Environmental Science and Pollution Research最新文献

Antifouling paint particles are anthropogenic particles primarily originating from marine coatings. Recent investigations have shed light on their toxicity at concentrations found in the environment. However, several significant challenges still impede accurate antifouling paint particle quantification. Aiming to provide a general overview of the advancements in the field and identify its main challenges, in the present contribution, we provide timely and evidence-based analysis and opinion on the emerging field of antifouling paint particles. Current quantification methods are relatively simplistic and may lead to substantial underestimation of the smallest antifouling paint particle fractions (< 0.5 mm), which are expected to be the most abundant due to their brittleness. Moreover, due to the diverse range of marine coatings being used and available in the market, it becomes essential to utilise analytical techniques to discern non-antifouling paint particles from the overall particle pool. The intricate chemical composition of antifouling paint particles further complicates the task of addressing these issues. We encourage researchers to persevere in the development of analytical techniques as an initial stride in tackling the complexities associated with antifouling paint particles, thus advancing this emerging field.

Coarse aerosol particles containing chloride in tropical forests are significant for understanding biogeochemical cycles and atmospheric processes, with implications for environmental health and climate change mitigation. This study explored the sources of super-coarse carbonaceous aerosol particles containing chloride in a tropical savanna climate. Aerosol samples were collected from an agro-forest site in Thailand during the dry season and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. By examining the morphology and elemental compositions of individual aerosol particles, along with employing Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) and backward trajectory analysis, potential sources were identified. The findings revealed two primary sources for the super-coarse aerosol particles: a mixture of biomass burning smoke and inorganic salts (likely from saline soil and sea salt), as well as halophilic fungal spores. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of compounds linked to biomass burning and clay minerals, influenced by prevailing northeast and southeast winds. Recommendations for future research include continued monitoring, correlation with meteorological parameters, and the application of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for more detailed visualization and confirmation of aerosol sources.

The hybrid material created by combining cellulose and MOF is highly promising and possesses a wide range of useful properties. Cellulose-based metal-organic frameworks (CelloMOFs) combine the inherent biocompatibility and sustainability of cellulose with the tunable porosity and diverse metal coordination chemistry of MOFs. Cellulose-MOF hybrids have countless applications in various fields, such as energy storage, water treatment, air filtration, gas adsorption, catalysis, and biomedicine. They are particularly remarkable as adsorbents that can eliminate pollutants from wastewater, including metals, oils, dyes, antibiotics, and drugs, and act as catalysts for oxidation and reduction reactions. Furthermore, they are highly efficient air filters, able to remove carbon dioxide, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds. When it comes to energy storage, these hybrids have demonstrated exceptional results. They are also highly versatile in the realm of biomedicine, with applications such as antibacterial and drug delivery. This article provides an in-depth look at the fabrication methods, advanced applications of cellulose-MOF hybrids, and existing and future challenges.

Aquatic organisms are simultaneously exposed to multiple hazardous chemicals that can be released into water bodies. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of sublethal concentration (1/50 96 h-LC₅₀) of two formulated pesticides: ethoprophos, bispyribac-sodium, and their combination for 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks on oxidative stress, genotoxic response, and gill morphology in Nile tilapia. This study is the first to demonstrate the toxic effects of ethoprophos and bispyribac-sodium mixture on the commercial important species, Oreochromis niloticus. The results showed that the 96 h-LC₅₀ values of ethoprophos and bispyribac-sodium were 4.8 and 0.064 mg/L, respectively. Additionally, exposure to individual or combined pesticides induced a significant increase in the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), as well as a notable decline in reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels at all time of exposure. Furthermore, there were alterations in ultrastructure of the gill samples, including erosive lesions on the primary and secondary lamellae, fusion of microridges, and excessive mucus secretions on the epithelium. The data clearly demonstrate that the negative effects of the tested compounds are time-dependent and are more severe in combination than in a single compound. Collectively, our results indicated that the interaction of ethoprophos and bispyribac-sodium might be largely synergistic and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of fish confronting these substances.

The use of microalgae as a feedstock in biofuel production is highly encouraging. The marine diatom in this study, Thalassiosira pseudonana, was used as a test organism to evaluate the impact of nitrogen or phosphorus limitation and sewage water on improving biodiesel production. The growth rate is more affected in cultures without phosphorus by 41.8% lower than in control and the highest dry weight estimated in control. The cellular dry weight significantly increased in cultures treated with mix1 and mix2 wastewater compared to the control cultures. Chlorophyll a content decreased in the absence of nitrogen and phosphorous and in sewage water cultures. Lipid content in algal cultures without nitrogen or phosphorus and in sewage water accumulated nearly twice as much lipid content in synthetic medium. T. pseudonana showed high FAME contents; the two most abundant fatty acids, stearic acid (C18:0) and palmitoleic acid (C16:1), in the algal extracts revealed that T. pseudonana was predominantly composed of these fatty acids. T. pseudonana grown in nitrogen or phosphorus-deficient conditions exhibited an extreme percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) by 87.38% and 85.47%, respectively, of the total fatty acids (TFAs). More importantly, the low polyunsaturated fatty acid content in oils indicates a high cetane number, low iodine value, and low corrosion for biodiesel quality indicators. Producing biodiesel that closely meets worldwide biodiesel requirements (ASTM D6751 and EN 14214) is the goal of this work, which shows that growing T. pseudonana under nutrient limitations leads to algal metabolism in that direction.

This study investigated the efficacy of oxidised iron-loaded activated carbon cloth (Fe-ACC) for selective recovery of phosphorous. The capacitive deionisation (CDI) technology was employed, for rapid removal of phosphate, with the aim of reducing the reliance on high alkalinity environment for the regeneration of Fe-ACC electrode. Multiple experimental parameters, including applied potential, pH, and co-existing ions, were studied. Additionally, the CDI system was tested on a real water matrix (Lake Ormstrup, Denmark) to elucidate the electrodes' performance on selective recovery of phosphate. About 69 ± 10% of the adsorbed phosphate were released at pH 12 via pure chemical desorption, which was ~ 50% higher than that at pH 9. The CDI system successfully demonstrated the selective removal of phosphate from the lake water. It reduced the concentration of phosphate from 1.69 to 0.49 mg/L with a 71% removal efficiency, while the removal percentages of other anions, namely chloride, sulphate, bromide, nitrite, nitrate, and fluoride, were 10%, 7%, 1%, 1.5%, 4%, and 7%, respectively.

Effective management of industrial and agricultural wastes requires a multifaceted approach that considers environmental, economic, and social factors. Our ability to recover resources and create a circular bioeconomy from agricultural waste can be enhanced by implementing sustainable methods such as reducing, reusing, and recycling it. Active graphene oxide (GO) was prepared through the gasification of agricultural waste and further mixed with FeAlO_x catalyst for three hours at 800 °C as an efficient adsorbent. The synthesized material was comprehensively characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis, and thermal gravimetrical analysis. In order to remove direct red 81 (DR-81) dye from wastewater, the synthesized nanomaterial was implemented as an effective adsorbent. Several processing variables, including pH, contact time, and dosage, were studied to examine the optimum conditions that directly influence the DR-81 decontamination of onto the fabricated GO. The optimal dosage from the synthesized GO for DR-81 decontamination was 0.5 g/L at pH = 7 after 30 min. At pH 7.0 and 25 °C, the produced GO had the highest sorption capacity of 132.14 mg/g towards the DR-81. In addition, equilibrium and kinetic studies were capably fitted via the Freundlich and pseudo-second-order models, respectively. As a result of its particular properties, which include a high surface area, adsorption capacity, structural robustness, variation tolerance, and thermal stability. These promising findings supported the usage of synthesized GO as a superior adsorbent material for DR-81 decontamination from wastewater.

In this study, mesoporous materials (MCM-41 and MCM-48) were synthesized and functionalized with an acid group through a post-synthetic modification method. A mononuclear Zn complex [Zn(dmp)Cl₂] (dmp = neocuprine) was also prepared and incorporated into a functionalized mesoporous material. Extensive characterization of the material married was carried out using techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) to evaluate the characteristics of modified materials. The characterization results revealed that the post-synthetic modification did not alter the phase purity, crystallinity, or morphology of the mesoporous materials while confirming the successful grafting of the desired sulphonic acid functionality and Zn complex. The Zn complex-grafted-functionalized mesoporous materials were then assessed for their photo-degradation using methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RB). The results demonstrated exceptional photo-degradation efficiency of the modified materials under sunlight. Within 15 min, 10 mg/ml of dye concentration, and adsorbent dosage 0.15 mg/ml and 0.1 mg/ml, degradation efficiencies of 99% and 92%, were achieved for MB using M-48-S-Zn₁ and M-41-S-Zn₁, respectively. Similarly, 91% and 78% degradation rates were achieved within 30 min for RB using the same materials. The modified mesoporous materials exhibited a remarkable degradation performance even in challenging environments, including highly acidic, basic, and salt-concentrated conditions. This highlights the versatility and robustness of the modified materials in different environmental scenarios.

Our study focuses on sustainable dye wastewater management through catalysis, scrutinized by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using an ecofriendly magnetic nanocomposite (Fe₃O₄/SiO₂/Ag (FSA)). To our knowledge, the use of green synthesis for fabricating nanocomposites from a single source, namely Nerium oleander leaves, has not been extensively explored. This poses a distinctive and challenging approach, differentiating it from conventional chemical methods. Analytical investigations confirm the nanocomposite morphology, featuring Fe₃O₄ cubic cores with SiO₂ spheres and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) decoration. Efficient catalysis rapidly degrades unary and binary dye systems (MB, RhB, and MB + RhB), with high efficiency in short durations (MB: 96% in 10 min, RhB: 94% in 2 min, MB + RhB: 96% MB and 91% RhB in 9 min) and with elevated "k" values. SERS monitors water quality, revealing complete degradation and quenching of dye fingerprints with fabricated nanocomposite FSA. The nanocomposite exhibits reusability over four cycles by easy recovery of catalyst with external magnet. The nanocomposite achieved 89.7% degradation efficiency in real-time household wastewater treatment. The proposed research aligns with UN SDGs 6 and 15 and this approach holds promise for advancing industrial waste management.