The aim of the literature review was to describe the environments where the presence of airborne Staphylococcus aureus was confirmed and to catalogue the most often used methods and conditions of bioaerosol sampling to identify the bacteria. The basis for searching of studies on S. aureus in the bioaerosol in different environments was PubMed database resources from the years 1990–2019 (May). The review included studies which were carried on in selected environments: hospitals and other health care facilities, large-scale animal breeding, wastewater treatment plants, residential areas, educational institutions, and other public places. The highest concentrations and genetic diversity of identified S. aureus strains, including MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus), have been shown in large-scale animal breeding. The role of the airborne transmission in dissemination of infection caused by these pathogens is empirically confirmed in environmental studies. Commonly available, well-described, and relatively inexpensive methods of sampling, identification, and subtyping guarantee a high reliability of results and allow to obtain fast and verifiable outcomes in environmental studies on air transmission routes of S. aureus strains.

The possibility of Miscanthus×giganteus cultivation as an energy crop on the different types of mining rocks was studied. It was revealed that a loess-like loam and red-brown clay with the added black soil were the most suitable for plant growing. The yield of dry above-ground biomass ranged from 4.3 to 6.8 t DM ha⁻¹ after the first year of cultivation and from 8.9 to 9.7 t DM ha⁻¹ after the second year while using these substrates. The application of amendments stimulated the growth and development of plants and increased productivity from 50 to 140%. M.×giganteus showed sufficient tolerance and good enough growth on the geochemically active dark-gray schist clay with yield from 2 to 3 t DM ha⁻¹ after the first year of cultivation already. For plants grown on the different strata of dark-gray schist clay, the thermal decomposition of the biomass took place in four stages in the temperature range from 30 to 640 °C. The samples grown on stratum 0–20 cm showed the highest reactivity with a peak 30.6%/min at 290 °C. There were differences in the concentrations of determined heavy metals: iron, zinc, copper, and lead in the plant tissues depending on the layer depth of dark-gray schist clay from 0 to 20 cm to 40–60 cm. The relatively limited content of heavy metals in the above-ground biomass was due to the preferential accumulation in the roots.

In this investigation, performance and emission characteristics for enhancing LPG, hydrogen, and hydroxy with E20 were evaluated for the understanding of which fuel combination performs better in a gasoline engine. In the upper sequence, hydroxy-hydrogen-LPG could perform best in terms of brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC). The induction of gaseous fuel improves CO, CO₂, and HC emission but increases the NOx emission. More concisely, the enhancement of hydroxy with E20 shows the best engine performance for highest BTE while lowest BSFC as well as lowest exhaust emissions (CO, HC, except NOx).

The discharge of organic dye into environment is the threat to hydrosphere and biosphere. On the other hands, the agriculture solid wastes such walnut and almond shells pose serious pollutions in lithosphere and atmosphere when burned. The aim of present investigation is to fabricate microporous activated carbon from agriculture waste shells by microwave irradiation as efficient adsorbent to overcome these problems. Firstly, zinc chloride was impregnated into milled shell particles, 300 μm, by conventional and microwave-assisted techniques and then the dry precursors were heated in the closed and open ceramic vessels in air and nitrogen atmospheres. The experimental investigation was carried out to understand the roles of different fabrication factors such as shell particle size, catalyst impregnation ratio, microwave power, carbonization temperature, and atmosphere on cationic dye removal from wastewater. The mentioned factors efficiently affect the dye removal onto obtained activated carbon. The increase in the microwave power up to 600 W could effectively increase the dye removal. However, the higher powers inversely affect the removal efficiency. The equilibrium data were well fitted by Langmuir equation with high linear regression coefficients in which the maximum adsorption capacities of activated carbon produced by walnut and almond shells were determined to be 98 and 114 mg/g, respectively. The most prominent advantage of activated carbon produced from almond shell is lower content of catalyst employed in impregnation stage. Although the larger particles of solid waste were applied, the spongy nature with average pore diameter of 2.4 nm is the unique characteristic of activated carbon fabricated from almond shell which improves the performance of adsorbent in wastewater treatment.

Arsenic (As) is the most hazardous soil contaminant, which inactivates metabolic enzymes and restrains plant growth. To withstand As stress conditions, use of some alleviative tools, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and silicon (Si), has gained importance. Therefore, the present study evaluated comparative and interactive effects of Si and arbuscular mycorrhiza-Rhizophagus irregularis on phytotoxicity of arsenate (As V) and arsenite (As III) on plant growth, ROS generation, and antioxidant defense responses in pigeonpea genotypes (Tolerant-Pusa 2002; Sensitive-Pusa 991). Roots of As III treated plants accumulated significantly higher total As than As V supplemented plants, more in Pusa 991 than Pusa 2002, which corresponded to proportionately decreased plant growth, root to biomass ratio, and oxidative burst. Although Si nutrition and AM inoculations improved plant growth by significantly reducing As uptake and the resultant oxidative burst, AM was relatively more efficient in upregulating enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defense responses as well as ascorbate–glutathione pathway when compared with Si. Pusa 2002 was more receptive to Si nourishment due to its ability to establish more efficient mycorrhizal symbiosis, which led to higher Si uptake and lower As concentrations. Moreover, +Si+AM bestowed better metalloid resistance by further reducing ROS and strengthening antioxidants. Results demonstrated that the genotype with more efficient AM symbiosis in As-contaminated soils could accrue higher benefits of Si fertilization in terms of metalloid tolerance in pigeonpea.

The increase of salt concentrations in influent wastewaters will be a consequence of the sea level rises in coastal areas due to climate change and the future use of seawater to flush toilets as a cost-attractive option for alternative water resources. Yet, little is known about the salinity effect on full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) performance and on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, such as nitrous oxide (N₂O). This study aimed at quantifying the N₂O emissions of a full-scale biological aerated filter (BAF) and to correlate the dynamic behavior of the emissions with the process conditions and the periods of infiltration of seawater. A full-scale BAF was monitored for 3 months to assess both their gaseous and liquid N₂O fluxes. The total average daily N₂O emissions of the plant were 6.16 g N–N₂O/kg of NH₄–N removed. For the first time at full-scale, a correlation between the N₂O emissions and the wastewater influent conductivity (salinity) was found, in which the increase in seawater infiltration in the sewer at high tide augments the daily N₂O production and emission to 13.78 g N–N₂O/kg of NH₄–N removed. The proportional increase in influent conductivity and the N₂O emission factor in this WWTP suggested that periods of high conductivity could serve as an indicator of increased N₂O emissions by the plant. Furthermore, the operational conditions and the wastewater influent characteristics that influence the N₂O emissions were identified as being the dissolved oxygen (DO) dynamics due to the filter washing steps, leading to rapid transitions from oxic to sub-oxic conditions, as well as the (re-)adaptation of microbial consortia due to the dynamics of the biofilm thickness associated to the daily washing process. This study shows the impact that the washing process and seawater infiltration has on the N₂O emissions of a BAF and contributes to a better understanding of the operational conditions impacting the emissions in WWTPs.

Copper (Cu) is one of the micronutrients needed by living organisms. In plants, Cu plays key roles in chlorophyll formation, photosynthesis, respiratory electron transport chains, oxidative stress protection as well as protein, carbohydrate, and cell wall metabolism. Therefore, deficiency of Cu can alter various functions of plant metabolism. However, Cu-based agrochemicals have traditionally been used in agriculture and being excessively released into the environment by anthropogenic activities. Continuous and extensive release of Cu is an imperative issue with various documented cases of phytotoxicity by the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and damage to carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and DNA. The mobility of Cu from soil to plant tissues has several concerns including its adverse effects on humans. In this review, we have described about importance and occurrence of Cu in environment, Cu homeostasis and toxicity in plants as well as remediation and progress in research so far done worldwide in the light of previous findings. Furthermore, present review provides a comprehensive ecological risk assessment on Cu in soils and thus provides insights for agricultural soil management and protection.

Biochar as a carbon-rich highly porous substance has been proposed for use in agriculture and horticulture as a soil amendment. One of the main concerns of this application of biochar is its potential contamination with heavy metals (HMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The aim of this research was to access the environmental risk of biochar used as a soil amendment on soil mesofauna (mites and springtails). We conducted both field and laboratory experiments with the use of wood-chip biochar from low-temperature (300 °C) flash pyrolysis. Biochar was free from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and the concentration of all tested toxic compounds was very low or even under the level of detection. Both the results of field and laboratory studies show no toxic effects on soil mesofauna. In the field studies, the biochar application of 50 t/ha in maize and oilseed rape crops significantly increased the mean number of mesofauna. This change probably resulted from improved soil chemical properties (in particular organic carbon content and cation exchange capacity) upon biochar addition. The results of the avoidance test with the use of springtail species Folsomia candida showed the possible short-term toxicity risk from a dose of 5%. The results of the reproduction test indicate the negative response of F. candida from the rate of 25% (higher than the field dose, which corresponds to 10% in laboratory tests). The reason for the short-term toxicity might be the considerable increase in soil pH after biochar addition. To our knowledge, this is the first study that has looked so widely into the effect of biochar on soil mesofauna. We encourage further studies into the risk assessment of biochar on soil organisms in both a controlled laboratory environment and in the open field.

As a typical disaster-causing geological structure, karst collapse pillar (KCP) is widely distributed in coalfields of northern China. The interior of KCP is filled with loose and weakly cemented rock masses. Fine particles can be eroded under the hydraulic pressure and the disturbance of the coal mining operation. Then, water inrush pathway can be formed easily, resulting in water inrush hazard. The release of untreated coal mine water can pollute the environment and waste the limited water resource in China. To investigate the particle erosion effect on the water inrush mechanism of KCP, FLAC³ᴰ numerical investigations were conducted to simulate the water flow process of KCP in the mining floor during the coal seam excavation, according to the stress-seepage coupling model with the consideration of the particle erosion. Besides, the evolution of shear stress field, seepage field, and plastic zone along was obtained as working plane advances. Meanwhile, the influence of the thickness of a waterproof rock floor and the hydraulic pressure of aquifer on the formation of water inrush pathway was analyzed. Numerical results indicated that: (1) Shear failure of the KCP near the side of the working plane occurs under the effect of mining excavation; then, the KCP connects with the damage area around the working plane; finally, the water inrush pathway is formed. (2) Water inrush disaster will not occur immediately when the KCP is connected with the damaged area around the working plane; it only occurs when the KCP is completely exposed in the mining. (3) With the mining advances, the thinner the waterproof rock floor and the greater the hydraulic pressure of the aquifer, the easier the groundwater can lead up, and the KCP tends to be damaged with the formation of water inrush pathway.

Plant uptake of cadmium (Cd) is affected by soil and environmental conditions. In this study, hydroponic experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of elevated CO₂ coupled with inoculated endophytic bacteria M002 on morphological properties, gas exchange, photosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll fluorescence, and Cd uptake of S. alfredii. The results showed that bio-fortification processes (elevated CO₂ and/or inoculated with endophytic bacteria) significantly (p < 0.05) promoted growth patterns, improved photosynthetic characteristics and increased Cd tolerance of both ecotypes of S. alfredii, as compared to normal conditions. Net photosynthetic rate (Pn) in intact leaves of hyperaccumulating ecotype (HE) and non-hyperaccumulating ecotype (NHE) were increased by 73.93 and 32.90%, respectively at the low Cd (2 μM), 84.41 and 57.65%, respectively at the high Cd level (10 μM). Superposition treatment increased Cd concentration in shoots and roots of HE, by 50.87 and 82.12%, respectively at the low Cd and 46.75 and 88.92%, respectively at the high Cd level. Besides, superposition treatment declined Cd transfer factor of NHE, by 0.85% at non-Cd rate, 17.22% at the low Cd and 22.26% at the high Cd level. These results indicate that elevated CO₂ coupled with endophytic bacterial inoculation may effectively improve phytoremediation efficiency of Cd-contaminated soils by hyperaccumulator, and alleviate Cd toxicity to non-hyperaccumulator ecotype of Sedum alfredii.