The objective of the present study was to prepare CuFe2O4 ferrite nanoparticles using the sol-gel combustion method, employing lemon juice as a surfactant and energy agent. This method is located within the green chemistry, representing an environmentally friendly and less expensive approach compared to other methods. The nanoparticles were subsequently evaluated as antibacterial agents against different pathogenic bacteria. Before the antibacterial assays, a cytotoxicity test was conducted to evaluate their safety when applied to organisms. The structural, morphological, elemental composition, and magnetic properties of the samples were analyzed using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Detection (EDX). The X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed both the phase purity and the particle size to be 24.27 nm. The results demonstrated that the CuFe2O4 nanoparticles exhibited substantial antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative bacteria (Sphingomonas paucimobilis) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus lentus and Bacillus subtilis). The antibacterial efficacy was more pronounced against Gram-negative bacteria, with inhibition diameter 5.46mm and 10.64mm at concentrations of 5000 ppm and 10000 ppm, respectively. When making a comparison, the effectiveness against Gram-positive bacteria displayed a slight reduction. Inhibition zones measured 2.76 mm and 8.33 mm for Staphylococcus lentus, while they were 3.58 mm and 5.35 mm for Bacillus subtilis. These measurements were observed at nanoparticle concentrations of 5000 ppm and 10000 ppm, respectively. Furthermore, the study confirmed the safety of the CuFe2O4 nanoparticles by assessing their toxicity on human red blood cell at different concentrations (50, 100,250,500,1000,5000, and 10000 ppm).

The aim of this study was to determine by SEM-EDS analysis of the surface morphologies of the periostracum and nacreous layer and to determine the sodium (Na), Strontium (Sr), manganese (Mn), potassium (K), titanium (Ti), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) metals levels in the shells of the mussel (Potomida semirugata, Unio terminalis, Anodonta pseudodopsis and Leguminaia wheatleyi) obtained from Gölbaşı Lake, Turkey. The results of the study, the representative SEM analysis and corresponding EDS spectra of the periostracum and nacreous layer of the shells of freshwater mussels confirmed the presence of elemental compositions, including CaCO3. P. semirugata and U. terminalis have the aragonite prismatic layer that shows typical polygonal organizing, regular and polygonal crystal forms, with hexagonal and coexisting rhombic shapes. However, while A. pseudodopsis has round aragonite crystals (Rc), L. wheatleyi has irregular crystal plate layers (Irc). CaCO3, detected strong Ca peaks as well as C and O peaks with Mg and Si peaks. On the other hand, sodium (Na) was found in the highest concentrations ranging from 82.30±0.040 to 155.37±0.050 μg/g, and its concentrations were also higher than those of other metals in all species. The most abundant elements in shells of four freshwater mussel’s species were Sr, Na, and Mn which ranged from 26.07±0.44-58.023±0.52 μg/g, 82.30±0.040-155.37±0.050 μg/g, and 6.06±0.044-9.66±0.053 μg/g respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study in Turkey that is researched the different four freshwater mussel species in the Gölbaşı Lake, Turkey.

Salt produced from seawater evaporation contains harmful microplastics (MP). For this reason, a technology that can remove MP from seawater using coagulation and filtration techniques is needed. The purpose of this study is to utilize alum as a coagulant and sand as a filtration media to reduce MP pollution in seawater as a source of raw material for salt making. Seawater from Buo Bay, Padang City, Indonesia was taken as raw material for salt production. The MP abundance of salt made from seawater without alum and sand treatment was found to be 400 particles/kg. To reduce the abundance of MP in the salt, we varied the alum concentration (0.1; 0.3; and 0.5 g/L) and sand particle size (≥2, ≥1-<2, and <1 mm). From the results obtained, the optimal condition is an alum concentration of 0.5 g/L and sand particle size is <1 mm. The optimal condition of salt made from seawater in treatment H obtained MP abundance from 400 particles/kg to 30 particles/kg with an MP reduction efficiency of 92.5%. Visual analysis using optical trinocular microscopy found 4 forms of MP, namely: fragments (51.13%), fibers (28.95%), films (15.41%), and pellets (4.05%). Rewith the most dominant MP size found was >100-300 µm. The results of ATR-FTIR analysis identified the types of MP as Polyethylene (14.28%), Polyethylene Terephthalate (42.85%), Polypropylene (14.28%), and Polyamide (28.57%).

Water and sediments have become a major threat. Heavy metals, some of which are potentially toxic, are distributed in different areas by different routes. Tafna river was studied upstream and downstream under contrasting hydrological conditions during the year 2020.The different levels and sources of pollution are assessed by combining geochemical indicators: geoaccumulation index (GI-go), contamination factor (CF), pollutant loading index (PLI) and supplemented by correlation matrix (CM) as statiscal analyses added principal component analysis (PCA). The elements analysed were physical and chemical parameters (pH, DO, electrical conductivity CE and, COD BOD5), and the metallic elements (Fe, Cd, Pb, Cu, Mn and Zn). They were classified based on how contaminated they were: for the water compartment (Fe> Mn>Cu>Pb>Cd>Zn), while for sediments (Zn> Pb>Fe>Cd>Cu >Mn). The results suggest that the chemical composition of the waters of the Tafna river is influenced by the lithology, which contributes to the enrichment of the sediments. All of the indicators suggest an average levels of sediment and water pollution at the Tafna's summit, then decreases towards the bottom due to the geomorphology with multiple sources of pollution. As a result, our study offers the first comprehensive information on the amount of heavy metals present in the riverbed's sediment and water.

Monitoring and managing environmental problems, particularly those impacting human health such as noise and air pollution, are essential. However, the current implementation has certain limitations that need improvement. In the case of noise pollution, accurately computing noise levels requires considering traffic noise propagating in all directions, necessitating the involvement of a 3D building model. Existing methods using raster cells and noise contours are insufficient in achieving high accuracy. To overcome this, we propose integrating a voxelisation approach and 3D kriging, enabling the depiction of traffic noise values for each voxel. In the context of air pollution, wind movement plays a significant role in the dispersion of contaminants. The current practice involves a random selection procedure for wind simulation within the model discretisation. However, we suggest replacing this randomness with a voxel-based model, which not only improves accuracy but also reduces computing time. Thus, the voxel-based model represents the building model in a wind computation environment, facilitating more realistic wind simulation results. This study demonstrates the applicability of the voxelisation technique in two different environmental modeling contexts using the building model of the city building modeling standard. The level of detail (LoD) in the represented building model differs between these approaches. For traffic noise, a low LoD (LoD1) is sufficient to depict exterior buildings accurately. However, for wind simulation, a higher LoD (LoD2) is necessary to accommodate the complexity of buildings and determine appropriate voxel sizes. In conclusion, the proposed improvements in the form of voxel-based modeling techniques offer enhanced accuracy and efficiency in environmental monitoring. The findings of this study have implications for improving the management and reduction of environmental problems, ultimately benefiting human health and well-being.

Conventional remediation techniques have become outdated and insufficient to treat the influx of pollution from different fronts (air, water, and soil). Green synthesis of nanoparticles is an eco-friendly approach to remediate these contaminants and Membrane technology is increasingly becoming popular for the treatment of wastewater due to their efficiency and versatility against a wide array of contaminants. Cellulose acetate (CA) is a polymer obtained from cellulose and hence considered biodegradable, making it a more environmentally friendly option over other conventional polymers. In this present study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized using Staphylococcus aureus and characterized by UV-vis Spectrometer, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX). The synthesized green silver nanoparticles were assimilated onto synthesized CA membrane films to fabricate nanocomposite membranes (CA-X, CA-X1 and CA-X2). EDAX results showed higher counts of silver at 3keV on the CA-X, confirming that silver nanoparticles were properly embedded on the membrane. Physio-chemical tests performed on the collected sewage, showed that the total dissolved solids (TDS) were found to decrease significantly during the first hour of treatment, CA-X1 showed 16.2% decrease and 21.95% decrease was observed by CA-X2. A decrease in total nitrogen content by 38.88% and 41.36% for CA-X1 and CA-X2 respectively was recorded after a week’s treatment. Therefore, the work displayed the capability of cellulose acetate nanocomposite membrane for leachate treatment, since it displayed its potential in remediating leachate in a short span of time and scalability could be achieved for a larger volume of leachate with larger nanocomposite membranes.

Paringin District is one of the coal mining areas in South Kalimantan with the exploitation method of open pit mining. This activity opens rock layers containing sulfur, reacting with water and oxygen, spreading sulfide acid into the environment. Analysis of the water quality of the Post-mining Lake in Paringin District is needed based on the biological parameters. The objective aims to analyze the water quality of the Post-mining Lake, Paringin District, based on plankton’s abundance, diversity, and dominance. This research was located in Post-mining Lake, PT. Adaro Indonesia. Data were taken at three sampling points in the pit pond and three depths. Data was taken from 2019 to 2021 using plankton net and analyzed using the enumeration method. The data was processed using the diversity index, dominance index, and saprobic index. Phytoplankton and Zooplankton abundance were dependent on three different depths (p-value>0.05). The most abundant phytoplankton species in all stations was Oscillatoria sp. (>90%) while Nauplius sp. (>30%) for zooplankton. Rainfall in the study area affected the number of individual species very weakly. The highest dominance value of phytoplankton and zooplankton was recorded around the end of 2019 to early 2020 as well as a saprobic index and diversity. Crustacea class considerably exists in all sites, which is Nauplius sp. and Daphnia sp. This situation proved there was a recovery of the plankton population in the lake, no algae blooming and a balance between nutrients and plankton population. In fact, the aquatic habitats are ready to accommodate large ecosystems.

This work explores the potential toxicity of agricultural waste materials, specifically date palm seeds and palm fronds, on plant growth and health. These waste materials have shown promise as bioadsorbents for water purification, but their impact on plants needs to be understood. Toxicity assessments are crucial to ensure safe utilization and prevent negative effects on agricultural systems and ecosystems. Date palm seeds and palm fronds contain chemical compounds that can have allelopathic properties and influence neighboring plant growth. Experimental methods were employed to evaluate the phytotoxic effects of these materials, including germination assays and root growth inhibition tests. The results indicate that upon adsorption of PO4, palm leaves exhibited a significant enhancement in germination, leading to a remarkable increase of up to 371%. This outcome strongly emphasizes the effectiveness of palm leaves as vegetable fertilizers, highlighting their potential in agricultural applications. These findings contribute to understanding the phytotoxic potential of agricultural waste materials and developing sustainable utilization strategies.

The article aims to assess radon concentration in various water samples, revealing levels ranging from 0.53 Bq/L to 4.68 Bq/L. Radon, specifically the isotope 222Rn, is a naturally occurring radioactive gas formed during the decay of the 238U decay series, originating from the breakdown of 226Ra. This gas is commonly found in rocks, soil, natural gas, and groundwater. Exposure to airborne and waterborne radon can increase the risk of certain cancers due to human radiation exposure. The primary Aim of this study was to assess the concentration of radon in water samples collected from diverse regions of Morocco, particularly the Midelt province and the Draa-Tafilalt region located at coordinates 32° 40' 48″ North, 4° 44' 24″ West. For this purpose, Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors of the LR-115 variety were used. The evaluations of annual effective dose equivalents exhibited a range spanning from 11.51 to 1.30 μSv/y, showcasing a consistent pattern of decline. Correspondingly, projections of excess lifetime cancer risk encompassed a spectrum from 4.00 to 1.98. Significantly higher risks were associated with samples S1 and S2, while notably lower risks were tied to S14 and S15. It is worth noting that all the water samples subjected to analysis registered annual effective doses that fell within the global average level recommended for ingestion exposure dose values (0.23 mSv/y) by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Given these results, there seem to be no radiation risks from radon gas in the study area.

Thermal power plants are one of the main sources of CO2 emissions in the world. On the other hand, increasing carbon dioxide emissions as a greenhouse gas is led to global warming and climate change. In this study, CO2 mitigation strategies for Iran’s thermal power plants regarding Intended Nationally Determined Contributions submitted by Iran using modified STIRPAT model examines are presented. In the first step of this research, CO2 emissions from Iran’s power sector are predicted with respect to the parameters including, population, GDP, and electricity generation. In the second step of this research, CO2 mitigation strategies including, using the renewable sources and increasing energy saving as well as power generation efficiency during the years of 2020 to 2025 are analyzed using modified STIRPAT model to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in accordance with Iran’s INDCs. The prediction of carbon dioxide emissions by 2025 represents an increase of 26.5% in carbon dioxide emissions compared to 2017 while estimating carbon dioxide emissions in accordance with Iran’s INDCs allows a maximum increase of 21.4% compared to 2017. In order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the average efficiency of power plants by 2025 should be 1.542% higher than in 2017, or 3.086% of the energy savings should be implemented compared to total electricity generation output projected in 2025, or more than 36.22% increment of electricity generation output from renewable energy is expected compared to the projected level in 2025, or a combination of these three solutions.