The presence of trace contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), in various environmental media (soil, sediments, groundwater, and surface water), is a growing concern. This is a serious issue due to a lack of understanding about the potential consequences of their occurrence, fate, and eco-toxicological impacts. Numerous studies have been carried out to determine their effect on animals and humans. This is critical for removing them from the soil and wastewater. Because of their low concentrations (ppm or ppb) and complex structure, these pollutants are difficult to completely remove in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Moreover, PPCPs are not efficiently removed by WWTPs; therefore, novel techniques for improved performance are required. Several technologies, including bioremediation, have been developed to remove these compounds from polluted soil and water. This article discussed the various PPCPs found in soil and wastewater, as well as available removal technologies, with a focus on integrated remediation approaches. Furthermore, we discuss the sources of PPCPs, their toxicity and risks to humans and ecosystems, the UN's goals for sustainable development, and PPCP elimination strategies.

Fly ash deposits cover significant areas throughout the world, and have extremely adverse environmental effects on ecosystems and landscapes. Natural colonization by native plant species is an important process in the recovery of areas impacted by fly ash deposit and there is increasing interest to promote these species during restoration of these sites while minimizing the colonization or introduction of undesirable, invader species. Hence, the profiling of plant seed for use in restoration of abandoned fly ash deposits is urgently needed to screen out unwanted invader plants and ensure that desired native seeds that are adapted to the environment of fly ash deposits disperse in adequate numbers by either natural or direct seeding pathways. Artificial regeneration in fly ash deposit restoration is usually done using nursery-grown seedlings. Researchers and managers have much experience and knowledge using this technique. However, the use of direct seeding on fly ash deposits to establish native plants with diverse-growth forms including grasses is less well-known as a potentially useful alternative practice in restoration projects across the nations. By direct seeding fly ash deposits may be transformed with increased biodiversity and productivity that promote improved livelihoods of people living in increasingly sustainable communities. A low input approach using direct seeding to restore fly ash deposits is presented herein. It creates a multifunctional ecosystem, while also contributing to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Pollution-free rivers give indication of a healthy ecosystem. The stretch of Tawi river particularly in the Jammu city is experiencing pollution load and the quality is degraded. The present study highlights the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the water quality of Tawi river in Jammu, J&K Union Territory. Water quality data based upon the real-time water monitoring for four locations (Below Tawi Bridge, Bhagwati Nagar, Belicharana and Surajpur) have been obtained from the web link of Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board. The important parameters used in the present study include pH, alkalinity, hardness, conductivity, BOD and COD. The river was designated fit for bathing in all the monitoring locations except Bhagwati Nagar which recorded a BOD value >5 mg/L because of domestic sewage and municipal waste dumping. The overall water quality in the river during lockdown was good and falls in Class B with pH (7.0–8.5), alkalinity (23.25–185.0 mg/L), hardness (84.25–177.5 mg/L), conductivity (117–268 ms/cm). The improved water quality obtained during lockdown is never long-lasting as evident from the BOD and COD values observed during Unlock 1.0 due to accelerated anthropogenic activities in response to overcoming the economic loss, bringing the river water quality back to the degraded state. The statistical analysis known as cluster analysis has also been performed to evaluate the homogeneity of various monitoring sites based on the physicochemical variables. The need of the hour is to address the gaps of rejuvenation strategies and work over them for effective river resiliency and for sustainable river basin management.

The evaluation of energy efficiency is a key principle in agroecosystem management. In this article, the optimal cropping pattern of irrigated and rainfed lands in the eastern Lorestan province is proposed using multi-objective nonlinear programming (MOP) to maximize net profit, energy efficiency, and net energy and minimize non-renewable energy and GWP. The results showed that in the MOP pattern, the indirect energy levels of irrigated and rainfed lands decreased by 1.90E+13 and 4.80E+13 J in the study area, respectively; non-renewable energy levels decreased by 3.00E+12 and 3.20E+13 J, respectively; and the GWP levels decreased by 1.00E+06 and 9.00E+05 kg CO₂-eq in the region compared to the existing pattern. In the MOP pattern, the energy efficiency of irrigated and rainfed lands increased by 0.20 and 0.19, respectively, compared to the existing state. By implementing the optimal cropping pattern, energy inputs can be reduced by 1.20E+14 J and net profit increased by 968,483 USD. By using the proposed pattern, in addition to selecting the appropriate model and optimizing the use of water and land resources, effective steps can be taken for enhancing the profit and declining the energy consumption and environmental impacts.

Access to electricity is vital for the social and economic development of a country. Nevertheless, electrification is still a major challenge, especially for countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Growth in access to electricity in total numbers has slowed down in recent years. Namibia in particular appears to be in a predicament, since a large portion of its widespread population cannot be connected to the main grid at reasonable costs. Furthermore, Namibia relies heavily on imports of coal-based electricity, which limits the country’s ability to achieve its pledged sustainability goals. This is quite paradoxical as Namibia has one of the highest solar irradiation levels in the world, providing the possibility to generate large amounts of solar electricity at very low costs and to electrify rural areas through solar off-grid systems. These favorable conditions should be exploited, not least in view of the growing demand for energy, which potentially exacerbates the present situation. This paper therefore presents firstly general challenges for off-grid electrification and subsequently illustrates the effects in Namibia on the example of two off-grid areas in Gam and Tsumkwe. Several deficiencies within the country’s current off-grid approach are revealed, most notably the one-sided off-grid legislation and the neglect of educational outreach to the local community.

Bacteria, algae, and fungi are the organisms affected by biocidal substances, which are widely used. Apart from these, they can also have toxic effects on various aquatic organisms. Copper pyrithione (CPT) and zinc pyrithione (ZPT) are used as an alternative to tributyltin, which is forbidden and known to be highly toxic to the aquatic ecosystem. However, there is lacking information about histopathological alterations and endocrine disrupting effects of these substances. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the effects of ZPT, CPT, and their mixtures on the histological changes in the tissues and on the vitellogenin hormone in male zebrafish. Substances caused hyperemia, epithelial lifting, telangiectasis, and hyperplasia in the gill tissue. In the liver tissue, hyperemia, hydropic degeneration and necrosis were observed. In addition, apoptosis was found in the gill, liver, and testicle of the tissues as a result of the TUNEL assay. Vitellogenin hormone, on the other hand, increased in the experimental groups compared to the control groups (p < 0.05). According to the obtained results, these substances, which are used as alternative antifouling materials, show as endocrine disrupting compounds by acting on vitellogenin as well as causing histopathological changes.