Characteristics and Bioactivities of Carrageenan/Chitosan Microparticles Loading α-Mangostin

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - This study attempted to develop carrageenan/chitosan based microparticles loading α-mangostin which was extracted from Vietnamese mangosteen skin. The...     

Synthesis and applications of carbon quantum dots derived from biomass waste: a review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - In the context of the circular economy and decreasing earth resources, waste should be converted into value-added materials such as carbon quantum dots, which are...     

Recycling nickel from spent catalyst of Phu My fertilizer plant as a precursor for exhaust gas treatment catalysts preparation

In this study, a very promising way of treating and recycling spent nickel catalysts of fertilizer plants in Vietnam was proposed. Firstly, nickel was recovered from spent catalyst using HNO₃—leaching process. Results show that nickel recovery of over 90% with a purity of over 90% can be achieved with HNO₃ 2.1–2.5 M at 100?°C in 75 min. The residue after leaching is not considered as a hazardous waste according to the Vietnamese regulations. Then, the leachate solution was used as a precursor to prepare a model catalyst for exhaust gas (CO, HC, NO_x) treatment. In comparison with the catalyst prepared from the commercial nickel nitrate solution, the catalyst synthesized from recovered nickel exhibits similar properties and activities. The influence of Ni loading of Ni/alumina catalyst as well as the modification of active phase by some metals addition (Mn, Ba, Ce) was also investigated. It is feasible to modify active phase by transition metals such as Mn, Ba, and Ce for complete oxidation of CO and HC at 270?°C and a reduction of NO_x below 350?°C at high volumetric flow condition (GHSV?=?110.000 h^?1).     

Relationship of urinary arsenic metabolites to intake estimates in residents of the Red River Delta, Vietnam

This study investigated the status of arsenic (As) exposure from groundwater and rice, and its methylation capacity in residents from the Red River Delta, Vietnam. Arsenic levels in groundwater ranged from <1.8 to 486 μg/L. Remarkably, 86% of groundwater samples exceeded WHO drinking water guideline of 10 μg/L. Also, estimated inorganic As intake from groundwater and rice were over Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (15 μg/week/kg body wt.) by FAO/WHO for 92% of the residents examined. Inorganic As and its metabolite (monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid) concentrations in human urine were positively correlated with estimated inorganic As intake. These results suggest that residents in these areas are exposed to As through consumption of groundwater and rice, and potential health risk of As is of great concern for these people. Urinary concentration ratios of dimethylarsinic acid to monomethylarsonic acid in children were higher than those in adults, especially among men, indicating greater As methylation capacity in children.     

Environmental Integrated Assessment via Monte Carlo Simulation with a Case Study of the Mid-Atlantic Region,USA

Environmental integrated assessments are often carried out via the aggregation of a set of environmental indicators. Aggregated indices derived from the same data set can differ substantially depending upon how the indicators are weighted and aggregated, which is often a subjective matter. This article presents a method of generating aggregated environmental indices in an objective manner via Monte Carlo simulation. Rankings derived from the aggregated indices within and between three Monte Carlo simulations were used to evaluate the overall environmental condition of the study area. Other insights, such as the distribution of good or bad values of indicators at a watershed and/or a subregion, were observed in the study.     

Dioxin reservoirs in southern Viet Nam--a legacy of Agent Orange

In the isolated Aluoi Valley of central Viet Nam, very high levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) were measured in soil, fish fat, duck fat, pooled human blood and breast milk samples collected from A So village between 1996 and 1999. The village was situated on a former military base occupied by US Special Forces between 1963 and 1966. TCDD was a contaminant of the herbicide "Agent Orange", aerially sprayed in the valley between 1965 and 1970, and stored at the A So base. Measured levels were lower near the sites of two other former US bases in the valley which had been occupied for shorter periods of time. In areas where Agent Orange had been applied by low-flying aircraft, levels of TCDD in soil, food and human samples were elevated, but lower than those near the three former US bases. We confirm the apparent food chain transfer of TCDD from contaminated soil to cultured fish pond sediments to fish and duck tissues, then to humans as measured in whole blood and breast milk. We theorize that the Aluoi Valley is a microcosm of southern Viet Nam, where numerous reservoirs of TCDD exist in the soil of former military installations south of the former demilitarized zone. Large quantities of Agent Orange were stored at many sites, used in ground and aerial applications, and spilled. TCDD, through various forms of soil disturbance, can be mobilized from these reservoirs after decades below the surface, and subsequently, introduced into the human food chain.     

Contamination of drinking water resources in the Mekong delta floodplains: arsenic and other trace metals pose serious health risks to population

This study presents a transnational groundwater survey of the 62,000 km(2) Mekong delta floodplain (Southern Vietnam and bordering Cambodia) and assesses human health risks associated with elevated concentrations of dissolved toxic elements. The lower Mekong delta generally features saline groundwater. However, where groundwater salinity is <1 g L(-)(1) Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), the rural population started exploiting shallow groundwater as drinking water in replacement of microbially contaminated surface water. In groundwater used as drinking water, arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.1-1340 microg L(-)(1), with 37% of the studied wells exceeding the WHO guidelines of 10 microg L(-)(1) arsenic. In addition, 50% exceeded the manganese WHO guideline of 0.4 mg L(-)(1), with concentrations being particularly high in Vietnam (range 1.0-34 mg L(-)(1)). Other elements of (minor) concern are Ba, Cd, Ni, Se, Pb and U. Our measurements imply that groundwater contamination is of geogenic origin and caused by natural anoxic conditions in the aquifers. Chronic arsenic poisoning is the most serious health risk for the ~2 million people drinking this groundwater without treatment, followed by malfunction in children's development through excessive manganese uptake. Government agencies, water specialists and scientists must get aware of the serious situation. Mitigation measures are urgently needed to protect the unaware people from such health problems.     

Effects of C/N ratio on nitrate removal and floc morphology of autohydrogenotrophic bacteria in a nitrate-containing wastewater treatment process

The effects of C/N ratio of a nitrate-containing wastewater on nitrate removal performed by autohydrogenotrophic bacteria as well as on the morphological parameters of floc such as floc morphology, floc number distribution, mean particle size(MPS), aspect ratio and transparency were examined in this study. The results showed that the nitrate reduction rate increased with increasing C/N ratio from 0.5 to 10 and that the nitrogen removal of up to 95% was found at the C/N ratios of higher than 5(between 0.5–10). Besides, high C/N ratio values reflected a corresponding high nitrite accumulation after 12-hr operation, and a fast decreasing rate of nitrite in the rest of operational time. The final p H values increased with the C/N ratio increasing from 0.5 to 2.5, but decreased with the C/N ratio increasing from2.5 to 10. There were no significant changes in floc morphology with the MPSs ranging from35 to 40 μm. Small and medium-sized flocs were dominant in the sludge suspension, and the number of flocs increased with the increasing C/N ratios. Furthermore, the highest apparent frequency of 10% was observed at aspect ratios of 0.5 and 0.6, while the transparency of flocs changed from 0.1 to 0.7.     

Persistent organochlorine residues in human breast milk from Hanoi and Hochiminh City, Vietnam: contamination, accumulation kinetics and risk assessment for infants

Despite the ban on persistent organochlorines (OCs) in most of the developed nations, their usage continued until recently in many Asian developing countries including Vietnam, for agricultural purposes and vector-borne disease eradication programs. In this study, we collected human breast milk samples from the two big cities in Vietnam: Hanoi (n=42) and Hochiminh (n=44) and determined the concentrations of persistent OCs such as PCBs, DDT and its metabolites (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), chlordane compounds (CHLs) and tris-4-chlorophenyl-methane (TCPMe). The contamination pattern of OCs was in the order of DDTs > PCBs > HCHs > CHLs approximately HCB approximately TCPMe. Compilation of available data indicated that DDT residue levels in human breast milk from Vietnam were among the highest values reported for Asian developing countries as well as developed nations. This result suggests recent usage of DDTs in both north and south Vietnam. Interestingly, in both cities, the p,p'-DDT portion was higher in multiparas than those in primiparas. Considering the fact that the interval between the first and the second child of a mother in Vietnam is usually short, this result probably indicates continuous intake of DDTs in the population. Analysis of infant exposure to DDTs via breast milk suggested that the daily intake rates for number of individuals are close to or above the threshold for adverse effects which may raise concern on children health.     

Biochemical indices of aerobic and anaerobic capacity in muscle tissues of California elasmobranch fishes differing in typical activity level

Biochemical indices of aerobic and anaerobic metabolic capacity were measured in white myotomal muscle of eight marine elasmobranch fish species representing a broad range of locomotor performance, and in red myotomal muscle and heart of three of those species. The objectives were to determine if metabolic capacities vary with typical fish activity level, to compare the endothermic mako shark with ectothermic pelagic sharks, and to compare elasmobranchs with teleosts in order to test the hypothesis that elasmobranchs have lower aerobic capacities, metabolic rates, and swimming speeds. In white myotomal muscle, activities of the enzymes citrate synthase (an index of aerobic capacity), pyruvate kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, an index of anaerobic capacity) covaried with typical activity level, and the ability to tolerate intracellular acidification (nonbicarbonate buffering capacity) corresponded with LDH activity. Enzyme activities in red muscle and heart did not show a consistent pattern with respect to fish activity. In comparison with ectothermic sharks, the mako shark had greater aerobic and anaerobic capacities in white muscle, but no significant differences were found in red muscle or heart. This pattern has also been found in teleosts. Thus, endothermic fishes elevate the temperature of red muscle, a tissue specialized for high aerobic performance, whereas white muscle biochemical characteristics are adjusted to support high rates of contraction both aerobically and anaerobically. Muscle enzymic activities of elasmobranchs and teleosts with comparable locomotor habits are similar, thus refuting the hypothesis that elasmobranchs are sluggish, with lower metabolic capacities than teleosts.