Air pollution has become a major issue in cities due to urbanization, population growth, industrial development, and increasing number of vehicles. The study used Gmelina arborea tree leaves as a bioindicator to determine the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) as a simple and effective compositional index of environmental health in three cities in the Caraga Region, Philippines. To calculate the APTI, four biochemical parameters of tree leaves were calculated: relative water content, total chlorophyll content, leaf-extract pH, and ascorbic acid content. In terms of the APTI category, results showed that all G. arborea species collected in all sample sites are classified as sensitive to air pollution, with the sample collected in Bayugan City being the most sensitive, with an APTI value of 7.66, and the samples collected in Butuan and Cabadbaran City being the least sensitive, with APTI values of 9.54 and 9.11, respectively. A Kruskal-Wallis test revealed a significant difference between the APTI values of G. arborea trees in the three sampling areas in the Caraga region. Based on the APTI computed values of the tree leaves determined in all sites, it is concluded that G. arborea species can be used as a bioindicator of air pollution, classified as sensitive.

Due to the increase in population and urbanization, the availability of freshwater with standard quality to the human population is of great challenge. Recently there has been a demand for fresh water in surface and groundwater, so it is necessary to go for advanced isotopic techniques for identifying surface and groundwater resources. Isotopes are atoms of elements having the same atomic and different mass numbers. The isotopes found their wider application in water resources-related problems. The isotopes in water resources proved to be an effective tool in solving many critical hydrologic problems where conventional methods cannot be used due to their limitations. This research article discusses isotope application in water resources and focuses on different types of stable and unstable isotopes and their applications at Global and National levels. The methodology and research steps are proposed based on research gaps identified through various literature studies. The study will be conducted in the Kelambakkam zone, south of Chennai sub-urban. This research paper will discuss the sequential steps in identifying recharge and discharge mechanisms in study zones through stable isotopic techniques. The hydro-chemical analysis will also be done by measuring water quality in the Kelambakkam zone. The electrical resistivity survey for aquifer mapping will also be developed to identify the groundwater recharge zones. The proposed study will give complete information about recharge and discharge in the study area and recommend suitable groundwater harvesting structures.

Enhanced crop health, which is crucial for sustainable agriculture, is facilitated by a unique endophyte or endophytic community that is frequently linked to a variety of crops. Plant growth-promoting (PGP) characteristics of endophytes can directly or indirectly boost crop growth. Endophytic fungi have been proven to create a high percentage of new compounds, making them a particularly potential source of physiologically active chemicals. In this study, we have isolated two endophytic isolates, i.e., Paecilomyces sp. (Isolate AT1) and Aspergillus flavus (Isolate AT3), from different host plants, namely Melaleuca citrine and Carica papaya. These endophytes have shown significant plant growth-promoting potential toward different assays such as IAA production, phosphate solubilization, amylase production, cellulose-degrading assay, and ammonia production. These endophytic fungi also exhibit visible antimicrobial action towards selected crop pathogenic fungi (Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp.). Additionally, these fungal strains are reported for the first time from these plants, as we have found no reports in the literature. The research aims to explore the growth-promoting efficacy of endophytic fungi to boost plant growth.

Climate change is a widely debated topic in the 21st century, with various perspectives and opinions on its causes and potential remedies. Climate change risks have perplexed authorities and made protecting human life and health difficult. The elements that cause climate change, such as the combustion of fossil fuels, air pollutants, short-lived climatic pollutants, etc., have affected both the climate and human health. The Paris Agreement established several commitment periods that each nation was obligated to follow in accordance with their own individual capacities. This will assist in achieving greater human health and environmental benefits. To develop a robust climate change framework, WHO and other UN organizations have moved up to resolve these challenges. From the first international conference in 1988 to the current Conference of Parties, it has been concluded that “humanity is conducting an unintended, uncontrolled, globally pervasive experiment, the ultimate consequences of which could be second only to a global nuclear war.” The recent Katowice Agreement and the climate change package that was put in place demonstrate the seriousness required to resolve the issues of finance, loss and damage, and differentiation mechanisms, which were thoroughly discussed. The paper will focus on the existing legal solutions for providing climate justice to nations. The study will also look at the effectiveness of COP24 in executing adaptation and mitigation plans and adhering to the Paris Agreement in both text and spirit.

The informal sector has been at India’s core of recycling WEEE for the last few decades. They do not have the scientific knowledge of processing e-waste and use acid baths and heat treatment to extract precious metals. The existing processes used by informal actors lead to a serious impact on their health as well as the environment. The introduction of advanced recycling technology for mitigating the hazardous effects on the environment and human health is as important as the development of technology for new-age electronic products. The social, economic, and environmental benefits to the informal sector can ensure formalized livelihoods in e-waste recycling by ensuring access to technology. The paper highlights how setting up a recycling facility and capacity building of the informal sector solves the problem of informality and its associated social, economic, and environmental evils, which will benefit the sector as a whole.

Nanoparticles are an important tool for new updations and advancements in diverse sectors. The inorganic metal and metal oxide nanoparticles have enormous research interest because of their great relevance in medicine, wastewater treatment, catalysis, biotechnology, and in the formation of energy storage devices. The NiO NPs can be synthesized using different physical and chemical methods and exploring all their possible applications. Green synthesis is the easy, safe, and effective nanoparticle synthesis route. Green metal and metal oxide nanoparticle syntheses provide the most affordable, convenient, and biocompatible approach for fabricating NiO NPs. This way is a good alternative to the conventional methods of synthesis. Green synthesis, being more constructive, is widely used in research and gives promising outcomes. This review highlighted the unique feature of the NiO nanoparticles. This paper brings forth the usage of green synthesis for synthesizing NiO nanoparticles. It also provides readers with a collective review of the recent development in the green synthesis of NiO NPs and their potential application in different fields.

The amount of plastic waste produced yearly is significantly increasing. Approximately 300-400 million metric tons of plastic waste are produced yearly. One of the dominant plastic wastes is a metalized film, a shiny, non-homogeneous polymer used in packaging that is considered the least recycled. Meanwhile, partition walls in buildings are traditionally made of concrete masonry, one of the most utilized materials in the construction industry globally, consumed yearly by about 11 billion metric tons. Because of the excessive use of concrete, the necessary raw materials are undeniably depleting, therefore demanding some alternatives. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is one option that can be utilized as an alternative because of its remarkable characteristics better than that of the traditional. This paper proposed the utilization of PMMA in fabricating the hollow panel filled with shredded waste metalized film packaging resulting in the lightweight wall panel being used as an alternative to concrete masonry for constructing partition walls. After the experiment, PMMA produced compressive strength of 75.30-84.30MPa, a tensile strength of 52.00-59.10MPa, a flexural strength of 102.00-107.00MPa, and water absorption of 0.80-0.90%. Also, shredded waste metalized films add aesthetic to the panel and are complemented by the remarkable transparency of PMMA. In conclusion, using this lightweight wall panel instead of traditional concrete masonry partition walls will reduce plastic waste in landfills and the raw materials necessary to produce concrete.

The paper presents the treatment of atrazine-contaminated wastewater by ozonation followed by an anaerobic process using Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor. The experiment was performed with 100 ppb synthetic solutions of atrazine prepared in ultra-pure water. The corresponding initial Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is 226 mg.L-1. The initial pH was adjusted to 9.5. The atrazine-bearing synthetic wastewater was ozonated with an ozone dose of 9.4mg/l for 40 minutes of optimum ozonation time, resulting in a 35% reduction in the initial concentration of atrazine. Along with atrazine reduction, there was a COD removal of 54.42%. Further, it was degraded with an anaerobic process, resulting in the final reduction in atrazine concentration of 81% and the corresponding removal in COD of 86.7%. The process of ozonation led to the mineralization of atrazine and enhancement in the biodegradability of the wastewater. Using ion chromatography, the ozonated wastewater sample was analyzed for ionic by-products before and after ozonation. The ion chromatography results showed the breaking of the atrazine compound and the formation of Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, and F- as intermediate products. Further, the BOD5/COD ratio increased, reflecting the increased biodegradability. This ozonated wastewater was treated in a UASB reactor where the pesticide was degraded to 19 ppb, and COs degraded to 30 mg.L-1. The overall removal of atrazine pesticide and COD were 81% and 86.7%, respectively, in the integrated system of ozonation followed by anaerobic degradation.

Cassava peel is a waste product from cassava starch or modified cassava flour (mocaf) production. It is currently not utilized optimally. Cassava peel is a lignocellulosic material that can be used as a source of cellulose. Acetylation of cassava peel cellulose was successfully done using acetic anhydride with glacial acetic acid and sulfuric acid as catalysts. The content of acetyl is 49.54%, and the degree of substitution (DS) is 3.69. The percentage of acetyl of more than 43% and the DS of 3.69 show that the cellulose acetate obtained is categorized as cellulose triacetate. The CA–PEG membrane has a pore range of 1- 4 μm depending on the molecular weight of PEG. The coefficients of rejection of the CA-PEG membrane range from 95.99% to 98.88%. The CA-PEG membrane is effective as a microfiltration membrane.

The 7.4 Mw of tectonic earthquake caused liquefaction in Pasigala on September 28, 2018, happened due to the fault movement of Palu-Koro. It affected the water availability every spring. The research aim is to determine the spatial model of water production every spring after the natural tectonic disaster, especially in Palu and Poboya watersheds-a model built based on the integration between the spatial data overlaying and the statistical regression correlation. The sites are purposively selected at six springs spots and divided into four clusters (Poboya, Uemanje, Ranjuri Beka, Mantikole). The model assessment was generated based on the springs’ performance from x variables (catchment area, land cover, aquifer, free-ground water depth, fault, number of springs users) and the y variable (water discharge). The result shows that Poboya’s performance is bad-disturbed, while Uemanje, Ranjuri, Beka, and the performance of Mantikole are disturbed. The bad performance of springs requires conserving watershed areas through forest and land conservation, tree enrichment planting, wise land management, and good water use.