Kerrphelps7881

The composition and concentration of contaminants present in winery wastewater fluctuate through space and time, presenting a challenge for traditional remediation methods. Bio-hydrogeochemical engineered systems, such as treatment wetlands, have been demonstrated to effectively reduce contaminant loads prior to disposal or reuse of the effluent. This review identifies and details the status quo and challenges associated with (i) the characteristics of winery wastewater, and the (ii) functional components, (iii) operational parameters, and (iv) performance of treatment wetlands for remediation of winery effluent. Potential solutions to challenges associated with these aspects are presented, based on the latest literature. A particular emphasis has been placed on the phytoremediation of winery wastewater, and the rationale for selection of plant species for niche bioremediatory roles. This is attributed to previously reported low-to-negative removal percentages of persistent contaminants, such as salts and heavy metals that may be present in winery wastewater. A case for the inclusion of selected terrestrial halophytes in treatment wetlands and in areas irrigated using winery effluent is discussed. These are plant species that have an elevated ability to accumulate, cross-tolerate and potentially remove a range of persistent contaminants from winery effluent via various phytotechnologies (e.g., phytodesalination).Ecological thresholds are useful indicators for water quality managers to define limits to nutrient pollution. A common approach to estimating ecological thresholds is using critical nutrient loads. Critical nutrient loads are typically defined as the loads at which the phytoplankton chlorophyll-a exceeds a certain concentration. However, national policies, such as in China, use chemical indicators (nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations) rather than ecological indicators (phytoplankton chlorophyll-a) to assess water quality. In this study, we uniquely define the critical nutrient loads based on maximum allowable nutrient concentrations for lake Baiyangdian. We assess whether current and future nutrient loads in this lake comply with the Chinese Water Quality standards. To this end, we link two models (MARINA-Lakes and PCLake+). The PCLake+ model was applied to estimate the critical nutrient loads related to ecological thresholds for total nitrogen, total phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. The current (i.e., 2012) and future (i.e., 2050) nutrient loads were derived from the water quality MARINA-Lakes model. Nitrogen loads exceeded the nitrogen threshold in 2012. Phosphorus loads were below all ecological thresholds in 2012. Ecological thresholds are exceeded in 2050 with limited environmental policies, and urbanization may increase nutrient loads above the ecological thresholds in 2050. Recycling and reallocating animal manure is needed to avoid future water pollution in Lake Baiyangdian. Our study highlights the need for effective policies for clean water based on policy-relevant indicators.The role of air filters is becoming increasingly important due to the threat of air pollution to public health. Understanding the lifetime of air filters is essential for assessing air pollution exposure. However, the effects of common environmental chemicals on filter performance have not been explored. Air filters in ventilation systems and air purifiers are commonly exposed to cigarette smoke aerosols. Moreover, due to the coronavirus pandemic, people are more likely to be in close proximity with smokers while wearing face masks, such that their masks will be exposed to cigarette aerosols. In this study, we applied a stepwise approach to analyze the effects of cigarette smoke on the filtration performance of electret melt-blown filter media that are commonly used to create face masks. We found that cigarette aerosols dramatically reduced filtration efficiency, while standard test particles of a similar loading weight did not affect filtration efficiency. After loading up to 204 μg/cm2 of cigarette smoke on 100 cm2 of electret filter medium, the filtration efficiency of some filters decreased from 92.5% to 33.3% (-Δ59.2%). Interestingly, we founded no changes in pressure drop following cigarette smoke exposure despite the reduction in filtration efficiency, suggesting that cigarette smoke aerosols significantly impact the electrostatic charge properties of the filters. Our results indicate that the lifetime of commonly-used air filters may be much shorter than expected and that people may unknowingly be directly exposed to airborne pollutants.Throughout South Asia, cattle are regularly treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and their carcasses are left for scavengers to consume. Residues of the NSAID diclofenac in cattle carcasses caused widespread mortality and catastrophic population declines in three species of Gyps vulture during the 1990s and 2000s. Diclofenac is now banned, but other NSAIDs are used in its place. Different lines of evidence, including safety testing in Gyps vultures, have shown that some of these other NSAIDs are toxic, or probably toxic, to vultures. The NSAID nimesulide is widely available and commonly used, and has been found in dead vultures with signs of renal failure (i.e. visceral gout) and without the presence of diclofenac and/or other vulture-toxic NSAIDs. Nimesulide is therefore probably toxic to vultures. Here, we report safety testing of nimesulide in Gyps vultures. In a controlled toxicity experiment, we gave two vultures the maximum likely exposure (MLE) of nimesulide calculated from initial pharmacokinetic and residue experiments in cattle. selleck chemicals llc Two other control birds were given an oral dose of water. Both vultures dosed with nimesulide died within 30 h, after showing outward signs of toxicity and increases in biochemical indicators of renal failure. Post-mortem examinations found extensive visceral gout in both vultures. Both control vultures survived without biochemical indicators of renal failure. With this evidence, we call for an immediate and comprehensive ban of nimesulide throughout South Asia to ensure the survival of the region's Critically Endangered vultures. More generally, testing the impacts of drugs on non-target species should be the responsibility of the pharmaceutical industry, before their veterinary use is licensed.To evaluate the influence of anthropogenic emission reductions since 2013 in China, a long-term trend analysis of the particle number size distribution (PNSD) and new particle formation (NPF) events in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region was conducted based on the PNSD measurement (diameter ranging from 3 to 850 nm) at the Lin'an (LAN) regional background station from 2013 to 2019. A modified Mann-Kendall test and a Theil-Sen estimator were used to calculate the overall trend of particle number concentrations in different modes and the relevant influencing factors. We observed a significant decreasing trend in the Aitken and accumulation mode number concentrations, with annual decrease rates of approximately 5.6% and 8.2%, respectively, resulting in an approximately 6.0% decline in total particles annually. However, the nucleation mode particle number concentration showed no significant trend from 2013 to 2016, but an increasing trend from 2016 to 2019, which was related to the NPF events occurrence frequency. The regional NPF events of "banana shape" accounted for an increasing fraction of all NPF events. As a key parameter influencing the NPF event, the condensation sink decreased by approximately 63% from 2013 to 2019. Moreover, the estimated sulfuric acid concentration decreased by approximately 50%, with a higher reduction rate occurring during 2013-2016 as result of the effective SO2 reduction. Surface meteorological factors (including the air temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, and wind) and the air masses origin were found to played minor roles in the long-term trend of NPF events. As PNSD and NPF events are closely related to changes in the particle emissions and regional air pollution levels, studies concerning PNSD and NPF are necessary to provide important information regarding air quality improvements and evaluating the efficacy of climate change mitigation strategies.Effect estimates of prenatal exposure to ambient PM2.5 on change in grams (β) of birth weight among term births (≥37 weeks of gestation; term birth weight, TBW) vary widely across studies. We present the first systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence regarding these associations. Sixty-two studies met the eligibility criteria for this review, and 31 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to assess the quantitative relationships. Subgroup analyses were performed to gain insight into heterogeneity derived from exposure assessment methods (grouped by land use regression [LUR]-models, aerosol optical depth [AOD]-based models, interpolation/dispersion/Bayesian models, and data from monitoring stations), study regions, and concentrations of PM2.5 exposure. The overall pooled estimate involving 23,925,941 newborns showed that TBW was negatively associated with PM2.5 exposure (per 10 μg/m3 increment) during the entire pregnancy (β = -16.54 g), but with high heterogeneity (I2 = 95.6%). The effect estimate in the LUR-models subgroup (β = -16.77 g) was the closest to the overall estimate and with less heterogeneity (I2 = 18.3%) than in the other subgroups of AOD-based models (β = -41.58 g; I2 = 95.6%), interpolation/dispersion models (β = -10.78 g; I2 = 86.6%), and data from monitoring stations (β = -11.53 g; I2 = 97.3%). Even PM2.5 exposure levels of lower than 10 μg/m3 (the WHO air quality guideline value) had adverse effects on TBW. The LUR-models subgroup was the only subgroup that obtained similar significant of negative associations during the three trimesters as the overall trimester-specific analyses. In conclusion, TBW was negatively associated with maternal PM2.5 exposures during the entire pregnancy and each trimester. More studies based on relatively standardized exposure assessment methods need to be conducted to further understand the precise susceptible exposure time windows and potential mechanisms.Recently, unprecedented extreme drought has appeared around the world. As the most direct signal of drought, evapotranspiration deserves a more systematic and comprehensive study. Further depicting their divergence of potential (ETp) and actual evapotranspiration (ETa) will help to explore the limitation of evapotranspiration. In this paper, the multi-source remote sensing datasets from the Climate Research Unit (CRU), Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and its follow-on experiment (GRACE-FO), the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) during 2002 to 2020 were employed to explore the influence of meteorological, hydrological and botanical factors on ETp, ETa and their divergence - reduction of evapotranspiration (Er) which represents regional vegetation and water limitations. According to the Pearson correlation analysis and the Boruta Algorithm based on Random Forest, the temperature is the first decisive promoter of evapotranspiration in the most area while the sparse vegetation is the primary or second determinant limiting the evapotranspiration in 61.