Abstract Drying of springs, depletion of groundwater resources and the continued decline of groundwater quality is a cause of concern in most parts of the western Himalayas. A significant increase in microbial contamination is the main parameter to deteriorate the water quality of spring water in hilly terrain. This study is based on hydrogeochemical and biological parameters assessment in three blocks, Jaunpur, Chamba, and Thauldhar of the Tehri Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. A total of 57 samples of spring water were considered from 46 villages, distributed in three clusters and Water Quality Index (WQI) was calculated for further analysis. The study showed the varying microbial population, and nitrate concentration concerning the land use pattern, spring discharge and rainfall. The factor analysis is applied to identify possible indicators for delineating the domestic and agricultural contaminants in the study area and to understand the spatial distribution of hydrogeochemical factors in the region. Various statistical tools such as ANOVA and Pearson correlation were applied to establish the association of increased spring discharge with nitrate, faecal coliform(FC), total coliform (TC), TDS, Hardness and Alkalinity. The study inferred two main components which are responsible for deteriorating water quality one bio-chemical (consist microbial concentration & nitrate content from manure) and another chemical component (TDS, Hardness, and alkalinity mainly due to rock weathering) and the situation is more enhanced in monsoon season in some study areas and decreased as monsoon subside.
Dural ectasia is one of the likely causes of incomplete or failed spinal anaesthesia. Its association with diseases like Marfans syndrome, neurofibromatosis, osteogenesis imperfecta, vertebral fracture, postopertative adhesions, trauma etc., is often overlooked as a reason for inadequate spinal anaesthesia. Greater than normal volume of cerebrospinal fluid in the lumber theca in dural ectasia is postulated to restrict the spread of intrathecally injected Local anaesthetic. Here, we report a case of failed spinal anaesthesia but successful epidural anaesthesia in later setting in a patient with dural ectasia.
The potential health hazard due to the utilisation of wastewater for vegetable cultivation in the agricultural fields of Titagarh was assessed. The mean concentrations of Pb, Ni and Cu in the irrigation water and the mean Cd content in soil were above the recommended levels. The mean Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr and Ni contents of the vegetables were found to be above the Indian safety limits. The faecal coliform count and helminth egg concentration of irrigation water in the study area exceeded the WHO guidelines for unrestricted irrigation. Ascaris lumbricoides was recorded as the most predominant species in all samples.
Cleaning wastewater has become one of the most serious issues for a number of scientists and researchers in recent years, as water is the most basic need for the daily life of humans. There has been a focus on the removal of noxious pollutants from wastewater effluents by using nanocatalysts owing to their unique physicochemical actions and stability. Herein we manufactured TiO2 nanoparticles supported by activated carbon (AC-TiO2) using a cost-effective sonochemical method. The band structures of the AC-TiO2 and TiO2 were modified from 3.2 to 3.1 eV, thus increasing the catalytic activity. The structural, optical and anatase crystal phase properties, with morphological confirmation, were studied by applying UV-DRS, PL, FESEM, XRD, along with HRTEM, respectively. The specific surface area, calculated by BET analysis, was found to be ~241 m2/gm and ~46 m2/gm for AC-TiO2 and TiO2. The degradation efficiency of the as-prepared nanocatalysts against the very toxic but rarely studied organic textile dye pollutant RO 84 was investigated and 97% efficiency were found for the AC-TiO2 as compared to pure TiO2, which is a highly appreciated finding in the catalytic dye degradation application domain. Such surface-modified nanocatalysts could be further implemented for the treatment of wastewaters/waste effluents released from chemical industries, laboratories and other sources.
The present study evaluated the effects of fly ash on biochemical parameters of wheat, maize, gram and pea nearby Parichha Thermal Power Plant, Jhansi. It was observed that increase in fly ash concentration to a limited extent increase the soil quality and plant growth. Adverse effects can be observed at high concentration of fly ash. The study revealed that the limited concentration of fly ash could be beneficial for agriculture. Use of fly ash in agriculture as nutrient can be economical and eco-friendly solution of its disposal.