This study investigated the effect of different supporting electrolyte (Na₂SO₄, MgSO₄, NaCl) in degradation of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) and generation of electricity. Zinc oxide (ZnO) was immobilized onto carbon felt acted as photoanode, while Pt-coated carbon paper as photocathode was placed in a single chamber photocatalytic fuel cell, which then irradiated by UV lamp for 24 h. The degradation and mineralization of RB5 with 0.1 M NaCl rapidly decreased after 24-h irradiation time, followed by MgSO₄, Na₂SO₄ and without electrolyte. The voltage outputs for Na₂SO₄, MgSO₄ and NaCl were 908, 628 and 523 mV, respectively, after 24-h irradiation time; meanwhile, their short-circuit current density, J SC, was 1.3, 1.2 and 1.05 mA cm⁻², respectively. The power densities for Na₂SO₄, MgSO₄ and NaCl were 0.335, 0.256 and 0.245 mW cm⁻², respectively. On the other hand, for without supporting electrolyte, the voltage output and short-circuit current density was 271.6 mV and 0.055 mA cm⁻², respectively. The supporting electrolyte NaCl showed greater performance in degradation of RB5 and generation of electricity due to the formation of superoxide radical anions which enhance the degradation of dye. The mineralization of RB5 with different supporting electrolyte was measured through spectrum analysis and reduction in COD concentration.

Soil contamination with toxic metals has increasingly become a global concern over the past few decades. Phosphate and carbonate compounds are good passivation materials for Pb immobilization, while the effect of phosphate and carbonate on the immobilization of multiple heavy metals (Pb, Cu, and Cd) in contaminated soils was seldom investigated. In this study, bone meal (BM), phosphate rock (PR), oxalic acid-activated phosphate rock (APR), super phosphate (SP), and calcium carbonate (CC) were added to the contaminated soils to evaluate the effect of phosphate materials and calcium carbonate on the immobilization of Pb, Cu, and Cd. The results showed that the pH of the treated soils increased 1.3–2.7, except SP which decreased 0.5 at most. Compared to the control treatment, all phosphates and calcium carbonate added to the polluted soils increased the fraction of residual metals, and the application of APR, PR, BM, and CC significantly reduced exchangeable and carbonate-bound fraction metals. PR and APR were the most effective for the immobilization of Pb, Cu, and Cd in the soils among these materials. Moreover, the concentrations of all metals in the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) leachate decreased with increasing amounts of amendments, and the concentrations of Pb in the TCLP leachate for soils treated with PR and APR were below the nonhazardous regulatory limit of 5 mg L⁻¹ (US Environmental Protection Agency). Based on our results, phosphate rock and oxalic acid-activated phosphate rock are effective in the immobilization of multiple metals by reducing their mobility in the co-contaminated soils.

The particle size distribution and water-soluble inorganic ion (WSII) and carbonaceous species in size-segregated aerosols, Dp < 0.95, 0.95 < Dp < 1.5, 1.5 < Dp < 3.0, 3.0 < Dp < 7.2, and 7.2 < Dp < 10 μm, were investigated during Diwali firework displays in New Delhi, India. The firework activity had the maximum contribution to the mass loading of PM₀.₉₅ (786 μg/m³) followed by PM₀.₉₅–₁.₅ (216 μg/m³) with all other three fractions accounting to a total of 214 μg/m³. The percentage contributions of WSII to the total mass of aerosols were highest in first two size fractions (39 and 40 %, respectively), compared to other fractions. The firework marker ion (Mg²⁺, Cl⁻, and K⁺) mass concentration shows higher values in PM₀.₉₅ during Diwali compared to before Diwali period. The mass size distribution of particles, NH₄ ⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄ ²⁻, Mg²⁺, and NO₃ ⁻, also showed changes on the Diwali night compared to previous and after days. The high Cl⁻/Na⁺ (5.6) and OC/EC (3.4) ratio of PM₀.₉₅ can be used as the indicators of firework displays. The lowering of mixing height on Diwali night to 50 m compared to before (277 mts) and after (269 mts) Diwali period further concentrated the aerosols in ambient atmosphere. Therefore, the firework display not only released the gaseous or elemental constituent but also influenced the temperature profile and both put together result in high aerosol concentrations, WSII, OC, and BC contents in ambient atmosphere. The alveolar, respirable, and inhalable fractions accounted for 64.6, 90.8, and 97.8 %, respectively, of the total PM₁₀ mass. People stay exposed to such high pollution level in short span of 6–8 h and experience adverse health impacts due to high mass concentrations and the chemical components of fine aerosols.

Transport and fate of perfluoro- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in an urban water body that receives mainly urban runoff was investigated. Water, suspended solids, and sediment samples were collected during the monsoon (wet) and inter-monsoon (dry) season at different sites and depths. Samples were analyzed for C7 to C12 perfluoroalkyl carboxylate homologues (PFCAs) (PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnA, PFDoA), perfluorohexane, perfluorooctane, and 6:2-fluorotelomer sulfonate (PFHxS, PFOS, and 6:2FtS, respectively), perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA), N-ethyl FOSA (sulfluramid), N-ethyl sulfonamidoethanol (N-EtFOSE), and N-methyl and N-ethyl sulfonamidoacetic acid (N-EtFOSAA and N-MeFOSAA, respectively). Concentrations in wet samples were only slightly higher. The sum total PFAS (ΣPFAS) concentrations dissolved in the aqueous phase and sorbed to suspended solids (SS) ranged from 107 to 253 ng/L and 11 to 158 ng/L, respectively. PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFDA contributed most (approximately 90 %) to the dissolved ΣPFASs. N-EtFOSA dominated the particulate PFAS burden in wet samples. K D values of PFOA and PFOS calculated from paired SS and water concentrations varied widely (1.4 to 13.7 and 1.9 to 98.9 for PFOA and PFOS, respectively). Field derived K D was significantly higher than laboratory K D suggesting hydrophobic PFASs sorbed to SS resist desorption. The ΣPFAS concentrations in the top sedimentary layer ranged from 8 to 42 μg/kg and indicated preferential accumulation of the strongly sorbing long-chain PFASs. The occurrence of the metabolites N-MeFOSAA, N-EtFOSAA and FOSA in the water column and sediments may have resulted from biological or photochemical transformations of perfluorooctane sulfonamide precursors while the absence of FOSA, N-EtFOSA and 6:2FtS in sediments was consistent with biotransformation.

The actual amount of fresh water readily accessible for use is <1 % of the total amount of water on earth, and is expected to shrink further due to the projected growth of the population by a third in 2050. Worse yet are the major issues of water pollution, including mining and industrial waste which account for the bulk of contamination sources. The use of aquatic macrophytes as a cost-effective and eco-friendly tool for phytoremediation is well documented. However, little is known about the fate of those plants after phytoremediation. This paper reviews the options for safe disposal of waste plant biomass after phytoremediation. Among the few mentioned in the literature are briquetting, incineration and biogasification. The economic viability of such processes and the safety of their economic products for domestic use are however, not yet established. Over half of the nations in the world are involved in mining of precious metals, and tailings dams are the widespread legacy of such activities. Thus, the disposal of polluted plant biomass onto mine storage facilities such as tailing dams could be an interim solution. There, the material can act as mulch for the establishment of stabilizing vegetation and suppress dust. Plant decomposition might liberate its contaminants, but in a site where containment is a priority.

Seagrass bed ecosystems occupy the most important part of coastal shelf in the French West Indies. They also constitute nurseries for many invertebrates and fishes harvested by local fisheries. In Guadeloupe, coastal fish stocks are declining meanwhile several agroecosystems revealed to be heavily contaminated by pollutants (agricultural lands, rivers, mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs). Considering these facts, a study of the contamination of seagrass beds (8000 ha) of the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin (GCSM) bay was conducted on their sediments and marine phanerogams. The analyses concerned six metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, V, Zn), tributyltin, 18 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), eight polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 38 polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), dithiocarbamates (CS2 residues), and 225 pesticide molecules.Overall, the level of contamination of the seagrass beds was low for both sediments and phanerogams. Metallic trace elements were the main pollutants but with higher concentrations recorded in coastal sites, and their distribution can be explained by the proximity of river mouths and current patterns. The level of contamination was lower in plants than in sediments. However, the level of contamination between these two compartments was significantly correlated. The conclusion of this study is that, unlike other coastal ecosystems of Guadeloupe such as mangroves, the seagrass beds in the GCSM present a low degree of pollution. The observed level of contaminants does not seem to threaten the role of nursery played by the seagrass beds and does not likely present a risk for the reintroduction of manatees.

Bryophytes act as bioindicators and bioaccumulators of metal deposition in the environment. The atmospheric deposition of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, Mn, Pb, and Zn in Kosovo was investigated by using carpet-forming moss species (Pseudocleropodium purum and Hypnum cupressiforme) as bioindicators. This research is part of the European moss survey coordinated by the ICP Vegetation, an International Cooperative Programme reporting on the effects of air pollution on vegetation to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. Sampling was performed during the summer of 2011 at 25 sampling sites homogenously distributed over Kosovo. Unwashed, dried samples were digested by using wet digestion in Teflon tubes. The concentrations of metal elements were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) equipped with flame and/or furnace systems. The heavy metal concentration in mosses reflected local emission sources. The data obtained in this study were compared with those of similar studies in neighboring countries and Europe (2010–2014 survey). The geographical distribution maps of the elements over the sampled territory were constructed using geographic information system (GIS) technology. The concentrations of Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn were higher than the respective median values of Europe, suggesting that the zones with heavy vehicular traffic and industry emission input are important emitters of these elements. Selected zones are highly polluted particularly by Cd, Pb, Hg, and Ni. The statistical analyses revealed that a strong correlation exists between the Pb and Cd content in mosses, and the degree of pollution in the studied sites was assessed.

Aniline aerofloat (dianilinodithiophosphoric acid (C₆H₅NH)₂PSSH) is a widely used phosphorodithioic organic flotation collector that contains aniline groups and dithiophosphate groups. In the present study, sodium hypochlorite solution was used to oxidize aniline aerofloat. The effect of operational parameters and optimum oxidation conditions on aniline aerofloat was studied, and the oxidation pathway of aniline aerofloat was proposed by analyzing its main oxidation intermediates. The results showed that NaOCl concentration had a significant influence on aniline aerofloat oxidation and at 100 mg/L aniline aerofloat, 84.54 % was removed under the following optimal conditions: NaOCl concentration = 1.25 g/L, pH = 4, and reaction time = 60 min. The main reaction of aniline aerofloat by NaOCl included N-P bond cleavage, aniline group oxidation, aniline group chlorination, and dithiophosphate group oxidation. The initial reaction was the N-P bond cleavage and the anilines and dithiophosphate was further oxidized to other intermediates by five parallel reaction pathways.

Biochar has received widespread attention as an eco-friendly and efficient material for immobilization of toxic heavy metals in aqueous environments. In the present study, three types of coconut fiber-derived biochars were obtained by pyrolyzing at three temperatures, i.e., 300, 500, and 700 °C. In addition, nine types of biochars were prepared by chemical modification with ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and nitric acid, respectively, which were used to investigate changes in physico-chemical properties by inter alia, Fourier transformation infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and BET specific surface area analysis. Batch sorption experiments were carried out to determine the sorption capacity of the biochars for lead (Pb) in aqueous solutions. Results showed that the cation exchange capacity of biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C and modified with nitric acid increased threefold compared to the control. Loosely corrugated carbon surface and uneven carbon surface of the biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C were produced during ammonia and nitric acid modifications. Removal rate of Pb by the coconut biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C and modified with ammonia was increased from 71.8 to 99.6 % compared to the untreated biochar in aqueous solutions containing 100 mg L⁻¹ Pb. However, chemical modification did not enhance adsorption of Pb of the biochars pyrolyzed at higher temperatures (e.g., 500 or 700 °C), indicating that resistance of biochars to chemical treatment increased with pyrolysis temperature.

Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are crucial for N₂O emission as they carry out the key step of nitrification. Dicyandiamide (DCD) and acetylene (C₂H₂) are typical nitrification inhibitors (NIs), while the comparative effects of these NIs on N₂O production and ammonia oxidizers’ (AOB and AOA) growth are unclear. Four treatments including a control, urea, urea + DCD, and urea + C₂H₂ were set up to investigate their effect of inhibiting soil nitrification, nitrification-related N₂O emission as well as the growth of ammonia oxidizers with a fluvo-aquic soil using microcosms for 28 days. N₂O emission and net nitrification rate increased after the application of urea, but were significantly restrained in urea + NI treatments, while C₂H₂ was more effective in reducing N₂O emission and nitrification rate than DCD. The abundance of AOB, which was significantly correlated with N₂O emission and net nitrification rate, was more inhibited by C₂H₂ than DCD. Furthermore, the application of urea in all the soils had little impact on the AOA community, while obvious shifts of AOB community structure were found compared with the control. All AOB sequences fell within Nitrosospira cluster 3, and the AOA community was clustered to group 1.1b. Collectively, it indicated that application of urea combined with NIs (DCD or C₂H₂) could potentially alter N₂O emission, mainly through regulating the growth of AOB but not AOA in this fluvo-aquic soil.