Different Types Of Pollutants Research Articles

Design of novel Z-scheme Ce2(WO4)3 heterostructure using tubular g-C3N4 for boosted photocatalytic performance via effective electron transfer pathway

Herein, we report a novel Z-scheme heterostructure catalyst based on tubular shaped graphitic carbon nitride with cerium tungstate catalysts synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted thermal impregnation route. The physicochemical, morphological and optical features of the materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis diffuse reflectance (UV–vis DRS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and N2-adsorption-desorption measurements. The results demonstrated that the Ce2(WO4)3/g-C3N4 hybrid catalyst achieved superior photocatalytic activity although they had poor performance individually. The kinetic rate constant of the hybrid sample was calculated as 0.0134 min-1 which was 3.4 times higher than the pristine Ce2(WO4)3 for the degradation of tetracycline antibiotic under visible light irradiation. The improved catalytic activity was assigned to higher surface area, narrower band gap energy and formation of Z-scheme heterojunction mechanism between Ce2(WO4)3 and g-C3N4 according to band structure analysis. This research demonstrated the potential utilization and modification of Ce2(WO4)3 as a new metal tungstate in the photocatalytic remediation of different types of pollutants.

Life-years lost attributable to air, water and earth pollution in Asia and Pacific countries, 2000–2019

ABSTRACT Environmental risk factors are a growing global concern. This study quantifies the life-years lost (LYL) attributable to different types of pollution in Asia and Pacific countries (APAC) between 2000 and 2019. Data were obtained from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Results indicate that people in Southern Asia lost the highest number of years due to all types of pollution among the APAC subregions. Eastern Asia, Oceania and Western Asia had the lowest life-years lost due to water, earth and air pollution, respectively. The number of years lost due to air and water pollution decreased during the studied period, while those due to earth pollution increased in several countries. Eastern, Central, and South-Eastern Asia showed considerable declines in LYL due to air pollution, while Oceania and Southern Asia experienced slower declines. Focusing on LYL from earth pollution, Oceania saw the largest decrease, whereas Southern Asia experienced an increase. Overall, the pace of decline in LYL attributed to the different pollutants showed similar trends of decline in most countries. Further public health research is needed to better understand the effects of different pollutants on populations, particularly in the most affected areas, and to guide future interventions.

Recent Developments in the Adsorption of Heavy Metal Ions from Aqueous Solutions Using Various Nanomaterials.

Water pollution is caused by heavy metals, minerals, and dyes. It has become a global environmental problem. There are numerous methods for removing different types of pollutants from wastewater. Adsorption is viewed as the most promising and financially viable option. Nanostructured materials are used as effective materials for adsorption techniques to extract metal ions from wastewater. Many types of nanomaterials, such as zero-valent metals, metal oxides, carbon nanomaterials, and magnetic nanocomposites, are used as adsorbents. Magnetic nanocomposites as adsorbents have magnetic properties and abundant active functional groups, and unique nanomaterials endow them with better properties than nonmagnetic materials (classic adsorbents). Nonmagnetic materials (classic adsorbents) typically have limitations such as limited adsorption capacity, adsorbent recovery, poor selective adsorption, and secondary treatment. Magnetic nanocomposites are easy to recover, have strong selectivity and high adsorption capacity, are safe and economical, and have always been a hotspot for research. A large amount of data has been collected in this review, which is based on an extensive study of the synthesis, characterization, and adsorption capacity for the elimination of ions from wastewater and their separation from water. The effects of several experimental parameters on metal ion removal, including contact duration, temperature, adsorbent dose, pH, starting ion concentration, and ionic strength, have also been investigated. In addition, a variety of illustrations are used to describe the various adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm models, providing insight into the adsorption process.

Mining and urbanization affect river chemical water quality and macroinvertebrate communities in the upper Selenga River basin, Mongolia (revised version)

Mongolia is a country with a quickly growing economy mainly based on the mining of gold, copper, coal, and other minerals. Mining, urbanization, and agriculture impact the water quality in the upper Selenga River basin in northern Mongolia, which is the center of the Mongolian economy. Previous measurements of pollution loads were alarming, but restricted to chemical measurements. Here, for the first time, we combine freshwater biomonitoring and laboratory water quality data across a broad gradient of water quality and land use intensity. We track the effects of different types of pollution on aquatic invertebrates and test their use as bioindicators. We collected water samples, environmental parameters, and macroinvertebrates at 36 sampling sites at the rivers of Tuul, Kharaa, and Orkhon and their tributaries Sugnugur, Boroo, Sharyn Gol, Gatsuurt, and Yeröö. PCA of catchment water quality distinguished three groups of pollutants prevalent at the sites, (1) nutrients, (2) salt ions (Cl−, Na+, Mg2+, So42−, Ca2+) and mining by-products (B, Sr, U, Mo), and (3) (heavy) metals, which often exceeded regulatory standards. We recorded a total of 59 macroinvertebrate taxa belonging to 31 families in seven insect orders plus Amphipoda and Gastropoda. Species diversity declined with higher impact. Five environmental factors structured macroinvertebrate community composition in RDA: elevation of sample location, site total nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, and water chemistry. We conclude that macroinvertebrate communities are an appropriate and inexpensive tool for monitoring water quality in Mongolia and suggest government action to establish a long-term monitoring program.

PH dependence of reactive oxygen species generation and pollutant degradation in Fe(II)/O2/tripolyphosphate system

It has been reported that tripolyphosphate (TPP) can effectively enhance the activation of O2 by Fe(II) to remove organic pollutants in the environment. However, the influence of solution pH on the generation and conversion of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their degradation of pollutants in the Fe(II)/O2/TPP system needs further investigation. In this study, we demonstrated that O2•– and •OH were the main ROS responsible for degradation in the system at different pH conditions, and their formation rates were calculated using a steady-state model. Experiments combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that the p-nitrophenol (PNP) degradation pathway in the Fe(II)/O2/TPP system is regulated by solution pH. Specifically, at pH = 3, the existence of Fe(II) in the solution is dominated by [Fe(II)(HTPP)2]2−, which leads to a rapid conversion from O2 and HO2• to generate •OH, and PNP is primarily oxidatively degraded. However, at pH = 5/7, [Fe(II)(TPP)2]4− is taking the lead with which O2•– is accumulated in the solution due to the slow conversion to •OH in this condition, and the PNP is mainly reductively degraded. This study proposes a new strategy to achieve the targeted oxidative/reductive removal of different types of pollutants by simply varying the solution pH in the Fe(II)/O2/TPP system.

Functionalized Nanomaterials for Detecting Environmental Pollutants

AbstractThe environment consists of wide diversity, of which, an integral and most diversifying part is the living organisms, and hence it is imperative to design novel strategies that could alleviate pollutants and detect them at very minute levels. The functionalization of nanomaterials provides a very facile and efficient tool for the design of robust sensors that could detect pollutants that contaminate air, water, and soil. Because of their nanoscale size, these materials have enhanced surface‐to‐volume ratio, which in turn provide more reaction sites for the analyte interaction and enables highly specific and sensitive detection. Different nanomaterials like metal/metal oxide nanoparticles, quantum dots, carbon‐based nanomaterials, and miscellaneous nanomaterials like polymer, dendrimers, metal‐organic frameworks are functionalized with suitable ligands for efficient detection of a wide range of pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides, industrial wastes, volatile organic compounds, toxic gases, and environmental pathogens with efficient level of sensitivity. In this review, we will briefly discuss different types of functionalized nanomaterials, strategies adopted for their functionalization, detection methodologies pursued for specific sensing and detection of different types of pollutants and their critical analysis, and future outlook.

Versatile and durable polyvinyl alcohol/alginate/gelatin/quaternary ammonium chitosan/Fe3O4 particles hybrid hydrogel beads: adsorption capabilities for cleaning pollutants

A novel hybrid hydrogel bead (HHBFe) composed of polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate/gelatin/quaternary ammonium chitosan (PVA/GA/SA/QCS) and Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles was developed through green cross-linking of Ca2+ and tannic acid (TA) combined freeze-thaw method. HHBFe exhibited a good spherical shape, porosity, magnetic properties, and excellent mechanical properties and durability. The adsorption capacity of HHB and HHBFe towards methyl orange (MO), tetracycline (Tc), and Cr (VI) was systematically studied and compared. Results revealed similar adsorption capacities for MO and Cr (VI) between HHB and HHBFe, while the presence of Fe3O4 significantly enhanced Tc adsorption, indicating the versatile adsorption functions of HHBFe. Adsorption kinetic followed the pseudo-second-order model, with external diffusion and intra-particle diffusion controlling process. The adsorption data were consistent with the Langmuir isothermal adsorption model, indicating predominantly monolayer adsorption of pollutants by beads. Notably, the beads exhibited easily regenerated, maintaining 60 % of initial adsorption capacity after 5 cycles, particularly for Tc and Cr (VI). The good adsorption performance of HHBFe can be attributed to the strong interaction between their multi-functional groups including phenolic hydroxyl groups, carboxyl groups, amino groups, etc., and pollutant molecules. The multifunctional HHBFe beads prepared in this study and the results obtained with three completely different types of pollutants provide reliability support for their use in different wastewater treatment fields and even in the field of drug carriers.

Roe deer exposure to trace metals and pesticides in forests and agricultural plains of North-eastern France.

Human activities related to agriculture and industrial development result in the emission of different types of pollutants in the environment. The phytosanitary pressure depends on the time of the year, the type of habitat, and the used treatments. Wildlife, particularly ungulates, can be exposed to pesticides and trace metals through their herbivorous diet directly impregnated by the environmental contamination. Wild game thus plays a sentinel role but can also represent a risk for human health by exposing venison consumers to these contaminants. The present study explored this dual problem in two types of habitat: forests and agricultural plains located in North-eastern France. Samples of liver and muscle were taken from ten roe deer, five caught on the forests and five others in the plains, to determine contaminant levels. There was no significant difference in contamination of roe deer livers according to the habitat for three trace metals (chromium, nickel, and copper), while lead concentrations were higher in samples from the plain (0.85 vs. 0.74mg·kg-1 dry matter DM; P < 0.01). Conversely, zinc concentrations were higher in forest roe deer (110 vs. 95mg·kg-1 DM; P < 0.05). Cadmium concentrations did not differ significantly between the two habitats, but forest samples showed strong inter-individual variability, with some values close to those observed on the plains and others higher (1.8 vs. 0.3mg·kg-1 DM for forest and plain, respectively; P = 0.11). Mercury was not detected in any sample. The majority of pesticides investigated were not detected. Only a few pesticides were in trace amount (from 1 to 8µg·kg-1 fresh matter), either in the liver (e.g., heptachlor and oxychlordane) or in both tissues, liver and muscle (e.g., pyridalyl). Some compounds were only detected in plain (e.g., cypermethrin and fenpropidin) and others in forest (piperonyl butoxide and pyridalyl) samples. Analyses mainly detected insecticides in samples taken from forests and agricultural plains. Fungicides and a few herbicides were mainly detected in plain sampled animals. Pesticides and copper concentrations in roe deer tissues were lower than maximum residue levels established for farm (copper) or wild terrestrial (pesticides) animals. Cadmium concentrations were also lower than the maximum level for most samples, except for some forest roe deer. However, both forest and plain roe deer exceeded the maximum level for lead in liver. Human exposure was simulated according to different amounts of meat consumed and compared with toxicological reference values. This study highlighted an overall low risk to human health for both pesticides, copper and lead, with more reservations about cadmium for some roe deer shot in forest. The differences in roe deer contamination between forests and agricultural plains for some trace elements and organic pollutants confirmed the sentinel role of this species.

Highly sustainable water mist-responsive superwetting sponge (DTMO/FS-50/Hollow-CuCo-ZIF@Sponge) for speedy pollutants removal and solvent-free regeneration

Smart solvent-responsive superwetting materials are particularly favored due to their ability to handle different types of pollutants. However, most of them rely on organic solvent vapors, and neglect the desorption efficiency of pollutants, especially using the solvent-free desorption method. A responsive sponge was fabricated by coating hollow MOFs particles with different sizes, greatly enhancing roughness and porosity, and followed by modification with short-chain fluorinated surfactants, long-chain siloxanes, tannic acid, and polydopamine. There are several advantages in this paper: (I) a hollow MOFs structure was achieved, greatly enhancing specific surface area, porosity, and active sites, which acted as a superior container for responsive modifiers network. (II) the reactions among biomass dopamine hydrochloride (PDA), tannic acid (TA), long-chain siloxanes, short-chain fluorinated surfactants and PU substrate, formed smart responsive biomass macromolecular networks, not only greatly improved adhesion between hollow MOFs and sponge substrate, but also showed enhanced synergistic effects for smart wettability transition. (III) the coated sponge showed smart responsive superwetting behaviors under environmentally friendly water mist rather than organic vapors or unfriendly vapors. (IV) the coated sponge could handle various kinds of pollutants based on polarity selection, and also quickly desorb the pollutants after change the polarity under water mist activation. The intelligent sponge can quickly and selectively adsorbed various microplastics and efficiently deal with oil-in-water and oil-in-water emulsions. It has good mechanical durability, maintaining a separation capacity of more than 88 % after repeated adsorption and desorption of MPs180 times.

Cytome analysis (micronuclei and nuclear anomalies) in bioindication of environmental pollution in animals with nuclear erythrocytes

Assessment of cytogenetic homeostasis of indicator animals is of great importance in ecological monitoring. The simplest method of its study is micronucleus analysis. Animals with nuclear erythrocytes are often used as indicator animals. In addition to the micronuclei usually recorded, a wide range of cytological nuclear and cellular abnormalities (cytomic analysis) is encountered when assessing the spontaneous level and under the influence of anthropogenic factors. Spontaneous frequency of cytogenetic disorders in 36 species of fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds was studied. Ecological monitoring of territories of Kazakhstan with different types of pollution (radiation, petrochemical, pesticide, heavy metals, due to rocket and space activities) was carried out with the help of separate species of animals. The results of the study include comparative descriptions, schematics and microphotographs clearly demonstrating a wide range of cytological anomalies of nuclear erythrocytes of animals of different classes. The greatest spectrum of nuclear anomalies in the studied animals was registered at petrochemical and pesticide contamination of territories. Depending on the tasks and climatic-geographical conditions, all investigated species can be used as bioindicators. Testudo horsfieldii is an exception for desert regions due to high spontaneous micronuclei level in this species. A review of the names of the main nuclear anomalies is carried out and variants of its ordering are proposed.

Exploring the Utilization of Magnetic Composite Materials for High-Risk Contaminant Removal from Wastewater by Adsorption and Catalytic Processes—A Review

In the context of waters polluted with different high-risk contaminants, the development of efficient materials able to efficiently clean them is necessary. In the first part, the present review focuses on the ability of various types of magnetic layered double hydroxide materials to act as adsorbents for water contaminated mainly with heavy metals and dyes. Also, this paper reviews the ability of different magnetic layered double hydroxide materials to act as potential adsorbents for the treatment of wastewater contaminated with other types of pollutants, such as pharmaceutical products, phenolic compounds, phytohormones, and fungicides. In the second part, the applicability of the catalytic method for water depollution is explored. Thus, the use of simple or composite materials based on Fe3O4 is reviewed for the purpose of the catalytic degradation of organic compounds (dyes/phenols/pharmaceuticals). At the end, a review of multifunctional materials able to simultaneously neutralize different types of pollutants from wastewater is provided.

A thorough investigation into the adsorption behavior of sophorolipid-modified fly ash towards compound pollution of lead and tetracycline

Heavy metal ions and antibiotics were simultaneously detected in authentic water systems. This research, for the first time, employed synthesized sophorolipid-modified fly ash(SFA) to eliminate tetracycline(TC) and lead(Pb2+) from wastewater. Various characterization techniques, including SEM-EDS, FTIR, XPS, BET, and Zeta, were employed to investigate the properties of the SFA. The results showed that the sophorolipid modification significantly improved the fly ash's adsorption capacities for the target pollutants. The static adsorption experiments elucidated the adsorption behaviors of SFA towards TC and Pb2+ in single and binary systems, highlighting the effects of different Environmental factors on the adsorption behavior in both types of systems. In single systems, SFA exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 128.96 mg/g for Pb2+ and 55.57 mg/g for TC. The adsorption of Pb2+ and TC followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and Freundlich isotherm models. The adsorption reactions are endothermic and occur spontaneously. SFA demonstrates varying adsorption mechanisms for two different types of pollutants. In the case of Pb2+, the primary mechanisms include ion exchange, electrostatic interaction, cation-π interaction, and complexation, while TC primarily engages in hydrogen bonding, π-π interaction, and complexation. The interaction between Pb2+ and TC has been shown to improve adsorption efficiency at low concentrations. Additionally, adsorption-desorption experiments confirm the reliable cycling performance of modified fly ash, highlighting its potential as a cost-effective and efficient adsorbent for antibiotics and heavy metals.

The radiative properties in the near-infrared band of crude oil emulsion dispersed in the seawater

The complex refractive index and radiative properties of crude oils are essential parameters for remote sensing, which is paramount for accurately and quantitatively detecting marine oil spills. In this study, the complex refractive index in the near-infrared band of crude oil from Daqing Oilfield is measured by the combined transmission - KK transformation method, and the absorption spectral features are analyzed. A modified-Mie method is employed to calculate the radiative properties of crude oil droplets immersed in an absorbing medium, and the impact of medium absorption is examined. Furthermore, the spectral absorption/scattering coefficient and scattering phase function of the oil-in-water (OW) emulsion dispersed in seawater are calculated, and the corresponding correlations between the radiative properties and chemical compositions of the crude oil are analyzed. The research reveals that the differences in the components of crude oil and seawater result in variations in the absorption peaks/troughs in their absorption spectra curve, which subsequently cause a gradual increase/decrease in absorption and scattering coefficients as the volume fraction of emulsion increases. The quantitative correlations of the absorption/scattering coefficient with the volume fraction of OW emulsion are presented, which are significant for improving the quantification monitoring of emulsified oil spills and identifying different types of pollutants.

The use of bimetallic metal-organic frameworks as restoration materials for pollutants removal from water environment.

Bimetallic metal-organic frameworks (BMOFs) are a class of functional porous materials constructed by coordination between nodes containing two different metal ions and organic ligands. Studies have shown that the catalytic activity of BMOFs is greatly improved owing to the adjustment of charge distribution and the increase of active sites as well as the synergistic effect between the bimetals, and the advantages of their large specific surface area, high porosity, unique structure and dispersed active centres make them available as important organic materials applied in the field of wastewater treatment. In this review, the preparation and construction methods for BMOFs in recent years are summarized, and we focus on their removal of different types of pollutants in the aqueous environment, including ions, dyes, pharmaceuticals or personal care products, phenolic compounds and microorganisms, as well as their corresponding removal mechanisms. In addition, we provide an outlook on their future opportunities and challenges in wastewater treatment.

Assessing the Efficiency of Microalgae in the Removal of Salicylic Acid from Contaminated Water: Insights from Zebrafish Embryo Toxicity Tests

Microalgae-based water treatments for the removal of different types of pollution have been gaining considerable attention during the last few decades. However, information about microalgae potential in the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and the ecotoxicological outcomes is still limited. Therefore, in this work, we aimed at investigating salicylic acid removal from water by three different microalgae strains, namely Chlorella sorokiniana, Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus. For such a purpose, photobioreactors were operated under batch and semi-continuous mode. Apart from determining the reduction in the concentration of salicylic acid attained by each strain, we used zebrafish embryo bioassays to assess the efficiency of microalgae to reduce its toxicity effects. S. obliquus was the strain that achieved the most significant decrease in the concentration and toxic effects of salicylic acid. Indeed, S. obliquus was able to rescue mortality and reduce abnormalities at practically 100%. The efficiency of C. sorokiniana and, especially, that of C. vulgaris were not so remarkable, indicating that the removal of SA and its toxic effects from water by microalgae is markedly strain dependent. The obtained results proved the importance of considering toxic effects for a more comprehensive evaluation of microalgae efficiency in the removal of PPCPs in view of an adequate selection for water treatment.

Rational Design of a Necklace-like ZIF-67/Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Electrospun Nanofiber Hybrid Membrane for Simultaneous Removal of PM0.3 and SO2.

Growing concerns over poor air quality, especially in urban and industrial regions, have led to increased global demands for advanced air-purification technologies. However, the stability and airborne pollutant control abilities of the available air-purification materials under diverse environmental conditions are limited. Thus, the advanced development of filtration materials that can effectively control different types of pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants, simultaneously has attracted attention. The zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF), a type of porous metal-organic framework (MOF), is a promising material for capturing weakly acidic toxic gases such as SO2 owing to its excellent adsorption performance and high thermal and chemical stability. In this study, we successfully developed an ultrastable necklace-like multifunctional hybrid membrane via the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-assisted in situ growth of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-67 crystals on electrospun Co2+-doped poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofibers (70 nm) that can be used in different moisture environments to achieve sustainable air-filtration performance. The hybrid nanocomposite membrane demonstrated excellent performance for the simultaneous control of intractable fine PM0.3 (filtration efficiency, 99.461%) and SO2 (adsorption capacity, 1476.5 mg g-1) under different humidity conditions. This study contributes to the optimal synergistic integration of the advanced metal-organic framework (MOF)-nanofiber nanocomposite membranes and can guide the rational design and conceptualization of a facile and novel membrane for various applications in the environmental science and energy fields.

Impact of automobile exhaust on biochemical and genomorphic characteristics of Mimusops elengi L. growing along roadsides of Lahore city, Pakistan

Automobile exhaust releases different types of pollutants that are at great risk to the air quality of the environment and incidental distress to the nature of roadside plants. Mimusops elengi L. is an evergreen medicinal tree cultivated along the roadside of Lahore City. This research aimed to investigate physiological, morphological and genomorphic characteristics of M. elengi under the influence of air pollution from vehicles. Healthy and mature leaves were collected from trees on Canal Bank and Mall roads of Lahore as the experimental sites and control sites were 20 km away from the experimental site. Different physiochemical, morphological, air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and molecular analysis for the detection of DNA damage were performed through comet assay. The results demonstrated the mean accumulated Cd, Pb, Cu and Ni heavy metal contents on the leaves were higher than the control plants (1.27, 3.22, 1.32 and 1.46 μg mg−1). APTI of trees was 9.04. Trees in these roads significantly (p < 0.01) had a lower leaf area, petiole length and leaf dry matter content in comparison to control site. Increased comet tail showed that DNA damage was higher for roadside trees than trees in the control area. For tolerance of air pollution, it necessary to check the APTI value for the M. elengi at the polluted road side of Lahore city. For long-term screening, the source and type of pollutants and consistent monitoring of various responses given by the trees should be known.

Environmental regulation, hog scale production and the synergy of pollution control and carbon reduction

&lt;p&gt;The synergy of pollution control and carbon reduction is conducive to promoting the green transformation of the economy. Based on China’s 30 provincial administrative panel data from 2002 to 2020, using the elastic concept to measure the synergy index and the panel fixed effect model to carry out empirical analysis, we analyzed the relation between environmental regulation and the synergy of pollution control and carbon reduction. The results revealed that: (1) Environmental regulation positively influenced the synergy of pollution control and carbon reduction in hog breeding. (2) Different types of pollution and carbon reduction had different synergistic effects. Compared with chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen, the positive effect of environmental regulation on the synergy of total phosphorus and carbon reduction was relatively weaker. (3) From the perspective of impact mechanisms, environmental regulation mainly achieved synergies through the “production constraint effect” and the “innovation compensation effect”. (4) Further analysis showed that environmental regulation had a significant scale threshold effect on the synergy of pollution control and carbon reduction in hog breeding. Therefore, the heterogeneity of pollutants and industrial scale should be considered in the optimization of environmental regulation policies.&lt;/p&gt;&#x0D;

Exploring fungal potential for enhancement of environment

Inadequate effluent disposal has caused damage to the environment worldwide. This study aimed to perform a scientometric analysis of studies exploiting fungi applied to improve the quality of effluents. We used Web of Science, Scopus and Pubmed databases to search for publications between 1980 and 2023. The pollutants and effluent quality parameters most commonly addressed in scientific literature were identified, revealing trends and gaps in the field. A correlation analysis was performed between the variables Research and Development (R&amp;D), gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, and number of inhabitants per country to investigate whether these variables are correlated with the number of research studies in each country. In addition, a linear regression was performed to investigate the effect of the number of inhabitants per country of each country on the number of studies. A total of 11183 articles were obtained, of which 2001 were identified as related to the main topic, and then more than 30 different types of pollutants were removed, such as primarily including dyes (951), phenolic compounds (682), and heavy metals (562). Concerning effluent quality parameters, chemical oxygen demand was most frequently mentioned in the articles obtained from the literature review (620). The world’s most populous countries produce the largest number of studies related to the topic. Our results highlight the bioremediation potential importance of fungi in the scientific literature, even under inhospitable conditions for microorganisms (such as toxicity, low temperatures, and high acidity), reducing environmental damage in aquatic environments and mitigating harm to public health.

Degree of human activity exert differentiated influence on conventional and emerging pollutants in drinking water source.

Anthropogenic pollution poses a significant threat to drinking water sources worldwide. Previous studies have focused on the occurrence of pollutants in drinking water sources, but the impact of human activities on different types of pollutants in drinking water sources is still unclear. In this study, we chose the upper reaches of the Dongjiang River (URDR) as a casestudy to investigate the distribution characteristics of conventional pollutants, pesticides, and antibiotics along the gradient of human intervention. Our findings reveal that human activities can effect both conventional pollutants and emerging pollutants in the URDR to varying degrees. The escalation of human activities correlates with a rising trend in conventional pollutants, such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Notably, only C1 (terrestrial humus) in dissolved organic matter (DOM) exhibits this increasing pattern. Pesticide and antibiotic concentrations are highest in areas with moderate and high levels of human activity, respectively, and the degree of eutrophication of drinking water closely follows the gradient of human activity. Our results also indicate that most pesticides pose a significant risk in the URDR, particularly pyrethroid pesticides (PYRs). Out of all antibiotics, only Norfloxacin (NFX) and Penicillin G (PENG) are classified as high-risk, with NFX exhibiting significant variation across different degrees of human activity. C1 and TP were the most important factors affecting the distribution of organophosphorus (OPPs) and PYRs, respectively. In conclusion, varying degrees of human activity exert differentiated influences on conventional and emerging pollutants in drinking water sources.