Au@Ag bimetallic nanoparticles deposited on palygorskite in the presence of TiO2 for enhanced photodegradation activity through synergistic effect

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Herbicides are hazardous organic pollutants that contribute to the risk of environmental contamination. The aim of this work was to investigate the...     

Using textile industrial sludge,sewage wastewater,and sewage sludge as inoculum to degrade recalcitrant textile dyes in a co-composting process: an assessment of biodegradation efficiency and compost phytotoxicity

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Recalcitrant dyes found in textile wastewater represent a threat for sustainable textile production due to their resistance to conventional...     

Is micronucleus assay in oral exfoliated cells a suitable tool for biomonitoring children exposed to environmental pollutants? A systematic review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The aim of this review was to evaluate if micronucleus assay in oral exfoliated cells is a suitable tool for biomonitoring children exposed to...     

Trametes sp.LS-10C产漆酶发酵培养基优化及其漆酶对偶氮染料的脱色性能

为了提高菌株Trametes sp.LS-10C的漆酶产量并初步研究该酶对偶氮染料的脱色性能,本文通过单因素实验及均匀设计对菌株Trametes sp.LS-10C产漆酶培养基进行了优化,获得最优培养基配方为:葡萄糖14.4 g·L~(-1)、豆渣10.1 g·L~(-1)、麸皮100 g·L~(-1)、NH_4Cl_3g·L~(-1)、KH2PO41.4g·L~(-1)、CuSO_4’5H2O 1 g·L~(-1)、NaCl 1 g·L~(-1)、MgSO_40.8 g·L~(-1)、CaCl_20.5 g·L~(-1).菌株发酵至8 d时漆酶产量为595.15 U·m L~(-1),约是优化前的35.66倍.进一步研究表明,该漆酶-介体系统对酸性红GR、酸性蓝40和酸性铬蓝K等3种偶氮染料脱色10 h后脱色率分别高达96.86%、91.28%和86.31%.相比公开发表的文献,本研究所报道的Trametes sp.LS-10C利用优化培养基发酵产漆酶达到了较高水平,具有酶活力高和发酵时间短等特征,且该漆酶在处理偶氮染料废水脱色领域中具有进一步研发和应用价值.     

A Numerical Model for the Transport of Chromium and Fine Sediments

A mathematical model which represents the transport processes of heavy metals and fine sediments in a fluvial stream was developed. The model consists of a three-equation system: the first one for total chromium concentration in the water column, C _Tw, the second one for total suspended sediment concentration, S _w, and the third one for chromium concentration in bed sediments, r. The third equation represents the chromium exchange between the water column and bed sediments by two processes: diffusion of soluble chromium and erosion/deposition of chromium sorbed to sediments. The basic assumption of the model is the instantaneous equilibrium. The main parameters are the partition coefficients in the water column and bed sediments, the depth of the active bed sediment layer, and the mass transfer coefficient between the water column and sediment pore water. The numerical model approximates the equations of advection–dispersion for chromium in water and suspended sediments by using a Eulerian third-order scheme. Numerical vs. analytical solutions were considered satisfactory for different initial, boundary, and sedimentological conditions. In order to estimate the impact of a chromium side discharge, the model was implemented for the Salado River in a reach of 65.6-km long (Santa Fe, Argentina). The results showed the effect of chromium discharge on almost the whole reach, then the vulnerability of the water quality in the Salado River when the flow was low was evidenced. When comparing the computed and measured results, the former showed a reasonable representation of the presence of chromium in water and bed sediments.     

Mass balance in the monitoring of pollutants in tidal rivers of the Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

This study addressed the identification and monitoring of pollution sources of terrestrial origin in rivers (domestic sewage and industrial effluents) and critical fluvial segments in highly polluted environments under tidal influence (mixing marine and continental sources) from Guanabara Bay Basin, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The mass balance of contaminants was determined in conditions of continuous flow (low tide) during dry season (lower dilution capability). The results allowed the evaluation of the potential of contaminant mass generation by the different river segments and the estimation of their natural and anthropogenic components. The water quality of Igua?ú and Sarapuí Rivers were evaluated for metals and biochemical oxygen demand. The method gave an excellent response, including the possibility of sources identification and contaminated river segments ranking. The approach also offers fast execution and data interpretation, being highly efficient.     

Repetitive Strain in Nonrepetitive Work: A Case Study

In a Québec factory, a woman in a nontraditional job suffered from epicondylitis whereas her male coworkers were unaffected. A study was undertaken in order to enumerate the operations at risk for epicondylitis. Workers were interviewed in order to identify difficult operations and systematic observations were done over 4 work days. Although tasks were extremely varied, certain movements at risk for epicondylitis were repeated many times. Fifty-three valves were turned against resistance as part of this job, and one valve requiring a particularly difficult movement was turned 20 times in one day. There were at least 61 operations at risk for epicondylitis per day over a 4-day period. Strain on the elbow joint was particularly intense for the woman worker because the design of the workplace gave an advantage to taller workers with larger hands. Although this case study does not permit us to conclude that the worker’s epicondylitis was due to her job, it enables us to suggest that it would be wise to adapt the dimensions of relevant equipment and worksites to a wider range of potential worker sizes. We also raise some questions about the definition of repetitive strain in epidemiological studies. We suggest that it may be necessary to consider not only the cycle time but also the total of forces exerted on a joint in order to study workplace injuries to the musculoskeletal system.     

Evaluation of Online Information Sources on Alien Species in Europe: The Need of Harmonization and Integration

Europe is severely affected by alien invasions, which impact biodiversity, ecosystem services, economy, and human health. A large number of national, regional, and global online databases provide information on the distribution, pathways of introduction, and impacts of alien species. The sufficiency and efficiency of the current online information systems to assist the European policy on alien species was investigated by a comparative analysis of occurrence data across 43 online databases. Large differences among databases were found which are partially explained by variations in their taxonomical, environmental, and geographical scopes but also by the variable efforts for continuous updates and by inconsistencies on the definition of “alien” or “invasive” species. No single database covered all European environments, countries, and taxonomic groups. In many European countries national databases do not exist, which greatly affects the quality of reported information. To be operational and useful to scientists, managers, and policy makers, online information systems need to be regularly updated through continuous monitoring on a country or regional level. We propose the creation of a network of online interoperable web services through which information in distributed resources can be accessed, aggregated and then used for reporting and further analysis at different geographical and political scales, as an efficient approach to increase the accessibility of information. Harmonization, standardization, conformity on international standards for nomenclature, and agreement on common definitions of alien and invasive species are among the necessary prerequisites.     

Quantification of Human Adenoviruses in European Recreational Waters

The presence of human adenoviruses (HAdV) in recreational water might cause disease in the population upon exposure. HAdV detected by PCR could also serve as indicators of the virological water quality. In order to assess the applicability of HAdV to the evaluation of the faecal contamination in European bathing waters, a real-time quantitative PCR assay was used for the quantification of HAdV in 132 samples collected from 24 different recreational marine and freshwater sites in nine European countries. Selected samples presenting positive nested PCR results for HAdV were analyzed using quantitative PCR and 80 samples from a total of 132 produced quantitative results with mean values of 3.2 × 10² per 100 ml of water, being human adenovirus 41 the most prevalent serotype between the samples where adenovirus was typified. HAdV were quantified in samples from all 15 surveillance laboratories. Statistical analysis showed no homogeneous linear relation between HAdV and E. coli, intestinal enterococci or somatic coliphages concentrations in the tested samples when considering all the data together. Significant correlations between HAdV and at least one of the other indicators were observed only when data from individual laboratories were considered. The quantification of HAdV may provide complementary information in relation to the use of bacterial standards in the control of water quality in bathing water.