Lisa Watkins, David N. Bonter, Patrick J. Sullivan and M. Todd Walter
Street litter and the plastic pollution associated with it is an economic and environmental health issue in municipalities worldwide. Most municipal litter data are derived from costly audits, performed by consultants at sparse intervals. Mobile phone apps have been developed to allow citizen scientists to participate in collecting litter data. Both municipal audits and citizen science datasets may be useful not only for informing municipal management decisions but also for increasing scientific understanding of litter dynamics in urban environments. In this analysis, we compare the spatial patterns and composition of litter in Vancouver, Canada, measured through professional municipal audits and with Litterati, a widely used citizen science app. While reported litter composition was consistent across methods, regression analysis shows that spatially, Litterati submissions were more highly correlated with human population patterns than with correlates of litter. We provide method recommendations to improve the utility of resulting data, such that these non-traditional, underutilized datasets may be more fully incorporated into scientific inquiry on litter.
{"title":"Methods for monitoring urban street litter: a comparison of municipal audits and an app-based citizen science approach","authors":"Lisa Watkins, David N. Bonter, Patrick J. Sullivan and M. Todd Walter","doi":"10.1039/D4VA00008K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4VA00008K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Street litter and the plastic pollution associated with it is an economic and environmental health issue in municipalities worldwide. Most municipal litter data are derived from costly audits, performed by consultants at sparse intervals. Mobile phone apps have been developed to allow citizen scientists to participate in collecting litter data. Both municipal audits and citizen science datasets may be useful not only for informing municipal management decisions but also for increasing scientific understanding of litter dynamics in urban environments. In this analysis, we compare the spatial patterns and composition of litter in Vancouver, Canada, measured through professional municipal audits and with Litterati, a widely used citizen science app. While reported litter composition was consistent across methods, regression analysis shows that spatially, Litterati submissions were more highly correlated with human population patterns than with correlates of litter. We provide method recommendations to improve the utility of resulting data, such that these non-traditional, underutilized datasets may be more fully incorporated into scientific inquiry on litter.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 6","pages":" 885-896"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/va/d4va00008k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140930023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Contamination in and around military radar stations in the Arctic has been an ongoing concern since first identified in the 1980s. This study reports on the environmental impact from a DEW line US military station that was operated on Heiðarfjall mountain in northeast Iceland from 1957 to 1970. This review is conducted as a part of work of the POPs Expert Group of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) for an assessment report on local sources vs. long-range transport of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Arctic. The main resource for this summary is an evaluation of results from several reports on Heiðarfjall Langanes, one from an Icelandic Environmental Authority in 1993 and another from the Canadian Environmental Science Group (ESG) at the Royal Military College of Canada, which was commissioned in 2017 by the owners of the land that was used for the station. The results are compared to findings in scientific papers and reports for contamination at other military radar stations in Canada and Alaska. This review shows considerable contamination on Heiðarfjall over 50 years after the closure of the station and is consistent with findings at other former military stations of the same era and with recent preliminary results from environmental investigation by the Norwegian Geological Institute (NGI). The dump area has around 13 thousand m3 of soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs), lead, mercury and tin. The communication area and surrounding are contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), lead and mercury. In other areas storing oil, soil samples reveal elevated concentrations of PHCs. New monitoring results by NGI with passive water samplers show PCBs 20-fold above the guideline value in a water source below Heiðarfjall, and the prediction and dispersion model indicated an increased concentration of PCBs there for decades to come. From new knowledge on the impact of climate change on the release of contaminants as POPs, it can be concluded that there is a need for further cleanup of the area. The potential for future releases due to climate warming should be included in risk assessments of contaminated military and industrial sites in the Arctic.
{"title":"Ongoing legacy contamination from a military radar station in Iceland: a case study","authors":"María J. Gunnarsdottir","doi":"10.1039/D4VA00049H","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4VA00049H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Contamination in and around military radar stations in the Arctic has been an ongoing concern since first identified in the 1980s. This study reports on the environmental impact from a DEW line US military station that was operated on Heiðarfjall mountain in northeast Iceland from 1957 to 1970. This review is conducted as a part of work of the POPs Expert Group of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) for an assessment report on local sources <em>vs.</em> long-range transport of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Arctic. The main resource for this summary is an evaluation of results from several reports on Heiðarfjall Langanes, one from an Icelandic Environmental Authority in 1993 and another from the Canadian Environmental Science Group (ESG) at the Royal Military College of Canada, which was commissioned in 2017 by the owners of the land that was used for the station. The results are compared to findings in scientific papers and reports for contamination at other military radar stations in Canada and Alaska. This review shows considerable contamination on Heiðarfjall over 50 years after the closure of the station and is consistent with findings at other former military stations of the same era and with recent preliminary results from environmental investigation by the Norwegian Geological Institute (NGI). The dump area has around 13 thousand m<small><sup>3</sup></small> of soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs), lead, mercury and tin. The communication area and surrounding are contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), lead and mercury. In other areas storing oil, soil samples reveal elevated concentrations of PHCs. New monitoring results by NGI with passive water samplers show PCBs 20-fold above the guideline value in a water source below Heiðarfjall, and the prediction and dispersion model indicated an increased concentration of PCBs there for decades to come. From new knowledge on the impact of climate change on the release of contaminants as POPs, it can be concluded that there is a need for further cleanup of the area. The potential for future releases due to climate warming should be included in risk assessments of contaminated military and industrial sites in the Arctic.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 7","pages":" 972-982"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/va/d4va00049h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140930097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Calogera Bertoloni, Sophie Legeai, Stéphanie Michel, Eric Meux and François Lapicque
In view of selectively recovering precious contents in electronic waste by combined electrochemical leaching and deposition step in the same cell, this study presents electrochemical investigations of the two reactions conducted in green deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for the case of silver. In addition to ethaline 1 : 2 formed from choline chloride and ethylene glycol, propeline 1 : 3 with less nocive propylene glycol was tested. Determination of the density, viscosity and conductivity of the two DES depending on temperature and their water content could lead to ionicity values from 0.70 to 0.90, with a negative effect of these operating parameters. Pure silver can be leached at 1 mA cm−2 with faradaic yield near 100% from the two DES, provided sufficient temperature and water content below 5 wt%. Electrodeposition was thoroughly examined by cyclic voltammetry and amperometry at transient or steady state at a rotating electrode, leading to Ag(I) diffusivity values in the two DES. Kinetic parameters of the electrodeposition reaction, modelled as irreversible, were also estimated from cyclic voltammograms. Thick silver deposits were produced in 24 h-long tests at 60 °C and 0.25 mA cm−2 in a dry atmosphere with nearly 100% current efficiency. The deposits were formed by little coalesced regular grains of size 15–20 μm and exhibiting fair adherence.
为了在同一电池中通过电化学浸出和沉积步骤有选择性地回收电子废弃物中的贵重成分,本研究介绍了在绿色深共晶溶剂(DES)中对银的两种反应进行的电化学研究。除了由氯化胆碱和乙二醇形成的乙碱 1 : 2 之外,还有丙碱 1 :3 的丙二醇进行了测试。根据温度和含水量测定这两种 DES 的密度、粘度和电导率,可得出 0.70 至 0.90 的离子度值,这些操作参数会产生负面影响。只要有足够的温度和低于 5 wt% 的含水量,在 1 mA cm-2 的条件下就能从这两种 DES 中萃取出纯银,法拉第产量接近 100%。在旋转电极的瞬态或稳态下,通过循环伏安法和安培计对电沉积进行了全面检测,从而得出了两种 DES 中的银(I)扩散值。此外,还根据循环伏安图估算了电沉积反应的动力学参数,并将其模拟为不可逆反应。在 60 °C 和 0.25 mA cm-2 干燥气氛下进行的长达 24 小时的测试中,产生了厚厚的银沉积物,电流效率接近 100%。沉积物由大小为 15-20 μm 的规则小颗粒凝聚而成,具有良好的附着力。
{"title":"Electroleaching and electrodeposition of silver in ethaline 1 : 2 and propeline 1 : 3: transport properties and electrode phenomena†","authors":"Calogera Bertoloni, Sophie Legeai, Stéphanie Michel, Eric Meux and François Lapicque","doi":"10.1039/D4VA00042K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4VA00042K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >In view of selectively recovering precious contents in electronic waste by combined electrochemical leaching and deposition step in the same cell, this study presents electrochemical investigations of the two reactions conducted in green deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for the case of silver. In addition to ethaline 1 : 2 formed from choline chloride and ethylene glycol, propeline 1 : 3 with less nocive propylene glycol was tested. Determination of the density, viscosity and conductivity of the two DES depending on temperature and their water content could lead to ionicity values from 0.70 to 0.90, with a negative effect of these operating parameters. Pure silver can be leached at 1 mA cm<small><sup>−2</sup></small> with faradaic yield near 100% from the two DES, provided sufficient temperature and water content below 5 wt%. Electrodeposition was thoroughly examined by cyclic voltammetry and amperometry at transient or steady state at a rotating electrode, leading to Ag(<small>I</small>) diffusivity values in the two DES. Kinetic parameters of the electrodeposition reaction, modelled as irreversible, were also estimated from cyclic voltammograms. Thick silver deposits were produced in 24 h-long tests at 60 °C and 0.25 mA cm<small><sup>−2</sup></small> in a dry atmosphere with nearly 100% current efficiency. The deposits were formed by little coalesced regular grains of size 15–20 μm and exhibiting fair adherence.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 6","pages":" 875-884"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/va/d4va00042k?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140930101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Muhammad Zubair, Sadia Farooq, Ajaz Hussain, Sadia Riaz and Aman Ullah
Water pollution has become a major issue due to the presence of hazardous pollutants resulting from ever-increasing industrial growth, and researchers are actively seeking innovative solutions for water treatment. Graphene Oxide (GO)–polysulfone (PSF) membranes are widely used in water remediation due to their resistance to high pH and harsh chemicals, and their ability to remove water pollutants. These materials have unique two-dimensional structures, tailorable micropores, large surface areas, and fascinating surface properties, making them ideal for water treatment. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in polysulfone-derived membranes modified with graphene oxide, including their separation performance, antifouling effect, and ability to separate and degrade organic pollutants. Additionally, the review article covers membrane performance for filtration of organic dyes, metal ions, radionuclides and salts from contaminated water. The review article also highlights simulation or computational studies and concludes by discussing the challenges and prospects of GO–PSF derived membranes for water remediation.
由于不规范的工业发展造成了有害污染物的存在,水污染的加剧已引起人们的关注。为了应对这些环境挑战,研究人员正在积极寻求创新、高效、经济的水处理方法。氧化石墨烯(GO)-聚砜(PSF)膜因其固有的耐高 pH 值和耐苛刻化学品的特性而被广泛应用于水处理领域,成为管理水污染物的理想选择。PSF 膜中的氧化石墨烯(GO)吸附剂及其衍生物因其独特的二维结构、可裁剪的微孔、较大的比表面积和迷人的表面特性而备受关注。此外,这些材料对无机物和有机物都具有良好的加工性。本综述全面总结了氧化石墨烯改性聚砜衍生膜的最新发展。内容涉及多个方面,包括 iGO 的分离性能、防污效果、有机污染物的分离和降解、过滤染料和盐的膜性能、模拟纺织废水的膜处理、纳米片复合膜改性、基于 GO-PSF 的膜的抗菌性能以及使用改性膜去除重金属和放射性核素。最后,我们讨论了 GO-PSF 衍生膜的最新发展,包括其衍生物、吸附剂和最佳条件下的吸附能力。
{"title":"A review of current developments in graphene oxide–polysulfone derived membranes for water remediation","authors":"Muhammad Zubair, Sadia Farooq, Ajaz Hussain, Sadia Riaz and Aman Ullah","doi":"10.1039/D4VA00058G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4VA00058G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Water pollution has become a major issue due to the presence of hazardous pollutants resulting from ever-increasing industrial growth, and researchers are actively seeking innovative solutions for water treatment. Graphene Oxide (GO)–polysulfone (PSF) membranes are widely used in water remediation due to their resistance to high pH and harsh chemicals, and their ability to remove water pollutants. These materials have unique two-dimensional structures, tailorable micropores, large surface areas, and fascinating surface properties, making them ideal for water treatment. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in polysulfone-derived membranes modified with graphene oxide, including their separation performance, antifouling effect, and ability to separate and degrade organic pollutants. Additionally, the review article covers membrane performance for filtration of organic dyes, metal ions, radionuclides and salts from contaminated water. The review article also highlights simulation or computational studies and concludes by discussing the challenges and prospects of GO–PSF derived membranes for water remediation.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 7","pages":" 983-1003"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/va/d4va00058g?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140930036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Keju An, Jamieson Brechtl, Stephen Kowalski, Cheng-Min Yang, Michelle K. Kidder, Costas Tsouris, Christopher Janke, Meghan Lamm, Katie Copenhaver, Josh Thompson, Tugba Turnaoglu, Brian Fricke, Kai Li, Xin Sun and Kashif Nawaz
Direct air capture (DAC), which captures CO2 from ambient air, is a critical technology to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in order to avoid climate disasters. Due to the relatively low concentration of CO2 (400 ppm), a large amount of air needs to be moved through DAC devices, which requires lots of energy. Currently, DAC technologies are deployed mainly in centralized systems and require extensive infrastructure and initial capital cost. A potential solution is to utilize existing infrastructure for DAC. In this study, we propose a distributed DAC system that utilizes existing commercial rooftop heating and air conditioning (HVAC) units to capture CO2 from the air. There are approximately 15 million such units already installed on commercial buildings in the United States, and they move a large amount of air every day. Adding DAC functionality to these units will significantly reduce the cost of infrastructure and operation. A modular approach was used to introduce DAC into a rooftop unit. Modules filled with triethylenetetramine-functionalized polyacrylonitrile sheets were developed and installed on the condenser coil side of the rooftop unit. The rooftop unit with DAC functions effectively captured CO2 from the air, and the addition of the DAC modules had little effect on the unit's original functionality. A preliminary techno-economic analysis was also conducted, and the results potentially suggest that utilizing existing commercial rooftop units for carbon capture is a feasible approach to reducing greenhouse gases.
{"title":"A multifunctional rooftop unit for direct air capture†‡","authors":"Keju An, Jamieson Brechtl, Stephen Kowalski, Cheng-Min Yang, Michelle K. Kidder, Costas Tsouris, Christopher Janke, Meghan Lamm, Katie Copenhaver, Josh Thompson, Tugba Turnaoglu, Brian Fricke, Kai Li, Xin Sun and Kashif Nawaz","doi":"10.1039/D4VA00013G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4VA00013G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Direct air capture (DAC), which captures CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> from ambient air, is a critical technology to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in order to avoid climate disasters. Due to the relatively low concentration of CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> (400 ppm), a large amount of air needs to be moved through DAC devices, which requires lots of energy. Currently, DAC technologies are deployed mainly in centralized systems and require extensive infrastructure and initial capital cost. A potential solution is to utilize existing infrastructure for DAC. In this study, we propose a distributed DAC system that utilizes existing commercial rooftop heating and air conditioning (HVAC) units to capture CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> from the air. There are approximately 15 million such units already installed on commercial buildings in the United States, and they move a large amount of air every day. Adding DAC functionality to these units will significantly reduce the cost of infrastructure and operation. A modular approach was used to introduce DAC into a rooftop unit. Modules filled with triethylenetetramine-functionalized polyacrylonitrile sheets were developed and installed on the condenser coil side of the rooftop unit. The rooftop unit with DAC functions effectively captured CO<small><sub>2</sub></small> from the air, and the addition of the DAC modules had little effect on the unit's original functionality. A preliminary techno-economic analysis was also conducted, and the results potentially suggest that utilizing existing commercial rooftop units for carbon capture is a feasible approach to reducing greenhouse gases.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 6","pages":" 937-949"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/va/d4va00013g?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140884461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hiua Daraei, Edoardo Bertone, Rodney A. Stewart, John Awad, Adam Leavesley, Matthew Gale, Eriita Jones, Kathy Cinque, Mark Agnew, Hugh A. Burger and John Van Leeuwen
This study presents the findings of an investigation on the dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentration and characteristics of four Australian rivers and reservoirs after their catchments had been severely burned by bushfires (wildfires) or impacted by a tropical cyclone. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increased immediately following the events, and subsequently decreased. The findings indicate rapid stabilisation of water quality, based on the measured parameters, following the commencement of the first winter after the events (which occurred in mid/end summer). In the fire-affected Middle River catchment, DOC decreased from 30.7 mg L−1 to 10.2 mg L−1 over approximately seven months. In the case of the Herring Lagoon catchment, which was affected by cyclone Uesi, DOC decreased from 15.6 mg L−1 to 1.2 mg L−1 over approximately ten months. However, the DOM present in the surface water exposed to the cyclone showed higher molecular weight, coagulability and UV-vis absorbance than the DOM present in the surface water of fire-affected catchments. The observed rapid increase and then reduction in DOM concentrations after extreme climate events indicates the need for short-term and rapid responses for drinking water treatment. The fluorescence signal of a field-deployable fluorescent DOM (fDOM) sensor showed potential as an online monitoring tool for assessing DOM concentration in surface waters, including under extreme conditions. The rapid identification of high DOM loadings in surface waters following extreme climate events (e.g. using a field deployed fDOM sensor) along with its coagulability characteristics could assist in catchment management and drinking water treatment by enabling timely control decisions in response to the impacts of such events.
本研究介绍了澳大利亚四条河流和水库的集水区被丛林大火(野火)严重焚烧或受到热带气旋影响后溶解有机物(DOM)浓度和特征的动态调查结果。事件发生后,溶解有机碳 (DOC) 立即增加,随后减少。研究结果表明,根据测量参数,水质在事件发生后的第一个冬季(夏中/夏末)开始后迅速趋于稳定。在受火灾影响的中河集水区,溶解氧从 30.7 毫克/升下降到 10.2 毫克/升,历时约 7 个月。在受气旋 Uesi 影响的鲱鱼礁集水区,在大约 10 个月的时间里,溶解氧从 15.6 毫克/升-1 降至 1.2 毫克/升-1。然而,与受火灾影响的集水区地表水中的 DOM 相比,受气旋影响的地表水中的 DOM 表现出更高的分子量、凝结性和紫外可见吸收率。在极端气候事件发生后,观察到的 DOM 浓度先是快速上升,然后又下降,这表明在饮用水处理方面需要采取短期和快速的应对措施。现场部署的荧光 DOM(fDOM)传感器的荧光信号显示出作为在线监测工具评估地表水中 DOM 浓度(包括极端条件下)的潜力。在极端气候事件发生后,快速识别地表水中的高 DOM 负荷(例如使用现场部署的 fDOM 传感器)及其可凝性特征,有助于集水区管理和饮用水处理,从而针对此类事件的影响及时做出控制决策。
{"title":"Organic matter concentration and characteristic dynamics in surface waters post-bushfires and cyclones: fDOM sensors for environmental monitoring and control†","authors":"Hiua Daraei, Edoardo Bertone, Rodney A. Stewart, John Awad, Adam Leavesley, Matthew Gale, Eriita Jones, Kathy Cinque, Mark Agnew, Hugh A. Burger and John Van Leeuwen","doi":"10.1039/D4VA00036F","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4VA00036F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study presents the findings of an investigation on the dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentration and characteristics of four Australian rivers and reservoirs after their catchments had been severely burned by bushfires (wildfires) or impacted by a tropical cyclone. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increased immediately following the events, and subsequently decreased. The findings indicate rapid stabilisation of water quality, based on the measured parameters, following the commencement of the first winter after the events (which occurred in mid/end summer). In the fire-affected Middle River catchment, DOC decreased from 30.7 mg L<small><sup>−1</sup></small> to 10.2 mg L<small><sup>−1</sup></small> over approximately seven months. In the case of the Herring Lagoon catchment, which was affected by cyclone Uesi, DOC decreased from 15.6 mg L<small><sup>−1</sup></small> to 1.2 mg L<small><sup>−1</sup></small> over approximately ten months. However, the DOM present in the surface water exposed to the cyclone showed higher molecular weight, coagulability and UV-vis absorbance than the DOM present in the surface water of fire-affected catchments. The observed rapid increase and then reduction in DOM concentrations after extreme climate events indicates the need for short-term and rapid responses for drinking water treatment. The fluorescence signal of a field-deployable fluorescent DOM (fDOM) sensor showed potential as an online monitoring tool for assessing DOM concentration in surface waters, including under extreme conditions. The rapid identification of high DOM loadings in surface waters following extreme climate events (<em>e.g.</em> using a field deployed fDOM sensor) along with its coagulability characteristics could assist in catchment management and drinking water treatment by enabling timely control decisions in response to the impacts of such events.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 6","pages":" 950-963"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/va/d4va00036f?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140838931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuriy V. Knyazev, Mikhail S. Platunov, Olga P. Ikkert, Sergey V. Semenov, Oleg A. Bayukov, Anton D. Nikolenko, Vladimir P. Nazmov, Mikhail N. Volochaev, Andrey A. Dubrovskiy, Maksim S. Molokeev, Ekaterina D. Smorodina, Dmitry A. Balaev and Olga V. Karnachuk
We explored the role of biomineralization in industrial waste sludge formation, using the laboratory cultivation of Desulfovibrio sp. OL sulfate reducing species isolated from the Komsomolsky waste sludge (Russia). The most frequently reported sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) biomineralization products are various iron sulfides. Here we present first studies of the products of Desulfosporosinus metallidurans, acidophilic SRB from acid mine drainage. We analyzed the biomineralized sample using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, X-ray absorption and Mössbauer spectroscopies, and magnetization measurements via First-Order Reversal Curve (FORC) diagram analysis. Our findings show that the biomineralization occurring under pure culture conditions leads to the formation of greigite (Fe3S4) nanorods, along with larger microbially mediated crystals of vivianite (Fe3(PO4)2·8H2O) and siderite (FeCO3). Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that the crystal sizes of vivianite and siderite were comparatively larger than those of the nanorod-shaped greigite. Transmission electron microscopy and Mössbauer spectroscopy detected ultrafine ferrihydrite (Fe2O3·nH2O) superparamagnetic nanoparticles with an average size of 2.5 nm. FORC analysis showed significant magnetic interactions among these nanoparticles, suggesting their potential for magnetic separation applications. The current study demonstrates that ferrihydrite nanoparticles have a strong magnetic affinity for other crystal phases produced by Desulfosporosinus metallidurans. Therefore, we believe that the investigated bacterial species can be exploited in advanced magnetic separation techniques. This offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method for purifying sediments in industrial waste sludge.
我们利用实验室培养的 Desulfovibrio sp.OL硫酸盐还原菌从共青城(俄罗斯)的废弃污泥中分离出来。最常报道的硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)生物矿化产物是各种硫化铁。在此,我们首次介绍了从酸性矿井排水中分离出的嗜酸性硫酸盐还原菌 Desulfosporosinus metallidurans 的产物。我们对生物矿化样品进行了 X 射线衍射、电子显微镜、X 射线吸收和莫斯鲍尔光谱研究以及磁化测量(一阶反转曲线(FORC)图分析)。我们确定,在纯培养条件下发生的生物矿化导致形成了格来石(Fe3S4)纳米棒,以及微生物介导的维维安岩(Fe3(PO4)2-8H2O)和菱铁矿(FeCO3)晶相。能量色散 X 射线光谱显示,维维安岩和菱铁矿以大晶体形式形成,与纳米棒状的绿泥石形成鲜明对比。透射电子显微镜和莫斯鲍尔光谱研究发现了平均尺寸为 2.5 纳米的超细铁水云母(Fe2O3 ‧ nH2O)超顺磁性纳米颗粒。此外,FORC 技术还显示出与样品中超细铁水物相对应的高水平磁相互作用,可在分离技术中加以利用。目前的研究表明,纳米铁水物对脱硫孢子虫(Desulfosporosinus metallidurans)产生的其他晶相具有很强的吸引力。因此,我们认为所研究的细菌物种可以在净化工业废渣沉积物的先进技术中加以利用。
{"title":"Microbially mediated synthesis of vivianite by Desulfosporosinus on the way to phosphorus recovery †","authors":"Yuriy V. Knyazev, Mikhail S. Platunov, Olga P. Ikkert, Sergey V. Semenov, Oleg A. Bayukov, Anton D. Nikolenko, Vladimir P. Nazmov, Mikhail N. Volochaev, Andrey A. Dubrovskiy, Maksim S. Molokeev, Ekaterina D. Smorodina, Dmitry A. Balaev and Olga V. Karnachuk","doi":"10.1039/D4VA00040D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4VA00040D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >We explored the role of biomineralization in industrial waste sludge formation, using the laboratory cultivation of <em>Desulfovibrio</em> sp. OL sulfate reducing species isolated from the Komsomolsky waste sludge (Russia). The most frequently reported sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) biomineralization products are various iron sulfides. Here we present first studies of the products of <em>Desulfosporosinus metallidurans</em>, acidophilic SRB from acid mine drainage. We analyzed the biomineralized sample using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, X-ray absorption and Mössbauer spectroscopies, and magnetization measurements <em>via</em> First-Order Reversal Curve (FORC) diagram analysis. Our findings show that the biomineralization occurring under pure culture conditions leads to the formation of greigite (Fe<small><sub>3</sub></small>S<small><sub>4</sub></small>) nanorods, along with larger microbially mediated crystals of vivianite (Fe<small><sub>3</sub></small>(PO<small><sub>4</sub></small>)<small><sub>2</sub></small>·8H<small><sub>2</sub></small>O) and siderite (FeCO<small><sub>3</sub></small>). Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that the crystal sizes of vivianite and siderite were comparatively larger than those of the nanorod-shaped greigite. Transmission electron microscopy and Mössbauer spectroscopy detected ultrafine ferrihydrite (Fe<small><sub>2</sub></small>O<small><sub>3</sub></small>·<em>n</em>H<small><sub>2</sub></small>O) superparamagnetic nanoparticles with an average size of 2.5 nm. FORC analysis showed significant magnetic interactions among these nanoparticles, suggesting their potential for magnetic separation applications. The current study demonstrates that ferrihydrite nanoparticles have a strong magnetic affinity for other crystal phases produced by <em>Desulfosporosinus metallidurans</em>. Therefore, we believe that the investigated bacterial species can be exploited in advanced magnetic separation techniques. This offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method for purifying sediments in industrial waste sludge.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 6","pages":" 897-911"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/va/d4va00040d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140838756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Freya C. Alldred, Darren R. Gröcke, Samuel E. Jackson and Geraldine Reid
A macroalgae (seaweed) herbarium nitrogen isotope (δ15N) record is produced for the River Mersey and Liverpool South Docks (England) between 1821 and 2018. A modern macroalgae δ15N record was also produced from September 2022. The herbaria δ15N record shows a stark difference from 1821 to the present. Lower δ15N in the early 1800s is attributed to agricultural and raw sewage pollution. From 1970 to the present the herbaria samples record very elevated δ15N values – peaking in 1978 at +31‰. The 1989 Water Act and privatisation of water companies in the UK had limited impact on the herbarium δ15N record but indicated a dominance of sewage nitrogen in the River Mersey. Macroalgae δ15N has become even more elevated since the last herbaria sample in 2013. The herbaria and modern data record some of the highest seaweed δ15N values (and therefore, sewage nitrogen pollution) recorded to date. This study highlights a novel use of herbaria macroalgae to document past changes in nitrogen pollution in estuarine environments. More poignantly it highlights that the River Mersey – Mersey Estuary is heavily polluted with sewage nitrogen and requires immediate action to resolve this environmental issue.
{"title":"Nitrogen isotopes in herbaria document historical nitrogen sewage pollution in the Mersey Estuary, England†","authors":"Freya C. Alldred, Darren R. Gröcke, Samuel E. Jackson and Geraldine Reid","doi":"10.1039/D4VA00015C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4VA00015C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >A macroalgae (seaweed) herbarium nitrogen isotope (δ<small><sup>15</sup></small>N) record is produced for the River Mersey and Liverpool South Docks (England) between 1821 and 2018. A modern macroalgae δ<small><sup>15</sup></small>N record was also produced from September 2022. The herbaria δ<small><sup>15</sup></small>N record shows a stark difference from 1821 to the present. Lower δ<small><sup>15</sup></small>N in the early 1800s is attributed to agricultural and raw sewage pollution. From 1970 to the present the herbaria samples record very elevated δ<small><sup>15</sup></small>N values – peaking in 1978 at +31‰. The 1989 Water Act and privatisation of water companies in the UK had limited impact on the herbarium δ<small><sup>15</sup></small>N record but indicated a dominance of sewage nitrogen in the River Mersey. Macroalgae δ<small><sup>15</sup></small>N has become even more elevated since the last herbaria sample in 2013. The herbaria and modern data record some of the highest seaweed δ<small><sup>15</sup></small>N values (and therefore, sewage nitrogen pollution) recorded to date. This study highlights a novel use of herbaria macroalgae to document past changes in nitrogen pollution in estuarine environments. More poignantly it highlights that the River Mersey – Mersey Estuary is heavily polluted with sewage nitrogen and requires immediate action to resolve this environmental issue.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 5","pages":" 676-685"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/va/d4va00015c?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140812765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nokwanda Hendricks, Olatunde S. Olatunji and Bhekumuzi P. Gumbi
The environmental impact of microplastics is increasingly being recognized, leading to their inclusion as contaminants of emerging concern. Consequently, it is essential to identify and monitor microplastics and their impact on the ecosystem. In this study, a ball miller was employed to process plastic waste, generating microplastics for the optimisation of separation methods. Microplastics of various sizes and shapes were produced and used to spike the sediments for optimisation of the density separation method. The recovered microplastics ranged from 0.74–5 mm, as confirmed by stereomicroscopy. In addition, the types of polymers present in microplastics were confirmed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy-Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR). The developed analytical method was employed to study the occurrence of microplastics in river sediments passing through informal settlements after floods. Moreover, the evaluated data confirmed that informal settlements are a major source of microplastics found in the ocean after a flood. Microplastics in river and ocean sediments were predominantly composed of polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene with a size range of 0.90–5 mm. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report the impacts of informal settlements on the ocean during floods in Africa.
{"title":"Microplastic occurrence in sediments of informal settlement in Durban, South Africa: assessing the ocean impact in the aftermath of floods","authors":"Nokwanda Hendricks, Olatunde S. Olatunji and Bhekumuzi P. Gumbi","doi":"10.1039/D3VA00382E","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D3VA00382E","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The environmental impact of microplastics is increasingly being recognized, leading to their inclusion as contaminants of emerging concern. Consequently, it is essential to identify and monitor microplastics and their impact on the ecosystem. In this study, a ball miller was employed to process plastic waste, generating microplastics for the optimisation of separation methods. Microplastics of various sizes and shapes were produced and used to spike the sediments for optimisation of the density separation method. The recovered microplastics ranged from 0.74–5 mm, as confirmed by stereomicroscopy. In addition, the types of polymers present in microplastics were confirmed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy-Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR). The developed analytical method was employed to study the occurrence of microplastics in river sediments passing through informal settlements after floods. Moreover, the evaluated data confirmed that informal settlements are a major source of microplastics found in the ocean after a flood. Microplastics in river and ocean sediments were predominantly composed of polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene with a size range of 0.90–5 mm. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report the impacts of informal settlements on the ocean during floods in Africa.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 6","pages":" 850-860"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/va/d3va00382e?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140812764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiameng Feng, Zhen Liu, Sung Vo Duy, Gabriel Munoz, Lise Parent and Sébastien Sauvé
The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence, spatial distribution, and ecotoxicological risk of pesticides and transformation products in surface waters of western Montérégie (Quebec, Canada). A total of 29 samples were collected from 11 rivers during the summers of 2019 and 2021, and the samples were analyzed for 48 pesticides and 8 transformation products. The downstream data were used to assess the ecotoxicological risks based on Quebec's acute or chronic aquatic life criterion (AALC or CALC). Overall, 9 herbicides (glyphosate, S-metolachlor, 2,4-D, metribuzin, atrazine, MCPA, prometryn, dimethenamid, simazine), 3 insecticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid, chlorantraniliprole), and 4 fungicides (azoxystrobin, fluxapyroxad, tebuconazole, carbendazim) were detected at all sampling sites, demonstrating their widespread use in western Montérégie. Glyphosate (87–4095 ng L−1), S-metolachlor (6–2519 ng L−1), and 2,4-D (6–1094 ng L−1) were identified as the most abundant pesticides in surface water. Furthermore, 6 pesticide transformation products (metolachlor ESA, AMPA, metolachlor OA, desethylatrazine, atrazine-2-hydroxy, desisopropylatrazine) were detected at all sampling sites. The concentration of transformation products accounted for 51% on average of the total concentration, demonstrating the abundance of transformation products in surface waters. Neonicotinoids exhibited the highest ecotoxicological risk in the surface water samples with an average CALC risk quotient of 28 for 2019 and 12 for 2021, respectively. The present study offers insights into pesticides occurrence and their ecological impacts on surface waters of western Montérégie and allows for supporting future pesticide management and ecotoxicological risk mitigation strategies.
{"title":"Pesticides and transformation products in surface waters of western Montérégie, Canada: occurrence, spatial distribution and ecotoxicological risks†","authors":"Xiameng Feng, Zhen Liu, Sung Vo Duy, Gabriel Munoz, Lise Parent and Sébastien Sauvé","doi":"10.1039/D3VA00231D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D3VA00231D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence, spatial distribution, and ecotoxicological risk of pesticides and transformation products in surface waters of western Montérégie (Quebec, Canada). A total of 29 samples were collected from 11 rivers during the summers of 2019 and 2021, and the samples were analyzed for 48 pesticides and 8 transformation products. The downstream data were used to assess the ecotoxicological risks based on Quebec's acute or chronic aquatic life criterion (AALC or CALC). Overall, 9 herbicides (glyphosate, <em>S</em>-metolachlor, 2,4-D, metribuzin, atrazine, MCPA, prometryn, dimethenamid, simazine), 3 insecticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid, chlorantraniliprole), and 4 fungicides (azoxystrobin, fluxapyroxad, tebuconazole, carbendazim) were detected at all sampling sites, demonstrating their widespread use in western Montérégie. Glyphosate (87–4095 ng L<small><sup>−1</sup></small>), <em>S</em>-metolachlor (6–2519 ng L<small><sup>−1</sup></small>), and 2,4-D (6–1094 ng L<small><sup>−1</sup></small>) were identified as the most abundant pesticides in surface water. Furthermore, 6 pesticide transformation products (metolachlor ESA, AMPA, metolachlor OA, desethylatrazine, atrazine-2-hydroxy, desisopropylatrazine) were detected at all sampling sites. The concentration of transformation products accounted for 51% on average of the total concentration, demonstrating the abundance of transformation products in surface waters. Neonicotinoids exhibited the highest ecotoxicological risk in the surface water samples with an average CALC risk quotient of 28 for 2019 and 12 for 2021, respectively. The present study offers insights into pesticides occurrence and their ecological impacts on surface waters of western Montérégie and allows for supporting future pesticide management and ecotoxicological risk mitigation strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":72941,"journal":{"name":"Environmental science. Advances","volume":" 6","pages":" 861-874"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2024/va/d3va00231d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140812656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}