Unveiling the potential of a novel portable air quality platform for assessment of fine and coarse particulate matter: in-field testing, calibration, and machine learning insights.

Although low-cost air quality sensors facilitate the implementation of denser air quality monitoring networks, enabling a more realistic assessment of individual exposure to airborne pollutants, their sensitivity to multifaceted field conditions is often overlooked in laboratory testing. This gap was addressed by introducing an in-field calibration and validation of three PAQMON 1.0 mobile sensing low-cost platforms developed at the Mining and Metallurgy Institute in Bor, Republic of Serbia.

Remote sensing and nuclear techniques for high-resolution mapping and quantification of gully erosion in the highly erodible area of the Malčanska River Basin, Eastern Serbia.

Gully erosion leads to the formation of deep and wide channels that increase the risk of soil loss, flooding, and water pollution. In addition, this process reduces the productivity and viability of agricultural land and natural ecosystems. Preventing gully erosion is critical for maintaining ecological balance and preserving natural resources in certain areas.

Spatial distribution and source apportionment of DTPA-extractable metals in soils surrounding the largest Serbian steel production plant.

Despite presenting a practical approach for the characterization of the environmental risk of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) derived from steel production facilities, the analysis of the spatial distribution of bioavailable PTEs concentrations in the soil is frequently overlooked in the management of polluted sites. In this study, the diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable forms of PTEs were investigated in soils surrounding the largest Serbian steel production plant. The correlation and geostatistical analysis indicated their pronounced variability suggesting the anthropogenic origin of most investigated elements, apparently from the steel production facility.

Novel approach for strontium preconcentration from seawater and rapid determination of Sr in emergency situations.

A novel approach for rapid Sr determination in seawater samples is developed. For the first time in the radioanalytical application, the features of the synthetic zeolite Z4A and a highly selective material for Sr separation were synergically employed. Seawater composition significantly reduces Sr yield on highly selective solid-phase extraction materials, making the preconcentration step essentially important but laborious and time-consuming.

Efficient separation of strontium radionuclides from high-salinity wastewater by zeolite 4A synthesized from Bayer process liquids.

The efficient, selective, and economical sorbents for the removal of Sr radionuclides are largely needed for the decontamination of effluents with high salinity. In this study, the removal of Sr was investigated using the zeolite produced from the Bayer process liquids. Based on the XRD, SEM/EDS analysis, the product was pure and highly crystalline zeolite 4A (Z4A).

Sorption of divalent heavy metal ions onto functionalized biogenic hydroxyapatite with caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid.

The sorption ability of biogenic hydroxyapatite (BHAP) towards heavy metal ions (Pb, Cu, Ni, Cd, and Zn) is compared with functionalized BHAP powders with caffeic acid (CA) and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (3,4-DHBA). The functionalization of the BHAP with either CA or 3,4-DHBA is indicated by the appearance of the colored powders due to the formation of the interfacial charge transfer (ICT) complexes. The detailed characterization of as-prepared and functionalized BHAP samples was performed using transmission electron microscopy, reflection spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and determination of zeta potential.

Cadmium retention and distribution in contaminated soil: effects and interactions of soil properties, contamination level, aging time and in situ immobilization agents.

As soil cadmium (Cd) contamination becomes a serious concern and one of the significant environmental pollution issues all over the world, knowledge of the basic chemistry, origin, inputs, sources, quantity, chemical forms, reactions, as well as the fate and transport of Cd in different types of soil is crucial for better understanding Cd bioavailability, health risks and remedial options. This study aimed to increase the current knowledge on the complex interdependence between the factors affecting behavior, transport and fate of Cd in the soil and to test and compare the performance of the stabilization agents in different soil types. Soils demonstrated various sorption affinity and capacity for Cd accumulation, which proved to be positively correlated with soil pH and the cation exchange capacity (CEC).

Estimation of Cadmium uptake by tobacco plants from laboratory leaching tests.

The objective of the present study was to determine the impact of cadmium (Cd) concentration in the soil on its uptake by tobacco plants, and to compare the ability of diverse extraction procedures for determining Cd bioavailability and predicting soil-to-plant transfer and Cd plant concentrations. The pseudo-total digestion procedure, modified Tessier sequential extraction and six standard single-extraction tests for estimation of metal mobility and bioavailability were used for the leaching of Cd from a native soil, as well as samples artificially contaminated over a wide range of Cd concentrations. The results of various leaching tests were compared between each other, as well as with the amounts of Cd taken up by tobacco plants in pot experiments.

Effect of experimental variables onto Co(2+) and Sr(2+) sorption behavior in red mud-water suspensions.

The prospects of rinsed red mud (alumina production residue) utilization for liquid radioactive waste treatment have been investigated, with Co(2+) and Sr(2+) as model cations of radioactive elements. To evaluate the sorption effectiveness and corresponding binding mechanisms, the process was analyzed in batch conditions, by varying experimental conditions (pH, Co(2+) and Sr(2+) concentrations in single solutions and binary mixtures, contact time, and the concentration of competing cations and ligands common in liquid radioactive waste). Comparison of the Co(2+) and Sr(2+) sorption pH edges with the red mud isoelectric point has revealed that Co(2+) removal took place at both positive and negative red mud surface, while Sr(2+) sorption abruptly increased when the surface became negatively charged.

Evaluation of factors influencing Co²⁺ removal by calcinated bone sorbent using experimental design methodology.

Experimental design methodology was applied for evaluation of factors influencing Co(2+) sorption by thermally treated bovine bones. The major aim of this study was to determine factors which affect process the most, as well as their mutual interactions, in order to select conditions that provide maximum sorbent loading. Five process variables (sorbent mass, sorbate concentration, contact time, initial pH and agitation speed) were examined by full factorial design at two levels.

The effect of process parameters on kinetics and mechanisms of Co2+ removal by bone char.

Bone char powder, composed mainly of poorly crystalline hydroxyapatite (Ca(10)(PO(4))(6)(OH)(2)), carbon and CaCO(3), has potential applicability in the removal of Co(2+) ions from contaminated effluents. In the present study, the influence of process parameters: particle size, agitation speed, initial pH and initial sorbate concentration, onto kinetics and mechanism of Co(2+)sorption was studied and discussed. In order to describe and compare time evolution of the process under different conditions, the experimental data were analyzed using pseudo-first, pseudo-second and Vermeulen's kinetic models.