Comparative study of the removal of sulfate by UASB in light and dark environment

At present, the application of sewage treatment technologies is restricted by high sulfate concentrations. In the present work, the sulfate removal was biologically treated using an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) in the absence/presence of light. First, the start-up of UASB for the sulfate removal was studied in terms of COD degradation, sulfate removal, and effluent pH. Second, the impacts of different operation parameters (i.e., COD/SO42- ratio, temperature and illumination time) on the UASB performance were explored. Third, the properties of sludge derived from the UASB at different time were analyzed. Results show that after 28 days of start-up, the COD removal efficiencies in both the photoreactor and non-photoreactor could reach a range of 85-90% while such reactors could achieve > 90% of sulfate being removed. Besides, higher illumination time could facilitate the removal of pollutants in the photoreactor. To sum up, the present study can provide technical support for the clean removal of sulfate from wastewater using photoreactors.

#mybestmidlife: Profiles of photo-based social media use and body image among midlife women

Empirical data, predominantly from young women, suggest photo-based social media use is associated with greater body dissatisfaction. The present study aimed to extend these findings to midlife women and identify risk profiles for maladaptive appearance-focused social media use. A convenience sample of female Instagram users aged 40 or over (M= 50.92 years) (n = 192) was collected. Most participants were partnered, white, highly educated, and heterosexual. A cluster analysis in cross-sectional data grouped participants into four categories according to body image indices (following body positive or fitness accounts, body appreciation and dissatisfaction, thin and muscular ideal internalization, and appearance comparison). Differences by cluster emerged according to indices of social media use (e.g., photo editing, social media rumination), although following appearance-related content across types seemed to distinguish risk profiles more than the types of appearance-related content engaged with (i.e., body positive vs fitness). Furthermore, results indicated that higher social media use was associated with greater perceived negative effects of social media, suggesting that awareness alone may be insufficient to reduce behavioral risk. Findings indicate that some midlife women who use photo-based social media may be at high risk for appearance concerns, warranting further research and resource development for this group.

Assessing without harvesting: Pros and cons of environmental DNA sampling and image analysis for marine biodiversity evaluation

Marine stock assessments or biodiversity monitoring studies, which historically relied on extractive techniques (e.g., trawl or grab surveys), are being progressively replaced by non-extractive approaches. For instance, species abundance indices can be calculated using data obtained from high-definition underwater cameras that enable to identify taxa at low taxonomical level. In biodiversity studies, environmental DNA (eDNA) has proven to be a useful tool for characterising fish species richness. However, several marine phyla remain poorly represented in reference gene databases or release limited amounts of DNA, restricting their detection. The absence of amplification of some invertebrate taxa might also reflect primer bias. We here explore and compare the performance of eDNA and image data in describing the marine communities of several sites in the Bay of Biscay. This was achieved by deploying a remotely operated vehicle to both record images and collect seawater samples. A total of 88 taxa were identified from the eDNA samples and 121 taxa from the images. For both methods, the best characterised phylum was Chordata, with 29 and 27 Actinopterygii species detected using image versus eDNA, respectively. Neither Bryozoa nor Cnidaria was detected in the eDNA samples while the phyla were easily identifiable by imagery. Similarly, Asteroidea (Echinodermata) and Cephalopoda (Mollusca) were scarcely detected in the eDNA samples but present on the images, while Annelida were mostly identified by eDNA (18 taxa vs 7 taxa from imagery). The complementary community descriptions we highlight from these two methods therefore advocate for using both eDNA and imagery in tandem in order to capture the macroscopic biodiversity of bentho-demersal marine communities.

A critical narrative inquiry to understand the impacts of an overdose prevention site on the lives of site users

BACKGROUND

Globally, communities are struggling to gain support for harm reduction strategies being implemented to address the impacts of substance use. A key part of this discussion is understanding and engaging with people who use drugs to help shape community harm reduction strategies. This study focused on how an overdose prevention site has influenced the lives of people who use drugs.

METHODS

A critical narrative method was utilized, centred on photo-narratives. Twenty-seven individuals accessing an overdose prevention site were recruited to participate in preliminary interviews. Sixteen participants subsequently took photographs to describe the impact of the site and participated in a second round of interviews. Through independent coding and several rounds of team analysis, four themes were proposed to constitute a core narrative encompassing the diverse experiences of participants.

RESULTS

A key message shared by participants was the sense that their lives have improved since accessing the site. The core narrative proposed is presented in a series of four themes or "chapters": Enduring, Accessing Safety, Connecting and Belonging, and Transforming. The chapters follow a series of transitions, revealing a journey that participants presented through their own eyes: one of moving from utter despair to hope, opportunity, and inclusion. Where at the outset participants were simply trying to survive the challenges of chaotic substance use, through the relationships and services provided at the site they moved towards small or large life transformations.

CONCLUSIONS

This study contributes to an enhanced understanding of how caring relationships with staff at the overdose prevention site impacted site users' sense of self. We propose that caring relationships are an intervention in and of themselves, and that these relationships contribute to transformation that extends far beyond the public health outcomes of disease reduction. The caring relationships at the site can be a starting point for significant social changes. However, the micro-environment that existed within the site needs to extend beyond its walls for true transformative change to take place. The marginalization and stigmatization that people who use drugs experience outside these sites remains a constant barrier to achieving stability in their lives.

A scoping review into the impact of animal imagery on pro-environmental outcomes

With the recognition that most global environmental problems are a result of human actions, there is an increasing interest in approaches which have the potential to influence human behaviour. Images have a powerful role in shaping persuasive messages, yet research on the impacts of visual representations of nature is a neglected area in biodiversity conservation. We systematically screened existing studies on the use of animal imagery in conservation, identifying 37 articles. Although there is clear evidence that images of animals can have positive effects on people's attitudes to animals, overall there is currently a dearth of accessible and comparable published data demonstrating the efficacy of animal imagery. Most existing studies are place and context-specific, limiting the generalisable conclusions that can be drawn. Transdisciplinary research is needed to develop a robust understanding of the contextual and cultural factors that affect how animal images can be used effectively for conservation purposes.

Comparing wasted apples and oranges: An assessment of methods to measure household food waste

Food waste has become a global concern in recent years, especially the household food waste that is generated in the developed world. Multiple methods to measure household food waste have been proposed, but little is known about their validity. Five methods are selected and investigated empirically: survey questions about general food waste over a non-specified period of time, diaries, photo coding, kitchen caddies, and pre-announced survey questions regarding a specific time period. In an experiment, respondents were asked to assess their food waste using some or all of these methods depending on condition. Overall, the general survey questions appear to be less valid, as these lead to large underestimation of the level of food waste, low variance in reported food waste across households compared to the other methods, and low correlations with other measures. The other four methods are relatively highly correlated. A survey about food waste in the past week appears to be a useful method for large-scale measurements to differentiate households according to the amount of food waste each produces, although it should be noted that this method underestimates the amount of food waste. Kitchen caddies and photo coding seem to be valid methods and, for small samples, provide alternatives to food diaries, which have been more commonly used.

Enhanced degradation of organic contaminants by zero-valent iron/sulfite process under simulated sunlight irradiation

Degradation of propranolol (PrP) by a combined zero-valent iron and sulfite system under simulated sunlight irradiation (ZVI/sulfite/photo) was investigated. Simulated sunlight irradiation enhanced the degradation of PrP by accelerating the decomposition of ferric sulfite complex as a result to producing sulfite radical (SO₃^•-). As bubbles would block the transport of photons in the reaction solution, mechanical aeration rather than purging air was suggested to sustain the essential dissolved oxygen. The degradation of PrP increased with the elevation of initial ZVI concentration from 0.05 to 0.5 mM, but decreased a little with further increasing ZVI concentration to 1.0 mM. The degradation of PrP raised from 68.5% to 98.7% while sulfite dose increased from 0.1 to 2.0 mM. High removal efficiencies were always achieved when the initial PrP concentration ranged from 10 to 40 μM. As HSO₃^- which can efficiently complex Fe(II) and transfer Fe(III) to Fe(II) is the dominant species of sulfite at pH 4.0-6.0, the highest removal of PrP was achieved at pH 4.0-6.0. The presence of bicarbonate and humic acid significantly retarded the removal of PrP, while chloride ions could promote the removal of PrP to some extent. SO₄^•-, HO^• and SO₅^•- were suggested to account for PrP removal, while SO₄^•- was evidenced to be the dominant radicals. Good reuse of ZVI in the system was also achieved as the removal of PrP kept higher than 80% after repeatedly used for 5 times. Possible degradation pathways of PrP in the ZVI/sulfite/photo system were accordingly proposed based on LC-MS and density functional theory calculation. The removal of amitriptyline, nitrobenzene, imipramine and methylparaben in the ZVI/sulfite/photo system was also evaluated. As a reducing agent, sulfite is expected to consume the possible formed bromine-containing intermediates as a result to inhibiting the formation of bromate, which is better than the activated persulfate system.

Presence of a predator image in potential breeding sites and oviposition responses of a dengue vector

In dengue vector control, attempts to minimize or replace the use of pesticides have mostly involved use of predators, but success has been severely impeded by difficulties associated with financial and environmental costs, predator mass production, and persistence in target habitats. Visual deterrents have been used successfully to control animal pests, in some cases in an effort to replace pesticide use. Despite evidence that visual signals are crucial in site choice for egg deposition by dengue vectors, and that female mosquitoes respond to artificial predation, the role of predator intimidation as it affects the oviposition behavior of dengue vectors remains largely unexplored. Here, we examined the oviposition responses of Aedes aegypti exposed to various mosquito predator pictures. Gravid females were presented with equal opportunities to oviposit in two cups with predator images [Toxorhynchites splendens-TXI, Goldfish (Carassius auratus)-small (SFI) and large (LFI) and Tx. splendens+Goldfish-TXFI] and two others without pictures. Differences in egg deposition were examined between sites with and without these images. When given a chance to oviposit in cups with and without TXI, Ae. aegypti females were similarly attracted to both sites. When provided an opportunity to oviposit in cups displaying pictures of fish (SFI or LFI) and blank cups, egg deposition rates were much lower in the fish picture sites. Females showed a preference for blank cups over TXFI for egg deposition. They also equally avoided cups with pictures of fish, regardless of the size of the picture. Our results indicate that the presence of images of goldfish and their association with Tx. larvae significantly reduced egg deposition by Ae. aegypti, and this was not the case with the predatory larvae alone. The observations that the images of natural predators can repel gravid females of a dengue vector provide novel possibilities to develop effective and inexpensive alternative tools to harmful insecticides.