Uptake and distribution of phenanthrene and pyrene in roots and shoots of maize (Zea mays L.)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as byproducts of carbon-based fuel combustion are an important group of pollutants with wide distribution in the environment. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are known as toxic compounds for almost all organisms. Different plant species can uptake polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by roots and translocate them to various aerial parts. The aim of this study is to investigate the uptake, translocation, and accumulation of pyrene and phenanthrene in maize under controlled conditions. Seeds were cultivated in perlite containing 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm of phenanthrene and pyrene, and their concentrations in the roots and shoots of the plants were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography technique after 7, 14, and 21 days. The results revealed that phenanthrene naturally existed in maize and its concentration showed a time-dependent decrease in shoots and roots. In contrast, the concentration of pyrene was increased in the roots and reduced in the shoots. Although pyrene had higher uptake than phenanthrene in roots of maize, the translocation factor value for pyrene was lower than for phenanthrene. According to these findings, phenanthrene could be metabolized in maize in the shoot and root tissues, but pyrene had more tendency to be accumulated in roots.

     

Green purchase behavior towards green housing: an investigation of Bangladeshi consumers

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Worldwide green products are getting popularity and acceptance due to energy crisis, climate change, and other environmental degradations which reveal...     

Lead availability and phytoextraction in the rhizosphere of Pelargonium species

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Availability of lead (Pb) in soil is a major factor controlling the phytoremediation efficiency of plants. This study was focused on investigating the...     

Spatial modeling of rat bites and prediction of rat infestation in Peshawar valley using binomial kriging with logistic regression

In this study, we propose to develop a geostatistical computational framework to model the distribution of rat bite infestation of epidemic proportion in Peshawar valley, Pakistan. Two species Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus are suspected to spread the infestation. The framework combines strengths of maximum entropy algorithm and binomial kriging with logistic regression to spatially model the distribution of infestation and to determine the individual role of environmental predictors in modeling the distribution trends. Our results demonstrate the significance of a number of social and environmental factors in rat infestations such as (I) high human population density; (II) greater dispersal ability of rodents due to the availability of better connectivity routes such as roads, and (III) temperature and precipitation influencing rodent fecundity and life cycle.     

Characteristics of pipe corrosion scales in untreated water distribution system and effect on water quality in Peshawar,Pakistan

This study investigated the characteristics of iron corrosion scales in pipes at tube well, overhead tank, and consumers’ end in older untreated water distribution system in Peshawar city, Pakistan. Effect of water quality conditions on corrosion scales and that of scales on drinking water quality in such systems was also assessed by undertaking a comparison with new piped distribution systems. The scales were analyzed for chemical composition and morphology using X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), while water quality was examined for physicochemical and biological characteristics. The main crystalline phases of corrosion scales were goethite, magnetite, siderite, and quartz. From tube well to consumers’ end, goethite increased from 36 up to 48%, quartz declined from 22 to 15%, while magnetite fluctuated and siderite disappeared. Elemental composition of scales showed the deposition of Zn, Al, Mn, Cr, Pb, Cu, As, and Cd with Zn (13.9 g/kg) and Al (3.6 g/kg) in highest proportion. The SEM analysis illustrated the presence of microbial communities indicating the formation of biofilms in the corrosion scales. The significant difference (P <?0.05) in levels of dissolved oxygen (DO), Cl^?, SiO₄^4?, electrical conductivity (EC), SO₄^2?, NO₃^?, alkalinity, hardness, and trace metals between old (DS-O) and new piped systems indicated their role in corrosion scale formation/destabilization and the effect of scale dissolution on water quality. In DS-O, EC, Cu, and Mn were significantly higher (P?<?0.05), whereas turbidity, EC, DO, and SiO₄^4? significantly increased from source to consumers’ end implying a higher dissolution of scales and lowered corrosion rates in DS-O to utilize SiO₄^4? and DO for iron oxidation.

     

Engineered biochar composites with zeolite,silica, and nano-zerovalent iron for the efficient scavenging of chlortetracycline from aqueous solutions

Date palm waste–derived biochar (DBC) was produced through pyrolysis (600 °C) and modified with zeolite (Z-DBC), silica (S-DBC), or nano-zerovalent iron (nZVI-DBC) to design efficient sorbents. The pristine and engineered biochars were characterized by SEM, XRD, BET, TGA, CHNS-O, and FTIR to investigate the surface, structural, and mineralogical composition. The nZVI-DBC exhibited lowest pH (6.15) and highest surface area (220.92 m² g⁻¹), carbon (80.55%), nitrogen (3.78%), and hydrogen (11.09%) contents compared with other biochars. Isotherm sorption data for chlortetracycline (CTC) removal from aqueous solutions was described well by Langmuir and Redlich–Peterson isotherms showing the highest fitness (R² values in the range of 0.88–0.98 and 0.88–0.99, respectively). Langmuir predicted maximum CTC adsorption capacity was in order of nZVI-DBC (89.05 mg g⁻¹) > S-DBC (45.57 mg g⁻¹) > Z-DBC (30.42 mg g⁻¹) > DBC (28.19 mg g⁻¹). Kinetics adsorption data was best described by power function model (R² = 0.93–0.99), followed by interaparticle diffusion (R² = 0.85–0.96) model. The nZVI-DBC performed outclass by removing 98% of CTC, followed by S-DBC (68%), Z-DBC (35%), and DBC (36%). Chemisorption, H-bonding, and interaparticle diffusion were the operating mechanisms for CTC adsorption onto DBC, S-DBC, and Z-DBC, while π-π electron donor–accepter interactions and redox reactions augmented these mechanisms for highest CTC adsorption onto nZVI-DBC. Therefore, nZVI-DBC may serve as an efficient green technology for the removal of CTC from aqueous solutions and to reduce surface date palm waste pollution.

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Complexing agents for metal removal using ultrafiltration membranes: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Water pollution by human activities is major issue. In particular, toxic metals are of particular concern, thus calling for advanced methods to remove metals from...     

Protective effects of thymoquinone and diallyl sulphide against malathion-induced toxicity in rats

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Malathion is a potent organophosphate insecticide that inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme. Our experimental objective was to investigate the...     

Risk assessment of trace metals in an extreme environment sediment: shallow,hypersaline, alkaline,and industrial Lake Acıgöl,Denizli, Turkey

The major and trace element component of 48 recent sediment samples in three distinct intervals (0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm) from Lake Ac?göl is described to present the current contamination levels and grift structure of detrital and evaporate mineral patterns of these sediments in this extreme saline environment. The spatial and vertical concentrations of major oxides were not uniform in the each subsurface interval. However, similar spatial distribution patterns were observed for some major element couples, due mainly to the detrital and evaporate origin of these elements. A sequential extraction procedure including five distinct steps was also performed to determine the different bonds of trace elements in the <?60-μ particulate size of recent sediments. Eleven trace elements (Ni, Fe, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, As, Co, Cr, Al and Mn) in nine surface and subsurface sediment samples were analyzed with chemical partitioning procedures to determine the trace element percentage loads in these different sequential extraction phases. The obtained accuracy values via comparison of the bulk trace metal loads with the total loads of five extraction steps were satisfying for the Ni, Fe, Cd, Zn, and Co. While, bulk analysis results of the Cu, Ni, and V elements have good correlation with total organic matter, organic fraction of sequential extraction characterized by Cu, As, Cd, and Pb. Shallow Lake Ac?göl sediment is characteristic with two different redox layer a) oxic upper level sediments, where trace metals are mobilized, b) reduced subsurface level, where the trace metals are precipitated.     

The financial development-environmental degradation nexus in the United Arab Emirates: the importance of growth,globalization and structural breaks

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This article revisits the nexus between financial development and environmental degradation by incorporating economic growth, electricity consumption...