Studies on Landfill Leachate Transportation and Its Impact on Soil Characteristics

Leachate from an untreated landfill or landfill with damaged liners will cause the pollution of soil and ground water. Here an attempt was made to generate knowledge on concentrations of all relevant pollutants in soil due to municipal solid waste landfill leachate and its migration through soil and also to study the effect of leachate on the engineering properties of soil. To identify the pollutants in soil due to the leachate generated from municipal solid waste landfill site, a case study on an unlined municipal solid waste landfill at Kalamassery has been done. Soil samples as well as water samples were collected from the site and analysed to identify the pollutants and its effect on soil characteristics. The major chemicals in the soil were identified as Ammonia, Chloride, Nitrate, Iron, Nickel, Chromium, Cadmium etc.. Engineering properties of field soil samples show that the chemicals from the leachate of landfill may have effect on the engineering properties of soil. Laboratory experiments were formulated to model the field around an unlined MSW landfill using two different soils subjected to a synthetic leachate. The Maximum change in chemical concentration and engineering property was observed on soil samples at a radial distance of 0.2 m and at a depth of 0.3 m. The pollutant (chemicals) transport pattern through the soil was also studied using synthetic leachate. To establish the effect of pollutants (chemicals) on engineering properties of soil, experiments were conducted on two types soils treated with the synthetic chemicals at four different concentrations. Analyses were conducted after maturing periods of 7, 50, 100 and 150 days. Test soils treated with maximum chemical concentration and matured for 150 days were showing major change in the properties. To visualize the flow of pollutants through soil in a broader sense, the transportation of pollutants through soil was modeled using software ‘Visual MODFLOW’. The actual field data collected for the case study was used to calibrate the modelling and thus simulated the flow pattern of the pollutants through soil around Kalamassery municipal solid waste landfill for an extent of 4 km2. Flow was analysed for a time span of 30 years in which the landfill was closed after 20 years. The concentration of leachate beneath the landfill was observed to be reduced considerably within one year after closure of landfill and within 8 years, it gets lowered to a negligible level. As an environmensstal management measure to control the pollution through leachate, permeable reactive barriers are used as an emerging technology. Here the suitability of locally available materials like coir pith, rice husk and sugar cane bagasse were investigated as reactive media in permeable reactive barrier. The test results illustrates that, among these, coir pith was showing better performance with maximum percentage reduction in concentration of the filtrate. All these three agricultural wastes can be effectively utilized as a reactive material. This research establishes the influence of leachate of municipal solid waste landfill on the engineering properties of soil. The factors such as type of the soil, composition of leachate, infiltration rate, aquifers, ground water table etc., will have a major role on the area of influence zone of the pollutants in a landfill. Software models of the landfill area can be used to predict the extent and the time span of pollution of a landfill, by inputting the accurate field parameters and leachate characteristics. The present study throws light on the role of agro waste materials on the reduction of the pollution in leachate and thus prevents the groundwater and soil from contamination

Modification of Polyethylenes by Reactive Extrusion

The main aim of the study was to optimise the reactive extrusion conditions in the conventional modification processes of polyethylenes in a single screw extruder.The optimum conditions for peroxide crosslinking of low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and their blend were determined in a torque rheometer. The actual reactive extrusion was performed in a laboratory single screw extruder using the optimum parameters. The influence of the coagent, triaUyl cyanurate (TAC), on the cross linking of low density polyethylene in the presence of peroxide was also investigated. The peroxide crosslinking was found to improve the mechanical properties and the thermal stability of the polyethylenes. The efficiency of crosslinking was found to be improved by the addition of coagent such as TAC.The optimum conditions for silane grafting viz temperature, shear rate, silane and DCP concentrations were determined on a torque rheometer in the case of LDPE, LLDPE and their blend. Silane grafting of LDPE in the presence of peroxide was performed with and without addition of water. Compounding of such mixtures in the melt at high temperatures caused decomposition of the peroxide and grafting of alkoxy silyl groups to the polyethylene chains.The optimum parameters for maleic anhydride modification of LDPE, LLDPE and their blend were determined. The grafting reaction was confinned by FTIR spectroscopy. Modification of polyethylenes with maleic anhydride in the presence of dicumyl peroxide was found to be useful in improving mechanical properties. The improvement was found to be mainly due to the grafting of carboxyl group and formation of crosslinks between the chains. The cross linking initiated improvements indicate extended property profiles and new application fields for polyethylenes.On the whole the study shows that the optimum conditions for modifying polyethylenes can be determined on a torque rheometer and actual modification can be performed in a single screw extruder by employing the optimum parameters for improved mechanical! thermal behaviour without seriously affecting their processing behaviour.

Reactive loaded microstrip leaky wave antenna for low cost beam steering applications

A novel fixed frequency beam scanning microstrip leaky wave antenna is reported. The beam scanning at fixed frequency is achieved by reactive loading. Simulation and measured results shows frequency scanability of 80° as well as fixed frequency beam steering of 68° over the −10 dB impedance band of 4.56–5.06 GHz.

Studies on the Solvent Dependence in the Reaction of a Few (Anthracen-9-yl)MethyLamines and Sulfanes with Reactive Acetylenes

The thesis entitled ‘Studies on the Solvent Dependence in the Reaction of a Few (Anthracen-9-yl)methylamines and Sulfanes with Reactive Acetylenes’ is divided into six chapters. ln Chapter l a general survey of electron transfer reactions, Diels-Alder reactions and Michael-type additions is presented. A detailed discussion on the synthesis of several (anthracen-9-yl)methylamines is presented in Chapter 2. In Chapter 3, results of preliminary photophysical studies on a few (anthracen-9yl) methylamines are compiled. A detailed discussion on extensive examination of dependence in the reaction of (anthracen-9-yl)methylamines with reactive acetylenes is presented Chapter 4. Details on the synthesis and reaction of a few (anthracen-9-yl)methylsulfanes with DMAD are described in Chapter 5.

Survival of multi-drug resistant enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella paratyphi in Vembanadu lake as a function of saltwater barrier along southwest coast of India

The objective of the study was to evaluate the survival response of multi-drug resistant enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella paratyphi to the salinity fluctuations induced by a saltwater barrier constructed in Vembanadu lake, which separates the lake into a freshwater dominated southern and brackish water dominated northern part. Therefore, microcosms containing freshwater, brackish water and microcosms with different saline concentrations (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 ppt) inoculated with E. coli/S. paratyphi were monitored up to 34 days at 20 and 30 WC. E. coli and S. paratyphi exhibited significantly higher (p <0.05) survival at 20 WC compared to 30 WC in all microcosms. Despite fresh/brackish water, E. coli and S. paratyphi showed prolonged survival up to 34 days at both temperatures. They also demonstrated better survival potential at all tested saline concentrations except 25 ppt where a significantly higher (p<0.0001) decay was observed. Therefore, enhanced survival exhibited by the multi-drug resistant enteropathogenic E. coli and S. paratyphi over a wide range of salinity levels suggest that they are able to remain viable for a very long time at higher densities in all seasons of the year in Vembanadu lake irrespective of saline concentrations, and may pose potential public health risks during recreational activities

Reactive pozzolanas from rice husk ash: An alternative to cement for rural housing

This paper discusses the properties of rice husk ash samples produced from different types of field ovens to compare the performance of the ovens and to identify the most feasible method to produce a reactive pozzolana as an alternative to cement for building applications requiring lower strengths. Different types of ashes are produced and long-term strength of rice husk ash pozzolanas with lime or cement is investigated to suggest a sustainable affordable option in rural building applications, especially for rural housing in Kerala, a southern state of India