Plastic waste management-A new study

Millions of tonnes of plastic waste, mainly package material is generated world-wide. About 10% of the waste gets recycled and the rest presents an environmental challenge in terms of water contamination and animal poisoning. Plastic is not degradable and hence needs to be stored for longer periods of time and is not environmental friendly. The major constituent in plastic material is polystyrene.

A Stanford Report (Sept. 29, 2015) indicates that an ongoing research in collaboration with researchers in China on plastic-eating worms may offer a solution for safely biodegrade various types of plastic.

The tiny worm, which is the larvae form of the darkling beetle can survive on a diet of Styrofoam and other types of polystyrene.

The study has opened a new door to the management of global plastic waste problem. It is long time to go before the research (in milligram levels) can be put into actual application in massive scale for plastic waste management. This needs to be addressed quickly to protect our environment, including marine life

University of Texas cancer study links meat to kidney cancer

Dr. Xifeng Wu and her team at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre investigated the effect of grilled or barbecued meat on the increased risk of kidney cancer. Grilling and barbecuing meat produces carcinogenic organic compounds which increases the kidney cancer risk. It is estimated that 61,000 Americans will be diagnosed with kidney cancer yearly.

American Cancer Society points out the recent IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) report that processed meats such as sausages and bacon cause cancer. There is also a genetic component of population groups with high risk of kidney cancer and the meat eating only increases the risk. 

This is an important finding which is going to be discussed for a while. The western countries where grilled and barbecued meat is increasingly used will find it difficult to stay away from this dietary component and will continue with the habit. Like alcohol which is proven carcinogenic but still used worldwide, eating processed meat also will be continued knowing that they are cancer causing! Who cares for the research findings? 

Wireless pacemaker – a new development

A pacemaker is used to restore heart’s rhythm by sending tiny electrical impulses to the heart. Millions of people world-wide who are suffering from slow or irregular heart rhythm, are able to live more active lives due to the restoration of heart rhythm. Roughly 200,000 people in US alone get a pacemaker. These pacemakers have wires (one or two insulated leads) which carry impulses from the pacemakers implanted by surgical incision outside the heart, under the skin.

The new development is a miniature pacemaker (typically Micra TPSystem) fully self-contained, has no leads. and can easily implanted in the heart, with minimum invasive surgery. It is delivered through a catheter inserted in the femoral vein to the inside of the heart. International clinical trials demonstrates high implant success.

Questions to be answered are: the cost, failure rate, removal of the failed pacemaker from the heart and the actual battery life. This is a very good development and efforts should be made to make this novel device affordable, cost-wise.

(This is only for information, Always talk to your healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs).  

Rent-a-womb tourism

As per the India’s new draft law, Assisted Reproductive Technology (regulation) Bill 2014, only Indian couples or a foreigner married to an Indian citizen can opt for paid surrogacy. By using the word couple, whether homosexuals and people in a live-in relationship are excluded by passing the Bill? Whether this will be in conflict with other provisions of law?  

India will be no longer a fertility tourism hot spot! But there is a positive side to this. As reported in the media, ruthless exploitation of the surrogate mothers rampant in some part of the country, will be curtailed. There is a need for strong regulation to prevent any unethical practices, including responsibility for post-delivery complications. Breakers of the law should be prosecuted and put behind bars. Women’s rights group must take active lead in ensuring strict regulation to protect surrogate mothers rights and bring-in awareness of the health risks.          

It’s getting hotter by the day! What next?

America’s Clean Power Plan launched recently can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal/gas based power plants by 870 metric tonnes by 2030. Similarly, Brazil pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 43% by 2030. These reductions are with respect to the levels in 2005. China which contributes major part of the global emissions, is taking steps to reduce emissions.   

Global carbon emissions are higher by 58% in 2012 as compared to the level seen in 1990. Today, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is 400 parts per million. At the present rate of emissions, the global average temperature may rise by 4.5 degree C and if countries cooperate, the temperature my still rise by 3-5 degree C by 2100. As per the meteorological agency reports, the deviation from the average global air-surface temperature is 0.75 degree C warmer as compared to 1950 data. Oceans are getting warmer, glaciers are melting and the complexity of changing ocean currents and atmospheric pressure differentials are causing catastrophic effects such as storms, floods, forest fires, crops damage, droughts, etc, etc. The effects of the climate change are seen everywhere.

The next climate change talks will be held in Paris this year end. There will be tussle between developed and developing countries on the quantum of reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions. There is a necessity of a huge global climate fund to compensate poor nations from not using greenhouse gas emitting technologies for their development. Who will contribute and how much?  

If the nations which have good reserves of oil, coal and gas are not able to sell or use them for industrial development, what will happen to the world economy? Who will buy the fossil fuel which will not be allowed to burn? Solar/Fusion power may be the answer!  

Currency notes carry diseases-A study by IGIB, CSIR

Members of the public were looking for this study since people always have been doubting the potential of the notes and coins to spread disease-causing micro-organisms, carriers of diseases.

Everyone is aware of this serious issue but no quantitative study was made or reported for the information of the public. The scientists at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology should carry out this study in much more detail, including its potential to infect people with the diseases, and come out with some recommendations. 

The scientists found traces of DNA footprints of 78 disease-causing micro-organisms on the notes. Some of the bacteria on the notes can cause dysentery and TB!! What about the coins? It may be worse! (Source: The Indian Express, August 13, 2016).

US has plans to reduce carbon emission by 32% by 2030!

Finally, there is a good news for the environmentalists. Before the forthcoming talks on climate change in Paris, the US has most ambitious plans to reduce carbon emissions by 32% by 2030. USA is one of the lost industrialized countries in the world and the largest greenhouse gas emitting nation.  

Carbon dioxide is one of the important greenhouse gas and it is produced while burning coal or gas. Thermal power plants use fussil fuel such as coal or gas to generate electricity. In recent years, China and India contribute significantly to the global warming through industrialization and emission of carbon dioxide.   

The movement worldwide against global warming is looking at USA to lead from the front by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. President Obama’s plans to reduce emissions by 32% by 2030 is praiseworthy. Before the actual climate change talks in Paris, let us wish that the country prepone the deadline for the reduction by 5 years.

One of the serious repercussions of global warming is increase in the sea level and submerging of low-lying coastal areas around the globe. Controlling global warming at this stage is a challenging task to succeed.

The least we all can do is to stop right away the use of fussil fuel for industrial applications. Let us go to cleaner energy sources like wind, solar or nuclear.