Pollution Of Water Bodies Research Articles

A comprehensive study on the assessment of chemically modified Azolla pinnata as a potential cadmium sequestering agent

The major environmental issue raised throughout the world is the egression of toxic pollutants in water bodies. Hence, employment of novel technological interventions such as bioremediation and phytoremediation for mitigating the toxic effects caused by the pollutants has gained attention. The aquatic macrophyte, Azolla pinnata is utilized as a biofiltering agent in the present study for the chelation of metal toxicants from the artificial wastewater system. The nutritive value of A. pinnata was determined to be 268.99Kcal/100g energy and the mineral profiling showed the highest amount of calcium (54.7ppm), iron (14.04ppm) and manganese (7.96 ppm). The quantitative screening of total phenolic and total flavonoid contents showed a maximum of 402.33±4.29 mg/g GAE and 105.25±3.81 mg/g QE respectively and the sample exhibited strong antioxidant activity in quenching the DPPH radicals with an IC50 value of 88.27μg/ml. Similarly, the highest bioactivity was observed in methanolic and chloroform extract of A. pinnata biomass showing the zone of growth inhibition against E. coli (17mm) and S. aureus (18mm). The results recorded from the SEM-EDX, GCMS, FTIR and XRD confirmed the adsorptive properties of biomass. The chemically modified and unmodified Azolla exposed to cadmium metal solution showed the maximum adsorption of about 0.47±0.001 and 0.48±0.003 ppm in 60mins using the unmodified biomass with dosage of 0.75 and 1.0g respectively. Moreover, the results recorded from the instrumental characterization for the adsorptive properties of Azolla biomass proved that cadmium chelation is due to the modifications caused in porosity, surface structure and the addition of functional groups in the treated biomass surface.

European research project on the state of pollution in the Black Sea «Black Sea SIERRA»: mission and partic ipation of Ukrainian oceanographers

The destruction of civil and industrial objects in Ukraine caused by a decade-long armed conflict, especially since February 2022, has led to extensive environmental pollution within the country, particularly in the waterways of the Black Sea basin.
 The consequences of these actions have also affected the state of the Black Sea, causing concern for the European Union and the global scientific community. Therefore, within the framework of the European program «Horizon Europe», funds were allocated for scientific research into the consequences of pollution in coastal water bodies and the Black Sea as a whole. In the 2023 «Horizon Europe» project competition, a proposal by an intergovernmental consortium of 7 scientific organizations from 5 countries was awarded the grant, including the State Institution «Scientific Hydrophysical Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine».
 The project aims to create effective monitoring and quality control strategies for water, as well as the implementation of innovative technologies to reduce the impact of pollutants on the ecosystems of the Black Sea. The application of research results is planned for the development of environmentally sound recommendations and strategies for the conservation of the marine environment. The project involves collaboration between countries to address pollution issues and study the Black Sea, as well as the development of scientific approaches to water resource management in the region. Special attention is given to the development of educational programs regarding the impact of military pollution on the water ecosystems of the Black Sea region.
 This article describes the localization, factors, and types of pollution in waterways and the Black Sea basin, the project’s structure, types of activities, and the investigated water bodies in Ukraine, as well as the participation of SI «Scientific Hydrophysical Center of NAS of Ukraine» as a project participant.

The influence of design on the sollution of waterbody pollution problems

The article discusses the potential of design for addressing waterbody pollution, one of the most pressing problems of modern urban spaces. A review of domestic and international developments in the area of eco-design shows that they focus on improved waste treatment, collection and disposal, use of eco-friendly materials and technologies, and application of design tools for raising environmental awareness.

From agricultural practices to mining activities: The consequences of this paradigm shift for the food security in Guinea

This study aims to analyse the effects that the mining activity exercises on agriculture and the livelihoods of local communities in the Republic of Guinea. Mining and agricultural activities are intertwined in such a way that the operation of one affects the other. Over the years, mining activities have been seen to negatively affect farming, livestock grazing and fisheries in the surrounding communities. Mining consists in the excavation of useful and economically valuable minerals from deposits in the earth. Despite its potential to generate a large amount of revenue, the mining sector is not adequately regulated, and as a consequence creates a ground for illegal mining activities. These activities, depending on the type of mining, have a spectrum of effects on agricultural activities including competition for land control and use, pollution of water bodies and exposure of crops and livestock to the harmful effects of heavy metals. The cumulative effects of these activities have modified the agricultural practices, disrupted landscapes, and negatively influence the availability of food crops in the areas where mining activities are carried out, which in turn threatens the food security of the region of Boké. This article also evaluates the impacts of mining on agricultural activities in the region, with a view of providing evidence for policymakers for taking necessary action and foster sustainable solutions.

REMOVAL OF DRUGS FROM AQUEOUS MATRIXES USING A REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANE

Pollution of water bodies by micropollutants is a problem of growing concern, especially regarding contamination with drug residues and metabolites. The presence of these substances in surface waters is related to deleterious consequences for the population and the environment. The incorrect disposal of drug residues and the low efficiency of conventional water treatment methods require the use of alternative methods, such as the use of membrane separation processes for the treatment of effluents. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a reverse osmosis membrane for the removal of ibuprofen and diclofenac sodium from an aqueous matrix. For this, permeation tests were performed with aqueous solutions of diclofenac and ibuprofen at a concentration of 10 mg∙L-1, alone and together. The hydraulic permeability of the membrane and the drug rejection efficiency were evaluated. The presence of drugs in the solution had little influence on the hydraulic permeability of the membrane. The minimum removal efficiency of both substances was greater than 98.5 %, generating a permeate stream practically free of drugs, whether evaluated separately or in the same solution. These results indicate the operational robustness of the membrane since neither the permeability nor the rejection were altered by the fact that we have the two drugs combined, in addition to demonstrating the potential use of reverse osmosis as a treatment method for the removal of residues and traces of drugs and other difficult-to-treat organic substances in aqueous matrices.

Effect of Paracetamol Biodegradation Products Quantitative Indicators of the Anatomical Structure of the Lily of the Valley Leaf (<i>Convallaria majalis</i> L.)

Introduction. Due to the global pharmaceutical pollution of water bodies in many countries, there is currently an increasing interest of researchers in finding effective, including microbiological, ways of processing pharmaceutical waste to obtain new useful products based on them. The results of previous studies have shown that the product of bacterial destruction of paracetamol exhibits pronounced stimulating properties in relation to medicinal plants of the aster, linseed, clear-flowered, plantain, etc. families. There is no information about the effect of this product on plants of the liliaceae family.Aim. To investigate the effect of the paracetamol biodegradation product on the quantitative indicators of the anatomical structure of the lily of the valley leaf – Convallaria majalis L., fam. Liliaceae.Materials and methods. The experiments were laid in the Kirov region (2021, 2022) in accordance with the Guidelines for Conducting Registration Tests of Growth Regulators (2016). The scheme of the experiment: the control area – natural watering with water; the test area – watering with the product of biodegradation of paracetamol obtained on the basis of the laboratory of alkanotrophic microorganisms of the PFRC UB RAS (Perm); the reference area – watering with the growth stimulator "Zircon" (NRPP "NEST M", Russia). Quantitative parameters of the anatomical structure of the lily of the valley leaf were evaluated by the linear dimensions of the epidermis, elements of the conducting system and mesophyll. Viewing, photographing and processing of photographs was carried out using a microscope Motic (Motic Deutschland GmbH, Germany) in the program Motic Image 2000. Mathematical processing of experimental data was carried out by the method of variance analysis using Excel 2019, STATISTICA 12.6, STATGRAPHICS Plus 5.1 programs.Results and discussion. Anatomical examination showed an increase in the size of the cells of the upper and lower epidermis of the lily of the valley leaf in the designated growing seasons on the accounting sites treated with a product of the biodegradation of paracetamol and a standard ("Zircon") in comparison with the control (water). When using the biodegradation product of paracetamol, an increase in the thickness of the mesophyll by 10–16 % and the number of layers by 14–30 % was recorded. When using the growth stimulator "Zircon", the thickness of the mesophyll and the number of its layers increased by 3–6 % and 8–15 %, respectively. The increase in the thickness of the phloem and xylem of the conductive beam when treated with the paracetamol biodegradation product was 20–30 % greater than in the control, and 2 times greater than when treated with the growth stimulator "Zircon".Conclusion. The product of the biodegradation of paracetamol in different years of use, regardless of environmental factors, shows a pronounced stimulating effect on the lily of the valley of the May, significantly increasing the quantitative indicators of the anatomical structure of the leaf compared with the growth stimulator "Zircon" and control (water). The obtained data can be used in medicinal plant growing in the development of agrotechnical methods for growing raw materials of the lily of the valley of the May, as well as in the formation of a dossier when registering this product as a new plant growth stimulator.

Study on the Effectiveness of Constructed Wetlands in Purifying Polluted Water from Rivers and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

In order to investigate the effect of different substrates of constructed wetlands on the purification of polluted water in rivers and their greenhouse gas emissions, this study designed three small-scale constructed wetland experimental systems with traditional gravel (CW-G), volcanic rock (CW-V) and biomass carbon (CW-B) as filler substrates to investigate the effect of different constructed wetland systems on the removal of COD and nitrogen pollutants and to further analyse their effect on greenhouse gas emissions. The results showed that the removal rates of organic matter in all three groups of constructed wetlands reached over 90%. and 49.29% to 58.71%, respectively, with CW-V and CW-B significantly improving the removal of NH4 + -N and NO3− -N compared to CW-G (P < 0.05). A comparison of greenhouse gas emissions reveals that although CW-B resulted in the highest N2O emissions due to its better removal of NO3− -N, its share in nitrogen removal was still the smallest. In addition, the rapid consumption of organic matter in the influent water and the oxidation of some CH4 to CO2 resulted in no detectable CH4 in any of the three groups of constructed wetlands. The results of this study show that the differences in treatment effects and greenhouse gas emissions between the three types of substrate constructed wetlands are significant, and this study can provide some scientific reference for the construction and operation of wetlands for the purification of polluted water bodies in rivers.

Simplification of the pretreatment method for phosphate oxygen isotope measurement in phosphogypsum leachate

The stacking of phosphogypsum has caused considerable phosphorus pollution in water bodies near phosphogypsum yards through surface runoff and underground infiltration. The phosphate oxygen isotope (δ18Op) tracing method has served as a valuable tool for tracing phosphorus pollution in water. However, the existing δ18Op enrichment and purification methods are complex, costly, and inefficient for phosphate recovery, particularly for phosphogypsum leachate with complex compositions. Herein, a simplified and optimized pretreatment method for δ18Op measurement in phosphogypsum leachate was developed. Zirconium/polyvinyl alcohol (Zr/PVA) gel beads showed good selectivity for phosphate enrichment from water at different initial phosphate concentrations with appropriate Zr/PVA dosage. The optimal enrichment pH value was <7, and the concentrated phosphate on the Zr/PVA gel beads could be effectively eluted in an alkaline environment. Compared with the traditional Fe or Mg coprecipitation enrichment methods, impurities in the solution showed no obvious adverse effects on the phosphate enrichment process. Further, the phosphate solution eluted from the Zr/PVA gel beads was purified by a simple adjustment of the pH instead of cation exchange in the traditional purification process. Magnesium ions in the solution could be completely removed when the pH ranged from 3.17 to 6.15, and the phosphate recovery rate could reach 98.66% when the eluent pH was 5.02. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that similar to traditional pretreatment method, the proposed method can obtain high-purity Ag3PO4 solids for δ18OP measurement and no isotope fractionation of δ18OP was observed. Therefore, this study provides a promising and reliable pretreatment method for δ18OP measurement, especially in complex phosphogypsum leachate.

Heavy metal pollution in surface water bodies in provincial Khanh Hoa, Vietnam: Pollution and human health risk assessment, source quantification, and implications for sustainable management and development

The global issue of heavy metal pollution in surface water poses a significant concern, with the potential to harm public health through various pathways. Given that pollution levels are dependent on water bodies and seasons and their potential impacts on human health vary with children and adults, it is crucial to identify and quantify pollution sources for the development of sustainable management strategies. The current study aimed to evaluate pollution levels and associated health risks of heavy metals and to quantify their pollution sources in various surface water bodies in Khanh Hoa, Vietnam. Water samples were taken from three water bodies (reservoirs, rivers, and narrow waterways) during two seasons (dry and rainy) from 2016 to 2020 and analyzed for seven heavy metals. The results showed that iron had the highest concentration of 392.4 (μg L−1), followed by zinc (25.7 μg L−1), arsenic (3.93 μg L−1), copper (3.77 μg L−1), lead (2.77 μg L−1), chromium (2.71 μg L−1), and cadmium (0.57 μg L−1). Narrow waterways were more polluted with heavy metals (heavy metal pollution index, HPI = 29.5) than other water bodies, such as rivers (23.3) and reservoirs (21.7), and the dry season had a higher HPI (26.5) than the rainy season (24.0). The hazard index for children varied from 1.2 to 1.48, while that for adults was less than 1, suggesting that surface water may have adverse impacts on children's health. The factor analysis identified three primary sources of contamination, namely combustion emissions/street dust, agricultural run-off, and other sources. Cadmium is the most critical metal in determining HPI, while arsenic and chromium are the two key elements potentially influencing children's health. Managing pollution sources, reducing the metal concentration, and controlling the pathways through which metals enter the human body should be implemented for a healthier environment and long-term development.

Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline using NiCo–BiVO4 nanocomposite under visible light irradiation: A noble-metal-free approach for water remediation

The increasing pollution of water bodies with organic contaminants, including antibiotics, has become a significant environmental concern. In this study, a noble-metal-free alternative, NiCo bimetal cocatalyst, was synthesized and applied to enhance the photocatalytic degradation of the antibiotic tetracycline (TC) using BiVO4 as the photocatalyst under the visible spectrum. The NiCo–BiVO4 nanocomposite exhibited improved visible light absorption, reduced recombination rate of charge carriers, and enhanced electrochemical properties. The photocatalytic degradation of TC was significantly enhanced by the NiCo bimetal modification, with the 2 wt% NiCo–BiVO4 nanocomposite achieving an 87.2% degradation of TC and 82% Total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal within 120 min. The degradation kinetics of TC (target compound) followed a first-order reaction, with photogenerated electrons and holes identified as the primary active species responsible for the degradation process. The recyclability of the catalyst was also demonstrated for multiple runs, indicating its stability. Furthermore, the pathway of TC degradation by 2 wt% NiCo–BiVO4 nanocomposite was proposed based on the detected intermediate products using LC-MS analysis. This study provides a promising approach for developing efficient, noble-metal-free photocatalysts to remove organic contaminants from water sources.

RESEARCH OF THE PROCESSES OF MINERALIZATION OF DRINKING WATER BY CERAMIC MINERALIZERS FOR DOMESTIC WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEMS

The role of fresh water in the formation of the state is considered and it is determined that proper management of water resources is a critical component of increasing the standard of living of the population of all countries of the world, both from the point of view of the development of the industrial complex of the state and ensuring the health of the nation. However, the growing level of pollution of water bodies, significant deterioration of the water infrastructure of cities and sometimes the impossibility of restoring it due to active hostilities lead to a significant decrease in the quality of drinking water in Ukraine. An effective solution to this problem is the use of household filtration systems. Among their significant variety, the most widespread are reverse osmosis systems that can effectively purify water from heavy metals, soluble salts of viruses and microorganisms. Their main disadvantage is the extremely low salt content of 1520 mg/l, which requires domineralization up to 200 mg/ml. Existing systems of premineralization of drinking water are characterized by exceeding the limit values of salt content (saline) or instability of the level of mineralization (mineral). That is why the urgent task is the development of innovativemineralizers for drinking water with prolonged action based on non-cost domestic raw materials and the study of mineralization processes. The obtained data on the salt content of the solution after aging with mineralizers made it possible to confirm the assumption of a significant influence of the ratio of the surface area of the mineralizer to the volume of water on the rate of the leaching process. With a ratio of 0.4 cm2/ml, the minimum recommended level ofsalt content is achieved after 7 hours of exposure at a stable pH level (8.158.70). A study of the effect of cyclic water replacement on the level of salt content indicates minor changes in its values when held for one (71.1–79.0 mg/l) and three (136.9–140.3 mg/l) hours, which may indicate prolonged action mineralizer. The total hardness of water after 24 hours of exposure to a mineralizer is 1.55 mmol/l, the concentration of Ca2+ is 19 mg/l and Mg2+ is 7.2 mg/l, whichmeets the requirements of regulatory documents.

CURRENT STATE AND PROSPECTS OF INVESTMENT ATTRACTION INTO THE AQUACULTURE SECTOR IN UKRAINE

Topicality. Preliminary calculations confirm the significant potential for the development of aquaculture both in the Ukrainian Black Sea region and in Ukraine as a whole. The increase of aquaculture share in the total fish consumption in Ukraine in the conditions of the war, which caused a significant reduction in commercial fishing due to the physical loss of the water areas of the Azov and Black Seas, the consequences of technogenic pollution of water bodies due to the explosion of the Kakhovskaya Hydroelectric Power Station, is also a confirmation of the importance of aquaculture for the food security of the country and the region.&#x0D; Aim and tasks. The presented study aims to analyze the current state of investment attraction in the aquaculture sector in Ukraine and the world, to identify obstacles and prospects for it increasing.&#x0D; Materials and Methods. In the research the methods of analysis and synthesis, theoretical generalization, statistical analysis, retrospective analysis, system analysis have been used, on the basis of which the cause-and-effect relationships of low investment activity in the aquaculture sector in Ukraine are determined, proposals are systematized regarding the organizational and economic mechanisms of attracting investments to the aquaculture sector according to the resource-process approach - stages of value creation (preparation, production, processing, realiztion) and input components (factors of production) necessary for the functioning of the sector.&#x0D; Research results. The analysis of investments in the aquaculture sector in Ukraine and the Ukrainian Black Sea region revealed its extremely unsatisfactory state, which does not correspond to the interests of the sector's development: a small volume of capital investments in the aquaculture sector - 0.038% of the total volume of capital investments of enterprises in Ukraine; unsatisfactory investment support for innovative activities of aquaculture enterprises - only 0.5% of the total volume of capital investments is directed to intangible assets; the sources of capital investments are mainly own funds of enterprises, funds from local budgets, investment companies and funds, funds from non-resident investors and other sources are not involved at all; a small amount of foreign direct investment - 0.04% of the total amount of direct investment in Ukraine, there is an outflow of investments, FDI in the aquaculture sector in the regions of the Ukrainian Black Sea region has not been carried out in recent years; non-profitability of invested capital.&#x0D; Conclusion. In order to form a long-term vision of the development of the sector and determine the prospects for potential investors, it is necessary to develop an industry strategy and programs, in particular, regarding the attraction of investments in the aquaculture sector and the development of innovations. Targeted actions require the formation of an ecosystem of accompanying services for investors, in particular, centers for attracting investors, investment consulting agencies specializing in aquaculture, which is especially relevant for seaside regions. It is proposed to apply a comprehensive approach to the development of the aquaculture sector according to the value creation chain "preparation-production-processing-realization", that means the formation of a regional innovation-oriented complex of aquaculture production. The use of network tools for creating added value in the sector, such as clusters, water technology parks, eco-industrial parks, will create attractive objects for investment, in particular from abroad, taking into account their orientation to the principles of innovation, zero waste, environmental safety, resource conservation.

Removing Norfloxacin from Aqueous Solutions Using Biochar Derived from Waste Disposable Bamboo Chopsticks

The presence of antibiotics in water environments increases the resistance of bacterial and can also cause irreversible damage to ecosystems and the human body. In this study, disposable bamboo chopsticks were used as raw material to prepare bamboo biochar (BB) via oxygen-limited pyrolysis to remove norfloxacin (NOR) from aqueous solutions. The properties of the BB were explained through the characterization of its SBET, morphology, structure, and functional groups. The effects of the dosage, pH, ionic strength, and water type on the removal of NOR using BB were investigated. The maximum theoretical adsorption capacities (Qmax) of NOR removed by BB at 25, 35, and 45 °C obtained using the Langmuir model were 76.17, 77.22, and 105.19 mg/g, respectively. To facilitate a comparison with other types of biochar, this study also prepared biochar of rice straw, wheat straw, soybean straw, corn straw, rape straw, peanut shell, Eichhornia crassipes, and other biomass raw materials under the same preparation conditions as the BB. The results demonstrated that the removal rate of NOR using BB was the highest under the same adsorption conditions, reaching 99.71%. Biochar from waste disposable bamboo chopsticks can be used for the treatment of new types of pollutants in water bodies, such as antibiotics and other organic contaminants, which will help to achieve sustainable solid waste management.

Основные расчетные гидрологические характеристики систем очистки поверхностного стока в северо-западной зоне России

Purpose: The normative and methodological documents in Russia regarding the treatment of surface runoff from residential areas do not provide explanations on the effectiveness of the treatment system from the point of view of the possibility of pollution of water bodies they allow. The probability of pollution and the dilution ratio of untreated wastewater have not been studied. The goal is to develop a method for determining the hydrological characteristics of the runoff necessary for the probabilistic assessment of dilution factors, permissible concentrations and discharges of contaminated surface waters. Methods: Based on observational data from fourteen weather stations in the North-West of Russia, the probabilistic relationship between the characteristics of runoff from built-up areas and the receiving river has been studied, taking into account the basics of probability theory and hydrological calculations of minimum runoff. Calculations have been carried out and the dependence of the number of days with precipitation and their relative amount in the warm period of the year on the maximum daily precipitation layer has been established. A mathematical relationship has been found between the frequency of rain and the number of possible cases of pollution of a water body. Results: A method has been developed for calculating the probable values of precipitation characteristics, minimum water runoff in the receiving river and the dilution factor of pollutants depending on the permissible frequency of negative consequences from river water pollution and the correlation coefficient of the probability of minimum water flow from built-up areas and in the receiving river. Practical significance: The method for calculating the hydrological characteristics of runoff will make it possible to more reasonably and accurately determine the required degree of wastewater treatment, the productivity and parameters of treatment facilities, and in some cases, to reduce the degree of pollution of watercourses.

Covalent integration of Fe-based metal–organic framework and triazine-containing covalent organic framework for enhanced adsorptive removal of antibiotics

Currently, the issue of antibiotic pollution in water bodies has been increasingly capturing people's attention. The use of high-performance adsorbents for removing antibiotics from water is an effective solution. In this study, NH2-MIL-53(Fe) and triazine-containing Tp-TTA were successfully combined to produce a novel MOF/COF composite named NMF/TT, capable of effectively adsorbing and removing antibiotics. Various characterization techniques were employed to determine the properties and morphology of NMF/TT, and the adsorption performance for four representative antibiotics (tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and norfloxacin) was investigated. Results indicated that NMF/TT-90 exhibited the optimal adsorption quantity, significantly enhancing the adsorption quantity compared to the pure components. The adsorption processes of the four antibiotics followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model. Among them, NMF/TT-90 demonstrated the highest adsorption quantity for tetracycline, with a maximum adsorption quantity of 118.48 mg g−1, and also exhibited an adsorption quantity of 55.93 mg g−1 for ciprofloxacin. Thermodynamic results confirmed the spontaneous nature of the adsorption processes for tetracycline and ciprofloxacin. NMF/TT-90 showed the strongest adsorption quantity for tetracycline at pH 7. Furthermore, the effects of adsorbent dosage, interfering ions, real water samples, and the regenerability of the adsorbent were investigated. The high adsorption quantity of the adsorbent is attributed to the π–π interactions, hydrogen bonding, and coordination between NMF/TT-90 and antibiotic molecules, as well as the possible defect effects during the composite formation process.

Associating Anomaly Detection Strategy Based on Kittler’s Taxonomy with Image Editing to Extend the Mapping of Polluted Water Bodies

Anomaly detection based on Kittler’s Taxonomy (ADS-KT) has emerged as a powerful strategy for identifying and categorizing patterns that exhibit unexpected behaviors, being useful for monitoring environmental disasters and mapping their consequences in satellite images. However, the presence of clouds in images limits the analysis process. This article investigates the impact of associating ADS-KT with image editing, mainly to help machines learn how to extend the mapping of polluted water bodies to areas occluded by clouds. Our methodology starts by applying ADS-KT to two images from the same geographic region, where one image has meaningfully more overlay contamination by cloud cover than the other. Ultimately, the methodology applies an image editing technique to reconstruct areas occluded by clouds in one image based on non-occluded areas from the other image. The results of 99.62% accuracy, 74.53% precision, 94.05% recall, and 83.16% F-measure indicate that this study stands out among the best of the state-of-the-art approaches. Therefore, we conclude that the association of ADS-KT with image editing showed promising results in extending the mapping of polluted water bodies by a machine to occluded areas. Future work should compare our methodology to ADS-KT associated with other cloud removal methods.

Media image of the environmentally vulnerable territory: eye-tracking analysis of the impact of the environmental media agenda on youth audiences

Issues of the environmental media agenda are acute in the media space and particularly relevant for the image of environmentally vulnerable territories. The impact of the environmental agenda on youth audiences of these territories is poorly studied, which actualizes the research topic. The purpose of the work is to study the impact of the environmental agenda on the image of the environmentally vulnerable region and youth audiences using eye-tracking technologies aimed at measuring the audience’s unconscious reactions. It is the first time when the topic is studied theoretically and empirically from the standpoint of a cognitive approach and the use of eye-tracking technologies aimed at analyzing the audience’s cognitive and affective reactions to the environmental agenda. It is established that messages of negative content, such as air pollution, waste management, and pollution of water bodies, predominate (74%) among the selected issues of the environmental agenda. These data are consistent with the results of eye-tracking studies, which show that the patterns of the audience attention are concentrated on these issues and a negative attitude is formed towards the territory image. The results obtained will make it possible to adjust the media ecovoice to neutralize conflictogenicity.

SILKWORM COCOONS WASTE AS AN INNOVATIVE ADSORBENT FOR RAINWATER PURIFICATION

Heavy metal pollution of water bodies is a serious environmental problem, especially in developingcountries. The search for environmentally friendly and efficient adsorbents for water purificationhas been the subject of extensive research. The research examined the possibility of using cheapand renewable silkworm cocoon waste as potential adsorbents for rainwater pollution. The wastecocoons of the mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) came from the Institute of Natural Fibres andMedicinal Plants - National Research Institute (IWNiRZ-PIB) in Poznań. Rainwater was collected froma galvanised drain pipe that drains water from a felt roof, located in the city of Tychy. It was shownthat rainwater contained many micropollutants including alkanes, esters and carboxylic acids. Theadsorbent was characterised by high adsorption capacity of the micropollutants under study. Therewas a 70% removal of neadecanoic acids and a 90% removal of esters. The silkworm cocoon was alsofound to have considerable efficiency in the removal of zinc from rainwater at a level of 61–90% (dosefrom 2g/L to 10g/L). The lowest dose allows zinc removal below the value standardised according to theregulation. The adsorption time needed to establish equilibrium was short and amounted to 20 min.

Assessing the response of non-point source nitrogen pollution to land use change based on SWAT model

In recent years, with the growth of the population and the continuous expansion of agricultural land, non-point source (NPS) pollution has gradually become the primary cause of deteriorating water quality in the aquatic environment. Compared to point source pollution, NPS pollution is more diffuse, complex in its mechanisms, and challenging to pinpoint its sources. This study utilized the SWAT-Land Use Update Tool (SWAT-LUT) to dynamically update multi-year land use and land cover (LULC) data into the SWAT model to investigate the differences in nitrogen pollution sources in Jincheng City under different LULC scenarios. Two models were constructed in this study: SWAT-UNI, which utilized static 1997 LULC data, and SWAT-MULTI, which incorporated dynamic LULC data from 1997 to 2022. During the calibration period, SWAT achieved R2 and NSE values exceeding 0.82 for the daily streamflow simulation results, and these values remained above 0.76 during the validation period. Additionally, the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model was employed to forecast the land use evolution in Jincheng City from 2022 to 2032 to explore the future response of NPS nitrogen pollution. From 1997 to 2022, significant changes were observed in agricultural land, forested land, and grassland areas within Jincheng City. Agricultural land and forested land increased by 3.29% and 4.71% of the total area of Jincheng City, respectively, while grassland decreased by 10.4%. In the prediction of land use evolution from 2022 to 2032, the evolutionary trends remained similar to previous patterns, albeit with a slightly decelerated pace. Simulation results indicated that the top three sources of nitrogen pollution in Jincheng City's water bodies in 1997 were atmospheric deposition (39.8%), nitrogen fertilizer application (29.8%), and soil nitrogen reservoirs (21.4%). With the continuous expansion of agricultural land, nitrogen pollution from nitrogen fertilizer application accounted for 35.6% of the TN (Total Nitrogen) load in water bodies in 2022, surpassing atmospheric deposition to become the dominant factor. The contribution of soil nitrogen reservoirs to nitrogen pollution in water bodies within Jincheng City showed a continuous upward trend over the twenty-five years, resulting in a total nitrogen load of 565.1 tons in 2022, ranking second and becoming a crucial aspect in pollution control efforts. Regarding seasonal distribution, the crop growing season (March to September) was identified as the critical period for controlling nitrogen pollution from nitrogen fertilizer application, while the autumn and winter seasons were crucial for controlling nitrogen pollution from atmospheric deposition and soil nitrogen reservoirs. The predictive results for future NPS nitrogen pollution indicate a continual increase in annual TN inflow into the river from nitrogen fertilizer application and soil nitrogen reservoirs, reaching 1841.6 tons in 2032, accounting for 65.2% of the total inflow. This research contributes to supporting decision-making for NPS pollution control measures in Jincheng City.

Study on Enhancement of Denitrification Performance of Alcaligenes faecalis

Nitrogen pollution in water bodies presents a serious threat to ecosystems due to its role in eutrophication. In this study, the aerobic denitrifying bacterium Alcaligenes faecalis was used as a model microorganism to investigate the optimal operating conditions for nitrogen removal from nitrogen-containing wastewater by Alcaligenes faecalis under different aeration modes, microbial dosages and C/N ratios. The results showed that the optimal aeration mode for efficient bacterial denitrification was 10 min of aeration with a 30 min interval, and the total nitrogen removal reached 87.82%. At different bacterial doses, NO3−–N was completely denitrified and NO2−–N accumulation levels were reduced, all of which resulted in significant denitrification, and the final total nitrogen removal efficiencies reached 86.39–98.50%. With an increase in the C/N ratio, the pollutant removal performance of denitrifying bacteria increased. When the C/N ratio was 17, the final rates of NO3−–N, TN and COD removal were 100%, 98.50% and 96.13%, respectively. At lower C/N ratios, the growth and metabolism of microorganisms were inhibited and fewer electron acceptors were available during the denitrification process, which seriously affected denitrification performance. In this study, the denitrification performance of aerobic denitrifying bacterium Alcaligenes faecalis was explored in experiments using changes in aeration mode, microbial dosage and C/N ratio, and the optimal operating conditions of Alcaligenes faecalis for treating nitrogenous wastewater were indicated. This provides technical support for Alcaligenes faecalis in improving the remediation effect of nitrogenous wastewater and provides a theoretical basis for further in-depth research on the performance of Alcaligenes faecalis in the future.