Environment Development and Health Safety System in Rural Areas of Bangladesh (Noakhali and Lakshmipur Districts)

At present time, Bangladesh is developing its position in all sectors of world prosperity. Economic development of Bangladesh depends on working ability of whole population of this country, although Bangladesh is not developed in health status of its whole population. A large percentage of people live in rural areas without any proper shelter. This study revealed the environmental development and health safety system in rural areas of Bangladesh, which is located in Noakhali and Lakshmipur districts of Bangladesh. Many sections were studied, which are the main structure of environmental development and health safety system of southeastern region of Bangladesh. The study found that there were three types of handicraft enterprises in the surveyed area such as handicraft input, like palm leaf, factories, Betel nut businesses, and Coconut businesses were headed and owned by the women and they were unaware of their health, environment and waste management or reduction of pollution. This study also reveals that microentrepreneurs did not ensure purified water supply and hygienic toilets within enterprises in the study area. The study also found that a significant portion of the microentrepreneurs are workers, and their family members were always fewer users of protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study identified that most MEs faced transport or carrying facilities or big costing problems, including problems in available services for raw materials in the high category. In contrast, the high cost of transport facilities was very intensive in the study area. Moreover, it found that Microentrepreneurs (MEs) faced high product marketing costs for transport facilities, and a lack of proper pricing of the products in the study area. In addition, it explored that most of the microentrepreneurs did not receive sufficient credit support, and they faced negative attitudes and delayed responses from the credit services providers in the study area. It also found that the majority of the microentrepreneurs argued that capital support, loan, aid, technological assistance, infrastructural assistance, availability of skilled labor forces, availability of raw materials, and getting the government assistance and services were the major reasons for the highest growth of the enterprises in the study area. In addition, entire MEs had no knowledge and understanding of climate change in the study area. It is worth mentioning that MEs were not aware of climate change and its impacts on nature in the handicrafts sector and in their daily lives. A significant portion of the MEs took safety measures against risk and protected themselves and workers within the enterprises in the study area. MEs had various demands such as infrastructural development, economic assistance (/aid/loan/grants/financial), training and development, assistance for environment development, and machinery assistance for promoting their business. MEs argued that the implementation of their suggestion is the key to improve the current situation of the enterprises. The MEs suggested appointing expert workers, ensuring quality inputs, training workers and reserving products carefully.

Government and Community Involvement in Environmental Protection and Flood Risk Management: Lessons from Keko Machungwa, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Since the 1960s, most cities in developing countries have faced a high rate of urbanization, which in turn has caused more harm to low-income earners, in urban areas. A majority of low-income earners most often face difficulties in accessing land in planned areas, as a result they are forced to build houses in unplanned settlements that are vulnerable to natural hazards. The situation is worse to the extent that people encroach the most vulnerable areas (hazard lands). As concentration of people increases, these unplanned areas become more unsafe to live in. This is partly due to the risks associated with natural hazards particularly flooding. Further, vulnerability of unplanned settlements in developing countries is aggravated by hosts of problems caused by many factors, including inadequate Government involvement in: environmental protection especially managing hazard lands and helping the community to minimize risks associated with hazards. This paper addresses this issue. It argues that community and Government initiatives are vital to any strategy for flood risk reduction and environmental protection in general. The study employed both the primary and the secondary data sources. Data collection tools and techniques involved in this study included: Checklist to various leaders, interview using questionnaires, focus group discussion, analysis of aerial photographs and non participant observation. A total of 70 households from within Keko Machungwa were interviewed. The study revealed that flooding is largely contributed by construction done by a large scale developer on a water course;and when affected community initiated a strategy to solve the problem they partially succeed due to inadequate support from the Government and other stakeholders. These findings could be useful to strengthen policy and legislation in environmental protection, management and flood control as well as in intervening land use conflicts between local community and developers.

Trend Analysis in Ecological Status and Macrophytic Characterization of Watercourses: Case of the Semois-Chiers Basin, Belgium Wallonia

In order to analyze the distribution and evolution of the aquatic vegetation and ecological status of the Semois-Chiers basin (Semois sub-basin and Chiers sub-basin), macrophyte surveys were conducted at 48 sites in 2007 and 2013. Environmental parameters were also measured in order to characterize the waterbodies in terms of physico-chemical properties and anthropogenic pressure. The two-way clustering and indicator value (INDVAL) methods were used to assess groups of sites according to their macrophytic composition and species communities. The results showed a clear difference between streams in the Lorraine area (calcareous watercourses) and in the Ardennes (siliceous). Within each natural region, those with natural vegetation of high ecological status were separated from those dominated by resistant species. The Macrophytical Biological Index for Rivers (IBMR) was calculated for the sites visited in 2010 and 2013 and the results show a trend towards an increase of IBMR values of polluted sites. For the latter, the Wilcoxon test was performed to assess the significance of the difference in quality between 2010 and 2013. This showed a statistically significant difference (p-value = 0.035). Our results showed similarities with previous data, as well as some differences. The differences observed might indicate a gradual change in the composition of the vegetation in the study area, which was caused by changes in environmental conditions. They could also reflect a lack of information about the ecology of certain groups of plants, mainly bryophytes and macroalgae that were not considered in previous studies. Despite the measures implemented under the EU’s Water Framework Directive (WFD), the current vegetation of the Semois river differs little from that observed in 1996. The headwaters of a Semois river, described in previous studies as polytrophic and devoid of vegetation, show a slight improvement, with the appearance of macrophytic species. In some parts of the Chiers sub-basin, however, resistant species observed in 1999 persist.

Available Approaches of Remediation and Stabilisation of Metal Contamination in Soil: A Review

Anthropogenic activities, such as mining of natural resources, manufac-turing industries, modern agricultural practices and energy production have resulted in the release of heavy metals with resultant harmful im-pacts in some natural environments. Toxic heavy metals are harmful to living organisms even at low concentrations. Therefore, heavy metal contaminated sites should be remediated as heavy metals do not decompose into less harmful substances and are retained in the soil. Conventional methods are used for remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils such as heavy metal extraction, immobilization and removal of soils to landfill produce large quantities of toxic products including insoluble hydroxides and are rarely cost effective. The advent of bioremediation technologies like biosparging, bioventing and bioaugmentation has provided an alternative to conventional methods for remediating heavy metal contaminated soils. A subset of bacteria found in the rhizosphere has been found to increase the tolerance of plants to heavy metals in soil. These bacteria commonly known as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria or Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) are showing promise as a bioremediation technique for the stabilisation and remediation of heavy metal contami-nated sites. PGPR can improve plant growth via a variety of mechanism including fixing atmospheric N to improve N status and making plants more tolerant of heavy metals. Scattered literature is harnessed to review the principles, advantages and disadvantages of the available technologies for remediating heavy metal contaminated soils and is presented.

Water quality assessment of benthic diatom communities for water quality in the subalpine karstic lakes of Jiuzhaigou,a world heritage site in China

Jiuzhaigou, characterized by its magnificent waterscapes and subalpine karstic features, is both a World Heritage Site and a World Biosphere Reserve in southwestern China. In recent years, this unique ecosystem has shown signs of stress due to increasing tourism activities within the reserve. The various routine methods, which monitor physical and chemical properties, do not fully reflect water quality in the subalpine and alpine lakes, while the indicators using aquatic organisms to evaluate the water quality or status of the subalpine lakes are poorly reported. Thus, in this study, benthic diatoms from multiple habitats in Jiuzhaigou were sampled and assessed for water quality monitoring. Canonical Correspondence Analysis(CCA) showed that the canonical coefficients for elevation, water temperature and total nitrogen on the first Canonical Correspondence Analysis axis were-0.84, 0.78 and-0.53, respectively, environmental variables associated with the distribution patterns of benthic diatoms. The dominance of diatom taxa indicative of nutrient enrichment indicates a clear trend toward eutrophication in the Pearl Shoal and Colorful Lake, two of the sites mostly visited by tourists. It was observed that the effect of the type of substratum on diatom community composition is not significant in subalpine lakes. The most dominant species in Jiuzhaigou lakes are the genera Achnanthes, Fragilaria, Cymbella, Cocconeis, Diatoma and Denticula. In combination with dominant and sensitive species in the benthic diatom communities, CCA and CA methods can be used to evaluate the impact of human activities on subalpine karstic lakes. The dominance of diatom taxa is indicative of nutrient enrichment and the results of CCA and CA indicate a clear trend toward eutrophication in the Pearl Shoal and Colorful Lake, two of the sites mostly visited by tourists.

Saving Dupinga Watershed in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija Philippines: Insights from Community Based Forest Management Model

The world is losing its forest. The study described the multi-sectoral initiatives done to protect the Dupinga watershed. By using Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) as theoretical framework and analytic descriptive method of research, issues and concerns related to watershed protection are discussed. The study argued that the multi-sectoral collaboration of the Local Government Unit of Gabaldon, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Peoples Organizations, Non Government Organizations (NGO) and Community Organization is a CBFM in progress. Alternative source of income and community tourism may strengthen and sustain the multi-stake-holders collaboration existing in the area while capacity building program for community participation and forest management may provide insights for a sustainable watershed protection and management.

Heavy Metals, Metalloids, Their Toxic Effect and Living Systems

Pollution of the biosphere by heavy metals is a global hazard that has accelerated since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Toxic heavy metals are harmful to living organisms even at low concentrations whereas heavy metals that are essential trace elements are required by plants at low concentrations but can become toxic at high concentrations. Heavy metals released from different sources accumulate in soil and, where bioavailability is high enough;can adversely affect soil biological functioning and other properties, leading to the loss of soil and ecosystem fertility and health. It is important that heavy metal contaminated sites are remediated as heavy metals do not decompose into less harmful substances like organic contaminants, and thus are retained in the soil. In this review, we survey and analysis our current knowledge and understanding of the abundance of heavy metals in soil, their phytoavailability, their toxicity, their uptake and transport, role of rhizobia and other microbes and overall rhizosphere processes.

Antifungal Enantiomeric Styrylpyrones from Sanrafaelia ruffonammari and Ophrypetalum odoratum

Phytochemical investigation of Sanrafaelia ruffonammari Verd and Ophrypetalum odoratum Diels that belongs to the rare genera confined to East African coastal forests led to the isolation of enantiomeric styrylpyrone dimer,(±)-5-methoxy-7-phenyl-[4-methoxy-2-pyronyl]-1-(E)-styryl-2-oxabicyclo-[4.2.0]-octa-4-en-3-one(1)alongside(?)-6-styryl-7,8-epoxy-4-methoxypyran-2-one(2)and the enantiomeric(?)-(3)and(-)-6-styryl-7,8-dihydroxy-4-methoxypyran-2-ones(4).Their structures were established by means of spectroscopic methods.In this paper we reveal for the first time the occurrence of styrylpyrones in East African biodiversity.(?)-6-Styryl-7,8-epoxy-4-methoxypyran-2-one(2)and the dihydroxystyrylpyrone enantiomer(3)showed in vitro antifungal activity against Candida albicans at a concentration of 24.4 and 26.2 lM with zones of inhibition of 17 and 9 mm,respectively.Compound 2 exhibited strong activity in the brine shrimp test with LC50=1.7 lg/mL.Their high cytotoxic and antifungal activities render them candidates for further scientific attention for drug development programs against cancer and microbial infections.

Conceptual Model of Aquifers in the Bedrock Zone of the MarahouéWatershed (Centre-West of Ivory Coast)

Marahoué watershed, located in the Center West of Côte d’Ivoire, has experienced significant population growth in recent decades. And a major economic boom linked to intense agricultural activity and the presence of certain industries. This population growth is also accompanied by seasonal water shortages. Hence it needs to better manage the basin’s groundwater, which is a permanent resource and more resistant than surface water to climatic hazards. The objective of this study is therefore to propose a conceptual model of hydrogeological flow for the sustainable exploitation of groundwater resources in the Marahoué watershed. The establishment of the conceptual model was carried out in two stages. The first step consisted in defining the stratigraphic units. For this purpose, three units have been defined. These are the layer of alterite, the useful fissured horizon and the sound basement. The thickness of the layer of alterite varies from 0 to 80 m with an average of 26 m. As for the useful fissured horizon, its thickness is between 43 and 46.5 with an average of 45 m. In addition, the roof of the basement presents a slightly uneven morphology with a North-West, South-East dip and the altitudes are between 150 and 390 m. The second step corresponds to the phase of determining the hydrodynamic parameters. During this phase, the crack porosity, the transmissivity, the conductivity, the storage coefficient, the hydrological balance and the piezometric map were determined. Indeed, these parameters (the crack porosity, the transmissivity, the conductivity and the storage coefficient) confirm not only the heterogeneity of the medium but that the cracked horizon is sufficiently porous to be assimilated to an equivalent continuous medium during the simulation.

Carbon Sequestration in Tropical Forest Stands: Its Control by Plant, Soil and Climatic Factors

This study investigated the relationships amongst floristic, soil and climatic parameters and their control on carbon sequestration (CS) in two selected forest stands of Sri Lanka. Representative sampling sites were selected from the dry zone (Sigiriya forest sanctuary) and the wet zone (Udawattakele forest reserve) of Sri Lanka. Litter and soil samples were collected from each sampling site randomly in monthly intervals to cover an annual cycle. Plant biomass carbon stocks were calculated using standard biomass equations. Soil carbon stocks were determined by chemical oxidation and loss on ignition (LOI) methods. Principle Factor Analysis and multiple regression were used to quantify the relationships among the plants, soil and climatic variables. Plant biomass carbon stocks of the forests were governed by labile and stable C fractions, soil moisture, and plant diversity. The soil fulvic fraction acts as a focal point of interacting the variables such as soil N, free litter fraction (FLF) and humic fraction. During dry period in the dry zone forest, CS was governed by maximum relative humidity through an atmosphere-floor litter-soil continuum. Air temperature and FLF play a vital role in determining soil N. In addition, MacIntosh distance (U) diversity index showed a significant positive relationship with soil N. The dry zone forests are seen to be more climatic sensitive and vulnerable than the wet zone forests in Sri Lanka due to influence of more climatic parameters that govern the soil organic carbon fractions.

环境因子对木棉种子萌发的影响

木棉(Bombax malabaricum DC.)是一种可以生长在干热河谷的落叶大乔木。河谷内,木棉成年树木生长良好,有大量结实,而其周围却很少有种苗出现。通过室内条件研究木棉种子的物理特性和萌发的生物学特性,可以了解该物种种子萌发对环境因子的需求,为探讨木棉在干热河谷内自然种群更新难和萌发阶段对这一特殊生境的适应性提供理论依据。经测定,木棉种子千粒重为39.08 g,比同科的其它物种要轻。四唑(TTC,1.0%)染色测定种子生活力的结果表明有生活力种子占64.0%。种皮对吸胀无障碍,种子在25℃吸胀2 d时就开始萌发。检测了环境因子对种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响,结果表明,种子萌发对光照不敏感而且对温度有较广的适应性,15—35℃都可以萌发,25—35℃萌发率无显著差异,但随温度升高,萌发速率加快,幼苗长势增加;萌发过程对渗透胁迫敏感,聚乙二醇(PEG)浓度为0.10 g/mL时萌发率较对照显著下降,0.15 g/mL时种子就不能萌发;室温吸胀24 h的种子对热激敏感,42℃热激2 h后萌发率就已经显著下降;室温下水杨酸(SA,1,10,100 mg/L)浸种24 h,没有提高种子在萌发期间对干旱和热激的抗性。可见,高温和干旱是限制木棉种子成功萌发的关键因子,然而发现,温度较高时水分过大也会造成萌发后幼苗的死亡。

Long-term phosphorus reduction and phytoplankton responses in an urban lake(USA)

Eutrophication is one of the primary factors causing harmful cyanobacteria blooms in freshwater lakes.This study investigated the long-term changes in water quality and summer phytoplankton assemblages in Oswego Lake,OR,USA,in relation to phosphorus reduction through hypolimnetic aeration and alum applications.Both water quality and phytoplankton assemblages were sampled biweekly during the summers from 2001 to 2013.The concentrations of total phosphorus,soluble reactive phosphorus,and total nitrogen decreased 66%,93%and 31%,respectively,in response to the hypolimnetic aeration and alum treatments since 2005.Summer phytoplankton assemblages showed a 62%reduction of cyanobacteria biovolume and a shift from cyanobacteria dominance(2001–2005)to diatom and chlorophyte dominance(2006–2013).Cluster analysis identified four statistically different groups of summer phytoplankton assemblages(denoted Groups 1–4).Nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis indicated that the four groups were associated with different water quality conditions.Group 1 occurred prior to hypolimnetic aeration and was primarily comprised of cyanobacteria,associated with water conditions of high nutrients and high primary production.Group 2,dominated by cyanobacteria and chlorophytes,occurred between hypolimnetic aeration and alum surface application.Group 3 was dominated by diatoms and occurred after alum surface application.Group 4 included R-strategist phytoplankton that quickly respond to environmental changes and occurred in the years following alum injection,drawdown,and inflow alum treatment.Both Group 3 and 4 were associated with reduced nutrients in the lake.We conclude that these lake management practices had strong effects on both production and community compositions of phytoplankton,and advocate for future studies on large-scale climate impacts on lake ecosystems and to identify corresponding best management practices.

A lubricant boundary condition for a biological body lined by a thin heterogeneous biofilm

We study the asymptotic behavior of an incompressible viscous fluid flow in a biological body lined by a thin biological film with a cellular microstructure,varying thickness,and a heterogeneous viscosity regulated by a time random process.Let ting the thickness of the film tend to zero,we derive an effective biological slip boundary condition on the boundary of the body.This law relates the tangential fluxes to the tangential velocities via a proportional coefficient corresponding to the energy of some local problem.This law describes the ability of the biological film to function as a lubricant reducing friction at the wall of the body.The tangential velocities are functions of the random trajectories of a finely concentrated biological particle.