Environmental factors and incidence of thyroid cancer in the world (1990-2019): an ecological study.

Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common endocrine malignancy. Environmental risk factors such as presence of pollutants in air as well as the combustion of fossil fuels or carbon as a cooking habit in closed environments inside houses affect thyroid hormonal homeostasis and diseases. This study aimed to estimate the association between environmental risk factors and the incidence of thyroid cancer worldwide from 1990 to 2019 including particulate pollutants coming from fossil fuels employed in closed environments. Data on the incidence of thyroid cancer and some environmental risk factors were extracted from the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the correlation between the thyroid cancer incidence and environmental risk factors. Finally, a generalized additive model was fitted for modeling. R 3.5.0 was used for analysis of the data. The most relevant results showed that the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of thyroid cancer has a positive and significant correlation with environmental air pollution by O3 (r=0.63, P value<0.001), by particulate matter pollution (r=0.23, P value<0.001), and by household PM2.5 air pollution (r=0.52, P value≤0.001). In contrast, the correlation between ASIR and high temperature (T>25.6°C) (r=-0.27, P value<0.001) is negative and significant. The modeling results showed that particulate matter pollution and O3 pollution and household PM2.5 air pollution which originated from solid fuels are risk factors for thyroid cancer. Therefore, more research in this field is necessary in areas with high levels of air pollution at the national and international levels.

Dual-high-frequency from single-piezoelectric crystal for ACE degradation by hybrid advanced oxidation UV-sonochemistry process.

This study investigates the combination of two waves emitted from a single-piezoelectric crystal by use of a dual-frequency generator in a sonochemical reactor. The dual-frequency configurations analyzed were the double-modulated fundamental frequency (376-376 kHz), resonant and second harmonic, termed 376D, 376R and 376H respectively. The effect of the phase shift (Φ) and the percentage of modulation between added waves were described by the total acoustic power distribution (Pt) measured inside the sonoreactor. Moreover, optimal angle alignment and modulation between dual-frequency waves for 376D, 376R and 376H cases were selected in order to evaluate the ultrasonic synergy by sonochemical reactivity in production of H2O2, in degradation rate of a model emerging pollutant ACE, and in the TOC and biodegradability evolution in the treated effluent. Phase shift and percentage of modulation had strong effect on the resulted waveform and on the sonochemical efficiency for all, harmonic and non-harmonic, dual-frequency combinations created. In the 376D case, the best reinforcement conditions are founded at 0° and 360°. In the 376H the maximum power distribution presents a 90° period. Shift phase does not determines any cyclic pattern in the total power distribution for the 376R case. The highest H2O2 production rate was observed for the 376H case followed for 376D and 376R configurations with 1.61, 1.12 and 0.58 µM/min by angle alignment in 105, 0 and 110° respectively. The highest initial degradation rate of ACE was observed for the 376D case followed for 376H and 376R with 0.56, 0.42 and 0.33 µM/min at 100% modulation. Reduced mineralization was observed in all dual-frequency configurations (8.54% for 376D and approximately 4.5% for 376R and 3756H modes). Contrasting results are observed regard to biodegradability ratio following the next sequence 376D < 376H≈376R with 0.9, 2.30 and 2.33 respectively. Relevant intensification in hydroxyl radicals production is observed by the UV-US system increasing up three folds the ACE removal and mineralization and two folds higher biodegradability of effluent in particular for 376R and 376H cases at optimal operation condition of dual-frequency signal.

Effect of meteorological factors and Air Quality Index on the COVID-19 epidemiological characteristics: an ecological study among 210 countries.

The survival of COVID-19 in different environments may be affected by a variety of weather, pollution, and seasonal parameters. Therefore, the present study aims to conduct an ecological investigation on COVID-19 average growth rate of daily cases and deaths influenced by environmental factors (temperature, humidity, and air pollution) using a sample size of adjusted cumulative incidence of daily cases and deaths based on five 60-day periods. Research data was gathered on official websites, including information on COVID-19, meteorological data, and air pollution indicators from December 31, 2019, to October 12, 2020, from 210 countries. Spearman correlation and generalized additive model (GAM) were used to analyze the data. During the observed period, the COVID-19 average growth rate of daily cases (r = -0.08, P =0.151) and deaths (r= -0.09, P = 0.207) were not correlated with humidity. Also, there was a negative relationship between the COVID-19 average growth rate of new cases and deaths with the Air Quality Index (AQI) and wind (new cases and wind: r=-0.25, P= 0.04). Furthermore, the data related to the first and second 60 day of the adjusted cumulative incidence of COVID-19 daily cases and deaths were not associated with humidity and Air Quality Index (AQI). The result of GAM showed the effect of AQI on the average growth rate of COVID-19 new cases and deaths. This study provides evidence for a positive relationship between COVID-19 daily cases, deaths, and AQI.

The temperature and regional climate effects on communitarian COVID-19 contagion in Mexico throughout phase 1.

Due to the close relationship between the incidence of infectious diseases by epidemics and environmental conditions, this research explores the temperature, evaporation, precipitation and regional climate effects on the local transmission of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 inside 31 states and capital of Mexico since February 29 (national onset) to March 31, 2020. Statistical analysis was conducted to explore the association between the daily local COVID-19 confirmed positive cases (LCPC) and both climate characteristics and the daily weather reported by the regional meteorological stations. In this work, the local transmission ratio (LTR) was calculated with the regional LCPC divided by the number of the effective contagion days since regional onset in each state. The results showed a negative association between temperature (mean, max and min) and climate classification with both LCPC and LTR variables. The precipitation associated positively with LCPC and LTR. The associations between the climate classification with LCPC and LTR are statistically significant. The tropical climate (mean temperature around 25.95 °C and mean precipitation around 8.74 mm) delayed the regional onset. However, the regional onset in dry climates emerged earlier as consequence of the lower temperatures and higher precipitations (20.57 °C and 20.87 mm respectively) than the observed in the tropical climate. The fastest regional onsets were observed in tempered climates in states where the lowest temperatures and lowest precipitations were registered (19.65 °C and 8.48 mm respectively). Meteorological factors influenced the trend on the regional outbreaks in Mexican's states likely by the host predisposition and susceptibility during the cold winter season. In Mexico, the climate characteristics played a crucial role on the local infection during the phase 1 being the tempered regions (as Michoacán, Jalisco, Puebla, etc.) more vulnerable than the dry (as Chihuahua, Durango or Zacatecas, etc.) or tropical areas (as Colima, Campeche, Morelos etc.).

Photooxidation of the antidepressant drug Fluoxetine (Prozac®) in aqueous media by hybrid catalytic/ozonation processes.

This article examines the oxidative disposal of Prozac(®) (also known as Fluoxetine, FXT) through several oxidative processes with and without UV irradiation: for example, TiO(2) alone, O(3) alone, and the hybrid methods comprised of O(3) + H(2)O(2) (PEROXONE process), TiO(2) + O(3) and TiO(2) + O(3) + H(2)O(2) at the laboratory scale. Results show a strong pH dependence of the adsorption of FXT on TiO(2) and the crucial role of adsorption in the whole degradation process. Photolysis of FXT is remarkable only under alkaline pH. The heterogeneous photoassisted process removes 0.11 mM FXT (initial concentration) within ca. 60 min with a concomitant 50% mineralization at pH 11 (TiO(2) loading, 0.050 g L(-1)). The presence of H(2)O(2) enhances the mineralization further to >70%. UV/ozonation leads to the elimination of FXT to a greater extent than does UV/TiO(2): i.e., 100% elimination of FXT is achieved by UV/O(3) in the first 10 min of reaction and almost 97% mineralization is attained under UV irradiation in the presence of H(2)O(2). The hybrid configuration UV + TiO(2) + O(3) + H(2)O(2) enhances removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in ca. 30 min leaving, however, an important inorganic carbon (IC) content. In all cases, the presence of H(2)O(2) improves the elimination of DOC, but not without a detrimental effect on the biodegradability of FXT owing to the low organic carbon content in the final treated effluent, together with significant levels of inorganic byproducts remaining. The photoassisted TiO(2)/O(3) hybrid method may prove to be an efficient combination to enhance wastewater treatment of recalcitrant drug pollutants in aquatic environments.

Degradation of the emerging contaminant ibuprofen in water by photo-Fenton.

In this study the degradation of the worldwide Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) ibuprofen (IBP) by photo-Fenton reaction by use of solar artificial irradiation was carried out. Non-photocatalytic experiments (complex formation, photolysis and UV/Vis-H(2)O(2) oxidation) were executed to evaluate the isolated effects and additional differentiated degradation pathways of IBP. The solar photolysis cleavage of H(2)O(2) generates hydroxylated-IBP byproducts without mineralization. Fenton reaction, however promotes hydroxylation with a 10% contamination in form of a mineralization. In contrast photo-Fenton in addition promotes the decarboxylation of IBP and its total depletion is observed. In absence of H(2)O(2) a decrease of IBP was observed in the Fe(II)/UV-Vis process due to the complex formation between iron and the IBP-carboxylic moiety. The degradation pathway can be described as an interconnected and successive principal decarboxylation and hydroxylation steps. TOC depletion of 40% was observed in photo-Fenton degradation. The iron-IBP binding was the key-point of the decarboxylation pathway. Both decarboxylation and hydroxylation mechanisms, as individual or parallel process are responsible for IBP removal in Fenton and photo-Fenton systems. An increase in the biodegradability of the final effluent after photo-Fenton treatment was observed. Final BOD(5) of 25 mg L(-1) was reached in contrast to the initial BOD(5) shown by the untreated IBP solution (BOD(5)<1 mg L(-1)). The increase in the biodegradability of the photo-Fenton degradation byproducts opens the possibility for a complete remediation with a final post-biological treatment.

Photocatalytic degradation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with TiO2 and simulated solar irradiation.

The aim of this work is to evaluate and compare the degradation achieved for three non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by heterogeneous TiO2 photocatalytic means in aqueous solution at laboratory scale. The selected pharmaceutical compounds were diclofenac (DCF), naproxen (NPX) and ibuprofen (IBP). These compounds were used in their sodium salt chemical form. Previous experiments (adsorption, photolysis and thermodegradation) were developed to evaluate non-catalytic degradation for each NSAID. Photocatalytic experiments were carried out in a Xe-lamp reactor in order to study the influences of different operational conditions (catalyst load, temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration). These results showed that the optimum amount of TiO2, to achieve maximum degradation, of IBP was 1g/L. In contrast, the maximum degradation for DCF or NPX was observed at a TiO2 loading of 0.1g/L. Temperature had a significant effect only for NPX degradation, achieving almost 99% phototransformation. No significant differences were observed for DCF and IBP at 20, 30 and 40 degrees C. Dissolved oxygen concentration was an important parameter to increase the degradation for NPX and IBP. However, it was observed that its rate of mineralization did not increase. Intermediate metabolites were detected in all cases. Hydroxyl metabolites were the most important residual compounds after the photocatalytic treatment of IBP. The inhibition percentage of bioluminescence from Vibro fischeri--as a toxicity parameter--increased during the irradiation time due to the residual concentration of the hydroxyl metabolites generated. However, after 120 min, in experiments with 40 mg/L of dissolved oxygen, a decrease of the % inhibition was observed. Only photocatalytic treatment of IBP drives to a satisfactory biodegradability index BOD5/COD (between 0.16 and 0.42) and, only in this case, a post-biological treatment could be suggested.