Faculty Publications
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://idr.nitk.ac.in/handle/123456789/18736
Publications by NITK Faculty
Browse
40 results
Search Results
Item Development in groundwater treatment - Indian perspective(IWA Publishing, 2016) Thalla, A.K.; Devatha, C.P.[No abstract available]Item Technologies for ground water treatment: Pump-and-treat technologies(IWA Publishing, 2016) Thalla, A.K.; Devatha, C.P.; Daronco, G.C.[No abstract available]Item Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials(Elsevier, 2018) Devatha, C.P.; Thalla, A.K.The nanotechnology industry is increasingly promoting nano as a “green” technology that will improve the environmental performance of existing industries, reduce consumption of resources and energy, and allow achievement of environmentally benign economic expansion. Eco-friendly solutions are gaining popularity in the contemporary world. A green method for nanoparticle synthesis should be assessed considering three aspects: the solvent, the capping agent, and the reducing agent compared to physical and chemical methods. Particularly, the plant extracts mediated process is a good and advantageous method for the development of metal nanoparticles compared to using microorganisms, in which the cell maintenance time is limited. Synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles are important steps to be adopted to apply nanoparticles in field applications, and these steps include preparation of leaf extract, Phytochemical screening, and preparation of precursor. Various factors affecting the synthesis of nanoparticles, such as pH, temperature, and time, will be discussed. The degradation of any organic compounds by the green approach (plant extracts) is mainly due to the presence of polyphenols in the biodegradable material. Although the synthesis of nanoparticles has been trending higher, their application in the area of waste water treatment has been limited until recently. Hence, the application of nanoparticles to waste water treatment will be discussed with a view toward paving the way for an alternate source of water. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Item Producing oleaginous organisms using food waste: Challenges and outcomes(Humana Press Inc. humana@humanapr.com, 2019) Singaram, S.; Thalla, A.K.With organic or food waste being one of the main constituents of the total urban waste generated, it not only makes it essential to seek means for its safe disposal but at the same time reiterates the huge potential that lies with the proper utilization of such a widely available resource. Oleaginous microbes that are effective in producing or storing oil would use food waste rich in carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, and this oil in turn could be an alternative feedstock for the production of biofuels. However, there are few challenges in the process. The various challenges in this process and methods to address them are discussed in the present chapter. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019.Item Landfill leachate pollution index(IWA Publishing, 2023) Thalla, A.K.; Ambujan, A.; Kubsad, V.A major portion of wastes generated due to rapid industrializaron and urbanization ends up in landfills. The leachate generated as a consequence of physical and chemical changes in landfills can pose danger to the water and soil in the proximity. Poorly designed, faulty monitoring of leachate-handling systems could lead to unfortunate contamination affecting human and livestock health as well as adversely affecting agriculture and soil. An urgent need to quantify the contamination caused due to faulty handling of hazardous waste landfill (HWL) leachate has been felt. The leachate pollution index (LPI) has been an essential tool for quantifying the leachate contamination potential. The existing index was developed based on criteria, in particular, the toxicity and availability of the pollutants in the leachate from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill sites, and thus many pollutants which are present in HWL leachate in significant concentrations were screened out. However, with rapid industrialization, the quantities of hazardous waste generated and its dumping in HWLs and the toxicity associated or rendered with it is not dealt currently but there is an urgent need for the same. Thus, pollutants such as halogenated organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals such as selenium need to be considered in the formulation of LPI for hazardous waste landfills. In this chapter, a review of sources of hazardous wastes, their conventional handling methods, developing LPI for MSW landfill sites, and further how the same can be modified to develop LPI for HWLs are discussed. The procedure stated for LPI development in this study can serve as an essential tool for quantifying the leachate contamination potential, can be used as a comparison tool for different HWL leachates, furthermore, and for ranking landfill sites based on the contamination potential. © 2023 The Authors. All rights reserved.Item Numerical Simulation of Contaminant Transport in Subsurface Soil Using MODFLOW Software(Springer Nature, 2023) Bincy, B.; Devatha, C.P.; Thalla, A.K.Groundwater demand is increasing rapidly due to the growing contamination of surface water resources in the present scenario. Surface water bodies like the ocean, wetlands, and estuaries always influence it. Inevitably, groundwater is also facing a major threat of contamination. It is not possible to directly observe the subsurface groundwater flow processes. Industrial discharge is a major source of pollutants in the study area. Hence, it is imperative to study the dynamics of groundwater and contamination characteristics in this area. A geographic information system (GIS) integrated with the MODFLOW is adopted to achieve the purpose. Major input parameters include water quality and water level data collected from 2016 to 2020. The model uses site soil characteristics, flow parameters, and recharge data to match the field conditions. The results project the present status of water availability in the aquifer system and the level of contamination in the study area. The simulated water levels correlate with the observed values with an error estimate (root mean square error) of 0.95. The results of this study can be utilized to suggest the predictive measure to be adopted to restore the water quality and quantity aspect in the study area. Further, it can be extended to predict treatment measures to reduce future contamination. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.Item Pharmaceutical Pollution in Indian Waters: An Emerging Environmental Challenge(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025) Dessai, P.; Thalla, A.K.In recent years, a growing environmental concern has risen as pharmaceutical compounds are being detected in natural water bodies. This is mainly due to their direct disposal into the rivers or inadequate removal during wastewater treatment processes. While many developed nations have established guidelines for their monitoring, India lacks specific policies despite being one of the major pharmaceutical manufacturers and consumers. This review paper presents a comprehensive study of the numeral, spatial and temporal extent of these contaminants. It covers literature reported over the past two decades, which reveals a significant presence of antibiotics and NSAIDs, detected both in STPs and waterbodies in India. A notable diversity has been observed across all the states, with certain classes of drugs reported more frequently than others which could be due to a lack of comprehensive monitoring. Thus, the findings underscore the urgency for continuous monitoring and implementation of advanced biological treatment techniques. This will play a pivotal role in formulating guidelines intricately connected with sustainable development goals 3, 6, 12 and 14. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.Item Application of life cycle assessment in municipal solid waste management: A worldwide critical review(Elsevier Ltd, 2019) Khandelwal, H.; Dhar, H.; Thalla, A.K.; Kumar, S.The whopping increase in solid waste generation all over the world calls for the development of waste management strategies for a sustainable environment. By the quantification of environmental impacts, life cycle assessment (LCA) tool can help in answering the call. It evaluates the environmental performance of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) system which helps decision-maker in selecting the best management strategy with minimum impacts on the environment. But, up to what extent the LCA methodology can be applied to MSWM systems? To address this question, the present study analyzed the 153 LCA studies published till date since 2013 all over the world. The present study analyzed the time evolution, geographical distribution, and methodology applied in LCA studies. It summarized the use of the functional unit, LCA model, Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) method, MSWM options, and the critical findings of the selected LCAs, along with MSW composition, income group, and the gaps in the application of the studies. For evaluating the dependence of publication of studies and country's economic condition, the countries in which LCA studies were conducted are classified into four groups on the basis of income level viz., lower income, lower middle income, upper middle income, and higher income countries. In terms of technological coverage, 1 ton of MSW was the most used functional unit. SimaPro was the majorly used LCA model while 56 of the total studies didn't mention about the use of LCA model, only 66 of the total studies included sensitivity analysis in the assessment. Integrated solid waste management was found to be the most preferred waste management option. Also, a very limited number of studies have included life cycle costing and social aspects of MSWM system. The results indicated that the majority of the LCA studies are based in Europe and Asia. Shockingly, 178 out of the total countries in the world have not published a single LCA study on MSWM since 2013. Also, it was found that the effect of increasing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on the publication of LCA studies is irrelevant, possible reasons being the lack of data, time and economic constraints. Establishment of environment-friendly policies and initiatives by the Government along with the participation of public, non-government and private organizations through training courses and seminars might help in improving the LCA applicability in the field of MSWM. © 2018 Elsevier LtdItem Impact of REE Mining on Coastal Groundwater: Numerical Modelling and Remediation Potential of Clay-Amended Laterites(Springer Nature, 2025) Bincy, B.; Devatha, C.P.; Thalla, A.K.Coastal aquifers are vulnerable to contamination due to extensive beach sand mining and effluents from processing plants, leading to heavy metal dispersion in groundwater. This study integrates hydrodynamic and geochemical modelling to predict contaminant transport and evaluates the effectiveness of clay-amended laterite mixtures in immobilising heavy metals. A 3D transient state finite element model (FEFLOW) was developed to simulate the transport mechanisms of titanium (Ti), iron (Fe), and magnesium (Mg) in the Chavara coastal zone, considering advective–dispersive transport and geochemical interactions. Results indicate significant contaminant plume migration along primary flow paths influenced by macro-scale hydrodynamics (groundwater flow) and micro-scale adsorption kinetics of laterite. Forecasting highlighted significant southwest movement of contaminants with maximum velocities of 18.40 m/day. The 7-year hydraulic modelling scenario predicts dispersion over 6.2–7.1 km2 area, emphasising groundwater vulnerability to pumping rates. Contaminant levels reached concentrations of Fe—180 ppm, Mg—48 ppm, and Ti—0.56 mg/L ppm. Simulation shows a 21.6% reduction in hydraulic head and a 71.34% decrease in storage capture with increased extraction, compared to a 0.61% head reduction from variations in specific storage. The study also explores heavy metal immobilization using laterite soil modified with bentonite, kaolinite, and zeolite clay through Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models. Bentonite-amended laterites demonstrated the highest adsorption efficiency (Kd—54.8 L/kg for Ti, 22.1 L/kg for Fe, and 17.9 L/kg for Mg), attributed to its expansive interlayer structure and high cation exchange capacity. This research provides a multiscale interdisciplinary approach offering sustainable solutions for groundwater remediation in industrial coastal regions. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.Item Effect of hydraulic conductivity on soil moisture uptake under saline conditions for wheat crop(2013) Devatha, C.P.; Ojha, C.S.P.; Hari Prasad, K.S.; Thalla, A.K.Salinity in soil can decrease plant available water and cause plant stress. The pattern of root water uptake for wheat was studied for saline as well as non-saline condition using non-linear root water uptake model. Experiments have been conducted using a salinity level of 4 dS/m and freshwater condition. The effect of salinity on soil moisture has been studied by varying the crop coefficient as well as hydraulic conductivity. The correction factor to the crop coefficient approach is found to be unsuccessful. However, the correction factor to the hydraulic conductivity for a non-saline condition improves the simulation of soil moisture uptake in case of saline soils. The exponential form of the equation is established for the hydraulic conductivity to soil moisture relationship under salinity level and freshwater sample. The present work also substantiates that the non-linearity parameter of root water uptake model (O-R model) is successful in simulation of soil moisture depletion in the crop root zone and does not vary more than 10% in case of saline soils. © 2013 Indian Society for Hydraulics.