Building on a decade of progress in water, sanitation and hygiene to control, eliminate and eradicate neglected tropical diseases.

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are essential for the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The forthcoming NTD road map 'Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021-2030' encourages cross-sectoral collaboration and includes cross-cutting targets on WASH. This commentary reflects on collaborative efforts between the NTD and WASH sectors over the past years and encourages strengthened partnerships to support the new road map and achieve the 2030 agenda ambition of leaving no one behind.

Recent Advances in Health Impact Assessment and Health in All Policies Implementation: Lessons from an International Convening in Barcelona.

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and Health in All Policies (HiAP) are policy tools used to include health considerations in decision-making processes across sectors such as transportation, education, and criminal justice that can play a role in improving health and equity. This article summarizes proceedings from an international convening of HIA and HiAP experts held in July 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. The presentations and panel discussions included different models, best practices, and lessons learned, including from government, international banks, think tanks, and academia. Participants discussed ideas from around the world for cross-sector collaboration to advance health. The convening covered the following topics: community engagement, building greater understanding of and support for HiAP, and exploring how mandates for HIA and HiAP approaches may advance health and equity.

Application of Fered-Fenton process for m-phenylenediamine degradation.

This study was undertaken to investigate the feasibility of applying the Fered-Fenton process to the degradation of m-phenylenediamine, by examining the effect of varying the initial H2O2 and Fe(2+) concentrations, the initial pH and electric current on the process efficiency. The degradation behavior of m-phenylenediamine was also compared to that of aniline. The Fered-Fenton reactor consists of anodes and cathodes with mesh-type titanium metal coated with IrO2/RuO2 and stainless steel, respectively. The experiments showed that m-phenylenediamine was rapidly degraded by the Fered-Fenton process. Initial pH of 3.2 is optimal for the removal of m-phenylenediamine and chemical oxygen demand (COD). m-Phenylenediamine and COD removal efficiencies increased with the increasing electrical current from 0 A to 4 A, and decreased with a further increase in electrical current. Optimum efficiency resulting in 100% degradation of m-phenylenediamine and elimination of 30% of COD was achieved at pH 3.2 at 60 min in the presence of 10 mM of m-phenylenediamine, 0.268 mM of Fe(2+), 43.6 mM of H2O2, and under a current of 4 A.

Meeting report: threats to human health and environmental sustainability in the pacific basin.

The coastal zone of the Pacific Rim is home for about one-third of the world's population. Disproportionate growth of Far Eastern economies has produced a disproportionate share of related environmental difficulties. As the region searches for acceptable compromises between growth and environmental quality, its influence on global environmental health is certain to increase. Consequences of global environmental change such as habitat alteration, storms, and sea level rise will be particularly acute among Pacific Rim nations. Adverse health effects from arsenic exposure in Pacific Rim nations have been used to justify drinking water standards in the United States and elsewhere. As global manufacturing in the Pacific Rim increases, the centroid of global air quality and waste management issues will shift further toward Far Eastern nations. The Eleventh International Conference of the Pacific Basin Consortium (PBC) was held in September 2005 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The purpose of the conference was to bring together individuals to discuss regional challenges to sustainable growth. The historic emphasis of the conference on hazardous wastes in relation to human health makes the PBC an ideal forum for discussing technical aspects of sustainable economic growth in the Pacific region. That role is reflected in the 2005 PBC conference themes, which included management of arsenic in potable waters, air quality, climate change, pesticides, mercury, and electronics industry waste-each with emphasis on relationships to human health. Arsenic management exemplifies the manner in which the PBC can focus interdisciplinary discussion in a single technical area. The conference program provided talks on arsenic toxicology, treatment technologies, management of arsenic-bearing residuals from water treatment, and the probable societal costs and benefits of arsenic management.