The degradation performance of pentachlorophenol (PCP) by the microwave-activated persulfate (MW/PS) process was investigated in this study. The results indicated that degradation efficiency of PCP in the MW/PS process followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, and compared with conventional heating, microwave heating has a special effect of increasing the reaction rate and reducing the process time. A higher persulfate concentration and reaction temperature accelerated the PCP degradation rate. Meanwhile, increasing the pH value and ionic strength of the phosphate buffer slowed down the degradation rate. The addition of ethanol and tert-butyl alcohol as hydroxyl radical and sulfate radical scavengers proved that the sulfate radicals were the dominant active species in the MW/PS process. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to identify the intermediate products, and then a plausible degradation pathway involving dechlorination, hydrolysis, and mineralization was proposed. The acute toxicity of PCP, as tested with Photobacterium phosphoreum, Vibrio fischeri, and Vibrio qinghaiensis, was negated quickly during the MW/PS process, which was in agreement with the nearly complete mineralization of PCP. These results showed that the MW/PS process could achieve a high mineralization level in a short time, which provided an efficient way for PCP elimination from wastewater.

In view of the inefficient elimination of micro-pollutants by today’s conventional biological treatments and new legislation requiring elimination of at least 80 % of their concentration, the application of an advanced tertiary treatment must be studied. A good option would be advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), which have very often been combined with physicochemical pre-treatSments to increase efficiency or reduce operating costs. This study focused on the combination of membrane nanofiltration and solar photo-Fenton for the main purpose of removing five pharmaceuticals (sulfamethoxazole, ibuprofen, ofloxacin, carbamazepine and flumequine) from real MWTP effluents under realistic conditions (μg L⁻¹). This research also included tests performed with modified photo-Fenton using a low iron concentration at circumneutral pH and a low hydrogen peroxide dose, in an attempt to reduce major treatment costs. Over 80 % of dissolved organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand and turbidity were also retained during nanofiltration, making pharmaceutical removal less efficient in terms of concentrate treatment time than direct treatment, i.e. the concentrate illumination time was around 150 min while direct treatment was around 40 min. Nevertheless, it should be highlighted that, although no savings in installation costs was observed for the combined system (nanofiltration/solar photo-Fenton), the reaction rate improved and so, there was a savings in reagent costs (mainly hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid).

A study of the assessment and management of air quality was carried out at 11 coal mines in India. Long-term observations (about 13 years, March 2000–December 2012) and modeling of aerosol loading over coal mines in India are analyzed in the present study. In this respect, the Box-Jenkins popular autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was applied to simulate the monthly mean Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol optical depth (AOD₅₅₀ ₙₘ) over 11 sites in the coal mines region. The ARIMA model was found as the most suitable model with least normalized Bayesian information criterion (BIC) and root mean square error and high value of R². Estimation was done with the Ljung-Box test. Finally, a forecast for a 3-year period from January 2013 to December 2015 was calculated which showed that the model forecasted values are following the observed trend quite well over all mining areas in India. The average values of AOD for the next 3 years (2013–2015) at all sites are found to be 0.575 ± 0.13 (Raniganj), 0.452 ± 0.12 (Jharia), 0.339 ± 0.13 (Bokaro), 0.280 ± 0.09 (Bishrampur), 0.353 ± 0.13 (Korba), 0.308 ± 0.08 (Talcher), 0.370 ± 0.11 (Wardha), 0.35 ± 0.10 (Adilabad), 0.325 ± 0.09 (Warangal), 0.467 ± 0.09 (Godavari Valley), and 0.236 ± 0.07 (Cuddapah), respectively. In addition, long-term lowest monthly mean AOD₅₅₀values are observed over Bishrampur followed by Cuddapah, Talcher, Warangal, Adilabad, Korba, Wardha, Godavari Valley, Jharia, and Raniganj. Raniganj and Jharia exhibit the highest AOD values due to opencast mines and extensive mining activities as well as a large number of coal fires. Similarly, the highest AOD values are observed during the monsoon season among all four seasons over all the mining sites. Raniganj exhibits the highest AOD value at all seasons and at all sites. In contrast, the lowest seasonal AOD values are observed during the post-monsoon season over Raniganj, Talcher, Wardha, Adilabad, Warangal, and Godavari Valley. Similarly, over Jharia, Bokaro, Bishrampur, Korba, and Cuddapah, the lowest AOD values are found in the winter season. Increasing trends in AOD₅₅₀have been observed over Raniganj, Bokaro, Bishrampur, Korba, Talcher, and Wardha as well as over Adilabad and Godavari Valley, which is in agreement with previous works. Negative or decreasing AOD trend is found only over Jharia, Warangal, and Cuddapah without being statistically significant. Seasonal trends in AODs have also been studied in the present paper.

Primordial radionuclides, ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were determined in soil samples collected at two depths (0–10 and 10–20 cm) in the vicinity of the largest coal-fired power plant in Serbia, and their spatial distribution was analysed using ordinary kriging. Mean values of activity concentrations for these depths were 50.7 Bq kg⁻¹ for ²³⁸U, 48.7 Bq kg⁻¹ for ²³²Th and 560 Bq kg⁻¹ for ⁴⁰K. Based on the measured activity concentrations, the radiological hazard due to naturally occurring radionuclides in soil was assessed. The value of the mean total absorbed dose rate was 76.3 nGy h⁻¹, which is higher than the world average. The annual effective dose due to these radionuclides ranged from 51.4 to 114.2 μSv. Applying cluster analysis, correlations between radionuclides and soil properties were determined. The distribution pattern of natural radionuclides in the environment surrounding the coal-fired power plant and their enrichment in soil at some sampling sites were in accordance with dispersion models of fly ash emissions. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that operation of the coal-fired power plant has no significant negative impact on the surrounding environment with regard to the content of natural radionuclides.

For class II, type A2 biological safety cabinets (BSC), NSF/ANSI Standard 49 should be conformed in cabinet airflow velocity derivation, particle contamination, and aerodynamic flow properties. However, there exists a potential problem. It has been built that the cabinet air flow stabilize is influenced by the quantity of downflow of air and the height above the cabinet exhaust opening. Three air downflow quantities were compared as an operating apparatus was placed from 20 to 40 cm above the bench of the cabinet. The results show that the BSC air downflow velocity is a function of increased sampling height, displaying that containment is improvingly permitted over product protection as the sampling height decreases. This study investigated the concentration gradient of particles at various heights and downflow air quantity from the bench of the BSC. Experiment results indicate that performance near the bench was better than in the rest of the BSC. In terms of height, the best cleanliness was measured at a height of 10 cm over the bench; it reduced actually with add in height. The empirical curves accommodate, founded on the concentration gradient of particle created was elaborated for evaluating the particle concentration at different heights and downflow air quantity from the source of the bench of the BSC. The particle image velocimetry system applied for BSC airflow research to fix amount of airflow patterns and air distribution measurement and results of measurements show how obstructions can greatly influence the airflow and contaminant transportation in a BSC.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were extensively used in various fields, particularly in medicine as an antimicrobial agent. The unavoidable and extensive usage of AgNPs in turn accumulates in the environment. Plants are the essential base of ecosystem and are ready to disturb by environmental pollutants. Therefore, in the present study, we have planned to evaluate the impact of biologically synthesized AgNPs on the essential food crop Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis). The effects of AgNP-induced plant morphological and physiological changes were investigated in different concentrations (100, 250, and 500 mg/L). The results of morphological features showed that AgNPs at lower concentrations (100 mg/L) exhibit growth-stimulating activity, whereas at higher concentrations (250 and 500 mg/L), particularly, 500 mg/L exhibited growth-suppressing activities which are in terms of reduced root, shoot growth, and fresh biomass. The increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, malondialdehyde production, anthocyanin biosynthesis, and decreased chlorophyll content were also more obviously present at higher concentrations of AgNPs. The concentration-dependent DNA damage was observed in the AgNP-treated plants. The molecular responses of AgNPs indicate that most of the genes related to secondary metabolism (glucosinolates, anthocyanin) and antioxidant activities were induced at higher concentrations of AgNP treatment. The dose-dependent phytotoxicity effects of AgNPs were also observed. Taken together, the highest concentration of AgNPs (500 mg/L) could induce growth-suppressing activities via the induction of ROS generation and other molecular changes in B. rapa seedlings.

A system is needed to predict the behavior, fate, and occurrence of environmental pollutants for effective environmental monitoring. Available monitoring data and computational modeling were used to develop a one-box multimedia model based on the mass balance of the emitted chemicals. Eight physiochemical phenomena in the atmosphere, soil, water, and sediment were considered in this model. This study was carried out in the Lake Biwa-Yodo River basin which provides multiple land uses and also the natural water resource for nearly 13 million of population in the region. Annual emissions for 214 nonmetallic compounds were calculated using the chemical emission data on Japanese pollutant release and transfer registry and used for executing the model simulations for 1997, 2002, and 2008 as input data. The calculated chemical concentrations by the model for all the environmental media were analyzed to determine trends in concentration over this study span. The majority of the chemicals decreased in concentration over time. Among the 214 nonmetallic chemical pollutants, 36 chemicals did not decrease in concentration and were in the top 10 % for concentration on average. Of these 36 pollutants, 7 occur in all 4 environmental media and pose a potential health risk at humans in the Lake Biwa-Yodo River basin.

Flubendazole (FLU) and fenbendazole (FEN) belong to benzimidazoles—pharmaceuticals widely used in veterinary and human medicine for the treatment of intestinal parasites as well as for the treatment of systemic worm infections. In recent years, usage of these drugs increased, which resulted in a larger contamination of the environment and possible negative effects on biota. Hence, in our research, we investigated an aquatic ecotoxicity of these pharmaceuticals towards: marine bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), green algae (Scenedesmus vacuolatus), duckweed (Lemna minor) and crustacean (Daphnia magna). Ecotoxicity tests were combined with chemical analysis in order to investigate the actual exposure concentration of the compounds used in the experiment as well as to stability and adsorption studies. As a result, study evaluating sensitivity of different aquatic organisms to these compounds and new ecotoxicological data is presented. The strongest negative impact of FLU and FEN was observed to D. magna.

This paper provides data on the occurrence of selected human pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, clofibric acid, diclofenac, fenofibrate, fenoprofen, gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and naproxen) including steroid hormones (17β-estradiol, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and estrone) in influents/effluents to/from the four principal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) serving the city of Rome (Italy), in two different sampling campaigns. Target compounds were also analyzed in the receiving River Tiber and River Aniene. Analytical determination was carried out by LC-MS/MS after sample cleanup and concentration by off-line solid-phase extraction (SPE). The aim of the study was to increase the information currently available on the presence and persistence of pharmaceuticals in Italian urban wastewaters and to evaluate the environmental impact of the pharmaceutical residues discharged through effluents into the receiving rivers. Results indicated that after the treatment processes, most of pharmaceuticals were not completely eliminated, as average removal efficiencies were in the 14–100 % wide range during both sampling periods, with higher yields in spring than in winter. Levels detected in overall samples ranged from 5 to 2,230 ng/L in influents and from 5 to 1,424 ng/L in effluents. Carbamazepine, diclofenac, ibuprofen, and gemfibrozil showed the highest persistence to removal. Concentrations in the receiving waters were about one order of magnitude lower than in effluents, with a tendency to increase progressively through the urban tract of the river. Finally, an environmental risk analysis showed that carbamazepine, gemfibrozil, and estrone can pose a high risk at the concentrations detected in effluents and a medium risk in rivers, highlighting their potential hazard for the health of the aquatic ecosystem.

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) were analyzed in 12 tissues of prey (mud carp) and predator (northern snakehead) fish from an e-waste area, South China. The TBBPA concentrations in different tissues ranged from 0.03 to 2.85 ng/g wet weight (ww) in mud carp and 0.04 to 1.30 ng/g ww in northern snakehead. The concentrations of HBCDs ranged from 0.07 to 96.9 ng/g ww in mud carp and 0.18 to 240 ng/g ww in northern snakehead. HBCD levels in tissues were correlated with lipid content for both fish species, while this correlation was only found in mud carp for TBBPA. Meanwhile, northern snakehead exhibited higher HBCD levels but lower TBBPA levels than mud carps. These observations are attributed to the more polar and reactive properties of TBBPA than HBCDs. α-HBCD was the predominant diastereoisomer of HBCDs in all tissues of mud carp and northern snakehead, except for chyme of mud carp. All the analyzed tissues in mud carp showed an enrichment of (+)-α-HBCD enantiomer with EF (enantiomeric fraction) values of 0.53–0.62, but that in northern snakehead showed an enrichment of (−)-α-HBCD enantiomer with EF values of 0.35–0.5. Considering the fact that the mud carp is one of the diet items of northern snakehead, the different enantiomer accumulation characteristics of α-HBCD between the two fish species in the present study indicated that prey and predator fish could prefer to biotransform different enantiomers of α-HBCD.