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Fluoride Concentration in Ground Water Around an Aluminium Smelter Plant (A Case Study) in Angul–Talcher Industrial Belt, Odisha, India
Allian Majhi,
Subhra Keshari Biswal,
Kedar Mohapatra
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 1, February 2016
Pages:
1-5
Received:
15 November 2015
Accepted:
4 December 2015
Published:
30 December 2015
Abstract: Fluoride is the naturally-occurring stable form of the gaseous element fluorine (F). Fluoride is among the top 15 most abundant components on the Earth’s crust [21] and is naturally found in very small amounts in most aquifers in India [23]. An aquifer is an underground unit of saturated earth materials that can provide usable quantities of ground water to a well [5]. This paper gives the result of fluoride measurement in ground water around a major Aluminium smelter plant in India. The concentration of different water quality parameters like pH, electrical conductivity, total alkalinity, bicarbonate, chloride, nitrate, sulfate, total hardness, total dissolved salts, calcium and magnesium are estimated along with fluoride in ground water. Over 216 water samples are taken for analysis for a period of 12 months. The paper also reports the result of correlation coefficient between different water quality parameters.
Abstract: Fluoride is the naturally-occurring stable form of the gaseous element fluorine (F). Fluoride is among the top 15 most abundant components on the Earth’s crust [21] and is naturally found in very small amounts in most aquifers in India [23]. An aquifer is an underground unit of saturated earth materials that can provide usable quantities of ground ...
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Evaluation of Radioactivity Concentration in Drinking Water Collected from Local Wells and Boreholes of Dutse Town, North West, Nigeria
Shittu Abdullahi,
Chifu E. Ndikilar,
Abdussalam B. Suleiman,
Hafeez Y. Hafeez
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 1, February 2016
Pages:
6-11
Received:
28 December 2015
Accepted:
5 January 2016
Published:
15 January 2016
Abstract: Water is necessity to human and other life, human uses water for drinking, agricultural activities, domestic activities and so on. Therefore, it become necessary to study the level of radiation in our drinking water, because it poses many biological risks to human and other life when exceeded the maximum contamination level. This study examined the level of radioactivity of drinking water collected from local hand-dug wells and boreholes in Dutse town of Jigawa State. A total of 24 samples were collected and analyzed using MPC-2000, a Low Background alpha and beta counter. The equipment is a gasless proportional counter with ultra-thin window. The results showed that the alpha activity ranges from 0.006 to 0.485 Bq/l with a geometric mean of 0.060 Bq/l for borehole water samples and 0.003 to 1.08 Bq/l with a geometric mean of 0.094 Bq/l for well water samples and that of beta activity ranges from 0.009 to 84.68 Bq/l with a geometric mean of 5.288 Bq/l for borehole water samples and 6.830 to 6284.50 Bq/l with a geometric mean of 29.70 Bq/l for well water samples. Most of the sampling areas were above the maximum recommended level set by World Health Organization (WHO) of 0.5 Bq/l for alpha and 1.0 Bq/l for beta and United State Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) of 0.55 Bq/l for alpha and 1.85 Bq/l for beta activity. An attempt has been done to examine the correlation between the alpha and beta activity and a very poor correlation was obtained. It was further observed that well water samples recorded higher activity compared to borehole water samples. The lower activity in the borehole water samples may be due to the absorption of the activity in the pipes unlike the well water samples that was drawn directly from it source. The overall results showed that many of the sampling areas are not suitable for drinking, agriculture and other domestic activities. It is therefore, recommended that more studies should be carried out to ensure the safety of the general public in these locations.
Abstract: Water is necessity to human and other life, human uses water for drinking, agricultural activities, domestic activities and so on. Therefore, it become necessary to study the level of radiation in our drinking water, because it poses many biological risks to human and other life when exceeded the maximum contamination level. This study examined the...
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Facade Greening: A Way to Attain Sustainable Built Environment
Muhammad Shamsuddeen Abdullahi,
Halil Zafer Alibaba
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 1, February 2016
Pages:
12-20
Received:
31 December 2015
Accepted:
12 January 2016
Published:
27 January 2016
Abstract: In urban areas today, natural vegetation are been replaced with concrete pavements, buildings and other structures, which bring with it several consequences such as; noticeable increase in the amount of energy used in heating and cooling buildings which led to urban heat island (UHI) effect, degrading of air quality, increasing the amount of hard surfaces in cities which led to rise in temperature and also increase the volume of storm water collected. The technology of integration of plants on building façade became a trend in the last decade. This paper outlined different types of green façade and their benefits to the built environment. The paper through review of related literature is aimed at discussing how façade greening positively affect the built environment through the moderation of air quality; mitigate urban heat stress through transpiration cooling and shading. The paper also shows that façade greening will help in attaining a healthier living and a pollution free work place in the urban areas and any other place. The research concluded that the use of greenery on building façade provides a way to attaining a sustainable built environment.
Abstract: In urban areas today, natural vegetation are been replaced with concrete pavements, buildings and other structures, which bring with it several consequences such as; noticeable increase in the amount of energy used in heating and cooling buildings which led to urban heat island (UHI) effect, degrading of air quality, increasing the amount of hard s...
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Study on Biodegradation of Mechanic Workshop Polluted Soil Amended with Lime Fertilizer
Stephen Emmanuel,
Okwute Loretta Ojonoma,
Idoko Peter Arome,
Makolo Daniel
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 1, February 2016
Pages:
21-26
Received:
7 November 2015
Accepted:
19 November 2015
Published:
1 February 2016
Abstract: Biodegradation of mechanic workshop polluted soil amended with 2.4kg lime (Confluence fertilizer) was studied for a period of eight weeks (56 days). This was done by physicochemical analysis of the soil samples and microbiological analysis by spread plate inoculation on Nutrient agar (NA). The results revealed higher bacteria population in amended soil (AS) compared to oil free soil (OFS) and polluted soil (PS). The range of bacterial counts was Oil free soil (1.6×104 – 6.8 ×104 cfu/g), polluted soil (2.2×104 – 9.8×104 cfu/g) and Amended soil (1.62×104 – 1.12×105 cfu/g). The fungi counts range were Oil free soil (2.5×103 – 3.0×104 cfu/g), polluted soil (2.2×103 – 4.0×104 cfu/g) and Amended soil (2.1×103 – 2.7×103/sup> cfu/g). Eleven (11) organisms were isolated in the course of this study. The bacteria isolated were Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus aureus while the fungi isolated include Mucor mucedo, Candida tropicalis, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Rhizopus nigricans. The moisture content (MC), organic carbon, organic matter, pH and nitrate were higher in amended soil compared to unpolluted soil and polluted soil. The result of the study shows that lime (confluence fertilizer) can be used to enhanced biodegradation of oil polluted soil.
Abstract: Biodegradation of mechanic workshop polluted soil amended with 2.4kg lime (Confluence fertilizer) was studied for a period of eight weeks (56 days). This was done by physicochemical analysis of the soil samples and microbiological analysis by spread plate inoculation on Nutrient agar (NA). The results revealed higher bacteria population in amended ...
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Sulphur Concentration in Imported Coal Around the Tamabil Area, Sylhet, Bangladesh
Mahamudul Hashan,
M. Farhad Howladar,
Labiba Nusrat Jahan
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 1, February 2016
Pages:
27-30
Received:
21 January 2016
Accepted:
29 January 2016
Published:
19 February 2016
Abstract: Bangladesh imports large amount of Indian coal every year in order to partly fulfill the demand of solid fuel. This research presents the quality and concentration of sulphur in imported coal. To accomplish the goal, twelve coal samples were collected from imported coal deposits of Tamabil, Sylhet in different times. Results show that the sulphur content ranges from 1.42-5.3 wt% meaning that the imported coal is high sulphured low quality coal. The research also deals with the possibility of applying desulphurization techniques to trim down sulphur from this coal as this poor grade imported coal is not environment friendly and may cause severe health and environmental problems. It was found that, reducing sulphur content from such a high value to less than acceptable limit is very much expensive which might not be affordable for Bangladesh.
Abstract: Bangladesh imports large amount of Indian coal every year in order to partly fulfill the demand of solid fuel. This research presents the quality and concentration of sulphur in imported coal. To accomplish the goal, twelve coal samples were collected from imported coal deposits of Tamabil, Sylhet in different times. Results show that the sulphur c...
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Monitoring Soil and Underground Water EC in a Rice Field Affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake
Yoshiko Muto,
Eiichi Kurashima,
Kiyohito Yamamoto,
Koji Harashina
Issue:
Volume 4, Issue 1, February 2016
Pages:
31-38
Received:
19 January 2016
Accepted:
1 February 2016
Published:
23 February 2016
Abstract: The Otomo rice field zone in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture was catastrophically damaged by large-scale subsidence and the tsunami that followed the Great East Japan earthquake, which occurred on March 11th, 2011. Electrical conductivity of underground water, bulk electrical conductivity of the soil, and various meteorological elements were observed at a fixed point for eight months. The electrical conductivity of underground water fluctuated irregularly at the beginning of the observation period, temporarily reaching up to 5 Sm-1 at sea level. After some time, an overall decreasing trend prevailed, and when the observations ended the conductivity of the water had dropped to 0.55 Sm-1. The bulk electrical conductivity of the soil also decreased gradually, from 0.4 to 0.3 Sm-1, over the eight months, which is likely linked to the interactions between rainfall and seawater intrusions. The decrease in soil conductivity has been more gradual here than in the regions affected by the tsunami following the earthquake in the Indian Ocean off Sumatra on December 26th, 2004, and in our study area it has not yet decreased to a level that would allow the resumption of rice farming. It is proposed that this difference is a result of the subsidence in Iwate Prefecture.
Abstract: The Otomo rice field zone in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture was catastrophically damaged by large-scale subsidence and the tsunami that followed the Great East Japan earthquake, which occurred on March 11th, 2011. Electrical conductivity of underground water, bulk electrical conductivity of the soil, and various meteorological elements were o...
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