Phytoremediation of an arsenic-contaminated site using Pteris vittata L. and Pityrogramma calomelanos var. austroamericana: a long-term study

This field study investigated the phytoremediation potential of two arsenic (As) hyperaccumulating fern species, Pityrogramma calomelanos var. austroamericana and Pteris vittata over 27-month duration at a disused As-contaminated cattle-dip site located at Wollongbar, NSW, Australia. Ferns planted in January 2009 were harvested following 10, 22 and 27 months of growth. A detailed soil sampling was undertaken in June 2009 (initial, n?=?42 per plot) and limited sampling in April 2011 (after 27 months, n?=?15 per plot) to measure total and phosphate-extractable As concentrations in soil at 0?-?20-, 20?-?40- and 40?-?60-cm depths. The choice of the limited number of samples was considered sufficient to estimate the changes in soil As concentration following phytoremediation based on a geostatistical model. The average frond dry biomass, As concentration and As uptake were significantly (P??0.05), respectively, by P. vittata. Our results show that phytoremediation time based on observed changes in soil As based on limited sampling is not reliable; hence, it is recommended that the frond As uptake should be considered in order to evaluate the phytoremediation efficiency of the two fern species at the experimental site. Using As uptake of the two fern species, we estimate that with P. calomelanos var. austroamericana it would take 55?-?125 years to decrease mean total As content below the ecological investigation level (20 mg kg(-1)) in the surface and subsurface soils, whereas with P. vittata 143?-?412 years would be required to achieve this target.     

Biodegradation of high molecular weight PAHs using isolated yeast mixtures: application of meta-genomic methods for community structure analyses

Bioaugmentation for the removal of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from wastewater using bacteria and yeasts is considered environment-friendly and a cost-effective technique. The effectiveness of this biodegradation system depends on the stability of inoculated microorganisms and the availability of nutrients. This study is aimed to investigate the removal of high molecular weight (HMW)-PAHs from biologically treated produced water using different biological systems. Three systems, inoculated with activated sludge (AS), the mixture of five yeast strains (MY), and the mixture of AS and the five yeast strains (SY), respectively, were constructed, and their performance for the removal of HMW-PAHs was compared over 10 weeks. The effluent of the biologically treated produced water from an oilfield was used as the influent after chrysene and benzo(a)pyrene were spiked as HMW-PAHs. Polymerase chain reaction-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques were used to examine the changes in the structures and abundances of the bacterial and yeast communities in these three systems. Only SY and MY systems were capable to remove chrysene (90.7 % and 98.5 %, respectively) and benzo(a)pyrene (80.7 % and 95.2 %, respectively). PCR-DGGE analysis confirmed that all of the five yeast strains inoculated remained in the SY and MY systems, while FISH results showed that the relative abundance of yeast in the SY and MY systems (10.6 % to 21.9 %, respectively) were significantly higher than AS system (2.3 % to 7.8 %, respectively). The relative abundances of the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) indicated that the copy number ratios of benzene ring cleavage gene C23O in the yeast amended systems were much higher than that in the AS system. In this study, all of the three systems were effective in removing the low molecular weight (LMW)-PAHs, while HMW-PAHs including chrysene and benzo(a)pyrene were efficiently removed by MY and SY systems, not by AS system. The high HMW-PAHs removal in the MY and SY bioaugmentation systems possibly attributed to the inoculation of the mixed yeast culture. By combining the PCR-DGGE results with the FISH analyses, it was found that yeast probably consisting mainly of the five inoculated strains inhabited in the two bioaugmentation systems as a dominant population. The relatively higher performance of the SY system might be attributed to the suspended growth type which permitted a more efficient contact between microbial cells and contaminants. The bioaugmentation systems (SY and MY) were successfully established by inoculating with five nonindigenous yeast strains and demonstrated high performance in removal of HMW-PAHs.     

Efficacy of various amendments for amelioration of fly-ash toxicity: growth performance and metal composition of Cassia siamea Lamk

Plants of Cassia siamea Lamk were grown in garden soil (control), fly-ash (100%) and fly-ash amended by various ameliorants (cowdung manure, press-mud, garden soil; 1:1, w/w). The plants survived in fly-ash (100%) though their growth was less in comparison to the treatments. Fly-ash+press-mud (1:1, w/w) proved to be the best combination as growth (total biomass, leaf number, photosynthetic area, total chlorophyll and protein) was significantly high in this treatment followed by cowdung manure and garden soil. Leaves and roots accumulated significant amount of Cu, Zn, Ni and and Fe. However, the concentration of all the metals was more in roots than leaves except Ni. Although, fly-ash contains high amount of metals but the metal uptake was more in the plants grown in fly-ash+press-mud mixture. Inspite of high metal availability in fly-ash and press-mud mixture, plant growth was good. This might be attributed to the some metal detoxification mechanism active in this treatment. The present study concluded that C. siamea seems to be a suitable plant for developing a vegetation cover on fly-ash dumps.     

Hydrogen sulfide ameliorates lead-induced morphological, photosynthetic, oxidative damages and biochemical changes in cotton

Poisonous lead (Pb), among heavy metals, is a potential pollutant that readily accumulates in soils and thus adversely affects physiological processes in plants. We have evaluated how exogenous H₂S affects cotton plant physiological attributes and Pb uptake under Pb stress thereby understanding the role of H₂S in physiological processes in plants. Two concentrations (0 and 200 μM) of H₂S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) were experimented on cotton plants under Pb stress (0, 50, and 100 μM). Results have shown that Pb stress decreased plant growth, chlorophyll contents, SPAD value, photosynthesis, antioxidant activity. On the other hand, Pb stress increased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (EL), and production of H₂O₂ and uptake of Pb contents in all three parts of plant, viz. root, stem, and leaf. Application of H₂S slightly increased plant growth, chlorophyll contents, SPAD value, photosynthesis, and antioxidant activity as compared to control. Hydrogen sulfide supply alleviated the toxic effects of lead on plant growth, chlorophyll contents, SPAD value, photosynthesis, and antioxidant activity in cotton plants. Hydrogen sulfide also reduced MDA, EL, and production of H₂O₂ and endogenous Pb levels in the three mentioned plant parts. On the basis of our results, we conclude that H₂S has promotive effects which could improve plant survival under Pb stress.     

A two-generational reproductive toxicity study of zinc in rats

A two-generation reproductive toxicity study of zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) was conducted in rats. F_o male and female rats were administered 0.00 (control), 7.50 (low), 15.00 (mid) and 30.00 (high) mg/kg/day of ZnCl₂. Selected F₁ male and female rats were exposed to the same doses received by their parents (F_o). Exposure of F₀ parental rats to ZnCl₂ showed significant reduction in fertility, viability (days 0 and 4), and the body weight of F₁ pups from the high-dose group but caused no effects on litter size, weaning index, and sex ratio. Similarly, the continued exposure of F₁ parental rats to ZnCl₂ also reduced fertility, liter size, viability (day 0), and the body weight of F₂ pups within the high-dose group but caused no effects on weaning index and sex ratio. Exposure of ZnCl₂ to F₀ and F₁ parental males resulted in a significant reduction in their body weights, and the F₀ and F₁ parental females did not show any significant difference in their body weights compared to their control groups. However, the postpartum dam weights of both F₀ and F₁ female rats were significantly reduced compared to their controls. Exposure of ZnCl₂ to F_o and F₁ generation parental rats did not produce any significant change of their clinical signs as well as their clinical pathology parameters, except the alkaline phosphotase (ALK) level, which showed an upward trend in both sexes of both generations. Exposure of ZnCl₂ to F₀ rats resulted in a reduction of brain, liver, kidney, spleen and seminal vesicles weights of males and in the spleen and uterus of females. Similarly, exposure of F₁ rats to ZnCl₂ also resulted in reduction of brain, liver, kidney, adrenal, spleen, prostate and seminal vesicles weights of males and in spleen and uterus of females. ZnCl₂ exposure resulted in grossly observed gastro-intestianla (GI) tract, lymphoreticular/hematopoietic, and reproductive tract lesions in parental rats in both generations. Reduced body fat was also recorded in F₁ parental rats.     

Contamination of lead (Pb) in the coastal sediments of north and south of Iran: a review study

Coastal areas of Iran are heavily affected by urbanisation, industrialisation, and maritime activities. One consequence of this environmental pressure is the contaminants accumulation, as heavy metals, into the marine ecosystem. In this review, the coastal areas in the north and south of the country were assessed for lead (Pb) contamination of, one of the most toxic metals found in the environment. All studies conducted during 2006–2016 with at least 10 specimens that reported the mean and standard deviation of Pb were considered in this review. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed using the Q and I² statistics. The Pb mean concentration overall studies was estimated to be 21.88?µg/g (95% CIs: 16.25–27.50). Random effect model showed no statistical difference in mean Pb concentration levels between south and north coasts. However, the variability in Pb mean concentrations within southern coasts was considerable and statistically significant. Moreover, the Pb concentrations in the northern coasts of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, in south of Iran, decreased in the following order Hormozgan > Khuzestan > Sistan-VA-Balluchestan > Bushehr while in the southern coasts of Caspian Sea, in north of Iran, decreased in the order Guilan > Mazandaran > Golestan.     

Entomotoxic effect of silicon dioxide nanoparticles on Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) under laboratory conditions

The use of higher dosage and repeated applications of conventional pesticides have led to the rapid development of insect resistance to pesticide and adverse effects on human health and environment. Accordingly, researchers are prompted to identify an alternative entomotoxic agent for crop protection. Nanocides are being considered as alternatives to conventional insecticides because they are expected to lessen the application rate and reduce the chances of resistance development in pests. In this study, we evaluated the entomotoxic effects of nanosilica on larvae of Plutella xylostella, in a laboratory by using dust spray, larva dipping, leaf dipping, and solution spray methods. Dust treatment showed a more highly significant effect than the other three treatments. The mortality percentage increased up to 58% and 85% at 24 and 72 h after treatment, respectively, when nanosilica was applied at a rate of 1 mg cm^?2. In all four bioassays, mortality rate increased with both increased time after nanosilica exposure and increased concentration. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images showed that larval death was due to desiccation, body wall abrasion, and spiracle blockage. These results suggested that nanosilica can be an alternative to conventional pesticides if dust formulation would be properly used.     

Mitigating the Davos dilemma: towards a global self-sustainability index

The ‘Davos dilemma’ posits a sustainability crisis, provoked by rising human population and intense competitive behaviours, in terms of control and access to depleting natural resources. More broadly understood as an ecological problem, rather than just socio-economic behavioural deficiencies, the call is for better integrated social, natural and business-indexed reporting within planetary boundaries. This poses challenges for nationally governed societies to equitably account for self-sustainability performance, in enabling their successive government agendas to re-orientate policies and industry investments as innovation towards achieving this in the longer term. We propose and test a global self-sustainability index for countries across four metrics: economic, environmental, social and innovation. Our tentative findings from a cross-country analysis of 27 countries during 2007–2010 illustrate the approach for wider systematic analysis and as a basis for future large-scale assessments on self-sustainability within and between countries.     

A review of global outlook on fluoride contamination in groundwater with prominence on the Pakistan current situation

Several million people are exposed to fluoride (F^?) via drinking water in the world. Current review emphasized the elevated level of fluoride concentrations in the groundwater and associated potential health risk globally with a special focus on Pakistan. Millions of people are deeply dependent on groundwater from different countries of the world encompassing with an elevated level of fluoride. The latest estimates suggest that around 200 million people, from among 25 nations the world over, are under the dreadful fate of fluorosis. India and China, the two most populous countries of the world, are the worst affected. In Pakistan, fluoride data of 29 major cities are reviewed and 34% of the cities show fluoride levels with a mean value greater than 1.5 mg/L where Lahore, Quetta and Tehsil Mailsi are having the maximum values of 23.60, 24.48, > 5.5 mg/L, respectively. In recent years, however, other countries have minimized, even eliminated its use due to health issues. High concentration of fluoride for extended time period causes adverse effects of health such as skin lesions, discoloration, cardiovascular disorders, dental fluorosis and crippling skeletal fluorosis. This review deliberates comprehensive strategy of drinking water quality in the global scenario of fluoride contamination, especially in Pakistan with prominence on major pollutants, mitigation technologies, sources of pollution and ensuing health problems. Considering these verities, health authorities urgently need to establish alternative means of water decontamination in order to prevent associated health problems.