Several studies in the recent past reported new sources for industrial persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from metropolitan cities of India. To fill the data gap for atmospheric polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polyurethane foam disk passive air sampling (PUF-PAS) was conducted along urban-suburban-rural transects in four quadrilateral cities viz., New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai from northern, eastern, western and southern India respectively. Average concentration of Σ8PBDEs in pg/m³ for New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai were 198, 135, 264 and 144 respectively. We observed a distinct urban > suburban > rural trend for atmospheric PBDEs in Mumbai. Principal component analysis (PCA) attributed three different source types. BDE-47, -99, −100, −153 and −154 loaded in the first component were relatively high in the sites where industrial and informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling activities were prevalent. Penta congener, BDE-99 and tetra congener, BDE-47 contributed 50%–75% of total PBDEs. Ratio of BDE-47 and -99 in Indian cities reflected the usage of penta formulations like Bromkal −70DE and DE-71 in the commercial and electrical products. PC-2 was loaded with BDE-28 and -35. Percentage of BDE-28 and BDE-35 (>10%) were comparatively much higher than commercial penta products. Abundance of BDE-28 in majority sites can be primarily due to re-emission from surface soil. PC-3 was loaded with BDE-183 and elevated levels were observed mostly in the industrial corridor of Indian cities. BDE-183 was notably high in the urban industrial sites of New Delhi. We suspect this octa-BDE congener resulted from recycling process of plastic products containing octa-BDE formulation used as flame retardants.

Chlormadinone acetate (CMA) is a frequently used progestin with antiandrogenic activity in humans. Residues may enter the aquatic environment but potential adverse effects in fish are unknown. While the associated work focused on effects of CMA in vitro and in zebrafish eleuthero-embryos, the present study reports on reproductive and transcriptional effects in adult female and male zebrafish (Danio rerio).We performed a reproductive study using breeding groups of zebrafish. After 15 days of pre-exposure, we exposed zebrafish to different measured concentrations between 6.4 and 53,745 ng/L CMA for 21 days and counted produced eggs daily to determine fecundity. Additionally, transcriptional effects of CMA in brains, livers, and gonads were analyzed. CMA induced a slight but statistically not significant reduction in fecundity at 65 ng/L and 53,745 ng/L. Furthermore, we observed differential expression for gene transcripts of steroid hormone receptors, genes related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and steroidogenesis. In particular, we found significant decrease of transcript levels of vitellogenin (vtg1) in ovaries and liver, and of cyp2k7 in the liver of males, as well as a significant increase of transcripts of the progesterone receptor (pgr) in testes, and cyp2k1 in liver of females. The observed effects were weaker than those of other very potent progestins, which is probably related to the lack of interaction of CMA with the zebrafish progesterone receptor.

Temperature variation caused by climate change, seasonal variation and geographic locations affects the physicochemical compositions of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), resulting in difference in the fates of CDOM-related environmental pollutants. Exploration into the thermal induced structural transition of CDOM can help to better understand their environmental impacts, but information on this aspect is still lacking. Through integrating fluorescence excitation–emission matrix coupled parallel factor analysis with synchronous fluorescence two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy, this study provides an in–depth insight into the temperature–dependent conformational transitions of CDOM and their impact on its hydrophobic interaction with persistent organic pollutants (with phenanthrene as an example) in water. The fluorescence components in CDOM change linearly to water temperature with different extents and different temperature regions. The thermal induced transition priority in CDOM is protein-like component → fulvic-like component → humic-like component. Furthermore, the impact of thermal–induced conformational transition of CDOM on its hydrophobic interaction with phenanthrene is observed and explored. The fluorescence–based analytic results reveal that the conjugation degree of the aromatic groups in the fulvic– and humic–like substances, and the unfolding of the secondary structure in the protein–like substances with aromatic structure, contribute to the conformation variation. This integrated approach jointly enhances the characterization of temperature–dependent conformational variation of CDOM, and provides a promising way to elucidate the environmental behaviours of CDOM.

Identifying phosphorus (P) sources, distribution and export from lowland polders is important for P pollution management, however, is challenging due to the high complexity of hydrological and P transport processes in lowland areas. In this study, the spatial pattern and temporal dynamics of P export coefficient (PEC) from all the 2539 polders in Lake Taihu Basin, China were estimated using a coupled P model for describing P dynamics in a polder system. The estimated amount of P export from polders in Lake Taihu Basin during 2013 was 1916.2 t/yr, with a spatially-averaged PEC of 1.8 kg/ha/yr. PEC had peak values (more than 4.0 kg/ha/yr) in the polders near/within the large cities, and was high during the rice-cropping season. Sensitivity analysis based on the coupled P model revealed that the sensitive factors controlling the PEC varied spatially and changed through time. Precipitation and air temperature were the most sensitive factors controlling PEC. Culvert controlling and fertilization were sensitive factors controlling PEC during some periods. This study demonstrated an estimation of PEC from 2539 polders in Lake Taihu Basin, and an identification of sensitive environmental factors affecting PEC. The investigation of polder P export in a watershed scale is helpful for water managers to learn the distribution of P sources, to identify key P sources, and thus to achieve best management practice in controlling P export from lowland areas.

Biochars have attracted tremendous attention due to their effects on soil improvement; they enhance carbon storage, soil fertility and quality, and contaminant (organic and heavy metal) immobilization and transformation. These effects could be achieved by modifying soil microbial habitats and (or) directly influencing microbial metabolisms, which together induce changes in microbial activity and microbial community structures. This review links microbial responses, including microbial activity, community structures and soil enzyme activities, with changes in soil properties caused by biochars. In particular, we summarized possible mechanisms that are involved in the effects that biochar-microbe interactions have on soil carbon sequestration and pollution remediation. Special attention has been paid to biochar effects on the formation and protection of soil aggregates, biochar adsorption of contaminants, biochar-mediated transformation of soil contaminants by microorganisms, and biochar-facilitated electron transfer between microbial cells and contaminants and soil organic matter. Certain reactive organic compounds and heavy metals in biochar may induce toxicity to soil microorganisms. Adsorption and hydrolysis of signaling molecules by biochar interrupts microbial interspecific communications, potentially altering soil microbial community structures. Further research is urged to verify the proposed mechanisms involved in biochar-microbiota interactions for soil remediation and improvement.

The toxicity of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) has been primarily attributed to polar organic constituents, including naphthenic acid fraction components (NAFCs). Our objective was to assess the toxicity of NAFCs derived from fresh and aged OSPW, as well as commercial naphthenic acid (NA) mixtures. Exposures were conducted with three aquatic species: Hyalella azteca (freshwater amphipod), Vibrio fischeri (marine bacterium, Microtox® assay), and Lampsilis cardium (freshwater mussel larvae (glochidia)). Commercial NAs were more toxic than NAFCs, with differences of up to 30-, 4-, and 120-fold for H. azteca, V. fischeri, and L. cardium, respectively, demonstrating that commercial NAs are not reliable surrogates for assessing the toxicity of NAFCs. Differences in toxicity between species were striking for both commercial NAs and NAFCs. Overall, V. fischeri was the least sensitive and H. azteca was the most sensitive organism. Responses of V. fischeri and H. azteca to NAFC exposures were consistent (< 2-fold difference) regardless of source and age of OSPW; however, effects on L. cardium ranged 17-fold between NAFCs. NAFCs derived from fresh OSPW sources were similarly or less toxic to those from aged OSPW. Our results support the need to better characterize the complex mixtures associated with bitumen-influenced waters, both chemically and toxicologically.

The continuous release of persistent iron-cyanide (Fe-CN) complexes from various industrial sources poses a high hazard to the environment and indicates the necessity to analyze a considerable amount of samples. Conventional flow injection analysis (FIA) is a time and cost consuming method for cyanide (CN) determination. Thus, a rapid and economic alternative needs to be developed to quantify the Fe-CN complexes. 52 soil samples were collected at a former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site in order to determine the feasibility of diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier spectroscopy (DRIFTS). Soil analysis revealed CN concentrations in a range from 8 to 14.809 mg kg−1, where 97% was in the solid form (Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3), which is characterized by a single symmetrical CN band in the range 2092–2084 cm−1. The partial least squares (PLS) calibration-validation model revealed IR response to CNtot which exceeds 2306 mg kg−1 (limit of detection, LOD). Leave-one-out cross-validation (LOO-CV) was performed on soil samples, which contained low CNtot (<900 mg kg−1). This improved the sensitivity of the model by reducing the LOD to 154 mg kg−1. Finally, the LOO-CV conducted on the samples with CNtot > 900 mg kg−1 resulted in LOD equal to 3751 mg kg−1. It was found that FTIR spectroscopy provides the information concerning different CN species in the soil samples. Additionally, it is suitable for quantifying Fe-CN species in matrixes with CNtot > 154 mg kg−1. Thus, FTIR spectroscopy, in combination with the statistical approach applied here seems to be a feasible and quick method for screening of contaminated sites.

Undissolved humic acid (HA) is known to substantially effect the migration and transformation of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] in soils. The mechanisms of Cr(VI) retention in soils by undissolved HA have been reported; however, past studies are inconclusive about the types of HA functional groups that are involved in Cr(VI) retention and the retention mechanisms. Utilizing a two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) analysis for FTIR and 13C CP/MAS NMR, this study investigated the variations of HA function groups and molecular structures after reactions with aqueous Cr(VI) under different pH conditions. Based on the changing sequence of functional groups interpreted from the 2DCOS results, a four-step mechanism for Cr(VI) retention was determined as follows: (1) electrostatic adsorption of Cr(VI) to HA surface, (2) complexation of adsorbed Cr(VI) by carboxyl and ester, (3) reduction of complexed Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by phenol and polysaccharide, and (4) complexation of reduced Cr(III) by carboxylic groups. These functional groups that are involved in Cr(VI) retention were determined to occur in aromatic domains.