Occurrence, spatial distribution and ecological risk assessment of Organophosphate Esters in surface water and sediments from the Ravi River and its tributaries.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are widely used as substitutes for brominated flame retardants and characterized as emerging contaminants. Due to their toxicity and persistent nature, OPEs are becoming a matter of greater concern worldwide. However, information about the pollution profile of OPEs and associated ecological risks is still scarce in environmental matrices of the South Asian region, particularly Pakistan.

Modelling the Nexus of municipal solid waste sector for climate resilience and adaptation to nature-based solutions: A case study of Pakistan.

Municipal solid waste management is a major concern in developing economies, requiring collective international efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by diverting waste from disposal facilities. This study aims to highlight the importance of the waste sector as it has the potential to significantly contribute to climate change and its toxicity impact on the local ecosystem. Out of the total municipal solid waste generated, only 78 % is collected, either open dumped or thrown in sanitary landfills.

Distribution, bioaccumulation, and health risk assessment of organochlorines across the riverine ecosystem of Punjab Province, Pakistan.

This study was designed to assess the distribution of organochlorines (OCs) in fish species, their spatio-temporal variations, bioaccumulation potential, and associated human health risks via dietary intake. The levels of twenty-three organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and thirty-five polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed in six fish species collected from the riverine ecosystem of Punjab Province, Pakistan. The results indicated that the mean levels of ΣOCPs were 74.

Organochlorines in the riverine ecosystem of Punjab province, Pakistan: contamination status, seasonal variation, source apportionment, and ecological risk assessment.

The aim of the present study was to determine the occurrence, spatio-temporal variations, source apportioning, and ecological risk assessment of selected PCBs and OCPs in surface water and sediments collected riverine environment of Punjab province, Pakistan. The concentration of ΣOCPs (water: 64-455 ng/L; sediments: 117-616 ng/g) and ΣPCBs (water: 2-132 ng/L; sediments: 3.27-200 ng/g) was found comparatively higher than the levels reported from other parts of the world.

Evaluation of operational and financial viability models of combined landfill site for intermediate cities in Pakistan.

This study aims to evaluate municipal landfill sites' operational and financial viability, waste amount and characterization, primary and secondary collection systems, revenue generation from MSW, vehicle routing, and age of landfill sites located in Akhtarabad, Sahiwal Division. Three operational and financial models were developed to calculate cost/ton value based on obtained data. The obtained results indicate that the cost/ton values for models are the following: 20.

Analysis of environmental sustainability of e-waste in developing countries - a case study from Pakistan.

The electronic waste generation rate is increasing drastically at a rate of 3 to 5% per year in developing countries. The aim of this study is to analyze the environmental sustainability and economic benefits of such e-waste management in the developing economies like Pakistan. The life cycle assessment (LCA) method has been employed for streamlined impact analysis of the end-of-life processing of e-waste focusing mainly on laptop computers and liquid crystal display (LCD) desktop computers in Pakistan.

Human Health Risk Assessment by Dietary Intake and Spatial Distribution Pattern of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Dechloran Plus from Selected Cities of Pakistan.

A class of intractable bio accumulative halogenated compounds polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) was studied. Specifically, PBDEs and dechloran plus (DP) contamination in wheat and the assaulted environment-agricultural soil and dust-from metropolitan cities of Pakistan was the focus. The exposure of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) to humans, their probable toxicological impact on health, source apportionment, and the spatial tendency of BFRs were studied.

A comparison of waste recycling facilities for their contribution of heavy metals and trace elements in ambient air.

A multi-elemental analysis, including heavy metals and trace elements in ambient air samples, was conducted for computers, wires, lead batteries, and iron extraction facilities in Lahore by proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) spectroscopy. The data obtained from PIXE analysis revealed the presence of Mg, Al, Zn, S, Pb, K, Ti, Fe, Si, K, and Cr elements at e-waste recycling facilities. The computer dismantling site revealed a higher concentration of Fe (634.

COVID-19 and frequent use of hand sanitizers; human health and environmental hazards by exposure pathways.

Till date no medication or vaccine is available to cope with the COVID-19 infection and infection rate is increasing drastically across the globe. Only preventive measures and healthy life style with efficient immune system have been suggested by WHO to fight and stay safe from COVID-19. WHO recommended alcohol based hand sanitizers for frequent hand hygiene, which are mainly made up from ethanol, isopropyl alcohols, hydrogen peroxides in different combinations.

Sustainability and CDM potential analysis of a novel vs conventional bioenergy projects in South Asia by multi-criteria decision-making method.

In this study, the multi-attribute utility theory model, one of the most widely utilized multi-criteria decision-making methods, is employed to analyze the relative sustainability and cleaner development mechanism (CDM) potential of a novel bioenergy project in Pakistan and four registered CDM bioenergy installations in China, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Four major sustainability evaluation criteria selected for the study are technology, economy, environment, and social aspects, whereas "simple multi-attribute rating technique" (SMART) and "additive synthesis method" were utilized for the calculation of weighting factors. The most significant indicator was emission reduction, and least significant indicator was job creation with 24% and 15% respective weightages, in the sustainability scoring.

Appraisal of the heat vulnerability index in Punjab: a case study of spatial pattern for exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity in megacity Lahore, Pakistan.

In this study, the heat vulnerability index has been developed for a megacity Lahore. Although Pakistan stands at 12th rank among highly exposed countries to climate change, very little research has been dedicated in exploring the heat-related vulnerability of exposed populations. We have applied the principal component analysis with varimax rotation on well-established indicators of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity to determine the heat vulnerability.

Environmental impact and economic sustainability analysis of a novel anaerobic digestion waste-to-energy pilot plant in Pakistan.

A novel medium-large industrial-scale, anaerobic digestion (AD) waste-to-energy pilot plant has been investigated in terms of cost-benefit, environmental impact, and economic sustainability. This pilot plant exclusively features a multi-digester AD system induced by motorized stirring, methane purification, compression, storage and digestate-fertilizer processing systems, and subsequent electricity generation. The operational productivity and success of the pilot plant has been proven on a variety of waste feedstock substrates in the form of cow-buffalo manure and potato waste.

Correction to: Ecological risk assessment of metals in sediments and selective plants of Uchalli Wetland Complex (UWC)-a Ramsar site.

The correct image of Figure 4 is shown in this paper. The original article has been corrected. Fig.

Investigating the drinking and surface water quality and associated health risks in a semi-arid multi-industrial metropolis (Faisalabad), Pakistan.

Urban areas under the influence of multi-industrial activities with arid and semi-arid environments witness the significant increase in environmental pollution especially in the water sector. The present study evaluated the water quality and associated health risk assessment through heavy metal pollution. Drinking (n = 48) and surface (n = 37) water samples were collected from semi-arid multi-industrial metropolis, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Treatment of textile effluents with and .

Phytoremediation by aquatic macrophytes is a promising technology with higher efficiency and no energy consumption. For this purpose, two macrophytes (, ), and an alga (.) were used to treat textile effluents rich in COD, BOD, dyes, and heavy metals (Pb, Fe, Cd, Cu).

Ecological risk assessment of metals in sediments and selective plants of Uchalli Wetland Complex (UWC)-a Ramsar site.

Wetlands act as kidneys of land and facilitate remediation of metals and other harmful pollutants through uptake by aquatic macrophytes. The aim of the present study was to investigate metal concentrations in sediments and plants, sources of metal origin, and contamination level in Uchalli Wetland Complex. Sediment samples were collected from 15 randomly selected sites.

Phytoremediation potential of and to remove chromium and copper.

Phytoremediation is a cost-effective and eco-friendly process to remove heavy metals from water. A small-scale experiment was conducted to determine the phytoremediation efficiency of two macrophytes, i.e.

Spatio-temporal variations in physico-chemical parameters and potentially harmful elements (PHEs) of Uchalli Wetlands Complex (Ramsar site), Pakistan.

Uchalli Wetlands Complex (UWC) is located in District Khushab, Pakistan, which comprised of three lakes named Khabeki, Uchalli, and Jahlar. The UWC Pakistan is one of the Ramsar sites of international importance. However, the information regarding water quality parameters and concentration of potentially harmful elements (PHEs) is relatively short.

Monitoring and spatiotemporal variations of pyrethroid insecticides in surface water, sediment, and fish of the river Chenab Pakistan.

There is a serious concern regarding freshwater resources of Pakistan which have been mismanaged and now are depleting extensively due to other reasons like intensive application of agricultural pesticides and insecticides. The present study was conducted to determine the concentrations of cypermethrin, deltamethrin, permethrin, and bifenthrin in the samples of water, sediments, and fish collected from various locations of River Chenab, Pakistan, during summer and winter seasons. These locations include namely Marala, Khanki, Qadirabad, and Trimu Headworks.

Seasonal and spatial quantitative changes in Aedes aegypti under distinctly different ecological areas of Lahore, Pakistan.

Objective: To find out the variations in larval and adult density of Aedes aegypti in different seasons under different ecological conditions.

Methods: This study was undertaken in all the nine towns and the cantonment board of Lahore, Pakistan, during four seasons in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Ovitraps were placed in houses in residential areas and were visited weekly in rainy and post-rainy seasons each year to determine the presence of immature and mature forms of Ae.

The distribution of Aedes aegypti (diptera, culicidae) in eight selected parks of Lahore, using oviposition traps during rainy season.

Objective: To investigate the seasonal distribution of immature habitat of Aedes aegypti mosquito species and its association with environmental and climatic conditions.

Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in eight parks in Lahore, Pakistan, over three years from 2011 to 2013.A total of 2,496 ovitraps were placed in environmentally different conditions near water channels, thick vegetation cover/shades, clean/unclean sites and places where there was lot of human activity.

Sero-surveillance of dengue in the city Lahore, Pakistan.

Objective: To conduct sero-surveillance of dengue cases, and to find out the demographic and socio-economic status of dengue patients.

Methods: This community-based, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted at the Institute of Public Health, Lahore, Pakistan, from July to December each year in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and comprised patients suspected to have dengue. Blood samples of dengue patients in five randomly selected union councils of the 10 towns of the city were subjected to the dengue test.

Comparison of Reed and Water Lettuce in Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment.

  In the present study two designs, vertical and horizontal systems, were used and two different plant species, Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and Reed plant (Phragmites karka), compared for their removal efficiency. The vertical system appeared to be more stable and efficient for almost all the parameters. The vertical system, planted with Water Lettuce, showed percentage removal efficiency for BOD, phosphate and chloride as 82, 95.

Ecological risk assessment of an open dumping site at Mehmood Booti Lahore, Pakistan.

A robust risk assessment of Mehmood Booting Open Dumping (MBOD) site has been carried out by developing holistic risk assessment framework. Framework mainly comprises on baseline study, hazard identification, and risk quantification and evaluation. Physico-chemical analysis of groundwater and leachate, health risk assessment, and estimation of gas emissions from the site were carried out for risk evaluation.

Phytoremediation of organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticides by aquatic macrophytes and algae in freshwater systems.

Extensive use of Pesticides in agriculture and its surface runoff in river water is a major environmental concern. The present study evaluated the phytoremediation potential of Eichornia crassipes, Pistia strateotes and algae (Chaetomorpha sutoria, Sirogonium sticticum and Zygnema sp.) for organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticides.