Elucidating the surface macroplastic load, types and distribution in mangrove areas around Cebu Island, Philippines and its policy implications.

The Philippines is identified as one of the major marine plastic litter polluters in the world with a discharge of approximately 0.75 million tons of marine plastic debris per year. However, the extent of the plastic problem is yet to be defined systematically because of limited research.

The environmental release and ecosystem risks of illicit drugs during Glastonbury Festival.

Reported high drug use at music festivals coupled with factors such as public urination can lead to the direct release of illicit drugs into the environment. Glastonbury Festival 2019 had 203,000 attendees, its site is intercepted by the Whitelake River providing a direct route for illicit drug pollution into the local environment. We tested for popular illicit drugs such as cocaine and MDMA in the river upstream and downstream of the festival site as well as in the neighbouring Redlake River.

The drinking water contaminant dibromoacetonitrile delays G1-S transition and suppresses Chk1 activation at broken replication forks.

Chlorination of drinking water protects humans from water-born pathogens, but it also produces low concentrations of dibromoacetonitrile (DBAN), a common disinfectant by-product found in many water supply systems. DBAN is not mutagenic but causes DNA breaks and elevates sister chromatid exchange in mammalian cells. The WHO issued guidelines for DBAN after it was linked with cancer of the liver and stomach in rodents.