Effect of habitat degradation on competition, carrying capacity, and species assemblage stability

In human-impacted rivers, nutrient pollution has the potential to disrupt biodiversity organisation and ecosystem functioning, prompting calls for effective monitoring and management. Pollutants, together with natural variations, can modify the isotopic signature of aquatic organisms. Accordingly, we explored the potential of isotopic variations as an indicator of drainage basin influences on river food webs. We assessed stable N and C isotopes within six food webs along a river affected by multiple pollution sources. CORINE land cover maps and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) were also applied to understand the impact on surface waters of anthropogenic pressures affecting the catchment. N isotopic signatures of taxa fell in association with ammonium inputs from agriculture, indicating that nitrogen pollution was related to synthetic fertilizers. Isotopic variations were consistent across trophic levels, highlighting site-specific communities and identifying taxa exposed to pollutants. This allowed us to locate point sources of disturbance, suggesting that food web structure plays a key role in pollutant compartmentalisation along the river. Thematic maps and DEMs helped understand how the anthropogenic impact on river biota is mediated by hydro-geomorphology. Thus, the integration of site-scale analyses of stable isotopes and land use represents a promising research pathway for explorative nutrient pollution monitoring in human-impacted rivers

Modeling of Generic Air Pollution Dispersion Analysis from Cement Factory

Air pollution from cement factory is classified as one of the sources of air pollution. The control of the air pollution by addressing the wind field dynamics was the main objective of the paper. The dynamics of dispersion showed a three way flow which was calculated and explained accordingly. The 3D model showed good level of accuracy by determining field values of air deposited pollutants. Mean concentration of diffusing pollutants was shown to be directly proportional to the plume angular displacement. The 2D model explained the details of the wind field dynamics and proffers a solution which may be relevant in controlling air pollution from anthropogenic source

Source Attribution and Interannual Variability of Arctic Pollution in Spring Constrained by Aircraft (ARCTAS, ARCPAC) and Satellite (AIRS) Observations of Carbon Monoxide

We use aircraft observations of carbon monoxide (CO) from the NASA ARCTAS and NOAA ARCPAC campaigns in April 2008 together with multiyear (2003-2008) CO satellite data from the AIRS instrument and a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to better understand the sources, transport, and interannual variability of pollution in the Arctic in spring. Model simulation of the aircraft data gives best estimates of CO emissions in April 2008 of 26 Tg month-1 for Asian anthropogenic, 9.1 for European anthropogenic, 4.2 for North American anthropogenic, 9.3 for Russian biomass burning (anomalously large that year), and 21 for Southeast Asian biomass burning. We find that Asian anthropogenic emissions are the dominant source of Arctic CO pollution everywhere except in surface air where European anthropogenic emissions are of similar importance. Synoptic pollution influences in the Arctic free troposphere include contributions of comparable magnitude from Russian biomass burning and from North American, European, and Asian anthropogenic sources. European pollution dominates synoptic variability near the surface. Analysis of two pollution events sampled by the aircraft demonstrates that AIRS is capable of observing pollution transport to the Arctic in the mid-troposphere. The 2003-2008 record of CO from AIRS shows that interannual variability averaged over the Arctic cap is very small. AIRS CO columns over Alaska are highly correlated with the Ocean Nino Index, suggesting a link between El Nino and northward pollution transport. AIRS shows lower-than-average CO columns over Alaska during April 2008, despite the Russian fires, due to a weakened Aleutian Low hindering transport from Asia and associated with the moderate 2007-2008 La Nina. This suggests that Asian pollution influence over the Arctic may be particularly large under strong El Nino conditions

Sources, mobility and bioaccessibility of potentially harmful elements in UK soils

Potentially harmful elements (PHE) occur both naturally from geogenic sources and from anthropogenic derived pollution. Anthropogenic sources can be further categorised into those derived from point sources. A point source is a single identifiable source which is confined to a very small area such as that arising from disposal of waste material or from an industrial plant. Diffuse pollution arises where substances are widely used and dispersed over an area as a result of land use activities, often associated with urban development. Examples of diffuse pollution include atmospheric deposition of contaminants arising from industry, domestic coal fires and traffic exhaust, and disposal of domestic coal ash. The total concentration and the chemical form and hence the mobility of the PHE in a soil is highly dependent on the source

Spatial characterization of water quality using principal component analysis approach at Juru River basin, Malaysia

Juru River is named as one of polluted river in Malaysia by Department of Environment (DOE) Malaysia up till recent times. The pollution loadings of this river basin come from various point and non-point sources. This study reveals that the water quality of Juru River is very much affected by the industrial activities in this locality area. The principle component analysis (PCA) display that the Juru River mainly dominates with anthropogenic pollution sources which contributing to the river water quality deterioration. New sources were apportioned using this pattern recognition technique which demonstrates anthropogenic activities (industrial activities, wood industry and rubber industry), land activities and domestic waste. The major contribution from industrial activities associated at the monitoring station of 2JR03, 2JR06, 2JR08, 2JR04 and 2JR07 while for 2JR02 was highly impacted by land development considering housing and commercial development. Meanwhile station 2JR01 and 2JR05 were suspected having pollution loading from timber and wood industries considering the high correlation of DO and arsenic parameters. Overall, Juru River having combination pollution sources coming from various activities in the studied area and urgent actions are required to conserve and protect the health of the river

Geogenic and anthropogenic contamination of groundwater in a fragile eco-friendly region of southern Kerala, India

Received: January 25th, 2022 ; Accepted: March 1st, 2022 ; Published: March 17th, 2022 ; Correspondence: [email protected] environmentally fragile regions that rely solely on groundwater resources, the hazards to the environment and human health are amplified by geogenic and anthropogenic pollution through the supply and use of groundwater for drinking and irrigation use. Groundwater from borewells in the study area was evaluated through hydrogeochemical analysis of 17 parameters in 2018 and 2019 across three seasons: pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon. The study area, Kainakary, a fragile eco-friendly area in South India, was specifically chosen, as agriculture is the predominant anthropogenic activity in the region and other anthropogenic activities with known negative effects are negligible compared to other parts of India. Despite diligent attention paid to sustainable practices in Kainakary, iron, fluoride, and ammonia components in groundwater exceeded the permissible limits stipulated by the World Health Organization and Indian drinking water standards. Significant need for water resources due to below sea level farming practices of rice cultivation and potable water requirements result in over-extraction of groundwater, an inevitable cause of geogenic pollution. Anthropogenic pollution of groundwater sources was evidenced by the presence of coliform bacteria in samples. Determining the origins of major geogenic and anthropogenic pollutants, as well as understanding irrigation use patterns, play a key role in mitigating the overuse of groundwater sources. This study contributes to evolving strategies for reducing geogenic and anthropogenic pollution and for groundwater management in ecologically fragile areas toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12, which focuses on responsible consumption and production

Mortality burdens in California due to air pollution attributable to local and nonlocal emissions.

Limited research has been conducted on the contributions of local and nonlocal emission sources to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) and their associated mortality. In this study, we estimated the total mortality resulting from long-term PM2.5 and O3 exposures in California in 2012 using multiple concentration response functions (CRFs) and attributed the estimated mortality to different emission groups. The point estimates of PM2.5-associated mortality in California ranged from 12,700 to 26,700, of which 53% were attributable to in-state anthropogenic emissions. Based on new epidemiological evidence, we estimated that O3 could be associated with up to 13,700 deaths from diseases of both the respiratory and cardiovascular systems in California. In addition, 75% of the ambient O3 in California was due to distant emissions outside the western United States, leading to 92% of the O3-associated mortality. Overall, distant emissions lead to greater mortality burdens of air pollution in California than local anthropogenic emissions

Background levels of heavy metals in surficial sediments of the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean): An approach based on 133Cs normalization and lead isotope measurements

This paper presents an attempt to reach natural background levels of heavy metals in surficial sediments of the Gulf of Lions(NW Mediterranean). To correct for the grain-size effect, normalization procedures based on a clay mineral indicator element are commonly used, after a first grain size separation by sieving. In our study, we tested the applicability of this method with respect to commonly used normalizer elements, and found that stable Cs shows the best ability to reflect the fine sediment fraction. Background levels were successfully reached for Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb, compared to various literature references. Nevertheless, in the case of lead, the normalized data depicted a general enrichment in all samples, and the natural levels could only be reached when concentrations were corrected for the atmospheric contribution by analysing lead isotope ratios. Also for Zn, a general enrichment was found in our samples, although less important