An analytical methodology using automatic thermal desorption and gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis was optimized and validated for simultaneous determination of a set of components from three different flame retardant chemical classes: polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) (PBDE-28, PBDE-47, PBDE-66, PBDE-85, PBDE-99, PBDE-100), organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) (tributyl phosphate, tripropyl phosphate, tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate-, tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate, tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate, triphenyl phosphate, tris(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate and tricresylphosphate), and “novel” brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) (pentabromotoluene, 2,3,4,5,6-pentabromoethylbenzene, (2,3-dibromopropyl) (2,4,6-tribromophenyl) ether, hexabromobenzene, and 2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate) in air. The methodology is based on low volume active air sampling of gaseous and particulate air fractions on mixed-bed (polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/Tenax TA) sorption tubes. The optimized method provides recoveries >88 %; a limit of detection in the range of 6–25 pg m⁻³ for PBDEs, 6–171 pg m⁻³ for PFRs, and 7–41 pg m⁻³ for NBFRs; a linearity greater than 0.996; and a repeatability of less than 10 % for all studied compounds. The optimized method was compared with a standard method using active air sampling on XAD-2 sorbent material, followed by liquid extraction. On the one hand, the PDMS/Tenax TA method shows comparable results at longer sampling time conditions (e.g., indoor air sampling, personal air sampling). On the other hand, at shorter sampling time conditions (e.g., sampling from emission test chambers), the optimized method detects up to three times higher concentrations and identifies more flame retardant compounds compared to the standard method based on XAD-2 loading.

In this study, the feasibility of an ex situ electrokinetic (EK) process combined with pre-oxidation using hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and pre-washing using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was investigated in enhancing the extraction of Cu, Pb, and Zn from actual dredged harbor sediment. H₂O₂ pre-oxidation led to a change in the fractionation of Cu bound to organic matter and the sulfide fraction in the Fe-Mn oxides to the exchangeable fraction, but was not effective at removing metals. In contrast, EDTA pre-washing changed the Fe-Mn oxide-bound fractions of Cu and Pb into easily extractable fractions; 20.1, 27.5, and 32.8 % of Cu, Pb, and Zn were removed, respectively. During EK treatment, metals were transported toward the anode by electromigration of negatively charged complexes such as metal-EDTA and metal-citrate. However, EK treatment did not significantly enhance the removal of metals because metals accumulated near the anodic region with an increase in the exchangeable fraction due to the short EK operating duration and low voltage gradient. Therefore, it is necessary to extend the EK operating duration and/or increase the voltage gradient for effective transportation and removal of metals from sediment.

Higher uptake and translocation of copper (Cu) into plant tissues can cause serious physiological and biochemical alterations in root and leaf tissues of plants. The present study investigates the ameliorative role of salicylic acid (SA) and ascorbic acid (AsA) against Cu-induced toxicity changes in cotton genotypes (two parental lines (J208, Z905) and their hybrid line (ZD14)). To study the tolerance potential against Cu (100 μM) stress, 2-week-old cotton seedlings were pretreated with 100 μM either SA or AsA for three days. Elevated Cu concentration in nutrient media increased Cu accumulation in roots and shoots of all the three cotton genotypes studied. Roots were the main Cu storage site, followed by leaves and stems. Increased cellular Cu concentration significantly inhibited the root and shoot development, although leaf growth was more sensitive toward Cu toxicity. Cu-induced oxidative stress to cotton leaves was evident from significantly increased hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) contents and lipid membrane damage. Increasing Cu translocation toward cotton leaves strongly influenced the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, which, in turn, inhibited biomass production. SA and AsA pretreated cotton seedlings showed better growth under Cu stress. Despite increase in overall Cu uptake, the SA-pretreated seedlings could defy Cu toxicity through inhibited Cu translocation and modification in the activities of antioxidative enzymes. Whereas, tolerance to Cu-induced toxicity in AsA pretreated plants was associated with Cu exclusion from tissues and reduction of the overall Cu uptake. The present study revealed that the alleviatory role of AsA was significantly higher than SA regarding Cu stress in our experimental cotton genotypes. Furthermore, the hybrid cotton genotype (ZD14) performed well followed by J208 and Z905 in the present experimental setup.

Scrap Cu-modified cast iron (CMCI) is a potent material for the reduction of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) by a surface-mediated reaction. However, the effects of operational parameters and common ions on its reduction and final rate are unknown. Results show that the 2,4-DNT reduction was significantly affected by Cu:Fe mass ratio and the optimum m(Cu:Fe) was 0.25 %. The slight pH-dependent trend of 2,4-DNT reduction by CMCI was observed at pH 3 to 11, and the maximum end product, 2,4-diaminotoluene (2,4-DAT), was generated at pH 7. Dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water reduced the 2,4-DNT degradation and the formation of 2,4-DAT. CMCI effectively treated high concentrations of 2,4-DNT (60 to 150 mg L⁻¹). In addition, varying the concentration of (NH₄)₂SO₄ from 0.001 to 0.1 mol L⁻¹ improved the efficiency of the reduction process. The green rust-like corrosion products (GR-SO₄ ²⁻) were also effective for 2,4-DNT reduction, in which Na₂CO₃ (0.01 to 0.2 mol L⁻¹) significantly inhibited this reduction. The repeated-use efficiency of CMCI was also inhibited. Moreover, 2,4-DNT and its products, such as 4A2NT, 2A4NT, and 2,4-DAT, produced mass imbalance (<35 %). Hydrolysis of Fe³⁺ and CO₃ ²⁻ leading to the generation of Fe(OH)₃ and conversion to FeOOH that precipitated on the surface and strongly adsorbed the products of reduction caused the inhibition of CO₃ ²⁻. The 2,4-DNT reduction by CMCI could be described by pseudo-first-order kinetics. The operational conditions and common ions affected the 2,4-DNT reduction and its products by enhancing the corrosion of iron or accumulating a passive oxide film on the reactivity sites.

Among 348 microbial strains isolated from petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil, five were selected for their ability to produce biosurfactant based on battery of screening assay including hemolytic activity, surface tension reduction, drop collapse assay, emulsification activity, and cell surface hydrophobicity studies. Of these, bacterial isolate DSVP20 was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (NCBI GenBank accession no. GQ865644) based on biochemical characterization and the 16S rDNA analysis, and it was found to be a potential candidate for biosurfactant production. Maximum biosurfactant production recorded by P. aeruginosa DSVP20 was 6.7 g/l after 72 h at 150 rpm and at a temperature of 30 °C. Chromatographic analysis and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) revealed that it was a glycolipid in nature which was further confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Bioremediation studies using purified biosurfactant showed that P. aeruginosa DSVP20 has the ability to degrade eicosane (97 %), pristane (75 %), and fluoranthene (47 %) when studied at different time intervals for a total of 7 days. The results of this study showed that the P. aeruginosa DSVP20 and/or biosurfactant produced by this isolate have the potential role in bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil.

To investigate the distribution, source, and ecological risk of heavy metals in Daling River basin, 28 surface sediments collected in this region were analyzed by experimental and theoretical methods. Seven heavy metals, including Pb, Cr, Hg, Cu, As, Cd, and Zn, were detected in all samples. Monte Carlo simulation was used to assess the ecological risks of these heavy metals. It was found that the pollution of Cd was the most serious; the ecological risks in Daling River and Bohai Bay were significantly higher than those in estuary, Bohai Sea, and wetland, but overall, the ecological risks of these heavy metals were low to aquatic organisms in Daling River basin at present. Correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis showed that these heavy metals might originate from the same pollution sources located near Daling River and Bohai Bay.

Soil washing is an efficient remediation technique that enhances the solubility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in specific surfactant to remediate PAH-contaminated soil. This study evaluated the remediation efficiency of PAH-contaminated soil from a coke oven plant by comparing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), and Triton X-100 (TX100), as well as TX100-SDS and TX100-SDBS mixed surfactants. Results showed that SDS-TX100 and SDBS-TX100 had synergistic effects on PAH solubilization when surfactant concentrations were above their critical micelle concentration. Competitive effects of the three solubilized PAHs (phenanthrene with three rings, fluoranthene with four rings, and benzo[a]pyrene with five rings) with a particular anionic–nonionic mixed surfactant were investigated. PAHs with more rings were found to slightly decrease the solubility in surfactant solution of PAHs with fewer rings, whereas PAHs with fewer rings promoted the solubility in surfactant solution of PAHs with more rings. The removal ratios of PAHs during the remediation of actual PAH-contaminated soil were best improved by the anionic–nonionic mixed surfactant TX100-SDS (9:1), followed by TX100-SDS (8:2), TX100-SDS (7:3), TX100-SDBS (7:3), TX100, SDBS, and SDS. Therefore, anionic–nonionic mixed surfactants can help improve the remediation performance of PAHs based on their application in tests of cleaning actual PAH-contaminated soil from a coke oven plant.

Aedes aegypti is the vector for transmitting dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. These diseases’ transmission has increased predominantly in urban and semi-urban areas as a major public health concern. In present investigation, Trichoderma atroviride culture filtrates were used for the synthesis of silver nanoparticle. Moreover, T. atroviride is a free-living and rapidly growing fungi common in soil and root ecosystem. This fungi is an exceptionally good model for biocontrol and more significant as a bioagent. T. atroviride was grown in malt extract. T. atroviride culture filtrates were exposed to silver nitrates solution for 24 h at 25 °C for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). These AgNPs were characterized to find their unique properties with UV-visible spectrophotometer and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. The T. atroviride culture filtrates have formed hexagonal (diamond shape) AgNPs with the range of size of 14.01–21.02 nm. These AgNPs have shown significant efficacies against first, second, third, and fourth instar larvae of A. aegypti. The LC₉₀ and LC₉₉ values for the first instar were 1 and 3 ppm, second instar 2 and 3.18 ppm, third instar 3.12 and 4.12 ppm, and fourth instar 6.30 and 6.59 ppm, respectively, after an exposure of 7 h. The confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) studies were verdict that these AgNPs embedded in the cuticle of larvae and cause instant lethality in 7 h. Present investigations have demonstrated that the AgNPs of T. atroviride culture filtrates synthesized can be used for larvae control of A. aegypti. T. atroviride is synthesized to silver nanoparticles to be a promising new candidate for application in mosquito control. We therefore suggested that the ability of T. atroviride culture filtrates in synthesis can also be explored for synthesizing silver nanoparticles for commercial exploitation.

Iron species are one of the least toxic and least expensive substances that are photocatalytic in the visible region of the spectrum. Therefore, this article focuses on iron-based photocatalysts sensitive to visible light. Photo-Fenton reactions are considered with respect to those assisted by and involve the in situ production of H₂O₂. The possible role that photoactive iron species play by interacting with natural organic matter in water purification in the natural environment is considered. The review also considered photosensitization by phthalocyanines and the potential role that layered double hydroxides may have not only as catalyst supports but also as photosensitizers themselves. Finally, photocatalytic disinfection of water is discussed, and the desirability of standardized metrics and experimental conditions to assist in the comparative evaluation of photocatalysts is highlighted.

Ballast water is, together with hull fouling and aquaculture, considered the most important factor of the worldwide transfer of invasive non-indigenous organisms in aquatic ecosystems and the most important factor in European Union. With the aim of preventing and halting the spread of the transfer of invasive organisms in aquatic ecosystems and also in accordance with IMO’s International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water and Sediments, the systems for ballast water treatment, whose work includes, e.g. chemical treatment, ozonation and filtration, are used. Although hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) is used in many different areas, such as science and engineering, implied acoustics, biomedicine, botany, chemistry and hydraulics, the application of HC in ballast water treatment area remains insufficiently researched. This paper presents the first literature review that studies lab- and large-scale setups for ballast water treatment together with the type-approved systems currently available on the market that use HC as a step in their operation. This paper deals with the possible advantages and disadvantages of such systems, as well as their influence on the crew and marine environment. It also analyses perspectives on the further development and application of HC in ballast water treatment.