The objectives of this study were to determine the acute toxicity of cadmium and to examine the bioaccumulation and elimination of cadmium in different tissues of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium sintangese. It also evaluated the structural damage of gills and hepatopancreas of M. sintangese when administered to sublethal cadmium concentration and when exposed prawns were transferred to cadmium-free media. According to the mortality data, the 96 h LC₅₀ value of Cd to M. sintangese was 86 μg/L. The highest cadmium accumulation was observed in gills, followed by the hepatopancreas, and the abdominal muscle. After being transferred to cadmium-free media, the highest cadmium elimination was observed in abdominal muscle, followed by the gills and hepatopancreas. The gills of prawns exposed to cadmium exhibited a severe hyperplasia, vacuolization, and multiple necroses which resulted to the swelling of lamellae. After transferring the cadmium-exposed prawns into the control media, the histopathological effects decreased. Severe alterations to the hepatopancreatic tissue were observed in prawns exposed to cadmium. The tubular epithelial cells were heavily vacuolated and even ruptured. The number of large vacuoles and R cells appeared in the tubular epithelial cells of the hepatopancreas. After transferring to the control media, the histological alterations of the hepatopancreas decreased. The tubular epithelial cells began to rearrange to the normal structure. The number of R cells and B cells were noted in the epithelial cells. The thickness of tubular epithelial cells was comparable to the controls. Due to the sensitivity of M. sintangese to cadmium, therefore this species potentially can be used as a test organism in toxicity assays.

The current study estimates premature mortality caused by long-term exposure to elevated concentrations of PM₂.₅ (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter equal to or less than 2.5 μm) in Japan from 2006 to 2009. The premature mortality is calculated based on a relative risk of 1.04 (95 % CI, 1.01–1.08) per 10 μg m⁻³ increase above the annual mean limit of 10 μg m⁻³ taken from the World Health Organization Air Quality Guidelines. The spatiotemporal variations of PM₂.₅ are estimated based on the measurements of suspended particulate matter (SPM) (with aerodynamic diameter approximately less than 7.0 μm) at 1,843 monitors. The improvements of air quality in Japan by reducing the emissions of SPM from 2006 to 2009 could save 3,602 lives based on a reduction target of 10 μg m⁻³ annual mean concentration. This finding could be a tangible benefit gained by reducing the emissions of particulate matter in Japan.

Application of an agricultural residue (rice husk, RH) as a raw material for catalyst support for advanced oxidative processes (AOPs) was evaluated. The supported catalyst was produced by the calcination of TiCl₄ impregnated in RH, thereby providing a composite TiO₂/Si-C, which was characterized by elemental analysis (CHN), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV/VIS diffuse reflectance spectroscopic (DRS), diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), SEM, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms (BET and BJH). Catalytic photodecomposition of methylene blue (MB), naphthalene, phenol, and abamectin and acid drainage of a mine by a titania-based catalyst composite were investigated. For comparative purposes, a commercial photocatalyst (TiO₂) was also employed. Photocatalytic degradation of MB, phenol, naphthalene, abamectin, and from coal mining effluent ranged from 8 to 93 % of the initial concentration. Performances of both catalysts were comparable. Additionally, in these evaluated systems, the toxicity of the effluent decreased after photocatalysis, either for Daphnia magna or for Scenedesmus subspicatus (employed as bioindicators).

Further steps are needed to establish feasible alleviation strategies that are able to reduce the impacts of ocean acidification, whilst ensuring minimal biological side-effects in the process. Whilst there is a growing body of literature on the biological impacts of many other carbon dioxide reduction techniques, seemingly little is known about enhanced alkalinity. For this reason, we investigated the potential physiological impacts of using chemical sequestration as an alleviation strategy. In a controlled experiment, Carcinus maenas were acutely exposed to concentrations of Ca(OH)2 that would be required to reverse the decline in ocean surface pH and return it to pre-industrial levels. Acute exposure significantly affected all individuals' acid-base balance resulting in slight respiratory alkalosis and hyperkalemia, which was strongest in mature females. Although the trigger for both of these responses is currently unclear, this study has shown that alkalinity addition does alter acid-base balance in this comparatively robust crustacean species.

This research was executed between March 2009 and March 2010 to monitor particulate matter size distribution and its composition in Istanbul. Particulate matter composition was determined using ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The sampling point is adjacent to a crowded road and the Bosporus Strait. Two prevailing particulate modes are found throughout PM₁₀ by sampling with a nine-stage low-volume cascade impactor. First mode in the fine mode is found to be between 0.43 and 0.65 μm, whereas the other peak was observed between 3.3 and 4.7 μm, referring to the coarse mode. The mean PM₁₀ concentration was determined as 41.2 μg/m³, with a standard deviation of 16.92 μg/m³. PM₀.₄₃ had the highest mean concentration value of 10.67 μg/m³, making up nearly one fourth of the total PM₁₀ mass. For determining the effect of traffic on particulate matter (PM) composition and distribution, four different sampling cycles were applied: entire day, nighttime, rush hour, and rush hour at weekdays. SO ₄ ⁻² and organic carbon/elemental carbon proportions are found to be lower in night samples, representing a decrease in traffic. The long-range transports of dust storms were observed during the sampling periods. Their effects were determined analytically and their route models were run by the HYSPLIT model and validated through satellite photographs taken by the NASA Earth Observatory.

The most stable forms of chromium in the environment are chromium (III) and chromium (VI), the former being relatively immobile and necessary for organisms, and the latter being highly soluble and toxic. It is thus important to characterise ecotoxicological impacts of Cr(VI). However, there are still some important uncertainties in the calculation of ecotoxicological impacts of heavy metals in the LCIA global approach. The aim of this paper is to understand how the spatial and dynamic characterization of life cycle inventory (LCI) data can be exploited in life cycle impact assessment and particularly for the evaluation of the aquatic and terrestrial ecotoxicity of Cr(VI). To quantify these impacts, we studied an industrial waste landfill in the North of France that was contaminated with chromium. On the polluted area, the aquatic contamination is due to the slag heap as well as to chromium spots in soil. The soil contamination is mainly due to infiltration of chromium from the infill. The concentration of Cr(VI) in soil and water varies according to seasonal climatic variations and groundwater level. These variations have an effect on the Cr(VI) fate factor, in particular on transfer and residence time of the substance. This study underlines the spatial distribution of aquatic ecotoxicity and the temporal variation of freshwater ecotoxicity. We analysed the correlation between precipitation, temperature, concentration and ecotoxicity impact. With regards to the terrestrial ecotoxicity, the study focused on the vertical variation of the ecotoxicity and the major role of the soil layer composition into terrestrial pollution.

The aim of this paper was to analyze the groundwater quality of Imphal West district, Manipur, India, and assess its suitability for drinking, domestic, and agricultural use. Eighteen physico-chemical variables were analyzed in groundwater from 30 different hand-operated tube wells in urban, suburban, and rural areas in two seasons. The data were subjected to uni-, bi-, and multivariate statistical analysis, the latter comprising cluster analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA), and factor analysis (FA). Arsenic concentrations exceed the Indian standard in 23.3 % and the WHO limit in 73.3 % of the groundwater sources with only 26.7 % in the acceptable range. Several variables like iron, chloride, sodium, sulfate, total dissolved solids, and turbidity are also beyond their desirable limits for drinking water in a number of sites. Sodium concentrations and sodium absorption ratio (SAR) are both high to render the water from the majority of the sources unsuitable for agricultural use. Multivariate statistical techniques, especially varimax rotation of PCA data helped to bring to focus the hidden yet important variables and understand their roles in influencing groundwater quality. Widespread arsenic contamination and high sodium concentration of groundwater pose formidable constraints towards its exploitation for drinking and other domestic and agricultural use in the study area, although urban anthropogenic impacts are not yet pronounced.