Environmental science. Advances最新文献

Fog is a common atmospheric event in northern India. Frequently, dense and prolonged fog envelops the entire Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), especially in the winter season. During winter, conducive atmospheric conditions also facilitate the accumulation of airborne particulates near the earth surface, significantly reducing atmospheric visibility in the presence of water vapour and gases. Besides, fog formation can also change the characteristics of the biological component of the air (bioaerosols). The Anderson six-stage bioaerosol cascade impactor was therefore used to collect bioaerosols during winter-specific foggy and non-foggy days to assess how fog formation affects the loading and characteristic of bioaerosols. It has been found that the concentration of bioaerosols increases during foggy days (2223 ± 553 CFU m⁻³) compared to non-foggy days (days including both before and after fog; 1478 ± 490 CFU m⁻³). Nearly, a 50% rise in the total culturable microbe concentration was noted during foggy days as compared to non-foggy days in an urban habitat over the central IGP. Approximately 46% and 55% increase in bacterial and fungal bioaerosol concentration, respectively, was found to be associated with foggy days. The size of bioaerosols also varied with the change in atmospheric conditions. During foggy days, bacterial and fungal concentration increased in the coarse size fraction (4.7–7.0 μm) compared to fine (0.65–7.0 μm) particles. The presence of bacteria such as Bacillus; Enterobacter; Cocci and fungi such as Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Penicillium were found during foggy days. The measured concentration of bioaerosols did not exhibit strong association with meteorological variables and other atmospheric co-pollutants. Health risk assessment of the exposure to bioaerosols revealed strong possibility to cause adverse human health effects in the exposed population.

In recent years, the issues pertaining to the micro-/nano-plastics (MNP) pollution in urban water have escalated due to their detrimental environmental consequences, which not only disrupt aquatic habitats and harm marine life but also serve as vectors for toxic pollutants, potentially entering the food chain and posing risks to human health. Although conventional techniques such as filtration, sedimentation, and electrocoagulation have been extensively utilized for MNP removal, ongoing concerns persist regarding their effectiveness, sustainability, and cost implications. Hence, it is imperative to critically assess the performance of conventional techniques in addressing MNP-induced pollution and to shed light on the potential of some emerging technologies as promising next-generation solutions. However, the dearth of standardized approaches and the scarcity of comprehensive data contribute to the disturbing extent of uncertainties in utilizing such techniques to address MNP pollution. Therefore, the current review theoretically emphasizes on innovative use of biochar, electrospun fibers, and aerogels as sustainable adsorbents for managing MNP pollution. Further, it offers a systematic overview elucidating the foundational understanding pertaining to the sources, fate, and transport dynamics of microplastics within the environment. Apart from this, the article explores the integration of such adsorbents into existing water treatment systems and examines the associated challenges and future perspectives in real-world applications. Thus, the contextual review provides valuable insights into designing next-generation technologies aimed at controlling MNP pollution in water systems which not only enhances the understanding of the fate and transport mechanisms of emerging MNP pollutants treatment of water to make it portable but also assists material designers in evaluating and refining existing methodologies and thereby promoting a multi-faceted and synergistic approach to combat the complex issue of MNP pollution.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of Environmental Science: Advances's reviewers for helping to preserve quality and integrity in chemical science literature. We would also like to highlight the Outstanding Reviewers for Environmental Science: Advances in 2023.

Valuing the ecosystem services provided by nature is essential for estuarine habitat conservation and restoration. Recreational fisheries rely on fish stocks that are dependent on productivity derived from the plants that comprise estuarine habitats, however the value of these habitats to recreational fishing is rarely considered. Here, we consider expenditure on recreational fishing activities as an indicator of coastal wetland habitat value, by synthesising data on routinely collected recreational effort, catch, and expenditure from telephone surveys alongside trophic subsidy models within a simple framework. The approach is demonstrated for the Clarence River and the Hunter River estuaries (New South Wales, Australia). Expenditure on recreational fishing activities was apportioned to mangrove and saltmarsh habitats via the ‘trophic subsidy’ (or nutrition) originating from primary producers in these habitats that fuels the biomass of important recreational species. The values estimated exceeded that of similarly apportioned commercial fisheries revenue, with the biggest difference observed for saltmarsh in the Clarence River (∼$17 million AUD per annum [recreational expenditure] compared to ∼$8 million AUD per annum [commercial fisheries total output]). When considered in an additive fashion and standardised by habitat extent, the values attributable to coastal wetland productivity were as high as $86 459 per hectare per annum for saltmarsh, and $20 611 per hectare per annum for mangroves. These values reflect the dependency of fisheries activities on the extent and condition of coastal wetland habitats, and the framework presented here is widely applicable for considering the economic value of these activities i.e., fishing) as an indicator of habitat value.

The stability of pharmaceutical active ingredients (APIs) and their resistance to conventional treatment methods necessitates the development of degradation methods as point-source treatment before mixing with municipal wastewater. Advanced oxidation processes utilize oxidants such as H₂O₂ or persulfate (PS) to treat organic contaminants and have shown promising results for eliminating APIs from wastewater. This research investigated the degradation of tramadol (TRA), a fully synthetic opioid, in a UVC/PS system, which was selected after evaluating thermal and simulated solar activation techniques. Different concentrations of PS were tested, and the UVC/PS system with [PS]₀ = 0.4 mM achieved complete degradation of 10 mg L⁻¹ [TRA]₀ in 6 min with k_obs of 0.90 min⁻¹ and was chosen for this study. The system was evaluated under different conditions and showed a decrease in reaction rate under acidic conditions and in the presence of bicarbonates or competing natural organic matter. Additionally, high levels of chlorides and nitrates inhibited the degradation. Building on insights from batch treatment experiments, a pilot-scale treatment plant was developed utilizing elements from commercially available UV water-disinfection kits for continuous-flow treatment of pharmaceutical industry effluent. After optimization, the system achieved full degradation of 360 L per day of 10 mg L⁻¹ [TRA]₀ at a cost of $0.296 per m³.

This paper considers elements of the dynamic process of production dispersal and monitoring of persistent organic pollutants in the environment that has unfolded over the past 100 years. The interactions between science, industry, policy making and public health have taken many different forms in different parts of the world over time. The current state of affairs of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the global environment is only partially understood and in flux because the components act in a distributed and asynchronous manner. We argue that the work under the Stockholm Convention (SC) since 2004 can be seen as synthesis of what has been done so far and a blueprint of what challenges lie ahead. The framework of UNEP, with the invaluable help of the Secretariat, has strung together over two decades a global network of scientists, indigenous groups, policy makers and other stakeholders interacting through meetings, documents and decisions, this effort has yielded an open, transparent and reliable method of work and a large repository of publicly available technical and scientific information. In this paper we consider in some detail the methods and the outcomes for screening substances of new potential concern, the methods and outcomes of monitoring trends in the context of effectiveness evaluation of the SC and the urgent need to converge in concept and quantification with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC).

In Europe the Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) for nickel in freshwaters was set in 2013 based on the best available evidence at the time. Since then, additional information about the toxicity of nickel to aquatic organisms and the effects of water chemistry conditions on nickel bioavailability have become available, and there is much more information available about the water chemistry conditions that affect nickel toxicity in freshwaters. This study has taken the updated information about nickel ecotoxicity and bioavailability and evaluates how this could potentially affect the EQS for nickel if it was to be updated. Although the sensitivity of freshwaters to nickel based on the update is very similar to the EQS on a site-specific basis, the thresholds derived are slightly lower. A broader range of water chemistry conditions can be covered by the update than are currently covered by the existing EQS. An updated standard of 2.9 μg L⁻¹ bioavailable nickel could be derived based on the UK dataset evaluated here, which is slightly lower than the existing EQS of 4 μg L⁻¹ bioavailable nickel. Consequently, a slightly higher number of potential compliance failures would be expected based on the update. A simple and practical approach toward the incorporation of local nickel background concentrations into the compliance assessment process for sites that fail the bioavailability based EQS is also proposed. Initial assessments suggest that compliance with the existing EQS could potentially result in more than 5% of species in freshwater aquatic ecosystems being affected, but that with the exception of a very small number of cases the proportion of potentially affected species would be less than 8% of species in the ecosystem. In regions where the existing EQS is not fully implemented, particularly through limited consideration of bioavailability, the adoption of the updated standard is likely to be less beneficial than focusing on better implementation of the existing EQS. However, in regions where the existing EQS has been implemented extensively for some time the updated standard offers a refinement in terms of the coverage of a higher proportion of surface waters and a slightly higher level of protection for sensitive species than the existing EQS.

This review paper, titled “Greening the waves: experimental and chemometric approaches in spectroscopic methods for organic pollutant determination in natural waters,” provides a comprehensive exploration of innovative strategies to enhance the sustainability and efficacy of water quality monitoring. The global prevalence of organic pollutants in natural waters poses significant environmental challenges, necessitating the development of analytical methods that are not only sensitive and accurate but also environmentally friendly. The concept of green analytical chemistry serves as the foundation for this review, focusing specifically on experimental and chemometric approaches within the realm of spectroscopic methods. The introductory section establishes the urgency of adopting green methodologies and outlines the limitations of conventional techniques for organic pollutant determination. Subsequently, the review delves into recent experimental innovations in spectroscopic methods, including UV-vis, FTIR, and fluorescence. These advancements not only improve the precision of detection but also align with the principles of green chemistry by minimizing resource consumption and waste generation. A significant portion of the review is dedicated to exploring the role of chemometric approaches in enhancing the reliability and interpretability of spectroscopic data. Various tools, such as multivariate analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least squares (PLS), are scrutinized for their ability to extract meaningful information, leading to more robust determinations of organic pollutants in natural waters. Case studies and applications are presented to illustrate successful implementations of the discussed experimental and chemometric approaches in real-world scenarios. These examples showcase the versatility and adaptability of the proposed methods across diverse environmental settings, providing tangible evidence of their efficacy in water quality monitoring. The review concludes with a forward-looking perspective, discussing ongoing research directions, emerging trends, and potential challenges in the field. The integration of artificial intelligence and big data into chemometric analyses is highlighted as a promising avenue for future development, emphasizing the role of these technologies in shaping the landscape of sustainable water quality analysis. Thus, “Greening the Waves” aims to consolidate knowledge on experimental and chemometric strategies in spectroscopic methods, offering a roadmap for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to adopt more environmentally conscious approaches in the critical task of organic pollutant determination in natural waters.

The persistent use of primary alkaline batteries in electronic gadgets and lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles is creating a large volume of battery waste. Proper management and processing are necessary to prevent the dumping of used batteries in landfills. Valuable metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and zinc can be extracted and purified from spent batteries. Alternatively, they can be used in synthesising functional materials. This review explores a promising solution for battery waste management by repurposing it to create materials capable of removing harmful gases. Reusing battery components such as electrodes, electrolytes, and polymer separators leads to the development of innovative strategies for creating adsorbents and catalysts. These materials are capable of efficiently capturing or catalysing harmful gases into harmless gases or ions. The review outlines various methods for converting battery waste into valuable materials, structural modifications, performance evaluations, and underlying mechanisms responsible for the removal of harmful gases. This review highlights the potential of battery waste as a sustainable resource for addressing rising air pollution and promoting a circular economy.

Evidence of arsenic in potable water is a huge global concern for human well-being. For the adsorption of arsenic from groundwater, a promising material Ni–Fe layered double hydroxide modified using chitosan (NFC) was synthesized in a lab-scale study. In the original research, two pollutant-adsorbent contact approaches, i.e., magnetic stirrer and ultrasonicator, were utilized to accomplish maximum pollutant removal, and the latter was found to give better results. The current work utilized OpenLCA software and the ReCiPe Midpoint (H) (v1.02) approach to conduct a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which assesses and compares the environmental effects of both techniques. The synthesis of 1 kg of NFC and treatment of 1000 L of water contaminated with As(III) from a 50 mg L⁻¹ initial concentration to its WHO acceptable limit served as the basis for evaluations. Environmental effects of handling used materials were taken into account. Furthermore, environmental impacts arising from recycling of the adsorbent were also determined. According to the LCA analysis, the use of electricity and chemicals mainly nickel and liquor ammonia were the main causes of the environmental effects, especially in the global warming potential, human toxicity potential, freshwater ecotoxicity potential, and marine ecotoxicity potential categories. The manufacture of the nanomaterial was the most energy-intensive step of the process, which indicates that energy consumption needs to decrease during scaling up. As electricity consumption is optimized for large-scale operations, there is potential for an increased relative contribution of chemicals to environmental impacts. Furthermore, two distinct electrical sources were chosen to perform sensitivity analysis. The environmental effects of the current development process and application were contrasted with those of granular activated carbon (GAC) and it was found to have fewer negative effects than LDH. It can be concluded that energy and chemical optimization should take precedence in the manufacture of future materials.