Pradeep Bhatnagar

Organochlorine pesticide residues in wheat and drinking water samples from Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.

The organochlorine pesticide contamination in dietary sources has caused serious threat to the human progeny. The present studywas therefore conducted to evaluate the pesticide contaminationin wheat flour and drinking water from Jaipur City, Rajasthan,India using Gas Chromatograph. All the wheat and water sampleswere found to be contaminated with various organochlorinepesticide residues of DDT and its metabolites, HCH and itsisomers, heptachlor and its expoxide and aldrin. The amount ofpesticide detected in wheat flour was higher than the permissible limitsprescribed by WHO/FAO. In drinking water only a few pesticidesexceeded the permissible limits. Seasonal variations ofpesticides residues were also observed during the study period.

Genotoxicity evaluation of hospital wastewaters.

In hospitals a large variety of substances are in use for medical purposes such as diagnostics and research. After application, diagnostic agents, disinfectants and excreted non-metabolized pharmaceuticals by patients reach the wastewater. Indeed, some of the substances found in wastewaters are genotoxic and are suspected to be a possible cause of the cancers observed in the last decades. Genotoxicity tests are an excellent means to study the toxicity and the risk associated with these releases. This paper points out the areas of concern for hospital wastewater disposal and reports the findings of genotoxicity tests for hospital effluents from 3 major hospitals in Delhi, namely All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Apollo and Escorts. Mutagenicity of hospital wastewaters from effluent treatment plants (before and after treatment) was studied. The results of this study show that the genotoxicity of hospital wastewaters is highly reduced after the treatment process. This study calls for establishment of advanced and effective effluent treatment plants in the hospitals, which are merely dumping the wastewaters in the municipal sewerage system. The results of this study call for further detailed study in this area.

Mushroom as a product and their role in mycoremediation

Mushroom has been used for consumption as product for a long time due to their flavor and richness in protein. Mushrooms are also known as mycoremediation tool because of their use in remediation of different types of pollutants. Mycoremediation relies on the efficient enzymes, produced by mushroom, for the degradation of various types of substrate and pollutants. Besides waste degradation, mushroom produced a vendible product for consumption. However, sometimes they absorb the pollutant in their mycelium (biosorption process) and cannot be consumed due to absorbed toxicants. This article reviews the achievement and current status of mycoremediation technology based on mushroom cultivation for the remediation of waste and also emphasizes on the importance of mushroom as product. This critical review is also focused on the safety aspects of mushroom cultivation on waste.

Blood Levels of Organochlorine Pesticide Residues and Risk of Reproductive Tract Cancer Among Women from Jaipur, India

Residues of organochlorine pesticides are integral part of our environment. Because of their strong lipophilic and non-biodegradable nature, organisms at higher trophic levels in the food chain tend to accumulate them. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of organochlorine pesticides upon the occurrence of reproductive tract cancers in women from Jaipur, India. Blood samples were collected from 150 females. In that group, 100 females suffered from reproductive tract cancers like cervical, uterine, vaginal and ovarian cancers, while the rest did not suffer from cancers or any other major disease and were treated as control group. The collected blood samples were subjected to pesticide extraction and analyzed with the help of gas chromatography. The pesticides detected were benzene hexa chlororide and its isomers, dieldrin, heptachlor, dichloro diphenyl trichloro ethane and its metabolites. The data obtained indicate that the organochlorine pesticide residue levels were significantly higher in all the cancer patients as compared with the control group.

Genotoxicity of vegetables irrigated by industrial wastewater

Wastewater effluents from textile dyeing and printing industries of Sanganer are discharged directly, without any treatment, into Amani Shah Nallah drainage. The drainage water takes the dissolved toxicants to flora and fauna, including crops and seasonal vegetables, being grown in the land adjoining the Nallah drainage. Thus mutagenic potential of vegetables irrigated by the water of Amani Shah Nallah drainage was investigated in the present study. The vegetables irrigated by ground water from Sanganer have also been analyzed to determine possible adverse effects of these wastewater effluents on aqua duct.

Evaluation of the teratogenic potential of phosphamidon in mice by gavage

Phosphamidon, an organophosphate pesticide, is an established cholinesterase inhibitor. Alteration of tissue and plasma cholinesterase activity at a critical developmental period may influence cellular division and growth sufficiently to produce anatomically or functionally abnormal tissue or organ. The present study was, therefore, undertaken to evaluate the teratogenic potential of phosphamidon in pregnant Swiss albino mice, when administered at different gestational days during the period of organogenesis. The animals were sacrificed on day 18 of gestation for routine teratological examinations. It was observed that phosphamidon was more embryotoxic than teratogenic. Maximum effects were observed when administered on day 7 and day 13. Treatment on day 10 produced little effects. Repeated exposure during the organogenetic phase also produced significant adverse effects. This possibly indicates that phosphamidon is more embryotoxic during the post-implantation period (day 7) and during late organogenesis (day 13) as compared to the early organogenesis period (day 10).

Perinatal toxicity of cyfluthrin in mice: developmental and behavioral effects.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the teratogenic and behavioral effects of perinatal exposure to cyfluthrin (Synthetic Pyrethroid) on mice offspring. Humans are exposed to this compound as it is widely used in various household insecticide formulations and in public health programmes. Pregnant females were exposed to 16 mg/kg (low dose) and 32 mg/kg (high dose) body weight cyfluthrin daily by oral intubation from gestation day 14 through parturition and lactation up to weaning. On 18th day of gestation, 50% females were euthanized for teratological studies and the remaining were allowed to deliver their pups normally. The fetuses were weighed and observed for gross external malformations and routine teratological examination was done. The neonates were observed for neuromotor reflexes (surface righting, tail hang reflex and pivoting) from day 1 up to day 7 after birth. Movement and exploratory behavior of weanlings were observed using ‘open-field’ and ‘hole-board.’ The fetuses did not show any external malformation. Skeletal aberrations observed included poor ossification of the skull and phalanges and short ribs. Surface righting and pivoting were significantly affected by the high dose. Both doses produced significant changes in the locomotion, exploration, and rearing frequencies in the open-field. The study indicates that cyfluthrin when administered at the above-mentioned doses did not elicit significant teratogenicity but both the doses caused significant difference in behavioral activities.

Mycoremediation of Paper, Pulp and Cardboard Industrial Wastes and Pollutants

Paper and pulp industries can broadly be divided into three categories—(1) handmade paper industries, (2) mill-made paper industries and (3) cardboard industries. All of these industries utilise water in different stages of making paper which is later discharged to nearby water bodies due to which these are considered as a major cause of water pollution. These effluents possess very high BOD, COD and toxic substances. As paper can be recycled a limited number of times, pulp fibres accumulate in the nearby area in the form of sludge which not only pollutes the soil or land but also produces enormous odour. Mycoremediation technology is a great boon which will be helpful in improving the existing situation and to minimise environmental and health problems associated with paper industrial wastes and pollutants. Therefore, in this chapter, we have discussed about the types of wastes and pollutants generated by handmade paper, mill-made paper and cardboard industries. Besides this, we have discussed about the fungi, their enzymes and role of both in mycoremediation of these wastes. In this chapter, we have also explained the suitable types of bioreactor, availability of culture, inoculation techniques and factors affecting the process. This information provides a platform for the workers who are working in field of mycoremediation of paper and pulp industrial wastes.

Uptake and bioconcentration of dieldrin, dimethoate, and permethrin by Tetrahymena pyriformis

A ciliate protozoan, Tetrahymenapyriformis was exposed to three insecticides, dieldrin, dimethoate, and permethrin for 12 hr to study the uptake and bioconcentration potential. Ciliates concentrated 922, 3547, and 1056 gg g−1 dry wt. over an initial concentration of 1 gg mL−1 of dieldrin, dimethoate, and permethrin, respectively. The highest bioconcentration factor for three insecticides was 2095, 3547, and 1110, respectively. It is suggested that if levels in the environment reach 1 gg mL−1 the chief effects would be reduction of cell population, and accumulation of the toxicants by ciliates. Accumulation of insecticides by ciliates would permit the toxicants to enter aquatic food chains. Thus the compounds could exert toxic effects at higher trophic levels.

Uptake of dieldrin, dimethoate and permethrin by cyanobacteria, Anabaena sp. and Aulosira fertilissima

Blue-green algae showed a poor ability to pick up and concentrate dieldrin and dimethoate. However, the uptake and bioconcentration factor for permethrin was very high. The uptake of dieldrin by Anabaena and Aulosira ranged from 5.1 to 73.2 and 5.5 to 17.4 microg g(-1) (ppm), respectively. The uptake of permethrin was from 9.0 to 249.7 and 4.6 to 1422.5 microg g(-1) by Anabaena and Aulosira, respectively. The highest bioconcentration factors for permethrin in Anabaena and Aulosira were 813 and 2373, respectively. This was followed by the bioconcentration factor of dieldrin (620) and dimethoate (119) in Aulosira fertilissima.