Article
Environmental Sciences
Hamza Hassan Yusuf, Xiaofang Pan, Guanjing Cai, Jiasheng Cai, Xuewei Huang, Zhi-Long Ye
Summary: The toilet revolution is driven by the urgent need for improving sanitation and access to high-quality organic fertilizer in rural areas. This study offers a potential solution through the semi-solid anaerobic co-digestion of source-separated fecal slag and food waste. It provides insights into the optimal inoculum/substrate ratio and highlights the benefits of this technology in terms of methane yield, removal efficiency of antibiotics, and ecological risk reduction.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sahar S. Dalahmeh, Gunnar Thorsen, Hakan Jonsson
Summary: During a 12-month study in Sweden, it was found that open-air storage without composting showed effective removal of hormones and antibiotics, but lower removal of pharmaceutically active substances. Composting resulted in degradation of hormones and a noticeable difference in concentrations of pharmaceuticals between the top and deeper layers of sludge piles.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Danika Hill, Matthew J. Morra, Thibault Stalder, Sven Jechalke, Eva Top, Anne T. Pollard, Inna Popova
Summary: The study analyzed nine uncomposted manure samples from Idaho dairies and found potential contaminants and valuable nutrients. This is the first study to document the presence of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug flunixin in solid stacked manure from regular dairy operations, as well as the detection of various antibiotics, hormones, and other substances.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
L. Alban, B. Antunovic, M. Belous, S. Bonardi, R. M. Garcia-Gimeno, I. Jenson, A. H. Kautto, M. Majewski, D. Oorburg, I. Sakaridis, A. Sirbu, M. Vieira-Pinto, I. Vagsholm, A. Berzins, J. V. Petersen
Summary: This study investigated the practices of different countries regarding detection and handling of residues above maximum residue limits after antimicrobial treatment. Two best practice models were suggested: Model A (monitoring) where tested carcasses are not retained, and Model B (surveillance) where tested carcasses are retained to avoid expensive recalls in case residues are found.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Nesrein M. Hashem, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
Summary: The emergence of nanotechnology in livestock farming systems offers innovative solutions for the existing reproductive management challenges by modulating drug behavior and improving biological effects. The optimal reproductive management involves biological, hormonal, nutritional strategies, and reproductive disease control, which should consider both practical and ethical aspects. Nanotechnology applications can enhance the physicochemical properties of drugs, biological molecules, and nutrients, leading to improved bioavailability, cellular uptake, sustained release, and lower toxicity compared to conventional forms.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Lei Yang, Ashiwin Vadiveloo, Ai-Jie Chen, Dong-Zhi Chen, Feng Gao
Summary: In this study, the use of phytohormone gibberellins (GAs) was found to enhance sulfamethoxazole (SMX) removal and lipid accumulation in Chlorella vulgaris microalgae. The addition of GAs increased the SMX removal rate and lipid productivity compared to the control group. GAs promoted stress tolerance and lipid accumulation by up-regulating antioxidase-related genes and genes related to the carbon cycle of microalgal cells. This study highlights the potential of using exogenous GAs to improve the economic benefits of microalgae-based antibiotics removal and biofuel production.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Jena L. Congilosi, Diana S. Aga
Summary: Anaerobic digestion of manure is recognized as a promising renewable energy source for producing methane-rich biogas and removing contaminants. The removal of contaminants varies based on the type and class of chemicals being treated. Incorporating pre-treatment techniques can enhance biogas production and degrade manure contaminants.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Business
Stefania Testa, Ciro Troise, Silvano Cincotti, Mark Anthony Camilleri
Summary: Electronics waste (e-waste) is rapidly increasing and requires attention in terms of management and control on crowdfunding platforms. This research explores the influence of e-waste management solutions and message framing on consumer behaviors in crowdfunding contexts. Findings suggest that sustainable projects focused on waste reduction and pollution prevention are attracting funds and interest from crowd investors, and well-crafted framing messages on environmental protection can increase crowdfunding success. This research contributes to environmental management and crowdfunding literature, with practical implications for sustainable entrepreneurs and other stakeholders.
BUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Menglong Geng, Hui Gao, Baolin Wang, Kun Huang, Xiaoyan Wu, Chunmei Liang, Shuangqin Yan, Yan Han, Peng Ding, Wei Wang, Sheng Wang, Peng Zhu, Kaiyong Liu, Yunxia Cao, Fangbiao Tao
Summary: This study found that exposure of pregnant women to tetracycline antibiotics may affect maternal thyroid hormone parameters, especially in the first trimester. Further research is needed to validate these findings and determine the underlying biological mechanisms.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mahsa Alishiri, Maryam Gonbadi, Mehdi Narimani, Seyyed Amirreza Abdollahi, Negin Shahsavaripour
Summary: The contamination of the aquatic environment with antibiotics is a major and developing problem worldwide. In this study, Fe3O4/CS NPs were synthesized and investigated for their potential in removing trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole. The results showed that Fe3O4/CS NPs have great potential for efficiently removing antibiotics from water samples.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Filippo Caremoli, Jennifer Huynh, Venu Lagishetty, Daniela Markovic, Jonathan Braun, Tien S. Dong, Jonathan P. Jacobs, Catia Sternini
Summary: This study found that long-term high-fat diet and antibiotic use can alter the composition of intestinal microbiota in mice, leading to an increase in the expression of bitter taste receptor genes. High-fat diet and antibiotics can cause obesity, and the change in microbiota may be one of the mechanisms.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Seejeen Park, Sounman Hong
Summary: This study analyzed the impact of outsourcing solid waste services on the solid waste management budget using time-series cross-sectional data, finding that outsourcing does not save costs. The proportion of private sector waste treatment also does not significantly affect the solid waste management budget.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Muna Al-Obadi, Hiba Ayad, Shaligram Pokharel, Mohamed Arselene Ayari
Summary: Food waste is a global challenge, and technology development and education programs can help reduce it. Different techniques and methods are used to manage and prevent food waste, highlighting the importance of current food waste management.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Khadijeh Faraji Mahyari, Qiaoyu Sun, Jiri Jaromfr Klemes, Mortaza Aghbashlo, Meisam Tabatabaei, Benyamin Khoshnevisan, Morten Birkved
Summary: This article discusses the challenges faced by the waste management system during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlights the necessity and opportunities for improving flexibility and adaptability.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Preeti Chaturvedi, Balendu Shekher Giri, Parul Shukla, Pratima Gupta
Summary: Continuous discharge and persistence of antibiotics in aquatic ecosystems pose emerging environmental health hazards, requiring imperative actions for removal. Conventional methods like waste water treatment plants are found ineffective for recalcitrant antibiotics, necessitating consideration of alternative solutions such as bioreactors and biochar.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
F. Bichai, P. Smeets, S. Barrette, D. Deere, N. J. Ashbolt, G. Ferrero
Summary: A survey was conducted to investigate the use and relevance of water safety plans in facing the challenges of the Covid-19 crisis. The analysis of responses from 86 respondents across 38 countries identified the water safety challenges faced and the advantages provided by water safety plans, including stronger communication links between utilities and governing agencies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Correction
Environmental Sciences
Jason R. Vogel, Dale W. Griffin, Hon S. Ip, Nicholas J. Ashbolt, Matthew T. Moser, Jingrang Lu, Mary K. Beitz, Hodon Ryu, Jorge W. Santo Domingo
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Steffen Schellenberger, Ioannis Liagkouridis, Raed Awad, Stuart Khan, Merle Plassmann, Gregory Peters, Jonathan P. Benskin, Ian T. Cousins
Summary: The emission of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from functional textiles was investigated through an outdoor weathering experiment. It was found that the textiles released low molecular weight PFAS substances after continuous exposure to natural stressors, and the color and water repellency of the textiles were also affected.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Shiyang Huang, Jaleh Mansouri, James A. McDonald, Stuart J. Khan, Greg Leslie, Chuyang Y. Tang, Anthony G. Fane
Summary: This work proposes a new approach based on the electrospray technique to print polyamide thin-film composite membranes in a single scan. The study found that a substrate with a 4-hour polydopamine coating and a cone-jet spray at 2.5 cm spray distance showed the highest NaCl rejection at 98.1%.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mahshid S. Z. Farzanehsa, Guido Carvajal, John Mieog, Stuart J. Khan
Summary: Continuous online monitoring is important for ensuring reliable water quality outcomes and effective removal of microbial substances during advanced wastewater treatment processes. However, most microbial indicators cannot be continuously monitored online. This study used a combined ozonation-biological media filtration process to reduce microbial indicator concentration and developed models for predicting microbial indicator concentration changes. Machine learning algorithms were applied to identify physico-chemical predictors and their associations with microbial indicator reduction. Support vector machines (SVM) with a Gaussian kernel classifier showed superior performance in microbial removal prediction. The study provides an efficient method to predict the effectiveness of the O-3/BMF process in removing microbial indicators based on commonly measured physico-chemical parameters.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zillur Rahman, Weijia Liu, Lara Stapleton, Nikki Kenters, Dewa A. P. Rasmika Dewi, Ori Gudes, Helen Ziochos, Stuart J. Khan, Kaye Power, Mary-Louise McLaws, Torsten Thomas
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health threat, and current surveillance programs lack monitoring outside healthcare settings. Wastewater testing can provide a simple and continuous way to survey AMR trends in the community. By monitoring wastewater in Greater Sydney, Australia, we found regular presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E), and occasional presence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Our study highlights the potential of routine wastewater surveillance for understanding factors driving AMR distribution.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaole Yin, Xi Chen, Xiao-Tao Jiang, Ying Yang, Bing Li, Marcus Ho-Hin Shum, Tommy T. Y. Lam, Gabriel M. Leung, Joan Rose, Concepcion Sanchez-Cid, Timothy M. Vogel, Fiona Walsh, Thomas U. Berendonk, Janet Midega, Chibuzor Uchea, Dominic Frigon, Gerard D. Wright, Carlos Bezuidenhout, Renata C. Picao, Shaikh Z. Ahammad, Per Halkjaer Nielsen, Philip Hugenholtz, Nicholas J. Ashbolt, Gianluca Corno, Despo Fatta-Kassinos, Helmut Buergmann, Heike Schmitt, Chang-Jun Cha, Amy Pruden, Kornelia Smalla, Eddie Cytryn, Yu Zhang, Min Yang, Yong-Guan Zhu, Arnaud Dechesne, Barth F. Smets, David W. Graham, Michael R. Gillings, William H. Gaze, Celia M. Manaia, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Pedro J. J. Alvarez, Martin J. Blaser, James M. Tiedje, Edward Topp, Tong Zhang
Summary: Surveillance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in environmental sectors is increasingly conducted to complement studies in human and animal sectors. However, comparing and synthesizing results from different studies using different test methods and bioinformatic analysis approaches pose substantial challenges. This article suggests a universal unit (ARG copy per cell) for reporting biological measurements of ARGs in order to improve comparability. By comparing commonly used quantification units, this study proposes a step towards standardization.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qiaozhi Li, Bonita E. Lee, Tiejun Gao, Yuanyuan Qiu, Erik Ellehoj, Jiaao Yu, Mathew Diggle, Graham Tipples, Rasha Maal-Bared, Deena Hinshaw, Christopher Sikora, Nicholas J. Ashbolt, James Talbot, Steve E. Hrudey, Xiaoli Pang
Summary: By analyzing a large dataset of 1,842 samples collected from 12 wastewater treatment plants over a period of 14 months, this study used Probit analysis to calculate the sensitivity of RT-qPCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater. It determined the number of new COVID-19 cases required to detect the virus in wastewater at different probabilities and provided an evidence-based framework for wastewater-based epidemiology surveillance. The study improves our understanding of the performance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater using extensive data and a prolonged study period. It highlights the importance of estimating the COVID-19 burden that will result in positive detection in wastewater for the application of wastewater-based surveillance as a supplementary system for COVID-19 prevention and control.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rafik Dey, Elena Dlusskaya, Mariem Oloroso, Nicholas J. Ashbolt
Summary: Rising temperatures are expanding habitats for thermotolerant pathogens, including Naegleria fowleri, known as the 'brain-eating amoeba'. Although Naegleria species have not been found in environmental water sources in Canada, we identified other thermotolerant species, such as Naegleria pagei, Naegleria gruberi, Naegleria jejuensis and Naegleria fultoni, indicating the potential for supporting N. fowleri. It is recommended to continue monitoring and examining water for pathogenic amoebae in order to manage public health risks.
JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Mahshid Farzanehsa, Liam C. C. Vaughan, Arash Zamyadi, Stuart J. J. Khan
Summary: Applications of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in water and wastewater treatment have been of great interest. UV-chlorine (UV-Cl) is emerging as a potentially cost-effective alternative to UV/hydrogen peroxide (UV-H2O2), showing efficient degradation of emerging chemicals in contaminated water. UV-H2O2 does not have superiority over UV-Cl in terms of disinfection by-product (DBP) formation. However, more investigation and pilot-scale studies are needed to establish UV-Cl as a reliable alternative to UV-H2O2.
WATER AND ENVIRONMENT JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Michael A. Jahne, Mary E. Schoen, Anya Kaufmann, Brian M. Pecson, Adam Olivieri, Sybil Sharvelle, Anita Anderson, Nicholas J. Ashbolt, Jay L. Garland
Summary: In this work, the authors compare and synthesize the log10-reduction targets (LRTs) for pathogens in onsite non-potable water systems (ONWS) to inform the selection of pathogen LRTs. The results show that there were minor differences in LRTs for human enteric viruses and parasitic protozoa between 2017 and 2021 efforts, despite differences in pathogen characterization methods. The greatest differences were observed in stormwater due to the use of municipal wastewater data and different reference pathogens.
Review
Immunology
Nicholas John Ashbolt
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been extensively studied for their role in environmental persistence, dissemination, and infection of human enteric viruses. However, their role in the interaction between amoebae and Legionella pneumophila is poorly understood.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
H. M. Abd-ur-Rehman, V. Prodanovic, A. Deletic, S. J. Khan, J. A. McDonald, K. Zhang
Summary: Green walls provide a new and on-site method for treating and reusing greywater in urban areas. This study investigated the performance of different lightweight green wall media in removing twelve emerging contaminants from greywater. The results showed that coco coir and media mix columns achieved excellent removal of all contaminants through adsorption, with some hydrophilic contaminants also undergoing biodegradation. However, further research is needed to investigate the synergetic contribution of plants and media in removing these contaminants in long-term vegetated green wall systems.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xuan Li, Huan Liu, Li Gao, Samendra P. Sherchan, Ting Zhou, Stuart J. Khan, Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht, Qilin Wang
Summary: Although the COVID-19 emergency status is easing, the pandemic still affects healthcare systems globally. The use of wastewater-based epidemiology has been shown to accurately predict COVID-19-induced hospital admissions, providing early warnings for healthcare systems. This study demonstrates the potential of wastewater-based epidemiology as an effective method for predicting disease occurrence.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Brian M. Pecson, Anya Kaufmann, Daniel Gerrity, Charles N. Haas, Edmund Seto, Nicholas J. Ashbolt, Theresa Slifko, Emily Darby, Adam Olivieri
Summary: This study provides guidance on selecting science-based pathogen treatment requirements for direct potable reuse (DPR) systems, using probabilistic quantitative microbial risk assessments to determine log reduction targets. The findings and recommendations are applicable not only in California but also in the development of DPR regulations worldwide.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-WATER RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)