Polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) biodegradation was followed for 1 year in microcosms containing marine sediments collected from Mar Piccolo (Taranto, Italy) chronically contaminated by this class of hazardous compounds. The microcosms were performed under strictly anaerobic conditions with or without the addition of Dehalococcoides mccartyi, the main microorganism known to degrade PCBs through the anaerobic reductive dechlorination process. Thirty PCB congeners were monitored during the experiments revealing that the biodegradation occurred in all microcosms with a decrease in hepta-, hexa-, and penta-chlorobiphenyls (CBs) and a parallel increase in low chlorinated PCBs (tri-CBs and tetra-CBs). The concentrations of the most representative congeners detected in the original sediment, such as 245-245-CB and 2345-245-CB, and of the mixture 2356-34-CB+234-245-CB, decreased by 32.5, 23.8, and 46.7 %, respectively, after only 70 days of anaerobic incubation without any bioaugmentation treatment. Additionally, the structure and population dynamics of the microbial key players involved in the biodegradative process and of the entire mixed microbial community were accurately defined by Catalyzed Reporter Deposition Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (CARD-FISH) in both the original sediment and during the operation of the microcosm. The reductive dehalogenase genes of D. mccartyi, specifically involved in PCB dechlorination, were also quantified using real-time PCR (qPCR). Our results demonstrated that the autochthonous microbial community living in the marine sediment, including D. mccartyi (6.32E+06 16S rRNA gene copy numbers g⁻¹ sediment), was able to efficiently sustain the biodegradation of PCBs when controlled anaerobic conditions were imposed.

Aquatic macrophytes can absorb heavy metals either from sediments via the root system, from the water phase by leaves, or from both sources. In this study, cadmium accumulation and distribution in the aquatic plant Hydrilla verticillata were investigated, with a focus on the role of roots. Results showed that leaves of H. verticillata had a higher Cd concentration than roots when intact plants were grown in sediments and solutions containing Cd. Cadmium can significantly decrease the leaf chlorophyll content, and the leaves of intact plants with roots had lower chlorophyll contents than the leaves of detached ones without roots due to the transfer effect of roots. The majority of the Cd accumulated in leaves of H. verticillata was bound to the cell walls. When roots were submerged in a solution containing Cd, with shoots in a control solution without Cd, the Cd concentrations in leaves were considerably lower than in roots. In contrast, Cd was almost undetectable in roots when the shoots were submerged in a solution containing Cd, with roots in the control solution. Compared to the leaves and stems of detached shoots without roots, the concentrations of Cd were much higher in the leaves and stems of intact plants with roots. It is suggested that the roots of intact plants absorb Cd and transfer it to leaves and that more Cd is removed from the solution by intact plants.

This study was performed to investigate pollution of traffic-related heavy metals (HMs—Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr, and Cd) in roadside soils and their uptake by wild plants growing along highways in Hunan Province, China. For this, we analyzed the concentration and chemical fractionation of HMs in soils and plants. Soil samples were collected with different depths in the profile and different distances from highway edge. And leaves and barks of six high-frequency plants were collected. Results of the modified European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) showed that the mobile fraction of these HMs was in the order of Cd > Pb > Zn > Cu > Cr. A high percentage of the mobile fraction indicates Cd, Pb, and Zn were labile and available for uptake by wild plants. The total concentration and values of risk assessment code (RAC) showed that Cd was the main risk factor, which were in the range high to very high risk. The accumulation ability of HMs in plants was evaluated by the biological accumulation factor (BAF) and the metal accumulation index (MAI), and the results showed that all those plant species have good phyto-extraction ability, while accumulation capacity for most HMs plants tissues was bark > leaf. The highest MAI value (5.99) in Cinnamomum camphora (L) Presl indicates the potential for bio-monitoring and a good choice for planting along highways where there is contamination with HMs.

Sewage disinfection has the primary objective of inactivating pathogenic organisms to prevent the dissemination of waterborne diseases. This study analyzed individual disinfection, with chlorine alone, ultraviolet radiation alone, and a combined disinfection process (chlorine-UV radiation). Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442, Escherichia coli ATCC 11229, Salmonella typhi ATCC 14028, and Clostridium perfringens were selected to evaluate the efficiency of different disinfection processes. The aim of the present study was to characterize the kinetics of chlorine (as NaHOCl) consumption, to evaluate responses of these bacterial species to the chlorination, the ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and the chlorine/UV disinfection processes in secondary wastewater using a batch laboratory reactor. Another target of this work was to study the modeling of the kinetic of water disinfection by chlorination and/or UV irradiation. Two kinetic models (Chick-Watson and Hom) were tested as to ability to scale disinfection of these bacterial species by different ultraviolet and/or chlorine doses. The results of the kinetics of chlorine consumption showed that monochloramines and trichloramines were the most important forms of residual chlorine as compared to free chlorine and dichloramines. The kinetics of inactivation of all examined bacterial strains showed that the application of the model of Hom in its original form was not representative of this kinetics of inactivation. Modification of this model, considering an initial decline of bacteria during the contact of water with chlorine, improved the results of the model. By the same, results revealed that the involved processes of UV irradiation were too complex to be approached by a simplified formulation, even in the case of specific strains of microorganisms and the use of nearly constant UV radiation intensity. In fact, the results have pointed out that the application of the Chick-Watson law is known to be inadequate to describe microbial inactivation with tailing or shoulder behavior. However, the UV kinetic studies also revealed that the first instants of exposure (2 to 10 s) to a UV intensity of 5 to 8 mW.cm-2 appeared as the deciding factors in disinfection with UV irradiation. It was shown that the combination of chlorine with UV yielded additive effects on the inactivation of bacterial strains and spectacular disinfection efficiency at a short contact time and less dose. In contrast to most studies, UV irradiation alone and chlorine alone exhibited low disinfection efficiency in inactivation of tested bacterial strains.

The dynamics of natural contamination by Al and Fe colloids in volcanic aquifers of central-southern Italy were investigated. Localized perched aquifers, and their relative discharges, are strongly affected by the presence of massive suspended solids, which confer a white-lacteous coloration to the water. This phenomenon occasionally caused the interruption of water distribution due to the exceeding of Al and Fe concentrations in aquifers exploited for human supply. The cause was ascribed to water seepage from perched aquifers. Water discharges affected by such contamination was investigated for the Rocca Ripesena area (north-eastern sector of Vulsini Volcanic District) and for the Rianale Stream Valley (Roccamonfina Volcanic Complex). Hydrogeological survey of both areas confirmed the presence of perched aquifers not previously considered due to their low productivity. Pluviometric data and chemical parameters were periodically monitored. Water mineralization decreased with increasing rainfall, conversely Al and Fe concentrations increased. Statistical analysis confirmed the dependence of all the chemical variables on rock leaching, with the sole exception of Al and Fe which were imputed to colloids mobilization from local, strongly pedogenized pyroclastic material. The similarities in hydrogeological settings and mobilization dynamics in both areas suggest that the Al and Fe colloidal contamination should be more abundant than currently known in quaternary volcanic areas.

This study aimed to quantify the environmental fate of antimicrobials applied in Fenneropenaeus chinensis aquaculture production in China and to assess their potential risks for surrounding aquatic ecosystems, for the promotion of antimicrobial resistance in target and non-target bacteria and for consumers eating shrimp products that contain antimicrobial residues. For this, we first used the results of an environmental monitoring study performed with the antimicrobial sulfamethazine to parameterize and calibrate the ERA-AQUA model, a mass balance model suited to perform risk assessments of veterinary medicines applied in aquaculture ponds. Next, a scenario representing F. chinensis production in China was built and used to perform risk assessments for 21 antimicrobials which are regulated for aquaculture in China. Results of the model calibration showed a good correspondence between the predicted and the measured sulfamethazine concentrations, with differences within an order of magnitude. Results of the ecological risk assessment showed that four antimicrobials (levofloxacin, sarafloxacin, ampicillin, sulfadiazine) are expected to have adverse effects on primary producers, while no short-term risks were predicted for invertebrates and fish exposed to farm wastewater effluents containing antimicrobial residues. Half of the evaluated antimicrobials showed potential to contribute to antimicrobial resistance in bacteria exposed to pond water and farm effluents. A withdrawal period of three weeks is recommended for antimicrobials applied via oral administration to F. chinensis in order to comply with the current national and international toxicological food safety standards. The results of this study indicate the need to improve the current regulatory framework for the registration of aquaculture antimicrobials in China and suggest compounds that should be targeted in future aquaculture risk assessments and environmental monitoring studies.

Extreme haze episodes repeatedly shrouded Beijing during the winter of 2012–2013, causing major environmental and health problems. To better understand these extreme events, particle number size distribution (PNSD) and particle chemical composition (PCC) data collected in an intensive winter campaign in an urban site of Beijing were used to investigate the sources of ambient fine particles. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis resolved a total of eight factors: two traffic factors, combustion factors, secondary aerosol, two accumulation mode aerosol factors, road dust, and long-range transported (LRT) dust. Traffic emissions (54 %) and combustion aerosol (27 %) were found to be the most important sources for particle number concentration, whereas combustion aerosol (33 %) and accumulation mode aerosol (37 %) dominated particle volume concentrations. Chemical compositions and sources of fine particles changed dynamically in the haze episodes. An enhanced role of secondary inorganic species was observed in the formation of haze pollution. Regional transport played an important role for high particles, contribution of which was on average up to 24–49 % during the haze episodes. Secondary aerosols from urban background presented the largest contributions (45 %) for the rapid increase of fine particles in the severest haze episode. In addition, the invasion of LRT dust aerosols further elevated the fine particles during the extreme haze episode. Our results showed a clear impact of regional transport on the local air pollution, suggesting the importance of regional-scale emission control measures in the local air quality management of Beijing.

Soil that is co-contaminated with heavy metals (HMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is difficult to bioremediate due to the ability of toxic metals to inhibit PAH degradation by bacteria. We demonstrated the resistance mechanisms to Cu(II) and Cd(II) of two newly isolated strains of Sphingobium sp. PHE-SPH and Ochrobactrum sp. PHE-OCH and further tested their potential application in the bioremediation of HM-phenanthrene (PhA) co-contaminated sites. The PHE-SPH and PHE-OCH strains tolerated 4.63 and 4.34 mM Cu(II) and also showed tolerance to 0.48 and 1.52 mM Cd(II), respectively. Diverse resistance patterns were detected between the two strains. In PHE-OCH cells, the maximum accumulation of Cu(II) occurred in the cell wall, while the maximum accumulation was in the cytoplasm of PHE-SPH cells. This resulted in a sudden suppression of growth in PHE-OCH and a gradual inhibition in PHE-SPH as the concentration of Cu(II) increased. Organic acid production was markedly higher in PHE-OCH than in PHE-SPH, which may also have a role in the resistance mechanisms, and contributes to the higher Cd(II) tolerance of PHE-OCH. The factors involved in the absorption of Cu(II) or Cd(II) in PHE-SPH and PHE-OCH were identified as proteins and carbohydrates by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, both strains showed the ability to efficiently degrade PhA and maintained this high degradation efficiency under HM stress. The high tolerance to HMs and the PhA degradation capacity make Sphingobium sp. PHE-SPH and Ochrobactrum sp. PHE-OCH excellent candidate organisms for the bioremediation of HM-PhA co-contaminated sites.

A modified polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) could provide a convenient way of monitoring perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in water. In the present study, the modified POCIS was calibrated to monitor PFCs. The effects of water temperature, pH, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the sampling rate (R ₛ) of PFCs were evaluated with a static renewal system. During laboratory validation over a 14-day period, the uptake kinetics of PFCs was linear with the POCIS. DOM and water temperature slightly influenced POCIS uptake rates, which is in consistent with the theory for uptake into POCIS. Therefore, within a narrow span of DOM and water temperatures, it was unnecessary to adjust the R ₛ value for POCIS. Laboratory experiments were conducted with water over pH ranges of 3, 7, and 9. The R ₛ values declined significantly with pH increase for PFCs. Although pH affected the uptake of PFCs, the effect was less than twofold. Application of the R ₛ value to analyze PFCs with POCIS deployed in the field provided similar concentrations obtained from grab samples.

Risk assessment and technical feasibility of brick formation from exhausted paper mill sludge derived biochar obtained after its use as an adsorbent for the treatment of effluent containing pentachlorophenol was studied. The bricks were prepared by geopolymerization mechanism in presence of sodium hydroxide, and the extent of geopolymerization was determined on the basis of crystal structure, surface functionalities, and surface morphology of the bricks. The preparation parameters (sodium hydroxide dosage, initial water and calcium carbonate content and curing temperature) were optimized and the results were analyzed in terms of compressive strength, water absorption, and abrasion index. Risk assessment of heavy metals was performed to determine the contamination level and overall hazard index of the biochar-based geopolymer bricks. Hazard quotient and hazard index were calculated to assess the overall non-carcinogenic risk posed by selected heavy metals via ingestion and dermal contact. The leaching potential of heavy metal and pentachlorophenol from the biochar-based geopolymer bricks was also determined. The results showed that the biochar-based geopolymer bricks showed good mechanical properties and the concentration of heavy metals in the leachate falls within the permissible limits prescribed by Indian Standards for Industrial and Sewage Effluents Discharge (inland surface water).