Biodegradable cellulosic pulp foams with robustness and water resistance are urgently needed in nowadays to replace petroleum-based plastic foams for environmental sustainability. In this work, a facile protocol to fabricate robust poly-lactic acid (PLA) coated cellulose foams (PCCF) was developed through a combined water-based foaming and PLA melt-coating process using pulp as the raw material. In the synthesis, the so-called PLA coating was realized through melting PLA powders dispersed between fibers by an in-situ heating and post cooling process. Performance tests revealed that the incorporation of PLA coating significantly enhances mechanical strength, water stability, and biodegradability of the synthesized PCCF samples compared with conventional cellulosic foams. Specifically, the low-density PCCF were observed with mechanical strength up to 81.24 kPa, high water stability, and more than 95% degradation in 56 days. As the fabrication process is simple and pulp is highly cost competitive, our proposed synthesis strategy makes the PCCF a promising substitute for petroleum-based plastic foams at large-scale production.

The effectiveness of biochar as a sorptive material to remove contaminants, particularly heavy metals, from water is dependent on biomass type and pyrolysis condition. Biochars were produced from pulp mill sludge (PMS) and rice straw (RS) with nitrogen (N₂) or carbon dioxide (CO₂) as the purging gas. The sorptive capacity of the biochars for cadmium(II), copper(II), nickel(II) and lead(II) was studied. The heavy metal adsorption capacity was mainly affected by biomass type, with biochars adsorption capacities higher for lead(II) (109.9–256.4 mg g⁻¹) than for nickel(II) (40.2–64.1 mg g⁻¹), cadmium(II) (29.5–42.7 mg g⁻¹) and copper(II) (18.5–39.4 mg g⁻¹) based on the Langmuir adsorption model. The highest lead(II) adsorption capacities for PMS and RS biochars were 256.4 and 133.3 mg g⁻¹, respectively, when generated using N₂ as the purging gas. The corresponding lead(II) adsorption capacities were 250.0 and 109.9 mg g⁻¹, respectively, when generated using CO₂ as the purging gas. According to the intraparticle diffusion model, 30–62% of heavy metal adsorption was achieved in 1 h; film diffusion was the rate-dominating step, whereas pore diffusion was a rate-limiting step. Ion exchange and complexation between heavy metals and biochar surface functional groups such as carbonyl and hydroxyl groups were effective mechanisms for heavy metal sorption from the aqueous solution. We conclude that proper selection of both the feedstock type and the purging gas is important in designing biochars for the effective removal of potentially toxic metals from wastewater.

Lead poisoning of wild birds by ingestion of lead ammunition occurs worldwide. Histopathological changes in organs of lead-intoxicated birds are widely known, and lead concentration of each organ is measurable using mass spectrometry. However, detailed lead localization at the suborgan level has remained elusive in lead-exposed birds. Here we investigated the detailed lead localization in organs of experimentally lead-exposed ducks and kites by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). In both the ducks and kites, lead accumulated diffusely in the liver, renal cortex, and brain. Lead accumulation was restricted to the red pulp in the spleen. With regard to species differences in lead distribution patterns, it is noteworthy that intensive lead accumulation was observed in the arterial walls only in the kites. In addition, the distribution of copper in the brain was altered in the lead-exposed ducks. Thus, the present study shows suborgan lead distribution in lead-exposed birds and its differences between avian species for the first time. These findings will provide fundamental information to understand the cellular processes of lead poisoning and the mechanisms of species differences in susceptibility to lead exposure.

Health risks caused by exposure to black carbon (BC) and nanoparticles (NP) are well studied, although no standard currently exists for them worldwide. Exposure to children may lead to serious health effects due to their increased vulnerability and longer time spend inside the classrooms, making it important to assess the factors that affect air quality in preschools. Thus, this work aims to evaluate indoor-outdoor (I/O) relationships of NPs in the 10–420 nm range, BC and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at rural and urban preschools (aged 3–5 years) between May 2016 and July 2017. Factorial analysis was applied to identify the possible emission sources. Prior communalities were estimated by the squared multiple correlations with all other variables. We used the varimax rotation method and the criterion for factor selection was the number of eigenvalues greater than one. Results indicate that BC and NP were 4- and 3.2-times higher in urban outdoor caused by traffic emissions, respectively. Highest concentrations occurred during rush hours and during the pickup time of children. In urban school, BC was directly related to accumulation mode (N₄₉₋₂₀₅), while in the rural area, BC was related to local traffic and particles from pulp industries in the regional background. Nucleation mode (N₁₁₋₃₆) was related to traffic emissions in urban school, while in the rural school was related with secondary formation of particles. Mean I/O ratios of BC and NP in the urban (0.54; 0.51) and rural (0.71; 0.91) schools, respectively, suggested that their higher concentrations occurred in outdoors. VOCs were higher indoor in urban (I/O = 1.97) and rural (I/O = 2.22) sites, indicating these pollutants are generated inside, regardless of urban or rural sites. These findings suggest the necessity of improving ventilation and commuting styles to lower the exposure of children to air pollutants in and around school environments.

Decades of intensive discharge from industrial activities into coastal systems has resulted in the accumulation of a variety of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in marine waters and sediments, having detrimental impacts on aquatic ecosystems and the resident biota. POPs are among the most hazardous chemicals originating from industrial activities due to their biotoxicity and resistance to environmental degradation. Bacterial communities are known to break down many of these aromatic compounds, and different members of naturally occurring bacterial consortia have been described to work in syntrophic association to thrive in heavily contaminated waters and sediments, making them potential candidates as bioindicators of environmental pollution. In this study environmental, sampling was combined with chemical analysis of pollutants and high-resolution sequencing of bacterial communities using Next Generation Sequencing molecular biology tools. The aim of the present study was to describe the bacterial communities from marine sediments containing high loads of POPs and to identify relevant members of the resident microbial communities that may act as bioindicators of contamination. Marine sediments were collected from a coastal bay area of the Baltic Sea historically influenced by intense industrial activity, including metal smelting, oil processing, and pulp and paper production. Different types of POPs were detected at high concentrations. Fiberbank sediments, resulting from historic paper industry activity, were found to harbour a clearly distinct bacterial community including a number of bacterial taxa capable of cellulolytic and dechlorination activities. Our findings indicate that specific members of the bacterial communities thrive under increasing levels of POPs in marine sediments, and that the abundances of certain taxa correlate with specific POPs (or groups), which could potentially be employed in monitoring, status assessment and environmental management purposes.

Sediments from a waste pit in Houston Ship Channel (HSC) were characterized using a number of molecular markers of natural organic matter fractions (e.g., pyrogenic carbon residues, PAHs, lignins), in addition to dioxins, in order to test the hypothesis that the dispersal and mobility of dioxins from the waste pit in the San Jacinto River is minimal. Station SG-6, sampled at the site of the submerged waste pit, had the highest dioxin/furan concentrations reported for the Houston Ship Channel/Galveston Bay (HSC/GB) system (10,000–46,000 pg/g), which translated into some of the highest reported World Health Organization Toxic Equivalents (TEQs: 2000–11,000 pg/g) in HSC sediments. Using a multi-tracer approach, this study confirmed our hypothesis that sludges from chlorinated pulps are a very likely source of dioxins/furans to this pit. However, this material also contained large quantities of additional hydrophobic organic contaminants (PAHs) and pyrogenic markers (soot-BC, levoglucosan), pointing to the co-occurrence of petroleum hydrocarbons and combustion byproducts. Comparison of dioxin/furan signatures in the waste pit with those from sediments of the HSC and a control site suggests that the remobilization of contaminated particles did not occur beyond the close vicinity of the pit itself. The dioxins/furans in sediments outside the waste pit within the HSC are rather from other diffuse inputs, entering the sedimentary environment through the air and water, and which are comprised of a mixture of industrial and municipal sources. Fingerprinting of waste pit dioxins indicates that their composition is typical of pulp and paper sources. Measured pore water concentrations were 1 order of magnitude lower than estimated values, calculated from a multiphase sorption model, indicating low mobility of dioxins within the waste pit. This is likely accomplished by co-occurring and strong sorbing pyrogenic and petrogenic residues in the waste pit, which tend to keep dioxins strongly sorbed to particles.

Contaminated sediments at a pulp mill and former chor-alkali effluent treatment facility in Nova Scotia, Canada will undergo remediation. However, baseline studies assessing contaminants in marine biota in the marine receiving environment are lacking. Historical qualitative and quantitative contaminant data in biota from Boat Harbour (a former tidal lagoon which was used to treat industrial effluent since 1967), and surrounding marine environment were reviewed to establish baseline pollution from industrial effluent and contaminated sediments. Elevated metal, dioxins and furan concentrations previously measured in marine biota needs updating to help inform pre-remediation monitoring. Selection of species, contaminants of concern and sampling locations were ad hoc and often inconsistent with environmental effects monitoring requirements under Canadian federal Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations. These consolidated baseline data are required to determine historical impacts and to assist future monitoring during Boat Harbour sediment remediation to compare against.

This article reports the deliverables of the experimental study on the production of a completely renewable biofuel from Manilkara zapota fruit and seed oil. It was attempted to synthesis ethyl ester from Manilkara zapota seed oil using bioethanol synthesized from decayed Manilkara zapota fruit. Bioethanol was produced through fermentation of decayed Manilkara zapota fruit, waste skin, and pulp with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and then distilled at 72°C. The bioethanol yield was noted as 10.45% (v/w). The 95.09% pure bioethanol and 4.9% water molecules were present in the distilled sample. Mechanically extracted raw Manilkara zapota seed oil was used for ethyl ester conversion. The molar ratio of bioethanol to oil, the quantity of KOH, and process temperature were investigated for the maximum yield of Manilkara zapota ethyl ester. A 9:1 molar ratio of bioethanol to oil, 1.5% (w/w) KOH, and 70°C process temperature were identified as enhanced ethanolysis process parameters. The maximum yield of ethyl ester was identified as 93.1%. Physicochemical characteristics of Manilkara zapota oil, bioethanol, and ethyl ester were measured as per the corresponding ASTM standards. It was found that both Manilkara Zapota ethyl ester and bioethanol synthesized from decayed Manilkara zapota fruit could be promising substitutes for fossil diesel and gasoline.

There has been alarming depletion of manganese (Mn) reserves owing to the ongoing extensive mining operations for catering the massive industrial demand of this element. Moreover, the mining operations have been leading to the generation of Mn-rich waste, thereby contaminating both terrestrial and aquatic bodies. The current scenario necessitates the development of alternative processes for bioremediation as well as economic recovery of Mn from mining wastes. The present investigation aims to report the bioleaching of Mn by Lysinibacillus sp. from mining waste residues in the context of mine waste remediation. Results confirmed that the native isolate had a high Mn biosolubilization potential with a solubilizing efficiency of 84% at the end of a 21-day study under optimized conditions of pulp density 2% (< 150-μm particle size), pH 6.5, and temperature 30 °C. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies followed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis were used to ascertain the change in microbial protein conformation, configuration, and protein identification. The results revealed the expression of heat shock proteins (HSP) from the family HSP which is predominantly expressed in bacteria during stress conditions. This study represents the application of native bacterial strain in Mn biosolubilization. We foresee the utility of proteomics-based studies to provide a methodological framework to the underlying mechanism of metal solubilization, thereby facilitating the two-tier benefit of recovery of Mn from alternative sources as well as bioremediation of waste having high manganese content.

The use of soil conditioners as bovine biofertilizer associated with mineral fertilization affect the physical and physicochemical quality of passion fruit. For fruit growth, post-harvest quality is crucial for production chain development, as it is the characteristic most used by the fresh consumption market for this fruit. In this sense, an experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of doses of bovine biofertilizer in the soil with and without nitrogen fertilization in the cultivation of yellow passion fruit. A randomized block design was adopted, with three replications in a 5×2 factorial scheme, referring to five doses of liquid bovine biofertilizer (B) diluted in water (A): 0% − control (0B + 4A); 25% (1B + 3A); 50% (2B + 2A); 75% (3B + 1A); and 100% (4B + 0A) with and without nitrogen fertilization applied to the soil. Urea was the nitrogen source used in this study. A total of 10 g plant⁻¹ of N was applied monthly at 30 and 60 days after transplanting, and after that age, 20 g plant⁻¹ was applied until the end of harvest. During the final phase of production and ripening, twelve fruits were harvested from each treatment in physiological maturation for physical and physicochemical characterization. The following analyses were performed: longitudinal diameter, transversal diameter, number of seeds per fruit, peel firmness, pulp yield, fruit peel percentage, pulp pH, soluble solids content; titratable acidity and soluble solids content/titratable acidity ratio. Data underwent analysis of variance by the F test means for nitrogen were compared by Tukey’s test and means for bovine biofertilizer, by regression. Nitrogen enhances the positive effect of bovine biofertilizer on the postharvest quality of yellow passion fruit. The association of biofertilizer and nitrogen improves fruit quality in comparison to plants without these inputs, except for pulp yield and fruit peel percentage, which suffered isolated effects from the factors. High doses of biofertilizer, above 75 and 100%, reduce soluble solids content and increase titratable acidity. The bovine biofertilizer has promising effects, but it does not replace nitrogen fertilization on the postharvest quality of yellow passion fruit.