This research investigated the potential for using vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides L.) to remediate metal-polluted sites in Bulgaria. In the second year of the experiment, the vetiver grass was gathered. The heavy metal (Pb, Cd, Hg), micro (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn), and macro (P, K, Ca, Mg) element contents in vetiver roots and shoots were determined by ICP after microwave mineralization. The essential oil of the ground vetiver roots was obtained by steam distillation in laboratory conditions. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identified fifteen compounds in the oil, mainly sesquiterpenes. The vetiver grass is tolerant to heavy metals with no signs of toxicity (chlorosis and necrosis) and can be grown on heavy metal polluted soils (37.7 mg.kg-1 Cd, 1238.7 mg.kg-1 Pb and 1676.4 mg.kg-1 Zn). Bioaccumulation factor and translocation factor values (BAF and TF < 1) were less than one, suggesting low accumulation in the shoot. This crop can be referred to as a non-accumulating plant for Pb, Cd, and Zn and can be used for the phytostabilisation of contaminated soils in situ. Cultivating vetiver on soils contaminated with heavy metals has a beneficial effect on the yield and production of oil of high commercial value (high in khusimol).

Heavy metal contamination poses a significant threat to soil ecosystems and the health of living organisms, necessitating sustainable remediation strategies. Selective earthworm species play a pivotal role in enhancing microbial activity, thereby influencing heavy metal transformation processes. This study investigates the synergistic interactions between earthworms and soil microbes in heavy metal bioconversion. Using a controlled experimental design, specific earthworm species that significantly enhance microbial-mediated reduction, immobilization, and detoxification of heavy metals, including lead, cadmium, and arsenic. Key findings indicate that Eisenia fetida, Eudrilus eugeniae, Dendrobaena octaedra and Lumbricus terrestris stimulate microbial populations capable of producing bioavailable heavy metal chelators and reducing agents. Enhanced enzymatic activities, such as phosphatases and dehydrogenases, were strongly correlated with the presence of these earthworms. Despite these promising results, critical gaps remain in understanding species-specific microbial dynamics and long-term impacts on heavy metal bioavailability. Furthermore, the effects of varying soil physicochemical conditions on bioremediation efficiency require a comprehensive investigation. This study underscores the potential of integrating selective earthworm species into bioremediation frameworks for sustainable soil management. Future research should prioritize field-scale trials, advanced metagenomic analyses, and the assessment of eco-toxicological implications to optimize earthworm-mediated bioremediation strategies.

Flash floods are among the most dangerous natural disasters, as they cause widespread damage to property and loss of lives, especially in desert and mountainous areas. This study aims to evaluate the Wadi Habban basin to be exposed to the risk of sudden floods using remote sensing data, geographic information systems (GIS), and the pyramid analysis methodology (AHP). The spatial distribution of hazardous areas has been evaluated through the weight and reclassification of ten main criteria that include geomorphology, elevation, slope, rainfall, drainage density, distance to watercourse, land use and land cover, soil texture, Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), and Stream Power Index (SPI), were integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) platform. The analysis classified the basin into five risk categories: 4.3% (very high), 10.2% (high), 29.4% (medium), 42.2% (low), and 13.7%. (very low). The results revealed that 14.5% of the basin area is exposed to severe and high floods, which confirms the necessity of protective strategies, such as constructing flood barriers near vulnerable valleys and enhancing infrastructure and drainage systems. These results provide essential insights for disaster preparedness and infrastructure development, serving as a significant reference for policymakers and planners to enhance flood risk management and mitigate susceptibility in analogous settings.

In the World Air Quality Report 2022, India ranked 8th in terms of average PM2.5 concentration globally with a value of 53.3 μg/m3, and a number of the 7 most polluted cities are located in India out of 50 top cities. The presence of poor air quality in mining cities has a positive relationship with mining activities, and this scenario persists in different cities of Jharkhand state. In this study, we draw the API (Air Pollution Index) with the help of the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) across the state of Jharkhand by considering parameters such as CO, O3, NO2, SO2, and PM10 and the relationship between Sentinel 5P aerosol optical depth (AOD) and CPCB published ground data of PM10 (i.e., monthly and seasonal) was also explored. The outcome depicts that a high concentration of API is dominant along the north-eastern part of the state due to the intensive mining activity along this part of the state, and the trend of concentration of PM10 in the air is continuously increasing from 2012-2018 as per the GOJ (Government of Jharkhand) report. This study will give insight into the pollution scenario in the mining-dominated state of Jharkhand, and along with that, it will also spread awareness of the impact of mining activities on the atmosphere.

Biopesticides have frequently been the focus of attention on a global scale as a safer alternative to chemical pest control that may provide less damage to both humans and the environment. The usage of biopesticides is rising rapidly worldwide, at 10 percent a year. With the idea of limited application for the most significant impact, nanotechnology has produced novel tools for pest management in agriculture, including nanopesticides and nanosensors. In contrast to conventional chemical pesticides, nanopesticides are formulations of a pesticide’s active component in nanoform that have delayed degradation, targeted distribution, and controlled release of the active ingredient over longer periods. In accordance with lots of studies, incorporating certain biological agents in nanoparticulate systems increases their effectiveness against pests while lowering losses resulting from physical deterioration. The development and evaluation of nanobiopesticides have been the subject of laboratory-only research to date using techniques like the creation of nanocomposites, nanoengineered biopesticides, coating nanoparticles with bio-pesticides, etc. The formulation of appropriate, globally acceptable bio-safety and registration requirements is necessary to enable the effective use of these formulations for pest management at the field level.

This study implemented a circular economy model in processing coconuts into white copra as the main product to achieve a zero-waste production system. Simultaneously, other fruit components, such as shells, fibers, and coconut water, are also processed into products that play a role in supporting the main product directly or indirectly. The processed products obtained were liquid smoke, charcoal briquettes, and tar. The processing of white copra was carried out in the following stages: (i) coconut meat was processed into white copra, while the shell was pyrolyzed into liquid smoke, charcoal, and tar; (ii) liquid smoke was used as a preservative for copra, (iii) charcoal was formed into charcoal briquettes which were used for pyrolysis heating, and (iv) the tar produced was used as a wood preservative. The entire series of research was conducted as a laboratory experiment. The treatment of coconut meat dipping for copra in the concentration of liquid smoke solution was arranged in a randomized block design (RCBD). The data were analyzed by ANOVA and continued with Duncan’s multiple comparisons. Meanwhile, the determination of the components of the results of peeling coconuts and the results of pyrolysis of coconut shells and fibers, as well as the characterization of liquid smoke and charcoal briquettes formed, were carried out by observational experiments. The results of this study indicate that the weight of 100 coconuts of the tall variety sample was 175.1 kg, or an average weight of 1,751 g per coconut. After peeling all the coconuts, the components of meat, shell, fiber, and fruit water were obtained, each weighing 48.9 kg, 23.2 kg, 70.6 kg, and 32.4 kg. Furthermore, 23.2 kg of shells were pyrolyzed and produced liquid smoke, charcoal, and tar of 9,126.70 g, 7,155.52 g, and 574.64 g, respectively, which was the average of three pyrolysis repetitions. Coconut shell charcoal briquettes were formed by mixing charcoal flour with tapioca and water in a ratio of 80:5:10, which formed a homogeneous mixture. The mixture was molded by a hydraulic press with a pressure of 2,000 g.cm-2. Furthermore, the test results of water content, volatile matter, ash, fixed carbon, specific gravity, compressive strength, and calorific value were 7.79%, 13.75%, 2.76%, 68.66%, 0.92 g.cm-3, and 64.22 kg.cm-2, 6,521 caL.g-1, respectively. All the results of the charcoal briquette test parameters met Indonesian and Japanese Standards. In the processing of coconut meat, 25.67 kg of white copra was obtained, which was treated with 12.5% liquid smoke with a quality equivalent to the results of sulfur fumigation, namely, free from fungal infection and the highest oil yield and copra brightness. The results of this study provide new findings that, from one coconut of the tall variety, 489 g of coconut meat and 232 g of shell were produced. From the shell, 91.13 g of liquid smoke and 82.15 g of charcoal briquettes were produced, and 26.67 g of white copra was produced as the main product. This study provided new findings on the circular economy model and the principle of zero waste in white copra production, with the fact that each tall coconut variety produced 489 g of coconut meat and 232 g of shell. From the shell, 91.13 g of liquid smoke and 82.15 g of charcoal briquettes were produced, and 26.67 g of white copra was produced as the main product. This evidence provided new enthusiasm in the business of producing white copra that is financially profitable and sustainable. This study opens up many further studies and studies on the circular economy and zero waste, especially in the processing of coconut products, for example, in the coconut oil, desiccated coconut, brown sugar, and virgin coconut oil industries etc. In addition, it does not rule out the possibility of research accompanied by financial studies.

The current study’s objective is to use Manila Tamarind Shell Copper Nanoparticles (MTSCuNPs as adsorbents in a batch process to remove Methylene Blue dye from their wastewater. Contact time, solution pH, initial Methylene blue dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, and temperature were the factors that were examined in batch research. The maximum removal efficiency was predicted to be 96.37% at a temperature of 318 K, a solution pH of 7, an initial dye concentration of 10 mg.L-1, and an adsorbent dosage of 0.5 g.L-1. The Freundlich isotherm model best describes Methylene Blue removal adsorption data at 303 K, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9975, while the Temkin and Langmuir isotherms have correlation coefficients of 0.8901 and 0.8656, respectively. The kinetics study analyzed adsorption data using pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich, and intraparticle diffusion models. Pseudo-second-order kinetics for methylene blue showed close applicability, confirming chemisorption as the rate-limiting step. The pseudo-second-order kinetics model best describes Methylene Blue removal adsorption data at 10 mg.L-1 with a correction coefficient of 0.9988, while the pseudo-first-order, Elovich model, and intra-particle diffusion model have correction coefficients of 0.9876, 0.9704, and 0.9174, respectively. The thermodynamic study found that the adsorption process is spontaneous and physisorption is dominant, with Gibbs free energy values ranging from -20 to 0 kJ.moL-1. Endothermic adsorption and an activated complex formation are associated with the process. In this study, determine the ΔH0 , ΔS0 , and ΔG0 at 303K with values of 25.766 kJ.moL-1, 114.12 J.moL-1, and -8.8003, respectively.

Plastic waste has become a complex issue in the Boyolali district, where much of it is either burned by the community or contributes to environmental pollution. Pyrolysis technology offers a solution by converting plastic waste into renewable and sustainable fuel. This research aims to evaluate the management system of plastic waste and its alternative utilization through pyrolysis technology. The research method for evaluating plastic waste is conducted using a descriptive qualitative approach, while the pyrolysis study is carried out experimentally. Renewable energy-based technologies, such as pyrolysis, are needed to convert plastic waste into high-calorific fuel. The lower heating value (LHV) of Pyrolysis Fuel Oil (PFO) is 9,240 Kcal/kg, with a density of 0.795, giving it high energy potential, making it a suitable candidate for renewable fuel. The pyrolysis process lasts for 7 hours per batch, resulting in a total monthly output of 1,625 L, which consists of 1,125 L of diesel, 250 L of kerosene, and 250 L of gasoline. To operate this process, four workers are required, with a monthly electricity consumption of 350 kWh. Pyrolysis technology offers a sustainable solution to reduce waste and decrease dependence on fossil fuels.

The study offers a comprehensive analysis of stormwater management durability in Chandigarh, India, primarily focusing on employing the Internet of Things (IoT). Eleven key stormwater management indices were examined, and their data sources and methodologies were detailed. The investigation independently evaluates the urban areas’ durability, emphasizing the singular indicators’ worth, and their consequences. Moreover, a consolidated comprehensive system durability indicator was computed utilizing the Analytical Hierarchy Method (AHM), offering a holistic viewpoint on stormwater administration. Chandigarh’s stormwater management uses a 100% weighted approach, this 100% weighted approach allows stakeholders to make informed decisions about stormwater management sustainability, ensuring the city’s water quality and effectiveness in mitigating flooding. Their findings showed a moderate overall sustainability index of 0.761, indicating challenges like waterlogging and limited drainage coverage. The outcomes provide perspectives into Chandigarh’s tenacity and durability in metropolitan water administration over a decade, highlighting the ever-changing character of urban growth and the requirement for flexible resolutions.

Palladium Nanoparticles (PdNPs) are considered significant catalytic agents, along with a wide range of applications, mainly hydrogen storage and sensing, biomedical imaging, and remediation strategies. Extensive studies are being carried out on the formation of PdNPs (PdNPs) worldwide, showing the predominance of the chemical approach among various technologies for the synthesis. The traditional chemical method employed in the formulation of PdNPs contains certain limitations that have been overcome by the use of the alternative biological method, as they are meek, low-cost, and benign to ecosystems. Therefore, the present review provides an overview of the modernized techniques involved in the biological approach for PdNPs formation by utilizing various natural origins, for example, plants as well as microbes, for their enhanced stability and applications in fields of the environment. Various mechanisms and parameters involved, along with approaches utilized for the characterization of bioPdNPs, are described, with an insight being delivered on the utility of biologically synthesized palladium nanoparticles. Recovery of PdNPs to achieve a circular economy is also being focused. In addition, the future prospectus on palladium nanoparticle research is also summarized.