Editor’s Choice Articles

Coastal marine areas are threatened by different forms of pollution, among which potentially toxic elements (PTEs) represent a primary hazard. In this study, 16 Mediterranean macroalgae colonizing the upper eulittoral and infralittoral zones were studied for their PTE accumulation capabilities in order to identify possible biomonitors that could replace the use of Posidonia oceanica, a protected species. To achieve this objective, macronutrients (Ca, K, Mg, P, S), micronutrients (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Na, Ni, Si, V, Zn) and non-essential elements (Cd, Pb) were analyzed in the thalli of different algal species, the leaves of P. oceanica and in sediments collected from six sampling sites along the Cilento coast (Campania, Italy), all characterized by different anthropogenic pressures. For sediments, a sequential extraction of PTEs to evaluate their bioavailability profile was also carried out together with the analysis of mineralogical composition, particle size distribution, pH and organic matter content. Macrophytes, belonging to different divisions (six Rhodophyta, four Chlorophyta, six Heterokontophyta, one Embryophyta), are characterized by different PTE concentrations, with a few ones being characterized by an even accumulation response toward the different PTEs. One of these, the brown alga Dictyota spiralis, is able to accumulate PTEs in concentrations similar to P. oceanica and provides more accurate concentration gradients, highlighting clear pollution scenarios that were overlooked using P. oceanica only. Therefore, D. spiralis is a useful PTE biomonitor of coastal marine ecosystems and a suitable replacement for P. oceanica, also featuring the possibility of being employed in active biomonitoring applications. Full article

Nitrogen-based fertilizers represent the most common fertilization tools, particularly used in crop food agriculture, despite the low cost-efficiency and the high negative environmental impact. At present, there is still inadequate information available about the effects of urea on human health; nevertheless, previous studies in animals observed that high urea concentration exposure can damage different tissues, including the brain. In several vertebrates, a crucial factor involved in neuronal cell formation is represented by the gas molecule, nitric oxide (NO), derived from the conversion of arginine to citrulline through the enzymatic activity of nitric oxide synthases (NOS). In zebrafish, three different isoforms of the NOS gene are known: nos1, nos2a, and nos2b. In the present study we show that nos1 represents the unique isoform with a stable high expression in the brain and spinal cord during all the embryonic stages of zebrafish development. Then, by using a specific transgenic zebrafish line, Tg(HuC:GFP), to mark neuronal cells, we observed nos1 to be specifically expressed in neurons. Interestingly, we observed that urea exposure at sub-lethal doses affected cell proliferation and the number of nos1-expressing cells, inducing apoptosis. Consistently, brain NO levels were observed to be reduced in urea-treated animals compared to untreated ones. This finding represents the first evidence that urea exposure affects the expression of a key gene involved in neuronal cell formation during embryonic development. Full article

The rare earth elements (REE) comprise a group of 16 chemically very similar elements that occur widespread in rocks, soils, and water bodies, share similar ionic radii to the essential element Ca²⁺, and consequently also occur in biota. Given that REE form mainly trivalent cations, they also share similarities to Al³⁺. Compared to their chemical cognate Ca, they have a higher reactivity. Thus, their accumulation in soils may constitute a severe environmental threat. Over the last decades, the increasing use of REE in modern technology and fertilizers raised concerns about the pollution of soils and water bodies, which led to a rapidly increasing number of publications dealing with REE toxicity to plants, animals and humans, the fate of REE in soil–plant systems, REE cycling in ecosystems and impacts of REE pollution on food security. This review aims to give an overview of the current knowledge on the occurrence of REE in the total environment, including relevant environmental processes governing their mobility, chemical speciation and transfer from abiotic compartments into biota. Beginning with an overview of analytical approaches, we summarize the current knowledge on the ecology of REE in the lithosphere, pedosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere, including impacts of soil pollution on food security and public health. Full article

The evaluation of the hydrography and biogeochemistry of the Adriatic Sea over the last century was summarized in this review to point out any changes in river runoff and provide an overview of the cause and effect of these trends on marine ecosystems. Although several rivers flow into the Adriatic, the most affected area is the northern Adriatic, where the Po River loads into the basin half of the total freshwater input, carrying river runoff and causing algal blooms and hypoxia phenomena. These fresh waters of the northern Adriatic flow predominantly along the entire western side, reaching the southernmost part of the basin up to the Mediterranean Sea. Here, and in the whole basin, variations in river runoff and nutrient concentration have been observed through the years. Starting from 1960 until the end of the century, an increase in nutrient discharge and phytoplankton activity was reported, with negative repercussions on local fisheries, species richness, and recreational activities within the basin. However, a recent decrease in river inflow has been observed along the coastal belt, which can trigger negative consequences for the food web of the marine ecosystem. These trends, more broadly, corroborate the vulnerability of the Adriatic Sea and stress the importance of implementing strategies for the defense of the relevant ecosystems within its confines. Full article

Biomass-derived carbon dots (CDs) are gaining much interest in recent times, as they provide a sustainable option with abundant availability, a low cost and tunable luminescence. Herein, we report a simple green synthesis method to produce highly fluorescent CDs from Eucalyptus globulus leaves using the one-pot hydrothermal approach. The fabricated CDs exhibit strong blue fluorescence with an excitation and emission maxima of 320 nm and 445 nm, respectively. The highest quantum yield (QY) obtained was 60.7%. With the reported optical properties and biocompatibility, CDs can be looked at as a promising candidate for potential biosensing applications. Moreover, we employed a life cycle assessment (LCA) cradle-to-gate approach to study the environmental impacts of the synthesis strategy used for the fabrication of CDs. The results point out that citric acid is the main hotspot in CD synthesis, regarding environmental impacts in most categories. This justifies the introduction of biomass, which reduces the amount of citric acid, thus leading to a more sustainable synthesis strategy for fabricating CDs. Full article

Microplastics (MPs), small plastic particles resulting from the degradation of larger plastic items and from primary sources such as textiles, engineered plastic pellets, etc., have become a ubiquitous environmental pollutant. As their prevalence in the natural environment grows, concerns about their potential impacts on human health have escalated. This review discusses current research findings on the presence of MPs in organs such as the liver, blood, heart, placenta, breast milk, sputum, semen, testis, and urine, while also exploring plausible mechanisms of translocation. Furthermore, the review emphasizes the importance of understanding the potential toxicological effects of MPs on various physiological processes within these organs and their broader implications for human health. This review also examines the pathways through which MPs can enter and accumulate in human organs and bodily fluids, shedding light on the intricate routes of exposure and potential health implications. It is worth noting that the invasive medical procedures may permit direct access of MPs to the bloodstream and tissues, serving as a potential contamination source. However, it is evident that a comprehensive understanding of MPs’ invasion into human organs is vital for effective mitigation strategies and the preservation of both human health and the environment. Full article

Agricultural plastic mulching is an important horticultural process for increasing crop yields because it preserves soil moisture, soil temperature, and nutrients, and avoids the need for weed herbicides. However, there are risks to using plastic mulch, since residual macroplastic (MaP), microplastic (MP), and nanoplastic (NP) in fields have a significant negative impact on the environment, causing damage to soil properties, harming microorganisms in the soil, and entering the human body via the food chain. Plastic mulch is often disposed of in landfills or used in techniques like the thermal process to gain energy or recycling to generate plastic granules for the plastic industry. Pretreatments are occasionally required before recycling, such as cleaning the mulch from the soil to fit the recycling process. This review provides an overview of the quantities and negative impacts of plastic, especially plastic mulch films after use, as well as their decomposition products, on the environment, soil, and human health, and presents alternatives. The possibilities and problems of collecting and recycling films are discussed in addition to the alternatives, for example, the use of biodegradable films. Overall, agricultural advancements to reduce plastic waste in the environment by using thicker films, collection after use, and recycling in developed countries are on a good path. However, NP poses a risk, as it is still completely unclear how it affects human health. Alternatives to plastic mulch have found little acceptance so far due to the significantly higher material costs. Full article

This review paper adopts bibliometric and meta-analysis approaches to explore the application of supervised machine learning regression models in satellite-based water quality monitoring. The consistent pattern observed across peer-reviewed research papers shows an increasing interest in the use of satellites as an innovative approach for monitoring water quality, a critical step towards addressing the challenges posed by rising anthropogenic water pollution. Traditional methods of monitoring water quality have limitations, but satellite sensors provide a potential solution to that by lowering costs and expanding temporal and spatial coverage. However, conventional statistical methods are limited when faced with the formidable challenge of conducting pattern recognition analysis for satellite geospatial big data because they are characterized by high volume and complexity. As a compelling alternative, the application of machine and deep learning techniques has emerged as an indispensable tool, with the remarkable capability to discern intricate patterns in the data that might otherwise remain elusive to traditional statistics. The study employed a targeted search strategy, utilizing specific criteria and the titles of 332 peer-reviewed journal articles indexed in Scopus, resulting in the inclusion of 165 articles for the meta-analysis. Our comprehensive bibliometric analysis provides insights into the trends, research productivity, and impact of satellite-based water quality monitoring. It highlights key journals and publishers in this domain while examining the relationship between the first author’s presentation, publication year, citation count, and journal impact factor. The major review findings highlight the widespread use of satellite sensors in water quality monitoring including the MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI), Ocean and Land Color Instrument (OLCI), Operational Land Imager (OLI), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Thematic Mapper (TM), Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), and the practice of multi-sensor data fusion. Deep neural networks are identified as popular and high-performing algorithms, with significant competition from extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), even though XGBoost is relatively newer in the field of machine learning. Chlorophyll-a and water clarity indicators receive special attention, and geo-location had a relationship with optical water classes. This paper contributes significantly by providing extensive examples and in-depth discussions of papers with code, as well as highlighting the critical cyber infrastructure used in this research. Advances in high-performance computing, large-scale data processing capabilities, and the availability of open-source software are facilitating the growing prominence of machine and deep learning applications in geospatial artificial intelligence for water quality monitoring, and this is positively contributing towards monitoring water pollution. Full article

In recent years, interest in the impact of environmental pollutants on the ecosystem has increased significantly, with particular attention being paid to the relationship between climate change and the aquatic world. This is because increasing pollution is causing fundamental changes to the welfare of animals and the marine ecosystem. A primary focus is on the impact of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs), as evidenced by our bibliometric network analysis (BNA). However, while research is focused on the accumulation of these pollutants in aquatic organisms, their effects on redox homeostasis are still seldom discussed despite the role played by reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial well-being in maintaining an optimal state of health. However, some scientific evidence suggests that the accumulation of MPs and NPs in organisms at the base of the trophic chain can cause a transfer of these substances towards more complex organisms, reaching humans through the consumption of aquatic fauna as food. Therefore, in this review, we have tried to discuss the effects of these substances on oxidative stress in aquatic organisms, even if studies in this regard are still scarce. Full article

Over the past decade, there has been increasing interest in marine restoration, requiring a consideration of various approaches for optimal success. Artificial reefs (ARs) have been employed for marine restoration and fisheries management, but their effectiveness in restoring ecosystems lacks well-defined ecological criteria and empirical evidence. A systematic review of the literature on ARs articles between 1990–2020, a meta-analysis of their effectiveness based on the similarity of species composition with reference natural reefs (NRs), as well as bias risk analyses were carried out. Research on ARs primarily focused production of marine communities (n = 168). There are important information gaps regarding socioeconomic aspects; design, materials, and disposal in the selected habitats; legal, management, and planning aspects considering long-term monitoring. Regarding effectiveness, few articles (n = 13) allowed comparisons between ARs and NRs, highlighting the need to apply proper reference sites in AR implementations. Meta-analysis showed that ARs are not similar to reference NRs (p = 0.03, common effect and p = 0.05 random effect models). However, a high index of heterogeneity (88%) suggests that this relation may be influenced by factors other than the reef type. Thus, further analysis can disguise variables conditioning this AR–NR similarity as a measure of restoration for degraded marine ecosystems. Full article

This review is a survey of recent progress in studies concerning the impact of phthalic acid esters in aquatic organisms. After introducing the classification, properties, sources, fate, and toxic effects related to phthalates, an overview of the techniques of extraction and analysis of these substances is provided. As a result, the general concepts of environmental bioindicators, biomonitoring systems, and other concepts related to phthalate contamination in the aquatic environment are presented. Recent bioaccumulation data of different phthalates are summarised in a table and organised according to the type of organism, tissue, and geographical area of sampling. Bioindicator organisms that are more representative of the different phthalates are highlighted and discussed as along with other variables that may be relevant in the assessment of the environmental pollution of these substances. The final part looks at the environmental perspectives and suggests new directions and research objectives to be achieved in the future. Full article

Plastic litter is on the rise where plastic waste ends up in undesignated areas such as the coastal shorelines, where the plastic is exposed to environmental conditions. As a result, the degradation and decomposition of plastics occur, leading to the formation of smaller fragments of plastics, termed microplastics. Microplastics have recently been considered as an emerging class of contaminants due to their ecotoxicological impact on the aquatic environment as well as soil matrix. Microplastics are of a size less than 5 mm and are produced from either a primary source (such as plastic pellets, and beads in makeup products) or a secondary source (such as the wear and tear of normal-use plastics and washing of clothes and textiles). Microplastic pollution is spread across the hydrosphere, pedosphere, and atmosphere, and these environmental zones are being studied for microplastic accumulation individually. However, there exists a source–sink dynamic between these environmental compartments. This study reviews the available literature on microplastic research and discusses the current state of research on the fate and transport of microplastic in the hydrosphere, pedosphere, and atmosphere, explores the ecotoxicological impact of microplastics on aquatic and soil communities, and provides prospective future research directions and plastic waste management strategies to control microplastic pollution. While the fate of microplastics in the hydrosphere is well-documented and researched, studies on understanding the transport mechanism of microplastics in the pedosphere and atmosphere remain poorly understood. Full article

As the world population grows, the pressure to intensify an unsustainable food production system increases. At the same time, one-third of all the food produced is lost or wasted along the value chains. Therefore, it is crucial to develop methods to increase food production while decreasing resource usage and minimising the environmental impact. Ecodesign concepts have already been implemented in various sectors, reducing the environmental impact of products. However, published work has yet to analyse the potential of ecodesign for food production across the value chain. This review assesses the existing literature on ecodesign principles and proposes a conceptual framework of strategies to be applied to current food chains, addressing the challenges posed by current agrifood systems. We suggest that the relevant ecodesign principles fall into three main categories depending on the supply chain stage: “design for sustainable sourcing (DfSS)”, “design for optimised resource use (DfORU)”, and “design for end-of-life optimisation (DfEO).” Applying this framework across the supply chain could significantly reduce the environmental impact of food production and indirectly contribute to dietary change. Full article

The lack of proper waste management in developing countries results in environmental pollution and human illness. This review presents the available data on the electronic and electrical waste generated and/or transported in Africa. Particular attention is given to waste treatment and the recycling sector, as well as methods for recovering metals from e-waste. The roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and institutions involved in Africa are discussed. Design for Environment guidelines and Sustainable Product Design Concepts are illustrated to find proper strategies for managing e-waste in general, and for Africa in particular. Raising awareness among national and international institutions is necessary to improve e-scraps management in Africa. Measures should be taken to facilitate the transition of e-waste management from the informal to the formal sector, which will create decent jobs and corresponding incomes. Full article

The excessive use of plastics in recent years, especially so-called single-use plastics, has led to an incipient increase in the presence of this material in the soil. As soil is the essential production factor in agriculture, this study aims to test the toxicity to earthworms of different concentrations of plastics using the same substrate for each sample. Earthworms are the main bioindicator of soil quality and are of particular ecological value because their disappearance or loss in population would have disastrous consequences for the environment. This study examines the growth, mortality and reproductive cycle of individual earthworms. The species to be studied is Eisenia fetida and during the test, individuals are immersed in five different concentrations: 1 mg/kg; 10 mg/kg; 100 mg/kg; 1000 mg/kg; and 2000 mg/kg. Bioplastic OK industrial compost (that meet the requirements established to comply with compostability according to EN 13432) was used. Whether the plastic in any of those concentrations is harmful to the worm population was then be checked. The test shows the mixture of PLA and PBAT (biodegradable plastic) studied has no significant effect on the population of Eisenia fetida. None of the variables studied yields significant data on this plastic and the effect it causes on the population of earthworms, Eisenia fetida. Full article

Two areas affected by cement plant emissions, in an industrial district of Central Italy, were investigated by foraging honeybees (Apis mellifera ligustica) on the return to their hives, as an in situ biomonitor. The contamination was compared with that of a background reference area on the Central Apennine Mountains, quite far from the contamination sources. At all the sites, the bee colonies were stationary. One hundred seventy-seven compounds belonging to the class of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) were positively identified by gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques. For the first time, the presence of several unusual compounds on bee samples is highlighted. These include polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs), 1.55–35.63 ng/g d.w., compounds that, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 67.50–129.95 ng d.w., are classified as carcinogenic and/or mutagenic. In an attempt to identify the contribution of different and specific sources of these pollutants to the total pollution profile, the composition of aliphatic linear hydrocarbons was also examined. Full article

Understanding the extent of human health risks with an emphasis on carcinogenesis development attributable to potentially toxic chemicals is critical to effective prevention and mitigation strategies. Chromium (Cr), mainly the hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)), is a chemical associated with cancer when found in drinking water, making it a major public health issue. This study assessed a possible carcinogenic human health risk among the general population due to exposure to total or hexavalent chromium. We performed a systematic review of the international scientific literature, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) protocol to determine the human risk of cancer mortality and morbidity. In total, 76 articles were checked for eligibility, 13 of which were included in the final systematic review. Only scientific articles from January 2000 to November 2022 published on PubMed were included. Data from both epidemiological ecological studies (Relative Risk and Rate Ratio—RR and Standardized Mortality Rate—SMR) and epidemiological case studies (Lifetime Cancer Risk—LCR, Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk—ILCR, Cancer Risk—CR, Hazard Quotient—HQ, Hazard Index—HI, Health Risk Assessment—HRA, Disability-Adjusted Life Year—DALY, and Chronic Daily Intake Index—CDI) were included for the overall assessment of carcinogenicity in the general population. According to most articles, there is credible evidence that hexavalent chromium via water is indicated as a major contributor to the global burden of cancer in humans. Some of them emphasize malignant neoplasms in the lung, liver, stomach, and genitourinary system. Although the health index data of the case studies are based on a limited number of samples, they raise concerns about the possibility of an increase in the degree of carcinogenesis. However, there are significant limitations due to the lack of information on the dose and duration of exposure in the target group. Further research involving extensive analysis of the association of the two variables is needed, which depends on more complete information extraction and advanced methodologies. Full article

Globally, rapid urbanisation is one of the major drivers for land-use changes, many of which have a marked impact on urban air quality. Urban forestry has been increasingly proposed as a means of reducing airborne pollutants; however, limited studies have comparatively assessed land-use types, including urban forestry, for their relationship with air pollution on a city scale. We, thus, investigated the spatial relationships between three air pollutant concentrations, NO₂, SO₂, and PM₁₀, and different land uses and land covers across a major city, by constructing a yearly average model combining these variables. Additionally, relationships between different vegetation types and air pollutant concentrations were investigated to determine whether different types of vegetation are associated with different air pollutants. Parklands, water bodies, and more specifically, broadleaf evergreen forest and mangrove vegetation were associated with lower pollutant concentrations. These findings support urban forestry’s capabilities to mitigate air pollution across a city-wide scale. Full article

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for crops. Modern agriculture is dependent on P derived from phosphate rock, which is a non-renewable resource that is becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. Therefore, it is necessary to identify alternative sources of P and develop novel technologies for its recovery. Such technologies are increasingly focused on the recovery of struvite (MgNH₄PO₄·6H₂O) (STR) from urban wastewater. A reduction of P in effluents decreases the risk of eutrophication while allowing this mineral to be recovered and reused. Here we applied STR recovered from urban wastewater to three different soils and examined its slow-release properties. We performed a soil column leaching study and compared the results of soil treated with STR with those of soil amended with conventional phosphorous fertilizers, namely NPK, ammonium phosphate (MAP), and superphosphate (SSP). Phosphate leaching capacity followed the order MAP ~ NPK > SSP > STR in the three soils and was consistent with its rate of water solubility. Analysis of the soils after the leaching process showed differences in available P, the highest content being found in soils treated with STR. The results were consistent with those obtained in the leaching assay. STR behaves as a slow-release fertilizer and reduces the risk of eutrophication compared to the conventional P fertilizers tested. Full article

Water resources are under pressure worldwide, resulting in scarcity and deterioration of freshwater quality. According to European directives, we could reduce the pressure on water resources in urban areas by increasing the reuse of treated wastewater, reducing the impact on water bodies, and promoting water recycling through multiple uses of urban wastewater. Besides the need to address water supply challenges, wastewater treatment systems show environmental stewardship and innovative practices. Using reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation is gaining interest because of the drought conditions experienced in Europe over the past few years. Furthermore, using treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation may help to restore nutrients (N and P) to natural biogeochemical cycles. This review highlights the importance of water reuse, current legislation, and existing technologies to implement in wastewater treatment systems to meet the minimum requirements to produce reclaimed water to reuse in agricultural irrigation. Full article

Global climate change concerns have pushed international governmental actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by adopting cleaner technologies, hoping to transition to a more sustainable society. The hydrogen economy is one potential long-term option for enabling deep decarbonization for the future energy landscape. Progress towards an operating hydrogen economy is discouragingly slow despite global efforts to accelerate it. There are major mismatches between the present situation surrounding the hydrogen economy and previous proposed milestones that are far from being reached. The overall aim of this study is to understand whether there has been significant real progress in the achievement of a hydrogen economy, or whether the current interest is overly exaggerated (hype). This study uses bibliometric analysis and content analysis to historically map the hydrogen economy’s development from 1972 to 2020 by quantifying and analyzing three sets of interconnected data. Findings indicate that interest in the hydrogen economy has significantly progressed over the past five decades based on the growing numbers of academic publications, media coverage, and projects. However, various endogenous and exogenous factors have influenced the development of the hydrogen economy and created hype at different points in time. The consolidated results explore the changing trends and how specific events or actors have influenced the development of the hydrogen economy with their agendas, the emergence of hype cycles, and the expectations of a future hydrogen economy. Full article

Many nations struggle with the collection, separation, and disposal of medical waste. However, extra caution is required to avoid the risk of injury, cross-contamination, and infection; thus, healthcare workers and individuals responsible for waste management must follow the mandatory safety procedures. In this review, a classification of the various types and categories of medical waste and its treatment methods are discussed. Due to the fact that medical waste can be contaminated and hazardous, it must be managed and processed using complex steps and procedures. In many countries, the primary medical/hospital waste treatment method is incineration, which is regarded as a highly polluting process that emits numerous pollutants that degrade air quality and pose a threat to human health and the environment. As case studies, medical waste treatment and disposal practices in Germany, China, USA, and Egypt were compared, and the legislations and laws enacted to regulate medical waste in each of these countries are reviewed and discussed. Full article

This research investigates the impact of controlling pandemic measures on the characteristics of atmospheric particulate matter (PM), with specific concern to its toxicity, measured by its oxidative properties. The investigated PM₁₀ samples were collected in the metropolitan area of Milan during the epidemic lockdown, and their oxidative potential (OP) was assessed using ascorbic acid (AA) and dithiothreitol (DTT) acellular assays. During the full lockdown, we estimated reductions to 46% and 60% for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and black carbon (BC) concentrations, respectively, based on the aggregated 2018–2019 data of NO₂ and BC levels, used as baseline conditions. To quantify the impact of lockdown restrictions on PM oxidative activity, we studied the OP data measured in our laboratory on PM₁₀ filters and directly compared the results from 15–30 April 2020 with those from the same time span in 2019. The OP^AA values dropped to nearly 50%, similar to the concentration decrease in Elemental Carbon (EC) and traffic related metals, as well as to the variation in NO₂ level. Otherwise, the OP^DTT responses decreased to nearly 75%, as described by the corresponding reduction in Organic Carbon (OC) concentration and BC level. Full article

Freshwater is in limited supply, and the growing population further contributes to its scarcity. The effective treatment of wastewater is essential now more than ever, because waterborne infections significantly contribute to global deaths, and millions of people are deprived of safe drinking water. Current wastewater treatment technologies include preliminary, primary, secondary, and tertiary treatments, which are effective in removing several contaminants; however, contaminants in the nanoscale range are often difficult to eliminate using these steps. Some of these include organic and inorganic pollutants, pharmaceuticals, pathogens and contaminants of emerging concern. The use of nanomaterials is a promising solution to this problem. Nanoparticles have unique properties allowing them to efficiently remove residual contaminants while being cost-effective and environmentally friendly. In this review, the need for novel developments in nanotechnology for wastewater treatment is discussed, as well as key nanomaterials and their corresponding target contaminants, which they are effective against. The nanomaterials of focus in this review are carbon nanotubes, graphene-based nanosheets, fullerenes, silver nanoparticles, copper nanoparticles and iron nanoparticles. Finally, the challenges and prospects of nanoparticle utilisation in the context of wastewater treatment are presented. Full article

Aims: Indoor air quality (IAQ) has attracted increased attention with the emergence of COVID-19. Ventilation is perhaps the area in which the most changes have been proposed in response to the emergency caused by this virus. However, other strategies are possible, such as source control and the extraction of pollutants. The latter incorporates clean technologies, an emergent area with respect to IAQ. Method: Various air treatment technologies can be used to control contaminants, which are reviewed and discussed in this work, including physicochemical technologies (e.g., filtration, adsorption, UV-photocatalytic oxidation, ultraviolet disinfection and ionization) and biological technologies (e.g., plant purification methods and microalgae-based methods). Results and interpretation: This work reviews currently available solutions and technologies for “cleaning” indoor air, with a focus on their advantages and disadvantages. One of the most common problems in this area is the emission of pollutants that are sometimes more dangerous to human health than those that the technologies were developed to remove. Another aspect to consider is the limitation of each technology in relation to the type of pollutants that need to be removed. Each of the investigated technologies works well for a family of pollutants with similar characteristics, but it is not applicable to all pollutant types. Thus, the optimal solution may involve the use of a combination of technologies to extend the scope of application, in addition to the development of new materials, for example, through the use of nanotechnology. Full article

Urban Heat Islands increase surface temperatures which impact the health and well-being of urban populations. Radiative forcing is impacted by changes to the land surface associated with urbanization that are particularly significant immediately after sunset. This paper aimed to analyze the behavior of UHI in different Local Climate Zones (LCZ) in Bragança city (Portugal), using Air Temperature (Ta), satellite images (Landsat 8), and on-site data. The methodology included a seasonal approach, integrating data with different scales (spatial, radiometric, and spectral) and qualitative and quantitative analyses. Google Earth Engine (GEE) optimized the processing time and computation requirement to generate the Land Surface Temperature (LST) maps. The integration of data with different scales corroborated the complementation of information/analysis and detected the correlation between the Ta and LST. However, the identification of the UHI was compromised due to the time of the passage of Landsat 8, and it was identified as the Urban Cool Island (UCI), a complementary effect of UHI, supporting the results of previous studies and for the use of Remote Sensing (RS) for thermal effects analysis. Full article

The number of scientists and tourists visiting Antarctica is on the rise and, despite the management framework for environmental protection, some coastal areas, particularly in the Antarctic Peninsula region, are affected by plastic contamination. The few data available on the occurrence of microplastics (<5 mm) are difficult to compare, due to the different methodologies used in monitoring studies. However, indications are emerging to guide future research and to implement environmental protocols. In the surface and subsurface waters of the Southern Ocean, plastic debris >300 µm appears to be scarce and far less abundant than paint chips released from research vessels. Yet, near some coastal scientific stations, the fragmentation and degradation of larger plastic items, as well as microbeads and microfibers released into wastewater from personal care products and laundry, could potentially affect marine organisms. Some studies indicate that, through long-range atmospheric transport, plastic fibers produced on other continents can be deposited in Antarctica. Drifting plastic debris can also cross the Polar Front, with the potential to carry alien fouling organisms into the Southern Ocean. Sea ice dynamics appear to favor the uptake of microplastics by ice algae and Antarctic krill, the key species in the Antarctic marine food web. Euphausia superba apparently has the ability to fragment and expel ingested plastic particles at the nanoscale. However, most Antarctic organisms are endemic species, with unique ecophysiological adaptations to extreme environmental conditions and are likely highly sensitive to cumulative stresses caused by climate change, microplastics and other anthropogenic disturbances. Although there is limited evidence to date that micro- and nanoplastics have direct biological effects, our review aims at raising awareness of the problem and, in order to assess the real potential impact of microplastics in Antarctica, underlines the urgency to fill the methodological gaps for their detection in all environmental matrices, and to equip scientific stations and ships with adequate wastewater treatment plants to reduce the release of microfibers. Full article

The world population is ageing, in particular in the developed world, with a significant increase in the percentage of people above 60 years old. They represent a segment of the population that is more vulnerable to adverse environmental conditions. Among them, indoor air quality is one of the most relevant, as elders spend comparatively more time indoors than younger generations. Furthermore, the recent COVID-19 pandemic contributed immensely to raising awareness of the importance of breathing air quality for human health and of the fact that indoor air is a vector for airborne infections and poisoning. Hence, this work reviews the state of the art regarding indoor air quality in elderly centers, considering the type of pollutants involved, their emission sources, and their health effects. Moreover, the influence of ventilation on air quality is also addressed. Notwithstanding the potential health problems with the corresponding costs and morbidity effects, only a few studies have considered explicitly indoor air quality and its impacts on elderly health. More studies are, therefore, necessary to objectively identify what are the impacts on the health of elderly people due to the quality of indoor air and how it can be improved, either by reducing the pollutants emission sources or by more adequate ventilation and thermal comfort strategies. Full article

Road vehicles are a large contributor to nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollution. The routine roadside monitoring stations, however, may underrepresent the severity of personal exposure in urban areas because long-term average readings cannot capture the effects of momentary, high peaks of air pollution. While numerical modelling tools historically have been used to propose an improved distribution of monitoring stations, ultra-high resolution Computational Fluid Dynamics models can further assist the relevant stakeholders in understanding the important details of pollutant dispersion and exposure at a local level. This study deploys a 10-cm-resolution CFD model to evaluate actual high peaks of personal exposure to NOx from traffic by tracking the gases emitted from the tailpipe of moving vehicles being dispersed towards the roadside. The investigation shows that a set of four Euro 5-rated diesel vehicles travelling at a constant speed may generate momentary roadside concentrations of NOx as high as 1.25 mg/m³, with a 25% expected increase for doubling the number of vehicles and approximately 50% reduction when considering Euro 6-rated vehicles. The paper demonstrates how the numerical tool can be used to identify the impact of measures to reduce personal exposure, such as protective urban furniture, as traffic patterns and environmental conditions change. Full article

Gamma emitting radionuclides naturally present in the Earth’s crust and the radon exhaled by soil in the atmosphere with its short-lived progeny are two of the main contributors to the environmental gamma dose rate that typically characterizes an outdoor measurement site. The present work aims to investigate variations in the environmental dose-rate time series originated by different natural phenomena, such as weather and seismic events, which can modify the radon concentration in the air. The data analyzed here were acquired over a five-year period using a Reuter–Stokes high-pressure ionization chamber placed in the ENEA Casaccia Research Center (Rome, Italy), from November 2013 to December 2018. The detector was set to take a single measurement of the equivalent ambient dose $H^{*}\left(10\right)$ every 15 min, thereby collecting more than 184,000 values over the five-year period under consideration. The detector’s sensitivity to the short-lived radon progeny was verified in a preparatory study performed by means of simultaneous radon flux measurement on field. Variations induced by meteorological events as well as variations potentially induced by seismic events were investigated by implementing different data analysis techniques. In the latter case, a retrospective preliminary study was conducted, applying the ARFIMA class of models in order to test the method’s potential. The analysis techniques, results and potential applications are presented and discussed in this article. Full article

Biochar (BC) has attracted attention due to its impacts on soil quality by enhancing soil fertility, carbon storage and contaminants immobilization. BC also induces changes in microbial community structure and enhances crop productivity in long term scenarios compared to many other organic amendments. However, information related to the role of modified BCs in altering the soil quality is still scarce. BC can be modified by using physical, chemical and microbial methods. Modified BC can change the functional groups, pore size, pore structure, surface area and chemical properties of soil, which plays a key role in changing the soil quality. The addition of modified BCs as soil amendment increased soil CEC (cation exchange capacity), EC (electron conductivity), pH, organic matter, hydraulic conductivity, soil porosity, infiltration rate, microbial activities (enzymes and community), nutrient profile and gas exchange properties, but it varies according to the soil structure and pervading environmental conditions. This study provides a basis for effective practical approaches to modifying BCs for improving soil quality. Full article

Nowadays, soil contamination by total petroleum hydrocarbons is still one of the most widespread forms of contamination. Intervention technologies are consolidated; however, full-scale interventions turn out to be not sustainable. Sustainability is essential not only in terms of costs, but also in terms of restoration of the soil resilience. Bioremediation has the possibility to fill the gap of sustainability with proper knowledge. Bioremediation should be optimized by the exploitation of the recent “omic” approaches to the study of hydrocarburoclastic microbiomes. To reach the goal, an extensive and deep knowledge in the study of bacterial and fungal degradative pathways, their interactions within microbiomes and of microbiomes with the soil matrix has to be gained. “Omic” approaches permits to study both the culturable and the unculturable soil microbial communities active in degradation processes, offering the instruments to identify the key organisms responsible for soil contaminant depletion and restoration of soil resilience. Tools for the investigation of both microbial communities, their degradation pathways and their interaction, will be discussed, describing the dedicated genomic and metagenomic approaches, as well as the interpretative tools of the deriving data, that are exploitable for both optimizing bio-based approaches for the treatment of total petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soils and for the correct scaling up of the technologies at the industrial scale. Full article

The determination of the concentrations of the organic compounds in ambient air using reference methods is a time-consuming process. The samples must be collected on a specific sorbent material and analyzed. In the best-case scenario, the analysis may be performed on site by portable chromatography techniques; otherwise, transport and laboratory analysis is necessary. Continuous sensory measurement is advantageous, especially concerning speed, resolution, price and ease of use. On the other hand, questions are raised, especially on the subject of the quality of data obtained by sensory measurements. The authors tested several types of volatile organic compound (VOC) sensors. The chosen type was deployed in a 25-unit sensor network for further testing by parallel measurements with the reference technique within the CLAIRO project. Full article

In current times of increasing global decontamination concerns, sustainable and environmentally-friendly technologies that possess rapid and effective disinfection capabilities are necessary for public health and safety. In this study, we evaluate the potential of ozone-based technology to reveal its immense potential in disinfection applications. Ozonated water generated by an electrolytic method was utilised to quantify ozone retention as a function of mineralogical composition for microbial decontamination. The impacts of temperature and detergent concentration on ozone concentration are critically analysed, as well as ozone’s decomposition and stain removal characteristics. In addition, fabric swatches inoculated with known concentrations of environmental microbes (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus fumigatus) are washed with ozonated water to ascertain the impact of wash duration on bacterial removal efficiency. The results show significant improvement in the stability and retention potential of ozone in mineral water at low temperature and in the presence of a detergent. The experiments demonstrate first-order decomposition kinetics of ozone in aqueous formulations. The disinfection potency of ozone is also substantiated by a significant removal of microbiota on the fabric utilised (up to 7 log reduction for the bacteria analysed), thus making it effective for sterilisation applications. This also reduces the need for toxic chemicals or chemicals with toxic by-products (e.g., chlorine) for large-scale decontamination operations in various industries. Full article

The Operational Land Imager (OLI) onboard the Landsat 8 satellite has a panchromatic band (503–676 nm) that has been used to compute a virtual spectral band known as “orange contra-band” (590–635 nm). The major application of the orange contra-band is the monitoring of cyanobacteria which is usually quantified by the measurement of the concentration of phycocyanin (PC) which has an absorption peak around 620 nm. In this study, we evaluated the use of the orange contra-band approach for estimating PC concentration from in situ proximal hyperspectral data from Eagle Creek Reservoir (ECR), in Indiana, USA. We first validated the empirical relationship for the computation of the orange contra-band by using the panchromatic, red, and green spectral bands from ECR. PC concentration retrieval using the orange contra-band were not successful when using the entire dataset (R² < 0.1) or when using only PC concentrations higher than 50 mg/m³ (R² < 0.24). Better results were achieved when using samples in which PC was 1.5 times higher than the chlorophyll-a concentration (R² = 0.84). These results highlighted the need for the development of remote sensing algorithms for the accurate estimation of PC concentration from non-PC dominant waters which could be use to track and/or predict cyanobacteria blooms. Full article

Mineral processing and metallurgy production centers may leave a far-reaching fingerprint of soil contamination. This scenario is particularly relevant in the mining district of Linares (Southern Spain), where former industrial sites are now dedicated to other land uses. Within this context, we selected five sectors of concern in Linares region, which are currently used as agricultural and residential areas. The study began with an edaphic characterization, including grain-size fractioning and soil chemical analyses, which were complemented by mineralogical and sequential extraction information. Anomalous soil concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were found, with higher values than the admissible regional guideline limits. Moreover, chemical speciation indicated that in general, Pb, Zn, and Cd were highly available and bound mainly to the carbonate fraction. In addition, health risk assessment evidenced potential threats by Pb and As. Regarding remediation approaches, we observed that, in soils affected by mining and ore dressing activities, the clay and silt size fractions contained the highest pollution load, making them suitable for a size classification treatment. By contrast, in areas affected by metallurgical activity, pollutants were prone to be evenly distributed among all grain sizes, thereby complicating the implementation of such remediation strategies. Full article

The increasing presence of nanomaterials in consumer products has led the scientific community to study the environmental fate of these contaminants of emerging concern. Silver nanoparticles, used mainly for their antibacterial properties, are among the most common nanomaterials. Understanding their transformations and interactions with living organisms, especially under environmentally relevant conditions that can modify metal bioavailability, is a crucial step in the study of their impacts on aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, citrate-coated silver nanoparticles (20 nm; 10 µg/L) were added to the surface freshwater layer of mesocosms simulating a stratified estuary. The investigation by dialysis of the nanoparticle dissolution showed that a large amount of total silver was found in the freshwater layer (and a very low amount in the seawater layer) and that 5–15% was in the form of dissolved silver. These results indicate that the halocline, separating fresh water from seawater, acted as a strong density barrier limiting the sedimentation of the nanoparticles. A simple trophic chain, composed of the freshwater alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and the invertebrate Daphnia magna, was used to determine silver bioavailability. This study suggests that citrate-coated silver nanoparticles do not significantly contribute to Ag accumulation by algae but may do so for invertebrates. Full article

Pollution from numerous contaminants due to many anthropogenic activities affects soils quality. Industrialized countries have many contaminated sites; their remediation is a priority in environmental legislation. The aim of this overview is to consider the evolution of soil remediation from consolidated invasive technologies to environmentally friendly green strategies. The selection of technology is no longer exclusively based on eliminating the source of pollution but aims at remediation, which includes the recovery of soil quality. “Green remediation” appears to be the key to addressing the issue of remediation of contaminated sites as it focuses on environmental quality, including the preservation of the environment. Further developments in green remediation reflect the aim of promoting clean-up strategies that also address the effects of climate change. Sustainable and resilient remediation faces the environmental challenge of achieving targets while reducing the environmental damage caused by clean-up interventions and must involve an awareness that social systems and environmental systems are closely connected. Full article

The mismanagement of plastic materials has grown to become a mounting global pollution concern that is closely implicated in unsustainable production and consumption paradigms. The ecological, social, and economic impacts of plastic waste mismanagement are currently transboundary in nature and have necessitated numerous methods of government intervention in order to address and mitigate the globalized and multifaceted dilemmas posed by high rates and volumes of plastic waste generation. This review examines the current landscape of a plastics economy which has operated with a linear momentum, employing large quantities of primary resources and disincentivizing the functioning of a robust recycling market for collecting plastic waste and reintegrating it into the consumer market. This contextualizes an increasing plastic pollution crisis that has required global efforts to address and mitigate the ecological risks and socio-economic challenges of mismanaged plastic waste. A timeline of government interventions regarding plastic pollution is described, including numerous international, regional, and local actions to combat plastic waste, and this is followed by an examination of the relevance of the extended producer responsibility principle to improve plastic waste management and obligate industry to assume responsibility in waste collection and recycling. Full article

Both sectors of the Iberian Pyrite Belt, Portuguese and Spanish, have been exploited since ancient times, but more intensively during and after the second half of the 19th century. Large volumes of polymetallic sulfide ore were extracted in open pits or in underground works, processed without environmental concerns, and the generated waste rocks and tailings were simply deposited in the area. Many of these mining sites were abandoned for years under the action of erosive agents, leading to the spread of trace elements and the contamination of soils, waters and sediments. Some of these mine sites have been submitted to rehabilitation actions, mostly using constructive techniques to dig and contain the contaminated tailings and other waste materials, but the remaining soil still needs to be treated with the best available techniques to recover its ecosystem functions. Besides the degraded physical structure and poor nutritional status of these soils, they have common characteristics, as a consequence of the pyrite oxidation and acid drainage produced, such as a high concentration of trace elements and low pH, which must be considered in the remediation plans. This manuscript aims to review the results from studies which have already covered these topics in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, especially in its Portuguese sector, considering: (i) soils’ physicochemical characteristics; (ii) potentially toxic trace elements’ concentration; and (iii) sustainable remediation technologies to cope with this type of soil contamination. Phytostabilization, after the amelioration of the soil’s properties with organic and inorganic amendments, was investigated at the lab and field scale by several authors, and their results were also considered. Full article

Approximately 381 million tons of plastic are produced globally every year, and the majority of it ends up as pollutants. In the environment, plastic waste is fragmented into microplastic particles less than 5 mm in size; owing to their small size, durability, and abundance, they can easily be dispersed, incorporated into the food chains, and enter the human body. The extent of microplastic exposure in the human body has become a major concern in many countries, including in Indonesia, the second largest plastic waste contributor in the world. Here, we report the detection of microplastics in human stools collected from a fisherman community in the coastal area of Surabaya, Indonesia. Microplastics were found in more than 50% of samples analyzed with a concentration ranging from 3.33 to 13.99 µg of microplastic per gram of feces (µg/g). HDPE was observed as the most prevalent type of microplastic, with an average concentration of 9.195 µg/g in positive samples. Different types of microplastics were also detected in seafood, staple foods, drinking water, table salts, and toothpaste, which were regularly used and consumed by the study participants. Results from this preliminary study indicate widespread contamination of microplastic in the human body and in consumables associated with the coastal populations of Indonesia. Full article

Busy street canyons can have a large flow of vehicles and reduced air exchange and wind speeds at street level, exposing pedestrians to high pollutant concentrations. The airflow tended to move with vehicles along the canyon and the 1-s concentrations of NO, NO₂ and CO were highly skewed close to the road and more normally distributed at sensors some metres above the road. The pollutants were more autocorrelated at these elevated sensors, suggesting a less variable concentration away from traffic in the areas of low turbulence. The kerbside concentrations also showed cyclic changes approximating nearby traffic signal timing. The cross-correlation between the concentration measurements suggested that the variation moved at vehicle speed along the canyon, but slower vertically. The concentrations of NOx and CO were slightly higher at wind speeds of under a metre per second. The local ozone concentrations had little effect on the proportion of NOx present as NO₂. Pedestrians on the roadside would be unlikely to exceed the USEPA hourly guideline value for NO₂ of 100 ppb. Across the campaign period, 100 individual minutes exceeded the guidelines, though the effect of short-term, high-concentration exposures is not well understood. Tram stops at the carriageway divider are places where longer exposures to higher levels of traffic-associated pollutants are possible. Full article

Microalgae have received much attention in the last few years. Their use is being extended to different fields of application and technologies, such as food, animal feed, and production of valuable polymers. Additionally, there is interest in using microalgae for removal of nutrients from wastewater. Wastewater treatment with microalgae allows for a reduction in the main chemicals responsible for eutrophication (nitrogen and phosphate), the reduction of organic substrates (by decreasing parameters such as BOD and COD) and the removal of other substances such as heavy metals and pharmaceuticals. By selecting and reviewing 202 articles published in Scopus between 1992 and 2020, some aspects such as the feasibility of microalgae cultivation on wastewater and potential bioremediation have been investigated and evaluated. In this review, particular emphasis was placed on the different types of wastewaters on which the growth of microalgae is possible, the achievable bioremediation and the factors that make large-scale microalgae treatment feasible. The results indicated that the microalgae are able to grow on wastewater and carry out effective bioremediation. Furthermore, single-step treatment with mixotrophic microalgae could represent a valid alternative to conventional processes. The main bottlenecks are the large-scale feasibility and costs associated with biomass harvesting. Full article

Thallium (Tl) was introduced into Haplic Chernozem in the amounts of 3, 30, and 300 mg/kg, and biological indicators were observed at 10, 30, and 90 days after incubation in the laboratory experiment. An increase in biological activities; i.e., the total number of bacteria, Azotobacter spp. abundance, enzymes (catalase, dehydrogenases), and phytotoxic indicators (germination rate of radish) after 30 days of Tl exposure were noted. The total number of bacteria and Azotobacter spp. abundance, enzyme activity, and phytotoxicity were more sensitive (16–76%) and informative (12–65%) indicators compared to the control, respectively. Integral biological indicators of soil state (IIBS) noted at 10, 30, and 90 days decreased at a dose of 30 and 300 mg/kg by 13–43% in relation to the control. An increase in Tl concentration and duration of exposure (up to 90 days) inhibited biological properties and caused ecotoxicological effects, respectively. We concluded that the use of individual indicators served as an indicator of the state of the soil. Full article

Most of the world’s population is exposed to highly polluted air conditions exceeding the WHO limits, causing various human diseases that lead towards increased morbidity as well as mortality. Expenditures on air purification and costs spent on the related health issues are rapidly increasing. To overcome this burden, plants are potential candidates to remove pollutants through diverse biological mechanisms involving accumulation, immobilization, volatilization, and degradation. This eco-friendly, cost-effective, and non-invasive method is considered as a complementary or alternative tool compared to engineering-based remediation techniques. Various plant species remove indoor and outdoor air pollutants, depending on their morphology, growth condition, and microbial communities. Hence, appropriate plant selection with optimized growth conditions can enhance the remediation capacity significantly. Furthermore, suitable supplementary treatments, or finding the best combination junction with other methods, can optimize the phytoremediation process. Full article

This study has evaluated the potential ecological risk and human health risk for the contamination of nine elements (Cu, Cr, Mn, Zn, As, Pb, Co, Fe, and Sr) in water and sediment samples in two seasons, i.e., before and after rainy season, by calculating several pollution indices such as pollution load index (PLI), potential ecological risk (PER), and target hazard quotient (THQ). Samples were analyzed for elemental concentration using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry. This study found that waters in the Kutubdia channel are safe and standard for aquatic organisms. In addition, the study area’s elemental concentration in water and sediments is still safe but moderately enriched with Zn and Cu. The elemental concentration in water was observed to be high in the pre-monsoon season and vice versa in the sediment study. The result also reveals no potential ecological risk (PER < 4) in the study site. However, the health risk index showed a noncarcinogenic risk (THQ > 1) for children and adults regarding the inhalation process where manganese was dominant. Apart from this, the pollution source was also identified by multivariate statistical analysis, including cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA)—and a natural pollution source prevalent was found. Full article

This article analyzes the abundance and composition of marine litter in the Gulf of Sant Jordi (Catalonia, Spain). Marine litter was removed from the sea by a fishing trawler operating from the port of L’Ametlla de Mar; 56 hauls were performed between July and September 2018. The marine litter was classified following UNEP/IOC Guidelines on Survey and Monitoring of Marine Litter and EU MSFD Technical Group on Marine Litter Joint List, with a total of 2691 items collected and an average number by haul of 48 (SD 28.24). The density was 130 items km⁻² but with significant differences according to trawling depth: 192 items km⁻² (≤100 m) and 71.5 items km⁻² (>100 m). As expected, plastic was the most commonly found material, comprising almost 80% of the total. The relative presence of plastics declined as trawling depth increased. An alarmingly high amount of sanitary waste was found. Further studies are necessary to compare summer results with those of smaller seasonal populations and to analyze what happens to sanitary waste. Full article

Food waste is a common global threat to the environment, agriculture, and society. In the present study, we used 30% food waste, mixed with 70% bio-fertilizers, and evaluated their ability to affect the growth of Chinese cabbage. The experiment was conducted using different concentrations of food waste to investigate their effect on Chinese cabbage growth, chlorophyll content, and mineral content. Leaf length, root length, and fresh and dry weight were significantly increased in plants treated with control fertilizer (CF) and fertilizer mixed with food waste (MF). However, high concentrations of food waste decreased the growth and biomass of Chinese cabbage due to salt content. Furthermore, higher chlorophyll content, transpiration efficiency, and photosynthetic rate were observed in CF- and MF-treated plants, while higher chlorophyll fluorescence was observed in the MF × 2 and MF × 6 treatments. Inductively coupled plasm mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) results showed an increase in potassium (K), calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P), and magnesium (Mg) contents in the MF and MF × 2 treatments, while higher sodium (Na) content was observed in the MF × 4 and MF × 6 treatments due to the high salt content found in food waste. The analysis of abscisic acid (ABA) showed that increasing amounts of food waste increase the endogenous ABA content, compromising the survival of plants. In conclusion, optimal amounts of food waste—up to MF and MF × 2—increase plant growth and provide an ecofriendly approach to be employed in the agriculture production system. Full article

Nowadays, the research on the environmental applications of electrochemistry to remove recalcitrant and priority pollutants and, in particular, drugs from the aqueous phase has increased dramatically. This literature review summarizes the applications of electrochemical oxidation in recent years to decompose pharmaceuticals that are often detected in environmental samples such as carbamazapine, sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, diclofenac, ibuprofen, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, etc. Similar to most physicochemical processes, efficiency depends on many operating parameters, while the combination with either biological or other physicochemical methods seems particularly attractive. In addition, various strategies such as using three-dimensional electrodes or the electrosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide have been proposed to overcome the disadvantages of electrochemical oxidation. Finally, some guidelines are proposed for future research into the applications of environmental electrochemistry for the degradation of xenobiotic compounds and micropollutants from environmental matrices. The main goal of the present review paper is to facilitate future researchers to design their experiments concerning the electrochemical oxidation processes for the degradation of micropollutants/emerging contaminants, especially, some specific drugs considering, also, the existing limitations of each process. Full article

High-solid and solid-state anaerobic digestion are technologies capable of achieving high reactor productivity. The high organic load admissible for this type of configuration makes these technologies an ideal ally in the conversion of waste into bioenergy. However, there are still several factors associated with these technologies that result in low performance. The economic model based on a linear approach is unsustainable, and changes leading to the development of a low-carbon model with a high degree of circularity are necessary. Digestion technology may represent a key driver leading these changes but it is undeniable that the profitability of these plants needs to be increased. In the present review, the digestion process under high-solid-content configurations is analyzed and the different strategies for increasing reactor productivity that have been studied in recent years are described. Percolating reactor configurations and the use of low-cost adsorbents, nanoparticles and micro-aeration seem the most suitable approaches to increase volumetric production and reduce initial capital investment costs. Full article