Proximity to petrochemical industry and risk of childhood asthma occurrence.

Adverse effects on the respiratory system were associated with intensive petroleum-related industrial activities. The study aimed to assess the impact of petrochemical exposure on childhood asthma using various surrogate indices. A singleton birth cohort from 2004 to 2017 was conducted, leveraging two linked nationwide databases in Taiwan.

Water quality assessment of Johor River Basin, Malaysia, using multivariate analysis and spatial interpolation method.

In the Johor River Basin, a comprehensive analysis was conducted on 24 water environmental parameters across 33 sampling sites over 3 years, encompassing both dry and wet seasons. A total of 396 water samples were collected and analyzed to calculate the Water Quality Index (WQI). To further assess water quality and pinpoint potential pollution sources, multivariate techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA), alongside spatial analysis using inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation, were employed.

Transient Photocurrent Responses of SrCeTiO Perovskites Under Visible Light Illumination for Photovoltaic Applications.

The objective of this study was to synthesize strontium titanate (SrCeTiO) doped with Ce by solid state method. Its crystalline structure is SrCeTiO, and its bandgap ranges from ~3.3 to ~2.

Synthesis and characterization of etherified cationic starch flocculant derived from Manihot esculenta peel with varying degrees of substitution.

Cationic Manihot esculenta (ME) peel starch was synthesized through etherification method using 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethylammonium chloride (CHPTAC) as cationizing monomer. The optimization of the main factors influencing the degree of substitution (DS) was conducted using central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM). The factors assessed include CHPTAC concentration, catalyst sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentration, and reaction time.

Rapid detection of tertiary butylated hydroquinone in food samples using Mn-MOF@f-CNF composite-modified screen-printed electrode.

Hydroquinone-based organic molecules are often used as unavoidable preservatives in the food industry. Among these additives, tertiary butylated hydroquinone (TBHQ) is widely employed as a preservative in various processed foods. However, the potential health risks associated with the excessive presence of TBHQ in food products have raised significant concerns.

A comprehensive review on the enantiomeric separation of chiral drugs using metal-organic frameworks.

Chiral drugs play an important role in modern medicine, but obtaining pure enantiomers from racemic mixtures can pose challenges. When a drug is chiral, only one enantiomer (eutomer) typically exhibits the desired pharmacological activity, while the other (distomer) may be biologically inactive or even toxic. Racemic drug formulations introduce additional health risks, as the body must still process the inactive or detrimental enantiomer.

Exploring the characteristics and source-attributed health risks associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metal elements in atmospheric PM during warm and cold periods in the northern metropolitan area of Taiwan.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metal elements are commonly considered hazardous air pollutants due to their toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic properties. However, few studies have simultaneously examined their potential sources and health effects. This study aimed to quantify the PAHs and metal elements in atmospheric PM, investigating their characteristics and potential sources to assess associated health risks in the northern metropolitan area of Taiwan.

Chemical characteristics and formation mechanism of secondary inorganic aerosols: The decisive role of aerosol acidity and meteorological conditions.

In recent years, there has been a growing concern about air pollution and its impact on the air quality and human health, especially for fine particulate matter (PM) and its associated secondary aerosols in urban areas. This study conducted a year-long field campaign to collect PM samples day and night in an urban area of central Taiwan. Higher PM mass concentrations were observed in winter (27.

Insight into the diurnal variations and potential sources of ambient PM-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during spring in Northern Taiwan.

In recent decades, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the primary organic pollutants associated with particulate matter (PM), have attracted significant attention due to their carcinogenic and mutagenic potential. However, past studies have lacked exploration into the diurnal variation characteristics of PAHs, primarily due to limited analytical technical capabilities. This study utilized a thermal-desorption device coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS) to identify the levels of PAHs in PM during short periods (3-hr) and aimed to investigate the diurnal variations, possible sources, and potential health risks associated with PM-bound PAHs in northern Taiwan.

Influence of gestational hypertension and maternal air pollutant exposure on birth outcomes.

The relationship between exposure to air pollutants and fetal growth outcomes has shown inconsistency, and only a limited number of studies have explored the impact of air pollution on gestational hypertension and birth outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate how maternal exposure to air pollutants and blood pressure could influence fetal birth outcomes. A total of 55 women with gestational hypertension and 131 healthy pregnant women were enrolled in this study.

Applying the total carbon-black carbon approach method to investigate the characteristics of primary and secondary carbonaceous aerosols in ambient PM in northern Taiwan.

Ambient fine particulate matter (PM) comprises a diverse array of carbonaceous species, and the impact of carbonaceous aerosols (CA) extends to both long-term and short-term effects on human health and the environment. Understanding the distinctive composition of CA is crucial for gaining insights into the origins of airborne particulate matter. Due to their diverse physicochemical properties and intricate heterogeneous reactions, CA often exhibits temporal and spatial variations.

Light-Induced Dynamic Activation of Copper/Silicon Interface for Highly Selective Carbon Dioxide Reduction.

Numerous studies have shown a fact that phase transformation and/or reconstruction are likely to occur and play crucial roles in electrochemical scenarios. Nevertheless, a decisive factor behind the diverse photoelectrochemical activity and selectivity of various copper/silicon photoelectrodes is still largely debated and missing in the community, especially the possibly dynamic behaviors of metal catalyst/semiconductor interface. Herein, through in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscope, a model system of Cu nanocrystals with well-defined facets on black p-type silicon (BSi) is unprecedentedly demonstrated to reveal the dynamic phase transformation of forming irreversible silicide at Cu nanocrystal-BSi interface during photoelectrocatalysis, which is validated to originate from the atomic interdiffusion between Cu and Si driven by light-induced dynamic activation process.

Dynamic (Sub)surface-Oxygen Enables Highly Efficient Carbonyl-Coupling for Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction.

Nowadays, high-valent Cu species (i.e., Cu ) are clarified to enhance multi-carbon production in electrochemical CO reduction reaction (CORR).

Quantifying source contributions to ambient NH using Geo-AI with time lag and parcel tracking functions.

Ambient ammonia (NH) plays an important compound in forming particulate matters (PMs), and therefore, it is crucial to comprehend NH's properties in order to better reduce PMs. However, it is not easy to achieve this goal due to the limited range/real-time NH data monitored by the air quality stations. While there were other studies to predict NH and its source apportionment, this manuscript provides a novel method (i.

Flight toward Sustainability in Poultry Nutrition with Black Soldier Fly Larvae.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), have emerged as a promising feed ingredient in broiler chicken diets, known for their high protein content, nutritional richness, and environmental sustainability. This review examines the effects of integrating BSFL into broiler feeds, focusing on aspects such as growth performance, nutrient digestibility, physiological responses, and immune health.

A machine learning-based ensemble model for estimating diurnal variations of nitrogen oxide concentrations in Taiwan.

Air pollution is inextricable from human activity patterns. This is especially true for nitrogen oxide (NO), a pollutant that exists naturally and also as a result of anthropogenic factors. Assessing exposure by considering diurnal variation is a challenge that has not been widely studied.

MEASUREMENT OF PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS, PERFLUORINATED COMPOUNDS, AND TOXIC METALS IN THE BLOOD OF HUMBOLDT PENGUINS (SPHENISCUS HUMBOLDTI) AT PUNTA SAN JUAN, PERU USING DRIED BLOOD SPOTS.

The Humboldt penguin () population at the Punta San Juan Marine Protected Area in Peru is considered critical to the long-term sustainability of this endangered species in Peru. Exposure of the rookery to environmental toxicants is a mounting concern because of regional growth of industries and human populations. Whole blood samples were collected from 30 free-ranging penguins in 2011 as part of a broader population health monitoring program.

Electrochemical nitrate reduction over bimetallic Pd-Sn nanocatalysts with tunable selectivity toward benign nitrogen.

Nitrate is recognized as a highly impactful water contaminant among various pollutants in water. To address the ever-growing demand for water purification, this work investigates the bimetallic palladium (Pd) and tin (Sn) catalysts, which are electrochemically deposited on stainless steel mesh support (Pd-Sn/SS) for the selective conversion of harmful nitrate (NO) into benign nitrogen (N) gas. Results indicate that the bimetallic composition in Pd-Sn/SS electrodes substantially influenced the reaction route for nitrate reduction as well as the performance of nitrate transformation and nitrogen selectivity.

Stably suspended SiO-supported CdS photocatalyst for a promising organic pollutant degradation in the absence of mechanical stirring.

Even with solar-activatable photocatalyst, incommensurable energy input for stirring is still required to overcome the transport limitations in powder-photocatalysis. To counter this, a novel concept of auto-suspending photocatalyst based on SiO/CdS was proposed to enable promising photo-activity even under stirring-free condition. Functionally-speaking, CdS would act as photoreaction-driver while SiO endows sufficient buoyance for suspension-stabilization during stirring-free photocatalysis.

Evaluating long-term and high spatiotemporal resolution of wet-bulb globe temperature through land-use based machine learning model.

Background: The increase in global temperature and urban warming has led to the exacerbation of heatwaves, which negatively affect human health and cause long-term loss of work productivity. Therefore, a global assessment in temperature variation is essential.

Objective: This paper is the first of its kind to propose land-use based spatial machine learning (LBSM) models for predicting highly spatial-temporal variations of wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT), which is a heat stress indicator used to assess thermal comfort in indoor and outdoor environments, specifically for the main island of Taiwan.

Estimating morning and evening commute period O concentration in Taiwan using a fine spatial-temporal resolution ensemble mixed spatial model with Geo-AI technology.

Elevated levels of ground-level ozone (O) can have harmful effects on health. While previous studies have focused mainly on daily averages and daytime patterns, it's crucial to consider the effects of air pollution during daily commutes, as this can significantly contribute to overall exposure. This study is also the first to employ an ensemble mixed spatial model (EMSM) that integrates multiple machine learning algorithms and predictor variables selected using Shapley Additive exExplanations (SHAP) values to predict spatial-temporal fluctuations in O concentrations across the entire island of Taiwan.

Characterization of the sources and health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in PM and their relationship with black carbon: A case study in northern Taiwan.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and black carbon (BC) often coexist in PM because both form during the incomplete combustion of organic matter. These compounds are regarded as hazardous air pollutants with potential health effects, including respiratory and cardiovascular effects. In this study, to evaluate the health risks of PAHs and BC at an urban site in northern Taiwan, 16 priority PAHs and BC, identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, were analyzed and quantified in PM to determine their concentrations, their relationship with each other, and their likely sources.

Spatial distributions of PM-bound metal elements in the central part of western Taiwan and their potential emission sources and the carcinogenic health risks.

This study aimed to investigate the spatial distribution of metal elements in PM and their potential sources and associated health risks over a period of two years in eight locations in the central part of western Taiwan. The study revealed that the mass concentration of PM and the total mass concentration of 20 metal elements in PM were 39.0 μg m and 4.