Although microplastic pollution in the soil environment is currently an important research topic, few studies have focused on farmland soil in arid regions. This study investigated the abundances, sizes, polymer compositions, and forms of microplastics across nine agricultural plots cultivated with maize, sunflower, and potato (three of each crop) plants to determine the influences of different cropping characteristics and agricultural practices. The study area was within the arid region of the Ulungur River basin in Qinghe County, Altay, Xinjiang, China. The main forms of microplastics were fragments and fibers, and polyethylene was the dominant polymer (91.6%). The microplastic abundance ranged from 11 347 items/kgdw to 78 061 items/kgdw (mean of 52 081.7 items/kgdw). The abundance and proportion of microplastics with a diameter of <0.2 mm were significantly higher in the sunflower and maize plots (i.e., tall crops) than in the potato plots (i.e., short crops) (p < 0.05). This is due to straw residues affecting the migration and recovery of the mulch. The abundance and fragmentation of microplastics were significantly higher in the sunflower and maize plots where plastic mulch was extensively used because these tall crops anchored the mulch near their stem–root systems. The mulch was then slowly aged (e.g., via wind erosion) before being fragmented due to agricultural practices (e.g., mechanical plowing and residue retention). Although microplastics sourced from mulch are probably immobilized by straw residues in the short term, fragile and easily broken pieces of mulch are eventually released into the soil due to agricultural practices. The findings suggest that different cropping characteristics can affect the abundance and fragmentation of microplastics in agricultural soils, even within the same region, and thus the level and type of microplastic pollution. Traditional plastic mulch should be replaced with biodegradable mulch to reduce microplastic pollution in agricultural fields.

Based on the wind erosion equation and the use of moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite remote sensing data combined with parameter normalization processing, an optimized high spatial-temporal resolution soil fugitive dust (SFD) emission inventory compiling method was proposed in this study. The "2 + 26" cities in northern China, where heavy pollution frequently occurs, were used as a case study. Using the optimized method, we estimated that the PM₅₀, PM₁₀, and PM₂.₅ emissions from SFD of "2 + 26" cities in 2018 were 2,014,927, 1,007,463, and 151,120 tons, respectively. The dust emissions and emission factors of each city presented significant differences and were generally of a greater level in high-latitude areas (such as cities in Hebei Province) than in low-latitude areas (such as cities in Henan and Shandong Province). Moreover, with an increase in latitude, vegetation cover factors generally exhibit an upward trend, while temperature and rainfall exhibit a downward trend. The dust emissions in the different months showed significant differences. The total dust emission reached the highest level in "late winter–early spring" season (February to April), and the monthly emission accounted for 15–17% of the annual emissions. While in the "summer–autumn" season (July to November), it is the lowest level of the whole year, monthly emissions accounted for 3–5% of the annual emissions. The emission inventory method proposed in this study can provide a reference for dust emission assessment and further pollution prevention and control work.

Natural sources, such as soil and wind-erosion dust (SWD), biomass open burning (BOB), sea salt spray (SSAS) and biogenic source (BIO), are major contributors to atmospheric emissions of trace elements (TEs) globally. In this study, we used a comprehensive approach to account for area-, production- and biofuel consumption-based emission factor calculation methods, and thus developed an integrated high-resolution emission inventory for 15 types of TEs (As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, V and Zn) originated from natural sources in China for the year 2015. The results show that national emissions of TEs in 2015 range from 7.45 tons (Hg) to 1, 400 tons (Zn) except for the extremely high emissions of Mn (10, 677 tons). SWD and BIO are identified as the top two source contributors, accounting for approximately 67.7% and 26.1% of the total emissions, respectively. Absolute emissions of TEs from natural sources are high in the Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Tibet autonomous regions with large areas of bare soil and desert. However, emission intensity of TEs per unit area in the Southern provinces of China is higher than those in Northern China and Southwestern China, with the Yunnan and Sichuan provinces displaying the highest emission intensity. Our results suggest that controlling SWD can play a significant role in reducing fugitive particulate matter and the associated emissions of TEs from natural sources in China; and desertification control is particularly critical in the Northwest provinces where the majority of deserts are located.

Glyphosate is one of the most used herbicides in agricultural lands worldwide. Wind-eroded sediment and dust, as an environmental transport pathway of glyphosate and of its main metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), can result in environmental- and human exposure far beyond the agricultural areas where it has been applied. Therefore, special attention is required to the airborne transport of glyphosate and AMPA. In this study, we investigated the behavior of glyphosate and AMPA in wind-eroded sediment by measuring their content in different size fractions (median diameters between 715 and 8 μm) of a loess soil, during a period of 28 days after glyphosate application. Granulometrical extraction was done using a wind tunnel and a Soil Fine Particle Extractor. Extractions were conducted on days 0, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 after glyphosate application. Results indicated that glyphosate and AMPA contents were significantly higher in the finest particle fractions (median diameters between 8 and 18 μm), and lowered significantly with the increase in particle size. However, their content remained constant when aggregates were present in the sample. Glyphosate and AMPA contents correlated positively with clay, organic matter, and silt content. The dissipation of glyphosate over time was very low, which was most probably due to the low soil moisture content of the sediment. Consequently, the formation of AMPA was also very low. The low dissipation of glyphosate in our study indicates that the risk of glyphosate transport in dry sediment to off-target areas by wind can be very high. The highest glyphosate and AMPA contents were found in the smallest soil fractions (PM10 and less), which are easily inhaled and, therefore, contribute to human exposure.

The chemical composition of single particles deposited on industrial filters located in three different chimneys of an iron-manganese (Fe–Mn) alloy manufacturing plant have been compared using aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ATOFMS) and scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDX). Very similar types of particles were observed using both analytical techniques. Calcium-containing particles dominated in the firing area of the sintering unit, Mn and/or Al-bearing particles were observed at the cooling area of the sintering unit, while Mn-containing particles were dominant at the smelting unit. SEM-EDX analysis of particles collected downstream of the industrial filters showed that the composition of the particles emitted from the chimneys is very similar to those collected on the filters. ATOFMS analysis of ore samples was also performed to identify particulate emissions that could be generated by wind erosion and manual activities. Specific particle types have been identified for each emission source (chimneys and ore piles) and can be used as tracers for source apportionment of ambient PM measured in the vicinity of the industrial site.

Dust migration from bauxite residue causes serious occupational diseases and dramatic pollutions to on-site workers and the surrounding environment. In order to investigate the enhancement of mechanical properties and wind erosion behavior of non-traditional stabilizers in mitigating bauxite residue dust pollution, this paper carried out mechanical tests and wind tunnel simulations to reveal the independent and cooperative effect of mechanical properties on dust control performance and the effect of particle size on the accuracy of dust control evaluation strategy. Results illustrated the great significance of stabilizer concentration and particle size on both mechanical properties and dust control performance of treated samples. The penetration resistance was more accurate and effective in predicting dust control performance for lignosulfonate stabilizers, while unconfined compressive strength is more competitive as a key predicting index for polymer stabilizers. Particle size is critical to the evaluation of the dust control effect.

Mining generates a significant quantity of waste material including ballast, gravel, and slags, which are often deposited in areas without taking into account the environment impacts and the need to ensure the physical and chemical stability of the disposed waste. One of the less studied problems is the emission of particulate matter produced by wind erosion at the dumpsites. This erosion is mainly caused by two factors, wind speed and turbulence, due to surface phenomenon. Until now, the design of waste dumpsites in the Chilean mining industry has not considered these environmental conditions. Efforts to minimize disposal costs have always been achieved by depositing ballast without considering these variables. When wind impacts this unprotected surface, it creates a source of dust that requires some special attention. The problem that this research tries to solve is to reduce particulate material to the atmosphere from waste dumps in which, under certain atmospherics and geographic conditions, specifically on winter season, its concentrations overpass the maximum limit allowed by law, generating bronchopulmonary diseases and even closing partially or totally mine operation. The result is the creation of a waste dumpsite design model, with its corresponding algorithms, which will allow optimization of the waste dumpsite design. From these results, future researches could explore more sustainable mining, such as unit operations, drilling, blasting, load and crushing material, reducing particulate material emissions to the atmosphere, and minimizing environmental impact due to exploitation.

To control the dust pollution caused by open-pit coal mining and reduce or avoid the secondary hazards of existing dust suppressants to the environment, a biological dust suppressant was prepared through the synergistic effect of a surfactant and an enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation. The optimal ratio of biological dust suppressant was determined, and the dust suppressive effect and dust consolidation mechanism of the biological dust suppressant were investigated. The results showed that the optimal biological dust suppressant had an alkyl polyglycoside (APG) concentration of 0.3 wt.%, a urea-CaCl₂ concentration of 0.6 mol/L, and a urease to urea-CaCl₂ volume ratio of 1:3. The wind erosion resistance of coal dust treated with this dust suppressant was enhanced by 86.69%. The adsorption of the biological dust suppressant by coal dust was mainly due to the electrostatic interaction between the surfactant and coal dust. The mineralization product of the dust suppressant was calcite-type CaCO₃, which consolidated coal dust due to the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds between CaCO₃ and coal dust.

In order to reduce the dust pollution caused by the coal mining process, a novel composite environmental dust suppressant for coal dust control was synthesized by corn straw, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and additives. This study focused on the preparation conditions of the dust suppressant, and the performances of which were investigated systematically. Response surface method (RSM) was used to optimize the raw material formulation and preparation parameters. The optimum mass ratio of straw, CMC, and alkali of the dust suppression was 65:20:15 (m/m), which was prepared under the conditions of the reaction time being 1.5 h and the rotation speed being 300 r/min. The pH of the dust suppressant was 8.0, and the state of which was suspension. Additives were benefited to enhance the suppressant performance, and the surface tension and the contact angle could decrease to 32.4 mN/m and 32.0°. The suppressant has a maximum viscosity of 363.6 mPa·s, and the compressive strength could be up to 200 kPa. The hygroscopic rate could reach more than 4%. The wind erosion resistance could be up to 99 % at the wind speed of 14 m/s. After spraying the dust suppressant, the gap between particles was filled with dust suppressant, and the adjacent particles were bound by strong mechanical action.

Tapado Glacier is a subtropical mountain glacier in the Coquimbo region of Chile that has been continuously retreating during the last 60 years due to diminishing precipitation rates and rising temperatures and likely due to a currently unknown influence from atmospheric pollutant deposition. Climatic and meteorological impacts on this, and other, Andean glacier have been previously studied; however, cryosphere changes driven by aerosols are still largely unknown. To contribute to the understanding of the origin of aerosols and their dispersion, this study aims to identify natural and anthropogenic sources of air pollution deposited on the Tapado Glacier (4500–5536 m a.s.l.) and their transport by using a receptor model (positive matrix factorization) together with the concentration of major ions as proxies of air pollution deposited on this glacier. This model’s outcomes were complemented with daily wind backward trajectories computed for a whole year using the HYSPLYT meteorological model. Four sources were identified as the main contributors to major soluble ions in the Tapado surface snow. These sources are natural Aeolian dust (38%) from the Atacama Desert (including mining sites), natural weathered sulphates (27%), anthropogenic nitrates (25%), and coastal aerosols (10%). Coastal nitrate emissions and coastal aerosols are both sources with an important anthropogenic component, coming from La Serena and Coquimbo’s coastal cities. The crustal components and sulphate profiles are similar to detritus dispersed from the glacier after wind erosion. Although the glacier is located over 4000 m above sea level, anthropogenic pollutants reached this location. However, their contributions were smaller compared to natural contaminants. Our findings can likely be extended to the nearest glaciers in Northern Chile, which have similar potential contaminant sources from cities, ports, and thriving mining activity. However, these findings may not be suitable for southern Chilean glaciers, which are closer to bigger cities and to smoke from residential heating prevalent in winter months and wildfires during the summer.