Performance evaluation of vinasse treatment plant integrated with physico-chemical methods.

With an objective to assess environmental management criteria of a vinasse treatment plant (VTP) and to evaluate the critical environmental parameters, a study was undertaken in a multi-product (packaged apple juice, distillery, brewery, packaged drinking water) brewery-cum-distillery unit. The facility with a volumetric loading rate of 11-15 kg COD m(-3).day, 3.6-4.5 h hydraulic retention time and 20 g l(-1) VSS had a scientifically managed technically sound effluent treatment system. While the water quality parameters were found within the acceptable limits, there was 99.07% reduction in BOD, from 43140.0 to 398.0 mg l(-1) and 98.61% reduction in COD from 98003.0 to 1357.0 mg l(-1). There was appreciable improvement in mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), mixed liquorvolatile suspended solids (MLVSS) and sludge volume index (SVI). A striking feature was the integrated aerobic-anaerobic highly efficient Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) treatment for biodegradation and energy production that reduced energy and space needs, producing utilisable end-products and net savings on the operational cost. The end-point waste management included terminal products such as fertile sludge, cattle feed supplement, recyclable water and biogas. Vast lagoons with combined aerobic-anaerobic approaches, biogasification unit, sludge recovery, remediated irrigable water were the notable attributes.

Diabetes in rural Pondicherry, India: a population-based study of the incidence and risk factors

Background: For India, the ‘diabetes capital’ of the world, it is essential to knowthe incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its key determinants. Astwo thirds of Indians live in rural areas, a study was undertaken to assess theincidence and risk factors of T2DM in rural Pondicherry, India.Methods: In a population-based cohort study initiated in 2007, a sample of 1223adults > 25 years of age from two villages of Pondicherry were selected using clusterrandom sampling. Data on risk factor exposure were collected using a structuredquestionnaire, anthropometric tests and fasting blood glucose assessment. Duringhouse visits, 1223 of 1403 invited subjects participated. Of these, 71 (5.8%) werefound to have diabetes. In 2010–2011, 85% of the non-diabetics (979/1152) werefollowed up using the same protocol. We calculated the risk of T2DM per annumstandardized by age and sex. Population estimates of the risk factors associatedwith T2DM were analysed using the Generalized Estimating Equation model andthe Population Attributable Risk (PAR) for T2DM calculated.Results: During 2937 person-years (PY) of follow-up, 63 new cases of T2DMoccurred, giving an incidence rate of 21.5/1000 PY. Almost one third (31.7%)of cases occurred in people aged below 40 years. The incidence was doubleamong males (28.7/1000 PY; 95% confidence interval (CI): 21.0–38.7) comparedwith females (14.6/1000 PY; 95% CI: 9.4–21.7). Applying these rates to ruralpopulations, it is estimated that each year 8.7 million people develop T2DM inrural India. Nearly half of the T2DM incidence was attributed to overweight/obesityand alcohol usage.Conclusion: T2DM incidence was 2% per year in adults in rural Pondicherry,India, with the rate increasing twice as fast in men. Increasing age, obesity, alcoholuse and a family history of T2DM independently predicted the development ofdiabetes. As half of T2DM incidence was attributed to overweight/obesity andalcohol use, health promotion interventions focusing on maintaining an optimalweight and decreasing

An investigation into the prospects of arsenic(v) removal from contaminated groundwater using untreated bauxite ore.

Steady-state experiments were conducted on arsenic (V) removal from contaminated groundwater using two different grades of bauxite ore. The materials considered were refractory grade bauxite (RB) with high alumina and low iron content and feed bauxite (FB) with moderate alumina and high iron content. Adsorption studies were carried out for different parameters such as pH, adsorbent dosage, As(V) concentration and reaction time to establish optimum conditions. RB was found to be the better adsorbent compared to FB with a maximum As(V) adsorption capacity of 1.49 mg As(V)/g compared to 1.26 mg As(V)/g of FB. Both the adsorbents showed similar type of behavior with varying magnitude. As(V) adsorption was independent of the ionic strength suggesting an inner-sphere surface complexion mechanism. The kinetics of the As(V) adsorption could be best explained by pseudo-second-order rate equation. The adsorption was found strongly pH dependent, with maximum adsorption over a wide range of pH approximately 4.0 to 7.5. The column study results showed that at a adsorbent bed depth of 30 cm and feed flow rate of 50 ml/h, the RB was capable of treating 256 bed volumes of As(V) contaminated water (Co=1.79 mg/L) before breakthrough (Ce=0.01 mg/L).