Water pollution from textile industries remains a significant environmental challenge due to the discharge of dye-containing effluents into aquatic systems. In the present study, a novel polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP)-functionalized MoO3/V2O5 nanocomposite was synthesized through a wet chemical route and evaluated as an adsorbent for rapid dye removal from wastewater. The structural, morphological, and surface characteristics of the nanocomposite were investigated using X-ray diffraction, Williamson-Hall analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, zeta potential measurements, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BET-BJH) surface area analysis. The incorporation of PVPP resulted in enhanced surface properties, increased negative surface charge, and modified morphology. The synthesized nanocomposite exhibited a crystallite size of 15.3 nm, a lattice strain of 0.43%, and a zeta potential of -30 mV, favoring the adsorption of cationic dye molecules through electrostatic attraction. BET-BJH analysis revealed a mesoporous structure with a Type IV adsorption isotherm, a surface area of 25 m2/g, and an average pore diameter of 6.05 nm, providing numerous active adsorption sites. Adsorption studies demonstrated rapid removal of methylene blue, with the characteristic absorption peak at 664 nm disappearing completely within 5 min, corresponding to 99% removal efficiency. Industrial wastewater samples also showed complete elimination of dye-related absorption peaks after treatment. FTIR analysis of the dye-loaded adsorbent indicated the involvement of electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and n-π interactions. The nanocomposite maintained excellent reusability over six adsorption-desorption cycles without detectable leaching, indicating its suitability for wastewater treatment applications.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils of energy chemical industrial plants pose considerable ecological and health risks. However, comprehensive studies between petrochemical and coal chemical plants in arid Northwest China remain limited. In this study, 75 surface soil samples (0-20 cm) were collected from 15 large-scale plants (four petrochemical and 11 coal chemical plants) across the region. Sixteen priority PAHs (∑PAHs) were quantified, and source apportionment was conducted using diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis-multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR). In addition, health risks were evaluated using toxic equivalence factors and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) models. Results showed a stark contrast in PAHs concentrations, with coal chemical plants averaging 4652.2 ng/g and reaching up to 188,506.0 ng/g at a coal tar processing site, compared to 225.6 ng/g in petrochemical plants. Four-ring PAHs were predominant, accounting for 64.5% and 52.1% of total PAHs in coal chemical and petrochemical soils, respectively, indicative of high-temperature combustion sources. PCA-MLR analysis identified coal combustion as the dominant source at coal chemical sites (96.5%), while petrochemical sites exhibited mixed sources, including oil leakage (49.6%) and vehicular emissions (25.6%). Health risk assessment revealed that ILCR values exceeded the US EPA threshold of 10-6 at seven sampling points in coal chemical plants, with the highest risk observed at site BXT-2 (1.99 × 10-4), primarily driven by dermal and oral exposure to benzo[a]pyrene. These findings highlight the urgent need for stricter control of high-temperature industrial processes and improved management of hazardous waste in energy chemical industrial plants.
Native grasses of the Pampa biome are essential for ecosystem functioning and restoration, yet understanding of how native species respond to nutrient availability remains limited by challenges in standardizing plant material for controlled experiments. To address this, we developed a reproducible ex vitro propagation protocol to standardize native grass materials and applied it to three representative Pampa biome grasses, Paspalum notatum, Andropogon lateralis, and Axonopus affinis. Using a minimally disturbed soil column system, we evaluated species-specific responses to contrasting phosphorus (P) availability through measurements of plant growth, P dynamics, and phosphatase activity. Propagation was assessed using successive tiller transplants over 60 days, followed by a soil experiment to quantify plant growth, P dynamics, and phosphatase activity. The propagation protocol enabled rapid production of uniform plant material, generating up to 1197.9, 131.4, and 39.4 viable plantlets per initial plant for A. affinis, P. notatum, and A. lateralis, respectively. Results indicate contrasting P-use strategies among species. Paspalum notatum showed strong increases in biomass and leaf P concentration under P addition, consistent with a resource-acquisitive strategy, and reduced phosphatase activity under high P availability. In contrast, A. lateralis exhibited limited growth response to P addition but maintained greater P-use efficiency under low P conditions, indicative of a resource-conservative strategy. These findings demonstrate that native grasses differ in their physiological responses to P availability, reflecting trade-offs between productivity and nutrient-use efficiency. The propagation protocol provides a standardized platform for controlled studies, while the identified functional differences support trait-based species selection under contrasting soil P conditions.
Agricultural pollution poses a significant global threat to biodiversity, water quality, and human health, with particularly acute to chronic toxic impacts on living beings in low- and middle-income countries. Vegetated buffer strips (VBSs) are recognized as a cost-effective, nature-based solution for managing agricultural pollution risks. Despite their proven efficacy, the adoption of VBSs remains very limited across African countries. This review provides comprehensive scientific literature to assess VBS effectiveness in mitigating diffuse agricultural water pollution, with a specific focus on its potential for Africa. Out of the initial pool of publications, 35 studies (23.3%) met the inclusion criteria, consistently demonstrating the statistically significant effectiveness of VBSs in reducing non-point source pollution (sediment, particulate, dissolved forms of phosphorus, pesticides, and dissolved nitrogen). Beyond direct pollution control, the review underscores the broader benefits of VBSs, including improved sediment and nutrient management during runoff events, enhanced biodiversity, and contributions to carbon sequestration. The findings highlight a critical need for tailored policy development and robust economic incentives to support VBS implementation in Africa. Successful integration of VBS can be instrumental in achieving the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, particularly in improving food security and water quality across the continent. This work advocates for localized research and collaborative efforts to unlock the full potential of VBS as a sustainable agricultural practice in diverse African contexts.
Whole orchard recycling (WOR) has become a common practice in California (CA) orchards and vineyards due to declining options for agricultural biomass disposal. WOR is the process by which entire orchards or vineyards are shredded into chips, spread onto the soil surface, and incorporated into the soil before replanting a new crop. The paper summarizes current knowledge on WOR's impact on soils, crops, and the environment and outlines efforts to promote large-scale adoption across California. From 2008 to 2019, field trials were established at eight sites in the Central Valley to identify best management guidelines and measure changes in soil health, environment, and replanted orchard performance over time. Biomass incorporation ranged from 56 to 191 metric tons ha-1 across all sites. Results clearly show WOR increased soil organic carbon and improved crop yield. WOR improved soil water and nitrogen (N) retention and did not increase nitrate leaching. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from biomass decomposition were highest in the first year following WOR but declined substantially thereafter, coinciding with soil carbon (C) sequestration and improvement of other soil properties. State incentive programs and outreach extension efforts have played a significant role in fostering acceptance of the practice and implementation. While the long-term benefits of WOR are clear, further research is needed to optimize water and fertilizer management in replanted systems. The outcomes of this research and the demonstrated success of WOR in California provide a model for sustainable orchard recycling practices in other regions facing biomass disposal and soil health challenges.
Porous concrete is increasingly explored as a multifunctional material for water quality improvement, stormwater management, and emerging agricultural applications. However, uncertainties remain regarding nutrient and trace metal leaching, particularly for freshly cast concrete. This study investigated the time-dependent leaching behavior of a bio-receptive porous concrete substrate designed for ecological and hydroponic applications. Porous concrete tiles were immersed in distilled water for a 12-week period. Weekly leachate samples were analyzed to determine Ca, P, K, S, Mg, B, Fe, Zn, and Cu concentrations using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Leachate pH rose from 6.8 at Week 0 to a peak above 11.5 during Weeks 1-3, before declining progressively to approximately 9.7 by Week 12. Electrical conductivity peaked at over 3200 µS/cm at Week 4 before gradually decreasing. Most elements exhibited a pronounced first flush effect, characterized by elevated concentrations during the initial weeks (0-3 Weeks) followed by stabilization over time. Ca, K, S, and Mg showed significant (Weeks 0-3; linear mixed model, p < 0.05) early release linked to dissolution of readily soluble and surface bound phases. Trace metals, including Zn, Cu, and Fe, showed decreasing concentrations after the initial sampling period, with levels stabilizing at low concentrations (<0.05 µg/mL), suggesting progressive immobilization within the porous concrete matrix. Overall, results indicate short-term chemical reactivity but long-term elemental stability. These findings support the environmental compatibility of bio-receptive porous concrete and its potential application in hydroponic systems, green infrastructure, and decentralized water treatment.
Microplastic pollution is an emerging global concern, with fibrous microplastics (FMPs) representing a dominant class that poses a particular danger due to their persistence and high aspect ratios. FMPs originate from both industrial and consumer activities, with wastewater treatment plants acting as a major transmission pathway. Despite extensive research on microplastics, a morphology-focused understanding of FMP sources, transport pathways, environmental fate, and biological impacts has remained limited. The present study integrates a systematic literature synthesis with a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer to identify global research hotspots and trends on FMPs. Bibliometric analysis shows that 80% of publications have been led by China, the United States, and European countries in the past 5 years. Thematic clustering reveals textiles, polyester fibers, and wastewater systems as dominant research nodes. Global studies reported a 6.3-fold increase in the production of synthetic microfibers between 1980 and 2015, with the laundering of textiles projected to release over 22 million tonnes of microplastic fibers between 2015 and 2050. Across both industrial and municipal wastewater treatment systems, FMPs consistently emerge as the dominant morphology, accounting for 50%-92% of detected microplastics in treated effluents. This review also identifies a conserved tri-modal impact pattern of FMP exposure, mechanical disruption, oxidative inflammatory activation, and chemical vectoring, highlighting fiber morphology as a critical determinant of ecological and physiological vulnerability across biodiversity. In conclusion, this comprehensive review aims to contribute to the existing scholarship of FMPs and urges the development of strategies, sustainable textile innovations, and targeted research on FMPs and advanced removal technologies to limit their environmental footprint.
Neonicotinoid insecticides and strobilurin fungicides are detected in many environmental compartments and have been associated with negative environmental and human health implications. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are often hotspots for introducing such contaminants into the environment. Therefore, the occurrence of strobilurin fungicides, neonicotinoids, and their metabolites at two WWTPs with varying land uses and population sizes was investigated. Polar organic chemical integrative samplers were deployed in WWTP influent and effluent and placed upstream and downstream of the effluent mixing zone for 2 weeks in April and July 2022. Biosolids were also collected at each time point. Neonicotinoids were detected with the highest frequency (68%), followed by strobilurin fungicides (49%) and neonicotinoid metabolites (31%). Time-weighted average concentrations for influent/effluent ranged from 85.2 ± 87.8 to 409.4 ± 74.5 ng/L. Pesticide concentrations, specifically the metabolites, typically increased from influent to effluent, resulting in effluent having higher pesticide loads than influent. Pesticide concentrations varied between the upstream and downstream monitoring locations by analyte, with WWTP samples in the highly developed region having significantly higher concentrations of pesticides and less variation by monitoring period. Chronic ecotoxicity benchmarks for freshwater invertebrates for imidacloprid were surpassed in treated effluent at both WWTPs in July and in the downstream monitoring location in the heavily developed area. Findings support the need for further exploration of pesticide contributions from WWTPs to river systems, specifically related to metabolite contributions to downstream streams and their effects on aquatic environments.
Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of community-acquired skin and soft-tissue infections worldwide. One major route of exposure is recreating in marine waters, but knowledge is limited regarding the drivers of S. aureus in surface waters that discharge into marine environments. This study explores spatial and temporal distributions of S. aureus, including antimicrobial-resistant and virulence genes, using both culture-dependent and molecular techniques across a tropical Hawaiian watershed with a gradient of human influence. Negative binomial generalized linear mixed models revealed that the interaction between spatial and temporal factors was the strongest predictor of S. aureus and associated genes. Cultured S. aureus was highest at mid-watershed sites in summer, which included a popular swimming hole, suggesting human shedding as a significant source. Molecular detection of S. aureus (femA gene) yielded concentrations two orders of magnitude higher than cultured concentrations and peaked at estuarine sites with the greatest nutrients and water residence times. In the winter at upstream sites with no public access, staphylococci antibiotic-resistant (mecA) and S. aureus virulence gene (etb) were elevated, indicating highly pathogenic S. aureus strains in surface waters may originate from zoonotic sources. Our findings indicate that human and zoonotic sources contribute antibiotic-resistant and virulent S. aureus to watersheds, with streams facilitating environmental transmission to marine waters. This watershed-scale assessment enables the prediction of spatial and temporal conditions associated with elevated S. aureus concentrations, thereby reducing exposure and infections.
Passive air-quality biomonitoring using Ligustrum lucidum leaves was employed in this study. Air quality is particularly affected during fire incidents, which worsen its quality. This study aims to assess the concentration and spatial distribution of potentially toxic elements in the Elbasan area following two accidental fires, one at an industrial waste site and the other at the urban landfill. To address the air quality, a sampling network of 14 sites distributed across urban, industrial, and rural land-use areas was applied. Ligustrum lucidum leaves were collected 2 weeks after the fire incidents. Concentrations of elements in leaf samples were determined by the ICP-MS instrumental method. Statistical analysis and mapping were used to assess the concentrations and spatial distribution of potentially toxic elements across the study area. Al, V, Fe, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Zn displayed low to moderate variability, suggesting a consistent state in the study area. Cr, Co, Ni, As, and Sb showed very high variability and several outliers in industrial sites. Cluster analysis separated elements into two main clusters: one clustered Al, Cr, Ni, Co, and Cu, and the other clustered V, Fe, Cd, As, Pb, Sb, and Zn. It was demonstrated that passive biomonitoring by evergreen higher plant leaves is an effective method for monitoring air quality in heavily polluted zones, including fire scenarios. The findings of this research can increase the sensitivity of the public to the adverse effects of fire incidents. Decision-makers need to develop effective strategies for improving environmental safety and urban air quality.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important components of indoor air quality in dairy production systems, yet information on their spatial distribution and dominant compounds within enclosed barns and milking parlors remains limited. This study aimed to characterize VOC profiles and quantify concentrations across indoor locations in commercial dairy facilities operating under different housing and ventilation configurations. Air samples were collected from cow housing barns and milking parlors at two commercial dairies in Weld County, Colorado, including a mechanically tunnel-ventilated barn with a rotary milking parlor (Farm A) and a naturally ventilated barn with an automated milking system (Farm B). Weekly integrated air samples were obtained using evacuated 6-L stainless steel canisters deployed for a 7-day sampling period. Canisters were positioned at three locations within each barn and at the center of each milking parlor, while temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed were recorded simultaneously. A total of 52 VOC species were consistently detected across both dairies. Gas measurements in the barns were averaged by location and ranked by concentration to represent overall conditions. Methane, ethane, and propane were the most abundant compounds in both farms' barns and milking parlors. Hydrocarbons, including n-butane, n-pentane, and i-butane, as well as acetonitrile, were consistently detected but varied in relative ranking across locations. Spatial variability within barns revealed distinct concentration patterns associated with sampling position. These findings provide characterization of VOC composition in indoor dairy environments and highlight the importance of spatial sampling for identifying dominant compounds, which might help to improve air quality.
Extreme meteorological events contribute to 80% of agroecosystem loss indemnities. Daily, seasonal, and annual precipitation dynamics also affect plant production, erosion, sediment and nutrient loading, and soil health across agroecosystems, largely depending on precipitation timing, amount, frequency, and intensity. Gridded meteorological data have been publicly available since the mid-2000s and used to assess spatiotemporal precipitation dynamics. The accuracy of gridded compared to site-level precipitation is, however, rarely evaluated because most long-term meteorological data are already calculated into gridded databases. At the Long-Term Agroecosystem Network Texas Gulf site in central Texas, however, a nearly 90-year precipitation record exists from a suite of 15 on-site rain gauges that have not been used in gridded dataset development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of historical precipitation acquired from 15 on-site monitoring stations with the common gridded databases of the Parameter-Elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM), the Daily Surface Weather and Climatological Summaries (DayMET), and the Gridded Surface Meteorological Dataset (GridMET). Our findings suggest precipitation is highly variable spatiotemporally. Annual and seasonal gridded data from all sources were significantly correlated with on-site weather station precipitation, but GridMET produced the strongest correlations with on-site data. Across time, the accuracy of gridded precipitation data improved, especially between 1980 and 2000 decades. Extreme daily precipitation events acquired from gridded data sources, however, were poorly correlated with actual precipitation at rain gauge sites. These results suggest that gridded data can be helpful for long-term management planning but also showcase a limited utility of gridded data for monitoring assessments, especially as they relate extreme precipitation to erosion, crop loss, and insurance indemnities.
Poultry production generates substantial quantities of poultry litter, which can be applied to agricultural soils as organic fertilizer. Although this production system is sustainable, it can increase the microbial numbers and change ecological interactions and trophic networks in the soil. This study evaluated the composition, diversity, and structure of bacterial communities in poultry litter generated using conventional and organic production systems and subsequently composted under identical conditions for 125 days. Samples were collected before and after composting. Measurements included temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, and CO2 and NH3 emissions before and after composting. Total DNA was extracted, and the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using amplicon sequencing. The poultry litter reached temperatures around 65°C (±2°C) for 3 consecutive days, as established by Brazilian regulations for compost sanitization. The most abundant bacterial classes were Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria, representing 24.7% and 20.6% of the amplicon sequence variants, respectively. Among these groups, the orders Pseudomonales and Rhizobiales predominated. The order Enterobacterales was not detected in any of the poultry litter, before or after composting. Less abundant classes, such as Deltaproteobacteria, Bacilli, and Actinobacteria, showed reduced taxonomic diversity in both poultry litter after composting. Greater complexity and interconnection within the communities in both poultry litters were observed after composting. The bacterial community composition, diversity, and structure were influenced by both composting and the type of production system used. The impact of these remaining microorganisms on soil warrants further investigation because they can cause structural and functional changes in soil environments.
As part of the long-term hydrologic monitoring of the Little River Experimental Watershed (LREW) conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory, precipitation, streamflow, and water chemistry data were collected from four areas of the LREW in southeast Georgia, from 2014 to 2020. Three of the sub-watersheds are nested and characterized by the presence of cattle. Water chemistry measurements include total suspended solids; dissolved organic carbon and total dissolved nitrogen concentrations; dissolved nutrient species including nitrate + nitrite-N, ammonia + ammonium-N, orthophosphate-P, and chloride; total and dissolved macro- and micronutrients including aluminum, arsenic, boron, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, sodium, nickel, phosphorus, lead, sulfur, selenium, silicon, titanium, vanadium, and zinc; and dissolved organic matter optical characteristics. Daily streamflow data were paired with biweekly water sample analyte concentrations to calculate monthly analyte loads. Variability in the dataset was observed between the monitoring stations and seasonally within each station. While the dataset has some limitations including gaps in data collection and the lack of proper quality control documentation for 2014, this dataset can be useful to compare trends for various analytes across watersheds of different sizes and with different land cover configurations. The data presented in this article can be used to identify the impacts of land use on streamflow and water chemistry in small cattle-impacted watersheds.
Neonicotinoids are mobile and persistent insecticides whose presence in streams poses a threat to stream invertebrates. This study sought to understand how stream baseflow concentrations of three common neonicotinoids relate to their delivery in groundwater from agricultural land. In a study area with large areas of irrigated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and vegetable crops, some grain and dairy agriculture, and small areas of suburban development, neonicotinoid concentrations in streams exceeded the aquatic life benchmarks for imidacloprid and clothianidin at the sites with higher percentages of potato and vegetable crops in their groundwater contributing area. The stream concentrations are similar to field-edge groundwater concentrations after adjusting for the density of agricultural land cover within a groundwater travel-time corresponding to their usage period and assuming the neonicotinoids persist or degrade slowly in the aquifer. If neonicotinoids do not degrade in the aquifer, the stream concentrations can be explained by a mean loss to groundwater from the land in potato and vegetable agriculture of 0.16 (range 0.002-0.3) g ha-1 year-1 for imidacloprid, 1.6 (range 0.02-4.1) g ha-1 year-1 for thiamethoxam, and 0.5 (range 0.05-1.0) g ha-1 year-1 for clothianidin. Given that only approximately one-third to two-thirds of the water entering the streams was young enough to contain these neonicotinoids, if neonicotinoid loss to groundwater stays the same and they persist in the aquifer, their concentrations will continue to increase as those streams come to steady-state with applied neonicotinoids.
Many urban areas are interested in quantifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of their organic waste management systems. The biosolids emissions assessment model (BEAM) offers a means to model emissions associated with organic waste management systems and compare the GHG footprints of different management options. In this paper we present a case study detailing a GHG assessment we conducted for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) to compare GHG emissions associated with options for managing source-separated organic (SSO) wastes generated by New York City (NYC). We modeled five options in BEAM using real-world data provided by NYC: (1) landfilling raw SSO, (2) composting then land-applying SSO (3) digesting then landfilling SSO, (4) digesting then land-applying the digested SSO or (5) digesting then composting and land-applying the composted SSO. Model inputs include the characteristics of the biomass that NYC DEP is handling, local factors including the carbon intensity of electricity and the climate in which landfills are located, and published data on GHG emissions associated with the modeled management options. Results show a range of GHG footprints, from -0.59 to 2.16 Mg carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq) per dry Mg of SSO demonstrating the high impact that management decisions can have on the GHG footprint of organic waste management. The options in which biomass was land-applied instead of landfilled (Options 2, 4, and 5) offered the most favorable GHG footprints. This study also illustrates how BEAM can serve as a decision-support tool to guide waste management decisions.
