SPOT: Scanning plant IoT facility for high-throughput plant phenotyping.

Many plant phenotyping platforms have been kept out of the reach of smaller labs and institutions due to high cost and proprietary software. The Scanning Plant IoT (SPOT) Facility, located at the University of Florida, is a mobile, laboratory-based platform that facilitates open-source collection of high-quality, interoperable plant phenotypic data. It consists of three main sensors: a hyperspectral sensor, a thermal camera, and a LiDAR camera. Real-time data from the sensors can be collected in its 10 ft. × 10 ft. scanning region. The mobility of the device allows its use in large growth chambers, environmentally controlled rooms, or greenhouses. Sensors are oriented nadir and positioned via computer numerical control of stepper motors. In a preliminary experiment, data gathered from SPOT was used to autonomously and nondestructively differentiate between cultivars.

Potential Environmental and Health Implications from the Scaled-Up Production and Disposal of Nanomaterials Used in Biosensors.

Biosensors often combine biological recognition elements with nanomaterials of varying compositions and dimensions to facilitate or enhance the operating mechanism of the device. While incorporating nanomaterials is beneficial to developing high-performance biosensors, at the stages of scale-up and disposal, it may lead to the unmanaged release of toxic nanomaterials. Here we attempt to foster connections between the domains of biosensors development and human and environmental toxicology to encourage a holistic approach to the development and scale-up of biosensors. We begin by exploring the toxicity of nanomaterials commonly used in biosensor design. From our analysis, we introduce five factors with a role in nanotoxicity that should be considered at the biosensor development stages to better manage toxicity. Finally, we contextualize the discussion by presenting the relevant stages and routes of exposure in the biosensor life cycle. Our review found little consensus on how the factors presented govern nanomaterial toxicity, especially in composite and alloyed nanomaterials. To bridge the current gap in understanding and mitigate the risks of uncontrolled nanomaterial release, we advocate for greater collaboration through a precautionary One Health approach to future development and a movement towards a circular approach to biosensor use and disposal.

Water pollution and environmental policy in artisanal gold mining frontiers: The case of La Toma, Colombia.

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the largest anthropogenic source of mercury emissions globally. Concern over mercury pollution increases due to its long-term impacts on human health and aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Using a participatory research methodology, we gathered social and behavioral information regarding daily practices and water usage by an ASGM community in Suárez, Colombia. Based on this information, we identified 18 sampling sites of water sources commonly used by the community. The samples were analyzed for total mercury, total coliforms, pH, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved oxygen. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters from the water assessment were compared with the drinking water thresholds set by the Colombian regulatory agencies, the EPA, and the WHO. Our results showed that the majority of the samples do not meet one or more quality and safety standards. On average, the sampling sites showed total mercury levels below the regulatory limits; however, the data had considerable variability, and in many cases, individual observations fell above the maximum concentration limit for drinking water. We discuss these results within the larger framework of the regulatory gaps for human and environmental protection in ASGM contexts. The total lack of water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, combined with the long-term consumption of sublethal doses of mercury and other water contaminants, constitutes a significant threat to the well-being of communities and territories that necessitates further research and intervention by institutional authorities.

Waste-Derived Nanoparticles: Synthesis Approaches, Environmental Applications, and Sustainability Considerations.

For the past few decades, a plethora of nanoparticles have been produced through various methods and utilized to advance technologies for environmental applications, including water treatment, detection of persistent pollutants, and soil/water remediation, amongst many others. The field of materials science and engineering is increasingly interested in increasing the sustainability of the processes involved in the production of nanoparticles, which motivates the exploration of alternative inputs for nanoparticle production as well as the implementation of green synthesis techniques. Herein, we start by overviewing the general aspects of nanoparticle synthesis from industrial, electric/electronic, and plastic waste. We expand on critical aspects of waste identification as a viable input for the treatment and recovery of metal- and carbon-based nanoparticles. We follow-up by discussing different governing mechanisms involved in the production of nanoparticles, and point to potential inferences throughout the synthesis processes. Next, we provide some examples of waste-derived nanoparticles utilized in a proof-of-concept demonstration of technologies for applications in water quality and safety. We conclude by discussing current challenges from the toxicological and life-cycle perspectives that must be taken into consideration before scale-up manufacturing and implementation of waste-derived nanoparticles.

Sensor-as-a-Service: Convergence of Sensor Analytic Point Solutions (SNAPS) and Pay-A-Penny-Per-Use (PAPPU) Paradigm as a Catalyst for Democratization of Healthcare in Underserved Communities.

In this manuscript, we discuss relevant socioeconomic factors for developing and implementing sensor analytic point solutions (SNAPS) as point-of-care tools to serve impoverished communities. The distinct economic, environmental, cultural, and ethical paradigms that affect economically disadvantaged users add complexity to the process of technology development and deployment beyond the science and engineering issues. We begin by contextualizing the environmental burden of disease in select low-income regions around the world, including environmental hazards at work, home, and the broader community environment, where SNAPS may be helpful in the prevention and mitigation of human exposure to harmful biological vectors and chemical agents. We offer examples of SNAPS designed for economically disadvantaged users, specifically for supporting decision-making in cases of tuberculosis (TB) infection and mercury exposure. We follow-up by discussing the economic challenges that are involved in the phased implementation of diagnostic tools in low-income markets and describe a micropayment-based systems-as-a-service approach (pay-a-penny-per-use-PAPPU), which may be catalytic for the adoption of low-end, low-margin, low-research, and the development SNAPS. Finally, we provide some insights into the social and ethical considerations for the assimilation of SNAPS to improve health outcomes in marginalized communities.