Heavy metal contamination of water bodies and groundwater is a major concern of the modern world. Rhizofiltration—the use of plant root system to remove/extract pollutants from wastewater—has proven advantages over conventional methods of treatment. However, commercialization of this in situ remediation technology requires a better understanding of plant–metal interactions especially on the ability of different plant species to accumulate metals at different parts of the plant system which is critical for the successful remediation of contaminated medium. Many aquatic and terrestrial plants have been reported to accumulate heavy metals when grown hydroponically. Therefore, a batch experiment with different concentrations of lead and a nutrient film technique (NFT) experiment with recycling of wastewater were employed in this study in order to investigate the rhizofiltration of lead-containing wastewater using Plectranthus amboinicus, an aromatic medicinal plant. Results show that P. amboinicus is tolerant to a wide range of lead concentrations and nutrient deficiency. The plant accumulates considerable amount of lead, particularly in the roots, and translocation to the stem and leaf was limited, indicating that the use of leaves/above-ground parts of the plant for medicinal purposes is not hindered by its ability to remove lead from the soil or water. The study also suggests that the plant can be considered for the clean-up of lead-contaminated wastewater in combination with safe biomass disposal alternatives.

This work evaluates the treatment of wastewater from a personal care products factory by a full-scale side-stream membrane bioreactor (MBR) intermittently fed. The wastewater contained particulate and soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) which is partially removed by physicochemical pretreatment. Steady removal efficiencies above 98 % were achieved for BOD5, COD and suspended solids. Fats, oils and grease present in the raw wastewater were also successfully removed. The MBR was operated at an average permeate flux of 12 L/m2 · h (LMH) working at a transmembrane pressure of 272 ± 97 mbar. The soluble microbial products concentration remained fairly stable at 175 ± 25 and 85 ± 15 mg/L for proteins and carbohydrates, respectively. This maintained the filtration characteristics of the mixed liquor unaltered over a long-term basis, which was evidenced by a constant permeability of 43 ± 19 LMH/bar. Most of the trace organics detected in the wastewater were completely removed and only some fragrances were detected in the permeate at trace concentrations.

The effect of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) on physiological and molecular level responses were studied in Arabidopsis thaliana. The seedlings were exposed to different concentrations of CuONPs (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 mg/L) for 21 days in half strength Murashige and Skoog medium. The plant biomass significantly reduced under different concentrations (2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 mg/L) of CuONPs stress. Exposure to 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 mg/L of CuONPs has resulted in significant reduction of total chlorophyll content. The anthocyanin content significantly increased upon exposure to 10, 20, 50, and 100 mg/L of CuONPs. Increased lipid peroxidation was observed upon exposure to 5, 10, and 20 mg/L of CuONPs and amino acid proline content was significantly high in plants exposed to 10 and 20 mg/L of CuONPs. Significant reduction in root elongation was observed upon exposure to 0.5–100 mg/L of CuONPs for 21 days. Exposure to CuONPs has resulted in retardation of primary root growth, enhanced lateral root formation, and also resulted in loss of root gravitropism. Staining with phloroglucionol detected the deposition of lignin in CuONPs-treated roots. Histochemical staining of leaves and roots of CuONPs-exposed plants with nitroblue tetrazolium and 3′3′-diaminobenzidine showed a concentration-dependant increase in superoxide and hydrogen peroxide formation in leaves and roots of CuONPs-exposed plants. Cytotoxicity was observed in root tips of CuONPs-exposed plants as evidenced by increased propidium iodide staining. Real-time PCR analysis showed significant induction of genes related to oxidative stress responses, sulfur assimilation, glutathione, and proline biosynthesis under CuONPs stress.

In this study, we analyzed fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) leaf traits as a measure of developmental instability in polluted and unpolluted habitats. We aimed to evaluate the potential of this method as a biomarker and its applicability on widely distributed species under in situ conditions. Leaf samples were taken from seven sites—three categorized as unpolluted (natural protected and rural) and four categorized as polluted covering the broad spectrum of intense pollution (industrial and traffic), from 1,489 individual trees in total. Results revealed significant differences in FA with expected higher values in polluted environments. Applicability of FA of R. pseudoaccacia leaf traits as a biomarker for testing potential pollution level, as well as the amount and distribution of sampling effort needed for its application, are discussed.

Pollution of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in vegetable fields was investigated near a Pb-Zn mine that has been exploited for over 50 years without a tailing reservoir. A total of 205 water, soil, and aerosol samples were taken and quantified by combined chemical, spectrometric, and mineral analytical methods. The pollution origins were identified by Pb isotopes and the pathways of transformation and transport of the elements and minerals was studied. The data showed that the vegetable fields were seriously polluted by As, Cd, and Pb. Some concentrations in the samples were beyond the regulatory levels and not suitable for agricultural activities. This study revealed that: (1) particulate matter is a major pollution source and an important carrier of mineral particles and pollutants; (2) the elements from the polluted water and soils were strongly correlated with each other; (3) Pb isotope ratios from the samples show that Pb minerals were the major pollution sources in the nearby vegetable fields, and the aerosols were the main carrier of mining pollution; (4) the alkaline, rich-carbonate, and wet conditions in this area promoted the weathering and transformation of galena into the secondary minerals, anglesite and cerussite, which are significant evidence of such processes; (5) the soil and the aerosols are a recycled secondary pollution source for each other when being re-suspended with wind.Highlights• Mining activities generated heavy metal pollution in fields around a Pb-Zn mine• The elements from water and soils are strongly correlated• Anglesite and cerussite are evidence of galena transformation into secondary minerals• Particulate matter is an important transport carrier of pollution.

Fresh water scarcity is an increasing problem worldwide. Strategies to alleviate water scarcity include the use of low-quality water for irrigation. The risk of groundwater contamination by pollutants in this water is affected by soil heterogeneity and preferential flow. These risk factors can be assessed by measuring the spatio-temporal redistribution of uniformly applied water and solutes. We placed a soil monolith (height 29 cm) from an Australian vineyard on a 100-cell multi-compartment sampler (MCS). At this vineyard, treated wastewater is used in response to the severe shortage of water in the summer. We studied the leaching risk associated with heterogeneous or preferential flow by irrigating the soil column with 24 applications to simulate one year. We applied simulated rainfall as well as wastewater (which contained chloride) during summer while relying on rainfall only in winter. We compared the chloride leaching with the leaching of bromide, which was applied during one of the applications as a pulse. During the entire simulated year, leaching of solutes from the monolith was measured. The results indicate that the assumption of uniform flow would underestimate the risk for the fresh groundwater reserves: 25 % of the solutes are transported though 6 % of the soil’s cross-section. The spatial distribution of drainage and solute leaching varied little during the experiment. Consequently, the mass flux density pattern of the bromide pulse was comparable to that of the repeatedly applied chloride. However, the MCS data suggested lateral ‘escape’ from chloride to non-mobile areas, which means in the long run, considerable quantities of these solutes can build up in areas that do not receive irrigation water.

In this present study, the biosorption of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) ions from synthetic aqueous solution on defatted J atropha oil cake (DJOC) was investigated. The effect of various process parameters such as the initial pH, adsorbent dosage, initial metal ion concentration and contact time has been studied in batch-stirred experiments. Maximum removal of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) ions in aqueous solution was observed at pH 2.0 and pH. 5.0, respectively. The removal efficiency of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) ions from the aqueous solution was found to be 72.56 and 79.81 %, respectively, for initial metal ion concentration of 500 mg/L at 6 g/L dosage concentration. The biosorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy and zero point charge. Equilibrium data were fitted to the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models and the best fit is found to be with the Freundlich isotherm for both Cr(VI) and Zn(II) metal ions. The kinetic data obtained at different metal ion concentration have been analysed using the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion models and were found to follow the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The values of mass transfer diffusion coefficients (Dₑ) were determined by Boyd model and compared with literature values. Various thermodynamic parameters, such as ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS°, were analysed using the equilibrium constant values (Kₑ) obtained from experimental data at different temperatures. The results showed that biosorption of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) ions onto the DJOC system is more spontaneous and exothermic in nature. The results indicate that DJOC was shown to be a promising adsorbent for the removal of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) ions from aqueous solution.

Cleaning is one of the most important, delicate, and at the same time controversial processes in the conservation treatment of paintings. Although a strict definition of cleaning would be the removal of dirt, grime, or other accretions (surface cleaning), in the conservation field, cleaning is used in the broader meaning to include thinning/removing altered or “unwanted layers” of materials without damaging or altering the physicochemical properties of the surfaces to be preserved. The cleaning of unvarnished paintings is one of the most critical issues that are currently discussed. Several studies exist regarding different cleaning tools, such as gels, soaps, enzymes, ionic liquids, and foams, as well as various dry methods and lasers, but only a few have been performed on the risk associated with the use of water and organic solvents for the cleaning treatments in relation to the original paint binder. The aim of the study is to verify analytically the behavior of water gelling agents during cleaning treatments and the interaction of the following elements: water or organic solvents applied for the removal of gel residues with the original lipid paint binder. For this purpose, the study was conducted on a fragment of canvas painting (sixteenth to seventeenth century) of Soprintendenza per i Beni Storici, Artistici ed Etnoantropologici del Friuli Venezia Giulia (Superintendence for the Historical, Artistic and Ethno-anthropological Heritage of Friuli Venezia Giulia), Udine by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and scanning electron microscopy.

An amalgam mirror is a mirror type, used from the fifteenth century until the end of the nineteenth century, where the reflective layer is constituted by a tin amalgam layer adhered to a glass sheet. In this work, two amalgam mirrors samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy with an energy dispersive spectrometer and by micro-X-ray fluorescence elemental mapping to go deeply into the understanding of the degradation mechanism of the amalgam layer of ancient mirrors. The investigation has been focused for the first time on the reflective surface of the amalgam layer adherent to the glass sheet to better understand the processes of amalgam corrosion. The two amalgam degradation compounds, romarchite and cassiterite, has been spatially differentiated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) maps. SEM images and micro-X-ray fluorescence and EDS maps showed that the amalgam degradation products grow up to form hemispherical stratified calottes. This structure is probably due to a mechanism involves cyclic phases and oxygen radial diffusion from a superficial oxidation nucleus.

Electrochemical oxidation is an effective wastewater treatment method. Metal oxide-coated substrates are commonly used as anodes in this process. This article compiles the developments in the fabrication, application, and performance of metal oxide anodes in wastewater treatment. It summarizes the preparative methods and mechanism of oxidation of organics on the metal oxide anodes. The discussion is focused on the application of SnO₂, PbO₂, IrO₂, and RuO₂metal oxide anodes and their effectiveness in wastewater treatment process.