It is now evident that the utilization of agricultural waste materials represents one of the most effective approaches for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated water. In this study, Kosovo pine cones were used as a natural, low-cost biosorbent to remove Mn(II) ions from aqueous solutions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the biosorbent before and after Mn(II) treatment. The observed peak shifts after Mn(II) biosorption suggest interactions between manganese ions and functional groups, particularly hydroxyl and amino groups, rather than carboxyl and carbonyl groups. The main parameters affecting the biosorption process, such as pH, biosorbent dose, initial solvent concentration, contact time, and temperature, were investigated to determine optimal conditions. The efficiency of manganese biosorption was strongly influenced by the pH of the aqueous solution, with optimal removal typically observed at a neutral pH of approximately 7. Isotherm parameters corresponding to the Langmuir and the Freundlich models were derived from the experimental data. The Langmuir isotherm model (R2 0.997) provided the best fit to the equilibrium data, with a maximum biosorption capacity of 36.90 mg/g at 288 K. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔHo, ΔSo, and ΔGo) were determined, indicating that the biosorption process is exothermic, favorable, and spontaneous. The study confirms that pine cones are an efficient biomaterial for the treatment of Mn(II)-contaminated water

Reverse osmosis (RO) is one of the most widely used technologies for achieving safe water reuse and can be effectively applied in wastewater recovery for crop irrigation. This paper presents the results of research involving the use of a two-stage RO system connected in series to produce water for agricultural use. A critical factor in applying this technology was achieving the target boron concentration. The effectiveness of the technology is also discussed with respect to the heavy metal content of the permeate. Pre-treatment steps, such as pre-filtration, deironing, and ultrafiltration (UF), are employed to remove colloidal particles and reduce membrane fouling, thereby enhancing longevity. Previous studies have shown that a two-stage reverse osmosis (RO-RO) system for geothermal water desalination (with initial mineralization of 2.5 g/L) produces permeate with a mineralization of 0.094 g/L and permissible heavy metal concentrations that do not adversely affect the quality or safety of irrigation water. Furthermore, due to the permeate’s physicochemical composition, treated geothermal water can be used for drip irrigation without the risk of clogging installations. Future innovations should focus on energy-efficient membrane materials and real-time monitoring to further optimize the desalination process, ensuring sustainable agricultural reuse without soil or crop contamination.

The liquid fraction of digestate, an important byproduct of anaerobic digestion in biogas plants treating municipal waste, has a complex and variable chemical composition and contains significant impurities of various types. Effective treatment of this fraction prior to further use poses a technological challenge, particularly in light of increasingly stringent environmental standards. Pressure-driven membrane processes, especially those using flat ceramic membranes, have the potential to efficiently separate contaminants and recover valuable components and water; however, they are prone to severe fouling. This study evaluated the effectiveness of selected chemical reagents for cleaning flat ceramic membranes after filtration of the liquid fraction of digestate from a municipal biogas plant. The results revealed that the porous structure of ceramic membranes significantly influences their transport properties, fouling mechanisms, and regeneration efficiency. Ultrafiltration membranes with molecular weight cut-offs of 5 or 15 kDa provided an optimal balance between separation efficiency, fouling resistance, and chemical cleaning efficiency. Additionally, fouling control effectiveness strongly depended on matching regeneration strategies to membrane characteristics and sludge type.

The Curve Number method, developed in the 1950s in the United States, is commonly used to estimate runoff depth resulting from heavy rainfall. Over many years, it has been tested in various regions and for purposes beyond its original use. Despite numerous studies on this method, some issues still require consideration, i.e., a universally accepted procedure for CN determination from rainfall-runoff data. In this work, the authors attempt to estimate the CN parameter for a small, lowland catchment in central Poland. Historical data on catchment land cover and original rainfall-runoff measurements are used to determine the CN values for three periods characterized by different catchment land-cover structures. The applied approaches for CN estimation are compared and discussed. The study indicates that: i) over the period 1974-2018, a gradual increase in forested areas was observed, accompanied by a decrease in the average CN value (on average, a 1% increase in forest cover reduces CN by 0.2), ii) among approaches based on rainfall-runoff data, the least-squares calibration appears to be the most straightforward method for CN estimation; while the asymptotic approach may additionally identify a threshold rainfall beyond which the method is applicable; iii) the accepted initial abstraction ratio plays a key role in CN estimation and water-routing modelling, and further research is required to improve runoff prediction.

The rapid increase in lithium demand, driven by the growth of electric vehicles and energy storage systems, has raised concerns about future supply. To support the lithium supply chain, it is necessary to explore new sources, one of which is geothermal water. In this study, we review the current state of adsorption methods for lithium extraction from geothermal water and present our own approach. A zeolite-hydrogel composite was prepared using natural clinoptilolite, sodium alginate, and chitosan through a direct mixing method. Adsorption tests were performed using untreated geothermal water from the Dieng Geothermal Power Plant in Central Java to reflect natural conditions. The material’s performance was evaluated by comparing ICP-MS analysis results of the water before and after adsorption. The results showed no significant reduction in lithium content. However, the use of 1.5 g of the composite, prepared from 5 g of clinoptilolite and a solution containing 0.5% sodium alginate and 0.5% chitosan- reduced arsenic concentration by approximately 52%. To enhance lithium adsorption, further optimization is required, including pH adjustment, silica removal, or modification of the composite structure. Further research is also needed to further explore the material’s potential for arsenic removal.

This study evaluated the potential use of 15 industrial and organic waste materials - including fly ash, bottom ash, fluidized bed ash, slag, photovoltaic glass, sulfur, lignin, biochar, textile fibers, hemp fibers, sawdust, eggshells, bamboo fibers, fluidized bed sand - as fillers in two-component polyurethane (2C PU) adhesives. The materials were characterized for chemical composition, particle size distribution, moisture content, calorific value, FTIR spectra, and metal leachability. Fly ash from pulverized coal combustion demonstrated the highest compatibility with the PU matrix among all tested materials. Adhesive formulations with various fly ash-to-chalk ratios were synthesized and tested for shear strength. The highest value (4.50 MPa at 20 °C) was obtained with 10% fly ash and 90% chalk, indicating a favorable synergistic effect. In contrast, the formulation containing 100% fly ash showed a substantial drop in performance at elevated temperature (0.10 MPa at 100 °C), revealing a thermal limitation. These findings suggest that fly ash may serve as a sustainable and cost-effective partial filler in PU adhesives, contributing to circular economy goals. However, its limited thermal stability must be considered for products intended for high temperature applications.

This study aimed to determine the environmental impact of extensive green roofs (EGRs) using a LifeCycle Assessment (LCA) based on an analysis of a 4 m² experimental EGR unit. A literature-based LCA was conducted, covering the first three life cycle stages, followed by a detailed LCA of these stages. The analysis was supplemented with carbon footprint calculations for the individual processes involved in constructing the experimental green roof unit (4 m²). The results showed that the production of green roof components, particularly synthetic materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polypropylene, significantly contributes to environmental degradation. The carbon footprint of the 740.15 kg experimental green roof was 0.29 kg CO₂ equivalent per kilogram of green roof system (GRS). While this value is relatively low compared to, for example, selected food products, the environmental impact increases significantly when scaled to actual roof sizes, such as 100 m². Compared to similar studies, such as 150.99 kg CO₂ equivalent per m² for tropical green roofs, this study highlights the variability of environmental impacts depending on climate, materials, and design decisions. Although green roofs are intended to mimic natural ecosystems, current designs often rely on materials with high environmental impacts. Further research into sustainable alternatives and the inclusion of more CO₂-sequestering plant species are necessary to reduce their ecological footprint.

Current research on microbially mediated Sb(III) biomineralization has mainly focused on the role of polysaccharides in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). In this study, we systematically investigated and confirmed the dominant regulatory role of protein components in EPS during Sb(III) biomineralization, thereby overturning the previous assumption that EPS polysaccharides are the primary functional component. A highly Sbresistant strain, Acinetobacter johnsonii, was isolated. This strain exhibits remarkable characteristics: it can tolerate up to 21 mM Sb(III) stress, directionally mineralize Sb(III) into octahedral Sb2O3 microcrystals, and achieve a removal rate of up to 90% for 11 mM Sb(III). These results demonstrate its high Sb resistance and efficient, directional biomineralization capability. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and proteomic analysis confirmed that extracellular proteins (e.g. 34 kDa and 20 kDa) were upregulated under Sb(III) stress. Combined with EPS inactivation experiments, these results revealed the regulatory role of proteins: linearized peptide chains provide additional binding sites for Sb(III), promoting the formation of larger Sb2O3 microcrystals. This study thus clarifies the specific molecular mechanism underlying protein-mediated Sb(III) biomineralization. Furthermore, by integrating the microbial biomineralization mechanism with phytoremediation, a synergistic effect of “Sb immobilization and growth promotion” was achieved. This not only significantly reduced Sb accumulation in various rice tissues (roots, leaves, polished grains, and stalks) but also increaseds plant height and stabilized yield under Sb(III) stress. Our findings provide a novel application model of “pollution control and crop protection” for the remediation of Sb-contaminated farmlands

The global demand for effective and sustainable water treatment technologies has intensified due to growing water scarcity and industrial pollution. Accordingly, this study evaluated the potential of unmodified metallurgical dust, a by-product of the steel industry rich in metal oxides, as a low-cost adsorbent for removing Reactive Red 198 (a representative anionic azo dye) from both synthetic aqueous solutions and real textile wastewater. This research contributes to the the development of sustainable water treatment technologies by exploring waste valorization as a strategy for pollutant removal. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted using varying concentrations of Reactive Red 198 and different doses of metallurgical dust. Both synthetic dye solutions and actual textile wastewater were tested. Adsorption performance was evaluated using nonlinear isotherm models (Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich) and kinetic models (Lagergren Pseudo-First-Order, Pseudo-Second-Order, and Elovich) to better understand the adsorption mechanism. The adsorption data best fitted the Freundlich and Elovich models, indicating surface heterogeneity and a chemisorption-dominated process. The maximum experimental adsorption capacity was 49.42 mg·g-1 at an adsorbent dose of 0.5 g. The material maintained high performance even under real wastewater conditions, which were characterized by elevated pH and salinity, suggesting its resilience in complex matrices. Unmodified metallurgical dust exhibits strong potential as an effective, low-cost adsorbent for anionic dye removal. Its robust performance in real wastewater underscores its practical applicability and supports the integration of environmental waste management with water pollution mitigation.

The utilization of phosphogypsum (PG) plays a critical role in promoting the high-quality development of the phosphorus chemical industry. To achieve large-scale, systemic and effective use of PG, researchers worldwide have conducted extensive studies. In this work, 263 articles related to PG utilization published between 1993 and 2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Using bibliometric methods and large-scale statistical analysis, a knowledge map of research on PG utilization was generated with the aid of CiteSpace visualization software. This analysis identified the most influential regions, institutions, authors, journals, keywords, and references within the field. Cluster analysis revealed that research primarily focuses on “fly ash”, “hemihydrate phosphogypsum”, “resource efficiency”, and “carbonization products”. Current research hotspots, identified through co-citation analysis, include: (1) the preparation of calcium sulfoaluminate cement, (2) the production of carbonation products, and (3) the synthesis of hemihydrate phosphogypsum. Future research directions are proposed in the following areas: (1) cement and retardants, (2) construction and filling materials, (3) soil improvement and ecological restoration, and (4) phosphorus fertilizer production. The results of this review may provide valuable guidance for researchers and practitioners in this field.The adsorption kinetics of sulfamethoxazole on the most effective adsorbent, CHS1a, was described using the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the multi-center Langmuir adsorption model. CHS1a composite can be considered a promising adsorbent for the removal of sulfamethoxazole from water.