Low Pollution Levels Research Articles

Novel Bioformulations with Trichoderma lixii to Improve the Growth Dynamics and Biocontrol of the Cowpea Damping-Off Disease

Because agricultural wastes are abundant in biologically active substances, they can be used as a substitute source to produce highly valuable products while lowering pollution levels in the environment. Therefore, we aimed at determining the best agricultural wastes to increase the biomass production rate and the effectiveness of the biocontrol strain Trichoderma lixii SARS 111 in a solid-state fermentation system. The potential for its use in enhancing growth dynamics and controlling the Fusarium oxysporum NCAIM-F-00779-caused damping-off disease of cowpea plants grown in greenhouse conditions was also studied. Using a one-factor-at-a-time experiment, five cheap agricultural waste substrates (faba bean, cowpea, sweet potato, pumpkin, and cassava) were studied using the Plackett–Burman design (PBD) and the central composite design (CCD) to optimize the nutritional and growth conditions to maximize the production of Trichoderma conidia. The findings demonstrated that increasing Candida production quantitatively required the use of 3 g of sweet potato, 3 g of cassava, pH 6, 25 °C, and pre-treatment with dH2O. The shelf life and viability of T. lixii strain were measured as log10 CFU g−1 per substrate at room temperature (RT, 25 °C) at the beginning of month 0 and subsequently at 2-month intervals for 12 months. Data showed that the fungal counts increased with the use of 4 g of sweet potato + 2 g of cassava up to 7 months and then sharply decreased, lasting up to 12 months. Additionally, this bioformulation was applied to cowpea plants in a greenhouse experiment, where a significantly higher level of plant growth traits, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant enzymes, and chemical content in the leaves, as well as lower incidence of the damping-off disease, were noted. Accordingly, it is possible to suggest 4 g of sweet potato and 2 g of cassava as a suitable bioformulation for the industrial-scale production of the T. lixii strain, which may be a potential biocontrol agent for preventing the cowpea damping-off disease caused by F. oxysporum and improving the growth dynamics.

Sex differential effects on the joint contribution of air pollution and biological aging on cognitive performance in individuals at risk of Alzheimer’s disease

AbstractBackgroundAir pollution is associated with cognitive performance, risk for AD and may accelerate biological aging. Biological aging due to telomere shortening has been associated with cognitive impairment. However, few studies have looked at the link between air pollution, telomere length, and cognitive performance among sexes. In this study, we investigated the joint effect of sex, air pollution, and leukocyte telomere length (LTL), on cognitive performance in cognitively unimpaired (CU) individuals at risk of AD.MethodThe study included 1,472 middle‐aged CU adults with increased risk of AD from the ALFA study [Table 1]. Residential exposure to air pollutants including nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) was estimated by land use regression models. LTL was determined by qPCR from DNA extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. LTL was residualized against chronological age and sex (rLTL). A cognitive battery was administered to assess verbal memory, psychomotor speed, visual processing and executive function. Further, episodic memory (EM), executive function and Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC) composites were calculated by averaging normalized raw scores of the subtests. Models were corrected by chronological age, years of education and APOE‐ε4 status. Sex‐specific effects were investigated by adjusting interaction models.ResultThere was no overall effect of neither rLTL nor air pollution on cognitive performance, but crossover interactions with sex were found. Exposure to higher levels of NO2 and PM2.5 were associated with worse EM only in men [Figure 1]. Three‐way interaction models revealed longer rLTL and lower levels of air pollution were associated with better performance on PACC (for PM2.5, PM10 and NO2) and EM (for PM10 and NO2) among men. In women, these associations were only observed at higher exposure levels of air pollution [Figure 2].ConclusionThe results show that lower levels of air pollution allow for the protective effect of rLTL on cognitive performance only in men for whom air pollution had a stronger negative impact. In women, the results show different mechanisms through which air pollution and rLTL affect cognitive performance. Further analyses will be conducted to gain insight into the observed effects.

Bio-Purification of River Kaduna Water Using Moringa Oleifera Seed Powder

The study was designed to investigate the effect of Moringa Oleifera seed powder in purifying raw water. Water samples were collected in plastic bottles on monthly basis, for six months in the dry and wet season along the Southern axis of river Kaduna (Kakuri). Physicochemical parameters of the water such as Turbidity, DO/BOD, Hardness, pH and Electrical Conductivity were carried out using Standard Methods. Heavy metals of the water such as Copper, Arsenic, Chromium and Lead were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The effect of various concentrations of the seed powder on physicochemical parameters and heavy metals of the water were determined using jar test in the dry and wet seasons. The result of the physicochemical parameters such as turbidity (278.00±38.62 FAU), BOD (204.73±111.63 mg/L), E.C (2195±107.39 μmhos/cm) in the wet season indicated a high level of pollution in the water while in the dry season, low levels of turbidity (35.00±6.43FAU), BOD (0.53±0.13mg/L), and E.C (89.33±14.73μmhos/cm) showed a low level of pollution. The pH of the water in both seasons was neutral (7.07±0.64 and 7.94±0.59) and within the WHO limits of 6.5-8.5. The result of heavy metals in the dry season; Cu (0.015±0.001), As (0.793±0.001) and wet season, Cr (0.019±0.001) and Pb (0.084±0.001). The result obtained revealed that the extract has high potential to reduce turbidity, improve low DO’s, reduce high BOD’s in the water, with high antimicrobial properties that can be used in reducing bacteria load.

An Investigation of Heavy Metal Concentrations in the Sera of Cattle Grazed in Different Locations in the Kars Province of Türkiye.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of exposure of cattle to low levels of environmental pollution on trace metal metabolism. The assessment of heavy metal concentrations in blood samples is essential to evaluate the potential effects of pollutants on cattle production and to measure the uptake of pollutants by animals.For this purpose, cattle raised in villages at varying distances to the center of the Kars province were sampled for blood, and heavy metal concentrations were measured in the extracted sera. In total 150 blood samples were collected from 4-to 5-year-old cattle from 15 regions. Sera were extracted from the blood samples from the selected foci and analyzed with an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) device for essential (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn, Se, V) and non-essential (Pb, Cd and Hg, As, Al, Sn) heavy metals. Heavy metals were detected in the serum samples in the following order: Sn > Fe > Al > Zn > Cu > Pb > Cr > As > V > Ni > Mn > Hg. A confidence interval of 95% was used to evaluate all tests. Differences between the villages were insignificant for the Cu, Pb, Cd, Hg, Se, Al, Co concentrations (p > 0.05), whereas differences between the villages were significant for the Fe, As, Ni, Mn (p < 0.05), Zn, Cr (p < 0.01), V and Sn (p < 0.001) concentrations.The results of this study show that heavy metals detected in bovine sera from the sampling area do not exceed the maximum permissible limits, suggesting limited exposure to heavy metals and no associated health risk to animals in the region.

Associations of low levels of air pollution with cardiometabolic outcomes and the role of diet quality in individuals with obesity

BackgroundExposure to air pollution is associated with adverse cardiometabolic health effects and increased mortality, even at low concentrations. Some of the biological mechanisms through which air pollution can affect cardiometabolic health overlap with health outcomes associated with diet quality and changes in diet. ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to investigate associations of air pollutants at average concentrations below the World Health Organization, 2021 air quality guidelines with cardiometabolic outcomes. Furthermore, potential interaction between air pollutants and diet quality will be assessed. Methods82 individuals with obesity participated in a combined weight loss and weight loss maintenance study for a total of 33 weeks. A secondary analysis was conducted incorporating air pollution measurements. Data were analysed with linear mixed-effects models. ResultsA total of 17 significant associations were observed for single pollutants with 10 cardiometabolic outcomes, predominantly related to blood lipids, hormones, and glucose regulation. Diet quality, as measured by the Baltic Sea Diet score, did not appear to mediate the association of air pollution with cardiometabolic outcomes, however, diet quality was observed to significantly modify the association of PM2.5 with total cholesterol, and the associations of NO and O3 with ghrelin. DiscussionThese findings suggest that exposure to ambient air pollutants, especially particulate matter, at levels below World Health Organization, 2021 air quality guidelines, were associated with changes in cardiometabolic risk factors. Diet may be a personal-level approach for individuals to modify the impact of exposure to air pollution on cardiometabolic health.

The effect of ambient air pollution on birth outcomes in Norway

BackgroundAmbient air pollution can be harmful to the fetus even in countries with relatively low levels of pollution. Most of the established literature estimates the association between air pollution and health rather than causality. In this paper, I examine the causal effects of ambient air pollution on birth outcomes in Norway.MethodsWith the large sample size and geographic division of sub-postal codes in Norway, I can control for a rich set of spatio-temporal fixed effects to overcome most of the endogeneity problems caused by the choice of residential area and date of delivery. After controlling for a rich set of spatio-temporal fixed effects, my paper uses the variance in ambient air pollutant concentrations over narrow time intervals and in a small geographic area of Norway to determine how prenatal air pollution exposure affects birth outcomes. My data contain extensive information about parents as well as meteorological conditions that can be used to control for potential confounding factors.ResultsI find that prenatal exposure to ambient nitric oxide in the last trimester causes significant birth weight and birth length loss under the same sub-postcode fixed effects and calendar month fixed effects, whereas other ambient air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide appear to be at safe levels for the fetus in Norway. In addition, the marginal adverse effect of ambient nitric oxide is larger for newborns with disadvantaged parents. Both average concentrations of nitric oxide and occasional high concentration events can adversely affect birth outcomes.ConclusionsPrenatal exposure to NO pollution has an adverse effect on birth outcomes. This suggests that government and researchers should pay more attention to examining NO pollution and that health care providers need to advise pregnant women about the risks of air pollution during pregnancy.

A nonlinear analysis of the impacts of information and communication technologies on environmental quality: A global perspective

Although many current studies have explored a series of factors influencing environmental quality, few have investigated the nonlinearity between information and communication technology (ICT) and the environment. This article uses the method of moments quantile regression (MM-QR) technique to evaluate the nonlinear and heterogeneous effects of all influencing factors on carbon dioxide emissions under various emission distributions. Using panel data from 90 countries, the results first indicate that ICT exerts a significant positive impact on carbon emissions; specifically, the higher the level of ICT development, the greater the carbon emissions. Second, in the conditional distribution of carbon emissions, the influence of ICT exhibits considerable heterogeneity, and ICT development has a larger positive effect on carbon dioxide emissions in countries with lower levels of pollution from a global perspective. Finally, the adverse impact of ICT on the environment can be mitigated through financial system development, urbanization, industrialization, and trade openness. This study enriches existing related literature and provides targeted insights for governments and policymakers in low- and high-pollution countries to reduce environmental pollution and promote sustainable development.

Abstract 14863: Omega-3 Fatty Acids Intake and Oxylipins Production in Response to Short-Term Ambient Air Pollution Exposure in Healthy Adults

Rationale: Exposure to air pollution is associated with adverse health effects through systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. One mechanism of beneficial effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 FA) is mediated via their inflammation resolution process by generating bioactive lipid mediators known as oxylipins. Objective: This study examined the association between n-3 FA-derived bioactive oxylipins and short-term exposure to ambient air pollution in healthy adults. Methods: Fifteen healthy adults were enrolled into either high or low n-3 groups based on n-3 FA intake and the participants underwent 4-5 blood collections for lipidomic profile of 55 oxylipins. Associations between ambient ozone, nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) levels and plasma oxylipins were assessed using mixed-effects models stratified by fatty acids levels. Results: Average concentrations of ozone (40.8±11.1 ppb), NO 2 (5.3±3.8 ppb), and PM 2.5 (10.2±4.1 μg/m 3 ) were below national ambient air quality standards during the study period. Compared to the low n-3 group exposed to ozone and PM 2.5 , high n-3 group had significant reduction in arachidonic acids (AA) derived pro-inflammatory oxylipins produced by lipoxygenase (LOX). For instance, 12 HETE was negatively associated with ozone levels [for an IQR increase in ozone, -58.1% (95% CI:-96.8, -19.4) vs. 14.5% (95% CI:-33, 62)] and PM 2.5 concentrations [for an IQR increase in PM 2.5 , -29.6% (95% CI:-49.1, -10.1) vs. 28.5% (95% CI:-3.8, 60.9)] at lag4 in the high n-3 group while the association was null in the low n-3 group. In contrast, high n-3 group exposed to ozone and PM 2.5 had significant increases in EPA and DHA derived pro-resolving oxylipins produced by LOX and cytochrome p450 (CYP) and soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) compared to the low n-3 group. Conclusions: We observed negative associations between short-term ambient air pollutants and pro-inflammatory oxylipins in the high n-3 groups, while the associations between short-term ambient air pollutants and pro-resolving oxylipins were positive in the high n-3 groups, suggesting that n-3 derived lipid mediators may mediate the inflammation resolution process in response to low levels of ambient air pollution in healthy adults.

Long-Range Network of Air Quality Index Sensors in an Urban Area.

In recent times the escalating pollution within densely populated metropolitan areas has emerged as a significant and pressing concern. Authorities are actively grappling with the challenge of devising solutions to promote a cleaner and more environmentally friendly urban landscapes. This paper outlines the potential of establishing a LoRa node network within a densely populated urban environment. Each LoRa node in this network is equipped with an air quality measurement sensor. This interconnected system efficiently transmits all the analyzed data to a gateway, which subsequently sends it to a server or database in real time. These data are then harnessed to create a pollution map for the corresponding area, providing users with the opportunity to assess local pollution levels and their recent variations. Furthermore, this information proves valuable when determining the optimal route between two points in the city, enabling users to select the path with the lowest pollution levels, thus enhancing the overall quality of the urban environment. This advantage contributes to alleviating congestion and reducing excessive pollution often concentrated behind buildings or on adjacent streets.

Analysis and Assessment of the Soil Environment Around a Plateau Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Plant

ABSTRACT To understand the source, distribution and degree of pollution of heavy metals in the soil around a plateau municipal solid waste incineration plant, a municipal solid waste incineration plant in Lhasa was taken as the research object in this study. The soil surrounding the facility was sampled, and the contents of heavy metals, including Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ni, Cd, As, and Hg, in the soil were analyzed. Then, heavy metal pollution and risk assessments were conducted using the geoaccumulation index method, Nemerow index method, and potential ecological risk index method. Additionally, correlation and principal component analysis were used to determine the correlation between heavy metals in the soil and their sources of pollution. The results showed that based on the Nemerow comprehensive pollution index, the soil surrounding the incineration plant generally had a low level of pollution. Through the analysis of individual potential ecological risk indices, it was found that only the heavy metal Cd presented moderate potential risks, while the other seven heavy metals had mild potential risks. The average value of the total potential risk coefficient was 107.31, which was less than 150, indicating that there was a slight potential risk associated with the soil around the incineration plant. There was significant correlation between six heavy metals, namely, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ni, and Cd, in the soil around the incineration plant. Their pollution sources were similar, and their levels tended to be affected by the incineration plant. However, there was no significant correlation between the heavy metals As and Hg and the other six heavy metals. These two heavy metals had independent sources of pollution but were also influenced by human activities.

Association of ambient air pollution and pregnancy rate among women undergoing assisted reproduction technology in Fujian, China: A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundPrevious studies have reported the impact of ambient air pollutants on assisted reproduction. They concentrated on highly polluted environments and individual pollutants. It is unclear whether these effects continue at lower levels and as mixed effects. We aimed to study the influence of lower pollutant concentrations on pregnancy rates and identify vulnerable populations. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 9465 patients with infertility who received treatment from a local hospital between 2015 and 2021. Daily average levels of six pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NO2, CO, SO2, and O3) were collected from air quality monitoring stations. We employed generalized linear regression models (logistic, linear, and lasso), weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to assess the impact of pollutants on pregnancy rates. Additionally, stratified analyses were performed to identify potentially vulnerable populations. ResultsFindings from the generalized linear models revealed a significant negative correlation between interquartile range increment exposure to PM2.5 (OR = 1.17, 95 % CI = 1.09–1.26), PM10 (OR = 1.18, 95 % CI = 1.11–1.26), NO2 (OR = 1.21, 95 % CI = 1.13–1.30), CO (OR = 1.02, 95 % CI = 1.00–1.03), SO2 (OR = 1.11, 95 % CI = 1.05–1.17) and pregnancy rate when considering the effects of individual pollutants. The WQS index exhibited a negative correlation with pregnancy rates and the number of oocytes retrieved (aOR = 1.20, 95 % CI = 1.08–1.34). BKMR analyses indicated an overall significant trend of decreasing pregnancy rates as pollutant concentrations increased across percentiles. Stratified analysis unveiled heightened sensitivity to pollutants among individuals aged ≥35 years. ConclusionsBy comparing results obtained from diverse models, we observed that exposure to lower levels of air pollutants led to decreased pregnancy rates. Notably, PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO emerged as the four most prominent pollutants in this context. Moreover, stratified analyses highlighted that individuals aged ≥35 years exhibited heightened susceptibility to pollutants.

Photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B and Removal of Pb2+ over an all-day-active carbon nitride

Solar energy-driven semiconductor photocatalysis has broad application prospect in the environmental governance field. However, vital problems that limits its application is that the discontinuity of nature sunlight. The ability of keeping catalytic activity in the dark could tackle these problems. Herein, a simple all-day-active photocatalytic system based on carbon nitride with electron storage property was carried out, which forms highly reductive radicals with lifetime exceeding diurnal cycle under sunlight irradiation. This carbon nitride system is capable to give off its trapped electrons to perform efficient Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation and Pb2+ reduction in the dark. The all-day-active photocatalyst system can still maintain catalytic activity even when it is cloudy or closer to night. Dramatically, this carbon nitride could hold the storage electrons for days under vacuum. The system above for storing sunlight as long-lived radicals will demonstrate a new approach for environmental protection, such as the remove of low-level pollutants in cloudy days and even the underground conditions.

Supplementation of strigolactone analog for enhancing the removal of nutrient and heavy metal by microalgae-fungi symbionts

The purification effects of Chlorella vulgaris and Chlorella vulgaris-Clonostachys symbionts on nutrients and heavy metals in wastewater were investigated to determine the optimal symbiotic treatment technology and the suitable concentration of GR24. The results showed that exogenous GR24 not only promoted the formation of uniform green spheres in microalgae-fungi symbionts, but also increased its photosynthetic performance and growth. At 10−7 M GR24 addition concentration, the specific growth rate of microalgae-fungi symbionts was 0.367 ± 0.04 d−1, the maximum removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were 81.96 ± 7.93 %, 80.26 ± 7.91 % and 82.96 ± 8.05 %, respectively. When the concentration of exogenous GR24 was 10−5 M, the removal efficiency of heavy metals was the best at both low and high pollution levels. It was worth noting that the removal efficiency of Zn at low concentration pollution levels (1 mg L−1) was 99.32 ± 0.43 %, nearly 100 %. This study promoted the development of microalgae-fungal symbionts in the field of wastewater treatment.

Can digitalization reduce industrial pollution? Roles of environmental investment and green innovation

Industrialized nations have witnessed a decline in environmental quality over the years. The potential of digitalization in mitigating environmental pollution is of significant interest. Drawing on firm-level data from listed Chinese companies between 2010 and 2020, including pollutant and financial metrics, this study investigates the influence of digitalization on industrial environmental pollution. We found that digitalization substantially diminishes the intensity of industrial pollution emissions. These findings hold even after employing instrumental variable tests, substituting the dependent variable with carbon dioxide emissions, and conducting a quasi-natural experiment in intelligent manufacturing. Moreover, our exploration of the underlying mechanisms reveals that the decline in pollution emission intensity attributable to digitalization stems from both structural and technological factors; specifically, it enhances environmental investment and fosters green innovation. The benefits of digitalization in curbing emission intensity are pronounced for firms characterized by lower pollution levels, executive leadership with environmental work backgrounds, heightened capital intensity, and elevated media coverage.

3.E. Workshop: Air pollution health impacts and costs in EU accessing countries

Abstract Air pollution is detrimental for health, climate, national economies and well-being in the European Union (EU) and in EU candidate countries. In many locations air quality levels are above the EU or national legal standards and/or the guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization. Very often EU neighbours and countries in the process of accessing the EU are disproportionately more affected by the impact of air pollution than others. The newest global evidence is suggesting that human health is affected even at low pollution levels below the current European standards and WHO guideline values. In 2021, the WHO published new air quality guidelines structured in Intermediate targets and final targets which are lower than the previous recommendations published in 2005. Estimating the costs of air pollution requires analysis of extensive data sets by means of econometric and statistical methodologies. In this session is discussed the assessment at country level for Europe and worldwide which is particularly valuable for estimating statistical value of life (VSL) and the value of a life year (VOLY) for counties that have not been the focus of global estimations so far. Moreover, this workshop adds valuable new information on the Western Balkans and Ukraine that could be used in systematic efforts to develop evidence-based air pollution reduction plans and to track progress toward reducing air pollution and consequently the health impacts. The studies included in this session represent valuable efforts to acquire evidence in support of further alignment of national air quality policies with those of the EU. Key messages • The newest evidence supports efforts to further aligning the Western Balkans and Ukrainian air quality policies with those of the EU and contribute to national and local implementation. • The meta-analysis of existing literature leads to the development of econometric models for estimating VSL and VOLY at country level worldwide.

Оценка загрязнения почв мелиорированных агроландшафтов в зоне воздействия автомобильного транспорта

The article presents the results of a study of the motor transport emissions impact on the soils of reclaimed agricultural landscapes. An intensive intake of macro- and microelements (W, Mo, Sn, Sb, Ti, Mg, K, Cd, Cu, V, Co, Mn, etc.) in the composition of technogenic dust, exceeding background concentrations by 1.5 - 74.0 times, leads to their increased content in the arable layer of agricultural lands. On these territories the content of Zn, Pb, Mn in soils ranged from 1.5 to 2.2 MPC. Natural concentrations of Mn, Ba, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Co, W, Mo, Fe, Cd, Sn, Ti, Sb are exceeded by 2.0 - 19.9 times. W, Mo, Fe, Pb, Mn, Co, Sn and Sb were identified among the priority pollutants in soils. The total pollution indicators show that the entire study area of agricultural soils near motor roads is polluted to varying degrees: 77.8% of the total area has a minimum low level of pollution (from 50 to 150 m from the road) and 22% - medium (15 m). In general, the intensity of impact on soils during road traffic is characterized by a minimum low level of pollution. Keywords: AEROTECHNOGENIC SOIL POLLUTION, SOD-PODZOLIC SOIL, TOTAL POLLUTION INDEX, ROAD TRANSPORT, NORTH-WEST OF RUSSIA

Marine Macro-Litter (Plastic) Pollution of German and North African Marina and City-Port Sea Floors

The macro-litter (plastic) sea-bottom pollution of 14 city harbors and marinas in North Africa and in the western Baltic Sea was investigated using a new simple mobile underwater camera system. The study was complemented by a harbor-manager survey and 3D hydrodynamic transport simulations. The average pollution in German marinas was 0.1 particles/m2 sea floor (0.04–1.75). The pollution in North African marinas on average was seven times higher (0.7 particles/m2) and exceeded 3 particles/m2 in city-center harbors. The resulting &gt; 100,000 litter particles per harbor indicate the existence of a problem. At 73–74%, plastic particles are dominating. Existing legal and management frameworks explain the lack of plastic bottles and bags on sea floors in Germany and are one reason for the lower pollution levels. Items that indicate the role of untreated sewage water were not found. Harbor festivals seem to be quantitatively irrelevant for open sea-bottom pollution. Our method tends to underestimate the pollution level. Model simulations indicate that storms can cause litter reallocations and sediment cleanings. However, marina sea-floor monitoring is recommendable because it addresses pollution hotspots, is cost-effective and takes place close to emission sources. Further, the effectiveness of land-based pollution-reduction measures can easily be assessed.

Plastic pollution in a coral reef climate refuge: Occurrence of anthropogenic debris, microplastics, and plasticizers in the Gulf of Aqaba

The Gulf of Aqaba in the northern Red Sea, considered a coral reef refuge from the negative effects of climate change, is however being subjected to increasing amounts of plastic contamination. We quantified the levels of benthic plastic debris, microplastics, and plasticizers within the coral reef's surrounding seawater and sediment over time. Our results indicate that the coral reefs of the GoA have relatively lower levels of plastic pollution compared to reefs in other regions. The measured benthic debris in the Red Sea reefs was found to be 0.093 ± 0.091 item/m2 and fell within the reported levels found in other tropical coral reefs, with boating and fishing materials being the most abundant type. Deep mesophotic reefs were found to have significantly higher levels of benthic plastic debris compared to the shallower reefs. Microplastic levels in the surrounding seawater of the reef were 0.516 ± 0.317 microplastics/m3. These concentrations in the reef's surrounding waters are comparable to the levels observed in surface waters from the central Red Sea. The target plasticizers appeared infrequently in samples, and the concentrations for the majority of them were below the level of quantification (LOQ = 14.7 ng/l for water and 14.7 ng/g for sediment). The findings from this study provide a valuable scientific basis for shaping regional policies and implementing management strategies aimed at controlling and mitigating plastic pollution. Such policies can ensure the long-term protection of the reefs in the northern Red Sea, turning them into a secure coral refuge shielded from both global and local anthropogenic stressors.

Short-Term Ambient Air Pollution Exposure and Risk of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Sweden: A Nationwide Case-Crossover Study.

Background Air pollution is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease globally, but its association with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest at low air pollution levels is unclear. This nationwide study in Sweden aims to investigate if air pollution is associated with a higher risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in an area with relatively low air pollution levels. Methods and Results This study was a nationwide time-stratified case-crossover study investigating the association between short-term air pollution exposures and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest using data from the SRCR (Swedish Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) between 2009 and 2019. Daily air pollution levels were estimated in 1×1-km grids for all of Sweden using a satellite-based machine learning model. The association between daily air pollutant levels and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was quantified using conditional logistic regression adjusted for daily air temperature. Particulate matter <2.5 μm exposure was associated with a higher risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest among a total of 29 604 cases. In a multipollutant model, the association was most pronounced for intermediate daily lags, with an increased relative risk of 6.2% (95% CI, 1.0-11.8) per 10 μg/m3 increase of particulate matter <2.5 μm 4 days before the event. A similar pattern of association was observed for particulate matter <10 μm. No clear association was observed for O3 and NO2. Conclusions Short-term exposure to air pollution was associated with higher risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The findings add to the evidence of an adverse effect of particulate matter on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, even at very low levels below current regulatory standards.

Long-term exposure to low-level air pollution and greenness and mortality in Northern Europe. The Life-GAP project

BackgroundAir pollution has been linked to mortality, but there are few studies examining the association with different exposure time windows spanning across several decades. The evidence for the effects of green space and mortality is contradictory. ObjectiveWe investigated all-cause mortality in relation to exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3) and greenness (normalized difference vegetation index - NDVI) across different exposure time windows. MethodsThe exposure assessment was based on a combination of the Danish Eulerian Hemispheric Model and the Urban Background Model for the years 1990, 2000 and 2010. The analysis included a complete case dataset with 9,135 participants from the third Respiratory Health in Northern Europe study (RHINE III), aged 40–65 years in 2010, with mortality follow-up to 2021. We performed Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for potential confounders. ResultsAltogether, 327 (3.6 %) persons died in the period 2010–2021. Increased exposures in 1990 of PM2.5, PM10, BC and NO2 were associated with increased all-cause mortality hazard ratios of 1.40 (95 % CI1.04–1.87 per 5 μg/m3), 1.33 (95 % CI: 1.02–1.74 per 10 μg/m3), 1.16 (95 % CI: 0.98–1.38 per 0.4 μg/m3) and 1.17 (95 % CI: 0.92–1.50 per 10 μg/m3), respectively. No statistically significant associations were observed between air pollution and mortality in other time windows. O3 showed an inverse association with mortality, while no association was observed between greenness and mortality. Adjusting for NDVI increased the hazard ratios for PM2.5, PM10, BC and NO2 exposures in 1990. We did not find significant interactions between greenness and air pollution metrics. ConclusionLong term exposure to even low levels of air pollution is associated with mortality. Opening up for a long latency period, our findings indicate that air pollution exposures over time may be even more harmful than anticipated.