Search

In the current study, 62 groundwater samples were collected (31 each in premonsoon and postmonsoon seasons) and analyzed for various physicochemical parameters and trace metals in the Trans-Varuna region, Uttar Pradesh. From the cationic fields of piper chart, it is viewed that 78% and 81% samples in premonsoon and postmonsoon, respectively, fall in no dominance type, while all the samples in postmonsoon and 97% samples in premonsoon fall in bicarbonate type in anionic facies. The Ca/Mg ratio with an average of 1.44 and 1.15 in pre-monsoon and post-monsoon correspondingly points out that carbonate dissolution is the leading cause of Ca in the Trans-Varuna region. A plot between [(Na + K) − Cl] and [(Ca + Mg) − (HCO3 − SO4)] suggests that ion exchange also add ions in the groundwater. According to the Gibbs plot, the hydrogeochemistry of samples signifies that most of the samples are from rock dominance. Saturation indices point out that the groundwater of the Trans-Varuna region is saturated with chalcedony, goethite, hematite, and quartz and undersaturated with reference to anhydrite, aragonite, gypsum, halite, and fluorite. 36% sample in premonsoon and 52% samples in postmonsoon shows high NO3 concentration which is above the WHO standard for drinking purpose. In terms of Fe, 74% of samples are beyond the permissible limit of WHO. Various indices to estimate the aptness of groundwater for agricultural function indicate that most of the samples in both the seasons are safe of farming uses. Chronic daily intake values show that infants and children of the investigative region are very vulnerable to nitrate contamination. Target health quotient of heavy metals was established in the sequence of Pb > Zn > Mn > Fe > Ni > Cu.

The current study intended to assess the hydrogeochemical processes and groundwater quality along with the identification of associated health risk by consuming the groundwater in the local population by collecting 70 groundwater samples for premonsoon and postmonsoon in the year 2015. Gibbs plot nominated that majority of the sample of Bhadohi is from rock dominance. The Ca/Mg ratio signifies that carbonate dissolution is the principal reason for Ca in the Bhadohi environs. Relatively high Na/Cl (> 1), K/Cl (> 0.02) and SO4/Cl (> 0.09) ratios are accredited to the influence of textile effluents on the groundwater. 45% sample in postmonsoon and 40% samples in premonsoon demonstrate high NO3 values which is exceeding the WHO standard for human drinking. Chronic daily intake (CDI) value demonstrates that the residents of the study region are at risk of nitrate contamination originated health hazards. About 48.5% of groundwater samples show a high concentration of iron. The HPI profile shows that 32% of the sample has high HPI values, 17% of the sample has a medium range of HPI, and 51% of the sample has a low value of HPI. Target health quotient values of trace metals in groundwater were in the order of Pb > Mn > Cr > Cd > Cu > Fe > Zn > Ni. The groundwater of the investigative area is fine for irrigation.

The unplanned Bhalswa landfill is located in one of the most urbanized area of Delhi, and its influence on the huge population are inevitable in the capital city of India lying in flood plain of the Yamuna River, and its alluvial lithology makes it more susceptible to contamination by leaching of pollutants. The present study highlights to assess the impact of non-engineered Bhalswa landfill site on the groundwater quality and associated potential health risk by its consumption to local residents of New Delhi, by collecting four leachate and sixty groundwater samples for pre- and post-monsoon seasons in the year 2013. The contamination potential of the leachate samples and the groundwater quality were evaluated with the help of leachate pollution index (LPI) and water quality index (WQI), respectively. The value of LPI is high in both the seasons but more in pre-monsoon (31.51) as compared to post-monsoon (29.36). The Obtained results of groundwater samples showed elevated level of Electrical conductivity (EC), major cations and anions. The EC of groundwater samples display concentration as follows: (pre-monsoon, 456–10870, average 3772; post-monsoon, 465–10450, average 3747). The groundwater samples close to the Bhalswa landfill shows very high value of EC and other chemical parameters. WQI calculated (using 17 physico-chemical parameters and WHO standards) to distinguish the areas of excellent and unsuitable for drinking purposes which will be helpful for the management of water resources. Our results showed that the concentration of majority of heavy metals exceed the WHO permissible limit except Cr and Cu which may be due to redox conditions that control the mobility of these ions in aqueous solutions. The average target hazard quotient (THQ) value of heavy metals were found in the order of Cd > Mn > Pb > Cu > Ni > Fe > Zn > Cr in both the seasons. The tube wells with more than one THQ value for Cd (100%), Mn (63%) and Pb (37%) will have potential human health risks. Hazard index (HI) shows greater than one value for all the samples and the average HI values are 10.241 for pre- and 10.402 for post-monsoon season. THQ and HI values suggest that the residents are highly susceptible to ingestion pathway. A conceptual model is used to describe the dispersal of leachate pollutants with reference to various kinds of geo-environmental features which degrades the groundwater quality. The health risk associated with metals in near future can be a serious threat for this region if this groundwater is being used for long run without proper remedial measures.

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are directly linked with various kinds of adverse health issues. Available reports related to symptoms of mercury contamination in the local population of the study region motivated us to carry out this work in detail. To estimate potentially toxic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) contamination status, a total of 48 samples of soilroad dust from industrial clusters were collected and analyzed for source identification and human health risk assessment in the Sonbhadra region of Uttar Pradesh, India. As per upper continental crust (UCC) for soil and road dust, the highest increment of As value in Obra and Hg value in Anpara was observed. The value of Hg exceeded the background value by 6.5 and 12.25 times in soil and 5 and 11.5 times in road dust of Obra and Anpara clusters, respectively. Contamination factor (CF) and Enrichment factor (EF) value in soil and road dust showed very strong contamination and significant enrichment of Hg whereas moderate contamination and moderate enrichment of As were observed in both the clusters. The hazard quotient (HQ) value of potentially toxic elements in soil and road dust of Obra and Anpara were found1 for three pathways in adults and children, except Fe for ingestion pathway for children in both clusters. The HQ value for adults was observed to be low compared to children. Cancer risk associated with potentially toxic elements in soil and road dust for both clusters were found safe (under the guideline 10

Warming of the earth is considered as the major adverse effect of climate change along with other abnormalities such as non-availability of water resources, decreased agriculture production, food security, rise in seawater level, glaciers melting, and loss of biodiversity. Over the years, decreased agriculture production and water quality degradation have been observed due to climatic abnormalities. Crop production is highly sensitive to climate. It gets affected by long-term trends in average rainfall and temperature, annual climate variations, shocks during different stages of growth, and extreme weather events. Globally, the areas sown for the major crops of barley, maize, rice, sorghum, soya bean, and wheat have all seen an increase in the percentage of area affected by drought as defined in terms of the Palmer Drought Severity Index since the 1960s, from approximately 5-10% to approximately 15-25%. Increase in temperature will be observed in terms of wheat yield losses - 5.5 ± 4.4% per degree Celsius for the United States, - 9.1 ± 5.4% per degree Celsius for India, and - 7.8 ± 6.3% per degree Celsius for Russia as these countries are more vulnerable to temperature increase. Water management through increasing storage capacity (or rainwater storage), fair policies for water supply and distribution, river health, and watershed management can reduce the negative effects of climate change on water resource availability. Similarly, climate change-resistant crop development, water management in irrigation, adapting climate-smart agriculture approach, and promoting indigenous knowledge can ensure the food security via increasing agricultural yield. Technical intervention can equip the farmers with the scientific analyses of the climatic parameters required for the sustainable agriculture management. These technologies may include application of software, nutrient management, water management practices, instruments for temperature measurement and soil health analysis etc. Holistic efforts of the stakeholders (farmers, local society, academia, scientists, policy makers, NGOs etc.) can provide better results to reduce the risks of climate change on agriculture and water resources as discussed in this paper. Graphical abstract.

This study intended at the recognition of hydrogeochemical processes and groundwater excellence by applying different quality indices for intake and farming functions. Thirty groundwater samples were taken from the Keonjhar city, Odisha, and different hydrogeochemical parameters were analyzed to understand groundwater excellence. In the current work, cation chemistry shows the sequence of Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ and anions chemistry HCO3−>Cl−>SO42−>NO3. Gibbs plot indicates that groundwater samples are found in rock dominance. Different ratios of the major ions indicate that silicate weathering and anthropogenic activities were the major sources of ions in the groundwater. Factor examination also validates that both natural and anthropogenic actions are contributing ion in the aquifer. Based on diverse indices used for agriculture purpose, the greater part of the groundwater in the investigative region is appropriate for farming function. Groundwater quality is a dynamic process and subject to seasonal and spatial changes, so continuous assessment and monitoring is required. This study provides the severity of NO3 contamination in the study area as 40% of samples show the values more than the permissible limit. So, proper remediation measures are required prior to consumption of groundwater.

The release of various inorganic and organic chemicals from various industries such as petrochemicals, textiles, pharmaceuticals, agro-based industries, and tanneries is highly toxic to the environment and human health. Several processes and technologies such as physical, chemical, and advanced oxidation processes are available for treatment of these pollutants. However, these processes and technologies have their own limitations and the end products are also of toxic nature. Therefore, there is a need for identifying and exploring sustainable and eco-friendly methods which require a lesser amount of chemicals, are economically feasible, and produce nontoxic end products. The bioremediation approaches to clean up environmental pollutants are considered as emerging and sustainable methods recently. Bioremediation process is based on an integrated approach employing microbial communities such as actinomycetes, bacteria, fungi, and earthworms. It is considered as a sustainable process for management of organic pollutants-rich solid wastes and wastewater. Many microorganisms metabolize toxic chemicals to produce CO2 or CH4, water, and biomass. These pollutants may be enzymatically altered to metabolites that are less noxious or innocuous. Moreover, the solid residue generated in this process has been found to have a potential influence on soil macro- and micronutrients, indicating its application as organic manure. However, bioremediation technique required more research for its establishment at a larger scale with an emphasis on the environmental consequences of the end products. In this chapter, we have performed a literature survey based on biological methods for the management of organic pollutants. Microbes responsible for degradation processes have also been presented in the later part of the chapter. In this chapter, a thorough understanding of the bioremediation processes and methods applied for abatement and remediation of organic pollutants has been described in detail.

In the current study, an effort was made to assess the geochemistry of groundwater by random collection of the samples from 15 different borewells located in various parts of Varanasi City, Uttar Pradesh, India. Geology of the study region is dominated by Quaternary alluvial sediments of Pleistocene to recent times where the younger alluvium receives fresh deposits of silt, clay and loam from periodic flood events. Ca–Mg–HCO3was inferred as major hydrogeochemical facies from Piper trilinear diagram. Ca–Mg type and HCO3 − type were the dominating cation and anion facies, respectively. Hydrogeochemistry reveals that the cation abundance follows the order Na+> Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+ and anion abundance HCO3 − > Cl− > NO3 − > SO4 2− > F−. As per Gibb’s plot, chemical weathering of rock minerals is affecting the quality of groundwater. Overall, most of the samples for majority of parameters lie within the allowable limits as set by WHO (guideline for drinking water quality, fourth edn, WHO, Geneva, p 340, 2004) except nitrate, which varied in the range of 40.32–78.97 mg/l. 80% of the groundwater samples in which nitrate exceeded beyond acceptable limit (50 mg/l), as per WHO standard, which may be due to poor sewerage, human excreta leakage from septic tanks, poorly maintained disposal of solid waste locally, agricultural activities, wastewater irrigation and irrigation runoff. The Water quality index (WQI) value of the study region depicts that 93% samples lie in the category of excellent water and 7% in good water category. Good positive correlation of NO3–Cl (r = 0.60) and Na–NO3 (r = 0.55) signifies an anthropogenic input of these ions into the subsurface water of the study region. The various indices such as electrical conductivity (EC), salinity, percent sodium, sodium absorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), permeability index (PI), Kelly’s ratio and magnesium ratio are used to check the fitness of ground water for irrigation uses which shows that groundwater samples of the study region is good to permissible for agricultural uses.

The contamination of underground water by methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is a very serious environmental issue as its separation from the water is quite difficult because of high solubility. Limited studies have used ceria composite as a catalyst for the photo-degradation of MTBE in water samples. Therefore, photo-degradation of aqueous MTBE using synthesized pure ceria and copper oxide-ceria composite nanofiber catalyst was conducted in the present study under UV irradiation. The binary catalyst (with 0–20% Cu loading) was prepared via electrospinning method, and characterized using SEM, EDX, FTIR, XPS, BET surface area and XRD techniques. The morphology of such prepared catalyst was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), whereas, the copper loading in the composite was assured by EDX (Electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy). This experiment was performed using aqueous MTBE solution of various initial concentrations (100–400 ppm) for a time period of 2 h, and the optimization of operational parameters was done. The study showed that the maximum efficiency to degrade 100 ppm of MTBE under UV irradiation was achieved at pH 8.0 with a catalyst loading of 1 g/L following first order reaction kinetics. Thus, this composite presents a novel catalyst for effective purification of MTBE contaminated water. Similar studies using other nano-composite materials as catalyst are recommended for identifying effective methods of water purification in a simple and cost effective manner.

This study is aimed to assess the groundwater excellence within the rural areas of Sant Ravidas Nagar (Bhadohi), Uttar Pradesh, India. In the current work, estimation of groundwater excellence indices has been done to recognize the water quality for the appropriateness of groundwater resource for drinking and agricultural use. Twenty groundwater samples were collected and investigated for diverse geochemical parameters viz, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness, cations and anions. The groundwater of the study region is neutral to slightly alkaline in nature. Piper’s diagram classification shows that majority of the samples belong to CaMgHCO3 hydrochemical facies. Gibbs plot specifies that majority of samples falls in rock dominance. The water quality index shows that the entire sample is under excellent water category. On the basis of TDS, all the samples are within the range of desirable to permissible for drinking and agriculture purpose. Forty percent samples of the study region are having nitrate content more than permissible limit (>50 mg/l) which is not fine for individual use. Poor drainage, domestic waste and use of N fertilization on farming land may be the main sources of nitrate in groundwater of the study region. On the basis of different water quality indices, groundwater of the study region is fit for agricultural use.

Various industries release harmful petrochemical contaminants into the environment. To treat these petrochemical contaminants at source, different physical, chemical, and biological methods have been proposed and applied worldwide. However, physical and chemical methods have their own advantages and limitations; in this review, we majorly focused on the biodegradation of petrochemical wastes. First, a background study on the literature available in this field is presented. Second is a review of the toxic effects of petrochemical waste and various physical and chemical processes, followed by elaborate biological processes available for petrochemical waste degradation. Further, different aspects of bioremediation, such as modes, factors, limitations, and future perspectives are critically reviewed and presented. It was found that most of the studies performed on bioremediation of petrochemical waste employed bacteria for the degradation purpose. Some studies also made use of algae, fungi, yeast, gen...

Among all natural resources water is the most valuable resource existing on this planet. In present scenario, around the globe more than 0.78 billion people do not have access to safe and potable water which ultimately deteriorating their health. It is the right of every individual to have contamination free water but due to rampant urbanization, industrialization and uncontrolled population growth the pressure has been increased on existing available water resources (surface/ground water both) which leads to shrinkage of quantity and degradation of its quality. Various types of pollutants (organic and inorganic) released from different sources into the environment are increasing day by day. Conventional water pollutants include F−, NO3−, and trace heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Zn, As, Hg, etc.), while emerging water pollutants include steroids and hormones, endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), pharmaceuticals & personal care products, artificial sweetener, surfactants, etc. The existence of these cocktail of pollutants in the water resources is more dangerous, which could lead to undesirable synergistic consequences.

Water is the most crucial commodity for life support process in organism. Water is basic and mandatory need for the humans and the entire living creature on earth. Therefore, the consumption of water by human should be safe, easily accessible, adequate and free from any kind of contamination. Pollutants in water bodies pose a severe threat to human health as well as aquatic ecosystem. There are numbers of water pollutant which has been categorized into inorganic pollutants, organic pollutants, pathogens, thermal pollution, and radioactive pollutants etc. In the current review an endeavor has been made to recognize the water pollution based on biological and chemical indicator and categorize the water pollutant on the basis of different source and origin. A brief discussion on different water pollutants, their source in atmosphere and impact on environment and human health is also done in this study. In this study a concise discussion has been done on some traditional water pollutants like nutrients (NO3 and PO4), Halogen (Cl, Br and F), heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Al, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni and Hg), organic pollutants (POPs, EDS and pesticides), and microbial pollutants. Some emerging crisis related to water pollution in recent past is like microplastic, thermal pollution, radioactive pollution and suspended solids and sediments are also included in this study.

The present study assesses the pollution load of the groundwater with reference to the trace elements (i.e. As, Hg, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Co and Pb) and the potential health risk by its consumption for the residents of Obra, Renukoot and Anpara industrial clusters of Southern Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, India. For this, 220 groundwater samples were collected during post- and premonsoon seasons in 2015. pH varied from slightly acidic to alkaline in both the seasons. Geochemical analysis of the area showed that all the three clusters are severely contaminated with Fe, Pb, Cd, Cr, As and Hg during both the seasons. High concentration of heavy metals indicates that groundwater was contaminated with natural as well as anthropogenic sources. For all the three clusters, the mean values of heavy metal pollution index were found above the critical index in both the seasons with Anpara in lead. For the majority of groundwater samples across the clusters during both the seasons, substantial non-cancer health risk was observed due to target hazard quotient values of Cr, Cd, As, Pb and Hg higher than unity. The hazard index value for children was very high compared to adults which means that children are more susceptible to health impairment in terms of non-carcinogenic health risk. Carcinogenic risk was higher for adults than children in the entire study area.

Water quality of Chilika lagoon was assessed for pre- and post-monsoon seasons. A marked spatial and temporal variability in the water quality was observed in this study. Principal component analysis (PCA) reveals the influence of salinity, anthropogenic factors, as well as vegetation on the water quality. The higher concentration of nitrate (NO3−) and phosphate (PO43−) in certain pockets of the lagoon water was due to the prevalence of agricultural, municipal, and domestic waste. A positive correlation between PO43− and DSi indicates their terrigenous input from freshwater influx. Cyclone Phailin had profound impact on several water quality parameters. pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) are governed largely by the presence of macrophytes. The impact of severe cyclone Phailin can be assessed from the very low salinity values persisting in the lagoon even 2.5 months after the cyclone hit Odisha coast. Some toxic heavy metals like Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), Manganese (Mn), and Iron (Fe) exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards at many locations in both the seasons. Non-conservative behavior of nutrients indicates well mixed nature of lagoon which is also indicative of good primary productivity. Northern sector (NS) of the lagoon is susceptible to eutrophication being riverine influenced region. Southern sector has more stable ion chemistry as a result of least freshwater discharge, constant supply of saline water, and lesser water renewal.

In the present study, activated carbon-based TiO2 nanocomposites with carbon loading were synthesized by sol–gel method for photocatalytic, sonocatalytic, and sonophotocatalytic degradation of colored compound in wastewater. The prepared catalysts were characterized by Brunauer–Emmet–Teller surface area analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared analysis (FT-IR). The degradation efficiencies of the synthesized composites were determined by the degradation of Direct Blue-199 dye under three different reactors viz., photocatalytic, sonocatalytic, and sonophotocatalytic. Reaction kinetic modeling was done for these processes and the degradation rate was found maximum for sonophotocatalytic process as compared to individual ones. However, on considering the energy efficiency and degradation efficiency, photochemical reactor was found to be most economical. Therefore, for the treatment of wastewater-containing dye from industries, a photocataly...

Religious faith and ritual activities lead to significant floral offerings production and its disposal as waste to the nearby open lands and water bodies. These activities result into various social and environmental nuisances because of their high organic content. Alternatively, it can be used as valuable resources for various biochemical and thermo-chemical processes. Floral refuse has been utilized in natural dye extraction, however, the residual solid refuse is of significant environmental concern due to its nutrient rich nature. This study explores the potential utilization of solid residue of temple floral refuse after natural dye extraction by thermo-chemical decomposition of it. The slow pyrolysis of solid residue was performed at 350 °C and 500 °C, and the biochar yield of 42 and 36% was obtained, respectively. TGA-DTG analysis was performed to observe the thermo-chemical behaviour of floral refuse. The biochar products were further characterized by FTIR, SEM, EDX, BET, XRD, and RAMAN spectroscopy to observe the impact of pyrolysis temperature (PT) on the resulting material, i.e. biochar and its possible application measures. EDX results revealed the presence of various macro-nutrients such as C, N, P, K Ca and Mg in different proportions which showed its soil amelioration potential. Moreover, based on the SEM and BET results, biochar prepared at 500 °C was further explored for adsorption of methylene blue dye at various dose and pH conditions. Based on Langmuir (R2 = 0.98) and Freundlich (R2 = 0.97) isotherms, it is found as a potential adsorbent material for removal of methylene blue dye. The results revealed that biochar conversion of colour extracted floral refuse can be a vital option for quick and efficient management of it in a closed loop approach.