Pre-COVID-19 pandemic: effects on air quality in the three cities of India using fuzzy MCDM model

Due to urbanization and industrialization pollution level increases. Air pollution directly affects to human health. Air Quality Indices (AQI) method is related to measuring the concentration of different pollutants PM₁₀, NO₂, SO₂ and other pollutants. The fuzzy Logic air quality index calculates in single value of AQI defines limits 0 to 1. In this study, a comparison of air quality data of three cities was conducted with the help of fuzzy logic algorithm. It used to evaluating Indices through fuzzy multi criteria decision making (MCDM) framework in which linguistic terms of experts opinion and perception, accordingly computing matrix is constructed for sub criteria. There are five linguistic terms used in this framework to create membership functions such as high significant, significant, average significant, low significant and not significant. The three cities, Bangalore, Mysore, and Hubli-Dharwad air quality datas was taken for analysis and evaluating indices during pre-COVID years (2017, 2018, and 2019). The AQI value shows that Bangalore has the highest pollution level while Mysore has the lowest. Using the fuzzy theory, results show that Bangalore and Hubli-Dharwad decrease in pollution level by -0.074921% and -0.04797%. Negative sign shows the decrease pollution level while Mysore increase pollution level by 0.011792%. Overall the results show that AQI of Mysore city is low compared to Bangalore and Hubli-Dharwad. Also, this study reveals air quality disseminated through industrial processes and automobile emissions in India cities during pre-COVID pandemic years.

Anaerobic co-digestion of different wastes in a UASB reactor

Anaerobic co-digestion has made a greater impact on the biogas production from mixing different type of waste. In this research, sewage sludge (SS) and cow manure (CM), was used as a primary waste along with kitchen waste (KW), yard waste (YW), floral waste (FW) and dairy wastewater (DWW) as co-substrate for anaerobic digestion. Mixtures with a ratio of 1:2 ratio is fed into a single stage up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. Digestion was carried out in a mesophilic temperature range for 20 days. pH and VFA were measured and ranged from 5 to 7.5 and 3500-500 mg/L, respectively, for all the mixtures throughout the digestion period. Percentage of COD removal efficiency after 20 days was found to be in the range of 76-86%. The maximum biogas production rate was found to be 4500 mL/day. Characterization of the final residue from each of the digesters was carried out by Scanning Electron microscope, Energy dispersive, thermogravimetric, FTIR Spectra, and Atomic microscope. Thermal analysis reveals that spent sludge can be potential waste energy sources.