Evaluating the Efficacy of the MedicAir Air Purifier in Reducing Ambient Air Pollution in Classrooms

In light of the novel coronavirus and transmission in schools, increased scrutiny has been placed on airborne viral and particulate contamination, and efforts to mitigate this have been suggested, including the use of air purification. The importance of this is increased given the relationship between increased airborne particulates and increased coronavirus transmission, as well as the significance of removing particulates in the size range of bacteria and viruses from the air. Ambient levels of pm2.5 and pm1 in the absence of purification were recorded in two classrooms of similar size using medical grade data loggers, which then measured the change in these levels with use MedicAir air purifiers. It was found that baseline levels at times doubled the WHO limits for safe IAQ- MedicAir units were able to rapidly reduce levels of particulates to significantly below guidelines. We propose that the use of these units is an effective and rapid solution for the mitigation of coronavirus transmission, as well as the improvement of IAQ in schools.

Irriman Platform: Enhancing Farming Sustainability through Cloud Computing Techniques for Irrigation Management

Crop sustainability is essential for balancing economic development and environmental care, mainly in strong and very competitive regions in the agri-food sector, such as the Region of Murcia in Spain, considered to be the orchard of Europe, despite being a semi-arid area with an important scarcity of fresh water. In this region, farmers apply efficient techniques to minimize supplies and maximize quality and productivity; however, the effects of climate change and the degradation of significant natural environments, such as, the “Mar Menor”, the most extent saltwater lagoon of Europe, threatened by resources overexploitation, lead to the search of even better irrigation management techniques to avoid certain effects which could damage the quaternary aquifer connected to such lagoon. This paper describes the Irriman Platform, a system based on Cloud Computing techniques, which includes low-cost wireless data loggers, capable of acquiring data from a wide range of agronomic sensors, and a novel software architecture for safely storing and processing such information, making crop monitoring and irrigation management easier. The proposed platform helps agronomists to optimize irrigation procedures through a usable web-based tool which allows them to elaborate irrigation plans and to evaluate their effectiveness over crops. The system has been deployed in a large number of representative crops, located along near 50000 ha of the surface, during several phenological cycles. Results demonstrate that the system enables crop monitoring and irrigation optimization, and makes interaction between farmers and agronomists easier.

An Open-Source, Durable, and Low-Cost Alternative to Commercially Available Soil Temperature Data Loggers

Soil temperatures play an important role in determining the distribution and function of organisms. However, soil temperature is decoupled from air temperature and varies widely in space. Characterizing and predicting soil temperature requires large and expensive networks of data loggers. We developed an open-source soil temperature data logger and created online resources to ensure our design was accessible. We tested data loggers constructed by students, with little prior electronics experience, in the lab, and in the field in Alaska. The do-it-yourself (DIY) data logger was comparably accurate to a commercial system with a mean absolute error of 2% from −20–0 °C and 1% from 0–20 °C. They captured accurate soil temperature data and performed reliably in the field with less than 10% failing in the first year of deployment. The DIY loggers were ~1.7–7 times less expensive than commercial systems. This work has the potential to increase the spatial resolution of soil temperature monitoring and serve as a powerful educational tool. The DIY soil temperature data logger will reduce data collection costs and improve our understanding of species distributions and ecological processes. It also provides an educational resource to enhance STEM, accessibility, inclusivity, and engagement.

The cost of a meal: factors influencing prey profitability in Australian fur seals

Knowledge of the factors shaping the foraging behaviour of species is central to understanding their ecosystem role and predicting their response to environmental variability. To maximise survival and reproduction, foraging strategies must balance the costs and benefits related to energy needed to pursue, manipulate, and consume prey with the nutritional reward obtained. While such information is vital for understanding how changes in prey assemblages may affect predators, determining these components is inherently difficult in cryptic predators. The present study used animal-borne video data loggers to investigate the costs and benefits related to different prey types for female Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus), a primarily benthic foraging species in the low productivity Bass Strait, south-eastern Australia. A total of 1,263 prey captures, resulting from 2,027 prey detections, were observed in 84.5 h of video recordings from 23 individuals. Substantial differences in prey pursuit and handling times, gross energy gain and total energy expenditure were observed between prey types. Importantly, the profitability of prey was not significantly different between prey types, with the exception of elasmobranchs. This study highlights the benefit of animal-borne video data loggers for understanding the factors that influence foraging decisions in predators. Further studies incorporating search times for different prey types would further elucidate how profitability differs with prey type.

Where’s the best supermarket deal? Female Southern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome) show variable foraging areas during the guard stage at Isla de los Estados, Argentina

Understanding the spatial distribution of seabirds contributes to comprehending their ecological requirements and dispersion patterns. We studied the at-sea distribution of female Southern Rockhopper Penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome (J.R. Forster, 1781)) at Isla de los Estados colony during the early chick-rearing period. We used a clustering analysis approach to identify different groups according to the foraging trip (tracking and diving data from GPS and temperature and depth data loggers) and diet (δ15N composition on blood samples) characteristics. Foraging trips differed in duration, location, and dive depths explored. Females in clusters 1 and 3 traveled longer distances and in opposite directions (36.3 ± 21.3 and 40.3 ± 14.0 km, respectively). Females in cluster 2 fed closer to the colony (16.8 ± 7.8 km). Dives occurred in pelagic habitats. Higher δ15N values suggested a greater proportion of fish (e.g., the Fuegian sprat, Sprattus fuegensis (Jenyns, 1842)) consumption in the northern foraging areas (cluster 1). The variability observed in the spatial distribution suggests flexibility in the foraging behavior of Southern Rockhopper Penguins and availability of adequate foraging areas within the colony range during the early chick-rearing period, both important features for Southern Rockhopper Penguin population. These results contribute to understanding the use of the Southern Ocean by marine mesopredators and top predators and to the marine spatial planning in the area.

Caracterização dos usos-finais de água de edifícios comerciais: estudo de caso de um café em Brasília-DF

RESUMO: O Distrito Federal enfrentou estresse hídrico em 2016, com baixa disponibilidade hídrica para abastecimento urbano. A fim de reduzir a demanda de água urbana e promover a conservação da água, é crucial entender como a água está sendo usada em diferentes tipos de edifícios. Este artigo tem como objetivo caracterizar e analisar os usos-finais de água de um café localizado em um edifício comercial na Asa Norte, Brasília. Para tanto, foram adquiridas as contas de água mensais do café, realizada uma vistoria técnica para identificar as diferentes composições hidráulicas das instalações no estabelecimento e, em seguida, foi efetuada uma auditoria hidráulica para caracterizar os usos-finais de água. A auditoria do consumo contou com instalações de equipamentos de medição data-loggers em todos os pontos hidráulicos. Constatou-se que esse tipo de atividade comercial tem maior consumo no setor de cozinha, onde o uso-final com maior demanda é o da pia de cozinha (54%), seguido por descarga sanitária (20%). Conclui-se que os resultados foram bastantes positivos, pois a discrepância entre o valor mensurado pelos data-loggers e o valor médio diário faturado pela CAESB foi de apenas -11% do consumo que não pôde ser explicado pelos usos-finais, validando, dessa forma, o método utilizado neste estudo.

A Methodology for the Multi-Point Characterization of Short-Term Temperature Fluctuations in Complex Microclimates Based on the European Standard EN 15757:2010: Application to the Archaeological Museum of L’Almoina (Valencia, Spain)

The monitoring and control of thermo-hygrometric indoor conditions is necessary for an adequate preservation of cultural heritage. The European standard EN 15757:2010 specifies a procedure for determining if seasonal patterns of relative humidity (RH) and temperature are adequate for the long-term preservation of hygroscopic materials on display at museums, archives, libraries or heritage buildings. This procedure is based on the characterization of the seasonal patterns and the calculation of certain control limits, so that it is possible to assess whether certain changes in the microclimate can be harmful for the preventive conservation of artworks, which would lead to the implementation of corrective actions. In order to discuss the application of this standard, 27 autonomous data-loggers were located in different points at the Archaeological Museum of l’Almoina (Valencia). The HVAC system (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) at the museum tries to reach certain homogeneous environment, which becomes a challenge because parts of the ruins are covered by a skylight that produces a greenhouse effect in summer, resulting in severe thermo-hygrometric gradients. Based on the analysis of temperatures recorded during 16 months, the air conditions in this museum are discussed according to the standard EN 15757:2010, and some corrective measures are proposed to improve the conservation conditions. Although this standard is basically intended for data recorded from a single sensor, an alternative approach proposed in this work is to find zones inside the museum with a homogeneous microclimate and to discuss next the average values collected in each area. A methodology is presented to optimize the application of this standard in places with a complex microclimate like this case, when multiple sensors are located at different positions.

Good manufacturing practice- and good distribution practice-compliant cold storage and refrigerated transport of allergen products: what is important?

Background All currently available products for diagnosis and therapy of type I allergies are protein extracts from allergenic source material. The extracted proteins have different properties and their structure is differently labile to temperature variations. Despite various pharmaceutical formulations to increase product stability, with few exceptions, allergen products must be refrigerated to ensure that their quality and native protein structure do not change during storage and transport. Maintaining quality is a challenge in complex distribution chains. Methods Regulatory requirements and guidelines that apply to cold storage and transport of allergen products are summarized and the responsibilities of the stakeholders are explained. Results The storage conditions determined in stability studies correspond to the transport conditions. These stability data can also be used to assess tolerable conditions during transport. According to a good distribution practice (GDP) contracts must be concluded between the responsible pharmaceutical entrepreneur and the qualified distribution service provider that regulate storage and transport in accordance with the product requirements. Conclusion Monitoring of storage and transport conditions is achieved by transport in qualified means of transport (e.g. truck). Alternatively, qualified transport packaging with active or passive cooling (e.g. cold packs) and qualified “data loggers” that record the transport temperatures can be used. Regardless of the system used, it must be demonstrated—by validating the transport conditions, routes and packaging at different times of the year and over the entire duration of transport—that regulatory requirements are met and that the quality of the products is maintained during shipment.

Characterisation of pH variations along the Ba River in Fiji utilising the GEF R2R framework during the 2019 sugarcane season

Within Pacific Small Island Developing States (Pacific SIDS), the ridge-to-reef (R2R) approach has emerged as a framework for monitoring river connectivity between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The study measured water quality, including pH, over 88.40 km of the Ba River in Fiji. The sampling design focused on measuring spatio-temporal variability in pH throughout the sugarcane season with three rapid sampling periods (RSP1, 2 & 3) along the Ba River, together with continuous measurement of temperature and pH using stationary data loggers at two locations upstream and downstream of the sugar mill. Spatial variability in pH and water quality was characterised before (RSP1 and RSP2) and during (RSP3) the sugarcane season. Mean pH measured before the sugarcane crushing season for RSP1 and RSP2 were 8.16 (± 0.49) and 8.20 (± 0.61) respectively. During the sugarcane crushing season (RSP3), mean pH declined by 3.06 units to 6.94 within 42 m downstream of the sugar mill (P ≤ 0.001). The 3.06 unit decline in pH for RSP3 exceeded both the mean diurnal variation in pH of 0.39 and mean seasonal variation in pH of 2.01. This decline in pH could be a potential source of acidification to downstream coastal ecosystems with implications for coral reefs, biodiversity and fishery livelihoods.