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Director (Vice Chancellor) Former Professor and Head
& R. T. Mody Distinguished Professor/J.C.Bose National Fellow Department of Microbiology
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Mumbai - 400 019
Director
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Centre for Environmental Studies
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Cranfield University Anna University, Chennai - 600 025
Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK 43 OAL Dr. Mohammad Jawed
Dr. P. Lakshmanaperumalsamy Professor of Environmental Engineering
Director Dept. of Civil Engineering
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Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology
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 Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering (JESE)

About the Journal

Started in 1958, Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering (JESE) is a peer reviewed quarterly journal published by
the CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur reporting various significant achieve-
ments in the field of environmental science and engineering, according to the R & D thrust areas of the Institute. The journal is
providing communication links among the members of the scientific community engaged in research in India and abroad
covering all the major aspects of environmental science and engineering.

Aims and Scope

The Scope of this journal covers Environmental Science and Engineering and the ralated areas. The journal intends to timely
disseminate information related to monitoring of the environmental status across the country and abroad, innovative and effec-
tive S & T solutions to environmental and natural resource problems, significant R & D activities in the field of environmental
science and technology, environmentally sound technologies and policy analysis. The journal aims at publishing both review
and research articles in the field of environmental science and engineering. Case studies and short communications are also
published to inform about the hazards and risks likely to occur to the people and the environment due to certain materials, and
the way of controlling these hazards and associated risks. Varios topics covered in the journal include: air quality monitoring,
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studies; application of fly ash, saewage, sludge and mine tailing on land; ecological approaches to improve ecological and
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mental geoscience; ground water and rain water harvesting; water and waste water treatment; solid and hazardous waste man-
agement; eco-freindly technologies; waste land management; biodiversity assessment; biogeochemistry of rivers and estuaries;
pollution chemistry, particularly metal speciation and bioavailabilityin water and soil systems; PAHs and volatile organics in
atmosphere; environmental analytical methodologies; monitering and modeling of urban noise; environmental impact and risk
assesment studies; environmental audit studies; chemical process simulation and development; environmental policies;
bioremediation and biodegradation studies; environmental biotechnology and genomics studies; research on environmental
materials, etc.

The journal publishes high-impact contributions on:

Environmental monitoring
Environmental biotechnology
Environmental system design modelling and optimisation
Environmental impact and risk assessment
Solid and hazardous waste management
Policy analysis and planning
The Vision

Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering endeavors to become a leading medium for dissemination of scientific and
technical information in environmental science and engineering

The Mission

To Provide environmental scientific information with description of timely, contemporary advances in environmental science
and engineering, and management for use in improving our environment
 Journal of Environmental
Science and Engineering
(http://www.neeri.res.in) ISSN 0367-827 X
Volume 57 No. 4 Oct. 2015

CONTENTS
Environmental System Design Modelling and Optimization
Adsorption Kinetics and Equilibrium Studies of Heavy Metals Removal ...287-293
Using Musa Sapientum Stems - A Low Cost Agro Waste Biosorbent
Vipin Kumar, Avantika Chandra, Arabinda Behera And M K Jain

Introduction of Fixed-Film Bio-reactor (FFBR) for Treatment of Nitrogenous ...29 4-3 02

Wastewater with Variable Concentration and Hydraulic Retention Time under
Ambient Conditions
Anjali Barwal And Rubina Chaudhary

Environmental Monitoring
Vegetation Index over Kerala, India in Relation to the Rainfall Pattern ...303-307
Shajimon K John and T K Mani

Evaluation of Fluoride Zonation Using GIS Techniques in ...30 8-314

Dudu Tehsil, Rajasthan, India
Daisy Saba1, M. Verma, N. Jain and K. C. Sharma

Assessment of Soil Quality of Harij Taluka of Patan District ...315-320

(North Gujarat, India)
R. T. Vashi, K. S. Contractor, P. Y. Dave And K. K. Patel

Water Management
Rainwater Harvesting and Greywater Reutilisation in Modern Homes ...321-3 29
A Case Study of Four Major Metropolitan Cities
Tirthankar Chakraborty and Indranil Mukherjee

Solid Waste Management

Eco-friendly Model for Aerobic Meso Thermophilic Composting of ...33 0-334
Muncipal Solid Waste
D V Wadkar and A S Kote
Review
Use of Garbage Enzyme as a Low Cost Alternative ...335-342
Method for Treatment of Greywater A Review
Fazna Nazim And Meera V

Impact of Human Activities on River Water Quality - Indian Scenario ...34 3-358
Hemalatha D. S. and Dayananda H. S.

The journal is covered by the following leading abstracting, indexing and current awareness services:

Chemical Abstracts Service Sciences (CABS)

Sci-Search - A Citied Reference Science Database Indian Science Abstracts

Engineering Index BIOBASE

Current Contents BAILSTEIN

Research Alert IARAS

Cambridge Scientific Abstracts Compendex

INSPEC ACM

Biotechnology and Bioengineering Abstracts Ulrichs

Biological Abstracts National Library of the Netherlands

EMBASE French National Library

Scopus British Council Library

IC Journals British Council Libraries

CAB Abstracts German National Library of Science and Technology

Elsevier Biobase - Current Awareness in Biological National Library

 Author Index
J. Env. Sci. Eng., 57(1), 2015
Authors Page No. Authors Page No.
A R Khan 58 Krishna D Ladwani 26

Asim Kumar Pal 40 Lalita N Sangolkar 16

Bhawna Dubey 40 Lincy Alex 1

Chandran A 1 Lipton A P 1

Dilip S Ramteke 26 M Chavan 80

Ganesh R Kale 47 N Thacker 80

Gurdeep Singh 40 Rajesh B R 1

H M Patel 64 Roopali V Goyal 64

Haibin Chen 74 S H Behere 58

Haolan Zhang 74 Sha Li 74

J L Tarar 80 Snehal A. Khedkar 16

Jean Jose J 1 Sonali A Borkhade 47

K B Patange 58 Udayakumar P 1

Kiran D Ladwani 26 V M Patil 7

Komal Y Kalawapaudi1 6 V V Sasane 7

 Key word Index
J. Env. Sci. Eng., 57(1), 2015
Key words Page No. Key words Page No.

Chlorophyll 1 Fischer-Tropsch 47
Phaeophytin 1 CO2 utilization 47
Trophic state 1 Liquid fuels 47
Hydrochemical characteristics 1 Thermodynamic limits 47
Arabian sea 1 CO2 hydrogenation 47
Groundwater quality 7 Noise modelling 58
Water Quality Index 7 LAeq 58
Parameters 7 Traffic noise 58
Lake Ambazari 16 Drinking water distribution system 64
Toxic cyanobacteria 16 Booster chlorination 64
Microcystis 16 Optimization model 64
PCR 16 Linear programming 64
mcy genes 16 Promoting potential 74
DNA extraction method 16 Sorting 74
Heavy metals 26 MSW 74
Pollution 26 Public behavior 74
Recovery 26 Fuzzy probability method 74
Toxicity 26 Vegetables 80
Risk 26 Health risk 80
Particulate pollution 40 Pesticide residues 80
Coal mining 40 Nagpur district 80
Jharia 40
 Author Index
J. Env. Sci. Eng., 57(2), 2015
Authors Page No. Authors Page No.
A A Khaja 137 M Johnson Naveen Kumar 150

A G Nataraj 145 Maarja Schults 160

A J Thatheyus 137 Manviri Rani 89

A K A Rathi 172 N Manamohan Rao 145

A K Priya 109 Namasivayam Vasudevan 131

Arun Kansa l160 P Ronald Ross 126

Bina Gupta 89 Poongothai S 102

D Ramya 137 R Loganathan 150

J Paramanandham 126 Rahul Kumar 89

Jasmine Singh 156 Rudre Gowda 145

K Rasappan 150 S Nagan 109

K S Abbiramy 126 S S Prabu 137

Kavitha 120 Sangeeta Loonker 156

Kurian Joseph 120 Srinivasan K 102

M Isaac Soloman Jebamani 150 Valsa Remony Manoj 131

 Key word Index
J. Env. Sci. Eng., 57(2), 2015
Key words Page No. Key words Page No.

AAS 156 Landfill 120

Air quality management 160 Leachability 120
Aniline 137 Macrophytes 89
Aquaculture 131 Mushroom cultivation 126
Bioreactor 131 Nickel (II) 145
Bioremediation 109 Organic carbon removal 150
CETP172COD 131 Parameters 150
Common Effluent Treatment Plants 172 Partial degradation 126
Common environmental infrastructure 172 Partitioning 89
Contamination 156 Pollution control 172
Decolorization 137 Pseudomonas aeruginosa 137
Diseases 156 Ragi husk 145
Domestic wastewater 150 Sediment 89
Dye effluent 109 Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) 150
Encapsulation and solidification 120 Slurry phase reactor 109
Environmental protection 172 SME clusters 172
Eosin Yellow 137 Spent wash 126
Erichrome Black T 137 Stakeholder analysis 160
Evaporation residue 120 Upflow 131
Factory tea waste 126 Upflow immobilized column reactor 109
Fish 89 Urban air quality 160
Flavobacterium sp 137 Urban river 89
Germany 160 UV-visible spectrophotometer 156
Groundwater quality 102 Vermicomposting 126
Heavy metals 156 Wastewater 131
India 160 Wastewater treatment plants 172
Industrial area 172 WATCLAST 102
Industrial development 172 Water 89
Industrial infrastructure 172 Watershed 102
Laboratory scale-SBR 150
 Author Index
J. Env. Sci. Eng., 57(3), 2015
Authors Page No. Authors Page No.
Ajay Kumar 230 R K Trivedi 230

Aradhana Kashyap 197 Rajesh B R 225

Bhawna Sharma 246 Rubina Chaudhary 251

Deepak Mishra 197 Ruchi Acharya 246

E V Ramasamy 214 S A Abbasi 203

J. Anuradha 203 S. Renganathan 183

Jaswinder Mehta 246 Samir Vahora 263

Jayasooryan K K 214 Shashi Shankar Tiwari 239

Jean Jose J 225 Shylesh Chandran M S 214

Mahesh Mohan 214 Smita Badur Karmankar 251

Mary Teresa P. Miranda 225 Sreelekshmy S G 225

Md. Rashid Tanveer 197 Subin K Jose 214

N. Nagendra Gandhi 183 Sushant B. Wath 271

N. Naveen 183 Swaminathan G 190

Nikita Chokshi 263 Tasneem Abbasi 203

P. Saravanan 183 Tayyab Saify 246

Poonam Prasad 271 Udayakumar P 225

Prashant Kumar Singh 239 V R Sankar Cheela 190

Pushpendra Singh Rajpoot 230

 Key word Index
J. Env. Sci. Eng., 57(3), 2015
Key words Page No. Key words Page No.

Adsorption isotherm 183 Monodispersed particles 203

Anaerobic fixed film 263 Organic carbon 225
Aquatic systems 214 Organic loading rate 263
Band gap 197 Packing media 263
Bio-indicator 225 pH 246
Biosorption 183 Phenol 190
Concrete 251 Phenotypic plastic 246
Corrosion 197 Photoaction spectral studies 197
Diffusion 251 Photocatalysis 190
Durability 251 Physico-chemical properties 239
Electrosynthesis 197 Phyto-fabrication 203
Evaporation 190 Pollution profile 214
Flood distribution 230 Pollution-point and non-point sources 271
Galvanostatic deposition 197 Public-private partnership 271
Gold nanoparticles 203 Scenedemus 246
Hardness 239 Sediment 214
Heavy metals 239 Sediment 225
Impedance 197 Semiconductor 197
Kaithal and Ghaggal river 230 Solar radiation 190
Kinetic modeling 183 Spatial 230
Land use / land cover 230 TCLP 251
Lantana camara 203 TEM 203
Leachability Index 251 Temporal 230
Ludwigia peploides 183 Titanium dioxide 190
Macrobenthos 225 Waste water treatment 263
Management 271 Water resource 239
Mercury 214 Water resources 271
 Author Index
J. Env. Sci. Eng., 57(4), 2015

Authors Page No. Authors Page No.

A S Kote 330 K S Contractor 315

Anjali Barwal 294 M K Jain 287

Arabinda Behera 287 M Verma 308

Avantika Chandra 287 Meera V 335

D V Wadkar 330 N Jain 308

Daisy Sabal 308 P Y Dave 315

Dayananda H S 343 R T Vashi 315

Fazna Nazim 335 Rubina Chaudhary 294

Hemalatha D S 343 Shajimon K John 303

Indranil Mukherjee 321 T K Mani 303

K C Sharma 308 Tirthankar Chakraborty 321

K K Patel 315 Vipin Kumar 287

 Key word Index
J. Env. Sci. Eng., 57(4), 2015
Key words Page No. Key words Page No.

Adsorption 287 Kerala 303

Aerobic 330 Lead 287

Agro-waste 287 Monsoon 303

Bio-growth media 294 Musa sapientum stems 287

Bio-reactor 330 Nitrate 294

Biosorption 287 Organic waste 330

Change detection 303 Patan district 315

Composting 330 Rainwater harvesting 321

Denitrification 294 Remote sensing 303

Dissolved oxygen 343 Self-purification 343

Dudu tehsil 308 Soil quality 315

Environmental management 321 Solar energy 330

Fermentation 335 Sustainability 321

Fixed film bio-reactor 294 Theomorphic 330

Fluorosis 308 Vegetation index 303

Garbage enzyme 335 Wastewater 294, 343

GIS 308 Wastewater treatment 335

Greywater utilization 321 Water scarcity 321

Ground water 308 Zinc 287

Harij taluka 315 Zonation mapping 308

Hydraulic retention time 294

Image registration 303

J Environ Science & Engg. Vol. 57, No.Kumar al/ J. Env.October
4, p.et287-293, Sci Eng.,2015
57(4), 2015

Adsorption Kinetics and Equilibrium Studies of Heavy Metals Removal Using

Musa Sapientum Stems - A Low Cost Agro Waste Biosorbent
VIPIN KUMAR1+, AVANTIKA CHANDRA2, ARABINDA BEHERA3 AND M K JAIN4

The contamination of water by toxic heavy metals is a worldwide environmental

problem. The sustainable removal of heavy metals has become a major challenge
for scientists. Biosorption is one such emerging technology which utilized naturally
occurring waste materials to sequester heavy metals from industrial wastewater.
The potential of locally available Musa sapientum stems as a low-cost adsorbent
for the removal of Zn(II) and Pb(II) ions from aqueous solution was investigated
in this study. The influences of contact time, initial metals ion concentration, pH,
biosorbent dosages, particle size and temperature were studied in batch
experiments. The results showed that the M. sapientum stems was an effective
biosorbent for the biosorption of Pb(II) and Zn(II) from aqueous solution. The
biosorption performance was strongly affected by studied parameters such as
initial concentration, pH, biosorbent dosages, and biosorbent, particle size. The
maximum metal biosorption occurred at pH 6 and percentage biosorption was
increased with an increase in biosorbent dosage. Experimental data were well
interpreted by Langmuir and Freundlich model with maximum biosorption capacity
of 19.78 mg/g for zinc and 19.02 mg/g for lead on M. sapientum stems. For both
the metals kinetic data were properly fitted with the pseudo-second order kinetic
model.
Key words: Adsorption, agro-waste, biosorption, Musa sapientum stems, lead, zinc

Introduction effluent. However, adsorbent-grade activated carbon

is expensive and the regeneration of the used carbon
Presence of heavy metals in the aquatic
is often difficult, resulting in low feasibility for small
systems has become a serious problem. As a result,
scale industries. Hence, considerable attention has been
there has been a great deal of attention given to new
given to the use of agriculture waste materials as an
technologies for removal of heavy metal ions from
alternative to replace the conventional adsorbents. Agro
contaminated waters. A number of chemical and
wastes are an abandoned, readily available, low cost
physical processes are available for the removal of
and cheap, environment friendly bio-material.
these toxic ions. Of all the available processes which
Considering the above criteria, Musa sapientum stems
can remove these toxic ions have some or the other
was selected to prepare the biosorbent.
technical or economical problem. A study of such
systems and their difficulties has been reported. Biosorption can be defined as the ability of
Therefore, some methods which are environment biological materials to accumulate heavy metals from
friendly and low cost are desirable. Besides the wastewater through metabolically mediated or physio-
available methods for heavy metals removal, bio- chemical pathways of uptake1. The major advantages
technological removal using bio-adsorbent have shown of biosorption over conventional treatment methods
some advantages as they are cheap, readily available, include low cost, high efficiency of metal removal from
low cost, simplicity to use and environment friendliness. dilute solution, minimization of chemical and/or
biological sludge, no additional nutrient requirement,
The main adsorbent used in industry is activated
and regeneration of biosorbent and the possibility of
carbon. Adsorption process using activated carbon as
metal recovery 2. Biosorption for the removal of heavy
an adsorbent is one of the effective conventional
metal ions may provide an attractive alternative to
methods used to remove heavy metals from industrial
physio-chemical methods 3.
1
Assistant Professor, 2Research Scholar, 3M.Tech Scholar, 4Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Science & Engineering,
Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad 826 004, Jharkhand, India
Corresponding author: vipinmicro1@gmail.com

287
J Environ Science &FEngg.
ix e d -f Vol.
i l m b57,
i o- No.
r ea c t4,
or p.( FF B R ) f o r October
294-302, t re a t me n2015
t o f n i t ro ge no u s w a s te w a te r

Introduction of Fixed-Film Bio-reactor (FFBR) for Treatment of

Nitrogenous Wastewater with Variable Concentration and Hydraulic
Retention Time under Ambient Conditions
ANJALI BARWAL AND RUBINA CHAUDHARY+

In this paper, the results of experimentation performed in a laboratory scale

fixed film biological reactor (FFBR) treating the wastewater having variable
nitrate concentration, are presented and discussed. Removal efficiency for different
nitrate concentration ranging from 100 to 2500 mg L-1 was observed at constant
(12 h) and variable (24 - 36 h) hydraulic retention time. Methanol was used as
a carbon source. The main objective was to obtain nitrate concentration below
10 mg L-1 in effluent. The study was also carried out to establish other parameters
that affect the performance of FFBR. The results show that the removal rate
increases linearly with increasing loading rate and the hydraulic retention time is
one of the important parameter in removing nitrate concentration from the
wastewater with removal efficiency up to 98 - 99%.
Key words: Denitrification, bio-growth media, fixed film bio-reactor, nitrate,
hydraulic retention time, wastewater

1. Introduction bioaccumulation or biomagnification in aquatic life,

Different industries have contributed to increase
the nitrate level in wastewater like nitric acid, fuel or
plastic producing industries (Cyplik et al., 2012),
chemical industry producing nitrogen-based fertilizers
(Leakowi et al., 2000; Zala et al., 2004), water
treatment plants, which produces brines after
regeneration of ion exchange resin or after reverse
osmosis processes (Cyplik et al., 2007; McAdam and
Judd, 2009). Hence, the removal of high nitrate content
from industrial wastewater is considered as a major
problem.The principal forms of nitrogen are organic
nitrogen, ammonium (NH4+ or NH3), nitrite (NO2-)
and nitrate (NO3-) (Hurse and Connor, 1999). The
presence of nitrogen can have adverse effects on the
environment, since its discharge above the required
limit (10 mg L-1 as per CPCB, 2008; WHO, 2011) can
be undesirable due to its ecological and public health
impacts. If high nitrate wastewater (primarily in the
form of ammonia and organic nitrogen, both soluble
and particulate) is discharged in any water body, it
degrades the water quality and such degradation results
in spreading of various waterborne diseases, decreased
levels of dissolved oxygen, physical changes to
receiving waters, release of toxic substances,
School of Energy and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya-Indore,
Madhya Pradesh (India) 452 001
*
Corresponding author: rubina_chaudhary@yahoo.com
and increased nutrient loads (PSAT, 2005).
Also, the presence of nitrogen and phosphorus
in fresh water can create environmental conditions
that favor the growth of toxin-producing cyanobacteria
and algae. The resulting toxins can cause gastroenteritis,
liver damage, nervous system impairment and skin
irritation (Akpor, 2011). The excessive growth of
bacteria and algae due to the increase of the amount
of nitrogen discharged into water, contributes to the
reduction of the oxygen level in water. Depletion of
dissolved oxygen in water is a problem in aquatic
ecosystem since maintenance of a high oxygen
concentration is crucial for survival of the higher life
forms in aquatic ecosystem (Kurosu O). The dangers
that all these incidents have posed are a clear indication
that nitrogen must be removed from wastewater before
discharge.
The removal of nitrogen in biological treatment
systems consists of four basic steps as shown in Fig 1.
The first step is the conversion of organic nitrogen to
ammonia in a process called ammonification. Ammonia
is then converted to nitrate in a two-step aerobic
process called nitrificationthe conversion of ammonia

294
 John4,and
J Environ Science & Engg. Vol. 57, No. p. Mani / J. Env.
303-307, Sci Eng.,
October 201557(4), 2015

Vegetation Index over Kerala, India in Relation to

the Rainfall Pattern

SHAJIMON K JOHN1+ AND T K MANI 2

The rain pattern and vegetation are showing variation over the last decade. This
affects the biodiversity of Kerala. In this paper, a systematic study of vegetation
with the help of satellite images over the past three years was done to find out
the variations in vegetation index and the related rainfall pattern .

Key words: Vegetation Index, change detection, image registration, Kerala,

monsoon, remote sensing
I. Introduction
Remote sensing is a major area which helps
in agricultural monitoring. With the advent of hyper
spectral images, minerals management, crop
classification, crop monitoring can be done thereby
increasing the boundary and depth of problem
definitions in remote sensing. But the major problem
with these images is that they are prone to variations
depending upon the time of capture, atmospheric
conditions, satellite angle of rotation, type of sensor
used and capability of sensor. The atmospheric
conditions like cloud cover rain also affects the quality
of image received. These variations will give different
values for the spectral density as well as the spatial
data received.
Many regions are currently undergoing rapid
and wide ranging changes globally. Land cover and its
change is a key to many assorted applications such as
environment, forestry, hydrology, agriculture and
geology. The changes are slow and natural and
sometimes very quick and sudden due to anthropogenic
activities. Vegetation has often been considered as an
inert component of the climate system. The effect of
vegetation on climate, or the effect of vegetation in
the climate system, has long been a subject of studies.
The availability of water could be changing due to
climate change. Satellite data has played a large part
in helping create global weather models and in
monitoring global climate and weather. Du, et al in
their research work explained how remote sensing
methodologies can be utilized in change analysis and
land cover / land use variations over a specific region
1
. Itami et al describes how these can be incorporated
in detailing of the changing pattern of forest area and
glaciers 2 . Remotely sensed data like aerial
1
Research Scholar, Karpagam University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (India), shajimonkjohn@saintgits.org
2
Dean, KMEA College of Engineering, Ernakulam, Tamil Nadu (India), vu2iti@gmail.com
+
Corresponding author
photographs and satellite images are the only option
that allow detecting land cover changes on a large
scale. Satellite images have the potential of offering
the most accurate and latest information compared to
statistical, topographic or land use maps.
Using remote sensing techniques, earth objects
can be seen due to the illumination of some light
energy present in the Electro Magnetic Radiation
present in the atmosphere. The atmosphere acts as a
barrier between the earth and sensors which caused
degradation of images. Image pre-processing techniques
are employed in order to extract useful information
which enhances the remote sensed images for visual
interpretation and can be restored if they are subjected
to geometric distortion, atmospheric, noise, blurring,
etc.
Work on the indices which help in the analysis
of vegetation study is important in many ways. The
development of vegetation indices is based on
differential absorption, transmittance and reflectance
of energy by the vegetation in the red and near infrared
regions of the electro-magnetic spectrum. Plants absorb
light energy with the help of chlorophyll, a green
pigment present in leaves in order to perform
photosynthesis. Light is absorbed more in the red and
reflected in near-infrared regions. As a result the leaves
appear brighter indicating the high vegetation in the
red band and dark indicating low or sparse vegetation
in the near infrared regions. Depending on the
applications and pattern under study these indices can
be classified as Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI),
Extended Vegetation Index (EVI), etc 3, 4, 5. With the
help of NDVI it is possible to monitor and identify the
amount of vegetation greenness. Another factor in which
depth of biomass in an area is Leaf Area Index (LAI)

303
J Environ Science &Fluor
Engg.ideVol.
zon57,
ati on
No.usi
4,ngp. GIS techniOctober
308-314, que s i n 2015
D udu T ehsil, Raja stha n , In d ia

Evaluation of Fluoride Zonation Using GIS Techniques in

Dudu Tehsil, Rajasthan, India
DAISY SABAL1, M. VERMA2+, N. JAIN3 AND K.C. SHARMA4

In many parts of India, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions, due to the
failure of the monsoon and scarcity of surface water, dependence on the groundwater
resources has increased tremendously in recent years. To understand the geological
behavior of fluoride (F) in natural water resources in relation to the local
hydrogeological, climatic condition, a typical semi-arid terrain in northwest part
of India was chosen. The present work is an attempt to assess the origin and
genesis of fluoride in groundwater and to map its spatial variation in terms of
suitability for drinking and irrigation purpose. 50 ground water samples were
collected randomly during pre-monsoon period from Dudu tehsil of Rajasthan
(India) and analyzed for fluoride ion, which gave a concentration in the range of
0.45 to 11.2 mg/L. The highest value of F was found at Mozmabad tube well
which is located at central part and is related to the occurrence of fluoride rich
rocks. Almost 84% of the locations fall in moderate to high endemic zones where
fluoride concentration was above the maximum permissible limit of 1.5 mg/L.
Majority of people living in these villages have health hazards and are facing
fluorosis. In this study, the area is divided in five zones having different potential
for their vulnerability in relation to hazardous effects of fluoride with possible
precision and accuracy. The spatial map reveals that southern and southeastern
region of the study area comes under high contamination. Further favorable
prospective zone found in a very small pocket at the northern region which can
be helpful in better planning and management of groundwater resources, especially
in hard rock terrains.
Key words: Groundwater, fluorosis, zonation mapping, GIS, Dudu tehsil

Introduction concentration in groundwater are most often associated

with igneous and metamorphic rocks such as, granites
Pollution of groundwater due to geogenic and and gneisses have been reported from India, Pakistan,
anthropogenic factors often render the groundwater West Africa, Thailand, China, Sri Lanka and South
unpotable as consumption of such water can lead to Africa. In Indian context, the fluoride is dissolved in
various health-related complications. Endemic fluorosis groundwater mainly from geological sources. Rock-
occurring due to consumption of groundwater polluted water interaction is the main process in which fluoride-
with fluoride is a considerable health problem rich minerals are decomposed/dissociated from the
worldwide, which is afflicting millions of people in source rock and fluoride is dissolved in the groundwater
many areas of the world. According to WHO Guidelines by dissolution6. The problem of excessive fluoride in
for Drinking Water Quality1 the limit value for fluoride groundwater in India was first reported in 1937 in the
is 1.5 mg/L. The assimilation of fluoride by human state of Andhra Pradesh7. At present, fluorosis is
body from potable water at the level of 1 mg/L endemic in at least 20 states, affecting more than 65
enhances bone development and prevents dental million people, including 6 million children8. The
carries, particularly among children2-4 while beyond problems are most pronounced in Andhra Pradesh,
the upper level (>1.5 mg/L) it leads to dental and Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan,
skeletal fluorosis 5 . Elevated levels of fluoride Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh9. The majority of
1
Post Doctoral Fellow, Department of Geography, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302 055, India.
2
A-101, Rachna Vishwa Apartment, K.T. Nagar, Katol Road, Nagpur-440 013, India.
3
Assistant Professor, Poornima Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jaipur, India.
4
State Ground Water Board, Jaipur, India.
+
Corresponding author: drmverma20@gmail.com

308
J Environ Science & Engg. Vol. 57, No.Vashi al/ J. Env.October
4, p.et315-320, Sci Eng., 2015
57(4), 2015

Assessment of Soil Quality of Harij Taluka of Patan District

(North Gujarat, India)
R. T. VASHI+, K. S. CONTRACTOR, P.Y. DAVE AND K. K. PATEL

Assessment of soil quality of Harij Taluka of Patan district (Gujarat, India)

was undertaken. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are essential components
of every living organism. In plants, nitrogen deficiency causes stunted growth and
chlorosis or yellowing of the leaves due to decreased leaves of chlorophyll. In
case of excess nitrogen uptake, plant will have dark green overly vigorous
foliage which may have increase susceptibility to disease and insect attacks.
Potassium deficiency may cause necrosis or interveinal chlorosis while excess
potassium may cause deficiencies in magnesium and possibly calcium. Phosphorus
is an important nutrient in crop production, since many soil in their native state
do not have sufficient available phosphorus to maximize crop yield. The soil
samples were analyzed for various parameters like pH, electrical conductivity,
nitrogen, organic carbon, phosphorus and potash content.

Key words: Soil quality, Harij taluka, Patan district

Introduction happens because 90% of plant available N, 50-60% K,

Several elements take part in the growth and
development of plants, and those absorbed from the
soil are generally known as plant nutrients. Major
nutrients are carbon, hydrogen , nitrogen , phosphorous
and potassium. Secondary nutrients are calcium,
magnesium and sulfur and micronutrients are iron,
manganese, boron, zinc, copper, molybdenum and
chlorine.
Soil fertility compatibility and erodability are
the elements of soil quality. Among these, the problem
of decline in soil fertility endangers the maximum
growth in productivity1. Soil consists of various
constituents such as minerals, organic matter, water
and air 2 .Warren and Agnew3 described that, of the
threats to sustainability, the threat due to soil fertility
depletion is the most serious. The soil condition is of
great importance, because it is universal medium for
plant growth, which supplies essential nutrients to the
plants. Depending upon the cropping pattern, leaching,
erosion etc, soil loses a considerable amount of
nutrients every year. If the cropping pattern is continued
over a period of time without nutrients being restored
to the soil, its fertility will be reduced and crop yields
will decline. Poor soil fertility conceives sparse plant
cover, which promote erosion vulnerability. This
25-30% P and almost 70% micronutrients residue in
organic matter4.
Soil testing provides information regarding
nutrient availability in soil which forms the basis for
the fertilizer recommendations for maximizing crop
yields. Soil fertility maps are meant for highlighting
the nutrient needs, based on fertility status of soils
and adverse soil conditions which need improvement
to realize good crop yields. Obviously, a soil fertility
map for a particular area can prove highly beneficial
in guiding the farmers, manufacturers and planners
(associated with fertilizer marketing and distribution)
in ascertaining the requirement of various fertilizers
in a season/ year and making projections for increased
requirement based on cropping pattern and intensity.
The Patan district is one of the important
district of Gujarat because of horticultural crops like
spices, fruits (mainly mangoes, Ber, Guava, Aonla,
Custered apple, Jamun, Tamarind etc.). The average
rainfall is good, between 475 mm to 697 mm. About
45 % of the cultivable land is covered by Kharif
crops. 50 % of the area under Kharif crops is covered
by 3 main crops [24 % - Bajra (Pennisetum glaucum),
15% - Cotton (Gossypium herbaceum) and 10 % -
Castor (Ricinis communis)]. About 40% of the cultivable

Navyug Science College, Rander Road, Surat-395 009 (Gujarat)

+
Corresponding author: vashirajendra@yahoo.co.in
315
J Environ Science & Engg. Vol.Chakraborty
57, No. 4, and / J. Env. Sci
Mukherjee October
p. 321-329, 2015Eng., 57(4), 2015

Rainwater Harvesting and Greywater Reutilisation in Modern Homes

A Case Study of Four Major Metropolitan Cities
TIRTHANKAR CHAKRABORTY1+AND INDRANIL MUKHERJEE 2

With the continuous rise in the worlds population along with the development of
the nations as a whole, the per capita demand for water supply has increased
substantially globally. This needs proper addressing as it is exerting tremendous
pressure on the limited fresh water sources available. Considering the importance
of water on human activities and human development, this water scarcity problem
can serve as a basic hindrance to the sustainability of life, as is the case in
several places in the world. Moreover, a large part of the water supplied to meet
the demand is wasted due to inefficient usage, thereby increasing the water
consumed as well as the pressure on the water supply systems. In this context,
two main methods of conservation of water resources - rainwater harvesting and
greywater reutilization have been discussed in the paper with emphasis on their
viability in modern rural and urban homes of India. Case studies have been done
for four major metropolitan cities, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore
to emphasize the efficacy of these processes in providing sufficient rainwater to
the population. The money saved by adopting such a process has also been
calculated for the different cases.
Key words: Water scarcity, rainwater harvesting, greywater reutilization, sustainability,
environmental management

Introduction too expensive on a large scale to have significant

benefits. But, the population is increasing at a very
Water is very much essential for t he
fast pace along with increased industrial activities.
sustainability of life in addition to its requirement for
Both these factors have led to a substantial increase
proper ecological functioning and for the various
in the water demand in every community and in every
industrial and agricultural purposes [U.S. Geological
sector. With the fresh water resources being constant
Society, 2005]. Energy production is also completely
(and even decreasing in some cases), it is of paramount
dependent on the availability of water as it is used as
importance to try alternative approaches to conserve
a cooling agent for thermoelectric equipment. There is
water for the sustenance of humanity. In this context,
a growing consensus that fresh water is our most
the present paper focuses on two techniques, namely
important natural resource. Sea water, which constitutes
rainwater harvesting and greywater utilization as
97.5% of the water in the world (1.36 billion km3),
alternative measures to ensure the sustainability of
[Igor A. Shiklomanov, 1999; UNESCO, 1999] cannot
the fresh water resources, particularly with respect to
be used for drinking purposes due to the high amount
the residential sector.
of salts (35 g/L on average) dissolved in it. Similarly,
it cannot be used for agricultural purposes since the The problem of freshwater scarcity
plants that we depend on cannot survive by taking in
Of the total water available on Earth, 2.5% is
such high saline water. In fact, most of the industrial
fresh water (35 million km3). Of this, 70% (24 million
activities depend on fresh water or water with much
km3) is trapped in the form of ice and snow in the
less salinity than seawater due to the presence of
polar ice caps and the mountainous regions of the
impurities and also due to the problem of scale deposits
world while 30% is stored in the worlds groundwater
in equipment. One of the major solutions to decreasing
sources [UNEP, 2002]. The Earths atmosphere
the salinity level of intake water happens to be
contains approximately 13,000 km3 of water [World
Reverse Osmosis, but it appears that the process is
Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)]. It is evident
1
First Year M Tech Student, Environmental Engineering & Management, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-K) Kanpur,
India, -208 016, tirthankar25@gmail.com
2
Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Techno India College of Technology, New Town, Mega City, Rajarhat, West
Bengal, India ,-700 156, indra_1978@rediffmail.com
+
Corresponding author

321
J Environ Science & Engg.Eco-friendly
Vol. 57, No.mo
4, del for ae robiOctober
p. 330-334, c meso 2015
thermoph ilic composting

Eco-friendly Model for Aerobic Meso Thermophilic

Composting of Muncipal Solid Waste
D V WADKAR1+ AND A S KOTE2

Composting process is comprised of three stages. The first stage is the mesospheric
phase, the second stage is the high temperature stage, and third stage is the maturity
stage. Aerobic composting depends largely on microorganisms that thrive in an oxygen
rich environment. In this study a cylindrical aerobic bio-reactor (ABR) was made where
aeration was continuously provided with the help of a fan attached to pipe arrangement
in such a way that air reached all corners of the reactor. A solar panel was connected to
the fan for its working. Bacillus megatherium and Pseudomonas fleurescens bacteria
cultures were used as compost accelerator. The characteristics of compost like pH,
moisture content, temperature, C/N ratio and volume reduction were studied for the
period of 32 days of composting time was low as compared to conventional composting
period (40 to 90 days). The mature organic compost had pH near to neutral, moisture
content (22.36%), volume reduction (45.43%), C/N ratio (16.520%) and phosphorous
(2.2 to 2.5%). It can be concluded that these values are within the desired limits and
compost is suitable for ornamental plants. The setup of ABR is eco-friendly, effective
and economical.

Keywords: Aerobic, thermophilic, organic waste, bio-reactor, composting, solar energy

Introduction microbial ecosystem in order to achieve optimum

Approaches like faster reaction rate, smaller
composting area and introduction of bio-degrader are
some of the available options to reduce the composting
time. The activity of aerobic microorganism and
fermentation of organic substances influences the
composting process to greater extent1,3,4.. Composting
can be carried out in two ways i.e., aerobically and
anaerobically. During aerobic composting aerobic
microorganisms oxidise organic compounds to carbon
dioxide with the release of N, P, S etc., in inorganic
form. Temperature of the biomass during composting
rises due to exothermic reaction. During anaerobic
process, the anaerobic microorganisms, while
metabolising the nutrients, break down the organic
compounds through a process of reduction. A very
small amount of energy is released during the process
and the temperature of composting mass does not rise
much 2, 5, 6. Aerobic composting is a dynamic system
wherein bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi and other
biological forms are actively involved. Thermophilic
bacteria are mainly responsible for the breakdown of
proteins and other readily biodegradable organic
matter2,7. The biological nature of composting demands
an understanding of the key factors influencing the
1.
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, AISSMS College of Engineering, Pune - 411 001
2.
Professor & Vice Principal, Department of Civil Engineering, D Y Patil College of Engineering, Akurdi, Pune
+
Corresponding author: dvwadkar_civil@yahoo.co.in
composting process. One of these important factors
affecting microbial metabolism during composting is
temperature. It is either a consequence or a determinant
of microbial activity 15. Another important parameter
is composting time of organic matter; it varies from
ten days to three months 16.
Microbial biomass was found to be high at
20C and 37C, indicating larger microbial communities
at lower compost temperatures. Organic matter
degradation analysis revealed no large differences in
the final solid degradation rate at 55C and 37C. The
study suggests the importance of a thermophilic
mesophilic sequence in composting to maximise the
extent of organic matter degradation13. The literatures
related to different aspects of composting process, such
as introduction of microorganism14, changes of chemical
composition in the compost have been reported11.
Metabolic heat generation is combined with the thermal
inertia effect found in compost materials due to their
self-insulating properties 5; in consequence, high
thermophilic temperatures are usually maintained
during the maturation period8. Bacillus species were
dominant in early stages of composting while
Acinetobacter and Sphingobacterium strains were

330
J Environ Science & Engg. Vol. 57, Nazim
No. 4,and
p. Meera / J. Env.
335-342, Sci Eng.,
October 201557(4), 2015

Use of Garbage Enzyme as a Low Cost Alternative

Method for Treatment of Greywater A Review
FAZNA NAZIM1 AND MEERA V2+

Use of garbage enzyme, a fermentation product of kitchen waste, water and

brown sugar, is emerging as an effective method of treating greywater. Grey
water is the water resulting from washing clothes and kitchen utensils, shower or
bath and other domestic water not containing excreta. The garbage enzyme is
prepared from fruits dregs, kitchen waste, molasses and water and capable of
having reinforcing and cleaning function to work with nature. It can be utilized as
a low cost alternative to improve wastewater treatment processes. The review
focuses on study of enzymes, role of enzymes in wastewater treatment processes,
description of garbage enzyme and its use in treating greywater. The review
reveals that it is an effective method in treating greywater and thus providing the
scope for reusing it for various purposes.
Key words: Garbage enzyme, wastewater treatment, fermentation

Introduction a subject of great interest to researchers. Irrigation is

Due to the increase of the worldwide
population, the problem of sewage disposal and
industrial waste management has become increasingly
critical. Nearly 70-80% of rivers and streams carry
polluted water. Catastrophic impacts on human health
and on the environment could result if pollution of
receiving waters is allowed to continue. Therefore to
preserve water quality for future generations, an
effective means of solving this problem must be
developed1.
Greywater is one of the major point pollution
sources, which is discharged from residential and
commercial areas into the rivers without any treatment.
Greywater is the used water resulting from washing
clothes and kitchen utensils, shower or bath and other
domestic water not containing excreta2.
The characteristics of greywater depend firstly
on the quality of the water supply, secondly on the
type of distribution network for both drinking water
and the greywater and thirdly on the activities in the
household. The compounds present in the water vary
from source to source, depending on lifestyles, customs
and installations and use of chemical household
products.
In an era of dwindling water resources, the
treatment and reuse of wastewater is rapidly becoming
1
Post- Graduate Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Government Engineering College, Thrissur, Kerala (India)
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Government Engineering College , Thrissur, Kerala (India)
+
Corresponding author: meerav17@hotmail.com
often the preferred end-use for reclaimed wastewater
because it is produced or treated in proximity to
agricultural areas and contains valuable nutrients
required for plant growth. However, wastewater can
also contain dangerous elements that could negatively
impact environmental and public health. Reuse of
untreated wastewater in agriculture is a reality in much
of the world, especially in areas where poverty restricts
farmers access to freshwater and fertilizer supplies.
There are a number of chemical and biological concerns
associated with wastewater reuse3.
In order to minimize potential negative impacts,
it is strongly recommended that greywater must be
treated before reuse. Treatment systems for greywater
exist in many forms, varying in their complexity,
treatment method, and location within or outside the
home, and should be designed in accordance with
greywater source, quality, site specifications, and reuse
patterns. Greywater treatment systems range in
sophistication from simple branched-drain garden
irrigation networks to full tertiary treatment systems
that can filter water to nearly potable levels of quality.
The greywater treatment has been practiced for several
years in places where water is less abundant or
expensive to use. In the southern US, Australia, and
many Middle Eastern countries, simple greywater
diverting schemes are common as a means of irrigating
landscape plants in arid regions3.

335
J Environ Science & Engg. Vol. Hemalatha
57, No. 4,and J. Env. Sci
Dayananda/October
p. 343-358, Eng., 57(4), 2015
2015

Impact of Human Activities on River Water Quality - Indian Scenario

HEMALATHA D. S.1+ AND DAYANANDA H. S.2

Nearly all major cities and towns in India are located on the banks of rivers. In recent
years, there has been a swift increase in the urban areas along the rivers due to rapid
progress in communications and commerce and these rivers have been transformed into
a channel for receiving and transporting the urban domestic and industrial wastes away
from towns. River pollution has become a natural phenomenon, which is triggered by
anthropogenic activities. Discharge of wastes beyond assimilative capacity of the river,
due to continued human activities has resulted in accelerated pollution, eventually rendering
the river to a virtual wastewater. When any wastewater is discharged into natural
waters, its organic matter gets oxidized by the dissolved oxygen present in natural water.
The deficiency of dissolved oxygen thus created is replenished by the absorption of
atmospheric oxygen. This phenomenon which occurs in all natural waters is known as
Self Purification. An attempt is being made in this review paper to collate and compile
the findings of researchers on stream pollution caused due to point and non-point
sources. The research findings on physico-chemical and biological analysis of river
water, sediment analysis, agricultural runoff, self - purification and Streeter Phelps
model are presented.

Key words: Wastewater, self-purification, dissolved oxygen

Introduction the river banks, human settlements, deforestation,

Nearly all major cities and towns of India are
located on the banks of rivers. The rivers play an
important role in the lives of human beings in Hindu
mythology and are considered as goddess in the country.
The river systems provide irrigation, potable water,
cheap transportation, electricity, and the livelihoods
for a large number of people all over the country. In
recent years, there has been a swift increase in the
urban areas along the rivers due to rapid progress in
communications and commerce. The rivers are now
serving as source of water as well as a channel for
receiving and transporting the urban domestic and
industrial wastes away from towns. The same situation
persists in most of the major rivers of India viz.,
Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, Narmada, Tapti, Godavari,
Krishna, Cauvery and Mahanadi.
Sources of pollution
River pollution has be come a natural
phenomenon, which is triggered by anthropogenic
activities. Agriculture on the flood plains right up to
1
Research Scholar, Department of Environmental Engineering, Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, Mysore 570 002, Karnataka.
2
Professor, Department of Environmental Engineering, Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, Mysore570 002, Karnataka.
+
Corresponding author: hemalathads_81@yahoo.co.in
mining and quarrying, mass bathing on auspicious
occasion and washing of clothes, immersion of idols,
religious offerings (flowers, milk, ghee, curd and sweets
along with polythene bags), cattle wading, disposal of
carcasses after cremation and various kinds of wastes
are such human activities that have increased the river
water pollution. Also, excessive (uncontrolled and
unscientific) use of fertilizers and pesticides in
agricultural activities to enhance productivity due to
rapid population increase and development of
technology threaten surface water on a large scale.
The continued human activities have resulted in
discharging the wastes beyond assimilative capacity
of the river accelerating pollution and eventually
rendering it to a virtual wastewater. The extent of
human activities on the surface waters in the developing
countries has increased dramatically over the past two
decades which has also accelerated the pollution
processes. The major sources causing river pollution
is represented in Fig 1.
Self purification
When any wastewater is discharged into natural
waters, its organic matter gets oxidized by the dissolved

343