Vermitechnology transforms hazardous red mud into benign organic input for agriculture: Insights on earthworm-microbe interaction, metal removal, and soil-crop improvement.

Bioremediation of hazardous bauxite residues, red mud (RM), through vermicomposting has yet to be attempted. Therefore, the valorization potential of Eisenia fetida in various RM and cow dung (CD) mixtures was compared to aerobic composting. Earthworm fecundity and biomass growth were hindered in RM + CD (1:1) feedstock but enhanced in RM + CD (1:3). The pH of highly alkaline RM-feedstocks sharply reduced (>17%) due to vermicomposting. N, P, and K availability increased dramatically with Ca and Na reduction under vermicomposting. Additionally, ∼40-60% bioavailable metal fractions were transformed to obstinate (organic matter and residual bound) forms upon vermicomposting. Consequently, the total metal concentrations were significantly reduced with considerably high earthworm bioaccumulation. Microbial growth and enzyme activity were more significant under vermicomposting than composting. Correlation statistics revealed that microbial augmentation significantly facilitated a metal reduction in RM-vermibeds. Eventually, RM-vermicompost stimulated sesame growth and improved soil health with the least heavy metal contamination to soil and crop.

Capsaicin derived from endemic chili landraces combats Shigella pathogen: Insights on intracellular inhibition mechanism.

Ethnic tribals in northeast India have been growing and maintaining local chili landraces for ages. These chilies are known for their characteristic pungency and immense therapeutic properties. Capsaicin, a significant chili metabolite, is recognized as a natural drug for pain relief, diabetic neuropathy, psoriasis, arthritis, etc. In this study, we tried to observe the influence of locality factors on the pungency and bioactive features of Capsicum annuum L. landraces. We also checked the gastro-protective ability of these chilies, especially in the cure of shigellosis. Phytometabolite characterization and estimation were done through spectrophotometric methods. Preparative and analytical HPLC techniques were employed for extracting and purifying capsaicin-enriched fractions. Shigella flexneri growth retardation was determined through the broth dilution method. Gentamicin protection assay and ELISA were done to assess the intracellular invasion and IL-1ß inflammasome production by S.flexneri. The correlation analyses postulated that phenols, flavonoids, chlorophylls, ß-carotene, and capsaicin synthase upregulation strongly influenced capsaicin biosynthesis in chili cultivars. Correspondingly, the inhibitory efficacy of the HPLC-purified Balijuri-derived capsaicin was more effective than the Raja-derived capsaicin in inhibiting intracellular Shigella growth. Reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL1ß) in capsaicin-treated Shigella-infected cells probably reduced inflammation-mediated intestinal damage, limiting bacterial spread. This investigation advocates the unique potential of local chilies in curing deadly 'shigellosis' with mechanistic evidence. Our observation justifies the traditional healing practices of the ethnic people of NE India.

Eco-geological consequences of textile processing wastes: Risk assessment, elemental dissolution kinetics, and health hazard potential.

Although substantial quantities of toxic wastes are generated from textile industries, the characteristics of textile processing wastes (TPWs) have yet scantily been investigated from ecological and agricultural perspectives. Here, the eco-geological consequences of TPWs are evaluated by considering three types of sludges (i.e., silk fibre sludge (SFS), dye mixed silk processing sludge (DSPS), and cotton processing wastewater sludge (CPWS)). The predominance of certain components between different wastes (e.g., fibrous substances in silk industry wastes (i.e., SFS and DSPS) and amorphous materials in cotton processing wastes (i.e., CPWS)) is accounted for by the use of different raw materials in different industries. According to the FTIR and other characterization analyses, all three types of TPWs were rich in carbonaceous compounds and nutrients (e.g., CNPK) because of their biological origin. Further, high accumulation of toxic metals (e.g., Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Mn) was apparent with chemical-processing routes. The principal component analysis indicated strong relationships between certain environmental variables (e.g., moisture content and bulk density) and bioavailability of several metals (e.g., Cd, Zn, Cu, and Mn), while C levels in TPWs were tightly associated with Cr levels. According to the Visual MINTEQ model, the dissolution-precipitation dynamics of potentially toxic elements (e.g., Pb, Cr, and Zn) in TPWs are predicted to be controlled by the levels of phosphates/chlorides/sulphates in line with the textile processing steps employed in different factories. The great toxicity potential of CPWS (e.g., relative to SFS and DSPS) is recognized to pose significant metal-induced hazards to ecosystems and human health over time. Among the three TPWs, SFS could be prescribed for agricultural application after proper treatment (e.g., via valorization techniques) with the aid of its benign nature and high nutrient (Total N: 3.83%; available P: 118.6 mg kg-1) value.

Secondary metabolites and anti-microbial/anti-oxidant profiles in Ocimum spp.: Role of soil physico-chemical characteristics as eliciting factors.

Ocimum has long been used as a medicinal plant, although little information is available about its bioactive ingredients, and the influence of soil properties on modulation of secondary metabolites in Ocimum has yet to be ascertained. In this study, we present a thorough survey of all potential metabolic compounds in O. sanctum and O. basilicum. In both species, certain compounds (e.g., quercetin, kaempferol, catechin, and S-adenosyl homocysteine) were detected coincidently. In the case of O. basilicum, other vital phenolic acids (e.g., ursolic, vanilic, coumaric, and syringic acids) were identified. The aqueous extracts (AEs) of Ocimum recorded decrease of 6-94% in the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus sp., Salmonella sp., and Bacillus sp.). The AEs also showed effective antioxidant activity by reducing free radicals by a factor of 1.04-1.13. Root-zone soil samples of both Ocimum spp. were collected from strategic locations with varying levels of key soil attributes (e.g., soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), urease, and phosphatase). At high levels of SOC, MBC, and soil enzymes, the bioactivity of Ocimum spp. was observed to be promoted, especially with respect to secondary metabolite expression, anti-pathogenic activity, and anti-oxidant properties. As such, the findings of strong correlations between secondary metabolite concentrations and bioactivity attributes in Ocimum suggest the potent role of soil quality in eliciting the production of secondary metabolite in association with bioactivity in Ocimum spp.

Insights into the storage stability of ammonia in polyester aluminum bags.

A list of gaseous odorants such as ammonia (and hydrogen sulfide) are generally collected using rigid containers or flexible bags for quantitative analysis. The aim of this investigation was to assess the stability of polyester aluminum bags used for gaseous ammonia sampling and storage. To this end, ammonia standards were prepared at two concentration levels of low (7.8 ppm) and high concentrations (39 ppm) and stored in the polyester ammonia bags for durations of 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 days. These samples were then analyzed at each interval by an impinger-based indophenol method utilizing a spectrophotometer. At each pre-set period, three different mass loadings of ammonia samples were collected from the storage bag to obtain response factors (RF) for comparison between different elapsed times set for the storage. Subsequently, the relative recovery values for each interval were computed by dividing the RF for each sampling day by that of the 0th day. The relative recovery values for low and high concentration standards decreased with increasing storage time as 82.9% (day 1) to 36% (day 6) and 89.9% (day 1) to 59.7% (day 6), respectively. As such, the potentially superior recovery of ammonia from polyester aluminum bags was demonstrated (e.g., relative to other storage options introduced previously) to support its practical merit as storage media.

Assessing C-N balance and soil rejuvenation capacity of vermicompost application in a degraded landscape: A study in an alluvial river basin with Cajanus cajan.

The value and potential of organic-dependent agriculture has gradually become realized worldwide despite scarcity of data on its ability to rejuvenate land quality. In this work, a popular cultivar of Cajanus cajan was grown in a nutrient-fatigued area with vermicompost (VC) and farmyard manure (FYM) to partially replace chemical fertilization (CF) (reduced by 10 and 50%) over a four-year period. C-N mineralization kinetic equations were applied for the first time to assess the efficacy of vermicompost-based nutrient schemes on C-N balance in arable soil. The results suggested that 10 and 50% replacement of chemical fertilization with vermicompost was helpful to significantly improveC- and N-based mineralization in the cultivated soil. In addition, the gains of humified C (humic and fulvic acid) content (such as 4-and 10-fold increases) were achieved under CF50/VC50 and CF90/VC10 treatments, respectively. In the CF50/VC50 treatment, there was apparent improvement in soil organic C storage (SOCstr) (42.6-57.4%), water holding capacity, and microbial health along with reduction in bulk density (6.10-13.0%). Moreover, improvement in soil quality was strongly evident in terms of crop production with the application of CF50/VC50. Overall, this study successfully validated that vermicompost can be used effectively to achieve sustainable agricultural growth by efficiently arresting land degradation.

Efficacy of vermitechnology integration with Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) and activated sludge for metal stabilization: A compliance study on fractionation and biosorption.

Efficacy of vermi-transformation for metal partitioning and transformation from Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) and Activated Sludge (AS) was investigated. Sludge samples were mixed with cow dung (CD) in two combinations (1:1 (UASB/AS:CD)) & (2:1(UASB/AS: CD)). Fractionation study revealed that Zn, Cd & Pb were associated with reducible fractions, and Cr, Cu with oxidizable fractions. Higher removal efficiency for 1:1 (UASB/AS: CD) combination over 2:1 (UASB/AS: CD) implies the non-significant contribution of cow dung during the metal stabilization process. After vermi-remediation, maximum metal removal was achieved at 1:1 ratio than 2:1 in AS. In UASB, 1:1 ratio worked better for Cr, Zn & Cd, whereas for Cu & Zn 2:1 ratio resulted in efficient removal. Overall for both AS and UASB, efficiency was found to be higher in 1:1 treatment ratio. The value of Kd (Bio sorption) was highest in Cu followed by Cr, which indicates the closer association with the metal bound organic matter (R2 ≥ 0.99). Based on the compliance study between two estimated sorption coefficients Kd (Biosorption & Fractions), vermi-remediation was found to be effective for AS than UASB. Therefore, the obtained results clearly validate the feasibility of integration of vermi-remediation as a potential promising ecological techniques for removing metal contaminant from the wastewater. Further research is required to study the decontamination of emerging contaminants with such integrated technology, which have physico-chemical properties different than metal ions.

Impact of edaphic factors and nutrient management on the hepatoprotective efficiency of Carlinoside purified from pigeon pea leaves: An evaluation of UGT1A1 activity in hepatitis induced organelles.

Carlinoside is a unique compound well-known for its excellent curative potential in hepatitis. There is a substantial research gap regarding the medicinal use of carlinoside, as its concentrations are greatly variable (depending on locality). We cultivated Cajanus cajan using vermicompost as a major organic amendment at two locations (Sonitpur and Birbhum) with different soil types, but identical climate conditions. Sonitpur soils were richer in soil organic C (SOC), enzyme activation, and N/P content than Birbhum. However, vermi-treatment improved many soil properties (bulk density, water retention, pH, N/P/K, and enzyme activity) to narrow the locational gap in soil quality by 15-28%. We also recorded a many-fold increment in SOC storage capacities in both locations, which was significantly correlated with carlinoside, total phenol, and flavonoid contents in Cajanus leaves. This significantly up-regulated the carlinoside induced expression of the bilirubin-solubilizing UGT1A1enzyme in HepG2 cell and rat liver. Leaf extracts of vermicompost-aided plants could cure hepatitis in affected rat livers and in the HepG2 cell line. Accordingly, vermi-treatment is an effective route for the growth of Cajanus as a cash crop for biomedical applications and can produce a concurrent improvement in soil quality.

Real-World Implementation of Video Outpatient Consultations at Macro, Meso, and Micro Levels: Mixed-Method Study.

BACKGROUND: There is much interest in virtual consultations using video technology. Randomized controlled trials have shown video consultations to be acceptable, safe, and effective in selected conditions and circumstances. However, this model has rarely been mainstreamed and sustained in real-world settings. OBJECTIVE: The study sought to (1) define good practice and inform implementation of video outpatient consultations and (2) generate transferable knowledge about challenges to scaling up and routinizing this service model. METHODS: A multilevel, mixed-method study of Skype video consultations (micro level) was embedded in an organizational case study (meso level), taking account of national context and wider influences (macro level). The study followed the introduction of video outpatient consultations in three clinical services (diabetes, diabetes antenatal, and cancer surgery) in a National Health Service trust (covering three hospitals) in London, United Kingdom. Data sources included 36 national-level stakeholders (exploratory and semistructured interviews), longitudinal organizational ethnography (300 hours of observations; 24 staff interviews), 30 videotaped remote consultations, 17 audiotaped face-to-face consultations, and national and local documents. Qualitative data, analyzed using sociotechnical change theories, addressed staff and patient experience and organizational and system drivers. Quantitative data, analyzed via descriptive statistics, included uptake of video consultations by staff and patients and microcategorization of different kinds of talk (using the Roter interaction analysis system). RESULTS: When clinical, technical, and practical preconditions were met, video consultations appeared safe and were popular with some patients and staff. Compared with face-to-face consultations for similar conditions, video consultations were very slightly shorter, patients did slightly more talking, and both parties sometimes needed to make explicit things that typically remained implicit in a traditional encounter. Video consultations appeared to work better when the clinician and patient already knew and trusted each other. Some clinicians used Skype adaptively to respond to patient requests for ad hoc encounters in a way that appeared to strengthen supported self-management. The reality of establishing video outpatient services in a busy and financially stretched acute hospital setting proved more complex and time-consuming than originally anticipated. By the end of this study, between 2% and 22% of consultations were being undertaken remotely by participating clinicians. In the remainder, clinicians chose not to participate, or video consultations were considered impractical, technically unachievable, or clinically inadvisable. Technical challenges were typically minor but potentially prohibitive. CONCLUSIONS: Video outpatient consultations appear safe, effective, and convenient for patients in situations where participating clinicians judge them clinically appropriate, but such situations are a fraction of the overall clinic workload. As with other technological innovations, some clinicians will adopt readily, whereas others will need incentives and support. There are complex challenges to embedding video consultation services within routine practice in organizations that are hesitant to change, especially in times of austerity.

Application of drum compost and vermicompost to improve soil health, growth, and yield parameters for tomato and cabbage plants.

Utilization of different types of solid wastes through composting is important for environmental sustainability and restoring soil quality. Although drum composting is an efficient technology, the possibility of heavy metal contamination restricts its large-scale use. In this research, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of water hyacinth drum compost (DC) and traditional vermicompost (VC) on soil quality and crop growth in an agro-ecosystem cultivated intensively with tomato and cabbage as test crops. A substantial improvement in soil health was observed with respect to nutrient availability, physical stability, and microbial diversity due to the application of drum compost and traditional vermicompost. Moreover, soil organic carbon was enriched through increased humic and fulvic acid carbon. Interestingly, heavy metal contamination was less significant in vermicompost-treated soils than in those receiving the other treatments. The use of VC and DC in combination with recommended chemical fertilization effectively stimulated crop growth, yield, product quality, and storage longevity for both tomato and cabbage.

Engineered nano particles: Nature, behavior, and effect on the environment.

Increased application of engineered nano particles (ENPs) in production of various appliances and consumer items is increasing their presence in the natural environment. Although a wide variety of nano particles (NPs) are ubiquitously dispersed in ecosystems, risk assessment guidelines to describe their ageing, direct exposure, and long-term accumulation characteristics are poorly developed. In this review, we describe what is known about the life cycle of ENPs and their impact on natural systems and examine if there is a cohesive relationship between their transformation processes and bio-accessibility in various food chains. Different environmental stressors influence the fate of these particles in the environment. Composition of solid media, pore size, solution chemistry, mineral composition, presence of natural organic matter, and fluid velocity are some environmental stressors that influence the transformation, transport, and mobility of nano particles. Transformed nano particles can reduce cell viability, growth and morphology, enhance oxidative stress, and damage DNA in living organisms.

Vermicompost and farmyard manure improves food quality, antioxidant and antibacterial potential of Cajanus cajan (L. Mill sp.) leaves.

BACKGROUND: Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) leaves are a good source of nutrition and health benefitting phenolic compounds. However, its importance has not yet been effectively addressed. Recently, a 2-year field experiment was attempted in an alluvial soil to understand the role of various organic and inorganic fertilisers and their combinations not only on soil quality, but also on production of foremost phenolic compounds and imparting antioxidant and antibacterial properties in C. cajan under vermicompost treatments. RESULTS: Notable enhancements in crude protein, soluble carbohydrate, ash content and total flavonoid content were recorded in Cajanus leaves under vermicompost treatments. We detected a significant rise in carlinoside content in C. cajan leaves, which is known to reduce bilirubin concentration in hepatitis affected human blood. Farmyard manure treatments resulted in a high crude fibre content coupled with a substantially high concentration of total phenols, and chlorophyll. In addition, incorporation of vermicompost with or without inorganic fertiliser in the soil had a significant impact on antioxidant and antibacterial properties of C. cajan leaves. Above and beyond, farmyard manure and vermicompost positively influenced the physico-chemical health of the soil. CONCLUSION: The present nutrient management scheme based on organic input not only induced a higher yield of C. cajan endowed with improved antioxidant and antibacterial properties, but also enhanced the production of various phenolic compounds. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

The micro-environmental impact of volatile organic compound emissions from large-scale assemblies of people in a confined space.

Large-scale assemblies of people in a confined space can exert significant impacts on the local air chemistry due to human emissions of volatile organics. Variations of air-quality in such small scale can be studied by quantifying fingerprint volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as acetone, toluene, and isoprene produced during concerts, movie screenings, and sport events (like the Olympics and the World Cup). This review summarizes the extent of VOC accumulation resulting from a large population in a confined area or in a small open area during sporting and other recreational activities. Apart from VOCs emitted directly from human bodies (e.g., perspiration and exhaled breath), those released indirectly from other related sources (e.g., smoking, waste disposal, discharge of food-waste, and use of personal-care products) are also discussed. Although direct and indirect emissions of VOCs from human may constitute <1% of the global atmospheric VOCs budget, unique spatiotemporal variations in VOCs species within a confined space can have unforeseen impacts on the local atmosphere to lead to acute human exposure to harmful pollutants.

A review on the role of organic inputs in maintaining the soil carbon pool of the terrestrial ecosystem.

Among the numerous sources of greenhouse gases, emissions of CO2 are considerably affected by changes in the extent and type of land use, e.g., intensive agriculture, deforestation, urbanization, soil erosion, or wetland drainage. As a feasible option to control emissions from the terrestrial ecosystems, the scientific community has explored the possibility of enhancing soil carbon (C) storage capacity. Thus, restoration of damaged lands through conservation tillage, crop rotation, cover cropping, reforestation, sub-soiling of compacted lands, sustainable water management practices, and organic manuring are the major antidotes against attenuation of soil organic C (SOC) stocks. In this research, we focused on the effect of various man-made activities on soil biotic organics (e.g., green-, farm-yard manure, and composts) to understand how C fluxes from various sources contribute to the establishment of a new equilibrium in the terrestrial ecosystems. Although such inputs substitute a portion of chemical fertilizers, they all undergo activities that augment the rate and extent of decay to deplete the SOC bank. Here, we provide perspectives on the balancing factors that control the mineralization rate of organic matter. Our arguments are placed in the background of different land use types and their impacts on forests, agriculture, urbanization, soil erosion, and wetland destruction.

Phosphate solubilizing ability of Emericella nidulans strain V1 isolated from vermicompost.

Phosphorus is one of the key factors that regulate soil fertility. Its deficiencies in soil are largely replenished by chemical fertilizers. The present study was aimed to isolate efficient phosphate solubilizing fungal strains from Eisenia fetida vermicompost. Out of total 30 fungal strains the most efficient phosphate solubilizing one was Emericella (Aspergillus) nidulans V1 (MTCC 11044), identified by custom sequencing of beta-tubulin gene and BLAST analysis. This strain solubilized 13 to 36% phosphate from four different rock phosphates. After three days of incubation of isolated culture with black Mussorie phosphate rock, the highest percentage of phosphate solubilization was 35.5 +/- 1.01 with a pH drop of 4.2 +/- 0.09. Kinetics of solubilization and acid production showed a linear relationship until day five of incubation. Interestingly, from zero to tenth day of incubation, solubility of soil phosphate increased gradually from 4.31 +/- 1.57 to 13.65 +/- 1.82 (mg kg(-1)) recording a maximum of 21.23 +/- 0.54 on day 45 in respect of the V1 isolate. Further, enhanced phosphorus uptake by Phaseolus plants with significant pod yield due to soil inoculation of Emericella nidulans V1 (MTCC 11044), demonstrated its prospect as an effective biofertilizer for plant growth.

Exorbitant signatures of pesticides and pharmaceuticals in municipal solid wastes (MSWs): Novel insights through risk analysis, dissolution dynamics, and model-based source identification.

Studies on the occurrence and fates of emerging organic micropollutants (EOMPs) like pharmaceuticals and pesticides in MSWs are scarce in the literature. Therefore, MSWs were sampled from 20 Indian landfills and characterized for five widely consumed EOMPs (chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, carbofuran, carbamazepine, and sodium diclofenac), physicochemical, and biological properties. The pesticide (median: 0.17-0.44 mg kg-1) and pharmaceutical (median: 0.20-0.26 mg kg-1) concentrations significantly fluctuated based on landfill localities. Eventually, principal component and multi-factor (MFA) models demonstrated close interactions of EOMPs with biological (microbial biomass and humification rates) and chemical (N, P, K, Ca, S, etc.) properties of MSWs. At the same time, the MFA resolved that EOMPs' fates in MSWs significantly differ from bigger cosmopolitan cities to smaller rural townships. Correspondingly, the concentration-driven ecological risks were high in 15 MSWs with EOMP-toxicity ranks of diclofenac > carbofuran = chlorpyrifos > cypermethrin > carbamazepine. The EOMPs' dissolution dynamics and source apportionments were evaluated using the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model for the first time on experimental data, extracting four anthropogenic sources (households, heterogeneous business centers, agricultural, and open drains). The most significant contribution of EOMPs to MSWs was due to heterogeneous business activity. Notably, the aging of soluble chemical fractions seems to influence the source characteristics of EOMPs strongly.

Earthworm stocking density regulates microbial community structure and fatty acid profiles during vermicomposting of lignocellulosic waste: Unraveling the microbe-metal and mineralization-humification interactions.

Earthworm-induced microbial enrichment is the key to success in vermitechnology, yet the influence of initial earthworm stocking density on microbial community profiles in vermibeds is unknown. Therefore, vermicomposting of lignocellulosic feedstock was performed with different stocking densities of two earthworms (Eisenia fetida and Eudrilus eugeniae) compared with composting. Eventually, earthworm growth, microbial (activity and community profiles), and physicochemical dynamics were assessed. The earthworm population significantly increased under low stocking, while denser stocking (15/kg) was stressful. The XRD-based crystallinity assessment revealed that comminuting efficiency of Eisenia and Eudrilus was prudent at 7 and 10 worm/kg stockings, respectively. Moreover, the 5 and 7 worm/kg stockings effectively mobilized microbial activity, promoting NPK-mineralization and C-humification balance. Correlation statistics indicated that earthworm stocking density-driven microbial community shift and fatty acid profiles strongly influenced metal removal in vermibeds. Hence, the findings implied that 5-7 worm/kg stockings of earthworms produced high-quality sanitized vermicompost.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) remediation during vermicomposting and composting: Mechanistic insights through PAH-budgeting.

Knowledge on the mechanism of earthworm-induced removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in vermicomposting systems and interaction with nutrient mineralization and microbial growth is scarce in literature. Moreover, the PAH accumulation capacity of Eudrilus eugeniae has not been studied. This research, therefore, investigates the apportionment dynamics of 13 PAH compounds in aerobic composting and vermicomposting (Eisenia fetida and E. eugeniae) systems using novel budget equations. The PAH removal efficiency of vermicomposting was significantly higher (2-threefold) than composting with concurrent microbial augmentation (p < 0.01). However, the 4-6 ring compounds reduced more significantly (30-50%) than the 3-ring PAHs (p < 0.01), and E. eugeniae was an equally competitive PAH-accumulator compared to E. fetida. The budget equations revealed that although the bioaccumulation capabilities of earthworms were retarded due to PAH exposure, earthworms facilitated PAH-immobilization in decomposed feedstock. A marked increase in bacterial, fungal, and actinomycetes proliferation in PAH-spiked vermibeds with parallel removal of the PAHs indicated that earthworm-induced microbial enrichment plays a vital role in PAH detoxification during vermicomposting. Correlation analyses strongly implied that earthworm-driven mineralization-humification balancing and microbial enrichment could be the critical mechanism of PAH remediation under vermicomposting.

Simultaneous early surgical repair of post-cholecystectomy major bile duct injury and complex abdominal evisceration: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Major bile duct injuries (BDIs) are hazardous complications during 0.4%-0.6% of laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Major BDIs usually require surgical repair, ideally either immediately or at least six weeks after the damage. The complexity of our case lies in the coexistence of early BDI followed by 2-week biliary peritonitis with massive midline evisceration which, in combination, has over 40% mortality risk. METHODS & CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a 65-year-old male, transferred to our tertiary HPB service on day 14 after common bile duct complete transection during cholecystectomy and postoperative laparotomy. The patient presented with biliary peritonitis along with full wound dehiscence and extensive evisceration. During emergency peritoneal wash-out surgery we deemed immediate BDI repair feasible by primary Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (HJ), with multi-stage abdominal closure. In the following days we performed progressive abdominal wall closure in multiple sessions under general anesthesia, aided by vacuum-assisted wound closure and intraperitoneal mesh-mediated fascial traction-approximation (VAWCM) with permeable mesh. An expected late incisional hernia was eventually repaired through component separation and biological mesh. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION: The simultaneous use of Roux-en-Y HJ and VAWCM has proven safe and effective in the treatment of BDI and 2-week biliary peritonitis with massive midline evisceration.

Assessing the arsenic-saturated biochar recycling potential of vermitechnology: Insights on nutrient recovery, metal benignity, and microbial activity.

Biochar mediated pollutant removal is gaining attention because of high efficiency of the process. However, effective recycling avenues of the pollutant-saturated biochars are scarce in the knowledge base; while such materials can be a new source of long-range contamination. Therefore, potential of vermitechnology for eco-friendly recycling of pollutant-loaded biochar was assessed by using arsenic-saturated native (NBC) and exfoliated (EBC) biochars as feedstocks for the first time. Interestingly, the bioavailable arsenic fractions (water soluble and exchangeable) considerably reduced by 22-44 % with concurrent increment (~8-15 %) of the recalcitrant (residual and organic bound) fractions in the biochar-based feedstocks. Consequently, ~2-3 folds removal of the total arsenic was achieved through vermicomposting. The earthworm population growth (2.5-3 folds) was also highly satisfactory in the biochar-based feedstocks. The results clearly imply that Eisenia fetida could compensate the arsenic-induced stress to microbial population and greatly augmented microbial biomass, respiration and enzyme activity by 3-12 folds. Moreover, biochar-induced alkalinity was significantly neutralized in the vermibeds, which remarkably balanced the TOC level and nutrient (N, P, and K) availability particularly in EBC + CD vermibeds. Overall, the nutrient recovery potential and arsenic removal efficiency of vermitechnology was clearly exhibited in NBC/EBC + CD (12.5:87.5) feedstocks. Hence, it is abundantly clear that vermitechnology can be a suitable option for eco-friendly recycling of pollutant-saturated sorbing agents, like biochars.