The ameliorative effects of ceftriaxone and vitamin E against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Nephrotoxicity is a common adverse effect of treatment with cisplatin (CDDP). This study was performed to evaluate the antioxidant and...     

Impact of Socio-demographic Factors on Willingness to Pay for the Reduction of a Future Health Risk

Knowledge of socio-demographic factors affecting attitudes to and perception of risk is an important instrument in enhancing efficiencies of interventions. The authors evaluated whether socio-demographic variables affected attitudes to an environmental issue (securing future drinking water). An important aspect was the delay between time of environmental pollution and time of human exposure and thereby potential health risk. Gender, education, place of residence and age all influenced the extent to which individuals were willing to allocate present resources to alleviate a future problem. Specifically, people above the age of 50 appeared more reluctant to pay for an intervention against a future potential health threat. The authors found a significant correlation between attitude and willingness to pay (WTP). In the authors' scenarios, the WTP variable worked more as a dichotomous variable than as a continuous variable, stressing the importance and relevance of the WTP=0 answers.     

Flavour Industry Wastewater Management Case Study

Summary This study is carried out to propose an appropriate treatment technology for wastewater discharged from a flavor production factory. Industrial wastewater discharged from this factory ranges between 50–70 m³/d with an average value of 60 m³/d. The major source of pollution in this factory is due to cleaning of the vessels therefore the treatment has been carried out on the end-of pipe wastewater. The wastewater is characterized by high values of COD, BOD, TSS and Oil and grease 4646, 2298, 1790 and 626 mg/l respectively. Primary sedimentation of the wastewater for four hours reduced the COD, BOD, TSS and Oil and grease by 43, 47, 80 and 74%, respectively. For the treatment of the produced wastewater, the biological treatment process such as activated sludge, rotating biological contactor (RBC), up-flow anaerobic sludge bed reactor (UASB) have been selected. The results from each treatment process proved to be efficient for the treatment of such wastewater. The treated wastewater characteristics are in compliance with the Egyptian law which regulates the discharge of industrial wastewater to the sewerage system. The RBC was selected and installed by the factory as it has the advantage of low operating and maintenance costs. The factory RBC performance was monitored; characteristics of the treated effluent in terms of oil and grease, COD, BOD and TSS were 27, 362, 139 and 95 mg/l, respectively.     

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the environment,waste management,and energy sectors: a deeper look into the long-term impacts

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The COVID-19 pandemic not only has caused a global health crisis but also has significant environmental consequences. Although many studies are...     

Metal pollution records in core sediments of some Red Sea coastal areas, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

In the last three decades, the industrial and human activities in the coastal area of Saudi Arabia have increased dramatically and resulted in the continuous invasion of different types of pollutants including heavy metals. Seven sediment cores were collected from three major industrialized areas; Jeddah, Rabigh and Yanbu, along the coast of Saudi Arabia to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of metals and to assess the magnitude of pollution and their potential biological effects. Sediments were analyzed for texture, calcium carbonate contents, organic matter and metals (Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn). Some metals like, Cr, Mn, Ni and Zn, were enriched in the upper 15 cm of core samples (recent deposition of sediments). Cadmium concentrations showed high fluctuations with depth and reverse pattern to that for Al, Fe and Mn which indicated land based sources of this element to the studied areas. Elevated concentrations of lead were recorded in the bottom layers of cores in Jeddah that indicated the most dramatic increase in usage of gasoline in early 1970s. The calculated contamination factors (CF's) were found in the following sequences: Cd > Pb > Ni > Cu > Zn > Cr > Mn for all studied areas. Results of Pollution Load Index (PLI) revealed that Jeddah is the most polluted area, followed by Rabigh while Yanbu is the least contaminated area. Except for Ni, the concentrations of most metals in the majority of sediment samples were believed to be safe for living organisms. As no data were available on the concentration of metals in core sediments in the coastal area of Saudi Arabia, the results of this study would serve as a baseline against which future anthropogenic effects can be assessed.     

Treatment of wastewater containing arsenic using Rhazya stricta as a new adsorbent

The effective removal of heavy metals from aqueous wastes is among the most important issues for many industrialized countries. Removal of arsenic (As) from aqueous solutions was studied using Rhazia stricta biomass. The batch experiments are carried out to investigate the effect of the significant process parameters such as pH, contact time, solute concentration and adsorbent dose. The optimum pH required for maximum adsorption was found to be 5. The equilibrium data for the adsorption of As(V) on R. stricta are tested with various adsorption isotherm models such as Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin and Generalized equation. Results indicate the following order to fit the isotherm: Langmuir (1 and 2)?>?Tempkin?>?Generalized form?>?Freundlich. A comparison of two kinetic models showed that our data fitted well to the Elovich model.     

Toxicological and larvicidal activities of Alzanzalakhet,Melia azedarach against cucurbit fly,Dacus ciliatus at Hail Province in Saudi Arabia

Alzanzalakhet, Melia azedarach L. (Sapindales: Meliaceae) is a common medicinal plant which is found in Hail desert in Saudi Arabia and traditionally used for various purposes. In this study, toxin effectiveness of the ethanolic, acetonic, and aqueous extracts of M. azedarach leaves was tested to determine a larvicidal activity against the cucurbit fly, Dacus ciliatus (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Different treatments with M. azedarach extracts varied significantly in their impact on mortality of D. ciliatus larvae. Results showed that all tested extracts in the three solvents exerted a positive pattern for reducing larvae of D. ciliatus. However, the ethanolic M. azedarach extract was the most potent compared with other tested solvents. The highest mortality of the D. ciliatus larvae was shown to be 94%, 74%, and 68% when the concentration was 1?×?10⁵?ppm for ethanolic, acetonic, and aqueous extracts, respectively. In contrast, the concentration 1?×?10¹?ppm resulted in the lowest mortality of D. ciliatus larvae at 40%, 34%, and 12% for ethanolic, acetonic, and aqueous extracts, respectively. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the ethanolic extract of M. azedarach leaves may be used as a sustainable method for controlling D. ciliatus larvae.     

Synthesis and pharmacological properties of certain analogs of pilocarpine

The synthesis of 4‐(4'‐pyrimidinylmethyl)oxacyclohexan‐2‐one (2a) and 4‐(4'‐pyrimidinylmethyl)oxacycloheptan‐2‐one (3a) were achieved through the Michael addition of the anion derived from 4‐methylpyrimidine with oxacyclyo‐3‐hexen‐2‐one and oxacyclo‐3‐hepten‐2‐one respectively. These compounds 2a and 3a and their quaternary methiodide salts lack cholinomimetic activity.     

Biofuel production by co-pyrolysis of sewage sludge and other materials: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The unsustainable management of sewage sludge induces environmental and economic issues, yet sewage sludge is a promising feedstock for the production of biofuels...