Water crises have been among the most serious environmental problems worldwide since the twenty-first century. A water crisis is marked by a severe shortage of water resources and deteriorating water quality. As an important component of water resources, lake water quality has deteriorated rapidly in the context of fast urbanization and climate change. This deterioration has altered the water ecosystem structure and influenced lake functionality. To curb these trends, various strategies and procedures have been used in many urban lakes. Among these procedures, accurate and responsive water environment monitoring is the basis of the forecasting and prevention of large-scale cyanobacteria outbreaks and improvement of water quality. To dynamically monitor and predict the outbreak of cyanobacteria in Dianchi Lake, in this study, wireless sensors networks (WSNs) and the geographic information system (GIS) are used to monitor water quality at the macro-scale and meso-scale. Historical, real-time water quality and weather condition data were collected, and a combination prediction model (adaptive grey model (AGM) and back propagation artificial neural network (BPANN)) was proposed. The correlation coefficient (R) of the simulation experiment reached 0.995. Moreover, we conducted an empirical experiment in Dianchi Lake, Yunnan, China using the proposed method. R was 0.93, and the predicting error was 4.77. The results of the experiment suggest that our model has good performance for water quality prediction and can forecast cyanobacteria outbreaks. This system provides responsive forewarning and data support for lake protection and pollution control.

The frequency and mass concentrations of 13 herbicide micropollutants (triazines, phenylureas, chloroacetanilides and trifluralin) were investigated during 2014 in surface, ground and drinking waters in the area of the city of Zagreb and its suburbs. Herbicide compounds were accumulated from water by solid-phase extraction using either octadecylsilica or styrene-divinylbenzene sorbent cartridges and analysed either by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV-diode array detector or gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. Atrazine was the most frequently detected herbicide in drinking (84 % of samples) and ground (61 % of samples) waters in mass concentrations of 5 to 68 ng L⁻¹. It was followed by metolachlor and terbuthylazine, the former being detected in 54 % of drinking (up to 15 ng L⁻¹) and 23 % of ground (up to 100 ng L⁻¹) waters, and the latter in 45 % of drinking (up to 20 ng L⁻¹) and 26 % of ground (up to 25 ng L⁻¹) water samples. Acetochlor was the fourth most abundant herbicide in drinking waters, detected in 32 % of samples. Its mass concentrations of 107 to 117 ng L⁻¹ in three tap water samples were the highest of all herbicides measured in the drinking waters. The most frequently (62 % of samples) and highly (up to 887 ng L⁻¹) detected herbicide in surface waters was metolachlor, followed by terbuthylazine detected in 49 % of samples in mass concentrations of up to 690 ng L⁻¹, and atrazine detected in 30 % of samples in mass concentrations of up to 18 ng L⁻¹. The seasonal variations in herbicide concentrations in surface waters were observed for terbuthylazine, metolachlor, acetochlor, chlortoluron and isoproturon with the highest concentrations measured from April to August.

The combination of mechanochemical method and thermal desorption for remediating polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in contaminated soil was tested in this study. The effects of grinding time and heating time on PCB removal efficiency were investigated. The contaminated soil, mixed with CaO powder at a weight ratio of 1:1, was first ground using a planetary ball mill. After 4 h of grinding, the total PCB concentration and its toxic equivalence quantity (TEQ) decreased by 74.6 and 75.8%, respectively. Then, after being heated at 500 °C for 60 min, the residual PCBs in mechanochemical + thermal treated soil decreased to 247 ng/g, resulting in a removal efficiency of 99.95%. The removal effect can be promoted by longer grinding time and heating time; however, increased energy consumption was inevitable. The combination of grinding time and heating time should be optimized in a practical remediation process.

Diatom indices have gained considerable popularity in estimation of the trophic state and degree of pollution in lotic ecosystems. However, their applicability and efficacy have rarely been tested in Indian streams and rivers. In the present study, benthic diatom assemblages were sampled at 27 sites along the Chambal River in Central India. PCA revealed three groups of sites, namely, heavily polluted (HVPL), moderately polluted (MDPL), and least polluted (SANT). A total of 100 diatom taxa belonging to 40 genera were identified. Brachysira vitrea (Grunow) was the most abundant species recorded from the least polluted sites with an average relative abundance of 29.52. Nitzschia amphibia (Grunow) was representative of heavily polluted sites (average relative abundance 31.71) whereas moderately polluted sites displayed a dominance of Achnanthidium minutissimum (Kϋtzing) with an average relative abundance of 26.33. CCA was used to explore the relationship between diatom assemblage composition and environmental variables. Seventeen different diatom indices were calculated using diatom assemblage data. The relationship between measured water quality variables and index scores was also investigated. Most of the diatom indices exhibited strong correlations with water quality variables including BOD, COD, conductivity, and nutrients, particularly phosphate. Best results were obtained for TDI and IPS indices which showed a high level of resolution with respect to discrimination of sites on the basis of pollution gradients. Water quality maps for the Chambal River were hence prepared in accordance with these two indices. However, satisfactory results with respect to water quality evaluation were also obtained by the application of EPI-D and IGD indices. The present study suggests that TDI and IPS are applicable for biomonitoring of rivers of Central India. Diatom indices, which are simpler to use such as IGD, may be considered, at least for a coarser evaluation of water quality.

This article aims to investigate the relationship among renewable energy consumption, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, and GDP using panel data for 24 Asian countries between 1990 and 2012. Panel cross-sectional dependence tests and unit root test, which considers cross-sectional dependence across countries, are used to ensure that the empirical results are correct. Using the panel cointegration model, the vector error correction model, and the Granger causality test, this paper finds that a long-run equilibrium exists among renewable energy consumption, carbon emission, and GDP. CO₂ emissions have a positive effect on renewable energy consumption in the Philippines, Pakistan, China, Iraq, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. A 1% increase in GDP will increase renewable energy by 0.64%. Renewable energy is significantly determined by GDP in India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, Malaysia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Mongolia. A unidirectional causality runs from GDP to CO₂ emissions, and two bidirectional causal relationships were found between CO₂ emissions and renewable energy consumption and between renewable energy consumption and GDP. The findings can assist governments in curbing pollution from air pollutants, execute energy conservation policy, and reduce unnecessary wastage of energy.

Raw kaolinite was used in the synthesis of metakaolinite/carbon nanotubes (K/CNTs) and kaolinite/starch (K/starch) nanocomposites. Raw kaolinite and the synthetic composites were characterized using XRD, SEM, and TEM techniques. The synthetic composites were used as adsorbents for Fe and Mn ions from aqueous solutions and natural underground water. The adsorption by the both composites is highly pH dependent and achieves high efficiency within the neutral pH range. The experimental adsorption data for the uptake of Fe and Mn ions by K/CNTs were found to be well represented by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model rather than the intra-particle diffusion model or Elovich model. For the adsorption using K/starch, the uptake results of Fe ions was well fitted by the second-order model, whereas the uptake of Mn ions fitted well to the Elovich model rather than pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion models The equilibrium studies revealed the excellent fitting of the removal of Fe and Mn ions by K/CNTs and Fe using K/starch with the Langmuir isotherm model rather than with Freundlich and Temkin models. But the adsorption of Mn ions by K/starch is well fitted with Freundlich rather than Temkin and Langmuir isotherm models. The thermodynamic studies reflected the endothermic nature and the exothermic nature for the adsorption by K/CNTs and K/starch nanocomposites, respectively. Natural ground water contaminated by 0.4 mg/L Fe and 0.5 mg/L Mn was treated at the optimum conditions of pH 6 and 120 min contact time. Under these conditions, 92.5 and 72.5% Fe removal efficiencies were achieved using 20 mg of K/CNTs and K/starch nanocomposites, respectively. Also, K/CNTs nanocomposite shows higher efficiency in the removal of Mn ions as compared to K/starch nanocomposite.

In this era of globalization, various products and technologies are being developed by the industries. While resources and energy are utilized from processes, wastes are being excreted through water streams, air, and ground. Without realizing it, environmental pollutions increase as the country develops. Effective technology is desired to create green factories that are able to overcome these issues. Wastewater is classified as the water coming from domestic or industrial sources. Wastewater treatment includes physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes. Aerobic and anaerobic processes are utilized in biological treatment approach. However, the current biological approaches emit greenhouse gases (GHGs), methane, and carbon dioxide that contribute to global warming. Microalgae can be the alternative to treating wastewater as it is able to consume nutrients from wastewater loading and fix CO₂ as it undergoes photosynthesis. The utilization of microalgae in the system will directly reduce GHG emissions with low operating cost within a short period of time. The aim of this review is to discuss the uses of native microalgae species in palm oil mill effluent (POME) and flue gas remediation. In addition, the discussion on the optimal microalgae cultivation parameter selection is included as this is significant for effective microalgae-based treatment operations.

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of Cr(VI) reduction and Cr(III) immobilization by resting cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa using batch experiments and analysis techniques. Data showed that resting cells of this strain (3.2 g/L dry weight) reduced 10 mg/L of Cr(VI) by 86% in Tris-HCl buffer solution under optimized conditions of 5 g/L of sodium acetate as an electron donor, pH of 7.0 and temperature of 37 °C within 24 h. Cr(VI) was largely converted to nontoxic Cr(III), and both soluble crude cell-free extracts and membrane-associated fractions were responsible for Cr(VI) reduction. While remnant Cr(VI) existed only in the supernatant, the content of resultant Cr(III) in supernatant, on cell surface and inside cells was 2.62, 1.06, and 5.07 mg/L, respectively, which was an indicative of extracellular and intracellular reduction of chromate. Scanning electron microscopy analysis combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed the adsorption of chromium on the bacterial surface. Interaction between Cr(III) and cell surface functional groups immobilized Cr(III) as indicated by Fourier transform infrared analyses and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy revealed Cr(III) precipitates in bacterial interior suggesting that Cr(II) could also be intracellularly accumulated. Thus, it can be concluded that interior and exterior surfaces of resting P. aeruginosa cells were sites for reduction and immobilization of Cr(VI) and Cr(III), respectively. This is further insight into the underlying mechanisms of microbial chromate reduction.

Rate coefficients for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals and Cl atoms with 1-methoxy-2-propanone (1-M-2-PONE), 1-methoxy-2-propanol (1-M-2-POL), and 1-methoxy-2-butanol (1-M-2-BOL) were determined at room temperature and atmospheric pressure using a conventional relative-rate technique. The following absolute rate coefficients were derived: k ₁(OH + 1-M-2-PONE) = (0.64 ± 0.13) × 10⁻¹¹, k ₂(OH + 1-M-2-BOL) = (2.19 ± 0.23) × 10⁻¹¹, k ₃(Cl + 1-M-2-PONE = (1.07 ± 0.24) × 10⁻¹⁰, k ₄(Cl + 1-M-2-POL) = (2.28 ± 0.21) × 10⁻¹⁰, and k ₅ (Cl + 1-M-2-BOL) = (2.79 ± 0.23) × 10⁻¹⁰, in units of cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹. This is the first experimental determination of k ₂-k ₅. These rate coefficients were used to discuss the influence of the structure on the reactivity of the studied polyfunctional organic compounds. The atmospheric implications for 1-M-2-PONE, 1-M-2-POL, and 1-M-2-BOL and their reactions were investigated estimating atmospheric parameters such as lifetimes, global warming potentials, and average photochemical ozone production. The approximate nature of these values was stressed considering that the studied oxygenated volatile organic compounds are short-lived compounds for which the calculated parameters may vary depending on chemical composition, location, and season at the emission points.

A bibliometric analysis based on the Science Citation Index Expanded from Web of Science was carried out to provide insights into research activities and trends of the environmental monitoring from 1993 to 2012. Study emphases covered publication outputs, language, categories, journals, countries/territories, institutions, words, and hot issues. The results indicated that the annual output of environmental monitoring publications increased steadily. The environmental sciences and analytical chemistry were the two most common categories. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment published the most articles. The USA and the UK ranked in the top two in terms of all five indicators. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took the leading position of the institutions in terms of publication output. The synthesized analysis by words in title, author keywords, and KeyWords Plus provided important clues for hot issues. Researchers paid more attention on water environment monitoring than other environmental factors. The contaminants including organic contaminants, heavy metal, and radiation were most common research focuses, and the organic contaminants and heavy metal of the degree of concern were gradually rising. Sensor and biosensor played an important role in the field of environmental monitoring devices. In addition to conventional device detection method, the remote sensing, GIS, and wireless sensor networks were the mainstream environmental monitoring methods. The international organization, social awareness, and the countries’ positive and effective political and policies promoted the published articles.