Comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of microplastic prevalence and abundance in freshwater fish species: the effect of fish species habitat, feeding behavior, and Fulton's condition factor.

Microplastics are emerging pollutants that cause health problems for aquatic organisms. Fish is one of the important organisms because of its consumption by humankind. The present study examines the abundance and prevalence of microplastics in freshwater fish species through a systematic review study while considering five important factors, i.e. water resources, habitat, feeding behavior, Fulton's condition factor, and microplastic characteristics. A comprehensive meta-analysis was undertaken to evaluate relevant publications in terms of microplastic abundance. Articles published up to July 30, 2022 were found through Global search engines including, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. In total, 786 articles were found that 53 and 42 articles were used for qualitative review and meta-analysis, respectively. This was carried out by a random-effects model with high heterogeneity (I2 = 99.76%). According to the data, the highest attention in microplastic research in body part and water sources are related to gastrointestinal tract (n = 259 (~ 80%)) and rivers (n = 189 (~ 58%)), respectively. According to the results, the average microplastic prevalence range was 5 -100%, and microplastic abundance was within the 0.04-204 items range per individual. The difference between microplastic prevalence and abundance for the key factors for parametric and nonparametric data were analyzed using Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Kruskal-Wallis test, respectively. According to the Baujat plot, two studies (ID: 27 and 25) revealed the minimal influence of microplastics abundance. Conclusively, the average microplastics abundance according to the pooled data, varied between 2.23 and 2.48, with a mean of 2.35 items per individual in the studies overall. It is concluded that the amount of ingested microplastics by fish is related only to physiology (height, weight, and body structure) but not feeding behavior, habitat, and surrounding water. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40201-024-00907-z.

Correction: Comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of microplastic prevalence and abundance in freshwater fish species: the effect of fish species habitat, feeding behavior, and Fulton's condition factor.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s40201-024-00907-z.].

Vascular complications during appendectomy: severe adhesion of the appendix to the right iliac artery: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Appendicitis is a common cause of acute abdomen. Rarely, it may form adhesions to nearby structures, complicating surgeries, especially when involving vascular structures such as the internal iliac artery, potentially causing severe intraoperative hemorrhage. CASE PRESENTATION: A 65-year-old Middle Eastern male presented with abdominal pain and anorexia for 5 days. Examination and imaging confirmed acute appendicitis with complications. Additionally, a large pelvic mass was noted. During surgery, severe bleeding was encountered due to an adhesion between the appendix and the right internal iliac artery, managed by ligating the artery. The patient recovered well and was discharged in stable condition. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This case highlights a rare vascular complication of appendectomy due to abnormal adhesions between the appendix and the internal iliac artery, associated with a large pelvic mass. This study emphasizes the need for thorough preoperative evaluation and careful surgical planning in patients with unusual anatomical variations or specific underlying conditions such as neurofibromatosis. Early recognition and strategic management of vascular adhesions are essential to optimize patient outcomes in appendectomies complicated by such rare scenarios.

An unsuspected extracranial internal carotid pseudoaneurysm following dog bites: a case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) pseudoaneurysm is a rare condition that can be caused either by penetrating or blunt trauma, including dog bites, which is an uncommon occurrence. Together with the possibility of no symptoms or nonspecific ones such as cervical pain, hematoma, swelling, or mass, considering ICA pseudoaneurysm following a dog attack is of paramount importance to avoid life-threatening complications. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a rare case of a 17-year-old male with a history of dog bites three months prior, who presented to the emergency department with left-sided neck pain, dizziness, and several episodes of blurred vision and diplopia. On physical examination, a palpable mass measuring approximately 20 × 30 millimeters was identified in the left neck region and multiple superficial lacerations were observed in this area. Laboratory tests yielded normal results. Doppler ultrasound revealed a pseudoaneurysm in the left internal carotid artery. Because the great saphenous veins were insufficient, the patient was successfully treated with synthetic graft patch arterioplasty, and no complications were seen in his one-year follow-up with computed tomography (CT) angiography. CONCLUSIONS: This report emphasizes the significance of thorough initial evaluation and imaging in cases of dog attacks, even without apparent significant trauma, to rule out hidden arterial injuries.

Computed tomography angiography-guided analysis of morphologic properties of the thoracic aorta and arch branches among the adult population: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: Before performing any surgical or endovascular procedure, the anatomical classification of the patient is essential for treatment planning. Computed Tomographic Angiography (CTA) is a standard method to evaluate thoracic aortic anatomy and associated variations. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was performed among adult participants without any peripheral vascular diseases undergoing thoracic CTA. Demographic data were collected along with factors retrieved from the patients CTA, such as the type of aortic arch, length, and diameter of ascending and descending aorta, the diameter of the main branches and the distance between branches, the angles by which the main arteries rise from their origins, and left anterior oblique angle of the aortic arch. Results: 164 patients, with a mean age of 57 ± 19.3 years, entered the study. 53 (33.8%) had a bovine arch, which was mostly observed among males. A decrease in the frequency of type I arch and also an increase in the frequency of type 2 and 3 arches was observed with the increase in age (p < 0.001). The BCT diameter had a direct association with both left common carotid artery diameter (r = 0.478, p < 0.001) and left subclavian artery diameter (r = 0.470, p < 0.001). The length of the descending aorta had a direct correlation (r = 0.294, p < 0.001) with the length of the ascending aorta. Conclusion: Complex endovascular interventions are vital method in treating aorta, head, and neck pathologies. Accurate knowledge of thoracic aortic anatomy is becoming crucial for diagnosis and intervention planning.

Comparison of the effect of Everolimus, Prednisolone, and a combination of both on experimentally induced peritoneal adhesions in rats.

Postoperative intra-abdominal adhesions represent a significant post-surgical problem. Its complications can cause a considerable clinical and cost burden. Herein, our study aimed to investigate the effect of Everolimus on peritoneal adhesion formation after inducing adhesions in rats. In this experimental study, adhesion bands were induced by intraperitoneal injection of 3 ml of 10% sterile talc solution in 64 male albino rats. The first group served as the control group. The second one received oral Prednisolone (1 mg/kg/day), the third received Everolimus (0.1 mg/kg/day), and group four received both drugs with similar dosages for four consecutive weeks. The formation of adhesion bands was qualitatively graded according to the Nair classification. The rats in the control group had extensive adhesions between the abdominal wall and the organs. Regarding substantial adhesion formation, 50% (8/16) of animals in the control group had substantial adhesions, while this rate in the groups receiving Prednisolone, Everolimus, and combination treatment was 31%, 31%, and 31%, respectively. Also, 68.75% (5/11) of the Prednisolone recipients had insubstantial adhesions, the same as Everolimus recipients, while in the combination group, 66.66% (10/15) rats had insubstantial adhesions. Everolimus demonstrated satisfactory results in reducing the rates of induced peritoneal adhesion in an experimental model, similar to Prednisolone and superior to a combination regime.

Analysis of a Large 19-Year Database in Vascular Surgery in Southern Iran: Evaluation of Trends and Limitations.

BACKGROUND: Large databases with data elements of clinical interest are essential for carrying out high-quality observational studies. Such databases have become increasingly popular for clinical research in fields like vascular surgery. Our goal is to create a solid and reliable database of the patients who have been admitted and undergone different vascular surgery procedures over 19 years and to provide surgeons with the current trends and limitations in managing patients with vascular disease. METHODS: The database of patients operated in Namazi Hospital, the referral center for vascular surgery in Southern Iran, from 2001 to 2019, was retrieved and patients undergoing vascular procedures were parted. Demographic and perioperative data were evaluated and patients were categorized into subgroups based on the type and cause of operation. All data were analyzed with SPSS version 26.0 (IBM, NY, USA). RESULTS: During the period of our study, a total of 226,051 operations were performed at the Namazi Hospital. Among these operations, 6,386 (2.82%) vascular surgery-related operations were entered into our study. The average age of the patients in our study was 53.22 ± 18.92 years (range: 1 day old-97 years) and 4,061 (63.6%) were male. Furthermore, 147 (2.3%) were operated by multiple surgeons. Moreover, 798 (12.5%) of the patients were admitted postoperatively to the intensive care unit, while the rest (5,588; 87.5%) in the common surgery ward. The cause of operation in 609 (9.5%) of the cases was trauma. Based on wound categorization, 5,132 (80.4%) were type I (clean). The most frequent operation performed in our center was arterial reconstruction and limb revascularization (31.4%), followed by hemodialysis access (31.3%). The most frequent surgery in the age group of less than 18 years was fasciotomy, in the 19-40 years group was tumor (56.8%) and varicose veins (52.9%), and in the 41-60 years group was implantation of ventral venous port catheter (47%). Only carotid and thoracic outlet syndrome surgeries were significantly higher in females. The remaining operations were all significantly higher among male patients. Finally, carotid body tumor surgery was the most frequent operation requiring intensive care unit monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated, for the first time, an overview of vascular surgeries performed in a referral tertiary center in Southwest Iran. There is an increase in the number of surgical procedures in the field of vascular surgery, and large databases will be a valuable tool for addressing critical problems in this field and also the healthcare system.

Aortoduodenal fistula and abdominal aortic aneurysm as a complication of Brucella Aortitis managed with Insitu aortic aneurysm repair: A case report.

Key Clinical Message: Brucella aortitis should be one of the differential diagnoses of inflammatory aortic aneurysms. In situ repair of intermittent aortoenteric fitulae and repair of infrarenal aortic aneurysm with synthetic graft can be used in clean scarred fistulae. Abstract: Arterial aneurysms are very rare complications of Brucella infection. The purpose of this case report is to document a case of abdominal aortic aneurysm and primary aorto-duodenal fistula as a complication of Brucella infection, along with the management of brucella induced aortoenteric fistula with insitu synthetic graft. We report a 53-year-old man with a complaint of abdominal pain and melena. Radiological evaluation revealed an inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm and a primary aorto-duodenal fistula was identified during surgery. The patient underwent laparotomy, and surgical repair of the aneurysm with a bifurcated Dacron graft, while the entry of the aorto-duodenal fistula was closed with intra-aortic sutures. One month later, the patient tested positive for the Wright agglutination test (1:80) and Coomb's test (1:640) for brucella, and was treated with doxycycline, rifampicin, and ciprofloxacin for brucellosis. Though rare, brucella aortitis should be considered as one of the differential diagnoses of inflammatory aortic aneurysms. In situ repair of intermittent aortoenteric fistula and repair of the infrarenal aortic aneurysm with synthetic graft could be considered in a clean scarred fistula.

Senescent CD153+ T Lymphocytes Increase in the Peripheral Blood of Patients with Thromboangiitis Obliterans.

Background: Buerger's disease, also known as Thromboangiitis Obliterans (TAO), is a progressive, inflammatory vascular disease with unknown etiology. Objective: To address the degree of T cell immunosenescence in this inflammatory disease, the frequency of senescent T cells expressing CD57 and/or CD153 (CD30L) in patients with TAO. Methods: In this study, nine male cigarette smoker patients with TAO, nine male healthy cigarette smokers, and nine male healthy non-smoker blood donors were enrolled. PBMCs were extracted from the blood of all participants and stored in liquid nitrogen before use. The percentages of senescent T cells were detected by flow cytometry. The results were analyzed using non-parametric statistical tests. Results: The frequencies of senescent CD3+CD4+CD57+CD153+ and CD3+CD4+CD57-CD153+ T cells significantly increased in patients compared with the non-smoker controls (p=0.01 and p=0.04, respectively). The frequency of senescent CD3+CD4-CD57-CD153+ T cells was higher in patients compared with the smoker controls (p=0.02). In patients with TAO, CD57+CD153- cells were more frequent in CD3hiCD4- and CD3hiCD4+ T cells compared with the CD3loCD4- and CD3loCD4+ T cells (p=0.008 and p=0.0002, respectively). Conversely, the frequency of CD57-CD153+ T cells was significantly higher in CD3loCD4- T cells compared with the CD3hiCD4- T cells (p=0.004). The percentage of CD3+CD4+CD57+CD153- T cells correlated negatively with smoking level in smoker controls (p=0.02, Spearman r=-0.80). Conclusion: Elevated frequencies of senescent CD4+CD57+CD153+ and CD4+CD57-CD153+ T cells in patients compared with non-smoker and smoker controls suggest the contribution of immunosenescence in TAO.

Moving beyond nanotechnology to uncover a glimmer of hope in diabetes medicine: Effective nanoparticle-based therapeutic strategies for the management and treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

Hyperglycemia, a distinguishing feature of diabetes mellitus that might cause a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), is an endocrine disorder that affects an extremely high percentage of people. Having a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of diabetic wound healing can help researchers and developers design effective therapeutic strategies to treat the wound healing process in diabetes patients. Using nanoscaffolds and nanotherapeutics with dimensions ranging from 1 to 100 nm represents a state-of-the-art and viable therapeutic strategy for accelerating the wound healing process in diabetic patients, particularly those with DFU. Nanoparticles can interact with biological constituents and infiltrate wound sites owing to their reduced diameter and enhanced surface area. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that they promote the processes of vascularization, cellular proliferation, cell signaling, cell-to-cell interactions, and the formation of biomolecules that are essential for effective wound healing. Nanomaterials possess the ability to effectively transport and deliver various pharmacological agents, such as nucleic acids, growth factors, antioxidants, and antibiotics, to specific tissues, where they can be continuously released and affect the wound healing process in DFU. The present article elucidates the ongoing endeavors in the field of nanoparticle-mediated therapies for the management of DFU.

Comparison of the preventive effect of colchicine versus diphenhydramine, prednisolone, and a combination therapy on intraperitoneal adhesion bands: an experimental study in rats.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal adhesion formation is an inevitable consequence of abnormal repair of the peritoneum following different peritoneal injuries of intra-abdominal operations with the subsequent morbidity that they represent. Vast efforts have been made to elucidate the cause and prevent the development of abdominal adhesions. The aim of our study is to compare the capability of colchicine versus diphenhydramine (DPH) and methylprednisolone (MP), and also prednisolone in adhesion prevention. METHODS: Sixty-one male Wistar stock rats were divided into four groups. The first group attended as the control group. Groups 2, 3, and 4 received oral combination of MP + DPH solution (20 mg/kg), colchicine (0.02 mg/kg), and prednisolone (1 mg/ kg), respectively. Adhesion bands were induced by standardized abrasion of the peritoneum through a midline laparotomy. All rats were sacrificed on the 15th-day post medication administration and the subjects underwent an exploratory laparotomy. The presence of adhesions was evaluated with the modified using Nair's classification. RESULTS: The proportion of the control group with substantial adhesion bands (73.3%) was significantly higher than that of the MP + DPH (13.3%), colchicine (33.3%), and prednisolone (31.3%) groups. There were significant differences between the scores of the control and the MP + DPH, colchicine, and prednisolone groups (P = 0.001, 0.028, and 0.019, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference to favor colchicine against MP + DPH (P = 0.390) or MP + DPH against prednisolone (P = 0.394). CONCLUSIONS: Both colchicine and combination of DPH + MP prevented postoperative abdominal adhesions separately in our study. However, the lowest adhesion formation rate was observed in the DPH + MP group, even lower than the prednisolone group.

Lower limb lymphedema and cellulitis as a complication of COVID-19 vaccine: A case report.

A 68-year-old man without complications following his first dose of Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV) COVID-19 vaccine developed left foot and ankle edema, extending to his left leg 3 days after his second dose. Color-Doppler sonography and lymphoscintigraphy showed extensive soft tissue swelling and fat edema in both legs, proposing lymphatic drainage disorder.

Spontaneous rupture of a large splenic artery aneurysm in a 59-year-old male patient with pemphigus vulgaris: a case report.

BACKGROUND: There is currently no information on the anatomical risk factors for splenic artery aneurysm rupture, specifically the location or size of the lesion; therefore, reporting this entity to obtain data and ultimately reduce morbidity and mortality is essential. Here we report a case of a male patient with spontaneous rupture of a large splenic artery aneurysm presenting with abdominal pain. CASE PRESENTATION: A 59-year middle-eastern male, with known pemphigus vulgaris presented with a chief complaint of headache and syncope, followed by abdominal pain along with severe metabolic acidosis. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvic showed a splenic artery aneurysm of 33 × 30 mm with a 150 × 90 mm hematoma formation around the aneurysm site. The patient underwent an operation and splenectomy, with confirmation of the diagnosis of ruptured splenic artery aneurysm. CONCLUSION: It is essential to consider splenic aneurysm rupture as a second-line differential diagnosis, especially among patients with comorbid diseases, as this can lead to timely and appropriate lifesaving intervention.

The Role of Surgical and Endovascular Repair of Blunt Traumatic Aortic Injury in the Modern Era: A Single-Center Experience.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of chest x-ray (CXR) in blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) as a primary imaging tool in trauma patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our hospital records for blunt thoracic aortic injury patients who had a therapeutic intervention from January 2015 to February 2021. Patients' characteristics, initial chest x-rays, and computed tomography (CT) scan were extracted and re-evaluated. Results: Eighteen patients matched the criteria of our research. The mean age and the injury severity score (ISS) was 29.8±11.2 and 38.4±14.4, respectively. Seven patients (38.9%) underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), and 11 (61.1%) had open surgery. The TEVAR group had significantly lower mean intensive care unit stay days (6.6±3.9 vs. 10.8±6.9 in open aortic repair (OAR), p<0.05). The percentile of patients requiring blood transfusion was significantly lower in the TEVAR group (57% vs. 100% in OAR, p<0.05). Mediastinal widening (66.7%) was the most common finding during the evaluation of initial chest x-rays. Interestingly, 22.2% of the initial x-rays were not remarkable for BTAI. Conclusion: TEVAR is an advantageous choice in the management of BTAI. However, open aortic repair is the optimal decision in certain situations. It is suggested that the Interventional management of the BTAI must be performed by experienced vascular surgeons in a medical center capable of both OAR and TEVAR.

Simultaneous retrograde venous and anterograde arterial bullet embolism: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Bullet embolus is a rare condition following gunshot injuries and represents a clinical challenge regarding both diagnosis and management. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 35-year-old Iranian (Middle-Eastern) male patient with a shotgun injury to both buttocks, which traveled to the heart and the popliteal area through the femoral vein and superficial femoral artery, respectively. Surgical intervention was applied for the popliteal pellet, and the patient was discharged without further complications. CONCLUSION: Although bullet emboli can be a clinical challenge, with the advent of modern procedures, removal has become safer. X-ray, computed tomography, and transthoracic and/or transesophageal echocardiography may be used as adjuncts to help establish the diagnosis.

Comparison of Oral Sirolimus, Prednisolone, and Combination of Both in Experimentally Induced Peritoneal Adhesion.

INTRODUCTION: Peritoneal adhesion formation is a challenging postoperative complication. We aim to evaluate the effect of orally administered sirolimus, prednisolone, and their combination to prevent this entity. METHODS: Eighty female albino underwent intraperitoneal injection of 3 mL of 10% sterile talc solution to induce peritoneal adhesion, and were subsequently and randomly divided into four groups (each n = 20); including a control group; 1 mg/kg oral prednisolone daily in the morning; 0.1 mg/kg oral sirolimus daily; and a combination group which received both drugs, with the same dosage. On the 29th day, abdominal cavities were explored, and classification was done based on Nair classification. RESULTS: All rats were healthy on the 29th day, in which exploration was performed. The rats in the control group had extensive intra-abdominal adhesions, while 17 (85%) rats in the control group had substantial adhesion; however, the prednisolone, sirolimus, and combination group had lesser adhesion formation. Also, 14 (70%) rats of prednisolone group, 13 (65%) of sirolimus group, and 16 (80%) of combination group had insubstantial adhesion. The decrease in the grade of peritoneal adhesion bands was highly significant in the combination group (P > 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of sirolimus and prednisolone was effective for preventing peritoneal adhesions in rats.

Machine learning modeling and analysis of biohydrogen production from wastewater by dark fermentation process.

Dark fermentation process for simultaneous wastewater treatment and H2 production is gaining attention. This study aimed to use machine learning (ML) procedures to model and analyze H2 production from wastewater during dark fermentation. Different ML procedures were assessed based on the mean squared error (MSE) and determination coefficient (R2) to select the most robust models for modeling the process. The research showed that gradient boosting machine (GBM), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF) and AdaBoost were the most appropriate models, which were optimized by grid search and deeply analyzed by permutation variable importance (PVI) to identify the relative importance of process variables. All four models demonstrated promising performances in predicting H2 production with high R2 values (0.893, 0.885, 0.902 and 0.889) and small MSE values (0.015, 0.015, 0.016 and 0.015). Moreover, RF-PVI demonstrated that acetate, butyrate, acetate/butyrate, ethanol, Fe and Ni were of high importance in decreasing order.

Renal revascularization by a pedicled intestinal segment wrapping the kidney: a new method for kidney revascularization.

BACKGROUND: Renal artery stenosis is caused by a heterogeneous group of diseases, including atherosclerosis and fibromuscular dysplasia, which can be treated medically, via endovascular techniques, or by open revascularization; however, satisfactory and effective results are not always obtained. We aimed to assess the possibility of renal revascularization by a pedicled intestinal segment wrapping the kidney. METHODS: Five dogs were operated on at three steps. At the first step, laparotomy was performed, and the right kidney was released. Subsequently, an 8-10 cm segment of jejunum was separated longitudinally, and mucosectomy was done. This intestinal patch wrapped up the kidney. After eight weeks, the kidney and the intestinal patch were analyzed, and the renal artery was ligated. After four weeks, the kidney and the intestinal patch were sent for pathological evaluation. RESULTS: At the 12th week of evaluation, no evidence of abscess formation or collection was seen. All kidneys had a normal color, consistency, and size. All renal cells were alive, and neither atrophy nor necrosis was seen. Glomerulus and tubules were intact, and no inflammatory change was visible. Furthermore, thick wall vasculature was inspected in a fibromuscular tissue, rising from the intestinal flap toward the kidney. One of the dogs expired due to peritonitis and sepsis in the fifth week. CONCLUSION: In our study, indirect perfusion of the kidney by an intestinal patch was achieved successfully. This represents new hope in patients suffering from chronic renal failure who underwent former medical and surgical interventions with undesirable results.

The promising shadow of microbubble over medical sciences: from fighting wide scope of prevalence disease to cancer eradication.

Microbubbles are typically 0.5-10 µm in size. Their size tends to make it easier for medication delivery mechanisms to navigate the body by allowing them to be swallowed more easily. The gas included in the microbubble is surrounded by a membrane that may consist of biocompatible biopolymers, polymers, surfactants, proteins, lipids, or a combination thereof. One of the most effective implementation techniques for tiny bubbles is to apply them as a drug carrier that has the potential to activate ultrasound (US); this allows the drug to be released by US. Microbubbles are often designed to preserve and secure medicines or substances before they have reached a certain area of concern and, finally, US is used to disintegrate microbubbles, triggering site-specific leakage/release of biologically active drugs. They have excellent therapeutic potential in a wide range of common diseases. In this article, we discussed microbubbles and their advantageous medicinal uses in the treatment of certain prevalent disorders, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetic condition, renal defects, and finally, their use in the treatment of various forms of cancer as well as their incorporation with nanoparticles. Using microbubble technology as a novel carrier, the ability to prevent and eradicate prevalent diseases has strengthened the promise of effective care to improve patient well-being and life expectancy.

Removal of pharmaceuticals from nitrified urine.

In this study, granular activated carbon (GAC) was examined for the removal of five of the most commonly detected pharmaceuticals (naproxen, carbamazepine, acetaminophen, ibuprofen and metronidazole) from a nitrified urine to make the urine-derived fertiliser nutrient safe for food crops. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the adsorption kinetics that described the removal of micropollutants (equal concentrations of 0.2 mM) from the synthetic nitrified urine at different GAC dosages (10-3000 mg/L). Artificial neural network modelling was also used to predict and simulate the removal of pharmaceuticals from nitrified urine. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models described the equilibrium data, with the Langmuir model providing slightly higher correlations. At the highest dose of 3000 mg/L GAC, all the pharmaceuticals showed a removal rates of over 90% after 1 h of adsorption time and 99% removal rates after 6 h of adsorption time. This study concludes that GAC is able to remove the targeted xenobiotics without affecting the concentration of N and P in the urine, suggesting that nitrified urine could be safely used as a nutrient product in future.