Majid Mumtaz

Heavy metal toxicity levels in the coastal sediments of the Arabian Sea along the urban Karachi (Pakistan) region

Heavy metals are stable and persistent environmental contam-inants since they cannot be degraded or destroyed. Therefore, theytend to accumulate in the soils and sediments. Excessive levels ofmetals in sediments affect marine biota and pose a risk to humanhealth through the consumption of seafood (Adams et al., 1992;Rowlatt and Lovell, 1994; Mucha et al., 2003; Feng et al., 2004;Zhang et al., 2007). The main anthropogenic sources of heavy met-als are various industrial point sources, including present and for-mer mining activities, foundries and smelters, and diffuse sourcessuch as piping, combustion by-products, traffic, etc. (NRC, 1989;Bryan and Langston, 1992; Long, 2000; Pekey, 2006; Hyun et al.,2007). Relatively volatile heavy metals and those that become at-tached to air-borne particles can be widely dispersed on very largescales. Heavy metals in aqueous and sedimentary transport (e.g.,river run-off) enter the normal coastal biogeochemical cycle andare largely retained within near-shore and shelf regions in propor-tion to geochemical controls (McAlister et al., 2005; Chaparro et al.,2005). Sediment analyses play a crucial role in assessing the degreeof heavy metal pollution and the resulting health risk associatedwith the food chain.Karachi is situated at the southern most part of Pakistan alongthe Arabian Sea and it is the largest business hub and the mostheavily populated urban centre in the vicinity. The coastal zoneof Karachi is about 167 km long. The estimated population of Kar-achiis morethan15 million.The rapidindustrializationandurban-ization of the city has altered the quality of the environment andcreated ecological disturbances and associated problems for the lo-cal community. Pollution in the Karachi coastal region is mainlyattributed to the Lyari and Malir rivers, which are served by vari-ous channels of untreated domestic and industrial waste, carryingmore than 300 million gallons per day (MGD) (1,125,000 m

Electrolyte content of serum, erythrocyte, kidney and heart tissue in salt induced hypertensive rats.

The effect of salt load on the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and electrolyte levels of serum, erythrocyte, kidney and heart tissue was studied in rats. NaCl treatment increased sodium (5.69 +/- 0.4 mmol/L p < 0.001, 149.8 +/- 4.0 mEq/L, p < 0.001) and decreased potassium (112.6 +/- 2.4 mmol/L p < 0.001, 5.0 +/- 0.2 mEq/L, p < 0.001) in red cell and serum respectively. A decreased level of serum magnesium (1.4 +/- 0.3 mEq/L, p < 0.005) was observed. Sodium content was increased in both heart (39.93 +/- 2.9 mumol/g, p = n.s) and kidney tissues (44.39 +/- 0.5 mumol/g, p < 0.001). A pronounced increase in intracellular calcium (2.54 +/- 0.2 mumol/g, p < 0.001) and a decrease of magnesium content (6.05 +/- 0.8 mumol/g, p < 0.001) was observed in kidney tissue after treatment. The results suggested that marked changes in electrolyte levels of erythrocytes, serum, heart and kidney tissues in NaCl loaded rats may play a definite role in the development of salt induced hypertension.

Pollutants of wastewater characteristics in textile industries

Abstract: Textile Industry is one of the most important and largest industrial sectors in Pakistan. It has a high importance in terms of its environment impact, since it consumes large quantity of textile industrial processed water and produces highly polluted discharge water. The textile industry uses high volume of water throughout its operation, from the washing of fibers to bleaching, mercerizing, dyeing, printing and washing of finished products. A process data collection was performed and integrated with a characterization of the process effluents in terms of treatability and reusability. In order to evaluate properly the wastewater loading, on analysis course was set. The samples were collected during four months period of time i.e. November, December, January and February 2009-2010 from the seven samples were collected from different textile mills and analyzed for various parameters such as Total Dissolved Solids(TDS), Chemical Oxygen Demand(COD), Biochemical Oxygen demand(BOD), pH, Electrical Conductivity(EC), and heavy metals like Cadmium(Cd), Chromium(Cr), Copper(Cu), Iron(Fe), Manganese(Mn), Nickel(Ni), Potassium(K), Phosphorous(P), Sodium(Na), Sulphur(S), Zinc(Zn) were found in within the limits. Concentrations of all these metal ions in the effluent were above the recommended NEQS. It was therefore concluded that textile effluents were highly polluted.

Stress and hypertension: Role of serum, red cell and tissue electrolytes

The role of stress in the precipitation of hypertension is often described in clinical studies, although the underlying mechanism remains unknown. The present study concerns the role of electrolytes in stress induced hypertension in rats. Acute immobilization stress of one hour elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) in rats. Restraint induced blood pressure elevation was associated with increased sodium concentration in the red cells, heart and kidney, and decreased potassium in the red cells. Magnesium concentration increased and calcium concentration decreased in the serum. Increases of calcium and decreases of magnesium were also observed in the heart and kidney tissues. The results may help toward an understanding of the relationship between hypertension and electrolyte homeostasis. A possible role of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity leading to observed changes of electrolytes or vice versa is discussed.

Scanning electron microscopy analysis of hair index on Karachi's population for social and professional appearance enhancement

Hair texture, appearance and pigment play an important role in social and professional communication and maintaining an overall appearance. This study was especially designed for morphological assessment of hair damage caused to Karachis population due to natural factors and cosmetic treatments using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique.

Pilot Plant Study to Utilize Waste Brine Generated by Salt Industries

Since early 80s, people of Pakistan have been enjoying good quality of salt known as refined salt. Mechanical salt washing is used in many countries to upgrade salt quality. The counter current washing at multiple stages and dewatering by centrifuge improves salt quality. During this process almost 10 to 15% of salt is converted into saturated brine solution containing high amount of sodium chloride, calcium, magnesium, potassium and sulphate. In the current practice most of the salt processers, this brine waste solution is drained. In the present study, a method is modified to utilize this waste brine solution. Brine was treated with calcium oxide and iron chloride to remove some soluble and insoluble impurities. The treated brine is evaporated in a specially constructed jacketed crystallizer connected with a hot water geyser. Heat is transferred through bottom by counter current flow. The temperature is maintained between 55 to 65 o C at pH 3-4. The applied study yield the well shaped pyramidal crystals of salt known as Fluer de sel (flower of salt), that are world famous and used in gourmet foods with a growing market. Fleur de Sel has unique morphology, lower bulk density, large surface area, improved taste and rapid dissolution as compared to the common cubic salt