DNA Heat Treatment for Improving qPCR Analysis of Human Adenovirus in Wastewater

PCR inhibitory substances in complex sample matrices can cause false negatives or under-estimation of target concentration. This study assessed DNA heat treatment for reducing inhibition during qPCR analysis of human adenovirus (HAdV) in wastewater samples. Inhibition was reduced by heat treating DNA, where mean HAdV concentration was increased by 0.71 log₁₀ GC/L (and up to 3.04 log₁₀ GC/L in one case), and replicate variability and false negatives were reduced. DNA heat treatment should be further investigated for improving reliability of HAdV concentration estimates in water, which can support more accurate assessment of health risks associated with viral pathogen exposure.     

Assessment and Evaluation of an Integrated Hybrid Anaerobic–Aerobic Sewage Treatment System for the Removal of Enteric Viruses

The capability of a cost-effective and a small size decentralized pilot wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to remove enteric viruses such as rotavirus, norovirus genogroup I (GGI), norovirus genogroup II (GGII), Hepatitis E virus (HEV), and adenovirus was studied. This pilot plant is an integrated hybrid anaerobic/aerobic setup which consisted of anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB), biological aerated filter (BAF), and inclined plate settler (IPS). Both the UASB and BAF are packed with a non-woven polyester fabric (NWPF). Results indicated that the overall log₁₀ reductions of enteric viruses’ genome copies through the whole system were 3.1 ± 1, 3.3 ± 0.5, and 2.6 ± 0.9 log₁₀ for rotavirus, norovirus GGI, and adenovirus, respectively. Reduction efficiency for both norovirus GGII and HEV after the different treatment steps could not be calculated because there were no significant numbers of positive samples for both viruses. The overall reduction of rotavirus infectious units through the whole system was 2.2 ± 0.8 log₁₀ reduction which is very close to the overall log₁₀ reduction of adenovirus infectious units through the whole system which was 2.1 ± 0.8 log₁₀ reduction. There was no considerable difference in the removal efficiency for different rotavirus G and P types. Adenovirus 41 was the only type detected in the all positive samples. Although the pilot WWTP investigated is cost effective, has a small footprint, does not need a long distance network pipes, and easy to operate, its efficiency to remove enteric viruses is comparable with the conventional centralized WWTPs.     

森林碳汇功能的研究进展

因全球温室效应和气候变化影响,以及森林对CO2的固定作用,使林业碳汇得到了世界各国的广泛支持和发展。文章主要围绕森林植被碳汇、土壤碳汇研究现状,森林碳汇功能的不确定性以及森林管理与碳汇的关系4个方面对国内外森林碳汇的研究进展简要综述,为森林碳汇的科学研究提供基础。     

自由基对工业化纤废水氧化处理的研究

通过芬顿试剂氧化、次氯酸钠氧化、过氧化氢和光催化氧化方法对化纤废水进行了处理,并通过COD检测、紫外可见光光度计等方法对氧化效果进行分析。结果显示自由基氧化对化纤废水的色度减小非常明显,能使其色度从800多倍减少到10倍以下,COD值从3 550 mg/L降解到100 mg/L以下,透光率的变化率达到98.59%。化学处理工艺的探讨发现在pH值4～6,搅拌速度为1 500 r/min,处理30 min就能使废水的COD去除率达到95.67%;pH为4时过氧化氢的氧化效果最佳。利用过氧化氢和次氯酸钠的氧化获得了自由基氧化处理此类废水的基本原理,即自由基氧化和链式反应的持续发生造成了有机物的降解,少量自由基的生成某种程度上刺激了高级氧化反应的深入,同时极少量自由基的交联可能会湮灭氧化反应,不同类自由基之间形成竞争,可能影响其氧化性能的发挥,因此需要通过控制反应物的种类、用量和有效分离反应中间产物,可以达到高级氧化反应处理此种废水的最佳效果。     

输变电工程电磁辐射污染的初步探讨

为了解输变电工程对周边环境的影响,对南阳地区某110 kV输变电工程进行实地监测。结果表明,工频电场、工频磁场和无线电干扰远远低于国家相关标准限值,而且随着距离的递增呈衰减趋势。然而监测往往选在"好天气"的时间进行,不能反映"坏天气"的实际状况。结合输变电工程环境影响评价的实际工作经验,分析电磁污染和公众参与现状,发现问题并提出建议。     

超临界反应的应用

采用环境友好的溶剂在超临界状态下进行的化学反应,能加快化学反应速率,提高反应的产率和选择性,方便地实现反应分离过程的一体化,该技术以其独特的优越性获得了广泛研究与关注。笔者简述了近年来超临界反应在石油化工、环境保护、生物柴油制备领域的应用。     

Detection Method for Avian Influenza Viruses in Water

Recent events have shown that humans may become infected with some pathogenic avian influenza A viruses (AIV). Since soil and water, including lakes, rivers, and seashores, may be contaminated by AIV excreted by birds, effective methods are needed for monitoring water for emerging viruses. Combining water filtration with molecular methods such as PCR is a fast and effective way for detecting viruses. The objective of this study was to apply a convenient method for the detection of AIV in natural water samples. Distilled water and lake, river, and seawater were artificially contaminated with AIV (H5N3) and passed through a filter system. AIV was detected from filter membrane by real-time RT-PCR. The performance of Zetapor, SMWP, and Sartobind D5F membranes in recovering influenza viruses was first evaluated using contaminated distilled water. SWMP, which gave the highest virus recoveries, was then compared with a pre-filter combined GF/F filter membrane in a trial using natural water samples. In this study, the cellulose membrane SMWP was found to be practical for recovery of AIVs in water. Viral yields varied between 62.1 and 65.9% in distilled water and between 1 and 16.7% in natural water samples. The borosilicate glass membrane GF/F combined with pre-filter was also feasible in filtering natural water samples with viral yields from 1.98 to 7.33%. The methods described can be used for monitoring fresh and seawater samples for the presence of AIV and to determine the source of AIV transmission in an outbreak situation.     

Prevalence of Norovirus Infection in Children and Adults with Acute Gastroenteritis,Tehran, Iran, 2008–2009

Noroviruses are one of important agents that cause acute viral gastroenteritis worldwide. These viruses are belonging to Caliciviridae family and are genetically diverse. To date, there is no valuable data about prevalence of norovirus infection and the dominant genogroup/genotype among Iranian population. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of norovirus infection in Iranian patients with gastroenteritis referred to three hospitals of Tehran and to specify the dominant genogroup/genotype of this virus among our study population. A total of 293 patients with acute gastroenteritis were included in the study. Detection of norovirus was performed using RT-PCR method and confirmed by direct sequencing with specific designed primers for capsid region of norovirus genome. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the neighbor-joining method. Norovirus strains identified in our study were subsequently categorized according to previously defined genogroup/genotypes. Of these, norovirus GII was dominant genogroup. Sixty-five percent (17 of 26) of positive samples were determined as GII and 35% (9 of 26) were determined as GI, respectively, in 2008–2009. And among 8 sequenced strains of genogroup II the most frequent genotype was GII.3. The results of this study indicated that norovirus must be considered as one of the infectious causes of acute gastroenteritis among Iranian population. We also found that GII.3 is more prevalent in our study population. To the best of our knowledge there is limited data about the role of noroviruses in children and adults’ acute gastroenteritis among Iranian patients and this prevalence and genotyping report of norovirus infection could be remarkable for further studies.