About the Journal

Natural Built Social Environment Health (NBSEH)

e-ISSN 3085-461X
p-ISSN 3085-5136

Natural Built Social Environment Health (NBSEH) is an international, peer-reviewed, Diamond Open Access journal focusing on the interactions between natural, built, and social environments and their impact on human health and well-being.

Diamond Open Access — No Author Fees
APCs: 0 | Submission fees: 0 | Publication fees: 0

NBSEH does not charge any fees to authors at any stage of the publication process. There are no Article Processing Charges (APCs), submission fees, publication fees, page charges, editorial fees, or any other author-facing charges.

Submission, peer review, publication, and immediate open access to all published content are completely free of charge for authors and readers.

Publisher:
AMSTES – Moroccan Association for Sciences and Techniques of Environment and Health
Faculty of Science and Technology Mohammedia
Hassan II University of Casablanca
Mohammedia, Morocco
Website: https://www.amstes.org

NBSEH publishes six issues per year (bimonthly) and assigns DOIs to all published articles.

Open Access Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). Readers may copy, distribute, and adapt the work for non-commercial purposes, provided the original author and source are credited.

For full licence details, please visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.

Current Issue

Vol. 2 No. 5 (2026): Volume 2 Issue 5 2026
View Vol. 2 No. 5 (2026): Volume 2 Issue 5 2026
Published: 2026-10-07

Full Issue

Letter to the Editor

  • Nepal Catastrophe: Some Implications

    Sahil Shrestha, Shukra Raj Paudel
    1-4
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.293337

Articles

  • The flash floods of August 26, 2026, along the Nepal-Tibet border were among the most devastating Himalayan disasters since the 2015 earthquake, resulting from climate-induced cryospheric instability whose impacts were greatly amplified by unplanned development, vulnerable infrastructure, high-risk hydropower projects, and gaps in transboundary early-warning systems. The calamity can therefore be considered a compound disaster rather than purely natural or manmade, highlighting the need for stronger climate-resilient planning and transboundary disaster risk reduction in the warming Himalayas.

    Nepalese Calamity of 2026: Manmade or Climate Driven

    Captain (Dr.) Nitin Agarwala
    5-31
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.557122
  • Nepal’s infrastructure surge relies on durable concrete rigid pavements to reshape thousands of kilometres of national roadways. This research uses a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (C2G-LCA) to evaluate a 1 km rigid pavement. The findings revealed that material production—mainly cement—drives 87.32% of lifecycle global warming potential (711.27 tons CO2 eq.) and approximately 89% of endpoint damages to ecosystem and human health damage, with cement being the major contributor to the material-phase impacts. By mandating low-carbon cement and embodied carbon thresholds in road contracts, Nepal can substantially decarbonize its expanding transport network.

    Identification of Environmental Hotspots in Concrete Pavements of Nepal: A Cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle Assessment

    Astha Devkota, Sahil Shrestha
    32-53
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.145800
  • Modern warfare not only causes human casualties but also degrades the environmental systems essential for daily life; the 2026 US-Iran conflict has severely threatened regional ecosystems through attacks on critical infrastructure, oil and gas facilities, and natural resources. These impacts extend into urban areas, endangering civilian populations and ecological stability while creating long-term environmental insecurities that may persist far beyond the end of hostilities.

    Impacts of the 2026 US-Iran War on Environmental Security in the Middle East

    Salam Abdulqadir Abdulrahman
    54-73
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.903288
  • Cutaneous tuberculosis is a rare extrapulmonary form whose diagnosis remains challenging because of its low bacillary load. We report the case of a 19-year-old Moroccan woman receiving methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis who developed deltoid cutaneous tuberculosis. Initial GeneXpert MTB/RIF detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis but failed to identify rifampicin resistance. GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra and GeneXpert MTB/XDR subsequently confirmed rifampicin monoresistance, allowing appropriate treatment modification and rapid clinical improvement. This case highlights the limitations of first-generation GeneXpert MTB/RIF in paucibacillary cutaneous tuberculosis and the value of next-generation molecular techniques for the early detection of drug resistance.

    Failure of First-Generation GeneXpert MTB/RIF to Detect Rifampicin Resistance in Cutaneous Tuberculosis: A Case Report

    Kholoud Maafi, Zakaria Asbai, Karim Souly, Souad Aboudkhil
    74-94
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.779811
  • This study described factors influencing prisoner management by healthcare staff in the Emergency Reception Department at Ibn Rochd Hospital, Casablanca. The findings revealed poor awareness of prison healthcare regulations, frequent confidentiality breaches, and inadequate collaboration between prison and hospital services. They highlight the need for staff training, stronger institutional collaboration, and measures to ensure equivalent healthcare for prisoners.

    Factors Influencing the Care of Sick Prisoners by Healthcare Staff in Emergency Departments: The Case of the Emergency Reception Department at Ibn Rochd Hospital, Casablanca

    Maria Mazouri, Imane Tahiri, Sanaa Deblij, Bouchaib Bahlaouan
    95-109
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.885427
  • The drinking water distribution system (DWDS) leads to the consumer's tap. Microbial biofilms can colonize pipe surfaces, act as reservoirs for pathogens, accelerate infrastructure decay, and degrade organoleptic water quality. Their resistance to conventional disinfection, including chlorine, together with their regenerative capacity, makes eradication difficult. Biofilm proliferation is governed by temperature, nutrient availability, water chemistry, hydrodynamics, and pipe material. Consequently, safeguarding water quality requires integrated multi-barrier strategies, including novel antibacterial surfaces, next-generation biocides, and stringent nutrient limitation to effectively control biofilm resilience and protect public health.

    Factors Governing Biofilm Formation in Drinking Water Networks: A General Survey

    Mourad Elgoulli, Ikhlas Hani Chennoufi, Soukaina Mitro, Hafida Zahir, Mostafa Ellouali, Hassan Latrache
    110-142
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.117702
  • Data on microplastics in Central African inland waters remain limited; this study assessed surface-water and surficial-sediment contamination at four Pool Malebo sites, identifying significant spatial differences, with fragments and films dominating and PE, PP and PET as the main polymers. The findings provide baseline data for Pool Malebo and highlight the need for harmonized, repeated monitoring of microplastic pollution in the Congo River system.

    Assessment of Microplastic Contamination in Surface Waters and Sediments of Pool Malebo, Congo River, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Nathan Manimesia Kayemba, Cédric Manianga K, Christian Matamba Mpingija, Junior Omba Ombetshu, Clovis Ndege Simisi, Jean-Paul Koto-Te-Nyiwa Ngbolua, Crispin Mulaji Kyela
    143-165
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.551063
  • This article examines the construction and distribution of liability in the Moroccan health sector through a socio-legal analysis informed by Bourdieu, Abbott, Giddens and Foucault. The findings suggest that existing liability rules remain applicable in principle but reveal conceptual limitations when applied to intelligent systems, particularly regarding the allocation of responsibility, clinical AI regulation, institutional evaluation and trust in technical systems.

    Legal Responsibility for the Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Healthcare Sector in Morocco: A Sociological Analysis of the Literature and Legal Texts

    Jalila Outalha, Zineb Khadali
    166-196
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.822365
  • This study examines the use of modern contraceptive methods and the main reasons for their non-use among women of reproductive age living with a partner in the Baobab Health Area. The results showed that most women used modern contraceptive methods, particularly the emergency pill and condoms. Non-use was mainly related to unavailability, inaccessibility, fear of side effects, insufficient supply, cost, limited knowledge and refusal by the male partner. Improving contraceptive availability and strengthening awareness among couples regarding their correct use are therefore important for promoting modern contraceptive use.

    Modern Contraceptive Use, Practices and Barriers among Women of Reproductive Age Living with a Partner in the Baobab Health Area, Kinshasa

    Josué Onoya Wedi, Nana Kenge Mujinga, Theresia Mindada Kadongo
    197-209
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.890607
  • Artisanal mining is an important source of income for rural populations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but may also affect the environment and health. This study describes the perceived environmental and socio-health impacts of artisanal gold mining in the Banalia/Bangba sector, particularly river pollution, waste accumulation, degradation of soils and vegetation cover, and water-related diseases. As these findings are based on reported perceptions rather than analytical or clinical measurements, further investigations and strengthened environmental and health oversight are needed;

    Perceived Environmental and Socio-Health Impacts of Artisanal Gold Mining in the Banalia/Bangba Sector, Banalia Territory, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Stanislas Linangelo Bokungu, Junior Omba, Aimé-Claude Libakata Enyangola, Jeannot Lingondo Mokemba, Sabrine Yasenge Yasongbi, Adrien Moango Manga, Zoé-Arthur Kazadi Malumba, Corneille Ewango Ekokinya, Koto-Te-Nyiwa Ngbolua, Stéphane Mbuyamba Ngalula, Crispin Mulaji Kyela
    210-223
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.345060
  • The Lake Chad Basin is an interconnected socio-ecological system where cross-border illicit economies may intensify environmental and health vulnerabilities. From a One Health standpoint, weak regulation of livestock, fish, fuel, agricultural inputs and wildlife flows may increase ecological pressures and exposure to environmental contaminants. The article calls for integrated cross-border surveillance, traceability, food safety monitoring and One Health cooperation.

    Cross-border Illicit Economies, Environmental Degradation and Health Vulnerabilities in the Lake Chad Basin: A One Health Perspective

    Moussa Bobbo
    224-236
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.204022
  • This study characterizes the floristic diversity, forest structure and above-ground carbon stocks of the Mbamba forest. The results reveal high floristic diversity and structural heterogeneity, with distinct floristic groups and a strong contribution of dominant species to forest structure. The forest also stores substantial above-ground biomass and carbon, highlighting its ecological importance and the need to conserve floristic diversity, structurally important species and large trees.

    Floristic Diversity, Forest Structure and Above-ground Carbon Stocks of the Mbamba Forest, Kwilu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Patience Loso Alik, Pisco Menga Munkolo, Crispin Balo Ilunga, Jean-Paul Koto-Te-Nyiwa Ngbolua, Godéfroid Yaya Yemweni, Félicien Lukoki Luyeye, Bonaventure Masens Da-Musa Yung
    237-265
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.63095/NBSEH.26.355733

Book Reviews

View All Issues

Volume 1 (2025)
Volume 1, Issue 1 (2025)
Volume 1, Issue 2 (2025)
Volume 1, Issue 3 (2025)
Volume 1, Issue 4 (2025)
Volume 1, Issue 5 (2025)
Volume 1, Issue 6 (2025)
Volume 1, Supplement 1 (2025)

Volume 2 (2026)
Volume 2, Issue 1 (2026)
Volume 2, Issue 2 (2026)
Volume 2, Issue 3 (2026)
Volume 2, Issue 4 (2026)