Effects Of Pollution Research Articles

Heavy metal exposure reduces larval gut microbiota diversity of the rice striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis.

Cadmium (Cd), a widely distributed environmental pollutant in agroecosystems, causes negative effects on crops and herbivores through bottom-up processes. The gut microbial community of an insect can play a critical role in response to metal stress. To understand how microbiota affect the stress responses of organisms to heavy metals in agroecosystems, we initially used 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the larval gut microbiota of Chilo suppressalis, an important agricultural pest, exposed to a diet containing Cd. The species richness, diversity, and composition of the gut microbial community was then analyzed. Results revealed that while the richness (Chao1 and ACE) of gut microbiota in larvae exposed to Cd was not significantly affected, diversity (Shannon and Simpson) was reduced due to changes in species distribution and relative abundance. Overall, the most abundant genus was Enterococcus, while the abundance of the genera Micrococcaceae and Faecalibaculum in the control significantly superior to that in Cd-exposed pests. Phylogenetic investigation of microbial communities by the reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) showed that the intestinal microorganisms appear to participate in 34 pathways, especially those used in environmental information processing and the metabolism of the organism. This study suggests that the gut microbiota of C. suppressalis are significantly impacted by Cd exposure and highlights the importance of the gut microbiome in host stress responses and negative effects of Cd pollution in agroecosystems.

Air Pollution Reduces the Individuals’ Life Satisfaction Through Health Impairment

Abstract Background The impact of air pollution on individuals’ happiness and life satisfaction (LS), and its relationship to other factors became the focus of recent research. Though, the underlying mechanism of how air pollution impacts LS remains unclear. In this study, we examined the direct and indirect effect of air pollution on individuals’ LS through health mediation. Methods We used longitudinal individual-level data from “Understanding-Society: the UK Household-Longitudinal Study” on 59,492 individuals with 347,377 repeated responses across 11 years (2009-2019) that was linked to yearly concentrations of NO2, SO2, and particulate-matter (PM10, PM2.5) pollution. Generalized structural equation models with multilevel ordered-logistic regression were used to examine the direct effect of air pollution on LS and the indirect effect from health impairment. Results Higher concentrations of NO2 (coefficient = 0.009, 95%CI = 0.007,0.012, p < 0.001), SO2 (coefficient = 0.025, 95%CI = 0.017,0.034, p < 0.001), PM10 (coefficient = 0.019, 95%CI = 0.013, 0.025, p < 0.001), and PM2.5 (coefficient = 0.025, 95%CI = 0.017,0.033, p < 0.001) pollutants were associated with poorer health, while poorer health was associated with reduced LS (coefficient = -0.605, 95%CI = -0.614,-0.595, p < 0.001). Mediation path analysis showed that air pollution impacted individuals’ LS directly and indirectly. The percent of total effect mediated through health was 44.03% for NO2, 73.95% for SO2, 49.88% for PM10, and 45.42% for PM2.5 and the ratio of indirect to direct effect was 0.79 for NO2, 2.84 for SO2, 0.99 for PM10, and 0.83 for PM2.5. Conclusions Health plays a major mediating role in the relationship between air pollution and LS. To alleviate the impact of air pollution on LS, future strategies should focus on health promotion besides reducing air pollution emissions. Key messages • Air pollution is related to lower life satisfaction directly and indirectly through health impairment. • Strategies and policies aiming at reducing air pollution emissions and better health would improve the individual’s life satisfaction and lower the mental health burden.

The Impact of Poor Air Quality on Hospitalisation of Multi-morbid Patients: A Systematic Review

Abstract Background Exposure to poor air quality worsen existing health conditions, particularly amongst vulnerable patients, leading to increased healthcare utilization. We conducted a systematic review to explore the impact of exposure to poor quality on healthcare requirements in multi-morbid patients. Methods We searched six major databases (Medline via Ovid, Embase via Ovid, Web of Science, CINAHL, Global Health, and Scopus) using search terms grouped into sets relating to ‘air pollution,’ ‘multimorbidity,’ “association” and ‘hospitalisation.’ We were interested in the impact of common air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, O3, and CO) and articles were screened independently by two researchers. The review was registered with The International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42022369757) and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results A total of nineteen studies were included. All six air pollutants increased hospitalisation amongst multi-morbid patients, especially those with diabetes and cardiovascular comorbidity. Females and the elderly (>65 years old) were the most vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, with an increase in hospitalisations of 9.23% and 6.35% when exposed to PM2.5 and PM10, respectively. Patients >65 years had a higher likelihood of hospitalisation for ischemic and haemorrhagic stroke when exposed to PM2.5 or PM10 at warm season. Patients (≥70 years) who had cardiovascular and pulmonary comorbidity were 3.9% more likely to be hospitalised for a cardiopulmonary event with a rise in NO2 levels. We found an intersectional effect (referred to as “the CADC effect” - Climatic changes, Air pollutant, Demographics, Chronic conditions) that influenced the likelihood of hospitalisation. Conclusions Future research is required to further understand this CADC effect in other high-risk population. Key messages • Females, elderly, those with cardiovascular, and pulmonary comorbidity are at the highest risk of hospitalisation with poor air quality. • The CADC effect explains the intersectional effect between hospitalisation in multimorbid patients, patients demographics and chronic conditions, and air pollution and temperature effects.

Spatiotemporal analysis of air pollution concentration and short-term effects on cardiovascular emergencies in Lombardy

Abstract Introduction Association between both short [1] and long-term exposure to air pollution and cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality is known. Lombardy region, Italy is a hot spot for air pollution spikes in particulate matter (PM) and NO2, with over 60% and 45%, respectively, of days/year exceeding the WHO daily permissible limits. This phenomenon is largely due to the regional land use and its geographical conformation, which hinders pollution dispersion. Our aim was to study the short-term relation between both trends and spatial distribution of air pollution and geo-localized CV events reported to the regional emergency services (AREU) in Lombardy region. Method First, time-series of PM2.5, PM10, NO2 and O3 concentration were obtained using daily average of 10 km x 10 km resolution satellite data from Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) for 2015-2020 period, and superimposed to time-series of CV related emergency calls (CVCALLS) in the same period (total calls 1,094,848). For every year, daily peaks both for pollution concentration and CVCALLS were identified as the top 1st percentile or as exceeding three times the standard deviation. Peaks related to SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in 2020 were excluded. Spatial autocorrelation analyses, using both global (G) and local (L) Moran’s I, were conducted to evaluate the monthly clustering patterns of both pollutants and CVCALLS in uniform districts of 100,000 residents. Results Seasonal peaks were observed for PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 in winter, and for O3 in summer. Identified peak days for NO2 and O3 were coinciding with those from CVCALLS, considering temporal lags up to seven days (see Fig 1-2). Global autocorrelation resulted in a high Moran’s I for concentration levels of all the pollutants (G > 0.6), while comparatively lower clustering emerged for CVCALLS (G <0.65). The monthly L Moran’s I showed high value clustering for PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 in the southern, largely urban, part of the region, and low value clusters in the Alpine northern and north-eastern area. The exact opposite pattern was observed for O3. The spatial clustering of the CVCALLS, coherently with the low global autocorrelation, showed less significant patterns, with a small high value cluster in and around the city of Milan and its southern districts throughout the whole year. Conclusion As Spearman’s regression analysis between pollutants’ concentration and CVCALLS resulted in low correlation coefficient (R2 ≤ 0.16), the use of advanced statistical models, accounting for temporal lags and confounders, is suggested to better understand the underlying phenomena. In conclusion, our study found a strong spatial clustering pattern in all the pollutants throughout the year, but this was not observed for the CV events. However, strong correspondences between peaks of NO2 during winter and O3 during summer and CVCALLS were clearly observed, thus confirming short term effect of such pollutants on emergency CV events.

Direct current cardioversion and the impact of short-term exposure to air pollution: a report from the nationwide EP-PARTICLES study

Abstract Background Air pollution and atrial fibrillation (AF) represent significant public health challenges, impacting global health considerably. Numerous studies have focused on areas with high or very high air pollution concentrations, our study examines a unique area in Poland characterized by low to moderate air pollution levels. Our research also addresses a commonly overlooked in research type of pollution - Polish smog. Due to its composition rich in particulate matter and the conditions in which it is formed - is characterized by extremely adverse health effects. Aim To explore the correlation between short-term air pollution exposure and the incidence of acute direct current cardioversion (DCC) for AF treatment. Methods The study area encompassed three voivodeships from Eastern Poland at the NUTS-2 level, with a population of 5,429,378 individuals. Data on hospitalizations from 2011 to 2020 were obtained from the National Health Fund. We combined air pollution and weather condition data from both ground monitoring stations and satellite observations. Emergency visits for AF and DCC were identified using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. For a national perspective, we applied meta-analytical strategies to the municipality-specific outcomes. The results are presented as percentage increases in admissions (% IR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Results Over the decade, 190,454 hospitalizations for AF were reported with a standardized hospitalization rate (SHR) of 358 per 100,000/year (SD=113) and 30,291 DCC admissions (SHR=56.9 [SD]=26). The mean age for AF vs. DCC cohort was 69.6 (SD=11.2) vs. 68.7 (SD=10.4) years, with females representing 56.1% (N=106,822) of AF cases vs. 46.1% (N=13,953) of DCC admissions (P<0.001). Each 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 concentration on the exposure day led to 1.6% (1.1%–2.1%), 1% (0.8%–1.6%), and 1.8% (1.1%–2.6%) increases in acute AF admissions, respectively, with effects lasting up to 6 days. Women and older individuals were more vulnerable to AF episodes induced by air pollution (P<0.001). A 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 on the day of admission increased DCC admissions by 1.5% (0.1%–2.9%, P=0.04), with effects persisting for up to 3 days. The impact of PM10 was time-delayed: 1.3% (0.2%–2.4%, P=0.02) for LAG1 (i.e. one day after exposure), and 1.1% (0.1%–2.2%, P=0.4) for LAG2. No significant effects of gaseous pollutants on DCC (SO2, NO2, and BaP) were observed, nor any differences in the effects by age or sex. Exposure-response functions show steeper slopes of the PM2.5 associations in the lower ranges of exposures, far below air quality norms set by the World Health Organization. Conclusions Air pollution acts as a triggering factor for acute AF hospitalizations and DCC. The differential impact of air pollution on AF events between groups highlights that women and older individuals are particularly vulnerable. Air pollution exposure should be considered into AF management and prevention strategies.Pooled exposure–response function: % inc

Air Pollutants and Ovarian Reserve: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

Abstract Background Growing evidence points to an association between ambient air pollution and decreased human reproductive potential. The aim of this study was to systematically review the association between air pollutants and female ovarian reserve. Methods The literature was searched in six electronic databases through August 2023. Screening of the 75 articles retrieved for inclusion criteria resulted in the selection of 12 human observational studies that evaluated the effect of environmental pollutants on markers of female ovarian reserve. The study protocol was registered on PROSPERO (registration code CRD42023474218). Results The study design of selected studies was found to be cross-sectional (2 of 10), retrospective cohort (7 of 10), prospective cohort (2 of 10), and case-control (1 of 10). The study population was equally distributed between Asians (60%) and Americans (50%) with an Italian minority (10%). The main findings showed a higher body of evidence for the environmental pollutants PM2.5, PM10, and NO2, while a low body of evidence for PM1, O3, SO2, and a very low body of evidence for benzene, formaldehyde, and benzo(a)pyrene, yet consistently showing significant inverse association data. The overall methodological quality of the selected studies was rated moderated across the 14 domains of the NIH toolkit. Conclusions Increased exposure to air pollutants seems to be associated with reduced female ovarian reserve with evidence being strongest for pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, and NO2. More evidence is needed to draw conclusions about causality. Key messages • Increased exposure to air pollutants seems to be associated with reduced female ovarian reserve with evidence being strongest for pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, and NO2. • Global environmental policy programs are urgently needed to reduce the risks associated with reduced fertility such as reduced birth rates or the use of assisted reproductive technologies.

The effect of outdoor air pollution on Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review

Abstract Air pollution is one of the largest global environmental risks to public health. Over recent years, neuroimaging techniques have started to uncover the detrimental impact air pollution has had on brain health, including the development of Alzheimer’s Diseases (AD). We systematically reviewed the literature to evaluate the effects of long-term exposure (months to years) to outdoor air pollutants on the development of AD-like neurology. This review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023482979) and followed PRISMA guidelines. Four large databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and CINAHL) were searched in November 2023 using terms associated with air pollution, neuroimaging, and AD. Only peer-reviewed primary research articles using neuroimaging data to examine AD-like pathology after long-term exposure to air pollutants (Particulate Matter (PM2.5, PM10), SO2, NO2, O3, and/or CO) were included. Titles, abstracts and full-texts were screened, and included articles were quality assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. A narrative synthesis was conducted to analyse the studies. Our search yielded 397 results, of which eight articles met our inclusion criteria. Articles focused on changes to white matter (n = 5), cortical thickness (n = 6), and grey matter (n = 2). Exposure to PM2.5 was commonly associated with white matter reductions, and PM10 and NO2 exposure was associated with reduced cortical thickness. The effect of exposure to different outdoor pollution on grey matter was inconclusive, with both increases and decreases in grey matter volume observed. This review highlighted how PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 exposure was associated with neurological changes commonly seen in AD. These findings can be used by policymakers and researchers to identify specific pollutants that need greater restrictions and regulations to improve population health. Key messages • PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 exposure are associated with neurological changes commonly seen in AD. • Greater restrictions and regulations are needed on specific pollutants to improve population health.

Unraveling the Role of Contaminants Reshaping the Microflora in Zea mays Seeds from Heavy Metal–Contaminated and Pristine Environment

Heavy metal (HM) contaminants are the emerging driving force for reshaping the microflora of plants by eradicating the non-tolerance and non-resistant microbes via their lethal effects. Seeds served as a prime source of ancestral microbial diversity hereditary transfer from generation to generation. However, the problem arises when they got exposed to metal contamination, does metal pollutant disrupt the delicate balance of microbial communities within seeds and lead to shifts in their microflora across generations. In this study, the endophytic community within Zea mays seeds was compared across three distinct regions in Yunnan province, China: a HM-contaminated site Ayika (AK), less-contaminated site Sanduoduo (SD), and a non-contaminated Site Dali (DL). High-throughput sequencing techniques were employed to analyze the microbial communities. A total of 492,177 high-quality reads for bacterial communities and 1,001,229 optimized sequences for fungal communities were obtained. These sequences were assigned to 502 and 239 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) for bacteria and fungi, respectively. A higher diversity was recorded in AK samples than in SD and DL. Microbial community structure analysis showed higher diversity and significant fluctuation in specific taxa abundance in the metal-polluted samples exhibiting higher response of microbial flora to HM. In AK samples, bacterial genera such as Gordonia and Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia were dominant, while in SD Pseudomonas and Streptomyces were dominant. Among the fungal taxa, Fusarium, Saccharomycopsis, and Lecanicillium were prevalent in HM-contaminated sites. Our finding revealed the influential effect of HM contaminants on reshaping the seed microbiome of the Zea mays, showing both the resilience of certain important microbial taxa as well the shifts in the diversity in the contaminated and pristine conditions. The knowledge will benefit to develop effective soil remediation, reclamation, and crop management techniques, and eventually assisting in the extenuation of metal pollution's adverse effects on plant health and agricultural productivity.

Experimental Study on the Removal of Pollutants from Domestic Wastewater in a Strongly Constructed Wetland with an Applied Electric Magnetic Field

The addition of physical field enhancement measures to improve the purification effect of vertical flow artificial wetlands has gradually become popular. In this study, a vertical flow artificial wetland system reinforced by electric and magnetic fields was constructed. These fields were first optimized using finite element 3D simulation software to obtain the optimal electric and magnetic field parameters. Then, the pollutant removal effects and changes in microbial community structure were comparatively analyzed. The optimal electromagnetic field parameters (applied voltage of 15 V and applied magnetic field of 20 mT) resulted in significantly enhanced removal rates of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrate nitrogen (NH4+-N), total phosphorus (TP), and orthophosphorus (PO43−-P) in wastewater, with rates of 74.47%, 45.44%, 89.85%, and 90.04%, respectively. These rates were notably higher than those observed in the vertical flow artificial wetland system. The microbial community structure analysis revealed that the vertical flow constructed wetland with enhanced electric and magnetic fields exhibited (EM-VFCW) a more diverse and complex microbial community structure. Notably, the abundance of bacteria capable of removing NH4+-N and COD, including Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Actinobacteria, was significantly elevated.

Who is Willing to Learn About Inequality? Predictors of Choice Exposure to Messaging About Racial Disparities in Air Pollution Effects Among Black and White U.S. Residents

ABSTRACT Widespread public awareness is needed to address health disparities and push for effective and equitable solutions. However, in a high choice media environment, this can only be achieved to the extent that people opt to consume disparity messaging. Drawing on theories of selective exposure, the present research uses a pre-registered online study conducted with U.S. adult participants to examine identity-based predictors of choice exposure to a racial disparity message about the health consequences of air pollution. Findings indicate that racial identity and environmental justice awareness are key predictors of disparity message selection, likely motivated by information utility and a bias toward congenial information. Altogether, results underscore the difficulty of raising awareness of disparities beyond impacted or already well-informed groups and highlight the need to examine more creative messaging strategies in order to broaden public awareness.

Urban sensory conditions alter rival interactions and mate choice in urban and forest túngara frogs

Abstract Sexual communication often takes place in networks with multiple competing signalers being simultaneously assessed by mate choosers. Altered sensory conditions, such as noise and light pollution, can affect communication by altering signal production and perception. While evidence of sensory pollution affecting sexual signaling is widespread, few studies assess impacts on sexual signaling during rival interactions as well as mate choice, let alone whether urban and non-urban populations have diverged in their response. Here, we investigate the effects of urban sensory conditions on sexual communication in urban and forest túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus). We recorded dyadic vocal rival interactions and assessed mate choice with and without noise and light pollution in the lab. We show that urban sensory conditions can directly impact the intensity of rival interactions, differences between rivals and mate choice, though changes were often in opposite directions for frogs of urban and forest origins. Moreover, we demonstrate that urban-induced changes in rival interactions can also indirectly affect how females choose between potential mates. Our study reveals origin-dependent direct and indirect effects of noise and light pollution, and suggests local adaptation of sexual communication in urban populations.

Long-term effects of air pollution on daily outpatient visits for allergic conjunctivitis from 2013 to 2020: a time-series study in Urumqi, China

IntroductionThis study aimed to elucidate the effects of outdoor air pollution and allergic conjunctivitis and population-based lagged effects of air pollution.MethodsWe included data on six major air pollutants, PM10, PM2.5, carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3), and 3325 allergic conjunctivitis outpatient visits in Urumqi, northwest China, from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2020. We developed quasi-Poisson generalized linear regression models with distributed lagged nonlinear models (DLNM), and single and multi-pollutant models were constructed to investigate single-day and cumulative lagged effects in detail.ResultsOur results confirmed that elevated PM10 and NO2 levels are significantly associated with increased allergic conjunctivitis outpatient visits with lags of 2 and 3 days respectively, and subgroup analyses further suggest that the effects of PM10 and NO2 on allergic conjunctivitis are more pronounced during the warm season. Women are more sensitive to PM10 exposure and the effect of air pollution on allergic conjunctivitis is influenced by age (e.g., infancy and older people).DiscussionOur work provides the first time-series study in Urumqi, the world's furthest inland city from the ocean. Further implementation of specific outdoor air pollution controls such as the burning of fossil fuels like coal, as well as special population protection policies remain necessary. Multicenter studies with larger sample sizes are needed.

Environmental effects of plastic pollution and sustainability: where are we now?

Environmental effects of plastic pollution and sustainability: where are we now?

Effect of Biomass Burnings on Population Exposure and Health Impact at the End of 2019 Dry Season in Southeast Asia

At the end of the dry season, from early March to early April each year, extensive agricultural biomass waste burnings occur throughout insular mainland Southeast Asia. During this biomass-burning period, smoke aerosols blanketed the whole region and were transported and dispersed by predominant westerly and southwesterly winds to southern China, Taiwan, and as far southern Japan and the Philippines. The extensive and intense burnings coincided with some wildfires in the forests due to high temperatures, making the region one of the global hot spots of biomass fires. In this study, we focus on the effect of pollutants emitted from biomass burnings in March 2019 at the height of the burning period on the exposed population and their health impact. The Weather Research Forecast-Chemistry (WRF-Chem) model was used to predict the PM2.5 concentration over the simulating domain, and health impacts were then assessed on the exposed population in the four countries of Southeast Asia, namely Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Using the health impact based on log-linear concentration-response function and Integrated Exposure Response (IER), the results show that at the peak period of the burnings from 13 to 20 March 2019, Thailand experienced the highest impact, with an estimated 2170 premature deaths. Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia followed, with estimated mortalities of 277, 565, and 315 deaths, respectively. However, when considering the impact per head of population, Laos exhibited the highest impact, followed by Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The results highlight the significant health impact of agricultural waste burnings in Southeast Asia at the end of the dry season. Hence, policymakers should take these into account to design measures to reduce the negative impact of widespread burnings on the exposed population in the region.

Attitudes towards air quality during outdoor exercise amongst habitual exercisers.

The effects of air pollution on health outcomes are well-established. However, little is known about perceptions of air pollution and how it may influence exercise behaviours. The aim of this study was to understand the perceived importance of air pollution during planned exercise, and where relevant, explore how those perceptions may differ between those living in different locations. A questionnaire was disseminated to several running and cycling clubs in the United Kingdom, covering population characteristics to determine urban, rural or coastal residents and exercisers, self-reported asthma, perceptions of air quality during active travel, planned exercise and attitudes towards learning more about the topic. Anonymised responses were gained from 381 adult participants (≥18years and 60% female), 119 of whom answered questions related to active travel. More than half (54%) of all respondents think about the air quality they are exposed to during exercise and how it may affect their health. More urban than rural respondents (59% vs. 47% and p=0.03) think about air quality and the impact it may have on their health when exercising. There were insufficient coastal respondents for direct comparison. Most survey respondents (57%) state that they would take the most severe course of action regarding exercise behaviour by avoiding it altogether during periods ofheavy road traffic. Individuals with self-reported asthma (n=60), irrespective of place of residence, are the most likely to be conscious of the potential effects of air pollution on their health and exercise performance compared to counterparts without self-reported asthma.

The effect of air pollution on hospitalizations with Parkinson’s disease among medicare beneficiaries nationwide

We examined the effect of annual exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3), on the rate of first hospitalization with a PD-related diagnosis (hospitalization with PD) among Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries (2001-2016). Machine learning-derived annual air pollution concentrations were linked to residential ZIP codes. For each exposure, we fitted four models: 1) traditional outcome stratification, 2) marginal structural, 3) doubly robust, and 4) generalized propensity score matching Poisson regression models, adjusted for sociodemographic and meteorological confounders and long-term trends. Among 49,121,026 beneficiaries, incidence rate ratios of 1.08 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.10), 1.07 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.08), and 1.03 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.05) for an interquartile range increase in PM2.5 (3.72 µg/m3), NO2 (13.84 ppb), and O3 (10.09 ppb), respectively, were estimated from doubly robust models. Results were similar across modeling approaches. In this nationwide study, higher air pollution exposure increased the rate of hospitalizations with PD.

Biological Control of Aedes aegypti Larvae using Sea Shell Powder

Background: The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a primary vector for several arboviral diseases, including dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever, posing significant public health challenges, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Traditional chemical insecticides have been the mainstay for controlling Aedes aegypti populations, but their extensive use has led to the development of insecticide resistance, environmental pollution and adverse effects on non-target organisms. This study explores the potential of sea shell powder as a natural larvicide against Aedes aegypti larvae. Methods: Sea shell powder, derived from the calcified exoskeletons of marine mollusks, was tested for its larvicidal activity against fourth instar larvae of Ae. aegypti at concentrations ranging from 100 to 600 ppm. Result: The results demonstrated a concentration and time-dependent increase in larval mortality, with LC50 values of 407.01 ppm at 24 hours and 327.55 ppm at 48 hours. The findings suggest that sea shell powder could serve as an effective, environmentally sustainable alternative to chemical insecticides, offering advantages such as biodegradability, low cost and reduced risk of resistance development. This study supports the potential inclusion of sea shell powder in integrated mosquito management programs, particularly in areas with prevalent insecticide resistance.

Investigating the inhibitory mechanism of methanogenesis during composting under the combined influence of amoxicillin and copper pollution

This study investigated the effects of different levels of combined amoxicillin and copper (Cu) pollution on the methanogenesis of microbial communities during aerobic composting of dairy manure. Three groups were established: the control group (CK), a low-level combined pollution group (L), and a high-level combined pollution group (H). As the level of pollution increased, carbohydrate metabolism decreased during the thermophilic phase of composting, while signal translation increased. Compared with the initial phase, functional genes related to the acetoclastic pathway decreased significantly in abundance during the thermophilic phase, and cdh had the lowest relative abundance among acetoclastic pathway with a decrease of 81.52%, 81.88%, and 84.73% in groups CK, L, and H, respectively. The cumulative methane emissions in group H decreased by 31.56% and 9.23%, respectively, compared with those from groups CK and L. These results contribute to understanding the effects of combined amoxicillin and Cu pollution on methane emissions during composting.

Interactions between dissolved organic matter with different molecular weights and nonylphenol in surface water bodies

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) has a complex composition, which can interact with various pollutants and affect the removal of pollutants. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the interaction between the encccvironmental hormone nonylphenol (NP) and DOM is crucial for environmental impact and development. In this study, the interaction was investigated by means of excitation emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and complex model analysis. The interaction between different MW DOM and NP was verified by the spectral characterization data. According to the characterization analysis, the main components of DOM in water samples were proteinoid (C1, C2, C4) with MW < 1 k Da, and their binding capacity (log Ka value) and binding site number (n) showed the maximum values (3.37, 3.24, 3.26; 0.81, 1.22, 0.52). For the humus like substance (C3) with larger molecular weight, the log Ka value and the number of binding points n increased with increasing molecular weight, and the maximum values were 3.13 and 0.31, respectively. It can be seen that low molecular weight proteins have strong binding ability and binding sites with NP, and high molecular weight humus also have strong binding ability. Overall, the interaction between DOM and NP has molecular weight dependence and heterogeneity. The purpose of this study is to deeply understand the interaction characteristics of different MW DOM with NP, and to provide theoretical support and reference for the study of the removal effects of NP pollutants.

Medical and health benefits of noise reduction at Intensive Care Units

Introduction: The presence of excessive noise poses a significant risk to the overall well-being and health of individuals. The presence of elevated noise levels within Intensive Care Units (ICUs) has the potential to exert detrimental effects on both the well-being of patients and the healthcare personnel. The aim of this study: This study aims to gather knowledge about the effects of noise pollution on patient’s wellbeing within Intensive Care Units, analyze various investigations around the world and discuss the possible preventive methods of reducing noise and thus sleep disturbances. Materials and methods: This review was based on available data collected in the PubMed database and Google Scholar web search engine using the key words Intensive Care Unit, sleep deprivation, noise pollution Conclusions: Intensive Care Unit noise disrupts patient’s sleep, communication, and increases stress, potentially leading to medical errors and longer recovery times. Addressing this issue is vital, aligning with patient-centered care and holistic therapy trends. Solutions include architectural changes, quieter equipment, staff education, clinical guidelines, and providing earplugs and eye masks for patient comfort. Noise negatively impacts sleep, causing circadian disruptions, cognitive impairments, and health issues. Identifying and mitigating noise sources can significantly enhance patient well-being and treatment outcomes.