This paper studies the toluene removal by a two-stage dielectric barrier discharge (DBD)-catalyst system with three catalysts: MnO ₓ /ZSM-5, CoMnO ₓ /ZSM-5, and CeMnO ₓ /ZSM-5. V-Q Lissajous method, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron (XPS) are used to characterize the DBD and catalysts. The DBD processing partially oxidizes the toluene, and the removal efficiency has a linear relationship with ozone generation. Three DBD-catalyst systems are compared in terms of their toluene removal efficiency, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, carbon balance, CO selectivity, CO₂ selectivity, and ozone residual. The results show that the DBD-catalyst system with CoMnO ₓ /ZSM-5 performs better than the other two systems. It has the highest removal efficiency of about 93.7 %, and the corresponding energy yield is 4.22 g/kWh. The carbon balance and CO₂ selectivity of CoMnO ₓ /ZSM-5 is also better than the other two catalysts. The measurements of two important byproducts including aerosols and ozone are also presented.

Population attributable risks from serum IgE and dust miteallergen concentrations and environmental chemicals for eczema are unclear. Therefore, it was aimed to examine serum IgE and allergen concentrations and environmental chemicals for eczema in adults and to calculate population attributable risks in a national and population-based setting. Data retrieved from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005–2006, was analyzed. Information on demographics and self-reported ever eczema was obtained by household interview. Bloods and urines (sub-sample) were also collected during the interview. Adults aged 20–85 were included. Statistical analyses were using chi-square test, t test, survey-weighted logistic regression modeling, and population attributable risk (PAR) estimation. Of all the included American adults (n = 4979), 310 (6.2 %) reported ever eczema. Moreover, more eczema cases were observed in female adults but fewer cases in people born in Mexico. There were no significant associations observed between commonly known biomarkers (including vitamin D) and eczema or between dust mite allergens and eczema. Serum D. Farinae (PAR 1.0 %), D. Pteronyssinus (PAR 1.1 %), cat (PAR 1.8 %), dog (PAR 1.6 %), and muse (PAR 3.2 %) IgE antibodies were associated with eczema. Adults with ever eczema were found to have higher levels of urinary trimethylarsine oxide concentrations (PAR 7.0 %) but not other speciated arsenic concentrations. There were no clear associations between other environmental chemicals including heavy metals, phthalates, phenols, parabens, pesticides, nitrate, perchlorate, polycyclic hydrocarbons and eczema as well. Elimination of environmental risks might help delay or stop eczema up to 7 % in the adult population.

Allelochemicals in Pistia stratiotes Linn. have a strong anti-cyanobacteria effect on Microcystis aeruginosa. To further determine the release routes of allelochemicals in P. stratiotes and understand their anti-cyanobacteria mechanisms, we aimed to systematically investigate the allelopathic effects of leaf leachates, leaf volatilization, root exudates, and residue decomposition of P. stratiotes on M. aeruginosa. The influences of P. stratiotes allelochemicals on the physiological properties of M. aeruginosa were also studied. Root exudates of P. stratiotes exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on M. aeruginosa growth. The residue decomposition and leaf leachates exhibited a relatively strong inhibitory effect on M. aeruginosa growth. By contrast, the leaf volatilization stimulated M. aeruginosa growth. Therefore, root exudation was determined to be the main release route of allelochemicals from P. stratiotes. The mixed culture experiment of P. stratiotes root exudates and M. aeruginosa showed that the allelochemicals released from root exudation had no effect on the electron transfer of M. aeruginosa photosynthetic system II. However, it reduced the phycocyanin (PC) content and phycocyanin to allophycocyanin (PC/APC) ratio in the photosynthetic system. As the root exudates concentration increased, the electrical conductivity (EC) and superoxide anion radical (O₂ *⁻) values in the M. aeruginosa culture fluid increased significantly, indicating that the allelochemicals released from the root of P. stratiotes inhibited algae growth by affecting the PC and PC/APC levels in photosynthesis, destroying the cell membrane, and increasing O₂ *⁻ content to result in oxidative damage of M. aeruginosa.

The effect on the environment of the operation of sludge treatment in reed beds (STRB) system is seen as quite limited compared to traditional sludge treatment systems such as mechanical dewatering, drying and incineration with their accompanying use of chemicals and energy consumption. There are several STRB systems in Denmark receiving sludge from urban wastewater treatment plants. Stabilization and mineralization of the sludge in the STRB systems occur during a period between 10 and 20 years, where after the basins are emptied and the sludge residue typically is spread on agricultural land. In the present study, the sludge residue quality after treatment periods of 10–20 years from four Danish STRBs is presented. After reduction, dewatering and mineralization of the feed sludge (dry solid content of 0.5–3 %) in the STRB systems, the sludge residue achieved up to 26 % dry solid, depending on the sludge quality and dimensioning of the STRB system. The concentration of heavy metals and hazardous organic compounds in the sludge residue that are listed in the Danish and EU legislation for farmland application of sludge was below the limit values. The nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations as an average in the sludge residue were 28 and 36 g/kg dry solid (DS), respectively. In addition, mineralization on average across the four STRB systems removed up to 27 % of the organic solids in the sludge. The investigation showed that the sludge residue qualities of the four STRBs after a full treatment period all complied with the Danish and European Union legal limits for agricultural land disposal.

One of the most popular transportation methods of crude oil is water transport, leading to potential spills of these pollutants in the seas and oceans and water areas of ports, during their extraction, transportation, transhipment and use. The growth of the Lithuanian economy and the expansion of competitiveness were hardly imagined without the development of the Klaipeda seaport. However, the intensity of shipping and the increase in cargo loading volumes at specialised terminals are associated with a higher risk of environmental pollution. To achieve a sustainable development of the seaport, it is necessary not only to ensure the prevention of potential water pollution but also, if necessary, to use environmentally friendly technology for pollution management. The work analyses the possibilities related to the collection of oil products from the water surface using natural sorbents (peat, wool, moss and straw) and their composites.The research of absorbed amount of crude oil and diesel fuel spilled on the water surface, while using sorbents and their composites, determined that sorbents’ composite straw-peat (composition percentage of straw-peat 25–75 %) absorbs the major amount of both crude oil (60 % of the spilled volume) and diesel fuel (69 % of the spilled volume) comparing to single sorbents and sorbents’ composite straw-peat (composition percentage of straw-peat 50–50 %).

As part of the Integrated Campaign for Aerosols, gases and Radiation Budget (ICARB) conducted under the Geosphere Biosphere Programme of Indian Space Research Organisation, ship-based aerosol sampling was carried out over the marine environment of Bay of Bengal (BoB) during the northern winter months of December 2008 to January 2009. About 101 aerosol samples were collected, covering the region from 3.4° to 21° N latitude and 76° to 98° E longitude—the largest area covered—including the south east (SE) BoB for the first time. These samples were subjected to gravimetric and chemical analysis and the total aerosol loading as well the mass concentration of the ionic species namely F⁻, Cl⁻, Br⁻, NO₂ ⁻, NO₃ ⁻, PO₄ ²⁻, SO₄ ²⁻, NH₄ ⁺, etc. and the metallic species, Na, Mg, Ca, K, Al, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Pb were estimated for each sample. Based on the spatial distribution of individual chemical species, the air flow pattern, and airmass back trajectory analysis, the source characteristics of aerosols for different regions of BoB were identified. Significant level of continental pollution was noticed over BoB during winter. While transport of pollution from Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) contributed to aerosols over north BoB, those over SE BoB were influenced by SE Asia. A quantitative study on the wind-induced production of sea salt aerosols and a case study on the species dependent effect of rainfall are also presented in this paper.

The effects of Zinc (Zn) on lipid peroxidation, antioxidative enzymes, growth, Zn accumulation, and leaf chlorophyll of Phyllostachys pubescens (Pradelle) Mazel ex J.Houz. were investigated in two greenhouse experiments. Hydroponics experiment with Zn application of 0, 20, 100, and 400 μM revealed that lower concentration of Zn in solution led to increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents but inhibited SOD activity in all treatments. P. pubescens had showed strong ability to accumulate Zn in stems and reached maximum level at 100 μM with 7.91-fold increase compared with control. In pot experiment, treatment with Zn ranged from 0, 200, 400, 800, 1,600, to 3,200 mg kg⁻¹. Application of 800 mg kg⁻¹ revealed 116, 24.6, and 28.3 times increase in Zn concentration of roots, stems, and leaves, respectively. Growth and chlorophyll contents of plants in pots were better promoted at 400 mg kg⁻¹ Zn, with 60.5 and 30.9 % enhanced roots and shoot compared with control. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was in the sequence of stem > roots > leaves. The translocation factor (TF) of stem was higher than leaves.

Silica combined with 2 % multiwall carbon nanotubes (SiO₂-CNT) was synthesized and characterized. Its sorption efficacy was investigated for the Hg(II) removal from an aqueous solution. The effect of pH on the percentage removal by the prepared material was examined in the range from 3 to 7. The adsorption kinetics were well fitted by using a pseudo-second-order model at various initial Hg(II) concentrations with R ² of >0.99. The experimental data were plotted using the interparticle diffusion model, which indicated that the interparticle diffusion is not the only rate-limiting step. The data is well described by the Freundlich isotherm equation. The activation energy (Ea) for adsorption was 12.7 kJ mol⁻¹, indicating the process is to be physisorption. Consistent with an endothermic process, an increase in the temperature resulted in increasing mercury removal with a ∆Hᵒ of 13.3 kJ/mol and a ∆Sᵒ 67.5 J/mol K. The experimental results demonstrate that the combining of silica and nanotubes is a promising alternative material, which can be used to remove the mercury from wastewaters.

Plants for the phytoextraction of heavy metals should have the ability to accumulate high concentrations of such metals and exhibit multiple tolerance traits to cope with adverse conditions such as coexistence of multiple heavy metals, high salinity, and drought which are the characteristics of many contaminated soils. This study compared 14 succulent species for their phytoextraction potential of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. There were species variations in metal tolerance and accumulation. Among the 14 succulent species, an Australian native halophyte Carpobrotus rossii exhibited the highest relative growth rate (20.6–26.6 mg plant⁻¹ day⁻¹) and highest tolerance index (78–93 %), whilst Sedum “Autumn Joy” had the lowest relative growth rate (8.3–13.6 mg plant⁻¹ day⁻¹), and Crassula multicava showed the lowest tolerance indices (<50 %). Carpobrotus rossii and Crassula helmsii showed higher potential for phytoextraction of these heavy metals than other species. These findings suggest that Carpobrotus rossii is a promising candidate for phytoextraction of multiple heavy metals, and the aquatic or semiterrestrial Crassula helmsii is suitable for phytoextraction of Cd and Zn from polluted waters or wetlands.

Exposure of phytoplankton to the water-accommodated fraction of crude oil can elicit a number of stress responses, but the mechanisms that drive these responses are unclear. South Louisiana crude oil was selected to investigate its effects on population growth, chlorophyll a (Chl a) content, antioxidative defense, and lipid peroxidation, for the marine diatom, Ditylum brightwellii, and the dinoflagellate, Heterocapsa triquetra, in laboratory-based microcosm experiments. The transcript levels of several possible stress-responsive genes in D. brightwellii were also measured. The microalgae were exposed to crude oil for up to 96 h, and Chl a content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), the glutathione pool (GSH and GSSG), and lipid peroxidation content were analyzed. The cell growth of both phytoplankton species was inhibited with increasing crude oil concentrations. Crude oil exposure did not affect Chl a content significantly in cells. SOD activities showed similar responses in both species, being enhanced at 4- and 8-mg/L crude oil exposure. Only H. triquetra demonstrated enhanced activity in GSSG pool and lipid peroxidation at 8-mg/L crude oil exposure, suggesting that phytoplankton species have distinct physiological responses and tolerance levels to crude oil exposure. This study indicated the activation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in phytoplankton under crude oil exposure; however, the progressive damage in cells is still unknown. Thus, ROS-related damage in nucleic acid, lipids, proteins, and DNA, due to crude oil exposure could be a worthwhile subject of study to better understand crude oil toxicity at the base of the food web.