Sheikh Saeed Ahmad’s research while affiliated with Fatima Jinnah Women University and other places

Asthma prevalence and morbidity are increasing rapidly worldwide, especially in developing countries. Previous studies have shown nitrogen dioxide as an important contributor to asthma prevalence along with extreme temperatures, relative humidity, and land use change. The present study aimed to assess the asthma epidemiology and association of nitrogen dioxide, temperature, and land use as a contributing factor for increasing asthma prevalence in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Secondary data related to the frequency of asthmatics hospital visits were analyzed to figure out the hotspots of asthma by using Getis ord Gi* statistics in ArcGIS 10.2. Moreover, intraurban variation of nitrogen dioxide concentration was analyzed by passive sampling method and its association with the rate of asthmatics hospital visits in Rawalpindi, Pakistan was also researched. Results revealed the random distribution of disease with significant hotspots along with spatial variability of nitrogen dioxide in urban and rural locations. Indoor and outdoor levels of nitrogen dioxide exceed the national and world health organization standards on asthma high risk areas especially in winter season. Congested housing with poor ventilation, unplanned urbanization, cold temperature, and unclean fuel use are revealed as strong determinants of asthma prevalence in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Extensive monitoring and interventions are needed for the reduction of both indoor and outdoor nitrogen dioxide levels to overcome the increasing rate of asthma prevalence.

Emission of methane from the underground coalmine is currently a global concern. The study aims to quantify the emission of potent toxic gases along with atmospheric dust in the suburbs of underground coal mines, in the field of Balochistan Pakistan. Related variables selected for quality check included particulate matter (i.e. PM10), CH 4 , O 2 , CO and elemental composition of PM10 (i.e. Cr, Cd, Co, Fe, Cu, Pb, Ni and Mn). A seasonal comparative study was designed. Widely applied GIS tool (i.e.IDW) was incorporated. Strengthening data with correlation matrix analysis apprehended interrelationship among the variables. Air quality variables were found above the safe allowable limits set by various standards (WHO, EPA, NIOSH, U.S National Ambient Air Concentration). No significant seasonal variation was recorded; but the pollutant concentration remained elevated during both seasons. Pearson correlation matrix analysis showed that CH 4 had a strong negative correlation with O 2 . Moreover, air probed inside the underground coalmine showed a deteriorated status. This alarming status is primarily attributed to all the mining activities and secondarily to vehicular emissions, mine fire and poor ventilation system. This study will provide a baseline data for concerned authorities for planning management, pollutant prevention and strategies for environmental monitoring in future.

Advance studies related to MPs contamination along with their metabolites are detected in the aqueous environment throughout the world. Their biological nature and continuous emission render them as “prospective pollutant” or “emerging pollutants.” The major categories of MPs are divided into eight groups. For the absolute removal of MPs and their metabolites, there is no specific technique and is quite difficult and somewhat impossible because of their distinctive properties. The emission of MPs in large amounts in different aqueous bodies in different parts of the world renders a serious threat to the aquatic as well as human ecosystem. So, the most applicable methods used for MPs are activated carbon absorption, coagulation-flocculation, advanced oxidation process, and ozonation membrane bioreactor and membrane process. The typical WWTPs cannot provide the expected results for the elimination of significant MPs. However, with little efforts, upgrading and optimizing the current protocols in the WWTPs is all set to crucially decrease the loading rates of MPs. Besides all the conventional techniques and processes, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), activated carbon adsorption (granular activated carbon and powdered carbon), coagulation-flocculation, membrane bioreactor, and membrane process are also applied for the removal of MPs. Among all these persistent treatment methods, advanced oxidation processes and membrane systems are the most efficient techniques and come to the forefront. For both removal of micro-pollutant and inhibiting the production byproducts and metabolites and other pollutants, a combined treatment should be preferred to achieve the desired results.KeywordsEmerging pollutantEmissionTechniquesAqueous environmentMetabolites

Micro pollutants are chemical substances which are generated through natural as well as human activities. The anthropogenic sources of micro pollutants are so far greater than natural processes. These micro pollutants are present in diverse forms, e.g., pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, personal care products, and endocrine disrupting chemicals. The nature of their toxicity also ranges from mild to very chronic for the human health as well environmental dysfunctions. This chapter also deals mainly with the amount of the micro pollutants released, their main sources, toxicity ranges, and the way these pollutants produce ill impacts on the human health. It has been observed that all micro pollutants having any source can produce their adverse impacts on the health of humans, and these impacts include DNA mutation to organ modification, with the outbreak of certain diseases of which liver, lung, and kidney diseases are prominent. The possible pathway of these pollutants has been observed in the form of drinking or wastewater which enter in to human body through irrigating the fruits or foods and by drinking the water having such pollutants. The objective of this study is also to employ all possible options by which these pollutants could be eliminated completely from the environment. There are certain options which can be used for their reduction very simple to last techniques. This study also stresses to minimize all possible sources of these micro pollutants rather than to use possible option for their elimination once they enter in to the environment.

Accelerated urbanization and haphazard expansion of cities results in infrastructure damages, deterioration of agriculture land and water quality, and many microclimatic changes. The unparalleled growth in population put pressure on leap-frog development and uneven distribution of public facilities. The present study endeavored the urban land suitability map for urban services planning in Khushab and Mianwali district, Pakistan. The suitability assessment is carried out through geostatistical modeling and multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) including analytical hierarchical process (AHP) and technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). Various influencing criteria, i.e., social considerations, utilities, physical existence of an area, and environmental aspects were considered including population density, proximity to educational institutes, medical services, and distances to water bodies and road networks, land use/land cover (LULC), and slope, elevation parameters for evaluating land suitability of targeted area of interest. The findings of the current investigation reveal that the core portion of the studied area are more suitable for providing urban amenities while the areas at peripheral side does not have adequate facilities for urban expansion. Moreover, peripheral sides are mostly occupied by mining areas; therefore, abandoned mines should be replaced by protected areas. The study not only facilities the provision of information on the existing urban land use patterns but also on suitability of land for the future urban establishments.

Noise pollution is widely recognized as an important problem and can negatively affect quality of life. This study aimed to examine the temporal and seasonal variations of noise pollution in urban zones of Peshawar, Pakistan. This city is increasingly becoming congested and traffic-related problems are common. Noise levels were assessed in four different seasons at 20 points around the city, including three different zones: commercial, residential, and silent. All the noise indices including equivalent noise level, day and night time noise level, noise climate, and noise pollution level were calculated for all zones. In winter, the Leq values ranged between 52.5 and 73.3 dBA; while in spring, summer, and autumn, it ranged between 56.2 and 88.3 dBA; 46.9 and 88.6 dBA; and 49.2 and 76.6 dBA, respectively. The level of the noise was observed highest in commercial followed by residential and the silent zones. The levels of the noise were beyond the permissible limits in some zones mentioned in the Pakistan National Environmental Quality Standards (Pak-NEQS’ 2010). The seasonal variation in Leq revealed that the noise level in 70% of areas increased from winter to spring, 45% from spring to summer, 35% summer to autumn, 30% autumn to winter, 70% winter to summer, and 40% spring to autumn. Temperature, humidity, and wind speed were the main seasonal factors causing the seasonal variations and traffic was the main source of noise pollution identified in the area. Graphical abstract

The role of vegetation is very important in ecosystem conservation. The present study was conducted to classify the existing ground flora in Tharparker, Pakistan. The distribution pattern of vegetation and species association was grouped into different communities by using ordination techniques. Both direct and indirect ordination methods were applied to classify the species into groups and communities, and also quantify the relationship of species with varied soil parameters (pH, EC, moisture, OM, K, P, Fe⁺³, Zn⁺², Mn⁺², Cu⁺²). Plant and soil samples were randomly collected using quadrat of 1 * 1 m². Two main groups and four communities were formed by species derived from fifty quadrat. Cynodon dactylon and Desmostachya bipinnata showed higher abundance over the broad range of all edaphic factor’s concentration. This study provided the significant results of least abundant and most abundant herbaceous species in the region of Tharparker, which will be helpful for land managing and planning.

Balochistan is a semi-arid region. The assessment of water quality is very important, as the majority of people depend on groundwater for drinking purposes. The present study involves the quality assessment and mapping of drinking water in the five selected major coal mining sites in the four districts of Balochistan. A total of 50 samples were collected from these five coal mining sites in two seasons: i.e., summer and winter. A physicochemical analysis was carried out for groundwater samples: i.e., pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solid (TDS), CO3, HCO3⁻, Cl⁻, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, and Zn. Thematic maps were used to depict the spatial distribution of significant variables and were compared with WHO standards (2011) during both seasons. The majority of parameters crossed the safe permissible limit of WHO standards. The water quality index (WQI) was calculated for the whole monitoring data obtained from both seasons from the perspective of drinking water in each of the selected sites. Moreover, a principle component analysis (PCA) and correlation matrix was carried out for the data analysis in order to identify the source of pollution and correlation among the variables. The results suggested that the overall quality of water from the selected coal mining sites deteriorated due to the overexploitation of coal mines and mining activity. The current investigation provides a comprehensive picture of the current status of water quality in and around the selected coal mines of Balochistan.

Ecological processes such as landslide disaster are primarily impacted by both geological and land use activities happening at different spatiotemporal scale. They specifically impact the socioeconomic development in the sub-Himalayan region of Pakistan. Ecological risk assessment and restrictive zonation mapping are therefore prerequisites for mitigation and compensation of landslide losses and risks. The current study has mapped landslide vulnerable Guoien Nullah road located in sub-Himalaya ranges of Pakistan via Landslide Hazard Zonation (LHZ) technique. Landslide active points were identified through field surveys, verified through the readings taken from Global Positioning System and mapped through geographic information system-based software. Seven landslide activating factors, i.e., slope angle, lithology, precipitation, tilt direction, land use/land cover, Normalized Differentiation Vegetation Index and elevation, were evaluated. Analytical hierarchical process (AHP) was used to assign weights to each activating factor. Precipitation, followed by lithology, and slope angle were found most influential in instigating landslide as indicated by AHP. Furthermore, three susceptibility zones were obtained using the weighted overlay method, i.e., high hazard susceptibility zone, moderate hazard susceptibility zone and low hazard susceptibility zone. The study concluded that 69% of the total landslide occurred in the high susceptibility zone which comprised of 36% of the total study area. Ground control points on active landslide sites authenticated the LHZ generated map. These maps help in restrictive zoning in the high hazard zone area that is considered important for engineers, geologists, and land use planners for future area-specific developmental projects. Besides, the current study will aid disaster management authorities, developers, policy makers and researchers in identifying the hazard disposal of the selected area.