Environmental Monitoring at and around the Matuail Landfill Site of Dhaka City using Remote Sensing

Rapid urban population growth and flourishing incomes have increased waste production in Dhaka city. A part of daily produced Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is disposed of at Matuail sanitary landfill located within Jatrabari Thana, Dhaka. This study has analyzed the environmental impacts at and around this landfill using remote sensing techniques. The objective of this research is to develop a means of environmental monitoring at the landfill site and its surroundings through the implementation of various time-series remote sensing indices e.g., Land Surface Temperature (LST), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), and Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI). LST is used to observe the Spatio-temporal pattern of temperature distribution. NDVI, SAVI, and MSAVI are the Bio-indicators and they are helpful to analyze the vegetation health condition at and around the landfill area. From the result of LST, it is observed that the average temperature of the Jatrabarithana has increased from 23.12℃ in 1993 to an optimum temperature of 35.20℃ in 2013, then it went down to 29.09℃ in 2018. The NDVI result for the study period shows that the percentages of ‘Bare Soil’ and ‘Structural Object’ have increased drastically from 10% to 41.20% and 13.30% to 31.52% respectively for these 25 years in Jatrabarithana. On the other hand, the percentages of ‘Shrub and Grassland’ and ‘Moderate Vegetation’ have decreased from 54.20% to 25.15% and 12.55% to 0% respectively. SAVI and MSAVI also show evidence of increasing the amount of bare soil and structural object and decreasing the amount of vegetation. Due to the waste stabilization process, and inappropriate management system at the Matuail landfill, along with urbanization, industrial activity, and deforestation, a harmful effect has been done to the surrounding environment. As an outcome, the temperature has risen rapidly and the amount of vegetation has declined to a significant extent. Journal of Engineering Science 12(3), 2021, 127-138

Effect of a Combination of Rosa canina Fruits and Apple Cider Vinegar against Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Toxicity in Experimental Animal Models

Oxidative stress is the trigger of several diseases. It is an imbalance between the production of free radicals and antioxidants. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and the protective property of Rosa canina fruits and apple cider vinegar combined or not against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced toxicity in Wistar rats. The experiment included five groups: group 1 received distilled water (10 mL/kg b.wt), group 2 received H2O2 10% (10 mL/kg b.wt), group 3 received H2O2 10% (10 mL/kg b.wt) and apple vinegar (2 mL/kg b.wt); group 4 received H2O2 10% (10 mL/kg b.wt) and apple vinegar supplemented with Rosa canina fruits extract (300 mg/kg b.wt); group 5 received H2O2 10% (10 mL/kg b.wt) and extract of Rosa canina fruits (300 mg/kg b.wt). The doses were given once daily via a gavage. The antioxidant capacity of apple vinegar and Rosa canina extract was analyzed, and AST, ALT, PAL, urea, and creatinine were determined on day 22 of the experiment. In addition, the kidney and the liver tissues were analyzed. The results showed that H2O2 caused a significant elevation of blood urea, blood creatinine, and transaminases. The histopathology examination revealed that H2O2 caused congestion, hemorrhage, and Bowman’s space enlarged. On the other hand, the results clearly showed that apple vinegar and Rosa canina fruits counterbalance the biochemical and histological changes induced by H2O2. In conclusion, the two natural products studied in this work are effective against the harmful effect of oxidative stress, which explains their use in traditional medicine.

The Impact of Biotic and Abiotic Stress Factors on Development of European Ash Tissue Cultures

Fraxinus excelsior L. is threatened by a variety of environmental factors causing a decline of the species. The most important biotic factors negatively affecting the condition of the F. excelsior population are fungi such as the pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. Abiotic factors with potentially harmful effect to the F. excelsior population are the accumulation of heavy metals and salinity in soils. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of selected biotic and abiotic stress factors to determine which of them pose a threat to European ash. The study was conducted using in vitro techniques based on callus and seedlings regenerated via indirect organogenesis. Tissue cultures exclude the influence of other factors, including the environmental impact on ash extinction. The results confirmed very strong pathogenic potential of H. fraxineus in which after 14 days the callus tissue cells died as the tissue failed to activate its defense mechanisms. Experiments showed the high toxicity of cadmium in concentration of 0.027 mmol/L. Salinity caused the activity of oxidation enzymes to vary among seedlings and calluses in the control suggesting the enzymes play a role in controlling the morphogenetic development of tissue cultures.

Effect of urbanization on heavy metal contamination: a study on major townships of Kannur District in Kerala, India

Background In the last few decades, the air, water, and soil are contaminated due to different anthropogenic activities and severely affect the environmental quality. Pollution is the harmful effect and creates undesirable changes in the land use and land cover pattern. The growth of urbanization leads to the degradation of the ecosystem and ultimately affects the living and non-living organisms. In view of these, the present investigation is carried out to assess the heavy metal pollution in major towns due to the impact of urbanization in Kannur district and desirable conclusions were drawn. Results The results shows that higher level of heavy metal pollution is observed in major towns of Kannur district. Conclusion The heavy metal contamination in the major towns of Kannur district is mainly due the anthropogenic activities. The discharge of domestic effluents and industrial waste is the major source of heavy metal pollution. In-depth studies and proper waste management plans are needed to decrease the level of heavy metal contamination prevailing in the study area.

Anti-Protozoan Activities of Stachytarpheta angustifolia on Some Haematological Parameters in Wistar Rats

This study focuses on the anti-protozoan activities of Stachytarpheta angustifolia (Tarkajiya; Hausa, Devil’s coach whip; English) on haematological parameters of Albino Wistar rats which is an unexplored study area. The work is aimed at the determination of the effects of S. angustifolia on Wistar Rats, when exposed to herbal extract on the haematological parameters of Wistar Rats infected with E. tenella Biomarkers. The plant was obtained whole; dried under the shade, made into a powdered form and aqueous extraction method carried by maceration technique. After infecting the experimental animals with the parasites; E. tenella, the following respective doses of 750 mg and 1500 mg were administered to the rats in groups of 3 and 4. Results obtained were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). It was discovered that no significant harmful effect on the rats was recorded, but 60 % of the parasites were killed. This work demonstrated that the herbal extract killed the parasites but induced minimal stress to the animals as shown by the low haematological parameters in the study.

The Influence of Oxidant on Gelatin–Tannin Hydrogel Properties and Structure for Potential Biomedical Application

Nowadays, there is a widespread usage of sodium periodate as an oxidant for synthesizing gelatin–tannin hydrogels. The impact of iodine compounds could have a harmful effect on human health. The study focuses on the proposal of alternative oxidizing systems for tannin oxidation. Gelatin–tannin hydrogels were obtained based on the usage of H2O2/DMSO/KMnO4/KIO4 oxidants and characterized with sorption, thermal (TGA, DTG, DSC), mechanical, FTIR and other methods. The sorption experiments were carried out in a phosphate buffer (pH = 5.8/7.4/9) and distilled water and were investigated with Fick’s law and pseudosecond order equation. The pH dependence of materials in acid media indicates the possibility of further usage as stimuli-responsive systems for drug delivery. Thermal transitions demonstrate the variation of structure with melting (306 ÷ 319 °C) and glass transition temperatures (261 ÷ 301 °C). The activation energy of water evaporation was calculated by isoconversional methods (Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa) ranging from 4 ÷ 18 to 14 ÷ 38 kJ/mole and model-fitting (Coats–Redfern, Kennedy–Clark) methods at 24.7 ÷ 45.3 kJ/mole, indicating the smooth growth of values with extent of conversion. The network parameters of the hydrogels were established by modified Flory–Rehner and rubber elasticity theories, which demonstrated differences in values (5.96 ÷ 21.27·10−3 mol/cm3), suggesting the limitations of theories. The sorption capacity, tensile strength and permeability for water/oxygen indicate that these materials may find their application in field of biomaterials.

Methodological foundations for substantiating safe levels of exposure to artificial nanomaterials (for example, carbon nanotubes) (literature review)

Introduction. The unique physicochemical properties of carbon nanotubes allow them to be used in many fields. The global nanomaterials market is growing every year. An important step in introducing products to the domestic and world markets is to determine the safe exposure levels of CNTs. Establishing a corporate standard can serve as a preliminary stage before the approval of a state hygiene standard. Material and methods. The material for the analysis was the sources of information on the available standards for the content of CNTs in the air of the working area using information from regulatory agencies, research centers, CNT manufacturers, bibliographic and abstract databases Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, RSCI. Results. A scheme for justifying safe levels of exposure to CNTs (corporate standard) has been developed, consisting of several stages: characterization of CNTs in the air at workplaces, selection of experimental doses of CNTs, preparation of CNT dispersions, and conducting toxicological and hygienic experiments. Justification of the corporate standard is carried out in in vitro and in vivo experiments. The planning of experiments should be carried out taking into account the target organ under the influence of CNT - the respiratory system. The recommended dose / concentration range for experiments should include doses / concentrations derived from calculated and literature data. A necessary step is to obtain homogeneous dispersions in which CNTs become bioavailable for biological systems. In vitro and in vivo experiments determine the level of exposure at which no harmful effect is observed and / or the lowest level of exposure at which there is a harmful effect on the cell culture / respiratory tract of animals. After the stage of substantiating the corporate standard, the enterprise should take measures for several years to adjust the corporate standard based on data from clinical and hygienic studies, during which the working conditions and health status of workers are monitored, and extended toxicological and hygienic studies. Conclusion. The presence of a corporate standard will allow the manufacturer of CNTs to carry out activities for the development and implementation of a production control program with the introduction of monitoring the air condition in the working area. The development of a corporate regulation can be seen as a preparatory stage before the establishment of a government regulation.

Partial Renewal is a Tool for an Increase in the Environmental Efficiency of the Worn-out Power Facilities

The mankind created the global production that has an increasingly harmful effect on the natural environment. The present-day condition of natural environment causes much concern. A global environmental problem has inevitably emerged and now it requires a decrease in the intensity of the harmful action of available productive facilities. The purpose of the research done was to substantiate and find a potential opportunity for the use of a new approach to an increase in the level of ecological compatibility due to a partial renewal of the worn-out equipment. A substantial portion of the domestic energy equipment has a low level of the process-related functioning efficiency (including ecological efficiency). A global practice shows that the problems of the improvement of technological parameters can be solved in a different way to provide failure –free functioning of power facilities. The analysis of the circumstances existing nowadays in the field of the interaction of domestic power engineering and natural environment gives us an opportunity to adhere to the opinion that the use of the method of partial renewal is objectively affordable and it is a highly efficient tool for the reduction of the degree of harmful action on the part of power equipment. The purpose of this research paper was to show technological opportunities of the method of a partial renewal of worn-out engineering facilities (first of all power equipment and especially boiler plants) as an affordable tool for a decrease of the degree of their harmful action on the environment. Among the branches of the domestic industry, the power engineering branch needs badly a partial renewal and in the first turn these are boiler plants. This type of renewal is of vital importance for Ukraine that possesses a huge fleet of completely worn-out boiler plants. It is advisable to perform an integrated partial renewal. The partial renewal can involve all or individual parts of the entire chain of process elements. A successful fulfillment of the program of partial renewal is defined by a high quality control of the system of scientific and organizational-&-engineering problems relating to the renewal arrangement and realization. An issue relating to an index of the estimation of the extent of renewal of engineering facilities is of great importance. The capital inputs into the partial renewal are always justified for all intents and purposes. As for the conception of the renewal of the worn-out equipment the partial renewal can become an important launching low-cost step that will simplify the expected realization of the program of complete renewal.

The combined action of lead and physical load in a subchorionic experiment on rats

Introduction. Exposure to lead associated with working conditions (especially in mining and metallurgical production) is usually combined with muscular work. However, the influence of this combination on the pathological process development has not been thoroughly studied. Materials and methods. During six weeks, white outbred male rats received intraperitoneal lead acetate at a dose of 11 mg / kg, corresponding to 1/20 LD50, three times a week and/or five times a week physical exercises (forced running for 10 minutes at a speed of 25 m/min). Results. As can be seen from the results, lead caused statistically significant shifts in 33.5% of the organism’s status indices, pointing to the onset of a moderate subchronic intoxication. Content of coproporphyrin in urine and percentage of reticulocytes in the peripheral blood increased, the average content of haemoglobin in the erythrocyte decreased. Under physical activity the harmful effect of lead enhanced in 23.7% of indices and weakened in 28.9% of indices. We did not find changes in 47.4% of indices. Conclusion. Lead intoxication changes ambiguously under the influence of physical exercises. The type of combined effect of lead toxicity and physical activities depends on the outcome by which this type is assessed, on this outcome’s level and the dose ratio.

Current State of Pineries in Zhytomyr Polissia Under the Influence of Environmental Factors

Recently, there has been a massive drying of conifers all over the world. In North America and Siberia, there are millions of hectares of shrunken plantings; in Europe, pines and firs have been drying up over the past two decades. Furthermore, considerable damage is caused to woody plants by phyto-pest and phyto-diseases, since mass reproduction of Ips typographus Linnaeus, Ips acuminatus Gyllenhal has been observed in Europe in recent years, Dendroctonus micans Kud – in North America, Polygraphus proximus Blandford – in East Asia. Nematodes also cause significant damage to pine forests. Among phyto-diseases, Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. harmfully affects Pinus sylvestris L. The appearance of foci of shrunken trees in different parts of the globe indicates the global nature of processes associated with cyclical planetary processes and climate change. This study describes climate changes in the research region for 1961-2020. According to the analysis, it was found that for 2009-2020, considerable damage to pine plantations in Zhytomyr Polissia is caused among needle-eating insects – Panolis flammea Denis & Schiffermuller, Diprion pini L., Neodiprion sertifer Geoffroy; among other pests – Aradus cinnamomeus Panz, Dendrolimus pini L., Bupalus piniarius L. The greatest harmful effect that pineries have recently sustained has been caused by Diprion pini L. It was also found out that among phyto-diseases suffered by the pine forests, significant damage has been done by Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref., with the damaged area of 13.0-14.2 thousand hectares. Hydrothermal analysis was performed for 2009-2020. The influence of solar activity on the number of phyto-pest and diseases is analysed. This paper provides the estimate of the amount of CO2 emissions is given for 2009-2020. It was found that since 2014, the amount of carbon dioxide emissions has decreased from 1.5 million tonnes to 0.6 million tonnes. Correlation analysis of all indicators indicated a high mutual influence between the area of trees damaged by insect pest, root sponge, the Wolf number, and CO2 emissions to the environment. Mathematical dependences are obtained to predict the influence of the W number on damage to pineries by forest pests and diseases in the conditions of Zhytomyr Polissia