Low-cost Posidonia oceanica bio-adsorbent for efficient removal of antibiotic oxytetracycline from water

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The presence of antibiotics as micro-contaminants in the water and aqueous environments is a health concern to humans and the ecosystem. Therefore,...     

α-Amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitor effects and pancreatic response to diabetes mellitus on Wistar rats of Ephedra alata areal part decoction with immunohistochemical analyses

Ephedra alata, known as a medicinal plant in China, was used in this study as aqueous extract from aerial parts, for diabetes mellitus treatment. This study was carried out on two parts, in vitro, we tested the effect of the studied extract on the inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, and in vivo on Wistar male rats receiving alloxan intraperitoneally at a rate of 125 mg/kg. Extract (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg of body weight) was administrated for 28 days by oral gavage. Blood glucose, amylase, lipase, and lipid profile level were determined. Oxidative stress was evaluated by enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and by estimation of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl (PC) level. Histopathological changes in pancreas were investigated under photonic microscopy using immunohistochemical procedure. Our findings showed that aqueous extract inhibited in vitro both α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities and its use in vivo at 300 mg/kg of body weight restored pancreas weight and weight gain, ameliorated significantly (p ? 0.05) biochemical parameters; it prevented the increase in lipid and protein oxidation and the decrease in enzymatic and non-enzymatic defense system. Histological study of treated animals showed a comparable healed regeneration of beta cells.

     

Co-composting of spent coffee ground with olive mill wastewater sludge and poultry manure and effect of Trametes versicolor inoculation on the compost maturity

The co-composting of spent coffee grounds, olive mill wastewater sludge and poultry manure was investigated on a semi-industrial scale. In order to reduce the toxicity of the phenolic fraction and to improve the degree of composting humification, composts were inoculated with the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor in the early stages of the maturation phase.During composting, a range of physico-chemical parameters (temperature and both organic matter and C/N reduction), total organic carbon, total nitrogen, elemental composition, lignin degradation and spectroscopic characteristics of the humic acids (HAs) were determined; impacts of the composting process on germination index of Hordeum vulgare and Lactuca sativa were assessed. The coffee waste proved to be a highly compostable feedstock, resulting in mature final compost with a germination index of 120% in less than 5 months composting. In addition, inoculation with T. versicolor led to a greater degree of aromatization of HA than in the control pile. Moreover, in the inoculated mixture, lignin degradation was three times greater and HA increased by 30% (P < 0.05), compared to the control pile. In the T. versicolor inoculated mixture, the averages of C and N were significantly enhanced in the HA molecules (P < 0.05), by 26% and 22%, respectively. This improvement in the degree of humification was confirmed by the ratio of optical densities of HA solutions at 465 and 665 nm which was lower for HA from the treated mixture (4.5) than that from the control pile (5.4).     

Rehabilitation of El Yahoudia dumping site, Tunisia

As in all developing countries, cities in Tunisia face serious problems of environmental pollution caused mainly by the inadequate and inefficient final disposal of their generated solid wastes. The Tunisian government launched a development program including the construction of landfills in the main cities and the closure of the contaminated sites issued from solid wastes landrising practice. The project of the Henchir El Yahoudia landfill restoration is the first experience in this programme. It has been suggested to convert the site to a green park and to implement an ornamental plant nursery. The whole surface of the landfill is approximately 100 ha from which 30 ha have been already transformed to an urban recreational area and the remaining 70 ha have to be characterized for the project extension. A field investigation by boring was conducted in order to define the geological and the hydrogeological conditions, the vertical and horizontal wastes layer extension, content and degree of decomposition and the composition and quantities of leachate and landfill gas. Representative samples of waste, soil, groundwater and leachate were collected for laboratory analyses. Several of these borings were converted to piezometers to define the flow regime in the site. The results showed that the biogas (CH4, H2S, and CO2), leachate and waste, distribution in the site is mainly affected by the temporal variation of the site operating method. The underlying fissured clay layer facilitated leachate infiltration into the groundwater where high BOD, COD and nitrogen concentrations were registered.