Pesticides are an important tool for maintaining and improving the global population’s standard of living. However, their presence in water resources is concerning due to their potential consequences. Twelve water samples from rivers, dams/reservoirs, and treated drinking water were collected from Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in South Africa. The collected samples were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography linked to a QTRAP hybrid triple quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. The ecological and human health risks were assessed by risk quotient and human health risk assessment methods, respectively. Herbicides, such as atrazine, metolachlor, simazine and terbuthylazine, were analysed in water sources. The average concentrations of simazine in rivers (1.82 mg/L), dams/reservoirs (0.12 mg/L), and treated drinking water (0.03 mg/L) were remarkable among all four herbicides detected. Simazine, atrazine, and terbuthylazine posed high ecological risks for both acute and chronic toxicity in all water sources. Moreover, simazine is the only contaminant in the river water that poses a medium carcinogenic risk to adult. It can be concluded that the level of herbicide detected in water sources may affect aquatic life and human beings negatively. This study may aid in the development of pesticide pollution management and risk reduction strategies within the municipality.

The study was aimed at assessing the influence of urban informal settlement on trace element accumulation in road dust from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa, and their possible health implications. The concentration of major and trace elements was determined using the wavelength dispersive XRF method. The major elements in descending order were SiO₂ (72.76%), Al₂O₃ (6.90%), Fe₂O₃ (3.88%), CaO (2.71%), K₂O (1.56%), Na₂O (0.99%), MgO (0.94%), MnO (0.57%), TiO₂ (0.40%), and P₂O₅ (0.16%), with SiO₂ and P₂O₅ at above-average shale values. The average mean concentrations of 17 trace elements in decreasing order were Cr (637.4), Ba (625.6), Zn (231.8), Zr (190.2), Sr (120.2), V (69), Rb (66), Cu (61), Ni (49), Pb (30.8), Co (17.4), Y (14.4), Nb (8.6), As (7.2), Sc (5.8), Th (4.58), and U (2.9) mg/kg. Trace elements such as Cr, Cu, Zn, Zr, Ba, and Pb surpassed their average shale values, and only Cr surpassed the South African soil screening values. The assessment of pollution through the geo-accumulation index (Igeo) revealed that road dust was moderately to heavily contaminated by Cr, whereas all other trace elements were categorized as being uncontaminated to moderately contaminated. The contamination factor (CF) exhibited road dust to be very highly contaminated by Cr, moderately contaminated by Zn, Pb, Cu, Zr, and Ba, and lowly contaminated by Co, U, Nb, Ni, As, Y, V, Rb, Sc, Sr, and Th. The pollution load index (PLI) also affirmed that the road dust in this study was very highly polluted by trace elements. Moreover, the results of the enrichment factor (EF) categorized Cr as having a significant degree of enrichment. Zn was elucidated as being minimally enriched, whereas all other trace elements were of natural origin. The results of the non-carcinogenic risk assessment revealed a possibility of non-carcinogenic risks to both children and adults. For the carcinogenic risk, the total CR values in children and adults were above the acceptable limit, signifying a likelihood of carcinogenic risk to the local inhabitants. From the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the levels of trace elements in the road dust of this informal settlement had the possibility to contribute to both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, and that children were at a higher risk than the adult population.

Winery wastewater, characterized by high organic load, fluctuating pH, and seasonal variability, presents a major environmental challenge for sustainable water management in viticulture regions. Recent advances in bio-based polymer composites, particularly those incorporating cellulose and chitosan matrices blended with synthetic polymers such as polyacrylamide (PAM), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polyethylene glycol (PEG), provide promising possibilities for effective wastewater treatment and water reuse in irrigation. This review critically explores the synthesis, structural properties, and functional performance of cellulose/chitosan-based composites, with a particular emphasis on their adsorption, flocculation, and biodegradability in the context of winery effluent treatment. Evidence from recent laboratory- and pilot-scale studies highlights the significance of pH-responsive functional groups, electrostatic interactions, and hydrogen bonding in controlling pollutant capture and regeneration efficiency. While notable removal efficiencies of these composites have been demonstrated to exceed 85–95% for COD, 80–98% for turbidity, and >90% for heavy metals, challenges remain in terms of regeneration, long-term field applicability, and scale-up. Overall, biopolymer composites represent a promising pathway toward sustainable wastewater treatment and irrigation reuse in winery operations.

One of the crucial elements that is directly tied to the quality of living organisms is the quality of the water. However, water quality has been adversely affected by plastic pollution, a global environmental disaster that has an effect on aquatic life, wildlife, and human health. To prevent these effects, better monitoring, detection, characterisation, quantification, and tracking of aquatic plastic pollution at regional and global scales is urgently needed. Remote sensing technology is regarded as a useful technique, as it offers a promising new and less labour-intensive tool for the detection, quantification, and characterisation of aquatic plastic pollution. The study seeks to supplement to the body of scientific literature by compiling original data on the monitoring of plastic pollution in aquatic environments using remote sensing technology, which can function as a cost saving method for water pollution and risk management in developing nations. This article provides a profound analysis of plastic pollution, including its categories, sources, distribution, chemical properties, and potential risks. It also provides an in-depth review of remote sensing technologies, satellite-derived indices, and research trends related to their applicability. Additionally, the study clarifies the difficulties in using remote sensing technologies for aquatic plastic monitoring and practical ways to reduce aquatic plastic pollution. The study will improve the understanding of aquatic plastic pollution, health hazards, and the suitability of remote sensing technology for aquatic plastic contamination monitoring studies among researchers and interested parties.

Urban community gardens are valued for promoting sustainable food production, yet the accumulation of toxic heavy metals in city soils can present both ecological and public health risks. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing the environmental and health risks of toxic heavy metals in community gardens soil contaminated by an industrial fire hazard in New Brunswick, Canada. Both top and subsoil soil samples were collected at Carleton community garden. The collected samples were examined for toxic heavy metals using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Ecological risks were evaluated through the ecological risk factor and the potential ecological risk index, while human health risks were determined using a standard human health risk assessment approach. The mean concentration of Pb, Zn, Cu, and Sn exceeded permissible limits when compared to the Canadian soil quality guidelines and upper continental crust values. Findings from the ecological risk assessment showed that all metals were associated with low risk, except for nickel, which posed a high ecological risk across both soil layers. PERI results revealed a low overall ecological threat. The human health risk analysis indicated that children could face non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks from As exposure, while adults were not at risk from any of the studied metals. These findings identify arsenic as the primary contaminant of concern, with children representing the most vulnerable population, emphasizing the necessity for targeted mitigation strategies and protective measures to reduce their exposure. The results of this study can inform interventions aimed at safeguarding both environmental and public health, while also raising awareness about the presence and risks of toxic heavy metals, ultimately contributing to the protection of human health and the broader ecosystem.