Regional geochemical mapping was carried out in Bilaspur and Korba Districts of Chhattisgarh, and stream sediments/slope wash, soil, and water samples were analyzed for concentration of heavy metals. The study contributes to understanding heavy metals contamination of sediments, soils, and water due to anthropogenic activity, mainly in agriculture-based rural areas. The study reveals that high geochemical anomalies observed for heavy metals like Ni, Cr, As, and Zn in sediments and soil samples are due to the extensive uses of phosphatic fertilizer and soil amendments in the form of poultry and swine manure. Water quality assessment of major streams in the study areas shows that the water is suitable for domestic and agricultural uses. Correlation analysis reveals that the chemical weathering of rock-forming minerals doesn’t control the surface water chemistry of the study area and is also an anthropogenic source of sodium in water. This study also shows the importance of the country’s geochemical mapping database, which will have much broader applications than conventional mineral exploration and geological mapping.

The heavy metal speciation analysis in sediments helps us understand and evaluate essential and unavoidable issues in terms of both health and environmental hazards imposed by these metals in our lives. Analyzing the total content of heavy metals enables us to understand only the quantity of the contaminants. To understand the different species or the chemical forms of heavy metals available in the sediments, we must study their speciation. Speciation studies help us determine their possible sources as well as their environmental stability in terms of availability to plants and other organisms. The heavy metals in this study were specified using four-stage sequential extraction, also known as the BCR technique. This study mainly highlights the quantification of metal contamination of Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cd & Cr, and chemical forms as species in sediment samples collected from different Pune District, Maharashtra sites. Heavy metal contamination from the collected samples was analyzed with the use of flame atomic absorption spectrometry. This study indicated that Zn and Ni are among the most abundant metals in the sediment samples; however, Cu and Cd belong to the least abundant category. The oxidizable and residual forms (immobile and cannot be used by the organisms readily) appeared dominant for most heavy metals. Very significant differences were observed in the speciation of heavy metals from sample to sample, which was probably due to differences in water/soil composition and the agrochemicals like pesticides, weedicides, and fertilizers used in agricultural practices; the wastewater generated from different pharmaceuticals, chemical processing and manufacturing industries as well as the improper wastewater treatment methods.

This study aimed to conduct a systematic review to analyze heavy metals seasonal concentrations in Uttarakhand tourist hotspot cities (Almora, Nainital, Ranikhet, Mussoorie, and Dhanaulti). A total of 45 samples of liverwort Dumotiera hirsuta were collected from five different cities during winter (Dry deposition) and monsoon (Wet deposition) in the year 2021. The concentrations of Zn, As, Cd, and Pb due to anthropogenic pollution load in the selected locations were analyzed by active biomonitoring using Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Concentration loading of zinc, arsenic, cadmium, and lead was observed to be 79%, 71%, 48%, and 33%, respectively, higher during the dry (winter) season when compared with the monsoon dataset. Multivariant data were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with three components explaining maximum variation in data by factor loading through varimax rotation. The rapid growth and development have connected tourists to the mountain of the western Himalayas. Thus, a monitoring program is needed in these areas for further assessment. So that necessary action can be taken to conserve the eco-sensitive zones of Uttarakhand.

In this fast-moving world, we use many electronic items daily to fulfill our daily work. Also, in the fast-growing economy, electronic items play key roles. India’s e-waste is projected to be around 18 lakh metric tons. According to industry sources, electronic trash will climb to almost 50 lakh metric tons in the next three years. According to government sources, only ten percent of electronic waste is gathered. These electronic items and batteries contain many heavy metals that are hazardous to humanity’s and the environment’s health. These heavy metals should be retrieved from the disposed of e-waste, so the resource can be reused or recycled, rather than continuously extracting heavy metals from the earth’s crust. In 2015, The “Initiative on Environmental Threats of Electronic Waste” was introduced by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). This project is part of the Indian government’s ‘Digital India’ strategy. There is an immediate need to implement green supply chain management and resource recovery from electronics waste so that circular material management (SDG 12) & sustainability can be achieved. This article demonstrates the problems and presents E-Waste recycling procedures, Life cycle assessment of E-waste, and EPR practices, along with potential areas for improvement. The bibliometric analysis was performed using R-studio biblioshiny tools for the last 53 years and 1243 published articles to understand the research trends.

The occurrence of heavy metals in soil and selected edible plants (Manihot esculenta, Dioscorea rotundata, Ipomoea batatas, Telfairia occidentalis, and Chromolaena odorata) in the vicinity of major Lead-Zinc mining sites in Ebonyi State, Nigeria was investigated. The concentrations of the detected heavy metals in soil from the study sites ranged from 0.38-77830.99 (mg.kg-1). The limit values for all detected metals in soil from the mining sites were exceeded in most instances. The results showed that the plant species accumulated heavy metals near the mining sites to varying levels in their shoots and roots. The limit values for all detected heavy metals in the edible plants were not exceeded except in a few instances. The plant species demonstrated varying effectiveness for phytoextraction, indicating their appropriateness in the phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil. Therefore, examining the environmental consequences of uncontrolled mining activity in the vicinity of the mining sites with a scientific approach has helped to increase our knowledge of the pollution problem in the mining sites, reveal the ferocity of the situation, and contribute to the techniques presently in use for monitoring chemical pollution in a mining-impacted ecosystem.

The semiconductor industry produces a lot of wastewater. These wastewaters can affect the environment if they are not treated. As a result, one of the semiconductor industry’s primary concerns and duties is the treatment and disposal of wastewater from the industry. Many processes, including electrocoagulation, electro-adsorption, and coagulation-flocculation using both natural and synthetic coagulants, have been invented over the years for purifying semiconductor effluent. The long-term viability of this system is unknown although it generates solid by-products (sludge) and requires routine sludge disposal, both of which raise the operational expenses of effluent treatment. Thus, a sustainable alternative method of removing contaminants from the semiconductor industry is needed to advance toward pollution prevention and green innovation. The hydrodynamic cavitation technique has improved over time and is useful for treating water and wastewater. This article gives an insight into different wastewater technologies, so proper technology must be chosen.

This study is conducted to determine the extent to which transfer stations in the Karkh neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq, contribute to physicochemical and heavy-metal contamination of the soils in the immediate area. The concentrations of physicochemical primary indicators (pH, OC, OM, Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+1, NO3-1, Cl-1, SO4-2) and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Cu) were measured during July 2022 at four investigation sites that were located at distances of 5 m (Site 1), 10 m (Site 2), 15 m (Site 3), and 20 m (Site 4) from the edges of the mentioned transfer stations (Al-Rasheed, Al-Mansour, Al-Shula, and Al-Dora). The concentrations of the physico-chemicals and heavy metals were compared to the standards of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Consensus-Based Sediment Quality Guidelines (CBSQG). Based on the data collected, it was determined that Site 1 had the greatest physico-chemical and heavy metal concentrations, whereas Site 4 had the lowest. The metals tested were found to accumulate in the following order: Cu > Pb > Cd. Additionally, it was noticed that all the measured concentrations of metals were higher than the limitations of the CBSQG. The presence of Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+1, Pb, Cd, and Cu in soil suggests that leachate percolation is having a major impact on the soil.