Article
Thermodynamics
Chih-Hsiang Chien, Meng-Dawn Cheng, Piljae Im, Kashif Nawaz, Brian Fricke, Anthony Armstrong
Summary: As businesses reopen and employees return to work, concerns arise regarding the potential spread of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants through HVAC systems in commercial buildings. This study conducted experiments using synthetic test aerosols to quantify cross-zone aerosol transmission in a model commercial office building. Results showed higher transmission of submicron aerosols compared to micron-sized aerosols. Opening interior doors had a significant impact on aerosol transmission in close proximity to the source, but less impact on distant zones.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS IN HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Chih-Hsiang Chien, Meng-Dawn Cheng, Piljae Im, Kashif Nawaz, Brian Fricke, Anthony Armstrong
Summary: The study evaluated the exposure potential of infectious aerosols containing SARS-CoV-2 in an office building setting using synthetic test aerosols. Through experiments and modeling, the researchers found that the air change rate plays a critical role in aerosol transport in office spaces.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS IN HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Long K. Tran, Lidia Morawska, Tran N. Quang, Rohan E. Jayaratne, Nguyen T. Hue, Mac Dat, Thai Ha Phi, Phong K. Thai
Summary: The study found that burning incense significantly increased indoor PM2.5 concentrations in residential houses in Hanoi, Vietnam, highlighting the need to raise public awareness on the impact of incense burning on indoor air quality.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lukas Siebler, Maurizio Calandri, Torben Rathje, Konstantinos Stergiaropoulos
Summary: This study introduces a principle that unifies two experimental methods for evaluating indoor virus-transmissions under different ventilation measures. The trace gas and surrogate particle methods are employed to accurately assess mechanical/natural ventilation and air purification. The study highlights the importance of concordant results from both methods and demonstrates the applicability of the principle in different types and sizes of rooms.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hooman Parhizkar, Kevin G. Van den Wymelenberg, Charles N. Haas, Richard L. Corsi
Summary: The model estimates the risk of COVID-19 aerosol transmission by calculating the concentration of virus-laden aerosol particles in indoor air and considering parameters such as particle emission dynamics. It was tested with four COVID-19 outbreaks and showed reasonably good fit with the reported number of confirmed cases, taking into account uncertainties associated with model assumptions.
Review
Construction & Building Technology
Nima Izadyar, Wendy Miller
Summary: This review paper examines the impact of ventilation on the spread of aerosols and suggests efficient strategies such as personalized ventilation systems and consideration of design features to control indoor aerosol transmission. It emphasizes the importance of ventilation rates and suggests the use of filtration and decontamination devices to enhance ventilation performance.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Esther Rivas, Jose Luis Santiago, Fernando Martin, Alberto Martilli
Summary: This study evaluates the relative exposure to SARS-CoV 2 in enclosed and semi-enclosed terraces under different outdoor meteorological conditions using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling. The research shows that spatial average concentrations decrease with ventilation increase, but concentrations can vary significantly based on people arrangement.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Zahra Noorimotlagh, Neemat Jaafarzadeh, Susana Silva Martinez, Seyyed Abbas Mirzaee
Summary: The possibility of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor air environments has been highlighted in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures such as improving ventilation, maintaining interpersonal distance, and considering the airborne transmission route are crucial for protecting health.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
A. Mikszewski, L. Stabile, G. Buonanno, L. Morawska
Summary: By modeling airborne contagion risk, the study estimated setting-specific vaccination thresholds for SARS-CoV-2, finding that different settings require varying levels of immunity to control virus transmission.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ajith N. Nair, Prashant Anand, Abraham George, Nilabhra Mondal
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive review on the mechanisms, factors, and control measures of airborne transmission of viruses. It reveals that airborne viruses can remain infectious for hours and that air pollutants and environmental parameters have significant influences on virus transmission. By collating measures and building techniques from various research studies, architects and organizations can improve or design building systems to combat COVID-19 or future pandemics.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Mellisa Roskosky, Gwen Moni, Vance Kawakami, Joanie Lambert, Claire Brostrom-Smith, Holly Whitney, Amy Phu, Jennifer Look, Aley Pallickaparambil, Meagan Kay, Jeff Duchin
Summary: A COVID-19 outbreak occurred in July 2021 at an indoor event intended for fully vaccinated individuals, revealing unvaccinated staff, limited masking, poor ventilation, and overcrowding. It is crucial to support businesses in developing and implementing comprehensive COVID-19 prevention plans to reduce spread in such settings.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Rita Wiryasaputra, Chin-Yin Huang, Endah Kristiani, Po-Yu Liu, Ting-Kuang Yeh, Chao-Tung Yang
Summary: The COVID-19 outbreak has had a massive impact on society, with people spending more time indoors and being exposed to indoor and outdoor air pollutants. Indoor CO2 monitoring can track a person's COVID-19 risk, but high or low CO2 levels don't necessarily indicate the presence of the virus in the air. Intelligent indoor monitoring systems using various sensors can help mitigate COVID-19 risks.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Jue Tao Lim, Lawrence Zheng Xiong Chew, Esther Li Wen Choo, Borame Sue Lee Dickens, Janet Ong, Joel Aik, Lee Ching Ng, Alex R. Cook
Summary: Social distancing measures aimed at curbing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 led to a over 37.2% increase in dengue cases, highlighting the need to consider additional measures to preemptively mitigate the risk of other communicable diseases before the implementation/reimplementation of SARS-CoV-2 SD measures.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Amar Aganovic, Yang Bi, Guangyu Cao, Finn Drangsholt, Jarek Kurnitski, Pawel Wargocki
Summary: This study found that increasing ventilation rate is more effective in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to adjusting indoor relative humidity. A change in humidity had minimal impact on infection risk at a ventilation rate of 0.5 ACH, while increasing the ventilation rate to 6 ACH had a much larger effect, decreasing infection risk by half compared to the impact of humidity.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Marharyta Sobczak, Rafal Pawliczak
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the common factors responsible for the increased COVID-19 mortality in Eastern European countries. The findings showed that COVID-19 mortality is associated with the number of cases, hospitalizations, and patients in intensive care. Stringency index and vaccination also have an impact on COVID-19 mortality. Moreover, the presence of new variants increased the death rates.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patrick Amoatey, Issa Al-Harthy, Muntasar Ali Al-Mushaifari, Khalifa Al-Jabri, Abdullah Al-Mamun
Summary: Hospital noise levels can affect physiological responses and disturb sleep quality, potentially leading to cardiovascular-related health problems. This study in Oman found that noise levels in hospital wards exceeded recommended limits, with the majority of participants reporting annoyance and sensitivity to noise. There is a high possibility to mitigate the current noise levels according to the surveyed respondents.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patrick Amoatey, Issa Al-Harthy, Khalifa Al-Jabri, Abdullah Al-Mamun, Mahad Said Baawain, Ahmed Al-Mayahi
Summary: The study found a significant reduction in aircraft noise levels near Muscat International Airport in Oman during the COVID-19 pandemic, attributed to intervention measures like lockdowns and airport closures. Most residents did not feel annoyed by aircraft noise, indicating a need for sustainable noise mitigation policies in the future.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sajjad Ahmad Siddiqi, Abdullah Al-Mamun, Ahmad Sana, Mahad Said Baawain, Mahbuboor Rahman Choudhury
Summary: The study revealed that leachate from landfills in Oman has high parameters without rainfall, but concentrations of organic and inorganic contaminants decreased after rain, suggesting the need for efficient management strategies to reduce groundwater contamination risks.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Abdullah Al-Mamun
Summary: Microbial desalination cell (MDC) is an eco-friendly technology for treating sewage and seawater with bioelectricity recovery. This study optimized MDC performance by varying the external resistance (R-ext), achieving efficient removal of COD and salinity.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND ASSESSMENTS
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
Al-Mundhar Al-Nasri, Luminda Niroshana Gunawardhana, Ghazi Ali Al-Rawas, Mahad Said Baawain, Ahmed Sana
Summary: The study found that pumping in heterogeneous formations enhances interactions between different layers of underground water, while variations in groundwater levels are mainly affected by the heterogeneity and anisotropic effects of the formations.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED WATER ENGINEERING AND RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patrick Amoatey, Hamid Omidvarborna, Khalifa Al-Jabri, Issa Al-Harthy, Mahad Said Baawain, Abdullah Al-Mamun
Summary: This study utilized the Multiple-Path Particle Dosimetry (MPPD) model to predict the deposition of ambient particulate matter (PM) in the airways during winter season. The results showed that the PM exposure concentrations in the studied area were lower than the recommended standards, and children were more affected by the PM deposition.
AEROSOL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Patrick Amoatey, Amer Al-Hinai, Abdullah Al-Mamun, Mahad Said Baawain
Summary: This study assesses renewable production and consumption levels in Oman, focusing on solar energy as the main source. The study finds that while solar energy has been explored, other forms of renewable energy have not been adequately utilized. The country has ambitious plans for renewable energy production and aims to increase its share target to 30% by 2030. Offshore wind power has been found to be more efficient than onshore sources. However, geothermal energy has not been explored yet. A clear and comprehensive renewable energy policy and research programs are urgently needed.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND ASSESSMENTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Prashant Kumar, Hamid Omidvarborna, Runming Yao
Summary: A study was conducted to monitor air pollution around primary schools in the UK for one year, focusing on particulate matter, gaseous pollutants, and meteorological parameters. The study found that despite the lockdown and the school reopening, pollution levels, particularly PM2.5 and NO2, exceeded the threshold limits on several days. Interestingly, weekends showed comparable or higher concentrations of pollutants than weekdays.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
S. Rahman, N. J. Al Balushi, J. K. Nayak, A. Al-Mamun, M. Al-Abri, M. Al Alawi, A. Sana
Summary: Bio-electrochemical systems (BES) are a promising green treatment and resource recovery technique, but they are limited by cathodic application. One solution to this limitation is to apply novel or semiconductor catalysts on the cathode, such as semiconductor photocatalysts that can combine photoexcited and bio-generated electrons. However, there is a lack of comprehensive discussion on semiconductor photocatalysts for cathodic improvement in BES. This review aims to explore the selection criteria, technical factors for catalyst layer fabrication, and photocathodic reactions under the visible light spectrum. The review found promising applications of photocathodic reactions for oxygen evolution and reduction, hydrogen evolution, and pollutant removal in BES.
MATERIALS TODAY SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Abdullah Al-Mamun, Waqar Ahmed, Tahereh Jafary, Jagdeep Kumar Nayak, Ali Al-Nuaimi, Ahmad Sana
Summary: The intensified burning of fossil fuels and the discharging of industrial wastes pose severe threats to the environment. Converting the released CO2 and organic wastes into beneficial electricity and biofuel-chemicals has become an environmental necessity. Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) presents a promising technology for bio-electrochemical conversion of released CO2 and organic wastes into electricity and biofuel-chemicals. This review summarizes the diversified application of electrogenic microbes and their metabolic pathways of electron transfer, as well as the MES reactor design and operational parameters that influence the system performance.
BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Ahmad Sana, Prerana Chitrakar, Mahad Baawain, Abdullah Al-Mamun
Summary: In this study, ADCPs were deployed along the coast of Oman to collect and analyze wave and current data. The significant wave heights along the coast can reach 2 m, with the southern coast dominated by swells and stronger coastal currents than the northern coast.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sajjad Ahmad Siddiqi, Sadik Rahman, Abdullah Al-Mamun, Jagdeep Kumar Nayak, Ahmad Sana, Mahad Said Baawain
Summary: The combination of bioelectrochemical system (BES) and clay adsorption technique can efficiently remove COD and NH3-N from mixed leachate wastewater, providing an effective treatment method for complex and toxic leachate.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
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)