Qualitative and quantitative comparison of allergen component-specific to birch and grass analyzed by ImmunoCAP assay and Euroline immunoblot test.

Summary: Background.In the diagnostic work up of allergy, determining allergen component-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) is important for diagnosis, prognosis and choice of treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the immunoblotting assay (Euroline) in detection of IgE antibodies against timothy grass and birch pollen allergen components compared to fluorescent enzyme assay (ImmunoCAP, Phadia 250). Methods. A total of 128 serum samples from patients allergic to timothy grass and birch pollen were analysed. The levels of IgE antibodies to timothy grass and birch pollen were measured using Euroline DPA-Dx pollen 1 and ImmunoCAP assay. The two methods were then compared on binary (positive vs negative), semi-quantitative (IgE classes) and quantitative (concentration) levels. The two methods were also compared to results from skin prick testing. Results. The Euroline method showed a positive percentage agreement of 93% and negative percentage agreement of 94% with an overall accuracy of 94% when compared to ImmunoCAP. Kappa analysis showed moderate strength of agreement between the methods in determining IgE classes for 7/11 components tested. All components showed a positive correlation when analysed using Spearman's rank correlation. Conclusions. Overall, we found that there is good correlation between the Euroline and ImmunoCAP methods in measuring IgE sensitization.

Pre-treatment allergen-specific IgE analysis and outcomes of allergen immunotherapy.

Summary: Background. Patients show varied results to allergen immunotherapy (AIT. The reason for this variability is unclear. Objective. To describe the relationship between AIT efficacy and demographic characteristics, as well as pre-treatment plasma levels of specific IgE-antibodies to grass and birch pollen. Methods. A retrospective study was performed based on medical records of 128 patients who received AIT. The patients completed a questionnaire and pre-AIT plasma levels of allergen-specific IgE to grass and birch pollen were measured using EUROLINE DPA-Dx pollen 1 method. Results. Seventy percent of patients classified their allergic symptoms as less severe after AIT. Twenty-seven percent had received AIT targeting only grass pollen, 19% targeting only birch pollen, and 55% targeting both grass and birch. A total of 35 different IgE profiles were found across our study population. On comparison of the demographic characteristics and concentration of allergen-specific IgE-antibodies, no statistically significant differences could be found.Conclusions. The majority of patients rated their allergic symptoms as less severe after AIT. No clear relationship could be demonstrated between pre-treatment allergen-specific IgE concentration, or demographic characteristics, and effect of AIT. There may be other factors underlying the different responses to AIT.

[The Confusion Assessment Method: Transcultural adaptation of a French version]. / Adaptation transculturelle francophone de la Confusion Assessment Method.

INTRODUCTION: The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) is a validated key tool in clinical practice and research programs to diagnose delirium and assess its severity. There is no validated French version of the CAM training manual and coding guide (Inouye SK). The aim of this study was to establish a consensual French version of the CAM and its manual. METHODS: Cross-cultural adaptation to achieve equivalence between the original version and a French adapted version of the CAM manual. RESULTS: A rigorous process was conducted including control of cultural adequacy of the tool's components, double forward and back translations, reconciliation, expert committee review (including bilingual translators with different nationalities, a linguist, highly qualified clinicians, methodologists) and pretesting. A consensual French version of the CAM was achieved. CONCLUSION: Implementation of the CAM French version in daily clinical practice will enable optimal diagnosis of delirium diagnosis and enhance communication between health professionals in French speaking countries. Validity and psychometric properties are being tested in a French multicenter cohort, opening up new perspectives for improved quality of care and research programs in French speaking countries.

Effect of grapefruit juice on amiodarone induced nephrotoxicity in albino rats.

Amiodarone is a potent antiarrhythmic drug that is used to treat ventricular and supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. The present work studied the effect of amiodarone on the kidney of albino rats and the possible ameliorative role of grapefruit juice. Administration of amiodarone by gastric intubation (18 mg/kg body weight (b.w.), daily for 5 weeks) caused many histological alterations including intertubular leucocytic infiltrations, degeneration of the renal tubules, and atrophy of the glomeruli. Amiodarone caused marked elevation in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. Histochemical examination of the renal tubules revealed depletion of glycogen and total proteins. Besides, animals administered with amiodarone showed an increase of apoptotic bands as detected by gel electrophoresis. Treating animals with amiodarone and grapefruit juice (27 ml/kg b.w.) caused an improvement in histological and histochemical appearance of the kidney together with decrease of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. Moreover, the apoptosis was decreased. It is concluded from the obtained results that grapefruit juice ameliorates the nephrotoxicity of amiodarone in albino rats and this may be due to the potent antioxidant effects of its components.

Carbendazim-induced testicular damage and oxidative stress in albino rats: ameliorative effect of licorice aqueous extract.

Carbendazim is a broad spectrum carbamate fungicide used in the control of various fungal pathogens. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is one of the widely used medicinal plants in oriental nations. The present work studied the effect of licorice aqueous extract on carbendazim-induced testicular toxicity in albino rats. Administration of carbendazim induced significant decrease in testis weight, diameter, and germinal epithelial height of the seminiferous tubules. Histological results revealed degeneration of seminiferous tubules, loss of spermatogenic cells, and apoptosis. Moreover, carbendazim caused elevation of testicular malondialdehyde (MDA), marker of lipid peroxidation, and reduced the activity of the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Coadministration of licorice extract with carbendazim improved the histomorphological and histopathological changes observed in animals treated with carbendazim. In addition, licorice treatment leads to a significant decrease in the level of MDA and increase in the activities of SOD and CAT. According to the present results, it is concluded that licorice aqueous extract can improve the testicular toxicity of carbendazim and this effect may be attributed to antioxidant properties of one or more of its constituents.

Resource recovery from septic tank effluent using duckweed-based tilapia aquaculture.

Two parallel duckweed ponds were deployed to utilize nutrients from the effluent of a septic tank treating domestic wastewater. The effluent and fresh biomass of duckweed pond were fed to two subsequent fish ponds stocked with Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Fish ponds receiving freshwater and commercial feed were used as control. The results of specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio showed no significant difference between the control ponds and treatment ponds. On the other hand, the total and net fish yields were significantly higher in the control. Microbial analysis revealed contamination of gills, intestine and liver of fish in the treatment ponds. The activity of the immune response genes was up-regulated in the brain and liver of the treatment samples. A micronucleus assay revealed a similar percentage of micronuclei in the polychromatic erythrocytes of blood in the control and treatment samples, while the treatment samples a had higher incidence of micronuclei in the polychromatic erythrocytes of gills, compared with the control.

The Association of Immunotherapy With the Overall Survival of Inoperable Stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Who Do Not Receive Chemoradiation.

Immunotherapy has been approved for stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as consolidation therapy after chemoradiation in patients whose disease does not progress after chemoradiation. However, many patients do not receive chemoradiation due to either the drugs' side effects or poor performance status. This study's objective is to investigate the association of immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy or Radiotherapy (RT) with the overall survival (OS) of stage III NSCLC patients who do not receive chemoradiation. Patients with stage III NSCLC who received either chemotherapy or RT with or without immunotherapy were identified from NCDB. The Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was implied to assess the effect of immunotherapy on survival after adjusting the model for age at diagnosis, race, sex, education, treatment facility type, insurance status, comorbidity score, histology year of diagnosis, and treatment types, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The final analysis included 32,328 patients, among whom 3,205 (9.9%) received immunotherapy. In the multivariable analysis adjusted for all the factors previously mentioned, immunotherapy was associated with significantly improved OS (HR: 0.76, CI: 0.71-0.81) compared with no immunotherapy. Treatment with chemotherapy plus immunotherapy was significantly associated with improved OS (HR: 0.83, CI: 0.77-0.90) compared with chemotherapy without immunotherapy. Further, RT plus immunotherapy was associated with significantly improved OS (HR: 0.62, CI: 0.54-0.70) compared with RT alone. In this comprehensive analysis, the addition of immunotherapy to chemotherapy or radiotherapy was associated with improved OS compared with chemotherapy or radiation therapy without immunotherapy in stage III NSCLC patients.

Retraction notice to "Cinnamomum zeylanicum alleviate testicular damage induced by high fat diet in albino rats; histological and ultrastructural studies" [Heliyon 6 (2020) e05584].

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05584.].

Sociodemographic disparities in targeted therapy in ovarian cancer in a national sample.

Background: The treatment landscape for ovarian cancer has changed in recent years with the introduction of targeted therapies to treat patients with advanced disease. We investigated patient demographic and clinical factors associated with use of targeted therapies as a part of the first-line treatment for ovarian cancer. Methods: This study included patients diagnosed with stage I-IV ovarian cancer between 2012 and 2019 from the National Cancer Database. Information on demographic and clinical characteristics were collected and described using frequency and percent across receipt of targeted therapy. Logistic regression was used to compute the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) associating patient demographic and clinical factors with receipt of targeted therapy. Results: Among 99,286 ovarian cancer patients (mean age 62 years), 4.1% received targeted therapy. The rate of targeted therapy receipt across racial and ethnic groups over the study period was fairly similar; however, non-Hispanic Black women were less likely to receive targeted therapy than their non-Hispanic White counterparts (OR=0.87, 95% CI: 0.76-1.00). Patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were more likely to receive targeted therapy than those who received adjuvant chemotherapy (OR=1.26; 95% CI: 1.15-1.38). Moreover, among patients who received targeted therapy, 28% received neoadjuvant targeted therapy, with non-Hispanic Black women being most likely to receive neoadjuvant targeted therapy (34%) compared with other racial and ethnic groups. Conclusions: We observed differences in receipt of targeted therapy by factors such as age at diagnosis, stage, and comorbidities present at diagnosis, as well as factors related to healthcare access-including neighborhood education level and health insurance status. Approximately 28% of patients received targeted therapy in the neoadjuvant setting, which could negatively impact treatment outcomes and survival due to the increased risk of complications associated with targeted therapies that may delay or prevent surgery. These results warrant further evaluation in a cohort of patients with more comprehensive treatment information.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Ovarian Cancer: Are There Racial Disparities in Use and Survival?

BACKGROUND: We investigated racial and ethnic disparities in treatment sequence [i.e., neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) plus interval debulking surgery (IDS) versus primary debulking surgery (PDS) plus adjuvant chemotherapy] among patients with ovarian cancer and its contribution to disparities in mortality. METHODS: Study included 37,566 women ages ≥18 years, diagnosed with stage III/IV ovarian cancer from the National Cancer Database (2004-2017). Logistic regression was used to compute ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for racial and ethnic disparities in treatment sequence. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate HRs and 95% CI for racial and ethnic disparities in all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and Asian women were more likely to receive NACT plus IDS relative to PDS plus adjuvant chemotherapy than non-Hispanic White (NHW) women (OR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.02-1.22 and OR: 1.12; 95% CI: 0.99-1.28, respectively). Compared with NHW women, NHB women had increased hazard of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.09-1.20), whereas Asian and Hispanic women had a lower hazard of all-cause mortality (HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74-0.88 and HR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.77-0.88, respectively), which did not change after accounting for treatment sequence. CONCLUSIONS: NHB women were more likely to receive NACT plus IDS and experience a higher all-cause mortality rates than NHW women. IMPACT: Differences in treatment sequence did not explain racial disparities in all-cause mortality. Further evaluation of racial and ethnic differences in treatment and survival in a cohort of patients with detailed treatment information is warranted.

Clinical and morphological features of large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas and small-cell lung carcinomas expressing the DLL3 and ASCL1 oncoproteins.

Intratumoral similarities and differences between large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNECs) and small-cell lung carcinomas (SCLCs) are determined partially by the Notch signaling pathway, which controls the switch from neuroendocrine to slight/non-neuroendocrine cell fate. LCNECs are divided into two subgroups according to genomic alterations: type I LCNECs exhibit a neuroendocrine profile characterized by achaete-scute homolog 1 (ASCL1)high/delta-like protein 3 (DLL3)high/NOTCHlow and type II LCNECs show the pattern ASCL1low/DLL3low/NOTCHhigh. Here, we used immunohistochemistry, transmission electron microscopy, and digital analysis to examine the role of the Notch ligand DLL3 as an immunomarker of the neuroendocrine state and ASCL1 as a regulator of cell-cell interactions in SCLCs and LCNECs. High DLL3 and ASCL1 expression was associated with atypical submicroscopic characteristics involving nuclear size, chromatin arrangement, Golgi apparatus, and endoplasmic reticulum, and was characteristic of type I LCNECs with similarity to SCLCs, whereas low DLL3 and ASCL1 expression was found in both SCLCs and type II LCNECs. In patients diagnosed at an early stage who did not have metastasis and who underwent chemotherapy, DLL3high and ASCL1high SCLCs and type I LCNECs were associated with a better prognosis and a lower risk of death. The present findings suggested that DLL3/ASCL1 are potential therapeutic targets and prognostic indicators in patients with SCLCs or LCNECs.

Clinical outcome of Brazilian patients with non-small cell lung cancer in early stage harboring rare mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor.

The common epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, such as the L858R point mutation in exon 21 and the in-frame deletional mutation in exon 19, have been definitively associated with response to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI). However, the clinical outcome and response to treatment for many other rarer mutations are still unclear. In this study, we report the results of Brazilian patients in stage IB-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) following complete resection with minimal residual disease and EGFR mutations treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and/or EGFR-TKIs. The frequency of EGFR mutations was investigated in 70 cases of early stage NSCLC. Mutations in exons 18 and 20, uncommon mutations in exons 19 and 21, as well as in exons 3, 7, 14, 16, 22, 27, and 28, and/or the presence of different mutations in a single tumor (complex mutations) are considered rare. EGFR mutations were detected in 23 tumors (32.9%). Fourteen cases carried rare mutations and were treated with platinum-based chemotherapy and two cases were treated with erlotinib. The clinical outcome is described case by case with references to the literature. Notably, we found two rare EGFR mutations and one of them with an unknown response to chemotherapy and/or EGFR-TKIs. We have provided complementary information concerning the clinical outcome and treatment of patients with early stage NSCLC for several rare EGFR mutations not previously or only rarely reported. Description of cases harboring rare mutations can support the decision-making process in this subset of patients.

A semi-automated microscopic image analysis method for scoring Ki-67 nuclear immunostaining.

Nuclear proliferation marker MIB-1 (Ki-67) immunohistochemistry (IHC) is used to examine tumor cell proliferation. However, the diagnostic or prognostic value of the Ki-67 nuclear staining intensity and location, defined as nuclear gradient (NG), has not been assessed. This study examined the potential association between Ki-67 NG and cell cycle phases and its effect on the prognosis of pulmonary typical carcinoid (PTC) tumors. We propose a method for classifying the NG of Ki-67 during the cell cycle and compare the results between PTC, pulmonary adenocarcinoma (PAD), and breast ductal carcinoma (BDC). A literature review and objective analysis of IHC-stained paraffin sections were used to determine the Ki-67 labeling index and composed a stratification of the NG into NG1, NG2, and NG3/4 categories. A semi-automated image analysis protocol was established to determine the Ki-67 NG in PTC, PAD, and BDC. High intraobserver consistency and moderate interobserver agreement were achieved in the determination of Ki-67 NG in tumor specimens. NG1 and NG2 were lower in PTC than in PAD and BDC. Cox multivariate analysis of PTC after adjusting for age and number of metastatic lymph nodes showed that Ki-67 NG1 and NG2 significantly predicted clinical outcomes. The semi-automated method for quantification of Ki-67 nuclear immunostaining proposed in this study could become a valuable diagnostic and prognostic tool in PTC.

Concomitant TP53 mutation in early-stage resected EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer: a narrative approach in a genetically admixed Brazilian cohort.

TP53 mutations are frequent in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and have been associated with poor outcome. The prognostic and predictive relevance of EGFR/TP53 co-mutations in NSCLC is controversial. We analyzed lung tissue specimens from 70 patients with NSCLC using next-generation sequencing to determine EGFR and TP53 status and the association between these status with baseline patient and tumor characteristics, adjuvant treatments, relapse, and progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after surgical resection. We found the EGFR mutation in 32.9% of patients (20% classical mutations and 12.9% uncommon mutations). TP53 missense mutations occurred in 25.7% and TP53/EGFR co-mutations occurred in 43.5% of patients. Stage after surgical resection was significantly associated with OS (P=0.028). We identified an association between progression-free survival and poor outcome in patients with distant metastases (P=0.007). We found a marginally significant difference in OS between genders (P=0.057) and between mutant and wild type TP53 (P=0.079). In univariate analysis, distant metastases (P=0.027), pathological stage (IIIA-IIIB vs I-II; P=0.028), and TP53 status (borderline significance between wild type and mutant; P=0.079) influenced OS. In multivariable analysis, a significant model for high risk of death and poor OS (P=0.029) selected patients in stage IIIA-IIIB, with relapse and distant metastases, non-responsive to platin-based chemotherapy and erlotinib, with tumors harboring EGFR uncommon mutations, with TP53 mutant, and with EGFR/TP53 co-mutations. Our study suggested that TP53 mutation tends to confer poor survival and a potentially negative predictive effect associated with a non-response to platinum-based chemotherapy and erlotinib in early-stage resected EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

Effect of fenugreek seed extract on adriamycin-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in albino rats.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of fenugreek seeds against hepatotoxicity induced in albino rats by the anticancer drug adriamycin (ADR). Animals were given single dose of ADR (10 mg/kg body weight) and were killed after 2 and 4 weeks. Liver of ADR-treated animals showed histopathological and biochemical alterations. The histopathological changes include hepatic tissue impairment, cytoplasmic vacuolization of the hepatocytes, congestion of blood vessels, leucocytic infiltrations and fatty infiltration. Moreover, the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen was increased in ADR-treated rats. The liver enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase (ALT) and alanine aminotransferase (AST) were increased in the sera of treated rats. Moreover, ADR significantly increased the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in hepatic tissue. Treating animals with ADR and aqueous extract of fenugreek (0.4 g/kg body weight) seeds led to an improvement in histological and biochemical alterations induced by ADR. The biochemical results showed that AST and ALT appeared normal together with reduction in the level of MDA (lipid peroxidation marker) and increase in SOD and CAT activities. It was concluded from this study that the aqueous extract fenugreek seeds has a beneficial impact on ADR-induced hepatotoxicity due to its antioxidant effect in albino rats.

Effect of fenugreek seeds extract on cyclophosphamide-induced histomorphometrical, ultrastructural and biochemical changes in testes of albino mice.

Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is an anticancer drug used in the treatment of a variety of neoplastic lesions. On the other hand, treatment with CPA was accompanied by different toxic effects on different body organs. The present work was conducted to study the effect of fenugreek seed extract on histomorphometrical and ultrastructural changes induced by CPA in testes of albino mice. Twenty animals were given CPA (7.0 mg/kg body weight) three times/week orally for 8 weeks and were killed after 4 and 8 weeks. Testis of CPA-treated mice showed many histological alterations including appearance of irregular seminiferous tubules, reduction in the number of all spermatogenic cells, degeneration of Leydig cells and appearance of intertubular hemorrhage. Concerning the ultrastructural changes, abnormalities in spermatogonia (A and B), spermatocytes, round and elongated spermatids were observed. Degenerated Sertoli cells and degenerated interstitial tissue with abnormal Leydig cells were also seen. Moreover, administration of CPA to animals significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA, lipid peroxidation marker) and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). These changes were time-dependent. Treating animals with CPA and fenugreek seed extract (0.4 g/kg body weight) led to an improvement in the histological and ultrastructural pictures of the testis together with reduction in the level of serum MDA and increase in the activities of serum SOD and CAT. In conclusion, the results of the present work indicated that fenugreek had ameliorative effect against testis damage induced by CPA and this may be mediated by its potent antioxidant activities.

Multivariate Analysis of Agronomic Traits in Newly Developed Maize Hybrids Grown under Different Agro-Environments.

Developing high-yielding maize hybrids is essential under the fast-growing global population and abrupt global climate change. Planting density is one of the imperative components for enhancing maize productivity. This study assessed newly developed maize hybrids under three planting densities on two sowing dates. The evaluated hybrids were 40 maize genotypes comprised of 36 F1-developed hybrids and 4 commercial high-yielding check hybrids. The developed hybrids were generated from selected maize inbred lines according to their adaptive traits to high planting density, such as prolificacy, erect leaves, short plants, early silking, anthesis-silking interval, and small tassel size. The applied planting densities were high, intermediate, and low, with 95,000, 75,000, and 55,000 plants/ha, respectively, under timely and late sowing. The high planting density displayed the uppermost grain yield compared with the intermediate and low densities at both sowing dates. The developed hybrid G36 exhibited the highest agronomic performance under high planting density at timely and late sowing. Additionally, G38, G16, G37, G23, G5, G31, G18, G7, G2, G20, G29, and G17 displayed high agronomic traits at both sowing dates. Joint regression and AMMI analyses revealed significant genotype, agro-environment, and genotype × agro-environment interaction effects for grain yield. The AMMI biplot displayed that G39 was closest to the ideal stable hybrid, and the hybrids G36, G18, G38, G17, G2, and G37 were considered desirable stable hybrids. Moreover, the GGE biplot indicated that a high planting density at an optimal sowing date could be considered a representative environment for discriminating high-yielding maize hybrids. The designated promising hybrids are recommended for further inclusion in maize breeding due to their stability and high yields.

Electron donor addition for stimulating the microbial degradation of 1,4 dioxane by sequential batch membrane bioreactor: A techno-economic approach.

The presence of 1,4 dioxane in wastewater is associated with severe health and environmental issues. The removal of this toxic contaminant from the industrial effluents prior to final disposal is necessary. The study comprehensively evaluates the performance of sequential batch membrane bioreactor (MBR) for treating wastewater laden with 1,4 dioxane. Acetate was supplemented to the wastewater feed as an electron donor for enhancing and stimulating the microbial growing activities towards the degradation of 1,4 dioxane. The removal efficiency of 1,4 dioxane was maximized to 87.5 ± 6.8% using an acetate to dioxane (A/D) ratio of 4.0, which was substantially dropped to 31.06 ± 3.7% without acetate addition. Ethylene glycol, glyoxylic acid, glycolic acid, and oxalic acid were the main metabolites of 1,4 dioxane biodegradation using mixed culture bacteria. The 1,4 dioxane degrading bacteria, particularly the genus of Acinetobacter, were promoted to 92% at the A/D ratio of 4.0. This condition encouraged as well the increase of the main 1,4 dioxane degraders, i.e., Xanthomonadales (12.5%) and Pseudomonadales (9.1%). However, 50% of the Sphingobacteriales and 82.5% of Planctomycetes were reduced due to the inhibition effect of the 1,4 dioxane contaminate. Similarly, the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobia, Chlamydiae, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Nitrospirae was reduced in the MBR at the A/D ratio of 4.0. The results derived from the microbial analysis and metabolites detection at different A/D ratios indicated that acetate supplementation (as an electron donor) maintained an essential role in encouraging the microorganisms to produce the monooxygenase enzymes responsible for the biodegradation process. Economic feasibility of such a MBR system showed that for a designed flow rate of 30 m3∙d-1, the payback period from reusing the treated wastewater would reach 6.6 yr. The results strongly recommend the utilization of mixed culture bacteria growing on acetate for removing 1,4 dioxane from the wastewater industry, achieving dual environmental and economic benefits.

Treatment of hazardous wastewater generated from metal finishing and electro-coating industry via self-coagulation: Case study.

The aim of this study is to find out a sustainable and cost-effective solution to manage hazardous shock loads from metal finishing and electro-coating industry. Results indicated that the main sources of hazardous wastewater are coming from batch chemical cleaning of degreasing basin (CCDB) (pH 13) and contains very hazardous chemicals, batch chemical cleaning of phosphating basin (CCPB) (pH 1.03) and contains high concentrations of iron (2300 mg/L) and zinc (2400 mg/L) and degreasing basin contents (DBC). Different treatment approaches were investigated. Results indicated that mixing CCDB with CCPB at their actual discharge allowed to form a self-coagulant of metal hydroxide which was utilized to treat the (DBC) followed by sedimentation. Removal efficiency of COD (87%), TSS (94%), and oil and grease (92%) were achieved. To compare the efficiency of this treatment approach, conventional chemical coagulation of DBC was carried out using FeCl3 but the amount was very high. In conclusion, results proved the advantage of using self-coagulation to treat DBC since it eliminates the use of external chemicals and provides an integrated solution for the three main sources of hazardous pollutants. PRACTITIONER POINTS: The manuscript provide an innovative and sustainable solution to the shock loads of hazardous wastewater generated from metal finishing and E-coating industry by utilizing iron-rich wastewater from chemical cleaning of phosphating basin and alkaline wastewater from chemical cleaning of degreasing basin to produce metal hydroxide. The metal hydroxide was cost-effective and technically effectively than external coagulant in treating highly polluted degreasing basin content at due discharge time. Iron-rich wastewater could be used to produce self-coagulant of iron hydroxide. Mixing iron rich wastewater and alkaline wastewater produce iron hydroxide. Iron hydroxide is cost-effective in treating hazardous wastewater of degreasing basin.