Skin decontamination procedures against potential hazards substances exposure.

Decontamination of unprotected skin areas is crucial to prevent excessive penetration of chemical contaminants after criminal or accidental release. A review of literature studies was performed to identify the available decontamination methods adopted to treat skin contamination after chemical, radiological and metal exposures. In this bibliographic review, an overview of the old and recent works on decontamination procedures followed in case of potential hazards substances contaminations with a comparison between these systems are provided. Almost all data from our 95 selected studies conducted in vitro and in vivo revealed that a rapid skin decontamination process is the most efficient way to reduce the risk of intoxication. The commonly-used or recommended conventional procedures are simple rinsing with water only or soapy water. However, this approach has some limitations because an easy removal by flushing may not be sufficient to decontaminate all chemical deposited on the skin, and skin absorption can be enhanced by the wash-in effect. Other liquid solutions or systems as adsorbent powders, mobilizing agents, chelation therapy are also applied as decontaminants, but till nowadays does not exist a decontamination method which can be adopted in all situations. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop more efficient and successful decontaminating formulations.

Fast, Miniaturized, Real-Time Unit for Sampling, Modulation, and Separation in Detection of Hazardous Chemicals.

A sampling, modulation, and separation (SMS) unit was tested for detection of hazardous chemicals. The SMS unit, designed and developed for on-site sampling and analysis, consists of a dynamic inlet system coupled with a fast, miniaturized gas chromatograph (GC). Feasibility of the SMS unit was evaluated together with a hazardous chemical vapor generator. The performance of the SMS unit was tested with automated thermal desorption after SMS to collect samples for GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) measurements. Detection of sarin nerve agent was verified. Additionally, the vapor generator was connected to the SMS unit, which was hyphenated with a photoionization detector (PID), thus creating a fast GC-PID system. This system gave a positive response for degradation products of sulfur mustard, thereby indicating suitability of the SMS-PID unit for field drone applications.

Harmful chemicals of heat not burn product and its induced oxidative stress of macrophages at air-liquid interface: Comparison with ultra-light cigarette.

BACKGROUND: Harmful and potential harmful chemicals (HPHCs) and oxidative stress of macrophages are major factors responsible for smoking-caused chronic respiratory diseases. However, comparisons of HPHCs among heat not burn (HnB) product and ultra-light cigarette and their induced oxidative stress of macrophages have not been investigated. AIM: The study detected HPHCs deliveries from HnB and ultra-light and measured their induced oxidative stress of macrophages cultured at air-liquid interface (ALI). METHODS: Total particulate matter, tar and 28 chemicals delivered from HnB, ultra-light and 3R4F cigarettes were determined. Mouse mononuclear macrophages at ALI were exposed to the aerosol of three tobacco products. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Reduced glutathione was detected by colorimetry method. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined by fluorescence method. RESULTS: The results showed levels of 26 common HPHCs from both HnB product and ultra-light cigarette were less than that from 3R4F cigarette. HnB product delivered formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propanal, butyraldehyde and crotonaldehyde more than ultra-light cigarette. The levels of 21 HPHCs were lower in the HnB product compared to the ultra-light cigarette. At the same exposure dose and time, the order of cell viability induced by aerosol of that was HnB > ultra-light > 3R4F, the order of content of intracellular reduced glutathione induced by aerosol of that was HnB > ultra-light > 3R4F. It showed no significant difference of ROS level between ultra-light and HnB in each designed exposure dose. HnB induced more ROS than ultra-light cigarette in each designed exposure time. CONCLUSION: Conclusively, most HPHCs from HnB were lower than that from ultra-light, while certain harmful chemicals were higher than ultra-light, e.g., carbonyl compounds. HnB-induced oxidative stress of macrophages is less than ultra-light cigarette.

Recent advances in Baijiu analysis by chromatography based technology-A review.

Baijiu, a conventional fermented beverage with thousands history, plays a crucial part in physical health of people and social culture in China. The application of high-throughput screening and confirmation of flavor components in the field of authenticity identification and potential function has attracted more and more attention and interest of researchers. With more attention to health, pesticides residues, phthalates, biogenic amines and other hazardous substances remained in Baijiu have also become the quality parameters concerned by consumers. This review aims to present updated and critical overview on the substances analysis of Baijiu by means of hyphenated chromatographic techniques based on various pretreatment approaches in recent years. Subsequently, the advance and main direction of Baijiu composition analysis were evaluated and prospected.

The Hazardous Level of Heavy Metals in Different Medicinal Plants and Their Decoctions in Water: A Public Health Problem in Brazil.

The determination of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Na, Zn, and Pb by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) was performed on dry matter and decoctions of the medicinal plants Cordia salicifolia, Chiococca alba (L.) Hitchc., and Echites peltata used as an appetite suppressant and diuretic in Brazil. The accuracy of the measurements was analyzed by the spike recovery test. Results showed that the concentration of these seven metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Na, and Zn) in dry plant samples is below the oral concentration of elemental impurities established by the United States Pharmacopoeia Convention (USP). However, there are no concentration limits for Fe, Na, and Zn established by the USP in drug substances and excipients. Levels higher than the recommended value by the USP were observed for Pb and the lowest for Cd, Co, Cr, and Cu, both in dried plant samples and their decoctions. In the decoctions prepared from these plants were found elements such as Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Na, Zn, and Pb. In the decoction prepared from 40 g C. salicifolia leaves and 40 g C. alba wood, the content of Cd is above the oral daily exposure value set by the USP. Hazard index (HI) for decoctions prepared from these plants exceeded the threshold (1). Given the uncertainties associated with the estimates of toxicity values and exposure factors, futures researches should address the possible toxicity in humans. Uncontrolled selling and long-term ingestion of medicinal plants can cause toxicity and interfere with the effect of drugs. Limited knowledge on the interaction potential of medicinal plants poses a challenge and public health problem in Brazil and other countries.

Method Development for Determining the Removal of Metals from the Water Column under Transformation/Dissolution Conditions for Chronic Hazard Classification.

An extension of the transformation/dissolution protocol (T/DP) was developed and evaluated as a tool to measure the removal of metals from the water column for chronic aquatic hazard classification. The T/DP extension (T/DP-E) consists of 2 parts: T/DP-E part 1, to measure metal removal from the water column via binding of metals to a substrate and subsequent settling, and T/DP-E part 2, to assess the potential for remobilization of metals following resuspension. The T/DP-E methodology (672-h [28-d] removal period, 1-h resuspension event, and 96-h resettling period) was tested using Cu, Co, and Sr solutions in the presence of a substrate. The metal removal rates varied from rapid removal for Cu to slower rates of removal for Co and Sr. The resuspension event did not trigger any increase in dissolved Cu, Co, or Sr. Additional 96-h experiments were conducted using dissolved Ni, Pb, Zn, and Ag and supported the conclusion that the T/DP-E is sufficiently robust to distinguish removal rates between metals with a wide range of reactivities. The proposed method provides a means to quantify the rate of metal removal from the water column and evaluate remobilization potential in a standardized and reliable way. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:2032-2042. © 2019 SETAC.

Exploring QSPR modeling for adsorption of hazardous synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs) by SWCNTs.

In order to understand the physicochemical properties as well as the mechanisms behind adsorption of hazardous synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs) onto single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), we have developed partial least squares (PLS)-regression based QSPR models using a diverse set of 40 hazardous SOCs having defined adsorption coefficient (logK). The models were extensively validated using different validation parameters in order to assure the robustness and predictivity of the models. We have also checked the consensus predictivity of all the individual models using "Intelligent consensus predictor" tool for possible enhancement of the quality of predictions for test set compounds. The consensus predictivity of the test set compounds were found to be better than the individual models based on not only the MAE based criteria (MAE(95%) = Good) but also some other validation parameters (Q2F1 = 0.938, Q2F2 = 0.937). The contributing descriptors obtained from the QSPR models suggested that the hazardous SOCs may get adsorbed onto the SWCNTs through hydrophobic interaction as well as hydrogen bonding interactions and electrostatic interaction to the functionally modified SWCNTs. Thus, the developed models may provide knowledge to scientists to increase the efficient application of SWCNTs as a special adsorbent, which may be useful for the management of environmental pollution.

Sensing and capture of toxic and hazardous gases and vapors by metal-organic frameworks.

Toxic and hazardous chemical species are ubiquitous, predominantly emitted by anthropogenic activities, and pose serious risks to human health and the environment. Thus, the sensing and subsequent capture of these chemicals, especially in the gas or vapor phase, are of extreme importance. To this end, metal-organic frameworks have attracted significant interest, as their high porosity and wide tunability make them ideal for both applications. These tailorable framework materials are particularly promising for the specific sensing and capture of targeted chemicals, as they can be designed to fit a diverse range of required conditions. This review will discuss the advantages of metal-organic frameworks in the sensing and capture of harmful gases and vapors, as well as principles and strategies guiding the design of these materials. Recent progress in the luminescent detection of aromatic and aliphatic volatile organic compounds, toxic gases, and chemical warfare agents will be summarized, and the adsorptive removal of fluorocarbons/chlorofluorocarbons, volatile radioactive species, toxic industrial gases and chemical warfare agents will be discussed.

Simulacro de Actuación de las Unidades Operativas NRBQ / Training exercise of CBN Operating Units

Antecedentes: Ante la creciente amenaza terrorista, la mayoría de los países han creado Unidades Operativas especializadas en la lucha contra armas de destrucción masiva (ADM). Uno de los puntos críticos en un incidente bioterrorista es la detección e identificación precoz de estos agentes, para lo cual es imprescindible realizar una adecuada toma de muestras, conservación, transporte y custodia de las mismas hasta el laboratorio de referencia. Objetivo: Valorar el entrenamiento de las Unidades de toma de muestras NBQ mediante la realización de simulacros. Lugar de realización: Área de Defensa Biológica del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial «Esteban Terradas» (INTA). Diseño: Se presenta la preparación y desarrollo de un ejercicio de entrenamiento de los Equipos de Reconocimiento (RECO) y de Muestreo e Identificación de Agentes Biológicos, Químicos y Radiológicos (SIBCRA en inglés) del Regimiento de la Defensa NBQ Valencia I (RGTO DNBQ Valencia I). Resultados: Se obtienen muestras NBQ y se evalúa la eficacia de la operativa de la toma de muestras, transmisión de los datos y coordinación general del ejercicio (AU)

Antecedents: Due to the merging terrorist threat, most of the countries have created specialized operating units to fight weapons of mass destruction. One of the critical points in a bioterrorist incident is the early detection and identification of these agents. In this sense, it is essential to perform appropriate procedures for sampling, storage, transportation and custody of them until the reference laboratory. Objective: to train the different NBC Units by means of simulacrums. Place of performance: Biological Defense Area of the National Institute of Aerospace Technique "Esteban Terradas" (INTA). Design: This paper shows the preparation and development of a training exercise of Reconnaissance teams (RECO) and Sampling and Identification of Biological, Chemical and Radiological Agents teams (SIBCRA) from NBC Defense Regiment Valencia I. Results: NBQ samples are obtained and the efficiency of the operations, sampling, data transmission and general coordination of the exercise is evaluated (AU)

Ecotoxicidad aguda en Physa cubensis P. y Artemia salina L. de 8 antibacterianos con riesgo ambiental / Acute toxicity in Physa cubensis P. and Artemia salina L. of 8 antibiotics with environmental risk

Los productos farmacéuticos son ampliamente utilizados en todo el planeta. Existe una creciente preocupación por los efectos que los medicamentos consumidos y los desechos de estos producen en el ambiente. A pesar del gran uso de los antibacterianos no son muy investigados como contaminantes, prestándose mayor atención a la antibioresistencia por lo que el objetivo de la investigación fue evaluar la ecotoxicidad aguda de antibacterianos. Teniendo en cuenta el consumo de los antibacterianos y la predicción de sus concentraciones ambientales así como su ecoxicidad en Lactuca sativa L ya previamente determinados en anteriores investigaciones se determinó el riesgo ecotoxicológico en Artemia salina L. y Physa cubensis P. En el ensayo de Artemia salina la Ceftazidima se clasifica como muy tóxico con valor de CL50 de 0,060773 g/L, la Cefepima con valor de 0,993731 g/L como moderadamente tóxica y el resto de los antibacterianos evaluados se clasifican como no tóxicos. En los bioensayos en Physa cubensis Cefepima y Cefazolina ocasionaron la mayor mortalidad con CL50 de 0,000270 y 0,025684 g/L respectivamente y los que indujeron menor mortalidad fueron Vancomicina y Amoxicilina/Sulbactam con CL50 de 1,528440 y 1,055492 g/L. El vertimiento de residuos de antibacterianos puede ser causa de contaminación ambiental perjudicial para algunas especies (AU)

Pharmaceuticals are widely used all over the planet. There is growing concern about the effects that drugs and its residues produce in the environment. Despite the wide use of antibacterial, they are not very investigated as pollutants, paying greater attention to the antibiotic resistance, so the objective of this research was to evaluate the antibacterial acute ecotoxicity. Taking into account the antibacterial consumption and the prediction of their environmental concentrations as well as their ecotoxicity in Lactuca sativa L already determined in previous research, the ecotoxicological risk was determined in Artemia salina L. and Physa cubensis P. In the Artemia salina trial Ceftazidime is classified as very toxic with LC50 value of 0.060773g/L, Cefepime with value of 0.993731g/L is classified as moderately toxic and the rest of antibacterial evaluated are classified as non-toxic. In bio trials of Physa cubensis, Cefepime and Cefazolin caused the greatest mortality with LC50 0.000270 and 0.025684g/L respectively, and the ones that led lower mortality were Vancomycin and Amoxicillin/Sulbactam with LC50 of 1.528440 and 1.055492 g/L. The dumping of antibiotics residues can be the cause of environmental pollution, detrimental to some species (AU)

Removal of Hazardous Surgical Smoke Using a Built-in-Filter Trocar: A Study in Laparoscopic Rectal Resection.

BACKGROUND: Surgical smoke containing potentially carcinogenic and harmful materials is an inevitable consequence of surgical energy devices, and constitutes a substantial occupational hazard in the operating room. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a built-in-filter trocar in eliminating hazardous surgical smoke during laparoscopic and robotic rectal surgery. METHODS: Ten patients who underwent rectal cancer resection were enrolled. Five patients underwent surgery utilizing a nonfiltered trocar, and the remaining 5 utilized a built-in-filter trocar. Gas samples were aspirated from the peritoneal cavity over 30 minutes of electrocauterization and collected in a Tedlar bag. Concentrations of surgical smoke were measured using ultraperformance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. RESULTS: Eleven hazardous chemical compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, styrene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, isovaleraldehyde, and valeraldehyde) were identified in the surgical smoke. With the built-in-filter trocar, removal rates of 69% for benzene (P=0.028), 72% for toluene (P=0.009), 67% for butyraldehyde (P=0.047), 46% for ethylbenzene (P=0.092), 44% for xylene (P=0.086), 35% for styrene (P=0.106), 39% for formaldehyde (P=0.346), and 33% for propionaldehyde (P=0.316) were achieved. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the presence of harmful materials in surgical smoke. Evacuation of surgical smoke through a disposable built-in-filter trocar is a simple and effective way in reducing volatile organic compounds concentrations.

Development of videogrammetry as a tool for gas-particle fluidization research.

Many industries use fluidization of solid particles for energy efficiency or environmental friendly process development, and this paper introduces research techniques developed for investigating gas-particle systems At present there is plenty of room for refining gas-particle fluidization process. With the rapidly rising application of mathematical modelling, real time visualization of processes will be widely used for validation of those models in the near future. In presented research, photogrammetry, as a part of close range vision metrology, has been expanded to allow dynamic space and time analysis of the phase concentration distribution inside fluidization devices. A novel videogrammetry method was created with additional stochastic process analysis for detailed frequency and amplitude characteristics. Videogrammetry was used for the assessment of flow regimes, which were held in various types of fluidization apparatuses. Classic bubbling, jet-spouted and fast circulating fluidization processes were explored under the investigation. Videogrammetry is non-invasive flow regime recognition method, which enables detailed research of gas-particle fluidization phenomena. Until now, there were no comparative studies for three different types of fluidization processes with the use of one complex approach. Developed videogrammetric method consists of the flow structure visualization and dynamic image analysis. The analysed feature is the grey level of the image in time domain, and grey level signals were analysed with the use of autocorrelation function and power density function. The results are presented as images, plots and a flow map. Efficiency of the method was tested by comparison of real observed flow structures to the reconstructed flow structures and the recognition accuracy reached 92%.

Health Hazards Associated with Consumption of Roof-Collected Rainwater in Urban Areas in Emergency Situations.

The greater Wellington region, New Zealand, is highly vulnerable to large earthquakes because it is cut by active faults. Bulk water supply pipelines cross the Wellington Fault at several different locations, and there is considerable concern about severe disruption of the provision of reticulated water supplies to households and businesses in the aftermath of a large earthquake. A number of policy initiatives have been launched encouraging householders to install rainwater tanks to increase post-disaster resilience. However, little attention has been paid to potential health hazards associated with consumption of these supplies. To assess health hazards for householders in emergency situations, six 200-litre emergency water tanks were installed at properties across the Wellington region, with five tanks being allowed to fill with roof-collected rainwater and one tank being filled with municipal tapwater as a control. Such tanks are predominantly set aside for water storage and, once filled, feature limited drawdown and recharge. Sampling from these tanks was carried out fortnightly for one year, and samples were analysed for E. coli, pH, conductivity, a range of major and trace elements, and organic compounds, enabling an assessment of the evolution of water chemistry in water storage tanks over time. Key findings were that the overall rate of E. coli detections in the rain-fed tanks was 17.7%, which is low in relation to other studies. We propose that low incidences of may be due to biocidal effects of high zinc concentrations in tanks, originating from unpainted galvanised steel roof cladding. Lead concentrations were high compared to other studies, with 69% of rain-fed tank samples exceeding the World Health Organisation's health-based guideline of 0.01 mg/L. Further work is required to determine risks of short-term consumption of this water in emergency situations.

Comparative performance evaluation of multi-metal resistant fungal strains for simultaneous removal of multiple hazardous metals.

In the present study, five fungal strains viz., Aspergillus terreus AML02, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus 4099, Beauveria bassiana 4580, Aspergillus terreus PD-17, Aspergillus fumigatus PD-18, were screened for simultaneous multimetal removal. Highest metal tolerance index for each individual metal viz., Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn (500mg/L) was recorded for A. fumigatus for the metals (Cd, 0.72; Cu, 0.72; Pb, 1.02; Zn, 0.94) followed by B. bassiana for the metals (Cd, 0.56; Cu, 0.14; Ni, 0.29; Zn, 0.85). Next, the strains were exposed to multiple metal mixture (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) of various concentrations (6, 12, 18, 30mg/L). Compared to other strains, B. bassiana and A. fumigatus had higher cube root growth (k) constants indicating their better adaptability to multi metal stress. After 72h, multimetal accumulation potential of B. bassiana (26.94±0.07mg/L) and A. fumigatus (27.59±0.09mg/L) were higher than the other strains at initial multimetal concentration of 30mg/L. However, considering the post treatment concentrations of individual metals in multimetal mixture (at all the tested concentrations), A. fumigatus demonstrated exceptional performance and could bring down the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn below the threshold level for irrigation prescribed by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Functional metal sulfides and selenides for the removal of hazardous dyes from Water.

Water contamination by organic dyes, is among the most alarming threats to healthy green environment. Complete removal of organic dyes is necessary to make water healthy for drinking, cooking, and for other useful aspects. Recently use of nanotechnology for removing organic dyes, became fruitful because of high surface to volume ratio and adsorption properties. Among these materials, metal chalcogenides emerge as new class of active materials for water purification. In this review article, we gathered information related to sulfide and selenide based nanomaterials which include metal sulfides and selenides, their binary composites, and use of different capping agents and dopants for enhancing photocatalysis. We have discussed in detail, about adsorption power of different dyes, relative percentage degradation, reaction time and concentration.

Evaluation of Microbiological and Chemical Contaminants in Poultry Farms.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the microbiological and chemical contamination in settled dust at poultry farms. The scope of research included evaluating the contributions of the various granulometric fractions in settled dust samples, assessing microbial contamination using culture methods, concentrations of secondary metabolites in dust and their cytotoxicity against hepatocyte chicken cells by means of MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) tests. In addition, we also evaluated the concentration of selected volatile odorous compounds (VOCs) using gas chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods and airborne dust concentration in the air with DustTrak™ DRX Aerosol Monitor. Studies were carried out on chicken broilers and laying hens at 13 poultry farms, with numbers of birds ranging from 8000 to 42,000. The airborne total dust concentration at poultry farms averaged 1.44 mg/m³ with a high percentage of the PM10 fraction (particulate matter with a diameter less than 10 µm). Microorganism concentrations in the settled dust were: 3.2 × 108 cfu/g for bacteria and 1.2 × 106 cfu/g for fungi. Potential pathogens (Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Aspergillus fumigatus, Paecilomyces variotii) were also found. Secondary metabolites included aurofusarin, deoxynivalenol, 15-hydroxyculmorin zearalenone, zearalenone-sulfate, infectopyron, and neochinulin A. However, the dust samples showed weak cytotoxicity towards chicken hepatocyte cells, which ranged between 9.2% and 29.7%. Among volatile odorous compounds ammonia, acrolein, methyloamine, acetic acid, acetoaldehyde and formaldehyde were detected in the air. In conclusion, settled dust can be a carrier of microorganisms, odours and secondary metabolites in poultry farms, which can be harmful to workers' health.

The removal of Microcystis ichthyoblabe cells and its hepatotoxin microcystin-LR during electrooxidation process using Pt/Ti electrodes.

Electrooxidation is widely used to remove harmful organic and inorganic substances as well as pathogenic microorganisms. This study investigates the removal of Microcystis ichthyoblabe cells and their hepatotoxin microcystin-LR by the electrooxidation process using Pt/Ti electrodes. Additionally, the morphology changes and cell sizes were determined by scanning electron microscopy and a particle size analyzer, respectively. The algal cells were severely damaged by the electrooxidation process. During the initial treatment, intracellular microcystin-LR was released from the cells, increasing the extracellular microcystin-LR concentration. The electrooxidation charge required to remove cells and MC-LR was 3 × 10(4) C and 6 × 10(4) C, respectively. The removal efficiencies of M. ichthyoblabe cells and microcystin-LR were insensitive to initial cell density, initial microcystin-LR concentration and solution conductivity, but were heavily reduced at large algal suspension volume. Therefore, to achieve simultaneous removal of Microcystis cells and their MC, it is necessary to control the volume of algal suspension.

Identification and Quantification of Several Contaminated Compounds in Replacement Liquids of Electronic Cigarettes by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes) are devices that are refilled with replacement liquids, which normally contain propylene glycol, nicotine and the desired flavor blend. Many consumers suspect that hazardous substances are present in addition to nicotine content. In this study, eight contaminated compounds in 105 replacement liquids from 11 types of E-cigarettes sold in the Republic of Korea were identified and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Diethyl phthalate and diethylhexyl phthalate were detected in concentration ranges of 0.01-1745.20 mg/L (47.6% detection frequency) and 0.06-81.89 mg/L (79.1% detection frequency) in the replacement liquids. Triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol and pentaethylene glycol were quantified in concentration ranges of 0.1-19.3 mg/L (10.5% detection frequency), 0.1-30.1 mg/L (12.4% detection frequency) and 0.1-24.9 mg/L (6.7% detection frequency) in the same samples. cis-3-Hexene-1-ol, methyl cinnamate and dodecane were quantified in concentration ranges of 0.03-3267.46 mg/L (70.5% detection frequency), 4.41-637.54 mg/L (6.7% detection frequency) and 0.01-639.96 mg/L (47.6% detection frequency) in the samples.

Study on anaerobic digestion treatment of hazardous colistin sulphate contained pharmaceutical sludge.

Pharmaceutical sludge is considered as a hazardous substance with high treatment and disposal fees. Anaerobic digestion could not only transform the hazardous substance into activated sludge, but also generate valuable biogas. This research had two objectives. First: studying the feasibility of anaerobic digestion and determining the biochemical methane potential (BMP) of pharmaceutical sludge under different Inoculum to substrate TS ratios (ISRs) of 0, 0.65, 2.58 and 10.32 in mesophilic condition of 37±1°C. Secondly, investigating the removal efficiency of colistin sulphate during anaerobic digestion. The results showed that the use of anaerobic digestion to treat the pharmaceutical sludge is feasible and that it can completely eliminate the colistin sulphate. The highest biogas production from pharmaceutical sludge is 499.46 mL/g TS at an ISR of 10.32.

Gas-phase advanced oxidation for effective, efficient in situ control of pollution.

In this article, gas-phase advanced oxidation, a new method for pollution control building on the photo-oxidation and particle formation chemistry occurring in the atmosphere, is introduced and characterized. The process uses ozone and UV-C light to produce in situ radicals to oxidize pollution, generating particles that are removed by a filter; ozone is removed using a MnO2 honeycomb catalyst. This combination of in situ processes removes a wide range of pollutants with a comparatively low specific energy input. Two proof-of-concept devices were built to test and optimize the process. The laboratory prototype was built of standard ventilation duct and could treat up to 850 m(3)/h. A portable continuous-flow prototype built in an aluminum flight case was able to treat 46 m(3)/h. Removal efficiencies of >95% were observed for propane, cyclohexane, benzene, isoprene, aerosol particle mass, and ozone for concentrations in the range of 0.4-6 ppm and exposure times up to 0.5 min. The laboratory prototype generated a OH(•) concentration derived from propane reaction of (2.5 ± 0.3) × 10(10) cm(-3) at a specific energy input of 3 kJ/m(3), and the portable device generated (4.6 ± 0.4) × 10(9) cm(-3) at 10 kJ/m(3). Based on these results, in situ gas-phase advanced oxidation is a viable control strategy for most volatile organic compounds, specifically those with a OH(•) reaction rate higher than ca. 5 × 10(-13) cm(3)/s. Gas-phase advanced oxidation is able to remove compounds that react with OH and to control ozone and total particulate mass. Secondary pollution including formaldehyde and ultrafine particles might be generated, depending on the composition of the primary pollution.