A global perspective on the biology,impact and management of Chenopodium album and Chenopodium murale: two troublesome agricultural and environmental weeds

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Chenopodium album and C. murale are cosmopolitan, annual weed species of notable economic importance. Their unique biological features, including high...     

Heterogeneous impacts of environmental regulation on foreign direct investment: do environmental regulation affect FDI decisions?

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The industry selection effect occurring from the impact of environmental regulation on foreign direct investment (FDI) in China is heterogeneous....     

Wetting mechanism and morphological adaptation; leaf rolling enhancing atmospheric water acquisition in wheat crop—a review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Several plant species such as grasses are dominant in many habitats including arid and semi-arid areas. These species survive in these regions by...     

Dietary intake assessment of pyrethroid residues from okra and eggplant grown in peri-urban areas of Punjab,Pakistan

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study was designed to assess the gradual increase in the use of insecticides on vegetables and to familiarize the consumers regarding the...     

Assessment of sunflower germplasm for phytoremediation of lead-polluted soil and production of seed oil and seed meal for human and animal consumption

Phytoremediation is a valuable technology for mitigating soil contamination in agricultural lands, but phytoremediation without economic revenue is unfeasible for land owners and farmers. The use of crops with high biomass and bioenergy for phytoremediation is a unique strategy to derive supplementary benefits along with remediation activities. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is a high-biomass crop that can be used for the phytoremediation of polluted lands with additional advantages (biomass and oil). In this study, 40 germplasms of sunflower were screened in field conditions for phytoremediation with the possibility for oil and meal production. The study was carried out to the physiological maturity stage. All studied germplasms mopped up substantial concentrations of Pb, with maximum amounts in shoot?>?root?>?seed respectively. The phytoextraction efficiency of the germplasm was assessed in terms of the Transfer factor (TF), Metal removal efficiency (MRE) and Metal extraction ratio (MER). Among all assessed criteria, GP.8585 was found to be most appropriate for restoring moderately Pb-contaminated soil accompanied with providing high biomass and high yield production. The Pb content in the oil of GP.8585 was below the Food safety standard of China, with 59.5% oleic acid and 32.1% linoleic acid. Moreover, amino acid analysis in meal illustrated significant differences among essential and non-essential amino acids. Glutamic acid was found in the highest percentage (22.4%), whereas cysteine in the lowest percentage (1.3%). Therefore, its efficient phytoextraction ability and good quality edible oil and meal production makes GP.8585 the most convenient sunflower germplasm for phytoremediation of moderately Pb-contaminated soil, with fringe benefits to farmers and landowners.     

The state of ambient air quality in Pakistan—a review

Background and purpose  

Pakistan, during the last decade, has seen an extensive escalation in population growth, urbanization, and industrialization, together with a great increase in motorization and energy use. As a result, a substantial rise has taken place in the types and number of emission sources of various air pollutants. However, due to the lack of air quality management capabilities, the country is suffering from deterioration of air quality. Evidence from various governmental organizations and international bodies has indicated that air pollution is a significant risk to the environment, quality of life, and health of the population. The Government has taken positive steps toward air quality management in the form of the Pakistan Clean Air Program and has recently established a small number of continuous monitoring stations. However, ambient air quality standards have not yet been established. This paper reviews the data being available on the criteria air pollutants: particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and lead.     

The state of indoor air quality in Pakistan—a review

Background and purpose  

In Pakistan, almost 70% of the population lives in rural areas. Ninety-four percent of households in rural areas and 58% in urban areas depend on biomass fuels (wood, dung, and agricultural waste). These solid fuels have poor combustion efficiency. Due to incomplete combustion of the biomass fuels, the resulting smoke contains a range of health-deteriorating substances that, at varying concentrations, can pose a serious threat to human health. Indoor air pollution accounts for 28,000 deaths a year and 40 million cases of acute respiratory illness. It places a significant economic burden on Pakistan with an annual cost of 1% of GDP. Despite the mounting evidence of an association between indoor air pollution and ill health, policy makers have paid little attention to it. This review analyzes the existing information on levels of indoor air pollution in Pakistan and suggests suitable intervention methods.     

Determination of toxic inorganic elements pollution in ground waters of Kahuta Industrial Triangle Islamabad, Pakistan using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The present study deals with the ground water quality assessment in Kahuta Industrial Triangle Islamabad, Pakistan. The objective of the study was to assess ground water quality against the drinking water standards for various toxic inorganic elements. Representative groundwater samples were collected and analyzed in the Water Quality Laboratory of Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) at Islamabad, Pakistan. The samples were run on ICP-MS (Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry), which has the capability to separate and quantify 70 elements at a time. One of the finding of study is that ICP-MS is a very good tool to analyze broad range of toxic inorganic elements to the level of parts per billion (ppb). World Health Organization drinking water standards shows that these toxic inorganic elements such as heavy metals even at this concentration level (ppb) are injurious to human health. This analysis indicated pollution of various toxic elements including Selenium. Vertical leachate through industrial waste septic tanks is identified as major cause of groundwater pollution in the Industrial Triangle. Monitoring of the septic tanks and groundwater quality in study area is suggested along with remedial measures.