Journal of Environmental Science & Engineering

A study was conducted to evaluate performance of effluent treatment plant installed in a typical slaughter house engaged in production of frozen meat. The results indicated that the treatment plant consisting of two stage activated sludge process followed by activated adsorption filter achieves TDS, BOD and COD removal efficiencies of 98.62 %, 99.48 % and 99.08 % respectively. The treated effluent with TSS of 53 mg/L, BOD of 19 mg//L and COD of 74 mg/L is used by the slaughter house for irrigation of eucalyptus plants...

The potential use of fresh water algae Chlorella to sorb lead ions from wastewater was evaluated in this study. Fourier transform infra-red analysis of algal species revealed the presence of amino, carboxylic, hydroxyl and carbonyl groups, which were responsible for biosorption of lead ions. Batch sorption experiments were performed to determine the effects of contact time, biosorbent dosage and pH on the adsorption of Pb2+ ions. The optimum conditions of biosorbent dosage, pH and contact time were found to be l0 g/L, 5 and 100 min respectively...

This paper presents the results of the treatment of textile dye wastewater generated from a textile processing industry by electrochemical method. Experiments were conducted at current densities of 12, 24 and 48 A/m2 using mild steel as anode and cathode. During the various stages of electrolysis, parameters such as COD, color and BOD5 were determined in order to know the feasibility of electrochemical treatment. It was observed that increasing the electrolysis time and increased current density bring down the concentration of pollutants...

Aspergillus flavipes, a slow growing pectinase producing ascomycete, was isolated from soil identified and characterised in the previously done preliminary studies. Optimisation studies revealed that Citrus peel--groundnut oil cake [CG] production media is the best media for production of high levels of pectinase up to 39 U/ml using wild strain of A. flavipes. Strain improvement of this isolated strain for enhancement of pectinase production using multistep mutagenesis procedure is the endeavour of this project...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different oxidizing agents like light, aeration (by mixing) and electrocoagulation (EC) on the oxidation of As (III) and its subsequent removal in an EC batch reactor. Arsenic solutions prepared using distilled water and groundwater were evaluated. Optimum pH and the effect of varying initial pH on As removal efficiency were also evaluated. MaximumAs (III) removal efficiency with EC, light and aeration was 97% from distilled water and 71% from groundwater...

Efficient models are required to predict the optimum values of ozone concentration in different levels of its precursors' concentrations and temperatures. A novel model based on the application of a genetic programming (GP) optimization is presented in this article. Ozone precursors' concentrations and run time average temperature have been chosen as model's parameters. Generalization performances of two different homemade models based on genetic programming and genetic algorithm (GA), which can be used for calculating theoretical ozone concentration, are compared with conventional semi-empirical model performance...

The study demonstrated a link between heavy metal induced stress and optical properties of the leaves of Gossypium hirsutum. This work was conducted using the pot culture experiment. Three replications and four concentrations of Chromium (5%, 10%, 20% and 35%) with a control to assess the growth of plants were used. This experiment was conducted till 80 days. On 80th day the experiment was terminated and the leaves were plucked and air-dried. Portion of the air-dried, powdered cotton leaves was used for the Fourier Transformed Infra-Red (FT-IR) spectral analysis and the remaining portion was used for analyzing the biochemical constituents of the leaves (chlorophyll a, b, and total C and N contents)...

The studies were carried out to find out transport parameters to predict leachate transport and contaminant plume profile underneath a municipal solid waste(MSW) dump. For this, both theoretical and practical avenues were explored. Batch experiments with disturbed soil were carried out with a tracer dye Brilliant Blue FCF to obtain the adsorption isotherm of the tracer. Column experiments with undisturbed realistic soil column were carried out to determine physico-chemical transport parameters using the tracer dye...

Water quality is required to be monitored in the water distribution networks (WDNs) at salient locations to assure the safe quality of water supplied to the consumers. Such monitoring stations (MSs) provide warning against any accidental contaminations. Various objectives like demand coverage, time for detection, volume of water contaminated before detection, extent of contamination, expected population affected prior to detection, detection likelihood and others, have been independently or jointly considered in determining optimal number and location of MSs in WDNs...

A methodology proposed by US EPA (8081-B) is adopted with some modifications for low level pesticide residue analysis in ground water samples. The method is based on liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD), and confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). For this study, different classes of pesticides were selected, both recent and old persistent molecules, namely organochlorine and pyrethroid insecticides. Pesticide residues could be detected in the low- to sub-ppb range (0...

Groundwater is the major water-source for drinking and irrigation in drought-prone southeastern part of Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh (India). Geochemically, the groundwater is characterized by alkaline nature, higher contents of Na+ over K+, Ca2+ over Mg2+ and Cl- over NO3- more or less equal amounts of HCO3- and SO4(2-), and fluoride 0.5 to 5.51 mg/L, that is ~2-5 times over the W.H.O. (2004) prescribed limit of 1.5 mg/L for drinking. Due to high F in water, this region is severely affected by endemic fluorosis...

Iodine is necessary for synthesis of thyroxine within the thyroid gland. Iodine deficiency leads to hypothyroidism and goitre. Sometimes, even when sufficient iodine is present in food and water, goitre occurs. This could be due to some other competing ions in the ingested food and water, which prevent incorporation of iodine into the thyroid gland. Perchlorate is one such ion and has thirty times more affinity to thyroid, than iodine. Perchlorate is discharged into the environment by fireworks and explosives industries...

The genesis of the present research was the belief since ages and the observations made through some studies that the water of river Ganga has unique characteristics, which allows storage of water quality even on prolong storage. Very few systematic studies have been conducted to support the contention that the Ganga water indeed has some special composition that could be attributed to its unique storage capacity. It was postulated that prolong restoration of water quality depends on the ability to arrest microbial activity that is generally responsible for deterioration in water quality on prolong storage...

As a retired Environmental Health Chief (UN/WHO SEAsia Region) I got involved in rainwater harvesting in India through my Rotary Club a few years ago and my recent experiences have prompted the following observations. I find rainwater harvesting has three specific dangers to public health which get overlooked each year in our anxiety to meet drinking water shortages in our cities.

The waste sludge generated during secondary zinc extraction process of an industry was studied for the recovery of electrolytic grade zinc and copper. The physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of the secondary zinc waste were studied in detail. Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) test was carried out for the sample and concentrations of heavy metals present in the waste were estimated. The engineering properties of the samples prepared through high temperature fired route provided important information on the characteristics and composition of the waste...

Solid waste management (SWM) is a worldwide phenomenon. It is a big challenge all over the world for human beings. The problem of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is also prevailing in the environment of Kadapa town in India. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to find out the problems and prospects of municipal solid waste in Kadapa town. A detailed investigation was made regarding the methods of practices associated with sources, quantity generated, collection, transportation, storage, treatment and disposal of municipal solid waste in the study area...

Chitrakoot is a religious place in India and on a major festival day over 1,00,000-12, 00,000 people visit this place. Therefore, a study on solid waste generation was carried out. During the study, the MSW composition in Karwi was found as polythene (6.73%), plastic (5.14%), rubber (3.17%), metals (4.43%), glass (4.98%), wood (3.75%), cotton & cloths (6.37%), paper & cardboards (9.53%), vegetable wastes (13.52%), soil & constructional wastes (30.71%), garden waste (6.03%), rags (2.90%) and meat waste (2.72%) and in Chitrakoot the MSW composition was found as polythene (10...

The activities were carried out to develop potential adsorbents from waste material and employ them for the removal of hazardous antibacterial, Sulphamethoxazole from the wastewater by adsorption technique. The selection of this method was done because of its economic viability. The method has the potency of eradicating the perilous chemicals which make their appearance in water and directly or indirectly into the whole biological system, through the ejection of effluents by the industries in flowing water...

Discharge of untreated wastewater or partially treated wastewater into surface water bodies or on to land is a major cause of surface and ground water pollution thereby posing health hazards. Conventional wastewater treatment is generally not preferred for small communities due to higher capital and maintenance costs and lack of skilled supervision required for operation and maintenance. A constructed wetland treatment appears to be an appropriate alternative that can be employed both in developed and developing countries...

Disposal of sewage secondary excess sludge is a great problem globally, and stabilization of this excess sludge by anaerobic digestion is hampered due to its constituents resistant to biodegradation. Sludge pre-treatment enhances the performance of anaerobic digestion. In this study, sewage sludge was collected from a full-scale sewage treatment plant and characterized. Ultrasonic method was used for the excess sludge disintegration of microbial flocks and cells, so as to breakdown the intracellular or extracellular polymeric materials to enhance the anaerobic digestion...