Current Advances in Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences Vol. 3

Surface sediments and giant mudskipper (Periophthalmodon schlosseri) were collected in August and September 2008 and in March and June 2010 from six sampling sites in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia to assess heavy metals accumulation in giant mudskipper. The aim of the present study was to assess heavy metals concentration in giant mudskipper (Periophthalmodon schlosseri) and their correlations with different geochemical fractions of sediments. Sequential extraction technique was used to fractionate the sediments into four different geo-chemical fractions; easily, freely or leachable and exchangeable (EFLE), acid reducible, oxidizable organic and resistant fractions. Heavy metals concentrations (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Ni) in the surface sediments and giant mudskipper were determined by using air acetylene flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) Perkin Elmer Analyst 800. The results of Pearson’s correlation analyses showed that metal concentrations in the tissues of P. schlosseri were significantly correlated (p < 0.01 or p < 0.05), correlations were observed between Cu in P. schlosseri and Cu in the sediment (oxidisable organic, resistant and total Cu), Zn in P. schlosseri and Zn in the sediment (EFLE and total Zn), Pb in P. schlosseri and Pb in the sediment (with all the four fractions of Pb), Cd and Ni in P. schlosseri and Cd and Ni in the sediment (with all fractions of Cd and Ni except acid-reducible Cd and Ni) which might suggest the use of P. schlosseri as a biomonitoring agent for heavy metals pollution in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

The aim of this work is to portray the Madhurawada dome and Gosthani river basin with about 400 sq km located North of Visakhapatnam city more precisely close to the sea of Bay of Bengal. The study was done using the IRS-IB imagery and the field survey conducted for various structural elements and geological, litho logical data. The treatment and classification of the imaginary data were synchronized with the structural element data and geological material data. For comprehensive structural analysis and microscopic scale synoptic projection diagrams for each of the fabric elements like \(\pi\)S₀, \(\pi\)S₁, \(\pi\)S₂, L₁, L₂, L₃, have prepared separately from the domal area and river basin area. The synopsis of fabric geometry have synchronized with the lineament frequencies obtained from the remote sensing imagery. The concentrated sets of lineament frequency trends are distinctly recognized along the zones of quartzites and sheared khondalite plains. Curvilinear lineament fabric is often used to indicate the principal axial orientations of prominent domal fold patterns, showing doubly plunging recumbent fold systems. For the monitoring of groundwater resource zones, intersecting lineament patterns and their synchronised structural structure are extremely important. The river basin regulated by structural controls were expressed with cross cutting lineament pattern. For the first time the authors delineated and monitored water resources lineament frequency zones in the domal areas and paleo-channels of the river basin. The lineaments intersecting zones in the Pedi plain areas are favourable zones for large diameter dug wells. For the first time the authors delineated groundwater resource lineament frequency zones in the area.

This work proposes the best strategy for the "Location of the integral waste processing center for the metropolitan area in the city of Rosario". This would be achieved with the Multi criteria evaluation, which can be defined as a set of techniques oriented to assist in the decision making process.

The criteria are one of the fundamental elements of the Multi Criteria Evaluation, in which the success or failure of the developed evaluation will largely depend on its correct choice.

It is based on the development and application of two mathematical models of decision support based on the ELECTRE method and the Analytical Hierarchical Processes known as AHP method.

The aim of this study was to use community evacuation tactics to create a tsunami evacuation plan and perform and evaluate the effectiveness of a drill, thus providing materials for the future selection of suitable response tactics. For community-disaster prevention based on evacuation drills and actual disaster routes, this article considers tsunami evacuation tactics for vulnerable individuals receiving assistance from response and support teams. Sixteen cases of evacuation behaviors were assessed herein through actual disasters and drills; these were organized into three formations: (A) the “independent formation,” comprising five cases in which the vulnerable person receives evacuation support from family; (B) the “pick-up formation,” comprising seven cases in which support is provided by people not living in the same residence as the vulnerable person or from multiple supporters who pick up the vulnerable person and bring him/her to the evacuation point—including cases when the vulnerable person traveled to the evacuation point via a material storage location; and (C) the “converge and dispatch formation,” comprising four cases wherein each residential block contained both residences and workplaces of the supporters and vulnerable persons, and the people first gathered at a road, park, community center, or equipment store and subsequently evacuated. This study assesses the advantages and disadvantages of the A, B, and C formations together with the positional relationships between the vulnerable persons and the supporters. Furthermore, the potential risk to both the supporters and vulnerable persons was reduced herein via mapping and the development of an appropriate evacuation plan.

The Hongguleleng Cu deposit, located in the east area of West Junggar, Xinjiang, China, is a Manto-type deposit in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. It presents some differences with other Manto-type Cu deposit. In this paper, we aim to uncover geological difference and discuss genesis with geochemical method. It is hosted by the Middle Ordovician volcano-sedimentary sequence, particularly porous units. The orebodies of this Manto-type deposit are specifically hosted in basalt, andesite, and andesitic breccia host rocks (the particular volcano-sedimentary sequence). Normal faults control the occurrence of these orebodies. The most common minerals in the Hongguleleng deposit are chalcopyrite, pyrite, calcite, chlorite, and epidote. There are three alternation belts and six ore-related stages that have been identified. The epidote-chalcopyrite stage, quartz-calcite-chalcopyrite stage, and chlorite stage are ore forming stage. The \(\delta\)³⁴S of chalcopyrite in ore depositing stage varies from 0.94‰ to 2.59‰, indicating that the origin of sulfur is either magma or host volcanic rock. Further, the ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb values of the chlorite-chalcopyrite and quartz-calcite-chalcopyrite stages exist in the range of 17.443–17.847 and 17.855–17.973; 15.472–15.495 and 15.493–15.62; and 37.616–37.666 and 37.689–38.114, respectively, indicating that the metal originates from the Middle Ocean Ridge Basalt (MORB). The \(\delta\)¹³C_PDB value of calcite for the epidote-chalcopyrite stage ores, quartz-calcite-chalcopyrite ores with veinlet characteristics, quartz-calcite-chalcopyrite ores with brecciated characteristics, and chlorite-chalcopyrite ores range from -1.4 to -1.5‰, -2.01 to 0.41‰, -1.15 to 0.75‰, and -0.8 to 1.58‰, respectively, while the ¹⁸O_SMOW ranges from 8.94–10.42‰, 11.83–13.17‰, 13.59–14.04‰, and 12.34–14.18‰, respectively. The C-O isotope of calcite from the Hongguleleng deposit indicates that seawater is an important fluid in ore formation and that modified seawater interacts extensively with the host rock. The presence of hydrothermal magnetite in the quartz-magnetite stage and chlorite in the ore forming stages suggests that temperature decreases from the early to late stages. High Zn and Pb concentrations in pyrite over four stages, with relatively stable contents, indicate that the Zn and Pb content in fluid is also high. The concentration of Cu in the Hongguleleng deposit's four stages of pyrite follows a decreasing trend, indicating that the concentration of Cu in the ore forming fluid decreases from early to late stage. We argue that this deposit is a Manto-type deposit with modified seawater driving forces based on the information presented above. Keywords: West Junggar The Hongguleleng Manto-type Cu deposit C-O isotope S-Pb isotope Magnetite, chlorite, and pyrite electron microprobe analysis Ore genesis.

The increasing impact of climate change has spurred public interest in identifying the long-term consequences of people's actions. While environmentalists continue to push for accountability, the majority of people in the areas where the majority of these pollutions occur, particularly in oil-producing regions, have no say in their destiny. The study suggests a qualitative approach and the establishment of a focus group environmental matrix as a one-of-a-kind technique for oil spill control that takes into account people's perspectives. The following objectives help develop a broader understanding of oil exploration and production in local communities, particularly Nigeria, based on established literature, establishing a protocol for engaging with community leaders, managing focus groups, and reporting on the focus groups' findings. This research adopts a qualitative method, based on a focus group discussion of 12 open-ended questions about the effects of the oil spill on the ecology. The focus of the questions was on the impact of the spills on local inhabitants. The qualitative research took place in Ogoniland's Gio, Ogale, Kwawa, and KeDere communities between March and May 2018. With 48 participants and pre-determined questions, gender-based techniques were investigated. Participants were asked leading questions and were native speakers with knowledge of the specified issue. Finally, matrix analysis was performed to match the perspectives of the people, and the results revealed that the overall environmental components were altered.

Unsustainable income, devalued economy, devalued culture, weathering mangrove, respiratory problems, inaccuracy in reaction, communication barrier, and economic deterioration are among the repercussions of oil pollution identified by the focus group matrix. The importance of using focus groups to promote environmental restoration and sustainability was determined. It allows for a more direct link with the most vulnerable, as well as potential answers for policymakers.

Most households in developing countries rely on firewood or charcoal as their primary source of fuel for cooking and heating due to under development of alternative fuel sources. The aim of this study is to analyse factors influencing the potential of biogas energy use as an alternative energy source. The study employed a mixed method research design to establish whether political, economic, social-cultural and technical factors, have any influence on the use of biogas as an alternative energy source in one of the areas of southern Malawi. Findings showed a significantly high potential (p<0.05) of using biogas with over 66%. Results further showed that social cultural, political, economic and technical factors did not significantly influence the use of biogas as an energy source in the area (p>0.05). The study nevertheless, showed that other factors such as failure of existing digesters, high initial investment costs and lack of awareness of the biogas technology do play a role in influencing the potential of using biogas in the area. Education and awareness programs should therefore, be intensified in order to sensitize the communities about biogas technology usage, its advantages as well as repairing of the non-functioning digesters. It is also recommended that more studies should be conducted to establish the extent of the availability of technical expertise and non-functioning digesters within the area.

In this work, we present a program to numerical integrate the atmospheric absorption due to carbon dioxide and water vapour of infrared photons by the atmosphere. We also investigate the effect of water evaporation on climate sensitivity. We present a prediction of increase temperature from doubling CO_2 of just under a fifth of a degree.  

Aerosol measurements were taken using a newly constructed Semiautomatic Twilight Photometer at Kolhapur (16\(^{\circ}\)42\(^{\prime}\)N, 74\(^{\circ}\)14\(^{\prime}\)E). The system is a ground-based passive remote sensing technology that is simple and affordable but extremely sensitive. The main objective of the study is, to find out interdependence between oscillations of Junge layer peak (its altitude & Aerosol Number Density per cm³ (AND)) and different types of clouds. One attempt is made to look into the relationship between stratospheric aerosol layer peak oscillations and different types of clouds. For each observational day, the AND values for the Junge layer peaks were determined. In addition, the graph between AND at the summit of the Junge layer and day numbers was compared to High, Medium, and Low-level clouds. There was also a yearly change in the Jung layer peak's altitude. The annual fluctuation in the height of the Jung layer peak and the AND of the Junge layer peak exhibited an inverse phase relationship.

The authors conducted the present study to expose the level of environmental risk of two rivers through the distribution of PAHs in their water bodies and sediment. The studied rivers are the Mboppi River and the Ngoua River, all in Douala, Cameroon; the first being in a commercial zone, while the second is in an industrial area. Samples of water and sediments were collected during the dry and rainy seasons. The total concentrations of PAHs in sediment from the Ngoua River ranged from 140.42 \(\mu\)g.g^-1 to 229.47 \(\mu\)g.g^-1 dry matter in sediment during the rainy season and from 48.89 \(\mu\)g.g^-1 to 333.49 \(\mu\)g.g^-1 dry matter in sediment during the dry season. The analysis of the extracts from water samples shows a range of 29.13–461.94 \(\mu\)g.L^-1 for the total concentration of PAHs in the Ngoua River. All samples showed the predominance of high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs due to industrial activities. Principal component analysis (PCA) also showed remarkable differences in the characteristics of samples collected upstream and downstream of Nettoycam Company along the Ngoua River or Mboppi Market along the Mboppi River, their location, and also of samples from rainy and dry seasons. PAHs of 2 or 3 rings exhibit low concentrations and are even undetectable in certain sediment samples, while they are present in water samples from both rivers. All the studied media (water and sediment) from the studied rivers are all environmentally risky. The toxicity assessment through the determination of the Toxicity Equivalent (TEQ) concentration revealed that.

According to current theory, the kilometers-high salt pillars ('diapirs') observed on many sites across the world are the product of a millions-year-long progressive process of cold flow of rock salt pushed upward by the overburden of soil covering it. This explanation is based on David Griggs' (1939) notion that plates of rock under high long-term stress behave like a fluid, have intrinsic viscosity, and can be represented using fluid dynamics equations. Griggs' idea has recently been falsified as a series of mistakes, each of which violating one or more principles of correct academic research, resulting in a gap in geological theory. The objective of this study is to fill that gap. We explain diapirs as salt lava pushed upward in kilometers of muddy, back-and-forth moving water, in a short period of time. This explanation necessitates the substitution of a catastrophe scenario for the known uniformitarian scenario for the evolution of the Earth's geological appearance. The catastrophe scenario we provide explains not only how diapirs form, but also how the Earth's key geological properties, such as waterflow-related geological macro-structures, originate. In contrast to the uniformitarian scenario,  the catastrophe scenario's outcome is highly consistent with the actual geological and geophysical facts.