Southeast Queensland Research Articles

Revisiting recycled water for the next drought; a case study of South East Queensland, Australia

Australia has long been observed to experience the ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) of periodic alternation of flooding and drought. Australia has experienced consecutive years of the La Niña cycle of heavy rain and flooding. At some stage, this will revert to one or more years of drought, often severe. In previous years of drought, consideration was given to alternative water supply, including recycled wastewater. This paper reflects on the case of the previous period of El Niño drought in South East Queensland (SEQ), aiming to contribute to drought mitigation planning through reviving consideration of recycled water.

Use of road infrastructure for movement by common terrestrial vertebrates

AbstractWildlife‐vehicle collisions are increasing with road expansion. This problem could be minimised if the use of existing infrastructure to cross roads could be enhanced. We aimed to determine whether common terrestrial vertebrates used drainage culverts to cross roads, relative to rates of surface crossings. Camera traps were deployed on road verges at 30 locations in southeast Queensland, Australia for 2 weeks each over a 3‐month period. Of 1671 independent animal observations, 397 were direct observations of road crossings, either over‐road (365) or under‐road via culverts (32). Native species and small species were found more commonly at roadsides than culverts and where vegetation density was lower. Our data showed that animals used culverts only about 6% of the time. Management such as funnel fencing or vegetation manipulation could encourage wildlife to use culverts, but this would require a substantial investment given the propensity for animals to cross via the road surface.

Closing the Loop on Food Waste: Stakeholder Views and Experiences from Southeast Queensland, Australia

Every year in Australia, the household, commercial and industry sectors generate more than five million tonnes of food waste, with the majority of it ending up in landfills that are costly to run and diminishing in availability. There are urgent calls for effective waste management practices to better address the challenges related to increasing volumes of food waste. This study evaluates potential food waste collection and composting initiatives that will ensure the implementation of the appropriate policies and technologies, and best practice of utilizing food waste as a natural resource. A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted with practitioners from the Southeast Queensland waste industry to gain insights on the challenges and opportunities for implementing a Food Organics, Garden Organics (FOGO) system. The interviews revealed five key themes: levies and taxes, capital investment challenges, lack of capacity, contract inefficiencies, and separate waste streams. Organisations and companies in the waste industry heavily rely on funding in order to technologically advance. There is a divergence of attention between technology and policy. Advancement of technology grows faster than the policies that regulate the appropriate use and level of effectiveness of the introduced technology. Both policy and technological changes need to occur simultaneously for Queensland to evolve and develop a social-economic system that favours a non-wasteful and sustainable future.

Decay of Cryptosporidium parvum DNA in cowpats in subtropical environments determined using qPCR

Cryptosporidium oocysts pose a significant threat to public health due to its ability to contaminate environmental waters, leading to outbreaks of waterborne diseases and emphasizing the crucial need for effective water treatment and monitoring systems. This study aimed to investigate the decay of Cryptosporidium oocyst DNA in cow fecal matter under different environmental conditions prevalent in sub-tropical Southeast Queensland (SEQ) during summer and winter seasons. The effects of ambient sunlight and shaded conditions on the decay rates of C. parvum DNA in cow fecal samples were evaluated. The results showed that measurable levels of C. parvum DNA were observed for up to 60 days during the summer experiments, with a slower decay rate on the surface (k = −0.029) and sub-surface (k = −0.043) of the cowpat under shaded conditions than those on the surface (k = −0.064) and sub-surface (k = −0.079) under sunlight conditions. The decay rates of C. parvum DNA on the surface and sub-surface of the cowpat under shaded conditions were significantly slower (p = 0.004; p = 0.004) than those on the surface and sub-surface under sunlight conditions during summer experiments. During the winter treatments, measurable levels of C. parvum DNA were observed for up to 90 days, and the decay rates were slower on the surface (k = −0.036) and sub-surface (k = −0.034) of the cowpat under shaded conditions than those under sunlight conditions (k = −0.067 for surface and k = −0.057 for sub-surface). The decay rates of C. parvum DNA on the surface and sub-surface of the cowpat under shaded conditions were significantly slower than those on the surface (p = 0.009) and sub-surface (p = 0.041) under sunlight conditions during winter experiments. Moreover, the decay rate in the summer sunlight surface treatment (k = −0.064) was significantly faster from those in the winter shaded surface (k = −0.036; p = 0.018) and sub-surface (k = −0.034; p = 0.011) treatments. Similar results were also observed for summer sunlight sub-surface (k = −0.079), which was significantly faster than winter shaded surface (k = −0.036; p = 0.0008) and sub-surface (k = −0.034; p = 0.0005) treatments. Overall, these findings are important to enhance our understanding on the degradation of C. parvum DNA in cow fecal matter in SEQ, particularly in relation to seasonal variations and environmental conditions.

Performance of habitat offsets for species conservation in dynamic human‐modified landscapes

Abstract Biodiversity offsets are a popular policy tool for mitigating the impact of development on biodiversity, but the ecological success of offsets arise from complex interactions among socio‐economic, ecological and policy processes, making outcomes challenging to assess. Many offset policies use habitat surrogates to determine offset requirements, rather than using direct measures of impacted biota, and this can lead to poor outcomes for species. One potential solution to this is for offsets to be delivered by a public agency (agency‐led) rather than by developers (developer‐led). This is because agencies may be able to strategically choose offset sites that maximise outcomes for species (e.g. abundance), while there may be little reason for developers to act strategically in this way when offset requirements are based purely on habitat surrogates. Yet, the success of a strategic agency‐led approach is likely to depend on patterns of development and offset site availability. To examine this, we developed a novel integrated spatially explicit model of land‐use change, habitat, species abundance and offset regulation. We apply the model to the Queensland Government's Environmental Offsets Policy for koalas Phascolarctos cinereus in South East Queensland, Australia, and test how patterns of development and offset site availability influence the performance of agency‐led versus developer‐led offsets. When potential offset sites were plentiful, agency‐led offsets tended to outperform developer‐led offset delivery for maximising koala abundance while achieving similar or better outcomes for habitat area. Yet, when potential offset sites were rare, the relative performance of agency‐led offset was often poor, and offset requirements for habitat area were less likely to be met. Different spatial patterns of development had little effect on the relative performance of agency‐led versus developer‐led offsets. Our analysis shows that agency‐led offsets with strategic choices of offset sites can improve species' outcomes for habitat‐based offsets but can also risk failing to meet habitat area requirements when the availability of offset sites is low. Importantly, our integrated spatial model provides a holistic approach to assessing policy options for biodiversity offsets in dynamic human‐modified landscapes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

“Risk and abolition: perspectives of front-line domestic violence workers supporting refugee and migrant women on safety and policing”

ABSTRACT Anti-violence advocates continue to criminalise new gender-based violence offences, despite the evidence of unintended consequences for marginalised groups. Using an intersectional framework of risk, this article aims to understand what drives front-line domestic and family violence workers to engage the law for the protection of the women they support. The data draws from a study examining responses in domestic violence policy and service interventions to refugees in Southeast Queensland, Australia. Thirty-one interviews were conducted with front-line workers supporting refugee women experiencing domestic violence. Two-thirds of the interview participants are from refugee and migrant backgrounds themselves. Interview data analysis shows a combination of governing and managing actuarial risk across three themes: 1) Why a preference for the law? 2) Autonomy or discourses of responsibility? and 3) The mutual constitution of risk and inequalities. Highlighting the differences between those who address domestic and family violence on the front-line, the findings reveal that front-line workers are both constrained by and contribute to various assemblages of risk in the carceral nation state. I suggest key steps towards engaging front-line workers in an abolitionist agenda that centre on knowledge translation and research partnerships.

Incidence, trends, and significance of putative koala retrovirus-associated diseases in monitored wild koala populations in southeast Queensland. In Proceedings of the Second Koala Retrovirus Workshop, ed. D. E. Alquezar-Planas, D. P. Higgins, C. L. Singleton, and A. D. Greenwood

Research indicates that northern koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are ubiquitously infected with koala retrovirus (KoRV). There is increasing evidence linking KoRV with neoplasia and a range of disorders associated with immunodeficiency, conditions observed at high rates in captive colonies, and sick koalas presenting to wildlife hospitals. However, less is known about the occurrence of these putative KoRV-associated diseases in wild populations. We analysed health data collected at the veterinary examinations of 691 koalas inhabiting three monitored wild koala populations in southeast Queensland between 2013 and 2020. At initial presentation, neoplasia and AIDS-like syndrome were detected at a prevalence of 1.16% (8/691; 95% CI 0.5–2.19%). Longitudinal data from koalas recruited into the monitoring programmes and receiving one or more subsequent examination revealed an incidence rate of 3.5 cases/100 koalas/year (95% CI 2.35–4.9). These findings indicate that a relatively small proportion of the populations studied were affected by these putative KoRV-associated diseases. However, the impact on individuals was severe, with high associated mortality in the diseased cohort. Furthermore, northern koala populations endure multiple threats, suffering severe declines in recent decades. We propose that the significance of putative KoRV-associated diseases on these populations should be considered within this context and that further research into the interactions between KoRV and other drivers of decline is warranted.

Occupational violence in a tertiary emergency department: A retrospective descriptive study

ObjectiveOccupational violence in emergency departments (EDs) impacts staff and patients. Most hospitals have a response mechanism called a ‘Code Black’ or similar. We aimed to determine the incidence of Code Black activations in a tertiary ED and describe contributory factors, management strategies and adverse events. MethodsDescriptive study in a tertiary ED in South-East Queensland in 2021. Adult patients for who a Code Black had been activated were eligible. Data were obtained from a prospectively collected Code Black database, supplemented with retrospective electronic medical records. ResultsThere were 386 Code Black events. The incidence of Code Black activation was 11.0 per 1000 adult ED presentations. Individuals requiring Code Black activation were 59.6 % male with a mean age of 40.9 years. The primary diagnosis was mental illness related in 55.1 %. Alcohol was a suspected factor in 30.9 %. When Code Black activation occurred, median length of stay increased. Restraint including physical, chemical or both were used in 54.1 % of Code Blacks. ConclusionOccupational violence occurs at a three-fold greater incidence within this ED than reported elsewhere. This study reinforces other literature suggesting an increase in occupational violence, demonstrating the need for dedicated preventative strategies for patients at risk of agitation.

Correlation between dissolubilities of Si, Al, and Fe from aluminosilicate precursor and strength of fly ash-based geopolymer

Fly ash (FA) is the most used aluminosilicate precursor to synthesize geopolymer. However, as a coal-combustion by-product, the inherent characteristics of FA can be significantly altered by multiple factors such as coal sources, combustion temperatures, particle size, and impurity level. Thus, unstable performances of FA-based geopolymer due to extremely varied reactivity of FA have been widely reported in the literature and are limiting the further valorization of FA. To offset the inconsistent characteristics of FA, this study provides a universal index to quantify and evaluate its reactivity to be used as aluminosilicate precursor feedstock. Alkali leaching tests were conducted on seven types of FA sourced from six different coal power plants in the Southeast Queensland region to determine the dissolubilities and dissolution efficiencies of reactive Si and Al within 2 h. The dissolubility and dissolution efficiency demonstrated decent correlations with the mechanical properties of the resultant FA-based geopolymer, especially 7-day strength. Moreover, bulk and reactive Si/Al molar ratios were derived to distinguish each type of FA further and verified by scanning electron microscopy / energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Lastly, a reactivity index considering the dissolution efficiency of Si, Al, and Fe and reactive Si/Al molar ratios was developed and correlated to the mechanical properties of FA-based geopolymer. Dissolubility at a leaching time of 30 min best reflected the reactivity of FA, having the highest correlation coefficient of 0.82.

The impact of low socioeconomic statusand primary health care access on emergency department presentations in young children in regional Queensland.

The purpose of this study was to empirically evaluate if children from low socio-economic status (SES) families in regional southeast Queensland utilise acute care services for low acuity health care rather than utilising primary health services. A retrospective audit of children under the age of 5 years presented at a regional hospital emergency department (ED) over a 12-month period. Medical records were examined for presenting problem, Australasian triage category, care outcomes, whether the child's parent/guardian held an Australian concession/health care card (AC/HCC) and accessed child health services or a general medical practitioner (GP). Eight hundred and eighty-eight children who had not reached their fifth birthday presented to ED between 1 June 2019 and 31 May 2020, with a total of 1691 presentations. Most children were bought to the ED by their parents with semi-urgent health concerns and were discharged home following medical review. Holding an AC/HCC was a significant predictor for hospital presentation. Holding an AC/HCC was not associated with access to child health services. However, accessing child health services resulted in a small but significant increase in hospital presentations. The AC/HCC may be an important proxy to identify low SES individuals. These card holders tended to use acute services more frequently than those who did not qualify for an AC/HCC. Furthermore, families that engage with primary care services such as child health also accessed acute care services more frequently. The results indicate accessing primary health-care services does not ameliorate the use of acute care services.

Reduction of Chlamydia pecorum and Koala Retrovirus subtype B expression in wild koalas vaccinated with novel peptide and peptide/recombinant protein formulations

Koalas are an endangered species under threat of extinction from several factors, including infections agents. Chlamydia pecorum infection results in morbidity and mortality from ocular and urogenital diseases while Koala Retrovirus (KoRV) infection has been linked to increased rates of cancer and chlamydiosis. Both C. pecorum and KoRV are endemic in many wild Australian koala populations, with limited treatment options available. Fortunately, vaccines for these pathogens are under development and have generated effective immune responses in multiple trials. The current study aimed to improve vaccine formulations by testing a novel peptide version of the Chlamydia vaccine and a combination Chlamydia – KoRV vaccine. Utilising a monitored wild population in Southeast Queensland, this trial followed koalas given either a ‘Chlamydia only’ vaccine (utilising four peptides from the chlamydial Major Outer Membrane Protein, MOMP), a combination ‘Chlamydia and KoRV’ vaccine (comprised of the chlamydial peptides plus a KoRV recombinant envelope protein (rEnv)) or no treatment. Clinical observations, C. pecorum and KoRV gene expression, serum IgG, and mucosal immune gene expression were assessed over a 17-month period. Overall, both vaccine formulations resulted in a decrease in chlamydiosis mortality, with decreases in C. pecorum, CD4, CD8β and IL-17A gene expression observed. In addition, the combination vaccine group also showed an increase in anti-KoRV IgG production that corresponded to a decrease in detected KoRV-B expression. While these results are favourable, the chlamydial peptide vaccine did not appear to outperform the established recombinant chlamydial vaccine and suggests that a combination vaccine formulated with recombinant MOMP plus KoRV rEnv could capitalize on the demonstrated benefits of both for the betterment of koalas into the future.

The assessment of undergraduate bachelor of nursing students in the collaborative clusters education model: A qualitative descriptive design

BackgroundWorldwide, undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing students are required to complete experiential learning placements in health care settings as part of the curriculum. There are a variety of facilitation models that support student learning and assessment on clinical placement. As workforce pressures increase globally, innovative approaches to clinical facilitation are required. In the Collaborative Clusters Education Model of clinical facilitation, hospital-employed clinical facilitators work collaboratively within peer groups (clusters) to collectively participate in a process of facilitating student learning and conducting assessment and moderation of student performance. The assessment process in this collaborative clinical facilitation model is not well described. AimTo describe how the assessment of undergraduate nursing students is achieved in the Collaborative Clusters Education Model. DesignA qualitative descriptive approach was employed. MethodsIn March 2021 individual and group interviews were conducted with seven clinical facilitators working in the Collaborative Clusters Education Model in one health service in southeast Queensland, Australia. Content analysis of transcribed interviews was performed. ResultsAssessment was achieved through two processes, situational scoring and moderation. In the process of situational scoring, clinical facilitators balanced the students’ perception of their role in assessment, accounted for the type of experiences available, considered multiple sources of evidence and used the Australian Nursing Standards Assessment Tool. In the process of moderation, clinical facilitators communicated with their cluster colleagues to determine a shared understanding of student history, considered data from multiple evidence sources and collaboratively evaluated the trustworthiness of student performance evaluation decisions. ConclusionsIn the Collaborative Clusters Education Model, the input of multiple assessors, working in a small team, ensured transparency in assessment processes. Furthermore, this transparency in assessment practices normalised on-going moderation, an in-built quality-check and, as such, an innovative component of assessment in the Collaborative Clusters Education Model. As nursing directors and managers seek to ameliorate the impact of nursing workforce pressures, this innovative model of collaborative assessment may serve as a valuable addition to nursing clinical assessment toolkits. Tweetable abstractThe Collaborative Clusters Education Model of Clinical Facilitation enables transparency in assessment processes and normalises moderation.

The art of wildflower walks: Understanding place through creative practice

Art and design processes and practices can inform and stimulate knowledge building in powerful ways. Artist/designer Marni Stuart and artist/curator Susan Davis have employed creative practice to inform their own seeing and knowing of the natural spaces that surround them in South East Queensland, Australia. Through art and design practice they seek to share ways for others to ‘see’, appreciate and value these natural habitats and wildflower heritage.

3-Domains screening toolkit for medical assessment of older drivers: Feasibility study in Australian general practice

Some general practitioners (GPs) find the older driver medical assessment challenging, citing clinical uncertainty and concerns about communicating the need for further testing or driving cessation while maintaining a trusting therapeutic relationship. A screening toolkit could help support GP decision making and communication about fitness to drive. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility, acceptability and utility of the 3-Domains screening toolkit for the medical assessment of older drivers in Australian general practice.A prospective mixed-methods study was conducted in nine general practices in south-east Queensland. Participants were older drivers (age ≥75 years) attending annual driving licence medical assessment, GPs and practice nurses. The 3-Domains toolkit comprises three screening tests (Snellen chart visual acuity, functional reach, road signs recognition). We evaluated the feasibility, acceptability and utility of the toolkit.Practices used the toolkit in 43 older driver medical assessments (age 75-93 years; combined predictive score 13-96%). Twenty-two semistructured interviews were conducted. Older drivers felt reassured by the thorough assessment. GPs said the toolkit fitted into practice workflows, informed clinical judgement and supported conversations about fitness to drive while preserving therapeutic relationships.The 3-Domains screening toolkit is feasible, acceptable and useful for the medical assessment of older drivers in Australian general practice.

Elective day of surgery cancellations: A retrospective observational study

Background Day-of-surgery (DOS) cancellations are a common and frustrating phenomenon for surgical patients globally. They are both costly to health systems and patients, causing inconvenience, decreased productivity, and emotional distress. In Australia, there are only few published literature that have explored DOS cancellations. Aim This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and reasons for DOS cancellations in a South-East Queensland tertiary hospital. Secondly, the study aimed to understand the characteristics of patients who have been cancelled on day of surgery. Methods A retrospective observational design was used to investigate elective day of surgery cancellations over one year, from January to December 2019. Variables collected included patients’ age, gender, ethnicity, socio-demographic status, carer responsibilities, attendance at pre-admission clinic (PAC), American Society of Anaesthesiologists status; surgical specialty; category of surgery; date of placement on elective surgery waitlist; ethnicity; suburb of residence; socio-demographic status derived from postcode, employment status, carer responsibilities for other(s); number of times of failure to attend past appointments; presentation at PAC; referrals to other services such as the pre-anaesthetic assessment nurse, nurse navigator or social worker and indigenous liaison health officer during the surgery planning phase, and reasons for cancellation. Mean and standard deviation were calculated to describe age. Frequencies and percentages were also reported. Findings Over 1 year, 5334 elective surgeries occurred: of these, 412 patients (8%) were affected by DOS cancellations. Hospital-initiated cancellations accounted for 32% (113/412) of total cancellations, including reasons such as patients’ condition, treatment no longer required or surgeons opting not to perform the procedure. The mean age of patients affected by cancellation was 58 years (SD 17.5). Male patients accounted for a greater proportion of cancellations than females (251 versus 161; 61% versus 39%). Almost half of cancellations were patients who were booked as inpatient admissions (47%, 193/412). Cardiothoracic comprised the specialty most affected by DOS cancellations (43%, 177/412 of cancelled patients). Conclusion By identifying the reasons for cancellation, and the characteristics of patients who are prone to being cancelled on the day of surgery, we have highlighted that DOS cancellations may be preventable in some cases. Further, quality improvement projects or root cause analysis are required to investigate and further address preventable DOS cancellation.

Modeling Socioeconomic Determinants of Building Fires through Backward Elimination by Robust Final Prediction Error Criterion

Fires in buildings are significant public safety hazards and can result in fatalities and substantial financial losses. Studies have shown that the socioeconomic makeup of a region can impact the occurrence of building fires. However, existing models based on the classical stepwise regression procedure have limitations. This paper proposes a more accurate predictive model of building fire rates using a set of socioeconomic variables. To improve the model’s forecasting ability, a backward elimination by robust final predictor error (RFPE) criterion is introduced. The proposed approach is applied to census and fire incident data from the South East Queensland region of Australia. A cross-validation procedure is used to assess the model’s accuracy, and comparative analyses are conducted using other elimination criteria such as p-value, Akaike’s information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC), and predicted residual error sum of squares (PRESS). The results demonstrate that the RFPE criterion is a more accurate predictive model based on several goodness-of-fit measures. Overall, the RFPE equation was found to be a suitable criterion for the backward elimination procedure in the socioeconomic modeling of building fires.

An evaluation of measures to reduce corporate air travel emissions: A Griffith University case study

With increasing climate change concerns, there are calls for action to reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions. Universities are responsible for a significant amount of air travel and this study evaluates approaches to reduce aviation emissions at Griffith University, in the Southeast Queensland area of Australia. The research involved consultation with the Griffith University community. A series of semi-structured interviews with ten relevant stakeholders and a week-long immersive digital discussion with 52 staff using the digital platform Recollective were conducted. University staff described how the COVID disruption gave them the chance to reflect and develop innovative and immersive teaching and research practice. Some university staff were very supportive of the environmental cause relating to air travel, whilst others were more resistant due to work and career-based concerns. It was determined that the travel booking process would be enhanced with tools such as a carbon calculator, an emission impact dashboard, a flight data management system, and improved visualisation of information. Some interesting and innovative ideas also emerged from the study regarding individual incentives and a university-wide campaign effort. Finally, the university has committed to an implementation plan and aviation emissions reduction target of 25% by 2030, based on 2010 levels, following the case study.

Exploring health misinformation on WhatsApp within the African migrant and refugee community in Southeast Queensland (SEQ)

Health misinformation, a major public health challenge, is increasingly spread through social networking sites such as WhatsApp which is popular among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities including the African migrant and refugee community, a relatively disadvantaged minority in Australia. Knowledge remains limited about how health misinformation spread occurs through WhatsApp in this community. The present study explored the mechanism of health misinformation circulation on WhatsApp, and the ways members of the African community in Southeast Queensland (SEQ) respond to it. Findings include a technological aspect of WhatsApp, especially technological affordances that facilitate health misinformation spread with features such as sharing and forwarding buttons. Also, at a user or an individual level, trust in significant others favour the reception and sharing of unverified health information to WhatsApp contacts and group members. Although WhatsApp group members, especially leaders usually set up rules to moderate content including health misinformation to primarily preserve harmony in groups, lack of or suboptimal content moderation on WhatsApp exacerbates its spread among community members whose responses vary. Responses include fear and mistrust which could confuse them and hinder acceptance and compliance to public health measures from credible sources such as governments. Therefore, it is essential that public health stakeholders acknowledge and foster information-sharing culture on WhatsApp in the African community. They should also raise awareness among community members and train them on how to deal with health misinformation. The training could focus on reducing negative individual and social influences by improving literacy and self-efficacy in detecting health misinformation and decreasing echo chamber effects. Additionally, the training could emphasise health misinformation management on WhatsApp by leveraging African community leaders’ gatekeeping role and involving them in content moderation.

Geologically oldest evidence of ‘lumpy jaw’ (Macropod Progressive Periodontal Disease) in kangaroos of Australia: implications for conservation management

At a time of widespread concern over the prevalence of viruses and infectious diseases in global ecosystems, it is helpful to consider the history of afflictions in the geological record. Amongst captive species of Australian kangaroos, one of the most common pathological conditions observed is the occurrence of ‘lumpy jaw’, or Macropod Progressive Periodontal Disease (MPPD). Macropods (including both kangaroos and wallabies) affected by the disease commonly exhibit osteological swellings in either the mandible or maxilla, or both, including in areas surrounding the cheek teeth. Diseased individuals struggle to eat, often resulting in death. The specific cause of MPPD is unclear, although it may be multifactorial. When present in wild populations, the condition is more likely to occur in situations that result in the mass-gathering of individuals around critical resources such as drying waterholes. Here we report a case of MPPD in a Pliocene (ca 3 Ma) kangaroo, the geologically oldest record of this condition within macropods. The fossil is identified as Osphranter ?pan and was excavated from a deposit in the Chinchilla Sand, southeast Queensland. The osteomyelitis is expressed by a noticeable lateral mandibular swelling on the horizontal ramus; this is clearly pathological and has not been observed in any other member of the species. The specific circumstance that led to the development of MPPD in this individual likely reflects palaeoenvironmental stress, principally drought, in the Pliocene ecosystem. Lumpy jaw is evidently a geologically young disease, with its higher incidence through the late Cenozoic closely tied to long-term shifts towards progressively drier and more arid conditions. Given predictions that future climate change will follow such trajectories across many regions of Australia, MPPD is expected to become an increasingly important pathology for management in extant populations. This includes conservation projects that may lead to resource-limited settings such as fenced (including re-wilding) and translocated island populations.Gilbert J. Price [g.price1@uq.edu.au], School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; Julien Louys [j.louys@griffith.edu.au], Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia; Joanne E. Wilkinson [joanne.wilkinson@qm.qld.gov.au], Queensland Museum Geosciences, 122 Gerler Road, Hendra, Queensland 4011 Australia.

Microplastics in Australian indoor air: Abundance, characteristics, and implications for human exposure

Studies on airborne microplastics (AMPs) have reported higher abundance of AMPs in indoor air compared to outdoors. Most people spend more time indoors compared to outdoors, and it is therefore important to identify and quantify AMPs in indoor air to understand human exposure to AMPs. This exposure can vary among different individuals as they spend their time in different locations and different activity levels, and thus experience different breathing rates. In this study, AMPs ranging from 20–5000 μm were sampled across different indoor sites of Southeast Queensland using an active sampling technique. The highest indoor MP concentration was observed at a childcare site (2.25 ± 0.38 particles/m3), followed by an office (1.20 ± 0.14 particles/m3) and a school (1.03 ± 0.40 particles/m3). The lowest indoor MP concentration was observed inside a vehicle (0.20 ± 0.14 particles/m3), comparable to outdoor concentrations. The only shapes observed were fibers (98%) and fragments. MP fibers ranged from 71 to 4950 μm in length. Polyethylene terephthalate was the prominent polymer type at most sites. Using our measured airborne concentrations as inhaled air concentrations, we calculated the annual human exposure levels to AMPs using scenario-specific activity levels. Males between the ages of 18 to 64 were calculated to have the highest AMP exposure at 3187 ± 594 particles/year, followed by males ≥65 years at 2978 ± 628 particles/year. The lowest exposure of 1928 ± 549 particles/year was calculated for females between the ages of 5 to 17. This study provides the first report on AMPs for various types of indoor locations where individuals spend most of their time. Considering acute, chronic, industrial, and individual susceptibility, more detailed human inhalation exposure levels to AMPs should be estimated for a realistic appraisal of the human health risk, including how much of the inhaled particles are exhaled. SynopsisLimited research exists on the occurrence and the associated human exposure levels to AMPs in indoor locations where people spend most of their time. This study reports on the occurrence of AMPs at indoor locations and associated exposure levels using scenario-specific activity levels.