Pollution

Five (5) heavy metals: Cd, Co, Fe, Pb and Zn were monitored in groundwater at three (3) borehole and three (3) hand dug wells and used to evaluate the heavy metal pollution index (HPI) adopting two joined approaches. In the first instance heavy metals that were not detected by the instrument were assigned zero concentration. With the second instance, these heavy metals were assigned the limit of detection of the instrument as if they were present to that extent. These two joined approaches were used in the calculation of HPI for the groundwater based on the mean concentrations of the selected heavy metals and the limit of detection from the instrument. The two (2) approaches gave similar results. The two HPI joined approaches for zero concentration for metals not detected and for the limit of detection of the instrument for metals not detected for the dry season were 0.887 and 0.880 respectively. The near sameness of these values indicates that both approaches could be used to calculate the HPI. There was a significant correlation (P<0.01) between the two HPIs. The results indicates that the groundwater monitored is free from the selected heavy metal pollution.

The object of this work was to study the quality of drinking water from boreholes in selected towns in the Akuapem North District of the Eastern Region of Ghana. In all nineteen (19) boreholes were sampled for trace metals physico-chemical and nutrient analysis. A combination of pH and conductivity meter, potentiometric titration, neutron activation, atomic absorption spectroscopic and ultra violet spectrophotometric techniques were used for the analysis of the water samples. It was observed that about 90% of the samples had pH values below the recommended World Health Organisation (WHO) threshold for drinking water. Analysis of the trace elements revealed that the sampled boreholes have concentration of iron (Fe) in the range (0.09- 3.99mg/l) some of which are above the recommended levels of iron in drinking water. The concentrations of manganese (Mn), aluminium (Al) and Iron are in the range 0.02-1.20mg/l, 10.65-23.12mg/l and 0.09-3.99mg/l respectively.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential toxic effects of mancozeb on stress biomarkers such as catalase (CAT) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) level and protein level in the brain tissue of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Mancozeb, is a synthetic fungicide contaminating aquatic environments as a potential toxic pollutants, was investigated in the present study for acute toxicity. Zebrafish groups were exposed to different doses of mancozeb (5 mg L-1 and 7,5 mg L-1) for 120 hours. Catalase (CAT) activity, Malondialdehyde (MDA) level and total protein level were determined with spectrophotometer. The results showed that CAT activity and MDA level decreased in all experiment groups. Protein level increased in the experiment groups when compared to the control group. In conclusion, the changes in the CAT activity and MDA levels were time and as well as mancozeb dose-dependent. Furthermore, the biochemical parameters of mancozeb exposure on zebrafish, showed that mancozeb has significant effect on the zebrafish and/or aquatic organisms.

Heavy metals found in municipal wastewater can cause many problems for human hygiene and environment. So that it should be decontaminated from heavy metals before being used in irrigation. Many materials such as shall, alginate and iron oxide were used to remove heavy metals (Pb and Cd) from municipal wastewater. The results showed that, shall had the highest efficiency than the other materials in removing Pb and Cd from polluted water. Artificial polluted water was prepared by diluting stock solution of Pb and Cd of concentration of 1000 mg/l using distilled water. The prepared Pb and Cd polluted solutions had concentrations of 5, 10 and 50 mg/l. The remedy agents were added to polluted water at ratios of 1:100, 1:1000 and 1:10000. The solutions were gently agitated to equilibrium periods of 2, 6, 12 and 24hr. Generally, the efficiency of remedy agents to remove heavy metals increased as the addition ratio increased. Percentages of Pb removed by mudstone at addition ratio of 1:1000 were 86 and 32.8% for 10 and 50 mg Pb/l, respectively, in a reaction period of 2 hrs. Regarding Cd, the removal % was 84 and 66.4 for 5 and 50 mg Cd/l, respectively, in 2 hrs. On the other hand, the Percentage of Pb removed by iron oxide and alginate were as low as 0 and 30 %, respectively. Generally for all treatments, the removal efficiency decreased as heavy metal concentration in polluted water increased. Shall was the most effective material in decontamination of heavy metals polluted water and it could be recommended to be used to decontaminate wastewater.

Vijayawada city of Andhra Pradesh, India is a rapidly growing city both technologically and demographically. A sudden growth of population coupled with poor infrastructure and inadequate waste management services is bound to create problems in the public health sector. A long-term ground water quality monitoring at Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) dumpsites is important to the protection of aquifer. The effect of dumpsites on ground water is often detrimental and the cumulative effects may not be visible for many years. Ground water and leachate near the two major dump sites of Vijayawada were used for monthly monitoring to identify the impacts..

Much concentration was directed towards different types of adsorbents used in adsorbing heavy metals from the industrial waste water by using the availables chemical, physical and biological techniques. The present study is designed to use less-cost and more available adsorbents to eliminate heavy metals in the industrial waste water.An alcoholic essence from the natural material Rhatany is used in this research (with concentrations 100,200, 300, 400, 500, 600 milligram/liter) as a primary material with adsorbing Cadmium, Cobalt , Chrome, and Copper, from the lab prepared mixture.The research investigated a number of variables as the acid pointer pH, time of mixing, primary concentration, lightening, temperature, and their various effects on the absorbing process to define the ideal circumstances to get the best adsorbing of materials by using this material.Equilibrium Isotherm experiences were conducted and the findings were analyzed by using Freundlich model and Langmuir model. It is found that Langmuir model is the better mathematical model to represent the results of adsorbing all the ions than Freundlich model where Langmuir constant factor was (0.967,0.962,0.976 ,and 0.965 milligram/gram )for Cadmium, Cobalt , Chrome, and Copper.(Kinetic) experiments were conducted where the findings were used to analyze the effect of the stratum surrounds the particles of the adsorbing material. There was good harmony between the practical and theoretical findings taken from the absorbing model in Kinetic experiments when mobile interaction model of the second degree Pseudo Second Order Kinetic is used where more than 95% of Cadmium, Cobalt , Chrome, and Copper, were adsorbed.The findings showed the possibility of eliminating Cd(II), with 100% , Co(II), with 100%, Cr(VI), with 100%, Cu(II), with 100% with a capacity of adsorption of Cadmium, Cobalt , Chrome, and Copper, with 25 milligram for each gram from the roots of Rhatany.Comparisons between the findings of the present study and other studies showed the high efficiency of this cheap type of these adsorbed and available materials to eliminate the pollution of Cadmium, Cobalt , Chrome, and Copper , (as heavy poisonous metals) from industrial water before releasing it to sewage water.

The main objective of this paper focused on field exploratory survey of e-waste generation in Bangalore city. Field data were collected through questionnaire-based survey followed up with interviews where the target respondent groups and e-waste categories were predetermined to determine the e-waste flow purchasing pattern, recycling and disposal practices, and to understand the existing measures for e-waste management in Bangalore. There are three main target respondents included in the survey. The three main categories are Households, Offices (business entities and institutions) and Recyclers (Including importers and exporters, manufacturers, collectors, second-hand shops, repair shops, dismantlers, and processors of recyclable materials from used WEEE). A total of eleven major area of Bangalore city were selected. The basis for the selection of the survey location is based on the population density and also the socioeconomic status of the areas. The average weight of EEE was taken as per E-Waste Volume I, Inventory Assessment Manual, UNEPBased on the survey, it was estimated that the total e-waste generation in bulk quantity from software industry of all scales is 250162.8 kg/annum. Total e-waste generation due to repairs of EEE is 32443 Kg per annum. Total e-waste generated from seven EEE items due to households is 12190.09 Kg per annum. Total e-waste generated due to consumers/users in bulk quantities in hotels and institutes is 9447.12 Kg per annum. Total e-waste generated is 121 Kg from users/ consumers of mobile phones in bulk quantity n organizations. Total e-waste generated from users/consumers in bulk quantity from manufacturing industry of all scales is 20420.7. 8 Kg/annum.

The analysis of potentially toxic metals in soils and the environmental risk assessment was presented in this study. Ten representative surface soil samples were collected from ten different locations in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos, Nigeria where soils have been contaminated by metal particulates from metal cutting and welding operations. The samples were digested with aqua regia and the concentration of the potentially toxic metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Zn and Cu) was measured using the flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (FAAS) under optimized conditions. The physicochemical properties of the soils (pH, %organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and particle size distribution) were determined using standard analytical methods. Multivariate analysis of the original results obtained was carried out using the principal component analysis (PCA) to identify how the physicochemical parameters of the soils correlate to the concentration of the potentially toxic metals, while the ecological risk assessment was done using the model proposed by Hakanson. The results of the analysis showed that there was serious contamination of the soils in the study area with Pb, Cd and Cu. The results of the principal component analysis showed that the first factor, PC1 explained 36.95% of the total variance which exhibited a high positive loading on Ni, Zn, Cd and Cr while the second factor, PC2 explained 23.67% of the total variance which exhibited a high positive loading on Ni, Cd and Cr and the sources of these heavy metals could be both natural and anthropogenic. The results of the ecological risk assessment show that there is high ecological risk resulting from the release of Cd and Cu into the environment in majority of the sample locations.

Many advance colorimetric analytical techniques or methods are available to estimate/determine environmental pollutants like selenium, vanadium, thallium, iodine, sulphur dioxide, pentachlorophenol, carbon tetrachloride, mercury. Many researchers opined to make use of automatic or continuous air monitoring station. Central Pollution Control Board established many CAAQMS in all over India, but for operation of these stations is generally required skilled persons as well as a huge amount is required to install CAAQMS. According to CPCB the installation of CAAQMS approximately 1.1 crore rupees and 8 lakh rupees for operation and maintenance annually was met. Low cost method for estimation of sulphur dioxide (SO2) is being used right now in manual monitoring stations in India. The study applies the feasibility of the alternative low cost method; Rhodamine-B has been used as a simple and sensitive colorimetric reagent for the estimation of sulphur dioxide. The results have significantly indicated that the use of NCS method for the alternative to TCM method could able to save around 3.54 crores rupees per year from proposed 1352 manual Air monitoring stations in India.

The relationship between ICT and the environment has a key role in today’s environmental discussions. This paper evaluates and analyses how “ICT” initiatives and applications, can play a major role in reducing CO2 emissions, and ensuring sustainable development and green growth in order to meet development goals and improve quality of life in some developed and developing countries by using dynamic panel estimation by Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) with 43 economies for the period from 2003 to 2008 .The results indicate that despite the positive effect of the economic growth on the environmental pollution, ICT advances, ,has played an important role in the reduction of carbon dioxide as air pollutant.