Research Papers

Study of occurrence, abundance, and characterization of microplastics in wastewater treatment plant in New Delhi, India

Bisht Heena, Maurya Ankita C., Channashettar Veeranna, Jeyaseelan C. Paul, Siddhanta Soumik, Lal Banwari, Khare Sunil K., Kuppanan Nanthakumar
| 2025

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered the most significant contributors to microplastic (MP) pollution in aquatic ecosystems. MPs are defined as plastic particles less than 5 mm in size that are difficult to remove by WWTPs, posing risks to aquatic life, human health, and the overall ecosystem. This study investigates the prevalence of MPs in influent wastewater, treated effluent water, and sludge from WWTP. The samples were collected from Keshopur WWTP in New Delhi, whose effluents flows into the Yamuna River via Najafgarh drain.

Artificial intelligence for restoring land: A review of land degradation mapping, climate change prediction and ecosystem service valuation

Ghosh Sayanta, Sharma Jitendra Vir
| 2026

Land degradation, climate change, and declining ecosystem services are increasingly interconnected challenges that threaten ecological integrity, agricultural productivity, and livelihood security across vulnerable landscapes. At the same time, advances in artificial intelligence (AI), remote sensing, geospatial analytics, and large environmental datasets are reshaping the way these challenges can be assessed, predicted, and managed.

Future trends in short-duration rainfall: A statistical analysis using bias-corrected GCM ensembles

Singh Prasoon , Sinha Vinay S. P. , Muriki Santosh K.
| 2026

High-intensity, short-duration rainfall can cause significant losses. These events are influenced by intricate and interrelated hydro-climatic interactions that are being modified due to climate change. These alternations in rainfall need to be accounted for in future development and design of hydrological systems. Climate model projections have been the primary tools for providing crucial information about the future climate.

Microplastic Pollution in a Tropical River–Mangrove System of the Brahmani River in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha (India)

Kumar, R., Das, M. M., Das, S., Verma, A., Valsan, G., Tamrakar, A., Warrier, A. K., Lamba, J., & Sharma, P.
| 2026

Microplastics (MPs), recognised as emerging contaminants, are increasingly prevalent in riverine ecosystems due to escalating anthropogenic activities. River deltas, which typically serve as ecologically rich and pristine habitats, are now under threat from solid and liquid waste inputs, particularly in rivers flowing through urban and agricultural landscapes. This research investigates MP contamination in sediments of the Brahmani River within the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha (India), encompassing both mangrove and non-mangrove sites.

Physiochemical and sensory assessment of lip salve formulation utilizing red microbial colourant from Talaromyces assiutensis, CPEF04 and supercritical carbon dioxide extracted hemp seed oil.

Kaur Mehak , Jauhari Jhalak , Ali Usman , Garg Monika , Goel Mayurika
| 2025

Colors have been used since ancient times to enhance the aesthetics of various commodities. Synthetic colorants, extensively employed in cosmetic, food and textile industries, are known to be recalcitrant, toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic. Their effluents in water bodies decrease sunlight penetration, photosynthesis and plant proliferation.

Mangroves uptake lithium and beryllium, contributing to the mitigation of contamination risks in the sundarbans

Mandal Sanjay Kumar , Ray Raghab , Dutta Buddhadeb , Jana Tapan K
| 2025

Mangroves are well recognized for their capacity to accumulate heavy metals within their tissues and surrounding sediments, positioning them as promising candidates for phytoremediation in polluted coastal environments. However, mangroves are increasingly threatened by the natural and man-made activities that cause adverse effects on their growth. Such effects are rarely recognized for certain hazardous trace metals used in the battery industry like lithium (Li) and the coal industry like beryllium (Be).

Synergizing Biogas: The Vital Role of State-Level Energy Policies in Ensuring India's Energy Security for future

Yadav Siddhita , Mathur Ritu
| 2026

India's Viksit Bharat vision for 2047 demands an energy system that is secure, affordable, and set to power sustained high and rapid growth. As energy demand increases with development, enhancing the reliance on a diversified suite of low carbon fuels that are indigenously available can help hedge against geopolitical uncertainties and risks on account of price volatility and supply chain disruptions.

Enhancing wind energy forecasting in India: A site-specific comparative analysis of machine learning models and Weibull statistics using long-term data

Yadav Harendra Kumar , Chakraborty Somyajit , Gupta Mohan Narayan , Bhattacharjee Anurag , Yadav Siddhita , Sanyal Aaditya Pratap, Sarkar Jahar, Sarkar Arnab
| 2025

The global pursuit of clean and sustainable energy has elevated wind power as a vital renewable resource. Yet, its inherent variability poses significant challenges for integration into smart grids, where precise forecasting is crucial for grid stability and efficient energy management. Traditional statistical methods often fail to capture the nonlinear dynamics of wind, especially across diverse geographies.

Regulatory Players in Mycorrhizal‐Bacterial‐Plant Interactions

PA Madhuja , Iyer Karan , Koul Vatsala , Kochar Mandira
| 2025

Mycorrhizae contribute significantly for plant growth and development, often providing nutrients such as phosphate and nitrogen, while also enhancing stress tolerance and resistance against phytopathogens. Plant symbiotic mycorrhizal networks harbor bacterial communities that aid mycorrhizal functions and augment plant nutrition and development. Various bacterial associations of mycorrhiza bring forth advantageous traits to mycorrhizal symbiosis and host colonization, which involves a wide range of signaling and regulatory molecules.

Financing India's Decarbonisation Journey – the Role of Private Investment for Mitigation

Shankar Ajay
| 2025

Carbon finance has been moving to the centre of global discussions on climate change. The reality of the impending disaster from global warming is generating a sense of urgency in global elites. At the Conference of Parties in Paris, countries agreed that the rise in global temperatures had to be restricted to 1.5 degrees (UNFCCC, n.d). However, actions to reduce carbon emissions have been inadequate. As a result, this may no longer be feasible.