Pollutants

The proposed approach based on compositional data analysis was applied on simultaneous measurements of the mineral element concentrations of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 from a typical suburban site with and without a Saharan event. The suburban site is located in the city of Rome. The selected mineral elements were Al, Si, Ca, Fe, Ti, Mg, and Sr. The data relating to these elements are reported in a previous study. The considered elements are mainly related to mineral matter. The proposed approach allows statistically validating that the mineral element concentrations of PM during days with a Saharan event differ from those without a Saharan event in terms of mineral element composition and size distribution. In particular, the results showed that the compositional data analysis applied to simultaneous measurements of mineral element concentrations of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 is a helpful technique that can be used to study environmental sites affected by natural sources such as Saharan events. Moreover, the presented technique can be handy in all those conditions where it is important to discriminate whether the occurrence of an exceedance or a violation of the daily limit value established for PM could also be due to natural sources. Full article

Edible mushrooms are a food source with interesting nutritional values. The chief objective of this research was to develop a consistent method for the quantitative ultra-trace analysis of Pt in mushrooms, which is complex because it cannot be readily quantified by common analytical procedures. This research is one of the first analytical methods to establish Pt amount in these vegetables. In this research, 28 different edible mushroom samples from Italy were investigated. Determination of Pt in mushrooms was completed using Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV). In this study, we applied the standard addition method because there are no certified reference mushrooms containing platinum group elements on the market. The platinum quantification limit was 0.03 µg kg⁻¹ d.w. In the analyzed samples, platinum amount was in the range of 0.03–73 µg kg⁻¹. Our mushroom samples had a Pt content lower than the concentrations recommended by international establishments for other foodstuffs. In the future, the optimized method could be used for the analysis of plant and animal matrices intended for food supply. Full article

Radioactive cesium (r-Cs) released from the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant attaches to vegetation/soil and is collected as municipal solid waste (MSW) for incineration, being concentrated in incineration ash (bottom ash [BA], fly ash [FA], and chelate-treated FA [TFA]). r-Cs in FA and TFA can easily leach upon contact with moisture. It is important to prevent further contamination, as r-Cs has negative effects on ecosystems and the human body. Naturally available clay minerals, considered effective for capturing r-Cs, are a good alternative. Here, we sampled ash from MSW incineration facilities in Fukushima in August 2016 and February 2017. We used energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and Ge semiconductor detector to determine elemental composition and r-Cs concentration in the samples and conducted leaching tests. We also determined the extent of leaching suppression by zeolite, acidic clay, and vermiculite. Chloride contents and r-Cs leaching rates were higher in FA and TFA than in BA, regardless of the season. Prior direct addition and mixing of clay minerals (5 to 20 wt.%) effectively prevented r-Cs leaching. This study is the first to examine r-Cs leaching inhibition by clay mineral direct addition and mixing to MSW incineration ash. Full article

Past petroleum-extraction activities in Ecuador have contaminated its Amazon region. To assess the environmental impact attributed to remediation activities regarding the cleanup of these oil spills, two scenarios were studied according to Life Cycle Analysis methodology: (1) No-action, which means to leave the contamination in place without any further action and (2) Environmental remediation, where the environmental-load attributed to the remediation of the representative oil spill was studied. Results indicated that the no-action scenario presented a higher environmental impact for 12 out of the 16 environmental categories evaluated (climate change, ozone depletion, human toxicity non-cancer effects, particulate matter, ionizing radiation human health, ionizing radiation ecosystem, photochemical ozone formation, acidification, terrestrial eutrophication, marine eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, mineral, fossil and renewable resource depletion). Moreover, the no-action scenario presented a global weighted score of contamination of 5.45 points, while the remediation scenario got a score of 3.3 points, which means that the remediation decreased by 39% of the global environmental impact due to the remediation activity applied, showing the positive influence of environmental remediation to mitigate the effects attributed to the presence of pollution sources associated to the petroleum industry in the Ecuadorian Amazon region. Full article

Sustainable land management is one of the key actions for the achievement of objectives set by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In particular, land represents a fundamental resource to address issues of climate change, biodiversity preservation, maintaining ecosystem services, and at the same time ensuring shared prosperity and well-being. Therefore, it is necessary to activate strategies to monitor changes in land use and land cover in order to evaluate strategies for proper management. To do this, the new open source geospatial analysis tools and the increasing availability of remote sensed open data can allow the activation of methodologies for monitoring changes in land use and land cover in order to provide data usable in other research areas or, for example, to implement a decision support system for environmental sustainability. In this study, a GIS approach based on open remote sensing data has been used to perform a spatial analysis of land cover changes within the Basilicata region (Southern Italy) that is spatially expeditious yet accurate. The results showed a very evident land transformation with important repercussions on the environmental components. The ease of use of techniques makes this methodology replicable in other territory and can be used as a preliminary approach to sustainable development model. Full article

In recent years, the quality of aquatic ecosystems has received increasing attention from European institutions. The Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/840 drafted a Watch List (WL) of compounds to be monitored in Europe. In this study, we report a method based on solid phase extraction with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS) to analyze the whole water sample. The method was developed and validated for the determination of 12 listed compounds. The employment of solid-phase extraction by a horizon system ensures the analysis of the entire body of samples and minimizes sample manipulation. Different ng L⁻¹ detection limits (from 2 to 50 ng L⁻¹), linearities (from 2 to 500 ng L⁻¹), accuracy (from 70 to 130%) and levels of precision (RSD less 20% at LOQs levels) were assessed to be satisfactory for quantification and confirmation at the levels of interest. The developed method was applied for quantitative analysis for Watch List compounds (with the exception of hormones) in surface water samples from different Italian sites during monitoring activities by the Regional Environmental Protection Agencies in the years 2019 and 2020. Full article

The endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most commonly found micropollutants in the environment. However, the biodegradation of BPA under anaerobic (methanogenic) conditions is still an understudied process in wastewater treatment systems. The current study thus addresses the need for a simple and user-friendly analytical method for the rapid and accurate quantification of BPA in complex matrices such as digested and co-digester sludges. We established a microwave-assisted extraction method, followed by derivatization and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to quantify BPA by comparing it with a deuterated internal standard. The BPA removal capabilities of three digester sludges and three co-digester sludges were examined under mesophilic methanogenic conditions in biogas plants. The endogenous BPA concentration (dry weight) ranged from 1596 to 10,973 µg kg⁻¹ in digested sewage sludges, and from below the limit of quantification to 9069 µg kg⁻¹ in co-digester sludges. When BPA was added to the sludges, the removal capabilities ranged from not significant to 50% after 21 days of incubation. Biogas production was unaffected by the addition of BPA (228 µg kg⁻¹) to the aqueous sludge. The study demonstrated that BPA could be removed under anaerobic conditions in accustomed inoculates. The findings have far-reaching implications for understanding BPA persistence and detoxification under anaerobic conditions. Full article

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used in many construction products until their banning in the 1970s and 1980s. Nonetheless, exposure to PCBs from contaminated indoor air is still an important public health issue. The aim of our study was to estimate the contribution of PCB congeners in indoor air to the levels of PCBs in human blood. We analyzed all 209 PCB congeners in the blood of 35 individuals exposed to PCBs from contaminated indoor air. For each individual, we measured the six marker indicators PCB28, PCB52, PCB101, PCB138, PCB153 and PCB180 in indoor air at the workplace. Statistically significant correlations between PCB-contaminated indoor air and the existence of the sum of mono-, di-, tri-, tetra- and pentachlorinated biphenyls (∑PCB_1–127) in the blood of the exposed individuals were found. We quantified the proportions of PCBs that are absorbed into the blood via inhalation of contaminated indoor air. Inhalation of PCBs from contaminated indoor air, especially in children, adolescents and younger adults, may lead to PCB blood burdens that are higher than general PCB background levels or in approximately the same range. Full article

Industrial hemp cultivation has the potential to be an environmentally friendly and highly sustainable crop and it can fit well in crop rotation practices to increase soil fertility. For this study, two commercial varieties of industrial hemp with low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content were used to test its reintroduction chance in the study area and to evaluate its response in terms of yield with respect to the soil and drought conditions of the area. During the vegetative period, non-invasive measures of the soil’s water status were performed using Watermark probes and ground penetrating radar. In addition, hemp crops vigour monitoring was performed by means of Sentinel 2 multispectral optical remote sensing data. In the absence of precipitation and/or irrigation, and with high consumption of soil water by the hemp crop due to evapotranspiration, the crop has completed its cycle thanks to its resistance to water stress conditions. From the soil water and satellite monitoring results, there is a good agreement with the field results in terms of water stress and its effects on crop vigour. This study contributes to a better understanding of the possibility of hemp crop reintroduction in areas where water deficit occurs, which could open up the opportunity for selecting hemp crop cultivars that can be grown under different agro-ecological conditions and are also of great commercial interest for decision makers involved in sustainable crop management and in the reduction of fertilizers and pollutants released into the environment. Full article

Observations show that after stormy events, anthropogenic litter is washed ashore for short periods of time, providing the opportunity to collect and remove it from the environment. However, water dynamics in sea coastal zones during and after storms are very complicated, and the transport properties of litter items are very diverse; thus, predicting litter wash-outs using classical numerical models is challenging. We analyze meteorological and hydrophysical conditions in the Baltic Sea coastal zone to further use the obtained data as a training sequence for an artificial neural network (ANN). Analysis of the physical processes behind large litter wash-outs links open-source meteorological (wind speed and direction) and hydrodynamic reanalysis (surface wave parameters) data to the time and location of these wash-outs. A detailed analysis of 25 cases of wash-outs observed at the shore of the Sambian Peninsula was performed. The importance of the duration of the storm and its subsiding phase was revealed. An ANN structure is proposed for forecasting marine debris wash-outs as the first step in the creation of a neural network-based tool for managers and beach cleaners, helping to plan effective measures to remove plastics and other anthropogenic contaminants from the marine environment. Full article

Numerous micropollutants, especially endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), can pollute natural aquatic environments causing great concern for human and ecosystem health. While most of the conversation revolves around estrogen and androgen, glucocorticoids (GCs) are also prevalent in natural waters. Despite the fact that GCs play a crucial role in both inflammatory and immunologic development activities, they are also detected in natural waters and considered as one of the EDCs. Although many researchers have mentioned the adverse effect of GCs on aquatic organisms, a complete management technology to remove these pollutants from surface and coastal waters is yet to be established. In the current study, six glucocorticoids (prednisone, prednisolone, cortisone, cortisol, dexamethasone, and 6R-methylprednisolone) have been selected according to their higher detection frequency in environmental waters. The concentration of selected GCs ranged from 0.05 ng/L to 433 ng/L and their removal efficiency ranged from 10% to 99% depending on the water source and associated removal technologies. Although advanced technologies are available for achieving successful removal of GCs, associated operational and economic considerations make implementation of these processes unsustainable. Further studies are necessary to resolve the entry routes of GCs compounds into the surface water or drinking water permanently as well as employ sustainable detection and removal technologies. Full article

The north Indian states of Haryana and Punjab are believed to be the key sources of air pollution in the National Capital Region due to massive agricultural waste burning in crop harvesting seasons. However, with the pandemic COVID-19 hitting the country, the usual practices were disrupted. COVID-19 preventive lockdown led to restricted vehicular and industrial emissions and caused the labours to leave the agricultural business in Haryana and Punjab. With the changed scenario of 2020, the present study investigates the variations in air quality over the Haryana and Punjab, and their relative impact on the air quality of Delhi. The work attempts to understand the change in agricultural waste burning during 2020 and its implication on the local air quality over both the states and the transported pollution on the national capital Delhi. The study utilises in-situ data for the year 2019–2020 with satellite observations of MODIS aqua/terra for fire counts, aerosol optical depth (AOD) and back-trajectories run by the hybrid single-particle Lagrangian integrated trajectory model (HYSPLIT). Full article

Biochar utilization for environmental remediation applications has become very popular. We investigated the trace metal levels and soil nutrient characteristics of a biochar–humus sediment slurry treatment of a simulated crude oil-contaminated soil in the present work. The results revealed that biochar prepared at moderate pyrolysis temperature (500 °C) could still retain a significantly higher nutrient content than those prepared at high temperatures (700 and 900 °C). Despite the suitability for soil treatment, one-pot treatment studies seem not to be very effective for monitoring trace metal sorption to biochar because trace metals do not biodegrade and remain in the system. Full article

Microplastics are discharged into the environment through human activities and are persistent in the environment. With the prevalent use of plastic-based personal protective equipment in the prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the concentration of microplastics in the environment is envisaged to increase. Potential ecological and health risks emanate from their potential to adsorb and transport toxic chemicals, and ease of absorption into the cells of living organisms and interfering with physiological processes. This review (1) discusses sources and pathways through which microplastics enter the environment, (2) evaluates the fate and behavior of microplastics, (3) discusses microplastics in African aquatic systems, and (4) identifies research gaps and recommends remediation strategies. Importantly, while there is significant microplastics pollution in the aquatic environment, pollution in terrestrial systems are not widely studied. Besides, there is a dearth of information on microplastics in African aquatic systems. The paper recommends that the governments and non-governmental organizations should fund research to address knowledge gaps, which include: (1) the environmental fate of microplastics, (2) conducting toxicological studies under environmentally relevant conditions, (3) investigating toxicity mechanisms to biota, and developing mitigation measures to safeguard human health, and (4) investigating pollutants transported by microplastics. Moreover, regulatory measures, along with the circular economy strategies, may help reduce microplastic pollution. Full article

Globally, the frequency of fishkill episodes is increasing, owing to natural and human-induced modification of aquatic ecosystems. A massive fishkill took place on 22 October 2017 along an approximately 1.5 km stretch of the Jhelum River in Srinagar City, India. Thousands of fish died during this specific event, not lasting more than three hours, creating chaos and panic among the local population and government circles. In this context, affected fish were assessed for three morphological parameters, which include skin color, eye appearance, and skin texture. To back our findings, three critical water-quality parameters, including pH, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen essential for the survival of fishes were assessed in the affected river stretch. This study assumes importance given that water-quality observation stations for monitoring the health of the Jhelum River are lacking in the highly urbanized Srinagar City. The morphological examination of fish samples revealed discoloration, bulging eyes, and rough skin texture, indicating chemical contamination of waters in the affected river stretch. The water quality analysis revealed neutral pH (7.2), normal temperature (15.6 °C), and mildly depleted dissolved oxygen (6 mg L⁻¹) levels. While the morphological examination of the affected fish indicated chemical contamination, the physicochemical parameters exhibited a typical scenario of river water. For avoiding any such further incident and to precisely ascertain the cause of such fishkill episodes in future, it is suggested that a few continuous water-quality monitoring sites along Jhelum River should be set up, supplemented with robust ecological modeling simulations. Full article

Groundwater table rising (GTR) represents a well-known issue that affects several urban and agricultural areas of the world. This work addresses the link between GTR and the formation of solute plumes from contaminant sources that are located in the vadose zone, and that water table rising may help mobilize with time. A case study is analyzed in the stratified pyroclastic-alluvial aquifer near Naples (Italy), which is notoriously affected by GTR. A dismissed chemical factory generated a solute plume, which was hydraulically confined by a pump-and-treat (P&T) system. Since 2011, aqueous concentrations of 1,1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE) have been found to exceed regulatory maximum concentration levels in monitoring wells. It has been hypothesized that a 1,1-DCE source may occur as buried waste that has been flushed with time under GTR. To elucidate this hypothesis and reoptimize the P&T system, flow and transport numerical modeling analysis was developed using site-specific data. The results indicated that the formulated hypothesis is indeed plausible. The model shows that water table peaks were reached in 2011 and 2017, which agree with the 1,1-DCE concentration peaks observed in the site. The model was also able to capture the simultaneous decrease in the water table levels and concentrations between 2011 and 2014. Scenario-based analysis suggests that lowering the water table below the elevation of the hypothesized source is potentially a cost-effective strategy to reschedule the pumping rates of the P&T system. Full article

Biosorption of chromium (Cr(VI)) is studied by using raw (chemically not modified) Moringa (Moringa Oleifera) leaf powder without any pretreatment. Cr(VI) is one of the potentially harmful heavy metals found in industrial wastewater. In the Moringa leaf powder, the presence of a significant amount of organic acids form the source for the biosorption of Cr(VI). The concentration of Cr(VI) in the feed solution is varied and different dosages of the proposed biosorbent are used to study its efficiency in the removal of Cr(VI). The concentration of Cr(VI) is varied from 1 ppm to 20 ppm while the amount of biosorbent is varied from 0.5 g to 2.5 g. The equilibrium time for adsorption of Cr(VI) is observed to vary between half an hour and 90 min. The metal removal efficiency varied from 30% to 90% which is a significant achievement compared to other conventional methods which are either energy-intensive or not cost effective. The experimental results are modeled using Langmuir, Freundlich and Redlich–Peterson isotherms. The metal removal efficiency is attributed to the chelating effect of carboxylate and hydroxyl groups present in the moringa leaves and is confirmed from the FTIR analysis. Further molecular docking simulations are performed to confirm the binding of the metal to the speculated sites within the different acids present in the moringa leaves. Untreated green moringa leaf powder used as a biosorbent in this study leads to a sustainable and cheaper option for treating wastewater containing Cr(VI). Full article

Lead sediment contamination in Lake Erie stems from a long history of natural and synthetic resource production. Sediment samples with variable sampling densities were collected by the Canada Centre for Inland Waters in 1971, 1997/1998, and 2014. The kriging interpolation method was used to create continuous sediment contamination surfaces for time/space comparisons. Change detection analyses identified an overall decreasing trend in high lead pollution levels from 1971 to 2014, while sediments with the lowest concentrations increased in surface area. Lake-wide circulation patterns and bathymetric data were added to interpolated contamination surfaces to enhance the understanding of interrelated hydrodynamic processes and geophysical features in the movement of contaminated sediments. Utilizing visualization tools in Esri’s ArcScene, bathymetric data were employed to enhance the geographic context of contamination maps. The physical barriers to sediment transportation created by bathymetric features can be visualized in three-dimensions. Elevated features between lake basins are easily recognized as impedances to lake currents when circulation directions are draped over the bathymetric model. By using illumination tools and techniques, geovisualizations of lead sediment contamination throughout Lake Erie create a scientific communication tool for a wide audience to use in multiple-criteria decision making for environmental remediation of sediment contamination. Full article