Microplastic contamination and associated polymer toxicity in mollusks are emerging concerns for ecosystem health and seafood safety in coastal environments. This study compares microplastic abundance, polymer composition, and exposure risks in wild and cultured populations of Crassostrea madrasensis, Perna viridis, and Telescopium telescopium from coastal Bangladesh. Microplastics were detected in all species, with mean abundances ranging from 0.68 ± 0.22 to 1.12 ± 0.10 items g−1. Fibres dominated, accounting for 77 to 94% of particles, with most measuring less than 500 μm. Transparent and violet particles were most common, indicating sources from textiles, ropes, and aquaculture materials. Polymer composition was determined using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) with PE, PET, PS, EVA, Nylon, and PVA identified among the detected polymers. Polymer hazard index values were similar across groups (PHI 15.7–18.7, level II), whereas MPERI was higher in cultured than wild Crassostrea madrasensis (18.6 vs 16.1) but lower in cultured than wild Perna viridis (7.1 vs 17.7). Estimated human intake through mollusk consumption ranged from 0.28 to 0.47 items kg−1 day−1, corresponding to 6.2 × 103 to 1.0 × 104 items per person per year. The dominance of fine fibres and the presence of higher hazard polymers indicate potential chronic ecological stress and food safety concerns. These findings emphasize the need for improved aquaculture practices and targeted monitoring in coastal Bangladesh.
Oysters are effective bioindicators of aquatic contamination. Their filter-feeding behavior causes them to bioaccumulate heavy metals and emerging contaminants from coastal waters. This poses both ecological and human health risks through seafood consumption. This study evaluated trace metal contamination, microbiological quality, and human health risk in Crassostrea belcheri from the Cox's Bazar coast, Bangladesh. Twelve trace metals were quantified in the soft tissue. Na, K, and Ca dominated the metal profile, followed by Zn, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, Cr, Pb, and Cd, which occurred at comparatively low levels. Most metals exceeded Bangladesh's national shellfish contamination guideline, except Cd. This points to a broader baseline contamination burden, even where dietary-intake indices suggested low risk. Estimated Daily Intake values for all metals stayed within permissible limits. This corresponds to negligible non-carcinogenic hazard. However, carcinogenic risk estimates for Cd, Cr, and Ni exceeded acceptable thresholds. This indicates a real long-term cancer risk from chronic consumption, despite the reassuring non-carcinogenic profile. Escherichia coli was detected in microbiological screening of collected oysters, whereas Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella spp. were not detected in any of the analyzed samples. This suggests a relatively low burden among the tested pathogens, though other microbial hazards cannot be ruled out. Trace metal contamination in C. belcheri poses a greater long-term health concern than national guidelines or acute intake thresholds alone would suggest. Regular monitoring is recommended to protect consumer health and support quality assurance for export markets that depend on this regionally important but understudied resource.
The rapid adoption of AI chatbots in the tourism industry has changed how tourists search for information, plan their trips, and decide where to stay. Even though more and more researchers are examining AI-enabled services, there are not many real-world studies showing how specific chatbot features affect visitors’ booking decisions through experiential processes. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the role of customer experience as a crucial mediating factor linking AI chatbot attributes to booking intention, while also exploring the moderating influence of tourists’ technological readiness. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study combines the functional attributes (perceived usefulness, ease of use, information quality, and 24/7 availability) and the social-interactive attributes (anthropomorphism and conversational intelligence) of AI chatbots to create a complete research model. Data were collected via an online survey targeting travelers in Bangladesh who had previously used AI chatbots for travel information or booking. Using purposive sampling, 326 valid responses were analyzed with SPSS (v.25), AMOS (v.24), and PROCESS Macro (v.4.2) to investigate direct, mediating, and moderating effects. The results show that all the chatbot features have a positive and significant influence on customer experience, which, in turn, has a significant positive effect on the intention to book. Mediation investigation substantiates that customer experience functions as a vital psychological conduit through which AI chatbot qualities influence booking intention. Moreover, the moderation results demonstrate that tourist technology readiness substantially strengthens the relationship between customer experience and booking intention, underscoring the importance of individual differences in technology adoption.
This study investigates faculty perspectives on Open Access (OA) publishing in Bangladeshi science and technology universities, focusing on awareness, confidence, and practices related to OA models, Article Processing Charges (APCs), and rights retention strategies. A survey of 175 faculty members across academic ranks assessed knowledge of Gold, Green, Hybrid, and Diamond OA, APC pricing and waivers, and licensing tools such as Creative Commons and the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) Author Addendum. Results indicate strong conceptual familiarity with OA models, particularly among senior and experienced faculty, but limited institutional support and gaps in understanding of APC waivers, transformative agreements, and rights retention mechanisms. Awareness of Diamond OA and independent APC resources remains low, with a reliance on publisher-provided information. OA literacy was significantly associated with academic designation, education, experience, and publication output. The study recommends targeted, career-stage-specific training, improved institutional guidance, and promotion of equitable OA models to support sustainable and inclusive scholarly communication.
Mobile payment (m-payment) still lacks widespread acceptance among Bangladeshi users despite its enormous possibilities. Previous studies have identified the reasons behind such reluctant usage intentions based on the data collected from regular m-payment users in Bangladesh. However, in Bangladesh, no study has considered the first-time user experience, which reflects initial trust yet. Therefore, the study was undertaken to identify the factors determining initial trust and their impact on m-payment usage intention in Bangladesh. We applied the structural equation modelling method to conduct an analysis of 284 first-time m-payment user data in Bangladesh. Initial trust was found positively influenced by perceived ubiquity, perceived security and perceived ease of use; perceived usefulness and the intention to use m-payments were found positively affected by initial trust. The study also revealed the positive association of users' personal innovativeness and the negative association of perceived cost on m-payment usage intention. The mediation effects of initial trust were also found significant. The study recommends building initial user trust and service provider measures to encourage m-payment usage intention.
