Article
Environmental Sciences
Sebastian Stehle, Viktoriia Ovcharova, Jakob Wolfram, Sascha Bub, Larissa Zoe Herrmann, Lara Luisa Petschick, Ralf Schulz
Summary: Neonicotinoids are widely used insecticides that have raised concerns over their impact on non-target ecosystems, specifically surface waters. A meta-analysis of 173 peer-reviewed studies found a lack of exposure information in over 90% of agricultural areas globally. The study revealed low acute risks but significant chronic risks, especially for multispecies endpoints.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
John Newsted, Dusty Tazelaar, Lauren Kristofco, Barbara Losey
Summary: This study conducted a statistical analysis of the occurrence and ecological relevance of nonylphenol, octylphenol, and their ethoxylates in fresh and marine surface waters and sediments in the United States from 2010 to 2020. The results showed a decrease in concentrations of nonylphenol and octylphenol in fresh surface waters and sediments, while concentrations in marine waters and sediments were more variable. The environmental risk assessment indicated a low potential for risk to aquatic organisms, as less than 1% of samples exceeded environmental quality guidelines and no exceedances were noted after 2016.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Charles Mitto Kosore, Loice Ojwang, Justin Maghanga, Joseph Kamau, Daniel Shilla, Gert Everaert, Farhan R. Khan, Yvonne Shashoua
Summary: This study collected microplastics samples from Kenya's marine nearshore surface waters and provided baseline information about microplastic pollution in the region. The findings identified Malindi as a hotspot for microplastics pollution and will contribute to the formulation of policies and management strategies to control marine plastic pollution.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Joshua C. Steele, Xiang-Zhou Meng, Arjun K. Venkatesan, Rolf U. Halden
Summary: This article summarizes the studies on the chemical composition of sewage sludges in China and the U.S., identifies the differences in chemical abundance between the two countries, and emphasizes the need for risk assessments and stricter disposal restrictions in China.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xu Zhao, Ying Liu, Yu-Ming Guo, Chi Xu, Liang Chen, Geoffrey A. Codd, Jun Chen, Ying Wang, Pu-Ze Wang, Li-Wei Yang, Long Zhou, Yan Li, Shi-Man Xiao, Hai-Jun Wang, Hans W. Paerl, Erik Jeppesen, Ping Xie
Summary: Global eutrophication and climate warming lead to the production of cyanotoxins, particularly microcystins (MCs), posing risks to human and animal health. An analysis of 90 publications from 1989 to 2019 revealed that MC concentrations in various African water bodies exceeded the WHO guideline for human lifetime exposure via drinking water. The highest concentrations were found in South Africa and Southern Africa as a whole, particularly in reservoirs and lakes.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jianqiao Wang, Ru Yin, Yilin Liu, Beijia Wang, Nana Wang, Pengfei Xiao, Tangfu Xiao, Hirofumi Hirai
Summary: Neonicotinoids (NEOs) are widely used insecticides with high insecticidal activity, but their long-term residues and toxic effects on non-target organisms have raised concerns. This study conducted a meta-analysis on NEO concentrations in global waters based on published detections from multiple countries to enhance our understanding of their application. The results showed that NEO concentrations are influenced by various environmental factors.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Muhammad Ayaz, M. A. Namazi, M. Ammad ud Din, M. I. Mohamed Ershath, Ali Mansour, El-Hadi M. Aggoune
Summary: This article discusses the importance of desalination technology, particularly in addressing drought issues. The article explores methods to reduce costs and ecosystem degradation, and provides an overview of the current state and future trends of desalination technologies.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Christina M. Tringides, David J. Mooney
Summary: Surface electrode arrays are mainly made of rigid or elastic materials and ductile metal films, offering limited stretchability. They are often repurposed for different tissues without optimizing the materials and mechanical properties for the specific application. To improve tissue interfaces and reduce damage, it is important to characterize the biological environment and design technology accordingly for each specific organ.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kara Dean, Jade Mitchel
Summary: This study evaluates the impact of persistence model selection on the prediction of microbial persistence values and the identification of influential factors in natural surface waters. The findings suggest that a two-parameter model based on the logistic probability distribution provides the best fit to the data. Temperature and predation are identified as important water quality factors influencing persistence, and protozoa target type differs significantly from fecal indicator bacteria. The results from this study can be used to improve quantitative microbial risk assessments and inform water management decisions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Miriam del Valle Avila, Fernanda Achimon, Vanessa Daniela Brito, Ramiro Aguilar, Romina Paola Pizzolitto, Maria Paula Zunino, Maria Laura Peschiutta
Summary: This article presents a review and meta-analysis of 14 scientific articles on the insecticidal activity of essential oils against mealybug species. The results show that essential oils extracted from various plant species and families have shown efficacy against mealybugs, with fumigation and indirect contact being the most commonly used methods.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Juan-Juan Wu, Ming Yao, Jun Ni
Summary: Cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation is a rare condition that presents with symptoms such as cognitive decline, headache, and seizures. Diagnosis relies on clinical and radiological data, and treatment involves immunosuppressive therapy.
CHINESE MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Business
Leonidas C. Leonidou, Pantelitsa P. Eteokleous, Anna-Maria Christofi, Nikolaos Korfiatis
Summary: This study uses meta-analysis to extract results from 149 studies and finds that individuals with strong environmental, health, and safety awareness are more likely to buy organic products. The study also explores the moderating role of cultural dimensions on the relationships between constructs. Additionally, it reveals that research focusing on organic food has stronger effects on construct associations compared to non-food products.
JOURNAL OF BUSINESS RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Julia Zimmer, Jennifer Bridgewater, Fatima Ferreira, Ronald van Ree, Ronald L. Rabin, Stefan Vieths
Summary: This article reviews the historical approaches taken by the United States and European Union in standardizing allergen products, emphasizing the different paths pursued by the two entities. Currently, both paths rely on traditional immunological methods, but new technologies such as mass spectrometry have the potential to reshape the field of allergen standardization in the future.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lara J. Collares, Leonardo M. Turchen, Raul Narciso C. Guedes
Summary: A 76-year literature survey and meta-analyses found that the main phytochemicals prospected as insecticides belong to terpenoids, terpenes, and carbonyl groups. The studies focused on beetles, caterpillars, and mosquitoes and other flies, but neglected sublethal assessments. China, India, and Brazil were responsible for most studies, using stored grain insects as experimental models. To overcome current biases and recognize the main patterns of association between phytochemicals and their insecticidal effects, a broader range of insect species and suitable modes of exposure should be tested.
Article
Geography, Physical
Mortimer Werther, Evangelos Spyrakos, Stefan G. H. Simis, Daniel Odermatt, Kerstin Stelzer, Harald Krawczyk, Oberon Berlage, Peter Hunter, Andrew Tyler
Summary: This study introduces a novel aquatic remote sensing algorithm that directly inverts reflectance into trophic state without the need for chlorophyll-a retrieval. By stacking supervised classification algorithms and combining them through meta-learning, the method effectively copes with optical diversity in inland and nearshore waters, achieving high classification accuracies for different water types. The developed approach outperforms traditional methods in accuracy for eutrophic and hypereutrophic waters, suggesting the potential for improved algorithms for mesotrophic waters.
ISPRS JOURNAL OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Eric Bollinger, Jochen P. Zubrod, Marco Konschak, Lenz Sulzer, Jacob Schnurr, Verena C. Schreiner, Ralf Schulz, Mirco Bundschuh
Summary: The study assessed the impact of fungicide on the decomposition of black alder leaves in benthic and hyporheic zones, finding a significant reduction in leaf decomposition in fine sediment under fungicide exposure. This difference is likely due to lower hydraulic conductivity in the hyporheic zone affecting microbial dispersal, oxygen, and nutrient fluxes.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Rajdeep Roy, Vinod Kumar Kandrapu, Lucas Kempter, Rezaul Islam, Gabriela Kalcikova, Ralf Schulz, Mirco Bundschuh
Summary: This study aimed to assess the impact of interactions between nanosized titanium dioxide particles (nTiO(2)) and natural organic matter (NOM) on the ecotoxicity of co-occurring metals. The results showed that nTiO(2) increased the toxicity of metals with cationic species, but had no impact on metals with anionic species. Additionally, natural organic matter reduced the toxicity of one metal, and the interaction between metals and nTiO(2) occurred quickly.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Monclus, Mari Engvig Loseth, Marie J. Dahlberg Persson, Igor Eulaers, Oddmund Kleven, Adrian Covaci, Jonathan P. Benskin, Raed Awad, Jochen P. Zubrod, Ralf Schulz, Petter Wabakken, Oddvar Heggoy, Ingar Jostein Oien, Magnus Johan Steinsvag, Veerle L. B. Jaspers, Torgeir Nygard
Summary: The study revealed high levels of legacy and emerging organohalogenated compounds in Eurasian eagle-owls in Norway, with geographic area and year being influential factors. PFAS levels showed considerable spatial variation, with higher levels in the southern area.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alexis P. Roodt, Nina Roeder, Sebastian Pietz, Sara Kolbenschlag, Alessandro Manfrin, Klaus Schwenk, Mirco Bundschuh, Ralf Schulz
Summary: Emerging aquatic insects have the potential to retain and transfer aquatic contaminants into terrestrial food webs. This study found that nonbiting midge larvae exposed to a mixture of fungicides and herbicides retained the pesticides through metamorphosis, with higher concentrations in females. The results suggest a potential dietary exposure to these pesticides for tree swallow nestlings and insectivorous bats.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eric Bollinger, Jochen P. P. Zubrod, Dominic Englert, Annika Pollitt, Bastian Fuss, Ralf Schulz, Mirco Bundschuh
Summary: This study investigates the effect of the neonicotinoid thiacloprid on stable isotope signatures and the feasibility of using stable isotope analysis to track dietary composition in organisms. The results show that the impact of thiacloprid on trophic enrichment factors is small and stable isotope analysis aligns with direct observations of consumption.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexis P. Roodt, Sonja Schaufelberger, Ralf Schulz
Summary: Exposure of freshwater ecosystems to insecticides can negatively impact the development of emerging aquatic insects, which in turn affects terrestrial food webs.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sascha Bub, Jakob Wolfram, Lara L. Petschick, Sebastian Stehle, Ralf Schulz
Summary: This study proposes the assessment of pesticide toxicity for different species groups based on both mass and toxicity to evaluate environmental risks. The authors calculated and compared the Total Applied Toxicity (TAT) in Germany between 1995 and 2019, finding a decrease in TAT for terrestrial vertebrates by about 20%, whereas TAT for fishes increased by a factor of three largely due to insecticides. Different species groups showed varying trends in TAT, with pollinators likely being affected by neonicotinoid use restrictions.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jakob Wolfram, Sascha Bub, Lara L. Petschick, Anna Schemmer, Sebastian Stehle, Ralf Schulz
Summary: A complete ban on pesticide use in sensitive areas, such as nature conservation areas, is currently being discussed in the EU. A study in Germany found that surface waters in protected areas are contaminated by pesticides, posing ecological risks. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the protection of these valuable water resources.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Carsten A. Bruehl, Maria Arias Andres, Silvia Echeverria-Saenz, Mirco Bundschuh, Anja Knabel, Freylan Mena, Lara L. Petschick, Clemens Ruepert, Sebastian Stehle
Summary: Biodiversity decline, especially in tropical ecosystems, is exacerbated by agricultural monocrop systems using synthetic pesticides. This review focuses on banana production in Costa Rica as an example of pesticide impacts, summarizing research on pesticide exposure, effects, and risks. The study highlights high pesticide exposure in aquatic systems and humans, but limited data in terrestrial ecosystems. It also emphasizes the need to assess risks of pesticide use in tropical ecosystems and suggests alternative strategies to reduce pesticide usage.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sebastian Stehle, Viktoriia Ovcharova, Jakob Wolfram, Sascha Bub, Larissa Zoe Herrmann, Lara Luisa Petschick, Ralf Schulz
Summary: Neonicotinoids are widely used insecticides that have raised concerns over their impact on non-target ecosystems, specifically surface waters. A meta-analysis of 173 peer-reviewed studies found a lack of exposure information in over 90% of agricultural areas globally. The study revealed low acute risks but significant chronic risks, especially for multispecies endpoints.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)