Different Types Of Pollutants Research Articles

A novel enhanced bio-ecological combined reactor for rural wastewater treatment: Operational performance and microbial communities

Due to the low efficiency and high energy consumption of conventional rural wastewater bio-ecological processes, a novel multi-compartment enhanced hydrolysis-composite media ecological filter bed combined reactor (EH-CMEFB) was constructed. The combined reactor's start-up, operational performance, and microbial communities were studied for low-strength rural wastewater treatment. The results showed that EH-CMEFB could achieve synchronous start-up quickly, with the average removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phosphorus (TP) reaching 87.20 % and 87.98 %, respectively, during the stable period. The multi-compartment partition hydrolysis of the enhanced hydrolysis unit (EH) increased the hydrolysis of tryptophan-like protein and soluble microbial products (SMPs), thereby improving the biodegradability of wastewater. The synergistic effect of Acorus calamus root and filling materials on pollutant absorption, adsorption, and precipitation in the composite media ecological filter bed (CMEFB) achieved the main removal of pollutants. High-throughput sequencing technology assessments indicated that the population and relative abundance of dominant functional bacteria in the different compartments of EH were different, and the partitioning hydrolysis function enhanced the hydrolysis of different types of pollutants in different compartments. This novel combined reactor has a competitive advantage in rural wastewater treatment owing to its economic benefits.

Wild and ruderal plants as bioindicators of global urban pollution by air, water and soil in Riyadh and Abha, Saudi Arabia

Recently, environment pollution around the globe has increased because of anthropogenic activities. As part of the biota, plants can assimilate the compounds present in air, water and soil and respond to changes in surround conditions, for that, they can be used as bioindicators of global pollution. However, urban plants' ability to monitor organic pollutants in air, soil, and water have not been profoundly studied yet. Anthropogenic contamination produced by five different types of pollutants [polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), pesticides and organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs)] has been studied in Riyadh and Abha areas (Saudi Arabia). In addition to the points in both cities, a control point located in the Asir National Park (close to Abha), which is little affected by human activity, was used. The 5 groups of contaminants were found with different but high detection frequencies from 85 % to 100 % in wild and ruderal plants. PAHs were detected in all the analyzed samples at the highest average sum of concentrations (ΣPAHs) 1486 ng·g−1 dry weight (d.w.). Statistically significant differences were obtained between Riyadh, Abha and the point located in the national park (p < 0.05). ΣPAHS in Riyadh >> ΣPAHs in Abha > ΣPAHs in the National Park. Values of the average sum of concentrations for the other groups of contaminants ΣPPCPs, ΣPFASs, Σpesticides and ΣOPFRs were 420.5, 171, 48 and 47 ng g−1 d.w., respectively. High values of PPCPs are due to the presence of salicylic acid. Differences in the average sum of each type of contaminant concentrations between cities were not statistically significant. The results of this assessment of wild and ruderal plants as bioindicators for 5 types of organic contaminants suggest that they can be used to monitor anthropogenic contaminants in the terrestrial environment.

Ecocidal aspects of the environment in the Shiva trilogy: A perspective

Ecology and sustainability of the environment and the philosophy of conservation are essential parts of the mythology. Amish has raised this issue through his novels based on Hindu mythology. The paper attempts to highlight the ecocidal aspects of the environment and degradation caused by the elixir called Somras produced for attaining eternal youth and longevity in the Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathi. It focuses on how literature reflects people’s crucial relation to nature, eventually leading to sustainable development. One of the grey sides of the so-called development is the fact that modern societies dispose of different types of pollutants in the air and water discarded by industries that harm flora and fauna. The paper aims to explore this critical problem with an ecocritical perspective, raised in the text through the concept of Somras in the region of the Sapt Sindhu in the Shiva Trilogy.

A novel functional fluorescent probe based on a pyrene derivative for the detection of multiple pollutants

In regards to environmental protection, the detection of metal ions and pesticide residues remains meaningful and challenging. Herein, we report a novel multifunctional fluorescent probe based on a pyrene derivative, 4-[(pyren-1-ylimino)methyl]benzene-1,3-diol (PBD), that can recognize Al3+, Cr3+, Fe3+ and mesotrione with quantification of the sample being tested. In addition, the PBD probe can detect Hg2+ in a “turn-off” fluorescent mode. It is worth noting that the hydrolysis of carbon–nitrogen double bonds in the PBD Schiff base structure is targeted and catalyzed by Fe3+, Al3+ and Cr3+ cations, while mesotrione can also promote the hydrolysis of Schiff bases through the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Consequently, the PBD probe with weak fluorescence was converted to 1-aminopyrene in a localized state, showing stronger fluorescence. In addition, chelation may lead to fluorescence quenching of the PBD probe in the presence of Hg2+. The quantitative determination of Fe3+, Al3+, Cr3+ and mesotrione is achieved in which the limit of detection (LOD) is calculated to be 0.52, 0.30, 0.32 and 0.70 μM, respectively. Hg2+ detection is realized with an LOD of 1.93 μM. Moreover, the sensitive PBD probe is utilized to determine the amount mesotrione in actual water samples, demonstrating its potential practical applications. In addition, the multifunctional PBD probe can be employed for intracellular imaging of Fe3+ and Hg2+ based on its low cytotoxicity and certain water solubility. The present work describes a very competitive fluorescent probe for the detection of different types of pollutants, which is relevant to future research regarding environmental contaminant monitoring.

Prospect Research on the Diversity of Extracellular Mineralization Process Induced by Mineralizing Microorganisms and Its Use as a Treatment for Soil Pollutants

Microbial-induced mineralization is a process in which metal ions in the environment are processed by microorganisms, forming deposits of crystals with cementing and void-filling functions. Cementing crystals can fix metal ions, reduce permeability, improve soil strength, and play a positive role in soil remediation and pollution control. This paper first introduces the principle of microbial-induced mineralization and analyzes its mechanism of action in the treatment of soil organic and inorganic pollutants. Then, the mineralization principle of different types of mineralized bacteria in soil (fungal metabolism involving organic acid complexation and metabolic urease catalysis, sulfur oxidation by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, dissimilatory sulfate reduction by sulfate-reducing bacteria, ammonification by ammoniating bacteria, reverse digestion by denitrifying bacteria, urease catalysis by urease-producing bacteria, acetic acid fermentation by methanogenic bacteria, and H2/CO2 reduction) is elaborated, the influencing factors in the treatment of soil pollutants by mineralization technology in practical application are analyzed, and the current status of mineralization treatment for different types of pollutants is summarized. Finally, the future prospects of soil pollutant treatment are outlined to promote research into microbial-induced mineralization technology for the treatment of soil pollutants.

Carbon Nanostructures-Silica Aerogel Composites for Adsorption of Organic Pollutants.

Silica aerogels are a class of materials that can be tailored in terms of their final properties and surface chemistry. They can be synthesized with specific features to be used as adsorbents, resulting in improved performance for wastewater pollutants' removal. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of amino functionalization and the addition of carbon nanostructures to silica aerogels made from methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) on their removal capacities for various contaminants in aqueous solutions. The MTMS-based aerogels successfully removed various organic compounds and drugs, achieving adsorption capacities of 170 mg⋅g-1 for toluene and 200 mg⋅g-1 for xylene. For initial concentrations up to 50 mg⋅L-1, removals greater than 71% were obtained for amoxicillin, and superior to 96% for naproxen. The addition of a co-precursor containing amine groups and/or carbon nanomaterials was proven to be a valuable tool in the development of new adsorbents by altering the aerogels' properties and enhancing their adsorption capacities. Therefore, this work demonstrates the potential of these materials as an alternative to industrial sorbents due to their high and fast removal efficiency, less than 60 min for the organic compounds, towards different types of pollutants.

Assessing the effects of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on benthic foraminifera: The case of Houshui and Yangpu Bays, Hainan Island, China

This work aimed to investigate the distribution of benthic foraminiferal assemblages in Houshui and Yangpu Bays, Hainan Island, and assess the relative effects of heavy metals, total organic carbon (TOC), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on foraminiferal assemblages. A total of 30 sites were sampled and analyzed for benthic foraminiferal assemblages, heavy metals, TOC, and PAHs. The organic matter in the study was derived primarily from algae according to the C/N ratios, and PAHs were generated by petroleum and combustion of petroleum products, as inferred from the diagnostic ratios of PAH isomers. Two-way hierarchical cluster analysis was used to classify the 35 common species into two species groups, and the 30 sites were classified based on their geographical location. CCA was used to investigate the effects of pollution on foraminiferal assemblages. The results showed that the effects of pollution on foraminiferal assemblages were in the order of heavy metals &amp;gt; TOC &amp;gt; PAHs. Furthermore, the species group I, which consisted of agglutinated taxa including Bigenerina nodosaria, Ammobaculites agglutinans, Textularia spp., T. foliacea, Haplophragmoides canariensis, and several tolerant species of hyaline forms, including Ammonia beccarii, Elphidium advenum, E. hispidulum, Quinqueloculina laevigata, and Q. seminula, was found to be positively influenced by heavy metals. In contrast, species group II, primarily composed of porcelaneous taxa such as Massilina laevigata, Spiroloculina communis, and some hyaline taxa including E. crispum and Elphidium spp., was found to be positively influenced by TOC and PAHs. This work suggest that heavy metal pollution is the main factor influencing foraminiferal assemblages in the study area. The observed positive effect of heavy metals on species group I may indicate the presence of metal-tolerant taxa, whereas the positive effect of TOC and PAHs on species group II suggests that these taxa may be more tolerant of organic pollution. The study highlights the potential of specific foraminiferal assemblages as bioindicators for assessing the impact of different types of pollution on marine ecosystems.

Visible light-responsive nanocomposite g-C3N4/CNC/PAM aerogel constructed through in-situ photoinitiation for management of wastewater containing organic/heavy metal compound contaminants

Facing the increasingly serious water pollution problem, photocatalytic method has been recognized as one of the best solutions due to its convenience, efficiency and low consumption. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), a metal-free and visible light-responsive photocatalyst, has shown great potential in the photocatalytic treatment of water pollution. This study describes a novel bottom-up strategy for constructing visible light-responsive photoactive nanocomposite g-C3N4/CNC/PAM aerogel with the g-C3N4 uniformly loaded throughout a polymeric network, perfect mechanical property and high performance in treating wastewater containing organic/heavy metal compound contaminants. Aldehyde-modified negatively charged natural nanoparticle cellulose nanocrystal (CNC-CHO) was used to achieve uniform dispersion of g-C3N4, and also participate in the subsequent formation of aerogel through chemical crosslinking with photoinitiated polyacrylamide (PAM) catalyzed by g-C3N4 without additional crosslinkers. The optimized porous structure of the prepared aerogel ensured high swelling rate of up to 2500%, excellent pollutant adsorption performance and high light transmittance, thus achieved high removal rate and removal efficiency for different types of pollutants including organic dyes (RhB, MB and CR) and heavy metal Cr(VI). The removal efficiency could get 99% for RhB (5 mg/L) in 6 h, and 95% for Cr (VI) (10 mg/L) in 100 min under visible light. Further more, the aerogel showed excellent mechanical stability and reusability, with no loss in activity observed after over 5 cycles of dye degradation.

Performance study of g-C3N4/carbon black/BiOBr@Ti3C2/MoS2 photocatalytic fuel cell for the synergistic degradation of different types of pollutants

Performance study of g-C3N4/carbon black/BiOBr@Ti3C2/MoS2 photocatalytic fuel cell for the synergistic degradation of different types of pollutants

Association between Air Pollution and Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among Adults Aged 60 Years or Older in China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Exposure to air pollution is associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in older adults. Promoting physical activity (PA) and avoiding sedentary behavior (SB) serve as key strategies to maintain and improve human health. However, ambient air pollution can adversely affect PA and SB, increasing the risks of health problems. This study aimed to visualize national spatial patterns of average AQI concentration, PA, and SB distributions and to examine the associations between air pollution and PA and SB in a national sample of Chinese older adults aged 60 years or older. We analyzed the data of the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey 2020 (CLASS 2020), which sampled 11,399 older men and women from 30 cities in China. Moderate, vigorous, and light PA and SB were measured using the Chinese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-C). The environmental measures included the average hourly air quality index (AQI), PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 (µg/m3). The data were analyzed using multivariable linear regression. Increases in the standard deviations (±SD) of AQI, PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 concentrations were associated with decreases in MVPA per week of -2.34 (95%CI = -3.36, -1.32), -2.58 (95%CI = -3.61, -1.55), -1.96 (95%CI = -3.05, -0.08), and -1.19 (95%CI = -2.06, -0.31) and decreases in LPA per week of -6.06 (95%CI = -7.15, -4.97), -4.86 (95%CI = -5.88, -3.85), -4.78 (95%CI = -5.89, -3.68), and -4.59 (95%CI = -5.57, -3.61) h/week, respectively. Increases in one SD of AQI, PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 were associated with increases in SB per week of 1.32 (95%CI = 0.77, 1.88), 0.62 (95%CI = 0.09, 1.14), 1.03 (95%CI = 0.48, 1.59), and 0.98 (95%CI = 0.46, 1.49) h/week, respectively. The spatial distributions of the average AQI concentration, MVPA, LPA, and SB are useful and allow environmental and health policymakers to identify the areas with the highest priority air pollution environmental equality concerns. AQI was positively associated with MVPA and LPA, and it was negatively associated with SB among older adults. AQI, PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 were hardly associated with women's average time spent engaged in MVPA. Region-specific and multi-level health policy options are needed to reduce ambient air pollution by taking different types of pollutants into account in order to avoid changes in PA and SB in this population, especially in locations with high air pollution concentrations.

Microalgal-induced remediation of wastewaters loaded with organic and inorganic pollutants: An overview

The recent surge in industrialization has intensified the accumulation of various types of organic and inorganic pollutants due to the illegal dumping of partially and/or untreated wastewater effluents in the environment. The pollutants emitted by several industries pose serious risk to the environment, animals and human beings. Management and diminution of these hazardous organic pollutants have become an incipient research interest. Traditional physiochemical methods are energy intensive and produce secondary pollutants. So, bioremediation via microalgae has appeared to be an eco-friendly and sustainable technique to curb the adverse effects of organic and inorganic contaminants because microalgae can degrade complex organic compounds and convert them into simpler and non-toxic substances without the release of secondary pollutants. Even some of the organic pollutants can be exploited by microalgae as a source of carbon in mixotrophic cultivation. Literature survey has revealed that use of the latest modification techniques for microalgae such as immobilization (on alginate, carrageena and agar), pigment-extraction, and pretreatment (with acids) have enhaced their bioremedial potential. Moreover, microalgal components i.e., biopolymers and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) can potentially be exploited in the biosorption of pollutants. Though bioremediation of wastewaters by microalgae is quite well-studied realm but some aspects like structural and functional responses of microalgae toward pollutant derivatives/by-products (formed during biodegradation), use of genetic engineering to improve the tolerance of microalgae against higher concentrations of polluatans, and harvesting cost reduction, and monitoring of parameters at large-scale still need more focus. This review discusses the accumulation of different types of pollutants into the environment through various sources and the mechanisms used by microalgae to degrade commonly occurring organic and inorganic pollutants.

Hierarchical fabrication of GO@Dy2MoO6 heterojunction for catalytic performance and effective wastewater treatment

In this study, a novel graphene oxide/dysprosium molybdate (GO@Dy2MoO6) photocatalyst was successfully prepared via ultrasonic treatment. Under visible light, GO-doped Dy2MoO6 nanocubes showed a better and more cost-effective way to catalyze the photo decolorization of different types of pollutants by RhB, Cr (VI), OFX, and MP. Various analytical methods were used to investigate the produced catalyst. As a result of the decoration of the GO matrix with cubic-like Dy2MoO6, the photocatalytic property was enhanced, the results demonstrated. This composite shown exceptional photocatalytic efficacy and effective separation of photogenerated charge carriers during photodegradation. Subsequently, the reaction diminished totally in 30–60 min, respectively. Even after the fifth recycle, the photocatalyst maintained remarkable stability. Owing to capture experiments, the most active sites and species causing the degradation process are OH and •O2– As a result, the unique GO@Dy2MoO6 photocatalyst was a promising material in the waste water treatment system.

Effect of Metacognitive Instructional Strategy Using PEEDA on Biology Students Achievement in Delta State

The purpose of this research was to determine whether and how a metacognitive educational technique based on PEDDA (Prior knowledge, Exploration, Discussion, Dissatisfaction, and Application) will improve the performance of secondary school biology students in Delta State. The investigation was guided by three hypotheses and three research questions. The research used a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent pre-post test and control group setup. Students from the public secondary schools in the three (3) senatorial districts of Delta State were included in the research. A total of 30,813 SS II biology students and 436 overall participated. This research employed a sample of 300 SS II biology students and six biology professors from six different high schools in Delta State. Data was gathered using the researcher’s primary instrument, the Meta-Cognitive Biology Achievement Test (MBAT). Students in the experimental group were taught the biology concepts of “pollution,” “exploration of the different types of pollution,” “discussion on the causes of pollution as well as the effects of pollution,” “dissatisfaction with the experience,” and “application of the control measures for pollution” using a metacognitive instructional strategy, while students in the control group were taught using the lecture method. Statistical methods such as analysis of variance (ANOVA), analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and mean and standard deviation (SEM) were used to compile and interpret the results (ANCOVA). It was shown that the metacognitive approach to teaching was more effective than the traditional lecture format. Furthermore, the research indicated that while using the metacognitive teaching technique, there was no statistically significant difference in the mean accomplishment scores of male and female students (PEDDA). The study’s results led to many recommendations, including the adoption of metacognitive teaching tactics by secondary school biology instructors to increase student engagement.

Green and Superior Adsorbents Derived from Natural Plant Gums for Removal of Contaminants: A Review.

The ubiquitous presence of contaminants in water poses a major threat to the safety of ecosystems and human health, and so more materials or technologies are urgently needed to eliminate pollutants. Polymer materials have shown significant advantages over most other adsorption materials in the decontamination of wastewater by virtue of their relatively high adsorption capacity and fast adsorption rate. In recent years, "green development" has become the focus of global attention, and the environmental friendliness of materials themselves has been concerned. Therefore, natural polymers-derived materials are favored in the purification of wastewater due to their unique advantages of being renewable, low cost and environmentally friendly. Among them, natural plant gums show great potential in the synthesis of environmentally friendly polymer adsorption materials due to their rich sources, diverse structures and properties, as well as their renewable, non-toxic and biocompatible advantages. Natural plant gums can be easily modified by facile derivatization or a graft polymerization reaction to enhance the inherent properties or introduce new functions, thus obtaining new adsorption materials for the efficient purification of wastewater. This paper summarized the research progress on the fabrication of various gums-based adsorbents and their application in the decontamination of different types of pollutants. The general synthesis mechanism of gums-based adsorbents, and the adsorption mechanism of the adsorbent for different types of pollutants were also discussed. This paper was aimed at providing a reference for the design and development of more cost-effective and environmentally friendly water purification materials.

Adsorption behaviors and mechanisms by theoretical study of herbicide 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic on activated carbon as a new biosorbent material

BackgroundAdsorption remediation is a low-energy water treatment technology based on removing different types of pollutants using the adsorption properties of a biosorbent. However, the biosorption of the pesticide 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic on a plant named Ritama-Monosperma (L.) Boiss carbonized and activated by phosphoric acid as a new potential modern and eco-friendly biosorbent is the subject of this work. MethodsThe characteristics of the biosorbent are then determined utilizing several structural and textural characterization techniques such as XRD, FTIR, SEM/EDX, pHzpc, and Boehm titration. Batch adsorption tests were performed to investigate the impact of various parameters. However, the Freundlich, Languemir, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich models were employed to examine the experimental isotherm data. The density functional theory (DFT) modeling of 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic has allowed us to discover the origin of the reactivity. Significant findingsAccording to biosorption kinetic data, the elimination of 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic followed a pseudo-second-order response with a maximum adsorption capacity of 24.17 mg/g. The generalized isotherms demonstrated that the Freundlich isotherm best fitted the equilibrium data. The Thermodynamic study shows that pesticide biosorption is exothermic, spontaneous, and represents a decrease in randomness at the adsorbent-adsorbate interface, which is regulated by physisorption and happens as a result of electrostatic interactions, between the positively charged carbon surface at pH below 2.5, and the most nucleophilic centers C2, C5, C15, according to theoretical calculations, and pHzpc analysis.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING PRO-ENVIROMENTAL ATTITUDES IN CHILDREN

One of the main requirements of modern society, and for the sake of its survival, is the formation of socially responsible behavior towards the greatly endangered environment. Every day we are faced with the problems of pollution, global warming, depletion of the ozone layer and many others. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to influence the youngest generations to develop attitudes that will develop a high awareness of the need to protect nature and how to treat it. In this sense, today, and for the sake of the future, we must actively work on the development of pro-environmental attitudes in children, which would manifest themselves in pro-environmental behavior tomorrow. The development of this cognitive component, that is, the attitude requires the society to instil in the child knowledge about nature, its benefits, but also its demands and the inseparability of man from it, which affects the child's affective relationship towards it, the feeling of attachment to the environment that becomes an integral part of values. With their conative component, attitudes also initiate individuals to act. This especially necessary during the current COVID-19 pandemic and the unresolved question of the origin of the virus. Was it created artificially in laboratories or is it of natural origin, as nature's response to man's relationship to it. Some studies show that children in the first grades of elementary school understand the phenomenon of environmental pollution, they even know about different types of pollution, but they still do not understand the causes of these events. Therefore, although there is not much research dealing with this problem, we consider it important to analyse current knowledge about the psychological factors influencing the development of pro-environmental attitudes in children.

Analyzing the effect of different types of pollution with bipolar complex fuzzy power Bonferroni mean operators

When any amount of harmful materials (any substance or any type of energy) is introduced into the climate at a rate quicker than it very well may be scattered or securely put away, then pollution occurs. These harmful materials are known as pollutants which can be natural and can also be manmade such as trash generated by factories. These harmful materials harm the quality of land, air, and water and cause various types of pollution, which affects the environment. In this article, we analyze the effect of various types of pollution on the environment and evaluate the most harmful type of pollution through an illustrative example by employing power Bonferroni mean (BM) operators in the setting of the bipolar complex fuzzy set (BCFS), like bipolar complex fuzzy (BCF) power BM (BCFPBM), BCF weighted power BM (BCFWPBM), BCF power geometric BM (BCFPGBM), and BCF weighted power geometric BM (BCFWPGBM) operators and a decision-making (DM) procedure created on these operators in the environment of the BCFS which are introduced in this article. Furthermore, we illustrate that the introduced operators and a DM procedure in the environment of the BCFS are more effective and have a wide model and advantages than certain prevailing works.

Adsorption of Toxic Tetracycline, Thiamphenicol and Sulfamethoxazole by a Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) under Different Conditions.

Activated carbon can be applied to the treatment of wastewater loading with different types of pollutants. In this paper, a kind of activated carbon in granular form (GAC) was utilized to eliminate antibiotics from an aqueous solution, in which Tetracycline (TC), Thiamphenicol (THI), and Sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) were selected as the testing pollutants. The specific surface area, total pore volume, and micropore volume of GAC were 1059.011 m2/g, 0.625 cm3/g, and 0.488 cm3/g, respectively. The sorption capacity of GAC towards TC, THI, and SMZ was evaluated based on the adsorption kinetics and isotherm. It was found that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model described the sorption of TC, THI, and SMZ on GAC better than the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. According to the Langmuir isotherm model, the maximum adsorption capacity of GAC towards TC, THI, and SMZ was calculated to be 17.02, 30.40, and 26.77 mg/g, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters of ΔG0, ΔS0, and ΔH0 were obtained, indicating that all the sorptions were spontaneous and exothermic in nature. These results provided a knowledge base on using activated carbon to remove TC, THI, and SMZ from water.

Toxicity Testing Organisms for Marine Ecotoxicological Research in China

Since the late 1970s, marine ecotoxicology began to sprout and develop in China. Based on the principles of dose-response relationships, some marine organisms are used in toxicity tests to evaluate the impact of marine pollutants on marine organisms and marine ecosystems. At the early stage, marine ecotoxicological research mainly focused on the bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and biodegradation of traditional pollutants such as heavy metals, radioactive elements, organotin, petroleum hydrocarbons, and pesticides, as well as their toxic effects on survival, growth, and other physiological indicators. With the development of Chinese industry, marine pollution has become increasingly serious. In addition to the traditional marine pollutants, toxicological research has been conducted on emerging pollutants with potential risks to marine ecosystems, such as POPs, emerging organic pollutants, nanomaterials, and microplastics. Moreover, the species of marine organisms used in toxicity testing have become more diverse. The selection of testing organisms is essential for evaluating toxicity correctly. The toxicity tests should be conducted on a variety of organisms from different trophic levels to ensure the comprehensive understanding of the impact of pollutants on marine ecosystems. The major types of marine organisms used in the toxicity testing include marine alga, protozoa, rotifera, annelida, mollusc, echinoderma, arthropoda, cephalopoda, and marine fish, which have been used in the toxicological studies of various marine pollutants. The outcome results can serve as the scientific basis for the ecological risk assessment of marine pollutants and the establishment of seawater quality criteria. It should be noted that the sensitivity of different testing organisms to different types of pollutants is quite diverse. Therefore, in addition to conducting a battery of tests on a variety of species which play important roles in marine ecosystems, elucidating the toxic mechanisms in different species is also important for marine ecotoxicological studies. The application of the above-mentioned organisms in marine ecotoxicology research in recent years is briefly reviewed here. Particularly, the six commonly used marine model species (Skeletonema costatum, Euplotes vannus, oysters, sea urchins, Tigriopus japonicus, and Oryzias melastigma) used in toxicity testing are introduced in detail.

Assessing wastewater pollution from outdoor night markets and its impacts on river quality.

Night markets are attractive tourist sites in Asian cities. However, the outdoor activities produce different types of pollutants. Air pollution and solid waste in night markets have received much attention, but wastewater pollution from night markets has rarely been examined. The untreated wastewater are discharged into roadside gutters and might contaminate receiving waterbodies. In this study, night markets in Taipei city, Taiwan, were surveyed to clarify the characteristics of wastewater. The sampled wastewater showed high levels of organic substances, oil and grease, and phosphorous but low levels of nitrogen compounds. In addition, the unit pollution loads in night market stalls were obtained. The BOD load of each stall in the night markets was 2,509 g/day, which is higher than the sewage emissions of 50 people. In order to know the impacts of night market wastewater on the receiving waterbody, a water quality model, the Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP), was used in the studied river, Keelung River. If night market wastewater could be collected (not discharged), the BOD concentration could be reduced by 9.8%, but the NH3-N and DO concentration could be reduced by less than 1%.