Southwest Punjab Research Articles

Exploring seasonal changes in radon/thoron and progeny concentration: a case study in south-west Punjab

Exploring seasonal changes in radon/thoron and progeny concentration: a case study in south-west Punjab

Geochemical Signature and Risk Assessment of Potential Toxic Elements in Intensively Cultivated Soils of South-West Punjab, India

Soil contamination with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the Malwa region belt of Punjab, India, can be a serious concern as a result of intensive agricultural practices and overuse of agrochemicals. The main objectives of the present study were to evaluate the spatial distribution, geochemical signature, and contamination level/health risk of PTEs in 76 soil samples (0–10 cm) collected from the three districts viz. Muktar, Faridkot, and Moga of Punjab, India. The result shows that PTEs concentrations vary widely in the region, with Fe and Mn distribution patterns being mostly coherent with each other. When compared to the Indian natural soil background values, the average concentration of Pb and Zn were higher than the limit, only Pb exceeded the average values of the world background and upper continental crust (UCC). Spatial autocorrelation plotted with a local indicator of spatial association (LISA) in GeoDa software version 1.18 was used to identify hotspots. A positive spatial autocorrelation (>0.2) was indicated with Moran’s I values for Pb, V, Mn, Cu, and Cr, being highest for Pb. A principal component analysis (PCA) identified the major geo-chemical patterns of Fe-Al-V-Cr and TOC-Mn-Zn-HCO3−, which were positively loaded on PC1. This indicates that Fe/Al-oxyhydroxides and organic matter play a dominant role in controlling metal mobility in soils. This can be further substantiated with the Spearman’s rank correlation values. The contamination factor (CF) indicates that only Pb and Zn (15.7% and 3.9% samples, respectively) were under high risk. This could be due to the excessive application of chemical fertilizers. The large range of degree of contamination (Cdeg) values suggests that there are variations in the degree of soil pollution due to PTEs. A little over 3.9% of samples had significant contamination, compared to 72.3% of samples with low contamination and 23.6% of samples with moderate contamination. Human non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk levels were investigated. The hazard index (HI) values for adult ranged from 0.00 to 0.2, and values for children ranged from 0.009 to 1.2. These findings suggest that both children and adults are not at potential risk, except in a few locations. Overall, the results of this study provide the current baseline status of toxic elements in agricultural soil. This would be helpful for developing strategies for sustainable management of the soil resources in the region, as well as for future monitoring programs of the soil quality in the Malwa region as a whole, to track any changes in the contamination levels over time.

Seroprevalence with epidemiological determinants of hepatitis C virus and Treponema pallidum infection in blood donors of a teaching hospital in southwest Punjab, India: A 5-year study

ABSTRACT Background: A high seroprevalence of various transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) in donated blood is the main safety concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries. As per the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation, all blood donations must be tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), Treponema pallidum infection, and malaria, which mainly comprises the major bulk of TTIs. Aims: The purpose of this study is to observe the seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus and Treponema pallidum infection over the period of 5 years in blood donors of our blood center along with their epidemiological determinants with respect to age, sex, residence, occupation, and type of donors Materials and Methods: Retrospective study was conducted for the period of 5 years, from 1st January 2017 to December 2021, estimating the seroprevalence of hepatitis C and Treponema pallidum infection in the blood donors along with their epidemiological determinants Results: Out of 19,689 donations in 5 years, 690 (3.50%) units were positive for transfusion-transmissible infections with 1.67% donors seropositive for HCV, 1.23% for Treponema pallidum infection, 0.42% for HBV, and 0.18% for HIV. The prevalence of TTIs was found to be highest in 2020 (4.52%) and least in 2017 (2.57%). Out of a total of 330 HCV cases detected in 5 years, 84.85% of cases were seen in voluntary donors. Rural donors constituted 71.21% of cases. The majority of cases were seen in the age group of 18–30 years, i.e., 61.82%, and a maximum number of cases were seen in the farmers (31.21%), followed by laborers and construction workers (21.21%). Out of a total of 242 cases of Treponema pallidum infection, 84.29% were seen in voluntary blood donors. Demographic data showed 70.24% of cases in rural donors. Occupational data revealed a maximum number of cases in farmers (34.29%), followed by laborers (21.90%). Conclusion: Higher seroprevalence of HCV and Treponema pallidum infection in our region as compared with other areas is a matter of great concern about the growing infection rate of these in our area. Stringent use of donor selection criteria and more vigorous donor screening is utmost need of the hour for reducing the burden of TTIs in blood transfusion services.

δ18O and δ2H isotopes, trace metals and major ions in groundwater around uranium and fluoride contaminated Indus valley Quaternary alluvial plain, SW Punjab, India: Implications on hydrogeochemical processes, irrigation use and source

Uranium and fluoride enrichment in groundwater along alluvial plains pose a severe threat to living beings like cancer, fluorosis and crop yield as witnessed around semi-arid southwest Punjab, India. In-situ groundwater was examined for major ions, stable isotopes and trace metals to understand the hydrogeochemical processes, contaminant origin and health risks around SW Punjab, India. Groundwater from a freshly drilled bore well is found to be hard, alkaline, and saline with total dissolved solids and salinity up to 1300 and 1500 mg L−1, respectively. Fluoride (up to 4 mg L−1) and uranium (up to 90.07 μg L−1) contents exceed permissible limits in most samples and originated from fertilizer inputs and aquifer leaching. Uranium contents decline with depth, while fluoride remains invariable. Decreased U contents are inferred to be caused by U(VI) reduction to U(IV) as evidenced by an increase in Fe2+ vs. Fe3+, S2− vs. S6+ and N3− vs. N5+ with depth. NaHCO3, NaCl + NaHCO3 and NaCl are the dominant water types for shallow (<38 m), intermediate (49–83 m) and deeper groundwater (105–128 m) with Na+ and HCO3− as the dominant cations and anions, respectively. Silicate weathering majorly controlled the groundwater geochemistry together with a partial contribution from cation exchange processes. Unsuitability for drinking and irrigation use is envisaged for all depths, while deeper groundwater is safe in regard to radiological risk. δ18O and δD variations are suggestive of evaporation dominance in shallow groundwater, while intermediate groundwater witness canal and groundwater mixing and deeper groundwater are recharged through higher altitude.

Distribution, prevalence and diversity of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting one-humped camels from Southwest Punjab, Pakistan

In tropical countries like Pakistan, ticks are the most prevalent vectors for transmitting diseases to wild and domestic animals leading to their morbidity and mortality. In the present study, a total of 593 ticks infesting one-humped camels (n=244) were collected during April till June 2021 from two tehsils of Layyah district located in Punjab (Pakistan) in order to investigate their diversity, prevalence and distribution. Data analysis revealed that camels located in Tehsil Choubara were significantly more tick infested than camels from Tehsil Layyah (P=0.02). It was observed that the older camels were more prone to tick infestation that younger ones. Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus were the two tick genera identified during the present study and tick specimens of Hyalomma genus were the most prevalent (n=590, 99.5%). In particular, Hyalomma dromedarii was the most prevalent tick species (n=559, 94.3%), followed by Hyalomma anatolicum (n=24, 4%), Hyalomma marginatum (n=7, 1.2%) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (n=3, 0.5%). The overall abundance of male ticks was higher than the female ticks with a ratio of 1:2.1. Neck was the most preferred site for the tick infestation followed by ventral, sternum, under tail, head, udder and back of analyzed camels. To our knowledge, this is the first report regarding tick diversity on camels from Layyah district and based on our finding, we recommend large-scale tick control strategies to be implemented in this district to uplift the livestock sector.

Assessment of DRAINMOD-NII model for prediction of nitrogen losses through subsurface drained sandy clay under cultivation in south west Punjab, India

Abstract In the present study, the DRAINMOD-NII model was calibrated for the years 2018–2019 and validated for the period 2019–2020 over the two cropping years. The model simulations were statistically evaluated by comparing the measured drain flows and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) with the model simulated drain outflows and nitrate loss. The study results depicted closer agreement between the simulated and observed results for both the calibration and validation periods. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the drainage rate was 8.88 cm more than observed data, 15.41, 0.53 and 0.57 cm were the values recorded for PBIAS, modelling efficiency (NSE) and R2. The similar parameter values for nitrogen load were recorded to be 0.14, 2.76, 0.84 and 0.88 respectively during the calibration period for the rice-wheat system. The model was statistically tested during the validation period also, confirming DRAINMOD-NII has the capability to simulate nitrogen losses from the area subjected to subsurface drainage system.

Geochemical and health risk assessment of potentially toxic trace elements and nitrate via groundwater in agro-ecosystem of alluvial plain Punjab, India

Sporadic rainfall and limited surface water sources have increased dependency on groundwater in semi-arid region of Punjab. The present paper is comprehensive study carried out in an intensive agricultural region of southwest Punjab to examine the quality and extent of contamination due to trace elements and nitrate in the aquifer system. Total 15 toxic elements are analyzed in groundwater samples (N = 129) covering both the shallow (<60 m) and deeper aquifers (>60 m). Elements such as As, B, Cd, Li, Mn, Pb, Sr, and Se exceed the prescribed limits. Overall, 68 and 13% of samples exceed the NO3 − permissible limit (45 ppm) in shallow and deep aquifers, respectively. Contaminants concentration increases toward groundwater flow direction, that is, from northeast to southwest possibly due to arid climatic conditions. Relatively, shallow aquifer is more contaminated than deeper aquifer due to fertilizers input and irrigation return flow. Drinking water quality indices (DWQI) reveal that groundwater is unfit for drinking at most locations. Further, health risk indicate that comparatively, children are at higher risk in terms of non-carcinogenic risk posed by nitrate, and higher carcinogenic risk for As, Cr, and Cd is seen in all age groups. Multivariate analysis reveals the influence of anthropogenic activities on NO3 −, Mn, Ni, and Zn levels, while geogenic factors control the, As and Mo concentrations. Present findings suggest regular monitoring of wells to lower the public health risk.

Vertical distribution and radiological risk assessment of natural radionuclides in the alluvial soil profile of south-west Punjab, India

Natural radionuclide levels are studied in alluvial sediments upto the depth of 900 cm. Eighteen profiles are selected from agricultural and undisturbed areas and analysed by gamma-ray spectrophotometer. Levels were found to vary significantly with depth and higher concentration is observed in agricultural samples till the depth of 600 cm and values are comparable after this depth, indicating role of anthropogenic activities on radionuclide enrichment in agricultural areas. However, value is higher than global average at both sites, indicating their geogenic presence. Elemental ratio and multi-statistical analysis are utilized to assess the behaviour of radionuclides involved. Radiological hazard risk assesment is also carried out.

Co-digestion of euryhaline microalgae Scenedesmus sp. MKB. with paddy straw for biogas production

Biogas is a clean and renewable biofuel source produced by anaerobic digestion of organic matter and can replace conventional sources of energy such as fossil fuels. The present study was undertaken to assess biogas production from microalgae Scenedesmus sp. MKB. (MN796425) which was isolated from the saline water collected from the waterlogged area of Southwest Punjab. The biogas production for different concentrations of microalgal biomass, microalgal filtrate, and paddy straw was observed in laboratory conditions and the performance of microalgae was also studied in field conditions. The co-digestion of microalgal biomass and paddy straw under laboratory conditions revealed maximum production of 60.18 L when both were co-digested as compared to 48.56 L during the digestion of paddy straw alone. Kinetics of biogas production studied by modified Gompertz equation revealed that the highest biogas production potential (P) of 68.58 mLg-1 volatile solids at the biogas production rate (Rm) of 1.34 mLg-1d-1 with lag phase (λ) of 0.66 days. Microalgae biomass production under field conditions was carried out in an open raceway pond of 200 L capacity and later biomass was digested in 1 m3 digester that showed cumulative biogas production of 2,407 L and it was 20.44% more than control.

Efficacy of Neem Based Formulations Against Wheat Aphids Under Semi-Arid Irrigated Conditions in South-West Punjab

Neem formulations viz. aqueous extract of neem and NSKE along with standard check thiamethoxam were evaluated for their efficacy against wheat aphids Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) and Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch). It was observed that aphids’ incidence on shoots started in the first week of January with a peak (40.90 aphids/ shoot) during third week of March. Thiamethoxam 25 WG @ 50 g/ ha was found significantly superior giving 93.53% reduction after 7 DAS (days of spray). Different formulations of neem also yielded comparable results in controlling wheat aphids. Aqueous extract of neem @ 5 l/ ha resulted maximum (74.21%) reduction followed by NSKE @ 10% (69.04%) after 7 DAS. Occurrence of coccinellids was more in treatments with neem formulations than in thiamethoxam. The treatments resulted in 2.48- 9.25% increase in yield and it can be concluded that aqueous extract of neem and NSKE can be recommended over the most commonly used thiamethoxam for controlling wheat aphids.

Analysis of Destitution amid Floods: Evidence from Pakistan

Using household surveys for 2008 and 2011, a multidimensional destitution measure is constructed for Pakistan’s most populated province – Punjab. Using a non-monetary framework for dimensions of health, education and standard of living, the study paints a temporal picture of the extremely impoverished households in districts and towns, while highlighting the impact of the destructive 2010 floods. Results reveal the existence of pervasive destitution, with half of the multidimensionally poor households also identified as destitute. Destitution is higher for rural as compared to urban households, while the geography of destitution highlights its concentration in south-west Punjab, providing insights for targeted interventions.

Occurrence and behaviour of uranium in the groundwater and potential health risk associated in semi-arid region of Punjab, India

Occurrence of uranium (U) in the groundwater of south-west Punjab is a matter of great concern due to the rise of contaminant levels at an alarming rate, its spatial and vertical variability and poor understanding of uranium mobility with depth. Present study has been conducted to investigate the vertical extent of contamination and geochemical factors controlling U mobilization in the groundwater of semi-arid Punjab. Out of total 140 samples collected and analyzed, 76% samples have uranium levels greater than the chemical toxicity limit of World Health Organization (WHO, 30 μg.L−1) and 34% samples have concentration higher than the radiological toxicity limit given by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB, 60 μg.L−1). Water at shallow depth (<60 m) is found to be more contaminated than water at deeper depth (>60 m) and concentration lies in the range of 4.26–318.03 μg.L−1. Spatial distribution graphs are used to identify the hotspots of contamination and concentration is higher in the flow direction of groundwater towards south-west. In both the aquifers, groundwater is alkaline and oxic in character with carbonate weathering as dominant hydrogeochemical process affecting chemical composition of water. Higher uranium concentration is seen in the oxidizing, alkaline and carbonate-rich water. Alkali earth metals (Na+ & K+) are also strongly correlated with the uranium in groundwater at both the levels. Use of environmental stable isotopes (δ18O & δ2H) shows the evaporation signature in both the aquifers. Health risk assessment is carried out and values higher than permissible limit give indication towards the health risk to the population exposed due to the consumption of uranium contaminated water from long time. This study provides a strong base for better understanding the source of uranium in the aquifer system of region and the results would be useful for further studies in quaternary alluvial aquifers of semi-arid regions.

Employment generation through integrated farming for small and marginal farmers in south-west Punjab

Employment generation through integrated farming for small and marginal farmers in south-west Punjab

Assessment of drinking water quality and non-carcinogenic health risk associated with the feed and treated water of water treatment devices (WTDs) in southwest Punjab, India

The present study emphasizes the quality of feed and treated water of water treatment devices (WTDs) of Muktsar district, Punjab. Altogether 72 water samples were analyzed for major ions to identify the contaminant of concern that have potential risk to human health. An elevated level of F−, NO3 −, HCO3 −, Mg2+, Cl−, and TDS were observed in the feedwater. The removal efficiency of WTDs was found high for Na+, NO3 −, Cl−, and SO4 2− and low for K+, PO4 3-, and F−. The WTDs seem to be very effective in improving the overall water quality and significantly reduces the non-carcinogenic risk in all studied age groups.

Isotopes (δ18O, δD and 3H) variations in groundwater with emphasis on salinization in the state of Punjab, India

The state of Punjab has a dominant agrarian economy and is considered India's bread basket. However, it is now under the problem of falling agro-economy primarily because of pervasive depletion of groundwater levels and deteriorating groundwater quality in south-west Punjab, but increasing salinity is a major concern. The irrigation requirements of crops are fulfilled by groundwater and canal water but the introduction of canal irrigation has led to waterlogging and subsequent salinization rendering large fertile-land areas becoming unproductive mainly in the south-western part of Punjab. There was an apprehension that excessive withdrawal of groundwater might have caused a reversal of natural groundwater flow pattern that might have caused ingress of saline water into fresh groundwater region of central Punjab. To address the apprehension related to the rise in groundwater salinity and its subsequent ingression in the fresh-water zone and suggest suitable management solutions, a study was undertaken to analyse the data related to salinity, isotopes, land-use and land cover (LULC) along with field and laboratory experimental results. The depth-wise isotope analysis shows that there is a large variation in isotopic signatures of shallow and intermediate aquifers and it decreases with the depth of aquifers (150–250 m). It appears that very deep groundwater (>250 m) is relatively isolated and does not show a large variation or mixing effect. Tritium analysis shows that dynamic groundwater is actively recharged through canal, river, and/or rain. The presence of modern groundwater at deeper depth indicates a good interconnection between shallow and deep groundwater. Interpretations of the results show that the canal is the main source of groundwater recharge in south-west Punjab and the evaporation process is responsible for increasing the salinity hazard. In the central parts of Punjab, groundwater and rain are the main sources of groundwater recharge, while rain is the main source of groundwater recharge in the Kandi area. In the south-west Punjab, some primary salinity has formed as a result of mineral dissolution which has further increased due to evaporative enrichment.

Appraisal of groundwater quality and associated risks in Mansa district (Punjab, India)

Mansa district in Malwa region of South-West Punjab has gained significant attention due to elevation in number of patients suffering from diverse diseases especially cancer and consumption of contaminated groundwater could be one of the possible reasons. The present study reports the assessment of 59 groundwater samples from Mansa district by evaluating physicochemical characteristics, potentially toxic element (PTE) contamination and associated health implications followed by analysis of water quality status using various indices. Multivariate statistics were applied for source identification of PTEs in groundwater. The study revealed occurrence of PTEs with mean (μg L-1) dominance order of As (650.8) > U (104.14) > Zn (55.3) > Fe (34.4) > Hg (8.3) > Mn (5.1) > Cu (4.1) > Cr (2.7) > Pb (2.4). One hundred and 71.19% groundwater samples were found to be seriously contaminated with As and U, respectively, and posing high cancer risks to local residents via ingestion. Higher hazard indices of 16.64 and 12.85 for children and adults, respectively, indicated high non-carcinogenic health risks to both population groups but children were observed to be more vulnerable. Correlation analysis showed positive correlations of U with total dissolved solids (TDS), fluoride (F-) and total alkalinity (TA). Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) revealed the contribution of both geogenic (weathering of rocks) and anthropogenic sources (overuse of agrochemicals in agricultural lands and release of inefficiently treated industrial effluents) for deteriorating the groundwater quality of study area. The study counsels the inhabitants to consume treated groundwater as ingestion route was identified as the primary route of exposure.

Groundwater salinity and isotope characterization: a case study from South-West Punjab, India

Increasing demand of the irrigation water led to improper surface water irrigation policies resulting in water logging problems in southwest Punjab coupled with apprehension of saline zones formation by salinity ingression towards central Punjab due to excessive groundwater abstraction. A network of piezometers exploring 4 upper aquifers was constructed at 6 sites in Sri Muktsar Sahib district of south-west Punjab. Groundwater samples were collected from these piezometers, TDS was measured and analysed for stable isotopes (ẟ18O and ẟD). Based on isotope characterization 4 zones were identified as: (1) zone A: source as fresh water or precipitation (2) zone B evaporation either during precipitation or infiltration (3) zone C intermediate of evaporated and recycled water (4) recycled water. This study can be useful in proper management of the water resources in this region by identifying the fresh water and saline groundwater zones in the area.

Effect of sowing date, row spacing and orientation on growth and yield of Bt cotton hybrid in southwest Punjab

To determine the effect of sowing date, row spacing and orientation on Bt cotton hybrid (RCH 773 BGII), the crop was sown on three dates i.e. April 30, May 15 and May 30 with two row orientations (North-South: N-S and East-west: E-W) and three row spacings (45 cm, 60 cm and 75 cm) in factorial split-plot design at Bathinda and Faridkot during Kharif2018. Plant spacing was kept same (67.5 cm) across all treatments. Phenological development of the crop was hastened with delayed sowing as compared to the 30th April sowing under all treatments of row spacing and row orientation. The highest seed cotton yield was recorded when sown on April 30th (3203 kg ha−1 at Bathinda and 3370 kg ha−1 at Faridkot) followed by May 15th sowing; while the lowest with the crop sown on May 30th. Signifcantly higher seed cotton yield was observed in E-W (3038 kg ha−1 at Bathinda and 3085 kg ha−1 at Faridkot) than in N-S row orientation. Seed yields were also higher with the wider row spacing of 75 cm (3004 kg ha−1 at Bathinda and 3061 kg ha−1 at Faridkot) as compared to the narrow row spacing. Ginning outturn (%) ranged from 32–33% and 37–38% at Bathinda and Faridkot, respectively. The study concluded that appropriate sowing date, row orientation and row spacing modifed the microclimate of cotton crop that had signifcant positive effect on growth and yield of cotton.

A Cross Sectional Study to Assess Peak Expiratory Flow Rate in Healthy School Children for Establishment of Normative Data

Introduction: Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) can be measured by cheap and portable instrument, peak flowmeter which is useful in detecting early asthmatic changes and monitoring the treatment response.&#x0D; Methods: This study was conducted on 1000 normal healthy children of nine to 14 years of age of either sex from various schools of Faridkot district in South West Punjab, India. Anthropometry was done and PEFR was measured using Mini Bell Peak Flow Meter. Linear regression analysis was done and normograms were constructed.&#x0D; Results: Linear regression equations were derived for PEFR with height, weight, BSA and BMI in boys and girls. The most significant correlation was seen with height (r = 0.527 in boys, r = 0.410 in girls) followed by body surface area (r = 0.506 in boys, r = 0.296 in girls). Body mass index had negative correlation (r = -0.200) with PEFR in girls. Nomograms were constructed on basis of linear regression equations of PEFR with height (-46.67 + 2.02 x height for boys, -12.64 + 1.50 x height for girls) and BSA (82.02 + 137.2 x BSA for boys, 96.61 + 88.11 x BSA for girls)&#x0D; Conclusion: There is need for nomogram for each region so that personal value of PEFR can be compared to normal reference population and also with predicted value from regression equation as PEFR varies from region to region. The nomograms and regression equations derived from this study can be useful for predicting normal values of PEFR of children of South West Punjab.

Hydrochemical evolution of groundwater in the waterlogged area of southwest Punjab

This study describes the geochemical processes controlling the quality of groundwater in waterlogged parts of Muktsar district of southwest Punjab, India. The order of cations remains the same for pre- and postmonsoon samples, i.e. Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+, while anion order changes from SO42− > HCO3− ≅ Cl− > NO3− in premonsoon to HCO3− >> SO42− > Cl− > NO3− in postmonsoon. Significant number of samples (57%) belongs to Na–Cl type in premonsoon indicating dissolution of evaporites present in unsaturated zone, which in postmonsoon represent mixed Ca–Na–HCO3 type. Calcite, dolomite and gypsum were found to be major contributors to alkaline earth metals, while silicate weathering and ion exchange contribute alkali metals to groundwater. This study also helps in differentiating the geochemical behaviour of groundwater in waterlogged regions as well as unaffected regions.