scholarly journals SMFC as a tool for the removal of hydrocarbons and metals in the marine environment: a concise research update

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edvige Gambino ◽  
Kuppam Chandrasekhar ◽  
Rosa Anna Nastro
Keyword(s):  
Marine Environment ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Marine Pollution ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Sediment Remediation ◽  
Marine Food Chain ◽  
Marine Food ◽  
Accumulation Of Pollutants ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractMarine pollution is becoming more and more serious, especially in coastal areas. Because of the sequestration and consequent accumulation of pollutants in sediments (mainly organic compounds and heavy metals), marine environment restoration cannot exempt from effective remediation of sediments themselves. It has been well proven that, after entering into the seawater, these pollutants are biotransformed into their metabolites, which may be more toxic than their parent molecules. Based on their bioavailability and toxic nature, these compounds may accumulate into the living cells of marine organisms. Pollutants bioaccumulation and biomagnification along the marine food chain lead to seafood contamination and human health hazards. Nowadays, different technologies are available for sediment remediation, such as physicochemical, biological, and bioelectrochemical processes. This paper gives an overview of the most recent techniques for marine sediment remediation while presenting sediment-based microbial fuel cells (SMFCs). We discuss the issues, the progress, and future perspectives of SMFC application to the removal of hydrocarbons and metals in the marine environment with concurrent energy production. We give an insight into the possible mechanisms leading to sediment remediation, SMFC energy balance, and future exploitation.

scholarly journals The presence and danger of microplastics in the oceans

Pomorstvo ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-230
Author(s):  
Amalija Margeta ◽  
Đani Šabalja ◽  
Marko Đorđević
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Pollution ◽  
Marine Environment ◽  
Food Chain ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Marine Organisms ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Marine Food Chain ◽  
Marine Food ◽  
The Difference

Since the environmental pollution by microplastics is a relatively new area of research, the main problem is the lack of appropriate rules, regulations and parameters globally. Therefore, the sources of primary and secondary microplastics particles vary from source to source, and due to this the difference in the division of microplastic particles by size arises too. Moreover, various techniques and technologies are used when testing seawater and sediment as well. Ultimately, with different qualities of the obtained results, it leads to difficult and/or inadequate comparison. Furthermore, the research has been mainly conducted on smaller marine organisms, which needs to be extended to other larger organisms as well as to the human population to create a complete image of the negative effects of contamination of the marine food chain and the marine environment with microplastic particles in general.

scholarly journals Clinical Candidates Targeting the ATR–CHK1–WEE1 Axis in Cancer

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 795
Author(s):  
Lukas Gorecki ◽  
Martin Andrs ◽  
Jan Korabecny
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Patient Survival ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Phase Ii Trials ◽  
Anticancer Treatment ◽  
Positive Outlook ◽  
Insight Into

Selective killing of cancer cells while sparing healthy ones is the principle of the perfect cancer treatment and the primary aim of many oncologists, molecular biologists, and medicinal chemists. To achieve this goal, it is crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms that distinguish cancer cells from healthy ones. Accordingly, several clinical candidates that use particular mutations in cell-cycle progressions have been developed to kill cancer cells. As the majority of cancer cells have defects in G1 control, targeting the subsequent intra‑S or G2/M checkpoints has also been extensively pursued. This review focuses on clinical candidates that target the kinases involved in intra‑S and G2/M checkpoints, namely, ATR, CHK1, and WEE1 inhibitors. It provides insight into their current status and future perspectives for anticancer treatment. Overall, even though CHK1 inhibitors are still far from clinical establishment, promising accomplishments with ATR and WEE1 inhibitors in phase II trials present a positive outlook for patient survival.

scholarly journals Functional Food—Consumer Motivations and Expectations

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5327
Author(s):  
Kinga Topolska ◽  
Adam Florkiewicz ◽  
Agnieszka Filipiak-Florkiewicz
Keyword(s):  
Functional Food ◽  
Consumer Attitudes ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Nutritional Knowledge ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Adequate Knowledge ◽  
Food Market ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Insight Into

This review provides insight into consumer attitudes toward functional food (FF), with the purpose of better understanding the needs and behavior regarding this kind of product. A total of 47 articles were selected for this paper. The available studies from last 20 years differ according to the focus (awareness, attitudes, motivations, willingness, acceptance by consumers) and methodologies used. Several factors, including socio-demographic, cognitive and attitudinal ones, seem to be serve as the basis for the acceptance of functional products. The research papers showed that nutritional knowledge is the most important of these. Older people are more interested in functional products than younger consumers, because of their stronger belief in the health benefits of FF. Moreover, women are more open to compromise between taste and health properties. Claims concerning the disease preventative properties of FF are the most attractive for consumers. This review focuses also on future perspectives for the functional food market. Adequate knowledge and evidence-based communication seem to be the most promising ways to increase consumers’ interest in these kinds of products.

scholarly journals Carbon Nanotube/Pt Cathode Nanocomposite Electrode in Microbial Fuel Cells for Wastewater Treatment and Bioenergy Production

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 8057
Author(s):  
Mostafa Ghasemi ◽  
Mehdi Sedighi ◽  
Yie Hua Tan
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Power Generation ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Catalytic Properties ◽  
Internal Resistance ◽  
Cod Removal ◽  
Cathode Catalyst

In this paper, we reported the fabrication, characterization, and application of carbon nanotube (CNT)-platinum nanocomposite as a novel generation of cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for sustainable energy production and wastewater treatment. The efficiency of the carbon nanocomposites was compared by platinum (Pt), which is the most effective and common cathode catalyst. This nanocomposite is utilized to benefit from the catalytic properties of CNTs and reduce the amount of required Pt, as it is an expensive catalyst. The CNT/Pt nanocomposites were synthesized via a chemical reduction technique and the electrodes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, electronic dispersive X-Ray analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The nanocomposites were applied as cathode catalysts in the MFC to obtain polarization curve and coulombic efficiency (CE) results. The catalytic properties of electrodes were tested by linear sweep voltammetry. The CNT/Pt at the concentration of 0.3 mg/cm2 had the highest performance in terms of CE (47.16%), internal resistance (551 Ω), COD removal (88.9%), and power generation (143 mW/m2). In contrast, for the electrode with 0.5 mg/L of Pt catalyst, CE, internal resistance, COD removal, and power generation were 19%, 810 Ω, 96%, and 84.1 mW/m2, respectively. So, it has been found that carbon nanocomposite cathode electrodes had better performance for sustainable clean energy production and COD removal by MFC.

Environmental Assessment in Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction: Practice and Prospects

2017 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 252-255
Author(s):  
Robin Warner
Keyword(s):  
Human Activity ◽  
Marine Environment ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Marine Pollution ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Marine Resources ◽  
Governance Structures ◽  
National Jurisdiction ◽  
Marine Areas

Knowledge of the threats posed to the oceans by human activity has expanded beyond marine pollution to encompass recognition of the risks posed to vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) by overfishing, destructive fisheries practices, and invasive exploitation of living and nonliving marine resources. However, with the still-developing state of marine scientific research, the majority of activities at sea continue to occur with limited knowledge of their impacts on the marine environment. In this climate of uncertainty, environmental assessment assumes heightened importance. While governance structures will generally exist to facilitate environmental assessment in marine areas within national jurisdiction, these structures are still developing for marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ).

scholarly journals Uptake and trophic changes in polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the benthic marine food chain in southwestern British Columbia, Canada

FACETS ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-51
Author(s):  
Brenda Burd ◽  
Chris Lowe ◽  
Carmen Morales-„Caselles ◽  
Marie Noel ◽  
Peter Ross ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Marine Food Chain ◽  
Deposit Feeders ◽  
Diphenyl Ethers ◽  
Bottom Fish ◽  
Harbour Sediment ◽  
Marine Food

We examined the physical and geochemical effects of sediment on the uptake of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) into marine sediment feeders and their transfer to higher trophic fauna. Sediment PBDEs increased with % total organic carbon (%TOC), organic carbon (OC) flux and grain size (%fines). Tissue PBDE variance was best explained ( R2 = 0.70) by sediment acid volatile sulfides (AVS), PBDEs, and organic lability and input, with the highest values near wastewater outfalls. Dry weight tissue/sediment PBDEs declined with increasing sediment PBDEs, resulting in tissue dilution (ratio <1) at >10 000 pg/g in harbours. Ratios also decreased with increasing %fines, resulting in regional differences. These patterns imply that high levels of fines and high sediment concentrations make PBDEs less bioavailable. Dry weight PBDEs increased >100× between background deposit feeders and predators (polychaetes, crabs, bottom fish, seal), but lipid normalized PBDEs barely increased (<1.3%), suggesting remarkably high uptake in low-lipid sediment feeders, and that PBDEs don’t accumulate at higher trophic levels, but lipid content does. Filter feeders had lower lipid-normalized PBDEs than deposit feeders, highlighting the importance of food resources in higher trophic fauna for bioaccumulation. The most profound congener change occurred with sediment uptake, with nona/deca-BDEs declining and tetra-hexa-BDEs increasing. Harbour sediment feeders had more deca-BDEs than other samples, suggesting PBDEs mostly pass unmodifed through them. Deca-BDEs persist patchily in all tissues, reflecting variable dependence on sediment/pelagic food.

Part V Subject Matter, Ch.31 The Protection of the Marine Environment Pollution and Fisheries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabra Adriana
Keyword(s):  
Marine Environment ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Marine Pollution ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Technological Changes ◽  
The Core ◽  
Sources Of Pollution

This chapter begins by looking at the role of the 1982 UN Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS) as the framework legal instrument on the oceans. Indeed, the UNCLOS is one of the most significant international law instruments of all time and is at the core of today's governance of the oceans. UNCLOS is a product of the time when it was negotiated, which brought together a desire to provide global stability to competing jurisdictional claims over the oceans and devise solutions to rapidly increasing rates of marine pollution. However, technological changes and increased or unforeseen sources of pollution and habitat destruction have exposed some of the Convention's limitations, which derive from a fragmented perspective of the marine environment, and a failure to address the interaction between different ocean uses and marine stressors and provide rules on the conservation of marine biological diversity. The chapter then evaluates global and regional treaty requirements, soft law instruments, and case law concerning the protection of the marine environment from various sources of pollution, and the conservation of marine living resources, with a focus on fisheries, and the protection of marine biodiversity.

scholarly journals Violation of Marine Pollution Laws in Karachi Harbour Became an Environmental Challenge

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 66
Author(s):  
Muhammad Tahir
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Marine Environment ◽  
Pollution Control ◽  
Coastal Waters ◽  
Marine Pollution ◽  
Political Will ◽  
Marine Life ◽  
Standard Values ◽  
Marine Vessels ◽  
Environmental Challenge

This article appraises the Factors deteriorating marine environment due to violation of marine pollution laws in Pakistani waters. The environmental degradation of Pakistani waters especially in Karachi coast became a serious threat to the marine environment, marine life as well as human health and marine vessels since long for society. It is determined the level and the distribution pattern of various heavy metals in the coastal waters significantly higher than the standard values. Pollution created by a number of sources is the major contributing factor in this regard. Amongst all, the deteriorating environment in Pakistani waters warrants immediate corrective actions to control Marine Pollution in order to curtail further destruction by this menace. Many steps at Governmental and private level have been initiated however, improvement is a dream. It is rightly to mention that there is no dearth of legislation on the pollution control but implementation of the same by all the concerned agencies and cooperation by public in true letter and spirit is a dream. The prevailing environment cannot be improved without effective enforcement of existing laws in its true perspective by removing all obstacles and difficulties with creating political will of society.

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