School feeding for improving child nutrition in conflict-affected settings: Feasibility and cost efficiency of alternative models in Yemen.

School feeding programs can support children's nutrition, health, and education in emergencies. This study assessed the feasibility, trade-offs, cost efficiency, and perceived benefits of school feeding modalities operating in urban Yemen. It draws on primary data from a qualitative evaluation with 21 school feeding implementers and 88 beneficiaries conducted in Feb-Mar 2023, and secondary data from a desk review of published and program literature on school feeding operations. Results showed that school feeding provided students with on average 18%, 40%, and 66% of daily energy, protein, and micronutrient requirements, respectively. Models including fortified snacks were 3-11 times more cost-efficient in terms of nutrient delivery. The most prominent strength of the models examined were the perceived benefits on child, family, and financial outcomes. Among the main weaknesses was the poor nutritional quality of the meal, which in turn emerged as a primary opportunity to improve school feeding through hybrid models providing a combination of fortified snacks and healthy meals. Other weaknesses such as poor water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, and desired improvements such as the school kitchen and canteen, require considerable investments. Hybrid models are cost-efficient, acceptable, and feasible in Yemen and can serve the diet and nutrition needs of school-aged children.

Analysis of Hospital Safety and Risk of Falls in the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study in Brazil.

This study analyzed hospital safety and the risk of falls in elderly people in a university hospital in Brazil. The Morse Falls Scale was used to stratify the risk of falls in 45 hospitalized elderly individuals, and two checklists were used to analyze the hospital environment. The analysis was based on the Chi-square test and multiple regression. The moderate risk of falls was predominant (51.1%). The variable age group (p-value = 0.024) showed statistical evidence of association with the risk of falls. However, the multiple regression analysis showed no difference between the age groups and the risk situation for falls. The hospital wards showed an adequate arrangement of furniture, but some aspects had inadequacies, such as objects in the corridors, non-functional bells in some beds, inadequacy of the toilet bowls in terms of the recommended height, and an absence of non-slip flooring and the support bar in some bathrooms. In conclusion, the moderate risk of falls among the elderly and the adequacy of the hospital environment to technical standards were evident with the exception of failures in the emergency communication system and sanitary installation.

Lab-scale evaluation of Microalgal-Bacterial granular sludge as a sustainable alternative for brewery wastewater treatment.

Microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) could offer a sustainable alternative to traditional aerobic methods in brewery wastewater (BWW) treatment. This study compared MBGS with conventional activated sludge (AS) in treating real BWW and highlighted its advantages and challenges. MBGS achieved comparable chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency (93%) compared to AS (89%). Additionally, MBGS exhibited higher phosphate removal capabilities than AS. Extra nitrogen was added to influent to balance C/N ratio of BWW. MBGS was robust in handling C/N ratio fluctuations with an 82% total nitrogen removal efficiency. Metagenomic analysis further indicated that most of the genes involved in carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism were up-regulated in MBGS compared to AS. Despite changes in the microbial community and settling ability due to high starch and sugar content in BWW, MBGS demonstrated high efficiency and sustainability. Further research should optimize MBGS operation strategies to fully realize its potential for sustainable BWW treatment.

Fecal Sludge Management and Sanitation Safety: An Assessment in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Sanitation safety practices and risks associated with fecal sludge management are crucial for public health and the environment. This study assessed sanitation safety practices and risks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at different stages of fecal sludge management. The research aimed to understand the current state of sanitation facilities, practices, and associated risks and identify areas for improvement. Materials and Methods: A mixed methods/approach was employed, utilizing household surveys, risk assessments, and sanitary inspections. A total of 384 study subjects were interviewed using face-to-face interviews and observations. Results: The findings revealed that the majority of households (97.7%) had consistent access to toilets, with flush/pour flush toilets being the most common type (47.4%). Factors such as odors in toilets or septic tanks, open defecation by children, and the use of untreated wastewater for food production were significantly associated with sociodemographic factors. Risk assessments indicated that 67% of households fell into the low-risk category, while 33% were classified as intermediate risk. The study identified non-compliance issues during sanitary inspections at transfer stations (45%), a wastewater treatment and disposal facility (61.5%), and in the management of wastewater and sludge in the sewer line (64%). These findings call for urgent actions to address improper feces disposal, inadequate maintenance of sanitation facilities, and unsafe practices in fecal sludge management. Conclusion: This study identified concerning issues in fecal sludge management, including improper feces disposal, inadequate facility maintenance, and non-compliance with safety standards during emptying, transport, treatment, and disposal. Urgent action is needed to address these risks. Promoting proper disposal techniques, improving facility maintenance, education programs, strengthening regulations, providing training and protective equipment, and investing in enhanced sanitation facilities and wastewater treatment methods are essential for improving sanitation safety practices.

Combination of co-pyrolyzed biomass-sludge biochar and ultrasound for persulfate activation in antibiotic degradation: efficiency, synergistic effect, and reaction mechanism.

A carbon material Cu-corn straw-sludge biochar (Cu-CSBC) was prepared by hydrothermally modifying sewage sludge and corn stover. The composite coupled to ultrasound can effectively catalyze the activation of PS for organic pollutants degradation, and the removal rate of 20 mg/L TC reached 89.15% in 5 min in the presence of 0.5 g/L Cu-CSBC and 3 mM PS. The synergistic effect between the factors in the system, the reaction mechanism, and the efficient removal of TC in the aqueous environment were explored in a Cu-CSBC/US/PS system established for that purpose. Quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis both demonstrated the Cu-CSBC/US/PS system generated •OH, SO4-•, 1O2, and O2- •, which involved in the reaction. The Cu, carboxyl, and hydroxyl groups on the Cu-CSBC surface promoted the generation of radicals and non-radicals for the degradation process, which was dominated by both radical and non-radical pathways. The degradation pathway is proposed by measuring the intermediate products with LC-MS. Finally, the stability of the Cu-CSBC/US/PS system was tested under various reaction conditions. This study not only prepared a novel biochar composite material for the active degradation of organic pollutants by PS but also provided an effective method for the resource utilization of solid waste and sludge treatment.

A scoping review of the links between early childhood caries and clean water and sanitation: the Sustainable Development Goal 6.

INTRODUCTION: The United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 calls for universal access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), which are crucial elements of health and well-being and fundamental for a life in dignity. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a preventable disease affecting health and quality of life of millions of young children worldwide. This scoping review aims to explore the connection between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation. METHODS: This scoping review, registered on the Open Science Framework and following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, conducted a thorough search in databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Google Scholar, SciELO) and websites (via Google) in November 2023. The search, without date limitations, targeted studies in English and Spanish linking ECC to SDG6. Exclusions were made for studies solely focusing on ECC without a direct connection to clean water and sanitation. Descriptive statistics summarized the retrieved papers. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 303 articles. After removing duplicates, 264 articles remained for title and abstract screening after which 244 were excluded and one report was added through citation searching. The 21 remaining articles underwent full text review. There were no studies on a direct association between access to clean water and sanitation and the prevalence of ECC. There were nine studies that showed indirect associations between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation through the links of: water and sanitation access as a marker for poverty (n = 1), water consumption as a feeding practice (n = 4), and the effectiveness of water fluoridation (n = 4). These were used to develop a conceptual model. CONCLUSIONS: While it is conceivable that a direct link exists between ECC and access to clean water and sanitation, the available body of research only offers evidence of indirect associations. The exploration of potential pathways connecting water access to ECC warrants further investigation in future research.

Microbial Allies in Plastic Degradation: Specific bacterial genera as universal plastic-degraders in various environments.

Microbiological degradation of polymers offers a promising approach for mitigating environmental plastic pollution. This study (i) elucidated the diversity and structure of bacterial microbiomes from distinct environments (landfill soil, sewage sludge, and river water) characterized by specific physicochemical parameters, and (ii) utilized environment-derived microbial cultures enriched with microplastics (MPs) to investigate the degradation of polymers and identify culturable bacterial strains contributing to the plastisphere. We found that alpha diversity was notably higher in river water (∼20%) compared to landfill soil and sewage sludge. Dominant phyla included Pseudomonadota in sewage sludge (39.1%) and water (23.7%), while Actinomycetota prevailed in soil (38.5%). A multistage experiment, involving successive subcultures of environmental microbiomes exposed to polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), and polylactic acid (PLA), facilitated the assessment of MPs degradation processes. Analysis of carbonyl indices CIs and FTIR spectra revealed substantial structural changes in the treatment PVC-landfill soil, as well as in PLA- and PC-sludge enriched cultures. Further, using enriched cultures as a source of microorganisms, the study obtained 17 strains of plastic degraders from landfill soil, 14 from sewage sludge, and 6 from river water. Remarkably, similar bacterial genera were isolated across environmental microbiomes regardless of the MPs substrate used in enriched cultures. Among the 37 identified strains, Pseudomonadota predominated (64.86%) and were accompanied by Bacteroidota (16.22%), Actinomycetota (13.51%), and Bacillota (5.41%). This study highlights the complex relationship between microbiome diversity and the biodegradation efficiency of plastics, showing the potential for using microbial communities in the plastic pollution management.

Sustainable valorisation of sewage sludge via carbon dioxide-assisted pyrolysis.

The escalating volume of sewage sludge (SS) generated poses challenges in disposal, given its potential harm to the environment and human health. This study explored sustainable solutions for SS management with a focus on energy recovery. Employing CO2-assisted pyrolysis, we converted SS into flammable gases (H2 and CO; syngas). Single-stage pyrolysis of SS in a CO2 conditions demonstrated that CO2 enhances flammable gas production (especially CO) through gas phase reactions (GPRs) with volatile matter (VM) at temperatures ≥520 °C. Specifically, the CO2 partially oxidized the VM released from SS and concurrently underwent reduction into CO. To enhance the syngas production at temperatures ≤520 °C, multi-stage pyrolysis setup with additional heat energy and a Ni/Al2O3 catalyst were utilized. These configurations significantly increased flammable gas production, particularly CO, at temperatures ≤520 °C. Indeed, the flammable gas yield in the catalytic pyrolysis of SS increased from 200.3 mmol under N2 conditions to 219.2 mmol under CO2 conditions, representing a 4.4-fold increase compared to single-stage pyrolysis under CO2 conditions (50.0 mmol). By integrating a water-gas-shift reaction, the flammable gases produced from CO2-assisted catalytic pyrolysis were expected to have the potential to generate revenue of US$4.04 billion. These findings highlight the effectiveness of employing CO2 in SS pyrolysis as a sustainable and effective approach for treating and valorising SS into valuable energy resources.

[Whole Process Analysis and Fate Behavior of Microplastics in Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants, Including their Occurrence Forms, Components, and Removal Efficiency].

Microplastics are among the most difficult new pollutants to remove in wastewater treatment plants. In order to explore the occurrence form, size distribution, composition, removal efficiency, migration law, and fate behavior characteristics of microplastic particles in sewage plants, taking a sewage treatment plant in Hohhot as an example, a total of 17 sampling sites were set up. The LAS X software counted the shape, abundance, and size of microplastics and conducted a full-process analysis. The results showed that： fibrous microplastics had the highest abundance and widest distribution and were the main form of existence, accounting for 61.8% of the total abundance； the size of microplastics ranged mainly between 0 and 1.00 mm, and among the four sizes, the abundance of microplastics 0.25 to 0.50 mm in China was the highest, accounting for 32.9%. Among the eight types of plastic components detected, polyester substances （PET, PBT）, cellulose, and polypropylene （PP） were the main components, accounting for 25%, 21%, and 17%, respectively. The influent abundance of the sewage plant was （73 ±5） n·L-1, the effluent abundance was （14 ±2） n·L-1, and the overall removal rate was （80.8 ±12.1）%. Among the three treatment stages of the sewage plant, only the primary treatment played a role in removal, and the abundance of microplastics surged in the secondary treatment. Different structures playing a major role in the removal of microplastics were fine grids （49.2 ±7.4）% and secondary sedimentation tanks （92.4 ±13.9）%. Microplastics mainly existed in the form of fibers, fragments, and films. The proportion of fibers was approximately 70%, and the size of fragments was mainly concentrated between 0.50 and 5.00 mm. Most fragments were in the range of 5.00 mm, accounting for 50%, making them the main form apart from fibrous. The film-like size was mostly concentrated in the range of less than 0.50 mm, accounting for more than 10%. Therefore, improving the removal of small-sized fibrous and film-like microplastics and large-sized fragmented microplastic particles can effectively reduce the pollution risk of microplastics in the environment caused by sewage plant drainage.

Microbial nutrient recovery cell as an efficient and sustainable nutrient recovery option in sewage treatment.

Globally, nutrient pollution is a serious and challenging concern. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are designed to prevent the discharge of contaminants resulting from anthropogenic sources to the receiving water bodies. In this study, seasonal nutrient pollution load, and biological nutrient removal efficiency of an anoxic aerobic unit based WWTP were investigated. Seasonal assessment revealed that the average total nitrogen removal efficiency and total phosphorus removal efficiency of the WWTP do not meet the discharge standard of 10 mg/L and 1 mg/L, respectively. Furthermore, the WWTP does not utilize the energy contained in the wastewater. In this regard, dual chamber MFC (D-MFC) has emerged as a promising solution that can not only treat wastewater but can also convert chemical energy present in the wastewater into electrical energy. However, higher N O3- (57 ± 4 mg/L) and P-P O43- (6 ± 0.52 mg/L) concentration in cathodic effluent is a major drawback in D-MFC. Therefore, to solve this issue, D-MFC was transformed into a microbial nutrient recovery cell (MNRC) which demonstrated a final N H4+-N and P-P O43- concentration of nearly 1 mg/L with N H4+-N and P-P O43- recovery up to 74 % and 69 %, respectively in the recovery chamber. Besides, MNRC attained a maximum power density of 307 mW/m3 and a current density of 1614 mA/m3, thus indicating MNRC is an eco-friendly, energy-neutral, and promising technology for electricity generation and recovering nutrients.

Investigation of thermal alkaline pretreatment of primary and waste activated sludge on the energy efficiency of sludge digestion.

Because of the naturally limited anaerobic degradability and limited biogas yield of raw sludge (RS), this study aims to increase the biogas production of primary sludge (PS) and waste activated sludge (WAS) by the integration of thermal alkaline process (TAP). PH 11 is confirmed to be the most suitable pH value for the TAP of both sludges. Moreover, with the pretreatment at pH 11 and 160 °C (6 bar) for 30 min, the investigated PSs and WASs achieved an increased biogas production of up to 81 % and 72 %, respectively. The improved net electricity production of WASs after TAP varied between 15-43 % compared to conventional WAS digestion. However, the TAP of PS at pH 11 enhanced the biogas production by 1-81 %, which did not constantly contribute to an improved net electricity production.

A Novel Sustainable and Self-Sufficient Biotechnological Strategy for Directly Transforming Sewage Sludge into High-Value Liquid Biochemicals.

Sewage sludge, as a carbon-rich byproduct of wastewater treatment, holds significant untapped potential as a renewable resource. Upcycling this troublesome waste stream represents great promise in addressing global escalating energy demands through its wide practice of biochemical recovery concurrently. Here, we propose a biotechnological concept to gain value-added liquid bioproducts from sewage sludge in a self-sufficient manner by directly transforming sludge into medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). Our findings suggest that yeast, a cheap and readily available commercial powder, would involve ethanol-type fermentation in chain elongation to achieve abundant MCFA production from sewage sludge using electron donors (i.e., ethanol) and acceptors (i.e., short-chain fatty acids) produced in situ. The enhanced abundance and transcriptional activity of genes related to key enzymes, such as butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase, affirm the robust capacity for the self-sustained production of MCFAs. This is indicative of an effective metabolic network established between yeast and anaerobic microorganisms within this innovative sludge fermentation framework. Furthermore, life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis evidence the sustainability and economic competitiveness of this biotechnological strategy. Overall, this work provides insights into sewage sludge upgrading independent of additional carbon input, which can be applied in existing anaerobic sludge fermentation infrastructure as well as to develop new applications in a diverse range of industries.

Drinking water safety evaluation in the selected sub-Saharan African countries: A case study of Madagascar, Uganda and Rwanda.

In the sub-Saharan region of Africa, access to safe drinking water remains limited in many countries. This study provides an overview of the quality of surface water and groundwater in rural and peri-urban areas of Madagascar, Uganda, and Rwanda. Selected physico-chemical parameters, inorganic species (including inorganic ions), and organic pollution indicators, such as total organic carbon, non-ionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants, sum of phenolic compounds and formaldehyde, were analysed. Principal component analysis was applied to assess the variability of the water quality and identify regional dependencies. The inorganic ion composition in the majority of the studied samples meets WHO and EU requirements for drinking water intended for human consumption and poses no human health risk. However, an individual non-cancer-causing health index for nitrates and the values of Water Quality Index show a possible threat of ingesting the studied drinking water. The presence of surfactants (0.1-0.65 mgL-1), phenolic compounds (0.025-1.76 mgL-1) and formaldehyde (0.04-0.32 mgL-1) may also pose a risk to human, animal, and aquatic life. Additionally, in-situ measurements for E. coli and Total Coliforms conducted during the last field campaign in Madagascar (2022) revealed that all studied drinking water sources ranged from intermediate risk to unsafe. This result calls for the urgent need to enhance WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) services in the studied areas. The presence of both chemical and microbiological pollutants shows the need for the local authorities to develop and implement a catchment management plan to ensure the protection of water resources from potential pollution, and raise community awareness about the impact of human activity on water resources.

Cholera resurgence in Africa: assessing progress, challenges, and public health response towards the 2030 global elimination target.

Global efforts to combat epidemic cholera outbreaks have witnessed tremendous feats over the decades. However, sporadic outbreaks in regions, particularly across African states, mask these advancements. This regressive trend is frequently fuelled by factors retarding efforts towards optimal environmental sanitation and personal hygiene, which include ingesting infected food, drinking contaminated waters, and engaging in unhealthy environmental practices such as indiscriminate waste and sewage disposal and poor toilet practices. The ongoing efforts to achieve the Global Taskforce on Cholera Control (GTFCC) targets of a 90% reduction in cases and deaths by 2030, even in the wake of continuous outbreaks across various African regions, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) face a significant threat. One such effort, among others, is the AFRICHOL project, an enhanced cholera surveillance consortium launched in Africa over a decade ago as part of the GTFCC at WHO to monitor and fast-track the GTFCC's 2030 targets. It is tasked with supporting the implementation of research-based strategies for combating cholera in Africa. The prequalified oral cholera vaccines - Dukoral, Shanchol, and Euvichol - and those with recombinant DNA technology have also emerged as remarkable strides. In the face of this progress, challenges persist. Climate change, including extreme weather events and the lack of safe water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities, acts as a multiplier, amplifying existing challenges and hindering progress. Porous borders with inefficient disease surveillance networks among member states also facilitate the inter-territorial spread of the disease. Despite ongoing challenges, global targets are achievable provided strong institutional infrastructure and additional evidence-based public health initiatives are promulgated and enacted. The Global Roadmap to Ending Cholera Outbreaks by 2030 is a resourceful tool for advancing this fight and eradicating cholera.

Multi-criteria analysis of strategies towards sustainable recycling of phosphorus from sewage sludge in Austria.

To promote optimal phosphorus (P) recovery from municipal wastewater and sewage sludge with viable legal instruments, it is imperative to understand the regional and national consequences of different legal requirements for recycling. In this study we develop a scenario-based analysis to assess the environmental and economic impact of different national P recovery strategies in the context of a detailed representation of the existing Austrian wastewater infrastructure. This assessment combines material flow analysis, life cycle assessment and life cycle costing and includes the indicators P recycling rate, P utilization degree, heavy metal removal rate, share of heavy metals' content in wastewater redirected to agricultural soils, global warming potential, cumulated energy demand, terrestrial acidification potential, volume of freight transport and annual costs. The following main conclusions can be drawn. P recovery from ash shows the highest potential regarding the utilization of P from wastewater. A high P utilization from wastewater should rely on recovery technologies that decontaminate products, otherwise pollutant loads to agricultural soils might increase. P recovery to the extent of 60-85 % of P in WWTPs influent can be achieved by savings/costs of -0.8 to +4.7 EUR inhabitant-1 yr-1 in addition to current cost of the wastewater treatment/sludge disposal system. Key factors to be considered for costs are the choice of recovery process, revenues from products, and the use of existing incineration infrastructure. P recovery can lead to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Austria if nitrous oxide emissions from sludge incineration are limited and efficient heat utilization strategies are implemented. There is a trade-off in terms of environmental and economic costs in choosing a more centralized or decentralized mono-incineration strategy.

Breaking the Cycle: Addressing Period Poverty as a Critical Public Health Challenge and Its Relation to Sustainable Development Goals.

This narrative review comprehensively examines the intricate relationship between period poverty and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), positioning it as a critical public health challenge with far-reaching implications. Through an in-depth analysis of the multifaceted impact of period poverty on public health, including its effects on reproductive health, mental well-being, and economic participation, the paper underscores the urgent need to address this issue within the framework of the SDGs. An overview of existing literature on period poverty, its impact on health and well-being, and its relation to the SDGs was carried out. Different perspectives, interventions, and policy approaches to addressing period poverty were also explored. By illuminating the interplay between period poverty and various SDGs, particularly those related to gender equality, health, education, and economic empowerment, the study emphasizes the imperative of integrating menstrual health and hygiene into global development efforts. Advocating for targeted policies, funding, and advocacy, the manuscript calls for a holistic and inclusive approach to breaking the cycle of period poverty, ultimately contributing to advancing the SDGs and fostering a more equitable and healthier global society. Efforts to eradicate period poverty - providing affordable menstrual products, improving sanitation infrastructure, enhancing education, and implementing supportive policies - lead to significant progress in public health and gender equity. By prioritizing menstrual health management in public health policies, educational programs, and economic strategies, we can ensure that everyone who menstruates can do so with dignity and without limits on their potential.

Unlocking the potential of Eichhornia crassipes for wastewater treatment: phytoremediation of aquatic pollutants, a strategy for advancing Sustainable Development Goal-06 clean water.

The 2030 Agenda, established in 2015, contains seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at addressing global challenges. SDG-06, focused on clean water, drives the increase in basic sanitation coverage, the management of wastewater discharges, and water quality. Wastewater treatment could contribute to achieving 11 of the 17 SDGs. For this purpose, phytoremediation is a low-cost and adaptable alternative to the reduction and control of aquatic pollutants. The objective of this study is to highlight the role of macrophytes in the removal and degradation of these compounds, focusing on Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, commonly known as water hyacinth. The reported values indicate that this plant has a removal capacity of over 70% for metals such as copper, aluminum, lead, mercury, cadmium, and metalloids such as arsenic. Additionally, it significantly improves water quality parameters such as turbidity, suspended solids, pH, dissolved oxygen, and color. It also reduces the presence of phosphates, and nitrogen compounds to values below 50%. It also plays a significant role in the removal of organic contaminants such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and dyes. This study describes several valuable by-products from the biomass of the water hyacinth, including animal and fish feed, energy generation (such as briquettes), ethanol, biogas, and composting. According to the analysis carried out, E. crassipes has a great capacity for phytoremediation, which makes it a viable solution for wastewater management, with great potential for water ecosystem restoration.

Vertical-flow constructed wetlands as a sustainable on-site greywater treatment process for the decrease of micropollutant concentration in urban wastewater and integration to households' water services.

Micropollutant removal from effluent of conventional wastewater treatment has recently become one of the most discussed topics in the design and operation of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This is due to the need to add a post-treatment step to the conventional processes to comply with stricter quality standards for effluents as outlined in the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The adoption of on-site or decentralized greywater (GW) treatment in sustainable buildings using vertical-flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs) is a promising direction. It represents an interesting alternative for the removal of micropollutants at the source of pollution, such as personal care products (PCPs) and some pharmaceuticals which are mainly present in this wastewater fraction. Additionally, the treated greywater could be used in households' water services which do not require potable water quality, thus saving drinking water. In this context, this work compares the results of micropollutant removal from projects using VFCWs as a polishing step of WWTPs effluent, as a centralized solution, to the results from a decentralized GW treatment. The results show that VFCWs can remove the investigated micropollutants (Diclofenac and DEET) with an efficiency of >90 %, in both centralized and decentralized treatments. The admixture biochar from plant residues and from cellulose-toilet paper proved to be a promising substitute for the mineral zeolite when mixed with sand to remove PCPs from GW and, therefore, a circular economy concept can be applied to this technology.

Evaluating the low-rank coal degradation efficiency bioaugmented with activated sludge.

Microbial bioaugmentation of coal is considered as a viable and ecologically sustainable approach for the utilization of low-rank coals (LRC). The search for novel techniques to derive high-value products from LRC is currently of great importance. In response to this demand, endeavors have been undertaken to develop microbially based coal solubilization and degradation techniques. The impact of supplementing activated sludge (AS) as a microbial augmentation to enhance LRC biodegradation was investigated in this study. The LRC and their biodegradation products were characterized using the following methods: excitation-emission Matrices detected fluorophores at specific wavelength positions (O, E, and K peaks), revealing the presence of organic complexes with humic properties. FTIR indicated the increased amount of carboxyl groups in the bioaugmented coals, likely due to aerobic oxidation of peripheral non-aromatic structural components of coal. The bacterial communities of LRC samples are primarily composed of Actinobacteria (up to 36.2%) and Proteobacteria (up to 25.8%), whereas the Firmicutes (63.04%) was the most abundant phylum for AS. The community-level physiological profile analysis showed that the microbial community AS had high metabolic activity of compared to those of coal. Overall, the results demonstrated successful stimulation of LRC transformation through supplementation of exogenous microflora in the form of AS.

A segurança dos alimentos nos Centros de Tradições Gaúchas do Rio Grande do Sul / Food safety in the Centros de Tradições Gaúchas of Rio Grande do Sul

Os Centros de Tradições Gaúchas (CTG) são entidades de divulgação e perpetuação da cultura do Rio Grande do Sul. A produção de refeições nessas entidades ocorre nos ensaios dos grupos de danças tradicionais e nos eventos oferecidos à comunidade, como jantares. Sabendo do impacto das doenças transmitidas por alimentos (DTA) na saúde humana, o objetivo deste trabalho é identificar a adequação dos CTG às boas práticas para manipulação de alimentos (BPM), explorar quem são os responsáveis pelas atividades de manipulação de alimentos e identificar a frequência e o número da produção de refeições servidas nessas instituições. A Portaria SES-RS nº 78/2009 e um questionário de coleta de dados dos grupos de dança e da produção de refeições foram aplicados em 5 CTG do Rio Grande do Sul. Outros 17 CTG do estado responderam a um segundo questionário, semelhante ao primeiro, com adição de perguntas sobre controle sanitário. Obteve-se uma média de adequação às BPM de 38% entre os CTG. Verificou-se que são servidas, em média, 4 refeições por semana entre os ensaios das invernadas artísticas próximos a competições. Em 36% dos CTG, ocorrem de 2 a 3 eventos por trimestre com produção de refeições. Em 45% dos CTG, são servidas de 100 a 200 pessoas nos eventos. Em relação aos trabalhos na cozinha, apenas 23,5% dos CTG têm como responsáveis dessas atividades pessoas devidamente capacitadas. Sendo os CTG instituições sem fins lucrativos, a criação de programas para a garantia do alimento seguro nesses espaços se faz necessária.

Centros de Tradições Gaúchas (CTG) are entities for the dissemination and perpetuation of Rio Grande do Sul culture. The production of meals in these entities takes place in the rehearsals of traditional dance groups and in events offered to the community, such as dinners. Knowing the impact of the foodborne diseases in human health, the objective of this work is to identify the adequacy of CTG to good food handling practices, to explore who are responsibles for food handling activities and identify the frequency and number of meals served in these institutions. The Portaria SES-RS No. 78/2009 and a questionnaire for data collection from dance groups and meals production were applied in 5 CTG in Rio Grande do Sul. Another 17 CTG in the state answered a second questionnaire, similar to the first, with the addition of questions about sanitary control. The average compliance with good practices was 38% among the CTG. It was found that, on average, 4 meals are served per week between rehearsals of the dance groups close to competitions. In 36% of the CTG, 2 to 3 events are held per quarter with production of meals. In 45% of the CTG, the number of people served at the events varies from 100 to 200. Regarding the work in the kitchen, only 23.5% of the CTG have duly trained people for these activities. Given that CTG are non-profit institutions, the creation of programs to ensure food safety in these spaces is necessary.