ABSTRACT
Purpose>Unsafe food can lead to various foodborne diseases and even death, especially among children. This paper aims to assess food safety knowledge and changes in practices and concerns among adults ≥ 18 years during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Design/methodology/approach>A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted among 325 adults living in Northern India. Demographic data and information regarding their knowledge, practices and concerns about various food safety issues were collected to see if there were any changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Findings>The results showed that the participants had slightly higher than average knowledge and good food safety practices with mean scores of 9.75 ± 2.23 and 24.87 ± 2.28, respectively. Contracting COVID-19 from food and food packaging materials was of high concern for more than 70% of the participants. Majority (> 80%) of them reported an increase in the frequency of handwashing. About 16% of the participants used chemical disinfectants for washing fruits and vegetables. An increase (57.5%) in the frequency of food label reading was also noted during the pandemic. Freshness and the general quality of food items (49.5%), safety of food (30.8%) and cost (18.2%) were the top drivers that influenced the purchase decision.Originality/value>This study highlighted the need to send out clear messages on safe food handling practices and keeping the tempo up for sustaining good hygienic practices. This will help in reducing the risk of foodborne diseases.
ABSTRACT
Aims: With the ongoing pandemic and increased interest in measures to improve indoor air quality, various indoor air purifiers have become very popular and are widely used. This review presents the advantages and disadvantages of various types of technologies used in air purifiers in terms of reducing microbial contamination. Methods: A literature search was performed using Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, as well as technical organizations dealing with indoor air-quality to identify research articles and documents within our defined scope of interest. Relevant sections: The available literature data focus mainly on the efficiency of devices based on tests conducted in laboratory conditions with test chambers, which does not reflect the real dimensions and conditions observed in residential areas. According to a wide range of articles on the topic, the actual effectiveness of air purifiers is significantly lower in real conditions than the values declared by the manufacturers in their marketing materials as well as technical specifications. Conclusions: According to current findings, using indoor air purifiers should not be the only measure to improve indoor air-quality;however, these can play a supporting role if their application is preceded by an appropriate technical and environmental analysis considering the real conditions of its use.
ABSTRACT
Human- and animal-impacted sites in Antarctica can be contaminated with heavy metals, as well as areas influenced by underlying geology and naturally occurring minerals. The present study examined the relationship between heavy metal presence and soil microalgal occurrence across a range of human-impacted and undisturbed locations on Signy Island. Microalgae were identified based on cultures that developed after inoculation into an enriched medium. Twenty-nine microalgae representing Cyanobacteria, Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta and Tribophyta were identified. High levels of As, Ca, Cd, Cu and Zn were detected in Gourlay Peninsula and North Point, both locations hosting dense penguin rookeries. Samples from Berntsen Point, the location of most intense human activity both today and historically, contained high levels of Pb. The contamination factor and pollution load index confirmed that the former locations were polluted by Cd, Cu and Zn, with these being of marine biogenic origin. Variation in the microalgal community was significantly correlated with concentrations of Mn, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cd, Co, Cr and Cu. However, the overall proportion of the total variation contributed by all metals was low (16.11%). Other factors not measured in this study are likely to underlie the majority of the observed variation in microalgal community composition between sampling locations.