Publications by authors named "Ruby N Michael"

Background: Air pollution from the 2023 Quebec wildfires affected New York state (NY) with daily average PM levels that peak on June 7. Increased Covid-19 hospitalizations were recorded weeks after the wildfires. This study analyses the trend of Covid-19 hospitalization in NY counties after the 2023 Quebec wildfires and estimates their association with higher PM concentration levels, compared to 2022.

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Australia is rich in minerals of commercial interest along with oil and gas, and mining activities are carried out in almost all states and territories. The public health impacts of mining on the Australian general population need to be addressed to enable a comprehensive cost-benefit assessment of these activities balanced against their broader impacts. This systematic search and thematic review of the literature evidenced that exposure to agents released during mining operations, such as cadmium, iron, manganese, zinc, arsenic and lead, is associated with neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases in adults and children.

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Street and park trees often endure harsher conditions, including increased temperatures and drier soil and air, than those found in urban or natural forests. These conditions can lead to shorter lifespans and a greater vulnerability to dieback. This literature review aimed to identify confirmed causes of street and park tree dieback in urban areas from around the world.

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Article Synopsis
  • Green infrastructure, specifically green wall systems, can effectively address sustainable urban development challenges like water management, urban heat, and energy consumption.
  • This study uses life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental performance of green walls in Australia compared to those in Italy, highlighting Australia's superior eco-friendly materials and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
  • It discusses implementation challenges, such as material sustainability and public awareness, while suggesting solutions to promote innovative designs and technology exchanges for enhanced urban sustainability.
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The growing interest in utilizing recycled waste substrates (RWS) in ecosystem services and environmental remediation aligns with the "waste to wealth" concept and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the promising potential of RWS, research gaps remain due to a lack of comprehensive reviews on their production and applications. This systematic review attempts to synthesize and critically assess the scientific footprint of RWS through robust methodology and thorough investigation.

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Biofiltration utilizes natural mechanisms including biodegradation and biotransformation along with other physical processes for the removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs) such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides and industrial compounds found in (waste)water. In this systematic review, a total of 120 biofiltration studies from 25 countries were analyzed, considering various biofilter configurations, source water types, biofilter media and scales of operation. The study also provides a bibliometric analysis to identify the emerging research trends in the field.

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Fertilisation strategy can have a big impact on apple ( Borkh) yield, with considerable environmental and economic implications. This research paper presents the yield and leaf nutrients content of three apple cultivars fertilised with three treatment regimes over 2 years (2020-202) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The specific apple cultivars investigated were: Jonagold Decosta, Red Idared and Gala Schnitzer®Schniga, each fertilised with three treatments: T (control‒without fertilization); T (300 kg ha NPK (6:18:36) + 150 kg/ha N (calcium ammonium nitrate‒CAN)) and T (foliar nutrition‒mixture organic-mineral fertilizer commercially named "FitoFert Kristal" (0.

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The removal of boron (B) from water by co-precipitation with hydroxyapatite (HAP) has been extensively studied due to its low cost, ease of use and high efficiency. However, there is no explicit mechanism to express how resolved B was trapped by HAP. Thus, in this work, the process of removing B from water was studied using a low-cost calcium (Ca) precipitation agent derived from used waste oyster shells.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on creating a superhydrophobic surface using eco-friendly nanoparticles derived from discarded oyster shells, which is significant for effective oil/water separation.
  • The developed nano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HAp) coated polyurethane sponge demonstrated impressive oil/water selectivity with a water contact angle exceeding 150°, showcasing its enhanced ability to absorb various organic solvents and oils.
  • Additionally, the sponge maintains its oil recovery performance even after multiple cycles, highlighting the potential of oyster shells in sustainable environmental solutions and aquaculture practices.
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