In Indonesia, the pest Thrips parvispinus Karny is a major problem for red chili plants. Most pest control techniques rely on synthetic pesticides, resulting in environmental degradation, the extinction of natural enemies, and the emergence and resilience of a variety of different pests. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of a 25% Imidacloprid insecticide on population density and the proportion of infestations and natural enemies in the field. A randomized block design with 5 treatments and 5 replications was utilized in this field investigation. Plant samples were collected in a “U-shaped” pattern. According to the findings, a 25% Imidacloprid pesticide had a significant influence on population density and T. parvispinus attack on red chili plants. Moderate damage was caused by T. parvispinus’ infestation on red chili plants using 50-200 L.ha-1 25 % Imidacloprid pesticide. Furthermore, a 25 % Imidacloprid insecticide applied at a rate of 100 L.ha-1 had a significant influence on the population variety and abundance of T. parvispinus natural enemies. A 25 % Imidacloprid insecticide dosage increase was shown to have a very strong relationship with a reduction in population density, the proportion of T. parvispinus assault, and the variety and quantity of natural enemies in red chili. Thus, a 25 % Imidacloprid insecticide at a rate of 100 L.ha-1 proved successful in reducing T. parvispinus while remaining safe for natural enemies. Future pest control techniques must still be based on improved field data collection, such as data on pesticide contamination or other anthropogenic chemicals, which may also be used to estimate natural enemy population levels in the field.

The objective of this article is to present comprehensive findings and analysis of studies performed on air pollutant dispersion in urban environments. It captures India’s rising environmental pollution due to urbanization, industrialization, and population growth. Dispersion of pollutants due to the wind in the lower Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) is a major concern nowadays. The dispersion field around the buildings is a critical parameter to analyze and it primarily depends on the correct simulation of the wind flow structure. Therefore, studies performed on this in past years are being reviewed. Additionally, a brief review of different air dispersion models that are integrated with the Geographic Information System (GIS) has been studied in this article to assess the exposure. The results of these studies provide the urban air dispersion model aligning to three sub-models i.e., Emission, Weather Prediction, and Dispersion models. Various factors like wind speed, wind direction, cloud cover, traffic emission, disposal of waste, transportation, and others are considered. This study also captures the problems and risks being faced while creating a model, and its possible mitigation approaches.

Nature provides a free lunch, but only if we control our appetites. As we are in the twenty-first century, modernization and industrialization are the two important outputs that have made human life more luxurious and comfortable. Simultaneously, they are responsible for several uses of exploitation of forests, natural resources, and wildlife, polluting the scarce, producing massive solid waste and sacred water resources, and finally making our planet Earth ugly and inhospitable. Today, people are getting more familiar with global issues like global warming, the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, climate change, etc. Now, it is considered a final call by Mother Earth to walk on the path of sustainable development. The time has come to wake up, unite and combat together for a sustainable environment. The present study focuses on the concept of green audit and its importance with respect to the conservation of nature for future generations. Every organization should have its own green campus and environment policy with respect to nature conservation and environmental protection and should maintain a sizable amount of green cover area after building construction along with natural and planted vegetation. A maximum number of more oxygen-producing and carbon-di-oxide-absorbing plants should be maintained to provide a pure atmosphere to the stakeholders. The installation of a rainwater harvesting system, percolation, ponds, check dam, and drip irrigation system to conserve rainwater and groundwater should be noteworthy on the campus.

Concern about increasing incidents of petroleum hydrocarbon spills and spillage into different marine environments is rising day by day due to enhanced human activities in marine water. The toxic compounds of spilled petroleum hydrocarbon in marine water lead to the immediate death of numerous marine organisms as well as initiate various vicious biogeochemical cycles in the marine environment resulting in prolonged toxic impacts on the marine environment. Recently, many sophisticated techniques, including physical methods, chemical methods, and biological methods, have been developed and adopted for the treatment of marine environments polluted with petroleum compounds. However, biological treatment is one of the most promising methods in this field by which microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and algae are used for biodegradation of pollutants such as the spilled petroleum hydrocarbon into neutralized or eco-friendly compounds. This review has been focused on different aspects of the pollution of the marine ecosystem by oil, mainly Petroleum hydrocarbons, the fate of spilled oil in marine environments and the role of microbial communities in it, as well as various techniques, especially the bioremediation and biodegradation of spilled oil including the factors affecting the capacity of techniques. Moreover, some future aspects of research in the field of biodegradation and bioremediation of spilled oil have been proposed.

A study on fluoride risk assessment was carried out in the semi-arid region of North Gujarat, India. The intricate link between groundwater fluoride and human health, lack of awareness, limited access to fluoride treatment facilities, and poor socio-economic conditions of the ~5.0 million rural population in the studied region make them vulnerable to fluoride. This study aimed to evaluate non-carcinogenic health risk, its severity, and the total population at risk in these regions due to chronic fluoride exposure. Fluoride in our samples (n=132) exhibits large spatial variability, and it ranges from ~0.13-8.64 mg.L-1 (average: 1.64 ± 1.50 mg.L-1) and 43% of them are more than the WHO limit of 1.5 mg.L-1. Hazard Quotient (HQ) was used to assess health risks through the ingestion exposure route. The comparison of the range (0.1-8.55 versus 0.06-4.11), average (1.63 ± 1.49 versus 0.78 ± 0.72), and median (1.26 versus 0.60) of HQ between children and adults highlights that the former are at more risk compared to latter. Our conservative estimates suggest that ~0.45 million children and ~1.06 million adult population, ~55% and ~20% of the respective population classes, of the region, are potentially at risk. The empirical Bayesian Kriging model was used to produce risk-assessments maps. These can help policymakers in prioritizing the application of mitigation funding and resources, and in increasing testing efforts in high-risk areas. We believe this study should guide policymakers to adopt strategies in ensuring the public health safety of the rural population, children in particular, of the studied region.

Air pollution is an atmospheric condition with high concentrations of toxic metals that exceed normal limits and are harmful to humans, animals or plants. Jatropha integerrima Jacq., Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L., and Ruellia tweediana have the potential to absorb (Pb) in the air. The aim of the study to analyze the levels of (Pb), chlorophyll, and the relationship between levels of (Pb) and chlorophyll in the three plant species at different locations. Samples were obtained from three locations with different traffic volumes Mayjend Yono Soewoyo street (100346.50 units/day), Dr. Soetomo street (58997.80 units/day), and Polisi Istimewa street (25692.50 units/day) Surabaya. Each sample was taken as many as 15 leaves at the third node. Leaf (Pb) measurements were carried out by dry ashing method using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) and chlorophyll content was measured extraction method followed analysis by Spectrophotometer. Data levels (Pb) and chlorophyll were analyzed using two-way ANOVA followed by Duncan’s test and correlation test with SPSS Statistics 26. The results showed that (1)Pb levels in the three plants from high to low J. integerrima (0.152±0.032 mg.L-1); H. rosa-sinensis (0.042±0.008 mg.L-1); and R. tweediana (0.007±0.006 mg.L-1), (2)chlorophyll content of plant leaves from high to low R. tweediana (33.891±0.510 mg.L-1); H. rosa-sinensis (28.499±0.32 mg.L-1), and J. integerrima (10.597±1.697 mg.L-1) high volume of vehicles followed by increasing levels of (Pb) and decreasing levels of chlorophyll, namely at Mayjend Yono Soewoyo street, Dr. Soetomo street, and Polisi Istimewa street, (3)there is a correlation between levels (Pb) and leaf chlorophyll content (0.524>0.381). Can be concluded that J. integerrima, H. rosa-sinensis, and R. tweediana have the potential as absorbents (Pb) in the air.

Ammonia (NH3) is one of the most widely used chemicals in industry and agriculture, which is very important to the global economy. At present, the Haber Bosch process is adopted for ammonia synthesis in industry. The experimental temperature and pressure used in this process are relatively high, the process energy consumption is high, the one-way conversion of the hydrogen is low, and a large amount of carbon dioxide is discharged into the atmosphere, causing pollution to the environment. To solve its shortcomings, researchers began a new exploration. Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction (NRR), as a clean and sustainable method of ammonia synthesis, has attracted extensive attention. However, the low activity and selectivity of electrocatalysts are one of the important challenges. Therefore, the search for cost-effective electrocatalysts has become one of the research hotspots of electrochemical ammonia synthesis. For enhancing the catalytic performance and selective performance of catalysts, scientists have carried out a lot of research on electrochemical nitrogen fixation catalysts. In this review article, electrolytic experimental devices, common ammonia detection research methods, and the electrocatalytic NRR mechanism are summarized, and then the research progress in electrocatalysts (precious metals, transition metals, and non-precious metals) is summarized. Then, the research progress of metal-based electrocatalysts is introduced, and the relevant theoretical calculations are given. The discussion of different catalytic systems provides ideas for the development and improvement of subsequent NRR electrocatalysts.

Radon is present in houses and everywhere and causes lung cancer, heart problems, and respiratory infections in those who breathe it. Indoor Radon levels were tested for two months in 65 houses in the Al-Shatra, Dhi-Qar Governorate, Iraq, using solid-state nuclear track detectors CR-39. The results obtained indicate that the concentration rates varied clearly, as the lowest concentration was 20.805 Bq/m3 in Al-Moalmen, while the highest concentration was 114.431Bq/m3 in AL-Shaala, with an average of 63.391±22.73Bq/m3. The annual effective inhalation has varied between 0.524 mSv/y and 2.886 mSv/y with a mean of 1.598 mSv/y. On the other hand, the average lung dose was 2.529 nGy/ h. All the results indicate the radon gas levels are within the permissible limits compared to the recommended by American Environmental Protection Agency EPA, which are set at 148Bq/m3, and the inhalation dosage is less than ICRP recommended action limit of 3 mSv/y.

In the agricultural region of the Xiliao River Plain, drip irrigation under mulch has been widely implemented. It not only saves irrigation water, but also changes the structure of the underlying surface of agricultural land, which affects the local hydrological cycle to a certain extent, and makes the process of nitrogen transportation in soil with new characteristics. This study analyzed the distribution of NH4-N, NO3-N, and NO2-N in different soil depths during the whole growth period under three underlying surface conditions, including drip irrigation under mulch, border irrigation, and bare area through field in-situ observation experiment, and analyzed the influence of drip irrigation under mulch on nitrogen transport in deep soil layers. The results showed that under the soil properties of the experimental area, drip irrigation under mulch creates more water to enter the deep soil layers, which was beneficial to alleviate the downward trend of local groundwater level to a certain extent. The average content of NH4-N and NO3-N under drip irrigation under mulch was higher than that under border irrigation. The average content of NH4-N under drip irrigation under mulch was 1.24 mg.kg-1 in soil depths of 80-300 cm, and 0.97 mg.kg-1 under border irrigation. The average content of NO3-N under drip irrigation under mulch was 2.73 mg.kg-1 in soil depths of 80-300 cm, and 1.99 mg.kg-1 under border irrigation. The increment of NH4-N and NO3-N distribution in deep soil layers under drip irrigation under mulch was greater than that under border irrigation, and the increment of NO3-N content is significantly greater than that under border irrigation. Soil water content has a significant impact on the contents of NH4-N and NO3-N. It indicated that compared with traditional border irrigation, drip irrigation under mulch was beneficial to alleviate the downward trend of local groundwater, but it would increase the risk of nitrogen pollution in local groundwater.

Climate change is a universal challenge that threatens the very existence of life on planet Earth. One of the most sensitive areas to climate change is agriculture. Climate change affects precipitation, cyclones, clouds, temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels. All these factors affect plant productivity which poses another grave concern in feeding the ever-increasing population. The productivity in terms of crop yield is reduced due to a direct correlation between phenology and climate change. The reproductive organs of a plant and other parameters that define good fertility of a species are all affected by the increasing temperatures during their vegetative and reproductive phases of growth and development. Thus, this review is an attempt to understand the effect of climate change on the reproductive structures of plants and discuss the short-term and long-term adaptations in plants and agriculture as mitigation measures to combat the significant yield loss in developing countries.