Impact assessment of clean cookstove intervention in Gujarat, India: a potential case for corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding.

Exposure to indoor air pollutants released from traditional cookstoves in rural Indian households is a matter of great concern. While there are various studies over several decades focused towards intervention strategies for reducing air pollutants, limited literature exists towards the identification of appropriate methodology for feasible intervention, adoption and usage of improved cookstoves (ICS). In the present study, PM and CO microenvironment concentrations are estimated in households using traditional and improved cookstove (NEERDHUR).

COVID-19 Creating another problem? Sustainable solution for PPE disposal through LCA approach.

Amid COVID-19, there have been rampant increase in the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits by frontline health and sanitation communities, to reduce the likelihoods of infections. The used PPE kits, potentially being infectious, pose a threat to human health, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems, if not scientifically handled and disposed. However, with stressed resources on treatment facilities and lack of training to the health and sanitation workers, it becomes vital to vet different options for PPE kits disposal, to promote environmentally sound management of waste.

An improved method for direct estimation of free cyanide in drinking water by Ion Chromatography-Pulsed Amperometry Detection (IC-PAD) on gold working electrode.

In the present work a fast, reliable and safe Ion Exchange Chromatography-Pulsed Amperometry Detection (IC-PAD) method for direct determination of free cyanide in drinking water has been reported. To the best of our knowledge for the first time we are reporting the application of Gold working electrode for detection of free cyanide in a chromatography system. The system shows a wide linear range up to 8000µg/L.

mediated green synthesis of CuO particles for arsenite uptake from water.

In this study, an environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and single-step procedure is used for the synthesis of polycrystalline CuO particles with controlled morphologies. Simple sugars are extracted from date fruit pulp () and used as a reducing agent for the formation of CuO particles in aqueous medium. The feasibility of this solution is compared with the standard glucose solution.

A novel Ru/TiO2 hybrid nanocomposite catalyzed photoreduction of CO2 to methanol under visible light.

A novel in situ synthesized Ru(bpy)3/TiO2 hybrid nanocomposite is developed for the photoreduction of CO2 into methanol under visible light irradiation. The prepared composite was characterized by means of SEM, TEM, XRD, DT-TGA, XPS, UV-Vis and FT-IR techniques. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized hybrid catalyst was tested for the photoreduction of CO2 under visible light using triethylamine as a sacrificial donor.

Comparative study of different waste biomass for energy application.

Biomass is available in many varieties, consisting of crops as well as its residues from agriculture, forestry, and the agro-industry. These different biomass find their way as freely available fuel in rural areas but are also responsible for air pollution. Emissions from such solid fuel combustion to indoor, regional and global air pollution largely depend on fuel types, combustion device, fuel properties, fuel moisture, amount of air supply for combustion and also on climatic conditions.

Copper-manganese mixed oxides: CO2-selectivity, stable, and cyclic performance for chemical looping combustion of methane.

Chemical looping combustion (CLC) is a key technology for oxy-fuel combustion with inherent separation of CO2 from a flue gas, in which oxygen is derived from a solid oxygen carrier. Multi-cycle CLC performance and the product selectivity towards CO2 formation were achieved using mixed oxide of Cu and Mn (CuMn2O4) (Fd3[combining macron]m, a = b = c = 0.83 nm) as an oxygen carrier.

Alumina supported carbon composite material with exceptionally high defluoridation property from eggshell waste.

A new alumina supported carbon composite material called "Eggshell Composite" (EC) was synthesized from eggshell waste as calcium source for selective fluoride adsorption from water. The effect of various synthesis parameters like eggshell (ES): Eggshell membrane (ESM) ratio, aluminium loading, mixing time and calcinations temperature to optimize the synthesis conditions for selective fluoride removal has been studied. It was observed that the synthesis parameters have significant influence on development of EC and in turn on fluoride removal capacity.

Nano-ferrites for water splitting: unprecedented high photocatalytic hydrogen production under visible light.

In the present investigation, hydrogen production via water splitting by nano-ferrites was studied using ethanol as the sacrificial donor and Pt as co-catalyst. Nano-ferrite is emerging as a promising photocatalyst with a hydrogen evolution rate of 8.275 μmol h(-1) and a hydrogen yield of 8275 μmol h(-1) g(-1) under visible light compared to 0.

N-doped mesoporous alumina for adsorption of carbon dioxide.

N-doped mesoporous alumina has been synthesized using chitosan as the biopolymer template. The adsorbent has been thoroughly investigated for the adsorption of CO2 from a simulated flue gas stream (15% CO2 balanced with N2) and compared with commercially available mesoporous alumina procured from SASOL, Germany. CO2 adsorption was studied under different conditions of pretreatment and adsorption temperature, inlet CO2 concentration and in the presence of oxygen and moisture.

User perception study for performance evaluation of domestic defluoridation techniques for its application in rural areas.

Fluoride concentrations in ground water have been monitored in rural areas of Dhar and Jhabua districts in Madhya Pradesh, India. A correlation of fluoride concentration with pH, TDS and conductivity has been estimated to identify surrogate monitoring parameter. Further, fluoride removal from drinking water has been achieved by using adsorbents specially developed for domestic applications.

Low-cost catalysts for the control of indoor CO and PM emissions from solid fuel combustion.

Cu-Mn based mixed oxide type low-cost catalysts have been prepared in supported form using mesoporous Al(2)O(3), TiO(2) and ZrO(2) supports. These supports have been prepared by templating method using a natural biopolymer, chitosan. The synthesized catalysts have been characterized by XRD, BET-SA, SEM, O(2)-TPD and TG investigations.

Magnesium incorporated bentonite clay for defluoridation of drinking water.

Low cost bentonite clay was chemically modified using magnesium chloride in order to enhance its fluoride removal capacity. The magnesium incorporated bentonite (MB) was characterized by using XRD and SEM techniques. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to study and optimize various operational parameters such as adsorbent dose, contact time, pH, effect of co-ions and initial fluoride concentration.

New modified chitosan-based adsorbent for defluoridation of water.

In the present study, the metal-binding property of chitosan is used to incorporate titanium metal and applied as an adsorbent for fluoride adsorption. Titanium macrospheres (TM) were synthesized by a precipitation method and characterized by FTIR, SEM, and XRD. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were applied to describe the adsorption equilibrium and the adsorption capacities were calculated.

Study of the formation of perovskite type lanthanum ruthenates by heating their hydrous precursor.

Emanation thermal analysis (ETA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetry (TG), evolved gas analysis with mass spectrometric detection (EGA-MS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the formation of perovskite type lanthanum ruthenates on heating their hydroxide precursor in argon from 20 to 1200 degrees C. The co-precipitated lanthanum-ruthenium mixed hydroxide containing a small amount of carbonates was used as a precursor. The mass loss corresponding to the release of water and CO(2) from the precursor was determined by TG and EGA (MS), respectively.