Reflecting on changes in the drinking and irrigation water quality of rivers Beas, Satluj and confluence waters.

Prevention and control of water pollution for maintaining and restoring the wholesomeness of rivers are unavoidable. The current water quality approach of designated best use has some limitations such as it is non-integrative and inflexible with regard to the consideration of variables and does not provide a separate rating scale for a given designated use. We thus used water quality index approach proposed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME WQI) to evaluate and develop a separate rating system for drinking and irrigation purposes of rivers Beas, Satluj and their confluence water of the Indian Punjab using information collected over 4 years (2016 to 2019).

Potentially toxic elements in the environment - a review of sources, sinks, pathways and mitigation measures.

Pollution of ecosystems with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) has become a global problem with serious consequences for public health. The PTEs are hazardous to humans owing to their longevity, toxicity, and ability to accumulate in the biotic environment. As most PTEs cannot be degraded microbially or chemically, they can persist in soils for a long time.

Integrated review of the nexus between toxic elements in the environment and human health.

Emerging pollutants in the environment due to economic development have become a global challenge for environmental and human health management. Potentially toxic elements (PTEs), a major group of pollutants, have been detected in soil, air, water and food crops. Humans are exposed to PTEs through soil ingestion, consumption of water, uptake of food crop products originating from polluted fields, breathing of dust and fumes, and direct contact of the skin with contaminated soil and water.

Reactive nitrogen compounds and their influence on human health: an overview.

Nitrogen (N) is a critical component of food security, economy and planetary health. Human production of reactive nitrogen (Nr) via Haber-Bosch process and cultivation-induced biological N fixation (BNF) has doubled global N cycling over the last century. The most important beneficial effect of Nr is augmenting global food supplies due to increased crop yields.