Rosa Busquets
@kingston.ac.uk
Chemistry/ Faculty of Science Engineering and Computing
Kingstin University London
EDUCATION
Higher education and qualifications
2020 Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy
2020-Present Honorary Professor at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Dept of Chemical Physics and Material Sciences)
2019-Present Honorary Associate professor at UCL (Dept of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering)
2016 Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Kingston University London
2002-2009: European PhD. Analytical Chemistry University of Barcelona/ Lund University
2001-2003: Diploma of Advanced Studies (MPhil equivalent), Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona
2001-2002: MSc. Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona
2000-2001: CAP: Certificate of Pedagogical Aptitude (Equivalent to PGCert), Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya.
1996-2001: Licenciatura en Quimica (MChem Hons in Chemistry) – University of Barcelona
RESEARCH INTERESTS
analytical chemistry, environmental monitoring, environmental remediation, material science, water treatment, nanotechnology, carbon
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
M.A.H. Bhuyan, R. Busquets, L.C. Campos, and T. Luukkonen
Elsevier BV
John L. Wilkinson, Ian Thornhill, Rik Oldenkamp, Anthony Gachanja, and Rosa Busquets
Wiley
AbstractPharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are an indispensable component of a healthy society. However, they are well‐established environmental contaminants, and many can elicit biological disruption in exposed organisms. It is now a decade since the landmark review covering the top 20 questions on PPCPs in the environment (Boxall et al., 2012). In the present study we discuss key research priorities for the next 10 years with a focus on how regions where PPCPs pose the greatest risk to environmental and human health, either now or in the future, can be identified. Specifically, we discuss why this problem is of importance and review our current understanding of PPCPs in the aquatic environment. Foci include PPCP occurrence and what drives their environmental emission as well as our ability to both quantify and model their distribution. We highlight critical areas for future research including the involvement of citizen science for environmental monitoring and using modeling techniques to bridge the gap between research capacity and needs. Because prioritization of regions in need of environmental monitoring is needed to assess future/current risks, we also propose four criteria with which this may be achieved. By applying these criteria to available monitoring data, we narrow the focus on where monitoring efforts for PPCPs are most urgent. Specifically, we highlight 19 cities across Africa, Central America, the Caribbean, and Asia as priorities for future environmental monitoring and risk characterization and define four priority research questions for the next 10 years. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;00:1–14. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Xuhan Xia, Chenxi Zhou, Yulin Zhu, Yi Dong, Qiang He, Mohammad Rizwan Khan, Yuanlong Chi, Rosa Busquets, Ruijie Deng, and Yao Ren
Tsinghua University Press
Sidra U. Khan, Peter S. Hooda, Martin S. A. Blackwell, and Rosa Busquets
Wiley
AbstractFlooding is known to solubilize soil nutrients, particularly those associated with redox‐sensitive metals (Fe/Mn). Both soil flooding and drying are becoming more common due to climate change, but it is not clear how soil drying prior to flooding influences nutrient solubilization in soils, compared with flooding of already moist soils. This study was designed to examine how soil drying followed by extended flooding might influence solubilization of micronutrient metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Co, Zn and Ni). A series of laboratory mesocosm experiments was carried out by flooding samples of two contrasting grassland soils, which had each been either dried (40°C for 10 days) or kept at field moisture conditions (25%, w/w). The flooding of dried soils generally resulted in higher concentrations of the micronutrients (Mn, Co, Ni and Cu) in the water columns relative to their moist‐flooded counterparts. The results demonstrate that the flooding‐induced variations in pH and redox potential influence solubilization of micronutrients in the soils. The mobilization of Co and Ni appeared to be controlled by redox‐driven reductive dissolution of Fe/Mn minerals. This was supported by significant (p < .001) negative correlations between redox and metals: Co (r = −.712), Ni (r = −.784) and the positive correlations between Fe and metals: Co (r = .763) and Ni (r = .714) and between Mn and other metals: Co (r = .909) and Ni (r = .811). However, there were no significant correlations of Zn and Cu with Fe and Mn. The results suggest that soil drying followed by flooding has the potential to promote greater solubilization of soil micronutrients compared with flooding of moist soils, with potential implications for soil fertility and catchment water quality under future changes in weather patterns driven by climate change.
Nayab Batool Rizvi, Anam Fatima, Rosa Busquets, Mohammad Rizwan Khan, Sadia Ashraf, Muhammad Shuaib Khan, and Fatih Oz
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
AbstractThe nutritional and economic value of oils is affected by its antioxidant properties linked to their total phenolic content (TPC). The analysis of antioxidants such as phenols may be affected by the lipophilic character of the media. Therefore, the accurate determination of TPC in oils deserves particular attention. This research has tested the effect of the alkaline medium in the quantification of TPC in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and olive pomace oil (OPO) using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Seven different EVOO and OPO oils were used to gain representativity and study matrix effects in the analysis. Among the alkaline conditions assayed, the Folin-Ciocalteu method led to maximum TPC in EVOOs samples using 7.5% Na2CO3, whereas 35% Na2CO3 showed better characterization of TPC in OPOs than milder basic conditions. Therefore, when analyzing olive oil products, adjusting the alkaline media in the Folin Ciocalteu assay is important for optimal TPC determination. TPC analyses via Folin-Ciocalteu with different media was supported with antioxidant activities determined with reference assays: 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid cation radical and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical.
Harry K. Megbenu, Chingis Daulbayev, Armanbek Nursharip, Zhandos Tauanov, Stavros Poulopoulos, Rosa Busquets, and Alzhan Baimenov
Elsevier BV
Naghmeh Soltani, Farideh Amini-Birami, Behnam Keshavarzi, Farid Moore, Rosa Busquets, Armin Sorooshian, Reza Javid, and Alireza Rahmani Shahraki
Elsevier BV
Robson S. Passos, Andrew Davenport, Rosa Busquets, Clare Selden, Luiz B. Silva, J. Santos Baptista, Damià Barceló, and Luiza C. Campos
Elsevier BV
Muhammad Adeel, Muhammad Afzaal, Farhan Saeed, Aftab Ahmed, Kaiser Mahmood, Yasir Abbas shah, Huda Ateeq, Amaima Sibat, Mohammad Rizwan Khan, and Rosa Busquets
Wiley
AbstractProbiotics viability and stability is a core challenge for the food processing industry. To prolong the viability of probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus), gelatin (GE)–chitosan (CH) polyelectrolytes‐coated nanoliposomes were developed and characterized. The average particle size of the nanoliposomes was in the range of 131.7–431.6 nm. The mean zeta potential value of the nanoliposomes differed significantly from −42.2 to −9.1 mV. Scanning electron micrographs indicated that the nanoliposomes were well distributed and had a spherical shape with a smooth surface. The Fourier transform infrared spectra revealed that the GE–CH polyelectrolyte coating has been effectively applied on the surface of nanoliposomes and L. acidophilus cells were successfully encapsulated in the lipid‐based nanocarriers. X‐ray diffraction results indicated that nanoliposomes are semicrystalline and GE–CH polyelectrolyte coating had an influence on the crystalline nature of nanoliposomes. Moreover, the coating of L. acidophilus‐loaded nanoliposomes with GE–CH polyelectrolytes significantly improved its viability when exposed to simulated gastrointestinal environments. The findings of the current study indicated that polyelectrolyte‐coated nanoliposomes could be used as an effective carrier for the delivery of probiotics and their application to food matrix for manufacturing functional foods.
Farideh Amini-Birami, Behnam Keshavarzi, Hamid Reza Esmaeili, Farid Moore, Rosa Busquets, Maryam Saemi-Komsari, Mehdi Zarei, and Ardavan Zarandian
Elsevier BV
Xiao-Li Li, Yi Shen, Fei Hu, Xiu-Xiu Zhang, Kiran Thakur, Kannan R.R. Rengasamy, Mohammad Rizwan Khan, Rosa Busquets, and Zhao-Jun Wei
Elsevier BV
Chaoran Li, Luiza C. Campos, and Rosa Busquets
Elsevier BV
Asif Hussain, Muhammad Tahir, Wei Yang, Renlong Ji, Kewang Zheng, M. Umer, Syed Muhammad Ahmad, M. Boota, Ahmed Iftikhar, Ali Raza,et al.
Elsevier BV
Hao Yang, Yumei Liu, Yi Wan, Yi Dong, Qiang He, Mohammad Rizwan Khan, Rosa Busquets, Guiping He, Jiaqi Zhang, Ruijie Deng,et al.
Elsevier BV
Naiara de Oliveira Dos Santos, Rosa Busquets, and Luiza C. Campos
Elsevier BV
Maryam Saemi-Komsari, Hamid Reza Esmaeili, Behnam Keshavarzi, Keyvan Abbasi, Farideh Amini Birami, Mohammad Javad Nematollahi, Farhad Hosseini Tayefeh, and Rosa Busquets
Elsevier BV
Naiara dos Santos, Dominic Clyde-Smith, Ying Qi, Fan Gao, Rosa Busquets, and Luiza C. Campos
MDPI AG
Microfibers (MFs) are one of the most prevalent microplastic (MP) sub-groups found in the aquatic environment released from many sources, including household laundry. MPs pose risks to the growth rate of terrestrial/aquatic biota and through biomagnification. Although MFs can be ingested by humans, their toxic effects and potential impact on public health are not yet clearly understood. Moreover, the removal of MPs, including MFs, during wastewater treatment is a challenge, since treatment plants are not designed to collect them. Therefore, this work aims to study the potential of the in situ phytoremediation of microfibers from a domestic washing machine effluent by growing barley in a vertical hydroponic system. The temporal variation in barley growth, water quality parameters, length distribution of MFs, and their removal were evaluated over 4 weeks. We investigated the MFs’ interaction with two systems: without barley (System NP) (used as a control) and with barley (System P). The results show the barley growth is negatively affected at the end of 4 weeks, mainly by the accumulation of phosphate and the presence of fungi. However, the level of dissolved oxygen in System P is satisfactory and the presence of MFs decreases considerably (mainly for MFs > 600 µm) from different interactions with the barley roots. These interactions were corroborated by microscopy images. The total removal of MFs through the hydroponic system was 52% in week 2, decreasing to 42%. This is the first time that the removal of MFs has been evaluated using vertical hydroponics, which demonstrates that this phytoremediation system can be used at the household level. It also shows that vertical hydroponics, as an experimental methodology, for the analyses of MFs’ impacts on plant health has merit. It is expected that this study will contribute to new investigations of MF removal by green technologies.
Kiran Aftab, Sarosh Iqbal, Mohammad Rizwan Khan, Rosa Busquets, Razia Noreen, Naushad Ahmad, Syed Gohar Taqi Kazimi, Abdulnasser Mahmoud Karami, Nouf Mohammad Saad Al Suliman, and Mohamed Ouladsmane
MDPI AG
Water contaminated with heavy metals constitutes an important threat. This threat is a real problem with a negative impact in some developing countries where untreated industrial effluents are used for irrigation. The present study examines heavy metals in wastewater-irrigated vegetables (apple gourd, spinach, cauliflower, sponge gourd, and coriander) water, and soil from Chenab Nagar, Chiniot, Pakistan. In particular, the metals quantified were cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and manganese (Mn). Among them, Cr and Co in crops irrigated -wastewater exceeded the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). In contrast, Ni, Cu, Pb, and Mn concentrations were in line with WHO standards. Compared with the limits established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), all the study vegetables presented higher (thus unsafe) concentrations of Cd (0.38 to 1.205 mg/Kg). There were also unsafe concentrations of Cr in coriander, sponge gourd, and cauliflower. Pb was found at an unsafe concentration (0.59 mg/Kg) in cauliflower. Conversely, Ni and Mn concentrations were below the maximum permissible limits by WHO, and FAO in all of the analyzed samples. The contamination load index (CLI) in soil, bioconcentration factor (BCF) in plants, daily intake of metals (DIM), and health risk index (HRI) have also been evaluated to estimate the potential risk to human health in that area. We have found an important risk of transitions of Pb, Cd, Cr, and Co from water/soil to the edible part of the plant. The highest HRI value associated with Cd (6.10–13.85) followed by Cr (1.25–7.67) for all vegetable samples presented them as high health risk metal contaminants. If the issue is not addressed, consumption of wastewater-irrigated vegetables will continue posing a health risk.
Negar Ashjar, Behnam Keshavarzi, Farid Moore, Mehdi Zarei, Rosa Busquets, Seyed Mojtaba Zebarjad, and Zargham Mohammadi
Elsevier BV
Philip C.W. Cheung, Rosa Busquets, Peter S. Hooda, Adeniyi K. Aseperi, James Barker, Ayodeji O. Adegun, Thompson A. Akinnifesi, Isaac Ololade, and Sinmi Abosede
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Background: Neonicotinoids (hereafter called “neonics”) are systemic insecticides used for the protection of agricultural crops. However, their dispersion in nature has been the subject of global concern due to reports of adverse effects on some living organisms. One of the applications of neonics in Nigeria is to protect the cocoa cash crop. Objective: Previous studies on pesticide-related pollution in Nigeria focused mainly on organochlorines, but research on neonics is sparse, and the knowledge gap needs to be filled. This work aimed at confirming the presence of four neonics, namely, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, acetamiprid, and thiamethoxam, within the Owena River Basin. Methods: Neonics were extracted from cocoa-growing soil, river water, and sediments by a modified QuEChERS method, followed by clean-up of the extractant by dispersive solid phase extraction and analysis by an optimized liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry analytical procedure. The overall performance of these developed methods was then evaluated by set criteria. Results: The Limit of Detection (LOD) and Limit of Quantitation (LOQ) ranged from 0.0005 to 0.002 μg/g and 0.002 to 0.005 μg/g, respectively. The recovery for the four target analytes exceeded 75% across all matrices from laboratory-prepared samples. It was discovered that the average concentrations of three of the four neonics of interest in the individual media were: 10.34 nmol/g in cocoa-producing soil, 1.03 nmol/g in river sediment, and 1.08 nM (1.08 x 10-3 nmol/g) in surface river water. No imidacloprid was identified in any of these three environmental compartments. Conclusion: The concentration of neonics in the river water, i.e., 0.23 µg/L (230 ng/L), is identical to that of the maximum value recommended in the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Freshwater Aquatic Life.
Hafsa Tahir, Muhammad Aamir, Aftab Ahmed, Muhammad Afzaal, Farhan Saeed, Aasma Asghar, Mahwash Aziz, Mariyam Shahid, Huda Ateeq, Fakhar Islam,et al.
Informa UK Limited
Zainab Irshad, Muhammad Aamir, Noor Akram, Aasma Asghar, Farhan Saeed, Aftab Ahmed, Muhammad Afzaal, Huda Ateeq, Yasir Abbas Shah, Zargham Faisal,et al.
Informa UK Limited
Hazim M. Ali, Ibrahim Hotan Alsohaimi, Mohammad Rizwan Khan, Ibrahim A. Naguib, Rosa Busquets, Pravej Alam, Bayan E. Ainousah, and Mohammed Gamal
Informa UK Limited
Shovonlal Bhowmick, Tapan Kumar Mistri, Mohammad Rizwan Khan, Pritee Chunarkar Patil, Rosa Busquets, Abu Md Ashif Ikbal, Ankita Choudhury, Dilip Kumar Roy, Partha Palit, and Achintya Saha
Informa UK Limited
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outburst is still threatening global health. This highly contagious viral disease is caused by the infection of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Covid-19 and post-Covid-19 complications induce noteworthy mortality. Potential chemical hits and leads against SARS-CoV-2 for combating Covid-19 are urgently required. In the present study, a virtual-screening protocol was executed on potential Amaryllidaceae alkaloids from a pool of natural compound library against SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) and transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS2). For the collected 1016 alkaloids from the curated library, initially, molecular docking using AutoDock Vina (ADV), and thereafter 100 ns molecular-dynamic (MD) simulation has been executed for the best top-ranked binding affinity compounds for both the viral and host proteins. Comprehensive intermolecular-binding interactions profile of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids suggested that phyto-compounds Galantamine, Lycorenine, and Neronine as potent modulators of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and host TMPRSS2 protein. All atomistic long range 100 ns MD simulation studies of each top ranked complex in triplicates also illustrated strong binding affinity of three compounds towards Mpro and TMPRSS2. Identified compounds might be recommended as prospective anti-viral agents for future drug development selectively targeting the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro or blocking host TMPRSS2 receptor, subjected to pre-clinical and clinical assessment for a better understanding of in-vitro molecular interaction and in-vivo validation.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Muhammad Azeem, Farhan Saeed, Muhammad Afzaal, Huda Ateeq, Aftab Ahmad, Atif Liaqat, Rosa Busquets, José M. Lorenzo, and Mohd Asif Shah
Informa UK Limited