scholarly journals Electroconductive nanofibrous membranes with nanosheet-based microsphere-threaded heterostructures enable oily wastewater remediation

Author(s):  
Jichao Zhang ◽  
Jun Song ◽  
Lifang Liu ◽  
Peng Zhang ◽  
Yang Si ◽  
...  

Water pollution caused by oil has posed a significant burden on ecosystem and human health. However, the present membranes suffer from serious oil fouling issue during long-term oily wastewater remediation,...

2022 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
M. Meenakshi ◽  

Water pollution is an issue of great concern worldwide, contamination by organic compounds, inorganic compounds and microorganisms. Bioremediation using microorganisms helps in the removal of toxic metals from the environment. The focus is on the heavy metals associated with environmental contamination, lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr) which are potentially hazardous to ecosystems. In the present study textile effluent was collected, and subjected to Physicochemical treatment methods , Herbal-Metal nanocomposite was prepared and used to treat textile effluents. As a bioremediation study, the plant growth potential of treated effluents was evaluated using pot studies of an aquatic plant .Laboratory and field test results confirmed superior bioremediation efficiency and long-term effect. When compared to today’s most-efficient bioremediation technologies there is an efficient, fast, safe, and inexpensive way to clean up polluted waters through acceleration of natural bioremediation process. Nanotechnology provides an economical, convenient and ecofriendly means of wastewater remediation. The results obtained in this study shall be carried out as future studies using different types and concentrations of nanoparticles for the treatment of any types of effluents causing land and water pollution. There is a growing need for the development of novel, efficient, eco-friendly, and cost-effective approach for the remediation of inorganic metals released into the environment and to safeguard the ecosystem. In this regard, recent advances in microbes-base heavy metal have propelled bioremediation as a prospective alternative to conventional techniques.


Author(s):  
Kpatinde Talagbe Aime ◽  
A. H. Abdul Wahab ◽  
K. S. J. Fadina ◽  
W. K. A. Oting ◽  
D. B. O. Sinatoko

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Hale ◽  
Hans Peter H. Arp ◽  
Ivo Schliebner ◽  
Michael Neumann

Abstract Background Under the EU chemicals regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals EC 1907/2006), registrants are not obliged to provide information related to intrinsic substance properties for substances that pose a threat to the drinking water resources. In 2019, perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(heptafluoropropoxy)-propanoic acid (HFPO-DA trade name GenX) were demonstrated to have an equivalent level of concern (ELoC) to persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (PBT/vPvB) substances owing to their persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) substance properties and very persistent and very mobile (vPvM) substance properties, respectively. They were both subsequently identified as substances of very high concern (SVHC) applying Article 57(f) in REACH. This work follows up on this regulatory decision by presenting a science based, conceptual level comparison that all PMT/vPvM substances pose an ELoC to PBT/vPvB substances. Using the two cases named above, as well as 1,4-dioxane, 16 categories were developed to evaluate a) serious effects on human health, b) serious effects on the environment and c) additional effects. 1,4-dioxane has recently been proposed to be classified as Carcinogenic 1B by the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC). The aim was to enable an objective and scientifically justified conclusion that these classes of substances have an equivalent level of concern for the environment and human health. Results In all of the categories related to human health, the environment and other effects, the PMT/vPvM case study substances exhibited comparable effects to PBT/vPvB substances. A difference in the human and environmental exposure pathways of PMT/vPvM and PBT/vPvB substances exists as they vary temporally and spatially. However, effects and impacts are similar, with PMT/vPvM substances potentially accumulating in (semi-)closed drinking water cycles and pristine aquatic environments, and PBT/vPvB substances accumulating in humans and the food chain. Both PMT/vPvM and PBT/vPvB substances share the common difficulty that long term and long-range transport and risk of exposure is very difficult to determine in advance and with sufficient accuracy. Conclusion The registration process of substances under REACH should reflect that PMT/vPvM substances pose an equivalent level of concern to PBT/vPvB substances.


Proceedings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Naciye Güliz Uğur

The extraordinary and tragic conditions that humanity has not experienced before in the modern period have become ordinary, namely, a “new normal” with the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has had frightening consequences for human health and has caused one million deaths as of September 2020. On the other hand, it has set a new standard of good habits, approaches, and benefits. Due to its global and long-term impact, this unique virus has laid the groundwork for unprecedented helping and sharing behaviors between people and countries. In this study, findings are compiled from the open-ended responses of 626 individuals, all of whom live in Turkey. Within the study’s scope, individuals were asked about the unique advantages and disadvantages of the restrictions imposed under COVID-19. While the categories of economy, social distance, and health came to the fore among the harms, the strengthening of family ties, adoption of technology, and the spread of solidarity culture were mentioned among the advantages.


Author(s):  
Xiuping Chen ◽  
Yushuang Yang ◽  
Yiming Li ◽  
Mutai Bao ◽  
Dan Zhang ◽  
...  

Water pollution caused by oil has seriously threatened ecological environment and human health. Janus membrane could separate oil-water emulsions efficiently, but they suffer from high synthesis cost, poor stability and...


2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 385-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Finlay ◽  
Michelle Earby ◽  
David J. Baker ◽  
Virginia S.G. Murray

AbstractThe immediate patterns of injury from explosions are well documented, from both military and civil experience. However, few studies have focused on less immediately apparent health consequences and latent effects of explosions in survivors, emergency responders and the surrounding community. This review aimed to analyze the risks to health following an explosion in a civil setting.A comprehensive review of the open literature was conducted, and data on 10 relevant military, civilian and industrial events were collected. Events were selected according to availability of published studies and involvement of large numbers of people injured. In addition, structured interviews with experts in the field were conducted, and existing national guidelines reviewed.The review revealed significant and potentially long-term health implications affecting various body systems and psychological well-being following exposure to an explosion. An awareness of the short- and long-term health effects of explosions is essential in screening for blast injuries, and identifying latent pathologies that could otherwise be overlooked in stressful situations with other visually distracting injuries and, often, mass casualties. Such knowledge would guide responsible medical staff in implementing early appropriate interventions to reduce the burden of long-term sequelae. Effective planning and response strategies would ensure accessibility of appropriate health care resources and evidence-based information in the aftermath of an explosion.Finlay SE, Earby M, Baker DJ, Murray VSG. Explosions and human health: the long-term effects of blast injury. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(4):1-7.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Gama ◽  
Alexandra Monteiro ◽  
Myriam Lopes ◽  
Ana Isabel Miranda

<p>Tropospheric ozone (O<sub>3</sub>) is a critical pollutant over the Mediterranean countries, including Portugal, due to systematic exceedances to the thresholds for the protection of human health. Due to the location of Portugal, on the Atlantic coast at the south-west point of Europe, the observed O<sub>3</sub> concentrations are very much influenced not only by local and regional production but also by northern mid-latitudes background concentrations. Ozone trends in the Iberian Peninsula were previously analysed by Monteiro et al. (2012), based on 10-years of O<sub>3</sub> observations. Nevertheless, only two of the eleven background monitoring stations analysed in that study are located in Portugal and these two stations are located in Porto and Lisbon urban areas. Although during pollution events O<sub>3</sub> levels in urban areas may be high enough to affect human health, the highest concentrations are found in rural locations downwind from the urban and industrialized areas, rather than in cities. This happens because close to the sources (e.g., in urban areas) freshly emitted NO locally scavenges O<sub>3</sub>. A long-term study of the spatial and temporal variability and trends of the ozone concentrations over Portugal is missing, aiming to answer the following questions:</p><p>-           What is the temporal variability of ozone concentrations?</p><p>-           Which trends can we find in observations?</p><p>-           How were the ozone spring maxima concentrations affected by the COVID-19 lockdown during spring 2020?</p><p>In this presentation, these questions will be answered based on the statistical analysis of O<sub>3</sub> concentrations recorded within the national air quality monitoring network between 2005 and 2020 (16 years). The variability of the surface ozone concentrations over Portugal, on the timescales from diurnal to annual, will be presented and discussed, taking into account the physical and chemical processes that control that variability. Using the TheilSen function from the OpenAir package for R (Carslaw and Ropkins 2012), which quantifies monotonic trends and calculates the associated p-value through bootstrap simulations, O<sub>3</sub> concentration long-term trends will be estimated for the different regions and environments (e.g., rural, urban).  Moreover, taking advantage of the unique situation provided by the COVID-19 lockdown during spring 2020, when the government imposed mandatory confinement and citizens movement restriction, leading to a reduction in traffic-related atmospheric emissions, the role of these emissions on ozone levels during the spring period will be studied and presented.</p><p> </p><p>Carslaw and Ropkins, 2012. Openair—an R package for air quality data analysis. Environ. Model. Softw. 27-28,52-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2011.09.008</p><p>Monteiro et al., 2012. Trends in ozone concentrations in the Iberian Peninsula by quantile regression and clustering. Atmos. Environ. 56, 184-193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2012.03.069</p>


Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marsha Putri ◽  
Chao-Hsun Lou ◽  
Mat Syai’in ◽  
Shang-Hsin Ou ◽  
Yu-Chun Wang

The application of multivariate statistical techniques including cluster analysis and principal component analysis-multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR) was successfully used to classify the river pollution level in Taiwan and identify possible pollution sources. Water quality and heavy metal monitoring data from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) was evaluated for 14 major rivers in four regions of Taiwan with the Erren River classified as the most polluted river in the country. Biochemical oxygen demand (6.1 ± 2.38), ammonia (3.48 ± 3.23), and total phosphate (0.65 ± 0.38) mg/L concentration in this river was the highest of the 14 rivers evaluated. In addition, heavy metal levels in the following rivers exceeded the Taiwan EPA standard limit (lead: 0.01, copper: 0.03, and manganese: 0.03) mg/L concentration: lead-in the Dongshan (0.02 ± 0.09), Jhuoshuei (0.03 ± 0.03), and Xinhuwei Rivers (0.02 ± 0.02) mg/L; copper: in the Dahan (0.036 ± 0.097), Laojie (0.06 ± 1.77), and Erren Rivers are (0.05 ± 0.158) mg/L; manganese: in all rivers. A total 72% of the water pollution in the Erren River was estimated to originate from industrial sources, 16% from domestic black water, and 12% from natural sources and runoff from other tributaries. Our research demonstrated that applying PCA-MLR and cluster analysis on long-term monitoring water quality would provide integrated information for river water pollution management and future policy making.


e-Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 268-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen Xue ◽  
Mengxing Zhang ◽  
Fan Zhao ◽  
Fujun Wang ◽  
Jing Gao ◽  
...  

AbstractWound infection is a significant burden on public health. Most present antibacterial agents are typically toxic and devoid of long-term durability. We reported an antimicrobial microcapsule with Chinese nutgall (CN) encapsulated, which was a plant-derived extraction. It is biocompatible and has been used in traditional medicine systems. Sodium alginate (SA) and chitosan worked as shells. The promise of the design is to adopt biocompatible natural polymers and electrostatic attractive chitosan and SA form stable shells to keep long-term release of CN. The results exhibited microcapsules with integrated performance of biocompatibility, long-term durability (inhibition rate of 98.99% against S. aureus after 12 h and 100% after 12 h, 99.61% against E. coli after 6 h and 100% after 12 h), high antibacterial efficacy (with S. aureus inhibition zones of 7.67 mm and E. coli inhibition zones of 5.27 mm) and ease of storage (-20°C for more than 60 h). Their successful fabrication may provide new insights into application of traditional cotton gauze in a sustainable and multifunctional form.


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