Showing papers in "Water Air and Soil Pollution in 2021"
TL;DR: In this article, a multidisciplinary approach to handle wastewater as a potential resource for use in agriculture is proposed and a model showing the efficient methods for wastewater treatment and the utilization of solid wastes in fertilizers.
Abstract: Water scarcity is one of the major problems in the world and millions of people have no access to freshwater. Untreated wastewater is widely used for agriculture in many countries. This is one of the world-leading serious environmental and public health concerns. Instead of using untreated wastewater, treated wastewater has been found more applicable and ecofriendly option. Moreover, environmental toxicity due to solid waste exposures is also one of the leading health concerns. Therefore, intending to combat the problems associated with the use of untreated wastewater, we propose in this review a multidisciplinary approach to handle wastewater as a potential resource for use in agriculture. We propose a model showing the efficient methods for wastewater treatment and the utilization of solid wastes in fertilizers. The study also points out the associated health concern for farmers, who are working in wastewater-irrigated fields along with the harmful effects of untreated wastewater. The consumption of crop irrigated by wastewater has leading health implications also discussed in this review paper. This review further reveals that our current understanding of the wastewater treatment and use in agriculture with addressing advancements in treatment methods has great future possibilities.
61 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a literature review was performed to systemise the knowledge on pharmaceuticals in plant and soil environment, and the highest accumulation coefficients were found in vegetative plant parts, in the following decreasing order: roots> leaves> stems, while the lowest in generative parts, such as grains of cereals.
Abstract: Pharmaceuticals are a class of biologically active compounds used in human and veterinary medicine, while some of them may be applied for feed production and plant growth stimulation. To systemise the knowledge on pharmaceuticals in plant and soil environment, a literature review was performed. Active substances of pharmaceuticals and their metabolites are typically released into the environment through agricultural application of wastewater and sewage biosolids containing pharmaceuticals, derived from wastewater discharged by households, hospitals and other medical facilities. Another, no less important, source of pharmaceutical release are natural fertilisers (manure and slurry). The fate and behaviour of pharmaceuticals in the soil, including their mobility and availability to plants, depends on the soil physical, chemical and biological properties as well as on the properties of the substance itself. Pharmaceuticals introduced into the soil are taken up and retained in various plant parts. In general, the highest accumulation coefficients have been found in vegetative plant parts, in the following decreasing order: roots> leaves> stems, while the lowest in generative parts, such as grains of cereals.
35 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an extensive literature review has been conducted, and it was observed that there are types of UAV and types of sensors that are used for air quality monitoring for the parameters like CO, SO2, NO2, O3, PM2.5, PM1.0, and black carbon.
Abstract: In major cities, air quality is of significant concern because of its negative effect on the health of the region’s living conditions, climate, and economy. Recent studies show the significance of the data on microlevel pollution which includes severe air pollutants and their impacts on human. Conventional methods of measuring air quality need skilled personnel for accurate data measurement that are based on stationary and limited measuring station networks. However, it is costly to seize the spatio-temporal variability and to recognize pollution hotspots that are necessary to develop real-time exposure control strategies. Due to the restricted accessibility of information and the non-scalability of standard techniques for air pollution monitoring, a real-time system with both higher spatial and temporal resolution is crucial. In recent times, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) mounted with various sensors have been implemented for on-site air quality surveillance as they can offer new methods and research possibilities in air pollution and emission tracking, as well as in the study of environmental developments. An extensive literature review has been conducted, and it was observed that there are types of UAVs and types of sensors that are used for air quality monitoring for the parameters like CO, SO2, NO2, O3, PM2.5, PM1.0, and black carbon. Low-cost wireless sensors have been using for monitoring purpose in the past studies, and when results obtained are validated with the stationary monitoring instruments, the coefficient of correlation (R2) is found to be varied from 0.3 to 0.9. The difficulties, however, are not just technical, but at present time, policies and laws, which vary from country to country, symbolize the major challenge to the extensive use of UAVs in air quality/monitoring studies.
34 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of optimizing individual EKR through soil and sediment pre-treatment (add acid/oxidant/co-solvent/surfactant, stirring, heating, etc.), electrode optimization (exchange electrode, anode approximation, electrode matrix, etc.).
Abstract: Remediation of contaminated soil and sediment is important for improving the eco-environmental quality. Electro-kinetic remediation (EKR) is an environmentally friendly technology to migrate and remove pollutants from the soil and sediment matrix. This paper analyses the mechanism and performance of EKR of heavy metals, organic pollutants, and compound pollutants. Moreover, the effect of optimizing individual EKR through soil and sediment pre-treatment (adding acid/oxidant/co-solvent/surfactant, stirring, heating, etc.), electrode optimization (exchange electrode, anode approximation, electrode matrix, etc.), and applying multi-technology combination (electro-kinetic permeable reaction barrier/Fenton/ion, exchange membrane/ultrasonic/electrolyte enhancement, etc.) was evaluated. Factors including incomplete separation of pollutants, variation in physico-chemical properties and microstructure of soil/sediment, and difficulties in in situ practice have restrained the field application of EKR. To solve the above technical challenge, an integrated EKR technology based on pollutant in situ separation, followed by separated contaminant treatment, and subsequent valuable elements recovery is proposed.
29 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a natural bentonite was used as an adsorbent to remove a model cationic (basic) textile dye (basic red 46), and the best conditions for adsorption of basic red 46 (BR-46) were obtained in semi-batch experiments.
Abstract: Removal of textile azo-dyes from industrial wastewater is a concerning problem in the modern societies. Adsorption of organic dyes is an alternative for removing these pollutants, but efficient and low-cost adsorbents are required. In this work, a natural (crude) bentonite was used as adsorbent to remove a model cationic (basic) textile dye (basic red 46). Some parameters such as initial dye concentration, time, pH, and temperature were studied in semi-batch experiments to obtain the best conditions for adsorption of basic red 46 (BR-46) with minimal quantity of adsorbent (10 mg in 100 mL of solution). An experimental adsorption capacity (qm) of 594 mg g−1 was determined directly from the adsorption curve for 60 mg L−1, pH=7 and 25 °C. The thermodynamic parameters ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS° were also estimated. Several adsorption isotherms (Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin) and kinetic models (pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, and intra-particle diffusion) were applied to the experimental data; thus, the best settings were obtained by Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic model. The comparison of results obtained for this natural bentonite with respect to some materials published in the literature reveals the excellent performance of this material for adsorption of BR-46, allowing a fast and higher removal (94% ± 4, at 10 min), under mild conditions (neutral pH, 25 °C and atmospheric pressure).
25 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an integrated traditional and geographic information systems (GIS) based method was used to assess soil salinity in the Sirdarya province of Uzbekistan. And the results of this research revealed that the IDW interpolation method had a great potential and accuracy to map longitudinal changes in salt-affected irrigated areas.
Abstract: Saline areas are progressively increasing in irrigated lands of the Aral Sea Basin and this obstructs intensive agricultural development and food security in this region. Such circumstances, leading to the expansion of salt-affected areas, are assumed to become climate change, rising of groundwater levels and its mineralizations, poor functioning of the collector-drainage system, and insufficient compliance with agro-technical requirements. These drivers, in turn, lead to the withdrawal of arable land for agricultural purposes and a significant drop in crop yields. Regarding Uzbekistan, this research on soil salinity assessment was conducted in the irrigated areas of the Sirdarya province by analyzing raw data derived from traditional methods from 2000 to 2015, as well as from 2016 to 2019, using the integrated traditional and geographic information systems (GIS)–based methods. Soil salinity maps of the Sirdarya province were created to investigate spatial and temporal changes in soil salinity using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation method based on the results of field survey and laboratory studies. The results of this research revealed that the IDW interpolation method had a great potential and accuracy to map longitudinal changes in salt-affected irrigated areas. Moreover, it was determined that soil salinity highly depends on local terrain conditions and there is a weak dependence on climatic factors. The main findings of this research advocate agricultural specialists and local farmers to get distinctly encouraged to take the following measures to address the actual soil salinity state in the irrigated areas of the province: targeted and economic use of irrigation water; existing drainage networks are in perfect working condition and monitoring their full effective operation; and, lastly, accelerating the integration of innovative GIS technologies into traditional methods.
25 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the change in atmospheric pollution from a public lockdown in Greece introduced to curb the spread of the COVID-19 is examined based on ground-based and satellite observations.
Abstract: The change in atmospheric pollution from a public lockdown in Greece introduced to curb the spread of the COVID-19 is examined based on ground-based and satellite observations. The results showed that in most cases, the change in atmospheric pollution is not statistically significant. It is probably an artifact of the meteorological conditions that contributed significantly to the long-range transport of air pollutants over Greece during the shutdown period.
24 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a correlation analysis is carried out between the components of the energy balance (types of energy resources, the transformation sector, and energy consuming industries) and pollutant emissions (CO2, SO2, NO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5) using the example of Ukraine.
Abstract: In the paper, a correlation analysis is carried out between the components of the energy balance (types of energy resources, the transformation sector, and energy consuming industries) and pollutant emissions (CO2, SO2, NO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5) using the example of Ukraine. In general, 153 samples were formed and considered, characterizing the relationship between the components of the energy balance and pollutant emissions. Due to the relatively small sample sizes, the corrected assessment of the correlation coefficient $$ {\hat{r}}^{\prime } $$
was used as an informative parameter of the correlation analysis. The significance of the $$ {\hat{r}}^{\prime } $$
was tested using 2 hypotheses: (1) about the randomness of deviation from 0 using t-distribution with (n−2) degrees of freedom and significance level α = 0.05; (2) about the relationship between random variables with the limiting value rα. The confidence boundaries for the $$ {\hat{r}}^{\prime } $$
with a probability of P = 0.95 were calculated using the Fisher Z-transform. It is shown that 70% of the considered samples have a positive correlation relationship, and more than 24% have a negative correlation relationship. Coal and peat have the greatest impact on pollutant emissions (SO2, NO2, PM10) (
$$ {\hat{r}}^{\prime } $$
> 0.95). The smallest value was recorded between gas enterprises and PM10 emissions (
$$ {\hat{r}}^{\prime } $$
= −0.907).
24 citations
TL;DR: The sources, fates, and toxicities of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems are detailed in this article, and the action modes of the combined toxicity of micro-plastics with other pollutants in biota are discussed in freshwater environments.
Abstract: Plastic debris at micro- and nanoscales has been detected in widespread aquatic environments. Accordingly, microplastics primarily pose serious threats to freshwater ecosystems, causing physical and histophysiological damage similar to that in marine environments. The sources, fates, and toxicities of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems are detailed in this review. Additionally, microplastics serve as vehicles, and therefore, the action modes of the combined toxicity of microplastics with other pollutants in biota are discussed in freshwater environments. Finally, the knowledge gaps regarding microplastics that exist between laboratory and realistic environmental studies, such as the sizes, shapes, colors, “ages,” and types of microplastics, are identified for extrapolating laboratory findings to natural aquatic ecosystems. To establish management strategies and assess the environmental risks of MPs in freshwater systems, the sources, fates, and toxicities of microplastics in freshwater environments, particularly in drinking water source areas, should be considered seriously and require future in-depth investigation.
22 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of Abamectin toxin on survival and intestinal tissue of Caspian Roach as one of the valuable species in the CaspIAN Sea were investigated.
Abstract: With the advancement of technology and the development of agriculture, the use of pesticides in this industry has also increased. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Abamectin toxin on survival and intestinal tissue of Caspian Roach as one of the valuable species in the Caspian Sea. For this purpose, 126 fingerlings fish were exposed to a different level of Abamectin for 96 h. Data analyzed showed that there was a significant correlation between fish mortality rate and Abamectin concentrations. Histological assays showed some typical tissue damages such as vaculation, necrosis, bleeding, epithelial degeneration, the intestinal villi destruction, deformation, and destruction of epithelial cells. Moreover, some clinical signs occurred like increasing operculum movement, swimming near the water surface, anxiety, and death with open mouth. The results of the present study showed that Abamectin can have toxicity effects on Caspian roach, also to sub-lethal concentrations, leading to several tissue damages and reduced survival rate of fish.
22 citations
TL;DR: This paper used a systematic quantitative literature review (SQLR) method to determine the most common polymers, hazardous chemicals, and marine organisms to ingest microplastic and incur ecotoxicological consequences.
Abstract: Plastic is a ubiquitous material used across the globe. It is easily transported to various habitats and can then be ingested by animals, with the potential to bioaccumulate up the food chain further. Although classified as solid waste, some plastics can be considered hazardous waste due to the chemicals used in the production process and those that can be adsorbed, such as hydrophobic pollutants in seawater. Plastics can break down into secondary particulate plastics, or be microscopically primary plastics, smaller than 5 mm. Marine organisms of all sizes can mistake plastic for food or consume prey with microplastics. This can cause detrimental toxic effects at a cellular, biochemical, and muscular level. This research uses a systematic quantitative literature review (SQLR) method to determine the most common polymers, hazardous chemicals, and marine organisms to ingest microplastic and incur ecotoxicological consequences. The results indicated polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) to be the topmost common polymers, with sizes between 1 and 100 μm. Plastic was observed to be a sink for non-additive pollutants more than a vector. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were the most common pollutants found. Biological impacts and side effects included mortality, reproductive effects, genotoxicity, accumulation, and behavioral effects. Further research is needed regarding the interrelationship of plastic polymers, additives, and non-additives combined for inducing toxic effects.
TL;DR: It can be concluded that hybrid algorithms have significantly improved the prediction accuracy while the majority of the proposed hybrid models have limitations; thus, there is a need to develop better hybrid algorithm that is able to tackle all the drawbacks of the improved algorithms and capable to capture the ozone concentration changes with a high level of accuracy.
Abstract: The prediction of tropospheric ozone concentrations is vital due to ozone’s passive impacts on atmosphere, people’s health, flora and fauna. However, ozone prediction is a complex process and the wide range of traditional models is incapable to obtain an accurate prediction. “Artificial intelligence”, “machine learning” and “ozone prediction model” search terms in the title, abstract or keywords are involved. Inclusion criteria include subject area (engineering, computer science), English language and being published from 2015. This criterion obtained 156 articles, which were categorized into 4 areas of interest based on the machine learning technique applied. Recently as a result of the rapid development in the technology and the increase in the number of measured data, artificial intelligence techniques have been intensively used in predicting ozone concentration as an alternative to the traditional models. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to investigate the most developed techniques that have been used in predicting ozone concentrations as well as theoretic approaches such as information set approaches, fuzzy set approach and probabilistic set approaches. It is clearly stated that the standalone algorithms such as decision tree (DT) and support vector machine (SVM) outperformed multilayer perceptron (MLP); however, the latter is massively implemented by many researchers in the prediction of ozone concentrations. This review paper investigated artificial intelligence techniques integrated with optimization approaches. It can be concluded that hybrid algorithms have significantly improved the prediction accuracy. However, the majority of the proposed hybrid models have limitations; thus, there is a need to develop better hybrid algorithm that is able to tackle all the drawbacks of the improved algorithms and capable to capture the ozone concentration changes with a high level of accuracy.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors collected water and sediment samples from five sampling points in Miri River to investigate the abundance and distribution of microplastics as well as the characteristics of micro-plastics.
Abstract: Currently, plastic pollutants in the aquatic environment have received much attention. The studies on the abundance of microplastics in the river system are consequently lower compared to the studies on the marine system. The study aimed to determine the abundance of microplastics in water and riverbank sediments of Miri River and classify their spatial distribution patterns. In this study, water and sediment samples were collected from five sampling points in Miri River to investigate the abundance and distribution of microplastics as well as the characteristics of microplastics in Miri River. The abundance of microplastics in water samples was within the range of 0.8 to 2.1 mg/L or 10.7 to 14.3 particle /L. In sediment samples, the abundance of microplastics was within the range of 26.2 to 62.5 mg/kg or 283.7 to 456.2 particle/kg. The main type of microplastics detected in both water and sediment samples was fragment type with proportions of 57.3% and 57.9%, respectively. The most abundance particle size of microplastics was size of less than 1 mm. Colored microplastics such as black and blue were mainly found in both water samples and sediment samples. The polymer types were identified using FTIR which were polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, ethylene propylene diene monomer, Butyl-Branham, and ethylene vinyl acetate.
TL;DR: In 2019, 8 sea turtles, out of 28 specimens loggerhead on the Adriatic coast of Molise, were subjected to necropsychogram and microplastics until 0.45μm were extracted.
Abstract: Loggerhead sea turtle (C. caretta) is the official European bioindicator of marine litter in the Mediterranean Sea. In 2019, 8 sea turtles, out of 28 specimens loggerhead on the Adriatic coast of Molise, were subjected to necropsy. The intestinal contents were collected and the microplastics until 0.45 μm were extracted. Qualitative and quantitative assessments were performed by stereomicroscope observation and spectroscopic analyses (attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ATR-FTIR and Raman microspectroscopy, RMS). Moreover, the analytical quantification of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), para phthalic acid (PTA) and bisphenol A (BPA) in fat and liver tissues was performed by LC-MS/MS. Microparticles ranging from 0.45 μm to 1 mm were found in all turtles, for a total of 623, while plastic litter greater than 1 mm were found only in 4 specimens (ranging from 0.03 to 0.11 g). Nineteen different polymers and 10 pigments, including polyester (100% of animals), high-density polyethylene (50%) and polypropylene (50%) were identified. BPA, PTA and PET were detected in fat and liver tissues of all animals, while PC was found only in 50%. A major prevalence was registered in the abdominal fat tissue, although only PC compounds were significantly higher in abdominal tissue (p < 0.05), except for free PTA with liver tissue being the most contaminated (p < 0.05). Microplastics and additives surely impact the health status of turtles that showed gastrointestinal impairment and an important level of contamination in tissues.
TL;DR: In this paper, a systematic review of the literature using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method associated with a bibliometric analysis on global perspective of technological advances in waste-to-energy (WTE).
Abstract: This article presents a systematic review of the literature using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method associated with a bibliometric analysis on global perspective of technological advances in waste-to-energy (WTE). OpenRefine and VOSviewer software supported the bibliometric analysis. It was possible to establish the scientific gap through the correlation among interactions observed on co-authored countries’ analyses, cited sources of co-citation, cited authors of co-citation, and keyword of the co-occurrence author. A total of 10 papers were included for meta-analysis and categorized into 8 fields: author(s), title, published year, research areas, energy conversion technologies, wastes used for energy production, WTE products, key findings. Considering the end use of the products, the systematic literature review confirmed a limitation of research focusing on the opportunities for a cleaner transport sector. When analysing the author’s keywords, the most cited were ‘municipal solid waste’, ‘incineration’, ‘waste management’, ‘gasification’, ‘anaerobic digestion’, ‘combustion’, ‘waste-to-energy’, ‘landfill gas’, and ‘sustainability’, noting that the studies were directed at economic and sustainable development, as well as circular economy, aiming to mitigate adverse environmental impacts. As can be seen from the systematic review associated with the bibliometric analysis presented, the waste to energy technology is an important innovation way or route that finds numerous applications in the transport and energetic sector. It was evidenced that the WTE research efforts are mainly focused on the conversion of waste for end use electricity generation. The main role of WTE technologies in the circular economy is the energy recovery from biomass and non-recyclable waste, and also it was presented as a viable alternative to the decarbonization of transport and energy sectors.
TL;DR: In this paper, occurrence, fate, and removal of widely consumed two antibiotics, ciprofloxacin (CIP) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), selected from fluoroquinolone and sulfonamide groups, respectively were investigated in three different types of full-scale WWTPs located in Turkey.
Abstract: Due to the inadequate removal rates of drug residues in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), the transition of these compounds into the environment has become a serious environmental problem for ecosystems and public health. In this study, occurrence, fate, and removal of widely consumed two antibiotics, ciprofloxacin (CIP) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), selected from fluoroquinolone and sulfonamide groups, respectively were investigated in three different types of full-scale WWTPs located in Turkey. In this context, three WWTPs consisting of advanced biological treatment (large-scale), wastewater stabilization pond (WSP) (medium-scale), and constructed wetland (CW) (small-scale) were selected. While the detected influent concentrations of CIP in WWTPs ranged between the 218.6 and 2733.5 ng/L, maximum influent concentration for SMX in the same plants was determined as 179.7 ng/L. On the other hand, although it was detected at higher concentrations in raw wastewater, CIP was significantly removed in all WWTPs with a removal efficiency ranging from >77.1 to >98.2%. However, SMX showed quite different behaviors depending on the applied wastewater treatment processes in WWTPs in terms of total removal achieved. While treated in WSP well enough (>72.2%), a serious negative removal efficiency (−133.4%) was achieved for SMX in the WWTP having advanced biological treatment. Best removal performance obtained for the both antibiotic compounds among the investigated WWTPs was the medium-scale WSP consisting of anaerobic and facultative stabilization ponds, consecutively. This situation also supported the idea that WWTPs which are operated with higher solid retention time (SRT) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) contribute positively in the removal of antibiotic compounds.
TL;DR: In this paper, a new technology is proposed based on the coupling of spectral observations of multi-channel optical sensors and mathematical model estimates for the qualitative and quantitative distribution of water pollutants.
Abstract: As a tool for assessing water quality in the Arctic Basin, a new technology is proposed based on the coupling of spectral observations of multi-channel optical sensors and mathematical model estimates for the qualitative and quantitative distribution of water pollutants. Adaptive spectrophotometer and spectroellipsometer structures are used to carry out the observations, the operation of which is described in detail. The mathematical model used relates to the spatial simulation of the dynamics of pollutants in the Arctic basin and was developed to assess the distribution of pollutants in Arctic aquariums, including Norway and the Bering Sea. In particular, a model is adopted for the study of heavy metals, oil hydrocarbons, phosphates, and other possible water pollutants. This model describes the interactions of pollutants with components of arctic ecosystems, including chlorophyll-a. It is shown that the proposed tool for combining spectrophotometric or spectroellipsometric observation equipment with the developed model provides to a very large extent the reliable distribution of heavy metals and oil hydrocarbons in all Arctic water.
TL;DR: In this article, a 26 full factorial design approach was used to determine the main and interaction effect of independent factors on dye removal rate, including sorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, pH, temperature, mixing rate (rpm), and mixing time.
Abstract: In this study, red oak (Quercus rubra) acorns were used as precursor for preparing activated carbon by thermal activation. Red oak activated carbon (RAC) was evaluated for the removal of methyl blue (MB), using batch adsorption experiments. SEM images taken before and after adsorption experiments showed difference of surface morphology. A 26 full factorial design approach was used to determine the main and interaction effect of independent factors on dye removal rate. The six independent factors used for this study were sorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, pH, temperature, mixing rate (rpm), and mixing time. The response of this factorial design was percentage of dye removal (R%) from an aqueous solution. All independent factors showed significant influence. Initial dye concentration and adsorbent dose exhibited largest negative and positive influence on removal rate, respectively. The factorial experiments also demonstrated significant synergistic/ antagonistic interaction between all these factors. Optimum conditions for adsorption were adsorbent dosage = 0.25 g/50 ml, initial dye concentration = 10.0 mg L 1, pH = 10, temperature = 45 °C, mixing rate = 175 rpm, and mixing time = 2.0 h. Under these conditions, response, dye removal rate R, was maximized, with a value of 97.18%. The findings of this study could be useful for industrial wastewater treatment systems.
TL;DR: Low impact development (LID) practices are able to mitigate the detrimental effects of urbanization and climate change due to their salient design features as discussed by the authors, which can help to achieve the goal of sustainable development as it promotes effective urban stormwater management.
Abstract: Low impact development (LID) practices are able to mitigate the detrimental effects of urbanization and climate change due to their salient design features. LID can restore the hydrology of urban areas to the pre-development functions by using distributed stormwater control and natural hydrological features. LID can help to achieve the goal of sustainable development as it promotes effective urban stormwater management. This review covers a comprehensive list of LID practices, namely bioretention cell, green roof, infiltration trench, permeable pavement, rain barrel or cistern, rooftop disconnection and vegetative swale. For each type of the LID, the recent advances covering the aspects of principles, design, performance, advantages and disadvantages and costs are systematically reviewed. Additionally, although LID has been quite broadly applied and demonstrated success in urban stormwater management in many countries, there are still some main challenges during the implementation such as clogging and water quality. Meanwhile, this review also highlights the great opportunities for further developments for LID practices to realize their wider practical application. Finally, future research directions are provided in order to give critical insights into potential future works to advance this field of research.
TL;DR: In this article, the synthesis of chitosan-nSiO2 nanocomposites was used to examine Cu(II) ion removal capability and different kinetic and isotherm models are tried.
Abstract: At present, water pollution becomes a very significant environmental issue. Heavy metals and organic dyes present at higher concentrations in water are dangerous for aquatic life and humanity. Chitosan nanocomposites have been used for the adsorptive removal of heavy metals and dyes due to their improved chemical activity. This paper encompassed the synthesis of chitosan-nSiO2 nanocomposites and was used to examine Cu(II) ion removal capability. The chitosan/nSiO2 nanocomposite (CSNC) adsorbents were synthesized with different weight ratios. The nanocomposites are characterized by using SEM, EDX, BET apparatus, FTIR, XRD, and TGA. The experiment is performed in batch mode by varying the operating parameters like pH, contact time, temperature, adsorbent dosage, and initial metal ion concentration. The optimum pH is 6.5 for all adsorbents. Different kinetic and isotherm models are tried. The removal efficiency was greater than 98% for the adsorbent CSNC2–1. The pseudo-2nd-order model described the kinetic process better than other models. Equilibrium data fit the best in Fritz and Schluender (IV) isotherm model for the adsorbents CWS and CSNC2–1 and Vieth and Sladek isotherm model CSNC1–1. The adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. Industrial effluent is also tested successfully. The application of statistical and GA modeling has also been performed successfully.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed the mechanisms of biomineralization of urease-producing microorganisms and their biogeochemical process with various heavy metals and trace elements.
Abstract: Heavy metal pollution in soil and water has been of worldwide concern due to their biotoxicity/ecotoxicity in the ecosystem, accumulation in the food chain, and persistence in the environment. Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is known as an efficient and cost-effective biogeochemical process for the remediation of heavy metals in contaminated environment. This study reviews the mechanisms of biomineralization of urease-producing microorganisms and their biogeochemical process with various heavy metals and trace elements. Biogeochemical factors affecting the formation of carbonate biominerals were discussed. These factors included the growth and urease activity of microorganisms, calcium concentration and coexisted cations/anions, dissolved inorganic carbon, pH, redox potential, etc. In addition, the mechanisms of the biomineral morphology and its controlling factors such as medium types, microbial species, and extracellular polymeric substance were analyzed as well. Finally, the challenge and current knowledge gap on further application of MICP in remediation of heavy metal–, trace element–, and U-polluted soils and water were presented.
TL;DR: In this article, the results of groundwater quality assessment based on some pollution indicators such as electrical conductivity (EC) and nitrate (NO3−) values in Harran Plain between 2005 and 2015 were presented.
Abstract: Harran Plain is the largest plain within the area administered under the Southeastern Anatolia Project (known as the GAP project in Turkey), covering an area of 1500 km2. This article presents results of groundwater quality assessment based on some pollution indicators such as electrical conductivity (EC) and nitrate (NO3−) values in Harran Plain between 2005 and 2015. In order to show the change of EC and NO3− contamination in 20 observation wells located on the plain, seasonal average concentration distribution maps based on 2005 and 2015 were created. The results were then evaluated based on national and international standards and classifications. As a result; EC and NO3− values decreased throughout the plain from 2005 (max 8235 μS/cm, 720 mg/L) to 2015 (max 2510 μS/cm, 327 μS/cm). The observation wells where EC and NO3− values registered as high in 2005 were W8-Kisas, W11-Ugurlu, W14-Kizildoruc, W15-Yardimli, W16-Ozlu, and W20-Ugrakli, while in 2015, it was W11-Ugurlu and W14-Kizildoruc. The positive effects of the measures taken and improvements in the plain such as irrigation systems, correct fertilizer applications, closed drainage systems, and product pattern change have realized positive results with the reduced NO3− and EC levels. However, a different situation was observed for NO3− at the points where nitrate was low in 2005, with a comparatively slight increase recorded in 2015. The reason for this minimal increase was considered to be continued fertilizer application, applied fertilization method, and increased urbanization in addition to uncontrolled and over-irrigation.
TL;DR: In this article, a water quality assessment integrated with geographic information system (GIS) of West Nile Delta, Egypt, was carried out using suitability indicators such as hazards of salinity, permeability hazard, specific ion toxicity, and miscellaneous impacts on sensitive crops.
Abstract: Agriculture is the largest consumer of water, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, so identifying and managing surface water quality in these areas is critical to preserving water resources and ensuring sustainable agriculture. Irrigation water quality (IWQ) assessment integrated with geographic information system (GIS) of West Nile Delta, Egypt, was carried out using suitability indicators such as hazards of salinity, permeability hazard, specific ion toxicity, and miscellaneous impacts on sensitive crops. In ArcGIS 10.7, inverse distance-weighted algorithms and the Model Builder function were used to categorize irrigation water quality into different classes. According to the findings, 87% and 13% of the water samples from the study area were categorized as medium and high suitability for irrigation, respectively. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI), Nemerow index (NeI), ecological risks of heavy metal index (ERI), heavy metal evaluation index (HEI), pollution load index (PLI), and modified degree of contamination (mCd) for five selected metals, namely As, Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn, were calculated to assess heavy metal contamination levels in the study area. The results showed that HPI had 3.7% medium contamination and 96.3% high contamination; NeI was 7.4% moderately contaminated and 92.6% heavily contaminated; ERI has almost 7% low risk, 30% moderate risk, 41% considerable risk, and 22% very high risk; HEI had 100% low contamination; PLI was 100% polluted; and mCd has 18.5% moderately-heavily polluted, 63% heavily polluted, and 18.5% severely polluted samples. This research can help decision-makers manage water resources more effectively for sustainable agriculture.
TL;DR: In this paper, the state of the art of different artificial intelligence (AI) methods for groundwater quality (GWQ) modeling and introduce a brief description of common AI approaches are reported.
Abstract: This study reported the state of the art of different artificial intelligence (AI) methods for groundwater quality (GWQ) modeling and introduce a brief description of common AI approaches. In addtion a bibliographic review of practices over the past two decades, was presented and attained result were compared. More than 80 journal articles from 2001 to 2021 were review in terms of characteristics and capabilities of developing methods, considering data of input-output, etc. From the reviewed studies, it could be concluded that in spite of various weaknesses, if the artificial intelligence approaches were appropriately built, they can effectively be utilized for predicting the GWQ in various aquifers. Because many steps of applying AI methods are based on trial-and-error or experience procedures, it’s helpful to review them regarding the special application for GWQ modeling. Several partial and general findings were attained from the reviewed studies that could deliver relevant guidelines for scholars who intend to carry out related work. Many new ideas in the associated area of research are also introduced in this work to develop innovative approaches and to improve the quality of prediction water quality in groundwater for example, it has been found that the combined AI models with metaheuristic optimization are more reliable in capturing the nonlinearity of water quality parameters. However, in this review few papers were found that used these hybrid models in GWQ modeling. Therefore, for future works, it is recommended to use hybrid models to more furthere investigation and enhance the reliability and accuracy of predicting in GWQ.
TL;DR: In this article, road dust and pavement samples were collected for both asphalt and concrete pavement types on State Highway 59 in Houston, TX, USA and analyzed by ICP-MS to quantitate 9 metals: aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb).
Abstract: The elemental analysis of road dust can be used to determine the contribution of traffic-related metal emissions to the local environment. Previous studies have shown that brake wear, tire wear, and lead wheel weights release significant amounts of metals that lead to decreased biodiversity and degradation of urban streams. Highway pavement has not previously been considered as a source of metal inputs into the environment. To determine the extent that highway pavement contributes to metal loads in the local environment, road dust and pavement samples were collected for both asphalt and concrete pavement types on State Highway 59 in Houston, TX, USA. Samples were analyzed by ICP-MS to quantitate 9 metals: aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb). A chemical mass balance receptor model that is commonly used for source apportionment of air pollution was applied to heavy metals in road dust, with brake dust, tire wear, wheel weights, and pavement materials as the emission sources. Pavement is shown to be the primary source of V, Cr, Ni, and Co in road dust, regardless of asphalt or concrete pavement type. Lead concentration in road dust is influenced by pavement type, with concrete pavement contributing approximately 45% of total lead in concrete road dust, while asphalt pavement only contributes 27% of total lead in asphalt road dust. Fly ash is the likely component of concrete pavement responsible for the higher contribution of Pb. An enrichment factor analysis indicates that Cr, Co, and V have low levels of enrichment compared to Cu, Zn, Pb, and Ni, indicating that pavement wear is generally a minor source of environmental metal contamination compared to brake and tire wear. Currently, brake and tire wear are the non-exhaust vehicle emissions of greatest concern; however, alternatives to fly ash should be considered to further reduce Pb and Ni concentrations in the environment.
TL;DR: In this paper, the use of biochar generated from sugar cane filter cake, after pyrolysis treatment at 380 °C, in the adsorption process of thiamethoxam pesticide in wastewater was evaluated based on moisture, volatile matter, ash content, surface area and porosity.
Abstract: Biochar produced from different raw materials by pyrolysis have been utilized as an alternative material for organic compound adsorption This study aims to evaluate the use of biochar generated from sugar cane filter cake, after pyrolysis treatment at 380 °C, in the adsorption process of thiamethoxam pesticide in wastewater The biochar was studied based on moisture, volatile matter, ash content, surface area and porosity, using elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy The results showed that the use of biochar as an adsorbent for organic compounds is promising, due to its surface area (198 m2 g−1), mesoporosity, and functional groups, such as hydroxyl, present on the biochar surface The Langmuir and Freundlich isothermal models were used for the adsorption study The pseudo-first- and pseudo-second-order models were used in the kinetic study of the adsorption process The results indicated that the adsorption process was well described by the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order models Finally, the rate of thiamethoxam removal by biochar was approximately 70% over a period of 60 min, and biochar is, therefore, suitable for the decontamination of wastewater with thiamethoxam
TL;DR: In this paper, a pilot study was conducted to test four different deposition samplers and their efficacy in collecting microplastics: a bottle with a funnel attached, an open beaker, a petri dish covered in double-sided adhesive tape and an automatic wet deposition collector.
Abstract: Airborne microplastics have been identified throughout the Northern Hemisphere in several studies. Synthesising measurements from multiple studies to derive a global distribution of airborne microplastics is difficult because no standard sampling protocol currently exists. Furthermore, measurements from the Southern Hemisphere are largely absent. We undertook a pilot study to test four different deposition samplers and their efficacy in collecting microplastics: a bottle with a funnel attached, an open beaker, a petri dish covered in double-sided adhesive tape and an automatic wet deposition collector. The four samplers were deployed to a suburban site in Christchurch, New Zealand, for four 6-day sampling periods. It was originally hypothesised that the funnel would improve sample retention by limiting resuspension; however, the open beaker was found to be similarly effective. We were unable to assess the effectiveness of the automatic wet deposition collector robustly due to low rainfall during the sampling periods. The adhesive tape sampler proved impractical. Particles collected from all samplers were inspected and classified as microplastics according to a visual screening criteria. Fibres, films, fragments and beads were identified, with fibres being the dominant morphotype (90%); however, only 10% of suspected microplastics were confirmed as plastic following μFTIR spectroscopy. Overall, we recommend the use of a funnel sampler or open beaker for future deposition studies. This is the first study of airborne microplastics in New Zealand and adds to a growing body of evidence as to the widespread nature of microplastics in the atmosphere.
TL;DR: The bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of heavy metal (Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Fe, and Mn) concentrations in benthic and pelagic fish organs (muscles, gills, liver, and hearts), and concentrations of heavy metals in water and sediments of Ogbese River, Ondo State, Nigeria were investigated as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of heavy metal (Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, and As) concentrations in benthic and pelagic fish organs (muscles, gills, liver, and hearts), and concentrations of heavy metals in water and sediments of Ogbese River, Ondo State, Nigeria were investigated. From the results, the concentrations of heavy metals in the water were within the permissible limits stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, in the sediments, Cd, Cr, Fe, and Mn concentrations were higher than the limits, while Zn, As, Pb, and Cu were within limits. Heavy metals concentrations in the fish organs showed that all fish species were within the permissible limits implying no contamination. More so, the BAFs in all fish organs revealed no probability of accumulation while the geoaccumulation index and contamination factor showed no contamination to moderate contamination. The potential ecological risk index also showed moderate risk factor indicating that the water and sediments were not extremely polluted for higher organisms but may be toxic for lower ones. The study concludes that constant monitoring and study should be conducted by researchers and the Ministry of Water Resource and that the community should be aware of the danger human pollution can cause to the river.
TL;DR: In this paper, the microfiber content of freshwater mussels was investigated in rural watersheds of maritime Canada, and the results revealed a potential pathway for microfibers to enter aquatic food webs and highlight important implications for the use of fresh mussels as bioindicators of micro-fiber contamination.
Abstract: Microfibers are now ubiquitous in the environment largely due to the widespread use of natural and synthetic textiles. Many enter aquatic systems through wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, surface water runoff, and atmospheric deposition, where they persist and may be ingested by filter-feeding organisms. In addition to causing physical damage (e.g., digestive and respiratory obstructions), microfibers are often carriers of chemical pollutants that may also harm biota. This exploratory study aimed to determine whether freshwater mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera L.) microfiber content varied between two rural tributaries of the Saint John River, whether microfiber content was related to WWTP discharge points or potential diffuse microfiber sources, and whether mussel size was associated with microfiber content. Mussels were collected both upstream and downstream of five WWTP discharge points and at 11 other points along two rivers within rural watersheds of maritime Canada. Microfiber content differed significantly between the two rivers; however, no trends were observed in microfiber content in relation to WWTP discharge points on either river. Smaller mussels contained significantly more microfibers than larger mussels, despite differences in mussel size ranges between tributaries. These results reveal a potential pathway for microfibers to enter aquatic food webs and highlight important implications for the use of freshwater mussels as bioindicators of microfiber contamination.
TL;DR: The most frequently used pesticides were organophosphates (28.87%), pyrethroids (12.89%), and the herbicide paraquat (31.95%), while the prevalent pesticides were glyphosate (56.96-510.46 and malathion (311.76-863.49) as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Sixty percent of global agricultural production depends on the use of pesticides, despite their adverse effects on human health and the ecosystem. In Mexico, the application of these products has been exacerbated, including pesticides already banned in other countries. The objective of this study was to determine pesticide concentrations in samples of water purification plants and surface water from the Cienega area of Jalisco, Mexico. A survey of 119 farmers with occupational exposure to pesticides was carried out in order to obtain information on the most frequently used pesticides. Subsequently, 51 samples taken at 7 different sites were analyzed using liquid chromatography and mass-mass spectrometry. The most frequently used pesticides were organophosphates (28.87%), pyrethroids (12.89%), and the herbicide paraquat (31.95%). In surface water, the prevalent pesticides were glyphosate (56.96–510.46 ppb) and malathion (311.76–863.49 ppb). Glyphosate levels were higher than the limits acceptable in daily water intake in Cumuato. Malathion levels exceeded the limits permissible by EPA in water purification plants in urban public establishments (100 ppb for children, and 200 ppb for adults). In addition, a multidimensional scaling analysis showed that the sampled sites could be grouped into 2 different bodies of water, based on similarities in their glyphosate concentrations (stress = 0.005), while the concentrations of malathion were heterogeneous (stress = 0.001).