Search

Microplastics are considered to be ubiquitous and widespread emerging contaminants. They are persistent in the nature and pose considerable harm to the environment. Their omnipresence is documented in almost all aquatic habitats, several atmospheric and terrestrial environments, and also in human consumables. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the environmental prevalence of the microplastics in all environmental compartments, and their possible adverse impacts. It also presents review of the studies conducted in India and the epitome of potential mitigation measures. The need and direction of future research are highlighted. The review will help in determining the exposure levels, environmental consequences, and risk estimations, and will guide the researchers and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parabens ( p -hydroxy benzoic acid esters) are antimicrobial agents, used widely as preservatives in personal care products (PCPs), pharmaceuticals, foods, and beverages. PCPs that contain parabens are a major source of these chemicals in sewage treatment plants (STPs). Very few studies have demonstrated the occurrence of parabens in wastewater. In this study, the occurrence and fate of six parabens, methyl-(MeP), ethyl-(EtP), propyl-(PrP), butyl-(BuP), hepty-(HpP) and benzyl-(BzP) parabens, and five of their metabolites (4-HB, 3,4-DHB, OH-MeP, OH-EtP and BA) were studied in five STPs in India. The concentrations of parent parabens (∑ 6 parent parabens) in five STPs ranged between 131 and 920 ng/L in influent; 16 and 67 ng/L in effluent; and 104 and 1090 ng/g, dry weight, in sludge samples. The sum concentrations of five paraben metabolites (∑ 5 paraben metabolites) in five STPs ranged between 4110 and 34,600 ng/L in influent; 2560 and 3800 ng/L in effluent; and 1220 and 35,900 ng/g, dry weight, in sludge samples. These values were higher than those reported for many industrialized countries. We calculated the mass loadings, removal efficiencies, and environmental emissions of parabens based on the measured concentrations in influents, effluents, and sludge. The mean removal efficiencies of parent parabens and their metabolites ranged from 80% to 100% and 28% to 76%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A widespread belief in India is that at birth a deity comes to write the destiny of the newborn child on its forehead. Like the well-known concept of karma, the motif of headwriting expresses that one must bear one's fate since no amount of effort can alter it. And yet folktales that use this motif often show that one's destiny may be fulfilled in surprising ways. This article examines five instances of the outwitting fate tale type that use the motif of headwriting to argue that these tales contest the deterministic world view supported by karma ideology by rejecting ascribed identities and advocating the use of wit, courage, and, significantly, trade to transform a miserable fate into a good one. I further argue that these values can be identified with upwardly mobile low-caste trading communities who may have been the "authors" or primary bearers of these folktales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male and female residents of seven slums in New Delhi, India, four slums in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and four slums in Islamabad, Pakistan, were interviewed about their reasons for migrating to and their satisfaction with their city. Although the single most commonly reported reason for moving was in search of work, significant proportions of migrants gave multiple reasons, and, particularly in Dhaka and Islamabad, many respondents partly attributed their move to fate. Results suggested that the attribution to fate was not due to either religion or poverty, but was related to perceived personal control. More generally, the reasons that respondents gave for migrating to the city were significantly related to their mental and physical health, to their ratings of their home and the city environment, and to their satisfaction with the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hooghly River (HR), the other name used for the lower stretch of River Ganga, is a prime freshwater source in the eastern part of India. However HR has been evidenced with a variety of emerging organic pollutants (EOPs) in the recent past. Given the extensive use of plasticizers and additive in plastic products, we have investigated seven plasticizers and bisphenol A (BPA) in the surface and storm-water of HR up to the tip of the Bay of Bengal. Further using a previously published sediment data we have estimated the fluxes for the aforementioned EOPs. Surface water and storm-water concentrations of seven plasticizers varied between 92.62 and 770 ng/L (176.1 ± 104.8; Avg ± SD) and 120.9–781.5 ng/L (355.2 ± 232.5), respectively. BPA varied between 43 and 8800 ng/L (658.3 ng/L ± 1760) and 117.9–2147 ng/L (459.3 ± 620.2) in surface and storm-water, respectively. With the increase in salinity, a decreasing trend for bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was evidenced. However, concentration of BPA increased with the increase in salinity. Significant and strong correlation between DEHP and BPA (R2 = 0.6; p < 0.01) in the suburban corridor might have resulted from sludge disposal of the scrap recycling activities. Using site-specific principal component analysis, unregulated disposal of plastic waste, particularly from such industrial belts and tourist spots were identified as the possible point sources for plasticizers and BPA in this region. Net diffusive flux based on fugacity fraction showed a trend depending on the pollutant's aqueous solubility and partition coefficient. However, transfer tendency from water to sediment was noticed in the sites having point source. Estimated ecotoxicological risk posed by BPA was higher for edible fishes and for lower order organisms, PAEs was the major contributor. [Display omitted] • Geo-mean concentrations of plasticizers were had 2–5 fold higher in riverine region than estuarine region. • Plastic debris in tourist spots is a possible source of BPA in Hooghly River. • Industrial sludge was identified as a point source for DEHP in Howrah district. • Sediment can act as a sink for DEHP and secondary source for BPA, DEP and DnBP. Occurrence and eco-toxicological risk assessment of emerging organic pollutants in the lower stretch of Ganges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occurrence of 15 different pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) (ibuprofen, diclofenac, ketoprofen, acetaminophen, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, amoxicillin, ofloxacin, tetracycline, metoprolol, triclosan, salicylic acid, N, N diethyl-meta-toluamide, caffeine and β-Estradiol) belongs to eight different classes in an urban stretch of River Ganges were detected for three seasons in two holy cities Rishikesh and Haridwar (India). The overall concentration of PPCPs in the River Ganges ranged between Below Detectable Limit (BDL) to 1104.84 ng/L, with higher concentrations at anthropogenically influenced lower reaches of the River Ganges at Haridwar. Acetaminophen, triclosan, N, N diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), tetracycline, and caffeine showed the highest detection frequency (>90-100%) in the river. PPCPs concentration, especially for NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, ketoprofen and acetaminophen), antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, tetracycline and ofloxacin) and metabolite (salicylic acid) was found to be higher in winter compared to summer in the Ganges, possibly due to the lower biodegradation efficiency related to lesser temperatures and inadequate sunlight. While metoprolol (beta-blockers), triclosan (antibacterial), DEET (insect repellent) and caffeine (human indicator) showed a higher load in summer, possibly due to their intense uses during this period. Results of risk quiescent (RQ) revealed higher ecological risk for algae while the moderate risk for river fish biota., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)