https://ojs.wiserpub.com/index.php/EPR <p style="null;/*startdm*/background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) !important;"><em style="null;/*startdm*/background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) !important;">Environmental Protection Research (EPR) </em>offers a platform for environmentalists and researchers throughout the world to publish new findings that cover the relationships between environmental sciences and protection research. EPR aims to become a multidisciplinary journal for publication of research on the scientific aspects of environmental protection, which interfaces the prevention and control of air, water, soil, noise and other pollution.</p> <p style="null;/*startdm*/background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) !important;">Manuscripts are evaluated based on established guidelines, including novelty, significance of research, and relevant nature of the study, aiming to enrich communication in this rapidly evolving field. Original research articles and critical reviews that cover broadly relevant and generalizable research with a clear connection to the environment are mainly welcome.</p> <p style="null;/*startdm*/background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) !important;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="null;/*startdm*/background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) !important;">&nbsp;</p> Universal Wiser Publisher en-US Environmental Protection Research 2810-9325 https://ojs.wiserpub.com/index.php/EPR/article/view/4460 <p>One among the Global challenges of 21^st century is inaccessibility of clean water. In this concern, nanotechnology is rising as one of the most advanced processes for wastewater treatment having/great potential to improve water purification and decontamination efficiency. Among various types of nanomaterials, metal oxides are widely employed in wastewater remediation due to their extremely reduced particle sizes and high specific surface area. However, their limitations, such as a wide band gap and aggregation, which reduce the life time of active species responsible for pollutant degradation, as well as the health risks associated with their release into the environment, require the use of their nanocomposite form in wastewater remediation. This review will summarize efficiencies of metal oxide based nanocomposites (Graphene oxide, ZnO, AgO, TiO₂, CuO) as adsorbent, disinfectant, photocatalyst and membrane filter. It will also give a brief overview of how the wastewater treatment efficiencies of metal oxide based nanoparticles are enhanced in their nanocomposite form.</p> Sehrish Fatima Naeem Abbas Javed Iqbal Misbah Irshad Muhammad Ahazz Khan Copyright (c) 2024 Sehrish Fatima, Naeem Abbas, Javed Iqbal, Misbah Irshad, Muhammad Ahazz Khan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-08-21 2024-08-21 128 155 https://ojs.wiserpub.com/index.php/EPR/article/view/4422 <p>The generation, transmission, and distribution of power have both positive and negative effects. However, this has not been effectively assessed and documented in the study area. Hence, this research was conducted to assess the impact of power transmission and distribution activities on the levels of trace metals in soil, including <em>Telfairia occidentalis</em> (<em>T. occidentalis</em>). In this research, topsoil and <em>T. occidentalis</em> were obtained from the vicinity with high tension copper cables at Ikono, Ibiono Ibom, Itu, Uyo, and Uruan in Akwa Ibom State. Similar samples were obtained 100 m away from areas with high-tension copper cables and used as controls. The mean values (mg kg^-1) of cadmium(Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and lead (Pb) obtained in soil were 2.13 ± 1.24, 43.52 ± 9.28, 1,265.84 ± 287.33, and 27.39± 5.66, respectively. Whereas, the mean concentrations (mg kg^-1) of these metals in<em> T. occidentalis</em> were 0.17 ± 0.10, 12.98 ± 2.50, 217.81 ± 62.56, and 1.47 ± 1.40, respectively. The results obtained revealed that the mean concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Fe in soil were higher than their recommended safe limits, while the mean concentrations of Cu, Fe, and Pb in <em>T. occidentalis</em> exceeded the limits. The results indicated that the mean concentrations of all metals in the impacted soils were higher than in the control plot for both soil and <em>T. occidentalis</em>. Pollution models employed showed that soils and <em>T. occidentalis</em> from the studied locations were highly impacted by metals originating mainly from power transmission and distribution activities. The estimated daily intake rate of all the metals through soils and <em>T. occidentalis</em> was investigated for the children and adult groups within their recommended oral reference doses except for Cd. The non-cancerous risks for the children and adult groups for both soil and <em>T. occidentalis</em> were less than than 1 mg kg^-1 day^-1. However, the children’s class was more susceptible. Cancer risks for both the children and adult groups via soil and <em>T. occidentalis</em> were within the acceptable limit, but the entire cancer risk for the children via <em>T. occidentalis</em> from the Uyo vicinity was higher than the safe limit. This study revealed the effects of power transmission and distribution activities on the metal loads in soil and <em>T. occidentalis</em> and the related human health problems. Consequently, consistent exposure to soil particles impacted by high-tension cables and the cultivation of edible plants under high-tension cables should be avoided.</p> Godwin Asukwo Ebong Idongesit Bassey Anweting Inemesit Ndarake Bassey Edidiong Emmanuel Ikpe Copyright (c) 2024 Godwin Asukwo Ebong, Idongesit Bassey Anweting, Inemesit Ndarake Bassey, Edidiong Emmanuel Ikpe https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2024-07-24 2024-07-24 104 127 10.37256/epr.4220244422