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Environmental Impacts of Phosphate Fertilizer Industries in Pakistan

Thesis Info

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Author

Javied, Sabiha

Program

PhD

Institute

Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences

City

Islamabad

Province

Islamabad.

Country

Pakistan

Thesis Completing Year

2012

Thesis Completion Status

Completed

Subject

Applied Sciences

Language

English

Link

http://prr.hec.gov.pk/jspui/handle/123456789/1767

Added

2021-02-17 19:49:13

Modified

2024-03-24 20:25:49

ARI ID

1676726071292

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Modern agricultural practices are depleting natural mineral content of soil required for efficient growth of plants. In order to overcome the reduction of minerals in soil, different approaches are used; e.g. use of manure, organic and inorganic fertilizers etc. Application of phosphate fertilizers is one of the options. Unfortunately addition of desired minerals through fertilizers also accompanies the undesired heavy metal content (stable and/or radioactive). Continuous application of fertilizers may result in buildup of heavy metals, thus, posing a threat to the environment and plants, and consequently to human life. The present study was conducted to investigate the extent of the threat caused not only by phosphate fertilizers (PFs) but also by phosphate rock (PR) and precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC). Representative samples of PR from Hazara deposits, Pakistan, various types of PF used in Pakistan and the fertilizer waste, PCC, from a local fertilizer industry, were taken and analyzed for their radioactive and heavy metal content. Radioactivity was measured by gamma spectrometry using high purity germanium (HPGe) detector while heavy metals were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) technique. Some of the elements were also determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Major chemical composition for rock samples was quantified by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry technique. Variable amounts of elements like Ba, Sn, Th, V and rare earth elements (REEs) were present in all the studied sites of phosphate rocks. The elements Al, Cr, Cs, Fe, Sb and Zn were present in relatively higher amounts in Kakul phosphate rock crushing plant (KPRCP). Analysis of toxic elements depicts that Pb is present at relatively higher level in local phosphate rock samples while Cd and Zn are present in comparable amount. Assessment of hazards posed by heavy metals in PR showed that consumers are exposed to heavy metals from various pathways. The results indicated that Pakistani PR is agronomically effective. However, it contains higher values for toxic element like Ni, Pb and Cu that may be transferred to fertilizers and then to soil and plants grown on them thus threatening human life. The specific activity analysis showed that outdoor and indoor external dose from PR is higher than the maximum value of world‟s soil background level. It was noted that all of the studied phosphate fertilizers are rich in their mineralogical (Fe, K, Mn and Na) content while NPK fertilizers contain relatively higher amount of K. The activity concentrations of 232 40 K and Th in the single superphosphate (SSP) fertilizer are lower than that of phosphorite of Pakistan. Monitoring of radon indicated greater risk for miners than the personnel working in fertilizer warehouses. Variations in heavy metal content for PCC may be due to the fact that the collected waste samples were produced from various batches of fertilizer production. The average value for outdoor and indoor external dose from PCC waste is about three times and twice the background median value of absorbed dose of gamma rays from worldwide soil respectively. This indicates the level of radiological hazard from PCC waste to surrounding environment. Corresponding effective dose was 1.2±0.1 mSv y-1, which is higher than the annual limit of 1 mSv recommended by ICRP. The analysis of soil and crop samples (edible parts of rice, wheat and mungbean) was also performed and transfer factor (TF) from soil to crop was calculated. Greater TFs for Al, Eu, Fe, K, Sc, Sr and Zn were observed for mungbean than the other studied crops. Furthermore PLI (pollution load index) values are greater than one for all the fertilizer applied soil samples except rice growing soil samples which is just below one, showing pollution load in the respective soil environment after the applications of PFs. Moreover, the calculated health risk index (HRI) depicted a greater risk to human health from Al, Pb and Sb as they have HRI greater than one. It is concluded that special attention by environmental authorities should be given to phosphate industry of Pakistan to minimize these hazards and safety measures should be taken to decrease the risk being posed from it.
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عشق دا کریے جدوں آغاز

عشق دا کریے جدوں آغاز
راز نوں رکھیے راز ہی راز
جیہڑا رزق حلال کماوے
ہے اقبال دا اوہ شہباز
دل وچ رکھ کے یاد سجن
سمجھو ایہو خاص نماز
راہاں وچ چھڈیں نہ دلبر
ایہو ساڈا عجز نیاز
اساں تاں پھردے دھرتی اُتیّ
سجناں دی اچی پرواز
دل نہ بدلے جس تھیں کجھ
کی کرنا اوہ سن کے ساز
کوٹھے تے چڑھ دیواں ہوکا
عشق توں رہنا سجنو باز
پاک نبیؐ سرور تے ہر دم
پڑھ دے رہیے سلام نماز

اشیاء خورد و نوش و ادویہ میں جلاٹین کے استعمال کا طریقہ کار اور اس کا شرعی جائزہ

Gelatin is a translucent, colorless, brittle, flavorless foodstuff, derived from collagen obtained from various animal by-products. Gelatin obtained from plants, fish or from the hides of animals lawfully slaughtered is pure, sacred and lawful. Since bones of carrion animals are pure and sacred, so gelatin obtained from them is lawful as well. Gelatin obtained from pigs is impure and unlawful. In this article,  the methodology of using gelatin in foodstuffs and medicines is being discussed and its religious and lawful status is being elaborated.

Physiological and Molecular Characterization of Two Genetically Diverse Spring Wheat Triticum Aestivum L. Cultivars for Salt Tolerance

Hydroponic experiments were conducted to appraise variation in the salt tolerance potential of two wheat cultivars (salt tolerant, S-24 and moderately salt sensitive MH-97) at different growth stages. Salinity stress caused a marked reduction in plant biomass and grain yield of both wheat cultivars. However, cv. S-24 was superior to cv. MH-97 in maintaining higher plant biomass and grain yield under saline stress. Furthermore, salinity caused a significant variation in different physiological attributes measured at different growth stages. For example, salt stress caused a marked reduction in net photosynthetic and transpiration rate in both wheat cultivars but to a varying extent at different growth stages. Higher photosynthetic and transpiration rates were recorded at the boot stage than at other growth stages in both wheat cultivars. The response of other gas exchange attributes was also variable at different growth stages. Salt sensitive wheat cultivar MH-97 was more prone to salt-induced adverse effects on gas exchange attributes as compared to cv. S-24. Salt stress caused considerable reduction in different water relation attributes of wheat plants. A significant reduction in leaf water, osmotic and turgor potentials was recorded in both wheat cultivars at different growth stages. Maximal reduction in leaf water potential was recorded at the reproductive stage in both wheat cultivars. In contrast, maximal turgor potential was observed at the boot stage. Salt-induced adverse effects of salinity on different water relation attributes were more prominent in cv. MH-97 as compared to those in cv. S-24. The integrity of PS II was greatly perturbed in both wheat cultivars at different growth stages and this salt-induced damage to PS II was more in cv. MH-97. A significant alteration in different biochemical attributes was also observed in both wheat cultivars at different growth stages. For example, salt stress caused a substantial decrease in chlorophyll pigments, ascorbic acid, phenolics and tocopherols. In contrast, it increased the endogenous levels of ROS (H2O2), MDA, total soluble proteins, proline, glycine betaine and activities of enzymatic antioxidants (SOD, POD, CAT, APX). These biochemical attributes exhibited significant salt-induced variation at different growth stages in both wheat cultivars. For example, maximum accumulation of glycine betaine and proline was recorded at the early growth stages (vegetative and boot). However, cv. S-24 showed higher accumulation of these two organic osmolytes and this could be the reason for maintenance of higher turgor than that of cv. MH-97 under stress conditions. The activities of various enzymatic antioxidants increased markedly in both wheat cultivars, particularly at the vegetative stage. However, cv. S-24 exhibited consistent increase in the activities of various enzymatic antioxidants, whereas, this phenomena occurred erratically in cv. MH-97 at different growth stages. Salt stress significantly increased the endogenous levels of toxic ions (Na+and Cl-) and decreased essential cations (K+ and Ca2+) in both wheat cultivars at different growth stages. Furthermore, K+/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+ ratios decreased markedly due to salt stress in both wheat cultivars at different growth stages and this salt-induced reduction was more prominent in cv. MH-97. Moreover, higher K+/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+ ratios were recorded at early growth stages in both wheat cultivars. It can be inferred from the results that wheat plants are more prone to adverse effects of salinity stress at early growth stages than that at the reproductive stage.