The metropolis of Kolkata stands uniquely positioned to implement a natural sewage treatment paradigm through the utilization of waste stabilization ponds, specifically within the East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW). These shallow oxidation ponds harness solar irradiation and algae bacteria symbiotic processes to effectively treat incoming sewage. Concurrently, nutrient-rich effluents are assimilated through fish production, converting available nutrients into protein—a hallmark of nature-based treatment. A portion of raw sewage is used to cultivate a chunk of vegetables before treatment in fish ponds, and the reclaimed water after treatment is used for vegetable and paddy cultivation downstream. This investigation explains the delineation of a sewage flow system to EKW, a Ramsar-designated site. Substantively, it offers quantitative insights into the sewage volumes and quality undergoing treatment. The sewage flow is higher in the winter months (909.07 MLD) compared to the summer months (709.34 MLD). In general, the sewage from the Kolkata city flowing to the EKW is moderately polluted. Extensive scrutiny of sewage from pond inlets and outlets serves as a quantitative metric for evaluating treatment efficacy. EKW efficiently treats the sewage, demonstrating 59.1% Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) removal and a 99.28% reduction in fecal coliform. The natural treatment system excels in removing ammoniacal nitrogen (80.38%) and phosphate (90%). The treated water’s quality along the EKW boundary, culminating at the Kulti Gong River discharge point, was systematically assessed. Analytical findings indicate that all measured concentrations in the treated water adhere to prescribed inland surface water discharge standards prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board, India, barring a marginal elevation in BOD during winter. Evidently, the EKW system adeptly manages substantial sewage volumes, fostering efficient treatment while concurrently facilitating resource recovery through fish production, yielding economic dividends. Despite its substantial land footprint, preserving this inherently sustainable wastewater management paradigm is imperative.

This research delves into the promising domain of CO2 capture through fine solid activated carbon adsorbent, offering a more energy-efficient alternative to traditional adsorption methods. The central challenge addressed here is the utility of cheaper CO2 adsorbent, fine powder materials whose properties can be precisely tailored via molecular-level fictionalization. Equally vital is selecting an optimal fluidizing column configuration that maximizes CO2 interaction with adsorption particles and enhances adsorption efficiency. The proposed solution is a fluidized bed column uniquely equipped with integrated acoustic vibrations to counteract interparticle forces common in fine powders. For adsorption evaluations, sound-assisted fluidized-bed experimentation on a laboratory size was set up. Adsorbent material activated carbon made up of coal underwent rigorous testing between a range of 20 Hz-200 Hz and 20 dB-135 dB. Results reveal the beneficial effects of acoustic enhancement of fluidization quality and adsorption efficiency, increased adsorption capacity, enhanced bed utilization, and accelerated adsorption rates. Extensive research has been conducted on the detailed effects of major operational variables on adsorption performance, notably frequency, sound intensity, and minimum fluidization velocity. The findings highlight the pivotal role of particle size with mean size 75 microns range as a determinant of adsorption capacity at 100 Hz and 125 dB. At the end of experimentation, the adsorbent considered for the experiment is compared to the study adsorption capacity at operating conditions. The research concludes with a discussion on the effects of influencing parameters for adsorption on employing sound vibrations using fluidization technique adsorption for CO2 capture.

This research investigates the microbial degradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastics by Bacillus sp., Proteus sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Salmonella sp. The study employs a systematic approach, isolating microorganisms from plastic-contaminated soil and subjecting them to a series of biochemical tests for identification. The research evaluates the weight loss of LDPE and HDPE over two months, revealing varying degrees of degradation among the bacterial strains. Results suggest a potential greater susceptibility of HDPE to microbial degradation. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis provides high-resolution images of the plastic surface, indicating structural changes and biofilm formation during degradation. The findings highlight the unique enzymatic capabilities of each strain and underscore the significance of SEM in elucidating microbial interactions with plastics. The study prompts discussions on optimization, synergistic effects, and the identification of key enzymes in plastic degradation, emphasizing the importance of microbial strategies for waste management. Overall, this research contributes valuable insights into the potential of bacterial strains for addressing plastic pollution challenges.

Due to enormous quantities with hazards and complexity in nature is a big challenge for effective treatment of wastewater from pharmaceutical processes including herbal extraction through conventional methods of distillation. The situation is further aggravated in countries facing high rising population, urbanization, and industrialization resulting in the generation of industrial wastes. The study has been carried out in the herbal extraction industry by conducting stage-wise sampling of ETP based on the conventional method and further coupled with ozonation as an advanced treatment to comply with regulatory standards. Additionally, the same process was studied that implementing the best available technology (BAT) by providing ETP with advanced technology modules such as MBR (membrane bioreactor) + RO + O3 has not only resulted in compliance with standards but also reuse of treated wastewater into the process and utilities has been proved to be techno-economically a viable and sustainable option. Modifying existing aeration tanks and advanced oxidation through ozone injection post-biological treatment has resulted in COD and BOD reduction of 96.42% and 99.0% respectively. Whereas in the case of MBR + RO + O3, the values of pH, BOD, COD, TSS, and sulfide have been observed as 8.32, 2.0 mg.L-1, 14.0 mg.L-1, 1.0 mg.L-1 and 0.0 mg.L-1 respectively and 98% recovery of treated effluent, thus saving 44 KL.day-1 of freshwater resulting into significant financial benefits of Rupees 12.59 acs annually, which otherwise was outsourced through tankers.

Phytoremediation is one of the non-energy consuming processes of remediating polluted water. However, the disposal of post-remediated plants poses a threat of the re-introduction of pollutants back into the ecosystem. Re-routing remediated pollutants for commercial application could be one way to reduce the re-introduction of pollutants in an ecosystem. Heavy metal pollution in water bodies is one issue, which can be mitigated to an extent with phytoremediation. In the current study, the effect of heavy metal phytoremediation on the phytochemical fingerprint and bioactivity of Pistia stratiotes L. was investigated. Pistia stratiotes L. was subjected to different concentrations of iron (Fe) and lead (Pb), in the range of 5-20 ppm. Different parameters such as heavy metal estimation (in plants and water post-treatment), thin layer chromatography (TLC), antioxidant activity, and antiurolithic activity were measured. Post remediation, heavy metal concentration was found to be comparatively higher in roots (16.515 ± 0.008 mg.g-1 and 5.25 ± 0.086 mg.g-1 when treated with 15 ppm iron and lead respectively). TLC revealed differences between the fingerprints of treated and untreated plants. Some bands increased in intensity as the concentration of heavy metal increased, while some bands which were present in untreated, were absent in treated plant samples. Antioxidant activity of treated plants shows lesser IC50 values, compared to untreated, in that, treated leaves show better activity (IC50 = 1.8 ± 0.5220 mg.mL-1 of leaf treated with 2 ppm iron as opposed to IC50 > 5 mg.mL-1 of untreated leaf extract). The treated plants revealed good antiurolithic activity compared to untreated, in that, the percentage inhibition showed by Iron treated leaves and roots was better (96.87% and 98.95% exhibited by iron-10 ppm treated leaves and roots respectively), while the untreated showed a maximum of only 68.75% inhibition. The results suggest that the bioactivity of the plant extracts increases post-remediation. Potential applications of these extracts can be explored such as nanoparticle synthesis, drug discovery, etc.

Waters polluted with Pb and Cd have a negative impact on the environment. Padina australis grows abundantly on the coast of Palang Subdistrict, Tuban, and the local community consumes it. Macroalgae as food must be free of metal contamination. This study aims to determine the impact of Pb and Cd bioaccumulation on P. australis. Sampling was conducted at two stations, including Station I, Panyuran Village, and Station II, Glodog Village. Analysis of Pb and Cd metal levels using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Analysis of protein content using the Kjeldahl method. The data obtained was analyzed with Principle Component Analysis (PCA). The results of the analysis of Pb and Cd levels in P. australis at station II, which are 0.200 ± 0.028 and 0.021 ± 0.004 mg.kg-1 higher than station I, which are 0.194 ± 0.015 and 0.010 ± 0.001 mg.kg-1. The protein content of P. australis at station I was 4.713 ± 0.508 mg.kg-1, and at station II was 5.900 ± 0.928 mg.kg-1. This shows that P. australis is still considered good for consumption even though it has been polluted and contains Pb and Cd metals. P. australis can tolerate and does not experience severe physiological damage so it has the potential as a heavy metal phytoremediator.

Anthropogenic environmental pollution is a major development challenge in Ugandan rivers and lakes, the key drivers being industrialization, agriculture, and urbanization. The aim of the study was to assess the potential of heavy metal and microplastic contamination in River Mpanga, Fort Portal, Uganda. Triplicate water and sediment samples were collected from three sampling sites, preserved, and analyzed at the Chemistry Department, Makerere University for heavy metals, while microplastics analysis was conducted at NaFIRRI, Jinja. Sediment heavy metal contamination was assessed from the geoaccumulation index, while microplastic characterization and quantification were determined from stereomicroscopy and morphological features. Arsenic was the most prevalent metal with a mean concentration of 13.2 ppm thus higher than permissible maximum limits of WHO. The mean concentrations (ppm) of copper, lead, and cadmium were 0.01, 0.01, and 0.001 respectively, and below the permissible maximum. Sediment samples revealed very strong arsenic contamination, strong contamination for copper, moderate to strong contamination for lead, and a potential lack of contamination for cadmium. The higher concentrations of the heavy metals in the sediments compared to water could be attributed to bioaccumulation, as evidenced by the high geoaccumulation values. Microplastics occurred throughout the river and included fragments, filaments, film, pellets, form, and fibers. The presence of heavy metals and microplastics was attributed to anthropogenic activities within the river vicinity, which discharged heavy metal-laden waste into River Mpanga. High arsenic concentrations and sediment accumulation of contaminants pose serious potential public health threats to the local communities.

This paper aimed to investigate the Spatial and Temporal Variation of the air quality index (AQI) in the Amman and Zarqa Metropolitan Areas during the period 2016-2022 following the method adopted by the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States of America (EPA). Air quality data for PM10, PM2.5, O3, NO2, SO2, and CO recorded at five monitoring stations were downloaded from the official website of the Jordanian Ministry of Environment. Calculated AQI values were generally between the Good class (AQI <50) and the Moderate class (AQI 50-100) at all stations, the AQI calculations for PM10 demonstrated a noticeable increase during autumnal months, likely due to natural dust. PM2.5 demonstrated seasonal variation, with higher values in winter months where residents burn fossil fuel for heating. Stabel air in winter due to the cooled land surface, and the weak natural air mix and ventilation contribute to the deterioration of air quality. Calculated individual AQI for SO2 and NO2 reveals that all extent of the study area falls in the Good AQI class. Similarly, CO and ozone-based AQI values fluctuate within the “Good” class, with occasional episodes of compromised air quality at specific stations.

This study aimed to analyze the microplastic contamination of fresh and pindang fish and its health impact on the coast of Muncar, Banyuwangi Regency, Indonesia. In this study, a total of 115 respondents participated, providing questionnaire data on their fish consumption habits and health problems. Subsequently, spearman’s correlation coefficient, a non-parametric statistical test, was used to analyze the questionnaire data. This study also included 100 samples of marine fish, consisting of 89 fresh fish and 11 pindang fish from various types of marine species. The content of microplastic polymers detected through FTIR (Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) was around 3-5 microplastic polymers/fish samples, and the most dominant were Polyethylene, Polyester, Polycaprolactam (Nylon 6) and Polyamide. This study showed that 94 percent of fish samples contained microplastics and only 6 percent of samples did not contain microplastics. The intensity of pindang fish consumption was positively correlated with respondents’ health symptoms and problems. Subsequently, implementing effective waste management systems and educational programs in the coastal areas is crucial in reducing the pollution of seawater resulting from inadequate waste disposal practices.

Aquatic ecosystems that are subject to urbanization and environmental changes, such as the Kapaleeswarar and Chitrakulam tanks, depend on evaluating water quality. Their complicated data present challenges for conventional approaches. The usefulness of the Mamdani fuzzy inference system in determining the water quality in these tanks is investigated in this work. It creates a comprehensive assessment based on subject-matter expertise by handling ambiguous descriptors with linguistic variables and fuzzy sets. The system’s procedures for implementation are described in detail, with an emphasis on how well they can manage interrelated variables. The study shows how well the system measures the water quality in tanks and suggests ways to improve it. Tank evaluation that incorporates the Mamdani system encourages comprehensive resource management and cultural preservation.