A site investigation carried out within the Baruwa community, Lagos, Nigeria, with the aim of mapping and evaluating hydrocarbon leakages from vandalised buried pipelines contaminating soil/groundwater. Six 2-D electrical resistivity imaging and 30 vertical electrical soundings (VES) measurements were carried out, on the survey lines. Water samples from hand-dug wells and boreholes were collected for the physico-chemical analysis. The total computed longitudinal conductance was used to determine the aquifer protective capacity rating while the geoelectrical resistivity constrained with borehole logs delineated four geoelectric layers: topsoil (lateritic), sandy clay, clayey sand, and sand. For the sampled water from the observed wells, the results of the physico-chemical analysis revealed that BH-1 to BH-7, the pH, chloride (Cl−), BOD, TSS, and heavy metals values are higher than a maximum acceptable limit of NESREA (2009). The implication of these values is that the aquifer systems could have been contaminated with hydrocarbons. On the contrary, the results from the control boreholes, BH-8 and BH-9, are well below the acceptable limits. The overburden protective capacity evaluated revealed that the geologic units overlying the aquifer units are less effective in their capability to safeguard the aquifer systems. The aquifer protective capacity ranges from poor, weak, to moderate across the study area. The correlation matrix values of greater than 0.6 indicated strong positive linear relationships for some of the water quality variables compared. Hence, this confirms the community’s growing concern as regards groundwater contamination status resulting from hydrocarbon leaks caused by ruptured and vandalised pipelines.
As systematic reviews on the effects of anthropogenic noise on wildlife increasingly inform policy, a critical evaluation of this secondary evidence is essential. We assessed the scope, quality, and policy attention of existing syntheses in this field. Following a preregistered protocol, we conducted a systematic search in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, identifying 50 syntheses (systematic reviews, maps, and meta-analyses). We included all 50 syntheses in the systematic map, critical appraisal, and policy-attention analysis, and found that 23 had received policy citations. We included 47 syntheses in the bibliometric analysis. Syntheses were published between 2008 and 2025, with a focus on behavioural, physiological, and communication outcomes in wildlife. Most examined transportation and energy-related noise and reviewed evidence from marine, followed by terrestrial ecosystems. We found critical gaps in taxonomic coverage, with notable underrepresentation of invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles. Most syntheses were led by researchers from the UK, Canada, and the USA, with limited participation from non-English-speaking countries. Almost half were cited in policy documents, mainly government and regulatory submissions. Syntheses on marine environments received the most policy citations, while those on urban noise received the least. There was no significant difference in quality scores between policy-cited and non-cited syntheses, and most were rated low due to methodological and reporting shortcomings. Our findings highlight the need to fill synthesis gaps and improve methodological transparency to strengthen the evidence base for policy decisions on anthropogenic noise.
This study evaluated the effects of sewage-sludge-based organomineral fertilizers, produced using different technologies, as a sustainable alternative to mineral fertilization for biomass production and nutrient accumulation in Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Paiaguás. The experiment was conducted for 120 days in a greenhouse under a randomized block design with four replicates. Treatments included mineral fertilizer (NPK), granulated biochar (GB), powdered biochar (PB), granulated composted sludge (GS), powdered composted sludge (PS), and a control (Test) without fertilization. After 120 days, granulated biochar and mineral fertilizer promoted the highest dry matter production and Mg and Ca accumulation in the uniformity cut. The unfertilized treatment did not reach 40 cm in height and therefore did not allow biomass harvesting. The granulated biochar increased P accumulation in shoots by 49
Accidental oil spills in cold-region peatlands can result in long-term contamination, as low temperatures and waterlogged conditions may influence the rates and relative contributions of oil weathering processes. However, the progression and characteristics of oil weathering at aged oil spill sites in peatlands remain insufficiently characterized. To characterize the features and intensity of weathering processes, peat soil samples from an aged oil spill site in the taiga zone of Western Siberia were investigated using GC/MS. An approach combining mass chromatogram fingerprinting, n-alkane distribution and cross-plots of individual and integral parameters such as average number of C atoms, the decrease in the relative intensity of resolved peaks compared to the unresolved complex mixture, the (n-C17 + n-C18)/(Pr + Ph) ratio, and changes in alkylbenzenes ratio was applied. This approach allowed to assess the degree, timing, and dominant mechanisms of oil weathering in soils, highlighting the necessity of a comprehensive analysis including integral parameters. Presence of different stages of weathering within a single spill site was revealed, from evaporation-dominated to advanced biodegradation, with indications of multiple biodegradation-related trends. Variations among samples, including deviations from general trends, indicate a strong influence of local environmental conditions on the evolution of oil contamination in cold-region soils. These findings contribute to a better understanding of oil transformation under cold-climate conditions and provide a framework for assessing the degree and characteristics of oil weathering and interpreting the weathering history of oil spills, which may support their assessment, management, and remediation in cold-region peatland environments.
Bio-asphalt binders are rapidly emerging as sustainable alternatives to conventional petroleum-based asphalt in flexible pavements. Derived from biomass through processes such as pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction, bio-asphalts can function as replacements, modifiers, or rejuvenators for aged asphalt. Their performance depends heavily on source material, production conditions, and chemical modification. While bio-asphalts offer environmental advantages, such as reducing emissions by up to 50
