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 Hg accumulation in fish and scalp hair in fishing communities along river Swat,Pakistan

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Mercury (Hg) bioaccumulation in fish poses severe threats to the food safety and human health. This study was conducted to assess Hg bioaccumulation...     

Correction to: Heterogeneous effects of remittances and institutional quality in reducing environmental deficit in the presence of EKC hypothesis: a global study with the application of panel quantile regression

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13791-z     

Screening of antibiotic residues in fresh milk of Kathmandu Valley,Nepal

The prevalence of two groups of antibiotics; namely penicillin and sulfonamides was studied in fresh milk available in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. The milk samples (n = 140) were collected from three different sources; individual farmers, cottage dairies and organized dairies of Kathmandu valley. Qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis with rapid screening kits revealed that 23% samples were positive for antibiotic residues in the fresh milk for penicillin and sulfonamide groups (1–256 µg/kg). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses detected 81% samples positive for amoxicillin (68–802 µg/kg), 41% for sulfadimethoxine (31–69 µg/kg), 27% for penicillin G (13–353 µg/kg), and 12% for ampicillin (0.5–92 µg/kg). Due to the precision and accuracy of liquid chromatography method, it detected more positive samples and consequently presented higher prevalence than the rapid screening kits. The antibiotic residues were found above the maximum residue limits that presented serious threat to consumer health and raised a serious concern regarding the implementation and monitoring of international regulations in developing countries.     

Correction to: Health risk assessment of hexachlorocyclohexane in soil,water and plants in the agricultural area of Potohar region,Punjab, Pakistan

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-021-00910-5     

Increasing water productivity,nitrogen economy,and grain yield of rice by water saving irrigation and fertilizer-N management

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The looming water resources worldwide necessitate the development of water-saving technologies in rice production. An open greenhouse experiment was...     

Phytotoxicity assessment of phenanthrene and pyrene in soil using two barley genotypes

This study investigated the toxicity extent of phenanthrene and pyrene to two cultivars (CM-72 and Gairdner) of barley (Hordeum vulgare). Germination of barley seeds was evaluated in 69-d aged soil, separately spiked with phenanthrene at extractable concentrations of 0.95, 6.3, 59, and 300 mg kg^?1 (dry soil) and pyrene at 1.0, 9.0, 73, and 400 mg kg^?1 (dry soil). Although germination was not inhibited, significant (P < 0.05) reduction in root and shoot length occurred at concentrations of phenanthrene ≥6.3 mg kg^?1 and pyrene ≥9.0 mg kg^?1 after both 72 and 240 h. Fresh and dry biomass of both cultivars reduced with increasing concentrations of both polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Barley cultivar CM-72 was more sensitive than Gairdner, and it can be considered suitable for toxicity assessment of PAH-contaminated soils.     

Perspectives and applications of nanotechnology in water treatment

Industrialization and excessive use of pesticides for boosting agricultural production have adversely affected the ecosystem, polluting natural water reserves. Remediation of contaminated water has been an area of concern with numerous techniques being applied to improve the quality of naturally available water to the level suitable for human consumption. Most of these methods, however, generate by-products that are sometimes toxic. Heterogenous photocatalysis using metal oxide nanostructures for water purification is an attractive option because no harmful by-products are created. A discussion on possible methods to engineer metal oxides for visible light photocatalysis is included to highlight the use of solar energy for water purification. Multifunctional photocatalytic membranes are considered advantageous over freely suspended nanoparticles due to the ease of its removal from the purified water. An overview of water remediation techniques is presented, highlighting innovations through nanotechnology for possible addressing of problems associated with current techniques.     

Occurrence,abundance, and distribution of microplastics pollution: an evidence in surface tropical water of Klang River estuary,Malaysia

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - Microplastics have been considered as contaminants of emerging concern due to ubiquity in the environment; however, the occurrence of microplastics in river...