Aluminum/iodine pentoxide (Al/I₂O₅) composites are currently receiving much attention for their capabilities as potential anthrax combatants. Their high halogen gas release, coupled with high temperature evolution from combustion, renders them effective in bacterial deactivation. Despite extensive research on the energetic capacities of these compounds, limited information is currently available in relation to their potential environmental (non-target) effects. We evaluated the effects of Al/I₂O₅ on aquatic (Daphnia magna) and terrestrial (Eisenia fetida, Acheta domesticus) invertebrates, as well as alfalfa (Medicago sativa) seed germination. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, or DuPont Teflon® MP1150) was examined concurrently to assess whether observations were general to halogen, or element specific. Our observations were based on mortality and reproduction (hatchability) for the terrestrial and aquatic assays. In all Al/I₂O₅ assays, mortality was concentration dependent, ranging from 0% mortality in the control samples to partial and complete mortality in the contaminated cases. The PTFE assays showed no mortality at all contaminant concentrations. At a maximum Al/I₂O₅ contaminant concentration of 1000 μg/g (ppm), 100% mortality was observed in cricket assay conducted in sand within 72 h exposure and earthworm assay conducted in soil within 4 days exposure. In the aquatic assay, a water concentration of 200 μg/mL (ppm) caused 100% mortality to D. magna in less than 12 h. The effect of aluminum/iodine pentoxide on earthworm cocoon hatching success was also determined. At soil concentrations ≤ 400 μg/g, hatching success for earthworm cocoons was equivalent to control (un-contaminated) soil; above this concentration, hatching success was reduced by a factor of 2. Alfalfa germination tests were performed at a single contaminant concentration of 1000 μg/g. This soil concentration was completely inhibitory to seed germination.

Global warming is one of the major challenges facing humanity. The increase in the Earth’s temperature and thawing of ancient ice release viable viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms which were trapped for thousands and millions of years. Such microorganisms may belong to novel microbial species, unknown genotypes of present pathogens, already eradicated pathogens, or even known pathogens that gained extremely robust characteristics due to their subjection to long-term stress. These worries drew more attention following the death of a child by ancient anthrax spores in Siberian in 2016 and the reconstruction of smallpox and Spanish flu genomes from ancient frozen biological samples. The present review illustrates some examples of recently recovered pathogens after being buried for millions of years, including some identified viable ancient viruses, bacteria and even other forms of life. While some pathogens could be revived, genomes of other ancient pathogens which could not be revived were re-constructed. The present study aims to highlight and alarm the hidden aspect of global warming on the international public health, which represents future threats from the past for humanity.