Dinaol Bedada Dibaba

Microplastic (MP) pollution represents a major environmental challenge because of its persistence and widespread accumulation in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This review critically examines current technologies for MP removal and degradation, with particular emphasis on heterogeneous photocatalysis and its integration into photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs). Biological, physicochemical and advanced oxidation processes—including adsorption, membrane bioreactors, electrocoagulation, flotation, advanced filtration, sol–gel technologies and photocatalytic systems—are analyzed in terms of mechanisms, advantages, limitations and remediation potential. The literature identifies heterogeneous photocatalysis as one of the most promising approaches for degrading recalcitrant polymers through the generation of reactive oxygen species. Recent advances in photocatalyst engineering have significantly enhanced the performance of TiO₂-, ZnO-, WO₃-, graphene-, CdS- and MOF-based materials. Particular attention is devoted to PMRs, which combine photocatalytic degradation with membrane separation, enabling continuous operation, efficient photocatalyst recovery, improved removal efficiency and reduced membrane fouling. The review also highlights plastic photoreforming as an emerging strategy for simultaneously converting plastic waste into hydrogen and other value-added chemicals. Overall, integrated photocatalytic membrane systems offer a promising and sustainable platform for large-scale MP remediation, although further research is needed to improve long-term stability, energy efficiency and industrial-scale implementation.

The Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions have been acknowledged for their role in the public health and educational outcomes. While there are strong evidences that reveal that WASH facilities do reduce the prevalence of infectious diseases and improve the learning environment, data remain thin and equivocal on the differential impacts of WASH facilities on education by gender. The literature reviewed does not, in most cases; go to the extent of investigating if indeed both men and women students have unique needs especially in underprivileged areas. This is the point from which the present systematic review and meta-analysis intend to fill this gap by assessing the global evidence on the effect of WASH interventions on educational outcomes with due consideration given to gender. This systematic review will include international databases used for the search, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Europe PubMed Central, and Scopus. Study eligibility will include cross-sectional studies published in English on the impact of WASH interventions on school attendance and academic performance, stratifying gender-specific outcomes. Data extracted will be analyzed using the STATA software version 17. The percentage of heterogeneity will be quantified through the I² statistics to show the variability between the included studies. Based on the observed results, diversity will be checked among the outcomes of the study and based on that random-effect model will be used to estimate the pooled effect size. I will, therefore, make use of the Egger and Begg tests for checking statistical asymmetry. Publication bias will be assessed with funnel plots. These will ensure the methodologies used provide comprehensive and rigorous data analysis, which will give strong insights into the impacts of the WASH intervention on educational outcomes. Prospero registration number: Systematic review and Meta-analysis registration number: PROSPERO CRD42024536477.

We investigated the bacteriological quality of drinking water and antimicrobial resistance of bacterial isolates in food and drinking establishments in Shashemane town, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to August 2022. One hundred water samples were collected from the tap water and storage containers of 50 selected establishments. All the collected samples were analyzed for bacteriological and antimicrobial susceptibility tests using standard procedures. The study found approximately 80% of water samples from the tap and all water samples (100%) from storage containers were contaminated with total coliforms. E. coli was detected in 20% and 26% of water samples from the tap and storage containers, respectively. A total of 68 bacterial isolates were identified, including E. coli (33.8%), Staphylococcus (25%), Salmonella (17.64%), Klebsiella (11.76%), Shigella (10.29%), and Pseudomonas (1.4%). The highest resistance by the isolates was observed against ampicillin (96%), followed by amoxicillin (94%), cotrimoxazole (76.8%), chloramphenicol (36%), gentamycin (23%), ciprofloxacin (23%), and ceftriaxone (12%). The study concluded that drinking water in food and drinking establishments was found vulnerable to microbiological contamination and it is a health risk to consumers. The level of contamination in stored water was found higher than tap water. In addition, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Klebsiella, and Staphylococcus aureus were detected in both tap water and stored water. Therefore, awareness should be given to food handlers and owners of the establishments on hygienic water handling practices by the regulatory bodies of Shashemane town and stakeholders.