Search Results (40)

Stormwater runoff from areas with specific industrial, agricultural or logistic land use comprises a significant source of water pollution, yet research on its specific composition remains limited compared to urban stormwater pollution. This review synthesizes findings from different studies to analyze sampling methods, types of pollution parameters and their associated concentration ranges across various non-urban land use types, including industrial and commercial zones, transportation infrastructure (ports, airports, highways, railways) and agricultural areas. Studies differed in sample strategy, investigated phase (water, sediment) and analyzed chemical parameters. The latter can be grouped into sum parameters (e.g., total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD)), metals (e.g., nickel, copper, zinc, lead), nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus), organic micropollutants (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA)) and microbial contaminants. Results indicate that pollutant loads vary widely depending on land use, with industrial and railway areas showing the highest metal contamination, while agricultural and livestock farming areas exhibit elevated nutrient and microbial concentrations. The heterogeneity of the sampling, analysis and subsequent data processing hindered the statistical condensation of data from different studies. The findings underscore the need for standardized monitoring methods and tailored stormwater treatment strategies to mitigate pollution impact effectively. Full article

Rapid economic development, accelerated urbanization, and agricultural modernization in eastern China have exacerbated pollution in rivers discharging into the sea, challenging regional ecological security and water resource sustainability. This study investigates ten main rivers in eastern China using monthly water quality and hydrological data from 2021 to 2023. Pollutant fluxes for permanganate index (${\mathrm{COD}}_{\mathrm{Mn}}$), ammonia nitrogen (AN), total phosphorus (TP), and total nitrogen (TN) were calculated, and their temporal and spatial variations were analyzed using descriptive statistics, two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and principal component analysis (PCA). Results show significant spatial heterogeneity, with the Yangtze (YAR) and Pearl Rivers (PER) exhibiting the highest fluxes due to high basin runoff and intense human activities. Seasonal variations significantly affect ${\mathrm{COD}}_{\mathrm{Mn}}$, TP, and TN fluxes, with summer runoff and agricultural activities enhancing pollutant transport. Moreover, flood periods markedly increase pollutant fluxes compared to non-flood periods. PCA further reveals that the pollutant flux patterns of YAR and PER are clearly distinct from those of the other rivers, indicating the joint influence of geographic conditions and anthropogenic activities. This study provides quantitative evidence for regional water environment management and offers crucial guidance for developing sustainable, differentiated pollution control strategies. Full article

The nitrogen cycle is the key to the healthy operation of river ecosystems and plays an important role in maintaining the ecological balance, purifying water quality, and promoting the circulation of material. The Xisha River was chosen as the research object to analyze the water quality condition from 2021 to 2023, and the microbial diversity of nitrogen metabolism, functional genes, and metabolic pathways in the water body were analyzed using macro-genomics technology. The results showed that total nitrogen (TN) was the main exceedance factor in the water body, and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N), TN, and total phosphorus (TP) were the key factors affecting the water quality. The downstream station (W2) exhibited the most significant water quality changes, while the upstream station (W5) showed the highest biodiversity and abundance. The top five genera in abundance in the water body were unclassified__c__Actinomycetia, unclassified__p__Bacteroidota, Paenisporosarcina, Candidatus_Planktophila, and unclassified__c__Betaproteobacteria. The five most abundant nitrogen metabolism genes were K01915 (nitrate reductase), K00265 (nitrite reductase), K01673 (ammonium transporter), K00266 (nitrite reductase), and K02575 (nitrate reductase), each contributing to critical nitrogen cycling processes such as denitrification, nitrification, and nitrogen assimilation. The six major nitrogen metabolism pathways were denitrification (M00529), anisotropic nitrate reduction (M00528), anisotropic nitrate reduction (M00529). anisotropic nitrate reduction (M00530), complete nitrification (M00804), nitrate assimilation (M00615), methylaspartate cycling (M00740), and assimilatory nitrate reduction (M00531). TN was identified as the primary environmental factor influencing both microbial communities and nitrogen metabolism genes. Co-occurrence network analysis identified K01915 (nitrate reductase), K00459 (ammonium transporter), K01673 (ammonium transporter), and K00261 (nitrate reductase) as pivotal genes involved in nitrogen metabolism. This study reveals the microbial-driven nitrogen cycle and lays the foundation for mitigating nitrogen pollution in the Xisha River. Full article

Urbanization and the expansion of impervious surfaces have increased stormwater runoff volumes, altered runoff timing, and degraded water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Runoff from urban areas carries pollutants such as nitrogen, phosphorus, sediments, and heavy metals, which can adversely impact the physical characteristics of receiving waterbodies. Stormwater management programs aim to mitigate these effects using Best Management Practices (BMPs) to retain and treat stormwater on-site. However, in densely developed areas, space constraints and high costs often make traditional BMPs impractical. This study assessed the effectiveness of expanded shale, an engineered material, as a filtration medium in bioswales, a type of linear BMP commonly used in transportation infrastructure. Thirty scenarios were tested in a 16 ft (4.9 m) long plexiglass flume using expanded shale mixed with sandy clay soil. Due to the limited scope of this study, it focused on assessing the effectiveness of expanded shale in removing suspended sediments and reducing turbidity. Results showed that expanded shale achieved removal efficiencies ranging from 20% to 82% for total suspended solids (TSS) and −4% to 61% for turbidity under different conditions. It outperformed conventional filtration materials such as sand and gravel, requiring less channel length. Remarkably, even in a small-scale laboratory setting, expanded shale met the suspended sediment removal standard of 80%, demonstrating its potential as a highly effective filtration material alternative for urban stormwater management. Full article

Marine pollution poses significant risks to both human and marine health. This investigation explores the limnological status of the Odisha and West Bengal coasts during the annual cruise program, focusing on the influence of riverine inputs on coastal marine waters. To assess this impact, physicochemical parameters such as pH, salinity, total suspended solids (TSS), dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and dissolved nutrients (NO₂-N, NO₃-N, NH₄-N, PO₄-P, SiO₄-Si, total-N, and total-P) were analyzed from samples collected along 11 transects. Multivariate statistics and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to the datasets, revealing four key factors that account for over 70.09% of the total variance in water quality parameters, specifically 25.01% for PC1, 21.94% for PC2, 13.13% for PC3, and 9.99% for PC4. The results indicate that the increase in nutrient and suspended solid concentrations in coastal waters primarily arises from weathering and riverine transport from natural sources, with nitrate sources linked to the decomposition of organic materials. Coastal Odisha was found to be rich in phosphorus-based nutrients, particularly from industrial effluents in Paradip and the Mahanadi, while ammonia levels were attributed to municipal waste in Puri. In contrast, the West Bengal coast exhibited higher levels of nitrogenous nutrients alongside elevated pH and DO values. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the seasonal dynamics and anthropogenic influences on coastal water quality in Odisha and West Bengal, highlighting the need for targeted conservation and management efforts. Full article

The contamination of soil with the heavy metal cadmium (Cd) is increasingly prominent and severely threatens food security in China. Owing to its low cost, suitable efficacy, and ability to address the shortcomings of plant remediation by enhancing the ability of plants to take up Cd, plant–microbe combination remediation technology has become a research hotspot in heavy metal pollution remediation. A pot experiment was performed to examine the effects of inoculation with the plant-growth-promoting bacterium Brevibacillus sp. SR-9 on the biomass, Cd accumulation, and soil nutrients of hybrid Pennisetum. The purpose of this study was to determine how Brevibacillus sp. SR-9 alleviates stress caused by heavy metal contamination. High-throughput sequencing and metabolomics were used to determine the effects of inoculation on the soil bacterial community composition and microbial metabolic functions associated with hybrid Pennisetum. The results suggest that mutation of Brevibacillus sp. SR-9 effectively alleviates Cd pollution stress, leading to increased biomass and accumulation of Cd in hybrid Pennisetum. The aboveground biomass and the root weight increased by 12.08% and 27.03%, respectively. Additionally, the accumulation of Cd in the aboveground sections and roots increased by 21.16% and 15.50%, respectively. Measurements of the physicochemical properties of the soil revealed that the strain Brevibacillus sp. SR-9 slightly increased the levels of available phosphorus, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and available potassium. High-throughput DNA sequencing revealed that Brevibacillus sp. SR-9 implantation modified the composition of the soil bacterial community by increasing the average number of Actinobacteria and Bacillus. The total nitrogen content of the soil was positively correlated with the Actinobacteria abundance, total phosphorus level, and available phosphorus level. Metabolomic analysis revealed that inoculation affected the abundance of soil metabolites, and 59 differentially abundant metabolites were identified (p < 0.05). Among these, 14 metabolites presented increased abundance, whereas 45 metabolites presented decreased abundance. Fourteen metabolic pathways were enriched in these metabolites: the folate resistance pathway, the ABC transporter pathway, D-glutamine and D-glutamic acid metabolism, purine metabolism, and pyrimidine metabolism. The abundance of the metabolites was positively correlated with the levels of available phosphorus, total potassium, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen. According to correlation analyses, the development of hybrid Pennisetum and the accumulation of Cd are strongly associated with differentially abundant metabolites, which also impact the abundance of certain bacterial populations. This work revealed that by altering the makeup of microbial communities and their metabolic processes, bacteria that promote plant development can mitigate the stress caused by Cd. These findings reveal the microbiological mechanisms through which these bacteria increase the ability of hybrid Pennisetum to take up the Cd present in contaminated soils. Full article

Lakeshore buffer zones serve as transitional areas between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, playing a crucial role in intercepting non-point source pollutants, purifying river and lake water, and maintaining ecological system dynamics. This study focuses on the vegetation of the lakeshore buffer zone in Songhua Lake, the largest artificial lake in Northeast China. The nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) pollutant contents and accumulation characteristics of herbaceous plants were investigated and analyzed in different regions and with different species. The study results indicate that there were no significant differences in N and P content, N: P ratio, and average accumulation among vegetation in the near-water, middle, and far lakeshores of the buffer area. The herbaceous plants with the highest N and P content and N: P ratios were Artemisia sieversiana, Sium suave, and Artemisia sieversiana, respectively. Purus frumentum planted in the middle lakeshore accumulated the highest amounts of N and P, reaching 87.97 g plant⁻¹ and 3.86 g plant⁻¹, respectively. The aboveground parts of plants showed significantly higher accumulation of N and P compared to the underground parts. The average enrichment coefficient for aboveground parts and underground parts for N were 4.83 and 4.35, respectively, all exceeding 1. However, their capability to enrich P was relatively weak, with only the aboveground parts of F − 3 showing some enrichment ability. Among herbaceous plants, Artemisia sieversiana and Sium suave exhibited the strongest capability for transporting N and P from underground to aboveground. Overall, harvesting aboveground biomass for the ecological removal of N and P in the study area appears feasible. Biomass is a critical factor influencing the nutrient interception capacity of vegetation, with Purus frumentum identified as an optimal restoration plant for sustainable management practices, and Artemisia sieversiana and Sium suave have the potential for rapid remediation. Full article

Stormwater runoff from large roads is a major source of pollutants to receiving waters, and reduction of these pollutants is important for sustainable water resources and transportation networks. Porous pavements have been shown to substantially reduce many of these pollutants, but studies are lacking on arterial roads. We sampled typical stormwater pollutants in runoff from sections of an arterial road 9–16 years after installation of three pavement types: control with conventional asphalt, porous asphalt overly, and full-depth porous asphalt. Both types of porous pavements substantially reduced most of the stormwater pollutants measured. Total suspended solids, turbidity, total lead, total copper, and 6PPD-quinone were all reduced by >75%. Total nitrogen, ammonia, total phosphorus, biochemical oxygen demand, total and dissolved copper, total mercury, total zinc, total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate were all reduced by >50%. Reductions were lower or absent for nitrate, orthophosphate, E. coli, dissolved lead, and dissolved zinc. Most reductions were statistically significant. Many pollutants exceeded applicable water quality standards in the control samples but met them with both types of porous pavement. This study demonstrates that porous overlays and full-depth porous asphalt can provide substantial reductions of several priority stormwater pollutants on arterial roads for many years after installation. Porous pavements have the potential to substantially enhance water quality of urban waterways and provide ecological benefits on urban thoroughfares. Full article

Change in land use and land cover (LULC) is crucial to freshwater ecosystems as it affects surface runoff, groundwater storage, and sediment and nutrient transport within watershed areas. Ecosystem components such as wetlands, which can contribute to the reduction of water pollution and the enhancement of groundwater recharge, are altered by LULC modifications. This study evaluates how wetlands in the Big Sunflower River Watershed (BSRW) have changed in recent years and quantified their impacts on streamflow, water quality, and groundwater storage using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The model was well calibrated and validated prior to its application. Our study showed that the maximum increase in wetland areas within the sub-watersheds of interest was 26% from 2008 to 2020. The maximum changes in reduction due to the increase in wetland areas were determined by 2% for streamflow, 37% for total suspended solids, 13% for total phosphorus (TP), 4% for total nitrogen (TN), and the maximum increase in shallow groundwater storage by 90 mm from 2008 to 2020 only in the selected sub-basins. However, the central part of the watershed experienced average declines of groundwater levels up to 176 mm per year due to water withdrawal for irrigation or other uses. This study also found that restoration of 460 to 550 ha of wetlands could increase the reduction of discharge by 20%, sediment by 25%, TN by 18%, and TP by 12%. This study highlights the importance of wetland conservation for water quality improvement and management of groundwater resources. Full article

Forest ecosystems and urban parks are an integral part of the natural environment and the natural system of a city, where they form a mosaic of habitats resulting from the variation in soil cover due to human activities. The study was conducted in urban forests in five urban parks in Upper Silesia (southern Poland) and investigated the chemical properties and content of potentially toxic metals (PTMs) in the topsoil, which had an average thickness of 15 cm for all samples. The soil reaction ranged from acidic (pH = 4.7–5.1, in KCl) to slightly acidic (pH = 5.6, to neutral—6.6–7.2) at most sites. The organic carbon (OC) content was relatively high at all sites, ranging from 1.19 to 14.3%, with the highest total nitrogen (Nt) content being 0.481%. The average total phosphorus (Pt) content in the parks ranged from 310 mg kg⁻¹ to 684 mg kg⁻¹, while the highest values were 1840 mg kg⁻¹. The total Cr, Cu, Co and Ni content was within acceptable limits, while the Zn, Pb, Cd, As, Sr and Ba exceeded acceptable standards. In terms of content, Zn dominated the PTMs at each site (Zn > Pb > Ba > Sr > Cu > Cr > As > Ni > Cd > Co), while Ba and Pb alternated in taking second place (Zn > Ba > Pb > Sr > Cu > Cr > Ni > As > Co > Cd). Environmental indicators, such as the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF) and potential ecological risk index (RI), showed that the analyzed soils are highly contaminated with PTMs. Among the sources of pollution in the urban forest are low emissions from coal combustion, industrial activities, water runoff from streets and proximity to transportation routes. Identification of PTM levels in urban parks will provide valuable information on the behavior of these metals, which is important in sustainable development and can help evaluate the local spatial development plans of urbanized areas. Full article

Dredging is a common technique for managing eutrophication problems in waters, reducing the accumulation of pollutants by removing sediments from the bottom of water bodies. However, dredging can have complex impacts on lake ecosystems, and it is crucial to understand its benefits and mechanisms for the environment. In this paper, the dredged and undredged areas in the Caohai portion of Dianchi Lake were studied to analyze the effects of dredging on nitrogen–phosphorus transport and conversion and changes in nitrogen–phosphorus morphology content and its mechanisms by comparing the nitrogen–phosphorus morphology content and percentage, the nitrogen–phosphorus ratio, and the release contribution of the two areas. It was found that the ratio of stabilized nitrogen (SN) to stabilized phosphorus (SP) in the dredged area was lower than that in the undredged area and the BD-P and TOC content had a large turnaround at the 16–20 cm position of the sediment in the dredged area. The main conclusions were that the dredging would disrupt the internal equilibrium of the lake system for many years, with the greatest effect on the balance of the BD-P in the phosphorus forms of the sediment, and that the column cores of the dredged area at 0 to 16 cm might be newly accumulated sediments after the dredging project. However, with time, the distribution of nitrogen and phosphorus forms in the newly accumulated sediments will gradually reach a new equilibrium. In addition, dredging will also cause significant changes in the retention efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus in the sediment, and the stable nitrogen and phosphorus forms will be released and transformed into unstable nitrogen and phosphorus forms. Full article

The aim of this study was to perform a morphometric analysis of Prussian carp individuals collected from the Moara Domnească pond in Ilfov County, Romania. This was accompanied by a physico-chemical characterization of the water, which was sampled from the same location. Consequently, we analyzed a total of 60 Prussian carp individuals that were caught in April (N = 32) and May 2023 (N = 28). For the Carassius gibelio in the study site, we provided, for the first time, data on the weight–length relationships (WLRs), the Fulton K condition factor and the biometric features, including the total length (TL), standard length (SL), head length (HL), snout length (SNL), body depth (BD), girth and ratios for the TL/HL, as well for the TL/BD and TL/SL. A negative growth type was estimated for both the samples of C. gibelio. Based on other studies and fishing reports, besides C. gibelio, there are another 11 species that belong to the Cypriniformes order, and there are two teleost members of the Perciformes order (Lepomis gibbosus and Perca fluviatilis)—these were also associated with this habitat. Water samples were collected from 12 sampling points (SP), which were subjected to physico-chemical characterizations that consisted of an assessment of the turbidity (T), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), chloride (Cl⁻), total hardness (TH), oxygen regime parameters, phosphate phosphorus (P-PO₄³⁻), nitrate nitrogen (N-NO₃⁻), nitrite nitrogen (N-NO₂⁻) and ammonium nitrogen (N-NH₄⁺) levels. In addition, considering their characteristics (high toxicity, non-biodegradability, long-range atmospheric transport and bioaccumulation potential), a number of organochlorine pollutants (OCPs) were identified. The total hardness values presented a very significant correlation with conductivity (r = 0.5974 ***) and with pH (r = 0.5854 ***). The results allowed for the water samples to be placed into the quality classes established by legislation, and they were also discussed in relation to the fishes’ requirements. Full article

To explore the potential of Koenigia mollis as a pioneer plant in acid tin mine wasteland, Koenigia mollis plants and the corresponding rhizosphere soils in different areas in Lianghe County, Yunnan Province were collected, and their chemical properties and heavy metals contents were determined., the adaptability of the plant to the barren tailing environment and its acid resistance and tolerance to heavy metal such as Cu (Cu, CAS. No. 7144-37-8), Cd (Cd, CAS. No. 7440-43-9) and Pb (Pb, CAS. No. 10099-74-8) pollution were analyzed. Results showed that Koenigia mollis growth was normal. The pH value in rhizosphere soils was 3.74–4.30, which was strongly acidic. The organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN) (N, CAS. No. 7727-37-9), available potassium (AK) (K, CAS. No. 7440-09-7), and available phosphorus (AP) (P, CAS. No. 7723-14-0) contents in soils of the research area were in low levels. The total contents of Cu, Cd, and Pb in the soil of the research area exceeded the pollution risk screening value for the national risk control standard of soil environmental quality, indicating that Koenigia mollis has a certain resistance to acid and heavy metal pollution. In addition, Koenigia mollis has strong transport and enrichment capacity for Cu, Cd, and Pb and therefore has potential as a pioneer phytoremediation plant for acid tin mine wastelands and a remediated plant for agricultural land around metal mining areas. Full article

With the comprehensive emissions of fossil fuel combustion and transportation waste gas, the concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NO_X) in the environmental atmosphere increase significantly, leading to nitric acid rain (NAR) pollution. However, the effects of NAR on soil enzyme activities and soil microbial metabolism are unclear. In this study, the Quercus acutissima Carruth. forest in the Yangtze River Delta of China was selected as the experimental subject, and was exposed to the simulated spraying of NAR with pH values of 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 to study the response of the forest soil enzyme activities and soil microbial metabolism to NAR. The results showed that compared to the non-NAR treatment, the activities of β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), L-leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), and β-1,4-N-acetylglucosidase (NAG) decreased by 56.48%–42.24%, 44.57%–38.20%, and 56.13%–48.11% under the AR2.5 and AR3.5 treatments, respectively. Moreover, there was no significant change in the Vector Length (VL) under different gradients of NAR. The Vector Angle (VA) increased with the decrease of the pH value and reached the maximum value with the AR2.5 treatment, indicating that the strong acid type NAR had a greater phosphorus-limiting effect on the soil microorganisms. The RDA analysis results showed that the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was a significant factor affecting the soil enzyme activity and stoichiometric ratio, with interpretation rates of 40.2%. In conclusion, we believe that in the restoration of acidified soil, attention should be paid to the regulation of soil pH, reducing scour. Full article

Pollution by heavy metals is one of the most serious issues in the world, and the principal sources are manufacturing, fertilizers, mining, pesticides, transport, and wastewater discharge. In this study, the presence of macroelements (Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P)) and heavy metals (Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Cadmium (Cd), Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Cooper (Cu), and Manganese (Mn)) in the green tide caused by the green seaweed Ulva lactuca from Marchica lagoon (NE-Morocco, Mediterranean) was evaluated. The mean values of P and N in the algae were 1773.33 mg·kg ⁻¹ and 44.4 g·kg ⁻¹, respectively. The heavy metals have mean values following this descending sequence: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cr > Cd. This finding has suggested that Ulva has the strongest affinity to Fe and Mn among the metals examined. Mn, Fe, and Pb recorded the highest bioconcentration factors (BCFs), which were 1687, 1656, and 1643, respectively. Regarding their contribution to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), Fe showed a contribution of 13.58% to the RDA, while that of Mn varied between 4.42 % and 28.42%. The health risk assessment did not indicate any hazard related to the ingestion of Ulva lactuca. Therefore, this study suggests that Ulva lactuca in the Nador lagoon has the potential to bioaccumulate heavy metals and mitigate eutrophication. Full article