Wastewater treatments can eliminate or remove a substantial amount of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs), but there may still be significant concentrations of them in effluents discharged into surface water bodies. Beirolas wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is located in the Lisbon area and makes its effluent discharges into Tagus estuary (Portugal). The main objective of this study is to quantify a group of 32 PhACs in the different treatments used in this WWTP. Twelve sampling campaigns of wastewater belonging to the different treatments were made in 2013–2014 in order to study their removal efficiency. The wastewaters were analysed by solid phase extraction (SPE) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass detection (UPLC–MS/MS). The anti-diabetics were the most frequently found in wastewater influent (WWI) and wastewater effluent (WWE) (208 and 1.7 μg/L, respectively), followed by analgesics/antipyretics (135 μg/L and < LOQ, respectively), psychostimulants (113 and 0.49 μg/L, respectively), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (33 and 2.6 μg/L, respectively), antibiotics (5.2 and 1.8 μg/L, respectively), antilipidemics (1.6 and 0.24 μg/L, respectively), anticonvulsants (1.5 and 0.63 μg/L, respectively) and beta blockers (1.3 and 0.51 μg/L, respectively). A snapshot of the ability of each treatment step to remove these target PhACs is provided, and it was found that global efficiency is strongly dependent on the efficiency of secondary treatment. Seasonal occurrence and removal efficiency was also monitored, and they did not show a significant seasonal trend.

Mercury (Hg) is an environmental pollutant which is detrimental to the health of living beings due to the toxicity in its all oxidation states. To control mercury pollution development of low cost, efficient and highly sensitive prototype mercury sensor remains a challenge. In the present work, we have proposed a low-cost prototype device based on silver nanoparticle-impregnated poly(vinyle alcohol) (PVA-Ag-NPs) nanocomposite thin film for mercury detection. The thin film, fabricated through a facile protocol, is shown to be a fast, efficient, and selective sensor for Hg²⁺ in aqueous medium with a detection limit of 10 ppb. We have utilized the aggregation and amalgamation of Ag-NPs with Hg²⁺ to develop the low-cost, highly efficient and feasible prototype mercury sensor. In the presence of Hg²⁺, the yellowish thin film turned into colourless due to the loss of intense surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption band of the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) through aggregation and amalgamation with mercury. The developed sensor has high selectivity for Hg²⁺ ions over a wide range of other competing heavy metal ions, generally present in water of natural sources. The sensor response is found to be linear over the Hg²⁺ ion concentration regime from 10 ppb to 5 ppm. The developed sensor has shown to determine a trace Hg²⁺ ions in real water samples. Finally, using the proposed technique, we have developed a simple and inexpensive prototype device for monitoring in field environmental mercury pollution. Graphical Abstract ᅟ

The evaluation of DNA damage in aquatic organisms represents one of the most widely used biomarkers in the assessment and monitoring of marine pollution. Our previous research highlighted the presence of DNA damage in hepatic nuclei and blood cells of Coris julis specimens collected from Augusta harbor (Syracuse, Italy), a site highly polluted. In this work, we investigated on the ability of different natural compounds with antioxidant and immunostimulating properties, such as resveratrol (50 μM, 100 μM), amygdalin (100 μM, 200 μM), and Urtica dioica roots extract (50 and/or 100 μg/ml), in reducing DNA damage of C. julis. Blood cells were analyzed by atypical cellular comet assay. The results confirmed that Augusta specimens are the most damaged and showed that resveratrol, followed by amygdalin and U. dioica roots extract, drastically reduced DNA damage. This finding evidences the effectiveness of three natural compounds for DNA protection suggesting the possible use of feed enriched with antioxidant compounds in aquaculture practices for organisms damaged by natural and anthropic insults.

In order to determine the possible impact on the marine environment, we present a study on the dispersal and bioavailability of sediment-associated heavy metals related to underwater blasting and dredging of bedrock operations during a quay construction. The environmental impact was primarily assessed by deploying a buoy setup including sediment traps, blue mussels, and passive samplers (diffusive gradient in thin films, DGTs) in a gradient from the construction site during the operations. Samplings were made during five separate periods covering a total span of about 2.5 months. Analyses included sedimentation rates, organic content, and metal concentrations of the material collected in the sediment traps and metal concentrations of the mussels and passive samplers. The construction work was associated with a considerable dispersion of sediments, organic material, and associated heavy metals. The major fraction of the sediment settled in the vicinity of the construction site. While the mussels were found to accumulate some metals in a distance-related manner to the construction site and no such accumulation in the DGTs occurred, we conclude that most of the dispersed metals were particle associated. It was found that while a large part of the material settled in the vicinity of the construction site, most of the fine-grained and/or organic sediment that was brought into suspension was transported further away from the construction site (beyond the 350 m) most likely carrying contaminants including heavy metals. For future studies of risks and monitoring of underwater blasting and dredging, we recommend to include a larger monitoring area and more importantly water samples of the suspended plumes. Graphical Abstract The dispersal of sediments and bioavailability of heavy metals were assessed using a buoy setup during underwater blasting and dredging. ᅟ

Imazethapyr and imazapic are widely used in South Brazil to control weeds in rice fields, mainly through agricultural aviation. The environmental legislation requires that agricultural aviation companies have environmental licensing, which implies that the effluent treatment system must be compliant with the regulations of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, which advises the use of an ozone-based system. An evaluation of the efficiency of this system through the analysis of the content of imazethapyr and imazapic (from the herbicide Only®) in the treatment of effluent with two distinct rates of ozone (1.0 and 2.0 g O₃/h) was performed. It was found that for each tank wash is generated an average volume of 132 L of effluent (112 L of water plus 20 L of surplus diluted spray solution). After the treatment with 1.0 and 2.0 g O₃/h, imazethapyr concentration decreased − 92.4 and − 95.2%, respectively. For imazapic, the concentration in the washing effluent decreased − 69.1 and − 80.1%, respectively. The results indicate that the system was effective in the treatment of the effluent containing residues of the herbicide Only®.

In two soils from Central Greece, a pot experiment was conducted with the addition of mixture at various ratios of zeolite and compost (based on Posidonia oceanica (L.) leaves) applied at a rate of 5% w/w (calculated on a soil dry weight basis). Three varieties of tobacco (Burley, Virginia, and Oriental) were cultivated, and Cu, Zn, and Cd concentrations in tobacco leaves were measured at first, second, and third primings. We found that the addition of zeolite in the soil1 led to a significant reduction of metal concentration in all three tobacco varieties compared to the control. Also, zeolite addition reduced significantly the water-soluble, as well as, DTPA-extractable metal concentrations, compared to the other treatments. Our results suggest that the most effective amendment in soil 1 was the mixture consisting of 20% compost and 80% zeolite; this mixture led to higher reduction of metal concentration in all tobacco varieties. As for soil 2, which had almost twice as high Cd concentrations as than in soil 1, Posidonia compost was more effective in reducing Cd concentrations from all three tobacco varieties. In all cases studied, both in soils 1 and 2, Cd concentration was higher in Burley tobacco leaves. The results indicate that a mixture of zeolite and compost consisting of Posidonia oceanica (L.) is a low-cost soil conditioner that is effective in reducing tobacco Cu, Zn, and Cd uptake.

Tetrachlorobisphenol A (TCBPA) is a widely used flame retardant and a potential endocrine disruptor. We estimated the role of the microbial community in degradation of TCBPA in river sediment from the vicinity of an E-waste processing facility. The effects of different anaerobic conditions on degradation efficiency of TCBPA were investigated, and differences in bacterial communities among these conditions were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. The most effective dechlorination of TCBPA occurred under methanogenic conditions followed by electron donor-enhanced conditions and sulfate-reducing conditions with initial sulfate concentrations of 1, 10, and 20 mM. The extent of TCBPA removal under these conditions mentioned above was 65, 44, 43, 23, and 23%, respectively. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that five dominant genera in the phylum Chloroflexi and another five species of Bacteroidetes, Chlorobi, and Firmicutes in these five systems were largely involved in TCBPA dechlorination. The initial sample had a total relative abundance of autochtonous potential dechlorinating bacteria of 12%. After 160 days, these values increased to 29–43% under above conditions. Addition of TCBPA decreased bacterial diversity. Efficiency of TCBPA degradation depends on the abundance and metabolism of dechlorinating bacterial guilds. The effectiveness of dechlorinating microbes in degradation of TCBPA was reduced by high sulfate concentrations.

With the increase in the occurrence of heavy metal polluted rice in Asian countries, food safety of rice products is of utmost concern to consumers. The current study discusses the distribution of trace elements Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Hg, and Pb in Asian rice-derived food products. Three types of food products, rice noodles, rice vinegar/wine, and rice snacks, were chosen for examination. Most toxic heavy metals and metalloid such as As, Cd, Hg, and Pb were found to be within the safe level of EPA. Since rice vinegar/wine is not the staple food for people, there is no noticeable safety concern. Rice noodles and snacks are consumed with noticeable Se content and they are possible for human Se source addition. With comparison with raw rice, rice-derived food products showed better quality in terms of toxic heavy metals and metalloids. This study is for the first time reporting a thorough understanding of safety concern of rice-derived food products. It provides baselines and understanding on current levels of trace elements and heavy metals in Asian-derived rice products as affected by food processes. It would also help consumers build up confidence on the food safety of Asian rice products.

Modification of a catalyst with polyethylene glycol (PEG) created a dramatic increase in the catalytic activity for the degradation of phenol wastewater. The Fe/PEG-modified γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst was prepared by an impregnation method. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, wide- and small-angle X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and N₂ adsorption-desorption experiments, and the results showed that the Fe species were highly dispersed on the surface of the PEG-modified support. At the same time, the PEG modification resulted in an increase in the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and pore volume. The catalytic activity test showed that the Fe/PEG-modified γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst exhibited a superior performance for the degradation of phenol wastewater in this study, and the phenol and COD removal values reached 94.1 and 88.9%, respectively, within 60 min. The results clearly show that PEG modification is a promising methodology for the preparation of a catalyst with good dispersal of the active component on the support.

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) is a class of refractory organic compounds, widely used as additives or plasticizers in plastic industry. PAEs are ubiquitous endocrine-disrupting pollutants and can be degraded by microorganisms. The present study described the assimilation of four PAE mixture (dimethyl, diethyl, dipropyl, and dibutyl phthalate) by two bacillus species: Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus, isolated from different agricultural soil and their consortium. Among which, the optimal degradation of 82–96% was achieved by B. thuringiensis. This is the first report on the metabolic breakdown of four basic PAE mixture. The optimum conditions for biodegradation were found to be pH 7, temperature 30 °C, inoculum size 10 mL, and concentration 400 mg/L. Moreover, the respective biodegradation followed the first-order kinetic model. Our results proffered supplementary confirmation of the wide spectrum of PAE utilization by B. thuringiensis and suggest the possibility of applying it for the remediation of PAE contamination waste.