Current Pollution Reports最新文献

Purpose of Review

This review aims to explore the characteristics, sources, exposure risks, and health impacts of heavy metal (HM) pollution in atmospheric particulate matter (PM). The goal is to address how PM and HM pollution vary across regions, seasons, and particle sizes, as well as to assess the risks posed by exposure to these pollutants. To reflect recent advancements and emerging trends, only studies published since 2020 are included.

Recent Findings

Recent research highlights significant variations in PM and HM pollution based on geographic location, seasonal factors, and particle size. Urban areas tend to have higher concentrations of Zn and Fe in indoor PM, while rural areas experience greater increases in metals like Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn. Outdoor PM pollution is primarily driven by traffic emissions, agricultural activities, industrial processes, and soil dust. In contrast, indoor PM pollution is mainly attributed to combustion, cooking, road dust, building materials, and metal smelting. Health risk assessments consistently show that children face higher non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks than adults, especially when considering all exposure pathways, including inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact.

Summary

This review concludes that HM pollution in PM presents significant regional and seasonal variability, with children at greater risk for both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health effects. The findings emphasize the need for more research into indoor air quality and the monitoring of highly toxic heavy metals, which will be crucial for improving public health assessments and mitigating the impacts of PM pollution.

Purpose of Review

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state and future prospects of membrane bioreactors (MBRs), focusing on recent advancements in membrane materials, innovative design concepts, and strategies to optimize biodegradation processes. Additionally, it highlights the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and hybrid configurations in advancing MBR.

Recent Findings

Hybrid MBR systems that incorporate advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and other processes demonstrate enhanced micropollutant removal and treatment efficiency. MBR with nanocomposite and bio-inspired membranes exhibit improved fouling resistance, water flux, and mechanical strength. Significant innovations also include the application of AI-driven models, such as random forests and neural networks, to predict fouling behavior and optimize operational parameters in MBRs.

Summary

Recent progress in MBR technology, especially through new membrane materials and hybrid systems, plays an important role in improving MBR performance for contaminant removal and reducing fouling in wastewater treatment. Additionally, incorporating AI and optimizing operational parameters can further improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and reliability of these systems.

Purpose of Review

Algae hold immense potential for industrial and environmental applications for their efficient carbon fixation and producing a range of valuable metabolites. However, their commercial cultivation is still challenging because of compromised productivities under various environmental stress conditions. Therefore, elite strains capable of commercial production should be developed. Although, significant progress has been made in metabolic pathway engineering techniques, due to the complexity of metabolic and regulatory networks of algae, rational bioengineering remained inefficient for strain improvement. This review has assessed the role of Adaptive Laboratory Evolution (ALE) as a promising and cost-effective alternative approach in developing elite algae strains for improved carbon capture, enhanced biomass production, and improved metabolite productivities to meet the robust commercial needs.

Recent Findings

ALE involves selecting the mutant cells under controlled selection pressure, where cells are exposed to a sequentially rising set of stress conditions over multiple generations to finally adapt and evolve desired phenotypes. It leads to the activation of inactive pathways that are suitable for the survival of strain in stress conditions. A brief view of ALE-assisted cultivation techniques shows its specificity for specific goal to develop its product-oriented applications. Furthermore, involving biosensor and robotics in ALE technology has indicated the potential of ALE process as a robust technique to rapidly develop elite strains to meet rising environmental and industrial demands. 

Summary

Assessment of ALE-assisted strain improvement has shown its potential to improve algae strains for the overproduction of desired products without using rational engineering methods. Besides, automation of ALE technology could be even a better strategy to make the evolution process of desired phenotype and product development process selective and time efficient. However, unavailability of selection pressure for some valuable phenotypes limits the widespread application of ALE for some phenotypes. 

Graphical Abstract

Purpose of Review

The effects of environmental exposures on female reproductive outcomes in early life are well studied. In contrast, we do not understand the broad range of chemical risk factors on women’s reproductive physiology during midlife. The purpose of this review is to summarize the epidemiological literature on associations between environmental exposures (i.e., phthalates, phenols, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), toxic metals, air pollution, and persistent organic compounds) and ovarian function and sex hormones as women approach and transverse the menopausal transition.

Recent Findings

There is accumulating evidence of associations between phthalate metabolites, air pollution, and chlorinated organic chemical exposures and decreased ovarian function and associations between selected PFAS chemicals and increased testosterone or decreased estradiol, suggesting that these chemicals are risk factors. More studies are needed to confirm emerging evidence regarding other chemicals and reproductive aging markers.

Summary

Most studies were cross-sectional in design or restricted to couples receiving infertility treatment, which may induce selection bias and reduce generalizability. Additionally, there has been limited research in ethnically, racially, or socioeconomically diverse populations. Nevertheless, PFAS, phthalate metabolites, air pollution, and chlorinated organic solvents are potential risk factors for adverse reproductive outcomes in adult women. An exposome approach using advanced omics technologies to capture a broad chemical range of repeated measures can address knowledge gaps needed to identify risk factors.

Purpose of Review

Responsible environmental stewardship and the protection of our energy stability are issues being faced by the modern world, requiring the collaboration of policymakers, researchers, and the entire population. In order to avoid irreversible damage to the planet and a loss of energy sources, many countries are outlining plans with specific goals of reaching carbon neutrality and accelerating the adoption of cleaner energy production.

Recent Findings

States within the USA have and are drafting climate action plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with some also focusing on alternative energy use. Most of these plans expect a near-complete or complete shift away from practices that release greenhouse gases into the environment, promising a net-zero release of greenhouse gases statewide within some timeframe; generally, their timelines are 2050.

Summary

These documents and reports are integral to each state and the country as a whole to accelerate research, industry investment, and implementation of important sustainable energy practices. This review analyzes the genesis, document design protocols used, plan format, contents of note, and overriding goals of these state-created action plans.

Purpose of Review

Second-generation (2G) bioethanol produced from lignocellulosic biomass is green liquid transportation fuel. Manufacture and use of 2G bioethanol involves several stages. Hence, the impact of 2G bioethanol on all segments of ecosystem needs to be assessed. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) accounts for the complete environmental impact of 2G bioethanol using several factors. This review has presented an overview and analysis of recent literature on LCA of 2G bioethanol.

Recent Findings

Recent LCA studies reveal reduction in GHG emissions with bioethanol-blended gasoline. The net energy ratio of bioethanol is > 1. However, bioethanol's acidification and eutrophication potential is high due to chemicals used during crop cultivation and biomass pretreatment. LCA studies also suggest use of lignin for electricity co-generation for closed carbon cycle.

Summary

LCA analysis reveals that use of renewable resources during bioethanol manufacture (solar/wind electricity and biofertilizers) can enhance the sustainability of 2G ethanol.

Purpose of Review

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are essential for ecosystem functioning and climate. In natural environments, plants are exposed to a complex mixture of pollutants and environmental stressors, and combined exposure to these factors can produce effects that differ significantly from those of individual influences. However, comprehensive reviews on BVOC emission resulting from exposure to air pollution and its interactions with environmental variables remain limited.

Recent Findings

Rapid industrialization has exacerbated air pollution, characterized by increased levels of ozone (O₃) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere, along with extreme climatic events such as heat waves and droughts. These stresses induced by air pollution and environmental factors may trigger plant defense mechanisms, leading to adjustments in metabolism and respiration or may damage plant cells, ultimately affecting the composition and intensity of BVOC emissions.

Summary

This review highlights that O₃ generally stimulates BVOC emissions, with a relatively smaller effect on isoprene but notable sensitivity in sesquiterpenes. In contrast, elevated CO₂ levels can suppress emissions across the three BVOC types investigated. Warming significantly boosts emissions, while drought has little effect on isoprene but substantially enhances sesquiterpene emissions. These analyses are limited by substantial uncertainties due to data scarcity. Additionally, the combined effects of air pollutants and environmental variables vary by plant species, VOC types, and stressor intensities. This review also summarizes current methodologies for investigating BVOC emissions, explores plant-pollutant-stressor interactions, identifies research gaps, and offers insights for advancing the understanding of stress-induced BVOC emissions in a changing environment and climate. 

Graphical Abstract

Purpose of Review

Despite significant improvements in particulate pollution, ozone (O₃) levels have unexpectedly worsened in Shandong Province, China (SDP), which is one of the world’s hotspots for O₃ pollution. This review aims to summarize O₃ pollution studies in SDP and highlight the challenges faced by current research efforts.

Recent Findings

The interaction between O₃ chemistry and meteorological conditions has exacerbated O₃ pollution in SDP, with frequent increases in nighttime O₃ levels. Both local emissions and regional transport play significant roles in O₃ pollution, with O₃ production being particularly sensitive to VOCs in most cities. The worsening O₃ pollution has led to increased health risks and ecological damage.

Summary

This review provides a comprehensive overview of O₃ pollution in SDP, covering formation mechanisms, in-situ measurements, source analyses, and the health and ecological impacts. It is recommended that monitoring networks be scientifically optimized, urgent mitigation strategies for VOCs and NOx be implemented, and collaborative research efforts be intensified to address O₃ pollution at regional scales.

Purpose of Review

Hydrochar derived from biomass is a promising sustainable adsorbent for pollutants, though its efficiency is often constrained by limited pore size and active sites. Physical activation can be effectively utilized to enhance physical structure and modify surface. This environmentally friendly process is well-suited for large-scale applications in pollution mitigation.

Recent Findings

Gaseous and mechanical activation methods are emerging as highly effective strategies for enhancing hydrochar materials. Gaseous activation techniques can significantly enlarge surface area, develop porosity, modify surface chemistry, and control structural characteristics. In contrast, mechanical activation methods are adept at reducing particle size, increasing surface exposure, and diversifying functional groups.

Summary

This paper explores how different physical activation processes impact the functional properties of hydrochar. It delves into the mechanisms behind changes in physicochemical characteristics, offering new insights for developing advanced hydrochar materials to align with emerging technologies.

Synthesis gas (syngas) fermentation represents a promising biological method for converting industrial waste gases, particularly carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) from industrial sources (e.g. steel production or municipal waste gasification), into high-value products such as biofuels, chemicals, and animal feed using acetogenic bacteria. This review identifies and addresses key challenges that hinder the large-scale adoption of this technology, including limitations in gas mass transfer, an incomplete understanding of microbial metabolic pathways, and suboptimal bioprocess conditions. Our findings emphasize the critical role of microbial strain selection and bioprocess optimization to enhance productivity and scalability, with a focus on utilizing diverse microbial consortia and efficient reactor systems. By examining recent advancements in microbial conditioning, operational parameters, and reactor design, this study provides actionable insights to improve syngas fermentation efficiency, suggesting pathways towards overcoming current technical barriers for its broader industrial application beyond the production of bulk chemicals.