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PubMed2004

High-performance liquid chromatography with conductimetric detection of perfluorocarboxylic acids and perfluorosulfonates.

A rapid and simple method for separating and determining various environmentally harmful perfluorocarboxylic acids and perfluorosulfonates was successfully developed using high- performance liquid chromatography with conductimetric detection, for product and waste management of these compounds at manufacturing and processing sites. Compounds having C(3)-C(8) perfluoroalkyl groups were separated using a Tosoh TSKgel Super-ODS column and a mobile phase consisting of a mixture of methanol and aqueous NaH(2)PO(4) at several mixing ratios. The best detection limits for the compounds ranged from 0.12 to 0.66 mg l(-1) (ppm), and linear calibration graphs were obtained up to 87-109 mg l(-1). The combination of this method with concentration of the sample by solid-phase extraction with cartridges based on styrene-divinylbenzene-copolymer enabled the determination of approximately 50 microg l(-1) (ppb) for compounds with C(4)-C(8) perfluoroalkyl groups. This method was successfully used to monitor the artificial decomposition of the perfluorocarboxylic acid n-C(4)F(9)COOH induced by a photocatalyst.

Carboxylic Acids↗

PubMed2006

Evaluation of heavy metal contents in co-composts of poultry manure with barley wastes or chestnut burr/leaf litter.

The presence of heavy metals in composts is a main cause of adverse effects on animal and human health, transmitted through the food chain from the soil, groundwater and plants. In this study, the contents of Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu present in co-composts of poultry manure (liquid or solid) with a co-composting material (barley wastes or chestnut burr/leaf litter) were assessed. A compost of solid manure was used as control because a compost cannot be obtained from the liquid manure. The original solid poultry manure showed a Zn content of 2134+/-75 mg/kg, exceeding the current legal limit in Spain of 1100 mg/kg. In the solid poultry manure co-compost with chestnut burr/leaf litter and barley wastes, Zn content decreased to 813+/-25 mg/kg and 883+/-37 mg/kg, respectively. The contents in heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Pb and Cu) of the co-composts were under the maximum limit permitted under the Spanish legislation, excepting for the Zn level in liquid poultry manure co-composted with chestnut burr/leaf litter.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Assessment of municipal waste compost as a daily cover material for odour control at landfill sites.

The ability of municipal waste compost as a daily cover material to reduce the odorous emissions associated with landfill surfaces was investigated. Trials were carried out using landfill gas, a certified sulphurous gas mix and ambient air as a control. Odorous gas was passed through portable test column filled with compost at different densities (590 kg/m3 and 740 kg/m3). Gas samples were taken from the inlet, outlet and at varying column depths and examined using a combination of sensory analysis (olfactometry) and a novel analytical method (Transportable Selected Ion Flow Tube--TSIFT). Results for the trials using landfill gas showed a 69% odour reduction (OU/m3) through the column for compost with a bulk density of 590 kg/m3, and a reduction of 97% using compost with a bulk density of 740 kg/m3. TSIFT analysis showed an overall decrease in the concentration of terpenes, and sulphurous compounds in the outlet gas from the column for both bulk densities. No significant trend could be identified for the concentrations at different depths within the column. Results show the ability of compost to reduce landfill odours under differing conditions. The inconclusive data provided by TSIFT analysis may be due to the analysis of compounds that are not contributing to odour, and thus highlights the potential for synergetic effects and the importance of sensory measurement when examining odorous emissions.

Odorants↗

PubMed2004

Health status of people of slums in Nairobi, Kenya.

The objective of this study was to describe the health status of people living in the slums of Nairobi. It was designed as a cross-sectional study based on data from visitors at a clinic at Trnava University located in Mukuru slum in Nairobi. There were about 16,000 visits registered at Mary Immaculate Clinic of Trnava University in Nairobi during 2 years of operation. A random 5% sample was drawn from the paper-card database of this clinic to assess basic characteristics and health complaints of visitors. Both self-reported health complaints and diagnoses written by physicians were used to assess health status of participants. More females with average age (by slum) ranging from 20.46 to 21.30 years than males with average age ranging from (by slum) 15.86 to 19.49 years are the visitors of the clinic. The major self-reported health complaints of visitors were cough, abdominal pain, and headache for both sexes. The most frequent diagnoses were consequently virosis, acute respiratory infections, and bronchitis. Differences in health complaints by slums were observed and are described herein. The major health complaints and diagnoses in addition to the differences in health complaints and diagnoses by slum show that environmental conditions can have major influences on health status. Therefore, environmental improvements are important in the improvement of health status. A very high prevalence of respiratory complaints and gastrointestinal problems signify that improvements in air pollution reduction, drinking water provision, and waste management in slums can lead to more significant and sustainable improvements in health status than just simple treatment. This fact should be taken into account when planning future relief programs.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Foodborne protozoan parasites.

This report addresses Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Cyclospora, and more briefly, Toxoplasma as the main parasitic protozoa of concern to food production worldwide. Other parasitic protozoa may be spread in food or water but are not considered as great a risk to food manufacture. The protozoan parasites Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and Cyclospora have proven potential to cause waterborne and foodborne disease. Toxoplasma gondii has been considered a risk in specific cases, but humans are not its primary host. Cryptosporidium and Giardia are widespread in the environment, particularly the aquatic environment, and major outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis have occurred as a result of contaminated drinking water. Large outbreaks of waterborne cyclosporiasis have not been identified. Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and Cyclospora have potential significance in the preparation and consumption of fresh produce and in catering practice, in which ready-to-eat foods may be served that have not received heat treatment. None of the three organisms Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and Cyclospora has been shown to be a problem for heat processed food or tap water that has undergone appropriate treatment at a water treatment works. All three are sensitive to standard pasteurisation techniques. Although humans are not a primary host for T. gondii, the potential exists for both waterborne and foodborne toxoplasmosis. Parasitic protozoa do not multiply in foods, but they may survive in or on moist foods for months in cool, damp environments. Their ecology makes control of these parasites difficult. For general control of parasitic protozoa in the food chain, the following steps are necessary: - Follow good hygienic practice in food service and catering industries.- Minimise dissemination of cysts and oocysts in the farming environment and via human waste management.- Include these microorganisms in Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans of water suppliers, industries or sectors that use fresh produce, and operations in which contaminated process or ingredient water could end up in the product (e.g., where water supplies may become contaminated).

Animals↗

PubMed2006

'Clean Care is Safer Care': the Global Patient Safety Challenge 2005-2006.

BACKGROUND: Each year the treatment and care of hundreds of millions of patients worldwide is complicated by infections acquired during healthcare. The impact of healthcare-associated infection may imply prolonged stays in hospital, long-term disability, massive additional financial burden, and deaths. ACTION: Patient safety is a global issue that affects both developed and developing countries. In October 2004, the World Health Organization launched the World Alliance for Patient Safety to co-ordinate and accelerate improvements in patient safety internationally. A core element of the Alliance is the identification of a topic to be addressed as a Global Patient Safety Challenge over a two-year cycle. The first topic chosen for 2005-2006 is healthcare-associated infection. PERSPECTIVES: The Challenge aims at implementing several actions to tackle healthcare-associated infections worldwide, regardless of the level of development of healthcare systems and the availability of resources. Implementation strategies include the integration in different healthcare settings of multiple interventions in the areas of blood safety, injection safety, and clinical procedure safety, as well as water, sanitation, and waste management, with the promotion of hand hygiene in healthcare as the cornerstone.

Blood Transfusion↗

PubMed2006

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Agricultural and food biotechnology.

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that agricultural and food biotechnology techniques can enhance the quality, safety, nutritional value, and variety of food available for human consumption and increase the efficiency of food production, food processing, food distribution, and environmental and waste management. The American Dietetic Association encourages the government, food manufacturers, food commodity groups, and qualified food and nutrition professionals to work together to inform consumers about this new technology and encourage the availability of these products in the marketplace.

Agriculture↗

PubMed2007

Transport of Sr2+ and SrEDTA2- in partially-saturated and heterogeneous sediments.

Strontium-90 has migrated deep into the unsaturated subsurface beneath leaking storage tanks in the Waste Management Areas (WMA) at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford Reservation. Faster than expected transport of contaminants in the vadose zone is typically attributed to either physical hydrologic processes such as development of preferential flow pathways, or to geochemical processes such as the formation of stable, anionic complexes with organic chelates, e.g., ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The goal of this paper is to determine whether hydrological processes in the Hanford sediments can influence the geochemistry of the system and hence control transport of Sr(2+) and SrEDTA(2-). The study used batch isotherms, saturated packed column experiments, and an unsaturated transport experiment in an undisturbed core. Isotherms and repacked column experiments suggested that the SrEDTA(2-) complex was unstable in the presence of Hanford sediments, resulting in dissociation and transport of Sr(2+) as a divalent cation. A decrease in sorption with increasing solid:solution ratio for Sr(2+) and SrEDTA(2-) suggested mineral dissolution resulted in competition for sorption sites and the formation of stable aqueous complexes. This was confirmed by detection of MgEDTA(2-), MnEDTA(2-), PbEDTA(2-), and unidentified Sr and Ca complexes. Displacement of Sr(2+) through a partially-saturated undisturbed core resulted in less retardation and more irreversible sorption than was observed in the saturated repacked columns, and model results suggested a significant reservoir (49%) of immobile water was present during transport through the heterogeneous layered sediments. The undisturbed core was subsequently disassembled along distinct bedding planes and subjected to sequential extractions. Strontium was unequally distributed between carbonates (49%), ion exchange sites (37%), and the oxide (14%) fraction. An inverse relationship between mass wetness and Sr suggested that sandy sediments of low water content constituted the immobile flow regime. Our results suggested that the sequestration of Sr(2+) in partially-saturated, heterogeneous sediments was most likely due to the formation of immobile water in drier regions having low hydraulic conductivities.

Edetic Acid↗

PubMed2003

The setting of standards for agricultural nitrogen emissions: a case study of the Delphi technique.

The Delphi technique is a means of aggregating the judgement of a panel of experts in order to improve the quality of decision-making. This paper provides a case study of the technique by undertaking a three-round Delphi study to determine a package of best available techniques to reduce nitrogen emissions from a poultry unit under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive (IPPC). Forms of nitrogen addressed included ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O) nitrogen oxides (NOx), dusts and nitrate (NO3-), with the study providing a means to prioritise the pollution concerns on different spatial scales. The priority pollutant issues were the contribution of NH3 to eutrophication, the global cooling effect of NH4+ aerosol, the role of NH4+ as a vector for atmospheric transport of NOx and SO2, the contribution of N2O to global warming, and NO3- leaching. Reduced nitrogen (NHx) was rated as a priority on all scales, while N2O and NO3- were rated as priorities only on global and local scales, respectively. The study indicated the need for abatement techniques at each stage of poultry rearing and waste management, with particular attention to reduce NH3 emissions, reflecting the priority pollutant concerns. Measures identified by the panel include maintenance of dry litter, low emission removal of litter from housing and storage of litter under cover. Once the litter has left the farm, this should either be used as a biofuel for electricity generation or rapidly incorporated into agricultural soils. The amounts and timing of manure application should be tuned to crop needs. Uncertainties in the Delphi technique limit its suitability as a stand-alone decision making tool. However, the Delphi technique proved useful in identifying priority pollutant issues, areas of agreement, disagreement and where information is lacking. This demonstrates its use when dealing with the complex issues of prioritising pollution issues and abatement approaches.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed2006

Financing electronic waste recycling Californian households' willingness to pay advanced recycling fees.

The growth of electronic waste (e-waste) is of increasing concern because of its toxic content and low recycling rates. The e-waste recycling infrastructure needs to be developed, yet little is known about people's willingness to fund its expansion. This paper examines this issue based on a 2004 mail survey of California households. Using an ordered logit model, we find that age, income, beliefs about government and business roles, proximity to existing recycling facilities, community density, education, and environmental attitudes are significant factors for explaining people's willingness to pay an advanced recycling fee (ARF) for electronics. Most respondents are willing to support a 1% ARF. Our results suggest that policymakers should target middle-aged and older adults, improve programs in communities with existing recycling centers or in rural communities, and consider public-private partnerships for e-waste recycling programs.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2026

Investigating AHL-associated quorum sensing impact on antibiotic-driven resistome expansion in anaerobic fermentation microbiomes: Metagenomic insights.

Previous studies have demonstrated that quorum sensing (QS) can mitigate the impact of antibiotics on environmental microbial communities. Metagenomic analysis was used to examine AHL effects on the resistome in anaerobic fermentation microbiomes under antibiotic stress in this research. AHLs reduced ARGs, MGEs, and phage abundance compared to antibiotic-only samples following the addition of high concentrations (500 nmol/L) of AHLs. Phages and integrons played pivotal roles in shaping the resistome. Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were key targets affected by AHLs. Both the assembled environmental metagenomes and the complete genomes of isolated bacteria consistently support the broad potential of quorum-sensing systems in mediating the dissemination or regulation of resistome spreading. Quorum sensing systems are very likely to affect microbial community resistomes by regulating the phageome. These insights are valuable for refining fermentation and waste management processes, offering potential in environmental restoration and possibly curbing the spread of resistance genes.

Quorum Sensing↗

PubMed2025

Tracking microplastic contamination across seasons in a freshwater reservoir: Evidence from surface water, sediments, and fishes.

Microplastics (MPs) are prevalent contaminants in aquatic environments, posing substantial ecological and health risks. These particles migrate within the different layers of aquatic bodies with time and affect the respective biota. Thus, to get an in-depth understanding of the particles, this current study investigated the seasonal distribution, morphological and chemical characteristics, along with potential ecological and human health impacts in the samples including surface water, sediment, and fish from a drinking water supplying reservoir in eastern India. Across three different seasons, pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon samples were collected using optimized methods. Results revealed distinct seasonal trends: MP abundance in surface water peaked during the monsoon (mean: 1.15 MPs/L), while sediment showed the highest concentrations in the pre-monsoon (mean: 596 MPs/kg), indicating temporal accumulation dynamics influenced by runoff, hydrodynamics, and sedimentation. Fish gut analysis confirmed ingestion of MPs across five species, with concentrations ranging from 26 to 100 MPs/kg, depending on feeding habits. The most dominant MP type were fragments, followed by fibers, films, and beads. Polymer analysis via µFTIR identified polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride as prevalent, with hazard assessments (i.e., Polymer Hazard Index (PHI)) indicating medium to very high ecological risks. Heavy metal association was more dominant in the MPs isolated from sediments than the waterborne MPs. Pollution Load Index (PLI) values were > 1 in most seasons, confirming contamination. Health risk analysis suggested potential exposure through both drinking water and fish consumption. This study emphasizes the need for seasonal monitoring, improved waste management, and mitigation strategies to address MP pollution in freshwater ecosystems.

Microplastics↗

PubMed2005

Development of an inverse method to identify the kinetics of heavy metal release during waste incineration in fluidized bed.

This paper deals with the emission of heavy metals (HM) during the incineration of municipal solid waste in a fluidized bed reactor. This study focused on the development of a general method to identify the kinetics of vaporization of heavy metals from the on-line analysis of exhaust gas. This method is an inverse method, which requires only the time evolution of the HM concentration in exhaust gases (experimental data) and a global bubbling bed model developed for transient conditions at the reactor scale. First, a lab-scale fluidized bed incinerator was set-up to simulate the HM release during the thermal treatment of metal-spiked model wastes. A specific on-line analysis system based on ICP-OES was developed to measure in real time the variation of the relative concentration of HM in exhaust gases. Then, a two-phase flow bubbling bed model was developed and validated to calculate the kinetics of vaporization of HM from its measured concentration time profile in the outlet gas. The technique was first validated with model waste (metal-spiked mineral matrices), thus enabling at each time both solid sampling for measuring the HM vaporization kinetic and on-line analysis for measuring the HM concentration in the outlet gas. The inverse method was then applied to realistic artificial wastes (derived from real wastes) to identify the HM vaporization kinetics from the on-line analysis results.

Aluminum Oxide↗

PubMed2006

Co-digestion of mixed industrial sludge with municipal solid wastes in anaerobic simulated landfilling bioreactors.

In this study, the feasibility of the anaerobic co-digestion of a mixed industrial sludge with municipal solid wastes (MSW) was investigated in three simulated anaerobic landfilling bioreactors during a 150-day period. All of the reactors were operated with leachate recirculation. One of them was loaded only with MSW (control reactor); the second reactor was loaded with mixed industrial sludge and MSW, the weight ratio of the MSW to mixed industrial sludge was 1:1 (based on dry solid) (Run 1); the third reactor was loaded with mixed industrial sludge and MSW, the weight ratio of the MSW to mixed industrial sludge was 1:2 (based on dry solid) (Run 2). The VFA concentrations decreased significantly in Run 1 and Run 2 reactors at the end of 150 days. The pH values were higher in Run 1 and Run 2 reactors compared to control reactor. The differences between leachate characteristics, the biodegradation and the bioefficiency of the reactors were compared. The NH(4)-N concentrations released to leachate from mixed sludge in Run 1 and Run 2 reactors were lower than that of control reactor. The BOD(5)/COD ratios in Run 1 and Run 2 reactors were lower than that of control reactor at the end of 150 days. Cumulative methane gas productions and methane percentages were higher in Run 1 and Run 2 reactors. Reductions in waste quantity, carbon percentage and settlement of the waste were better in Run 1 and Run 2 reactors compared to control reactor at the end of 150 days. Furthermore, TN and TP removals in waste were higher in reactors containing industrial sludge compared to control. The toxicity test results showed that toxicity was observed in reactors containing industrial mixed sludge.

Anaerobiosis↗

PubMed2005

An in vivo evaluation of induction of abnormal sperm morphology in mice by landfill leachates.

Although several reports have demonstrated the acutely toxic and genotoxic effects of landfill leachates in microbial organisms, plants and aquatic animals, the effects of pollutants present in these leachates have not been clarified yet in terrestrial animals. This study mainly aimed to evaluate a potential genetic effect of raw and simulated leachates from Orita-Aperin and Oworonsoki landfills in south-west Nigeria by use of the murine sperm-head abnormality test. These landfills neither have a synthetic membrane liner at the bottom, nor a natural layer of compacted soil with the desired hydraulic conductivity, nor a run-off control system. As a result, the leachates produced are discharged into the environment. Samples designated as Orita-Aperin Raw Leachate (OARL), Orita-Aperin Simulated Leachate (OASL), Oworonsoki Raw Leachate (OWRL) and Oworonsoki Simulated Leachate (OWSL) were analyzed in the sperm-head abnormality test at concentrations (v/v) of 1%, 2.5%, 5%, 10% and 25%. Mice were given 0.5 ml sample per day for five consecutive days by intraperitoneal injection. Each dose group comprised seven mice, and a 5-week exposure period was utilized. The data show that the test mixtures induced a dose-dependent, statistically significant increase (P<0.05) in the number of sperm with abnormal morphology. Physico-chemical analysis of the test samples shows that they contained constituents that are capable of inducing mutation in biologic system. The interaction of some of these constituents with the genetic material in the differentiating cells during spermatogenesis may be responsible for these observations. This is relevant in environmental waste management, and for the assessment of the hazardous effects of the chemicals in landfill leachates.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

In silico prediction of harmful effects triggered by drugs and chemicals.

While the computer-assisted discovery and optimization of drug candidates based on the known three-dimensional structure of the macromolecular target (structure-based design) or a binding-site surrogate (receptor modeling) is doubtless one of the more potent approaches in rational drug design, the simulation and quantification of side effects triggered by drugs and chemicals are still in their infancy. Major obstacles include the often not available 3D structure of the molecular target, the low specificity of the involved bioregulators and the identification of the controlling metabolic pathways. In the recent past, our laboratory has explored concepts allowing to simulate receptor-mediated toxic phenomena by developing algorithms, allowing to construct realistic 3D binding-site surrogates of receptors known or assumed triggering adverse effects and validating them against large batches of molecular data. The underlying technology (software Quasar and Raptor, respectively) specifically allows for induced fit, solvation phenomena and entropic effects. It has been applied to various systems both of pharmacological and toxicological interest including the neurokinin-1, chemokine-3, bradykinin B(2), steroid, 5 HT(2A), aryl hydrocarbon, estrogen and androgen receptor, respectively. In this account, we describe the design of a virtual laboratory allowing for a reliable estimation of harmful effects triggered by drugs, chemicals and their metabolites in silico. In the recent past, the Biographics Laboratory 3R has compiled a 3D database including the surrogates of three major receptor systems known to mediate adverse effects (the aryl hydrocarbon, the estrogen and the androgen receptor, respectively) and validated them against a total of 345 compounds (drugs, chemicals, toxins) using multidimensional QSAR technologies. Within this pilot project, we could demonstrate that our virtual laboratory is able to both recognize toxic compounds substantially different from those used in the training set as well as to classify harmless compounds as being nontoxic. This suggests that our approach may be used for the prediction of adverse effects of drug molecules and chemicals. It is the aim to provide cost-covering access to this technology--particularly to universities, hospitals and regulatory bodies--as it bears a significant potential to recognize hazardous compounds early in the development process and hence improve resource and waste management as well as reduce animal testing. The Biographics Laboratory 3R is a non-profit-oriented organization aimed at reducing animal experimentation in the biomedical sciences by computational approaches (cf. http://www.biograf.ch).

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2005

Biofibers from agricultural byproducts for industrial applications.

Lignocellulosic agricultural byproducts are a copious and cheap source for cellulose fibers. Agro-based biofibers have the composition, properties and structure that make them suitable for uses such as composite, textile, pulp and paper manufacture. In addition, biofibers can also be used to produce fuel, chemicals, enzymes and food. Byproducts produced from the cultivation of corn, wheat, rice, sorghum, barley, sugarcane, pineapple, banana and coconut are the major sources of agro-based biofibers. This review analyses the production processes, structure, properties and suitability of these biofibers for various industrial applications.

Cellulose↗

PubMed2004

Maximising household waste recycling at civic amenity sites in Lancashire, England.

In the UK, all local authorities have been set statutory performance standards for the recycling and composting of household waste. As part of their strategy for achieving these standards, Lancashire County Council (LCC) has made a number of alterations to the layout and facilities available at civic amenity sites (renamed Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs)) in the county and tried to create a more positive image of the sites for members of the public. This study consisted of two surveys carried out in order to establish how to maximise household waste recycling at the 26 HWRCs in Lancashire. A telephone survey was carried out amongst all Lancashire's HWRC attendants in order to establish the effects of recent site improvements and to provide an indication of overall customer satisfaction. An on-site questionnaire survey was conducted amongst HWRC customers on five selected sites, over three separate seasons, incorporating comparative weekend and weekday surveys at each site. This survey investigated public opinion of HWRCs in Lancashire, as well as exploring effective methods that would assist customers in maximising the amount of recycling at HWRCs. The attendants' survey revealed that site attendants were actively encouraging customers to segregate waste more efficiently at the HWRCs, and that a recycling-related bonus scheme had provided an incentive towards this effort. Site attendants have a key role in educating the public about waste segregation and the effective use of HWRCs. Lancashire HWRC users were mostly male, used private cars to transport waste and showed high levels of customer satisfaction. Practical changes to encourage more recycling at HWRCs were clearly identified in the customers' survey; these include longer opening hours and the provision of boxes to enable pre-separation of waste. The study has clearly shown how the results of user surveys can provide practical assistance in the development of improved sustainable waste management strategies.

Community Participation↗