Application of dried plant biomass as novel low-cost adsorbent for removal of cadmium from aqueous solution

Heavy metals are a threat to human health and ecosystem. These days, great deal of attention is being given to green technologies for purification of water contaminated with heavy metal ions. Biosorption is one among such emerging technologies, which utilizes naturally occurring waste materials to sequester heavy metals from wastewater. Cadmium has hazardous impact on living beings; therefore, its removal through green and economical process is an important task. The aim of the present study was to utilize the locally available Portulaca oleracea plant biomass as an adsorbent for cadmium removal from aqueous solution. The biomass was obtained after drying and grinding the portulaca leaves and stem. No chemical treatment was done on the adsorbent so that it remained green in a true sense. Batch experiments were performed at room temperature. The critical parameters studied were effects of pH, contact time, initial metal ion concentration and adsorbent dose on the adsorption of cadmium. The maximum adsorption was found to be 72 %. The kinetic data were found to best fit the pseudo-second-order equation. High adsorption rates were obtained in the initial 45 min, and adsorption equilibrium was then gradually achieved in about 100 min. Adsorption increased with increase in pH for a range 2 and 6. The equilibrium adsorption results closely followed both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The values of constants were calculated from isotherms. Results indicated that portulaca plant biomass could be developed as a potential material to be used in green water treatment devices for removal of metal ions.     

The magnetohydrodynamics of stellar structures

The equation governing the equilibrium of a centrally-symmetric, self-gravitating distribution of matter is obtained by assuming that matter is described by magnetofluid and it is shown that the equation of stellar structure described by an ideal fluid is recovered when magnetic fieldh is vanishing     

Ecological benefits of urban forestry: The case of Kerwa Forest Area (KFA), Bhopal,India

In developing countries like India, migration of people from rural to urban areas is responsible for ever expanding urban boundaries. This trend is exerting significant pressure on unprotected natural forests located near urban centers. This paper highlights the case of Kerwa Forest Area (KFA), located at about 10 km from the city of Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh state. The objectives of this study are to quantify the extent of disturbance faced and ecosystem services provided by the KFA. Suitable spatial technologies and forest sampling techniques have been used to achieve the objectives of the study. It was found that the KFA is currently facing severe anthropogenic pressure. Parts of the KFA, located close to the settlements, were found more disturbed than the parts which were located far from the settlements. In spite of disturbances, KFA is a habitat for many threatened and endangered plant, animal, and bird species. KFA also plays a critical role of a carbon sink with a total storage of about 19.5 thousand tons of aboveground carbon. Immediate precautionary measures are required to prevent further degradation of the KFA for ensuring better environmental quality for the residents of Bhopal city in the future.     

Use of SARAL/AltiKa Observations for Modeling River Flow

In the absence of many gauging stations in the major and mighty river systems, there is a need for satellite-based observations to estimate temporal variations in the river water storage and associated water management. In this study, SARAL/AltiKa application for setting up hydraulic model (HEC-RAS) and river flow simulations over Tapi River India has been discussed. Waveform data of 40 Hz from Ka band altimeter has been used for water levels retrieval in the Tapi river. SARAL/AltiKa retrieved water levels were converted to discharge in the upstream location (track-926) using the rating curve available for the nearby gauging site and using linear spatial interpolation technique. Steady state simulations were done for various flow conditions in the upstream. Validation of river flow model was done in the downstream location (track-367) by comparing simulated and altimeter retrieved water levels (RMSE 0.67 m). Validated model was used to develop rating curve between water levels and simulated discharge for the downstream location which enables to monitor discharge variations from satellite platform in the absence of in situ observations. It has been demonstrated that SARAL/AltiKa data has potential for river flow monitoring and modeling which will feed for flood disaster forecasting, management and planning.     

Structural and magnetic fabric studies of recess structures in the western Himalaya: Implications for 1905 Kangra earthquake

Kinematic information from deformation structures and magnetic fabrics are used to infer recent tectonics around Kangra and Dehradun recesses, western Himalaya. Three types of magnetic fabrics (Type I & II, III, and IV) are identified based on the angle between K3 axis and bedding pole. It was observed that Kangra recess shows more mature fabric type IV as compared to Dehradun recess, where orientation of K3 axes and tectonic fabric reveals dominance of superposed deformation. In the vicinity of Dehradun recess, normal faults occur in un-indurated Quaternary fan deposits confirming their recent formation. The observations are in conformity with earlier studies that during the 1905 Kangra earthquake, the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) (or one of its subsidiary thrusts) near Kangra showed thrusting whereas the MBT near Dehradun underwent either normal faulting or post seismic adjustments characteristic of normal faulting. The thrusting could be a result of subsurface processes whereas the normal faulting was a result of prevailing surface strains.     

Effect of Interplanetary Turbulences Causing High/low Amplitude Anisotropic Wave Trains in Cr Intensity

The high/low-amplitude anisotropic wave train events (HAE/LAE) in CR intensity have been investigated during the period 1981–1990, using the neutron monitoring data for different latitudes. In all, 21 HAE and 15 LAE cases have been studied. It has been observed that the phase of the diurnal anisotropy remains in the same co-rotational direction for the majority of the HAE/LAE cases. However, it has also been observed that the phase of the diurnal anisotropy changes to later hours in some of the HAE cases, whereas it changes to early hours in some of the LAE cases. Further, the amplitude of the semi-diurnal anisotropy for HAE/LAE cases remains statistically the same; however, the phase of the semi-diurnal anisotropy for HAE has been found to shift to later hours for all events. Furthermore, the HAE occur dominantly during the declining phase of solar activity, whereas LAE occur dominantly during the minimum solar activity period. The geomagnetic activity index-A_p has been observed to remain low during the period of each HAE/LAE. The possible phenomenon to cause the enhanced/low-amplitude daily variation has been proposed to appear on the back side of the Sun.     

Investigation of Soil Suction Characteristics Induced by the Degradation of Organic Matter

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering - Total soil suction is considered to be the accumulative influence of matric and osmotic suction, assuming that the soil is biologically inert. However,...     

Adsorption of lead using a new green material obtained from Portulaca plant

In the present study the potential of a new green material obtained from Portulaca oleracea plant was investigated. The material was used without any chemical treatment to study the adsorption behavior of lead ions from aqueous solution. Various batch experiments were carried out using different experimental conditions such as pH, contact time, adsorbent concentration, and metal ion concentration to identify the optimum conditions. The influence of these parameters on the adsorption capacity was studied. Results showed the optimum initial pH for adsorption as 6. Adsorption equilibrium was reached in 120?min. The adsorption data were modeled using both the Langmuir and Freundlich classical adsorption isotherms. Results show ~78% removal of lead from aqueous solution. The kinetic data corresponded well with pseudo second-order equation. From the initial results, the green material obtained from the waste of Portulaca seems to be a potential low-cost adsorbent for removal of lead ions from water.     

Late Miocene movement within the Himalayan Main Central Thrust shear zone, Sikkim, north-east India

In the Sikkim region of north‐east India, the Main Central Thrust (MCT) juxtaposes high‐grade gneisses of the Greater Himalayan Crystallines over lower‐grade slates, phyllites and schists of the Lesser Himalaya Formation. Inverted metamorphism characterizes rocks that immediately underlie the thrust, and the large‐scale South Tibet Detachment System (STDS) bounds the northern side of the Greater Himalayan Crystallines. In situ Th–Pb monazite ages indicate that the MCT shear zone in the Sikkim region was active at c. 22, 14–15 and 12–10 Ma, whereas zircon and monazite ages from a slightly deformed horizon of a High Himalayan leucogranite within the STDS suggest normal slip activity at c. 17 and 14–15 Ma. Although average monazite ages decrease towards structurally lower levels of the MCT shear zone, individual results do not follow a progressive younging pattern. Lesser Himalaya sample KBP1062A records monazite crystallization from 11.5 ± 0.2 to 12.2 ± 0.1 Ma and peak conditions of 610 ± 25 °C and 7.5 ± 0.5 kbar, whereas, in the MCT shear zone rock CHG14103, monazite crystallized from 13.8 ± 0.5 to 11.9 ± 0.3 Ma at lower grade conditions of 525 ± 25 °C and 6 ± 1 kbar. The P–T–t results indicate that the shear zone experienced a complicated slip history, and have implications for the understanding of mid‐crustal extrusion and the role of out‐of‐sequence thrusts in convergent plate tectonic settings.