Soil Pollution Research Articles

A Comprehensive Evaluation Method for Environmental Pollution in Tourist Attractions Based on Improved Principle Component Analysis

In order to address the problem of the reliability of current environmental pollution assessment methods, a comprehensive assessment method of environmental pollution in tourist scenic spots based on improved principle component analysis was proposed. First air, water, and soil pollution for data tourist attractions in the top 5 metropolitan cities of India are collected. Then, the original pollution data is cleaned, the data clustering method is used to classify the pollution data, and the comprehensive evaluation index system of environmental pollution in tourist attractions is established. Finally, the comprehensive evaluation method is implemented to calculate the evaluation values of various indicators, and the comprehensive assessment results of pollution at tourist attractions are obtained. The experimental results show that the correlation of the evaluation index is always controlled above 0.90, the convergence rate of the method is fast, the optimal solution can be approached within 150 iterations, and the application effect is good.

The research progress of bio char in environmental pollution and treatment

In recent years, various forms of environmental pollution have become increasingly severe, leading to a dangerous state in the atmosphere, water, and soil environments. This poses a threat to people's daily lives and has sparked widespread concern in society. Concurrently, bio char, a novel carbon material known for its large specific surface area, porosity, affordability, and excellent adsorption capabilities, has garnered attention. The incremental development and utilization of bio char have positioned it as a promising contender in sewage treatment, air pollution control, soil pollution treatment and other pollutant adsorption processes. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the preparation of bio char, its current research status, and the factors influencing its adsorption efficiency through an extensive literature survey.

Application and Research Progress of Biochar in Environment Pollution Control

Biochar is a carbon-rich material with a wide range of raw materials, low cost, and environmental friendliness. It has a range of advantages such as high porosity and rich surface functional groups. Recently, the application of biochar to control environmental pollution and to improve soil quality have become increasingly widespread. To systematically summarize the application status, efficiency, shortage and development prospects of biochar in environmental pollution control, this article concludes the viewpoints from resent research of biochar materials in marine oil, soil pollution control and industrial wastewater, and made the prospect of biochar materials application in the environmental pollution control and remediation.

Insights into the prediction uncertainty of machine-learning-based digital soil mapping through a local attribution approach

Abstract. Machine learning (ML) models have become key ingredients for digital soil mapping. To improve the interpretability of their predictions, diagnostic tools such as the widely used local attribution approach known as SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) have been developed. However, the analysis of ML model predictions is only one part of the problem, and there is an interest in obtaining deeper insights into the drivers of the prediction uncertainty as well, i.e. explaining why an ML model is confident given the set of chosen covariate values in addition to why the ML model delivered some particular results. In this study, we show how to apply SHAP to local prediction uncertainty estimates for a case of urban soil pollution – namely, the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil in Toulouse (France), which pose a health risk via vapour intrusion into buildings, direct soil ingestion, and groundwater contamination. Our results show that the drivers of the prediction best estimates are not necessarily the drivers of confidence in these predictions, and we identify those leading to a reduction in uncertainty. Our study suggests that decisions regarding data collection and covariate characterisation as well as communication of the results should be made accordingly.

Biochar improves growth and physiology of Swietenia macrophylla king in contaminated soil by copper

The production of açaí seed waste from the commercial and extractive exploitation of the Euterpe oleraceae palm tree is a serious problem that contributes to environmental contamination and production of greenhouse gases, a fact that suggests the need for an environmentally correct destination for this waste produced on a large scale. To this end, this study was conducted to evaluate the potential of acaí seed biochar (BCA) in mitigating the toxic effects of copper in Brazilian mahogany plants, analyzing biometrics and gas exchange. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with five blocks, in a 4 × 3 factorial scheme, corresponding to the control (without Cu) and three concentration of Cu (200, 400, and 600 mg Cu kg−1) and three levels of BCA (0%, 5% and 10%) proportional to the amount of soil in the pots, totaling sixty experimental units. The use of 5% BCA in soils contaminated with up to 200 mg kg−1 Cu promoted biometric increase (height, diameter, number of leaves), maintaining gas exchange (photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, internal carbon and internal/external carbon), and consequently, maintaining water use efficiency in plants under abiotic stress, resulting in plant growth. The findings of this study allow us to indicate the use of biochar in remediating and improving the growth of plants grown in copper-contaminated soils. The production of biochar from açaí seeds is an ecologically sustainable alternative, because it reduces its accumulation on public roads and contributes to reducing soil pollution. In the context of public policies, biochar production could be a source of income in the context of the bioeconomy and circular economy practiced in the Amazon, because it is produced in large quantities.

Mechanobiological mechanisms in the remediation of soil lead pollution using two-dimensional carbon materials and Morchella: A molecular-level study

Graphene-based 2D carbon composites and Morchella mushrooms are used in the paper to study the mechanobiological mechanisms of soil lead remediation. Soil is contaminated with lead, which threatens ecosystems and human health, making it even more important to find remedies. To fully comprehend these processes, present-day materials, and organic compounds are needed to improve soil nutrition and eradicate lead. To deal with the challenge of finding effective means of lead removal; limitations associated with traditional soil pollution remediation methods; and merging biology and material sciences. Multifunctional graphene wettability-patterned nanocoated membranes (MGW-PNM) is a novel technique developed to overcome these challenges. Such processes result in membranes with different wettability patterns that take advantage of the properties of graphene. This facilitates better interaction between the membrane itself and the surrounding soil as well as lead contaminants by modifying its hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity characteristics. For effective removal of lead, extensive simulation studies were done using MGW-PNM. In line with this, it can be inferred that MGW-PNM also remediates highly capable soils at high-efficiency levels. This was established when comparing modern techniques to past ones where considerable improvements were made on how much lead is extracted from them. The study suggests new ways of addressing environmental contamination resulting from microbial activities in soils by combining advanced materials with biological substances such as Morchella spp. For this purpose, it investigates various molecular interactions occurring among carbonaceous species called Morchella microbes and environmental pollutants like those including Pb.

Evaluation of the Level of Soil Pollution by Metallic Trace Elements: Case of the Kachoma District of the City of Kipushi/Haut-Katanga (DR Congo)

The objective of this research was to assess the level of soil pollution in the Kachoma district located around the former discharge basin (dike 1) of the Générale desquarries et des mines/Kipushi (Gécamines/Kipushi). The samples were taken from two sites (OUA 1 and the cell five years) using a manual auger at a depth of 20 cm to 40 cm and packaged in a plastic bag before being analyzed in the laboratory. The Cu, Co, Ni, Pb, and Zn content was determined by an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) spectrometer. The results showed that the soils sampled in the two cells were largely polluted by Cu, Zn, Pb, Mn, and Co. It is, therefore, imperative to see how to remedy the soil pollution of the Kachoma district.

Current Research Status, Opportunities, and Future Challenges of Nine Representative Persistent Herbicides.

Pesticides are extensively utilized in contemporary agriculture to manage pests, enhance crop yields, and sustain productivity. Nevertheless, the persistent herbicide represents a dual-edged weapon. On one hand, their prolonged efficacy enables reduced application frequency during crop growth seasons, resulting in cost savings on labor. However, the presence of these residues within fields poses safety risks to soil quality, sensitive crops in subsequent rotations, agricultural product quality, and the ecological environment. This review presents a comprehensive review on the mechanisms of action, application risks, ecotoxicology, and residue analysis methods of nine representative persistent herbicides (namely, atrazine, imazethapyr, imazapic, mesosulfuron-methyl, halosulfuron-methyl, fomesafen, diflufenican, quinclorac, and pyroxasulfone). The objective is to guide their scientific and rational utilization in agricultural practices while minimizing phytotoxicity risks and effectively monitoring and controlling soil pollution. These can not only provide practical recommendations for mitigating potential plant toxicity and ecological environmental risks but also contribute valuable technical insights for efficient soil pollution monitoring and prevention. Additionally, unaddressed research objectives were also anticipated.

Source to risk receptor transport and spatial hotspots of heavy metals pollution in peri-urban agricultural soils of the largest megacity in China

The traditional concentration-based health risk assessment of heavy metal (HMs) pollution in soil has often overlooked the initial loading and toxicity differences of HMs from various sources. This oversight hinders effective identification of the risky source, complicating precise risk management of soil HMs pollution. This study applied a source-oriented health risk assessment framework that integrates source profiling, exposure risk assessment, and spatial cluster analysis. Taking the Shanghai City, the largest megacity in China as a case, the findings revealed that overall environmental quality of peri-urban agricultural soil in Shanghai remains good, though 3.03 % of Cd concentrations exceeded the national reference standards. Industrial & traffic activities, primarily contributing Hg, Cd, and Pb, accounted for the highest proportion (44.3 %) of total metal concentrations and posed the greatest non-cancer risk (54.6 % for children and 53.1 % for adults). Notably, natural activities, mainly contributing Cr, ranked only third in concentration contribution (26.55 %) but induced the highest cancer risk (58.55 % for children and 57.08 % for adults). These findings suggest that sources with lower concentration contributions may still pose significant health risk. Integrating source apportionment with health risk assessment can more precisely identify the risky source and target areas for mitigating the human health hazards.

Combining SiO2 NPs with biochar: a novel composite for enhanced cadmium removal from wastewater and alleviation of soil cadmium stress.

Cadmium (Cd) pollution in water and soil seriously threatens human health. Biochar and nanomaterials have high potential for solving the cadmium pollution problem due to their abundant pores and high specific surface area. Here, the preparation of the composite material SiO2NPs@BC (SBC) using SiO2 NPs (SN) and silkworm excrement biochar (BC) is described, along with its application in the remediation of cadmium-contaminated water and soil. Characterization experiments (SEM&EDS, BET, FTIR, XRD, and XPS) demonstrated that SiO2NPs@BC has a high specific surface area (46.5767m2/g), a well-developed pore structure (0.608375cm3/g), and abundant surface functional groups (Si-C, Si-O, Si-O-Si), providing active sites for the adsorption of Cd. Batch adsorption experiments in water showed that the adsorption capacity of SBC is higher than that of biochar (BC) and SN, with a maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity of 141.99mg/g. After five adsorption cycles, the removal rate of SBC was 73.04%, significantly higher than the 64.97% obtained for BC. The application of SBC not only improved the soil physicochemical properties by increasing the soil pH, the cation exchange capacity, and the soil organic matter content but also by reducing the amount of DTPA-Cd (24.6%) and the plant bioconcentration factor (28.28%) in the soil, converting Cd into more stable fractions (Red-Cd, Ox-Cd). Based on the results, SBC can effectively reduce Cd pollution.

Phosphorus mitigates the adverse effects of microplastics pollution on wheat and maize: Impacts on growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant defense

Microplastics (MP) pollution in agricultural soils has become an important environmental problem. Phosphorus (P) is a key nutrient for plant growth. P fertilizers are mainly applied to agricultural fields to achieve the high production expected by farmers. The experiment included two MP levels (0, 1 % w/w) and two P levels (0 mg kg−1, 200 mg kg−1) in order to know whether MP effects on wheat and maize are regulated by supplemental P supply. MP decreased plant height, photosynthetic pigment, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, while increased ROS and MDA contents. Wheat and maize exhibited distinct strategies in mitigating growth damage caused by MP pollution: wheat primarily increased the AsA contents, while maize predominantly enhanced APX activity. P supply alleviated the MP pollution effect by improving photosynthetic pigments, POD, and PPO activity in wheat and maize. P supply alleviated the MP pollution effect by improving antioxidant enzyme activities in the AsA-GSH cycling in wheat, while increasing non-enzymatic antioxidant contents in the AsA-GSH cycling in maize. The results showed that wheat and maize resisted MP pollution by different mechanisms, and P supply reduced the sensitivity of wheat and maize to MP pollution and its regulatory effect on wheat was better than that on maize. SynopsisThe response of different plants under the same microplastic and phosphorus conditions is limited. We find phosphorus alleviates microplastics pollution on wheat and maize through different regulatory routes.

Driving factors of the distribution of microplastics in the surface soil of the typical uninhabited and habited areas in the Qinghai–Tibet plateau, China

Microplastics (MPs) are widely detected in the soil of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau with increasing economic activities. However, studies concerning the driving factors affecting the presence of these surface soil MPs for the typical regions with different geographic conditions are still lacking. Here we chose three representative regions (Ali, Yushu, and Haixi) from east to west across the plateau to investigate the distribution and further explore the contributing factors of surface soil MPs. The Spearman rank correlation, Geodetector, Random Forest Regression and Principal Component Analysis were used to unveil how the driving factors influence MPs distribution across the plateau. The results revealed that the MPs abundance, type, size, color and polymer across the Ali, Yushu, and Haixi were different. Microplastic abundance was inversely correlated with the distance from roads and residential areas, but was positively related to precipitation. Moreover, traffic elements were the primary source of MPs pollution in the Ali and Yushu but residential activities were the leading source of MPs contamination in the Haixi. Besides, backward trajectory simulations suggested that atmospheric transport may also contribute to the presence of soil MPs in the representative regions. These results further indicated that different regions may require different measures for controlling MPs pollution in surface soil. This study provides new insights into the distribution and source of MPs and further offers valuable methodology for future research aimed at uncover driving factors contributing MPs pollution across different regions with various geographical conditions.

Nanomaterials For Environmental Remediation: Advances In Water, Air, And Soil Pollution Mitigation

Nanomaterials For Environmental Remediation: Advances In Water, Air, And Soil Pollution Mitigation

Microplastic contamination and earthworms: Current trends and research needs

Abstract Microplastic pollution in agricultural soils is a growing global concern that demands an urgent understanding of its effects on soil function and ecosystem services. Soil-dwelling earthworms exhibit strong subsoil bioturbation, which contributes to processes associated with many ecosystem services such as water regulation, nutrient cycling, biomass production, pollution control and remediation, among others. This functional association between earthworms and soil has made these organisms suitable candidates for assessing microplastic pollution in agricultural soils. However, based on the literature systematically reviewed here, current knowledge of microplastic toxicity in earthworms mainly derives from a recurrent methodological pattern, which implies lab-scale standardised toxicity testing. Eisenia fetida and E. andrei have been the model earthworm species (86% of screened publications), leading to the risk of biased data. Additionally, the ecological characteristics of Eisenia spp. raise uncertainties about the environmental and agronomic meaning of microplastic toxicity testing outcomes. These species are absent in agricultural lands and inhabit the soil surface, avoiding the ingestion of mineral soil. Accordingly, a more environmentally realistic assessment of microplastic pollution is needed, which involves field soil, native earthworm species as possible and aged microplastics from the environment. This review identifies specific knowledge gaps regarding the use of Eisenia species in the environmental risk assessment of microplastic pollution, and suggests moving ecotoxicity assessment towards a retrospective approach, which involves complex setups (field-simulated and ex-situ microcosms) and microplastic interactions with biomolecules and other environmental contaminants (e.g. protein corona and eco-corona) that may modulate microplastic toxicity.

Soil and water pollution and cardiovascular disease.

Healthy, uncontaminated soils and clean water support all life on Earth and are essential for human health. Chemical pollution of soil, water, air and food is a major environmental threat, leading to an estimated 9 million premature deaths worldwide. The Global Burden of Disease study estimated that pollution was responsible for 5.5 million deaths related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 2019. Robust evidence has linked multiple pollutants, including heavy metals, pesticides, dioxins and toxic synthetic chemicals, with increased risk of CVD, and some reports suggest an association between microplastic and nanoplastic particles and CVD. Pollutants in soil diminish its capacity to produce food, leading to crop impurities, malnutrition and disease, andthey can seep into rivers, worsening water pollution. Deforestation, wildfires and climate change exacerbate pollution by triggering soil erosion and releasing sequestered pollutants into the air and water. Despite their varied chemical makeup, pollutants induce CVD through common pathophysiological mechanisms involving oxidative stress and inflammation. In this Review, we provide an overview of the relationship between soil and water pollution and human health and pathology, and discuss the prevalence of soil and water pollutants and how they contribute to adverse health effects, focusing on CVD.

Exploring rural futures through spatial‐temporal migration balance changes in a North‐Caucasian rural basin

AbstractA better understanding of spatial‐temporal demographic changes in rural regions can contribute to envision potential rural futures and improve regional planning. This research aimed to analyse the migration balance and its spatial‐temporal changes in a rural basin in the Russian Federation's North Caucasus District. The basin was divided into water functional zones to examine the environmental conditions and relate them to possible future anthropogenic pressures and threats to population well‐being. Two migration balance indicators (on total population and working‐age sector) were calculated in settlements to classify them as attractors, expellers or stable population entities in two census data (2014 and 2020). The spatial‐temporal changes were assessed by testing two hypotheses: one related to population concentration and rural depopulation trends; the other focused on working‐age migration and workforce availability. Moreover, a foresight tool employed migration balance indicators in 2020 to explore population trends and possible trajectories. Findings revealed that in this rural basin, a small number of settlements served as attractors in the upper functional zone where two urban centres are found, potentially intensifying soil erosion and pollution. In the middle and lower functional zones, most rural and small urban settlements showed unfavored migration balances, leading to population and workforce decline. Negative environmental factors like declining water quality and increased wind erosion could worsen this trend. The migration challenges by functional zones highlight the growing regional disparities. The combination of spatial demography with the basin approach provided improved information to foster collaboration in a shared basin and effectively address undesirable rural outcomes at regional level.

A framework integrating affinity propagation algorithm and spatial bivariate analysis for enhanced identification and localisation of soil heavy metals pollution sources.

The accurate identification of pollutant sources and their spatial distribution is crucial for mitigating soil heavy metals (SHMs) pollution. However, the receptor model struggles to effectively categorize pollutant sources and pinpoint their locations and dispersion trends. We propose a novel comprehensive framework that combines a receptor model, random forest (RF), affinity propagation (AP) algorithm, and bivariate local indicator of spatial association (BLISA), to optimize the traditional approach for tracing SHMs sources in industrial regions. We apportioned SHMs sources using a receptor model combined with RF, while BLISA combined with AP methods were employed to accurately locate the source areas and identify their dispersion tendencies. The results revealed that SHMs originated from mixed sources of equipment manufacturing agglomeration and agricultural activities (59.0%), geological background (30.5%), and emissions from heavily-polluting industries (10.5%). The pollution sources of soil Cd and Pb were located near specific industries, showing characteristics of multi-site concurrent pollution diffusion influenced by their proximity to industrial sites. The spatial distribution of Cr, Cu, and Zn sources was concentrated in high-density urban industrial areas, transitioning from point to nonpoint sources, with diffusion patterns influenced by the spatial agglomeration effect of industries. Our enhanced framework accurately identifies the location of SHMs sources and their dispersion tendencies, thereby improving regional soil pollution management.

Assessment of soil pollution with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Ulan-Ude

: For the first time, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) contamination of the soil cover of Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Republic of Buryatia, was studied. The content of 16 individual polyarenes was analyzed in the upper horizon of background chestnut and urban soils, sampled during soil and geochemical survey in July–August 2022. The average concentration of total PAHs in the soil cover of Ulan-Ude was 735 ng/g, which was 8 times as much as the concentration in the background soils (87 ng/g). The PAH amount in the soil of various functional zones decrease in the following order: railway transport > motor traffic > industrial > one-story residential > multi-story residential > recreational. At the same time, the amount of PAHs in the railway transport zone was 2.6–5.2 times higher than in other functional zones, which indicates that railway transport is the most powerful source of PAHs in the city. Contamination of soils with polyarenes in all functional zones is determined primarily by medium- (46%) and high-molecular-weight (41%) compounds. Among PAHs with low molecular weight, phenanthrene prevailed (9% of the total PAHs), but medium-molecular-weight fluoranthene (18%) and pyrene (13%) showed higher share; high-molecular-weight compounds dominated by benzo(ghi)perylene (12%), benzo(b)fluoranthene (10%), indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (8%) and benzo(a)pyrene (6%). The total amount of 16 PAHs in the soil cover of the city varied within the range of 17–9 540 ng/g. The highest levels of pollution (3 226–9 540 ng/g) were recorded at 9 sampling points (4% of the city), which form the most contrasting local PAH anomalies. In more than half of the territory of Ulan-Ude, the total amount of PAHs did not exceed 500 ng/g. The indicator ratios of individual PAHs made it possible to determine the dominant types of sources, which include railway transport and coal combustion. The contribution to the environmental hazard of soil contamination with PAHs in Ulan-Ude was mainly made by benzo(a)pyrene (64%) and, to a lesser extent, by benzo(b)fluoranthene (9.6%), indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (7.2%), dibenzo(ah)anthracene (6.5%) and benzo(a)anthracene (6.1%).

The combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastic and arsenate: From the view of biochemical process in wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum L.)

Microplastics (MPs) are important carriers of various toxic metals and can alter their toxicity pattern in agricultural soil, leading to combined pollution, therefore posing new challenges to soil pollution management and environmental risk assessment. In this study, we observed the internalization of MPs in plants and conducted incubation experiments to evaluated the effects of arsenate (As(V)) alone and in combination with polystyrene (PS) MPs on wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum L.). Under As(V) alone and combined with PS-MP exposure, dose-dependent toxicity in terms of root and stem elongation and biomass accumulation was observed. Compared with As(V) alone, the presence of PS-MPs reduced the accumulation of As in wheat roots by 11.43–58.91%, but PS-MPs intensified the transport of As to the aboveground parts of wheat, increasing As accumulation in wheat stems by 27.77–1011.54%. This causes more serious mechanical damage and oxidative stress to plant cells, increasing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation in wheat roots and upregulating the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD). In addition, the co-exposure of As(V) and PS-MPs disrupts the photosynthetic system of wheat leaves and the secretion activities of roots. Therefore, the combination of As(V) and PS-MPs caused greater damage to wheat growth. Our findings contribute to a more comprehensive assessment of the combined toxicity of MPs and heavy metal to crops.

Possibility of using industrial by-product combinations to remediate cadmium and arsenic contaminated soil

It is inevitable to produce by-products in industrial and mining production, and how to deal with these by-products has become a major environmental issue. Meanwhile, many studies have shown that applying soil amendments is a feasible measure for effectively controlling soil pollution. Finding low-cost and efficient soil passivators is an effective way to safely utilize polluted soil. This article provides a method of “treating contamination with waste”. Through spinach pot experiments, different proportions and doses of granite powder (A, quarry waste), market purchased conditioner (B), “granite powder+iron sulfate mineral (titanium powder industrial waste)” (C), and “granite powder+iron sulfate mineral+market purchased conditioner” (CB) were used to treat soil co-contaminated with cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As). The results indicate that amendments affect the available Cd and As in soil by changing soil pH and cation exchange capacity. The amendment of A, B, C, and CB all has remarkable reduction rates of soil available Cd at 65.48 %, 57.02 %, 61.37 %, and 43.15 %, respectively, compared to the control. Both A and B increase the available As content in the soil and the As content in spinach. However, both C and CB reduced the available As content in the soil by 60.32 % and 12.48 %. CB treatment could simultaneously reduce the accumulation of Cd and As in spinach, increase chlorophyll content, and promote spinach growth. It was worth noting that the 3 % CB treatment has the best effect, with Cd and As content in spinach stems and leaves decreasing by 51.13 % - 69.62 % and 35.46 % - 59.53 %, respectively, and the repair cost being as low as 76.5 $ ton−1. Therefore, the combined application of granite powder, market purchased conditioner, and iron sulfate minerals for the remediation of Cd and As co-polluted soil was a cost-effective and environmentally friendly technology. However, applying these soil composite amendments also requires attention to adjusting with the soil type and with pollution type, which we are currently studying.