Air pollution is a major contributor to several respiratory problems, it affects the whole population in general but children are more susceptible. Exposure to automobile exhaust is associated with increased respiratory symptoms and may impair lung function in children. In view of this, the study was conducted among the children of Delhi, the capital city of India, where ambient air quality was much above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The study was conducted in children aged 9-17 years. Pulmonary function test was carried out following the guideline of American Thoracic Society using a portable, electronic spirometer. Air quality data was collected from Central and State Pollution Control Boards. In addition, the level of particulate matter in indoor air was measured by portable laser photometer. Lung function was reduced in 43.5% schoolchildren of the urban area compared with 25.7% of control group. The urban children had increased prevalence of restrictive, obstructive, as well as combined type of lung functions deficits. Besides higher prevalence, the magnitude of lung function deficits was also much more in them. After controlling potential confounders like season, socioeconomic conditions and ETS, PM10 level in ambient air was found to be associated with restrictive (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.07-1.58), obstructive (OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.16-1.82), and combined type of lung function deficits (OR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.37-2.71) in children. Spearman's rank correlation test reaffirmed the association. The study confirms that the level of air pollution is affecting the children.

Ganga-Meghna-Bramhaputra basin is one of the major arsenic-contaminated hotspot in the world. To assess the level of severity of arsenic contamination, concentrations of arsenic in irrigation water, soil, rice, wheat, common vegetables, and pulses, intensively cultivated and consumed by the people of highly arsenic affected Nadia district, West Bengal, India, were investigated. Results revealed that the arsenic-contaminated irrigation water (0.318-0.643 mg l⁻¹) and soil (5.70-9.71 mg kg⁻¹) considerably influenced in the accumulation of arsenic in rice, pulses, and vegetables in the study area. Arsenic concentrations of irrigation water samples were many folds higher than the WHO recommended permissible limit for drinking water (0.01 mg l⁻¹) and FAO permissible limit for irrigation water (0.10 mg l⁻¹). But, the levels of arsenic in soil were lower than the reported global average of 10.0 mg kg⁻¹ and was much below the EU recommended maximum acceptable limit for agricultural soil (20.0 mg kg⁻¹). The total arsenic concentrations in the studied samples ranged from <0.0003 to 1.02 mg kg⁻¹. The highest and lowest mean arsenic concentrations (milligrams per kilogram) were found in potato (0.654) and in turmeric (0.003), respectively. Higher mean arsenic concentrations (milligrams per kilogram) were observed in Boro rice grain (0.451), arum (0.407), amaranth (0.372), radish (0.344), Aman rice grain (0.334), lady's finger (0.301), cauliflower (0.293), and Brinjal (0.279). Apart from a few potato samples, arsenic concentrations in the studied crop samples, including rice grain samples were found not to exceed the food hygiene concentration limit (1.0 mg kg⁻¹). Thus, the present study reveals that rice, wheat, vegetables, and pulses grown in the study area are safe for consumption, for now. But, the arsenic accumulation in the crops should be monitored periodically as the level of arsenic toxicity in the study area is increasing day by day.

Modern European cities are characterized by high particulate matter (PM) concentrations. Unfortunately, the number of stations monitoring air pollution, especially PM, is never sufficient for the overall representation of the problem. In the present work, an inexpensive outdoor passive sampler (based on an indoor passive sampler) was developed and assembled in an effort to provide the means to extend current PM monitoring networks. The uncertainty of the sampler was tested in vitro and in vivo. Twenty such outdoor passive samplers were assembled and installed at specific locations in the Greater Thessaloniki Area and measurements of PM were carried out. The results were in good agreement with the official monitoring stations. In addition, they revealed the aggravated air quality in the center of the city and in the west suburbs.

Vegetated drainages are an effective method for removal of pollutants associated with agricultural runoff. Leersia oryzoides, a plant common to agricultural ditches, may be particularly effective in remediation; however, research characterizing responses of L. oryzoides to flooding are limited. Soil reduction resulting from flooding can change availability of nutrients to plants via changes in chemical species (e.g., increasing solubility of Fe). Additionally, plant metabolic stresses resulting from reduced soils can decrease nutrient uptake and translocation. The objective of this study was to characterize belowground and aboveground nutrient allocation of L. oryzoides subjected to various soil moisture regimes. Treatments included: a well-watered and well-drained control; a continuously saturated treatment; a 48-h pulse-flood treatment; and a partially flooded treatment in which water level was maintained at 15 cm below the soil surface and flooded to the soil surface for 48 h once a week. Soil redox potential (Eh, mV) was measured periodically over the course of the 8-week experiment. At experiment termination, concentrations of Kjeldahl nitrogen, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) were measured in plant tissues. All flooded treatments demonstrated moderately reduced soil conditions (Eh < 350 mV). Plant Kjeldahl nitrogen concentrations demonstrated no treatment effect, whereas P and K concentrations decreased in aboveground portions of the plant. Belowground concentrations of P, Mn, and Fe were significantly higher in flooded plants, likely due to the increased solubility of these nutrients resulting from the reductive decomposition of metal–phosphate complexes in the soil and subsequent precipitation in the rhizosphere. These results indicate that wetland plants may indirectly affect P, Mn, and Fe concentrations in surface waters by altering local trends in soil oxidation–reduction chemistry.

We studied nutrient removal by Phragmites australis in the Albujón rambla, the main drainage system that discharges into the Mar Menor, a Mediterranean coastal lagoon of high conservation interest, but highly threatened by point and nonpoint pollution derived from tourism and agricultural activities. We measured aerial biomass and N and P concentrations in both aboveground and belowground tissues of common reed during an annual cycle that included two cutting events and two periods of reed growth (one at the end of summer after cutting and another at the beginning of spring, following their natural cycle). The temporal variation of N and P concentrations was related to the phenology of the plant and cutting events. The maximum nutrient concentrations were recorded in young stems in the initial stages of the autumn growing season (35.86 mg N g⁻¹ and 2.38 mg P g⁻¹). The phosphorus dynamics showed evidence of translocation processes related with growth activity, although no evidence of N translocation was found. In November and in summer, when aerial growth ceases because of the hard conditions, the P concentration in rhizomes was higher than in stems, while in spring and in September, the period of maximal growth, the reverse relation was found. The highest total amounts of the two elements in the aboveground biomass (0.54 Tm N ha⁻¹ and 0.25 Tm P ha⁻¹) were reached in July, coinciding with the highest biomass (3.72 kg DW m⁻²), which then decreased to approximately half in August. Nutrient content in the aboveground tissues was highly dependent on the ammonium and nitrate water concentrations. In addition, the N content was inversely related to the Corg/N of sediments, while the P content was influenced positively by the phosphorous concentration of the water. Common reed of the Albujón rambla corresponds to the assimilation type, adapted to nutrient-rich habitats, which is characterized by a pronounced external N cycle and P internal reserves. Based on the results obtained, we propose a management plan for common reed to help control eutrophication of the Mar Menor lagoon. This would bring forward reed cutting to the beginning of summer, instead of August, coinciding with the time of maximum aerial biomass, greater nutrient retention, and lower risk of strong precipitation.

More than 50 tanneries are operated in Kula, Turkey which is located on highly permeable geological units. The untreated effluents from the tanneries discharged onto the ground surface may cause pollution in surface waters, in groundwater, and in soil. Since the water resources of the region are used for drinking, agricultural, and industrial purposes, the quality assessment of groundwaters and surface waters is completed in the content of this study. Additionally, the surface soil samples are analyzed for their heavy metal content to describe the size of the pollution. The results obtained from the analysis of the water samples show that the concentrations are mostly within drinking water limits. But, concentrations are expected to increase in the next years as no effective effluent collection and treatment is present in the tanneries. Although the concentrations of K, SO₄, Mg, Na, and Cl exceed the permissible limits for drinking water in some cases, they may not directly be caused by tannery activities. Nevertheless, they should be assessed as an indicator of the beginning of groundwater pollution. Also, soil samples collected near the tannery district are extremely polluted. This paper discusses the assessment of the geochemical dispersals of Cr and other pollutants derived from the tannery activities within soil and water in Kula.

This study has investigated how to simultaneously remove both heavy metals (Cu, Mn, and Zn) and natural organic matters (NOM; humic acid and fulvic acid) from river water using potassium ferrate (K₂FeO₄), a multipurpose chemical acting as oxidant, disinfectant, and coagulant. In water sample including each 0.1 mM heavy metal, its removal efficiency ranged 28-99% for Cu, 22-73% for Mn, and 18-100% for Zn at the ferrate(VI) doses of 0.03-0.7 mM (as Fe). The removal efficiency of each heavy metal increased with increasing pH, whereas an overall temperature did not make any special effect on the reaction between the heavy metal and ferrate(VI). A high efficiency was achieved on the simultaneous treatment of heavy metals (0.1 mM) and NOM (10 mg/l) at the ferrate(VI) doses of 0.03-0.7 mM (as Fe): 87-100% (Cu), 31-81% (Mn), 11-100% (Zn), and 33-86% (NOM). In the single heavy metal solution, the optimum ferrate dose for treating 0.1 mM Cu or Mn was 0.1 mM (as Fe), while that for treating 0.1 mM Zn was 0.3 mM (as Fe). In the mixture of three heavy metals and NOM, on the other hand, 0.5 mM (as Fe) ferrate(VI) was determined as an optimum dose for removing both 0.1 mM heavy metals (Cu, Mn, and Zn) and 10 mg/l NOM. Prior to the addition of ferrate(VI) into the solution of heavy metals and NOM (HA or FA), complexes were formed by the reaction between divalent cations of heavy metals and negatively charged functional groups of NOM, enhancing the removal of both heavy metals and NOM by ferrate(VI).

The aim of this study was to compare the capacity of two morphologically different moss species to accumulate elements when exposed to three different types of air pollution (rural, urban and industrial). Transplants of Pseudoscleropodium purum and Ceratodon purpureus were exposed for 6 months, and the concentrations of 18 elements (Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, Ba, La, Pb and Bi) in the mosses samples were analysed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. On the whole, the metals were accumulated by mosses, and this accumulation was correlated with concentrations in the atmospheric particles. Whereas P. purum is to be preferred for Al, Cu, Zn and Fe monitoring, C. purpureus was most efficient at accumulating Mo, Ti, V, As, Sn, La and Pb. In both species, a phenomenon of saturation was observed during the exposure at the most contaminated site (industrial).

Metal pollution is a global problem which represents a growing threat to the environment. Because of bioaccumulation and negative effects of heavy metals, their bioavailability needs to be monitored. Many studies showed accumulation of metals in crayfish tissues as dose- and time-dependent without significant differences in tissue concentration levels comparing males and females. Muscles and exoskeleton were considered as specific for accumulation of mercury and nickel, respectively. Cadmium, zinc, copper, lead, and chromium accumulated mainly in hepatopancreas. By analyzing these specific tissues, it is possible to deduce the bioavailability and, by presumption, the level of environmental pollution by specific metals. However, in the case of zinc and copper, their utility is limited to assessing bioavailability because rapid depuration of these metals renders them less useful for long-term environmental monitoring programs. The literature reporting heavy metal impacts on freshwater crayfish, with reference to accumulation levels, is reviewed and summarized with respect to their suitability as bioindicators. Summarized published data from unpolluted or control localities can be used as referential values in crayfish, and consequently help with evaluation of monitored sites.