Environmental Science and Pollution Research最新文献

The jeans industry remains a significant polluter in the textile sector, with the production phase usually overlooked despite its crucial contribution to environmental impact. This study assessed the environmental performance of producing a pair of jeans in Tunisia, focusing on key processes like garment manufacture, washing and finishing. A gate-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed. It begins with a characterization analysis of the assessed jeans (baseline scenario), highlighting the contribution of the key jeans production stages to the selected environmental impact categories (i.e. climate change and water use) defined by the ReCiPe2016 (V.1.1) Midpoint (H) method. The total impact of the assessed pair of jeans was 5.14 kg CO₂ eq and 81.68 × 10^-3 m³ in terms of climate change and water use, with industrial washing being the main hotspot. Six alternative scenarios were then selected to explore potential strategies for improvement of the washing process. The evaluation results of the alternative scenarios were normalized and combined into a Single Environmental Performance Indicator, identifying the optimal scenario with the best overall results. Scenario six, combining 100% solar energy with stone washing, proved most effective, reducing climate impact by 15.2% and water use by 10%. Next, a data quality assessment (DQA) was carried out, focusing on data with a considerable influence on the LCIA results. Finally, two sensitivity analyses were conducted and revealed that climate change was most sensitive to heat use, while water use was most sensitive to tap water use. It also revealed consistent results across LCIA methods variation.

Noise pollution disrupts animal communication, often via acoustic masking. Beyond masking alone, complex vocal sequences that combine distinct call types may impose additional processing challenges in noisy environments, for both conspecific and heterospecific receivers. We assessed how traffic noise differentially affects behavioral responses to Japanese tits' simple (recruitment) versus complex (combined alert-recruitment) calls in conspecifics and sympatric heterospecific tits using playback experiments over three breeding seasons. Noise reduced the probability of approach more strongly for combined calls than for single calls in both Japanese tits and heterospecific tits, suggesting greater disruption of responses to complex call structures. Noise also increased latency to approach, with marginally stronger effects on heterospecific than conspecific receivers to combined calls. By contrast, noise exposure increased minimum approach distances to Japanese tits' calls consistently across call types and receiver species. Overall, these results suggest that noise generally disrupts approach behaviors, with disproportionately strong effects on responses to complex combined calls and a tendency toward greater disruption in heterospecific receivers, although not consistently across all behavioral responses. Our study highlights that species relying on complex acoustic signals to coordinate behaviors may face uneven survival costs in increasingly noisy environments.

Aquatic insects are useful bioindicators for measuring the ecological health of freshwater ecosystems because of their sensitivity to environmental changes and pollution levels. The present study was aimed at the seasonal distribution of aquatic entomofauna in Man Sagar Lake, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, and their use in biomonitoring of water quality varying seasonal and climatic conditions. Sampling was conducted fortnightly for four months in each season (monsoon, winter, and summer) during 2021-2023 and recorded assemblages of entomofaunal orders, Odonata, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera. Biological indicators including the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT), and Family Biotic Index (FBI) were used to assess water quality and organic pollution levels. Multivariate analysis, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), revealed significant seasonal shifts and correlations between environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, rainfall) and entomofaunal assemblages. PCA and CCA biplots showed monsoon clustering with high BMWP and ASPT values favoring pollution-sensitive taxa (Odonata), which are known to be sensitive to organic pollutants and anthropogenic disturbance, while winter was linked to high FBI scores and Diptera, suggesting ecological stress. Summer showed less distinct patterns, correlating with Hemiptera adapted to warmer, wind velocity and stagnant conditions. Correlation matrix analysis confirmed these associations where temperature showed strong positive correlation with Hemiptera (r = 0.92 to 1.00) and Coleoptera (r = 0.67 to 0.87), and strong negative correlation with Diptera (r = - 0.98 to - 0.99) affirming its seasonal influence. Rainfall was significantly correlated with BMWP (r = 1.00) and ASPT (r = 0.96), indicating higher scores and thus improved water quality during the monsoon season. Thus, study validated the use of aquatic entomofauna as reliable bioindicators of seasonal water quality variation of the studied artificial lake (Man Sagar Lake), emphasizing their significance in biological monitoring for the urban freshwater management. The findings supported incorporating insect-based bioassessment into ecological health monitoring and pollution reduction strategies.

Acrylamide (ACR) is a toxic compound formed during high-temperature food processing and is also present in cigarette smoke. It induces oxidative stress, apoptosis, and tissue damage, including cutaneous injury. Wheat sprout (WSP), a natural antioxidant-rich agricultural product, may provide protective effects against ACR-induced skin toxicity. This study investigated the protective effects of WSP extract against ACR-induced skin damage in a rat model, with a focus on histomorphometric alterations, oxidative stress, and apoptotic regulation. Twenty adult male rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 5 per group): control, ACR-treated (50 mg/kg), ACR + WSP-treated (50 mg/kg ACR + 200 mg/kg WSP), and WSP-treated (200 mg/kg). The treatments were administered orally once daily for 21 days. Skin tissues were examined histologically using hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. Oxidative stress biomarkers, including malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were measured in the serum, whereas apoptotic markers (p53 and BCL-2) were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. ACR exposure significantly reduced dermal thickness, collagen density, and hair follicle and sebaceous gland profiles, while increasing oxidative stress and apoptotic signaling. Co-administration of WSP significantly mitigated these effects by preserving skin architecture, significantly increasing TAC and SOD levels, reducing MDA concentrations, and modulating apoptotic markers. In conclusion, the WSP extract exerts a protective effect against ACR-induced skin toxicity by enhancing antioxidant defenses, inhibiting apoptosis, and preserving dermal structure, highlighting its potential as a sustainable, agriculture-derived protective agent against environmental dermatotoxicants.

Pb(II) contamination from landfill leachate poses a serious environmental and public health risk. This study demonstrates the valorisation of municipal solid waste (MSW) into an efficient Pb(II) adsorbent through MgO functionalisation of MSW-derived biochar using MgCl₂·6H₂O. Pristine biochar (P-BC) and MgO-modified biochar (MgO-BC) were synthesised from the organic fraction of MSW through pyrolysis at 450 °C. SEM and FTIR analyses confirmed enhanced porosity and the introduction of Mg-O functional groups following modification. Batch adsorption experiments showed strong pH dependence, with maximum Pb(II) removal at pH 11 of 83.50% for P-BC and 99.82% for MgO-BC. Adsorption data were best described by the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, indicating multilayer chemisorption on heterogeneous surfaces. Langmuir maximum adsorption capacities were 24.82 mg/g for P-BC and 36.63 mg/g for MgO-BC. Intra-particle diffusion analysis revealed that boundary layer film diffusion dominated the adsorption process. Characterisations and comparative experiments confirm that MgO functionalisation significantly improves Pb(II) adsorption performance through the synergistic effects of ion exchange, electrostatic attraction, complexation, precipitation, and pore diffusion mechanisms. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential of MSW-derived biochar as a cost-effective, sustainable solution for landfill leachate treatment, supporting circularity and resource recovery in MSW management.

Excessive nitrate and phosphate in water pose serious environmental and health risks, requiring effective and sustainable removal methods. This study investigates the efficiency of iron-modified biochar derived from barley straw (Fe-BSBC) for removing these pollutants from water. The influence of contact time, pH, adsorbent dosage, and competing anions on adsorption performance was tested in batch experiments. At pH 6 and 23 ± 1 °C, with an initial adsorbate concentration of 15 mg/L and adsorbent dosages of 5 g/L for phosphate and 15 g/L for nitrate, equilibrium was achieved within 8 h for phosphate and 24 h for nitrate. Fe-BSBC demonstrated adsorption capacities of 13.7 mg/g for phosphate and 2.0 mg/g for nitrate, outperforming most of the previously reported biochar adsorbents. Isotherm modelling indicated that the Sips model best described the adsorption process, suggesting multilayer and heterogeneous adsorption. Predicted maximum adsorption capacities were 22.0 mg/g for phosphate and 4.07 mg/g for nitrate. Kinetic data aligned with the pseudo-second-order model, indicating chemisorption as the primary mechanism. Electrostatic attraction was identified as the main mechanism for nitrate adsorption, evidenced by a decrease in zeta potential after nitrate uptake and supported by FTIR, EDS, and XRD characterisation. Conversely, phosphate removal was mainly driven by ligand exchange, leading to the formation of Fe-O-P complexes, alongside electrostatic interactions. Overall, Fe-BSBC presents a cost-effective and scalable water treatment solution that supports the Sustainable Development Goals.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is vital for cutting CO₂ emissions and tackling climate change. The CCS innovations of the last decades can be categorized based on the post- or pre-combustion capture, oxy-fuel combustion, and chemical looping combustion (CLC) approaches used. These techniques are primarily aimed towards capturing CO₂ that would be emitted from industrial sources or power plants in separate, manicured environments prior to its release into the atmosphere. For instance, post-combustion capture can be applied to coal-fired sources to extract CO₂ from flue gases, whereas pre-combustion technologies, as the name implies, remove CO₂ before fuel is burned and are typically used for gasification processes. However, despite their promise, high energy demand, large implementing costs, and long-term storage risks stay as major hurdles to mass adoption. The different levels of technology development for carbon capture and storage and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) have made significant developments for three decades, representing the continuing interests of scientists and engineers, but also have significant shortcomings in terms of efficiency, economy, and environmental impacts. This research provides evidence of the importance of CCS for reducing CO₂ emissions, a critical component in meeting global sustainability targets, especially in hard-to-decarbonize sectors. The review differs from earlier studies in that it reviews current technological innovations and assesses their performance while also recommending pathways through existing barriers to large-scale implementation.

This cross-sectional study evaluated the environmental impact of athletes' dietary patterns by estimating greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and water footprint (WF). It also assessed knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to sustainable nutrition using a structured questionnaire aligned with the FAO definition of sustainable diets. Conducted between January and August 2023 in Ankara, the study included 100 elite athletes (mean age: 21.0 ± 3.3 years; 65% female) from various sports disciplines. Dietary intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and GHGE and WF values were calculated based on life cycle assessment data. The mean GHGE and WF values of athletes' diets were 3017.1 ± 1877.4 g CO₂-eq/day and 5.4 ± 3.2 mL/g, respectively. Male athletes and strength/power athletes exhibited significantly higher dietary environmental impacts than female and team sports athletes (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). Red meat and animal protein consumption were strongly associated with higher GHGE and WF values (p < 0.001). Despite the increasing importance of sustainability, more than 90% of participants lacked accurate knowledge of sustainable nutrition. Moreover, a discrepancy was observed between athletes' stated willingness to support environmental values and their actual food choices, indicating an intention-behavior gap. This study contributes to the limited literature by quantifying the environmental impact of athletes' diets while concurrently examining sustainability-related behavioral factors. The findings underscore the importance of integrating sustainability principles into sports nutrition planning and education to reduce environmental impacts while maintaining performance goals.

An analytical method based on PM₁₀ active sampling followed by pressurized liquid extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed to determine 20 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). The method had good quality parameters, with method detection limits between 0.01 and 0.30 pg m^-3, method quantification limits between 0.57 and 1.8 pg m^-3, and recoveries above 75% for all target compounds. Analysis of air samples from two urban locations near industrial zones in Tarragona (Spain) revealed the widespread occurrence of PFASs, with perfluoro-n-butanoic acid (PFBA), perfluoro-n-pentanoic acid (PFPA), and sodium perfluoro-1-octanesulfonate (PFOS) as the most prevalent compounds at both sites. These three compounds were detected in all the samples analyzed, with the highest concentrations being 202 pg m^-3 for PFBA, 178 pg m^-3 for PFPA, and 109 pg m^-3 for PFOS. Estimated daily intakes were calculated for infants, children, and adults under two scenarios. Risk assessment results showed individual non-carcinogenic risk values ranging from 2.4E-08 for perfluoro-n-undecanoic acid (PFUnDA) to 3.8E-01 for perfluoro-n-decanoic acid (PFDA), with the sum of all values remaining below the benchmark of 1, indicating that the risk is low. The compounds contributing most to the non-carcinogenic risk were PFDA (66.6%), PFOS (28.2%), and perfluoro-n-octanoic acid (PFOA, 5.10%). The carcinogenic risk was assessed for PFOS and PFOA, with the combined values in the range of 1.2E-06 to 3.7E-05, indicating also a low risk.