Somatic Coliphage Profiles of Produce and Environmental Samples from Farms in Northern México

Somatic coliphages were quantified in 459 produce and environmental samples from 11 farms in Northern Mexico to compare amounts of somatic coliphages among different types of fresh produce and environmental samples across the production steps on farms. Rinsates from cantaloupe melons, jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, and the hands of workers, soil, and water were collected during 2011–2012 at four successive steps on each farm, from the field before harvest through the packing facility, and assayed by FastPhage MPN Quanti-tray method. Cantaloupe farm samples contained more coliphages than jalapeño or tomato (p range <0.01–0.03). Across production steps, jalapeños had higher coliphage percentages before harvest than during packing (p = 0.03), while tomatoes had higher coliphage concentrations at packing than all preceding production steps (p range <0.01–0.02). These findings support the use of targeted produce-specific interventions at multiple points in the process of growing and packing produce to reduce the risk of enteric virus contamination and improve food safety during fruit and vegetable production.     

Escherichia coli,Species C Human Adenovirus,and Enterovirus in Water Samples Consumed in Rural Areas of Goiás,Brazil

Food and Environmental Virology - Rural environments lack basic sanitation services. Facilities for obtaining water and disposing sewage are often under the initiative of each resident, who may not...     

Exposure of aboriginal people to methylmercury due to gold mining in the Amazon, Brazil

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＳｉｎｃｅｔｈｅｅａｒｌｙ 1980’ｓ,ｒａｐｉｄｉｎｃｒｅａｓｅｓｉｎｇｏｌｄｍｉｎｉｎｇａｃｔｉｖｉｔｉｅｓｕｓｉｎｇｍｅｒｃｕｒｙａｍａｌｇａｍａｔｉｏｎｔｅｃｈｎｉｑｕｅｉｎｍａｎｙｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｉｎｇｃｏｕｎｔｒｉｅｓｈａｓｂｅｅｎｏｎｅｏｆｔｈｅｍａｉｎｓｏｕｒｃｅｓｏｆｍｅｒｃｕｒｙｐｏｌｌｕｔｉｏｎ ,ｐａｒｔｉｃｕｌａｒｌｙｉｎｔｈｅＡｍａｚｏｎａｎｄｏｔｈｅｒｔｒｏｐｉｃａｌｒｅｇｉｏｎｓ(Ｍａｌｍ ,1990 ;Ｒａｍｅｌ,1996;Ｉｋｉｎｇｕｒａ,1996;Ｌａｃｅｒｄａ,…     

Occurrence and congeners specific of poiychlorinated biphenyls in agricultural soils from Southern Jiangsu, China

A total of 198 agricultural soil samples were collected from Zhangjiagang and Changshu in Southern Jiangsu for analysis of 13 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in order to assess the levels of pollution, sources, area distribution, and potential risk for the environment. All methods were rigorously tested and an adequate quality control was ensured. Only one site had no PCBs residues, and the highest total PCBs concentration in the surface soils was 32.83 ng/g. The average concentration in all the soil samples was 4.13 ng/g, signaling low-level pollution. Tetra-, penta-, and hexa-chlorinated biphenyls were dominant species in soil samples, accounting for more than 75% ofΣPCBs in the soil samples. PCB118 was the most abundant congener in all the samples. The PCB118 was about 20% ofΣPCBs. The soil organic matter content showed only a weak correlation with the levels of all PCB congeners, in which a better correlation was noted for the more volatile lighter PCB congeners than for the heavier homologues. To a certain extent, the sources and land use seemed to influence the levels of PCBs.     

Water policy implementation in the state of São Paulo,Brazil: Key challenges and opportunities

Challenges in implementing water planning and management are common, and the effective implementation of integrated water policies is yet to occur. In Brazil, the state of São Paulo enacted a Water Act in 1991 to ensure water availability for current and future generations based on the principles of decentralization, participation and integration. This research addresses water policy implementation issues by conducting an exploratory case study in the state of São Paulo. Factors affecting the water policy implementation process were analyzed, together with some water resources management practices. The findings indicate four dimensions of key challenges: institutional and governance, political, financial and technical. The stakeholders believe the political and the institutional and governance challenges are more important than the technical and financial ones. Additionally, the results show different levels of involvement in the areas of water policy strategy, the planning and decision-making process, and implementation by the different stakeholders groups. Stakeholders external to the water sector and from local government were considered to be less involved in water-related issues, when compared with stakeholders from the water sector. The study recommends a change in current institutional and governance arrangements in order to influence decisions and investments in different levels and sectors.     

Hepatitis A Outbreaks and Environmental Circulation of Genotype IA Strains in the São Paulo City, 2017–2018

Food and Environmental Virology - Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is the major cause of enterically transmitted infectious hepatitis. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of confirmed cases of hepatitis A...     

Sewage draining schemes of Qinhuangdao City in Beidaihe Area,China

ＳｅｗａｇｅｄｒａｉｎｉｎｇｓｃｈｅｍｅｓｏｆＱｉｎｈｕａｎｇｄａｏＣｉｔｙｉｎＢｅｉｄａｉｈｅＡｒｅａ，ＣｈｉｎａＹｉｎＹｉ，ＺｈｏｎｇＷｅｉｎｉ，ＣｈａｎｇＮａｉｈｕａｎＦｉｒｓｔＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＯｃｅａｎｏｇｒａｐｈｙ，ＳＯＡ，Ｑｉｎｇｄ...     

Environmental impact of radionuclide migration in groundwater from a low-intermediate level radioactive waste repository

Ｔｈｅｎｅａｒｓｕｒｆａｃｅｄｉｓｐｏｓａｌｉｓｔｈｅｍａｉｎｌｙｄｉｓｐｏｓａｌｍｅｔｈｏｄｆｏｒｌｏｗｉｎｔｅｒｍｅｄｉａｔｅｌｅｖｅｌｒａｄｉｏａｃｔｉｖｅｓｏｌｉｄｗａｓｔｅ(ＬＩＬＷ)ｉｎｍａｎｙｃｏｕｎｔｒｉｅｓ.Ｕｓｕａｌｌｙ,ｔｈｅｄｉｓｐｏｓａｌｗａｙｉｎｔｈｅｄｉｓｐｏｓａｌｕｎｉｔｉｓｔｈｅｃｏｎｃｒｅｔｅｓｏｌｉｄｉｆｉｃａｔｉｏｎｉｓｐｕｔａｎｄｐｉｌｅｄｉｎａｒｒａｙ,ａｎｄｔｈｅｂａｃｋｆｉｌｌａｎｄｂｕｆｆｅｒｍａｔｅｒｉａｌｉｓｆｉｌｌｅｄｂｅｔｗｅｅｎｔｈｅｓｅｓ…     

Molecular Detection of Adenoviruses in Lakes and Rivers of Goiânia,Goiás,Brazil

Adenoviruses are a highly important public health issue, since they are among the most persistent and ubiquitous viruses present in water and associated with a variety of clinical manifestations. The aim of this study was to use molecular techniques for the detection of adenovirus in public and recreational water supplies in Goiania, Brazil. From December 2007 to November 2008, 54 water samples were collected in 5 different sites in 2 lakes and 2 rivers of the city. The samples were filtered in a positively charged nylon membrane, and the DNA was extracted using the phenol–chloroform–isoamyl alcohol method. Semi-nested PCR was used to detect adenovirus DNA, and sequence analysis of the semi-nested PCR products was performed to identify the recovered viruses. Adenovirus DNA was detected in 43% (24 of 54) of samples collected. Considering all examined sites, MP1 presented the highest occurrence of adenovirus (6 positive from 10 collected samples), followed by MP2 (3 positive from 6 collected samples), JL (10 positive from 21 collected samples), VB (3 positive from 9 collected samples), and BB (2 positive from 8 collected samples), respectively. The methodology employed proved to be feasible, fast, low-cost, and suitable to be used as screening approach on adenovirus detection in water for public sanitation companies.     

Characterization of atmospheric aerosol (PM10 and PM2.5) from a medium sized city in São Paulo state, Brazil

Air pollution causes deleterious effects on human health with aerosols being among the most polluting agents.The objective of this work is the characterization of the PM_(2.5) and PM_(10) aerosol mass in the atmosphere.The methods of analysis include WD-XRF and EDS.Data were correlated with meteorological information and air mass trajectories(model HYSPLIT)by multivariate analysis.A morphological structural analysis was also carried out to identify the probable sources of atmospheric aerosols in the city of Sao Jose do Rio Preto,Brazil.The mean mass concentration values obtained were 24.54 μg/m~3 for PM_(10),above the WHO annual standard value of 20 μg/m~3 and 10.88 μg/m~3 for PM_(2.5) whose WHO recommended limit is10 μg/m~3.WD-XRF analysis of the samples revealed Si and Al as major components of the coarse fraction.In the fine fraction,the major elements were Al and S.The SEM-FEG characterization allowed identifying the morphology of the particles in agglomerates,ellipsoids and filaments in the PM_(10),besides spherical in the PM_(2.5).The analysis by EDS corroborated WD-XRF results,identifying the crustal elements,aluminosilicates and elements of anthropogenic origin in the coarse fraction.For the fine fraction crustal elements were also identified;aluminosilicates,black carbon and spherical particles(C and O) originating from combustion processes were predominant.The use of multivariate analysis to correlate air mass trajectories with the results of the morpho-structural characterization of the particulate matter allowed confirmation of the complex composition of the particles resulting from the combination of both local and long-distance sources.     

Levels of toxic metal in Achatina achatina from parts of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＳｎａｉｌｓａｒｅｔｙｐｉｃａｌｕｎｉｖａｌｖｅｓｔｈａｔｂｅｌｏｎｇｔｏｔｈｅｐｈｙｌｕｍｍｏｌｌｕｓｃａ.Ｔｈｅｙａｒｅｅｉｔｈｅｒａｑｕａｔｉｃｏｒｔｅｒｒｅｓｔｒｉａｌａｎｄｔｈｅｃｏｍｍｏｎｔｅｒｒｅｓｔｒｉａｌｓｐ?..     

Changes in quality of groundwater with seasonal fluctuations： an example from Ghor Sail area, southern Dead Sea coastal aquifers, Jordan

The demand for water resources in the area south of the Dead Sea due to continued development, especially at the Arab Potash Company （APC） for production and domestic purposes necessitates that water quality in the area be monitored and evaluated based on the local geology and hydrogeology. The objective of this paper is to monitor seasonal fluctuations of groundwater and to determine how fluctuation in the water levels will affect the groundwater quality. Groundwater levels were found to be influenced by rainfall and pumping of water from the wells for domestic and industrial use. Twenty water samples were collected from different wells and analyzed for major chemical constituents both in pre- and post-seasons to determine the quality variation. Chemical constituents are significantly increased after post-season recharge. According to the overall assessment of the area, water quality was found to be useful for drinking, irrigation and industry.     

Information Environmental sciences update referneces in Chinese journals——Selected from Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae,ISSN 0253-2468;Environental Chemistry,ISSN0254-6108;Acta Ecologica Sinica,ISSN 100-0933

93142 Chweer兰－’1’non for tk flo·问ti’r，’ of po回teod Iisdwi回l－’’l effloe’．t ＊ti）bo cledfiop Ma Lu而叩，Jin Zbiga叩and Yang Youbao，Ada hientiae Ci——m悦antiae，1992，l习旱）：391（Fast Oina Uni－ versity of Chenucal TTnology Shanghai 200237）93143 TIt跃4 oil Of tbo boy回血IOW墨by Wbol6 fidd aiwel邑笆iOD Of Oil pellNtiO巳shCD YOllgffiifig Zhao Wenqian and Ni Haoqin巳 A悦a Scientiae Circurrlstantiae， 1992， 12（4）：399（Dalian University of…     

The new assessment of soil loss by water erosion in Europe. Panagos P. et al., 2015 Environmental Science & Policy 54, 438–447—A response

We respond to an article by Panagos et al.—‘The new assessment of soil loss by water erosion in Europe’ in Environ. Sci. Policy, 2015, 54, 438–447. It is aimed at helping policy makers make better decisions. The assessment uses a Geographical Information Systems approach based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation. RUSLE is based on data gained from plot experiments. The authors assume RUSLE is the only way to assess erosion and ignore critiques of erosion models and other ways of assessing erosion. A different way of assessing water erosion, based on collecting information on extent, frequency and rates, mainly from farmers’ fields but also grazed uplands, has been carried out over recent decades in Britain. The two ways of assessing erosion, one largely theoretical, the other based on reality, evolved in response to particular situations. However, they should relate well to each other. We show that the model is inappropriate to assess soil loss by water erosion in Britain, not only for agricultural land but also for uncultivated land. Predicted high rates of erosion do not relate well to where erosion actually occurs and are too high, and the model takes no account of the spatial extent of erosion on the ground. In other words, the model does not reflect reality. Policy decisions should not be taken based on such a model. Erosion must be assessed in a better way with a large field-based element.