Nano-sized Prussian blue immobilized costless agro-industrial waste for the removal of cesium-137 ions

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - For human health and safety, it is of great importance to develop innovative materials with a vast capacity for powerful removal of radioactive ions...     

Green sol–gel synthesis of novel nanoporous copper aluminosilicate for the eradication of pathogenic microbes in drinking water and wastewater treatment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - We used a green sol–gel synthesis method to fabricate a novel nanoporous copper aluminosilicate (CAS) material. Nanoporous CAS was characterized...     

Intercomparison study on commonly used methods to determine microplastics in wastewater and sludge samples

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The harmonized procedures in terms of the sampling, sample treatment and identification of microplastics in different environmental samples are...     

Preparation of lactic acid modified cellulose nanoparticles by microwave heating for preconcentration of copper from blood and food samples

In this study, nano-sized cellulose modified with lactic acid (MW-Ce-LA) was prepared with the assistant of microwave then used for the adsorption of Cu²⁺ from real samples. This modified cellulose was characterized by means of FTIR, TEM, XRD, and elemental analysis. ICP-OES was used for determination of Cu²⁺. The effect of pH, adsorption times, temperature, sorbent dose, and initial adsorbate concentration were studied to detect the ideal adsorption condition. Langmuir model proved to be the best to fit the adsorption isotherm experiments with maximum adsorption capacity of 90.3 mg g^?1 Cu²⁺. Calculated thermodynamic parameters (ΔG° and ΔH°) for adsorption of Cu²⁺ on MW-Ce-LA suggested exothermic and nonspontaneous character of the adsorption process. The reusability tests indicated regeneration of the prepared adsorbent simply using 1 mol L^?1 of HCl. The examined method was used effectively to preconcentrate Cu²⁺ from water, blood, and food samples.

     

Bifenthrin exerts proatherogenic effects via arterial accumulation of native and oxidized LDL in rats: the beneficial role of vitamin E and selenium

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The purpose of this study was to investigate, for the first time, the effects of Bifenthrin (Bif) chronic exposure on plasmatic and aortic lipid...     

Performance improvement of modified tubular solar still by employing vertical and inclined pin fins and external condenser: an experimental study

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The current experimental work aims to improve an accumulative yield of tubular solar distillers. This was achieved by utilizing the pin fins and...     

Decision support model to select crop pattern for sustainable agricultural practices using fuzzy MCDM

The crop pattern has a significant impact on the feasibility of sustainable agricultural practices. Selected crop pattern influences environmental and economic condition and affects sustainability profoundly in agricultural practices. Hence, a careful intervention is required in the selection of an optimal crop pattern for sustainable agricultural practices. Selection of a particular set of crop pattern depends on many criteria that may vary from place to place thus pose challenges in deciding an optimum crop pattern. The present research focuses on the crop selection pattern in Indian environment that considers comprehensive criteria related to sustainable farming practices. Based on the in-depth review of the literature and experts opinion, comprehensive criteria related to sustainable farming practices for Ravi season crop are identified. Total twelve criteria covering socioeconomic conditions, soil and water conditions, environmental and climatic conditions are earmarked and taken into account for eight most commonly grown crops in Ravi season and later on modeled to determine the crop pattern for most needed sustainability. A fuzzy-based multi-criteria decision-making model has been developed considering the Indian farming system. The scarce resources availability to Indian farmers poses many challenges to practice farming with most needed sustainability. The present research will be useful in the area of Indian farming practices in particular and global farming practices in general. It will also help stakeholders in their cost effective decision making for better crop productivity leading to sustainable farming practices. Additionally, the state policy makers will be able to formulate effective state driven sustainable farming policy to enhance its stake in gross domestic product to become self-reliance.     

Ginkgo biloba mitigates silver nanoparticles-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats via improvement of mitochondrial biogenesis and antioxidant status

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are noble metal nanoparticles, due to their good physicochemical properties, which have been exploited in biological...     

N-nitrosodimethylamine: a disinfectant byproduct and its occurrence in wastewater.

This paper will provide wastewater treatment utility professionals with a comprehensive synthesis of information pertinent to N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) so that plant operators can make informed and cost-effective decisions regarding appropriate management techniques. A suspect disinfection byproduct, NDMA is a potential carcinogen and is presently under scrutiny from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency because it poses a threat to groundwaters from reclaimed wastewaters. Recognizing that the current state of knowledge pertaining to the occurrence and treatment of NDMA from wastewater treatment is in its infancy, the information presented in this paper is timely and will help utility professionals develop confidence toward controlling NDMA during wastewater treatment. Given the increased probability of the formation of NDMA using current wastewater treatment technologies and also in the complex matrices of the wastewaters subjected to UV treatment, the investigation of occurrence pathways and means of suppression of NDMA formation before and after treatment needs to be investigated. This paper also summarizes strategies to minimize exposure such as modifying treatment or instituting waste and agricultural management practices that minimize inorganic and organic nitrogen discharges to wastewaters.     

Ecological risk assessment of neem-based pesticides

A tiered process was used to evaluate the risks of pure azadirachtin (AZA) and two neem-based insecticides (Neemix and Bioneem) on six aquatic animals [crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), white shrimp (Penaeus setiferus), grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio), blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus), water fleas (Daphnia pulex), and mosquito larvae (Culex quinquefasciatus)] through short term acute toxicity tests. The risk was calculated using the level of concern endpoints (Q values) and relative hazard index (RHI) for acute and chronic exposure scenarios. The Q values of Neemix, Bioneem, and pure AZA derived from acute exposure tests indicated that D. pulex is the only sensitive species to the test pesticides. Furthermore, the RHI values of Neemix and Bioneem for D. pulex were above the critical limit of 10 indicating that these pesticides may pose a moderate hazard to this species and related crustaceans in acute exposure scenarios. The RHI values of the two pesticides and pure AZA were all below the critical limit of 10 for P. clarkii, P. setiferus, P. pugio, C. sapidus, and C. quinquefasciatus. The aquatic risk assessment process showed that the risk values of tested pesticides did not exceed the criteria, and therefore, no ecological hazard is likely to result from their use.