Micro plastic: an imperceptible threat on Agua Dulce Beach, Chorrillos District

The use of plastics in the world is increasing, but their proper final arrangement is limited. Peru made regulatory efforts to reduce its use;however, they are isolated activities that have not represented a significant change in their management. This study allows to identify the presence of microplastic on one of the busiest beaches of the city of Lima Metropolitana, during the emergency period caused by the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. To achieve the objectives of the research, it has been sampled in high tide and supra-coastal areas, applying the methodology proposed in the Ministry of the Environment's Soil Sampling Guide. This study shows the presence of microplastics, with an abundance of 43 pieces per m2, and found that the predominance of the type of microplastic found is of secondary origin (polystyrene and polypropylene);however, 20.9% correspond to primary microplastics (pellets) whose source could not be determined. Finally, it is indicated that despite restrictions on the state of emergency the number of microplastics per m2 in Agua Dulce Beach between 2019 (40 pieces) and 2020 (43 pieces) increased by 7.5%.

Silent superbug killers in a river near you how factory farms contaminate public water courses on three continents

Water downstream from factory farms harbours an invisible threat to people's health which could eclipse the COVID-19 crisis. The threat? Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) which are driving antimicrobial resistance the world's superbug crisis - projected to kill up to 10 million people annually by 2050. This publication reports the presence of ARGs in animal waste discharged from industrial farms into public waterways or onto soil (or crops) in four countries. Gauge community impact and sentiment regarding the issue was also highlighted. The water and sediment from public water courses connected to effluent discharges from 6-10 pig farms were tested in each of four countries (Canada, Spain, Thailand and the USA).

Future challenges and their impact on respiratory health and lung cancer

Air pollution, climate and population health are closely related in terms of their impacts on respiratory health and lung cancer. Air pollutants contribute to the exacerbation of chronic respiratory problems such as COPD and asthma. Air pollutants are also toxic and carcinogenic, initiating and promoting lung cancer development. Climate change in relation to environmental pollution affects the geographical distribution of food supply and diseases such as pneumonia in adults and children. The threat of air pollution, and hence global warming and climate changes, and their effects on population and respiratory health, is an imminent threat to the world and deserves immediate and sustainable combating strategies and efforts. The goals are to increase public awareness and engagement in action, with alignment of international collaboration and policy, and with steering towards further research. Now is the prime time for international collaborative efforts on planning and actions to fight air pollution and climate change before it is too late.Copyright © ERS 2021.

The Impact of COVID-19 Routine Life - A Survey

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus, has had a significant impact on daily life, education, business, and trade. The virus spreads quickly through direct contact with droplets, fecal-oral transmission, and water contamination. The consequences of the pandemic can be classified into three categories: health, economic, and social. The physical, mental, and psychological behaviors of individuals have also changed due to the pandemic. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the general population. A survey questionnaire with ten questions was distributed through an online portal, and the responses were analyzed using SPSS software. The results showed that healthcare workers were among the most affected, with the primary impact on their social and psychological well-being. Although previous research suggested that all fields were equally affected, this study found that healthcare workers were the most impacted group. The study concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the social and psychological well-being of the general population, with healthcare workers being the most affected. © 2023 IEEE.

Engineering Design of a Health Service Station Sewage Treatment Station under COVID-19 Epidemic

Health service station is a place in which close contacts with the COVID-19 and other key populations are centralized quarantined for medical observation.A newly built health service station is equipped with 4 700 beds and a supporting sewage treatment station with a designed treatment scale of2 200 m~3/d.The treatment process consists of enhanced biological treatment system,sewage virus disinfection and sterilization system,aerosol disinfection and sterilization system and sludge disinfection and sterilization system.After treatment,the effluent and waste gas can meet the limit specified in Discharge Standard of Water Pollutants for Medical Organization （GB 18466-2005）.The average COD,NH3-N and SS in effluent are 14.53 mg/L,1.26 mg/L and 9.11 mg/L,respectively,and the average concentrations of H2S,NH3 and odor at the outlet are 0.01 mg/L,0.8 mg/L and 6.3,respectively.The sludge is disinfected regularly and then transported outside for disposal.This project can provide reference for sewage treatment design of emergency medical temporary isolation and observation facility and cabin hospital.

Effects of Covid-19 Pandemic on Surface Water Quality: A Case Study in Hong-Thai Binh River, Vietnam

The Covid-19 epidemic that appeared and broke out from the end of 2019 until now has contributed to limiting human production and emissions. As a result, the quality of the global environment tends to be good, including the water environment. The impact of the Covid-19 epidemic on the water environment has been studied by us in the Hong-Thai Binh river of Vietnam. Data at 30 water monitoring points on the Hong-Thai Binh in the period of 2018 - 2021 were used to calculate water pollution indexes including: Comprehensive Polluted Index (CPI), Organic Pollution Index (OPI) and Trace Metal Pollution Index (TPI). The results show that the average values of all three indicators CPI, OPI, TPI on the Hong-Thai Binh river in the period of during the Covid-19 (from 2020 to 2021) were higher than their values before (from 2018 to 2019). This implies that the blockade and social distancing activities implemented during Vietnam's Covid-19 epidemic have disrupted production activities and reduced the amount of waste discharged into the Hong-Thai Binh river. As a result the river water quality has been improved. To protect the water quality of the Hong-Thai Binh river in particular and the quality of the water environment in general, measures to strictly control waste sources and transform the economy from linear to circular are recommended solutions for Vietnamese government in the post-Covid-19.

An Efficient IoT e-Environment System to Monitor and Control Pollution and Maintain Hygienics in Educational Institutions

The Covid-19 Pandemic (C19P) situation of the entire world now affects all fields in terms of Excellencies and let to suffer drastically from normal functioning. The whole world is now concentrating on the protection from the C19 virus in the form of vaccination (C19V) and social distancing (SD). There is a kind enough need arises to maintain the hygiene environment during and after the post C19P situations, and this IoT e-Environment Pollution Monitoring and Controlling System (IEE-PMCS) with 3 parameters (air, water, sound) resolves and addresses the issues in the hygiene maintenance of various environments as common. In the IEE-PMCS proposed work, the 3 measuring parameters and their real-time and current values are percept with the appropriate sensors of IoT elements, and the data are collected and stored on a cloud and are verified with the predefined threshold values of pollution measures with included tolerance values of permissible values to indicate if there is any cause of the pollution on the real-time perceptions. The verification and decision-making of the system is reliable on the new algorithms proposed in this work. This work is based on system modeling and providing an efficient architecture to the maximum extent of the intended purpose, with a detailed description of the flow of operations and with the algorithmic level. © 2022 IEEE.

Monitoring of the Surfactants in Surface Waters in Slovakia and the Possible Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Their Presence

In order to keep the home and occupational environment clean and non-infectious, the consumption of cleaners and disinfectants, including cosmetics, is increasing. Excessive use of these products results in their accumulation in the aquatic environment. Conventional wastewater treatment plants are unable to effectively remove the emergent pollutants, including personal care products. This article is focused on the monitoring of the presence of personal care products in surface waters in two river basins in the Slovak Republic, in terms of the surfactant content. Ecotoxicological evaluation of the selected samples from the monitored river basins was performed by an acute toxicity test using the test organism Daphnia magna. The monitoring results indicate the presence of personal care products in the aquatic environment which poses an ecological and environmental risk. Monitoring in the Hron and Nitra river basins confirmed contamination with the surfactants, to which the measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic contributed. The content of the surfactants in personal care products is significant, and their impact on the aquatic environment is not sufficiently monitored.

Managing Building Water Disruptions in a Post-COVID World: Water Quality and Safety Risk Assessment Tool for Academic Institutions and School Settings

Fluctuating building occupancy during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to poor water quality and safety conditions in building water distribution systems (BWDSs). Natural disasters, man-made events, or academic institutional calendars (i.e., semesters or holiday breaks) can disrupt building occupant water usage, which typically increases water age within a BWDS. High water age, in turn, is known to propagate poor water quality and safety conditions, which potentially exposes building occupants to waterborne pathogens (e.g., Legionella) associated with respiratory disease or hazardous chemicals (e.g., lead). Other influencing factors are green building design and municipal water supply changes. Regardless of the cause, an increasing number of water management policies require building owners to improve building water management practices. The present study developed a Water Quality and Safety Risk Assessment (WQSRA) tool to address gaps in building water management for academic institutions and school settings. The tool is intended to assist with future implementation of water management programs as the result of pending policies for the built environment. The WQSRA was modeled after water management practices created for controlling water contaminants in healthcare facilities. Yet, a novel WQSRA tool was adapted specifically for educational settings to allow building owners to evaluate risk from water hazards to determine an appropriate level of risk mitigation measures for implementation. An exemplar WQSRA tool is presented for safety, facility, industrial hygiene, and allied professionals to address current gaps in building water management programs. Academic institutions and school settings should examine the WQSRA tool and formulate an organization-specific policy to determine implementation before, during, and after building water-disruptive events associated with natural or man-made disasters.

Preventive measures for managing Legionella in drinking water systems during epidemics

This paper describes and summarizes the strategies and measures that should be applied in Croatia to prevent Legionella contamination in drinking water systems in buildings during the COVID-19 epidemic. Legionella colonisation in drinking water installations increases the risk of infection for humans and it is important to point out that this public health problem is even greater during other epidemics. Legionella can cause very severe types of pneumonia called Legionnaires' disease and less serious illness Pontiac fever. Therefore, Croatia will implement the new EU Directive 2020/2184 on the quality of water intended for human consumption into its legislation, which for the first time includes an obligation to assess the risk of Legionella. This should help reduce the health risk or complications of respiratory infections (severe pneumonia) and mortality during other epidemics (COVID-19 and similar).

Mapping the trophic state index of eastern lakes in China using an empirical model and Sentinel-2 imagery data

Lake eutrophication has become a critical environmental issue due to the global effects of anthropogenic activities and climate change, and has been comprehensively studied for many years. A series of models and indicators have been proposed to assess the trophic state of lakes. The trophic state index (TSI) is a synthetic index that integrates chlorophyll-a, water clarity, and total phosphorus and is widely used to evaluate the trophic state of aquatic environments. In this study, we collected in situ lake samples (N = 431) from typical lakes to match Sentinel-2 MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) imagery data using the Case 2 Regional Coast Color processor. Then we developed a new empirical model, TSI = -34.04 x (band 4/band 5) - 1.114 x (band 1/band 4) + 97.376. This model is valid for all of China, with good performance and few errors (RMSE = 7.36;MAE = 6.25) for the validation dataset. Recognizing that over 94% of the Chinese population located along eastern watersheds and large lakes have competing water uses, and given the TSI model on the seasonal scales, we further estimated the mean TSI and trophic state in eastern Chinese lakes (> 100 km2) from 2019 to 2020. The results revealed that more lakes were eutrophic in autumn (94.28%) than in spring (> 77.14%), indicating a serious eutrophication of eastern lakes. Although the eastern lakes have been studied in more detail, this study found that eutrophication still has markedly negative impacts on lake ecosystems. In addition, no significant improvement was observed in spring, most likely due to the months of curfew/lockdown from January 2020 onwards due to COVID-19. This may be due to the enrichment of nutrients deposited in sediment or watershed soil, which can be characterized as "autochthonous sources" of lake eutrophication, over decades with high rates of economic development. This study demonstrates the applicability of Sentinel-2 MSI data to monitor lake eutrophication as well as the feasibility of blue/red and red/red edge combinations. The framework and TSI model used bands available on MSI sensors to develop a novel approach for generating historical eutrophication data for large-scale evaluation of and decision-making related aquatic environmental changes, even in poorly studied areas.

An agent-based model for contamination response in water distribution systems during the COVID-19 pandemic

Contamination events in water distribution systems (WDS) are emergencies that cause public health crises and require fast response by the responsible utility manager. Various models have been developed to explore the reactions of relevant stakeholders during a contamination event, including agent-based modeling. As the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the daily habits of communities around the globe, consumer water demands have changed dramatically. In this study, an agent-based modeling framework is developed to explore social dynamics and reactions of water consumers and a utility manager to a contamination event, while considering regular and pandemic demand scenarios. Utility manager agents use graph theory algorithms to place mobile sensor equipment and divide the network in sections that are endangered of being contaminated or cleared again for water consumption. The status of respective network nodes is communicated to consumer agents in real time, and consumer agents adjust their water demands accordingly. This sociotechnological framework is presented using the overview, design, and details protocol. The results comprise comparisons of reactions and demand adjustments of consumers to a water event during normal and pandemic times, while exploring new methods to predict the fate of a contaminant plume in the WDS.

COVID-19 lockdowns promoted recovery of the Yangtze river's aquatic ecosystem

The impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns on human life, air quality, and river water quality around the world have received significant attention. In comparison, assessments of the implications for freshwater ecosystems are relatively rare. This study explored the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on aquatic ecosystems in the Yangtze River by comparing river water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish data collected at the site in the middle reach of the Yangtze River in 2018 and 2020. The results show that during COVID-19 lockdowns, the reduction in industrial and domestic effluent discharge led to a reduction in organic pollution and industrial plant nutrient pollution in rivers. Among them, PO43--P, CODMn, and TP were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). During lockdowns, nutrient supplies such as TN and TP were reduced, which led to inhibition of algae growth and decreased phytoplankton abundance. Phytoplankton affects the abundance of zooplankton through a bottom-up effect, and a decrease in phytoplankton density leads to a decrease in zooplankton density. The decrease in plankton density led to lower primary productivity in rivers, reduced fish feed supplies, intensified competition among fish populations, with increases in population dominated by high trophic level carnivorous fish. In addition, the decrease in fishing intensity has contributed to an increase in the number of rivers-sea migratory fish;the fish community was earlier mainly dominated by small-sized species with a short life cycle, and the number of supplementary populations has now increased. As a consequence, the fish community structure shows a tendency toward high complexity and high fish diversity. Overall, these observations demonstrate that the rapid revival of the retrogressive Yangtze River ecosystem is possible through limitation of anthropic interferences.

Recent advancements of metal-organic frameworks in sensing platforms: relevance in the welfare of the environment and the medical sciences with regard to cancer and SARS-CoV-2

Supramolecular architectures decorated with various conjugated building blocks give rise to numerous luminescent frameworks with interesting chemical and photophysical properties. The luminescence properties of these MOFs help global researchers achieve success in the field of recognition applications of MOFs for the detection of various targeted toxic analytes. In this regard, different MOF-based materials, along with their different host-guest recognition strategies, have been developed, emphasising selective and sensitive natures towards a particular analyte, which indeed helps in protecting our environment. The present review article discusses state-of-the art progress based on (i) advancement of electrochemical MOF-based sensors, (ii) detection of various waterborne pollutants & VOCs, and (iii) recent progress of MOFs in biomedical sciences, with regard to cancer & SARS-CoV-2, along with the advantages and current challenges to combat SARS-CoV-2 for the clinical purposes. Herein, detection of particular analytes along with their interactive mechanisms have been precisely described;however, it needs to be noted that detailed host-guest mechanistic revelations is not the topic of discussion in the present exploration. In this review, we have covered almost the last 14 years (2008-2022) of research on MOFs in the various sensing platforms. In a nutshell, the luminescent MOFs, along with their extraordinary applicability in the domains of chemical, biomedical and environmental arenas as welfare tools, have been studied in the present review article. © 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Pandemic restrictions in 2020 highlight the significance of non-road NOx sources in central London

Fluxes of nitrogen oxides (NOx=NO+NO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were measured using eddy covariance at the British Telecommunications (BT) Tower in central London during the coronavirus pandemic. Comparing fluxes to those measured in 2017 prior to the pandemic restrictions and the introduction of the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) highlighted a 73 % reduction in NOx emissions between the two periods but only a 20 % reduction in CO2 emissions and a 32 % reduction in traffic load. Use of a footprint model and the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (LAEI) identified transport and heat and power generation to be the two dominant sources of NOx and CO2 but with significantly different relative contributions for each species. Application of external constraints on NOx and CO2 emissions allowed the reductions in the different sources to be untangled, identifying that transport NOx emissions had reduced by >73 % since 2017. This was attributed in part to the success of air quality policy in central London but crucially due to the substantial reduction in congestion that resulted from pandemic-reduced mobility. Spatial mapping of the fluxes suggests that central London was dominated by point source heat and power generation emissions during the period of reduced mobility. This will have important implications on future air quality policy for NO2 which, until now, has been primarily focused on the emissions from diesel exhausts.

Capturing Secchi disk depth by using Sentinel-2 MSI imagery in Jiaozhou Bay, China from 2017 to 2021

Water clarity is a key parameter for assessing changes of aquatic environment. Coastal waters are complex and variable, remote sensing of water clarity for it is often limited by low spatial resolution. The Sentinel-2 Multi-Spectral Instrument (MSI) imagery with a resolution of up to 10 m are employed to solve the problem from 2017 to 2021. Distribution and characteristics of Secchi disk depth (SDD) in Jiaozhou Bay (JZB) are analyzed. Subtle changes in localized small areas are discovered, and main factors affecting the changes are explored. Among natural factors, precipitation and wind play dominant roles in variation in SDD. Human activities have a significant influence on transparency, among which fishery farming has the greatest impact. This is clearly evidenced by the significant improvement of SDD in JZB due to the sharp decrease in human activities caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Copyright © 2022 The Authors

How environmental racism fuels pandemics

African Americans who earn US$50,000-60,000 annually - solidly middle class - are exposed to much higher levels of industrial chemicals, air pollution and poisonous heavy metals, as well as pathogens, than are profoundly poor white people with annual incomes of $10,000. The main culprits include indifference and ignorance, inadequate testing of industrial chemicals, racism, housing discrimination, corporate greed and lax legislation from, in the United States, a weakened Environmental Protection Agency. Black and minority ethnic people are also more likely to live in 'deprived' areas that are closer to sources of industrial pollution - from leadtainted water in Flint, Michigan, to nerve gas, arsenic and polychlorinated biphenyls in Anniston, Alabama.

GIS-based spatial distribution analysis of water quality assessment using water pollution index of Yamuna river at Delhi

Pollution is one of the leading risk factors for the deterioration of the environment, mankind's poor health, and endangerment of the plant kingdom. The exploration of water pollution levels through a new remote sensing model "Water Pollution Index” makes this study unique, which is derived from the weighted overlay technique using land surface temperature, Chlorophyll Index, NCAI, and backscattering values from Sentinel 1, Sentinel 2, and Landsat 8 data sets. This chapter is concerned with the qualitative study of water pollution of the Yamuna river stretch, Delhi. To substantiate the results, sources are taken from different published papers and ground surveys. The objective is to define the pollution level and its contributing factors, algae blooming, sewage debris, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) shutdown impact, and rain in different seasons for two consecutive years, 2019 and 2020. A noticeable difference is found in the annual result indicating less pollution in 2020 especially in premonsoon data compared to 2019. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study of the Process of Destruction of Harmful Microorganisms in Water

In this scientific work, the problem of studying the process of destruction of microorganisms in water by an Etro-03 device based on electric corona discharge is considered. In the research, a special Etro-03 ozonator device was developed for clearing water of biological pollutants. Testing of the installation was carried out in order to disinfect surface water in the Kapshagai reservoir. During the research, various harmful microorganisms were found in the composition of the primary water that did not meet the maximum permissible concentration (MPC). For example, coliphages, coli-indices, and the number of microbes in general came across in large numbers. During the technological process, various amounts of ozone (O3) were released into the water, the amount and effective economic indicators of which were determined. In the same way, the effective time of the decontamination process was determined. During the research process, an algorithm of theoretical calculations was developed, and a mathematical model was given to bring 1m3 of surface water as the indicator for which sanitary rules and norms are approved.

Access to water and the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: opportunities and threats in a post-pandemic era for sub-Saharan Africa

The emergence of SARs-Cov-2 has severely impacted on the progress made so far on the sustainable development goals in SSA. The current ineffective water and healthcare sectors in many African countries could serve as a deterrent to an impending crisis. This mini review aims to highlight the opportunities and threats to the water and healthcare sector in a post pandemic era. Recent studies indicate that the virus have been found in water bodies including wastewater and sewage and this could serve as a potential medium of mutation of the virus. In addition, SSA have poor waste management implementation and sanitation especially within rural and densely populated areas. This coupled with lack of adequate supply of potable water can see SSA fall back in achieving the SDGs. The struggle against climate change and recently Covid-19 will devastate socio-economic development of many countries within the SSA region. Climate change has impacted on water accessibility and quality and Covid-19 requires adequate water supply to reduce human-to-human transmission. This will see a severe stress on already existing stresses in the water and health sectors which can eventually led to a system collapse. Urgent attention is therefore required through the design and implementation of programs aimed at building resilience to climate impacts and prepare for future pandemics.