The authors would like to correct the error in the "Abstract" section of original publication. The correct sentence should read “The sampled waters were highly acidic (pH 2.1–4.9) and had high electrical conductivity (2.80–15.61 mS cm−1).

Food safety is a major concern worldwide and human beings are frequently exposed to potentially toxic metals (PTMs) through consumption of vegetables, fruits, and cereal crops grown in contaminated areas. The present study investigates the concentrations of PTMs such as chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in the foodstuffs (fruits, vegetables, and cereals) collected from different markets of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Samples of fruits (banana, tangerine, apple, and guava), vegetables (tomato, onion, potato, pea, and lady finger), and cereals (rice, kidney beans, and chick peas) were acid-extracted and analyzed using ICP-MS. The concentrations of Cr, Zn, Pb, As, and Cd in fruits (54, 50, 50, 45, and 4% samples, respectively), vegetables (53, 43, 63, 80, and 46%), and cereals (37, 62, 25, 70, and 25%) exceeded their respective permissible limits set by FAO/WHO (2001). The results showed that the highest mean concentration was observed for Ni (14.95 mg/kg), Pb (0.57 mg/kg), and Cd (0.27 mg/kg) in vegetables followed by fruits and cereals. However, the highest mean concentration of As (0.44 mg/kg) was observed in cereal crops followed by vegetables and fruits. The individual health risk of PTMs via consumption of fruits, vegetables, and cereals were found within safe limits for adults and children. Nevertheless, the total HRI values (fruits + vegetables + cereals) for Ni, As, and Cd for both adults and children were observed > 1 and may posed potential risk for the community consuming these foodstuffs on a daily basis. Graphical abstract ᅟ

Galactomyces geotrichum was utilized as a potential biosorbent for the treatment of tannery effluent under controlled environmental conditions. Tannery effluent treatment was studied through parametric experiments to study the effect of effluent pH (3.0–10.0), initial COD (1100–4400 mg/L), and biosorbent dosage (0.3–3.0 g/L).The zeta potential of the biosorbent was determined and found to influence the optimal pH. Increase in effluent COD values resulted in decreased COD removal percentages which attributed to limited availability of surface active sites. The equation relating the COD removal efficiency and biosorbent dose was proposed. Two popular kinetic models, namely pseudo-second order and power function models, were employed to the experimental data. Pseudo-second order model proved to be a good fit with high values of regression coefficient (R ² > 0.960). Potential application of a fungal biosorption process was explored and the optimal process parameters were identified.

Perlite is an abundant mineral that requires minimum processing before use either as raw or expanded perlite, resulting in a low-cost, natural porous material. The application of materials for the removal of radioactive cesium from liquid effluents and contaminated waters is currently of great interest. Perlite has been evaluated in the last years for the sorption of a variety of metals, but it had not been investigated before for removal of Cs⁺ from contaminated waters. The present work examines the use of perlites from a deposit in Salta, Argentina, for removal of Cs⁺ from aqueous solutions. The mineral was characterized by means of powder X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, analysis of specific area, and scanning electron microscopy. The effect of solution pH, presence of concomitant ions, contact time, Cs⁺ initial concentration, perlite dose, and basic or acidic treatment of the sorbent were studied by batch experiments. Removal increased at high pHs and after treatment with NaOH. Sorption of Cs⁺ by perlite presented a rapid rise in the first 80 min of contact. The selected material (from Pava mine) yielded removal efficiencies of 84 and 89% before and after treatment with NaOH, respectively, for a dose of 30 g perlite/L and initial cation concentration of 10 mg/L. Our results demonstrate that perlite is a material capable of removing Cs⁺ from aqueous solutions, even when applied at low doses. These findings are relevant in the context of removal of radioactive Cs isotopes from nuclear effluents and in case of contamination of environmental waters.

This paper addresses the removal of four aromatic hydrocarbons typically found in petrochemical wastewater: benzene (B), toluene (T), o-xylene (X), and naphthalene (N), by microwave-assisted catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (MW-CWPO) using activated carbon (AC) as catalyst. Under the studied conditions, complete pollutant elimination (B, 1.28 mM; T, 1.09 mM; X, 0.94 mM; and N, 0.78 mM) was achieved, with more than 90% TOC removal after only 15-min reaction time, working at 120 °C, pH₀ = 3, AC at 1 g L⁻¹, and H₂O₂ at the stoichiometric dose. Furthermore, in the case of toluene, naphthalene, and xylene, the hydroxylation and breakdown of the ring is very rapid and toxic intermediates were not detected. The process follows two steps: (i) pollutant adsorption onto AC followed by (ii) adsorbed compounds oxidation. Thus, MW-CWPO with AC as catalyst appears a promising way for a fast and effective process for B, T, X, and N removal in aqueous phase.

This study aimed to investigate the toxic impact prompted in the testes of adult mice exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF). Four groups of 12 mice each were used in the present study. Group 1 mice were kept as control and administered corn oil only. Group 2 animals were given glutathione (GSH) in a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight by oral gavage twice a week. Group 3 was given TCDF orally twice per week, in a dose of 0.5 μg/kg body weight for 8 weeks. Group 4 was administered GSH orally in a dosage of 100 mg/kg body weight plus TCDF twice a week for 8 weeks. Animals were sacrificed after 2, 4, and 8 weeks of exposure, serum samples were collected for estimation of testosterone hormone, the testes were dissected and one part was used for estimation of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and 3β–hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Another portion of the testis was kept in formalin for histopathological examination. The results showed that the activities of SOD were decreased while the levels of lipid peroxidation MDA were increased in the testicular tissues of the exposed mice. The serum testosterone level and the steroidogenic enzyme 3β–hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity of testicular homogenate were essentially decreased in TCDF-treated mice. A significant increment in the testicular LDH activity in testicular tissues was recorded in mice exposed to TCDF. The percentage of DNA chromatin disintegration was significantly increased in TCDF-treated mice. Histopathological changes were recorded in TCDF-exposed group as degenerative changes of the seminiferous tubules with formation of spermatid giant cells at 2 weeks in addition to exhaustion of germinal epithelium and detachment of the germ cells from the basal lamina at 4 and 8 weeks. Co-administration of GSH could reestablish MDA and LDH levels besides reduction in percentage of sperm DNA damage and improvement of the testicular tissue architecture.

The Cyanobacterium Oculatella subterranea Zammit, Billi, Albertano inhabits hypogea and stone caves and is a pioneer of different stone substrata. In this study, a strain isolated from the House of Marco Castricio (Archaeological Park of Pompeii, Italy) was identified by a polyphasic approach and used for an in vitro colonization test to verify the influence of the substrate on the biofilm architecture. Fine structure of O. subterranea microbial mats was revealed as well as filaments orientation toward light source. This aim has been achieved through confocal laser scanner microscope microscopy and computer image analysis. Moreover, bioreceptivity of five different substrates, commonly retrieved in archaeological sites of Campania, was assessed for O. subterranea. Our results show that the three-dimensional structure of O. subterranea microbial mats is poorly affected by physical and geochemical features of substrates: in fact, the porous architecture of its biofilm was preserved, independently of the materials. On the other hand, the area/perimeter ratio relative to the O. subterranea growth on tuff, brick, and porphyry showed significant differences, indicating dissimilar levels of bioreceptivity of the three substrates.

The ongoing global climate change raises concerns over the decreasing moisture content in agricultural soils. Our research investigated the physiological impact of two types of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂NPs) on soybean at different moisture content levels. One CeO₂NP was positively charged on the surface and the other negatively charged due to the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coating. The results suggest that the effect of CeO₂NPs on plant photosynthesis and water use efficiency (WUE) was dependent upon the soil moisture content. Both types of CeO₂NPs exhibited consistently positive impacts on plant photosynthesis at the moisture content above 70% of field capacity (θfc). Similar positive impact of CeO₂NPs was not observed at 55% θfc, suggesting that the physiological impact of CeO₂NPs was dependent upon the soil moisture content. The results also revealed that V Cₘₐₓ (maximum carboxylation rate) was affected by CeO₂NPs, indicating that CeO₂NPs affected the Rubisco activity which governs carbon assimilation in photosynthesis. In conclusion, CeO₂NPs demonstrated significant impacts on the photosynthesis and WUE of soybeans and such impacts were affected by the soil moisture content. Graphical abstract Soil moisture content affects plant cerium oxide nanoparticle interactions

A decade of observations provided grounds for assessing the operation of one of the few stormwater treatment plants in Poland (system: screens—grit chambers—settler—retention pond) which collects effluents from 471 ha of the city. Among other aspects, the following were evaluated: treatment efficiency, relationship between the quality of treated stormwater and that of waters in the receiving body (the ox-bow lake of the Vistula river), operating stability of key units, significance of the facility for nature. During the assessment, the plant had a positive effect on the quality of stormwater effluents—the content of the analysed pollutants was reduced (more than 80% average efficiency for mineral forms of nitrogen and suspension matter) and oxygen ratios improved (23% increase in the average concentration of dissolved oxygen and more than 50% decrease in 5-day biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand). Although the overall assessment of the facility’s operation was good, some omissions and operating errors were noted (method of removing retained pollutants, stormwater flow control). Eliminating them is a prerequisite for maintaining the expected reliability of the system. An effect of stormwater ponds on the increase in biodiversity in the poor urbanised landscape has also been observed. The structures, forming a uniform system along with urban green areas, constitute specific enclaves which attract living organisms.

Efficient oxidative degradation of pharmaceutical pollutants in aquatic environments is of great importance. This study used magnetic BiOCl@Fe₃O₄ catalyst to activate persulfate (PS) under simulated solar light irradiation. This degradation system was evaluated using atenolol (ATL) as target pollutant. Four reactive species were identified in the sunlight/BiOCl@Fe₃O₄/PS system. The decreasing order of the contribution of each reactive species on ATL degradation was as follows: h⁺ ≈ HO· > O₂·⁻ > SO₄·⁻. pH significantly influenced ATL degradation, and an acidic condition favored the reaction. High degradation efficiencies were obtained at pH 2.3–5.5. ATL degradation rate increased with increased catalyst and PS contents. Moreover, ATL mineralization was higher in the sunlight/BiOCl@Fe₃O₄/PS system than in the sunlight/BiOCl@Fe₃O₄ or sunlight/PS system. Nine possible intermediate products were identified through LC-MS analysis, and a degradation pathway for ATL was proposed. The BiOCl@Fe₃O₄ nanomagnetic composite catalyst was synthesized in this work. This catalyst was easily separated and recovered from a treated solution by using a magnet, and it demonstrated a high catalytic activity. Increased amount of the BiOCl@Fe₃O₄ catalyst obviously accelerated the efficiency of ATL degradation, and the reusability of the catalyst allowed the addition of a large dosage of BiOCl@Fe₃O₄ to improve the degradation efficiency.