Authors:Elizabeth Nthambi Ndunda, Moses Mutiso Mwanza Abstract: Pollution of our environment as a result of industrialization and other human activities is a growing concern due to the harmful effects of most chemicals that are released into the environment. Of particular interest are the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that are reported to be toxic and build up in the environment due to their persistence. Among the POPs are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were widely used in the past in various applications ranging from additives in pesticides to dielectric fluids in electrical equipment. As a way of protecting the one health trilogy (environment, human and animal health), their determination in the environment is a paramount call that has seen researchers continue to provide advanced technologies towards achieving this goal. These technologies involve the conventional gold standard gas chromatography systems coupled to sensitive detectors that can detect trace level concentrations. They have come in handy in monitoring of PCBs but their application for routing monitoring may not be sustainable because of the cost of operation associated with them and the need for experts to run the equipment. As a result, there is need for affordable systems that are still able to achieve the required sensitivity for routine monitoring and real-time data acquisition. Sensor systems fit very well in this category since they can be miniaturized for affordability and portray many other desirable features. PCBs as environmentally relevant environmental pollutants have received minimal attention with regards to sensor development and this review highlights the efforts that have been made so far. It provides in-depth discussions on electrochemical sensors and the various modifications that have been employed to date to achieve detection of PCBs at low concentrations as well as the future prospects in remote and routine monitoring. PubDate: 2023-04-14T14:20:01Z DOI: 10.12688/openresafrica.13983.1 Issue No:Vol. 6 (2023)
Authors:Trizah K. Milugo, Mary V. Mosha, Eddie Wampande, Rune Philemon, Immaculate N. Lwanga, Janet Seeley, Nelson K. Sewankambo Abstract: Background: Community engagement and involvement (CEI) in research usually depends on face-to-face interactions. However, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented such interactions because of national lockdowns and social distancing. This paper highlights the ways in which early career researchers from East Africa tackled CEI activities during the pandemic. Methods: We provide four case examples that illustrate how early-career researchers based in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, deployed different approaches and initiatives to community-engaged research during the pandemic to encourage participation and uptake of research findings. Results: All the three early-career researchers attempted to use virtual/digital means to implement the CEI. However, in each country, this attempt was unsuccessful because of poor connectivity, as well as many poorer students lacking access to telephones and computers. Nevertheless, the researchers effectively engaged the students using different activities (making up songs, drawing comics, and taking part in quizzes) once the schools reopened. Conclusion: These results highlight the complexity of implementing community engagement and involvement in health research when face-to-face interaction is not possible. The findings are relevant to researchers who wish to incorporate community engagement in their research and initiatives. PubDate: 2023-03-20T15:32:37Z DOI: 10.12688/openresafrica.13897.1 Issue No:Vol. 6 (2023)
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