Paromita Chakraborty

• PHD
• Professor and Head at SRM Institute of Science and Technology

Microplastics (MPs) have become a notable concern and are released into the environment through the disposal or fragmentation of large plastics. Rivers have been the major pathways for MPs present in the oceans, which significantly affects the marine environment. In the current study, water samples were collected from the upper stream and downstrea...

This research is on lactating mothers in the city of Chah Bahar in Iran. This descriptive-analytical and questionnaire study selected a random sample of 80 mothers to examine mercury levels in their hair, milk, and saliva. The average concentration of mercury in milk, hair and saliva of mothers was 1.23 ± 0.48 µg/l, 1.81 ± 0.55 µg/g and 1.10 ± 0.63...

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) monitoring in surface water is crucial to address the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance and safeguard public health. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of 21 different PPCPs, including wastewater chemical markers, antibiotics, and parabens in the surface water of Chennai cit...

Considering the extensive agricultural practices along the perennial rivers, viz. Periyar and Bharathappuzha of Kerala in the southwest coast of India, the first comprehensive surveillance of new and legacy organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface sediment was conducted. Further, the sediment–water exchange fluxes have been elucidated. Mean conc...

The increased load of plastic in waste streams after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has increased the possibility of microplastics (MPs) contamination channelling through the rivers and infiltrating the aquatic ecosystems. MPs in packaged water, community-stored water, groundwater, and surface water of Kaveri River (KR), Thamirabarani River (TR), A...

In this study, representative urban and peri-urban Indian food baskets have been studied for the presence of toxic and essential elements. The concentration of target toxic and essential elements was used to estimate dietary intakes (EDIs) and health risks. Across all food matrices, toxic elements like Cd and Pb were dominant. The highest concentra...

Microplastics constituting of particles less than 5 mm in size are inevitable in water, soil, and biota in recent years. They are either manufactured (primary) or are a result of the degradation of plastic litter which produces smaller particles (secondary). Considering the prevailing microplastics pollution, the current review focuses on the healt...

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and fragments of plastics (meso/micro) from dumped waste or released/produced during incomplete combustion processes often co-exist in the environment. POPs and plastic-oriented pollution garner a lot of attention and better understanding through research is facilitating the creation of public awareness, and pol...

Industrial estates of Ankleshwar, Nandesari, and Vapi in Gujarat host textile, dye, rubber, pesticide, paint, paper-and-pulp, pharmaceuticals, and chemical companies. Sludge and solid waste are dumped indiscriminately on open ground/roadside that carries mixed effluent to rivers and common effluent treatment plants. The industrial districts in the...

This chapter aims to highlight existing limitations and challenges within monitoring and assessment methodologies of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), focusing on the project case study areas in Gujarat, India. The gap analysis is structured in the form of data limitations, knowledge gaps, policy and regulatory gaps, infrastructure and capacity...

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are compounds of global concern because of their persistence, potential long-range transport, bioaccumulation, and significant negative effects on human health and the environment. This chapter provides an overview of seven newly enlisted POPs in India by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, G...

The objective of this research was to examine and contrast the levels of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) in the muscle and hepatopancreas tissues of two species, namely pharaoh cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis) and Indian squid (Uroteuthis duvauceli), from the Persian Gulf. A total of thirty individuals of each species were gathe...

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are the class of Antibiotics (ABs) that have been extensively used worldwide for the treatment of diseases caused by bacterial infection. In India, most of these untreated ABs and their unused metabolites present in treated and untreated wastewater end up in the agricultural land and water bodies. This can accelerate the prob...

The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in India was confirmed on 30th January 2020 in the Thrissur district of Kerala, a State along the south-west coast of India. In this study, we aim to use remote sensing and geospatially map the district-wise spread of COVID-19 in Kerala. As part of the study, spatial-statistical analysis of geographical propo...

Antarctica is a remote and pristine region. Yet it plays a vital role in biogeochemical cycles of global anthropogenic contaminants, such as persistent organic pollution (POPs). This work reports the distribution of legacy and new POPs in surface and depth profiles/deeper water of the Southern Indian Ocean (SIO) and the coast of Antarctica (COA). S...

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were widely used in the past for pest control in agricultural lands and vector control programs. Due to their persistence and toxic impacts, we have quantified twenty OCPs in surface water, groundwater, and surface sediment samples along the Krishna River Basin (KRB), flowing through Peninsular India. Samples were c...

Antarctica is a remote and pristine region. Yet it plays a vital role in biogeochemical cycles of global anthropogenic contaminants, such as persistent organic pollution (POPs). This work reports the distribution of legacy and new POPs in surface and depth profiles/deeper water of the Southern Indian Ocean (SIO) and the coast of Antarctica (COA). S...

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a prime concern for the environment and health globally. Research shows that in developing countries such as India both the environment and human populations are severely exposed to EDCs and consequently experience rising incidents of adverse health effects such as diabetes and cancers. In this paper, we di...

Detection of high pesticide concentrations in sediments and water often leads to prioritizing a site as being ‘at risk’. However, the risk does not depend on pesticide concentration alone, but on other site-specific characteristics also. We developed an indicator that identifies the ‘Level of Concern’ by integrating five such characteristics: (i) p...

During pre-pandemic time, organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were investigated in the surface water of Periyar River (PR) and Bharathappuzha River (BR) in Ernakulam and Malappuram districts of Kerala, respectively and Adyar River (AR) and Cooum River (CR) in Chennai district of Tamil Nadu. After the outbreak of CO...

The use of tetracycline (TC) for the treatment of infectious diseases caused by bacteria has been humongous over the past few decades. However, the presence of untreated TC in freshwater leads to antimicrobial resistance. To prevent this concern from damaging the freshwater system, a stable sensor with high selectivity and rapid detection towards T...

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a class of pollutants which possess characteristics like long-range transport leading to global pollution, non-biodegradability, and most importantly lipophilicity. They get deposited in the fatty tissues in the living organisms and are thus reported to have high levels in the food chain. Stockholm Conventio...

Pharmaceuticals, a group of emerging contaminants (ECs), have aroused serious concern owing to their detection at levels threatening to the health of the ecosystem. India is one of the top producers and consumers of pharmaceuticals in the world. Recent studies conducted on pharmaceutical residues in the Indian environmental matrices reported unsurp...

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are refractory anthropogenic contaminants which are of high concern for environmental regulators because they are widespread, persistent, and bioaccumulative. In this chapter, we are presenting an overview of research papers on global distribution of PFASs in water and wastewater, and the associ...

Mineral bottled water packed in three polymers viz., virgin polyethylene terephthalate (PET), recycled PET, and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were investigated for the occurrence, migration, and health risk of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) at 25 °C, 35 °C, and 45 °C. The average concentration of six USEPA priority PAEs in refrigerated water samples...

Improper handling of plastic waste and related chemical pollution has garnered much attention in recent years owing to the associated detrimental impacts on human health and the environment. This article reports an overview of the main interlinkages between persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and plastic in the waste management system of India. Bo...

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic organic compounds ubiquitously distributed worldwide due to their persistence, long-range atmospheric transport, and bioaccumulation. Owing to teratogenic properties, PCBs are a global environmental problem. Different physical, biological, and chemical techniques are utilized for the remediation of PCB...

Several studies have reported that incomplete combustion in open municipal dumpsites is a major source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in developing countries. An immense volume of waste has been dumped into the Kodungaiyur and Perungudi dumpsites in Chennai city, India. Therefore, we isolated indigenous microbial species capable of usin...

Naphthalene is a ubiquitous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon listed as a priority pollutant by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). In this study, we have studied adsorption of naphthalene on biochar produced from sugarcane bagasse and ultrasonically removed the adsorbed naphthalene by low-frequency ultrasonication in a customi...

Asia holds the second largest share of freshwater (28%) in the world. The Asia-Pacific region is a hotspot for plastic pollution, mainly due to the mismanaged plastic wastes that find their way into the ocean. Hence, it is inevitable for widely used plasticizers such as phthalic acid esters (PAEs) to be present in the aquatic environment. Contamina...

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants widely used to manufacture several commercial plastic products. The major homologue in commercial PBDE mixtures are listed in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and are scheduled for global elimination. Hence, to understand more about unintentional contamination of p...

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalic acid esters (PAEs) and bisphenol A (BPA) are the most widely used plastic additives in polymeric materials. Hence, twelve PAEs and BPA were investigated in twenty-five food types and drinking water (supply and packaged) from the metropolitan city, Delhi, and the peri-urban areas of a non-metropolitan...

This study is the first attempt to assess the presence of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) enlisted by the US Environmental Protection Agency in PM2.5 and PM10 from industrial areas of Odisha State, India. During 2017–2018, bimonthly sampling of PM10 and PM2.5 was carried out for 24 h in the industrial and mining areas of Jharsug...

The Indus-Ganga-Brahmaputra River Basin (IGBRB) is a trans-boundary river basin flowing through four major countries in South Asia viz. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Contamination of surface water by untreated or inadequately treated wastewater has been a huge problem for pathogenic microorganisms in economies in transition. Recent studie...

Widespread persistence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment has mandated the need to study their potential effects on an individual's long-term health after both acute and chronic exposure periods. In this work a particular focus is given on in utero exposure to EDCs in rodent models which resulted in altered epigenetic progr...

In Chennai city, India, the industrial outfalls, port activities and anthropogenic activities dump a significant amount of waste in the riverine belts of two major rivers, viz. Cooum and Adayar. Hence, this paper aims to study the occurrences and sources of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) enlisted in United States Environmental...

Several studies have reported the release of halogenated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with open burning of municipal solid waste. Considering soil as a sink for such organic contaminants, we conducted an in-depth study on the surface soil concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-diox...

The aim of this study was to evaluate possible sources, toxicity and human health risk via inhalation of particulate matter (PM10) bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). During November 2013–January 2014, 54 PM10 samples were collected from a tropical city of north-west India and analysed for sixteen priority PAHs (∑16PAHs). The concentrati...

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in diet are a health concern and their monitoring in food has been introduced in the European Union. In developing countries, EDC dietary exposure data are scarce, especially from areas perceived as pollution hotspots, including industrialized countries like India. Several persistent organic pollutants (POPs) a...

Conversion of agricultural fields into the industrial corridor under the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT) necessitated the investigation of soil-borne organic contaminants. This study is the first attempt to evaluate the occurrence of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyc...

Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 and organic tracers (OTs) were conducted in the community wastewater of Chennai city, India, during partial and post lockdown phases (August–September 2020) as a response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Wastewater samples were collected from four sewage treatment plants (STPs), five sewage pumping sta...

The transboundary River Ganga serves as a conduit for meltwater from the Himalayas and is a major freshwater source for two thirds of Indian population before emptying into the Sundarban Delta, the largest estuary in the Bay of Bengal. Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) such as phthalic acid esters (PAEs) and bisphenol A (BPA) used as organic pl...

In developing countries, urban areas may be at greater risk of pesticide exposure compared to semi-urban agricultural regions. To investigate this, concentrations of selected pesticides were measured in 81 human milk samples collected in urban Kolkata and semi-urban Nadia in West Bengal, India. Three classes of pesticides were investigated – legacy...

Hooghly River (HR) is the other name used for the lower stretch of River Ganga, is a prime freshwater source in the eastern part of India. However HR has been evidenced with a variety of emerging organic pollutants (EOPs) in the recent past. Given the extensive use of plasticizers and additive in plastic products, we have investigated seven plastic...

The aim of this study was to investigate the seasonal and spatial variations in the concentrations of a widely used organophosphorous pesticide (OPP), diazinon, and the associated risk posed by this OPP in the surface water from the three largest rivers located in the northern province of Iran: the Haraz, the Talar and the Babolrood rivers. These r...

In this study we aim to assess 16 priority PAHs enlisted by the US Environmental Protection Agency in PM 2.5 and PM 10 for the first time from industrial areas of Odisha State in India. During 2017–2018, bimonthly sampling of PM 10 and PM 2.5 were carried out for 24 hours by respirable dust sampler and PM 2.5 sampler respectively, in the industrial...

For the first time, this study presents gaseous and particulate-bound (PM2.5) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air samples collected from eight major cities of Pakistan. Diurnal air samples (gaseous and PM2.5) were collected in summer 2014 on polyurethane foam and quartz fiber filters using high volume-active air sampler. The US-E...

In the outer Alborz Range in the Northern Province of Iran, the Haraz, Talar and Babolrood Rivers are the three largest rivers where most of the agricultural, aquacultural and industrial activities are found. Total indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (iPCBs) ranged ND–474, ND–273 and ND–559 ng/L in Haraz, Talar and Babolrood Rivers, respectively. S...

Adyar and Cooum, the two rivers intersecting Chennai city, are exposed to serious pollution due to the release of large quantities of dumped waste, untreated wastewater and sewage. Sediments can act as repository for emerging organic contaminants. Hence, we have monitored the occurrence and risk associated with plasticizers [six phthalic acid ester...

Recent studies from India reported polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) associated with incomplete combustion processes. In this study we have monitored atmospheric PCBs in Agra, a non-metropolitan city of northern India. During first month of summer and winter of 2017, polyurethane foam based passive air sampler (PUF-PAS) was deployed at each of 14 lo...

The Syr Darya is one of two major rivers in Central Asia supplying critical fresh water to the Aral Sea. In spite of the river's importance and agriculturally intensive history, few studies have provided a modern evaluation of and the occurrence of pesticide residues and potential effects to aquatic life. The primary goal of this investigation was...

As an alarming group of pollutants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) gather much public health concern not only because of their carcinogenic or co-carcinogenic risk but also by interfering with hormone systems or by causing oxidative damage, henceforth liable to toxic actions on reproduction. Accordingly, the present study was aimed to expl...

In recent times, a substantial part of the generated solid waste all over the world are plastic-related waste with wide ranges of serious environmental and public health consequences. This study investigates the beneficial use of recycled high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic wastes in cement-based composites fo...

•Soil and sludge are a major reservoir for organic compounds such as fluoroquinolones (FQs) which are broad-spectrum antibacterial agents. Hence, three major FQs, namely, ciprofloxacin (CIP), norfloxacin (NOR), and ofloxacin (OFL), were investigated in surface soil from two major dumpsites and dry and wet sludge from sewage treatment plants in Chen...

South-west coast of India has a history of using pesticidal persistent organic pollutants (POPs) particularly endosulfan until aerial spraying was banned during early 2000. Since soil acts as a repository for such pesticidal persistent organic contaminants, we have monitored residues of seventeen organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the surface soil...

Given the extensive indiscriminate usage in the past and limited ongoing use, organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been widely reported in the Hooghly riverine environment. Hence, surface riverine sediment samples were collected along the urban and suburban transects of the Hooghly River and OCPs were quantified in gas chromatography mass spectrom...

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic chemical used in the manufacturing of polycarbonates and epoxy resins. This paper is a review of studies reporting the occurrences and concentrations of BPA in the environment and associated impact on human health. Studies have found that at high temperature conditions such as open burning of dumped waste in develop...

A steady rise in demand of electronic equipment is prevalent in both developed and developing nations. The high consumption rate of electronic goods has given rise to a new stream of waste known as electronic waste or e-waste. The informal sector is dominant and critically active in developing countries like India to recover precious metals from e-...

Recent studies evidenced informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling as a potential source of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the metropolitan environment of India. Given the recent evidences on the release of hazardous organic compounds from the informal e-waste recycling workshops in the Chennai city, we have conducted high volume air sampl...

Human-induced land use changes like agriculture and urban development occur commonly at the cost of natural wetlands, which require immediate attention and sustained efforts from urban planners and concerned governments. In view of the East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW), India, this paper has examined the trend, causes, extent and impacts of landscape tra...

The lower stretch of the perennial transboundary river Ganga is known as the Hooghly River (HR) in India. Despite the strict ban, HR has been evidenced with residues of pesticidal persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from primary and secondary sources. Hence surface water sampling and passive air sampling (PAS) were conducted along the urban and su...

This is a concise review of articles pertaining to studies in the recent past showing the evidence for emission of industrial persistent organic pollutants (iPOPs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from major metropolitan cities of India. Recent studies have shown the occurrence of relatively higher...

We report the levels of mercury (Hg) and nine organochlorine pesticides [OCPs: α-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), β-HCH, γ-HCH, δ-HCH, α-Endosulfan, β-Endosulfan, Endosulfan sulfate, p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD)] in the terrestrial environment (moss and soil) and water (OCPs only) of Schirmac...

Several studies have reported that open municipal dumpsites in developing countries are acting as a major source for a wide variety of pollutants. In developing nations, many dumpsites are located in the urban centers or even within the residential boundaries. Contaminants released during incomplete combustion of municipal solid waste have profound...

Microorganisms capable of using naphthalene as the sole carbon source were isolated from the contaminated sediment of Cooum River. Twenty one isolates were recovered and nine were selected for enrichment due to differences in their morphological characteristics. Out of nine isolates, only four (NS3-SRMND14B, NS14-SRMND14A, NS15-SRMND14D and NS19-SR...

In Chennai city, India, the industrial outfalls, port activities and anthropogenic activities dump a significant amount of waste in the riverine belts of two major rivers, viz. Cooum and Adayar. Hence, this paper aims to study the occurrences and sources of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) enlisted in United States Environmental...

Constructed wetlands are engineered systems that are designed and constructed to utilize the natural process, involving vegetation, soil and their associated microbial assemblage to assist in treating different types of wastewater. Many different processes occur simultaneously inside the system to reduce the contaminant level in wastewater. The con...

Electronic waste (e-waste) has emerged as a global environmental problem because of its massive production volume and un-structured management policy. Since the rate of e-waste accumulation is startling and the combinatorial effects of toxicants are complex, we have investigated six phthalic acid esters (PAEs), bis (2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA), bi...

Plants are very prone to various stress conditions due to excessive use of chemical-based products and impacts of various living organisms (bacteria, virus, fungi, etc.) with their natural environment. These stresses, if continued for a long period, may affect the growth of plant and productivity to a great extent. Among the various types of stress...

Although India never manufactured polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), evidence suggests the prevalence of PCBs in multi-environmental matrices. Despite the high level of PCBs has been detailed in major urban areas of India, a little is known about the fate and sources of PCBs in Northeast India (NEI). This motivated us to investigate the contaminatio...

The Hooghly River (HR) estuary is the first deltaic off-shoot of the perennial and transboundary river, Ganga, India. HR receives industrial and domestic waste along with storm-water run-off from Kolkata city and the adjoining districts. Organic micropollutants (OMPs) have been collectively termed for plasticizers, pharmaceuticals and personal care...

Paddy rice is a major food crop covering more than a quarter of the total area under cultivation in India. Ganga-Brahmaputra River Basin (GBRB) is an important region for rice cultivation as half of the total crop area and total production for India occurs in this basin. The topography, soil fertility, climatic conditions, and easy access to water...

Past studies have reported several persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in different environmental matrices from a tropical coastal site, Parangipettai (PI), located along the bank of the Vellar River in Tamil Nadu, south India. Hence to fill the data gap after the strict ban on several POPs, high volume air sampling was conducted in PI to study th...

As one of the largest waste streams, electronic waste (e-waste) production continues to grow in response to global demand for consumer electronics. This waste is often shipped to developing countries where it is disassembled and recycled. In many cases, e-waste recycling activities are conducted in informal settings with very few controls or protec...

Sixteen priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) were analyzed in surface waters and riverine sediments of Brahmaputra and Hooghly Rivers, along urban-suburban-rural transects. ∑16 PAHs concentrations were higher in Hooghly riverine sediment (HRS) (Avg, 445 ng g-1) than...

Microorganisms capable of utilizing naphthalene as the sole carbon source were isolated from the contaminated sediment of Cooum River. Twenty one isolates were recovered and nine were selected for enrichment due to differences in their morphological characteristics. Out of nine isolates, only four (NS3-SRMND14B, NS14-SRMND14A, NS15-SRMND14D, NS19-S...

Growth of informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling sector is an emerging problem for India. The presence of halogenated compounds in e-wastes may result in the formation of persistent organic pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) during recycling processes. We therefore...

Antibiotics are used worldwide to prevent or treat bacterial infections in human. Antibiotics are also used for treating bacterial infections as well for promoting growth in animals. Worldwide consumption of antibiotics has increased drastically in the last decade. Several recent studies reported the presence of antibiotics in different environment...

Several studies in the recent past reported new sources for industrial persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from metropolitan cities of India. To fill the data gap for atmospheric polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polyurethane foam disk passive air sampling (PUF-PAS) was conducted along urban-suburban-rural transects in four quadrilateral cit...

Due to the broad spectrum, antimicrobial activity, Amoxicillin is one of the extensively used antibiotics. Amoxicillin ends up in the wastewater stream by direct or indirect disposal pathways which ultimately affect the aquatic ecosystem. Conventional wastewater treatment plant cannot remove it completely. Hence our objective was to produce sludge...

Abstract Constructed wetlands are engineered systems that are designed and constructed to utilize the natural process, involving vegetation, soil and their associated microbial assemblage to assist in treating different types of wastewater. Many different processes occur simultaneously inside the system to reduce the contaminant level in wastewater...