Particle formation due to brake wear,influence on the people health and measures for their reduction: a review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - For achieving the desired vehicle speed, the IC engine is very important, while for further vehicle speed maintaining and adaptation to road...     

Balkan endemic nephropathy and aristolochic acid I: an investigation into the role of soil and soil organic matter contamination,as a potential natural exposure pathway

Aristolochic acids (AAs) are carcinogenic and nephrotoxic plant alkaloids present in Aristolochia species, used in traditional medicine. Recent biomolecular and environmental studies have incriminated these toxins as an etiological agent in Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), a severe kidney disease occurring in the Balkan Peninsula. The questions on how the susceptible populations are exposed to these toxins have not yet been clearly answered. Exposure to AAs through the food chain, and environmental pollution (soil/dust), could provide an explanation for the presence of BEN in the countries where no folkloric use of the plant has been documented (Bulgaria, Croatia). Additional exposure pathways are likely to occur, and we have shown previously that AAs can contaminate crop plants through absorption from soil, under controlled laboratory environment. Here, we attempt to provide additional support to this potential exposure pathway, by revealing the presence of AAI in soil and soil organic matter samples collected from BEN and non-BEN areas. The samples were processed in order to be analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and ion trap mass spectrometry. Our results showed the presence of AAI in small concentrations, both in BEN and non-BEN soils, especially where Aristolochia plants and seeds were present.     

Phylogenetic analysis of hyperaccumulator plant species for heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Increasing concentration of heavy metals (HMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the soil may impose a serious threat to living organisms due to their toxicity and the ability to accumulate in plant tissues. The present review focuses on the phylogenetic relationships, sources, biotransformation and accumulation potential of hyperaccumulators for the priority HMs and PAHs. This review provides an opportunity to reveal the role of hyperaccumulators in removal of HMs and PAHs from soils, to understand the relationships between pollutants and their influence on the environment and to find potential plant species for soil remediation. The phylogenetic analysis results showed that the hyperaccumulators of some chemicals (Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn, Cd) are clustered on the evolutionary tree and that the ability to hyperaccumulate different pollutants can be correlated either positively (Cd–Zn, Pb–Zn, Co–Cu, Cd–Pb) or negatively (Cu–PAHs, Co–Cd, Co–PAHs, Ni–PAHs, Cu–Ni, Mn–PAHs). Further research needs to be extended on the focus of commercializing the techniques including the native hyperaccumulators to remediate the highly contaminated soils.

     

Passive air sampling for persistent organic pollutants: introductory remarks to the special issue

There have been a number of developments in the need, design and use of passive air samplers (PAS) for persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This article is the first in a Special Issue of the journal to review these developments and some of the data arising from them. We explain the need and benefit of developing PAS for POPs, the different approaches that can be used, and highlight future developments and needs.     

Influence of preparation and combustion parameters of coal-water slurries on gas emission chemistry

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The article presents the results of experimental studies performed for the comparative analysis of factors affecting the concentration of the main gas...