An The Huynh

Household food waste (FW) is a major biodegradable fraction of municipal solid waste and represents a potential feedstock for decentralized compost production. This study evaluated the feasibility of converting household FW into compost through laboratory-scale composting and compared six mixing...

This study evaluates the potential of calcined oyster and clam shells as low-cost materials for the removal of heavy metal ions Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+ in aqueous solutions. The materials were collected, cleaned, and calcined at 700 °C to produce carbon monoxide (CaO)-rich materials. Material...

Heavy metal contamination of agricultural soils, particularly cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), poses a serious threat to ecosystem integrity and food safety in rapidly urbanizing regions. This study evaluated the growth response, biomass production, metal accumulation, and translocation behavior of Ageratum conyzoides L. under varying Cd and Pb concentrations using a controlled pot experiment. Soil was amended with Cd and Pb at levels ranging from 0 to 800 mg/kg, and plant growth parameters, biomass distribution, metal uptake, bioconcentration factor (BCF), and translocation factor (TF) were systematically assessed after 60 days. The results showed that increasing Cd and Pb concentrations significantly inhibited plant growth and biomass production, particularly at higher contamination levels; however, Ageratum conyzoides L. maintained survival and metal uptake capacity throughout the experiment. Metal accumulation in plant tissues increased proportionally with soil contamination, with more than 80% of total Cd and Pb preferentially allocated to aboveground parts. Although BCF values for both metals were consistently below unity, TF values exceeded 1 across all treatments, indicating efficient root-to-shoot translocation. Specifically, 76.83 - 84.96 % of the accumulated Cd and Pb was partitioned into aboveground biomass, with translocation factor (TF) values ranging from 3.316 to 6.088 across all treatments. These findings suggest that Ageratum conyzoides L. exhibits a translocation-dominated accumulation strategy and holds considerable potential for phytoextraction of Cd- and Pb-contaminated soils, particularly under low to moderate pollution conditions.

This study aimed to evaluate the treatment performance of a compact integrated Anoxic–Aerotank–Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) system designed for decentralized domestic wastewater treatment in a university campus environment. The experimental system was installed at Thu Dau Mot University...

Air quality assessment plays a crucial role in environmental management, particularly in rapidly industrializing and urbanizing regions such as zone 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This study evaluates air quality at ten traffic monitoring stations across zone 2, Ho Chi Minh City during 2024 using the Vietnam Air Quality Index (AQI-VN) in combination with Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis. Monthly AQI values were calculated based on six key pollutants (PM _2.5 , PM ₁₀ , NO ₂ , SO ₂ , CO, and O ₃ ) following national standards (QCVN 05:2023/BTNMT). The results showed that most monitoring sites recorded air quality levels classified as ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate.’ However, stations located near high-traffic roads such as My Phuoc–Tan Van Road (GT7) and Ring Road 4 (GT10) occasionally reached ‘Unhealthy’ levels due to vehicle emissions and industrial dust. GIS was applied to visually represent and analyze the spatial distribution of AQI values at traffic monitoring stations, highlighting locations with relatively higher pollution levels. The study also proposed several measures to improve air quality, including expanding green infrastructure, promoting public transportation, implementing stricter emission control policies, and integrating clean energy technologies. The findings highlight the effectiveness of combining AQI-VN with GIS as a comprehensive approach to monitor, analyze, and manage air pollution, contributing to the sustainable development goals and Vietnam’s carbon neutrality target by 2050.

The development of effective and environmentally friendly bacterial attachment media remains a challenge in aquaculture wastewater treatment, particularly for systems with high organic loading such as Clarias macrocephalus ponds. In this study, a bentonite–acrylic acid hydrogel was synthesized by gamma irradiation and evaluated as a bacterial attachment medium for aquaculture wastewater treatment. The effects of composition ratio and irradiation dose on gel‐forming ability, swelling behavior, and solubility were investigated to determine optimal preparation conditions. The hydrogel prepared at a bentonite‐to‐acrylic acid ratio of 10:1 (g/mL) and an irradiation dose of 25 kGy exhibited favorable gel properties and structural stability, making it suitable for bacterial immobilization. Two bacterial strains (B4 and B5) demonstrated strong adhesion to the attachment media and stable immobilization behavior. When applied to wastewater treatment, the combined system achieved high removal efficiencies of 99.44% COD, 99.40% BOD₅, 93.20% TP, 98.14% ammonia, 88.39% SS, and 85.21% color meeting the discharge limits of Vietnamese standards. These results indicate that the bentonite–acrylic acid hydrogel synthesized by irradiation is a promising attachment medium for enhancing biological treatment efficiency in aquaculture wastewater systems.

Water pollution is considered a concerning issue in both Vietnam and the world. The cause contributing to water pollution is the impact of animal slaughter activities. Slaughterhouses discharge a large amount of untreated wastewater into the surrounding environment, causing significant degradation of the water environment as well as human health problems. Therefore, it is necessary to treat wastewater from slaughterhouses before discharging it into water sources. The objectives of the study were to determine the quality of wastewater from pork slaughterhouses in Binh Duong and evaluate the effectiveness of a vertical flow constructed wetland combined with a coconut fiber filter for treating this wastewater through the parameters of pH, suspended solid (SS), biology oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), colors, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total coliform. The constructed wetland was made of gravel and sand with vertical flow. Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides (Linn) Nash) was used as the macrophyte. The results showed that, except for pH, all other parameters surveyed from the pork slaughterhouses exceeded the standards QCVN 40:2011/BTNMT (column B). It was observed that increasing the retention time of treatment in the constructed wetland caused an increase in the removal efficiency. The maximum removal efficiency of the treatment system for the parameters SS, BOD5, COD, colors, TN, TP, and total coliform was 96,21%, 83,21%, 89,53%, 95,70%, 81,99%, 97,72%, and 99,99%, respectively. It can be concluded that the combination of a constructed wetland and a coconut fiber filter performed well for the treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater.

This study assessed heavy metal contamination and ecological risk in the sediments of the Dong Nai River section flowing through Binh Duong Province, Vietnam. Four monitoring stations (DN1, DN2, DN3, DN4) were established to analyze the concentrations of heavy metals, including arsenic (As), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr). The results indicated that the concentrations of heavy metals were generally low and within acceptable limits established by Vietnam national standards (QCVN 43:2012/BTNMT). Notably, chromium and arsenic exhibited the highest concentrations among the metals analyzed. The Degree of Contamination (Cd) across the sampling sites ranged from 1.48 to 1.64, indicating a low level of overall sediment contamination. Correspondingly, the Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI) values ranged from 5.23 to 6.73, reflecting low ecological risk levels across all monitoring stations. These findings suggest that while the current sediment quality in this section of the Dong Nai River is stable, ongoing monitoring is essential to prevent potential risks associated with heavy metal accumulation, particularly for chromium and arsenic. The study underscores the importance of proactive environmental management to safeguard the aquatic ecosystem against future contamination threats.

This study aimed to assess the capacity of Bidens pilosa L. to absorb heavy metals, specifically arsenic (As) and lead (Pb), in contaminated soil environments, with the goal of laying a foundation for applying phytoremediation techniques to remediate agricultural soils polluted with heavy metals in Vietnam. The findings indicate that B. pilosa L. can thrive in soils contaminated with heavy metals at concentrations up to 700 mg/kg. Additionally, the absorption rates in the roots, stems, and leaves of B. pilosa L. were substantial. At a concentration of 700 mg/kg As, the absorption rates were 66.53% in roots, 20.45% in stems, and 13.03% in leaves. For Pb, at the same concentration, the absorption was 64.41% in roots, 21.27% in stems, and 14.32% in leaves. Moreover, the bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF) further support the plant's potential. The BCF for As decreased from 0.123 at 0 mg/kg to 0.023 at 700 mg/kg, while the BCF for Pb showed a similar trend, ranging from 0.017 to 0.023 across increasing concentrations. The TF for As dropped from 1.202 at 100 mg/kg to 0.503 at 700 mg/kg, while the TF for Pb ranged from 0.959 to 0.552, indicating limited translocation of metals from roots to aerial parts at higher contamination levels. These results suggest that B. pilosa L. is a promising candidate for phytoremediation of soils contaminated with arsenic and lead, thanks to its ability to accumulate these metals predominantly in its roots, thereby limiting their movement to stems and leaves.

The Song Be River is a vital water source in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam, playing a crucial role in supplying water for domestic use and agriculture, as well as supporting local ecosystems. However, due to the recent rapid economic and industrial growth, the river’s water quality has encountered significant challenges, particularly from the improper discharge of untreated wastewater from various sources and activities. This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of the Song Be River’s water quality by employing the Water Quality Index (WQI) in conjunction with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. Subsequently, several strategies are also proposed to effectively manage and enhance the water quality of the Song Be River. Over the period from March 2023 to March 2024, 52 samples were collected from four monitoring points (SB1, SB2, SB3, and SB4) along the Song Be River, with a frequency of once per month. All analytical parameters (such as NH₄ ⁺_N: 0.01–0.61 mg l⁻¹, NO₂ ⁻_N: 0.014–0.03 mg l⁻¹, Fe: 0.01–0.81 mg l⁻¹, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD): 4–26 mg l⁻¹, Dessolved Oxygen (DO): 3.8–6.6 mg l⁻¹, Suspendid Solids (SS): 5–69 mg l⁻¹, Coliform: 1200–4300 MPN/100 ml, Total phosphorous: 0.01–0.08 mg l⁻¹ and Total nitrogen: 1.16–4.5 mg l⁻¹) fell within the permissible limits according to the Vietnamese National Standards. Furthermore, the WQI ranged from 73 to 100, indicating that the water quality of The Song Be River is good and suitable for domestic use.