This study reports a new approach of alga amendment in a live mode. The Caulerpa sertularioides alga was modified with sulfur-containing materials of methionine (C₅H₁₁NO₂S) and sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄) to more concentrate the sulfur content of the yielded biomass (adsorbent). The simple and amended C. sertularioides alga was fully characterized with FTIR, SEM, EDX, BET, BJH, and pHzₚc techniques. The copper adsorption from aqueous media was done by three adsorbents of C. sertularioides-simple (CSS), C. sertularioides-Na₂SO₄ (CSN), and C. sertularioides-C₅H₁₁NO₂S (CSC). The parameters of pH (2–6), adsorbent dosage (2–10 g/L), and contact time (3–80 min) were optimized at 5, 5 g/L, and 60 min, respectively. According to Langmuir isotherm (the best-fitted model), the maximum adsorption capacity of CSN (98.04 mg/g) was obtained 2.4 times higher than CSC (40.73 mg/g) and 9.5 times higher than CSS (10.29 mg/g). The Cu adsorption process by the adsorbents was best-fitted pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The CSN, CSC, and CSS biomasses were successfully reused 5, 4, and 4 times, respectively. The thermodynamic study revealed that the copper adsorption process by CSN is exothermic and non-spontaneous. Finally, the suitability of adsorbents prepared from algae was tested by cleaning a simulated wastewater.

Seventy Chinese mitten crab samples, encompassing a total of 2100 individuals, were collected from the main production areas in China. The objective was to assess the occurrences and patterns of 23 selected organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the edible tissues and assess the associated dietary risk. Concentrations of total residual OCPs in the mitten crabs ranged from 0.72 to 51.51 μg kg⁻¹, which was comparable to other global aquatic species. Dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethanes (DDTs) and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were the two main contributors of total OCPs, with the detected values ranging from 0.14 to 30.89 μg kg⁻¹ and 0.23 to 4.04 μg kg⁻¹, respectively. Source analysis indicated the coexistence of both residual and recent DDT inputs, while there was no indication of HCH usage in the main production area of mitten crab. In terms of dietary risk, at least eight individual mitten crabs per day are permissible for consumption by local residents, indicating low risk from consumption. The results presented herein should guide the production and consumption of mitten crab, as well as promote the sustainable development of aquaculture in China.

Coal gasification fine slag (CGFS), which is the by-product of entrained-flow coal gasification, has superior properties, such as a large surface area, a broad pore size distribution, and a high content of carbon. This material has the potential to amend poor soils. This study was carried out to investigate the use of CGFS as a soil amendment for alkaline sandy lands. Special focus was given to the mechanisms by which CGFS changes the physicochemical properties of soil. Characterization tests and chemical composition results further attested that the large amounts of residual carbon, fluffy structure, high surface area, and wide pore diameter of CGFS are key factors that enhance the soil physicochemical properties. When 20% CGFS was applied, the bulk density of the soil decreased from 1.47 to 1.05 g/cm³, the carbon content increased significantly from 4.86 to 55.38 g/kg, the pH decreased from 8.49 to 8.23, the cation exchange capacity (CEC) increased from 2.17 to 4.68 cmol/kg, and the water holding capacity (WHC) increased from 29 to 44%. Potted plant experiments in a greenhouse showed that 20%wt. incorporation of CGFS significantly increased the germination rates of maize and wheat from 0 to 100%. Pearson correlation analysis results indicated that the changes in the soil physicochemical properties were significantly correlated with each other (p < 0.05 or 0.01) and that the WHC was significantly correlated with the germination rates of the crops. This work demonstrated that judicious application of CGFS as a natural soil amendment could not only enhance the soil physicochemical properties but also provide a new approach for the safe and environmentally friendly utilization of CGFS.

The olive mill wastewater (OMW) properties impose substantial practical and fiscal difficulties for effective management and dumping. A feasible and practical option is a regulated spreading of OMW into the soil. This study aimed to investigate the sustainable reuse of OMW through land application to enhance soil quality and wheat growth performance under rain-fed conditions. OMW was spread at 20, 40, 60, 80, and 120 m³ ha⁻¹ at two sites. Soil physical and chemical properties were measured after OMW application and after harvest. Wheat growth performance and leaf nutrient content were determined. This study revealed no deleterious influence of OMW application on soil properties and wheat growth at the two locations for all OMW application doses. The OMW land spreading improved significantly wheat growth by increasing the biological yield (BYLD) (8.4 to 36.5%), grain yield (GYLD) (20.1 to 79.4%), and harvest index (HI) (4.2 to 60.2%). Based on the measured soil chemical parameters and wheat grain yield, we can suggest that OMW application rate at 60 m³ ha⁻¹ could improve significantly wheat growth without significant negative impact on soil properties. In conclusion, we recommend using OMW as suggested in this study for wheat. However, still the long-term application of OMW assessment and local legislative adaptation of saving use are necessary.

There is a rising concern about the pollution of microplastics (plastic particles < 5 mm) in water due to their physicochemical properties, especially their interaction with organic contaminants; however, such knowledge is still limited. The mass production and consumption of medication for the treatment of infectious diseases in human and animals have led to the ubiquity of antibiotics in the environment. We studied the single and joint effects of microplastics (1-μm and 10-μm polystyrene particles, PS) and roxithromycin (ROX) on Daphnia magna through the acute and sublethal toxicity tests. The 48-h median effective concentration (EC₅₀) of 1-μm and 10-μm PS to D. magna was 66.97 mg/L and 199.94 mg/L, respectively, while the value of ROX was 20.28 mg/L. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the activities of four enzymatic biomarkers, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione S-transferase (GST), were further detected to assess the oxidative stress caused in D. magna caused. The results showed that 48-h exposure to PS (0.1 mg/L) or ROX (0.01 mg/L) alone activated the activities of CAT and GST and MDA levels. When compared with the ROX alone, the responses of GPx and MDA in D. magna co-exposed to 1-μm PS were significantly decreased, while co-exposure to 10-μm PS significantly decreased the responses of GST and MDA. Furthermore, the integrated biomarker response version 2 (IBRv2) analysis revealed that co-exposure to 1-μm PS and ROX led to the strongest biological responses in D. magna. Our findings underlined that microplastics should be a concern when they interact with the co-existence of pollutants in the aquatic environment.

Urbanization development plays a vital role in the health of modern residents; however, there have been very limited researches to specifically and comprehensively explore the relationship between urbanization level evaluating indicators (ULEIs) and female health outcomes. The mortality rate of breast cancer (BC), cervical cancer (CC), and ovarian cancer (OC) and classified urbanization factor are collected at provincial level. Stepwise regression model (SRM) and geographically weighted regression model (GWRM) are conducted to obtain spatial relationship between the mortality rate of those cancer and ULEI. Our results show that there is remarkable difference of mortality rate of BC, CC, and OC in different provinces as well as higher BC, CC, and OC distributed in northern regions. The increase of value added of primary industry (VAPI), taxi, and coal consumption has detrimental effect on BC and CC. Fuel oil consumption (FOC) ultimately results in increase of mortality rate of BC and OC, and urban fixed asset investment (UFAI) poses a risk to increase the mortality rate of OC. Contrarily, natural gas consumption (NGC) appear to mitigate mortality rate of BC. In particular, our findings demonstrate that there exist spatial differences for VAPI, FOC, NGC, taxi, and coal consumption influencing BC, CC, and OC. It is suggested that policy makers should take account of regional discrepancy and implement a sustainable urbanization development considering female health.

This paper investigates the motives behind corporate giving and determines whether perceived risk plays a major role in corporate surplus food donation intention. A conceptual model is developed from the perspectives of perceived risk, economic concern, past behavior, and moral motives. A questionnaire survey is conducted among food manufacturers and retailers in the Sichuan Province in China. A total of 143 valid observations are used to conduct structural equation modeling analysis. The results show that corporate reputation, legislation, and business risks are the main sub dimensions of risks that corporations perceive. Perceived risk, past behavior, environmental concern, and altruism affect corporate donation intention significantly. Implications of the findings for promoting surplus food donation are also discussed.

Evaluation of the human exposure risk to semivolatile organic compound (SVOC) levels in soil from automobile workshops in Awka was investigated. Soil samples were collected in both dry and rainy seasons. Solvent extraction of the soil samples was carried out using n-hexane: acetone mixture (1:1). Concentrations of SVOCs were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. There were higher concentrations of SVOCs in the dry season than in the rainy season. The concentrations of the SVOCs were compared with standards for industrial soils. Concentrations of pentachlorophenol in the samples for dry and rainy seasons were below the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME) acceptable limit of 7.6 mg/kg. Eighty percent of soil samples for the dry season and all the soil samples for the rainy season had benzo(a)pyrene concentrations lower than the CCME acceptable limit of 0.7 mg/kg. However, incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCRdₑᵣ) of PAHs and pentachlorophenol for dry seasons exceeded 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ WHO acceptable limit in all the sampling stations, which indicates potential risk via dermal contact. ILCRs of pentachlorophenol were above 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ in 60% of the samples for soil ingestion and all the samples for dermal contact. Hazard quotient of phenolics, phthalates, 1,3-dichlorobenzene and 1,4-dichlorobenzene for soil samples were less than 1 for both seasons, which indicates no non-cancer risk. Results suggest that the SVOCs were highest at the centre of the automobile workshop and the main route of exposure was dermal contact with the soil.

The effects of crude ethanol derived leaf extract Trichodesma indicum (Linn) (Ex-Ti) and their chief derivatives were accessed on the survival and development of the dengue mosquito Ae. aegypti also their non-toxic activity against mosquito predator. T. indicum is recognized to be the vital weed plant and a promising herb in the traditional ayurvedic medicine. In this study, the GC-MS chromatogram of Ex-Ti showed higher peak area percentage for cis-10-Heptadecenoic acid (21.83%) followed by cycloheptadecanone (14.32%). The Ex-Ti displayed predominant mortality in larvae with 96.45 and 93.31% at the prominent dosage (200 ppm) against III and IV instar. Correspondingly, sub-lethal dosage against the enzymatic profile of III and IV instar showed downregulation of α,β-carboxylesterase and SOD protein profiles at the maximum concentration of 100 ppm. However, enzyme level of GST as well as CYP450 increased significantly dependent on sub-lethal concentration. Likewise, fecundity and hatchability of egg rate of dengue mosquito decreased to the sub-lethal concentration of Ex-Ti. Repellent assay illustrates that Ex-Ti concentration had greater protection time up to 210 min at 100 ppm. Also, activity of Ex-Ti on adult mosquito displayed 100% mortality at the maximum dosage of 600, 500 and 400 ppm within the period of 50, 60 and 70 min, respectively. Photomicrography screening showed that lethal dosage of Ex-Ti (100 ppm) produced severe morphological changes with dysregulation in their body parts as matched to the control. Effects of Ex-Ti on the Toxorhynchites splendens IV instar larvae showed less mortality (43.47%) even at the maximum dosage of 1500 ppm as matched to the chemical pesticide Temephos. Overall, the present research adds a toxicological valuation on the Ex-Ti and their active constituents as a larvicidal, repellent and adulticidal agents against the global burdening dengue mosquito.

Commercial activated carbon fiber (ACF) has been employed as particle electrodes to degrade aqueous m-cresol in 3-D electrode systems. To enhance the electrooxidation performance, three types of new ACF modification modes (anodic oxidation, cathodic reduction, and aqueous oxidation with concentrated HNO₃) were introduced in this paper. These pretreated samples were characterized by N₂ adsorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), temperature-programmed desorption mass (TPD-MS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). It was revealed that the two new modification methods could efficiently modify the surface morphology as well as the chemical property. Eight types of surface oxygen groups (SOGs) were identified on the surface of ACF, and the types and amount of SOGs might be related to the oxidation effect of ACF on the 3-D electrodes. The effect and mechanism of these SOGs on electrooxidation performance were discussed with the aid of the frontier molecular orbital theory. It was demonstrated that the H₂O₂–·OH reaction mechanism was improved in the 3-D electrode system and the mechanism was elucidated.