Environmental Science Archives

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...

  Why Microplastics are of Concern ? Dr. Zorawar Singh Plastics' extensive usage and abuse have resulted in major environmental degradation concerns that must be addressed immediately. One of the most frequent forms of marine trash found in our seas and lakes is plastic. Plastic trash may be of any size or shape. Microplastics are plastic particles that are fewer than five millimetres in length. These minute fragments might take decades or more to disintegrate completely. As a result, it is critical to monitor plastic consumption and disposal. Microplastics are microscopic plastic particles that are produced as a result of commercial product development as well as the breakdown of bigger plastics. Microplastics, as a contaminant, can be hazardous to both human and animal health. These can be primary or secondary microplastics.  Primary microplastics are defined as any plastic pieces or particles that are 5.0 mm or smaller before entering the environment. These include clothing...

  ENVIRONMENTAL  SCIENCE   ARCHIVES  📙  EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS  (As on 08/05/2023) ESA has a rich and diverse Editorial Board Members from different countries with more than 20 genius minds working behind the website for presenting the best researches in the field of environmental sciences. I warm-heartedly welcome the new members of the Editorial Board, and thank them for accepting my invitation to join ESA Editorial Board. The journal also has more than 5 Academic Board Members for their continuous feedback about the quality of the published research papers. Feedback received from researchers and Editorial Board Members for the journal has propelled us to expand and move briskly. Further, the growing popularity of ESA can be witnessed by the e-mails we receive from the scientists to serve the journal as EBMs and reviewers. EDITOR IN CHIEF Dr. Zorawar Singh Associate Professor Department of Zoology Khalsa College Amritsar, India 143001 environmentalscien...