Decolorization does not always mean detoxification: case study of a newly isolated Pseudomonas peli for decolorization of textile wastewater

The textile industry is a favor to the Tunisian economy by offering several job positions. However, it’s not environmentally friendly. In fact, textile industries discharge high volumes of wastewater which contain several toxic pollutants such as dyes, fixator, and whiteness. In our study, Pseudomonas peli, isolated and characterized from Oued Hamdoun (center of Tunisia), was found able to decolorize textile effluent about 81 % after 24 h shaking incubation. On the other hand, the in vitro antiproliferative effects of the untreated and treated effluent was evaluated by their potential cytotoxic activity using the MTT colorimetric method against three human cancer cell lines (A549, lung cell carcinoma; HT29, colon adenocarcinoma; and MCF7, breast adenocarcinoma). Results showed that intact textile effluent and its content azo dyes didn’t inhibit the proliferation of all tested cell lines. However, the cytotoxic effect was remarkable when we tested effluent obtained after treatment by P. peli in a dose-dependent manner. This activity was attributed to the presence, in our treated effluent, of some azo products of dyes which are responsible for inhibition of human cell lines proliferation. Thus, the use of this strain for testing on the industrial scale seems impossible and disadvantageous.     

Indoor metallic pollution related to mining activity in the Bolivian Altiplano

The environmental pollution associated with mining and metallurgical activities reaches its greatest extent in several Andean cities and villages. Many locations in this area have accumulated through centuries a large amount of mining wastes, often disregarding the magnitude of this situation. However, in these naturally mineralized regions, there is little information available stating the exact role of mining and metallurgical industries in urban pollution. In this study, we demonstrated that the various metallic elements present in indoor dust (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, Sn, Zn) had a common origin and this contamination was increased by the proximity to the mines. Lead dust concentration was found at concerning levels for public health. In addition, wrong behaviors such as carrying mining workwear home contributed to this indoor dust pollution. Consequently, the constant exposure of the population could represent a potential health hazard for vulnerable groups, especially children.     

Organochlorines and endometriosis: a mini-review

Organochlorines (polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxin-like compounds) are suspected to play a role in the etiopathogenesis of endometriosis. This hypothesis, based on experimental data, has been circulating for years in the scientific community and several epidemiologic surveys have attempted to obtain confirmatory human data. The purpose of this mini-review is to provide an overview of the twelve epidemiological studies that have assessed the relationship between endometriosis and organochlorine exposure. Several studies did not observe a significant association between peritoneal endometriosis and organochlorines. The deep nodular form of endometriosis appears associated with a higher serum level of both dioxin-like compounds and polychlorobiphenyls. The type of control women, the nature of the chemicals measured, and the definition of the disease could modulate the ability to detect the possible relationship between endometriosis and organochlorine exposure.     

Influence des conditions hivernales sur les productions phyto- et zooplanctoniques en Méditerranée Nord-Occidentale. II. Biomasse et production phytoplanctonique

Hydrological observations, and measurements of nutrient chemistry, plankton biomass, and production were carried out during the Médiprod I cruise of the R.V. “Jean-Charcot”. The March cruise was characterized by almost winter conditions, exhibiting strong vertical mixing of water masses in the offshore region and nutrient transport up to the photic zone. According to the working hypothesis, the strong vertically mixed area (e.g. Station 15) and the surrounding oligotrophic area are separated by an intermediate zone, where both nutrients and stability have produced phytoplankton-bloom conditions. During the April cruise, highest biomass and production rates were encountered everywhere in the offshore region, and especially in the previously mixed area of central divergence. Production was as high as 2 gC·m^-2 day^-1, and the standing crop of chlorophyll was 3 mg·m^-3; such values are rather important for the so called “poor” Mediterranean Sea. Salinity-phosphate and chlorophyll-phosphate diagrams are presented. Biomass and production rates are in agreement with the potential fertility based on the nutrient content of the waters. The disappearance of 1 μatg P·PO₄ by photosynthetic uptake corresponds to 7.7 mg chlorophyll a, which represents the autotrophic biomass remaining after grazing by the simultaneous zooplankton bloom. Biomass and production features are analyzed in regard to interaction of both nutrient availability and the stability of water masses. Stability conditions can be created either by intrusion of local mixing in a stratified oligotrophic area (“winter bloom”), or by thermal stratification of the upper layer (“spring bloom”). In the latter case, the highest biomasses are present in the zone where the nutrients were previously introduced by mixing. The oligotrophic situation remained constant during the two crunises in the surrounding coastal area, which is characterized by low-salinity water and, therefore, absence of vertical nutrient transport into the photic zone. Chlorophyll pigment concentration and photosynthetic rates in the “Cote d'Azur” region are similar to those in the “Provence” region; this situation may result more from upwelling of nutrient-rich intermediate water than from the mixing process which predominates in the latter region.     

Ethical Challenges for Livestock Production:Meeting Consumer Concerns about Meat Safety and AnimalWelfare

Livestock production today faces thedifficult task of effectively meeting emergingconsumer concerns while remaining competitive on majortarget markets. Meeting consumer concerns aboutproduct safety and animal welfare are identified askey attention points for future livestock production.The relevance of these issues pertains to productionefficiency and economic benefits and tore-establishing meat sector image and consumer trust.The current paper analyses consumer concerns about theethical issues of meat safety and animal welfare fromcurrent livestock production. The research methodologyis based on literature review, secondary data sources,and primary research through focus group discussionsand a survey of 320 meat consumers in Belgium.Objectives were to assess importance attached byconsumers to product safety and animal welfare asethical issues in commercial livestock production, andto evaluate consumer perception of these issues forbeef, pork, and poultry. Significant differences inissue importance and perception are identified amongconsumer groups based on socio-demographic andbehavioral characteristics. From the analysis, meatsafety emerges as an absolute but minimum requirementfor future success of livestock and meat production.Additionally, animal welfare can be expected to becomea critical theme especially for pork and poultryacceptance.