scholarly journals Microplastic Contamination in Human Stools, Foods, and Drinking Water Associated with Indonesian Coastal Population

Environments ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 138
Author(s):  
Arif Luqman ◽  
Husna Nugrahapraja ◽  
Ruri Agung Wahyuono ◽  
Izzatul Islami ◽  
Muhammad Husain Haekal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Human Body ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Food Chains ◽  
The World ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Staple Foods ◽  
Study Participants

Approximately 381 million tons of plastic are produced globally every year, and the majority of it ends up as pollutants. In the environment, plastic waste is fragmented into microplastic particles less than 5 mm in size; owing to their small size, durability, and abundance, they can easily be dispersed, incorporated into the food chains, and enter the human body. The extent of microplastic exposure in the human body has become a major concern in many countries, including in Indonesia, the second largest plastic waste contributor in the world. Here, we report the detection of microplastics in human stools collected from a fisherman community in the coastal area of Surabaya, Indonesia. Microplastics were found in more than 50% of samples analyzed with a concentration ranging from 3.33 to 13.99 µg of microplastic per gram of feces (µg/g). HDPE was observed as the most prevalent type of microplastic, with an average concentration of 9.195 µg/g in positive samples. Different types of microplastics were also detected in seafood, staple foods, drinking water, table salts, and toothpaste, which were regularly used and consumed by the study participants. Results from this preliminary study indicate widespread contamination of microplastic in the human body and in consumables associated with the coastal populations of Indonesia.

scholarly journals Microplastic Contamination in the Human Gastrointestinal Tract and Daily Consumables Associated with an Indonesian Farming Community

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12840
Author(s):  
Anjar Tri Wibowo ◽  
Husna Nugrahapraja ◽  
Ruri Agung Wahyuono ◽  
Izzatul Islami ◽  
Muhammad Husain Haekal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Freshwater Organisms ◽  
Farming Community ◽  
Indonesian Population ◽  
Soybean Cake ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Study Participants

Plastic is one of the most abundant pollutants in the environment. As a result of natural physical processes, large plastic waste is degraded into microsized particles (<5 mm) called microplastics. Because of their size, abundance, and durability, microplastics are widely distributed in the environment, contaminating food and water intended for human consumption. The extent of microplastic contamination in the human body is still unclear because there are few studies concerning microplastic contamination in human specimens and, in most studies, data were collected from city dwellers. Despite having the fourth largest population and being the fourth largest plastic waste producer in the world and second largest plastic polluter in the ocean, there are currently no data with respect to microplastic exposure for the Indonesian population. Several studies have reported on microplastic contamination in seafood and freshwater organisms from Indonesia, and it is likely that microplastics have contaminated the gastrointestinal tracts of Indonesians. Using Raman spectroscopy, we detected microplastic contamination in 7 out of 11 analyzed stool samples collected from a farming community in the highland village of Pacet, East Java, Indonesia. Polypropylene (PP) was the most abundant and prevalent type of microplastic observed, and it was found in four of the positive samples with an average concentration of 10.19 microgram per gram of feces (µg/g). Microplastics were also detected at high concentrations in tempeh (soybean cake, a staple protein source for Indonesians), table salts, and toothpaste, which were regularly consumed and used by the study participants. PP was particularly high in table salts (2.6 µg/g) and toothpaste (15.42 µg/g), suggesting that these products might contribute to the gastrointestinal contamination in the studied population. This pilot study indicated microplastic contamination in the rural Indonesian population and in their daily consumables, demonstrating the far-reaching extent of microplastic pollution beyond urban areas.

scholarly journals Evaluation and Quantification of Anionic Surfactant in the Gomti River at Lucknow City, India

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinay Kumar ◽  
Pokhraj Sahu ◽  
Pramod K. Singh ◽  
Nishi K. Shukla ◽  
Devendra P. Mishra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Human Body ◽  
Anionic Surfactant ◽  
Physicochemical Parameters ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Flowing Water ◽  
Body System ◽  
Nonpoint Sources ◽  
Gomti River ◽  
Natural Degradation

In this paper, an attempt has been made to check the level of surfactants particularly in drinking water, which can lead to toxicity in human body system. In this study, a total of 10 locations were selected to enumerate the concentration of surfactants and other physicochemical parameters with metals in the flowing water of river during pre-monsoon 2019. Analyzed result showed that the concentration of surfactants was significantly high and other parameters were also high. It was also found that river at the vicinity of town areas or midstream in the Lucknow city contained high amount of an anionic surfactants due to the nonpoint sources generated by human activities, low concentration was found in upstream, and average concentration was found in downstream, showing natural degradation of surfactants. The values of other parameters were higher than the prescribed limit, which is the serious problem for human being.

scholarly journals ON A NEW TECHNOLOGY OF PREPARATION OF HOT DRINKING WATER

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 484-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. F. Jalilov ◽  
M. M. Azimova ◽  
A. M. Jalilova
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Human Body ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
World Health ◽  
Total Hardness ◽  
Residual Concentration ◽  
Strong Base ◽  
Minimum Value

The present article contains information concerning the new Cl-anionization technology in the preparation of hot drinking water. In contrast with water softening, that replaces all the hardness salts by sodium cations in the cation exchanger, this new technology makes it possible to replace incrustating HCO3̄ and SO42--anions in a strong-base anion exchanger by Cl⁻-ions. As a result, the incrustation on the surfaces of heating hot water heaters is prevented. Thus, cations of hardness that are valuable for the human body remain in the water, the quality of the latter conforming to drinking water quality. Considering the important role of calcium and magnesium in the human body, in Germany and Turkey the minimum value of hardness cations in drinking water is limited to 2.85 and 7.50 mg-Eqv/l, respectively. According to the World Health Organization, in the composition of drinking water, the concentration of cations of magnesium and calcium is recommended, respectively, within 10–(20–30), and 20–50 mg/l; the minimum value of total hardness is 2–4 mg-Eqv/l. According to the developed technology drinking water is passed consistently in the downward direction through the mechanical and chlorineanionite exchanger filters. In the latter, the main part of HCO3̄ and SO42--water ions are exchanged for Cl-anions of anionite. Then the water is collected in the tank, from where it is pumped to the hot water heater through the ultraviolet disinfection unit. After the depletion of the anionite by HCO3̄ and SO42--anions, it is regenerated by a solution of 8–12 % NaCl. The results of research by the anion exchangers Purolite A200EMBCl and AB-17-8 are plotted. It is noted that when the specific consumption of salt for regeneration is of about 45–55 kg/m³, working exchange capacity of the A200EMBCl occurs to be in the range 300–370 g-Eqv/m³. For anionization of water, the residual concentration of HCO3̄-ions are changed from 0.5 to 3.2 mg-Eqv/l. The average concentration of these anions occurs to be between 1.8 and 2.2 mg-Eqv/l, when their initial value is 4.4 mg-Eqv/l.

scholarly journals Biodegradation of Different Types of Plastics by Tenebrio molitor Insect

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 3508
Author(s):  
Piotr Bulak ◽  
Kinga Proc ◽  
Anna Pytlak ◽  
Andrzej Puszka ◽  
Barbara Gawdzik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Consumption Rate ◽  
Tenebrio Molitor ◽  
Packaging Material ◽  
Plastic Waste ◽  
Mass Reduction ◽  
Polystyrene Foam ◽  
Building Insulation ◽  
The World ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Mealworm Larvae

Looking for new, sustainable ways to utilize plastics is still a very pertinent topic considering the amount of plastics produced in the world. One of the newest and intriguing possibility is the use of insects in biodegradation of plastics, which can be named entomoremediation. The aim of this work was to demonstrate the ability of the insect Tenebrio molitor to biodegrade different, real plastic waste. The types of plastic waste used were: remains of thermal building insulation polystyrene foam (PS), two types of polyurethane (kitchen sponge as PU1 and commercial thermal insulation foam as PU2), and polyethylene foam (PE), which has been used as packaging material. After 58 days, the efficiency of mass reduction for all of the investigated plastics was 46.5%, 41.0%, 53.2%, and 69.7% for PS, PU1, PU2, and PE, respectively (with a dose of 0.0052 g of each plastic per 1 mealworm larvae). Both larvae and imago were active plastic eaters. However, in order to shorten the duration of the experiment and increase the specific consumption rate, the two forms of the insect should not be combined together in one container.

scholarly journals (Military) human enhancement – ethical aspects

Human Affairs ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukáš Švaňa
Keyword(s):  
Human Body ◽  
Human Enhancement ◽  
Ethical Reflection ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Ethical Aspects ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Biomedical Intervention ◽  
The World ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Military

AbstractThe article deals with the philosophical and ethical implications of transhumanism and human enhancement techniques. It considers how enhancement and therapy are two different types of biomedical intervention. It then looks at the implementation of these ideas in the military sector. It analyses various standpoints and views on transhumanism, the benefits and risks of using newly acquired scientific knowledge to improve and alter naturally deficient human nature. The need for ethical reflection and argumentation is emphasized; new scientific discoveries can dramatically change our experience of the world around us and may present a huge risk to mankind if left unchecked and not critically discussed. The article reflects on the dangers and risks of human enhancement and its possible consequences on the battlefield as well as the broader contexts and implications. The article also considers which criteria would be suitable to ensure beneficial and less controversial enhancements are carefully selected and to enable these to be distinguished from more dangerous practices that change the human body and/or mind. The aim is to consider and evaluate the possible benefits (positive consequences) and risks (negative consequences) of using enhancements for military purposes and to identify possible criteria for their justification and/or rejection.

Knowledge and Awareness of Dengue Fever

2018 ◽  
pp. 219-222
Author(s):  
Y. Arockia Suganthi ◽  
Chitra K. ◽  
J. Magelin Mary
Keyword(s):  
Dengue Fever ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Infection Transmission ◽  
Standard Guideline ◽  
The World ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
Dengue Prevention ◽  
And Control

Dengue fever is a painful mosquito-borne infection caused by different types of virus in various localities of the world. There is no particular medicine or vaccine to treat person suffering from dengue fever. Dengue viruses are transmitted by the bite of female Aedes (Ae) mosquitoes. Dengue fever viruses are mainly transmitted by Aedes which can be active in tropical or subtropical climates. Aedes Aegypti is the key step to avoid infection transmission to save millions of people in all over the world. This paper provides a standard guideline in the planning of dengue prevention and control measures. At the same time gives the priorities including clinical management and hospitalized dengue patients have to address essentially.

Mobile Perception and the Automotive Prosthetic

Transfers ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charissa N. Terranova
Keyword(s):  
Urban Sprawl ◽  
Human Body ◽  
Conceptual Art ◽  
Robert Smithson ◽  
Martha Rosler ◽  
The World ◽  
1960S And 1970S ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
And Linguistics

This essay focuses on a body of photoconceptual works from the 1960s and 1970s in which the automobile functions as a prosthetic-like aperture through which to view the world in motion. I argue that the logic of the “automotive prosthetic“ in works by Paul McCarthy, Dennis Hopper, Ed Ruscha, Jeff Wall, John Baldessari, Richard Prince, Martha Rosler, Robert Smithson, Ed Kienholz, Julian Opie, and Cory Arcangel reveals a techno-genetic understanding of conceptual art, functioning in addition and alternatively to semiotics and various philosophies of language usually associated with conceptual art. These artworks show how the automobile, movement on roads and highways, and the automotive landscape of urban sprawl have transformed the human sensorium. I surmise that the car has become a prosthetic of the human body and is a technological force in the maieusis of the posthuman subject. I offer a reading of specific works of photoconceptual art based on experience, perception, and a posthumanist subjectivity in contrast to solely understanding them according to semiotics and linguistics.

Platón, Einstein y el triunfo de la imaginatividad cosmológica

1998 ◽  
pp. 87-98
Author(s):  
T. M. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Model ◽  
Striking Similarity ◽  
Empirical World ◽  
The World ◽  
Modern Cosmology ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Physical Objects ◽  
Changing World

This article argues the following five claims: 1. Plato’s description of the origins of cosmos in the Timaeus is not a myth, nor something unlikely: when he called it an eikos mythos or eikos logos, he meant a likely or trustworthy account on this very subject. 2. Among the details in this account, the following are prominent and surprising: a) the world was fashioned in time, in that precise point that was the beginning of time; b) several kinds of duration can be distinguished in cosmology (mainly eternity, sempiternity, perpetuity and time); and c) space is an entity characterized by movement and tension. 3. In the Statesman, Plato repeats much the same thing, adding this time the strange notion that the universe’s circular movement is periodically reversed. 4. In spite of the important differences in detail, there is a striking similarity between Plato’s account of the origins of the world and the explanation adopted by much of modern cosmology. 5. What Plato shares with so many instances of recent thought is here termed “cosmological imaginativity”. A first section of the paper deals exclusively with the Timaeus. Claims 1 and 2a are supported by a revision of the meanings of mythos and logos, followed by brief reference and discussion of the argument at Timaeus 27d, leading to the conclusion that Plato affirms that the ever-changing world has indeed had a beginning in time. Claim 2b describes five different types of duration, corresponding to Forms, the Demiurge, Space, the [empirical] world and its contents, physical objects. The second section is concerned with the myth in the Statesman, discussing it as a parallel and describing its peculiar turn to the Timaeus’ cosmology and cosmogony, a complex spheric and dynamic model. After digressing into some important ideas in modern cosmology, touching especially on affinities of some of Einstein’s ideas with of Plato’s own, the paper closes with a discussion of cosmological imaginativity, oriented to recover and recognize fully Plato’s greatness as a cosmologist.

Effective Altruism

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Global Poverty ◽  
Global Community ◽  
Helping Others ◽  
The World ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Effective Altruism

The effective altruism movement consists of a growing global community of people who organize significant parts of their lives around two key ideas, represented in its name. Altruism: If we use a significant portion of the resources in our possession—whether money, time, or talents—with a view to helping others, we can improve the world considerably. Effectiveness: When we do put such resources to altruistic use, it is crucial to focus on how much good this or that intervention is reasonably expected to do per unit of resource expended (for example, per dollar donated). While global poverty is a widely used case study in introducing and motivating effective altruism, if the ultimate aim is to do the most good one can with the resources expended, it is far from obvious that global poverty alleviation is highest priority cause area. In addition to ranking possible poverty-alleviation interventions against one another, we can also try to rank interventions aimed at very different types of outcome against one another. This includes, for example, interventions focusing on animal welfare or future generations. The scale and organization of the effective altruism movement encourage careful dialogue on questions that have perhaps long been there, throwing them into new and sharper relief, and giving rise to previously unnoticed questions. In the present volume, the first of its kind, a group of internationally recognized philosophers, economists, and political theorists contribute in-depth explorations of issues that arise once one takes seriously the twin ideas of altruistic commitment and effectiveness.

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