Unravelling Diatoms’ Potential for the Bioremediation of Oil Hydrocarbons in Marine Environments

The search for practical solutions to alleviate the destructive impact of petroleum hydrocarbons in marine environments is contributing to the implementation of prospecting strategiesfor indigenous microorganisms with biodegradative and bioremediation potential. The levels ofpetroleum contamination entering the marine environment each year have been estimated at around1.3 million tonnes, a figure that is expected to increase by 1.9% annually over the next decade. Therecent interest in decarbonizing our energy system and accelerating the clean energy transitionhas created a demand for greener technologies and strategies to find innovative, sustainable, andcost-effective treatments for the marine environment. Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) are one of the mostdiverse and successful taxa in coastal–marine environments and are a relatively untapped pool ofbiodiversity for biotechnological applications. Recent reports have revealed the significant presenceof diatoms associated with oil spills and petroleum hydrocarbon degradation. Most diatoms cansecrete substantial amounts of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) into their environment, which can act asbiosurfactants that, in addition to oxygen and other enzymes produced by diatoms, create suitableconditions to enhance hydrocarbon solubility and degradation into less toxic compounds in seawater. Recent reports on the biodegradation of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons by diatoms areindicative of the potential of these taxa to achieve success in the bioremediation of hydrocarbons inmarine environments. This review highlights the main attributes and roles that diatoms could play inintegrated strategies for biodegradation and bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutantsand as such represent a green, eco-friendly, and sustainable contribution to mitigate damage tobiodiversity and value chains of marine ecosystems

Adolescent reproductive health and awareness of HIV among rural high school students, North Western Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is faced with an increasing problem from HIV infection, and the vulnerability of adolescents is a key concern. There is little information on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of this age group with respect to HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and preventive measures. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 260 students from two rural high schools in North Western Ethiopia. We found that although the general awareness of HIV was high, correct knowledge of the virus and its modes of transmission was shown in only 44% of adolescent boys and 41% of adolescent girls. Knowledge of HIV and condoms was lower among students whose parents were farmers, significant so among girls (p=0.02). Use of condoms among sexually active single male students (49%) was insufficient but was higher than among adolescents in many other African settings. Knowledge of STDs was generally low: 82% of adolescent males and 37% of adolescent females had some awareness of STDs. Almost 20% of sexually active males in the study had previously experienced an STD, almost all of whom had visited a commercial sex worker. Targeted interventions are warranted among adolescents and sex workers in Ethiopia complemented by STD treatment services

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR): PALESTINE EXCHANGE

This research study has shed light on the perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Palestinian society. A representative stratified sampling survey design which consisted of thirty-seven corporate from the West Bank and Gaza Strip was used in this study. A selfadministered 31-item questionnaire developed by the researchers was used, based on the (Carroll, 1979) CSR model. Findings show that Palestinians have a moderate perception of CSR. They experienced different types of obstacles in its implementation, in addition to the under-reporting of CSR which is widespread. Current statistics revealed that gender, sector, and employees were significant predictors of CSR. Although, different Palestinian sectors are making efforts in the CSR areas, but there is a lot that needs to be done in terms of Palestinians needs and reality

Bioreactor Rhamnolipid Production Using Palm Oil Agricultural Refinery By-Products

Palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) are used by P. aeruginosa PAO1 to produce rhamnolipid biosurfactant. The process of fermentation producing of biosurfactant was structured in a 2 L bioreactor using 2% of PFAD and FAME as carbon sources in minimal medium and with a nitrogen concentration of 1 g L−1. Mass spectrometry results show the crude biosurfactant produced was predominantly monorhamnolipid (Rha-C10-C10) and dirhamnolipid (Rha-Rha-C10-C10) at 503 and 649 m/z value for both substrates. Maximum production of crude rhamnolipid for PFAD was 1.06 g L−1 whereas for FAME it was 2.1 g L−1, with a reduction in surface tension of Tris-HCl pH 8.0 solution to 28 mN m−1 and a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 26 mg L−1 measured for both products. Furthermore, the 24 h emulsification indexes in kerosene, hexadecane, sunflower oil, and rapeseed oil using 1 g L−1 of crude rhamnolipid were in the range 20–50%. Consequently, PFAD and FAME, by-products from the agricultural refining of palm oil, may result in a product that has a higher added-value, rhamnolipid biosurfactant, in the process of integrated biorefinery