Imran Khan Rind , Ahmet Sarı , Mustafa Tuzen , Muhammad Farooque Lanjwani , Tawfik A. Saleh
{"title":"Development of fly ash/melamine composites for crystal violate dye removal from aqueous media","authors":"Imran Khan Rind , Ahmet Sarı , Mustafa Tuzen , Muhammad Farooque Lanjwani , Tawfik A. Saleh","doi":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101056","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101056","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fly ash (FA) as a low-cost and easily obtainable by-product from thermal power plants is considered for the decontamination of inorganic and organic pollutants from wastewater. In this work, FA was grafted with melamine and the obtained composite was used for the adsorption of crystal violet (CV) from water. By modification of melamine, the surface of FA was enhanced with amide groups as effective binding groups for CV molecules and therefore achieved higher sorption capacity. The chemical and textural characteristics of the FA/Melamine composite were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Factorial designing was used for evaluating optimum adsorption parameters. ANOVA analysis of the P-value of individuals and combined variables was significant due to a P-value of less than 0.05 and a higher F-value. Equilibrium results show a monolayer isotherm model by Langmuir isotherm model with a maximum CV uptake capacity of 487 mg g<sup>−1</sup> under optimized conditions (250 mg adsorbent dosage, 10 ppm concentration, 30 min contact time and pH 6.0). Kinetic studies revealed that CV removal was nominated by the pseudo-second-order (PSO) model. CV dye molecules were adsorbed onto FA/Melamine composite via electrostatic attractions dipole–dipole interactions and n-π stacking interactions. Furthermore, the obtained results exposed that the synthesized FA/Melamine composite can be assessed as a promising sorbent for CV dye removal with high adsorption capacity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11716,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 101056"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143437394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jai Kishan Rajak , Nitin Khandelwal , Zahid Ahmad Ganie , Dieter Schild , Gopala Krishna Darbha
{"title":"Reactive transport and sorption behavior of pollutants in presence of redox-sensitive nano Fe0 impregnated graphene: Advancing towards continuous water filtration","authors":"Jai Kishan Rajak , Nitin Khandelwal , Zahid Ahmad Ganie , Dieter Schild , Gopala Krishna Darbha","doi":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101053","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101053","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fe<sup>0</sup> impregnated graphene has shown promising candidature for removing both organic and inorganic contaminants from aqueous solutions. The current study investigates and fills some of the missing gaps in their large-scale environmental applicability, including- contaminants removal from complex water matrices, simultaneous separation of multiple contaminants, and continuous water filtration possibilities. Both metals and dyes were chosen of varying ionic behavior to broaden the scope of the work.</div><div>One-step graphene oxide (GO) delamination and iron reduction were performed to prepare Fe<sup>0</sup> impregnated graphene (GOI) composite. Results have shown growth of smaller spherical Fe<sup>0</sup> nanoparticles (< 50 nm) on graphene with good dispersion and preserved redox state. XPS analysis of reaction precipitate confirmed that GOI could reduce CrO<sub>4</sub><sup>2-</sup> to less toxic Cr(III) through reductive sorption. Removal capacities in batch mode were Ni (30.5 mg/g) < Cr (49.8 mg/g) < Cd (93.7 mg/g) < As (143.6 mg/g) in mono-metallic system. In a multi-metallic system, efficient total metal removal capacity (>340 mg/g) and continuous filtration efficiency (85 mg/g) was observed. GOI composite has also shown efficient removal and continuous separation of cationic methylene blue (81.3 mg/g), anionic methyl orange (79.7 mg/g), and zwitterionic rhodamine-B (31.7 mg/g). Electrostatic attraction on heterogeneous GOI surface, redox transformation, complexation, and co-precipitation with generated iron-oxy-hydroxide were major contaminant removal mechanisms. Results conclude a good potential of GOI composite in the separation of multiple pollutants from environmental matrices and continuous filtration of contaminated waters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11716,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 101053"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143422308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Carbon-Based adsorbents for heavy metal removal in Wastewater: Green technology or environmental Burden?","authors":"Yudha Gusti Wibowo","doi":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101051","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101051","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Water pollution from industrial, agricultural, and municipal sources demands effective and sustainable treatment solutions. Carbon-based adsorbents, such as activated carbon, biochar, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, offer promising pollutant removal capabilities due to their high adsorption capacities and versatility. However, their energy-intensive production, emissions, and challenges in regeneration raise concerns about environmental sustainability. This is the first study to provide a comprehensive evaluation of both the performance and environmental trade-offs associated with carbon-based adsorbents. Novelty of this study presents a new perspective, highlighting the double-edged nature of these materials—they offer significant pollutant removal potential but impose environmental burdens through energy consumption and chemical waste. It explores key applications, challenges, and trade-offs, such as variability in adsorption efficiency, high production costs, and risks of nanoparticle toxicity. Additionally, this study emphasizes the need for green production processes, composite adsorbents, and sustainable regeneration technologies to optimize their use. This review contributes a new perspective by addressing the dual role of carbon-based adsorbents as both solutions for and contributors to environmental challenges, providing actionable insights for advancing their application in sustainable water treatment systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11716,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 101051"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143430222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics using Cu doped-SnO2/CQDs nanocomposites","authors":"L.A.S. Adolf Marvelraj, V.S. Priya","doi":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, a copper-doped tin oxide/carbon quantum dot (CuSCs) nanocomposite was developed and applied for the photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics, specifically tetracycline (TCH) and sulfamethazine (SMT). The nanocomposite was characterized by the presence of metallic, carboxyl, and hydroxyl functional groups, with copper and CQDs uniformly distributed on the SnO<sub>2</sub> surface. The incorporation of Cu reduced the bandgap of the material, enhancing its visible-light absorption and photocatalytic activity. At an optimal dose of <em>40 mg/100 mL</em>, the nanocomposite achieved <em>100 %</em> degradation of TCH and <em>72 %</em> degradation of SMT within <em>120 min</em>. The variation in degradation efficiency was attributed to reactive species generated during photocatalysis, which preferentially disrupted the benzene ring in TCH over the sulfur-nitrogen bond in SMT. Maximum degradation was observed at an initial antibiotic concentration of <em>10 ppm</em>. Light absorption by the solution was found to limit the production of oxidizing species, while pH optimization studies showed the highest degradation efficiencies at neutral pH (<em>6.7–7.0</em>). High-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) identified possible TCH degradation pathways, and mineralization experiments demonstrated a <em>47 %</em> reduction in total organic carbon (TOC) for TCH within <em>120 min</em>. Reactive species trapping experiments revealed that h<sup>+</sup> and O<sub>2</sub>•<sup>−</sup> were the primary contributors to TCH degradation. These findings highlight the potential of CuSCs nanocomposites for the efficient degradation of antibiotic pollutants under visible-light irradiation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11716,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 101052"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143422307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Soil geochemistry and health risk assessment: A study of Kabini Basin, southern Western Ghats, India with special reference to heavy metalloids","authors":"Himanshi Gupta , Appukuttanpillai Krishnakumar , Krishnan Anoop Krishnan","doi":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101048","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study analyzed the adulteration and health risk evaluation in the agricultural soil of Kabini basin. Along with the physico-chemical properties the geochemistry of ten heavy metalloids [HM<em>(oids)</em>] (V, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, Rb, Ga, Y, Ba, Zr, Sr) were studied by wavelength dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (WD-XRF) for monsoon and non-monsoon seasons. All the HM<em>(oids)</em> except for Sr and seasonal Zr are found to exceed the standards given by upper continental (UCC). The most diverse seasonal variation in the region is observed for Y (114%) and Rb (99%). The increasing population along the region demands higher resources and resulted in changing HM<em>(oids)</em> distribution along the basin. The evidence from the pollution assessment; geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and contamination factor (Cf) shows the moderate pollution risk due to Cr, V and Cu and overall evaluation as of pollution load index (PLI) shows low to moderate pollution conditions. The changing toxicity of HM<em>(oids)</em> in the soil imparts significant risk to the human health in all age groups. The common pathway; ingestion in the area shows high non-carcinogenic risk for both child and adult (for both seasons) and in dermal pathway Cu and Zr toxicity is observed among the child (both seasons). Additionally, Ni and Cr being the prominent carcinogens detected in the region, that might cause the chance of respiratory or lung related issues in the basin. The overall sources of these HM<em>(oids)</em>and their correlations was performed using PCA and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient suggest both geogenic and anthropogenic activities in the region. The source of (V, Cr, Ni, Ga, Rb) are geogenic and (Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Ba, Sr) are anthropogenic in the terrain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11716,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 101048"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Khaled M. Ossoss , Abbas A. Abdullahi , Shaikh A. Ali , Tawfik A. Saleh
{"title":"Graphene Oxide@4-(2-Aminoethyl)Benzo-12-Crown-4 Grafted- PVDF/Polyamide nanocomposite for water treatment","authors":"Khaled M. Ossoss , Abbas A. Abdullahi , Shaikh A. Ali , Tawfik A. Saleh","doi":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Separation techniques based on membrane technology are crucial due to high efficiency, good durability, and mechanical stability. The separation process can be enhanced by improving the separation efficiency for heavy metals and hydrocarbons and the surface wettability of membranes. Herein, the dopamine crown ether was first synthesized. <sup>1</sup>H NMR, <sup>13</sup>C NMR, and <sup>15</sup>N NMR spectra confirmed the formation of dopamine crown ether. This compound was then grafted on the graphene oxide via nucleophilic addition where amine interacted with the epoxy of the graphene. This was achieved by covalent bonding of GO with dopamine crown ether moieties through a chemical grafting reaction. The obtained modified graphene (GO@12-C-4) was then embedded into the polyamide via interfacial polymerization onto the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane support. The polyamide layer (PAm) with nanocomposite of graphene oxide@12-Crown-4 (GO@12-C-4) adjusted the surface of the membrane. The influence of the PAm and GO@12-C-4 on the structure, and morphology of the GO@12-C-4-g- PAm/PVDF membrane was investigated. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction results indicate the successful preparation. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the membrane surface morphology. When it was used in water treatment, the prepared membrane was very stable under an operating pressure of 300 kPa with 23.8 L.m<sup>-2</sup>h<sup>−1</sup> flux. The membrane showed a rejection of about 99 % for hydrocarbons (pentane, toluene, hexadecane, and isooctane), and over 90 % for the tested heavy metals (lead, cobalt, and strontium). It showed also a good rejection of salts. The results indicated the comparable performance of the reported new membrane compared with those reported in the literature. This study provides new insights into surface transformation to advance PVDF membranes’ flux and separation properties in water purification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11716,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 101050"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143402574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A comprehensive study on silica nanoparticles: Green synthesis and photodegradation of organic dyes","authors":"Suman , Gita Rani , Siddharth , Sakshi Choudhary , Rachna Ahlawat","doi":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101049","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101049","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Synthetic dyes have the potential to negatively affect aquatic ecosystems by lowering oxygen levels, interfering with photosynthesis, and decreasing sunlight penetration, all of which are hazardous for aquatic life. Many kinds of nanoparticles, including metal oxides, metal organic frameworks, silver and gold nanoparticles, are used to break down dye, but they still have certain drawbacks, including accumulation, stability issues, expense, and harmful chemical waste. Therefore, among the several kinds of green sources, green synthesis of silica nanoparticles is a novel and environmentally benign technique that has attracted a lot of interest due to its potential for environmental remediation, especially in the degradation of dyes. High surface area and porosity, two distinctive features of the produced silica nanoparticles, increase their catalytic activity in the degradation of dyes. Green synthesis of SNPs from different sources by following various methods along with their structure, particle size, surface area, and purity has been reported by multiple studies. The excellent photodegradation capabilities of SNPs and their composites under different light sources (such as sunlight, LED lamp, xenon lamp, and mercury lamp), along with the reaction time, reaction kinetics, and pH condition, have been documented by multiple studies. This thorough study aims to support researchers with a better understanding of this cost-effective, simple, and eco-friendly research area and to follow this to synthesize SNPs for future studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11716,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 101049"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143104513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J.C. Gómez-Vilchis , G. García-Rosales , L.C. Longoria-Gándara , D. Tenorio-Castilleros
{"title":"Hedgehog-like ZnO nanostructures naturally formed in biochar: An innovative approach for cephalexin removal","authors":"J.C. Gómez-Vilchis , G. García-Rosales , L.C. Longoria-Gándara , D. Tenorio-Castilleros","doi":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101046","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101046","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study developed hedgehog-like ZnO nanostructures supported on biochar (B/ZnO), characterized by three-dimensional nanocrystal clusters radiating from a central core. These structures exhibit high specific surface area and porosity, enhancing their performance in adsorption and photocatalysis for removing emerging contaminants such as cephalexin (CEX) from aqueous solutions. The growing concern over antibiotics and their metabolites in water, coupled with the rise of antibiotic resistance, highlights the need for efficient methods to mitigate their environmental, agricultural, and health impacts. While optimization of ZnO particles for contaminant removal continues, this research introduces a biochar-supported ZnO hedgehog composed of nano-rods with a substantial specific surface area of 265 ± 0.2 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>. This feature significantly enhances its adsorption capacity and photocatalytic efficiency in the degradation of CEX. Experimental results indicate that the Langmuir adsorption model accurately describes the data, suggesting that adsorption predominantly occurs in a monolayer and follows a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Photodegradation reaction rates of 2.70 × 10<sup>−2</sup> min<sup>−1</sup>, 2.2 × 10<sup>−2</sup> min<sup>−1</sup>, and 1.8 × 10<sup>−2</sup> min<sup>−1</sup> demonstrate the material’s high photocatalytic efficiency, reinforcing its potential as a viable solution for treating antibiotic-contaminated water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11716,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 101046"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Antibiotic contamination in wastewater treatment plant effluents: Current research and future perspectives","authors":"Parnika Mishra , Gyanendra Tripathi , Vaishnavi Mishra , Talat Ilyas , Irum , Saba Firdaus , Suhail Ahmad , Alvina Farooqui , Neelam Yadav , Sarvesh Rustagi , Sheikh Shreaz , Rajeshwari Negi , Ajar Nath Yadav","doi":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101047","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101047","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Antibiotics are among the most important discoveries in medicine and have revolutionized human therapy. Antibiotics are used extensively in many different fields apart from medicine. The development of antibiotic resistance in ecosystems is mostly caused by the extensive use of antibiotics in aquaculture and agriculture to promote growth while minimizing disease. Insufficient metabolism in humans and animals causes a large-scale release of antibiotics and their metabolites into various environmental compartments, which in turn increases the resistance of bacterial infections. Although the use of antibiotics has reduced the number of deaths from bacterial illnesses in poor countries, the hazards connected with antibiotic pollution are still having a significant impact on humanity’s standard of life. The incomplete and undegradable breakdown of antibiotics discharged into the environment causes antibiotic pollution, and bioremediation processes is a challenging procedure. Inappropriate disposal of pharmaceutical waste contributes to an increase in the content of antibiotics in water bodies. Although they are prohibited in European Union (EU) nations including Europe, Sweden, and Namibia, antibiotics are still used in China and India as growth promoters in animal husbandry to increase feeding efficiency. The misuse of antibiotics in agriculture and healthcare is linked to environmental and public health problems, which are exacerbated by antibiotic residues in wastewater that lead to the creation of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). Effective wastewater management is necessary to reduce ARB and antibiotic resistance gene pollution, which calls for advances in treatment technology and cautious antibiotic use. Considering the increasing problems related to antibiotic usage, these methods must be used to safeguard human health and preserve environmental integrity. Keeping in mind, the current review focusses on antibiotics sources, potential degradation processes, health consequences, and strategies of bacterial antibiotic resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11716,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 101047"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143104515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ebenezer Ebo Yahans Amuah , Bernard Fei-Baffoe , Lyndon Nii Adjiri Sackey , Raymond Webrah Kazapoe , Douti Biyogue Nang , Paul Dankwa , Benjamin Offei , John Bentil
{"title":"Tracing potentially toxic elements and nutrient levels from extensive illegal mining using multivariate statistics, pollution indices and ecological assessments","authors":"Ebenezer Ebo Yahans Amuah , Bernard Fei-Baffoe , Lyndon Nii Adjiri Sackey , Raymond Webrah Kazapoe , Douti Biyogue Nang , Paul Dankwa , Benjamin Offei , John Bentil","doi":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101043","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enmm.2025.101043","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mining activities have increased the levels of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) PTEs contamination in soils, leading to major concern due to their potential risk. This study considered pollution levels of PTEs and their possible implications in an illegal mining site in southern Ghana during the ban on small-scale mining activities. Soil samples were also collected from residential and pristine areas as controls. Individual, complex and multi-elemental indices and exposure assessment were the assessment computations used. As, Hg, Pb, Sr and V had a significant relationship (0.05, χ<sup>2</sup> (4) = 50.61, <em>p</em> < 0.001). Multiple comparisons indicated substantial differences between the following variable pairs: Pb-As, Pb-Hg, As-Sr, As-V, Hg-Sr, and Hg-V. Nutrient levels were significantly differences (0.05, χ<sup>2</sup> (4) = 54.41, <em>p</em> < 0.001) with significant differences between N-K, N-Zn, N-Na, P-K, P-Na, K-Zn, and Zn-Na. The Robust Compositional Contamination Index (RCCI) analysis showed that the area was heavily impacted following 85 % of the samples ranging between high and highest pollution. A comparative assessment revealed that all the pollution indices followed a similar trend of pristine < residential < mining site, except for Mn and Sr where a pattern pristine > residential > mining with an elemental trend: Mn < V < Sr < Zn < Cu < As < Pb < Hg. The indirect and poor relations between EC and N (r = 0.19), P (r = 0.36), K (r = −0.58), Zn (r = 0.37), Na (r = −0.08) and Ca (r = −0.50) indicates that the mined site had a poor water-soluble capacity of plant uptake of some essential elements. Pollution levels follow a clear trend from pristine to residential to mining areas, with notable impacts on nutrient levels and plant uptake capacity. The analysis showed significant differences in elemental concentrations between illegally mined and pristine areas, with p-values of 0.001 for As, Cu, Hg, Mn, Pb, Sr, and Zn, and 0.003 for V, indicating that illegal mining has substantially elevated levels of these toxic metals. Immediate intervention and sustainable management are critical to address these environmental and ecological risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11716,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring and Management","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 101043"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143103969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}