Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Characterization of hopanes in surface sediments from Southwest corner of South China Sea: application of PCA utilizing of individual hopanes

Oil pollution has been introduced into the aquatic environment of the South China Sea through anthropogenic activities such as discharging of oil during extraction, transportation and consumption. In order to determine the source of oil pollution in South China Sea, 30 surface sediment samples were collected in 2008 and were analyzed for pentacyclic triterpanes (hopane) by gas chromatography mass spectrometer (GCMS) with m/z 191. This study investigates the utility and limitation of individual hopane in tracing the sources of oil pollution by using Principle Component Analysis (PCA). Characterization the utility of hopane in determining the source of oil pollution has been done by integrating diagnostic ratios of C29/C30 and ΣC31-C35/C30 with PCA. PCA has classified all target components into 3 major principle components prior to determine their importance in identifying the source of oil pollution. From the rotated component pattern, first principle component (63.24% of variability) loaded by 9 target compounds which namely Ts, Tm, 17α(H), 21β(H)- norhopane, 17α(H), 21β(H)- hopane, 22S, 17α(H), 21β(H)- homohopane, 22S, 17α(H), 21β(H)- bishomohopane, 22S, 17α(H), 21β(H)- trishomohopane, 22S, 17α(H), 21β(H)- tetrakishomohopane and 22S, 17α(H) and 21β(H)- pentakishopane. Those individual hopanes listed in PC1 were excellent in tracing both oil pollution as all of them degrade less and generally unaffected by even severe biodegradation. This findings give better understanding for non consideration of both 17β(H), 21α(H)- norhopane, 17β(H), 21α(H)- hopane in determining the origin of oil spill

Mercury distribution in an invasive species (Asystasia gangetica) from Peninsular Malaysia

In this study, the Hg levels in eight parts of Asystasia gangetica (L.) T. Anderson collected from 14 sites were determined using a Mercury Atomizer MA-1S and a Mercury Detector MD-1. It was found that the ranges for all the parts were 3.21-18.2 μg/kg dry weight for flowers, 1.29-11.2 μg/kg dry weight forstalks, 0.32- 29.4 μg/kg dry weight for seeds, 0.87-10.2 μg/kg dry weight for pericarps, 1.45-18.1 μg/kg dry weight for remainders, 11.8-68.2 μg/kg dry weight for leaves, 0.73-20.9 μg/kg dry weight for stems, and 3.40-33.1 μg/kg dry weight for roots. The overall Hg accumulation pattern in decreasing concentrations was leaf > root > flower > flower remains > stalk > stem > pericarp > seed. This study provided the background levels of Hg in this non-native invasive weed species in Malaysia. However, further studies are needed to confirm it as a biomonitors of Hg in this regio

Temporal Variation of Ammonium in Sulfic Tropaquept Cultivated with Rice in Experimental Pots

Hypothetically, monitoring of soil solution NH4+-N dynamics may allow estimation of nitrogen (N) transformation rates such as the rates of nitrification, denitrification, mineralisation and immobilisation. Such observations can be used to evaluate and improve performance of N dynamics models for flooded rice systems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate temporal variation of ammonium dynamics in fertilised and flooded rice pots. Concentrations of NH4+-N were determined in soil solutions that were extracted by MacroRhizon samplers. MacroRhizon is a soil solution sampler with a pore size of 0.15 μm manufactured by Rhizosphere Research, the Netherlands. In comparison to typical soil sampling methods, some advantages of using MacroRhizon are repeated sampling at the same spot possible, easy to install and less disturbance to the soil due to the small diameter, and maximum pore size of 0.2 μm which requires no further filtering prior to chemical analysis. Results showed that under current agronomic and management practices, broadcast N application had no obvious and consistent influence on soil solution NH4+-N. Analysis of the results suggest that suitability of soil solutions extracted using the MacroRhizon samplers as alternatives for the labourious and destructive conventional soil samplings is subject to further investigation

Temporal Variation of Ammonium in Sulfic Tropaquept Cultivated with Rice in Experimental Pots

Hypothetically, monitoring of soil solution NH4+-N dynamics may allow estimation of nitrogen (N) transformation rates such as the rates of nitrification, denitrification, mineralisation and immobilisation. Such observations can be used to evaluate and improve performance of N dynamics models for flooded rice systems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate temporal variation of ammonium dynamics in fertilised and flooded rice pots. Concentrations of NH4+-N were determined in soil solutions that were extracted by MacroRhizon samplers. MacroRhizon is a soil solution sampler with a pore size of 0.15 μm manufactured by Rhizosphere Research, the Netherlands. In comparison to typical soil sampling methods, some advantages of using MacroRhizon are repeated sampling at the same spot possible, easy to install and less disturbance to the soil due to the small diameter, and maximum pore size of 0.2 μm which requires no further filtering prior to chemical analysis. Results showed that under current agronomic and management practices, broadcast N application had no obvious and consistent influence on soil solution NH4+-N. Analysis of the results suggest that suitability of soil solutions extracted using the MacroRhizon samplers as alternatives for the labourious and destructive conventional soil samplings is subject to further investigation

Aplikasi Formula Antibakteri Daun Pinus-Kulit Pepaya Pada Tebu Pasca Panen Untuk Menghambat Penurunan Sukrosa

Tanaman tebu (Saccharum officinarum L) merupakan komoditas utama untuk memproduksi gula. Batang tebu mengandung senyawa sukrosa sebagai bahan baku utama dalam pembuatan gula. Tanaman tebu sangat rawan mengalami kerusakan setelah panen. Kerusakan tebu banyak terjadi dikarenakan adanya fase downtime pada pabrik gula. Adanya fase downtime menyebabkan tanaman tebu mengalami reaksi invertase, reaksi pemecahan gula sukrosa menjadi gula-gula sederhana. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghambat kerusakan tebu dengan memanfaatkan ekstrak daun pinus dan ekstrak kulit pepaya. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak pepaya memiliki nilai TPC terkecil dengan nilai 2,5 x109 cfu/ml. Kemudian, pemberian ekstrak tidak memberikan pengaruh terhadap perubahan massa yang terjadi. Pemberian ketiga jenis ekstrak memberikan pengaruh pada perubahan pH tebu, dengan nilai pH terbaik diperoleh tebu dengan pemberian ekstrak kulit papaya dengan pH 4,762 dan nilai pH terkceil diperoleh kontrol dengan nilai pH 4,176. Pemberian ekstrak memberikan pengaruh pada perubahan briks, akan tetapi ketiga ekstrak tidak memiliki efek yang berbeda. Nilai briks mengalami penurunan terbesar oleh kontrol dengan penurunan 23,54%. Hasil pengujian kadar gula pereduksi menunjukkan bahwa ketiga jenis ekstrak memberikan pengaruh pada kandungan gula pereduksi pada tebu, dengan ekstrak kulit pepaya memiliki nilai perubahan terkecil. Hasil pengujian organoleptik menunjukkan hasil serupa, dimana ketiga ekstrak memberikan pengaruh terhadap perubahan organoleptik pada tebu. Berdasarkan uji ANOVA, ekstrak kulit pepaya memiliki beberapa keunggulan pada parameter yang digunakan. Berdasarkan penelitian yang telah dilakukan, ekstrak kulit pepaya muncul sebagai ekstrak terbaik. Ekstrak kulit pepaya memiliki keunggulan pada analisis pH dan kandungan gula pereduksi

Oxide semiconductors for solar to chemical energy conversion: nanotechnology approach

The present work considers the application of oxide semiconductors in the conversion of solar energy into the chemical energy required for water purification (removal of microbial cells and toxic organic compounds from water) and the generation of solar hydrogen fuel by photoelectrochemical water splitting. The first part of this work considers the concept of solar energy conversion by oxide semiconductors and the key performance-related properties, including electronic structure, charge transport, flat band potential and surface properties, which are responsible to the reactivity and photoreactivity of oxides with water. The performance of oxide systems for solar energy conversion is briefly considered in terms of an electronic factor. The progress of research in the formation of systems with high performance is considered in terms of specific aspects of nanotechnology, leading to the formation of systems with high performance. The nanotechnology approach in the development of high-performance photocatalysts is considered in terms of the effect of surface energy associated with the formation of nanostructured system on the formation of surface structures that exhibit outstanding properties. The unresolved problems that should be tackled in better understanding of the effect of nanostructures on properties and performance of oxide semiconductors in solar energy conversion are discussed. This part is summarised by a list of unresolved problems of crucial importance in the formation of systems with enhanced performance. This work also formulates the questions that must be addressed in order to overcome the hurdles in the formation of oxide semiconductors with high performance in water purification and the generation of solar fuel. The research strategy in the development of oxide systems with high performance, including photocatalysts for solar water purification and photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting, is considered. The considerations are focused on the systems based on titanium dioxide of different defect disorder as well as its solid solutions and composites

Baseline distribution and sources of linear alkyl benzenes (LABs) in surface sediments from Brunei Bay, Brunei

Sewage pollution is one of major concerns of coastal and shoreline settlements in Southeast Asia, especially Brunei. The distribution and sources of LABs as sewage molecular markers were evaluated in surface sediments collected from Brunei Bay. The samples were extracted, fractionated and analyzed using gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS). LABs concentrations ranged from 7.1 to 413 ng g(-1) dry weight (dw) in surficial sediments from Brunei Bay. The study results showed LABs concentrations variably due to the LABs intensity and anthropogenic influence along Brunei Bay in recent years. The ratio of Internal to External isomers (I/E ratio) of LABs in sediment samples from Brunei Bay ranged from 0.56 to 2.17 along Brunei Bay stations, indicating that the study areas were receiving primary and secondary effluents. This is the first study carried out to assess the distribution and sources of LABs in surface sediments from Brunei Bay, Brunei. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Forensic investigation of aliphatic hydrocarbons in the sediments from selected mangrove ecosystems in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia

Peninsular Malaysia has gone through fast development during recent decades resulting in the release of large amounts of petroleum and its products into the environment. Aliphatic hydrocarbons are one of the major components of petroleum. Surface sediment samples were collected from five rivers along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and analyzed for aliphatic hydrocarbons. The total concentrations of C10 to C36 n-alkanes ranged from 27,945 to 254,463 ng·g- 1dry weight (dw). Evaluation of various n-alkane indices such as carbon preference index (CPI; 0.35 to 3.10) and average chain length (ACL; 26.74 to 29.23) of C25 to C33 n-alkanes indicated a predominance of petrogenic source n-alkanes in the lower parts of the Rivers, while biogenic origin n-alkanes from vascular plants are more predominant in the upper parts, especially in less polluted areas. Petrogenic sources of n-alkanes are predominantly heavy and degraded oil versus fresh oil inputs

Distribution and sources of linear alkyl benzenes (LABs) in surface sediments from Johor Bahru Coast and the Kim Kim River, Malaysia

This study focuses on sewage pollution, which is one of the most important issues concerning Malaysians. The main location of this study is in Johor Bahru as it is one of the most populated areas in Malaysia. The distribution and sources of linear alkyl benzenes (LABs) were evaluated in surface sediments collected from Johor Bahru Coast and the Kim Kim River, Peninsular Malaysia. The samples were extracted, fractionated and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This study found that LABs concentrations ranged from 87.6 to 188.7 ng/g dw and 88.2 to 119.02 ng/g dw in surface sediments from Johor Bahru Coast and the Kim Kim River, respectively. Johor Bahru Coast showed an increasing trend of LABs concentrations due to rapid industrialization and population growth. The ratio of internal to external isomers (I/E ratio) of LABs in sediment samples from Johor Bahru Coast ranged from 1.76 to 2.04 while the I/E ratios in sediments from the Kim Kim River ranged from 1.72 to 1.91. All I/E ratios at Johor Bahru Coast and the Kim Kim River stations indicate that the areas were receiving primary and secondary effluents