| 1. |
- Bundschuh, Mirco
(författare)
-
Reducing pollution to levels not harming biodiversity and ecosystem functions: A perspective on the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. - 2468-5844. ; 35
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Currently, there are more than 350,000 chemicals in use, while their ecological effects are not fully understood. In this review, we focus on pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products and discuss their potential impact on aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem functions. We critically reflect on strategies to reduce their environmental release and mitigate potential effects. Various mitigation strategies are available to reduce contaminant concentrations in surface waters, but their efficiency varies under the current procedures. Intervening at the start of chemicals' life cycles or reducing their diversity and production amounts holds promise for reducing surface water exposure. This approach could facilitate appropriate environmental risk assessments for each authorized chemical.
|
|
| 2. |
- Chowdhury, Nilanjana Roy, et al.
(författare)
-
Current opinion on the role of post-harvesting and cooking on arsenic mobility in rice grain, its surmounting risk towards human and domestic livestock with sustained management
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-5844. ; 38
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Arsenic (As) contamination in paddy and consequently the dietary system is an emerging global threat to human health. The harvesting, post-harvesting and cooking procedures of rice in Bengal delta further involves the use of As tainted groundwater which results in a concomitant increase of As levels in sunned, parboiled, and cooked grains, respectively. Inorganic arsenic (iAs) causing potential health risks is therefore high (appx. 90 %) due to the daily rice consumption. This study sheds light on higher As accumulation, distribution and assimilation during parboiling (24 %) and cooking processes (34 %) using As-tainted water, culminating additional As burden in cooked rice. Rice grain mediated health risk has displayed a concern level of 5 according to “Severity Adjusted Margin of Exposure” value. This study also takes heed of the domestic livestock exposed to As toxicity through contaminated fodder, resulting in contaminated animal by-products which initiates further longer lasting deleterious impacts on the society.
|
|
| 3. |
- Davids, Peter R., et al.
(författare)
-
Multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary approaches to nature-based flood risk management
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-5844. ; 38
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nature-based solutions (NBS) can act as a valuable complement to conventional ‘grey’ infrastructure for stormwater management (e.g. dams and dikes) in reducing flood risks as these ‘green’ solutions are perceived to be more flexible and multifunctional. However, to achieve effective NBS, a multi-actor approach in developing appropriate measures for specific sites is required as NBS occupy more space than ‘grey’ infrastructure and often overlap with private land. NBS also necessitate a multidisciplinary approach, to maximise environmental, social, and economic benefits. Thus, a transdisciplinary approach is needed for the effective implementation of NBS. Viewing NBS as a boundary concept, focusing on the common ground for different disciplines and actors, can facilitate communication and provide a first step towards effective flood risk mitigation.
|
|
| 4. |
- Ferreira, Carla S. S., et al.
(författare)
-
Wetlands as nature-based solutions for water management in different environments
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-5844. ; 33
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Wetlands are multifunctional systems performing as nature-based solutions (NBS) for water management. This paper provides an overview of natural and constructed wetlands and their potential to support the regulation of hydrological fluxes and water quality. Wetlands can modulate peak flows by storing runoff and slowly releasing it over time, with positive impacts on soil moisture. They can also change the overall water balance by influencing evapotranspiration, infiltration, and groundwater recharge. They can enhance resilience of a catchment to floods and torrents, especially with relative low return periods (<50 years), and safeguard water availability during droughts. Wetlands may remove or reduce a number of organic and inorganic pollutants (e.g., nutrients, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, pesticides) by different physical, chemical, and biological processes developed between vegetation, microorganisms, soil/growth substrate, and water. They have proven to be efficient and effective in improving the quality of water from different sources, such as runoff from agriculture and urban areas, and domestic and industrial wastewater. The overall performance of wetlands is determined by their characteristics (e.g., size, design, type of vegetation), within-catchment position, type and amount of water and pollutants, and local conditions (e.g., climate). A focus on wetlandscape, rather than individual wetlands, is required for optimal water management and maximization of other ecosystem services.
|
|
| 5. |
- Haque, Rehnuma, et al.
(författare)
-
Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Bangladesh : Opportunities and challenges
- 2022
-
Ingår i: CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & HEALTH. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-5844. ; 27, s. 100334-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The ongoing pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health crisis of global concern. The progression of the COVID-19 pandemic has been monitored in the first place by testing symptomatic individuals for SARS-CoV-2 virus in the respiratory samples. Concurrently, wastewater carries feces, urine, and sputum that potentially contains SARS-CoV-2 intact virus or partially damaged viral genetic materials excreted by infected individuals. This brings significant opportunities for understanding the infection dynamics by environmental surveillance. It has advantages for the country, especially in densely populated areas where individual clinical testing is difficult. However, there are several challenges including: 1) establishing a sampling plan and schedule that is representative of the various catchment populations 2) development and validation of standardized protocols for the laboratory analysis 3) understanding hydraulic flows and virus transport in complex wastewater drainage systems and 4) collaborative efforts from government agencies, NGOs, public health units and academia.
|
|
| 6. |
- Hu, Kelsey, et al.
(författare)
-
Chronic exposure of arsenic among children in Asia: A current opinion based on epidemiological evidence
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-5844. ; 39
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The health effects of arsenic (As) exposure are a major global environmental issue affecting millions of people around the globe. Although adult epidemiological studies on As-induced health consequences have been extensively reviewed, but not much comprehensive review has been done targeting children. In this epidemiological review, 64 human subject studies on children were identified after applying exclusion criteria, which addressed an array of health effects of As exposure in early life stages in South and Southeast (S–SE) Asian countries, where a great variability in As exposures has been reported. The present review identified neurocognitive impairment linked to As exposure in early life stages. In utero and childhood As exposures were also associated with genetic and metabolic alteration, elevated pneumonia risk, and skin lesions in several populations in S–SE Asia. Significant associations of As with epigenetic changes, DNA damages, abnormal birth outcomes, and elevated mortality were also reported in epidemiological studies. The findings of this review article may help public health policymakers and clinicians develop early-life intervention strategies to reduce the burden of diseases in As-exposed populations.
|
|
| 7. |
- Islam, Md. Aminul, et al.
(författare)
-
An opinion on Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Monitoring (WBEM) with Clinical Diagnostic Test (CDT) for detecting high-prevalence areas of community COVID-19 infections
- 2023
-
Ingår i: CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & HEALTH. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-5844. ; 31
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Monitoring (WBEM) is an efficient surveillance tool during the COVID-19 pandemic as it meets all requirements of a complete monitoring system including early warning, tracking the current trend, prevalence of the disease, detection of genetic diversity as well as the upsurging SARS-CoV-2 new variants with mutations from the wastewater samples. Subsequently, Clinical Diagnostic Test (CDT) is widely acknowledged as the global gold standard method for disease monitoring, despite several drawbacks such as high diagnosis cost, reporting bias, and the difficulty of tracking asymptomatic patients (silent spreaders of the COVID-19 infection who manifest no symptoms of the disease). In this current review and opinion-based study, we first propose a combined approach for detecting COVID-19 infection in communities using wastewater and clinical sample testing, which may be feasible and effective as an emerging public health tool for the long-term nationwide surveillance system. The viral concentrations in wastewater samples can be used as indicators to monitor ongoing SARS-CoV-2 trends, predict asymptomatic carriers, and detect COVID-19 hotspot areas, while clinical samples help in detecting mostly symptomatic individuals for isolating positive cases in communities and validate WBEM protocol for mass vaccination including booster doses for COVID-19.
|
|
| 8. |
|
|
| 9. |
- Kumar, Manish, et al.
(författare)
-
Global co-occurrences of multi-(emerging)-contaminants in the hotspots of arsenic polluted groundwater : A pattern of menace
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-5844. ; 34
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Advancements in analytical techniques have resulted in much progress in understanding co-occurrence of environmental con-taminants. We focused on investigating the global pattern of arsenic (As) co-occurrence with inorganic and emerging con-taminants and then explained the governing factors driving the situation. Major co-occurring inorganic contaminants were found in three sets: i) U, F, Fe, Mn, Pb, & Zn; ii) Al, Mo, Cd, Sb, Br, I, and Se; and iii) Ag, Au, Cr, Cu, Hg, Th, V, Ga, and Ba. Co-occurrences were majorly governed by weathering, redox conditions, recharge/pumping, and surface leaching. Several places around the world started to exhibit As presence with contaminants of emerging concerns like pesticides, per-and polyfluoroalkyl sub-stances (PFAS), endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and others, that needs to be explored further at fundamentally deeper levels. This is probably one of the first attempts to correlate As co -occurrences with contaminants of emerging concern.
|
|
| 10. |
- Mukherjee, Abhijit, et al.
(författare)
-
Towards clean water : Managing risk of arsenic-contaminated groundwater for human consumption
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-5844. ; 36
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The human health risk associated with the ingestion of arsenic (As) contaminated groundwater as drinking water has been highlighted as the “largest mass-poisoning in human history.” Recently, secondary As exposure pathways have been identified through food and cattle products. Broad-based epidemiological estimation of the populations at risk is only available through statistical calculations, however, proper management needs community-level risk identification. Management strategies involve detection and monitoring, predictions, mitigations by standard and innovative technologies, and nature-based solutions for community drinking water supplies. Impacts of recent technological advancement in terms of real-time sensors and predictive modeling have outlined potential future possibilities. However, successful management would need to explore the nexus between 3-D contaminant occurrence over time, socio-economy, policy, and human behavior in delineating sustainable, clean water sources for sustainable development.
|
|
| 11. |
- Ogonowski, Martin, et al.
(författare)
-
What we know and what we think we know about microplastic effects – A critical perspective
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-5844. ; 1, s. 41-46
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Microplastic pollution is currently perceived as an environmental hazard, and adverse effects have been reported at various levels of biological organization. However, most experimental designs do not allow plastic-specific effects to be distinguished from those caused by other particles, such as clay and cellulose, which are naturally ubiquitous in the environment. We suggest that microplastic effects reported in recent ecotoxicological studies are similar to those induced by the natural particles. To provide a sound basis for risk assessment, experimental designs must not only be able to disentangle the effects of food limitation and particle toxicity but also demonstrate whether microplastics cause impacts that differ from those induced by natural particles.
|
|
| 12. |
- Patinvoh, R. J., et al.
(författare)
-
Challenges of biogas implementation in developing countries
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 2468-5844. ; 12, s. 30-37
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There are immense potential and opportunities for biogas implementation in developing countries, but lack of adequate infrastructures, sufficient capital, and appropriate policy have hindered successful implementation. The previous implementation was supported by governments, international organizations (the United Nations and European Union), and nongovernmental organizations and partly by carbon trading through Voluntary Emission Reductions managed by the World Bank. However, biogas technology in developing countries still require advancement in all levels from small-scale (household or domestic implementation) to large-scale implementation for energy generation, electricity generation, and transportation. There are challenges associated with policy, funding, technical services, sustainability, awareness, and education which are key factors to achieving full potential of biogas in developing countries. These challenges and solutions are briefly discussed in this work. Technical training, enforcement of policy, public–private partnership funding, record keeping, and advertisement of biogas programs are recommended for enhanced biogas implementation. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
|
|
| 13. |
- Postigo, Cristina
(författare)
-
Iodinated disinfection byproducts: Formation and concerns
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-5844. ; 7, s. 19-25
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The list of iodinated disinfection byproducts (iodo-DBPs) includes some of the most genotoxic and cytotoxic DBPs discovered to date. Therefore, human exposure should be minimized by reducing their presence in drinking water. In this manuscript we review the main iodo-DBP formation pathways during water disinfection, with focus on the advances reported in the last two years. We discuss the effect of iodine sources other than iodine salts, e.g., iodinated contrast media or iodate, on iodo-DBP formation. In addition, we review the anthropogenic activities (like oil and gas extraction, dairy industry, seawater desalination or advanced oxidation treatments with persulfate) that may release iodo-DBPs to the aquatic environment or increase the potential of source waters to generate these compounds when disinfected.
|
|
| 14. |
- Rodushkin, Ilia, et al.
(författare)
-
Elemental stable isotope assessment of groundwater contamination: Recent developments
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. - : Elsevier. - 2468-5844. ; 26
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Anthropogenic contamination of water resources remains a severe environmental concern on a global scale. Radiogenic and stable isotope measurements (especially for light elements) constitute well-known tools for the identification of pollution sources and thus have considerable potential in prevention and remediation efforts. Recent instrumental and methodological advances have extended the isotope ‘toolbox’ to include a significant number of new stable isotope systems, which in turn resulted in rapid growth of studies using these novel tracers in the field of environmental forensics. Isotopic fractionation, occurring during post-release transformation of contaminants, offers an additional benefit of possibility to study the fate of pollutants in aquatic systems. This review will focus on selected relevant studies in the field and present future trends and development.
|
|
| 15. |
- Van Der Wal, René
(författare)
-
Recent contributions of Citizen Science on sustainability policies: a critical review
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 2468-5844. ; 31
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Citizen science (CS) is often used to describe collaborations between researchers and non-professional volunteers who help with data collection and other research tasks, such as species identification, data annotation, and classification. Other definitions refer to citizens producing their own evidence to influence policy and raise community awareness, including participatory projects where citizen scientists contribute to defining the focus, co-design, or run an entire research project. This integrative review provides a critical appraisal of both empirical studies and theoretical perspectives on CS in emerging research related to environment and health policies, with a particular emphasis on sustainability. The analysis points to the need for greater awareness of CS methodology in order to redress the relations between scientific research and policy-making, considering local communities’ knowledge and values as pivotal to shaping future sustainability policy agendas, in ways that are both more comprehensive and sensitive to changing contexts and specific needs.
|
|
