Given the special performance of nanosilica with its small size, large specific surface area and high surface activity, nanosilica containing reactive amino group (denoted as SiO2–NH2) and polysuccinimide were allowed to take part in polymerization reaction to afford SiO2–NH2modified polyaspartic acid (denoted as SiO2–NH2/PASP), a potential polymer scale inhibitor with good water solubility for industrial circulating water. The scale inhibition performance of the as-prepared SiO2–NH2/PASP … Continue reading Nanosilica modified with polyaspartic acid as an industrial circulating

Fig: Arrangement of rain gauges and storm overflows on the sewage network in the area of the considered catchment. OS-1 ÷ 3—overflow structures; 1–6—rain gauges; STP—sewage treatment plant. During heavy precipitation, chemical and biological pollutants from urban and agricultural areas enter the waters from storm overflows as a result of infiltration and inflow, as well as via uncontrolled outflows from water treatment plants. Infiltration and inflow of … Continue reading Influence of storms on the emission of pollutants from sewage into waters

A team of researchers at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), Goa, studied the variations of Coloured Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) in the Mandovi Estuary, Goa — “During Spring Inter-Monsoon: A Comparison with COVID-19 Outbreak Imposed Lockdown Period”. One of the chemical parameters of importance is the Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) in the water, which is the largest reservoir of organic carbon in the aquatic environment. … Continue reading Decreased Coloured Dissolved Organic Matter Build-up and Nutrients

Farmland soils are prone to contamination with micro- and nanoplastics through a variety of agricultural practices. Concerns are recurrently raised that micro- and nanoplastics act as vector for organic contaminants to deeper soil layers and endanger groundwater resources. Whether and to what extent micro- and nanoplastics facilitate the transport of organic contaminants in soil remains unclear. Here we calculated the ratio between transport and desorption … Continue reading Microplastics and nanoplastics barely enhance contaminant mobility in agricultural soils

The specificity of dairy Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) products is related to their “terroir” of production. This relationship needs better understanding for efficient and sustainable productions preserving the agroecological equilibrium of agroecosystems, especially grasslands. Specificity of PDO Comté cheese was related to the diversity of natural raw milk bacterial communities, but their sources need to be determined. It is hypothesized that raw milk indigenous … Continue reading Microbial transfers from permanent grassland ecosystems

Particulate matter (PM) accounts for millions of premature deaths in the human population every year. Due to social and economic inequality, growing human dissatisfaction manifests in waves of strikes and protests all over the world, causing paralysis of institutions, services and circulation of transport. In this study, we aim to investigate air quality in Ecuador during the national protest of 2019, by studying the evolution … Continue reading The effect of national protest in Ecuador on PM pollution

Within the scope of the new Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union, in coherence with other EU policies, new incentives are developed for farmers to deploy practices that are beneficial for climate, water, soil, air, and biodiversity. Such practices include establishment of multifunctional biomass production systems, designed to reduce environmental impacts while providing biomass for food, feed, bioenergy, and other biobased products. Here, we … Continue reading Strategic deployment of riparian buffers and windbreaks in Europe

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes can contribute to hydroxyl reactivity and secondary aerosol formation in the atmosphere. These aromatic hydrocarbons are typically classified as anthropogenic air pollutants, but there is growing evidence of biogenic sources, such as emissions from plants and phytoplankton. Here we use a series of shipborne measurements of the remote marine atmosphere, seawater mesocosm incubation experiments and phytoplankton laboratory cultures to investigate … Continue reading Oceanic phytoplankton are a potentially important source of benzenoids

Plastic (polyethylene) pollution is a severe cause of deterioration of a healthy environment. For example, ingestion of plastics in the animal gut, clogging of water canals and retarded solid waste management. Many conventional methods of polyethylene degradation include UV photooxidation, thermal oxidation, incineration, chemical oxidation and landfill are being practiced. However, these methods are not feasible, costlier and not a complete solution for this global … Continue reading Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) sheet