The study was conducted to explore the current status and the economical prospect of the solid waste management at Amin Bazar waste dumping site, Dhaka. A total of 48 waste samples were collected in both dry and wet season to study the physical composition, pH and moisture content of discarded wastes. The wastes were comprised of plastics (6%), paper (3.5%), glass (0.23%), garden waste (8.5%), food stuffs (72.25%), metals (0.16%) and textile products (3.25%). The pH values of the samples were ranges between 6.9-7.8 indicated the neutral condition. Larger portion of the wastes was organic (72%). About 14.38% of waste was recyclable but there is no recycling and composting facility. Proper recycling of the solid wastes at Amin Bazar can be a source of compost and useful metal resources which may contribute in safe and sustainable environmental management.
This study empirically assesses the impacts of climatic events on the inland fishers (i.e., migratory and non-migratory) in Bangladesh and explores their responses to those events. Here, the migratory refers to the fishers who change their fishing location seasonally and voluntarily, whereas the non-migratory fishers fish in the same area. It is assumed that there exist differences in both the impacts of an event and the responses to the event between migratory and non-migratory fishers and therefore, a ‘difference triangle’ conceptual framework is developed and tested empirically under this research. Employing mix-method (qualitative and quantitative), a field study was conducted during July–October 2015 from the Padma River depended fishers. Identified climatic events under this study are: storms, changes in rainfall and temperature and riverbank erosion. The migratory and non-migratory fishers were affected quite similarly by storms and changes in rainfall and temperature. However, riverbank erosion affected only non-migratory fishers. Both the migratory and non-migratory fishers adopted different strategies to cope with different climatic events, like, they took shelter in safe places, sold productive assets, reduced food consumption, took credit from informal sources and employed their school-going children. As adaptation strategies, they modernized their fishing boats, intensified fishing, built embankments and diversified livelihoods. Unlike the impacts, considerable differences were found in their coping and adaptation strategies. Comparing to non-migratory fishers, a smaller number of migratory fishers sold their assets, took informal credit and intensified fishing and diversified their livelihoods. The result of this study indicates the significance of differences in the impacts of climatic events for the migratory and non-migratory fishers and therefore, this research has policy implication for the betterment of fishers’ community in general.
18 September 2025 in Environmental Geochemistry and Health
This study assessed the concentration of 6 trace metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Fe) and 16 USEPA priority polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in road-deposited soil in Chattogram, the largest port city of Bangladesh. The soil texture analysis conducted during this study revealed the presence of several soil types with variable quartz content. The basic nature and high electrical conductivity (EC) indicate high amount of dust deposition by the moving traffic, while low content of organic carbon indicate regular road construction can be prevalent in the studied area. The physicochemical characteristics did not affect the trace metal and PAH accumulation pattern. Among the metals studied, Pb pollution was observed to be moderate to high, whereas potential toxicity of PAHs' was significant. Both Chronic Daily Dose (CDD) and Hazard Quotient (HQ) values were higher for Fe especially in children associated with ingestion. Children's total cancer risk (TCR) was low from trace metals and also there was no significant health risk linked to PAHs for either adults or children. Petroleum was shown to be the primary source of PAHs using the Molecular Diagnostic Ratios (MDRs). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) highlighted several overlapping sources of trace metals and PAHs, including traffic emissions, industrial activities, and pyrogenic processes, indicating significant anthropogenic impacts. These findings underscore the necessity for pollution control actions to mitigate health and environmental vulnerabilities along the major roads.
In seasonally stratified marine environments, the dynamics of benthic–pelagic coupling plays a crucial role in shaping food web structures and fisheries production. We examined fish food web structures across three distinct shelf areas in the Southern Sea of Korea (SSK) during both stratified (summer) and mixed (spring) water conditions using stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N). In spring, fish communities exhibited a broader range of δ13C values compared with summer, indicating more diverse feeding strategies. Seasonal variations in the proportion of benthic and pelagic prey in consumer diets highlighted shifts in benthic–pelagic coupling, illustrating how consumers adjust their reliance on benthic or pelagic resources. The relative importance of the benthic pathway varied among species groups throughout the year. During stratified conditions, reduced benthic–pelagic coupling led to increased reliance on benthic prey, particularly in the oligotrophic region influenced by the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC). The food web spanned five trophic levels, with a median of 3.6. Several species, notably benthic ones, declined in their trophic positions during the summer stratification. These results suggest that fish food webs in the SSK are shaped by temperature-driven seasonal bottom-up control. Our findings further offer insights into how increased water-column stratification could impact the trophic niches of shelf-food webs in the TWC region.