Global Journal of Environmental and Sustainability Sciences - GJESS, 8 Greenstone, Stoneridge Office Park, Block C, Johannesburg (2025)

11/07/2025

🔬 Breaking Down ‘Forever Chemicals’ – A Game-Changer in Environmental Chemistry 🌱

An exciting new study from Goethe University Frankfurt has introduced a boron-based catalyst that can cleave the notoriously stable carbon–fluorine (C–F) bonds found in PFAS—commonly known as forever chemicals—in seconds and at room temperature.

These substances, found in everything from nonstick cookware to firefighting foams, are extremely resistant to degradation and have been linked to serious environmental and health concerns.

What makes this catalyst remarkable?
✅ Stable in air and moisture
✅ Breaks down PFAS quickly and efficiently
✅ Currently uses lithium as an electron source—with plans to switch to electric current for a greener, more scalable process
✅ Potential applications in pharmaceutical defluorination and drug development

This could be a major leap forward in both environmental remediation and green chemistry innovation.

source not published by gjess: https://phys.org/news/2025-06-catalyst-cleaves-carbonfluorine-bonds-chemicals.html

07/07/2025

New Research Findings:🌍 How Efficient Are the World’s Forests at Using CO₂? A Global View from the Sky

🧾 Summary:
This study investigates Carbon Use Efficiency (CUE)—the fraction of photosynthetically captured carbon that is retained in vegetation rather than respired back into the atmosphere. CUE is vital to understanding how effectively forests and ecosystems act as carbon sinks, offsetting human-caused CO₂ emissions.

🔬 Method & Dataset:
The researchers used over 2,700 site-years of eddy covariance (EC) data from global carbon flux towers to infer CUE by analyzing the coupling between photosynthesis (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Ra). This approach bridges the gap left by the sparse global direct CUE measurements (~300 previously), enabling a far more detailed spatial and temporal understanding.

🌡️ Key Findings:
- Global average CUE from EC data is 0.43 ± 0.12, aligning with inventory-based estimates (0.47 ± 0.12), but offering better spatial-temporal resolution.
- CUE decreases with increasing temperature, precipitation, light availability, and stand age, contradicting past assumptions of constancy.
- Deciduous forests have ~15% higher CUE than evergreen forests, making them more effective at long-term carbon storage.
- Non-forest biomes (like grasslands, wetlands, and croplands) generally show higher CUE than forests.
- Savannas had the lowest CUE among non-forest biomes (0.32), suggesting less efficient carbon storage capacity.

🌍 Global Implications:
This study:
- Challenges the assumption that all vegetation types are equally efficient at carbon retention.
- Provides a spatial map of vegetation CUE, which could inform land-based climate solutions.
- Suggests that deciduous forest restoration and conservation could maximize carbon sequestration potential.
- Offers policymakers and restoration planners a science-based efficiency metric to optimize forest-related carbon strategies like REDD+ and the Trillion Trees Campaign.
🌱Source not published by gjess: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02753-0

29/06/2025

🫖♻️ “Scientists Find a Surprisingly Simple Way to Remove Microplastics from Your Tap Water”

🔍 Background
For years, microplastics and nanoplastics—tiny plastic fragments invisible to the naked eye—have been found in drinking water across the globe. While the health effects remain uncertain, global health agencies advise reducing exposure.

🧪 Breakthrough Discovery
Chemists in Guangzhou, China, discovered a low-cost, everyday method to remove up to 90% of microplastics from tap water by simply boiling it—especially in areas with hard water (high in calcium minerals).

🔬 How It Works
As hard water is heated beyond 212°F (100°C), it forms calcium carbonate flakes, the same mineral responsible for kettle limescale.

These mineral flakes bind to microplastic particles (like polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene) and cause them to sink and stick to the bottom of the pot or kettle.

In hard water with ~300 mg/L calcium carbonate, the removal rate nears 90%.
Even in soft water, a 25% reduction is possible.

⚗️ Scientific Testing
The method was tested on three common plastic types.
Results showed:
≥80% of plastics removed after a 5-minute boil and cooldown.
Improved results with higher mineral content.

🌎 Real-World Relevance
Studies in 2025 found up to 1,154 microplastic particles per liter in tap and bottled water in Europe.
The simple method acts as a stopgap solution while long-term filtration and regulatory fixes are pursued.

🏠 Practical Tips for Home Use
Boil water for at least 5 minutes.
Let it cool, then pour slowly, leaving sediment behind.
Use a paper coffee filter for added microplastic capture.
In soft-water areas, a pinch of food-grade calcium (e.g., lime) may enhance results—stay under the EPA taste threshold of 120 mg/L.
Regularly clean your kettle to prevent buildup and keep removing captured plastics.

⚠️ Caveats
This is not a complete solution; microplastics still exist upstream in the water supply.
Other innovations (bio-filters, enzymatic plastic breakdown) are being explored for broader impact.
Still, this method empowers households to act immediately with no special equipment.

🧾 Conclusion
Boiling water—a centuries-old practice—has now been found to also fight modern plastic pollution. While not perfect, this method gives individuals a practical, affordable tool to reduce microplastic intake from drinking water, especially in regions with hard water.
Source not published by gjess: https://www.earth.com/news/simple-way-to-remove-microplastics-from-tap-water-home-faucet/

27/06/2025

🌍⚙️ Who Needs Fire? Steel Balls Are Turning CO₂ into Fuel! 🔄🔥

🧪 Summary:
A revolutionary mechanochemical method developed by researchers at UNIST (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology) now allows carbon dioxide (CO₂) to be captured and converted into methane (CH₄)—the primary component of natural gas—at just 65°C, and even as low as 15°C. This low-temperature, low-energy innovation breaks from the traditional need for temperatures above 300°C, significantly cutting costs and environmental impact.

🔬 Instead of heat, the process uses ball milling: a rotating chamber filled with steel balls, catalysts, and raw materials. The mechanical force and friction from the steel balls create reactive conditions that activate nickel (Ni) and zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) catalysts to facilitate the CO₂ + H₂ → CH₄ reaction.

💡 Key breakthroughs:
✅ 99.2% CO₂ conversion rate at 65°C
✅ 98.8% methane selectivity (nearly no byproducts)
✅ Operates effectively even at 15°C, with 81.4% ongoing reaction participation
✅ Uses cheap, off-the-shelf industrial catalysts
✅ No need for high-pressure or high-temperature infrastructure

📉 Economic Upside:
This process slashes the energy demand by half compared to traditional methods—especially if powered by renewables like wind or solar. The approach also eliminates the need for expensive reactors, enabling on-site fuel production, reducing logistics costs, and opening the door for scalable carbon neutrality.
Source not published by gjess: https://phys.org/news/2025-06-mechanochemical-approach-enables-temperature-capture.html

26/06/2025

New research findings:

🔬🤖 When AI Gets Curious: GPT-4 Uncovers Surprising Drug Combos That Kill Cancer Cells
AI isn't just analysing science — it's starting to co-create it.

🧠💡 AI-Driven Discovery: Beyond Human Intuition
In a groundbreaking study led by the University of Cambridge, GPT-4 — an AI language model — was asked to think like a scientist. Its task? Suggest combinations of non-cancer drugs that might kill breast cancer cells (MCF7) without harming healthy ones (MCF10A).

But there was a twist: no known cancer drugs allowed. The AI had to repurpose common medications approved for other conditions. Surprisingly, it delivered — with rationale and logic to back it up.

💊✨ Unexpected Heroes in the Lab
GPT-4 generated 12 drug pairings, using treatments for things like high cholesterol, alcohol dependence, and parasitic infections. Examples include:
Simvastatin + Disulfiram
Dipyridamole + Mebendazole
Itraconazole + Atenolol

When tested in real-life lab conditions, several combos outperformed standard cancer therapies — showing high synergy (i.e., they worked better together than alone) and minimal impact on healthy cells.

🔁🤝 AI-Human Collaboration: A Scientific Feedback Loop
After testing the first batch, researchers gave GPT-4 a lab report and asked it to propose more combinations. The model learned from feedback and suggested new, improved pairs — like Disulfiram + Quinacrine, which had the highest synergy score in the study.

This created a powerful feedback loop:
AI proposes → humans test → AI improves → repeat.
It’s not automation replacing scientists — it’s AI becoming a true research partner.

🚨📉 Precision, Not Just Power
Eight out of twelve combinations targeted cancer cells more than healthy ones — showing specificity and promise for future drug development.
Top performers included:
Disulfiram (alcohol dependence drug)
Quinacrine (antimalarial)
Niclosamide (anti-parasitic)
These aren't new drugs — just new ideas about how they can be used. That’s the magic of repurposing.

💭🔥 Hallucinations That Spark Discovery
Interestingly, one of GPT-4's "hallucinations" (a known error) led to success. It incorrectly claimed that itraconazole affects human cell membranes — which it doesn't. But that idea still led to a combo that worked. Sometimes, creative errors open new doors.

📈⚕️ Implications for the Future of Cancer Treatment
Imagine a world where your cancer treatment is custom-designed by AI, then tested in a lab — just for you. With automation and GPT-4-level intelligence, personalized medicine could become faster, cheaper, and far more precise.

This study shows AI isn't just a tool for summarizing research — it's starting to generate scientific hypotheses and accelerate innovation. Source not published by gjess: https://www.earth.com/news/ai-scientist-discovers-that-common-non-cancer-drugs-when-combined-can-kill-cancer-cells/

18/06/2025

New Research Findings: 🌊🥬 From Sewer to Salad: How Polluted Rivers Are Contaminating Our Food

🧪 Key Findings from University of Pretoria Research:
Scientists discovered pathogenic bacteria on fresh leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach) from both commercial and informal farms.
The source of contamination was linked to polluted irrigation water from rivers and boreholes.
A 2021 study tested 288 samples from Gauteng farms and found:
65 samples positive for E. coli, identifying 80 different E. coli types.
One strain carried the stx2 virulence gene, which can cause serious illness (e.g., kidney failure).
Salmonella species were found in 9 samples.
95% of E. coli strains were antibiotic-resistant, and 44% were resistant to at least 3 antibiotics, raising fears of “superbugs”.

🚨 Water Pollution Crisis in South Africa:
81% of sewage treatment works in South Africa fail to meet microbiological standards.
Billions of litres of untreated or partially treated sewage are dumped daily into rivers.
Major rivers used for irrigation (e.g., Klip, Crocodile, Olifants, Vaal) are heavily polluted.

🧬 Human Health Risks – Rise of Antibiotic Resistance:
Researchers' warns of the “end game” of antibiotics due to rising resistance.
Contaminated food + overuse of antibiotics = pathogen mutation and resistance.
They note increasing cases of untreatable infections, sometimes requiring limb amputation.
Sewage treatment plants cannot remove antibiotic-resistant bacteria, even when functioning well.
Clean water and improved sanitation would significantly reduce mortality and infection rates.

🍊 Economic Impact & Trade Risk:
ActionSA MP warned that contaminated produce could harm SA’s export markets.
Citrus exports alone brought in R33 billion in revenue.
A single E. coli-contaminated batch could trigger international bans, especially in Europe.
New EU regulations are already placing pressure on SA’s agricultural exports.
A major food safety incident could trigger employment losses, forex shortages, and reputational damage.

🏛️ Policy & Accountability Gaps:
Scientists are calling for irrigation water quality to be declared a national priority.
They criticized the lack of municipal accountability for failing sewage systems.
Warns of more cholera outbreaks, like Hammanskraal in 2023, due to drinking water contamination.
Calls for environmental surveillance, improved infrastructure, and urgent regulatory enforcement.

✅ Suggested Responses for Stakeholders:
Enforce compliance among municipalities for sewage treatment.
National strategy on irrigation water safety for agriculture.
Upgrade infrastructure to prevent contamination at source.
Environmental monitoring of waterborne pathogens and antibiotic resistance.
Public awareness on washing and cooking vegetables to reduce household risk.
Source not published by gjess: https://groundup.org.za/article/polluted-rivers-contaminating-our-food/

17/06/2025

New Research Findings: 🍳🥚 Toxic Breakfast? The Silent Chemicals in Rice, Eggs & Water 🚰🍚

Summary:

A new study led by Boston University School of Public Health has revealed a double-edged truth about PFAS—those stubborn “forever chemicals” that resist breakdown and linger in the body. While their presence in food has dropped over the past 20 years thanks to stricter regulations, your morning bowl of brown rice or glass of tap water may still be serving up a chemical cocktail.

🧪 The Study at a Glance:
- Researchers analyzed 700 adults from California (2018–2020).
- They investigated diet, blood samples, and public water PFAS data.
- Brown rice, eggs, and seafood stood out as notable contributors to PFAS exposure.
- Drinking water in PFAS-detected service areas was linked to significantly higher blood PFAS levels—even if concentrations were lower than in heavily contaminated zones.

💧 Water Worries:

Drinking water is now a bigger PFAS exposure route than food.

This comes amid mixed regulatory signals: While the EPA upholds limits for the most dangerous PFAS (PFOA and PFOS), compliance deadlines have been pushed from 2029 to 2031. ⏳

🍽️ Changing Dietary Exposure:

Food used to be the dominant PFAS route, but legacy PFAS levels in many products have declined. FDA interventions, like banning certain PFAS in food packaging, are credited for this positive trend.

Still, caution remains warranted around certain staples—especially those seen as "healthy" like brown rice and eggs.

📉 Why This Matters:

PFAS are linked to cancer, liver damage, thyroid issues, lowered vaccine response, and reproductive complications. 🧬

The U.S. has historically relied on European PFAS food data; this study helps close that knowledge gap for American populations.

🕵️‍♀️ Recommendations for future studies:

More research is needed on newer PFAS, indoor air, dust, and cosmetics.

🚱 Takeaway for Households:
Watch for “fluoro-free” labeled products 🛒.
Support local and federal efforts to monitor and clean drinking water 🏛️.
Consider filtering your tap water—especially if your area has reported PFAS detection. 🧂🚿

⚠️ In conclusion: Your fridge may be cleaner than it was 20 years ago, but your faucet could still be the front line of PFAS exposure. Ongoing vigilance from both scientists and the public will be essential in tackling this chemical menace.
Source not published by Gjess: https://scitechdaily.com/brown-rice-eggs-and-more-scientists-warn-popular-foods-could-be-contaminated-with-pfas/

29/05/2025

🚨 TOXIC PESTICIDE FOUND IN TAMPONS – 40x ABOVE DRINKING WATER LIMITS! 🚨

A shocking new UK report has revealed glyphosate, a controversial pesticide linked to cancer, was found in menstrual products at levels 40 times higher than what's legally allowed in drinking water. 😳

🔬 Researchers from PAN UK, the Women’s Environmental Network, and the Pesticide Collaboration tested 15 tampon brands—and found traces of glyphosate and its toxic breakdown product AMPA in one of them. Considering that chemicals absorbed vaginally bypass the body’s detox systems, even small exposures can pose serious health risks. 😔

Glyphosate is banned or restricted in several countries, yet it's still widely used in UK agriculture—including to grow cotton, a major tampon ingredient.

🧪 Previous studies have already flagged heavy metals like lead and arsenic in period products. Now, we’re adding toxic pesticides to that list?

🌱 Campaigners are demanding the UK government act—through strict testing, clear regulation, and removal of harmful chemicals from products used monthly by millions of women, girls, and menstruators.

💬 "If it’s not safe in water, why is it in our bodies?" – Amy Heley, Pesticide Collaboration

🛑 This is more than a health issue—it’s a regulatory failure. And it’s time we demanded better.

📢 Please share this to raise awareness.

Source not published by gjess: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/28/toxic-pesticide-levels-found-in-tampons-40-times-higher-than-legal-limit-for-water

26/05/2025

🍺 A Sobering Discovery for Beer Lovers: 🍺Think your favourite beer is safe🍺? Think again.

A new U.S. study has revealed that many popular beer brands contain PFAS (forever chemicals)—some even above legal safety limits set for drinking water.

These chemicals are linked to cancer and birth defects, and they don’t easily break down. The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, found PFAS in nearly every can tested, especially in beers from North Carolina, Michigan, and California.

Why is this happening? PFAS is in the water used to brew beer. Since making just 1 liter of beer can use up to 7 liters of water, any PFAS in that water makes it into your drink.

Some good news? International beers (like from Holland and Mexico) had little or no PFAS.

This is a wake-up call for beer lovers and brewers alike. We need:
✅ Better water treatment
✅ Tougher regulations
✅ More awareness of PFAS risks

💬 Would you still drink your favorite brand knowing it contains these chemicals?
Source not published by gjess: https://www.sciencealert.com/forever-chemicals-found-in-popular-us-beers-above-epa-limits

08/05/2025

🌍🚭 Butts That Clean: Ci******es Get a Surprising Second Life as Water Purifiers! 💧🧪

🔍 New Research Findings
Researchers at James Cook University, have found a way to turn cigarette butts into char—a substance that can remove toxic heavy metals from water. This was done through a heating process known as pyrolysis (thermal decomposition in an oxygen-free chamber).

🧪 How It Works
Discarded cigarette butts are collected with the help of the anti-waste group No More Butts.
The butts are heated in a chamber without oxygen, converting them into char.
This char acts like a sponge, absorbing harmful metals from polluted water.

💥 Lab Results
In lab simulations using wastewater:
The cigarette-based char removed 53% of copper
And an impressive 95% of nickel
This makes it a strong contender against current water treatment methods that rely on coal-based activated carbon.

🎯 Versatility and Scalability
By adjusting the production conditions, scientists can create chars with different porosities to target:

Heavy metals
Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus
And potentially even pharmaceuticals
Master's student at James Cook is currently testing this possibility.

🌊 Why This Matters
Contaminants like copper and nickel in water:
Harm aquatic life
Enter our food chain
Pose risks to human health
This solution tackles both cigarette waste and water pollution—two global challenges—in one elegant, scalable approach.

📈 Future Research?
Testing against more types of pollutants
Comparing effectiveness with other char sources
Planning industrial-scale deployment

Source not published by gjess: https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/cigarette-butt-char-water-pollution-dr/

15/04/2025

🚨 Citation Strategy Matters – Let’s Talk Local First 🌍🖊️

One of the most powerful ways to build academic ecosystems and amplify African research is to cite each other—intentionally and strategically.

When writing your next paper, consider this order of citation priority:
1️⃣ Start with your institution’s papers
2️⃣ Then cite research from neighbouring institutions
3️⃣ Expand to institutions in other provinces
4️⃣ Reach out to African scholars across the continent—there's a wealth of relevant, under-cited work
5️⃣ Only then, reach for overseas literature

💡 Why it matters?
Citations directly boost your institution’s research ranking, visibility, and academic influence. Every time you cite work from your own or fellow African institutions, you’re helping build a foundation that benefits us all.

📚 Learn from our Asian colleagues—they often write entire papers citing each other’s work, building strong regional citation networks and research impact.

Let’s stop overlooking homegrown knowledge. Africa has depth, context, and answers—let’s make sure we reference it. You welcome ☺️.

11/04/2025

🚨 Webinar Alert! 🚨

Excited to be featured in this upcoming conversation:
“From Niche to Noticed: How Small Publishers Can Make a Big Impact”
📅 Tuesday, 29 April
🕝 2:30 PM (UK time)
📍 Hosted by EASE in partnership with JAMS

We’re unpacking real challenges and breakthrough strategies for small and independent journals making waves globally 🌍📚

👉 Register here: https://ease.org.uk/event/ease-jams-webinar-from-niche-to-noticed-how-small-publishers-can-make-a-big-impact/

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