Groundwater is a major source of water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural sectors in many countries. The main objective of this research was to provide an overview of present groundwater quality using parameters such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, sulfate, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) in the Mehran plain, Ilam province using GIS and geostatistical techniques. A total of 23 deep and semi-profound wells were selected based on the classified randomized sampling method. The sampling locations were obtained by GPS. Plastic containers were used for the collection of water samples. These samples were transferred to the laboratory for analyzing water quality parameters. Statistical characteristics, qualitative data interpolation, and zoning were investigated using SPSS 20 ،GS+5.3 and ArcGIS10.1. Kolmogorov–Smirnov test were used to test data normality. In order to normalize parameters, logarithm, and 1/x were used for sulfate, EC, cation, and anion. Then the variogram analysis was performed to select the appropriate model. Results showed that co-kriging is the best method for cation and anion, whereas local polynomial interpolation is suitable for sulfate. The results of the interpolation of groundwater quality factors showed that there is approximately good adaption among groundwater factors and geomorphology and topology of the region. Because of inappropriate irrigation system, the highest concentration is in the northwest and western parts of the region, where there is the minimum height and maximum agricultural land. Growth of arable land and agricultural activities has caused increasing concentrations of studied elements, especially EC.

In this study, among the 21 diesel-degrading bacteria that were isolated from an oil-polluted area in Fars (Iran), 6 bacterial strains were tested for their capability to metabolize and grow on diesel oil by degrading its hydrocarbons content. The biochemical characteristics and 16S rRNA sequence analysis of diesel-degrading bacteria showed that these strains were related to the genus Pseudomonas. Among the six isolates, five strains (L1, I2, D1, D2, and G1) were clustered with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, whereas only one strain (K3) was clustered with Pseudomonas fragi. Gas chromatographic (GC) analysis of the diesel oil that was remaining in the culture medium after 10 days of culture at 30°C showed that P. aeruginosa I2 presented the highest growth rate and diesel-oil degradation (88%) between all isolates. P. aeruginosa I2 also presented the best emulsification activity, but the best hydrophobicity was seen in P. aeruginosa G1. By applying these bacteria in bioremediation processes, diesel oil contamination in soil can be counteracted.

Climate change is a complicated issue with many factors playing role in its formation and distribution. Considering this complication, a comprehensive and holistic approach is needed for a better understanding and management of those factors. The causal frameworks are among systemic and integrated methods for addressing the causes of environmental problems and the relationships that exist between the environmental systems in order to propose proper solutions. The DPSIR model is a functional analysis framework that depicts the cause-effect relationships that exist in creating environmental problems. Tehran is one of the major megacities in the Middle East that faces environmental consequences of overpopulation and unplanned urban sprawl, and being located in an arid region, makes it vulnerable to rise of temperature and reduction of precipitation. In this research, by using the DPSIR framework, different aspects of climate condition of Tehran are analyzed and later with the help of this conceptual framework, strategies for controlling climate change are presented.

The surface water chemistry of Thiruvananthapuram Museum Lake was carried out in the period of February 2013 to January 2014. Correlation study of the parameters and overall CCME WQI (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water quality Index) was also prepared in the study for the lake water. The parameters analysed are cations such as Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+ and K+ and the anions like PO4-, Si4- , NO3- and NO2-. Abiotic factors like water pH, Temperature, Conductivity, TDS, Total Alkalinity and Total Hardness were also analysed. The pH ranged between 6.5 to 7.4. The total hardness ranged between 50.8-99 mg/L which shows the water is moderately hard one. During the pre monsoon period, water temperature showed a positive correlation with total alkalinity (r= 0.915) pH (r= 0.841) and TDS (0.876). Dissolved Oxygen (DO) value showed a positive correlation with Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) (r= 0.999). The overall CCME water quality index was 80.81 which indicate the water body is protected with only a minor degree of threats. The quality of the water is an essential element of the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo environment with respect to both healths of the ecosystem and zoo tourism enjoyment. Moreover, if maintained properly, this water body can be treated as a major drinking water source for the zoo animals.

This study investigated the occurrence and removal of 12 antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, levofloxacin, norfloxacin, nalidixic acid, azithromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, lincomycin, novobiocin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim) at four sewage treatment plants (STPs): two STPs in Kyoto, Japan and two STPs in Beijing, China. The STPs differed in design and operation conditions, utilized a variety of secondary treatment processes. The antibiotics were frequently detected in influents and effluents, and ranged from ng/L up to lower μg/L. In influent, clarithromycin (1.1–1.6 μg/L) and levofloxacin (3.6–6.8 μg/L) were detected in the highest concentration in Japanese and Chinese STPs, respectively. The overall elimination of the antibiotics were differed between STPs and ranged from negative to >90%. These data demonstrate that there are detectable levels of antibiotics are discharging from STPs, and only some of these antibiotics are being removed in a significant proportion by STPs. It was also observed that biological nutrient removal based sewage treatment processes (anaerobic–anoxic–oxic: A2O; and anoxic–oxic: AO) have relatively higher antibiotics removal efficiencies than oxidation ditch (OD) processes.

Today, ecotourism is a major tourist activity around the world. It is based on environment potential through which suitable utilization and conservation of sites under management practices including considering accurate planning, potential, and peoples’ preferences are realized. The present study was conducted to determine people’s recreational preferences using questionnaires to evaluate the ecotourism potentials (recreational activities that choice in questioner by visitors) for site selection and land use planning, and to analyze the functional relationships among zones in the MianKaleh wildlife sanctuary, south of the Caspian Sea in Mazandaran and Golestan Provinces of Iran. Recreational preferences of people were found to be bird watching, swimming, camping, sightseeing, horse riding, and boating. Multi Criteria Evaluation was used to assess the ecotourism potential. For land use planning, the Multi Objective Land Allocation function included environmental suitability maps, zone weighting, and a set of desirable areas for each zone. Post processing functions (filters, zone size, and distance to other zones) and functional relationship diagrams were applied to amend the zoning maps. The functional relationship diagram concept was applied to the amended maps for optimizing access and identifying the relationships among zones. Overall, the results revealed that MCE and MOLA methods are capable of evaluating and zoning the wildlife sanctuary. Furthermore, post-processing and functional relationship diagrams were effective in selecting recreational sites. The results of this research revealed the recreational potential of MianKaleh wildlife sanctuary. Land planning for ecotourism can now be implemented using the results of this study that will upgrade the conservation status in the area.

The resource intensive human activities (such as mining and extraction of mineral oils for betterment of life and modernization of society) have increased environmental pollution several folds. Products of mining and petrochemical industries are advantageous for the modern society. But waste generated such as BTEX from such industries are carcinogenic, toxic and causes adverse effects on environment and human health. These wastes are classified as hazardous waste which cannot be used further. Pollution of soil-water interface due to the release of hydrocarbons in environment is a major public health concern, and therefore, remediation of these pollutants is needed to reduce risk to human and environment. Various methods such as biological, chemical and physical method are used to degrade these pollutants from wastewater. In the present works photochemical degradation of toluene and benzene in wastewater are studied using activated Carbon−TiO2 composites as catalysts in the presence of UV irradiation in photochemical reactor. Composites are prepared by sol-gel method and further characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transformed-Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The Photocatalytic efficiencies of the synthesized composites were determined by the mineralization of toluene and benzene under UV irradiation in photochemical reactor.

Phytoremediation is an emerging green technology that uses plants and their associated microbes to remediate different environments contaminated with various pollutants. Phytoremediation, as an effective soil remediation technology, has gained popularity in the past ten years both in developed and developing countries. The main goal of the current article is to improve the understanding of phytoremediation of organic pollutants with emphasis on hydrocarbons. To design phytoremediation systems and also enhancement of their efficiency, either in laboratory or in field experiments, there is a serious need for better knowledge of phytoremediation mechanisms and also of factors affecting phytoremediation. In addition to phytoremediation applications, advantages, and limitations, its mechanisms and related new developments have been discussed in this article.

The present research article highlights the metal (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and Fe)distribution pattern in the RSPM generated in different hot spot sites located at Kochi, theQueen of Arabian Sea. These sampling sites are categorized under three different zonesas estuarine, riverine, and coastal. Two sampling phases are selected in order to check theconsistency in pollution trend after a two year gap and are described in Phase I and PhaseII, respectively. Metals are noticed to be intensely concentrated in the post monsoonmonths in both phases. Among the metals, Fe is revealed as the prominent metal at theestuarine sites. Estuarine and riverine zone expresses the overall enrichment pattern withslight difference at coastal regime in phase I. In phase II, insignificant metal load withirregular pattern is observed. Source apportionment study reveals that major sources ofmetals are from automobile exhausts and the estuarine zone is entangled with 45.9%.

Readymade garment industries are the prominent economic sector for Bangladesh as well as scoping the huge working area for workers. But health condition of workers, drinking water quality, and proper maintenance of the environmental parameters are not well monitored. This study aims to assess the physio-chemical and bacteriological quality of drinking water provided for the garment workers in Dhaka. Ten garment industries were pre-selected for the water quality analysis and three drinking water samples from each industry were taken for further analysis. Physio-chemical parameters viz pH, TDS were measured by probe method and Total harness and Chloride of the water samples were measured by titrimetric method, respectively. Biological parameters viz Total coliforms, Fecal coliforms, Total aerobic bacteria count, Fecal streptococci, Pseudomonas spp., and Vibrio Cholerae were determined through standard procedure. Results show that pH (6.7±0.05 to 7.4±0.20), TDS (126.2±8.42 to 217.9±3.60 mg/L), Total Hardness (92±7.07 to 275±21.22 mg/L), and Chloride (8.5±0.95 to 46.5±3.27 mg/L) are within the acceptable limit. Bacteriological results show that Total coliform (1.05×103±0.071×103 to 2.16×103±0.084×103 CFU/100 ml), Fecal coliforms (145±2.828 to 249±21.213 CFU/100 ml), and Total aerobic bacteria count (2152.5±399.51 to 5540.5±185.97 CFU/100 ml) are higher than the standard limits. Pseudomonas spp. was also present in all drinking water samples but Fecal streptococci and Vibrio Cholerae were absent in all water samples. Bacteriological analysis shows that sources of drinking water are contaminated and proper maintenance and screening facilities should be improved.