Improvement in overall performance of Catla catla fingerlings fed phytase included low cost plant by products-based diet.

Phytic acid's presence in low-cost Moringa by-products effect the availability of important nutrients, diminishing the fish quality and blood composition in fish. Phytate having chelating effects with nutrients and minerals, can be reduced by the supplementation of phytase enzyme. Without the use of enzyme, plant meal may cause water pollution and decrease the fish health that results in higher culture cost. Therefore, current study was designed to check improvement in overall performance of Catla catla fingerlings fed Moringa by product-based diets supplemented with phytase (0, 300, 600, 900, 1200 and 1500, FTU/kg). All diets were integrated with non-digestible marker (Cr2O3) at the rate of 1%. The fingerlings were fed couple of times a day (4% of live wet weight). Results showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement in nutrient digestibility (i.e. EE, CP and GE), carcass composition and hematological parameters (i.e. RBCs, PLT and Hb) at 900, FTU/kg of phytase in contrast with other treatments. Moreover, phytase addition improves the water quality by reducing the nutrients leaching through feces at low cost. Current results indicated that, using mixture of Moringa seed meal and Moringa leaf meal based diet supplemented with phytase at 900, FTU/kg concentration is the most optimum level to develop a cost-effective as well as eco-friendly fish feed with maximum absorption of important nutrients and minerals in fish body resultantly high higher fish performance.

Geochemical controls of high fluoride groundwater in Umarkot Sub-District, Thar Desert, Pakistan.

Groundwater samples (n=152) were collected in the Thar Desert of the Umarkot Sub-District, Pakistan to evaluate the geochemical controls on the occurrence of high fluoride (F(-)) levels within the study area. Fluoride concentrations range from 0.06 to 44.4 mg/L, with mean and median values of 5.22 and 4.09 mg/L, respectively; and roughly 84% of the samples contain fluoride concentrations that exceed the 1.5mg/L drinking water standard set by WHO. The overall groundwater quality reflects the influences of silicate mineral weathering and evaporation. Fluoride originates from the weathering of minerals derived from Type-A granite and possibly anion exchange (OH(-) for F(-)) on clays and weathered micas under high pH conditions. High fluoride levels are associated with Na-HCO3 type water produced by calcite precipitation and/or base ion exchange. Depleted calcium levels in groundwater allow higher fluoride concentrations to occur before the solubility limit for fluoride is reached.

Evaluation of fresh and stored rainwater quality in fluoride and arsenic endemic area of Thar Desert, Pakistan.

In the current study, the chemistry of fresh and stored rainwater of Thar Desert, Pakistan, was estimated during two consecutive monsoon periods. The present research deals with the variation in physicochemical parameters, total arsenic (As(t)), inorganic arsenic species (As(i), As(V), As(III)), and fluoride (F(-)) in stored rainwater (SRW) at different time intervals (1 week to 3 months). The pH of fresh rainwater (FRW) samples showed slightly acidic to neutral in nature (6.08-7.06) which were inconsistent with the reference pH value (5.6) of rainwater. The resulted data indicated that As(t) and F(-) levels in SRW were enhanced with time duration. The levels of As(t) and F(-) in SRW after different time intervals were found in the range of 194-683 µg/L and 10-35.4 mg/L, respectively. The values of As(t) and F(-) were 20-70 and 7-24 times higher than those of WHO permissible limits, 10 µg/L and 1.5 mg/L, respectively. The As(III) was dominant species in SRW, which corresponds to >60 % of As(i). The characteristics of the SRW revealed an unacceptable quality to consume for drinking and agricultural purposes in the studied area.

Impact of seawater on distribution of fluoride and other ions in groundwater of Diplo area, Thar Desert Pakistan.

The role of seawater dilution, along with other water-quality components, has been studied to determine the causes of spatial distribution of high fluoride concentrations in the groundwater of the Diplo sub-district, Thar Desert, Pakistan. Fluoride ion concentration ranges of up to 7.60 mg/L were discovered, with mean and median values of 1.66 and 1.34 mg/L, respectively. Estimates based on the total dissolved solid (TDS) ratio show the impact of seawater intrusion at a percentage of around 8.05% in the groundwater. The major ion chemistry of water in the central diamond shape of the Piper diagram precisely demarcates the phenomenon of the intrusion of seawater into the study area. The plots of Na+K vs. Ca+Mg (meq/L) and log C1 (mg/L) vs. log Ca+Mg/Na+K (meq/L) indicate a mixing of freshwater with seawater. The molar Na/Na+Cl and Ca/Ca+SO4 ratios of the groundwater, and correlation matrices of major ion chemistry, also show a blending of groundwater with seawater. Mutual relationships among Li+, Sr2+, and C1- ions further substantiate the marked influence of the marine environment on the groundwater in the study area.

Lithological influences on occurrence of high-fluoride groundwater in Nagar Parkar area, Thar Desert, Pakistan.

Factors regulating the occurrence of high fluoride (F(-)) concentrations in groundwater near Nagar Parkar Town, SE corner of Pakistan have been investigated considering lithological influences. F(-) ion concentrations in groundwater range up to 7.85 with mean value of 3.33 mg L(-1). Plots of major elements and their normative mineral composition reflect granitic composition of the rocks in the study area. Modal mineralogical analysis show high perthite, plagioclase feldspars and quartz, while micas, amphiboles and pyroxenes occur in minor quantities. Water-rock interactions, based on dissolved ions of F(-), SiO(2), Na(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Li(+) and Sr(2+) suggest that fluoriferous groundwater originates from granitic rocks, typically from albite, biotite, hornblende and pyroxene and its alteration products such as kaolin and soil. The Log TDS, Na/Na+Ca ratio, Mg/Ca+Mg and Cl/Sigma anions are significant to review the impact of weathering processes which promote the availability of F(-) ions in the groundwater of study area. Principal component analysis (PCA) also renders close association among F(-) ions and other elements in the rocks and groundwater. Studies on F(-) estimation in the granite rock, china clay, soil and sand samples also indicate the presence of high F(-) concentration in these materials and average values have been found to be 1939, 710, 254 and 16 mg kg(-1), respectively.

Geochemical factors controlling the occurrence of high fluoride groundwater in the Nagar Parkar area, Sindh, Pakistan.

Fluoride concentrations in groundwater near Nagar Parkar in the Thar Desert of southeastern Pakistan range from 1.13 to 7.85 mg/l, and roughly 78% of the samples contain fluoride in concentrations that exceed the drinking water standard of 1.5mg/l set by WHO. The groundwater is alkaline (pH 7.1-8.4), brackish (TDS 449-15,933 mg/l), and classified as Na-Cl type water. This prevailing chemical character reflects the influence of saltwater intrusion, high evaporation rates, and ion exchange. Groundwater is also supersaturated with respect to calcite, which promotes the removal of Ca(2+) and HCO(3)(-) from solution. As a result, groundwater is generally undersaturated with respect to fluorite, the mineral that typically controls the upper limit of fluoride concentrations. This study examines a number of geochemical parameters in an effort to discover the controls on fluoride concentrations in groundwater. High fluoride concentrations are associated with high TDS, high pH, high Na concentrations, and high sodium absorption ratios (SAR). This suggests that elevated fluoride levels are the result of enhanced fluorite solubility due to Ca depletion and high ionic strength and the release of fluoride from colloid surfaces under high pH conditions. Contrary to what has been found in other studies, sample depth and water temperature do not appear to have a significant role in the distribution of fluoride within the groundwater.