Effect of Saline Sludge on Anaerobic Digestion of Kitchen Waste for Methane Generation: Modeling and Fertilizer Recovery

A comparative study of methane recovery by co-digesting kitchen waste and saline sewage sludge is performed to evaluate its feasibility for waste minimization. The experiment is performed at 37 °C having a mixing speed of 100 rpm and pH of 6.49–7.5 in anaerobic mixed batch reactors. The higher salinity level of the saline sewage sludge reduces the degradation rate of kitchen waste causing an enhancement in soluble chemical oxygen demand by 133% compared with 280% when co-digesting with the non-saline sample. The inhibitory behavior is in line with the low volatile solid elimination efficiency of 31% of saline against 55% of non-saline sludge. The Gompertz modeling, based on the outcomes, fits the cumulative methane generation trends quite well, with a strong correlation coefficient (>0.994). Besides, use of the non-saline sludge results in three times more methane production than the saline sample digestion. Sludge recovery is 0.07 m³ sludge m⁻³ wastewater, and water recovery is 0.84 m³ m⁻³ wastewater. The liquid produced from the fermentation of the slurry can be used for irrigation as well as fertilization. Kitchen waste co-digestion with both sludge samples has been proven to be a practical method for exploiting the extra digestion capacity of wastewater treatment plants currently in operation, but it is more practical for non-saline sludge.     

Preparation,Characterization of a Novel Chelating Resin Functionalized with o‐Hydroxybenzamide and Its Application for Preconcentration of Trace Metal Ions

A stable extractor of metal ions was synthesized through azo linking of o‐hydroxybenzamide (HBAM) with Amberlite XAD‐4 (AXAD‐4) and was characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectral, and thermal studies. Its water regain value and hydrogen ion capacity were found to be 12.93 and 7.68 mmol g^?1, respectively. The optimum pH range (with the half‐loading time [min], t_1/2) for Cu(II), Cr(III), Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II), and Pb(II) ions were 2.0–4.0 (5.5), 2.0–4.0 (7.0), 2.0–4.0 (8.0), 4.0–6.0 (9.0), 4.0–6.0 (12.0), and 2.0–4.0 (15.0), respectively. Comparison of breakthrough and overall capacities of the metals ascertains the high degree of column utilization (>70%). The overall sorption capacities for Cu(II), Cr(III), Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II), and Pb(II) ions were found to be 0.29, 0.22, 0.20, 0.16, 0.13, and 0.11 mmol g^?1 with the corresponding preconcentration factor of 400, 380, 380, 360, 320, and 320, respectively. The limit of preconcentration was in the range of 5.0–6.3 ng mL^?1. The detection limit for Cu(II), Cr(III), Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II), and Pb(II) were found to be 0.39, 0.49, 0.42, 0.59, 0.71, and 1.10 ng mL^?1, respectively. The AXAD‐4‐HBAM has been successfully applied for the analysis of natural water, multivitamin formulation, infant milk substitute, hydrogenated oil, urine, and fish.     

Analysis of Social and Psychological Terrain of Bank Erosion Victims: A Study Along the Bhagirathi River,West Bengal,India

Social psychology of people affected by hazards is different from normal psychology. For example, severe bank erosion in the lower reach of the Bhagirathi River in West Bengal has resulted in significant land loss(～60% of all households lost land over last 20 years) and affected the livelihoods of the people in the study villages along the river. Per capita income has almost halved from 1970–2012 due to land loss. This stark nature of land erosion and vulnerability of livelihood has had far-reaching repercussions on the fabric of society and the psychology of the people in this region. Results showed that erosion-affected villages have registered comparatively larger average family sizes(～4.1 as compared to ～3.9 in non-affected villages), lower literacy levels( 50% compared to 65% for the non-affected villages), and poor health. Reports of poor health as a result of land erosion include ～60% of the respondents having reported physical ailments such as headache and abdominal discomfort, as well as 3%–5% reporting loss of emotional and psychological balance. Villages suffering from erosion showed higher positive loadings in average-coefficient of variation(CV) differential(25%–40%) depicting objectivity in their opinions for select variables of social processes. Principal component analysis(PCA) portrayed maximum eigenvalues in the first principal component for interpersonal processes(～98%) and a minimum for intergroup processes(～80%). Categorical principal component analysis(CATPCA) depicted a cluster between interpersonal and intergroup processes and another between intra-individual and group categories. The positive loadings in female-male differences in CV of perceptions portrayed relative consistency of males over the females concerning fear/phobia and physical stress while negative loadings exhibited higher consistency for females regarding psychological stress and shock. Lastly, the Tajfel matrix portrayed a distinction between hazard psychology characterized by maximum joint profit as found in Rukunpur, and normal psychology characterized by in-group favoritism as found in Matiari.     

Origin of the regional stress field along the Liquine-Ofqui Fault Zone （LOFZ）, Southern Chilean Andes by means of FE Simulation

The Liquine-Ofqui Fault Zone （LOFZ） of southern Chilean Andes is one of the largest active strike-slip fault zones. There is an ongoing debate regarding the origin of the stress field along the LOFZ due to its complex geometry. This paper represents a study of the origins of the LOFZ regional stress field. Stress fields are calculated by finite element （FE） analysis. The two possible stress origins, i.e., oblique plate convergence and ridge collision/indenter tectonics of Chile ridge against Peru-Chile trench, have been emphasized in the present study. Three types of boundary conditions for the three particular models have been applied to calculate stress fields. Models are assumed to be elastic and plane stress condition. Modeling results are presented in terms of four parameters, i. e., orientation of maximum horizontal stress （σHmax）, displacement vector, strain distribution, and maximum shear stress （ τmax ） contour line within the model. The results of the first model with oblique plate convergence show inconsistency between the geometric shape of the LOFZ and the distribution of the four parameters. Although more realistic results are obtained from the second model with normal ridge collision, there are few coincident in the LOFZ geometry and regional stress field. The third model with normal and oblique ridge collision is reasonable in understanding the origin of stress field and geometrical condition in the lithosphere of the LOFZ.     

Mechanical Behavior and Sulfate Resistance of Alkali Activated Stabilized Clayey Soil

Clayey subgrade soil requires treatment in order to make the subgrade stable for pavement structures. Treatment of clayey soil i.e. stabilization of clayey soil by cement, lime, and fly ash are established techniques used in geotechnical and highway engineering. Stabilization by alkali activation of fly ash is reported recently but literatures are limited. Present study investigates the stress strain behavior, peak stress and ultimate strain of clayey soil stabilized by slag and slag-fly ash blending by alkali activation. The peak stress as high as 25.0 N/mm² may be obtained at 50% slags content when 12 molar sodium hydroxide solutions were used. Peak stress, ultimate strain and slope of stress–strain curve of stabilized clay are controlled by Na/Al and Si/Al ratios. Stress–strain response and peak stress of slag and fly ash blended specimen are not governed by Na/Al and Si/Al ratios; rather the behavior is dependent predominantly on slag content.     

Correction to: Nexus between vulnerability and adaptive capacity of drought-prone rural households in northern Bangladesh

Natural Hazards - The article was published with a spelling error in one of the co-author names. The correct spelling is reflected in this correction, and the original work has been updated to...     

Feasibility and acceptability study of rainwater use to the acute water shortage areas in Dhaka City,Bangladesh

This study explored the feasibility and acceptability of harvested rainwater in rural communities of Bangladesh as well as densely populated City like Dhaka, using simple and low-cost technology. As a part of this study, a field survey was conducted in the water-scarce Dhaka City. Four slums were selected for conducting questionnaire survey. A questionnaire was furnished to know some information such as the socio-economic condition for those slum dwellers and family information, housing condition, sanitation condition, health condition, economic condition, existing water supply condition, knowledge about rainwater, willingness to accept rainwater, etc. Two hundred people from different representative groups were selected randomly. Yield after spillage and yield before spillage models were developed to know the actual rainwater availability and storage conditions, which were used to justify the effective tank size. Cost-benefit analysis and feasibility analysis were performed using the survey results and the research findings. A sensitivity analysis was performed to check the important parameters toward the implementation of the system as well. The results showed that cost was the most sensitive parameter (48.1%), the second highest sensitive parameter was roof area (25.9%) and the lowest sensitive parameter was demand (2.2%). The study showed that the low-cost rainwater harvesting technique was feasible and acceptable to the slum dwellers as the only potential alternative source of safe drinking water.     

The tectonic stress field and deformation pattern of northeast India,the Bengal basin and the Indo-Burma Ranges: A numerical approach

We performed numerical simulations to determine the contemporary maximum horizontal compressive stress (σ_Hmax) in the northeast India region, the Bengal basin (Bangladesh), and the adjoining Indo-Burma Ranges, with different boundary conditions. The regional tectonic stress was simulated using the finite element method (FEM) under the plane stress condition. Most of the study areas show NE–SW regional stress orientation, which is consistent with other stress indicators, such as earthquake focal mechanism solutions. The E–W trending Dauki fault, which separates the Shillong plateau to the north from the Bengal basin to the south, plays a major role in the stress distribution and regional deformation. This fault alone accommodates ～25% of the regional surface displacement rate of the study area. The fault pattern of the study area was also simulated using rheological parameters and the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion. The simulated results reproduce the observed tectonic state of the area, including a strike-slip regime along the Dauki fault, in the southwestern part of the Bengal basin, and in the Tripura fold belt areas. The modeling indicates that the Brahmaputra valley to the north of the Shillong plateau and to the south of the Himalayan frontal thrust exhibits thrust/reverse faulting with a strike-slip component, and in the Indo-Burma Ranges, strike-slip faulting is predominant with a reverse fault component.