Abstract Increasing the use and cycling of meat by-products is essential to increase economic benefits and reduce environmental pollution. Among the meat by-products, bones are widely used as food for human consumption and are important raw materials in other related industries (e.g., pharmaceuticals). However, their shelf-life during storage and nutritional composition have not been evaluated. The main objective of this study was to assess the collagen content, amino acid and fatty acid composition, and shelf-life of bones during refrigerated storage. For this study, the leg, brisket, and pelvic bones of Hanwoo cattle collected 24 h after slaughter were used. The bones were prepared into 1 cm thick pieces, placed on trays, overwrapped with plastic film, and stored at 4 °C for 21 days. The samples were then analyzed for aerobic plate count (APC), color, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), lipid oxidation, collagen, amino acid, and fatty acid composition. After 21 d of storage, the APC increased faster in brisket bone (by 5.67 log10 CFU/cm2). Brisket bone also showed a faster increase in TVBN (by 16.79 mg/100 g) and TBARS (by 4.08 mg malondialdehyde/kg) compared to other remaining bones after 21 d of storage. The a* (redness) values significantly decreased with increased storage time in all the bones. The total collagen and essential amino acid contents ranged among the bones from 7.09 to 7.54 g/100 g and 501.92 to 853.20 mg/100 g, respectively. The unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) content among the bones varied from 46.75% to 52.38%.
Copper (Cu) is an essential trace element for plankton, but excessive amounts can be toxic and threaten the ecosystems and human health. However, the determination of low concentration labile Cu (CuLabile) in complex water environments remains a huge challenge. In this work, a gold microelectrode (μ-GE) with high sensitivity and anti-fouling capability was fabricated based on a double-layer membrane framework consisting of ion-exchange polymer (Nafion) and agarose gel (LGL). The Nafion stabilized on the surface of μ-GE not only enhanced the voltammetric response significantly through its specific cation-exchange ability with Cu2+, but also improved the chemical and mechanical stability. In addition, the LGL formed an another efficient anti-fouling membrane which could prevent the contamination of electrode by microorganisms, particulate matters, etc. Benefiting from the synergistic effects of the double-layer membrane framework, the so-designed LGL/Nafion functionalized μ-GE (LGL/Nafion/μ-GE) exhibited excellent detection performance for Cu, as well as anti-biofouling capability. Two linear ranges (0.5–10 nM and 10–1000 nM) were achieved for Cu2+, with a detection limit of 0.043 nM in NaCl solution with a salinity of 30 ‰. The LGL/Nafion/μ-GE was successfully applied for the determination of CuLabile in complex environmental water samples including natural seawater and artificial algae culture medium. Furthermore, the real-time changes of CuLabile in culture medium of Synechococcus sp.PCC 7002 was obtained successfully with the LGL/Nafion/μ-GE via in situ continuous monitoring.
Laura N. Vandenberg, Elise J. Pierce, Rachel M. Arsenault
There is increasing evidence that pesticides act as endocrine disruptors, developmental toxicants, and reproductive toxicants. In this review, we describe several global challenges associated with pesticide production and use that put the health of human and wildlife populations at risk. These include: (1) the global production and use of pesticides is high, leading to increasing rates of release into the environment; (2) exposures to non-target species (including humans) are well documented, and pesticides often have adverse effects on these species; (3) pesticides, and especially those that are persistent organic pollutants, do not stay where they are used, contributing to ecosystem pollution far from their intended areas of application; (4) climate change can exacerbate the use of pesticides; and (5) social determinants of health (race/ethnicity, sex, and occupation) influence pesticide exposures and the adverse effects associated with these exposures. In 2009, the concept of planetary boundaries was introduced as a framework to evaluate how human actions impact earth systems. The planetary boundaries were based on a shared understanding that human activities have significant and sometimes irreversible effects on key aspects of environmental health. When considering the global impact of pesticides, these products can disrupt several planetary boundaries including biogeochemical cycles, biosphere integrity (e.g., measures of biodiversity), and the availability of clean freshwater, but the greatest challenge posed by pesticides is the “novel entities” boundary (i.e., the introduction of synthetic chemicals and materials into the environment). The planetary boundaries framework makes clear that failure to act against the most concerning chemicals, including pesticides, ultimately puts the survival of human populations at risk.
With the development of urbanization and industrialization worldwide, soil heavy metal pollution has become a critical and pressing environmental problem in urban areas. Soil heavy metals exhibit complex and varying spatial aggregation and diffusion processes within diverse urban landscapes, especially in different urban areas with varying urbanization levels. However, many existing experimental methods and conventional models overlook the crucial aspects of spatial autocorrelation and heterogeneity between soil heavy metals and influencing factors. This neglect poses significant environmental concerns, as rapid monitoring of soil heavy metals and accurate identification of their determinants become imperative. This study investigated four environmentally sensitive and potentially harmful soil heavy metals, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb), in two urban areas in China with varying urbanization levels. Enshi (a prefecture-level city) and Wuhan (a provincial capital city) were selected for comparison of the spatially variable relationships between soil heavy metals and their influencing factors. We employed a global stepwise linear regression (STR) model and a local spatial model-geographically weighted regression (GWR) to map the spatial distribution of soil heavy metals based on 121 auxiliary variables, including terrain, geophysical, socioeconomic factors, and remote sensing data. Our results showed that: (1) soil heavy metals exhibited strong spatial aggregation in the prefecture-level city (Enshi) but, nonetheless, have strong spatial heterogeneity in the provincial capital city (Wuhan) due to elevated anthropogenic disturbances; (2) GWR accurately mapped the spatial distributions of As (<i>r</i> = 0.47 and 0.66), Cd (<i>r</i> = 0.74 and 0.53), Cu (<i>r</i> = 0.60 and 0.54), and Pb (<i>r</i> = 0.44 and 0.50) based on auxiliary variables in different cities and also can clearly reveal the spatially variable relationships with main influence factors; (3) human activities were the primary driving factors influencing As and Pb, while natural environment variables were identified as the main potential sources of Cd and Cu. This study demonstrates a methodology to explore spatially variable characteristics of soil heavy metals and their spatial varying relationships with influence factors. The comparative analysis between two cities provides insights that can greatly enhance quantitative source apportionment and support sustainable management strategies for controlling soil heavy metal pollution across varied urban environments.
Cadmium (Cd(II)), one of the most toxic heavy metals in paddy soils, poses a major threat to food security. In this study, the effects of biochar derived from maize straw (MB), peanut shells (PB), and their copyrolysis (MPB) on soil properties, Cd(II) immobilization, microbial communities, and rice production were evaluated. MPB exhibited superior physicochemical properties relative to mono-feedstock biochars, including higher porosity, higher cation exchange capacity, and greater enrichment of oxygen-containing functional groups (e.g., CO, CC). XRD and SEM analysis showed that MPB had an amorphous carbon structure with decreased crystallinity and a honeycomb-like porous network, providing abundant adsorption sites. Application of MPB significantly increased soil pH, organic carbon, and available K, whereas it decreased CaCl2-extractable Cd(II) by 51.79 % and shifted Cd(II) from the labile to residual fractions. MPB also increased bacterial α diversity, promoted the abundance of beneficial taxa such as Anaerolineaceae and Vicinamibacterales, and strongly reshaped community and environmental relationships. In rice tissues, compared with the control, MPB reduced Cd(II) accumulation by 19.42 % in roots, 23.32 % in stems, 47.18 % in leaves, and 45.56 % in grain, ensuring that Cd(II) levels in grain remained below the national safety threshold. Moreover, MPB improved rice yield (+2.55 %), milling quality, and amylose content. These findings demonstrate that copyrolyzed biochar provides an integrated strategy to simultaneously mitigate Cd(II) risk and increase rice productivity in contaminated paddy soils.
The application of animal manure and organic soil amendments as an alternative to expensive inorganic fertilizers is becoming more prevalent in the USA and worldwide. A field experiment was conducted on Bluegrass–Maury silty loam soil at the Kentucky State University Research Farm using the Kennebec variety of white potato (<i>Solanum tuberosum</i>) under Kentucky climatic conditions. The study involved 12 soil treatments in a randomized complete block design. The treatments included four types of animal manures (cow manure, chicken manure, vermicompost, and sewage sludge), biochar at three application rates (5%, 10%, and 20%), and native soil as control plots. Additionally, animal manures were supplemented with 10% biochar to assess the influence of combining biochar with animal manure on the accumulation of heavy metals in potato tubers. The study aimed to (1) determine the concentration of seven heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Mn, Zn, Cu) and two essential nutrients (K and Mg) in soils treated with biochar and animal manure, and (2) assess metal mobility from soil to potato tubers at harvest by determining the bioaccumulation factor (BAF). The results revealed that Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Mn concentrations in potato tubers exceeded the FAO/WHO allowable limits. Whereas the BAF values varied among the soil treatments, with Cd, Cu, and Zn having high BAF values (>1), and Pb, Ni, Cr, and Mn having low BAF values (<1). This observation demonstrates that potato tubers can remediate Cd, Cu, and Zn when grown under the soil amended with biochar and animal manure.
Uzungöl is a popular natural route and a major tourist attraction in Turkey, but recently overtourism has become a major problem. With the increase in the number of visitors, rapid construction, concreting and various forms of pollution have had a negative impact on the destination of Uzungöl and its environment. The aim of this study is to reveal the evidence for the existence of overtourism in Uzungöl through visitors’ reviews on online platforms and to determine in which areas overtourism is effective. In this study, which was conducted using an exploratory approach, it was observed that many visitors reviewed on overtourism in Uzungöl using TripAdvisor. These reviews were analysed using content analysis. As a result of the analysis, it was found that visitors’ reviews focused on three themes related to overtourism in Uzungöl. These are environmental, economic, and socio-cultural themes. As a result of the study, it was determined that environmental concerns are more prominent in terms of overtourism. In addition, it
was understood that tourists visiting the region have a negative image in terms of overbuilding, concretisation, and unplanned urbanisation.
Wajid Umar, János Balogh, Muhammad Khalid Hameed
et al.
Overuse of chemical fertilizers in agroecosystems leads to the increased economic burden, low crop production in terms of input and environmental pollution. Due to its improved nutrient management and degrading properties, synthetic slow release fertilizers have become a significant advancement in the fertilizer sector. In this study we evaluated the effect of slow release urea on nitrous oxide (N2O) emission, crop growth and crop nutrient contents. Measurements were carried out in two different texture soils (sandy loam and silty clay) under two different conditions (bare soil and planted). The N2O emission was measured for 15 days from bare soils and 48 days from planted soil. Plant fresh weight, dry weight, chlorophyll contents, N and Zn were measured in the end of the experiment. The results showed that N2O emission was reduced 33–39 % from coated urea as compared to conventional urea in bare soil. In planted soil, the coated urea reduced the N2O emission 29–33 %. The deep placement of urea in silty clay soil reduced the N2O emission up to 22.8 % as compared to surface placement. Plant fresh matter, dry matter, N and Zn contents were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher with coated urea as compared to conventional urea. It is concluded that the coating of urea with hydrophobic materials like stearic acid, along with Zn sources i.e. Zn fortified nano-bentonite or the ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) presents opportunities to overcome the environmental pollution and increasing the crop production and quality.
To clarify different effects of Asian dust (AD), long-range transported from Asian continent, on total suspended particles (TSP) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Japan, TSP were simultaneously collected during AD periods (from 1 March to 31 May 2020 and 2021) in Fukuoka and Kanazawa. During AD days, decided by Light Detection and Ranging and Japan Meteorological Agency, TSP concentrations increased significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.001) at two sampling sites. PAH concentrations increased in Kanazawa (<i>p</i> < 0.001) but not in Fukuoka on AD days. Correlation coefficients (<i>r</i>) between daily TSP and total PAHs concentrations were weak in Kanazawa: 0.521 (non-AD) and 0.526 (AD) (<i>p</i> < 0.01), and in Fukuoka: 0.321 (non-AD) and 0.059 (AD). However, correlation between seasonal (average monthly) TSP and total PAH concentrations were stronger: 0.680 (Kanazawa) and 0.751 (Fukuoka). The reasons might be that seasonal variations of TSP and total PAHs in two cities depend equally on planetary scale westerly, while daily TSP and total PAHs variations in each city varied by different transportation distances from AD and PAHs sources in the Asian continent to Japan. Different local sources and meteorological conditions were considered. These results are important for elucidating the causes of chronic and acute respiratory diseases.
Arif Widiyatmoko, Muhamad Taufiq, Aji Purwinarko
et al.
The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of "Environmental Pollution Game-Based Learning (EPGBL)" on improving students’ conceptual understanding and environmental awareness. EPGBL is an android-based learning media that can be used in science learning, particularly for environmental pollution concepts. Quasi-experimental research with pretest and posttest group design was utilized to answer the research questions in this study. The average percentage of correct responses in the pre-test is 61.33, meanwhile, the percentage of correct responses in the post-test is 73.33. This result showed that the percentage of correct responses in the post-test is higher than in the pre-test. The results showed that EPGBL can improve students' conceptual understanding of environmental pollution concept. The average score of the students' environmental awareness character is 3.98 that include in the good criteria. In conclusion, EPGBL is effective in improving students' conceptual understanding and environmental awareness.
Nouraddin Ghanbari, Ebrahim Fataei, Abolfazl Naji
et al.
Abstract Microplastic pollution is an emerging threat to marine environments with potential environmental, social, economic, and health consequences and has become a major global environmental issue. The objective of the present study was to evaluate microplastic contamination in the ecosystem of the Qara Su River in Ardabil, Iran. Fifteen sampling sites along the Qara Su River in the Ardabil urban area were selected to collect sediment samples. The abundance and morphological characteristics of microplastics were determined by counting using a digital stereomicroscope. Micro-Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR) analysis was used to identify polymer type of the microplastics. In this study, the frequency and distribution of microplastics (< 5 mm) in the sediment of Qara Su River were investigated as one of the sources containing microplastics. Sediment samples were collected from five different sites (Karkarq, Sar band, Anzab Sulfa, Dolat abad, and Samian) from September to March 2020. For microplastic examination in sediment, the amount (approximately 1000 g of fresh sediment from each site) was sampled from 15 sites. Fiber microplastics (53%) and fragments (33%) microplastics were predominant. It has shown the abundance and heterogeneity of space. In this study, the highest amount of microplastics detected in sediment samples was related to the size of less than 5000 µm (92%). The frequency of microplastics below 5000 µm in sediment was attributed to the low capacity of existing processes in Ardabil wastewater treatment plant. The abundance of microplastics shows significant differences between sampling sites. The Qara Su River along the city of Ardabil, like many other rivers, is contaminated with microplastics. This study was the first study conducted for evaluation of the sediment environment in terms of the microplastic pollution of Qara Su River in Ardabil. Considering the amount of microplastics in sediments, further research is required to estimate the amount of microplastics released by Ardabil wastewater treatment plants and industrial town wastewater, and other possible sources of emission and to evaluate their contribution to microplastic pollution in water, sediment, and soil. This study provided a framework for future studies of microplastics pollution in the sediment of urban areas around the Qara Su River in Iran.
Tran Van Cong, Nguyen Duc Hung, Lai Xuan Bach
et al.
Plasma creation technology in an aqueous environment is being evaluated for research and practical applications, particularly in the field of materials and nano processing, as well as environmental pollution treatment. Important factors that influence the appearance of plasma when performing electrolysis by high-voltage DC (direct current) in aqueous environments are voltage, distance between electrodes, pH, conductivity and ambient temperature, as well as the nature of the electrode, which has been suggested by concurrent works to be the controlling factor of the other ones. Specifically, it is indicated that the plasma typically appears at a high voltage of about 15 kV and a distance between electrodes of 200 mm, with the earliest appearance occurring with the tungsten (W) electrode. Additionally, pH, conductivity and temperature variations for effective plasma creation have been found in all investigated electrodes. Finally, it has been found that the water-soluble plasma on the W electrode produces more gas than those in iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) electrodes. After the reactions, the lowest dissolution belonging to W electrode could be attributed to the inertness of W in comparison with Fe and Cu, resulting in a minimal value of the zeta potential. In addition, the size of Cu and Fe nanoparticles achieved in the investigated solution was approximately 200 nm, whereas W nanoparticles were two separate sizes of 100 and 500 nm. Therefore, this work could offer the needed agency for technological applications in industrial wastewater treatment and high-purity nanoparticle fabrication.
Environmental issues are nowadays of great importance. In particular air and water quality should be kept at as high levels as possible. Energy conversion systems and devices which are applied for converting the chemical energy contained in different fuels into heat, electricity and cold in the industry and housing are sources of different gases and solid particle emissions. Medical data show PM<sub>2.5</sub> dust in particular is highly dangerous for human health. Therefore, limiting the number of low-quality fuel combustion processes is a key issue of modern energy policy. Statistical data show that domestic heating systems account for a large share of the total emissions of PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub> dust. For example in Poland in 2017, the share of households in the total annual emissions of PM<sub>2.5</sub> dust was equal to ca. 35.8%, while the share of PM<sub>2.5</sub> emission in industry (i.e., power generating plants, industrial power plants and technologies) was equal to only 23.6%. A possible way of solving this problem is by the successful replacement of old domestic furnaces by combined heat and power (CHP) or multigeneration boilers which can be used for heating the rooms and sanitary water and generating electricity and cold. Such systems can possibly contribute in the future to significant reductions of dust emissions and air pollution in urban and rural areas by limiting the number of low-quality fuel combustion processes. This article presents design considerations and experimental results related to a domestic micro-CHP unit which is based on organic Rankine cycle (ORC) technology. The main aim of the design works and experiments was therefore the analysis of the possibility of integrating the ORC system with a standard domestic central heating gas-fired boiler. The specially designed micro-ORC system was implemented in the laboratory and experiments were performed using this test stand. The main design aims of the test-stand were: low operating pressure, small working fluid flow, low price and compact dimensions. To meet these aims, volumetric machines were chosen as the expander and working fluid pump. The experimental results were positive and show that it is possible to integrate an ORC system with a standard domestic central heating gas boiler. For different heat source temperatures, the obtained expander power ranged from 109 W to 241 W and the thermodynamic cycle efficiency ranged from 4.3% to 8.8%. These positive research results were achieved partly thanks to the positive features of the different system subassemblies.
Mohsen Dowlati, Shandiz Moslehi, Hesam Seyedin
et al.
Natural disasters are always among the main problems and challenges facing societies. Earthquakes had many adverse effects on human life, causing mortality, morbidity, and economical, psychological, and environmental damages. Tehran is one of the most vulnerable regions for disasters, especially earthquake due. In recent decades, ambient air pollution represents one of the most environmental risks to health in Tehran. One of the main factors increasing the concentration of air pollutants is vehicles. After the earthquake, people left their homes and stayed into their cars until morning. Therefore, due to the pollution caused by leaving the cars on, the concentration of pollutants increased and the caused a greater number of deaths attributed to air pollution.
BACKGROUND The orchard soil environment is closely related to kiwifruit yield, quality and its edible safety. Research shows that the nutrient insufficiency and uneven distribution in kiwifruit orchard soil is a common problem in China, and in some areas, the content of heavy metals in soil has been found to exceed the environmental quality standard for soils. In recent years, the planting area of Kiwifruit in Zhejiang Province has been expanded year by year, being one of the important kiwifruit producing areas in China. OBJECTIVES To study the present situation of soil environmental quality in kiwifruit orchards in Jiangshan City, Zhejiang Province. METHODS Two typical kiwifruit orchards were selected to collect samples of soil, rock and fruit, and the content of heavy metals, nutrients and physical and chemical parameters of soil and rock samples were determined by atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The environmental quality and ecological risk assessment of orchard soil were carried out with the main research contents of nutrient abundance and deficiency in orchard soil, influence factors, heavy metal content and fruit edible safety. RESULTS The results showed that the content of Ag, Bi, Co, Cr, Ni, Sb, Se, V and SiO2 in the soil of the two orchards were lower than those of Quzhou City and Zhejiang Province, while Pb and Al2O3 contents were higher than those of Quzhou City and Zhejiang Province. The characteristics of soil element content were obviously controlled by the natural geological background. Soil pH value ranged from 4.61 to 6.30. According to the classification standard in DZ/T 0295-2016, the soils in the studied area belonged to strong acidic and acidic soils. Nutrient elements K, Ge, Mo and Zn were abundant, but N, P, Mn and S were deficient. The maximum value of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn in the soil samples were 21.84, 0.22, 23.53, 20.47, 0.06, 8.82, 53.84 and 133mg/kg, respectively, which were far lower than the screening value of soil pollution risk for agricultural land (standard limit were 40, 0.3, 150, 150, 1.3, 60, 70, 200mg/kg when pH ≤ 5.5). The risk of soil pollution was low. The contents of heavy metals in kiwifruit fruit were lower than the limits of green food and food hygiene standards. For example, the highest content of As was 0.009mg/kg, the limit were 0.2mg/kg and 0.5mg/kg, respectively. CONCLUSIONS On the whole, the soils in the study area have the characteristics of strong acidity, uneven distribution of nutrients and low content of heavy metals. It is necessary to take scientific measures to supple and balance soil nutrients and prevent the risk of heavy metals activation caused by soil acidification.
Sepideh Ghaderi, amirhossien javid, Hamidreza Ghaffarzadeh
et al.
Background and objectives: There are several methods to choose the optimum method and position of wastewater treatment facilities as two separate tasks. However, making these two decisions at the same time is a function of several parameters. MCDM technique is one of the best options when controversial criteria need to be taken into account. Moreover, when several controversial objectives need to be taken into account, multi-objective decision making method (MODM) is an option and the best answer is determined using mathematic programming methods. The present paper is an attempt to find an optimum location for wastewater facilities and an optimum wastewater treatment system for subway stations using mathematical techniques in Lingo software.
Methodology: The study was carried out as a quantitative applied study in the five stations of east-end of Tehran Subway Line 2. The model to follow several minimizing objectives was defined using linear binary programming. In terms of constraints of the study, financial constraint, spatial constraint, and capacity constraint are notable.
Findings: Five scenarios were defined to choose the location and method of wastewater treatment optimally. Given the objective function and the constraints, the scenario 1 (collecting all wastewaters in Sarsabz station and pumping to the urban ego system) was adopted as the optimum scenario.
Conclusion: The study showed that finding the optimum method and location of a wastewater treatment system is a big challenge and the decision making method adopted here was capable of yielding the best scenario given the objective function and the constraints.