Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and its natural environmental impacts

Tourists attitude change in wildlife consumption in and around protected areas in China

After the outbreak of COVID-19, China has taken a quick action and issued a ban on terrestrial wildlife consumption. After 2 years' implementation of the ban, the long effect of ban is a concern. In order to understand the public attitudes towards wildlife consumption and its change before and after the outbreak of the pandemic, the study was conducted among tourists in Zhalong and Xishuangbanna nature reserves, where there has been news on tourists consuming wildlife before the pandemic. A total of 348 valid questionnaires (128 in Zhalong and 220 in Xishuangbanna) were collected. The survey results show that collaborative actions coordinating strict enforcement and publicity is the most critical factor affecting wildlife protection. The top two reasons why tourists ceased consuming wildlife were wildlife consumption ban and fear of the zoonotic disease, while extensive publicity was the determinant factor to the high perception of the strict enforcement and the risk of zoonotic diseases caused by wildlife among tourists. And tourists have a higher sense of responsibility for wildlife protection after the outbreak of the pandemic, more than 50 % tourists (61.9 % in Zhalong and 48.4 % in Xishuangbanna) would like to take more proactive action than only refusing to buy wildlife, such as reporting to authorities and dissuading others from buying when encountering illegal wildlife selling. However, it is found that more efforts should be taken to enhance the tourists' knowledge of wildlife and wildlife protection laws. Even though about 90 % tourists know about the ban and other legislations on wildlife, about half of tourists have no clear idea about the specific provisions. The knowledge about wildlife is even poorer, only about one third of tourists surveyed gave 100 % correct answer to the questions about the species that are categorized as wildlife and the wildlife that are permitted to be farmed and eat. Geography is found to have influences on tourists' law compliance and perception of wildlife protection. The tourists from the north show stronger obedience to government requirements but have less knowledge of wildlife legislations, while those from the south, who have the better knowledge of wildlife legislations, show a lower inclination (65.5 % in Xishuangbanna) for the permanent ban on wildlife consumption. The tourists surveyed with higher education or employed in wildlife-related sectors have cautious attitudes towards the complete and permanent ban and prefer to support the science-based management of wildlife protection.

Microplastics as an Emerging Potential Threat: Toxicity, Life Cycle Assessment, and Management

The pervasiveness of microplastics (MPs) in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems has become a significant environmental concern in recent years. Because of their slow rate of disposal, MPs are ubiquitous in the environment. As a consequence of indiscriminate use, landfill deposits, and inadequate recycling methods, MP production and environmental accumulation are expanding at an alarming rate, resulting in a range of economic, social, and environmental repercussions. Aquatic organisms, including fish and various crustaceans, consume MPs, which are ultimately consumed by humans at the tertiary level of the food chain. Blocking the digestive tracts, disrupting digestive behavior, and ultimately reducing the reproductive growth of entire living organisms are all consequences of this phenomenon. In order to assess the potential environmental impacts and the resources required for the life of a plastic product, the importance of life cycle assessment (LCA) and circularity is underscored. MPs-related ecosystem degradation has not yet been adequately incorporated into LCA, a tool for evaluating the environmental performance of product and technology life cycles. It is a technique that is designed to quantify the environmental effects of a product from its inception to its demise, and it is frequently employed in the context of plastics. The control of MPs is necessary due to the growing concern that MPs pose as a newly emergent potential threat. This is due to the consequences of their use. This paper provides a critical analysis of the formation, distribution, and methods used for detecting MPs. The effects of MPs on ecosystems and human health are also discussed, which posed a great challenge to conduct an LCA related to MPs. The socio-economic impacts of MPs and their management are also discussed. This paper paves the way for understanding the ecotoxicological impacts of the emerging MP threat and their associated issues to LCA and limits the environmental impact of plastic.

From chaos to clarity: The scientometric breakthrough in COVID-19 research

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed the world for over three years, generating unprecedented social changes in recent human history.

AIMS

We aimed to scientometrically summarize a global and temporal overview of publications on COVID-19 in the two worst years of the pandemic and its progression in early 2022, after the start of vaccination.

METHODS

Using the Web of Science database, this review covered the period from late 2019 to March 2022 and included all publications identified using the following terms: "SARS-CoV-2", "COVID-19", "Coronavirus Disease 19", and "2019-nCoV". We retrieved 268,904 publications, with evident global spreading, demonstrating that the pandemic triggered worldwide scientific research efforts.

RESULTS

Within the dataset, 195 countries have published about Covid-19. In initial publications, a solid trend in genotyping, sequencing, and detection of the virus was evident; however, in the development of the pandemic, new knowledge and research focus gained relevance, with continental solid trends, revealed by the keywords sustainability (eastern Europe); material sciences (Asia); public and mental health (Africa); information sciences (western Europe); education (Latin America). It identified high-impact research, mainly on diagnosis and vaccines, but also equally essential topics for returning life to the new normal, such as mental health, education, and remote work. The world experienced a highly transmissible infection that proved how fragile we are regarding organization and society.

CONCLUSIONS

It is necessary to learn from such an event and establish a protocol of actions and measures to be taken and avoided in a health emergency, aiming to act differently from the chaos experienced during the pandemic. Following the One Health approach, humanity must be aware of the need for more sustainable attitudes, given the inseparability of human beings from the environment.

Affectation of COVID-19 pandemic on the use and abundance of wild resources in Tabasco, Mexico: A qualitative assessment

Southern Mexico is particularly rich in natural resources, yet unemployment has risen to 8% during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effect of the pandemic on the use and abundance of Tabasco's wild resources was examined through personal surveys. By using Microsoft Forms® with cell phones 1,963 surveys were collected. Cronbach's alpha, Z-value, and chi2 were calculated using the MAXQDA Analytics Pro program. A higher abundance of wild resources before the pandemic than today (57% vs. 11%) was observed. During the pandemic, people referred more to a high use (28%) of resources than to a low use (20%). This caused the low abundance or scarcity of wild products to be greater during the pandemic than before the pandemic (43% vs. 4%). Wild foods and timber were the most used products. The pandemic has produced a greater use of natural resources probably due to the high unemployment rate in rural areas. Future studies of wild products should address the relevant products in the locality and their even sampling. Finding suitable respondents is highly recommended.

A review towards developing a hierarchical model for sustainable hospital solid waste management in rural areas of Zimbabwe

Management of solid waste from rural hospitals is amongst problems affecting Zimbabwe due to diseases, population, and hospital increase. Solid waste from rural hospitals is receiving little attention translating to environmental health problems. Therefore, 101 secondary sources were used to write a paper aiming to proffer a hierarchical model to achieve sustainable solid waste management at rural hospitals. Rural hospitals' solid waste encompasses electronic waste, sharps, pharmaceutical, pathological, radioactive, chemical, infectious, and general waste. General solid waste from rural hospitals is between 77.35 and 79% whilst hazardous waste is between 21 and 22.65%. Solid waste increase add burden to nearly incapacitated rural hospitals. Rural hospital solid waste management processes include storage, transportation, treatment methods like autoclaving and chlorination, waste reduction alternatives, and disposal. Disposal strategies involve open pits, open burning, dumping, and incineration. Rural hospital solid waste management is guided by legislation, policies, guidelines, and conventions. Effectiveness of legal framework is limited by economic and socio-political problems. Rural hospital solid waste management remain inappropriate causing environmental health risks. Developed hierarchical model can narrow the route to attain sustainable management of rural hospitals' solid waste. Proposed hierarchical model consists of five-layered strategies and acted as a guide for identifying and ranking approaches to manage rural hospitals' solid waste. Additionally, Zimbabwean government, Environmental Management Agency and Ministry of Health is recommended to collaborate to provide sufficient resources to rural hospitals whilst enforcing legal framework. Integration of all hierarchical model's elements is essential whereas all-stakeholder involvement and solid waste minimisation approaches are significant at rural hospitals.

Assessment of Ecological Bridges at Wildlife Crossings in Türkiye: A Case Study of Wild Boar Crossings on the Izmir-Çeşme Motorway

In this study, the use of an ecological bridge installed as a wildlife overpass and constructed in the Zeytinler neighborhood in 2020 was analyzed as a mitigating factor in wild-boar-vehicle collisions (WVCs) on the Izmir-Çeşme motorway. In this context, this study aimed to assess the use of the Zeytinler Ecological Bridge by wild boars (Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758). To this end, wildlife crossings were monitored, analyzed, and modeled with Bayesian networks. Between August 2020 and December 2022, a total of 686 instances of movement were observed among six medium to large wild mammal species. Wild boars accounted for approximately 87.5% of the recorded wildlife crossings, with foxes comprising 10%. The findings showed that the highest frequency of wildlife crossings occurred during the autumn season, particularly between 22:00 (10 p.m.) and 02:00 (2 a.m.), coinciding with the Waxing Gibbous and Waxing Crescent phases of the moon. The model outcomes highlighted that during the autumn season with a full pond, wild boar crossings increased by one and a half times in comparison to regular herd crossings. Throughout the observation period, there were no instances of wild boar fatalities subsequent to the completion of the bridge.

Vaccine Hesitancy in India: Facilitators and Inhibitors

COVID-19 is yet not completely over; however, many people are hesitant to take COVID-19 vaccines despite their availability. Vaccine hesitancy is a major roadblock to attaining normalcy and controlling the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The present research used a multitheoretical framework (Health Belief Model, 3Cs framework, fatalism, and religious fatalism) to comprehend the complexity of vaccine hesitancy. Thus, the present study aimed at exploring vaccine hesitancy in India by using key components of the Health Belief Model, 3Cs framework, fatalism, religious fatalism, and some demographics as predictors. Data were collected electronically with the help of Google Forms from 639 Indian adults following snowballing and convenience sampling techniques with standardized measures (albeit some modifications to suit the context of the study). Descriptive analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were run in SPSS (V-22) to analyze the data. Results revealed that participants of the present study scored relatively high on vaccine hesitancy. Muslims as compared with Hindus and vaccination status emerged as significant predictors of vaccine hesitancy out of the demographic factors. Fear of COVID-19, vaccine convenience, and religious fatalism also significantly predicted vaccine hesitancy. Thus, a comprehensive approach is needed to strategically use these predictors to control vaccine hesitancy.

The impact of the anthropause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on beach debris accumulation in Maui, Hawai'i

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions led to a considerable reduction in tourism and human activity on Maui, presenting a unique opportunity to study debris accumulation on local beaches during changing levels of human activities. Standardized daily debris accumulation surveys were completed at two beach sites in Maui, Hawai 'i before (2017) as well as throughout the initial year of the pandemic (2020-2021) and allowed for the assessment of pandemic-related restrictions on marine debris accumulation trends. Throughout the pandemic, reduced beach use due to higher lockdown levels had significant impacts on debris accumulation at both sites, but only one of the two sites experienced a significant decrease (~ 90% reduction) in debris accumulation rates when compared to the same months in 2017. Daily accumulation rates across two sites increased from an average of 16 items/100 m during peak lockdown levels to 43 items/100 m when restrictions eased. The observed fluctuations in debris accumulation rates, driven by changes in tourism and travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic emphasize the importance of proactive measures to protect the natural environment, including source reduction and effective legislation for waste prevention. By addressing both local and remote sources of debris and focusing on reducing waste at its source, it is possible to mitigate the impacts of debris accumulation on coastal environments and marine life in Hawai'i.

The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Environmental Health (Two Sides of the Same Coin): A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019 has led to many changes such as reduced human activities and effects on the environment. There is no big picture of the effects of pandemics on the environment using related evidence.

OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on environmental health.

METHODS

A systematic search of English language studies was performed in major electronic databases; Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google scholar web search engine from December 2019 to February 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standard guidelines were used to follow up the review process. finally 58 articles entered the review procedure.

RESULTS

The results of indicate a significant reduction of air pollutants and improved air quality. It improved the water quality of some rivers, canals, and seas during the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of this disease on the environment cannot be fully described yet.

CONCLUSION

In the short term, the amount of air, water, and coastal pollution has been reduced. few studies have examined the effects of pandemics on the environment in the long run, which paves the way for more researches.

High-Performance Sustainable Electrochromic Devices Based on Carrageenan Solid Polymer Electrolytes with Ionic Liquid

The development of sustainable functional materials with strong potential to be applied in different areas has been growing and gaining increasing interest to address the environmental impact of current materials and technologies. In this scope, this work reports on sustainable functional materials with electrochromic properties, based on their increasing interest for a variety of applications, including sensing technologies. The materials have been developed based on a natural derived polymer, carrageenan, in which different amounts of the ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate ([EMIM][SCN]) were blended. It is shown that the addition of different amounts of IL to the carrageenan matrix does not affect the properties of the samples in terms of morphology or physicochemical and thermal properties, the most significant difference being the increase of the ionic conductivity with increasing IL content, ranging from 2.3 × 10^-11 S·cm^-1 for pristine carrageenan to 4.6 × 10^-4 S·cm^-1 for the samples with 5 and 60 wt % IL content, respectively. A electrochromic device has been developed based on the different IL/carrageenan samples as electrolyte and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) as electrodes. Spectroelectrochemistry testing demonstrates functional devices at low voltages between 0.3 and -0.9 V. Among the different samples, the one with 15 wt % IL content presents the best conditions for application, presenting an oxidation time of 6 s, a reduction time of 8 s, and a charge density of 1150 and 1050 μC·cm^-2 for oxidation and reduction, respectively. The same sample also presents excellent optical density as a function of load density, presenting an optical switch (Δ%Tx) of 99%. Thus, it is demonstrated that it is possible to develop high efficiency and sustainable electrochromic devices based on natural polymers and ionic liquids.

COVID-19's Impact on the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance: Challenging Times and Resilience from Its Members

The worldwide pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 challenged conservation organizations. The lack of tourism has benefited or negatively affected wildlife organizations in various ways, with several primate sanctuaries struggling to cope with the COVID-19 crisis and to keep providing for their inhabitants. In addition, the genetic similarity between great apes and humans puts them at higher risk than any other species for the transmission of COVID-19. PASA is a non-profit organization comprising 23 sanctuaries, and cares for many species of primate, including African great apes. In light of the pandemic, we aimed to understand the direct effects of COVID-19 on PASA management throughout three time periods: before (2018-2019), at the start of (2019-2020), and during (2020-2021) the pandemic. We collected data via annual surveys for PASA members and ran Generalized Linear Mixed Models to highlight any significant differences in their management that could be linked to COVID-19. Our findings demonstrated no particular impact on the number of primates rescued, employees, or expenses. However, revenues have been decreasing post-COVID-19 due to the lack of income from tourism and volunteer programs. Nonetheless, our results reveal a form of resilience regarding the sanctuaries and the strategy applied to maintain their management. Consequently, we emphasize the specific impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak and its repercussions for conservation work. We discuss the difficulties that sanctuaries have faced throughout the crisis and present the best measures to prevent future outbreaks and protect biodiversity.

Harnessing and bioprospecting botanical-based herbal medicines against potential drug targets for COVID-19: a review coupled molecular docking studies

Since the end of February 2020, the world has come to a standstill due to the virus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). Since then, the global scientific community has explored various remedies and treatments against this virus, including natural products that have always been a choice because of their many benefits. Various known phytochemicals are well documented for their antiviral properties. Research is being carried out to discover new natural plant products or existing ones as a treatment measure for this disease. The three important targets in this regard are-papain like protease (PLpro), spike protein, and 3 chymotrypsin like proteases (3CLpro). Various docking studies are also being elucidated to identify the phytochemicals that modulate crucial proteins of the virus. The paper is simultaneously a comprehensive review that covers recent advances in the domain of the effect of various botanically derived natural products as an alternative treatment approach against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Furthermore, the docking analyses revealed that rutin (inhibitor of the major protease of SARS-CoV-2), gallocatechin (e.g., interacting with 03 hydrogen bonds with a spike-like protein), lycorine (showing the best binding affinity with amino acids GLN498, THR500 and GLY446 of the spike-like protein), and quercetrin (inhabiting at its residues ASP216, PHE219, and ILE259) are promising inhibitors of SARS‑CoV‑2.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Spatiotemporal variations and the ecological risks of organophosphate esters in Laizhou Bay waters between 2019 and 2021: Implying the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are a group of synthetic chemicals used in numerous consumer products such as plastics and furniture. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly slowed anthropogenic activities and reduced the emissions of pollutants. Meanwhile, the mismanagement of large quantities of disposable plastic facemasks intensified the problems of plastic pollution and leachable pollutants in coastal waters. In this study, the joint effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on the occurrence of 12 targeted OPEs in the waters of Laizhou Bay (LZB) were investigated. The results showed that the median total OPE concentrations were 725, 363, and 109 ng L^-1 in the sewage treatment plant effluent, river water, and bay water in 2021, decreased significantly (p < 0.05) by 67%, 68%, and 70%, respectively, compared with those before the COVID-19 outbreak. The release potential of targeted OPEs from disposable surgical masks in the LZB area was ∼0.24 kg yr^-1, which was insufficient to increase the OPE concentration in the LZB waters. The concentrations of most individual OPEs significantly decreased in LZB waters from 2019 to 2021, except for TBOEP and TNBP. Spatially, a lower concentration of OPEs was found in the Yellow River estuary area in 2021 compared with that before the COVID-19 pandemic due to the high content of suspended particulate matter in the YR. A higher total OPE concentration was observed along the northeastern coast of LZB, mainly owing to the construction of an artificial island since 2020. The ecological risks of the OPE mixture in LZB waters were lower than those before the COVID-19 outbreak. However, TCEP, TNBP, and BDP should receive continuous attention because of their potential ecological risks to aquatic organisms.

Circular economy of medical waste: novel intelligent medical waste management framework based on extension linear Diophantine fuzzy FDOSM and neural network approach

Environmental pollution has been a major concern for researchers and policymakers. A number of studies have been conducted to enquire the causes of environmental pollution which suggested numerous policies and techniques as remedial measures. One such major source of environmental pollution, as reported by previous studies, has been the garbage resulting from disposed hospital wastes. The recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted into mass generation of medical waste which seems to have further deteriorated the issue of environmental pollution. This necessitates active attention from both the researchers and policymakers for effective management of medical waste to prevent the harm to environment and human health. The issue of medical waste management is more important for countries lacking sophisticated medical infrastructure. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to propose a novel application for identification and classification of 10 hospitals in Iraq which generated more medical waste during the COVID-19 pandemic than others in order to address the issue more effectively. We used the Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method to this end. We integrated MCDM with other techniques including the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), linear Diophantine fuzzy set decision by opinion score method (LDFN-FDOSM), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) analysis to generate more robust results. We classified medical waste into five categories, i.e., general waste, sharp waste, pharmaceutical waste, infectious waste, and pathological waste. We consulted 313 experts to help in identifying the best and the worst medical waste management technique within the perspectives of circular economy using the neural network approach. The findings revealed that incineration technique, microwave technique, pyrolysis technique, autoclave chemical technique, vaporized hydrogen peroxide, dry heat, ozone, and ultraviolet light were the most effective methods to dispose of medical waste during the pandemic. Additionally, ozone was identified as the most suitable technique among all to serve the purpose of circular economy of medical waste. We conclude by discussing the practical implications to guide governments and policy makers to benefit from the circular economy of medical waste to turn pollutant hospitals into sustainable ones.

Tropical sharks feasting on and swimming through microplastics: First evidence from Malaysia

Plastic can be degraded into microplastic (<5 mm) and has been polluting worldwide marine environment and negatively impact human health. Microplastics in marine organisms are still understudied in Malaysia, let alone from a subclass Elasmobranchii. Five tropical shark species (Carcharhinus dussumieri, Carcharhinus sorrah, Chiloscyllium hasseltii, Chiloscyllium punctatum, and Scoliodon laticaudus) were examined for the presence of microplastics. 74 sharks were sampled from the local wet market and 100 % of samples contained microplastics. A total of 2211 plastic particles were found in gastrointestinal tracts (GIT) and gills, where 29.88 ± 2.34 particles per shark (mean ± SEM). Black (40.07 %) and fiber (84.44 %) microplastics were the most dominant. Extracted microplastic sizes ranged from 0.007 mm to 4.992 mm. This study suggests that microplastic uptake is gender-related for some shark species. A subsample of microplastics (10 %) was used for polymer type identification, where polyester was recorded the highest (43.95 %).

Top management commitment in greening supply chain operations: post-COVID-19 perspectives from an emerging economy

Purpose

The novel COVID-19 supply chain disruption has globally altered the environmental needs of society. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to examine how top managers are environmentally committed to integrating green supply chain management (GSCM) practices in the operational performance of small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana, within the post-pandemic economy.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a cross-sectional survey to obtain data from 270 SMEs in Ghana, using partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modelling to test seven hypothesized relationships.

Findings

The outcome of the analysis revealed that top management environmental commitment has a significantly positive effect on supply chain operational performance. The structural model also revealed that top management environmental commitment has a positive and significant effect on both internal and external GSCM practices. The results further revealed that both internal and external GSCM practices have positive and significant effects on supply chain operational performance. Finally, both internal and external GSCM practices mediate the path between top management environmental commitment and supply chain operational performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides a novel framework which contributes to both theoretical studies and managerial decisions on COVID-19 related supply chain management issues. However, the study was limited to the Ghanaian context, thus, further related studies are required in other contexts.

Originality/value

This study provides a novel framework by elucidating the intervening role of GSCM practices in the path between top management environmental commitment and supply chain operations in an emerging post-pandemic world context.

Perceptions of change in the environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for environmental policy

COVID-19 lockdown measures have impacted the environment with both positive and negative effects. However, how human populations have perceived such changes in the natural environment and how they may have changed their daily habits have not been yet thoroughly evaluated. The objectives of this work were to investigate (1) the social perception of the environmental changes produced by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and the derived change in habits in relation to i) waste management, energy saving, and sustainable consumption, ii) mobility, iii) social inequalities, iv) generation of noise, v) utilization of natural spaces, and, vi) human population perception towards the future, and (2) the associations of these potential new habits with various socio-demographic variables. First, a SWOT analysis identified strengths (S), weaknesses (W), opportunities (O), and threats (T) generated by the pandemic lockdown measures. Second, a survey based on the aspects of the SWOT was administered among 2370 adults from 37 countries during the period from February to September 2021. We found that the short-term positive impacts on the natural environment were generally well recognized. In contrast, longer-term negative effects arise, but they were often not reported by the survey participants, such as greater production of plastic waste derived from health safety measures, and the increase in e-commerce use, which can displace small storefront businesses. We were able to capture a mismatch between perceptions and the reported data related to visits to natural areas, and generation of waste. We found that age and country of residence were major contributors in shaping the survey participants ´answers, which highlights the importance of government management strategies to address current and future environmental problems. Enhanced positive perceptions of the environment and ecosystems, combined with the understanding that livelihood sustainability, needs to be prioritized and would reinforce environmental protection policies to create greener cities. Moreover, new sustainable jobs in combination with more sustainable human habits represent an opportunity to reinforce environmental policy.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) disposal during COVID-19: An emerging source of microplastic and microfiber pollution in the environment

Waste generated by healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic has become a new source of pollution, particularly with the widespread use of single-use personal protective equipment (PPE). Releasing microplastics (MPs) and microfibers (MFs) from discarded PPE becomes an emerging threat to environmental sustainability. MPs/MFs have recently been reported in a variety of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, including water, deep-sea sediments, air, and soil. As COVID-19 spreads, the use of plastic-made PPE in healthcare facilities has increased significantly worldwide, resulting in massive amounts of plastic waste entering the terrestrial and marine environments. High loads of MPs/MFs emitted into the environment due to excessive PPE consumption are easily consumed by aquatic organisms, disrupting the food chain, and potentially causing chronic health problems in humans. Thus, proper management of PPE waste is critical for ensuring a post-COVID sustainable environment, which has recently attracted the attention of the scientific community. The current study aims to review the global consumption and sustainable management of discarded PPE in the context of COVID-19. The severe impacts of PPE-emitted MPs/MFs on human health and other environmental segments are briefly addressed. Despite extensive research progress in the area, many questions about MP/MF contamination in the context of COVID-19 remain unanswered. Therefore, in response to the post-COVID environmental remediation concerns, future research directions and recommendations are highlighted considering the current MP/MF research progress from COVID-related PPE waste.

Medical solid waste management status in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, management of medical solid waste is emerging as a visible dilemma. This is attributed to population explosion as well as outbreak of diseases and spread of already existing diseases which accelerate volume of medical solid waste generated by medical facilities. Consequently, the overarching objective of this paper was to review medical solid waste management status in Zimbabwe utilising published documents. The literature demonstrated that medical solid waste generated in Zimbabwe encompasses pathological, pharmaceutical, chemical, infectious, cytotoxic, sharps and general waste. Management approaches used by medical facilities are marred with inappropriateness as shown by storage, collection, conveyance and disposal of non-segregated waste. Verdicts of the study depict that open pit dumping, landfills, incineration, burying, open burning, ottoway pits and open dumpsites are discarding strategies used. However, these strategies pose water, air and soil pollution, therefore, impacting the ecosystem and humanity. Findings indicated that infectious diseases, respiratory diseases, gastro-intestinal problems and injuries emanate due to poor management of medical waste. The roots of unsafe management of medical solid waste include inadequate finance, weak enforcement of legislation, ignorance among health workers and waste workers as well as non-participatory approach in decision making. Zimbabwe is recommended to direct funds to medical solid waste, increase awareness of health workers through trainings and education and reinforcing enforcement of legislation linked to medical solid waste among others.

COVID-19 and sustainable development goals: A bibliometric analysis and SWOT analysis in Malaysian context

The COVID-19 crisis has been a core threat to the lives of billions of individuals over the world. The COVID-19 crisis has influenced governments' aims to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); leading to exceptional conditions of fragility, poverty, job loss, and hunger all over the world. This study aims to investigate the current studies that concentrate on the COVID-19 crisis and its implications on SDGs using a bibliometric analysis approach. The study also deployed the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) approach to perform a systematic analysis of the SDGs, with an emphasis on the COVID-19 crisis impact on Malaysia. The results of the study indicated the unprecedented obstacles faced by countries to meet the UN's SDGs in terms of implementation, coordination, trade-off decisions, and regional issues. The study also stressed the impact of COVID-19 on the implementation of the SDGs focusing on the income, education, and health aspects. The outcomes highlighted the emerging opportunities of the crisis that include an improvement in the health sector, the adoption of online modes in education, the swift digital transformation, and the global focus on environmental issues. Our study demonstrated that, in the post-crisis time, the ratio of citizens in poverty could grow up more than the current national stated values. We stressed the need to design an international agreement to reconsider the implementation of SDGs, among which, are strategic schemes to identify vital and appropriate policies.

Designing a new fast solution to control isolation rooms in hospitals depending on artificial intelligence decision

Decreasing the COVID spread of infection among patients at physical isolation hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic was the main aim of all governments in the world. It was required to increase isolation places in the hospital's rules to prevent the spread of infection. To deal with influxes of infected COVID-19 patients’ quick solutions must be explored. The presented paper studies converting natural rooms in hospitals into isolation sections and constructing new isolation cabinets using prefabricated components as alternative and quick solutions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) helps in the selection and making of a decision on which type of solution will be used. A Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Network (MLPNN) model is a type of artificial intelligence technique used to design and implement on time, cost, available facilities, area, and spaces as input parameters. The MLPNN result decided to select a prefabricated approach since it saves 43% of the time while the cost was the same for the two approaches. Forty-five hospitals have implemented a prefabricated solution which gave excellent results in a short period of time at reduced costs based on found facilities and spaces. Prefabricated solutions provide a shorter time and lower cost by 43% and 78% in average values respectively as compared to retrofitting existing natural ventilation rooms.

Impact of Personal Experience of COVID-19 Disease on Recreational Anglers' Attitudes and Behaviors

BACKGROUND

Anglers are a large social group with access to a "relatively safe" form of recreation, that allows the opportunity to relieve stress. An important question, however, is how they did so, and to what extent their perceived COVID-19 transition status influenced decisions both in life and at the fishing site.

AIM

Our study aimed to determine the dynamics of anglers' attitudes and behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of the different statuses of their exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We assumed that the behavior of anglers who have not experienced the disease (were not ill and not sure if ill) will be similar and, on the other hand, different from the behavior of those who have experienced COVID-19.

METHODS

The web-assisted interviews survey was used among 586 anglers with different COVID-19 disease experience statuses. Their pandemic behavior and activities by four age groups were studied using non-metric multidimensional scaling. Redundancy analysis has been used to identify the relationship between anglers' life attitudes and socioeconomic and demographic factors, taking into account their preferences and involvement in fishing.

RESULTS

We have demonstrated that the behavior of anglers who have not experienced COVID-19 disease and do not present a reckless attitude toward pandemic threats, do not show significant differences from the life attitudes of the group experienced by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These two groups comprise more than 70% of anglers. However, the rest show a lack of interest in an aware diagnosis of their health and a low level of acceptance of self-restraint in the area of direct social contact.

CONCLUSIONS

Unawareness, combined with ignorance, could be a potential factor in the transmission of the virus while fishing. The behaviors of almost 30% of anglers are particularly risky when combined with a strong need to fish in the company of friends and familiar people. Anglers' social identity should be tapped by fishery managers. Targeted educational campaigns should be aimed at groups around specific fishing spots. The need for self-limitation under the pandemic should be promoted for the benefit of the general public and to maintain the reputation of angling as a safe recreational activity.

Drivers of public plastic (mis)use - New insights from changes in single-use plastic usage during the Covid-19 pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) has influenced resource use and how people interact with their environment, with changing priorities and competing public health factors affecting pro-environmental behaviours at individual, societal, business and political levels. We used data from an online plastic footprint calculator to explore temporal changes, purchasing patterns and consumer behaviours around on-the-go plastic use during the pandemic. We hypothesised that 1) people's plastic use when on-the-go would change in response to the pandemic and related government restrictions and; 2) single-use plastic use on-the-go would decrease during lockdown periods due to restrictions against leaving home. The calculator received 1937 responses, with 13,544 plastic items recorded. Most used were food wrappers (54 % of all items), takeaway containers (12 %) and bottles (9 %). Six out of seven items showed increased use during lockdowns, in-line with our first hypothesis, but not the second. Three times more bottles were used, food wrapper consumption almost doubled, and takeaway container use more than doubled. Increased container use occurred alongside increased takeaway meal consumption during lockdowns. Patterns were similar between different periods of lockdown, with no significant differences in the number used of any items, or percentage of respondents using them. Results indicate that during lockdown, people found it harder to avoid single-use plastic while on-the-go, supporting evidence from other studies that plastic use can be driven by perceptions of hygiene benefits and lack of "safe" alternatives. Our results indicate opportunities to reduce single-use plastic consumption and we provide examples of successful implementation. Our findings evidence that, when properly applied, government-led guidance can effectively support consumer choices for reduced plastic use, encourage use of reusables, increase provision of alternatives, and dispel hygiene myths. The sudden increase in plastic waste due to the Covid-19 pandemic amplifies the need to substantiate plastic reduction policy promises without further delay.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Muted and Remixed the World's Acoustics for a While

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review aims to analyze the effects of the pandemic on the world's sound environment.

RECENT FINDINGS

The confinements associated with the pandemic led to a reduction in sound levels worldwide and a change in the perception of soundscapes in the absence of traffic noise and human-generated noise.

SUMMARY

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries and regions around the world adopted a series of interventions in 2020 that have been referred to as "lockdown" or "confinement." These sets of restrictions had a clear and obvious consequence derived from the absence of people in the streets and the reduction of daily activity and commuting, which caused an unprecedented silencing on a large scale. Along with the silence that ensued, the pandemic and the confinements affected acoustics and our relationship with sounds on different scales. In the cities, this phenomenon had a strong reduction in acoustic intensity due to the absence of vehicles on the streets. Perhaps this was more perceptible in our neighborhoods, with notable changes in their soundscapes, first due to the absence of people in the streets and later due to more outdoor activity derived from the fear of the spread of the virus in indoor spaces. The longer periods of time spent in our homes during the lockdowns also highlighted the importance of sound insulation in buildings and the acoustic conditioning of our schools or homes.

Environmental policies for the treatment of waste generated by COVID-19: Text mining review

The rapid transmission of COVID-19 has meant that all economic and human efforts have been focused on confronting it, ignoring environmental aspects whose consequences are causing adverse situations all over the planet. The saturation of the sanitary system and confinement measures have multiplied the waste generated, which implies the need to adapt environmental policies to this new situation caused by the pandemic. It is a review article whose objective was to identify the environmental policies that would facilitate an adequate treatment of the waste generated by the pandemic. It was proposed to analyse the current lines of research developed on this paradigm, applying the text mining methodology. A systematic review of 111 studies published in environmental journals indexed in the Web of Science was carried out. The results identified three areas of interest: knowledge of transmission routes, management of the massive generation of plastics and appropriate treatment of solid waste in extreme situations. Leaders are called upon to implement the contingency plans to sustainably alleviate the enormous waste burden caused by society's adaptation to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Specifically, innovation aimed at achieving the reuse of medical products, the promotion of the circular economy and educational campaigns to promote clean environments should be encouraged.

On the economic impacts of COVID-19: A text mining literature analysis

The COVID-19 outbreak has affected everyday lives worldwide. As governments started to implement confinement and business closure measures, the economic impact was felt by entire societies immediately. The urgency of such a theme has led researchers to study the phenomenon. Accordingly, the purpose of this research is to provide the state of the art on relevant dimensions and hot topics of research to understand the economic impacts of COVID-19. In this survey, we conduct a text mining analysis of 301 articles published during 2020 which analyzed such economic impacts. By defining a set of relevant dimensions grounded on existing literature, we were able to extract a set of coherent topics that aggregate the collected articles, characterized by the predominance of a few sets of dimensions. We found that the impact on "financial markets" was widely studied, especially in relation to Asia. Next, we found a more diverse range of themes analyzed in Europe, from "government measures" to "macroeconomic variables." We also discovered that America has not received the same degree of attention, and "institutions," "Africa," or "other pandemics" were studied less. We anticipate that future research will proliferate focusing on several themes, from environmental issues to the effectiveness of government measures.

Biodiversity in Times of COVID-19 and its Relationship with the Socio-Economic and Health Context: A Look from the Digital Media

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a pause in people's activities and a socio-economic crisis worldwide due to confinement. This situation is an unprecedented opportunity to understand how these changes may impact biodiversity and its conservation, as well as to study human-nature interaction. Biodiversity plays an essential role in conservation and economic activities, and in countries with greater inequality and low gross domestic product (GDP), biodiversity could have a low priority. Moreover, how biodiversity is prioritized in a society impacts how the citizens view it, and digital news tends to shape biodiversity narratives. The aim of this work was to determine the main trends in biodiversity-related news categories during the COVID-19 pandemic in countries with terrestrial and marine hotspots and relate them to the socioeconomic and public health context of each country. For this, we searched for news on biodiversity and Covid-19 in the first 6 months of the pandemic and related them to GDP, Gini-index, deaths, and infections by Covid-19. Results showed that conservation, public policies, and use of natural resources stood out as the main news categories across countries, with a positive narrative and mostly related to terrestrial rather than marine environments. On the other hand, the socio-economic and public health characteristics of each country had an influence on which aspect of the biodiversity was reflected in the media. For example, countries with greater inequality were associated with tourism news, additionally, countries with low GDP, high cases, and deaths by Covid-19 were associated with news about cultural diversity. In contrast, countries with high GDP and low inequality were associated with news about zoonosis, research and development, public policies, and alien and invasive species.

Impact of COVID-19 on healthcare waste generation: Correlations and trends from a tertiary hospital of a developed country

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) coronavirus pandemic has represented an emergency not only from a clinical point of view, but also for the environment due to the largely increased waste disposal. This study aimed at estimating, in the context of current trends, the increase in healthcare waste (HW) generation during the outbreak, based on data from a tertiary hospital. From the purveying office statements of 'SS Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo' Hospital of Alessandria (Italy), monthly HW generation data from January 2015 to March 2021 were retrospectively retrieved. Trends and COVID's impact were evaluated by Interrupted Time Series (ITS) design with linear regression models. Locally Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing was used to model the relation between infectious HW generation and proportion of COVID-related bed days. HW generation rose from 35.9 ± 3.8 tonnes month^-1 (2.4 ± 0.2 kg per patient-day, kg PD^-1) in 2015-2019, to 46.3 ± 6.0 tonnes month^-1 (3.3 ± 0.7 kg PD^-1) during the outbreak. The increasing trend was not appreciably modified as for its slope (p = 0.363), while a significant level change was found between baseline and outbreak (+ 0.72 kg PD^-1, p < 0.001). The proportion of COVID-related bed days non-linearly affected the infectious HW generated per patient-day, with steeper increases for proportions above 20%. The study showed a significant rise in HW generation in 2020-2021, reasonably due to the COVID outbreak; in addition, the generally increasing trend was not affected. Therefore, urgent measures are needed to conciliate safety requirements with HW generation issues.

Urban air quality changes resulting from the lockdown period due to the COVID-19 pandemic

This work aims to quantify potential pollution level changes in an urban environment (Madrid city, Spain) located in South Europe due to the lockdown measures for preventing the SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Polluting 11 species commonly monitored in urban zones were attended. Except for O3, a prompt target pollutant levels abatement was reached, intensely when implanted stricter measures and moderately along those measures' relaxing period. In the case of TH and CH4, it is evidenced a progressive diminution over the lockdown period. While the highest decreasing average changes relapsed on NOx (NO2: - 40.0% and NO: - 33.3%) and VOCs (C7H8: - 36.3% and C6H6: - 32.8%), followed by SO2 (- 27.0%), PM10 (- 19.7%), CO (- 16.6%), CH4 (- 14.7%), TH (- 11.6%) and PM2.5 (- 10.1%), the O3 level slightly raised 0.4%. These changes were consistently dependent on the measurement station location, emphasizing urban background zones for SO2, CO, C6H6, C7H8, TH and CH4, suburban zones for PM2.5 and O3, urban traffic sites for NO and PM10, and keeping variations reasonably similar at all the stations in the case of NO2. Those pollution changes were not translated in variations on geospatial pattern, except for NO, O3 and SO2. Although the researched urban atmosphere improvement was not attributable to meteorological conditions' variations, it was in line with the decline in traffic intensity. The evidenced outcomes might offer valuable clues to air quality managers in urban environments regarding decision-making in favor of applying punctual severe measures for quickly and considerably relieving polluting high load occurred in urban environments.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13762-022-04464-6.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic in the context of the human and the environment

From 2019, life in the world has mainly been determined by successive waves of the COVID-19 epidemic. During this time, the virus structure, action, short- and long-term effects of the infection were discovered, and treatments were developed. This epidemic undoubtedly affected people's lives, but increasing attention is also being paid to the effects of the epidemic on the environment. Following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines, a global scoping review of peer-reviewed information has been conducted on the use of over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infections and their positive and negative effects on the human body, the effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on aquatic organisms, and their adverse effects on non-target organisms. The literature from 1998 to 2021 was analysed using the Scopus®, Web of Science™ (WoS) and Google Scholar databases. As non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs place a heavy burden on the environment, all reports of the presence of these drugs in the environment during the pandemic period have been thoroughly analysed. Of the 70 peer-reviewed records within the scope, only 14% (n = 10) focussed on the analysis of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs concentrations in wastewater and surface waters during the pandemic period. The percentage of these works indicates that it is still an open topic, and this issue should be supplemented with further reports in which the results obtained during the pandemic, which has been going on for several years, will be published. The authors hope this review will inspire scientists to investigate the problem of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the environment to protect them for the next generation.

An extension of the theory of planned behavior to understand factors influencing Pakistani households' energy-saving intentions and behavior: a mediated-moderated model

This study aims to explore the factors influencing households' intentions and actual behavior in relation to saving energy. This study is based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), extending it by adding descriptive norms and moral responsibility. An online survey was administered to collect data from randomly selected households and data analysis was run using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The research findings reveal the positive and significant effect of TPB factors (attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control) and the extended factors (descriptive norms and moral responsibility) on households' intention to save energy, as well as the significant effect of perceived behavior control, moral responsibility, and intention on household's energy-saving behavior. This study also evidences the significant mediating and moderating role of households' intention to save energy and moral responsibility. This study's model explains 70.5% of variations in households' intention to save energy and 63.1% of variations in households' energy-saving behavior. In particular, the extended model explains 11.6% more of the variation in households' intention to save energy compared to the TPB model. This research has several theoretical and practical implications for scholars, environmental protection agencies, and policy-makers.

The role of remote sensing during a global disaster: COVID-19 pandemic as case study

Remotely sensed imagery is used as a tool to aid decision makers and scientists in a variety of fields. A recent world event in which satellite imagery was extensively relied on by a variety of stakeholders was the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article we aim to give an overview of the types of information offered through remote sensing (RS) to help address different issues related to the pandemic. We also discuss about the stakeholders that benefited from the data, and the value added by its availability. The content is presented under four sub-sections; namely (1) the use of RS in real-time decision-making and strategic planning during the pandemic; how RS revealed the (2) environmental changes and (3) social and economic impacts caused by the pandemic. And (4) how RS informed our understanding of the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen responsible for the pandemic. High resolution optical imagery offered updated on-the-ground data for e.g., humanitarian aid organizations, and informed operational decision making of shipping companies. Change in the intensity of air and water pollution after reduced anthropogenic activities around the world were captured by remote sensing - supplying concrete evidence that can help inform improved environmental policy. Several economic indicators were measured from satellite imagery, showing the spatiotemporal component of economic impacts caused by the global pandemic. Finally, satellite based meteorological data supported epidemiological studies of environmental disease determinants. The varied use of remote sensing during the COVID-19 pandemic affirms the value of this technology to society, especially in times of large-scale disasters.

Ecofriendly and sustainable Sargassum spp.-based system for the removal of highly used drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Analgesic consumption increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. A high concentration of this kind of drug is discarded in the urine, reaching the effluents of rivers, lakes, and seas. These medicines have brought serious problems for the flora and, especially, the ecosystems’ fauna. This paper presents the results of removing diclofenac, ibuprofen, and paracetamol in an aqueous solution, using Sargassum spp. from the Caribbean coast. The study consisted of mixing each drug in an aqueous solution with functionalized Sargassum spp in a container under constant agitation. Therefore, this work represents an alternative to solve two of the biggest problems in recent years; first, the reduction of the overpopulation of sargassum through its use for the remediation of the environment. Second is the removal of drug waste used excessively during the COVID-19 pandemic. Liquid samples of the solution were taken at intervals of 10 min and analyzed by fluorescence to determine the concentration of the drug.

The sorption capacity for diclofenac, ibuprofen, and paracetamol was 2.46, 2.08, and 1.41 μg/g, corresponding to 98 %, 84 %, and 54 % of removal, respectively. The removal of the three drugs was notably favored by increasing the temperature to 30 and 40 °C, reaching efficiencies close to 100 %. Moreover, the system maintains its effectiveness at various pH values. In addition, the Sargassum used can be reused for up to three cycles without reducing its removal capacity. The wide diversity of organic compounds favors the biosorption of drugs, removing them through various kinetic mechanisms. On the other hand, the Sargassum used in the drugs removal was analyzed by X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy, TGA analysis, and scanning electron microscopy before and after removal. The results showed an evident modification in the structure and morphology of the algae and demonstrated the presence of the biosorbed drugs. Therefore, this system is sustainable, simple, economical, environmentally friendly, highly efficient, and scalable at a domestic and industrial level that can be used for aquatic remediation environments.

The Effects of Pandemic Restrictions on Public Health-Improvements in Urban Air Quality

The present study aims to provide evidence on the effects of pandemic curtailment measures on public health, targeting the changes in breathable air quality, within urban areas. The analyzed period covers the full impact of lockdowns in Europe in 2020. We used everyday data for each analyzed pollutant, NO₂, SO_2, CO, PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, from urban monitoring stations that provided real-time concentrations (provided by Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, Environmental Protection Agency repository and European Environment Agency map services) and satellite data (provided by NASA Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2). In the present study, the urban air quality was computed using a composite index that was further analyzed in comparison with pandemic restrictions. Descriptive statistics, charts and maps were used to visualize the data that covered the analyzed countries. Our results show that air pollution was reduced by 12% after lockdowns in European urban areas, with a 0.76 correlation between air pollution and pandemic restrictions. All air pollutants registered significant drops.

Net-zero economy research in the field of supply chain management: a systematic literature review and future research agenda

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to systematically review the state-of-art literature on the net-zero economy in the field of supply chain management.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review of 79 articles published from 2009 to 2021 has been conducted to minimise the researchers' bias and maximise the reliability and replicability of the study.

Findings

The thematic analysis reveals that studies in the field of net-zero economy have mostly been done on decarbonisation in the supply chain, emission control and life cycle analysis and environmental and energy management. The findings highlight the strong positive association between digitalisation, circular economy and resources optimization practices with net-zero economy goals. The study also addresses the challenges linked with the net-zero economy at the firm and country levels.

Research limitations/implications

Practitioners in companies and academics might find this review valuable as this study reviews, classifies and analyses the studies, outlines the evolution of literature and offers directions for future studies using the theory, methodology and context (TMC) framework.

Originality/value

This is the first study that uses a structured approach to analyse studies done in the net-zero field by assessing publications from 2009 to 2021.

Consumption and ocurrence of antidepressants (SSRIs) in pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic, their environmental impact and innovative removal methods: A review

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are pharmaceuticals whose consumption has increased significantly. They are prescribed as first-line treatment in mental disorders such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, and anxiety; also, they are indicated as adjuvants in diseases such as fibromyalgia and bulimia nervosa. In addition to being linked to the illegal market to be consumed as recreational drugs. The relevance of this review lies in the fact that worldwide consumption has increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the depression and anxiety that originated in the population. As a consequence of this increase in consumption, concentrations of SSRIs in the environment have increased, and these have become a relevant issue for toxicologists due to the effects that they could generate in different organisms, both aquatic and terrestrial. For this reason, the objective of this article was to do a critical evaluation of the existing data on the characteristics and physicochemical properties of SSRIs, consumption data during the COVID-19 pandemic, its occurrence in the environment and the reports of toxic effects that have been generated in different organisms; we also conclude with an updated review of different methods that have been used for their removal. With this analysis, it can be concluded that, despite SSRIs are pharmaceutical products widely studied since their launching to the market, still currently under investigation to clarify their mechanisms of action to understand the different effects on the organisms, adverse reactions, as well as possible toxicological effects on non-target organisms. On the other hand, it has been proven that although it is already possible to eliminate a significant percentage of SSRIs in the laboratory, due to their physicochemical characteristics and their behavior in complex mixtures in the environment, they have not yet been eradicated, showing a persistence in the soil, subsoil and surface waters of the entire planet that may represent a future risk.

Current scenario of solid waste management techniques and challenges in Covid-19 - A review

Annually, world generates 2.01 billion tonnes of solid wastes and it is expected to generate 2.2 billion tonnes of solid waste by 2025. Globally double the amount of waste generation was anticipated by 2050, hence an urgent action is required for this intricate problem in adopting better management techniques and recycling strategies. Unfortunately, poor management of wastes causes vulnerable effects to the society in terms of health. Waste management is the key infrastructure to be developed in society, but so far it is not recognized as much in many developing countries. Significant innovations and improvements are made in the last few decades globally, but still 2 to 3 billion people around the world lack access to waste collection services. The aim of this present study is to give an overview of different types of waste techniques that are effectively followed by different countries and the action plans need to follow. This review focuses on the global current scenario of waste generation, and its management methods with relevant literatures providing the upgrades in the phases of waste management services like collection and transport, various techniques adopted for waste management, policies and legislation, countries investment in waste management process and the impact of solid waste management during Covid-19. Collectively we conclude that Asian countries need to allot more fund for handling solid waste. Also with the available waste management technique, it is not possible to achieve zero waste. Therefore, more new techniques are needed to be adapted.

A mini-review: positive impact of COVID-19 on Arial health and ecology

COVID-19 can cause global pandemics; however, no specific vaccine has been recommended for COVID-19. Nearly 216 countries are trying to stop the spread of the disease, recover from it, and improve its mobility. In a way that people have not experienced in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic affected humans through the year 2020. To stop the spread of the disease, many governments declared a complete lockdown.The nationwide lockdown had some positive effects on the environment even though it led to a decline in global economic growth. Air pollution levels reduced dramatically as a result of this lockdown on pollution. Most of Europe's populated cities saw a reduction in NO2 concentration of 45-54%. COVID-19 and air, water, and ecology are connected via two pathways, one occurring before the spread of the disease and the other following after. As a result of industrial activity, transportation, and high human density, pollutants were high in many areas before the disease spread. There was a reduction in population movements as well as a decline in human activities which resulted in a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, an improvement of the ozone layer, as well as improvements in the Earth's weather and environment. As a result of a COVID-19 pandemic, human activities are negatively impacted, and the environment is positively affected. Our objective is to provide an assessment of the impact of human activities on the environment and ecology. During times of lockdown, there is a correlation between atmospheric changes and the behavior of natural creatures. Several significant findings are presented, including air pollution reduction, air quality improvement, ozone healing, and ecological sustainability. COVID-19 is beneficial for aerial health, aquatic health, and ecology in this paper.

Work from home in the post-COVID world

The working standard of shared office spaces has evolved in recent years. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have instituted work from home (WFH) policies in accordance with public health guidelines in order to increase social distancing and decrease the spread of COVID-19. As the pandemic and WFH-related policies have continued for more than a year, there has been a rise in people becoming accustomed to the remote environments; however, others are more enthusiastic about returning to in-person work environments, reflecting the desire to restore pre-pandemic environments. As working from home is related to transportation issues such as changing commuting patterns and decreased congestion, motorized trips, and emission, there is a need to explore the extent of public attitudes on this important issue. This study used unique open-source survey data that provides substantial information on this topic. Using an advanced categorical data analysis method known as cluster correspondence analysis, this study identified several key findings. Not having prior WFH experiences, being eager to interact with colleagues, difficulties with adapting to virtual meeting technologies, and challenges with self-discipline while WFH were strongly associated with individuals who refused to continuously WFH at all after the pandemic. Individuals holding a strong view against the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic were also largely associated with never choosing WFH during and after the pandemic. For individuals with some prior WFH experiences, the transition to WFH every day in response to the outbreak was much easier, compared to those without prior experiences. Moreover, being forced to WFH during the COVID-19 pandemic positively influences the choice of WFH after the pandemic. The findings of this study will be beneficial to help policymakers and sustainable city planners understand public opinions about WFH.

Spatial differentiation and determinants of COVID-19 in Indonesia

BACKGROUND

The spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has increasingly agonized daily lives worldwide. As an archipelagic country, Indonesia has various physical and social environments, which implies that each region has a different response to the pandemic. This study aims to analyze the spatial differentiation of COVID-19 in Indonesia and its interactions with socioenvironmental factors.

METHODS

The socioenvironmental factors include seven variables, namely, the internet development index, literacy index, average temperature, urban index, poverty rate, population density (PD) and commuter worker (CW) rate. The multiple linear regression (MLR) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models are used to analyze the impact of the socioenvironmental factors on COVID-19 cases. COVID-19 data is obtained from the Indonesian Ministry of Health until November 30th 2020.

RESULTS

Results show that the COVID-19 cases in Indonesia are concentrated in Java, which is a densely populated area with high urbanization and industrialization. The other provinces with numerous confirmed COVID-19 cases include South Sulawesi, Bali, and North Sumatra. This study shows that the socioenvironmental factors, simultaneously, influence the increasing of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the 34 provinces of Indonesia. Spatial interactions between the variables in the GWR model are relatively better than those between the variables in the MLR model. The highest spatial tendency is observed outside Java, such as in East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, and Bali.

CONCLUSION

Priority for mitigation and outbreak management should be high in areas with high PD, urbanized spaces, and CW.

A Comprehensive Review on Water Quality Monitoring Devices: Materials Advances, Current Status, and Future Perspective

Water quality monitoring has become more critical in recent years to ensure the availability of clean and safe water from natural aquifers and to understand the evolution of water contaminants across time and space. The conventional water monitoring techniques comprise of sample collection, preservation, preparation, tailed by laboratory testing and analysis with cumbersome wet chemical routes and expensive instrumentation. Despite the high accuracy of these methods, the high testing costs, laborious procedures, and maintenance associated with them don't make them lucrative for end end-users and field testing. As the participation of ultimate stakeholders, that is, common man for water quality and quantity can play a pivotal role in ensuring the sustainability of our aquifers, thus it is essential to develop and deploy portable and user-friendly technical systems for monitoring water sources in real-time or on-site. The present review emphasizes here on possible approaches including optical (absorbance, fluorescence, colorimetric, X-ray fluorescence, chemiluminescence), electrochemical (ASV, CSV, CV, EIS, and chronoamperometry), electrical, biological, and surface-sensing (SPR and SERS), as candidates for developing such platforms. The existing developments, their success, and bottlenecks are discussed in terms of various attributes of water to escalate the essentiality of water quality devices development meeting ASSURED criterion for societal usage. These platforms are also analyzed in terms of their market potential, advancements required from material science aspects, and possible integration with IoT solutions in alignment with Industry 4.0 for environmental application.

The impact of carbon pricing, climate financing, and financial literacy on COVID-19 cases: go-for-green healthcare policies

Climate finance and carbon pricing are regarded as sustainable policy mechanisms for mitigating negative environmental externalities via the development of green financing projects and the imposition of taxes on carbon pollution generation. Financial literacy indicates that it is beneficial to invest in cleaner technology to advance the environmental sustainability goal. The current wave of the COVID-19 epidemic has had a detrimental effect on the world economies' health and income. The pandemic crisis dwarfs previous global financial crises in terms of scope and severity, collapsing global financial markets. The study's primary contribution is constructing a climate funding index (CFI) based on four critical factors: inbound foreign direct investment, renewable energy usage, research and development spending, and carbon damages. In a cross-sectional panel of 43 nations, the research evaluates the effect of climate funding, financial literacy, and carbon pricing in lowering exposure to coronavirus cases. The study utilized Newton-Raphson and Marquardt steps to estimate the current parameter estimates while evaluating the COVID-19 prediction model with level regressors using the robust least squares regression model (S-estimator). Additionally, the innovation accounting matrix predicts estimations over a specific period. The findings indicate that climate finance significantly reduces coronavirus exposure by introducing green financing initiatives that benefit human health, which eventually strengthens the immune system's ability to fight infectious illnesses. Financial literacy and carbon pricing, on the other hand, are ineffectual in controlling coronavirus infections due to rising economic activity and densely inhabited areas that enable the transmission of coronavirus cases across countries. Similar findings were obtained using the alternative regression apparatus. The COVID-19 predicted variable was used as a "response variable," and climate financing was shown to have a favorable impact on containing coronavirus exposure. As shown by the innovation accounting matrix, carbon pricing would drastically decrease coronavirus cases' exposure over a time horizon. The study concludes that climate finance and carbon pricing were critical in improving air quality indicators, which improved countries' health and wealth, allowing them to reduce coronavirus infections via sustainable healthcare reforms.

The Significance of Angling in Stress Reduction during the COVID-19 Pandemic-Environmental and Socio-Economic Implications

Recreational fishing and other outdoor recreational activities have been proven to have positive effects on mental health, including neutralizing pandemic stress. This study aims to identify the perceptions and behavior of recreational anglers during the COVID-19 pandemic along with identifying the factors that determine attitudes. This study is essential for understanding the complex economic, social, and environmental implications associated with a pandemic. Perceptions of pandemic stress reduction were confirmed by 63.8% of anglers, and nearly 98% felt there was no risk of infection from fishing. These feelings were most strongly positively associated and explained by a preference for fishing with friends and family and the frequency of fishing. Over 26% of respondents fished more frequently during the pandemic. Additional free time and the need to escape the pandemic media hype were the main factors for the increase in angler activity. The balance of benefits from changes in angler pandemic behavior was ambiguous. This was determined by considering the potential increase in pressure on the environmental resources that anglers use. Given the positive effects of angling on stress reduction, it is not advisable for policymakers to restrict recreational fishing access. Instead, best management practices should reduce sanitary bottlenecks to increase safety on fishing grounds.

Water Quality and Water Pollution in Time of COVID-19: Positive and Negative Repercussions

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the new COVID-19 disease a pandemic. Most countries responded with a lockdown to reduce its effects, which brought beneficial consequences to the environment in many regions, but the pandemic also raised a series of challenges. This review proposes an assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic positive and negative impacts on water bodies on different continents. By applying a search protocol on the Web of Science platform, a scientific bank of 35 compatible studies was obtained out of the 62 open-access articles that were initially accessible. Regarding the positive impacts, the SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in sewage waters is a useful mechanism in the promptly exposure of community infections and, during the pandemic, many water bodies all over the world had lower pollution levels. The negative impacts are as follows: SARS-CoV-2 presence in untreated sewage water amplifies the risk to human health; there is a lack of adequate elimination processes of plastics, drugs, and biological pollution in wastewater treatment plants; the amount of municipal and medical waste that pollutes water bodies increased; and waste recycling decreased. Urgent preventive measures need to be taken to implement effective solutions for water protection.

Face Masks to Combat Coronavirus (COVID-19)-Processing, Roles, Requirements, Efficacy, Risk and Sustainability

Increasingly prevalent respiratory infectious diseases (e.g., COVID-19) have posed severe threats to public health. Viruses including coronavirus, influenza, and so on can cause respiratory infections. A pandemic may potentially emerge owing to the worldwide spread of the virus through persistent human-to-human transmission. However, transmission pathways may vary; respiratory droplets or airborne virus-carrying particles can have a key role in transmitting infections to humans. In conjunction with social distancing, hand cleanliness, and other preventative measures, the use of face masks is considered to be another scientific approach to combat ubiquitous coronavirus. Different types of face masks are produced using a range of materials (e.g., polypropylene, polyacrylonitrile, polycarbonate, polyurethane, polystyrene, polyester and polyethylene) and manufacturing techniques (woven, knitted, and non-woven) that provide different levels of protection to the users. However, the efficacy and proper disposal/management of the used face masks, particularly the ones made of non-biodegradable polymers, pose great environmental concerns. This review compiles the recent advancements of face masks, covering their requirements, materials and techniques used, efficacy, challenges, risks, and sustainability towards further enhancement of the quality and performance of face masks.

Implications of COVID-19 on global environmental pollution and carbon emissions with strategies for sustainability in the COVID-19 era

The impacts of COVID-19 on global environmental pollution since its onset in December 2019 require special attention. The rapid spread of COVID-19 globally has led countries to lock down cities, restrict traffic travel and impose strict safety measures, all of which have implications on the environment. This review aims to systematically and comprehensively present and analyze the positive and negative impacts of COVID-19 on global environmental pollution and carbon emissions. It also aims to propose strategies to prolong the beneficial, while minimize the adverse environmental impacts of COVID-19. It systematically and comprehensively reviewed more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and publications related to the impacts of COVID-19 on air, water and soil pollution, carbon emissions as well as the sustainable strategies forward. It revealed that PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and CO levels reduced in most regions globally but SO2 and O3 levels increased or did not show significant changes. Surface water, coastal water and groundwater quality improved globally during COVID-19 lockdown except few reservoirs and coastal areas. Soil contamination worsened mainly due to waste from the use of personal protective equipment particularly masks and the packaging, besides household waste. Carbon emissions were reduced primarily due to travel restrictions and less usage of utilities though emissions from certain ships did not change significantly to maintain supply of the essentials. Sustainable strategies post-COVID-19 include the development and adoption of nanomaterial adsorption and microbial remediation technologies, integrated waste management measures, "sterilization wave" technology and energy-efficient technologies. This review provides important insight and novel coverage of the environmental implications of COVID-19 in more than 25 countries across different global regions to permit formulation of specific pollution control and sustainability strategies in the COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 eras for better environmental quality and human health.

COVID-19 Repercussions: Office and Residential Emissions in Pakistan

The purpose of this study is to find empirical evidence on whether work from home or residential emissions reduces office emissions. Based on existing research the study supports that there are short-term effects on office emissions, i.e., carbon emissions do not outshine the long-term effects. The shift from offices to working from home due to COVID-19 regulations meant more people operating from home as maintaining their position in the market was crucial. The potential research area is to understand how this would affect energy usage and carbon emissions. This study has used a before and after mixed approach to collect data from 301 working-from-home employees and 348 top managers who are responsible for monitoring the employees in a work from home setting. Convenience sampling helped collect responses in a timely manner as offices were not allowing visitors and collecting data in person was difficult, so online surveys were conducted. Work from home reduced usage of office equipment, transportation, pollution, etc. The air quality improved considerably but our findings show that the low emissions were only short-lived. This was not a long-term scenario as organizations kept practicing their operations even at home and the emissions stayed in the environment. Future suggestions and implications are also provided. The results give new insights to researchers in the field of sustainability and the environment.