We reviewed the results of previous studies that investigated the association between allergic symptoms in children and exposure to the major air pollutants, here identified as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulfur dioxide (SO2), soot, and carbon monoxide (CO), in terms of the odds ratios reported. We also reviewed a common procedure used in previous studies for building a whole study design based on application of an observational research method and various analysis models. Most previous studies reported odds ratios above unity and found a positive association between allergic symptoms and exposure to major air pollutants. When the strength of the associations between exposure to air pollutants and allergic disease in children were compared by normalization of the odds ratios, exposure to PM2.5 was found to have the strongest association, followed by NO2, while exposure to PM10 was found to have the weakest association.

This study assesses through a multiple before-after-control-impact (MBACI) design the effects of diesel oil on the structure of nematode assemblages in unvegetated tidal flats of a subtropical estuary. Oil-exposed treatments were contrasted with controls for a duration of four successive days before and after an experimental spill in three distinct areas of the Paranaguá Estuarine Complex (Southern Brazil). No significant differences were observed in nematode total density, number of taxa and the overall assemblage structure between the control and impact treatments from before to after the experimental spill. This reinforces the idea that, despite being good indicators of environmental stress, free-living marine nematodes are able to tolerate low concentrations of hydrocarbons and to survive in moderately contaminated areas. We also show that robust experimental designs are useful to avoid confounding expected natural variability with the effects of a mild impact.

A large amount of oil pollution at sea is produced by the operational discharge of oily wastewater. The removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from such sources using UV irradiation has become attractive, yet the photolysis mechanism in seawater has remained unclear. This study examines the photodegradation kinetics of naphthalene in natural seawater through a full factorial design of experiments (DOE). The effects of fluence rate, salinity, temperature and initial concentration are investigated. Results show that fluence rate, temperature and the interaction between temperature and initial concentration are the most influential factors. An increase in fluence rate can linearly promote the photodegradation process. Salinity increasingly impedes the removal of naphthalene because of the existence of free-radical scavengers and photon competitors. The results will help understand the photolysis mechanism of PAHs and develop more effective methods for treating oily seawater generated from offshore industries.

Cyanobacterial toxins have caused worldwide concern because of their lethal effects, which has led to intensive search of cost-effective removal techniques. With the application of a Box–Behnken experimental design combined with response surface methodology, the adsorption process of the potent and commonly occurring microcystin-LR (MC-LR) onto nano-sized montmorillonite (NMMT) K10 was investigated through the HPLC-UV system. The quadratic statistical model was established to predict the interactive effects of pH (1–12), NMMT K10 dose (1–10 mg mL⁻¹), and MC-LR initial concentration (100–1,000 μg L⁻¹) on MC-LR adsorption and to optimize the controlling parameters. The MC-LR adsorption by NMMT K10 was pH dependent and was found to reach a maximum at pH 2.96 with a removal peak of 186.37 μg g⁻¹. The range of optimal pH for MC-LR adsorption was 2.96–3.48, and higher adsorption capacities were achieved with increasing adsorbent dose and MC-LR initial concentration. Sorption kinetics revealed that the sorption process of MC-LR on NMMT K10 was rapid (short equilibrium time) and involved several kinetic stages. The Langmuir isotherm model predicted that the theoretical maximum adsorption capacity at pH 3 was 285.20 μg g⁻¹. Alkali eluting media (0.1 M NaOH) showed the highest desorption percentage (75.3 %) during regeneration studies. The high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area (204.65 m² g⁻¹) of NMMT K10 was also characterized. NMMT K10 was determined to be an effective and economic adsorbent for MC-LR removal on a large scale.

In the present study, feasibility of recovering the coagulant from water treatment plant sludge with sulphuric acid and reusing it in post-treatment of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor effluent treating municipal wastewater were studied. The optimum conditions for coagulant recovery from water treatment plant sludge were investigated using response surface methodology (RSM). Sludge obtained from plants that use polyaluminium chloride (PACl) and alum coagulant was utilised for the study. Effect of three variables, pH, solid content and mixing time was studied using a Box–Behnken statistical experimental design. RSM model was developed based on the experimental aluminium recovery, and the response plots were developed. Results of the study showed significant effects of all the three variables and their interactions in the recovery process. The optimum aluminium recovery of 73.26 and 62.73 % from PACl sludge and alum sludge, respectively, was obtained at pH of 2.0, solid content of 0.5 % and mixing time of 30 min. The recovered coagulant solution had elevated concentrations of certain metals and chemical oxygen demand (COD) which raised concern about its reuse potential in water treatment. Hence, the coagulant recovered from PACl sludge was reused as coagulant for post-treatment of UASB reactor effluent treating municipal wastewater. The recovered coagulant gave 71 % COD, 80 % turbidity, 89 % phosphate, 77 % suspended solids and 99.5 % total coliform removal at 25 mg Al/L. Fresh PACl also gave similar performance but at higher dose of 40 mg Al/L. The results suggest that coagulant can be recovered from water treatment plant sludge and can be used to treat UASB reactor effluent treating municipal wastewater which can reduce the consumption of fresh coagulant in wastewater treatment.

The Fered-Fenton process has been shown to be an effective method for leachate treatment, but it still faces problems of inadequate regeneration of ferrous ion. However, the use of the photoassisted Fered-Fenton process could overcome this difficulty and improve the efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal since photoassisted Fered-Fenton process induces the production of hydroxyl radicals from the regeneration of ferrous ions and the reaction of hydrogen peroxide with UV light. As there are so many operating parameters in photoassisted Fered-Fenton process, it is necessary to develop a mathematical model in order to produce the most economical process. In the present study, a factorial design was carried out to evaluate leachate treatment by photoassisted Fered-Fenton process. The influence of the following variables: H₂O₂concentration, Fe²⁺concentration, current density, and initial pH in the photoassisted Fered-Fenton process was investigated by measuring COD removal efficiencies after 60-min reaction. The relationship between COD removal and the most significant independent variables was established by means of an experimental design. The H₂O₂concentration, Fe²⁺concentration, initial pH, and the interaction effect between current density and initial pH were all significant factors. The factorial design models were derived based on the COD removal efficiency results and the models fit the data well.

Low solubility of certain hydrophobic soil contaminants limits remediation process. Surface-active compounds can improve the solubility and removal of hydrophobic compounds from contaminated soils and, consequently, their biodegradation. Hence, this paper aims to study desorption efficiency of oil from soil of SPB1 lipopeptide biosurfactant. The effect of different physicochemical parameters on desorption potency was assessed. Taguchi experimental design method was applied in order to enhance the desorption capacity and establish the best washing parameters. Mobilization potency was compared to those of chemical surfactants under the newly defined conditions. Better desorption capacity was obtained using 0.1 % biosurfacatnt solution and the mobilization potency shows great tolerance to acidic and alkaline pH values and salinity. Results show an optimum value of oil removal from diesel-contaminated soil of about 87 %. The optimum washing conditions for surfactant solution volume, biosurfactant concentration, agitation speed, temperature, and time were found to be 12 ml/g of soil, 0.1 % biosurfactant, 200 rpm, 30 °C, and 24 h, respectively. The obtained results were compared to those of SDS and Tween 80 at the optimal conditions described above, and the study reveals an effectiveness of SPB1 biosurfactant comparable to the reported chemical emulsifiers. (1) The obtained findings suggest (a) the competence of Bacillus subtilis biosurfactant in promoting diesel desorption from soil towards chemical surfactants and (b) the applicability of this method in decontaminating crude oil-contaminated soil and, therefore, improving bioavailability of hydrophobic compounds. (2) The obtained findings also suggest the adequacy of Taguchi design in promoting process efficiency. Our findings suggest that preoptimized desorption process using microbial-derived emulsifier can contribute significantly to enhancement of hydrophobic pollutants' bioavailability. This study can be complemented with the investigation of potential role in improving the biodegradation of the diesel adsorbed to the soil.

In the last decades, petroleum activities have increased in the Brazilian Amazon where there is oil exploration on the Urucu River, a tributary of the Amazon River, about 600 km from the city of Manaus. Particularly, transportation via the Amazon River to reach the oil refinery in Manaus may compromise the integrity of the large floodplains that flank hundreds of kilometers of this major river. In the Amazon floodplains, plant growth and nutrient cycling are related to the flood pulse. When oil spills occur, floating oil on the water surface is dispersed through wind and wave action in the littoral region, thus affecting the vegetation of terrestrial and aquatic environments. If pollutants enter the system, they are absorbed by plants and distributed in the food chain via plant consumption, mortality, and decomposition. The effect of oil on the growth and survival of vegetation in these environments is virtually unknown. The water hyacinth [Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms] has a pantropical distribution but is native to the Amazon, often growing in high-density populations in the floodplains where it plays an important role as shelter and food source for aquatic and terrestrial biota. The species is well known for its high capacity to absorb and tolerate high levels of heavy metal ions. To study the survival and response of water hyacinth under six different oil doses, ranging from 0 to 150 ml l⁻¹, and five exposure times (1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 days), young individuals distributed in a completely randomized design experiment composed of vessels with a single individual each were followed over a 50-day period (30-day acclimatization, 20 days under oil treatments). Growth parameters, biomass, visual changes in the plants, and pH were recorded at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 days. Increasing the time of oil exposure caused a decrease in biomass, ratio of live/dead biomass and length of leaves, and an increase in the number of dead leaves. Dose of oil and time of exposure are the most important factors controlling the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on E. crassipes. Although the species is able to survive exposure to a moderate dose of oil, below 75 ml l⁻¹for only 5 days, severe alterations in plant growth and high mortality were observed. Therefore, we conclude that Urucu oil heavily affects E. crassipes despite its known resistance to many pollutants.

The paper describes the fieldwork at the Italian test site of the abandoned mine of sphalerite and galena in Ingurtosu (Sardinia), with the aim to assess the applicability of a “toolbox” to establish the optimized techniques for remediation of soils contaminated by mining activities. A preliminary characterization—including (hydro)geochemistry, heavy metal concentration and their mobility in soil, bioprospecting for microbiology and botany—provided a data set for the development of a toolbox to deliver a microbially assisted phytoremediation process. Euphorbia pithyusa was selected as an endemic pioneer plant to be associated with a bacterial consortium, established with ten selected native strains, including metal-tolerant bacteria and producers of plant growth factors. The toolbox was firstly assessed in a greenhouse pot experiment. A positive effect of bacterial inoculum on E. pithyusa germination and total plant survival was observed. E. pithyusa showed to be a well-performing metallophyte species, and only inoculated soil retained a microbial activity with a high functional diversity, expanding metabolic affinity also towards root exudates. These results supported the decision to proceed with a field trial, investigating different treatments used singly or in combination: bioaugmentation with bacterial consortia, mycorrhizal fungi and a commercial mineral amendment. Microbial activity in soil, plant physiological parameters and heavy metal content in plants and in soil were monitored. Five months after the beginning, an early assessment of the toolbox under field conditions was carried out. Despite the cold season (October–March), results suggested the following: (1) the field setup as well as the experimental design proved to be effective; (2) plant survival was satisfactory; (3) soil quality was increased and bioaugmentation improved microbial activity, expanding the metabolic competences towards plant interaction (root exudates); and (4) multivariate analysis supported the data provided that the proposed toolbox can be established and the field trial can be carried forward.

The anatase/schorl composites were prepared and employed for the photocatalytic discoloration of an azo dye, Methyl Orange (MO). X-ray diffraction results indicated that TiO₂existed in the form of anatase phase and no diffraction peaks of schorl could be observed for all the composite samples. Scanning electron micrographs showed that the particles of anatase were well deposited and dispersed on the surface of schorl. Photocatalytic experiments revealed that the anatase/schorl composites exhibited higher photocatalytic activity for MO discoloration than pure TiO₂and more than 90 % discoloration ratio could be obtained within 60 min UV irradiation when the sample containing 3 wt.% of schorl as TiO₂support was used. Then, the central composite design (CCD) under the response surface methodology (RSM) was employed for the experiment design and process optimization. The significance of a second-order polynomial model for predicting the optimal values of MO discoloration was evaluated by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and 3D response surface plots for the interactions between two variables were constructed. Based on the model prediction, the optimum conditions for the photocatalytic discoloration of MO by TiO₂/schorl composite were determined to be 15 × 10⁻³ mM MO initial concentration, 2.7 g/l photocatalyst dosage, solution pH 6.6 and 43 min reaction time, with a maximum MO discoloration ratio of 98.6 %. Finally, a discoloration ratio of 94.3 % was achieved for the real sample under the optimum conditions, which was very close to the predicted value, implying that RSM is a powerful and satisfactory strategy for the process optimization.