Sustainability and Nutrient lock up in Varthur Lake, Bangalore

Mahapatra DM, Chanakya HN and Ramachandra TV
Centre for Sustainable Technologies
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
durgamadhab@cst.iisc.ernet.in

Nutrients such as C, N and P play a vital role in the growth and development of several micro-and macro organisms. The wetland systems such as Varthur lake in Bangalore, albeit being man-made, firstly create a good water balance in the neighbourhood and also act as sink for the pollutants from anthropogenic sources. In peninsular India, it has been traditional to hold runoff rainwater in manmade water bodies called tanks or lakes for later use especially during the dry periods. Greater dependence on ground water has exhausted ground water supplies and we will need to return to surface waters where these above lakes will be important. With increased urbanization, these water bodies are  increasingly receiving sewage as a secondary water and are reaching levels of nutrients well above safe limits and often even have become eutrophied.  As catchments have dwindled, sustainable use of these water bodies dictates that in future there will be a need to sustain such water bodies in the vicinity of urban and peri-urban areas with the use of both, surface run off during rainy season as well as sewage to meet the short fall.  We have examined Varthur lake in this perspective. Varthur lake has received sewage for over 50 years and today receives about 40% of sewage discharge from the city of Bangalore.   Sewage brings in large quantities of C, N and P.  As the lake also functions as a treatment lagoon, a predominant anaerobic decomposition in the upper reaches of the lake reduces oxygen in the water to 0 mg/L and also brings in some extent of anaerobic sludge.  As it flows towards the outlet with about 5-7d HRT, it begins to be aerated and a second type of sludge is formed and settles closer to the outlets.  In this study we have characterized the sludge at the lake bottom as a function of the residence time and it shows interesting trends.  The tank has been heavily silted and as a result the water storage is quite low compared to its original capacity.  Much of the sludge collected at various points in the lake is significantly organic.  The quality of the sludge improves as it nears the outlet.  The water quality is seen to pass criteria of a conventional treatment system and is therefore the tank may be considered to perform a useful function.  The paper presents the results of sludge found at various locations as well as water quality and brings out the threat to sustainability.

Ex‐situ uptake of chromium And growth curve studies of Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus sps.

Ranjini RF, Usha KJ^* and Bhuyan AD^*
Lecturer, Department of Environmental Science
Mount Carmel College (Autonomous), Bangalore.
E mail ID: ranjini_rajeev@yahoo.com
^*II M.Sc Biotechnology
Department of Biotechnology, Mount Carmel College (Autonomous), Bangalore.

This study has utilized two important and commonly found fungi, both in water and soil – Aspergillus niger. and Rhizopus sps., to study the ex-situ (laboratory) uptake of chromium by the organisms. The growth curve study of Aspergillus niger shows that, for a concentration of 20 µg / 100 ml of media, the maximum uptake of chromium is within the first 4 hours of inoculation (when the addition of metal is simultaneous with inoculation of fungus). There is a steep decrease from 4-8 hours, further increasing between 8-12 hours. Between 12-24 hours there is negligible to nil uptake. Uptake resumes after 24 hours and is completed by 48 hours. From 0-4 hours, pH drops from 5.91 to 5.6, and further increases. This indicates a negative correlation between absorption of chromium and pH. The maximum concentration of chromium that Aspergillus niger can tolerate indicates that upto 960 µg / 100 ml of media, there is complete uptake, then it reduces upto 2000 µg / 100 ml of media and beyond that, peaks at 4000 µg / 100 ml of media, further decreasing upto 5000 µg / 100 ml of media.
The growth curve of Rhizopus sps., for a low concentration of 20 µg/ 100 ml of media, (when inoculation of fungus and addition of metal is simultaneous) shows that the uptake of chromium starts at 2 hours following inoculation and continues till 4 hours, dropping to nil by 6 hours. It further resumes after 6 hours and is completed by 12 hours. When addition of metal is done 10 hours after inoculation, uptake starts immediately and is completed between 11-12 hours.  However, when the concentration is increased to 200 µg/ 100 ml of media, uptake occurs till 12 hours, further decreases between 12-20 hours, and then increases. The pH increases from 5.32 at inoculation to 6.4 at 10 hours, and further decreases to 5.5 at 18 hours. This indicates a positive correlation between absorption of chromium and pH. At a concentration of 600 µg/ 100 ml of media, uptake starts at 12 hours, thereafter fluctuating and peaking at 18 and 22 hours. The maximum concentration of chromium that Rhizopus sps. can tolerate shows there is complete uptake upto 600 µg/ 100 ml of media, further it reduces marginally till 650 µg/ 100 ml of media and again peaks at 1280 µg/ 100 ml of media.
The study forms a basis for further bioremediation studies of utilizing common soil and aquatic fungi for treatment of electroplating and other chromium-containing industrial wastes.

Constructed Wetland as Remedial Measure for Water Pollution

Baskar G, Deeptha VT and Rahaman AA
School of Civil Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and Technology
SRM university, Kattankulathur, Chennai – 603 203
baskarg@civil.srmuniv.ac.in , deeptha@civil.srmuniv.ac.in , vtdeeptha@gmail.com

Root zone treatment is an engineered method of purifying wastewater as it passes through constructed wetland. The pollutants are removed by physical, chemical, biogeochemical processes and by plant uptake. This method is most suitable for schools, hospitals, hotels and for smaller communities. The aim of this pilot research project is to study the effectiveness of the wetland plant Phragmites australis in the treatment of wastewater generated in the SRM University premises. A pilot wetland unit of size 1.5mX0.6mX0.3m was constructed in the campus grounds. 3X3 rows of plants were transplanted into the pilot unit and subjected to waste water from the hostels and other campus buildings. The raw wastewater and treated wastewater were collected periodically and tested for quality. It is seen that this pilot unit is reducing the concentrations of TSS, TDS, TN, TP, BOD, COD by 84%, 9%, 96%, 90%, 67%, 73%, respectively.

Microbial assessment of Madiwala – a rejuvenated lake in Bangalore urban district.

Anupama B¹, Jumbe AS², Nandini N^3
1PhD Research Scholar, Department of Environmental Science, Bangalore University, Bangalore
560056
²PhD Research Scholar, Department of Environmental Science, Bangalore University, Bangalore
560056;
Email: aboud.jumbe@gmail.com.
³Reader, Department of Environmental Science, Bangalore University, Bangalore 560056;
Email: nandini.sai@rediffmail.com.

The main objective of this study was to measure the level of fecal contamination in Madiwala Lake using several different techniques of E.Coli estimation and confirmation. The golden green colonies of coliforms with metallic sheen showed a luxuriant growth at 35C with M-Endo Agar. The growth of both E. Coli and Enterobacter aerogens using M-Endo Agar Plate was also luxuriant at 35C Temperature. But E. aerogens colonies were pink and mucoid while that E.coli varied  from Pink to Rose-Red with metallic sheen. The MPN Index of 100 ml of the lake sample was found to be 38. Water is generally considered safe for drinking if it contains fewer than 4 coliforms /100 ml. It is also considered safe if it contains less than 2 Enterococcus bacteria colonies /100ml of a sample.These observations indicate that environmental status of Madiwala Lake with respect to microbial pollution is continuing to deteriorate. The presence of lethal pathogens such as E.coli in the lake are at dangerous and epidemic levels.

Impact Of Sodium Cyanide On Catalase Activity In The Freshwater Exotic Carp, Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus)

Muniswamy David^* and Vadingadu Munaswamy
Karnatak University’s Research Laboratory, Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Division,
Department of Zoology, Karnatak Science College, Dharwad‐580 001, Karnataka, India

The Cyprinus carpio fingerlings on exposure to lethal (1 mg/L) and sub lethal concentrations (0.066 mg/L) of sodium cyanide showed inhibition in the activity of catalase. The disruption of catalase activity in freshwater fish, C. carpio is demonstrated in the present study using UV-Visible spectrophotometer at 240 nm using hydrogen peroxide as a substrate. It suggests toxic effects of sodium cyanide and consequent accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the functionally different tissues namely, liver, gill, muscle, and brain. This might lead to cellular damages, and create widespread physiological disturbance. The results suggest that catalase activity can be a good diagnostic tool for sodium cyanide toxicity in biomonitoring programme.

Hepatotoxic Potentials of Malathion in the Freshwater Teleost, Labeo rohita (Hamilton)

Patil VK and Muniswamy David^*
Karnatak University’s Research Laboratory, Environmental and Molecular Toxicology
Division, Department of Zoology, Karnatak Science College, Dharwad 580 001,
Karnataka, India

Freshwater edible fish,Labeo rohita were exposed to sublethal concentration (0.9 µl/L) of commercial grade malathion (50% Emulsifiable concentration) for 5, 15 and 25 d. After each exposure periods, liver was taken to study biochemical alterations. Increase in free amino acid, protease activity and ACh levels, in contrast to decrement in total, structural and soluble proteins and AChE activity were observed in 5 and l5 d of exposure, but on 25 d of exposure all the values reached nearer to normalcy. Restoration of protein fractions, free amino acid, protease activity, ACh levels and AChE activity to normalcy implies that after  15 d of exposure there seems to exist an oscillatory phase in protein turnover towards a more synthetic phase leading to the establishment of recuperation and adaptation phenomena.

Heavy metal contamination of selected aquatic macrophytes in two distinct seasons: a case
study of Varasda wetland, Gujarat, India.

Manishita Das¹, Nirmal Kumar JI ¹ and Rita NK^2
1Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Institute of Science and Technology for
Advanced Studies and Research (ISTAR), Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand – 388120, Gujarat, India
²Department of Biosciences and Environmental Sciences, Natubhai V, Patel college of Pure and
Applied Sciences(NVPAS), Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand – 388120, Gujarat, India
¹email corresponding author: istares2005@yahoo.com

The heavy metal contamination of Cr, As, Pb and Cd from selected four native aquatic macrophyte species Nelumbo nucifera Gaerth, Typha angustata Bory & Chaub, Ipomoea aquatica Forsk and Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle, and their components (roots, stems, leaves, flowers) in comparison with sediment and water samples, during two distinct season i.e. summer and monsoon for the month June and October 2008, was carried out  in Varasda wetland, situated between 22º 33’ N latitude and 72º 38’ E longitude of Kheda dist, Central Gujarat, India. The details of the heavy metal concentration in the different plants components and their correlation have been discussed in this paper. The heavy metals in studied plant samples could be arranged in a decreasing order based on their contents as follows: Root system > Shoot system > Leaf system> Flower. Moreover, the mean concentration values of the elements in the plants declined according to this sequence: Cr > Pb >As > Cd, in both the seasons.. During summer N. nucifera shown the maximum accumulation of Cr, similarly T. angustata of As and I. aquatica of Pb. This trend however changed in the monsoons.

Bioreduction based Bioremediation of Hexavalent Chromium

^*Susmita Mishra and Das AP
^*Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering,
National Institute of Technology, Rourkela.
smishra1234@gmail.com and alok1503@gmail.com

Presence of Hexavalent chromium in the mineral processing sites is toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic in nature. The basic process for chromium detoxification involves transformation of Cr6+ (highly toxic) to Cr3+ (less toxic) form. Our study aims to isolate potential strain of chromium reducing bacteria from the chromium contaminated site and to characterize it. The selected strain was capable of catalyzing Cr (VI) reduction thereby decreasing Cr (VI) toxicity and bioavailability. The physico-chemical characteristics of soil sample collected from different chromium contaminated sites of the Sukida mines were studied. Serial dilution technique was followed to isolate the bacterial colonies from the soil sample. Nutrient agar media amended with Cr (VI) at concentrations ranging from 50 to 250 mg/l was carried out for the isolation of the chromium resistant bacterial strains. Our basic objective was to optimize the process parameter for industrial application so as to treat hexavalent chromium waste stream from anthropogenic sources.

Pollution Status and Conservation of Lakes in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India

Nishadh KA, Rachna Chandra^* and Azeez PA^**
Department of Environmental Sciences, Bharthiyar University,
Coimbatore‐641046, India
nishadhka@yahoo.co.in
^*Environmental Impact Assessment Division,
Salim Ali Centre and Ornithology and Natural History (SACON),
Anikatty(PO), Coimbatore‐641108, India
rachnaeia@gmail.com
^**Environmental Impact Assessment Division,
Salim Ali Centre and Ornithology and Natural History(SACON),
Anikatty(PO), Coimbatore‐641108, India
azeezpa@gmail.com

Economic development is accelerating the changes in the land use pattern and land-cover conversion almost throughout India at an unprecedented rate. Wetlands and lakes especially those situated in the vicinity of urban centres have been facing rapid degradation due to liquid or solid waste disposal, filling and reclamation, real-estate ventures and industrial development. Coimbatore, a rapidly developing city in the western part of Tamil Nadu, has several wetlands and lakes in and around its limits. This city wanting facilities for treatment of industrial, municipal, domestic and hospital waste has open drainage and sewerage systems which joining these lakes without any prior treatment. The present study undertaken in Coimbatore during May 2008 on four urban lakes / wetlands namely Ukkadam, Perur, Kurchi and Chinnakulam reports the water quality of these water bodies with reference to the pollution from various sources. The pH for water samples ranged between 7.64 and 8.62. EC and TDS ranged from 303.67 - 4456.7 μS/cm and 169 - 2079.3 mg/L respectively and were positively correlated with chloride and sulphate (P < 0.05). Ukkadam lake, surrounded by textile dyeing industries, municipal markets, dumped domestic wastes was the most polluted among the lakes studied. This lake receives sewage waste along with effluents from dyeing industries through various channels. In view of the findings, recognizing the various ecological services these wetlands offer to the city and its environs regular monitoring of disposal of solid / liquid wastes and sewage discharge is imperative for their conservation.

Determination of the Identity of Salmon Colored H2s Producing Colony Isolates from Fish and
Meat and their Characterization by Real‐ Time PCR

Pranav Garg^1,2 , Ruth Witkowsky² and Robert Levin^2
1Food Science Summer Scholar, Biotechnology major, Amity University,
Noida, India
²Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA

Shewanella putrefaciens (formerly Pseudomonas putrefaciens) is a spoilage organism in refrigerated foods and can be an opportunistic pathogen.  The objective of this work was to confirm the identity of 40 presumptive isolates from Cod and Haddock fillets. These S. putrefaciens isolates, both black and salmon colored, were picked from Peptone Iron Agar Plates and streaked for isolation onto Tryptic Soy Agar plates. The 40 isolates and 9 control strains (including P. putrefaciens p19x, S. Putrefaciens ATCC 8071, S. Oneidensis DLM- 7, S. oneidensis MR-1, S. Putrefaciens ft7, S. frigidimarina ATCC 1089 and beef isolates HB1, HB3, HB6) were subjected to 4 metabolic tests and 7 enzymatic tests. Motility was determined by microscopy. Results were compared and the number of presumptives was reduced to 20 by eliminating duplicates. Vitamin requirement studies performed with washed agar on the controls and final 20 cultures revealed that vitamins were not required for growth, however about 0.5% NaCl was required. All 29 cultures demonstrated the ability to grow in the range of 4-32°C. The majority of the isolates were found to resemble S. frigidimarina ATCC 1089 and P. putrefaciens p19x, but a few were similar to S. Oneidensis DLM- 7 and MR-1 in their growth requirements. This was confirmed by Real Time PCR using S. frigidimarina primers SFc3f and SFc3r and S. putrefaciens primers SP-1 and SP-2 which amplify the DNA from the isolates and controls.

Bioremediation of Domestic Waste Water of Thuraiyur Municipality

^*Chakkaravarthy QA
Lecturer in Environmental Science,
St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli – 2
E‐mail: ac_borthy_ecology @ yahoo.co.in

The present study was aimed at using a simple model system for the treatment of Domestic sewage of Thuraiyur Municipality. In order to have a clear idea about the sewage water (S1), and Lake water (S2), the water samples were subjected to physicochemical and bacterial analysis.  Total heterotrophic bacterial population was found maximum in sewage water i.e. 2.2 ´ 105 / mL. Total coliforms and faecal coliforms was high in sewage water i.e. 3.7 ´ 104 / mL, 1.6 ´ 103/100mL. More than 50% reductions of BOD and COD was observed after the treatment. Results indicated that Micrococci and Pseudomonas would be a better candidate for continuous treatment of sewage after screened to species level. Further studies required to scaling up the methods and transfer of technology in the Bioremediation process for the safe disposal of municipal sewage.

Wastewater treatment and management in urban areas A case study of Mysore city, Karnataka, India

Shakunthala Bai and Srikantaswamy S^*
Department of studies in Environmental Science, University of Mysore,
Manasagangotri, Mysore‐570006, Karnataka, India

*Corresponding author
Effective collection and treatment of urban wastewater is a critical problem in a developing country like India. Three wastewater treatment plants at Mysore have been taken for the study. The untreated and treated urban waste water was collected seasonally during 2007-08 and analyzed in the laboratory with particular weight age for assessing their agricultural use with respect to water quality and heavy metal concentrations and the results were compared with irrigation water quality standards as per Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). However, TDS and BOD of the treated urban waste water remain well within the standards. The concentration of heavy metals (Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Zinc, Iron, Lead, Nickel, in the untreated and treated waste water from all the waste water treatment plants were determined. The Cd, Ni and Cr were not detectable at any stage of the plants.  The concentration of Cu, Fe, and Zn were decreased by the treatment plant. The main aim of this study is to analyze the condition of wastewater treatment and management of the Mysore city. The results could be use for further treatment process and reuse of treated water for growing greens, vegetables and for agriculture.

Status of lakes before and after restoration – a case study on ulsoor, sankey,
hebbal & madival lakes of Bangalore, Karnataka

Pattusamy V¹ and nandini N²
1. Central Pollution Control Board, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
2. Reader & Principal Investigator, Dept. of Environmental Science, Bangalore University,
Bangalore‐56, Karnataka, India.

The Lakes in Bangalore form a chain of hydrological connection through them. The flow of water runs from north to south-east as well as south-west along their natural gradient of their land. Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) carried out water quality monitoring in few lakes in Bangalore. The lakes are Ulsoor, Sankey tank, Hebbal Lake and Madivala Lakes. Water samples were collected and analysed for physico-chemical parameters and Heavy metals. Sludge sample were collected and analysed for heavy metals. In some of the above lake samples analysis were carriedout before lake restoration, after lake restoration and present water quality status. Out of the 5 lakes analysed, Madivala and Ulsoor lakes are showing Phosphate value more than 30ug/L, algal blooms in excess and Nitrogen value exceeded 1500 ug/L which exceeds the standards of unpolluted lakes. Most of the Bangalore lakes are eutrophic in nature.