Recent advances in the application of silica nanostructures for highly improved water treatment: a review

The demand for high-quality safe and clean water supply has revolutionized water treatment technologies and become a most focused subject of environmental science. Water contamination generally marks the presence of numerous toxic and harmful substances. These contaminants such as heavy metals, organic and inorganic pollutants, oil wastes, and chemical dyes are discharged from various industrial effluents and domestic wastes. Among several water treatment technologies, the utilization of silica nanostructures has received considerable attention due to their stability, sustainability, and cost-effective properties. As such, this review outlines the latest innovative approaches for synthesis and application of silica nanostructures in water treatment, apart from exploring the gaps that limit their large-scale industrial application. In addition, future challenges for improved water remediation and water quality technologies are keenly discussed.

     

Environmental concerns and switching toward electric vehicles: geographic and institutional perspectives

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Smog pollution deteriorates environmental quality and has severe health risks. This affects the daily lives of people in China, particularly in urban...     

Frequency of PPAR-γ, FTO and ABCC8 genetic variation in Pakistani cardiovascular smokers

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Smoking is considered as one of the major reasons behind genetic variations in cardiometabolic disorders. However, effect of nicotine via smoking on...     

Degradation of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) by Stenotrophomonas sp. YCJ1 isolated from farmland soil

In recent years, poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) has been widely used. However, PBAT-degrading bacteria have rarely been reported. PBAT-degrading bacteria were isolated from farmland soil and identified. The effects of growth factors on the degradation of PBAT and the lipase activity of PBAT-degrading bacteria were assessed. The degradation mechanism was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that Stenotrophomonas sp. YCJ1 had a significant degrading effect on PBAT. Under certain conditions, the strain could secrete 10.53 U/mL of lipase activity and degrade 10.14 wt.% of PBAT films. The strain secreted lipase to catalyze the degradation of the ester bonds in PBAT, resulting in the production of degradation products such as terephthalic acid, 1,4-butanediol, and adipic acid. Furthermore, the degradation products could participate in the metabolism of YCJ1 as carbon sources to facilitate complete degradation of PBAT, indicating that the strain has potential value for the bioremediation of PBAT in the environment.     

EDTA ameliorates phytoextraction of lead and plant growth by reducing morphological and biochemical injuries in Brassica napus L. under lead stress

Brassica species are very effective in remediation of heavy metal contaminated sites. Lead (Pb) as a toxic pollutant causes number of morphological and biochemical variations in the plants. Synthetic chelator such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) improves the capability of plants to uptake heavy metals from polluted soil. In this regard, the role of EDTA in phytoextraction of lead, the seedlings of Brassica napus L. were grown hydroponically. Lead levels (50 and 100 μM) were supplied alone or together with 2.5 mM EDTA in the nutrient culture. After 7 weeks of stress, plants indicated that toxicity of Pb caused negative effects on plants and significantly reduced growth, biomass, chlorophyll content, gas exchange characteristics, and antioxidant enzymes activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT). Exposure to Pb induced the malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) generation in both shoots and roots. The addition of EDTA alone or in combination with Pb significantly improved the plant growth, biomass, gas exchange characteristics, chlorophyll content, and antioxidant enzymes activities. EDTA also caused substantial improvement in Pb accumulation in Brassica plants. It can be deduced that application of EDTA significantly lessened the adverse effects of lead toxicity. Additionally, B. napus L. exhibited greater degree of tolerance against Pb toxicity and it also accumulated significant concentration of Pb from media.     

Environmental impact and diversity of protease-producing bacteria in areas of leather tannery effluents of Sialkot,Pakistan

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Massive discharge of wastes produced by the processing of leather so far confers the most important environmental challenge facing the tanneries...     

Assessment of physicochemical parameters of wastewater samples

Water samples from selected locations of Nullah Lai and Koh-e-Noor textile mill in the metropolitan city of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan, were collected. Physicochemical parameters and heavy metals were determined using standard analytical procedures in comparison with sites, locations and subsequent interval of 3 months. The results of the physicochemical analysis at different locations of Nullah Lai and Koh-e-Noor textile mill with an interval of 3 months were obtained in the following range: pH (7.16–8.29), temperature (17.8–28.8 °C), conductivity (1,005–3,347 μS/m), TDS (754.3–2,519.5 mg/L), turbidity (272.8–487.05 NTU), total hardness (300–452 mg/L), nitrates (10.11–22.95 ppm), calcium (74.31–139.2 ppm), chloride (127.72–396.16 ppm), sulphate (15.97–87.38 ppm), NaCl (210.5–631.1 ppm), Ni (0.30–0.72 ppm), Cd (0.005–0.03 ppm), Cr (0.2–7.4 ppm), Pb (0.12–0.73 ppm), Zn (0.03–0.08 ppm) and Cu (0.01–0.06 ppm). The highest value of physicochemical parameters (compared with Nullah Lai) was obtained in locations of Koh-e-Noor textile mill. The results obtained exceeded the maximum allowable limit set by the World Health Organization for drinking purpose but can be used for irrigation purposes after suitable treatment and purification.     

Reverse vaccinology approach for multi-epitope centered vaccine design against delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, initially identified in Wuhan, China, has impacted people all over the globe and new variants of concern continue to...     

Differential neuroprotective effect of curcuminoid formulations in aluminum chloride–induced Alzheimer’s disease

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a slowly progressive brain degenerative disorder which gradually impairs memory, thinking, and ability to perform...     

Nexus between corruption and regional Environmental Kuznets Curve: the case of South Asian countries

This study attempts to investigate the presence of a regional Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) in selected South Asian countries, namely, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka for the period 1984–2008. In addition, it also intends to inspect the impact of corruption on environmental degradation in this region. The Fixed Effect results confirm the existence of the regional EKC in these countries. Furthermore, the results indicate that corruption do affect environment in the manner that it delays the turning point in EKC. It is found that, in the presence of corruption, the per capita GDP at the turning point is USD 998, which is USD 128 higher from the value that would have been in the absence of corruption. Based on these results, the study suggests appropriate policy measures.