Effect of seasonal variation on the occurrences of high-risk pharmaceutical in drain-laden surface water: A risk analysis of Yamuna River.

The occurrence of pharmaceutical residues in the aquatic ecosystem is an emerging concern of environmentalists. This study primarily investigated the seasonal variation of high-priority pharmaceutical residues in the Yamuna River, accompanied by 22 drains discharge from different parts of Delhi. Five sampling sites were selected for analyzing high-priority pharmaceuticals along with physico-chemical and biological parameters for 3 season's viz. pre-monsoon (PrM), monsoon (DuM), and post-monsoon (PoM), respectively. The maximum occurrences were detected during the PoM, compared to the PrM and DuM seasons. The maximum concentration of BOD, COD, and Phosphate was detected at the last sampling station (SP-5). Similarly, all targeted pharmaceuticals concentration were maximum at the last sampling point i.e. Okhla barrage (SP-5, max: DIC = 556.1 ng/l, IBU = 223.4 ng/l, CAR = 183.1 ng/l, DIA = 457.8 ng/l, OFL = 1726.5 ng/l, FRU = 312.2 ng/l and SIM = 414.9 ng/l) except at Barapulla downstream (SP-4, max: ERY = 178.1 ng/l). The mean concentrations of Fecal coliform (FC) ranged from 1700 to 6500 CFU/100 ml. The maximum colonies were detected in PrM season (6500 CFU/100 ml) followed by PoM (5800 CFU/100 ml) and least in DuM (1700 CFU/100 ml). Risk quotient (RQ) analysis of high-priority pharmaceuticals indicated high ecotoxicological risks exposure (>1) from DIC, DIA, OFL, and SIM in all seasons at all the sampling sites. However, lower risk was predicted for IBU, CAR, ERY, and FRU, respectively. This risk assessment indicated an aquatic ecosystem potentially exposed to high risks from these pharmaceutical residues. Moreover, seasonal agricultural application, rainfall, and temperature could influence the levels and compositions of pharmaceutical residue in the aquatic ecosystem. Hence, attention is required particularly to this stream since it is only a local lifeline source for urban consumers for domestic water supply and farmers for cultivation.

Horizontal sub surface flow Constructed Wetlands coupled with tubesettler for hospital wastewater treatment.

Hospital wastewater are a lurking threat to environment and human health security for any given moment of time owing to its complexity and high vulnerability to cause disease outbreak. Though there are a number of treatment process for wastewater., there is a high need for employing cost-efficient and sustainable method of treatment. Hence a pilot scale horizontal surface flow Constructed Wetland (HSFCW) coupled with Tubesettler was installed at New Delhi, India (February to may 2019). This study reports comparative pollutants removal from hospital wastewater using Constructed Wetlands and associated tubesettler dosed with Hospital wastewater. A pilot scale CW system was used for treating 10m3/day of hospital wastewater. The system was tested for 3 Months to evaluate its performance for removing pollutants from the wastewater. The HSFCW coupled with tubesettler achieved over all removal efficiency of 94% (COD), MLSS (97%), TSS (98%), BOD5 (96%), Phosphate (79%). However, process of nitrification was not observed and accumulation of Nitrate up to 197% was observed. The study concluded that it may be due to the presence of pharmaceuticals and other elements present in hospital wastewater. This conclusion was based on the fact that Alkalinity increased by 52% in effluent and pH value also exhibited an average increase of 12%. Further research studies are required to investigate effect of pharmaceutical originating from hospital on treatment efficiency, to incorporate anaerobic setup to complete denitrification-nitrification process and also to determine efficiency of thermophilic, mesophilic, and psychrophilic bacteria with respect to climate and temperature.

Incidence and implications of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing valvular heart surgery: the Indian scenario.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the incidence and implications of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients above 40 years presenting for valve surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2009 and December 2010, coronary angiography (CAG) was performed in all such patients ( n = 140). RESULTS: Coronaries were normal in 119 (Group I), and diseased in 21 (Group II). In Group II, 11 patients were < 50 years, 3 were between 51 and 60 years and 7 were > 61 years. In 8 of these, only valve replacement was performed. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and aortic valve replacement was performed in 10, CABG and mitral valve replacement in 2 and CABG with mitral and aortic valve replacement in one. The number of vessels grafted in these 13 patients was 1.54 ± 0.66. Hypertension and diabetes were significant ( P < 0.05) in this group. The mortality was significant in Group II (11 vs. 6, P < 0.05). Six patients died in Group II, 5 had severe aortic stenosis and severe left ventricular hypertrophy; the sixth patient had severe mitral stenosis and was in CHF. The predominant cause of death was congestive heart failure (CHF). CONCLUSIONS: Fifteen percentage of these patients had CAD. CAG should be performed routinely in these patients while presenting for valve surgery. Combined CABG and valve replacement carries high mortality (28.5%), especially in patients with aortic stenosis. The study suggests that the cardio-protective measures should be applied more rigorously in this subset of patients.