Environmental Pollution in Asia Workshop- 20th April 22

---

Asia has a unique geographic location in terms of climatic and biodiversity conditions. Due to high population and extensive industrial activities, this continent is facing severe environmental stresses on air, soil, sediments and water resources at local as well as regional scale. This is significantly more severe compared to other continents. Future economic development in Asia, life style, and survival of humans will be severely impacted by our ability to manage our natural environment. Besides these issues, Asia also faces several other issues related to the environment, e.g., intense land use and shifting pattern of agriculture, poorly applied and managed pesticides and fertilizers in soil and water; untreated or partially treated industrial solid and liquid waste in urban areas. Therefore, there is an urgent and strong need to focus on highlighting and documenting some of these issues and potential solutions that are region-specific. The present workshop will highlight the status of environmental pollution from Asia. The workshop will be useful to researchers, scientist, environmental organizations and industries in Asia and all over the world.

Organize and Chair Dr. Muhammad Zaffar Hashmi, Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan 

Welcome and Introductory Address (Time: 2:00- 2:10) Prof Akinade Olatunji (University of Ibadan) 

Characterization and testing of oil palm derived biochar as potential renewable solid fuel power generation (Time: 2:10- 2:25) 

Prof. Wan Azlina, Sustainable process Engineering research center, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia 

Concerns on global climate change and global warming have gained significant attention, highlighted the need for alternative energy sources. The present talk will focus on the characterization and testing of oil palm derived biochar as potential renewable solid fuel power generation 

Application of Modelling for Air Quality Studies (Time: 2:25- 2:40) Dr. Rajiv Ganguly, Department of Civil Engineering in Harcourt Butler Technical University (HBTU), Nawabganj, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India 

Traffic generated air pollution is one of the primary environmental concerns of the general public. Motor vehicles are responsible for emitting a variety of pollutants including nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOC), which consist primarily of hydrocarbons, and particulate matter (PM). As motor vehicles are often a major contributor to urban air pollution, controlling strategies are required to minimise their environmental impacts. Vehicular dispersion models represent essential computational tools for predicting the air quality impacts of emissions from road traffic and are widely used in urban and municipal planning. 

Heavy metal pollution in wetlands as a Human health risk factor in India (Time: 2:40- 2:55) 

Dr. Bibhu Prasad Panda, Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty (Post), Coimbatore 641108, Tamil Nadu, India; Environmental Science, Department of Chemistry and BBRC, Institute of Technical Education & Research, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. 

Wetlands provide many ecosystem services to biodiversity and add direct and indirect value to human beings. Elevated concentrations of heavy metals in the wetland ecosystems can be an indicator of degree of contamination in environment. Deposition of these metals in the water and sediment eventually leads to accumulation in different organisms. Fish being used as a major food, has been consider as indicator for ecological as well as human health risk. To prove the impact of the heavy metal on human health risk, accumulation study of heavy metals in fishes can play a great role. The present study explains the concentration of Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn in some common edible freshwater fishes in India. Those fish species are, Channa punctatus, Labeo rohita, Mugil cephalus, Catla Catla and Puntius sp. The concentration of these heavy metals in sediment and fishes of various wetlands of one state had been analysed to depict the contamination impact as ecological and human health risk. The mean value of Pb, Cr and Cu for sediment exceeded the toxicity reference value (TRV). Pb and Cr were seen to have higher carcinogenic risk and their reported accumulation (spatial distribution) in the western part of the Odisha state, India. It can be linked with the higher number of cancer patients recorded from this region. Thus strict measures should be taken to control the contamination which will help in proposing management plan by the policymakers. 

A socio-environmental analysis of microplastic pollution: Scientific exploration of microplastic prevalence in various environments and its correlation to social factors (Time: 2:55- 3:10) 

Dr. SUJA P. DEVIPRIYA, School of Environmental Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682022, Kerala INDIA 

Plastics began to be used widespread because they are inexpensive, strong, lightweight, corrosion-resistant, durable, and have properties of high thermal and electrical insulation. We have already produced a titanic amount of 8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastics (Dauvergne, 2018). Of the total plastics produced in the world, only a 9% has been recycled and 12% incinerated. The remainder 79% has been left unattended in landfills, dumps, and natural ecosystems (UNEP, 2018). When left unattended in the environment, plastic litter degenerate into smaller pieces under the influence of various photochemical, physical, and biological processes, and form tiny pieces, which when smaller than 5 mm in size, are called microplastics. Microplastics have now been detected in all the major spheres of the environment, such as air, water, soil, and biosphere. Due to the tiny size of microplastics, it is difficult to control its spread and polluting capacity. Its size facilitates easy transmission from one system to another and makes its prevalence highly ubiquitous. Human behavioural change pertaining to the reduction (if not elimination) in the use of plastics, especially single use plastics such as plastic bags, cups, plates etc., becomes an important step to mitigating plastic pollution. Various existing initiatives such as banning of plastic bags, or charging for plastic bags at retail outlets etc. have not really succeeded in engineering behavioural change within in the community. It is often found that people find ways and means of continuing the use of plastic in an unchecked manner in spite of such initiatives. 

The Kelani River Basin, Sri Lanka (Time: 3:10- 3:25) 

Dr. M.G.Y.L.Mahagamage, Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CESSD), The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka 

The demand for water in Sri Lanka is gradually increasing as a developing country, mainly for consumption, agriculture and production. Kelani river basin covers nearly seven districts and includes most popularized and industrialized districts along with 25% of the total population. Kelani river basin is the third largest watershed of the country and considered as the main water source for capital city, Colombo. While the flowing of river, pollutants from anthropological and industrial activities and land use practices of the river basin add different hazardous chemicals and microbes to running water. Therefore, the Kelani river can be ranked as a largest recipient of the industrial effluents among all the other rivers in Sri Lanka. Several studies were focused to determine ground and surface water quality, biodiversity and social aspects on water in the river basin. According to the general information, more than 9000 industries were located within the basin. A considerable percentage of the land (60%) has covered the river basin with agricultural crops along with 10% natural vegetation. River basin is high in biodiversity and endemism, which includes 60 freshwater fish species of which 30 are endemic. Water conductivity, hardness, BOD and COD were in increasing trend from the head region via transition to meandering region. Further, it was recorded that an increasing trend of most of the heavy metals towards to the lower region of the river basin. Entire Kelani river basin is contaminated with total and feacal coliform bacteria, including pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. Considerable high concentrations of pesticides were also recorded in the Kelani river and the recorded values were greater than those reported in most of the other developing countries. In addition, micro-plastics were recorded in Kelani river water and concentrations were in increasing trend towards the lower part of the river. It is noted that WQI values of overall ground and surface water quality in the Kelani river basin was ranked as “Poor” for drinking and another questionnaire survey reported that most participants in the head and transitional regions drink spring water without any treatment. Therefore, controlling or minimizing impacts on the river basin is needed to address. Unless immediate control actions are taken, pollution of both ground and surface water may become a severe problem in near future. 

Uptake of antibiotics by plants from irrigation water (Time: 3:25- 3:40) 

Dr. IMAD F. KENIAR, Department of plant science at American university of Beirut, Lebanon   

Antibiotics are added to the drinking water of poultry and the feed of fattening livestock to promote growth and reduce illness. They are released in manure as the parent compound and/or their metabolites. When manure containing antibiotic residues is used as plant fertilizer they may erode or leach and contaminate water resources. This research was conducted to evaluate the uptake of gentamicin and oxytetracycline by radish, bulb, lettuce leaves, and cucumber fruits. The plants were grown in two soil media (0 and 5% manure) and irrigated with water containing 20 mg/L of each tested antibiotic. After harvest, plant edible tissues like radish bulb, lettuce leaves and cucumber fruits were analyzed by ELISA. The results of analysis indicated that the accumulation of gentamicin reached to 13.68, 3.62 and 2.03 ng/g in radish, lettuce, and cucumber respectively and the addition of 5 % manure has increased the accumulation of gentamicin significantly in the three plants were the concentration reached to 18.36, 16.97 and 3.6 ng/g in radish, lettuce, and cucumber. The accumulation of oxytetracycline has reached to 1.5, 2.43, and 2.08 ng/g of tissue in radish, lettuce and cucumber. It is recommended that the haphazard use of antibiotics be controlled, and antibiotics be used for the treatment of sick animals only. 

Emerging threats to aqua life and other environments due to the essential add-on for COVID 19 pandemic- Treatment technologies and waste management as a proxy (Time: 3:40- 3:55) 

Dr. Manikanda Bharath Karuppasamy, National Institute of Technical Teachers' Training and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India 

In the present situation of the COVID 19 pandemic, the essential use of face masks, medical gloves, and other things is wielded as personal protection equipment for human health and to minimize further disease infections. Increased usage of face masks, medical gloves, and other essential materials to grow in plastic pollution threaten the aquatic organisms in environments. The primary objective of this review is to integrate various methods of plastic waste management and current statements of advanced treatment technologies for microplastic pollution and to help them sustain the environment. In the current situation, to tackle the global COVID 19 pandemic and minimize plastic pollution, many countries enact policies and strict rules on the usage and alternatives of plastics. Hence, it is essential to take necessary steps like collection, segregation, storage, and recycling to dispose of face masks safely and medical waste and implement alternative technology to facilitate energy recovery. 

Current prospective on fungal cellulases for environmental management (Time: 3:55- 4:10) 

Dr M. Subhosh Chandra Department of Microbiology, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa - 516 005, Andhra Pradesh, India

The continuous increase in worldwide industrialization has made researchers find economical ways to fulfill the growing demand. Industries like automobiles, textiles, animal feed, detergent, paper, healthcare needs, food processing, manure, wine making, and waste management have shown  a gradual increase in their demand. Hence, it is urgent need to fulfill these requirements, without affecting economy or any harsh effects on the environment. Cellulases (EC 3.2.1.4) catalyze the hydrolysis of β-1,4- glycosidic linkages in cellulose, and play a significant role in nature by recycling this polysaccharide which is the main component of the plant cell wall. These enzymes act in combination with other hydrolytic enzymes to ensure that the polysaccharide is completely degraded to soluble sugars, namely cellobiose and glucose, which are then assimilated by the cell. Microorganisms are recognized as effective producers of cellulase, and bacteria, as well as fungi, are considered major sources for the production of cellulase. In particular, bacteria (e.g., aerobic and anaerobic bacteria) and fungi (e.g., soft-rot fungi, white-rot fungi, and brown-rot fungi) are known to be potential cellulase producers among different types of microorganisms. The enzyme produced has a different structure and mechanism for binding to the substratum, depending on the microorganism. Cellulases formed by the fungi and aerobic bacteria are released as free molecules from the cell into the extracellular medium. In contrast, anaerobic bacteria produce cellulases that remain bound to the surface of the cell in a protein complex called cellulosome. By comparison, cellulases formed by aerobic microorganisms have a different architecture, with two domains: one for cellulose binding and the other as a catalytic site, and a peptide that links the domains. Certain structures on the protein can also be present, with many functions. The huge potential of cellulases in biotechnology is the driving force behind ongoing basic and applied work into these biocatalysts. Nevertheless, fungi are often favored over bacteria for efficient cellulase production because of their flexible use of substrates and their ability to penetrate. Although the fungi have the ability to produce better cellulase, it is very rare to have a single fungus possessingall the components of the cellulase system for successful biomass hydrolysis. Fungal cellulases have now found application in many fields, such as animal feeding, brewery and wine, meat, textile and laundry, and pulp and paper industries. Increasing interest in transforming lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars has created a further market for cellulases and their related enzymes. Additionally, biomass conversion has significant advantages over other alternative energy production methods, as lignocellulose is the most abundant and renewable biomaterial on our planet. According to recent market reports on enzymes, the main sectors in which cellulase enzyme is increasingly being applied are health care, textiles, pulp and paper, detergent, food, and beverages. Its wide application is related to the food and beverage segment in coffee processing, wine making, and fruit juice production. This is commonly used in many industrial applications to manufacture detergents for the laundry and cleaning and washing agents.  

Closing Remarks (Time: 4:10- 4:25) Prof. Dr. Michael Watts - British Geological Survey, UK 

E-waste pollutants are recalcitrant xenobiotic compounds, found in different environmental compartments. E-waste pollutants have low water solubility and semi-volatile hence get attached with the soil or sediment organic matter. Due to their high lipophilic properties, e-waste pollutants biomagnify into the food chain, and bioaccumulate in organisms in general, and in human-being particularly. It has been reported that e-waste pollutants pose toxic effects such as carcinogenic effects, neurotoxic effects, endocrine disruption, and immune-toxic effects etc to living organisms. The present workshop will highlight the e-waste pollution monitoring, exposure to human-being, risk assessment and toxicities using human cell model. The workshop will be useful to researchers, scientist, environmental organizations and electronic industries all over the world.

Welcome and Introductory Address (Time: 2:00 PM- 2:15 PM Beijing Time)

Prof. Dr. Taicheng An, School of Environmental Science and Engineering,  Director of Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.

Human Exposure Risks of Chlorinated and Brominated PAHs from E-waste Dismantling processes (Time: 2:15 PM- 2:35 PM Beijing Time)
Prof. Dr. Taicheng An, School of Environmental Science and Engineering,  Director of Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.

Cl-PAHs and Br-PAHs posed a potential health risk to the workers through the dust ingestion and inhalation in workshops. Further attention should be paid to the formation mechanism of X-PAHs and the health risk of exposure to X-PAHs from e-waste dismantling processes, which will help us further control the emission of X-PAHs in the e-waste dismantling workshops.

Effect of pollutant exposure on immune response to vaccination in children from e-waste recycle area (Time: 2:35 PM- 2:55 PM Beijing Time)

Prof. Dr. Xia HUO, Lab. of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology Jinan University, School of Environment Guangzhou 510632, China

Early-life exposure to widespread environmental toxicants is detrimental to human health. Our studies have focused on the relationship between environmental toxicant exposure and vaccine antibody potency or immunoglobulin levels in children. These studies suggest that exposure to environmental toxicants is generally associated with decreased potency of antibodies produced from childhood immunizations and overall deficiency in vaccines' provided protection. This work could help to conduct better immunization policies for children under environmental toxicant burdens.

Cocktail of hazardous substances in the informal e-waste recycling sectors of Indian cities: atmospheric emission and health impacts (Time: 2:55 PM- 3:15 PM Beijing Time)

Prof. Dr. Paromita Chakraborty, Environmental Science and Technology Research Group Leader, SRM Research Institute, SRM University, India 

India received huge amount of e-waste all around the world. The emissions from the e-wastes is a significant contributor of atmospheric pollution in different Indian cities. The production of hazardous substances from informal e-waste recycling sectors of Indian cities will be discussed in detail. Further, atmospheric emission and health impacts will be also highlighted.

Polychlorinated biphenyls congeners induced toxicities in Human Lungs Fibroblast cell lines Time: (3:15 PM- 3:35 PM Beijing Time)

Dr. Muhammad Zaffar Hashmi, Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan 

E-waste generation has become a serious environmental challenge worldwide. Improper recycling and incineration of e-waste produces different types of pollutants such as PCBs, PBDEs, BFRs and heavy metals etc. These posed significant threats to environment and public health. PCBs induced toxicities mechanisms are lacking. In this presentation human lung cells model will be used to understand the potential PCBs induced toxicity mechanisms such as mitogen protein kinase pathway and genotoxicity.

Application of exploratory and Spatial Data Analysis (SDA), singularity matrix analysis, and fractal models to delineate background of potentially toxic elements: A case study of Ahvaz, SW Iran  (Time: 3:35 PM-3:55 PM Beijing Time)

Dr. Ahad Nazarpour, Department of Geology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran 

Exploratory and Spatial Data Analysis application, singularity matrix analysis and fractal models will be used to understand the potentially toxic elements from Iran.

Closing Remarks (Time: 3:55 PM- 4:10 PM Beijing Time)

Prof. Dr. Xia HUO, Lab. of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology Jinan University, School of Environment Guangzhou 510632, China