Achieving a sustainable society and addressing global environmental challenges are among the most critical imperatives of our time, as articulated in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, goals such as “Responsible Consumption and Production,” “Climate Action,” and “Life Below Water” highlight the urgent need to transform the ways in which we produce, use, and dispose of materials.

Plastic pollution is a major global concern, primarily due to the persistence of petroleum-based plastics that resist degradation and contribute to environmental contamination and greenhouse gas emissions. In response to this issue, our research focuses on developing a low-energy, sustainable technology for the production of biodegradable plastics, specifically polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), using recalcitrant aromatic organochlorine compounds and industrial carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions as raw materials.

The proposed process integrates two key innovations. First, an electrochemical dechlorination reaction is conducted under mild conditions, converting hazardous organochlorines into phenolic compounds. These compounds are then utilized as substrates by specially isolated bacteria capable of biosynthesizing PHAs. Second, the system incorporates CO₂ captured directly from industrial flue gases as an additional carbon source, enabling effective carbon recycling and cost-efficient production.

Unlike conventional methods that require high temperatures, high pressures, or rare resources, our approach utilizes recyclable functional electrodes and selective catalysts. This offers significant advantages in terms of both environmental sustainability and economic feasibility. In addition, we are exploring the health-promoting potential of 3-hydroxybutyrate, a key degradation product of PHA, which could further improve the overall value of the process.

This integrated approach provides a promising solution to multiple challenges, including carbon recycling, chemical pollution mitigation, and the promotion of circular economies. By using actual industrial exhaust and aligning with Japan’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, the technology demonstrates strong potential for broad application in both industrialized and developing regions. Ultimately, by upcycling resources such as sewage, toxic compounds, and carbon dioxide, we aim to establish a platform for producing biodegradable plastics and health-beneficial substances, contributing to the realization of a circular and sustainable society.

A shortage of food was experienced during the Covid-19 lockdown. Many people lost their regular income and the disruption in the food supply chain limited access and availability of food, particularly in urban settings. The Ukrainian war highlighted the European countries food systems vulnerabilities. This was because of their food dependence on external countries. This prompted the EU states to transition to a circular economy model. These shortcomings in the food supply can be further heightened by the inflow of refugees. The EU states will continue to face such challenges; thus, innovative approaches are needed to ensure food security but to promote climate resilience.

Urbanization is expected to further compound food security issues. In 2023, 76% of the EU population lived in urban areas. This percentage of the EU is significantly higher than for the rest of the world (57%). The Urban Heat Island Effect is one of the most serious problems that cities worldwide and in the EU face. Higher air temperatures and more intense heatwaves in urbanized areas are very frequent, and the consequence of the grey intensification, increase energy consumption and air pollution and reinforce climate change. They pose serious health risks to urbanites, particularly minority and low-income communities. Green infrastructure such as green roofs, green walls, rain gardens, street trees parks, gardens, urban riparian areas and wetlands provide an excellent alternative to mitigate these negative effects in urban environments.

Urban gardens, a form of urban agriculture, can address food security, climate change resilience and the Urban Heat Island Effect. It fits within the scope of the circular economy and is an effective nature-based solution. It aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals and meets the European Green Deal. This practice includes growing food and/or raising animals within or near urban areas. It is a solution that needs to be adopted, with the earth’s population increasing and with most people living in urban areas. These changes are leading to an exponential increase in food, space, and natural resources usage. Urban gardens can offer local, sustainable food production while enhancing urban environmental sustainability and resilience.

Based on these social and environmental issues, the FEED4FOOD Driving Urban Transitions project has established on-the-ground pilot Living Labs (LL) to promote urban gardening. Three cities have been selected, Drama in Greece, Strovolos in Cyprus and Bucharest in Romania. Through these LL, the utility of sustainable urban agriculture for food security and greening urban areas for climate resilience is showcased. Empowerment and inclusion of vulnerable groups is another priority. FEED4FOOD is promoting the transition towards low-impact and regenerative urban food systems that provide healthy food, particularly for low-income consumers. Successful examples of the effective adoption of urban gardens are implemented to provide tangible proof and their utility to policy makers, communities, innovators, and entrepreneurs across the FEED4FOOD cities and for the rest of EU states.

Our planet is increasingly facing biophysical challenges that associate with phenomena like frequent droughts, water scarcity, wildfires, soil degradation, pollution. Safeguarding ecosystems is a necessity and a demanding task, particularly when dealing with issues related to biodiversity. Education is a powerful tool to help retain healthy ecosystems and alleviate those problems. By understanding their structure and function, it enables their sustainable manage. Specifically, terrestrial Mediterranean ecosystems, are characterized by high levels of biodiversity, with only one eighth of them being preserved. For urban ecosystems, the level of biodiversity is higher due to the additional planting of alien exotic species. Research has indicated that for the Greek urban areas, such as parks and school yards, there are plant species that can cause substantial health problems to humans. Laureus nobilis, is one of them that can even cause death. Another species that is fatal to humans but has extremely beautiful dark green foliage and fleshy red small fruits is Taxus baccata. Consequently, actions such as “planting the right species at the right spot” and “continuous monitoring” help maintain heathy urban environments for humans. With no doubt, education is a powerful tool that results to well trained professionals that can transfer knowledge and inform the public on those environmental issues and practices that enable detect and alleviate those problems.

Rapid urbanization in Nairobi City has led to the expansion of informal settlements, with over 60% of the population currently living in slums including Kibera. Consequently, this unregulated growth, characterized by inadequate infrastructure, congested high-density housing made of galvanized iron sheets, impervious surfaces, and extremely limited greening, has been linked to elevated Land Surface Temperature (LST), thereby imposing significant environmental and health risks. Several scholars globally have verified the effectiveness of Machine Learning (ML) in analyzing the relationship between spatio-temporal expansion of urban areas and the LST. In addition to that, recent studies on temperature in informal settlements in Nairobi city have relied on field-based mobile sensors, overlooking time-series analysis and comparative modeling of slums and the city using ML techniques. Therefore, this study integrates ML and remote sensing to assess urban LST dynamics in Kibera Slum and Nairobi City from 2002 to 2025. Specifically, it aims to (1) analyze spatio-temporal dynamics of Kibera slum and Nairobi city using ML algorithms, (2) examine LST trends using MODIS-LST data and (3) investigate the correlation of LST with NDVI, NDBI, population, and population density. Accordingly, Landsat 7, 8, and 9 imagery (30-meter resolution) were processed in Google Earth Engine (GEE) using Random Forest, with 70% of samples for training and 30% for testing. The model achieved overall accuracy of 94.87% for Kibera slum, and 96.21% for Nairobi city. In addition, MODIS-LST data (250-meter resolution) for January were extracted for both locations. Moreover, NDVI and NDBI samples (10 and 50 points in Kibera slum and Nairobi, respectively) were taken and analyzed in areas transitioning from non-built-up to built-up. Results reveal substantial urban expansion and demographic pressure: (i) Kibera slum’s population grew by 204% from 134,829 to 406000, with density rising from 53,932 to 162,400 persons/km²; Nairobi city’s population increased by 141% from 2,388,000 to 5,767,000 with density rising from 3,430.00 to 8,283 persons/km². This caused Built-up expansion by 16.58% in Kibera slum and 19.66% in Nairobi city, while non-built-up declined by 16.56% and 19.76%, respectively. (ii) Also, LST increased by 8.03°C in Kibera slum, compared to the 3.05°C increase in Nairobi city. (iii) Correlation analysis showed strong associations in Kibera slum between LST and built-up (r²= 0.91), population density (r²= 0.91), and NDBI (r²=0.86), with NDVI negatively correlated (r²=-0.89). Nairobi city exhibited weaker but consistent trends. NDVI declined from 0.35 to 0.10 in Kibera slum and from 0.23 to 0.16 in Nairobi city, while NDBI increased from -0.09 to 0.14 in Kibera slum and -0.04 to 0.20 in Nairobi. These findings highlight the intensification of LST in Kibera slum due to extreme population density, poor housing, and lack of biophysical buffers. The study aligns with prior research linking elevated LST to increased mortality among children and the elderly in Kibera slum. It recommends the demolition of informal settlements, development of model villages for slum dwellers, and equitable distribution of biophysical infrastructure to mitigate LST effects.

Rare earth elements are emerging as a neo-contaminant as their application increasing in modern technology. Southwest India knows for world class deposits and mining. Present study involves as seasonal wise collection of samples deposits on over bridges in City of Thiruvananthapuram, Southwest India and detailed analysis using Heavy liquid separation, microscopic analyser, XRD and MP-AES.

Total Heavy placer in general is ranging from 2% to 17% and higher concentration observed on over bridges located in placer minerals transport routes and beneficiation industrial area. Seasonal variation result indicating higher Heavy placers on rainy season compared to dry seasons. heterogeneous heavy mineral assemblage noticed, and common heavy minerals are Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon, Monazite, Sillimanite and high quartz. microscopic studies indicating surface damages on heavy placer that indicating an anthropogenic activity. XRF analysis indicating that TiO2,Fe2O3 are major oxide in bulk samples. XRD analysis revealed multi-modal mineral assemblage. MP-AES analysis indicating that Higher REE content that may arise from occurrence of REE bearing minerals such as Monazite and Zircon. Overall Study indicating that over bridge sand samples will give insight of higher occurrence of REEs that basically derived from anthropogenic in nature. It may help to build a point source contamination spot determination

This project aims to explore the biotechnological potential of native plant species from Mampuján, Bolívar (Colombia), a historically marginalized territory affected by armed conflict and displacement. Leveraging local biodiversity and ancestral knowledge, the initiative combines ethnobotanical surveys, STEM education, and technologies 4.0 to promote circular bioeconomy and social restoration. Approximately 100 promising plants will be identified through community knowledge and remote sensing via drone-assisted diagnosis. A subset will undergo taxonomic validation and extraction of essential oils or hydroethanolic extracts for chemical characterization and antimicrobial testing.

The antimicrobial activity of extracts will be evaluated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Moniliophthora roreri, and Fusarium spp., using Kirby-Bauer and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration methods. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) will determine chemical profiles and extraction efficiency. Results will inform the creation of a publicly accessible repository on promising species with potential pharmacological and agroindustrial applications. Moreover, the project prioritizes the empowerment of girls and adolescents (NNA) by integrating ancestral knowledge into scientific education, fostering social justice and environmental stewardship.

This work aligns with national science missions including “Science for Peace” and “Bioeconomy and Territory,” and contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 5, 8, 15). By facilitating knowledge exchange and capacity-building in circular economy practices, the project seeks to reduce economic disparity, strengthen local agroindustry, and provide tools for sustainable regional development. Ultimately, it positions bioprospecting as a path for socio-ecological resilience and health-oriented innovation within post-conflict communities.

Over the past ten years, the significance of indoor air quality as a determinant of health outcomes has gained considerable international attention, with women and young children being the most vulnerable. Moving beyond conventional analytical techniques, this research applies a novel Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) model to investigate the complex drivers of nutritional deficits in mother-child pairs across South Asia, with a specific focus on exposure to contaminants from domestic fuel use. The probabilistic framework of the BNN, implemented via the PC algorithm, identifies a robust link between the use of solid fuels for cooking and worsened nutritional status, confirming that such pollution is a major aggravating factor for malnourishment.

The model's architecture further elucidates critical conditional relationships. The nutritional health of both mothers and their offspring is shown to be directly influenced by household air pollution, an effect that is modulated by the type of residence (urban or rural). Other factors, including a mother's workforce participation, her educational attainment, and the household's water and sanitation facilities, also demonstrate a conditional effect on nutrition that is dependent on the economic status of the family. For maternal outcomes specifically, health is conditionally shaped by the frequency of prenatal healthcare visits and the household's wealth index, with the setting of residence acting as a key modifier. A child's nutritional status, meanwhile, is conditionally dependent on the mother's Body Mass Index and the child's birth order, with the magnitude of these effects being influenced by the mother's employment and education levels. These nuanced findings offer a new perspective distinct from earlier work. The study concludes by highlighting the urgent necessity for public health strategies that accelerate the transition to cleaner household energy sources throughout the region.

The study explored the antibacterial properties of Azanza garckeana fruit extract against clinically relevant enteric bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The growing resistance of pathogenic bacteria to conventional antibiotics has necessitated the evaluation of alternate therapeutic agents, including plant-derived compounds with potential bioactive properties. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids and flavonoids, both of which are known to exhibit antimicrobial activity. Results from antimicrobial susceptibility testing and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays indicated only partial antibacterial activity, with all bacterial isolates showing resistance to the extract at tested concentrations. The limited antibacterial activity observed during both the sensitivity and MIC tests suggests that the concentrations of active constituents present in the extract were insufficient to significantly inhibit bacterial growth, as indicated by the phytochemical profile. The study indicates that despite its traditional medicinal uses, the fruit extract of A. garckeana may not be a promising standalone antibacterial agent for the treatment of enteric pathogens in its current crude form. However, this does not rule out its therapeutic potential entirely. Overall, the study emphasizes the significance of enhancing extraction methods, purifying active constituents, and further investigating the plant’s pharmacological potential for future therapeutic applications, particularly in light of the global rise in antibiotic resistance.

Test. As population growth and living standards improve, the generation of food waste(FW) has steadily increased[1]. Rich in moisture and organic matter, food waste has long been considered a material with potential for resource recovery. Aerobic composting is one of the primary methods for treating food waste, utilizing naturally occurring microorganisms to break down complex organic molecules into stable humus under well-ventilated, thermally regulated conditions. Through controlled human intervention such as maintaining optimal moisture levels and a balanced carbon-to-nitrogen ratio conditions are optimized to enhance microbial activity and the transformation of organic matter, relying on the synergistic functions of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. The use of organic waste as fertilizer has a history spanning thousands of years in human society. Even in ancient times, when productivity was limited, people recognized that materials like manure and food waste, if properly managed, could enhance crop yields. However, due to low population levels, there was an insufficient supply of organic waste available for use as fertilizer. In modern times, the invention of chemical fertilizers has led to substantial increases in crop yields. However, chemical fertilizers cannot be used excessively and must be supplemented with organic fertilizers to prevent soil compaction and other adverse effects on soil health. Organic fertilizers were traditionally derived from agricultural waste, livestock waste, and sludge, which often carried risks of heavy metal contamination, antibiotic residues, or resistant gene pollution. In recent years, food waste has emerged as a preferable source for organic fertilizer production due to its minimal contamination with such pollutants. Consequently, extensive research has been conducted to optimize the composting of food waste, leading to a well-developed process for producing organic fertilizers from this source. In addition, numerous studies have shown that land applications of resource products derived from food waste yield favorable results.

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biodegradable polyester that has drawn increasing attention as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics. Although PHB is widely recognized for its biodegradability, its persistence in certain environments has raised concerns about its actual environmental impact. In particular, the role of plasticizers commonly added to bioplastic formulations remains poorly understood regarding biodegradation. In recent years, the detection of the heavy metal arsenic in soil has become a serious contamination problem. Because arsenic is highly cytotoxic, even trace amounts can be harmful to humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms. Therefore, when decomposing PHB products in soil, the impact of the heavy metal arsenic on decomposition must be taken into consideration. Until now, there has been little research on the effect of the heavy metal arsenic on PHB-decomposing bacteria, and it has not yet been fully elucidated.

In this study, we examined the effect of phthalate esters and the heavy metal arsenic on PHB degradation using Ralstonia sp. C1. The bacterium was cultivated in LB medium at 30 °C for 18 h, washed to remove residual nutrients, and subsequently transferred to a defined medium containing 0.5% (w/v) polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) as the sole carbon source. Plasticizers were applied at concentrations ranging from 50 to 1000 μg/L. The heavy metal arsenic was applied at concentrations ranging from 5 to 40 mg/L.

Cultures were incubated aerobically at 30°C for 96 hours with shaking, and samples were collected every 24 hours. Residual PHB was measured using HPLC. In addition, to investigate whether arsenic affects the growth of the strains, arsenic and the strains were added to MS medium, then cultured at 30°C for 96 hours, with OD₆₀₀ measurements every 24 hours.

Under all tested conditions about additives, over 50 percent of the PHB was degraded within the first 24 hours, and more than 98 percent degradation was observed by the end of the incubation period. The degradation rates were comparable regardless of the presence or absence of additives.

Additionally, no evidence was found that Ralstonia sp. C1 metabolized the additives. These results suggest that phthalate plasticizers neither inhibit the microbial degradation of PHB nor are utilized by strain C1. The tested conditions about arsenic, like the results of the additive experiment, over 50% of PHB was decomposed within 24 hours, and almost all of it was decomposed after the end of the cultivation. No change in the PHB decomposition rate was observed depending on the arsenic concentration added. Furthermore, the OD₆₀₀ experiment results showed that arsenic did not affect the growth of the strain. These results suggest that Ralstonia sp. C1 is likely not affected by the cytotoxicity of arsenic at concentrations ranging from 5 to 40 mg/L.

This study provides the first clear evidence that environmental isolates can effectively degrade PHB containing such additives. Furthermore, it was suggested that the environmental isolates could efficiently degrade PHB even in the presence of arsenic at concentrations as high as 40 mg/L. The findings offer valuable insights into the environmental behavior of bioplastics and support the continued development and recycling of additive-containing biodegradable materials for commercial use.