Cd-contaminated saline soil is now becoming a serious threat affecting sustainable agriculture throughout the world. In this study, organic amendments (OA) were applied to Cd-contaminated saline soils to, firstly, reduce the bioavailability of Cd in soil and, secondly, minimize Cd accumulation in red amaranth (Amaranthus gangeticus) plant. The soil was treated with 1% and 2% of cow dung (CD), vermicompost (VC), waste tea (WT), saw dust (SD), rice hull (RH), and compost. Red amaranth (Amaranthus gangeticus) plant was grown using a pot experiment in control and OA-treated soil stressed with both salinity (4 dsm−1 and 8 dSm−1) and Cd (5 mgkg−1). In slightly saline conditions (4 dSm−1), the addition of 1% CD and VC reduced the bioavailable Cd in the soil to 17.44% and 15.12%, respectively. The reduction increased to 24.42% and 25.58% with 2% rate of application in the same soil. However, in moderately saline soil (8 dSm−1), the reduction varied significantly only with the higher rate. Shoot Cd content was reduced by 85.86% using 2% VC in low saline soil. The bioconcentration factor was also lowered with the addition of CD and VC; however, the performance proved to be better in low saline soil at 2% rate of application. The health risk index (HRI) value for the adults was observed to be < 1 only when the soil with low salinity was treated with 2% VC. Consequently, VC can be used in Cd-contaminated saline soils for red amaranth cultivation to reduce risks to people’s health. 

Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) result in an estimated 1.27 million human deaths annually worldwide. Surface waters are impacted by anthropogenic factors, which contribute to the emergence and spread of ARB in the aquatic environment. While research on antibiotic resistance in surface waters has increased recently in developing nations, including Bangladesh, especially in aquaculture, such studies are still limited in Bangladesh compared to developed nations. In this study, bacteria strains isolated from three rivers and two lakes in Khulna city, Bangladesh were characterized for their antibiotic resistance using disk diffusion method. Of the 106 bacterial isolates from 180 surface water samples, the majority exhibited resistance to Ciprofloxacin (75.0-87.5%) and Ceftriaxone (65.6-78.1%), while resistance to Ampicillin was comparatively lower (9.4-18.8%). Notably, the prevalence of ARB was observed to be higher during the wet seasons compared to the dry seasons. The 16S rRNA gene analysis showed that Shigella flexneri was the most dominant (17.9%) bacterium among the ARB cultured from surface waters, followed by Escherichia fergusonii (12.5%), Proteus mirabilis (10.7%), and Enterobacter quasiroggenkampii (8.9%). At the genus level, Enterobacter (23.5%), Shigella (20.6%), and Escherichia spp. (14.7%) were the most abundant among the ARB in both river and lake samples. The findings of this study highlight the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in surface water sources and suggest the need for enhanced monitoring and improved disposal practices to mitigate potential public health risks.

Microplastics (MPs) are already regarded as a serious issue in aquatic ecosystems, posing ongoing and escalating risks to both human health and the environment. In response to these threats, this study assessed the abundance, spatial distribution, and characteristics of MPs in five coastal regions along the Bay of Bengal (BoB) coast in Bangladesh. Triplicate sediment and coastal water samples were collected from 22 sites across five coastal regions of BoB. Following pretreatment with density separation and digestion, samples were subjected to microscopic observation to identify MPs. The mean abundance accounted for 1.13 ± 0.4 items/L in water, mostly fibers (53 %), transparent in color (38 %), and ranging in size from 100 to 300 µm. Whereas, the mean abundance of MPs in sediments accounted for 519 ± 174 items/kg, also dominated in fibers (74 %), blue-colored (47 %), and ranged in size from 100 to 300 µm. FTIR analysis of MPs confirmed the presence of PET, PS, PE/PP, Nylon, HDPE/LDPE polymers. Our observations reveal that estuarine environments are more contaminated with MPs compared to beach environments. The Sundarbans region of the BoB coast has the highest load of MPs. The abundance of MPs in water and sediment suggested a linkage between the two compartments. These findings provide a thorough understanding of MPs pollution scenarios across the BoB coast of Bangladesh, highlighting the urgent need to regulate plastic usage and improve management practices to mitigate MPs pollution in coastal ecosystems.