Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and pentachlorobenzene (PeCBz) have been listed as unintentional POPs in the annex of the Stockholm Convention and thus, attracted attention by government and researchers. Since the intentional production and use has ceased in most countries, the unintentional releases to the environment have increased. This study gathered 206 and 78 emission factors (EFs) of unintentional HCB and PeCBz from scientific publications and governmental reports, respectively. Most of the EFs referred to the release vector “air” (EFAir) and to a less extent to “product” (EFProduct). EFs were proposed for different source categories/classes used in the Toolkit according to the technologies that released the HCB or PeCBz. Overall, lowest and highest EFAir for HCB were found in the metallurgical industry range from 1 μg/t in well controlled plants (coke, iron and steel) up to 40,000 μg/t (secondary zinc). EFs for PeCBz were in similar order of magnitude. Due to lack of data, EFs to water, land or residue cannot be proposed. Using linear regression and statistical analysis such as Pearson correlation, we found strongest correlation of EFAir between HCB and PeCBz (R2 = 0.79, P < 0.01) and weaker, but still significant, correlations for EFAir between PCDD/PCDFTEQ and HCB (R2 = 0.56; P < 0.01) or PeCBz (R2 = 0.31 P < 0.01) for various thermal processes.

Pollution due to oil exploration activities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and government under-investments in potable water infrastructure has led to the dependence of the population on personal boreholes. Yet, there are little quality or surveillance reports on such waters. The concentrations of heavy metals in underground water samples from an oil producing area, Umuebulu, in the Niger Delta were therefore investigated. Water samples were collected from three test points, each approximately 300 m from (1) wellhead area (WHA), (2) flare area (FA) and (3) effluent discharge area (EDA), and one control point located 10 km away from any oil-related activity. The concentrations of lead, arsenic and cadmium were determined in the samples using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. All three heavy metals were present in the test, and control water samples at concentrations significantly (P < 0.05) exceeding the maximum contaminant levels recommended by the World Health Organization. The total hazard index of the water samples showed that their consumption constituted significant health risks in the order EDA > FA > WHA > Control. Appropriate water treatment and surveillance is warranted and therefore recommended for underground water resources of the studied community.

The cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Sternorrhyncha: Pseudococcidae) is a serious pest of various cultivated plants in Pakistan. Recent reports show that the parasitoid Aenasius bambawalei Hayat (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is a good biocontrol agent of the pest. Compatibleness is important in any IPM programme, and the insecticide used must have little or no effects on the biological control agent. This study investigated the compatibility of neem treatments and a commercial insecticide, imidacloprid on A. bambawalei. Bioassays were laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) under laboratory conditions. Results showed that the adult stage of the parasitoid was more susceptible to the commercial insecticide imidacloprid than the concealed pupal stage. Moreover, on the basis of the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC) toxicity categories of the commercial insecticide, imidacloprid was moderately toxic throughout the study period (Ex >80%) while neem was slightly toxic after 24 h of use (Ex <80%). Results also suggest that A. bambawalei release should be delayed for at least 1 week after neem treatments. Because imidacloprid destroys A. bambawalei, it might cause resurgence of P. solenopsis; thus, farmers should avoid integrating the insecticide in the control of P. solenopsis.

Salbutamol (SAL) has been widely used as medicine both in treating asthma and in animal primary production; an increasing number of reports have detected SAL in natural waters. The photolysis kinetic and pathway of SAL in aquatic system were studied, as well as the effect of several natural water constituents, such as nitrate, dissolved oxygen (DO) and ferric ions. According to our research, the direct photolysis of SAL followed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. Alkaline condition could promote the degradation of SAL; the increase of solution pH would simultaneously increase the fraction of the deprotonated forms of SAL (including the deprotonated and zwitterionic species), which were easier to be excited, and result in the bathochromic shift of the UV-Vis spectrum and, finally, accelerate the degradation rate of SAL. The presence of nitrate could enhance the removal rate of SAL via generation hydroxyl radical (·OH) under irradiation. In addition, the absence of oxygen in the reaction solution could decrease the photolysis. Moreover, Fe(III) was able to chelate with SAL to form an octahedral complex, which was photochemically reactive. The octahedral complex could generate ·OH to oxidize SAL itself in turn. The pathways of SAL photolysis were also investigated by means of the solid phase extraction (SPE)-LC-MS method. The major pathways of SAL photodegradation included oxidation and side-chain cleavage.

In recent years, cardiovascular diseases were the second most common cause of death worldwide. Therefore, the consumption of drugs used to treat cardiovascular diseases is high. So far, there were no such comprehensive reports regarding the presence of cardiovascular drugs in surface and tap waters, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. The aim of our study was to determine the presence of 30 pharmaceutically active compounds and some of their metabolites, at specific points of the Vistula River and in tap water samples in the Warsaw region. The analysis was performed using the liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry method, coupled to solid-phase extraction. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time where the presence of ciprofibrate in the environment was investigated. Cardiovascular drugs found at the highest concentrations (reaching 1 μg/L or higher) in surface water were beta-blockers, sartans and diuretics. In tap water samples, trace amounts of pharmaceuticals were detected, for almost all target compounds. This highlights their inadequate elimination by the treatment facility used in the Warsaw region. The presence of cardiovascular compounds in the aquatic environment could have a long-term effect even at a low exposure level, since synergy effects amongst pharmaceuticals may occur.

Biological treatment of high-strength nitrogenous wastewater is challenging due to low growth rate of autotrophic nitrifiers. This study reports bioaugmentation of Thiosphaera pantotropha capable of simultaneously performing heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification (SND) in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). SBRs fed with 1:1 organic-nitrogen (N) and NH₄ ⁺-N were started up with activated sludge and T. pantotropha by gradual increase in N concentration. Sludge bulking problems initially observed could be overcome through improved aeration and mixing and change in carbon source. N removal decreased with increase in initial nitrogen concentration, and only 50–60 % removal could be achieved at the highest N concentration of 1000 mg L⁻¹ at 12-h cycle time. SND accounted for 28 % nitrogen loss. Reducing the settling time to 5–10 min and addition of divalent metal ions gradually improved the settling characteristics of sludge. Sludge aggregates of 0.05–0.2 mm diameter, much smaller than typical aerobic granules, were formed and progressive increase in settling velocity, specific gravity, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, protein, and polysaccharides was observed over time. Granulation facilitated total nitrogen (TN) removal at a constant rate over the entire 12-h cycle and thus increased TN removal up to 70 %. Concentrations of NO₂ ⁻-N and NO₃ ⁻-N were consistently low indicating effective denitrification. Nitrogen removal was possibly limited by urea hydrolysis/nitrification. Presence of T. pantotropha in the SBRs was confirmed through biochemical tests and 16S rDNA analysis.

Stockpiles of perfluoro-octane sulfonic acid (PFOS) containing aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) have the potential to be emitted by leaching, spills, and during use in fire response and other processes. Several studies have discussed the high levels of stockpiled PFOS-containing AFFF and the risk they pose to the environment; however, there are large gaps in the amounts in Japan compared with other countries. For example, 300 tons are stockpiled in Canada, 2200–2600 tons in Switzerland, 1400 tons in Norway, and 19,000 tons in Japan from their reports for publication. The gap is considered to be a result of lack of surveys of several important sources. In this study, we revaluated the stockpile of AFFF in Japan to verify the reported value and identify the source of this gap based on information available in peer-reviewed papers, governmental reports, and business reports. The major reason for the gap between Japan and other countries was considered to be the survey of stockpiles in car-parking facilities, which accounted for 46.7% of the total amounts in Japan, but were not considered in other countries. These stockpiles indicate a high potential for accidental leaching or spilling of the AFFF by careless storage. Therefore, it is recommended that continual surveys of the AFFF stockpile in car-parking facilities be conducted in the rest of the world.

Agroforestry is a sustainable land use system with a promising potential to sequester atmospheric carbon into soil. This system of land use distinguishes itself from the other systems, such as sole crop cultivation and afforestation on croplands only through its potential to sequester higher amounts of carbon (in the above- and belowground tree biomass) than the aforementioned two systems. According to Kyoto protocol, agroforestry is recognized as an afforestation activity that, in addition to sequestering carbon dioxide (CO₂) to soil, conserves biodiversity, protects cropland, works as a windbreak, and provides food and feed to human and livestock, pollen for honey bees, wood for fuel, and timber for shelters construction. Agroforestry is more attractive as a land use practice for the farming community worldwide instead of cropland and forestland management systems. This practice is a win–win situation for the farming community and for the environmental sustainability. This review presents agroforestry potential to counter the increasing concentration of atmospheric CO₂ by sequestering it in above- and belowground biomass. The role of agroforestry in climate change mitigation worldwide might be recognized to its full potential by overcoming various financial, technical, and institutional barriers. Carbon sequestration in soil by various agricultural systems can be simulated by various models but literature lacks reports on validated models to quantify the agroforestry potential for carbon sequestration.

In India, farming is the primary source of income for many families. Following each harvest, a huge amount of biomass is generated. These are generally discarded as “agrowaste,” but recent reports have indicated several beneficial uses for these biomasses and their ashes. However, before the utilization of biomass ashes (BMAs), their chemical and physical properties need to be investigated (characterized) so as to utilize their potential benefit to the fullest. In this paper, eight different biomass ashes (soybean plant ash, mustard plant ash, maize ash, groundnut plant ash, cotton plant ash, wheat plant ash, pigeon peas ash, and groundnut shell ash) were characterized, and their chemical properties are discussed. Surface chemical composition analysis, proximate analysis, and ultimate analysis were performed on all BMA samples, and properties such as porosity, particle density, bulk density, point of zero charge, BET surface area, water-absorption capacity, and bulk parameters such as surface pH and surface charges were determined. BMAs were characterized by SEM and FTIR. The surface areas of biomass ashes vary from 1.9 to 46 m²/g, and point of zero charge for all BMAs exceed 9.8, which confirmed the alkaline nature of these samples. Based on the chemical composition, BMAs are categorized into four types (S, C, K, and CK), and their utilization is proposed based on the type. BMAs find applications in agriculture and construction industries; glass, rubber, and zeolite manufacturing; and in adsorption (as a source of silica/zeolites). The paper also discusses the research challenges and opportunities in utilization of BMAs.