Effects of spiked metals on the MSW anaerobic digestion.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of eight metals on the anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) in bioreactors. Anaerobic bioreactors containing 200 mL MSW mixed completely with 200 m L sludge seeding. Ca and K (0, 1000, 2000 and 6,000 mg L(-1)) and Cr, Ni, Zn, Co, Mo and W (0, 5, 50 and 100 mg L(-1)) of various dose were added to anaerobic bioreactors to examine their anaerobic digestion performance. Results showed that except K and Zn, Ca (~728 to ~1,461 mg L(-1)), Cr (~0.0022 to ~0.0212 mg L(-1)), Ni (~0.801 to ~5.362 mg L(-1)), Co (~0.148 to ~0.580 mg L(-1)), Mo (~0.044 to ~52.94 mg L(-1)) and W (~0.658 to ~40.39 mg L(-1)) had the potential to enhance the biogas production. On the other hand, except Mo and W, inhibitory concentrations IC(50) of Ca, K, Cr, Ni, Zn and Co were found to be ~3252, ~2097, ~0.124, ~7.239, ~0.482, ~8.625 mg L(-1), respectively. Eight spiked metals showed that they were adsorbed by MSW to a different extent resulting in different liquid metals levels and potential stimulation and inhibition on MSW anaerobic digestion. These results were discussed and compared to results from literature.

Immunization against coccidiosis in pheasants with low-dose live sporulated oocysts of Eimeria colchici.

Low-dose immunization of pheasants with live Eimeria colchici oocysts was observed to be effective against massive challenge infection. Fourteen-day-old pheasants, in groups of 28, were orally inoculated with about 100, 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 sporulated oocysts. These birds were then challenged homologously with about 120 000 sporulated oocysts 18 days after the immunization. During the 12-day observation period after the challenge infection, over 92% of the immunized pheasants were still alive, but only 11% of the non-immunized control birds survived the challenge infection. Moreover, the number of oocysts produced after challenge infection of the immunized group was only 10 to 19% of the positive non-immunized control group. The crowding effect of E. colchici infection in pheasant was thought to occur based on the significant difference of the relationship between inoculation doses, daily oocysts excretion and the amount of the faeces discharged, as analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Our results showed that immunization of pheasants with a low dose of E. colchici oocysts is feasible to help protect the birds from massive homologous infection, which can be fatal.