Article
Environmental Sciences
Shuai Sun, Rong Cao, Jing Jin, Yichi Zhang, Yuan Gao, Xianbo Lu, Jiping Chen, Haijun Zhang
Summary: This study investigated the levels and accumulation characteristics of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in nine pools of representative plant-origin foodstuffs from markets in five regions of the Chinese mainland. The results showed that cereals and vegetable oil contributed the most to the estimated dietary intakes of WHO-TEQ.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Szczepan Mikolajczyk, Malgorzata Warenik-Bany, Marek Pajurek
Summary: The study found that levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in Baltic fish have decreased, but there is still potential risk for frequent consumers. The average intake for children and adults exceeded the TWI, indicating that Baltic fish are still not safe for fish consumers.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ombretta Paladino, Arianna Moranda
Summary: The study proposes a methodology to assess the toxic and cancer risks of hazardous chemicals emitted from catalytic pyrolysis of waste plastics. Results show that dioxins and PCBs remain below threshold levels in all scenarios, while VOCs may pose a risk due to possible leakages during pilot-plant operation. Lessons learned include the importance of human health risk assessment during scale-up and the necessity for pilot-plants to be equipped with abatement systems designed for the final plant.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Kelsey Robson, Moira Dean, Simon A. Haughey, Christopher T. Elliott
Summary: This study identified threats in the beef industry related to food fraud and developed a risk assessment tool to evaluate the commercial risk posed by each type of food fraud. The results showed that illegal veterinary drugs and growth promoters presented the highest perceived commercial risk to the beef industry, while fraud related to breed and category of cattle posed the least perceived commercial risk. This research can be utilized to create food fraud prevention and mitigation plans for the beef industry.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thibault Fiolet, Corinne Casagrande, Genevieve Nicolas, Zsuzsanna Horvath, Pauline Frenoy, Elisabete Weiderpass, Verena Katzke, Rudolf Kaaks, Miguel Rodriguez-Barranco, Salvatore Panico, Carlotta Sacerdote, Jonas Manjer, Emily Sonestedt, Sara Grioni, Antonio Agudo, Charlotta Rylander, Therese Haugdahl Nost, Guri Skeie, Anne Tjonneland, Ole Raaschou-Nielsen, Eva Ardanaz, Pilar Amiano, Maria Dolores Chirlaque Lopez, Matthias B. Schulze, Maria Wennberg, Sophia Harlid, Manon Cairat, Marina Kvaskoff, Inge Huybrechts, Francesca Romana Mancini
Summary: A large-scale European prospective study found no significant association between dietary intake of dioxins and PCBs and breast cancer incidence.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Javier Castro-Jimenez, Daniela Banaru, Chia-Ting Chen, Begona Jimenez, Juan Munoz-Arnanz, Genevieve Deviller, Richard Sempere
Summary: The study found that plankton has high storage capacity for PBDEs and PCDD/Fs, whereas PCBs preferentially bioaccumulate in higher trophic levels. Weekly intake of dioxin-like POPs has surpassed the EU tolerable intake levels. The research highlights the presence of toxic chemical pollution in Mediterranean coastal waters.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Federica Castellani, Federico Marini, Giulia Simonetti, Carmela Protano, Leila Fabiani, Lamberto Manzoli, Matteo Vitali
Summary: Concentrations of 7 PCDDs, 10 PCDFs and 18 PCBs were measured in 16 milk samples from sheep and goats in Bussi sul Tirino, central Italy. The samples complied with the maximum levels set in EU regulations for PCDD/Fs and the sum of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs. However, in two cases, contamination levels of the sum of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs exceeded the action levels recommended by the EU. The contamination profiles of the milk samples were independent of the distance from the illegal landfill but likely influenced by local emission sources.
FOOD ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS PART A-CHEMISTRY ANALYSIS CONTROL EXPOSURE & RISK ASSESSMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Pajurek, M. Warenik-Bany, S. Mikolajczyk
Summary: Dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls, classified as persistent organic pollutants, primarily enter the human body through the diet, with animal feed being a significant contributor. This study found that plant-based feed materials were the main source of exceedances of dioxin and PCB limits in feed, followed by vegetable oils and fats of animal origin.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Stefania Squadrone, Maria Cesarina Abete, Oto Miedico, Stefania Gavinelli, Bruno Neri, Fabio Busico, Sesto Berretta, Leonardo Carosielli, Giuseppe Carrabs, Antonio E. Chiaravalle
Summary: A thresher shark caught by fishermen in Central Italy was found to contain high levels of Hg and other chemical contaminants, with Hg exceeding the maximum limit set by EU Regulation. Consumption of thresher shark flesh is strongly discouraged due to the contamination levels.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Pajurek, M. Warenik-Bany, S. Mikolajczyk
Summary: This study aimed to simulate the transfer of dioxins from feed to tissues in farm animals using transfer models and assess the risk to consumers of food of animal origin. By analyzing over 700 feed samples, those exceeding the maximum permissible levels set by Commission Regulation No 277/2012/EU were selected. The calculated concentrations of PCDD/PCDF in chicken eggs, cow's milk, and pork were above the maximum permissible level in most cases.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Sara J. Lupton, Cristian Ochoa, Alexander Domesle, Randolph Duverna
Summary: The USDA conducted a survey on the current residue levels of PCDDs, PCDFs, and no-PCBs in domestic animal products, with varying toxic equivalency concentrations found in different types of fat samples. The survey results suggest that some fat samples may be affected by the use of pentachlorophenol treated wood on farms.
FOOD ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS PART A-CHEMISTRY ANALYSIS CONTROL EXPOSURE & RISK ASSESSMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lucyna Polak-Juszczak, Ilona Waszak, Joanna Szlinder-Richert, Ireneusz Wojcik
Summary: Fish absorb dioxins and PCBs from the environment and food, and a study in the southern Baltic Sea analyzed the concentrations of these pollutants in fish samples. The study showed that efforts to reduce emissions have led to lower levels of dioxins and PCBs in fish, but some restrictions on consumption are still necessary.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ron L. A. P. Hoogenboom, Guillaume ten Dam, Stefan P. J. van Leeuwen, Harry van Egmond, Jennyfer Nicolina, Arnold J. S. Dwarkasing
Summary: Samples of adipose tissue, meat, and livers from pigs, cows, sheep, and goats in Curacao were found to have higher levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs than EU maximum levels, with burning of waste being the major source. Meat and adipose tissue showed similar lipid-based levels, while liver levels were significantly higher, indicating differences in contamination levels between pigs and ruminants. Measures were taken to reduce contamination in areas where animals forage, as high levels observed are likely to result in increased consumer exposure.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Maria Olga Varra, Valentina Lorenzi, Emanuela Zanardi, Simonetta Menotta, Giorgio Fedrizzi, Barbara Angelone, Mara Gasparini, Francesca Fusi, Stefano Foschini, Anna Padovani, Sergio Ghidini
Summary: Contamination levels of dioxins and PCBs in bovine milk samples from farms in northern Italy were monitored from 2018 to 2021. The concentrations were largely below the maximum limits set at the European level, indicating a decreasing trend. The impact of contamination on dietary exposure varied depending on the type of cow milk and age group, with infants and children consuming whole cow milk having the highest probability of exposure to dioxins and PCBs levels above toxicological reference values.
Article
Water Resources
Maxime Jeanjean, Sylvaine Goix, Marine Periot, Khaled Douib, Julien Dron, Marie-Pierre Etienne, Philippe Marchand, Annabelle Austruy, Gautier Revenko, Philippe Chamaret
Summary: Residents living near the core of an industrial zone in Fos-sur-Mer, France were found to have higher serum levels of organochlorine indicators, which was linked to behaviors involving environmental exposures. Additionally, spatial and temporal variations of pollutants were observed in the area.
EXPOSURE AND HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Harshal Deshmukh, Lesa L. Aylward, Martin Rose, Alwyn Fernandes, Peter Sedman, Natalie J. Thatcher, Stephen L. Atkin, Thozhukat Sathyapalan
CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
E. Kintz, N. J. Williams, N. Jones, M. van der Es, I. R. Lake, S. J. O'Brien, P. R. Hunter
LETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Amy Mizen, Jane Lyons, Ai Milojevic, Ruth Doherty, Paul Wilkinson, David Carruthers, Ashley Akbari, Iain Lake, Gwyneth A. Davies, Mohammad Al Sallakh, Richard Fry, Lorraine Dearden, Sarah E. Rodgers
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hannah Rigby, Alan Dowding, Alwyn Fernandes, David Humphries, Natalia R. Jones, Iain Lake, Rupert G. Petch, Christopher K. Reynolds, Martin Rose, Stephen R. Smith
Summary: This study assessed the level of organic chemical contaminants in various industrial and municipal bioresource materials, indicating a decline in environmental emissions of some contaminants but highlighting the presence of high concentrations of certain pollutants that require continued vigilance and control to support the beneficial use of secondary bioresource materials.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Richard Elson, Tilman M. Davies, Iain R. Lake, Roberto Vivancos, Paula B. Blomquist, Andre Charlett, Gavin Dabrera
Summary: The spatio-temporal dynamics of an outbreak can provide important insights for directing public health resources to control transmission. Using kernel density estimation compares the spatial distribution of cases to estimate varying risks.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kelly L. Edmunds, Laura Bowater, Julii Brainard, Jean-Charles de Coriolis, Iain Lake, Rimsha R. Malik, Lorraine Newark, Neil Ward, Kay Yeoman, Paul R. Hunter
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted economies and societies worldwide since early 2020, with education being particularly affected. Utilizing the HACCP framework to assess and mitigate risks associated with university student activities can help reduce the potential transmission of the virus.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Wedad Alahamade, Iain Lake, Claire E. Reeves, Beatriz De la Iglesia
Summary: Multivariate Time Series Clustering (MVTS) is an important task, especially for large and complex datasets. This study focuses on the UK air quality assessments and proposes a new clustering method followed by imputation for time series data. The experimental results show that MVTS clustering produces the best clusters and helps reduce the error between imputed and real values.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Paula B. Blomquist, Jessica Bridgen, Neil Bray, Anne Marie O'Connell, Daniel West, Natalie Groves, Eileen Gallagher, Lara Utsi, Christopher Jarvis, Jo L. Hardstaff, Chloe Byers, Soeren Metelmann, David Simons, Asad Zaidi, Katherine A. Twohig, Bethan Savagar, Alessandra Lochen, Cian Ryan, Katie Wrenn, Maria Saavedra-Campos, Zahidul Abedin, Isaac Florence, Paul Cleary, Richard Elson, Roberto Vivancos, Iain R. Lake
Summary: When SARS-CoV-2 Omicron emerged, the failure of the S gene target provided a way to differentiate it from the dominant Delta variant. In England, where S gene target surveillance was already in place, this led to quick identification of potential Omicron cases and real-time monitoring of its growth. The use of S gene target surveillance played a crucial role in public health measures, including case identification and incident management, and we provide practical insights on its application.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Roger Morbey, Gillian Smith, Karen Exley, Andre Charlett, Daniela de Angelis, Sally Harcourt, Felipe Gonzalez, Iain Lake, Alec Dobney, Alex Elliot
Summary: Syndromic surveillance data was used to estimate the direct impact of air pollution on healthcare-seeking behavior. The results showed a significant increase in healthcare consultations due to air pollution, although the numbers involved were small.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Gillian E. Smith, Sally E. Harcourt, Uy Hoang, Agnieszka Lemanska, Alex J. Elliot, Roger A. Morbey, Helen E. Hughes, Iain Lake, Isabel Oliver, Julian Sherlock, Richard Amlot, Simon de Lusignan
Summary: This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and control measures on mental health conditions in the national healthcare system in England. The results showed that mental health consultations decreased during the early stages of the pandemic but increased post-lockdown, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The study highlights the complex and multifactorial nature of the impact on mental health.
JMIR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SURVEILLANCE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Julii Brainard, Diane Bunn, Laura Watts, Anne Killett, Sarah J. O. ' Brien, Iain R. Lake, Suzanne Mumford, Kathleen Lane
Summary: This study surveyed LTCF staff in England about their preparedness and morale during the COVID-19 epidemic. The results showed that staff morale and attitudes towards the working environment were generally positive, and infection control training was perceived as adequate. However, the working environment presented new challenges, and the use of personal protective equipment varied.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INFECTION CONTROL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nik Muhammad Nizam Nik Hassan, Paul R. Hunter, Iain R. Lake
Summary: This study evaluates the risk perception of an untreated water supply in a small island community in Malaysia and identifies factors such as age, income level, water odor perception, and water supply reliability perception that influence risk perception.
JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Area Studies
Martin Rose
Summary: This essay aims to reconstruct the history of the Moroccan merchant community in Manchester and delve into the identity of Wright and his collaboration with expatriate Fassi cotton-traders, which played a role in the creation or perpetuation of the Moroccan theiere. It also traces the evolution of 'Wright' silver plate and examines the mythology surrounding Richard Wright in Morocco, highlighting the cultural entanglement between Morocco and Britain.
JOURNAL OF NORTH AFRICAN STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Wedad Alahamade, Iain Lake, Claire E. Reeves, Beatriz De La Iglesia
Summary: Research has shown that air pollution is one of the leading risk factors for global mortality, and understanding the behavior of specific pollutants can enhance air quality management. However, missing data and uncertainty can hinder assessment accuracy.
GEOSCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTATION METHODS AND DATA SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Toshimi Nakajima, Mao Kuragano, Makoto Yamada, Ryo Sugimoto
Summary: This study compared the contribution of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to river nutrient budgets at nearshore and embayment scales, and found that SGD-derived nutrients become more important at larger spatial scales.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fan Liu, Lei Zhang, Chongyang Zhang, Ziguang Chen, Jingguang Li
Summary: NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves used for household heating have become a significant source of indoor pollution in Chinese urban areas. The high indoor concentration of NO2 poses potential health risks to residents. It is urgently necessary to establish relevant regulations and implement emission reduction technologies to reduce NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Letter
Environmental Sciences
Hans Peter H. Arp, Raoul Wolf, Sarah E. Hale, Sivani Baskaran, Juliane Gluege, Martin Scheringer, Xenia Trier, Ian T. Cousins, Harrie Timmer, Roberta Hofman-Caris, Anna Lennquist, Andre D. Bannink, Gerard J. Stroomberg, Rosa M. A. Sjerps, Rosa Montes, Rosario Rodil, Jose Benito Quintana, Daniel Zahn, Herve Gallard, Tobias Mohr, Ivo Schliebner, Michael Neumann
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Philomina Onyedikachi Peter, Binessi Edouard Ifon, Francois Nkinahamira, Kayode Hassan Lasisi, Jiangwei Li, Anyi Hu, Chang-Ping Yu
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in sediments from Yundang Lagoon, China. The results show four distinct fluorescent components, with protein-like substances being the most prevalent. Additionally, the total fluorescence intensity and LREE concentrations exhibit a synchronized increase from Outer to Inner to Songbai Lake core sediments. The findings demonstrate a strong correlation between DOM content and pollution levels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Surya Gupta, Pasquale Borrelli, Panos Panagos, Christine Alewell
Summary: The objective of this study is to incorporate soil hydraulic properties into the erodibility factor (K) of USLE-type models. By modifying and improving the existing equations for soil texture and permeability, the study successfully included information on saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) into the calculation of K factor. Using the Random Forest machine learning algorithm, two independent K factor maps with different spatial resolutions were generated. The results show that the decrease in K factor values has a positive impact on the modeling of soil erosion rates.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jesmin Akter, Wendy J. M. Smith, Yawen Liu, Ilho Kim, Stuart L. Simpson, Phong Thai, Asja Korajkic, Warish Ahmed
Summary: The choice of workflow in wastewater surveillance has a significant impact on SARS-CoV-2 concentrations, while having minimal effects on HF183 and no effect on HAdV 40/41 concentrations. Certain components in the workflow can be interchangeable, but factors such as buffer type, chloroform, and homogenization speed can affect the recovery of viruses and bacteria.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Luo, Xueting Yang, Diwei Wang, Hongmei Xu, Hongai Zhang, Shasha Huang, Qiyuan Wang, Ningning Zhang, Junji Cao, Zhenxing Shen
Summary: Atmospheric PM2.5, which can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), is associated with cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality. The study found that both the mass concentration of PM2.5 and the DTT activity were higher during the heating season than during the nonheating season. Combustion sources were the primary contributors to DTT activity during the heating season, while secondary formation dominated during the nonheating season. The study also revealed that biomass burning had the highest inherent oxidation potential among all sources investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erin L. Murphy, Leah R. Gerber, Chelsea M. Rochman, Beth Polidoro
Summary: Plastic pollution has devastating consequences for marine organisms. This study uses a trait-based framework to develop a vulnerability index for marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles in Hawai'i. The index ranks 63 study species based on their vulnerability to macroplastic pollution, providing valuable information for species monitoring and management priorities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kenji Maurice, Amelia Bourceret, Sami Youssef, Stephane Boivin, Liam Laurent-Webb, Coraline Damasio, Hassan Boukcim, Marc-Andre Selosse, Marc Ducousso
Summary: Growing pressure from climate change and agricultural land use is destabilizing soil microbial community interactions. Little is known about microbial community resistance and adaptation to disturbances, hindering our understanding of recovery latency and implications for ecosystem functioning. This study found that anthropic disturbance and natural disturbance have different effects on the topology and stability of soil microbial networks.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunhao Li, Yali Feng, Haoran Li, Yisong Yao, Chenglong Xu, Jinrong Ju, Ruiyu Ma, Haoyu Wang, Shiwei Jiang
Summary: Deep-sea mining poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems and human health by disturbing sediment and transmitting metal ions through the food chain. This study developed a new regenerative adsorption material, OMN@SA, which effectively removes metal ions. The adsorption mechanism and performance of the material for metal ion fixation were investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Antonio Medici, Margherita Lavorgna, Marina Isidori, Chiara Russo, Elena Orlo, Giovanni Luongo, Giovanni Di Fabio, Armando Zarrelli
Summary: Valsartan, a widely used antihypertensive drug, has been detected in high concentrations in surface waters due to its unchanged excretion and incomplete degradation in wastewater treatment plants. This study investigated the degradation of valsartan and identified 14 degradation byproducts. The acute and chronic toxicity of these byproducts were evaluated in key organisms in the freshwater trophic chain.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiang Lin, Lianbao Chi, Qing Yuan, Busu Li, Mingbao Feng
Summary: This study investigated the photodegradation behavior and product formation of two representative pharmaceuticals in simulated estuary water. The study found that the formed transformation products of these pharmaceuticals have potential toxicity on marine organisms, including oxidative stress and damage to cellular components.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hua Fang, Dongdong Jiang, Ye He, Siyi Wu, Yuehong Li, Ziqi Zhang, Haoting Chen, Zixin Zheng, Yan Sun, Wenxiang Wang
Summary: This study revealed that exposure to lower levels of air pollutants led to decreased pregnancy rates, with PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO emerging as the four most prominent pollutants. Individuals aged 35 and above exhibited heightened susceptibility to pollutants.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ali Shaan Manzoor Ghumman, Rashid Shamsuddin, Amin Abbasi, Mohaira Ahmad, Yoshiaki Yoshida, Abdul Sami, Hamad Almohamadi
Summary: In this study, inverse vulcanized polysulfides (IVP) were synthesized by reacting molten sulfur with 4-vinyl benzyl chloride, and then functionalized using N-methyl D-glucamine (NMDG). The functionalized IVP showed a high mercury adsorption capacity and a machine learning model was developed to predict the amount of mercury removed. Furthermore, the functionalized IVP can be regenerated and reused, providing a sustainable and cost-effective adsorbent.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rita Bonfiglio, Renata Sisto, Stefano Casciardi, Valeria Palumbo, Maria Paola Scioli, Erica Giacobbi, Francesca Servadei, Gerry Melino, Alessandro Mauriello, Manuel Scimeca
Summary: This study investigated the presence of aluminum in human colon cancer samples and its potential association with biological processes involved in cancer progression. Aluminum was found in tumor areas of 24% of patients and was associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell death. Additional analyses revealed higher tumor mutational burden and mutations in genes related to EMT and apoptosis in aluminum-positive colon cancers. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of aluminum toxicity may improve strategies for the management of colon cancer patients.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
