In this work, Pd-based aerogels were modified with transition metals (Ag, Fe) for the degradation and electrochemical oxidation of di-butyl phthalate (DBP) in water. The newly synthesized PdAgFe aerogel showed a uniform dispersion with a practical size of 4-9 nm, and achieved a dense interconnected network revealed by transmission electron microscopy. The PdAgFe-assisted electrochemical oxidation of DBP achieved 97% removal at a pollutant concentration of 90 mg L-1, surpassing that of pollutant concentrations of 90 mg L-1, surpassing that of binary aerogels, i.e., PdFe (86.3%) and PdAg (70.6%). The oxygen evolution potential of PdAgFe increased progressively from 1.61 to 1.97 V with maximum applied DBP concentration. This reflects the enhanced catalytic selectivity and activity of PdAgFe at the optimum operating scan rate (5 mV s-1) in 1 M KOH over 8 h of process duration. Kinetic modeling confirmed that DBP degradation followed a pseudo-first-order rate law, with PdAgFe showing the highest apparent rate constant (k = 0.36 h-1, R 2 = 0.99) at 90 mg L-1. This enhanced electrochemical potential of PdAgFe is associated with its strong structural and electronic characteristics. For instance, XPS analysis revealed Fe3+ oxidation states and a positive shift in Pd 3d binding energy to 334.32 eV, indicative of strong electronic coupling within the trimetallic framework. Our findings provide valuable insights into cost-effective Pd-engineered aerogels with transition metals to enhance the catalytic removal of DBP.

Microbial contamination of drinking water poses a significant public health concern, yet age-specific risks in Islamabad, Pakistan, remain poorly characterized. This study applied a Monte Carlo simulation-based quantitative microbial risk assessment to estimate the annual probability of infection (P(a)inf) and disease burden (DB) associated with indicator organisms Escherichia coli (E. coli) and total coliforms across four age groups and one overall population category at three microbiologically contaminated drinking-water locations in Islamabad. Hydrochemical analysis, including principal component analysis, was conducted to characterize groundwater chemistry and explore links between physicochemical conditions and contamination vulnerability. Estimated risks were evaluated against U.S. EPA and WHO health-based benchmarks, and sensitivity analysis was used to identify the main drivers of DB. The results showed that estimated P(a)inf exceeded the U.S. EPA benchmark (1E-4 pppy) and DB exceeded the WHO benchmark (1E-6 DALYs pppy) across all modeled age groups at the three microbiologically contaminated drinking-water locations. Risk estimates were highest among middle-aged adults and elderly individuals and lowest among children, primarily due to differences in assumed drinking-water intake volumes. The total coliforms-associated risks were generally higher than those associated with E. coli. Sensitivity analysis identified exposure concentration as the dominant contributor to DB variability, accounting for 73%-75% of total variance. Some microbiologically unsafe locations showed hydrochemical characteristics associated with higher mineralization, including elevated EC, TDS, and HCO3 - concentrations; however, these associations represent statistical patterns rather than evidence of direct causal relationships between hydrochemical conditions and microbial contamination. These findings suggest that routinely measured physicochemical parameters may serve as practical screening indicators for identifying contamination-prone zones and support targeted drinking water monitoring and intervention in Islamabad.

Benzophenone (BZP) is a persistent environmental pollutant that can induce serious negative effects on the human health and aquatic life. Because of its hydrophobic nature and resistance to natural degradation, it tends to bioaccumulate in the aquatic ecosystem. The present study was aimed at developing an efficient bioremediation system for the degradation of BZP in wastewater. A total of 150 bacterial strains were isolated from wastewater collected from the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Approximately 86% of the isolates were identified in samples of municipal wastewater, and 14% were isolated in the effluent of soap industries. The potential of the isolated strains was assessed for the degradation of BZP. Based on the initial screening, only 3.3% of the isolates were able to produce biomass at different concentrations (10-1000 mg L-1) after 48 h of incubation. Following the first screening, the two most effective bacterial isolates, Bacillus cereus (DK2) and Bacillus pumilus (S4), identified through their cell growth and morphological, physiological, and phylogenetic characteristics, were selected for further investigation. In the first 72 h, DK2 and S4 degraded more than 60% of BZP. DK2 showed 67.5% degradation, while S4 showed 69.5% degradation. The consortium (DK2 and S4) showed 86% degradation after 72 hours of incubation in liquid MSM under aerobic conditions. Degradation behaviour was accompanied by growth (CFU mL-1) after 120 hours. The BZP degradation reached 100% ± 2.35% after 96 h under the optimum environmental conditions, which included a pH of 7, an incubation temperature of 30 °C, 1.0 g L-1 of ammonium nitrate as the nitrogen source, and yeast extract (2.0 g L-1) as an additional carbon source. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis exhibited a multistage degradation pathway that included benzophenone ring cleavage and producing compounds like phenyl cyclohexyl ketone, benzophenone dimethyl ketal, 2-cyclohexen-1-one, hydroxylation, demethylation, benzcarbothioc acid, and heptacosane. These compounds are less harmful substances than parent compound. The degradation data was best-fitted with the pseudo-first-order (PFO1) kinetic model, as evident from the rate constant of 0.8 for S4, and pseudo-second-order model (PSO2) for DK2, as indicated by the rate constant of 0.9. The present work provides insights into the biological transformation of BZP and highlights that Bacillus cereus and Bacillus pumilus, both individually and in a mixed consortium, are promising strains for the bioremediation of wastewater contaminated with BZP.

The current paper investigated the potential of oleaginous fungus Rhizopus oryzae B97 for lipid accumulation under varying process variables. The fungal strain was isolated from bread mold and analyzed for its potential to grow on sludge with simultaneous production of microbial lipids. The sludge sample was sourced from the wastewater treatment plant located in Sector I-9, Islamabad. The effects of various process variables, such as pH, temperature, carbon and nitrogen sources, and shaking, on lipid accumulation, cell dry weight (CDW), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and volatile solids (VS) removal were investigated. It was found that glucose and yeast promoted the maximum lipid accumulation. At the same time, the fungal biomass reached its maximum value of up to 64% at 30 °C and at pH 4 (CDW: 28 g/L). These process conditions also improved the sludge treatment efficiency, achieving 68% COD and 55% VS removal in 168 h. FTIR analysis of the accumulated lipids indicated strong characteristic peaks of functional groups associated with fatty acids. The GC-MS analysis confirmed the production of essential FAMEs required in biodiesel production from the corresponding fatty acids, such as oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and erucic acid. Operation in a continuous-shaking aerobic batch reactor (CSABR) system under optimum conditions further improved the process efficiency. Overall, the results indicated the competent potential of oleaginous fungus Rhizopus oryzae B97 for lipid-based biofuel production through fatty acid transesterification.

The inefficiency of fixed chimney bull's trench kilns (FCBTKs) leads to high emissions of smoke, particulate matter, and gaseous pollutants, impacting local air quality and nearby populations. Given the lack of air quality data on the brick kiln sector, this study aims to assess gaseous pollutants emissions to support the formulation of an emissions inventory for the brick kiln industry, providing a basis for pollution reduction policies. To achieve this, the present study was conducted in four districts of Punjab (Attock, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, and Mianwali) to compare emissions from FCBTKs and induced draught zigzag brick kilns (IDZZKs). Emission rates were measured to evaluate the performance of both kiln technologies, and the results showed a reduction in emissions of 35%, 26%, 17.6%, and 4% for CO, CO2, SO2, and NOx, respectively, in IDZZKs. To further assess the impacts of IDZZKs, emission inventories were made based on emission factors including emission rate (ER), mass-based-emission factors (EFm), energy-based factors, (EFe) and production-based factors (EFp). The emission inventories depict a 10% decrease in fuel consumption, while brick production increased by 42% in IDZZKs compared to FCBTKs. These findings show the benefits of adopting IDZZKs, which are the basis of proposed policy guidelines. The guidelines recommend: effectively communicating the benefits of IDZZKs to kiln owners, offering financial support for kiln retrofitting, and implementing strict monitoring and penalties to ensure compliance with emission standards. Overall, the study concluded that IDZZKs technology offers significant environmental benefits by reducing emissions and fuel consumption, improving air quality, and contributing to sustainable brick production.

Freshwater resource contamination with trace metals (TMs) poses a major risk to public health and the ecosystem. In the current study, three distinct types of periphyton biofilms (PPBFs)-epiphyton, epilithon, and metaphyton-were cultured and employed to remove TMs from the simulated river water. The PPBFs were isolated from freshwater and then cultured in Bio-carrier of Organic Natural Aquatic Mate (BONAM). Based SEM analysis, the periphyton community appears porous and filamentous, with microscopic pores, unique individual cells, and extracellular matrix. Even while each PPBF has a unique structure and function, they all share rich active surface functional groups, particularly carboxylic groups. The epiphyton was found to be more effective for the removal of TMs when tested at 20 mg/L of the TMs as evidenced by the 79.50% elimination of arsenic (As) following 144 h of treatment. The removal performance of epiphyton decreased to just 57.40 and 51.60% at TMs concentration of 40 and 60 mg/L, respectively. Temperature had a significant impact on the biosorption of TMs utilising epiphyton, as evidenced by the removal efficiency of 75.05% at 15 degrees C, which decreased to 69.50 and 61.00% at 25 degrees C and 35 degrees C, respectively. The findings pertaining to the removal of TMs most accurately represented pseudo-first-order kinetics, indicating the bio-absorption of the TMs into the PPBFs. he elimination of almost 92% of TMs under optimal conditions of 90 h of incubation at neutral pH, 25 degrees C, 1.0 g L-1 of biomass, and 20 mg/L of TMs concentration demonstrated that epiphyton was the most effective biomaterial.

Soil is a rich source of metabolically versatile microorganisms, including oleaginous bacteria capable of producing valuable lipids from renewable substrates. In this study, olive field soil spiked with de-oiled olive pomace was used for the isolation of oleaginous bacterial colonies. Initial primary screening (n=50) was carried out under nutrient-limited conditions, and 22 potential lipid-producing strains were selected; secondary screening was performed based on their ability to utilize olive pomace as a carbon source. Finally, two oleaginous soil bacterial strains NP 26 and NP 49 were selected for biochemical characterization and molecular identification through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Strain NP 26 exhibited positive results for all three biochemical tests (cellulase activity, organic acid synthesis and catalase activity), while strain NP 49 exhibited negative catalase activity. While it also showed positive results for cellulase and organic acid synthesis activities. Through Blast results it was confirmed that strain NP 26 was identified as Enterobacter hormaechei, (SUB14921994 NP 26 PQ732221) while strain NP 49 was identified as being closely related to Serratia nematophila (SUB14921994 NP 49 PQ732222). Evaluation of lipid profile through GC-MS revealed the highest content of monounsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid (67.98 %), n-hexadecanoic acid (17.63 %) by oleaginous bacterial strain NP 49. While strain NP 26 had more diverse fatty acid profile with lower overall lipid yield and oleic Acid (0.64–6.19 %), n-Hexadecanoic acid (0.48–5.13 %), Octadecanoic acid (6.30 %), and minimal levels of 8-Octadecenoic acid (0.52 %) were observed. Present study highlights the potential of novel soil-derived oleaginous bacteria for the valorization of agro-industrial residues and sustainable conversion of olive pomace into high-value biolipids.

Bio-oil is increasingly recognized as a sustainable and eco-friendly energy source, offering a viable alternative to petro-diesel. This study evaluates the bio-oil production potential of a novel oleaginous strain, KM9 (Serratia surfactantfaciens YD25) compared with the known oleaginous species R. erythropolis. Growth conditions and nutrient requirements were optimized for both strains to maximize biomass production and lipid accumulation. Utilizing orange waste as a substrate not only contributes to waste minimization but also provides a renewable carbon source for microbial lipid synthesis. KM9 demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving 50% reduction in organic matter from the orange waste while simultaneously accumulating lipids upto 38% of its dry cell weight. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the transesterified lipids revealed that both KM9 and R. erythropoliss produced comparable levels of saturated fatty acids (38.39% and 39%, respectively), when cultivated in limonene-modified media. Notably, the use of orange waste stimulated the production of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), particularly palmitic and stearic acids, resulting in a lipid profile closely resembling that of plant-based bio-oils. These findings highlight the promising potential of the oleaginous strain KM9 for producing microbial lipids from orange waste, contributing to sustainable biodiesel production and effectively valorizing a significant agricultural waste stream.

ABSTRACT The present research study explores the drinking water quality of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to identify the potent dissolved contaminants and carry out a health risk assessment as the study area houses more than 3 million people. A total of 95 drinking water samples were collected from the union councils of the selected study area and analyzed for 12 physicochemical water quality indicators. The collected datasets were interpreted using general statistics, principal component analysis and spatial analysis for knowing the variations among the collected samples. The results revealed that overall 51.57% of the drinking water samples were unsatisfactory for human consumption. The rate of physicochemical contamination was 87.27% in the rural and unauthorized housing societies. Arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) were the potent contaminants in the drinking water samples. The health risk assessment uncovered that 31.57 and 10.45% of samples had a hazard quotient (HQ) >1 for arsenic and lead, respectively. Collectively, 41 drinking water sources were identified as potential health risk sources for the residents.

Background: Zoonotic diseases pose a significant public health challenge globally, with developing countries like Pakistan facing heightened risks due to various factors such as climate change, environmental degradation, and socio-economic disparities. These diseases, transmitted between animals and humans, have profound implications for healthcare systems, food safety, and public health policies. Objective: This study aims to identify the key risk factors associated with the prevalence of zoonotic diseases in Pakistan and evaluate the effectiveness of the 'One Health' approach in addressing these multifaceted challenges. Methods: A comprehensive review of existing literature was conducted, focusing on zoonotic disease outbreaks in Pakistan, their associated risk factors, and the impact of integrated health strategies. Data from government reports, peer-reviewed articles, and international health organization databases were analyzed to assess the current state of zoonotic diseases in Pakistan. Results: The findings indicate that climate change, environmental issues, lack of public awareness, and socio-economic inequities are the primary drivers of zoonotic disease transmission in Pakistan. Despite some progress in disease surveillance and public health education, gaps in food and water safety practices, vector control, and environmental management persist. The 'One Health' approach has shown potential in improving cross-sectoral collaboration and enhancing disease prevention measures, yet its implementation remains inconsistent. Conclusion: Effective management of zoonotic diseases in Pakistan requires a concerted effort that encompasses improved surveillance, enhanced public awareness, and robust environmental and food safety policies. The 'One Health' approach emerges as a critical framework for fostering collaboration across human, animal, and environmental health sectors to mitigate the risks and impacts of zoonotic diseases. Keywords: Zoonotic Diseases, One Health Approach, Public Health, Pakistan, Climate Change, Environmental Health, Disease Surveillance, Food Safety, Vector Control, Socio-economic Factors.

The simultaneous presence of pharmaceuticals and heavy metals (HMs) in wastewater generated by the pharmaceutical industries may result in a variety of environmental concerns. For that reason, it is necessary to remove HMs and pharmaceuticals before releasing industrial effluent in the environment. The aim of this work was to develop an improved and optimized adsorption process employing modified activated carbon (MAC) to remove HMs from pharmaceutical wastewater and evaluate the suitability of the treated effluent for irrigation purposes. Pecan shells were used to produce the activated carbon (AC), which was then modified with FeCl2 and FeCl3. The modified activated carbon (MAC) was characterized using various analytical techniques including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). The response surface method (RSM) with central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the conditions of the adsorption process for the removal of HMs from pharmaceutical wastewater (PWW). To test its impact on plant growth parameters and germination, two distinct pea plant (Pisum sativum) varieties (Climax and P-2009) were irrigated with treated effluent. The results revealed that the MAC performed excellently under the optimized condition of a MAC dose of 0.6 g/L, pH 11, contact time of 65 min, and temperature of 35 °C, removing more than 90

Textile manufacturing and dyeing units are one of the prime industrial sectors responsible to produce huge quantities of liquid effluents in developing countries. Azo and other dyes in textile effluents are a significant concern because of their potential risk from pollution of environmental systems and human health. Different studies have highlighted the role of different bacteria for the removal of azo dyes and related contamination. Where, plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have been widely used to improve plant growth in agricultural systems, but the simultaneous role they play in the bioremediation of polluted environments has not been much highlighted. This review focuses on an emerging area of the PGPB application for the promotion of plant growth in an environment contaminated by dyes and the restoration and remediation of the environment. Recent studies have shown that PGPB have developed enzymatic mechanisms to enhance plant growth while simultaneously degrading a variety of structurally complex azo dyes under certain conditions. The mineralization of organic azo pollutants will not only reduce plant toxicity, but can also be a nutrient source for plants. Such PGPB could have a practical application for the recycling of industrial wastewater contaminated with dyes that could be used as an irrigation source to improve plant biomass production.

Detecting and diagnosing viral infections in animals play a pivotal role in ensuring the health and well-being of both domesticated and wild species. The study investigates diagnostic methods for detecting viral infections in a diverse animal population (n=300). Employing serological assays, molecular diagnostics, point-of-care testing, and advanced imaging technologies, the research explores sensitivities and specificities of each method. Molecular techniques, particularly PCR and NGS, exhibit consistent high performance, while point-of-care testing and imaging technologies offer practical on-site applications. Demographic considerations enrich the findings, emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. This study contributes to refining veterinary diagnostic strategies and advocates for integrating artificial intelligence to address global disparities in diagnostic accessibility.

Dairy production plays a pivotal role in meeting the global demand for high-quality milk and dairy products, which are essential sources of nutrition for populations worldwide. The primary aim of the study is to find the nutritional interventions on dairy performance and profitability. This research article follows a controlled experimental design to assess the impact of specific dietary interventions on dairy performance and profitability. The study was conducted at a commercial dairy farm, and data were collected over 12 months.The study utilized 120 lactating Holstein dairy cows from the commercial herd. Cows were selected based on similar lactation stages, parity, and health status to minimize potential confounding factors. The experimental Group 1, which received the custom-blend dietary supplements, showed a significant increase in daily milk yield compared to the Control Group (P < 0.05). On average, cows in Group 1 produced 2.5 liters more milk daily. It is concluded that improved milk production and profitability, achieved without compromising health or welfare, underscores the importance of optimizing nutrition for dairy cows. These findings contribute to the evolving field of dairy nutrition and have practical implications for enhancing dairy farm sustainability and economic viability.

Heavy metal contamination in surface water is widespread throughout the world as a result of numerous anthropogenic activities and geo-genic mechanisms. This contamination is also affecting aquatic life, as fish have the potential to acquire heavy metals in their tissues making them vulnerable. Worldwide lakes are an important source of water for the inhabitants of the area. So, in the present study, we have focused on the Satpara Lake to check the extent of heavy metal pollution and their accumulation in fish to provide baseline data for metal pollution management. Samples were collected from three locations (inflow, center, and outflow sites) during two seasons (summer and winter). Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) was applied to analyze heavy metals concentration. Among the metals, Cd, Pb, As, and Fe revealed relatively higher concentrations. The highest concentration of heavy metal found in water and fish was of Cd, i.e., 8.87 mg L−1 and 18.19 mg L−1 in summer season, respectively. Arsenic concentration was also higher than the permissible limits in both water (0.76) and fish (1.17 mg L−1). The water quality assessment showed that in the summer season, the HPI (heavy metal pollution index) value 253.01 was more than 100, indicating the bad quality of water for drinking purposes. However, the HPI value 35.72 was less than 100 in winter. Toxicity hazard calculation of fish in summer seasons gives Hi values greater than 10.0, indicating the acute effect on human health as compared to winter.

Objectives: The indigenous oilseed crops are facing the problems of insects, diseases attack with poor yield potential. Canola needs high water requirement and also > 50 % shattering losses. Therefore, farmers are compelled to cultivate alternative crops. Sinapis alba is the best replacement of winter rapeseed due to superior phenotypic plasticity for dry temperate climate like Pakistan Pertinent sowing time augments the soil and climatic resources efficiency in a specific ecological zone to expose various phenological stages for appropriate growth and development to achieve potential yield. Methods: Field experiments were performed to appraise the suitable sowing date at three locations (NARC, SAWCRI and Talagang) in Pothwar plateau of Pakistan. Six sowing dates from 1st October up to 15th December with fifteen days interval were quart replicated in RCBD during two 2017-18 and 2018-19. Explicated environment of various locations prudently influenced Sinapis alba performance and yield attributes to accomplish potential yield during both years. Among sowing dates, 15th October enormously promoted morphological development to attained maximum mean values of pods plant-1, 1000-seed weight, biological yield and seed yield. Among locations, SAWCRI nurtured highest number of plants-2, plant height, primary and secondary branches, pods plant-1, seed pod-1, 1000seed weight, biological yield and seed yield. Variability in Agro-meteorological indices of three locations significantly influenced the interactive effect of year x location x sowing dates for growth and yield attributes of Sinapis alba. It was observed that 15th October sowing at SAWCRI attained 2.25 t ha-1 seed yield that was 10.9 % and 24.4 % higher from the optimal dates at NARC and Talagang that accomplished 84.43 %. 91.12 % and 95.76 % more yield from the delayed (15th Dec) sowing at three locations. Conclusion: Better coordination of soil and climatic conditions with 15th October sowing for growth and development signified the monumental importance of optimal sowing date as the benchmark of superior crop productivity to improve the livelihood of the farmers.& COPY; 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Landfill leachate (LFL) treatment is a severe challenge due to its highly viscous nature and various complex pollutants. Leachate comprises various toxic pollutants, including inorganic macro/nano components, xenobiotics, dissolved organic matter, heavy metals, and microorganisms responsible for severe environmental pollution. Various treatment procedures are available to achieve better effluent quality levels; however, most of these treatments are nondestructive, so pollutants are merely transported from one phase to another, resulting in secondary contamination. Anaerobic digestion is a promising bioconversion technology for treating leachate while producing renewable, cleaner energy. Because of its high toxicity and low biodegradability, biological approaches necessitate employing other techniques to complement and support the primary process. In this regard, pretreatment technologies have recently attracted researchers' interest in addressing leachate treatment concerns through anaerobic digestion. This review summarizes various LFL pretreatment methods, such as electrochemical, ultrasonic, alkaline, coagulation, nanofiltration, air stripping, adsorption, and photocatalysis, before the anaerobic digestion of leachate. The pretreatment could assist in converting biogas (carbon dioxide to methane) and residual volatile fatty acids to valuable chemicals and fuels and even straight to power generation. However, the selection of pretreatment is a vital step. The techno-economic analysis also suggested the high economic feasibility of integrated-anaerobic digestion. Therefore, with the incorporation of pretreatment and anaerobic digestion, the process could have high economic viability attributed to bioenergy production and cost savings through sustainable leachate management options.

Pakistan is the fourth largest yarn producer in the world heavily that relies on cotton crop which receives a substantial 62

Rice cultivation stands as the primary agricultural activity in Asia, generating a substantial amount of agricultural waste. Unfortunately, this waste is often disposed of through burning, contributing to severe environmental, health and climate issues. This study presents the characterization of PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PAHs. The emissions were quantified using a fixed-grid-system biomass plant and measuring the macro-pollutants online and sampling the organic micro-pollutants and metals in isokinetic mode, followed by ISO and CEN standards methods. Additionally, the role of agrochemicals was monitored in terms of metal catalysis resulting in POP emissions. This study provides the comprehensive characterization of the most relevant groups of pollutants (metals, PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PAHs) resulting from agricultural waste combustion. Prominent catalytic metals quantified were Cu (22–48 µg/Nm3) and Fe (78–113 µg/Nm3). Rice straw samples from AJK exhibited higher values of organochlorine micro-pollutants compared to those from Punjab and Sindh, i.e., ∑PCDD/F (2594 > 1493 > 856 pg/Nm3) and ∑PCB (41 > 38 > 30 pg/Nm3), respectively, whereas the organic micro-pollutants ∑c-PAH, indicators of incomplete combustion (PICs), were recorded high in the samples from Sindh followed by Punjab and AJK. The average EF is 100 pg/kg, 2.2 pg/kg and 1053.6 µg/kg for ∑PCDD/F, ∑PCB and ∑c-PAH. This study supports the idea that the phenomena leading to the formation of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds are influenced not only by poor combustion but also by the presence of metal catalysts in the burned fuel.

Anthropogenic activities have threatened soil biodiversity which has a direct link with agricultural sustainability and ecosystem functionality. This study is aimed at investigating the changes in soil microbial biomass and enzyme activity in response to variations of primary climatic variables such as temperature and water regimes. Rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil samples were collected from an agricultural field of a rainfed area and transported to the laboratory for physicochemical analysis. These soil samples were preserved at 4 degrees C to be used for studying microbial biomass and enzymatic activities at varying soil temperatures (22, 33, and 44 degrees C) and water levels (30, 45, and 60% water holding capacity (WHC)). Urease and phosphatase activity showed a significant increase with increasing temperature. The urease and phosphatase values at a temperature of 44 degrees C after six weeks showed an increase of 19% and 67%, respectively, compared to the values before incubation. The microbial biomass carbon and the microbial biomass nitrogen decreased with increasing temperature and increasing time intervals. Under different temperatures, the diversity analyses of field samples showed maximum dominance of phylum proteobacteria with 70% relative abundance. With increasing water content, a relative decrease in the abundance of proteobacteria was observed. Water variability had non-significant effects on enzyme activity except at 30% WHC where a significant decrease (up to 14%) in urease activity was observed. The results showed a positive correlation between urease (r = 0.81) and phosphatase activity (r = 0.84) vs. an increase in temperature from 22 to 44 degrees C in soil. Based on these findings, it is concluded that changes in temperature and water levels modify microbial biomass, microbial community structure, and soil enzymatic activities involved in nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism.