Published by De Gruyter

Volume 35 Issue 2

Issue of Reviews on Environmental Health

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Contents
Journal Overview

Publicly Available April 23, 2020

Frontmatter

Page range: i-iii

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Reviews

Open Access April 23, 2020

Benefits of basic research from the Superfund Research Program

William A. Suk, Michelle L. Heacock, Brittany A. Trottier, Sara M. Amolegbe, Maureen D. Avakian, Danielle J. Carlin, Heather F. Henry, Adeline R. Lopez, Lesley A. Skalla

Page range: 85-109

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Abstract

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Hazardous Substances Basic Research and Training Program [Superfund Research Program (SRP)] funds transdisciplinary research projects spanning the biomedical and environmental sciences to address issues related to potentially hazardous substances. We used a case study approach to identify how SRP-funded basic biomedical research has had an impact on society. We examined how transdisciplinary research projects from the SRP have advanced knowledge and led to additional clinical, public health, policy, and economic benefits. SRP basic biomedical research findings have contributed to the body of knowledge and influenced a broad range of scientific disciplines. It has informed the development of policies and interventions to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants to improve public health. Research investments by the SRP have had a significant impact on science, health, and society. Documenting the benefits of these investments provides insight into how basic research is translated to real-world applications.

Open Access March 3, 2020

Sharing SRP data to reduce environmentally associated disease and promote transdisciplinary research

Michelle L. Heacock, Sara M. Amolegbe, Lesley A. Skalla, Brittany A. Trottier, Danielle J. Carlin, Heather F. Henry, Adeline R. Lopez, Christopher G. Duncan, Cindy P. Lawler, David M. Balshaw, William A. Suk

Page range: 111-122

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Abstract

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Superfund Basic Research and Training Program (SRP) funds a wide range of projects that span biomedical, environmental sciences, and engineering research and generate a wealth of data resulting from hypothesis-driven research projects. Combining or integrating these diverse data offers an opportunity to uncover new scientific connections that can be used to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the interplay between exposures and health. Integrating and reusing data generated from individual research projects within the program requires harmonization of data workflows, ensuring consistent and robust practices in data stewardship, and embracing data sharing from the onset of data collection and analysis. We describe opportunities to leverage data within the SRP and current SRP efforts to advance data sharing and reuse, including by developing an SRP dataset library and fostering data integration through Data Management and Analysis Cores. We also discuss opportunities to improve public health by identifying parallels in the data captured from health and engineering research, layering data streams for a more comprehensive picture of exposures and disease, and using existing SRP research infrastructure to facilitate and foster data sharing. Importantly, we point out that while the SRP is in a unique position to exploit these opportunities, they can be employed across environmental health research. SRP research teams, which comprise cross-disciplinary scientists focused on similar research questions, are well positioned to use data to leverage previous findings and accelerate the pace of research. Incorporating data streams from different disciplines addressing similar questions can provide a broader understanding and uncover the answers to complex and discrete research questions.

November 22, 2019

Urban sanitation in Nigeria: the past, current and future status of access, policies and institutions

Obiora B. Ezeudu

Page range: 123-137

Abstract

Though rated among the largest economies in sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria is currently grappling with enormous socio-economic challenges such as high poverty rate, power and water supply shortages, large-scale unemployment ratio, economic recession and underperforming agricultural sector. Judging by the scale of urgent political and economic importance, urban sanitation definitely ranks low among the government’s priorities. No wonder political slogans and manifestos of political parties feature provision of water supply while sanitation is conspicuously usually omitted. This is suggestive of the opinion that having not critically understood the status, challenges and opportunities associated with sanitation in the country’s urban areas might be partly responsible for this. Thus, the current work presents a detailed review of the past, current and future status of urban sanitation in Nigeria in terms of access coverage, policies, institutions and future challenges and opportunities. The past status was difficult to evaluate because of the absence of data and unclear definitions of the term ‘sanitation’. The current status shows among other findings that water supply issues receive domineering attention than sanitation, mainly due to merging together of discussions, policies and implementation of the two issues together. In cases where sanitation crops up in the agenda, rural areas are favored more than the urban areas. This pattern is also common in the literature. But the future of urban sanitation in Nigeria is double-edged depending on actions or inactions of the government and other stakeholders. The study further makes recommendations for – balanced and sustainable urban development planning, restructuring of land and housing policies and creation of enabling market environment that could trigger a viable sanitation industry – as the way forward.

November 19, 2019

Utilisation of appropriately treated wastewater for some further beneficial purposes: a review of the disinfection method of treated wastewater using UV radiation technology

Abraham Amenay Zewde, Zifu Li, Lingling Zhang, Emanuel Alepu Odey, Zhou Xiaoqin

Page range: 139-146

Abstract

Due to world population growth, global climate change and the deteriorated quality of water, water supply struggles to keep up the clean water demand to meet human needs. Ultraviolet (UV) technology holds a great potential in advancing water and wastewater treatment to improve the efficiency of safe treatment. Over the last 20 years, the UV light disinfection industry has shown a tremendous growth. Therefore, reuse of wastewater contributes significantly to an efficient and sustainable water usage. Disinfection is a requirement for wastewater reuse due to the presence of a swarm of pathogens (e.g. bacteria, viruses, worms and protozoa) in secondary effluents. UV technology is widely favoured due to its environmentally friendly, chemical-free ability to provide high-log reductions of all known microorganisms, including chlorine-resistant strains such as Cryptosporidium . The UV disinfection process does not create disinfection by-products and unlike the chlorine UV disinfection process, it is not reliant on water temperature and pH. UV disinfection can eliminate the need to generate, handle, transport or store toxic/hazardous or corrosive chemicals and requires less space than other methods. As UV does not leave any residual effect that can be harmful to humans or aquatic life, it is safer for plant operators.

January 13, 2020

An overview on the concentration of radioactive elements and physiochemical analysis of soil and water in Iraq

Iftikhar Alam, Jalil ur Rehman, Nisar Ahmad, Alia Nazir, Aslam Hameed, Altaf Hussain

Page range: 147-155

Abstract

In the last decade, radiation physics brought about a revolution in health science by improving scientific equipment and useful methodologies for measurement. Human beings are affected by ionizing radiations that radiate from radioactive elements. The quantity of radioactive elements is different inside and outside the earth’s surface. Soil and water are exigencies of human lives which are contaminated by radioactive elements. These radioactive elements enter into the human body through drinking, eating and breathing. On reaching hazardous limits in the human body, these radioactive elements cause stomach cancer, lung cancer and leukemia. Measurement of radioactive elements in soil and water is helpful in monitoring the health issues caused by exposure to these elements. In Iraq, numerous studies about natural radioactivity, radon concentration and physiochemical parameters have been conducted by different researchers, of which most of the studies were conducted in Barsa, Nasirya, Najaf, Karbala, Baghdad, Balad, Kirkuk, Erbil, Mosul and Dohuk cities. This article aims to review and compile the studies conducted in these cities of Iraq from 2011 to 2019. In most articles, high-purity germanium (HPGe), RAD7 and CR-39 detectors are used for radioactivity and radon measurement. These cities are located in the low-high folded and Mesopotamian zones. From this study, it can be concluded that radon concentration in soil and water was greater in the Mesopotamian and lower in the low-high folded zones. Higher concentrations of natural radioactivity in water and soil were found in the low-high folded zone in Iraq. However, most of the conducted studies show that concentrations of radon and natural radioactivity are above the permissible limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and World Health Organization (WHO). The values of physiochemical parameters were found to be greater in the Mesopotamian zone, but overall they are not above the permissible limits.

February 12, 2020

Association between human health and indoor air pollution in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: a review

Patrick Amoatey, Hamid Omidvarborna, Mahad Said Baawain, Abdullah Al-Mamun, Aynul Bari, Warren B. Kindzierski

Page range: 157-171

Abstract

Studies on the assessment of indoor air pollutants in terms of concentration and characterization in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have been recently carried out. This review assesses the health effects associated with indoor air pollution exposures in GCC, including other air pollutants (siloxanes, flame retardants, synthetic phenolic antioxidants) which were not explored in a previous study. In addition, the influence of ventilation conditions due to different indoor environments was also investigated. It was revealed that there is a lack of human health assessment studies on most indoor air pollutants in almost all GCC countries, except the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, where few attempts were made for some specific pollutants. Commonly reported plausible health effects potentially associated with indoor air pollution were related to respiratory symptoms and sick building syndrome (SBS). Many of the current health assessment studies in GCC countries were based on predictions and/or estimates of exposures rather than clinically based observational studies. Measured ventilation levels and indoor air velocities in most buildings failed to meet the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) threshold limits of 8 L/s/p and 0.18–0.25 m/s, respectively. Additionally, limited studies have investigated respiratory symptoms and SBS potentially attributable to poor ventilation in the region. It is highly recommended that future indoor air quality (IAQ) studies in GCC should focus more on epidemiologic and intervention studies.

March 5, 2020

Involvement of green technology in microalgal biodiesel production

Samakshi Verma, Arindam Kuila

Page range: 173-188

Abstract

According to the report of the renewable energy policy network for the 21st century published in 2014, biodiesel and bioethanol are the most used biofuels and are responsible for transportation worldwide. Biodiesel specially has shown an increase in production globally by 15 times by volume from 2002 to 2012. Promising feedstock of biodiesel are cyanobacteria and microalgae as they possess a shorter cultivation time (4 fold lesser) and high oil content (10 fold higher) than corn, jatropha and soybean (conventional oil-producing territorial plants). Various valuable natural chemicals are also produced from these organisms including food supplements such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), pigments, and vitamins. Additionally, cellular components of microalgae and cyanobacteria are connected with therapeutic characteristics such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral and immune stimulating. Commercialization of algal biodiesel (or other products) can be achieved by isolating and identifying the high-yielding strains that possess a faster growth rate. Indigenous strains can be genetically engineered into high-yielding transgenic strains. The present article discusses about the use of nanotechnology and genetic engineering approach for improved lipid accumulation in microalgae for biodiesel production.

March 13, 2020

Green space and early childhood development: a systematic review

Mohammad Zahirul Islam, Jessika Johnston, Peter D. Sly

Page range: 189-200

Abstract

Background The urban environment presents significant health challenges for children, such as discouraging physical exercise and increasing exposure to air pollution, excessive noise and higher temperatures. Reducing exposures to these negative environmental factors can have great benefits on a child’s well-being and lower their risk of developing chronic diseases later in life. There is increasing evidence that suggests that the presence of urban green space can offer benefits to human health and well-being. While studies have reported the impact green space exposure has on the individual health outcomes of children, few have paid attention to the link between green space and the child’s development. This review aims to synthesise the evidence of the effect green space exposure has on early childhood development. Objectives To explore the relationship between green space and early childhood development. Methods An online search was conducted using pre-identified keywords related to green space and early childhood development using search engines such as PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, MeSH and PsycINFO. Peer-reviewed papers published in the past 10 years were included in this review. Papers were selected, extracted, analysed and interpreted based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results Fifty-one papers were identified, of which 28 were excluded due to duplications or irrelevance, yielding a total of 23 papers to be reviewed. Articles were categorised based on reported outcomes: perinatal health, physical health, psychological health and respiratory health. An increase in green space during pregnancy was associated with increased birth weight and a decreased risk for low birth weight (LBW). Further, higher greenness exposure during childhood was associated with increased levels of physical activity and a lower risk of obesity and neurodevelopmental issues such as inattentiveness. While green space exposure was negatively associated with wheezing and bronchitis in some cohorts, certain plant species increase asthmatic symptoms during childhood, indicating that plant species type is an important determinant. Conclusion The extant literature on green space exposure and early childhood development is small. Regardless, the existing research provides promising insights into the benefits of green space exposure on children’s health and well-being in an ever-increasing urban world. Further research is needed on the causal relationships between both quantity and quality of green space to early childhood development.

Mini Reviews

November 19, 2019

A review on sources and health impacts of bisphenol A

Anna Abraham, Paromita Chakraborty

Page range: 201-210

Abstract

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic chemical used in the manufacturing of polycarbonates and epoxy resins. This paper is a review of studies reporting the occurrences and concentrations of BPA in the environment and associated impact on human health. Studies have found that at high temperature conditions such as open burning of dumped waste in developing nations can relocate BPA from plastic waste into the environment. BPA is a proven endocrine disruptor capable of mimicking or blocking the receptors and altering hormone concentrations and its metabolism. Even though it is consumed in a low dose, it can stimulate cellular responses and affect body functions. Biomonitoring studies show that human and animal exposure to BPA is rapid and continuous. In-depth studies are needed to understand the fate of these compounds particularly in the developing nations and the associated adverse health impacts of BPA due to prolonged exposure.

April 17, 2020

Optimization of solar-driven systems for off-grid water nanofiltration and electrification

Abolhassan Mohammadi Fathabad, Christopher B. Yazzie, Jianqiang Cheng, Robert G. Arnold

Page range: 211-217

Abstract

The work described is motivated by an inability to extend central infrastructure for power and water to low-population-density areas of the Navajo Nation and elsewhere. It is estimated that 35% of the Navajo population haul water for household use, frequently from unregulated sources of poor initial quality. The proposed household-scale, solar-driven nanofiltration (NF) system designs are economically optimized to satisfy point-of-use water purification objectives. The systems also provide electrical energy for a degree of nighttime household illumination. Results support rational design of multiple-component purification systems consisting of solar panels, a high-pressure pump, NF membranes, battery storage and an electrical control unit subject to constraints on daily water treatment and excess energy generation. The results presented are conditional (based on initial water quality, membrane characteristics and geography) but can be adapted to satisfy alternative treatment objectives in alternate geographic, etc. settings. The unit costs of water and energy from an optimized system that provides 100 gpd (1 gallon is 3.78 L) and 2 kWh/day of excess electrical energy are estimated at $0.16 per 100 gallons of water treated and $0.26 per kWh of nighttime electrical energy delivered. Methods can be used to inform dispersed infrastructure design subject to alternate constraint sets in similarly remote areas.

About this journal

Objective
Reviews on Environmental Health is an international peer-reviewed journal that aims to fill the need for publication of review articles on hot topics in the field of environmental health. It is intended to be an inspiring forum for scientists, environmentalists, physicians, engineers, and students who are concerned with aspects of human health, including quality of life, that are determined by physiological and psychosociological interactions between humans and physical, chemical, biological, and social factors in the environment.
Reviews on Environmental Health is an important niche not served by any other journal, namely, a place to publish thoughtful reviews on a variety of topics related to both health and the environment. One challenge is to link the research on environmental causes of disease to the clinical practice of medicine. Reviews on Environmental Health is a source of integrated information on environmental health topics that will be of value to the broad scientific community, whether students, junior and senior professionals, or clinicians.

Topics

Environmental toxicology
Neurotoxicology
Immunology
Oncology
Dermatology
Epidemiology
Molecular biology
Pharmacogenetics
Child health
Medicine, occupational health and risk assessment
Water, air, and soil quality control
Methods for biomonitoring and remediation

Article formats
Reviews, Letters to the Editor, Editorials