022348   Mishra S S;Mishra A (Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, Lucknow Univ, Lucknow-226 007, Email: enviroshashank@rediffmail.com) : Assessment of physico-chemical properties and heavy metal concentration in Gomati river. Res Envir Life Sci 2008, 1(2), 55-8.

Impacts of domestic and industrial wastes on the water chemistry of river Gomati with special reference to heavy metals have been investigated in different years (2006 to 2008). The Gomati river receives industrial as well as domestic wastes from various drains of Lucknow city. In this process water of river Gomati gets contaminated with heavy metals and other pollutants. High concentrations of all metals Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were noticed in water at all stations and concentration of these metals was observed to increase from 2006 to 2008, while cadmium was found below the detectable limit at all stations. Higher concentration of these metals in water could be due to domestic sewage, industrial effluent and agricultural runoff coming into the river. The pH, BOD, COD and TSS values were also iobserved to increases day by day due to increase in quantity of industrial effluents and sewage water being discharged in the river. The level of DO decreases due to increase in BOD and COD.

2 tables, 41 ref

022347   Mehta B H;Amin C S (NO, University Department of Chemistry, Mumbai Univ, Vidyanagri, Santacruz (East), Mumbai-400 098, Email: bipin_281050@yahoo.com) : Water pollution levels in Vasai region, India. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 63-8.

Reports a study carried out in the industrial suburb of Vasai is located in Maharashtra in Western India. The study comprises of analysis carried out on water samples from four sampling stations in the region. The data collected indicates that there is deterioration in the quality of water due to pollution caused by point and non point sources.

6 illus, 6 tables, 18 ref

022346   Manoj Kumar (Zoology Dep, S.P. Jain College, Sasaram, Rohtas, Bihar-821 115) : Effect of inorganic fertilizer urea on the opercular movement of Nandus nandus (Ham.). Envir Ecol 2008, 26(4A), 1911-13.

Excessive use of inorganic fertilizer area is detrimental to various species of fish as they interfere with respiration, suppress growth and induce fish death. In Nandus nandus (Ham.) the opercular movement increased up to the concentration of 7,500 ppm of urea. Further increase in urea concentration gradually decreased the opercular movement. It has been observed that with unit increase of fertilizer the opercular movement decreased by a fractional of 1.1786 (5 value) in urea. The coefficient of correlation was observed to be 0.8709 for urea.

1 table, 11 ref

022345   Madhavakrishnan S;Manickavasagam K; Vasanthakumar R;Rasappan K;Mohanraj R;Pattabhi S (Environmental Science Dep, PSG College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore, Email: pattabipsges@yahoo.co.in) : Adsorption of crystal violet dye from aqueous solution using Ricinus communis pericarp carbon as an adsorbent. E J Chem 2009, 6(4), 1109-16.

Carbon prepared from Ricinus Communis Pericarp (RCP) was used to remove a crystal violet dye from aqueous solution by an adsorption technique under varying conditions of agitation time, dye concentration, adsorbent dose and pH. Adsorption is influenced by pH, dye concentration, carbon concentration and contact time. Equilibrium was attained with in 60 min. Adsorption followed both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The adsorption capacity was found to be 48.0 mg/g at an initial pH of 6.8±0.2 for the particle size of 125-250 μm.

8 illus, 2 tables, 15 ref

022344   Krishna Ram H;Ramachandra Mohan M (Lake Management & Water Quality Research Unit, Zoology Dep, Bangalore Univ, Bangalore-560 056) : Water quality statud of hebbal lake, Bangalore, Karnataka. Envir Ecol 2008, 26(4C), 2350-6.

Lake ecosystems vital functions such as recycling of nutrients, purification of water, recharge of ground water, augmenting and maintenance of stream flow and habitat provision for a wide variety of flora and fauna along with their recreation values necessitates their sustainable management through appropriate conservation mechanisms. The results of the water quality analysis show that the lake is eutrophic with high concentrations of phosphate and organic matter. All the parameters analyzed were above the standards prescribed for surface waters. The results reveal the need and importance for restoration and management of the Hebbal lake. Restoration can be brought about in many ways, the important ones being pollution abatement, desiiting of the tank and educating the stakeholders and the local population on the importance for restoring the lake ecosystem.

2 illus, 2 tables, 25 ref

022343   Karunakaran K;Thamilarasu P;Sharmila R (NO, Sona College of Technology, Salem-636 005, Email: drkk@sonatech.ac.in) : Statistical study on physicochemical characteristics of groundwater in and around Namakkal, Tamilnadu, India. E J Chem 2009, 6(3), 909-14.

Groundwater samples collected at different locations in and around Namakkal were analyzed for their physicochemical characteristics. Ten locations of groundwater samples were collected and studied for every two month for the period June-2007 to December-2007. The present investigation is focused on the determination of physicochemical parameters such as temperature, taste, turbidity, electrical conductivity, pH, hardness, total solids, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, chlorides, sulphate, nitrate, fluorides, dissolved oxygen, sodium, potassium and E.coli bacterium. Groundwater suitability for domestic and irrigation purposes was examined by using WHO and BIS standards, which indicate the groundwater in a few areas, were not much suitable for domestic and agriculture purposes. Thus the objective of this study is to identify the quality of groundwater especially in the town and near by town where groundwater is used for domestic and agriculture purposes is discussed.

4 tables, 13 ref

022342   Joshi D M;Alok Kumar;Agrawal N (Chemistry Dep, HNBG Univ, Srinagar, Garhwal, Email: namitaagrawal17@rediffmail.com ) : Assessment of the irrigation water quality of river ganga in Haridwar district. Rasayan J Chem 2009, 2(2), 285-92.

An attempt to analyze the water quality of river Ganga in Haridwar district for irrigation purpose. Water samples were collected from 5 sampling stations. The study area has been divided into three seasons: Winter (November-February), summer (March to June) and rainy (July to October). Water quality variables were measured in the river over a period of two years (Nov.2006 to Oct. 2 008). The samples were analyzed for electrical conductivity (Ec), total dissolved salts (TDS), magnesium content (MC), sodium percent (SP), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC) and permeability index (PI). Study of all these characteristics indicates that river water in rainy season is not suitable for irrigation purpose because of high values of total dissolved salts, EC and SP.

1 illus, 6 tables, 18 ref

022341   Islam S R (NO, West Bengal Univ of Technology, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700 064) : Correlation among physico-chemical characteristics of surface water. Envir Ecol 2008, 26(4A), 1805-8.

This paper presents a case study of correlation among different physico-chemical parameters of surface water. This study shows a marked relationship in various physico-chemical parameters of surface water.

5 tables, 12 ref

022340   Ilangeswaran D;Kumar R;Kannan D (Chemistry Dep, J.J. College of Arts and Science, Pudukkottai-622 404, Email: dilangeswaran@yahoo.co.in) : Assessment of quality of groundwater in kandarvakottai and karambakudi areas of Pudukkottai district, Tamilnadu, India. E J Chem 2009, 6(3), 898-904.

Various samples of groundwater were collected from different areas of Kandarvakottai and Karambakudi of Pudukkottai District, Tamilnadu and analyzed for their physicochemical characteristics. The results of this analysis were compared with the water quality standards of ISI, WHO and CPHEEO. In this analysis the various physicochemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids, Cl^-, F^-, SO^42-, PO₄^3-, NO^3-, NO₂^-, CN^{-, Na+, K+, NH₃, Mn, Fe, Ca & Mg hardness etc., were determined using standard procedures. The quality of groundwater samples were discussed with respect to these parameters and thus an attempt were made to ascertain the quality of groundwater used for drinking and cooking purposes in and around Kandarvakottai and Karambakudi areas.}

5 illus, 8 ref

022339   Gupta S;Boojh R;Mishra A;Verma S;Agarwal N (Programme Specialist, Ecological and Earth Sciences, UNESCO, New Delhi-110 029, Email: sguptalko@rediffmail.com) : Biomedical waste management practices at Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj medical university, Lucknow. Res Envir Life Sci 2008, 1(2), 77-80.

In recent time there is an increasing concern about the harmful effects of waste generated by human activities. Especially medical care at a Healthcare Establishments (HcEs), contributes significantly to pollute the environment and produce the pollution by way of biomedical wastes which is depleting our natural and financial resources. The main objective to carry out this study was the analysis of biomedical waste management practices at Chatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University, Lucknow. This study presents an overview of the current management practices of biomedical waste at the University. Information regarding the generation, composition, segregation, treatment, and disposal of biomedical wastes is provided and discussed. The study recommends strict enforcement of legal provisions and a better environment management system for the scientific management of biomedical waste in the Medical University, as well as other healthcare establishments in Lucknow.

2 illus, 2 tables, 26 ref

022338   Gupta R B;Chaudhari P R;Wate S R (NO, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur-440 020) : Overview on attenuation of industrial air pollution by greenbelt. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 1-8.

Urban air pollution due to industrial emissions and vehicular emission due to automobiles have aggravated the problem of environmental pollution. Plants are known to act as sink for air pollutants. Planting of trees and shrubs in the form of greenbelt around the industry is an effective way for abatement of pollution and improvement of environment and is well recognized throughout the world. This article provides a brief review of the history and evolution of work on greenbelt development for pollution attenuation in an industry. It also reviews work on different aspects of greenbelt design and selection of plant species, which can be grown around industrial/urban areas in India. A reported case study carried out at petroleum refinery is discussed. At this plant, green belt of 500m width was found to be 36-40% efficient in removal of SO₂, NOx & SPM and 84-94% efficient in removal of THC, VOC & CO. The future line of work is suggested for collecting data on the potential of greenbelts in attenuating the pollutants.

2 illus, 2 tables, 56 ref

022337   Giri A N (Environmental Management System, NFCL, Nagarjuna Road, Kakinada, Email: amarnathgiri@nagarjunagroup.com) : Effect of pulp and paper mill effluent on germination, growth, biochemical parameters and bioaccumulation of heavy metal in Pisum sativum. Res Envir Life Sci 2008, 1(2), 61-4.

The crude treated effluent was collected from pulp and paper industry from its outlet. Different concentration i.e. control (0), 10,20,50 and 100% were prepared from the effluent using distilled water. Seeds of pea (Pisum sativum) were soaked in different concentrations of effluents and allowed to germinate in sand pot. The germination percentage on 10th day was gradually decreased in various dilutions of treated effluents. The fresh wt., dry wt., chlorophyll contents and protein content were increased with increase in dilution of treated pulp and paper mill effluent. However, the 100% of treated effluent were resulting in retardation of growth. The effect on enzyme due to application of different dilutions of treated effluent showed that value of peroxidase and catalase were increased with increase in concentration. The value of acid phosphtase was increased with increase in concentration till 50% of treated effluent while ribonuclease value was significantly decreases with increase in concentration of treated effluent in 25% but increased in 50% and 100% of treated effluent concentration. Fe, Ni and Cd concentration were increased significantly with increase in concentration of effluent.

4 tables, 29 ref

022336   Gandhirajan M;Amarnath G;Kavitha P;Bhagavath R (NO, , Tech-Sharp Enviro Systems (P) Ltd., C-39, Second Avenue, Anna Nagar, Chennai-600 040, Email: tsensys@md4.vsnl.net.in ) : Characterisation and treatment of pharmaceutical R & D wastewater. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 83-7.

Study was carried out on characterisation and treatment of wastewater discharged from a pharmaceutical R&D unit. The wastewater samples were collected from laboratory scale and pilot plant (scale-up) operations and analysed. Besides, combined wastewater samples were also collected and analysed. There is wide variation in waste characteristics due to the varied manufacturing operation/reactions employed. The combined waste exerts high BOD/COD value of 1385 mg/L and 5716 mg/L, respectively. The wastewater is treated in a full-fledged treatment plant comprising of equalisation, neutralisation, settling, extended aeration type biological treatment, pressure sand filtration and activated carbon filtration followed by a recycling plant with reverse osmosis and forced circulation mechanical evaporator. The waste-water samples were collected at various stages of treatment and results are presented.

1 illus, 6 tables, 16 ref

022335   Gandhirajan M;Amarnath G;Kavitha P;Bhagavath R (NO, , Tech-Sharp Enviro Systems(P)Ltd., C-39, Second Avenue, Anna Nagar, Chennai-600 040, Email: tsensys@md4.vsnl.net.in) : Characterisation and treatment of automotive industry wastewater. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 9-14.

Study on characterisation and treatment of auto components and automotive industry wastewater was undertaken. The wastewater contains heavy metals, oil & grease, organic and inorganic pollutants and also exerts BOD and COD. The wastewater requires chemical treatment comprising of de-emulsi-fication of coolant oil, neutralisation of acid/alkali, precipitation of heavy metals, flocculation, settling followed by pH correction. Depending on the residual BOD/COD after chemical treatment, the wastewater further requires biological treatment.

1 illus, 8 tables, 3 ref

022334   Fotedar A;Verma R;Fotedar B K (Environmental Sciences Dep, , Jammu-180 001) : Contamination of Jajjar nalla, Jammu, Himalaya, J&K state. Agric Sci Dig 2009, 29(1), 57-9.

Fifteen water samples of Jajjar nalla, Jammu Himalaya, Jammu (J&K state) were analysed for elements Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The analysis revealed Fe and Mn to be present above permissible limits and hence waters are toxic for human consumption with respect to these. As far as the agricultural use of the waters of Jajjar nalla is concerned, no element is present above the permissible limits and hence the waters are non-hazardous for crops. pH and conductivity values for all the samples are within safe limits. Proper hygienic filtration with chlorine / bromine is recommended to render the waters safe for human consumption. Adequate afforestation and vetiver grass needs to be grown abundantly in catchment areas of Jajjar stream to help in checking fast erosion and also for screening unwanted heavy elements like Fe and Mn to enter into the solution of the waters. Proper sanitation needs to be maintained on the banks of Jajjar nalla to check contamination in waters.

1 illus, 2 tables, 7 ref

022333   Fadtare V;Mane T T (Environmental Sciences Dep, Fergusson College, Pune-411 004) : Proteins and carbohydrate content of crops (brinjal and tomato) grown on irrigation with polluted river water. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 49-52.

Polluted river water used for irrigation will have effects on the growth performance, germination and some metabolic syntheses in plants. Through the studies on the protein and sugar content during germination stage, it is possible to know the response and tolerance of two crops (brinjal and tomato) to pollutants. To study this aspect, the physico-chemical parameters of river water from a polluted river were studied in order to understand the level of pollution at this site. It was found that the river water has high content of total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrates, nitrites, however they are satisfactory as per the standards of IS: 3307, (1965) for irrigation purposes. The germination of brinjal and tomato were observed under various concentrations of river water after seven days of germination and analysis of protein and sugar content was carried out.

3 tables, 13 ref

022332   De A K (NO, Raja Peary Mohan College, Uttarpara-712 258, Email: arnabde99@yahoo.co.in) : Removal of color of pulp and paper mill effluent by adsorption on coal fly ash. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 15-16.

Study was conducted for the removal of color of pulp and paper mill effluent using coal fly ash as an adsorbent. The effect of adsorbent dose and pH on color removal has been determined. 100 % color removal was achieved when adsorbent dose was 2.4 gm or more and at pH 6.8 and above.

2 illus, 3 ref

022331   Das N (NO, , 1332 Ooda-Akitsu, Higashi-Hiroshima-City, 739-2404, Japan, Email: nachidas@hotmail.com) : Excellent waters in Hiroshima: a reveiw of pioneering endeavours of water-tasting and water-quality. J Geol Soc India 2008, 71(4), 468-72.

Japan, the country of high-technology, is a clean and tidy nation that has an abundant supply of very high quality water. Hiroshima, because of its geography and climate, is endowed with an abundance of fresh-water. Moreover, practically all the good waters of Hiroshima are soft, with the highest recorded hardness of 120 mg/l. Many of these waters from the springs and wells in the granitic terrains of Hiroshima are rich in Radon (Rn). The average concentrations of ²²²Rn Ci/litre of water are in the order of 80x10^-10 and the highest recorded concentration is at Onomichi Toraku Station (647.2x10^-10) (pers. commn., Prof. Ken Sasaki). These Rn-rich waters are traditionally believed to be health-giving and restorative. In Hiroshima, Prof. Ken Sasaki has pioneered water-tasting as an independent branch of science. Currently esoteric, water-tasting makes use of water chemistry, presence of dissolved solutes and minerals in water, and the science of tasting by human palate. Chemical analyses and sensory tests carried out on 82 samples of well, spring, river, and commercial mineral waters showed good correlation for organic matter, total hardness, iron and bicarbonate. Multiple regression analyses using these four chemical constituents produced correlation coefficients of 0.8217 for Hiroshima (n=47) and 0.8401 for other districts (n=35) (Sasaki et al. 1996). Fuzzy reasoning, when applied to the evaluations of palatable water, where the chemical constituents: organic matter, total hardness, iron and bicarbonate formed the four input variables, and sensory test, produced a correlation coefficient of 0.8621 (Iwanaga and Sasaki, 1996).

3 illus, 10 ref

022330   Dar A A;Ganai B A;Rafiq S K;Masood A;Kumar R (P.G. Dep of Environmental Sciences S.P. College, , Srinagar-190 001) : Impact of aqueous sulphur dioxide on biochemical parameters of Rumex hestata. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 39-42.

Impact of aqueous SO₂ on total chlorophyll, phaeophytin, carotenoids, proteins, amino acids, starch, and free sugars of a perennial herb, Rumex hestata was studied for a period of one year. All these, except free sugars, showed a remarkable decrease, attributed to the over all decrease in enzymatic activities, as compared to that controlled conditions on exposure to sulphur dioxide. The increase in free sugars is attributed to the fact that hydrolytic enzymes get activated on SO₂ treatment and break polysaccharides.

3 tables, 44 ref

022329   Balachandran S;Rudramoorthy R (NO, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore-641 004, Email: essbee48@yahoo.co.in) : Air pollution reduction potential of knitwear industry in Tirupur. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 35-8.

In a knitwear industry, wet processing consumes significant amount of thermal energy, which is generated by burning fuels in boilers or in thermic fluid heaters and there is a significant amount of CO₂ which causes atmospheric pollution. In addition to CO₂, SO₂, CO and oxides of NO₂ contribute to the air pollution to a limited extent. In Tirupur, there are about 800 processing units, which consume both thermal energy and electrical power. Thermal energy is generated in the form of steam in boilers, which burn solid fuels for getting the required heat. The total estimates of CO₂ pollution is about 0.8 million tonnes. This paper focuses on reducing the CO₂ emission in the knitwear industry of Tirupur. For this purpose, sample energy audit study was conducted in selected units and results of the audit study is analyzed in this paper and evaluated for reduction in pollution level.

1 illus, 5 tables, 3 ref

022328   Baghel R S;Dharam Singh;Yadav K K;Trivedi S P (Environmental Toxicology Laboratory, Zoology Dep, Lucknow Univ, Lucknow-226 007, Email: ranjeetsinghbaghel@gmail.com) : Determination of detergent toxicity in haematological profile of fish (H. fossilis). Res Envir Life Sci 2008, 1(2), 45-8.

Aims to evaluate the toxic potential of detergent effluention various blood parameters in a fish model. For this purpose 15 days prior acclimatized fish, H. fossilis were exposed to 25, 50, 75 and 100% dilutions of detergent effluent for 15 days of exposure period. Significant decrease in hemoglobin (Hb) content from 12.67 to 9.73%, red blood cells (RBC) from 4.64 to 2.85 x10⁶/ mm³, Heamatocrit (%) from 38.59 to 30.64% and clotting time (CT) from 31.50 to 18.60 second was recorded after the stipulated sampling period. Whereas the WBC count increased from 14.50 to 29.50 x10³/mm³, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) from 83.06 to 107.44 cμ, and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) from 27.40 to 34.14% after the stipulated sampling period, respectively.

3 tables, 27 ref

022327   Asadi S S;Vuppala P;Anji Reddy M (NO, , C/o A. Srinivasa Reddy, H. No:5-6-84/1, Sangeeth Nagar, Kukatpally, Hyderabad-500 085, Email: asadienviron@yahoo.com) : Creation of ambient air quality information in a rapidly growing industrial centre using remote sensing & GIS - a novel study. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 23-30.

With the increase in population and built up area, the pressure has increased on the civic amenities and is directly affecting the quality of environment. The two main reasons for undertaking the present study are rapid growth in population and urban sprawl, uncontrolled industrialization and unchecked immigration and the likely impact of these land use changes on air quality. The city of Hyderabad is expanding at a tremendous pace and the urban growth is reflected in the traffic intensities on the roads. Adequate information on changing air quality with increasing traffic loads is crucial for effective management of air quality in the future. Keeping this in view, the study aims for creation of ambient air quality information in rapidly industrially growing urban center of Hyderabad. Ambient concentrations were measured from April 2005-May 2006 at 44 selected sites in and around Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH). The data consisted of 24 hr average of Sulfur dioxide (SO ), oxides of nitrogen (NO_x), suspended particulate matter (SPM) and respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM). The measurements were made in an effort to characterize the air pollution in the urban environment of Hyderabad and assist in the development of linkage between land use practices and air pollution levels. The spatial variability of air pollutants and the predominant land use thematic layers was assessesed in GIS and Remote Sensing environment. The spatial variability of air pollution and significance of land use practices on the prevailing quality were assessed using statistical correlation and Boolean overlay techniques.

13 illus, 1 table, 18 ref

022326   Anandakrishnan B;Sheik Dawood M;Soundarrajan M;Jebaraj S;Murugesan M (Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural Univ, Tiruchirappalli-620 009, Email: b.anandakrishnan@yahoo.co.in) : Utilization of post methanation distillery effluent for sustainable sugarcane cultivation and its impact on soil properties. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 89-94.

Post methanation effluent (PME) generated through biomethanation of distillery effluent was characterized with high biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand and soluble salt content. In spite of this, PME also contains considerable amount of organic matter and high plant nutrient content and its was being applied to arable land for augmenting agriculture production. The present investigation was conducted during 2004 - 05 on sugarcane to evaluate the impact of graded levels of post methanation effluent (PME) with different combinations of major nutrients on soil properties and crop productivity in sandy loam soil. The main plot treatments viz., M₂ - 1.25, M₃- 2.50, M₄ - 3.75, M₅ - 5.0 lakh litres ha^-1 of PME application were compared with control (no PME application) and the sub plots, viz., S₂ - N, S₃ - NP, S₄ - NK, S₅ - PK, S₆ - NPK fertilizer treatments were compared with control (no fertilizer treatment). The fertilizer treatments received only 75 % of recommended dose of fertilizers (206, 45, and 84 kg of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O). The application of PME has significantly increased the cane yield and has left significantly higher soil organic carbon, available NPK, exchangeable cations and available micronutrients in the post harvest soil after the crop uptake. The PME applied at 1.25 lakh litres per ha has resulted in higher cane yield without any adverse effect on the soil properties. The PME has substituted 25 % of inorganic N and P fertilizer and 100% of inorganic K fertilizer. Thus application PME to arable land, as an amendment could be considered as a valuable substitute for inorganic fertilizers as well as a viable option for safe disposal of this industrial waste.

1 illus, 5 tables, 19 ref

022325   Anandakrishnan B;Sheik Dawood M;Soundarrajan M;Jebaraj S;Murugesan M (NO, Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College & Research Institute, Trichy, Email: b.anandakrishnan@yahoo.co.in ) : Sustainability and stability analysis of distillery effluent on sugarcane yield and soil properties after continuous application. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 43-7.

Field experiments were conducted with sugarcane crop in sandy loam soil to study the effect of post bio-methanated sugar distillery effluent (PME) on soil properties and yield of sugarcane during 2003 -2005. The PME was applied at different dilutions viz., 1:10T, 1:20T, 1:30T, 1:40T and 1:50T in four splits from 45th day after planting in 40 days interval. The PME along with irrigation water at different dilutions significantly increased the sugarcane yield and highest cane yield of 115,117 and 121 tonnes ha^-1 was recorded in 1:10T dilution treatment in the three experiments respectively. The results revealed that the pH of the soil is changed to near neutral and the changes observed on the EC of the soils are less significant. The organic carbon and available NPK content of the post harvest soil has significantly built up over the years in the PME applied plots when compared to the control. The 1:10T dilution treatment recorded the highest organic carbon and available NPK when compared to the other dilution treatments and the control. The applied PME has not only supplied and enriched the sugarcane soils with rich nutrients but has also substituted for 25 % of N and P fertilizers and 100 % of K fertilizer to sugarcane.

1 illus, 4 tables, 16 ref

022324   Ali Z;Rahman M (Industrial Chemistry Dep, Integral Univ, Lucknow, Email: pai2005gam@yahoo.com) : Physico-chemical characteristics of pulp and paper mill effluent. Res Envir Life Sci 2008, 1(2), 59-60.

The liquid effluents of pulp and paper mill, Darshannagar, Faizabad are discharged in a nullah through different channel. The variations in the physicochemical characteristics were observed and monitored at three different sites. During 2007-08 effluent samples were found to contain high TDS, BOD, COD, Temperature, pH, colour, odour and conductivity, above the recommended tolerance limits for irrigation and drinking purposes.

2 tables, 17 ref

022323   Akhtar A;Inam A;Azad S;Tabassum D;Inam A (Plant Physiology Laboratory, Botany Dep, Aligarh Muslim Univ, Aligarh-202 002) : Recycling of wastewater through crop cultivation. J Ind Pollut Control 2008, 24(1), 95-100.

Simple randomized pot experiment was conducted during the Rabi season on mustard (Brassica juncea L.) cv. Alankar to study the comparative effect of wastewater and groundwater with combined effect of three doses each of nitrogen and phosphorus. The fertilizer doses were N₀P₀, N₄₀P₃₀ N₈₀P₃₀, N₄₀P₆₀ and N₈₀P₆₀. Each dose was given with both wastewater and groundwater. A uniform basal dose of potassium @ 30kg/ha was also applied at the time of sowing. WWN₈₀P₆₀ proved best for most of the parameters. Chemical characteristics of wastewater were in the permissible limits of BIS for crop irrigation.

2 illus, 2 tables, 16 ref

021309   Vikas C (Central Ground Water Board, , Kerala region, Kedaram Complex, Kesavadasapuram, Pattom P.O., Trivandrum-695 004, Email: vikascgwb2003@yahoo.co.in) : Occurence and distribution of fluoride in groundaters of Central Rajasthan, India. J envir Sci Engng 2009, 51(3), 169-74.

High fluoride in groundwater has been reported from many parts of India, particularly its impact on human health. Waterborne fluorosis is prevalent in parts of Ajmer and Jaipur districts in central Rajasthan which can be correlated to excessive concentration of the toxic fluoride ions in drinking water. The area, falling under the semiarid terrain of central Rajasthan, is geologically occupied by Precambrian rocks where groundwater occurs under unconfined conditions. Fluoride concentration in shallow aquifer samples of the study area ranges between 0.12 to 16.9 mg/L. Presence of fluoride bearing minerals in the host rock and their interaction with water is considered to be the main cause for fluoride in groundwater. Chemical weathering under arid to semiarid conditions with relatively high alkalinity favours high concentration of fluoride in groundwater, which has resulted in dental and skeletal fluorosis in the study area. The incidence of fluorosis, caused by an excess of fluoride compounds in drinking water, has been rising at an alarming rate in the State.

2 illus, 1 table, 17 ref

021308   Upadhaya K;Barik S K;Pandey H N;Tripathi O P (Basic Sciences and Social Sciences Dep, School of Technology, North Ea, , , Email: upkri@yahoo.com) : Response of woody species to anthropogenic disturbances in sacred forests of Northeast India. Int J Ecol envir Sci 2008, 34(3), 245-57.

The response of woody species to anthropogenic disturbances was studied in three forest stands viz., Swer, Nonglang and Nongkrem representing subtropical humid forests of the area. These forest stands were preserved till recently as sacred groves on the basis of religious beliefs. However, during the past decade, some portions of these sacred groves have been disturbed due to product extraction following erosion in religious beliefs. The diversity and regeneration of woody species present in these forests has been studied to assess the response of the species to human disturbance. A total of 1 14 woody species (≥5cm dbh) were identified in the three forests. The species richness in disturbed stands was significantly lower in the disturbed stand (24-26) than the undisturbed stands (60-32). The density also followed a similar trend in Swer and Nonglang forest stands whereas, it increased from 898 stems ha^-1 in the undisturbed stand to 954 stems ha^-1 in the disturbed stand at Swer. The basal area of woody species was significantly higher in the undisturbed stands (27 - 62 m² ha^-1) than the disturbed stands (3.14 - 58.25 m² ha^-1). The distribution of density in different dbh classes resulted in a reverse J-shaped curve in all the undisturbed stands, while in the disturbed stands, there was a reduction in density in the higher dbh classes. The densities of seedlings and saplings were significantly higher in the undisturbed stands than the disturbed stands, although seedling density far exceeded the sapling density in all the stands. The proportion of species showing no regeneration was high in the undisturbed stand as compared to the disturbed stand. Results revealed that species richness significantly got reduced, tree population structure showed a decrease in higher girth class individuals and the regeneration status of the species was also altered due to disturbance.

3 illus, 5 tables, 48 ref

021307   Udayakumar P;Abhilash P P;Ouseph P P (Chemical Sciences Div, Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram-31, Email: udayannair@yahoo.com) : Assessment of water quality using principal component analysis - a case study of the Mangalore coastal region, India. J envir Sci Engng 2009, 51(3), 179-86.

The main study is to reveal and categorize the key parameters of the Mangalore coast for the pollution sources to the ecosystem and their inputs can be perceived if there any point sources of pollution exist. Box plots were derived from the PCA data and were graphically represented. The variance was observed to be above 75% from the original data for all seasons. The major parameter affecting the ecological health of the coastal water was nitrate-nitrogen brought by the rivers in this region, which finally ends up in the estuary. Water quality data observed in the Mangalore coast during the three seasons, viz. pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon (February to October 2006), has been used and endeavors were made to determine and quantify the factors that caused fluctuations in the hydrology of this region.

11 illus, 3 tables, 14 ref

021306   Tiwari S C;Pastelan M;Brzezinska M; Stepniewska Z (Forestry Dep, Wild Life and Environmental Sciences, Guru Ghasidas Univ, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh-495 009) : Variation in phosphatase enzyme activity in a eutric histosol irrigated with pre-treated wastewater and normal tap water. J Indian Soc Soil Sci 2008, 56(2), 233-5.

^ssc1 illus, 2 tables, 18 ref

021305   Sudarsana Raju G;Sreenivasa Reddy P; Venkatarami Reddy Y (Dep of Geoinformatics, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa) : Hydrogeomorphological and groundwater prospects of Nandyal Taluk, Andhra Pradesh by using remote sensing data. Indian J envir Prot 2008, 28(12), 1104-14.

Hydrogeomorphology and lineament studies have been studied by using satellite data for the Nandyal taluk through usual interpretation of IRS 1-0 L1SS 111 FCC (571/.2,3,6,7,10,11,14 and 15) on a scale of 1:50,000. The area has been usually interpreted to delineate various hydrogeomorphic units and lineaments for the development of groundwater. From these studies, various geomorphic units were classified as favourable, moderately favorable and poor zones of groundwater occurrence is controlled by geomorphological characteristics where as faultsl fracture control the yield of groundwater at intermediate depths.

1 illus, 7 table, 5 ref

021304   Soundarrajan M;Baskar M;Gomathi G; Pandiyarajan P;Jeyaraman S;Puspavalli R;Murugesan M (NO, Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil, , Email: soundarssac@gmail.com) : Ground wate quality studies in post-biomethanated distillery effluent (PME) applied areas using piezometers. Bull agric Sci 2008, 6(2), 173-77.

Post methanated distillery effluent (PME) is utilized for agriculture purposes as liquid nutrient as per the norms of pollution control board (PCB). The impact of effluent percolation in soil was studied using piezometers to monitor the ground water contamination. To monitor the downward movement of post bio-methanated distillery effluent (PME) and possible ground water contamination, piezometers were installed at different depths viz., 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 m in the long term sugarcane field experiments being conducted at EID Parry (I) Ltd., Cane farm, Edayanvelli, Tamil Nadu. The piezometers were installed in pre-plant undiluted PME (5 lakh litres ha^-1) applied field, diluted PME (1:10 times) applied field and in control plot (without PME application). The analysis of the leachate samples revealed no change in colour at all the depths. There was not any significant difference observed in the pH, EC, cations like Ca, Mg and K and anions like CI, C0₃, HC0₃ and S0₄ in the leachate collected beyond 1.0m depths in treated plots when compared to the control plots. The SAR arid RSC calculated at 0.5m and 1.0m depths of treated plots has stood below the control values. The higher Ca and Mg in the leachate supplied by the PME applied have significantly decreased the SAR of the leachate at these depths. The results showed that the PME application has not influenced the leachate collected at 1.5m and 2.0m depths in the treated plots and this clearly indicates that PME applied at the tested levels has not influenced the ground water and there is no possibility of pollution by the PME application at these doses.

9 ref

021303   Sivadas S;Gregory A;Ingole B (Biological Oceanography Div, National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa-403 004, Email: baban@nio.org) : How vulnerable is Indian coast to oil spills? Impact of MV ocean seraya oil spill. Curr Sci 2008, 95(4), 504-12.

The aim of this communication is to study the immediate impact of oil spill on benthic ecology. Also reviewed the impact of frequent spills on the benthic community in particular, and marine fishery in general. Intertidal sampling was carried out on 10 June 2006. Organic carbon (1%) and petroleum hydrocarbon (13 jig g"1) were highest at Polem, as it was closest to the spill site. Twenty macrobenthic taxa which included crustaceans and bivalves were identified. Although the study is based on short-term sampling, it showed an increase in petroleum hydrocarbon in the sediment. A review of the oil spill data indicates that accidental spills have shown a decline globally, in contrast to increase in maritime transport. However, a reverse trend was observed along the Indian coast for the Arabian Sea. Further, majority of the spills occurred during the SW monsoon period, which coincided with the recruitment period of most commercial and non-commercial species. Therefore, although the spills occurring along the west coast are of small volume, frequent occurrence, particularly during the critical stages of the life cycle of organism, may have a long-term impact on the marine biota.

7 illus, 3 tables, 35 ref

021302   Sharma A;Khan T I (Indira Gandhi Centre for Human Ecology, Environmental and Population S, Rajasthan Univ, Rajasthan, Email: arusharma79@yahoo.com) : Organochlorine pesticides in irrigation water of Jaipur city (India). J envir Sci Engng 2009, 51(3), 175-8.

The study was carried out to evaluate the pesticide content in irrigation waters used in agricultural fields located in agriculture intensive areas adjoining the Jaipur city (India). Pesticide residues were monitored in irrigation water samples collected from open wells/tube wells located in these areas. Most of the water samples were found to be contaminated. Pesticides - HCH, Endosulphan, Dieldrin - concentrations of tube well/open well irrigation waters in monsoon season ranged from 2.25-12.23 ppb, 3.32-13.18 ppb and 0.081-0.470 ppb respectively. In post-monsoon period the concentrations were in the range of 3.35-15.46ppb for HCH, 4.21-16.08 ppb for Endosulphan and 0.154-1.01 ppb for Dieldrin.

1 illus, 3 tables, 11 ref

021301   Prem Kumar K;Prem Kumar S;Achuthan Nair G (Dep of Environmental Sciences, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram-695 581) : Methylmercury in fishes and othe sea food: a public health crisis. Indian J envir Prot 2008, 28(12), 1057-64.

Accumulation methylmercury in fish and other seafood organisms is a growing global health concern that poses severe health risk to public. Most of the mercury in fish and other seafoods is in toxic organic form, methylmercury, and consumption of these organisms by humans is the principal route of exposure to it. Its harmful effect to humans depends on its concentration in fish and seafoods and the amount consumed. Fish accumulates methylmercury in their tissues where it becomes strongly bound and is not removed from their tissues even after cooking. Methylmercury causes a variety of adverse effects in humans which include developmental delays in children of exposed mothers, and deficit in neurocognitive functions in adults. Exposure to methylmercury causes life long loss of intelligence in hundreds of new born babies each year. Blood methylmercury detected in individuals is strongly correlated with the frequency and types of seafood consumed and it can pass across the placenta to the fetus and to nursing children through breast milk. Methylmercury compounds in humans have a biologic'al half-life of approximately two month. The consumers who eat less than 10 g of fish and shellfish per day with mercury concentrations averaging between 0.10 and 0.15 ppm are not in danger of attaining harmful levels of methylmercury. At these rates of fish intake, methylmercury concentration is considerably less than the reference does (RFD) of 1 x 10^-1 mg/Kg/day. Control measures should focus on the risk to human health particularly during fetal and neonatal development, and the wide intra and interspecies variations in mercury in fish and other seafoods. Human hair is an useful indicator of mercury exposure. World Health Organization adopted the US EPA levels for mercury and recommends that food with mercury concentrations of 0.5 mg/kg or more should not be sold for human consumption.

42 ref

021300   Panda S P;Mohanty R C (P G Dep of Botany, Environmental Biology Laboratory, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar) : Water quality and its management of two major lakes of Bhubaneswar city, Orissa. Indian J envir Prot 2008, 28(12), 1099-1103.

Lake water samples were collected during 2005-06 month basis from two major lakes, that IS Vanivihar Lake and Nicco-park Lake. The samples were collected in wide mouth plastic bottles. For measurement of dissolved oxygen (DO), samples were collected in 300 mL BOD bottles. DO was measured by Winkler's iodometric method. Temperature,pH, and DO of the samples were measured on the spot .For measurement of other physico-chemical and biological parameters samples were transported to the laboratory.Temperature, pH, turbidity, conductivity,alkalinity,acidity, total hardness, magnesium hardness, chloride, sulphate, phosphate. nitrate, nitrite-N, ammonia-N, iron, Total coliform and faecal coliform bacteria of water samples were studied as per APHA, AWWA, WPCF(1995).Major water quality parameters, such as pH, DO, BOD, COD, N0₃, P0₄4, CI, total hardness, TDS, TSS, sulphates, Te, and TFC of water samples of 2 major lakes of Bhubaneswar city were measured. Results indicated high pH, BOD, COD, TC, CI, S0₄ and low TDS and DO values in these water bodies indicating sign of organic pollution. Measures for minimization of organic load in' the water bodies has been suggested.

2 table, 30 ref

021299   Nikam V S;Arun Kumar;Kamallalla;Gupta K (NO, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai-400 076) : Conservation of thane creek and Ulhas river estuary, India. J envir Sci Engng 2009, 51(3), 157-62.

There has been a steady decrease in the area occupied by wetlands in creeks and estuaries adjacent urban areas due to unprecedented urban growth in coastal cities, for example, Thane Creek and Ulhas River Estuary near Mumbai, India. Urban cities serve as centres of employment and attract a large number of migrants from other places. In case of coastal cities, due to inadequate infrastructure, wastewater and solid waste are disposed of into wetlands and estuary. Discharge of sediments and solid waste into the creeks from drains and construction activities has resulted in decreased flow depth in the coastal waters of Thane Creek and Ulhas River Estuary. Various researchers have studied individual elements of Thane Creek and Ulhas River Estuary at micro level. However, a holistic approach for restoration and conservation of the creek and estuary is required. This paper presents the details of an integrated approach incorporating different conservation measures such as sewerage and sewage treatment, urban drainage management, solid waste management, mangrove plantation and dredging.

10 illus, 2 tables, 11 ref

021298   Mishra R K;Pandey G;Parida M (Dep of Civil Engineering, , Madan Mohan Malaviya Engineering college) : Tail pipe emission from diesel vehicles. Indian J envir Prot 2008, 28(12), 1083-8.

The paper shows experimental measurements of diesel vehicles with a view to investigate the dependence and correlation between the emission level and vehicle relate parameters. The data for validation were gathered on different locations in Gorakhpur city of Uttar Pradesh. For this purpose, a total number of 100 government and private buses distributed across model years ranging between 1988 and 2007 were tested under idling conditions. The indicator monitored include average smoke density with different vehicles related parameters, like vehicle age, vehicle mileage, engine capacity, number of cylinders, working status of odometer, level of inspection/maintenance and emission control system. Out of the several vehicles related parameters, vehicle age was found to be most crucial one, and showed good correlation with average smoke density. The outcome of the study relating to the effect of various vehicle-related parameters on smoke density of diesel driven buses has led to the useful inferences, which can be used not only for predicting the smoke density of vehicles with respect to vehicle age, but also for the manufacturing and mainte.: nance sector to help them produce environmentally benign diesel buses having long-lasting compliance of pollution control systems with respect to vehicle age, while ensuring regular and realistic monitoring and maintenance of pollution control systems exclusively.

^ccr5 illus, 2 table, 5 ref

021297   Kotian R;Mariam S P;Naik S;Prashanthi M (Dental Materials Dep, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Light House Hill Road, Hampankatta, Mangalore-575 001, Email: ravindrakotian@yahoo.co.in) : Effect of heat treatment on the microstructure and hardness of Ni-Cr base metal alloys. J Indian Prosthodontic Soc 2008, 8(1), 17-21.

Describes the effect of heat treatment on nickel-chromium (hereafter referred to as Ni-Cr) base metal alloys to evaluate the following features: (a) The microstructure and hardness of Ni-Cr base metal alloys in as-cast and after heat treatment condition and (b) The effect of firing temperature on the metal substructure of the restoration for the changes in the mechanical and microstructural properties during porcelain firing.

16 illus, 2 tables, 8 ref

021296   Kannan G K;Kapoor J C (Centre for fire, Explosive and Environment Safety, Defence R and D Organisation (DRDO), Timarpur, Delhi-110 054) : Standardisation of gas chromatographic analytical method for determination of residual naphthalene in coal tar pitch. Indian J envir Prot 2008, 28(12), 1076-82.

In this study the analytical condition for naphthalene in coal tar pitch was evolved and few salient aspects were evaluated. The objective of the study was to develop gas chromatographic analytical method for determination of naphthalene in coal tar pitch setting various parameters, such as suitable solvent, quantity of pitch and naphthalene. The optimum quantity of pitch was found to be 125 mg and the ana lysed naphthalene value was close to the theoretically expected value. As far as the quantity of the pitch required to be considered for extraction and analysis appears to be 100 mg as optimum and the solvent quantity was found to be 10 mL. The variation in naphthalene value was found to be very less, in all variation (0, 9.0, 12.0, 16.0, 22.5 and 25 mg), only between 12 and 16 mg there was consistently less variation in all the three solvent. The variation was + 0.17 to + 0.5% (heptane and n-hexane) and + 0.05 to 0.40 (CS₂). The optimum quantity of the naphthalene shall be considered for analysis in these conditions is 12 mg/100 g pitch.

4 illus, 2 table, 11 ref

021295   Kala M;Khan T I (Indira Gandhi Centre for Human Ecology, Environmental and Population S, Rajasthan Univ, Jaipur-302 004, Email: mayankakala@hotmail.com) : Heavy metal contamination in Pisum sativum Var. azad P-1 grown in Sanganer area, Rajasthan, (India). J envir Sci Engng 2009, 51(3), 163-8.

Dietary exposure to heavy metals, namely lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu), has been identified as a risk to human health through the consumption of vegetable crops. This study investigates the source and magnitude of heavy metal contamination in soil and okra growing in Sanganer area. Here the main source of heavy metals is the irrigation water along with some atmospheric deposits. Various plant parts of Pisum sativum var. Azad P-1 were analysed at pre, peak and post flowering stages for Cu, Pb, Zn and Cr content. Average concentrations of Zn, Cu, Cr and Pb in pea fruit were found to be 12.119 ± 0.605 mg/g, 8.989 ± 0.449 mg/g, 7.456 ± 0.387 mg/g and 2.387+0.133 mg/g respectively.

1 illus, 5 tables, 17 ref

021294   Jojo P J;Ramachandran T V;Rajendra Prasad (Fatima Mata college, Center for Advanced Studies in Physical Sciences, , Kollam-691 001) : Estimation of uranium levels in water samples around high background regions of South India using fission track detection technique. Indian J envir Prot 2008, 28(12), 1065-75.

Uranium is the ubiquitous heaviest radioactive element found in all terrestrial substances in different level and is important because of its chemical and radioactivity properties. Water comes into contact with minerals under the earth's surface and uranium is transferred into water due to its leaching property. Studies on levels of uranium in water bodies will help to understand the mobilization of the tracer amount of uranium in the ecosystem. Water samples from various water sources distributed around the high background region of South India were collected and analyzed for uranium, using dry fission track registration technique, capable of determining the uranium levels even in sub-ppb (particles per billion). It is observed that the concentration of uranium is high in sea water as compared to that in tap water. Paper discusses the methods of measurements and the results obtained in detail. Obtained results are compared with the levels measured around India by several research workers as well as reported from different countries in literature.

4 illus, 9 table, 35 ref

021293   Giridharan L;Venugopal T;Jayaprakash M (Geology and Mining Dep, , Thiru, Vi Ka Industiral Estate, Guindy, Email: girilogu@yahoo.com) : A comprehensive environment sudy of meals on the soil-water-plant system a west chrompet area, Chennai, India. Int J chem Sci 2007, 5(2), 728-36.

Pollution due to heavy/trace metals have been studied by taking samples at 18 different places of the chosen area where the concentration of tanneries and other industries The heavy metal pollution in the Soil-Water-Plant system is studied and from the results, it was that the soil is polluted to a great extent as far as the metal chromium is concerned. Copper and manganese concentration is found to be higher at certain places and lead crossed the normal values at one place only. Regarding the water bodies in these areas, the heavy metals such as lead, chromium and zinc are almost absent. It is interesting to note that even though the soil is highly with heavy/trace metals, the water bodies are not affected that much. The whole investigation shows that even though the soil is highly polluted, the chosen plant bodies assimilation of metals from the accumulation in their edible parts is found to be not exceeding the mandatory limits except that one metal viz. Manganese where the level crosses the WHO recommended value.

3 tables, 12 ref

021292   Dhere A M;Pawar C B;Patil D A;Pawar J (Environmental Science Dep, Indira College of Commerce and Science, Pune, Email: prof.amardhere@gmail.com) : Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) in saw mill and printing press workers in Akluj town of Solapur district. J envir Sci Engng 2009, 51(3), 187-90.

The research work reveals the NIHL problem in workers related to saw mill and printing press in Akluj town, Solapur district of Maharashatra state. For the study measurement of noise levels are done in saw mills and printing presses. The standard noise level value is calculated in respective locations. Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) among the workers is measured by an Audiometer. 420 workers, viz. 250 from ten saw mills and 170 from ten printing presses respectively were investigated to find out NIHL. The average noise levels in printing press and saw mill are 90.2 dB and 79.3 dB respectively. Whereas standard noise level (Leq) in above locations are 101.4 dB and 98.7 dB respectively. The average NIHL are found in 28% saw mill workers and 13% in printing press workers. It is reported that medicine treatments are not very useful for curing NIHL. Today's available tool which prevents NIHL is ear plugs and ear muffs, which are suitable for preventing NIHL problems in industrial workers.

1 illus, 5 tables, 15 ref

021291   Dash M C;Dash S P (Orissa Environmental Appellate Authority, , Paribesh Bhavan, Nilakantha Nagar, Bhubaneswar-751 012, Email: mcdashh@yahoo.co.in) : Conservation and sustainable management of belowground biodiversity: a review on the functional role of soil fauna in Indian ecosystems with particular reference to earthworms. Int J Ecol envir Sci 2008, 34(3), 223-43.

Presents a review of the existing knowledge on soil fauna, with particular reference to (i) community structure, biomass and population turnover in different land uses; (ii) bioturbation activity; (in) soil fauna - soil micro-flora interaction; (iv) role of soil fauna in land reclamation; and (v) vermitechnology. Based on the existing knowledge, the areas of future research for conservation and management of below ground biodiversity have been identified.

^iia1 illus, 3 tables, 187 ref

021290   Bhargava D S;Killedar D J (NO, , IIT Roorkee, Bhargava Lane, Devpura, Haridwar-249 401) : Experimental models for defluoridation. J envir Sci Engng 2009, 51(3), 227-32.

The effect of some parameters such as the flow rate, initial solute concentration and column bed depth on fluoride removal by fishbone charcoal in a fixed bed column and continuous flow operation was investigated. The useful (or effective) treated effluent volume (corresponding to the desired breakthrough concentration of 1.0 mg/L of fluoride, in this study) is found to be a function of the flow rate, initial solute concentration and column bed depth. The useful treated effluent volume decreased with an increase in the flow rate and initial fluoride concentration but it increased with the column bed depth. Empirical relationships have been developed to predict the stated useful treated effluent volume for the known values of flow rate, column bed depth and initial fluoride concentration for the observed test conditions. The relationships evolved manifest high correlation coefficients.

6 illus, 3 tables, 8 ref

021289   Bhadra B K;Gupta A K;Sharma J R;Choudhary B R (Regional Remote Sensing Service Centre, Dep of Space, CAZRI Campus, Jodhpur-342 003, Email: bhadrabk@yahoo.com) : Mining activity and its impact on the environment: study from Makrana marble and Jodhpur sandstone mining areas of Rajasthan. J Geol Soc India 2007, 70(4), 557-70.

Multi-temporal satellite data have been used for mine area mapping and the environmental impact in Makrana marble and Jodhpur sandstone mines. Based on the satellite data analysis for the year 2003, the mining area of Makrana marble and Jodhpur sandstone has been estimated as 3.13 sq. km and 17.35 sq. km respectively. Mine mapping shows 495 smaller <10000 sq. m) mines in Makrana and only 22 mines of same dimension in Jodhpur area. Department of Mines and Geology, Rajasthan allotted 817 lease areas (2.51 sq. km) in Makrana and 11948 lease areas (21.5 sq. km) in Jodhpur mining area. This indicates a vertical growth of mining activity for Makrana marble and lateral growth for Jodhpur sandstone. In the last 10-15 years, Jodhpur mining activity caused more damage on the natural drainage (destruction of 27.4 km length) in comparison to the damage on drainage (only 1.66 km length) in Makrana. Sandstone mining also paralyzed 50% of the Main Keru Canal in Jodhpur area. The analysis indicates that unscientific and non-mechanized methods in smaller mines pose threat to the environment, life and property. Hence, it is suggested that smaller and clustered mines need to be amalgamated through Co-operative society for proper extraction of precious mineral resources and better environmental management.

9 illus, 7 tables, 17 ref

021288   Balakrishna Reddy M;Blah B (NO, , c/o DFO, Silviculture, Lower Luchmiere, Shillong-793 001) : GIS based procedure of cumulative environmental impact assessment. J envir Sci Engng 2009, 51(3), 191-8.

Scale and spatial limits of impact assessment study in a GIS platform are two very important factors that could have a bearing on the genuineness and quality of impact assessment. While effect of scale has been documented and well understood, no significant study has been carried out on spatial considerations in an impact assessment study employing GIS technique. A novel technique of impact assessment demonstrable through GIS approach termed hereby as 'spatial data integrated GIS impact assessment method (SGIAM)' is narrated in paper. The technique makes a fundamental presumption that the importance of environmental impacts is dependent, among other things, on spatial distribution of the effects of the proposed action and of the affected receptors in a study area. For each environmental component considered (e.g. air quality), impact indices are calculated through aggregation of impact indicators which are measures of the severity of the impact. The presence and spread of environmental descriptors are suitably quantified through modeling techniques and depicted. The environmental impact index is calculated from data exported from ArcINFO, thus giving significant importance to spatial data in the impact assessment exercise.

6 illus, 5 tables, 13 ref

021287   Ameyaw Y;Akotoye H K;Opoku Boahen Y (Centre for Scientific research into Plant Medicine, , P O Box 73, Mampong-Akuapem, ghana) : Effect of environmental factors on the total alkaloid contents of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl) Schtr. Int J chem Sci 2007, 5(2), 462-76.

The impact of environmental factors on the levels of total alkaloid contents of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (family periploaceae) has been studied. C. sanguinolenta samples from the different locations in Ghana namely; Pepease, Mamfe and Abonse were investigated. Results showed that environmental factors significantly influenced the alkaloid contents in the organs of C. sanguinolenta harvested from different locations. Alkaloid contents in C. sanguinolenta varied concurrently with fluctuations in temperature, rainfall, relative humdity and duration of sunshine.

14 ref

020332   Yaqoob M A;Mumtaz M W;Mukhtar H;Anwar F; Shahzad A (Chemistry Dep, Government College Univ, Lahore-54000, Pakistan, Email: waseem_pk56@yahoo.com) : Determination of organophosphorus pesticide residue in water samples using gas chromatography-electron capture detector. Asian J Chem 2008, 20(3), 2064-8.

Most wastewater contains pollutants, which may deteriorate the quality of receiving water bodies and harm associated aquatic life. Pesticides contamination to water systems have received particular attention during the last few years. Organophosporous pesticide residue values in surface water samples from Deg Nallah are reported the study. The samples were extracted with 15% methylene chloride in hexane and analyzed on a gas chromatograph equipped with an electron capture detector using capillary column. Contamination levels in all sites were found to be below the maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) as described by National Environmental quality standards (NEQS) Pakistan. High-resolution gas liquid chromatographic (HR-GLC) analysis of the to water samples, detected diazinon, dichlorvos, mevinphos, dimethoate, methyl parathion, malathion, fenitrothion, chlorpyriphos, endosulfan, prothiopos, profenophos, ethion and T-BHC at trace level.

1 table, 11 ref