Search Results (2)

In developing countries, indoor air pollution in rural areas is often attributed to the use of solid biomass fuels for cooking. Such fuels generate particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). PM created from biomass combustion is a pollutant particularly damaging to health. This rigorous study employed a personal sampling device and multi-stage cascade impactor to collect airborne PM (including PM_2.5) and deposited ash from 20 real-world kitchen microenvironments. A robust analysis of the PM was undertaken using a range of morphological, physical, and chemical techniques, the results of which were then compared to a controlled burn experiment. Results revealed that airborne PM was predominantly carbon (~85%), with the OC/EC ratio varying between 1.17 and 11.5. Particles were primarily spherical nanoparticles (50–100 nm) capable of deep penetration into the human respiratory tract (HRT). This is the first systematic characterisation of biomass cooking emissions in authentic rural kitchen settings, linking particle morphology, chemistry and toxicology at health-relevant scales. Toxic heavy metals like Cr, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Hg were detected in PM, while ash was dominated by crustal elements such as Ca, Mg and P. VOCs comprised benzene derivatives, esters, ethers, ketones, tetramethysilanes (TMS), and nitrogen-, phosphorus- and sulphur-containing compounds. This research showcases a unique collection technique that gathered particles indicative of their potential for penetration and deposition in the HRT. Impact stems from the close link between the physico-chemical properties of particle emissions and their environmental and epidemiological effects. By providing a critical evidence base for exposure modelling, risk assessment and clean cooking interventions, this study delivers internationally significant insights. Our methodological innovation, capturing respirable nanoparticles under real-world conditions, offers a transferable framework for indoor air quality research across low- and middle-income countries. The findings therefore advance both fundamental understanding of combustion-derived nanoparticle behaviour and practical knowledge to inform public health, environmental policy, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

The current status of gestational diabetes mellitus in Australia reveals an almost quadrupling prevalence over the last decade. A narrative review of the current Australian literature reveals unique challenges faced by Australian maternity clinicians when addressing this substantial disease burden in our diverse population. Rising rates of maternal overweight and obesity, increasing maternal age and the diversity of ethnicity are key epidemiological impactors, overlaid by the 2015 changes in screening and diagnostic parameters. Our vast land mass and the remote location of many at risk women requires innovative and novel ideas for pathways to diagnose and effectively manage women with gestational diabetes mellitus. By modifying and modernizing models of care for women with gestational diabetes mellitus, we have the ability to address accessibility, resource management and our acute response to global events such as the COVID 19 pandemic. With continuing research, education and robust discourse, Australia is well placed to meet current and future challenges in the management of gestational diabetes mellitus. Full article