Residential proximity to toxic metal-emitting industrial sites and toenail metal concentrations in a United States-wide prospective cohort.

BACKGROUND: Industrial facilities across the United States (US) release millions of pounds of toxic chemicals, including metals. Exposure to toxic metals has been associated with adverse health outcomes, but there is limited evidence on the association between living near metal-releasing facilities and the body burden of emitted compounds. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between residential proximity to toxic metal-emitting industrial facilities and toenail metal concentrations and to evaluate whether associations differed by race. METHODS: In a sample of 1556 non-Hispanic Black (32.5%) and non-Hispanic White (67.5%) women from the Sister Study, we used the US Environmental Protection Agency Toxics Release Inventory to identify metal-emitting facilities within 3, 5, and 10 km of participants' baseline residences. We measured toenail concentrations (µg/g) of arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, and lead. Using multivariable linear regression, we examined associations between residential proximity to and emissions from metal-emitting facilities and toenail metal concentrations, stratifying by race. We explored modification of race-stratified associations by neighborhood deprivation, using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI). RESULTS: Black participants were more likely to reside within 3 km of chromium-releasing facilities and 5 and 10 km of all observed metal-emitting sites. Living near metal-releasing facilities was not associated with higher toenail metal concentrations overall. Among Black women, higher chromium emissions exposure was associated with higher toenail chromium levels (ßTertile3vs.non-exposed = 2.36 µg/g, 95% CI = 0.63, 4.10). An association with lead was observed among Black women residing in the most deprived areas (≥75th ADI percentile: ß = 3.08 µg/g, 95% CI = 1.46, 4.71). No associations were observed for White participants. CONCLUSIONS: Despite low exposure prevalence, our findings suggest that living near chromium- and lead-releasing facilities, especially at shorter distances, may be associated with higher corresponding toenail metal levels among Black women, particularly those residing in the most disadvantaged areas.

Risk of prostate cancer in the proximity of industrial installations: A multicase-control study in Spain (MCC-Spain).

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most frequent tumor in men worldwide; however, its etiology remains largely unknown, with the exception of age and family history. The wide variability in incidence/mortality across countries suggests a certain role for environmental exposures that has not yet been clarified. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between risk of PC (by clinical profile) and residential proximity to pollutant industrial installations (by industrial groups, groups of carcinogens, and specific pollutants released), within the context of a Spanish population-based multicase-control study of incident cancer (MCC-Spain). METHODS: This study included 1186 controls and 234 PC cases, frequency matched by age and province of residence. Distances from participants' residences to the 58 industries located in the study area were calculated and categorized into "near" (considering different limits between ≤1 km and ≤ 3 km) or "far" (>3 km). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95%CIs) were estimated using mixed and multinomial logistic regression models, adjusted for potential confounders and matching variables. RESULTS: No excess risk was detected near the overall industries, with ORs ranging from 0.66 (≤2 km) to 1.11 (≤1 km). However, positive associations (OR; 95%CI) were found, by industrial group, near (≤3 km) industries of ceramic (2.54; 1.28-5.07), food/beverage (2.18; 1.32-3.62), and disposal/recycling of animal waste (2.67; 1.12-6.37); and, by specific pollutant, near plants releasing fluorine (4.65; 1.45-14.91 at ≤1.5 km) and chlorine (5.21; 1.56-17.35 at ≤1 km). In contrast, inverse associations were detected near industries releasing ammonia, methane, dioxins+furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, trichloroethylene, and vanadium to air. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest no association between risk of PC and proximity to the overall industrial installations. However, some both positive and inverse associations were detected near certain industrial groups and industries emitting specific pollutants.

The Impact of Air Pollution on Asthma Severity among Residents Living near the Main Industrial Complex in Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a widespread chronic respiratory disease that poses a significant public health challenge. The current study investigated the associations between air pollution and asthma severity among individuals residing near the Sohar industrial port (SIP) in Oman. Despite the presence of multiple major industrial complexes in Oman, limited knowledge regarding their impact on respiratory health is accredited. Hence, the primary objective of this study is to offer valuable insights into the respiratory health consequences of industrial air pollution in Al Batinah North. METHODS: The state health clinics' records for patient visits related to asthma were collected for the timeframe spanning 2014 to 2022. Exposure was defined as the distance from the SIP, Majan Industerial Area (MIA), and Sohar Industerial Zone (SIZ) to determine high-, intermediate-, and low-exposure zones (<6 km, 6-12 km and >12 km, respectively). Exposure effect modifications by age, gender, and smoking status were also examined. RESULTS: The conducted cross-sectional study of 410 patients (46.1% males and 53.9% females) living in over 17 areas around SIP revealed that 73.2% of asthmatics were under 50 years old, with severity significantly associated with closeness to the port. Risk ratios were estimated to be (RR:2.42; CI95%: 1.01-5.78), (RR:1.91; CI95%: 1.01-3.6), and (RR:1.68; CI95%: 0.92-3.09) for SIP, MIP, and SIZ areas, respectively, compared to the control area. Falaj Al Qabail (6.4 km) and Majees (6 km) had the highest number of asthma patients (N 69 and N 72) and highest percentages of severe asthma cases among these patients (28% and 24%) with significant risk ratios (RR:2.97; CI95%: 1.19-7.45 and RR:2.55; CI95%: 1.00-6.48), correspondingly. Moreover, severe asthma prevalence peaked in the 25-50 age group (RR:2.05; CI95%: 1.26-3.33), and this linkage between asthma and age was much more pronounced in males than females. Smoking and exposure to certain contaminants (dust and smoke) also increased the risk of severe asthma symptoms, but their effects were less important in the high-risk zone, suggesting much more important risk factors. A neural network model accurately predicted asthma risk (94.8% accuracy), with proximity to SIP as the most influential predictor. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the high asthma burden near SIP, linked to port proximity, smoking, and wind direction as major risk factors. These findings inform vital public health policies to reduce air pollution and improve respiratory health in the region, prompting national policy review.

Detecting changes in industrial pollution by analyzing heavy metal concentrations in tree-ring wood from Romanian conifer forests.

The impact of air pollution on forests, especially in urban areas, has been increasingly discussed recently. Many pollutants, including heavy metals, are released into the atmosphere from various sources, such as mining, non-ferrous metal processing plants, and fossil fuel combustion. These pollutants can adversely affect not only tree growth but also other species, including humans. This study compared the concentrations of several elements in tree-ring wood from two conifer species (Silver fir, Abies alba; Norway spruce, Picea abies) growing in polluted and unpolluted areas. Two regions in northern Romania (Bicaz and Tarnița) that were subjected to historical pollution changes were selected. Two chemical analyses were used: inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). The silver fir trees from the intensively polluted area in the Tarnița region were negatively impacted by industrial pollution: the Mn concentrations were, on average, three times higher in polluted areas than in unpolluted areas (ca. 30 vs. 10 mg kg-1). This finding was consistent for both ICP-MS and XRF analyses. However, in Norway spruce, this difference was found only in the XRF data, which detected Mn concentrations seven times higher in trees from polluted areas than those from unpolluted areas (ca. 700 vs. 100 mg kg-1). In the Tarnița region, Norway spruce accumulated more heavy metals than silver fir, but the most pronounced differences between polluted and unpolluted areas were found in silver fir. The two analytical methods are commonly used to determine metal concentrations in wood, and they complement each other, with ICP-MS having a low detection limit for some elements and XRF having higher detection limits and better accuracy. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, and the optimal method depends on many factors, such as the type of heavy metal analyzed, its concentration in wood, sample type, cost, analysis time, and sample preparation.

Ecotoxicological risk assessments and components of persistent organic pollutants and metals in the historical settlement area (Iznik (Nicea) lake) large water resource sediments.

The main objectives of this study are to measure permanent organic and inorganic pollutants in detail in an area that hosts historical structures underneath and feeds the huge ecosystem with water, to reveal risk values. Total PAH concentrations in the samples ranged from 43.41 to 202.7 ng/g. Total OCP concentration ranged from 5.15 to 17.98 ng/g, while total PCB concentration ranged from 0.179 to 0.921 ng/g. PCB 28/31, 138, and 153 are the highest detected PCBs. It was found that the lake sediment reached toxic equivalent quotient (TEQ) values of 29.21 for total PAHs and 28.90 for carcinogenic PAHs. Negligible concentration risk quotient had a low to moderate ecological and toxicological risk between 12.91 and 64.42. Highest pollution index value was found 3.81 and the risk index value reached 417.4. It has been revealed that toxicologically risky components accumulate over many years even in the best-protected water resources.

Spatial difference-in-differences analysis of smart city pilot policy and industrial pollution reduction: the mediating role of S&T fiscal expenditure.

Smart city has become one of the most important tool to achieve digital transformation and intelligent development. However, the impacts of smart city pilots (SCP) on different industrial pollution have yet to be tested, and the mechanisms of SCP affect industrial pollution could be richer. In this paper, we construct a spatial difference-in-difference model for 2004-2019 by mapping SCP policy to Chinese city data to systematically quantify the impact and its potential mechanisms of digital transformation on industrial pollution. Our results show that the SCP policy achieves industrial pollution reduction targets, on average, wastewater and SO2 emissions decreased by 6.4% and 6.5%, respectively. Cities with SCP policy have more industrial pollution compared to cities without SCP policy, implying a beggar-thy-neighbor effect of SCP policy. Furthermore, significant regional disparities come to light; SCP policy in the Pearl River Delta exceeds other regions such as the Yangtze River Delta and Jing-Jin-Ji city cluster in terms of realizing the impact of industrial pollution reduction. Importantly, mechanism analysis indicated that the SCP reduced industrial pollution was partially mediated by government S&T fiscal expenditure.

Fiscal centralization and urban industrial pollution emissions reduction: Evidence from the vertical reform of environmental administrations in China.

The relationship between fiscal regimes and urban industrial pollution emissions is unclear. This paper aims to explore the effects and mechanisms of fiscal centralization on urban industrial pollution emissions and environmental quality. Using the vertical reform of environmental administrations (VREA) in China as a quasi-natural experiment of fiscal centralization, this study applies a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model to explore the differences in industrial pollution emissions between centralization cities and decentralization cities. The main findings are: (1) VREA significantly inhibits regional industrial pollution emissions, and the reform effect increases over time. This conclusion still holds after considering a series of robustness issues. (2) Industrial sulfur dioxide (SO2) and solid particulate emissions in the fiscal centralization cities have decreased significantly by 0.3281% and 0.2240%, respectively. However, there is no significant change in industrial wastewater discharges. (3) Environmental regulations, environmental expenditures, and pollution control investments of local governments are the main channels through which VREA reduces industrial pollution emissions. (4) The effects of VREA are more significant in central and western cities and small cities. (5) Relative to decentralization cities, centralization cities have improved air and water quality by 0.0825% and 0.1628%, respectively. These findings help to accurately assess the effects of fiscal centralization on regional environmental governance and provide a decision-making reference for further deepening environmental centralization reform in China.

Erythrocyte glutathione transferase. A sensitive Up-Down biomarker of environmental and industrial pollution.

Erythrocyte glutathione transferase is a well-known biomarker of environmental pollution. Examination of the extensive scientific literature discovers an atypical and very interesting property of this enzyme which may reveal a chronic exposition to many contaminants but in some cases even an acute and short-term dangerous contamination. This review also underlines the peculiar molecular and kinetic properties of this enzyme which makes it unique in the panorama of enzymes used as biomarker for environmental contamination.

[Heavy metal exposure and reproductive toxicity: Advances in studies].

Heavy metals are among the major pollutants affecting the environment, with a higher density of metal element than that of water and an extensive presence in the natural environment. Trace elements such as zinc, copper, nickel and chromium mediate important physiological functions and metabolic regulation at normal levels, and insufficient intake of them will lead to related diseases. Heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury do not participate in the normal metabolism of the human body and will cause damage to the body even at an extremely low dose. Heavy metal pollution mainly comes from industrial wastewater, fossil fuel combustion, wastewater, smelting, mining, vehicle exhaust, hazardous waste dumping, and fertilizer abuse. Unable to be biodegraded, heavy metals have a long biological half-life in nature, which in turn leads to bio-accumulation and -amplification. Eating contaminated vegetables is one way of being exposed to heavy metals. Heavy metals produce adverse effects not only on the human reproductive system, but also on the fetus by penetrating the placental barrier, and on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis as well, consequently affecting sexual maturation and reproductive function. With the sharp increase of heavy metals in the environment, researches on their reproductive toxicity and antagonistic drugs have an important clinical significance.

The impact of green finance on industrial pollution emissions: Empirical evidence from economic and environmental perspectives.

Green finance can make full use of financial instruments to control industrial pollution emissions, thus becoming an important initiative to balance ecological environment and economic growth. Based on panel data from 30 Chinese provinces, this study adopts a fixed effect model to test the impact of green finance on industrial pollution emissions, followed by the application of instrumental variables, a GMM dynamic panel, and exogenous shock tests to ensure the robustness of the benchmark results. The results indicate that green finance is capable of controlling the total amount and intensity of industrial pollution emissions, that is to say, to realize the "double control" of industrial pollution emissions, taking into account economic growth and environmental protection. The mediating effect model concludes that green finance can influence industrial pollution emissions through green technology innovation and industrial structure upgrading, but the impact of these two mechanisms on the total amount and intensity of industrial pollution emissions has its own focus. Heterogeneity analysis shows that green finance is more significant in reducing the intensity of industrial pollution emissions in resource-general areas and areas with high levels of information technology, and the shift from controlling the total amount indicator to the intensity indicator implies that green finance is more effective in promoting economic growth while protecting the environment. Our empirical findings offer important policy implications for reducing industrial pollution emissions from both economic and environmental perspectives.

Stress mitigation by riparian flora in industrial contaminated area of River Chenab Punjab, Pakistan.

Faisalabad is a major industrial area in Pakistan's Punjab province that discharges wastewater into the Chenab River. Industrial effluents in Faisalabad are predicted to pose a significant threat to the riparian vegetation of the Chenab River and nearby vegetation. Heavy metal pollution of plants, water, and soils is one of the biggest problems worldwide that needs to be addressed because heavy metals above normal levels are extremely dangerous to both riparian vegetation and wildlife. The results indicated high levels of pollution in the industrial effluents as well as in the river in terms of salinity, metal toxicity, TSS, TDS, SAR, the acidic and alkaline nature of the industrial effluents, and the spread of industrial effluents up to 15 square kilometres in the Chenab River. Despite the higher pollution, four plants were found at all sites: Calotropis procera, Phyla nodiflora, Eclipta alba and Ranunculus sceleratus. It was found that most of the selected plants were phytoaccumulators, making them best suited to survive in harsh environments such as those with industrial pollution. The Fe concentration in the plant constituents was the highest, along with Zn, Pb, Cd, and Cu, all of which were above the permissible limits of the WHO. The metal transfer factor (MTF) was higher in most of the plants studied, and even exceeded 10 at some severely affected sites. Calotropis procera proved to be the most suitable plant for growth on drainage systems and also at river sites, as it had the highest importance value across all sites and seasons.

Leaching of Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn from different solid wastes: Effects of adding adsorbents and using different leaching solutions.

The leaching of potentially toxic elements from different industrial solid wastes (ISWs) must be understood to manage the environmental concerns they pose. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of clay mineral (bentonite) and nanoparticle (MgO) on potentially toxic elements (Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn) leaching in some ISWs, when they leached with different leaching solutions. The highest amount of Zn and Ni was leached from ceramic factory waste (CFW) and stone cutting wastes (SCW), respectively, while the highest amount of Cr was leached from leather factory waste (LFW). In ISWs, the leaching percentage of Cu, Ni, and Zn were up to 11.2%, whereas the greatest leaching percentage of Cr was 26.7% of the total content. The addition of bentonite and MgO decreased potentially toxic element leaching. The results of effluents speciation of SFW indicated that at the beginning of leaching with CaCl2, nitric acid, and citric acid, 75.1%, 84.1%, and 39.6% of Cr were in different forms of Cr (III), respectively, while at the end of leaching the percentage of Cr (III) species were decreased and Cr (VI) species were increased to 83.6%, 88.4%, and 93.4%, respectively. The addition of bentonite and especially MgO to the ISWs reduced the leaching of potentially toxic elements as well as reduced the percentage of Cr (VI) in the effluents of SFW. The findings suggested that bentonite has the potential to be a low-cost and environmentally acceptable adsorbent for minimizing the leaching of Cr and other potentially toxic elements from ISWs.

Surface engineered functional biomaterials for hazardous pollutants removal from aqueous environment.

The issue of water contamination by heavy metal ions as highly persistent pollutants with harmful influence primarily on biological systems, even in trace levels, has become a great environmental concern globally. Therefore, there is a need for the use of highly sensitive techniques or preconcentration methods for the removal of heavy metal ions at trace levels. Thus, this research investigates a novel approach by examining the possibility of using pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel layered material for the simultaneous preconcentration of seven heavy metal ions; Cd(II), Co(II), Cr(III), Cu(II), Mn(II), Ni(II) and Pb(II) from aqueous solution and three river water samples. The quantification of the heavy metals was performed by the means of FAAS technique. The characterization of biomaterial was performed by SEM/EDS, FTIR analysis and pHpzc determination before and after the remediation process. The reusability study as well as the influence of interfering ions (Ca, K, Mg, Na and Zn) were evaluated. The conditions of preconcentration by the column method included the optimization of solution pH (5), flow rate (1.5 mL/min), a dose of biosorbent (200 mg), type of the eluent (1 mol/L HNO3), sample volume (100 mL) and sorbent fraction (<0.25 mm). The biosorbent capacity ranged from 4.45 to 57.70 µmol/g for the investigated heavy metals. The practical relevance of this study is further extended by novel data regarding adsorbent cost analysis (17.49 $/mol). The Punica granatum sorbent represents a highly effective and economical biosorbent for the preconcentration of heavy metal ions for possible application in industrial sectors.

Mammographic density in the environs of multiple industrial sources.

BACKGROUND: Mammographic density (MD), defined as the percentage of dense fibroglandular tissue in the breast, is a modifiable marker of the risk of developing breast cancer. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of residential proximity to an increasing number of industrial sources in MD. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1225 premenopausal women participating in the DDM-Madrid study. We calculated distances between women's houses and industries. The association between MD and proximity to an increasing number of industrial facilities and industrial clusters was explored using multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: We found a positive linear trend between MD and proximity to an increasing number of industrial sources for all industries, at distances of 1.5 km (p-trend = 0.055) and 2 km (p-trend = 0.083). Moreover, 62 specific industrial clusters were analyzed, highlighting the significant associations found between MD and proximity to the following 6 industrial clusters: cluster 10 and women living at ≤1.5 km (ß = 10.78, 95 % confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.59; 19.97) and at ≤2 km (ß = 7.96, 95%CI = 0.21; 15.70); cluster 18 and women residing at ≤3 km (ß = 8.48, 95%CI = 0.01; 16.96); cluster 19 and women living at ≤3 km (ß = 15.72, 95%CI = 1.96; 29.49); cluster 20 and women living at ≤3 km (ß = 16.95, 95%CI = 2.90; 31.00); cluster 48 and women residing at ≤3 km (ß = 15.86, 95%CI = 3.95; 27.77); and cluster 52 and women living at ≤2.5 km (ß = 11.09, 95%CI = 0.12; 22.05). These clusters include the following industrial activities: surface treatment of metals/plastic, surface treatment using organic solvents, production/processing of metals, recycling of animal waste, hazardous waste, urban waste-water treatment plants, inorganic chemical industry, cement and lime, galvanization, and food/beverage sector. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that women living in the proximity to an increasing number of industrial sources and those near certain types of industrial clusters have higher MD.

Human exposure to dust and heavy metals in industrial regions and its relationship with the prevalence of multiple sclerosis disease.

In recent decades, multiple sclerosis (MS) diseases have been significantly prevalent in some industrial areas of Iran, such as steel industrial areas in Isfahan province (central Iran). In this study, the environmental impacts of two steel mill factories in Isfahan province and their effects on the spread of MS in the region were investigated. To examine the extent of exposure, seasonal dust samples were collected from 15 sites around the two investigated factories. The annual dust deposition rate (DDR) was then determined and the concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and manganese (Mn) in the dust samples were measured. Furthermore, the concentration of the mentioned elements was determined in the nail samples taken from 40 MS patients and 40 healthy people (control) living in the study region. The interpolated map extracted from the DDR values showed the highest dust deposition around the two studied steel factories, which decreases with increasing distance from them. The enrichment factor (EF) of heavy metals was the highest at the distance between the two steel factories, decreasing by moving away from them which indicate that these two steel factories are the source of investigated heavy metals in the region. The statistical analysis also revealed significant differences (P < 0.01) between the concentration of heavy metals measured in nail samples taken from MS patients and healthy people. The mean Pb concentration measured in the nail sample taken from MS patients was more than 18 times that of healthy people (93.45 and 5.02 mg/kg, respectively). These results revealed a buildup of heavy metals in the body of MS patients much more than usual, originating from the activities of two investigated steel companies in the region.

Causality and dynamic spillover effects of megacities on regional industrial pollution reduction.

Regional economic power and local environmental policies have a substantial impact on pollution reduction in urban agglomerations (UAs); however, whether megacities in UAs exert spillover effects of pollution reduction on surrounding cities remains unknown. This study presents a causal analytic framework to evaluate the spillover effects of megacities on regional industrial pollution reduction in three major UAs in China between 2005 and 2016. The interaction between industrial pollution reduction and infrastructure investment indicators was also examined. Results indicated a good fit for spatial spillover of sulfur dioxide reduction (SR) in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) and Yangtze River Delta (YRD) but not in the Beijing-Hebei-Tianjin cluster (JJJ). Spatial spillover of dust reduction (DR) was evident in the PRD and JJJ but not the YRD. Spatial analysis showed that infrastructure investment indicators, at megacity and UA levels, had short-term spillover effects on surrounding cities for DR but not SR. However, spatial spillover effects, at both the city and UA levels, were substantial over the long term. In addition, the results of the spatial-time lag analysis suggest a linear relationship between pollution control-related infrastructure investment indicators and long-term pollution reduction. This study provides new information regarding the spatial spillover effects of megacities on regional industrial pollution reduction in UAs.

The DiSCPersal model: A simple model for the small-scale atmospheric transport of spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs).

Spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs) are atmospherically mobile by-products of anthropogenic, high-temperature fossil fuel combustion. Since they are preserved in many geologic archives across the globe, SCPs have been identified as a potential marker for the onset of the Anthropocene. Our ability to reliably model the atmospheric dispersal of SCPs remains limited to coarse spatial scales (i.e., 102-103 km). We address this gap by developing the DiSCPersal model, a multi-iterative and kinematics-based model for dispersal of SCPs at local spatial scales (i.e., 10°-102 km). Although simple and limited by available measurements of SCPs, the model is nonetheless corroborated by empirical data of the spatial distribution of SCPs from Osaka, Japan. We find that particle diameter and injection height are the primary controls of dispersal distance, whereas particle density is of secondary importance. Further, stark differences in the modelled dispersal distances of SCPs between non-point vs. smokestack sources could explain the ambiguity of dispersal distances and the relative magnitude of long-range vs. localized sourcing of SCPs reported in the literature. This research underscores the need to incorporate understanding of the localized dispersal patterns of SCPs when interpreting their preservation in geologic archives. By extension, our findings have implications for the reliability of SCPs as a globally synchronous marker for the onset of the Anthropocene.

Research on the Evaluation and Spatial Characteristics of China's Provincial Socioeconomic Development and Pollution Control Based on the Lotka-Volterra Model.

AIMS: To evaluate the degree of mutualism between socioeconomic development and industrial and domestic pollution in provinces of China and to analyze the differences in spatial characteristics between their regions. METHODS: This study used the HDI to measure socioeconomic development and the Lotka-Volterra model to group and estimate the force-on and mutualism degree indexes of industrial and domestic pollution and socioeconomic development in 31 provinces of China, which were then used to them. Then, the study calculated the global and local Moran's I under different space weights matrices to analyze their spatial autocorrelation and heterogeneity. RESULTS: The research showed that in 2016-2020, compared with 2011-2015, the number of provinces where socioeconomic development and industrial pollution control mutually promoted each other was approximately the same, while the number of provinces that promoted each other's effectiveness with domestic pollution control was reduced. There were many provinces with industrial pollution ranked in the S-level, while most provinces placed a different emphasis on industrial and domestic pollution control. The rank in China tended to be spatially balanced in 2016-2020. There was a negative spatial autocorrelation between the ranks of most provinces and neighboring provinces in 2011-2020. The ranks of some eastern provinces showed a phenomenon of a high-high agglomeration, while the ranks of provinces in the western region were dominated by a high-low agglomeration.

Occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk of organophosphorus flame retardants and their degradation products in water and upper sediment of two urban rivers in Shenzhen, China.

Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) are widely used in various industrial manufacturing processes; thus, their environmental impact in agglomerated industrial areas is of great concern. In this study, seventeen kinds of OPFRs and five kinds of organophosphate diesters (Di-OPs) in water and upper sediment samples from two urban rivers in the agglomerated industrial area of Shenzhen city, China, were investigated. The results showed that the total concentrations of detectable OPFRs ranged from 3438.83 to 12,838.87 ng/L with an average of 6494.94 ng/L in water samples and from 47.16 to 524.46 ng/g (dry weight, dw) with an average of 181.48 ng/g dw in sediment. The values were higher than those in other rivers worldwide. Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) is the predominant OPFRs in water and upper sediment, up to 10,664.23 ng/L in water and 414.12 ng/g dw in sediment. The total concentration of OPFRs of sediment samples in the Maozhou River was around twice as high as in the Guanlan River. The results indicated that the level of OPFRs was associated with the industrial activity intensity. Di-OPs exhibited lower concentrations than their parent compounds, and can be attributed to the degradation/metabolism of their parent compounds in the river. The sediment-water partition of OPFRs is significantly correlated with their log Kow values. Risk assessment revealed moderate ecological risks posed by OPFRs in water to aquatic organisms. The present study revealed the pollution status of OPFRs in rivers from agglomerated industrial and residential areas.

Effects of a heavy metal (cadmium) on the responses of subtropical coastal tree species to drought stress.

With global climate change and increased industrialization, drought and heavy metals have become common abiotic stress factors for coastal vegetation. In this study, we investigated the ecophysiological responses of the seedlings of three subtropical coastal tree species (Barringtonia racemosa, Hibiscus tiliaceus, and Terminalia neotaliala) to drought stress (D), cadmium addition (Cd), and their combined effects (Cd + D). The results showed that, for all three plant species, treatment D significantly decreased Amax, Y(II), qP, and ETR; increased the concentrations of PRO, soluble sugars, ABA, MDA, and O2-; and increased the activity of Rubisco. The concentrations of soluble sugars, MDA, and O2- were similar for treatments D and Cd; the only difference was that qP, Amax, and ETR values of B. racemosa and the Amax value of H. tiliaceus were significantly lower in treatment Cd than in control. The concentrations of PRO, soluble sugars, ABA, and MDA were significantly lower for treatment Cd + D than for treatment D. The O2- concentration was positively correlated with the concentrations of soluble sugars and PRO, indicating that osmoregulation was important for the responses of the plants to oxidative stress. ABA was positively correlated with MDA, indicating that ABA was involved in the response to oxidative stress. These results, which show that Cd may weaken the physiological responses of coastal plants to drought stress by increasing ABA accumulation, may provide guidance for coastal ecosystem management in South China.