Glutathione-dependent resistance of the European eel Anguilla anguilla to the herbicide molinate.

Eels of species Anguilla anguilla were exposed to 5/4 LC50 (41.8 mg/l) of the herbicide molinate for 96 h in a time to death (TTD) test. Glutathione content (GSx, GSH, GSSG), glutathione reductase (GR) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) activities were determined in the liver and muscle tissues of dead and surviving (intoxicated) animals and compared to control values (non-exposed eels). TTD was positively correlated to hepatic GSH, GSH:GSSG ratio, hepatic and muscular GR, but negatively correlated to muscular GSH, which was severely depleted. Furthermore, glutathione and enzyme activities were intercorrelated, especially GSH and GR. These results indicate that eels which were able to induce GR activity, increase GSH and maintain the GSH:GSSG ratio in the liver showed an extended survival under the oxidative stress generated by molinate than those that lost glutathione homeostasis.     

Decreasing the hazardous effect of waste quartz powder and the toxicity of epoxy resin by its synergistic application in industrial coatings

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Quartz powder sourced from industrial wastes is very hazardous. It is because it contains large amounts of fine particles. Thus, it has the potential...     

Internal and External Factors Influencing Time-Related Injury Risk in Continuous Shift Work

Time-related accident risk in shift work may be attributed to internal factors, such as fatigue, level of performance, sleep propensity, and to some external factors, like shift system, physical and social environment. Six hundred and sixty-eight events in the metallurgical industry have been analysed in terms of time of day, time on task, consecutive day of the shift block, day of the week, and season.

The injury rate was similar on all shifts but more severe accidents happened in the nighttime. Somewhat more injuries occurred in the second half of the shift, in the second part of a shift block, and in summer compared with winter. There were fewer injuries at weekends.     

Determination of toxic elements in meat products from Serbia packaged in tinplate cans

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This work aimed to examine the influence of the storage period on the content of toxic elements (As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) in five types of canned meat...     

Biofuel production,hydrogen production and water remediation by photocatalysis,biocatalysis and electrocatalysis

The energy crisis and environmental pollution have recently fostered research on efficient methods such as environmental catalysis to produce biofuel and to clean water. Environmental catalysis refers to green catalysts used to breakdown pollutants or produce chemicals without generating undesirable by-products. For example, catalysts derived from waste or inexpensive materials are promising for the circular economy. Here we review environmental photocatalysis, biocatalysis, and electrocatalysis, with focus on catalyst synthesis, structure, and applications. Common catalysts include biomass-derived materials, metal–organic frameworks, non-noble metals nanoparticles, nanocomposites and enzymes. Structure characterization is done by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller isotherm, thermogravimetry, X-ray diffraction and photoelectron spectroscopy. We found that water pollutants can be degraded with an efficiency ranging from 71.7 to 100%, notably by heterogeneous Fenton catalysis. Photocatalysis produced dihydrogen (H₂) with generation rate higher than 100 μmol h⁻¹. Dihydrogen yields ranged from 27 to 88% by methane cracking. Biodiesel production reached 48.6 to 99%.

     

Comparison of different collection systems for sorted household waste in Spain

The purpose of this study was to identify the different selective collection systems implemented in Spanish cities and to analyse the efficiency and extent to which the targets proposed by current law are met in each case.After defining the indicators to be used to quantify the efficiency of a selective collection system, a survey was designed to gather the information needed to calculate them. This survey was sent out to all Spanish cities with a population of over 50,000 inhabitants.Four different selective collection systems were also identified. For each of the four cases the indicators were calculated and analyzed to determine which one was the best system. The best values were obtained from the system with separation in five fractions: paper/cardboard, glass and lightweight packaging at drop-off points, organic waste and mixed waste in kerbside bins. Two regression models (linear and exponential) were developed in systems with enough data to explain and predict the variation in the amounts of materials that were separated correctly into containers, depending on the distance between containers and citizens. Nevertheless, the percentages of separation at source of paper/cardboard and lightweight packaging are still far from reaching the targets set by law.     

Determination of organic compounds in landfill leachates treated by Fenton–Adsorption

The objective of this study was to identify the organic compounds removed from the leachate when treated with Fenton–Adsorption by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS) in order to identify toxic compounds that could be harmful for the environment or human health.The physicochemical characterization of the raw leachate was carried out before and after the Fenton–Adsorption process. The effluent from each stage of this process was characterized: pH, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD₅), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Total Carbon (TC), Inorganic Carbon (IC), Total Solids (TS), Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Color. The organic compounds were determined by GC–MS.The removal of COD and color reached over 99% in compliance with the Mexican Standard NOM-001-SEMARNAT-1996, which establishes the maximum permissible limits for contaminants present in wastewater discharges to water and national goods. The chromatographic analysis from the Fenton–Adsorption effluent proved that this treatment removed more than 98% of the organic compounds present in the initial sample. The mono (2-ethylhexyl) ester 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid persisted, although it is not considered as toxic compound by the NOM-052-SEMARNAT-2005. Therefore, the treated effluent can be safely disposed of into the environment.     

Use of FGD gypsum in fire resistant panels

Gypsum from power plant flue gas desulphurization units (FGD gypsum) is a combustion by-product produced in high quantities. In this paper, gypsum panels composed of 100% FGD gypsum from two power plants have been subjected to different physico-chemical (density, pH, humidity), mechanical (flexural and compressive strength, surface hardness, impact resistance), fire resistance and environmental tests (leaching and radioactivity). The results obtained have been compared with the requirements established in some European standards for commercial gypsum and other standards for similar products. In addition, the panels manufactured have been compared with commercial gypsum panels in order to determine the recycling possibilities of this kind of material in this application.     

The StepOne real-time polymerase chain reaction detection of Salmonella sp., Salmonella enterica ser. typhimurium and enteritidis in milk and meat

The aim of this study was to follow contamination of ready to eat milk and meat products with Salmonella spp. by using the StepOne real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Classical microbiological methods for detection of foodborne bacteria involve the use of pre-enrichment and/or specific enrichment, following isolation of bacteria in solid media and the final confirmation by biochemical and/or serological tests. We used the PrepSEQ Rapid Spin Sample Preparation Kit for isolation of DNA and MicroSEQ® Salmonella spp. Detection Kit for pursuance of the real-time PCR (Applied Biosystems). In samples without incubation we detected strain of Salmonella sp. in 5 out of 25 samples (swabs), as well as in the internal positive control (IPC), which was positive in all samples. This StepOne real-time PCR assay is extremely useful for any laboratory equipped by real-time PCR. It is a fast, reproducible, simple, specific and sensitive way to detect nucleic acids, which could be used in clinical diagnostic tests in the future. Our results indicated that real-time PCR assay developed in this study could sensitively detect Salmonella spp. in ready-to-eat food. This could prevent infection caused by Salmonella, and also could benefit food manufacturing companies by extending their product's shelf-life as well as saving the cost of warehousing their food products while awaiting pathogen testing results.     

Recovery of manganese oxides from spent alkaline and zinc–carbon batteries. An application as catalysts for VOCs elimination

Manganese, in the form of oxide, was recovered from spent alkaline and zinc–carbon batteries employing a biohydrometallurgy process, using a pilot plant consisting in: an air-lift bioreactor (containing an acid-reducing medium produced by an Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans bacteria immobilized on elemental sulfur); a leaching reactor (were battery powder is mixed with the acid-reducing medium) and a recovery reactor. Two different manganese oxides were recovered from the leachate liquor: one of them by electrolysis (EMO) and the other by a chemical precipitation with KMnO₄ solution (CMO). The non-leached solid residue was also studied (RMO). The solids were compared with a MnO_x synthesized in our laboratory.The characterization by XRD, FTIR and XPS reveal the presence of Mn₂O₃ in the EMO and the CMO samples, together with some Mn⁴⁺ cations. In the solid not extracted by acidic leaching (RMO) the main phase detected was Mn₃O₄.The catalytic performance of the oxides was studied in the complete oxidation of ethanol and heptane. Complete conversion of ethanol occurs at 200 °C, while heptane requires more than 400 °C. The CMO has the highest oxide selectivity to CO₂.The results show that manganese oxides obtained using spent alkaline and zinc–carbon batteries as raw materials, have an interesting performance as catalysts for elimination of VOCs.