Azhar A. Nomani

Acute toxicity of chrome electroplating wastes to microorganisms: adsorption of chromate and chromium(VI) on a mixture of clay and sand

Chrome electroplating wastes were collected from two industrial sites and analyzed for color, turbidity, pH, alkalinity, sulfate, chloride, N-ammonia, N-nitrate, N-nitrite, acid hydrolyzable P, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, chromate and chromium(VI). The effect of these wastes on saprophytic and nitrifying bacteria was studied with varying concentrations of the waste using sucrose substrate as a source of C chain for microorganisms. The use of clay sand mixtures as adsorbents for chromate and chromium(VI) was investigated. Mixtures high in clay content were found to be suitable media for the removal of Cr from the wastes. The clay used was characterized by determination of the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, water soluble salts, osmotic pressure, cation exchange capacity, CaCO3 and organic matter.

Heavy metals: leaching from glazed surfaces of tea mugs

Heavy metals (zinc, lead, cadmium, iron, chromium, copper, manganese, nickel and cobalt) were found to leach from the glazed surfaces of tea mugs collected from 13 different pottery units of Khurja (U.P.) and one each from Ghaziabad (U.P.) and Calcutta (West Bengal) determined under different conditions. The leachates used were: tea at 80 degrees C, orange juice at room temperature and 4% acetic acid at room temperature, 40 degrees C and 60 degrees C, respectively. The volume (capacity) of mugs ranged between 200 and 250 ml. The duration for leaching was 24 h in each case without stirring. The concentrations of metals leached in tea at 80 degrees C were found in the range (in microgram/l): Zn, 236-730; Fe, 98-925; Cr, 62-119; Cu, 63-299; Mn, 710-2670; and Ni, 70-80 micrograms/l. The concentrations of metals leached in orange juice at room temperature were in the range (in microgram/l): Zn, 393-1262; Cd, 25-349; Fe, 122-342; Cr, 66-945; Cu, 135-853; Mn, 166-424; and Ni, 70-134 micrograms/l. The concentrations of heavy metals extracted by 4% acetic acid at room temperature were found in the range (in microgram/l): Zn, 18-192; Fe, 143-372; Cu, 51-190; and Mn, 0-48 micrograms/l; at 40 degrees C (in microgram/l): Zn, 118-837; Fe, 124-639; Cu, 230-722; and Mn, 30-63 micrograms/l and at 60 degrees: Zn, 33-900; Fe, 83-576; Cu, 90-685; and Mn, 43-778 micrograms/l, respectively.

Distribution of heavy metals in water and sediments of selected sites of Yamuna river (India) : Environmental Monitoring of the Yamuna River - Part I.

The concentration of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn metals in water and sediments of Yamuna river were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the year 1981. The data showed that there was considerable variation in the concentration of elements from one sampling station to the other which may be due to the variation in the quality of industrial and sewage wasters being added to the river at different sampling stations. The sediment samples collected from different sampling stations were also analysed for calcium carbonate, organic matter, potassium, and phosphorus.

Distribution of heavy metals in plants and fish of the Yamuna river (India).

The distribution of cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in the plants and fish of Yamuna river from Delhi to Allahabad, a distance of about 840 km, at five sampling stations was determined in the year 1981. The results have shown wide variations in the heavy metal levels from one sampling station to the other. The concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the plants (Eicchornia crassipes) were found to be 0.02–0.12, 2.7–21.3, 4.6–64.8, 9.8–114.0, 193.0–1835.0, 380.0–1443.0, 4.4–83.0, 4.8–30.2, and 22.1–356.5 μg g-1 respectively whereas in the fish (Heteropnuestes fossilis) were found to be ND-0.40, 2.3–13.7, 3.7–26.9, 8.33–58.1, 278.3–1108.0, 81.3–213.8, 2.8–32.7, 1.4–12.8 and 101.8–364.8 μgg-1 respectively on dry weight basis.

Gas chromatography : Mass spectrometric analysis of four polluted river waters for phenolic and organic compounds

Forty-four water samples from eleven sampling points were collected from four highly polluted rivers of northern India once in each four seasons during 1988–1989. The samples were analyzed for phenol, chlorophenols, a few bromophenols and other organics. Phenol was found to be absent in all the analyzed samples. Trichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol were frequently detected. Comparatively, the Ganges river was most polluted at Kannauj followed by Narora, Kachala and Fatehgarh. Maximum phenols were found at Mathura downstream of the Yamuna river followed by Mathura upstream, Okhla, ITO and none at Wazirabad. No phenols were detected in the water of the rivers Hindon and Kali at Ghaziabad and Aligarh, respectively. Some other organic pollutants were also identified by their mass spectra and supported by data from the computerized library, but, not quantified.

Effect of industrial dairy processing effluent on soil and crop plants

Abstract The physico-chemical characteristics of Glaxo Laboratories (India) Ltd effluent (GLLE), and the effects of its discharge directly on fertile soil and indirectly on kidney bean Phaseolus aureus and pearl millet Pennisetum typhoides crops for 6 weeks, were evaluated. The GLLE was slightly alkaline and had high BOD and COD due to the presence of large amounts of solids. It was rich in bicarbonates and calcium. GLLE was found to be responsible for altering the chemical composition of the soil. Soil irrigated with GLLE showed an increase in pH, organic matter, calcium carbonate content, water-soluble salts, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, nitrogen and phosphorus. Potassium decreased, probably due to it being leached to the lower layers of the soil. The effects of undiluted effluent and of effluent diluted to 75%, 50% and 25%, using water irrigation as a control, on the germination and growth of kidney bean and pearl millet were monitored. The undiluted GLLE restricted the germination of kidney bean to some extent while that of pearl millet was enhanced. 100% GLLE retarded the height of plants of both crops whilst 25% effluent in kidney bean, and 75% effluent in pearl millet, enhanced it considerably.

Microbial uptake of cadmium and its effects on the biochemical oxygen demand at various temperatures

Abstract Uptake of cadmium by microbes at different temperatures has been studied at pH 7. Glycine was used as a source of carbon for microorganisms in the BOD bottle at 20, 30, 40 and 50°C with varying concentrations of cadmium: control 0.0437, 0.437, 0.875 and 1.31 mg 1 −1 in each set. The influence of temperatures on the toxic effects of cadmium has been studied with respect to rate constant (k) and ultimate biochemical oxygen demand which were calculated from BOD data using Thomas Graphical method. Consumed cadmium mg 1 −1 was determined after eight days and it varied from 14.04 to 32.40% at four temperatures. Highest consumption of Cd was noted in the set at 30 and 40°C and lowest at 50°C.

Influence of toxic metals on the repression of carbonaceous oxygen demand

Abstract Toxic metals like lead, bismuth, mercury and zinc-aranyl have been found to repress the carbonaceous oxygen demand. The biological seed was developed from trade waste of Glaxo Laboratories. Three concentrations: 5, 10 and 15 mg 1 −1 of the metals were used to observe repression of carbonaceous oxygen demand of amino acid, methionine, used as substrate. Rate constants, ratios of ( t / y ) 1.3 and COD: BOD were computed.

Detrimental effects of pharmaceutical industrial waste on microorganisms

Pharmaceutical industrial waste was collected from Ghaziabad (Cooper Pharma Ltd.) and analyzed for color, odor, specific gravity, turbidity, pH, total solids, suspended solids, dissolved solids, volatile solids, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), organic and inorganic nitrogen, sulfur, chlorides, sulfates and phosphates. The detrimental effects of industrial waste on microorganisms were studied in the system with lower and higher volumes of the wastes (0.5–12 ml) using glucose substrate as a source of carbon for microorganisms. The cultures of saprophytic and nitrifying bacteria were grown from sewage and pea gravel, respectively, and tested for their nature.

Atomic absorption spectrophotometric studies of cadmium and zinc in commercial fertilisers, soils and river waters

Abstract Atomic absorption spectrophotometric studies were carried out to detect the presence of Cd and Zn in samples of fifteen commercial fertilisers, fifteen productive soils, eight barren soils, four garden soils and fifteen river water samples. The concentrations of Cd and Zn in fertilisers, productive soils, barren soils, garden soils and river water were recorded as 1·2–7·9 and 17–3070 mg kg −1 , 0·9–5·9 and 55–95 mg kg −1 0·04–0·06 and 7·5–10 mg kg −1 , 0·4–0·75 and 7·8–11 mg kg −1 and 0·5–2·3 and 8·5–18·5 mg litre −1 , respectively. In addition, soil samples were analysed for sand, silt, clay, pH, electrical conductivity, water soluble salts, osmotic pressure, cation exchange capacity, CaCO 3 and organic matter.