A quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe pretreatment method using dispersive solid-phase extraction was developed to quantify kasugamycin in Chinese cabbage samples by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. A pretreatment method involving precolumn transformation was utilized to determine the residue of saisentong in Chinese cabbage through high-performance liquid chromatography/ultraviolet detection. These methods were successfully applied through field trials to determine the contents of kasugamycin and saisentong in Chinese cabbage. The dissipation of kasugamycin and saisentong in Chinese cabbage followed first-order kinetics with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.9066–0.9731 at the 95% confidence level. The half-lives of kasugamycin and saisentong in Chinese cabbage were 1.8–2.0 and 2.2–3.8 days, respectively. Terminal residual levels of kasugamycin in Chinese cabbage were not detected 14 days after application. The dietary risk assessment of kasugamycin and saisentong in Chinese cabbage showed that their risk quotients were 0.93 and 2.58%, respectively, in the preharvest interval (PHI) of 14 days. Kasugamycin and saisentong in Chinese cabbage did not pose potential health hazards at PHI of 14 days. The maximum residue limits of kasugamycin and saisentong in Chinese cabbage were 0.02 and 0.36 mg/kg, respectively, and 14 days was the safe PHI.

Leaching of phosphorus fertilizer from loose-structured subtropical soils is a major course of agricultural water pollution in southeastern USA. Soil amendments play a major role in the phosphorus retention in soil through different mechanisms. In the present study we tested the effect of two soil amendments; biochar and coal fly ash in immobilizing the soluble phosphorus fertilizer added to sandy Ultisol soils from subtropical USA. Column leaching tests were conducted with Ultisol soil added with biochar (from avocado branch cut biomass) and coal fly ash at 5 tons/ha rate, under simulated rainfall, to collect the leachate over five pore volumes. The leachate was analyzed for the phosphate phosphorus content. In the end, the soil columns were carefully extracted, sectioned and analyzed for the total phosphorus, after acid digestion. Results showed 50% and 6% drop of soluble phosphorus leaching loss in biochar and coal fly ash added soil respectively. Soil amendments have shifted the loosely bound phosphorus into the Ca/Mg bound and Al/Fe/Mn bound pools which are not readily water extractable. Addition of biochar and coal fly ash together showed a synergistic interaction effect in reducing the leaching loss of phosphorus which needs further investigation to understand the exact mechanism.

Acetochlor is one of the most widely used pesticides worldwide and widely distributed in the water environment. However, studies on the reproductive influence of acetochlor are still limited. To investigate the impact and potential mechanism of acetochlor on fish ovarian development, zebrafish were utilized as experiment models. The ovarian histology, ovarian development-related genes, and plasma oxidative stress-related indexes were investigated following acetochlor (at nominal concentration 1, 10, and 100 μg/L) exposure for 7 and 21 days. Results showed that low-dose acetochlor had estrogen effect and induced zebrafish estradiol (E₂) and ovarian vitellogenin (Vtg) synthesis and promoted ovarian development, while long-term exposure to higher doses of acetochlor reduced the ability of ovarian resistance to oxidative stress and destroyed the development of the ovary. Moreover, bone morphogenetic protein 15 (bmp15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (gdf9) were also involved in the influence of acetochlor on the ovarian development of zebrafish.

Sediments may act as a source or sink of ions from water, especially phosphorus (P). After the erosion process, the challenge is to retain suspended sediments inside the watershed area. We hypothesize that weir structures may mitigate P transfer from agricultural soils to aquatic systems. To test this, the present work aimed to evaluate P chemical fractions present in bottom sediments retained in the water reservoir of weirs built in two intensive agricultural watersheds and we discuss the sink/source behavior of these sediments. Samples of bottom sediments were collected from 12 reservoirs of weirs in two smalls Brazilian watersheds. Chemical P fractionation including adsorption and desorption kinetics was performed. Total P varied from 398 to 958 mg kg⁻¹. The easily and potentially desorbed phosphorus were correlated with the clay content and the concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Al, extracted by ammonium oxalate and dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate solutions, which are the carriers of highly reactive functional groups with phosphate. Bottom sediments have high maximum adsorption capacity under unrestricted phosphorus supply condition, while under natural condition (low anthropogenic pressure), the sediments were not saturated and therefore low desorption occurred. Only 1.34% and 7.75% of total P was in readily and potentially bioavailable P forms. The bottom sediments accumulated in reservoirs from anthropogenic areas acted as P source to water, while those from preserved areas (natural pasture or riparian forest) acted as sink of P from water. The storage of water and sediment contaminated with P in reservoir of weirs may be an efficient and temporary practice to mitigate the transfer of P to watercourses.

This study established the correlation between respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis and climate factors in the area of Sousse, Tunisia, during 13 years (2003–2015), from neonates and children <= 5 years old and hospitalized in Farhat Hached University-Hospital of Sousse. The meteorological data of Sousse including temperature, rainfall, and humidity were obtained. RSV detection was carried out with the direct immunofluorescence assay. The impact of climate factors on viral circulation was statistically analyzed. From 2003 to 2015, the total rate of RSV bronchiolitis accounted for 34.5% and peaked in 2007 and 2013. RSV infection was higher in male cases and pediatric environment (p<0.001) and was detected in 47.3% of hospitalizations in intensive care units. The epidemic of this pathogen started in October and peaked in January (41.6%). When the infectivity of RSV was at its maximum, the monthly average rainfall was high (31 mm) and the monthly average temperature and the monthly average humidity were at their minimum (11 °C and 66%, respectively). RSV activity was negatively correlated with temperature (r = − 0.78, p = 0.003) and humidity (r = − 0.62, p = 0.03). Regression analysis showed that the monthly average temperature fits into a linear model (R² = 61%, p < 0.01). No correlation between RSV activity and rainfall was observed (p = 0.48). The meteorological predictions of RSV outbreaks with specific Tunisian climate parameters will help in determining the optimal timing of appropriate preventive strategies. In the area of Sousse, preventive measures should be enhanced since October especially, when the temperature is around 11 °C and humidity is above 60%.

This study set out to reveal to what extent women entrepreneurs operating in rural areas have been affected by environmental pollution and climate change. Besides, it emphasises how much they will be affected over the next 5 years throughout Turkey. The study covered rural areas of all seven regions in Turkey. Findings were analysed by using SPSS 23 programme. Women entrepreneurs were younger in less developed regions of the country, such as the Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Anatolia, and were older in the more economically developed coastal areas. One-third of the respondents were microentrepreneurs; 12% employ five or more workers. The problems of rural women entrepreneurs are further complicated by environmental pollution and climate change. Among the significant environmental issues, women entrepreneurs endure a loss of income, loss of trade stock/goods, and loss of livestock, property damage and potable water supply. Women entrepreneurs agreed that, in the next 5 years, environmental problems would adversely affect customer demand, the quality of raw materials they use and the products they offer; therefore, customer demand would reduce. On the other hand, they were divided in their opinion about whether environmental problems will be affecting their business location and the need to invest in technology and equipment. The study showed that none of the participants obtained disaster insurance, and none of them was members of an environmental organisation.

The current study deals with the adsorption of hexavalent chromium using acid (H₃PO₄)-activated water caltrop (Trapa natans) shell (PWCS) using an up-flow packed bed column. Characteristics of breakthrough curve was obtained by investigating the effect of several operating parameters viz. inlet flow rate (2–6 mL/min), initial metal ion concentration (50–150 mg/L), and adsorbent’s column bed height (1–3 cm). Elevated time of breakthrough curve was reported with elevated adsorbent bed height and vice versa with enhanced initial metal concentration and inlet flow rate of sorbate solution. Process design and breakthrough curves under varying conditions were predicted by applying column models like Thomas model, Adams–Bohart model, Yoon Nelson model, and bed depth service Time (BDST). Column behavior was better described by the BDST and Thomas model and simultaneously gave a good fit with the experimental data of breakthrough curves. The percentage removal for Cr(VI) from aqueous solution having pH 2 and temperature 303.15 K was observed to be 52.46%. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 87.31 mg/g according to the Thomas model. Conclusively, phosphoric acid–modified T. natans shell (PWCS) showed better sorption potential for of Cr(VI) species from simulated wastewater.

Microplastics (plastic particles < 5 mm) is a pollution of growing concern. Microplastic pollution is a complex issue that requires systematic attempts to provide an overview and avoid management solutions that have marginal effects or only move the pollution problem. Substance flow analysis (SFA) has been proposed as a useful tool to receive such an overview and has been put forward as valuable for substance management. However, as the research on microplastics has only emerged recently, detailed and reliable SFAs are difficult to perform. In this study, we use three SFA studies for three pollutants (cadmium, copper and pharmaceuticals) to compare flows and strategies to control the flows. This in order to seek guidance for microplastic management and evaluate potential strategies for controlling microplastics. The analysis shows that there has been rigorous control on different levels to abate pollution from cadmium, copper and pharmaceuticals, but where in the system the major control measures have been carried out differ. For microplastics, there are many potential solutions, both in terms of preventive actions and treatment depending on the type of source. When forming management plans for microplastics, the responsibility for each measure and the impact on the whole urban system should be taken into consideration as well as which receiving compartments are particularly valuable and should be avoided.

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (IMO 2018 Edition) was adopted in 2004 and entered into force on 8 September 2017, aiming to introduce global regulations to control the transfer of potentially invasive species Resolution (IMO MEPC.207(62) 2011). These efforts are translated into a wide range of solutions for retrofitting and new building services, which is evidenced through the substantial amount of data disclosed and analysed by different parties showing that optimization processes will have an important role for the existent management systems. Analysing a ballast water management installation project for oil tankers, categorizing the stakeholders involved and assessing properly the outcomes from an engineering perspective are important matters. The experience considered at the BWM Convention and its amendments set an important call to the industry in terms of milestones. Avoiding any delay in terms of operation is not the only answer to this call but also setting up an optimized and sustainable operation after the implementation process. The project management, on the subfield of stakeholders’ management (Bourne 2016), brings a myriad of individuals connected to ballast water management matters with different levels of knowledge, experience and commitment from an engineering perspective. This article aims to measure these factors and the stakeholders’ experience based on qualitative research into the ballast water management convention, with emphasis on the installation process on board. The data herewith analysed was obtained from a series of interviews conducted from January 2019 to August 2019.

Hydroxypropyl cellulose-g-poly (acrylicacid-co-2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid)/laterite (HPC-g-P (AA-co-AMPS)/laterite) with excellent water (salt) absorbency, water retention performance, re-swelling property, and fast water absorption rate was prepared by free-radical polymerization. The structure and morphology of the synthetic materials were characterized by FTIR, SEM, and TGA. The water absorbency of superabsorbent resin in different salt solutions was studied, and it was proved that the superabsorbent resin was more sensitive to salt solutions. The swelling kinetic mechanism of superabsorbent resin was explained by pseudo-second-order swelling kinetic model. The effects of the ratio of laterite to loess on water evaporation and the content of superabsorbent resin on soil water evaporation and shrinkage of soil crust were studied.