Research Papers

Sensitivity analysis of ground level ozone in India using WRF-CMAQ models

Sharma Sumit, Chatani Satoru, Mahtta Richa, Goel Anju, Kumar Atul
| 2016

Ground level ozone is emerging as a pollutant of concern in India. Limited surface monitoring data reveals that ozone concentrations are well above the prescribed national standards. This study aims to simulate the regional and urban scale ozone concentrations in India using WRF-CMAQ models. Sector-specific emission inventories are prepared for the ozone precursor species at a finer resolution (36 × 36 km2) than used in previous studies.

Rural electricity access in South Asia: Is grid extension the remedy: A critical review

Palit Debajit, Bandyopadhyay Kaushik Ranjan
| 2016

Despite the historical priority to grid-based electrification in South Asia, two out of every five people in the region still live without access to electricity. Due to various limitations of conventional grid-based rural electrification, as brought out by a number of studies and reports, demand for alternative models such as renewable energy based off-grid and distributed generation solutions are gaining increasing attention globally.

Regional cooperation to meet climate pledges of South Asia

Nanda Nitya
| 2016

Climate cooperation has been discussed for long, but little is achieved on the ground in South Asia. The Paris Agreement is an opportunity to renew the commitments.

Purification and characterization of exopolysaccharide bioflocculant produced by heavy metal resistant Achromobacter xylosoxidans

Subudhi Sanjukta,Bishta Varsha, Batta Neha, Pathak Mihirjyoti, Devi Arundhuti, Lal Banwari
| 2016

Optimization of process parameters enhanced bioflocculating activity of 'Achromobacter xylosoxidans strain TERI L1' from 75% to 83.3% in absence of heavy metals, which decreased to 73% in presence of multi-metals. 'TERI L1' could adsorb 90% of multi-metals when grown in presence of 1250 mg L(-1) Zn, 2 mg L(-1) Cd, 30 mg L(-1) Pb, 200 mg L(-1) Ni and 90 mg L(-1) Cu and could adsorb 1100 mg L(-1) of Pb when grown in presence of 1500 ppm lead nitrate. The bioflocculant was purified and characterized. Bioflocculant yield was 5 g L(-1).

Production of biodiesel from freshwater microalgae and evaluation of fuel properties based on fatty acid methyl ester profile

Sinha Swapan Kumar, Gupta Arghyadeep, Bharalee Raju
| 2016

Eleven freshwater microalgal strains of Chlorella sorokiniana BTA4015; Chlorella sp. BTA4032, C. variabilis BTA4036; Chlorella sp. BTA4071; C. variabilis BTA4109; C. variabilis BTA4121; Chlorella sp. BTA4146; Chlamydomonas asymmetrica BTA4028; C. asymmetrica BTA4154; Scenedesmus armatus BTA4076 and Scenedesmus regularis BTA4112 were isolated from northeast India and identified through internal transcribed spacer 2 region sequence alignment.

Probiotics as a Potential Alternative for Relieving Peripheral Neuropathies: a Case for Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Saxena Abhishek
| 2016

Trillions of microorganisms form the “natural flora” of the human body. These microorganisms outnumber the host cells 10 to 1, essentially making humans a microbial ecosystem of sorts. Before the advent of the high-throughput sequencing technologies such elusive microorganisms were uncultivable and could not be studied using traditional microbiological techniques. However, since the past decade, with the establishment of the Human Microbiome Project reference database in 2012, research in this area has grown logarithmically (Grogan, 2015).

Powering the North East: Challenges & Opportunities

Ramanathan K
| 2016

All the states in the region except Sikkim are facing peaking and energy shortages much higher than the national average. This may appear paradoxical considering the fact that the region is bestowed with rich hydropower and other renewable energy (RE) resources, has high literacy rate and enjoys special category status for funding support. Sustainable development of the region's power sector merits special significance in this context?.

Photo fermentative hydrogen production by a new strain; Rhodobacter sphaeroides CNT 2A, isolated from pond sediment

Subudhi Sanjukta, Mogal Sachin K, Ram Kumar N, Nayaka Tanmay , Lal Banwari, Velankar Harshad , Rajiv Kumar T.A. Rao Peddy V C, Choudary Nettem V, Shah Gitesh, Gandham Sriganesh
| 2016

In the present study, a new purple non sulfur (PNS) bacterial strain identified as Rhodobacter sphaeroides CNT 2A was investigated for photo fermentative hydrogen production from acetate, butyrate (short chain organic acids), glucose & sucrose (simple and complex sugar) as sole carbon source in presence of sodium glutamate (0.6 g/L) as nitrogen source. Initial medium pH, acetate and butyrate concentration (by using these substrates as sole carbon sources) were optimized.

Performance of Upflow Anaerobic Bioelectrochemical Reactor Compared to the Sludge Blanket Reactor for Acidic Distillery Wastewater Treatment

Feng Qing , Song† Young-Chae, Yoo Kyuseon, Lal Banwari, Kuppanan Nanthakumar, Subudhi Sanjukta, Choi Tae Seon
| 2016

The performance of upflow anaerobic bioelectrochemical reactor (UABE), equipped with electrodes (anode and cathode) inside the upflow anaerobic reactor, was compared to that of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for the treatment of acidic distillery wastewater. The UASB was stable in pH, alkalinity and VFAs until the organic loading rate (OLR) of 4.0 g COD/L.d, but it became unstable over 4.0 g COD/L.d. As a response to the abrupt doubling in OLR, the perturbation in the state variables for the UABE was smaller, compared to the UASB, and quickly recovered.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in river and ground/drinking water of the Ganges River basin: Emissions and implications for human exposure

Sharma Brij Mohan, Bharat Girija K, Tayal Shresth, Larssen Thorjørn
| 2016

Many perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. They have been widely used in production processes and daily-use products or may result from degradation of precursor compounds in products or the environment. India, with its developing industrialization and population moving from traditional to contemporary lifestyles, represents an interesting case study to investigate PFAS emission and exposure along steep environmental and socioeconomic gradients.