Air pollution is a serious public health issue in Pakistan’s metropolitan cities, including Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi. Pakistan’s urban areas are vulnerable due to air pollution drivers such as industrial activities, vehicular emissions, burning processes, emissions from brick kilns, urbanization, and other human activities that have resulted in significant human health issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of air pollutants and smog, as well as their causes and effects on human health. The PRISMA technique was used to assess the impact of environmental contaminants on human health. This study looked at air pollution sources and pollutants such as PM_2.5, PM₁₀, CO₂, CO, SO_X, and NO_x from waste combustion and agriculture. The population included people of all ages and sexes from both urban and rural areas of Pakistan. Data were retrieved and analyzed using SRDR⁺ software and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. The data suggested that Karachi and Lahore had the highest levels of air pollution and disease prevalence, which were attributed to heavy industrial activity and traffic emissions. Smog was a serious concern in Lahore during winter, contributing to the spread of several diseases. Other cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Jhang, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Kallar Kahar, were impacted by agricultural operations, industrial pollutants, brick kilns, and urbanization. Due to these drivers of air pollution, some diseases such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases had notably higher incidences in these cities. Other diseases were connected with air pollution exposure, asthma, eye and throat problems, allergies, lung cancer, morbidities, and mortalities. To reduce air pollution’s health effects, policies should focus on reducing emissions, supporting cleaner technologies, and increasing air quality monitoring.

Current investigation has for the first time utilized Trichocomaceae fungi i.e. Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus flavus and Pencillium i.e. Penicillium chrysogenum for augmenting the phytoremediation potential of bioenergy crops wheat (Zea mays) and ‎ sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Phytoremediation was done for mitigation of heavy metals i.e. Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) from contaminated soils of agricultural significance. Phytoremediant crops were inoculated with fungal cultures by three methods i.e. mixing method, seed inoculation method and layering spreading method. Maize and sunflower plants after fungal inoculation were harvested after 60 days of germination. The estimation of % biomass and bioenergy of maize and sunflower plants was done. Results were indicative of the good phytoremediation potential of roots and shoots for uptake of heavy metals i.e. Cr<Cu<Pb<Cd in the presence of Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus flavus by fungal inoculation methods. Sunflower and fungal inoculum of Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium chrysogenum extracted significant quantity of metals from the soil. By three fungal inoculation methods, range of % production of biomass was 84−87% and sunflower plants dry biomass 9.6 g yielded 0.16% of oil. Obtained results are have favored the use of fungal inoculation as an effective mode for phytoremediation augmentation of maize and sunflower. Furthermore, current work also signifies the sustainable conversion of bioenergy crops to biofuel production in a cost effective mode.

This study investigates the biodegradation potential of two fungal strains, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma harzianum, on polyethylene plastic bags, addressing the environmental challenges posed by the resistance of the plastic material to degradation. The fungi were cultivated, and their spore suspensions were tested for polyethylene degradation in both the soil and liquid salt media. Degradation was assessed using weight loss measurements, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After one month in liquid medium, A. niger induced a 45.62 ± 0.21% weight loss of polyethylene, while T. harzianum achieved a 36.0 ± 0.21% weight reduction. In soil, weight losses of 9.09 ± 0.08% and 10.00 ± 0.18% were observed after two months, respectively. TGA confirmed that the fungus-treated polyethylene samples were less thermally stable than untreated controls, indicating successful biodegradation. FTIR analysis revealed structural changes in the degraded polyethylene, while SEM images demonstrated significant surface alterations, including pitting, roughening, cracks, holes, and fungal colonization. These findings confirm the enzymatic action of fungi in degrading polyethylene into monomeric forms. The study highlights the potential for fungal biodegradation as an environmentally friendly strategy to mitigate plastic pollution. Future studies should characterize the specific enzymes involved and explore genetic engineering to enhance degradation rates.

Dependence on the exhaustible fossil fuels exhibited the urgent need for development of alternative energy production based on green chemistry methods. Biodiesel production marks a green product produced from a variety of bio-entities. Current investigation is an account of the first time exploration of the biodiesel production from the seeds of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) previously garnered at a phytoremediation site. Sunflower crop has been grown for the accumulation of heavy metals at a contaminated site, later on such plants were utilized for biodiesel production via transesterification signifying a duality in achieving purpose of environmental detoxification in addition to energy production. Biodiesel production based on the etahnolysis expressed an augmented transformation of up to 96% with simultaneously occurring inconsequential reactions occurring. The prepared biodiesel was analyzed for presence of compounds and functional group through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Furthermore, the derivation of other products e.g. ethyl oleate can find a potential utilization in the pharmaceutical industry associated with the making of drugs. Relevant and apropos upgradation of the sunflower seed oils can result in the favorable biofuels. Current research is indicative of successful use of phytoremediated crops for gaining environmental integrity and thus, future researches with other phytoremediant crops can be done and compared with the current research.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a significant fruit on global scale and is vulnerable to varied kinds of the decline disorders, subsequently leading to the immense economic loss of the mango growers in different countries. Pakistan is a renowned exporter of auspicious varieties of the mango fruit. However, the mango fruit in Pakistan is also exposed to a number of phyto-pathogens. Current work has carried out the task of the fungal species identification involved in post-harvest rotting of mango in orchards by cultural and pathological characteristics as well as molecular technique. By molecular analysis, the genetic diversity of Fusarium species (Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum) was isolated from the rotten mango fruits of the selected districts and evaluated by 5.8S and two ITS flanking regions ITS1 and ITS2 gene of rDNA. Molecular analysis facilitated the identification of the varied kinds of the isolated pathogens and also determined the relationship of various Fusarium strains involved in post-harvest diseases leading to the malconformation of mangoes. Prior to the current research, anthracnose has been reported to be the major mango rotting disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporides in Pakistan. However, the results of our work are indicative of the profound involvement of the F. solani and F. oxysporum in destroying the mango crop. Current work is indicative of the opportunist nature of the F. solani and F. oxysporum pathogens infecting post-harvest mangoes through wounds and cause injuries.