Environmental Science Archives

  Fresh produce is considered as highly beneficial for human health. Post harvest losses and improper storage cause quality related issues. Factors like dehydration, browning, microbial growth, firmness loss, etc contribute to quality loss of fresh-cut fruit. Hence, there are technologies developed to reduce like modified atmospheric packaging, disinfectant washing, and edible coatings have been used to prevent post-harvest losses for quality loss prevention. The use of edible coatings is an area of focus in food industries. Edible coatings have gained considerable attention due to their ability to extend fruit and vegetables shelf life. These coatings are a novel type of primary packaging made up of polysaccharides, proteins, lipids or mixture of these types. They are known to improve quality and appearance of fresh products by decreasing aroma loss and by maintaining its structural integrity. Active coatings can carry supplementary ingredients like antimicrobials, antioxidants, a...

  Plastic pollution can have negative effects on human health as well as serious effects on marine ecosystems. The widespread production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) single-use plastics poses a significant threat to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in terms of plastic waste. PET is a strong, clear and light plastic that is typically used for food and beverage packaging, as well as for other single-use applications. As a result, removing plastic from the environment is not only difficult but also ineffective financially. Numerous strains of bacteria are capable of biodegrading a variety of plastics. Utilizing beneficial micro-organisms that are capable of breaking down plastic could be an effective and long-term solution to all of the problems. Ideonella sakaeinsis 201-F6 is the most well-known heterotrophic bacteria that can use PET as its primary source of energy and carbon to degrade plastic in the environment. It has a place with the sort of Ideonella and the family Com...

  Nilufar Yasmin Liza and Md. Habibur Rahman Coccolithophores, a special group of calcifying phytoplankton in the Indian Ocean, their distribution and productivity are strongly mediated by monsoonal dynamics, and they are a key player in the oceanic biogeochemical cycles. Our study explores the multifaceted dynamics between monsoon-driven environmental variability and coccolithophores, examining the influences of upwelling, nutrient accessibility and stratification. Normally, the Southwest (SW) monsoon is characterized by strong winds and substantial upwelling of nutrients and promotes coccolithophore blooms. In contrast, the population density is often lower with reduced upwelling of the northeast (NE) monsoon. This driving force is also noted in the analysis as different responses across regions of the Indian Ocean highlight the local environmental conditions. In addition, it highlights the importance of detailed long-term monitoring and innovative methods, including remote sensi...

Electronic waste (e-waste) has become a major environmental issue due to its hazardous contents, such as toxic substances like Mercury, Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs), and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), which pose significant risks to human health and ecosystems. The rapid pace of technological advancement and the increasing consumption of electronic devices have caused a substantial surge in e-waste generation. In 2019, global e-waste production reached 53.6 million metric tons, with projections suggesting it will double by 2050. High-income countries have made strides in developing policies and infrastructure for e-waste recycling; however, a significant portion of this waste is exported to low-income countries, where improper processing methods lead to serious environmental and health hazards. Although recycling e-waste has substantial economic value, with raw material recovery potentially worth $57 billion, only 17.4% of global e-waste was properly recycled in 2019, emphasi...

Arsenic has mutagenic, teratogenic and epigenetic effects Puri et al., 2024 Heavy metals can be described as those naturally occurring metals or metalloids which have considerably high atomic weight. Generally, Arsenic (As), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium (Cr) are regarded as heavy metals in matters concerning public health due to their significant ill effects on the environment. Heavy metals including arsenic result in biomagnification involving a significant increase in their concentration as we move from lower to higher trophic levels across the food chain up to humans. The toxic effects depend upon many factors like the chemical nature, route, duration and dose of exposure along with the age, gender, genetic makeup and nutritional status of the exposed animals. Arsenic exists both in organic and inorganic forms and is considered to be one of the systemic toxicants known to cause damage to multiple organs even at minuscule levels of exposure. Arsenic is a necessa...

A Study on Microbial Carriage on Door Handles Odo JI et al., 2024 As people come in contact with surfaces like keyboards, office furniture, toilet doors, buses and keke door handles, there is a probability of picking up microbes deposited on them. This study is aimed at evaluating the antibiogram and microbial carriage of campus buses and keke napep door handles. Thirty swab samples were obtained from buses and keke napep door handles. The samples were taken to the laboratory where they were serially diluted and inoculated. Identification, characterization and biochemical analysis were done using standard microbiological methods. Fungal colonies were macroscopically and microscopically examined for morphology and appearance. Bacterial isolated were identified to be Staphylococcus spp., Proteus spp., Escherichia coli and Shigella spp. Fungi isolated were identified to be Aspergillus niger, Mucor spp., Aspergillus fumigates, Rhizopus spp. and Yeast spp. This study has shown that for both...

  Determination of Permethrin Samples using Leuco Crystal Violet Reagent A new sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of permethrin insecticide in environmental and agricultural samples has been developed. The reaction mechanism is based on complexation followed by coupling of permethrin with leuco crystal violet (LCV). This method is based on the measurement of red shift of absorbance band of LCV in the UV-Visible region of 200-800 nm. The resulting complex absorption spectra was observed at λmax = 580 nm. The color of permethrin was changed from colorless to violet by the addition of LCV. The effects of various pesticides and metal ions on the selective determination of permethrin were also studied. The analytical parameters were improved and effectively employed for permethrin assessment in a variety of environmental samples including water, soil and vegetables. The purpose of the present research was to design a method for the color complexation determination...

  Microplastic Pollution and Human Health Tayal P et al. (2023) Besides visible plastic pollution, there is also a microplastic threat. Microplastics are ultrasmall plastic items, smaller than 5 mm in size. The presence of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems is increasing at an exponential rate posing a direct or indirect threat to all biodiversity on the planet This paper highlights the Indian scenario of microplastic pollution in comparison with developed regions of the globe while primarily focusing on impacts on human health. Microplastic particles are not metabolised by living organisms and thus they keep bioaccumulating. These tiny plastics also sorb a wide plethora of chemical substances that may have severe effects on life forms. Pathogenic bacteria may also adhere to microplastics affecting health. Exposure to microplastics has become impossible to avoid as these tiny plastics can enter through food, cosmetics and even via air. Besides bioaccumulating microplastics have be...

  Biochar: A Beneficial Soil Amendment Singh and Puri, 2023 Biochar is a promising and viable fertilizer carrier for microbial fertilizers due to its porosity (Wang et al., 2023). Biochar is a type of charcoal produced in the slow pyrolysis of organic materials, such as agricultural waste (Aziz et al., 2023). Pyrolysis, the method used to create biochar, is the conversion of organic materials into a stable form of carbon that can survive in soil for a very long time (hundreds to thousands of years). Recently, a co-pyrolysis technique for improving sewage sludge biochar's performance and immobilizing heavy metals was presented (Fan et al., 2023; He et al., 2023). When organic matter is heated in the absence of oxygen, it can break down into its constituent components without catching fire, resulting in the development of biochar. In order to create biochar, which may be used as a soil amendment to enhance soil health and fertility, a variety of organic waste products, including agri...

  Impact of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on the Growth, Vermicomposting Efficiency and Nutritional Status of Vermicompost through Eisenia fetida Goyal A et al. (2023) The advent of nanotechnology has led to the presence of an enormous amount of nanoparticles (NPs) in the environment, especially in the soil where earthworms, the major megafaunal species, are continuously exposed to these NPs. The present study focuses on the impact of iron oxide NPs on the vermicomposting efficiency of Eisenia fetida. The worms were exposed to iron oxide NPs of sizes 30 nm and 100 nm at different concentrations (250, 500, 750, and 1000 mg kg-1 of soil) spiked in artificial soil. The maximum increase in earthworm’s weight of 4.10% was observed at a concentration of 250 mg kg-1 of soil for the iron oxide NPs of 30 nm size and the highest increase in weight of 11.50% was observed in the case of 100 nm size at a concentration of 750 mg kg-1 of soil. In the treatment containing a combination of iron oxide NP...

  Cities in the Global Plastics Treaty In February 2022, at the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2), a historic resolution (resolution 5/14) was adopted to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment with the ambition to complete the negotiations by end of 2024. The instrument is to be based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic. The INC will consider how to promote sustainable production and consumption of plastics from product design to environmentally sound waste management through resource efficiency and circular economy approaches. The rapidly increasing levels of plastic pollution represent a serious global environmental issue that negatively impacts the environmental, social, economic and health dimensions of sustainable development. Under a business-as-usual scenario and in the absence of necessary interventions, the amount of plastic...

  WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2023 5th June 2023 ESA TEAM #BeatPlasticPollution Although plastic has many useful applications, we have developed a dependence on single-use plastic goods, which has negative effects on the environment, society, the economy, and our health. One million plastic bottles are bought globally every minute, and up to five trillion plastic bags are used annually. Half of all plastic manufactured is intended for single-use applications, meaning it will only be used once before being discarded. In today's world, plastics, particularly microplastics, are everywhere. They are accumulating in the fossil record of the planet and serving as a symbol of the Anthropocene, the period of time we are now in. They even gave their name to the PLASTISPHERE, a brand-new marine microbial home..... ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE ARCHIVES is happy to share the vision of WHO on the need to manage the plastic pollution. You can dive into the causes and ways to manage the plastic being p...

INTERNATIONAL BIODIVERSITY DAY 2023 Biodiversity is more than simply the collection of plants and animals on earth; it is about local ecosystems and promoting healthy conditions for organisms to thrive.  LETS PLEDGE TO RESTORE OUR BIODIVERSITY. PUBLISH WITH US www.envsciarch.com  

  Manik Gupta*, Neha Mahajan** *Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry,  Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Chandigarh **Ryan International School, Chandigarh The environment is a critical component of the Earth's natural systems that supports all life on the planet. Without a healthy environment, human survival and well-being are at risk. But with modernisation, environmental problems are increasingly affecting our planet, human health, biodiversity, and the economy. Climate change, pollution, deforestation and the loss of biodiversity are just a few of the critical environmental issues that our world is currently facing.  Climate change, for instance, is causing more frequent and severe natural disasters, such as heatwaves, droughts, and flooding, which threaten the survival of both flora and fauna. Pollution, on the other hand, harms the air, water, and soil, polluting the environment and can have significant negative effects on human health, the natural world, and t...

  Mriginder Singh Asstt Master at Sainik School Kapurthala Kapurthala, Punjab, India Microplastics Microplastics are small particles of plastic that measure less than 5 mm in length. These plastics come from various sources such as broken-down larger plastics and microbeads in personal care products. They are found in the oceans, freshwater bodies, and even in the air we breathe. The impact of microplastics on the environment is well-documented. However, recent studies have also highlighted their potential ill effects on health. Microplastics can enter our bodies through ingestion, inhalation, and even through the skin. These have been found in the blood of fetuses as well. They have been found in our food, drinking water, and even in the air we breathe. Once inside our bodies, microplastics can cause inflammation, oxidative stress, and even affect the functioning of our immune system. Role of Students Students have a significant role to play in minimizing the impact of microplasti...