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One of the main factors of the increased eutrophication level of surface waters is the high anthropogenic loads of biogenic substances discharged into water bodies. Municipal wastewaters, containing large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus play one of the key roles in the acceleration of eutrophication intensity. The main direction in the prevention of eutrophication caused by wastewater discharge has become the reduction of nutrient loads introduced to wastewater receivers in accordance with strict legal requirements achievable only in advanced technologies. The treated wastewater quality standards are actually developed for total nitrogen and total phosphorus content, disregarding the fact that eutrophication potential of treated wastewater is determined by the content of non-organic nutrient forms directly bioavailable for water vegetation. That is why the currently used energy-consuming and expensive technologies do not always guarantee effective protection against eutrophication and its consequences. The goal of the study was to analyze the most widely used wastewater treatment technologies for enhanced biological nutrients removal in treated wastewater eutrophication potential. For this purpose, an analysis of the operation of 18 wastewater treatment plants based on different technologies in Finland, Canada, Poland, Russia and the United States was realized. The analysis concluded that the eutrophication potential of treated wastewater to a large extent is conditioned by the applied technology. The results of the research concluded that the eutrophication potential can serve an important criterion for decision-making regarding the proper selection of wastewater treatment technologies aimed at eutrophication mitigation.

The study is an attempt to assess the pollution impact on the aquatic ecosystem related with an emergency discharge of untreated municipal wastewater from the “Czajka” wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Warsaw. The present case study is based on the analysis of available monitoring data for chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), ammonia nitrogen (N-NH 4 ), and total phosphorus (TP) in the effluent mixing zone (MZ), the stretch of the river and before the discharge point. Data analysis was supported by a basic statistical analysis based on Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The results proved the importance of efficient and reliable nutrient removal technologies used in modern WWTPs. A statistically significant correlation was achieved between the COD ( r  = 0.567) and TP ( r  = 0.714) discharged loads and their concentration in the MZ. However, no significant correlation has been identified with TN and N-NH 4 . Furthermore, the dissolved oxygen (DO) deficits in the MZ were observed within 7 days of the discharge period resulting in an average DO concentration decrease from 8.4 to 7.1 mgO 2 /L. The river stretch has not been affected by DO deficits while the average observed DO concentration 30 km behind the discharge point was 9.1 mgO 2 /L. The analysis results present the pollutants assimilation capacity of a river ecosystem and its real reaction to sudden excessive nutrient loads discharge.

The development of digital economy affects environmental pollution emission and green sustainable development. However, the relationship between digital economy and industrial wastewater discharge has rarely been examined. This study establishes the urban digital economy evaluation index system, measures the digital economy indexes of 281 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2016, and examines the impact effect of digital economy development on industrial wastewater discharge using the system generalized method of moment method and the intermediary effects model. The empirical results indicate that the digital economy reduces the industrial wastewater discharge. As evidence shows, the digital economy significantly promotes the upgrading of industrial structure, which is an important factor affecting the industrial wastewater discharge. Additionally, the inhibiting effect of digital economy on industrial wastewater discharge is more significant in big cities. This study provides a scientific base and guidance for reducing environmental pollution emissions and promoting the development of digital economy.

Trace metals accumulation in soil irrigated with polluted water and human health risk from vegetable consumption was assessed based on the data available in the literature on metals pollution of water, soil, sediment and vegetables from the cites of Bangladesh. The quantitative data on metal concentrations, their contamination levels and their pollution sources have not been systematically gathered and studied so far. The data on metal concentrations, sources, contamination levels, sample collection and analytical tools used were collected, compared and discussed. The USEPA-recommended method for health risk assessment was used to estimate human risk from vegetable consumption. Concentrations of metals in water were highly variable, and the mean concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu and As in water were found to be higher than the FAO irrigation water quality standard. In most cases, mean concentrations of metals in soil were higher than the Bangladesh background value. Based on geoaccumulation index (Igeo) values, soils of Dhaka city are considered as highly contaminated. The Igeo shows Cd, As, Cu, Ni, Pb and Cr contamination of agricultural soils and sediments of the cities all over the Bangladesh. Polluted water irrigation and agrochemicals are identified as dominant sources of metals in agricultural soils. Vegetable contamination by metals poses both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks to the public. Based on the results of the pollution and health risk assessments, Cd, As, Cr, Cu, Pb and Ni are identified as the priority control metals and the Dhaka city is recommended as the priority control city. This study provides quantitative evidence demonstrating the critical need for strengthened wastewater discharge regulations in order to protect residents from heavy metal discharges into the environment.

Discharge of treated wastewater effluent can be an important source of contaminants to downstream environments, but only a handful of specific effluent parameters are regulated and monitored in Canada. Consequently, the importance of effluent discharge for the surface water budgets of trace elements remains poorly understood. Here, we report concentrations of > 50 major and trace elements in > 30 riverine and effluent samples collected in the Grand River catchment, Ontario, in an attempt to assess imprints of effluent discharge on riverine trace element loads. We find that effluent-derived loads of major and trace elements generally outweigh those of tributaries when contrasted to their hydraulic contribution at the point of confluence. In particular, effluent-derived loads of conservative elements (> 30-fold the receiving riverine load), but also those of heavy metals and rare earth elements (> tenfold and twofold their receiving riverine loads, respectively) exerted important controls on trace element dynamics in the Grand River. Yet, multiple elemental tracers suggest that detectable imprints of these trace element inputs remain spatially restricted and limited to the catchment’s upper reaches, urban areas, and confluences and effluent inputs with low mixing ratios. This study presents important baseline data for trace elements in this complex river system and highlights the need for expanded surface water quality monitoring to disentangle anthropogenic from natural factors affecting trace element budgets.

As eco-compensation is considered an effective economic instrument for controlling the industrial water pollution in transboundary basin, this study aims to explore a transboundary eco-compensation mechanism for Songhua River Basin that is one of the seven major drainage basins in China. Using a panel dataset of eleven cities in this basin tracked from 1992 to 2016, we empirically examined the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis by analyzing the relationship between economic development and industrial water pollution. Then, we developed two econometric models to quantify the wastewater discharge allowance and eco-compensation of investigated cities, respectively. The results specifically reveal the inverted U-curve effects of GRP (gross regional product) on industrial wastewater discharge, which displays an evidence of EKC in the field of transboundary water pollution in China. Moreover, our results verify the polluter pays principle that polluter should be responsible for its pollution behavior through paying of eco-compensation. Our results further interpret that the emissions trading program can help protect the ecosystem by allowing the wastewater discharge allowance to trading market.

Trace element pollution is a potential threat to the reproduction of sea turtles. Hainan Island was previously the most important nesting ground of green sea turtles in China before they disappeared approximately 36 years ago. The Chinese government has encouraged restoration work on historical nesting grounds, and it is necessary to evaluate the status of these sites before conducting habitat restoration. This study analyzed the concentrations of seven trace elements in the surface sediments of 13 historical nesting grounds in Hainan. The average concentrations were 19.47 (Cr), 4.67 (Ni), 6.99 (Cu), 0.08 (Cd), 16.68 (Pb), 0.02 (Hg), and 5.27 (As) mg/kg, which were lower than the first-grade limit values of the GB (18668–2002) national standard in China. The concentrations were close to the background value, except for the relatively high Cd value. The potential ecological risk was ranked as Cd > Hg > As > Cu > Pb > Cr. The spatial distribution of trace element contamination in Hainan was uneven, with high potential ecological risk levels of Cd and Hg contamination in Longwan’gang, Shimeiwan, Yazhou Qu, and Fushicun. Marine mariculture, wastewater discharge, and fishing boats are the main sources of trace element contamination in Hainan. We recommend strengthening the control of Hg and Cd contamination sources, monitoring trace elements in relevant/interest areas, and the environmental protection department should curb local residents from directly discharging mariculture wastewater and domestic sewage into the sea.

This study examines the impact mechanism and dynamic changes in how reports on the discharge of nuclear‐contaminated water in Japan affect Chinese consumers' willingness to purchase seafood. An extended theoretical model is innovatively constructed by integrating the variables of media involvement and risk perception, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A longitudinal research design was employed, utilizing a mixed‐method approach that combines Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Fuzzy‐set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). The SEM results indicate that the influence of media involvement on risk perception significantly weakens over time. The relationship between risk perception and attitude shifts from negative to positive, while the impact of subjective norms on purchase intention strengthens over time. The fsQCA results reveal diverse antecedent configurations affecting purchase intention at different periods, highlighting the nonlinearity and complexity of consumer decision‐making. This study provides new insights into understanding the dynamic evolution of consumer behavior in response to public emergencies, while also expanding the applicability of the TPB in this context. The findings have important practical implications for government crisis communication strategies and corporate marketing strategies.

Enteric viruses are widely distributed in the natural water environment. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of potentially infectious adenoviruses (AdV) and rotaviruses (RoV) in surface water near treated wastewater discharge. Water samples were collected from surface water below the treated wastewater effluent discharge located near a wastewater treatment plant receiving sewage from an urban area. Water samples were concentrated by ultrafiltration and treated with propidium monoazide dye, followed with v-qPCR/v-RT-qPCR analysis. Simultaneously, the temperature and pH of the collected samples were measured to check the influence of these parameters on the concentrations of potentially infectious viruses. The average concentrations of potentially infectious AdV and RoV particles in collected samples ranged between log 1.86 ÷ 3.94 gc/L and log 2.39 ÷ 3.82 gc/L in the winter season, and between log 2.18 ÷ 3.59 gc/L and log 1.85 ÷ 2.10 gc/L in the summer season, respectively. In general, AdVs were detected more often than RoVs, while RoV-positive samples were more frequent in the winter than in the summer season (Chi : p = 0.028; Fisher's Exact test p = 0.033). Negative correlations between log10 concentration of viral particles and temperature and pH for both viruses were observed. The presence of potentially infectious AdVs and RoVs in the surface waters may constitute a health risk for the local population. Application of v-PCR-based methods and considering AdV as a viral contamination indicator should be introduced into virological water quality monitoring for estimations of public health risks.

In the framework of the eutrophic Ob fen study, methane fluxes were measured by the chamber method, and water was sampled for the analysis of general chemical composition, content of biophilic elements (C, N, and P) and δ 13 C of the dissolved inorganic carbon (δ 13 C-DIC). Samples were taken from open and forested areas within the fen, with the latter having long received discharged domestic wastewaters. The methane emissions positively correlate with the concentrations of nitrogen compounds and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). In both areas, higher methane emissions were observed from waterlogged microdepressions than from dry elevated microlandscape features. The largest emission was observed from the microdepressions in the forested area near the wastewater discharge point, where the extreme values of CH 4 fluxes were almost 30 times higher than the background ones. However, the methane fluxes decrease to the background level at 160 m from the wastewater discharge point, together with the concentrations of almost all nitrogen and carbon compounds dissolved in the fen water. This led us to conclude that wastewater pollution significantly affects the intensity of methane fluxes by increasing ebullitive methane emission near the pollution source. The isotopic composition of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) was heavier in the forested area (δ 13 C-DIC = –9.64 to –9.21‰) than in the open one (–12.83 to –11.24‰). In the open area of the fen, DIC isotopic composition became heavier away from the dry upland, correlating with the increase in the methane fluxes. The obtained data indicate that methane-generating processes are more active in the forested area of the fen than in the open one and become more active in the open area with increasing distance from the dry upland. This highlights the potentialities of using δ 13 C-DIC as a fingerprint of wastewater pollution, at least in the Ob fen area.