Hazardous Pollutants Research Articles

Improving predictions of compound amenability for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to enhance non-targeted analysis.

Mass-spectrometry-based non-targeted analysis (NTA), in which mass spectrometric signals are assigned chemical identities based on a systematic collation of evidence, is a growing area of interest for toxicological risk assessment. Successful NTA results in better identification of potentially hazardous pollutants within the environment, facilitating the development of targeted analytical strategies to best characterize risks to human and ecological health. A supporting component of the NTA process involves assessing whether suspected chemicals are amenable to the mass spectrometric method, which is necessary in order to assign an observed signal to the chemical structure. Prior work from this group involved the development of a random forest model for predicting the amenability of 5517 unique chemical structures to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). This work improves the interpretability of the group's prior model of the same endpoint, as well as integrating 1348 more data points across negative and positive ionization modes. We enhance interpretability by feature engineering, a machine learning practice that reduces the input dimensionality while attempting to preserve performance statistics. We emphasize the importance of interpretable machine learning models within the context of building confidence in NTA identification. The novel data were curated by the labeling of compounds as amenable or unamenable by expert curators, resulting in an enhanced set of chemical compounds to expand the applicability domain of the prior model. The balanced accuracy benchmark of the newly developed model is comparable to performance previously reported (mean CV BA is 0.84 vs. 0.82 in positive mode, and 0.85 vs. 0.82 in negative mode), while on a novel external set, derived from this work's data, the Matthews correlation coefficients (MCC) for the novel models are 0.66 and 0.68 for positive and negative mode, respectively. Our group's prior published models scored MCC of 0.55 and 0.54 on the same external sets. This demonstrates appreciable improvement over the chemical space captured by the expanded dataset. This work forms part of our ongoing efforts to develop models with higher interpretability and higher performance to support NTA efforts.

Recent Advancements in Biochar and its Composite for the Remediation of Hazardous Pollutants

Abstract: Biochar has garnered considerable attention in recent times due to its potential uses in the environmental field. In this study, we comprehensively examine and condense information on biochar production, characteristics, and adsorption mechanisms, with a focus on its economic applications for remediating hazardous contaminants. Our assessment is based on over 200 publications from the past decade. Biochar, a carbon-rich material, can be derived from various organic waste sources, such as food waste and urban sewage sludge. Researchers are particularly interested in biochar due to its high carbon content, cation exchange capacity, substantial specific surface area, and stable structure. We investigate how the physical and chemical properties of biochar may vary based on the feedstock used, providing a comprehensive overview of biochar and its composition for pollution remediation. The review also discusses common techniques such as gasification, hydrothermal carbonization, and pyrolysis used to produce biochar. We analyze current research on the mechanisms involved in pollutant treatment using biochar and its composites while also addressing future directions in biochar research.

Synergistic strategy of solute environment and phase control of Pb-based anodes to solve the activity-stability trade-off

The contradiction between the activity and stability of metal anodes exists extensively, especially in acid electrooxidation under industrial-level current density. Although the anode modification enhanced the initial activity of anodes, its long-term activity is limited by anode slime accumulation. Herein, a synergistic strategy, coupling the solute environment with the phase control of anodes, is proposed to achieve the trade-off between activity and stability of Pb-based anodes in concentrated sulfuric acid electrolysis. Non-exogenous Mn2+ motivated a series of positive behaviours of reactive-oxygen-species capture, anode reconstruction and corrosion-dependent activity alleviation. The synergistic effects, which are crystal phase-dependent, mainly benefit from the continuous self-healing ability of the specific crystal phase of MnO2 on the anodes by the coexisted Mn2+. Compared with Mn2+/α-MnO2, Mn2+/γ-MnO2 exhibited outperformed activity and stability in boosting oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and reducing hazardous pollutants, which resulted from the energy difference in the rate-determining step of OER and in the selectivity priority of Mn2+/MnO2 oxidation pathway. Interestingly, the pre-coated γ-MnO2 on the anode also presents excellent inheritance, guaranteeing the unchanged crystal phase of MnO2 and the high performance in ultra-low hazardous slime generation in subsequent Mn2+ oxidation. The sustainability of Mn2+/γ-MnO2 was proved in the operating hydrometallurgy conditions on Pb-based anodes. This strategy offers a promising approach for this common issue in electrooxidation-related areas.

Considering microplastic characteristics in ecological risk assessment: A case study for China

Microplastics (MPs) pose a significant global concern, requiring a multifaceted approach to their risk assessment procedures, especially concerning their characteristics in the environment. The Horqin Left Middle Banner in Northeast China was chosen for the research region to investigate the abundance, composition, distribution, and ecological impact of MPs in surface agricultural soils. The concentrations of MPs ranged from 300 to 12800 items/kg, with a median concentration of 1550 items/kg (average = 1994 items/kg). The normal-sized MPs (500–5000 µm) had a higher relative abundance than small MPs (<500 µm). MPs were mainly derived from textiles and packaging and were affected by atmospheric transportation. Rayon and PET fibers were the main polymers identified. Furthermore, the potential environmental risks posed by the fundamental characteristics (abundance, chemical composition, and size) of MPs were quantified using multiple risk assessment models. The conditional fragmentation model indicated a propensity for MPs to degrade into smaller particles. Ecological risk assessments using pollution load index, pollution hazard index, and potential ecological risk index models revealed varying levels of risk. This study conducted a comprehensive assessment of the ecological risks of MPs based on their environmental characteristics, emphasizing the importance of considering multiple factors in the risk assessment process. Environment implicationThis study investigates the occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk of microplastics (MPs) in agricultural soils of the Northeast Plain of China, a major food production area. MPs are persistent organic pollutants that can pose threats to soil health, crop quality, and food security. By analyzing the composition, size, and source of MPs, as well as their fragmentation and stability in soil, this study provides valuable data for assessing the environmental risk of MPs in agricultural regions. The study also suggests strategies for mitigating MPs pollution and protecting soil ecosystems.

Development of a polystyrene-based microplastic model for bioaccumulation and biodistribution study using radiotracing and nuclear analysis method

The investigation of micro or nano plastics behavior in the environment is essential to minimize the hazards of such pollutants on humans. While the conventional method requires sophisticated procedures and a lot of animal subjects, the nuclear technique confers a sensitive, accurate, and real-time method using radiolabeled micro or nano plastics as a tracer. In this study, polystyrene sulfonate-based microplastic (PSM) was developed with a size of around 3.6 μm, followed by radiolabeling with iodine-131 (131I) or zinc-65 (65Zn) for microplastic radiotracer model. After a stability study in seawater, phosphate buffer saline (PBS), and human serum albumin (HSA) for fifteen days, PSM-131I remained stable (>90 %), except in HSA (50–60 % after day-9), while PSM-65Zn was unstable (<50 %).

Geospatial quality assessment of locally available ice for heavy metals and metalloids and their potential risks for human health in Karachi, Pakistan

Extreme hot conditions during summers, high poverty rate and continuous electricity load shedding affect commercial manufacturing and sale of ice in many countries. The vendors prepared ice using untreated piped water, tanker water and ground water. These waters may contain hazardous pollutants and ice made from them will pose a potential human health risk. Thus, it is important to regularly monitor the chemical composition of water sources and the quality of the manufactured ice. A contemporary examination was carried out to evaluate the physico-chemical properties and heavy metals and metalloids in the ice sold in all the districts of Karachi, Pakistan. This pioneering study was an innovative effort to assess the ice quality in relation to potential pollutant hazards to human health; with concomitant geospatial information. The geospatial distribution of ice quality and major constituents were among the measured parameters; carefully associated with further geospatial information, determined using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and PCA (Principal Component Analysis) techniques. Interestingly, the physico-chemical analyses revealed that the ice quality was marginally adequate and the total mean metal-metalloid contents were in the sequence of Pb > Ni > Zn > Fe > Cr > As. The concentrations of these metals were above the upper allowable limits with reference to the recommended WHO guidelines. We observed that 57.1% and 35.7% ice samples had good physico-chemical properties assessed using the Ice Quality Index (IQI). Conversely, the IQI for metals showed that the ice was unsafe for human consumption. In terms of health risk assessment, the overall mean CDI (Chronic Daily Intake) and HQ (Hazard Quotient) values were in the order of Pb () > Ni (3.2) > Zn (2.3) > Fe (2.1) > Cr (1.6) > As (0.5) and Pb (7.4) > As (1.7) > Cr (0.5) > Ni (0.4 > Zn (0.008) > Fe (0.003), respectively. This study highlighted that routine monitoring of the water supplies available for making ice is required to protect public health.

Emerging pollutants in textile wastewater: an ecotoxicological assessment focusing on surfactants.

Water and several chemicals, including dyestuffs, surfactants, acids, and salts, are required during textile dyeing processes. Surfactants are harmful to the aquatic environment and induce several negative biological effects in exposed biota. In this context, the present study aimed to assess acute effects of five surfactants, comprising anionic and nonionic classes, and other auxiliary products used in fiber dyeing processes to aquatic organisms Vibrio fischeri (bacteria) and Daphnia similis (cladocerans). The toxicities of binary surfactant mixtures containing the anionic surfactant dodecylbenzene sulfonate + nonionic fatty alcohol ethoxylate and dodecylbenzene sulfonate + nonionic alkylene oxide were also evaluated. Nonionic surfactants were more toxic than anionic compounds for both organisms. Acute nonionic toxicity ranged from 1.3mg/L (fatty alcohol ethoxylate surfactant) to 2.6mg/L (ethoxylate surfactant) for V. fischeri and from 1.9mg/L (alkylene oxide surfactant) to 12.5mg/L (alkyl aryl ethoxylated and aromatic sulfonate surfactant) for D. similis, while the anionic dodecylbenzene sulfonate EC50s were determined as 66.2mg/L and 19.7mg/L, respectively. Both mixtures were very toxic for the exposed organisms: the EC50 average in the anionic + fatty alcohol ethoxylate mixture was of 1.0mg/L ± 0.11 for V. fischeri and 4.09mg/L ± 0.69 for D. similis. While the anionic + alkylene oxide mixture, EC50 of 3.34mg/L for D. similis and 3.60mg/L for V. fischeri. These toxicity data suggested that the concentration addition was the best model to explain the action that is more likely to occur for mixture for the dodecylbenzene sulfonate and alkylene oxide mixtures in both organisms. Our findings also suggest that textile wastewater surfactants may interact and produce different responses in aquatic organisms, such as synergism and antagonism. Ecotoxicological assays provide relevant information concerning hazardous pollutants, which may then be adequately treated and suitably managed to reduce toxic loads, associated to suitable management plans.

Valorization of Orange Peel-Derived Adsorbents for Sustainable Removal of Methylene Blue from Textile Industry Wastewater: A Promising Approach to Mitigate Water Pollution and Environmental Litter

Wastewater discharged from the textile industry poses significant environmental and societal challenges due to the presence of hazardous dye pollutants. This study explores a novel approach for the removal of methylene blue, a common textile dye, from water using adsorbents derived from orange peels. The goal is to mitigate water pollution, thereby reducing harm to ecosystems and living organisms, while simultaneously addressing the issue of environmental litter generated by discarded orange peels. In this study, the removal of methylene blue dye from textile wastewater using adsorbents made from orange peels was examined. Orange peels were collected, washed, dried, charred at 500 °C, ground into powder, and activated with phosphoric acid to create an activated carbon with a bulk density of 0.987 g/mL, 15% moisture, 3% ash content, and a surface area of 52.5 m²/g. It was found that adsorption rates increased over time, reaching equilibrium after 120 minutes, with a maximum removal efficiency of 90% achieved using 0.6 g of adsorbent. The study concluded that orange peel-derived adsorbents could be an effective and eco-friendly method for reducing water pollution and repurposing agricultural waste, presenting a viable solution to the environmental challenges posed by the textile industry.

The Application of Chitosan-Based Adsorbents for the Removal of Hazardous Pollutants from Aqueous Solutions—A Review

The development of simple, effective, economical, and environmentally friendly methods for removing hazardous substances of anthropogenic origin from aquatic systems is currently one of the greatest challenges, among others, due to the variety of pollutants and the transformations they may undergo in the environment. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in adsorption methods based on the use of natural polymers, including non-toxic chitosan (CS), which is characterized by good coating properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. This review concerns the latest developments (since 2019) in the application of novel chitosan-based materials for the removal of hazardous substances (e.g., metal and metalloid ions, synthetic dyes, pharmaceuticals) from aqueous solutions, with particular emphasis on their most important advantages and limitations, as well as their potential impact on sustainability.

Hydrazide-linked perylene-based porous organic polymer: An innovative approach for removing organic dyes from aqueous solution

The presence of toxic pollutants in the aquatic environment is a significant environmental concern that requires the development of effective methods for their removal. This study focuses on applying perylene and triazine-based porous organic polymer (PT-POP) to effectively eliminate hazardous pollutants from industrial settings. Specifically, PT-POP was synthesized using two monomers, namely 3,4,9,10 perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) and 2,4,6 tris(hydrazino)-s-triazine (THTZ). The resulting PT-POP has outstanding adsorption performance and high chemical and thermal stability, making it an attractive adsorbent material. Based on the thermogravimetric analysis, it has been confirmed that PT-POP is thermally stable. The presence of aromatic rings in PT-POP is responsible for the extraordinary stability of the polymer. Then, the performance of PT-POP in the adsorption of cationic Nile blue and anionic Direct Fast Scarlet 4BS (DFS-4BS) was studied. The optimization process involves adjusting several factors, including temperature, concentration, pH, time, and adsorbent dosage. The highest adsorption capacities (qM) for the Nile blue dye and the DFS-4BS dye were 280.16 mg. g−1 and 87.50 mg. g−1, respectively. The adsorption behavior best fits the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the Langmuir isotherm showed the most agreement with adsorption isotherms for both. The thermodynamic study shows that the adsorption process for both dyes is spontaneous and endothermic, as evidenced by the negative value of ΔG and the positive value of ΔH. The findings show that PT-POP is more inclined toward cationic dyes due to its negative surface charge.

Quantification and assessment of hazardous mercury emission from industrial process and other unattended sectors in India: A step towards mitigation

Hazardous pollutants like Mercury (Hg) have emerged as a pressing challenge in recent times where the expanding industrial sector is regarded as the major source in developing country India. In this study, we are trying to identify all possible industrial sectors at district level to quantify Hg emission load across India for the year 2019 using IPCC methodology where the country-specific technological emission factors are used. We have included 5 major sectors out of which emission from coal combustion in thermal power plants accounts for 186.5 t/yr of Hg emission followed by non-ferrous metal production (88.3 t/yr), captive power plants (65.5 t/yr) and fly ash generation from various manufacturing industries (45.9 t/yr). A total of 459.4 t/yr of Hg is released into the ecosystem in 2019 with an uncertainty of ± 48%. This study also estimated that about 233 million people living in and around 10 km periphery of major industrial zones with as many as 17 million people residing near the 10 major hotspots are susceptible to hazardous Hg emissions directly or indirectly. This information would be quite useful in formulating future Hg emission control strategies in India. Environmental ImplicationsPresent study is the first-of-its-kind quantification of Hg emission load from the Industrial process and many unattended sectors over India, which will not only give an insight into potential hotspots regions across the country but also assess the population exposed to it. It will provide aid in tracking the mercury burden to match the international conventions. The findings suggest that about 233 million people are likely to be exposed to hazardous Hg emissions. It will also enlighten the government, policymakers, stakeholders and people about their mercury footprint and envision protecting the biomes and formulating future control strategies in India.

Chromium-stress alleviation study using plant growth promoting rhizobacteria for maize ( Zea mays L.)

Heavy metal contamination is one of the major environmental threats due to industrialization and urbanization. Among various heavy metals, chromium is of recent concern because it is considered the most hazardous metal pollutant in the environment. Its toxicity alters the process of germination and various other growth parameters ultimately affecting its yield. While maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most widely cultivated cereal crop being used for fodder, feed and food purposes. It is multipurpose cereal crop and is also used as raw material for different industries. Hence, it is mandatory to come up with effective eco-friendly technique to remediate chromium (Cr) to protect the environment from its toxic impacts. During current research, plant microbe interaction was carried out with Cr resistant strains of Bacillus cereus (3a), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (DS4), Bacillus nitratireducens (TP8), Enterobacter cloacae (A9G) and Pseudomonas sp. (B3) that were selected to observe their beneficial impact on corn (Zea mays L.) growth in presence of Cr stress (150 &amp; 300 µg/mL). Results have indicated that growth and biochemical parameters were enhanced due to bacterial inoculation. In comparison to control, maximum increment in shoot length, number of leaves, root length and fresh weight of inoculated plants was noted up to 46, 115, 76, and 42% respectively. Maximum increment in protein and chlorophyll content of inoculated plants was noted up to 304 and 71% respectively as compared to control. The present study suggests the use of above-mentioned highly chromium resistant bacterial strains to remediate chromium contaminated sites and to improve agricultural production.

Using L. minor and C. elegans to assess the ecotoxicity of real-life contaminated soil samples and their remediation by clay- and carbon-based sorbents

Toxic substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals, can accumulate in soil, posing a risk to human health and the environment. To reduce the risk of exposure, rapid identification and remediation of potentially hazardous soils is necessary. Adsorption of contaminants by activated carbons and clay materials is commonly utilized to decrease the bioavailability of chemicals in soil and environmental toxicity in vitro, and this study aims to determine their efficacy in real-life soil samples. Two ecotoxicological models (Lemna minor and Caenorhabditis elegans) were used to test residential soil samples, known to contain an average of 5.3, 262, and 9.6 ppm of PAHs, lead, and mercury, for potential toxicity. Toxicity testing of these soils indicated that 86% and 58% of soils caused ≤50% inhibition of growth and survival of L. minor and C. elegans, respectively. Importantly, 3 soil samples caused ≥90% inhibition of growth in both models, and the toxicity was positively correlated with levels of heavy metals. These toxic soil samples were prioritized for remediation using activated carbon and SM-Tyrosine sorbents, which have been shown to immobilize PAHs and heavy metals, respectively. The inclusion of low levels of SM-Tyrosine protected the growth and survival of L. minor and C. elegans by 83% and 78%, respectively from the polluted soil samples while activated carbon offered no significant protection. These results also indicated that heavy metals were the driver of toxicity in the samples. Results from this study demonstrate that adsorption technologies are effective strategies for remediating complex, real-life soil samples contaminated with hazardous pollutants and protecting natural soil and groundwater resources and habitats. The results highlight the applicability of these ecotoxicological models as rapid screening tools for monitoring soil quality and verifying the efficacy of remediation practices.

Determining Effective Factors Regarding Weather and Some Types of Air Pollutants in Seasonal Changes of PM10 Concentration Using Tree-Based Algorithms in Yazd City

Introduction: This study was carried out with the aim of determining weather parameters and air pollutants affecting seasonal changes of particulate matter of less than 10 microns (PM10) in Yazd city using Random Forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (Xgboost) models.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: The required data was obtained from 2018 to 2022. Levene’s test was applied to investigate the significant difference in the variance of PM10 values in 4 different seasons, and Boruta algorithm was used to select the best predictive variables. RF and Xgboost models were trained using two-thirds of the input data and were tested using the remaining data set. Their performance was evaluated based on R2, Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Nash–Sutcliffe Model Efficiency Coefficient (NSE).&#x0D; Results: The RF showed a higher performance in predicting PM10 in all the study seasons (R2 &gt; 0.85; RMSE &lt; 22). The contribution of dust concentration and relative humidity in spring PM10 changes was more than other variables. For summer, wind direction and ozone were identified as the most important variables affecting PM10 concentration. In the autumn and winter, air pollutants and dust concentration had the greatest effect on PM10, respectively.&#x0D; Conclusion: RF model could explain more than 85% of PM10 seasonal variability in Yazd city. It is recommended to use the model to predict the changes of this air pollutant in other regions with similar climatic and environmental conditions. The results can also be useful for providing suitable solutions to reduce PM10 pollution hazards in Yazd city

Mass variations and transfer process of shrimp farming pollutants in aquaculture drainage systems: Effects of DOM features and physicochemical properties

The expansion of aquaculture produces increasing pollutant loads, necessitating the use of drainage systems to discharge wastewater into surface water. To assess the mass variations and transfer process of aquaculture wastewater, an entire aquaculture drainage investigation lasting for 48 h was conducted, focusing on the nutrients, heavy metals, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and physicochemical properties of drainage in a commercial shrimp farm. The findings revealed that early drainage produced more heavy metals, total nitrogen (TN), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and feed-like proteins from aquaculture floating feed and additives, whereas late drainage produced more PO43--P and total dissolved phosphorus (TP). A few pollutants, including DON, Cu, and feed-like proteins, were effectively removed, whereas the contents of TN, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, and Zn increased in the multi-level aquaculture drainage system. Limited dilution indicated that in-stream transfer was the main process shaping pollutant concentrations within the drainage system. In the lower ditches, NO3--N, heavy metals, and feed-like proteins exhibited evident in-stream attenuation, while TN and NH4+-N underwent significant in-stream enrichment processes, especially in ditch C, with the transfer coefficient values (vf) of –1.74E-5 and –2.04E-5. This indicates that traditional aquaculture drainage systems serve as nitrogen sinks, rather than efficient nutrient purge facilitators. Notably, DOM was identified as a more influential factor in shaping the in-stream transfer process in aquaculture drainage systems, with an interpretation rate 40.79% higher than that of the physiochemical properties. Consequently, it is necessary to eliminate the obstacles posed by DOM to pollutant absorption and net zero emissions in aquaculture drainage systems in the future. Environmental implicationsNutrients, heavy metals, and dissolved organic matter are hazardous pollutants originating from high-density aquaculture. As the sole conduit to natural waters, aquaculture drainage systems have pivotal functions in receiving and purifying wastewater, in which the in-stream transfer process is affected by ambient conditions. This field study investigated the spatial variations, stage distinctions, effects of physicochemical properties, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) features. This finding suggests that the aquaculture drainage system as a nitrogen sink and DOM source. While the DOM is the key factor in shaping the in-stream transfer process, and obstacles for pollutant elimination. This study helps in understanding the fate of aquaculture pollutants and reveals the drawbacks of traditional aquaculture drainage systems.

Progress in the Elimination of Organic Contaminants in Wastewater by Activation Persulfate over Iron-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks.

The release of organic contaminants has grown to be a major environmental concern and a threat to the ecology of water bodies. Persulfate-based Advanced Oxidation Technology (PAOT) is effective at eliminating hazardous pollutants and has an extensive spectrum of applications. Iron-based metal-organic frameworks (Fe-MOFs) and their derivatives have exhibited great advantages in activating persulfate for wastewater treatment. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of recent research progress on the significant potential of Fe-MOFs for removing antibiotics, organic dyes, phenols, and other contaminants from aqueous environments. Firstly, multiple approaches for preparing Fe-MOFs, including the MIL and ZIF series were introduced. Subsequently, removal performance of pollutants such as antibiotics of sulfonamides and tetracyclines (TC), organic dyes of rhodamine B (RhB) and acid orange 7 (AO7), phenols of phenol and bisphenol A (BPA) by various Fe-MOFs was compared. Finally, different degradation mechanisms, encompassing free radical degradation pathways and non-free radical degradation pathways were elucidated. This review explores the synthesis methods of Fe-MOFs and their application in removing organic pollutants from water bodies, providing insights for further refining the preparation of Fe-MOFs.

Effective Removal of Carcinogenic Azo Dye from Water Using Zea mays-Derived Mesoporous Activated Carbon.

Addressing industrial wastewater treatment challenges and removing hazardous organic pollutants, such as carcinogenic methyl orange (MO) and azo dyes, is a pressing concern. This study explores the use of the Zea mays envelope, an agricultural waste product, to produce Z. mays activated carbon (ZMAC) through the chemical activation of maize envelopes with phosphoric acid. Various analytical techniques, including FTIR, XRD, TGA, DSC, and SEM, characterize ZMAC. Results show that ZMAC exhibits an impressive monolayer adsorption capacity of 66.2 mg/g for MO. The Langmuir isotherm model fits the experimental data well, indicating monolayer coverage of the MO on the ZMAC surface. The pH-sensitive adsorption process demonstrates an optimal removal efficiency at pH 4. ZMAC follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and diffusion rate constant analysis identifies three consecutive stages in the adsorption process. Moreover, the uptake of MO ions by ZMAC is identified as an exothermic and spontaneous process. Reusability tests demonstrate efficient regeneration of ZMAC up to five times with 1 mL of 2 M HNO3 in each cycle, without sorbent mass loss. Thermodynamic analysis shows an increase in the uptake capacity from 66.2 to 73.2 mg/g with temperature elevation. This study offers practical solutions for industrial wastewater treatment challenges, providing an environmentally sustainable and effective approach to mitigate the risks associated with hazardous organic pollutants.

Leaching kinetics and bioaccumulation potential of additive-derived organophosphate esters in microplastics

Considerable research has been conducted to evaluate microplastics (MPs) as vehicles for the transfer of hazardous pollutants in organisms. However, little effort has been devoted to the chemical release of hazardous additive-derived pollutants from MPs in gut simulations. This study looked at the leaching kinetics of organophosphate esters (OPFRs) from polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) MPs in the presence of gut surfactants, specifically sodium taurocholate, at two biologically relevant temperatures for marine organisms. Diffusion coefficients of OPFRs ranged from 1.71 × 10−20 to 4.04 × 10−18 m2 s−1 in PP and 2.91 × 10−18 to 1.51 × 10−15 m2 s−1 in PS. The accumulation factors for OPFRs in biota-plastic and biota-sediment interactions ranged from 1.52 × 10−3−69.1 and 0.02−0.7, respectively. Based on B3LYP/6-31G (d,p) calculations, the biodynamic model analysis revealed a slight increase in the bioaccumulation of OPFRs at a minor dose of 0.05% MPs. However, at higher concentrations (0.5% and 5% MPs), there was a decrease in bioaccumulation compared to the lower concentration for most OPFR compounds. In general, the ingestion of PE MPs notably contributed to the bioaccumulation of OPFRs in lugworms, whereas the contribution of PP and PS MPs was minimal. This could vary among sites exhibiting varying levels of MP concentrations or MPs displaying stronger affinities towards chemicals.

Anthocyanins from Lycium ruthenicum Murray Mitigate Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress and Testicular Toxicity by Activating the Keap1/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway.

Cadmium (Cd) is a hazardous heavy metal environmental pollutant that has carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic properties. Excessive exposure to Cd can induce oxidative stress, which greatly harms the male reproductive system. Anthocyanins have remarkable antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-stress properties. In this study, we investigated the effects of anthocyanins and the underlying mechanisms through which anthocyanins mitigate Cd-induced reproductive damage. We isolated and purified Lycium ruthenicum Murray anthocyanin extract (LAE) and performed UHPLC-MS/MS to identify 30 different anthocyanins. We established an ICR mouse Cd injury model by administering 5 mg/kg/day CdCl2 for 28 consecutive days. LAE at 500 mg/kg/day effectively ameliorated testicular damage and preserved spermatogenesis. The mice in the LAE-treated group had elevated testosterone and inhibin B levels. Additionally, the treatment restored the activity of antioxidant enzymes, including T-SOD, CAT, and GR, and substantially increased the levels of the non-enzymatic antioxidant GSH. Research findings indicate that LAE can activate the SIRT1/Nrf2/Keap1 antioxidant pathway. This activation is achieved through the upregulation of both the SIRT1 gene and protein levels, leading to the deacetylation of Nrf2. Moreover, LAE reduces the expression of Keap1, alleviating its inhibitory effect on Nrf2. This, in turn, facilitates the uncoupling process, promoting the translocation of Nrf2 to the nucleus, where it governs downstream expression, including that of HO-1 and GPX1. LAE effectively mitigated toxicity to the reproductive system associated with exposure to the heavy metal Cd by alleviating oxidative stress in the testes.

Data Linkages for Wildfire Exposures and Human Health Studies: A Scoping Review.

Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity, with significant consequences that impact human health. A scoping review was conducted to: (a) understand wildfire-related health effects, (b) identify and describe environmental exposure and health outcome data sources used to research the impacts of wildfire exposures on health, and (c) identify gaps and opportunities to leverage exposure and health data to advance research. A literature search was conducted in PubMed and a sample of 83 articles met inclusion criteria. A majority of studies focused on respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes. Hospital administrative data was the most common health data source, followed by government data sources and health surveys. Wildfire smoke, specifically fine particulate matter (PM2.5), was the most common exposure measure and was predominantly estimated from monitoring networks and satellite data. Health data were not available in real-time, and they lacked spatial and temporal coverage to study health outcomes with longer latency periods. Exposure data were often available in real-time and provided better temporal and spatial coverage but did not capture the complex mixture of hazardous wildfire smoke pollutants nor exposures associated with non-air pathways such as soil, household dust, food, and water. This scoping review of the specific health and exposure data sources used to underpin these studies provides a framework for the research community to understand: (a) the use and value of various environmental and health data sources, and (b) the opportunities for improving data collection, integration, and accessibility to help inform our understanding of wildfires and other environmental exposures.