While intensive peach production has expanded rapidly in recent years, few studies have explored the environmental impacts associated with specific regional systems or the optimal management strategies to minimize associated environmental risks. Here, data from a survey of 290 native farmers were used to conduct a life cycle assessment to quantify the acidification potential (AP), global warming potential (GWP), eutrophication potential (EP), and reactive nitrogen (Nr) losses in peach production in Pinggu District, Beijing. Total annual Nr losses, and GWP, AP, and EP values for peach production in Pinggu District were respectively 10.7 kg N t⁻¹, 857 kg CO₂-eq t⁻¹, 12.9 kg SO₂-eq t⁻¹, and 4.1 kg PO₄-eq t⁻¹. The principal driving factors were fertilizer production, transportation, and application, which together accounted for 94%, 67%, 75%, and 94% of Nr losses, GWP, AP, and EP, respectively. In the high yield, high nitrogen-use efficiency (HH) group, relative values of Nr losses, GWP, AP, and EP were respectively 33%, 25%, 39%, and 32% lower than the overall averages for 290 orchards. Further analyses indicate that improved farming practices such as decreasing application rates of fertilizers, increasing proportion of base fertilization rate, and proper fertilization frequency in the HH group were the main reasons for these orchards’ better performance in peach yields and partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer, and their reduced environmental impacts. These results highlight the need to optimize nutrient management in peach production in order simultaneously to realize both environmental sustainability and high productivity in the peach production system.

The current study was conducted to assess the beneficial effect of selenium (Se) on maneb-induced cardiotoxicity and fatty acid alterations in adult mice. Swiss albino male mice were assigned into four experimental groups. The first group consisted of negative controls. The second group represented the positive controls where mice received daily, via the diet, sodium selenite at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg. For the third group, mice were subjected to intraperitoneal injections of maneb (30 mg/kg BW). The fourth group (MB+Se) received daily the same dose of maneb as group 3 along with sodium selenite at the same dose as group 2. Mice exposure to maneb caused cardiotoxicity as indicated by an increase in malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and protein carbonyl levels, and an alteration of the antioxidant defense system (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and vitamin C). Plasma lactate dehydrogenase activity and total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level decreased. Results showed also a decrease in the amount of n-3 PUFA, docosahexaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and eicosapentaenoic acids. However, an increase in the levels of MUFA, cis-vaccenic, and palmitoleic acids was observed. Co-administration of Se restored the parameters indicated above to near control values. The histopathological findings confirmed the biochemical results. Selenium could be a useful and efficient agent against maneb-induced cardiotoxicity.

The present work deals with a detailed study of India’s Damodar river basin’s pollution profile (groundwater, surface water, industrial water, and mine water). The present paper aims to create a large data bank comprising the latest (2019; through water sampling and analysis) and historical (1980–2018; through literature survey) data on heavy metal loads (HML) and other hydrochemical parameters in water bodies of the Damodar basin (at 99 sampling locations). Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were applied to determine the possible sources of the HML in the groundwater and surface water. Anthropogenic inputs from industrial effluents and mining activities were identified as the sources of the HML. The degree of HML exposure (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, As, Co, Cd, Hg, Cr, Ni, and Cu) was considered for computing the heavy metal pollution indices (HMPI). Associated potential health risk to the local population was also studied. Most HMPIs (vary within 50–9000) appeared to cross the critical value (~ 100). According to the results of noncarcinogenic risk, most hazard indices (varied within 0.01–116.34) surpassed the allowable limit (~ 1), demonstrating detrimental health effects on adults and children. Ni, Cd, As, and Cr showed very high cancer indices (varied within 9.5 × 10⁻⁵–1.76 × 10⁻¹) that could be considered as high risk (≫ 1 × 10⁻⁴, allowable limit) for cancer via ingestion and dermal pathways. A carcinogenic risk assessment map of the basin was also prepared for the first time. Durgapur and Burnpur-Asansol cities have been identified as the most vulnerable areas. The authors also compared the water quality parameters of the Damodar river with other highly polluted and major rivers of India. The authors recommended (i) strict regulation and efficient management of HML monitoring, (ii) initiating public awareness programme about Damodar’s pollution, and (iii) a detailed medical survey to understand the impact of water pollution on the population.

Fecal pollution in surface waters is a major threat to recreational and drinking water resources, with Escherichia coli being a primary concern. The best way to mitigate fecal pollutant loading is to identify the sources and tailor remediation strategies to reduce loading. Tracking E. coli back to its source is notoriously difficult in a mixed-use watershed where input from humans, wildlife, and livestock all contribute to E. coli loading. One proposed tracking method for E. coli contamination is the use of fecal sterols and sterol ratios. This study uses fecal sterol data published globally to assess how well sterol compositions for different species clusters along with the effectiveness of sterol ratios as tracking tools. Hierarchical cluster analysis produces stronger clusters based on sterol ratios than raw sterol concentration, but the global dataset results in clustering of the same species in different levels. The accuracy of the sterol ratios was also compared to understand the rate of false negatives and false positive assignments. Overall, these ratios did not have a high success rate for determining the correct source, which was also reflected in the poor clustering trends observed. Establishing local end-member sterol profiles is essential when using sterol signatures to unravel fecal loading.

Under the influence of global climate change and rapid urbanization, urban flood disaster becomes more and more serious. Urban flood disaster risk assessment and risk response strategy have become a hot issue in sponge city research. This study introduce the basic concept of sponge urban construction risk and the basic theory, using the grounded theory to determine the sponge risk factors for urban construction, building based on system dynamics dynamic evolution model of the urban construction risk, sponge city construction in Jiangxi province as the research object, the application of Vensim PLE software carries on the simulation results. This paper analyzes the dynamic development situation and key risk factors of each sub-risk system in the whole life cycle, and discusses what countermeasures should be taken to reduce the risk of sponge city construction.

The coastal zone is a crucial transitional area between land and ocean, which is facing enormous pressure due to global climate change and anthropogenic activities. It is essential to pay close attention to the pollution caused by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the coastal environment and their effect on human health. The pollution status of PAHs was investigated in the Beibu Gulf, taking into consideration various environmental media. The results showed that the total concentration of 16 PAHs (Σ₁₆PAHs) was significantly higher in winter than in summer. Compared to the coastal area, the status of PAHs in the estuarine areas was found to be more severe in summer, while the regional difference was insignificant in winter. In summer, the Σ₁₆PAHs in estuarine waters (71.4 ± 9.58 ng/L) > coastal waters (50.4 ± 9.65 ng/L); estuarine sediment (146 ± 116 ng/g) > coastal zone (76.9 ± 108 ng/g). The source apportionment indicated that spilled oil, biomass, and coal burning were the primary sources of PAHs in the water. The predominant sources of pollution in the sediments were spilled oil, fossil fuel burning, and vehicle emissions. With regard to the status of PAHs in marine organisms in the coastal area of the Beibu Gulf, the highest average concentration of PAHs was indicated in shellfishes (183 ± 165 ng/g), followed by fishes (73.7 ± 57.2 ng/g), shrimps (42.7 ± 19.2 ng/g), and crabs (42.7 ± 19.2 ng/g) in Beibu Gulf coastal area. The calculated bioaccumulation factor indicates a low bioaccumulation capacity of PAHs in various seafood considering the ambient environment. The human health risk assessment considering multiple age groups indicates minimal health risk on accidental ingestion of PAHs through seafood. However, it is suggested that the intake of shellfish in children be controlled.

Green roof rainwater retention, peak runoff reduction, and runoff time delay are considered important hydrological performance indicators for assessing management of urban stormwater. In this study, simulated rainfall experiments were conducted on three green roof models with different water storage layer depths. The numerical model was established using Hydrus-1D program, and the sensitivity of main parameters, the hydrological response of green roofs with a water storage layer, and water storage on the soil surface were analyzed. In addition to the saturated water content of the soil, the depth of the green roof water storage layer is the most sensitive parameter to rainwater retention and initial drainage time. During the simulated rainfall experiment, the 25-mm-deep water storage layer (WSL-25) increased the rainwater retention capacity (RRC) by 46%. For a 20-year return period corresponding to South China region, the RRC of green roofs with WSL-25 increased by 31% compared with that without a water storage layer. The initial drainage time was delayed by 50 min, and the peak drainage rate was reduced by 89%. In this case, a 100-mm soil layer, a 50-mm water storage layer, and a 50 mm maximum surface water storage depth were considered the optimal structural configurations of green roofs. This shows that water storage on the soil surface and bottom water storage layer were equally important for improving RRC, reducing peak drainage and delaying drainage time of green roofs.

This study investigates pollution levels, source apportionment, ecological, and human health risks associated with toxic metals (Pb, As, Hg, Cr, and Cd) in road dust from the most populated Dhaka city and a connected major highway in Bangladesh. The mean concentration of Pb, Hg, and Cd were 1.3, 29.3, and 13.2 times higher than their corresponding background values with spatially uneven distribution all over the study area. Metal pollution indices, the geo-accumulation index (Igₑₒ), NIPI, and PI, indicated extreme contamination at many sites depending on local environmental factors. The potential ecological risk ([Formula: see text] revealed that 84% and 54% of samples showed the extreme ecological risk for Hg and Cd pollution, respectively. On the other hand, the potential ecological risk index (PERI) and Nemerow integrated risk index (NIRI) showed that most sampling sites suffered high to extreme ecological risk. Source apportionment using positive matrix factorization (PMF) identified coal combustion, and gasoline (50.14%), traffic exhaust (35.26%), and industrial and agriculture activity (14.60%) were the main source of toxic metals of the study area. Non-carcinogenic health risk indicated that adults are more vulnerable than children, and hazard index (HI) of Hg for both age groups and Cd for adults were significantly higher than the safe level. The carcinogenic risk (CR) levels of toxic metals were acceptable (10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁴), although the maximum limit of Cr for children and As for adults was close to the unacceptable limit (10⁻⁴). Continual exposure to toxic metals through road dust might develop lifetime cancer risk in local inhabitants.

Non-edible Ceiba oil has the potential to be a sustainable biofuel resource in tropical countries that can replace a portion of today’s fossil fuels. Catalytic deoxygenation of the Ceiba oil (high O/C ratio) was conducted to produce hydrocarbon biofuel (high H/C ratio) over NiO-CaO₅/SiO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst with aims of high diesel selectivity and catalyst reusability. In the present study, response surface methodology (RSM) technique with Box-Behnken experimental designs (BBD) was used to evaluate and optimize liquid hydrocarbon yield by considering the following deoxygenation parameters: catalyst loading (1–9 wt. %), reaction temperature (300–380 °C) and reaction time (30–180 min). According to the RSM results, the maximum yield for liquid hydrocarbon n-(C₈–C₂₀) was found to be 77% at 340 °C within 105 min and 5 wt. % catalyst loading. In addition, the deoxygenation model showed that the catalyst loading-reaction time interaction has a major impact on the deoxygenation activity. Based on the product analysis, oxygenated species from Ceiba oil were successfully removed in the form of CO₂/CO via decarboxylation/decarbonylation (deCOx) pathways. The NiO-CaO₅/SiO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst rendered stable reusability for five consecutive runs with liquid hydrocarbon yield within the range of 66–75% with n-(C₁₅ + C₁₇) selectivity of 64–72%. Despite this, coke deposition was observed after several times of catalyst usage, which is due to the high deoxygenation temperature (> 300 °C) that resulted in unfavourable polymerization side reaction.

The study investigates the symmetric and asymmetric impact of agriculturalization on CO₂ emissions in a sample of selected Asian economies for time period 1985 to 2019. For empirical analysis, the study adopted panel linear and nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approaches. The long-run findings of panel ARDL reveal that agriculturalization contributes to environmental quality by mitigating CO₂ emissions. The panel nonlinear results clearly indicate that the effects of agriculturalization on CO₂ emissions are asymmetric. The findings demonstrate that agriculturalization improves environmental quality and de-agriculturalization mitigates environmental quality. Our empirical results are also robust to alternative model specifications. Based on these findings, the study recommends that the relevant authorities should formulate reforms in the agriculture sector that controls and reduces carbon emissions in Asian economies.