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CONTENTS YEAR 2006
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Asian J. Exp. Sci., Vol. 20, No. 2, 2006, 217-224 Sustainability and the Global Commons
John Cairns,
Jr. Abstract : The first picture of Earth from space showed a tiny, fragile, blue sphere. Above all, the planet was obviously finite. Despite this evidence, the restricted view of Earth from Earth is that sustained development (i.e., growth) is possible on a finite planet. However, to live sustainably, humankind must determine Earth’s carrying capacity and live within that limit. The ecologically acceptable number of inhabitants will depend upon the quality of life people seek and the size of the safety factor that will be accepted as necessary to avoid exceeding Earth’s carrying capacity. Nature exacts severe penalties on those individuals and societies that exceed carrying capacity (i.e., overuse of natural resources). The central but inadequately discussed assumption of sustainable use of the planet is that humankind can reduce the suffering resulting from natural selection and also develop a mutualistic relationship with the biospheric life support system and with members of its own species. Scientific evidence, reason, and compassion for all forms of life may well create sustainability. Of course, biological evolutionary processes will sustain life on Earth despite prodigious loss of individuals and species. Over 4 billion years of evidence indicate that this process works. On the other hand, no robust evidence is available that sustainable use of the planet by Homo sapiens is even possible, but social evolution of human society may make it so. A key component is managing the global commons for sustainable use without abuse.
Key
words : Biological evolution, Social evolution,
Sustainability, Resource wars, Carrying capacity, Scientific evidence,
Global commons. - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Diseconomies of Environmental Catastrophes
John Cairns,
Jr. Abstract : Four factors are almost certain to lead to one or more catastrophes unless major remedial measures are taken. (1) China has replaced the United States as the world’s leading consumer of resources, except for oil (Brown, 2006a), but China is already a major factor in the world market in this area also. Together, China and the United States consume approximately half the world’s resources and the global population is still increasing on a finite planet. (2) The over 20% global ecological overshoot is simply too large to persist without catastrophic effects. (3) Natural law does not function on human intent. Talk about sustainable development continues, but minor evidence of living sustainably will not alter evolutionary selective processes. (4) Increased evidence indicates that global warming, with rises in sea levels, may already be irreversible. (5) Peak oil will be followed by a decline in cheap energy, which has made Homo sapiens a dominant species. Key words : Diseconomies, Environmental catastrophes, Ecological overshoot, Global warming, Peak oil, Resource wars.
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Asian J. Exp. Sci., Vol. 20, No. 2, 2006, 233-242 Controlling Landfill Emissions for Environmental Protection : Mid Auchencarroch Experimental Project
Telemachus C.
Koliopoulos1 and
D.M. Georgia
Koliopoulou2
2. Department of
Experimental Physiology, Abstract : This paper assesses the long term behaviour of Mid Auchencarroch experimental landfill site in Scotland, based on characteristic landfill biodegration parameters, making useful conclusions. and analyzes the effects of waste pretreatment and landfill management techniques on landfill emissions and waste biodegradation processes. The biodegradation of Mid Auchencarroch Experimental Landfill Project is studied in four different cells with different waste input materials. The Mid Auchencarroch’s experimental design confirm that waste pretreatment and leachate recirculation are sustainable and accelerate the waste biodegradation, protecting public health from associated hazards. The variations of characteristic indexes of landfill emissions are presented and analyzed for different bioreactor’s conditions. Landfill emissions’ environmental contamination control has to be improved based on the presented evaluations, taking into account different landfill conditions. The experimental results showed that the use of the anaerobic landfill batch bioreactor design is sustainable and it should be used by landfill operators.Key words : Landfill gas; leachates; landfill design; waste biodegradation; solid waste management; public health. - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Asian J. Exp. Sci., Vol. 20, No. 2, 2006, 243-252 Determination of Am-Be Neutron Source used on Landmine Detection
D.
Rezaei Ochbelagh*, H.
Miri Hakimabad
and R. Izadi Najafabadi
Keywords :
Landmine, Am-Be Source, MCNP code, BF3
Detector, Polyethylene, TNT.
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Asian J. Exp. Sci., Vol. 20, No. 2, 2006, 253-259
Wastewater Influencing Pathogenic Bacterial Population and Biochemical Alterations in Fish
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Asian J. Exp. Sci., Vol. 20, No. 2, 2006, 261-268 Effect of VAM soil Containing Glomus fasciculatum on Growth of Withania somnifera Dun
S. Halder1 and M.B.Ray2
Abstract : Withania somnifera is an important medicinal and endangered plant growing as weed. The present sets of experiment have been designed to establish Glomus fasciculatum with the root system of W. somnifera and to analyze the effectiveness of this mycorrhiza on vegetative growth and absorption of nutrients from the soil. Plants were grown in plastic pots under aseptic conditions. The VAM soil containing Glomus fasciculatum was applied once after 30 days of transplanting in one set of plants, and twice after 30 days and 75 days of transplanting in another set of experiment. The establishment of the fungus within the root in the form of vesicle was observed. Formation of vesicles within the root indicated the affinity of the fungus with the plant. Mycorrhizal treatment showed better vegetative growth in comparison to untreated plants. Significant increase in height, number of branches and number of leaves over non-treated plants were found. Further observation showed the increase of fresh weight and dry weight of stem, leaf and root. The mycorrhiza like Glomus fasciculatum also enhanced the levels of phosphorus in different parts of treated plants, but nitrogen levels were higher in different parts of the plant when VAM soil applied once such results pointed out that Glomus fasciculatum has an effective role as bio-fertilizer on Withania somnifera. Key words : VAM, medicinal plant, growth, phosphorus, nitrogen, mycorrization. - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Asian J. Exp. Sci., Vol. 20, No. 2, 2006, 269-273 Genistein Against Radiation Damage : A Study on Swiss Albino Mice
Ajay Gaur*,
Avadhesh Sharma and A.L. Bhatia
Key
words : Genistein, Radioprotectant,
Soya foods and Radiation. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Morphological
Differentiation and Effect of Seed Inoculum
on the Production of Cephalosporin-C by
Acremonium chrysogenum Ruchi Verma 1, Vinod kumar Nigam1*, Subir Kundu 2 and P. Ghosh 1
1.
Birla Institute of Scientific Research,
2. School of Biochemical
Engineering,
Key words:
Cephalosporin-C fermentation, stirred tank bioreactor,
arthrospores, morphology, and batch
fermentation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Zinc-Induced Changes on Chromosomes of a Fresh Water Teleost, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch)
1. Department of Animal
Science,
3. Department of Fish
Genetics and Biotechnology,
Abstract :The genotoxicity of heavy metal zinc to an Indian catfish Heteropneustes fossilis was determined by different exposed concentrations (1.00 ppm, 3.00 ppm and 5.00 ppm) during various time intervals (24 hrs., 48 hrs. and 72 hrs.). The exposure of zinc induced Total Metaphase spreads with Chromosomal Aberration (TMCA) and different types of abnormalities like ring chromosomes being (maximum 71.4% 1.0 ppm : 24 hrs.) and a minimum of 21% (1.00 ppm : 72 hrs.). The chromosomal breakage was 40.8% (1.00 ppm : 24 hrs.). The percentage of dicentric chromosomes was significantly higher 42.2% (1.00 ppm : 72 hours). The chromosomes of the exposed fish also become fragmented. The maximum fragmentation of chromosomes was 35.0% (5.00 ppm: 72 hours) and the minimum was 7.4% (1.00 ppm: 48 hours).The present studies are an expression of the mutagenic and clastogenic characteristics of the impact of sublethal concentration of the heavy metal, zinc in H.fossilis.
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Asian J.
Exp. Sci., Vol. 20, No. 2, 2006, 289-296 Environment Impact of Idol Immersion Activity Lakes of Bhopal, India
1. Department of Chemistry,
Govt. Geetanjali Girls P.G. College, Bhopal
and Chitransh A.D.P.G. College, Bhopal, MP,
India 462016
2. Department of Chemistry,
Govt. College Udaipura, Bhopal, M.P, India
3. LCA
(EPCO) Bhopal, M.P., India 4. Applied Chemistry Department, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal - 462007, (M.P.), India
Abstract : The immersion of idol of Lord Ganesh and Durga during Ganesh Ustav and Navratris festival is a major source of contamination and sedimentation to the lake water. Environmental impact due to idol immersion in Upper and Lower Lakes, it is situated in Bhopal, the capital city of M.P. The lakes constructed respectively in the 11th and 18th century is typical Example of urban water bodies. While the Upper Lake has been one major source of potable water for the people of Bhopal for ever a century, the Lower lake remains a source of raw water for the urban development which mushroomed around it as well as on the north eastern fringe of Upper lake during the last few decades. Idol immersion is a cause of water pollution peculiar to India with its large number of adherent to the Hindu religion. Idol are made of clay but non–biodegradable thermocol and paints containing heavy metals are also used .The immersion practices leads to degradation of water quality and siltration .The parameters like Turbidity, Total Hardness, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Demand, (BOD) Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Oil and Grease have been studie to Upper and Lower lakes, Bhopal. Parameter Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) become higher on immersion idols have grown in number and size over the years and urban water bodies are facing on increasing nutrient load.
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Seasonal Variations in Physico-chemical Characteristics in Upper Lake of Bhopal
MANIT, Bhopal,
M.P., India
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