Discharge Of Industrial Effluents Research Articles

An investigation of the Excitation Wavelength-Dependent Dynamic Changes in the Mechanism of Detection of Picric Acid using Pyrene-Based Donor-Acceptor Systems.

Picric acid (PA) is an important industrial feedstock and hence the release of industrial effluents without proper remediation results in its buildup in soil and water bodies. The adverse effects of PA accumulation in living beings necessitate the development of efficient methods for its detection and quantification. Herein, we describe pyrene-based fluorescent sensors for PA, where pyrene is appended with electron-withdrawing groups, malononitrile, and 2-(3-cyano-4,5,5-trimethylfuran-2(5H)-ylidene) malononitrile (DCDHF). These molecules displayed the typical emission of pyrene monomers, as well as a broad red-shifted emission resulting from an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) in the excited state. Both the emissions displayed a turn-off response to PA with high selectivity and sensitivity and the lowest limit of detection was estimated as 27 nM. To prove the feasibility of on-site detection, test paper strips were prepared, which could detect PA up to 4.58 picograms. Using a combination of experimental and theoretical studies the mechanism of the detection was identified as primary/secondary inner filter effect, oxidative photoinduced electron transfer, or a combination of both depending on the excitation wavelength. Interestingly, the contribution of each of these mechanisms to the total quenching process varied with a change in the excitation wavelength.

Innovative ceramic membrane plate filtration system for sustainable semiconductor industry wastewater treatment: A pilot scale study

Conventional methods of coagulation and flocculation are used to treat semiconductor industry wastewater, but they often fail to recover valuable silica particles and result in resource wastage and environmental risks. Despite the potential of membrane filtration for silica recovery, limited research is available on scaling up the process beyond laboratory scale. Therefore, this study aims to develop and evaluate the feasibility of pilot-scale ceramic membrane plate filtration system for treatment of diluted back grinding wastewater (DBGW) from the semiconductor industry. Specific objectives include assessing permeate quality in terms of rejection and benchmarking it to established standards, identifying fouling mechanisms, characterising sludge constituents and conducting life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impacts of the ceramic membrane plate filtration system compared with conventional treatment. The pilot membrane plate filtration system demonstrated significant reductions of 85.71 % in chemical oxygen demand, 67.31 % in total suspended solid, 75 % in nitrate–nitrogen (NO3-N), 33.33 % in ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), 74.07 % in colour and 98.37 % in turbidity. Effective mitigation of irreversible fouling during DBGW filtration was achieved using 0.1 M NaOCl, resulting in a flux recovery ratio of 95.35 %. The retained silica on the membrane exhibited a purity of 64 wt%, as confirmed by EDX analysis. The treated wastewater met various regulatory standards including Malaysia Industrial Effluent Discharge (Standard A and Standard B), restricted USEPA standard, NWQS Class IIA, IIB, III, IV and V, and Singapore’s greywater standards. The fouling mechanism of silica on the ceramic membrane was well represented by the standard blocking model with an R2 value of 0.92. Furthermore, LCA confirmed that the utilisation of the ceramic membrane plate filtration system exhibited fewer environmental impacts than conventional coagulation–flocculation methods. This study represents a significant breakthrough in wastewater treatment in the semiconductor industry in terms of concurrent recovery and reuse of silica to address environmental and resource sustainability concerns.

Mycoremediation of Acetaminophen by the Fungi of Dothideomycetes sp. Isolate

Resources like air, water, and land are found to be contaminated by a broad variety of pharmaceutical contaminants. The release of industrial effluents, hospital wastewater, and untreated domestic water, which contains medications, colours, pharmaceutical blisters, and heavy metals that are ecotoxic even at concentrations of nanograms to micrograms, is a significant cause of water pollution. Mycoremediation is an operative approach is to detoxify these contaminants. The fungal strain was isolated from pharma industrial wastewater. Identification of the fungi was founded on the morphological and 18s rRNA sequencingtechnique. Isolate shared 99.82 % similarity with Zasmidium cellare and Cladosporium iridis strain CBS 138.40, suggesting the new species of fungi. The strain has received Gen bank accession number of OR081620.1. The fungal strain was found to degrade 85% of acetaminophen (1000 ppm) in 10 days when grown in mineral salt medium with acetaminophen as only carbon source. Glucose was found to enhance sporulation potential but not the degradative potential of the fungi. Identification of biodegradative metabolite was done by using thin layer chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Mycodegradative metabolite of 4 Aminophenol was identified as acetaminophen.

Application of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles to Mitigate Cadmium Toxicity: Mechanisms and Future Prospects.

Cadmium (Cd), as the most prevalent heavy metal contaminant poses serious risks to plants, humans, and the environment. The ubiquity of this toxic metal is continuously increasing due to the rapid discharge of industrial and mining effluents and the excessive use of chemical fertilizers. Nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a novel strategy to alleviate Cd toxicity. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have become the most important NPs used to mitigate the toxicity of abiotic stresses and improve crop productivity. The plants quickly absorb Cd, which subsequently disrupts plant physiological and biochemical processes and increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which causes the oxidation of cellular structures and significant growth losses. Besides this, Cd toxicity also disrupts leaf osmotic pressure, nutrient uptake, membrane stability, chlorophyll synthesis, and enzyme activities, leading to a serious reduction in growth and biomass productivity. Though plants possess an excellent defense mechanism to counteract Cd toxicity, this is not enough to counter higher concentrations of Cd toxicity. Applying Zn-NPs has proven to have significant potential in mitigating the toxic effects of Cd. ZnO-NPs improve chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthetic efficiency, membrane stability, nutrient uptake, and gene expression, which can help to counter toxic effects of Cd stress. Additionally, ZnO-NPs also help to reduce Cd absorption and accumulation in plants, and the complex relationship between ZnO-NPs, osmolytes, hormones, and secondary metabolites plays an important role in Cd tolerance. Thus, this review concentrates on exploring the diverse mechanisms by which ZnO nanoparticles can alleviate Cd toxicity in plants. In the end, this review has identified various research gaps that need addressing to ensure the promising future of ZnO-NPs in mitigating Cd toxicity. The findings of this review contribute to gaining a deeper understanding of the role of ZnO-NPs in combating Cd toxicity to promote safer and sustainable crop production by remediating Cd-polluted soils. This also allows for the development of eco-friendly approaches to remediate Cd-polluted soils to improve soil fertility and environmental quality.

Perspective assessment of effects of industrial effluent discharge on stream water in Enugu urban, Enugu state

Perspective assessment of effects of industrial effluent discharge on stream water in Enugu urban, Enugu state

Assessment of the impact of irrigating with treated wastewater on soil and crop trace metal accumulation

ABSTRACT Water scarcity is growing quickly, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions along with the growing population. So, using treated wastewater in agricultural irrigation presents a sustainable approach, enhancing soil quality, increasing organic carbon levels, and improving crop productivity are achieved through this approach, concurrently reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. Yet, escalating industrial effluent discharge raises concerns regarding trace metals in wastewater and associated health risks. Our study in the Tenth of Ramadan City focused on employing secondary treated mixed industrial and municipal wastewater for olives, mandarins, and guavas. Sampling wastewater, soil, and plant parts, we analyzed their properties and trace element concentrations, employing Visual MINTEQ for geochemical speciation. Adhering to the international guidelines, the wastewater exhibited acceptable pH and alkalinity but showed concerning trace element levels for irrigation. Differences in soil composition and trace element concentrations suggest potential contamination in soils irrigated with wastewater, raising concerns about health risks associated with elevated metal levels in plants. Variations in trace element concentrations in guavas, olives, and mandarins’ leaves and fruits were observed, with efficient translocation in olives, while mandarin and guava displayed reduced efficiency. Bioaccumulation Factor trends indicated species-specific metal uptake differences. Waste “Minimization Prioritization Tool categorized” trace element levels as of low concern. Daily Intake of Trace Metals and Health Risk Index highlighted the need for health risk assessment, especially for elevated Ni in mandarins and guavas. Regression findings emphasized soil factors influencing metal uptake in plants, highlighting the need for vigilant soil management to curb trace element contamination in agriculture, ensuring both food safety and environmental health. Therefore, water reuse adds contributes to sustainable development, which is three dimensions; Economic, Social and Environmental. It improves economics to utilize water that would be otherwise wasted, and by making water more productive. It improves the social dimension by addressing water scarcity and satisfying the increasing water demand for sustainable livelihoods. It also improves the environment by increasing wastewater treatment levels and reducing pollution.

Intelligent optimal layout of drainage pipe network monitoring points based on information entropy theory

The rapid expansion of urban drainage pipe networks, driven by economic development, poses significant challenges for efficient monitoring and management. The complexity and scale of these networks make it difficult to effectively monitor and manage the discharge of urban domestic sewage, rainwater, and industrial effluents, leading to illegal discharges, leakage, environmental pollution, and economic losses. Efficient management relies on a rational layout of drainage pipe network monitoring points. However, existing research on optimal monitoring point layout is limited, primarily relying on manual analysis and fuzzy clustering methods, which are prone to human bias and ineffective monitoring data. To address these limitations, this study proposes a coupled model approach for the automatic optimization of monitoring point placement in drainage pipe networks. The proposed model integrates the information entropy index, Bayesian reasoning, the Monte Carlo method, and the stormwater management model (SWMM) to optimize monitoring point placement objectively and measurably. The information entropy algorithm is utilized to quantify the uncertainty and complexity of the drainage pipe network, facilitating the identification of optimal monitoring point locations. Bayesian reasoning is employed to update probabilities based on observed data, while the Monte Carlo method generates probabilistic distributions for uncertain parameters. The SWMM is utilized to simulate stormwater runoff and pollutant transport within the drainage pipe network. Results indicate that (1) the relative mean error of the parameter inversion simulation results of the pollution source tracking model is linearly fitted with the information entropy. The calculation shows that there is a good positive linear correlation between them, which verifies the feasibility of the information entropy algorithm in the field of monitoring node optimization; (2) the information entropy algorithm can be well applied to the optimal layout of a single monitoring node and multiple monitoring nodes, and it can correspond well to the inversion results of the tracking model parameters; (3) the constructed monitoring point optimization model can well realize the optimal layout of monitoring points of a drainage pipe network. Finally, the pollution source tracking model is used to verify the effectiveness of the optimal layout of monitoring points, and the whole process has less human participation and a high degree of automation. The automated monitoring point optimization layout model proposed in this study has been successfully applied in practical cases, significantly improving the efficiency of urban drainage network monitoring and reducing the degree of manual participation, which has important practical significance for improving the level of urban water environment management.

Exploring the structural characteristics and dye removal capabilities of powder-, granule- and film- shaped magnetic activated carbon derived from Oleaster seed.

Dye pollution in water caused by excessive discharge of industrial effluent has become a major environmental problem in recent decades because of its irreversible effects on human health. In this study, low-cost carbon-based adsorbents synthesized from Oleaster seed (OS) were prepared in three forms of powder (PAC), film (FAC), and granule (GAC) and used for the removal of methylene blue dye. The properties of the synthesized adsorbents were characterized by SEM-EDX, BET, XPS and FTIR analyses. The maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of PAC, FAC, and GAC adsorbents were obtained as 68.49, 32.25, and 15.10 mg/g, respectively at the optimum experimental conditions of pH = 10, adsorbent dosages of 0.5, 1, and 2 g/l, contact times of 60, 90, and 120 min, dye concentration of 10 mg/L, and temperature of 25°C. The Langmuir isotherm well described the equilibrium data for all three adsorbents. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model provided the best fit with the adsorption data obtained from all three adsorbents. Adsorption occurred spontaneously through a combination of chemical and physical mechanisms, with a thermodynamically exothermic process. The desorption experiments demonstrated that all the adsorbents have substantial potential for recovery. The novel activated carbon/alginate composite films are proposed as more promising biosorbents to remove MB dye from the aquatic environment compared to GAC adsorbents.

Occurrence of toxic elements in river areas along drains and groundwater resources: source of contamination and associated health risk.

The objective of the current research was to examine the water quality of the River Ravi and the River Sutlej, with a specific focus on potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Additionally, we sought to monitor the sources of pollution in these rivers by gathering samples from the primary drains that carry industrial and municipal waste into these water bodies. Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate the impact of PTEs in surface water on groundwater quality by collecting groundwater samples from nearby populated areas. A total of 30 samples were collected from these three sources: rivers (6 samples), drains (9 samples), and groundwater (15 samples). The analysis revealed that the levels of PTEs in the samples from these three resources having a mean value: arsenic (As) 23.5µg/L, zinc (Zn) 2.35mg/L, manganese (Mn) 0.51mg/L, lead (Pb) 6.63µg/L, and chromium (Cr) 10.9µg/L, exceeded the recommended values set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Furthermore, PTEs including (As 84%), (Zn 65%), (Mn 69%), (Pb 53%), (Cr 53%), and (Ni 27%), samples were beyond the recommended values of WHO. The results of the Principal Component Analysis indicated that surface water and groundwater exhibited total variability of 83.87% and 85.97%, respectively. This indicates that the aquifers in the study area have been contaminated due to both natural geogenic factors and anthropogenic sources. These sources include the discharge of industrial effluents, wastewater from municipal sources, mining activities, agricultural practices, weathering of rocks, and interactions between rocks and water. Spatial distribution maps clearly illustrated the widespread mobilization of PTEs throughout the study area. Furthermore, a health risk assessment was conducted to evaluate the potential adverse health effects of PTEs through the ingestion of drinking groundwater by both children and adults. Health risk assessment result show the mean carcinogenic values for As, Cr, Pb and Ni in children are calculated to be (1.88E-04), (2.61E-04), (2.16E-02), and (5.74E-05), respectively. Similarly, the mean carcinogenic values for the above mentioned PTEs in adults were recorded to be (2.39E-05), (3.32E-05), (1.19E-03), and (7.29E-06) respectively. The total hazard index values for As, Zn, Cr, Pb, Mn, Cu, and Ni in children were observed to be (9.07E + 00), (9.95E-07), (4.59E-04), (5.75E-04), (4.72E-05), (2.78E-03), and (5.27E-05) respectively. The analysis revealed that As has an adverse effect on the population of the study area as compared to other PTEs investigated in this study.

Case Study of Deterioration of Mansar Lake and Comparative Study of FAB and SBR Technologies in Sewage Treatment Plant

The deterioration of Mansar Lake, a significant tourist attraction and a vital water resource in India, has become a matter of concern due to the discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents. The present study aims to investigate the factors leading to the degradation of Mansar Lake and the effectiveness of two advanced sewage treatment technologies, Fixed Activated Beds (FAB) and Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR), in treating sewage waste. The study begins with a comprehensive analysis of the factors contributing to the degradation of Mansar Lake, including the inflow of untreated sewage, industrial effluents, and agricultural runoff, as well as the impact of climate change and anthropogenic activities. The research then moves on to the comparative study of FAB and SBR technologies, evaluating their performance in terms of pollutant removal efficiency, energy consumption, and operational costs. The results of the study show that both FAB and SBR technologies are effective in treating sewage waste, with SBR technology having a slight edge in terms of pollutant removal efficiency. However, FAB technology is more cost-effective and energy-efficient, making it a more viable option for developing countries with limited resources. The study concludes with recommendations for the implementation of FAB technology in the sewage treatment plant serving Mansar Lake, as well as the need for stricter regulations and enforcement to prevent the inflow of untreated sewage and industrial effluents into the lake. The study also emphasizes the importance of public awareness and education in preserving the lake's ecological balance and promoting sustainable tourism practices. Mansar Lake, sewage treatment, FAB technology, SBR technology, pollutant removal efficiency, cost-effectiveness, energy efficiency, sustainable tourism.

A modification of the dimethylglyoxime method for Nickel determination: Application in bioremediation processes

BackgroundEnvironmental contamination with nickel is increasing due to the discharge of industrial effluents and other anthropogenic activities. Therefore, the improvement of methods for monitoring nickel concentration is of great value. The dimethylglyoxime (DMG) method is used to determine the nickel concentration in aqueous solutions. This method requires the oxidation of Ni(II) to Ni(IV) by bromine water before adding DMG, which is necessary to complete color development. The original method uses more than 50 mL of final reagent volume per sample. In this study, a volume reduction of the DMG method was performed. ResultsA volume reduction of 1 mL per sample was successfully achieved for the DMG method. The working range was 0 - 10 mg Ni(II) L−1. The specified limits of detection and quantification (LOQ and LOD) were 1.18 and 0.41 mg L−1 respectively. A comparative analysis with atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) showed no significant differences between both methods for nickel determination. The modified DMG method was effective for the measurement of nickel in experimental samples from a bioremediation assay. ConclusionThe modified DMG method offers considerable advantages. The modified method reduces the volume of reagents used from 50 mL to just 1 mL. The requirement of smaller volume of each reagent is economically favorable, and consequently the amount of passive waste generated is reduced. It is easily reproducible in a laboratory with access to a spectrophotometer and simple reagents. In addition, the possibility to measure samples from bioremediation assays is an advantage.

Exploitation of Agricultural Groundwater for Urban Areas

Ground water is the most accessed source of water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural purposes. Significant social and economic repercussions could result from a declining water table and the depletion of groundwater resources that are economically accessible. Domestic water supply is given top emphasis in both National and State water policy formulation. Recently, there has been a rise in water transfers to satisfy the needs of the industrial and residential sectors. With the success of the state water supply, many are heralding groundwater transfer as the quickest, least expensive and most environmentally benign solution to large cities water supply and reliability problem. In order to satisfy urban domestic and industrial water demand, the majority of water transfers concentrate on buying water from farmers who are prepared to sell it to them. The present study was undertaken mainly to study the impacts of economic and environmental gains and losses related to the groundwater transfer in Tiruppur district. Without doubts groundwater transfer from agriculture to industrial uses would benefit individual sellers, buyers and the Nation as whole. The adverse direct economic impact in groundwater selling or water transferring areas to total revenue in agriculture was Rs. 54.32 lakhs per every crop season. Scarcity of water resulted in shifting of irrigated agriculture to rainfed agriculture and labour intensive to labour less intensive crops. The total employment lost per hectare of land was 198.33 man-days. Secondly, another adverse indirect economic and environmental impact of water transfer is discharge of large quantum of industrial effluent water. Moreover, there is indirect economic and environmental impact on effluent receiving areas due to highly polluted industrial effluent discharge into open lands and river/streams could cause a Rs. 22,296 net personal income loss for every hectare of land. At larger perspective impacts of groundwater transfer could be considered insignificant.

Evaluation of phytoconstituents in marigold effluent for their antifungal activity against plant pathogens.

The current study placed an intense emphasis on the excess discharge of agro-based industrial effluent and the use of plant extract antimicrobials to inhibit the growth of pathogens in crop plants. An effluent (treated and untreated) from the marigold flower processing industry has been identified for the presence of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, and a total of 18 in treated effluent and 23 in untreated effluent were found using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 13 classes were identified, which include carboxylic acid, phenols, esters, alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, cyanide, heterocyclic, flavonoids, aldehydes, polycyclic aromatic, cycloalkanes, and cycloalkenes. A principal component analysis with varimax rotation was applied to discern the abundance of identified compounds under each class. An in vitro antifungal bioassay was conducted using effluents at three different concentrations against plant pathogens (Alternaria alter nata, Sclerotium rolfsii, Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium aphanidermata, Fusarium oxysporum, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides). The study proved that treated and untreated effluents clearly inhibited the growth of fungal pathogens by 10 to 32% and 37 to 92%, respectively. The findings suggest that marigold flower effluent can be a promising resource for developing new plant protection methods that are effective against pathogenic fungi.

Synthesis of chitosan and gum arabic functionalized silver nanocomposite for efficient removal of methylene blue and antibacterial activity

AbstractThe discharge of industrial effluent has a harmful effect on the aquatic ecosystems and surrounding environment. The unprocessed discharge of organic dyes into the aquatic environment is a significant contributor to the aquatic pollution. Hence, it is imperative to ensure the proper disposal of organic colorants and their derivatives before their discharge into wastewater. The present study aimed to synthesis silver (Ag) nanocomposite using gum arabic (GA) and chitosan (CS) by an environment‐friendly and sustainable method. The formulated Ag nanocomposite was characterized using UV–visible, FTIR, TEM coupled with EDS. The FTIR analysis demonstrated the existence of polymers that have a crucial role in the formation of nano‐Ag‐composite. TEM revealed that the synthesized Ag nanocomposite had a spherical nanostructure, with diameters ranging from 18 to 95 nm. Further studies were conducted on Ag nanocomposite to analyze the breakdown of Methylene Blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. The synthesized Ag nanocomposite demonstrated a removal efficiency of 93.3% for MB after 60 min. Furthermore, the reusability of the Ag nanocomposite was studied, and it demonstrated substantial photocatalytic activity after three consecutive cycles. In addition, Ag nanocomposite (100 μg/mL) demonstrated potential inhibition against Escherichia coli (20 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus (18 mm). Finally, our findings showed that the synthesized nanocomposite can be employed as an outstanding photocatalyst and also bactericidal agent in both industrial and clinical sectors.

Evaluation of groundwater quality for irrigation purposes in hard rock terrain of Southern India using water quality indices modelling

Industrial effluent discharge threatens both agricultural productivity and drinking water quality by depleting groundwater, contaminating surface water and demanding high-quality irrigation water. This study evaluates the influence of urbanization and agricultural activities on the groundwater quality in Perundurai, focusing on its suitability for both drinking and agriculture. A total fourty samples of groundwater were randomly taken from bore wells. The principal cations and anions were analyzed revealed their dominance order: Na Ca > Mg > K and Cl > SO4 > F > NO3. The water quality index (WQI) analysis found that around 89% samples are unsuitable for drinking. The PI value indicates that 2% samples have poor permeability and elevated risk of waterlogging make it unsuitable for field use. Analysis of the Piper diagram reveals the dominance of alkaline earth cations (Ca, Mg) over alkali metals (Na, K) and weak acids (HCO3, CO3) over strong acids (Cl, SO4), indicating specific hydrogeochemical facies. From the US salinity diagram (USSL), C4S1 samples (30%) exhibit low alkalinity but a hazardous high salinity which impairs their capacity to retain water. Wilcox classification identified that 27% samples exhibit potential limitations for irrigation due to elevated sodium content. Contamination of groundwater due to ion leaching, sewage discharge and runoff is a significant environmental concern with potential health implications.

Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Heavy Metal Adsorption using Activated Carbon Developed from Doum Palm Seeds

The increase in human population which prompted the need for the construction of industries has led to indiscriminate discharge of industrial effluent by these industries into our environment. This discharges most times contain heavy metal which adversely affected the ecosystem. This research evaluates the adsorption behaviour of activated carbon prepared from Hyphaenethebaica nut shells treated with K2CO3 for the treatment of heavy metal contaminated water. The characterization was carried out using FTIR and SEM. The batch adsorption technique was employed and the optimum adsorption was observed at adsorbent dose of 0.6g, initial concentration of 60 ppm, temperature of 60℃. and at contact time of 30 minutes. Optimum adsorption pH for the Heavy Metal adsorption was found to be 2. The adsorption isotherms indicated that the Langmuir isotherm model showed a better correlation (R2 ≥ 0.9) for the Heavy Metals compared to Freundlich and Temkin isotherm model. The Pseudo second order adsorption model best described the adsorption kinetics of the Heavy Metals on the adsorbent. The value for the experimental adsorption capacity for Cu2+, Pb2+, Fe2+ and Zn2+ are 3.83, 4.27, 3.92 and 3.15 respectively corresponded to the calculated adsorption capacity for the pseudo-second-order model for the heavy metals Cu2+,Pb2+,Fe2+ and Zn2+ calculated as 3.61, 3.71, 2.99 and 2.13 respectively and were closer to the experimental adsorption capacity than the calculated adsorption capacity for the pseudo-first-order model. The correlation coefficient, R2 values for the pseudo-second-order adsorption model for the heavy metals Cu2+,Pb2+,Fe2+ and Zn2+ are 0.39, 0.66.0.51 and 0.33 respectively. The ∆H° for the heavy metals Cu2+,Pb2+,Fe2+ and Zn2+ with positive values of 24.99, 25.09,24.53 and 25.00 indicates that the adsorption was endothermic and and the ∆S for the heavy metals Cu2+,Pb2+,Fe2+ and Zn2+ with values of 79.70, 80.16,78.66 and 79.79 expresses the affinity of the adsorbent for the heavy metal ions in the adsorbate. The negative values of the ∆G° indicated that the adsorption of heavy metal is spontaneous at the temperature under investigation. Thus, activated carbon from K2CO3 treated Hyphaenethebaica nut shells could therefore be used effectively for the remediation of heavy metals from industrial waste water

An integrated buoy-satellite based coastal water quality nowcasting system: India's pioneering efforts towards addressing UN ocean decade challenges

The Indian coastal waters are stressed due to a multitude of factors, such as the discharge of industrial effluents, urbanization (municipal sewage), agricultural runoff, and river discharge. The coastal waters along the eastern and western seaboard of India exhibit contrasting characteristics in terms of seasonality, the magnitude of river influx, circulation pattern, and degree of anthropogenic activity. Therefore, understanding these processes and forecasting their occurrence is highly necessary to secure the health of coastal waters, habitats, marine resources, and the safety of tourists. This article introduces an integrated buoy-satellite based Water Quality Nowcasting System (WQNS) to address the unique challenges of water quality monitoring in Indian coastal waters and to boost the regional blue economy. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has launched a first-of-its-kind WQNS, and positioned the buoys at two important locations along the east (Visakhapatnam) and west (Kochi) coast of India, covering a range of environmental conditions and tourist-intensive zones. These buoys are equipped with different physical-biogeochemical sensors, data telemetry systems, and integration with satellite-based observations for real-time data transmission to land. The sensors onboard these buoys continuously measure 22 water quality parameters, including surface current (speed and direction), salinity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin, Coloured Dissolved Organic Matter, chlorophyll-a, turbidity, dissolved methane, hydrocarbon (crude and refined), scattering, pCO2 (water and air), and inorganic macronutrients (nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, phosphate, silicate). This real-time data is transmitted to a central processing facility at INCOIS, and after necessary quality control, the data is disseminated through the INCOIS website. Preliminary results from the WQNS show promising outcomes, including the short-term changes in the water column oxic and hypoxic regimes within a day in coastal waters off Kochi during the monsoon period, whereas effluxing of high levels of CO2 into the atmosphere associated with the mixing of water, driven by local depression in the coastal waters off Visakhapatnam. The system has demonstrated its ability to detect changes in the water column properties due to episodic events and mesoscale processes. Additionally, it offers valuable data for research, management, and policy development related to coastal water quality.

Facile construction of multifunctional xNiCo2O4/BiVO4 heterojunction with accelerated charge transfer for efficient photocatalytic treatment of Cr (VI), MB and TC under visible light

The release of industrial effluents, comprising of organic dyes, antibiotics, and heavy metals poses substantial environmental and ecological threats. Among the different approaches, the utilization of heterogeneous photocatalysis based on semiconducting metal oxides is of paramount important to removal of organic ( MB dye and TC antibiotic) and inorganic pollutants ( Cr (VI) ) in wastewater. In this work, a new approach for creating type-II heterojunction photocatalysts named xNiCo2O4/BiVO4 or BNC is suggested. The as-prepared samples were thoroughly examined by means of several sophisticated analytical tools to investigate their physicochemical properties. These composites were utilized in the decomposition of MB dye, TC drug and the reduction of Cr (VI) under visible light irradiation. According to the findings, the creation of type-II heterojunction at BiVO4–NiCo2O4 interface greatly improved charge transportation while successfully preventing electron-hole recombination. Among the various composites studied, BNC-2 demonstrated an enhanced photocatalytic activity towards degradation of MB and TC, which were found to be 91 % over a period of 150 min and 95 % within only 60 min, respectively. Moreover, the photocatalytic reduction of Cr (VI) was accomplished 96 % within just 25 min. Additionally, it is discovered that BNC-2 displayed promising photostability and recyclability with a retention of >90 % after five consecutive cycles. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of BNC-2 is evidently attributed to the expedited separation and transfer of charges, as proven by photocurrent measurement, photoluminescence and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses. Hence, the current amalgamation of NiCo2O4 and BiVO4 heterojunction composite has paved novel paths towards photocatalytic removal of organic as well as inorganic contaminants.

Ternary magnetic silica–graphene oxide composite for remediation of textile dyes from aqueous environment and real samples

Abstract Inadequate wastewater treatment infrastructure is a substantial worldwide concern, with implications for both the environment and public health. Specifically, the discharge of industrial effluents containing organic pollutants such as dyes represents a significant challenge due to their hazardous characteristics. Among these dyes, Bromophenol Blue (BPB) and Malachite green (MG) are extensively utilized in the industrial sector, contributing to environmental deterioration. In the current study, ternary-magnetic-silicate–graphene oxide [Fe3O4@SiO2–GO] was synthesized using the co-precipitation method and applied for the treatment of wastewater containing BPB and MG dyes. The point of zero charge and surface area of the adsorbent was estimated to be 5.7 and 253.8 m2 g−1, respectively. Energy dispersive X-ray was performed and the presence of iron, silicon, carbon, and oxygen was confirmed. The XRD analysis of GO, Fe3O4, and ternary Fe3O4@SiO2–GO composites were also performed to confirm the crystallinity of the composite. The SEM analysis showed a rough morphology with sheet-like appearance. The ternary composite was then applied for the adsorption of BPB and MG dyes. The maximum adsorption capacity for BPB and MG was 97.35 mg/g and 92.63 mg/g at pH 3 and 5, respectively. The results of the kinetics analysis showed that the pseudo-second-order kinetics model best explained the adsorption data for MG dye while pseudo-first-order kinetics for the BPB dyes. While the data best fitted the Langmuir adsorption isotherm with R 2 values of 0.994 and 0.998 for BPB and MG, respectively. These results demonstrate that Fe3O4@SiO2–GO serves as a promising adsorbent for the efficient removal of Bromophenol Blue (BPB) and Malachite Green (MG) from environmental water samples. Additionally, this adsorbent is environmentally friendly and chemically benign, and it can be reused efficiently for up to five cycles.

RETRACTED: Exploring Groundwater Quality Assessment: A Geostatistical and Integrated Water Quality Indices Perspective

Groundwater is an important source of freshwater. At the same time, anthropogenic activities, in particular, industrialization, urbanization, population growth, and excessive application of fertilizers, are some of the major reasons for groundwater quality deterioration. Therefore, the present study is conducted to evaluate groundwater quality by using integrated water quality indices and a geospatial approach to identify the different water quality zones and propose management strategies for the improvement of groundwater quality. Groundwater quality was evaluated through the physicochemical parameters (pH, chloride (Cl−), fluoride(F−), iron (Fe−2), nitrate (NO3−1), nitrite (NO2), arsenic (As), total hardness, bicarbonate (HCO3−), calcium (Ca+2), magnesium (Mg+2), color, taste, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS)) and microbiological parameters including total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and Escherichia coli of samples collected from the water and sanitation agency (WASA) and urban units. Irrigation parameters crucial to the assessment, including (electrical conductivity (EC), residual sodium carbonates (RSC), and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR)), were also collected at more than 1100 sites within the study area of upper and central Punjab. After collecting the data of physicochemical parameters, the analysis of data was initiated to compute the water quality index for groundwater quality, a four-step protocol in which the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to determine the weights of selected parameters by generating a pairwise matrix, on the relative importance of parameters using the Satty scale. The index was then classified into five classes for quality assessment of drinking water (excellent, good, medium, bad, and very bad) and four classes for irrigation water quality assessment (excellent, good, permissible, and unsuitable). After computing the index values for drinking as well as irrigation purposes, the values were interpolated, and various maps were developed to identify the status of groundwater quality in different zones of the study area. Mitigation strategies for water pollution involve source control, such as monitoring industrial discharge points and managing waste properly. Additionally, treating wastewater through primary, secondary, or tertiary stages significantly improves water quality, reducing contaminants like heavy metals, microbiological agents, and chemical ions, safeguarding water resources. The findings highlight significant regional variations in water quality issues, with heavy metal concerns concentrated notably in Lahore and widespread emerging microbiological contamination across all studied divisions. This suggests a systemic problem linked to untreated industrial effluents and poorly managed sewerage systems. The computed indices for the Lahore, Sargodha, and Rawalpindi divisions indicate water quality ranging from marginal to unfit, underscoring the urgency for remediation. Conversely, other divisions fall within a medium class, potentially suitable for drinking purposes. Notably, microbiological contamination at 27% poses a major challenge for water supply agencies, emphasizing the critical need for pre-disposal primary, secondary, and tertiary treatments. These treatments could potentially rehabilitate 9%, 35%, and 41% of the study area, respectively, pointing toward tangible, scalable solutions critical for safeguarding broader water resources and public health. With the current pace of water quality deterioration, access to drinking water is a major problem for the public. The government should prioritize implementing strict monitoring mechanisms for industrial effluent discharge, emphasizing proper waste management to curb groundwater contamination. Establishing comprehensive pre-disposal treatments, especially primary, secondary, and tertiary stages, is imperative to address the prevalent heavy metal and microbiological issues, potentially rehabilitating up to 41% of affected areas. Additionally, creating proactive policies and allocating resources for sustainable groundwater management are crucial steps for ensuring broader water resource security and public health in the face of deteriorating water quality. Therefore, urgent regional action is needed to address escalating anthropogenic threats to groundwater, emphasizing the crucial need for proactive measures to safeguard public health and ensure sustainable water resources.