Mining causes massive damage to landscape and biological communities. Following the mining, the habitats become impoverished presenting a very rigorous condition for plants growth. The present investigation were conducted in selected sites of Raniganj Coal Field area to assess the status of the soil quality of different mine types (OCP, pit, inclined).

The festival of ‘Holi’ is proving to be an environmental risk due to the toxic colors used during the celebrations. Unlimited and uncontrolled use of such dyes can lead to grave consequences in terms of human health and ecological balance. These colors are highly structured polymers and are very difficult to decompose biologically. This study was taken up with an initiative to determine the extent of effects that the ‘Holi’ colors have on water and soil, respectively. The bacteria inhabiting these contaminated water and soil samples were isolated for biochemical analyses.

I support the warning about the hazards of power sanding and their call for enforcing the New Orleans, Louisiana, Code of Ordinances (2001) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (U.S. EPA 2008) for cleanup of residual lead dust at residential properties. Power sanding has been a scourge to the safety and well-being of children and pets in New Orleans for many years (Jacobs et al. 2003; Mielke et al. 2001). (Correspondence)

The increasing industrial application of metal oxide Engineered Nano-Particles (ENPs) is likely to increase their environmental release to soils. While the potential of metal oxide ENPs as environmental toxicants has been shown, lack of suitable control treatments have compromised the power of many previous assessments. We evaluated the ecotoxicity of ENP (nano) forms of Zn and Cu oxides in two different soils by measuring their ability to inhibit bacterial growth.

Despite being dotted with industries, Gujarat's rich coastline is plagued by voices of dissent. Coastal communities have of late realised that the fruits of industrialisation were either too sour, or not for them at all.

As a result of Hurricane Katrina, > 100,000 homes were destroyed or damaged and a significant amount of sediment was deposited throughout the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. Researchers have identified the potential for increased lead hazards from environmental lead contamination of soils. The authors assessed the distribution of residential soil and dust lead 2 years poststorm and compared soil lead before and after the storm.

As human activity in the Arctic increases, so does the risk of hydrocarbon pollution events. On site bioremediation of contaminated soil is the only feasible clean up solution in these remote areas, but degradation rates vary widely between bioremediation treatments. Most previous studies have focused on the feasibility of on site clean-up and very little attention has been given to the microbial and functional communities involved and their ecology.