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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 22, 2024 at 12:10pm

Melamine sponges shed microplastics when scrubbed, study shows

Melamine sponges practically erase tough stains and scuffs through their unique abrasiveness and without additional cleaning products. But these "magic" sponges shed microplastic fibers when worn down.

Researchers publishing in the journal Environmental Science & Technology report that, worldwide, melamine sponges could release over a trillion microplastic fibers every month.

Melamine foam is made of poly(melamine-formaldehyde) polymer—a network of hard, plastic strands assembled into a soft, lightweight foam that's surprisingly abrasive, making it the perfect material for very scrubby sponges. But, as the sponges wear away from use, the foam breaks down into smaller pieces that can release microplastic fibers that wash into sewer systems.

Once released into the environment, the fibers can be consumed by wildlife and make their way into the food chain.

Researchers found that sponges made from denser foam wore down more slowly and produced fewer microplastic fibers than less dense sponges. They  determined that a single sponge releases approximately 6.5 million fibers per gram of worn-out sponge and assumed that all sponges sold, on average, are worn down by 10%.

To get a rough idea of how many fibers could be released per month, they looked at Amazon's monthly sales for August 2023. Assuming these numbers stay consistent, the team calculated that 1.55 trillion fibers from melamine sponges could be released every month. However, this number only takes into account one online retailer, so the actual amount could be even higher.

To help minimize the emission of microplastic fibers, the researchers recommend that manufactures create denser, tougher sponges that are more resistant to wear. Additionally, they suggest that consumers opt for natural cleaning products that do not use plastics and recommend installing filtration systems to capture sloughed-off microplastic fibers either in the home or in wastewater treatment plants.

Yu Su et al, Mechanochemical Formation of Poly(melamine-formaldehyde) Microplastic Fibers During Abrasion of Cleaning Sponges, Environmental Science & Technology (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00846

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 22, 2024 at 12:01pm

Research suggests activity in the gut microbiome and brain shapes resiliency

A new health study has found that resilient people exhibit neural activity in the brain regions associated with improved cognition and regulating of emotions, and were more mindful and better at describing their feelings. The same group also exhibited gut microbiome activity linked to a healthy gut, with reduced inflammation and gut barrier.

For the study, rather than examine microbiome activity and composition linked to disease conditions—like anxiety and depression—the researchers wanted to flip the script and study the gut microbiome and brain in healthy, resilient people who effectively cope with different types of stress, including discrimination and social isolation.

"If we can identify what a healthy resilient brain and microbiome look like, then we can develop targeted interventions to those areas to reduce stress.

The researchers  focused on methods to cope with stress because research has shown that untreated stress can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity, and diabetes. While stress is an inevitable part of life, studying how to handle stress can help prevent developing diseases.

To conduct the study, published in Nature Mental Health, the researchers surveyed 116 people about their resiliency—like trust in one's instincts and positive acceptance of change—and separated them into two groups. One group ranked high on the resiliency scale and the other group ranked low. The participants also underwent MRI imaging and gave stool samples two or three days before their scans.

The researchers found that people in the high resiliency group were less anxious and depressed, less prone to judge, and had activity in regions of the brain associated with emotional regulation and better cognition compared to the group with low resiliency.

The high resiliency group also had different microbiome activity than the low resiliency group. Namely, the high resiliency group's microbiomes excreted metabolites and exhibited gene activity associated with low inflammation and a strong and healthy gut barrier. A weak gut barrier, otherwise known as a leaky gut, is caused by inflammation and impairs the gut barrier's ability to absorb essential nutrients needed by the body while blocking toxins from entering the gut.

The researchers were surprised to find these microbiome signatures associated with the high resiliency group.

"Resilience truly is a whole-body phenomenon that not only affects your brain but also your microbiome and what metabolites that it is producing.

Only thing is we should have this whole community of the right microbes in our gut that exudes these therapeutic properties and biochemicals.

Stress-resilience impacts psychological wellbeing as evidenced by brain–gut microbiome interactions, Nature Mental Health (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s44220-024-00266-6

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 21, 2024 at 9:39am

Sunlight and plastic: A risky combination for bottled water safety
Plastic water bottles are ubiquitous due to their convenience, yet they harbor potential risks. Sunlight exposure can lead these containers to degrade and emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are potentially detrimental to human health. The booming bottled water market underscores the urgency for safer alternatives. In response to these concerns, there is a pressing need for in-depth research into more secure materials and production methods for water containers.
New research published in Eco-Environment & Health, provides fresh insights into how sunlight can transform plastic water bottles into sources of air pollution.

The research analyzed the VOCs released from six types of plastic water bottles subjected to UV-A and sunlight. Results showed that all tested bottles emitted a complex mixture of alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, aldehydes, and acids, with significant variations in VOC composition and concentration among the bottles.

Notably, highly toxic VOCs, including carcinogens like n-hexadecane, were identified, highlighting serious health risks. Prolonged exposure scenarios indicated an increased concentration of VOCs, pointing to a growing cumulative risk.

This study not only casts light on the chemical stability of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles but also carries significant implications for public health and safety regulations. Understanding the conditions under which these VOCs are released can guide the improvement of manufacturing practices and material selection for bottled water containers.

Furthermore, it underscores the need for enhanced consumer awareness and stricter industry regulations to reduce exposure to these potentially harmful compounds.

Ruijuan Liu et al, Characterizing the photodegradation-induced release of volatile organic compounds from bottled water containers, Eco-Environment & Health (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2024.01.005

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 21, 2024 at 9:36am

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 21, 2024 at 9:35am

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 21, 2024 at 9:35am

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 21, 2024 at 9:35am

Worldwide, people were exposed to an average of 86 days of life-threatening temperatures in 2022, according to The Lancet Countdown report last year.

The number of people over 65 who died from heat rose by 85 percent between the periods 1991-2000 and 2013-2022, the leading medical journal added.

Climate change caused by humans burning fossil fuels is increasing heat waves and other extreme weather events.
On the current trajectory, the world is on track to warm about 2.7C above the pre-industrial average by the end of this century, according to Climate Action Tracker.

The Lancet Countdown projected that under a 2C warming scenario, about five times as many people will die from the heat each year by 2050.

Source: AFP and other news agencies
Part 2

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 21, 2024 at 9:34am

How extreme heat kills

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has calculated that heat kills at least half a million people every year but warns that the real figure could be up to 30 times higher.

How does extreme heat damage the body and how physical activity outdoors raises the risk?

In normal conditions, the body regulates its own temperature like a thermostat, holding it steady at about 36.8C (98.2F).

When outside heat rises, the body cools itself by raising blood-flow to vessels near the skin.

This emits heat at the surface, while perspiration also cools the outside of the body.

To ensure the correct functioning of the cells, enzymes and vital organs, the body's temperature must stay constant, whatever the external conditions.

During an outside activity such as workers working in fields, where people spend hours outdoors in the sun, "the body can quickly become exhausted and can no longer find the reserves of water needed to perspire". Then the kidneys, heart and brain risk overheating and "stop working".

When the body's natural thermostat is overwhelmed in this way, symptoms strike: fatigue, headaches, fever and broken sleep.

These can herald more serious effects, such as dehydration, which chokes off water to the vital organs.

The biggest risk is heatstroke, when the body's temperature exceeds 40C (104F) as the body has its limits. When the weather is too hot or when extreme heat is combined with physical activity, for example, the body can find itself unable to self-regulate.

Babies, the elderly, people with health problems and outdoor workers are most at risk.

The number of sweat glands in the body decreases with age, leaving the body less able to cool itself.

Several factors determine our reaction to heat: age, body mass, physical activity, genes. But when the heat is too strong, even young, healthy bodies can lack the energy to keep the temperature close to 37C.

The WHO warns that hot nights pose a particular health risk.

Nighttime heat gives the body no chance to cool down, leading to a rise in heart attacks.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 21, 2024 at 9:07am

Defunct satellites burning up in the atmosphere could damage the ozone layer

Communications companies such as Starlink plan to launch tens of thousands of satellites into orbit around Earth over the next decade or so. The growing swarm is already causing problems for astronomers, but recent research has raised another question: What happens when they start to come down?

When these satellites reach the end of their useful life, they will fall into Earth's atmosphere and burn up. Along the way, they will leave a trail of tiny metallic particles.

According to a study published last week by a team of American researchers, this satellite rain may dump 360 tons of tiny aluminum oxide particles into the atmosphere each year. The aluminum will mostly be injected at altitudes between 50 and 85 kilometers, but it will then drift down to the stratosphere—home to Earth's protective ozone layer.

What does that mean? According to the study, the satellite's contrail could facilitate ozone-destroying chemical reactions.

This could destroy the ozone layer that protects life on Earth.

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GL109280

https://www.space.com/air-pollution-reentering-space-junk-detected

https://theconversation.com/defunct-satellites-burning-up-in-the-at...

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on June 21, 2024 at 9:05am

Four in five people want more climate action: UN survey

Four in every five people want their country to strengthen its commitments to addressing climate change, according to a global poll of 75,000 participants published this week.

The survey by the UN Development Program, Oxford University and GeoPoll posed 15 questions by randomized telephone calls to people in 77 countries representing 87 percent of the world's population.

The key finding was that 80 percent of respondents want their governments to increase efforts to fight against global warming.

Poorer countries beat this drum the loudest, with 89 percent in favor, though appetite is also high in the wealthy G20 nations (76 percent), according to the survey.

China (73 percent) and the United States (66 percent)—the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters—also saw a majority of respondents in favor of climate action.

As world leaders decide on the next round of pledges under the Paris Agreement by 2025, these results are undeniable evidence that people everywhere support bold climate action.

A majority of respondents in 62 of the 77 countries surveyed said they supported a quick transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy.

Worries about global warming have also increased, the survey found, with 56 percent saying they think about climate change at least once a week.

Over half (53 percent) of those surveyed said they were more worried about climate change than last year, compared with 15 percent who said they were less worried.

More than two-thirds of survey respondents (69 percent) said that global warming had impacted their life decisions, such as where to live or work and what to buy.

Source: AFP and other news agencies.

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