Apparent Khat chewers exposure to DDT in Ethiopia and its potential toxic effects: A scoping review.

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is an insecticide, a member of dirty dozen persistent organic pollutants, used widely in the world until it was banned in the 1970s.The banning of DDT was strengthened by the Stockholm Convention in 2001. DDT is allowed only for malaria control in Ethiopia. However, farmers are misusing DDT and applying it to Khat (Catha edulis) farming. So, this review analyzes available data in the literature on the current trend, application, occurrence, fate and effects of DDT and its metabolites, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), in the chewable parts of Khat. Generally, the concentration level of DDT, DDD, and DDE, designated as DDTs, is detected in different farmlands of Ethiopia. Some of the DDTs concentrations detected are very high (141.2-973 µg/kg (Gelemso), 194.4-999 µg/kg (Aseno) and 6253-8413.3 µg/kg (Gurage), and these concentrations may indicate increasing recent unmonitored application of DDT on Khat leaves. Some of the detected concentrations of DDT in the literature were above the maximum residue limit (MRL) set by FAO/WHO (100 µg/kg) and the European Commission 10 µg/kg in vegetables and 50 µg/kg in cereals. DDT exposure of Khat chewers linked to the concentration of DDT on Khat leaves and the amount of Khat consumed. DDT might pose health risks to chewers due to chronic toxicity, bioaccumulation, persistent and endocrine disruption properties.

Glutaraldehyde vapor cross-linked nanofibrous PVA mat with in situ formed silver nanoparticles.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibrous mat can be easily prepared via electrospinning its aqueous solution. However, the obtained nanofibrous mat is instantaneously dissolved in water. Therefore, rendering the environmentally friendly nanofibrous mat water insoluble by cross-linking mechanism is of great interest. The electrospun PVA nanofibrous mat with an average fiber diameter of ca. 400 nm could be effectively cross-linked by glutaraldehyde vapor at room temperature. The cross-linking not only resulted in a water-insoluble nanofibrous mat but also generated an excess amount of unreacted aldehyde functional groups that could reduce silver salts into silver nanoparticles. The in situ formed silver nanoparticles along the fibrous surface showed excellent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli. The vapor cross-linked nanofibrous mat shows a high potential to be used for efficiently capturing and killing pathogenic bacteria.