ABSTRACT
Viruses and other microorganisms can enter water sources from different routes and cause pollution and irreparable damage. So, cost-effective and efficient systems for providing safe water are necessary. Efficient filtration systems based on antimicrobial materials have received a lot of attention in this regard. A wide range of materials play an important role in the production of efficient water filtration systems. Metal and metal oxide particles with anti-viral and antimicrobial properties comprising Cu, Cu2O, Ag, TiO2, and ZnO play a valuable role in the preparation of water filtration systems. Biopolymers such as cellulose or carbon nanomaterials like graphene or its derivatives have been reported to provide safe water. In this review, we summarize the use of diverse materials in the preparation of efficient filtration-based systems like membranes and paper filters for water treatment. Pathogen-containing water samples were effectively disinfected using the prepared water disinfection systems.Copyright © 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
ABSTRACT
Earthquakes are among the most impressive natural phenomena with very high potential to set off a chain of effects that significantly affects public health through casualties and injuries. Related disasters are attributed not only to the strong ground motion and coseismic phenomena but also to secondary effects, comprising mainly landslides and tsunamis, among others. All these can create harsh conditions favorable for the emergence of infectious diseases that are capable of causing additional human and economic losses and disruption of the emergency and recovery process. The present study comprises an extensive narrative review of the existing literature on the earthquake-triggered infectious diseases recorded worldwide, along with their symptoms, causative pathogens, associated risk factors, most vulnerable population groups, and prevention strategies. Respiratory, gastrointestinal, and vector-borne diseases, as well as wound and skin infections, are mainly recorded among the earthquake-affected population. Measures for effectively preventing earthquake-triggered infectious diseases are also proposed. One of the widely proposed measures is the establishment of a proper disease surveillance system in order to immediately and effectively identify the pre- and post-disaster occurrence of infectious diseases. This approach significantly contributes to disease trends monitoring, validation of early warning, and support of the emergency response and recovery actions.