Pankaj Kumar Gupta

Bio: Pankaj Kumar Gupta is an academic researcher from University of Waterloo. The author has contributed to research in topics: Water table & Groundwater. The author has an hindex of 8, co-authored 34 publications receiving 178 citations. Previous affiliations of Pankaj Kumar Gupta include Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee.

Assessment of LNAPL in Subsurface under Fluctuating Groundwater Table Using 2D Sand Tank Experiments

Abstract: The focus of this study was to investigate the fate and transport of toluene, a light nonaqueous-phase liquids (LNAPLs) in the subsurface region under dynamic groundwater table conditions. ...

Pollution Load on Indian Soil-Water Systems and Associated Health Hazards: A Review

Abstract: India’s soil-water systems provide a vital source of freshwater and sustain the drinking water supply for the world’s second-largest population. However, groundwater within the large geogra...

Three-Dimensional Laboratory Experiments on Fate and Transport of LNAPL under Varying Groundwater Flow Conditions

Abstract: Variations in groundwater flow regimes due to direct draining/pumping and surrounding climatic variabilities may significantly affect the spatial and temporal distribution of hydrocarbon co...

Environmental Science and Technology

Abstract: The Department of Environmental Science and Technology (ENST) is The Place for Ecological Discovery and Natural Solutions! Our primary mission is to educate students on the fundamentals of environmental science, while instilling a deep fascination and intellectual capacity to work in their chosen area of specialization, whether its Natural Resources Management, Ecological Design, Soil and Watershed Science or Environmental Health. When our students graduate, we want them to be top-notch environmental stewards with a broad framework from which they can advance professionally, personally and socially.

Potential nitrification and denitrification on different surfaces in a constructed treatment wetland (vol 32, pg 2414, 2003)

Abstract: Improved understanding of the importance of different surfaces in supporting attached nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria is essential if we are to optimize the N removal capacity of treatment wetlands. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the nitrifying and denitrifying capacity of different surfaces in a constructed treatment wetland and to assess the relative importance of these surfaces for overall N removal in the wetland. Intact sediment cores, old pine and spruce twigs, shoots of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.), and filamentous macro-algae were collected in July and November 1999 in two basins of the wetland system. One of the basins had been constructed on land that contained lots of wood debris, particularly twigs of coniferous trees. Potential nitrification was measured using the isotope-dilution technique, and potential denitrification was determined using the acetylene-inhibition technique in laboratory microcosm incubations. Nitrification rates were highest on the twigs. These rates were three and 100 times higher than in the sediment and on Eurasian watermilfoil, respectively. Potential denitrification rates were highest in the sediment. These rates were three times higher than on the twigs and 40 times higher than on Eurasian watermilfoil. The distribution of denitrifying bacteria was most likely due to the availability of organic material, with higher denitrification rates in the sediment than on surfaces in the water column. Our results indicate that denitrification, and particularly nitrification, in treatment wetlands could be significantly increased by addition of surfaces such as twigs.

Cyanobacterial Extracellular Polymeric Substances for Heavy Metal Removal: A Mini Review

Abstract: Heavy metals from various natural and anthropogenic sources are becoming a chief threat to the aquatic system owing to their toxic and lethal effect. The treatment of such contaminated wastewater is one of the prime concerns in this field. For decades, a huge array of innovative biosorbents is used for heavy metal removal. Though extensive microbes and their biomolecules have been experimented and have showed great potential but most of them have failed to have the substantial breakthrough for the practical application. The present review emphasis on the potential utilization of the cyanobacteria for the heavy metal removal along with the toxic effect imposed by the pollutant. Furthermore, the effect of significant parameters, plausible mechanistic insights of the heavy metal toxicity imposed onto the cyanobacteria is also discussed in detail. The role of extrapolymeric substances and metallothionein secreted by the microbes are also elaborated. The review was evident that the cyanobacterial species have a huge potential towards the heavy metal removal from the aqueous system ranging from very low to very high concentrations.