Analysis of biological factors for determination of air pollution tolerance index of selected plants in Yamuna Nagar, India.

Air pollution tolerance index (APTI) calculated for various plant species growing in vicinity of three different industrial areas (Paper mill, Sugar mill, Thermal Power Plant) and Yamuna River belt of Yamuna Nagar. Studies were carried out to determine the physiological response of ten plant species. The leaf samples collected from these plant species were used to determine their plant APTI by calculating the ascorbic acid, total chlorophyll, pH, and relative water content for all selected sites. Highest pH, relative water content, ascorbic acid and total chlorophyll was observed in Castor (9.86), Parthenium (96.99%), Ficus benghalensis (14.90 mg g-1) and Amaranthus (7.08 mg g-1) at Yamuna river, Thermal power plant, Yamuna river and paper mill respectively. It was concluded that out of ten species studied only one species (Ficus benghalensis) showed moderately tolerant response in all selected sites, while other species showed sensitive response. According to observed APTI values, Ficus benghalensis showed the highest value (21.65) at sugar mill followed by thermal power plant (19.38), Paper mill (17.65) and Yamuna River (17.61). The lowest APTI values were reported in Oxalis corniculata (6.42) at Yamuna River belt followed by Malvestrum at sugar mill (7.71).

Novel application of fungal Phanerochaete sp. and xylanase for reduction in pollution load of paper mill effluent.

Four different strategies of pulping and bleaching were carried out to develop alternative mechanistic ecoenvironmental friendly approaches and generated effluent was characterised. Strategy-I included Phanerochaete sp. fungal pretreatment followed by conventional bleaching, whereas in strategy-II, fungal pretreatment was followed by enzyme xylanase aided bleaching. Strategy-III also included xylanase supplement but without prior fungal pretreatment. Chemically driven pulping and bleaching was the IV strategy. Conventional CDEOPD1D2 sequence of bleaching was used for strategy–I and IV whereas XCDEOPD1D2 sequence was applied to strategy–II and III. Strategy–II was responsible for 27.5% reduction in Kappa no. whereas the maximum (27.5%) reduction in refining energy was observed with strategy–II. Biobleaching strategies– II and III were helpful in saving 37.3 and 20.3% of elemental chlorine (Cl2) and 30.8 and 23.1% of chlorine dioxide (ClO2), respectively. In comparison to control (strategy-IV), strategy II resulted in maximum pollution load reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), color and adsorbable organic halides (AOX) upto 57, 60, 30 and 43.6%, respectively.