Environmental Challenges最新文献

{"title":"Fine particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10): A silent catalyst for chronic lung diseases in India; a comprehensive review","authors":"Deepak Chandra Joshi ,&nbsp;Pooja Negi ,&nbsp;Suprabha Devi ,&nbsp;Himanshu Lohani ,&nbsp;Rohit Kumar ,&nbsp;Madhu Gupta ,&nbsp;Long Chiau Ming","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101215","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This review assesses the role of microparticles (PM2.5 and PM10) as a silent yet pivotal cause of chronic lung disease in India. It explores these pollutants' sources, composition, and health effects while providing an overview of regulations, public health consequences, and areas requiring further research. A critical appraisal of validated sources, including government reports, peer-reviewed literature, and environmental databases, was conducted, focusing on the past five years of PM levels in Indian cities and their association with chronic lung disease. The study investigates pathways of lung injury through oxidative stress, inflammation, and sustained respiratory impairment. Findings reveal that PM2.5 and PM10 levels in both urban and rural areas frequently exceed WHO guidelines, particularly in major cities, contributing to increased cases of COPD, asthma, lung cancer, and pulmonary fibrosis. The most vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly, bear a disproportionately high disease burden. Furthermore, PM pollution places a significant strain on India's healthcare system due to rising treatment costs and diminished quality of life. As particulate matter remains a critical public health issue affecting respiratory health and healthcare resources, urgent policy interventions, technological advancements, and grassroots initiatives are necessary to mitigate its impact. Additional scientific research is needed to bridge gaps in understanding PM's long-term health effects and develop advanced monitoring systems for better air quality management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101215"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144579573","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":"Towards a digital model of the UKCS using Smart City concepts","authors":"Samuel R. Cauvin ,&nbsp;Kate Gormley ,&nbsp;Malcolm Stone ,&nbsp;Richard D. Neilson ,&nbsp;Marcin Kapitaniak","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101208","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101208","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) is a complex environment with an array of varied infrastructure and interests from many different parties. This makes it difficult for stakeholders to make informed decisions that consider all of these disparate interests and their associated data streams. To help alleviate this we are building, as part of a suite of tools called the Smart Energy Basin, a model of the UKCS and its many datasets based on Smart City concepts. With data spread across many disparate sources, this model creates a more complete picture of the UKCS to help drive stakeholder engagement, more informed decision making, and policy development. This model comprises both 2D maps of the UKCS, and fully modelled 3D scenes of several demonstrator areas in the UKCS. A model of this type and to this extent, to the knowledge of the authors, has not been built before, and certainly not in 3D. These 3D scenes are built in the Marine Simulator at the National Decommissioning Centre, a full-physics simulator with data visualisation capabilities. As part of this we have developed automated tools for creating these 3D scenes from 2D maps, which encapsulate many datasets covering infrastructure, zoning, emissions, and marine traffic. This work is being undertaken within the Scottish Government’s Data for Net Zero (D4NZ) project, funded through its Energy Transition Fund.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101208"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144490385","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":"Stakeholder perspectives on the effectiveness of the Ifakara-Lupiro-Mang’ula wildlife management area in Southern Tanzania","authors":"Lucia J. Tarimo ,&nbsp;Deogratius R. Kavishe ,&nbsp;Fidelma Butler ,&nbsp;Gerry F. Killeen ,&nbsp;Felister Mombo","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101214","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101214","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In Tanzania, Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are established on village lands and managed in a devolved manner by local community stakeholders. WMAs are intended to conserve wildlife outside core protected areas, like parks and reserves, while also enabling local communities to derive tangible benefits from wildlife and other natural resources. Here the perceptions of various stakeholders regarding the effectiveness of the Ifakara-Lupiro-Mang’ula (ILUMA) WMA in southern Tanzania were assessed, in terms of its conservation, livelihood and community development functions. Thematic analysis of national, regional, district and village-level stakeholder perspectives, surveyed through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and a public stakeholders meeting, indicated the WMA had succeeded to only a very modest extent. All participants narrated extensive encroachment by livestock grazing, agriculture, illegal fishing, meat poaching, deforestation, charcoal burning, timber harvesting and even permanent settlements. Contributing factors include a recently growing influx of agro-pastoralist immigrants, top-down political interference, financial constraints, financial mismanagement, limited resources for operations, lack of conservation education, investors or government support, and displaced encroachment pressure from a park and a reserve nearby that had both been recently upgraded. To ensure future success and sustainability of the WMA, participants recommended enhancing stakeholder involvement and community participation in WMA management, improved operational collaboration with the nearby park and reserve, WMA constitution overhaul to adopt current best practices, building local stakeholder capacity and conservation education for local communities. The WMA should explore additional livelihood and income-generating options beyond tourism, for example sustainable fishing or forestry-based carbon finance. It should also resolve ongoing land use conflict between long-established stakeholder villages and more recently arrived agro-pastoralists.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101214"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144634033","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":"Spatiotemporal dynamics and machine learning-based risk assessment of heavy metal contamination in surface waters and Nile Tilapia in Egypt","authors":"Mohamed Ali Hussein ,&nbsp;Samir Shamma ,&nbsp;Hani N. Sewilam ,&nbsp;Tamer Shoeib ,&nbsp;Anwar Abdelnaser","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101209","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101209","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heavy metals are persistent pollutants that can devastate human health and ecosystems. In this study, we collected surface water and fish samples from various locations across five governorates in Egypt. We examined the spatiotemporal distribution of 13 heavy metals in the surface water and Nile tilapia and assessed the ecological and human health risks associated with these metals. Moreover, we utilized statistical and machine learning approaches, including principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), to explore the relationships between the metals themselves and between the metals and specific governorates or seasons. Our spatiotemporal analysis revealed that aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) are more concentrated across all governorates every season than other metals. The ecological risk assessment indicates a higher risk for Al and a moderate risk for Fe. Our findings suggest that concentrations of Fe, Cd, Pb, Mn, Al, Ni, and Hg in surface water from aquaculture exceeded national and international standards, posing risks to aquatic ecosystems. In fish, Cd levels surpassed the thresholds set by global standards but remain below the Egyptian limits, indicating a need for ongoing monitoring. Furthermore, Mn concentrations significantly exceed the limits established by Egyptian regulations and the FAO, necessitating ongoing monitoring. The human health risk assessment reveals no health risks associated with dermal exposure to metals in surface water. However, there is a moderate carcinogenic risk associated with ingesting Nile tilapia due to the presence of cadmium, barium, nickel, and chromium. PCA and LDA results provide insights into the interactions among metals, allowing us to identify which metal is unique in a particular governorate as well as the potentials of co-occurrences of various metals, which opened avenues for a deeper investigation into potential sources of metal and the cumulative effects of clustered metals on human health and the consequences of simultaneous exposure. Collectively, our study highlighted the foreseeable risk of heavy metals to human health and advocated for examining potential sources of pollution, implementing monitoring programs, imposing strict regulations, applying safety interventions, conducting public awareness campaigns, and screening programs to reduce the hazardous effects on human health and the environmental system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101209"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144366596","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":"Catalytic CO2 fixation in microalgae Arthrospira platensis using direct flue gas","authors":"Noshin Farhad ,&nbsp;Javad Karimi ,&nbsp;Ali Hafizi","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101213","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101213","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly CO₂, pose a significant threat to climate regulation and the sustainability of human habitats. Effective CO₂ control mechanisms are essential for addressing these challenges. This study investigated the potential of Arthrospira platensis microalgae for biological CO₂ sequestration from industrial emissions. The primary objective is to optimized A. platensis for CO₂ absorption and stabilization, while simultaneously producing valuable by-products for industrial applications. The study was employed a mixotrophic culture approach, manipulating the growth medium with sodium hydrogen carbonate, direct CO₂ gas injection, and anatase TiO₂ as a catalyst. Analyses included measurements of dry weight, pigment content, pH levels, and CO₂ flux. The results revealed that sodium hydrogen carbonate effectively replaced dissolved CO₂ gas, allowing biological stabilization without the need for baking soda. Furthermore, sunlight utilization promoted the production of high-value by-products such as phycocyanin and fatty acids. This study underscores the potential of A. platensis to enhance carbon sequestration under mixotrophic conditions. It presents a sustainable strategy to CO₂ mitigation while generating industrially valuable compounds, thereby contributing to both environmental and economic objectives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101213"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144470222","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":"Mitigating soil erosion in arid landscapes: Integrating RUSLE and geospatial analysis for sustainable land management","authors":"Muhammad Rashid ,&nbsp;Saif Haider ,&nbsp;Asim Rizwan ,&nbsp;Muhammad Waqar Naseer ,&nbsp;Muhammad Fahim Aslam ,&nbsp;Mohammad Hamza ,&nbsp;Abdullah Nadeem ,&nbsp;Muhammad Ali Haider ,&nbsp;Hafiz Kamran Jalil Abbasi ,&nbsp;Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101210","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101210","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil erosion, induced by water, wind, and human factors, poses a significant threat to sustainable land management and agricultural productivity. Land degradation, sudden meteorological changes, and the intensive use of unsustainable practices add to this problem in Southern Punjab, Pakistan. The study attempts to analyze the annual soil erosion dynamics in an area of 751 km² in the Vidore Hill Torrent (VHT) catchment as a function of climatic, topographic, soil, and land cover data computed from high-resolution (0.5 m) satellite imagery. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was applied to estimate annual soil erosion, integrating six key factors. The Spatial and temporal dynamics of soil erosion were assessed by mapping and classifying it into five categories: Very Low (&lt;1 ton/ha/year) to Extreme (&gt;50 ton/ha/year), using a cross-tabular change matrix approach. The results show soil loss of 12,931 tons/ha/year on average, sediment volume of 102.50 ha m, with the most significant erosion rates near steep slopes and drainage channels. The outcomes of this study demonstrate the necessity of sustainable land management (e.g., terracing, afforestation, and rainwater harvesting) to retard erosion. Hydrological modelling and real-time monitoring should be further researched to design adaptive erosion control strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101210"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144314571","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":"Beyond the Banks: Paving the way for environmental flows in Nepal","authors":"Ram Devi Tachamo-Shah ,&nbsp;Santosh Nepal ,&nbsp;Deep Narayan Shah ,&nbsp;Nishadi Eriyagama","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101211","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nepal has huge hydropower potential. Although the concept of environmental flows (e-flows) emerged in the early 2000s, its integration into hydropower development remains in the early stages. This study represents the first comprehensive effort to evaluate key stakeholders’ awareness of e-flows and identify the major challenges hindering their mainstream adoption in Nepal’s hydropower sector. Furthermore, it documents stakeholders’ perceptions regarding the impact of hydropower development on aquatic biodiversity and river ecology. An extensive survey was conducted between December 2022 and January 2023, collecting responses from a diverse group of stakeholders, including government agencies, water resource developers, user groups, practitioners, researchers, and academics. Additionally, focus group discussions were held in the Karnali River basin of western Nepal. The findings reveal that only 50 % of respondents are familiar with the e-flows concept. However, 80 % believe that e-flows have not been adequately implemented in any existing hydropower projects in the country. Similarly, 72 % of respondents perceive that hydropower development leads to biodiversity loss, while 56 % believe it reduces downstream water flow. The key challenges identified include (a) inadequate follow-up on environmental impact assessments (EIAs), (b) weak regulatory enforcement, (c) insufficient civil society oversight for ensuring compliance with EIA recommendations, (d) limited technical expertise, and (e) the absence of user-friendly e-flow estimation methods. The study's findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to promote sustainable water resources development and mitigate the ecological impacts of hydropower projects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101211"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144321575","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":"Microstructural and mechanical evaluation of HVFAC incorporating recycled plastic flakes and pozzolanic additives for environmental sustainability","authors":"Chandra Sekhar Reddy Vennapusa,&nbsp;Arunakanthi Eluru","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101196","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101196","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research examines the microstructural behaviour of High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete (HVFAC) in both plastic and hardened states, highlighting how constituent materials influence performance characteristics. As microstructure governs mechanical strength, durability, and long-term stability, the study evaluates the impact of admixtures on structural integrity. It emphasizes mix design modifications to tailor microstructural properties and enhances concrete performance through engineered material combinations. Eleven M-30 grade concrete mixes were developed over eight days using Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Pozzo Crete 100 (processed fly ash), Silica Fume (SF), and Waste Plastic Bottle Flakes (PBFs) in varying ratios, with 1 % superplasticizer by weight of cementitious material. After 28 days of water curing, compressive strength and non-destructive testing (NDT) assessed mechanical performance. Microstructural analysis via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) was performed on powdered samples from each mix. The studies revealed diverse morphological features, including dense, refined matrices; porous Interfacial Transition Zones (ITZ); spherical fly ash particles; glassy textures; and partially unreacted pozzolanic materials. A denser microstructure correlated with improved durability, including reduced permeability and enhanced resistance to chloride ingress and chemical attack, suggesting suitability for aggressive environments. Additionally, including plastic waste supports sustainability goals and presents potential for non-structural or moderately loaded applications, balancing mechanical performance with environmental considerations. This study highlights the potential of synergistic material combinations to optimize concrete for targeted performance and sustainability outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101196"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144306638","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":"Enhancing dairy wastewater treatment: Effects of hydraulic and organic loading rates in vermifiltration systems","authors":"Gilbert J. Miito ,&nbsp;Femi P. Alege ,&nbsp;Pius M. Ndegwa","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101207","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101207","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vermifiltration is increasingly recognized as a cost-effective and environmentally sound method for treating concentrated agricultural effluents. This study evaluated how varying hydraulic loading rates (HLRs), and corresponding organic loading rates (OLRs) affect both the treatment efficiency and earthworm biomass dynamics in a vermifiltration system treating dairy wastewater. The experiment was conducted over 60 days using a bench-scale system with a surface area of 0.36 m² and media depth of 45 cm. Four hydraulic loading rates, ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 m³ m⁻² d⁻¹, were tested. These corresponded to organic loading rates between 1.3 and 7.6 kg [COD] m⁻² d⁻¹. System performance was evaluated based on removal efficiencies for COD, TS, TSS, TN, NH₄⁺–N, NO₃⁻–N, TP, and ortho-P. Earthworm biomass gain was also measured as an indicator of biological activity and system health. Removal efficiencies across treatments varied by parameter, with COD ranging from 21 to 52 %, TS from 25 to 34 %, TSS from 43 to 75 %, TN from 33 to 62 %, TAN from 22 to 53 %, and NO₃⁻–N from 21 to 72 %. Optimal removal occurred at the lower HLRs (0.5–1.0 m³ m⁻² d⁻¹) and OLRs (1.3–2.5 kg [COD] m⁻² d⁻¹), likely due to extended hydraulic retention times that enhanced microbial processing and earthworm-mediated degradation. Earthworm biomass peaked at an OLR of approximately 2.5 kg [COD] m⁻² d⁻¹, suggesting that higher organic inputs may surpass the tolerance threshold for earthworm productivity. Conversely, ortho-P removal improved with increasing HLR, indicating that elevated flow rates may enhance phosphorus mineralization. These findings underscore the necessity of optimizing HLR and OLR to balance pollutant removal with biological activity in vermifiltration systems managing dairy effluent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101207"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144253585","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":"Influence of host plant selection on salinity tolerance and antioxidative defense in Sandalwood (Santalum album L.)","authors":"Kamlesh Verma ,&nbsp;Ashwani Kumar ,&nbsp;Raj Kumar ,&nbsp;Ajay Kumar Bhardwaj ,&nbsp;Ram Kishor Fagodiya ,&nbsp;Prashant Sharma","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101206","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101206","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sandalwood (<em>Santalum album</em>) has been highly valued in India for centuries. However, detailed and comprehensive information on the physiological and biochemical changes in sandalwood particularly when associated with host plant species under salinity stress, is currently lacking. Considering the immense potential of sandalwood, an experiment was conducted under controlled conditions by growing sandalwood with ten different host plants and irrigated with good quality water (control: EC_iw∼0.82 dS m^-1) and saline water (EC_iw∼6 dS m^-1). Results indicated host-dependent significant variations in sandalwood growth under both controlled and salinity-stressed conditions. Among the different host plant species, <em>Melia dubia, Dalbergia sissoo,</em> and <em>Azadirachta indica</em> improved the plant height (46 %), biomass (45 %), haustoria number (120 %) and diameter (75 %) of sandalwood as compared to rest of the hosts under saline condition. These three host species also improved the physiological processes of sandalwood, such as, SPAD value (up to 22.55), proline content (by 460 %), membrane stability with electrolyte leakage as low as 10.85 %, K⁺/Na⁺ ratio (&gt;1.0). Meanwhile, reduction in lipid peroxidation (by 10 %) and H₂O₂ accumulation were observed. Similarly, non-enzymatic antioxidants of sandalwood under salinity stress increased by over &gt;40 %. Antioxidative enzyme activities, particularly superoxide dismutase, were upregulated by up to 50 % under salinity stress, with the highest increase observed in sandalwood grown with <em>M. dubia</em>. Principal component analysis indicated that <em>D. sissoo</em> and <em>M. dubia</em> are the most favourable hosts for sandalwood under salinity stress, while <em>Citrus aurantium</em> is the least supportive. Overall, findings suggested that <em>M. dubia</em> and <em>D. sissoo</em> are the most important species in the alleviation salt stress in sandalwood. Consequently, this presents an opportunity to establish high- value sandalwood-based plantations in saline ecologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101206"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144481454","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}