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Nanoparticles (NPs) preparation using a green as well as environmentally acceptable processes has achieved a lot of attention in recent decade. The current study compared the synthesis of titania (TiO 2) nanoparticles synthesized from leaf extracts of two plant species (Trianthema portulacastrum , Chenopodium quinoa) and traditional approach by chemical preparation. The effects of no calcination on the physical characteristics of TiO 2 NPs as well as their antifungal effects were examined and compared with the already reported calcinated TiO 2 NPs. The produced TiO 2 NPs were evaluated using high-tech techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), and elemental mapping. TiO 2 NPs prepared by sol-gel technique (T1) and prepared from extractions from leaves of T. portulacastrum (T2), and C. quinoa (T3) were either calcinated or non calcinated and tested against fungal disease (Ustilago tritici) of wheat for antifungal efficacy. The -peak (2θ) at 25.3 was confirmed by XRD to be connected with the anatase (101) form in both cases but before calcination, NPs were lacking the rutile and brookite peaks. The results showed that all types of TiO 2 NPs examined had good antifungal activity against U. tritici , but those made from C. quinoa plant extract have good antifungal activity against disease. TiO 2 NPs which are produced by the green methods (T2, T3) have the highest antifungal activity (58%, 57% respectively), while minimal activity (19%) was recorded when NPs were synthesized using the sol-gel method (T1) with 25 μl/mL. Non calcinated TiO 2 NPs have less antifungal potential than calcined TiO 2 NPs. It can be concluded that calcination may be preferred for efficient antifungal activity when using titania nanoparticles. The green technology may be used on a larger scale with less damaging TiO 2 NP production and can be utilized against fungal disease on wheat crop to reduce crop losses worldwide. • Chemical and green methods were used for TiO 2 -NPs synthesis. • Size of NPs varied before calcination and after calcination. • Calcinated NPs have good antifungal potential against wheat disease than non-calcinated NPs. • Calcinated green synthesized NPs may be used for antifungal potential against Ustilago tritici. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) contamination of paddy soils is a serious global issue because of the opposite geochemical behavior of Cd and As in paddy soils. Rice plant (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation in Cd- and As- contaminated paddy soil is regarded as one of the main dietary cause of Cd and As entry in human beings. This study aimed to determine the impact of goethite-modified biochar (GB) on bioavailability of both Cd and As in Cd- and As- polluted paddy soil. Contrary to control and biochar (BC) amendments, the application of GB amendments significantly impeded the accumulation of both Cd and As in rice plants. The results confirmed an obvious reduction in Cd and As content of rice grains by 85% and 77%, respectively after soil supplementation with GB 2% amendment. BC 3% application minimized the Cd uptake by 59% in the rice grains as compared to the control but exhibited a little impact on As accumulation in rice grains. Sequential extraction results displayed an increase in immobile Cd and As fractions of the soil by decreasing the bioavailable fractions of both elements after GB treatments. Fe-plaque formation on the root surfaces was significantly variable (P ˂ 0.05) among all the amendments. GB 2% treatment significantly increased the Fe content (10 g kg−1) of root Fe-plaque by 48%, which ultimately enhanced the sequestration of Cd and As by Fe-plaque and minimized the transport of Cd and As in rice plants. Moreover, GB treatments significantly changed the relative abundance of the microbial community in the rice rhizosphere and minimized the metal(loid)s mobility in the soil. The relative abundance of Acidobacteria, Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia increased with GB 2% treatment while those of Bacteroidetes and Choloroflexi decreased. Our findings confirmed improvement in the rice grains quality regarding enhanced amino acid contents with GB application. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that GB amendment simultaneously alleviated the Cd and As concentrations in edible parts of rice plant and provided a new valuable method to protect the public health by effectively remediating the co-occurrence of Cd and As in paddy soils. • Goethite modified biochar (GB) amendments reduced the bioavailability of both Cd and As. • GB application improved the quality of rice grain. • GB application affected the relative abundance of soil microbial communities. • GB amendments multiplied the Cd, As, and Fe contents of root Fe-plaque. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a common toxic trace element found in agricultural soils which is mainly due to anthropogenic activities. Cadmium posed a significant risk to humans all around the world due to its cancer-causing ability. The current study demonstrated the effects of soil-applied biochar (BC) and foliar-applied titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) (at a rate of 0.5% and 75 mg/L respectively) alone or in combination on growth and Cd accumulation in wheat plants under field experiment. Soil applied BC and foliar TiO 2 NPs, as well as BC coupled with TiO 2 NPs, reduced Cd contents in grains by 32%, 47%, and 79%, than control respectively. The usage of NPs and BC boosted the plant height as well as chlorophyll contents by lowering oxidative injury and changing selected antioxidant enzyme activities in leaves than control plants. The combined use of NPs and BC prevented excess Cd accumulation in grains over the critical level (0.2 mg/kg) for cereals. The health risk index (HRI) due to Cd was reduced by 79% by co-composted BC + TiO 2 NPs treatment than control. Although, HRI was lower than one for all treatments but this may exceed the limit if grains obtained from such field consumed over long periods. In conclusion, TiO 2 NPs and BC amendments can be implemented in fields across the globe where excess Cd is present in soils. Additional studies on the use of such approaches in more precise experimental settings are needed in order to address this environmental problem at larger scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topography of a place has a significant impact on soil characteristics that ultimately influence soil iodine levels. Lower Himalayan region (LHR) in Pakistan has a wide range of climatic and geological variations. Hence, an investigation was conducted to analyze the iodine concentration and other physicochemical properties of soils in two LHR districts, Haripur and Mansehra. Spatial analysis indicated a decrease in iodine levels in the mountainous regions in comparison to the flat portions of LHR. Soil samples obtained from different locations across Haripur had a stronger affinity for iodine due to variations in solubility and adsorption of iodine to soil clay components, which can be attributed to lower pH, higher organic matter, and a higher cation exchange capacity (CEC). In contrast to the plains of Haripur, elevated locations in the Mansehra district had decreased levels of iodine, along with a higher soil pH and reduced soil organic matter. The soil erosion and depletion of soil micronutrients in the hilly region of Mansehra may be attributed to the unfavorable soil conditions and excessive precipitation. Presence of clay, iron (Fe), and aluminum (Al) in the soil led to a rise in iodine levels. Iodine concentrations exhibited an inverse relationship with soil acidity. Study revealed a direct correlation between soil iodine levels and their cation exchange capacity (CEC) and clay content. This study aims to gather fundamental data for the chosen regions of LHR to address illnesses caused by iodine deficiency. • Plain and mountainous area of lower Himalayan region was investigated. • Soils and topographical properties significantly varied for plain and mountains. • Iodine content difference was obvious in Haripur and Mansehra. • Mountainous areas showed comparatively less iodine than plain areas. • Iodine levels have positive relation with soil clay, carbon and Fe/Al contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remediating inorganic pollutants is an important part of protecting coastal ecosystems, which are especially at risk from the effects of climate change. Different Phragmites karka (Retz) Trin. ex Steud ecotypes were gathered from a variety of environments, and their abilities to remove inorganic contaminants from coastal wetlands were assessed. The goal is to learn how these ecotypes process innovation might help reduce the negative impacts of climate change on coastal environments. The Phragmites karka ecotype E1, found in a coastal environment in Ichkera that was impacted by residential wastewater, has higher biomass production and photosynthetic pigment content than the Phragmites karka ecotypes E2 (Kalsh) and E3 (Gatwala). Osmoprotectant accumulation was similar across ecotypes, suggesting that all were able to successfully adapt to polluted marine environments. The levels of both total soluble sugars and proteins were highest in E2. The amount of glycine betaine (GB) rose across the board, with the highest levels being found in the E3 ecotype. The study also demonstrated that differing coastal habitats significantly influenced the antioxidant activity of all ecotypes, with E1 displaying the lowest superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, while E2 exhibited the lowest peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities. Significant morphological changes were evident in E3, such as an expansion of the phloem, vascular bundle, and metaxylem cell areas. When compared to the E3 ecotype, the E1 and E2 ecotypes showed striking improvements across the board in leaf anatomy. Mechanistic links between architectural and physio-biochemical alterations are crucial to the ecological survival of different ecotypes of Phragmites karka in coastal environments affected by climate change. Their robustness and capacity to reduce pollution can help coastal ecosystems endure in the face of persistent climate change. • Plant remediation strategies to tackle pollutants include chemical, physical, and biological means. • Phragmites plants demonstrated differential capacity to survive in wetlands. • All ecotypes accumulated osmo-protectants for better adjustments in contaminated habitats. • SOD activity was minimum in E1 while POD and CAT activities were least in E2. • P. karka ecotypes showed potential to reclaim the pollution affected soil and wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removal of methyl iodide (CH 3 I) from the air present within nuclear facilities is a critical issue. In case of any nuclear accident, there is a great need to mitigate the radioactive organic iodide immediately as it accumulates in human bodies, causing severe consequences. Current research focuses on removing organic iodides, for which the surface of activated carbon (AC) was modified by impregnating it with different metals individually, i.e. Ag, Ni, Zn, Cu and with the novel combination of these four metals (AZNC). After the impregnation of metals, triethylenediamine (TEDA) was coated on metal impregnated activated carbon (IAC) surface. The adsorption capacity of the combination of four metals IAC was found to be 276 mg/g as the maximum for the trapping of CH 3 I. Whereas TEDA-metal impregnation on ACs enhanced the removal efficiency of CH 3 I up to 352 mg/g. After impregnation, adsorption capacity of AZNC and AZNCT is significantly higher as compared to AC. According to the finding, t 5% of AZNCT IAC is 46 min, which is considerably higher than the t 5% of other tested adsorbents. According to isotherm fitting data, Langmuir isotherm was found superior for describing CH 3 I sorption onto AC and IACs. Kinetics study shows that pseudo second order model represented the sorption of CH 3 I more accurately than the pseudo first order. Thermodynamic studies gave negative value of ΔG which shows that the reaction is spontaneous in nature. Based on the findings, AZNCT IAC appears to have a great potential for air purification applications in order to obtain clean environment. • Metals and tertiary amine impregnated activated carbons were synthesized, for the removal of methyl iodide • AC and impregnated ACs samples characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX, BET, TGA and AAS • Enhanced efficiency of AZNCT impregnated AC for removal of CH 3 I up to 352 mg/g under severe conditions • Metal-TEDA impregnated ACs considered to be promising agent for the removal of radioactive CH 3 I in the context of nuclear power plant [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]