The transport of non-indigenous species in ship's ballast water represents a threat to marine biodiversity. This study is the first on marine bioinvasion in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Port of Douala (PoD), located in the Gulf of Guinea, is experiencing increasing maritime traffic, hence the importance of preventing biological invasions. PoD received ballast water from 41 ports and 20 ecoregions during the study period (2018–2021). We used a biological invasion model and showed that ships from the ports of Antwerp, Durban, Dar es Salaam, Pointe-Noire (Southern Gulf of Guinea) and Dakar (Sahelian Upwelling), with their associated ecoregions present a major invasion risk. Treating ballast water from these ships to IMO D-2 standards could reduce their probability of biological invasion by 97.18, 98.43, 98.80, 98.77 and 98.84 %, respectively. Climate change may also mitigate the risk of biological invasion, particularly for ships in the North Sea ecoregion from the port of Antwerp.

The mid-20th century industrial peak caused severe global lead (Pb) marine contamination. Although Europe initiated Pb emission reduction regulations in the 1980s, the short- and long-term impacts remain unclear. This study investigates the evolution of Pb contamination on the French coast through elemental and isotope analysis in oysters and mussels from the French “Mussel Watch” Program. Observations at 114 monitoring stations over four decades have shown decreasing Pb levels in these bivalve mollusks. In 1988, 95 % exceeded the background reference values; this level had dropped to 39 % by 2021. The Pb isotope ratios in bivalves from eight target sites revealed a reduction in bioaccumulated anthropogenic Pb, albeit without complete elimination. The long residence time of legacy Pb combined with inputs from diffuse urban sources likely explains the persistent presence of anthropogenic Pb on the French coast. This study endorses the importance of continuous biomonitoring to evaluate environmental regulations and policies.

It has been established from previous studies that chlorophyll-a surface concentration has been declining in the eastern English Channel. This decline has been attributed to a decrease in nutrient concentrations in the rivers. However, the decrease in river discharge could also be a cause. In our study, rivers outflows and in-situ data have been compared to time series of satellite-derived chlorophyll-a concentrations. Dynamic Linear Model has been used to extract the dynamic and seasonally adjusted trends of several environmental variables. The results showed that, for the 1998–2019 period, chlorophyll-a levels stayed significantly lower than average and satellite images revealed a coast to offshore gradient. Chlorophyll-a concentration of coastal stations appeared to be related to the declining fluxes of phosphate while offshore stations were more related to nitrate-nitrite. Therefore, we can exclude that the climate variability, through river flows alone, has a dominant effect on the decline of chlorophyll-a concentration.

This study addresses the scarcity of evidence on the relationship between benthic communities and coarse-grained sediments in the eastern English Channel. The region's geological history contributes to its predominantly coarse sediment composition. The study employs ternary plots to visualize benthic species' preferences and tolerance for sediment types, revealing their effectiveness. Redundancy Analyses (RDA) and species-level quantile regressions explore the influence of grain size on benthic species distribution. The results indicate a moderate impact of grain size, influenced by hydrodynamics. Estuaries, particularly the Seine Estuary, significantly shape benthic species distribution. Quantile regressions underscore the varied responses of benthic communities along the grain size gradient. The study underscores the importance of considering coarse sediments, offering insights into the complex relationship between benthic communities and sediment characteristics.

Estuaries, vital coastal ecosystems, face growing threats from industrialization. To understand the pace of sedimentary changes and heavy metal pollution at the anthropogenically altered and industrialized Nakdong River Estuary in South Korea, we used sediment coring to reconstruct environmental change. Estuarine dam construction in 1934 shifted the sedimentary system from sand to mud, coinciding with a post-1930s mercury increase due to coal burning. Mercury concentrations in other South Korean regions surged in the 1970s, indicating proximity to emission sources matters. However, most heavy metal levels (Cu, Cd, Zn, Ag) sharply rose in the 1960s and 1970s with regional industrialization. Modern heavy metal concentrations doubled pre-industrial levels, underscoring human activities as the primary driver of Nakdong Estuary environmental changes. This emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to development and environmental preservation.

The accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in roadside soils and plant leaves due to vehicular emissions presents significant environmental and public health risks, particularly in densely populated urban areas. This study evaluated the concentrations of five PTEs—copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn)—in soils and leaves of three urban plant species (Pine, Cypress, and Mulberry) across six highways in Tehran, Iran, categorized into high, medium, and low-traffic zones. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0–30 cm, and leaf samples were obtained from the canopy's outer sections. Samples were digested with aqua regia (soil) and nitric-hydrochloric acid (leaves) and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Pollution indices, including Pollution Load Index (PLI), Transfer Factor (TF), and Bioaccumulation Factor (BCF), were applied to assess contamination levels and metal mobility.The results showed moderate pollution levels across high-traffic zones (PLI = 3.94), with cadmium (Cd) contributing the most significant ecological risk (RI = 154.50). Transfer Factor (TF) analysis revealed high bioavailability for zinc (TF = 0.78) and lead (TF = 0.81), while cadmium exhibited limited uptake by plants (TF < 0.004). Bioaccumulation Factor (BCF) calculations indicated Pine and Cypress species had higher potential for metal uptake, with BCF values exceeding 1 for zinc and lead in high-traffic areas, whereas Mulberry demonstrated relatively lower accumulation. Despite a normalized NIPI index value of 1, the enrichment factor (EF) for zinc (EF = 98.04) underscores significant anthropogenic contributions, particularly from non-exhaust vehicular emissions. These findings highlight the need for ongoing monitoring, effective traffic management, and remediation strategies to address heavy metal pollution in urban environments.

As the world entered the industrial era, the nature of environmental threats and dangers posed by technology also have gone through fundamental changes. One of these environmental pollutants is the propagation of waves with different wavelengths in the environment. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of 2.45 GHz microwaves on blood biomarkers of mice. In this study, 80 immature male BALB/c mice were used. According to the inclusion criteria, 72 mice were included in the study. Mice were divided into two groups (control group=24 mice, exposed group=48 mice). Exposed groups were divided into two subgroups of 24 (groups A and B). Subgroup A was exposed to a simple modem without antenna and subgroup B was exposed to a modem with two antennas. In the first phase of the study, mice were exposed daily for 60 minutes for 90 days and in the second phase for 8 hours daily for 90 days. Blood samples were taken on days 90 and 180. Data analysis was done by SPSS software version 25 (P value<0.05). This study shows that blood cells are affected by long-term exposure to Wi-Fi waves by decrease in number and volume. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between the blood parameters of the two groups exposed to different modems which vary in the number of antennas. The results showed that the highest effect of Wi-Fi waves was on the following blood factors, respectively PLT, RBC, HCT, HGB, and WBC.

The aim of this study was to assess the noise pollution of sports facilities in multi-purpose halls in Lahijan city, Iran. This research was of applied type. Through networking, 16 halls were randomly selected in four zones of the city and data were collected in the field. The sound level in the clubs was measured at level A and as an equivalent level by a portable device and Decibel X 2019 and compared with the sound standard (OSHA-90 dBA). The measurements were performed in triplicate and repeated three times. The calculated parameters included sound pressure level (SPL), average sound level ((LP) ̅), continuous sound equivalent level (Leq) and individual daily dose LAEp,d. The results showed that the lowest sound pressure level was 73.9 dB in the northern zone and in the first turn. The highest sound pressure level in the western zone was 97.7 dB. As the time changed from early morning to night, the average sound pressure level increased, highlighting the direct relationship between the sound pressure level and the measurement time. The average sound level in the western zone was higher than in other zones, and the average sound level in the southern zone was lower than in other zones. In both zones, the gyms were of the shed type, which could not establish a relationship between the structural form and the sound level. All the studied halls had levels higher than the standards for recreation centers and parks, as well as the standards of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, all of the gyms met other standards such as ACGIH, NIOSH and OSHA standards related to occupational health. Finally, there was a relationship between the urban location of sports halls and the sound level, such that halls located in the northern and western zones (the more affluent part of the city) had higher sound levels; in contrast, those located in the southern and eastern zones (poorer areas of the city) had lower sound levels.

Land use change shapes landscapes and is crucial for effective natural resource management, requiring a deep understanding of its trends for informed land management. The study utilized Landsat TM and Sentinel-2 satellite images spanning 1994 to 2023 to generate a 30-year land use change map of Erzurum. After processing of satellite images in ENVI, the Maximum Likelihood Algorithm used for classification and the Kappa coefficient used for reliability of results. Single and dynamic land use change indices used to assss the changes in LULC classes. The results indicated appropriate accuracy in the classified maps with a Kappa coefficient exceeding 0.75. The results revealed that the most significant land use changes in the Erzurum region were related to the conversion of rangeland to agricultural land. Over the period from 1994 to 2023, there was a notable increase in agricultural land use in Erzurum, contrasting with negative trends in waterbodies and garden areas. Rangeland experienced the most significant decline, decreasing by 19.22%, while agricultural land increased by 18%. indicating the highest growth among land use categories. According to the Single Dynamic Index, Bare Ground exhibited a change of +0.32%, while tree lands displayed a notably high dynamic degree of +0.31%. The significant expansion of agricultural land in Erzurum is primarily driven by agriculture being the main livelihood for local communities. This shift from rangelands highlights the strain on natural resources, necessitating careful management planning to balance agricultural expansion with environmental conservation concerns.