Agro-food, petroleum, textile, and leather industries generate saline wastewater with a high content of organic pollutants such as aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, nitroaromatics, and azo dyes. Halophilic microorganisms are of increasing interest in industrial waste treatment, due to their ability to degrade hazardous substances efficiently under high salt conditions. However, their full potential remains unexplored. The isolation and identification of halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms from geographically unrelated and geologically diverse hypersaline sites supports their application in bioremediation processes. Past investigations in this field have mainly focused on the elimination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols, whereas few studies have investigated N-aromatic compounds, such as nitro-substituted compounds, amines, and azo dyes, in saline wastewater. Information regarding the growth conditions and degradation mechanisms of halophilic microorganisms is also limited. In this review, we discuss recent research on the removal of organic pollutants such as organic matter, in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD), dyes, hydrocarbons, N-aliphatic and N-aromatic compounds, and phenols, in conditions of high salinity. In addition, some proposal pathways for the degradation of aromatic compounds are presented.

The concentrations of O₃are increasing, which may have potential adverse effects on crop yield. This paper deals with assessing the intraspecific variability of two wheat cultivars (PBW 343 and M 533) at different growth stages using open top chambers. Mean O₃concentrations were 50.2 and 53.2 ppb, and AOT40 values were 9 and 12.1 ppm h, respectively, in 2008–2009 and 2009–2010. Reproductive stage showed higher AOT40 values (6.9 and 9.2 ppm h) compared to vegetative (2.23 and 2.9 ppm h). Critical levels of a 3-month AOT 40 of 3 ppm h led to 6 % yield reduction in two wheat cultivars for two consecutive years. Variations in photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance (gₛ), Fv/Fm ratio, photosynthetic pigments, primary and secondary metabolites, morphological parameters, and yield attributes were measured at vegetative and reproductive stages. Reductions in number of leaves, leaf area, total biomass, root/shoot ratio, RGR, photosynthetic pigments, protein content, and Fv/Fm ratio in PBW 343 were more than M 533 at reproductive stage. Photosynthetic rate did not vary between the cultivars, but gₛwas higher in PBW 343 compared to M 533 under ambient O₃. Higher total phenolics and peroxidase activity were recorded in M 533 at reproductive stage conferring higher resistance at latter age. Results of O₃resistance showed that M 533 was sensitive compared to PBW 343 during vegetative stage but developed more resistance at reproductive stage. PBW 343 with larger leaf area and high gₛis more sensitive than M 533 with smaller leaf area and low gₛ. The study suggests that the sensitivity varied with plant growth stage, and the plant showing higher sensitivity during vegetative period developed more resistance during reproductive period due to higher defense mechanism. Though the yield reductions were same in both cultivars under ambient O₃, the mechanism of acquiring the resistance is different between the cultivars.

Overgrowth of water chestnut (Trapa spp.) is a regional problem throughout Asia and North America because of waterway blockage and water fouling upon decomposition. In the present study, we investigated the potential of water chestnut to control cyanobacterial blooms, via a high content of phenolic compounds. In addition, we assessed the impact of biomass harvesting and crude extract application on nutrient balance. We showed that the floating parts of water chestnut contained high concentrations of total phenolics (89.2 mg g⁻¹dry weight) and exhibited strong antioxidant activity (1.31 mmol g⁻¹dry weight). Methanol-extracted phenolics inhibited growth of Microcystis aeruginosa; the half maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀) of the extracted phenolics was 5.8 mg L⁻¹, which was obtained from only 103 mg L⁻¹of dry biomass (the floating and submerged parts). However, the crude extracts also added important quantities of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (1.49, 1.05, and 16.3 mg g⁻¹, respectively; extracted dry biomass weight basis); therefore, in practice, nutrient removal before and/or after the extraction is essential. On the other hand, biomass harvesting enables recovery of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from the water environment (23.1, 2.9, and 18.7 mg g⁻¹, respectively; dry biomass weight basis). Our findings indicate that water chestnut contains high concentrations of phenolics and exhibits strong antioxidant activity. Utilization of these resources, including nutrients, will contribute to reclamation of the water environment, and also to disposal of wet biomass.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were important industrial chemicals featuring high thermal and chemical stability and low flammability. They were widely used as dielectric and thermal fluid in closed electro-technical applications (transformers, capacitors…) and also in numerous dispersive uses, ranking from auto-copying paper to sealant or coatings. During the 1960s, severe environmental consequences started becoming apparent. The stability of PCBs contributed to their persistence in the environment, their lipophilic character to bio-magnification. Fish-eating species seemed threatened in their existence. In Japan and in Taiwan, thousands of people consumed PCB-contaminated oil. The production of PCBs stopped completely during the 1980s. Usage could continue in closed applications only. In this paper, particular attention is given to two issues: the cleaning of PCB electric transformers and the potential impact of PCB-containing building materials. Other contributions will cover the management and treatment of PCB-contaminated soil, sludge or fly ash. The complete survey is being prepared by request of the Knowledge Center for Engineers and Professionals.

Although the attention for vanadium (V) as a potentially harmful element is growing and some countries adopted threshold values for V in soils, sediments, groundwater, or surface water, V is generally of little importance in environmental legislation and the knowledge about the behavior of V in the environment is still limited. In the present study, the release of V from oxidized sediments, sediment-derived soils, and certified reference materials was investigated by means of several types of leaching tests and extractions that are frequently used for soil and sediment characterization. The pHₛₜₐₜleaching tests and single and sequential extractions applied in this study show that V generally displays a very limited actual and potential mobility in sediment. “Mobile” V concentrations, as estimated by the amount of V released by a single extraction with CaCl₂0.01 mol L⁻¹, were low, even in the most contaminated sediment samples. Only under strongly acidifying conditions (pH 2), such as in the case of ingestion of soil or sediment or in accidental spills, a substantial release of V can be expected.

Activated ZnO powder has been prepared by procedures involving first its dissolution in nitric acid, then simultaneous treatment by adding NH₄OH and CO₂ bubbling leading to precipitation as Zn(OH)CO₃ (ZH) and further thermal decomposition of ZH at 400 °C. The gas evolution leads to formation of pores and increase in the specific surface area. Chemically activated M/ZnO powders doped with Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, and Ag have been obtained by the impregnation method. The samples have been characterized by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance (DR) UV-Vis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), single point Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods. The experiments have shown that metal-doped activated ZnO powders possess higher photocatalytic activities in oxidative discoloration of model contaminant textile coloring dye Reactive Black 5 in slurry reactor compared to that of the pure ZnO. The XRD and XPS data have shown the presence of defects, nonstoichiometricity implying the formation of solid solutions. Copper-doped (1.5 wt%) activated ZnO (Cu²⁺ replaces Zn²⁺) is outstanding in its photocatalytic performance in discoloration of the dye due to the higher specific surface area and improved charge carrier separation.

Tibetan Plateau is the world’s highest plateau, which provides a unique location for the investigation of global fractionation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). In this study, deposition and regional distribution of HCHs and p,p′-DDX in the western and southern Tibetan Plateau were investigated by the records from a sediment core of Lake Zige Tangco and 24 surface soils. Concentration of ΣHCHs in the surface soils of the western Tibetan Plateau was much higher than that of the southern part. Maximum fluxes of α-, β-, and δ-HCH in the sediment core were 9.0, 222, and 21 pg cm⁻² year⁻¹, respectively, which appeared in the mid-1960s. Significant correlations were observed between concentrations of α- and β-HCH in both the surface soils and the sediment core. Concentrations of both α- and β-HCH increased with the inverse of the average annual temperature of these sites. γ-HCH became the dominant isomer of HCHs after the late 1970s, and reached the maximum flux of 160 pg cm⁻² year⁻¹in the early 1990s. There were no significant correlations between concentrations of γ-HCH and the other isomers in both the surface soils and the sediment core. The results suggested that there was input of Lindane at scattered sites in this area. In contrast to ΣHCHs, concentration of Σp,p′-DDX in the surface soils of the southern part was much higher than that of the western part. Maximum flux of Σp,p′-DDX was 44 pg cm⁻² year⁻¹, which appeared in the mid-1960s. Local emission of p,p′-DDT was found at scattered sites. This study provides novel data and knowledge for the OCPs in the western and southern Tibetan Plateau, which will help understand the global fractionation of OCPs in remote alpine regions.

The 14th European Association of Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS) International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment (ICCE 2013) took place on 25–28 June 2013 at the IEC and the WTC in Barcelona, Spain. The ICCE is a well-established biannual conference organized by the Division of Chemistry and the EuCheMS.

Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) with low ethoxylation degree (NPₐᵥ₂EO; containing two ethoxy units on average) and estrogenic properties are the intermediate products of nonionic surfactant NPEOs. To better understand the environmental fate of low-ethoxylated NPEOs, phylogenetically diverse low-ethoxylated NPEO-degrading bacteria were isolated from activated sludge using gellan gum as the gelling reagent. Four isolates belonging to four genera, i.e., Pseudomonas sp. NP522b in γ-Proteobacteria, Variovorax sp. NP427b and Ralstonia sp. NP47a in β-Proteobacteria, and Sphingomonas sp. NP42a in α-Proteobacteria were acquired. Ralstonia sp. NP47a or Sphingomonas sp. NP42a, have not been reported for the degradation of low-ethoxylated NPEOs previously. The biotransformation pathways of these isolates were investigated. The first three strains (NP522b, NP427b, and NP47a) exhibited high NPₐᵥ₂EO oxidation ability by oxidizing the polyethoxy (EO) chain to form low-ethoxylated nonylphenoxy carboxylates, and then further oxidizing the alkyl chain to form carboxyalkylphenol polyethoxycarboxylates. Furthermore, Sphingomonas sp. NP42a degraded NPₐᵥ₂EO through a nonoxidative pathway with nonylphenol monoethoxylate as the dominant product.

Extensive e-waste recycling activity in Guiyu, China, has been conducted using primitive techniques for the last 20 years, resulting in serious heavy metal environmental contamination. A polymorphic variant of the δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) gene has been found to influence lead uptake and, thus, may influence an individual’s susceptibility to lead toxicity. We therefore explored whether the ALAD gene polymorphism affects blood lead levels of newborns and children in Guiyu. A total of 273 newborns and 504 children, and a combination of 2004/2005 and 2006 independent recruitments were used for this study. Umbilical cord blood from newborns (Guiyu/exposed group 189 vs. Chaonan/reference group 84) and venous blood from children (exposed group, 319 vs. Chendian/reference group 185) were collected. Blood lead levels (BLLs) were measured via graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) for all samples, while ALAD genotyping was performed using PCR-RFLP for 273 neonate cord blood and 246 children’s blood. The median BBLs of neonates in exposed group vs. the reference group were 10.50 (2.36–40.78) vs. 7.79 (0.8–19.51) for 2004/2005 and 9.41 (9.28–47.60) vs. 5.49 (0.35–18.68) for 2006, while child mean BLLs were 15.31 ± 5.79 vs. 9.94 ± 4.05 for 2004/2005 and 13.17 ± 5.98 vs. 10.04 ± 4.85 for 2006. The genotype frequencies in newborns were 98.90 % for the ALAD-1/ALAD-1 homozygote and 1.10 % for the ALAD-1/ALAD-2 heterozygotes, while the values were 95.93 and 4.07 %, respectively, in children. The allele frequencies of the ALAD-1 and ALAD-2 were 99.45 and 0.55 % for newborns, but 97.97 and 2.03 % for children, respectively. No significant differences in blood lead levels were found between ALAD-1/ALAD-1 and ALAD-1/ALAD-2 either in newborns or in children. The frequency distribution of the ALAD-2 allele in newborns from the exposed group was lower than that of the reference group. There were no significant differences, between the two different ALAD genotypes in the lead load of newborns and children. The frequency distribution of ALAD gene does not influence the blood lead levels of newborns and children in this case, which means that the higher lead burden in the exposed children was possibly influenced by e-waste recycling, but not ALAD genotypes.