Environmental Science and Pollution Research最新文献

{"title":"Multicompartmental monitoring and associated health risks estimation of some selected pesticides in the aquatic ecosystems of Sungai Besar, Sekinchan, Malaysia","authors":"Md Ariful Islam,&nbsp;S. M. Nurul Amin,&nbsp;Dania Aziz,&nbsp;Mohd Fadhil Syukri Ismail,&nbsp;Christopher L. Brown,&nbsp;Abdul Shukor Juraimi,&nbsp;Md Abdul Halim,&nbsp;Md Kamal Uddin,&nbsp;Yahia Mahmud,&nbsp;Md Lifat Rahi,&nbsp;Aziz Arshad","doi":"10.1007/s11356-025-36913-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11356-025-36913-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The use of pesticides for crop production leads to environmental contamination, adversely affecting water and sediment quality, as well as the health of the entire aquatic ecosystem; all of these pose serious public health concerns. Sungai Besar, Sekinchan, a key rice-producing area in Malaysia, has a notable agricultural history. Despite the widespread use of different pesticides, data on organochlorine residues in fish, water, and sediment are lacking. This study aimed to assess the abundance of organochlorine pesticides and/or residues in water, sediment, and fish samples collected from five locations across the paddy fields of Sungai Besar, Sekinchan. The study revealed the detection of five organochlorine pesticides in fish, including lindane, heptachlor, endosulfan, aldrin, and dieldrin. Of the five pesticides, the occurrence of lindane and dieldrin levels (0.018 ± 0.005 to 0.037 ± 0.003 and 0.247 ± 0.01 to 0.380 ± 0.008 µg/g) in snakehead (<i>Channa striatus</i>) and African catfish (<i>Clarias gariepinus</i>) exceeded maximum residue limits (MRLs), implying health risks for the consumers. Water samples were also found to exceed the MRL concentrations for lindane (0.10 ± 0.004 to 0.473 ± 0.01 μg/L), endosulfan (0.13 ± 0.01 to 0.454 ± 0.01 μg/L), aldrin (0.05 ± 0.001 to 0.314 ± 0.01 μg/L), dieldrin (0.06 ± 0.003 to 0.281 ± 0.001 μg/L), heptachlor (0.12 ± 0.005 to 0.36 ± 0.0002 μg/L), endrin (0.05 ± 0.01 to 0.323 ± 0.01 μg/L), methoxychlor (0.04 ± 0.008 to 1.12 ± 0.004 μg/L), and cypermethrin (0.03 ± 0.002 to 0.524 ± 0.005 μg/L), posing significant ecological risks (RQ ≥ 1). Sediment samples were witnessed to contaminate with methoxychlor (0.287 ± 0.01 μg/g) and cypermethrin (0.077 ± 0.001 μg/g). The findings of this study indicate moderate to severe concerns for the aquatic ecosystems and also greater health concerns for the local consumers relying upon fishing from the study area due to potential exposure to long-term risks.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":545,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","volume":"32 35","pages":"21198 - 21216"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biological approaches to mitigate heavy metal pollution from battery production effluents: advances, challenges, and perspectives","authors":"Andrea Monroy-Licht,&nbsp;Walter Jose Martinez-Burgos,&nbsp;Júlio Cesar de Carvalho,&nbsp;Matheus Cavali,&nbsp;Adenise Lorenci Woiciechowski,&nbsp;Susan Grace Karp,&nbsp;Carlos Ricardo Soccol,&nbsp;Ana C. De la Parra-Guerra,&nbsp;Roberta Pozzan,&nbsp;Rosa Acevedo-Barrios","doi":"10.1007/s11356-025-36792-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11356-025-36792-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Battery production generates effluents containing various pollutants, predominantly heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and chromium (Cr), which represent a serious risk to human health and the environment. Given their persistence, toxicity, and mobility in ecosystems and biota, heavy metals can bioaccumulate and, in some cases, enter the food chain. With this context in mind, this review presents emerging bioremediation technologies to treat effluents from battery production, focusing on biological methods such as biosorption, phytoremediation, and the use of microorganisms. Heavy metal removal mechanisms and conventional treatments are reviewed, with emphasis on biological approaches. Biosorption emerges as the most used strategy (54.4%) across organisms from different kingdoms. In addition, existing knowledge gaps in battery industry effluent management research are identified, proposing future directions that include the integration of sustainable technologies and the use of traditional knowledge of local communities. This approach seeks not only to mitigate the environmental impact of battery production but also to promote more responsible and equitable production practices, aligned with the principles of environmental justice and sustainability.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":545,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","volume":"32 35","pages":"20844 - 20878"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11356-025-36792-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimisation of boric acid production plant wastewater treatment by calcium hydroxide and advanced treatment by ion exchange","authors":"Mustafa Korkmaz,&nbsp;Ahmet Günay","doi":"10.1007/s11356-025-36885-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11356-025-36885-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Emet boric acid production plant in Türkiye produces boric acid from the reaction of colemanite (Ca₂B₆O₁₁·5H₂O) with sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄). Sulphate, arsenic (III + V) and boron are released with the plant wastewater to the wastewater dam. This study aims to treat this boric acid production plant wastewater using calcium hydroxide in a batch reactor. The concentrations of the contaminants were 3956 mg/L sulphate, 2541 mg/L boron and 36.4 mg/L total arsenic (III + V). The boron removal kinetic studies were conducted to obtain the optimum parameter intervals for the application of the central composite experimental design method to remove these contaminants. The optimum conditions in the kinetic studies for boron removal were obtained as natural wastewater pH (5.32–5.68), temperature (20 °C), stirring speed (300 rpm), calcium hydroxide dosage (15 g/L) and time (90 min). Maximum boron removal obtained from the kinetic studies was calculated as 90.7%. The kinetics of boron removal obeyed the second-order model. Sulphate, boron and arsenic removal in the optimisation studies were calculated as 23.94, 87.94 and 98.36% in optimum boron removal conditions, respectively. An ion exchange treatment was applied to the calcium hydroxide treated wastewater containing boron and sulphate residues for ~ 100% removal.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":545,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","volume":"32 35","pages":"21149 - 21174"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced visible light degradation of RhB in aqueous solution by using Sb2S3 modified with magnetic activated carbon","authors":"Mahwish Afzia,&nbsp;Bushra Ismail,&nbsp;Aaranda Arooj,&nbsp;Rafaqat Ali Khan","doi":"10.1007/s11356-025-36827-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11356-025-36827-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The removal of hazardous organic dyes (e.g., Rhodamine B) from wastewater is one of the current major environmental challenge, which is related to traditional photocatalysts with low efficiencies, poor stabilities, and complex recycle process. Herein, we presented the synthesis of a multifunctional magnetically recoverable composite of magnetic-activated carbon (MAC) in combination with antimony sulfide (Sb₂S₃) composite by which not only the visible-light-driven photodegradation efficiency was improved but also improved adsorption for the pollutants. Comprehensive spectral analysis, including X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, confirmed the successful synthesis of Sb₂S₃ photocatalyst-modified by MAC (PMAC). SEM analysis showed high particle porosity, while elemental analysis confirmed the successful incorporation of Sb₂S₃ nanoparticles onto MAC. N₂ vapor adsorption experiments revealed a BET surface area of 271 m²/g for PMAC, characterizing it as a porous material based on pore diameter analysis. The composite exhibited thermal stability between 0 and 100 °C, evident from TG profiles. Moreover, the adsorption studies best fitted Langmuir isotherm model indicating monolayer adsorption of dye molecules on adsorbent. The photocatalytic degradation of RhB was investigated using PMAC focusing on effect of catalyst loading, pH, and initial dye concentration on decolorization and degradation. Complete decolorization occurred within 30 min, followed by full degradation after 60 min. The photodegradation of the model dye by PMAC followed second-order kinetics. The as-synthesized photocatalyst can be easily removed post-treatment using a simple magnet, enhancing its practical applicability in water treatment processes.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":545,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","volume":"32 35","pages":"21131 - 21148"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the impact of polylactide microparticles on soil biota","authors":"Ewa Liwarska-Bizukojc","doi":"10.1007/s11356-025-36891-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11356-025-36891-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Polylactide (PLA) is a bioplastic produced in the largest quantities in the world in the recent years. The forecast of the global production capacities of bioplastics indicates that this phenomenon will be continued at least until 2028. Therefore, it is very important to extend the knowledge and collect the data about the possible impacts of PLA on the environment. In this work the ecotoxicity tests towards individual organisms and the multispecies tests in the small terrestrial model ecosystem (STME) were used in order to estimate the effect of PLA microparticles (MPs) on the biotic part of the terrestrial compartment. Earthworms and plants representing the most important functional groups of soil biota were employed as bioindicators in these tests. The mortality and body mass of the earthworm <i>Eisenia andrei</i> were not affected even at the concentration of PLA MPs equal to 12.5% w/w but its reproduction ability decreased by about half (from 50 to 51.8%) at the concentrations of PLA 2.5% w/w and 12.5% w/w in the soil. Cress was more sensitive than other plants used in the evaluation of the effect of microplastics on plant growth, and it is recommended to use cress in the future ecotoxicological studies on bioplastics. The application of the STME which mimics the functionality of the terrestrial ecosystem occurred to be the valuable development and supplementation of the basic ecotoxicological tests towards the individual species. In the STME tests containing PLA MPs at the concentration of 2.5% w/w, the avoidance behaviour of earthworms, i.e. the downward movement of most of them (from 60 to 80%), was observed. It indicates that the contamination of soil by microplastics implies dangerous effects on soil invertebrates.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":545,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","volume":"32 35","pages":"21187 - 21197"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11356-025-36891-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phthalate and non-phthalate plastic additives associated with size segregated airborne particles collected in e-waste recycling plants","authors":"Patrizia Di Filippo,&nbsp;Donatella Pomata,&nbsp;Carmela Riccardi,&nbsp;Francesca Buiarelli,&nbsp;Andrea Fricano,&nbsp;Giulia Simonetti","doi":"10.1007/s11356-025-36867-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11356-025-36867-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Airborne particulate matter of different size ranges, including the ultrafine fraction (PM_0.1), were collected in three e-waste treatment plants processing products and equipment of different technological levels. The extraction and analysis by GC/MS of seven classes of plastic additives, including phthalates, and non-phthalates additives (terephthalates, adipates, citrates, sebacates, trimellitates, and benzoates) was performed. Phthalate concentrations in PM_0.1 and in PM_0.1–1 were in the range 0.9–14.0 µg/m³, and 3.8–15.0 µg/m³, respectively, while in PM_1-10 the range of phthalate concentrations was 4.6–30.1 µg/m³. Non-phthalates additive concentrations in PM_0.1 and in PM_0.1–1 were in the range 0.05–1.2 µg/m³, and 0.15–2.5 µg/m³, respectively, while in coarse fraction the range of non-phthalate concentrations was between 0.09 and 3.6 µg/m³. The percentage ratio of the mass of compounds and the mass of the ultrafine fraction of PM, with few exceptions, was higher than those of the fine and coarse fractions in all three plants. Ultrafine particles are of great concern because of their toxicity due to their size that allows them to reach deep regions of the lungs and their surface properties that allow them to absorb harmful compounds. In addition, starting from plastic additives distribution in the three size fractions, risk analysis was carried out to evaluate the workers inhalation exposition risk. In all the sites and for all PM fractions, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk values are below safe levels recommended by the regulatory agencies. To have a more exhaustive evaluation, further investigations considering also exposure due to dermal contact and ingestion will have to be carried out.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":545,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","volume":"32 35","pages":"21175 - 21186"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic ammonium and carbon removal in aquaculture effluent using red seaweed Agardhiella subulata","authors":"Zi-Yan Xu,&nbsp;Bonien Chen,&nbsp;Chiu-Hui Kuo,&nbsp;Chen-Hsun Liu,&nbsp;Li-Lian Liu,&nbsp;Yu-Yun Chen,&nbsp;Jui-Kuo Kao,&nbsp;Feng-Cheng Wu,&nbsp;Pao-Chi Liao,&nbsp;Kuohsun Chiu","doi":"10.1007/s11356-025-36892-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11356-025-36892-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The environmental challenges posed by nutrient-rich aquaculture wastewater emphasize the need for sustainable bioremediation strategies that integrate carbon capture and utilization (CCU) with effective nutrient removal. The bioextractive potential of <i>Agardhiella subulata</i> (AS) was investigated under fish wastewater (FW) and ammonium-supplemented fish wastewater (AFW) conditions. Over 14 days, AS cultivated in AFW exhibited a 67% higher growth rate, reaching a carbon capture efficiency of 10.42 g C/ton of water/day (a 168% increase), and achieving an ammonium removal rate of 2.39 mg/L/day. Metabolomic analysis indicated that nitrogen enrichment activated nitrogen assimilation and protein biosynthesis pathways, enhancing AS’s capacity to thrive in high-nitrogen environments. These findings underscore AS’s dual functionality in nitrogen cycling and carbon sequestration, reinforcing its role as a sustainable solution for aquaculture wastewater management. AS’s potential for bioactive compound production also highlights its value in circular economy frameworks, positioning it as a promising candidate for next-generation aquaculture systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":545,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","volume":"32 35","pages":"21117 - 21130"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex-specific hepatotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) induced by Roundup WG® exposure","authors":"Carla Eliana Davico,&nbsp;Madson Silveira de Melo,&nbsp;Aline Guimarães Pereira,&nbsp;Michael Lorenz Jaramillo,&nbsp;Yara Maria Rauh Müller,&nbsp;Evelise Maria Nazari","doi":"10.1007/s11356-025-36894-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11356-025-36894-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The widespread use of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH), particularly Roundup®, in agriculture, poses a significant risk of contaminating surface and groundwater sources, raising concerns about its impact on non-target organisms like fish. While the harmful effects of Roundup® are well documented, sex-specific responses to environmentally relevant concentrations are less investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the sex-specific cellular toxicity of Roundup WG® (RWG) on the liver of <i>Danio rerio</i> (zebrafish). Adult fish were divided into three groups: control, 0.065 mg/L, and 6.5 mg/L of glyphosate concentrations, and exposed for 7 and 15 days. Liver tissue structure was analyzed by light microscopy, while hepatocyte ultrastructure was examined under transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, histochemical analyses were conducted to detect acid/neutral polysaccharides and proteins. Our results indicated sex-specific hepatotoxicity induced by RWG. Males were more susceptible at the lowest concentration after 7 days, while females exhibited toxicity mostly after 15 days. Conversely, the highest concentration seems to be more cytotoxic. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding sex-specific responses to toxicants, particularly regarding liver function and its broader implications for other organs like the gonads. Therefore, this research provides valuable insights into environmental health and the risks associated with this globally used herbicide.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":545,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","volume":"32 35","pages":"21041 - 21054"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimizing photoluminescence in carbon dots-Haematococcus pluvialis algae to increase photosynthesis and bioactive compounds","authors":"Farahrouz Zahri,&nbsp;Seyed Yahya Salehi-Lisar,&nbsp;Jafar Razeghi,&nbsp;Saber Zahri","doi":"10.1007/s11356-025-36911-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11356-025-36911-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Light management constitutes an essential strategy that can be applied to increase nutrient output and algal biomass. One emerging approach to dealing with reduced photosynthesis potential is the use of carbon quantum dots (CQDs), which modulate photosynthetic electron transfer. The present study investigates the performance of <i>Haematococcus pluvialis</i> in photosynthesis and biochemical composition, with a focus on different surface functional groups in CQDs and boron-nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dot (BNCQD) nanoparticles. Radical scavenging and MTT tests of the synthesized carbon dots demonstrated that CQDs exhibited strong antioxidant properties (93.7%) and maintained high biocompatibility at all doses tested, while BNCQDs showed dose-dependent mild cytotoxicity. The results showed that treating with CQDs and BNCQDs during cultivation led to increased growth compared to the control group. CQDs had a more dominant effect on increasing growth factors than BNCQDs. Moreover, CQDs accelerated the algae’s transition to the red phase. The results showed that enhancing the carboxyl and hydroxyl groups on the surfaces of CQD resulted in a greater increase in metabolic yield compared to BNCQD, which has fewer hydroxyl groups. The current findings highlight the potential of CQDs in microalgae biotechnology, especially in enhancing photosynthesis and metabolic regulation.\u0000</p>","PeriodicalId":545,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","volume":"32 35","pages":"21055 - 21071"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the use of diatomaceous earth waste and by-products as a supplementary cementitious material","authors":"Ruan Ferreira,&nbsp;Jéssyca Pereira,&nbsp;Hugo Diniz,&nbsp;Afonso R. G. de Azevedo,&nbsp;Cinthia Pederneiras,&nbsp;Evilane de Farias,&nbsp;Arnaldo Carneiro","doi":"10.1007/s11356-025-36905-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11356-025-36905-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In recent years, the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in building materials has increased due to concerns about CO₂ emissions from the cement industry. On the other hand, the scarcity of traditional sources of SCMs in certain regions exacerbates the issue of high demand for these materials in concrete production. In this context, this article explores the chemical, mineralogical, morphological, and physical properties and pozzolanic activity of two types of diatomaceous earth (DE) obtained from industrial waste and by-products. The waste was classified into two categories: low-density DE (DE-LD) and high-density DE (DE-HD), representing particles attached to the cyclone wall and those lacking suitable characteristics for use as filter material and/or loading agent, respectively. Results showed that both DE types are rich in silicon oxide and have a highly porous surface. DE-LD and particles smaller than 0.075 mm of DE-HD contain more amorphous phases. DE-HD consists of a mixture of quartz sand and DE particles. Both DE types have a lower apparent specific mass compared to cement, with DE-LD standing out for its high specific surface area (~ 8.7 times that of cement) and uniform particle size distribution. Pozzolanic activity tests indicate that DE-LD exhibits greater reactivity, whereas the &lt; 0.075 mm fraction of DE-HD displays latent hydraulic behavior, likely due to the presence of amorphous silica. Based on these findings, DE-LD can serve as SCMs due to its pozzolanic characteristics, while DE-HD (&lt; 4.75 mm) can be used as fine aggregate in concretes and mortars or as SCMs after sieving to obtain particles smaller than 0.075 mm. Thus, these waste materials show potential for use in the production of pozzolanic cements, mortars, and concretes, contributing to the valorization of waste that would otherwise be disposed of improperly and helping to address SCMs shortages.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":545,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Science and Pollution Research","volume":"32 35","pages":"21072 - 21091"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144938171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}