Nature Environment and Pollution Technology

Neha Upreti ¹, Shweta Sharma ², Subhasini Sharma ², K. P. Sharma ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302 004, IN
2 Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302 004, IN

Abstract

Aluminium and fluoride were found toxic to phytoplankton, periphyton and zooplankton in the microcosms raised in the greenhouse. The toxicity of aluminium was relatively higher than fluoride, more particularly, during winter season. There were significant reduction in counts of phytoplankton (49-80%), periphyton (algae = 40-68%, zooplankton = 35-75%) and zooplankton (5-77%) in the treatments in comparison to controls. As a result, Reciprocal Simpson index, Equitability index and Shannon- Weiner index decreased. Such changes will affect energy flow in the microcosms.

Keywords

Aluminum, Fluoride, Phytoplankton, Zooplankton, Microcosms.

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Shraddha Jain ¹, Shweta Sharma ², Aruna Rajawat ¹, Neha Upreti ¹, Subhasini Sharma ², K. P. Sharma ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302 055, Rajasthan, IN
2 Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302 055, Rajasthan, IN

Abstract

During acute toxicity study of aluminium fluoride, Daphnia similis L. was found to be the most sensitive organism (EC₅₀ = 108.06 ppm) followed by Gambusia affinis Baird and Gerard (LC₅₀ = 354.0 ppm) and Lemna aequinoctialis L. (EC₅₀ for chlorophyll = 358.7ppm). The exposure (60 days) of producers and consumers at its sub-lethal concentration (35.4 ppm) casted toxic effects on them in artificial microcosms raised in the greenhouse. There was reduction in chlorophyll content (19-39%), dry weight (16%), acid phosphatase (ACP) (56%), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (14%) and protein content (53%) of Ceratophyllum demersum L. The reduction in species richness (40%) and phytoplankton counts (counts = 47-54%) was significant during the study period while zooplankton counts (30%) in the first half of the study (day-30). Snail mortality was found nil while that of fish was moderate (37%). Their tissue biochemistry (ACP, ALP and protein content) was, however, altered significantly suggesting them to be under stress. AlF₃ also had cytotoxic effects in fish decreasing RBC counts (19%) and causing morphological abnormalities. From these findings, we conclude that there are significant toxic effects of aluminium fluoride to organisms in the food web of aquatic ecosystems.

Keywords

Acute and Chronic Toxicity, Aluminum Fluoride, Microcosm, Plankton, Snail, Fish.

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P. K. Singh ¹, K. P. Sharma ¹, S. Kumar ¹, S. Sharma ², Subhasini ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302 004, Rajasthan, IN
2 Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302 004, Rajasthan, IN

Abstract

Toxic effects of spent wash and crop field soil irrigated with it (hereafter referred to as distillery soil) were examined on 6 species of plants (2 cereals and 4 aquatic macrophytes) and 3 animals (cladoceran, fish and albino mice) by short-term bioassays using end point growth responses and mortality respectively. Seedling emergence was found nil (rice) to low (wheat = 30-40%) in distillery soil, but increased (48-00%) proportionately alongwith their vigor after mixing garden soil. In contrast to distillery soil, toxic effects of even cent percent soil leachate were nil on seed germination while meager (10- 15%) on seedling vigor in both the cereals. Spent wash, however, decreased germination and seedling vigor in both rice (germination = 5-100%; vigor = 2-100%) and wheat (germination = 0-64%; vigor = nil-93%) with an increase in its concentration, though vigor was greater (43%) than control in wheat at 10%. Among aquatic macrophytes, free-floating species (Lemna aequinoctialis and Spirodela polyrrhiza) were found to bemore sensitive than the submerged (Ceratophyllum demersum and Hydrilla verticillata) for spent wash; Lemna being the most sensitive species.

During a detailed study, sensitivity of different test organisms to spent wash (in terms of their EC/LC₅₀ values) was in the order of: Daphnia (EC50 = 0.68%) > Gambusia affinis (LC₅₀ = 1.31%) > Lemna (EC₅₀ = 0.8-6.97%) indicating water flea to be the most sensitive test organism. The toxicity of soil leachate was, however, very low to these test organisms (Gambusia: LC₅₀ = 12.1%; Lemna: EC₅₀ = 46.5-278%) as also noted for cereals. The spent wash exposure not only decreased RBC counts (58-69%) in fish but also altered their morphology (77-97%).

Both food (7-14%) and water (27-45%) intake of albino mice (male) declined in soil leachate treatments (5-20%) alongwith their body (8-17%) and reproductive organ weights (4-63%), except that of prostrate gland weight increasing between 12% and 37%. The sperm counts (78-89%) and their motility (14-23%) also decreased in leachate treatments. Higher toxicity of spent wash may be ascribed to its greater conductivity (32.7mS), COD (54,900ppm) and chlorides (62,00ppm) than the soil leachate (EC = 3.56mS; COD = 2290ppm; chlorides = 220ppm).

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Suresh Kumar ¹, Pawan Kumar ¹, Shweta Sharma ², Pradeep Kumar Sharma ¹, Subhasini ², K. P. Sharma ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302 004, Rajasthan, IN
2 Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur-302 004, Rajasthan, IN

Abstract

The effects of texture, aeration, inorganic (PO₄-P and NO₃-N) and organic (milk whey) nutrients are reported here on degradation and decolourisation of methyl red. The effects have been quantified by comparing UV-visible spectra of untreated and treated 100ppm of the dye in two types of fixed film bioreactors that differed in composition of their solid matrix (one containing gravel only, gravel bed; while the other has gravel + coarse river sand, mixed bed). Methyl red degradation was better in gravel bed reactors in comparison to mixed bed reactors. Aeration improved its degradation in both the types of reactors. Nutrients favoured reduction in bandwidth of spectra in near UV region (hence degradation of benzenoid compounds) in outflows from gravel (non-aerated and aerated) and mixed bed (aerated) bioreactors, while an opposite trend was noted for their OD values in far UV and visible region responsible for the colour. Mixed bed (non-aerated) bioreactor was, however, the exception, where inorganic nutrients, especially NO₃-N improved reduction of bandwidth as well as OD values in the spectra of outflows.

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