New catalysts for solar hydrogen production

Peer-Reviewed Publication

VIENNA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

 

IMAGE: GROUP LEADER PROF. DOMINIK EDER (LEFT) AND FIRST AUTHOR OF THE STUDY PABLO AYALA (RIGHT). view more 

CREDIT: TU WIEN

Finding sustainable and clean fuels is crucial in today’s global energy and climate crisis. One promising candidate that is increasingly gaining relevance is hydrogen. However, today’s industrial hydrogen production still has a considerable CO2 footprint, especially considering processes like steam reforming or non-sustainable electrolysis.

A team led by Prof. Dominik Eder from the Institute of Materials Chemistry (TU Wien) is therefore focusing on the development of environmentally friendly processes for obtaining hydrogen, for example by photocatalysis. This process enables the conversion of water molecules to hydrogen aided by nothing but light and a catalyst. Through this process, the sun’s abundant and clean energy can be stored in the chemical bonds of this so-called solar fuel. Recently, the results have been published in the scientific journal „Advanced Energy Materials”.

Novel photocatalysts

When producing green hydrogen by photocatalysis, the catalyst plays a crucial role. In contrast to industrial catalysts, a photocatalyst utilizes the energy of light to facilitate the splitting of water at room temperature and ambient pressures. Among the most promising candidates are metal-organic frameworks, so called MOFs. They are made up of molecular inorganic building units held together by organic linker molecules. Together, they form highly porous 3D networks that have an exceptionally large surface area and excellent charge separation properties.

However, most MOFs are only active under UV light irradiation, which is why the community alters the organic compounds to make them capable of absorbing visible light. However, these modifications have a negative influence on the mobility of the electrons. Another limitation concerns charge extraction, where the electrons are released from the material: „While MOFs are indeed great at separating charge carriers at the organic-inorganic interfaces, their efficient extraction for catalytic use remains a challenge”, Dominik Eder explains.

Recently, MOFs with layered structures have caught a lot of attention for use in optoelectronic applications, as they exhibit greatly improved charge extraction properties. „You can picture these layered structures as a Manner Schnitte, where the waffle is the inorganic part and the chocolate is the organic ligand holding them together”, Pablo Ayala, lead-author of the study, illustrates. „You just need to make the waffle part conductive.”

Challenges in water splitting

In contrast to 3D-MOFs a layered MOF is usually non-porous, which reduces the catalytically active area to the external surface of the particles. „Hence, we had to find a way to make these particles as small as possible”, Eder explains. However, nanostructuring of materials is often accompanied by the introduction of structural defects. These can act as charge traps and slow down the extraction of charges. „Nobody likes a Manner Schnitte with missing chocolate”, Ayala proceeds with his comparison. "In the case of photocatalysis, we also need the best possible material that can be produced."

Therefore, Dominik Eder's team developed a new synthesis route in which even the smallest crystalline structures can be produced free of defects. This was achieved in collaboration with local and international universities. The novel, layered MOFs are based on titanium and have a cubic shape of just a few nanometers in size. The material has already been able to achieve record values in photocatalytic hydrogen production under the influence of visible light.

Aided by computer simulations carried out at Technion in Israel, the team was able to unravel the underlying reaction mechanism and demonstrated two things: First, that the layered nature of the MOF is indeed key to efficient charge separation and extraction. Second, that missing-ligand defects act as unwanted charge traps that need to be avoided as much as possible to enhance the material’s photocatalytic performance.

The research group is currently designing new layered MOFs and exploring them for various energy applications.

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JOURNAL

Advanced Energy Materials

DOI

10.1002/aenm.202300961 

ARTICLE TITLE

The Emergence of 2D Building Units in Metal-Organic Frameworks for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution: A Case Study with COK-47

 Acetalization: A feasible and sustainable strategy for biomass valorization

Peer-Reviewed Publication

INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY & MATERIALS

 

IMAGE: REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLES OF APPLICATION OF ACETALIZATION STRATEGY IN BIOMASS VALORIZATION view more 

CREDIT: CHANGZHI LI, DALIAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.

Biomass, mainly composed of lignocellulose and vegetable oil, has been acclaimed as one of the most promising sustainable sources of raw carbon material for the synthesis of transport fuels and value-added chemicals. The catalytic conversion of lignocellulose/vegetable oil and their related derivatives has attracted great attention in biomass valorization. Many elegant methods including hydrolysis, dehydration, hydrogenation, hydrogenolysis, oxidation, etherification, esterification, amination, aldol condensation, Diels–Alder, Knoevenagel condensation, and acetalization have been developed for the valorization of lignocellulose/vegetable oil derivatives toward value-added chemicals and biofuels.

In particular, acetalization is advocated as an appealing approach in biomass valorization because it serves as both a synthesis tool for renewable acetal fuel additives and a protection strategy to improve product selectivity. A team of scientists summarized the latest progresses about the application of acetalization strategy in biomass valorization. Their work is published in Industrial Chemistry & Materials on Jun 28, 2023.

"The development of efficient and selective strategies is crucial for valorizing lignocellulose/vegetable oil derivatives," said Changzhi Li, a Professor at Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, "In this review, we systematically discussed the recent advancement of the application of acetalization strategy in biomass valorization. The latest progresses in the development of catalytic systems for the acetalization of biobased furanic compounds and biogenic ethylene glycol/glycerol are systematically summarized and discussed, with an emphasis on the reaction pathway, relationship between catalyst structures and their performance, and relevant catalytic mechanism. Moreover, the application of the acetalization strategy for protecting carbonyl groups/diol structure functionalities to improve the target products' selectivity in lignin depolymerization, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural oxidation, sorbitol dehydration, and xylose hydrogenation is highlighted. We also provided an outlook on the remaining challenges to this field."

"Acetalization, a well-known reversible reaction between carbonyl compounds and alcohols, usually need excess of one of the reactant to compel reversible acetalization completion," Li said, "Nevertheless, studies on the recovery of excess reactant after the reaction are scarce. Moreover, the separation and purification of cyclic acetals/ketals deserve much attention. Expectedly, rectification or designing a suitable biphasic reaction system for this transformation may probably realize the recovery of the surplus substrate and/or separation of the acetals product."

"A five-membered-ring acetal (i.e., 1,3-dioxolane) and a six-membered-ring acetal (i.e., 1,3-dioxane) are available from the acetalization of furanic compounds and glycerol," Li said, "However, it is still a significant challenge to achieve the selective synthesis of 1,3-dioxolane or 1,3-dioxane. Designing structurally adjustable catalysts or choosing suitable solvents may provide an opportunity for achieving the selective synthesis of 1,3-dioxolane or 1,3-dioxane. In addition, the use of crude glycerol, stemming from biodiesel production, for acetalization is more economically viable, and the influence of impurities on the acetalization reaction needs to be investigated."

At present, the available researches for getting insights into detailed catalytic mechanisms for the acetalization of furanic compounds and ethylene glycol/glycerol are limited. More effort should therefore be devoted to the fundamental understanding of the catalytic mechanism via in situ spectroscopic measurements and density functional theory calculation.

"The synthesis of a single product with high selectivity during the valorization of biomass derivatives is very challenging due to the presence of multiple functional groups (e.g., C=O, C=C, and C-O) in biomass molecules," Li said, "Taking advantages of the fact that acetalization is a reversible reaction and the formed cyclic acetals/ketals are stable/low reactivity in basic media, acetalization as a protection strategy of the carbonyl group is worth further promotion in biomass valorization such as exclusive hydrogenation of C=C in biobased multifunctional compounds while leaving the C=O group unreduced."

"In this review, our main goal is to provide readers with timely and accurate latest research progress on the application of acetalization strategy in biomass valorization," Li said.

The research team includes Jian He, Li Bai, Huazhong Yu and Shima Liu from Jishou University in China; and Qian Qiang, Wentao Su and Changzhi Li from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

This research is funded by the National Key R&D Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China and Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China.

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Industrial Chemistry & Materials is a peer-reviewed interdisciplinary academic journal published by Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) with APCs currently waived. Icm publishes significant innovative research and major technological breakthroughs in all aspects of industrial chemistry and materials, especially the important innovation of the low-carbon chemical industry, energy, and functional materials.

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JOURNAL

Industrial Chemistry and Materials

DOI

10.1039/D3IM00050H 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Literature review

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Acetalization strategy in biomass valorization: a review

 

Collecting energy from raindrops using solar panel technology

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY PRESS

 

IMAGE: THIS DIAGRAM SHOWS WHAT THESE D-TENG PANELS MIGHT LOOK LIKE. IT ALSO ILLUSTRATES HOW THE BRIDGE STRUCTURE, WHEN COMBINED WITH THE LOWER ELECTRODES, CAN LEAD TO IMPROVED ENERGY STORAGE. view more 

CREDIT: IENERGY, TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY PRESS

When raindrops fall from the sky, they can produce a small amount of energy that can be harvested and turned into electricity. It is a small-scale version of hydropower, which uses the kinetic energy of moving water to produce electricity. Researchers have proposed that the energy collected from raindrops could be a potential source of clean, renewable power. However, this technology has been difficult to develop on a large scale, which has limited its practical application.

 

To collect raindrop energy, a device called a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), which uses liquid-solid contact electrification, has been shown to successfully harvest the electricity from raindrops. This technology also successfully harvests energy from waves and other forms of liquid-solid triboelectric power generation. However, droplet-based TENG (D-TENGs) have a technical limitation from connecting more than one of these panels together, which reduces overall power output. A recently published paper outlines how modeling D-TENG panels after solar panel arrays makes harvesting raindrop energy more efficient, broadening its application.

 

The paper was published in iEnergy on June 29.

 

“Although D-TENGs have ultra-high instantaneous output power, it is still difficult for a single D-TENG to continuously supply power for megawatt-level electrical equipment. Therefore, it is very important to realize the simultaneous utilization of multiple D-TENGs,” said Zong Li, a professor at the Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School at Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, China. “Referring to the design of solar panels in which multiple solar power generation units are connected in parallel to supply the load, we are proposing a simple and effective method for raindrop energy harvesting.”  

 

When multiple D-TENGs are connected, there is unintended coupling capacitance between the panels’ upper electrode and lower electrode. This unintended coupling capacitance reduces the power output of the D-TENG arrays. To reduce the effect of this problem, researchers proposed bridge array generators, which use array lower electrodes to reduce the influence of the capacitance.

 

When raindrops fall on the surface of the panel, a process called triboelectrification produces and stores the energy from the rain. When the droplet falls on the surface of the panel, called the FEP surface, the droplet becomes positively charged, and the FEP surface negatively charged. “The amount of charge generated by each droplet is small and the surface charge on the FEP will gradually dissipate. After a long time on the surface, the charges on the FEP surface will gradually accumulate to saturation,” said Li. “At this point, the dissipation rate of the FEP’s surface charge is balanced with the amount of charge generated by each impact of the droplet.”  

 

In order to demonstrate the success of the bridge array generators with the array lower electrodes, the conventional D-TENG was compared to the bridge array generators. Researchers also compared the performance of the bridge array generators with different sizes of sub-electrodes. The thickness of the panels was also studied to see if that had an effect on any power loss. Increasing the FEP surface thickness lead to decreased coupling capacitance while maintaining the surface charge density, both of which could improve the performance of the bridge array generator.

 

When bridge array generators were developed for raindrop energy collection and utilized array lower electrodes and bridge reflux structures, the raindrop collection panels could be independent of each other. This means that unintended power loss could be reduced. “The peak power output of the bridge array generators is nearly 5 times higher than that of the conventional large-area raindrop energy with the same size, reaching 200 watts per square meter, which fully shows its advantages in large-area raindrop energy harvesting. The results of this study will provide a feasible scheme for large-area raindrop energy harvesting,” said Li.

 

Other contributors include Bin Cao and Liming Wang of the Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School at Tsinghua University; Zhonghao Zhang of the China Electric Power Research Institute in Beijing; and Zhong Lin Wang of the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.

 

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (52007095) funded this research.

 

##

 

About iEnergy 

 

iEnergy (Published by Tsinghua University Press), has multiple meanings, intelligent energy, innovation for energy, internet of energy, and electrical energy due to “i” is the symbol of current. iEnergy, publishing quarterly, is a cross disciplinary journal aimed at disseminating frontiers of technologies and solutions of power and energy. The journal publishes original research on exploring all aspects of power and energy, including any kind of technologies and applications from power generation, transmission, distribution, to conversion, utilization, and storage. iEnergy provides a platform for delivering cutting-edge advancements of sciences and technologies for the future-generation power and energy systems.

 

About Tsinghua University Press

 

Established in 1980, belonging to Tsinghua University, Tsinghua University Press (TUP) is a leading comprehensive higher education and professional publisher in China. Committed to building a top-level global cultural brand, after 42 years of development, TUP has established an outstanding managerial system and enterprise structure, and delivered multimedia and multi-dimensional publications covering books, audio, video, electronic products, journals and digital publications. In addition, TUP actively carries out its strategic transformation from educational publishing to content development and service for teaching & learning and was named First-class National Publisher for achieving remarkable results.

 

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JOURNAL

iEnergy

DOI

10.23919/IEN.2023.0015 

ARTICLE TITLE

Rational TENG arrays as a panel for harvesting large-scale raindrop energy

 

Unlocking the puzzle: New study highlights complexity in accessing benefits for low-income individuals

Peer-Reviewed Publication

THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM

A newly published article introduces a conceptual framework for analyzing passported benefits shedding light on the challenges that individuals face when accessing these additional cash or in-kind benefits. The article, based on a case study from Israel, identifies five key dimensions of passported benefits and explores the administrative burden associated with each dimension. The research highlights the pressing need for simplification, automation, and improved coordination to reduce the administrative burden and ensure that passported benefits serve as a streamlined pathway to social rights.

Passported benefits are supplementary benefits provided to individuals who already receive direct cash benefits, aiming to provide extra support without bureaucratic processes. However, the article highlights that accessing these benefits can be challenging, leading to low take-up. To better understand these challenges, the study employs the concept of administrative burden, referring to the burdensome experiences individuals encounter when navigating bureaucratic processes.

The research finds that passported benefits in Israel are complex and decentralized, with diverse eligibility tracks and implementation. The study identifies five dimensions that shape passported benefits: the role of primary cash benefits in determining eligibility, level of automation, legal status, type of service delivery, and degree of decentralization. Each dimension contributes to the administrative burden experienced by individuals.

Eligibility for passported benefits in Israel goes beyond a simple connection to primary benefits, introducing additional conditions and distinctions. Automation plays a crucial role in determining eligibility, with some benefits being automated while others require active application from claimants. The legal status of these benefits varies and affects their stability and potential for policy changes. Service delivery methods range from in-kind services to cash assistance and tax breaks. The decentralization of passported benefits involves multiple entities, adding complexity to the claiming process.

The study emphasizes that the complexity and administrative burden associated with passported benefits can lead to low take-up rates of the benefits.  It highlights the need for simplification, automation, and flexibility in the processes to reduce burden and improve access. Unifying take-up processes and developing assessment tools are also recommended to manage the administrative burden effectively.

The research draws attention to the importance of academic scrutiny and theoretical understanding of passported benefits, which have historically received less attention compared to primary benefits in the welfare state. The study calls for further research to better understand and address the intensity of administrative burden in passported benefits.

Research Team: Noam Tarshish, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, The University of Haifa; Prof. John Gal, Prof. Roni Holler and Prof. Avishai Benish School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. Momi Dahan, School of Public Policy, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The article, titled "Understanding Administrative Burden and Complexity in Passported Benefits: A Case Study from Israel," is published in Cambridge University Press and is available https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047279423000326 .

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JOURNAL

Journal of Social Policy

DOI

10.1017/S0047279423000326 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Case study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

A Fast Track to Social Rights? Passported Benefits and Administrative Burden

 

AI must not worsen health inequalities for ethnic minority populations

Peer-Reviewed Publication

SAGE

Scientists are urging caution before artificial intelligence (AI) models such as ChatGPT are used in healthcare for ethnic minority populations. Writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, epidemiologists at the University of Leicester and University of Cambridge say that existing inequalities for ethnic minorities may become more entrenched due to systemic biases in the data used by healthcare AI tools.

AI models need to be ‘trained’ using data scraped from different sources such as healthcare websites and scientific research. However, evidence shows that ethnicity data are often missing from healthcare research. Ethnic minorities are also less represented in research trials.

Mohammad Ali, PhD Fellow in Epidemiology at the College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, says: “This disproportionately lower representation of ethnic minorities in research has evidence of causing harm, for example by creating ineffective drug treatments or treatment guidelines which could be regarded as racist.”

“If the published literature already contains biases and less precision, it is logical that future AI models will maintain and further exacerbate them.”

The researchers are also concerned that health inequalities could worsen in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). AI models are primarily developed in wealthier nations like the USA and Europe and a significant disparity in research and development exists between high- and low-income countries.

The researchers point out that most published research does not prioritise the needs of those in the LMICs with their unique health challenges, particularly around healthcare provision. AI models, they say, may provide advised based on data on populations wholly different from those in LMICs.

While crucial to acknowledge these potential difficulties, say the researchers, it is equally important to focus on solutions. “We must exercise caution, acknowledging we cannot and should not stem the flow of progress,” says Mr Ali.

The researchers suggest ways to overcome potentially exacerbating health inequalities, starting with the need for AI models to clearly describe the data used in their development. They also say work is needed to address ethnic health inequalities in research, including improving recruitment and recording of ethnicity information. Data used to train AI models should be adequately representative, with key actors such as ethnicity, age, sex and socioeconomic factors considered. Further research is also required to understand the use of AI models in the context of ethnically diverse populations.

By addressing these considerations, say the researchers, the power of AI models can be harnessed to drive positive change in healthcare while promoting fairness and inclusivity.

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JOURNAL

Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine

DOI

10.1177/01410768231187734 

ARTICLE TITLE

Addressing ethnic and global health inequalities in the era of artificial intelligence healthcare models: a call for responsible implementation

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Jul-2023

 

Streets recognized by CMS as legitimate locale to deliver health care

Move will allow providers like USC’s Street Medicine team to be reimbursed for care they provide to people who are unhoused

Business Announcement

KECK SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OF USC

 

IMAGE: CORINNE FELDMAN AND BRETT FELDMAN, USC STREET MEDICINE TEAM view more 

CREDIT: PHOTO: USC

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) officially recognized that medical care can be delivered on the street, making it possible for providers like USC’s Street Medicine team to be reimbursed for services provided to people who are currently unhoused. 

The decision, which was announced on June 28, 2023, was the result of a multi-year effort on the part of leaders of USC Street Medicine and the Street Medicine Institute to have CMS create a place of service (POS) code for the street. As a result of this designation, street medicine providers nationwide will be able to be reimbursed for their services effective October 1, 2023. 

“This is an important decision for the street medicine providers, but also for our patients,” said Brett Feldman, director and co-founder of USC Street Medicine and an assistant professor of family medicine at Keck School of Medicine of USC. “Our patients rely on street medicine to survive and so by recognizing the street as a legitimate place to deliver health care, it recognizes their right to life.”

Code removes roadblock to services 

The lack of a POS code has caused numerous obstacles for the medical professionals who deliver care to patients outside of the walls of a typical health care facility. According to Feldman, who led an effort in 2018 to survey street medicine providers across the country, more than 70% of the nation’s street medicine teams do not attempt to be reimbursed for services due to the lack of this code. 

In addition, patients have often been unable to get additional services because insurers could not process their claims without a POS code. Because their claims went unprocessed, Feldman noted that patients were frequently denied the opportunity to see specialists, had difficulty obtaining medications and couldn’t get access to devices like walkers or wheelchairs.

Prior to this decision, the only insurers that reimbursed care given by street medicine providers were the state Medicaid programs in California and Hawaii. This decision helped to streamline the process of submitting claims and allowed providers to order additional services for their patients in those states. 

The new code will also make it possible for researchers to identify street medicine visits and patients, allowing them to collect data to gain a better understanding of the needs of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. This type of research could lead to the creation of a more equitable care model.

Potential turning point for street medicine

Feldman first began researching this issue in 2015 when he was leading a street medicine team in Pennsylvania. When he joined the board of the Street Medicine Institute in 2017, he conducted additional research, including surveying members about billing practices.

Feldman’s research ultimately led the USC Street Medicine team, the Street Medicine Institute and other partners to submit a formal proposal to CMS to have the street designated as a legitimate place to deliver health care services. 

Street medicine, he noted, is still a relatively young field of medicine, which may help explain why CMS had not designated a POS code for the street. Street medicine is growing, however and there are now street medicine teams active in more than 100 cities in the U.S. 

This change could represent a major turning point for the delivery of street medicine across the country. Feldman said that while some street medicine teams get grants or philanthropic support to provide care, many are small and unfunded. 

“Most street medicine programs fight to exist and survive right now,” said Feldman. “This recognition by CMS helps makes street medicine sustainable and scalable and could really help these programs to grow and thrive.”

About Keck School of Medicine of USC

Founded in 1885, the Keck School of Medicine of USC is one of the nation’s leading medical institutions, known for innovative patient care, scientific discovery, education and community service. Medical and graduate students work closely with world-renowned faculty and receive hands-on training in one of the nation’s most diverse communities. They participate in cutting-edge research as they develop into tomorrow’s health leaders. The Keck School faculty are key participants in training of 1200 resident physicians across 70 specialty and subspecialty programs, thus playing a major role in the education of physicians practicing in Southern California.

 

Impacts of climate change on animals will be “multi-faceted,” study in CABI Reviews reveals

A new study published in CABI Reviews suggests that the impact of climate change on animals will be “multi-faceted” with “cascading effects” across five welfare domains including nutrition, environment, behaviour, physical and mental health.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

CABI

A new study published in CABI Reviews suggests that the impact of climate change on animals will be “multi-faceted” with “cascading effects” across five welfare domains including nutrition, environment, behaviour, physical and mental health.

The research, highlights how researchers need to carefully consider which domains are immediate and future priority to safeguard the welfare and longevity of animals for food, as domestic pets and those for conservation in nature reserves and zoos.

Animals at risk from the impacts of climate change highlighted in the review include bats, zebrafish, stony creek frogs, koalas, African elephants, chickens and dairy cows.

It is argued in the review that although there are variations in how animals respond biologically to stress, in general, the five domains model provides a robust tool for research use, and to evaluate the proximate effects of climatic variability on animals.

The study provides a broad overview of the impacts of climate change in animal welfare, drawing on examples from various animal groups across terrestrial and aquatic habitats, encompassing both wildlife and domesticated species.

Dr Edward Narayan, lead author and Senior Lecturer of Animal Science in the School of Agriculture and Food Science at The University of Queensland, Australia, said, “While researchers have extensively examined the effects of climate change on animals, the direct correlation between climate change and animal welfare, particularly in the context of wild animals, remains relatively scarce in existing studies.

“In this review, our research group – The Stress Lab – presents a series of wildlife and domesticated animals examples from various countries, across both aquatic and terrestrial systems and provide an overview of the impacts of climate change on each of the five domains of animal welfare.

“We hope that future researchers will apply the animal welfare domains to evaluate how climate change impacts on animals, and further research will pave the way to the protection of animals from the catastrophic impacts of climate change.”

The review highlights research that shows how heat stress, for example, in dairy cows has resulted in a 35% reduction in milk production. Heat stress significantly impacts lactation performance, immune function, and calf health.

However, monitoring cows' activity and rumination time helps detect heat stress, and appropriate heat dissipation strategies such as sunshades and sprinklers can mitigate its effects, the researchers suggest.

It also argues that broiler chickens kept under hot conditions for four days showed higher cases of necrosis – reducing quality of their life and meat. The welfare of birds, especially mature broilers, under warmer conditions is of great concern.

Birds have a limited capacity for heat regulation as they lack sweat glands, and regulate temperature by panting, limiting their activity and drinking more. Accordingly, air conditioning units may be required to maintain an optimal production temperature.

Drought and scarcity of resources are also key contributors to the death of elephants, the scientists highlight. They argue that as the largest extant terrestrial mammal, the African elephant has significant daily food and water needs.

But as droughts become more frequent and predictable, the availability of water and vegetation cover declines, increasing elephant heat and nutrition stress, contributing to the elevated elephant mortality currently being witnessed.

The study also stresses that climate change has been recognised as a major factor in driving population decline across many species of marsupial, including the koala.

Increasing mean temperatures mean species such as the koala will be required to expend more energy to maintain body temperature, using a food source that is reduced in quality due to current climate change projections.

And even the domestic cat and dog is affected by climate change, according to the scientists. They say, for instance, that certain breeds of dog are susceptible to heat stroke while heat-related diseases are a leading cause of death in military working dogs.

Around half of all dogs in the UK are overweight with insufficient exercise being a factor and weather conditions can be a potential hindrance to dog walking. The review highlights that 87% of owners report that they exercise their dogs less during hot weather. The gradual increase in global temperature has the potential to decline the level of welfare for dogs which, the scientists say, may also lead to changes in the role of dogs in human society.

Dr Narayan added, “As climate change drives more wild populations to ecological limitations, there will be potential welfare consequences and considerations to explore; for example, when vulnerable species would need to be transferred to new environments (e.g., captive breeding), should food and habitat become limiting resources.

“Likewise, production animals and other domesticated species will be impacted by the extreme environmental changes with consequences on each of the dimensions within the five domains of animal welfare.”

 

Additional information

Main image: With incidents of increased drought and higher temperatures caused by climate change, elephants will have to find other way to regulate their body temperatures while also meeting their water and nutritional needs with reduced access to water and foliage (Credit: Pixabay).

Full paper reference

Joseph, Joe; Charalambous, Renae; Pahuja, Harsh; Fox, Dylan; Jeon, Jiwoo; Ko, Ning-Yuan; Rao, Nishit; Wang, Zhiheng; Nerurkar, Sneh; Sherekar, Sharvari; Yang, Yifei; Dutton-Regester, Kate; Narayan, Edward, ‘Impacts of climate change on animal welfare,’ CABI Reviews, 21 July (2023). DOI: 10.1079/cabireviews.2023.0020

The paper can be read open access from 00:01hrs UK time 21 July, 2023, here: https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/cabireviews.2023.0020

Media enquiries

For more information and an advance copy of the paper contact:

Dr Edward Narayan, Senior Lecturer, The University of Queensland, Australia – email: e.narayan@uq.edu.au

Wayne Coles, Senior PR Manager, CABI – email: w.coles@cabi.org

About CABI Reviews

CABI Reviews is a reviews journal covering agriculture, global health, nutrition, natural resources and veterinary science.

About CABI

CABI is an international not-for-profit organization that improves people’s lives by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment.

Through knowledge sharing and science, CABI helps address issues of global concern such as improving global food security and safeguarding the environment. We do this by helping farmers grow more and lose less of what they produce, combating threats to agriculture and the environment from pests and diseases, protecting biodiversity from invasive species, and improving access to agricultural and environmental scientific knowledge. Our 49-member countries guide and influence our core areas of work, which include development and research projects, scientific publishing and microbial services.

We gratefully acknowledge the core financial support from our member countries (and lead agencies) including the United Kingdom (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), China (Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Australia (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research), Canada (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada), Netherlands (Directorate-General for International Cooperation, and Switzerland (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation). Other sources of funding include programme/project funding from development agencies, the fees paid by our member countries and profits from our publishing activities which enable CABI to support rural development and scientific research around the world.

 

 

 

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JOURNAL

CABI Reviews

DOI

10.1079/cabireviews.2023.0020 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Literature review

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Impacts of climate change on animal welfare

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

21-Jul-2023

Disclaimer: AAAS an

 

Penn State researchers examine how environmental chemicals affect gut microbiome

$7 million award will support research on mechanisms that exacerbate inflammatory disease

Grant and Award Announcement

PENN STATE

 

IMAGE: ANDREW PATTERSON, PROFESSOR OF MOLECULAR TOXICOLOGY AND THE JOHN T. AND PAIGE S. SMITH PROFESSOR IN THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, RECEIVED A $7 MILLION AWARD FROM THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH TO STUDY HOW ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL EXPOSURE IMPACTS THE GUT MICROBIOME TO EXACERBATE CHRONIC DISEASES. view more 

CREDIT: COURTESY ANDREW PATTERSON

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Worldwide, high rates of obesity and other inflammatory conditions are associated with increased risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Investigating how environmental chemical exposure impacts the gut microbiome to exacerbate these conditions is the goal of a new $7 million grant awarded to Andrew Patterson, professor of molecular toxicology and the John T. and Paige S. Smith Professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, awarded the funding under its Revolutionizing Innovative, Visionary Environmental health Research, or RIVER program. According to the institute’s website, the RIVER program provides support for “outstanding environmental health sciences researchers who demonstrate a broad vision” and “gives them intellectual and administrative freedom, as well as sustained support, to pursue their research in novel directions in order to achieve greater impacts.”

“Risk factors such as diet and lifestyle, as well as rare examples of genetic predisposition, can’t entirely explain this rapidly growing public health problem,” Patterson said. “There is compelling scientific evidence that exposure to environmental chemicals through the diet — in particular, persistent environmental chemicals — may play an important role in these chronic diseases.”

Patterson, who also holds an appointment as professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Eberly College of Science, pointed out that levels of these chemicals increasingly are found in humans. He said research is urgently needed to study the mechanisms associated with environmental chemicals and to evaluate their connection with chronic diseases like obesity and inflammatory bowel disease.

“Our bodies have receptors that respond to our diet, the environment and the gut microbiome, and these receptors can impact our metabolism and the effectiveness of our immune system,” Patterson said. “Previous research has shown that one of these receptors — the aryl hydrocarbon receptor or AHR — is a key factor that facilitates communication between the host and gut microbiome and is a pivotal regulator of the immune system.”

He said his group will begin by building on its studies of the AHR and the gut microbiome and will transition to examine other key receptors, with an eye toward identifying the mechanisms by which environmental chemicals influence host-microbiome interactions to exacerbate chronic disease.

Patterson will lead an interdisciplinary team consisting of experts in biochemistry, enzymology, immunology, metabolism, microbiology and toxicology. He credited the supportive and collaborative environment fostered by the College of Agricultural Sciences, the Eberly College of Science, the Penn State Cancer Institute and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences for providing the intellectual and scientific environment enabling the team to pursue its broad visions supported by the RIVER program.

Cutting across three main themes, Patterson explained, the researchers will:

— Examine how early-life exposure to environmental chemicals alters the gut microbiome to impact health outcomes — such as metabolic disorders or acute and chronic inflammatory bowel disorders — later in life.

— Investigate how environmental chemicals directly impact commensal, or beneficial, bacteria of the gastrointestinal tract including their metabolic activities and their potential to modulate human health.

— Explore pathways involved in how environmental chemicals control and influence human health.

Patterson said each theme addresses important questions related to environmental chemicals and the gut microbiome, and he anticipates that advances made within one theme may impact the direction of the others.

“The RIVER program will provide us the flexibility to rapidly adapt to new data and observations, and to pivot quickly to test new, innovative hypotheses,” he said.