[1] The influences of the springtime northern Indian biomass burning are shown for the first time over the central Himalayas by using three years (2007)(2008)(2009) . These biomass burning induced changes over the central Himalayan atmosphere during spring may also lead to enhanced short-wave absorption above clouds and might have an impact on the monsoonal rainfall.

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The aerosol samples were collected from a high elevation mountain site, Nainital, in India (1958 m asl) during September 2006 to June 2007 and were analyzed for water-soluble inorganic species, total carbon, nitrogen, and their isotopic composition (δ(13)C and δ(15)N, respectively). The chemical and isotopic composition of aerosols revealed significant anthropogenic influence over this remote free-troposphere site. The amount of total carbon and nitrogen and their isotopic composition suggest a considerable contribution of biomass burning to the aerosols during winter. On the other hand, fossil fuel combustion sources are found to be dominant during summer. The carbon aerosol in winter is characterized by greater isotope ratios (av. -24.0‰), mostly originated from biomass burning of C4 plants. On the contrary, the aerosols in summer showed smaller δ(13)C values (-26.0‰), indicating that they are originated from vascular plants (mostly of C3 plants). The secondary ions (i.e., SO4 (2-), NH4 (+), and NO3 (-)) were abundant due to the atmospheric reactions during long-range transport in both seasons. The water-soluble organic and inorganic compositions revealed that they are aged in winter but comparatively fresh in summer. This study validates that the pollutants generated from far distant sources could reach high altitudes over the Himalayan region under favorable meteorological conditions.

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The Ganga River is facing mounting environmental pressures due to rapidly increasing human population, urbanisation, industrialisation and agricultural intensification, resulting in worsening water quality, ecological status, and impacts on human health. A combined inorganic chemical, algal and bacterial survey (using flow cytometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing) along the upper and middle Ganga (from the Himalayan foothills to Kanpur) was conducted under pre-monsoon conditions. The upper Ganga had total phosphorus (TP) and total dissolved nitrogen concentrations of less than 100 µg l -1 and 1.0 mg l -1 , but water quality declined at Kannauj (TP = 420 µg l -1 ) due to major nutrient pollution inputs from human-impacted tributaries (principally the Ramganga and Kali Rivers).The phosphorus and nitrogen loads in these two tributaries and the Yamuna were dominated by soluble reactive phosphorus and ammonium, with high bacterial loads and large numbers of taxa indicative of pathogen and faecal organisms, strongly suggesting sewage pollution sources. The high nutrient concentrations, low flows, warm water and high solar radiation resulted in major algal blooms in the Kali and Ramganga, which greatly impacted the Ganga. Microbial communities were dominated by members of the Phylum Proteobacteria, Bacteriodetes and Cyanobacteria, with communities showing a clear upstream to downstream transition in community composition. To improve the water quality of the middle Ganga, and decrease ecological and human health risks, future mitigation must reduce urban wastewater inputs in the urbanised tributaries of the Ramganga, Kali and Yamuna Rivers.