Plastics, due to their varied properties, find use in different sectors such as agriculture, packaging, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and construction, to mention a few. Excessive use of plastics results in a lot of plastic waste buildup. Poorly managed plastic waste (as shown by heaps of plastic waste on dumpsites, in free spaces, along roads, and in marine systems) and the plastic in landfills, are just a fraction of the plastic waste in the environment. A complete picture should include the micro and nano-plastics (MNPs) in the hydrosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere, as the current extreme weather conditions (which are effects of climate change), wear and tear, and other factors promote MNP formation. MNPs pose a threat to the environment more than their pristine counterparts. This review highlights the entry and occurrence of primary and secondary MNPs in the soil, water and air, together with their aging. Furthermore, the uptake and internalization, by plants, animals, and humans are discussed, together with their toxicity effects. Finally, the future perspective and conclusion are given. The material utilized in this work was acquired from published articles and the internet using keywords such as plastic waste, degradation, microplastic, aging, internalization, and toxicity.

Silver nanoparticles have gained significant attention due to their remarkable antimicrobial properties, making them ideal candidates for incorporation into various coatings. These coatings exhibit antimicrobial activity through multiple mechanisms, including the release of silver ions, the generation of reactive oxygen species, and the disruption of microbial cell membranes and intracellular metabolic pathways. The integration of silver nanoparticles into coating matrices through physical embedding, chemical bonding, or surface grafting not only influences the controlled release of antimicrobial agents but also affects the mechanical stability and longevity of the coatings. Several factors, including nanoparticle size, shape, surface chemistry, and functionalization, influence the antimicrobial efficiency of these nanoparticle-based coatings. As a result, silver nanoparticle coatings have been widely applied in medical devices, textiles, antifouling surfaces, and food packaging. This review discusses the advances in using silver nanoparticles in antimicrobial coatings, focusing on the mechanisms of action, fabrication methods, and diverse applications. The review also highlights the influence of nanoparticle characteristics on antimicrobial performance, providing insights into the future directions for smart coatings. Future research is expected to focus on optimizing the fabrication techniques, enhancing the stability of silver nanoparticle coatings, and exploring innovative applications in emerging fields.

Aquaculture serves as a source of protein and livelihood and is an alternative to capture fisheries, thereby reducing pressure on the wild. However, aquaculture tends to be limited by sustainability issues, which include overdependency on fishmeal, the high cost associated with fishmeal, the environmental impact of aquaculture activities, which may be detrimental to aquatic lives and the environment, and the use of antibiotics to treat diseases, which may have an adverse effect in their host or the environment. Efforts are being made toward attaining practical ways to enhance aquaculture sustainability. One such effort is using functional feed additives in feed formulation. Functional feed additives are dietary ingredients incorporated in feed formulations, not only for the usual provision of basic nutritional requirements as offered by traditional feed but also for growth and health enhancement; environmental and economic gain. This review emphasizes the importance of incorporating functional feed additives such as probiotics, prebiotics, symbiotics, and phytogenics. This study evaluates and presents holistic information on functional additives, their roles in enhancing aquaculture sustainability, and the challenges encountered in their application.

The presence of Acinetobacter baumannii outside hospitals remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of multidrug-resistance (MDR) A. baumannii in the extra-hospital environment in Mthatha, South Africa and to investigate the frequency of carbapenemase-encoding genes. From August 2016 to July 2017 a total of 598 abattoir samples and 689 aquatic samples were collected and analyzed presumptively by cultural methods for the presence of A. baumannii using CHROMagar™ Acinetobacter medium. Species identification was performed by autoSCAN-4 (Dade Behring Inc., IL) and confirmed by the detection of their intrinsic bla_OXA-51 gene. Confirmed MDR A. baumannii isolates were screened for the presence of carbapenemase-encoding genes, ISAba1 insertion sequence and integrase intI1. In total, 248 (19.3%) Acinetobacter species were isolated. Acinetobacter. baumannii was detected in 183 (73.8%) of which 85 (46.4%) and 98 (53.6%) were recovered from abattoir and aquatic respectively. MDR A. baumannii was detected in 56.5% (48/85) abattoir isolates and 53.1% (52/98) aquatic isolates. Isolates showed high resistance to antimicrobials most frequently used to treat Acinetobacter infections such as piperacillin/tazobactam; abattoir (98% of isolates resistant), aquatic (94% of isolates resistant), ceftazidime (84%, 83%), ciprofloxacin (71%, 70%), amikacin (41%, 42%), imipenem (75%, 73%), and meropenem (74%, 71%). All the isolates were susceptible to tigecycline and colistin. All the isolates carried bla_OXA-51-like. The bla_OXA-23 was detected in 32 (66.7%) abattoir isolates and 11 (21.2%) aquatic isolates. The bla_OXA-58-like was positive in 7 (14.6%) and 4 (7.7%) abattoir and aquatic isolates, respectively. Both groups of isolates lacked bla_OXA-24-like, bla_IMP-type, bla_VIM-type, bla_NDM-1,bla_SIM, bla_AmpC, ISAba1 and inI1. Isolates showed high level of Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Index (MARI) ranging from 0.20-0.52. Extra-hospital sources such as abattoir and aquatic environments may be a vehicle of spread of MDR A. baumannii strains in the community and hospital settings.

Valorizing food waste (FW) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) can enhance the efficiency of limited resources, make healthy diets more affordable, and foster the creation of innovative enterprises. The vast quantities of FW from the agri-food chain significantly threaten food security. To address this issue and maximize potential environmental and socio-economic benefits, valorizing waste, a value-adding process for waste materials, has emerged as a sustainable and efficient strategy. Valorizing FW reduces greenhouse gas emissions, mitigates climate change, enhances resource efficiency, and improves planetary health. As a pivotal player in the transition toward the circular economy, this study investigates the potential of converting FW into value-added products, offering entrepreneurial opportunities for SSA’s unemployed youth. A systematic literature review is conducted to identify and filter relevant articles over five years by applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 33 articles were included for in-depth analysis to address the study’s aim. The findings highlight a range of value-added products derived from FW, including renewable energy sources, nutraceuticals, and heavy metal adsorbents. These products present promising entrepreneurial prospects within SSA. Nonetheless, overcoming barriers to FW valorization adoption is crucial for fully realizing its potential as a profitable business avenue.