Since the 1980s, there has been increasing concern over heavy metal pollution remediation. However, most research focused on the individual remediation technologies for heavy metal pollutants in either soil or water. Considering the potential migration of these pollutants, it is necessary to explore effective integrated remediation technologies for soil and water heavy metals. This review thoroughly examines non-phytoremediation technologies likes physical, chemical, and microbial remediation, as well as green remediation approaches involving terrestrial and aquatic phytoremediation. Non-phytoremediation technologies suffer from disadvantages like high costs, secondary pollution risks, and susceptibility to environmental factors. Conversely, phytoremediation technologies have gained significant attention due to their sustainable and environmentally friendly nature. Enhancements through chelating agents, biochar, microorganisms, and genetic engineering have demonstrated improved phytoremediation remediation efficiency. However, it is essential to address the environmental and ecological risks that may arise from the prolonged utilization of these materials and technologies. Lastly, this paper presents an overview of integrated remediation approaches for addressing heavy metal contamination in groundwater-soil-surface water systems and discusses the reasons for the research gaps and future directions. This paper offers valuable insights for comprehensive solutions to heavy metal pollution in water and soil, promoting integrated remediation and sustainable development.

This study aims to investigate the effect of arsenic exposure on urinary levels of arsenic metabolites, semen parameters, and testosterone concentrations. A systematic comprehensive literature search was conducted up till 31st January 2024 using Embase, MEDLINE/Pubmed, and Scopus. This study adopted the Population Exposure Comparator Outcome and Study Design (PECOS) framework. Four studies with a total of 380 control subjects and 347 exposed men were included. Arsenic exposure significantly increased urinary levels of total arsenic (Mean Difference (MD) - 53.35 [95 % Confidence Interval (CI): - 100.14, - 6.55] P= 0.03), and reduced primary arsenic methylation index (PMI) (MD 0.22 [95 % CI: 0.14, 0.31] P< 0.00001), semen volume (MD 0.30 [95 % CI: 0.05, 0.54] P= 0.02) and total testosterone (MD 0.48 [95 % CI: 0.23, 0.73] P= 0.0002). In addition, arsenic exposure marginally reduced sperm concentration (MD 25.04 [95 % CI: - 45.42, 95.50] P= 0.49) and total sperm motility (MD 22.89 [95 % CI: - 14.15, 59.94] P= 0.23). The present meta-analysis demonstrates that arsenic exposure lowers semen quality and testosterone levels. Since the general human population is exposed to arsenic occupationally or domestically, adequate strategic measures should be put in place to limit arsenic exposure in an attempt to preserve semen quality. In addition, studies investigating interventions that may inhibit the bioaccumulation of arsenic in men who are exposed are recommended.

OBJECTIVE: Snow cover serves as a unique indicator of environmental pollution in both urban and rural areas. As a seasonal cover, it accumulates various pollutants emitted into the atmosphere, thus providing insight into air pollution types and the relative contributions of different pollution sources. The aim of the study is to analyze the distribution of trace elements in snow cover to assess the anthropogenic influence on pollution levels, and better understand ecological threats.
METHODS: The study was conducted in rural areas around the village of Wólka in the Lublin Province of eastern Poland, and in urban districts of the city of Lublin, capital of the Province. Samples were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry, the Enrichment Factor (EF), and ecological risk indices (RI), were calculated to evaluate the contamination and potential ecological risks posed by the metals.
RESULTS: The findings indicate higher concentrations of metals like sodium and iron in urban areas, likely due to road salt use and industrial activity, respectively. Enrichment factors showed significant anthropogenic contributions, particularly for metals like sodium, zinc, and cadmium, which had EF values substantially above natural levels. The potential ecological risk assessment highlighted a considerable ecological threat in urban areas compared to rural settings, primarily due to higher concentrations of metals.
CONCLUSIONS: The variation in metal concentrations between urban and rural snow covers reflects the impact of human activities on local environments. Urban areas showed higher pollution levels, suggesting the need for targeted pollution control policies to mitigate the adverse ecological impacts. This study underscores the importance of continuous monitoring and comprehensive risk assessments to effectively manage environmental pollution.

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As a crucial organ of the female reproductive system, the ovary has both reproductive and endocrine functions. Oxidative stress refers to an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), which play a role in the normal physiological activity of the ovary. However, excessive ROS can cause damage to the ovary. With the advancement of human industrial activities, heavy metal pollution has become increasingly severe. Heavy metals cause oxidative stress through both direct and indirect mechanisms, leading to changes in signal transduction pathways that damage the ovaries. This review aims to outline the adverse effects of oxidative stress on the ovaries triggered by heavy metals such as copper, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead. The detrimental effects of heavy metals on ovaries include follicular atresia and decreased estrogen production in experimental animals, and they also cause premature ovarian insufficiency in women. Additionally, this review discusses the role of antioxidants, provides some treatment methods, summarizes the limitations of current research, and offers perspectives for future research directions.

A novel adsorbent, calcium alginate-modified HAP (Hydroxyapatite)-wood ear mushroom sticks biochar (CA-HAPMB), was synthesized to enhance the immobilization of Cd and Pb in soil. Over 150 days, applying CA-HAPMB at concentrations of 0%-3% in contaminated soils from Chenzhou City in Hunan Province (CZ) and Shenyang City in Liaoning Province (SY) resulted in decreased effective concentrations of Cd and Pb. Specifically, in CZ soil, Cd and Pb decreased by 30.9%-69.3% and 31.9%-78.6%, respectively, while in SY soil, they decreased by 27.5%-53.7% and 26.4%-62.3%, respectively. Characterization results, obtained after separating CA-HAPMB from the soil, indicate that complexation, co-precipitation, and ion exchange play crucial roles in the efficient immobilization of Cd and Pb by CA-HAPMB. Additionally, adjusting the amount of CA-HAPMB added allows modulation of soil pH, leading to increased soil organic matter and nutrient content. Following treatment with CA-HAPMB for immobilizing Cd and Pb, soil bacteria abundance and diversity increased, further promoting heavy-metal immobilization.

Treatment of swine manure by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) with the aid of different surfactants was first explored in this study. PEG 400 (polyethylene glycol 400) and Tween 80 facilitated the formation of bio-oil. SLS (sodium lignosulfonate) and SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) promoted the formation of water-soluble matters/gases. Span 80 enhanced the formation of hydrochar, which resulted in a 50.19 % mass yield, 92.39 % energy yield, and a caloric value of 28.68 MJ/kg. The hydrochar obtained with Span 80 presented a similar combustion performance to raw swine manure and the best pyrolysis performance. The use of Span 80 promoted the transfer of degradation products to hydrochar, especially hydrophobic ester and ketone compounds. Notedly, Span 80 suppressed the synthesis of PAHs during the HTC process, which was reduced to 0.92 mg/kg. Furthermore, the hydrochar produced with Span 80 contained lower contents of heavy metals. On the whole, Span 80 has shown great potential in enhancing the HTC of swine manure. The acting mechanisms of surfactants in the HTC of swine manure included adsorption, dispersion, and electrostatics repulsion.

The simultaneous removal of anionic and cationic heavy metals presents a challenge for adsorbents. In this study, acetate (Ac-) was utilized as the intercalating anion for layered double hydroxide (LDH) to prepare a novel biochar composite adsorbent (Ac-LB) designed for the adsorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), and As(V). By utilizing Ac- as the intercalating anion, the interlayer space of the LDH was enlarged from 0.803 nm to 0.869 nm, exposing more adsorption sites for the LDH and enhancing the affinity for heavy metals. The results of the adsorption experiments showed that the adsorption effect of Ac-LB on heavy metals was significantly improved compared to the original FeMg-LDH modified biochar composites (LB), and the maximum adsorption capacity of Pb(II), Cu(II), and As(V) were 402.70, 68.50, and 21.68 mg/g, respectively. Wastewater simulation tests further confirmed the promising application of Ac-LB for heavy metal adsorption. The analysis of the adsorption mechanism revealed that surface complexation, electrostatic adsorption, and chemical deposition were the main mechanisms of action between heavy metals (Pb(II) and Cu(II)) and Ac-LB. Additionally, Cu(II) ions underwent a homogeneous substitution reaction with Ac-LB. The adsorption process of As(V) by Ac-LB mainly relied on complexation and ion-exchange reactions. Lastly, the modification of the LDH structure by Ac- as an intercalating anion, thereby increasing the affinity for heavy metals, was further illustrated using density-functional theory (DFT) calculations.

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to estimate heavy metal exposure in Sungai Petani, Malaysia. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to detect copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and cadmium (Cd) in wastewater from eight sewage treatment facilities in Sungai Petani in January 2022. The heavy metal concentrations were measured in both influent and effluent, and the mean concentrations in the wastewater were found to be in the following order: Fe > Ni > Zn > Cd > Cu, with a 100% detection frequency. The results of WBE estimation showed that Fe, Ni, and Zn had the highest estimated per population exposure levels, while Cd had the lowest. Compared to a similar study conducted in Penang, Malaysia, all metals except Cu were found to have higher concentrations in Sungai Petani, even though it is a non-industrial district. These findings highlight the importance of addressing heavy metal contamination in Sungai Petani and implementing effective risk management and prevention strategies.

Fish is an excellent source of low-fat protein. Fish contains a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins D and B2 (riboflavin). The daily consumption of contaminated food, especially fish, is among the primary cause of heavy metals pollution to human health. The aim of the research was to determine the concentration of heavy metals in selected species of fish from the Gulf of Guinea at James Town in Ghana. In tandem with the study\'s objective, samples of different forms of fish, Cassava fish, Flatfish, Redfish, Kingfish, and Silverfish, and sediment were obtained and analyzed for the presence of heavy metals using atomic absorption spectrometer (PerkinElmer®, PinAAcle 900T). The analysis indicated a high concentration of Pb, Cd, and Cr concentrations in fish gills, muscles, and sediment. High lead concentration in Silverfish gills (5.9 mg/kg) and Flatfish gills (2.29 mg/kg) above WHO levels. Cadmium was found in all fish species and sediment except Kingfish. Chromium concentrations were high n Cassava fish (3.10 mg/kg) and Silverfish (4.01 mg/kg) and copper concentrations were absent in the fish species. Arsenic and mercury were also not detected in all fish species and sediment. Manganese concentrations were found in fish and sediment. High cadmium target hazard quotient (0.17-11.60 for adults and 0.24 to 16.24 for children) and cancer risk (0.00-0.04) values in fish samples indicated potential health concerns. The Hazard Index (HI) for the analyzed samples ranged from 0.00 to 12.48 for adults and 0.00 to 17.47 for children. The study suggests that eliminating pollution and other sources of waterbody pollution is crucial to protecting the marine environment and the health of seafood consumers.