The use of nanoparticles (NPs) is of increasing significance due to their large potential for various applications. Great attention should be paid on the possible impacts of nanoparticles on the environment as large amounts of them may reach the environment by accident or voluntarily. Marine algae are potential organisms for usage in nanopollution bioremediation in aquatic system, because of their ability to adapt to long exposure to NPs. Thus, it is of prime importance to study the possible interactions of different NPs with microalgae in assessing their potential environmental risks. Most studies on potential environmental effects of ZnO and TiO₂ NPs have been performed independently and following the widely accepted, standardized test systems, which had been developed for the characterization of chemicals. In this study, we have examined the cumulative effect of ZnO and TiO₂ NPs on Picochlorum sp. in addition to the individual effects of these NPs over 32 days. Our results indicate that the toxicity and availability of NPs to marine algae are reduced by their aggregation and sedimentation. NPs are found to have a negative effect on algal growth and chlorophyll a concentration during the early growth stages. In contrast, the case is reversed during the late growth stages. There is no significant difference between the effect of the NPs when they are used separately and when both ZnO and TiO₂ are used together in the test (P > 0.05).

An accurate and easy method for the extraction, cleanup, and HRGC-HRMS analysis of dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) in low-volume serum samples (1 mL) was developed. Serum samples were extracted several times using n-hexane and purified by acid washing. Recovery rates of labeled congeners ranged from 70 to 110 % and the limits of detection were below 1 pg/g on lipid basis. Although human studies are limited and contradictory, several studies have shown that DL-PCBs can have adverse effects on the male reproductive system. In this way, the present method was applied to 21 serum samples of male patients attending fertility clinics. The total levels obtained for the patients ranged from 6.90 to 84.1 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid, with a mean value of 20.3 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid. The predominant PCBs (the sum of PCB 118, 156, and 105) contributed 67 % to the mean concentration of total DL-PCBs in the samples analyzed.

Source-specific elucidation of domestic sewage pollution caused by various effluent sources in an urban river water, as conducted for this study, demands knowledge of the relation between concentrations of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) as molecular indicators (caffeine, carbamazepine, triclosan) and water quality concentrations of total nitrogen (T-N) and total phosphorous (T-P). River water and wastewater samples from the Asahikawa River Basin in northern Japan were analyzed using derivatization-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Caffeine, used as an indicator of domestic sewage in the Asahikawa River Basin, was more ubiquitous than either carbamazepine or triclosan (92–100 %). Its concentration was higher than any target compound used to assess the basin: <4.4–370 ng/L for caffeine, <0.6–3.9 ng/L for carbamazepine, and <1.1–13 ng/L for triclosan. Higher caffeine concentrations detected in wastewater effluents and the strongly positive mutual linear correlation between caffeine and T-N or T-P (R ² > 0.759) reflect the contribution of septic tank system effluents to the lower Asahikawa River Basin. Results of relative molecular indicators in combination with different molecular indicators (caffeine/carbamazepine and triclosan/carbamazepine) and cluster analysis better reflect the contribution of sewage than results obtained using concentrations of respective molecular indicators and cluster analysis. Relative molecular indicators used with water quality parameters (e.g., caffeine/T-N ratio) in this study provide results more clearly, relatively, and quantitatively than results obtained using molecular indicators alone. Moreover, the caffeine/T-N ratio reflects variations of caffeine flux from effluent sources. These results suggest strongly relative molecular indicators are also useful indicators, reflecting differences in spatial contributions of domestic sources for PPCPs in urban areas.

Alginates are natural polymers composed of mannuronic and guluronic acid residues. They are currently extracted from brown algae; however, alginate can also be synthesized by some species of Azotobacter and Pseudomonas. Alginates with different proportion of mannuronic and guluronic acids are known to have different characteristics and form gels at different extents in the presence of calcium ions. The aim of this work was to investigate the usefulness of alginate as a non-toxic coagulant used in purification of drinking water. This study utilized alginates from Azotobacter vinelandii having different guluronic acid levels. These were obtained partly by changing the cultivation parameters, partly by epimerizing a purified alginate sample in vitro using the A. vinelandii mannuronan C-5 epimerase AlgE1. The different alginates were then used for coagulation together with calcium. The results showed that turbidity removal capability was dependent on the content of guluronic acid residues. For the best performing samples, the turbidity decreased from 10 NTU to 1 NTU by the use of only 2 mg/L of alginate and 1.5 mM of calcium chloride.

The application of powdered layer double hydroxides (LDHs) in constructed rapid infiltration system (CRIS) appears to be an appreciable problem still unsolved due to the small particle size and the low density. Therefore, the core-shell zeolites/MgFe-LDHs composites were prepared via using co-precipitation method in present study. To investigate the practical applicability, a detailed organics, ammonia, and total phosphorus removal study were carried out in columns to treat the municipal wastewater. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) results confirmed the successful synthesis of core-shell zeolites/MgFe-LDHs through coating on the surface of zeolites. Accordingly, the zeolites/MgFe-LDHs largely reduced the COD by 81.14 %, NH₄⁺-N by 81.50 %, and TP by 83.29 %. Phosphate adsorption study revealed that the equilibrium adsorption data were better fitted by Langmuir isothermal model, with the maximum adsorption capacity of 79.3651 mg/kg for zeolites/MgFe-LDHs and 38.4615 mg/kg for the natural zeolites. In addition, economic analysis indicated that the reagent cost of synthesis of zeolites/MgFe-LDHs was economical. Herein, the zeolites/MgFe-LDHs solved the natural zeolites problem for poor P removal and the application of powdered LDHs in the solid/liquid separation process, suggesting that it was applicable as potential substrates for the removal of organics, ammonia, and total phosphorus in CRIS.

Environmental pollution by pharmaceutical residues has become a major problem in many countries worldwide. However, little is known about the concentrations of pharmaceuticals in water sources in Tunisia. Residues in the natural environment have been of increasing concern due to their impact on bacteria resistance development and toxicity to natural communities and ultimately to public health. In this work, we collected the wastewater sample from a pharmaceutical industry, which specializes in the antibiotics manufacture, during the years 2014–2015. Generally, this effluent is discharged into the marine environment and causes environmental problems. The Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis was commonly used as a model organism for its peculiar morphofunctional properties which also make it an excellent marine environmental biomonitoring species. The histological sections of mussel, which are exposed at different dilutions of pharmaceutical wastewater (PW), indicate a large pathological power revealed on the gills. On the other hand, genotoxicity of the studied effluent was evaluated using comet assay for quantification of DNA fragmentation in gill cells. Results show that PW exhibited a statistically significant (p < 0.001) genotoxic effect in a dose-dependent manner. However, the toxic effects of PW decreased significantly after its treatment with Bacillus atrophaeus. Toxicities can be imputed to the presence of antibiotics. In fact, chemical analysis of the gills of mussel M. galloprovincialis using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) showed the presence of some antibiotic residues. These concentrations decrease to half in mussels treated with PW biodegraded by B. atrophaeus.

Spoil heaps are the visible footprint of hydropower production, particularly in vulnerable alpine environments. Speeding up vegetation development by seeding commercial grass species has been a common restoration practice for the last 50 years, but we lack information on whether seeded species decline and allow native plant cover to develop. We visually estimated cover of native vascular plants and five seeded grass species (Agrostis capillaris, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Schedonorus pratensis and Phleum pratense) on eight spoil heaps at different elevations (boreal–alpine zone) in western Norway. Spoil heap vegetation was censused twice (9–20 and 24–36 years after spoil heap construction); the undisturbed surrounding vegetation was also censused on the second occasion. Total cover on the spoil heaps showed some increase, but remained far below that in surrounding areas. Cover of seeded grass species in the surroundings was low (but not negligible), indicating suboptimal establishment ability. Seeded species usually covered less than 20 % of the spoil heaps, and only F. rubra, F. ovina and A. capillaris contributed substantially. Proportional cover indicated better initial establishment by seeded species, but their cover decreased between the censuses on all but the highest located spoil heap. The persistence of seeded grass species is problematic, and despite the decrease in proportional cover, they are likely to persist for decades on spoil heaps, posing a risk of invasion of surrounding areas. We therefore recommend replacing the practice of seeding with more appropriate restoration measures.

The impact of viaduct construction on the vegetation of a river valley was studied in Central Poland (Natura 2000 site PLH100006). The research aimed at assessing the suitability of ALS (airborne laser scanning), soil, and botanical data for monitoring the environmental effects of right-of-way reclamation 1 year after the road construction. Based on the data mentioned above, the following problems were identified: changes in topography and hydrological conditions of the valley as a result of improper land levelling, the use of inadequate soil for reclamation, no spontaneous regeneration of natural vegetation along the entire right-of-way, as well as the abundant occurrence of invasive species. The results of analysis were used to define strategies for mitigation of adverse impacts of the viaduct construction.

The main objective of this study was the development of simple multi-parameter methods for the analyses of biocides in various environmental matrices (wastewater, surface water, and sewage sludge) for measurement and monitoring activities. Eight target substances (triclosan, methyltriclosan (transformation product of triclosan), cybutryne (Irgarol), and the azole fungicides propiconazole, tebuconazole, imazalil, thiabendazole, and cyproconazole) were chosen for determination in selected sample sets. For surface water and wastewater samples a solid-phase extraction (SPE) method and for sewage sludge samples an accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) were developed. The extracts were analyzed by gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric methods (GC/MS), and the analytical methods were checked to ensure sufficient sensitivity by comparing the limits of quantification (LOQs) to the predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs) of the selected biocides. For quality control, recovery rates were determined. Finally, developed methods were checked and validated by application on sample material from various matrices. Sampling took place in seven urban wastewater treatment plants and their corresponding receiving waters. The results revealed that the developed extraction methods are effective and simple and allow the determination of a broad range of biocides in various environmental compartments.