Article
Environmental Sciences
Agnieszka Krzyszczak, Michal P. Dybowski, Magdalena Konczak, Bozena Czech
Summary: In recent years, there has been significant progress in the study of thermal transformation of waste into valuable materials such as biochar. High-temperature processes can lead to the formation of toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, the pyrolysis process can also result in the formation of derivatives containing oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur, which may have higher toxicity than parent PAHs. The bioavailability of PAHs is an important parameter in the agricultural application of carbonaceous materials.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Natasha Klasios, Hannah De Frond, Ezra Miller, Meg Sedlak, Chelsea M. Rochman
Summary: The study found microplastics and other anthropogenic microparticles in bivalves from San Francisco Bay, with significant variations in abundance between different sites, and no correlation between the number of microparticles and PAH concentrations. Bivalves may be suitable as bioindicators for microplastic levels in sediment, but not in surface water.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Gizem Goker, Sezer Kiralan, Aziz Tekin, Ferruh Erdogdu
Summary: The study found that the formation of PAHs in olive pomace during drying is influenced by temperature and time, with the total PAH formation rate increasing with temperature. The activation energy and frequency factor values also increase as temperature rises.
Correction
Environmental Sciences
Majid Kermani, Tahereh Rahmatinia, Vahide Oskoei, Samira Norzaee, Abbas Shahsavani, Mahdi Farzadkia, Mohammad Hossein Kazemi
Summary: A correction to this paper has been published.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
A. Berthiaume, E. Galarneau, G. Marson
Summary: This article presents the current knowledge on Canadian PAC emission sources, with forest fires dominating the emissions nationally. Non-industrial sources are estimated to be the second largest contributor, showing moderate decreases in recent decades. Industrial point sources have seen considerable reductions, while fugitive emissions from other industrial sources remain a gap in our understanding. Overall, there is uncertainty in emissions data and regional/local scale examination is needed to determine the sources contributing most to human and ecosystem exposure.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sinayo Ndwabu, Mncedisi Malungana, Precious Mahlambi
Summary: The South African government has established national norms and standards for the assessment of waste for landfill disposal, including the evaluation of PAHs in sediment and sludge samples. The study found that the PAHs were primarily of petrogenic origin and exceeded the acceptable concentration levels in river sediments, posing potential risks to aquatic organisms and dermal exposure for inhabitants in the area. Continuous monitoring of these compounds is therefore crucial.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenjie Chen, Yilin Zuo, Zhuonan Hou, Bo Wang, Shangao Xiong, Xiaoyan Ding, Bihui Peng, Kaiyun Zhou, Ji Li, Rui Liu, Guochun Ding, Yuquan Wei, Ting Xu
Summary: This study compared the effects of Rhodococcus bioaugmentation and biostimulation on the degradation of DBT and bacterial community interaction in petroleum-contaminated soils. The results showed that Rhodococcus bioaugmentation had the highest DBT degradation efficiency, with the majority of degradation occurring within the first 30 days. The composition of bacteria differed significantly among the different treatments, and Bacillus and Paenibacillus were identified as the dominant genera involved in DBT degradation.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wei Jin, Yuan Li, Li Lu, Dong Zhang, Shanying He, Jiali Shentu, Qiwei Chai, Lei Huang
Summary: The comprehensive water quality index (CWQI) is a mathematical statistic that reflects the pollution status of rivers based on several water quality indicators. This study established a CWQI for a typical river in eastern China, using 1-year monitoring data from 20 sampling sets. The predicted CWQI for each monitoring section indicates that most sections are moderately polluted, with some sections being seriously polluted. The analysis shows that TN, n-ary sumation PAHs, and n-ary sumation n-Alks are the main factors influencing water quality, particularly due to the impact of petroleum hydrocarbons in the middle and lower reaches.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Valentina Bertoz, Giorgia Purcaro, Chiara Conchione, Sabrina Moret
Summary: PAHs are environmental and processing contaminants that are widespread and may contaminate vegetable oils. Due to their carcinogenic and toxic effects, surveillance schemes and mitigation strategies are needed to monitor human exposure to PAHs. Edible oils, particularly olive oil, may contain unsafe levels of these compounds.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jennifer L. A. Keir, William Papas, Adam Wawrzynczak, Rocio Aranda-Rodriguez, Jules M. Blais, Paul A. White
Summary: This study evaluated the use of silicone wristbands as passive samplers to assess firefighters' exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during firefighting. The results showed that silicone wristbands could accurately capture exposures to various PAHs, but their effectiveness may be influenced by short sampling time, high temperatures, and high turbulence.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tao Wang, Kai Xiang, Yuan Zeng, Haifeng Gu, Yufeng Guan, Shejun Chen
Summary: A study conducted in a subtropical rainforest in southern China found that forest canopies play a crucial role in scavenging airborne semi-volatile organic compounds. The study measured polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the understory air, foliage, and litterfall, revealing spatial and temporal variations in PAH concentrations. The research provides important insights into the degradation and accumulation dynamics of PAHs in subtropical rainforests.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Amber L. Kramer, Shelby Dorn, Allison Perez, Courtney Roper, Ivan A. Titaley, Kaylee Cayton, Ronald P. Cook, Paul H-Y Cheong, Staci L. Massey Simonich
Summary: This study measured the oxidative potential of 135 individual PAHs in PM2.5 and found a mismatch between DTT50 results and computed reduction potential values. The GINI equality index correlated with Delta G(rxn) values, indicating a link between electron dispersion and thermodynamic reactions in PAHs. The additive prediction model did not accurately predict the DTT consumption in the assay, suggesting a more complex toxicity model for PAHs in ambient PM2.5.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bingxin Xie, Jihong Qin, Hui Sun, Shu Wang, Xin Li
Summary: This study focuses on the distribution and leaching behavior of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in oil-based residues of shale gas drilling cuttings. The results show that the concentration of 4-ring PAHs is the highest, and the concentration of PAHs decreases with increasing particle size of the residues. The leachate from the tested residues shows different PAH concentrations during the leaching process, with each leached PAH accounting for 1.50-3.20% of the total PAHs. The leaching characteristics of PAHs are best described by the first-order diffusion model (FRDM), with the leaching rate initially controlled by surface wash-off and then by diffusion.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Li-Ping Tao, Xue Li, Ming-Zhu Zhao, Jing-Ru Shi, Si-Qi Ji, Wen-Yuan Jiang, Qiu-Ju Liang, Yu-Hang Lei, Yi-Yao Zhou, Rong Cheng, Zhe Shi, Wenhai Deng, Jiayin Zhu, Shu-Yun Zhang
Summary: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), particularly chrysene, have toxic effects on the liver by increasing relative liver weight and elevated serum ALT levels; the hepatotoxicity of chrysene is dependent on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), while Nrf2 plays a crucial role in protecting against oxidative liver injury induced by chrysene.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Andrew P. W. Banks, Phong Thai, Michelle Engelsman, Xianyu Wang, Andres F. Osorio, Jochen F. Mueller
Summary: Firefighters are exposed to a variety of chemicals, including PAHs, when attending fire scenes. Exposure to PAHs was higher in particleboard fires compared to diesel pan fires. Urinary OH-PAH metabolites can be used to observe PAH exposure in compartment burns with high concentrations of PAHs, such as in particleboard fires. Overall, urinary OH-PAH concentrations were relatively low considering the potential exposure in these burns, suggesting that protective equipment and decontamination measures are effective in controlling exposure.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bhaskar Bethi, Gidla Bhanu Radhika, Le Minh Thang, Shirish Hari Sonawane, Grzegorz Boczkaj
Summary: ZIF-8 supported BiFeO3 photocatalyst prepared by ultrasound cavitation technique showed excellent decolorization performance against Rhodamine-B dye under ultraviolet and visible light. The 40.7 wt% ZIF-8/BiFeO3 composite exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, and acidic pH had a better effect on the decolorization.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Vikas S. Hakke, Vividha K. Landge, Shirish H. Sonawane, G. Uday Bhaskar Babu, Sivakumar Manickam, Grzegorz Boczkaj
Summary: Complex structured starch particles were reduced to nanoscale size through hydrolysis assisted by low concentration acid and ultrasound. The synthesized starch nanoparticles were characterized and found to possess surface activated entities, which effectively separated heavy Cu metal ions from synthetic ion solution. The process demonstrated reproducibility and offered efficient biosorption of heavy metal ions from wastewater.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Faiza Rehman, Nazish Parveen, Jibran Iqbal, Murtaza Sayed, Noor S. Shah, Sabah Ansar, Javed Ali Khan, Afzal Shah, Farrukh Jamil, Grzegorz Boczkaj
Summary: The removal of norfloxacin, a widely used pharmaceutical and emerging water pollutant, was studied using various oxidative processes. The use of peroxides, in conjunction with UV-C and UV-C/Fe2+, significantly enhanced the degradation of norfloxacin. Among the processes tested, UV-C/Fe2+/HSO5- showed the best performance.
JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY A-CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Luyao Wang, Dan Luo, Oualid Hamdaoui, Yasser Vasseghian, Malwina Momotko, Grzegorz Boczkaj, George Z. Kyzas, Chongqing Wang
Summary: Ultrasound is a promising technique for wastewater treatment, as it is clean, efficient, and affordable. This review paper analyzes the research development and trends of ultrasound in wastewater treatment through bibliometric analysis. The study reveals the publication trends, subject categories, journals, authors, institutions, and countries associated with ultrasound in wastewater treatment. The analysis highlights the research hotspots, cooperation between countries and researchers, and potential future directions in the field.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Farooque Ahmed Janjhi, Roberto Castro-Munoz, Grzegorz Boczkaj
Summary: The industrial sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions due to its excessive energy consumption. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been extensively studied as a solution, but their potential harm to the environment is a concern.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Roberto Castro-Munoz, Grzegorz Boczkaj, Seid Mahdi Jafari
Summary: This review summarizes the progress in applying hydrodynamic cavitation (HC)-assisted technologies for the processing of food, beverages, and agricultural crops. It discusses various applications such as homogenization/mixing, pasteurization/sterilization, extraction of bioactive compounds, and improvement of physicochemical properties of food systems. The advantages and drawbacks of HC compared to other technologies are addressed, and future research trends and gaps are discussed.
TRENDS IN FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sahar Fatima, Muhammad Imran, Farah Kanwal, Ayesha Javaid, Shoomaila Latif, Grzegorz Boczkaj
Summary: Polymeric microspheres derived from polystyrene-co-methyl methacrylate embedded with magnetic ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized and improved by functionalization with amino and sulphonate groups. The synthesized microspheres exhibited thermal stability, semi-crystalline structure, hollow irregular morphology, optical activity in the UV region, and slight magnetic properties. These modified microspheres were utilized as ion exchange sorbents for the removal of Cr(III) and fluorescein from wastewater, showing promising sorption capacity.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Manoj P. Rayaroth, Grzegorz Boczkaj, Olivier Aubry, Usha K. Aravind, Charuvila T. Aravindakumar
Summary: Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have significant potential in removing organic contaminants. Carbonate ions, commonly present in water resources, greatly impact the degradation of pollutants in AOPs. Depending on the structure and functionality of the contaminants, carbonate ions can have both positive and negative effects. This review focuses on summarizing the effects of carbonate species on the degradation of organic contaminants in AOPs and their environmental impacts.
Review
Water Resources
Farooque Ahmed Janjhi, Ihsanullah Ihsanullah, Muhammad Bilal, Roberto Castro-Munoz, Grzegorz Boczkaj, Fausto Gallucci
Summary: As a novel family of 2D materials, MXenes have distinctive properties and attractive applicability in water and effluent treatment, including superior electrical conductivity, higher thermal stability, hydrophilicity, and high sorption-reduction capacity. They are perfect for removing hazardous contaminants due to their excellent sorption selectivity. MXene-based materials are considered one of the most important topics in membrane separation processes. This work provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in MXene-based water treatment materials, discussing their applications in removing antibiotics and heavy metals from water, as well as comparing them with other 2D membranes. Prospects and challenges for future research are also discussed.
WATER RESOURCES AND INDUSTRY
(2023)
Review
Water Resources
Zhila Honarmandrad, Xun Sun, Zhaohui Wang, M. Naushad, Grzegorz Boczkaj
Summary: Sulfate radical advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOP) have been successfully utilized for the degradation of antibiotics in water and wastewater treatment. This review discusses the mechanisms and applications of SR-AOPs in antibiotics degradation. The progress in this field, including the most promising developments and remaining challenges, is highlighted. The most susceptible and persistent oxidation groups of pharmaceuticals are summarized, and the highest effectiveness is reported for degradation of pharmaceuticals at ppb level. A scavenging effect is observed when the oxidant dose is 0.7 mM for the persulfate (PS) and 2 mM for the peroxymonosulfate (PMS). Future development requires simple persulfate activation systems for real matrix treatment.
WATER RESOURCES AND INDUSTRY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Huan Liu, Xiaohui Dai, Lingshuai Kong, Chengji Sui, Zixuan Nie, Yang Liu, Bin Cai, Shou-Qing Ni, Grzegorz Boczkaj, Jinhua Zhan
Summary: Heterogeneous metal catalysts with modulated electronic structure of metal oxides were used for efficient removal of bisphenol A by switching singlet oxygen into electron transfer process. The electron transfer process was closely correlated with decreased eg occupancy of Mn in BM Mn3O4, offering high spatial overlapping with O 2p orbital in PMS for generating PMS* complex.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Muhammad Naeem, Muhammad Imran, Shoomaila Latif, Adnan Ashraf, Nazim Hussain, Grzegorz Boczkaj, Wojciech Smulek, Teofil Jesionowski, Muhammad Bilal
Summary: Rapid urbanization has led to an increased demand for energy worldwide, necessitating the development of alternative energy sources. Biomass offers a potential solution to meet these growing energy needs. However, the complex composition of lignocellulosic biomass poses challenges to its conversion into usable products. This review discusses recent advancements in the development of catalysts for the efficient conversion of biomass and provides insights for future research.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Surya Teja Malkapuram, Shirish Hari Sonawane, Manoj P. Rayaroth, Murali Mohan Seepana, Sivakumar Manickam, Jakub Karczewski, Grzegorz Boczkaj
Summary: This study investigates the effectiveness of catalyst- and ultrasound-assisted persulfate activation in degrading dioxane. A composite catalyst was prepared using zeolite doped with iron nanoparticles. The reaction kinetics of dioxane degradation were examined with different stages of persulfate addition in the presence of the catalyst. Intermediate compounds formed during dioxane degradation were identified, and the cost of treatment was estimated. Sonolytically activated persulfate combined with a catalyst synergizes the remediation of dioxane.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shahid Nawaz, Andleeb Tabassum, Sara Muslim, Tayyaba Nasreen, Ausra Baradoke, Tak H. Kim, Grzegorz Boczkaj, Teofil Jesionowski, Muhammad Bilal
Summary: Persistent contaminants in wastewater effluent are a significant threat to aquatic life and a major environmental concern. The traditional methods of wastewater treatment are not cost-effective in removing toxic pollutants from the water environment. Therefore, the development of new technologies and more sustainable alternatives, such as biopolymers, is necessary for wastewater treatment.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Arif Nawaz, Muhammad Atif, Adnan Khan, Mohsin Siddique, Nisar Ali, Falak Naz, Muhammad Bilal, Tak H. Kim, Malwina Momotko, Hameed Ul Haq, Grzegorz Boczkaj
Summary: Unplanned anthropogenic activities and rapid industrial revolution pose a serious threat to both terrestrial and aquatic life. The discharge of wastewater from dye-using industries is particularly damaging to organisms and the environment. This study focuses on the synthesis of polycationic selenides (PCS) using hydrothermal methods for the photocatalytic degradation of dyes. The synthesized PCS were characterized using various techniques such as FTIR, SEM, EDX, UV/Vis, and XRD, confirming their structure and composition.
