Determination of pesticides in the respirable fraction of airborne particulate matter by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Potential harmful effects of pesticides include risks to human health of workers involved in the wet spray application in cultivated areas. Inhalation exposure depends on several factors including pesticide concentrations in the respirable fraction of airborne particulate matter (PM4). To ensure a high level of protection, the use of tractors with cabins provides protection against dust, aerosols, and vapors. Since tractors not providing maximum protection are still in use, PM4 was sampled during spreading operations in agricultural fields inside and outside tractor cabins. Sample preparation technique based on accelerated solvent extraction and solid-phase extraction cleanup was optimized before analysis of nine pesticides in PM4. Meptyldinocap, deltamethrin, myclobutanil, fluopyram, methoxyfenozide, dimethomorph, fluopicolide, cyflufenamid, and metrafenone were simultaneously determined by high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–ESI–MS–MS). The results demonstrated the efficacy of the tractor cabs used in the sampling sites. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Assessment and Characterization of Airborne Dust in Coal Surface Mine

Now a day’s dust pollution is the major environmental issue inside an opencast mine, which has various effects on human life. There are a number of fugitive sources, and activities which cause dust pollution inside an opencast mine eg. Drilling, transportation, blasting, crushing, conveying, overburden face, haul road etc. Among these dust, there are some toxic and carcinogenic dust which are when exposed to the workers that lead to different serious health effects like silicosis and lungs cancer. So measurement of these dust concentration is necessary to know the impact of various mining activity on the surrounding environment. From the above view, this current project mainly focuses on the dust sampling by using high volume dust sampler i.e. Envirotech APM 460 NL and Envirotech APM 550, measuring the personal dust exposure of different workmen at different mining sites by using Personal Dust Sampler (Model Arelco Ineris CIP 10), and characterization of the dust collected from the filter paper by using FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy). For this purpose Lajkura Opencast Project was chosen which produces 30 MT of coal per year for convenience, because as it is a large opencast mine so better knowledge can be gained from this mine regarding the concentration and effects of the dust. The dust sampling and monitoring was conducted during the month of March 2016 to get a good assess of dust. From the measurement through Envirotech APM 460NL the dust concentration was found out to be 1074µg/m3 and 984 µg/m3, and through Envirotech APM 550 dust concentration is found out to be 196 µg/m3. Personal dust exposure is also measured and the measured concentration was found to vary between 0.8mg/m3 to 1.3 mg/m3. From the characterization of the dust sample the compound that we found are Silica, Sulfates, Sulfoxide, and Carboxylates etc

Glucose utilization of mucuna bracteata sap by saccharomyces cerevisiae in fermentation process

The usage of cover crops has been increase popularity in the agricultural community. A cover crop is a crop planted mainly to manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity and wildlife in an agro ecosystem. Besides these advantages, cover crops also have disadvantages. Firstly, in order to terminate the crop, the cost that needed was too high. Next, it can also reduce soil moisture, increased risk of plant disease and increased risk of the pest population. Exceeded cover crops also can increase competition between the cash crops in order to get nutrients [1]. In order to overcome this problem, a research was conducted to study about cover crops as a new biomass source to produce something valuable

Monitoring of Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen oxides, PM10 and TSP Present in the Ambient Air of NIT Rourkela

The project investigates the concentration of the pollutants sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter (PM10) and total suspended particulate (TSP) generated from various sources like automobiles, industries over the ambient air quality of the NIT Rourkela campus. As such Rourkela is a big city and it is not possible to measure the concentration of these major pollutants in all areas, so we have restricted our study to our institute campus. The major pollutants as suggested by the Central pollution control board (CPCB) in an industrial area are sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen (NOX) , particulate matter (PM10) and total suspended particulate (TSP) . The rate of emission and concentration of these gases in the ambient air is studied by the following laboratory methods – (a) Modified West and Gaeke method for determination of sulphur dioxide in ambient air, (b) Modified Jacob and Hochheiser method for determination of nitrogen oxides in ambient air, (c) High volume method for determination of TSP in the ambient air, (d) Cyclonic flow technique for the measurement of PM10. The results will show the concentration of emissions of the above cited gaseous and suspended solid pollutants and will be compared with the permissible concentrations as per the standards given by CPCB for an industrial area and major precautions can be taken to reduce the concentration level of these pollutant

Air Quality Indices to Understand the Ambient Air Quality in Vicinity of Dam Sites of Different Irrigation Projects in Karnataka State, India

Ambient air quality monitoring was carried out in the vicinity of dam and nearby residential sites in four river basins in Karnataka with reference to SPM, RSPM, SO2 and NOx, employing Envirotech APM-460 Respirable Dust Sampler with provision to keep impingers having absorbing reagent. Further, three different methods of Air quality index (AQI) calculation on based on SPM and RSPM values were used to evaluate the prevailed ambient air quality in the near and surroundings areas at the time of dam constructional activities. The concentrations of SPM, RSPM, SO2 and NOx near the dam sites were respectively 540, 170, 5.8 and 17.9 .g/m3 in Varahi river basin; 440, 158, 3.8 and 11.4 .g/m3 in SLIS river basin and, 255.55, 83.3, 2.0 and 1.7.g/m3 in SRLIS river basin. The SPM, RSPM and SO2 concentrations was 340, 70 and 0.3 .g/m3 in the vicinity of dam site of Bellary nala river basin while NOx concentration was below the detectable limit. AQI calculations revealed that the dam sites in all four river basins were high to severely pollute compared to other monitored stations, owing to its construction activitie

Glyphosate and AMPA concentrations in wind-blown material under field conditions

Agricultural intensification in fragile arid and semiarid environments has led to an increase in soil degradation, mainly through wind erosion. Argentina is an agricultural and cattle-farming country, which has increased its productivity in the last few decades, widening the boundaries of farm land and the use of herbicides to control weeds. Glyphosate, which accounts for 65% of the Argentinian pesticides market, is strongly retained in soil. The World Health Organization concluded that there was evidence to classify glyphosate as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans.’ In this context, the objective of this study was to determine the presence and concentration of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in wind-blown material in 3 areas in Argentine semiarid regions (Chaco, La Pampa, and San Luis). In 1-ha2 plots, left uncovered and levelled, the wind-blown material was collected at heights of 13.5, 50, and 150 cm during 18 erosion events. The wind-blown material carried by the wind at a height of 150 cm had concentrations of 247 and 218 μg kg−1 of glyphosate and AMPA, respectively. This material was enriched 60 times in glyphosate and 3 times in AMPA as compared with the original soil. This shows that the eroded material can, potentially, have a negative impact on the ecosystem and also on human health, depending on the proportion of this material released into the atmosphere in suspension as particulate matter. This study is, to our knowledge, the first to report concentrations of glyphosate and AMPA in wind-blown material under field conditions.Fil: Aparicio, Virginia Carolina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Aimar, Silvia Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: de Gerónimo, Eduardo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Mendez, Mariano Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Costa, Jose Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentin

Detection techniques for tenuous planetary atmospheres

The application of detectors developed for analysis of planetary atmospheres under partial vacuum conditions, and data obtained during dust charging studies to various industrial problems is summarized. A specialized apparatus for dust measurements on a planetary lander was designed with the capability of measuring ambient dust density as a function of particle size, as well as for observing the charge of the collected dust. the optical system operates on an intermittent basis and requires only low power. No radioactive source or delicate detection equipment is required. Advances in monitoring catalyst operation by means of exoelection emission are also reported

Indoor air quality for poor families: new evidence from Bangladesh

Indoor air pollution (IAP) from cooking and heating is estimated to kill a million children annually in developing countries. To promote a better understanding of IAP, the authors investigate the determinants of IAP in Bangladesh using the latest air monitoring technology and a national household survey. The study concludes that IAP is dangerously high for many poor families in Bangladesh. Concentrations of respirable airborne particulates(PM10) 300 ug/m3 or greater are common in the sample, implying widespread exposure to a serious health hazard. Poor households in Bangladesh depend heavily on wood, dung, and other biomass fuels. The econometric results indicate that fuel choice significantly affects indoor pollution levels: Natural gas and kerosene are significantly cleaner than biomass fuels. However, household-specific factors apparently matter more than fuel choice in determining PM10 concentrations. In some biomass-burning households, concentrations are scarcely higher than in households that use natural gas. The results suggest that cross-household variation is strongly affected by structural arrangements-cooking locations, construction materials, and ventilation practices. The authors'analysis also suggests that poor families may not have to wait for clean fuels or clean stoves to enjoy significantly cleaner air. Within their sample household population, some arrangements are already producing relatively clean conditions, even when"dirty"biomass fuels are used. Since these arrangements are already within the means of poor families, the scope for cost-effective improvements may be larger than is commonly believed.Sanitation and Sewerage,Public Health Promotion,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Montreal Protocol,Construction Industry,Montreal Protocol,Transport and Environment,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,TF030632-DANISH CTF - FY05 (DAC PART COUNTRIES GNP PER CAPITA BELOW USD 2,500/AL,Sanitation and Sewerage