National Environmental Engineering Research Institute Research Articles

Assessment of Air Quality Around Heavy Traffic Zone in Hyderabad

Recently the intensity and magnitude of air pollutant concentration has grown up rapidly in the troposphere. The air pollution is primarily associated with automobiles and industrial sources Hyderabad, capital of Telangana, is a center of southern part of India for both industrial and commercial activity. It is one of the most populous urban areas with approximately 6.8 million inhabitants and over 73,000 small, medium and major industrial establishments sharing the greater city. Air pollution in India is monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) together with the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in Nagpur. The National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) was started in 1984 with 7 sensor stations, 248 towns and cities have the air quality network of 591 Air Quality Monitoring Stations upto 2015, it is reported that in India 2022 added 180 manual air quality monitoring stations, increasing their number to 883 to achieve the target of 1,500 by 2024. For our study due to practical difficulties to collect, analysis the air quality, pollutants data has been collected from CPCB .The dataset contains City, Date, PM2.5, PM10, NO, NO2, NOx, NH3, CO, SO2, O3, Benzene, Toulene, Xylene, Air Quality Index (AQI). Hyderabad was divided into 6 zones, air quality monitoring sensors is located at 14 places in and around six zones. For our study we selected 5 stations based heavy traffic area to analyse the maximum concentration of pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, NO2, NO3, SO2, CO, for the period of three months ( Dec 2022,Jan, Feb 2023).It was observed at site 1 to site 3 PM2.5,range 183.7 – 163.26µg/m3 is very poor as per AQI, PM10 range 151.11 to 137.76 µg/m3 is moderately polluted as per AQI, NO2 range 61.03 to 76.4 µg/m3 is satisfied as per AQI, NO3 range 1.196 to 7.96 is good, SO2 is 6.34 to 55.83 µg/m3 is satisfied ,CO 70.35 to 71.97 is severe as per AQI, continuous air quality monitoring is necessary to protect environment and human health

Air Quality Monitoring at Heavy Traffic Zone in Hyderabad

Recently the intensity and magnitude of air pollutant concentration has grown up rapidly in the troposphere. The air pollution is primarily associated with automobiles and industrial sources Hyderabad, capital of Telangana, is a center of southern part of India for both industrial and commercial activity. It is one of the most populous urban areas with approximately 6.8 million inhabitants and over 73,000 small, medium and major industrial establishments sharing the greater city.Air pollution in India is monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) together with the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in Nagpur. The National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) was started in 1984 with 7 sensor stations, 248 towns and cities have the air quality network of 591 Air Quality Monitoring Stations upto 2015, it is reported that in India 2022 added 180 manual air quality monitoring stations, increasing their number to 883 to achieve the target of 1,500 by 2024. For our study due to practical difficulties to collect, analysis the air quality, pollutants data has been collected from CPCB.The dataset contains City, Date, PM2.5, PM10, NO, NO2, NOx, NH3, CO, SO2, O3, Benzene, Toulene, Xylene, Air Quality Index (AQI). Hyderabad was divided into 6 zones, air quality monitoring sensors is located at 14 places in and around six zones. For our study we selected 2 stations Newmalakpet and Sanathnagar based on heavy traffic area to analyse the maximum concentration of pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, NO2, NO3, SO2, CO, for the period of three months ( Dec 2022,Jan, Feb 2023).It was observed at site 1 to site 52PM2.5,range 120 to 249 µg/m3 is very poor as per AQI, PM10 range 101.2 to 171 µg/m3 is moderately polluted as per AQI, NO2 range 7.46 to 32.9 µg/m3 is good as per AQI, NH3 range3.06 to 5.44 is good as per AQI, SO2 is 12.97 to 8.53 µg/m3 is good ,CO 61.83 to 71.9 is severe as per AQI, continuous air quality monitoring is necessary to protect environment and human health

Analysis of Water and Air Quality in and Around HIMSWM Treatment Plant- Hyderabad

In recent days the emission of air pollutants in to the environment has grown very quickly. The air pollution is caused due to the smoke emitted by vehicles, industries and other sources. Hyderabad is the largest and capital city of Telangana. It occupies 650km2 on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musiriver, in the northern part of south India. According to the 2011 Census of India, Hyderabad is the fourth-most populous city in India with a population of 6.9 million residents within the city limits, and has a population of 9.7 million residents in the metropolitan region, making it the sixth-most populous metropolitan area in India. With an output of US$74 billion, Hyderabad has the fifth-largest urban economy in India. In India air pollution is monitored by Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) along with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in Nagpur. The National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) was started in 1984 with seven sensor stations 248 towns and cities have the air quality network of 591 air quality monitoring stations upto 2015, it is reported that in India 2022 added 180 manual air quality monitoring stations, increasing the number to 883 to achieve the goal of 1500 by 2024. For our study because of some practical difficulties and analysis of the air quality. Air Pollutants has been collected from the CPCB. The dataset contains City, Date, Time, PM2.5,PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, Benzene, Toulene, Xylene, Air Quality Index (AQI). Hyderabad was divided into six zones, air quality monitoring sensors are located at 14 places in and around six zones. For our study we selected one sensor that is Secunderabad, which covers the surrounding areas including Jawahar Nagar treatment plant. To analysis the maximum concentration of air pollutants such as PM2.5,PM10,SO2,NO2,CO,O3over the time period of three months (Jan to Mar 2023).Most physio-chemical properties, including as pH, EC, Alkalinity, Chlorides, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Cr, exceeded their acceptable limits at more than three sample sites, according to this study. The water sources were determined to be unsafe for drinking, agricultural, and irrigation uses due to elevated toxicity levels.It was observed that PM2.5,ranges 218 - 403µg/m3 is very poor causes respiratory illness, PM10 range 112 - 360µg/m3 is moderately polluted causes breathing discomfort ( Asthma, lungs), NO2 range 10 – 12ppm is satisfied causes minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people ,O3 range 20 – 35ppm is good causes minor effect, SO2 is 12 – 22ppm is satisfied causes minor breathing discomfort to sensitive people ,CO 109 – 119ppm is severe effects on healthy people and serious impact for those with existing diseases, so continuous air quality monitoring is necessary to protect environment and human health

EVALUATION OF A NEW METHOD FOR TREATING COFFEE EFFLUENT

Coffee fruits are processed by either wet method or dry method at the estate level to obtain the coffee bean. Of these two methods, coffee processing by wet method requires large amount of water and thus generates enormous amount of effluent which needs to be treated extensively before discharge. Currently, the effluent treatment plant (ETP) module developed by Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) in collaboration with National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) during 1980 is employed for treating the coffee effluent. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has recommended CCRI-NEERI ETP module for adoption at the estate level to treat the coffee effluent. In the present investigation, a new method viz., Acidification-Neutralization-Sedimentation-Filtration (ANSF) developed recently by CCRI was evaluated for treating the coffee effluent for four consecutive seasons (2017-2018 to 2020-2021) under field conditions. The results indicated that the BOD reduction by ANSF method is comparatively higher than the BOD reduction by CCRI-NEERI method. Further, ANSF method is relatively simple, as it does not require any chemical (or) biological inputs for treating the coffee effluent, excepting calcium oxide and biochar.

Editorial

Every time through our Journal we try to present a collection of research papers and studies that bring to the light a new ambit of Yagya research. With a similar aim, another attempt has been made to bring an assortment of some interesting works in this 4th Volume 2nd Issue of the Dev Sanskriti Interdisciplinary Journal of Yagya Research (IJYR). This issue caters to a wide spectrum of Yagya research which includes application of Yagya in tourism, scientific evaluation of the ancient practice of Balivaishva Yagya, importance and use of herbal fumes. All of these try to integrate science and spirituality at their level.
 The first research article of this issue deals with the study of Balivaishva Yagya its significance and importance in daily life. The author Harsika Jaiswal, investigated the meaning, philosophy, procedure, and utility of Balivaishva Yagya in the present time. She concluded that the five inspirations and messages are hidden in Balivaishva Yagya which can create a spiritual environment in the family as well as solve all the problems of the individual and the world – opening door to all-rounded progress by uprising divine culture in society.
 
 The second research paper explores the applications of Yagya in tourism. The author Prachi Agarwal, Arunesh Parashar investigated the Development of Holistic Religious Tourism through the Ancient Indian Technique of Yagya. In their study, they concluded that the Ashwamedha Yagya can act as an important component of religious tourism and gives a newer dimension to religious tourism by providing holistic development of the participants at religious sites through Ashwamedha for national unity, peace, and harmony.
 The third research article explores the importance and uses of herbal fumes. The author Lalima Batham has investigated the Indian scriptures and Veda in the context of Yagya and reported that herbal fumes produced in the process of Yagya hold high medicinal properties and can be included in Ayurvedic therapy. The next research article states about the cosmic Yagya which implies that human life is sacrificial life (Yagyamay Jeevan - यज्ञमय जीवन). The author Akanksha Prajapati concluded that Yagya is not just a physical process but a lifestyle to live.
 Lastly, under the guidance of Honorable Dr. Chinmay Pandya, Pro Vice Chancellor, DSVV has organized a symposium on “Advancement of Research on Yagya” in which renowned scientists from various research institutes like IITs (Indian Institute of Technology), National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI)-Nagpur, National Physical Laboratory-CSIR, and many others. They presented their study and view on the same. The discussion has been manuscript and presented in the last paper as Consensus of the symposium. 
 We hope this issue will inspire and generate interest among researchers, educators, tour planners, and professionals to understand the significance of the indigenous knowledge of Yagya in the present era. We would also like to thank all our readers and request them to send us their valuable feedback to make this journal a more effective vehicle of indigenous knowledge in the future.

Analysis of titanium coated silencer exhaust gas emission in automobile vehicle using artificial neural network

In developing countries like India, pollution is a major environmental problem. Among various factors of pollution, vehicular pollutions contribute major part in urban areas. The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute has estimated that about 60–70% of total air pollution is caused by automobiles in all major cities.For a perfect vehicular emissions model, Real world driving characteristics have to be analyzed. It is necessary to investigate the relationship between various parameters such as speed, age, power and driving behaviour of the vehicle. Vehicles particularly emit gases such as CO, CO2, HC, NOX, and O2. They are measured with five gas analyzer to find out the emission rates of four stroke two wheeler vehicles under static and dynamic condition. The factors considered are the age, power of the vehicle and driving behaviour. From the emission rates a prediction model is developed using artificial neural network and the composition of air pollutants will be calculated and then compared with emission standards.

Sensor-based Wireless Air Quality Monitoring Network (SWAQMN) - A smart tool for urban air quality management

An air quality monitoring network (AQMN) having the ability to provide high spatial resolution real-time information is one of the key tools for developing management strategies for air quality improvement. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) has deployed a Sensor-based Wireless Air Quality Monitoring Network (SWAQMN) to monitor real-time particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations in a highly urbanized megacity, Delhi, the capital of India. The sensors are equipped in a device, called Polludrone and located at ten locations covering different land use and source activities in the city. The Polludrone monitored data was compared with another calibrated PM monitor (GRIMM) for PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations and found a similar trend with correlation coefficient (r2) values of 0.73 and 0.85, respectively. The hourly average concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 were found to be 446 and 242 μg/m3 by PM monitor, whereas the Polludrone recorded corresponding values as 314 μg/m3 and 176 μg/m3, respectively. Daily, diurnal and seasonal variability in PM10 and PM2.5 levels are analyzed at 09 locations in Delhi city using SWAQMN. Further, sensor's monitored data were compared with nearest located Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) in the form of Air Quality Index (AQI) and found the AQI values are comparable in all the four seasons. The sensor monitored low AQI values as compared to CAAQMS during monsoon and summer seasons. The present analysis suggests that the sensor-based network (low/affordable cost) can be successfully operated to get the real time air quality levels in an urban area.

Eco-restoration approach for mine spoil overburden dump through biotechnological route.

The overburden dumps which are created during the process of mining are devoid of supportive and nutritive capacity for biomass development. Restoration of these overburden dumps requires the establishment of a self-sustaining soil-plant system, for which a restoration strategy is needed to accelerate the natural processes of ecosystem development. For eco-restoration of a coal mine spoil dump, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute developed an ecofriendly multidisciplinary approach to restore the fertility of the mine spoil overburden dump. In this regard, an experiment was conducted to restore the fertility of the overburden dump in an area of 20 ha at Durgapur in India. To reclaim the dump, the IBA (integrated biotechnological approach) was used. The integrated biotechnological approach involves the utilization of industrial waste ETP sludge (effluent treatment plant sludge) to support the nutritive capacity for vegetation establishment, inoculation, and isolation of Azotobacter, Bradyrhizobium, and VAM (vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza) spores of Gigaspora and Glomus species along with suitable indigenous trees of ecological and economic importance. The findings of the experimental study revealed that amendment of the mine spoil with organic amendment at 50 t/ha improved the nutrient, microbiological, and physicochemical properties of the coal mine spoil and reduced the toxicity of heavy metals due to increased organic carbon content of the organic amendment effluent treatment plant sludge. Thus, amendment of the effluent treatment plant sludge and biofertilizer application provided better supportive material for the growth of different plant species which resulted into momentous biomass (aboveground biomass and belowground biomass) production thereby improving the productivity and fertility of the mine spoil dump in a short span. Thus, using IBA, the ecology and biodiversity of the area was conserved. It also helped to maintain the aesthetic environment surrounding the mine site.

Tackling Delhi’s air pollution problem

Among the sea of cars, motorcycles, and three-wheeled auto rickshaws at some of the busiest intersections in of Delhi, India sit refrigerator-sized machines hopelessly chugging away. They suck in the brew of pollutants belched from the vehicles and pump out fresh air. The machines, installed at 54 intersections this past autumn by the federal Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), pass air through three filters to remove particulates and dust. Ultraviolet lamps sitting in an inner chamber trigger photocatalyst-coated charcoal particles to oxidize small, toxic organic compounds that make it past the filters, transforming them into—relatively speaking—innocuous carbon dioxide and water. The machine’s developers at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s National Environmental Engineering Research Institute say a single filtration machine can purify air over an area of 500 m2 and that larger devices capable of covering 10,000 m2 are in the works. Critics aren’t so sure about the machines

Research Performance of CSIR-NEERI, Nagpur during 1989-2013:A Scientometric Study

National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur, a national laboratory under the CSIR (NEERI) plays an important role in the field of environmental engineering and science by providing innovative and effective solutions to a wide range of environmental problems in the country. This study attempts to analyze the research publications of CSIRNEERI, during the 25 year period between 1989 and 2013. The data for this study consists of details of 1236 publications that were extracted from Web of Science Database as well as Institute Annual reports. The publication data were analyzed on various parameters like, publication trend, highly cited papers, most prolific authors, collaborative authorship pattern and trends, the degree of author's collaboration and preferred journals for scholarly communication and so on. The study shows that the majority of the scientists preferred to publish research papers in joint authorship. The most preferred journal for publication by CSIR-NEERI scientists is Environmental monitoring and assessment.

Study of mutations in aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) gene in cattle from fly ash zone in Maharashtra, India

The experiment was undertaken collaboratively at the Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Nagpur Veterinary College, Nagpur; National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur to study the mutagenic effect of fly ash on bovine Amino Levulinic Acid Dehydratase (ALAD) gene. DNA was extracted from blood samples of 49 fly ash exposed cattle born and reared in vicinity of two Thermal Power Plants, Koradi and Khaperkheda and 41 healthy animals reared at organised farms located more than 10 kilometres away from the plants as the control group. Polymerase Chain Reaction and DNA sequencing of the PCR products were carried out for mutation analysis. ‘MEGA- 5, Bioedit and ‘Clustal Omega’ software were used to analyse the sequenced data. Thirteen animals from fly ash exposed group revealed mutations at different loci. Most of the animals exhibiting mutations had phenotypic expression of heavy metal toxicity. The nucleotide substitution variant G → C was observed in highest frequency. Mutations in bovine ALAD gene may be due to a prolonged exposure to heavy metals and other toxic elements present in fly ash released from the thermal power plants. Further, it serves as ALAD gene may be used as a good candidate for further toxico-genomic studies.

Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project: In Need of Divine Intervention

The case looks at the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project from its inception in the year 1860 to 2012 when the Pachauri Committee was about to submit a report on the latest canal alignment (4A) as suggested by the Supreme Court. It takes the reader through a series of developments starting from the initial proposals and alignments to formation of Sethusamudram Corporation Limited and highlights the impact of National Environmental Engineering Research Institute Report, Tsunami Detailed Project Report, and Subramaniam Swamy Report on various issues including environmental, political, religious, security and legal. The case brings out multi-dimensional aspects involved in an Indian infrastructure project and gives both students and the faculty an opportunity to explore the complexities faced by the Indian decision makers in today's context.

Implementation of water safety plan for a large-piped water supply system.

A water safety plan for the city of Nagpur was developed by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). Possible hazards were identified through field visits. Based on this, an improvement plan was drawn up to suggest corrective actions and a time frame for implementation. The findings of this study are being used to modify or repair components of the water supply system and upgrade management procedures. This paper highlights the lessons learnt during implementation of the WSP and the key challenges faced.

A comprehensive study on landfill site selection for Kolkata City, India

Kolkata is one of the four major metropolitan cities in India and the capital city of the state of West Bengal. With an area of 187.33 km2 and a population of about 10 million (including a floating population of about 6 million), the city generates about 3500 Metric Ton (MT) of solid waste per day. Currently, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) disposes its waste at Dhapa (21.47 ha), where the disposal rate exceeds 3000 MT/day, and at Garden Reach (3.52 ha), where the disposal rate is 100 MT/day. Considering the exhaustion of Dhapa land space, city planners are urgently searching for an alternate disposal ground. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), under the sponsorship of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), has brought out literature developing the site selection criteria for municipal solid waste disposal ground to suit Indian conditions. The developed criteria encompass environmental conditions, accessibility, geological and hydrogeological conditions, and ecological and societal effects. This paper attempts to locate the most suitable site for disposal of KMC area solid waste using the multicriterion decision analysis as stipulated in CPCB 2003 guidelines and the overlay analysis of geographic information system (GIS).Implications:The paper is based on landfill site selection for dumping of solid waste generated within Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area. The methodology uses GIS/remote sensing, Site Sensitivity Index (an offshoot of pairwise comparison technique developed in CPCB 2003 guidelines, Government of India), and the Delphi technique. Dhapa landfill site, where solid waste of KMC area is currently being disposed, is exhausted; the authors of this article thus found it relevant to carry out a research on the selection of an alternative landfill site. The study undertaken was comprehensive, yet presented in a lucid way so that policymakers will find easy to comprehend.

English

Introduction Nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) resist microbial degradation due to their electron deficiency. Further substitution with electronwithdrawing groups, such as chloro group, increases the electron deficiency and recalcitrance. NACs and the closely related chloronitroaromatics (CNACs) are widely used in several industries, and are toxic and mutagenic, posing an ecological threat. Since the occurrence of natural NACs is limited, microbes have only recently been exposed to the anthropogenic burden of NACs. However, within this short exposure time, several microbes have evolved the capability to metabolise NACs. The enzymes initiating metabolism of NACs warrant special attention due to the thermodynamic and xenobiotic considerations involved. The current article reviews the state-ofthe-art knowledge on some of the important enzymes that catalyse the initial step of NAC degradation. Conclusion Looking at the recent progress, dioxygenases hold a lot of promise for NAC degradation. In the near future, the structure–function relationship of the dioxygenases will be better understood. This will allow researchers to generate dioxygenases with desired specificity at will and, of course, at the mercy of the enzyme flexibility. Introduction Nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) contain at least one nitro group attached to an aromatic ring. The aromatic ring is relatively inert due to the delocalisation of π electrons. The nitro group, being a strong electrophile, further deactivates the ring towards electrophilic substitution through inductive effect and conjugation. Figure 1 shows the effect of various substituents on the reactivity of benzene ring1. In general, increasing electronegativity of the substituents increases the degree of deactivation. Due to the electron deficiency over the aromatic ring, oxidative metabolism of NACs is very difficult. The presence of additional substituents also affects the reactivity of NACs. Electron-withdrawing groups increase the electron deficiency and consequently, deactivate the NACs, whereas electron-donating groups activate NACs towards oxidative metabolism (Figure 1). Thus, electron-withdrawing substituents like nitro and chloro groups make polynitroaromatics and chloronitroaromatics (CNACs) resistant to aerobic microbial degradation. It is, however, observed that the nitro group in NACs is easily reducible, and substitution with electron-withdrawing groups, like chloride or another nitro group, greatly increases the rate of reduction. For example, trinitrotoluene (TNT) readily undergoes reductive metabolism, which results in reduction of one nitro group to amino group. However, amino group, being electron-donating, decreases the electron deficiency, due to which the reduction of remaining nitro groups is less rapid and requires lower redox potential2. Majority of the NACs are produced and released into the environment by anthropogenic activities. They are widely used in the production of pesticides, dyes, polymers, pharmaceuticals, explosives, agrochemicals and speciality chemicals. CNACs are used as precursors for the synthesis of important chemicals, such as drugs, herbicides and dyes. Due to their recalcitrant nature, these compounds are discharged into the environment, where they accumulate and cause serious pollution. Several NACs and the closely related CNACs are listed as priority pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency3. Many of the NACs are toxic, mutagenic and established carcinogens. They show acute ecotoxicity towards algae and aquatic invertebrates, and are phytotoxic4. Several NACs are associated with methaemoglobinaemia, anaemia, hepatic toxicity, neurotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and splenic, reproductive and respiratory disorders in * Corresponding author Email: abafana@rediffmail.com 1 Environmental Health Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Nagpur-440020, India Figure 1: Aromatic ring substituents in the order of their electron withdrawing and consequently, electrophilic substitution-deactivating effect.

ENERGY-EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE SEWAGE TREATMENT USING PHYTORID TECHNOLOGY

The process of design, construction and operation of sewage treatment plant (STP) requires multi-disciplinary approach. Numerous conventional methods are available for design of sewage treatment plants. The process involved in these treatments is either aerobic, anaerobic or combination requiring number of mechanical and electrical items thereby requiring substantial energy. The ever growing need of energy makes the design, operation and maintenance of STP a challenging task. The conventional method of sewage treatment can be made efficient by advanced technologies and intelligent supervision but this in turn increases the total cost. However, root zone technology developed by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute treats the sewage by phytorid plant. It is found from the study carried out on nine STPs at various locations in Pune and Mumbai in Maharashtra (India) that the sewage treatment by phytorid technology uses only 20% of the energy as compared to conventional sewage treatment plants. It is thus concluded that phytorid technology is the future for sewage treatment.

The phage-host interaction as a model for studying carbon regulation in aquatic system

AbstractThis document contains the presentation by Swapnil G Sanmukh et al, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur on “The phage-host interaction as a model for studying carbon regulation in aquatic system” during Second National Research Conference on Climate Change, organized by the Centre for Science and Environment, IIT Delhi and IIT Madras on November 5-6, 2011 at New Delhi.

City Based Analysis of MSW to Energy Generation in India, Calculation of State-Wise Potential and Tariff Comparison with EU

Techno-economic feasibility of the best available Waste to Energy (WTE) technologies across the world were studied for 75 Indian cities. Secondary data on Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) characteristics for all cities were compiled from three well-known authentic databases, viz. NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur), NSWAI (National Solid Waste Association of India) and CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi). We observed a definite relationship between the calorific value of waste generated and the biodegradable and paper fractions present in waste. The authors made an attempt to calculate WTE potential from MSW for a majority of Indian cities, along with the state-wise potential. Tariff charged by EU countries were compared with some states and operating plants in India. The authors also recommend what needs to be done in terms of policy modifications and rules that need to be adhered to for MSW management in order to make WTE a success for India.

Aerosol growth and activation in polluted air masses over a tropical metropolis in the Indian sub‐continent

AbstractAir pollution can affect cloud formation in more than one way. When the pollutant gases are condensable (e.g. oxides of sulphur), then the process of aerosol activation is eased to a certain extent aiding cloud formation. However, polluted days are often characterised by low updraught speeds which inhibit aerosol growth. In this study, we have critically examined the aerosol activation process in a polluted coastal environment where both effects are present. We have concentrated on the Chennai region (one of the largest cities in the world) of the Indian sub‐continent because its pace of industrialisation is increasing rapidly, adding to increasing SO2 pollution over the years. Air masses over Chennai contain a mixture of aerosol particles including NaCl, because of its proximity to the Bay of Bengal, along with ammonium sulphate. We have used observational data along with a detailed microphysical chemical parcel model to study cloud activation effects. We find that over Chennai, often the presence of the condensable pollutant vapour (SO2) more than compensates for the low updraught speeds by lowering the level of maximum super saturation significantly. This latter effect favours the activation of ammonium sulphate as well as NaCl aerosol particles. We have undertaken a systematic analysis to quantify the relative strengths of these two competing effects and find that even with low updraught speeds, oxides of sulphur can perturb the activation domain comprising a mixture of aerosol particles to such an extent that aerosol particles in polluted environments often grow efficiently. This effect is non‐intuitive in the sense that one associates smaller cloud droplet sizes with polluted air masses. This is the first microphysical modelling study for the Indian sub‐continent where National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) observations have been applied to cloud microphysical processes. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society

Developmental strategies for sustainable ecosystem on mine spoil dumps: a case of study

An important goal of ecological rehabilitation is to accelerate natural successional processes to increase biological productivity, soil fertility and biotic control over biogeochemical fluxes within the recovering ecosystems. A new approach called Microbe Assisted Green Technology (MAGT) is an integrated biotechnological approach developed at National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) through exhaustive laboratory as well as field studies and serve as a model for land reclamation and development of lush green vegetation on mine overburdens. One year old seedlings of native tree species were planted on 6.3 ha area of manganese mine overburden at Gumgaon under Manganese Ore India Ltd., Maharashtra, India. Continuous efforts resulted in nutrient rich soil with high N, P, K and organic carbon; well developed biodiversity, including bacteria, fungi, higher plants (more than 350 species) and different classes of animals. Planted trees accumulated 698 t ha( - 1) above ground biomass and 143 t ha( - 1) below ground mass. This was achieved in 18 years by MAGT, which otherwise takes hundreds of years.