Environmental Science and Pollution Research最新文献

Effective management of landslide hazards depends on the ability to accurately predict their location, size, and timing, enabling effective strategies to mitigate their impact, safeguard communities, and reduce societal risks. This study details a comprehensive probabilistic landslide hazard assessment at a regional scale in central Vietnam, analyzing spatial, temporal, and magnitude probabilities of landslides and proposes a methodology for quantitative landslide risk assessment. This study utilized a total of 21,234 landslide occurrences from three inventories created from Typhoon Ketsana (2009), Tropical Storm Podul (2013), and Typhoon Molave (2020) for the landslide hazard and risk assessment. The landslide spatial probability was delineated for three landslide size classes ((100ge {m}^{2}), (1000ge {m}^{2}), and (text{10,000}ge {m}^{2})) by developing landslide susceptibility models using nine geo-factors and a Random Forest machine learning algorithm. The temporal landslide probability at the district level was determined by integrating recurrence intervals, calculated from the past six years’ landslide incidences, into a Poisson model to estimate the likelihood of experiencing one or more landslides at a location in the next ten years. Landslide size probabilities were derived from frequency–area distributions of the landslides from the inventories. The landslide hazard model was developed by synthesizing spatial, temporal, and size probabilities—presuming their independence. Nine landslide hazard scenarios were developed considering three time frames (2, 5, and 10 years) and three landslide size categories. Finally, the landslide risk models for streams and roads over the next 2-, 5-, and 10 years were computed by integrating the spatial, temporal, and size probabilities of landslides with the index of connectivity (IC). Landslide risk models indicate increased landslide risk for road networks and streams (hydropower infrastructure) for longer periods.

While the use of geopolymers in stabilization/solidification (S/S) processes for contaminated matrices is well established for mitigating the leaching of cationic pollutants, limited research has focused on the immobilization of anionic species. This study aims to address this research gap by evaluating the effectiveness of S/S techniques employing a geopolymer binder to mitigate the leaching of molybdenum (Mo). The investigation is conducted using five distinct geopolymer paste formulations. The metakaolin (MK) and sodium silicate (SS) were used as binders. The pastes were activated with SS powder and a 12 M NaOH solution, while red mud (RM) and/or charcoal (Cc) were tested as immobilization agents. The S/S mechanisms were characterized using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, X-ray diffraction, EN-12457, toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Leaching tests showed that molybdenum concentrations remained well below hazardous waste limits, with leaching rates below 3% across all tested mixtures M1, M1(RM), M1(Cc), and M1(RM/Cc), regardless of the initial molybdenum concentration via coprecipitation of Na₂MoO₄. SEM-EDS mapping identified the primary immobilization mechanisms as a synergistic combination of physical encapsulation and chemical stabilization. This study highlights the effective immobilization of the molybdate anion through geopolymer-based S/S techniques, demonstrating their potential for environmental remediation.

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPLs) represent emerging environmental contaminants that are ubiquitously present. These plastic particles have garnered significant attention from regulatory agencies and the scientific community, due to the increasing evidence regarding their pollution and associated hazards. This review emphasizes the escalating acknowledgment of the detrimental effects of MNPLs on soil, flora, aquatic ecosystems, and animal cells. It provides contemporary insights into the impact of MNPLs on soil organisms, plant absorption, and aquatic life, accentuating their varied origins, trophic transfer, and substantial threat to ecological equilibrium. The presence of MNPLs in soil raises pressing concerns regarding the survival and reproductive success of soil-dwelling organisms, the health of plants, and the subsequent safety of human food sources. This review explores the toxicological ramifications of MNPLs on aquatic organisms, highlighting their heightened risk due to their diminutive size, mobility, and larger surface area. As our comprehension of MNPLs-induced toxicity progresses, in vivo studies offer valuable insights into cytotoxic, genotoxic, nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, and neurotoxic effects, with implications extending to broader ecological consequences. The adverse effects on both organismal and environmental health underscore the hazards posed by MNPLs. Future research endeavours should prioritize the elucidation of mechanistic toxicity, particularly with respect to reproductive implications, to enhance our understanding of this hazardous environmental pollutant.

Graphical Abstract: Trophic Transfer Of Micro- And Nano-plastics

Trophic transfer of micro- and nano-plastics

Our previous investigations have shown that progeny of chronically exposed pine trees from the Chernobyl affected zone is characterized by high mutation rates. In this connection, a question arises: whether an increased level of mutagenesis in chronically exposed Scots pine populations leads to changes in the reproductive ability of pine trees and can be considered an ecological factor that increases the resistance of plant progeny to radiation exposure? To answer this question, the state of the seed progeny in Scots pine populations from the Polesie State Radiation-Ecological Reserve (PSRER), which received high doses of radiation in the first period of the Chernobyl accident and experienced chronic exposure for 35 years, was assessed. It was shown that, based on 3 years of observations, Scots pine seed progeny from the most contaminated sites of the PSRER (absorbed by seeds doses up to 166 mGy/year) is characterized by an increased frequency of cytogenetic abnormalities and abortive seeds. However, increased resistance of seed progeny to additional irradiation according to the test “frequency of cytogenetic abnormalities” has not been detected.

Urbanization has significantly increased environmental noise, posing challenges to public health and urban liveability. The rise in noise pollution is primarily driven by expanding transportation networks, industrial activities, and high-density urban areas. The current study explores the impact of noise across different land-uses in Bengaluru City, focusing mainly on vehicular noise sources. The work aims to identify patterns of noise distribution across diverse urban settings, providing insights into how different land-uses contribute to varying noise levels. Noise emissions were recorded using a sound-level meter at intersections and edges of the pavements (roads) across four land-use categories viz., Commercial, Educational, Residential, and Mixed. An attempt was made to capture the noise during various times of the day. Noise variation with reference to temperature was analysed across different land-uses in Bengaluru. Noise data from edges and intersections across the different land-uses in Bengaluru City were originally collected every second and then systematically averaged over 2-min intervals. Elevated afternoon temperatures amplified noise levels by 23.37% for maximum and 21.38% for minimum levels compared to morning readings. Rigid pavements at intersections in mixed-use areas generated more noise due to vehicle vibrations, reaching 80 dB(A). Commercial areas peaked at 107.2 dB(A) at intersections, and mixed-use areas hit 108.1 dB(A). A questionnaire survey was conducted, that highlighted noise impacts on road users, leading to recommendations like noise barriers, green cover, better public transport, traffic calming, and speed enforcement. The study emphasizes urban noise pollution's impact on liveability and health.

The upgrading of crude biogenic pyrolysis oil (CO) was carried out using a simple scalable, inexpensive upgrading strategy based on the use of various adsorbents. The upgraded oil and the efficiency of the process were extensively characterized using various analytical techniques. The preliminary objective of the study was to identify the best adsorbent for refining CO. The adsorbents were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a Micromeritics 3Flex Instrument to determine the morphology and surface area of the adsorbents used. Crude and upgraded oil were extensively characterized to understand chemical composition, stability, and thermal properties. The importance of the study is to remove oxygenated compounds in CO using industrial waste adsorbents and solvent. The present upgrading strategy separates CO into an upper homogeneous soluble phase in petroleum ether and a lower non-homogeneous insoluble phase in petroleum ether. Oxygenates are reduced from 40.13 wt.% to 0.14 wt.% with the use of calcium hydroxide as an adsorbent and petroleum ether as a solvent. Finally, a discussion on the overview of the upgradation strategy is briefly summarized at the end of the manuscript.

Graphical Abstract

Referring to the concept of a circular economy and using optimal experimental design (OED), the research deals with optimising the conversion of industrial residue from the water de-ironing process into a red hematite pigment. The raw, chemically pretreated sludge was thermally converted into hematite under various conditions established in the optimised procedure. The products were thoroughly characterised using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and SEM EDS to gain better insight into the process. Because of the unambiguous and quantitative definition of colour and its individual perception, resulting in difficulty in determining the appropriate system response in the optimisation procedure, products’ quantitative colour parameters, determined in the CIELab colour space, were compared to those obtained for the commercial red hematite pigment, and the most suitable ones (a*, C*, and L*) were chosen as system responses in the optimising procedure. As a result, the optimal ranges of the process parameters—temperature and holding time—that can ensure a pigment with the desired colour were established by OED methodology. Moreover, it was found that the key factor enabling effective conversion of the studied residue into red pigment is a proper chemical pretreatment in which the process temperature is decreased to below the hematite sintering temperature.