Human health risk assessment of dietary metal intake through commonly consumed vegetables in Gaya District, Bihar, India

This study assessed the concentration of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn in commonly grown vegetables collected from the Gaya district of Bihar. Metals were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry following sample preparation and digestion. As, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn exceeded the maximum allowable concentration of Food and Agricultural Organization in some of the vegetable samples. Non-carcinogenic human health risk assessment due to ingestion of vegetables was estimated using Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) which revealed that non-carcinogenic risks were primarily due to Co, followed by Cr and Fe. The risk was higher in the leafy and underground vegetables as compared to the fruit vegetables. Of all the locations, the highest risk was estimated for Fatehpur, followed by Manpur and Bodhgaya, which was attributed to the anthropogenic activities of the locations. The HI exceeded unity in 64.3% of the vegetable samples, indicating potential health risks to the consumers and suggesting that vegetables from some locations in the Gaya district might have food safety issues. Periodic soil testing, irrigation water management, and avoidance of leafy vegetables from polluted sites are suggested to lower the health risks associated with vegetable consumption

Severity of Hand-Arm Vibration Exposure and Prevalence of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome Among Jackhammer Operators in Indian Stone Quarries

Hand-arm vibration (HAV) poses a significant occupational hazard for workers using vibrating tools and can lead to hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), which includes vascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). This research examines the severity of HAV exposure and the prevalence of HAVS among jackhammer operators in Indian stone quarries. By integrating field measurements and health surveys, the study evaluates the daily HAV exposure of 27 jackhammer operators and assesses health outcomes in 47 workers (27 exposed and 20 unexposed). The findings reveal that the operators’ average 8 h of daily vibration exposure surpasses the threshold limit of 5 m/s2 stipulated by the EU Directive and American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Among the exposed workers, high rates of non-vascular symptoms were observed, including tingling (33.3%), numbness (33.3%), and hand pain (29.6%). In contrast, vascular symptoms such as Raynaud’s phenomenon were less prevalent, affecting only 3.7% of the exposed workers. There was a significant correlation between lifetime vibration dose and the severity of sensorineural symptoms (r = 0.74, p < 0.001). The exposed workers were 7.2 times more likely to develop sensorineural disorders and 8 times more likely to develop MSDs compared to their unexposed counterparts, as determined through the odds ratio. These findings emphasize the importance of including HAVS in India’s recognized occupational diseases under the Mines Act of 1952. Such inclusion would prompt greater awareness among mine operators and support the implementation of protective measures to mitigate HAVS in Indian mining operations

Identification of metal-tolerant herbaceous species for phytostabilization and ecological restoration of fly ash dumpsites

The global deposition of fly ash (FA) from industrial processes is a growing environmental concern due to its detrimental effects on ecosystems. Sustainable strategies such as phytomanagement offer viable solutions for restoring abandoned FA dump sites. The study assessed soil quality, herbaceous diversity, and heavy metal accumulation in species growing in FA dump of Bokaro Thermal Power Station and adjacent forest sites (FS). Soil analysis of the FA dump site revealed elevated heavy metal concentrations, including Mn (272.42 ± 11.27 mg/kg), Zn (86.92 ± 1.67 mg/kg), Ni (70.82 ± 1.53 mg/kg), Cr (57.31 ± 1.75 mg/kg), Pb (46.85 ± 1.34 mg/kg), Co (37.93 ± 1.19 mg/kg), Cu (20.49 ± 0.48 mg/kg), and Cd (1.54 ± 0.05 mg/kg), along with slight alkalinity and nutrient deficiencies. The herbaceous community was dominated by species from Poaceae and Asteraceae families with 37.8% classified as highly metal-tolerant based on Metal Tolerance Index. Species such as Cynodon dactylon, Saccharum spontaneum, and Alternanthera sessilis exhibited high importance value index and bioconcentration factors (BCF > 1) for Cr, Zn, and Pb. These species effectively stabilized metals, making them suitable for phytostabilization. PCA analysis indicated that pH, WHC, TOC, and BD significantly influenced plant metal uptake, while nutrients (N, P, K) contributed to metal immobilization. CCA analysis demonstrated that soil parameters and heavy metal availability governed herbaceous species distribution, making them potential indicators of contamination. This study highlights the potential of metal-tolerant herbaceous species for reclaiming FA dumps by improving soil quality and reducing metal mobility, contributing to sustainable land restoration

Reopening and Recovery of Fire Affected Sealed Panels: A Scientific Approach

A mine or a part of a mine is sealed to control fire in a particular mine or a panel. Fire area should be sealed with stoppings and explosion proof stoppings, if necessary. There should be provision of sampling pipe such that air samples obtained from these represent the whole sealed off area. A considerable amount of time must elapse before the conditions become favourable for reopening and recovery of a mine or a panel. Status of sealed panel must be observed with respect to pressure behaviour, temperature measurement, gas content, and explosibility study. The reopening and recovery of a sealed off area should be undertaken with utmost effort keeping in mind the safety of mine and miners involved in that operation. There should be discussion with regulatory body, Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), mine authority and scientific body to ensure that the sealed area may be opened at a suitable date and all arrangements to meet up any untoward incidents. Reopening should be undertaken with the help of rescue trained persons with adequate precautions. During recovery operation air sample from strategic locations should be monitored at regular interval, initially with greater frequency. Generally, controlled ventilation technique is implemented in recovery operation. The papers deals with a case study on reopening and recovery of sealed panel in Churi underground mine of Central Coalfields Ltd, a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd, India. Gas analysis data of more than one year, pressure behaviour study for more than 14 days have been interpreted to ensure that sealed area is safe to reopen. Reopening was done under rescue cover with due care to mine and miner. Controlled ventilation, provision of water pipe, quick recovery of fallen coal was adopted to deal with the situation

Distribution and mode of occurrence of mercury in Talcher and IB valley in India: insights on Hg environmental release and coal cleaning

Mercury is a global pollutant due to its toxicity, long range transfer and bioaccumulation. Coal combustion is one of the major sources of mercury in environment. Though the pre-combustion coal cleaning technologies for Hg removal have been advocated, the knowledge on the association of Hg with various components of coal is essential. Though in India, coal is the largest source of Hg emission, the mode of association of Hg is not well studied. In this article, various chemical association of mercury in coal sample from Talcher and Ib valley coalfield, India was studied in detail. The Hg concentration in the studied coal was 0.140 to 0.754 µg/g. Correlation studies show positive and significant correlation with total sulphur content, especially with pyritic and sulphate sulphur of coal. The sequential leaching study showed that majority of Hg was associated with pyritic fraction (57–84%) followed by clay (8–10%) and organic fraction (8–9%). Weathering of pyrites transformed a significant portion of Hg as HgSO4 and similar Hg containing iron-sulphate minerals. Pyritic association of Hg indicates that mild pyrolysis, density fraction, wet cleaning or a hybrid technology can be potential technique for Hg removal. However, a detailed techno commercial evaluation is needed between the alternative processes and the expected benefits of Hg cleaning

The effect of hydrogen adsorption on Ti2AlV (110) surface: First-principle density functional theory study

The titanium alloy material is still the most promising material application in the gas turbine, energy, chemical, and biomedical industries because of its unique and its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. However, corrosion and the effects of hydrogen embrittlement (HE) are still major and critical factors to material failure and restriction in many applications. First-principle density functional theory was used in the current study to examine the hydrogen adsorption on the surface of Ti2AlV. Adsorption at different surface sites was used to investigate the effect of hydrogen on the surface of Ti2AlV (110) by calculating adsorption energy, work function, and charge density distribution. All the adsorption energies were found to be negative, indicating an exothermic process and spontaneous reaction. More importantly, the effect of Van der Waals forces and dispersion correction was investigated on all the adsorption sites, with all sites showing the adsorption energies strength o

Zero-waste hydrogen production using Ga-In activated aluminium composites for pressurized sea water desalination

Al:Ga:In composites with varying weight % were developed, effectively removing the oxide layer that hinders the Al reaction with water. Among these developed composites, the 6:1:1 (0.75 gm Al) ratio demonstrated the highest hydrogen production of 338 ml in 1000 s. Ex-situ XRD studies confirmed the existence of aluminium hydroxide (Al (OH)3) with Ga and In. Ga and In, which do not participate in the reaction, are efficiently recovered via Bayer’s method with 98 % yield. Importantly, 1 g of the 6:1:1 composite can desalinate one litre of seawater within 30 min with the TDS, conductivity, and pH of 750–900 mg/L, 1.0–1.25 mS/cm, and ̴ 7, respectively. This innovative approach minimizes wastage, as Ga and In are reclaimed post-reaction. Further- more, surplus hydrogen can be turned into electricity using a suitable fuel cell, offering a sustainable means to generate clean energy while simultaneously treating seawate

Tree species influence on heavy metals content in degraded mining soils: Environmental impact and remediation strategies

Restoring environmental and ecological health in post-mining landscapes requires effective mitigation of heavy metals (HMs) and potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Examining the impact of topography and vegetation, particularly trees, on the spatial distribution of PTEs, can help develop site-specific reclamation strategies aimed at minimizing their toxicity. This research study investigated the impact of topographical locations and the nature of tree species (Leucaena leucocephala, Senna siamea and Azadirachta indica) on the total and bioavailable concentrations of PTEs in soils from a reclaimed overburden dump in the Jharia coalfield region, India. Findings revealed elevated levels of Cr (315 ± 27.90 mg/kg), Cd (1.62 ± 0.13 mg/kg), and Zn (140 ± 32.20 mg/kg) across the mine soil, suggesting potential environmental risks. This was confirmed by a higher geo-accumulation index value (Igeo) and contamination factor value (Cf). Despite these elevated total concentrations, the bioavailable fractions remained relatively low, with Cd ranging from 2.92 to 11.46 %, Cr from 0.10 to 0.22 %, and Zn from 5.15 to 22.4 %. The overall pollution load index (PLI) was significantly affected by the tree species but not by the topography. Specifically, L. Leucocephala (0.955) exhibited a low PLI, followed by S. siamea (1.014) and A. indica (1.074). These findings reveal the influential role of tree species in shaping the total concentration and bioavailability of PTEs in soils impacted by mining activities. To control the off-site movement of PTEs from overburden heaps, peripheral trenches may be established. These trenches can be selectively vegetated with L. leucocephala for phytoremediation due to its tolerance to harsh conditions

Comparative assessment of the soil restoration process by four abundant tree species in a humid subtropical post-mining area

Fast weathering of post-mining soil in humid subtropical regions results in nutrient depletion, acidification, erosion, reduced water retention, impaired carbon sequestration, and disrupted ecosystem services. This study highlights how the selection of tree species plays a crucial role in influencing the quality of post-mining soil, which is essential for successful eco-restoration efforts. The comparison between native (Azadirachta indica and Dalbergia sissoo) and fast-growing non-native tree species (Acacia auriculiformis and Senna siamea) and their impact on soil properties in a reclaimed post-mining site of Eastern India was assessed. After 8 years, S. siamea and A. auriculiformis showed superior growth compared to A. indica and D. sissoo. Soil parameters like microbial biomass, organic carbon, electrical conductivity, dehydrogenase activity, fluorescence diacetate hydrolase activity, soil basal respiration, total nitrogen, available phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), and calcium are highly responsive and can effectively indicate the recovery of post-mining soil. Large-scale planting of S. siamea and A. auriculiformis might lead to environmental issues due to P and S leaching. In contrast, native species like A. indica and D. sissoo showed moderate improvement in the sensitive soil indicators. This study emphasizes the significance of choosing suitable native tree species for the restoration of post-mining soils in humid subtropical regions.

Insights from Optical-Electron Correlative Microscopy on Shales Subjected to Underground Thermal Treatment

Extracting hydrocarbons from low-permeability shale is challenging. While hydraulic fracturing is typical, it poses environmental risks. This study explores underground thermal treatment (pyrolysis) using optical-electron correlative microscopy on an organic-rich shale from the Permian Barakar Formation, Rajmahal Basin, India. Thermal treatment (350–650°C) expanded liptinite pores (10 – 294 μm), while inertinite retained primary pores, and vitrinite showed no SEM-detectable pores. At 650°C, extensive pore enlargement and rupture indicate hydrocarbon expulsion. These findings provide key insights into maceral-specific porosity evolution, improving understanding of in-situ thermal treatment for unconventional hydrocarbon recovery