Experimental trials to assess the immune modulatory influence of thyme and ginseng oil on NDV-vaccinated broiler chickens.

Background: The use of traditional medicine against viral diseases in animal production has been practiced worldwide. Herbal extracts possess organic substances that would improve chicken body performance. Aim: The current study was designed to evaluate the effect of either thyme or ginseng oil in regard to their immune-modulatory, antiviral, and growth promoter properties. Methods: Two hundred and forty-one-day-old broiler chicks were allocated into eight equal groups as the following: group 1; nonvaccinated and nontreated and group 2; Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccinated and nontreated. Birds of groups 3 and 4 were treated with thyme oil (200 mg/l of drinking water for 12 hours/day) without or with NDV vaccination. Birds of groups 5 and 6 were treated with ginseng oil (200 mg/l of drinking water for 12 hours/day) without or with NDV vaccination. Birds of groups 7 and 8 were treated with a combination of ginseng oil (100 mg/l of drinking water) and thyme oil (100 mg/l of drinking water) for 12 hours/day. On the 35th day of life, birds in all the experimental groups were given 0.1 ml of a virulent genotype VIId NDV strain suspension containing 106.3 EID50/ml intramuscularly. Results: Administration of ginseng and thyme oils each alone or simultaneously to birds either vaccinated or nonvaccinated elicited a significant improvement in body performance parameters. Administration of thyme and ginseng each alone or concurrently to vaccinated birds (Gp 4, 6, and 8) induced a higher hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titer of 6, 7.3, and 6.3 log2 at 21 days of age, 6.7, 7.6, and 7 log2, at 28 days of age and 7, 8, and 6.8 log2 at 35 days of age, respectively. Challenge with vNDV genotype VII led to an increase in the NDV-specific HI-Ab titers 10 days post challenge in all the experimental groups. In addition, thyme, ginseng oils, or a combination of them improved the protection from mortality in vaccinated birds; by 100%, 100%, and 90%, respectively, compared with 80% protection from mortality in vaccinated-only birds post-NDV challenge. Moreover, NDV-vaccinated birds treated either with thyme; ginseng or their combination showed negative detection of the virus in both tracheal and cloacal swabs and nonvaccinated groups that received oils showed improvement in vNDV shedding in tracheal and cloacal swabs. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the administration of thyme and ginseng essential oils to broilers can improve productive performance parameters, stimulate humoral immunity against, and protect from vNDV infection.

Immunological studies on the effects of toltrazuril and neem extract in broiler chickens suffering from coccidiosis.

Background: The prevalence of avian coccidiosis in the poultry industry has grown, resulting in substantial financial losses from high mortality, stunted growth, reduced productivity, and expensive medical expenses. Aim: The purpose of the current study was to assess the immunological effects of neem leaf extract and toltrazuril on broilers that had contracted coccidiosis. Methods: In this investigation, 100 one-day-old Cobb broiler chicks without sexes were employed. The chicks were divided into five equal groups, with 20 birds in each. On the 14th day of life, the birds in groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 received an oral inoculation with 1 × 105 sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella (E. tenella) (field isolate). The first group (Gp), which consists of 20 healthy broilers, served as a negative control. Gp (2) contains experimentally infected broilers and nontreated (served as a positive control). Gp (3) contains experimentally infected broilers treated with toltrazuril (1 ml/l drinking water) for two consecutive days. Gp (4) contains experimentally infected broilers treated with neem leaf extract 4% (50 ml/l drinking water) for 5 successive days, and Gp (5) contains experimentally infected broilers treated with toltrazuril (1 ml/l drinking water) and a half dose of neem leaves extract 4% (25 ml/l drinking water) for 5 successive days. For the purpose of estimating body weight growth and feed conversion ratio, each broiler was weighed separately at the start of the trial and again on the 1st and 10th day after treatment. In addition to obtaining intestinal samples for immunohistochemistry, blood samples were also obtained for immunological examination. Results: As compared to the negative control group, the experimentally infested broilers with E. tenella showed significant decreases in serum nitric oxide, lysosome, phagocytic percent, and phagocytic index, along with significant increases in white blood cells (WBCs), lymphocyte, heterophilis, eosinophilis, basophilis, monocyte, serum total protein, γ globulin, fibrinogen, and haptoglobin. When compared to the control positive group, experimentally infested broilers treated with either neem or toltrazuril alone or in combination demonstrated significant increases in serum total protein, nitric oxide, lysozyme, phagocytic percent, and phagocytic index, but significant decreases in WBCs, lymphocytes, heterophile, eosinophile, basophile, and monocyte. The intestinal peroxidase stain of broilers infected with E. tenella exhibited a significant positive expression for CD4, but the infected broilers treated with toltrazuril and half a dosage of neem displayed a negative expression for CD4, identical to the negative control. Conclusion: The broiler chickens infested with E. tenella may have a variety of negative impacts on their immune systems and immunohistopathological findings. Nonetheless, toltrazuril and neem extract, either separately or in combination, function as anticoccidial medications that may enhance the broiler chicks' immune state.

Cymbopogon proximus and Petroselinum crispum seed ethanolic extract/Gum Arabic nanogel emulsion: Preventing ethylene glycol and ammonium chloride-induced urolithiasis in rats.

Urolithiasis is a prevalent urological disorder that contributes significantly to global morbidity. This study aimed to assess the anti-urolithic effects of Cymbopogon proximus (Halfa Bar) and Petroselinum crispum (parsley) seed ethanolic extract /Gum Arabic (GA) emulsion, and its nanogel form against ethylene glycol (EG) and ammonium chloride (AC)-induced experimental urolithiasis in rats. Rats were divided into four groups: group 1 served as the normal control, group 2 received EG with AC in drinking water for 14 days to induce urolithiasis, groups 3 and 4 were orally administered emulsion (600 mg/kg/day) and nanogel emulsion (600 mg/kg/day) for 7 days, followed by co-administration with EG and AC in drinking water for 14 days. Urolithiatic rats exhibited a significant decrease in urinary excreted magnesium, and non-enzymic antioxidant glutathione and catalase activity. Moreover, they showed an increase in oxalate crystal numbers and various urolithiasis promoters, including excreted calcium, oxalate, phosphate, and uric acid. Renal function parameters and lipid peroxidation were intensified. Treatment with either emulsion or nanogel emulsion significantly elevated urolithiasis inhibitors, excreted magnesium, glutathione levels, and catalase activities. Reduced oxalate crystal numbers, urolithiasis promoters' excretion, renal function parameters, and lipid peroxidation while improving histopathological changes. Moreover, it decreased renal crystal deposition score and the expression of Tumer necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and cleaved caspase-3. Notably, nanogel emulsion showed superior effects compared to the emulsion. Cymbopogon proximus (C. proximus) and Petroselinum crispum (P. crispum) seed ethanolic extracts/GA nanogel emulsion demonstrated protective effects against ethylene glycol induced renal stones by mitigating kidney dysfunction, oxalate crystal formation, and histological alterations.

Use of red grape pomace and Aloe vera gel as nutraceuticals to ameliorate stocking density-induced stress in commercial male broilers.

The combined effect of Aloe vera gel (AVG) administered through drinking water and dietary red grape pomace powder (RGP) on growth performance, physiological traits, welfare indicators, and meat quality in densely stocked broilers was evaluated. A total of 750, two-week-old male Ross 308 broilers (317.7 ± 10.12 g live weight) were randomly assigned to 25 cages, with each cage as an experimental unit. The broilers were stocked at a density of 30 birds per cage with a floor space of 1.32 m2. Dietary treatments were a standard grower or finisher diet (CON); CON containing 30 g RGP /kg diet plus either 1 (GPA1), 2 (GPA2), 3 (GPA3), or 4% (GPA4) AVG in drinking water. Treatment GPA1 promoted higher (P < 0.05) overall weight gain and overall feed conversion ratio (FCR) than CON. Positive quadratic effects (P < 0.05) were noted for mean corpuscular hemoglobin, basophils, 24-hour breast meat yellowness, chroma, and hue angle. The GPA2 group had the lowest (P < 0.05) gait score while the CON group had the highest score. Concurrent supplementation with a 30 g RGP /kg diet plus 1% AVG in drinking water enhanced weight gain, FCR, and finisher weight of densely stocked broilers. However, AVG doses beyond 1% did not enhance performance and physiological traits in densely stocked broilers.

Trihalomethanes in global drinking water: Distributions, risk assessments, and attributable disease burden of bladder cancer.

This study aimed to assess the global spatiotemporal variations of trihalomethanes (THMs) in drinking water, evaluate their cancer and non-cancer risks, and THM-attributable bladder cancer burden. THM concentrations in drinking water around fifty years on a global scale were integrated. Health risks were assessed using Monte Carlo simulations and attributable bladder cancer burden was estimated by comparative risk assessment methodology. The results showed that global mean THM concentrations in drinking water significantly decreased from 78.37 µg/L (1973-1983) to 51.99 µg/L (1984-2004) and to 21.90 µg/L (after 2004). The lifestage-integrative cancer risk and hazard index of THMs through all exposure pathways were acceptable with the average level of 6.45 × 10-5 and 7.63 × 10-2, respectively. The global attributable disability adjusted of life years (DALYs) and the age-standardized DALYs rate (ASDR) dropped by 16% and 56% from 1990-1994 to 2015-2019, respectively. A big decline in the attributable ASDR was observed in the United Kingdom (62%) and the United States (27%), while China experienced a nearly 3-fold increase due to the expanded water supply coverage and increased life expectancy. However, China also benefited from the spread of chlorination, which helped reduce nearly 90% of unsafe-water-caused mortality from 1998 to 2018.

How to achieve adequate quenching for DBP analysis in drinking water?

Quenching is an important step to terminate disinfection during preparation of disinfected water samples for the analysis of disinfection byproducts (DBPs). However, an incomplete quenching might result in continued reactions of residual chlorine, whereas an excessive quenching might decompose target DBPs. Therefore, an adequate quenching to achieve simultaneous disinfection termination and DBP preservation is of particular importance. In this study, the two-stage reaction kinetics of chlorine and three commonly used quenching agents (i.e., ascorbic acid, sodium thiosulfate, and sodium sulfite) were determined. Stopping quenching during the first stage prevented interactions of residual chlorine with natural organic matter. Complete quenching was achieved by minimizing the quenching time for ascorbic acid and sodium sulfite, while limiting the quenching time to less than 3 min for sodium thiosulfate. At the optimized quenching times, the molar ratios (MRs) of quenching agent to chlorine were 1.05, 1.10, and 0.75 for ascorbic acid, sodium sulfite, and sodium thiosulfate, respectively. The destructive effects of the three quenching agents on total organic halogen (TOX) followed the rank order of ascorbic acid (33.7-64.8 %) < sodium sulfite (41.6-72.8 %) < sodium thiosulfate (43.3-73.2 %), and the destructive effects on aliphatic DBPs also followed the rank order of ascorbic acid (29.5-44.5 %) < sodium sulfite (34.9-51.9 %) < sodium thiosulfate (46.9-53.2 %). For total organic chlorine (TOCl) and aliphatic DBPs, the quenching behavior itself had more significant destructive effect than the quenching agent type/dose and quenching time, but for total organic bromine (TOBr), the destructive effect caused by quenching agent type/dose and quenching time was more significant. High-dose, long-duration quenching enhanced the reduction of TOX, but had little effect on aliphatic DBPs. Additionally, the three quenching agents reduced the levels of halophenols (except for tribromophenol), while maintained or increased the levels of tribromophenol, halobenzoic/salicylic acids, and halobenzaldehydes/salicylaldehydes. To achieve adequate quenching for overall DBP analysis in chlorinated water samples, it is recommended to use ascorbic acid at a quenching agent-to-chlorine MR of 1.0 for a quenching time of < 0.5 h.

Systematic review of epidemiological and toxicological evidence on health effects of fluoride in drinking water.

INTRODUCTION: Fluoride is a naturally occurring substance that is also added to drinking water, dental hygiene products, and food supplements for preventing dental caries. Concerns have been raised about several other potential health risks of fluoride. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a robust synthesis of evidence regarding human health risks due to exposure to fluoride in drinking water, and to develop a point of departure (POD) for setting a health-based value (HBV) for fluoride in drinking water. METHODS: A systematic review of evidence published since recent reviews of human, animal, and in vitro data was carried out. Bradford Hill considerations were used to weigh the evidence for causality. Several key studies were considered for deriving PODs. RESULTS: The current review identified 89 human studies, 199 animal studies, and 10 major in vitro reviews. The weight of evidence on 39 health endpoints was presented. In addition to dental fluorosis, evidence was considered strong for reduction in IQ scores in children, moderate for thyroid dysfunction, weak for kidney dysfunction, and limited for sex hormone disruptions. CONCLUSION: The current review identified moderate dental fluorosis and reduction in IQ scores in children as the most relevant endpoints for establishing an HBV for fluoride in drinking water. PODs were derived for these two endpoints, although there is still some uncertainty in the causal weight of evidence for causality for reducing IQ scores in children and considerable uncertainty in the derivation of its POD. Given our evaluation of the overall weight of evidence, moderate dental fluorosis is suggested as the key endpoint until more evidence is accumulated on possible reduction of IQ scores effects. A POD of 1.56 mg fluoride/L for moderate dental fluorosis may be preferred as a starting point for setting an HBV for fluoride in drinking water to protect against moderate and severe dental fluorosis. Although outside the scope of the current review, precautionary concerns for potential neurodevelopmental cognitive effects may warrant special consideration in the derivation of the HBV for fluoride in drinking water.

Bromelain can reduce the negative effects of a subclinical necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens.

This study was conducted to examine the efficacy of a bromelain-based supplementation coded ANR-pf on growth performance and intestinal lesion of broiler chickens under necrotic enteritis (NE) challenge. A total of 540 Ross 308 day-old male chicks were randomly allocated into 6 treatments of 6 replicates. The bromelain formulation was delivered to chickens through gavaging or in drinking water method twice, on d 8 and 13. Nonchallenged groups included 1) without or 2) with the specific bromelain formulation gavaged at 0.8 mL/kg. NE-challenged groups included 3) without the specific bromelain formulation; 4) gavaged with 0.4 mL/kg; 5) gavaged with 0.8 mL/kg and 6) supplemented with 0.8 mL/kg via drinking water. Birds were challenged with Eimeria spp. on d 9 and Clostridium perfringens (NE-18 strain) on d 14 and 15. On d 14 and 19, fresh faecal contents were collected for the determination of oocyst counts. Intestinal lesion scores were determined on d16. Performance and mortality were recorded throughout the entire experiment. Among challenged groups, birds received additive via drinking water had higher weight gain (WG) compared to the remaining groups (P < 0.001) in the grower phase and had lower FCR compared to 0.4 mL/kg inoculated group in the grower and finisher phases (P < 0.001). Bromelain supplementation via drinking water improved the WG of challenged birds, similar to that of the nonchallenged birds (P < 0.001), and lowered FCR compared to other challenged groups (P < 0.001). Nonchallenged birds and birds that received bromelain formulation in drinking water did not have lesions throughout the small intestine whereas challenged birds, either un-supplemented or supplemented with bromelain via inoculation route recorded similar lesion score levels in the jejunum. At d 19, birds received bromelain in drinking water had lower fecal oocyst numbers compared to challenged birds without additive (P < 0.001). In conclusion, bromelain administration via drinking water could ameliorate the negative impacts of NE-infection in broilers by improving performance, lowering the oocyst numbers and lesion scores.

Exploring the modulatory effects of brown seaweed meal and extracts on intestinal microbiota and morphology of broiler chickens challenged with heat stress.

Brown seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) is known for its prebiotic roles and can improve animal intestinal health by enhancing the growth of beneficial microbes and inhibiting pathogenic ones. However, the gut health-modulatory roles of brown seaweed on chickens challenged with heat stress (HS) are rarely studied. The current study examined the effects of brown seaweed meal (SWM) and extract (SWE) on the ceca microbiota and small intestinal morphology of chickens challenged or unchallenged with HS. Three hundred and thirty-six 1-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to either a thermoneutral (TN; 24 ± 1°C); or HS room (HS; 32-34°C, 8 h/d from d 21 to 27). All birds in each room were randomly allotted to 4 treatments - control (CON), CON + 1 mL/L seaweed extract (SWE) in drinking water, CON + 2 mL/L SWE in drinking water, and CON + 2% seaweed meal (SWM) in feed and raised for 28 d. On d 14 and 28, 12 and 24 birds per treatment group, respectively, were euthanized to collect the ceca content for gut microbiota analysis and small intestinal tissues for morphological examination. On d 14, 2% SWM increased (P = 0.047) the relative abundance of cecal Fecalibacterium and all brown seaweed treatments improved jejunal villus height (VH) and VH:CD compared to the CON diet. On d 28, HS significantly reduced (P < 0.05) ileal VH, VW, and VH:CD, and duodenal VH and VH:CD. Among the HS group, 2% SWM and 2 mL/L SWE significantly increased (P < 0.05) the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Sellimonas, and Fournierella, compared to the CON diet. HS birds fed with 2% SWM had higher ileal VH and VH:CD compared to other treatments. In summary, SWM and SWE enhanced the abundance of beneficial microbes and improved small intestinal morphology among HS chickens. This implies that seaweed could potentially alleviate HS-induced intestinal impairment in chickens.

Different seasonal dynamics, ecological drivers, and assembly mechanisms of algae in southern and northern drinking water reservoirs.

The role of environmental factors on the community structure of algae has been intensively studied, but there are few analyses on the assembly mechanism of the algal community structure. Here, changes in the community structure of algae in different seasons, the effects of environmental variables on the algal community structure, and the assembly mechanism of the algal community structure in northern and southern reservoirs were investigated in this study. The study revealed that Bacillariophyta, Cyanophyta, and Chlorophyta were the predominant algal species in the reservoirs, with Bacillariophyta and Cyanophyta exhibiting seasonal outbreaks. Compared to the northern reservoirs, the algal diversity in the southern reservoirs was greater. The diversity and algal community structure could be significantly impacted by variations in water temperature and nitrogen level. According to the ecological model, the interaction among algal communities in reservoirs was primarily cooperation. The key taxa in the northern reservoirs was Aphanizomenon sp., while the outbreak in the southern reservoirs was Coelosphaerium sp. The community formation pattern of reservoirs was stochastic, with a higher degree of explanation observed in the southern reservoirs compared to the northern reservoirs. This study preliminarily explored the assembly mechanism of the algal community, providing a theoretical basis for the control of eutrophication in drinking water reservoirs.

Effects of storm runoff on the spatial-temporal variation and stratified water quality in Biliuhe Reservoir, a drinking water reservoir.

Stormflow runoff is an important non-point source of pollution in drinking water reservoirs. Storm runoff is usually very turbid and contains a high concentration of organic matter, therefore affecting water quality when it enters reservoirs. In order to investigate the impact of storm runoff on spatial-temporal variation and stratification of water quality during this rainstorm event, the inflow process of the storm runoff was studied through a combination of field investigation and simulation using the Delft3D-Flow model. Water samples were collected from Biliuhe Reservoir at four different periods: before storm runoff, storm runoff flood peak period, 1 week after storm runoff, and 5 weeks after storm runoff. The results showed that the input of storm runoff resulted in a significant increase in the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in the reservoir water, especially in the reservoir entrance. The concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) gradually decreased after the flood peak period; however, the average concentrations of TN and TP in the entire reservoir remained higher than those before the storm runoff levels for an extended duration. The storm runoff will greatly contribute to the contamination of water quality in a reservoir, and the water quality cannot be quickly restored by self-purification in the short term. During the flood peak period, under the influence of density current, the electrical conductivity (EC) and turbidity increased significantly in the water depth of 10-15 m, so that the reservoir water had obvious stratification between 10 and 15 m. The form of pollutants in storm runoff was mostly in particle phosphorus. Total particulate phosphorus (TPP) concentration was 0.015 ± 0.011 mg/L, accounting for 44.12% of total phosphorus (TP) concentration in storm runoff flood peak period. The process of a rainstorm caused runoff, which carried high levels of turbidity, particulate phosphorus, and organic matter. The storm runoff disrupts the stratification of the reservoir water. In terms of vertical distribution, the turbidity in the reservoir area increased to 73.75 NTU. Therefore, the occurrence of significant turbidity density flow in the reservoir is frequently accompanied by intense rainfall events. Gaining insights into the impact of storm runoff on the vertical distribution of reservoir turbidity can help managers in selecting an appropriate inlet height to mitigate high turbidity outflow.

Long term studying of uranium and radium-226 activity in drinking water in some regions of Ukraine and assessment of corresponding hypotetical irradiation doses.

The article summarizes the activity concentrations data of 226Ra and the sum of uranium isotopes (∑U) in samples of drinking underground water for different regions of Ukraine studied during 1998-2023 in the radiation monitoring laboratory of the State Institution "O.M. Marzieiev Institute of Public Health National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine. Arithmetic mean and standard deviations, minimum and maximum values for 226Ra and ∑U activity concentrations are presented for the entire 1240 sample set and for each region separately. Collected data show that the established state permissible level for drinking water of 1.0 Bq/l is exceeded for 226Ra in 1.1% of the studied samples, and for ∑U-in 3.9% correspondingly. The detected high levels of 226Ra and ∑U activity concentrations correspond to certain regions belonging to the Ukrainian crystalline shield territory. A comparison of the current data with the data of previous studies held during of 1989-1991 indicates a significant difference: for the previous studies the average and standard deviations are much higher. We attribute this to the fact that the centralized sampling of previous studies was random, and it was related exclusively to communal water supply systems. At the same time, the current sample set covers a much larger number of regions, different water consumers; the data set includes the results of repeated studies for a large number of sources, in particular, sources with purified water. Hypothetical exposure doses caused by consumption of 226Ra and ∑U in water for the current sample set were estimated for different age groups for each sample studied, as is, without taking into account the pattern of water consumption. The corresponding dose exceeds the WHO recommended value of 0.1 mSv per year for children under the age of one year for 220 cases (17.7%). This dose limit excess for other age groups corresponds-for children: aged 12-17 years-13.1%, aged 1-2 years-7.4%, 7-12 years old-5.6%, 2-7 years old-3.9% and for adults-4.1%.

The pharmaceutical effect of Korean wild ginseng residue extract on the performance, microbiota quality, cytokine expression, and the ginseng saponin content of laying hen.

In this study, a total of 312 Hyline brown laying hen of 1.92 ± 0.12 kg acquired at 24-wk old were employed to evaluate the pharmaceutical effect of Korean wild ginseng residue extract administered via drinking water on the performance, microbiota quality, cytokine expression, and the ginsenoside saponin (GS) content of laying hen for 12 wk. In the experiments, basic feed (CON) was compared with basic feed + 0.05% wild ginseng in drinking water (WGD1), basic feed + 0.1% wild ginseng in drinking water (WGD2), and basic feed + 0.5% wild ginseng in drinking water (WGD3). At the end of study, hen-day egg production (HDEP), average egg weight (AEW), and egg mass (EM) were linearly higher (p < 0.05) in WGD3 at wk 30 to 33, 34 to 37 wk, and the cumulative wk compared with CON. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was linearly lower in WGD3 at 34 to 37 wk, and the cumulative wk compared with CON. Relative expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was linearly lower (p < 0.05) in the WGD3 at wk 30 to 33, and 34 to 37 wk compared with CON. The GS in egg yolk was linearly higher (p < 0.05) in laying hens supplemented the WGD3 treatment at wk 34 to 37, while the fecal microflora quantity of Lactobacillus was linearly higher (p < 0.05) in WGD3 at wk 30 to 33, till 34 to 37 wk, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) was linearly lower (p < 0.05) in the WGD2 and WGD3 from 2637 wk compared with CON. We concluded the result in HDEP, AEW, EM, and FCR were due to the increase in GS content, tentatively leading to an improvement in the TNF-α, and fecal microflora quality such as Lactobacillus and E. coli in the WGD3. We therefore recommend the use of WGD3 at application level 0.5% in drinking water for optimum laying performance from 30 to 37 wk.

Hysteresis analysis reveals how phytoplankton assemblage shifts with the nutrient dynamics during and between precipitation patterns.

The escalation of global eutrophication has significantly increased due to the impact of climate change, particularly the increased frequency of extreme rainfall events. Predicting and managing eutrophication requires understanding the consequences of precipitation events on algal dynamics. Here, we assessed the influence of precipitation events throughout the year on nutrient and phytoplankton dynamics in a drinking water reservoir from January 2020 to January 2022. Four distinct precipitation patterns, namely early spring flood rain (THX), Plum rain (MY), Typhoon rain (TF), and Dry season (DS), were identified based on rainfall intensity, duration time, and cumulative rainfall. The study findings indicate that rainfall is the primary driver of algal dynamics by altering nutrient levels and TN:TP ratios during wet seasons, while water temperature becomes more critical during the Dry season. Combining precipitation characteristics with the lag periods between algal proliferation and rainfall occurrence is essential for accurately assessing the impact of rainfall on algal blooms. The highest algae proliferation occurred approximately 20 and 30 days after the peak rainfall during the MY and DS periods, respectively. This was influenced by the intensity and cumulative precipitation. The reservoir exhibited two distinct TN/TP ratio stages, with average values of 52 and 19, respectively. These stages were determined by various forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in rainfall-driven inflows and were associated with shifts from Bacillariophyta-dominated to Cyanophyta-dominated blooms during the MY and DS seasons. Our findings underscore the interconnected effects of nutrients, temperature, and hydrological conditions driven by diverse rainfall patterns in shaping algal dynamics. This study provides valuable insights into forecasting algal bloom risks in the context of climate change and developing sustainable strategies for lake or reservoir restoration.

Changes in microcystin concentration in Lake Taihu, 13 years (2007-2020) after the 2007 drinking water crisis.

Since the 2007 water crisis occurred in Lake Taihu, substantial measures have been taken to restore the lake. This study evaluates the effectiveness of these restoration activities. We examined the physicochemical parameters and the distribution of microcystin and Microcystis in both the water column and sediment during the bloom period of May 2020 to October 2020. The mean value of extracellular and intracellular microcystin content was 0.12 µg L-1 and 16.26 µg L-1, respectively. The mean value of microcystin in sediment was 172.02 ng g-1 and peaked in August. The concentration in the water and sediment was significantly lower than the historical average concentration. The abundance of toxigenic Microcystis and total Microcystis in the water column ranged from 2.61 × 102 to 2.25 × 109 copies·L-1 and 8.28 × 105 to 2.76 × 109 copies·L-1, respectively. The proportion of toxic Microcystis in the sediment ranging from 31.2% to 19.12%. The highest and lowest region was Meiliang Bay and Grass-algae type zone, respectively. The copy number of the 16S rRNA gene was 1-4 orders of magnitude higher than that of mcyA gene in populations of Microcystis, indicating that non-toxic Microcystis was the dominant form in the majority of the lake. The abundance of toxic Microcystis in the water column was positively correlated with total phosphorus, PO43--P and pH, while the water temperature played distinct role to the distribution of toxic Microcystis in sediment. Our research indicated phosphorus remains a key factor influencing the toxic Microcystis and microcystins in the water column. pH played distinct roles in the distribution of microcystins in sediment and water column. The increasing water temperature is a threat. Explicit management actions and policies, which take into account nutrient concentrations, pH, and increasing temperatures, are necessary to understand and control the distribution of microcystin and Microcystis in Lake Taihu.

Health risk assessment of uranium intake from private residential drinking groundwater facilities based on geological characteristics across the Republic of Korea.

Groundwater contributes to an average of 8 % of the total water source capacity in the Republic of Korea. Hence, private residential households in rural areas in Korea are still using groundwater for drinking without any regular water quality inspection. This can increase the risk of exposure to natural radionuclides like uranium through drinking groundwater. This study investigated the uranium level in drinking groundwater all over the country by analyzing 11,451 samples from private residential drinking groundwater facilities and compared the exposure amount and its associated carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk based on the geological characteristics of the aquifer. Results yield that although the average hazard quotient (HQ) and excess cancer risk (ECR) of exposure to natural uranium through drinking groundwater were respectively below 1 and 1 × 10-6 and do not indicate a potential health hazard, significantly high HQ and ECR up to respectively 70 and 4 × 10-4 in samples where the aquifer is the Jurassic granite observed. Accordingly, regular water quality investigation and onsite treatment methods are required to provide healthy drinking water in such areas.

Network Toxicology Prediction and Molecular Docking-based Strategy to Explore the Potential Toxicity Mechanism of Metformin Chlorination Byproducts in Drinking Water.

BACKGROUND: Metformin (MET), a worldwide used drug for treating type 2 diabetes but not metabolized by humans, has been found with the largest amount in the aquatic environment. Two MET chlorination byproducts, including Y and C, were transformed into drinking water during chlorination. However, the potential toxicity of the byproducts in hepatotoxicity and reproduction toxicity remains unclear. METHODS: The TOPKAT database predicted the toxicological properties of metformin disinfection by-products. The targets of metformin disinfection by-products were mainly obtained from the PharmMapper database, and then the targets of hepatotoxicity and reproductive toxicity were screened from GeneCards. The overlapping targets of toxic component targets and the hepatotoxicity or reproduction toxicity targets were regarded as the key targets. Then, the STRING database analyzed the key target to construct a protein-protein interaction network (PPI) and GO, and KEGG analysis was performed by the DAVID platform. Meanwhile, the PPI network and compound- target network were constructed by Cytoscape 3.9.1. Finally, Discovery Studio 2019 software was used for molecular docking verification of the two toxic compounds and the core genes. RESULTS: Y and C exhibited hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and mutagenicity evaluated by TOPKAT. There were 22 potential targets relating to compound Y and hepatotoxicity and reproduction toxicity and 14 potential targets relating to compound C and hepatotoxicity and reproduction toxicity. PPI network analysis showed that SRC, MAPK14, F2, PTPN1, IL2, MMP3, HRAS, and RARA might be the key targets; the KEGG analysis indicated that compounds Y and C caused hepatotoxicity through Hepatitis B, Pathways in cancer, Chemical carcinogenesis-reactive oxygen species, Epstein-Barr virus infection; compound Y and C caused reproduction toxicity through GnRH signaling pathway, Endocrine resistance, Prostate cancer, Progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation. Molecular docking results showed that 2 compounds could fit in the binding pocket of the 7 hub genes. CONCLUSION: This study preliminarily revealed the potential toxicity and possible toxicity mechanism of metformin disinfection by-products and provided a new idea for follow-up research.

Determination and speciation of arsenic in drinking water samples by X-ray spectrometry technique.

Arsenic is ranked as the first compound in the Substance Priority List 2023 by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The most prominent entrance to the human body is through drinking water wherein the predominant species are arsenite and arsenate. The more toxic As(III) has rigorously threatened human health worldwide; hence, speciation and separation are the need of the hour. In this article, we have reported a simple method of arsenic speciation by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF) spectrometer. Valence to core (VtC) electronic transitions, i.e., AsKß2,5 fluorescence lines were used for arsenic speciation. This speciation study by WD-XRF entails direct measurement of activated alumina pellets containing arsenate and arsenite species adsorbed from water sample without separation of the trivalent and pentavalent species. This is the first report wherein the X-ray technique has been explored for speciation analysis of arsenic and the biggest advantage of the method lies in its applicability to direct analysis of synthesized nanotubes or other solid-phase extraction sorbents entrapping both the arsenic species. For determination of total arsenic using activated alumina as adsorbent, the most intense AsKα1,2 analytical lines were used and the instrumental limit of detection and the lower limit of quantification were 0.23 µg/L and 0.89 µg/L, respectively. For speciation, these limits were calculated to be 50 µg/L and 200 µg/L, respectively.

The antioxidative influence of dietary creatine monohydrate and L-carnitine on laying performance, egg quality, ileal microbiota, blood biochemistry, and redox status of stressed laying quails.

The experiment was implemented to assess the influence of dietary supplementation of laying quails with creatine monohydrate (CrM), L-carnitine (CAR) and their mixture (CrMCAR) as antioxidants against oxidative stress (OS) induced by 2.5 ppm lead acetate (LA) in drinking water on productive, physiological and microbial aspects. In total, 400 laying quail females at 10 wk of age were divided into a randomized design with 5 groups and 4 replicates of 20 birds each. Birds were fed ad libitum with a balanced diet for 8 wk. The control group was kept under no-stress conditions and was given fresh water without any additives (G1). While birds in other groups were exposed to OS induced experimentally by 2.5 ppm LA in drinking water with no feed additive (G2) or supplemented with 500 mg/kg CrM (G3) or 500 mg/kg CAR (G4) or combination of 250 mg/kg each of CrM and CAR (CrMCAR, G5) to feed mixture. Compared to G2, G5 demonstrated the reduction (P ≤ 0.05) of feed conversion ratio, feed intake, mortality and ileal total coliform, as well as serum and egg malondialdehyde and serum lipid hydroperoxide, uric acid, glucose, cholesterol, enzymatic activities (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, creatine phosphokinase, γ-glutamyl transferase), and heterophils/lymphocytes ratio. In the meanwhile, there was an increase (P ≤ 0.05) in egg production, egg mass, and weight with the improvement of egg quality, serum sex hormones level and ileal lactic acid bacteria for G5 followed by G4 and G3. Moreover, G5 enhanced (P ≤ 0.05), the total antioxidant capacity of egg and serum glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, protein and calcium levels. Therefore, dietary CrMCAR, CAR and CrM have analogous influence to control by improving the antioxidant and physiological parameters which resulted in better productive performance and egg characteristics of stressed quails. These antioxidants, especially in their equal combination, are beneficial to alleviate oxidative stress incidence and can be recommended for poultry feeding under various aspects of environmental stresses.

An XAS study of Hg(II) sorption to Al-based drinking water treatment residuals.

Drinking water treatment residuals (DWTRs) are produced from the coagulation and flocculation processes in conventional drinking water treatment. The abundant metal oxide content of these materials resulting from the use of coagulants, like alum and ferric chloride, has driven strong research interest into the reuse of DWTRs as sorptive materials. Using a suite of aluminum-based DWTRs, we provide new insights into Hg(II) sorption mechanisms. Experiments performed at circum-neutral pH show that sorption capacities are related to the amount of organic carbon/matter present in DWTRs. We found that carbon rich samples can scavenge about 9000 mg/kg of Hg, in contrast to 2000 mg/kg for lime based DWTRs. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Hg L3 edge further characterizes mercury coordination. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) results point to a partial association of mercury with sulfur at low mass loadings, transitioning to a full association with oxygen/carbon at higher concentrations of sorbed Hg(II) and in DWTRs with limited sulfur content. These results suggest that sorption of Hg(II) is primarily controlled by the carbon/organic matter fraction of DWTRs, but not by the coagulants.