Water - Please Conserve

WATER - THE PRECIOUS LIQUID. Please Conserve.

March 22, 2017 - Today is World Water Day

Water, as we know, is an important chemical compound.

I am fascinated towards water as an Environmental Scientist.

If water resources are depleted or water management is not properly done, it will affect individuals, countries and even the whole Globe.

Amazing hydrological cycle keeps recycling water and give us this wonderful required compound (Water) to survive.

Higher percentage of the human body is water. We all know we need water to survive.

But how have we treated this water - we took it for granted. Now, literally we are paying for it.

We are conducting wars for water.

We are interrupting hydrological cycle by

- affecting rain patterns

- deforestation

- depleting aquifers

- pollution

 Cutting trees, over usage of ground water with replenishing, industrial effluents, sewage waste, medicinal waste, agricultural run off, golf course run off, leaking under ground storage tanks, leaching from industrial run off, landfill leaching and runoff (to name some) are affecting water bodies and quality of the water. Even though new type of contaminants enter the water, water treatment has not changed accordingly in  most places.  

Water treatment must be tailored according to the situation rather than following the same methods everywhere.Simple substances such as banana peel, burned coconut shells and neem leaves can be used in treating water especially in poor areas where they could not afford high quality treatments.

Water Treatment

 Precious liquid water must be conserved and protected or else future generations will be affected.
Was very happy to see a scientist who is conserving water.

I am fascinated towards Lakes, Rivers, Waterfalls, Ponds, Streams and Oceans.

These are some of  the reasons that took me to enter the world of Water Research.

                                           

I taught Water related courses in India and in United States.

I was lucky to conduct water research on Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Chesapeake Bay always amazed me.

 Beautiful Chesapeake Area

I have been part in deflecting a serious threat to our oceans by sending letters to Administration officials

 to protect our oceans all over the World.

I have been involved in collaborating scientists to do water research and promote the value of water and water bodies.

We have taken steps to conserve water at EA FARMS.

Water Recharging Pit @ EA FARMS

I request you to please Conserve water.

Climate Change

SCIENTIST'S WARNING:
World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency

Kids are voicing their opinion strongly about climate changeas they are ones going to really face the future.  

Climate Change - NASA - Climate - Research and Data

                             NOAA - Climate - Research and Data

It is really sad to see them protest and some of them getting arrested. They must focus on their future too. They need to think and how they can really counteract the environmental problem. 

Another potent Green House Gas: Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is a very potent greenhouse gas than other ghgs  and countries are using it at unprecedented rate.

 
A method of counteracting Climate Change - Use renewable resources, techniques and show the world that this can be done.
Some more counteracting methods:

-planting more trees,

-Innovative ideas such as algal lamp,

-inventing new devices such as Carbon dioxide absorption device,

-developing regenerative agriculture practices

I am sure the motivated people will find more solutions when we move forward.

As we move scientifically forward, there is no way for zero pollution any more. Instead we should work how to reduce pollution, emission and rack up solutions to the problem. Moving forward they should become environmental research scientists, data scientists (Information Technology - IoT, AI - MILA Quebec is currently involved - can aide in solving Climate issues and provide solutions), policy makers, create positive projects, politicians, and whatever professions that will help the environment. While pursuing these careers, they can simultaneously   practice environmentally friendly actions even if it is as simple as planting trees, creating gardens, banning plastics, using less water and many other small deeds. If it multiplies more and more and grows exponentially it will be good for the Environment and Earth Inhabitants. When these kids become scientists and policy makers, they can contribute to the betterment of environment.  Even if they shine up in different fields,  they can contribute to environment betterment by

Five Rs - Refuse -> Reduce -> Reuse -> Recycle -> Recover.

In my case, I have long journey of environmental background starting a Biology undergrad degree, studying two masters in Environmental Science and pursuing a PhD in Environmental Science. During these degrees I focused on low cost effluent treatments, bio -remediation and Environmental Toxicology. 

I had a chance to study and research Pocomoke River, a Cheapeake Bay tributary, which indicated the river was polluted before the massive fishkills occurred. Later after some years I am really glad and happy that because of precautions taken in Chesapeake water shed area, the great Chesapeake Bay has revived environmentally but also still facing threats. 
            Building Air Pollution Chambers to study the effects during University days

This is what I mean to the kids, use your capabilities, do positive research, analyze data and tell the World that these are the facts and give the solutions. That way you will have more support, because everyone want to breathe good air, drink uncontaminated water, eat artificial chemical free food and live a quality healthy life in unpolluted land. Some times in life, you don’t get opportunity in the field you love the most. But never give up. I wanted to end up in a University to teach my beloved subject Environmental Science and conduct research and guide students and serve to betterment of Environment. Somehow I could not achieve that. But never gave up. Using the data analyses, modeling and predictive statistics skills I completed another masters in Computer Science and built a career in that field focusing on data. Using it I created my own Environmental projects such as EAFARMS - a sustainable natural organic agriculture development that works together with nature (planting more trees and enriching soil naturally). 

I still learn about current environmental topics, work with environmental scientists and co-ordinate them to do projects that benefit environment, create environmental awareness to children by volunteering, writing blog, twitter, answering in Quora (social media). I work with like minded friends to follow environmentally friendly agriculture, plant more trees and mimic and create small forests wherever I can. Also with my experience I wrote a book called Modern Realistic Environmentalism

and wanted it to be available freely, to share my environmental experience. In our backyard,  we created bird friendly environmental areas and watching them gives us immense joy.

With all these information, if I can make at least one more person to at least follow one environmental friendly activity, I really feel I have achieved something. I think together we can protect the environment and prolong its positives to future generations to come. Thank you.

Makesh Karuppiah, PhD

Environmental Scientist and Information Technologist

Environmental Research - A Look Back - On Positive Note

A look back at my Environmental Research:

From my childhood, I was interested in Nature and Environment. We have planted numerous trees in schools. 
What we planted as small saplings have grown into beautiful trees: 

Bharathiar University - Environmental Sciences 

Science was my subject.

When I learned about Limnology and used Secchi disc during my undergraduate degree, I decided to become an Environmental Scientist. 

Beautiful Water Body from where I studied Limnology

I joined Master’s degree (PSGCAS) and focused towards Environmental Chemistry. My research was - Color removal from pulp and paper mill effluent.

Then got admitted to another Masters (M.Phil - Bharathiar University) and focused towards Environmental Physiology. I got chance to work with plants, bioindicators, bioremediators, fishes and scary scorpions. 

Portulaca oleracea (Linn) AS BIOINDICATOR AND PHYTO (BIO) REMEDIATION TOOL OF HEAVY METAL POLLUTION IN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT 

Stem affected by Copper

During these periods, got very good friends, enjoyed my studies and had a good passion for Environment. My research was using a plant as bio-indicator and that inclined towards metal remediation using plants. 

Finally got into PhD program - MarineEstuarine Environmental Sciences. Environmental Sciences, Toxicology, Statistics, Microbiology and Biochemistry were my five majors. Passed my tough written, oral exams and I concentrated on my research - Toxicity of two Chesapeake Bay Tributaries. I loved the research. I liked to go into the field for collecting sediments in a small boat that was easily transported in a car. 

The tributaries were scenic beauties and after tough work, samples were collected and transported to lab. By that time, I had become an expert in sample analyses, toxicity identification evaluation, environmental instrumentation and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. 

After the samples were analyzed for the data, I predicted one of the tributary ( Pocomoke River ) which had flow of nutrients and influent from Sewage water treatment is more toxic. This was before the massive fish kills that occurred in Pocomoke River, MD.  Several people participated in my dissertation defense and I was proud of it. Results were published in refereed  environmental scientific research journals. One of the best paper was :

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 1996 Oct;35(1):81-5.

Impact of point and nonpoint source pollution on pore waters of two Chesapeake Bay tributaries.

Karuppiah M, Gupta G.

 I graduated as an Environmental Scientist with very keen interest in doing something for Environment.

I also ended up in Computer Sciences Master’s program, graduated from it and found a well-paid career in the new field. My passion was in Environmental Science. Even in MS computer science my thesis was related to Environmental Science and it was on Fuzzy Logic in an Universally Acceptable Pollution model. With help of my degrees in Environmental Sciences and Computer Sciences, we created a company called EnviroApps - Enviro - for Environment and Apps - for Information Technology Applications. My quest for Environmental Research and love for nature never stopped. I still grab every small opportunity to involve in Environmental activities, teaching and creating awareness (Quora, Twitter).  With my interest in Environmental Sciences, we created our own environmental projects  at - EA FARMS. 

Cattle from EA FARMS - We produce organic feed to feed our cattle for good milk.

One of my passion is to teach Environmental Sciences - from kids to Graduate students. 

Recently with my great friend Dr. Hatha, I am  involved in some important Environmental Research such as:

Halophilic heavy metal tolerant bacteria from Vembanad Lake as possible means of bioremediation of lead and cadmium.

Antibiotic resistance of heterotrophic bacteria from natural and culture environments of freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de man, 1887).

So many ways are available for mankind to work and move positively. Let us move forward positively in year 2013. From my side, environmental projects will move ahead and move forward positively. Happy New Year to All.

Makesh Karuppiah, Ph.D
Environmental Scientist

Most Polluted in United States Air, Water and Land

Air: Los Angeles
particle pollution and ozone pollution

Air: Bakersfield, California
particle pollution and for ozone

Air: Pittsburgh
particle pollution

Water: Streams and Headwaters in Appalachia
mountaintop removal mining
Head Water Destruction

Water: Gulf of Mexico
excess nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates
HYPOXIA

Water: Chesapeake Bay
urban and agricultural resources," she says. "There's runoff from large factory farms, including large poultry farms, and raw sewage from Washington D.C.

My Ph.D Research: Toxicity Studies on Chespeake Bay Tributaries.
My research was one of the pioneer research on sediments of Chesapeake Bay Tributaries and it indicated that one of the river - Pocomoke River (Later to my study Massive fish kills occured in this river) was highly contaminated with runoff including large poultry farms.


Land: The Nelson Tunnel, Creede, Colorado
Superfund Site Heavy metals
arsenic, cadmium, lead and zinc

Land: Iron King Mine Humboldt Smelter, Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona
arsenic and lead poisoning
Land: Escambia Wood, Pensacola, Florida

Wood Treatment:
The soil and ground water around the site is polluted with creosote, naphthalene, pentachlorophenol, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and dioxin.

Makesh Karuppiah, Ph.D

Moon

MOON EXPLORATION

Chandrayaan 3 mission (Launch Date - 14 July 2023 14.35 hrs IST)  was a great success ( Landing Date Time - 23 August 2023 06.04 hrs IST)  for ISRO team, ISRO and INDIA. 

Wishing them more success in the future. From childhood space always fascinated me and my friends. We learned about rockets in detail during our high school and were attracted to them. As we grew heard about  Vikram Sarabai, and Dr. Kalam, followed him and highly motivated by his accomplishments and speeches. 

FROM HUMBLE BEGININGS

Later moved to US for higher studies and had opportunity to visit Wallops Island where Dr. Kalam had also visited. My environmental research was on Chesapeake Bay sediment toxicity. Also had a dream to study such toxicity on extraterrestrial materials, which did not materialize due to various reasons but the interest in space never deteriorated. Life took its path and put me near the Titusville where Kennedy Space Center, NASA is located. NASA's outer planet exploration, it's space shuttles, and  rockets are examples of human's intelligence, hard work, dedication, perseverance, unselfish sacrifices and uncompromised quest for exploration into unknown territory.

Presidents Kennedy's words are true - 

"Not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills."

It is hard work from childhood for an aspirant astronaut. Fitness, extreme conditioning endurance tests, education, knowledge,  experience, severe extreme exercises including swimming in gargantuan sized pools with heavy space suits ( for practicing space walks ). 

After all these hardwork they may not even get to travel out of the World and those get the chance have several risk factors such as exposures to hazardous materials, weight loss, change in physiology, psychology and even accidental death. Young students have witnessed their astronaut teacher's space craft blowing off. We have seen spacecrafts broken into pieces while returning into Earth's atmosphere after successful mission. Kalpana Chawla and the crew are still in our minds. 

Space exploration is really tough and with all these hurdles still the courageous bunch try these exploration to satisfy their quest for reaching the universe and understanding it. 

Despite of all these hardwork, sacrifice and team efforts,  there are negative comments that these are Hollywood movie sets. Even though real scientists do not care about these comments, it is an insult to their dedication and hard work. Rockets are one of the human made wonders and an outcome of a teamwork at its best. Even if people do not appreciate their dedication, hard and tough efforts, they should not negatively demeanor their efforts. Still we are mastering the space exploration day by day. Rocket's humongous size can be witnessed only when you are near it. This Saturn/Apollo Rocket displayed at KSC will make one awe at its size. Just the exhaust is so huge and the body from top to bottom cannot be captured in one normal photo frame. 

Similarly space shuttles with their orange fuel tank is a delight to watch especially during launch. Have watched several spaceshuttle launches from KSC and night ones are the delight to watch. First you see a ball of fire lifting the space shuttle lighting up the entire area and finally you hear the roaring unimaginable sound. One will not take the eyes away from the shuttle until it disappears into the space. This will stay in one's mind for so long. 

Over the years the space travel has improved with advancement of technology. We can be of sure that it is going to improve a lot in the future. 

A recent launch by SpaceX delightful to watch from beach.

As we felt excellent at the success of Chandrayaan mission and its rover Pragyan exploring the moon, heard some negative comments such as India is poor, even toilets are not there for several people - Swachh_Bharat_Mission 

 and feed your people (India is number 1 in Pulses production and in top 4 in many crops and main vegetables). India has great history of agriculture greatness and it has been documented in more than 2000 years old Thirukkural by great Thiruvalluvar.

Also water management, irrigation systems built by the Great Cholas are still existing as witness. Currently the agriculture is moving towards sustainable regenerative agriculture - not only we practice it at EAFARMS, but also we educate the farmers on its benefits.

Everyone knows that India has the most population in the World. As in corporate business world, there is a budget by government for every aspects, there are departments such as Space Exploration and Poverty Reduction among several. As in corporate world, everything runs by budget. Every department has its own budget allocated. Similarly governments allocate funding ( Budget ) for space exploration and poverty reduction programmes. Hard working people in Space exploration make it big which is not only good for country, but also for future generations. It is rat race in space exploration field, especially, Corporates are knocking doors at it. Everyone wants their hands on Moon's Resources especialy the Helium - 3. The old treaty is getting over and hence India PM reiterated that this landing is for the whole World and  humanity. At the same time, poverty reduction even though budget allocation is there, poor management and corruption has put that department into back seat unlike ISRO. That department negativesness should be rectified and in near future poverty should be eradicated from the face of our Mother Earth. That comparison is the best example of comparing apples and oranges, especially by negative minded people. Space program gives job opportunities for thousands of people. As India's PM has said during Chandrayaan 3 mission, the success is for the whole humanity and to leap forward positively. 

It is One Earth, One Family and One Future:

Every one should work together for the prosperity of our Great Planet - Mother Earth instead of fighting each other, war, polluting, spreading negativity and destroying our fragile Planet, the small bluedot in the great universe. Chandrayaan 3 landing site is now named as Shivsakthi Point 

by Prime Minister Modi dedicating to the men and women who worked hard to make this mission successful. 

One day people may visit Moon and ride a rover. 

With Dr. Hatha, Environmental Scientist in a model rover at KSC.

From there they might explore the vast universe. Our future generatons have the motivation ( motivation to young future aspirants ), capability and technology to take it further forward. Good Luck to such teams, scientists, explorers and hard workers. 

Makesh Karuppiah, PhD

Environmental Scientist and Information Technologist

Sethu Project - Environmental Impacts

As a Marine Estuarine Environmental Scientist who did Ph.D thesis research on Chesapeake Bay sediments, I would like to add my comments on the Sethu Project.

Humans will never learn the effects of the projects that they do against nature, before they actually do it. (Best example - Humans thought CFC was a safe chemical and used it wherever they can and later Scientists found it was affecting the helpful ozone layer). Sethu project is another prime example of the previous statement.

The following are few studies done on Dredging in which people are worried about small organisms such as vegetation, seagrasses and eelgrass:

Dredging Effects on Vegetation Adjacent to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway
Hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria in Cumberland Sound
Dredging effects on seagrasses: case studies from New England and Florida
Dredging effects on eelgrass (Zostera marina) in a New England small boat harbor.

Sethu Project requires more dredging which will affect a whole lot of marine environment.

Mechanical, Noise, Plume Water Quality, Plume Suspended Sediments Contaminant Pathways for Open-Water Disposal and Plume impacts will be some of the effects.

Indian coasts have a large variety of sensitive eco-systems. Sand dunes, coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds 7 wet lands are some that deserve special mention. Some of these are the spawning grounds and nurseries of a number of commercially important fishes, gastropods and crustaceans. A critical feature of these ecosystems are the variety of bioactive molecules that they host.
Recent mining of organisms from the tidal and inter-tidal zone have revealed large numbers of molecules with obvious application for human health and industrial applications. This could be the most commercially important aspect of the Coastal Zone. Molecules that show bioactivity from one ecosystem may not show the same activity, or level of activity, when mined from a different locale or different season. This feature alone should be reason enough for the protection of all such ecosystems, and not only representative isolated units in protected areas / parks.
Considering that Indian waters are of a good quality and that pollutant sources remain relatively confined, the protection of sensitive environments, with adjacent buffer zones should be promptly notified and enforced. Losses of such areas are losses to the common good and future generations.
Sand dunes seem to be ecosystems that are most often destroyed, probably because their place in the scheme of dynamic coastal morphology, is not obvious. Suffice to say that dunes are the reserves that nature stores, dissipates energy on, and moves when needed.

( http://www.teriin.org/teri-wr/coastin/papers/paper2.htm).

Petroleum Exploitation, Fuel Storage, Energy Generation, Industrial and Commercial Development, Ship Breaking operations, waste dumps,. These activities have caused marine pollution - Hugli Estuary is most polluted estuary in the world. Factories from Nabadwip discharge more than half billion liters of untreated wastes a day. However fate and effects of pollutants have not been studied due to poor administrative system. Hoogly river carry effluents that have contaminated fish and shell fish with heavy metals such as Ni, Cu, Cd and Zn. The sediments near Haldia have upto 10 ug/g of pesticides. These river waters are contaminated by e-coli, shigella, salmonella and other human pathogens - indication of severe sewage contamination. The Bay of Bengal has virtually turned into a waste dump. (Protecting the Marine Environment from Land-Based Sources of Pollution ).

All the wastes are transported by water and settles in sediments. Once the sediments are dredged the contaminants will affect the fauna and flora of the Great heritaged Marine Environment of the World.

Dr. Charles Hocutt's (One of My Ph.D thesis supervisor) Scientific Research Paper- Evolution of the Indian Ocean and the drift of India - A vicariant event - clearly indicates that Indian Ocean is poorly known, particularly from a biogeographic perspective.

A first compilation of the type and quantum of pollutants into the coastal ecosystem of India are given below:
Input / pollutant
Quantum - Annual
1.
Sediments
1600 million tonnes
2.
Industrial effluents
50 x 106 m3
3.
Sewage - largely untreated
0.41 x 109 m3
4.
Garbage and other solids
34 x 106 tonnes
5.
Fertilizer - residue
5 x 106
6.
Synthetic detergents - residue
1,30,000 tonnes
7.
Pesticides - residue
65, 000 tonnes
8.
Petroleum hydrocarbons (Tar balls residue)
3,500 tonnes
9.
Mining rejects, dredged spoils & sand extractions
0.2 x 106 tonnes

We have to be very careful in not disturbing the Natural Marine Ecosystem.
As human induced climate change in recent future will increase intensity of hurricanes in areas such as Bay of Bengal which will add to the environmental deterioration.

Also Read about Dr. Badrinarayanan's interview in the following link:
http://kalyan97.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/492/

My vote on this: No to the Sethu Project. Instead of spending on destructive Sethu Project, spend on improving the Bay of Bengal and protect India's coastal and marine environments. With our friends at Cochin University we will be working towards that.

Makesh Karuppiah, Ph.D
Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences.

Yes on 1 Florida - The Water and Land Conservation Amendment

Every time you visit a national park or even a national preserve, you have think of the greats such as John Muir, President Roosevelt and many other visionaries who had saved these lands for us.
Every inch of these lands is beauty to watch. When you enter them, it is pristine, you breath the fresh air and have fun in the nature.
I can't even think of disturbing these saved land.
Now in Florida to save these Lands and Water - we have to vote Yes on 1 - The Water and Land Conservation Amendment.



 Voting Yes on this Amendment 1 will give us opportunity to enjoy these preserved lands and water bodies. We should preserve these lands for the future generations to benefit, as we did.
If we don't the future generations would have to see these lands only in pictures.

I have traveled to different countries and as the years go by, there are only concrete jungles. Green forests, lands and water bodies are degraded everywhere. When you step out, you breathe dust and soot from the vehicle exhausts and have to drink contaminated water. So it is important to save these remaining lands and water bodies.

Think of these environments -

A beautiful serene view of Lake Russell, FL 

    Pristine lands with trees, plants, serene rivers, lakes, stream, birds, butterflies, animals and fresh air to breath and

    Sterile lands with concrete buildings, polluted water bodies, depleting aquifers and particulates to breath

Which one you would choose from the above to live in. I would go with the first one.

I will also work on the second one as an Environmental Scientist to slowly make it as the first one. However, just to restore the native plants, it would take 40 years or more.

It is very difficult to restore the environment after damage, since the natural process takes so long. I researched on Chesapeake Bay environmental issues and after more than 18 years felt happy knowing that it is getting better. All those efforts of restoration have been fruitful.

Vote Yes on 1 - The Water and Land Conservation Amendment - more info

So apart from party boundaries, let us all vote Yes on 1 - The Water and Land Conservation Amendment ( Note - without any additional tax burden ) in the coming Florida November 4th election to save these these precious Waters and Land, which will save all its inhabitants and more.

The Good Result and the best news for future generations:

Makesh Karuppiah, Ph.D
Environmental Scientist