Article
Environmental Sciences
Christopher S. Ward, Zoie Diana, Kate Meicong Ke, Beatriz Orihuela, Thomas P. Schultz, Daniel Rittschof
Summary: This study found that plastics of various chemistries pollute global water bodies with toxic chemicals leaching out and impacting surrounding ecosystems. The interaction of plastic pre-production pellets with emerging microbiomes exhibited patterns indicative of the chemistry at the pellet surface. Surface microbiomes have potential for forensically identifying plastic types and potential toxicities, with a random forest-based sample classifier correctly predicting 93% of plastic types using microbiome compositions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yigal Erel, Ron Pinhasi, Alfredo Coppa, Adi Ticher, Ofir Tirosh, Liran Carmel
Summary: The study focuses on lead pollution levels in human populations throughout history, showing how human exposure to lead closely mirrors the estimated dynamics in lead production. This observation raises concerns about the potential impact of increased lead and metal production on human health in the future.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Zoey Durmic, John Milton, Peter Dart, Joy Vadhanabhuti, Philip Vercoe, Matthew Callaghan
Summary: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding the probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain H57 to young Merino wethers on their feed intake, productivity, energy metabolism, and rumen fermentation parameters. The results showed that young Merino wethers fed high-fibre pellets inoculated with H57 grew faster, had a better feed conversion ratio, and had a higher body condition score compared to those fed the same pellets without H57. The presence of B. amyloliquefaciens in the pellets and its detection in the rumen fluid and faeces suggests that H57 supplementation had a positive impact on the wethers' performance and could be beneficial for transitioning them onto a finishing diet.
ANIMAL FEED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elizeu Chiodi Pereira, Isabelle Nogueira Leroux, Maciel Santos Luz, Bruno Lemos Batista, Kelly Polido Kaneshiro Olympio
Summary: This study investigated the levels of total cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in colored plastic utensils and their migration into beverages and foods. The results showed that the mean concentrations of Pb and Cd in purchased utensils exceeded the permitted limits. Migration tests revealed that the levels of Pb in acetic acid, water, and orange juice were significantly higher than the allowed limits, while Cd levels exceeded the maximum permitted limit in acetic acid and water. The study also found variations in Pb levels between districts with different levels of social vulnerability.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Haithem Soliman, Paul Osei, Ahmed Shalaby
Summary: In cold regions with freeze-thaw cycling, adding recycled plastic pellets as modifiers for bituminous binders can improve their elastic response and rutting resistance without affecting their low-temperature performance. Polyester-based recycled plastic pellets show better elastic behavior and rutting resistance compared to nylon-based ones.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Georgie Savage, Adam Porter, Stephen D. Simpson
Summary: Microplastic uptake by the common snakelocks anemone (Anemonia viridis) was found to involve both ingestion and external tissue adhesion, with limited preference between different particle shapes and sizes. Environmental sampling also revealed that fibres were the predominant type of microplastic taken up by A. viridis in the marine environment.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
G. M. Izar, R. B. Choueri, S. T. Martinez, G. O. da Rocha, A. C. R. Albergaria-Barbosa
Summary: Single-use plastic, lack of global engagement, and insufficient policies contribute to the global challenge of plastic marine litter. By applying the DAPSI(W)R(M) framework to the plastic pellets chain and analyzing possible mitigating measures, this study aims to provide an overview and solutions to address this socio-environmental problem for politicians and decision makers.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Ekta Singh, Aman Kumar, Rahul Mishra, Siming You, Lal Singh, Sunil Kumar, Rakesh Kumar
Summary: This study focused on the pyrolysis of waste biomass and plastics to produce biochar and plastic char for removing heavy metals from aqueous solution. Results showed that biochars had higher sorption capacities compared to plastic chars, with both materials achieving over 99% removal efficiency at pH 4. The research suggests that both biochar and plastic char are effective and eco-friendly materials for pollutant control under various experimental parameters.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hai Duc Nguyen
Summary: This study examined the effects of cadmium, lead, and mercury on obstructive lung function in pre- and postmenopausal women. It found that cadmium and lead were inversely associated with lung function in premenopausal women, while a combination of cadmium and mercury showed negative association with lung function in postmenopausal women. The presence of a mixture of heavy metals had worse effects on lung function than separate associations.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Bruno Jonatan de Sousa, Larissa Mont'alverne Juca Seabra, Ana Beatriz Silva de Lemos, Gabriela Chaves, Karla Suzanne Florentino da Silva Chaves Damasceno
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the differences in lead levels between organic and conventional leafy vegetables. Based on the analysis of 24 studies, it was found that organic leafy vegetables had lower concentrations of lead, providing moderate certainty evidence.
FOOD REVIEWS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Ion Valeriu Caraba, Marioara Nicoleta Caraba
Summary: This study aimed to assess the effect of a fodder complex on the milk production and quality of Turcana sheep. The results showed that the additional feed improved the milk quality and there were no sources of pollution in the grazing area.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Guozhong Huang, Jiaying Xie, Tao Li, Peipei Zhang
Summary: According to epidemiological studies, heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead are known carcinogenic substances. The study found clear exposure-risk associations between heavy metals (lead, cadmium, chromium, arsenic) and worker health, particularly indicating that workers exposed to arsenic and chromium may have a higher risk of cancer.
INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Ke Hua, Yue Cao, Xiaofei Yu, Qian Huang, Yanlin Tong, Yanfei Wang, Fan Zhang, Hongxing Wu, Xian-Zong Wang, Haifeng Wang
Summary: The study investigated the effect of pre-immersion corrosion in LBE on the fretting behavior of AISI 316 stainless steel. It was found that long-duration corrosion led to a degradation in wear resistance due to the formation of a large oxide layer and fretting fatigue wear becoming dominant.
TRIBOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering
Chen Suo, Chen Dong, Lyu Ya-nan, Wu Fei-bao, Yin Wei-ang
Summary: Pre-oxidation treatment significantly improves the carburizing performance of magnetite pellets. The dense magnetite particles are oxidized to porous hematite particles, and the newly formed Fe2O3 enhances the reduction efficiency. The optimum pre-oxidation temperature for carburization is 900 degrees C.
JOURNAL OF CENTRAL SOUTH UNIVERSITY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. P. Lozoya, M. Rodriguez, G. Azcune, G. Lacerot, A. Perez-Parada, F. Rossi, J. Lenzi, F. Teixeira de Mello
Summary: A beach survey in the Antarctic region revealed a significant presence of microplastics and particles with sizes between microplastics and macroplastics. The main polymers identified were polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene. This study highlights the potential direct impact on Antarctic ecosystems and provides empirical evidence of plastic debris entering the Southern Ocean through crossfrontal exchanges.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matthew Fuirst, Christopher S. Ward, Caroline Schwaner, Zoie Diana, Thomas F. Schultz, Daniel Rittschof
Summary: This study analyzed the bacterial communities of the decorator worm D. cuprea tubes and surrounding sediments, revealing distinct compositions and higher functional potentials in tube microbiomes, including aerobic chemoheterotrophy, sulfur compound respiration, nitrate reduction, methylotrophy, and hydrocarbon degradation. While tube microbiomes varied across sites, they were significantly different from surrounding sediments. Contrary to expectations, the most impacted site had the highest microbial diversity in D. cuprea tubes, indicating unique microhabitats facilitating numerous biogeochemical processes.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christopher S. Ward, Zoie Diana, Kate Meicong Ke, Beatriz Orihuela, Thomas P. Schultz, Daniel Rittschof
Summary: This study found that plastics of various chemistries pollute global water bodies with toxic chemicals leaching out and impacting surrounding ecosystems. The interaction of plastic pre-production pellets with emerging microbiomes exhibited patterns indicative of the chemistry at the pellet surface. Surface microbiomes have potential for forensically identifying plastic types and potential toxicities, with a random forest-based sample classifier correctly predicting 93% of plastic types using microbiome compositions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Zoie Diana, Tibor Vegh, Rachel Karasik, Janet Bering, Juan D. Llano Caldas, Amy Pickle, Daniel Rittschof, Winnie Lau, John Virdin
Summary: Governments worldwide are adopting policies, laws, and ordinances to reduce plastic pollution. However, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis on the content and trends of these policies. This study aims to understand government responses to plastic pollution over time and evaluate the effectiveness of these policies. The findings show that international governments mainly focus on future plans and commitments, while national and subnational governments often use bans. Peer-reviewed literature reports significant reductions in plastic bag consumption after policy adoption.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zoie Diana, Rachel Karasik, Greg B. Merrill, Margaret Morrison, Kimberly A. Corcoran, Daniel Vermeer, Evan Hepler-Smith, Nishad Jayasundara, Jeremy Pare, John Virdin, William C. Eward, Jason A. Somarelli, Meagan M. Dunphy-Daly, Daniel Rittschof
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Zoie. T. T. Diana, John Virdin, Suresh Valiyaveettil, Heng-Xiang Li, Daniel Rittschof
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jannike Falk-Andersson, Idun Rognerud, Hannah De Frond, Giulia Leone, Rachel Karasik, Zoie Diana, Hanna Dijkstra, Justine Ammendolia, Marcus Eriksen, Ria Utz, Tony R. Walker, Kathinka Furst
Summary: As the global plastic crisis intensifies, various technologies have been developed and used to clean up plastic pollution from the environment. While commendable, unregulated clean-up technologies may have unintended negative consequences on ecosystems. Plastic clean-up technologies can still play a vital role in reducing litter in the environment, but their implementation should be regulated to ensure net benefits and avoid unintended damages. This regulation includes conducting environmental impact assessments and life cycle analysis prior to deployment, documenting catch-efficiency and bycatch, as well as waste management of recovered litter, and collecting data for monitoring and research.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zoie Diana, Kelly Reilly, Rachel Karasik, Tibor Vegh, Yifan Wang, Zoe Wong, Lauren Dunn, Robert Blasiak, Meagan M. Dunphy-Daly, Daniel Rittschof, Daniel Vermeer, Amy Pickle, John Virdin
Summary: Plastic pollution poses significant challenges to the environment and health, and corporations have made voluntary commitments to address this issue. However, the effectiveness of these commitments remains underexplored. A study found that approximately 72% of companies have made commitments to reduce plastic pollution, but most focus on packaging and general plastics, emphasizing recycling efforts. More efforts beyond plastic recycling are needed to effectively tackle the challenges of plastic pollution.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Emma Schmaltz, Emily C. Melvin, Zoie Diana, Ella F. Gunady, Daniel Rittschof, Jason A. Somarelli, John Virdin, Meagan M. Dunphy-Daly
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Phillip Turner, Bernard Ball, Zoie Diana, Andrea Farinas-Bermejo, Ian Grace, Doreen McVeigh, Megan M. Powers, Loic Van Audenhaege, Svetlana Maslakova, Craig M. Young, Cindy L. Van Dover
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Christopher R. So, Jenifer M. Scancella, Kenan P. Fears, Tara Essock-Burns, Sarah E. Haynes, Dagmar H. Leary, Zoie Diana, Chenyue Wang, Stella North, Christina S. Oh, Zheng Wang, Beatriz Orihuela, Dan Rittschof, Christopher M. Spillmann, Kathryn J. Wahl
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2017)
