Phytoremediation of outdoor air : a review

For the purpose of improving a country's economy, urbanization, industrialization, and technical advancement all had detrimental environmental effects. One of the most serious consequences of the aforementioned phenomenon is air pollution. Various air pollutants emitted by natural and anthropogenic sources have been found to have negative effects on the environment and human health after prolonged exposure. Insufficient technologies are used to reduce air pollution as a result of problems in the industry sector, including high maintenance costs, machine failure, and expensive technical equipment. Technological innovations like phytoremediation, which is sustainable and friendly to the environment, are being used to improve outdoor air quality. Cost efficiency, convenience of in-situ application, eco-friendly treatment, and the ability to improve the aesthetic value of the nearby environment are advantages of phytoremediation over other conventional remediation approaches. Numerous studies in the field of the outdoor air phytoremediation have found highly beneficial results, but also challenges in applying the suggested method. Plant tolerance to pollutants, environmental parameters, plant-specific features, composition of air pollutants, uncertainty in plant-microbe interactions, and plant antagonism have all emerged as a result of the use of plants in outdoor air pollution remediation. To become a complementary or alternative tool for engineering-based remediation methods, the remedy process must be optimized with supplementary treatments or the best combination junction with other methods must be found

Prevalence of zoonotic intestinal helminths in pet dogs and cats in the Belgrade area

The research was conducted in dogs and cats kept as pets on the territory of the city of Belgrade (Serbia), between 2011 and 2014. Its aim was to examine the prevalence of intestinal helminths and to point out their zoonotic potential. Coprological tests were carried out on samples from 528 household pets (421 dogs and 107 cats). The research included specimens from both gender, the dogs were between 2 months and 14 years old and the cats were from 1 month to 15 years old. The diagnosed parasites included: toxocarosis (Toxocora canis 16.62% and Toxocora mystax 15.88%), ancylostomatidosis (in dogs 4.03%, and in cats 1.87%), trichuriosis (in dogs 4.03%, and in cats 0.93%) and dipilidiosis (in dogs 24.70% and in cats 21.49%). Most of the examined cats and dogs that were found positive for intestinal helminths were 1-8 years old. For the effective planning and conducting of preventive strategies, the most important is to know the epizootiology of intestinal helminths of dogs and cats, including the possibilities of transferring these helminths to people. The priorities include the continued education of pet owners by veterinarians, and also the close cooperation between the veterinary and the human health service

Judd-Ofelt Analysis of Eu3+ Emission in TiO2 Anatase Nanoparticles

Preparation and spectroscopic studies of the TiO2 nanopowders doped with Eu3+ ions are described. Efficient emission in the red part of the visible spectrum can be obtained due to the D-5(0) - GT F-7(2) emission of europium ions. Quantum efficiency of such emission was estimated to be about 0.83, which indicates a rather weak role of the non-radiative losses. However, the increase of Eu3+ concentration up to 10 at% significantly lowers the quantum efficiency because of the energy transfer and re-absorption processes. Higher doping concentrations (larger than 3 at% of Eu3+) also decrease the covalency of the Eu3+-O2- chemical bonds.2nd International Symposium on Nano Materials, Technology and Applications (NANOMATA), Oct 15-17, 2014, Hanoi, Vietna

Investigating MSW Landfill Leachate as a Source of Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals are compounds of low molecular mass and specific properties with pronounced lipophilicity. This property enables significant bioavailability and activity of pharmaceuticals, due to which various effects and consequences on biota have been recorded. The introduction of pharmaceuticals into the environmental medium is possible in many ways. The primary pathways are inadequate disposal of pharmaceutical products, the use of supplements and drugs, ineffective treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater (i.e. concentration within activated sludge), and discharge of the effluent. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of landfill leachate at the global level identified the most commonly detected pharmaceuticals: Propyphenazone, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Gemfibrozil, and Carbamazepine. Qualitative analysis of leachate from unsanitary and sanitary landfill sites of solid municipal waste in the region of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia, conducted during the winter period of 2019, determined the presence of 39 and 54 organic compounds, respectively. Propyphenazone, Gabapentin, and Benzenesulfonamide are the primary pharmaceuticals detected in the leachate of both landfill sites. The long-lasting release of pharmaceuticals into the environment, even in small concentrations, contributes to the formation of highly toxic compounds with a potentially adverse impact on the environment and human health

A Comparative Study of Chromatographic Behavior and Lipophilicity of Selected Imidazoline Derivatives

Chromatographic behavior and lipophilicity of 20 selected imidazoline derivatives were examined by thin-layer chromatography using CN, RP-2, RP-8 and RP-18 as the stationary phases and a mixture of methanol, water and ammonia as the mobile phase. In all examined chromatographic systems, linear relationships were established between retention parameters and the volume fraction of methanol in the mobile phase (r > 0.985, 0.978, 0.981, 0.988 for the CN, RP-2, RP-8 and RP-18, respectively). The highest correlation between the obtained R-M(0) values was observed for RP-2 and RP-8 stationary phases. The experimental lipophilicity indices (R-M(0), m and C-0) obtained from the retention data were used in correlation study with the calculated logP values. Experimentally determined R-M(0) values for all investigated chromatographic systems exhibited the highest correlation with the calculated ClogP values (r: 0.880, 0.872, 0.897 and 0.889 for the CN, RP-2, RP-8 and RP-18 stationary phases, respectively). In addition, principal component analysis enables new information about similarity and differences between tested compounds as well as experimental lipophilicity indices and calculated logP values. Performed QSRR analysis showed that the frequency of C-C at topological distance 1 and CATS2D Lipophilic-Lipophilic at lag 01 were important descriptors with influence on the R-M(0) values in all the examined chromatographic systems, while the differences in the retention behavior of compounds on the examined stationary phases can be distinguished based on their specific geometrical, electronic and constitutional properties

Phytoremediation of Indoor Air: Does Natural Mechanisms Application Represent the Future of Sustainable Technologies?

The majority of the world's population is exposed to highly polluted air, with parameters exceeding the World Health Organization's guidelines. In humans, this condition causes a wide variety of diseases, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic, which is associated with a high transmission rate, exacerbated the global situation. Aerosol particles containing the SARS-CoV-2 virons are the primary transmission sources, and the risk of increased infection rates is certain indoors. Air purification and bio-decontamination using techniques such as filtration and radiation play a significant role in mitigating the virus's spread. These methods include HEPA filters, UV radiation, and ionization usage. However, these methods are costly and hard to implement in the indoor environment. Phytoremediation, an environmentally acceptable, cost-effective, and non-invasive air purification method, is becoming increasingly researched and developed. Indoor plants are considered natural filters since they can purify the air from pollutants and pathogens using methods of absorption, dilution, precipitation, and filtration depending on their morphology, growth state, and the presence of microbial communities. Plants can significantly reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by affecting the lipid mantle and decreasing virus stability through modulating indoor relative humidity. Indoor air phytoremediation requires the proper selection of plant species and optimized growth conditions. This method is flexible in various environments without any need for special investments, with the potential addition of aesthetic value

Comparison of Conventional and Novel Extraction Techniques of Phenolic Compounds from Plants

Phenolic compounds are the most common secondary metabolites in vascular plants with enormous structural diversities. Many phenolic compounds occur constitutively and determine the basic life processes of plants, but some stress factors contribute to increases in or de novo synthesis of phenolics, such as infection, plant tissue damage, UV radiation and elevated temperature. The interest in the extraction of phenolic compounds has been growing, due to their importance and possible positive effect on human health. Also, determination of phenolic compounds can be very helpful in estimation of pharmacological activity of medicinal plants. The recovery of these phenolic compounds from plants is mainly dependent on the method of extraction. The most utilized conventional methods are maceration, decoction, percolation, infusion, digestion, serial exhaustive extraction (SEE), and solid-liquid extraction (SLE) or Soxhlet extraction. These methods are mostly designated by utilizing larger volume of extraction solvents and manual procedures that are labor-intensive and mostly dependent on the investigator. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures during conventional solvent extraction may cause degradation of the phenolic compounds in plant cells and thus reduce the maximum recovery yields of the compounds. According to some studies, greener novel extraction methods have been generated with the purpose of filling the missing gaps of conventional methods. Novel extraction technologies like accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), shock wave-assisted extraction, pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), supercritical CO2 extraction (SC–CO2), and enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE) are getting more attention because of their shorter time and lower energy consumption, and higher extraction efficiency. These methods are also known to be environmentally friendly since they use smaller volumes of extraction solvents. The demand for new bioactive compounds will continue to encourage the search for innovative extraction techniques to achieve appreciable recovery yields from the plant materials

STRENGTH AND RELIABILITY OF OPEN CROSS-SECTIONS THIN WALL BEAMS IN A RAFT LOAD-BEARING STRUCTURE

The aim of this paper is to present the application of thin-walled beams on cargo raft load-bearing structure from the aspect of strength and reliability. The beams have an open cross section. Analytical and numerical determination of equivalent stresses and deformations of open section thin-walled ‘U’ and ‘Z’ cantilever beams, loaded with torsion, is presented. Work is divided into three parts. In the first part, equivalent stress and deformation are obtained analytically for cantilever beam model in the whole cross section. In the second part, the finite element method is applied in beam models, and the results are compared with the analytical calculation. The third part presents the profiles installed in load-bearing structures of vessels (rafts) and solutions are shown to apply results of the presented analyses in order to increase reliability. Finally, the design calculation of the raft load-bearing structure is shown

Mahonia aquifolium Extracts Promote Doxorubicin Effects against Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells In Vitro

Mahonia aquifolium and its secondary metabolites have been shown to have anticancer potential. We performed MTT, scratch, and colony formation assays; analyzed cell cycle phase distribution and doxorubicin uptake and retention with flow cytometry; and detected alterations in the expression of genes involved in the formation of cell-cell interactions and migration using quantitative real-time PCR following treatment of lung adenocarcinoma cells with doxorubicin, M. aquifolium extracts, or their combination. MTT assay results suggested strong synergistic effects of the combined treatments, and their application led to an increase in cell numbers in the subG1 phase of the cell cycle. Both extracts were shown to prolong doxorubicin retention time in cancer cells, while the application of doxorubicin/extract combination led to a decrease in MMP9 expression. Furthermore, cells treated with doxorubicin/extract combinations were shown to have lower migratory and colony formation potentials than untreated cells or cells treated with doxorubicin alone. The obtained results suggest that nontoxic M. aquifolium extracts can enhance the activity of doxorubicin, thus potentially allowing the application of lower doxorubicin doses in vivo, which may decrease its toxic effects in normal tissues

Identification of Banned Pesticide Residues in Municipal Solid Waste Landfills Leachate from Vojvodina Region

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture and forestry, and in other plant production such as in greenhouses and gardens. As a consequence of the above mentioned, they occur frequently in -domestic and organic waste. The handling and unselective application of pesticides may create an important waste fraction going to landfills, with the potential for transferring its residues into the environment, thus causing contamination