The Hindukush mountain range in northern Pakistan hosts large to medium-sized valley glaciers. These glaciers are continuously retreating due to climate change-induced rising temperatures, leading to erratic discharge and an increasing potential risk to downstream areas. The decadal and annual changes (ablation), snout position, area changes, and associated hazards pose significant risks to downstream communities in the Chitral Valley of the Hindukush Range, northern Pakistan. This study is crucial for understanding the changing dynamics of glaciers and their potential impacts on downstream communities, offering a foundation for developing and implementing evidence-based policies for mitigation and adaptation. This study evaluated glacier risk zones in the Buni Zom valley and the seasonal dynamics of the glacier areas over 28 years (1990–2018) of three glaciers: Khorabhor, Phargam and Gordoghan, using the normalized difference snow index (NDSI) and manual based techniques, utilizing the open-source Landsat images. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model was used to identify the risk zones in the study area. The results revealed that the total glacier area is reduced from 16.01

The importance of the removal of dye from industrial wastewater is increasing day by day, as they contain substances that are carcinogenic and lethal to human beings. Due to their distinctive chemical and physical properties, nanomaterials have received substantial consideration. This study intended to prepare citrate-modified magnetic nanoparticles coated by titania hydrothermally to increase the photocatalytic activity. To characterize the Cit-Fe3O4@TiO2 nanoparticles various instrumental techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used. The calculated average particle size of Cit-Fe3O4 was 13.4 nm while after titania covering particle size was changed to 15.8 nm due to the coating TiO2 shell over Fe3O4 which also has been via TEM analysis. The prepared Cit-Fe3O4@TiO2 nanoparticles were used to degrade eosin Y (EY) under UV-visible lamp irradiation. The experimental outcomes reveal that the 96 % removal efficiency for EY dye in 70 min and 82 % of MB in 90 min. Cit-Fe3O4@TiO2 nanoparticles can be considered reliable photocatalyst as there is a linear relation between the slope of the curve and irradiation time that corresponds to the pseudo-first-order kinetics for both dyes. Furthermore, to eliminate repetitious filtering procedures, Cit-Fe3O4@TiO2 nanoparticles were utilized as an excellent photocatalyst for the degradation of textile dyes.

About 2400 kilometers long Himalayan region hosts thousands of glaciers which covers about 40,000 km2 as per last update in September 2021. Estimation of snout variation positioning, statistical analysis of climate trends, and the Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA) of most of the glaciers is challenging due to the rough terrain, higher altitudes and scarcity of spatio-temporal field observations. Moreover, without the climatic data and separating contour between glacier's accumulation and ablation zones, estimation of the net variation in glacier mass loss or gain over a fixed year, leads to ambiguous results. Therefore, a quarterly trend analysis was carried out on climate data (temperature and precipitation ) and river discharge to evaluate the climate pattern in the Astore Basin. Moreover, this study uses the accumulation area ratio, AAR (0.6 +/- 0.5) (used for high-altitude mountain glaciers), and accumulation area balance ratio, AABR (2.24 +/- 0.9) with an interval of 0.05 and 0.01 to estimate ELAs, respectively. The results show that the Bazhin glacier retreat (-2.1 km(2)) as compared to the Chhongpher (-1.1 km(2)) and Chongra (-1.2 km(2)) glaciers. A maximum retreat of the snout position of Bazhin glacier was 1595 m , 3260 m in Chhongpher glacier, and 960 m in Chongra glacier. An increase in the ratio of annual AAR from 0.4 to 0.8 results in reductions of the accumulation area of three major glaciers in the study area. We conclude that the largest glaciers (e.g. Bazhin, Chhongpher and Chongra) stretched between lower to higher altitudes are likely to be more vulnerable, due to the highest AAR and AABR values reported between 5000-5600 meters above sea level (masl). However, the ice-lost estimates vary greatly depending on their three-dimensional surfaces.

In recent years, noise pollution in urban zones has reached critical levels, primarily driven by increased road traffic and poor urban planning. This research is crucial as it quantifies noise pollution in different urban settings of Peshawar, Pakistan, providing valuable insights into the severity of the issue. By using noise descriptors such as Leq-24h, L1, L10, L50, L90, L99, Lmax, Lmin, LNP, and NC. A comparison with the Pak-NEQS 2010 standards revealed that during the daytime, 100% of silence zones, 91% of commercial areas, and 90% of residential areas exceeded the permissible noise limits. Similarly, nighttime measurements showed that 83% of silence zones, 87% of commercial areas, and 90% of residential areas were also above the acceptable limits. Strong correlations between Leq and other noise descriptors were observed, and land use characteristics significantly impacted noise levels during the day. This data highlights the urgent need for regulatory measures to mitigate the growing issue of noise pollution in urban environments.

A solvothermal method was used to synthesize the mesoporous TiO2, (1-3w %) Cu-doped mesoporous TiO2 membrane with the help of a bioreactor. To understand the physicochemical composition of all synthesized nanomaterials, the structure, morphology and crystallinity of the materials were studied using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Under artificial light source (500 W mercury bulb) irradiations, the nano catalysts' catalytic effectiveness was examined for the azo dyes, namely Congo red. Cu-doping causes a shift in the light absorption of mTiO2 from the ultraviolet to the visible region. The 3w% Cu-doped mTiO2 photocatalyst exhibits lower band gap energy (2.6eV) than TiO2 which is 3.2 eV to efficiently utilize solar energy. As a result, the light absorption was shifted towards the visible spectrum. The recommended mTiO2 and (1, 2, 3) w% Cu-doped mTiO2 photocatalysts were used to photodegrade Congo red and methylene blue. For the degradation of CR, the mTiO2 photocatalyst exhibited 61% and 3w% Cu-doped mTiO2 demonstrated 99% photocatalytic performance after 50 min. A variety of scavengers were also utilized to distinguish the active species by catching the radicals and holes created during the process of photocatalytic degradation. CV indicates the presence of Cu2+ and Cu1+ in Cu-doped mTiO2. Oxygen vacancies and the electronegative surface of Cu1+ seem to perform the photocatalytic reduction of CR.

Abstract The Pakistani Himalayan glaciers are major component of freshwater environment. However, previous studies suggest that their existence is under direct of global warming. we estimated the glacier dynamics of Bazin, Chhongpher and Chongra glaciers in Astore Basin (Northwestern Himalaya) in terms of Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA), snout variation position and statistical analysis of climate trends assessment between 2016 and 2021. A quaterly trend analysis was carried out on climate data (temperature, precipitation, river discharge) to evaluate the climate pattern in the Astore Basin. The net retreating change is higher in the Bazin glacier (2.1 sqkm) as compared to the Chhongpher (1.1 Sqkm) and Chongra (1.2 Sqkm) glaciers. A maximum retreat of the snout position was observed as 1595 m in Bazin glacier, 3260 m in Chhongpher glacier, and 960 m in Chongra glacier. In the Astore Basin of the Himalaya region we applied the accumulation area ratio (AAR) and accumulation area balance ratio (AABR) for ELA calculation. Two parameters are provided to determine AAR-ELAs with 0.05 interval between 0.4 and 0.8 and AABR-ELAs with 0.01 interval between 0.9 and 4.4. A 200 m ELA decrease from 6021 to 5821 m of Bazin glacier adjusted its geometries for constant AAR of 0.4–0.45, by reducing ~ 8% area. Furthermore, it is concluded that the value of ELAs is extremely dependent on the rebuilt three dimensional glacier surfaces.

The Hindu Kush range of northern Pakistan has a large variety of Alpine and valley glaciers. These glaciers are subjected to volumetric changes owing to a host of factors (i.e. altitude, slope, glacier types, and aspect). The geodetic survey and field-based data are not available for assessment of glacier’s Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA) for Hindu Kush due to rough topography and rigorous climate. However, the mass balance of the alpine and valley glaciers can be obtained through ELA and Accumulation Area Ratio (AAR). Therefore, this study deals with the estimation of ELA, the hypsometrically controlled methods based on AAR and Accumulation Area Balance Ratio (AABR). Various ratios between 0.4–0.8 with 0.05 interval for AAR and 0.67–4.4 with 0.01 for AABR are applied to obtain the ELA of valley glaciers. Moreover, the glacier contours with the interval of 50 m ± 5 m were employed for these estimations. The constant AAR and AABR ratios rather than constant glacier area adjust glacier hypsometry based on ELA variations. The results show that for AAR (0.5), 50 m ELA declined from 5409 to 5359 m and reduced (4%) the geometric area. The maximum decrease of 150 m ELA for these glaciers is reported for the AAR-AABR ratio of 0.1–4.4, showing a significant decrease. The estimated decrease in the glacier area of Hindu Kush is extremely variable specifically in Phargam, Khorabohr and Gordoghan.

Lithium manganese phosphate (LiMnPO4) and a series of chromium-doped lithium manganese phosphate with variation in Cr content LiCrxMn1-xPO4 (x = 0.03, 0.06, 0.1) were prepared via conventional sol-gel method and their dielectric properties have been explored as a function of frequency. The structure and morphology were investigated by X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The influence of frequency upon electrical conductivity as well as di-electric properties of the as-synthesized LiCrxMn1-xPO4 materials have been analyzed by dielectric parameters and AC conductivity using impedance analyzer. It was observed that dielectric constant increased with frequency at lower chromium concentration while at higher chromium contents, the dielectric constant was decreased with increasing frequency. Hence, the composition with highest Cr content (ie, x = 0.1) is proved as best material for various applications owing to its lowest AC-conductivity and lowest dielectric loss. Therefore, it is revealed that chromium doping is quite advantageous for performance of LiMnPO4 in device applications as Cr doped LiMnPO4 unveiled improved dielectric loss.

The impacts of climate change in terms of variability in temperature and rainfall are adversely affecting agriculture and its features like cropping patterns, production, agricultural land use, and handling the food crises of the regions. Developing countries like Pakistan are suffering from the disastrous impacts of climate change on agriculture sectors, and those who are usually unaware of these changes and adaptation strategies do not overcome these issues. For this purpose, the impacts of climate change on the foothills of the Himalayas were investigated through site visits and detailed discussion with the local people and analysis of temperature, rainfall, and crop production data of the last 28 years. According to the field survey, 87% of the community were farmers and more than three-quarters (77.6% and 76.7%) noticed changes in the cropping pattern (sowing and harvesting period) of rabi (wheat), kharif (maize), and vegetables. According to the analysis, the effect of climate change (temperature, rainfall) recorded was greater on rain-fed agriculture in the foothills of the Himalayas. Association between the variables (temperature, precipitation, and crop production) was measured, and a negative correlation of − 0.536 was observed for temperature and wheat and − 0.028 for maize. Contrary to the abovementioned results, a strong positive correlation of 0.792 was observed for rainfall and maize and 0.662 for wheat. It was analyzed that climate change had adverse impacts on agriculture, i.e., crop production, yield, pattern, and agricultural land resources of the district Haripur, eventually causing economic loss. However, adaptation practices adopted by the local community have somewhat mitigated the negative impacts of climate change.

Reduced graphene oxide based iron oxide modified titania (rGO-Fe3O4/TiO2) was developed as a low-cost, stable, and reproducible photocatalyst, synthesized by conventional hydrothermal route. Structural and morphological features were investigated by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The incorporation of rGO-Fe3O4 to TiO2 shifted the light absorption of TiO2 from ultraviolet (UV) to visible region. The band gap energy of the synthesized photocatalyst rGO-Fe3O4/TiO2 reduced to 2.6 eV as compared to TiO2 (3.2 eV) which shifted the light absorption into visible region in order to utilize the solar energy effectually. The as-proposed rGO-Fe3O4/TiO2 and TiO2 photocatalysts were used for the photo-degradation of malachite green (MG) and methylene blue (MB) degradation. The as-prepared photocatalyst rGO-Fe3O4/TiO2 exhibited commendable photocatalytic efficiency (99%) comparative to pure TiO2 (67%) under visible light in 55 min for MG degradation. The active species were also identified using various scavengers by trapping holes and radicals generated during the photocatalytic degradation process. Subsequently, such photo-degradation output inferred that this ternary nanocomposite partakes a great potential for visible light driven MG and MB photocatalytic degradation.

Iron–copper bimetallic nanoparticles (Fe-Cu BNPs) were prepared via a green synthesis route. Ixora finlaysoniana has been used in this study as a capping and stabilizing agent in the modification of Fe-Cu BNPs. As-synthesized BNPs were characterized using different techniques including UV/Vis spectrophotometry, FTIR, XRD and SEM. A particle size analyzer and SEM studies indicated the particle size to be in the range of 50–200 nm. In addition, degradation of MB dye in an aqueous system and radical-scavenging potential in a DPPH assay were also examined using BNPs. Methylene blue dye degradation in 17 min was monitored with UV/Vis spectrophotometry, which exhibited the efficiency of Fe-Cu BNPs. Bimetallic nanoparticles were also found to be efficient in neutralizing DPPH free radicals. Furthermore, kinetic studies of both dye degradation and radical scavenging potential are reported in this article. Subsequently, Fe-Cu BNPs synthesized via a green and sustainable method can be employed for dye degradation and free radical-scavenging activities.