Water, Air, & Soil Pollution最新文献

Groundwater is gradually becoming the primary water source for humans and other living organisms to sustain life on Earth. The groundwater quality in the industrial regions has been significantly contaminated in recent years due to anthropogenic activities, leading to various human health issues. In this study, the groundwater quality and hydrogeochemical characteristics of the Ranipet Industrial Corridor (RIC) were assessed by employing multivariate statistics, standard scatter plots, and the water quality index (WQI). Forty groundwater samples (12 bore wells and 28 open wells) were collected during the post-monsoon (January 2022) season, and the estimation of physicochemical parameters was carried out based on American Public Health Association (APHA) guidelines. The evaporation and rock-water interaction are controlling groundwater hydrochemistry in the study area, as illustrated by Gibbs's diagram. In contrast, 82% of groundwater samples are severely affected by human activity, and 12% are impacted by silicate weathering, illustrated by scatter plots. According to the Chadha diagram, gypsum dissolution is the primary reason for the chemical composition of groundwater in the RIC (87.5%). The primary hydrochemical processes in the study area include silicate weathering, evaporation, ion exchange, and rock-water interaction. The Mukundarayapuram, Navlock, and Melvisharam region’s groundwater quality is unsuitable (92.5%) for irrigation due to the high concentration of sodium, based on Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) results. Anthropogenic activities are the primary cause of groundwater degradation and hydrogeochemical changes, with the groundwater quality of RIC being over 60% very poor. A comprehensive treatment procedure before effluent discharge and stringent water regulating policies governed by environmental monitoring organizations are the pressing priorities to build a sustainable environment and reduce the health risks of groundwater.

Cadmium (Cd), a significant environmental pollutant, is highly toxic to humans, animals, and plants. Its harmful effects are notable even at low concentrations, and it persists in biological systems for extended periods. Given its classification as a type I carcinogen, monitoring changes in the Cd concentration in the air is highly important. This study explored the variation in Cd concentrations in specific plant species and plant organs at different vehicular traffic densities to identify the most effective species and organs for the biomonitoring of Cd concentrations in the air. The Cd concentration changes in different organs of five plant species were analyzed at various vehicular traffic densities. The findings suggest that among the species examined, Nerium oleander is most suitable for use as a biomonitor for Cd, with unwashed organs being recommended for biomonitoring purposes.

Oil pollutants pose significant threats to marine and terrestrial ecosystems, necessitating the effective methods of oil species identification for the emergence responses of oil spill incidents. This study employs the excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy to capture and analyse the spectral characteristics of various oil species at different thicknesses. Some data augmentation techniques, including data smoothing and denoising, are introduced in this study to expand the dataset and enhance data quality. The methodology of transfer learning, which significantly reduces training time and improves model accuracy by sharing parameters, is adopted in this study. The enhancement of transfer learning method is examined using several typical deep learning networks. It is found that the implementation of transfer learning not only reduces the number of trainable parameters, but also improves identification accuracies by leveraging shared parameters, which makes it more efficient and accurate than building models from scratch. The proposed methodology enhances the capability of identifying petroleum pollutants using deep learning method and provides a new perspective on the advancement of oil spill monitoring technology.

Graphical Abstract

Triclosan (TCS), a halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon, is a highly persistent personal care product (PCP) with a varying concentration range, i.e. ng*L⁻¹ − μg*L⁻¹ in environmental matrices. TCS exhibits lethal effects on the environmental ecosystem and human health due to its antimicrobial resistance, carcinogenic effects, bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and endocrine disruptive activities. Since the sudden occurrence of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the worldwide production rate of TCS is very high because of the large requirement for disinfection, which may have led to its elevated concentration. Thus, the monitoring and regulation of TCS are of utmost importance from the perspective of its potential damage. The current review article deliberates on its persistence in aqueous and solid systems as well as its toxicological impact on algal, vertebrate, and invertebrate systems. The advanced monitoring techniques for detection up to nanogram levels, such as chromatographic techniques, electrochemical, optical, and electrophoresis methods, etc., have been discussed. The negative impacts of TCS on the environment raised a great concern about developing waste water treatment methods because of the inefficacy of conventional methods. The review also focuses on the removal and remediation techniques so as to develop better research directions for phasing out TCS.

This review contributes to the sustainable design and development of advanced techniques to address the growing problem of water pollution. Water is a fundamental importance for every living creature on the earth. It is necessary for the synthesis, structure, and movement of cellular components, nutrient transport, and body metabolism. The water is contaminated by various activates such as modernization, urbanization and population. When pollutants enter the ecosystem, they are found in various forms by humans, animals, plants, and microbes, starting a cycle that is harmful to both the ecosystem and human health. The contaminants in water disrupt the mechanism spontaneity and cause short and long-term waterborne diseases. In this review, the probable contaminations and their potential pathways are explored. The presence of relatively low concentrations of emerging pollutants in the aquatic environment cannot be eliminated by conventional water/wastewater treatment processes. This brings new challenges in terms of making an appropriate selection of technologies from an economic, technical, and environmental perspective. To address the drinking water pollution problems, a number of technologies have been proposed, such as adsorption, ion exchange, electro-techniques, membrane separation, and precipitation techniques. The results of ongoing research efforts include some processes and technology for purifying contaminated water were discussed. This review presents the technologies, concepts and potentials in an understandable way. Further, the difficulties encountered in applying this technique will be examined, and future directions will be delineated. Additionally, it contains some significant hybrid technologies and upcoming technologies that look promising and which can resolve a large number of current problems. Future water treatment should concentrate on combining natural and engineered systems to supply drinking water in a way that is economically viable, environmentally responsible, resource-recyclable, and technically efficient.

This study aims to investigate the effects of indiscriminate disposal of coal fly ash on surface and groundwater hydrochemistry and heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) occurrence through a comprehensive assessment around a thermal power plant located in the central Ganga Plain, India. Both surface and groundwater in the region are slightly alkaline in nature. Groundwater samples are marked by high concentrations of HCO₃^‒ (~ 78%), which is likely influenced by both anthropogenic and geogenic activities. High Pb concentrations were found in 40% of groundwater samples. Ca²⁺ – Mg²⁺ – HCO₃^‒ and Na⁺ – K⁺ – HCO₃^‒ are the principal hydrochemical facies, while silicate weathering is a dominant process controlling the chemistry of groundwater. PHREEQC modeling, a method for simulating geochemical reactions in natural waters, indicates oversaturation with aragonite, dolomite, and calcite and undersaturation with fluorite, anhydrite, halite, gypsum, and sylvite. The entropy-weighted water quality index (EWQI), based on physicochemical concentrations, suggests samples have excellent to good water quality. However, the modified heavy metal pollution index (m-HPI) reveals that ~60% of groundwater samples fall into the ‘high pollution’ category, with 30% in the ‘medium pollution’ class. Health risk assessments (HRA) indicate both children and adults face non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, with children being more vulnerable. Irrigation water quality results demonstrate that ~ 50% of samples are unacceptable for agricultural practices, and samples in proximity to the dumping site display poor water quality. This study recommends regular monitoring of water quality near coal fly ash disposal sites, which is necessary to ensure early detection and management of any contamination.

Thermogravimetric (TG) experiments were carried out on the combustion of coal, peanut shells and their mixtures with different blending ratios in an air atmosphere to study the combustion characteristics of single particles and mixtures of the two, as well as the interactions between peanut shells and coal, and to find out the kinetic parameters of the combustion process, and to determine the optimal blending ratios. And the heat source plant 58 MW circulating fluidized bed boiler was used to carry out field mixing experiments on coal and peanut shells with different blending ratios to explore the pollutant emissions. The results show that blending peanut shell biomass can significantly improve the combustion characteristics of coal combustion and make combustion more likely to occur. The synergistic effect of peanut shells and coal was most significant when the blending ratio of peanut shells was 40%, and the mixture samples had the best combustion performance and the highest combined combustion properties index of 1.08 × 10^–7. Compared with coal combustion alone, the emission concentrations of SO₂ and NO_x were reduced by 77.07% and 30.70% respectively when the ratio of peanut shell blending was 40%, the emission of dust showed a tendency of decreasing and then increasing, and the carbon content of fly ash was reduced from 7.55% to 5.86%. In our study, 40% peanut shells + 60% coal is the optimum blending ratio for mixed combustion. The results provide theoretical and technical support for energy saving, pollution reduction, and carbon emission reduction in coal-fired heating units.

Biomedical waste (BMW), including hospital wastewater (HWW), poses significant risks to the environment, workplace health and safety, as well as public health. Therefore, the selection of treatment technologies for BMW should be chosen in that way so that the negative impact of BMW and HWW can be neutralized. Considering this, the current review focuses on emerging green technologies for BMW and laboratory wastewater treatment and management. Improper waste management practices in developing nations have given rise to several issues, such as the introduction of pharmaceutical residues that are released into the environment. Hence, the timely adaptation and application of environmentally friendly technologies in the health sector is crucial. This study compares various technologies such as incineration, autoclaving, plasma pyrolysis, chemical disinfection, and microwave treatment, in terms of their feasibility, operational costs, and efficiency for the treatment of solid BMW. The study suggested selecting BMW treatment technology as per the Best Available Technology (BAT) principles of autoclave and microwave. Further, the liquid BMW is also a threat to the environment and human health. Ozonation technology has shown a promising ability for the pretreatment of laboratory and hospital wastewater.

The biodegradation and detoxification potential of two azo disperse dyes and one anthraquinone disperse dye (commonly found in the wastewater effluent of a local textile industry) was investigated by using a consortium of six indigenously isolated bacteria from the wastewater stream in this study. It was found that consortium of bacteria can decolorize disperse red 167.1 dye at concentrations of 50, 150, and 250 mg/L more effectively and the other two dyes, disperse red 54 and disperse blue 60 dyes were decolorized more efficiently by individual bacteria. Bacterial strains namely Bacillus cereus AU50, Bacillus sphaericus, Paenibacillus pocheonensis sp. C-2, Paenochrobactrum glaciei, Bacillus subtilis and Brevibacillus panacihumi were isolated from a local textile industry wastewater stream (effluent) located in Ludhiana, Punjab, India and were used in this study to treat textile industry wastewater containing toxic dyes. The consortium (comprising of these six bacterial isolates) resulted in the maximum rate of decolorization (82.76 ± 0.255%) for disperse red 167.1 dye at three different concentrations within 24 h, with the increase in enzymatic activities whereas Bacillus cereus exhibited maximum rate of decolorization (84.17 ± 0.16%) for disperse red 54 and (76.29 ± 0.51%) for disperse blue 60 in 24 h.In addition, degradation pathways of selected dyes were investigated based on the intermediates identified by GC–MS and followed by phytotoxicity assay. Results of this study show the potential of naturally occurring bacteria in the treatment of wastewater by biodegrading textile dyes in the wastewater streams. The findings of this research will result in developing economically viable bio-filters where bacterial strains can be used to biodegrade textile industry pollutants before this wastewater enters local rivers and streams, and help improve water quality of rivers and aquatic ecology.

The study was carried out to evaluate hydro geochemistry and the risk of groundwater and surface water pollution in the Kombolcha area. To achieve this, hydrogeochemical analysis, water heavy metal, geospatial data analysis, correlation matrix, principal component analysis, Heavy metal Pollution Index (HPI), and Water Quality Index (WQI) methodologies were employed. A total of 36 samples (both water and effluent samples) had been collected and assessed for major physicochemical variables and heavy metals. Hydrogeochemical methods showed groundwater mineralization due to (1) silicate weathering, (2) cation exchange processes, and (3) anthropogenic sources (i.e., contaminated discharge of sulphate, carbonate, and trace metal effluents). The study result revealed that major ions dominating the area are Ca²⁺ > Na⁺ > Mg²⁺ > K⁺, HCO3⁻ > SO ²⁻ > Cl⁻ > NO3⁻, and Fe > Mn > Pb > Cr > Cd for cations, anions and trace metals respectively with all heavy netals had mean concentrations above the WHO recommended limits. Calculated Pollution indices revealed 50.7% of the sample belongs to a low level of pollution, while 35% and 14.3% belong to a medium and high level of pollution respectively which consequently translating the area into high groundwater pollution zones. The correlation matrix revealed that no significant correlation exists between the water quality variables (Cl and NO3⁻ with Fe, Pb, Cr, Mn, and Cd). PCA was applied on the data set to identify the spatial sources of pollution in groundwater and in the first principal component analysis, Mn, Fe, Cr, Pb, and Cd (in descending order) were found in amounts greater than 0.5, confirming that these metals were from anthropogenic sources. The combined assessments based on WQI and HPI, the study showed that water samples in the proximity of industrial sites are polluted by factories effluent and uncontrolled waste disposal due to urbanization.