The rise in the production, utilization and disposal of mobile phones has created a global concern for environmental sustainability. In the present research, environmental impact evaluation for the different life stages of mobile phones was performed using the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. The study was focused mainly on raw materials extraction and network utilization phase as these two stages are responsible for creating most of the environmental pollution and health hazards. A comparative life cycle assessment was performed to evaluate impacts associated with button- and touch types mobile phones. IMPACT 2002 + ® method was considered to evaluate the environmental impacts. Fifteen mid-point and four damage assessment categories were evaluated. The production phase is the major emission contributing stage to human health, ecosystem quality, climate change and resources categories followed by its utilization phase. Printed circuit board manufacturing contributes to the emission in production phase while electricity consumption in utilization phase. Avoidance of virgin material for the production of mobile phones and its charging is identified as key parameters for improving the environmental performance. © The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Iranian Society of Environmentalists (IRSEN) and Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University 2024.

Rare earth elements (REEs) play a vital role in digitalization and industrialization. Naturally occurring in bastnasite, monazite, and xenotime, REEs are primarily concentrated in China, Australia, and the USA, leading to dependence on secondary sources. Recycling REEs from industrial waste such as E-waste, wastewater, red mud, slag, and fly ash offers a sustainable, low-emission, and energy-efficient solution. Advanced methods, including bio-metallurgy, have optimized recovery, achieving 80–95% efficiency for elements like Yttrium, Cerium, Neodymium, and Thorium. However, improper handling of secondary REE resources poses environmental and health risks. This study comprehensively explores REEs’ role in sustainable industrial growth, evaluating traditional and advanced recycling technologies. It also assesses the ecotoxicological impacts of REEs and emphasizes safety measures. Additionally, the review highlights circular economy strategies for sustainable development, addressing environmental challenges while promoting efficient resource utilization. © 2025 The Authors

Electronic waste (E-waste) is a critical challenge of today's period, with around 57 million tons generated in 2021, of which only about 9 million tons were properly recycled, E-waste tends to affect the globe with issue like, illegal recycling, improper landfill disposal, illicit exports and others. Addressing this issue requires sustained, well-structured efforts, with effective policy interventions which are key towards reducing E-waste, by providing a framework for minimizing its generation and safeguarding the environment. These policies can ensure proper disposal methods, public awareness, device repair and refurbishment, and recycling rates with E-waste management monetizing the efforts of E-waste management startups. The study examines innovative E-waste policies across various countries which includes Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), WEEE directives, regional laws, and State level laws, highlighting successful strategies such as incentivized recycling programs and stricter regulations on hazardous materials. The aim of the paper is to update information with an emphasis on global trends of E-waste, emphasizing the importance of robust policies in reducing environmental harm and lowering the cost of new electronics through efficient recycling. © 2024

Ionic liquids (ILs) are next generation solvents which are synthesized by organic salts, possess negligible vapour pressure and have low flammability. They possess high thermal and electrochemical stability, can be reused for multiple cycles, and its properties can be tuned according to the components used in its synthesis. Hence, ILs are considered to be potential alternatives for the conventional organic solvents for numerous applications such as environmental remediation, nanoparticles synthesis, as catalysts in various chemical reactions, as solvents for the extraction of biomolecules from recalcitrant lignocellulosic biomass, etc. In this review article, the holistic approach of ILs starting from various techniques adopted for its synthesis along with its critical review has been discussed followed by detailed discussion on the mechanism involved for the remediation of environmental pollutants using ILs. Further, in depth documentation of various environmental pollutants remediated till date using ILs has been done. One of the major drawbacks of solvents application is the reusability factor, and hence in this review article, techniques adopted to recycle/reuse of ILs has been discussed. Further, the adverse effect of using ILs for environmental remediation has been comprehensively discussed to present a holistic view. Future studies should focus on synthesis of environment friendly ILs and their field-scale applications for environmental remediation. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Water pollution stands as a critical worldwide concern, bearing extensive repercussions that extend to human health and the natural ecosystem. The sources of water pollution can be diverse, arising from natural processes and human activities and the pollutants may range from chemical and biological agents to physical and radiological contaminants. The contamination of water disrupts the natural functioning of the system, leading to both immediate and prolonged health problems. Various technologies and procedures, ranging from conventional to advanced, have been developed to eliminate water impurities, with the choice depending on the type and level of contamination. Assessing risks is a crucial element in guaranteeing the safety of drinking water. Till now, research is continuing the removal of contaminates for the sake of supplying safe drinking water. The study examined physical, inorganic, organic, biological and radiological contaminants in drinking water. It looked at where these contaminants come from, their characteristics, the impact they have and successful methods used in real-world situations to clean the contaminated water. Risk assessment methodologies associated with the use of unsafe drinking water as future directives are also taken into consideration in the present study for the benefit of public concern. The manuscript introduces a comprehensive study on water pollution, focusing on assessing and mitigating risks associated with physical, inorganic, organic, biological and radiological contaminants in drinking water, with a novel emphasis on future directives and sustainable solutions for public safety. © 2024, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

The increasing amount of waste globally has led to a rise in the use of landfills, causing more pollutants to be released through landfill leachate. This leachate is a harmful mix formed from various types of waste at a specific site, and careful disposal is crucial to prevent harm to the environment. Understanding the physical and chemical properties, age differences, and types of landfills is essential to grasp how landfill leachate behaves in the environment. The use of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in managing leachate is noticeable, as applying these goals directly is crucial in reducing the negative effects of landfill leachate. This detailed review explores the origin of landfill leachate, its characteristics, global classification by age, composition analysis, consequences of mismanagement, and the important role of SDGs in achieving sustainable landfill leachate management. The aim is to provide a perspective on the various aspects of landfill leachate, covering its origin, key features, global distribution, environmental impacts from poor management, and importance of SDGs which can guide for sustainable mitigation within a concise framework. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs), a novel category of environmentally friendly solvents has emerged recently. The extraction of metals through hydrometallurgy has gained significant importance due to the rise in metal demand. The escalating release of metal-related waste not only raises concerns about human health and environment, but also expedites the depletion of natural metal reservoirs. Conventional solvents used in these techniques frequently have harsh characteristics that could result in human health hazard, and the environmental deterioration. It is vital to use greener solvents to make these separation procedures sustainable and cleaner. This surge in interest is primarily propelled by the shorter lifecycles of electronics higher consumption rates. E-waste, categorized as hazardous material, can have detrimental environmental consequences if not collected and recycled properly. Hydrophilic DESs offer a potential solution for metal leaching and have the capacity to replace mineral acids, thereby potentially reducing water usage. Effective and targeted extraction of metals from minerals or waste materials becomes feasible with the use of DESs. This review encompasses an elucidation of DESs and their characteristics, coupled with a foundational exploration of their utility as an alternative medium for conducting metal separation from diverse sources. Also, an overview of recent literature is presented, highlighting the application of DESs in metal separation, detection, and recovery efforts. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Technological innovations and the rapid growth of the electronics industry have led to the proliferation of electronic waste (e-waste), including obsolete refrigerators, washing machines, mobile phones, computers, printers, televisions, and other appliances. © Capital Publishing Company, New Delhi, India 2024.

Rapid advancement in technology, especially the production of electrical and electronic equipment has resulted in a new stream of waste known as electrical and electronic waste (E-waste) making it the fastest-growing waste stream in recent times. © Capital Publishing Company, New Delhi, India 2024.

While a large number of organisms are involved in the degradation of solid waste, microbes or microorganisms constitute the biggest group. © Capital Publishing Company, New Delhi, India 2024.

In twenty-first century, the world has become dependent and addicted to electronic gadgets like mobile phones, laptops, tablets, etc. The increased use of gadgets has led to a huge generation of E-waste (Electrical and electronic waste). Therefore, management of E-waste has become a major concern at the global level. Life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluates and quantifies the environmental impact of an electronic product from its rawmaterial till its disposal. The techno-economic analysis (TEA) recognizes the technical modifications to overwhelm existing obstacles in commercial E-waste recycling units. The present chapter deals with the LCA and techno-economic analysis of E-waste recycling. This “Lifecycle Evaluation” (combination of LCA and TEA) would help in understanding the environmental and social impacts, which would facilitate the E-waste recycling processes. This approach would prove to be an important tool in developing E-waste management schemes in a sustainable way. © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons Inc All rights reserved.

Bioremediation can help reduce and remove the pollution we produce, to provide clean air, water, and healthy soils for future generations. Pollution damages our health and the environment, affecting wildlife and the sustainability of our planet, as summarised in our policy briefing on food security. Under controlled conditions, bioremediation is the process of biologically degrading organic wastes, typically to a state of innocuousness or to concentration levels that remain within particular concentration limits set forth by the controlling authority. In bioremediation, it is possible to do it either ex situ or in situ, depending on a number of factors, such as the type and concentration of pollutants, cost, and/or site characteristics. As a result, ex situ is generally more expensive than in situ, since excavation results in additional expenses. Biological processes are the most effective and economical way to remediate a polluted site. Though bioremediation is not a new technique, our understanding of the mechanisms behind it is growing, enabling us to use it more effectively. Frequently, bioremediation uses fewer resources and less energy than conventional technologies and doesn't produce waste products that can be hazardous bioremediation has both technical and cost advantages, though it can sometimes take longer to complete than traditional methods. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Pratibha Gautam, Vineet Kumar and Sunil Kumar; individual chapters, the contributors.

Since the enactment of the Clean Water Act (1972), which was supplemented by increased accountability under Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle D (1991) and the Clean Air Act Amendments (1996), landfills have indeed been widely used all around the world for treating various wastes. The landfill's biological and biogeochemical processes are believed to be originated about 2 to 4 decades ago. Scopus and web of Science based bibliometric study reveals that there are few papers available in scientific domain. Further, till today not a single paper demonstrated the detailed landfills heterogenicity, chemistry and microbiological processes and their associated dynamics in a combined approach. Accordingly, the paper addresses the recent applications of cutting-edge biogeochemical and biological methods adopted by different countries to sketch an emerging perspective of landfill biological and biogeochemical reactions and dynamics. Additionally, the significance of several regulatory factors controlling the landfill's biogeochemical and biological processes is highlighted. Finally, this article emphasizes the future opportunities for integrating advanced techniques to explain landfill chemistry explicitly. In conclusion, this paper will provide a comprehensive vision of the diverse dimensions of landfill biological and biogeochemical reactions and dynamics to the scientific world and policymakers. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from a variety of sources, such as transportation, fossil fuel burning, and cement manufacturing facilities, are widely regarded to be the root cause of global warming. The rising CO2 levels call for immediate improvements in CO2 capture, extraction, and utilization technology. Methods for capturing and converting CO2 into useful products have included the use of microbial enzymes, nonporous materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), chemicals, and hybrid membranes. However, these methods possess limitations that make the scale up and commercialization challenging. Scientists are concentrating on maximizing CO2 utilization by incorporating CO2-philic components into enzyme-chemical-material combinations, due to the high solubility of CO2. Here, the focus is on the chemistry of CO2-phillic materials, enzymes and biomolecules engaged in CO2 conversion, and the hybrid micro-reactors that contain material and enzymes integrating together to convert the CO2 into value-added products (organic acids, bioelectricity, carbonates, carbamates, methane, methanol, etc.). The difficulties and obstacles inherent in creating and sustaining such systems have also been highlighted. © 2023

Face masks, a prime component of personal protective equipment (PPE) items, have become an integral part of human beings to survive under the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation. The global population requires an estimated 130 billion face masks and 64 billion gloves/month, while the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the daily disposal of approximately 3.5 billion single-use face masks, resulting in a staggering 14,245,230.63 kg of face mask waste. The improper disposal of face mask wastes followed by its mismanagement is a challenge to the scientists as the wastes create pollution leading to environmental degradation, especially plastic pollution (macro/meso/micro/nano). Each year, an estimated 0.15–0.39 million tons of COVID-19 face mask waste, along with 173,000 microfibers released daily from discarded surgical masks, could enter the marine environment, while used masks have a significantly higher microplastic release capacity (1246.62 ± 403.50 particles/piece) compared to new masks (183.00 ± 78.42 particles/piece). Surgical face masks emit around 59 g CO2-eq greenhouse gas emissions per single use, cloth face masks emit approximately 60 g CO2-eq/single mask, and inhaling or ingesting microplastics (MPs) caused adverse health problems including chronic inflammation, granulomas or fibrosis, DNA damage, cellular damage, oxidative stress, and cytokine secretion. The present review critically addresses the role of face masks in reducing COVID-19 infections, their distribution pattern in diverse environments, the volume of waste produced, degradation in the natural environment, and adverse impacts on different environmental segments, and proposes sustainable remediation options to tackle environmental challenges posed by disposable COVID-19 face masks. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Plastic waste is increasing rapidly due to urbanisation and globalization. In recent decades, plastic usage increased, and the upward trend is expected to continue. Only 9% of the 7 billion tonnes of plastic produced were recycled in India until 2022. India generates 1.5 million tonnes of plastic waste (PW) every year and ranks among top ten plastic producer countries. Large amount of waste plastics could harm environment and human health. The current manuscript provides a comprehensive approach for mechanical and chemical recycling methods. The technical facets of mechanical recycling relating to collection, sorting, grading, and general management to create plastic products with additional value have been elaborated in this study. Another sustainable methods aligned with the chemical recycling using pyrolysis, gasification, hydrocracking, IH2 (Integrated Hydropyrolysis 2), and KDV (Katalytische Drucklose Verolung) techniques have also been highlighted with the critical process parameters for the sustainable conversion of plastic waste to valuable products. The review also adheres to less carbon-intensive plastic degrading strategies that take a biomimetic approach using the microorganism based biodegradation. The informative aspects covering the limitations and effectiveness of all PW technologies and its applications towards plastic waste management (PWM) are also emphasized. The existing practices in PW policy guidelines along with its economic and ecological aspects have also been discussed. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.