Do Added Microplastics, Native Soil Properties, and Prevailing Climatic Conditions Have Consequences for Carbon and Nitrogen Contents in Soil? A Global Data Synthesis of Pot and Greenhouse Studies.

Microplastics threaten soil ecosystems, strongly influencing carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents. Interactions between microplastic properties and climatic and edaphic factors are poorly understood. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the interactive effects of microplastic properties (type, shape, size, and content), native soil properties (texture, pH, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC)) and climatic factors (precipitation and temperature) on C and N contents in soil. We found that low-density polyethylene reduced total nitrogen (TN) content, whereas biodegradable polylactic acid led to a decrease in soil organic carbon (SOC). Microplastic fragments especially depleted TN, reducing aggregate stability, increasing N-mineralization and leaching, and consequently increasing the soil C/N ratio. Microplastic size affected outcomes; those <200 µm reduced both TN and SOC contents. Mineralization-induced nutrient losses were greatest at microplastic contents between 1 and 2.5% of soil weight. Sandy soils suffered the highest microplastic contamination-induced nutrient depletion. Alkaline soils showed the greatest SOC depletion, suggesting high SOC degradability. In low-DOC soils, microplastic contamination caused 2-fold greater TN depletion than in soils with high DOC. Sites with high precipitation and temperature had greatest decrease in TN and SOC contents. In conclusion, there are complex interactions determining microplastic impacts on soil health. Microplastic contamination always risks soil C and N depletion, but the severity depends on microplastic characteristics, native soil properties, and climatic conditions, with potential exacerbation by greenhouse emission-induced climate change.

Using green nanocomposite containing eggshell in the electroperoxone process in a baffled reactor to remove the emerging tetracycline pollutant.

This study examined the eradication of Tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) antibiotic, an emerging pollutant, by utilizing eggshell membrane activated carbon (EMAC) and magnetite (Fe3O4) nanocomposite in conjunction with the electroperoxone process employing the One Factor at a Time method (OFAT) in a baffled reactor. The nanocomposite was synthesized through the hydrothermal method using an autoclave, and its properties were assessed via XRD, FTIR, FESEM, EDAX Mapping, BET, and VSM analyses. The findings revealed that under optimal conditions (including a pollutant concentration of 300 mg/L, a natural pH of 6.2, an ozone consumption rate of 0.28 g/h, a nanocomposite concentration of 0.2 g/L, a flow intensity of 0.5 A, a wastewater recirculation flow rate of 8 L/h, and a 0.1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte concentration), 95.9%, 76.4%, and 53.4% of pollutants, COD, and TOC were respectively eliminated after 90 min. Additionally, the reusability of the nanocomposite was evaluated over five usage periods, during which the process efficiency decreased from 95.9% to 83.1%. In short, this study proved that EMAC/Fe3O4 nanocomposites are promising electroperoxone catalysts due to their low cost, excellent stability and reusability, environmental compatibility, and superior catalytic activity for TCH antibiotics removal.

Exploring the abundance of microplastics in Indian landfill leachate: An analytical study.

Landfills are a major source of many emerging pollutants, including microplastics (MPs). This makes them a potential threat to human and environmental health and calls for a more detailed analysis of their hazard potential. India is a developing country with multiple unscientific waste dumping sites. In spite of their hazardous nature, detailed studies on the abundance of microplastics in landfills in India are scanty. Current work investigates the abundance and diversity of MPs in two landfills of India, Uruli Devachi in Pune (S1) and Deonar in Mumbai (S2). MPs collected from landfill leachate using multiple filters were analyzed using an optical microscope and categorized on the basis of shape, color and size to give information on their distribution. MP abundance in S1 was 1473 ± 273.01 items/L while 2067 ± 593.75 items/L were found in leachate from S2. Film and fragment were the dominant shape and black was the dominant color of MP found in both the landfills. Maximum number of MPs were in the size range below 100 µm in both the landfills necessitating the study of small sized particles. Chemical characterization revealed the prevalence of four types of MPs (polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, cellulose acetate and polyvinyl chloride). This study sheds light on the prevalence, characteristics, abundance and distribution of MPs in landfill leachate in Western India, sparking more research into the processes followed for capturing the factual small sized microplastic abundance data. This study is vital for a detailed management of landfill leachate enabling a sustainable waste management and targeted actions for ecosystem preservation.

Utilizing olive leaves biomass as an efficient adsorbent for ciprofloxacin removal: characterization, isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic analysis.

Olive leaves were utilized to produce activated biomass for the removal of ciprofloxacin (CIP) from water. The raw biomass (ROLB) was activated with sodium hydroxide, phosphoric acid, and Dead Sea water to create co-precipitated adsorbent (COLB) with improved adsorption performance. The characteristics of the ROLB and COLB were examined using SEM images, BET surface area analyzer, and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. COLB has a BET surface area of 7.763 m2/g, markedly higher than ROLB's 2.8 m2/g, indicating a substantial increase in adsorption sites. Through investigations on operational parameters, the optimal adsorption efficiency was achieved by COLB is 77.9% within 60 min, obtained at pH 6, and CIP concentration of 2 mg/mL. Isotherm studies indicated that both Langmuir and Freundlich models fit the adsorption data well for CIP onto ROLB and COLB, with R2 values exceeding 0.95, suggesting effective monolayer and heterogeneous surface adsorption. The Langmuir model revealed maximum adsorption capacities of 636 mg/g for ROLB and 1243 mg/g for COLB, highlighting COLB's superior adsorption capability attributed to its enhanced surface characteristics post-modification. Kinetic data fitting the pseudo-second-order model with R2 of 0.99 for ROLB and 1 for COLB, along with a higher calculated qe for COLB, suggest its modified surface provides more effective binding sites for CIP, enhancing adsorption capacity. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the adsorption process is spontaneous (∆Go < 0), and exothermic (∆Ho < 0), and exhibits a decrease in randomness (∆So < 0) as the process progresses. The ΔH° value of 10.6 kJ/mol for ROLB signifies physisorption, whereas 35.97 kJ/mol for COLB implies that CIP adsorption on COLB occurs through a mixed physicochemical process.

Unrecognized risk of perfluorooctane sulfonate in promoting conjugative transfers of bacterial antibiotic resistance genes.

Antibiotic resistance is a major global health crisis facing humanity, with horizontal gene transfer (HGT) as a principal dissemination mechanism in the natural and clinical environments. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are emerging contaminants of global concern due to their high persistence in the environment and adverse effects on humans. However, it is unknown whether PFASs affect the HGT of bacterial antibiotic resistance. Using a genetically engineered Escherichia coli MG1655 as the donor of plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), E. coli J53 and soil bacterial community as two different recipients, this study demonstrated that the conjugation frequency of ARGs between two E. coli strains was (1.45 ± 0.17) × 10-5 and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) at environmentally relevant concentrations (2-50 µg L-1) increased conjugation transfer between E. coli strains by up to 3.25-fold. Increases in reactive oxygen species production, cell membrane permeability, biofilm formation capacity, and cell contact in two E. coli strains were proposed as major promotion mechanisms from PFOS exposure. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis of transcriptome data identified a series of candidate genes whose expression changes could contribute to the increase in conjugation transfer induced by PFOS. Furthermore, PFOS also generally increased the ARG transfer into the studied soil bacterial community, although the uptake ability of different community members of the plasmid either increased or decreased upon PFOS exposure depending on specific bacterial taxa. Overall, this study reveals an unrecognized risk of PFOS in accelerating the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. IMPORTANCE Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are emerging contaminants of global concern due to their high persistence in the environment and adverse health effects. Although the influence of environmental pollutants on the spread of antibiotic resistance, one of the biggest threats to global health, has attracted increasing attention in recent years, it is unknown whether environmental residues of PFASs affect the dissemination of bacterial antibiotic resistance. Considering PFASs, often called "forever" compounds, have significantly higher environmental persistence than most emerging organic contaminants, exploring the effect of PFASs on the spread of antibiotic resistance is more environmentally relevant and has essential ecological and health significance. By systematically examining the influence of perfluorooctane sulfonate on the antibiotic resistance gene conjugative transfer, not only at the single-strain level but also at the community level, this study has uncovered an unrecognized risk of PFASs in promoting conjugative transfers of bacterial antibiotic resistance genes, which could be incorporated into the risk assessment framework of PFASs.

Intimate coupling of gC3N4/CdS semiconductor on eco-friendly biocarrier loofah sponge for enhanced detoxification of ciprofloxacin.

Ciprofloxacin is one of the antibiotics predominantly used to treat bacterial infections, however excess usage, and release of antibiotic from various sources to the environment can cause severe risks to human health since it was considered as emerging pollutant. This study deals with the intimately coupled photocatalysis and biodegradation (ICPB) of ciprofloxacin using gC3N4/CdS photocatalytic semiconductor and eco-friendly renewable loofah sponge as biocarrier in the ICPB. The photocatalyst gC3N4/CdS was prepared and their synergistic photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin were assessed and the results shows that gC3N4/CdS (20%) exhibit 79% degradation efficiency in 36 h. Further ICPB exhibited enhanced ciprofloxacin degradation 95% at 36 h. The 62.4% and 81.1% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was obtained in the photocatalysis and ICPB respectively. Enhanced degradation of ciprofloxacin and COD removal was due to the synergetic photoelectrons generated from the gC3N4/CdS (20%) transferred to the bacterial communities which intensely mineralize the degradation products produced from the photocatalysis process. Furthermore, production of hydroxyl •OH and superoxide radical anion O2• were identified actively involved in the degradation of ciprofloxacin. The biocarrier loofah sponge provided favourable environment to the bacterial communities for the formation of biofilm and production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Excess quantity of EPS production in the ICPB helps in the prevention of toxicity of photocatalyst to bacterial communities as well as facilitate the extracellular electron transfer process. This work provides a novel path for enhanced degradation of ciprofloxacin using eco-friendly, low cost and renewable biocarrier loofah sponge in the ICPB system.

Microplastics in landfill leachate: Occurrence, health concerns, and removal strategies.

Landfills are commonly used to manage solid waste, but they can contribute to microplastic (MPs) pollution. As plastic waste degrades in landfills, MPs are released into the surrounding environment, contaminating soil, groundwater, and surface water. This poses a threat to human health and the environment, as MPs can adsorb toxic substances. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the degradation process of macroplastics into microplastics, the types of MPs found in landfill leachate (LL), and the potential toxicity of microplastic pollution. The study also evaluates various physical-chemical and biological treatment methods for removing MPs from wastewater. The concentration of MPs in young landfills is higher than in old landfills, and specific polymers such as polypropylene, polystyrene, nylon, and polycarbonate contribute significantly to microplastic contamination. Primary treatments such as chemical precipitation and electrocoagulation can remove up to 60-99% of total MPs from wastewater, while tertiary treatments such as sand filtration, ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis can remove up to 90-99%. Advanced techniques, such as a combination of membrane bioreactor, ultrafiltration, and nanofiltration (MBR + UF + NF), can achieve even higher removal rates. Overall, this paper highlights the importance of continuous monitoring of microplastic pollution and the need for effective microplastic removal from LL to protect human and environmental health. However, more research is needed to determine the actual cost and feasibility of these treatment processes at a larger scale.

Synthesis and application of titanium dioxide photocatalysis for energy, decontamination and viral disinfection: a review.

Global pollution is calling for advanced methods to remove contaminants from water and wastewater, such as TiO2-assisted photocatalysis.  The environmental applications of titanium dioxide have started after the initial TiO2 application for water splitting by Fujishima and Honda in 1972. TiO2 is now used for self-cleaning surfaces, air and water purification systems, microbial inactivation and selective organic conversion. The synthesis of titanium dioxide nanomaterials with high photocatalytic activity is actually a major challenge. Here we review titanium dioxide photocatalysis with focus on mechanims, synthesis, and applications. Synthetic methods include sol-gel, sonochemical, microwave, oxidation, deposition, hydro/solvothermal, and biological techniques. Applications comprise the production of energy, petroleum recovery, and the removal of microplastics, pharmaceuticals, metals, dyes, pesticides, and of viruses such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Fe3O4-Mg(OH)2 nanocomposite as a scavenger for silver nanoparticles: Rational design, facile synthesis, and enhanced performance.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are considered as emerging contaminants because of their high toxicity and increasing environmental impact. Removal of discharged AgNPs from water is crucial for mitigating the health and environmental risks. However, developing facile, economical, and environment-friendly approaches remains challenging. Herein, an Fe3O4-Mg(OH)2 nanocomposite, as a novel magnetic scavenger for AgNPs, was prepared by loading Fe3O4 nanoparticles on Mg(OH)2 nanoplates in a one-pot synthesis. Batch removal experiments revealed that the maximum removal capacities for the two model AgNPs (citrate- or polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated AgNPs) were 476 and 442 mg/g, respectively, corresponding to partition coefficients 8.03 and 4.89 mg/g/µM. Removal feasibilities over a wide pH range of 5-11 and in real water matrices and scavenger reusability with five cycles were also confirmed. Both Fe3O4 and Mg(OH)2 components contributed to the removal; however, their nanocomposites exhibited an enhanced performance because of the high specific surface area and pore volume. Chemical adsorption and electrostatic attraction between the coatings on the AgNPs and the two components in the nanocomposite was considered to be responsible for the removal. Overall, the facile synthesis, convenient magnetic separation, and high removal performance highlight the great potential of the Fe3O4-Mg(OH)2 nanocomposite for practical applications.

Establishment of a comprehensive method to derive seawater quality criteria of BDE-47 in China.

2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) is an emerging toxic organic pollutant widely detected in territorial waters. Accordingly, establishing the seawater quality criteria (SWQC) for BDE-47 is of significant importance to protect the marine ecosystems. In this study, published ecotoxicity data of BDE-47 to aquatic species in China were collected, and acute and chronic toxicity tests were carried out on saltwater aquatic organisms from 5 phyla and 8 families widely existed in the Chinese marine environment. Static acute toxicity tests and renewed chronic toxicity tests were adopted. The scientific theories and technical methods of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Canada, the European Union (EU), and the Netherlands on water quality criteria guidelines, as well as the Chinese freshwater quality criteria guidelines were compared. Then an integrated method of SWQC derivation was introduced through comprehensive consideration. Afterward, the SWQC of BDE-47 was derived based on the ecotoxicity data. The SWQC includes short-term seawater quality criteria (S-SWQC), long-term seawater quality criteria (L-SWQC), and serious risk concentration for the ecosystem (SRCeco). And they were derived and recommended as 7.90 µg/L, 0.217 µg/L, and 3.65 µg/L, respectively. This study served as a specific example to quantitatively studies the differences between different scientific theories and technique methods. The derivation process and improvement of SWQC for BDE-47 provide support for the future revision of water quality criteria in China.

Toxicity reduction of persistent pollutants through the photo-fenton process and radiation/H2O2 using different sources of radiation and neutral pH.

The presence of toxic compounds in aquatic bodies is of great concern, and the Fenton, photo-Fenton and radiation/H2O2 processes can be applied in the remediation of these compounds due to their efficiency and advantages. However, these processes need to be investigated to make them more viable and environmentally friendly. Thus, the reduction of toxicity was evaluated, through ecotoxicological tests with Artemia salina and Lactuca sativa, of the compounds 2,4-D, diazepam, nicotine and paracetamol (acetaminophen) by the Fenton, photo-Fenton and radiation/H2O2 process with UVC, UVA and natural solar radiation at neutral pH with low concentrations of Fe2+ and H2O2. The UVC/H2O2 process was efficient in the degradation of nicotine (74%), the photo-Fenton process was more efficient in the degradation of 2,4-D (82%), diazepam (27%) and paracetamol (85%) using solar radiation, UVA and UVC respectively. The toxicity and total organic carbon (TOC) tests showed a reduction in the toxicity of the compounds after treatment, except for diazepam, which was more resistant to the process, leading to a higher mortality of Artemia salinas (92%) and less relative seed germination of Lactuca sativa (40%).

Tetracycline removal by polyelectrolyte copolymers in conjunction with ultrafiltration membranes through liquid-phase polymer-based retention.

In this study, we used a liquid-phase polymer-based retention technique assisted by polyelectrolyte copolymers containing quaternary ammonium and sulfonate groups that are capable of removing the antibiotic tetracycline (TC) through electrostatic interactions. The polymers were synthesized using zwitterionic, anionic, and cationic monomers with the aim of obtaining copolymers with different charge balances at the ratios of 1:1, 2:1, and 1:2 (negative: positive). The parameters investigated for each copolymer included the pH, ionic strength, concentration of polymer, maximum retention capacity, and sorption-elution process at pH 11.0 and 3.0. The copolymers with a charge ratio of 1:2 achieved the highest retention (80.0%) at alkaline pH, while the copolymers with charge ratios of 2:1 and 1:1 exhibited the maximum retention (72.0%) at acidic pH. Based on these results, the pH and charge of the polyelectrolyte copolymers play important roles in the TC removal processes. Additionally, the maximum retention capacity (MRC) recorded was 731.2, 176.8, and 214.8 mg TC/g of copolymer in the first charge for the three copolymer polyelectrolytes, and the second charge of the MRC process did not improve compared with the first load.

Effects of Bisphenol A on Foxl2 gene expression and DNA damage in adult viviparous fish Goodeaatripinnis.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an emerging pollutant of global concern. Viviparous fish Goodea atripinnis is endemic to the Central Mexican Plateau where BPA was detected; however, few studies examined the influence of this chemical on native viviparous fish. The effects of BPA (sublethal dose) were determined on DNA integrity and Foxl2 expression in G. atripinnis gonads, and interactions of BPA with FOXL2 protein. Genotoxicity analysis revealed that % comets, at 14 and 28 days and comet tail length (at 14 days) were significantly higher in exposed compared to controls. In general, the % DNA tail was not markedly higher in BPA-treated fish; however, tail moment related to tail length exhibited significant increases in DNA damage. RT-qPCR assays showed Foxl2 overexpression after 14 and 28 days of exposure in females; while in males, Foxl2 was overexpressed after 28 days. In silico analysis demonstrated that BPA interacted with seven residues located in FOXL2 homeodomain. In summary, sublethal BPA doses induced DNA damage and changes in Foxl2 expression in gonadal cells of G. atripinnis, which may adversely affect reproduction in BPA-exposed wild populations. Foxl2 overexpression and BPA-FOXL2 interaction suggested alterations in processes involving Foxl2. Viviparous fish may thus serve as potential non-conventional models for assessing pollutants effects.

Biochar from Fique Bagasse for Remotion of Caffeine and Diclofenac from Aqueous Solution.

Caffeine and diclofenac are molecules with high human intake, and both belong to the 'emergent' class of contaminants. These compounds have been found at different concentrations in many sources of water worldwide and have several negative impacts on aquatic life systems; that is why the search for new alternatives for their removal from aqueous media is of transcendental importance. In this sense, adsorption processes are an option to attack this problem and for this reason, biochar could be a good alternative. In this regard, were prepared six different biochar from fique bagasse (FB), a useless agroindustry by-product from fique processing. The six biochar preparations were characterized through several physicochemical procedures, while for the adsorption processes, pH, adsorption time and concentration of caffeine and diclofenac were evaluated. Results showed that the biochar obtained by pyrolysis at 850 °C and residence time of 3 h, labeled as FB850-3, was the material with the highest adsorbent capacity with values of 40.2 mg g-1 and 5.40 mg g-1 for caffeine and diclofenac, respectively. It was also shown that the experimental data from FB850-3 fitted very well the Redlich-Peterson isotherm model and followed a pseudo-first and pseudo-second-order kinetic for caffeine and diclofenac, respectively.

Insights into the isotherm and kinetic models for the coadsorption of pharmaceuticals in the absence and presence of metal ions: A review.

Pharmaceuticals are a wide class of emerging pollutants due to their continuous and the increasing consumption of users. These pollutants are usually found in the real environment as mixtures alone or with metal ions. Thus, the migration risk increases, which complicates the removal of pharmaceuticals because of the combined and synergistic effects. The focus of treatment of pharmaceutical mixtures and their coexistence with metals is of considerable importance. For this purpose, adsorption has been efficiently applied to several studies for the treatment of such complex systems. In this article, the coadsorption behavior of pharmaceuticals in the absence and existence of metals on several adsorbents has been reviewed. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics of these two systems have been analyzed using different models and discussed. Important challenges and promising routes are suggested for the future development of the coadsorption of the studied systems. This article provides an overview on the most utilized and effective adsorbents, widely studied adsorbates, best applied isotherm and kinetic models, and competitive effect in coadsorption of pharmaceuticals, both with and without metals.

Efficient removal of anti-inflammatory from solution by Fe-containing activated carbon: Adsorption kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics.

This work developed an innovative activated carbon (ICAC) derived from orange peels (OP) through chemical activation using FeCl3. The traditional activated carbon (PCAC) that was prepared through K2CO3 activation served as a comparison. Three adsorbents (ICAC, PCAC, and OP) were characterized by various techniques, these being: Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, thermo-gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. They were applied to remove diclofenac from aqueous solution applying batch experiments, in order to investigate the characteristics of adsorptive kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics. Results indicated that the SBET values were in the following order: 457 m2/g (PCAC) > 184 m2/g (ICAC) > 3.56 m2/g (OP). The adsorption process reached a fast equilibrium, with activating energies being 27.6 kJ/mol (ICAC), 16.0 kJ/mol (OP), and 11.2 kJ/mol (PCAC). The Langmuir adsorption capacities at 30 °C exhibited the decreasing order: 144 mg/g (ICAC) > 6.44 mg/g (OP) > 5.61 mg/g (PCAC). The thermodynamic parameters demonstrated a signal dissimilarity between biosorbent (ΔG° <0, ΔH° <0, and ΔS° <0) and activated carbon samples (ΔG° <0, ΔH° >0, and ΔS° >0). The presence of iron (FeOCl, γ-Fe2O3, and FeOOH) on the surface of ICAC played a determining role in efficiently removing diclofenac from solution. The excellent adsorption capacity of ICAC toward diclofenac resulted presumably from the contribution of complicated adsorption mechanisms, such as hydrogen bonding, ion-dipole interaction, π-π interaction, pore filling, and possible Fenton-like degradation. Therefore, FeCl3 can serve as a promising activating agent for AC preparation with excellent efficiency in removing diclofenac.

Biodegradation of pentafluorosulfanyl-substituted aminophenol in Pseudomonas spp.

The pentafluorosulfanyl (SF5-) substituent conveys properties that are beneficial to drugs and agrochemicals. As synthetic methodologies improve the number of compounds containing this group will expand and these chemicals may be viewed as emerging pollutants. As many microorganisms can degrade aromatic xenobiotics, we investigated the catabolism of SF5-substituted aminophenols by bacteria and found that some Pseudomonas spp. can utilise these compounds as sole carbon and energy sources. GC-MS analysis of the culture supernatants from cultures grown in 5-(pentafluorosulfanyl) 2-aminophenol demonstrated the presence of the N-acetylated derivative of the starting substrate and 4-(pentafluorosulfanyl)catechol. Biotransformation experiments with re-suspended cells were also conducted and fluorine-19 NMR analyses of the organic extract and aqueous fraction from suspended cell experiments revealed new resonances of SF5-substituted intermediates. Supplementation of suspended cell cultures with yeast extract dramatically improved the degradation of the substrate as well as the release of fluoride ion. 4-(Pentafluorosulfanyl)catechol was shown to be a shunt metabolite and toxic to some of the bacteria. This is the first study to demonstrate that microorganisms can biodegrade SF5-substituted aromatic compounds releasing fluoride ion, and biotransform them generating a toxic metabolite.

The rise of glyphosate and new opportunities for biosentinel early-warning studies.

Glyphosate has become the most commonly used herbicide worldwide and is reputedly environmentally benign, nontoxic, and safe for use near wildlife and humans. However, studies indicate its toxicity is underestimated and its persistence in the environment is greater than once thought. Its actions as a neurotoxin and endocrine disruptor indicate its potential to act in similar ways to persistent organic pollutants such as the organochlorines dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and dioxin. Exposure to glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides for both wildlife and people is likely to be chronic and at sublethal levels, with multiple and ongoing exposure events occurring in urban and agricultural landscapes. Despite this, there has been little research on the impact of glyphosate on wildlife populations, and existing studies appear in the agricultural, toxicology, and water-chemistry literature that may have limited visibility among wildlife biologists. These studies clearly demonstrate a link between chronic exposure and neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, cell damage, and immune suppression. There is a strong case for the recognition of glyphosate as an emerging organic contaminant and substantial potential exists for collaborative research among ecologists, toxicologists, and chemists to quantify the impact of glyphosate on wildlife and to evaluate the role of biosentinel species in a preemptive move to mitigate downstream impacts on people. There is scope to develop a decision framework to aid the choice of species to biomonitor and analysis methods based on the target contaminant, spatial and temporal extent of contamination, and perceived risk. Birds in particular offer considerable potential in this role because they span agricultural and urban environments, coastal, inland, and wetland ecosystems where glyphosate residues are known to be present.

Hospital effluents management: Chemical, physical, microbiological risks and legislation in different countries.

Hospital wastewater (HWW) can contain hazardous substances, such as pharmaceutical residues, chemical hazardous substances, pathogens and radioisotopes. Due to these substances, hospital wastewater can represent a chemical, biological and physical risk for public and environmental health. In particular, several studies demonstrate that the main effects of these substances can't be neutralised by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). These substances can be found in a wide range of concentrations due to the size of a hospital, the bed density, number of inpatients and outpatients, the number and the type of wards, the number and types of services, the country and the season. Some hazardous substances produced in hospital facilities have a regulatory status and are treated like waste and are disposed of accordingly (i.e., dental amalgam and medications). Legislation is quite homogeneous for these substances in all industrial countries. Problems that have emerged in the last decade concern substances and microorganisms that don't have a regulatory status, such as antibiotic residues, drugs and specific pathogens. At a global level, guidelines exist for treatment methods for these effluents, but legislation in all major industrial countries don't contain limitations on these parameters. Therefore, a monitoring system is necessary for these effluents as well as for substances and pathogens, as these elements can represent a risk to the environment and public health.

Understanding the effects of lithium exposure on castor bean (Ricinus communis) plants, a potential bioindicator of lithium-contaminated areas.

As lithium (Li) stands out as a crucial component of batteries, the inappropriate disposal of electronic gadgets might drive Li pollution in environmentally sensitive environments, such as dumps, where castor bean (Ricinus communis) plant communities are usually found. The exposure to high Li concentration is potentially harmful to the environment and humans. Therefore, it is opportune to evaluate the potential of bioindicator species to monitor Li contamination. In this scenario, the present study assessed the effects of Li exposure on the development of castor bean plants exposed to lithium chloride at five Li dosages (0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 mg dm-3). Significant symptoms of phytotoxicity were observed at all doses. Li dosage exhibited increasing impairment effects on plant biometrics, such as stem diameter and the number of leaves, as well as on the SPAD index, nutritional balance, and biomass production. Our findings suggest castor bean as a potential model species for biomonitoring Li-contaminated areas.