Cost-effective Mitigation Strategies Research Articles

Medication errors and mitigation strategies in obstetric anesthesia.

Medication administration errors represent a significant yet preventable cause of patient harm in the peripartum period. Implementation of best practices contained in this manuscript can significantly reduce medication errors and associated patient harm. Cases of medication errors involving unintended intrathecal administration of tranexamic acid highlight the need to improve medication safety in peripartum patients and obstetric anesthesia. In obstetric anesthesia, medication errors can include wrong medication, dose, route, time, patient, or infusion setting. These errors are often underreported, have the potential to be catastrophic, and most can be prevented. Implementation of various types of best practice cost effective mitigation strategies include recommendations to improve drug labeling, optimize storage, determine correct medication prior to administration, use non-Luer epidural and intravenous connection ports, follow patient monitoring guidelines, use smart pumps and protocols for all infusions, disseminate medication safety educational material, and optimize staffing models. Vigilance in patient care and implementation of improved patient safety measures are urgently needed to decrease harm to mothers and newborns worldwide.

QFD-based optimization model for mitigating sustainable supply chain management adoption challenges for Bangladeshi RMG industries

In response to heightened pressures from regulatory mandates, global competition, and evolving customer expectations, industries worldwide are compelled to prioritize environmental initiatives, often at the expense of economic considerations. The research gap addressed in this study is the lack of a comprehensive, data-driven optimization model for effectively mitigating sustainable supply chain management adoption challenges specific to the Bangladeshi Readymade Garments (RMG) industry. While previous studies often relied on single techniques, this research proposes a novel AHP integrated QFD-based MILP optimization model. This innovative approach empowers Bangladeshi RMG industries to make data-driven decisions for prioritizing sustainability challenges and selecting cost-effective mitigation strategies to promote the integration of sustainability initiatives within the sector. The study identifies and prioritizes 25 sustainable supply chain management adoption challenges and proposes 16 mitigation strategies. The model emphasizes the critical interplay between sustainability performance and implementation costs, achieving a sustainability performance score of 0.4511 while effectively implementing 12 out of 16 strategies within the expected budget. The optimal solution incorporates green strategies, technology integration, and aspects of Industry 5.0, demonstrating a holistic approach to sustainable supply chain management. The findings are crucial for Bangladeshi RMG industries aiming for global market competitiveness and contribute significantly to the academic field by introducing a robust, data-driven decisions for sustainable supply chain optimization. The implications extend beyond the RMG sector, offering a replicable model for other industries and regions facing similar sustainability challenges.

Promoting sustainable solar-energy development in harmony with global threatened bird ranges

The growth of solar-energy projects has raised concerns about its potential negative impacts on biodiversity. Through a comprehensive analysis of geographic range data, we assess the potential conflict between photovoltaic development and threatened bird species worldwide. The analysis reveals that 97.4% of areas with significant solar-energy potential intersect with ranges of multiple threatened bird species, with over 17.0% of these supporting at least 10 threatened bird species. Additionally, we estimate that the adoption of biodiversity-friendly policies may entail a median cost of approximately 1.2% of a typical solar photovoltaic project’s profit margin. We propose four cost-effective mitigation strategies, offering quantitative insights to promote the adoption of a biodiversity-friendly solar-energy strategy, enhancing the sustainability of renewable projects. This study enhances our understanding of the conflict between solar-energy expansion and the preservation of threatened bird species, and it also contributes to new strategies for a more sustainable-energy future.

Efficacy of green infrastructure in reducing exposure to local, traffic-related sources of airborne particulate matter (PM)

One aim of roadside green infrastructure (GI) is to mitigate exposure to local, traffic-generated pollutants. Here, we determine the efficacy of roadside GI in improving local air quality through the deposition and/or dispersion of airborne particulate matter (PM). PM was collected on both pumped air filters and on the leaves of a recently installed ‘tredge’ (trees managed as a head-high hedge) at an open road environment next to a primary school in Manchester, U.K. The magnetic properties of PM deposited on leaves and filters (size fractions PM10 and PM2.5) were deduced from hysteresis loops, first-order reversal curves (FORCs), and low-temperature remanence measurements. These were complemented with electron microscopy to identify changes in magnetic PM concentration downwind of the tredge/GI. We show that the tredge is permeable to airflow using a simple CO2 tracer experiment; hence, it allows interception and subsequent deposition of PM on its leaves. Magnetic loadings per m3 of air from filters (PM10 saturation magnetisation, Ms, at 5 K) were reduced by 40 % behind the tredge and a further 63 % in the playground; a total reduction of 78 % compared to roadside air. For the PM2.5 fraction, the reduction in magnetic loading behind the tredge was remarkable (82 %), reflecting efficient diffusional capture of sub-5 nm Fe-oxide particles by the tredge. Some direct mixing of roadside and playground air occurs at the back of the playground, caused by air flow over, and/or through gaps in, the slowly-permeable tredge. The magnetic loading on tredge leaves increased over successive days, capturing ~23 % of local, traffic-derived PM10. Using a heuristic two-dimensional turbulent mixing model, we assess the limited dispersion of PM < 22.5 μm induced by eddies in the tredge wake. This study demonstrates that PM deposition on leaves reduces exposure significantly in this school playground setting; hence, providing a cost-effective mitigation strategy.

On-farm antimicrobial usage in commercial turkey production in the United States, 2013-2021.

A key component of antimicrobial stewardship is the ability to collect antimicrobial use data and ultimately use this information to ensure that administrations are necessary and effective. National antimicrobial sales data cannot help in this capacity because the data lack context, for example, details concerning target species and disease indication. The objective of this study was to continue the development of a system for collecting flock-level on-farm antimicrobial use data from the U.S. turkey industry and to have it be representative of national turkey production in the U.S. This study utilized a public-private partnership to enable collection and protection of sensitive flock-level data from an extremely large industry while releasing deidentified and aggregated information regarding the details of antimicrobial use on U.S. turkey farms over time. Participation was voluntary. Data were collected for the period 2013 through 2021 and are reported on a calendar year basis. Using production statistics from USDA:NASS as a denominator, the data supplied by participating companies represented approximately 67.3% of turkey production in the U.S. in 2013, approximately 69.1% in 2017, and approximately 71.4% in 2021. The data that were submitted for 2021 are based on approximately 149,000,192 turkeys slaughtered and 4,929,773,506 pounds liveweight produced. Detailed prescription records representing approximately 60-70% of the birds were available for the 2018-2021 dataset. The estimated percentage of turkey poults placed that received hatchery antimicrobials decreased from 96.9% in 2013 to 40.5% in 2021. The use of in-feed antimicrobials was practically eliminated, with in-feed tetracycline being the only medically important antimicrobial used in 2021. Use of in-feed tetracyclines decreased approximately 80% between 2013 and 2021. Water-soluble antimicrobial use declined over the study period. Between 2013 and 2021, water-soluble penicillin use decreased approximately 41% but water-soluble tetracycline use increased approximately 22%. Key diseases that were treated with water-soluble antimicrobials included bacterial poult enteritis and clostridial dermatitis. Efforts to reduce the incidence of these diseases would reduce the need for antimicrobial therapy, thereby enabling continued decreases in antimicrobial use without sacrificing animal welfare. However, this will require an investment in research to find efficacious and cost-effective mitigation strategies.

Enablers and barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake in an urban slum in Lagos, Nigeria: informing vaccine engagement strategies for the marginalized.

Vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a cost-effective mitigation strategy against the pandemic. As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more available, low uptake is now a global threat and understanding the underpinnings in local contexts is a priority for intervention development. We aimed to evaluate behavioural determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance that could inform engagement strategies to improve vaccine uptake in Makoko, an urban slum in Lagos, Nigeria. A population-based case-control study utilized the barrier analysis (BA) approach to evaluate the beliefs and behaviours of 45 'doers' and 45 'non-doers'. The standardized BA tabulation sheet was used to assess differences in the proportions between the two groups to identify significant factors that could be addressed through a behaviour change strategy. Perceived social norms (family, friend, healthcare workers) that approve the vaccine and expected vaccine protection against diseases among doers were determinants of behaviour. Perceived poor accessibility, safety concerns, lack of trust, low vaccine efficacy and low susceptibility to the infection were the most important determinants of behaviour among non-doers. Measures to improve COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Makoko should include improvement in accessibility and exposing myths and misinformation through clear, concise and evidence-based community education delivered by trusted persons such as healthcare workers and religious leaders.

Sulfate reduction accelerates groundwater arsenic contamination even in aquifers with abundant iron oxides.

Groundwater contamination by geogenic arsenic is a global problem affecting nearly 200 million people. In South and Southeast Asia, a cost-effective mitigation strategy is to use oxidized low-arsenic aquifers rather than reduced high-arsenic aquifers. Aquifers with abundant oxidized iron minerals are presumably safeguarded against immediate arsenic contamination, due to strong sorption of arsenic onto iron minerals. However, preferential pumping of low-arsenic aquifers can destabilize the boundaries between these aquifers, pulling high-arsenic water into low-arsenic aquifers. We investigate this scenario in a hybrid field-column experiment in Bangladesh where naturally high-arsenic groundwater is pumped through sediment cores from a low-arsenic aquifer, and detailed aqueous and solid-phase measurements are used to constrain reactive transport modelling. Here we show that elevated groundwater arsenic concentrations are induced by sulfate reduction and the predicted formation of highly mobile, poorly sorbing thioarsenic species. This process suggests that contamination of currently pristine aquifers with arsenic can occur up to over 1.5 times faster than previously thought, leading to a deterioration of urgently needed water resources.

Hotspots of geogenic arsenic and manganese contamination in groundwater of the floodplains in lowland Amazonia (South America)

Arsenic enrichment in groundwater resources in deltas and floodplains of large sediment-rich rivers is a worldwide natural hazard to human health. High spatial variability of arsenic concentrations in affected river basins limits cost-effective mitigation strategies. Linking the chemical composition of groundwater with the topography and fluvial geomorphology is a promising approach for predicting arsenic pollution on a regional scale. Here we correlate the distribution of arsenic contaminated wells with the fluvial dynamics in the Amazon basin. Groundwater was sampled from tube wells along the Amazon River and its main tributaries in three distinct regions in Peru and Brazil. For each sample, the major and trace element concentrations were analyzed, and the position of the well within the sedimentary structure was determined. The results show that aquifers in poorly weathered sediments deposited by sediment-rich rivers are prone to mobilization and accumulation of aqueous arsenic and manganese, both in sub-Andean foreland basins, and in floodplains downstream. Two zones at risk are distinguished: aquifers in the channel-dominated part of the floodplain (CDF) and aquifers in the overbank deposits on the less-dynamic part of the floodplain (LDF). Some 70 % of the wells located on the CDF and 20 % on the LDF tap groundwater at concentrations exceeding the WHO guideline of 10 μg/L arsenic (max. 430 μg/L), and 70 % (CDF) and 50 % (LDF) exceeded 0.4 mg/L manganese (max. 6.6 mg/L). None of the water samples located outside the actual floodplain of sediment-rich rivers, or on riverbanks of sediment-poor rivers exceed 5 μg/L As, and only 4 % exceeded 0.4 mg/L Mn. The areas of highest risk can be delineated using satellite imagery. We observe similar patterns as in affected river basins in South and Southeast Asia indicating a key role of sedimentation processes and fluvial geomorphology in priming arsenic and manganese contamination in aquifers.

Real-Time Source Apportionment of Organic Aerosols in Three European Cities.

97% of the urban population in the EU in 2019 were exposed to an annual fine particulate matter level higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines (5 μg/m3). Organic aerosol (OA) is one of the major air pollutants, and the knowledge of its sources is crucial for designing cost-effective mitigation strategies. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) on aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) or aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM) data is the most common method for source apportionment (SA) analysis on ambient OA. However, conventional PMF requires extensive human labor, preventing the implementation of SA for routine monitoring applications. This study proposes the source finder real-time (SoFi RT, Datalystica Ltd.) approach for efficient retrieval of OA sources. The results generated by SoFi RT agree remarkably well with the conventional rolling PMF results regarding factor profiles, time series, diurnal patterns, and yearly relative contributions of OA factor on three year-long ACSM data sets collected in Athens, Paris, and Zurich. Although the initialization of SoFi RT requires a priori knowledge of OA sources (i.e., the approximate number of factors and relevant factor profiles) for the sampling site, this technique minimizes user interactions. Eventually, it could provide up-to-date trustable information on timescales useful to policymakers and air quality modelers.

Total Methane and CO2 Emissions from Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier Ships: The First Primary Measurements.

Mitigating methane emissions is vital in meeting global climate targets, but there is a lack of understanding of emissions and abatement opportunities to enable this. The natural gas supply chain is a key emission source, where methane emissions from liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipping have until now not been directly measured. This study provides the first measurement and modeling of total methane and CO2 emissions from an LNG carrier on a round trip voyage from the USA to Belgium and back, including loading, laden voyage, unloading, and ballast voyage, measuring emissions from exhaust stacks, vents, and fugitives. Venting and fugitive emissions were extremely low, contributing less than 0.1% of total greenhouse gas emissions. CO2 emissions from fuel usage were also lower than previous estimates due to improved efficiencies in modern engines and ship design. However, methane slip through the engines were higher than those in prior studies, averaging 3.8% across all engines: equating to 0.1% of delivered LNG. Generator engines are not typically included in emissions analyses but were the key cause of methane emissions. Engines exhibited higher methane slip rates at low loads, and optimized operation could reduce slip rates by half. More measurement studies are now needed to better understand fleet emissions and enable cost-effective mitigation strategies.

Prioritising food loss and waste mitigation strategies in the fruit and vegetable supply chain: A multi-criteria approach

Although reducing food loss and waste (FLW) is a global concern, there is a scarcity of literature devoted to the selection of suitable mitigation strategies. Previous studies are more focused on the disposal or valorisation of FLW, rather than on its reduction or prevention, and the effectiveness of the mitigation strategies have hardly been evaluated. Therefore, this study develops and presents an evaluation framework to: (1) identify potential mitigation strategies based on the causes of FLW, (2) select criteria to assess the prevention measures of FLW and (3) evaluate and rank mitigation strategies to fight FLW. Fuzzy Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) is employed to determine the relative weights of the evaluation criteria and Fuzzy Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) is implemented to rank the mitigation strategies for FLW. The evaluation framework is further tested in Portugal in the context of the Fruit and Vegetable Supply Chain (FVSC) and a sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the robustness of the results. Overall, 16 mitigation strategies (related to information, quality, technology or transport and infrastructure) were selected and considered relevant to tackle the causes of FLW in the Portuguese FVSC. The results show that the higher ranked strategies are the ones most transversal to the FVSC, which highlights the role of collaboration, coordination and information sharing between the stakeholders in the prevention and reduction of FLW. Furthermore, ensuring coordination and close collaboration between stakeholders may also help to implement the technology-related mitigation strategies identified. This paper provides researchers, practitioners and policymakers with a comprehensible and structured approach that can be replicated for any region, supply chain or food product in order to prioritise cost effective mitigation strategies for FLW with more significant environmental and social gains.

A methodology to investigate factors governing the restart pressure of a Malaysian waxy crude oil pipeline

Waxy crude oils account for about 20% of world oil reserves. Wax gelation due to pipeline operating at low ambient temperature, especially in subsea environment, is a worst-case scenario that operators fear most since the gel can potentially block the entire pipeline, if it is not managed early. Restart pressure calculation is the first step to assess severity of gelation and subsequently used to plan for the mitigation strategies which are translated into project CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) and OPEX (Operating Expenditure). Gel characteristic (i.e. rheology behaviour and gel compressibility), operating conditions (oil temperature, ambient temperature and oil flow rate) and pipeline geometry (length and diameter) are known factors governing the restart pressure calculation for a gelled waxy pipeline. Malaysian waxy crude oils are unique and have distinctive rheology which differ from waxy crude oils from other regions mainly due to high gel yield stress of more than 500 Pa with potential failure to recovery from gelation. Hence, accurate restart pressure prediction that account for all the governing factors as well as the interplay between them, are crucial for safe operation and cost-effective mitigation strategies. A conservative approach where the entire gel is assumed to yield simultaneously is frequently used but this simple approach fails to take into account many factors, resulting in an overestimation of the restart pressure. Several improved restart pressure calculation methods have been proposed in literature. In this study, an original methodology developed by IFPEN, has been applied to predict the restart pressure of a Malaysian waxy crude oil pipeline at various conditions. The main benefit of this methodology comes from its ability to consider the conditions under which the gel has been formed, that produces a more realistic description where gel strength varies along a pipeline. The case study highlighted that Conservative laws, assuming a homogeneous gel structure everywhere in the pipe, can overestimate the restart pressure by a factor of up to 100 times than a heterogenous gel. Thanks to the 2D axisymmetric description of the pipeline gel, we showed that the shape and the location of the gel also impact the restart pressure.

칠레 CDM 사업의 온실가스 감축비용 분석

The GHG emission abatement costs of clean development mechanism (CDM) projects are needed to forecast the abatement cost of the cooperative approaches and the sustainable mechanism of the Paris Agreement. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the GHG emission abatement cost of CDM projects in Chile using three kinds of investment analysis: simple cost analysis, investment comparison, and benchmark analysis. The average abatement cost of 53 CDM projects is $13.87/tCO₂ (2020 price). The cost of wind projects is the highest ($22.64/tCO₂), followed by fuel switch ($22.39/tCO₂), biomass ($16.19/tCO₂), PV16.17/tCO₂), small hydro ($11.33/tCO₂), methane recovery ($10.60/tCO₂), and LFG ($4.35/tCO₂). Economies of scale are a factor in wind, LFG and methane avoidance projects, while higher investment leads to higher abatement cost for small hydro, PV, wind and biomass. Economies of time are a factor in LFG, and wind, LFG, and small hydro are affected by technology development. There was a relationship between abatement cost and share of CDM activities for small hydro, biomass and fuel switch. Cost-effective mitigation strategy is to consider projects with higher mitigation potential at the same marginal abatement cost (MAC). A cost-effective strategy at a MAC of $10-20/tCO₂ is to consider LFG, wind/methane avoidance, PV, biomass, small hydro. The cost-effective strategy at a MAC of over $30/tCO₂ is to consider wind, PV, biomass, small hydro.

4개 국가 CDM 사업의 온실가스 감축비용 비교 분석 : 칠레, 페루, 베트남, 말레이시아

Estimation of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission abatement cost of clean development mechanism (CDM) projects is essential for forecasting the abatement cost of the cooperative approach (Article 6.2) and the sustainable mechanism (Article 6.4) of the Paris Agreement. The purpose of this paper is to compare the GHG emission abatement cost of CDM projects among four countries using the abatement cost information each country. The average abatement cost was $9.65/tCO₂ (2020 price) for all types of CDM projects across the four countries. The abatement cost of methane avoidance projects was the lowest ($4.75/tCO₂), followed by LFG ($6.49/tCO₂), small hydro ($7.67/tCO₂), biomass ($9.36/tCO₂), energy efficiency ($10.02/tCO₂), PV ($10.82/tCO₂), fuel switch ($10.92/tCO₂), and wind ($18.27/tCO₂). There were economies of scale for wind and energy efficiency CDM activities, and the higher investment needs for small hydro, PV, wind, LFG, and methane avoidance since their abatement costs are high. Economies of time existed for small hydro, LFG, methane avoidance, and energy efficiency, and there was an effect of technology development on wind, methane avoidance, and biomass. There was a correlation between abatement cost and the share of CDM activities for methane avoidance, small hydro, and PV CDM projects. A cost-effective mitigation strategy would be to proceed with projects that have higher mitigation potential at the same marginal abatement cost. Thus, at a marginal cost of $10-20/tCO₂, the effective strategy would be to proceed with LFG, energy efficiency, methane avoidance, small hydro, wind, biomass, fuel switch, and PV. At a cost of over $30/tCO₂, proceeding with LFG, wind, biomass, small hydro, fuel switching, and PV would be cost-effective.

GIS as an Epidemiological Tool to Monitor the Spatial-Temporal Distribution of Tuberculosis in Large Game in a High-Risk Area in Portugal.

Simple SummaryHunting of large game is an activity of great social and economic importance. However, it can cause public health problems due to the zoonotic diseases of these animals, such as tuberculosis. Regular space–time monitoring of hunted animals’ health status allows both the hunters and competent authorities to understand the geographic location of the hunted animals, as well as the occurrence of possible diseases in these animals. This investigation presents the results of the assessment of the spatial–temporal distribution of tuberculosis in large game in a tuberculosis high-risk area in Portugal in the form of maps, which allow any interested party to quickly analyse the hunting situation regardless of their technical or scientific knowledge.Since April 2011, Portugal has implemented specific national legislation (Notice No. 1/2011), defining “Epidemiologic Risk Areas for Bovine Tuberculosis in Large Game” and mitigation measures in these areas, including Idanha-a-Nova county. A GIS project was created to record information that would allow us to analyse the spatial–temporal distribution, both for hunting bags and tuberculosis occurrence, in hunted wild boar and red deer in Idanha-a-Nova. Hunting bag and tuberculosis-like lesion data were recorded during post-mortem inspection across 11 hunting seasons, totalling 9844 animals. The difference in tuberculosis occurrence for these species was statistically significant in nearly all 11 seasons, with wild boars presenting approximately twice the occurrence of red deer. No significant difference was noted before and after the Notice No. 1/2011 implementation. These results, following GIS-based spatial analysis, enable us to state that both large game species displayed an irregular tuberculosis pattern for the 2006–2016 period, and we identified some specific areas of high risk for both species. Southern areas of the county may be considered the priority for intervention. This research demonstrates the potential of GIS tools to evaluate, in the field, the results and efficacy of legislation such as Notice No. 1/2011, and to ensure the correct implementation of cost-effective mitigation strategies for tuberculosis in large game species.

Low-cost interventions to reduce emissions and fuel consumption in open wood fires in rural communities: Evidence from field surveys

We evaluate the impact of a grass-roots campaign promoting adoption of simple modifications to cooking fires in rural communities in Western Kenya. The modifications consist of adding rock-beds to open fires or simple woodstoves, increasing airflow, improving combustion efficiency, and decreasing the distance between the fire and cooking pot, which improves heat transfer. The campaign was sponsored by Sun24, a US-based non-profit organization. They trained women leaders active in a local Anglican diocese consisting of 9200 families. The women returned to their communities and held their own trainings at local parishes. We randomly sampled 1362 households from those communities to understand the impact of the campaign. 67% of surveyed families were aware of rockbeds: 51% had attended trainings themselves and 16% heard about rockbeds from relatives or neighbors. 85% of the families that had heard about rockbeds installed them at home and continued to use them for many months after first hearing about them. Nearly all users express a high degree of satisfaction with rockbeds and 67% of trained respondents report cooking two or more meals daily on with rockbeds. We examined variation in weekly and daily frequency of use and find larger households are twice as likely to use rockbeds daily and to cook all their meals with rockbeds than smaller households (p < 0.01). Respondents that were trained by Sun24 or women leaders were nearly three times as likely to use rockbeds daily than respondents who heard about rockbeds by word-of-mouth (p < 0.01). Among households reporting daily use, better educated respondents were nearly twice as likely to use rockbeds for all meals. However, respondents who owned charcoal or LPG stoves were 30% and 60% less likely to use rockbeds for all their meals than other respondents (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). Using a regional estimate of “non-renewable biomass” of 36%, we estimate annual emission reductions of roughly 480 kg of CO2-equivalent for each adopter. Sun24 invested roughly USD 700 in training women leaders and facilitating rockbed adoption in thousands of rural households. Previous research found that median fuelwood savings of nearly 30% when families modified open fire stoves with rockbeds. Applying this average to all adopting families results in annual wood savings of 390 kg per family or 2900 tons per year across the diocese. Using a regional estimate of “non-renewable biomass” and assuming rockbed use persists for 5 years, total emission reductions would be 11.8 tCO2e at a mitigation cost of just USD 0.06 per ton CO2e making rockbeds a cost-effective mitigation strategy.

Cellular automata based framework for evaluating mitigation strategies of sponge city

Urban surface water flooding is increasing because of climate change and urbanization, and brings great challenges to urban sustainable development. It is, therefore, most important to develop urban flood management approaches to alleviate the consequences of floods. China is implementing a “sponge city” initiative to tackle urban surface water flooding and improve urban water management. There is, however, limited cost-effectiveness evaluation to support the choice of economically efficient mitigation strategies. To address this gap, this study developed an evaluation framework based on cellular automata and cost–benefit analysis to assess the performance of mitigation strategies in sponge city construction. This approach is demonstrated with a case study of Siergou (Dalian, China), which has a total area of 10.1 km2. The mitigation measures of green roofs, permeable pavements and bio-retention were used to generate mitigation scenarios. A two-dimensional cellular automata-based model was used to simulate urban surface water flooding. The results obtained from the case study indicate that the framework can achieve cost-effective mitigation strategies for sponge city construction, which can support robust decision making. The distribution of mitigation strategies has great impacts on the effectiveness of alleviating urban flood risk. This study provides new insight into the development of cost-effective mitigation strategies for sponge city construction.

Dual closed-loop chemical recycling support sustainable mitigation of plastic pollution

Recently, the Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center demonstrated a green method to synthesize plastics from natural small thioctic acid (TA) monomers. This novel recycling system provides successful chemical recycling using a dual closed-loop process under mild operating conditions. Here, we discuss the critical environmental sustainability dynamics of these recycling systems and their potential to support a plastic circular economy.

The aflatoxin situation in Africa: Systematic literature review

Contamination of African staple foods is a major issue for human and animal health, nutrition, and trade. This review aimed to collect and synthesize the available evidence on geographical spread, scale of contamination, disease burden, economic impact, and mitigation measures for aflatoxins in Africa by way of a systematic literature review. This knowledge can enhance management strategies for the major challenges to combat aflatoxins. The search was conducted by applying a predefined search strategy, using bibliographic databases and websites, covering the period 2010 to 2018. Results showed that maize, peanuts, and animal feeds were the most studied commodities. For maize, all studies indicated mean AFB1 to exceed the European Union legal limit. From studies on contamination levels and biomarkers, it is clear that overall exposure is high, leading to a substantial increase in long-term disease burden. In addition, concentrations in food occasionally can reach very high levels, causing acute aflatoxicoses. The trade-related impact of aflatoxin contamination was mainly evaluated from the standpoint of aflatoxin regulation affecting products imported from Africa. There was a limited number of studies on health-related economic impacts, pointing out a gap in peer-reviewed literature. A number of mitigation measures have been developed, but proof of cost-effectiveness or even costs alone of the practices is often lacking. We recommend more emphasis to be put in peer-reviewed studies on evidence-based cost-effective mitigation strategies for aflatoxins, on the scale and spread of the problem and its impacts on public health and economics for use in evidence-based policies.

Low-cost electric fencing for peaceful coexistence: An analysis of human-wildlife conflict mitigation strategies in smallholder agriculture

With a growing global population, human-wildlife conflicts (HWCs) are intensifying and cost-effective mitigation strategies to conserve biodiversity and support rural livelihoods become increasingly relevant. This article presents evidence on how low-cost electric fencing (EF) technology can contribute to a peaceful coexistence between farmers and wildlife. Applying an economic analysis, the effectiveness of smallholders' predominant HWC mitigation strategies in Bhutan are assessed. In Bhutan, HWCs are severe and investments in EF are expanding with about 10% of agricultural land already fenced. The analysis reveals high effectiveness and profitability of EF compared with labor-intensive crop guarding strategies despite smallholders' high time preference. EF profitability particularly depends on net labor savings from reduced time-use for crop guarding. Results emphasize the need for collective action at the community level, since due to small landholdings individually operated EF schemes are unprofitable in most cases. The findings are robust across ecological conditions and variations in key parameters, such as the discount rate (reflecting smallholders' time preference) and opportunity cost of labor. Particularly in contexts where hunting is banned, investments in EF technology could be a main ingredient of comprehensive policies for wildlife conservation and agricultural development. Further research is needed to investigate the biological implications of large-scale fencing policies, the relevance of spatial spillover effects and game-theoretic aspects of community-based EF schemes.