Search Results (3,122)

Fireworks have been used in China for more than a millennium, though they are an increasing part of celebration globally. Consumption of fireworks is on the rise despite increased regulation of their use. This review examines the key themes that are apparent in contemporary research: contamination of air, water and soil, in addition to waste debris, noise and light pollution, along with contemporary approaches to mitigate environmental impact. Research is, as expected, more frequent from countries with high fireworks use, so some rather small countries such as the Netherlands, Malta and Iceland are notably active. Concentrations of emitted gases (especially SO₂) and fine particles are frequently studied, along with associated toxic metals and semimetals (especially Cu, Zn, Cd, As, Ba and Sr). There are many projections of effects of fireworks, but relatively few epidemiological studies of health outcomes or the impact of contamination on local ecosystems. Fireworks waste and debris is an environmental problem; it is expensive to clear and aesthetically unpleasing. Excessive noise (up to 137 dB) created by fireworks affects pets and wildlife, as well as posing a risk to pyrotechnicians. Fireworks produce bursts of light that can be distracting to motorists and disturb wildlife, while smoke particles cause lowered visibility. Green fireworks and festivals of light with lasers or drone technology present routes to lower impact. Contemporary society is sympathetic towards restricting fireworks, but recognition of their cultural importance remains. Full article

Introduction: Aquatic chemical pollution is among the most worrying threats to ecosystem health. There is an ever-increasing variety of pollutant substances detected across the source-to-sea continuum, causing loss of biodiversity and ecological disequilibrium. Achieving cleaner and healthier systems relies on carrying out sustained, cost-effective, diagnosis and aquatic effects monitoring, within the adaptive management cycle. The available methods are, however, cumbersome, which creates a clear need for innovative expeditious approaches for low-cost surveillance monitoring. In the last decade, Raman Spectroscopy (RS) has gained wide recognition for application to biological questions, for its ability to uncover the complexity of molecules and their interactions. Various fields, from pharmacology to disease diagnosis and prognosis, have suffered an innovation revolution through the application of RS. In this technique inelastic light scattering of a small part of photons of an incident electromagnetic monochromatic light beam (ranging from near-infrared to visible or ultraviolet) is caused by the molecular vibration of chemical bonds. This results in shifts in energy, which indicate discrete vibrational modes of polarisable molecules, providing qualitative and quantitative assessments of the chemical composition and molecular structure of the sample. The technique shows high sensitivity, no need for sample preparation and the possibility of use in non-invasive and label-free analysis. Objective: The aim of this work is to present and discuss evidence about the application of Raman Spectroscopy (RS) to environmental diagnosis and aquatic effect monitoring of pollution. Methodology: The technique was applied to different biological models, i.e., diatoms, zebrafish embryos and larvae and freshwater snails. Quality assessments with diatoms were tested in environmental monitoring, while assessments with other models were done upon exposure to metals and organic contaminants. Results and conclusions: The Raman spectra obtained from the samples analysed comprised bands detected within the 800 to 2000 cm⁻¹ wavenumber range. These were related to bond vibrations of carbohydrates, DNA phosphate groups, proteins or CH, NH and OH stretching in lipids and proteins. Data analysis using chemometric methods clearly distinguished pollutant exposure from control sites or treatments, pointing out the potential for surveyance monitoring. The next steps include the comparison with other sensitive methods (e.g., locomotion and avoidance behaviours, omics methods) to assess efficiency and bring further mechanistic understanding. Full article

Introduction: Chemical pollution of water bodies constitutes a global problem with huge impacts on fish populations. Consequently, the assessment of the effects of contaminants, especially on the nervous system, has become essential. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as a prominent vertebrate model in ecotoxicology and neuroscience, in large part owing to the availability of genetic resources, including a high level of genome sequencing and annotation, plus the similarity of its neuron types and neurotransmitters to other vertebrates, including humans, and its stereotyped behaviour. Objective: The main objective of this mini-review is to present a synthesis of the key behavioural assays used in zebrafish larvae to assess neurotoxicity, focusing on developmental neurotoxicity. Methodology: A literature review was conducted based on the ScienceDirect and PubMed databases, covering publications between 2000 and 2025, selecting relevant studies on larval (up to 120 hpf) behaviour and contaminant exposure. The methodology was based on the analysis of behavioural tests applied to larvae, which evaluate responses to various stimuli, including visual, acoustic, tactile, and social stimuli. Results: Established, commonly used key assays include the light/dark test and locomotor, touch, photomotor, acoustic, and social response tests. The literature results confirm that zebrafish larvae exhibit complex behavioural patterns comparable to those of higher vertebrates, making them suitable for neurobehavioural studies. Changes in locomotor behaviour, responses to stimuli, or social patterns are extremely sensitive indicators of early neurotoxic effects, often before morphological changes are observed. Furthermore, the developing nervous system is particularly sensitive to chemicals, with high potential for irreversible effects, even with short-term exposures. Conclusions: Overall, our findings demonstrate that behavioural assays in zebrafish larvae constitute an effective, sensitive, and economically viable tool for assessing the neurotoxicity of compounds, contributing to a better understanding of the mechanisms of action and advancing environmental protection and public health strategies, considering also the “one health” approach. Full article

Source apportionment and the elucidation of driving mechanisms are essential for targeted soil pollution management. This study investigated surface soils across six towns in southern Shimen County, northwestern Hunan Province, where 662 samples were collected to determine the concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Multivariate statistics and the APCS-MLR receptor model were integrated to quantify pollution sources, while three machine learning models (RF, XGBoost, and LightGBM) were applied to identify key drivers of the spatial enrichment of Cd. Results showed that Cd was significantly enriched, with a mean concentration of 0.43 mg/kg (3.41 times the provincial background value). The mean concentrations of As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were 11.97 mg/kg, 81.01 mg/kg, 24.15 mg/kg, 49.25 mg/kg, 29.56 mg/kg and 76.77 mg/kg, respectively, and these PTEs remained at normal background levels. Significant inter-element correlations indicated common sources. Three primary sources were quantified—natural parent material (43.83%), mining activities (30.99%), and mixed sources of coal mining and agricultural inputs (7.84%), with 17.34% attributed to unidentified mixed sources. Natural sources dominated the geogenic enrichment of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn; mining activities governed the accumulation of As, Cr, Cu, and Pb; a mixed source of coal mining and agricultural practices contributed substantially to Cd enrichment. Machine learning identified PM10, topography, strata, and soil type as dominant drivers, with their total feature importance reaching 70.05%. Among these factors, natural factors and anthropogenic factors accounted for 44.23% and 55.77% of the total feature importance, in turn revealing coupled natural–anthropogenic controls. This study establishes an integrated framework linking source apportionment and driver identification, providing scientific insights for potentially toxic elements (PTEs) control in analogous mining–agricultural regions. Full article

The current use of artificial light during the natural dark phase has acquired contaminant dimensions, known as “light pollution”. It is well known that exposure to dim light at night (dLAN) during the postnatal period severely impairs the immune system and related organs, but few reports have demonstrated the effects of dLAN during the fetal period. This study, therefore, examines whether exposure to dim light at night during two critical developmental windows (i.e., prenatal and postnatal periods) leads to long-lasting dysregulation of circadian, behavioral, and immune organization, as well as spleen immune responses, in early adulthood. To address this question, these outcomes were assessed using two defined sampling time points. To answer this question, we exposed two groups of C57BL/6J male mice to dim night light during the gestational and postnatal periods and compared them with control groups that were exposed to light–dark conditions (12 h each, LD). Parametric and non-parametric activity/rest values were analyzed with circular statistics. Compared to their controls, we found differences in alpha, onset, offset, M10, and L5 start time in dLAN groups. We also assessed the transcript levels of clock genes and inflammatory mediators in spleen tissue and found a dampening of daily variation in mRNA expression in both experimental groups. Finally, we used an ovalbumin (OVA) allergy challenge to test the B-cell response in the spleen and found a significantly higher cell recruitment to the spleen and more anti-OVA IgE. Together, these results clearly show that dLAN, at two ZT sampling points, affects peripheral molecular clocks and responses in the spleen, and that these effects are independent of the life stage at which exposure to dim light at night occurs. Full article

Bismuth tungstate (Bi₂WO₆) is a typical bismuth-based visible-light-responsive semiconductor photocatalyst that has attracted significant attention in the fields of environment remediation and energy conversion. In this paper, to address the issues of high photogenerated carrier recombination rate and limited visible-light-response range of Bi₂WO₆, various modification strategies are highlighted, including morphology control, element doping, heterojunction construction, carbon material compositing, and coupling with functional materials such as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), or conductive polymers. Furthermore, the structure–activity relationships are discussed. On this basis, the latest application progress of Bi₂WO₆-based photocatalysts in fields such as pollutant degradation, antibacterial activity, and energy conversion and storage is summarized. Finally, prospects are put forward regarding the existing shortcomings and future development directions in the application of Bi₂WO₆-based photocatalysts, aiming to provide a systematic theoretical reference for the design and application of high-performance Bi₂WO₆-based photocatalysts. Full article

Engineered nanomaterials are widely used in environmental remediation, agriculture, and industrial applications owing to their large specific surface area, high reactivity, and tunable physicochemical properties. However, their release into aquatic environments has raised increasing concerns regarding potential risks to primary producers. Microalgae are highly sensitive to environmental stressors and play essential roles in photosynthesis, nutrient cycling, carbon fixation, and aquatic food-web stability, making them important model organisms for assessing the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials. This review summarizes the toxic effects and mechanisms of representative engineered nanomaterials, including metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, nanoplastics, and carbon-based nanomaterials, on microalgae. Major toxic pathways include nanoparticle attachment and aggregation on algal surfaces, shading effects, membrane damage, altered permeability, cellular internalization, toxic ion release, reactive oxygen species overproduction, photosynthetic inhibition, and metabolic disturbance. The review further discusses how particle size, morphology, surface coating, dissolution, aging, light, pH, and natural organic matter regulate nanomaterial bioavailability and toxicity. Combined toxicity caused by coexisting nanoparticles or emerging pollutants is also considered, with emphasis on synergistic, antagonistic, and concentration-dependent effects. Finally, recent methodological advances, such as near-native imaging, Raman-based spectroscopy, particle-specific elemental analysis, and multi-omics approaches, are highlighted. This review provides an integrated perspective for understanding nanomaterial toxicity to microalgae and supports future ecological risk assessment in aquatic environments. Full article

Rapid urbanization has intensified artificial light at night (ALAN) and reduced access to natural dark sky environments. Dark sky parks provide a potential spatial approach for nighttime environmental protection, ecological conservation, and astronomical recreation. This study develops a constraint-based suitability assessment framework for urban dark sky park site selection and applies it to Wuhan, China. Multi-source geospatial data were integrated into a 1 km × 1 km evaluation grid. The AHP–Delphi method was used to determine indicator weights, while land cover constraints were introduced to exclude artificial surfaces from candidate evaluation areas. Weighted overlay analysis, sensitivity analysis, continuous patch screening, and dark sky quality verification were then conducted. The results show that (1) artificial light visibility (ALV) and cloudless days (CVD) are the most important indicators, with weights of 0.328 and 0.250, respectively; (2) 29.38% of the evaluation units are classified as most suitable or more suitable; (3) the spatial pattern of highly suitable areas remain relatively stable, with Jaccard overlap rates of 73.65% and 87.09% under alternative weighting scenarios; and (4) continuous patch screening identifies Caidian and Yangda as priority candidate areas. Further verification using the Bortle Scale, a nine-level classification of night darkness, shows that the Caidian patch reached Bortle class 4 and National Astronomical Observatories (NAOC) dark sky class 1, indicating stronger practical feasibility for dark sky park development. The proposed framework provides a methodological reference for integrating dark sky protection, land use feasibility, and urban planning in metropolitan regions. Full article

Imidacloprid (IMI), the commonly used neonicotinoid pesticide, has emerged as a persistent aquatic contaminant due to its high solubility and stability, posing risks to non-target organisms and ecosystem health. In this study, a MnZnFe₂O₄/SrWO₄ ferrite–tungstate nanocomposite was synthesized via a hydrothermal process and its ability to photocatalytically degrade IMI under UV light was assessed. SEM, XRD and FT-IR were used to characterize the composite to confirm its structural and morphological features. Photocatalytic performance was systematically investigated by examining the effects of operational factors, including initial pollutant concentration, catalyst dosage, pH, and irradiation time. The MnZnFe₂O₄/SrWO₄ nanocomposite exhibited significantly enhanced activity, achieving up to 87% degradation of IMI within 30 min at pH 9, outperforming individual components (SrWO₄: 37%; MnZnFe₂O₄: 75%) under identical conditions. The degradation kinetics followed a pseudo-first-order model consistent with the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism. Effective interfacial charge transfer between the ferrite and tungstate phases, which suppresses electron-hole recombination and increases the production of reactive species, is responsible for the enhanced performance. Furthermore, the composite demonstrated good stability and reusability across several cycles, indicating its practical applicability. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential of MnZnFe₂O₄/SrWO₄ nanocomposites as efficient and sustainable photocatalysts for removing imidacloprid and similar organic contaminants from aqueous systems. Full article

Synthetic biology seeks to build predictable, programmable biological systems. We developed a blue-light-inducible T7RNAP system with dual-input regulation to enable precise spatiotemporal gene control, which is vital for biomanufacturing, therapy, and microbial engineering. We optimized it by replacing RBS sequences, testing tandem T7 promoters, and evaluating split-T7RNAP variants. Expression and bactericidal efficacy were assessed via fluorescent output and real-time growth curves under blue light. RBS variants caused up to 50-fold differences in expression. Three tandem T7 promoters provided the best balance between yield and fidelity. Integration of a benzoate-responsive module enabled 4.5-fold repression at 3 mM benzoate, demonstrating effective chemical off-switching without compromising light induction. This system combines blue light precision with environmental responsiveness, offering non-invasive, on-demand activation for antimicrobial therapy or spatial bioproduction. The benzoate-triggered off-switch is especially valuable for ecological applications such as biocontainment or bioremediation, where gene expression must shut down upon detection of pollutants, for example, aromatic hydrocarbons. Its orthogonal, modular design supports context-dependent control, making it ideal for environmental biosensors, programmable probiotics, and smart antimicrobial delivery in complex ecosystems. Full article

The objective of this study is to develop a nanosized, visible-light-responsive photocatalyst with magnetic separability and recyclability for repeated use. Spinel ferrite nanoparticles, which are environmentally friendly, are promising candidates for achieving this goal. Spinel ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized via a low-temperature hydrothermal method to investigate their microstructural characteristics, magnetic properties, and photocatalytic performance. Initially, four ternary spinel ferrite (MFe₂O₄, where M = Mg, Mn, Co, and Zn) nanoparticles were compared in terms of their physical properties and photodegradation efficiencies of organic dye methylene blue (MB). Among them, the MgFe₂O₄ and ZnFe₂O₄ samples exhibited superior photocatalytic activity compared to the MnFe₂O₄ and CoFe₂O₄ samples. Subsequently, a systematic investigation of the Zn–Mg ferrite system (Zn_1−xMg_xFe₂O₄, x = 0 to 0.8 in increments of 0.2) was carried out. The results revealed that the x = 0.8 samples achieved the highest photodegradation efficiency of 99 for a 10 MB aqueous solution under visible-light irradiation for 90 min. This improved performance is attributed to formation of a heterojunction of Zn–Mg nanoferrite/Fe₂O₃, which promotes light harvesting and prevents photogenerated charge recommendation, thus significantly improving photocatalytic activity. Full article

Urban air pollution results from complex interactions between vehicle emissions, meteorological conditions, and atmospheric chemistry. While machine learning models achieve high accuracy in air quality prediction, their limited transparency hinders policy adoption. We present an integrated (M-ETAQI) framework combining multiple XAI techniques, temporal decomposition, and causal inference to quantify traffic and meteorological contributions to PM₁₀, PM_2.5, NO_X, and NO₂ concentrations in the Istanbul FSM Bridge corridor (2022–2023 hourly data). Five machine learning models, including XGBoost, LightGBM, CatBoost, Random Forest, and CNN–LSTM–Attention, were trained with temporal cross-validation. SHAP, LIME, PDP, and ALE were applied for interpretability; STL decomposition isolated temporal components, and CCM tested causal links. Tree-based models achieved R² > 0.80 for all pollutants, with CatBoost reaching PM_2.5 R² = 0.876. SHAP confirmed Lag1 as the dominant feature. Wind speed had a significant negative effect on NO_X, while traffic contributed ~20% to NO_X, twice that of other pollutants. STL showed the trend component dominated total variance; NO₂ trend variance = 56.3%. CCM revealed wind speed as the strongest causal driver of NO_X (ρ = 0.37) and confirmed direct traffic–NO_X links. Knowledge distillation from CatBoost improved CNN–LSTM–Attention performance. The four XAI methods yielded consistent attributions, providing robust, cross-validated evidence for traffic management and air-quality policy. Full article

Background: Chronic exposure to artificial light at night (light pollution) causes circadian desynchronosis and melatonin deficiency, which is considered an independent driver of metabolic disorders and accelerated aging. However, the long-term effects of chronic desynchronosis on systemic metabolism and liver structure throughout the life cycle, as well as the potential of preventive melatonin administration, remain poorly understood. Objective: To evaluate the effects of chronic dark deprivation and prevention of metabolic disorders by exogenous melatonin on plasma melatonin levels, metabolic profile, liver function, and morphological changes in rats over a 24-month experiment. Methods: A 24-month experiment was conducted on 360 male Wistar rats divided into three groups: control (standard 10:14 h light/dark photoperiod), dark deprivation (DD, constant illumination), and correction (DD+Mel, constant illumination + melatonin 10 mg/kg five times per week). Animals were sacrificed at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Plasma melatonin was assessed by ELISA. Biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, LDH, total protein, albumin, bilirubin, glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol), body weight, liver weight, relative liver weight, and histological parameters (steatosis, fibrosis, nuclear area, nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio, and binucleated hepatocytes) were analyzed. Results: In the DD group, a persistent progressive melatonin deficiency was detected (5.1-fold decrease by 6 months, p < 0.0005), accompanied by hypertriglyceridemia (Cohen’s d = 6.40), hypercholesterolemia (d = 4.59), biphasic dysglycemia (hypoglycemia followed by hyperglycemia), elevated ALT and AST activity (d = 2.60 and 2.46, respectively), hypoproteinemia (d = 5.33), hypoalbuminemia (d = 3.34), and hyperbilirubinemia (d = 3.22–4.37), as well as progressive steatosis (2.8 ± 0.3 points, d = 7.20) and pericellular fibrosis (1.8 ± 0.4 points, d = 4.50). In the DD group, a decrease in relative liver weight during the first 12 months was observed (metabolic disproportion, d = 2.31), reflecting disproportionate body weight gain. In the DD+Mel group, exogenous melatonin restored the biochemical parameters to values that did not differ statistically from the control values (Cohen’s d < 0.2 for most parameters), prevented steatosis (0.8 ± 0.3 points, d = 0.80) and fibrosis (0 points), increased relative liver weight by 24 months (3.83 ± 0.49 vs. 3.27 ± 0.029 in the control, d = 1.60), and increased the hepatocyte nuclear area (58.4 ± 4.1 vs. 48.6 ± 3.8 μm², d = 2.32). Conclusions: Chronic desynchronosis induced by constant illumination leads to persistent melatonin deficiency and complex metabolic and structural liver disturbances modeling accelerated aging. Exogenous melatonin (10 mg/kg five times per week) exhibits pronounced geroprotective, hepatoprotective, and antifibrotic effects, normalizing all biochemical parameters and preventing age-related liver involution. Full article

Climate change represents one of the defining global health challenges of the 21st century, with far-reaching implications for population health, health systems, and health equity. The acceleration of environmental change, evidenced by record-breaking global temperatures, extreme weather events, and ecological degradation, poses a direct threat to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all. This manuscript presents a narrative review and policy analysis of the intersection of climate change and global public health in light of the outcomes of the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil. Drawing on peer-reviewed literature, major institutional reports, and relevant policy documents, we explore how climate change exacerbates communicable and non-communicable diseases, undermines health system resilience, and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations worldwide. Particular attention is given to heat-related morbidity, infectious disease expansion, air pollution, food and water insecurity, displacement, gender inequities, antimicrobial resistance, and mental health impacts. The paper highlights the significance of the Belém Health Action Plan (BHAP), which is treated here as a COP30-associated action framework that places health more centrally within climate policy discussions. However, major challenges remain, including its voluntary orientation, the absence of dedicated financing mechanisms within the framework itself, and limited clarity on accountability arrangements, as identified through our synthesis of the available policy and evidence base. We argue that achieving SDG 3 is no longer feasible without integrating climate adaptation and mitigation into health systems and policies, and that progress will depend on translating global commitments into context-specific country strategies, governance arrangements, and implementation pathways. Full article

To address the dual dilemmas of energy shortage and environmental pollution caused by excessive consumption of fossil fuels, semiconductor photocatalysis has been regarded as a promising sustainable technical route. As a novel metal-free polymeric semiconductor, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) has become a benchmark material in photocatalysis due to its suitable visible light response, excellent band structure, high stability, and low-cost raw materials. This review systematically elaborates the structural characteristics, photocatalytic mechanism and mainstream synthetic methods of g-C₃N₄, summarizes the performance optimization strategies, sorts out its application progress in environmental remediation and energy conversion, analyzes the core bottlenecks of current research and prospects the future directions, providing a systematic reference for the fundamental research and industrial application of g-C₃N₄-based photocatalysts. Full article