Browsing by Author "Richa Kothari"

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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.
An overview for exploring the possibilities of energy generation from municipal solid waste (MSW) in Indian scenario
(2011) R.P. Singh; V.V. Tyagi; Tanu Allen; M. Hakimi Ibrahim; Richa Kothari
The energy crisis and environmental degradation are currently two vital issues for global sustainable development. Rapid industrialization and population explosion in India has led to the migration of people from villages to cities, which generate thousands tons of municipal solid waste daily, which is one of the important contributors for environmental degradation at national level. Improper management of municipal solid waste (MSW) causes hazards to inhabitants. The management of MSW requires proper infrastructure, maintenance and upgrade for all activities. The MSWM (municipal solid waste management) system comprises with generation, storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing and disposal of solid wastes. In the present study, an attempt has been made to provide a comprehensive review of MSW management to evaluate the current status of waste to energy facilities for sustainable management, which will be helpful in tackling this huge quantity of waste and the problem of energy crisis. A critical review of known MSW management practices/processes in Indian scenario, which will give an idea to investors about the market potential, the maturity of the practicing technologies, and the environmental and economical aspects was also evaluated with its advantages and disadvantages. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Application of Wastewater in Irrigation and Its Regulation with Special Reference to Agriculture Residues
(Springer Singapore, 2021) Monika; Rajeev Pratap Singh; Pooja Singh; Richa Kothari; Kaushik Gautam; Anita Singh
Growing urban agglomeration across the world has promoted unscientific disposal of wastewater. In this view, wastewater exploitation in agriculture is a sustainable way of its utilization. Application of wastewater as irrigation water serves several goals such as promoting sustainable agriculture in an arid and semiarid region, preserving scarce water resources, and maintaining growth of plants. However, inadequate practices of wastewater application in present decades have resulted severe environmental issues like degrading river quality, groundwater pollution, heavy metal contamination, deterioration in soil health and nearby water reservoir quality, etc. With the treatment, the wastewater can be purified up to a certain level, but they cannot remove some constituents like heavy metals, pesticides, and other organic and inorganic compounds. Due to the unpredictable and unstable nature of wastewater, this becomes costly to treat either physically, chemically, or biologically. In this context, with the application of some sustainable strategies, the contamination can be reduced up to a certain extent particularly for heavy metals. Among all strategies, the applications of agricultural residues such as rice husk, sawdust, and other amendments are found to be the most suitable and lucrative way of reducing metal availability. Therefore, adjusted and scientific use of wastewater with certain treatment can be an economic and environmentally sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers for enhancing crop productivity and crop yield and, at the same time, help in handling wastewater as a valuable resource. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021.
Biobased treatment and resource recovery from slaughterhouse wastewater via reutilization and recycling for sustainable waste approach
(Elsevier Ltd, 2024) Richa Kothari; Rifat Azam; Anu Bharti; Kajol Goria; Tanu Allen; Veeramuthu Ashokkumar; Deepak Pathania; Rajeev Pratap Singh; V.V. Tyagi
Growing demands for meat production have resulted in the establishment of number of slaughterhouses. However, different processing and manufacturing units of the slaughterhouses leads to the generation of wastewater that pollute the water bodies and cause harm to organisms residing in the vicinity. A rise in the overall water footprint level from the whole process is also an emerging issue. The wastewater produced from slaughterhouses needs to be disposed of properly after suitable, efficient and economically viable treatments. Numerous treatment technologies are being explored for better decontamination of wastewater and production of valuable end products (VAEP). A variety of value-added products are produced during the treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater as it is quite a rich source of organic matter, and it can be utilized in industries for the manufacturing of several products. This article is focused on evaluation of sustainable approach for treating slaughterhouse wastewater. Some of the biological treatment options called bioremediation are also explored which includes phytoremediation and phycoremediation of slaughterhouse wastewater (SHWW). This review has also summarized the reasons for variable water footprint in the slaughterhouse operational process and strategies to lower the level down. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd
COVID-19 and waste management in Indian scenario: challenges and possible solutions
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Richa Kothari; Sinha Sahab; Har Mohan Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh; Bhaskar Singh; Deepak Pathania; Anita Singh; Shweta Yadav; Tanu Allen; Sohini Singh; Vineet Veer Tyagi
The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has created havoc all across the globe causing exponential casualties and tremendous health and economic loss. With increasing COVID-19 cases, the amount of biomedical waste has increased manifolds making more people vulnerable to the pandemic. The developing and underdeveloped countries are already facing the challenges of waste management, and the waste generated during the pandemic scenario has added to the already existing challenges. The improper waste management practices need to be corrected; otherwise, the world will be facing a new disaster that could be termed as ‘waste disaster’. The increase in COVID-19-associated waste (CAW) quantity and their availability in the environment will result in their easy approach to other organisms, which will possibly increase the potential risk of food chain contamination. Some of the countries have already started to make backup plans and are struggling to overcome the ‘waste disaster’. In light of the limited knowledge available on the mutational properties and possible hosts of this newly emerged COVID-19, there is a great demand to have an efficient strategy to prevent the environment from further contamination in India. The necessity of the prevailing time is to create a more efficient, automatic, mechanized, and well-modified waste management system for handling the present situation and delaying the projected waste disaster in the near future in the era of COVID-19. The article aims to address the issues that originated from waste discharges, their potential sources along with possible sustainable solutions. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
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)
Growth performance, metal accumulation and biochemical responses of Palak (Beta vulgaris L. var. Allgreen H-1) grown on soil amended with sewage sludge-fly ash mixtures
(Springer Verlag, 2018) Bhavisha Sharma; Richa Kothari; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Agricultural utilization of sewage sludge (SS) and fly ash (FA) has become both, a common practice and an alternative disposal method for these wastes all around the world. The present study was conducted to assess the effect and viability of co-application of SS and FA (SLASH) in four mixing ratios denoted as A [4 (SS): 1(FA)], B [4 (SS): 2 (FA)], C [4 (SS): 3 (FA)] and D [4 (SS): 4(FA)] at three application rates viz. 20, 40 and 60% (w/w) with agricultural soil on biochemical, physiological and growth response of Palak (Beta vulgaris L. var. Allgreen H-1), a commonly used green leafy vegetable. SLASH amendment modified the physico-chemical properties of soil and increased the concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn) in soil and plant parts however, within the Indian permissible limit except for Cr, Cd and Zn in shoot. Experimental results revealed decrease in morphological and growth parameters such as root and shoot length, leaf area, root, shoot biomass etc. Lipid peroxidation, ascorbic acid, proline and protein content increased however, total chlorophyll and carotenoid content decreased indicating towards heavy metal stress induced biochemical and physiological response in Palak plants. Significant increase in yield was seen in some of the treatments viz. three mixing ratios B, C and D, with maximum increment shown by mixture D at 20 and 40% amendment rate. The results of this study suggest that though SLASH amendment for growing Palak improved the physico-chemical properties of soil amended and also the yield of the plants in some treatments, it may not be a good option due to risk of contamination of heavy metals such as Cr, Cd and Zn showing higher accumulation. © 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
Impact of Pollutant Load from Textile Dyeing Industry Wastewater on Biometric Growth Profile of Vigna radiata
(Springer, 2022) Richa Kothari; Atin K. Pathak; Varsha Sharma; Shamshad Ahmad; Har Mohan Singh; Rajeev Pratap Singh; V.V. Tyagi
The phytoremediation of wastewater has certain advantages, but the interactions of soil and crop properties have not been systematically studied. This study aimed to analyze how different concentrations of textile dyeing industry wastewater (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) affected soil qualities, growth, and yield attributes (Vigna radiata). In reaction to dyeing effluent at varying concentrations, the seed germination percentage, growth metrics such as tolerance index, phytotoxicity percentage, relative toxicity, extreme and plumule length were calculated. With increasing effluent concentrations, a gradual decrease in the germination of seed and seedling growth was observed. The maximal relative toxicity and percentage of phytotoxicity was 100%. Interaction of biometric growth profile relative seed germination, relative root growth, relative shoot growth, growth index, and seedling vigor index of V. radiata and physicochemical parameter of textile dyeing industry wastewater were also investigated by using the Pearson correlation co-efficient. Principal component analysis (PCA) is helped to obtain and recognize the factors/sources accountability of different concentrations of textile dyeing industry wastewater. The results of the PCA revealed that four components (PC1 to PC4) out of total principal components retained PC1, PC2, with values of 69.25% and 28.85%, respectively. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
India's renewable energy research and policies to phase down coal: Success after Paris agreement and possibilities post-Glasgow Climate Pact
(Elsevier Ltd, 2023) Kripal Singh; Ram Swaroop Meena; Sandeep Kumar; Shalini Dhyani; Seema Sheoran; Har Mohan Singh; Vinayak V. Pathak; Zaira Khalid; Anita Singh; Kapil Chopra; Somvir Bajar; Faiz Ahmad Ansari; Sanjay Kumar Gupta; Sunita Varjani; Richa Kothari; Vineet Veer Tyagi; Bhaskar Singh; Chaeho Byun
In Paris Climate Agreement (COP 21) in December 2015, India committed to cut its carbon (C) emissions by 30–35% of its GDP (gross domestic product) and attain 40% of installed energy from renewables by 2030. In the Glasgow Climate Pact (COP 26), an agreement developed at COP26 of UNFCCC in November 2021, India committed to enhancing its renewable energy (RE) capacity to 500 GW and installing 50% of its power from renewable resources by 2030. It is projected that this will help India to reduce its C emissions by 1Bt, reduce emission intensity to the economy by 45% by 2030, and meet the goal of C neutral economy by 2070. Realization of these highly ambitious commitments made at COP26 can be determined by the nation's growth in REs after COP21. Therefore, this article reviews the overall development of renewable energies – solar, wind, biomass, hydrogen, and hydro – in India after COP21 by the end of December 2021. This review provides detailed information on various policies and roadmaps for each energy sector commitments. It identifies major technical and social challenges associated with the sustainability of these sectors. This review offers insights into how realistically ambitious plans India has for ‘phasing down’ the use of coal by 2050 and being a carbon-neutral economy by 2070. India achieved massive success through solar energy after COP21 and 80% of future investments are for solar energy. Comparatively, there has been the least investment in other REs such as bioenergy, water, and wind. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd
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.
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.
Nutrients Sequestration from Slaughterhouse Wastewater with Kinetic Model Studies Using C. vulgaris for Lipid Production and Reduction in Freshwater Footprint: A Synergistic Approach
(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2024) Richa Kothari; Rifat Azam; Har Mohan Singh; Pankaj Kumar; Vinod Kumar; Rajeev Pratap Singh; V.V. Tyagi
A new issue resulting from shifting dietary preferences is effluent from slaughterhouses. Because non-point sources produce the majority of the wastewater from slaughterhouses, treating it is a laborious operation. In this study, Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) was chosen to sequestrate nutrients from slaughterhouses wastewater (at a concentration of 50%) for the removal of pollutants, the generation of lipids, and to enhance the processing of freshwater footprints. The maximum biomass was found 390 mg L−1. Algal growth kinetic investigations backed the Logistic model, which demonstrated greater fitness in predicting a number of important parameters than the modified Gompertz model. Additionally, C. vulgaris is effective at removing pollutant load (32–77% COD and 32–75% BOD) as well as nutrients (33–82% nitrate and 29–78% phosphate). An increasing opportunity for sustainable biofuels is shown by the lipid output (30.7%) throughout the algae culture phase. The first-order model was also useful in figuring out the pollution removal process rate constant. The slaughterhouse wastewater is the good substitute for nutrients removal as well as the production of lipid via reducing the freshwater footprint. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.) © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2023.
Prospects for pretreatment methods of lignocellulosic waste biomass for biogas enhancement: opportunities and challenges
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2018) Shamshad Ahmad; Vinayak V. Pathak; Richa Kothari; Rajeev Pratap Singh
Lignocellulose biomass/lignocellulosic waste biomass (LCB/LCWB) represents the largest renewable pool for potentially fermentable carbohydrates, which provides a good solution for bioenergy production. Although it is assumed to have a lower theoretical yield for biogas than waste material made of sugar or starch, it is free from the problems associated with other generations of biofuels. An inexpensive and efficient pretreatment method of LCB/LCWB is highly desired to achieve an economical biogas production process. This paper reviews the conventional, advanced and infant (i.e. under development) pretreatment methods that have been studied for enhancement of biogas production. In addition to various pretreatment methods, this article also reviews further aspects of the conventional, advanced and infant methods (nanotechnolgy) for pretreatment of LCB/LCWB. Thus, the article provides systematic technological strategies and new pretreatment approaches for sustainable bioprocessing of LCB/LCWB into value-added product. © 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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.