Browsing by Author "Monika Mahajan"

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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.
A holistic review on trend, occurrence, factors affecting pesticide concentration, and ecological risk assessment
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2023) Rajeev Pratap Singh; Monika Mahajan; Kavita Gandhi; Pankaj Kumar Gupta; Anita Singh; Prafull Singh; Rahul Kumar Singh; Mohd Kashif Kidwai
Demographic outbursts and increased food demands invoke excessive use of pesticides in the agricultural field for increasing productivity which leads to the relentless decline of riverine health and its tributaries. These tributaries are connected to a plethora of point and non-point sources that transport pollutants including pesticides into the Ganga river’s mainstream. Simultaneous climate change and lack of rainfall significantly increase pesticide concentration in the soil and water matrix of the river basin. This paper is intended to review the paradigm shift of pesticide pollution in the last few decades in the river Ganga and its tributaries. Along with this, a comprehensive review suggests the ecological risk assessment method which facilitates policy development, sustainable riverine ecosystem management, and decision-making. Before 2011, the total mixture of Hexachlorocyclohexane was found at 0.004–0.026 ng/mL in Hooghly, but now, the concentration has increased up to 0.465–4.132 ng/mL. Aftermath of critical review, we observed maximum residual commodities and pesticide contamination reported in Uttar Pradesh > West Bengal > Bihar > Uttara Khand possibly because of agricultural load, increasing settlement, and incompetency of sewage treatment plant in the reclamation of pesticide contamination. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
In-Depth Exploration of Vermiwash: Boosting Plant Health, Nurturing Soil and Legal aspects related to organic fertilizer
(Kalpana Corporation, 2024) Shivani Singh; Mayank Pratap; Monika Mahajan; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Vermiwash, produced through the utilization of organic waste with the assistance of earthworms, has emerged as a significant contender in the pursuit of environmentally sustainable alternatives to inorganic fertilizers. This solution not only nourishes our crops but also confers countless benefits to our valued earth. The current study reveals the vermiwash advantages, peculiarities of its preparation and the legal considerations that guarantee its organic integrity. The usage of vermiwash not only improves soil fertility and microbial activity but also increases the accessibility of nutrients to the plant, enhances root development and more. In the entire process of vermiwash preparation, earthworms play a crucial role, so the present study has also emphasized earthworms’ habitat and their distribution alongwith the mechanism involved in vermiwash preparation. There are several methods used to produce vermiwash including the Eco-Science Research Foundation technique, the heat stress method, the cold stress application and the field approach. Apart from its preparation and advantages, this study also incorporates legal aspects related to organic fertilizer production, distribution and labelling abode by several provisions, including 2OO, Clause 18, Clause 29 1A and 1B, Clause 29 C, Clause 29 D and Clause 30. Present review on vermiwash can contribute to bring out agriculture from jeopardised situations, such as desertification, salinity, sodicity and infertility. © 2024 Kalpana Corporation. All rights reserved.
Mechanistic action of pesticides on pests and their consequent effect on fishes and human health with remediation strategies
(IWA Publishing, 2023) Anita Singh; Monika Mahajan; Richa Kothari; Naveen Kumar Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Population detonation and inflated demand for agricultural products have resulted in the rampant use of pesticides in recent years. These pesticides are used to reduce the number of pesticides by different mechanisms. They have been utilized in agriculture to expand agrarian profit, crop yield, quality, and storage life. The incessant and extensive use of resistant pesticides has contaminated the water bodies, fields, crops, and aquatic biota as well as posing a threat to human health. As a result, stringent regulations and limits are established to monitor the pesticide matrix. The current review focuses on pesticide contamination in the food chain, particularly from the aquatic bodies to fishes and humans. It also discusses strict regulations and limits including maximum residual limits for food items, acceptable daily intake, theoretical maximum daily intake, and estimated carcinogenicity/non-carcinogenicity for fishes and human health risks. In addition to conferring the negative effects of pesticides, this article discusses cost-effective remediation techniques such as phytoremediation, adsorption, the Fenton oxidation method, microalgal/high-rate algal ponds, and nanotechnology with the comparison of their remediation cost. © 2023 The Authors.
Preventing Microplastic Pollution in Surface Waters: Legal Frameworks and Strategic Actions
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2025) Monika Mahajan; Ajay Kumar Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh; Pankaj Kumar Gupta; Sonu Singh; Mayank Pratap
Microplastic contamination of surface water is another looming environmental issue driven by fast industrialization, urbanization, and the rampant use of plastics. Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in size, and there are a variety of origins, including broken pieces of plastic waste, synthetic fibers, or industrial effluents. They are one of the pollutants that pose significant threats to aquatic ecosystems and human well-being because they carry toxic substances, disrupt aquatic food webs, and degrade water quality. This situation led India to formulate a series of regulatory frameworks for the reduction of plastic pollution. Other important policies are the 2016 Plastic Waste Management Rules, with a focus on recyclability and reduction of plastic waste at the source level, and the 2022 countrywide single-use plastic ban, which targets the spread of high-volume plastics that lead to microplastic pollution. India also works with international groups like the Global Partnership on Marine Litter and has integrated EPR into its plastic waste management to make it more long-lasting. In some states, incomplete or nonexistent waste management infrastructure and a lack of specific legislation on microplastics combine to raise concerns about enforcement. This review discusses the source and implications of microplastic contamination in the surface water, evaluates the effectiveness of the current legal regime, and highlights what could be done to strengthen the legislation and reduce microplastic contamination. Strengthened surveillance, state-of-the-art wastewater treatment technology, and awareness programs are essential before such elements can prevent the entry of microplastic contaminants and protect water bodies. © 2025 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Quantitative assessment of irrigation water and organic/inorganic amendment on biometric growth profiles of Abelmoschus esculentus and Solanum lycopersicum and their varieties
(IWA Publishing, 2024) Monika Mahajan; Rajeev Pratap Singh; Pankaj Kumar Gupta; Shreeshivadasan Chelliapan
In recent decades, the use of chemical fertilizers has been recklessly provoked to meet the increased food needs of the rapidly growing population. However, there is some disagreement about the use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture. Hence, the appropriate nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium ratios must be determined before their application in agricultural practices. This study explored three distinct sources of nutrients to support healthy seed germination and reduce nutrient loss: chemical fertilizers, vermicompost, and nutrient-laden irrigation water supply. A sustainable, affordable, and green petri plate seed germination experiment was used to analyze the biometric growth patterns of two plant species (Abelmoschus esculentus and Solanum lycopersicum). To quantify the effects of different irrigation water sources (groundwater, river water), their combinations with chemical fertilizers and vermicompost (3 ton/ha), multivariate statistical methods such as correlation, principal component analysis, and deep neural networks were used. The purpose of this research was to find the optimal nutrient delivery technique for encouraging healthy plant growth while minimizing the environmental stress of excessive nutrient application. © 2024 The Authors.
The behavior of nanomaterials in soil and interaction with soil biota
(Apple Academic Press, 2023) Monika Mahajan; Anuchaya Devi; Bhavisha Sharma; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Human civilization cannot exist without the food and agriculture domains, which are inextricably linked to human life. As a result, now that the regulatory authorities have legalized nanotechnology, it has a lot of potential in this industry. Traditional agricultural technologies' limitations have limited the effective use of available farmland to meet demand and ensure food security. Nanotechnology has emerged as one of the most promising alternatives for addressing the shortcomings of traditional agriculture approaches. Nano-technology has opened a new chapter in agriculture's long-term viability. It reduces the amount of synthetic chemicals in the field by a significant amount. Engineered nanoparticles have a promising future in agriculture; it can promote soil amelioration from toxic pollutants and improve plant growth and productivity. Adequate amount and duration of exposure of nanoparticles such as nSiO2, nTiO2, AgNP, single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes have several advantages such as stimulating the synthesis of the bioactive compound, increasing the efficacy of germination rate, and enhancing the vegetative biomass. But the inappropriate concentration of nanoparticles diminishes the metabolism, enzymatic activities of soil and plants. This chapter is an approach to point out the possible prospects and implications of nanoparticles with the current guidelines to their use in agriculture, food safety, and security of the nation. © 2024 Apple Academic Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
Trends in Waste Water Treatment using Phycoremediation for Biofuel Production
(CRC Press, 2022) Anuchaya Devi; Anita Singh; Monika Mahajan; Sinha Sahab; Vaibhav Srivastava; Pooja Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Treating waste water (WW) is a tedious phenomenon that involves the removal of heavy metals, organic C, N, P, and other contaminants using physical, chemical, and biological processes. In the current time, the crisis of appropriate water supply for household, drinking, irrigation, and industrial purposes is a major problem around the world. Therefore, to find the remedies for these problems, it is necessary to construct a suitable method of waste water cleaning. In this context, algae are known for their versatility to grow naturally on various water systems. Along a similar theme, presently, the cultivation of microalgae for biofuel generation is considered a sustainable technology due to their greater rate of photosynthetic fixation of CO2. This decreases the overall net deposit of greenhouse gases. Algae culture for biofuel production and waste water treatment (WWT) can be done in an integrated approach because it can grow in waste water, removing the contaminants, a process called phycoremediation. Diverse algal species are applied for different purposes, from the production of biofuels and nutraceuticals to treating waste water. Possibilities in applications of phycoremediation have set the trend in laboratories to reinforce algal-based technologies. Algae can be better utilized for their bioremediation ability and value-added by-product generation potential. This role gives a plausible dual purpose for algae cultivation, water treatment as well as producing biomass for generating biofuels and fertilizers. On this roadmap, in order to overcome the limitations of algal-based treatment for industrial usage, several scientific downsides need to be pointed out. The aim of this chapter is to help in the advancement of WWT using algae by providing a systematic and critical review of recent research into algal cultivation using waste water. Numerous difficulties associated with algal technology are also evaluated and addressed, for instance, contamination, declining the harvesting time, and increasing the biomass yield of the algal production. The plausible remedies of these obstructions have been advocated in this chapter to enhance the application of the phycoremediation process for treating industrial waste water by keeping in mind environmental sustainability. © 2023 Anju Malik, Mohd. Kashif Kidwai and Vinod Kumar Garg.
Understanding the benefits and implications of irrigation water and fertilizer use on plant health
(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2024) Monika Mahajan; Anita Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh; Pankaj Kumar Gupta; Richa Kothari; Vaibhav Srivastava
Shrinking agricultural land sizes and multiplied food demand have prompted overuse of fertilizers in agriculture, leading to a series of environmental repercussions worsening day after day. In the contemporary scenario, concerns over the magnitude of soil destruction and plant health have shifted the scientific community's attention toward sustainable agricultural practices, including organic farming and the use of organic fertilizers like vermicompost (VC), animal manure, etc. A factorial study using a randomized block design was conducted in the field to appraise the potential of fertilizer and irrigation water on the biochemical and growth responses of Abelmoschus esculentus using different doses of VCs along with and without recommended doses of NPK. All the biochemical analyses were performed at 45 and 65 DAG (days after germination). At both ages, combination of 3-ton ha−1 vermicompost + recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer (120:60:60 kg ha−1) + irrigation water treatments (T5) had the highest protein, chlorophyll, carotenoid, and phenol content and less lipid peroxidation as compared to control (144.28%, 84.21%, 83%, 224.2% and -60.43%, respectively). Also, T5 treatment showed a noticeable increase in the photosynthetic pigments level and reduced heavy metal content in fruits of the test plant at maturity. Statistical analyses, including PCA, Pearson correlation matrix, and MANOVA (p < 0.05), showed that appropriate dosing of VC together with inorganic fertilizer not only augments plant growth and yield, but also helps in reducing the transport of metals to different plant parts, mitigating food chain contamination. However, overdosing on fertilizers could negatively impact the plant’s growth and yield. Overall, the research highlights the value of organic agricultural supplements and irrigation water quality, fostering sustainable agriculture in multifaceted ways. Graphical abstract: (Figure presented.) © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2023.