Latest news with #NationalUniversityofScienceandTechnology
Muscat Daily
09-07-2025
- Health
- Muscat Daily
Omani researchers develop eco-friendly method to combat bacteria
Muscat – Researchers at the National University of Science and Technology (UTAS) have developed an innovative and environmentally sustainable method to repurpose used aluminum foil into aluminum oxide nanoparticles, offering promising applications in healthcare, agriculture, and industry. The study, led by Omani researcher Reem Hilal al Maamari from the UTAS, demonstrates how discarded aluminum foil – typically sent to landfills – can be transformed into high-value nanomaterials using a green synthesis method. Titled 'Eco-Friendly Synthesis and Characterisation of Aluminum Oxide Nanoparticles from Waste Aluminum Foil for Antibacterial, Anti-fungal and Anti-Corrosion Applications', the research addresses the urgent need to develop sustainable recycling technologies amid rising global aluminum waste. 'These nanoparticles have shown remarkable antibacterial and antifungal properties, opening the door to diverse biological and industrial applications,' the research team stated. In the healthcare sector, the nanoparticles can be used to manufacture antimicrobial coatings and medical tools, helping reduce the spread of infections in hospitals and clinics. Their anti-corrosion properties make them suitable for protective coatings in the construction and metal industries, particularly in humid or marine environments. The research also explores their potential use in water purification systems, where the nanoparticles' antimicrobial traits could support clean water access in remote or water-scarce regions. In the food sector, they offer a viable solution for enhancing packaging materials to extend shelf life and prevent microbial contamination. Agricultural applications include their use as natural antifungal agents to treat soil and seeds, potentially improving crop quality and resistance to disease. By converting aluminum waste into functional nanomaterials, the project not only offers practical solutions to pressing environmental challenges but also contributes to Oman's sustainability goals and the development of advanced recycling technologies. The researchers emphasised the need to adopt such technologies to promote environmental stewardship and innovation across multiple sectors, in line with the sultanate's broader vision for a greener and more resilient future.
Times of Oman
08-07-2025
- Health
- Times of Oman
Omani research study develops eco-friendly method to combat bacteria, fungi
Muscat: The National University of Science and Technology has developed an innovative and environmentally friendly method to repurpose used aluminum foil as a sustainable source for producing aluminum oxide nanoparticles. A research study demonstrated that these nanoparticles exhibit significant effectiveness in combating bacteria and fungi, making them promising for various biological applications. Titled 'Eco-Friendly Synthesis and Characterization of Aluminum Oxide Nanoparticles from Waste Aluminum Foil for Antibacterial, Anti-fungal and Anti-Corrosion Applications," the study addresses the growing issue of aluminum waste, which accumulates in millions of tons annually and is typically disposed of in landfills. The research aligns with the urgent need to develop advanced recycling technologies to reduce waste and minimize environmental impact. By creating a green synthesis method for aluminum oxide nanoparticles from discarded aluminum foil, the study offers a practical solution to aluminum waste accumulation while exploring the nanoparticles' potential applications in energy storage devices, antimicrobial agents, and corrosion protection. This approach transforms waste into high-value functional materials, promoting sustainable practices with broad environmental and industrial benefits. Led by Omani researcher Reem Hilal Al-Maamari from the College of Engineering at the National University of Science and Technology, the research team highlighted the nanoparticles' wide-ranging potential. In healthcare, they could be used to manufacture medical tools and antibacterial coatings, helping reduce infections in hospitals and health centres. For environmental and waste management, the method enables sustainable aluminum foil recycling, significantly cutting waste volumes and delivering long-term ecological benefits. In the industrial sector, these nanoparticles could be incorporated into anti-corrosion coatings, particularly for metal and architectural applications. Their antimicrobial properties also make them ideal for water purification, where they could be used in efficient filtration systems—a viable solution for communities facing water scarcity. In the food industry, the nanoparticles show promise in active packaging technologies, extending shelf life and reducing microbial contamination. Agriculturally, they could serve as natural antifungal agents, enhancing soil and plant health. The research team emphasized the importance of promoting nanoparticle use, particularly in healthcare, for manufacturing antimicrobial medical tools and surfaces to curb infection transmission in medical facilities. They also recommended their adoption in metal industries, where adding them to protective coatings could mitigate corrosion, especially in humid and marine environments. For water purification, the nanoparticles' antibacterial properties make them valuable in remote or water-scarce regions. In food packaging, integrating them into materials could enhance product preservation and minimize microbial risks. The team further advocated for their agricultural application as seed or soil treatments to reduce fungal infections and improve crop quality. The study's findings underscore the transformative potential of repurposing aluminum waste into high-performance nanomaterials, fostering sustainability across multiple sectors while addressing pressing environmental and industrial challenges.
The National
07-07-2025
- The National
Man charged as death of scientist in Dundee ‘being treated as murder'
Police Scotland on Sunday named the woman who had died as Dr Fortune Gomo, 39, who was a mother living in the area. THE death of a scientist in Dundee is being investigated as a murder and a 20-year-old man has been charged, police have confirmed. Officers were called to a report that a woman had been seriously injured in the city's South Road at around 4.25pm on Saturday. She was treated by paramedics but pronounced dead at the scene. READ MORE: Tony Blair's staff took part in 'Gaza Riviera' project, reports say 'A post-mortem has taken place and her death is now being treated as murder,' the force said on Sunday. Dr Gomo's high school and university friend said her 'brilliance in the classroom was only matched by her emotional intelligence'. Angela Machonesa studied with Dr Gomo at Chinhoyi High School and the National University of Science and Technology, which are both in Zimbabwe, south-east Africa. In a social media post, she said: 'She was the kind of person you'd go to when you needed clarity, not just of mind, but of heart. She listened. She cared. She uplifted. 'No wonder she went on to earn her PhD. It was only natural. Her path was written in the stars long ago. To serve. To lead. To heal. And she was doing just that. 'But now, that dream, our Fortune's dream, has been violently, senselessly, stolen from us all. She added: 'A child will now grow up without the love and presence of a mother. A family will mourn a daughter who once lit up their home with hope and promise.' Machonesa said she and Dr Gomo went their separate ways after their studies. Dr Gomo was an environmental and water resources scientist and her specialisms included water resources management, environmental sustainability, and policy. According to social media, she was employed by Scottish Water in water resources planning. She was awarded a PhD in Geography and Environmental Science from the University of Dundee. Her doctorate looked at the links between the environment and policy making in the Zambezi river basin, particularly in Malawi. Professor Nigel Seaton, University of Dundee's interim principal and vice-chancellor, said the death of the former research assistant 'is a truly shocking event in our city and for our university community', BBC News reported. He added: 'It will be particularly distressing for those who knew and worked with Fortune throughout her time here at the university, and for all of those in our close-knit community of African colleagues and students.' A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal and the man arrested is to appear at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday. Detective Superintendent Peter Sharp, the officer in charge of the inquiry, said his thoughts are with Dr Gomo's family. 'They are being supported by specialist officers and I would ask that their privacy is respected,' he said. Det Supt Sharp added: 'Our enquiries are continuing and I remain satisfied that the incident poses no wider risk to the public. 'At this early stage of the investigation we are following a number of lines of inquiry.' He said he is 'acutely aware of content circulating on social media' and urged members of the public not to speculate on the circumstances of the incident. There will be an increased police presence in the area. Witnesses and anyone with information on the incident have been asked to contact the force on 101 quoting incident number 2283 of July 5 2025. They can also speak to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
South Wales Guardian
06-07-2025
- South Wales Guardian
Death of scientist in Dundee ‘being treated as murder' as man charged
Police Scotland on Sunday named the victim as Dr Fortune Gomo, 39, who was a mother living in the area. Officers were called to a report that a woman had been seriously injured in the city's South Road at around 4.25pm on Saturday. She was treated by paramedics but pronounced dead at the scene. 'A post-mortem has taken place and her death is now being treated as murder,' the force said on Sunday. Dr Gomo's high school and university friend said her 'brilliance in the classroom was only matched by her emotional intelligence'. Angela Machonesa studied with Dr Gomo at Chinhoyi High School and the National University of Science and Technology, which are both in Zimbabwe, south-east Africa. In a social media post, she said: 'She was the kind of person you'd go to when you needed clarity, not just of mind, but of heart. She listened. She cared. She uplifted. 'No wonder she went on to earn her PhD. It was only natural. Her path was written in the stars long ago. To serve. To lead. To heal. And she was doing just that. 'But now, that dream, our Fortune's dream, has been violently, senselessly, stolen from us all. She added: 'A child will now grow up without the love and presence of a mother. A family will mourn a daughter who once lit up their home with hope and promise.' Ms Machonesa said she and Dr Gomo went their separate ways after their studies. Dr Gomo was an environmental and water resources scientist and her specialisms included water resources management, environmental sustainability, and policy. According to social media, she was employed by Scottish Water in water resources planning. She was awarded a PhD in Geography and Environmental Science from the University of Dundee. Her doctorate looked at the links between the environment and policy making in the Zambezi river basin, particularly in Malawi. Professor Nigel Seaton, University of Dundee's interim principal and vice-chancellor, said the death of the former research assistant 'is a truly shocking event in our city and for our university community', BBC News reported. He added: 'It will be particularly distressing for those who knew and worked with Fortune throughout her time here at the university, and for all of those in our close-knit community of African colleagues and students.' A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal and the man arrested is to appear at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday. Detective Superintendent Peter Sharp, the officer in charge of the inquiry, said his thoughts are with Dr Gomo's family. 'They are being supported by specialist officers and I would ask that their privacy is respected,' he said. Det Supt Sharp added: 'Our enquiries are continuing and I remain satisfied that the incident poses no wider risk to the public. 'At this early stage of the investigation we are following a number of lines of inquiry.' He said he is 'acutely aware of content circulating on social media' and urged members of the public not to speculate on the circumstances of the incident. There will be an increased police presence in the area. Witnesses and anyone with information on the incident have been asked to contact the force on 101 quoting incident number 2283 of July 5 2025. They can also speak to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Daily Maverick
24-06-2025
- Daily Maverick
Tracking the Shangani Wanderer — vulture survival, poaching threats, and hope from the skies
The Shangani Wanderer is a young white-backed vulture fitted with a tracking device at Shangani in Zimbabwe — a region where the critically endangered birds have fallen prey to poaching and poisoning. For now, the Wanderer flies on. Every evening, just before bed, Josephine Mundava checks her phone, not for messages, but to see where the Shangani Wanderer is. The young white-backed vulture, fitted with a tracking tag as a nestling on Shangani Ranch in Zimbabwe, has become a symbol of hope and survival in a region shadowed by poisoning incidents and poaching. 'Yes, the Wanderer is still safe,' she says with cautious relief. 'This morning, it was in Kafue National Park in Zambia.' Earlier in the week, it had been on the Angola-Namibia border. 'It moves a lot.' Mundava is a lecturer at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, and, together with her postgraduate students, researches and monitors the vulture numbers and breeding habits at Shangani. Concern over the welfare of the Shangani Wanderer and vultures across the region has heightened following the poisoning of 100 of the birds in the Lionspruit Game Reserve near Kruger Park in May. This came weeks after 100 vultures were killed and 84 rescued after being poisoned in the Kruger National Park. In both cases, white-backed vultures, already on the critically endangered list, made up the highest number of deaths. The deaths are often deliberate, as poachers poison carcasses to kill birds whose presence is erroneously believed to give away poacher activity, or collateral deaths when poachers poison animals such as elephants for their tusks. Furthermore, vultures are also killed for cultural and traditional medicine reasons. Of the eight vultures tagged at Shangani so far — three in 2023 and five in 2024 — one dropped off the radar, in Namibia in September 2024. 'We don't know what happened,' says Mundava. 'The tag just stopped transmitting, in the Chobe reserve in Botswana. We haven't been able to retrieve it.' The Wanderer was one of two vultures tagged in the nest on Shangani Ranch, at the end of November 2024. It wasted no time exploring the southern African landscape after it took wing, says Mundava, heading west across Botswana with stopovers in South Africa. 'With wingspans reaching 2.3 metres, these magnificent scavengers typically begin their independent journeys around 120 days after hatching,' says Mundava. 'Our data shows Shangani Wanderer has already traversed international borders, demonstrating the critical importance of transboundary conservation efforts.' White-backed vultures face numerous threats, including poisoning, electrocution and habitat loss. Their rapid decline has placed them on the 'critically endangered' list, making this satellite tracking project vital for their protection. Tracking such individuals gives scientists a rare chance to follow a bird's journey from fledgling through its wide-ranging forays across southern Africa. The broader tagging project, sponsored by Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation, was born from a need to understand how vultures use landscapes — protected areas, private ranches and communal lands — amid growing threats. The Shangani vulture population itself has grown from about 10 nesting sites in 2012 to an estimated 80 to 100 today. 'Some areas aren't easily accessible, so that's a rough estimate,' says Mundava. Satellite tags Because monitoring every nest isn't feasible, the research team uses satellite tags to track select individuals and build a picture of how vultures navigate southern Africa's complex landscapes. Patterns are already emerging. 'Most birds spend a lot of time in protected areas — national parks and private reserves — and some come back to Shangani regularly,' she says. This raises the question: How do vultures 'know' where it's safe? 'They don't,' she laughs. 'They follow food. What we call protected areas often have better wildlife management and more carcasses. That's what draws them.' One of the birds being tracked, for example, nests in the Tuli region along the Zimbabwe-Botswana border but regularly returns to Shangani, likely for feeding. 'If there's a carcass, they'll show up on the map, then disappear again,' says Mundava. Now, a Stellenbosch University honours student is analysing the movement data in greater detail, looking at habitat use, land types, and foraging hotspots. 'When vultures feed, they often stay in one place for a while. So we can create heat maps showing their favourite feeding grounds.' Though the team can track where vultures go, they don't always know what they're feeding on. 'There's someone starting a PhD in Hwange who will look into that,' says Mundava. 'It's a long-term project. But for now, with the Wanderer, we're just seeing movement patterns.' Vultures tend to be opportunistic, though carcass size matters. 'Larger carcasses attract more birds. Small ones might not be worth landing for,' she explains. 'But in terms of species, we don't know if they're picky.' The Shangani ranch has provided fertile ground for student involvement. Each year, Mundava is accompanied by students, whose projects have included studies on community attitudes toward vultures, lead contamination in birds, and basic breeding patterns. 'When we tagged birds, we also collected blood, feathers, and bones to test for lead exposure,' says Mundava. Results are expected soon. Lead poisoning occurs when vultures feed on carcasses left behind by hunters. 'Bullets fragment and leave tiny pieces throughout the meat,' she explains. 'Even when hunters cut out the wound channel, fragments can be far beyond it. If vultures ingest them, they're at risk.' Poisoning But lead isn't the only danger. Vultures across southern Africa have increasingly fallen victim to poisoning, sometimes deliberate, sometimes incidental. 'The reasons are diverse and hard to predict,' says Mundava. In Zimbabwe's worst incident, 183 vultures were killed in 2013 at Gonarezhou National Park, near the border with Mozambique. 'It was an elephant carcass laced with poison. The tusks were gone, and the vultures' heads were cut off, likely for rituals.' Other cases, like the cyanide poisonings in Hwange, are more straightforwardly tied to elephant poaching. 'In those, nothing was taken from the vultures; it was just collateral damage,' she says. 'But it's very difficult to prosecute. Poachers are usually long gone by the time carcasses are discovered.' Legislation has toughened since then. In Zimbabwe, the maximum sentence for vulture-related crimes is now three years. 'It used to be just months,' says Mundava. 'Now there's more advocacy and stiffer penalties.' Unfortunately, white-backed vultures, the species to which the Wanderer belongs, are among the hardest hit. 'They're the most abundant, so they arrive in the largest numbers and suffer the most in poisonings,' she explains. 'They're also critically endangered.' Still, it's not all grim. The tracked birds provide rare insight into just how far vultures travel. Mundava cites one bird, which they tagged at Shangani at 3pm, but by nightfall it was already in Gonarezhou, more than 400km away in a straight-line distance. 'They cover huge areas,' notes Mundava. She checks her phone to give an update on the tagged vultures. The Wanderer is in Kafue National Park in Zambia. Another bird is in Angola, near the Caprivi Strip. One remains in the Shangani region; another hovers between South Africa and Botswana. Another pops up in Zambia. 'They seem to like Zambia and Namibia,' she says. Every ping from a tracking tag is a sign of life, and a small reprieve from the constant worry that another might go silent. For now, the Wanderer flies on, following the invisible threads of thermals and food, and watched, always, from below. DM Yves Vanderhaeghen writes for Jive Media Africa, science communication partner of Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation.
