Environmental monitoring using biomarkers in relevance to heavy metal pollution in coastal areas of the Gulf of Mannar

794-802Marine organisms are vulnerable to harsh environment where fluctuation in physicochemical conditions including salinity and tides are common. These organisms over the period have evolved different mechanisms to maintain the physiological conditions of the body through metabolic activities. In the present work, we studied accumulation of about 10 heavy metals in about 20 marine organisms from the Gulf of Mannar, Southeast coast of India and also explored the passable relationship between distribution of these inorganic metals and biochemical response of these organisms. The effect on the accumulation of metals over the metabolism in the marine animals was evaluated by the level of antioxidant response. Concentration of metal in the body tissues was analyzed using ICP-AES. Interestingly, it was also observed that genotoxic potential pollutants were less or negligible in the selected sites. Tail DNA in the muscle cells was observed to be <5%. Our study concludes that fishes from the two areas are not heavily burdened with metals, but pollutants should be monitored periodically to avoid excessive intake of trace metals by humans due to bioaccumulation. The work concludes that a multiparameter analysis should be followed to study the ecological status of the aquatic environment

Computational Design and Optimisation of Pin Fin Heat Sinks with Rectangular Perforations

The benefits of using pin heat sinks (PHSs) with single, rectangular slotted or notched pin perforations, are explored computationally, using a conjugate heat transfer model. Results show that the heat transfer increases monotonically while the pressure drop decreases monotonically as the size of the rectangular perforation increases. Performance comparisons with PHSs with multiple circular perforations show favourable heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics. However, the reduced manufacturing complexity of rectangular notched pins in particular provide strong motivation for their use in practical applications. Detailed parameterisation and optimisation studies into the benefits of single rectangular notch perforations demonstrate the scope for improving heat transfer and reducing mechanical fan power consumption yet further by careful design of pin density and pin perforations in PHSs

Development of eAgromet Prototype to Improve the Performance of Integrated Agromet Advisory Service

In several countries, the systems for forecasting weather are being operated to deal with weather and its related factors affecting agricultural production. India meteorological department (IMD) is providing several types of weather forecasts. One of the forecast service is medium range forecast (MRF). As a part of MRF, the expected values of rain fall, temperature, cloud cover, humidity, wind speed and wind direction for next five days are forecasted twice a week by considering district as a unit. Agriculture is markedly affected by weather condition during crop season. IMD in collaboration with Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) and State Agriculture Universities (SAUs) has set-up about 130 Agro-meteorological Field Units (AMFUs) and each AMFU covers about five districts. Based on MRF, IMD is rendering Integrated Agromet Advisory Service to the farming community of the country in the form of agromet advisory bulletin. The agromet advisory bulletins contain possible risk mitigation measures for the major crops and livestock. Based on the weather forecast, a group of interdisciplinary scientists and agromet scientists at AMFU prepare district-level agromet advisory bulletins. These bulletins are sent to the farmers and other stakeholders of the corresponding district. To ease the process of preparing agromet bulletins, an effort has started to build IT-based agrometeorological advisory system called, eAgromet. In this paper, we explain the concepts of eAgromet and its operation

Environmental monitoring using biomarkers in relevance to heavy metal pollution in coastal areas of the Gulf of Mannar

Marine organisms are vulnerable to harsh environment where fluctuation in physicochemical conditions including salinity and tides are common. These organisms over the period have evolved different mechanisms to maintain the physiological conditions of the body through metabolic activities. In the present work, we studied accumulation of about 10 heavy metals in about 20 marine organisms from the Gulf of Mannar, Southeast coast of India and also explored the passable relationship between distribution of these inorganic metals and biochemical response of these organisms. The effect on the accumulation of metals over the metabolism in the marine animals was evaluated by the level of antioxidant response. Concentration of metal in the body tissues was analyzed using ICP-AES. Interestingly, it was also observed that genotoxic potential pollutants were less or negligible in the selected sites. Tail DNA in the muscle cells was observed to be &lt;5%. Our study concludes that fishes from the two areas are not heavily burdened with metals, but pollutants should be monitored periodically to avoid excessive intake of trace metals by humans due to bioaccumulation. The work concludes that a multiparameter analysis should be followed to study the ecological status of the aquatic environment

Microanalysis by SEM-EDS on Elemental Composition of HgCl2 induced marine fish.

1436-1441In the present study the marine fish was exposed to mercuric chloride under controlled conditions and along with algal extract. In response to its toxicity and defense, the elemental distributions in gill, liver, kidney and brain were determined using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM-EDX). Spectroscopic analysis of tissues from two treatments demonstrated that higher levels of cations (K, Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) occurred in HgCl2 fish .The possibility that these accumulation patterns arise from differences in uptake processes and structural properties is related to tolerance mechanisms. Resolving element distribution and speciation in fish is essential for understanding the mechanisms involved in mercury tolerance, trafficking and accumulation

Biomarkers as ecological indices in monitoring the status of market fish

Abstract Background Environmental contamination has become a major concern over the past few decades, drawing the attention of numerous researchers from both developed and developing nations. The aquatic system serves as the primary sink for the disposal of garbage, which has a negative impact on the aquatic environment and biota. The reality is that heavy metals cannot be totally removed from the ecosystem because they can bioaccumulate and grow in strength as they move up the food chain. Particularly heavy metals can build up in the tissues of aquatic animals, and as a result, tissue concentrations of heavy metals may be harmful to both human and animal health. Our study aimed to elucidate the possible use of biomarkers in monitoring and assessing the heavy metals contaminants among fresh water fish. Results From the present study, we conclude that glutathione peroxidase can be used as the bioindicator for nickel and iron contamination. Ultimately, these studies focus on measuring levels of pollution that may induce irreversible ecological changes to aquatic ecosystems. Till now the level of toxicity was moderate, and it was progressing toward the danger. Efforts can be made to control the activities that release pollutants unnaturally into the environment from both public and government so that the clean and clear environment can be maintained. Conclusions The work concludes that a multiparameter analysis is needed to assess and monitor the ecological status of the aquatic environment