The fate of colored natural organic matter (CNOM) was investigated for a period of 16 months at a municipal wastewater treatment plant of a mid-sized city in Northern Ontario, Canada, using fluorescence spectroscopy. Our objectives were to assess the changes of CNOM at the inlet and outlet of the plant and to determine if these changes were correlated with parameters routinely measured at the plant. The fluorescence signals were spectrally resolved into humic-like, fulvic-like, and protein-like components using a parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) routine. We found that the signals of the CNOM components in the raw sewage had protein-like characteristics, followed by fulvic-like and humic-like characteristics. Conversely, after treatment, the CNOM signals were dominated by fulvic-like components, followed by approximately equal signals of humic-like and protein-like components. The fluorescence signals were, on average, ∼60 % lower in the effluent for the protein-like components and ∼28 % lower for the humic-like components, suggesting a decomposition of these CNOM materials. The fluorescence signals showed a small apparent increase of fulvic-like components, by ∼4 %, suggesting that the material showing this signal is recalcitrant to decomposition, or it could be potentially produced in the process. We found weak but statistically significant correlations (R ² > 0.3) between the total fluorescence signals and total carbon (TC), the flow rate through the plant, and rainfall in the raw sewage. Similarly, correlations were found between protein-like fluorescence of the protein-like components and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and ammonium at the effluent (R ² > 0.3).

The accumulation of metals and nutrients in biosolid-amended soils and the risk of their excess uptake by plants is a topic of great concern. This study examines the elemental uptake and accumulation in five vegetable plants grown on biosolid-applied soils and the use of spectral reflectance to monitor the resulting plant stress. Soil, shoot, root, and fruit samples were collected and analyzed for several elemental concentrations. The chemical concentrations in soils and all the plant parts increased with increase in applied biosolid concentrations. The Cu and Zn concentrations in the plant shoots increased in the order of collard < radish < lettuce < tomato < pepper. The Cu and Zn concentrations accumulated significantly in the fruits of the tomato plants compared to other plants. Among all the plants, the shoot concentration factor (SCF) of Zn was significantly higher for pepper plants, indicating increase in uptake of Zn. The shoot relative uptake index (SRUI) of Cu and Zn increased in the order of collard < radish < lettuce < tomato < pepper. The shoot dry weight and spectral reflectance of the radish plants in the near-infrared (NIR) region (800–1,300 nm) decreased significantly with increase in biosolid concentration compared to other plants. Increase in plant stress with increase in biosolid dose was evident in radish plants through significant reduction in Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI). This study indicates the potential use of spectral reflectance as a tool for the screening and monitoring of stress-sensitive plant species and their physiology and as a result, indirectly assesses the chemical concentrations in soils and plants.

In the present study, we investigate the effects of a possible protective role of vitamin E (vit E) or selenium (Se) on glucose metabolism disruption induced by static magnetic field (SMF) in rats. Rats have been exposed to SMF (128 mT, 1 h/day during 5 days). Our results showed that SMF failed to alter body weight and relative liver weight. Our data demonstrated that exposure to SMF increased (+21 %) blood glucose level and caused a decrease (−15 %) in liver glycogen content. Moreover, the same treatment induced a reduction of pancreatic islet area. Interestingly, supplementation with vit E (DL α-tocopherol acetate, 150 mg/kg per os during 5 days) prevented alterations induced by SMF on glucose metabolism and liver glycogen content, whereas supplementation with Se (Na₂SeO₃, 0.20 mg/l, in drinking water for 4 weeks) restored only hepatic glycogen contents. By contrast, both vit E and Se failed to correct the area of pancreatic islets.

The objective of the current study was to estimate the dose in human tissues after inhalation exposure to airborne particulate matter-bound metals at a landfill site. Field measurements have revealed that the 8-h permissible exposure limit set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for particulate matter (PM₁₀) was not exceeded for the working personnel at an outdoor weighing facility in the Akrotiri landfill (Chania, Greece). However, PM₁₀concentrations were exceeding the EU health protection standards (50 μg/m³). Furthermore, dust emanating from landfill operations contains traces of heavy metals due to the nature of materials (e.g., sludge, batteries) which have been deposited over the lifetime of the landfill. In addition, particulate matter-bound metals concentrations at the landfill are enhanced by refuse truck emissions (e.g., exhaust, tire wear dust, brake wear dust, road surface wear dust and resuspension of deposited PM on a road surface) and resuspension from the surface of the composting site. Estimations of particle-bound metals dose in the human body were performed for arsenite (ASᴵᴵᴵ), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd). The Exposure Dose Model (ExDoM) in conjunction with a Physiologically Based PharmacoKinetic (PBPK) model was applied to determine the dose for an adult Caucasian male worker. The ExDoM was used to estimate the human exposure and the deposition, dose, clearance, retention of particulate matter-bound metals in the human respiratory tract and the mass transferred to the gastrointestinal tract and blood. The PBPK model was developed to describe the movement of metals from the blood into the tissues as a blood-flow-limited model. The results showed that after 1 day of exposure to PMAₛIII, the major accumulation occurs in the lung, muscle and liver. In addition, for PMPb, the major accumulation occurs in the bone, blood and muscle whereas as regard PMCdthe major accumulation occurs in the other tissues (the rest of the body), kidney and liver. The results indicate an increased health risk for an adult Caucasian male worker at the landfill site due to exposure to elevated particulate matter concentrations and their associated metallic content.

In this study, we investigated the microbiological quality of the small urban Zenne River which flows through the city of Brussels (Belgium). The abundances of faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) (Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci) revealed high levels of faecal contamination of the Zenne River, especially in Brussels area and downstream from this area where FIB were in the range of what is usually observed in secondary treated wastewaters. The origin of this faecal contamination is mainly attributed to the effluents of the two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located along the river in Brussels. Comparison of the present situation with the 1990s situation (before the implementation of Brussels WWTPs) showed a sharp improvement of the river microbiological quality. This improvement should however be regarded with care as it was also observed that, during rain events, combined sewer overflows (CSO) outfalls were responsible of a strong increase of faecal contamination in the river downstream from Brussels, and such CSO occur frequently in Brussels. Altogether, these results document the variations of the microbiological quality of a sewage-polluted urban river in relation with long-term changes (implementation of WWTP) and the short-term disturbances (CSO).

To date, studies on the geological conditions in inland aquifers leading to pathways for upwelling deep saline groundwater due to pumping have not been published yet. Therefore, this paper conducted a theoretical modeling study to raise two hypotheses about deep saline-groundwater pathways leading to saltwater upconing below a pumping well in an inland aquifer based on the field situation at the Beelitzhof waterworks in southwestern Berlin (Germany), defined as follows: (1) there are windows in the Rupelian clay caused by glacial erosion, where their locations are uncertain, and (2) there are no windows in the clay, but the clay is partially thinned out but not completely removed by glacial erosion, so salt can merely come through the clay upward by diffusion and eventually accumulate on its top. These hypotheses were tested to demonstrate the impact of the lateral distance between windows in the clay and the well, as well as salt diffusion through the clay depending on its thickness on saltwater intrusion in the pumping well, respectively, using a density-dependent groundwater flow and solute transport model. Hypothesis 1 was validated with four scenarios that windows could occur in the clay at the site, and their locations under some conditions could significantly cause saltwater intrusion, while hypothesis 2 could be excluded, because salt diffusion through the clay with thickness greater than 1 m at the site was not able to cause saltwater intrusion.

When released into natural aquatic systems, cerium oxide (CeO₂) nanoparticles (NPs) may have toxic effects to the ecosystems and public health; it is thus important to understand their environmental fate and transport. This work studied the effects of humic acid (HA) concentrations (0–10 mg L⁻¹) and solution chemistry (ionic strength (IS) and pH) on the retention and transport of CeO₂NPs in water-saturated porous media under environmental relevant conditions. HA and IS showed remarkable effect on the retention and transport of CeO₂NPs in the porous media. Even at low concentrations (i.e., 5 and 10 mg L⁻¹), HA stabilized CeO₂NPs in the suspensions by introducing both negative surface charge and steric repulsion and thus enhanced their mobility in the porous media. When solution HA concentration increased or ionic strength decreased, mobility of CeO₂NPs in the porous media enhanced dramatically. Solution pH, however, had little influence on the mobility of the CeO₂NPs under the tested experimental conditions, and increasing solution pH only slightly increased the transport of the NPs. Mathematical models were applied to describe the experimental data. Predictions from the extended Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (XDLVO) theory and advection–dispersion–reaction (ADR) model matched the experimental data well.

A methodology to determine economically the spatial concentration distribution of the air pollutants of carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), oxides of nitrogen (NOₓ) and traffic rates (TR) is described. It involves the immediate transfer of samples from field to analysers for measurement and a subsequent statistical treatment. The proposed methodology has been applied in Patras using 5 and 50-l Teflon air sample bags, sampling at least 12 to 36-l actual volumes within a 20-min time interval. Totally, 221 pairs of 5-l and 112 single 50-l samples were randomly picked in morning rush hours of working days from 64 locations of a 40.0-km²area during a winter period, when peaks of primary air pollutants usually occur due to high traffic rates and systematic inversions. Measurements were used to statistically calculate spatial average levels approximating 1-h mean concentrations with acceptable mean probable errors less than 25 % for indicative random sampling. The 1-h levels were strongly correlated to the corresponding traffic rates. Iso-concentration diagrams indicated possible zones susceptible to high pollution levels and helped to check the location appropriateness of the existing monitoring stations for (a) fixed urban-background measurements at the Vas. Georgiou A’ Sq., which was ideal, and (b) fixed traffic-oriented measurements, which should be relocated to the Ipsilon Alonion Sq. In addition, data helped to determine other points where indicative measurements should be performed. Data could be very useful for the Patras air quality assessment in conjunction with model predictions and/or objective estimation methods.

The samples of natural and iron-modified clinoptilolite (GC, Na-GC, Fe1-GC, and Fe2-GC) were assessed as adsorbent for arsenate removal by batch and column studies. The influences of retention time, pH, adsorbent dosage, and initial arsenate concentration on the arsenate adsorption efficiency were investigated. The experiments demonstrated that Fe1-GC has the highest arsenate removal efficiency with the adsorption capacity of 8.4 μg g⁻¹at equilibrium time of 60 min. Both the Fe1-GC and Fe2-GC removed arsenate effectively over the initial pH range 4–10. Adsorption capacity of Fe1-GC was adequately described by Freundlich isotherm. According to the results of the desorption performance experiments, the Fe1-GC was used six times until arsenic removal efficiency was reduced to 19 %. The adsorption percentage of arsenic increased with the diminish of initial concentration of arsenic and increase of adsorbent dose for all types of clinoptilolite. The column study demonstrated that Fe1-GC was achieved to reduce final arsenate of about 10 μg L⁻¹or below for up to 300 bed volumes in a continuous flow mode. The results of this study show that Fe1-GC can be used as an alternative adsorbent for arsenate removal.

Cadmium is a toxic element for living organisms. This metal causes different damages to the cell, generating oxidative stress. In order to elucidate cadmium tolerance mechanism and increase tomato plant tolerance by inoculating a Cd-tolerant Burkholderia strain, we analyzed malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide content, and the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione S-transferase of two strains, one isolated from a soil contaminated with Cd (strain SCMS54) and the other from a soil without Cd (strain SNMS32). Strains SNMS32 and SCMS54 exhibited different SOD, CAT, and GR isoenzyme profiles in non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis, with strain SCMS54 exhibiting an extra isoenzyme for all enzymes (Mn-SOD, CAT I, and GR IV, respectively). Despite accumulating more Cd, strain SCMS54 did not increase peroxide hydrogen and presented a fast antioxidant response (increasing SOD and CAT after 5 h of Cd exposure). In this way, strain SCMS54 exhibited a higher metabolic diversity and plasticity when compared to strain SNMS32, so it was selected for Cd–Burkholderia–tomato interaction studies. Inoculated tomato plants in the presence of Cd grew more than non-inoculated plants with Cd indicating that the SCMS54 increased tomato Cd tolerance. It appears that the strain isolated from Cd-contaminated soil (SCMS54) triggers a global stress response in tomato increasing plant tolerance, which may enable plants to be cultivated in Cd-contaminated soils.