Pub Date : 2023-05-22DOI: 10.3390/pollutants3020019
Mohammad Kazemi Garajeh, G. Laneve, Hamid Rezaei, M. Sadeghnejad, Neda Mohamadzadeh, Behnam Salmani
Air pollution (AP) is a significant risk factor for public health, and its impact is becoming increasingly concerning in developing countries where it is causing a growing number of health issues. It is therefore essential to map and monitor AP sources in order to facilitate local action against them. This study aims at assessing the suitability of Sentinel-5 AP products based on Google Earth Engine (GEE) to monitor air pollutants, including CO, NO2, SO2, and O3 in Arak city, Iran from 2018 to 2019. Our process involved feeding satellite images to a cloud-free GEE platform that identified pollutant-affected areas monthly, seasonally, and annually. By coding in the JavaScript language in the GEE, four pollution parameters of Sentinel-5 satellite images were obtained. Following that, images with clouds were filtered by defining cloud filters, and average maps were extracted by defining average filters for both years. The employed model, which solely used Sentinel-5 AP products, was tested and assessed using ground data collected from the Environmental Organization of Central Province. Our findings revealed that annual CO, NO2, SO2, and O3 were estimated with RMSE of 0.13, 2.58, 4.62, and 2.36, respectively, for the year 2018. The annual CO, NO2, SO2, and O3 for the year 2019 were also calculated with RMSE of 0.17, 2.41, 4.31, and 4.6, respectively. The results demonstrated that seasonal AP was estimated with RMSE of 0.09, 5.39, 0.70, and 7.81 for CO, NO2, SO2, and O3, respectively, for the year 2018. Seasonal AP was also estimated with RMSE of 0.12, 4.99, 1.33, and 1.27 for CO, NO2, SO2, and O3, respectively, for the year 2019. The results of this study revealed that Sentinel-5 data combined with automated-based approaches, such as GEE, can perform better than traditional approaches (e.g., pollution measuring stations) for AP mapping and monitoring since they are capable of providing spatially distributed data that is sufficiently accurate.
{"title":"Monitoring Trends of CO, NO2, SO2, and O3 Pollutants Using Time-Series Sentinel-5 Images Based on Google Earth Engine","authors":"Mohammad Kazemi Garajeh, G. Laneve, Hamid Rezaei, M. Sadeghnejad, Neda Mohamadzadeh, Behnam Salmani","doi":"10.3390/pollutants3020019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3020019","url":null,"abstract":"Air pollution (AP) is a significant risk factor for public health, and its impact is becoming increasingly concerning in developing countries where it is causing a growing number of health issues. It is therefore essential to map and monitor AP sources in order to facilitate local action against them. This study aims at assessing the suitability of Sentinel-5 AP products based on Google Earth Engine (GEE) to monitor air pollutants, including CO, NO2, SO2, and O3 in Arak city, Iran from 2018 to 2019. Our process involved feeding satellite images to a cloud-free GEE platform that identified pollutant-affected areas monthly, seasonally, and annually. By coding in the JavaScript language in the GEE, four pollution parameters of Sentinel-5 satellite images were obtained. Following that, images with clouds were filtered by defining cloud filters, and average maps were extracted by defining average filters for both years. The employed model, which solely used Sentinel-5 AP products, was tested and assessed using ground data collected from the Environmental Organization of Central Province. Our findings revealed that annual CO, NO2, SO2, and O3 were estimated with RMSE of 0.13, 2.58, 4.62, and 2.36, respectively, for the year 2018. The annual CO, NO2, SO2, and O3 for the year 2019 were also calculated with RMSE of 0.17, 2.41, 4.31, and 4.6, respectively. The results demonstrated that seasonal AP was estimated with RMSE of 0.09, 5.39, 0.70, and 7.81 for CO, NO2, SO2, and O3, respectively, for the year 2018. Seasonal AP was also estimated with RMSE of 0.12, 4.99, 1.33, and 1.27 for CO, NO2, SO2, and O3, respectively, for the year 2019. The results of this study revealed that Sentinel-5 data combined with automated-based approaches, such as GEE, can perform better than traditional approaches (e.g., pollution measuring stations) for AP mapping and monitoring since they are capable of providing spatially distributed data that is sufficiently accurate.","PeriodicalId":20301,"journal":{"name":"Pollutants","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91324764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-05-04DOI: 10.3390/pollutants3020018
P. Nana, Majesté Pahane Mbiada, S. Tchakonté, Karine Moche, Rodrigue Steve Mouchili Palena, M. Nola, T. Sime-Ngando
Beaches are major sites of microbiological pollution. Assessment of the abundance of resistant forms of enteric protozoa on these recreational waters is important for the prevention and management of health risks. Based on sedimentation and flotation methods, this study found that Kribi beach waters concentrate considerable amounts of enteric protozoa, which are potentially pathogenic. They include Coccidia (Cryptosporidium sp. and Cyclospora cayetanensis), Amoebae (Endolimax nana, Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba coli) and Flagellates (Giardia intestinalis). In general, seasonal changes and tidal cycles have significantly impacted the spread of these parasites along Kribi beaches. Thus, at all sites surveyed (Mpalla, Ngoyè and Mboamanga), maximum protozoan abundances were recorded at low tide and during the rainy seasons. It should also be noted that at each sampling site, significant correlations were recorded between certain protozoa and certain physico-chemical variables (p < 0.05). At Mboamanga, for example, Cryptosporidium sp. and Endolimax nana were positively correlated during the Short Rainy Season with temperature (r = 0.601, p = 0.044 and r = 0.632, p = 0.042). At Mpalla, a positive and significant correlation was observed during the Short Rainy Season between Entamoeba coli and pH (r = 0.605, p = 0.033). The high concentration of resistant forms of these enteric protozoa at Kribi beaches is a real public health threat for bathers. Therefore, in this tourist town, it is urgent to put in place an effective plan for the collection and sustainable treatment of solid and liquid waste, which are the main sources of contamination.
海滩是微生物污染的主要场所。评估这些游憩水域中肠道原生动物耐药形式的丰度对预防和管理健康风险具有重要意义。通过沉淀法和浮法，本研究发现克里比海滩水域集中了大量具有潜在致病性的肠道原生动物。它们包括球虫(隐孢子虫和卡耶坦环孢子虫)、阿米巴虫(隐孢子虫、溶组织内阿米巴虫和大肠内阿米巴虫)和鞭毛虫(肠贾第虫)。总的来说，季节变化和潮汐周期显著影响了这些寄生虫沿克里比海滩的传播。因此，在所有调查地点(Mpalla、Ngoyè和Mboamanga)，在退潮和雨季记录了最大的原生动物丰度。值得注意的是，在每个采样点，某些原生动物与某些物理化学变量之间记录了显著的相关性(p < 0.05)。以Mboamanga为例，短雨季隐孢子虫和Endolimax nana与气温呈显著正相关(r = 0.601, p = 0.044和r = 0.632, p = 0.042)。在Mpalla，短雨季期间，大肠内阿米巴与pH呈显著正相关(r = 0.605, p = 0.033)。这些肠道原生动物在克里比海滩的高浓度耐药形式对游泳者构成了真正的公共卫生威胁。因此，在这个旅游小镇，迫切需要制定一个有效的计划来收集和可持续处理固体和液体废物，这是主要的污染源。
{"title":"Influence of Seasons and Tides on the Distribution of Enteric Protozoa on the Shores of the Atlantic Ocean in Kribi (South Region of Cameroon): Health Risks Related to Bathing","authors":"P. Nana, Majesté Pahane Mbiada, S. Tchakonté, Karine Moche, Rodrigue Steve Mouchili Palena, M. Nola, T. Sime-Ngando","doi":"10.3390/pollutants3020018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3020018","url":null,"abstract":"Beaches are major sites of microbiological pollution. Assessment of the abundance of resistant forms of enteric protozoa on these recreational waters is important for the prevention and management of health risks. Based on sedimentation and flotation methods, this study found that Kribi beach waters concentrate considerable amounts of enteric protozoa, which are potentially pathogenic. They include Coccidia (Cryptosporidium sp. and Cyclospora cayetanensis), Amoebae (Endolimax nana, Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba coli) and Flagellates (Giardia intestinalis). In general, seasonal changes and tidal cycles have significantly impacted the spread of these parasites along Kribi beaches. Thus, at all sites surveyed (Mpalla, Ngoyè and Mboamanga), maximum protozoan abundances were recorded at low tide and during the rainy seasons. It should also be noted that at each sampling site, significant correlations were recorded between certain protozoa and certain physico-chemical variables (p < 0.05). At Mboamanga, for example, Cryptosporidium sp. and Endolimax nana were positively correlated during the Short Rainy Season with temperature (r = 0.601, p = 0.044 and r = 0.632, p = 0.042). At Mpalla, a positive and significant correlation was observed during the Short Rainy Season between Entamoeba coli and pH (r = 0.605, p = 0.033). The high concentration of resistant forms of these enteric protozoa at Kribi beaches is a real public health threat for bathers. Therefore, in this tourist town, it is urgent to put in place an effective plan for the collection and sustainable treatment of solid and liquid waste, which are the main sources of contamination.","PeriodicalId":20301,"journal":{"name":"Pollutants","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82262069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The current study aimed to determine the acute and sub-chronic toxicity of ammonia to juvenile surf clams (Mactra chinensis Philippi). Acute toxicity tests were conducted with seven concentrations of ammonium chloride using a 96 h static-renewal approach. Sub-chronic ammonia exposure tests (20 d exposures) were conducted with 6 concentrations at 20 °C. The 96 h median lethal concentration (96 h LC50) was 11.1 (10.0; 12.0) mg/L total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) and 0.56 (0.50; 0.60) mg/L unionized ammonia (NH3). The relative growth rate was significantly reduced at concentrations higher than 1.6 mg/L TAN (0.075 mg/L NH3) in the 20 d tests. The estimated maximum acceptable toxicant concentration (MATC) based on the reduced growth of juvenile M. chinensis was between 0.8 and1.6 mg/L TAN (0.038–0.075 mg/L NH3). Histopathological changes were evaluated in the surviving clams after 20 days of exposure. Exposure to 14.1 mg/L TAN (0.661 mg/L NH3) resulted in changes in the mantle, foot and digestive diverticulum. We also examined the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in 10 d and 20 d at 6 different levels (plus a control) of ammonia from 0.8 mg/L to 14.1 mg/L TAN. Ammonia exposure at 0.8 mg/L TAN (0.038 mg/L NH3) significantly affected SOD and CAT activities. The level of enzymic activity decreased with the increasing concentration of TAN. The results improved our understanding of oxidative damage under ammonia exposure and provided data for the aquaculture of sunray surf clams.
本研究旨在确定氨对潮蛤幼虾的急性和亚慢性毒性。采用96 h静态更新方法，对7种浓度的氯化铵进行了急性毒性试验。在20°C下进行6种浓度的亚慢性氨暴露试验(20 d暴露)。96 h中位致死浓度(96 h LC50)为11.1 (10.0;12.0) mg/L总氨氮(TAN)和0.56 (0.50;0.60) mg/L游离氨(NH3)。当浓度高于1.6 mg/L TAN (0.075 mg/L NH3)时，20 d的相对生长速率显著降低。根据对中华月子幼鱼生长的抑制，估计最大可接受毒物浓度(MATC)在0.8 ~ 1.6 mg/L TAN (0.038 ~ 0.075 mg/L NH3)之间。暴露20天后，对存活的蛤进行组织病理学变化评估。暴露于14.1 mg/L TAN (0.661 mg/L NH3)导致地幔、足部和消化憩室的变化。在0.8 mg/L ~ 14.1 mg/L的氨水浓度下，测定了10 d和20 d超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)的抗氧化酶活性。0.8 mg/L TAN (0.038 mg/L NH3)氨暴露显著影响SOD和CAT活性。酶活性水平随TAN浓度的增加而降低。研究结果提高了我们对氨暴露下的氧化损伤的认识，并为潮蛤的养殖提供了数据。
{"title":"Effects of Ammonia on Juvenile Sunray Surf Clam (Mactra chinensis Philippi) in Laboratory Tests","authors":"Yuanyuan Dai, Yu-bo Dong, Feng Yang, Zhongzhi Chen, Jia Jia","doi":"10.3390/pollutants3020017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3020017","url":null,"abstract":"The current study aimed to determine the acute and sub-chronic toxicity of ammonia to juvenile surf clams (Mactra chinensis Philippi). Acute toxicity tests were conducted with seven concentrations of ammonium chloride using a 96 h static-renewal approach. Sub-chronic ammonia exposure tests (20 d exposures) were conducted with 6 concentrations at 20 °C. The 96 h median lethal concentration (96 h LC50) was 11.1 (10.0; 12.0) mg/L total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) and 0.56 (0.50; 0.60) mg/L unionized ammonia (NH3). The relative growth rate was significantly reduced at concentrations higher than 1.6 mg/L TAN (0.075 mg/L NH3) in the 20 d tests. The estimated maximum acceptable toxicant concentration (MATC) based on the reduced growth of juvenile M. chinensis was between 0.8 and1.6 mg/L TAN (0.038–0.075 mg/L NH3). Histopathological changes were evaluated in the surviving clams after 20 days of exposure. Exposure to 14.1 mg/L TAN (0.661 mg/L NH3) resulted in changes in the mantle, foot and digestive diverticulum. We also examined the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in 10 d and 20 d at 6 different levels (plus a control) of ammonia from 0.8 mg/L to 14.1 mg/L TAN. Ammonia exposure at 0.8 mg/L TAN (0.038 mg/L NH3) significantly affected SOD and CAT activities. The level of enzymic activity decreased with the increasing concentration of TAN. The results improved our understanding of oxidative damage under ammonia exposure and provided data for the aquaculture of sunray surf clams.","PeriodicalId":20301,"journal":{"name":"Pollutants","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85740619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-04-06DOI: 10.3390/pollutants3020016
W. Umar, I. Czinkota, M. Gulyás, M. Ayub, A. Sebok, Muhammad Yousaf Nadeem, Muhammad Arslan Zulfiqar
Zinc is an essential plant and human nutrient and its primary source is Zn-rich food consumption. The only way to enrich plants with Zn is through the application of Zn fertilizers including various chemical and organic sources of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The Zn bioavailability from ZnO NPs must be considered for their recommendation as a fertilizer, and very little is known about the efficacy of such fertilizers in the Hungarian soil environment. In the present investigation, we prepared ZnO NPs of different sizes and applied them in two distinct textures of soils (sandy loam (SL) and silty clay (SC)) in an incubation experiment. The prepared ZnO NPs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). ZnO NPs were applied in both soil types at 500 mg L−1 in the form of a suspension, and ZnSO4 was applied in the form of a solution. The soils were incubated for 7 and 14 days. Column leaching was performed to analyze the dissolved Zn. Retained Zn in the soil matrix was extracted using 0.05 M EDTA. The results showed that approximately 21–23% and 10–13% higher Zn was observed in the pore water of SL and SC soils, respectively, when spiked with small-sized NPs compared to large-sized NPs, while 14–26% higher dissolved Zn was observed in SL soil compared to SC soil. It is concluded that the size of NPs and the soil texture are the main factors that play important roles in deciding the fate of NPs under an alkaline soil environment.
锌是一种必需的植物和人体营养素，其主要来源是富含锌的食物消费。通过施用锌肥料，包括各种化学和有机来源的氧化锌纳米颗粒(NPs)，是使植物富含锌的唯一途径。ZnO NPs的锌的生物有效性必须考虑到它们作为肥料的推荐，并且对这种肥料在匈牙利土壤环境中的有效性知之甚少。在本研究中，我们制备了不同尺寸的ZnO NPs，并在两种不同质地的土壤(砂壤土(SL)和粉质粘土(SC))中进行了培养实验。采用x射线衍射(XRD)和扫描电镜(SEM)对制备的ZnO纳米粒子进行了表征。在500 mg L−1的浓度下，ZnO NPs以悬浮液的形式施用于两种土壤类型，ZnSO4以溶液的形式施用于两种土壤类型。培养7 d和14 d。采用柱浸法对溶出Zn进行分析。采用0.05 M EDTA萃取土壤基质中残留锌。结果表明，添加小粒径NPs比添加大粒径NPs时，SL和SC土壤孔隙水中的Zn含量分别高出21-23%和10-13%，而添加小粒径NPs时，SL土壤中溶解Zn含量比SC土壤高14-26%。结果表明，碱性土壤环境下，NPs的大小和土壤质地是决定NPs命运的主要因素。
{"title":"Effect of Soil Texture, Nanoparticle Size, and Incubation Period on the Dissolution of ZnO Nanoparticles","authors":"W. Umar, I. Czinkota, M. Gulyás, M. Ayub, A. Sebok, Muhammad Yousaf Nadeem, Muhammad Arslan Zulfiqar","doi":"10.3390/pollutants3020016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3020016","url":null,"abstract":"Zinc is an essential plant and human nutrient and its primary source is Zn-rich food consumption. The only way to enrich plants with Zn is through the application of Zn fertilizers including various chemical and organic sources of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The Zn bioavailability from ZnO NPs must be considered for their recommendation as a fertilizer, and very little is known about the efficacy of such fertilizers in the Hungarian soil environment. In the present investigation, we prepared ZnO NPs of different sizes and applied them in two distinct textures of soils (sandy loam (SL) and silty clay (SC)) in an incubation experiment. The prepared ZnO NPs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). ZnO NPs were applied in both soil types at 500 mg L−1 in the form of a suspension, and ZnSO4 was applied in the form of a solution. The soils were incubated for 7 and 14 days. Column leaching was performed to analyze the dissolved Zn. Retained Zn in the soil matrix was extracted using 0.05 M EDTA. The results showed that approximately 21–23% and 10–13% higher Zn was observed in the pore water of SL and SC soils, respectively, when spiked with small-sized NPs compared to large-sized NPs, while 14–26% higher dissolved Zn was observed in SL soil compared to SC soil. It is concluded that the size of NPs and the soil texture are the main factors that play important roles in deciding the fate of NPs under an alkaline soil environment.","PeriodicalId":20301,"journal":{"name":"Pollutants","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78201719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-24DOI: 10.3390/pollutants3020015
Sai Deepak Pinakana, E. Robles, Esmeralda Mendez, Amit U. Raysoni
Agricultural stubble burning is the third largest source of air pollution after vehicular and industrial emissions. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and black carbon (BC) are some of the pollutants emitted during such burning events. The Lower Rio Grande Valley (RGV) region of South Texas is a major hub of agricultural activity, and sugarcane farming is one of them. Unfortunately, this activity results in episodic events of high air pollution in this low-resourced, Hispanic/Latino majority region of the U.S.–Mexico border. This study presents results from a sugarcane site in La Feria, South Texas, where the air quality was monitored before, during, and after the sugarcane stubble burning. Various parameters were monitored on an hourly basis from 24 February 2022 to 4 April 2022. Our results demonstrate high levels of all the monitored pollutants during the burning phase in contrast to the pre- and post-burning period. The black carbon levels went up to 6.43 µg m−3 on the day of burning activity. An increase of 10%, 11.6%, 25.29%, 55%, and 67.57% was recorded in the PM1, PM2.5, PM10, Black Carbon, and CO levels, respectively, during the burning period in comparison with the total study period. The absorption Ångström exponent value reached a maximum value of 2.03 during the burning activity. ThePM2.5/PM10 ratio was 0.87 during the burning activity. This study also highlights the importance for continuous monitoring of air quality levels due to stubble burning in the Lower Rio Grande Valley Region of South Texas.
{"title":"Assessment of Air Pollution Levels during Sugarcane Stubble Burning Event in La Feria, South Texas, USA","authors":"Sai Deepak Pinakana, E. Robles, Esmeralda Mendez, Amit U. Raysoni","doi":"10.3390/pollutants3020015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3020015","url":null,"abstract":"Agricultural stubble burning is the third largest source of air pollution after vehicular and industrial emissions. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and black carbon (BC) are some of the pollutants emitted during such burning events. The Lower Rio Grande Valley (RGV) region of South Texas is a major hub of agricultural activity, and sugarcane farming is one of them. Unfortunately, this activity results in episodic events of high air pollution in this low-resourced, Hispanic/Latino majority region of the U.S.–Mexico border. This study presents results from a sugarcane site in La Feria, South Texas, where the air quality was monitored before, during, and after the sugarcane stubble burning. Various parameters were monitored on an hourly basis from 24 February 2022 to 4 April 2022. Our results demonstrate high levels of all the monitored pollutants during the burning phase in contrast to the pre- and post-burning period. The black carbon levels went up to 6.43 µg m−3 on the day of burning activity. An increase of 10%, 11.6%, 25.29%, 55%, and 67.57% was recorded in the PM1, PM2.5, PM10, Black Carbon, and CO levels, respectively, during the burning period in comparison with the total study period. The absorption Ångström exponent value reached a maximum value of 2.03 during the burning activity. ThePM2.5/PM10 ratio was 0.87 during the burning activity. This study also highlights the importance for continuous monitoring of air quality levels due to stubble burning in the Lower Rio Grande Valley Region of South Texas.","PeriodicalId":20301,"journal":{"name":"Pollutants","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80095414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-23DOI: 10.3390/pollutants3020014
Jamilu E. Ssenku, B. Naziriwo, Jennifer Kutesakwe, A. S. Mustafa, Derrick Kayeera, E. Tebandeke
Mercury (Hg) has been used for millennia in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) to extract gold from ore as an amalgam that is heated to recover gold. Since there is hardly any sustainable technology that can be used to recover it, the vast percentage of released Hg finds its way into the environment. Currently, ASGM is the largest source of mercury pollution on Earth. Mercury (Hg) is listed among the top 10 most harmful metals by the World Health Organization (WHO), and it is known to cause several neurological disorders in humans. Thus, Hg levels in environmental systems surrounding pollution hotspots such as ASGM mines need to be monitored to ensure their proper management and protect vulnerable ecosystems and human health. This work was aimed to study the level of Hg pollution in soils and plants thriving around ASGM mines in Eastern Uganda and to evaluate the Hg phytoremediation potential of the plants. The total Hg contents were determined for soils, food crops and wild plants growing around ASGM mines. The results for the pH, organic carbon (OC) and electric conductivity (EC) of the soils in the study area were comparable to those of the control soils. The soils in the studied ASGM areas exhibited high Hg concentrations ranging between 723 and 2067 folds more than those of the control soils. All soils were moderately to heavily contaminated according to geoaccumulation (Igeo) index values that ranged between 1.16 and 3.31. The results of this study also showed that the food crops and wild plants accumulated Hg levels that were above the 20 ng/g (0.02 ppm) permissible limit. This study revealed relatively higher levels of Hg in the aerial parts of the plants compared with the underground organs, which can be attributed to Hg deposition, entry through stomata and foliar adsorption. Mercury levels in 47% of the food crop samples were above the FAO/WHO permissible mercury limit of 0.5 µg/g. Similarly, medicinal plants accumulated Hg to levels that were several folds higher than the 0.2 ppm permissible limit of mercury in herbal materials of Canada. Interestingly, this study showed that some wild plant species, especially sedges, exhibited relatively higher levels of mercury accumulation than others thriving in the same environment, an indication that such plants could be utilized in the phytoremediation of Hg-contaminated sites.
{"title":"Mercury Accumulation in Food Crops and Phytoremediation Potential of Wild Plants Thriving in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Areas in Uganda","authors":"Jamilu E. Ssenku, B. Naziriwo, Jennifer Kutesakwe, A. S. Mustafa, Derrick Kayeera, E. Tebandeke","doi":"10.3390/pollutants3020014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3020014","url":null,"abstract":"Mercury (Hg) has been used for millennia in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) to extract gold from ore as an amalgam that is heated to recover gold. Since there is hardly any sustainable technology that can be used to recover it, the vast percentage of released Hg finds its way into the environment. Currently, ASGM is the largest source of mercury pollution on Earth. Mercury (Hg) is listed among the top 10 most harmful metals by the World Health Organization (WHO), and it is known to cause several neurological disorders in humans. Thus, Hg levels in environmental systems surrounding pollution hotspots such as ASGM mines need to be monitored to ensure their proper management and protect vulnerable ecosystems and human health. This work was aimed to study the level of Hg pollution in soils and plants thriving around ASGM mines in Eastern Uganda and to evaluate the Hg phytoremediation potential of the plants. The total Hg contents were determined for soils, food crops and wild plants growing around ASGM mines. The results for the pH, organic carbon (OC) and electric conductivity (EC) of the soils in the study area were comparable to those of the control soils. The soils in the studied ASGM areas exhibited high Hg concentrations ranging between 723 and 2067 folds more than those of the control soils. All soils were moderately to heavily contaminated according to geoaccumulation (Igeo) index values that ranged between 1.16 and 3.31. The results of this study also showed that the food crops and wild plants accumulated Hg levels that were above the 20 ng/g (0.02 ppm) permissible limit. This study revealed relatively higher levels of Hg in the aerial parts of the plants compared with the underground organs, which can be attributed to Hg deposition, entry through stomata and foliar adsorption. Mercury levels in 47% of the food crop samples were above the FAO/WHO permissible mercury limit of 0.5 µg/g. Similarly, medicinal plants accumulated Hg to levels that were several folds higher than the 0.2 ppm permissible limit of mercury in herbal materials of Canada. Interestingly, this study showed that some wild plant species, especially sedges, exhibited relatively higher levels of mercury accumulation than others thriving in the same environment, an indication that such plants could be utilized in the phytoremediation of Hg-contaminated sites.","PeriodicalId":20301,"journal":{"name":"Pollutants","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73659279","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-07DOI: 10.3390/pollutants3010013
Neelam Baghel, Kirti Singh, A. Lakhani, K. M. Kumari, Aparna Satsangi
Crop residue burning emits a variety of air pollutants that drastically affect air quality, both locally and regionally. To study the impact of crop residue burning, in the present study, concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5), trace gases (tropospheric ozone (O3), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) were recorded in Agra, a suburban downwind site. The study was conducted during the pre-harvest (15 September to 5 October 2021) and post-harvest periods (6 October to 10 November 2021). During the post-harvest period, PM2.5 concentrations were recorded to be three to four times higher than the NAAQ Standards (35 µg/m3), while O3 and VOC concentrations showed an increment of 16% and 30.4%, respectively. NOx and CO concentrations also showed higher levels (19.7 ± 7.5 ppb and 1498.5 ± 1077.5 ppb) during this period. Moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS), along with air mass backward trajectory analysis (HYSPLIT Model), were used to detect fire hotspots that suggested that the enhanced pollutant levels may be due to the burning of crop residue in agricultural fields over the northwest Indo-Gangetic Plain (NW-IGP). Field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FESEM-EDX) analysis showed high K concentrations during the post-harvest period, which may be attributed to crop residue burning or biomass combustion.
{"title":"A Study of Real-Time and Satellite Data of Atmospheric Pollutants during Agricultural Crop Residue Burning at a Downwind Site in the Indo-Gangetic Plain","authors":"Neelam Baghel, Kirti Singh, A. Lakhani, K. M. Kumari, Aparna Satsangi","doi":"10.3390/pollutants3010013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3010013","url":null,"abstract":"Crop residue burning emits a variety of air pollutants that drastically affect air quality, both locally and regionally. To study the impact of crop residue burning, in the present study, concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5), trace gases (tropospheric ozone (O3), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) were recorded in Agra, a suburban downwind site. The study was conducted during the pre-harvest (15 September to 5 October 2021) and post-harvest periods (6 October to 10 November 2021). During the post-harvest period, PM2.5 concentrations were recorded to be three to four times higher than the NAAQ Standards (35 µg/m3), while O3 and VOC concentrations showed an increment of 16% and 30.4%, respectively. NOx and CO concentrations also showed higher levels (19.7 ± 7.5 ppb and 1498.5 ± 1077.5 ppb) during this period. Moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS), along with air mass backward trajectory analysis (HYSPLIT Model), were used to detect fire hotspots that suggested that the enhanced pollutant levels may be due to the burning of crop residue in agricultural fields over the northwest Indo-Gangetic Plain (NW-IGP). Field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FESEM-EDX) analysis showed high K concentrations during the post-harvest period, which may be attributed to crop residue burning or biomass combustion.","PeriodicalId":20301,"journal":{"name":"Pollutants","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86083795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.3390/pollutants3010012
Andrés Yarce Botero, Santiago Lopez Restrepo, Juan Sebastian Rodriguez, D. Valle, Julian Galvez-Serna, Elena Montilla, F. Botero, B. Henzing, A. Segers, A. Heemink, O. Quintero, Nicolás Pinel
The densest network for measuring air pollutant concentrations in Colombia is in Medellin, where most sensors are located in the heavily polluted lower parts of the valley. Measuring stations in the higher elevations on the mountains surrounding the valley are not available, which limits our understanding of the valley’s pollutant dynamics and hinders the effectiveness of data assimilation studies using chemical transport models such as LOTOS-EUROS. To address this gap in measurements, we have designed a new network of low-cost sensors to be installed at altitudes above 2000 m.a.s.l. The network consists of custom-built, solar-powered, and remotely connected sensors. Locations were strategically selected using the LOTOS-EUROS model driven by diverse meteorology-simulated fields to explore the effects of the valley wind representation on the transport of pollutants. The sensors transmit collected data to internet gateways for posterior analysis. Various tests to verify the critical characteristics of the equipment, such as long-range transmission modeling and experiments with an R score of 0.96 for the best propagation model, energy power system autonomy, and sensor calibration procedures, besides case exposure to dust and water experiments, to ensure IP certifications. An inter-calibration procedure was performed to characterize the sensors against reference sensors and describe the observation error to provide acceptable ranges for the data assimilation algorithm (<10% nominal). The design, installation, testing, and implementation of this air quality network, oriented towards data assimilation over the Aburrá Valley, constitute an initial experience for the simulation capabilities toward the system’s operative capabilities. Our solution approach adds value by removing the disadvantages of low-cost devices and offers a viable solution from a developing country’s perspective, employing hardware explicitly designed for the situation.
{"title":"Design and Implementation of a Low-Cost Air Quality Network for the Aburra Valley Surrounding Mountains","authors":"Andrés Yarce Botero, Santiago Lopez Restrepo, Juan Sebastian Rodriguez, D. Valle, Julian Galvez-Serna, Elena Montilla, F. Botero, B. Henzing, A. Segers, A. Heemink, O. Quintero, Nicolás Pinel","doi":"10.3390/pollutants3010012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3010012","url":null,"abstract":"The densest network for measuring air pollutant concentrations in Colombia is in Medellin, where most sensors are located in the heavily polluted lower parts of the valley. Measuring stations in the higher elevations on the mountains surrounding the valley are not available, which limits our understanding of the valley’s pollutant dynamics and hinders the effectiveness of data assimilation studies using chemical transport models such as LOTOS-EUROS. To address this gap in measurements, we have designed a new network of low-cost sensors to be installed at altitudes above 2000 m.a.s.l. The network consists of custom-built, solar-powered, and remotely connected sensors. Locations were strategically selected using the LOTOS-EUROS model driven by diverse meteorology-simulated fields to explore the effects of the valley wind representation on the transport of pollutants. The sensors transmit collected data to internet gateways for posterior analysis. Various tests to verify the critical characteristics of the equipment, such as long-range transmission modeling and experiments with an R score of 0.96 for the best propagation model, energy power system autonomy, and sensor calibration procedures, besides case exposure to dust and water experiments, to ensure IP certifications. An inter-calibration procedure was performed to characterize the sensors against reference sensors and describe the observation error to provide acceptable ranges for the data assimilation algorithm (<10% nominal). The design, installation, testing, and implementation of this air quality network, oriented towards data assimilation over the Aburrá Valley, constitute an initial experience for the simulation capabilities toward the system’s operative capabilities. Our solution approach adds value by removing the disadvantages of low-cost devices and offers a viable solution from a developing country’s perspective, employing hardware explicitly designed for the situation.","PeriodicalId":20301,"journal":{"name":"Pollutants","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86988330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-02-14DOI: 10.3390/pollutants3010011
Ayesha Kausar, I. Ahmad, Tianle Zhu, Hassan Shahzad, M. H. Eisa
Due to increasing health and environmental issues, indoor air quality (IAQ) has garnered much research attention with regard to incorporating advanced clean air technologies. Various physicochemical air treatments have been used to monitor, control, and manage air contaminants, such as monitoring devices (gas sensors and internet of things-based systems), filtration (mechanical and electrical), adsorption, UV disinfection, UV photocatalysts, a non-thermal plasma approach, air conditioning systems, and green technologies (green plants and algae). This article reviews presently viable technologies for cleaning indoor air and enhancing IAQ. However, regarding the integration of each technology, there are certain limitations to these methods, including the types of pollutants released. As a result, advanced nanomaterials have been applied to monitoring sensors, filtration and adsorption media, and UV photocatalysts to improve IAQ values. The most important nanomaterials used in this regard include polymeric nanofibrous membranes, nanoporous nanomaterials, nanocomposite hydrogels, polymer/nanocarbon nanocomposite, polymer/metal oxide nanocomposite, polymeric nanohybrids, etc. Accordingly, through the use of nanotechnology, optimal solutions linking IAQ regulation techniques to novel nanomaterials can be achieved to attain safe IAQ levels.
{"title":"Exigency for the Control and Upgradation of Indoor Air Quality—Forefront Advancements Using Nanomaterials","authors":"Ayesha Kausar, I. Ahmad, Tianle Zhu, Hassan Shahzad, M. H. Eisa","doi":"10.3390/pollutants3010011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3010011","url":null,"abstract":"Due to increasing health and environmental issues, indoor air quality (IAQ) has garnered much research attention with regard to incorporating advanced clean air technologies. Various physicochemical air treatments have been used to monitor, control, and manage air contaminants, such as monitoring devices (gas sensors and internet of things-based systems), filtration (mechanical and electrical), adsorption, UV disinfection, UV photocatalysts, a non-thermal plasma approach, air conditioning systems, and green technologies (green plants and algae). This article reviews presently viable technologies for cleaning indoor air and enhancing IAQ. However, regarding the integration of each technology, there are certain limitations to these methods, including the types of pollutants released. As a result, advanced nanomaterials have been applied to monitoring sensors, filtration and adsorption media, and UV photocatalysts to improve IAQ values. The most important nanomaterials used in this regard include polymeric nanofibrous membranes, nanoporous nanomaterials, nanocomposite hydrogels, polymer/nanocarbon nanocomposite, polymer/metal oxide nanocomposite, polymeric nanohybrids, etc. Accordingly, through the use of nanotechnology, optimal solutions linking IAQ regulation techniques to novel nanomaterials can be achieved to attain safe IAQ levels.","PeriodicalId":20301,"journal":{"name":"Pollutants","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76238364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-02-08DOI: 10.3390/pollutants3010010
R. Jiménez-Ballesta, F. García-Navarro, J. Amorós, C. Pérez-de-los-Reyes, S. Bravo
The La Mancha region is a primary food production area in central Spain, with extensive zones used as vineyards. This article aims to present information about rare earth elements’ (REEs) contents and deals with their distribution in two representative soil profiles (Alfisols) in this area. The presence of carbonates and a semiarid climate are its main characteristic environmental factors. Lanthanum (La), Cerium (Ce), Neodymium (Nd), Scandium (Sc) and Yttrium (Y) concentrations were determined using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The results revealed the following maximum REEs’ contents (mg·kg–1): Ce 93.3, La 46.8, Nd 38.6, Y 25.5 and Sc 13.0. The REEs’ concentrations in the two soil profiles were in the following order: Ce > La > Nd > Y > Sc. The application of fungicides and the addition of fertilisers in vineyards can increase the soil concentration of rare earths up to this region’s normal background levels. According to the Geo-Accumulation Index (Igeo), soil samples were non-contaminated or slightly contaminated by REEs.
拉曼查地区是西班牙中部的主要粮食产区，有大片地区被用作葡萄园。本文介绍了该地区两种具有代表性的土壤剖面(Alfisols)中稀土元素的含量及其分布。碳酸盐岩的存在和半干旱气候是其主要的特征环境因素。用x射线荧光光谱(XRF)测定了镧(La)、铈(Ce)、钕(Nd)、钪(Sc)和钇(Y)的浓度。结果表明，稀土元素的最大含量(mg·kg-1)为Ce 93.3、La 46.8、Nd 38.6、Y 25.5和Sc 13.0。两种土壤剖面中稀土元素含量的变化顺序为:Ce > La > Nd > Y > Sc。在葡萄园中施用杀菌剂和施肥可以使土壤中稀土元素含量达到该地区的正常背景水平。根据地积指数(Igeo)，土壤样品未受稀土污染或轻度污染。
{"title":"Unravelling the Concentrations of Five Rare Earth Elements in Two Vineyard Red Soils","authors":"R. Jiménez-Ballesta, F. García-Navarro, J. Amorós, C. Pérez-de-los-Reyes, S. Bravo","doi":"10.3390/pollutants3010010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants3010010","url":null,"abstract":"The La Mancha region is a primary food production area in central Spain, with extensive zones used as vineyards. This article aims to present information about rare earth elements’ (REEs) contents and deals with their distribution in two representative soil profiles (Alfisols) in this area. The presence of carbonates and a semiarid climate are its main characteristic environmental factors. Lanthanum (La), Cerium (Ce), Neodymium (Nd), Scandium (Sc) and Yttrium (Y) concentrations were determined using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). The results revealed the following maximum REEs’ contents (mg·kg–1): Ce 93.3, La 46.8, Nd 38.6, Y 25.5 and Sc 13.0. The REEs’ concentrations in the two soil profiles were in the following order: Ce > La > Nd > Y > Sc. The application of fungicides and the addition of fertilisers in vineyards can increase the soil concentration of rare earths up to this region’s normal background levels. According to the Geo-Accumulation Index (Igeo), soil samples were non-contaminated or slightly contaminated by REEs.","PeriodicalId":20301,"journal":{"name":"Pollutants","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76987308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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