Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhengtao Shen, Zhuorong Zhang, Mengdi Zhang, Joerg Rinklebe, Yan Ma, Deyi Hou
Summary: The use of rice husk biochar at different production temperatures and particle sizes can effectively reduce runoff and soil erosion on mercury-contaminated soil, decreasing the concentration of mercury in runoff and soil. Higher pyrolysis temperature of the biochar results in less runoff, more infiltration, and better erosion prevention, while the effect of biochar particle size is less significant.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Lorraine Meyer, Stephane Guyot, Michel Chalot, Nicolas Capelli
Summary: Mercury (Hg) pollution is a global issue due to its high toxicity and wide dispersion. Bacteria and fungi have evolved tolerance mechanisms to Hg-induced stress and can be applied to reduce Hg concentrations in polluted soils, potentially through bioremediation approaches. These microorganisms also play a role in determining the fate of Hg in the biogeochemical cycle and can be used for biomonitoring purposes, such as through the engineering of biosensors for detecting Hg.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fang Wan, Nan Jiang, Linsong Yu, Kai Zang, Shuming Liu, Wei He, Zunfang Hu, Haiyin Fan, Haosong Li, Hui Wang, Hong Pan, Quangang Yang, Yanhong Lou, Yuping Zhuge
Summary: This study assessed the ecological and health risks associated with heavy metal contamination in an area with a high geological background. The results showed a low comprehensive ecological risk, with industries being the main contributors. The comprehensive health risk assessment revealed that industrial and natural factors were the primary contributors to non-carcinogenic risks, particularly for cadmium and zinc. Soil ingestion was identified as the main pathway for health risks, especially for children. The source-ecological risk assessment and source-health risk assessment provided valuable insights for protecting human health in high geological background areas.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Gaoxiang Huang, Changfeng Ding, Yibing Ma, Yurong Wang, Zhigao Zhou, Shun'an Zheng, Xingxiang Wang
Summary: The study enriched rice seedlings with zinc and manganese through hydroponic cultivation, effectively reducing the accumulation of Cd in rice plants. Field experiments confirmed the success of this innovative method in reducing food safety risks associated with rice grown on slightly to moderately Cd-contaminated paddy soils.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Allan Pretti Ogura, Jacqueline Zanin Lima, Jessica Pelinsom Marques, Lucas Massaro Sousa, Valeria Guimaraes Silvestre Rodrigues, Evaldo Luiz Gaeta Espindola
Summary: Biochar, produced from crop residues, shows potential for sorption and remediation of pesticides, reducing their bioavailability and toxicity. Factors such as pyrolysis temperature, feedstock, and specific surface area influence biochar properties. More research is needed to study biochar aging, desorption potential, pesticide co-contaminations, and field applications for sustainable agricultural systems.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Helena Pachon, Bethany Reynolds, Michelle Duong, Becky L. Tsang, Lana Childs, Corey L. Luthringer, Yunhee Kang, Florencia C. Vasta, Karen Codling
Summary: Food fortification is aimed at improving the nutritional profile of diets. The potential nutrient contribution of fortified maize flour, oil, rice, salt, and wheat flour in diets was estimated in 153 countries. Overall, the fortification practices have the global potential to contribute up to 15 nutrients to people's diets with minimal risk of exceeding Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs).
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yaping Liu, Xudong Cao, Yuanan Hu, Hefa Cheng
Summary: This study investigated the characteristics of heavy metals in soil and rice samples from a typical industrialized region in southern China. The results showed that a majority of the samples were contaminated, posing risks to the health of local residents who consume locally produced rice. The findings contribute to the development of effective pollution prevention and control measures to ensure the well-being of the local population.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiang Xu, Garret D. Bland, Yuan Gu, Hasti Ziaei, Xiaoyue Xiao, Amrika Deonarine, Danny Reible, Paul Bireta, Thomas P. Hoelen, Gregory Lowry
Summary: The study found that marine sediments contained 20-50% of total Hg in the <0.5 µm size fraction, while terrestrial and river sediments only contained 0.5-3.0% in this fraction. X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed that metacinnabar (beta-HgS) was the main mercury species in marine sediment, while organic Hg-thiol (Hg(SR)(2)) was predominant in terrestrial sediment. Single-particle inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis indicated that half of the Hg in the <0.5 µm size fraction of marine sediment existed as individual nanoparticles.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. A. Gamboa-Herrera, C. A. Rios-Reyes, L. Y. Vargas-Fiallo
Summary: The study showed that the remedial effects of biochar on reducing mercury contamination in mine tailings depend on the source of organic matter and pyrolysis temperature. Biochar can significantly decrease the fractions of soluble Hg and organic Hg, reduce methylation potential, and increase the proportion of immobile Hg.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Muhammad Aamir Munir, Bushra Khan, Ishaq Ahmed Mian, Muhammad Rafiq, Samreen Shahzadi, Kashif Naeem, Iqbal Ahmad
Summary: Mercury bioaccumulation in fish and scalp hair was assessed in fishing communities along the river Swat in Pakistan. Significant differences were found in mercury concentrations between upstream and downstream fish and scalp hair. Health problems in the fishing community were attributed to mercury accumulation from fish consumption.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Ivona Janco, Marek Snirc, Martin Hauptvogl, Lenka Demkova, Hana Frankova, Vladimir Kunca, Tomas Losak, Julius Arvay
Summary: Wild edible mushrooms have high bioaccumulative capacity for risk elements, such as mercury, posing potential health risks from consumption. Variations in mercury levels in soil and mushroom samples warrant careful assessment of the health risks associated with consuming Macrolepiota procera.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hongxin Xie, Lina He, Xue Tian, Wei Zhang, Liwei Cui, Lihai Shang, Jiating Zhao, Bai Li, Yu-Feng Li
Summary: Mercury selenide can serve as a source of mercury contamination in the environment and can be absorbed and methylated by rice plants. This raises concerns about the usage of selenium to reduce mercury contamination in farmlands. Furthermore, this study deepens our understanding of the biogeochemical cycle of mercury.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Okhee Choi, Yeyeong Lee, Byeongsam Kang, Jinwoo Kim
Summary: Toxoflavin contamination in broken rice produced by domestic rice processing complexes in South Korea was investigated in 2011. Out of the 68 complexes investigated, 12 were confirmed to have toxoflavin contamination in three provinces: Gangwon, Gyeonggi, and Gyeongsang. Burkholderia glumae was identified as the toxoflavin-producing bacteria in the rice samples collected from these complexes. The toxoflavin-producing ability varied among the 25 bacterial isolates, but all of them inhibited rice seed germination and induced seed rot. This study provides important baseline data for managing toxoflavin contamination in rice storage and processing.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Lisa Ghezzi, Simone Arrighi, Roberto Giannecchini, Monica Bini, Marta Valerio, Riccardo Petrini
Summary: An abandoned open green space in the urban setting of the Municipality of Pisa, Italy, has been found to be contaminated with heavy metals, particularly mercury, posing a risk of non-cancerous effects, especially for children. This highlights the need for management planning and water quality monitoring.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jianrong Guo, Hua Tian, Junhui He
Summary: This study introduces a novel nanomaterial CC-60 for rapid and efficient sequestration and detection of Hg(II) ions, demonstrating remarkable adsorption capacity and selectivity towards Hg(II) ions compared to other common metal ions. The synergistic effects of porous cellulose fibers, CuS recognition capability, and accessible CuS sites contribute to its exceptional properties in removing Hg(II) from water samples.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fei Ma, Changwen Du, Yiqiang Zhang, Xuebin Xu, Jianmin Zhou
Summary: This study utilized different spectroscopic techniques to investigate the spatial distribution of elements in soil and the binding features of salt-organic associations. The results showed heterogeneous distributions of Mg, Ca, Na, and K in saline soil, with significant correlations between Mg and Ca, and a negative correlation between K and soil organic matter content.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Yuming Guo, Haitao Xiang, Zhenwang Li, Fei Ma, Changwen Du
Summary: The study found that rice yield is influenced by both agronomic traits and climate factors, and the FFBN model performs better in prediction compared to the PLSR model. The optimal FFBN structure consists of one hidden layer with 29 neurons.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Haixiao Ge, Haitao Xiang, Fei Ma, Zhenwang Li, Zhengchao Qiu, Zhengzheng Tan, Changwen Du
Summary: Utilizing a combination of VIs and color moments from UAV-based imagery can improve the accuracy of estimating plant nitrogen concentration, showing better performance compared to using VIs or color moments alone. This highlights the significant contribution of color moments in enhancing PNC estimation accuracy, indicating the great potential of the RGB-VIs and color moments combination for rice PNC estimation.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Fei Ma, Changwen Du, Shuailin Zheng, Yaxiao Du
Summary: A new method was employed to evaluate nitrate contents in leafy vegetables, showing significant variations in nitrate levels among vegetable samples, with mean values exceeding the WHO-specified maximum tolerance limits. The ED-ELM model showed better performance in monitoring nitrate contents, indicating its potential for rapid and accurate measurement in the fields of agriculture and food safety.
FOOD ANALYTICAL METHODS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Haixiao Ge, Fei Ma, Zhenwang Li, Zhengzheng Tan, Changwen Du
Summary: Ensemble models combining various image features and machine learning algorithms were proposed for phenology detection in rice breeding, with the soft voting strategy showing the best performance. The overall accuracy and F1 scores were significantly improved with the ensemble models.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Mengjin Hu, Fei Ma, Zhenwang Li, Xuebin Xu, Changwen Du
Summary: Rapid quantification of soil organic matter is a challenge for assessing soil health and managing fertility in agricultural soil. This study utilized laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and a self-adaptive partial least squares regression model (SAM-PLSR) to predict soil organic matter content. The results showed that optimizing the calibration parameters, such as sample selection and sample location, improved the prediction accuracy. Additionally, the variances of the target property and the spectra similarity of the soil background were found to be crucial factors for the calibration model.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhenwang Li, Zhengchao Qiu, Haixiao Ge, Changwen Du
Summary: Short episodes of low-temperature stress during reproductive stages can cause significant crop yield losses. This study characterized the spatial and temporal variability of cold stress during the rice heading and flowering stages in China and its impact on rice growth and yield. The results showed that cold stress was unevenly distributed in the study region, with the most severe events observed in the Yunnan Plateau. With increasing temperatures, cold stress decreased, but the phenological shift effects slowed down this trend and led to an underestimation of cold stress magnitude. Cold stress during heading and flowering still poses a potential threat to rice production.
Article
Agronomy
Haixiao Ge, Fei Ma, Zhenwang Li, Changwen Du
Summary: This study utilized a low-cost UAV platform and RF models combined with phenological data and color VIs to accurately estimate the yield of rice cultivars, demonstrating the significant improvement in model performance with the inclusion of phenological data. These findings suggest that the RF model is a cost-effective way to estimate yield in rice breeding by combining phenological data and color VIs.
Article
Agronomy
Haixiao Ge, Fei Ma, Zhenwang Li, Changwen Du
Summary: Global sensitivity analysis has shown Tavg, G4, and P2O to be the most influential parameters across cultivars during the growth season, with PORM having a considerable impact on yield regardless of specific-stage variations of climate conditions. The study highlights the comprehensive effects of crop parameters on model outputs under different cultivars and climate variations.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhengchao Qiu, Fei Ma, Zhenwang Li, Xuebin Xu, Changwen Du
Summary: This study used unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to rapidly and accurately acquire rice growth variables, which are useful for assessing rice growth and precision fertilization. The results showed that different nitrogen treatments had a significant impact on rice growth variables. Prediction models were built using spectral indices derived from visible and NIR images and key rice growth variables measured in the field, achieving high accuracy.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cong Ge, Xuebin Xu, Fei Ma, Jianmin Zhou, Changwen Du
Summary: Benefitting from the unique structure of leaf cuticle layer, the researchers have successfully improved the hydrophobicity of controlled-release fertilizer by mimicking the leaf surface structure. By loading carnauba wax onto the polyacrylate coating, the appearance and release duration of the fertilizer were improved effectively.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ke Wu, Xuebin Xu, Fei Ma, Changwen Du
Summary: In this study, iron-based MOFs (Fe-MOFs) were synthesized in both laboratory and pilot scales, and their structure and components were characterized. The release and degradation behaviors of nutrients in Fe-MOFs were investigated. The results showed that Fe-MOFs could serve as a fertilizer with varied nutrients and controlled release.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ke Wu, Fei Ma, Cuilan Wei, Fangqun Gan, Changwen Du
Summary: This study explored a rapid method for determining (NO3-)-N-15 content in water bodies using Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) coupled with a deconvolution algorithm and partial least squares regression (PLSR) model. The characteristic peaks of (NO3-)-N-14/(NO3-)-N-15 mixtures with different ratios were observed, and the (NO3-)-N-15 proportion was negatively correlated with the wavenumber of absorption peaks. PLSR models based on deconvoluted spectra showed good performance with ratio of prediction to deviation (RPD) values above 2.0 and correlation coefficients (R-2) above 0.84. The use of FTIR-ATR combined with deconvolution and PLSR provided a rapid, simple, and affordable method for determining (NO3-)-N-15 content in water bodies, facilitating the study of nitrate sources and water environment quality management.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xuebin Xu, Changwen Du, Fei Ma, Zhengchao Qiu, Jianmin Zhou
Summary: In this study, a framework based on machine learning using Fourier mid-infrared attenuation total reflectance spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), Sentinel-2 images, and DEM derivatives was developed to estimate soil organic matter (SOM) with high accuracy and resolution. The PLS, SVR, and CNN models performed well in predicting SOM from FTIR-ATR spectra, and the performance was enhanced further by using Sentinel-2 images and DEM derivatives. The PLS and SVR models provided high-resolution and highly variable SOM maps compared to the Kriging approach.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ke Wu, Xuebin Xu, Fei Ma, Changwen Du
Summary: Based on the controlled-delivery function of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), iron-based MOFs (Fe-MOFs) were explored as a novel fertilizer in laboratory studies. Fe-MOFs were successfully synthesized in both laboratory and pilot scales, with nutrient release rate and pattern matching crop growth, showing potential for industrial application in the fertilizer industry.