Green vegetation improvement is an economical strategy to mitigate dust air pollution. The anticipated performance index (API) is considered a main criterion to select the suitable plants of urban forests. API is calculated by taking air pollution tolerance index (APTI) and socio-economic and biological aspects into account. In the present work, API of four current deciduous tree species in urban areas of Iran was evaluated. The seedlings were soil-dusted by a dust simulator in plastic chambers at levels of 0, 300, 750, and 1500 μg/m³ at intervals of 1 week for 70 days. At 750 and 1500 μg/m³ dust concentrations (DCs), greatest dust collection capacity was observed with Morus alba and the lowest one with Melia azedarach. Increasing DC declined APTI of all species. At 750 μg/m³ DC, only Morus was tolerant, but at 1500 μg/m³ DC, this species and Melia were categorized as intermediate, and Celtis caucasica and Fraxinus rotundifolia as sensitive. Morus was assessed as a good performer under two higher DC. Celtis was recognized as a moderate under 750 μg/m³ DC and poor performer under 1500 μg/m³ DC. Thus, Celtis can be considered as a biomonitor for air quality or as sink for dust in high dusty areas because of its high capacity of dust deposition. At two higher DCs, Fraxinus and Melia showed very poor and poor performance; planting these species in high dust areas is not recommended. In contrast, Morus is the most suitable tree species for urban green spaces in dusty regions, due to its high dust collection capacity and high APTI and API values.

Using king grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. × Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) for phytoextraction is a promising technology for producing large amounts of biomass fuel while remediating contaminated soil. To assess the practical phytoextraction capacity of king grass, we conducted a field experiment with three different soil types (loam, sandy loam, clay loam) and cadmium (Cd) concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 mg kg⁻¹, aged stably for 6 years). King grass were harvested at two different periods (elongation and maturity) to identify the optimal harvest time for extraction efficiency. The results showed that all treatments had bioconcentration factor (BCF) > 1 and translocation factor (TF) < 1; Cd is mainly stored in the roots. However, due to a high shoot biomass, the highest quantity of Cd extracted from shoots was 2.75 mg plant⁻¹, from the experimental group with 16 mg kg⁻¹ Cd added in sandy loam. A significant positive relationship (P < 0.05) was observed between the amount of Cd extracted from king grass stems, leaves, and roots from soil with the diethylene triamine pentacetate acid (DTPA) extractable Cd concentration. The Cd concentration in shoots at the maturity stage is lower than at the elongation stage, mainly due to the effect of biological dilution. Meanwhile, there is significantly more biomass (P < 0.05) at the maturity stage than at the elongation stage. At the latter, the extraction efficiency of the three soils was loam > sandy loam > clay loam, while at maturity it was sandy loam > clay loam > loam. This change in extraction efficiency can be attributed mainly to differences in soil DTPA-extractable Cd concentration and growth rate caused by differences in soil physical and chemical properties. According to calculations from multiple harvests using three types of soil, remediating contaminated soil with 0–16 mg kg⁻¹ Cd would take 13.9–224.5 and 19.5–250.6 years, extracting 7.21–265.23 and 4.96–330.52 g ha⁻¹ Cd while producing 33.62–66.50 and 73.8–110.5 t ha⁻¹ dry biomass at the elongation (90 days) and maturity (120 days) stages, respectively. In summary, king grass has major potential for remediating Cd-contaminated soil while producing large volumes of biofuel.

Previous studies have indicated that particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) exposure stimulates systemic inflammation and activates the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, both of which are associated with stroke incidence and mortality. However, whether filtered air (FA) intervention modulates inflammation and HPA axis activation is still largely unknown. For FA group and PM2.5 group, adult Sprague-Dawley male and female rats were exposed to FA or PM2.5 for 6 months, respectively. For PM2.5 + 15 days FA group, the rats were achieved by receiving 15 days FA after PM2.5 exposure for 6 months. The immune cells and inflammatory biomarker levels in the blood and brain were analyzed by flow cytometry, ELISA, and qRT-PCR. To assess HPA axis activation, the levels of hormones in the blood were also analyzed by ELISA. FA intervention increased the percentage of CD4 T cells and T cells in the blood, which had decreased after PM2.5 exposure in both male and female rats. The ELISA and qRT-PCR results showed that FA intervention significantly reduced the levels of inflammatory biomarkers in the peripheral blood, and alleviated neuroinflammation in the cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. In addition, FA intervention also inhibited the inflammation in the hypothalamus and pituitary and adrenal glands, and decreased the levels of HPA axis hormones. Our results indicate that FA intervention exerts a protective effect on the brain by decreasing inflammation and HPA axis activation after PM2.5 exposure in both male and female rats.

Concrete grinding residue (CGR) is a byproduct of diamond grinding, a road surface maintenance technique. Direct deposition of CGR along roadsides may influence plant growth, which has not been fully studied. Particularly, systematic experiments of CGR effects on selected common prairie species growth under controlled environments are rarely reported. Thus, in this study, a greenhouse experiment was performed to determine CGR effects on seedling emergence and aboveground biomass for four roadside prairie species: Indian grass, Canada wild rye, partridge pea, and wild bergamot. Nicollet loam and Hanlon fine sandy loam were used, and CGR of 4 rates, 0, 2.24, 4.48, and 8.96 kg m⁻², were applied in two ways, either mixed with the soil or applied on the soil surface. Multiple comparisons indicate that CGR produced mixed impacts on seedling emergence, depending on plant species, while aboveground biomass is not significantly influenced by CGR in general. ANOVA analysis with stepwise linear regression indicates that CGR had no uniform effects on seedling emergence, and CGR impacts should be studied for specific plant species and soil types. In conclusion, while CGR may lead to negative environmental issues on roadside plants depending on the plant species and soil types, if aboveground biomass is a major consideration, CGR effects are negligible. This study provides reference information for regulating CGR depositions along roadsides. Future studies may focus on investigating the relationship between CGR effects on seedling emergence and species succession in actual roadside environments.

This work studies the reduction of biological and organic compounds in hospital wastewaters (HWW) by advanced oxidation process (AOP). The HWW samples were previously treated with an extended aeration process and, thereafter, a post-treatment with AOP based on UV/H₂O₂/O₃ system with a medium pressure mercury lamp was applied. After using the AOP system, the water samples were characterized using chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, color test, coliforms and E. coli test, gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and UV-Visible absorption spectra. The results showed that 73% of organic compounds were removed in 20 min and the HWW sample was sterilized; nevertheless, 10 persistent organic compounds and 8 by-products formed after AOP UV/H₂O₂/O₃ were observed, some of them are toxic compounds. In this sense, current HWW treatment plants cannot eliminate all contaminants in HWW; therefore, it is necessary to improve current processes by techniques as AOP and create standards to control biological and organic compounds in HWW in Mexico

Nutrients that fall on the ground from the atmosphere represent a minor component of the total nitrogen (N) input to soils, especially when compared with agricultural, civil and industrial inputs (i.e. sewage treatment plants or sewage systems, fertilizer and manure applications). However, integrating all nitrogen forms, processes and scales can represent a breakthrough challenge for the understanding and the management of the N cycle. A monitoring experiment was set up to collect wet atmospheric depositions in a human-impacted area with multiple land uses, representing different emission sources. Rainwater collection was executed in the surroundings of Milan, in northern Italy, starting from February 2017 to February 2019. The presence of N compounds and their temporal variations in rainwater are consistent with pollution coming from local anthropogenic emission sources of nitrogen oxides and ammonia, mainly related to the use of the heating systems in the cold seasons and the spreading of fertilizers and manure on agricultural fields. Consequently, the total amount of N wet depositions ranges between 14 and about 30 kg/ha yr in the study area. As leaching of N compounds from soils generally increases at deposition rates higher than about 10 kg(N)/ha yr, this work suggests that the N atmospheric input to soils could not be neglected when evaluating the impacts of N sources to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, as well as to groundwater resources. This highlights the need of wisely integrating air, soil and water policies for minimising the risk to deteriorate surficial ecosystems and groundwater.

The degradation of diclofenac sodium (DCF) in pre-magnetization Fe⁰/persulfate (Pre-Fe⁰/PS) and Fe⁰/PS systems were studied in detail in this study. The influencing operational conditions (initial PS dosage, Fe⁰ dosage, and pH) were studied for their effects on the DCF degradation. The removal rate constant for DCF by the Pre-Fe⁰/PS system was 2.1–6.2 times higher than that of the Fe⁰/PS system. A higher TOC removal efficiency (81.5%) was observed during the mineralization of DCF in the Pre-Fe⁰/PS process than that of the Fe⁰/PS process (70%). The results of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) confirmed that the Pre-Fe⁰/PS system could produce much more •OH and SO₄⁻• at a faster rate than the Fe⁰/PS system. Moreover, the degradation mechanism of DCF by the Pre-Fe⁰/PS process was elucidated. This work would provide a perspective on the Pre-Fe⁰/PS process for efficient degradation of DCF, exhibiting advantages to removing DCF, such as broaden the range of working pH and reduce the amount of chemicals. So, it is an efficient and potential method to remove DCF from wastewater by the Pre-Fe⁰/PS process.

This study investigated whether the individual and combined effects of using biomass energy and living in the neighborhood of a cement plant were associated with the risk of COPD and respiratory symptoms among Congolese women. A total of 235 women from two neighborhood communities of a cement plant participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants were classified into the more exposed group (MEG = 137) and a less exposed group (LEG = 98), as well as into biomass users (wood = 85, charcoal = 49) or electricity users (101 participants). Participants completed a questionnaire including respiratory symptoms, sociodemographic factors, medical history, lifestyle, and household characteristics. In addition to spirometry performance, outdoor PM₂.₅ (μg/m³) was measured. Afternoon outdoor PM₂.₅ concentration was significantly higher in MEG than LEG (48.8 (2.5) μg/m³ vs 42.5 (1.5) μg/m³). Compared to electricity users, wood users (aOR: 2.6, 95%CI 1.7; 5.9) and charcoal users (aOR: 2.9, 95%CI 1.4; 10.7) were at risk of developing airflow obstruction. Combined effects of biomass use and living in the neighborhood of a cement plant increased the risk of COPD in both wood users (aOR: 4, 95%CI 1.3; 12.2) and charcoal users (aOR: 3.1, 95%CI 1.7; 11.4). Exposure to biomass energy is associated with an increased risk of COPD. In addition, combined exposure to biomass and living near a cement plant had additive effects on COPD.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders defined by a deficit in social interactions and the presence of restricted and stereotypical behaviors or interests. The etiologies of autism remain mostly unknown. Many genetic and environmental factors have been suspected. Among these environmental factors, exposure to several chemical elements has been previously studied. The purpose of this study was to compare the levels of trace elements in the blood plasma of children with ASD with typically developed children (TDC). The participants in this study consisted of 89 children with ASD (14 girls and 74 boys) and 70 TD children (29 girls and 41 boys). The levels of 33 chemical elements have been analyzed by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP-MS). We detected significant differences in the levels of eight elements between the two groups, among which there were three rare earth elements (REEs): Eu, Pr, and Sc (p = 0.000, p = 0.023, and p < 0.001 respectively); four heavy metals: Bi, Tl, Ti, and V (p = 0.004, p < 0.001, p = 0.001, and p = 0.001 respectively); and one essential element: Cu (p = 0.043). Children with ASD had higher levels of Er, Pr, Sc, Bi, Tl, Ti, and V, and lower levels of Cu in comparison with the TD group. The children exposed to passive smoking had lower levels of lead (Pb) compared with children without exposure (p = 0.018). Four elements (Cr, Er, Dy, and Pr) were negatively correlated to the severity of ASD. The level of Cu was significantly associated with autistic children’s behavior (p = 0.014). These results suggest that children with ASD might have abnormal plasma levels of certain chemical elements (including Er, Pr, Sc, Bi, Tl, Ti, and V, and Cu), and some of these elements might be associated with certain clinical features.

This paper shows the possibility of using steam pretreatment to improve the efficiency of membrane recovery chemical cleaning. Before applying chemicals to clean a fouled membrane, steam pretreatment was employed to loosen the structure of the foulant layer and weaken the attachment of those foulants on the membrane. Although longer steam contact times would lead to even better cleaning efficiency, the steam pretreatment duration was limited to less than 2 min to maintain membrane integrity. When cleaning fouled membranes with 1 mol/L HCl, the cleaning efficiency without steam pretreatment went from 83.3 to 90.2% as cleaning time increased from 30 to 180 min. As for 90-s steam pretreatment, the cleaning efficiency showed high values of more than 93% regardless of cleaning time. When the concentration of HCl was decreased to 0.2 mol/L, the cleaning efficiencies with a 90-s steam pretreatment was 78.6% and 92.6% for relatively short cleaning times of 30 and 60 min, respectively; this is much higher than the 62.2% and 76.7% achieved when cleaning without steam pretreatment. In addition, when using alkaline solution as the cleaning chemical, similar results were obtained. This implies that the application of steam before chemical cleaning is effective in improving cleaning efficiency, and so, this technique has the potential to reduce the amount of cleaning chemical required for membrane recovery cleaning.