Tropical Environment, Biology, and Technology

Emerging Global Threat of Microplastics and Their Impact on Soil Sustainability: A Case of Southeast Nigeria

2025-08-04T07:44:47+00:00

Plastics became an integral part of daily life from food packaging to water bottles, but their environmental and health impacts raised significant concerns. Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, originated primarily from the fragmentation of larger plastic materials. These particles not only disrupted endocrine signaling but also caused cellular damage, making their ecological impact a critical area of study. A recent review examined water-soluble polymers, a rapidly growing class of materials found in cosmetics, paints, food packaging, and water purification systems. Despite their utility, these materials posed serious environmental risks due to their chemical composition and resistance to biodegradation. In some cases, their degradation products were even more hazardous and persisted in soil for extended periods. Studies showed that water-soluble plastics, such as polyethylene, posed significant threats to the environment. While they might not have appeared immediately harmful, their breakdown products had severe long-term effects on terrestrial ecosystems. Among the many global challenges to soil sustainability, MPs-induced soil perturbations were especially concerning in regions referred to as the “Global South.” In soil, MPs stressed beneficial microbial populations by blocking digestive tracts or altering biological processes, thereby weakening the overall soil ecosystem. Since soil biomes played a crucial role in decomposition and nutrient cycling, particularly the nitrogen cycle, their disruption profoundly affected soil health. Therefore, by disrupting vital natural processes essential for maintaining soil health, the presence of MPs demonstrated the potential to physically alter both the biological and physicochemical configuration of the soil. The continuous rise in plastic pollution and the emerging threats posed by MPs to soil sustainability worldwide remained urgent concerns. This study highlighted the risks that MPs posed to the physical, chemical, and biological components of the soil ecosystem.

Biotechnology in Agriculture, Medicine, and the Environment: A Review of Its Tools and Contributions

2025-08-28T00:57:48+00:00

Biotechnology played an important role in solving real-world problems in agriculture, medicine, and environmental science. It helped improve crop production, develop new treatments for diseases, and clean up pollution. This review aimed to explore the uses of biotechnology in these three fields and show how they were connected. To achieve this, the researcher used a scoping review method following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A total of 32 peer-reviewed studies from 2020 to 2025 were selected using the inclusion criteria: full-text availability, recency, and relevance to biotechnology in agriculture, medicine, or environmental science. The findings showed that biotechnology helped farmers grow more food using gene editing tools like CRISPR. In medicine, it supported the creation of vaccines, cancer treatments, and faster disease detection. In the environment, it helped reduce pollution through bioremediation and other natural solutions. Many of these breakthroughs used similar tools and shared goals of sustainability and health improvement. In conclusion, biotechnology was a powerful tool with wide-reaching benefits. However, challenges such as ethical concerns, safety issues, and unequal access still needed to be addressed. Future studies should promote responsible and inclusive use of biotechnology to create a better future for all.

Exploring Common and Unique Developmental Mechanism in Vertebrate Organogenesis

2025-08-12T06:29:36+00:00

Vertebrate embryogenesis is guided by a conserved molecular toolkit, including Wnt, BMP, Shh, and FGF signaling, which regulates gastrulation, neurulation, and organogenesis. While these processes are deeply conserved, species-specific adaptations reveal evolutionary flexibility and biomedical relevance. This review aimed to compare developmental trajectories in zebrafish (Danio rerio), frog (Xenopus laevis), chick (Gallus gallus), mouse (Mus musculus), and human (Homo sapiens) to identify common mechanisms and unique innovations. A systematic comparative literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science covering the years 2000 to 2025. Studies were included if they reported molecular or morphological evidence of vertebrate embryonic development, whereas invertebrate studies and non–peer-reviewed sources were excluded. Extracted data focused on transcription factors (Hox, Pax, Sox), signaling pathways (Shh, BMP, FGF, Wnt), and key processes such as heart, limb, neural, and gut development. Findings show that all species undergo a conserved sequence of germ layer formation, neural tube closure, somitogenesis, and organogenesis, although their timing and morphogenetic strategies differ. Zebrafish complete gastrulation within five to ten hours after fertilization, whereas humans begin the process around fourteen to sixteen, underscoring divergent developmental tempos. Conserved regulators such as Nodal and Brachyury (germ layers), Pax6 and Shh (neural tube), and Nkx2.5 and GATA4 (heart) function consistently across taxa. Unique adaptations include limb regeneration in Xenopus tadpoles, extraembryonic yolk sac structures in chicks, placental development in mice, and prolonged neocortical expansion in humans. In conclusion, vertebrate development reflects a balance of conserved frameworks and evolutionary innovations. Comparative insights from model organisms not only illuminate developmental evolution but also advance biomedical understanding of congenital disorders and human-specific traits.