Environmental Sciences Europe最新文献

{"title":"Evaluating the cradle-to-gate environmental impact and cooling performance of advanced daytime radiative cooling materials to establish a comparative framework for a novel photonic meta-concrete","authors":"N. Adams,&nbsp;L. Carlosena,&nbsp;K. Allacker","doi":"10.1186/s12302-024-01005-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-024-01005-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>By the end of 2050, it is expected that 68% of the population will live in urban areas. A higher density of people living in cities generates an increased urban heat island. Radiative cooling (RC) materials are proposed as a key strategy to mitigate global warming and urban heating. The Horizon 2020 project MIRACLE aims at developing a new RC material based on conventional concrete.</p><p>This paper presents a framework developed for comparing both the cradle-to-gate environmental impact and cooling potential of the newly developed photonic meta-concrete (or any other new RC material) with existing RC materials. The framework is applied to various RC materials using the generic Ecoinvent v3.6 database. The impact assessment method is in line with the Belgian life cycle assessment method for buildings and covers the 15 environmental impact categories of the EN15804:A2. The cooling performance is assessed by implementing the material spectral emissivity into a thermal model for Brussels and Madrid.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The study shows that the sputtering process contributes over 75% to the cradle-to-gate environmental impact of several RC materials, while materials produced without this process, have significantly lower impacts. The assessment of the cooling potential showed that convection heat gains make it difficult to create an all-year round cooling material. The comparison with a conventional building material, a concrete roof tile, hence shows great potential for these RC materials as heating gains during summer are significantly reduced. Analysing cooling performance alongside environmental impact, the study identified two RC materials, i.e. D6 and D10, as the most preferred in both Brussels and Madrid, considering their lower environmental impact and superior performance.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The literature review revealed that a standardised way to assess and benchmark RC materials based on their cradle-to-gate environmental impact and cooling performance is lacking to date. This paper hence presents, for the first time, a method to compare RC materials considering these two characteristics. This method allows to identify the most competitive RC materials, which will serve in our study to benchmark the newly developed photonic meta-concrete.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-024-01005-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142410765","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":"Translocation and dissipation of seven indicator polychlorinated biphenyls from contrast soils cultivated with different root vegetables","authors":"Zdeněk Košnář,&nbsp;Pavel Tlustoš","doi":"10.1186/s12302-024-01006-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-024-01006-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The behavior of 7 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in agricultural Chernozem and Fluvisol soils from the Czech Republic planted with radishes, onions, and carrots was studied. Only the total biomass yield of carrots was significantly reduced (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05) when compared to the control biomass yield. All tested PCBs, especially congener PCB 28, were able to accumulate in slightly higher amounts in the radish surface than in the onion one. The highest PCB content was observed in the surface layer of carrots, which could be related to the agrochemical properties of soil, vegetation period, and more intensive contact of carrot roots with PCBs in a bulk soil. The translocation factors of PCBs were lower than 1, indicating a poor ability for PCB uptake from soil. The highest relative PCB removal from soil was observed in acidic Fluvisol, accounting for 27.2%, with a maximum of 2% plant contribution to soil PCB dissipation. The low relative removal of PCBs by plants indicates that in vegetable-planted soil, the removal of PCBs could be due to autochthonous soil microorganisms in the rhizosphere of vegetables. The bioaccumulation factors for PCBs derived from the cultivation of examined root vegetables in Chernozem and Fluvisol soils contaminated with PCBs at nearly 1500 µg/kg dry weight can be considered low and negligible.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-024-01006-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142409877","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":"Toxic effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on co-culture model of human alveolar epithelial cells (A549) and macrophages (THP-1)","authors":"Pennapa Takam,&nbsp;Andreas Schäffer,&nbsp;Sarunya Laovitthayanggoon,&nbsp;Wasin Charerntantanakul,&nbsp;Panwad Sillapawattana","doi":"10.1186/s12302-024-01003-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-024-01003-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are particulate matter bound environmental contaminants known to cause adverse effects on human health. The toxicity of carcinogenic PAH such as benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) has been extensively investigated, whereas other PAHs have received less attention. The present work investigated the toxic effects of three less investigated PAHs with distinct molecular weights in comparison to BaP on co-culture model of human epithelial lung cells (A549) and macrophages (THP-1). Due to the involvement of more than one cell type in the response to PAH exposure, the new co-culture model is considered to be suitable for the prediction of undesired toxicological effects of PAHs. To do so, the co-culture was established and exposed to 0–400 µM of phenanthrene (PHE), fluoranthene (FLA), and, benzo [<i>ghi</i>] perylene (BghiP) for 24 h. Subsequently, cytotoxicity, micronucleus formation, and cytokine excretion were analyzed. The results revealed that the viability of A549 cells decreased after being exposed to increasing concentrations of PAHs. The formation of micronuclei in binucleated cells (BNC) was found more frequently in cells treated with PAHs in comparison to the untreated group, indicating the genotoxic effect of these compounds. Moreover, an exposure to PAHs enhanced the pro-inflammatory cytokine, i.e., interleukin-6 secretion, while diminished the anti-inflammatory cytokine, i.e., interleukin-10. In summary, PAHs possess negative effects on A549 and THP-1 co-culture model, implying an adverse effect on human health when coming into contact with these chemicals via respiration.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-024-01003-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142409657","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":"Measuring NOx during periodic technical inspection of diesel vehicles","authors":"Jacopo Franzetti,&nbsp;Tommaso Selleri,&nbsp;Natalia Fonseca González,&nbsp;Anastasios Melas,&nbsp;Roberto Gioria,&nbsp;Ricardo Suarez-Bertoa","doi":"10.1186/s12302-024-01002-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-024-01002-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>All light-duty (LD) and heavy-duty (HD) vehicles circulating in the European Union undergo regular checks during mandatory periodic technical inspections (PTI). These inspections promote road safety and environmental protection. Vehicles with defective deNOx aftertreatment systems can result in high emissions of NOx, which is an important air pollutant. The ongoing revision of the “so-called” Roadworthiness Package by the European Commission propose including a new method for measuring NOx from vehicles’ exhaust during PTI (NOx-PTI).</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The results obtained showed an increase in NOx emissions, 8 to 28 times, when the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) unit was not working. The applicability of the NOx-PTI idling test procedure to Euro VI HD vehicles was also investigated satisfactorily. Furthermore, methods to warm-up the vehicle’s aftertreatment prior to the NOx-PTI idling test, including standing still free accelerations and urban speed drives, as well as systems conditions before the test, were studied. Five different NOx analysers were assessed against reference equipment to ensure the accuracy of NOx measurements to assess their suitability for PTI purposes. The findings indicate that an urban speed drive is suitable for warming up both LD and HD vehicles. The tested analysers appeared to be suitable for use in PTI.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The high NOx emissions recorded when the SCR unit was not working, and their potential environmental impact, highlight the importance of a PTI test capable of detecting malfunctioning vehicles. The study demonstrated that the idle test procedure, testing conditions, and NOx analysers used were effective in performing a NOx-PTI check on both light- and heavy-duty Diesel vehicles, successfully discriminating between functioning and malfunctioning SCR systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-024-01002-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142409613","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":"Impact of short-term total dissolved gas supersaturation on cognitive function and swimming performance in medaka (Oryzias latipes)","authors":"Jialin Liao,&nbsp;Hui Chen,&nbsp;Xin Yang,&nbsp;Haoran Shi,&nbsp;Quan Yuan","doi":"10.1186/s12302-024-01004-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-024-01004-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>During the flood season, high dam discharge rates result in total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation. This condition causes gas bubble trauma and can lead to fish mortality, which poses a significant threat to downstream river ecosystems. Assessing the ecological risks of TDG supersaturation is a challenge in waterpower-intensive river basins worldwide. Few studies have explored the impact of TDG supersaturation on fish behaviours, such as aggression and memory, which are crucial for feeding, reproduction, and predator avoidance. In this study, behavioural tests were conducted in a T-maze to investigate the effects of acute TDG supersaturation on swimming behaviour, aggression, and memory in medaka (<i>Oryzias latipes</i>). The results demonstrated that medaka exposed to TDG levels of 115% and 130% for 2 h had significantly reduced swimming performance.At TDG levels of 100%, 115% and 130%, medaka activity rates in the mirror arm of the maze in the mirror test were 44.34 ± 12.88%, 40.27 ± 15.44% and 35.35 ± 16.07%, respectively. Similarly, the activity rates of medaka in the active stimulus arm of the maze in the memory test were 50.35 ± 14.75%, 40.76 ± 12.51% and 35.35 ± 18.47%, respectively. The behaviour of medaka changed with increasing TDG supersaturation. These findings contribute to the development of an ecological risk assessment model for TDG supersaturation based on memory and aggression in fish and provide data for developing management strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of TDG supersaturation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-024-01004-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142409593","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":"Environmental resilience of the largest European public transport providers during the COVID-19 pandemic","authors":"Jordi Rosell","doi":"10.1186/s12302-024-00996-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-024-00996-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The environmental commitment of public transport authorities plays a role in addressing the challenges ahead. After the COVID-19 pandemic, we can analyze the strength of green commitments during that turbulent time. Green public procurement (GPP) is a government tool dedicated to mitigating the environmental impact of public acquisitions. These actions can be monitored as an indicator that captures efforts for green actions by organizations. GPP adoption rates among public transport suppliers are comparable across countries because they operate in the same sector and share characteristics that facilitate comparison. In this study, the largest public transport suppliers in 38 European cities are compared from 2010 to 2023. A subsample of 13,280 contract notices was employed for the public transport sector from the Tender Electronic Database and GPP adoption was found to be higher on bus vehicle acquisitions than on tramway/metro vehicle acquisitions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a marked GPP fall. These findings also indicate that while GPP adoption rates are higher among the 38 large public transport suppliers compared with medium and lower ones, the largest ones are not the front-runners in terms of GPP adoption. Our results suggest that environmental priorities are not as significant as one might expect.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-024-00996-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142409481","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":"Quantitative analysis of microplastics in Nile tilapia from a recirculating aquaculture system using pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry","authors":"Feride Öykü Sefiloglu,&nbsp;Marthinus Brits,&nbsp;Azora König Kardgar,&nbsp;Martin J. M. van Velzen,&nbsp;Emily Kaldenbach,&nbsp;A. Dick Vethaak,&nbsp;Darragh Doyle,&nbsp;Bethanie Carney Almroth,&nbsp;Marja H. Lamoree","doi":"10.1186/s12302-024-00987-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-024-00987-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Microplastic (MP) ingestion through fish consumption is a concern for human exposure. While the presence of plastic particles in fish tissues has been documented worldwide, information on microplastic concentrations in edible tissues, especially those smaller than 10 µm, remains scarce. Spectrometric techniques provide a complementary analytical tool to measure MP mass for human exposure studies without intrinsic size limitations; however, their application to fish analysis is limited. In this study, we utilized pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC–MS) for the identification and quantification of MPs in fish muscle tissues. Two sample preparation methods, pressurized liquid extraction, and chemical digestion, were tested for compatibility with Py-GC–MS analysis. An analytical method using chemical digestion was validated for analyzing particles ≥ 0.7 µm for 4 polymer types: polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, and polymethyl methacrylate. The developed method was applied to 24 adult Nile tilapia <i>(Oreochromis niloticus)</i> samples from a recirculating aquaculture system. MPs were detected in 42% of the samples, with an average concentration of 0.14 ± 0.32 µg/g, while high variations within subsamples were observed. Our findings reveal trace amounts of MPs in edible fish tissues from aquaculture, highlighting the potential risk of microplastic ingestion through fish consumption. This underscores the need for further risk assessments to evaluate the impact on human health and to develop appropriate mitigation measures.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-024-00987-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142415120","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":"Analysis of spatial and temporal evolution and driving factors of carbon emission in Shandong Province: based on the perspective of land use","authors":"Jiahui Wu,&nbsp;Kongqing Li","doi":"10.1186/s12302-024-01000-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-024-01000-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Land use/cover change is the second major contributor to carbon emissions, following energy emissions. Studying provincial land-use carbon emissions is crucial for achieving the “double carbon” goal. This study selects 16 prefecture-level cities in Shandong Province as the research object. It analyzes the spatial and temporal distribution pattern of carbon emissions in Shandong Province based on land-use data and energy consumption. In terms of net carbon emissions, this study utilizes the standard deviation ellipse and kernel density estimation to analyze net carbon emissions change from the municipal and regional perspectives. In terms of carbon ecological carrying capacity, not only the carbon ecological carrying capacity of forest and grassland was considered, but also the carbon ecological carrying capacity of crops in Shandong Province, which is a large grain province. Using the geographic detector to explore the drivers. Research findings indicate that carbon sources and sinks show a clear spatial and temporal distribution pattern, with the center of gravity of net carbon emissions extending to the northeast. Areas with high carbon ecological carrying capacity have high forest coverage, grassland coverage, and crop yields. Regarding driving factors, the urbanization rate, economic aggregate, and technological progress demonstrate significant explanatory power through single and interaction tests, suggesting that these factors are critical drivers of land-use carbon emissions within Shandong Province. Based on the spatiotemporal pattern analysis of land-use carbon emissions in Shandong Province, each city's growth rate and spatial distribution characteristics can be clarified, providing a scientific basis for the local government to formulate regional and differentiated emission-reduction policies. In addition, by exploring the driving factors of land-use carbon emissions in Shandong Province, the influence level of factors on carbon emissions can be revealed to provide references for formulating regional sustainable development strategies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-024-01000-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142415122","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":"Testing microbial pest control products in bees, a comparative study on different bee species and their interaction with two representative microorganisms","authors":"Karoline Wueppenhorst,&nbsp;Kevin Nack,&nbsp;Silvio Erler,&nbsp;Jens Pistorius,&nbsp;Abdulrahim T. Alkassab","doi":"10.1186/s12302-024-00994-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-024-00994-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The evaluation of the impact of pesticides on non-target species, like bees, is a crucial factor in registration procedures. Therefore, standardized test procedures have been developed on OECD level assessing the effects of chemicals on honey bees or bumble bees. Unfortunately, these protocols cannot directly be adapted for testing products that contain microorganisms. Interest in the use of microorganisms has increased in recent years due to their specificity to target species while not harming non-target organisms. This study aimed to evaluate optimal conditions to assess the effects of microbial plant protection products on bee species according to currently available test protocols. Some of the most commonly used microorganisms for plant protection, <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> subspecies <i>aizawai</i> (<i>B. t. a</i>. ABTS 1857) and <i>Beauveria bassiana</i> (<i>B. b.</i> ATCC 74040) were tested on <i>Apis mellifera</i>, <i>Bombus terrestris</i>, and <i>Osmia bicornis</i> at different temperatures (18, 26, 33 °C) under laboratory conditions.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Exposure to the product containing <i>B. t. a.</i> ABTS 1857 resulted in higher mortality compared to <i>B. b.</i> ATCC 74040 in all tested bee species. A temperature-dependent effect towards higher mortality at higher temperatures of 26 °C or 33 °C was observed in <i>O. bicornis</i> exposed to both microorganisms. <i>A. mellifera</i> showed variable responses, but for <i>B. terrestris</i> there was mostly no effect of temperature when exposed to microorganisms in high concentrations. However, temperature affected longevity of bee species in the non-exposed control group. <i>A. mellifera</i> mortality increased with decreasing temperatures, while <i>B. terrestris</i> and <i>O. bicornis</i> mortality increased with increasing temperatures. A test duration of 15 or 20 days was found to be suitable for testing these microorganisms.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>In conclusion, 26 °C should be considered the worst-case scenario for testing <i>B. bassiana</i> on all tested bee species. For testing <i>B. thuringiensis,</i> a temperature of 33 °C is recommended for <i>A. mellifera</i>, whereas <i>B. terrestris</i> and <i>O. bicornis</i> should be tested at 26 °C.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-024-00994-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142415024","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":"Evaluation of physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics of waste stabilization ponds, Giza, Egypt","authors":"Mohamed N. F. Shaheen,&nbsp;Elmahdy Mohamed Elmahdy,&nbsp;Neveen M. Rizk,&nbsp;Sayeda M. Abdo,&nbsp;Nahla A. Hussein,&nbsp;Asmaa Elshershaby,&nbsp;Yasser E. Shahein,&nbsp;Mariam E. Fawzy,&nbsp;Mohamed Azab El-Liethy,&nbsp;Mohamed A. Marouf,&nbsp;Fagr Kh. Abdel-Gawad,&nbsp;Anyi Hu,&nbsp;Mahmoud Gad","doi":"10.1186/s12302-024-00965-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12302-024-00965-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) contain a diverse array of microbes, underscoring the need for regular monitoring to ensure treatment efficacy and protect health. However, detailed studies on waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) are scarce. This study evaluates a full-scale WSP, located in Giza Governorate, Egypt, including anaerobic, facultative, and maturation ponds, examining an array of parameters such as enteric viruses, microeukaryotes (protozoa and algae), bacterial indicators, bacterial pathogens, and physicochemical characteristics. Utilizing multivariate statistical models, we identified significant distinctions in physicochemical parameters and microbial communities, primarily driven by treatment stages rather than temporal variations. In addition, seven viruses (human rotavirus, adenovirus, norovirus, astrovirus, hepatitis A virus, polyomavirus, and papillomavirus) were detected during the different stages (inlet, anaerobic, facultative, and outlet) of the WSP, except norovirus and papillomavirus were absent in the outlet stage. The viral log means reductions ranged from 1.24 to 5.94, depending on the stage and virus type. The removal efficiency of bacterial pathogens was more than 99%. High throughput 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing indicated the dominance of animal parasitic Apicomplexa species and <i>Vermamoeba</i> spp<i>.</i> in the WSP. Network analysis indicated significant roles for Ciliophora in virus reduction. Notably, the maturation pond's outlet was dominated by <i>Spirulina maxima</i>, whose mat-forming tendencies may inhibit pathogen removal by providing protective shelters. Although the WSP effectively reduced pathogen levels, the high initial loads resulted in considerable concentrations in the final effluent, posing ongoing public health concerns. This study highlights the imperative of including pathogen standards in national regulations for wastewater reuse.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":546,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Sciences Europe","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12302-024-00965-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142415023","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}