Browsing by Author "Barkha Vaish"

Now showing 1 - 17 of 17

A comprehensive study on aquatic chemistry, health risk and remediation techniques of cadmium in groundwater
(Elsevier B.V., 2022) Monika Mahajan; Pankaj Kumar Gupta; Anita Singh; Barkha Vaish; Pooja Singh; Richa Kothari; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Cadmium (Cd), a non-essential trace element, it's intrusion in groundwater has ubiquitous implications on the environment and human health. This review is an approach to comprehensively emphasize on i) chemistry and occurrence of Cd in groundwater and its concomitant response on human health ii) sustainable Cd remediation techniques, iii) and associated costs. Current study is depending on meta-analysis of Cd contaminations in groundwater and discusses its distributions around the globe. Literature review primarily comprises from the last three decades online electronic published database, which mainly includes i) research literatures, ii) government reports. On the basis of meta-data, it was concluded that Cd mobility depends on multiple factors: such as pH, redox state, and ionic strength, dissolved organic (DOC) and inorganic carbon (DIC). A substantially high Cd concentration has been reported in Lagos, Nigeria (0.130 mg/L). In India, groundwater is continuing to be contaminated by Cd in the proximity of industrial, agricultural areas, high concentrations (>8.20 mg/L) were reported in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Depending on chemical behavior and ionic radius cadmium disseminate into the food chain and ultimately cause health hazard that can be measured by various index-based assessment tools. Instead of chemical adsorbents, nanoparticles, phytoextraction, and bioremediation techniques can be very useful in the remediation and management of Cd polluted groundwater at a low-cost. For Cd pollution, the development of a comprehensive framework that links the hydro-geological, bio-geochemical processes to public health is important and need to be further studied. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.
An insight to atmospheric pollution- Improper waste management and climate change nexus
(Springer International Publishing, 2017) Bhavisha Sharma; Barkha Vaish; Vaibhav Srivastava; Sonu Singh; Pooja Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Urbanization and industrialization along with expansion of the cities, extract resources indiscriminately in order to provide better access to food security, education, health and employment. However, accompanying this urbanization and industrialization, there is an increase in generation of vast amount of waste. Per capita waste generation is closely related to high quality life style, consumer pattern and economic development. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is affected by many drivers (socio-economic, political, environmental, etc.) and its impact differs from country to country. The scenario is worse and complicated in developing countries due to negligence in waste management sector. Improper waste management has emerged as one of the potent source of series of air pollutants that arises concerns over ambient air quality, environmental degradation and public health. Overall waste sector is estimated to contribute around 3-5% of global greenhouse emission. But, this estimate does not include the emission from the uncollected waste that decays anaerobically and is the main cause of methane generation which has not yet been quantified. Therefore, it is imperative to integrate proper waste management technologies especially for developing economies. Thus, this chapter attempts to relate the nexus between improper management of municipal solid waste and climate change and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through proven technologies and existing policies. © Springer International Publishing AG 2018.
An insight to municipal solid waste management of Varanasi city, India, and appraisal of vermicomposting as its efficient management approach
(Springer, 2020) Vaibhav Srivastava; Barkha Vaish; Rajeev Pratap Singh; Pooja Singh
Varanasi, India’s historic cultural capital, struggles with efficient waste management practices. This impacts environment and human well-being in terms of waste generation that is estimated around 550–650 TPD with a generation rate of 0.42 kg capita−1 day−1 (n = 117). The present study aims to explore and characterize wastes, current practices, ecological profiling, and phytotoxicity of an abandoned open dumping site, and vermicomposting of organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) as sustainable waste management approach. Compositional analysis of waste indicates organic fraction (46.13%) as a major component along with a considerable amount of heavy metals. The calorific value and moisture content of municipal solid waste (MSW) was 2351.4 cal g−1 and 34.72%, respectively. Ecological profiling of the dumping site revealed that floral diversity and ecological species/indicators were negatively affected. Likewise, phytotoxicity results displayed a negative impact on germination and physiology of maize (Zea mays L.) plants grown on dumping site soil. Vermistabilization of OFMSW showed a significant increase in N (56.10–89.48%), P (33.93–82.87%), and K (25.55–50.42%) and a decrease in total organic carbon (15.15–24.81%). Similarly, C/N and C/P ratios decreased by 1.89–2.51 and 1.72–2.18 folds, respectively. A survey of stakeholders suggested that open dumping was the main practice adopted by Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) during 2013–2015. Recently (2017–2018), VMC adopted different methods, such as door-to-door collection and source segregation for effective waste management. Waste characteristics and nutrient profile of the vermicompost explains that vermicomposting could be used for efficient waste management in Varanasi, further reducing the collection, transportation, and disposal costs of waste, which enables to close the loop and move towards a circular economy. Moreover, implications of existing waste management practices and possible management options need to be addressed scientifically. Therefore, this research outcome will help in designing a successful waste management plan for Varanasi and other cities with similar waste characteristics. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
Bioactive compost: An approach for managing plant growth in environmentally stressed soils
(Springer Singapore, 2020) Shivani Chaudhary; Barkha Vaish; Rajeev Pratap Singh; Vishal Prasad
The use of bioactive compost for improving the quality of plants and to increase their growth and yield in environmentally stressed soils is a promising approach as they contain beneficial microorganisms as one of the components applied to the soil supplying the plants with its nutritional needs by converting elements through their biological activity from unavailable form to available form which can be absorbed and assimilated. They may also provide the plants with growth stimulating factors such as hormones and other plant growth regulators. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020. All rights reserved.
Biological response of using municipal solid waste compost in agriculture as fertilizer supplement
(Springer Netherlands, 2016) Vaibhav Srivastava; Ademir Sergio Ferreira De Araujo; Barkha Vaish; Shannon Bartelt-Hunt; Pooja Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Waste management and declining soil fertility are the two main issues experienced by all developing nations, like India. Nowadays, agricultural utilization of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is one of the most promising and cost effective options for managing solid waste. It is helpful in solving two current burning issues viz. soil fertility and MSW management. However, there is always a potential threat because MSW may contain pathogens and toxic pollutants. Therefore, much emphasis has been paid to composting of MSW in recent years. Application of compost from MSW in agricultural land helps in ameliorating the soil’s physico-chemical properties. Apart from that it also assists in improving biological response of cultivated land. Keeping the present situation in mind, this review critially discusses the current scenario, agricultural utilization of MSWcompost, role of soil microbes and soil microbial response on municipal solid waste compost application. © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016.
Biomethanation potential of algal biomass
(Springer International Publishing, 2017) Barkha Vaish; Pooja Singh; Prabhat Kumar Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh
[No abstract available]
Energy and nutrient recovery from agro-wastes: Rethinking their potential possibilities
(Korean Society of Environmental Engineers, 2020) Barkha Vaish; Vaibhav Srivastava; Prabhat Kumar Singh; Pooja Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Agricultural sector has inescapably drawn attention towards itself due to growing concern over population explosion, changing climate and depletion of resources. Advancements in technology have caused rapid boost in farm productivity and hence huge production of agro-wastes. There have been massive deteriorating impacts of agro-wastes on existing environmental conditions, creating wide scale environmental pollution as well as biodiversity loss. Since, agro-wastes have huge potential in the form of energy and nutrient recovery (ENR), amalgamations of different technologies would promote sustainability. ENR not only adjoins an added profitable product but also facilitates to close environmental nutrient cycles. This provides a substitute to existing unsustainable approaches that are energy demanding and reliant on nonrenewable sources of energy. This review underpins why ENR from agro-waste must be key concern in production of array of higher value products. © 2020 Korean Society of Environmental Engineers.
Energy recovery potential and environmental impact of gasification for municipal solid waste
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2019) Barkha Vaish; Bhavisha Sharma; Vaibhav Srivastava; Pooja Singh; M. Hakimi Ibrahim; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Currently the world is facing numerous environmental problems associated with waste management, climate change and global warming. Therefore, research and development has shifted towards utilising solid waste as an alternative to diminishing fossil fuels. The availability of large amounts of waste and its potential to supply a substantial amount of energy have been widely recognised by the scientific community. Municipal solid waste can be transformed into usable forms of energy through either biological or thermochemical processes (viz. combustion, pyrolysis and gasification). Gasification is considered one of the most efficient routes to convert waste into energy, and is a widely accepted technology that harnesses energy stored in waste. Moreover, for any process to be feasible overall its environmental performance has to be taken into consideration. Recent reports have supported the fact that the gasification process can be carried out with no threat to the environment or human health. The coming decades will reveal the environmental performance of various commercial waste gasifiers currently in operation as strong competitors of other thermochemical conversion processes. Therefore, this review aims to understand the process of gasification, energy recovery potential, environmental impact and technical challenges to tackle the problem of climate change and ultimately reach the goal of sustainability. © 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Explicating the fertilizer potential of anaerobic digestate: Effect on soil nutrient profile and growth of Solanum melongena L.
(Elsevier B.V., 2022) Barkha Vaish; Vaibhav Srivastava; Umesh Kumar Singh; Sanjay Kumar Gupta; Puneet Singh Chauhan; Richa Kothari; Rajeev Pratap Singh
The use of anaerobic digestate (ADg), a nutrient-rich residual product of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process, could be a promising strategy for nutrient recycling in agriculture. However, when analyzing the usage of waste digestate as an organic amendment, properties such as organic and nutritional content, hygienic quality, and stability are important factors to consider. In this context, the present study elucidates the suitability of ADg as a fertilizer supplement based on agricultural criteria, including soil nutrient dynamics and the growth performance of brinjal (Solanum melongena L. var. Kashi Uttam). Pot experiments were conducted to explore the viability and response of ADg produced from three different organic wastes viz. the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), sewage sludge (SS), and flower waste (FW). Five fertilization treatments of each ADg, i.e., 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%, designated as C, T1, T2, T3, and T4, were examined. The findings exhibited a significant (p<0.05) increase in Total Organic Carbon (TOC), exchangeable Na, K, Ca, and available P, while a considerable increment (p>0.05) in TKN was noticed in all the treatments. Biochemical analyses of brinjal depicted significant enhancement (p<0.05) in total chlorophyll (66.7 %) and carotenoid (56.03%) in T1 treatment of OFMSW ADg at 65 DAS. Likewise, maximum protein content increased by 326.8% in T2 of FW ADg at 65 DAS. However, a few of the metal contents also increased with increasing ADg(s) dosage but were well within the permissible limits of the Indian standard. A progressive increase in proline, peroxidase, and lipid peroxidation (p<0.05) was observed with increasing dosages, indicating metal-induced physiological stress in plants. However, improved ascorbic acid and phenol (23.8% at T2 treatment of OFMSW ADg) content allayed oxidative stress. Likewise, augmented morphological and yield (173.4% in T3 treatment of OFMSW ADg and 153.6% in T4 treatment of FW ADg) responses of brinjal in all the treatments showed their aptness for agricultural application with multifaceted environmental benefits. However, more research into the impacts of ADg on soil and plant growth and its transformation during AD is needed to identify the digestate's end-use value. © 2022 The Author(s)
Explicating the Fertilizing Potential of Anaerobic Digestate on Soil Quality, Growth and Yield Responses of Solanum lycopersicum var. Kashi Aman
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025) Rajeev Pratap Singh; Meenu Gautam; Barkha Vaish; Ibha Suhani; Vaibhav Srivastava
Application of anaerobic digestates (ADg(s)) from organic wastes as bio-fertilizer in an agricultural field is economically viable and an environmentally sustainable alternative. The study aimed to utilize ADg(s) (25, 50, 75 and 100% w/w) from the organic proportion of flower-waste (FW), sewage-sludge (SS) and municipal solid wastes (OFMSW) as soil amendment to investigate soil nutrient status and growth performances of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. Kashi Aman). Organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, exchangeable Na, K and Ca ions, and enzymatic activities were increased with increase in ADg(s) amendment in soil with relatively higher increase under OFMSW amendment. Metal ion contents in the soil amended with ADg(s) were in the order, Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cr > Cd and their contents increased with increasing OFMSW, SS and FW. Plant biomass and fruit-yield were higher under all ADg(s) amendments compared to the control, with maximum yield under 100% SS. Contents of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr and Pb in the entire plant were positively correlated with the yield under all ADg(s) amendments. Based on translocation and bioconcentration factors, tomato was found to be efficient in accumulation of metal ions except Cd. Contents of metal ions in the fruit were within FAO/WHO limit, but Fe content under T2, T3 and T4 treatments with OFMSW and SS as well as T3 and T4 treatments with FW were above the limit. Hence, the study suggests utilization of 25% of OFMSW, SS and FW as bio-fertilizer to improve the soil fertility and tomato yield without the risk of metal contamination. © University of Tehran 2024.
Exploring untapped energy potential of urban solid waste
(Joint Center on Global Change and Earth System Science of the University of Maryland and Beijing Normal University, 2016) Barkha Vaish; Vaibhav Srivastava; Pooja Singh; Anita Singh; Prabhat Kumar Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh
There is continuous increase in quantum and variety of waste being generated by anthropogenic activities. Burgeoning amount of waste being generated has potential to harm the environment and human health. Aggravating the problem, ever-increasing energy demand is putting strain on the non-renewable sources of energy and there is huge gap between the demand and supply of energy. This has led the scientific communities to adopt innovative methods to reduce, reuse and recycle them. Therefore, there is an urgent need to minimize the quantity of waste and meet the current demand profile of energy is required; technologies to recover energy from waste can play a vital role in substantial energy recovery and reduction in waste for final disposal; in addition to meet the rising energy requirement. Generating power from waste has greatly reduced the environmental impact and dependency on fossil fuels for electricity generation. Economically also it is an optimal solution for recovery of heat and power from waste. This paper gives an overview of energy potential stored in waste, major available waste-to-energy technologies and also strategic action plan for implementation of these technologies. © 2016, Joint Center on Global Change and Earth System Science of the University of Maryland and Beijing Normal University and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
Investigating the Effect of Compost and Vermicompost on Wheat Plants and Soil Health Under Natural Salt Affected Field Conditions
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025) Ibha Suhani; Ademir Sérgio Ferreira Araujo; Richa Kothari; Barkha Vaish; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Numerous regions across the globe grapple with the impact of both natural and human-induced soil salinization, posing a significant barrier to agricultural output and presenting a formidable hurdle to food security. The existence of salt in the soil has a profound impact on plants, influencing them from the smallest cellular level to the entire plant structure. The following study was carried out to increase understanding and collect data on wheat produced in naturally salt-affected land using different compost and vermicompost amendments, taking into account the paucity of studies conducted under natural field conditions. Organic matter from the compost/vermicompost aids in slow release of mineral elements and provides soluble nutrients to reduce abiotic stresses. On the application of compost and vermicompost different physiochemical properties of soil showed increase in nutrient content like, organic carbon, nitrogen, avail K, avail P, and avail. Ca, in A2, A3, A4 and A5 amendments when compared to control. Total chlorophyll, carotenoid, thiol and protein showed increase in content with the application of organic amendments. Phenol, proline, ascorbic acid and lipid peroxidation showed reduction with the application of organic amendments. The impact of amendments on the final harvest on 140 days was evaluated, considering various factors such as, the ear length per plant, weight of ears per plant, number of grains per plant, weight of grains per plant, straw weight per plant, husk weight per plant, harvest index, 1000 seeds weight, and yield. FTIR analysis of the soil samples were done to compare the different functional groups and changes in the amendments made. © University of Tehran 2024.
Nutrient recovery from municipal waste stream: status and prospects
(Elsevier, 2020) Vaibhav Srivastava; Barkha Vaish; Anita Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Rapid demographic and economic changes along with urbanization have led to many pressing environmental issues such as pollution, extreme weather events, greenhouse has emissions and climate change that are interlinked. Solid waste and wastewater generation and its management are other contemporary issues lead to environmental and human health hazards. In addition, aggravated population growth is putting additional pressure on nonrenewable resources for food, energy and livelihood. Recently, there is a noteworthy increase in demand for nutrient supply in agricultural fields to augment productivity. However, concern over the long-term availability of these nutrients in particular of phosphorous and potassium is evident, which are primarily obtained from mineral deposits. Consequently, it is obligatory to find alternative options to meet the escalating demand for nutrient supply. In view of this, the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and wastewater has immense potential for nutrient recovery via different biorefinery platforms. This chapter aims to catalogue major published works on different technologies for nutrient recovery from different waste streams of relevance to the agricultural application. This will help to draw a possible road map toward future research in this domain and efficiently capitalize the untapped potential of waste stream for nutrient recovery that could solve twofold problems concurrently. © 2020 Elsevier Inc.
Population and global food security: Issues related to climate change
(IGI Global, 2016) Supriya Tiwari; Barkha Vaish; Pooja Singh
Global food security is one if the major issues that needs utmost attention of the scientific community in near future. The growing food demand of the society is putting enormous pressure on the resources over which the food supply of the civilization depends. The two major components affecting the global food security are population and global climate change. The rate at which the population of the World is increasing, the food production needs to be doubled to meet the growing requirements. Consequences of global climate change not only reduce the productivity of major staple crops, but also cause destruction of the arable land that can be used for agricultural purposes. The present chapter discusses the effects of population increase and climate change upon food production, which will play a significant role in food security around the globe in near future.
Population and global food security: Issues related to climate change
(IGI Global, 2018) Supriya Tiwari; Barkha Vaish; Pooja Singh
Global food security is one if the major issues that needs utmost attention of the scientific community in near future. The growing food demand of the society is putting enormous pressure on the resources over which the food supply of the civilization depends. The two major components affecting the global food security are population and global climate change. The rate at which the population of the World is increasing, the food production needs to be doubled to meet the growing requirements. Consequences of global climate change not only reduce the productivity of major staple crops, but also cause destruction of the arable land that can be used for agricultural purposes. The present chapter discusses the effects of population increase and climate change upon food production, which will play a significant role in food security around the globe in near future. © 2018 by IGI Global. All rights reserved.
Prospects of biomethanation in indian urban solid waste: Stepping towards a sustainable future
(Springer, 2016) Barkha Vaish; Abhijit Sarkar; Pooja Singh; Prabhat Kumar Singh; Chandan Sengupta; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Industrialization and urbanization together have a cumulative effect on generating significant amounts of urban solid waste which leads to increasing threats to the environment. India with a population of about 1.27 billion people alone generates about 0.2–0.5 kg of waste day−1 capita−1 of which around 40–50 % is organic in nature. According to published reports, if these organic fractions of the waste are not treated properly and reach the landfill site; they can become a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and causes leaching of harmful pollutants. These GHG and newly generated pollutants have been found to have detrimental effects on ground water, and create imbalances in the ecosystem. Therefore, ‘need of the hour’ is to utilize the energy that is stored in the waste through different available technologies like composting, vermicomposting, fermentation and biomethanation etc. The process of biomethanation appears to be a more reliable and promising technology as it not only aims to solve the problem of organic solid waste, but also provides sustainable energy in the form of biogas. Moreover, when compared with other technologies, biomethanation is economic, eco-friendly and less labor intensive. Even though several research studies were conducted in the field of biomethanation, the process is still unpopular especially in developing countries due to lack of appropriate knowledge, treatment systems and due consideration by the government. © Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016.
Recycling of Organic Wastes in Agriculture: An Environmental Perspective
(Springer International Publishing, 2019) Bhavisha Sharma; Barkha Vaish; Monika; Umesh Kumar Singh; Pooja Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Inadequate organic waste management leads to a plethora of problems such as environmental pollution, eutrophication, esthetic damage to urban landscape, greenhouse gases emission and effects on human health. Unwise and non-scientific disposal of wastes not only poses a grave threat to environmental quality but also results in loss of economic value of wastes. Since organic wastes are an abundant pool of organic matter and valuable plant nutrients, agricultural recycling of these wastes appears to be a promising alternative enabling value addition and their resourceful utilization. Land application of organic wastes stabilized through techniques such as composting, vermicomposting and anaerobic digestion yielding excellent organic fertilizer like compost augments soil fertility and crop yield. Additionally, the practice incorporates indirect environmental benefits such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions, land conservation due to reduced landfilling of wastes and substitute to chemical fertilizers. Economically also, agricultural utilization of organic wastes reduces the cost of landfilling, transportation of wastes, imports and production cost of chemical fertilizers and opens avenues for rural employment. However, effective utilization of organic wastes for agricultural purposes requires thorough and strict risk assessment to prevent the adverse effects of contaminants like heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants to ensure agro-environmental sustainability. The present article aims to enlist the positives and negatives associated with this practice enabling to devise an approach or strategy deriving maximum environmental and economic benefits. © 2019, University of Tehran.