Impacts of cadmium addition on the alteration of microbial community and transport of antibiotic resistance genes in oxytetracycline contaminated soil

The large-scale development in livestock feed industry has increased the chances of antibiotics and heavy metals contamination in the soil. The fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microbial community in heavy metals and antibiotic contaminated soil is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of cadmium (Cd) addition on the transport of ARGs, microbial community and human pathogenic bacteria in oxytetracycline (OTC) contaminated soil. Results showed that the addition of OTC significantly increased the abundance of ARGs and intI1 in the soil and lettuce tissues. The addition of Cd to OTC treated soil further increased the abundance and translocation of ARGs and intI1. Moreover, Cd promoted the transfer of potential human pathogenic bacteria (HPB) into lettuce tissues. Compared with O10 treatment, the addition of Cd decreased the concentration of OTC in soil and lettuce tissue, but slightly increased the fresh weight of lettuce tissues. Redundancy analysis indicated that bacterial community succession is a major factor in ARGs variation. Network analysis indicated that the main host bacteria of ARGs were mainly derived from Proteobacteria. Correlation analysis showed that intI1 was significantly correlated with tetG, tetC, sul1, sul2, ermX, and ermQ. Meanwhile, potential HPB (Clostridium, and Burkholderia) was significantly correlated with intI1 and eight ARGs (tetG, tetC, tetW, tetX, sul1, sul2, ermX, and ermQ.). The findings of this study suggest that the addition of heavy metals to agricultural fields must be considered in order to reduce the transfer of ARGs in the soil and crops.     

Decolorization of Blue CL-BR dye by AOPs using bleach wastewater as source of H2O2

This research was focused on the investigation of the efficacy of advanced oxidation processes (Fenton,ozonation and UV/H_2O_2) for decolorization of reactive azo dye (Blue CL-BR) using bleach wastewater as possible source of H_2O_2.All the experiments were performed on the laboratory scale set-up.The results showed that colour removal efficiencies by UV or bleach (H_2O_2) alone were not so efficient.Fenton process with bleach wastewater was found to be the most effective at process conditions such as pH of 3 and H_2O_2/Fe~(2 ) ratio of 24:1,resulting in 64% colour removal.Almost complete colour removal,i.e.,99% and 95% were achieved by UV/H_2O_2 and UVfoleach wastewater in 30 and 60 min,respectively.Ozonation proved an efficient method for decolorization of Blue CL-BR dye at alkaline pH.It was possible to achieve 98% colour removal with 30 min of ozonation at pH 9.The colour removal of dye was found to follow first order kinetics.     

Assessment of pesticide toxicity on earthworms using multiple biomarkers: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - Two million tonnes of pesticides are currently used globally to improve crop production, yet these pesticides induce adverse effects on soil quality and...     

Diversity in the later Paleogene proboscidean radiation: a small barytheriid from the Oligocene of Dhofar Governorate,Sultanate of Oman

Despite significant recent improvements to our understanding of the early evolution of the Order Proboscidea (elephants and their extinct relatives), geographic sampling of the group’s Paleogene fossil record remains strongly biased, with the first ~30 million years of proboscidean evolution documented solely in near-coastal deposits of northern Africa. The considerable morphological disparity that is observable among the late Eocene and early Oligocene proboscideans of northern Africa suggests that other, as yet unsampled, parts of Afro-Arabia might have served as important centers for the early diversification of major proboscidean clades. Here we describe the oldest taxonomically diagnostic remains of a fossil proboscidean from the Arabian Peninsula, a partial mandible of Omanitherium dhofarensis (new genus and species), from near the base of the early Oligocene Shizar Member of the Ashawq Formation, in the Dhofar Governorate of the Sultanate of Oman. The molars and premolars of Omanitherium are morphologically intermediate between those of Arcanotherium and Barytherium from northern Africa, but its specialized lower incisors are unlike those of other known Paleogene proboscideans in being greatly enlarged, high-crowned, conical, and tusk-like. Omanitherium is consistently placed close to late Eocene Barytherium in our phylogenetic analyses, and we place the new genus in the Family Barytheriidae. Some features of Omanitherium, such as tusk-like lower second incisors, the possible loss of the lower central incisors, an enlarged anterior mental foramen, and inferred elongate mandibular symphysis and diminutive P₂, suggest a possible phylogenetic link with Deinotheriidae, an extinct family of proboscideans whose origins have long been mysterious.     

Implementation of the semi-aerobic landfill system (Fukuoka method) in developing countries: a Malaysia cost analysis

Most of the existing solid waste landfill sites in developing countries are practicing either open dumping or controlled dumping. Proper sanitary landfill concepts are not fully implemented due to technological and financial constraints. Implementation of a fully engineered sanitary landfill is necessary and a more economically feasible landfill design is crucial, particularly for developing countries. This study was carried out by focusing on the economics from the development of a new landfill site within a natural clay area with no cost of synthetic liner up to 10 years after its closure by using the Fukuoka method semi-aerobic landfill system. The findings of the study show that for the development of a 15-ha landfill site in Malaysia with an estimated volume of 2,000,000 m(3), the capital investment required was about US 1,312,895 dollars, or about US 0.84 dollars/tonne of waste. Assuming that the lifespan of the landfill is 20 years, the total cost of operation was about US 11,132,536 dollars or US 7.15 dollars/tonne of waste. The closure cost of the landfill was estimated to be US 1,385,526 dollars or US 0.89 dollars/tonne of waste. Therefore, the total cost required to dispose of a tonne of waste at the semi-aerobic landfill was estimated to be US 8.89 dollars. By considering an average tipping fee of about US 7.89 dollars/tonne of waste in Malaysia in the first year, and an annual increase of 3% to about US 13.84 dollars in year-20, the overall system recorded a positive revenue of US 1,734,749 dollars. This is important information for the effort of privatisation of landfill sites in Malaysia, as well as in other developing countries, in order to secure efficient and effective landfill development and management.     

Unraveling prevalence and public health risks of arsenic,uranium and co-occurring trace metals in groundwater along riverine ecosystem in Sindh and Punjab,Pakistan

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - The current study focuses on the understanding of contamination status, distribution, source apportionment and health perspectives of arsenic (As), uranium...     

Modeling and simulation of landfill gas production from pretreated MSW landfill simulator

The cumulative landfill gas (LFG) production and its rate were simulated for pretreated municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill using four models namely first order exponential model, modified Gompertz model, single component combined growth and decay model and Gaussian function. Considering the behavior of the pretreated MSW landfill, a new multi component model was based on biochemical processes that occurring in landfilled pretreated MSW. The model was developed on the basis of single component combined growth and decay model using an anaerobic landfill simulator reactor which treats the pretreated MSW. It includes three components of the degradation i.e. quickly degradable, moderately degradable and slowly degradable. Moreover, the developed model was statistically analyzed for its goodness of fit. The results show that the multi components LFG production model is more suitable in comparison to the simulated models and can efficiently be used as a modeling tool for pretreated MSW landfills. The proposed model is likely to give assistance in sizing of LFG collection system, generates speedy results at lower cost, improves cost-benefit analysis and decreases LFG project risk. It also indicates the stabilization of the landfill and helps the managers in the reuse of the landfill space. The proposed model is limited to aerobically pretreated MSW landfill and also requires the values of delay times in LFG productions from moderately and slowly degradable fractions of pretreated MSW.     

Do transportation taxes promote pro-environmental behaviour? An empirical investigation

The transportation sector is a crucial driver of energy intensity and environmental degradation. Therefore, we aim to explore the nexus of transportation taxes, energy intensity, and CO₂ emissions for the BICS economies. The econometric approaches, CS-ARDL and PMG-ARDL, have been employed to compute the estimates. The long-run estimates of the green transportation tax variable are negatively significant in both energy intensity and CO₂ emissions models irrespective of the estimation technique. These findings imply that green transportation taxes help reduce energy intensity and CO₂ emissions in BICS economies. Conversely, in the short-run, the effects of transportation taxes on energy intensity and CO₂ emissions are mixed and inconclusive. Hence, transportation taxes are necessary to keep the polluters under control not only from the transport sector but also serve as a deterrent for other sectors as well.

     

Molybdenum (Mo) increases endogenous phenolics,proline and photosynthetic pigments and the phytoremediation potential of the industrially important plant Ricinus communis L. for removal of cadmium from contaminated soil

Cadmium (Cd) in agricultural soil negatively affects crops yield and compromises food safety. Remediation of polluted soil is necessary for the re-establishment of sustainable agriculture and to prevent hazards to human health and environmental pollution. Phytoremediation is a promising technology for decontamination of polluted soil. The present study investigated the effect of molybdenum (Mo) (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 ppm) on endogenous production of total phenolics and free proline, plant biomass and photosynthetic pigments in Ricinus communis plants grown in Cd (25, 50 and 100 ppm) contaminated soils and the potential for Cd phytoextraction. Mo was applied via seed soaking, soil addition and foliar spray. Foliar sprays significantly increased plant biomass, Cd accumulation and bioconcentration. Phenolic concentrations showed significantly positive correlations with Cd accumulation in roots (R ² = 0.793, 0.807 and 0.739) and leaves (R ² = 0.707, 721 and 0.866). Similarly, proline was significantly positively correlated with Cd accumulation in roots (R ² = 0.668, 0.694 and 0.673) and leaves (R ² = 0.831, 0.964 and 0.930). Foliar application was found to be the most effective way to deliver Mo in terms of increase in plant growth, Cd accumulation and production of phenolics and proline.