Global distribution of pesticides in freshwater resources and their remediation approaches.

The role of pesticides in enhancing global agricultural production is magnificent. However, their unmanaged use threatens water resources and individual health. A significant pesticide concentration leaches to groundwater or reaches surface waters through runoff. Water contaminated with pesticides may cause acute or chronic toxicity to impacted populations and exert adverse environmental effects. It necessitates the monitoring and removing pesticides from water resources as prime global concerns. This work reviewed the global occurrences of pesticides in potable water and discussed the conventional and advanced technologies for the removal of pesticides. The concentration of pesticides highly varies in freshwater resources across the globe. The highest concentration of α-HCH (6.538 µg/L, at Yucatan, Mexico), lindane (6.08 µg/L at Chilka lake, Odisha, India), 2,4, DDT (0.90 µg/L, at Akkar, Lebanon), chlorpyrifos (9.1 µg/L, at Kota, Rajasthan, India), malathion (5.3 µg/L, at Kota, Rajasthan, India), atrazine (28.0 µg/L, at Venado Tuerto City, Argentina), endosulfan (0.78 µg/L, at Yavtmal, Maharashtra, India), parathion (4.17 µg/L, at Akkar, Lebanon), endrin (3.48 µg/L, at KwaZuln-Natl Province, South Africa) and imidacloprid (1.53 µg/L, at Son-La province, Vietnam) are reported. Pesticides can be significantly removed through physical, chemical, and biological treatment. Mycoremediation technology has the potential for up to 90% pesticide removal from water resources. Complete removal of the pesticides through a single biological treatment approach such as mycoremediation, phytoremediation, bioremediation, and microbial fuel cells is still a challenging task, however, the integration of two or more biological treatment approaches can attain complete removal of pesticides from water resources. Physical methods along with oxidation methods can be employed for complete removal of pesticides from drinking water.

Student Suicide in India: Unintended Consequences of Socio-Ecological Factors.

The expectation of family members and society towards students has increased in recent years to perform well or achieve success in their life. But lack of job opportunities and increased competition among students has depressed the student community. The expectation without support has negatively impacted students which has catalysed suicide among the students in India. Students are committing suicide in Indian society due to failure in achieving families' expectations which is a matter of grave concern for social scientists. The current study has applied content analysis as a method to evaluate the cases of student suicide. The cases of student suicide have been collected from different newspapers, magazines, and news portals from July 2020 and April 2021. The study finds that most students are committed suicide due to depression. The study points out that students committed suicide due to failure to fulfil the expectations of a family member.

Floodplains landforms, clay deposition and irrigation return flow govern arsenic occurrence, prevalence and mobilization: A geochemical and isotopic study of the mid-Gangetic floodplains.

This article attempts to understand the evolution of groundwater chemistry in the mid Gangetic floodplain through the identification of hydrogeochemical processes including the impact of surface recharge and geological features. Isotopic investigations identified that irrigation return flow is partly responsible for arsenic (As) enrichment through preferential vertical recharge. Further, the floodplain geomorphological attributes and associated As hydrogeochemical behaviour traced through isotopes tracers highlighted that meandering and ox-bow like geomorphological features owing to clay deposition leads to the anoxic condition induced reductive microbial dissolution of As-bearing minerals causing the arsenic contamination in the investigated aquifer of the mid-Gangetic plain (MGP). To achieve the objectives, 146 water samples for water chemistry and 62 samples for the isotopic study were collected from Bhojpur district, Bihar (district bounded by the river Ganges in the north and Son in the east) located in MGP during the pre-monsoon season of 2018. The chemical results revealed high arsenic concentration (BDL to 206 µg.L-1, 32% samples are exceeding the 10 µg.L-1 limit) in the Holocene recent alluviums which are characterized by various geomorphological features such as meander scars and oxbow lake (northern part of the district). Arsenic is more concentrated in the depth range of 15-40 m below ground surface. All other trace metals viz. Ni, Pb, Zn, Cd and Al were found in low concentration except Fe and Mn. The geochemical analyses suggest that rock-water interaction is controlling the hydro-geochemistry while the chemical constituent of the groundwater is mainly controlled by carbonate weathering with limited contribution from silicate weathering. The isotopic signatures revealed that the Son river is recharging groundwater while the groundwater is contributing to the Ganges river. A clear pattern of fast vertical recharge in the arsenic contaminated area is observed in the proximity to the river Ganges with an elevated nitrate concentration resulted from the reduced As dissolution. The origin of groundwater is local precipitation with low to high evaporation enrichment effect which is further indicating the vertical mixing of groundwater from the irrigation return flow and/or recharge from domestic discharge causing enhanced As mobilization through microbial assisted reductive dissolution of As-bearing minerals.

Development of indices for surface and ground water quality assessment and characterization for Indian conditions.

Water quality indices are mathematical equations that transform water quality data into a particular number which describe the status of water. A number of water quality indices have been developed by various researchers for categorizing the water quality for different uses. These indices are developed based on classification criteria, sub-indices, and aggregation function. In the present study, a generalized Composite Water Quality Index (CWQI) is developed to classify the water into five categories, viz excellent, good, fair, poor, and polluted. For this purpose, the concentration ranges have been categorized on the basis of the Indian Standards (IS) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) standards and considering International standards of World Health Organization (WHO) and European Commission (EC). Twenty-five water quality parameters are selected based on the social and environmental impacts, and weights are computed using the Saaty's Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) tool. These parameters are selected such that the same indices can be used to assess the quality of both surface and ground water. The computed weights minimize the subjectivity in assigning the parameter weights. The proposed index improves understanding of water quality issues by integrating complex data and generates a score which describes the status of water quality. The index will be very useful for the water management authorities to maintain good health of surface water resources.

Fifteen-minute consultation: an approach to a child presenting to the emergency department with acute psychotic symptoms.

Presentation of a child in the A&E with altered behaviour including psychotic features is not unusual. New-onset psychotic symptoms in children pose a significant diagnostic challenge due to several reasons. First, primary psychotic conditions are uncommon in pre-pubertal children. Second, differentiating between delirium and psychosis can be difficult in children, more so in infants, toddlers and young children. Third, intervening and managing a secondary cause of psychosis can significantly optimise outcome. Prompt recognition of a possible underlying cause for a child's psychotic behaviour is essential, and at the same time challenging, in the emergency department. This article attempts to present a systematic approach to a child with acute onset of psychotic symptoms in an emergency setting.

Index-based assessment of suitability of water quality for irrigation purpose under Indian conditions.

Agriculture is a major sector in India which contributes around 14% of country's gross domestic product (GDP). Being an agriculture-based country, good quality of water for irrigation has been a prime requisite. Highly growing population and accelerated industrial development are causing anthropogenic pollution to both surface and groundwater on one side and geogenic contamination like arsenic, fluoride, high dissolved solids, sodicity, and iron in groundwater on other side. As a result, ensuring safe water quality for the irrigation has become a major challenge to both the central and state governments. The present irrigation water quality standards being followed in India have been set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) in the year 2000. These standards are solely based on four parameters, namely electrical conductivity, sodium percentage, sodium absorption ratio, and residual sodium carbonate, which are quite subjective and many times are not capable to exactly decide the quality of irrigation water particularly when there are large variations in the source water quality. Therefore, in the present paper, an indices-based approach is presented for categorization of irrigation water quality. These indices are mathematical equations that transform water quality data into a numeric value, which describes the quality of irrigation water. The proposed irrigation water quality index (IWQI), which is based on 12 parameters, classifies the water into five categories, viz. excellent, good, medium, bad, and very bad in the same manner as given by the CPCB and CGWB. In order to give proper rating to various parameters of the index, weights are computed using Saaty's analytic hierarchy process (AHP)-based multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach. This approach minimizes the subjectivity in assessment of weights and improves understanding of water quality issues by generating an overall index to describe the status of water quality. The proposed index will be beneficial for the water management authorities in ensuring safe water to the stakeholders.

Enhanced bioavailability and efficacy in antimalarial treatment through QbD approach enteric encased inclusion delivery.

Aim: In this study, we aimed to prepare enteric encapsulated spheroids containing inclusion complex using quality by design approach.Methods: A Box-Behnken design was employed to determine effects of variables on selected responses. Risk assessment was conducted using Ishikawa fishbone diagram. A model with a p-value was less than 0.5 for being a significant error of model was determined based on significance 'lack of fit' value. Spheroids were formulated using the extrusion spheronization technique and were characterized using analytical techniques.Results: In vitro release was performed in both acidic (pH 1.2) and simulated intestinal (pH 6.8) conditions. Permeability studies demonstrated tenfold enhancement compared with arteether. In vivo studies further validated increase of 51.8% oral bioavailability. Ex vivo studies revealed 3.4-fold enhancement in antimalarial activity compared with arteether.Conclusion: These findings highlight effectiveness of inclusion complexation technique as a viable approach to enhance solubility and bioavailability for drugs with low aqueous solubility.

[Box: see text].

A Recent Review on Bio-availability Enhancement of Poorly Water-soluble Drugs by using Bioenhancer and Nanoparticulate Drug Delivery System.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous route of drug administration has maximum bioavailability, which shows 100% of the drug reaches blood circulation, whereas the oral administration of drugs, are readily undergoing pre-systemic metabolism, which means the poor bioavailability of the drug and limited amount of drug reaches the target site. INTRODUCTION: Bioenhancers are substances having medicinal entities which enhance the bioavailability and efficacy of the active constituents of drugs. The enhanced bioavailability of drugs may lead to dose reduction, which may further reduce the cost and undesired side effects associated with the drugs. METHODS: The solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) loaded with ketoprofen made from carnauba wax and beeswax. It was discovered that when the drug-loaded SLNs were mixed with egg-lecithin and Tween-80, as well as when the total surfactant concentration was increased, the average particle size of the drug-loaded SLNs decreased. RESULTS: The drug-loaded nanoparticles, when given in combination with bio-enhancers such as piperine and quercetin, enhanced the drug's effectiveness. The Area Under Curve (AUC) was increased when the drug was coupled with bio-enhancers. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that piperine and quercetin when used with drug-loaded nanoparticles improve their therapeutic effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Bioenhancers are crucial to amplifying the bioavailability of many synthetic drugs. These attributes are useful to reduce the dose of drugs and increase the therapeutic efficacy of drugs with poor bioavailability.

Validation of a New Graphic Facial Nerve Grading System: FAME Scale.

Background and Objective: Most of the existing qualitative facial nerve grading systems are very subjective while the quantitative grading systems are more complex, require longer data input time and specific software. There is a need for having a scoring system with graphic criteria to improve the subjectivity, reliability and convenience. We aimed to develop and validate such a reliable graphic scale for use in Bell's palsy. Methods: Face videos of patients with unilateral facial paralysis were recorded using smartphones and analyzed for six items including five voluntary facial movements apart from complications of facial palsy (synkinesis, hyperkinesis, and contracture). 15 videos were used for pilot study, 75 for the development of scale and 110 for its validation. Each video was rated on two separate occasions by 3 independent raters, a score of 0-4 was assigned to each item using the graphic scoring criteria, and a composite score was obtained (range 0-24). Five disease severity categories: normal (score 0), mild (score 1-6), moderate (score 7-12), severe (score: 13-18) and profound facial weakness (score: 19-24). Results: The proposed scale and its component items had high inter-rater and intra-rater reliability (Kappa >0.7). Good correlation (Pearson co-efficient >0.7) was seen among the voluntary movements. The proposed scale is a valid tool to score motor deficits and complications of facial palsy. Conclusions: The proposed scale is a valid and reliable graphic scale to describe facial motor dysfunction and its secondary defects.

Numerical groundwater modelling for studying surface water-groundwater interaction and impact of reduced draft on groundwater resources in central Ganga basin.

Water resources in India's Indo-Gangetic plains are over-exploited and vulnerable to impacts of climate change. The unequal spatial and temporal variation of meteorological, hydrological and hydrogeological parameters has created additional challenges for field engineers and policy planners. The groundwater and surface water are extensively utilized in the middle Gangetic plain for agriculture. The primary purpose of this study is to understand the discharge and recharge processes of groundwater system using trend analysis, and surface water and groundwater interaction using groundwater modelling. A comprehensive hydrological, and hydrogeological data analysis was carried out and a numerical groundwater model was developed for Bhojpur district, Bihar, India covering 2395 km2 geographical area, located in central Ganga basin. The groundwater level data analyses for the year 2018 revealed that depth to water level varies from 3.0 to 9.0 meter below ground level (m bgl) in the study area. The M-K test showed no significant declining trend in the groundwater level in the study area. The groundwater modelling results revealed that groundwater head is higher in the southern part of the district and the groundwater flow direction is from south-west to north-east. The groundwater head fluctuation between the monsoon and the summer seasons was observed to be 2 m, it is also witnessed that groundwater is contributing more to rivers in the monsoon season in comparison with other seasons. Impact of reduction in pumping on groundwater heads was also investigated, considering a 10% reduction in groundwater withdrawal. The results indicated an overall head rise of 2 m in the southern part and 0.2-0.5 m in the middle and northern part of the district.

A systematic approach to understand hydrogeochemical dynamics in large river systems: Development and application to the River Ganges (Ganga) in India.

Large river systems, such as the River Ganges (Ganga), provide crucial water resources for the environment and society, yet often face significant challenges associated with cumulative impacts arising from upstream environmental and anthropogenic influences. Understanding the complex dynamics of such systems remains a major challenge, especially given accelerating environmental stressors including climate change and urbanization, and due to limitations in data and process understanding across scales. An integrated approach is required which robustly enables the hydrogeochemical dynamics and underpinning processes impacting water quality in large river systems to be explored. Here we develop a systematic approach for improving the understanding of hydrogeochemical dynamics and processes in large river systems, and apply this to a longitudinal survey (> 2500 km) of the River Ganges (Ganga) and key tributaries in the Indo-Gangetic basin. This framework enables us to succinctly interpret downstream water quality trends in response to the underpinning processes controlling major element hydrogeochemistry across the basin, based on conceptual water source signatures and dynamics. Informed by a 2019 post-monsoonal survey of 81 river bank-side sampling locations, the spatial distribution of a suite of selected physico-chemical and inorganic parameters, combined with segmented linear regression, reveals minor and major downstream hydrogeochemical transitions. We use this information to identify five major hydrogeochemical zones, characterized, in part, by the inputs of key tributaries, urban and agricultural areas, and estuarine inputs near the Bay of Bengal. Dominant trends are further explored by investigating geochemical relationships (e.g. Na:Cl, Ca:Na, Mg:Na, Sr:Ca and NO3:Cl), and how water source signatures and dynamics are modified by key processes, to assess the relative importance of controls such as dilution, evaporation, water-rock interactions (including carbonate and silicate weathering) and anthropogenic inputs. Mixing/dilution between sources and water-rock interactions explain most regional trends in major ion chemistry, although localized controls plausibly linked to anthropogenic activities are also evident in some locations. Temporal and spatial representativeness of river bank-side sampling are considered by supplementary sampling across the river at selected locations and via comparison to historical records. Limitations of such large-scale longitudinal sampling programs are discussed, as well as approaches to address some of these inherent challenges. This approach brings new, systematic insight into the basin-wide controls on the dominant geochemistry of the River Ganga, and provides a framework for characterising dominant hydrogeochemical zones, processes and controls, with utility to be transferable to other large river systems.

Isotopes (δ18O, δD and 3H) variations in groundwater with emphasis on salinization in the state of Punjab, India.

The state of Punjab has a dominant agrarian economy and is considered India's bread basket. However, it is now under the problem of falling agro-economy primarily because of pervasive depletion of groundwater levels and deteriorating groundwater quality in south-west Punjab, but increasing salinity is a major concern. The irrigation requirements of crops are fulfilled by groundwater and canal water but the introduction of canal irrigation has led to waterlogging and subsequent salinization rendering large fertile-land areas becoming unproductive mainly in the south-western part of Punjab. There was an apprehension that excessive withdrawal of groundwater might have caused a reversal of natural groundwater flow pattern that might have caused ingress of saline water into fresh groundwater region of central Punjab. To address the apprehension related to the rise in groundwater salinity and its subsequent ingression in the fresh-water zone and suggest suitable management solutions, a study was undertaken to analyse the data related to salinity, isotopes, land-use and land cover (LULC) along with field and laboratory experimental results. The depth-wise isotope analysis shows that there is a large variation in isotopic signatures of shallow and intermediate aquifers and it decreases with the depth of aquifers (150-250 m). It appears that very deep groundwater (>250 m) is relatively isolated and does not show a large variation or mixing effect. Tritium analysis shows that dynamic groundwater is actively recharged through canal, river, and/or rain. The presence of modern groundwater at deeper depth indicates a good interconnection between shallow and deep groundwater. Interpretations of the results show that the canal is the main source of groundwater recharge in south-west Punjab and the evaporation process is responsible for increasing the salinity hazard. In the central parts of Punjab, groundwater and rain are the main sources of groundwater recharge, while rain is the main source of groundwater recharge in the Kandi area. In the south-west Punjab, some primary salinity has formed as a result of mineral dissolution which has further increased due to evaporative enrichment.

Emerging organic contaminants in groundwater under a rapidly developing city (Patna) in northern India dominated by high concentrations of lifestyle chemicals.

Aquatic pollution from emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) is of key environmental importance in India and globally, particularly due to concerns of antimicrobial resistance, ecotoxicity and drinking water supply vulnerability. Here, using a broad screening approach, we characterize the composition and distribution of EOCs in groundwater in the Gangetic Plain around Patna (Bihar), as an exemplar of a rapidly developing urban area in northern India. A total of 73 EOCs were detected in 51 samples, typically at ng.L-1 to low µg.L-1 concentrations, relating to medical and veterinary, agrochemical, industrial and lifestyle usage. Concentrations were often dominated by the lifestyle chemical and artificial sweetener sucralose. Seventeen identified EOCs are flagged as priority compounds by the European Commission, World Health Organisation and/or World Organisation for Animal Health: namely, herbicides diuron and atrazine; insecticides imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin and acetamiprid; the surfactant perfluorooctane sulfonate (and related perfluorobutane sulfonate, perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluoropentane sulfonate); and medical/veterinary compounds sulfamethoxazole, sulfanilamide, dapson, sulfathiazole, sulfamethazine and diclofenac. The spatial distribution of EOCs varies widely, with concentrations declining with depth, consistent with a strong dominant vertical flow control. Groundwater EOC concentrations in Patna were found to peak within ∼10 km distance from the River Ganges, indicating mainly urban inputs with some local pollution hotspots. A heterogeneous relationship between EOCs and population density likely reflects confounding factors including varying input types and controls (e.g. spatial, temporal), wastewater treatment infrastructure and groundwater abstraction. Strong seasonal agreement in EOC concentrations was observed. Co-existence of limited transformation products with associated parent compounds indicate active microbial degradation processes. This study characterizes key controls on the distribution of groundwater EOCs across the urban to rural transition near Patna, as a rapidly developing Indian city, and contributes to the wider understanding of the vulnerability of shallow groundwater to surface-derived contamination in similar environments.

Phenotypical Variation with Same Genetic Mutation in Familial Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis.

Hypokalemic periodic paralysis is a genetic neuromuscular disorder characterized by episodes of painless muscle paralysis associated with low serum potassium, exclusively, during the attack. This may be precipitated by heavy exercise, fasting, or high-carbohydrate meals. We report two siblings, presenting at different ages with varying symptomatology-older sibling with episodic weakness in the morning associated with reduced physical exercise and consumption of large carbohydrate meal, whereas younger sibling complained of muscle stiffness following large carbohydrate meal and at the end of physical exercise. Molecular genetic study showed both siblings and their father were positive for calcium channel alpha-1S subunit (CACNA1S) C3716G>A; p.Arg1239His mutation. It is important to check serum potassium in a child presenting with muscle stiffness or weakness after a carbohydrate meal or vigorous exercise. This condition responds with potassium supplement. Often relevant family history and trigger factors with clinical correlation and blood results can lead to its diagnosis.

Quantifying enhancement in aerosol radiative forcing during 'extreme aerosol days' in summer at Delhi National Capital Region, India.

Changes in aerosol characteristics (spectral aerosol optical depth, AOD and composition) are examined during the transition from 'relatively clean' to 'extreme' aerosol days in the summer of 2012 at Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), India. AOD smaller than 0.54 (i.e. 12-year mean AOD-1σ) represents 'relatively clean' days in Delhi during the summer. 'Extreme' days are defined by the condition when AOD0.5 exceeds 12-year mean AOD+1 standard deviation (σ). Mean (±1σ) AOD increases to 1.2±0.12 along with a decrease of Angstrom Exponent from 0.54±0.09 to 0.22±0.12 during the 'extreme' days. Aerosol composition is inferred by fixing the number concentrations of various individual species through iterative tweaking when simulated (following Mie theory) AOD spectrum matches with the measured one. Contribution of coarse mode dust to aerosol mass increased from 76.8% (relatively clean) to 96.8% (extreme events), while the corresponding contributions to AOD0.5 increased from 35.0% to 70.8%. Spectrally increasing single scattering albedo (SSA) and CALIPSO aerosol sub-type information support the dominant presence of dust during the 'extreme' aerosol days. Aerosol direct radiative forcing (ADRF) at the top-of-the-atmosphere increases from 21.2Wm(-2) (relatively clean) to 56.6Wm(-2) (extreme), while the corresponding change in surface ADRF is from -99.5Wm(-2) to -153.5Wm(-2). Coarse mode dust contributes 60.3% of the observed surface ADRF during the 'extreme' days. On the contrary, 0.4% mass fraction of black carbon (BC) translates into 13.1% contribution to AOD0.5 and 33.5% to surface ADRF during the 'extreme' days. The atmospheric heating rate increased by 75.1% from 1.7K/day to 2.96K/day during the 'extreme' days.