This study investigates the relationship between energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission in the causal framework, as the direction of causality remains has a significant policy implication for developed and developing countries. The study employed maximum entropy bootstrap (Meboot) approach to examine the causal nexus between energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission using bivariate as well as multivariate framework for Malaysia, over a period of 1975–2013. This is a unified approach without requiring the use of conventional techniques based on asymptotical theory such as testing for possible unit root and cointegration. In addition, it can be applied in the presence of non-stationary of any type including structural breaks without any type of data transformation to achieve stationary. Thus, it provides more reliable and robust inferences which are insensitive to time span as well as lag length used. The empirical results show that there is a unidirectional causality running from energy consumption to carbon emission both in the bivariate model and multivariate framework, while controlling for broad money supply and population density. The results indicate that Malaysia is an energy-dependent country and hence energy is stimulus to carbon emissions.

This study was conducted to identify the driving factors behind fungal community dynamics during agricultural waste composting. Fungal community abundance and structure were determined by quantitative PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis combined with DNA sequencing. The effects of physico-chemical parameters on fungal community abundance and structure were evaluated by least significant difference tests and redundancy analysis. The results showed that Cladosporium bruhnei, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Scytalidium thermophilum, Tilletiopsis penniseti, and Coprinopsis altramentaria were prominent during the composting process. The greatest variation in the distribution of fungal community structure was statistically explained by pile temperature and total organic carbon (TOC) (P < 0.05). A significant amount of the variation (74.6 %) was explained by these two parameters alone. Fungal community abundance was found to be significantly related to pH, while pH was significantly influenced by pile temperature and nitrate levels (P < 0.05), and these parameters were found to be the most likely to influence or be influenced by the fungal community during composting.

The synergistic activity between plants and microorganisms may contribute to the implementation of proactive management strategies in the stabilization of contaminated sites, although heavy metals, such as cadmium (Cd), are potentially toxic to them. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of tolerance to Cd contamination (supplying twice 40 mg kg⁻¹ of Cd) in poplar cuttings [clone I-214, P. × euramericana (Dode) Guinier] inoculated or not with two concentrations of Serratia marcescens strain (1 × 10⁷ CFU/g and 2 × 10⁷ CFU/g of potting mix). The response of the plant–bacteria system to excess Cd was investigated with special reference to the structural traits of plants and the functional efficiency of bacteria. Bacterial colonization and substrate components were previously assessed in order to define the best solution for formulating the experimental plant growth media. The tested plant–bacteria association, especially when bacteria were provided in double concentration, stimulated specific tolerance mechanisms to Cd through the promotion of the poplar growth. Inoculated plants produced larger leaves and increased stem diameter, while roots grew longer and wider in Cd-treated plants. The effect of bacterial inoculum on plant growth traits and metal partitioning in plant organs was assessed in order to define the potential of this poplar clone to be a suitable candidate for phytostabilization of Cd-contaminated soil. The final effect of the inoculation with bacteria, which alleviated the metal load and Cd phytotoxicity due to their bioaccumulation ability, suggests promising phytostabilization potential of these plant–bacteria associations.

Pesticides constitute an integral part of high-intensity European agriculture. Prior to their authorization, a highly elaborated environmental risk assessment is mandatory according to EU pesticide legislation, i.e., Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009. However, no field data-based evaluation of the risk assessment outcome, i.e., the regulatory acceptable concentrations (RACs), and therefore of the overall protectiveness of EU pesticide regulations exists. We conducted here a comprehensive meta-analysis using peer-reviewed literature on agricultural insecticide concentrations in EU surface waters and evaluated associated risks using the RACs derived from official European pesticide registration documents. As a result, 44.7 % of the 1566 cases of measured insecticide concentrations (MICs) in EU surface waters exceeded their respective RACs. It follows that current EU pesticide regulations do not protect the aquatic environment and that insecticides threaten aquatic biodiversity. RAC exceedances were significantly higher for insecticides authorized using conservative tier-I RACs and for more recently developed insecticide classes, i.e., pyrethroids. In addition, we identified higher risks, e.g., for smaller surface waters that are specifically considered in the regulatory risk assessment schemes. We illustrate the shortcomings of the EU regulatory risk assessment using two case studies that contextualize the respective risk assessment outcomes to field exposure. Overall, our meta-analysis challenges the field relevance and protectiveness of the regulatory environmental risk assessment conducted for pesticide authorization in the EU and indicates that critical revisions of related pesticide regulations and effective mitigation measures are urgently needed to substantially reduce the environmental risks arising from agricultural insecticide use.

A fissured aquifer may be considered as a dense network of fissures separated by low permeability matrix blocks. A conceptual modeling of such a system consists of an infinite number of parallel fractures separated by constant width matrix slabs. While the fissures are assumed to be main flow conduits, the fluid in the porous matrix blocks are considered to be virtually immobile. The mathematical model of the transport of a solute and/or contaminant which assumes a purely convective flow in fissures and diffusion into the matrix blocks consists of two coupled differential equations. An analytical solution of this model for the case of solute entering into the system at a constant concentration has been presented by Skopp and Warrick in Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 38:545-550, 1974. Note however, Skopp and Warrick (Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 38:545-550, 1974) have not considered the additional processes of adsorption and radioactive decay. Unfortunately, their solution had computational limitations as it involved numerical integration of a quite complex expression. Therefore, one had to turn to employing numerical Laplace transform inverters to compute the solutions. This work presents simple real space analytical solutions for the contaminant transport model described above including the adsorption and radioactive decay. The real space solutions have been developed using the method of double Laplace transform and binomial series approximation. An accurate approximate solution has also been presented which converges to the exact solution only after computing three terms in the series full solution. The developed model has been used for 1) assessment of the efficiency of numerical Laplace transform algorithms and 2) investigation of the degree and scale of contamination, and 3) designing remediation schemes for the already contaminated aquifers.

The use of metal-tolerant polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacteria is viable for mitigating metal inhibition of organic compound biodegradation in the remediation of mixed contaminated sites. Many microbial growth media used for toxicity testing contain high concentrations of metal-binding components such as phosphates that can reduce solution-phase metal concentrations thereby underestimate the real toxicity. In this study, we isolated two PAHs-degrading bacterial consortia from long-term mixed contaminated soils. We have developed a new mineral medium by optimising the concentrations of medium components to allow the bacterial growth and at the same time maintain high bioavailable metal (Cd²⁺ as a model metal) in the medium. This medium has more than 60 % Cd as Cd²⁺ at pH 6.5 as measured by an ion selective electrode and visual MINTEQ model. The Cd-tolerant patterns of the consortia were tested and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) derived. The consortium-5 had the highest MIC of 5 mg l⁻¹ Cd followed by consortium-9. Both cultures were able to completely metabolise 200 mg l⁻¹ phenanthrene in less than 4 days in the presence of 5 mg l⁻¹ Cd. The isolated metal-tolerant PAH-degrading bacterial cultures have great potential for bioremediation of mixed contaminated soils.

The effects of temperature (18, 24, and 37 °C) and form of nitrogen (N) input from various sources (organic—green waste compost, biosolids, and chicken manure; inorganic—urea) on N transformation in three different Australian soils with varying pH (4.30, 7.09, and 9.15) were examined. Ammonification rate (ammonium concentration) increased with increase in temperature in all soil types. The effect of temperature on nitrification rate (nitrate concentration) followed 24 > 37 > 18 °C. Nitrification rate was higher in neutral and alkaline soils than acidic soil. Mineral N (bioavailable N) concentration was high in urea treatments than in organic N source treatments in all soil types. Acidic soil lacked nitrification activity resulting in low nitrate (NO₃) buildup in urea treatment, whereas a significant NO₃ buildup was noticed in green waste compost treatment. In neutral and alkaline soils, the nitrification activity was low at 37 °C in urea treatment but with a significant NO₃ buildup in organic amendment added soils. Addition of organic N sources supplied ammonia oxidizing bacteria thereby triggering nitrification in the soils (even at 37 °C). This study posits the following implications: (1) inorganic fertilizer accumulate high NO₃ content in soils in a short period of incubation, thereby becoming a potential source of NO₃ leaching; (2) organic N sources can serve as possible source of nitrifying bacteria, thereby increasing bioavailable N (NO₃) in soils regardless of the soil properties and temperature.

Adsorption/desorption and desorption hysteresis of methamphetamine (MMA) on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as well as bioavailability of MMA were studied in simulated gastrointestinal fluids and background fluids. Adsorption of MMA in near-neutral (weak alkaline) intestinal fluid was enhanced, while adsorption of MMA on CNTs in acid gastric fluid was suppressed. Desorption of MMA is divided into fast and slow stages, and fast desorption conducting in the gastric fluid lasted shortly and slow desorption occurred in intestinal fluid; pepsin can enhance the release of MMA in gastrointestinal system. While, the acidic condition in gastric fluid is the main factor which causes the release of MMA. The amount of MMA released from CNTs in different fluids follows the order gastric > background (pH = 2.0) > intestinal (fed) > intestinal (fasted) > background (pH = 7.5). These findings in the simulated gastrointestinal system suggest that the release of MMA from CNTs could be promoted by biomacromolecules (such as pepsin and bile salts in digestive tract); thus, the bioavailability of MMA is enhanced.

In the aquatic environment, biotransformation enzymes are established biomarkers for assessing PAH exposure in fish, but little is known about the effect of 17β-estradiol (E2) on these enzymes during exposure to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). In this study, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were exposed for 3, 5, and 10 days to BaP (300 μg L⁻¹) and E2 (5 μg L⁻¹). These substances were applied isolated or mixed. In the mixture experiment, fish were analyzed pre- and postexposure in order to better understand whether preexposure to the hormone masks the responses activated by PAH or vice versa. Phase I enzymes ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), pentoxyresorufin-O-depenthylase (PROD), and benzyloxyresorufin-O-debenzylase (BROD) activities as well as the phase II enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST) were analyzed. Isolated E2 treatment decreased EROD activity after 3 days, but this enzyme activity returned to control values after 5 and 10 days of exposure. Isolated BaP treatment significantly induced EROD activity after 3 and 5 days, and the activity returned to control levels after ten exposure days. Combined treatment (E2 + Bap) significantly increased EROD activity, both in the pre- and postexposure. This increase was even higher than in the isolated BaP treatment, suggesting a synergism between these two compounds. When E2 and BaP were used singly, they did not change BROD and PROD activities. However, combined treatment (E2 + Bap) significantly increased PROD activity. Isolated BaP treatment increased GST activity after 10 days. However, this response was not observed in the mixture treatment, suggesting that E2 suppressed the GST induction modulated by BaP. The results put together indicated that E2 altered the biotransformation pathway regarding enzymes activated by BaP in Nile tilapia.