In developing countries, plastic packaging waste and the proliferation of cement plants have become real problems in terms of hygiene and public health. Common plastic packaging is produced by the petrochemical industry. It is (Ivory Coast) non-biodegradable and releases numerous toxic substances when heated or incinerated. In this study, building blocks were produced by incorporating waste plastic packaging (low-density polyethylene) as reinforcement in fired clay bricks. The incorporation into the raw clay matrix was carried out in proportions of 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5% of plastic, corresponding respectively to brick types Bcp0, Bcp1, Bcp2, Bcp3, Bcp4 and Bcp5. The Bcp4 bricks showed optimal physical properties (water absorption rate, apparent porosity, density, and compressive strength). The introduction of 4% plastic waste into the clay increased the compressive strength, decreased the water absorption rate, and significantly reduced the apparent porosity. The influence of firing temperature (Tf ), firing time (tf ), and amount of mixing water (mwater) was investigated on Bcp0 and Bcp4 bricks. The better plastic incorporation for the operating parameters Tf = 200°C, mwater = 20 g, and tf =.6 h. The study shows that it is possible to have eco-efficient brick production with low energy consumption.

Iraq has been suffering from a continuing rise in surface air temperature, causing a general deterioration in ecosystems. Land-use climate sensitivity focuses on how changes in land cover (e.g., deforestation, urbanization, or agricultural expansion affect local or regional climate conditions, particularly surface temperatures. Using yearly data on built-up areas and air temperature over the period (1971-2022), this sensitivity is assessed based on alterations in built-up areas for three Iraqi cities-Basrah, Baghdad, and Mosul, as well as for the entire country of Iraq. The time series of the areal yearly averages for air temperatures was analyzed. Standardized Euclidean distance and linear regression models were used to assess the effect of built-up changes and temperature trends, respectively. The results revealed that the trend in Iraq has positively increased, with a value of 0.07°C/year. The results also illustrate that alterations in built-up areas have contributed to the increase in yearly temperature in Basrah and Baghdad, but not in Mosul, which seems to be more affected by global warming and land cover changes. Urbanization plays a significant role in shaping the social, economic, and environmental landscapes of Baghdad and Basrah.

The objective of this study is to develop a large-scale technology for phosphate wastewater management. Laundry activities are one of the largest producing phosphate contaminants by the use of detergent. Various contaminants, such as nutrients of phosphate, chemicals, and pathogens, can pollute the environment and endanger human health. The experiment was conducted by batch method by using water in a stationary or non-flowing state. The results showed that combining phytoremediation technology and monitoring the microalgae growth phase could reduce TSS, pH, BOD5, COD, and phosphate values in wastewater. The treatment in this study was to combine two species of microalgae. Studies have shown that the optimal pH for microalgae is in the range of 7.5. Providing moderate amounts of aeration and CO2 promoted algal growth. The decrease in phosphate levels was 27.86%, with the best phase observation at the fourth hour of exponential time. Water quality evaluation of BOD, COD, and TSS parameters had a decrease of 51.87%, 51.06%, and 52%, respectively. Thus, it can be concluded that the combining of two species of microalgae in the exponential growth phase has been proven to affect and improve the quality of wastewater from laundry waste and meet the quality standards.

The discharge of textile effluents containing azo dyes is critical due to their persistence in wastewater and carcinogenic, mutagenic impacts on aquatic organisms. Considering the toxicity of azo dye, an effective remediation strategy should be applied before disposing into the environment. Among all the advanced techniques like electrochemical degradation, Fenton oxidation, photocatalysis, ozonation, etc., biodegradation using biocatalysts is an eco-friendly and economic process to deal with this problem. Along with advantages, biocatalysts, particularly enzymes, face limitations like instability, single-use restriction, and reduced efficiency under operational conditions. Immobilization addresses these challenges by enhancing enzyme stability, reusability, and catalytic performance. The present study focuses on the development of an efficient bioremediation approach for the removal of Congo red dye from aqueous solutions using peroxidase (HGP) extracted from germinated Macrotyloma uniflorum (horse gram) seedlings. The enzyme was immobilized on polyvinyl alcohol–chitosan beads through epichlorohydrin-mediated crosslinking, enabling its application as a reusable biocatalyst for dye degradation. The immobilization method achieved high efficiency with 96% enzyme retention. The immobilized peroxidase exhibited enhanced stability and was evaluated for its efficacy in degrading Congo red dye. Under optimized conditions, 26 units of immobilized peroxidase achieved complete decolorization (100%) of a 160 mg.L-1 Congo red solution within 10 minutes at 28°C and pH 4. Environmental safety of the degradation products was confirmed through phytotoxicity and microbial growth assessments. Additionally, the immobilized enzyme retained its catalytic activity across eight successive cycles, underscoring its reusability and potential for practical applications in bioremediation of dye-contaminated wastewater. A newly developed biocatalyst demonstrates a simple method of preparation, environmental benignity, biocompatibility, high efficiency, enhanced stability, and facile recyclability.

Groundwater is the primary source of drinking water, but this source is frequently contaminated by heavy metals such as iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) due to contact with metallic minerals in the soil. This contamination not only causes discoloration and the formation of scale that damages pipes but also poses serious health risks, including neurological disorders and even cancer, if consumed over a long period. Some water treatments, such as aeration and filtration, are capable of removing Fe and Mn concentrations in groundwater. This study aims to solve this problem by testing the effectiveness of a combination of venturi aeration and zeolite filtration in reducing each Fe and Mn concentration in groundwater. Variations were made to the venturi aerator’s air hole size with diameters of 12 mm, 10 mm, and 8 mm. During the aeration and filtration process, sampling was conducted at 0 min, 15 min, 30 min, and 60 min. The highest removal Fe and Mn concentration occurred at the 8 mm diameter variation, with a Fe removal efficiency of 97% and an Mn removal efficiency54% during the aeration process. After that, Mn reduction is up to 99% during the filtration process

Wastewater can be used in hydroponic systems to grow crop plants, offering a sustainable solution to water scarcity and nutrient recycling. However, contaminants like Cu and Zn can affect crop yield. This study aimed to assess the effects of Cu- and Zn-induced toxicity on growth, physiology, photosynthesis, biochemical characteristics, element concentrations, and leaf distribution patterns in buckwheat. The experiment consisted of nine treatments (0, Cu5, Cu10, Zn50, Zn100, Cu5Zn50, Cu5Zn100, Cu10Zn50 and Cu10Zn100 mg L−1) with four replications in a completely randomized design. The obtained data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's HSD tests. A two-way clustering based on Euclidian distance was performed to understand the relationships between the measured parameters better. The results showed that Cu and Zn at higher and combined levels notably decreased fresh and dry weight, nitrogen balance index, chlorophylls, photosystem II (PSII) efficiency, and PSII quantum yield compared to the control. Conversely, the anthocyanin and flavonoids contents were increased compared to the control. Shoot Cu and Zn concentrations and uptake were dose-dependent; however, Cu and Zn interactions at higher levels were antagonistic. Micro-XRF element distribution analysis of leaves showed that Cu and/or Zn treatment affected element partitioning between mesophyll and vascular tissue. Mesophyll to vein metal concentration ratios (MeVeR) showed that at higher Cu levels (Cu10), more Cu was transported into the mesophyll, making Cu more toxic due to interference with photosynthesis, while at high Zn levels (Zn100), Zn was more efficiently sequestered in veins.

Sustainable intensification of livestock production relies critically on effective disease management, yet the environmental implications of current practices remain poorly understood. The study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of acaricide use in tick control in Kenya’s dairy sector affects environmental and human health risks. Using original survey data from dairy farmers and a two-stage least square (2SLS) approach, the results found that farmers’ adaptation to perceived ineffective tick treatment leads to potentially harmful practices. Twenty percent of farmers improperly rotate acaricides, while 66% under-apply recommended doses. Despite 65% using protective gear, 29% report adverse health effects. Our estimates show that improper acaricide group rotation increases the environmental and human health risks by 35%. The study highlights important trade-offs between animal health management and environmental and human health objectives, suggesting a need to reform current disease prevention approaches to balance productivity gains with environmental sustainability in developing countries.

Today, because of the increasing level of people's need to improve wellbeing in social and individual life, air pollutants have been released that have Pollution harms both human health and the environment. This research examined Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes (BTEX) levels in indoor air across different global locations from 1963 to 2023. The investigation employed both; a systematic review and meta-analysis method. The health risks associated with long and short-terms exposure to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene were assessed. That average concentration benzene was 23.07 μg⁄m3, toluene was 131.60, ethylbenzene was 28.91, and xylene was 63.87. Also, the health risk assessment based on a 95% confidence level showed that the pollutants in question play a role in causing diseases such as lung neoplasm, stomach neoplasm, colon neoplasm, liver neoplasm, headache, dizziness, nausea, insomnia, etc. Consequently, it is crucial to implement stringent measures aimed at lowering the levels of these contaminants in indoor spaces.

Introduction: Urbanization, accelerated by the Industrial Revolution, has led to dense construction and a reduction in green areas. It is well-established that diminishing green spaces in cities contribute to declining air quality levels. Poor air quality poses one of the most significant direct threats to human health in urban environments. Increasing the presence of trees key components of ecosystems known for their role in mitigating air pollution can address this issue by reducing air pollution through particulate matter absorption and filtration, mitigating the urban heat island effect, regulating ozone levels, storing carbon, and improving airflow and distribution. Materials and methods: This study calculated the economic benefits of green spaces by assessing the land cover distribution and carbon sequestration capacity of tree canopy cover in the 100th-Year National Garden, located in Erzurum, Turkey, using the i-Tree Canopy application. The v7.1 version of the i-Tree Canopy software was employed for this purpose. Results: Results revealed that 0.13 ha of the area consisted of soil or bare ground, while 1.11 ha were covered by trees and shrubs. The study estimated that 398.23 kg of particulate matter were removed from the area, with a crown cover of 34.57%. The economic benefit derived from the trees’ contributions was valued at 185 U.S dollars. Conclusion: Consequently, the i-Tree Canopy application, a freely available tool, is considered a valuable resource for broader applications, offering benefits for air quality improvement strategies in urban areas.

Air pollution is a global threat that significantly affects human and environmental health, and fixed Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS), play a pivotal role in assessing ambient air conditions and informing regulatory policies. This systematic review provides a global overview of fixed air pollution monitoring stations, focusing on the geographical distribution of stations, classification, pollutants measured at each station, measurement techniques for each pollutant, monitoring frameworks, and implementation challenges. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and grey literature identified 17 eligible studies covering diverse regions across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This assessment uncovers Critical disparities in air quality monitoring architectures, revealing: (i) non-uniform station distribution patterns, (ii) technology adoption gaps, and (iii) pollutant coverage imbalances that collectively hinder comparable air quality assessments across regions and While high-income countries operate and maintain sophisticated networks and advanced, reference-grade analyzers, low- and middle-income countries use low-resolution, short-term, or inexpensive sensors that provide limited and fragmented data. This review, synthesizing global evidence, highlights the urgent need for equitable, reliable, and policy-driven monitoring systems worldwide.