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Fulltext Fragment-based in silico design of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors

Ahmad S, Usman Mirza M, Yean Kee L, Nazir M, Abdul Rahman N, Trant JF, et al.

Chem Biol Drug Des, 2021 Oct;98(4):604-619.
PMID: 34148292 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13914

3CLpro is essential for SARS-CoV-2 replication and infection; its inhibition using small molecules is a potential therapeutic strategy. In this study, a comprehensive crystallography-guided fragment-based drug discovery approach was employed to design new inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. All small molecules co-crystallized with SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro with structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank were used as inputs. Fragments sitting in the binding pocket (87) were grouped into eight geographical types. They were interactively coupled using various synthetically reasonable linkers to generate larger molecules with divalent binding modes taking advantage of two different fragments' interactions. In total, 1,251 compounds were proposed, and 7,158 stereoisomers were screened using Glide (standard precision and extra precision), AutoDock Vina, and Prime MMGBSA. The top 22 hits having conformations approaching the linear combination of their constituent fragments were selected for MD simulation on Desmond. MD simulation suggested 15 of these did adopt conformations very close to their constituent pieces with far higher binding affinity than either constituent domain alone. These structures could provide a starting point for the further design of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibitors with improved binding, and structures are provided.
Fulltext Socioeconomic shocks, social protection and household food security amidst COVID-19 pandemic in Africa's largest economy

Osabohien RA, Jaaffar AH, Ibrahim J, Usman O, Igharo AE, Oyekanmi AA

PLoS One, 2024;19(1):e0293563.
PMID: 38252674 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293563

Africa has been known to experience series of problems among which are poverty, food insecurity, lack of access to energy, lack of infrastructure among others. These problems were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a severe impact on the socioeconomic status of households in Africa. This paper examines the relationship between socioeconomic shocks, social protection, and household food security during the pandemic in Nigeria, the Africa's largest economy. Using the World Bank's COVID-19 national longitudinal baseline phone survey (2020) for the analysis and applied the multinomial logit regression, the study finds that socioeconomic shocks resulting from the pandemic have led to an increased level of food insecurity. Social protection programmes have played a crucial role in mitigating the impact of these shocks on households. However, the study also highlights the need for more targeted and effective social protection policies to ensure that vulnerable households are adequately protected from the adverse effects of the pandemic. The findings of this study have important implications for policymakers and stakeholders in Africa's largest economy, as they seek to address the challenges posed by the pandemic and promote household food security for the actualisation the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of food and nutrition security (SDG2). The study, therefore, recommends that efforts be made to preserve food supply chains by mitigating the pandemic's effect on food systems, increasing food production, and looking forward beyond the pandemic by building resilient food systems with the use of social protection interventions.
Examining clinical pharmacist interventions and identifying opioid medication-related issues in patients with cancer

Anwar A, Malik N, Siddiqui A, Shrestha S, Bhutta OA, Mazhar S, et al.

J Oncol Pharm Pract, 2024 Aug 28.
PMID: 39196917 DOI: 10.1177/10781552241279027

INTRODUCTION: Opioid medications are crucial for managing pain among patients with cancer. Yet, inappropriate prescribing and medication issues can compromise patient safety and quality of care. Clinical pharmacists play a significant role in optimizing opioid therapy and addressing issues related to opioid medication use.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine clinical pharmacist interventions and identify opioid medication-related issues in patients with cancer.
METHOD: We conducted a retrospective observational study at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center in Lahore, Pakistan, conducting a chart review from 1st July 2021 to 31st December 2021.
RESULTS: Out of 10,534 opioid medication orders, we documented a total of 974 interventions based on our inclusion criteria. Tramadol and morphine accounted for most of these interventions, comprising 49.27% (n = 475) and 40.04% (n = 386), respectively. Regarding clinical significance, 41.70% (n = 406) were deemed significant, while 37.36% (n = 365) were somewhat significant. The majority of interventions, i.e., 54.05% (n = 521), primarily aimed at optimizing patient outcomes, followed by a secondary aim of improvements in communication, i.e., 25.52% (n = 246).
CONCLUSION: This study establishes the evaluation of clinical pharmacist interventions on opioid medication use in patients with cancer, an issue particularly in oncology settings in Pakistan. The findings emphasize the crucial role of clinical pharmacists in addressing issues related to opioid issue medications, thus improving patient safety and optimizing opioid use for patient well-being.
Fulltext The hidden crisis: double burden of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia - a systematic review and meta-analysis from observational studies

Panchal P, Usman M, Longkumer T, Babu RS, Khatib MN, Razak SA, et al.

Front Nutr, 2024;11:1480319.
PMID: 39995446 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1480319

BACKGROUND: Children living in refugee camps in South Asian countries suffer from undernutrition. However, the emerging prevalence of double burden of malnutrition could potentially cause a crisis in the healthcare of the refugee population. Double burden increases the risk for co-morbidities, poor functional health, and increased risk for premature death among these children. The study aims to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among refugee children in South Asia.
METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the standard Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines using CoCoPop mnemonic approach. We searched JSTOR, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases for studies on the prevalence of malnutrition in refugee children from 1984 to August 2024 with restricted English language. The screening of research articles was undertaken using COVIDENCE 2.0 software. The JBI checklist was used to assess the methodological quality of the included articles. The meta analysis was carried out using MedCalc 22.018 software. The gray literature was manually searched from the reputed organizations focusing on refugee children and was narratively analyzed for malnutrition statistics. Furthermore, the corroboration of primary research articles and gray literature was conducted for comprehensive understanding.
RESULTS: The review included 10 full-text research articles, all with cross-sectional study design and 11 gray literatures. The 10 studies covered a total of 4,274 participants with 3,536 urban and 738 rural refugee children aged between 0 and 19 years [refugee children (n = 8) and refugee adolescents (n = 2)]. The sample size of the included studies varied between 58 and 1,087 and mostly from Bangladesh. The prevalence of stunting ranged from 3.9-75.4% in the included studies [pooled prevalence: 31.8% (95% CI: 18.6-46.6%)]; wasting between 0.3-24.3% [pooled prevalence:10.1% (95% CI: 4.6-17.3)]; underweight between 4.4-65% [pooled prevalence: 19.1% (95% CI: 10.8-29.2%)]; and overweight between 3 and 24% [pooled prevalence: 6.5% (95% CI: 2.6-12.1%)]. Time trend analysis of the prevalence of malnutrition showed a decreasing trend in underweight, an increasing trend for stunting and wasting, and overweight including a rising prevalence of dual burden of under-and overnutrition.
DISCUSSION: The study indicates a high prevalence of undernutrition and a rising prevalence of overnutrition -the Asian paradox of the double burden of malnutrition in refugee children living in South Asia. The coexisting double burden of malnutrition among refugee children calls for comprehensive programs and policies for the prevention and management of the double burden of malnutrition.
Fulltext Exploring Undergraduate Pharmacy Students Perspectives Towards Antibiotics Use, Antibiotic Resistance, and Antibiotic Stewardship Programs Along With the Pharmacy Teachers' Perspectives: A Mixed-Methods Study From Pakistan

Khan FU, Khan A, Shah S, Hayat K, Usman A, Khan FU, et al.

Front Pharmacol, 2021;12:754000.
PMID: 34819859 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.754000

Background: Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is one of the major issues around the globe. Timely education and awareness of pharmacy students regarding the appropriate use of antibiotics, ABR, and antimicrobial stewardships are required. Methods: The present study was first conducted in 12 (public and private sector) universities among undergraduate pharmacy students (UGPS) (n = 414) irrespective of their study year through a validated questionnaire, and the insights of pharmacy teachers were taken through in-depth semi-structured interviews in the second phase. For the quantitative data, different statistical methods were used, and data were presented in tabulated form, whereas inductive thematic interpretation was used to categorize themes and derive conclusions from qualitative evidence. Results: The majority of the students were males (n = 223, 54%) with the mean age group 19-23 years, and 20 faculty members were interviewed with a mean duration of 15 min. Students have good knowledge about antibiotics use and the majority purchased antibiotics through prescription (n = 277, 66.9%) during the last month and strongly agreed to stop unnecessary household storage (n = 183 44.2%). Most of the students have heard the terminologies related to antimicrobial resistance through social media while unaware (n = 104, 25.1%) of a Pakistan national action plan against AMR (antimicrobial resistance). Overall, respondents have a somewhat good understanding of the ABR. Regular use of antibiotics without consultation of a physician can lead to ABR and some wrong answers were observed (162, 39.1%; p > 0.05). The majority of the students (n = 198, 47.8%) and teachers believe that the current pharmacy syllabus must be swiftly updated with the new subjects related to ABR and AMS (antimicrobial stewardship) in Pakistan. The UGPS have emphasized (n = 220, 53.1%; Median = 1, IQR = 2) establishing a link between academia and hospitals. The ABR issue has been highlighted by pharmacy faculty members, who have urged students to take practical efforts toward ABR and AMS knowledge. Conclusion: The UGPS knowledge related to ABR and AMS must be updated. Students at the undergraduate level must get training in order to encourage the sensible use of antibiotics. Courses on ABR and AMS should be included in present pharmacy curricula.
A review on the application of biochar as an innovative and sustainable biocarrier material in moving bed biofilm reactors for dye removal from environmental matrices

Jagaba AH, Abdulazeez I, Lawal DU, Affam AC, Mu'azu ND, Soja UB, et al.

Environ Geochem Health, 2024 Jul 19;46(9):333.
PMID: 39026137 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-024-02122-z

Dye decolorization through biological treatment techniques has been gaining momentum as it is based on suspended and attached growth biomass in both batch and continuous modes. Hence, this review focused on the contribution of moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR) in dye removal. MBBR have been demonstrated to be an excellent technology for pollution extraction, load shock resistance, and equipment size and energy consumption reduction. The review went further to highlight different biocarrier materials for biofilm development this review identified biochar as an innovative and environmentally friendly material produced through the application of different kinds of reusable or recyclable wastes and biowastes. Biochar as a carbonized waste biomass could be a better competitor and environmentally friendly substitute to activated carbon given its lower mass costs. Biochar can be easily produced particularly in rural locations where there is an abundance of biomass-based trash. Given that circular bioeconomy lowers dependency on natural resources by turning organic wastes into an array of useful products, biochar empowers the creation of competitive goods. Thus, biochar was identified as a novel, cost-effective, and long-term management strategy since it brings about several essential benefits, including food security, climate change mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and sustainability improvement. This review concludes that integrating two treatment methods could greatly lead to better color, organic matter, and nutrients removal than a single biological MBBR treatment process.
Fulltext Assessment of Radiation and Heavy Metals Risk due to the Dietary Intake of Marine Fishes (Rastrelliger kanagurta) from the Straits of Malacca

Khandaker MU, Asaduzzaman Kh, Nawi SM, Usman AR, Amin YM, Daar E, et al.

PLoS One, 2015;10(6):e0128790.
PMID: 26075909 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128790

The environment of the Straits of Malacca receives pollution as a result of various industrial and anthropogenic sources, making systematic studies crucial in determining the prevailing water quality. Present study concerns concentrations of natural radionuclides and heavy metals in marine fish (Rastrelliger kanagurta) collected from the Straits of Malacca, since aquatic stock form an important source of the daily diet of the surrounding populace. Assessment was made of the concentrations of key indicator radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, 40K) and heavy metals (As, Mn, Fe, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Co, Sr, Al, Hg and Pb) together with various radiation indices linked to the consumption of seafish. The annual effective dose for all detected radionuclides for all study locations has been found to be within UNSCEAR acceptable limits as has the associated life-time cancer risk. The overall contamination of the sampled fish from heavy metals was also found to be within limits of tolerance.
Bis(ethylenediamine)copper(II) bis(O,O'-diethyl dithiophosphate)

Fun HK, Hao Q, Wu J, Yang X, Lu L, Wang X, et al.

Acta Crystallogr C, 2002 Feb;58(Pt 2):m87-8.
PMID: 11828089

In the structure of the title compound, [Cu(II)(en)(2)][(EtO)(2)P(S)S](2) (en is ethylenediamine) or [Cu(C(2)H(8)N(2))(2)](C(4)H(10)O(2)PS(2))(2), the Cu atom lies on a center of inversion and is coordinated in a slightly distorted square coordination geometry by four N atoms from two ethylenediamine molecules. The diethyl dithiophosphate moieties, (EtO)(2)P(S)S(-), act as counter-anions.
Stabilization of heavy metals loaded sewage sludge: Reviewing conventional to state-of-the-art thermal treatments in achieving energy sustainability

Liew CS, Kiatkittipong W, Lim JW, Lam MK, Ho YC, Ho CD, et al.

Chemosphere, 2021 Aug;277:130310.
PMID: 33774241 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130310

Sewage sludge has long been regarded as a hazardous waste by virtue of the loaded heavy metals and pathogens. Recently, more advanced technologies are introduced to make use of the nutrients from this hazardous sludge. Successful recovery of sludge's carbon content could significantly convert waste to energy and promote energy sustainability. Meanwhile, the recovery of nitrogen and trace minerals allows the production of fertilizers. This review is elucidating the performances of modern thermal treatment technologies in recovering resources from sewage sludge while reducing its environmental impacts. Exhaustive investigations show that most modern technologies are capable of recovering sludge's carbon content for energy generation. Concurrently, the technologies could as well stabilize heavy metals, destroy harmful pathogens, and reduce the volume of sludge to minimize the environmental impacts. Nevertheless, the high initial investment cost still poses a huge hurdle for many developing countries. Since the initial investment cost is inevitable, the future works should focus on improving the profit margin of thermal technologies; so that it would be more financially attractive. This can be done through process optimization, improved process design as well as the use of suitable co-substrates, additives, and catalyst as propounded in the review.
Fulltext Occurrence of Aflatoxins in Edible Vegetable Seeds and Oil Samples Available in Pakistani Retail Markets and Estimation of Dietary Intake in Consumers

Waqas M, Iqbal SZ, Abdull Razis AF, Pervaiz W, Ahmad T, Usman S, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 07 29;18(15).
PMID: 34360308 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18158015

Aflatoxins (AFs) are secondary metabolites toxic to humans as well as animals. The environmental conditions, conventional agricultural practices, and illiteracy are the main factors which favor the production of AFs in food and feed. In the current study 744 samples of vegetable seeds and oils (soybean, sunflower, canola, olive, corn, and mustard) were collected and tested for the presence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and total AFs. Liquid-liquid extraction was employed for the extraction of AFs from seeds and oil samples. Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography equipped with fluorescence detection was used for the analysis. The results have shown that 92 (56.7%) samples of imported and 108 (57.0%) samples of local edible seeds were observed to be contaminated with AFs. All samples of edible seeds have AFB1 levels greater than the proposed limit set by the European Union (EU, 2 µg/kg) and 12 (7.40%) samples of imported seeds and 14 (7.40%) samples of local seeds were found in the range ≥ 50 µg/kg. About 78 (43.3%) samples of imported edible oil and 103 (48.3%) sample of local edible oil were observed to be positive for AFs. Furthermore, 16 (8.88%) and six (3.33%) samples of imported vegetable oil have levels of total AFs in a range (21-50 µg/kg) and greater than 50 µg/kg, respectively. The findings indicate significant differences in AFs levels between imported and local vegetable oil samples (t = 22.27 and p = 0.009) at α = 0.05 and a significant difference in AFs levels were found between vegetable seeds and oil samples (t = -17.75, p = 0.009) at α = 0.05. The highest dietary intake was found for a local sunflower oil sample (0.90 µg/kg/day) in female individuals (16-22 age group). The results have shown considerably high levels of AFB1 and total AFs in seeds and oil samples and emphasise the need to monitor carefully the levels of these toxic substances in food and feed on regular basis.
Fulltext Risk factors for childhood pneumonia in North Eastern Pakistan: a case-control study

Aftab S, Ejaz I, Waqar U, Khan HI, Hanif A, Usman A, et al.

Malaysian Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2016;22(1):26-34.
MyJurnal

Background: Pneumonia is defined as the inflammation of parenchyma of the lung. It is a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood throughout the world. The incidence of pneumonia in children under the age of five years is 0.29 episodes per child-year, which equates 151.8 million cases annually in developing countries. Objective: To determine the risk factors for complicated pneumonia.

Material and Methods: This case-control study conducted in Medical Unit III, The Children’s Hospital & Institute of Child Health Lahore. Out of total of 180 cases of pneumonia, 100 were labeled as complicated pneumonia (case) and 80 were labeled as uncomplicated pneumonia (control). Complicated pneumonia included pneumonia with associated complications. Detail history was taken in both groups and recorded on predesigned proforma. Data was analyzed by SPSS 20. Quantitative risk factors like child age, maternal age and father age were analyzed by mean and standard deviation. However qualitative risk factors like method of feeding, malnutrition, immunization, anaemia, and non-vaccination were analyzed by applying chi-square test and finding odd ratios.

Results: Most significant risk factors associated with complicated pneumonia included younger age, maternal and father education, rural area, malnutrition, anaemia, rickets, birth problems, admission during neonatal life due to pneumonia, bottle feeding, nonvaccination, referral and delayed in presentation (p
Effects of simple knee sleeves on pain and knee adduction moment in early unilateral knee osteoarthritis

Mohd Sharif NA, Usman J, Wan Safwani WKZ, Siew Li G, Abdul Karim S, Mohamed NA, et al.

Proc Inst Mech Eng H, 2019 Nov;233(11):1132-1140.
PMID: 31597554 DOI: 10.1177/0954411919874614

Knee sleeves are often prescribed to alleviate pain in people with early knee osteoarthritis. However, the biomechanics underlying their pain-relieving effect are still not well understood. This pre-post study aims at evaluating and comparing the effects of two different types of knee sleeves on knee adduction moment. Patients with clinically diagnosed knee osteoarthritis were recruited from the University of Malaya Medical Centre and were randomly assigned to two test groups using (1) a simple knee sleeve and (2) a simple sleeve with patella cutout. Knee adduction moment was collected using the Vicon motion capture system with two Kistler force plates. Pain, stiffness and physical functions were recorded using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. All measurements were taken before, immediately after and at the completion of 6 weeks of application (primary time point). In total, 17 participants with early unilateral knee osteoarthritis (47.7 (9.7) years) completed the study. Overall results show significant reduction in pain, early stance and late stance knee adduction moment and increased walking speed after 6 weeks of both knee sleeves application. This study results suggest that knee sleeves can reduce knee adduction moments in early unilateral knee osteoarthritis by 14.0% and 12.1% using the simple sleeve and the sleeve with patella cutout, respectively, and can potentially delay disease progression. In addition, knee sleeve with patella cutout does not provide additional benefits when compared to the simple knee sleeve.
Fulltext Quantitative Ethnobotanical Analysis of Medicinal Plants of High-Temperature Areas of Southern Punjab, Pakistan

Usman M, Ditta A, Ibrahim FH, Murtaza G, Rajpar MN, Mehmood S, et al.

Plants (Basel), 2021 Sep 22;10(10).
PMID: 34685784 DOI: 10.3390/plants10101974

Lack of proper infrastructure and the poor economic conditions of rural communities make them dependent on herbal medicines. Thus, there is a need to obtain and conserve the historic and traditional knowledge about the medicinal importance of different plants found in different areas of the world. In this regard, a field study was conducted to document the medicinal importance of local plants commonly used by the inhabitants of very old historic villages in Southern Punjab, Pakistan. In total, 58 plant species were explored, which belonged to 28 taxonomic families, as informed by 200 experienced respondents in the study area. The vernacular name, voucher number, plant parts used, and medicinal values were also documented for each species. Among the documented species, Poaceae remained the most predominant family, followed by Solanaceae and Asteraceae. The local communities were dependent on medicinal plants for daily curing of several ailments, including asthma, common cold, sore throat, fever, cardiovascular diseases, and digestive disorders. Among the reported species, leaves and the whole plant remained the most commonly utilized plant parts, while extracts (38.8%) and pastes (23.9%) were the most popular modes of utilization. Based on the ICF value, the highest value was accounted for wound healing (0.87), followed by skincare, nails, hair, and teeth disorders (0.85). The highest RFC value was represented by Acacia nilotica and Triticum aestivum (0.95 each), followed by Azadirachta indica (0.91). The highest UV was represented by Conyza canadensis and Cuscuta reflexa (0.58 each), followed by Xanthium strumarium (0.37). As far as FL was concerned, the highest value was recorded in the case of Azadirachta indica (93.4%) for blood purification and Acacia nilotica (91.1%) for sexual disorders. In conclusion, the local inhabitants primarily focus on medicinal plants for the treatment of different diseases in the very old historic villages of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Moreover, there were various plants in the study area that have great ethnobotanical potential to treat various diseases, as revealed through different indices.
Fulltext Polystyrene Microplastics Exposure: An Insight into Multiple Organ Histological Alterations, Oxidative Stress and Neurotoxicity in Javanese Medaka Fish (Oryzias javanicus Bleeker, 1854)

Usman S, Abdull Razis AF, Shaari K, Amal MNA, Saad MZ, Mat Isa N, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 09 07;18(18).
PMID: 34574375 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18189449

Microplastics (MPs) have become pollutants of concern due to their unknown human health effect and negative impact on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. There is increasing number of experimental research on MPs globally with its effects not fully understood; recent animal studies explore its effects on the intestines, yet on other vital organs. Javanese medaka fish was exposed to polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) beads for a period of 21 days. Histological alterations, intestinal oxidative stress, permeability and neurotoxicity were evaluated. Significant inflammatory changes and tissue damage were observed in the intestine, liver and kidney. Intestinal oxidative stress and permeability were found to be significantly increased. In the brain, neurotoxicity characterised by a significant induction of oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase enzyme were elucidated. This study provided an insight into the multiple organ effect of microplastics exposure, necessitating further exploration and identification of biomarkers to be utilised for biomonitoring population at risk in the future.
Managing crime through quality education: A model of justice

Zaman K, Usman B, Sheikh SM, Iswan, Khan A, Kosnin ABM, et al.

Sci Justice, 2019 11;59(6):597-605.
PMID: 31606097 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2019.08.004

The study examines the role of quality education in access to justice, using a panel data of 21 diversified countries for the period of 1990-2015. The findings show that there is a positive relationship between the presence of scientific and technical journals (STJ) articles and crime rates. The R&D expenditures does not substantially reduce crime rate while per capita income, trademark applications, and technical cooperation grants significantly reduce crime rates across countries. The panel fixed effect (FE) model confirmed the inverted U-shaped relationship between per capita income (GDPpc) and crime rate in the presence of STJ, while this result is changed in the case of GMM estimator. The results of panel causality confirmed the unidirectional causality running from crime rate to STJ and R&D expenditures, while there is bidirectional causality between i) GDPpc and technical cooperation grants, and between ii) energy efficiency and refugee population by country. The variance decomposition analysis (VDA) shows that R&D expenditures have a greater share to influence crime rate, while technical cooperation grants will affect STJ for the next 10 years time. This finding bolsters the conversation on the relationship between education and a reduction in crime rates.
A review on superior advanced oxidation and photocatalytic degradation techniques for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) elimination from wastewater

Zango ZU, Khoo KS, Garba A, Kadir HA, Usman F, Zango MU, et al.

Environ Res, 2023 Mar 15;221:115326.
PMID: 36690243 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115326

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has been identified as the most toxic specie of the family of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs). It has been widely distributed and frequently detected in environmental wastewater. The compound's unique features such as inherent stability, rigidity, and resistance to harsh chemical and thermal conditions, due to its multiple and strong C-F bonds have resulted in its resistance to conventional wastewater remediations. Photolysis and bioremediation methods have been proven to be inefficient in their elimination, hence this article presents intensive literature studies and summarized findings reported on the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and photocatalytic degradation techniques as the best alternatives for the PFOA elimination from wastewater. Techniques of persulfate, photo-Fenton, electrochemical, photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic degradation have been explored and their mechanisms for the degradation and defluorination of the PFOA have been demonstrated. The major advantage of AOPs techniques has been centralized on the generation of active radicals such as sulfate (SO4•-) hydroxyl (•OH). While for the photocatalytic process, photogenerated species (electron (e) and holes (h + vb)) initiated the process. These active radicals and photogenerated species possessed potentiality to attack the PFOA molecule and caused the cleavage of the C-C and C-F bonds, resulting in its efficient degradation. Shorter-chain PFCAs have been identified as the major intermediates detected and the final stage entails its complete mineralization to carbon dioxide (CO2) and fluoride ion (F-). The prospects and challenges associated with the outlined techniques have been highlighted for better understanding of the subject matter for the PFOA elimination from real wastewaters.
Nickel augmented biochar for sustaining produced water treatment to decarbonize oil and gas industrial waste using anaerobic-aerobic granular cylindrical periodic discontinuous batch reactors

Jagaba AH, Lawal DU, Yassin MA, Abdulazeez I, Mu'azu ND, Usman AK, et al.

Environ Res, 2024 Sep 15;257:119381.
PMID: 38857858 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119381

This study assessed the efficacy of granular cylindrical periodic discontinuous batch reactors (GC-PDBRs) for produced water (PW) treatment by employing eggshell and waste activated sludge (WAS) derived Nickel (Ni) augmented biochar. The synthesized biochar was magnetized to further enhance its contribution towards achieving carbon neutrality due to carbon negative nature, Carbon dioxide (CO2) sorption, and negative priming effects. The GC-PDBR1 and GC-PDBR2 process variables were optimized by the application of central composite design (CCD). This is to maximize the decarbonization rate. Results showed that the systems could reduce total phosphorus (TP) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 76-80% and 92-99%, respectively. Optimal organic matter and nutrient removals were achieved at 80% volumetric exchange ratio (VER), 5 min settling time and 3000 mg/L mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration with desirability values of 0.811 and 0.954 for GC-PDBR1 and GC-PDBR2, respectively. Employing four distinct models, the biokinetic coefficients of the GC-PDBRs treating PW were calculated. The findings indicated that First order (0.0758-0.5365) and Monod models (0.8652-0.9925) have relatively low R2 values. However, the Grau Second-order model and Modified Stover-Kincannon model have high R2 values. This shows that, the Grau Second Order and Modified Stover-Kincannon models under various VER, settling time, and MLSS circumstances, are more suited to explain the removal of pollutants in the GC-PDBRs. Microbiological evaluation demonstrated that a high VER caused notable rises in the quantity of several microorganisms. Under high biological selective pressure, GC-PDBR2 demonstrated a greater percentage of nitrogen removal via autotrophic denitrification and a greater number of nitrifying bacteria. The overgrowth of bacteria such as Actinobacteriota spp. Bacteroidota spp, Gammaproteobacteria, Desulfuromonas Mesotoga in the phylum, class, and genus, has positively impacted on granule formation and stability. Taken together, our study through the introduction of intermittent aeration GC-PDBR systems with added magnetized waste derived biochar, is an innovative approach for simultaneous aerobic sludge granulation and PW treatment, thereby providing valuable contributions in the journey toward achieving decarbonization, carbon neutrality and sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Assessing Microalgal Protein's Impact on Environment and Energy Footprint via Life Cycle Analysis

Rawindran H, Lim JW, Lam MK, Supramaniam U, Tong WY, Ng HS, et al.

Mol Biotechnol, 2023 Nov 14.
PMID: 37964101 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00955-0

Conventionally, increasing the yield of microalgal biomass has been the primary focus of research, while the significant protein reserve within this biomass has remained largely unexplored. This protein reserve possesses substantial value and versatility, offering a wide range of prospective applications and presenting an enticing chance for innovation and value enhancement for various sectors. Current study employed an innovative research approach that focused solely on the LCA of protein production potential from microalgal biomass, a lesser-explored aspects within this domain. Most environmental impact categories were shown to be significantly affected by cultivation phase because of the electrical obligation, followed by the harvesting and protein extraction phase. Still, the environmental aspect was seen to yield a minimal impact on global warming potential, i.e., 4 × 10-3 kg CO2, underscoring the ecologically favorable nature of the process. Conversely, the overall energy impact was seen to intensify with NEB of - 39.33 MJ and NER of 0.49, drawing attention to the importance of addressing the energy aspect to harness the full potential of microalgal protein production.
A critical review of state-of-the-art electrocoagulation technique applied to COD-rich industrial wastewaters

Mousazadeh M, Niaragh EK, Usman M, Khan SU, Sandoval MA, Al-Qodah Z, et al.

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2021 Aug;28(32):43143-43172.
PMID: 34164789 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14631-w

Electrocoagulation (EC) is one of the emerging technologies in groundwater and wastewater treatment as it combines the benefits of coagulation, sedimentation, flotation, and electrochemical oxidation processes. Extensive research efforts implementing EC technology have been executed over the last decade to treat chemical oxygen demand (COD)-rich industrial wastewaters with the aim to protect freshwater streams (e.g., rivers, lakes) from pollution. A comprehensive review of the available recent literature utilizing EC to treat wastewater with high COD levels is presented. In addition, recommendations are provided for future studies to improve the EC technology and broaden its range of application. This review paper introduces some technologies which are often adopted for industrial wastewater treatment. Then, the EC process is compared with those techniques as a treatment for COD-rich wastewater. The EC process is considered as the most privileged technology by different research groups owing to its ability to deal with abundant volumes of wastewater. After, the application of EC as a single and combined treatment for COD-rich wastewaters is thoroughly reviewed. Finally, this review attempts to highlight the potentials and limitations of EC. Related to the EC process in batch operation mode, the best operational conditions are found at 10 V and 60 min of voltage and reaction time, respectively. These last values guarantee high COD removal efficiencies of > 90%. This review also concludes that considerably large operation costs of the EC process appears to be the serious drawback and renders it as an unfeasible approach for handling of COD rich wastewaters. In the end, this review has attempted to highlights the potential and limitation of EC and suggests that vast notably research in the field of continuous flow EC system is essential to introduce this technology as a convincing wastewater technology.
Fulltext Computational optimization for the deposition of bioconvection thin Oldroyd-B nanofluid with entropy generation

Usman AH, Khan NS, Humphries UW, Ullah Z, Shah Q, Kumam P, et al.

Sci Rep, 2021 Jun 02;11(1):11641.
PMID: 34078976 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91041-5

The behavior of an Oldroyd-B nanoliquid film sprayed on a stretching cylinder is investigated. The system also contains gyrotactic microorganisms with heat and mass transfer flow. Similarity transformations are used to make the governing equations non-dimensional ordinary differential equations and subsequently are solved through an efficient and powerful analytic technique namely homotopy analysis method (HAM). The roles of all dimensionless profiles and spray rate have been investigated. Velocity decreases with the magnetic field strength and Oldroyd-B nanofluid parameter. Temperature is increased with increasing the Brownian motion parameter while it is decreased with the increasing values of Prandtl and Reynolds numbers. Nanoparticle's concentration is enhanced with the higher values of Reynolds number and activation energy parameter. Gyrotactic microorganism density increases with bioconvection Rayleigh number while it decreases with Peclet number. The film size naturally increases with the spray rate in a nonlinear way. A close agreement is achieved by comparing the present results with the published results.

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