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Regardless the source, soil pollution is a daily reality resulting from anthropising the environment, especially through industrial explosion, increasing consumption and excessive urbanization. Lead, cadmium and other heavy metals provided by human activities accumulate in the soil by bioaccumulation at concentrations that become dangerously high for the biota living in or on the soil. While getting in permanent contact for a long time with the soil, the inhabitants of the polluted areas are exposed daily to the risk entailed by the toxicity of dangerous concentrations of Pb and Cd. The assessment of the pollution degree with heavy metals of the soil can be accomplished by comparing experimental values with the maximum permissible levels regulated by the regional, national or international legislation or by using relative indices such as the Global pollution index Z. Loading with Pb and Cd of some adjacent areas to the point sources of pollution is conditioned by remoteness from the source, the local orography of the land that dictates the concentration, orientation or, as the case may be, the spreading of air mass polluted with the heavy metal component [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reduction of the anthropogenic emissions of CO2 (carbon dioxide) is necessary to stop or slow down man-made climate change. To verify mitigation strategies, a global monitoring system such as the envisaged European Copernicus anthropogenic CO2 monitoring mission (CO2M) is required. Those satellite data are going to be complemented and validated with airborne measurements. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based measurements can provide a cost-effective way to contribute to these activities. Here, we present the development of an sUAS (small unmanned aircraft system) to quantify the CO2 emissions of a nearby point source from its downwind mass flux without the need for any ancillary data. Specifically, CO2 is measured by an NDIR (non-dispersive infrared) detector, and the wind speed and direction are measured with a 2-D ultrasonic acoustic resonance anemometer. By means of laboratory measurements and an in-flight validation at the ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation System) atmospheric station Steinkimmen (STE) near Bremen, Germany, we estimate that the individual CO2 measurements have a precision of 3 ppm and that CO2 enhancements can be determined with an accuracy of 1.3 % or 0.9 ppm , whichever is larger. We introduce an anemometer calibration method to minimize the effect of rotor downwash on the wind measurements. This method derives the fit parameters of a linear calibration model accounting for scaling, rotation, and a potential constant bias. For this purpose, it analyzes wind measurements taken while following a suitable flight pattern and assuming stationary wind conditions. From the calibration and validation experiments, we estimate the single measurement precision of the horizontal wind speed to be 0.40 ms-1 and the accuracy to be 0.33 ms-1. By means of two flights downwind of the ExxonMobil natural gas processing facility in Großenkneten about 40 km west of Bremen, Germany, we demonstrate how the measurements of elevated CO2 concentrations can be used to infer mass fluxes of atmospheric CO2 related to the emissions of the facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Diverse stakeholders agree that water quality management is key to sustainable mariculture. • Stakeholders were found to hold one of three distinct perspectives (P1-P3). • P1 'Downstream thinking' focusing on managing sewer overflows affecting microbial quality. • P2 'Broad view' of upstream and downstream pressures on microbial and chemical quality. • P3 'Upstream thinking' for controlling diffuse and point source pollution from agricultural land. Aquaculture, including marine aquaculture (mariculture), is the fastest growing food production sector globally and is expected to play a key role in delivering future food security. A potential factor limiting growth of the aquaculture industry, however, is the maintenance of good water quality, on which all forms of aquaculture depend. This is particularly challenging in 'open' coastal and estuarine systems and requires engagement with a wide range of stakeholders that can influence water quality. We applied a semi-quantitative method (Q-method) to capture and evaluate perspectives across diverse stakeholders in order to address the overarching question: "How do stakeholders rank water quality issues and management options versus other issues and actions for ensuring the sustainability of shellfish mariculture in South West England?" Results from this regional case study were used to highlight key issues and knowledge gaps that have national and international relevance. Stakeholders were found to hold distinct perspectives (P1−3), but there was general consensus that good water quality is essential for sustainable aquaculture, and that there is a need for better understanding of spatial and temporal variations in land use throughout catchments to ensure effective water quality management. Stakeholder engagement highlighted the importance of managing anthropogenic and environmental (climatic) pressures on land and water through agri-environment and urban planning policy in order to ensure sustainable food production, including from mariculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater pollution is the biggest threat to sustainability of groundwater resources and even more difficult to detect in case of clandestine sources. At the time when pollution is first detected in randomly located sparse wells, very little is known about the pollution sources. Finding the precise locations of clandestine sources of pollution and their release flux history is the biggest challenge and often termed as a problem belonging to the class of environmental forensics. In this study, two linked simulation optimization–based novel techniques are developed to estimate locations and release flux history from clandestine point sources of groundwater pollution. Simulation model is clubbed with optimization solver to determine the locations and release flux histories of groundwater pollution sources by minimizing the residual error between observed and simulated concentration values. Simulated annealing (SA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) are used as optimization algorithms. A detailed comparative analysis of these two meta-heuristic optimization algorithms in minimizing the residual error is presented in this study. The performance evaluation of both the algorithms in identifying the sources locations and release flux history is carried out for two synthetic cases and a real-life scenario of groundwater pollution in an aquifer in New South Wales, Australia, which has not been attempted in the past. The results of source location identification and release flux history show the selective applicability of each algorithm in solving real-life scenarios of groundwater pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated and long term application of same herbicides forms bound residues in soil and becomes point source of pollution over a period of time and harms the soil microorganisms. Among the different herbicides, the atrazine and pendimethalin is widely and repeatedly used molecule in maize and sunflower cultivation for weed control, respectively. Hence the present study was undertaken to investigate the bound residue of the applied herbicides in soil under long term fertilized condition with varied nutrient sources since 1909 in North-Western agro-climatic zone of Tamil Nadu under the semi-arid tropic region of India. Soil samples were collected at the time of maize and sunflower harvest and analysed for the bound fraction of atrazine and pendimethalin compounds respectively. The results showed that the repeated application of these herbicides at recommended dose formed a considerable amount of non-extractable bound residues in soil. While the bound fraction of parent atrazine was found below detectable limit, pendimethalin was at a quantifiable level in the soil irrespective of fertilization sources. However the bound form of atrazine metabolites, namely Des ethyl Deisopropyl atrazine (DEDIA) and Hydroxy atrazine (HA) was extracted from the maize cultivated soil. Bound forms of HA (4.34%) and DEDIA (3.43%) and pendimethalin (3.14%)to the applied quantity were witnessed at a higher amount in control plot than the fertilized plots. The omission of any one major nutrient recorded elevated DEDIA bound form than the HA fraction. The non-extractable bound residues of both the herbicides were detected at different proportions according to the herbicide nature, sources of fertilization and the crops cultivated in the soil. The fraction of bound form of atrazine metabolites was detected at higher level than the pendimethalin in soil. The present study revealed that the bound residues of atrazine, its metabolites and pendimethalin can be mineralized into the soil solution and bio-augmented over a period of time under the conditions of repeated application. Hence the remobilization of bound residues of these herbicides must be considered while gauging the environmental hazard and effect on non-target organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the physicochemical parameters of the river streams of the Agrioune watershed were evaluated by experimental monitoring and surface water quality modelling. The PegOpera Software suite was used to apply the PEGASE model to the Agrioune River/Basin (north-east of Algeria). This model was used to simulate different parameters concentrations, its application on the Agrioune watershed case is one of the first works that are currently being carried out on the semi-arid regions. In addition to low flows, the surface river water quality in these regions is mostly influenced by urban discharges and agricultural activities. Seven parameters are predicted based on the existing distribution of point and diffuse pollution sources, they are compared to available measured values. A significant correlation was obtained between the simulated and the measured values after calibration of some model inputs. Model performance showed good statistical agreements with a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSe) oscillating between 0.44 and 0.89 and with determination coefficient (R2) varying between 0.66 and 0.94 for the whole studied parameters. The simulation allowed to locate and to distinguish five different river water classes according to Seq-Eau model. Theses quality classes pointed out some river zones with unsatisfactory physicochemical status, and that have to be addressed with priority measures in order to improve their quality. Furthermore, the model was also used to simulate the impact of replacing settling basins by WWTP in the lower part of the Agrioune watershed. The results showed satisfactory reduction of some pollution parameters concentrations. The PEGASE model and the present study may be useful and may constitute a practical tool for managers to simulate several scenarios for improving the water quality in the Agrioune watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lakes are numbered as follows: 1, Lake Changhu; 2, Lake Datong; 3, Lake Dongting; 4, Lake Yueyangnanhu; 5, Lake Honghu; 6, Lake Huanggai; 7, Lake Donghu; 8, Lake Liangzi; 9, Lake Cihu; 10, Lake Wushan; 11, Lake Poyang; 12, Lake Junshan; 13, Lake Zhuhu; 14, Lake Longgan; 15, Lake Huangda; 16, Lake Wuchang; 17, Lake Shengjin; 18, Lake Caizi; 19, Lake Chaohu; 20, Lake Shijiu; 21, Lake Gehu; 22, Lake Yangcheng; 23, Lake Dianshan; 24, Lake Taihu; 25, Lake Nanyi. Responses of water quality and benthic biodiversity in Lake Taihu suggest that the lake restoration has been unsuccessful, although this lake has received the largest investment towards pollution governance in China. [Extracted from the article]

Anthropogenic activities pose challenges on security of water quality. Identifying potential sources of pollution and quantifying their corresponding contributions are essential for water management and pollution control. In our study, 2-year (2017–2018) water quality dataset of 15 parameters from eight sampling sites in tributaries and mainstream of the Min River was analyzed with multivariate statistical analysis methods and absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) receptor modeling technique to reveal potential sources of pollution and apportion their contributions. Temporal and spatial cluster analysis (CA) classified 12 months into three periods exactly consistent with dry, wet, and normal seasons, and eight monitoring sites into two regions, lightly polluted (LP) and highly polluted (HP) regions, based on different levels of pollution caused by physicochemical properties and anthropogenic activities. The principal component analysis (PCA) identified five latent factors accounting for 75.84% and 73.46% of the total variance in the LP and HP regions, respectively. The main pollution sources in the two regions included agricultural activities, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater discharge. APCS-MLR results showed that in the LP region, contribution of five potential pollution sources was ranked as agricultural non-point source pollution (22.13%) > seasonal effect and phytoplankton growth (19.86%) > leakage of septic tanks (15.73%) > physicochemical effect (12.86%) > industrial effluents and domestic sewage (11.59%), while in the HP region ranked as point source pollution from domestic and industrial discharges (20.81%) > municipal sewage (16.66%) > agricultural non-point source pollution (15.23%) > phytoplankton growth (14.82%) > natural and seasonal effects (12.67%). Based on the quantitative assessment of main pollution sources, the study can help policymakers to formulate strategies to improve water quality in different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Xi'an Polytechnic University is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Xi'an Polytechnic University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Increasing urbanization, landscape conversion, and resource consumption represent the most important, visible and irreversible human-induced actions on Earth. As a consequence, nowadays it is of seminal importance to understand and assess how anthropic pressures are related to the provision of ecosystem services (ES). This paper focuses on urban parks and their provision of water-induced ecosystem services (WES) connected to urban hydrologic cycle. The study uses a broad holistic approach to comprehensively understand the links between anthropic pressures and WES production. With the help of biological, chemical, and physical indicators collected in publicly available databases a scoring matrix was created. The method was applied to two different parks in Turin (Italy), the Arrivore Park and the Michelotti Park. The matrices reveal that anthropic pressures are marked, and the most affected WES are habitat maintenance, recreational services, and the provision of drinkable and non-drinkable water. The hydromorphological alterations are the anthropogenic pressures most strongly present in both parks. More specifically, in the Arrivore Park urbanization represents one of the most important pressures while the main pressures in the Michelotti Park are water abstraction for industrial and agricultural use and point source pollution. This study makes a major contribution to research on WES assessment by demonstrating the possibility to understand and to assess the impact of anthropic pressures. Moreover, the proposed matrix method provides an easy tool to support policymakers, public administrations, and private companies within sustainable urban planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, it is proven that the contaminated urban soils are hazardous for the human health. Soil substrates of playgrounds call for special research as they are places where children are directly exposed to soil contaminants. Therefore, the objective of this work was to measure the pseudo-total contents and bioaccessibility of several metals and metalloids (As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, V, Zn) in two grain sizes (< 150 μm and < 50 μm) of playground soils in Bratislava city (the capital of Slovakia). The content of metal(loid)s in the soils was controlled by a number of factors, with their increased contents (above 75% percentile or higher) at sites influenced by point sources of pollution (industry and agriculture) or at old sites located in the city centre. Cobalt, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni and V had relatively uniform contents in soils compared to the other elements. As regression modelling with a categorical variable confirmed, the age of urban areas influenced the accumulation of As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb and Sn in playground soils. Exploratory statistical techniques with compositionally transformed data (principal component analysis, cluster analysis and construction of symmetric coordinates for correlation analysis) divided trace elements into the two main groupings, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, V and Bi, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, Sn, Zn. Median concentrations of the elements in smaller soil grains (< 50 μm) were significantly higher than in coarser grains (< 150 μm). Cobalt, Cu, Mn, Pb, Sn and Zn had significantly higher bioaccessible proportions (% of the pseudo-total content) in < 50 μm soil size than in < 150 μm; however, the same order of bioaccessibility was achieved in both grain sizes. The highest bioaccessibility had Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn (~ 40% and more), followed by Co, As, Mn, Sb (18–27%), Hg, Ni, Sn (10–12%) and finally Cr, Fe and V (less than 4%). The hazard index and carcinogenic risk values were higher in < 50 μm than in < 150 μm and significantly decreased in the two soil sizes when the bioaccessibility results were included in the health hazard calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-defined targets for nitrogen (N) release into the local environment are essential for water management in creeks, but difficulties often arise from working with data that are too sparse to achieve reliable evaluations. Here, a simulation–optimization approach based on the QUAL2K model was developed to put forward strategies for nitrogen pollution control in a creek with sparse data in Shixi Creek, southeast China. The model showed good agreement with field observations from 22 sampling sites sampled over the period from March 2017 to February 2019, with normalized objective function (NOF) less than 0.360. Based on this model, the water pollutant sources in the creek were distinguished and analyzed. Rural sewage discharge in Shixi Creek was the major factor threatening water quality in the stream. Seasonal variations may influence the transformation of riverine N. To make more than 80% of the area in Shixi Creek meet the water quality standard of grade III, an optimized approach is to reduce more than 55% of the N pollution from point source pollution and 10% from nonpoint source pollution. This study proposed an approach that can effectively evaluate strategies for water management in a creek watershed with sparse data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) transport from land to rivers, estuaries, and coastal marine systems has been markedly altered by anthropogenic and climatic drivers over recent decades. In this study, a riverine N transport scheme considering anthropogenic N discharge and water regulation was incorporated into the Land Surface Model of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS‐LSM). Seven groups of simulations using the developed model at the global scale for the period of 1981–2010 were conducted to investigate the effects of anthropogenic disturbances and climate change on riverine dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) transport. It was shown that fertilization and point source pollution have enhanced the DIN fluxes in rivers across the world, especially in western Europe and eastern China. The DIN exports were significantly reduced due to retention by reservoirs and the withdrawal of surface water and groundwater, with a retention efficiency of 50–70%. Climate variability and trends increased or decreased the riverine DIN fluxes depending on the specific hydroclimatic conditions. We further analyzed the contributions of climatic and anthropogenic changes to the riverine DIN changes in four major rivers. The riverine DIN exports in the Mississippi River Basin were affected primarily by fertilization, while the changes in DIN exports of the Danube were dominated by point source pollution and water regulation. The Yangtze River in China was seriously affected by both fertilization and point source pollution, and water regulation played a significant role in reducing DIN exports. Climate variability was the primary factor explaining the interannual variability of DIN exports. Plain Language Summary: Nitrogen (N) transport from land to rivers, estuaries, and coastal marine systems has been markedly altered by anthropogenic and climatic drivers over recent decades. The enhanced N exports from land to oceans endanger the ecological environment and human health, which represents a global‐scale challenge. In this study, we incorporated a riverine N transport scheme considering anthropogenic dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) discharge and water regulation into the Land Surface Model of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS‐LSM) to illustrate how anthropogenic disturbances and climate change affect riverine DIN transport. It was shown that fertilization and point source pollution enhanced the DIN fluxes in rivers across the world, while water regulation played a role in reducing DIN exports. Climate variability and trends increased or decreased the riverine DIN fluxes depending on the specific hydroclimatic conditions, and climate variability was the primary factor explaining the interannual variability of DIN exports. Key Points: A riverine nitrogen transport scheme considering anthropogenic disturbances was incorporated into the land surface model CAS‐LSMFertilizer use and point source pollution enhanced the riverine DIN exports, while water regulation played a role in reducing DIN exportsClimate variability was the primary factor explaining the interannual variability of riverine DIN exports [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface water is one of the primary sources for drinking, irrigation, and industrial activities in Ergene River, Turkey. However, its quality has deteriorated due to the point and non-point pollution sources. Therefore, an appropriate assessment of surface water quality is very important. Water quality classification is calculated separately for each quality parameter in Turkey. An overall assessment of surface water quality is essential for water management. In this study, self-organizing maps (SOMs) and fuzzy C-means clustering (FCM) methods have been used for assessing surface water quality in the Ergene River. Seven water quality parameters have been considered as important indicators to evaluate water quality status in 7 observation points located in the river, covering the period from 1985 to 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent environmental policy bills outlined by the UK government in the wake of Brexit highlight an intention by the government to take a more holistic approach to land and water management. While previous legislation has taken a siloed approach to landscape management, often focusing on point source pollutions, the Agriculture and Environment Bills present the opportunity for effective protection of the environment while providing wider environmental benefits such as reduced flood risk, increased biodiversity and provision of cultural services. We outline how and why previous European Union legislation has failed to deliver the intended environmental improvements relating to agricultural land management in the UK. We highlight how the adoption of integrated catchment management and proposed "payment‐for‐outcome" schemes at a large scale could be used to push the United Kingdom into the forefront of sustainable farming, land management and championing environmental benefits to society. This article is categorized under:Engineering Water > Planning WaterScience of Water > Water QualityWater and Life > Conservation, Management, and AwarenessHuman Water > Water Governance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The percentage of agricultural land cover effect on water quality in Culiacan River basin is studied in this research. The basin contains only intensive cropland as primary economic activity with 60% of the total area. Mathematical relationships between percentages of cropland and total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations were established. Sampling sites in middle and lower basin and water quality information during 2013–2018 were considered, and percentages of cropland were obtained by geospatial methods including variable area buffers. During rainy season, coefficients of determination were less than 0.2, although quantified nutrient concentration was higher, related to point sources of pollution in the basin. During dry season, coefficients of determination were higher than 0.76 and 0.90 for TN and TP, respectively, with an exponential mathematical trend. Results suggest that intensive agriculture practices generate accelerated loss of soil consolidation, which is transported to water bodies. These soils are in continuous contact with fertilizers and pesticides, mostly organophosphates which have been transported by runoff and underground flows. Using the information generated will help to establish environmental management plans, and to improve environmental diagnosis and effect in countries where there is not enough historical cartographic information and/or water quality data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of anthropogenic pressures in coastal areas are extensively studied in temperate but not in tropical zones, where their impact might be amplified by high water temperatures and upwelling phenomena. Sedimentary features and benthic metabolism were studied during the non upwelling (NUPW) and upwelling (UPW) seasons in Taganga Bay (Colombia). The bay is impacted by a submarine outfall of virtually untreated, organic and nutrient-rich wastewater. Samplings were performed in November 2017 (NUPW) and in January–February 2018 (UPW) at 4 stations located in the proximity and 100, 750 and 1800 m far from the outfall, respectively, at depths between 22 and 28 m. Aerobic respiration, denitrification, dissimilative nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and nutrient fluxes were measured. The influence of the outfall was detectable 750 and 1800 m away from the point pollution source, where δ13C data suggested that ~ 40 and ~ 20% of organic inputs were terrigenous, respectively. In the proximity of the outfall benthic oxygen demand peaked and the presence of Beggiatoa mats suggested reoxidation of sulphides, that were abundant in pore water. Under sulfidic conditions, DNRA was the major driver of nitrate demand, whereas at stations far from the outfall, denitrification dominated nitrate consumption. Organic matter and nitrate inputs to the bay during the UPW season enhanced the effects of the outfall by increasing aerobic respiration and DNRA. Higher N availability during the UPW season reversed fluxes of molecular nitrogen and turned the sediments of 3 out of 4 sites from net sinks to net N2 sources. Results from this study suggest that the analysis of sediments allows tracing the impact of the outfall and that such impact is enhanced during the upwelling season. In tropical areas, marine outfalls and upwelling may act in synergy and contribute to ecosystem deterioration due to high temperatures, increase of microbial respiration, sulphide toxicity and benthic biodiversity loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road dust from different sources directly contacts the human body and has potential effects on public health. In this study, a total number of 87 road dust samples were collected at 29 sampling sites from five different functional areas (commercial area (CA), residential area (RA), educational area (EA), industrial area (IA), and park area (PA)) in Zhengzhou to study the contamination status, distribution, source identification, ecological risk assessment, and spatial distribution of human health risks due to eight heavy elements. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and pollution index (PI) revealed that there was very high contamination with Cd and Hg caused by atmospheric deposition, which should be paid special attention. Additionally, the source identification indicated that Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb originate from anthropogenic activities related to traffic, and Hg can originate from medical equipment and agricultural chemicals, while the extremely low level of pollution with As could be explained by geographic sources. Moreover, the calculated ecological risk index values were increased in the order of CA > RA > EA > IA > PA in different functional areas. According to the human health risks of the whole city, children exposed to Pb have the highest health risk, especially for CA and IA, as calculated by the noncarcinogenic hazard index (HI). For adults and children, health risks caused by Cu, Zn, and Pb were higher in the CA, RA, and PA of the downtown area, whereas Cr and Ni had the highest noncarcinogenic exposure risk in northwestern Zhengzhou due to point source pollution. Calculations of the carcinogenic risk (CR) values for Cr, Ni, As, and Cd indicate that the value of Cr is highest (1.17 × 10−7), especially inside the industrial area (8.55 × 10−7), which is close to the lower limit of the threshold values (10−6 to 10−4). These results can provide a theoretical basis and data support for air treatment, pollution control, and the implementation of public prevention in different functional areas of Zhengzhou. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agro-Environment Science is the property of Journal of Agro-Environment Science Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study investigated the long-term stream water quality trends of nine catchments in Hong Kong with different levels of urbanization using monthly water quality data for a 30-year period at annual and seasonal (wet and dry) scales. Raw data were modeled using redundancy analysis and Mann–Kendall test. Only one river showed a clear difference of water quality responses between the upstream and downstream monitoring stations. Nevertheless, in general, water quality of monitoring stations that had built areas less than 40% showed improving trends, whereas their downstream counterparts with built areas more than 70% showed deterioration trends for some parameters. Majority of water quality trends were season-independent. Out of the variables that were indicative of a long-term deterioration trend, total solids, total suspended solids, turbidity and electrical conductivity (all surrogates of sediment load of the river) were prominent. Nitrate concentration demonstrated an increasing trend for most streams, whereas phosphates a decreasing trend. This study concluded that the main source of pollution could be the surface runoff (nonpoint sources), not the wastewater inputs (point sources). Stream discharge was increasing and decreasing in the downstream and upstream stations, respectively. This could be attributed to the increase in imperviousness in the downstream and water extraction in the upstream. The downstream discharge increment with time would also support the fact that contamination was due to surface runoff. This study provides evidence that the Hong Kong legislative control actions on point source pollution work well, but not on nonpoint source pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global pollution of mercury (Hg) threatens ecosystem and human health. We measured total Hg (THg) and monomethylmercury (MMHg) concentrations in filter-feeding blackfly (Simulium spp.) larvae in the inflows and the outflows of six boreal lakes with no Hg point source pollution. THg in the larvae ranged from 0.03 to 0.31 mg kg−1 dw and MMHg between 0.02 and 0.25 mg kg−1 dw. The proportion of MMHg in the larvae was 74 ± 0.16% and ranged from 43 to 98% of THg, the highest proportions being comparable to those typically found in aquatic predatory insects and fish. We compared the larvae MMHg concentrations to river water quality, catchment land-use, and to size-adjusted lake pike THg data. Two of the investigated catchments have been affected by a multimetal biomine since 2008 and were characterized by higher conductivity and higher urban land-use activity. Larvae THg and MMHg concentrations were higher in the lake inflows than in outflows and associated with water conductivity and catchment land-use activity. Lake pike THg concentrations were highly correlated to lake outflow blackfly larvae MMHg concentrations. Our data illustrate that blackfly larvae take up high percentage of THg that is MMHg, which in turn is available for higher consumers in aquatic and terrestrial food webs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution character of 41 antibiotics belonging to 6 groups, sulfonamides (SAs), quinolones (QUs), tetracyclines (TCs), macrolides (MLs), penicillins (PLs), and chloramphenicol (CHL), was investigated in drinking water sources of Nanjing during 2017–2019. MLs (42.98%) were the most abundant category, followed by SAs (25.94%) and QUs (22.52%). The dominant antibiotic was ofloxacin (OFX) in Dec. 2017 (average concentration, 3.14 ng/L; range, ND–35.20 ng/L) and Nov. 2018 (2.16 ng/L, ND–12.26 ng/L), and sulfadiazine (SDZ) in Mar. 2019 (16.37 ng/L, ND–25.90 ng/L). For Dec. 2017, the total concentrations in Zhongshan Waterworks (S15) and Jinniushan Reservoir (S16) were significantly higher than the other sampling sites, which may be attributed to point source pollution. The ecological and human risk of the main antibiotics was assessed by risk quotients (RQs) and target hazard quotient (THQ), respectively. Most of the RQ values were below 0.1, except enrofloxacin (ERX, 0.11) and enoxacin (ENX, 0.62) in Dec. 2017, lomefloxacin (LOM, 0.14) in Nov. 2018, and LOM (0.28) and ERX (0.10) in Mar. 2019. This indicated that the risk of the target antibiotics to aquatic organisms in the 3 years was moderate or low level. Meanwhile, results of the THQ values showed that antibiotic exposure caused no risk to human health. This research provides scientific information for antibiotic pollution control and enriches environmental monitoring data in the drinking water sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Research of Environmental Sciences is the property of Research of Environmental Sciences Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Monitoring water quality in urban stream is of utmost importance for water resources managers, who are pressured to optimize monitoring schemes in order to reduce costs. The present study aims to use the results of a 2-year-long water quality monitoring program of an urban stream in Portugal to identify improvement opportunities. The urban stream under study was subjected to wastewater treatment plants effluent discharges, leachates from a major sealed landfill, low-class housing effluents, and nonpoint sources of pollution. Contributing watersheds are mostly artificial surfaces and agricultural land, which irrigate directly from the river. River water quality was evaluated on 11 sampling locations for 24 months from October 2013 to September 2015. The present paper describes statistical analysis of the results obtained for 12 physicochemical parameters in order to optimize the monitoring scheme. Cluster analysis detected a seasonal variation in the water quality and a spatial pattern based on the major point sources of pollution. A factor analysis showed that the parameters that mostly contribute to water quality assessment in this urban river are alkalinity, ammonia, electrical conductivity, pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. Results suggest that the monitoring efforts—and associated costs—may be reduced by decreasing monitoring frequency, sampling points, and monitored parameters. The statistical analysis described in this study may be replicated in other water quality monitoring programs, providing useful and important information for the systematic and iterative assessment of the adequacy of water quality sampling programs towards a sustainable management of water quality surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivers are increasingly being subjected to increased anthropogenic pollution stresses that undermine their designated uses and negatively affect sensitive coastal regions. The degradation of river water quality is attributed to both point and nonpoint sources of pollution. In this study, we determine the relative contribution of point and nonpoint pollutant loads in the Beirut River basin, a poorly monitored seasonal Mediterranean river. Water quality samples were collected on a weekly basis over 2 consecutive years (2016 and 2017) from four sampling sites that represent a gradient of increasing urbanization. Flow-concentration models were first developed to estimate total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and total suspended solids (TSS) loads reaching the different sub-basins. The performance of the regression models varied by location and by pollutant, with improved performance in the downstream sections (adjusted R2 66% for TP and 59% for TN). Loads were also determined using the Beale's ratio method, which generally underestimated the loads as compared with the regression-based models. The relative contribution of the nonpoint source loads were then quantified using the Open Nonpoint Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool (OpenNSPECT). The results showed that point sources were the main cause of water quality impairment across the entire basin, with load contributions varying between 75% in the headwaters and 98% in the urbanized downstream sections. The adopted modeling approach in this study provides an opportunity to better understand pollutant load dynamics in poorly monitored basins and a mechanism to apportion pollution loads between point and nonpoint sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zayandeh-Rud River is the only permanent river in the central plateau of Iran. This river has been subject to an extensive discharge of wastewater and effluents from several point and nonpoint pollution sources. Accordingly, sediment quality of Zayandeh-Rud River in Varzaneh region, were studied. Algae and the sediment were sampled through 3 replications at 6 stations in the downstream after crossing through the Isfahan city and reaching Gavkhuni international wetland. Chlorophyll content and As, Pb, and Cd concentrations were measured in each sample Cladophora sp. and Oscillatoria sp. were identified using standard identification keys. The mean concentrations of metals in all stations exceeded background levels. Mean concentration of arsenic (162.9 mg/kg) in the sediment is about 31 times more than the ISQG standard (5.9 mg/kg) and considerably higher than the similar studies in Iran and other regions of the world. The mean concentration of As in algae samples is higher than the most polluted areas of the world. The mean concentration of Pb in the sediment (19.69 mg/kg) is lower than the ISQGs standard (35 mg/kg) and most of the studied river in north of Iran such as Chalous, Baboul-Rud, Gorgan-Rud (North), Khiav (North West), and Anzali wetland. The mean concentration of Cd in the sediment (2.11 mg/kg) is significantly higher than ISQG standard (0.6 mg/kg and some north highly polluted wetlands of Iran such as Anzali. There is a significant positive correlation between the mean concentrations of As and Pb in the sediment and Cladophora sp. tissue, and a negative one between the mean concentration of Pb in the sediment and chlorophyll b/a. There are significant negative correlations between the mean concentration of As in the sediment and chlorophyll a, and the total chlorophyll concentration in Oscillatoria sp. The results of Muller index indicate that the concentrations of Pb, Cd, and As in all stations occur in the Unpolluted, Moderate/Heavy, and Heavy/Extreme groups, respectively. Degree of contamination and modified degree of contamination show very high degree of pollution in the studied area. RI in all the stations showed very high ecological risk. The bioaccumulation factor for all metals in both algae is less than one. So, these two species may not be described as heavy metal accumulators. This study is an alarm for the Zayandeh-Rud River as the most important freshwater source for the Iranian Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Scientific Review: Engineering & Environmental Sciences / Przegląd Naukowy: Inżynieria i Kształtowanie Środowiska is the property of Wydawnictwo SGGW and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Seventh-grade students, standing in the riparian zone of Marshall creek, a small creek in a wetland area near their school, hover around a washtub. After speaking with a local area middle school's administration, we found they too wanted to provide their middle school students with an outdoor environmental education experience. In addition to the anecdotal comments about the middle school students' positive attitudes about being outdoors, the middle school teachers indicated a significant increase in content knowledge. The middle school teachers served as valuable resources as far as understanding how long each activity would engage the students' interest. [Extracted from the article]

The use of hydraulic fracturing (HF) to extract oil and natural gas has increased, along with intensive discussions on the associated risks to human health. Three technical processes should be differentiated when evaluating human health risks, namely (1) drilling of the borehole, (2) hydraulic stimulation, and (3) gas or oil production. During the drilling phase, emissions such as NOx, NMVOCs (non-methane volatile organic compounds) as precursors for tropospheric ozone formation, and SOx have been shown to be higher compared to the subsequent phases. In relation to hydraulic stimulation, the toxicity of frac fluids is of relevance. More than 1100 compounds have been identified as components. A trend is to use fewer, less hazardous and more biodegradable substances; however, the use of hydrocarbons, such as kerosene and diesel, is still allowed in the USA. Methane in drinking water is of low toxicological relevance but may indicate inadequate integrity of the gas well. There is a great concern regarding the contamination of ground- and surface water during the production phase. Water that flows to the surface from oil and gas wells, so-called 'produced water', represents a mixture of flow-back, the injected frac fluid returning to the surface, and the reservoir water present in natural oil and gas deposits. Among numerous hazardous compounds, produced water may contain bromide, arsenic, strontium, mercury, barium, radioactive isotopes and organic compounds, particularly benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX). The sewage outflow, even from specialized treatment plants, may still contain critical concentrations of barium, strontium and arsenic. Evidence suggests that the quality of groundwater and surface water may be compromised by disposal of produced water. Particularly critical is the use of produced water for watering of agricultural areas, where persistent compounds may accumulate. Air contamination can occur as a result of several HF-associated activities. In addition to BTEX, 20 HF-associated air contaminants are group 1A or 1B carcinogens according to the IARC. In the U.S., oil and gas production (including conventional production) represents the second largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions. High-quality epidemiological studies are required, especially in light of recent observations of an association between childhood leukemia and multiple myeloma in the neighborhood of oil and gas production sites. In conclusion, (1) strong evidence supports the conclusion that frac fluids can lead to local environmental contamination; (2) while changes in the chemical composition of soil, water and air are likely to occur, the increased levels are still often below threshold values for safety; (3) point source pollution due to poor maintenance of wells and pipelines can be monitored and remedied; (4) risk assessment should be based on both hazard and exposure evaluation; (5) while the concentrations of frac fluid chemicals are low, some are known carcinogens; therefore, thorough, well-designed studies are needed to assess the risk to human health with high certainty; (6) HF can represent a health risk via long-lasting contamination of soil and water, when strict safety measures are not rigorously applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular biomarkers, like gene transcripts or enzyme activities, are potentially powerful tools for early warning assessment of pollution. However, a thorough understanding of response and baseline variation is required to distinguish actual effects from pollution. Here, we assess the freshwater mussel Anodonta anatina as a biomarker model species for freshwater ecosystems, by testing responses of six transcriptional (cat, gst, hsp70, hsp90, mt, and sod) and two biochemical (AChE and GST) biomarkers to environmentally relevant Cu water concentrations. Mussels (n = 20), collected from a stream free from point source pollution, were exposed in the laboratory, for 96 h, to Cu treatments (< 0.2 μg/L, 0.77 ± 0.87 μg/L, and 6.3 ± 5.4 μg/L). Gills and digestive glands were extracted and analyzed for transcriptional and biochemical responses. Biological and statistical effect sizes from Cu treatments were in general small (mean log2 fold-change ≤ 0.80 and Cohen's f ≤ 0.69, respectively), and no significant treatment effects were observed. In contrast, four out of eight biomarkers (cat, gst, hsp70, and GST) showed a significant sex:tissue interaction, and additionally one (sod) showed significant overall effects from sex. Specifically, three markers in gills (cat, mt, GST) and one in digestive gland (AChE) displayed significant sex differences, independent of treatment. Results suggest that sex or tissue effects might obscure low-magnitude biomarker responses and potential early warnings. Thus, variation in biomarker baselines and response patterns needs to be further addressed for the future use of A. anatina as a biomarker model species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the introduction of the Water Framework Directive, the relative importance of smaller waterways increased. This statement is particularly true for Hungary, where water-quality monitoring of most smaller rivers only began 12 years ago. Due to their large number, and the lack of historical data concerning their state, systematic monitoring is a challenge. In the current study, 101 creeks are characterized on the one hand by 13 physico-chemical quality parameters (pH, electric conductivity, chloride ion concentration, dissolved oxygen, oxygen saturation, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon, ammonium nitrogen, total inorganic nitrogen, total nitrogen, orthophosphate and total phosphorus), on the other hand by their watershed's relief, land use, and point sources' pollution indicators. Euclidean distance between water bodies (henceforth WBs) is calculated according to normalized physico-chemical monitoring values. They are grouped into clusters using the hierarchical clustering method. Watershed characteristics are used to explain the clustering via linear discriminant analysis. The investigation revealed that the main driver of cluster group creation is related to human impact: diffuse agricultural and point-source pollution. The first of the three clusters involved water bodies with low or no human impact; the second cluster contained those with medium-level anthropogenic disturbance, while waters with high pollution values formed the third cluster. Mean distance between heavily polluted waters was 1.5 times higher than that between those showing no or low disturbance, meaning that pristine waters are more similar to one another than polluted ones. The current number of samples per river is twice as high in cluster 1 as in cluster 3, revealing that there is room for optimization of the monitoring system. This contribution uses Hungary as a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic apex predators are vulnerable to environmental contaminants due to biomagnification. North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) populations should be closely monitored across their range due to point and nonpoint pollution sources. Nonetheless, no information exists on environmental contaminants in the North Carolina otter population. Metals and metalloids occur naturally across the landscape, are essential for cellular function, and become toxic when concentrated unnaturally. We conducted our study across the three Furbearer Management Units (FMU) and 14 river basins of North Carolina. We determined the concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, calcium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, selenium, thallium, and zinc in liver and kidney samples from 317 otters harvested from 2009 to 2016. Arsenic, lead, and thallium samples were tested at levels below the limit of detection. With the exception of cadmium, we detected all other elements at higher levels in the liver compared with the kidney. Specifically, cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, and zinc levels differed by tissue type analyzed. Most element concentrations remained stable or increased with otter age. We detected higher levels of mercury and selenium in the Lower Pee Dee and Cape Fear river basins. River basins within the Mountain FMU were higher in cadmium, copper, iron, lead, and zinc, whereas the Coastal Plain FMU was lower in cobalt and manganese. None of the elements occurred at toxic levels. Our research establishes baseline concentration levels for North Carolina, which will benefit future monitoring efforts and provide insight into future changes in the otter population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agro-Environment Science is the property of Journal of Agro-Environment Science Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Grey Water Footprint is an indicator of anthropogenic pollution load into the inland water. The indicator is used for quantification of water needed for pollutant dilution to such an extent that the quality of the ambient water remains above agreed water quality standards of pollution discharged from point sources in the Czech Republic. Grey Water Footprint was calculated for 6 382 point pollution sources, recorded in the national register of wastewater discharges, from period 2009-2018. The domestic, industry and agriculture sectors were analyzed separately in the assessment. The total Grey Water Footprint of point sources of pollution varied between 1.90 × 1010 and 2.46 × 1010 m3/year. The Grey Water Footprint of domestic pollution represented about 3/4 of the total Grey Water Footprint. The Grey Water Footprint of industrial pollution represented about 1/4 of the total Grey Water Footprint. The Grey Water Footprint of agricultural point sources of pollution can be neglected on the national level in the Czech Republic. In most cases, the Grey Water Footprint is determined by ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the concentration and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the sediments of Oji River due to point sources of pollution from abattoir and power plant and determined the ecological and human health risks associated with the PAHs in the sediments. Oji River in Nigeria receives contaminants from anthropogenic activities relating to waste tires used in singeing cow meats in abattoir and preparing hides and skin for local consumption. It also receives contaminants from power distribution station where the defunct coal power plant used to be situated. These activities have the potential to release polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that could accumulate in the river sediments. The PAHs were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This study found that the abattoir is responsible for the occurrence of benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene in the sediments around the abattoir. The occurrence and distribution of PAHs around the area affected by the power station was profound as among all the 16 priority PAHs; only naphthalene benzo[g,h,i]perylene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were not detected. The five-member ring PAHs were predominant in this section of the river affected by power station. Ecological risks of the PAHs due to the effects of the power station are significant. The total toxicity equivalence (TEQ) of the PAHs upstream the abattoir is insignificant but significant around the abattoir and within the area impacted by the power station. The values of the hazard index (HI) and risk index (RI) indicate insignificant carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic human health risks in all the locations except the area within the influence of the power station where there are insignificant non-carcinogenic risks but significant carcinogenic risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major threats to freshwater ecosystems in the Andean-Amazon region include agriculture, point and nonpoint source pollution, hydroelectric dams, oil extraction, mining and road building, yet little is known about the baseline values and current state of rivers and streams, or how expanding urban, industrial and agricultural activities could affect and change these freshwater ecosystems and their diversity. Therefore, there is a need to understand physicochemical parameters at the basin scale in many large river systems in the Andean-Amazon such as the Napo River, a world biodiversity hotspot. Establishing baselines for these parameters under less developed conditions will be impossible after development in the watersheds increases and hydroelectric projects reach completion. In addition to collecting data to fill in information gaps in geology, vegetation, disturbance, and other parameters that influence water quality, it is important to use existing data in the Napo to predict chemical parameters throughout the watershed to set a baseline from which deviations from development and climate change can be assessed and to guide data collection efforts. In this study, we provide the first basin-wide estimates of physicochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and temperature) for the entire Napo River Basin using a recently developed geostatistical technique called top kriging. Basin-wide predictions aligned well with observed values and a model validation test showed a strong goodness-of-fit for parameter estimates. Furthermore, our predictions aligned well with observed values from independent datasets from the Napo Basin. These predictions could be useful in developing water quality reference baselines for the basin and for monitoring relative changes to parameters, assist in the identification of priority areas within the basin for management and conservation efforts, direct future research, and be applied in other data-scarce basins in remote regions worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Songnen plain is an important commodity grain base of China, and this is the first study on the comprehensive detection of multiple pesticides in groundwater. Based on an analytical method of 56 pesticides, 30 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed. At least 4 pesticides were detected in each sample and 32 out of 56 pesticides were detected. The average detected levels of individual pesticides were approximately 10–100 ng/L. Organophosphorus pesticides and carbamate pesticides were the dominant pesticides, and their percentage of total pesticide concentrations were 35.9% and 55.5%, respectively. Based on the spatial distribution, the characteristic of nonpoint source pollution was indicated in the whole study area except for a point source pollution with the influence of a sewage oxidation pond. Nine core pesticides and three distinct clusters of the core pesticides with various concentration patterns were revealed by cluster analysis. Linear regression identified a significant relationship between the cumulative detections and the cumulative concentrations, providing access to identify the outlying contaminant events that deviate substantially from the linear trend. A new insight for prediction of pesticide occurrence was provided by the Pearson correlation between some individual pesticide concentrations and the cumulative detections or the cumulative concentrations. According to health risk assessment, the residual pesticides posed medium risks for children and infants and approximately 90% of risks were composed of β-HCH, dimethoate, ethyl-p-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate and methyl parathion. These findings contributed to establishing a database for future monitoring and control of pesticides in agricultural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) are prevalent in aquatic environments. Discharge from wastewater treatment plants is an important point source of ARG release into the environment. It has been reported that biological treatment processes may enhance rather than remove ARG because of their presence in sludge. Attenuation of ARG in biotechnological processes has been studied in depth, showing that many microorganisms can secrete complex extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). These EPS can serve as multifunctional elements of microbial communities, involving aspects, such as protection, structure, recognition, adhesion, and physiology. These aspects can influence the interaction between microbial cells and extracellular ARG, as well as the uptake of extracellular ARG by microbial cells, thus changing the transformative capability of extracellular ARG. However, it remains unclear whether EPS can affect horizontal ARG transfer, which is one of the main processes of ARG dissemination. In light of this knowledge gap, this review provides insight into the role of EPS in the transmission of ARGs; furthermore, the mechanism of ARG spread is analyzed, and the molecular compositions and functional properties of EPS are summarized; also, how EPS influence ARG mitigation is addressed, and factors impacting how EPS facilitate ARG during wastewater treatment are summarized. This review provides comprehensive insights into the role of EPS in controlling the transport and fate of ARG during biodegradation processes at the mechanistic level. [Display omitted] • The focus is the impact of EPS on the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG). • Polysaccharides can be generated extracellularly for specific functions. • Certain ARG can be transferred to other bacteria of the same or different species. • EPS-associated ARG have a higher transformation capacity than cell-free ARG. • Nutrient increases are generally positively correlated with ARG abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are lipophilic compounds that bioaccumulate in animals and biomagnify within food webs. Many POPs are endocrine disrupting compounds that impact vertebrate development. POPs accumulate in the Arctic via global distillation and thereby impact high trophic level vertebrates as well as people who live a subsistence lifestyle. The Arctic also contains thousands of point sources of pollution, such as formerly used defense (FUD) sites. Sivuqaq (St. Lawrence Island), Alaska was used by the U.S. military during the Cold War and FUD sites on the island remain point sources of POP contamination. We examined the effects of POP exposure on ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) collected from Troutman Lake in the village of Gambell as a model for human exposure and disease. During the Cold War, Troutman Lake was used as a dump site by the U.S. military. We found that PCB concentrations in stickleback exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's guideline for unlimited consumption despite these fish being low trophic level organisms. We examined effects at three levels of biological organization: gene expression, endocrinology, and histomorphology. We found that ninespine stickleback from Troutman Lake exhibited suppressed gonadal development compared to threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) studied elsewhere. Troutman Lake stickleback also displayed two distinct hepatic phenotypes, one with lipid accumulation and one with glycogen-type vacuolation. We compared the transcriptomic profiles of these liver phenotypes using RNA sequencing and found significant upregulation of genes involved in ribosomal and metabolic pathways in the lipid accumulation group. Additionally, stickleback displaying liver lipid accumulation had significantly fewer thyroid follicles than the vacuolated phenotype. Our study and previous work highlight health concerns for people and wildlife due to pollution hotspots in the Arctic, and the need for health-protective remediation. [Display omitted] • Arctic communities are exposed to POPs from global distillation and local hotspots. • Troutman Lake, adjacent to the Yupik village Gambell, has elevated POPs. • The stickleback is an environmental sentinel of POP exposure and health effects. • Stickleback exhibited suppressed gonadal maturation and 2 distinct liver phenotypes. • The lipid droplet phenotype was linked with ribosomal and metabolic genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GRAPH B Matthew "Matt" W. Becker, Ph.D. b , has been selected as the 2024 Darcy Distinguished Lecturer by NGWA and The Groundwater Foundation. Becker earned his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering from the University of Texas and a B.S. degree in geology from Michigan State University. NGWA sees this proposed regulation as a significant step in the EPA addressing public health protection from PFAS in water and the environment.". [Extracted from the article]

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Huelva is a highly industrialized city in SW Spain hosting, among others, a Cu smelter, a phosphate fertilizer plant, a power plant, and oil refineries. This study aims to evaluate metal concentrations in lichens as bioindicators of atmospheric pollution in the impacted urban areas. Xanthoria parietina species from Huelva and nearby villages, as well as reference samples from remote, non-contaminated urban areas, were analyzed for trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, As, Cd, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Pb, Th, U) using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry; and for major elements (Ca, K, Mg, P, and S) by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry after acid digestion. The metal composition of X. parietina exhibits spatial distribution patterns with extremely elevated concentrations (Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, Ba, Pb, U, and S) in the surroundings of the industrial estates to <1 km distance. Mean concentrations were significantly lower in the urban areas >1 km from the pollution sources. However, air pollution persists in the urban areas up to 4 km away, as the mean concentrations of Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb and S remained considerably elevated in comparison to the reference samples. Though rigorous source apportionment analysis was not the aim of this study, a good positive correlation of our results with metal abundances in ambient particulate matter and in pollution sources points to the Cu smelter as the main source of pollution. Hence, the severe air pollution affecting Huelva and nearby urban areas may be considered a serious health risk to local residents. Image 1 • Epiphytic lichens were used as bioindicators of metal air pollution in Huelva (Spain). • Lichens exhibit spatial metal distribution over nearby urban areas. • Elevated concentrations of Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, Ba, Pb, U, and S were gauged. • Metal pollution derives from industrial activities, especially from Cu smelting. • Metal air pollution may pose a health risk to residents. Extreme concentrations of potentially toxic elements in lichens in urban areas surrounding industrial estates imply severe air pollution and a potential health risk to residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]