Impacts of soil and water pollution on food safety and health risks in China

Integration of Metal-Organic Frameworks with Bi-Nanoprobes as Dual-Emissive Ratiometric Sensors for Fast and Highly Sensitive Determination of Food Hazards

Functional nanoprobes which detect specific food hazards quickly and simply are still in high demand in the field of food-safety inspection research. In the present work, a dual-emission metal-organic framework-based ratiometric fluorescence probe was integrated to detect Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺ with rapidness and ease. Specifically, quantum dots (QDs) and carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were successfully embedded into zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) to function as a novel ratiometric fluorescent sensing composite. The ratiometric fluorescence signal of CQDs/QDs@ZIF-67 was significantly aligned with the concentration of metal ions to give an extremely low detection limit of 0.3324 nM. The highly sensitive and selective CQDs/QDs@ZIF-67 composite showed potential for the rapid and cost-effective detection of two metal ions.

The Evolution of Food Security: Where Are We Now, Where Should We Go Next?

Food security is one of the most challenging topics globally; however, the concept of food security has taken on additional dimensions that are general and are less detailed. This study aims to identify the intellectual structure of food security research and the changes in this structure. This paper analyzed 3169 documents from the Web of Science database through a bibliometric review. A review of the published documents shows an increasing trend over the past 46 years. In accordance with co-occurrence analysis, 125 keywords were grouped into five clusters: food security and sustainable development; food security and socioeconomic factors; food security policy and governance; coping strategies for poverty, inequality, and hunger; and modern food security management. This study identifies four streams within food security research: sustainability and environmental, socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors. The paper concludes that even though food security might investigate many significant areas, other new dimensions should still be considered. Further gaps in the literature emerge that present avenues for future research directions. Reviewing indicators and techniques of food security assessment and identifying high-risk groups should be a priority.

An entropy-driven signal-off DNA circuit for label-free, visual detection of small molecules with enhanced accuracy

An entropy-driven DNA circuit offers an efficient means of sensitive analyte detection with signal amplification. In this article, we rationally engineered an aptamer-based entropy-driven signal-off DNA circuit for colorimetric detection of small molecules. The proposed signal-off DNA circuit is activated by target small molecule binding to drive the collapse of G-quadruplex DNAzyme, accompanied by the colour change of the detection solution from dark blue to light blue. Entropy-driven recycling hybridization significantly magnified the input signal of the target small molecule. Such an assay enables naked-eye detection of adenosine triphosphate and oxytetracycline at concentrations as low as 0.5 μM and 1 μM respectively. Moreover, when compared with the signal-on DNA circuit, the entropy-driven signal-off DNA circuit for colorimetric detection has two advantages. Firstly, unlike in the signal-on DNA circuit, the unavoidable formation of waste complexes in the absence of a target in the signal-off DNA circuit has no influence on target detection performance as its background signal is only determined by the substrate complex. Secondly, the signal-on DNA circuit cannot distinguish false-positive signals generated by invasive catalysts (e.g., HRP, serum, Fe₃O₄), while the signal-off DNA circuit can distinguish those signals as undesired signals. Overall, the signal-off DNA circuit affords a novel strategy for sensitive and accurate detection of small molecules.

Leveraging Hydrophilic Hierarchical Channels to Regulate Excessive Water for High-Efficiency Solar Steam Yield

Both the solar absorptance and water content in solar-driven interface evaporation (SDIE) devices are of equal importance for efficient solar steam yield and freshwater production, but water content regulation has garnered relatively less attention, as it is more challenging to balance the water supply rate and the evaporation rate inside SDIE devices. Herein, an SDIE device is designed by coating natural luffa with polypyrrole, which could effectively regulate the water content during the solar steam yield by its unique hydrophilic hierarchical channels to transform excessive water from the bulk state into the film state on the porous skeleton. The hierarchical channels revealed by cryoelectron microscopy experiments not only reduce the loss of heat in unevaporated water but also offer abundant escape channels for solar steam, thus enabling the proposed SDIE device to achieve an evaporation rate of 2.38 kg m^-2 h^-1 under 1 sun illumination. This work reveals the key role of hierarchical channels for water regulation in the high-efficiency solar steam yield and triggers further application of natural biomaterials with unique structures in the field of solar interfacial evaporation.

Recent advances in nanoremediation: Carving sustainable solution to clean-up polluted agriculture soils

Agriculture is one of the foremost significant human activities, which symbolizes the key source for food, fuel and fibers. This activity results in a lot of ecological harms particularly with the excessive usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Different agricultural practices have remained industrialized to advance food production, due to the growth in the world population and to meet the food demand through the routine use of more effective fertilizers and pesticides. Soil is intensely embellished by environmental contamination and it can be stated as "universal incline." Soil pollution usually occurs from sewage wastes, accidental discharges or as byproducts of chemical residues of unrestrained production of numerous materials. Soil pollution with hazardous materials alters the physical, chemical, and biological properties, causing undesirable changes in soil fertility and ecosystem. Engineered nanomaterials offer various solutions for remediation of contaminated soils. Engineered nanomaterial-enable technologies are able to prevent the uncontrolled release of harmful materials into the environment along with capabilities to combat soil and groundwater borne pollutants. Currently, nanobiotechnology signifies a hopeful attitude to advance agronomic production and remediate polluted soils. Studies have outlined the way of nanomaterial applications to restore the eminence of the environment and assist the detection of polluted sites, along with potential remedies. This review focuses on the latest developments in agricultural nanobiotechnology and the tools developed to combat soil or land and or terrestrial pollution, as well as the benefits of using these tools to increase soil fertility and reduce potential toxicity.

A high-sensitive and durable electrochemical sensor based on Geobacter-dominated biofilms for heavy metal toxicity detection

A highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for detecting low concentrations of heavy metals (Cd²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺) based on Geobacter-dominated biofilms was developed. The biosensor showed a high sensitivity for the determination of Cd²⁺ (109.7 μAμM^-1cm^-2) and the determination of Pb²⁺ (161.7 μAμM^-1cm^-2). The performance of three fitting models for biosensor response to heavy metal toxicity was investigated based on the relationship between total coulomb yield and heavy metal concentration. The full-area model (Equation a) provided the best fit, and the response times tended to be the fastest based on the peak current model (Equation c). Recovery methods were proposed to ensure the electrical activity of the biofilm for long-term monitoring. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the most dominant genus in the anodic biofilm was Geobacter (44.1%-45.8%), indicating a stable community structure after continuous toxicity shock for 22 days. The confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) further proved the restorable and reusability of the biosensor. Thanks to the thin and electrically active Geobacter-dominated biofilms, it could be a good alternative biosensor for groundwater analysis etc. The results of this study contribute to the development of a highly sensitive and accurate biosensor with long-term usage towards on-site monitoring of heavy metals at low concentrations, improving the test performance of the biosensor for practical application.

Physiological and oxidative stress responses of Solanum lycopersicum (L.) (tomato) when exposed to different chemical pesticides

Pesticide overuse can have negative effects on developmental processes of non-target host plants. By increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, pesticides negatively affect cellular metabolism, biochemistry and physiological machinery of plants. Considering these problems, the current study was planned to assess the effect of three different groups of pesticides, namely diazinon (DIZN), imidacloprid (IMID) and mancozeb (MNZB) on Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomato). In general, pesticides resulted in a progressive decrease in physiological and biometric parameters of S. lycopersicum (L.), which varies significantly among concentrations and species of pesticides. Among them, 200 μgMNZB mL-1 had the most severe negative impact and reduced germination rate, root biomass, chl a, chl b, total chlorophyll and carotenoids by 62, 87, 90, 88, 92 and 90%, respectively. In addition, higher doses of pesticides greatly reduced the flowering, fruit attributes and lycopene content. Furthermore, plants exposed to 200 μgDIZN mL-1 showed a progressive drop in root cell viability (54% decrease), total soluble sugar (TSS) (64% decrease) and total soluble protein (TSP) (67% decrease) content. Data analysis indicated that greater doses of pesticides dramatically raised ROS levels and induced membrane damage through production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), as well as increased cell injury. To deal with pesticide-induced oxidative stress, plants subjected to greater pesticide dosages, showed a substantial increase in antioxidant levels. For instance, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) were maximally increased by 48, 93, 71, 52 and 94%, respectively following 200 μgMNZB mL-1 soil exposures. Additionally, under a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), pesticide exposed S. lycopersicum (L.) roots stained with 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (2'7'-DCF) and 3,3'-diaminobenzidine, exhibited an increased ROS production in a concentration-dependent manner. Further, elevated pesticide concentrations resulted in alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ m) and cellular death in roots, as evidenced by increased Rhodamine 123 (Rhd 123) and Evan's blue fluorescence, respectively. These findings clearly showed that applying pesticides in excess of permissible amounts might induce oxidative stress and cause oxidative damage in non-target host plants. Overall, the current study indicates that a thorough and secure method be used before selecting pesticides for increasing production of agronomically important vegetable crops in various agro-climatic zones.

AMPK pathway is implicated in low level lead-induced pubertal testicular damage via disordered glycolysis

Lead (Pb) is a common environmental pollutant. It has been demonstrated that long-term exposure to Pb at environmental levels may cause severe and irreversible damage to the male reproductive system. Of note, the impairments may originate from environmental Pb exposure at puberty. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we administrated male ICR mice with 200 mg/L Pb through the drinking water for 30-, 60-, 90-day from postnatal day 28. RNA sequencing was performed in the control group and the 90-day Pb exposure group. It was found that Pb exposure induced testicular damage, increased oxidative stress levels and poor sperm quality. Bioinformatic analysis displayed 199 genes up-regulated (such as GLUT1 and MCT4 genes) and 156 genes down-regulated (such as GLUT3, PFK1, LDH, CD147 and AMPK genes) in the Pb exposure group compared to the control group. Gene ontology (GO) terms enrichment analysis showed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are involved in the protein catabolic, cellular catabolic and triglyceride catabolic processes. KEGG pathways enrichment analysis indicated glycerolipid metabolism and AMPK signaling were significantly enriched. Furthermore, experimental verification showed that Pb exposure induces energy dysmetabolism and decreases glycolysis products in mice testicular tissue. The AMPK signaling pathway was found to be deactivated after Pb exposure. The GLUT1, GLUT3, PFK1 and LDH proteins, which play a critical role in the cell glycolysis process, also were decreased. Besides, the expression of CD147 was decreased and the location of CD147 was altered upon Pb exposure. Together, these findings indicated the implication of the AMPK signaling pathway in Pb exposure induced pubertal testicular damage and poor sperm quality by inhibiting cell glycolysis and disordering lactate transportation in testicular cells.

Potassium supplement enhanced cadmium removal in a Microcystis aeruginosa photobioreactor: Evidence from actual and simulated wastewater

In this study, a Microcystis aeruginosa-based photobioreactor (M. aeruginosa-based PBR) was developed for the removal of cadmium (Cd²⁺) from diluted actual mine wastewater (DW) and Cd²⁺-contained simulated wastewater (SW), with a uniform Cd²⁺ concentration of 0.5 mg/L. For the DW and SW, both K⁺ -abundant (DWA & SWA) and K⁺-insufficient (DWB & SWB) treatments were conducted. It was found that continuous supplementation of K⁺ benefited Cd²⁺ removal. The Cd²⁺ removal efficiency in SWA reached 70% during the 41 days of operation, which was 20% higher than that in the SWB. The K⁺ addition triggered great higher Cd²⁺ removal efficiency (90%) in the DWA in comparison to the SWA. The Cd²⁺ assimilation by M. aeruginosa and Cd²⁺ retention on M. aeruginosa surface were the primary processes involved in the PBR system. The K⁺ starvation triggered a 45% and 43% loss of M. aeruginosa biomass in the DWA and the DWB, respectively. Hence, the Cd²⁺ removal efficiency in DWB increased significantly, and this was attributed to the increased abundance of non-living cells and enhanced bioretention of Cd²⁺. The results revealed that continuous K⁺ supplementation enhanced the Cd²⁺ removal efficiency in the M. aeruginosa-based PBR jointly by prompting algal cell growth, Cd²⁺ assimilation and biosorption, as well as Cd²⁺ retention on the algal cells.

Effects of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry on Heavy Metal Contamination in the Aquatic Environment and Human Health in Huangshui River Basin

Huangshui River (HSR) is the mother river of Qinghai province. Croplands and grasslands cover more than 76% of the total area, and highland agriculture and animal husbandry are the dominant industries. The use of pesticides, fertilizers, and feed additives increases the risk of heavy metal (HM) contamination. In this study, the concentration of HMs in the main stream and tributaries of HSR were investigated. The Positive Matrix Factorization model was used for source apportionment, and Health Risk Assessment method was used to assess the human health risks. To further analyze the effect of agriculture and animal husbandry on aquatic environment and human health, we considered agriculture and animal husbandry as two factors in the source apportionment process, defined the effect of the factors, established the calculation formula, and quantified the effects. The results show that the overall situation of aquatic environment in HSR is good; natural processes, traffic tail gas and atmospheric deposition, agricultural planting, industrial wastewater discharge, and animal husbandry are the main sources of HMs in the water. These HMs present noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for infants. A total effect of agricultural and animal husbandry on HMs or HI in HSRB is approximately 20%, while on TCR is 40%. However, the effects of agriculture on the hazard quotient of arsenic, carcinogenic risk of nickel and lead, and that of animal husbandry on carcinogenic risk of cadmium were significant. This study can provide a theoretical basis for local managers of agriculture and animal husbandry to perform their work effectively.

Broccoli-liked silver phosphate nanoparticles supported on green nanofiber membrane for visible-light driven photodegradation towards water pollutants

In view of the practical application, it is imperative to develop efficient, exercisable, and visible light driven water pollution treatment materials. Herein, a high-efficiency green photocatalytic membrane for water pollution treatment is proposed and fabricated conveniently. Firstly, silver phosphate (Ag₃PO₄) nanoparticles with controlled morphology were prepared by simple liquid-phase precipitation method, and then a hierarchical structured Ag₃PO₄@polylactic acid (PLA) composite nanofiber membrane was prepared by electrospinning. Using electrospun PLA nanofiber membrane as a carrier of photocatalysts can significantly improve the dispersion of Ag₃PO₄nanoparticles, and increase the contact probability with pollutants and photocatalytic activity. The prepared PLA@Ag₃PO₄composite membrane was used to degrade methylene blue (MB) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) under visible light irradiation. The results showed that the removal ratio of pollutants on Ag₃PO₄@PLA composite nanofiber membrane was 94.0% for MB and 82.0% for TC, demonstrating an outstanding photocatalytic activity of composite membrane. Moreover, the PLA nanofiber membrane is a self-supported and biodegradable matrix. After five cycles, it can still achieve 88.0% of the initial photocatalytic degradation rate towards MB, showing excellent recyclability. Thus, this composite nanofiber membrane is a high-efficiency and environmental-friendly visible light driven water pollution treatment material that could be used in real applications.

Biomanipulation impacts on per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances accumulation and trophic transfer in an eutrophic lake

Manipulation of freshwater food web through species introduction has been used to control the increasing algae in the Wuliangsuhai Lake, which affects not only the pathways of carbon source and energy transfer, but also the transfer of contaminants through food web. Food web relationships between biomanipulation area (BMA) and non-biological manipulation area (NBMA) were investigated using stable carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotope analysis. In BMA, the δ¹³C values in fish species were enriched while δ¹⁵N depleted due to the increased inter-species competition. Among the same fish species between BMA and NBMA, lower trophic levels were observed in BMA. Concentrations of target PFASs (ΣPFAS) in fish from BMA were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those from NBMA. Whilst elevated trophic magnification factors (TMFs) of PFASs, especially for perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) with long carbon chain length (C9-10), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (F-53B) were exhibited in BMA. We found that biomanipulation through species introduction played an important role in control over lake eutrophication and trophic transfer patterns of PFASs in biota from the altered aquatic ecosystem.

Association between trace elements in cancerous and non-cancerous tissues with the risk of breast cancers in western Iran

This study aimed to assess the tissue content of essential and toxic metals including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) in the breast cancerous tissues compared to the non-cancerous tissue. The biopsy specimens of 63 breast cancers along with 63 adjacent healthy tissues in Kurdistan Province, Iran, were collected from 2019 to 2020 and assayed using ICP-MS (Agilent 7900). The results of the Mann-Whitney test illustrated that the concentration of Pb, Cd, As, Cr, Cu, and Se were significantly elevated in cancerous tissue (p < 0.05), while Zn was the only trace element with higher levels in healthy subjects (p < 0.05). Moreover, weak to moderate correlations between elements were observed in the cancerous group including Al-Cr (r=0.60), As-Cu (r=0.52), and Cu-Se (r=0.56). In contrast, no correlation over 0.50 was found between trace elements in the non-cancerous group. Raw risk differences (RDs) accounted for a significant effect for Pb, Cd, As, Ag, Cr, Se, and Zn on the development of breast cancer. In conclusion, elevated levels of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Se may contribute to enhancing the risk of breast cancer.

Efficiency and mechanism of C18-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for extracting weakly polar pesticides from human serum determined by UHPLC-QTOF-MS and molecular dynamics simulations

Detecting pesticide residues in human serum is a challenging process due to trace-level chronic exposure. Several methods using magnetic adsorbents have been developed for analyzing pesticide residue levels in human serum, but it is still difficult to achieve lower quantitative levels, and the adsorption mechanism for extracting pesticides is unclear. Herein, we propose a feasibility concept of using C₁₈-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for the adsorption of target pesticides, focusing on the extensively used weakly polar pesticides based on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. To support this, the facilitated target nanoparticles of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-C₁₈ were synthesized at a size of 12-13 nm with a magnetic saturation of 40 emu/g. After optimizing and establishing the extraction conditions (1.8 mL C₁₈ modifier, 10 mg sorbents, 3 min adsorption time, 1000 μL ACN for desorption eluent at pH 3.8 and 5 min desorption time), which exhibited recovery = 72.3%-118.3% with RSDs = 0.03-6.57, linearity at 0.01-10 ng/mL with R² = 0.9561-0.9993, and LODs = 0.01-0.30 ng/mL for the 11 weakly polar pesticides in human serum. Furthermore, the mechanism by which the C₁₈ group selectively extracts weakly polar pesticides was confirmed by binding van der Waals and electrostatic interactions under stable and strong binding energy. The extraction process of efficient adsorption and desorption with C₁₈ functional magnetite nanoparticles suggests a simple method for detecting weakly polar pesticides. The concept may lead to a general approach to analyzing multiple pesticide residues in human serum at trace levels.

Effects of ecohydrological interfaces on migrations and transformations of pollutants: A critical review

With the rapid development of society, the soil and water environments in many countries are suffering from severe pollution. Pollutants in different phases will eventually gather into the soil and water environments, and a series of migrations and transformations will take place at ecohydrological interfaces with water flow. However, it is still not clear how ecohydrological interfaces affect the migration and the transformation of pollutants. Therefore, this paper summarizes the physical, ecological, and biogeochemical characteristics of ecohydrological interfaces on the basis of introducing the development history of ecohydrology and the concept of ecohydrological interfaces. The effects of ecohydrological interfaces on the migration and transformation of heavy metals, organic pollutants, and carbon‑nitrogen‑phosphorus (C-N-P) pollutants are emphasized. Lastly, the prospects of applying ecohydrological interfaces for the removal of pollutants from the soil and water environment are put forward, including strengthening the ability to monitor and simulate ecohydrological systems at micro and macro scales, enhancing interdisciplinary research, and identifying main influencing factors that can provide theoretical basis and technical support.

Cost Estimations of Water Pollution for the Adoption of Suitable Water Treatment Technology

This study analyzed the cost implications of using suitable technologies and the cost of inaction when addressing water pollution. This was achieved by developing three main models for the costs (model one) and benefits (model two and model three). The first model accounts for the operational costs of adopting suitable technologies, namely the use of diatomaceous earth for textile wastewater treatment. The second model analyzed the cost of inaction through analyzing the cost of treatment for water pollution-related diseases for the affected population. The occurrence and cost of treatment for three diseases, namely diarrhea, amoebiasis and bacterial infection, were used as indicators of water pollution in the area. The third model included the contingent valuation method (CVM) data on the willingness to pay for environmental restoration of the surveyed population. The benefit–cost ratio (BCR) of the resulting data from the three models were used to highlight the economic viability of the proposed project. A BCR of (0.67) for the cost of the proposed project versus the benefits of the project on human health using data from one hospital was obtained. There is a high possibility that the real BCR would increase if more data from other hospitals or other diseases were included. The results imply that the use of D.E can be considered a good candidate for treating wastewater. To thoroughly discuss the BCR of treating wastewater from one factory, the BCR of the proposed restoration project along River Sosiani, and the value of using DE as suitable technology, more studies are needed to evaluate the unaccounted costs and benefits for accurate economic estimations of the proposed project. The outcome of the study is a framework of numbers and figures that can be presented to decision makers and policy makers as critical information when making decisions.

A critical review on various remediation approaches for heavy metal contaminants removal from contaminated soils

Heavy metal pollution remains a global environmental challenge that poses a significant threat to human life. Various methods have been explored to eliminate heavy metal pollutants from the environment. However, most methods are constrained by high expenses, processing duration, geological problems, and political issues. The immobilization of metals, phytoextraction, and biological methods have proven practical in treating metal contaminants from the soil. This review focuses on the general status of heavy metal contamination of soils, including the excessive heavy metal concentrations in crops. The assessment of the recent advanced technologies and future challenges were reviewed. Molecular and genetic mechanisms that allow microbes and plants to collect and tolerate heavy metals were elaborated. Tremendous efforts to remediate contaminated soils have generated several challenges, including the need for remediation methodologies, degrees of soil contamination, site conditions, widespread adoptions and various possibilities occurring at different stages of remediation are discussed in detail.

Does agricultural cooperative membership help reduce the overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides? Evidence from rural China

The overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides (CFPs) has negatively impacted the environment and human health. It is an urgent issue that should be addressed. In this study, we investigate whether agricultural cooperatives can serve as an institutional arrangement that helps reduce the consumption of CFPs, using the data of 2012 family farms from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China. Various approaches, including instrumental variable-based two-stage residual inclusion approach (2SRI), endogenous switching probit (ESP) model, and endogenous switching regression (ESR) model, are utilized to help address the endogeneity issues of the cooperative membership variable. The results show that agricultural cooperative membership significantly increases the probability of reducing fertilizers and pesticides of the family farms and improves net return per yuan CFPs. The further analysis shows that agricultural cooperative production services reduced the usage of fertilizers and pesticides, while cooperatives marketing services only significantly lowered the use of pesticides. Our findings highlight the importance of promoting the development of agricultural cooperatives to support green agricultural production in China.

Towards a green industry through cleaner production development

The growth in global production and consumption rates has resulted in increased pollution generation by industrial companies. To this end, cleaner production is one of the most widely used strategies to reduce the environmental impacts of industry and gain competitive advantage. However, it is still adopted slowly in many places. Therefore, the objective of this study is to propose a framework composed of governmental, scientific, and industrial strategies, policies, initiatives, and research opportunities for the development of cleaner production. The best practices of the top countries in the cleaner production technical-scientific scenario and the main implementation challenges and opportunities for its scientific development were identified and were the reference for the framework proposals. In the government sector, the framework suggests actions to encourage the adoption of cleaner production practices through national policies, legislation, tax incentives, and educational campaigns. In the scientific sector, it suggested the development of studies about the factors that motivate its adoption, studies about clean technologies, and studies about the cleaner production implementation difficulties. In the industrial sector, it highlighted the importance of the engagement of upper management to focus on efforts to increase the efficiency of manufacturing processes with the adoption of clean technologies, management systems, strengthening of the research and development areas, and replacement of hazardous raw materials. Thus, this study contributes with initiatives that will help the implementation of cleaner production practices, reducing the generation of pollution in industry, increasing the efficiency of its processes, and aligning countries and societies to sustainable development.

Using the backward probability method in contaminant source identification with a finite-duration source loading in a river

Violation of industries in discharging their effluents into rivers leads to river pollution, which endangers the environment and human health. Appropriate tools are needed to deal with violations and protect rivers. The backward probability method (BPM) is one of the most recommended tools identifying the release time and location of the pollutant source. However, the BPM generally was developed for groundwater and spill injection. Since most industries inject their effluents with a constant rate for a finite duration, the use of prevailing models will have some errors. In this study, a numerical model was developed that could simulate a source with either a finite-duration or spill injection. This model is verified for two hypothetical cases and one real case. The results show that the model can accurately identify the release time and location of the pollutant source.

Determination of the Connectedness of Land Use, Land Cover Change to Water Quality Status of a Shallow Lake: A Case of Lake Kyoga Basin, Uganda

Catchments for aquatic ecosystems connect to the water quality of those waterbodies. Land use land cover change activities in the catchments, therefore, play a significant role in determining the water quality of the waterbodies. Research on the relationship between land use and land cover changes and water quality has gained global prominence. Therefore, this study aimed at determining land use, land cover changes in the catchments of L. Kyoga basin, and assessing their connectedness to the lake’s water quality. The GIS software was used to determine eight major land use and land cover changes for 2000, 2010, and 2020. Meanwhile, water quality data was obtained through both secondary and primary sources. Spearman correlation statistical tool in SPSS was used to correlate the land use, land cover changes, and water quality changes over the two-decade study period. The results showed that different land use and land cover activities strongly correlated with particular water quality parameters. For example, agriculture correlated strongly with nutrients like TP, TN, and nitrates and turbidity, TSS, BOD, and temp. The correlation with nitrates was statistically significant at 0.01 confidence limit. The findings of this study agreed with what other authors had found in different parts of the world. The results show that to manage the water quality of L. Kyoga, management of land use, land cover activities in the catchment should be prioritized. Therefore, the results are helpful to decision and policy makers and relevant stakeholders responsible for water management.

Sweet sorghum for phytoremediation and bioethanol production

As an energy crop, sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) receives increasing attention for phytoremediation and biofuels production due to its good stress tolerance and high biomass with low input requirements. Sweet sorghum possesses wide adaptability, which also has high tolerances to poor soil conditions and drought. Its rapid growth with the large storage of fermentable saccharides in the stalks offers considerable scope for bioethanol production. Additionally, sweet sorghum has heavy metal tolerance and the ability to remove cadmium (Cd) in particular. Therefore, sweet sorghum has great potential to build a sustainable phytoremediation system for Cd-polluted soil remediation and simultaneous ethanol production. To implement this strategy, further efforts are in demand for sweet sorghum in terms of screening superior varieties, improving phytoremediation capacity, and efficient bioethanol production. In this review, current research advances of sweet sorghum including agronomic requirements, phytoremediation of Cd pollution, bioethanol production, and breeding are discussed. Furthermore, crucial problems for future utilization of sweet sorghum stalks after phytoremediation are combed.

Graphical Abstract

Pollution-Induced Food Safety Problem in China: Trends and Policies

Based on systematic literature study and policy document analysis, this paper investigates the environmental pollution-induced food safety problem in China, including the impact of environmental pollution on food safety and the policy response of Chinese government since 1970's. The results show that, to different degrees, food safety of China is affected by large but inefficient chemical fertilizer and pesticides residue (although the consumption began to decline after around 2015), cropland heavy metal pollution (especially cadmium), water pollution, and high ozone concentration. The evolution of pollution-induced food safety policies of China can be divided into four stages, i.e., preparation stage (1974–1994), construction stage (1995–2005), elaboration stage (2006–2013), and intensification stage (2014–). Through the four stages, the increasingly stringent policy system has been featured by “from supply-safety balance to safety first,” “from multi-agency management to integrated management,” and “from ex post supervision to ex ante risk control.” To further prevent pollution and control food quality, more collaborations between the agricultural and environmental agencies and more specific policies should be anticipated.

Distribution Characteristics and Relevance of Heavy Metals in Soils and Colloids Around a Mining Area in Nanjing, China

Heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils poses a direct threat to food safety and human health. It has been shown that the colloids is the carrier of heavy metal transport in the polluted soil by heavy metals, but the sources of heavy metals in the soil and colloids and their interrelations are not transparent at present. This study aims to investigate the distribution characteristics of heavy metals in agricultural soils near mining areas, and reveal the relevance of heavy metal content in colloids with total content in soils and their chemical species in soils. Results showed that the concentrations of Mn, Zn, and Pb in agricultural soils and colloids were higher than those of other heavy metals. The content of heavy metals in colloids was positively correlated with the total content of heavy metals in soil. Heavy metals in soil could be easily combined by humus-like substances and tryptophan-like protein in the colloids. The primary source of heavy metals in soil and colloids was mining activities. This study provides theoretical support for revealing the pollution characteristics and migration of heavy metals in agricultural soils and colloids around mining areas.

Synergistic interaction of fungal endophytes, Paecilomyces formosus LHL10 and Penicillium funiculosum LHL06, in alleviating multi-metal toxicity stress in Glycine max L

Heavy metal accumulation in crop grains due to hazardous metal contamination is considered a great concern. However, phytobeneficial fungi are reported to have important abilities for the biosafety of crops grown in contaminated soil. Therefore, the current study was undertaken to explore the mutualistic association of plant growth-promoting endophytic fungi in reducing heavy metal concentration in the seeds of soybean plants subsequently grown in contaminated soil, without comprising seed quality and biochemical profile. The results revealed that endophytic Paecilomyces formosus LHL10 and Penicillium funiculosum LHL06 synergistically produced higher amounts of GAs and IAA in a co-cultured medium. Moreover, the co-inoculation of LHL06 and LHL10 to soybean plants grown under multi-metal toxic conditions significantly mitigated the adverse effects of heavy metal toxicity and increased the seed production (number of pods per plants, number of seeds per pod, and 100 seed weight) of soybean plants grown under control and multi-metal toxic conditions. Moreover, the levels of carbohydrates (glucose, sucrose, and fructose), minerals (iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium), amino acids (serine, glutamic acids, glycine, methionine, lysine, arginine, and proline), and antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase) were significantly enhanced in sole and co-inoculated plants under control and stress conditions. Whereas organic acids (citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, and succinic acid), lipid peroxidation (MDA) products, multi-metal accumulation (nickel, cadmium, copper, lead, chromium, and aluminum), and stress-responsive endogenous abscisic acid levels were significantly decreased in seeds of soybean plants grown under control and multi-metal toxic conditions upon LHL06 and LHL10 sole and co-inoculation. The current results suggested the positive biochemical regulation in seeds for improving the nutritional status and making it safe for human consumption.

Exposure to fomesafen alters the gut microbiota and the physiology of the earthworm Pheretima guillelmi

The application of herbicide fomesafen plays a crucial role in ensuring global soybean productivity in modern agriculture, but it results in both adverse effects on soil ecosystems and phytotoxicity to succeeding crops. Soil pollution due to herbicides has raised much concern worldwide. However, there has been little investigations concerning their effects on soil fauna, especially on the gut microbial communities of earthworms. In this study, the soil endogeic earthworm Pheretima guillelmi was incubated for 20 days in natural and fomesafen-polluted soils to investigate the effects of the herbicide on gut bacterial microbiota and the earthworm's physiological indices, including energy resource (protein) and antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase, SOD) of earthworms in the soil ecosystem. A significantly different and smaller microbial community was presented in the earthworm's gut compared with the cast and the surrounding soil, with exposure to fomesafen further reducing the bacterial diversity and altering the gut community composition. This was observed as significant changes in the relative abundance of the phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria as well as the genera Bacillus, Microvirga, Blastococcus, Nocardioides, and Gaiella. Moreover, exposure to fomesafen reduced earthworms' energy resources and activated the antioxidant system, with both effects being significantly correlated with the gut microbial diversity. These findings unravel the fact that exposure to the herbicide fomesafen may affect non-target soil fauna via changes in their microbiota and physiological indices, thereby contributing new knowledge regarding the adverse impacts of fomesafen on the terrestrial ecosystem.

Molecular and biochemical mechanisms underlying boron-induced alleviation of cadmium toxicity in rice seedlings

Both cadmium (Cd) contamination and boron (B) deficiency in farmland soils pose a threat to the yield and quality of crops in Southern China. The present study investigated the mechanisms by which B reduces Cd accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings. Boron supplementation partially restored the decline in shoot and root biomass caused by Cd treatment (26% and 33%, respectively), with no significant difference between the B+Cd and control groups. We also found that B significantly reduced shoot and root Cd concentrations (by 64% and 25%, respectively) but increased Cd concentration (by 43%) and proportion (from 38% to 55%) in root cell walls. Transcriptome analysis and biochemical tests suggested that B supplementation enhanced lignin and pectin biosynthesis, pectin demethylation, and sulfur and glutathione metabolism. Moreover, B decreased the expression of some Cd-induced transporter-related genes (i.e., HMA2, Nramp1, and several ABC genes). These results indicate that B relieved Cd toxicity and reduced Cd accumulation in rice seedlings by restraining Cd uptake and translocation from root to shoot by improving Cd tolerance and chelation ability. These novel findings would benefit further investigations into how B influences Cd uptake, translocation, detoxification, and accumulation in crops.

Source analysis and health risk assessment of groundwater pollution based on multivariate statistical techniques in Kashgar Delta Area, Xinjiang, China

In this study, 63 groundwater samples were collected in the Kashgar Delta Area in Xinjiang in 2016, and then, the samples were tested and the test results were analyzed. Multivariate statistical techniques were used to determine the sources of pollution, and the USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) model was used to assess the long-term health risk of groundwater to adults and children in the study area. The concentrations of groundwater chemical Na⁺, Cl^-, SO₄^2-, NH₄⁺-N, TDS, F^-, I^-, As, Fe, Mn, Pb, Hg, pH, TH, and COD_Mn, which exceed the permissible level in the study based on groundwater quality index and possibly pose a potential threat to the health of the residents in the area, which are mainly influenced by geological conditions. The source of the pollutants is the dissolution of minerals in the aquifer medium, which is greatly affected by the high-salinity groundwater environment, pH conditions, redox conditions, and evaporation and concentration effect. The values of the noncarcinogenic health risk index HQ_n follow the descending order of Cl^- > F^- > As > Fe > Mn > Pb > Hg > NH₄⁺-N; There are eight nonarcinogens and one carcinogen in groundwater of which Cl^- is the dominant noncarcinogenic factor, while As is the main carcinogenic pollutant in the study area. The health risk ratio results show that Cl^- and As are the main pollutants that pose the greatest threat to both adults' and children's health, and they should be considered as the primary indicators for health risk management and control.

Does the Construction of a Water Ecological Civilization City Improve Green Total Factor Productivity? Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China

Taking Water Ecological City Pilot (WECP) policy as a quasi-natural experiment, this paper adopts the PSM-DID method to investigate the impact of the WECP policy on the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of China’s prefecture-level cities. The results show that the implementation of the WECP policy significantly inhibits the improvement of GTFP. Furthermore, we find the implementation of the WECP policy has squeezed out government technological expenditures to some extent and aggravated the compliance cost of enterprises, which has not caused the “innovation compensation effect”, thus failing to improve GTFP. The heterogeneity analyses show that the policy effects vary with the imbalance of China’s regional development and resource endowments. Developed regions can better overcome the possible negative impact that comes with policy implementation. Governments need to formulate different policy strategies and plans from an overall macro perspective.

Saving the ground beneath our feet: Establishing priorities and criteria for governing soil use and protection

The continual loss and impairment of soil ecosystem services (SES) across the globe calls for a fundamental reconsideration of soil governance mechanisms. This critical synthesis charts the history and evolution of national and international soil law and seeks to unravel certain challenges that have contributed to this failure in governance. It describes and categorizes law and policy responses to different soil threats, and identifies a worrying widespread absence of legislation for oversight and protection of agricultural soils from urbanization, as well as a lack of clear legal mechanisms to determine national priorities for soil protection. A reduction in the world's prime farmland threatens SES, including food security, carbon storage and biodiversity. Falling between the stalls of agricultural and environmental law, the fate of farmland is often left to planners who do not see themselves as responsible for soils. Consequently, legal instruments with the greatest power to affect soil, sometimes irreversibly, are often framed and worded with little or no reference to the soil. Nevertheless, emerging conceptual frameworks might offer positive outcomes. The authors advocate robust holistic policies of soil governance and land use planning that place SES and natural capital at the heart of decision making.

Chemical pollution: A growing peril and potential catastrophic risk to humanity

Anthropogenic chemical pollution has the potential to pose one of the largest environmental threats to humanity, but global understanding of the issue remains fragmented. This article presents a comprehensive perspective of the threat of chemical pollution to humanity, emphasising male fertility, cognitive health and food security. There are serious gaps in our understanding of the scale of the threat and the risks posed by the dispersal, mixture and recombination of chemicals in the wider environment. Although some pollution control measures exist they are often not being adopted at the rate needed to avoid chronic and acute effects on human health now and in coming decades. There is an urgent need for enhanced global awareness and scientific scrutiny of the overall scale of risk posed by chemical usage, dispersal and disposal.

Relating Land Use/Cover and Landscape Pattern to the Water Quality under the Simulation of SWAT in a Reservoir Basin, Southeast China

Understanding the relationship between land use/cover pattern and water quality could provide guidelines for non-point source pollution and facilitate sustainable development. The previous studies mainly relate the land use/cover of the entire region to the water quality at the monitoring sites, but the water quality at monitoring sites did not totally reflect the water environment of the entire basin. In this study, the land use/cover was monitored on Google Earth Engine in Tang-Pu Reservoir basin, China. In order to reflect the water quality of the whole study area, the spatial distribution of the determinants for water quality there, i.e., the total nitrogen and total phosphorus (TN&TP), were simulated by the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The redundancy analysis explored the correlations between land use/cover pattern and simulated TN&TP. The results showed that: (1) From 2009 to 2019, forest was the dominant land cover, and there was little land use/cover change. The landscape fragmentation increased, and the connectivity decreased. (2) About 25% TP concentrations and nearly all the TN concentrations at the monitoring points did not reach drinking water standard, which means nitrogen and phosphorus pollution were the most serious problems. The highest output per unit TN&TP simulated by SWAT were 44.50 kg/hm2 and 9.51 kg/hm2 and occurred in areas with highly fragile landscape patterns. (3) TN&TP correlated positively with cultivated and construction land but negatively with forest. The correlation between forest and TN&TP summited at 500–700-m buffer and construction land at 100-m buffer. As the buffer size increased, the correlation between the cultivated land, and the TN weakened, while the correlation with the TP increased. TN&TP correlated positively with the Shannon’s Diversity Index and negatively with the Contagion Index. This study provides a new perspective for exporting the impact of land use/cover pattern on water quality.

Facile synthesis of an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active imidazoles for sensitive detection of trifluralin

A novel imidazoles fluorescent probe (2) was synthesized from vanillin, o-phenylenediamine, and N,N-diphenylcarbamyl chloride. Its structure was characterized by fluorescence spectra, UV-Vis spectra, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Moreover, its aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature was investigated in THF/MeOH solution. Furthermore, the fluorescence quenching experimental results suggest that compound 2 is the potential fluorescent probe of small organic molecules showing high selectivity and sensitivity for nitroaromatic compounds. In addition, the probe could be applied in the determination of trifluralin with fast response and stability. The fluorescence response of the probe exhibited a good linear correlation with the concentration of trifluralin ranging from 10 to 100 μM, and the limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 5.066 μM. Finally, the probe was successfully utilized to determine the amount of trifluralin in real samples, and the recoveries were 91.1% to 111.2%, indicating the applicability and reliability of the probe.

Impacts of the linear flowing industrial wastewater on the groundwater quality and human health in Swabi, Pakistan

The present study aimed to probe the extent and mobility of contamination in wastewater and its impact on groundwater and human health in the Swabi region in Pakistan. Representative samples (n = 86) were collected from both wastewater streams and groundwater in an analogous environmental setting. The result showed that pH, color, hardness, alkalinity, chemical oxygen demand, chloride, suspended solids, total dissolved solids, Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu, Fe, Mg, Na, Ca, and K in industrial wastewater were higher than the Pak-EPA (Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency) and the United State Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) devised standards. In groundwater, the concentration (μg L^-1) of trace elements, namely, Cd (1.16), Pb (17.4), Fe (12426), Mn (320), Mg (129784), Na (33630), Ca (177944), and K (9558) was significantly higher than the WHO (World Health Organization) acceptable level, showing decreasing tendency with increasing distance from the industrial zone. The study perceived that wastewater caused permanent hardness, while groundwater hardness was decreased from permanent to temporary at a distance from industries. Integrated health risk assessment revealed that Cu, Zn, and Co may cause low risk, Na, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Cr cause medium risk, whereas Cd, Fe, Mg, Ca, and K may cause a high health risk. Moreover, the average daily intake of Fe, Mn, Mg, Na, Ca, and K was comparably higher than Cr, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Co in both adults and children. The mode of occurrence of contaminants in groundwater was due to the leaching of contaminated wastewater and the oxidation of metals. Furthermore, carbonates, chloride, and SAR (sodium adsorption ratio) precipitation have a key role in groundwater contamination and influencing the natural water quality. The study concluded that the health problems in the surrounding areas were due to the use of contaminated water for drinking and household purpose. The study suggests filtering the drinking water and treating the wastewater before releasing it into the environment.

Environment and food safety: a novel integrative review

Environment protection and food safety are two critical issues in the world. In this review, a novel approach which integrates statistical study and subjective discussion was adopted to review recent advances on environment and food safety. Firstly, a scientometric-based statistical study was conducted based on 4904 publications collected from the Web of Science Core Collection database. It was found that the research on environment and food safety was growing steadily from 2001 to 2020. Interestingly, the statistical analysis of most-cited papers, titles, abstracts, keywords, and research areas revealed that the research on environment and food safety was diverse and multidisciplinary. In addition to the scientometric study, strategies to protect environment and ensure food safety were critically discussed, followed by a discussion on the emerging research topics, including emerging contaminates (e.g., microplastics), rapid detection of contaminants (e.g., biosensors), and environment friendly food packaging materials (e.g., biodegradable polymers). Finally, current challenges and future research directions were proposed.

Toward Cleaner Production: Can Mobile Phone Technology Help Reduce Inorganic Fertilizer Application? Evidence Using a National Level Dataset

Increasing agricultural production and optimizing inorganic fertilizer (IF) use are imperative for agricultural and environmental sustainability. Mobile phone usage (MPU) has the potential to reduce IF application while ensuring environmental and agricultural sustainability goals. The main objectives of this study were to assess MPU, mobile phone promotion policy, and whether the mediation role of human capital can help reduce IF use. This study used baseline regression analysis and propensity score matching, difference-in-differences (PSM-DID) to assess the impact of MPU on IF usage. However, the two-stage instrumental variables method (IVM) was used to study the effects of mobile phone promotion policy on IF usage. This study used a national dataset from 7987 rural households in Afghanistan to investigate the impacts of MPU and associated promotion policies on IF application. The baseline regression outcomes showed that the MPU significantly reduced IF usage. The evaluation mechanism revealed that mobile phones help reduce IF application by improving the human capital of farmers. Besides, evidence from the DID technique showed that mobile phone promotion policies lowered IF application. These results remained robust after applying the PSM-DID method and two-stage IVM to control endogenous decisions of rural households. This study results imply that enhancing the accessibility of wideband in remote areas, promoting MPU, and increasing investment in information communication technologies (ICTs) infrastructure can help decrease the IF application in agriculture. Thus, the government should invest in remote areas to facilitate access to ICTs, such as having a telephone and access to a cellular and internet network to provide an environment and facility to apply IF effectively. Further, particular policy support must focus on how vulnerable populations access the internet and mobile phone technologies.

Interfacial Engineering of Attractive Pickering Emulsion Gel-Templated Porous Materials for Enhanced Solar Vapor Generation

Solar vapor generation is emerging as one of the most important sustainable techniques for harvesting clean water using abundant and green solar energy. The rational design of solar evaporators to realize high solar evaporation performances has become a great challenge. Here, a porous solar evaporator with integrative optimization of photothermal convention, water transport and thermal management is developed using attractive Pickering emulsions gels (APEG) as templated and followed by interfacial engineering on a molecular scale. The APEG-templated porous evaporators (APEG-TPEs) are intrinsically thermal insulation materials with a thermal conductivity = 0.039 W·m−1·K−1. After hydrolysis, t-butyl groups on the inner-surface are transformed to carboxylic acid groups, making the inner-surface hydrophilic and facilitating water transport through the inter-connected pores. The introduction of polypyrrole layer endows the porous materials with a high light absorption of ~97%, which could effectively convert solar irradiation to heat. Due to the versatility of the APEG systems, the composition, compressive modulus, porosity of APEG-TPEs could be well controlled and a high solar evaporation efficiency of 69% with an evaporation rate of 1.1 kg·m−2·h−1 is achieved under simulated solar irradiation. The interface-engineered APEG-TPEs are promising in clean water harvesting and could inspire the future development of solar evaporators.

Improvement roles of zinc supplementation in low dose lead induced testicular damage and glycolytic inhibition in mice

Lead (Pb) is a toxic metal that affects the male reproductive system. This study aimed to investigate the effects of zinc (Zn) intake between recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) and tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) in preventing male testis damage induced by low-dose Pb. Forty-five mice were randomly divided into control, Pb, and Pb + Zn groups. They were given distilled water ad libitum with 0, 200 mg/L Pb²⁺, or 15 mg/L Zn²⁺ mixed with 200 mg/L Pb²⁺ for 90 consecutive days. The Zn levels in the blood and testis of the Pb group were significantly lower than those of the control group. The Pb levels in the blood and testis of the Pb + Zn group were significantly lower than those of the Pb group. Additionally, a significant decrease in sperm density and viability, with a significant increase in sperm abnormality rate and DNA fragmentation index, was observed in the Pb group. Zn supplementation significantly improved the above sperm parameters. Moreover, Zn supplementation decreased low-dose Pb-induced lipid peroxidation and increased glutathione, total superoxide dismutase (SOD), and copper/Zn-SOD levels. Furthermore, Zn treatment improved glycolysis products and lactate transporters in Pb-treated mouse testes. Our findings suggest that Zn intake between RDAs and UL can act as a therapeutic agent in protecting against the reproductive impairments associated with Pb exposure.

The Preventive Role of Hydrogen-Rich Water in Thioacetamide-Induced Cholangiofibrosis in Rat Assessed by Automated Histological Classification

Background: Cholangiofibrosis is a controversial intrahepatic cholangial lesion that precedes the development of cholangiocarcinoma. Here, we demonstrate that molecular hydrogen (H₂) can be used to effectively prevent cholangiofibrosis.

Methods: The safety and quality of life (QOL) of rats was firstly evaluated. H₂ was administered to rats subjected to thioacetamide (TAA)-induced cholangiofibrosis throughout the whole process. Then, rats were administrated with TAA for 3 months and then followed by H₂ intervention. Rat livers were harvested and assessed by light microscopy and convolutional neural network. RNA-seq was performed to analyze the genetic changes in these animal models.

Results: Continuous use of H₂-rich water was safe and improved QOL.The incidence and average number of cholangiofibrosis in the liver were higher in the TAA group (100%, 12.0 ± 10.07) than that in the H₂ group (57.1%, 2.86 ± 5.43). The AI algorithm revealed higher Alesion/Aliver in the TAA group (19.6% ± 9.01) than that in the H₂ group (7.54% ± 11.0). RNA-seq analysis revealed that H₂ results in a decline in glycolysis. Moreover, in the third experiment, the incidence of microscopic or suspicious tumors and the ratio of liver lesions was decreased after long-term use of H₂ (12.5%, 0.57% ± 0.45) compared with untreated group (100%, 0.98% ± 0.73). A number of intestinal microbiota was changed after H₂ usage, including clostridiaceae_1, ruminococcus, turicibacter, coriobacteriales, actinobacteria, and firmicutes_bacterium.

Conclusion: Hydrogen-rich water protects against liver injury and cholangiofibrosis and improved quality of life partially through regulating the composition of intestinal flora.

Catalytic ozonation for metoprolol and ibuprofen removal over different MnO2 nanocrystals: Efficiency, transformation and mechanism

Manganese dioxide has been widely recognized as catalyst in catalytic ozonation for organic pollutants removal from wastewater in recent decades. However, few studies focus on the structure-activity relationship of MnO₂ and catalytic ozonation mechanism in water. In the present study, the oxidative reactivity of three different crystal phases of MnO₂ corresponding to α-MnO₂, β-MnO₂ and γ-MnO₂ towards metoprolol (MET) and ibuprofen (IBU) were evaluated. α-MnO₂ was found to contain the most abundant oxygen vacancy and readily reducible surface adsorbed oxygen (O^2-, O^-, OH^-), which facilitated an increase of ozone utilization and the highest catalytic performance with 99% degradation efficiency for IBU and MET. α-MnO₂ was then selected to investigate the optimum key operating parameters with a result of catalyst dosage 0.1 g/L, ozone dosage 1 mg/min and an initial pH 7. The introduction of α-MnO₂ promoted reactive oxygen species (O^2-, O^-, OH^-) generation which played significant roles in IBU degradation. Probable degradation pathways of MET and IBU were proposed according to the organic intermediates identified and the reaction sites based on density function theory (DFT) calculations. The present study deepened our understanding on the MnO₂ catalyzed ozonation and provided reference to enhance the process efficiency.

Bioaccumulation and human health risk assessment of heavy metals in food crops irrigated with freshwater and treated wastewater: a case study in Southern Cairo, Egypt

Food safety has often attracted attention worldwide. Few studies have investigated the heavy metal (HM) pollution and health risk assessment of crops and vegetables. The current work was conducted to evaluate the human risk assessment of HM (Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Zn) in radish, lettuce, tomato, onion, turnip, squash, okra, sunflower, Jews mallow, and garden rocket cultivated in treated wastewater (TWW)-irrigated sites as compared with those cultivated in freshwater (FW)-irrigated sites. Irrigation water, soil, and different plants were collected from 6 farmlands irrigated with TWW and two agricultural sites irrigated with FW (Nile river). Heavy metal transfer factor (HMTF), chronic daily intake of metals (CDIM), health hazard risk (HR), and health hazard index (HI) were estimated. The results showed that the tested HM levels in FW and TWW were below the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Egyptian standards recommended for irrigation. In soil samples, HM levels were below the permissible limits for both tested sites. The HM in soil and plants grew in TWW-irrigated sites possessed multiple levels higher than those grown in FW-irrigated sites. Among different plants, HM levels in the edible parts of plants grown in TWW-irrigated sites followed in decreasing order: tomato > sunflower >Jew's mallow = turnip = squash > lettuce > okra = radish > onion > garden rocket. The mean CDIM and HR values of plants irrigated using TWW were higher than those irrigated using FW. Furthermore, HR values for all plants grown in polluted and unpolluted sites were < 1 except Cd in plants grown in the TWW-irrigated farmlands. The mean HI for radish, lettuce, tomato, onion, turnip, squash, okra, sunflower, Jews mallow, and garden rocket grown in TWW-irrigated sites were 2.08, 2.39, 1.76, 1.53, 2.08, 1.80, 2.03, 1.91, 1.82, and 1.44 (for adult), and 2.39, 2.75, 2.71, 1.75, 2.38, 2.06, 2.33, 2.69, 2.10, and 1.65 (for children). Plants irrigated with TWW showed a higher HMTF than plants irrigated with FW. Jew's mallow and okra irrigated with TWW had a maximum HMTF. Consequently, different practical measures can be taken to minimize the HM levels in agricultural foodstuffs. These measures include preventing the excessive application of pesticides and fertilizers for crop production and continuous monitoring of different foodstuffs in the market.