Elisephane Irankunda

Microplastic (MPs) contamination is an environmental issue with significant impact on public health, economic growth, and the natural ecosystem. This study evaluates public perceptions of MPs pollution in Romania through a structured questionnaire administered to 456 respondents, including members of the general public, students, and local authority representatives from urban and rural areas. The survey focused on economic, health, and environmental impacts using a seven-point Likert scale to quantify perceived probability, impact, and risk. Results indicate that health and environmental domains are perceived as the most affected, with over one-third of respondents assigning the highest probability rating, while economic impacts were viewed as moderate. The mean perceived probability was 65.14%, with higher variability for health (45.89%) and environment (47.16%) than for economic impacts (28.62%). Impact scores were moderate for economic concerns and high for health and environmental concerns. Risk scores, calculated by integrating probability and impact, increased proportionally with perceived likelihood, highlighting strong public awareness of potential consequences. These findings reveal nuanced public perceptions, emphasising the importance of addressing health and environmental risks while recognising the comparatively lower perceived economic threat. The study provides evidence-based insights to inform policymakers and stakeholders in developing strategies to mitigate the impacts of MPs pollution.

Air pollution is causing a global health, climate, and environmental crisis. Air quality (AQ) in hyper-arid regions, such as the Arabian Peninsula, remains under-explored, posing significant concerns for public health and the scientific community. Both long-term and short-term exposure to high pollutant levels, whether from anthropogenic or natural sources, can pose serious health risks. This paper offers a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of urban AQ literature published in the region over the past decade (2013–June 2025). We aim to provide guidance and highlight key directions for future research in the field. This paper examines key pollutants, emission sources, implications of urban sources, and the most studied countries, methodologies, limitations, and recommendations from different case studies. Our analysis reveals a significant research gap highlighting insufficient recent literature. Saudi Arabia was the most studied country with 20 papers, followed by the broader Arabian Peninsula (sixteen), Qatar (twelve), the United Arab Emirates and Iraq (seven each), Kuwait (four), Oman (three), Jordan, and Bahrain (one each). The primary methods employed included measurements and sampling (28%) and remote sensing (24%), with a focus on pollutants such as dust (23.1%), NO_x/NO₂/NO (17.2%), PM_2.5 (17.6%), and PM₁₀ (12%). Industrial emissions (27%) and natural dust (24%) were identified as significant emission sources. Monitoring methods included grab sampling (19%), integrated sampling (34%), and continuous monitoring (47%). Notably, 13.3% of AQ sensors were linked to a station, 27.6% were self-referenced, and 59.1% did not specify calibration methods. The findings highlight the need for further research, regular calibration of air quality monitors, and the integration of advanced modeling approaches. Moreover, we recommend exploring the links between air pollution and urban development to ensure cleaner air and contribute to the global dialogue on sustainable and cross-border AQ solutions.

Air and soil pollution is a global concern due to the substantial environmental and health hazards they bring. This critical analysis conducted a comparative analysis of the main pollution sources, pollution levels, and pollution impacts in Rwanda, Romania, and China through an extensive review of existing literature. The results indicate that the presence of particulate and gaseous pollutants, microplastic particles (Mps), and heavy metals in the air and soil poses significant global health and environmental risks. Despite various governmental efforts, managing these pollutants remains challenging. Rwanda struggles with biomass-related air pollution, Romania with heavy metal contamination from past industries, and China with severe soil pollution exacerbated by population growth. The study emphasizes the need for stronger regulations, public awareness, research investment, and international collaboration to address these challenges effectively.

There is growing global concern regarding the detrimental health impacts of PM_2.5 emissions from traditional stoves that utilize polluting fuels. Conventional methods for estimating daily personal PM_2.5 exposure involve personal air samplers and measuring devices placed in a waist pouch, but these instruments are cumbersome and inconvenient. To address this issue, we developed a novel neck-mounted PM_2.5 monitoring device (Pocket PM_2.5 Logger) that is compact, lightweight, and can operate continuously for 1 week without recharging. Twelve participants who utilized charcoal, firewood, or propane gas for cooking in rural regions of Rwanda wore the Pocket PM_2.5 Logger continuously for 1 week, and time-series variations in personal PM_2.5 exposure were recorded at 5-min intervals. Individual daily exposure concentrations during cooking differed significantly among users of the different fuel types, and PM_2.5 exposure was at least 2.6 and 3.4 times higher for charcoal and firewood users, respectively, than for propane gas users. Therefore, switching from biomass fuels to propane gas would reduce daily individual exposure by at least one-third. An analysis of cooking times showed that the median cooking time per meal was 30 min; however, half the participants cooked for 1.5 h per meal, and one-third cooked for over 4.5 h per meal. Reducing these extremely long cooking times would reduce exposure with all fuel types. The Pocket PM_2.5 Logger facilitates the comprehensive assessment of personal PM_2.5 exposure dynamics and is beneficial for the development of intervention strategies targeting household air pollution.