Pollutants, Volume 4, Issue 2 (June 2024) – 6 articles

As bioindicators, benthic macroinvertebrates are often used to assess stream quality. Based on standard hydrobiological study techniques, the physicochemical and biological health status of the Missolé stream was assessed. Waters of the Missolé stream were found to be slightly acidic (pH: 6.23–6.26) and well-oxygenated (O₂: 69.80–76.80%), with low values of temperature (T°: 23.60–24° C), turbidity (49.40–88.40 FTU) and mineralized ions (NH₄⁺: 0–1.19 mg/L; NO₂^-: 0–1.61 mg/L; NO₃^-: 0.02–6.80 mg/L). Concerning aquatic invertebrate communities, a total of 489 individuals, grouped in two classes, eight orders and 35 families, all belonging to the phylum Arthropoda, were collected and identified. The class of Insecta was the most diversified, with seven orders and 32 families, while that of Crustacea had only one order and three families. Overall, Insecta accounted for 52.35% of the total abundance, and Decapod Crustacea was 47.65%. The three predominant families were Palaemonidae, Dytiscidae and Atyidae. Shannon and Weaver (H’) and Piélou’s evenness (J) indices were high at all stations and showed a slight decrease from upstream to downstream. In the same vein, the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI) classified the water quality of the Missolé stream as medium. Overall, this suburban aquatic ecosystem offers moderately favorable living conditions for aquatic biota. Full article

The rapid increase in soil and water pollution is primarily attributed to anthropogenic factors, notably the mismanagement of post-consumer plastics on a global scale. This exploratory research design evaluated the effectiveness of natural hydrophobic cattail (Typha Latifolia) fibres (CFs) as bio-adsorbents of microplastic particles (MPPs) from wastewater. The study investigates how the composition of the adsorption environment affects the adsorption rate. Straightforward batch adsorption tests were conducted to evaluate the “spontaneous” sorption of MPPs onto CFs. Five MPP materials (PVC, PP, LDPE, HDPE, and Nylon 6) were evaluated. Industrial wastewater (PW) and Type II Distilled Water (DW) were employed as adsorption environments. The batch test results show that CFs are effective in removing five MPP materials from DW and PW. However, a higher removal percentage of MPPs was observed in PW, ranging from 89% to 100% for PVC, PP, LDPE, and HDPE, while the adsorption of Nylon 6 increased to 29.9%, a removal increase of 50%. These findings indicate that hydrophobic interactions drive the “spontaneous and instantaneous” adsorption process and that adjusting the adsorption environment can effectively enhance the MPP removal rate. This research highlights the significant role that bio-substrates can play in mitigating environmental pollution, serving as efficient, sustainable, non-toxic, biodegradable, low-cost, and reliable adsorbents for the removal of MPPs from wastewaters. Full article

The impact of climate change has made weather events more extreme, unpredictable and frequent. In the last 4 years, Mozambique has been devastated by 8 major cyclones, resulting in material and human damage and affecting the functioning of basic local services, such as in the water and health sectors. In this study, we explored the environmental components of the climate–water quality–disease relationship that could drive the dynamics of waterborne diseases. Statistical models and geospatial information technologies (GITs) were used to analyse water quality and the relationship with waterborne diseases between 2016 and 2023. Results indicate that water quality is the main element, between precipitation natural disasters and waterborne diseases, on which a relevant public health intervention can act to ameliorate the future negative impacts of climate change and disease incidence. The results of this study also showed that the quality of water affected mainly by heavy rain events varies in different regions and in different seasons. Full article

Arsenic (As) contamination is a serious global concern, polluting our natural resources, including water and soil, and posing a danger to the environment and public health. Arsenic is present in the groundwater of several countries and this contaminated water is used for irrigation, drinking, and food preparation, which poses the greatest threat to public health. Nearly 106 countries are affected by groundwater arsenic contamination and an estimated 230 million individuals worldwide are exposed to its adverse health effects, including increased cancer risks, associated cardiovascular disease and diabetes, skin lesions, neurological effects, kidney damage, and foetal or cognitive-development-related complications. Arsenic is highly toxic and ranked first in the priority list of ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 2022) and among the 10 chemicals of major public health concern on the World Health Organization (WHO) list. The maximum permissible level of arsenic in drinking water has been established at 10 µg/L by WHO, as well as by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and European Union (EU). These regulatory standards underscore the gravity of the problem, and actions to prioritise the development of effective detection, mitigation strategies, and collaborative initiatives are necessary. This opinion article covers (i) arsenic footprints—global scenario and impact, (ii) awareness and education and (iii) mitigation approaches (detection and removal strategies) and future perspectives, which collectively will help in controlling and preventing As contamination of our global water resources. Regulatory and legislative bodies and development agencies are crucial for raising awareness and countering this alarming concern by implementing collaborative actions to protect our environment and public health and to provide safe drinking water for all. Full article

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are responsible for the formation of ozone and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Our knowledge about how black carbon particles influence BVOC emissions from terrestrial ecosystems is limited; terrestrial vegetation captures black carbon particles as a sink. In this research, the BVOC emissions from the leaves of four terrestrial plants were measured using an RAE PGM-7300 BVOC analyzer. Then, the leaves from four types of trees were exposed to submicron carbon black for 24 h and 48 h in an ambient environment, respectively. Comparisons between the BVOC emissions before and after exposure to submicron carbon black were performed. Our results indicated that the emissions of BVOC from the leaves of four types of trees varied from 90 to 270 μg g⁻¹ h⁻¹ and depended on the species. The exposure to submicron black carbon particles had negligible impacts on the BVOC emissions from the leaves of four types of trees. Full article

Natural background gamma rays and their effects on human health are essential components of both radiation protection and public concern. In the frame of these aspects, the mapping of the natural gamma dose rate values of the Province of Asti is given. The Asti Fire Brigade Command approved a project relating to the mapping of gamma radiation from the natural background in the territory of Asti. The project engaged both the Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, and Radiological (NBCR) and Topography Applied to Rescue (TAS) components of the Asti Command. Skilled personnel, comprising level 1 TAS operators for data collection and level 2 TAS operators for cartographic analysis, were deployed across the six working days. The methodology involved the use of two digital handheld radiation G-M detectors, in conjunction with a portable GPS unit, including the Global Mapper software. One of the significant findings of this study is the observation that the natural gamma dose rate levels were 201.25% higher in the streets of the city center compared to other areas, predominantly because the building materials in these locations contain a higher amount of natural radionuclides. The results indicated that the level of natural gamma dose rates in the studied region is close to the global average value. Full article