Modern water: A biocultural approach to water pollution at the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation

Ba3(PO4)2 Photocatalyst for Efficient Photocatalytic Application

Barium phosphate (Ba3(PO4)2) is a class of material that has attracted significant attention thanks to its chemical stability and versatility. However, the use of Ba3(PO4)2 as a photocatalyst is scarcely reported, and its use as a photocatalyst has yet to be reported. Herein, Ba3(PO4)2 nanoflakes synthesis is optimized using sol-gel and hydrothermal methods. The as-prepared Ba3(PO4)2 powders are investigated using physicochemical characterizations, including XRD, SEM, EDX, FTIR, DRS, J-t, LSV, Mott-Schottky, and EIS. In addition, DFT calculations are performed to investigate the band structure. The oxidation capability of the photocatalysts is investigated depending on the synthesis method using rhodamine B (RhB) as a pollutant model. Both Ba3(PO4)2 samples prepared by the sol-gel and hydrothermal methods display high RhB photodegradation of 79% and 68%, respectively. The Ba3(PO4)2 obtained using the sol-gel process exhibits much higher stability under light excitation after four regeneration cycles. The photocatalytic oxidation mechanism is proposed based on the active species trapping experiments where O2 •‒ is the most reactive species. The finding shows the promising potential of Ba3(PO4)2 photocatalysts and opens the door for further investigation and application in various photocatalytic applications.

Associations between autoimmune dysfunction and pollutants in Akwesasne Mohawk women: Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and polychlorinated biphenyl exposure

BACKGROUND

Pollutant exposures, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), have been found to disrupt normal immune function. Native American communities are disproportionately affected by autoimmune dysfunction and are more likely to be exposed to harmful pollutants than the general population.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between autoimmune dysfunction and pollutant exposure levels, this study evaluates the statistical relationship between the presence of autoimmune dysfunction and pollutant exposure.

METHODS

Information was collected from Akwesasne Mohawk women (n = 182), 21-39 years of age, between 2009 and 2013. Data collection included anthropometric measurements, medical diagnoses of autoimmune disease and symptoms of autoimmune dysfunction in the medical record, and blood draws for measurement of pollutants. Multivariate analyses determined the association between toxicant exposure and autoimmune dysfunction.

RESULTS

Toxicant p,p'-DDE was positively associated with an almost two-fold risk of autoimmune dysfunction. p,p'-DDE and PCB congeners 32, 136, and 138 were positively associated in a multivariate analysis with an autoimmune diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Pollutant exposures, specifically to p,p'-DDE and some PCB congeners, are common exposures that are associated with autoimmune dysfunction and autoimmune disease, although there are other factors and causes related to autoimmune dysfunction incidence.

Be like the running water: Assessing gendered and age-based water insecurity experiences with Six Nations First Nation

Indigenous households are 90 times more likely to be without running water than non-Indigenous households in Canada. Current primary indicators of water quality and security for Indigenous Peoples are based on federal boil water advisories, which do not disaggregate at household levels to identify who is most at risk within or between communities. A mixed methods approach was used to assess the level of water insecurity and perceptions of water access by gender and age for a sample of households in Six Nations of the Grand River First Nations in Ontario, Canada. A household survey captured water security using the Household Water InSecurity Experiences (HWISE) scale and Likert-type responses to perceptions of water access, contextualized using semi-structured individual and group interviews. From 2019 to 2020, 66 households participated in the survey, 18 individuals participated in semi-structured individual interviews, and 7 individuals participated in 3 semi-structured group interviews. The survey sample demonstrated high levels of household water insecurity (57.5%, n = 38). Interviews revealed that women were more dissatisfied with their drinking water situations due to quality, source, and cost, though they shared water sharing as a coping strategy. Women faced more physical and mental barriers accessing water for their households, due to their roles as caretakers of their family and knowledge protectors for their communities. Generational divides were found in interviews about what qualified as "good water," with older participants understanding it as relating to traditional water sourcing, and younger participants wanting clean, accessible tap water. Taken together, the participants demonstrated a frustration with the sub-standard drinking water on reserve.

Oxygen Reduction Reaction in the Field of Water Environment for Application of Nanomaterials

Water pollution has caused the ecosystem to be in a state of imbalance for a long time. It has become a major global ecological and environmental problem today. Solving the potential hidden dangers of pollutants and avoiding unauthorized access to resources has become the necessary condition and important task to ensure the sustainable development of human society. To solve such problems, this review summarizes the research progress of nanomaterials in the field of water aimed at the treatment of water pollution and the development and utilization of new energy. The paper also tries to seek scientific solutions to environmental degradation and to create better living environmental conditions from previously published cutting edge research. The main content in this review article includes four parts: advanced oxidation, catalytic adsorption, hydrogen, and oxygen production. Among a host of other things, this paper also summarizes the various ways by which composite nanomaterials have been combined for enhancing catalytic efficiency, reducing energy consumption, recycling, and ability to expand their scope of application. Hence, this paper provides a clear roadmap on the status, success, problems, and the way forward for future studies.