Pesticides presently being discharged into the aquatic environment are not only toxic but also only partially biodegradable, they are not easily removed by conventional water treatment plants. Air ionization devices using an atmospheric pressure corona discharge process show great promise in improving degradation of chemical and biological contaminants in water purification plants. In order to assess the effectiveness of this air ionization apparatus, laboratory scale degradation experiments were carried out systematically in a bubble column reactor containing a variety of pesticides such as triazines, carbamates, phenyl urea derivates and chlorophenols relative to the addition of humic acid and inorganic chemicals as well as to pH variation. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) decreased with air ionization treatment and the rate of the biological oxygen demand related to this (BOD/COD) showed improved pesticide biodegradability. Changes in water toxicity were monitored by Daphnia- and Luminescence Bacteria tests. This novel water treatment process is shown to be a potent oxidation technique for persistent organic pollutants such as pesticides.

The legacy of Chernobyl is not the only nuclear accident likely to confront Turkish territory, which is not far from other insecure power plants, especially the Metsamor. The main purpose of this study was to examine the possible impacts to Turkish territory of a hypothetical accident at the Metsamor Nuclear Plant. The research was performed based on two different methodologies: First, a 10-day trajectory analysis was carried out a set of long-term (30 years) meteorological data; second, a tracer study was performed using the MM5T online model for the selected episode. Trajectory and tracer studies showed that an accident at the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant would influence all of Turkey. Furthermore, vulnerable regions in Turkey after the Chernobyl disaster were demonstrated as a new and first attempt in this study.

The adsorption of Cu(II) ions by sodium-hydroxide-treated Imperata cylindrica (SoHIC) leaf powder was investigated under batch mode. The influence of solution pH, adsorbent dosage, shaking rate, copper concentration, contact time, and temperature was studied. Copper adsorption was considered fast as the time to reach equilibrium was 40-90 min. Several kinetic models were applied and it was found that pseudo-second-order fitted well the adsorption data. In order to understand the mechanism of adsorption, spectroscopic analyses involving scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer were carried out. Ion exchange was proven the main mechanism involved as indicated by EDS spectra and as there was a release of light metal ions (K⁺, Na⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺) during copper adsorption. Complexation also occurred as demonstrated by FTIR spectra involving hydroxyl, carboxylate, phosphate, ether, and amino functional groups. The equilibrium data were correlated with Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models. Based on Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacity was recorded at the highest temperature of 310 K, which was 11.64 mg g⁻¹.

This paper describes a preliminary evaluation of two types of greenwaste (fresh and aged) used as a mulch layer to control runoff from disturbed landfill areas. Fresh greenwaste refers to woody and herbaceous garden waste that has been recently collected, chopped and shredded. Aged greenwaste is greenwaste which has been stockpiled for 18 months. We used rainfall simulator tests to investigate two aspects: (1) the performance of greenwaste mulch in reducing runoff during designed storm events with a high frequency of occurrence and (2) the release of pollutants via runoff as total suspended solids (TSS) and total organic carbon (TOC) during rain. Rainfall of <5-year average recurrence interval (ARI) was generally applied, consistent with stormwater compliance requirements for many Australian landfills. TOC released from fresh greenwaste material was higher in concentration than from aged greenwaste. However, when used as a 10-cm-deep mulch layer, fresh greenwaste was able to completely prevent runoff, even when tested under rainfalls of up to 50-year ARI duration. An equivalent mulch layer of aged greenwaste was also effective in reducing runoff volume and TSS concentration compared with the bare soil during a 3.5-year ARI rainfall, but mean TOC concentration was higher. Based on these preliminary results, fresh greenwaste mulching of bare soils is an attractive option to control runoff and erosion from areas subject to intermittent landfill operations and worthy of further investigations.

In this work, the potential removal of Cd, Cu, and Zn ions by non-living macrophytes Egeria densa has been studied. The adsorption kinetic and equilibrium experiments of these three metals on E. densa were performed in batch systems with controlled temperature and constant shaking. It was observed that all metal adsorption rates have increased when the pH was increasing. A pH threshold of 5 was established for use in adsorption experiments in order to avoid the metal precipitation. For adsorption kinetic tests, the equilibrium times for all metals were around 45 to 60 min. The equilibrium data at pH 5 were better described by the Langmuir isotherm than the Freundlich one, with the adsorption rate and maximum metal content values of 0.43 L g⁻¹ and 1.25 mequiv g⁻¹ for Cd, 4.11 L g⁻⁻¹ and 1.43 mequiv g⁻¹ for Cu, and 0.83 L g⁻¹ and 0.93 mequiv g⁻¹ for Zn. These adsorption parameters for E. densa resemble or are better than those for other biosorbents already studied, suggesting that the macrophytes E. densa as a biosorbent has a good metal removal potential for applications in effluent treatment systems.

The concentrations and distribution of selected heavy metals in epipelic and benthic sediments of Cross River Estuary mangrove swamp were studied to determine the extent of anthropogenic inputs from industrial activities and to estimate the effects of seasonal variations on geochemical processes in this tropical estuarine ecosystem. The analysis shows that the mean concentrations (mg/kg, dw) of Cu, Cr, Fe, Ni, Pb, V and Zn vary from 24.1-32.4, 19.9-27.4, 666.7-943.5, 15.2-30.3, 8.8-24.7, 2.2-6.9 and 140.1-188.9, respectively. An important observation is that, in general, lowest metal concentrations are found during the dry season, compared to wet season. Pollution load index (PLI) and index of geoaccumulation (I geo) revealed overall low values but the enrichment factors (EFs) for Cr, Zn, and V were high, and this reflects the intensity of anthropogenic inputs related to industrial discharge into the estuary. The mean concentrations of Zn, Cu and to some extent Ni exceeded the Effects Range--Low (ERL) and Threshold Effect Level (TEL) values in majority of the samples studied, indicating that there may be some ecotoxicological risk to organisms living in these sediments. The inter-element relationship revealed the identical source of elements in the sediments of the studied area. The concentration of heavy metals reported in this work will be useful as baselines for comparison in future sediment quality studies.

Commonly occurring plant species on metal-contaminated soils and noncontaminated soils adjoining Kanpur Tanneries, Uttar Pradesh, India were surveyed for arbuscular mycorrhizal association. In the present study, pH, electric conductivity (E.C.), organic carbon, macronutrients (available phosphorus, available potassium), micronutrients (Cu and Zn), and toxic metals (Cr, Cd, Pb) were higher in metal-contaminated site compared to noncontaminated site. These factors were also significantly different between metal-contaminated and noncontaminated soils. High E.C. along with toxic concentrations of metals like Cr, Cd, and Pb may have acted as selection pressure for vegetation cover, making the metal-contaminated site hostile for cultivation purpose. The study recorded Arum type of arbuscular mycorrhiza. The highest mean total root colonization levels in metal-contaminated and noncontaminated soils were 100% (Parthenium sp.) and 34.16% (Parthenium sp.), respectively. Maximum mean spore density in metal-contaminated and noncontaminated soils was 19 spores rhizosphere soil⁻¹ (Parthenium sp.) and nine spores rhizosphere soil⁻¹ (Desmostachya bipinnata and Cynodon sp.), respectively. Studies revealed that for a particular plant species, the root colonization levels and spore density (except Cynodon sp.) were higher in contaminated soil compared to noncontaminated soils. A total of six species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi belonging to two genera viz., Glomus and Scutellospora were recovered during the study. Species richness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was maximum in the noncontaminated site compared to the metal-contaminated site. This result suggests that continuous exposure of plants and associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to heavy metals can result in tolerant species which can be used for phytoremediation.

In a few cases, atmospheric particulate matter characterization was taken into account together with aerobiological monitoring but never in an archive. The aim of this study was to estimate the air quality, by means of both chemical-physical and microbiological studies, at the Ca' Granda Historical Archive (Milan, Italy) that houses an important collection of documents from the 12th century. Temperature and relative humidity were measured in the rooms. Particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations were quantified and the chemical composition, in terms of ionic components, elements, and carbonaceous fraction (total, organic, and elemental carbon) determined. The gaseous pollutants NO₂, SO₂, and O₃ and indoor acidity were also measured. Aerobiological monitoring (aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and fungi) was performed as volumes stored in the Archive were composed of organic materials, a potential energy and carbon source. In this paper, we present our findings and propose some guidelines for a better preservation of the documents.