Emerging Contaminants: A Growing Concern

Emerging contaminants, such as medicines, personal care products, nanomaterials, and microplastics, are compounds that are not routinely monitored in the environment but have the potential to affect the environment and human health. The behavior and fate of these toxins are frequently unknown, making it difficult to forecast how they may interact with changing environmental circumstances caused by climate change.

Interactions between Climate Change and Emerging Contaminants

The relationship between climate change and the water cycle is critical, as it influences the mobility, distribution, and concentration of ECs across vast areas. When climate change causes more rain and floods, it leads to more runoff and leaking of pollutants from land to water. For example, heavy rains and flooding can overwhelm wastewater treatment systems, leading to the discharge of untreated or partially treated effluents containing ECs into water bodies. This spreads ECs further and increases their levels in rivers and underground water sources, which are used for drinking and can harm aquatic life, subsequently incorporating these contaminants into the human food chain [1].

Climate change-induced temperature changes can affect the behavior of ECs, altering their persistence, bioavailability, and toxicity. Elevated temperatures can both accelerate the degradation of some contaminants and increase the stability of others, as well as cause the volatilization of certain compounds. This shifts their distribution across air, water, and soil, creating new exposure pathways. Additionally, the melting of polar ice due to higher temperatures releases ECs long trapped in ice, reintroducing them into the environment and posing new risks to both wildlife and human health [2]. Moreover, variations in temperature, moisture, and other climatic factors can boost or hinder microbial activities, directly affecting the biodegradation and toxicity of ECs. For example, increased temperatures and UV exposure may expedite the breakdown of some chemicals, reducing their environmental persistence, or create new toxic by-products [3].

The agricultural sector is particularly vulnerable, as climate change can affect the prevalence and distribution of contaminants in soil and water, impacting crop quality and food safety. This not only poses health risks but also economic challenges for farmers and communities dependent on agriculture It's important to note that the impact of climate change and emerging contaminants is not uniformly distributed. Urban areas, with their higher industrial and vehicular emissions, might face different challenges compared to rural areas, where agricultural runoff plays a significant role.

In conclusion, the complex relationship between climate change and ECs not only worsens environmental threats but also has significant implications for human health, affecting exposure pathways and risks. Changes in water quality and availability, as well as changes in agricultural practices due to climate variability, can directly impact human exposure to waterborne and foodborne contaminants [4]. Addressing these challenges requires a multidisciplinary approach, emphasizing the importance of enhancing monitoring and research to understand the behavior, fate, and impacts of ECs under changing climatic conditions. Developing effective mitigation strategies that consider the challenges of climate change is crucial for protecting environmental and public health. There are costs associated with mitigating the effects of ECs, such as upgrading wastewater treatment plants, implementing new water quality standards, waste management practices, and emissions controls. Moreover, the implementation of adaptive and forward-looking policies and regulations is essential to manage the evolving threats posed by both climate change and contaminants efficiently.

References

[1]         S. Bolan et al., 鈥淚mpacts of climate change on the fate of contaminants through extreme weather events,鈥� Science of The Total Environment, vol. 909, p. 168388, Jan. 2024, doi: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2023.168388.

[2]         S. A. Snyder et al., 鈥淐limate Change Impacts on Emerging Contaminants,鈥� pp. 311鈥�329, 2012, doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2466-1_261.

[3]         K. Mukherjee, 鈥淐limate change as a driving factor for emerging contaminants,鈥� Present Knowledge in Food Safety: A Risk-Based Approach through the Food Chain, pp. 303鈥�308, Jan. 2023, doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-819470-6.00048-2.

[4]         K. E. Jones et al., 鈥淕lobal trends in emerging infectious diseases,鈥� Nature 2008 451:7181, vol. 451, no. 7181, pp. 990鈥�993, Feb. 2008, doi: 10.1038/nature06536.

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In a world of increasing 鈥渨ants鈥�, lies a parallel increase in 鈥渨astes鈥�. We are observing a record surge in the production of goods for human consumption, and likewise, its wasteful consequences. From wasted agricultural produce, post-consumption or unused food waste, municipal and industrial wastewater, forestry and textile waste, there is a lot that can be recovered or redirected for further use. Historically, this practice of circular economy has been intrinsically bound to our civilizations, cultures and way of life. However, somewhere along the way with industrialization, rapid technology advancements, the hygienist movement etc., we focused on the linear economy a little too much. While ending the circularity of certain goods from the public health perspective was a giant leap towards eradicating some preventable diseases, it also paved the path towards consumerism and the global issue of waste management [1].

Let us look at some interesting numbers. According to the World Food Programme, 鈥極ne-third of food produced globally for human consumption is wasted or lost鈥�. This is about 1.3 billion tonnes per year [2]! One-third of the forest cover has been wiped off the earth to fulfil human needs including expansion of agricultural land [3]. This consequently has increased agricultural waste when production surpasses the needs or rather the disproportionate division of the produce leading to unnecessary spoilage or wastage. Furthermore, the use of wood in a range of other applications, for instance, the pulp and paper industry. On the other hand, municipal waste alone accounts for 2 billion tonnes of it getting diverted to landfills [4].

So much potential 鈥榳asted鈥� indeed. What do we do, moving forward? We go back to our roots of course, with a wealth of knowledge acquired over the years to generate the 鈥榳ealth from waste鈥�. Not just using the resources to expand the technological advancements, but rather using the technologies as well to expand the end-of-life path of those resources.

If we look at the organics, also called as biomass, consisting of food, crops, forestry products, wastewater etc., their complex chemical makeup offers a wide range of possibilities for value-addition. Wastewater and sludge from treatment plants have been widely studied and used for the production of methane and hydrogen gas which are valuable biofuels. The technology used for this conversion is known as anaerobic digestion where the complexity of wastewater or sludge is reduced to a simpler state by harnessing the power of microorganisms. Not just biofuels, a multitude of by-products like fatty acids are also generated in this process which again have a broad range of applications like creating bioplastics, animal feed, fertilizers, flavouring agents, perfumes, and other industrially-relevant chemicals. This bioprocessing is also applicable to other organic matrices from waste streams. Since they all differ in terms of their basic composition, there are different alterations required for the overall process or a shift observed in the final product.

Sludge generated in the wastewater treatment is highly rich in organic matter, especially carbon, which in the absence of oxygen is ideal for reduction to methane gas. If we look at food waste, it has a different chemical makeup with carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Thus, requiring different conditions than sludge can favour the production of other by-products like volatile fatty acids than biogas. Another commonly practised process of composting results in a nutrient-rich humus-like product suitable for enhancing soil fertility. Moving further to agricultural and forestry waste, they comprise even more complex sugars or carbon sources, that can shift the process towards a specific product and require different conditions for full utilization. As they are rich in cellulose and lignin, these can also be used to generate biochar which is a stable form of carbon useful in improving soil quality. Livestock waste is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, which when digested or converted to manure is highly useful for soil fertility. Therefore, the suitability of these various waste streams for specific biological processes is dependent on their physical characteristics, chemical composition, nutrient and moisture content etc. A deeper understanding of the intricacies behind these properties and the activity of microorganisms opens more opportunities for designing waste management strategies for their value addition in the economy.

Thus, there is an art behind mindful resourcefulness in our everyday lives, and science supports resourceful recycling for a better future.

References:

[1]         Aggeri and Franck, 鈥淔rom waste to urban mines: a historical perspective on the circular economy,鈥� http://journals.openedition.org/factsreports, no. Special Issue 23, pp. 10鈥�13, Nov. 2021, Accessed: Mar. 14, 2024. [Online]. Available: http://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/6530

[2]         鈥�5 facts about food waste and hunger | World Food Programme.鈥� Accessed: Mar. 14, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.wfp.org/stories/5-facts-about-food-waste-and-hunger

[3]         鈥淒eforestation and Forest Loss - Our World in Data.鈥� Accessed: Mar. 14, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://ourworldindata.org/deforestation#article-citation

[4]         鈥淭rends in Solid Waste Management.鈥� Accessed: Mar. 14, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://datatopics.worldbank.org/what-a-waste/trends_in_solid_waste_management.html

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Professor Jianhong Wu explains his research to visitors attending the Research Matters event in Ottawa

Wu and Xu presented research from a collaborative project led by several scientists at 快播视频. In addition to Wu and Xu, the project involves Professors Aijun An in the Lassonde School of Engineering, Paul Ritvo in the Faculty of Health, and Peter Tsasis in the Faculties of Health and Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. The research was conducted in collaboration with Manifold Data Mining Inc. and several hospitals.

The project explores the Canadian Community Health Survey to identify statistically significant variables that influence the classification of an individual鈥檚 current health status and sentiment. The team will use these variables to build predictive models for informing behaviour changes that can lead to management of chronic diseases, improved wellness and quality of life. The project aims to advance both population and individualized healthcare in Canada.

鈥淭he purpose of the Pop-Up Research Park, organized by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU), was to provide MPs, political staff, and senior government officials an opportunity to engage with Ontario university research teams and learn more about how their research is impacting Ontarians,鈥� said Celia Haig Brown, associate vice-president research at 快播视频. 鈥淚t was a great opportunity to showcase York鈥檚 leading role in working with industrial and hospital partners to mine big health data to inform healthy living.鈥�

鈥淐OU provided a good platform to demonstrate the important role of data science in the integration of information and knowledge gained through research funded by the tri-councils to inform policy and action,鈥� said Wu. 鈥淚 was excited to be a part of sharing data scientists鈥� perspectives and progress at the Hill.鈥�

Wu is the Canada Research Chair in Industrial and Applied Mathematics (Tier 1) and the director of the Laboratory for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. Xu is a postdoctoral fellow in statistics jointly supervised An, Wu, and Zhen Mei at Manifold Data Mining Inc.聽 She is funded by an NSERC Collaborative Research Development grant and by BRAIN.

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Lassonde Professor and his research team have been selected by to provide scientific and operations support to the .

The team is comprised of Moores, MSc student Jake Kloos, Postdoctoral Fellow Christina Smith and PhD Student Casey Moore.

Above: From left, Jake Kloos, Professor John Moores, Christina Smith and pictured in front is Casey Moore

The Lassonde team will be part of the mission through 2020 as they help plan out what the $2.5 billion Rover will do each day.

"We've been amazed by everything the rover has sent back, but the whole of our team here at Lassonde is looking forward to where Curiosity takes us over the next four years. Who knows what discoveries are still out there over the next ridge line, just waiting to be made," said Moores.

A total of 28 proposals were selected out of nearly 100 submitted proposals from researchers around the world.

Curiosity is a car-sized robotic rover exploring Gale Crater on Mars as part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission. As of February 16, 2016, Curiosity has been on Mars for 1255 sols (1289 total days) since landing on August 6, 2012. Self-portrait of Curiosity located at the foothill of Mount Sharp (October 6, 2015). Image: NASA

"It's amazing to be a part of the MSL team and to see your work realized on such a large project. I can't describe the feeling of hearing that your contributions are 'Go' to run on Mars!" said Smith.In addition to their work with Spacecraft Operations where they represent environmental science in many of the daily planning sessions, the team also makes videos of the movement of clouds and looks at the motion of dust within the Gale crater.The research team has put out five papers on this topic recently, two of which were helmed by the graduate students.

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The instrument will also help to guide the spacecraft on the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission to a safe spot, where it will grab a sample to bring back to Earth.

鈥淔rom a science perspective, we need to understand the current state and the evolution of the asteroid,鈥� said Daly, a Lassonde School of Engineering professor, noting one of the goals of the mission is to understand the organic material content of asteroids.

鈥淭he sample will provide a snapshot of materials available during the formation of the solar system.鈥�

By contributing the instrument聽鈥� the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA), an advanced LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) 鈥� to the mission, Canada will get a portion of that sample. The mission is expected to return 60 grams of the asteroid, but more than a kilogram is hoped for. It will provide Canadian scientists the first-ever direct access to a pristine asteroid sample, according to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), which funded the instrument.

OLA is more accurate and has a higher resolution than previous altimeters that have been aboard any previous planetary missions, which means better mapping of the asteroid鈥檚 topography.

鈥淎 lot of LIDARs stare straight and depend on the spacecraft to move around and provide mapping, but we actually do a raster scan, like the way an old cathode-ray tube TV works,鈥� said Daly. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more like taking a range picture than getting a single measurement. The fidelity of information will be higher.鈥�

Bennu, which is about 500 metres in diameter, is of particular interest because it is one of the most potentially hazardous asteroids presently identified, with a small chance of hitting Earth in the 22nd century. The mission will allow the team to study and track the asteroid鈥檚 orbit, as OLA will provide precise distance measurements from the spacecraft to the rocky surface.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 important, as an asteroid鈥檚 orbit is difficult to predict over the long term; because asteroids are so small, they get pushed around by small forces,鈥� said Daly. 鈥淯nderstanding how this asteroid has been pushed around, along with its surface and shape properties, will help us to track asteroids better in the future. And thereby we can provide improved predictions about probability of collisions with the Earth.鈥�

OLA, about the size of two bread boxes, will also help navigate the spacecraft to the best location for grabbing a sample. But that won鈥檛 happen for a while.

鈥淭he main part of the mission, the proximity operation, starts seven or eight kilometres from the asteroid,鈥� said Daly. 鈥淭hen, it鈥檚 a long process of getting to know the asteroid well enough and its non-uniform gravity field well enough to be able to get down and touch the surface and grab a sample.鈥�

That phase will start in late 2018.

As the prime contractor for the CSA, MacDonald, Dettwiler & Associates (MDA), together with its industrial partner Optech, designed, built and tested the instrument.

快播视频鈥檚 Daly is the lead instrument scientist for OLA. The team also includes professors Alan Hildebrand, University of Calgary; Ed Cloutis, University of Winnipeg; Rebecca Ghent, University of Toronto; and Catherine Johnson, University of British Columbia.

Recently delivered to Lockheed Martin in Denver, OLA will now be integrated with the NASA spacecraft for launch in September.

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Sushanta Mitra

鈥淲armest congratulations to Professor Mitra for this exceptional achievement,鈥� said York鈥檚 Vice-President Research & Innovation Robert Hach茅.聽 鈥淎s a leading scholar in his field, Sushanta has made significant contributions to advancing innovative research and training in this discipline and epitomizes York鈥檚 commitment to research excellence.鈥�

Mitra鈥檚 research applications tackle some of the world鈥檚 most challenging problems, including the development of tools and techniques for efficiently extracting oil and gas from reservoir rocks, bio-converting coal into methane (bio-energy pathways), increasing water monitoring efficiency and affordability (environment monitoring), and detecting vector borne, bacterial and cardiac diseases (health applications).

He credits a number of students (undergrads and graduate), postdoctoral fellows, research associates, lab technicians that were part of the Lab spanning three universities 鈥� IIT Bombay (India), University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada) and 快播视频, as well as scientific collaborators across Asia, Europe and North America who have contributed to his innovative research program for helping to make this achievement possible.

鈥淓veryone at Lassonde is exceptionally proud to see Professor Mitra honoured with this international accolade. He is an outstanding academic with an enduring commitment to impactful research to benefit our society and our planet,鈥� said Janusz Kozinski, founding dean of the Lassonde School of Engineering at 快播视频.

For his contributions in science and engineering, Mitra has already been elected as a Fellow of the American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME), Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC), Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

New AAAS Fellows will be presented with an official certificate and a gold and blue (representing science and engineering) rosette pin on Feb. 13, 2016 at the AAAS Fellows Forum during the 2016 AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

This year鈥檚 AAAS Fellows will be formally announced in the AAAS News & Notes section of the journal Science on Nov. 27.

Election as an AAAS Fellow is an honour bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. Each year the Council elects members whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished.

The AAAS is the world鈥檚 largest general scientific society, and publisher of the flag-ship journal, 聽AAAS was founded in 1848, and includes 254 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals.

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Michael Jenkin

快播视频 is taking part in , a campaign hosted by the Council of Ontario Universities a collaboration among Ontario鈥檚 21 universities, which finds new ways to tell stories about how research is changing lives.

As part of the initiative, Professor Michael Jenkin in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science in the Lassonde School of Engineering, will be participating in a panel presentation held at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection gallery located at 10365 Islington Avenue in Vaughan on April 9.聽Jenkin will discuss 鈥淚s there a robot in your future?鈥�

The event is free to the public and will be held from 6:30 to 9pm.

Research Matters brings together Ontario university researchers to discuss why their research matters to Ontarians on how they live, work, and play. Five researchers will present and there will be a Q & A period for participants to ask questions. Below is a list of the researchers and the questions they will be answering at this event:

• Michael Jenkin from 快播视频 - Is there a robot in your future?
• Irene Gammel from Ryerson University - What is missing from Canada鈥檚 culture?
• Emma Master from University of Toronto - Can plant materials replace plastic?
• Pierre C么t茅 from UOIT - What can be done about a pain in the neck?
• Kathleen Martin Ginis from McMaster University - How can Canadians with physical disabilities live more active, healthy lives?

鈥淢embers of the York community and the general public are welcome to attend and learn more about the important research taking place in Universities across Ontario,鈥� said Robert Hach茅, York鈥檚 vice-president Research & Innovation.

This event is moderated by CBC radio host Piya Chattopadhyay.

Jenkin is a professor of computer science and engineering, and a member of the Centre for Vision Research at 快播视频. Working in the fields of visually guided autonomous robots and virtual reality, he has published more than 150 research papers including co-authoring Computational Principles of Mobile Robotics with Gregory Dudek and a series of co-edited books on human and machine vision with Laurence Harris.

To indicate your attendance, RSVP to organizers.

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It鈥檚 been a busy summer for 快播视频's new Lassonde School of Engineering as it prepares to welcome its first cohort of new students in September.

Next year, the Lassonde School of Engineering will launch new programs in Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering, which will both drive the planned growth in students and faculty. The Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance has confirmed the final approval of the Mechanical Engineering program.

鈥淚t鈥檚 full steam ahead at Lassonde! This is yet another milestone in our speedy development," said Lassonde School of Engineering Dean Janusz Kozinski (right). "The swift approval of this program is a tribute to our dynamic Chair of Mechanical Engineering, Professor Alidad Amirfazli, who joined us only this year, and our fearless team in the Dean鈥檚 Office that has cut through the red tape like a hot knife through butter to get this done in record time. Next on the list is civil engineering."

Amirfazli joined Lassonde from the University of Alberta in January. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very proud to put in place one of the foundations of Lassonde鈥檚 future with the approval of the Mechanical Engineering program,鈥� said Amirfazli. 鈥淭his progressive department will be at the nexus of the avant-garde and tradition, offering students an outstanding technical education combined with multidisciplinary skills reflecting Lassonde鈥檚 mission to create renaissance engineers.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Alidad Amirfazli

鈥淭his is just the beginning. We look forward to working closely with everyone in the York community to turn our vision into reality,鈥� he added.

Applications to other engineering programs at Lassonde increased by some 38 per cent this year.聽 Demand is expected to be high for the new programs.

The Mechanical Engineering program will launch at the Lassonde School of Engineering in 2014. Students can start applying in the Fall 2013 semester.

For more information, visit the website.

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Osgoode and Lassonde will celebrate the research achievements and interests of their Faculties, Feb. 4, starting at 2:15pm at 1014 Osgoode Hall Law School, Keele campus.

鈥淭his research celebration provides a forum for members of the York community to learn more about the exciting opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration among these Faculties,鈥� said Robert Hach茅 (right), vice-president research & innovation. 鈥淎ll members of the York community are welcome to attend.鈥�

Following the welcome and opening remarks by Hach茅, Dean Janusz Kozinski of the Lassonde School of Engineering and Dean Lorne Sossin of Osgoode Hall Law School, a panel discussion moderated by Associate Dean of Research Poonam Puri will take place.

聽Janusz Kozinski

鈥淭he convergence of engineering and law is very exciting area of interdisciplinary collaboration across a whole range of topics, and we hope this will be the first of many joint events as Osgoode and Lassonde work closely together in the months and years ahead,鈥� said Kozinski.

"Osgoode is delighted to be moving forward with the Lassonde School of Engineering on cross-Faculty collaborations that will break new ground in the fields of law and engineering," said Sossin. "This is the first of what we know will be many celebrations of our successful joint research efforts."

Lorne Sossin

From 2:20 to 3:30pm, there will be a panel discussion highlighting the theme, 鈥淎 Conversation Between Law and Engineering鈥�. The paen will consist of the following:聽Dean Sossin; Professor Giuseppina D鈥橝gostino of Osgoode Hall Law School and founder & director ofIP Osgoode; Professor聽 Michael Daly of the Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering; Professor Shin Imai of Osgoode Hall Law School; Professor Michael Jenkin of the Department of Computer Science & Engineering; and Professor Regina Lee of the Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering.

The panellists will discuss a diverse range of topics, including space law, intellectual property, expert testimony, professional self-regulation, ethics, mining, corporate social responsibility, corporate accountability and more. There will also be research on display in Gowlings Hall at Osgoode Hall Law School and a reception featuring opportunities for networking. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact Jody-Ann Rowe-Butler, research coordinator, Osgoode Hall Law School, at jrowe-butler@osgoode.yorku.ca or ext. 55771, or Gillian Moore, administrative assistant, Lassonde School of Engineering, at gmoore@yorku.ca or ext. 58215.

To RSVP, .

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