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Smelting is an industrial process involving the extraction of metal from ore. During this process, impurities in ore-including arsenic, lead, and cadmium-may be released from smoke stacks, contaminating air, water, and soil with toxic-heavy metals. The problem of public health harm from smelter emissions received little official attention for much for the twentieth century. Though people living near smelters periodically complained that their health was impaired by both sulfur dioxide and heavy metals, for much of the century there was strong deference to industry claims that smelter operations were a nuisance and not a serious threat to health. It was only when the majority of children living near the El Paso, Texas, smelter were discovered to be lead-exposed in the early 1970s that systematic, independent investigation of exposure to heavy metals in smelting communities began. Following El Paso, an even more serious led poisoning epidemic was discovered around the Bunker Hill smelter in northern Idaho. In Tacoma, Washington, a copper smelter exposed children to arsenic-a carcinogenic threat. Thoroughly grounded in extensive archival research,Tainted Earthtraces the rise of public health concerns about nonferrous smelting in the western United States, focusing on three major facilities: Tacoma, Washington; El Paso, Texas; and Bunker Hill, Idaho. Marianne Sullivan documents the response from community residents, public health scientists, the industry, and the government to pollution from smelters as well as the long road to protecting public health and the environment. Placing the environmental and public health aspects of smelting in historical context, the book connects local incidents to national stories on the regulation of airborne toxic metals. The nonferrous smelting industry has left a toxic legacy in the United States and around the world. Unless these toxic metals are cleaned up, they will persist in the environment and may sicken people-children in particular-for generations to come. The twentieth-century struggle to control smelter pollution shares many similarities with public health battles with such industries as tobacco and asbestos where industry supported science created doubt about harm, and reluctant government regulators did not take decisive action to protect the public's health.

The present work aims to assess health risks associated with the exposure to uranium and heavy metals via potable groundwater in Uttarakhand state of India. For this purpose, potable groundwater samples were collected from the area and analyzed using LED fluorimetry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The radiological (carcinogenic) and chemical (non-carcinogenic) risks associated with the exposure to uranium in majority of locations were observed below the safe limits suggested by WHO and USEPA. The levels of heavy metals present in potable groundwater were found well below the permissible limits recommended by WHO. An inter-comparison exercise between the results obtained with LED fluorimetry and ICPMS techniques was performed for the assurance of reliability and accuracy of results. The results were found in good agreement with each other.

Background British Columbia (BC) has been facing a public health emergency of overdose since 2016, with rural regions of the province facing the highest rates of death. Peers (in this case, people with lived experience of substance use) are known to be effective patient navigators in health systems and can play a role in connecting patients to care and reducing overdose risk. Case presentation We outline a peer-led program focused on opioid agonist treatment and prescribed safe supply medication delivery that began in March 2020 at a clinic in rural BC. The peer takes an Indigenous harm reduction approach and is focused on meeting the needs of the whole person. The peer has regular contact with approximately 50 clients and navigates medication delivery and appointments for approximately 10–15 people each day. Clients have been retained on the medication, and experienced improvement in other outcomes, including securing housing, employment and managing acute and chronic health conditions. The peer has established contact with clients since March 2020 to support engagement with health care and continuity of medication access. This program highlights the importance and value of peer-led work and need for further investments in peer-led programs to respond to the unregulated drug poisoning crisis. Conclusions This peer-led intervention is a promising approach to engaging people who remain disconnected from health services in care in a rural community. This model could be adapted to other settings to support patient contact with the health system and medication access and continuity, with the ultimate goal of reducing overdose risk.

Background Diarrheal diseases, particularly acute diarrhea, remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among low-income children aged five years. Diarrheal diseases are characterized by the passage of three or more loose or watery stools within a 24-hour period and typically last for 14 days. Objectives This study aimed to determine the prevalence of acute diarrhea and identify associated factors among under-five-year-old children in Community-Led Total Sanitation and Hygiene implemented and non-implemented kebeles in Chiro Woreda, Eastern Ethiopia. Methodology A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2023 among 606 households selected using a multistage systematic sampling technique. Acute diarrhea was defined as the occurrence of three or more loose or watery stools within 24 h during the two weeks preceding the survey. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and observational checklist and analyzed using binary logistic regression. Results The two-week prevalence of diarrhea was 26.6% (95% CI: 23.1–30.1), with a lower prevalence in Community-Led-Total Sanitation and Hygiene implemented kebeles (19.8%) compared to non-implemented kebeles (30.0%). In multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with acute diarrhea include an unimproved water source (AOR = 5.84; 95% CI: 2.66–12.70), taking more than 30 min to collect water (AOR = 3.18; 95% CI: 1.46–6.85), improper use of latrines (AOR = 7.45; 95% CI: 4.20–13.21), poor hand washing practices (AOR = 2.87; 95% CI: 1.62–5.10), lack of rotavirus vaccination (AOR = 96.30; 95% CI: 30.21–305.42), male sex, and household sizes greater than 5. Conclusion and recommendation Acute diarrhea remains a public health problem among under-five children in Chiro Woreda. The prevalence was lower in community-led total sanitation and hygiene implemented kebeles. Water source, water collection time, latrine utilization, hand washing practices, rotavirus vaccination, child sex, and household size were significantly associated with diarrhea. Strengthening sanitation and hygiene practices, improving access to safe water, and increasing vaccination coverage could help reduce the burden of childhood diarrhea.

The addition of contaminated powdered spices and seasonings to finished products which do not undergo further processing represents a significant concern for food manufacturers. To reduce the incidence of bacterial contamination, seasoning ingredients should be subjected to a decontamination process. Ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) have been suggested as an alternative to UV lamps for reducing the microbial load of foods, due to their increasing efficiency, robustness and decreasing cost. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of UV-LED devices for the inactivation of four bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella Typhimurium) on a plastic surface and in four powdered seasoning ingredients (onion powder, garlic powder, cheese and onion powder and chilli powder). Surface inactivation experiments with UV mercury lamps, UVC-LEDs and UVA-LEDs emitting at wavelengths of 254 nm, 270 nm and 365 nm, respectively, revealed that treatment with UVC-LEDs were comparable to, or better than those observed using the mercury lamp. Bacterial reductions in the seasoning powders with UVC-LEDs were less than in the surface inactivation experiments, but significant reductions of 0.75–3 log10 colony forming units (CFU) were obtained following longer (40 s) UVC-LED exposure times. Inactivation kinetics were generally nonlinear, and a comparison of the predictive models highlighted that microbial inactivation was dependent on the combination of powder and microorganism. This study is the first to report on the efficacy of UV-LEDs for the inactivation of several different bacterial species in a variety of powdered ingredients, highlighting the potential of the technology as an alternative to the traditional UV lamps used in the food industry.

Compact multi-channel airborne radar stations increasingly rely on an LED-based visible light communication (VLC) service link under radio-frequency spectrum restrictions and strict end-to-end delay constraints. Despite the directional nature of optical links, the VLC channel remains vulnerable to active optical interference and signal injection; furthermore, when an AI-enabled integrity monitor is embedded into the receiver, the AI decision layer becomes a direct target of evasion and online poisoning. This paper proposes a lightweight, interpretable AI-based attack detection architecture in which a Poisson photon-counting observation model is used to form physically consistent features over the preamble and control-sequence interval, while the final decision is produced by an AI ensemble combining a monotonic logistic detector and a one-class detector. The considered threat profile includes sustained illumination and synchronized flashes (jamming/blinding), spoofing via false preambles, replay of recorded fragments, and online data poisoning during self-calibration. The adequacy of solutions is assessed using the detection probability PD (ensemble: PD ≥ 0.90 for DC-jamming mean-count increment ΔλDC ≈ 7.56, pulsed-interference mean-count increment Δλpulse ≈ 12.89, and spoofing signal-scaling factor α ≈ 1.02), the false-alarm probability PFA = 0.045, and the per-packet end-to-end latency (bounded by the observation-window duration LΔT = 20 μs, where window length L = 20 and interval duration ΔT = 1 μs), which confirms real-time CPU operation without GPU acceleration.

Low temperature is conducive to the survival of COVID-19. Some studies suggest that cold-chain environment may prolong the survival of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and increase the risk of transmission. However, the effect of cold-chain environmental factors and packaging materials on SARS-CoV-2 stability remains unclear. This study aimed to reveal cold-chain environmental factors that preserve the stability of SARS-CoV-2 and further explore effective disinfection measures for SARS-CoV-2 in the cold-chain environment. The decay rate of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus in the cold-chain environment, on various types of packaging material surfaces, i.e., polyethylene plastic, stainless steel, Teflon and cardboard, and in frozen seawater was investigated. The influence of visible light (wavelength 450 nm-780 nm) and airflow on the stability of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus at -18°C was subsequently assessed. Experimental data show that SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus decayed more rapidly on porous cardboard surfaces than on nonporous surfaces, including polyethylene (PE) plastic, stainless steel, and Teflon. Compared with that at 25°C, the decay rate of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus was significantly lower at low temperatures. Seawater preserved viral stability both at -18°C and with repeated freeze-thaw cycles compared with that in deionized water. Visible light from light-emitting diode (LED) illumination and airflow at -18°C reduced SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus stability. Our studies indicate that temperature and seawater in the cold chain are risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and LED visible light irradiation and increased airflow may be used as disinfection measures for SARS-CoV-2 in the cold-chain environment.

This research investigates the efficacy of UV-C (mercury) lamps and UV-C LEDs in reducing microbial contamination on the surface of strawberries, while also examining bacterial survival and outgrowth during storage. The study utilizes predictive modeling to assess the inactivation/survival rates of microorganisms, providing comprehensive insights into the effectiveness of UV-C treatments. Strawberries inoculated with either Escherichia coli or Listeria monocytogenes were subjected to UV-C lamp or UV-C LED treatment for various durations, up to a maximum of 25 min. Subsequently, the treated strawberries were stored under refrigeration conditions to investigate the microbial response over time. In the case of UV-C lamp treatment, E. coli and L. monocytogenes populations were significantly reduced, with the maximum reduction achieved at 25 min of treatment. However, microbial reduction became non-significant at 15 min for E. coli and at 20 min for L. monocytogenes. UV-C LED treatment, with different light configurations, also exhibited microbial reduction, with the most significant reduction observed when all lights were on for 25 min. The maximum reductions achieved with the UV-C lamp were 2.75 log CFU/g for E. coli and 2.63 log CFU/g for L. monocytogenes, whereas with the UV-C LEDs, it was 2.39 log CFU/g for E. coli and 2.15 log CFU/g for L. monocytogenes. Our storage study revealed that both E. coli and L. monocytogenes populations kept decreasing over time until the sample was spoiled, with E. coli exhibiting greater resistance to UV-C treatments compared to L. monocytogenes. Predictive modeling using linear and Weibull models further supported these findings, with Weibull models showing upward concavity (α < 1), indicating microbial survival. In conclusion, predictive models provided valuable insights into microbial inactivation/survival, aiding in the optimization of UV-C treatment conditions.

Antimicrobial blue light (aBL) within the visible violet–blue spectrum has emerged as a promising non-chemical strategy for microbial control, yet its performance across environmentally realistic matrices and surfaces remains insufficiently characterised. Here, we evaluate a continuous-exposure aBL LED system operating within the visible 407–421 nm range for its antimicrobial efficacy against Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655 and Bacillus cereus NCTC 11143 across liquid cultures, agar surfaces, and representative built-environment materials (glass and steel bar). Bacterial inactivation was quantified using culture-based enumeration and flow cytometric viability profiling. The system delivered a controlled irradiance of 0.72 mW/cm2 at 58 cm, corresponding to cumulative doses of 2.59–62.23 J cm−2 over 1–24 h of exposure. Significant, time-dependent reductions in viability were observed across all matrices relative to fluorescent-light controls, with near-complete or complete loss of recoverable cells on solid surfaces following prolonged exposure. Flow cytometric analyses revealed progressive transitions from viable to injured and dead cell populations, consistent with photodynamic inactivation mediated by endogenous photosensitiser activation and reactive oxygen species generation. These findings demonstrate that continuous visible-light aBL illumination can achieve effective multisurface microbial inactivation under moderate irradiance conditions compatible with occupied environments, supporting its translational potential as a sustainable, non-chemical decontamination strategy for healthcare, food-processing, and built environments.

The interruption of primary conservation procedures during food handling and preparation represents a critical operational phase for food microbiological safety, especially in environments characterized by repeated manipulation and continuous human presence. This study investigates the application of visible blue–violet light irradiation as a non-thermal process to mitigate microbial proliferation during post-processing handling of raw meat. Raw beef hamburgers, selected as the food model substrate, were subjected to irradiation using a blue–violet LED system operating in the 405–420 nm range and compared with non-irradiated controls under ambient and refrigerated conditions representative of real handling scenarios. Microbiological dynamics were evaluated through time-resolved enumeration of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae, while concurrent measurements of moisture loss, texture, and color were performed to assess process-related effects on macroscopic product quality. Visible-light irradiation significantly reduced the rate of microbial growth during handling, with irradiated samples consistently exhibiting lower microbial loads than controls, particularly under ambient conditions (e.g., twofold after 24 h). Under refrigeration, irradiation contributed to stabilizing microbial levels over time, indicating a synergistic effect with low-temperature storage. From a process perspective, irradiation induced moderate and progressive changes in physicochemical attributes, primarily associated with surface dehydration and color variation, without abrupt quality degradation. These results demonstrate that visible blue–violet light irradiation can be integrated as a continuous, non-UV intervention to enhance the microbiological safety of raw meat during post-processing handling, supporting its potential role as an environmental control strategy in food-handling systems.