Publications by authors named "M Hodson"
Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) mulch has been developed to replace conventional polyethylene (PE) mulch in agriculture to reduce plastic pollution and the accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in soil. Cadmium (Cd) is a significant soil contaminant, and can be adsorbed by MPs. It is increasingly recognised that in the natural environment biofilms can develop on MPs and that this can affect their adsorption properties.
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- Recent research indicates a trade-off between silicon and carbon-based compounds in plants, with a specific focus on stress resistance and mechanical support.
- This study examined 17 species from the Cyperaceae family, using both leaf trait measurements and advanced microscopic techniques.
- Findings revealed that the accumulation of silicon negatively correlates with tannins and epicuticular waxes, suggesting complex strategies in plant responses to environmental stresses that previous whole-leaf analyses overlooked.
Repeated dietary dose testing is used to assess longer term toxicity of chemicals, such as pesticides, to mammals. However, the internal pesticide concentration varies significantly as feeding rate relative to body size fluctuates over time. Toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic (TK-TD) models can estimate internal toxicant concentration over time and link this directly to observed effects on endpoints such as the growth rate of laboratory rats.
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- Existing models for pesticide bioconcentration in earthworms are limited in their applicability across various chemicals, soils, and species, hindering their use in risk assessment.
- We developed a first-order kinetic accumulation model using data from experiments on three earthworm species, five pesticides, and five types of soil, finding it effective in predicting body loads from both porewater and bulk soil concentrations.
- Our model outperformed existing ones and could be used alongside models that factor in earthworm movement and changes in soil pesticide levels due to degradation and transport.
Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) mulch has been developed to replace conventional polyethylene (PE) mulch in agriculture as a response to growing concerns about recalcitrant plastic pollution and the accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in soil. Cadmium is a significant soil pollutant in China. MPs have been shown to adsorb metals.
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