Impact Of Pollution Research Articles

Microplastics in Urban Bird Feces: A Methodological Approach and Case Study in Mexico City

Microplastics (MP) are ubiquitous contaminants in diverse environmental matrices, including biota. Urban birds, such as pigeons (Columba livia), are particularly vulnerable to MP exposure due to their scavenging habits and proximity to human activities. This study developed and applied a methodology to assess MP presence in pigeon feces, starting with a review of existing methods for extracting MPs from organic matrices. Of all the methodologies investigated, a method was established to be tested, varying the reagent, using pigeon feces collected from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Azcapotzalco Unit (UAM-A) and 15 virgin microplastics of five different types. Of both reagents, it was found that the method with 50% H2O2 presented better results (degradation of almost all organic matter and recovery efficiency of 93.33%). The selected method was optimized before being applied to feces collected from three sites in Mexico City (n = 10 samples per site). MPs were extracted using a digestion process with 50% hydrogen peroxide, flotation test with CaCl2, staining with red Nile dye and vacuum filtration and analyzed by microscopy and FTIR. Concentrations ranged from 16.4 to 27.8 MP/g dry feces, with fragments (80%) and fibers (20%) being the predominant shapes. The most common colors were black (32%) and white (22%), the polymers identified included polystyrene and polyethylene and the most common size was < 1 mm (54%). These findings suggest that pigeons ingest MP during feeding, likely due to confusion with organic matter, highlighting the risks of urban plastic pollution to avian health. The ingestion of MPs could lead to malnutrition, organ damage, and ecosystem imbalances, underscoring the need for improved waste management in urban areas. This study provides evidence of the pervasive impact of plastic pollution in non-marine environments, demonstrating the potential of urban birds as bio-indicators of local contamination.

Impact of water pollution with lead and cadmium on rumen parameters, serum constituents, and antioxidant status of grazing Egyptian Nubian goats in Giza Governorate

Impact of water pollution with lead and cadmium on rumen parameters, serum constituents, and antioxidant status of grazing Egyptian Nubian goats in Giza Governorate

A novel strategy utilizing wool waste to prepare carbonized porous C/N/O co-doped TiO2 composites for enhancing adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants

The extensive production of waste wool in the textile industry poses significant environmental challenges. To address this issue, we present a novel recycling approach that transforms waste wool into a carbonized, porous, and C/N/O co-doped TiO2 composite material. This was achieved through a simple one-step hydrothermal synthesis followed by calcination in either a nitrogen or an air atmosphere. This innovative method not only repurposes waste wool but also creates a material with impressive adsorption and photocatalytic properties, offering a new solution for environmental remediation. The calcination process effectively dispersed TiO2 nanoparticles, increasing the number of active sites. When calcined in a nitrogen atmosphere, the graphitization of wool biochar was enhanced, nitrogen doping of TiO2 was achieved, and oxygen vacancies were created, all of which significantly improved the adsorption performance. The resulting composite exhibited an adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye that was 13.8 times higher than that of the untreated sample, and 9.9 times higher than that of the sample calcined in air. Furthermore, the composite retained 99% of its original adsorption capacity after a second calcination cycle, indicating strong recycling potential. Photocatalytic performance tests showed a marked improvement in the degradation efficiency of methylene blue, Congo red, and tetracycline hydrochloride under simulated solar irradiation. The primary active species involved were singlet oxygen (1O2) and photogenerated holes (h+), while superoxide radicals ([Formula: see text]) and hydroxyl radicals (‧OH) also contributed to the photodegradation of methylene blue. The use of wool waste as a catalyst support material not only extends its practical applications but also helps reduce the environmental impact of organic pollutants.

Impact of monthly air pollution and weather conditions on cardiorespiratory mortality in Portuguese Metropolitan Areas

This study analyses cardiorespiratory mortality rates (CARDIO) and their association with air pollutants - particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters lower of equal to 10 or 2.5 (µm) (PM10, PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3) - and meteorological variables (temperature, humidity, wind speed, direction) in the Lisbon (LMA) and Porto (PMA) metropolitan areas from 2011 to 2020. Monthly analyses reveal regional patterns and seasonal variations. The results show that PMA had a higher average CARDIO rate (202.94 [Deaths per 100 000]) compared to LMA (169.70 [Deaths per 100 000]). Linear and Poisson regression, contingency tables, correspondence analysis and Pearson’s chi-squared tests confirmed significant associations between low temperature and wind speeds, high pollutant concentrations, and increased mortality. Lower temperature (≤ 13 [°C]) and wind speed (≤ 2.5 [m/s]) were consistently associated with increased CARDIO in both regions. High pollutant levels, particularly PM10 (≥ 24 [µg/m³]) and NO2 (≥ 24 [µg/m³]), were also associated with higher CARDIO rates. Additionally, high PM2.5 and CO levels were linked to increased CARDIO in LMA. The seasonal Mann-Kendall test showed no significant trend in CARDIO for LMA, but a statically significant increasing trend of 2.14 [Deaths per 100 000]) per month for PMA. This study shows the importance of mid-term exposure standards and emphasises the need for multifactorial assessments of air quality and meteorological impacts on health, as regional differences in pollutant dynamics and meteorological conditions may significantly impact cardiorespiratory mortality in urban areas.

Quantifying the impact of air pollution from coal-fired electricity generation on crop productivity in India.

Air pollution from coal electricity generation is a major driver of poor air quality in India and its effects on human health have been extensively studied. Despite considerable evidence that the same pollution also reduces crop productivity, we lack similar quantitative assessments of coal electricity's crop damages. Here, we estimate rice and wheat crop losses from coal generation's nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions using a regression model that combines station-level electricity generation and wind direction, satellite-measured NO2, and its association with crop productivity. Coal emissions impact yields up to 100 km away from power stations. In parts of West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh heavily exposed to coal-linked NO2, annual yield losses exceed 10%, equivalent to approximately 6 y worth of average annual yield growth in both rice and wheat in India between 2011 and 2020. While station-specific crop damages (value of lost output) are almost always lower than mortality damages (monetized value of annual premature PM2.5-related deaths), crop damage intensity (crop damage per GWh of electricity generated) is frequently higher than mortality damage intensity (mortality damage/GWh). Rice damage intensity exceeds mortality damage intensity at 58, and wheat damage intensity at 35 of the 144 power stations studied. The stations associated with the largest crop losses differ from those associated with the highest mortality. Co-optimizing for crop gains and mortality reduction slightly increases and meaningfully changes the distribution of social benefits from reducing emissions, highlighting the importance of considering crop losses alongside health impacts when regulating coal electricity emissions in India.

Impact of Air Pollution and Smog on Human Health in Pakistan: A Systematic Review

Air pollution is a serious public health issue in Pakistan’s metropolitan cities, including Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi. Pakistan’s urban areas are vulnerable due to air pollution drivers such as industrial activities, vehicular emissions, burning processes, emissions from brick kilns, urbanization, and other human activities that have resulted in significant human health issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of air pollutants and smog, as well as their causes and effects on human health. The PRISMA technique was used to assess the impact of environmental contaminants on human health. This study looked at air pollution sources and pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, CO2, CO, SOX, and NOx from waste combustion and agriculture. The population included people of all ages and sexes from both urban and rural areas of Pakistan. Data were retrieved and analyzed using SRDR+ software and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. The data suggested that Karachi and Lahore had the highest levels of air pollution and disease prevalence, which were attributed to heavy industrial activity and traffic emissions. Smog was a serious concern in Lahore during winter, contributing to the spread of several diseases. Other cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Jhang, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Kallar Kahar, were impacted by agricultural operations, industrial pollutants, brick kilns, and urbanization. Due to these drivers of air pollution, some diseases such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases had notably higher incidences in these cities. Other diseases were connected with air pollution exposure, asthma, eye and throat problems, allergies, lung cancer, morbidities, and mortalities. To reduce air pollution’s health effects, policies should focus on reducing emissions, supporting cleaner technologies, and increasing air quality monitoring.

Air Pollution and the Adoption of Industrial Robots in Firms

ABSTRACTWe document that air pollution can explain the adoption of industrial robots in firms. By leveraging the spatial discontinuity of air pollution caused by the Huai River policy along the Huai River and Qinling Mountains, the research applies a regression discontinuity design to accurately identify the positive impact of air pollution on the adoption of industrial robots in firms. Results obtained from various tests reveal that the relationship between the two is casual. From a mechanistic perspective, this paper posits that air pollution has an adverse effect on labor allocation. However, it also increases labor costs and environmental regulation intensity, thereby inducing firms to adopt more industrial robots. Furthermore, this study finds that industries vulnerable to light pollution, low energy consumption, and labor intensity exhibit a more pronounced positive relationship between air pollution and industrial robot adoption.

The invisible threat: A 30-year review of air pollution's impact on diarrhoea from the global burden of disease study 2021.

Diarrhoea remains a major contributor to global morbidity and mortality among children younger than 5 years. This study aims to provide an updated assessment of diarrhoea deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to air pollution from 1990 to 2021. The deaths and DALYs data for diarrhoea attributable to air pollution were derived from the 2021 Global Burden of Diseases Study (GBD). Age-standardized rates (ASRs) and estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were used to assess trends in deaths related to diarrhoea. In addition, Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Ensemble Smoothing (ES) models were used to predict the epidemic trends of diarrhoea from 2022 to 2046, and frontier analysis was conducted to explore the potential reduction in the burden of diarrhoea in different regions. Globally, from 1990 to 2021, there were 45,851 deaths from diarrhoea attributable to air pollution (95 % uncertainty interval [UI], 32,228-56,815) in 1990, and 6559 deaths (95 % UI, 4931 to 9245) in 2021. In total, diarrhoea attributable to air pollution was responsible for 4134,309 DALYs (95 % UI, 1073,440 to 1277,490) in 1990, and 593,960 DALYs (95 % UI, 446,774 to 835,347) in 2021. The decreasing trend of diarrhoea burden is uneven in different countries and regions, with higher diarrhoea deaths and DALYs in low and low-middle SDI regions, while relatively lower in high SDI regions. Predictive analysis suggests that by 2046, deaths and DALYs of air pollution-related diarrhoea, as well as their corresponding ASR, will continue to decrease. Although the global burden of diarrhoea caused by air pollution has decreased in the past 30 years, it remains an important public health issue in low and low-middle SDI regions. The research findings emphasize the importance of public health policies and planning in reducing deaths related to diarrhoea and the disease burden, and point out the need for more targeted prevention strategies in order to reduce the disease burden.

Air Pollution and Oral Health: An Overall Insight From Genetic Causality.

A growing body of epidemiological data consistently links air pollution to various adverse health outcomes. However, the potential connection between air pollution and the risk of oral diseases remains underexplored. This study utilized a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach to assess the causal relationship between air pollution and oral diseases. Six categories of air pollution were considered as exposures: nitrogen oxides (NOx), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM2.5, PM2.5-10, PM10), and PM2.5 absorbance. The outcomes included 18 oral health-related diseases drawn from the Finngen R10 dataset, the Gene-Lifestyle Interactions in Dental Endpoints consortium, and the Oncoarray oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer consortium. Sensitivity analyses were performed to validate the primary inverse-variance weighted estimates using methods such as weighted median, weighted mode, and MR Egger. The inverse-variance weighted analysis demonstrated a detrimental effect of air pollution on multiple oral health conditions, yielding 5 positive associations including PM2.5 with oral leukoplakia, gingivitis and periodontitis; PM2.5-10 with pulp and periapical diseases, and NO2 with gingivitis and periodontitis, and oral cavity, salivary glands and jaws diseases. Sensitivity tests showed no evidence of heterogeneity or pleiotropy, affirming the robustness of the findings. This study highlights the detrimental impact of air pollution on oral health, emphasizing the need for further research into the underlying mechanisms and interactions. These findings reinforce the importance of implementing environmental interventions to mitigate the associated risks for oral health.

Impact of air pollution on the clinical exacerbation of central demyelinating disease: A 10-year data from the Northern Thailand MS and NMOSD registry.

Particulate matter (PM) 2.5 (PM2.5) and PM10 are implicated in neurological diseases, yet their impact on central demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the association between the levels of PM2.5 and PM10 and the exacerbation of MS and NMOSD. Patients with clinical exacerbations of MS and NMOSD in the Northern Thailand Registry from 2013 to 2022 were enrolled. Eligible patients were categorized based on air pollution exposure (defined as PM2.5 > 15 μg/m3 and PM10 > 45 μg/m3) or no air pollution exposure. Outcomes assessed included clinical characteristics, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and functional outcomes. We analyzed 126 exacerbations in the PM2.5 database (mean age: 44.9±14.9 years, 114 NMOSD, 49 first exacerbations) and 135 exacerbations with the PM10 database (mean age: 44.9±14.9 years, 121 NMOSD, 54 first exacerbations), with the highest incidence four months post-peak air pollution. The PM2.5 exposure group had higher severity, showing increased rates of unfavorable EDSS at exacerbation and 90 days (56.3% vs. 23.6%, P < 0.001 and 47.9% vs. 16.4%, P < 0.001, respectively). Gadolinium enhancement in PM2.5 exposure was significantly higher (56.3% vs. 36.4%, P = 0.03). The PM2.5 exposure group also had a higher rate of second-line therapy with plasma exchange (21.1% vs. 7.3%, P = 0.03). PM2.5 exposure, not PM10, was associated with unfavorable EDSS at any time point, active radiological activity, risk of plasma exchange, and prolonged hospitalization. Environmental pollution, especially PM2.5, significantly impacts MS and NMOSD patients, influencing disease severity, causing permanent disability, and prolonging hospitalization. A national policy on pollution control is imperative, and further data on long-term exposure, together with other pollutants, is still required.

Health effects associated with ozone in China: A systematic review.

As the ozone (O3) pollution becomes severe in China, it poses a threat to human health. Currently, studies on the impacts of O3 on different regions and groups are limited. This review systematically summarizes the relationship between O3 pollution and mortality and morbidity across the nation, regions, and cities in China, with a focus on the regional and group-specific studies. Then, we clarify the overall limitations in the research data, methods, and subjects. In addition, we briefly discuss the mechanisms by which O3 exposure affects human health, analyzing the effects of O3 on human health under heatwaves (temperature) condition, multi-pollutant modeling, and future climate scenarios. Finally, we give some suggestions for future research directions. Studies found that increased risks of premature mortality and morbidity of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases are closely associated with high concentration O3 exposure. Besides, the old and children are sensitive groups, more studies are needed estimate the risk of their health associated with O3 pollution. Severe O3 pollution in Northern and Eastern China, has significantly increased premature mortality. O3 pollution has led to decreased lung function in the elderly in East China, and a higher asthma risk among young people in South China. Comparing with other regions, less research studied the relationship between O3 pollution and health of local people in Southwest, Central, Northeast, and Northwest Regions. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance research in these regions, with a particular emphasis on the distinctive health consequences of O3 pollution in these regions. Given the diversity of regions and research groups, comprehensive comparison is crucial for determining the impact of O3 pollution on human health in China.

Inoculation of cadmium-tolerant bacteria mitigates the impact of cadmium pollution on soil bacterial community assembly processes

Inoculation of cadmium-tolerant bacteria mitigates the impact of cadmium pollution on soil bacterial community assembly processes

Impact of gaseous smoke pollutants from modelled fires on air and soil quality

Forest fires produce large volumes of pollutants in the atmospheric air. Fires contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide apart from industrial and traffic pollutants. The study reports the results of research on the effect of gaseous substances from burning forest combustibles on air quality and deposition of emissions on soil. It was determined a significant excess in smoke of such substances as carbon monoxide (3570 mg/m3), nitrogen oxide and dioxide (40 mg/m3 and 60 mg/m3) saturated hydrocarbons – methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane, dodecane, tridecane, tetradecane, pentadecane, hexadecane, heptadecane, octadecane nonadecane. The obtained results evidence the increased concentrations of pollutants, including climate-active substances in the air. They can affect negatively both the climate and ecological state of soils. A negative effect of gaseous products of combustion on soil (Haplic Chernozem) by deposition was determined, which caused changes in soil properties. It was reliably established that the enzymatic activity of soil (Haplic Chernozem) significantly decreased under the influence from smoke of fire during 60 min. Catalase appeared to be the most sensitive indicator. The catalase activity decreased by 25% compared to control values. Peroxidase activity decreased by 15%, urease by 20% and phosphatase by 16%. The pH changed from 7.8 to 6.3 after exposure of the soil to smoke. Soil microbiota was also adversely affected by smoke. High sensitivity was recorded for microscopic fungi. Their abundances decreased by 26%–87% after 10–60 min of smoke exposure. Bacteria were found to be more resistant to toxic smoke (28%–33% decrease in abundance). Therefore, smoke from fires can be considered as one of the factors that can affect soil.Graphical

The Impact of Air Pollution on Sperm DNA Methylation.

A number of environmental factors have been shown to impact the sperm epigenome. Air pollution is one of the largest health and environmental hazards in the world today and has been implicated in many modern diseases. Recently, air pollution has been shown to alter methylation signatures in some body tissues, indicating that air pollution may also affect the sperm epigenome. The present experiment was conducted to analyze how seasonal air pollution in the Salt Lake Valley may impact DNA methylation patterns in sperm and to establish a relationship between air pollution and sperm epigenetic health as measured by DNA methylation. Sperm DNA methylation patterns were assessed in 74 individuals, who presented at the University of Utah Andrology Clinic for semen analysis, using the Illumina Human MethylationEPIC BeadChip array. Each semen sample collected, as per the fifth edition of WHO reference values for human semen characterization, was deemed normal. Two sample groups from the Salt Lake Valley, Urban Winter (UW, n=20), Urban Summer (US, n=21), and two sample groups east of the Wasatch mountains, Rural Winter (RW, n=19) and Rural Summer (RS, n=14), were compared to assess the effect of air pollution on sperm DNA methylation patterns. Due to seasonal inversions, urban winters are characterized by increased air pollution compared to summer months. Therefore, the UW sample group was designated as treatment and the three remaining groups (US, RW, RS) were designated as control. We conducted multiple differential methylation analyses using a sliding window approach which utilized the USeq software package. A sliding window analysis of UW versus US was conducted first, followed by a confirmatory analysis comparing UW versus RW and RS. Outputs from the USeq analysis were assessed using several tools including the Stanford GREAT analysis and an analysis of methylation instability at key promoter regions in sperm. The sliding window analysis identified six differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between the UW and US groups (Wilcoxon FDR ≥ 40, corresponding p-value of ~0.0001). Three of these six regions were confirmed with the second confirmatory analysis of UW versus RS/RW (Wilcoxon FDR ≥ 20, p-value<0.01). According to a GREAT analysis, each of the identified regions exhibited multiple gene ontology associations. Air pollution subtly alters DNA methylation in sperm, indicating that certain regions of the sperm epigenome may be susceptible to air pollution-induced modification with possible implications for reproductive and offspring health.

What is the relationship between exposure to environmental pollutants and severe mental disorders? A systematic review on shared biological pathways.

Severe mental disorders are multi-dimensional constructs, resulting from the interaction of genetic, biological, psychosocial, and environmental factors. Among the latter, pollution and climate change are frequently being considered in the etiopathogenesis of severe mental disorders. This systematic review aims to investigate the biological mechanisms behind the relationship between environmental pollutants, climate change, and mental disorders. An extensive literature search was performed on PubMed, Scopus, and APA PsycInfo databases according to the PRISMA guidelines. Articles were considered eligible if they involved humans or animals examining the association between exposure to environmental pollutants and if the resulting biological mechanisms that may have an impact on mental health and may support or even cause severe mental disorders (SMD) are assessed. For this reason, only studies dealing with biomarkers or biological pathways were taken into account. The 47 papers included in the review were divided into two groups: those conducted on human participants (15 studies) and those utilizing animal models (31 studies); one study included both humans and animals. Studies carried out with humans, which are mainly focused on measuring the impact of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) exposure on mental health, showed an increased risk of depression or psychotic relapses through the inflammation and oxidative stress pathways, or through the alteration of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Animal models showed the potential impact of pollution on brain functioning through increased inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, HPA axis disruption, hippocampal damage, and neurotransmitters dysregulation. Our findings show that environmental pollutants have an impact on human mental health through different biological pathways. The biological mechanisms by which environmental pollution and climate change influence the onset and exacerbation of severe mental disorders are complex and include gene expression, inflammation, oxidative stress, and anatomical brain changes. A better understanding of those pathways is important for the progress of knowledge on the pathophysiology of severe mental disorders according to the one health model, that promotes a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach across various levels to optimize health outcomes by recognizing the interconnectedness of humans, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

ENVIRONMENT IMPACTS OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS EXECUTION IN IBADAN METROPOLIS, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Rapid industrialization and population explosion has led to increasing need for building construction projects to either provide shelter or for business ventures in urbanizing areas. A survey research design which made use of questionnaire to elicit relevant information from the respondents comprise the people (residents and shop owners) domiciled where building construction projects are executed located in three (3) urbanising LGAs in Ibadan metropolis namely, Egbeda, Lagelu and Akinyele. A sample size of 384 was arrived at using surveymonkey sample size calculation for unknown population. The study revealed harmful effect of building constructions projects as “ecological impact” with grand Relative Impact Index (RII) value of 0.96(1st) posed to have most harmful effect from activities of construction firms in the study area. This is followed by that “pollution impact” having a grand RII of 0.94(2nd) and then “energy impact” with grand RII value of 0.92(3rd). The third objective on evaluation of steps taken by construction firms in abating the harmful effects of their construction activities in the study area reveals that the respondent are highly dissatisfied with mitigation measures put in place by the construction firms with mean item scores ranging from 1.27 to 2.48. The study’s hypothesis was retained, thus upholds that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) mitigations measure put in place by constructions firms do not have significant effect implementation of building construction projects as P-value of 0.396 at 95% significant level. The stud established that building construction projects have over time had major environmental impact in the study area causing significant destruction to the ecosystem, natural resources depletion and compromised public health hygiene. The study therefore recommends that huge fine and sanctions should be imposed on EIA report defaulters and ministry of environment should devise mechanism to ensure strict site monitoring to ensure enforcement of EIA report.

APBIO: bioactive profiling of air pollutants through inferred bioactivity signatures and prediction of novel target interactions

More sophisticated representations of compounds attempt to incorporate not only information on the structure and physicochemical properties of molecules, but also knowledge about their biological traits, leading to the so-called bioactivity profile. The bioactive profiling of air pollutants is challenging and crucial, as their biological activity and toxicological effects have not been deeply investigated yet, and further exploration could shed light on the impact of air pollution on complex disorders. Therefore, a biological signature that simultaneously captures the chemistry and the biology of small molecules may be beneficial in predicting the behaviour of such ligands towards a protein target. Moreover, the interactivity between biological entities can be represented through combined feature vectors that can be given as input to a machine learning (ML) model to capture the underlying interaction. To this end, we propose a chemogenomic approach, called Air Pollutant Bioactivity (APBIO), which integrates compound bioactivity signatures and target sequence descriptors to train ML classifiers subsequently used to predict potential compound-target interactions (CTIs). We report the performances of the proposed methodology and, via external validation sets, demonstrate its outperformance compared to existing molecular representations in terms of model generalizability. We have also developed a publicly available Streamlit application for APBIO at ap-bio.streamlit.app, allowing users to predict associations between investigated compounds and protein targets.Scientific contributionWe derived ex novo bioactivity signatures for air pollutant molecules to capture their biological behaviour and associations with protein targets. The proposed chemogenomic methodology enables the prediction of novel CTIs for known or similar compounds and targets through well-established and efficient ML models, deepening our insight into the molecular interactions and mechanisms that may have a deleterious impact on human biological systems.

The linkage between economic growth, debt servicing, pollution and health expenditures: panel evidence from 42 African countries

PurposeThis study aims to examine the determinants of public healthcare spending in Africa, focusing on the impact of pollution, debt servicing, birth rates, life expectancy, GDP per capita and urbanization.Design/methodology/approachWe employed the fixed effect, IV GMM estimation and panel data of 42 African countries from 2000 to 2021 to examine the association between real GDP per capita, crude birth rate, debt servicing, CO2 emissions, population, urbanization and government healthcare expenditures.FindingsThe study result indicates that real GDP per capita, CO2 emissions and public debt servicing are the main determinants of government health expenditures in Africa. We again observed that income per capita and crude birth rate strongly impacted healthcare spending in upper-middle-income African countries more than in low- and middle-income countries. Additionally, CO2 emissions have a more profound impact on healthcare spending in middle-income countries than in lower-income and upper-middle-income countries. Lastly, the association between debt servicing and health care expenditure is stronger for lower-income countries in Africa than for lower-middle- and upper-middle-income countries.Practical implicationsThe outcome of this study has significant implications for macroeconomic and health policy not only for African economies but also for other developing and emerging economies. We suggest that African leaders adopt policies that lead to sustained growth in real GDP per capita, thereby stimulating healthcare spending. Governments should prioritize policies that curb CO2 emissions and continue to remain creditworthy to external lenders to secure more funds needed to boost health infrastructure spending.Originality/valueWhile numerous studies have delved into the determinants of health expenditure, their focus has predominantly been on OECD and developed countries. Unfortunately, only a few studies have been done on African countries. Recent studies on the topic are scarce. The few recent studies on Africa related to the paper all seem to analyze how public healthcare expenditures affect health outcomes such as under-five mortality, life expectancy and maternal mortality. Our study is among the few studies analyzing the determinants of public healthcare expenditure in Africa.

The impact of air pollution on career changes among Chinese workers

The influence exerted by air pollution on interregional workforce migration has garnered considerable attention in ecological economics over time; however, relatively scant consideration has been given to its effects on occupational transition dynamics. This study presents an empirical examination of the influence of air pollution on job changes among the working population and seeks to understand the underlying causal mechanisms. By merging detailed micro-level survey data with regional Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) data from Chinese counties spanning the years 1997 to 2015, we have constructed an extensive database to support our analysis. The study revealed that air pollution has a significant negative impact on the likelihood of career switching. Mechanistic analysis indicates that changes in wage compensation, as well as declines in health status, serve as the primary pathways through which air pollution exerts its influence. To reduce the welfare loss caused by air pollution, it is crucial to prioritize the welfare benefits and health conditions of the labor force.

Can agriculture and food waste be a solution to reduce environmental impact of plastic pollution? zero-waste approach for sustainable clean environment.

Agriculture and food waste, especially from fruits, vegetables, and plant byproducts like banana peels, avocado seeds, and durian seeds, have emerged as promising alternatives for bioplastic production. These materials, rich in polysaccharides and cellulose, offer a sustainable solution to reduce plastic pollution and mitigate the environmental impact of traditional plastics. This review focuses on the potential of utilizing agricultural and food waste to create starch-based bioplastics, emphasizing the importance of a zero-waste approach to enhance the economic value of these byproducts while promoting a cleaner environment. We include a SWOT analysis of this innovative approach, assess the environmental implications of bioplastic production, and highlight the potential for turning agricultural waste into a key player in the fight against plastic pollution. This review also explores the future prospects of harnessing agriculture and food waste as valuable resources for sustainable bioplastics, contributing to a greener, more sustainable world.