This study enabled the assessment of indoor CO₂ levels and evaluated the relationship between occupancy numbers with CO₂ levels in a Taiwan hospital. The measurements were conducted over four seasons for five working days (Monday to Friday), with sampling conducted simultaneously from 09:00 am to 5:00 pm and across six locations (for spatial variability): hall (H), registration and cashier (RC), waiting area (WA), occupational therapy room (OT), physical therapy room (PT), and outdoors (O). Based on the analysis, three of the five indoor sampling sites showed significant differences in seasonal CO₂ concentrations (p < 0.0001). Based on our result, the physical therapy room had the highest level of CO₂ concentration that exceeded the IAQ standard in Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in all seasons, in that the number of occupants contributing to nearly 40% of the variation in CO₂ measured. Our results also showed that the indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios of CO₂ concentration for all locations and seasons exceeded 1 in ~ 100% of those locations. The median I/O ratio at sites WA and OT was 2.37 and 2.08 during four seasons, respectively. The highest median I/O ratio was found at site PT, with a calculated range of 2.69 in spring to 3.90 in fall. The highest correlation of occupancy number and CO₂ concentration also occurred in PT which correlation coefficients were estimated at 0.47, 0.65, 0.63, and 0.40 in spring, summer, fall, and winter. The findings of the present study can be used to understand occupancy number and its effect on CO₂ levels in a hospital environment, as well as the effect of time of day (Monday to Friday) on the number of patients admitted.

Malva sylvestris L. is a widely consumed edible-medicinal plant growing all around the world. The aim of our study was the determination of the concentration levels of heavy metals in M. sylvestris L. samples and their extracts from polluted and non-polluted locations in Niš, Republic of Serbia. The analysis of heavy metals was performed by the AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy) method from soil, plants, and extracts. The heavy metals content (Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Cd) in the soil and plants from the contaminated site is increased, but the coefficients of metal uptake are not significantly different in plants from polluted and non-polluted areas. The highest content of metals was found in aqueous, then water-alcoholic, and the smallest content was determined in alcoholic solutions. The content of the tested metals is within the limits recommended by international organizations, so the plant and its extracts can be safely used.

The entire Laguna Madre of Tamaulipas is a natural protected area and a Priority Marine Region of Mexico. However, its important biodiversity and high levels of endemism are threatened by the discharge of different pollutants and activities related to the ocean oil and gas industry. Therefore, the assessment of these effects on this marine ecosystem is of paramount importance. At present, the joint approach of monitoring chemical contaminant levels, alongside the use of pollution biomarkers as surrogate measures of biological impact within the environment, provides the better evaluation of the environmental hazard. Within this context, a biomonitoring study using native Chione elevata mussels sampled from four locations along the Mexican Laguna Madre coasts evaluated whether a battery of select biomarkers was suitable for identifying and quantifying pollution-induced stress in mussels. The levels of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), carboxylesterase (CaE), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutathione s-transferase (GST), and the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) were measured in soft tissues samples. Different metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Fe) as well as total heavy hydrocarbons were also determined in sediments. Higher concentrations of metals were observed in sampling localities with marine influence possibly related to the presence of marine grass. The concentration of total heavy hydrocarbons, as expected, was higher in sites with intensive fishing activity. The integrated biomarker response (IBR) and the condition index of mussels allowed discriminating between localities of continental and marine influence, revealing that the sampling stations with continental influence were subjected to a greater stress as a result of anthropogenic effects.

Bio-mix is a fuel derived from the raw mixture of different non-edible oils to enhance the saturation level. In this study, raw oil mixture was transesterified to form bio-mix methyl ester (BMME). Fuel properties of BMME was measured and results showed that saturated fatty acids (SFA), cetane number (CN), and oxidation stability (OS) were increased, whereas density, viscosity, HHV, flash point, iodine number, and acid number were decreased for BMME as compared to individual biodiesels. Brake specific energy consumption (BSEC) of BMME was higher than diesel fuel but similar to individual biodiesel, while brake thermal efficiency (BTE) was lower than diesel fuel but higher than the individual biodiesel. (NOₓ) and CO₂ emission of BMME was found lower (approximately 20%); meanwhile, smoke opacity and CO emission biodiesel increased compared to diesel fuel, whereas (HC) emission of BMME was lower at low load condition but it is increased at high load. Bio-mix fuel could be the good replacement of diesel fuel.

The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of soil application of manure, clay, charcoal, zeolite, and calcium oxide in remediation of soil polluted with cobalt (0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 mg Co kg⁻¹ of soil). The following were determined: weight of harvested plants as well as the content of cobalt in grain, straw, and roots of oat. In addition, tolerance index (Ti), cobalt bioconcentration (BCF), translocation (TF), and transfer (TFr) coefficients were derived. In the series without amendments, the increasing doses of cobalt had a significant effect by decreasing the yields of oat grain and straw and the mass of its roots. Also, lower tolerance index values were noted in the objects polluted with cobalt, especially with its highest dose. The application of manure had the strongest effect on increasing the mass of particular organs of the test plant, while the application of charcoal led to a significant decrease in this respect. The application of all substances to the soil, and especially manure and calcium oxide, resulted in higher tolerance index Ti values. The growing contamination of soil with cobalt caused a significant increase in the content of this element in oat and in the values of the translocation coefficient, in contrast to the effects noted with respect to the bioconcentration and transfer coefficients. All the substances applied to soil reduced the content of cobalt and its bioconcentration in oat straw, in opposition to grain and roots, limited its translocation, but elevated the transfer of this element from soil to plants. Soil contamination with cobalt promoted the accumulation of lead and copper in grain, cadmium, lead, nickel, zinc, manganese, and iron in straw, as well as cadmium, nickel, zinc, and manganese in oat roots. As the cobalt dose increased, the content of other trace elements in oat organs either decreased or did not show any unambiguous changes. Of all the tested substances, the strongest influence on the content of trace elements was produced by calcium oxide in straw and roots and by zeolite in roots, whereas the weakest effect was generated by manure in oat grain. Oat is not the best plant for phytoremediation of soils contaminated with cobalt.

The pharmaceuticals acetaminophen, sulfamethoxazole, and carbamazepine, and herbicide atrazine are among the most highly manufactured compounds in the world and are frequently detected in the aquatic environment. Much uncertainty exists regarding the impacts of the pharmaceuticals on non-target aquatic resources, while more is known about atrazine. Reduction of residues of each chemical in surface water will reduce the exposures that organisms experience in the surface water environment, thus reducing unknown risks. This project evaluated the potential use of two aquatic plant species (Acorus gramineus and Canna hybrida ‘Orange Punch’) for reducing concentrations of the chemicals in water. Concentrations of each contaminant in solution were reduced in the presence of the plants after 14 days of exposure, in (acetaminophen 64–100%, atrazine 32–51%, carbamazepine 26–49%, sulfamethoxazole 41–60%). Results indicate that these plants have potential for reducing concentrations of these chemicals in surface water, but that plant- and chemical-specific properties prevent making generalizations regarding the extent and pathways for dissipation.

Water pollution is one of the main threats to public health in Pakistan. The watchdogs for drinking water quality are toothless, hence Pakistan’s ranking in maintaining water quality standards is 80th out of 122 nations. Despite such alarming situation coupled with violation of various drinking water quality parameters set by WHO, the risk perception of people remains an unfolded area of research. This paper examines the risk perception of household regarding water pollution in Pakistan and its potential effect on human health. In this way, we present a more analytical interpretation of the subject by collecting data from a survey questionnaire from one of the largest urban cities of Pakistan. Conclusions are drawn which stress that education, income, and knowledge of water pollution have higher impact on risk perception. From this position, and with the development of implications for policy, we demonstrate the need of a systematic quantification of various uncertainties that can provide more realistic support for remediation-related decisions to policy makers.

Natural free estrogens found in animal manures are potent endocrine-disrupting compounds. Environmental detections can be caused by such processes as physical and chemical non-equilibrium and colloidal or conjugate facilitate transport. Antecedent or “legacy” concentrations of estrogens resident in soil may also contribute significantly to environmental detections. The objective of this study was to measure and understand the dominant causes contributing to estrogen detections in the environment from a grazed system. To achieve this objective, the effluent of undisturbed lysimeters constructed from soils of fields grazed by dairy cows (Bos taurus) was monitored for free and conjugated estrogens. Four lysimeters were dosed with urine (Urine) and four only received water (Control). Water transfer for all lysimeters was similar, and all lysimeters were near field capacity for the duration of the experiment. Rapid transport of a conservative bromide tracer suggested that preferential flow was an important physical non-equilibrium transport process. Free estrogens and conjugated estrogens (17β-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol-17-sulfate (E2-17S), 17β-estradiol-3-glucuronide (E2-3G), estrone-sulfate (E1-S)) were detected in the source urine (E2 = 17,248 ng/L, E1 = 1006 ng/L, E2-3G = 967 ng/L, E2-17S = 886,456 ng/L, E1-S = 1730 ng/L). These same free and conjugated estrogens, in addition to estriol (E3), were all detected frequently in both Control and Urine lysimeters (detection concentration ranks: E3 > E2-17S = E2 > E2-3G = E1 = E1-3S). Total potential estrogenicity in the effluent of the Control and Urine was also similar, indicating the presence of antecedent estrogens was the dominant contribution to estrogenic detections. Additionally, the frequent detection of conjugates in the lysimeter effluent was important, because it indicated that conjugates were stable in soil but had greater potential mobility than free estrogens.

A fast sol-dipping-gel method was applied to load Ag and TiO₂ nanoparticles on the surface of crayfish shell biochar to make an inexpensive and novel nanocomposite. Tetra-n-butyl titanate (Ti(OC₄H₉)₄) and silver nitrate (AgNO₃) were used as the nanoparticle precursors. Crayfish shell was pyrolyzed to produce the biochar host. Paper-disk diffusion method was applied to measure antibacterial activities of the nanocomposites to E. coli. The maximum loading rate of TiO₂ and Ag nanoparticles on the biochar reached 7.54% and 3.20%, respectively. Results of long-term antibacterial effect experiment showed that the Ag-TiO₂-biochar had robust antibacterial activity and could be reused for multiple times. The inactivation of E. coli of initial concentration of 10⁵ CFU/mL by Ag-TiO₂-biochar under solar light reached around 99% of sterilization ratio in 5 min. In addition, the antibacterial ability of the nanocomposite was better in light than that in dark due to the presence of TiO₂. Findings of this study suggest that the novel nanocomposite is a promising material for water treatment units and household water purifiers.

The aims of this study were to analyze biochemical and morphological responses (glutathione S-transferase activity and branchial lesions) in Ucides cordatus (crabs) and to verify how the species is responding to environmental contamination in a port (potentially contaminated area) and mangrove (reference area; Amazon Coast, Maranhão, Brazil). Adult males were captured bimonthly for a period of 1 year. Higher GST activity (1.03 ± 0.07 μmol min⁻¹ mg protein⁻¹) was observed in crabs in the port when compared with those in the reference area (p < 0.05). The greatest number of branchial lesions (serious alterations) was recorded in crabs only in the port area. The GST activity increased until serious lesions appeared; after this limit, GST activity decreased dramatically to very low levels, thus resulting in irreversible lesions (lamella collapse). The mathematical model based on the two parameters evaluated in U. cordatus showed that the port area experienced substantial contamination impact, while the mangroves (reference area) presented moderate environmental quality.