Due to fresh water scarcity, farmers are using polluted water for irrigation. This research was conducted to study the bioaccumulation of Pb in wheat (Cv. Shafaq-2006). The experiment was comprised of seven treatments of lead i.e. 0–1,000 mg Pb/kg. The results revealed that lead severely reduces germination (− 30%), seedling fresh weight (− 74%), seedling dry weight (− 77%), vigor index (− 89%), tolerance index (− 84%), plant height (− 33%), number of leaves (− 41%), root fresh weight (− 50%), shoot fresh weight (− 62%), root dry weight (− 63%), shoot dry weight (− 71%), and root length (− 45%). The physiological parameters also respond negatively like stomatal conductance (− 82%), transpiration rate (− 72%) and photosynthetic rate (− 74%). Similarly, biochemical parameters also showed negative impacts, like carotenoids (− 41), total chlorophyll (− 43), chlorophyll a (− 42) and chlorophyll b (− 53). Yield parameters like the number of seed/plant, seed weight/plant, 1,000 seed weight and harvest index were reduced by 90%, 88%, 44% and 61%, respectively in T₆. In addition, protein contents (− 81%), phosphorous (− 60%) and potassium (− 55%) were highly effected in the highest lead concentration (T₆). Lead accumulation was extremely higher in seeds (119%) as compared to control plants. Lead bio-accumulation above threshold concentrations in crop parts is a serious human health concern.

This study investigated the effect of land use land cover (LULC) changes on carbon sequestration in the Hayat-ul-Mir subtropical scrub reserve forest, Pakistan. Supervised maximum likelihood classification of Landsat satellite imagery was done to assess spatio-temporal changes in LULC during 2007, 2013 and 2019. The CA–Markov model was used to simulate LULC of 2030. Spatial LULC data and carbon pools data was processed in Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) carbon model to investigate the effect of LULC on future carbon dynamics. The analysis revealed increase in cover of A. modesta and O. ferruginea and decrease in agriculture, built up and barren area of forest during 2007–2019 and 2030. The analysis also showed that the forest would additionally sequester 111 Mg C with an overall Net Present Value of $4112.05 in year 2030. The analysis revealed LULC changes on 25% area with increase and decrease in the value of ecosystem service (at some location) from carbon storage and loss as CO₂ emissions respectively depending on the type of LULC converted. The study is helpful in identifying areas of potential carbon sequestration to maximize net benefits from management interventions.

The dynamic interplay between urbanization and its impacts on climate is a subject of recent concern, particularly in rapidly urbanizing cities of Pakistan. This research investigated the spatio-temporal effects of urban growth in terms of Land Use Land Cover changes on the thermal environment (Land Surface Temperature) of the Sialkot city, Pakistan using satellite data spanning four distinct time periods (1989, 2000, 2009 and 2020) and predicted changes for year 2030 by employing Cellular Automata Markov Chain Model. Satellite imagery (Landsat 5, 7 and 8) was processed, and maximum likelihood supervised classification was done to generate LULC maps for each of the aforementioned years. In addition to LULC classification, thermal bands of satellite data (for summer and winter) were processed to compute Land Surface Temperature (LST) of the city. The prediction of LULC changes and LST was done for year 2030 using Cellular Automata Markov Chain Model. The accuracy of classified and prediction maps was checked using Kappa Index. The LULC analysis revealed 4.14% increase in the built-up area and 3.43% decrease in vegetation cover of the city during 1989 to 2020. Both land covers are expected to change in the future (year 2030) by + 1.31% (built-up) and − 1.1% (vegetation). Furthermore, a declining trend in the barren land and water bodies was also observed over time. These LULC changes were found affecting the LST of study area. The transformation of vegetation cover into built-up area resulted in an increase in LST over time. A notable rise of 4.5 °C (summer) and 5.7 °C (winter) in the mean LST of Sialkot was observed during 1989 to 2020 and further increases are anticipated in year 2030. This study calls for attention of the policy makers to reduce human impact on the local climate of the city. The study will also help city developers in analyzing the urban population growth trend, finding suitable location to built new infrastructure by governmental authorities and how the rising temperature can affect energy demand and agriculture production of the city in future.

Heavy metals in cosmetics pose a high threat to human health. In the current study, heavy metals were detected in 15 locally manufactured lipsticks purchased from the native markets in Lahore, Pakistan, using three different techniques. Cu, Zn, Fe, Pb, Cr and Ni were quantified using atomic absorption spectrometry whereas Mg, Al, Si, S, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, As and Pb were detected qualitatively using proton induced x-ray emission. X-ray diffraction identified presence of sodium erbium fluoride, quartz (SiO₂), bornite (Cu₅FeS₄), halite (NaCl), calcite (CaCO₃), sucrose (C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁), green cinnabar (Co/Zn oxides), silicon and silica (SiO₂). The health risk assessment showed that there exist a potential threat to consumers due to presence of these elements in lipsticks. All samples contained heavy metals in concentrations exceeding the safe limits provided by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Ergot alkaloids are novel pharmaceutical and therapeutic agents synthesized in this study using fungal species Penicillium citrinum. To get the maximum yield of ergot alkaloids a statistical process of response surface methodology was employed using surface culture fermentation technique. Initially, the strain of Penicillium was improved using physical (ultraviolet (UV) and chemical (ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) treatments to get the maximum yield of ergot alkaloids through surface culture fermentation technique. After improving the strain, survival rate of colonies of Penicillium citrinum treated with UV and EMS was observed. Only 2.04% living colonies were observed after 150 min of exposure of Penicillium citrinum in UV light and 3.2% living colonies were observed after 20 min of the exposure in EMS. The mutated strains of Penicillium citrinum were screened for their production of ergot alkaloids and after fermentation experiments, maximum yield was obtained from PCUV-4 and PCEMS-1 strains. After strain improvement, Plackett–Burman design (PBD) and Box–Behnken design (BBD) of RSM were employed and 10-fold yield enhancement (35.60 mg/100 mL) of ergot alkaloids was achieved. This enhancement in yield of ergot alkaloids proved the positive impacts of RSM and UV on the yield of ergot alkaloids. The study provides a cost effective, economical and sustainable process to produce medically important ergot alkaloids which can be used in various pharmaceutical formulations to treat human diseases.

In Pakistan, an increase in the urban population in recent decades has led to rising demand for energy and so has consequently increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In this study, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted on a sample of 300 residential buildings in Lahore, and their CO2e emissions from electricity and natural gas consumption were calculated using IPCC methodology. The results show that both electricity and natural gas consumption released 7.65 MMtCO2e during the one-year study period. It was found that income class (p<0.001), house area (p<0.001), the size (tons) of AC (p<0.001), number of kitchens (p<0.01), building type (p<0.001) and season (p<0.001) had a significantly positive relationship with energy consumption and CO2e emissions. Conversely, roof insulation (p<0.01) had a significantly negative relationship with energy consumption and CO2e emissions. The study emphasizes the need of policy formulation to improve thermal characteristics of existing buildings and implementation of building energy codes for new housing construction. It is also recommended to raise awareness among dwellers for the adoption of energy conservation measures to reduce CO2e emissions.