Background: Herbicides are chemical agents that promote plant and crop growth by killing weeds and other pests. However, unconsumed and excessively used herbicides may enter groundwater and agricultural areas, damaging water, air, and soil resources. Mesotrione (MT) is an extensively used herbicide to cultivate corn, sugarcane, and vegetables. Excessive consumption of MT residues pollutes the soil, water, and environmental systems. Methods: Henceforth, the potential electrocatalyst of the tungsten trioxide nanorods on the carbon microsphere (WO3/C) composite was synthesized for nanomolar electrocatalytic detection of MT. The electrocatalysts of WO3/C were synthesized hydrothermally, and the WO3/C composite was in-situ constructed by using the reflux method. Significant findings: Remarkably, the as-prepared WO3/C composite displayed a fantastic sensing platform for MT, characterized by an astonishingly nanomolar detection limit (10 nm), notable sensitivity (1.284 mu A mu M-1 cm-2), exceptional selectivity, and amazing stability. The actual sample test was carried out using MT added in food and environmental samples of corn, sugar cane, sewage water, and river water. The minimum MT response recovery in vegetable and water samples was determined to be approximately 97 % and 99 %, respectively. The results indicate that the WO3/C composite is an effective electrode material for real-time MT measurement in portable devices.

Predicting the impacts of climate change on aquatic ecosystems in the Subarctic is challenging due to the presence of permafrost and the wide range of geomorphologic conditions found across this heterogeneous landscape. To accurately predict how fish and wildlife will be impacted by climate change, it is critical to identify the habitat requirements of important prey such as macroinvertebrates. To better understand spatial heterogeneity in macroinvertebrate populations and identify key habitat requirements, we compared taxonomic richness, relative abundance, and density of macroinvertebrate populations in seven different lake basin types, spanning a large latitudinal and elevational gradient of subarctic Alaska. We used nonparametric statistics and NMDS to relate macroinvertebrate community metrics to landscape characteristics such as sedimentary deposit type, permafrost extent, geomorphology, and lake basin type, as well as chemical conditions within the lakes. Macroinvertebrate richness was highest in areas with continuous permafrost, largely driven by richness in dipterans. Lake water chemistry influenced taxa richness, relative abundance, and densities of both macroinvertebrates and microcrustaceans. Invertebrate densities were greatest in regions (parks) with higher nutrient concentrations and specific conductance, with higher relative abundance of dipterans in older landscape terrains (Yedoma) while a higher relative abundance of microcrustaceans was found in landscapes with little peat accumulation (sand dunes). As climate-driven permafrost thaw continues across the subarctic, shifts in pH, specific conductance, and calcium are likely to occur due to changes in active layer thickness and surface and groundwater flow paths that drive nutrient and solute delivery. Changes in invertebrate relative abundance and density are most likely to occur in ETOC and Diptera, two of the most ecologically important invertebrate groups found in subarctic lakes.

Wildfires, both natural and man-made, release and mobilize hazardous substances such as heavy metal(loids) (HM), which are known carcinogens. Following intense rainfall events, HM bound to soil organic matter are transported from the soil to surface water, resulting in water quality degradation. This study reviews the pollution status of HM in wildfire-affected soil and surface water, as well as their toxic effects on aquatic organisms and humans. The rate of HM release during wildfires depends on factors such as the type of tree burned and fire severity. The mobility of HM from soil to surface water is influenced by soil pH, organic matter content, rainfall intensity, and duration. The risk priority number (RPN) analysis indicates that both wildfire-affected soil and surface water require remediation to address HM contamination. HM concentrations in both soil and surface water decrease over time due to soil erosion, wind, storm events, and the depletion of burnt residues. The greatest percentage changes in HM concentrations in burned soils compared to unburned soils were observed for vanadium (340%), nickel (260%), and arsenic (110%). In surface water, the highest increases were seen for iron (740%), vanadium (530%), and aluminium (510%). Wildfire-affected water has been shown to cause toxic effects in aquatic organisms, including DNA damage, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxidation. The consumption of HMcontaminated water and fish poses significant health risks to humans. Therefore, post-fire monitoring of wildfireaffected areas is essential for designing treatment plants, assessing risks, and establishing maximum allowable HM concentrations in water.

Herbicides are widely employed in agriculture to manage weeds and enhance crop yields, but their extensive use raises significant environmental and human health concerns. Exposure to herbicides can occur through multiple pathways, including ingesting contaminated food and water, inhaling airborne particles, and dermal contact during application. This review delves into the intricate dynamics of herbicide pollution in agriculture, examining their classification, modes of exposure, and impacts on plants, animals, and humans. This study also deals with the mechanisms by which herbicides contribute to adverse health outcomes, such as cellular damage and cancer. To address these risks, this review looks at more sustainable ways to manage weeds, focusing on practical and natural alternatives to chemical herbicides. These include traditional farming techniques, hands-on mechanical methods, and biological agents. Integrated weed management (IWM) is a holistic approach that combines these techniques to reduce herbicide resistance and environmental degradation. The natural alternative method is the use of bioherbicides, derived from live microorganisms or their metabolic byproducts known to stand out as eco-friendly and targeted solutions for weed control. This review emphasizes the need for sustainable practices to balance effective weed management and the preservation of environmental and human health. This paves the path for innovative and sustainable solutions to aquatic herbicide pollution through natural product-based interventions. This study emphasizes the importance of integrated techniques for achieving sustainable agriculture while minimizing environmental and health risks.

Broad infestations of invasive, non-native vegetation have transformed wetlands around the world. Ludwigia hexapetala is a widespread, amphibious invasive plant with a creeping growth habit in open water and an erect growth habit in terrestrial habitats. In the upper San Francisco Estuary of California, L. hexapetala is increasingly terrestrializing into marshes and this expansion may be facilitated by allelopathy. We conducted the first field-based study on L. hexapetala allelopathy to determine whether (1) three allelochemicals known to be exuded by L. hexapetala are expressed in situ, (2) the allelochemicals are detectable in leaves, soil, and water, and (3) allelopathic expression varies by season, salinity, and growth habit (open water patch vs. terrestrial marsh interface locations). Water, soil, and L. hexapetala leaves were collected in two freshwater sites and two oligohaline sites in the upper San Francisco Estuary in summer 2021, fall 2021, and spring 2022. Myricitrin and quercitrin, known allelochemicals, and salipurposid, a newly identified polyphenol, were detected in water, soil, and leaves. There were significant differences in allelochemical concentrations under fresh versus oligohaline conditions in water and soil, but not leaves. All three allelochemicals generally had higher concentrations in patch versus interface locations, suggesting that L. hexapetala allelopathy plays a greater competitive role in open water than terrestrial habitats. Leaf concentrations of each allelochemical varied seasonally; however, both myricitrin and salipurposid had heightened concentrations in spring. These results suggest that herbicide application in early spring may be most effective in controlling L. hexapetala terrestrialization from open water to marshes.

BACKGROUNDA major impact of invasive Myocastor coypus in their introduction range is the collapse of riverbanks and nearby infrastructure, such as railway lines, due to the species' burrowing activities. Because widespread implementation of preventive measures along watercourses is unfeasible, identifying susceptible areas is key to guide targeted management actions. This study used species-habitat models to: (i) identify local environmental features of the railway line/watercourse intersections (RLWIs) that make them particularly susceptible to coypu damage, and (ii) predict species occurrence probability over a wide lowland-hilly area of northern Italy (Lombardy) to identify priority areas for monitoring. RESULTSLocal-scale models identified that the RLWIs most susceptible to burrowing were those surrounded by arable land with interspersed hedgerows locally characterized by high herbaceous vegetation and clay soil. In urbanized areas and areas of intensive agriculture, coypu dens were generally located significantly closer to the railway, increasing the risk of collapse. A landscape-scale species distribution model showed that lowland areas along major rivers and lake shores, and also agricultural areas with a dense minor hydrographic network, particularly in the southeast of the study area, are more likely to be occupied by coypu. CONCLUSIONLocal-scale models showed that specific environmental characteristics increase the risk of burrowing near RLWIs. The landscape-scale model allowed us to predict which areas require thorough monitoring of RLWIs to search for such local characteristics to implement preventive management measures. The proposed model-based framework can be applied to any geographical context to predict and prevent coypu damage. (c) 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Production of synthetic plastic obtained from fossil fuels are considered as a constantly growing problem and lack in the management of plastic waste has led to severe microplastic pollution in the aquatic ecosystem. Plastic particles less than 5mm are termed as microplastics (MPs), these are pervasive in water and soil, it can also withstand longer period of time with high durability. It can be broken down into smaller particles and can be adsorbed by various life-forms. Most marine organisms tend to consume plastic debris that can be accumulated easily into the vertebrates, invertebrates and planktonic entities. Often these plastic particles surpass the food chain, resulting in the damage of various organs and inhibiting the uptake of food due to the accumulation of microplastics. In this review, the physical and chemical properties of microplastics, as well as their effects on the environment and toxicity of their chemical constituents are discussed. In addition, the paper also sheds light on the potential of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and algae which play a pivotal role in the process of microplastics degradation. The mechanism of microbial degradation, the factors that affect degradation, and the current advancements in genetic and metabolic engineering of microbes to promote degradation are also summarized. The paper also provides information on the bacterial, algal and fungal degradation mechanism including the possible enzymes involved in microplastic degradation. It also investigates the difficulties, limitations, and potential developments that may occur in the field of microbial microplastic degradation.

Vanillic acid (VA) is a phenolic compound frequently present in wastewater and agricultural soil. High concentrations of VA will increase the burden of sewage treatment and pose toxicity to crop plants. Although advanced oxidation has been successfully used to remove VA, green and sustainable treatments for VA pollution with efficient VA-degrading microbes, especially about the full pathways of VA degradation, are not well documented. In this study, a full investigation of VA degradation ability and associated metabolic mechanisms in the new VA-degrading bacterium Herbaspirillum aquaticum KLS-1 was performed. Results showed that strain KLS1 completely removed 500 mg/L VA within 36 h following a zero-order degradation kinetic model with a degradation half-time of 15.01 h. An efficient VA degradation occurred under the conditions with pH values of 7-9, temperatures of 30-40 degrees C, and shaking speeds of 150-200 rpm. A fed-batch experiment and SEM analysis showed that strain KLS-1 exhibited a good ability to remove up to 46.8 mg VA without cellular damage. The protocatechuate ortho-cleavage pathway was probably associated with efficient VA degradation in strain KLS-1 according to the whole genome sequencing and transcriptomic analysis. This study has offered a comprehensive understanding of full VA degradation mechanisms in microbes by using genomic sequencing coupled with transcriptomic analysis and provided a new VA-degrading bacterium for potential bioremediation of VA pollution.

Discerning the impact of anthropogenic impacts requires the implementation of bioindicators that quantify the susceptibilities and vulnerabilities of natural terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to perturbation and transformation. Although legal regulations in Brazil recognize the value of bioindicators in monitoring water quality, the depreciation of soil conditions has yet to receive adequate attention. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate the potential of odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) as amphibiotic bioindicators to reflect the correlation between the degradation of aquatic and terrestrial habitats in pasture-dominated landscapes. We assessed the relationship between the biotic indices of Odonata and the conservation status of preserved riparian landscapes adjacent to anthropogenically altered pastures in 40 streams in the Brazilian savannah. Our results support the hypothesis that Odonata species composition may be a surrogate indicator for soil and water integrity, making them promising sentinels for detecting environmental degradation and guiding conservation strategies in humanaltered landscapes. Importantly, while the Zygoptera/Anisoptera species ratio is a useful bioindicator tool in Brazilian forest, it is less effective in the open savannah here, and so an alternative index is required. Importantly, while the Zygoptera/Anisoptera species ratio is a useful bioindicator tool in Brazilian forest, it is less effective in the open savannah here, and so an alternative index is required. On the other hand, our results showed the Dragonfly Biotic Index to be a suitable tool for assessing freshwater habitats in Brazilian savannah. We also identified certain bioindicator species at both ends of the environment intactness spectrum.

Life cannot exist without water. Water scarcity is caused by massive groundwater decline. Water contamination is the most common problem spreading worldwide quicker than ever, along with anthropogenic water scarcity. Since tainted water can harm health, water contamination is also contributing to water scarcity. Heavy metals in drinking water have plagued most Asian, African, and European nations for decades. Studies reveal that heavy metals have caused damage in Pakistan, India, and China. This study detects heavy metals in groundwater and treats them with phytoremediation along the river Kabul in district Charsadda. It also measures pH, EC, TDS, turbidity, fluoride, phosphates, nitrites, and nitrates. All indicators meet the WHO and national environmental quality criteria for drinking water, except for turbidity, which exceeds the limit of <= 5 NTU in four examined regions, reaching a maximum of 9.99 NTU. Chemical parameters were within the standard limits, except for high concentrations of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in samples from S2 (15.20 mu g/L) and S1 (20.50 mu g/L) compared to WHO's 10 and 5 mu g/L standards. However, the limit is within EPA Pakistan's 50 and 100 mu g/L standards for drinking water, which Pakistan still follows. Heavy metals can harm health, even at low levels. Since the majority of the study area's population relies on groundwater for drinking and other needs, heavy metal pollution of the groundwater can cause many ailments. Thus, phytoremediation is increasingly vital to reduce these heavy metals to WHO limits to protect human health and the environment.