Agro-technologies for greenhouse gases mitigation in flooded rice fields for promoting climate smart agriculture.

We investigated methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), two important greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions using the closed chamber method from a flooded rice field in Brahmaputra valley of Assam, northeast part of India. We tried to understand the factors responsible for the emission and identify appropriate agro-technologies for their mitigation. Various factors like water level, drainage management, soil organic carbon management, crop management, fertilizer amendment, cultivar type etc. affect the GHG production and emission from the flooded rice soil. In this study, six treatments were employed, namely, farmer's practice (FP), recommended fertilizer dosage (RDF), direct seeded rice (DSR), intermittent wetting drying (IWD), use of efficient methanotrophs (MTH), and use of ammonium sulfate as a nitrogen source for real-time nitrogen management using leaf color chart, (AS). GHG flux was measured through the static closed chamber technique. Soil temperature, pH, and redox potential (Eh) and other soil physico-chemical and biological properties that have a potential role in GHG emission were also assessed. The lowest CH4 flux was observed in IWD treatment. The highest CH4 but lowest N2O flux was observed in RDF thus portraying a tradeoff relationship among these two GHGs. The highest N2O flux was observed in AS. Changes in Eh strongly altered CH4 and N2O emissions. The CH4 flux for the growing season varied from 62.5 to 86.3 kg ha-1 with an average of 72.4 kg ha-1. The average N2O flux was 0.89 kg ha-1 with values fluctuating between 0.72 - and 1.08 kg ha-1. The findings of this study could assist in understanding the factors affecting the source, production, and sink of these two important GHGs. IWD, along with judicious N-based fertilizer use, could provide significant respite from GHG emissions in rice-based agriculture. These climate-smart strategies not only reduce emissions but also have the potential to improve yield.

Geochemical fractionation of iron in paper industry and municipal landfill soils: Ecological and health risks insights.

Industrial processes and municipal wastes largely contribute to the fluctuations in iron (Fe) content in soils. Fe, when present in unfavorable amount, causes harmful effects on human, flora, and fauna. The present study is an attempt to evaluate the composition of Fe in surface soils from paper mill and municipal landfill sites and assess their potential ecological and human health risks. Geochemical fractionation was conducted to explore the chemical bonding of Fe across different fractions, i.e., water-soluble (F1) to residual (F6). Different contamination factors and pollution indices were evaluated to comprehend Fe contamination extent across the study area. Results indicated the preference for less mobile forms in the paper mill and landfill, with 26.66% and 43.46% of Fe associated with the Fe-Mn oxide bound fraction (F4), and 57.22% and 24.78% in the residual fraction (F6). Maximum mobility factor (MF) of 30.65% was observed in the paper mill, and 80.37% in the landfill. The enrichment factor (EF) varied within the range of 20 < EF < 40, signifying a high level of enrichment in the soil. The individual contamination factor (ICF) ranged from 0 to >6, highlighting low to high contamination. Adults were found to be more vulnerable towards Fe associated health risks compared to children. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) index showed the highest risk potential pathways as dermal contact > ingestion > inhalation. The study offers insights into potential Fe contamination risks in comparable environments, underscoring the crucial role of thorough soil assessments in shaping land use and waste management policies.

Role of modeling and artificial intelligence in process parameter optimization of biochar: A review.

Enhancement of crop yield, conservation and quality upgradation of soil, and efficient water management are the main objectives of sustainable agriculture and mitigating climate change's impact on agriculture. In recent days, biochar, obtained via thermochemical alteration of biomass is becoming a powerful agent for soil and water quality improvement, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and heavy metal adsorption. The present study predominantly focuses on various process parameters related to biochar preparation through pyrolysis, their impact on biochar production as well as physicochemical characteristics, and the optimization of such process parameters. Different designs of the experiment (DOE) and optimization techniques including traditional and non-traditional optimizations are discussed in the current review, along with their applicability and shortcomings. Since the biochar preparation process is tedious and energy-consuming, the present review will help to understand the importance of optimization in preparing biochar, thereby leading to a better way to prepare biochar.

Decoding the complete chloroplast genome of Cissus quadrangularis: insights into molecular structure, comparative genome analysis and mining of mutational hotspot regions.

Cissus quadrangularis L., a member of the Vitaceae family, is an important medicinal plant with widespread application in Indian traditional medicines. C. quadrangularis L. whole chloroplast genome of 160,404 bp was assembled using a genome skimming approach from the whole genome library. The assembled chloroplast genome contained a large single-copy region (88,987 bp), a small single-copy region (18,621 bp), and pairs of inverted repeat regions (26,398 bp). It also comprised 133 genes, including 37 tRNAs, eight rRNAs, and 88 protein-coding genes. Aside from that, we annotated three genes atpH, petB, and psbL, as well as one duplicated copy of the ycf1 gene in C. quadrangularis L. that had previously been missing from the annotation of compared Cissus chloroplast genomes. Five divergent hotspot regions such as petA_psbJ (0.1237), rps16_trnQ-UUG (0.0913), psbC_trnS-UGA (0.0847), rps15_ycf1 (0.0788), and rps2_rpoC2 (0.0788) were identified in the investigation that could aid in future species discrimination. Surprisingly, we found the overlapping genes ycf1 and ndhF on the IRb/SSC junction, rarely seen in angiosperms. The results of the phylogenetic study showed that the genomes of the Cissus species under study formed a single distinct clade. The detailed annotations given in this study could be useful in the future for genome annotations of Cissus species. The current findings of the study have the potential to serve as a useful resource for future research in the field of population genetics and the evolutionary relationships in the Cissus genus. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-023-01312-w.

Optimization of laccase enzyme extraction from spent mushroom waste of Pleurotus florida through ANN-PSO modeling: An ecofriendly and economical approach.

The cardinal focus of this study is to optimize the best reaction conditions for maximizing laccase activity from spent mushroom waste (SMW) of Pleurotus florida. Optimization process parameters were studied by the modeling techniques, artificial neural networking (ANN) embedded in particle swarm optimization (PSO), and response surface model (RSM). The best topology of ANN-PSO architecture was obtained on 4-10-1. The R2, IOA, MSE, and MAE values of the ANN model were obtained as 0.98785, 0.9939, 0.0023, and 0.0251 while, that of the RSM model were obtained as 0.74290, 0.9210, 0.0244, and 0.1110 respectively. The higher values of R2, IOA, and lower values of MSE and MAE of the ANN-PSO model depict that ANN-PSO outperformed compared to RSM and also verified the effectiveness of the ANN-PSO model. The ANN-PSO model performance demonstrates the robustness of the technique in optimizing laccase activity in SMW of P. florida. The optimization results revealed that pH 4.5, time 3 h, solid: solution ratio 1:5, and ABTS concentration of 1 mM was optimal for achieving maximum laccase activity at temperature 30 °C. The enzymatic activity of crude laccase enzyme was obtained as 1.185 U ml-1 without loss of enzyme activity. Additionally, crude laccase enzyme was 1.74 fold partially purified, and 83.54% of the enzyme was yielded. Out of all the independent process variables, ABTS and pH had an influence on laccase activity. Therefore, we anticipate that the findings of this investigation will reduce the ambiguity in maximizing laccase activity and ease the screening process. This study also highlights the comparative cost evaluation of crude laccase enzyme extracted from P. florida and commercial enzymes. There is a great potential for the utilization of the laccase enzyme extracted from SMW and using it for the degradation of recalcitrant micropollutants. Thus, SMW promises a cost-effective and sustainable approach leading towards circular economy.

A Review on Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Its Role in Natural Resources Management: North East India, a Cultural Paradise.

Sustainable management of natural resources plays a critical role in poverty alleviation and overall socio-economic development. North East (NE) India is blessed as a biodiversity hotspot, being also home to around 150 ethnic tribes with diverse ethical, cultural and traditional beliefs, endorsing the region as a cultural paradise rich in natural resources and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). Conversely, the severely constrained nature of TEK, has juxtaposed TEK practices and sustainable natural resources management (NRM) in this review. Deliberating on the broader perspectives of TEK and ensuing practices, we have identified twelve sustainable development goals (SDGs) which are directly correlated to the TEK and practices of NE region. This review has meticulously detailed TEK and practices that can help in achieving various sustainable development targets of different SDGs in a more comprehensive and eco-friendly manner. Houde's manifestation to differentiate each element of TEK and practices present in the NE region of the country, such as traditional farming and irrigation systems, sacred groves, and cultural belief systems of different tribes, have been systematically analyzed and documented for each of the eight states of this region. The benefits accrued modern practices related to NRM are correlated with TEK, or adaptive empirical knowledge system. Indigenous agricultural systems, watershed management, biodiversity conservation, and ethnomedicinal therapeutic systems in NE India formed a vital part of the review. However, rapid urbanization, industrialization, and deforestation warrant an urgent need to systematically collate, document, analyze, and conserve the TEK of the indigenous communities of NE India.

Decoding the PLFA profiling of microbial community structure in soils contaminated with municipal solid wastes.

This study aimed to assess the influence of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal on soil microbial communities. Soil samples from 20 different locations of an MSW dumping site contaminated with toxic heavy metals (HMs) and a native forest (as control) were collected for phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiling to predict microbial community responses towards unsegregated disposal of MSW. PLFA biomarkers specific to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, fungi, eukaryotes, actinomycetes, anaerobes, and microbial stress markers-fungi: bacteria (F/B) ratio, Gram-positive/Gram-negative (GP/GN) ratio, Gram-negative stress (GNStr) ratio and predator/prey ratio along with AMF spore density and the total HM content (Cu, Cr, Cd, Mn, Zn, and Ni) were assessed. The results showed that all of the PLFA microbial biomarkers and the F/B ratio were positively correlated, while HMs and microbial stress markers were negatively correlated. The significant correlation of AMF biomass with all microbial groups, the F/B ratio, and T. PLFA confirmed its significance as a key predictor of microbial biomass. With AMF and T. PLFA, Cd and Cr had a weak or negative connection. Among the toxic HMs, Zn and Cd had the greatest impact on microbial populations. Vegetation did not have any significant effect on soil microbial communities. This research will aid in the development of bioinoculants for the bioremediation of MSW-polluted sites and will improve our understanding of the soil microbial community's ability to resist, recover, and adapt to toxic waste contamination.

Phytoremediation of nickel and zinc using Jatropha curcas and Pongamia pinnata from the soils contaminated by municipal solid wastes and paper mill wastes.

The primary source of soil pollution is a complex mixture of numerous inorganic and organic compounds (including chlorinated compounds, nutrients, and heavy metals, etc.). The presence of all of these compounds makes remediation and cleanup difficult. In this study, the phytoremediation ability of Jatropha curcas and Pongamia pinnata was tested to remove nickel (Ni) and Zinc (Zn) from paper mill and municipal landfill contaminated soils, to understand the uptake potential and to estimate the accumulation pattern of Ni and Zn in the vegetative parts of the plant. The experiments were carried out in pots (3 kg capacity) and the different combinations of soil were made by mixing the contaminated soil with a reference soil (forest soil) as T0, T25, T50, T75 and T100. The plant biomass, chlorophyll content, proline, nitrate reductase activity and metal removal efficiency (%)were determined after 120 DAS (i.e., the days after sowing). The results of the study showed that with increasing metal stress, there is a reduction in the above-ground biomass content in both the plant species with a slightly less impact on the root biomass. Over a period of 4 months, J. curcas and P. pinnata removed 82-86% and 93-90% Ni, respectively. The removal of Zn was significantly less as compared to Ni as most of the Zn remained in the belowground part (roots) and in the soil. Besides, the phytostabilization capacities of the plants were calculated on the basis of their tolerance index (TI), bioaccumulation factor (BAF) and translocation factor (TF). The low BAF and TF values with increasing heavy metals (HMs) content indicates its higher phytostabilization capacity in the root and rhizospheric region as compared to phytoaccumulation.

Spent waste from edible mushrooms offers innovative strategies for the remediation of persistent organic micropollutants: A review.

Urgent and innovative strategies for removal of persistent organic micropollutants (OMPs) in soil, groundwater, and surface water are the need of the hour. OMPs detected in contaminated soils and effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are categorized as environmentally persistent pharmaceutical pollutants (EPPPs), and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), their admixture could cause serious ecological issues to the non-target species. As complete eradication of OMPs is not possible with the extant conventional WWTPs technology, the inordinate and reckless application of OMPs negatively impacts environmental regenerative and resilience capacity. Therefore, the cardinal focus of this review is the bioremediation of persistent OMPs through efficient application of an agro-waste, i.e. spent mushroom waste (SMW). This innovative, green, long-term strategy embedded in the circular economy, based on state of the art information is comprehensively assessed in this paper. SMW accrues ligninolytic enzymes such as laccase and peroxidase, with efficient mechanism to facilitate biodegradation of recalcitrant organic pollutants. It is vital in this context that future research should address immobilization of such enzymes to overcome quantitative and qualitative issues obstructing their widespread use in biodegradation. Therefore, dual benefit is gained from cultivating critical cash crops like mushrooms to meet the escalating demand for food resources and to aid in biodegradation. Hence, mushroom cultivation has positive environmental, social, and economic implications in developing countries like India.

Structurally distinct unfolding intermediates formed from a staphylococcal capsule-producing enzyme retained NADPH binding activity.

CapF, a capsule-producing enzyme expressed by Staphylococcus aureus, binds NADPH and exists as a dimer in the aqueous solution. Many other capsule-producing virulent bacteria also express CapF orthologs. To understand the folding-unfolding mechanism of S. aureus CapF, herein a recombinant CapF (rCapF) was individually investigated using urea and guanidine hydrochloride (GdnCl). Unfolding of rCapF by both the denaturants was reversible but proceeded via the synthesis of a different number of intermediates. While two dimeric intermediates (rCapF4 and rCapF5) were formed at 0.5 M and 1.5 M GdnCl, three dimeric intermediates (rCapF1, rCapF2, and rCapF3) were produced at 1 M, 2 M, and 3 M urea, respectively. rCapF5 showed 3.6 fold less NADPH binding activity, whereas other intermediates retained full NADPH binding activity. Compared to rCapF, all of the intermediates (except rCapF3) had a compressed shape. Conversely, rCapF3 possessed a native protein-like shape. The maximum shape loss was in rCapF4 though its secondary structure remained unperturbed. Additionally, the tertiary structure and hydrophobic surface area of the intermediates neither matched with each other nor with those of the native rCapF. Of the four Trp residues in rCapF, one or more Trp residues in the intermediates may have higher solvent accessibility. Using sequence alignment and a tertiary structural model of CapF, we have demonstrated that the region around Trp 137 of CapF may be most sensitive to unfolding, whereas the NADPH binding motif carrying region at the N-terminal end of this protein may be resistant to unfolding, particularly at the low denaturant concentrations.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Bacterial strains found in the soils of a municipal solid waste dumping site facilitated phosphate solubilization along with cadmium remediation.

Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) that can withstand high cadmium (Cd) stress is a desired combination for bioremediation. This study evaluated the Cd bioremediation potential of four PSB strains isolated from the contaminated soils of a municipal solid waste (MSW) discarding site (Guwahati, India). PSB strains were cultured in Pikovskaya (PVK) media, which led to higher acid phosphatase (ACP) activity and the release of organic acid. Optical density (OD) measurements were performed to determine the growth pattern of PSB; furthermore, Cd uptake by PSB was evaluated using infrared spectroscopy (IR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses. The 16S rRNA taxonomic analysis revealed that all the four promising PSB strains belonged to either Bacillus sp. or Enterobacter sp. One strain (SM_SS8) demonstrated higher tolerance towards Cd (up to 100 mg L-1). Flow cytometry analysis revealed 70.92%, 46.93% and 20.4% viability of SM_SS8 in 10, 50 and 100 mg L-1, respectively in PVK media containing Cd. This study has therefore substantiated the bioremediation of Cd from polluted soil by the PSB isolates. Thus, experimental results revealed a potential combo benefit, phosphate solubilization along with Cd remediation.

Novel agrotechnological intervention for soil amendment through areca nut husk biochar in conjunction with vetiver grass.

Soil quality management through effective utilization of agricultural residue is the cynosure of intense global research. Therefore, we have explored the pyrolytic conversion of a locally available agricultural residue, the areca nut husk (AH), into biochar (BC) as a sustainable option towards residue management. The AH was carbonized at 250-400 °C, and residence times of 30-90 min. Subsequent detailed analysis revealed areca nut husk biochar (AHBC) formed at 250 °C with 60 min residence time, had the highest soil organic matter yield index (SOMYI), the lowest H/C and O/C ratio, and an average particle size of 1191.6 nm. Further characterization exposed the highly porous structure of prepared AHBC with oxygenated functional groups attached to its surface. The application of AHBC in conjunction with vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides L.) was used as a novel agrotechnological approach to assess soil quality improvement. Various doses of AHBC (5 t ha-1, 10 t ha-1, and 15 t ha-1) were applied in the experimental soils, and the principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the 15 t ha-1 dose was optimum for the growth of the vetiver. AHBC amendment in soil resulted in increase of plant height and relative water content. This could be attributed to the increase in organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, and nutrients in the soil. Application of AHBC along with vetiver could be a simple, yet effective option, for sustainable agricultural residue and soil management.

Deciphering the dynamics of glomalin and heavy metals in soils contaminated with hazardous municipal solid wastes.

Heavy metals (HMs) accumulation in the soils poses risks towards the environment and health. Glomalin related soil protein (GRSP) produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) has metal-sorption and soil aggregation properties and is critical in the survival of plants and AMF. For the first time, this study attempted to examine the GRSP mediated bio-stabilization of HMs in soils contaminated with municipal solid wastes (MSW). The content and interrelationship of GRSP and HMs, along with soil physicochemical properties were studied in 20 different soil samples from the dumping site. Higher amount of GRSP indicated potential bio-stabilization of HMs at some sites. GRSP exhibited weak positive correlation with essential (Zn, Cu) and toxic HMs (Cd, Ni). Cr and Mn were possibly sequestered in AMF structures and thus found to be negatively correlated with GRSP. The positive correlation observed between GRSP and soil nutrients like N, P and soil organic carbon (SOC) indicating potential of AMF-GRSP in sustaining soil health. Results revealed that AMF residing at contaminated sites produced higher amount of GRSP potentially to bio-stabilize the HMs, and reduce their bioavailability and also facilitate SOC sequestration.

Application of enzymes as a diagnostic tool for soils as affected by municipal solid wastes.

Assessing the relationship between soil enzyme activities (SEAs) and heavy metals (HMs) without any amendment has rarely been conducted in soils contaminated with municipal solid wastes (MSW). Five soil enzymes [dehydrogenase (DHA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), urease (UR), and nitrate reductase (NR)] have been assessed for HMs bioremediation using Zea mays L. grown in unamended soils that were contaminated with different types of MSW. Pot experiment was conducted for two seasons with soils collected from seven different locations within the MSW site. Experimental soil samples included a control (CA), contaminated by brick kiln wastes (SA1), kitchen and household wastes (SA2), medical wastes (SA3), mixed wastes (SA4), glass wastes (SA5), and metal scrap wastes (SA6). Rhizospheric soils were collected after the harvest of each season to investigate the impact of HMs on SEAs and physicochemical properties of soil. The results revealed an increase in DHA, ALP, and NR activities by 89.30%, 58.03% and 21.98% in SA1. Likewise, enhanced activities for UR (28.26%) and ACP (19.6%) were observed in SA3 and SA5 respectively. Insignificant increase in the macronutrients and organic carbon (OC) were also noted. The increased microbial count and the relatively higher amount of organic matter (OM) in the rhizosphere indicated the role of OM in HMs immobilization. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that DHA and NR are the important soil enzymes, underscored by their active involvement in the C and N turnover in the soil. Likewise, correlation analysis showed that DHA and NR activities were positively correlated with copper (Cu) (0.90, p < 0.01; 0.88, p < 0.01), suggesting its participation as a cofactor in enzymatic activities. In contrast, DHA was negatively correlated with cadmium (Cd) (-0.48, p < 0 0.05). Finally, these results indicated that in the absence of exogenous nutrient amendment, the SEAs were governed by OC, available nitrogen (Avl. N), Cu and Cd respectively. The study also highlighted the need for extensive research on SEAs for its utilization as a bioindicator in various soil bioremediation and quality management practices.

Occurrence, geochemical fraction, ecological and health risk assessment of cadmium, copper and nickel in soils contaminated with municipal solid wastes.

Unscientific municipal solid waste (MSW) dumping provokes heavy metal (HM) associated ecological and human health hazards through heightened bioavailability and bioaccumulation. In this study, we focused on three important HMs Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu) and Nickel (Ni) and their geochemical fractions, to enable clutter free data management, analysis and interpretation. Stratified random soil sampling was carried out from twenty different locations around a Ramsar site (Deepor Beel) in Guwahati, India. The spatial concentration profiles of Cd, Cu and Ni were determined by data elicited from geochemical fractionation and the Geographic Information System (GIS). Ecological and health risks indices were used to evaluate the severity of soil pollution and assess the level of health risks. All the three HMs thus evaluated, conformed to the potential bioavailable category. Cd (54.59%) was associated mostly with the carbonate bound fraction (F3), while 25.53% of Cu and 40.60% Ni were associated with the exchangeable fraction (F2). Significant contamination levels and higher ecological risks posed by these metals were in the order Cd > Ni > Cu. Children were found to be more vulnerable towards Cd associated health risks whereas, Ni posed threats to both adults and children. Cu posed no risk to human health. Geochemical fractionation and different indices played a critical role in the integrated assessment of soil pollution, ecological and health risk assessment, and provided an empirical basis for the sustainable future planning and comprehensive adaptive management practices for MSW.

Sustainable improvement of soil health utilizing biochar and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: A review.

Conservation of soil health and crop productivity is the central theme for sustainable agriculture practices. It is unrealistic to expect that the burgeoning crop production demands will be met by a soil ecosystem that is increasingly unhealthy and constrained. Therefore, the present review is focused on soil amendment techniques, using biochar in combination with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which is an indispensable biotic component that maintains plant-soil continuum. Globally significant progress has been made in elucidating the physical and chemical properties of biochar; along with its role in carbon sequestration. Similarly, research advances on AMF include its evolutionary background, functions, and vital roles in the soil ecosystem. The present review deliberates on the premise that biochar and AMF have the potential to become cardinal to management of agro-ecosystems. The wider perspectives of various agronomical and environmental backgrounds are discussed. The present state of knowledge, different aspects and limitations of combined biochar and AMF applications (BC + AMF), mechanisms of interaction between biochar and AMF, effects on plant growth, challenges and future opportunities of BC + AMF applications are critically reviewed. Given the severely constrained nature of soil health, the roles of BC + AMF in agriculture, bioremediation and ecology have also been examined. In spite of the potential benefits, the functionality and dynamics of BC + AMF in soil are far from being fully elucidated.

Speciation, contamination, ecological and human health risks assessment of heavy metals in soils dumped with municipal solid wastes.

The main aim of this work is to assess the extent of soil contamination, potential ecological and health risks associated with the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) near a Ramsar site in Assam, India. Soil samples were collected and analysed for three heavy metals (HMs), namely, chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn). The sources of HMs and their pollution levels were evaluated using different indices. The results demonstrated that Cr contamination was high near the metal scrap segregations unit within the dumping site, otherwise, the ecological risks associated with Zn and Mn were found to be low. The speciation of Cr and Zn were associated with the Fe-Mn oxide bound (F4) fraction, accounting 44.23% and 30.68%, respectively, whereas Mn (52.55%) was associated with the exchangeable fraction (F2). The fate and origin of HMs were assessed using mobility and enrichment factors and 16 out of the 20 sampling sites fell under the category of heavily polluted category for Cr, while others which were nearby the metal segregation units fell under the strongly to extremely polluted category. In few sites, significant enrichment was observed for Zn and minimal to moderate enrichment for Mn, respectively. Health risk assessment results indicated that Cr posed higher threat to human health through ingestion.

Assessment of mobility and environmental risks associated with copper, manganese and zinc in soils of a dumping site around a Ramsar site.

This study reports the environmental fate and ecological hazard of the three heavy metals (HMs), viz. copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) in soil influenced by municipal solid waste (MSW) dumping. The experimental site is situated in the vicinity of Deepor Beel, a Ramsar site located in Guwahati, India. This study assessed (i) the distribution pattern of Cu, Mn and Zn in six geochemical fractionations; (ii) the mobility, bioavailability and toxicity of Cu, Mn and Zn based on eight contamination and ecological indices, and (iii) the impact of Cu, Mn and Zn on soil quality. Altogether, 18 soil samples were collected and analysed from the study site using stratified random sampling. Pollution indices and multivariate statistics were applied on the data to identify the level and source of analysed HMs. Sequential extraction has revealed that the binding strength of Cu, Mn and Zn had a uniform trend. Mobility and potential bioavailability of studied HMs were in the order Mn > Cu > Zn. Analysed HMs were dominantly associated with non-bioavailable fractions. The observed low values of various contamination factors indicated the lesser contamination load posed by these metals. Conversely, their high enrichment factor and geo-accumulation index values indicated the sources of these metals were anthropogenic. Overall, the pollution and ecological indices registered lower contamination. Yet, it would be prudent to adopt efficient MSW management strategies for eliminating any future risk emanating out of this dumping site and posing threat to nearby Deepor Beel and its associated flora and fauna.

River water irrigation with heavy metal load influences soil biological activities and risk factors.

The Yamuna is one of the most polluted rivers in India and the land adjacent to river flowing through Delhi city is widely irrigated with its water for growing various food crops. Present study was undertaken to assess the heavy metal load in Yamuna water and surrounding soils of the river bank and its impact on soil enzyme activities. Long term impact of irrigation by Yamuna water on the activities of various soil enzymes namely dehydrogenase (DHA), urease (UA), fluroscein diacetate (FDA), aryl sulphatase (ASA), nitrate reductase (NRA), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN) were assessed. The sensitivity of soil enzymes to heavy metals were observed as DHA>UA>ASA>NRS. Total organic carbon, easily oxidisable soil organic carbon, available phosphorus and available potassium in different sites varied significantly. Total heavy metal contents in soils showed a decreasing order: Fe>Mn>Zn>Cr>Ni>Cu>Pb>Co>As>Cd and the DTPA extractable heavy metal contents followed the order: Mn>Cu>Pb>Zn >Fe>Ni>Cd>Cr>Co>As. Potential ecological risk factors (Er) were under low risk and comprehensive potential ecological risk indices (Ri) were found to be under low, moderate and high risk categories. Copper (Cu) is the main pollutant contributing considerable load to Ri. From (Ri) principal component analysis and cluster analysis, it is evident that the Okhla site (S8) is most contaminated. The water from Yamuna river needs to be cautiously used for growing various food crops on land adjacent to the river as its long-term usage might cross the permissible limits of heavy metals in the soil.

Does nature of livelihood regulate the urban community's vulnerability to climate change? Guwahati city, a case study from North East India.

There is dearth of studies on climate change based vulnerabilities of the urban people. It has been a matter of widespread debate whether nature of livelihood has any role to play in regulating the vulnerabilities of an individual. To find an answer, in a first ever attempt, this study tested three different approaches viz. Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI), LVI IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) models and Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) to estimate climate change vulnerability of urban communities from various livelihoods in Guwahati city, Assam, India. Guwahati is considered to be the gateway to the seven North Eastern states of India and therefore strategically very important for this region. A structured survey was conducted involving 200 stakeholders from various livelihood sectors viz. construction workers, perishable item sellers, farmers, taxi/auto driver/rickshaw puller/coolie, tea stall/fast food seller, gas cylinder deliverymen, street vendors/salespersons, traffic police/police, doctors and boatmen. Data was systematically aggregated and examined using the above-mentioned composite indices. The differential vulnerabilities were compared and results suggested that the farmers were the most vulnerable community by virtue of their high sensitivity towards health, economic losses, exacerbated by their poor adaptive capacity toward unpredictable climatic variations. Doctors were the least vulnerable owing to their higher levels of awareness and adaptive capacity. These results reiterated the importance of awareness and access to resources in regulating vulnerability. The vulnerability scores also revealed that LVI and Model II (M II) of LVI IPCC approaches were the two most suitable indices and could be used for comparative vulnerability analysis. These pragmatic approaches can be used to assess the community vulnerabilities and could stimulate robust Climate Smart Urban Planning (CSUP).