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View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn-situ stabilization technology offers a cost-effective solution for the remediation of heavy metal(loid) (HM) contaminated soils. However, the lack of a reliable method to assess the long-term effectiveness of HM stabilization significantly impedes the practical application of this technology. To address this gap, we have devised an innovative method that integrates acid rain leaching with dry-wet alternation to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of HM stabilization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAgricultural plastic mulching films have been an environmental concern for decades. The effects of the interactions between the anthropogenic plastisphere and other soil biospheres, particularly that of earthworms, on the fate of plastics remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the decomposition of buried nonbiodegradable low-density polyethylene (LDPE) versus biodegradable PBTA/PLA copolymers in the presence of earthworms (Amynthas cortices) in dynamic microcosms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAccidental ingestion of lead (Pb)-contaminated soils represents a major route of Pb exposure for both adults and children, and the development of accessible and cost-effective solutions to reduce Pb poisoning is urgently required. Here, we present an effective and straightforward technique, involving the consumption of cola beverages, for the purpose of lowering blood Pb levels following the ingestion of contaminated soils in animal models. This method facilitated the direct passage of Pb in contaminated soil through the digestive system, enhancing its elimination without absorption into systemic circulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLayered double hydroxides (LDHs) have great potential for immobilizing potentially toxic elements in soil. Nevertheless, their practical effectiveness under field conditions remains largely unknown. In this study, we conducted a 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTungsten (W) is a rare element and present in the earth's crust mainly as iron, aluminium, and calcium minerals including wolframite and scheelite. This review aims to offer an overview on the current knowledge on W pollution in complex environmental settlings, including terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, linking to its natural and anthropogenic sources, behavior in soil and water, environmental and human health hazards, and remediation strategies. Tungsten is used in many alloys mainly as wafers, which have wide industrial applications, such as incandescent light bulb filaments, X-ray tubes, arc welding electrodes, radiation shielding, and industrial catalysts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicrobial dehalogenation, using obligate and facultative organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB), has been widely used to remediate halohydrocarbon-polluted sites. Owing to the scarcity of OHRB, and poor efficiency in H-mediating interspecies electron transfer, microbial dehalogenation relying on OHRB is easily disturbed by Fe(III), sulfate, and nitrate as electron competitors. In the present study, pyrogenic carbon, featuring electron snorkeling, was introduced into the process of microbial dehalogenation, which facilitated the electron transfer from electro-active microbes to halohydrocarbon, then invigorating dehalogenation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSoil contamination by toxic metals and metalloids poses a grave threat to food security and human well-being. Immobilization serves as an effective method for the remediation of soils contaminated by metal(loid)s. Nevertheless, the ability of soil amendments for simultaneous immobilization of cations and oxyanions, and the long-term effectiveness of immobilization need substantial improvements.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHydraulic fracturing (HF) has substantially boosted global unconventional hydrocarbon production but has also introduced various environmental and operational challenges. Understanding the interactions between abundant and diverse microbial communities and chemicals, particularly polymers used for proppant delivery, thickening, and friction reduction, in HF water cycles is crucial for addressing these challenges. This review primarily examined the recent studies conducted in China, an emerging area for HF activities, and comparatively examined studies from other regions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Sci Technol
July 2024
The detrimental effects of plastics on aquatic organisms, including those of macroplastics, microplastics, and nanoplastics, have been well established. However, knowledge on the interaction between plastics and terrestrial insects is limited. To develop effective strategies for mitigating the impact of plastic pollution on terrestrial ecosystems, it is necessary to understand the toxicity effects and influencing factors of plastic ingestion by insects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeavy metal pollution in farmland soil has become increasingly severe, and multi-element composite pollution has brought enormous harm to human production and life. Environmental changes in cold regions (such as freeze-thaw cycles and dry-wet alternations) may increase the potential physiological toxicity of heavy metals and exacerbate pollution risks. In order to reveal the effectiveness of sepiolite modified biochar in the remediation of the soil contaminated with lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr), the rice husk biochar pyrolyzed at 500 and 800 °C were selected for remediation treatment (denoted as BC500 and BC800).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironmental pollution is escalating due to rapid global development that often prioritizes human needs over planetary health. Despite global efforts to mitigate legacy pollutants, the continuous introduction of new substances remains a major threat to both people and the planet. In response, global initiatives are focusing on risk assessment and regulation of emerging contaminants, as demonstrated by the ongoing efforts to establish the UN's Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution Prevention.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBromine (Br) is widely distributed through the lithosphere and hydrosphere, and its chemistry in the environment is affected by natural processes and anthropogenic activities. While the chemistry of Br in the atmosphere has been comprehensively explored, there has never been an overview of the chemistry of Br in soil and aquatic systems. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the sources, geochemistry, health and environmental threats, remediation approaches, and regulatory guidelines pertaining to Br pollution in terrestrial and aquatic environments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRemediation of contaminated soil at industrial sites has become a challenge and an opportunity for sustainable urban land use, considering the substantial secondary impacts resulting from remediation activities. The design of soil remediation strategies for multi-site remediation from a regional perspective is of great significance for cities with a large number of brownfields. Centralized and decentralized facilities have been studied in different environmental fields, yet limited research has focused on centralized soil remediation, specifically the treatment of contaminated soil from different sites through the construction of shared soil treatment facilities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAccumulation of plastic debris in the environment is a matter of global concern. As plastic ages, it generates microplastic (MP) particles with high mobility. Understanding how MPs are generated is crucial to controlling this emerging contaminant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArsenic poisoning in agricultural soil is caused by both natural and man-made processes, and it poses a major risk to crop production and human health. Soil quality, agricultural production, runoff, ingestion, leaching, and absorption by plants are all influenced by these processes. Microbial consortia have become a feasible bioremediation technique in response to the urgent need for appropriate remediation solutions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNanomaterials in the food industry are used as food additives, and the main function of these food additives is to improve food qualities including texture, flavor, color, consistency, preservation, and nutrient bioavailability. This review aims to provide an overview of the distribution, fate, and environmental and health impacts of food additive nanomaterials in soil and aquatic ecosystems. Some of the major nanomaterials in food additives include titanium dioxide, silver, gold, silicon dioxide, iron oxide, and zinc oxide.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiochar can be used for multifunctional applications including the improvement of soil health and carbon storage, remediation of contaminated soil and water resources, mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and odorous compounds, and feed supplementation to improve animal health. A healthy soil preserves microbial biodiversity that is effective in supressing plant pathogens and pests, recycling nutrients for plant growth, promoting positive symbiotic associations with plant roots, improving soil structure to supply water and nutrients, and ultimately enhancing soil productivity and plant growth. As a soil amendment, biochar assures soil biological health through different processes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdditives may be present in amounts higher than 50% within plastic objects. Additives in plastics can be gradually released from microplastics (MPs) into the aquatic environment during their aging and fragmentation because most of them do not chemically react with the polymers. Some are known to be hazardous substances, which can cause toxicity effects on organisms and pose ecological risks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhosphorus (P) is critical to plants in metal-contaminated soils because it participates in various biochemical reactions during plant growth. However, the mechanisms of P in mitigating the toxicity of heavy metals to ryegrass root is still veiled. In this study, the physiological and biochemical dynamics of the ryegrass root under various cadmium (Cd) and P conditions were investigated in a hydroponic system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe direct impacts of climate change involve a multitude of phenomena, including rising sea levels, intensified severe weather events such as droughts and flooding, increased temperatures leading to wildfires, and unpredictable fluctuations in rainfall. This comprehensive review intends to examine firstly the probable consequences of climate change on extreme weather events such as drought, flood and wildfire. This review subsequently examines the release and transformation of contaminants in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric environments in response to extreme weather events driven by climate change.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSorption and oxidation are two potential pathways for the decontamination of trivalent antimony (Sb(III))-bearing water, using iron (Fe)-modified biochar (FeBC). Here we investigated the sorption and oxidation behavior of FeBC for Sb(III) in aqueous solutions. Results revealed that Sb(III) removal by FeBC was significantly improved showing the maximum Sb(III) sorption (64.
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