Environmental Science and Pollution Research最新文献

Lakes Koka and Ziway in the Central Rift Valley (CRV) of Ethiopia are essential socio-ecological systems that provide water for domestic use, irrigation, hydropower, and fisheries, while also sustaining diverse biological communities. However, these lakes are under severe ecological stress due to intensifying anthropogenic pollution from industrial, agricultural, and urban sources. This review synthesizes multidisciplinary evidence on pollution sources, types, and ecological consequences, focusing on impacts to water quality and ecosystem services. Physicochemical data reveal that concentrations of heavy metals, nutrients, and organic pollutants regularly exceed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, with alarming levels of nitrate, phosphate, lead, chromium, and cadmium observed in both lakes. Agricultural runoff, industrial effluents, and untreated municipal wastewater emerge as primary pollution sources. These contaminants drive eutrophication, biodiversity loss, and the decline of fisheries, thereby undermining livelihoods and exacerbating water insecurity. Invasive species such as water hyacinth further degrade aquatic habitats, while sedimentation alters hydrological dynamics. The review highlights the flowing impacts of pollution on ecosystem services, including disruption of water supply, economic loss, and health risks. It also identifies knowledge gaps and emphasizes the need for integrated watershed governance, investment in wastewater treatment technologies, adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, and enhanced community participation. The review underscores the urgency of adopting a multisectoral response grounded in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), emphasizing collaborative governance, technological innovation, and community-led stewardship as pathways to restore and sustain the health and services of lake ecosystems in the CRV.

This study demonstrates the valorization of bone waste from different animal sources as a sustainable approach to produce high-value hydroxyapatite (HA) powders, supporting circular economy principles. The findings provide a scientific basis for selecting bone waste sources depending on desired material properties, promoting resource-efficient recovery and reuse of biowaste. Three different types of bone-bovine, ostrich, and porcine-were selected for this research to compare species-dependent differences in HA derived from animal sources. Bovine bone served as a common reference, ostrich bone represented a non-mammalian source, and porcine bone was chosen for its close structural similarity to human bone. The HA powders were characterized in terms of particle size, specific surface area, crystallite size, phase composition, and porosity. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed variations in crystallite size with calcination temperature. Mechanical testing revealed that bovine-derived HA exhibited the highest compressive strength (17 MPa) and porcine-derived HA showed the highest hardness (0.5 GPa). These findings highlight the significant influence of the bone source on the microstructural and physicochemical properties of HA, providing a foundation for selecting optimal HA sources for targeted applications. With the results obtained in this paper, it is possible to select the animal of origin of the bones to be used based on the desired characteristics of the powder to be developed.

At the European Union level, approximately 60-70% of soil is in unhealthy or degraded conditions. One of the soil threats is the legacy of industrial pollution, as historic industrial pollutants discharged into the ground continue to pose risks to both the environment and human health. As part of the legislative measures adopted in the late 90 s, Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) was introduced as a standardized method for evaluating risks associated with contaminated sites. To support the quantification of these risks, various software tool models were developed. This study reviews 12 HHRA tools for contaminated sites developed across different countries. First, an overview of national legislative frameworks concerning contaminated sites, with a particular focus on the use of HHRA as a decision-making tool, is provided. Subsequently, the study compares and discusses the methodologies adopted by each tool, the exposure pathways and receptors considered, the integrated contaminant databases, and additional features provided by the models. The comparison highlights the diversity of functionalities offered by the different tools, reflecting a lack of harmonization among national regulations regarding contaminated site management. Beyond the need for a harmonized approach at the EU level, potential future developments include the design of more user-friendly interfaces capable of expanding exposure scenarios, updating contaminant lists (including emerging pollutants such as PFAS), integrating uncertainty analysis, incorporating Geographic Information System (GIS)-based visualizations, and integrating artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML).

Microplastic contamination of seafood has emerged as a growing environmental and food-safety concern, yet information on edible tissues of decapod crustaceans remains limited. This study investigated the occurrence, abundance, and characteristics of microplastics in the tail muscle of the mud spiny lobster Panulirus polyphagus collected from the Teknaf coast of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. A total of 30 specimens were analyzed using alkaline digestion followed by microscopic observation and polymer identification via ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Microplastics were detected in 93.3% of individuals, with a mean abundance of 0.63 ± 0.47 particles g⁻¹ wet weight (range: 0.10-1.80 particles g⁻¹). No significant relationship was observed between lobster body weight and microplastic abundance (Spearman's ρ = -0.134, p = 0.480). Fibers were the dominant morphotype (85.71%), followed by fragments (12.50%) and pellets (1.79%). Most particles were medium-sized, with 101-500 µm (37.50%) and 501-1500 µm (33.93%) fractions prevailing. Whitish or transparent particles were most frequent (28.57%) among the five colors observed. Ethylene propylene was the predominant polymer (85.71%), followed by polyethylene (11.43%) and polyester (2.86%). The presence of microplastics in edible lobster muscle highlights a potential pathway for human exposure and provides baseline data for future monitoring and risk assessment.

This study presents a sustainable route for synthesizing zeolites by valorizing two abundant industrial residues: sugarcane bagasse ash and water treatment plant sludge. The synthesized material, primarily composed of sodalite as confirmed by XRD and SEM, was applied for the removal of Acid Red 27 (AR27), a synthetic dye widely used in the food, cosmetics, and household product industries. The adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model, suggesting dependence on active site availability, while isotherm analysis indicated multilayer adsorption consistent with the BET model, with an adsorption capacity reaching 250 mg·g^-1. Experiments conducted with competitive anions suggest the adsorption mechanism in the first layer predominantly involved electrostatic interactions; the dye structure suggests π-π stacking for subsequent layers. Coexisting anions, particularly sulfate and bicarbonate, significantly hindered AR27 uptake due to competitive adsorption. Importantly, the adsorbent maintained its performance over three regeneration cycles using a diluted NaOH solution (0.01 M). Compared to granular and powdered activated carbons, the synthesized zeolite exhibited superior performance, especially at medium to high contaminant loads. These findings highlight the potential of waste-derived zeolites as a low-cost, efficient, and environmentally friendly material for wastewater treatment, contributing to circular economy strategies and sustainable resource management.

Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) has been increasingly recognized as a sustainable groundwater management strategy, but its operational sustainability is often constrained by clogging. This study evaluated clogging mechanisms at a field-scale MAR test site in Hongseong, Korea, by integrating injection tests, physicochemical analyses, thermodynamic modeling, and mineralogical characterization. During approximately 2.7 months of injection, injectivity remained generally stable and no severe clogging was observed, although partial declines occurred under prolonged quasi-steady conditions. Pre-treatment of recharge water substantially improved the Modified Fouling Index from 104.4 to 18.3 s/L², yielding clogging velocities of 0.007-0.039 m/year near the well screen, indicative of slow clogging progression. Turbidity and fine particles (1-3 μm) were markedly reduced by pre-treatment, though localized mobilization of fines occurred in coarser sediments. Concentrations of Na⁺, K⁺, Cl^-, and HCO₃^- decreased due to dilution, whereas and NO₃^- temporarily increased from nitrate input before declining through denitrification. SAR values (≤ 0.82) and sodium percentages (≤ 35.7%) indicated negligible risks of clay swelling or dispersion. Thermodynamic analyses revealed persistent supersaturation of Fe oxides, but low dissolved Fe concentrations limited actual precipitation. Mineralogical analysis for soil samples showed little change in clay-rich SS1, whereas SS2 exhibited pronounced alteration of biotite to secondary clays, pore reduction, and particle mobilization. Comparison of field observations with physicochemical and mineralogical predictions highlighted the complementary strengths and limitations of each approach. Overall, clogging was limited and largely mitigated by pre-treatment, though long-term risks associated with geochemical shifts and mineral alteration remain.

Adsorption is an effective method for removing various types of pollutants from aqueous effluents, and the production of adsorbent materials from biomass represents a sustainable alternative. In this study, biochars produced from the pyrolysis of acerola processing residues at temperatures ranging from 300 to 700 °C were evaluated as adsorbents for methylene blue dye. Batch adsorption tests revealed rapid adsorption kinetics, with equilibrium being reached within 30 min. The adsorption data were best described by the Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-first-order kinetic model, indicating monolayer adsorption controlled by the availability of active sites. The biochar produced at 400 °C exhibited the highest adsorption performance, achieving a maximum adsorption capacity of 67.29 mg g^-1 and a dye removal efficiency of approximately 94% at an initial concentration of 100 mg L^-1. This superior performance was attributed to the optimal balance between surface area development and the preservation of oxygenated functional groups, which promote methylene blue adsorption through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. Overall, the results demonstrate the strong potential of acerola residue-derived biochars as low-cost and sustainable adsorbents for wastewater treatment, while also providing an environmentally sound destination for agro-industrial waste.

Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana state of India, is a rapidly growing tropical metropolis having a unique mix of industrial, vehicular, construction-related and residential emissions. This study presents a detailed assessment of major air pollutants (PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NO₂, SO₂, CO, and O₃) over Hyderabad using seven years (2017-2023) of data from six ground-based monitoring stations complemented by high-resolution satellite-derived hybrid PM_2.5 and ERA5 reanalysis meteorological data. The PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations exceeded national air quality standards throughout the study period, peaking during the winter, while other pollutants remained within the limits. All pollutants peaked during the winter and postmonsoon except O₃ which peaked during premonsoon. PM_2.5, NO₂, SO₂, and O₃ exhibited declining trends, whereas PM₁₀ increased alongside a reduction in boundary layer height during daytime. Despite an ~ 2.86% per year decrease in PM_2.5 during 2017-2023, its mean concentration remained ≈23% higher than the long-term mean (2001-2022). The mean fine-mode fraction (≈ 0.46) indicated the PM₁₀ dominance in Hyderabad. A case study during the Covid lockdown period demonstrated the significant role of anthropogenic activities in the observed PM₁₀ predominance over Hyderabad. However, regional-scale pollution advection dominated high-pollution events. These findings highlight the complex coupling between emissions and meteorology in shaping Hyderabad's air quality and emphasize the need for targeted, season-specific mitigation strategies.