Biological Pollutants Research Articles

Anodizing of commercial galvanized mesh followed by electroless decorating of Ag nanoparticles for application as novel and low-cost photocatalyst for degradation of both dye and microbiological pollutants

In the current work, novel and low-cost photocatalyst-mesh for effective degradation of both dye and microbiological pollutants is introduced. The Ag nanoparticles/anodized galvanized meshes (AgNPs/AGMs) were easily fabricated through electrochemical anodization of commercially galvanized meshes, calcination in the optimized temperature and finally deposition of Ag nanoparticles via electroless treatment. Effective parameters on photocatalytic behaviors of photocatalyst-meshes containing anodizing voltage, anodizing time, calcination temperature and electroless time of AgNPs were carefully optimized. Surface morphology and photocatalytic characterization of meshes were studied by FESEM, ATR-IR, XRD, EDX, UV–Vis DRS and EIS analyses. Antibacterial activities of meshes for degradation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria were investigated in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) and Mueller-Hinton Broth (MHB) at 37 °C for 18 h. The AgNPs/AGMs revealed significant photocatalytic activity as well as recyclability for degradation of methylene blue dye under UV-light irradiation within 30 min (79.52 %). Moreover, the AgNPs/AGMs exhibited excellent E. coli and S. aureus inactivation efficiency compared to AGMs and bare galvanized meshes. It is expected that AgNPs/AGMs can be used as suitable photocatalysts for degradation of both chemical and biological pollutants in industrial scale.

Insight into the impact of industrial waste co-disposal with MSW on groundwater contamination at the open solid waste dumping sites

Due to the lack of normalized management, industrial waste is often co-disposed at open solid waste dumping sites, which could aggravate the groundwater pollution. In this study, 5 practical open solid waste dumping sites dealing with municipal solid wastes (MSW) (2 of 5) and industrial wastes mixed with MSW (3 of 5) were chosen to investigate the effect of waste co-disposal on the groundwater contamination. The industrial waste was mainly from rubber production, leather production, machinery industry, pharmaceutical industry and plastic production. 3 to 6 groundwater wells were excavated from each dumping site and 148 indices were analyzed, including regular chemicals, heavy metals, biological pollutants, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and pesticide residues. Nemerow index analysis showed that 5 indices were severely polluted in the groundwater from every industrial waste co-disposal landfill, while only 0 and 1 severely polluted index was found for the two MSW landfill, respectively. The principal component analysis (PCA) analysis indicated that 2 biological pollutant (plate-counting bacteria (TPB) and total coliforms (TCs)), 4 chemical pollutants (permanganate index, ammonia, S2− and petroleum) were closely connected with the disposal of industrial waste. Besides, co-disposal of industrial waste also brought in series of PAHs and dichloromethane, with di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate exceeding the standard limit (10.5 mg L−1). Attention should be paid to TPB and TCs, whose maximal concentrations exceeded the standard limit by extraordinary 3200 and 1600 times, respectively. The distribution pattern of the pollutants showed that the biological pollutants at the downstream area, and chemical pollutants at the leakage points exhibited the highest concentration, which indicated the downstream area and seepage points should be specially concerned for the industry waste co-disposed dumping sites.

Early spring testing of environments quality in the Novik Bay (Russky Island, Peter the Great Bay, Japan Sea) in April, 2023

Oceanographic and ecological properties were measured in the Novik Bay of Russky Island (Japan Sea) in early spring (April) of 2023, the indicating groups of microorganisms were examined. Good ecological state of the bay waters was detected. Stable density stratification was already formed, with the water temperature range from 2.3oС at the bottom to 10.0oС on the sea surface and salinity from 33.6 to 31.1, respectively. Dissolved oxygen content was high in the bottom layer (9.6–10.8 mg/L). In the surface layer, the oxygen content was lower, as well as chlorophyll a concentration. Abundance of the colony-forming heterotrophic microorganisms was rather low, so the waters of the bay were characterized as oligosaprobic and pure that indicated accumulation of easily accessible organic matter (accumulation predominated over destruction), apparently due to development of production processes. Some exceptions with zero balance between the production and destruction were found in the Trud Inlet, in the inlet of Sports Club, and at Podnozhye village. Bacteria of the sanitary-indicative group were recorded in small quantities at two stations where they indicated biological and fecal pollution of the water. Microorganisms growing on media with crude oil were observed everywhere, although their number was not high, so the waters of the Novik Bay were identified as low-polluted, in general. However, high abundance of phenol-resistant microorganisms at most of the stations was a signal of significant pollution by phenols, that could have both natural and anthropogenic sources. Metal-resistant microorganisms were not abundant in the surface layer that showed the minimal level of technogenic pressure. Their dominant group was Ni-resistant heterotrophs associated with combustion of hydrocarbon fuel.

Assessment of the Decontamination and Disinfecting Potentials of C. Papaya Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles on Water and Wastewater Samples

The presence of organic, inorganic and biological pollutants in natural water supply are the major indices of water pollution. The application of green nanoparticles in water treatment is one of the promising ways of eradicating these pollutants and providing safe and quality water for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes. Our research was intended to evaluate the decontamination and disinfecting potentials of C. papaya silver nanoparticles on water and wastewater samples. The green silver nanoparticles were formed using aqueous C. papaya leaf extract and characterized using standard nanotechnological techniques while decontamination and disinfecting potentials of the green silver nanoparticles were examined through physicochemical, heavy metal and bacteriological analysis. The results revealed the spectral and morphological profiles were in conformity with the characteristics of silver nanocrystals. There were significant reductions (P < 0.05) in physicochemical, heavy metal and bacterial qualities of the four water samples at higher (0.5 mg/L) and lower (0.25 mg/L) doses of the green silver nanoparticles and their decontamination and disinfection efficiencies were comparable to the positive control calcium hypochlorite. These findings suggest that C. papaya silver nanoparticles could be exploited in restoring the quality of water and wastewater.

Adsorption of heavy metals and antibacterial activity of silicon-doped chitosan composite microspheres loaded with ZIF-8

A bifunctional composite microsphere adsorbent with high adsorption and antimicrobial activity was synthesized by combining zeolite imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) chitosan microspheres doped with silica (CS/DS) prepared by electrospraying method for removing heavy metal ions Pb2+ and Cu2+. The samples were characterized by chemical, morphological, thermal behavior, specific surface area and pore size analysis. Compared with chitosan microspheres and CS/DS, CS/DS@ZIF-8 has good crystallinity, high specific surface area, multi-pore size distribution, better thermal stability and more active groups. The adsorption process of Pb2+ and Cu2+ on CS/DS@ZIF-8 conformed to the Langmuir model and Pseudo 2nd kinetics model, of which the maximum adsorption capacities were 340.94 mg/g and 308.27 mg/g, respectively, which were better than those of CS and CS/DS microsphere adsorbents. At the same time, the composite microspheres have excellent antibacterial properties and have application potential in solving practical wastewater treatment. It is worth mentioning that CS/DS@ZIF-8 maintains 81.3 % and 72.9 % adsorption rates for Pb2+ and Cu2+ after five cycles. This study aims to help design new bifunctional adsorbents with the ability to remove chemical and biological pollutants to promote practical application scenarios.

Biological Pollution of Technological Equipment and the Chemically Desalting Water Treatment Plant at a TPP (Review)

Biological Pollution of Technological Equipment and the Chemically Desalting Water Treatment Plant at a TPP (Review)

Addressing adverse synergies between chemical and biological pollutants at schools-The 'SynAir-G' hypothesis.

While the number and types of indoor air pollutants is rising, much is suspected but little is known about the impact of their potentially synergistic interactions, upon human health. Gases, particulate matter, organic compounds but also allergens and viruses, fall within the 'pollutant' definition. Distinct populations, such as children and allergy and asthma sufferers are highly susceptible, while a low socioeconomic background is a further susceptibility factor; however, no specific guidance is available. We spend most of our time indoors; for children, the school environment is of paramount importance and potentially amenable to intervention. The interactions between some pollutant classes have been studied. However, a lot is missing with respect to understanding interactions between specific pollutants of different classes in terms of concentrations, timing and sequence, to improve targeting and upgrade standards. SynAir-G is a European Commission-funded project aiming to reveal and quantify synergistic interactions between different pollutants affecting health, from mechanisms to real life, focusing on the school setting. It will develop a comprehensive and responsive multipollutant monitoring system, advance environmentally friendly interventions, and disseminate the generated knowledge to relevant stakeholders in accessible and actionable formats. The aim of this article it to put forward the SynAir-G hypothesis, and describe its background and objectives.

A double-quenching paperclip ECL biosensing platform for ultrasensitive detection of antibiotic resistance genes (mecA) based on Ti3C2 MXene-Au NPs as a coreactant accelerator

The global spread of environmental biological pollutants, such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), has emerged as a critical public health concern. It is imperative to address this pressing issue due to its potential implications for public health. Herein, a DNA paperclip probe with double-quenching function of target cyclic cleavage was proposed, and an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensing platform was constructed using Ti3C2 MXene in-situ reduction growth of Au NPs (TCM-Au) as a coreactant accelerator, and applied to the sensitive detection of ARGs. Thanks to the excellent catalytic performance, large surface area and Au–S affinity of TCM-Au, the ECL performance of CdS QDs have been significantly improved. By cleverly utilizing the negative charge of the paperclip nucleic acid probe and its modification group, double-quenching of the ECL signal was achieved. This innovative approach, combined with target cyclic amplification, facilitated specific and sensitive detection of the mecA gene. This biosensing platform manifested highly selective and sensitive determination of mecA genes in the range of 10 fM to 100 nM and a low detection limit of 2.7 fM. The credible detectability and anti-interference were demonstrated in Yangtze river and Aeration tank outlet, indicating its promising application toward pollution monitoring of ARGs.

The formation of a phytopathogenic microbiome as a factor of biological pollution of agrocoenoses of vivas

The formation of the phytopathogenic microbiome as a factor in the biological contamination of oat agrocenoses is an important research task, the solution of which will make it possible to create ecologically balanced agroecosystems. This will increase their ability to self-regulate the population of micromycetes in order to obtain high-quality and safe oat raw materials. Therefore, the influence of environmental factors (abiotic, biotic, anthropogenic) on the formation of micromycete populations in the oat leaf microbiome under different plant growing technologies was studied. The article presents the results of ecological assessment of oat plant varieties based on indicators of influence on population density, frequency of occurrence, and intensity of sporulation of micromycetes. Vegetative organs of oat plants of Parlamentskyi and Tembr varieties were selected in the following phases: tillering, emergence into tubes and earing. It was determined that climatic conditions, as an abiotic factor, namely an increase in air temperature, frequent droughts, rare but abundant rains, which changed depending on the year of the study, significantly influenced the formation of micromycete populations in the oat leaf microbiome. Plant growing technologies, as an anthropogenic factor, significantly influenced the spectrum of species and their frequency of occurrence in the leaf microbiome of oats of various varieties. Under the organic technology of growing plants, the spectrum of micromycete populations was more diverse, but with a lower frequency of occurrence of species compared to the traditional technology of growing plants. Also, varieties of oat plants, as a biotic factor, thanks to the physiological substances of plants, are able to restrain the spread of micromycete populations in the leaf microbiome of plants or stimulate them. It was found out that with the traditional and organic technology of growing plants in the leaf microbiome of Tembr oat variety, the population density, the frequency of occurrence of micromycete species, and the intensity of sporulation were significantly lower compared to Parlamentskyi oat variety plants. This indicates that the cultivation of oat varieties capable of restraining the formation of micromycete populations at an ecologically safe level will ensure a decrease in the level of biological pollution of agrocenoses and increase the biosafety of plant raw materials

Marine Applications of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites

Composite materials are formed by bringing together two or more materials that are insolublein each other at a macro level. Composites consist of two main elements such as reinforcement (thecarrier) and matrix (the binder). These materials are generally classified according to matrix andreinforcement elements. In the classification made according to the matrix element, polymer, metal, andceramic matrix composites are examined. In this classification, polymer matrix composites are widelyused in practice. A polymer matrix from the thermoset or thermoplastic group is reinforced with varioustypes of continuous or short fibers. Composites belonging to this group are widely used in basic sectorssuch as automotive, aviation, and marine. Especially in the marine sector, polymer matrix composites areused in the construction of marine vehicles (ships, boats, yachts, etc.) and equipment. Marine systems andstructures include the hull and shipbuilding industries (ship and submarine masts, propellers, and interiorparts), the offshore applications industry (gas pipelines, tendons, and support structures), and therenewable energy sector (turbine devices and rotor blades). The importance of lightweight design isincreasing day by day in vehicles used in land, air, and sea transportation. Today, the increase in the valueof both safety and energy savings causes research on composite materials to intensify in the marinesector. It is advantageous to use composite materials in many parts so that negative environmental effectssuch as corrosion, biological pollution, seawater aging, and hydrostatic pressure cause minimal damage tomarine structures. With the developments in composite science, the level of use of these materials isincreasing in the marine sector, as in every other field. This review presents an overview of the use ofpolymer matrix composites in the marine industry.

Assessment of a new UV-C light-emitting diode–based technology for air sanitization in indoor sports environments

The beneficial effects that physical activity gives to our bodies are well known, but they could be compromised by reduced indoor air quality (IAQ) in confined sports environments. Within the latter, indoor air often may host high levels of biological pollutants (bacteria, viruses and moulds). The use of UV-C light-emitting diode (UV-C LED) technology can significantly reduce the airborne microbial load, giving many advantages both on a hygienic and ecological level thanks to their reduced environmental impact. In this study, a new eco-friendly technology, named ‘CSA System technology’ (international patent: US20220268458A1), was integrated into an innovative continuous sanitation air (CSA) device. A prototype called CSA System S14000 was installed in a university sport pressostatic structure, and its sanitation efficacy and efficiency were assessed. The prototype demonstrated high efficacy in eliminating airborne microorganisms, both in efficacy tests (inactivation rate around 99.92 ± 0.07%, log reduction of 3.22 ± 0.39) and in on-site environmental tests (inactivation rate around 70.7 ± 3.6% and 72.4 ± 3.3% for airborne bacteria and moulds, respectively). Based on the results, the installation of the tested device in indoor sports environments appears to be a promising solution to guarantee efficient and healthy sanitation for athletes during sporting activity.

MONITORING OF THE RIVERS OF THE BLACK SEA BASIN FLOWING THROUGH THE SETTLEMENTS OF THE ADJARA REGION

Guram Darchidze
 Email:darchidz1995@gmail.com
 Ph.D. student, Georgian Technical University
 Tbilisi, Georgia
 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7597-856X
 Abstract. The problem of water pollution is becoming more and more urgent for the world. Despite the implemented measures, improvement of wastewater treatment methods, the issue remains relevant. One of the most common is biological pollution, directly related to the entry of pathogenic microorganisms, bacteria, viruses and protozoa into water.
 The effects of water pollutants on specific waters vary and may not always be fully appreciated. However, we know these pollutants harm drinking water supplies, recreation, fisheries, and wildlife. That is why it is necessary to find the source of biological water pollution, to study its age and lethality, to develop an effective method of pollution elimination.
 The topic "Monitoring of the rivers of the Black Sea basin flowing through the settlements of the Adjara region" presents the areas of human activity of large and small rivers in the Adjara region and the research and evaluation of the pollution caused by them.
 For the process of development of the topic, an initial study was carried out on more than 300 large and small rivers flowing in Adjara territory. They were studied and evaluated in terms of biological contamination.
 16 rivers were selected, on which a bacteriological study was carried out to determine the presence of fecal waste, discharge, turbidity and E-Coli (in field conditions) were determined on other sources.
 In the report, I have presented the following works:
 
 Evaluation of rivers at the stage of the primary study, assessment of type, discharge, turbidity, E.Coli and other types of anthropogenic pollution. 2. Laboratory research conducted to determine the level of contamination with fecal waste; 3. After determining the level of pollution, the search for centers of pollution was carried out; 4. After finding the foci, evaluating these foci and determining the probable age of the future pollution capacity; 5. After the evaluation of the pollution centers, recommendations for the elimination of pollution were developed, both informational, constructive, and biological/chemical. 6. According to the data obtained in the research, a histogram was constructed and the data were grouped according to the optimal number of intervals; 7. According to the data obtained in the research, a graph of dependence on the debit of pollution with fecal waste was constructed.
 
 Conclusions are drawn, including the implementation of work to eliminate the problem of the existing situation.

Photoelectrocatalytic treatment of municipal wastewater with emerging concern pollutants using modified multi-layer catalytic anode

Municipal wastewater contains emergent chemical and biological pollutants that are resistant to conventional wastewater treatments. Therefore, the focus of the current study was to address the challenge of removing emergent chemical and biological pollutants present in municipal wastewater. To achieve this, a photo electro-catalytic (PEC) treatment approach was employed, focusing on the removal of both micro and biological pollutants that are of emergent concern, as well as the reduction of Chemical Oxidation Demand (COD) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC). The treatment involved the use of a modified multi-layer catalytic anode photo-electroactive anode as an effective anode for PEC treatment of municipal wastewater. In the continuous mode of operation, %COD removal was optimized for the treatment of municipal wastewater under Ultra-Violet C (UVc), 280 nm, and Visible (Vis) radiation, 400 nm. Therefore, a comparative study was performed to investigate the effect of Vis radiation on %COD removal, micropollutants removal, and disinfection of municipal wastewater. Micropollutants present in municipal wastewater were effectively oxidized/degraded with the highest reduction rate between 100% and 80% under the influence of UVc and Vis radiation respectively by the PEC treatment process. Disinfection of various microorganisms present in the wastewater with the effect of UVc and Vis assisted PEC treatment was also monitored. Overall, 75–80% of the disinfection of municipal wastewater was contributed by the modified multi-layer catalytic anode. The UVc in the PEC system, contributes approximately 20–25% to the overall disinfection of municipal wastewater.

Climate Change: An Issue That Should Be Part of Workers’ Information and Training Duties Envisaged by EU Directives on Occupational Health and Safety

The impact of climate change on the physical environment, ecosystems, and human societies is increasingly recognized as the most important global challenge. Climate change may alter, among others, the thermal environment, the occurrence of extreme weather events, and the human exposure to physical, chemical, and biological pollutants, thus affecting human health with several potential outcomes. The impact of climate change on occupational health and safety has been receiving increasing attention in last years. In the European Union, the health and safety of workers is under the rule of Directive 89/391 and its daughters. In a changing climate, compliance with all requirements of the existing EU regulation entails an additional effort to implement preventive and protective measures. A central role in workers’ health protection is played by proper workers’ information and training, which is partly in charge of the occupational physicians. This paper provides a basic proposal on topics related to climate change to update workers’ information and training and to integrate the curricula of occupational physicians. Importantly, suitable information and training may contribute to promoting workers’ health and to implement adaptation measures, which are part of the individual, societal, and global responses to climate change.

Remote sensing-enabled machine learning for river water quality modeling under multidimensional uncertainty

Two fundamental problems have inhibited progress in the simulation of river water quality under climate (and other) uncertainty: 1) insufficient data, and 2) the inability of existing models to account for the complexity of factors (e.g., hydro-climatic, basin characteristics, land use features) affecting river water quality. To address these concerns this study presents a technique for augmenting limited ground-based observations of water quality variables with remote-sensed surface reflectance data by leveraging a machine learning model capable of accommodating the multidimensionality of water quality influences. Total Suspended Solids (TSS) can serve as a surrogate for chemical and biological pollutants of concern in surface water bodies. Historically, TSS data collection in the United States has been limited to the location of water treatment plants where state or federal agencies conduct regularly-scheduled water sampling. Mathematical models relating riverine TSS concentration to the explanatory factors have therefore been limited and the relationships between climate extremes and water contamination events have not been effectively diagnosed. This paper presents a method to identify these issues by utilizing a Long Short-Term Memory Network (LSTM) model trained on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite reflectance data, which is calibrated to TSS data collected by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO). The methodology developed enables a thorough empirical analysis and data-driven algorithms able to account for spatial variability within the watershed and provide effective water quality prediction under uncertainty.

Biotransformation of Low-Quality Wastewater into the Production of Water of Economic Value

In recent years, many countries, especially after the increase in population and agricultural land, suffered from a freshwater shortage. This research obtained the positive role of using biotransformation processes to treat contaminated water and reuse it in agriculture. The results indicated that bioremediation of wastewater by using "bacterial consortium” has a positive effect on reducing some biological and non-biological pollutants. There was excellent potential to decrease pathogenic microbes. In addition, the release of some important compounds during the growth of these bacteria in the developing environments, such as some enzymes, amino acids (1.74-fold), organic acids (20.16-fold), gibbrillic acid (2.5-fold), indole acetic acid (1.8-fold), total carbohydrates (10.8-fold), total lipids (18.3-fold) and total phenols (1.68-fold) compared with control.

Upstream bioprocessing of Spirulina platensis microalgae using rainwater and recycle medium from post-cultivation for C-phycocyanin production

BackgroundThe cultivation of microalgae represents a water-intensive process, prompting the need to reduce its water footprint and explore alternative water sources. Therefore, this research work aims to investigate the growth of Spirulina by recycling the culture medium obtained from the post-cultivation process and substituting rainwater resources for the preparation of the culture medium. MethodsThe effect of pre-treatment methods, specifically microfiltration and UV-light was investigated. These methods were applied to treat the recycled medium and rainwater resources used for Spirulina cultivation. Biomass concentration, biomass productivity and phycocyanin accumulation of Spirulina were examined to assess the Spirulina growth under different pre-treatment conditions. Significant FindingsAfter three cultivation cycles in the recycled medium, biomass productivity decreased from 0.2246 to 0.0802 g/L/d which might be due to high salinity and biological pollutants that inhibit Spirulina growth. However, different pre-treatment methods using microfiltration and UV-light on the recycling medium were found to be effective in increasing biomass productivity from 0.1395 to 0.1861 g/L/d. Additionally, the use of rainwater for Spirulina cultivation was explored. Applying pre-treatment methods to the rainwater, biomass productivity was further improved from 0.3211 to 0.3837 g/L/d. These findings suggest that the use of pre-treatment methods and alternative rainwater resources can improve the biomass productivity of Spirulina and potentially reduce the environmental impact throughout the microalgae cultivation process.

Useful properties of natural systems within specific parts of the North-Western Black Sea Region's coastal zone

The paper characterizes the term 'ecosystem services' i.e. useful resources and benefits that present-day humanity can receive from nature (both tangible and intangible benefits from the abiogenic and biogenic components of various natural ecosystems). The purpose of the work is to assess the beneficial properties of natural systems of certain parts of the coastal zone of the North-Western Black Sea. There is a quite broad approach to the very concept of ‘ecosystem services’. However, the connection of ecosystem services with natural ecosystems only and their free of charge essence may be often disregarded. The term ‘ecosystem services’ is not appropriate, since natural ecosystems cannot provide any services considering that 'a service' means an act or a purposeful action. Nature exists and does not provide any services, while natural resources and conditions exist independently of human beings.
 The term ‘services’ cannot be used in relation to natural ecosystems, since ‘services’ mean some purposeful activity of a person resulting in occurrence of a beneficial effect that can satisfy any human needs. In the sphere of nature management a natural system serves as a main object of research. When it comes to optimizing the nature management, it is more correct to speak about use of a certain part of natural resources, i.e. about a natural resources potential, rather than about use of them in their entirety. A number of scientists believe that the value of nature is infinite, and, therefore, cannot have a monetary equivalent. However, at present days, the economic valuation of ecosystem services is extremely important to ensure efficient nature management and can form a basis for making informed management decisions. This approach is dominant though, because such monetization helps people in their understanding of importance of conserving the biogenic and abiogenic components of natural systems for the sake of their lives. Instead of the term ‘ecosystem services’ the author suggests using the concept of ‘useful properties of natural systems’, i.e. their providing, regulating and cultural services, as well as supporting properties. The useful properties of natural systems are limited by both hazardous natural processes and physical, chemical and biological pollution of anthropogenic origin. The research offers an assessment of useful properties of natural systems within specific parts of the North-Western Black Sea Region's coastal zone (in Odesa Oblast). These natural ecosystems can provide tangible benefits, however, the possibility of using their beneficial properties is negatively affected by a progressing technogenic impact on the components of the natural environment of urbanization processes, development of industries, energy, transport and agricultural sectors of our economy, and, starting from February 2022, by the military activities and combat operations.

Eco-Efficient Systems Based on Nanocarriers for the Controlled Release of Fertilizers and Pesticides: Toward Smart Agriculture.

The excessive application of pesticides and fertilizers has generated losses in biological diversity, environmental pollution, and harmful effects on human health. Under this context, nanotechnology constitutes an innovative tool to alleviate these problems. Notably, applying nanocarriers as controlled release systems (CRSs) for agrochemicals can overcome the limitations of conventional products. A CRS for agrochemicals is an eco-friendly strategy for the ecosystem and human health. Nanopesticides based on synthetic and natural polymers, nanoemulsions, lipid nanoparticles, and nanofibers reduce phytopathogens and plant diseases. Nanoproducts designed with an environmentally responsive, controlled release offer great potential to create formulations that respond to specific environmental stimuli. The formulation of nanofertilizers is focused on enhancing the action of nutrients and growth stimulators, which show an improved nutrient release with site-specific action using nanohydroxyapatite, nanoclays, chitosan nanoparticles, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, and amorphous calcium phosphate. However, despite the noticeable results for nanopesticides and nanofertilizers, research still needs to be improved. Here, we review the relevant antecedents in this topic and discuss limitations and future challenges.

Water purification improvement using moringa oleifera seed extract pastes for coagulation follow scoria filtration

Currently, millions of people are exposed to dangerous levels of chemical and biological water pollution in drinking water due to source contamination. The rising of populations and industrialization or agricultural wastewaters were causes of water contaminations. The aim of this study was to design, develop and performance evaluation of point of use drinking water purification technology using MoringaOleifera seed coupled followed by scoria coag-filtration media. Experimental laboratory based aquas solution of contaminated water was prepared for evaluations. Moringa Oleifera seed coagulation/flocculation and sedimentation tests were carried out using jar test with the batch experiment. The potential treatment of the sequential ordered unit process stages were evaluated by the determination of physicochemical parameters of the water; such as turbidity, Color, PO4−3, Fe+3 and F−concentration. The factor that affects the purification where coagulant doses, pH, and contact time. Based on this, the physicochemical parameter analysis indicated that turbidity from (150-8NTU), PO4−3 (20–5.95 mg/L), Fe+3 (7–2.93 mg/L) and F− (9–2.83 mg/L), Moringa Oleifera seed dose (10–40 mL/L) extract paste. The maximum pollutant removal efficiency was achieved at 35 mL/L of Moringa Oleifera seed extractdose, within 6.5–7.5 pH range. Then VSco filtration was conducted after jar test under small column experiment as a function of contact time (0, 2, 4 h s). The VSco removal capacity showed that the removal of turbidityfrom (8–2.54NTU), PO4−3 (5.95–1.07 mg/L), Fe+3 (2.93–0.43 mg/L) and F− (2.83–1.94 mg/L) were achieved after 4hr detention time. The percent removal of turbidity, PO4−3, Fe+3 and F− increases remarkably with increasing of their initial concentration. At an initial concentration of turbidity (150NTU), PO4−3 (20 mg/L), Fe+3 (7 mg/L) and F−(9 mg/L), the removal efficiency were 98%, 84%, 85% and 60% respectively. Therefore, we recommend Moringa Oleifera seed –Vscoas an economic, efficient and simple Point of Use drinking water treatment technology.