In this study, we analyze the time-varying causality linkages between energy consumption, economic growth, and environmental degradation in 33 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, spanning the period 2000 to 2013. The curve causality approach provides evidence of a significant environmental Kuznets curve in 25 countries in the case of the ecological footprint and in 23 countries in the case of the Environmental Performance Index. However, out of them, only Italy, Slovakia, and South Korea have traditional environmental Kuznets curve, in the form of an inverted U–shaped curve. For the remaining countries, different forms of curves are valid. In particular, an N-shaped curve appears to be valid between income and environmental degradation for nearly half of the sample, i.e., for Austria, Belgium, Chile, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, Turkey, and the USA. Additionally, bidirectional causality relationships are confirmed among all covariates in most countries. In view of the results, some crucial policy implications would be suggested, such as sustainable development that aims to make a balance between economic growth and environmental protection.

Macroporous resin-supported reagents have been identified as potential adsorbents for removal of toxic pollutants. This article presents an experimental designed to evaluate the sorption and desorption of nickel(II) with the help of column and batch procedure using simple extractant-impregnated resin (EIR). Isonitroso-4-methyl-2-pentanone (IMP) as an extractant was impregnated on a solid support like Amberlite XAD-4 to prepare the EIR sorbent. Column experimental conditions such as pH, sample flow rate and volume, eluting solution, and interfering ions were studied to optimize the nickel(II) sorption and recovery from aqueous media. The column results suggest that the quantitative nickel(II) sorption was observed at pH 5–6, and the quantitative recovery (≥ 95%) was achieved by using 1.0 M HNO₃. The high concentrations of cations and anions (except EDTA) present in the spiked binary and multi-element mixture solution show no interferences in both quantitative sorption and recovery of nickel(II), whereas the batch experiments were performed to evaluate nickel(II) sorption behavior using the linearized and non-linearized kinetic and isotherm models. By error function analysis, the Freundlich isotherm and the pseudo-first-order kinetic model were found to describe best the experimental data obtained over the studied concentration range and sorption time, respectively. The maximum sorption capacity of nickel(II) onto the EIR sorbent was found to be ~ 81 mg/g. The mean free energy (E = 10.1 kJ/mol) determined using Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm suggests chemical nature of nickel(II) sorption on EIR. The novelty of the EIR adsorbent lies in its potential for separation and recovery of nickel(II) at trace level in water samples of different origin.

Cadmium contamination of agricultural soils has aroused worldwide concern because of the threats posed to human health through accumulation in food chains. A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted with in situ Cd-contaminated soil to study the influence of different potassium fertilizers (KCl, K₂SO₄, and KNO₃) on Cd accumulation in rice, wheat, and pak choi as well as the NH₄NO₃-extractable Cd (NEX-Cd) content in soils. In our study, rice and wheat biomass increased in the presence of K fertilizers, whereas pak choi biomass remained stable. Moreover, our experiment demonstrated that Cl⁻ increased Cd uptake by crops more effectively than SO₄²⁻ or NO₃⁻. The KCl treatments increased the Cd content of all three crops; as the KCl dose was increased, the Cd content of rice grains, wheat grains, and pak choi shoots increased by 10.8–192.8%, 17.1–67.7%, and 15.1–40.4%, respectively. The KNO₃ treatment also increased the Cd content of all three crops; however, the K₂SO₄ treatment only slightly increased the Cd content of wheat and pak choi and greatly decreased the Cd content of rice. In addition, both of the NEX-Cd content of wheat soil and pak choi soil were much higher than that of rice paddy soil. The KCl treatment resulted in a significant increase in the NEX-Cd content of rice paddy soil, but there were no significant differences in the NEX-Cd content of wheat soil or pak choi soil, regardless of which types or doses of K fertilizers were supplied. Based on these results, when K fertilizers are applied to Cd-contaminated soils, both types and doses should be carefully considered to mitigate Cd accumulation in crops, especially the edible part.

In the present study, the electrocatalytic degradation of triazine herbicide metamitron using Ti/PbO₂-CeO₂ composite anode was studied in detail. The effects of the current density, initial metamitron concentration, supporting electrolyte concentration, and initial pH value were investigated and optimized. The results revealed that an electrocatalytic approach possessed a high capability of metamitron removal in aqueous solution. After 120 min, the removal ratio of metamitron could reach 99.0% in 0.2 mol L⁻¹ Na₂SO₄ solution containing 45 mg L⁻¹ metamitron with the current density at 90 mA cm⁻² and pH value at 5.0. The reaction followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics model. HPLC and HPLC-MS were employed to analyze the degradation by-products in the metamitron oxidization process, and the degradation pathway was also proposed, which was divided into two sub-routes according to the different initial attacking positions on metamitron by hydroxyl radicals. Therefore, the electrocatalytic approach was considered as a very promising technology in practical application for herbicide wastewater treatment.

In recent years, China has constantly strengthened environmental regulation (ER) to force the manufacturing industry to upgrade. This study theoretically analyzes interaction mechanism of ER on the upgrading of manufacturing industry through foreign direct investment (FDI) and technological innovation (TI) and carries out empirical verification by using provincial panel data from 2000 to 2016 in China. The results demonstrate that the current ER intensity in China is unable to directly promote the upgrading of manufacturing industry, while through the interaction effects of FDI and TI do boost the upgrading of the industry. The above mechanisms are also robust even if we take the regional heterogeneity into consideration. Basic education and urbanization are favorable for the upgrading of the manufacturing industry. However, the increase in dependence on foreign trade is not conducive to upgrading manufacturing industry. Chinese government should further strengthen ER and give full play of the interaction mechanism of ER to guide the flow of foreign investment and force enterprises to carry out TI. In the meanwhile, Chinese government also needs to ensure balanced regional development, thus better promoting the upgrading of manufacturing industry.

The goal of the study was to assess the sorption properties of calcined eggshells (CEs) as a P reactive media filter. The CEs were calcined in a temperature of 900 °C. A double stage test was performed: batch studies (kinetic and equilibrium) and small-scale column experiment. The estimation of optimal mass ratio of CEs for perspective usage was the additional benefit of column experiment. The short kinetic tests showed that 5 min of contact time with solution of initial concentration of 6.020 mgP-PO₄ L⁻¹ is enough to reduce the P-PO₄ in 100%. The equilibrium studies were conducted with P-PO₄ solution of 6.020 to 977.7 mg L⁻¹ with contact time of 30 min. The obtained data was compensated by non-linear regression using the Marquardt algorithm in the Statgraphics Centurion XVI. The eggshell calcined characterized by high sorption capacity (Sₘₐₓ = 72.87 mg g⁻¹) obtained from the Langmuir isotherm model with a good fit (96.77%). To choose the appropriate ratio of a sand filter to eggshells amendment, four small columns were constructed and fed with P-PO₄ solution (Cᵢₙ ≈ 5 mg L⁻¹). The percentage mass (m/m) of CEs in the columns was 0.0 (the reference one); 1.0; 2.5; and 5.0. The unit sorption obtained during 95 days of column experiment was 10.668, 4.277, and 2.286 mg P-PO₄ g⁻¹ for 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0%, respectively. For practical implementation, the most recommended addition seems to be 1% of CEs. It corresponds, e.g., to the mass of 49 kg CEs for septic tank system.

Organic UV filters are used worldwide in various personal care products as well as textiles, paints, plastic, food, and adhesives. They are main ingredients in sunscreen lotions that are used heavily by beachgoers in the summer season. There is thus an increasing concern regarding the fate of organic UV filters in the environment and their impact on living organisms. Many of the UV filters in use are hydrophobic and are expected to accumulate in the sediment phase in aquatic systems, but this has yet to be validated in situ. We targeted the UV filters benzophenone 3 (BP3), butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDBM), diethylhexyl butamido triazone (DBT), bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT), and methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT) in a freshwater lake and in a coastal bay in order to understand their distribution during summer 2016. Further, we examined their environmental partitioning by collecting samples from the surface water, the sediment phase, and water surface microlayer (SML). We show for the first time the presence of DBT, BEMT, and MBBT in environmental matrices (water, SML, and sediment). Notably, these UV filters were detected at low amounts in surface waters with maximum concentrations of 9.9 ng/L for DBT, 18.4 ng/L for BEMT, and below detection limits for MBBT and somewhat higher concentrations in the SML, with maximum concentrations of 43.3 ng/L for DBT, 5625.4 ng/L for BEMT, and 45.6 ng/L for MBBT. These filters were detected at even greater concentrations in the sediments, with maximum concentrations of 652.6 ng/g for DBT, 115.0 ng/g for BEMT, and 75.2 ng/g for MBBT (dry weight sediment). We also performed controlled laboratory experiments to determine their partitioning behavior, and we verified the actual solubility of many of the filters. This will help in determining the environmental fate and finally lead to a better risk assessment of these compounds. Together, these results corroborate the hypothesis that hydrophobic UV filters accumulate in the sediment phase and highlight the importance of discerning whether these UV filters impact the benthic community and their potential for bioaccumulation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute and chronic effects caused by exposure to the 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)-based commercial herbicide Amina Zamba® on Physalaemus albonotatus tadpoles from Gosner stage 25. The lethal concentration (LC50) was determined after exposure to different concentrations of Amina Zamba® (350 to 2400 mg/L) at 96 h. Sublethal effects were evaluated after chronic exposure to four fractions of the LC50₉₆ₕ obtained (12.5, 25, 50, and 75% of LC50₉₆ₕ) and a control. The biological responses analyzed included survival, growth and development, morphological abnormalities, and histological changes in the liver. The LC50 values of Amina Zamba® at 48, 72, and 96 h were 1040.2, 754.2, and 350 mg/L, respectively. The chronic exposure to the herbicide altered the survival of exposed tadpoles and caused several morphological abnormalities and liver histological alterations, mainly at the highest concentrations tested. Oral disc malformations and intestinal abnormalities were the most frequent abnormalities in all treated tadpoles. Histological alterations observed in the liver structure included hepatocyte vacuolization, enlargement of sinusoids, dilation of blood vessels, and a significant increase in the number of melanomacrophages in tadpoles exposed to 25, 50, and 75% LC50₉₆ₕ with respect to control (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the treated tadpoles showed an accelerated development rate, reaching Gosner stages 38 and 42 before controls. These results demonstrate that the chronic exposure to this commercial formulation affects the survival, accelerates metamorphosis, and induces morphological abnormalities and liver damage in P. albonotatus tadpoles.

Bacteria belonging to the Order Bacteroidales predominate the intestines of warm-blooded animals, and monitoring of these bacteria can indicate fecal pollution impacts to a waterbody. Differences in seasonal concentrations and loadings for Bacteroidales and their relationship with physicochemical water parameters were investigated in temperate, inland streams. Seasonal samples (n = 321) were collected during baseflow in three central Tennessee, USA, watersheds. To estimate total fecal bacteria in receiving streams, general Bacteroidales 16S rRNA gene targets were analyzed by quantitative PCR and reported as concentration and loadings for individual and combined watersheds. In most cases, Bacteroidales marker concentrations were highest during spring/summer and loading values were highest in the spring. Bacteroidales concentrations were positively correlated with temperature and total suspended solids and negatively with dissolved oxygen, while no consistent correlations were found between loadings and abiotic factors. Temperature, total suspended solids, and dissolved oxygen are likely drivers influencing seasonal patterns for Bacteroidales concentrations. Researchers and water quality stakeholders should carefully consider measurement type (concentration versus loading), season, and water quality parameters as elements that could impact results when developing fecal monitoring projects.

Trees can be used as good indicators to evaluate the increase in atmospheric heavy metal concentrations. In the last two decades, air pollution in the city of Ankara has rapidly increased with the ever-increasing traffic density. In the present study, the depositions of aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), chrome (Cr), cadmium (Cd), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), barium (Ba), phosphor (P), magnesium (Mg), arsenic (As), and boron (B) in the rings of oak trees were analyzed using a GBC Integra XL–SDS-270 ICP-OES device. The study found that heavy metal concentrations in tree rings varied over the past 20 years; furthermore, there was a significant relationship between the heavy metal concentrations in tree rings and the atmospheric heavy metal concentrations. There was an increase in the concentrations of nutritional elements (Na, P, and Mg) in 2010 when there was excessive precipitation. As a result, the concentrations of all elements in the woods of different ages were significantly different at a confidence interval of 95% for As, 99% for Cd, and 99.9% for other elements.