Surface sediment from large and eutrophic Lake Chaohu was investigated to determine the occurrence, spatial distribution, sources, and risks of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals in one of the five biggest freshwater lakes in China. Total concentration of PCBs (Σ₃₄PCBs) in Lake Chaohu was 672 pg g⁻¹ dry weight (dw), with a range of 7 to 3999 pg g⁻¹ dw, which was lower than other water bodies worldwide. The majority of heavy metals were detected at all sampling locations, except for Sr, B, and In. Concentrations of Al, Fe, Ca, Mn, Sr, Co, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Hg were similar to that reported for other lakes globally. Concentrations of K, Mg, Na, Li, Ga, and Ag were greater than the average, whereas those of Cr, Ni, and Cu were lower. Cluster analysis (CA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) yielded accordant results for the source apportionment of PCBs. The technical PCBs and microbial degradation accounted for 34.2 % and 65.8 % of total PCBs using PMF, and PMF revealed that natural and anthropogenic sources of heavy metals accounted for 38.1 % and 61.8 %, respectively. CA indicated that some toxic heavy metals (e.g., Cd, In, Tl, and Hg) were associated with Ca–Na–Mg minerals rather than Fe–Mn minerals. The uncorrelated results between organic matter revealed by pyrolysis technology and heavy metals might be caused by the existence of competitive adsorption between organic matter and minerals. PCBs and heavy metals were coupling discharge without organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), but with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). No sediment sample exceeded the toxic threshold for dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs) set at 20 pg toxicity equivalency quantity (TEQ) g⁻¹, (max dl-PCBs, 10.9 pg TEQ g⁻¹). However, concentrations of Ag, Cd, and Hg were at levels of environmental concern. The sediment in the drinking water source area (DWSA) was threatened by heavy metals from other areas, and some fundamental solutions were proposed to protect the DWSA.

This article reports for the first time a facile, green synthesis of 2D CuO nanoleaves (NLs) using the amino acid, namely aspartic acid, and NaOH by a microwave heating method. The amino acid acts as a complexing/capping agent in the synthesis of CuO NLs. This method resulted in the formation of self-assembled 2D CuO NLs with an average length and width of ~300–400 and ~50–82 nm, respectively. The as-synthesized 2D CuO NLs were built up from the primary CuO nanoparticles by oriented attachment growth mechanism. The CuO NLs were characterized by an X-ray diffraction (XRD) method, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The optical properties were investigated using UV-visible spectroscopy. For the first time, rose bengal and eosin Y dyes were degraded photochemically by solar irradiation using CuO NLs as a photocatalyst. The synthesized CuO NLs act as an efficient photocatalyst in the degradation of rose bengal and eosin Y dye under direct sunlight. The degradation of both the dyes, namely rose bengal and eosin Y, took place within 120 and 45 min, respectively, using CuO NLs as a photocatalyst, whereas commercial CuO, SnO₂ quantum dots (QDs), and commercial SnO₂ took more than 120 and 45 min for the degradation of rose bengal and eosin Y, respectively. The synthesized CuO NLs showed a superior photocatalytic activity as compared to that of commercial CuO, SnO₂ QDs, and commercial SnO₂. The reusability of the CuO NLs as a photocatalyst in the degradation of dyes was investigated, and it was evident that the catalytic efficiency decreases to a small extent (5–6 %) after the fifth cycle of operation.

Aggravated air pollution in Beijing, China has caused serious health concern. This paper comprehensively evaluates the health losses from illness and premature death caused by air pollution in monetary terms. We use the concentration of PM₁₀ as an indicator of the pollution since it constitutes the primary pollutant in Beijing. By our estimation, air pollution in Beijing caused a health loss equivalent to Ұ583.02 million or 0.03 % of its GDP. Most of the losses took the form of depreciation in human capital that resulted from premature death. The losses from premature deaths were most salient for people of either old or young ages, with the former group suffering from the highest mortality rates and the latter group the highest per capital losses of human capitals from premature death. Policies that target on PM₁₀ emission reduction, urban vegetation expansion, and protection of vulnerable groups are all proposed as possible solutions to air pollution risks in Beijing.

The spatial distribution of major oxides (Na₂O, K₂O, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, CaO, MgO, MnO, TiO₂, P₂O₅) and numerous elements (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Pb, Sn, Sb, Ba, Sr, Br, Rb, Zr, Mo, Cs, Y, V, Ga, La, U, Th, Nb, W, Sc, Ge, Gd, Yb, Hf, and Ce) was determined by using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry on the basis of previously measured organic matter and carbonates. The optimal measuring variables for the investigated oxides and elements were determined by using five standard reference materials. The carbonated sediment type can be determined on the basis of the highest Sr, Sc, La, Nb, Hf, and Yb concentrations followed with the lowest concentrations of the remaining elements and the negative Ce anomaly. The complexity of the obtained data was also examined by principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) in the identifying geochemical composition of the surface sediment. Boka Kotorska bay’s geographical position, orographical configuration, and hydrographic characteristics influence the geochemistry model of the surface sediment, quite different from the open sea.

In this study, Tubifex tubifex worms were exposed to sediment-associated hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers to study the bioaccumulation and elimination behaviors of HCH isomers in T. tubifex. During a 10-day bioaccumulation experiment, bioaccumulation curves of HCHs were approximate to M-type in T. tubifex. The enantioselective behaviors of α-HCH enantiomers were observed in T. tubifex, with concentrations of (+)-α-HCH higher than that of (−)-α-HCH. The concentration of γ-HCH in T. tubifex was higher than that of β-HCH and α-HCH. The existence of worms can accelerate the dissipation of HCHs in sediment, and the dissipation half-lives of α-HCH, β-HCH, and γ-HCH were 8.39, 23.90, and 3.10 days, respectively. In the elimination experiment, approximately 0.053 (37.1 %), 0.074 (45.9 %), and 0.042 mg/kgwwₜ (38.4 %) α-HCH, β-HCH, and γ-HCH were depleted or excreted in T. tubifex on the first day, respectively. The body residues in T. tubifex were 0.084 (α-HCH), 0.082 (β-HCH), and 0.061 mg/kgwwₜ (γ-HCH) at the end of elimination experiment. Furthermore, the existence of T. tubifex could affect the overlying water quality parameters.

During the past decade, there has been increasing global concern over the rise of anthropogenic CO₂ emission into the Earth’s atmosphere (J Air Waste Manage Assoc 53:645–715, 2003). The utilization of CO₂ to produce any valuable product is need of the hour. The production of syngas from CO₂ and CH₄ seems to be one of the promising alternatives in terms of industrial utilization, as it offers several advantages: (a) mitigation of CO₂, (b) transformation of natural gas and CO₂ into valuable syngas, and (c) producing syngas with H₂/CO ratio 1 which may further be used for the production of valuable petrochemicals (J Air Waste Manage Assoc 53:645–715, 2003). A conceptual design for the production of synthesis gas by dry reforming of methane is presented here. An economic assessment of this process with an integrated methanol production section as a case was conceptualized and compared with the conventional steam methane reforming route to produce methanol. The economic study indicated that dry reforming of natural gas/methane is a competitive process with lower operating and capital costs in comparison with steam reforming assuming negligible cost of CO₂ import.

Mercury (Hg) pollution legacy of chlor-alkali plants will be an important issue in the next decades with the planned phase out of Hg-based electrodes by 2025 within the Minamata convention. In such a context, the present study aimed to examine the extent of Hg contamination in the reservoirs surrounding the Oltchim plant and to evaluate the possible improvement of the environmental quality since the closure of its chlor-alkali unit. This plant is the largest chlor-alkali plant in Romania, which partly switched to Hg-free technology in 1999 and definitely stopped the use of Hg electrolysis in May 2012. Total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (CH₃Hg) concentrations were found to decrease in the surface waters and sediments of the reservoirs receiving the effluents of the chlor-alkali platform since the closure of Hg units. Hence, calculated risk quotients (RQ) indicated no adverse effect of Hg for aquatic organisms from the ambient water exposure. RQ of Hg in sediments were mostly all higher than 1, showing important risks for benthic organisms. However, ecotoxicity testing of water and sediments suggest possible impact of other contaminants and their mixtures. Hg hotspots were found in soils around the platform with RQ values much higher than 1. Finally, THg and CH₃Hg concentrations in fish were below the food safety limit set by the WHO, which contrasts with previous measurements made in 2007 revealing that 92 % of the studied fish were of high risk of consumption. Discontinuing the use of Hg electrodes greatly improved the surrounding environment of chlor-alkali plants within the following years and led to the decrease environmental exposure to Hg through fish consumption. However, sediment and soil still remained highly contaminated and problematic for the river reservoir management. The results of this ecological risk assessment study have important implications for the evaluation of the benefits as well as limits of the Minamata Convention implementation.

Selective catalytic reduction of NO X by hydrogen (H₂-SCR) in the presence of oxygen has been investigated over the NiCo₂O₄ and Pd-doped NiCo₂O₄ catalysts under varying conditions. The catalysts were prepared by a sol-gel method in the presence of oxygen within 50–350 °C and were characterized using XRD, BET, EDS, XPS, Raman, H₂-TPR, and NH₃-TPD analysis. The results demonstrated that the doped Pd could improve the catalyst reducibility and change the surface acidity and redox properties, resulting in a higher catalytic performance. The performance of NiCo₁.₉₅Pd₀.₀₅O₄ was consistently better than that of NiCo₂O₄ within the 150–350 °C range at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 4800 mL g⁻¹ h⁻¹, with a feed stream containing 1070 ppm NO, 10,700 ppm H₂, 2 % O₂, and N₂ as balance gas. The effects of GHSV, NO/H₂ ratios, and O₂ feed concentration on the NO conversion over the NiCo₂O₄ and NiCo₁.₉₅Pd₀.₀₅O₄ catalysts were also investigated. The two samples similarly showed that an increase in GHSV from 4800 to 9600 mL h⁻¹ g⁻¹, the NO/H₂ ratio from 1:10 to 1:1, and the O₂ content from 0 to 6 % would result in a decrease in NO conversion. In addition, 2 %, 5 %, and 8 % H₂O into the feed gas had a slightly negative influence on SCR activity over the two catalysts. The effect of SO₂ on the SCR activity indicated that the NiCo₁.₉₅Pd₀.₀₅O₄ possesses better SO₂ tolerance than NiCo₂O₄ catalyst does. Graphical abstract The NiCo₁.₉₅Pd₀.₀₅O₄ catalyst achieved over 90 % NO conversion with N₂ selectivity of 100 % in the 200∼250 °C range than the maximum 40.5 % NO conversion over NiCo₂O₄ with N₂ selectivity of approximately 80 % in 350 °C.

The shallow lakes in the eastern China developed on alluvial plains with high-nutrient sediments, and most overflow into the Yangtze River with short hydraulic residence times, whereas they become eutrophic over long time periods. Assuming strong responses to hydrogeological changes in the basin, we attempted to determine the dynamic eutrophication history of these lakes. Although evaluation models for internal total phosphorus (TP) loading are widely used for deep lakes in Europe and North America, the accuracy of these models for shallow lakes that have smaller water volumes controlled by the geometrical morphology and greater basin area of alluvial plains is unknown. To describe the magnitude of changes in velocity of trophic state for the studied shallow lakes, we first evaluated the P retention model in relation to the major forces driving lake morphology, basin climate, and external discharge and then used the model to estimate changes in TP in three large shallow lakes (Taihu, Chao, and Poyang) over 60 years (1950–2009 AD). The observed levels of TP were verified against the relative error of the three lakes (<6.43 %) and Nash-Sutcliffe coefficients (0.67–0.75). The results showed that the predicted TP concentrations largely increased with hydraulic residence time, especially in extreme drought years, with a generally rising trend in trophic status. The simulated trophic state index showed that lakes Taihu and Poyang became eutrophic in the 1990s, whereas Lake Chao became eutrophic in the 1980s; lakes Taihu and Chao ultimately became hypereutrophic in the 2000s. The analysis suggested that the tropic status of the shallow lakes was affected by both the hydroclimate and geological sedimentation of the Yangtze River basin. This work will contribute to the development of an internal P loading model for further evaluating trophic states.

The Taranto basin is a shallow water marine system in the South of Italy characterized by the presence of a lagoon environment together with a semi-enclosed bay connected to the Ionian Sea. This marine system experienced over the last few decades strong biochemical pollution and environmental degradation, and it is considered a hotspot study site for economic, ecological and scientific reasons. The aim of this study was to examine, on an annual temporal scale and with high spatial resolution, the main hydrodynamical processes and transport scales of the system by means of a 3D finite element numerical model application, adopting the most realistic forcing available. The model allowed us to assess the role played by baroclinic terms in the basin circulation, describing its estuarine nature. In particular, the main features of water circulation, salinity and temperature distribution, water renewal time and bottom stress were investigated. Our results allowed us to equate this system dynamic to that of a weakly stratified estuary, identifying the main driving sources of this mechanism. The vertical stratification over the whole year was proved to be stable, leading to a dual circulation flowing out on the surface, mainly through Porta Napoli channel, and inflowing on the bottom mainly through Navigabile channel. This process was responsible also for the renewal time faster on the bottom of the Mar Piccolo basin than the surface. Due to the great importance of the Taranto basin for what concerns sediment pollution, also the effect of currents in terms of bottom stress was investigated, leading to the conclusion that only in the inlets area the values of bottom stress can be high enough to cause erosion.