Removal of organic matter from reservoir water: mechanisms underpinning surface chemistry of natural adsorbents

One of the key challenges in water treatment industry is the removal of organic compounds by cost-effective methods. This study evaluated the adsorptive removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from reservoir water using fuller’s earth (FE) in comparison with natural (SQ) and modified quartz (MSQ) sands. The removal capacities of FE at different contact times, pH levels, adsorbent dosages and initial DOC concentrations were compared with both the quartz sands. The optimum DOC removals by FE and SQs were achieved at contact time of 60 and 30 min, pH level of 6 and 4, and at adsorbent dose of 1.5 g/150 mL and 10 g/100 mL, respectively. The adsorption capacity of FE (1.05 mg/g) was much higher compared to the MSQ (0.04 mg/g) and SQ (0.01 mg/g). Adsorption equilibrium data better fitted to the Freundlich model than to the Langmuir model, suggesting that adsorption occurred primarily through multilayer formation onto the surfaces of FE and SQ. The pseudo-second-order model described the uptake kinetics more effectively than the pseudo-first-order and intra-particle diffusion models, indicating that the mechanism was primarily governed by chemisorption. These observations were well supported by the physiochemical characteristics and charge behaviour of the adsorbents. In mass-transfer study, the results of liquid film diffusion model showed that the adsorption of DOC on FE was not controlled by film diffusion, but other mechanisms also played an essential role. This study demonstrates that FE is an effective adsorbent for the removal of DOC in surface water treatment.     

Stable isotope systematics and geochemical signatures constraining groundwater hydraulics in the mining environment of the Korba Coalfield,Central India

The present study explores the use of stable isotopes and major ion chemistry of various water sources such as mine water, groundwater, river water, and rainwater to identify the dominant hydrogeochemical process that controls the water quality in the active opencast coal mining area of the Korba Coalfield, India. Different hydrochemical models have revealed that the study area is mostly characterized by two facies alongside a dominance by ion exchange: i.e., a slightly mineralized Ca²⁺–Mg²⁺–Cl^? and a meteorically derived Ca²⁺–HCO₃^? fresh water facies. In the isotope bivariate plot, the samples plot to the right of the LMWL and slopes observed in pre (4.94) and post-monsoon (5.85) seasons are not as steep as the LMWL (7.95) and this warrants the suggestion that meteoric water is the major source that replenishes the dynamic groundwater resource in the study area after being subjected to evaporation. The negative d-excess values (<?0) and enrichment of the δ¹⁸O ratio observed at some locations suggests a non-equilibrium process and a “mechanism of mixing”. A noteworthy fact is that isotopically river water is in tandem with the mine water samples for both seasons and testifies to a hydraulic connectivity between Hasdeo River water and mine water through a major fault. It is substantiated by mine inflows assessed by the sump test for Kusmunda and Gevra, which is two times higher than the predicted values by Darcy’s law. The wide variation in the isotopic composition is attributed to different vapor sources viz., southwest monsoon (SW) that originates in the Arabian Sea and locally driven air moisture from surface water bodies.     

Rainfall-induced landslide in the active frontal fold–thrust belt of Northwestern Himalaya,Jammu: dynamics inferred by geological evidences and Ground Penetrating Radar

Landslides are the most established geological hazards in the frontal fold–thrust belt of Northwestern Himalaya comprising of Siwaliks and Murree strata. The continuous rainfall from 2 to 6 September, 2014 caused a massive landslide at village Sadal in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir state. The landslide occurred in the early morning of September 6, 2014, destroying entire Sadal habitation comprising 45 houses, and killing 41 people and more than 500 domestic animals. Google earth images of pre and post-landslide events along with the field measurements show the kinematics of upper and lower parts of the slide. Horizontal and vertical components of displacement and mode of failure suggest the landslide as of complex nature. The shallow subsurface geophysical imaging through Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey shows the failure plane composed of friable mudstone bed underlain by massive mudstone and overlain by cross-bedded sandstone. The depth of debris material above the failure plane ranges from 6 m at Site S1a-b to 10 m at Site-S2b and 20 m at Site S3a. The velocity analysis of Site-3 shows four thick layers represented from bottom to surface by L1—sandstone (V?=?0.16 m/ns, travel time?=?356.36 ns), L2—mudstone (V?=?0.17 m/ns, travel time?=?288.48 ns), L3—massive mudstone (V?=?0.19 m/ns, travel time 220.68 ns), and L4—cross-laminated sandstone (V?=?0.20 m/ns, travel time?=?77.58 ns) overlaying the failure plane. The study shows the landslide occur along the western limb of a fold identified during the present work. We mapped an old landslide on the same limb which shows 5–6 m-thick subsurface debris material with thick rock fragments involved in the landslide process. The detailed geological and geophysical investigations suggest that both the landslides were triggered by extreme rain fall events.     

Identification of suitable sites for groundwater recharge in Awaspi watershed using GIS and remote sensing techniques

Groundwater is a valuable natural resource for drinking, domestic, livestock use, and irrigation, especially in arid and semi-arid regions like the Garmiyan belt in Kurdistan region. The Awaspi watershed is located 50 km east of Kirkuk city, south Kurdistan, Iraq; and covers an area of 2146 km². The paper presents result of a study aimed at: (1) mapping and preparing thematic layers of factors that control groundwater recharge areas, and (2) determination of sites suitable for groundwater recharge. We used available data such as geological map, groundwater depth map, digital elevation model (DEM), Landsat 8 imagery, and tropical rainfall measuring mission (TRMM) data for this study. These data, supplemented by slope features, lithology, land use land cover, rainfall, groundwater depth, drainage density, landform, lineament density, elevation and topographic position index, were utilized to create thematic maps to identify suitable areas of groundwater recharge, using GIS and remote sensing techniques. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to weight, rank, and reclassify these maps in the ArcGIS 10.3 environment, to determine the suitable sites for groundwater recharge within the Awaspi watershed. Fifty-five percent of the total area of the watershed was found to be suitable for groundwater recharge; whereas 45% of the area was determined to have poor suitability for groundwater recharge, but can be used for surface water harvesting.     

Porosity prediction of lower cretaceous unconventional resource play,south Indus Basin,Pakistan, using the seismic spectral decomposition technique

Incised-valley shale systems are renowned as the fruitful exploration domains. However, the stratigraphic heterogeneity is significant, and thus, identifying the porous compartments within the thin-bedded and fractured shale system is one of the unconventional stratigraphic challenges. We present an innovative scheme for the exploration of the porous unconventional resources within the south Indus basin, Pakistan. The continuous wavelet transforms (CWT) exclusively detects the porous shales within the complete fractured system as compared to the full spectrum seismic data interpretation tool. The seismic amplitude, instantaneous frequency, and reflection strength tools show some tuning effects due to lithology and fluids. However, the tuning block of 28 Hz envelope sub-bands in conjunction with instantaneous phase tool accurately mark out the shale-plugged pinch out reservoirs. The synthetic wedge model based on the conventional seismic wavelet resolves the shale bed (incised-valley shale-filled lens) of about 23 m thickness, but shows limited imaging capability due to frequency band limitation for the porous shale locale. The acoustic impedance based on instantaneous spectral porosity modeling using the tuning volume of 28 Hz CWT has spectacularly resolved the thin-beds (gas shows) within the porosity range of 20 to 30%, which may have implications for future exploration of unconventional stratigraphic plays.     

Cadmium (Cd) concentration in wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis>) grown in Cd-spiked soil varies with the doses and biochar feedstock

Biochar is considered a promising amendment for the reduction of metal concentration in plants; however, the effects of biochar in terms of dose and feedstock on metal uptake by plants remain widely unclear. In the current study, three individual biochars were prepared at 450 °C from different feedstocks (wheat straw, sukh chain (Pongamia pinnata), and cotton sticks). The main aim was to evaluate their ability to remediate cadmium (Cd)-spiked soil in terms of growth response and Cd uptake by wheat (Triticum aestivum) tissues. Biochars were separately applied at 0, 1, and 2% (w/w) in Cd-spiked soil and wheat was grown until maturity in pots and then morphological and physiological parameters and Cd concentrations in grains, roots, and shoots were determined. The post-harvest soil was analyzed for extractable Cd concentrations. Plants grown in Cd-spiked soil treated with biochars had higher seed germination, lengths of roots, shoots, and spikes, grains per spike and leaf relative water contents, chlorophyll contents, and dry weight of roots, shoots, and grains as compared to the untreated control. Biochar treatments significantly decreased the Cd concentrations in shoots, roots, and grains as well as total Cd uptake by grains. Soil extractable Cd concentrations were significantly decreased with biochar treatments. The application of 2.0% wheat straw biochar was the most efficient treatment in increasing grain yield and decreasing Cd in grains as well as soil extractable Cd than the other two biochars and doses applied.     

Spatial analysis of anthropogenic disturbances in mangrove forests of Bhitarkanika Conservation Area,India

The dependence of coastal communities on mangrove forests for direct consumptive use due to the scarcity of alternate resources makes them one of the highly disturbed landscapes. This paper examines the spatial characteristics and extent of anthropogenic disturbances affecting the mangrove forests of Bhitarkanika Conservation Area situated along the east coast of India by using remotely sensed data and GIS, supplemented with socioeconomic surveys. The study reveals that resource extractions from these forests were considerable despite the protected status. Around 14% of the total fuel wood consumed annually in each of the household came from the mangrove forests of the Park. The patterns of consumption were spatially heterogeneous, controlled by the availability of alternatives, ease of accessibility, presence of markets, human density, and forest composition. The disturbance surface showed 30% of the major forest classes to be under high to very high levels of disturbance especially at easy access points. Besides, the distribution of economically useful species also determined the degree of disturbance. Resource use surfaces clearly identified the biotic pressure zones with respect to specific mangrove use and could be combined with the disturbance regime map to prioritize areas for mangrove restoration.