Environmental Health Problems Research Articles

Soil Carbon Sequestration: A Step towards Sustainability

Nowadays, sustainable agriculture is a major concern of the whole world, all leading agricultural countries like China, USA and India etc. are working together in several organizations such as FAO, World Food Organisation to overcome the problem of environmental health and food security in upcoming years to meet the food demand goal in 2050 in sustainable manner. Carbon present in soil naturally is termed as soil carbon which is directly related to organic matter present in soil, higher the soil carbon more will be the crop yield. Most of the soil carbon has been released in the atmosphere due to conversion of uncultivated land into cultivated agricultural land. Bringing back that released carbon back to the soil with several methods is known as soil carbon sequestration. In this paper, relation of soil carbon sequestration has been discussed with respect to organic farming, natural farming respectively. Changes carried out in traditional agronomical practices have potential in enhancement of soil carbon sequestration. Practices such as conservation tillage, growing cover crop, proper nutrient management, residue management etc. have significant capacity to sequester carbon in the soil, along with that various challenges which are being faced during carbon sequestration are also considered in this paper. Soil carbon sequestration is a temporary solution to Carbon dioxide enrichment, but it is challenging to operationalize due to obstacles such as measuring the soil's carbon stock, permanence, carbon pools, separation, and the soil's propensity to approach saturation levels. This chapter aims to raise knowledge of the capability of soils to absorb and store atmospheric carbon dioxide in long-lasting pools, reducing climate change.

Recent developments in ultrafiltration membrane technology for the removal of potentially toxic elements, and enhanced antifouling performance: A review

The presence of high concentrations of heavy metals (potentially toxic elements) in water bodies generates serious environmental issues and health problems that led to a dramatic increase in wastewater treatment costs. Therefore, it is imperative to develop low-cost and efficient technologies for removing these contaminants from wastewater. Membrane processes are advanced techniques for water treatment and ultrafiltration membrane (UF) has some advantages over other membranes as it requires low pressure to perform However, the UF membrane separates contaminants mainly by size exclusion mechanism, resulting in poor decontamination performance for potentially toxic elements and high susceptibility to membrane fouling. The performance of the UF membrane is often affected by organic and biofouling. Hence, researchers are still looking forward to developing new types of UF membranes that will make them more effective for potentially toxic elements removal and overcome the obstacle of fouling. This review aims to provide an overview of the application of UF membranes in potentially toxic element removal through bibliometric analysis and literature review. The incorporation of various organic, inorganic, carbon-based, and composite-based nano-materials into polymers such as zeolites, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), and graphene oxide (GO) gave encouraging results for the removal of potentially toxic elements from water. Moreover, this review discusses the mechanisms of fouling in UF membranes and how different techniques can be used to control it. In the end, all the materials are evaluated and compared based on their efficiency, toxicity, simplicity in preparation, popularity, and cost efficiency to provide an overall critical view of the work done in this area. Also, the major challenges and limitations of the use of UF membranes are provided which will help to set the direction of future research.

The Socio-Environmental and Human Health Problems Related to the Use of Pesticides and the Use of Advanced Oxidative Processes for Their Degradation: Brazil

The present study reviews the quantitative data on the use of pesticides and their relationship to environmental and human health problems in Brazil. The detection of residual concentrations of pesticides in food and water consumed by humans has raised questions regarding the overuse of pesticides and their consequences. This global concern was registered as the second goal of sustainable development by the United Nations, which refers to sustainable agriculture and alternatives to pesticides. However, besides recognizing the harmful effects of these contaminants on the environment and human health, there is also a need to understand treatment techniques that can remedy the existing conditions and thus alleviate the problems that affect water treatment plants. In this context, this study compiles information pertinent to the use of pesticides and highlights the prospects for the degradation of these persistent pollutants with emphasis on Brazilian data, one of the countries that had the greatest increase in the consumption of pesticides in the world.

The Effectiveness of Biomedical Wastes Handling and Disposal in Accra: The Case of the Korle-Bu Teaching and the La General Hospitals

Improper handling and disposal of biomedical wastes have the potential of causing environmental and public health problems. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of biomedical wastes management by health care providers in Accra. The focus was on the Korle-Bu Teaching and the La General Hospitals. The research used the simple random sampling technique to select eighty healthcare personnel for the investigation. The study results indicated that the respondents were highly knowledgeable about the importance of disinfecting biomedical wastes before disposal and aware of the possibility of such wastes transmitting diseases if not properly managed. In addition, the research revealed that the hospitals have the necessary facilities and follow the requisite processes for disposal of biomedical wastes. This has resulted in very effective disposal of hospital wastes. The research conclusion is that the effectiveness of management and disposal of biomedical wastes in the two facilities is because of the extensive knowledge of the respondents about the issue, availability of the required equipment and the implementation of well-designed strategies for disposing of biomedical wastes. The study recommends that more logistical/financial support should be available to health facilities for effective management of biomedical wastes throughout the country [1,2].

Mycoremediation of Heavy Metals from Electronic Waste Polluted Water Using Indigenous Fungi and Its Implications

Background: Heavy metals (HM) pollutants are crucial environmental and public health problems due to their toxicity, which has implications on public health. The site of study has been reported to be densely polluted with heavy metals as a result of dumping used electronic wastes into the water body.
 Aim: This study was carried out to determine the biosorption potentials of indigenous fungi isolates in reducing heavy metal present in electronic wastes polluted water body.
 Study Design: This was a laboratory based study.
 Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Microbial Resources Research Laboratory, Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso, Nigeria from July 2021 to June 2022.
 Methodology: Heavy metal polluted water sample was collected near the dumpsite of e-waste in Alaba International market, Lagos Nigeria. Fungi were isolated from the polluted water sample by carrying out serial dilution. Pure colonies were obtained and stored at 4°C. Media formulations (MF) trials for the biosorption process was achieved using brewery waste and honeycomb extracts. Exactly 200 ml of MF were dispensed into a 500 ml Elmeryer flask containing 100 ml of the e-waste polluted water and fugal discs. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine the heavy metal concentration in the water samples. The biological interactions of the fungi with the polluted water sample was monitored using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The pH, electrical conductivity and other physicochemical parameters were also determined.
 Results: Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus flavus and A. niger were isolated from the heavy metal polluted water samples. Heavy metal such as Pb (13.30 mg/L), Cd (16.50 mg/L), Cr (6.41 mg/L), Ni (3.81 mg/L), Zn (8.85 mg/L), Cu (8.33 mg/L), Fe (5.60 mg/L) had values which were higher than the acceptable limits. Biosorption efficiency of each of the fungus in reducing the metals present in the sample was in the increasing order of A. niger<A. flavus<F. oxysporum<T. viride<T. harzianum. FTIR showed that some peaks were shifted to lower wavenumber as a result of the interactions of the fungus with the heavy metal in the water sample. This study revealed that T. harzianum had the highest biosorption efficiency for the removal of heavy metal in the polluted water sample.
 Conclusion: It is essential that heavy metals be removed from polluted water body to avoid its deleterious effects on public health. This can be achieved biologically using any of the fungi isolated in this work.

A novel electrochemical sensor based on sodium alginate‐decorated single‐walled carbon nanotubes for the direct electrocatalysis of heavy metals ions

AbstractIn recent years, the presence of heavy metal ions in food chains and water poses serious environmental and human health problems. Therefore, there has been a pressing need for fast simple, sensitive, and accurate methods for their detection. In this study a novel electrochemical sensor based on alginate sodium biopolymer decorating single‐walled carbon nanotubes was elaborated for the detection of trace level of heavy metal ions. Different brown algae were used to extract sodium alginate, with Cystoseira being the most common. Due to its high extraction yield and high mannuronate/guluronate (M/G) ratio, Compress a brown algae was chosen to disperse with single‐walled carbon nanotubes. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy were monitored to investigate each surface modification. Differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) was used to follow the electrochemical heavy metal ions determination. Moreover, the performance of the optimized heavy metal ions sensor in terms of sensitivity, linear range, limit of detection, and reproducibility was investigated. The detection limits were found to be 0.1, 31, and 1 nM for Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+, respectively. The results reported in this work showed good stability, high sensitivity, and appealing inter‐electrode repeatability. Finally, lead detection in tap water was carried out. The metrological performance of the present sensor makes it a good alternative for heavy metal ions detection.

Edukasi Perbaikan Kualitas Lingkungan Pemukiman di Kelurahan Mata Air, Padang Selatan, Kota Padang

Environmental health is an ecological balance that must exist between humans and the environment to ensure human health. Environmental sanitation of settlements is all efforts to improve and maintain the health of settlements and their environment and their effects on humans. Various environmental health problems in Kelurahan Mata Air in South Padang sub-district, Padang City, especially in RT 2/RW 11, include the disposal of community latrines directly into the river, not having a septic tank, and also many people who throw garbage into the river. This activity aims to increase public knowledge about healthy latrines, homes, and residential environments. The method used was providing counselling which is carried out using a lecture and video approach. The results of the activity obtained an increase in community knowledge by 45% compared to before being given counselling/education as measured by a questionnaire technique using a pre-post activity questionnaire during one day the activity took place. The community was very enthusiastic about listening to the counselling delivered. The interest and willingness of the community to improve the quality of the residential environment and change their habits can worsen their environmental conditions, which was very high, is reflected in the community's commitment to the sustainability of the following environmental improvement program, which will be continued by collaboration between the community service team and community to improve the quality of the residential environment.

Carcinogenic Potentials of Toxic Metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Telfairia occidentalis and Talinum triangulare Impacted by Wastewater, Southern Nigeria

Health risks of toxic metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with the consumption of Telfairia occidentalis and Talinum triangulare impacted by wastewater from water treatment plants within Uyo Metropolis, Southern Nigeria, were investigated using standard methods. The level of toxic metals and PAHs was higher in vegetables impacted by wastewater from food processing industries than in the other investigated sources. The levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr) in the vegetables exceeded their recommended limits by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Wastewater was confirmed as the major source of toxic metals in the vegetables. The estimated chronic daily intake of toxic metals through vegetables for both child and adult populations was lower than their tolerable daily intake. The hazard quotients of noncarcinogenic PAHs indicated higher values for children than adults. The vegetables contained all the priority PAHs except dibenz[a,h]anthracene. The estimated daily intake of PAHs was higher in children than in adults, except for phenanthrene. The threshold screening values for PAHs indicated lower non-carcinogenic health risks for consumers. The carcinogenic health risks of metals and PAHs via vegetables indicated a moderately high risk for both populations. The consumption of vegetables impacted by wastewater could result in serious health problems for both child and adult populations. This study has exposed the environmental and human health problems related to the use of wastewater for the irrigation of vegetable gardens, which hitherto were unavailable in the study area.

Aspergillus luchuensis, an Endophyte Fungus from the Metal Hyperaccumulator Plant Prosopis laevigata, Promotes Its Growth and Increases Metal Translocation

Heavy metal pollution is a worldwide environmental and human health problem. Prosopis laevigata is a hyperaccumulator legume that bioaccumulates Pb, Cu and Zn. With interest in designing phytoremediation strategies for sites contaminated with heavy metals, we isolated and characterized endophytic fungi from the roots of P. laevigata growing on mine tailings located in Morelos, Mexico. Ten endophytic isolates were selected by morphological discrimination and a preliminary minimum inhibitory concentration was determined for zinc, lead and copper. A novel strain of Aspergillus closest to Aspergillus luchuensis was determined to be a metallophile and presented a marked tolerance to high concentrations of Cu, Zn and Pb, so it was further investigated for removal of metals and promotion of plant growth under greenhouse conditions. The control substrate with fungi promoted larger size characters in P. laevigata individuals in comparison with the other treatments, demonstrating that A. luchuensis strain C7 is a growth-promoting agent for P. laevigata individuals. The fungus favors the translocation of metals from roots to leaves in P. laevigata, promoting an increased Cu translocation. This new A. luchuensis strain showed endophytic character and plant growth-promotion activity, high metal tolerance, and an ability to increase copper translocation. We propose it as a novel, effective and sustainable bioremediation strategy for copper-polluted soils.

MECHANISM OF MARINE POLLUTION - THE CASE OF PAKISTAN

The aim of this paper is to study the major causes of marine pollution & its negative effects on coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan in Pakistan; the role of the regulatory setup to control marine pollution; and the status of local & international legal implications in Pakistan. In addition, due to ports & shipping developments/activities, they are causing environmental and human health problems by disrupting the ocean ecosystem and biota. This paper also identifies the direct and indirect sources of marine pollution through ports & shipping activities, infrastructural developments, and the discharge of wastes into the sea from different sources. It also explores the failures of the system to control marine pollution due to the lack of political will, unsustainable management practices, lack of traditional knowledge and modern standards and technologies, lack of community participation, and not ratifying the mandatory laws and conventions on marine pollution nor proper implementation of them. The analysis indicates the weakness of the implications of the legal setup as per international standards (by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)). The results showed that only pollution by ports and shipping activities is an insignificant reason for the weakness of the shipping business. The analysis shows that legal bodies, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs (MOMA), associated organizations, policy matters, the role of ports of Sindh and Balochistan, and coastal communities have less understanding about management and procedures to control pollution in the coastal areas and in the sea. It can be concluded that pollutants can cause a variety of biological effects, including metabolic dysfunction, genetic damage, and phonological changes. Therefore, it is recommended that the government formulate specific policies within the framework of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 14)-2015-2030 and UN Ocean Decade Challenges for 2021–2030 that would develop the significant objectives and implementation plans for the green environment, which would contain potential procedures for the sustainable growth of ports and shipping businesses through compliance with IMO standards and maintain the positive relationship between national and international levels.

Relationship between Butyrylcholinesterase Activity and Cognitive Ability in Workers Exposed to Chlorpyrifos

Background. The use of Chlorpyrifos leads to a public, environmental, and occupational health problem associated with adverse effects in the exposed population, generating alterations mainly in the central nervous system, such as cognitive function. This study aimed to estimate the association between butyrylcholinesterase activity (BChE) and cognitive ability in workers exposed to chlorpyrifos. Methods. We designed a cross-sectional study, where we measured BChE in serum samples as an indicator of exposure to chlorpyrifos. The cognitive ability was assessed by the mean score of the Peruvian version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). We also used a questionary to collect demographic and occupational information. Results. We evaluated 120 farmers with a predominance of males (92%) and a mean age of 32.1 ± 9.0 years. We found most of the workers in fumigation activities (84%). The mean BChE was 6144.7 ± 2355.0 U/L, and 46% presented inhibition enzyme (<5500 U/L). The median MMSE score was 28 (interquartile range: 26.5–31.5; 6% showed an alteration in cognitive ability (score < 24)). The MMSE test found a significant association between BChE inhibition and MMSE score (β: −0.071, 95%CI: −0.108 to −0.025). Conclusion. In this study, 45.8% of workers exposed to chlorpyriphos presented BChE inhibition. The BChE inhibition is significantly associated with the MMSE score in workers exposed to chlorpyrifos.

Ionization Air Purifying Lattice Prototype

Environmental pollution caused by human activities, the harmful mixture of gases (CO, CO2, NO2, SO2, PM), resulting from industrial production processes and vehicular traffic is a global environmental health problem in urban and rural areas; it affects vulnerable groups, children and older adults, affecting respiratory, cardiovascular and cancerous diseases. In Ecuador, in the city of Cuenca, among the main sources of contamination is the vehicle fleet in high-traffic areas and avenues; in addition to the industrial zone, that coexists with the city within the urban area in the northwest zone, which generates contamination to properties located around these strips. This paper presents the development of a purifying element based on the “evolutionary development” model. It begins by analyzing and studying concepts of lattices, ionization, and air purification, among others; subsequently, existing air purification systems are investigated in detail and a prototype of an ionizing lattice is generated, whose function is to filter polluted air when installed as an aesthetic part in buildings. Finally, the purification performance of gases and particles typical of the electrostatic precipitator (ESP) was tested by means of air quality stations. By means of a type of correlational applied research, the similarity between external and internal gases and particulate matter was verified, obtaining, as a result, the effective reduction of the same; decreasing by 4.15% of CO2, 30% of CO and 57% of particulate matter. With this analysis, it is concluded that the prototype of the ionization air purifying lattice can be efficient with some of the gases against particulate pollution in domestic interiors, positively influencing the health of the inhabitants of a building.

Emerging mercury and methylmercury contamination from new artisanal and small-scale gold mining along the Nile Valley, Egypt

The past decade witnessed the initiation and boom of the Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) activities in the hyper-arid southern Egypt. The ores are mined in the Eastern Desert and then transported to the densely populated farming communities in the Nile Valley, where the river provides the water resources needed for ore processing. In search for economic benefits, the poorly educated farmers with limited technical resources transformed their cultivated lands into ASGM operations, exposing themselves, their families, the residents, and the Nile ecosystems to several environmental and occupational health problems. Using integrated remote sensing, field, geochemical, and isotopic analyses, we report the first inventory of ASGM-related total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) levels in tailings, amalgamation-tailing ponds, and surface and groundwater with emphasis on the Edfu city and its surroundings. The field and remote sensing-based mapping of ASGM activities reveals clustering around the Nile waterways and suggests interaction of Hg contamination sources with their surrounding receptors. Common ASGM practices include release of contaminated water from unlined amalgamation-tailing ponds into irrigation and drainage canals, and spreading of tailings over cultivated soils. In a short period (10 years), the released Hg contaminated multiple media, including the surface water, the shallow and deep aquifers, and possibly the soil, crops, and livestock. THg levels in amalgamation-tailing ponds (1200–8470 ng/L) are fourfold higher than US EPA and eightfold the WHO thresholds. The contaminated waters released from amalgamation-tailing ponds raised THg levels in surface water (irrigation canals: 50–100 ng/L; drainage canals: THg: > 200 ng/L) and groundwater (shallow and deep aquifers: 80–500 ng/L). Our findings highlight the need to extend the adopted approach to cover the entire length of the Nile River and its valley and the importance of conducting awareness campaigns to educate residents and health care providers about potential ASGM-related environmental and health hazards.Graphical

Assessing the role of evapotranspiration in reducing surface temperatures in Harare using the SEBAL algorithm

Within urban areas, buildings, roads, and paved surfaces, absorb and re-emit the sun's heat more than natural landscapes. Urban areas, where these structures are highly concentrated and vegetation is limited, become ‘heat islands’ contributing to a range of environmental, economic, and human health problems. Despite this, limited research, has, to date, been carried out to assess the influence of evapotranspiration (ET) on urban surface temperatures for Harare, Zimbabwe. In this study, the uSEBAL algorithm was used to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) and land surface temperature (LST) using Landsat images in Hazare, Zimbabwe. The influence of ET on LST was also examined during the hot and post rain seasons. Results showed significant negative relationships (p < 0.05) between ET and LST. High ET rates were recorded over water bodies and green spaces as compared to built-up areas. High ET rates resulted in correspondingly low LST. This is the first time such results are reported for Harare. The conclusion drawn from these results is that as ET increases, temperature decreases, thus there was a negative relationship between ET and LST during the hot season. Additionally, low ET coincided with high LST in low vegetation and densely built-up areas. From these findings we can deduce ways of mitigating effects of thermal discomfort in urban areas i.e., inclusion of green spaces and water bodies within the cities. It is recommended that more green spaces be created within residential zones and encourage construction of green buildings and cooling technologies.

Potential arsenic–chromium–lead Co-contamination in the hilly terrain of Arunachal Pradesh, north-eastern India: Genesis and health perspective

In the recent times, multi-metal co-contamination in the groundwater of various parts of the globe has emerged as a challenging environmental health problems. While arsenic (As) has been reported with high fluoride and at times with uranium; and Cr & Pb are also found in aquifers under high anthropogenic impacts. The present work probably for the first time traces the As–Cr–Pb co-contamination in the pristine aquifers of a hilly terrain that are under relatively less stress from the anthropogenic activities. Based on the analyses of twenty-two (n = 22) groundwater (GW) samples and six (n = 6) sediment samples, it was found that Cr being leached from the natural sources as evident from 100% of samples with dissolve Cr exceeding the prescribed drinking water limit. Generic plots suggests rock-water interaction as the major hydrogeological processes with mixed Ca2+-Na+-HCO3- type water. Wide range of pH suggests localized human interferences, as well as indicative of both calcite and silicate weathering processes. In general water samples were found high only with Cr and Fe, however all sediment samples were found to contain As–Cr–Pb. This implies that the groundwater is under-risk of co-contamination of highly toxic trio of As–Cr–Pb. Multivariate analyses indicate that the changing pH as the causative factor for Cr leaching into the groundwater. This is a new finding for a pristine hilly aquifers, and we suspect such condition may also be present in other parts of globe, and thus precautionary investigations are needed to prevent this catastrophic situation to arise, and to alert the community in advance.

From old pollutants to the regulation of bisphenol A: Lessons learned for health promotion and disease prevention

Citizens deserve regulatory changes and policies more sensitive to the current needs of humans, the climate, and nature. In this work we draw on prior experiences of preventable human suffering and economic losses caused by delayed regulation of legacy and emerging pollutants. Heightened awareness of environmental health problems is necessary among health professionals, the media, and citizens' organizations. Improved translation from research to the clinical world and to policy is critical to reduce the population burden of diseases caused by exposure to endocrine disruptors and other environmental chemicals. Numerous lessons can be learned from science-to-policy processes built for “old pollutants” (as persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, tributyltin), as well as from current trends regarding the regulation of non-persistent chemicals, such as the prototypical endocrine disruptor bisphenol A. We end discussing relevant pieces of the puzzle to tackle the environmental and regulatory challenges faced by our societies.

Toxic metal(loids) levels in the aquatic environment and nuclear alterations in fish in a tropical river impacted by gold mining

The Atrato River basin was protected by Colombian law due to anthropogenic impacts, mainly from illegal gold mining, which triggered a critical environmental health problem. In this study we quantified mercury (Hg), methylmercury (MeHg) and arsenic (As) concentrations in aquatic environmental matrices, and explored for the first-time nuclear degenerations in fish from the Atrato River. The median concentrations (μg/kg) for T-Hg, MeHg and As in fish were 195.0, 175.5, and 30.0; in sediments (μg/kg) 165.5, 13.8 and 3.1; and in water (ng/L), 154.7 for T-Hg and 2.1 for As. A 38% and 10% of the fish exceeded the WHO limit for the protection of populations at risk (200 μg Hg/kg) and for human consumption (500 μg Hg/kg); while As concentrations were below the international standard (1000 μg/kg) in all fish. The percentage of MeHg was 89.7% and the highest accumulation was observed in carnivorous fish (336.3 ± 245.6 μg/kg, p < 0.05) of high consumption, indicating risk to human health. In water, T-Hg concentrations exceeded the threshold effect value of 12 ng/L, whereas As concentrations were below the threshold of 10,000 ng/L, established by USEPA. On the contrary, 33% of the sediments exceeded the quality standard of 200 μg/kg for Hg. We found that Prochilodus magdalenae was the species with the highest susceptibility to nuclear alterations in its order, nuclear bud (CNB, 3.7 ± 5.4%), micronuclei (MN, 1.6 ± 2.5%) and binucleated cells (BC, 1.6 ± 2.3%). These results indicate that the species appears to be a good predictor of genotoxicity in the Atrato River. Fulton's condition factor (K) indicated that 31.7% of the fishes had poor growth condition, suggesting that the Atrato River basin needs to be monitored and restored in accordance with the agreements reached in the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

PM2.5 caused ferroptosis in spermatocyte via overloading iron and disrupting redox homeostasis

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been reported to cause various types of damage to male reproductive system, but the research on the underlying mechanisms is still insufficient. This study attempted to explore the underlying mechanisms of this widely concerning environmental health problem through in vivo and in vitro exposure models. Significant pathological damage and abnormal mitochondria in spermatocytes were observed in the real-time PM2.5 exposure animal model. In addition, significant alterations in key biomarkers of iron metabolism and ferroptosis were found in testis tissues. Notably decreased cell viability was found in vitro. Moreover, the ferroptosis pathway was significantly enriched in the transcriptome enrichment analysis. Subsequent experiments showed that the two core events of ferroptosis, iron overload and lipid peroxidation, occurred in spermatocytes after PM2.5 treatment. Moreover, lipid metabolic genes (Acsl4 and Aloxe3) and the antioxidant gene Gpx4 were found to be key target genes of ferroptosis caused by PM2.5 in spermatocytes. Importantly, further studies showed that the damaging effect could be reversed by the iron chelator deferoxamine mesylate (DFOM) and the lipid peroxidation inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), which further confirmed the role of ferroptosis in PM2.5 toxicity. Our study revealed the vital role of ferroptosis in PM2.5-induced male reproductive damage, providing novel insights into the air pollution-induced decrease in male fertility.

Cardanol-based adhesive with reduced formaldehyde emission to produce particleboards with waste from bean crops.

Free formaldehyde is a carcinogen whose emission reduction in particleboard has been studied recently to mitigate this environmental and human health problem. One alternative to reduce the emission of formaldehyde in particleboards is by using adhesives produced from natural sources. Cardanol-formaldehyde is an environmentally friendly adhesive made with cashew nut liquid, a byproduct from the cashew chain. This work aimed to produce particleboard using cardanol-formaldehyde in place of urea. In addition, different proportions of bean straw wastes were used to replace pine wood. The combination of eco-friendly adhesive and lignocellulosic waste particles could result in a product that meets market demands while being environmentally nonaggressive. Cardanol-formaldehyde promoted a higher modulus of elasticity (MOE) (1172MPa) and modulus of rupture (MOR) (4.39MPa) about panels glued with urea-formaldehyde, which presented a MOE of 764MPa and MOR of 2.45MPa. Furthermore, the cardanol-formaldehyde adhesive promoted a 93% reduction in formaldehyde emission, with a reduction from 16.76 to 1.09mg/100g oven-dry board for particleboards produced with cardanol-formaldehyde, indicating potential as an adhesive in the particleboard industry.

A Review on the Progress, Challenges, and Performances of Tin-Based Perovskite Solar Cells.

In this twenty-first century, energy shortages have become a global issue as energy demand is growing at an astounding rate while the energy supply from fossil fuels is depleting. Thus, the urge to develop sustainable renewable energy to replace fossil fuels is significant to prevent energy shortages. Solar energy is the most promising, accessible, renewable, clean, and sustainable substitute for fossil fuels. Third-generation (3G) emerging solar cell technologies have been popular in the research field as there are many possibilities to be explored. Among the 3G solar cell technologies, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are the most rapidly developing technology, making them suitable for generating electricity efficiently with low production costs. However, the toxicity of Pb in organic-inorganic metal halide PSCs has inherent shortcomings, which will lead to environmental contamination and public health problems. Therefore, developing a lead-free perovskite solar cell is necessary to ensure human health and a pollution-free environment. This review paper summarized numerous types of Sn-based perovskites with important achievements in experimental-based studies to date.