Since air pollution has been linked to a plethora of human health problems, strategies to improve air quality are indispensable. Despite the complexity in composition of air pollution, phytoremediation was shown to be effective in cleaning air. Plants are known to scavenge significant amounts of air pollutants on their aboveground plant parts. Leaf fall and runoff lead to transfer of (part of) ...

In industry areas of Poland such as Silesia or urban sites like Krakow and some other cities, the levels of pollutants frequently breach air quality standards. Particulate matter (PM) is the most important constituent of atmospheric pollution. Beginning on 1st February 2014 until 31st January 2015, the samples of fine particulate matter PM2.5 (aerodynamic diameter of particles less than or equa...

Environmental pollution constitutes a great health hazard to human, animals and plants with local, regional and global implications. Pollution has adverse effects on land, water and its biotic and a biotic components. Effluents from industries are normally considered as the main industrial pollutants containing organic and inorganic compounds The increasing agricultural reuse of treated effluen...

Human activities like mining, transport, agriculture, industrial waste disposal and military actions release inorganic pollutants in high concentrations that are toxic to natural ecosystems. Heavy metal pollution causes potential ecological risk. Heavy metals like Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb) and Chromium (Cr) when present in high concentrations in soil exert potential toxic effects on overall growt...

Online non-refractory submicron aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) measurements in urban areas have successfully allowed the apportionment of specific sources and/or physical and chemical properties of the organic fraction. However, in order to be fully representative of PM pollution, a comprehensive source apportionment analysis is needed by taking into account all major components of submicron a...

The experimental cage culture was conducted at Shirati bay, Lake Victoria from February to August 2013, to investigate the impacts of the small scale cage culture on the environment. Three locations along the cages, at the intermediate and one in the offshore (control) were sampled for water quality parameters, phytoplankton and macro invertebrates. A notable increase in nutrient concentration ...

The destruction of toxic organic molecules using advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) is a potent tool for pollution control and environmental protection. Ultrasound is a convenient and effective method of generating hydroxyl radicals which is the key oxidant in AOPs. This review describes the use of ultrasound and associated chemical reactions, with and without additives, as a powerful means of...

Effluent originating from distilleries contain large amount of dark brown coloured wastewater called molasses spent wash (MSW). This MSW is the unwanted residual liquid waste to dispose because of low pH, high temperature, dark brown colour, high ash content, unpleasant odour and high percentage of organic and inorganic matter. Dark brown colour of MSW is due to the presence of melanoidin pigme...

The origin and the nature of particulate matter which is found in the earth's atmosphere, and which is measured to evaluate air pollution, are discussed. The importance of defining particulate matter in terms of its physical structure and its chemical composition is emphasized. Attention is drawn to the surface activity of particulate matter and it is shown that, because of its micropore fine s...

Faba bean is a legume used as a food source by humans and animals. However, it presents antinutritional factors such as tannins and phytic acid, compounds that form complexes with proteins and minerals, respectively, decreasing faba bean’s digestive value. Faba bean was treated with tannase and phytase, the effect of this treatment was measured in a study with rats, a group received a diet with...