seasonal variations more efficiently. An additional dataset (NGPPCY-IN) is also derived from crop production statistics and RS GPP to translate district-level statistics at the pixel level. Along with validation with crop statistics, the derived dataset was also compared with in situ GPP estimations. This dataset will be useful for many applications and has been created for estimating integrated yield loss by taking GPP as a proxy compared to resource and time-consuming field-based methods for crop insurance. Measurement(s) gross primary productivity Technology Type(s) remote sensing Factor Type(s) vegetation, radiation, water Sample Characteristic - Organism vegetation Sample Characteristic - Location India [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive studies were carried out during the period 2016–19 on the estimation of site-specific wet and dry deposition velocities and the mass interception factor for Narora site based on the concentrations of 7Be in air, air deposits, rain water and vegetation samples. Mean wet and dry deposition velocities for Narora site were found to be 1.64E-2 and 1.58E-3 m s−1, respectively. Mass interception factors for vegetation found to be 0.34–2.51 m2 kg−1 dry weight with a mean of 0.97 m2 kg−1 dry weight. The obtained parameters shall be used for estimation of impact due to radionuclide related to Narora Atomic Power station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains are considered the most common food-borne zoonotic pathogen and are highly pathogenic to humans in low infectious doses, causing food-borne diseases through consumption of contaminated water or food. Resistance against antibiotics by STEC is a big concern nowadays. Two hundred farm water samples (Cattle-40, Buffaloes-40, Sheep-30, Goat-20, Pig-20 and poultry-50) were collected aseptically from different livestock farms in and around Proddatur, Andhra Pradesh, India and Processed for E. coli isolation, identification with culture method and molecular characterization by PCR. E. coli was characterized as STEC with two genes i.e. stx1 and stx2. All the STEC isolates were subjected to an antibiotic sensitivity test by disc diffusion method against ten antibiotics. Results showed that out of 200 farm water samples, 196 were positive for E. coli with an overall prevalence of 98% (196/200) and 62.2% (122/196) for STEC by PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility test by disc diffusion method against ten antibiotics revealed the higher resistance to Cepahlothin (100%) followed by Tetracyclin (98.4%), Ampicillin (96.7%), Streptomycin (95%), Sulphonamides (91.8%), Trimethoprim (84.4%), Kanamycin (34.4%), Chloromphenicol (17.2%), Colistin (9.0%) and least resistance to Gentamycin (4.9%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Typhoid fever is endemic in India. There have been various outbreaks of typhoid fever reported from different parts of India. Considering the outbreak potential of typhoid, the present study was undertaken wherein an outbreak of typhoid occurred in a city in northern India. Methodology: The study design used was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Detailed information was obtained from each reported case. Active case finding surveys were conducted. Case definitions for suspect, probable, and confirmed case taken for our study, have already been validated by the World health organisation (WHO). All patients were subjected to requisite investigations. A sanitary survey was carried out to locate defects in water supply and sewage disposal. Record of bacteriological survey of water samples from the area was scrutinized. Descriptive epidemiology of cases was carried out. Results: Attack rate was 16.1% and 17.4% among men and women, respectively. Fever was present in 52 (69.3%) cases. The epidemic curve displayed a sudden peak and an abrupt fall of cases. This is suggestive of a common point source outbreak. There were no fatalities. Sanitary survey teams found a sewage leak in the locality where maximum cases were reported. Lab reports tested positive for salmonella species in water. The outbreak was promptly controlled after repair of the leaking sewage pipeline; and provision of alternative source of water supply. Conclusion: This study reemphasises the requirement of a basic public health measure and infrastructure, that is, water quality monitoring by concerned authorities to break the chain of transmission of typhoid fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable attention has focused on tactics firms use when building their sustainability platforms. Less is known, however, about how sustainability goal setting varies globally, especially in developing economies. Accordingly, we examined sustainability goals of 21 of the 50 largest Indian firms and compared them with similar data from a published study that examined 22 of the 50 largest U.S. firms. In total, 679 sustainability goals were analyzed using a triple bottom line framework. We found U.S. firms set more sustainability goals than Indian firms. Firms from both samples set similar numbers of people goals but U.S. firms set more diversity goals. Indian firms were more inclined to set economic and community development goals. We also detected differences across the samples in planet goals associated with emissions and water. Especially significant, Indian firms were much more likely than U.S. firms to specify profit goals. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study aimed (1) to assess fluoride concentration of groundwater along the Swarna river basin in Udupi District; (2) to investigate variations in fluoride concentration with respect to rainfall status in Udupi district; and (3) to develop a spatial distribution map for the groundwater fluoride concentration in Udupi district. Materials and Methods: Water samples were procured from 30 different sampling points across three time zones in a year: pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon. The samples thus collected were analyzed for fluoride ion concentration using fluoride ion selective electrodes (Orion™). Mean determination readings at each time zone were calculated. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was done to analyze whether there was a difference in the concentration of fluoride over different time zones. Results: The mean (SD) pre-monsoon concentration was 0.25 (± 0.07) ppm, whereas the mean monsoon and post-monsoon concentrations were 0.26 (± 0.09) and 0.57 (± 0.23) ppm, respectively. There was a significant increase in post-monsoon fluoride levels when compared with the pre-monsoon and monsoon levels. Conclusion: The groundwater fluoride concentration in the Swarna river basin was found acceptable for human consumption at all the sampled sites and across all time zones. As the fluoride concentration was found to be lower than the recommended values for dental caries prevention at most of the sampling sites, use of topical fluorides needs to be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is aimed to examine the water quality of the Godavari River at Rajahmundry A.P., India. Water samples from Kotillingala Revu, Kovur Godavari river bridge, Saraswati Ghat, Dowleswaram, Pushkar Ghat were collected and analysed for pH, Electrical conductivity, Total hardness, TDS, DO, BOD, COD, Nitrates. The concentration of six heavy metals were analysed quantitatively using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water samples collected from various locations in Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh (AP), India were analysed for quality parameters, namely reaction (pH), salinity, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+; CO- 3 2, HCO-3, Cl- and SO4-2. The pH fell in the range 6.5-8.1, electrical conductivity (EC) from 0.4 to 11.1 (dS m-1), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) from 0.4 to 41.2 (mmol l-1)1/2 and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) from -52.4 to 16.2 (meq l-1). The presence of positively charged ions, namely calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium varied from 0.4 to 46.0, 1.2 to 16.4, 0.76 to 60.1 and 0.002 to 11.78 meq l-1 respectively. The concentration of bicarbonates, chlorides and sulphates varied from 0 to 2.0, 1.0 to 17.6, 0.4 to 76.0 and 0.3 to 14.8 me l-1 respectively. The dominance of ions for majority of the samples was Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg+2 > K+ for positively charged ions and HCO-3 > Cl- > SO4-2 > CO-3 for negatively charged ions. According to classification of irrigation water by the Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India, 53.18% water samples is good, 21.88% marginally saline, 0.3% saline, 4.56% high SAR saline, 6.69% marginally alkaline, 7.90% alkaline and 5.47% highly alkaline. Spatial variability of pH, EC, SAR, RSC and groundwater quality in Kadapa district, AP was demonstrated using GIS maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Outbreaks of acute watery diarrhoea are common in developing countries having poor access to safe drinking water and sanitation. An outbreak of acute watery diarrhoea in a village in North India was investigated with the aim to initiate and recommend necessary actions to control it. Methodology: A house to house survey using a specially designed case record form was conducted covering all the households. Stool samples of some of the affected individuals and twenty water samples during and after the outbreak from various sites were collected for laboratory analysis. Results: Out of 624 inhabitants surveyed, 118 were found to be suffering from acute watery diarrhoea (Overall attack rate of 18.9%) with two suspected deaths following diarrhoea. Males and females were affected equally and the age group of 15-44 years was affected predominantly. A peculiar epidemic curve with single peak was noted. One of the stool samples collected during the outbreak grew Vibrio Cholera O1(Ogawa) and twelve out of the twenty water samples including the samples from both the tube wells had high coliform counts indicating fecal contamination. Chlorine levels in all the water samples were found to be inadequate. Conclusions: Local cultural practices such as indiscriminate defecation in public places, using tullu pumps to extract water from the public supply line, poor engineering design and maintenance of the water supply system having leakages at many sites along with inadequate chlorination of the supply water from the tube wells were the risk factors that could have contributed to this outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foldscope Instruments, Inc. creates and distributes low-cost, high-quality scientific tools to communities around the world to help advance education, research, and medical diagnostics. The Foldscope—a high-quality microscope created for less than a dollar in parts—was created in 2015. To date, the Foldscope has reached 1.6 million people worldwide in over 160 countries. A few notable uses for the Foldscope include identification of microscopic eggs of agricultural pests in India, creation of a catalog of the biodiversity of soil arthropods in the Amazon, detection of fake currency and medicine, following toxic blooms, detection of bacteria in water samples, and mapping of pollen diversity in a city landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentrations of 226Ra and 222Rn were measured in ground water samples of Davanagere district, Karnataka state, India using emanometry technique. Activity of 226Ra and 222Rn in groundwater varied from 15.6 ± 3 to 68.9 ± 5 mBql−1 and 37 ± 4 to 245 ± 8 Bql−1 respectively. More than 53% of the water samples showed higher radon concentration compare to standard safe limit of 100 Bql−1 prescribed by WHO. Effective dose to the public due to 222Rn in water was found to vary from 0.15 to 1.00 mSvy−1 with an average of 0.49 mSvy−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the variation of natural radioactivity in soil and water samples of Tehri Garhwal district of Garhwal Himalaya. The soil and water samples collected from different locations were studied and analyzed using Gamma ray spectrometry and Laser Fluoremetry techniques, respectively. The activity concentrations 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the soil samples were found to vary 31 ± 6 to 67 ± 7 Bq kg−1 with an average 46 Bq kg−1, 38 ± 7 to 86 ± 10 Bq kg−1 with an average of 52 Bq kg−1 and 612 ± 120 to 1277 ± 168 Bq kg−1 with an average of 902 Bq kg−1, respectively. Uranium concentration in water samples was found to vary from BDL to 2 ppb with an average 0.6 ppb. The above measured values uranium in drinking water ware also be compare the uranium concentrations in drinking water in Ukimath area. The measured values of activity concentrations in the soil and water samples were found within permissible limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viral processes in the coastal and offshore regions of the Eastern Arabian Sea (west coast of India) and their contribution of viral lysis to the organic carbon and nitrogen pool was examined. Water samples were collected during the southwest monsoon season at different depths (up to 1000 m) from four transects, with each transect consisting of two sampling points (S1–S8). Abundances of viruses and prokaryotes together with viral mediated prokaryotic mortality (up to 49.7%) were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in eutrophic coastal stations, whereas high percent lysogeny (up to 93%) was observed in the offshore regions. High viral-mediated carbon (Mean ± SD = 67.47 ± 2.0 μM C L−1 d−1) and nitrogen (Mean ± SD = 13.49 ± 14.0 μM N L−1 d−1) release was evident in the surface coastal waters compared to offshore regions. The percentage contributions of carbon and nitrogen released by viral lysis to the total dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen pool were estimated to be 7.4% and 3.9%, respectively, in the coastal surface waters. Our findings suggest that the contribution of viral lysis to DOM production through viral shunt could be crucial for the cycling of major biogeochemical elements and functioning of the studied tropical ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study highlights that seasonal salinity variability plays a significant role in meiobenthic distribution with special reference to nematode assemblages. Sediment and water samples were collected from Pulicat Lake, a hypersaline lake along the southeast coast of India during two seasons (Southwest Monsoon (SWM) and Northeast Monsoon (NEM)). Based on the salinity distribution, the lake is categorized into four regions, viz., southern inlet, central region, middle inlet, and northern inlet. Meiobenthic abundance was higher during SWM (226–12,206 Ind/10 cm2) than in NEM (640–10,424 Ind/10 cm2). The meiofaunal abundance was high in the central region during both the seasons, followed by the southern, northern, and middle inlet. The nematode was the dominant meiobenthic group, followed by copepod, polychaete, and foraminifera. Due to high organic matter, the central region was dominated by deposit feeding nematode species like Halalaimus longicaudatus and Terschellingia longicaudata. The southern and northern regions were dominated by free-living nematodes Rhabditis olitoria, Mesorhabditis capitata, Mononochus bastian, Paramononchus sp., Piranchulus sp., and Diploscapter cylindricus. Oncholaimus sp., a hypersaline indicator species, was reported from the middle inlet location. Statistical analysis suggests salinity as a critical parameter for the distribution and diversity of nematodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mud banks and upwelling are two important oceanographic features occurring along the southwest coast of India during the southwest monsoon period. The study region, Alappuzha lying on the southwest coast of India, is unique due to the co-existence of upwelling and mud banks during the monsoon (MON) season. Water samples were collected from three stations, M1, M2, and M3, from April to September 2014, at weekly/biweekly intervals to determine the total bacterial abundance, viable prokaryotic counts, and total plate counts, along with measurements on physico-chemical parameters. For determining the heterotrophic culturable bacterial diversity, water samples were collected during two seasons, monsoon and pre-monsoon (PRM), from three stations. Water samples were inoculated into two non-selective broths for enrichment, DNA was extracted, and next-generation sequencing analysis was performed using Illumina Miseq sequencing. The sequence analysis revealed that dominant communities were Proteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes and Fusobacteria. Proportions of Fusobacteria increased during monsoon and proportions of Firmicutes were high in premonsoon season. Among Proteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteri is presented more than 99% of all the classes, irrespective of seasons. Vibrio was the most dominant genus during both seasons. The presence of anaerobic genera such as Propionigenium and Cetobacterium at all the stations during MON indicated the presence of upwelled waters. The genus Stenotrophomonas was observed in the M2 station alone. This study provides an overview of the culturable heterotrophic bacterial communities in a region in the southeastern Arabian Sea with coexisting mud banks and upwelling. The results of this study were compared with a published report on culture-independent bacterial diversity (from environmental DNA) from the same region. The study demonstrates that the use of culture media underrepresented the phylogenetic diversity and selectively enriched the class Gammaproteobacteria alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maan stream is a perennial stream with 40 KM length and 183.5 sq. KM catchment area. It is located at 31° 45.708N; 76° 20.532 E in district Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India. Physico-chemical parameters of the water samples collected from this stream on monthly intervals were studied during July 2020 to June 2021. The water sample were collected from six sampling stations and analyzed for Temperature, Transparency, pH, Electrical conductivity, Total dissolved solids, Total hardness, Mg hardness, Ca hardness, Alkalinity, Chlorides, free CO2, Phosphate, Nitrate, Silicate, Iron, Dissolved oxygen(DO) and Biological Oxygen Demand(BOD). Results on seasonal basis- summer, winter and monsoon seasons were compiled and compared. The mean values and standard deviations of all physico-chemical parameters were recorded. These parameters were compared with the standard permissible limits prescribed by BIS (2012). Most of the studied parameters were within the permissible limit except pH, alkalinity and calcium hardness at some sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]