Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging threat to public health worldwide. A significant evidence has suggested that the knowledge and attitude trends among the community, pharmacists and physicians can play a critical role in managing the ever increasing threat of AMR. A cross-sectional survey was performed using three specific self-administered questionnaires for community members, pharmacists/pharmacy owners and physicians on a randomly selected sample population of 473, 424 and 308 respectively. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression and Pearson chi-square tests were performed during data analysis. A response rate of 81.2% (n = 385), 37.7% (n = 160) and 53.9% (n = 166) was achieved for general community, pharmacists/pharmacy owners and physicians respectively. More than half of the community participants (55.6%; n = 214) possess poor knowledge of AMR. Furthermore, knowledge and attitude of the community participants were also found to be significantly correlated (r2 = 0.02) with each other. In 90.6% (n = 145) of the pharmacies included in the survey, a qualified pharmacist was not present at the time of the operations. Only 36.9% physicians (n = 60) knew about the environmental route of dissemination of AMR. Majority of the physicians agreed that AMR is a global problem and also recognize the need for initiating AMR stewardship programs. Our study will provide effective assessment and potential insights in designing tri-faceted interventions for rationalizing antibiotics consumption thus controlling the development and dissemination of AMR.

Adopting agroforestry practices in many developing countries is essential to combat climate change and diversify farm incomes. This study investigated the above and below-ground biomass and soil carbon of a citrus-based intercropping system in six sites (subdivisions: Bhalwal, Kot Momin, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Shahpur and Silanwali) of District Sargodha, Southeast Pakistan. Tree biomass production and carbon were assessed by allometric equations through a non-destructive approach whereas, soil carbon was estimated at 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm depths. Above and below-ground biomass differed significantly, and the maximum mean values (16.61 Mg ha⁻¹ & 4.82 Mg ha⁻¹) were computed in Shahpur due to greater tree basal diameter. Tree carbon stock fluctuated from 6.98 Mg C ha⁻¹ to 10.28 Mg C ha⁻¹ among selected study sites. The surface soil (0–15 cm) had greater bulk density, organic carbon, and soil carbon stock than the subsoil (15–30 cm) in the whole study area. The total carbon stock of the ecosystem ranged from 25.07 Mg C ha⁻¹ to 34.50 Mg C ha⁻¹ across all study sites, respectively. The above findings enable us to better understand and predict the carbon storage potential of fruit-based agroforestry systems like citrus. Moreover, measuring carbon with simple techniques can produce trustworthy outcomes that enhance the participation of underdeveloped nations in several payment initiatives such as REDD+.

Industrial wastewater management remains a critical barrier to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) in many developing countries, where regulatory frameworks exist but affordable and scalable treatment solutions are lacking. In Pakistan, the textile sector is a leading polluter, with untreated effluents routinely discharged into rivers and agricultural lands despite stringent National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS). This study presents a pilot-scale case from Faisalabad’s Khurrianwala industrial zone, where a decentralized, nature-based bioreactor was piloted to bridge the gap between policy and practice. The system integrates four treatment stages—anaerobic digestion (AD), floating treatment wetland (FTW), constructed wetland (CW), and sand filtration (SF)—and was further intensified via nutrient amendment, aeration, and bioaugmentation with three locally isolated bacterial strains (Acinetobacter junii NT-15, Pseudomonas indoloxydans NT-38, and Rhodococcus sp. NT-39). The fully intensified configuration achieved substantial reductions in total dissolved solids (TDS) (46%), total suspended solids (TSS) (51%), chemical oxygen demand (COD) (91%), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) (94%), nutrients, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) (86%), sulfate (26%), and chloride (41%). It also removed 95% iron (Fe), 87% cadmium (Cd), 57% lead (Pb), and 50% copper (Cu) from the effluent. The bacterial inoculants persist in the system and colonize the plant roots, contributing to stable bioremediation. The treated effluent met the national environmental quality standards (NEQS) discharge limits, confirming the system’s regulatory and ecological viability. This case study demonstrates how nature-based systems, when scientifically intensified, can deliver high-performance wastewater treatment in industrial zones with limited infrastructure—offering a replicable model for sustainable, SDG-aligned pollution control in the Global South.

Introduction: Soil salinization constrains maize productivity by elevating osmotic stress, disturbing nutrient homeostasis, and intensifying oxidative injury. In this study, we developed a green nano-biochar approach by synthesizing zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) from Coriandrum sativum leaf extract and combining them with walnut shell biochar (BC) to form a composite soil amendment, which may increase the nutrients (N, P, K) and increase plant antioxidant defenses in saline soil. Material and methods: ZnO NPs were verified as crystalline ZnO with wurtzite structure and nanoscale morphology using Scanning Electron Microscopy – Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). A factorial pot experiment (15 days) was conducted in moderately (S-1; 4–5 dS m ^-1 ) and highly saline (S-2; 9–10 dS m ^-1 ) soils to compare ZnO NPs, BC, and composite against the unamended control. Results and discussion: Additionally, maize plants treated with the composite demonstrated improved morphological traits, including a 43% increase in shoot, 41% higher total chlorophyll content, and a 28% increase in antioxidant enzyme activity. Stress diagnostics further showed improved membrane stability, with lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) burdens and reduced peroxidation and EC under saline conditions. Across both salinity levels, the composite consistently outperformed single amendments, underscoring the value of integrating ionic buffering with micronutrient delivery. By coupling plant extract synthesis and valorization of walnut residues, this study offers a resource-efficient alternative to conventional salinity management and offers a promising approach for potential crop productivity and soil health in saline-affected agricultural lands. However, studies should be done on the large scale in experimental fields.

This study investigated the potential of microbial-assisted phytoremediation using Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) to reduce heavy metal and salinity pollution in produced water collected from Aadi Oil Field in Gujar Khan, Pakistan. Produced water was analyzed for physicochemical parameters and heavy metal content using Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) to establish baseline data. E. crassipes plants augmented with indigenous, contaminant-tolerant microbial isolates were employed in a 15-day laboratory experiment. The results showed a resilient growth response, with plant height increasing to approximately 11–15 cm and root length extending up to 10–13 cm across treatments. Biomass also improved, with wet weights reaching 21–24 g from an initial 20 g. The treatment effectively reduced key physicochemical parameters: pH was stabilized from an initial alkaline value of 9.14 to near-neutral values (7.0–7.5), and total dissolved solids (TDSs) were reduced by approximately 50%. Heavy metal removal rates varied, with the highest efficiency of 79.2% for Silver (Ag) and the lowest (18.5%) for Mercury (Hg) This study demonstrates that E. crassipes actively participated in phytoremediation by absorbing and accumulating heavy metals and reducing salinity. The association with contaminant-tolerant microbes appeared to enhance the plant’s tolerance and overall treatment efficacy, indicating that plant–microbe interactions offer a sustainable strategy for the treatment of produced water.

Soil contamination with phthalate esters (PAEs), particularly in e-waste-impacted regions, poses serious threats to crop productivity, soil health, and environmental sustainability. This study investigates the effectiveness of coconut shell biochar (BC) and zinc-modified biochar (Zn-BC) in mitigating PAE accumulation, improving wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth, and restoring soil fertility in contaminated soils. Characterization analyses revealed that Zn-BC possessed enhanced surface functionality, crystallinity, and elemental composition, favoring greater adsorption potential. Batch adsorption experiments demonstrated that Zn-BC exhibited higher equilibrium adsorption capacities for DMP (23.9 mg/g) and DBP (26.6 mg/g), following pseudo-second-order kinetics. Zn-BC significantly improved plant growth parameters including shoot height, root length, and biomass compared to unamended soil in a pot experiment. Post-harvest soil analysis showed increased pH (6.6), CEC (18.3 cmolc/kg), TOC (1.85%), and microbial biomass carbon (320 mg/kg) under Zn-BC treatment. Enzymatic activities such as dehydrogenase (45.2 µg TPF/g/d) and phosphatase (58.6 µg PNP/g/h) also improved markedly, indicating restored biological activity. These findings highlight the potential of Zn-BC as a sustainable amendment for remediating phthalate-contaminated soils and improving crop health under environmental stress conditions.