Untreated Industrial Effluents Research Articles

Impact of Metal-Containing Industrial Effluents on Leafy Vegetables and Associated Human Health Risk

One of the primary sources of trace elements in the environment is wastewater used for irrigation. However, the effects of untreated wastewater containing high concentrations of chromium and zinc on vegetables and the potential human health risks associated with their consumption are poorly understood. This pot experiment aimed to address this research gap. The accumulation of chromium and zinc and their effect on the biochemical parameters of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and green onion (Allium fistulosum L.) irrigated with untreated industrial effluents were assessed. The average concentrations of chromium and zinc in the edible parts of the vegetables ranged between 7.36 and 7.58 mg/kg dry weight and 59.8 and 833 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. The irrigation of the lettuce with the effluent containing zinc at a concentration of 2.95 mg/L led to a significant increase in the content of phenols and the antioxidant activity. A significant reduction in the chlorophyll content of the lettuce leaves and the antioxidant activity of the onion leaves was observed when the plants were irrigated with the effluent containing zinc at a concentration of 78 mg/L. No non-carcinogenic health risk from the intake of chromium and zinc was identified through the consumption of lettuce and green onion, primarily due to the fact that a smaller proportion of the total metal content was transferred to their edible parts.

Performance of zero-valent iron immobilized on activated carbon cloth for the removal of phenol from wastewater

BackgroundDischarge of large amounts of untreated industrial effluent into water bodies pose significant environmental challenges worldwide. This is due to the limitations of traditional wastewater treatment methods in the treatment of recalcitrant organic pollutants. Fenton processes involves the generation of hydroxyl radicals that are well suited to degrade organics in effluent water. This study focuses on reducing slag generation during Fenton processes and enhancing the reuse of nano-zero-valent iron (NZVI) through the immobilization of NZVI on activated carbon cloth (ACC) through a chitosan (CH) linker with phenol as a model pollutant.ResultsMicrostructural and spectroscopic techniques were employed to study the materials prepared and 37.5 wt% iron loading was achieved. Phenol degradation of 96.3% at 40 °C at pH of 3.0 with 50 mM H2O2 was achieved using ACC-CH-NZVI. Adsorption and degradation studies carried out using ACC-CH-NZVI catalyst revealed that phenol adsorption onto ACC-CH-NZVI fits the Langmuir isotherm model, following the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and first-order reaction kinetics. Thermodynamic studies indicate the non-spontaneous, endothermic and irreversible nature of the removal process. Comparing ACC-CH-NZVI with ACC and ACC-CH, phenol removal using ACC drops from 87.8 to 39%, while using ACC-CH, the removal efficiency drops from 73 to 20.9% and using ACC-CH-NZVI, phenol removal drops from 96.3 to about 70% and total organic carbon removal drops from 79 to about 60% with minimal iron leaching, highlighting the superior performance of ACC-CH-ZVI and the role of NZVI in enhancing phenol removal.ConclusionsThe catalyst demonstrated good stability for phenol degradation to about 70% phenol removal from simulated wastewater and 60% TOC removal from industrial wastewater after five treatment cycles with minimal Fe leaching.Graphical abstract

Deciphering Indigenous Bacterial Diversity of Co-Polluted Sites to Unravel Its Bioremediation Potential: A Metagenomic Approach.

Polluted drains across the globe are affected due to reckless disposal of untreated industrial effluents resulting in significant water pollution affecting microbial community structure/dynamics. To elucidate this, polluted samples were collected from Budha Nala (BN) drain, Tung Dhab (TD) drain, and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) receiving an inflow of organic pollutants as well as heavy metals due to anthropogenic activities. The sample of unpolluted pristine soil (PS) was used as control, as there is no history of usage of organic chemicals at this site. The bacterial diversity of these samples was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform by amplifying the V3/V4 region of 16S rRNA. The majority of operational taxonomic unit (OTUs) at polluted sites belonged to phyla Proteobacteria specifically Gammaproteobacteria class, followed by Actinobacteria, Bacteriodetes, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Planctomycetes, WS6, and TM7, whereas unpolluted site revealed the prevalence of Proteobacteria followed by Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Firmicutes, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Nitrospirae. The data sets decode unclassified species of the phyla Proteobacteria, Bacteriodetes, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, and WS6, along with some unclassified bacterial species. The study provided a comparative study of changed microbial community structure, their possible functions across diverse geographical locations, and identifying specific bacterial genera as pollution bio-indicators of aged polluted drains.

Removal of Lead Using Novel Composite Synthesized from Rice Husk and Used Tea Leaves Extract

Untreated industrial effluents, particularly from tanneries and heavy industries, are the main source of heavy metal pollution, which poses serious environmental risks. Lead is one of the most toxic heavy metals, adversely affects human functioning and accumulates in the environment. This study presents ACUTLaqE (Activated Carbon-Used Tea Leaves Aqueous Extract) as an effective adsorbent for Pb2+ ion removal from their aqueous solution. The composite was synthesized by blending activated carbon from rice husks with a tea extract solution and characterized using SEM, XRD, and FTIR spectroscopy. Batch tests demonstrated that ACUTLaqE is highly efficient, removing about 99% of Pb2+ ions at an adsorbent dose of 2 g/L within 30 minutes. The adsorption data conformed well to the Langmuir isotherm model, suggesting a homogeneous monolayer formation on the composite surface. The qm was 38.61 mg/g, with an RL value close to 0, indicating highly favourable adsorption. Thermodynamic parameters showed negative Gibbs free energy (ΔG⁰) values, reflecting a spontaneous adsorption process. The enthalpy (ΔH⁰) and entropy (ΔS⁰) changes were 66.86 KJmol-1 and 257.12 JK-1mol-1, respectively. The adsorption mechanism involved electrostatic interactions and surface complexation with the composite's hydroxyl and carboxyl groups. These findings suggest that ACUTLaqE is a promising adsorbent material for Pb2+ and potentially other heavy metals removal from industrial effluents.

Mechanisms of Toxicity of Heavy Metals and the Microbial Strategies for their Mitigation: A Review

Heavy metals toxicity is a major concern worldwide, especially in areas where untreated industrial effluents are released in the environment. Most important heavy metals in this context are arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, cobalt, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium and zinc. Some of these are also essential trace elements and play crucial roles in different biological processes. Exposure to high concentration of heavy metals is hazardous for life and can lead to various medical conditions including different types of cancers. The remediation strategies to treat these contaminants involve physical, chemical as well as biological techniques, the latter of which is considered most environment friendly and inexpensive. Bioremediation is the process of removal and detoxification of toxic pollutants using microorganisms. Many microorganisms have evolved different strategies to resist and detoxify such heavy metals. This may include excluding the metals out of the cell, binding of the metals to metal binding proteins to sequester it, conversion of metals into less or non-toxic form by enzymes and alternation of cell components to reduce metal sensitivity. Different genes and proteins are involved in these processes which can be explored for biotechnological interventions and practical applications of bioremediation. This review article discusses the mechanisms of heavy metals’ toxicity, different remediation technologies available, and the various strategies that microorganisms employ to detoxify them.

Bioaugmentation with Advenella kashmirensis for the treatment of a kraft pulp effluent by aerated lagoon

Brazil is considered a world leader in paper production. It is estimated that the sector contributes 46.5% of the national gross domestic product, and its effluents have high concentrations of organic matter and recalcitrant compounds which can cause coloration and ecotoxicity, generating impact if not properly treated. A potential strategy for the treatment of this wastewater is bioaugmentation with native bacteria isolated from the industrial sludge and effluent, which, due to their potential metabolism adapted to adverse environmental conditions, may favor the removal of specific compounds. When associated with immobilization techniques, the inoculum can develop as a biofilm adhered to a support medium, which provides surfaces for adhesion, growth and survival of bacteria. We therefore investigated the treatment of Kraft pulp effluent by bioaugmentation with the autochthonous bacterium Advenella kashmirensis both immobilized in a spongy support medium - Aqua Porous Gel (APG) - and in free-swimming (planktonic) form, denominated Phase I and II, respectively. The investigation was performed in a bench-scale aerated lagoon system with untreated industrial effluent. The effect of the use of bacteria in bioaugmentation was assessed by the removal parameters of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Color, Total Phenolic Compounds (TPC) and Lignin Compounds (LC). The results indicate that both Phases I and II were efficient for the treatment of COD, BOD5 and color parameters. However, the biofilm form provided better stability to the biological system in the treatment of the Kraft pulp effluent.
 Keywords: adhered, kraft effluent, SEM, suspended solids.

Assessment of surface water quality in a highly anthropised semi-arid catchment (Case of Wadi El Hatab Basin, Tunisia, North Africa)

Anthropogenic contamination of surface waters is a critical issue in urbanised catchments, especially in Mediterranean environments with scarce water resources and intermittent rivers. A combined hydro-geochemical and multivariate statistical methodology has been applied to evaluate the surface water quality of Wadi El Hatab catchment (Central Tunisia). More than half of the 28 samples collected in March 2021 exceeded WHO standards for sodium, chloride and sulphate contents. Most polluted sites are directly influenced by domestic and industrial effluents that contaminate the river for kilometers. Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Ascendant Classification distinguished four contamination sources: water-rock interaction, domestic wastewater, untreated industrial effluents mainly from paper mills and irrigation return. A Water Quality Index model indicated that 75% of the surface water was unsuitable for drinking purposes; while according to chemical indices such as saturation index, sodium absorption coefficient (SAR), magnesium ratio (MR) and percent sodium (%Na), 25 to 49% of samples were unsuitable for irrigation. Considering that water of Wadi El Hatab is used for vegetable irrigation, serious public health issues may arise. The investigation demonstrated that a single representative sampling campaign could be a useful way to identify contamination sources when interpreted with both statistical and geochemical tools.

Assessment of Industrial Wastewater on Environment and Human Health in Nigeria: Effects and Treatments

This paper aims to examines the environmental and health impacts of untreated industrial wastewater effluents in Nigeria. Industrial wastewater is frequently dumped into the environment in underdeveloped nations such as Nigeria with minimal or no treatment, resulting in serious environmental and health issues. Untreated or improperly treated effluents degrade water bodies by promoting eutrophication and creating circumstances conducive to dangerous microorganisms and toxin-producing cyanobacteria. This poses a risk to relaxation center water users and may result in epidemics of water-borne infections. Furthermore, wastewater frequently contains toxic anthropogenic substances, including those that alter endocrine systems. To counteract these effects, it is critical to develop proper wastewater treatment techniques, follow regulations, and conduct regular monitoring.

RETRACTED: Exploring Groundwater Quality Assessment: A Geostatistical and Integrated Water Quality Indices Perspective

Groundwater is an important source of freshwater. At the same time, anthropogenic activities, in particular, industrialization, urbanization, population growth, and excessive application of fertilizers, are some of the major reasons for groundwater quality deterioration. Therefore, the present study is conducted to evaluate groundwater quality by using integrated water quality indices and a geospatial approach to identify the different water quality zones and propose management strategies for the improvement of groundwater quality. Groundwater quality was evaluated through the physicochemical parameters (pH, chloride (Cl−), fluoride(F−), iron (Fe−2), nitrate (NO3−1), nitrite (NO2), arsenic (As), total hardness, bicarbonate (HCO3−), calcium (Ca+2), magnesium (Mg+2), color, taste, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS)) and microbiological parameters including total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and Escherichia coli of samples collected from the water and sanitation agency (WASA) and urban units. Irrigation parameters crucial to the assessment, including (electrical conductivity (EC), residual sodium carbonates (RSC), and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR)), were also collected at more than 1100 sites within the study area of upper and central Punjab. After collecting the data of physicochemical parameters, the analysis of data was initiated to compute the water quality index for groundwater quality, a four-step protocol in which the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to determine the weights of selected parameters by generating a pairwise matrix, on the relative importance of parameters using the Satty scale. The index was then classified into five classes for quality assessment of drinking water (excellent, good, medium, bad, and very bad) and four classes for irrigation water quality assessment (excellent, good, permissible, and unsuitable). After computing the index values for drinking as well as irrigation purposes, the values were interpolated, and various maps were developed to identify the status of groundwater quality in different zones of the study area. Mitigation strategies for water pollution involve source control, such as monitoring industrial discharge points and managing waste properly. Additionally, treating wastewater through primary, secondary, or tertiary stages significantly improves water quality, reducing contaminants like heavy metals, microbiological agents, and chemical ions, safeguarding water resources. The findings highlight significant regional variations in water quality issues, with heavy metal concerns concentrated notably in Lahore and widespread emerging microbiological contamination across all studied divisions. This suggests a systemic problem linked to untreated industrial effluents and poorly managed sewerage systems. The computed indices for the Lahore, Sargodha, and Rawalpindi divisions indicate water quality ranging from marginal to unfit, underscoring the urgency for remediation. Conversely, other divisions fall within a medium class, potentially suitable for drinking purposes. Notably, microbiological contamination at 27% poses a major challenge for water supply agencies, emphasizing the critical need for pre-disposal primary, secondary, and tertiary treatments. These treatments could potentially rehabilitate 9%, 35%, and 41% of the study area, respectively, pointing toward tangible, scalable solutions critical for safeguarding broader water resources and public health. With the current pace of water quality deterioration, access to drinking water is a major problem for the public. The government should prioritize implementing strict monitoring mechanisms for industrial effluent discharge, emphasizing proper waste management to curb groundwater contamination. Establishing comprehensive pre-disposal treatments, especially primary, secondary, and tertiary stages, is imperative to address the prevalent heavy metal and microbiological issues, potentially rehabilitating up to 41% of affected areas. Additionally, creating proactive policies and allocating resources for sustainable groundwater management are crucial steps for ensuring broader water resource security and public health in the face of deteriorating water quality. Therefore, urgent regional action is needed to address escalating anthropogenic threats to groundwater, emphasizing the crucial need for proactive measures to safeguard public health and ensure sustainable water resources.

Effect of Vegetable Oil Mill Effluents on Physiological Properties of Brassica compestris L. Seeds

Industrialization has made our day-to-day life easier and is also a key determinant of the economic growth of any nation. But on the dark side, industries are also known to cause almost all types of pollution including soil, air, and water pollution. Untreated industrial effluents when discharged in agricultural fields affect overall crop production. OME is believed to induce a phytotoxic effect on seed germination and overall plant growth. This paper aims to test the toxicity of soybean and mustard oil mill effluents and their impact on the Vitality Index, Seed Vigour Index, and Tolerance Index of seeds of Brassica compestris L. The study was conducted during July 2020 - June 2022. Two sets of experiments were settled, one for mustard OME and another for soybean OME. Various concentrations of OME were prepared; 0% oil mill effluent (tap water),10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% OME (not diluted). Treatment with tap water was treated as a control. A germination test with 10 seeds mounted on moist filter paper was conducted in an incubator at a temperature of 23°C. Seed vitality index, Seed vigour index, Tolerance index, and Phyto-toxicity were calculated with standard methods. Vitality index (VI) decreases to almost 1/5 with increasing OME concentration as compared to control (without OME) with both the OME. Up to 10% OME concentration in both cases there is almost no negative impact, but after that soybean OME concentration shows more negative effect on the seed vigour index. The tolerance index (TI) was reduced to almost 50% with increasing OME concentration from 0% (water) to 100% in both treatments. Toxicity is more pronounced with soybean OME during the early germination period but later it shows that toxicity increases with increasing OME concentration with both the OME. It can be concluded that higher concentrations of vegetable oil mill effluent negatively affect seed vitality, vigour and this may be due to reduced tolerance and increased toxicity with higher concentrations of OME. All these parameters under study have a significantly high correlation with the concentration of OME.

Cascading effects of trace metals enrichment on phytoplankton communities of the River Ganga in South Asia

Globally freshwater ecosystems and associated biota including phytoplankton communities are at extreme risk from trace metal pollution originating from geogenic as well as from anthropogenic sources such as release of untreated industrial effluents. In the present study influence of iron- and arsenic-enrichments on structure and metabolism of phytoplankton communities of River Ganga, one of the largest rivers of South Asia, was assessed under laboratory-based microcosm experiments. Surface water samples were collected and subsequently enriched with higher than recommended concentrations of iron (10 mg/L) and arsenic (10 μg/L). The set-up comprised of nine containers of 25 L volume with three containers each for iron- and arsenic-enrichment and was maintained for 30 days. Trace metal enrichment rapidly changed the phytoplankton community structure and chemistry of nutrients uptake. Iron-enrichment prompted diatom blooms comprising of Thalassiosira, succeeded by green algae Coelastrum. Arsenic-enrichment maintained cyanobacteria for longer time-spans compared to the control and iron-enriched containers but significantly lesser abundance of diatoms. Variations in community composition was also reflected in nutrient uptake rates with silicate release in the arsenic-enriched containers at the end of the experiment. Changes in macronutrient dynamics also altered genus growth rates wherein both iron- and arsenic appeared to lower the death rate of Thalassosira but stimulated growth of other genera including Skeletonema and Pandorina. Iron appeared to influence lesser number of genera compared to arsenic which altered growth rates of both diatoms and green algae. This consequently influenced the gross primary productivity values which lowered both in the iron- and arsenic-enriched containers compared to the control owing to decrease in phytoplankton diversity. Iron appeared to drive phytoplankton communities toward a less general and more specialized composition with high abundance of selective species comprising of small diatoms such as Thalassiosira, whereas arsenic appears to select for green algal enrichment in freshwater ecosystems.

Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Sediment of Selected Creeks in Rivers State, Nigeria

There has been much concern about the rate at which industrial and household wastes are released into Creeks in Rivers State. The study examined the status of heavy metal pollutants (Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb, and Ni) in sediment and to determine the extent of damage caused by these human factors using the most recent pollution index and Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). The research was carried out in four important creeks along the Delta River network in Rivers State, Nigeria (Okrika, Borokiri, Eagle Island, and Kaa). Triplicate sediment samples were collected at a depth of 0-20 cm and extracted with 20cm3 of aqua ragia (a 3:1 mixture of HCl and HNO3) and 10cm3 of 30% H2O2. The metal concentrations were measured using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The concentrations of the heavy metals ranged from 11.147–18.919mg/kg, 11.918–14.379mg/kg, 8.321–11.691 mg/kg, 6.405–11.72mg/kg, and 5.718–12.125mg/kg, and 2.429-7.725mg/kg respectively and followed the sequence Zn > Pb > Cr > Ni >Cu > Cd. Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo) calculated was less than 0 i.e. uncontaminated for all metals except Pb in Borokiri Creek and Cd in all sampled creeks, showing moderate contamination. Eco-toxicological risk assessment (RI) indicated that the creeks were uncontaminated. Despite the low level of contamination, it is recommended that relevant authorities to regulate the indiscriminate dumping of domestic waste and untreated industrial effluents into the river to prevent the deterioration of the creeks

Bacterial nanocellulose and its application in heavy metals and dyes removal: a review.

This review discusses the application of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) and modified BNC in treating wastewater containing heavy metals and dye contaminants. It also highlights the challenges and future perspectives of BNC and its composites. Untreated industrial effluents containing toxic heavy metals are systematically discharged into public waters. In particular, lead (Pb), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and arsenic (As) are very harmful to human health and, in some cases, may lead to death. Several methods such as chemical precipitation, ion exchange, membrane filtration, coagulation, and Fenton oxidation are used to remove these heavy metals from the environment. However, these methods involve the use of numerous chemicals whilst producing high amount of toxic sludge. Meanwhile, the development of the adsorption-based technique has provided an alternative way of treating wastewater using BNC. Bacterial nanocellulose requires less energy for purification and has higher purity than plant cellulose. In general, the optimum growth parameters are crucial in BNC production. Even though native BNC can be used for the removal of heavy metals and dyes, the incorporation of other materials, such as polyethyleneimine, graphene oxide, calcium carbonate and polydopamine can improve sorption efficiencies.

Fabrication of para-dimethylamine calix[4]arene functionalized self-assembled graphene oxide composite material for effective removal of 2, 4, 6-tri-Cholorphenol from aqueous environment

Water pollution caused by the release of organic pollutants is a major environmental concern worldwide. These pollutants can have harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems and the organisms living within them, as well as on human health when contaminated water is consumed. It is essential to implement proper treatment and management strategies to prevent and mitigate water pollution. Moreover, the major untreated industrial effluents are synthetic organic compounds especially 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) which cause several environmental issues and heath related problems in humans. To cope with this problem, an excellent 2D porous material based on p-DMAC4/GO composite has been synthesized as adsorbent material for the effective removal of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol pollutant from wastewater. In this regard, the advanced analytical tools such as Fourier-Transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used for its characterization. The results justified the chemical composition, excellent crystalline nature, surface morphology and elemental composition of the synthesized composite material. The synthesized adsorbent material showed 95% adsorption of TCP from wastewater system at optimal conditions i.e., pH (6), adsorbent dosage (30 mg) and shaking time (60 min). The mathematical models such as isotherms, thermodynamics and kinetics studies validate the nature of adsorption process of TCP pollutant. The adsorption data found to be best fitted with Langmuir isotherms (R2 = 0.99); whereas kinetic study suggested the pseudo-second-order nature of reaction with R2 = 0.99. The thermodynamics study confirmed the spontaneous and endothermic nature of the TCP pollutant onto the surface of p-DMAC4/GO material. Moreover, the results of current work were also compared with existing reported adsorbents and data suggested the higher efficiency, feasibility, and reusability of p-DMAC4/GO material to remove the TCP pollutant from the wastewater system.

Study of morphological aspects in the efficient adsorptive removal of heavy metal ions using graphene oxide-chitosan based magnetic nanocomposite (0.4Fe0x:6x@GCS)

A one pot approach is followed to achieve an optimized synthesis of a benign magnetic nano composite and its applicability is explored in alleviation of toxic heavy metal ions from contaminated water. Untreated industrial effluents are among one of the major contributors in escalating the levels of heavy metals in residual water and soil, hence posing a serious threat to the humankind and the environment. With the motive in mind to treat such effluents, we fabricated a magnetic ternary nano-composite (NC) Fe0x:x@GCS (x:x is the concentration of Fe(II): concentration of NaBH4) aiming to reduce the levels of heavy metal ions (Pd, Cd, Cu & Ni) in polluted water. The initial concentration of Fe (II) precursor salt and the dosage of the reducing agent (NaBH4) were tactically adjusted to get desirable morphological and structural features in ultimate magnetic Fe0x:x@GCS NC with profound effect in eliminating the heavy metals ions from waste water. The effects of varying these two factors on the overall removal efficiency of heavy metal ions of the Fe0x:x@GCS are studied and analyzed. XRD, SEM & EDS techniques are used for the study of morphological and structural aspects of the synthesized materials and their comparative analysis. The reaction kinetics of the removal process of Pb(II) ions by the Fe0x:x@GCS NC was found best fitted to pseudo second order kinetics and the reaction isotherm was found better explained by Langmuir isotherm. Mechanistic aspects of the removal process of Pb (II) ions could be explained by XRD analysis of NC before and after the treatment with polluted water. Furthermore, to simulate the real waste water conditions, a mixture containing Pb (II), Cd (II), Ni (II) and Cu (II) heavy metal ions was also treated with NC which exhibited the removal efficiency of >99% .

Geospatial Visualization and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Rice Soil of a Newly Developed Industrial Zone in Bangladesh

With rapid industrialization in Gazipur areas of Bangladesh, untreated industrial effluents have been polluting rice soils which could exert potential ecological risk. Therefore, four different types of industries including chemical (SL), textile and paints (MIX), dyeing (CK), and sweater and dyeing (RD) were selected to monitor the intensity of heavy metal pollution in rice soils and ecological risk assessment. The di-acid digestion method was used for the determination of Pd, Cd, and Ni, and the DTPA extraction method was used for Fe, Zn, and Cu. ArcGIS was used to visualize the spatial patterns of heavy metal pollution, and different pollution indices were calculated to assess the ecological risk. The highest concentration (mg kg−1) of Cd (0.72), Pb (104.20), and Ni (5.02) was found in soils of the MIX industrial area. The highest concentration (mg kg−1) of Fe (147.65) and Zn (11.27) was found in the SL industry, while the highest Cu (7.67) was found in the CK industry. It was evident from the spatial distribution that the soils of paddy fields adjacent to the different industries are more contaminated than background soil. Although the potential ecological risk of heavy metal was low, different pollution indices indicated low to high pollution. Thus, the adjacent rice field soil of different industries is being contaminated by different heavy metals which may raise ecological risk.

Development of Bacterial Augmented Floating Treatment Wetlands System (FTWs) for Eco-Friendly Degradation of Malachite Green Dye in Water

Industrial revolution has intensified water pollution due to the indiscriminate discharge of untreated industrial effluents into water bodies, posing a serious threat to the whole ecosystem. Recently, the floating treatment wetlands system (FTWs) technique has been used as one of the most innovative, cost-effective and environment-friendly option for wastewater treatment. The present study is aimed at investigating the Malachite green (MG) dye decolorizing potential of Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) through the development of a bacterial augmented FTWs. To an artificial FTWs, vegetated with E. crassipes and bioaugmented with Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas sp., synthetically prepared MG dye enriched wastewater was added. Among all the treatments developed, floating wetlands treatment T2 (consisting of dye, E. crassipes and Pseudomonas putida) performed the best in decolorizing the dye and in reducing values of electrical conductivity (EC), pH and total dissolved solids (TDS) of the treated water. Bacterial inoculation proved fruitful in assisting the increased MG dye decolorization in partnership with E. crassipes and also helped in aquatic plant growth promotion. MG dye toxicity effects were studied through phytotoxicity assay using FTWs treated water on Pisum sativum seeds, and satisfactory results were obtained. From experimental results, it can be seen that Eichhornia crassipes with bacterial inoculation have a strong ability to degrade and decolorize MG dye in textile effluents. We conclude that the plant-microbial assisted FTWs technique can be a unique approach to remediate the textile dye effluents before their release into water bodies.

Physicochemical properties of wastewater effluents from selected wastewater treatment plants

The majority of garbage that is dumped into the environment is the consequence of industrial activity, and this waste contains toxic and dangerous substances that have properties. Untreated industrial effluents have repeatedly affected the environment and human health. Additionally, the aim of this review is to determine if water treatment conforms to DWAF and USEPA criteria and to evaluate specific wastewater treatment facilities. Additionally, the effluent from companies was assessed after being collected utilizing composite sampling methods. The findings recognized pH, rivers, and industrial activities. This is a warning sign that the water is unsafe, demonstrating that industrial effluents are contributing to a reduction in river water quality. Receiving water near numerous food-processing facilities showed significant reductions after effluent discharge. As a result, when developing mitigation strategies, governments should consider this. Some of these strategies are enforcing the pollution laws that are already in place; setting up treatment facilities; turning industrial waste into biogas; educating the public; starting programs; and passing laws.

Assay on the Impact of Vegetable Oil Mill Effluent on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Brassica compestris L. and Oryza sativa L.

Industries of any country are one of the key determinants of its economic wealth. Industries not only utilize a huge amount of water but also cause soil and water pollution by disposing of untreated industrial effluents in water bodies and agricultural land. The study aimed to test the impact of mustard oil effluent on seed germination and seedling growth of Brassica compestris L. and Oryza sativa L. and to evaluate the scope of industrial effluent as irrigation water. Different parameters like germination percentage, germination index, germination rate, and mean germination time were evaluated with different concentrations of effluent to analyze the impact effluent had on plant growth. The results of the study show that industrial effluents can be used for irrigation only after appropriate dilution, increasing the concentration of effluent in irrigation water can lead to a reduction in macro and micronutrients concentration as well as heavy metal accumulation which results in the inhibition of seed germination. Thus, careful monitoring of the effects of any industrial effluent on any particular crop is a must before its application as the response of crops may vary with single effluent also.

Wastewater-Irrigated Vegetables Are a Significant Source of Heavy Metal Contaminants: Toxicity and Health Risks.

Water contaminated with heavy metals constitutes an important threat. This threat is a real problem with a negative impact in some developing countries where untreated industrial effluents are used for irrigation. The present study examines heavy metals in wastewater-irrigated vegetables (apple gourd, spinach, cauliflower, sponge gourd, and coriander) water, and soil from Chenab Nagar, Chiniot, Pakistan. In particular, the metals quantified were cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and manganese (Mn). Among them, Cr and Co in crops irrigated -wastewater exceeded the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). In contrast, Ni, Cu, Pb, and Mn concentrations were in line with WHO standards. Compared with the limits established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), all the study vegetables presented higher (thus unsafe) concentrations of Cd (0.38 to 1.205 mg/Kg). There were also unsafe concentrations of Cr in coriander, sponge gourd, and cauliflower. Pb was found at an unsafe concentration (0.59 mg/Kg) in cauliflower. Conversely, Ni and Mn concentrations were below the maximum permissible limits by WHO, and FAO in all of the analyzed samples. The contamination load index (CLI) in soil, bioconcentration factor (BCF) in plants, daily intake of metals (DIM), and health risk index (HRI) have also been evaluated to estimate the potential risk to human health in that area. We have found an important risk of transitions of Pb, Cd, Cr, and Co from water/soil to the edible part of the plant. The highest HRI value associated with Cd (6.10-13.85) followed by Cr (1.25-7.67) for all vegetable samples presented them as high health risk metal contaminants. If the issue is not addressed, consumption of wastewater-irrigated vegetables will continue posing a health risk.