Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Habiba Ahut Daggash, Niall Mac Dowell
Summary: Sub-Saharan Africa faces challenges such as extreme poverty, economic downturn, energy poverty, and climate change. All countries in the region have committed to increasing the use of renewable energy sources to address these issues. Despite facing difficulties in implementation, transitioning the energy system can help achieve these goals and promote economic development and climate resilience.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elizabeth A. Mack, Erin Bunting, James Herndon, Richard A. Marcantonio, Amanda Ross, Andrew Zimmer
Summary: Researchers analyze the impact of rainfall deviations on conflict likelihood in Sub-Saharan Africa, finding significant seasonal and regional effects. Above average rainfall is associated with a higher probability of transitioning from peace to conflict, with specific months and regions showing significant influence on conflict dynamics.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Katherine A. Collett, Stephanie A. Hirmer, Holger Dalkmann, Constance Crozier, Yacob Mulugetta, Malcolm D. McCulloch
Summary: Transport demand in Sub-Saharan Africa is increasing due to population growth and economic development, leading to a rise in emissions. Despite the limited presence of electric vehicles in the region, they have the potential to offer benefits to governments, power systems, and vehicle owner-operators.
ENERGY STRATEGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Churchill Agutu, Florian Egli, Nathaniel J. Williams, Tobias S. Schmidt, Bjarne Steffen
Summary: To electrify 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, substantial investments are needed. This study establishes an open source electrification model by incorporating cost of capital values and specific risks faced by investors. The research finds that the cost of capital for off-grid electrification is much higher than previously estimated and scaling up off-grid finance can significantly reduce electrification costs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Albert Henry Ntarmah, Yusheng Kong, Emmanuel Kwaku Manu
Summary: This study investigates the dynamic relationships between credit supply, economic growth, and the environment in Sub-Saharan Africa across four different sub-regional economies from 1990 to 2018. The results show variations in the impacts of economic growth and credit supply on carbon emissions across different regions, as well as bidirectional causal links between credit supply and carbon emissions in Central and East African sub-regions. Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis was validated in East African sub-region but rejected in other sub-regional economies.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Development Studies
Matthias Flueckiger, Markus Ludwig
Summary: This study assesses the impact of temperature on the risk of diarrhoea among children under 5, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings show that temperature strongly influences the incidence of diarrhoea and wasting prevalence, particularly in the temperature range of 30-37.5 degrees C. Improved sanitation and access to safe water facilities can mitigate these temperature-induced risks.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chei Bukari, Olufemi Adewale Aluko
Summary: Poverty is regarded as a crucial socioeconomic issue that increases people's vulnerability to climate change. This study, based on micro-level data from 33 sub-Saharan African countries, demonstrates that the severity of drought and flooding significantly heightens the likelihood of individuals experiencing various forms of deprivation, particularly for rural dwellers.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Till Kuhlbrodt, Aurore Voldoire, Matthew D. Palmer, Olivier Geoffroy, Rachel E. Killick
Summary: Ocean heat content (OHC) is an important metric for tracking global warming, and it is crucial for evaluating the performance of Earth system models. This study analyzes OHC change in simulations of historical climate and finds that differences in the models' total effective radiative forcing contribute to variations in the simulated OHC time series.
JOURNAL OF CLIMATE
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Sarah Ephrida Tione, Dorothy Nampanzira, Gloria Nalule, Olivier Kashongwe, Samson Pilanazo Katengeza
Summary: Compelling evidence in Sub-Saharan Africa shows that Climate-Smart Agriculture has a positive impact on agricultural productivity. However, the uptake of CSA remains low, which is related to human-related decisions about CSA and agricultural land use. This paper assesses households' decisions to allocate agricultural land to CSA technologies across space and over time. The results show that household decisions to use CSA and the extent of agricultural land allocation to CSA remain low with a negative trend over time. Owned land and accessing land through rental markets are positively associated with allocating land to CSA technologies.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Justine M. Nyaga, Cecilia M. Onyango, Johanna Wetterlind, Mats Soderstrom
Summary: Precision agriculture has great potential for growth in sub-Saharan Africa, but it faces challenges in terms of socio-economic factors and technology. Most research has been conducted in countries like South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, primarily on small farms. Collaboration between researchers from inside and outside Africa has played a significant role in advancing precision agriculture in the region.
PRECISION AGRICULTURE
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
D. A. Cowan, P. H. Lebre, C. E. R. Amon, R. W. Becker, H. Boga, A. Boulange, T. L. Chiyaka, T. Coetzee, P. C. de Jager, O. Dikinya, F. Eckardt, M. Greve, M. A. Harris, D. W. Hopkins, H. B. Houngnandan, P. Houngnandan, K. Jordaan, E. Kaimoyo, A. K. Kambura, G. Kamgan-Nkuekam, T. P. Makhalanyane, G. Maggs-Kolling, E. Marais, H. Mondlane, E. Nghalipo, B. W. Olivier, M. Ortiz, L. R. Pertierra, J-B Ramond, M. Seely, I Sithole-Niang, A. Valverde, G. Varliero, S. Vikram, D. H. Wall, A. Zeze
Summary: This study presents an extensive biogeographical survey of sub-Saharan top-soil microbiomes, revealing distinct microbiomes across different countries in the region. The study also demonstrates the influence of environmental factors such as pH, precipitation, and temperature on the microbial ecology. Future climate change scenarios are predicted to negatively impact soil microbial biodiversity in some countries, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts in the region.
Article
Engineering, Civil
M. J. Ascott, D. M. J. Macdonald, W. J. P. Sandwidi, E. Black, A. Verhoef, G. Zongo, J. Tirogo, P. Cook
Summary: The impacts of climate change on groundwater in regions like sub-Saharan Africa are poorly understood, as global circulation models project different directions of precipitation change. This study estimated the time of emergence of climate change impacts on groundwater levels in Burkina Faso, West Africa, and found inconsistencies in both the direction and timing of these impacts across different models. The results highlight the need for adaptation measures alongside reducing uncertainties in global circulation models.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Benjamin L. Rice, Akshaya Annapragada, Rachel E. Baker, Marjolein Bruijning, Winfred Dotse-Gborgbortsi, Keitly Mensah, Ian F. Miller, Nkengafac Villyen Motaze, Antso Raherinandrasana, Malavika Rajeev, Julio Rakotonirina, Tanjona Ramiadantsoa, Fidisoa Rasambainarivo, Weiyu Yu, Bryan T. Grenfell, Andrew J. Tatem, C. Jessica E. Metcalf
Summary: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has shown low burdens in sub-Saharan Africa compared to other regions, potentially influenced by factors such as climate and population demographics. Caution is needed when interpreting analyses that aggregate data from low- and middle-income settings. Heterogeneity in connectivity across sub-Saharan Africa may contribute to variance in the pace of viral spread.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Duncan McCloskey, Aggrey Semeere, Racheal Ayanga, Miriam Laker-Oketta, Robert Lukande, Matthew Semakadde, Micheal Kanyesigye, Megan Wenger, Philip LeBoit, Timothy McCalmont, Toby Maurer, Andrea Gardner, Juan Boza, Ethel Cesarman, Jeffrey Martin, David Erickson
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of a point-of-care device for molecular diagnosis of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), achieving high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy compared to traditional pathology. The results highlight the potential for the use of this diagnostic method to overcome barriers in limited-resource settings.
Editorial Material
Food Science & Technology
David Laborde, Valeria Pineiro
Summary: The Russia-Ukraine conflict had an impact on staple crop prices and stimulated interest in tropical wheat production. Regional consumption patterns and trade have a better potential to guide effective and sustainable food security policy strategies.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erika A. Warnatzsch, David S. Reay
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christopher J. Ellis, Claudia E. Steadman, Massimo Vieno, Sudipto Chatterjee, Matthew R. Jones, Sidharth Negi, Bishnu Prasad Pandey, Himanshu Rai, Dendup Tshering, Gothamie Weerakoon, Pat Wolseley, David Reay, Subodh Sharma, Mark Sutton
Summary: This study focuses on the impact of atmospheric nitrogen on Himalayan forests, using lichens as bioindicators. By comparing lichen critical levels with atmospheric chemistry model projections, preliminary estimates show that most Himalayan forests may be at risk from excess nitrogen. Verification through biological surveillance is recommended for further study.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Daniele Ferraretto, Richard Nair, Nadeem W. Shah, Dave Reay, Maurizio Mencuccini, Michael Spencer, Kate Heal
Summary: This study assesses the effects of canopy interception on the capture, assimilation, and incorporation of inorganic nitrogen (N) deposition using three different methods. It found that over 70% of N deposition in the canopy was unaccounted for, regardless of the assessment method used. The study also suggests that canopy uptake of N deposition may be as important as root uptake in supplying N to the canopy, but more research is needed to understand its impact on primary production and carbon storage in forests.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pete Smith, Dave Reay, Jo Smith
Summary: Agriculture is the largest anthropogenic source of methane emissions, with significant potential for reduction. Mitigation measures include generating biogas to reduce emissions and interventions on the demand side such as shifting to a plant-based diet. Efforts to reduce methane emissions should focus on all three main anthropogenic greenhouse gases.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Juliette Maire, Simon Gibson-Poole, Nicholas Cowan, Dominika Krol, Cathal Somers, Dave S. Reay, Ute Skiba, Robert M. Rees, Gary J. Lanigan, Karl G. Richards
Summary: Most nitrogen losses in grazed grassland are caused by livestock excreta, leading to emissions of nitrous oxide, nitrate leaching, and ammonia volatilisation. This study presents a map of yearlong nitrous oxide emissions and excreta distribution in a temperate grassland, showing spatial hotspots of nitrogen losses and uneven distribution of excreta. The study suggests that better estimates of management practices can be made to mitigate nitrous oxide emissions and improve the current nitrogen inventory estimation.
PRECISION AGRICULTURE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mathew Williams, Dave Reay, Pete Smith
Summary: Some large investors mistakenly believe that focusing on sink-related projects can have a greater impact than reducing emissions, which may sideline effective mitigation strategies. In reality, both emissions reduction and removal are necessary and cost-effective.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Will J. Brownlie, Mark A. Sutton, Dana Cordell, Dave S. Reay, Kate V. Heal, Paul J. A. Withers, Isabelle Vanderbeck, Bryan M. Spears
Summary: Food systems rely on phosphorus supplies for fertilization. A series of factors, including the pandemic, geopolitical disputes, trade wars, and escalating fuel prices, have led to a significant increase in phosphorus commodity prices, contributing to the current food crisis. Additionally, inadequate wastewater treatment and improper land management practices have caused significant phosphorus pollution, posing a threat to global water quality. However, phosphorus vulnerability is often overlooked in national and global policies addressing food and water security. An integrated assessment of phosphorus vulnerability is necessary to mitigate risks and enhance food and water security through reducing waste, increasing recycling, and transforming systems.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Nicholas Cowan, Laura Ferrier, Bryan Spears, Julia Drewer, Dave Reay, Ute Skiba
Summary: With the increasing demand for food production, radical changes are needed in the global food system to ensure food security and environmental sustainability. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) has the advantage of separating production processes from the natural environment, reducing reliance on environmental conditions and pollution. However, energy requirements and carbon footprint are currently major environmental challenges. Integrated System CEA (ISCEA) can potentially mitigate environmental damage associated with conventional farming at a global scale. Research should also focus on waste management in CEA systems.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Andrea Moring, Sunila Hooda, Nandula Raghuram, Tapan Kumar Adhya, Altaf Ahmad, Sanjoy K. Bandyopadhyay, Tina Barsby, Gufran Beig, Alison R. Bentley, Arti Bhatia, Ulrike Dragosits, Julia Drewer, John Foulkes, Sachin D. Ghude, Rajeev Gupta, Niveta Jain, Dinesh Kumar, R. Mahender Kumar, Jagdish K. Ladha, Pranab Kumar Mandal, C. N. Neeraja, Renu Pandey, Himanshu Pathak, Pooja Pawar, Till K. Pellny, Philip Poole, Adam Price, D. L. N. Rao, David S. Reay, N. K. Singh, Subodh Kumar Sinha, Rakesh K. Srivastava, Peter Shewry, Jo Smith, Claudia E. Steadman, Desiraju Subrahmanyam, Kuchi Surekha, Karnam Venkatesh, Varinderpal-Singh, Aimable Uwizeye, Massimo Vieno, Mark A. Sutton
Summary: Over the past six decades, India has seen a rapid growth in fertilizer consumption but a decrease in nitrogen use efficiency, leading to environmental losses. Urgent scientific research is needed for better nitrogen management. A conference highlighted the importance of soil stewardship, genetic diversity, and new technologies in improving nitrogen use efficiency and sustainable agriculture in India.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peter Alexander, Aiden Berri, Dominic Moran, David Reay, Mark D. A. Rounsevell
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS
(2020)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Erika A. Warnatzsch, David S. Reay, Marco Camardo Leggieri, Paola Battilani
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2020)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Dave S. Reay, Erika A. Warnatzsch, Ed Craig, Lorna Dawson, Sheila George, Rachel Norman, Pete Ritchie
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2020)
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)