Improving the resource use efficiency in agro- ecosystems is an importantfactor for reducing environmental pollution. To evaluate phosphorus (P) efficiency andbalance indicators, research was conducted in wheat and saffron production systems inthe Qaenat region (South Khorasan Province, Iran) during 2011 and 2012, based on themethod of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Therequired information about wheat and saffron cultivation was collected via questionnairesand the required coefficients were obtained from various literatures. The results showedthat the phosphorus efficiency and balance indicators were significantly different betweendistinct districts only in the case of wheat crops. The highest P efficiencies of wheat andsaffron farms were 7.21% and 2.93%, respectively. Additionally, P efficiency andbalance indicators showed a significant difference between both crops in some districts,so that wheat had higher P efficiency than saffron, which was mainly because of thedifferent amounts of animal manure applied to these crops. There was no significantdifference between the different ages of saffron farms for P efficiency and balance.Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between P efficiency andbalance indicators. It would appear that there are many opportunities for improving theefficiency of P and to prevent environmental pollution through the optimization ofmanagement decisions.

Iran has mountainous landscapes and half of its surface is occupied by highlands. Moreover, Iran is an arid country and deserts are located at lower altitudes. Most metropolitan areas are positioned in mid-altitudes between mountain and desert. Cities grow upwardly toward the highlands under pressures of urbanization and desertification. Foothill ecotones are a zone between upland mountains and midland plains. Upwardly sprawl of urban centers has transformed the structures and functions of these ecologically strategic belts. In this article, we analyzed the transformational trend of the ecotonal zone in the southern slopes of the central Elburz (Tehran-Karaj urban region). Landsat 7 ETM+ (2000) and 8 OLI (2013) are used to monitor spatial and temporal variability of landscape metrics. The land covers are grouped into four classes: vegetation cover, open space, built area, and water body. Seven landscape metrics are used including: NP, CAP, MPS, AW-MPS, MNND, PARA, and TE. Our results indicate that NP, AW-MPS, TE, and PARA increased whereas CAP and MPS decreased. These results are a sign of the fragmentation process across the ecotonal strip.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of silver sulfate (AgSO4) as a toxicant in goldfish (Carassiusauratus). One hundred and forty-seven live specimens of C. auratus were obtained and exposed to 1, 10, 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 ppm of AgSO4for 96 hours. There was one control group (no AgSO4) and three replicates. The physicochemical properties of water and the following parameters were constant: pH: 7.56±0.45 (TS1); temperature: 19±1°C; hardness: 293±2.35 ppm and dissolved oxygen: 8.80 ±0.06 mg L-1 (DO-5510). LC1, LC10, LC30, LC50, LC70, LC90 and LC99 were calculated in 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours. For assessing the impact ofAgSO4 on physiological responses of goldfish hematological indices, blood glucose and cortisol levels were measured. Results showed that LC50 96-h of AgSO4 for goldfish was 687.81 ppm. In addition, the use of AgSO4induces a significant decrease in MCHE after 48 hours, MCV and MCH after 96 hours and lymphocyte after 96 hours in contrast to the control group (P<0.05). Furthermore, increased lymphocyte was significant after 24 hours exposure (P<0.05). In addition, glucose increased significantly at P<0.05 with time increase24 hours after experiment but this (). In conclusion, the study showed that acute toxicity of AgSO4induced hematological alterations in goldfish and offers a tool for the evaluation oftoxicity-derived alterations.

The aim of this study was to assess the environmental impact of socio-cultural practices on the water quality of River Ganga at the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand State, India. The physico-chemical parameters that contributed to the temporal variation and pollution in the river were identified in this study. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Cluster analysis (CA) were used in the identification of anthropogenic factors (industrial, urban sewage, agricultural, land use and mining activities) and natural factors (soil erosion, weathering). The results of this study show that total coliform, fecal coliform, nitrate, sodium, phosphate, sulphate, TDS (Total dissolved solids), temperature, BOD (Biochemical oxygen demand), calcium and chloride are parameters significantly contributing to pollution load.

The purpose of this article is to present the development of a wind farm, with a condition monitoring system (CMS) based on control charts as the algorithm, centred on a new index, to prevent soil pollution by oil spills in wind farms. To this end, temperature sensors can be considered as one of the more significant sensors to be employed in this study, because the information obtained with regard to anemometers and electrical power output counters can be employed by the control system. As a result, among the other variables, oil temperatures sampled in multipliers used in the wind turbines of a real wind farm were employed. Statistical analyzes were developed and the relationship between wind farm maintenance (usually related to wind farm oil spills) and oil temperature was obtained. Furthermore, a practical case study, centered in the statistical process control, based on the low-cost sample variable was developed and showed that this new procedure would improve deficiencies in the maintenance process, thus, reducing the failure detection time under low sensor cost, as also the related soil pollution.

A comprehensive evaluation of the residual levels of Organochlorine insecticides (OCIs) in the sediment cores of Cochin Estuarine System (CES) is highlighted in this research article. It assessed the distribution pattern and impact of these xenobiotics in this environmental niche. Fifteen persistent organochlorine compounds (OCs) were quantitatively analysed in the six sediment core samples collected from specific sites of CES, during November 2009. Among these contaminants, residual levels of HCH, Cyclodienes and DDT were the dominant entities. According to the sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), the higher concentration of these persistent toxicants found in the CES was enough to pose ecological risk to the bottom dwelling consumers. This study provides a better understanding of these trace organics in the environment and could develop more effective strategies for protecting this vulnerable ecosystem from further pollution. Further, sediment screening bioassays can also be conducted for both sediment quality evaluation and identification of existing potent toxicants.

Municipalities in developing countries spend the highest proportion of their annual budget on unsatisfactory solid waste management service. Until recently, solid waste management services in Ethiopia were mainly the responsibilities of municipalities, which culminated in inadequate service provision. Thus, the integration of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) by the government has recently being considered as an option. Participation of MSEs in SWM started in 2003/04 in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia and expanded to other cities following the proclamation of a National Solid Waste program in 2007. This review is aimed at identifying the role of MSEs in solid waste management in selected cities, including the opportunities and challenges for future directions. Limited resources and lack of support, perception and awareness of the community, inadequate training, unorganized fee collection strategy and limited revenue were among the challenges identified. The benefits and potential opportunities include organized and quality service delivery, environmental protection and safety, job opportunity, willingness to pay and social equity. In conclusion, the findings in this review show the importance of MSEs in solving solid waste management problems. However, the challenges need due considerations and appropriate interventions such as legalization of the informal sector, clear working guidelines and regulations, close support and monitoring, and transparent system in general.

This research compares the performance of floating systems planted with Vetiveria zizanioides as a hydroponic approach for removing nutrients from two contaminated waters. For this purpose, two pilots with overall net volume of 60 litres were constructed and inoculated by secondary treated domestic wastewater (STDW) and irrigation water obtained from Minab reservoir (IWMR) in batch mode. Regarding the experimental results, the total nitrogen removal efficiency reaches more than 40 and 75%, in two and four days’ detention time, respectively, while these figures are 75 and 85% for phosphorus. The comparative statistical analyses verify that the results reveal significant differences in nitrogen removal, its uptake and the shoots’ dry weight. Conversely, phosphorus removal, its uptake and the roots’ growth are not significantly different. The regression analysis shows that the nitrogen uptake is well correlated with the shoots’ expansion rate as a matter of substrate type. The decay coefficient rates of nitrogen and phosphorus are calculated as 0.43 and 0.52 day-1, respectively. It is then concluded that this system should be used for wastewater treatment rather than for surface water purification. However, it can be recommended as an environmental friendly approach for both, because of the high efficiency in nutrients’ removal and the aeration capability.

In this paper, we present an application of evolved neural networks using a real coded genetic algorithm for simulations of monthly groundwater levels in a coastal aquifer located in the Shabestar Plain, Iran. After initializing the model with groundwater elevations observed at a given time, the developed hybrid genetic algorithm-back propagation (GA-BP) should be able to reproduce groundwater level variations using the external input variables, including rainfall, average discharge, temperature, evaporation and annual time series. To achieve this purpose, the hybrid GA-BP algorithm is first calibrated on a training dataset to perform monthly predictions of future groundwater levels using past observed groundwater levels and additional inputs. Simulations are then produced on another data set by iteratively feeding back the predicted groundwater levels, along with real external data. This modelling algorithm has been compared with the individual back propagation model (ANN-BP), which demonstrates the capability of the hybrid GA-BP model. The later provides better results in estimation of groundwater levels compared to the individual one. The study suggests that such a network can be used as a viable alternative to physical-based models in order to simulate the responses of the aquifer under plausible future scenarios, or to reconstruct long periods of missing observations provided past data for the influencing variables is available.

The electronics industry is one of fastest growing manufacturing industries in India. However, the increase in the sales of electronic goods and their rapid obsolescence has resulted in the large-scale generation of electronic waste, popularly known as e-waste. E-waste has become a matter of concern due to the presence of toxic and hazardous substances present in electronic goods which, if not properly managed, can have adverse effects on the environment and human health. In India, the e-waste market remains largely unorganized, with companies being neither registered nor authorized and typically operating on an informal basis. In many instances, e-waste is treated as municipal waste, because India does not have dedicated legislation for the management of e-waste. It is therefore necessary to review the public health risks and strategies in a bid to addressthis growing hazard. There is the strong need for adopting sustainability practices in order to tackle the growing threat of e-waste. In the present work, we attempt to identify the various sources and reasons for e-waste generation, in addition to understanding the perception of the public towards e-waste management. This study aims to induce an awareness of sustainability practices and sustainability issues in the management of E-waste, especially waste related to personal computers (PCs) and mobile phones. From the results of the study, we concluded that the majority (90%) of the public is ignorant about e-waste and its issues; hence, there is a strong requirement for spreading awareness about the growing hazard of E-waste.