Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 118 in total

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  1. Lin S, Ng SF, Ong WJ
    Environ Pollut, 2021 Nov 01;288:117677.
    PMID: 34273765 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117677
    This study aimed to analyze the environmental impacts of the oxidative desulfurization (ODS) process catalyzed by metal-free reduced graphene oxide (rGO) through life cycle assessment (LCA). The environmental impacts study containing the rGO production process, the ODS process, the comparison of different oxidants and solvents was developed. This study was performed by using ReCiPe 2016 V1.03 Hierarchist midpoint as well as endpoint approach and SimaPro software. For the production of 1 kg rGO, the results showed that hydrochloric acid (washing), sulfuric acid (mixing), hydrazine (reduction) and electricity were four main contributors in this process, and this process showed a significant impact on human health 14.21 Pt followed by ecosystem 0.845 Pt and resources 0.164 Pt. For the production of 1 kg desulfurized oil (400 ppm), main environmental impacts were terrestrial ecotoxicity (43.256 kg 1,4-DCB), global warming (41.058 kg CO2), human non-carcinogenic toxicity (19.570 kg 1,4-DCB) and fossil resource scarcity (13.178 kg oil), and the main contributors were electricity, diesel oil and acetonitrile. The whole ODS process also showed a greatest effect on human health. For two common oxidants hydrogen peroxide and oxygen used in ODS, hydrogen peroxide showed a greater impact than oxygen. On the other hand, for three common solvents employed in ODS, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone had a more serious impact on human health followed by acetonitrile and N,N-dimethylformamide. As such, LCA results demonstrated the detailed environmental impacts originated from the catalytic ODS, hence elucidating systematic guidance for its future development toward practicality.
  2. Curren E, Kuwahara VS, Yoshida T, Leong SCY
    Environ Pollut, 2021 Nov 01;288:117776.
    PMID: 34280748 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117776
    Microplastic pollution is a prevalent and serious problem in marine environments. These particles have a detrimental impact on marine ecosystems. They are harmful to marine organisms and are known to be a habitat for toxic microorganisms. Marine microplastics have been identified in beach sand, the seafloor and also in marine biota. Although research investigating the presence of microplastics in various marine environments have increased across the years, studies in Southeast Asia are still relatively limited. In this paper, 36 studies on marine microplastic pollution in Southeast Asia were reviewed and discussed, focusing on microplastics in beach and benthic sediments, seawater and marine organisms. These studies have shown that the presence of fishing harbours, aquaculture farms, and tourism result in an increased abundance of microplastics. The illegal and improper disposal of waste from village settlements and factories also contribute to the high abundance of microplastics observed. Hence, it is crucial to identify the hotspots of microplastic pollution, for assessment and mitigation purposes. Future studies should aim to standardize protocols and quantification, to allow for better quantification and assessment of the levels of microplastic contamination for monitoring purposes.
  3. Karami A, Groman DB, Wilson SP, Ismail P, Neela VK
    Environ Pollut, 2017 Apr;223:466-475.
    PMID: 28129952 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.01.047
    There are serious concerns over the adverse impacts of microplastics (MPs) on living organisms. The main objective of this study was to test the effects of MPs on the total length, weight, condition factor (CF), transcriptional level of antioxidant, anti and pro-apoptotic, and neurotransmitter genes, and the histopathology of the gill, liver, brain, kidney, and intestine in the larvae of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Fish were exposed to one of three levels of pristine low-density polyethylene (LDPE) fragments (5, 50, or 500 μg/L) for 10 or 20 days. No significant changes were observed in any of the selected biomarkers across MP concentrations at days 10 or 20. The expression of casp9 (caspase 9, apoptosis-related cysteine protease), casp3a (caspase 3, apoptosis-related cysteine protease a) and cat (catalase), however, were significantly lower in the larvae sampled at day 20 than day 10. We provide evidence that virgin short-term exposure to LDPE fragments has minimal impact on biomarker responses in D. rerio larvae.
  4. Cui J, Zhou F, Gao M, Zhang L, Zhang L, Du K, et al.
    Environ Pollut, 2018 Oct;241:810-820.
    PMID: 29909307 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.06.028
    Six different approaches are applied in the present study to apportion the sources of precipitation nitrogen making use of precipitation data of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN, including NO3- and NH4+), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and δ15N signatures of DIN collected at six sampling sites in the mountain region of Southwest China. These approaches include one quantitative approach running a Bayesian isotope mixing model (SIAR model) and five qualitative approaches based on in-situ survey (ISS), ratio of NH4+/NO3- (RN), principal component analysis (PCA), canonical-correlation analysis (CCA) and stable isotope approach (SIA). Biomass burning, coal combustion and mobile exhausts in the mountain region are identified as major sources for precipitation DIN while biomass burning and volatilization sources such as animal husbandries are major ones for DON. SIAR model results suggest that mobile exhausts, biomass burning and coal combustion contributed 25.1 ± 14.0%, 26.0 ± 14.1% and 27.0 ± 12.6%, respectively, to NO3- on the regional scale. Higher contributions of both biomass burning and coal combustion appeared at rural and urban sites with a significant difference between Houba (rural) and the wetland site (p 
  5. Nhu TT, Schaubroeck T, Henriksson PJG, Bosma R, Sorgeloos P, Dewulf J
    Environ Pollut, 2016 Dec;219:156-165.
    PMID: 27814531 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.006
    Pangasius production in Vietnam is widely known as a success story in aquaculture, the fastest growing global food system because of its tremendous expansion by volume, value and the number of international markets to which Pangasius has been exported in recent years. While certification schemes are becoming significant features of international fish trade and marketing, an increasing number of Pangasius producers have followed at least one of the certification schemes recognised by international markets to incorporate environmental and social sustainability practices in aquaculture, typically the Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue (PAD) scheme certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). An assessment of the environmental benefit of applying certification schemes on Pangasius production, however, is still needed. This article compared the environmental impact of ASC-certified versus non-ASC certified intensive Pangasius aquaculture, using a statistically supported LCA. We focused on both resource-related (water, land and total resources) and emissions-related (global warming, acidification, freshwater and marine eutrophication) categories. The ASC certification scheme was shown to be a good approach for determining adequate environmental sustainability, especially concerning emissions-related categories, in Pangasius production. However, the non-ASC certified farms, due to the large spread, the impact (e.g., water resources and freshwater eutrophication) was possibly lower for a certain farm. However, this result was not generally prominent. Further improvements in intensive Pangasius production to inspire certification schemes are proposed, e.g., making the implementation of certification schemes more affordable, well-oriented and facilitated; reducing consumed feed amounts and of the incorporated share in fishmeal, especially domestic fishmeal, etc. However, their implementation should be vetted with key stakeholders to assess their feasibility.
  6. Vinjamuri KS, Mhawish A, Banerjee T, Sorek-Hamer M, Broday DM, Mall RK, et al.
    Environ Pollut, 2020 Feb;257:113377.
    PMID: 31672363 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113377
    Attenuated backscatter profiles retrieved by the space borne active lidar CALIOP on-board CALIPSO satellite were used to measure the vertical distribution of smoke aerosols and to compare it against the ECMWF planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) over the smoke dominated region of Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), South Asia. Initially, the relative abundance of smoke aerosols was investigated considering multiple satellite retrieved aerosol optical properties. Only the upper IGP was selectively considered for CALIPSO retrieval based on prevalence of smoke aerosols. Smoke extinction was found to contribute 2-50% of the total aerosol extinction, with strong seasonal and altitudinal attributes. During winter (DJF), smoke aerosols contribute almost 50% of total aerosol extinction only near to the surface while in post-monsoon (ON) and monsoon (JJAS), relative contribution of smoke aerosols to total extinction was highest at about 8 km height. There was strong diurnal variation in smoke extinction, evident throughout the year, with frequent abundance of smoke particles at lower height (<4 km) during daytime compared to higher height during night (>4 km). Smoke injection height also varied considerably during rice (ON: 0.71 ± 0.65 km) and wheat (AM: 2.34 ± 1.34 km) residue burning period having a significant positive correlation with prevailing PBLH. Partitioning smoke AOD against PBLH into the free troposphere (FT) and boundary layer (BL) yield interesting results. BL contribute 36% (16%) of smoke AOD during daytime (nighttime) and the BL-FT distinction increased particularly at night. There was evidence that despite travelling efficiently to FT, major proportion of smoke AOD (50-80%) continue to remain close to the surface (<3 km) thereby, may have greater implications on regional climate, air quality, smoke transport and AOD-particulate modelling.
  7. Chang JS, Chong MN, Poh PE, Ocon JD, Md Zoqratt MZH, Lee SM
    Environ Pollut, 2020 Apr;259:113867.
    PMID: 31896479 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113867
    This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of morphological-controlled ZnO nanoarchitectures on aerobic microbial communities during real wastewater treatment in an aerobic-photocatalytic system. Results showed that the antibacterial properties of ZnO nanoarchitectures were significantly more overwhelming than their photocatalytic properties. The inhibition of microbial activities in activated sludge by ZnO nanoarchitectures entailed an adverse effect on wastewater treatment efficiency. Subsequently, the 16S sequencing analysis were conducted to examine the impacts of ZnO nanoarchitectures on aerobic microbial communities, and found the significantly lower microbial diversity and species richness in activated sludge treated with 1D-ZnO nanorods as compared to other ZnO nanoarchitectures. Additionally, 1D-ZnO nanorods reduced the highest proportion of Proteobacteria phylum in activated sludge due to its higher proportion of active polar surfaces that facilitates Zn2+ ions dissolution. Pearson correlation coefficients showed that the experimental data obtained from COD removal efficiency and bacterial log reduction were statistically significant (p-value 
  8. Ahmad Kamal N, Muhammad NS, Abdullah J
    Environ Pollut, 2020 Apr;259:113909.
    PMID: 31927277 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.113909
    Malaysia is a tropical country that is highly dependent on surface water for its raw water supply. Unfortunately, surface water is vulnerable to pollution, especially in developed and dense urban catchments. Therefore, in this study, a methodology was developed for an extensive temporal water quality index (WQI) and classification analysis, simulations of various pollutant discharge scenarios using QUAL2K software, and maps with NH3-N as the core pollutant using an integrated QUAL2K-GIS. It was found that most of the water quality stations are categorized as Class III (slightly polluted to polluted). These stations are surrounded by residential areas, industries, workshops, restaurants and wet markets that contribute to the poor water quality levels. Additionally, low WQI values were reported in 2010 owing to development and agricultural activities. However, the WQI values improved during the wet season. High concentrations of NH3-N were found in the basin, especially during dry weather conditions. Three scenarios were simulated, i.e. 10%, 50% and 70% of pollution discharge into Skudai river using a calibrated and validated QUAL2K model. Model performance was evaluated using the relative percentage difference. An inclusive graph showing the current conditions and pollution reduction scenarios with respect to the distance of Skudai river and its tributaries is developed to determine the WQI classification. Comprehensive water quality maps based on NH3-N as the core pollutant are developed using integrated QUAL2K-GIS to illustrate the overall condition of the Skudai river. High NH3-N in the Skudai River affects water treatment plant operations. Pollution control of more than 90% is required to improve the water quality classification to Class II. The methodology and analysis developed in this study can assist various stakeholders and authorities in identifying problematic areas and determining the required percentage of pollution reduction to improve the Skudai River water quality.
  9. Wan Mohtar WHM, Abdul Maulud KN, Muhammad NS, Sharil S, Yaseen ZM
    Environ Pollut, 2019 May;248:133-144.
    PMID: 30784832 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.02.011
    Malaysia depends heavily on rivers as a source for water supply, irrigation, and sustaining the livelihood of local communities. The evolution of land use in urban areas due to rapid development and the continuous problem of illegal discharge have had a serious adverse impact on the health of the country's waterways. Klang River requires extensive rehabilitation and remediation before its water could be utilised for a variety of purposes. A reliable and rigorous remediation work plan is needed to identify the sources and locations of streams that are constantly polluted. This study attempts to investigate the feasibility of utilising a temporal and spatial risk quotient (RQ) based analysis to make an accurate assessment of the current condition of the tributaries in the Klang River catchment area. The study relies on existing data sets on Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), and Ammonia (NH3) to evaluate the water quality at thirty strategic locations. Analysis of ammonia pollution is not only based on the limit established for river health but was expanded to include the feasibility of using the water for water intake, recreational activities, and sustaining fish population. The temporal health of Klang River was evaluated using the Risk Matrix Approach (RMA) based on the frequency of RQ > 1 and associated colour-coded hazard impacts. By using the developed RMA, the hazard level for each parameter at each location was assessed and individually mapped using Geographic Information System (GIS). The developed risk hazard mapping has high potential as one of the essential tools in making decisions for a cost-effective river restoration and rehabilitation.
  10. Jun LY, Karri RR, Mubarak NM, Yon LS, Bing CH, Khalid M, et al.
    Environ Pollut, 2020 Apr;259:113940.
    PMID: 31931415 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.113940
    Jicama peroxidase (JP) was covalently immobilized onto functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) Buckypaper/Polyvinyl alcohol (BP/PVA) membrane and employed for degradation of methylene blue dye. The parameters of the isotherm and kinetic models are estimating using ant colony optimization (ACO), which do not meddle the non-linearity form of the respective models. The proposed inverse modelling through ACO optimization was implemented, and the parameters were evaluated to minimize the non-linear error functions. The adsorption of MB dye onto JP-immobilized BP/PVA membrane follows Freundlich isotherm model (R2 = 0.99) and the pseudo 1st order or 2nd kinetic model (R2 = 0.980 & 0.968 respectively). The model predictions from the parameters estimated by ACO resulted values close the experimental values, thus inferring that this approach captured the inherent characteristics of MB adsorption. Moreover, the thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption was favourable, spontaneous, and exothermic in nature. The comprehensive structural analyses have confirmed the successful binding of peroxidase onto BP/PVA membrane, as well as the effective MB dye removal using immobilized JP membrane. Compared to BP/PVA membrane, the reusability test revealed that JP-immobilized BP/PVA membrane has better dye removal performances as it can retain 64% of its dye removal efficiency even after eight consecutive cycles. Therefore, the experimental results along with modelling results demonstrated that JP-immobilized BP/PVA membrane is expected to bring notable impacts for the development of effective green and sustainable wastewater treatment technologies.
  11. Thanh Hai L, Tran QB, Tra VT, Nguyen TPT, Le TN, Schnitzer H, et al.
    Environ Pollut, 2020 Oct;265(Pt B):114853.
    PMID: 32480006 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114853
    This study proposes an integrated cattle breeding and cultivation system that provides zero emission and sustainable livelihood for the community in rural areas. The proposed integrated farming system improves agricultural productivity and environmental and sanitation conditions, minimizes the amount of waste, and increases the family income up to 41.55%. Several waste types can be recycled and transformed into valuable products, such as energy for cooking, organic fertilizer for crops, and cattle feed for breeding. Wastewater effluent from the biogas tank can be treated by biochar and results show that it then meets the standards for irrigation purposes. Also, the waste flow from cattle breeding supplies enough nutrients to cultivate plants, and the plants grown supply are adequate food for the 30 cows living on the farm. This research shows that the use of an integrated farming system could achieve zero-emission goal. Thereby, it provides a sustainable livelihood for cattle breeding family farms. The proposed integrated cattle breeding and cultivation system improves agricultural productivity, environmental and increases the farmer income up to 41.55%.
  12. Kong Y, Ma NL, Yang X, Lai Y, Feng Z, Shao X, et al.
    Environ Pollut, 2020 Oct;265(Pt A):114951.
    PMID: 32554093 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114951
    Greenhouse gases (GHGs) carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O), contribute significantly to global warming, and they have increased substantially over the years. Reforestation is considered as an important forestry application for carbon sequestration and GHGs emission reduction, however, it remains unknown whether reforestation may instead produce too much CO2 and N2O contibuting to GHGs pollution. This study was performed to characterize and examine the CO2 and N2O emissions and their controlling factors in different species and types of pure and mixture forest used for reforestation. Five soil layers from pure forest Platycladus orientalis (PO), Robinia pseudoacacia (RP), and their mixed forest P-R in the Taihang mountains of central China were sampled and incubated aerobically for 11 days. The P-R soil showed lower CO2 and N2O production potentials than those of the PO soils (P 
  13. Jang FH, Wong C, Choo J, Aun Sia ES, Mujahid A, Müller M
    Environ Pollut, 2022 Apr 01;298:118850.
    PMID: 35041899 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118850
    Microplastic ingestion has been documented in various aquatic species. This causes physical damage, and additionally contaminated microplastics transfer attached pollutants and microbial pathogens to ingesting organisms. Continued metal accumulation can lead to toxicity and adverse health effects; attached microbial pathogens can cause dysbiosis - which lowers host immunity and promotes infections. Catfish, Clarias gariepinus, are a major food source in Southeast Asia, a hotspot of plastic pollution. This study aimed to quantify the transfer of the trace metals copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) -at environmentally relevant concentrations-from microplastics (polyamide 12, PA12, and polylactic acid, PLA) to catfish. Fish were reared for three months and exposed to seven different combinations of feed, supplemented with plastics and metals. At monthly intervals, fish gills, intestines, liver, and edible muscles were analysed for Cu and Pb concentrations using ICP-OES, and the intestines content assessed for Vibrio sp.. Our results showed that biodegradable PLA transferred higher amounts of metals to catfish than expected and also led to increased Vibrio counts in the intestines compared to PA12. Trace metal accumulation was significantly different in varying tissues, with highest concentrations observed in the gills, followed by liver, intestines, and lastly edible muscles. The results of this study further support the existing evidence that microplastics act as efficient shuttles to concentrate and transfer metals. They also indicate that their uptake can cause dysbiosis (increased numbers of Vibrio sp.). Most importantly, however, our study highlights that biodegradable polymers, such as PLA, could actually pose a greater environmental threat when ingested compared to the more common polymers such as PA12.
  14. Praveena SM, Shamsul Ariffin NI, Nafisyah AL
    Environ Pollut, 2022 Dec 15;315:120494.
    PMID: 36279991 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120494
    The World Health Organization noted that there is a growing need to determine the occurrence of microplastics in bottled water and its potential risks to human health. Thus, present study analyzes microplastics in eight major bottled water brands available in Malaysia and estimates the potential human exposure. Membrane filtration method followed by visual and polymer identifications were utilized to identify microplastics particles in these eight major bottled water brands. Microplastic concentrations in bottled water samples ranged from 8 to 22 particles/L, with an average of 11.7 ± 4.6 particles/L. Particle sizes ranging between 100 and 300 μm were dominant and accounted for approximately 31% in these bottled water brands. Fragments were the most identified microplastics in bottled water with transparent color being the most prevalent. The polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) polymer types found in this study are consistent with prior results in that microplastics in bottled water are mainly derived from packaging materials and bottle caps. The Estimated Dietary Intake (EDI) for adults was between 0.068 and 0.19 particle/kg/day, while the EDI for children was between 0.089 and 0.25 particle/kg/day. Although consumption of bottled water was estimated to have low EDI values, the potential risks to human health should be heeded due to the presence of numerous plastic additives and residual monomers in these particles, which have the potential to increase inflammatory reactions and cytotoxicity in human body. Future studies should concentrate on understanding microplastics particles less than 1.5 μm and other associated factors (bottled material quality, consumption behaviour, bottled water storage conditions, and the frequency of bottle opening and closing) to further understand the effects of these microplastics particles on human toxicological aspects.
  15. Kataria N, Bhushan D, Gupta R, Rajendran S, Teo MYM, Khoo KS
    Environ Pollut, 2022 Dec 15;315:120319.
    PMID: 36183872 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120319
    Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a type of endocrine disrupting compound (EDC) that is being widely used in the production of polycarbonate and epoxy resins. In the last few years, human exposure to BPA has been extensively high due to the continuous increment in the Annual Growth Rate (AGR) of the BPA global market. The presence and transportation of BPA in the environment could cause serious damage to aquatic life and human health. This paper reviewed the literature on the exposure and toxicity mechanisms of BPA and advanced analytical techniques for the detection of BPA in the environment and human beings. The study indicated that BPA can cause damaging effects on numerous tissues and organs, including the reproductive system, metabolic dysfunction, respiratory system, immune system and central nervous system. On the basis of reported studies on animals, it appears that the exposure of BPA can be carcinogenic and responsible for causing a variety of cancers like ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and liver cancer. This review paper focused mainly on the current progress in BPA removal technologies within last ten years (2012-2022). This paper presents a comprehensive overview of individual removal technologies, including adsorption, photocatalysis/photodegradation, ozonation/advance oxidation, photo-fenton, membranes/nanofilters, and biodegradation, along with removal mechanisms. The extensive literature study shows that each technology has its own removal mechanism and their respective limitations in BPA treatment. In adsorption and membrane separation process, most of BPA has been treated by electrostatic interaction, hydrogen boning and π-π interations mechanism. Whereas in the degradation mechanism, O* and OH* species have played a major role in BPA removal. Some factors could alter the removal potential and efficiency of BPA removal. This review paper will provide a useful guide in providing directions for future investigation to address the problem of BPA-containing wastewater treatment.
  16. Zhao N, Liu K, He C, Zhao D, Zhu L, Zhao C, et al.
    Environ Pollut, 2022 Feb 05;300:118965.
    PMID: 35134429 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118965
    Zero valent iron-loaded biochar (Fe0-BC) has shown promise for the removal of various organic pollutants, but is restricted by reduced specific surface area, low utilization efficiency and limited production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, iron carbide-loaded activated biochar (Fe3C-AB) with a high surface area was synthesized through the pyrolysis of H3PO4 activated biochar with Fe(NO3)3, tested for removing bisphenol A (BPA) and elucidated the adsorption and degradation mechanisms. As a result, H3PO4 activated biochar was beneficial for the transformation of Fe0 to Fe3C. Fe3C-AB exhibited a significantly higher removal rate and removal capacity for BPA than that of Fe0-BC within a wide pH range of 5.0-11.0, and its performance was maintained even under extremely high salinity and different water sources. Moreover, X-ray photoelectron spectra and density functional theory calculations confirmed that hydrogen bonds were formed between the COOH groups and BPA. 1O2 was the major reactive species, constituting 37.0% of the removal efficiency in the degradation of BPA by Fe3C-AB. Density functional reactivity theory showed that degradation pathway 2 of BPA was preferentially attacked by ROS. Thus, Fe3C-AB with low cost and excellent recycling performance could be an alternative candidate for the efficient removal of contaminants.
  17. Yusuf A, Sodiq A, Giwa A, Eke J, Pikuda O, Eniola JO, et al.
    Environ Pollut, 2022 Jan 01;292(Pt B):118421.
    PMID: 34756874 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118421
    The gravity of the impending threats posed by microplastics (MPs) pollution in the environment cannot be over-emphasized. Several research studies continue to stress how important it is to curb the proliferation of these small plastic particles with different physical and chemical properties, especially in aquatic environments. While several works on how to monitor, detect and remove MPs from the aquatic environment have been published, there is still a lack of explicit regulatory framework for mitigation of MPs globally. A critical review that summarizes recent advances in MPs research and emphasizes the need for regulatory frameworks devoted to MPs is presented in this paper. These frameworks suggested in this paper may be useful for reducing the proliferation of MPs in the environment. Based on all reviewed studies related to MPs research, we discussed the occurrence of MPs by identifying the major types and sources of MPs in water bodies; examined the recent ways of detecting, monitoring, and measuring MPs routinely to minimize projected risks; and proposed recommendations for consensus regulatory actions that will be effective for MPs mitigation.
  18. Ratnasari A, Syafiuddin A, Zaidi NS, Hong Kueh AB, Hadibarata T, Prastyo DD, et al.
    Environ Pollut, 2022 Jan 01;292(Pt B):118474.
    PMID: 34763013 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118474
    The emergence and continual accumulation of industrial micropollutants such as dyes, heavy metals, organic matters, and pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) in the ecosystem pose an alarming hazard to human health and the general wellbeing of global flora and fauna. To offer eco-friendly solutions, living and non-living algae have lately been identified and broadly practiced as promising agents in the bioremediation of micropollutants. The approach is promoted by recent findings seeing better removal performance, higher efficiency, surface area, and binding affinity of algae in various remediation events compared to bacteria and fungi. To give a proper and significant insight into this technology, this paper comprehensively reviews its current applications, removal mechanisms, comparative efficacies, as well as future outlooks and recommendations. In conducting the review, the secondary data of micropollutants removal have been gathered from numerous sources, from which their removal performances are analyzed and presented in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), to specifically examine their suitability for selected micropollutants remediation. Based on kinetic, isotherm, thermodynamic, and SWOT analysis, non-living algae are generally more suitable for dyes and heavy metals removal, meanwhile living algae are appropriate for removal of organic matters and PhACs. Moreover, parametric effects on micropollutants removal are evaluated, highlighting that pH is critical for biodegradation activity. For selective pollutants, living and non-living algae show recommendable prospects as agents for the efficient cleaning of industrial wastewaters while awaiting further supporting discoveries in encouraging technology assurance and extensive applications.
  19. Rajendran S, Hoang TKA, Trudeau ML, Jalil AA, Naushad M, Awual MR
    Environ Pollut, 2022 Jan 01;292(Pt B):118375.
    PMID: 34656681 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118375
    Recently, hetero junction materials (p-n-p and n-p-n) have been developed for uplifting the visible light activity to destroy the harmful pollutants in wastewater. This manuscript presents a vivid description of novel n-p-n junction materials namely CeO2-PPy-ZnO. This novel n-p-n junction was applied as the photocatalyst in drifting the mobility of charge carriers and hence obtaining the better photocatalytic activity when compared with p-n and pure system. Such catalyst's syntheses were successful via the copolymerization method. The structural, morphological and optical characterization techniques were applied to identify the physio-chemical properties of the prepared materials. Additionally, the superior performance of this n-p-n nanostructured material was demonstrated in the destruction of micro organic (chlorophenol) toxic wastes under visible light. The accomplished ability of the prepared catalysts (up to 92% degradation of chlorophenol after 180 min of irradiation) and their profound degradation mechanism was explained in detail.
  20. Bilal M, Lam SS, Iqbal HMN
    Environ Pollut, 2022 Jan 15;293:118582.
    PMID: 34856243 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118582
    The discharge of an alarming number of recalcitrant pollutants from various industrial activities presents a serious threat to environmental sustainability and ecological integrity. Bioremediation has gained immense interest around the world due to its environmentally friendly and cost-effective nature. In contrast to physical and chemical methods, the use of microbial enzymes, particularly immobilized biocatalysts, has been demonstrated as a versatile approach for the sustainable mitigation of environmental pollution. Considerable attention is now devoted to developing novel enzyme engineering approaches and state-of-the-art bioreactor design for ameliorating the overall bio-catalysis and biodegradation performance of enzymes. This review discusses the contemporary and state of the art technical and scientific progress regarding applying oxidoreductase enzyme-based biocatalytic systems to remediate a vast number of pharmaceutically active compounds from water and wastewater bodies. A comprehensive insight into enzyme immobilization, the role of mediators, bioreactors designing, and transformation products of pharmaceuticals and their associated toxicity is provided. Additional studies are necessary to elucidate enzymatic degradation mechanisms, monitor the toxicity levels of the resulting degraded metabolites and optimize the entire bio-treatment strategy for technical and economical affordability.
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