Airborne submicron particles (PM₁) were collected using PM₁ sampler during the fog-dominated days (December 2013–January 2014). PM₁ values varied between 58.12 μg/m³ and 198.75 μg/m³, and average mass concentration was 162.33 ± 38.25 μg/m³ while total average concentration of particle-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) determined was 616.31 ± 30.31 ng/m³. This is a signal for an alarming high pollution level at this site situated in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). PAHs were extracted from filters using toluene and acetonitrile. Quantitative measurements of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were carried out using the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique. The extracts were analyzed for 16 target polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) including carcinogenic compound benzo(a)pyrene (19.86 ± 38.98 ng/m³). Fluoranthene, benzo(a)anthracene, anthracene, and fluorene were the predominant compounds found in the samples collected during foggy days. Based on number of rings, four-ring PAH compounds had maximum contribution (43 %) in this fog time collected submicron particles followed by three-ring (21 %), five-ring (20 %), six-ring (13 %), and two-ring (3 %), respectively. In winter and foggy days, wood and coal combustion and biomass burning also significantly contribute to the PAH levels. However, diagnostic ratio suggests diesel emissions as the prime source of PAHs at this sampling site.

In the present study, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in indoor dust and outdoor dust including road and window dust around the traffic road in Hunan Province, China, were sampled and detected. The ∑PAHs in indoor dust ranged from 5007–24,236 ng g⁻¹, with a median of 14,049 ng g⁻¹. The ∑PAHs in road dust ranged from 3644–12,875 ng g⁻¹, with a median of 10,559 ng g⁻¹. The ∑PAHs in window dust ranged from 803–12,590 ng g⁻¹, with a median of 5459 ng g⁻¹. Similar pattern of PAHs was observed in road and window dust except in H3W and H4W samples, which was dominated by naphthalene (Nap), benzo(b+k)fluoranthene (B(b+k)F), phenanthrene (Phe), and fluorine (Fle). Indoor dust showed slightly different PAHs profiles, which was dominated by Nap, fluoranthene (Fla) and Phe. Risk assessment indicated that dermal contact and dust ingestion exposure pathways were more important than the inhalation pathway. Cancer risk of PAHs via dust varied from 2.73 × 10⁻⁸–8.04 × 10⁻⁶, with a median of 2.06 × 10⁻⁶for children, and from 2 × 10⁻⁸–5.89 × 10⁻⁶, with a median of 1.52 × 10⁻⁶for adult. Probit model showed that 76 and 71 % of samples in the sampling area would result in the risk of children and adult exposure to PAHs via dust higher than the acceptable level (1 × 10⁻⁶), respectively.

Alum water treatment sludge is composed of amorphous hydroxyl-Al, which has variable charge surfaces with a large Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area (103 m⁻² g⁻¹) capable of specific adsorption of organic matter molecules, phosphate, and heavy metals. The effects of adding dried, ground, alum water treatment sludge (10 % w/w) to the feedstock for composting municipal green waste alone, green waste plus poultry manure, or green waste plus biosolids were determined. Addition of water treatment sludge reduced water soluble C, microbial biomass C, CO₂ evolution, extractable P, and extractable heavy metals during composting. The decrease in CO₂ evolution (i.e., C sequestration) was greatest for poultry manure and least for biosolid composts. The effects of addition of water treatment sludge to mature green waste-based poultry manure and biosolid composts were also determined in a 24-week incubation experiment. The composts were either incubated alone or after addition to a soil. Extractable P and heavy metal concentrations were decreased by additions of water treatment sludge in all treatments, and CO₂ evolution was also reduced from the poultry manure compost over the first 16–18 weeks. However, for biosolid compost, addition of water treatment sludge increased microbial biomass C and CO₂ evolution rate over the entire 24-week incubation period. This was attributed to the greatly reduced extractable heavy metal concentrations (As, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) present following addition of water treatment sludge, and thus increased microbial activity. It was concluded that addition of water treatment sludge reduces concentrations of extractable P and heavy metals in composts and that its effect on organic matter stabilization is much greater during the composting process than for mature compost because levels of easily decomposable organic matter are initially much higher in the feedstock than those in matured composts.

Ambient levels of formaldehyde (HCHO) were measured in the tropical urban mega city of Kolkata from July 2012 to April 2014, based on USEPA Compendium Method TO-11A using 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (2,4-DNPH). The samples were analyzed by isocratic reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an ultraviolet detector at a wavelength of 360 nm. High values of HCHO were recorded at our site. The highest and average HCHO mixing ratio measured for the entire study period was 803 and 217 ppbv respectively. Seasonal wind regimes have been found to influence the seasonal pattern of HCHO mixing ratio at this site resulting in relatively higher mixing ratio of HCHO during the pre-monsoon periods as compared to the others. Apart from these, sampling-based measurements of CH₄ and continuous measurements of ozone (O₃) and CO were also performed with the objective to study the interrelationship of HCHO with these species. The results suggest the presence of highly complex chemistry among them.

The linking of various environmental chemicals exposure to neurodegenerative disorders is current. This study was undertaken to elucidate the toxic effects and the underlying biochemical mechanism of leachate obtained from Elewi Odo municipal battery recycling site (EOMABRL) using key markers of neuronal damage in rat via an oral route. Analysis of the concentrations of heavy metals showed that lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium, manganese, and iron were higher than the acceptable limits set by the regulatory authority—the World Health Organization. Whereas, copper, zinc, and cobalt were lower than permissible limits. EOMABRL was administered at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 % concentrations to adult male rats for 60 days. An in vitro study was also carried out in the cerebellum to assess cholinesterase biochemistry assays. Following exposure, brain was collected to determine the antioxidant status. EOMABRL administration significantly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and a sequential decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) level with a concomitant increase in the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) level was observed, when compared with the control. The treated rat had a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the activities of acetycholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). Taken together, these findings conclude that some possible mechanisms by which EOMABRL elicits neuronal disorder in male rat could be through the activation of AChE and BuChE and induction of oxidative stress with necrosis of neuronal cells.

Oxygen plays an important role during the thermal treatment of soil, contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), due to the potential oxidation of PCBs to form polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). The effect of oxygen content (0, 5, 21 and 100 %) in carrier gases on PCBs and PCDD/Fs was studied both in soil and gas after thermal desorption of PCBs contaminated soil at 500 °C. All 209 congeners of PCBs and 136 congeners of PCDD/Fs (P = 4 to 8) were analysed. Oxygen content showed little effect on PCB removal and destruction. Under different carrier gases, the removal efficiency and the destruction efficiency for PCBs attained 93.8–95.5 and 83.0–85.0 %, respectively. The levels of PCDD/Fs in soil and gas were correlated positively with oxygen content. Compared with PCDDs, PCDFs in soil were not effectively removed under oxidative conditions because there was chemistry going on and PCBs were being converted to PCDFs. The total concentration of PCDFs in soil and gas was 2.6, 11.3, 15.6 and 17.5 times of the initial PCDFs concentration (21.9 ng/g) in raw soil with increasing oxygen content. Thus, substantial amounts of PCDFs were generated in the presence of oxygen during the treatment of contaminated soil.

Wet Oxidation (WO) of sewage sludge is a chemical oxidation of sludge at high temperatures and pressures by means of an oxygen-containing gas. The liquid stream originated by WO is easily biodegradable, and therefore, the recirculation to the biological Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) may be a feasible solution. However, the WO effluent has a residual organic and nitrogen content so that its treatment may be required when the receiving WWTP has no surplus treatment capacity left. The aim of this research was the assessment of the anaerobic treatability of the WO liquid residue, in order to reduce the organic load to be recirculated to the WWTP, simultaneously promoting energy recovery. For this purpose, the liquid residue obtained during full scale WO tests on two different types of sludge was submitted to anaerobic digestion in a continuous flow pilot reactor (V = 5 L). Furthermore, batch tests were carried out in order to evaluate possible inhibition factors. Experimental results showed that, after the start-up/acclimation period (~130 days), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal efficiency was stably around 60 % for about 120 days, despite the change in operating conditions. In the last phase of the experimental activity, COD removal reached 70 % under the following treatment conditions: Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) = 20 days, Volumetric Organic Loading Rate (VOLR) = 0.868 kg COD/m³/day, Organic Loading Rate per Volatile Suspended Solids (OLRᵥₛₛ) = 0.078 kg COD/kg VSS/day, temperature (T) = 36.5 °C, pH = 8. Energy balance calculation demonstrated anaerobic treatment sustainability.

Today, several technologies and management strategies are proposed and applied in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to minimise sludge production and contamination. In order to avoid a shifting of burdens between different areas, their techno-economic and environmental performance has to be carefully evaluated. Wet oxidation (WO) is an alternative solution to incineration for recovering energy in sewage sludge while converting it to mostly inorganic residues. This paper deals with an experimentation carried out within the EU project “ROUTES”. A mass balance was made for a WWTP (500,000 person equivalents) in which a WO stage for sludge minimisation was considered to be installed. Both bench- and full-scale test results were used. Design of treatment units and estimation of capital and operational costs were then performed. Subsequently, technical and economic aspects were evaluated by means of a detailed methodology which was developed within the ROUTES project. Finally, an assessment of environmental impacts from a life cycle perspective was performed. The integrated assessment showed that for the specific upgrade considered in this study, WO technology, although requiring a certain increase of technical complexity at the WWTP, may contribute to environmental and economic advantages. The paper provides guidance in terms of which aspects need a more thorough evaluation in relation to the specific case in which an upgrade with WO is considered.

A 4-year proactive environmental surveillance of Legionella spp. in the water distribution and cooling systems of five health-care facilities was carried out as part of the strategy for the prevention of hospital-acquired Legionnaires’ disease in Northeastern Greece. Legionella spp. were detected in 71 out of 458 collected samples. The majority of strains belonged to Legionella pneumophila serogroups 2–15 (75.0 %), while all L. pneumophila serogroup 1 strains (23.6 %) were isolated from a single hospital. The highest percentage of positive samples was found in distal sites (19.4 %), while no Legionella strains were detected in cooling systems. Each hospital was colonized at least once with L. pneumophila, while remedial actions resulted in significant reduction of Legionella concentration. The molecular epidemiology of environmental L. pneumophila strains was also investigated using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and multi-gene sequence-based analysis. Based on RAPD patterns, L. pneumophila serogroups 2–15 and serogroup 1 strains were classified into 24 and 9 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), respectively. Sequencing of housekeeping and diversifying pressure-related genes recommended by European Working Group for Legionella Infections (EWGLI) revealed not only a high intraspecies variability but also the circulation and persistence of one specific genotyping profile in the majority of hospitals. This study highlights the necessity for diachronic surveillance of Legionella in health-care facilities by adopting both cultural and molecular methods.

Recent studies suggest that the ecotoxicity of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is dependent upon the treatment of ENPs in suspensions (e.g. sonication or use of solvents) and on the mode of exposure to test organisms. We conducted several bioassays with Daphnia magna in order to determine how adverse effects of TiO₂nanoparticles (n-TiO₂) are influenced by experimental set-up. Several treatments were applied, including three test media, several treatments of n-TiO₂suspensions (stirring, sonication) and different exposure modes (exposure duration and volume of test suspension). No adverse effects were observed when D. magna were exposed to 50 mL of suspension, regardless of TiO₂concentration (up to 250 mg/L) and exposure duration. Conversely, adverse effects were observed when D. magna were exposed to 2 mL of suspension for 96 h with a 50 % effect concentration EC₅₀values ranging from 32 mg/L to 82 mg/L. Test media had no significant influence on the outcome of all treatments. For a better mechanistic understanding of the experimental set-up at which adverse effects were observed, the particle size of n-TiO₂in the test media was characterized throughout the test duration. These measurements revealed a fast and strong agglomeration with a secondary particle size in the order of magnitude of micrometers. Our study describes how the effects of n-TiO₂on D .magna are influenced by the duration of exposure and volume of media, highlighting the need for standardization of experimental methods.