Contribution of the FPA tasting panel to decision making about drinking water treatment facilities.

The flavour profile analysis (FPA) panel of Aigües de Barcelona has participated in three engineering projects initiated to improve both the quality of the water supplied and the use of the scarce resources available. The information provided by the panel enables a solid evaluation of the organoleptic quality of the water produced in the facilities, which is very useful in making decisions concerning the development of the projects. The first project refers to the Besòs full scale nanofiltration pilot plant. The study includes characterisation of the organoleptic quality of the water obtained and the behaviour of blends in different proportions with water from the Ter river. Secondly, this article presents the results obtained in El Papiol pilot plant for the reduction of trihalomethanes in water from the Abrera WTP, situated by the Llobregat river. The tasting results indicate that the stripping treatment slightly improves the quality of water, whereas the improvement is more remarkable with carbon filtration. The third project was the reverse osmosis pilot plant installed in the Sant Joan Despi WTP, which also collects water from the Llobregat river. A gradual improvement of the water treated was clearly observed when increasing amounts of reverse osmosis treated water were added. Some trends were also observed according to the characteristics of the feed water to the reverse osmosis facilities.

Managing an odour episode in Barcelona's water supply: strategies adopted, the causative agent (diacetyl) and determination of its organoleptic properties.

The Llobregat River is a basic drinking water resource for the city of Barcelona, meeting 40% of the demand. The river runs through a densely populated industrial area, so that it has in its history experienced various episodes due to industrial spills. The present work deals with a recent episode involving diacetyl. To the best of our knowledge this episode is the first time that this compound has been identified as an odour-causing compound in water. In a previous work the analytical method used for the identification of the compound causing the episode was described. The present work focuses its attention on how the episode was handled: action taken at the Sant Joan Despi water treatment plant and the sampling strategy on the river that led to the identification of the company responsible for the spill, a paper mill. It also deals with the role played by the FPA panel in the resolution of the episode: organoleptic description of samples of the problem in the initial phase of the episode (from the treatment plant, distribution network and customer complaints) and, once the compound responsible was identified, the determination of its organoleptic characteristics (odour threshold, odour descriptors, Weber-Fechner curve).

[Complete congenital atrioventricular block. Prenatal diagnosis and perinatal management]. / Bloqueo auriculoventricular completo congénito. Diagnóstico prenatal y manejo perinatal.

OBJECTIVE: To describe our experience in prenatal diagnosis and perinatal management of congenital atrioventricular heart block, as well as pacemaker treatment in the neonate. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 13 fetuses are included. The diagnosis of atrioventricular dissociation was established by Doppler heart rate sample in the right atrium to show the atrial activity while the sample in the Aorta reflected the ventricular heart rate. Gestational age at diagnosis, ventricular heart rates, autoimmune maternal pathology, maternal blood tests for autoantibodies antiRo+, congenital structural heart disease, fetal hydrops, maternal medical treatment, perinatal results and pacemaker neonatal implantation are described. RESULTS: Gestational age at diagnosis ranged between 22 and 32 (mean 27.6) weeks. Ventricular heart rates ranged between 32 to 80 (mean 54) beats/min. AntiRo+ antibodies were detected in 5 mothers, and clinical systemic lupus erythematosus was found in only one. Four had congenital heart disease (2 ventricular inversion and corrected TGA, 1 complete atrio-ventricular canal and 1 tricuspid atresia). Signs of heart failure and hydrops were detected in 9 fetuses. Treatment with beta-metasona and ritodrine was administered to 7 mothers when the ventricular heart rate dropped below 60 beats/min. Intrauterine fetal death occurred in 3 fetuses with structural congenital heart disease and hydrops. Delivery was performed by cesarean section in 8 preterm fetuses (one them a twins), 3 spontaneous deliveries at term and 3 stillbirth. Postnatal pacemaker implantation was carried out in 9 newborns (3 cases with unicameral temporal right ventricle electrode and 6 cases with permanent bicameral electrodes implanted through the subclavian vein and DDD pacemaker). Follow-up of the bicameral pacemaker group was satisfactory. CONCLUSION: Persistent fetal bradycardia is the first sign to diagnose prenatal complete atrioventricular heart block. Echocardiography asses fetal haemodynamic status and may detect signs of fetal deterioration. Hydrops and further drop in the ventricular heart rate warrant urgent cesarean section and pacemaker management of the newborn.

Effect of blending two treated waters on the organoleptic profile of Barcelona's supply.

Barcelona's drinking water has two distinct origins: the Ter and Llobregat rivers supply the city in a ratio of 35/65. The organoleptic quality of the two waters is very different. Treated water from the Llobregat sometimes has organoleptic problems, whereas the quality of treated water from the Ter is much better. The aim of this paper is to study the effects of blending the two types of water and to determine the best blend of the Ter and Llobregat treated waters in terms of flavour and odour, using the A/not A test and the Flavour Profile Analysis. The optimum blend of Ter and Llobregat water is the blend that contains the highest percentage of Llobregat water without any appreciable loss of the characteristics of Ter water.

Taste and odor profiles (off-flavors) in the drinking waters of the Barcelona area (1996-2000).

The Aigües de Barcelona laboratory systematically monitors the organoleptic quality of the water it supplies. The water comes mainly from the Llobregat and Ter rivers, with the two sources having cleary differentiated chemical characteristics. Water is monitored by the tasting panel, which works according to FPA (Flavor Profile Analysis) principles. This paper reports the results from the period 1996-2000: characteristic organoleptic profiles, evolution of descriptors and the overall organoleptic evaluation of the water. The results show that in Llobregat water the descriptors chlorinous, medicinal, rubbery and salty are the most relevant, whereas in Ter water fresh nature/grassy and metallic are. The Aesthetic Quality Index drawn up by our laboratory confirms that Ter water has better organoleptic quality than Llobregat water. Monitoring also found that neither water lost quality significantly within the distribution network.

The panel of Aigües de Barcelona: 15 years of history.

The Aigües de Barcelona Laboratory has been working on odour and taste research in water for 15 years. During the entire period its basic tool has been the FPA (Flavour Profile Analysis) standard method, used by a group of trained tasters. This paper reports the main activities of the panel in recent years, such as the recruitment and training of panellists, the wheel of descriptors used, the Aesthetic Quality Index (AQI) developed for the quality control of water supplies, various research studies, and taste and odour episodes in which it has helped.

Removal of radionuclides in drinking water by membrane treatment using ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and electrodialysis reversal.

A pilot plant had been built to test the behaviour of ultrafiltration (UF), reverse osmosis (RO), and electrodialysis reversal (EDR) in order to improve the quality of the water supplied to Barcelona metropolitan area from the Llobregat River. This paper presents results from two studies to reduce natural radioactivity. The results from the pilot plant with four different scenarios were used to design the full-scale treatment plant built (SJD WTP). The samples taken at different steps of the treatment were analysed to determine gross alpha, gross beta and uranium activity. The results obtained revealed a significant improvement in the radiological water quality provided by both membrane techniques (RO and EDR showed removal rates higher than 60%). However, UF did not show any significant removal capacity for gross alpha, gross beta or uranium activities. RO was better at reducing the radiological parameters studied and this treatment was selected and applied at the full scale treatment plant. The RO treatment used at the SJD WTP reduced the concentration of both gross alpha and gross beta activities and also produced water of high quality with an average removal of 95% for gross alpha activity and almost 93% for gross beta activity at the treatment plant.

Behavior of natural radionuclides in wastewater treatment plants.

56 samples, including influent, primary effluent, secondary effluent and final effluent wastewater from two Spanish municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), were analyzed to assess both the occurrence and behavior of natural radioactivity during 12 sampling campaigns carried out over the period 2007-2010. Influent and final effluent wastewaters were sampled by taking into account the hydraulic residence time within the WWTP. A wide range of gross alpha activities (15-129 mBq/L) and gross beta activities (477-983 mBq/L) in liquid samples were obtained. A correlation analysis between radioactivity in liquid samples and the performance characteristics of the WWTPs was performed. The results in liquid samples showed that gross beta activities were not influenced by treatment in the studied WWTPs. However, gross alpha activities behave differently and an increase was detected in the effluent values compared with influent wastewater. This behavior was due to the increase in the total dissolved uranium produced during secondary treatment. The results indicate that the radiological characteristics of the effluents do not present a significant radiological risk and make them suitable for future applications.

Distribution of uranium isotopes in surface water of the Llobregat river basin (Northeast Spain).

A study is presented on the distribution of (234)U, (238)U, (235)U isotopes in surface water of the Llobregat river basin (Northeast Spain), from 2001 to 2006. Sixty-six superficial water samples were collected at 16 points distributed throughout the Llobregat river basin. Uranium isotopes were measured by alpha spectrometry (PIPS detectors). The test procedure was validated according to the quality requirements of the ISO17025 standard. The activity concentration for the total dissolved uranium ranges from 20 to 261mBqL(-1). The highest concentrations of uranium were detected in an area with formations of sedimentary rock, limestone and lignite. A high degree of radioactive disequilibrium was noted among the uranium isotopes. The (234)U/(238)U activity ratio varied between 1.1 and 1.9 and the waters with the lowest uranium activity registered the highest level of (234)U/(238)U activity ratio. Correlations between uranium activity in the tested water and chemical and physical characteristics of the aquifer were found.

Extraction study of algal pigments in river bed sediments by applying factorial designs.

Phytopigment content of river bed sediments changes in response to different concentrations of available nutrients and results in a useful descriptor of their trophic state and environmental quality. In this work three incomplete factorial designs of experiments were carried out for extracting algal pigments from river sediments using dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), methanol or acetone. The independent variables used in this study and their variation limits were: extractant:sediment ratio (1-5mL/g), temperature (40-80 degrees C) and duration of treatments (30-90min). The experimental data obtained (chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total carotenoids content) allowed the development of empirical models for each phytopigment, describing the interrelationship between operational and experimental variables by equations, including linear, interaction and quadratic terms. The experimental results obtained showed that methanol and acetone were less effective extractants for phytopigments from river sediments when compared to DMSO. The model predicted that in a single extraction using 3.6mL of DMSO/g of sediment at 38 degrees C during 40min, DMSO releases the 89% of chlorophyll-a in the range tested, whereas the best conditions for extracting chlorophyll-b and total carotenoids are achieved using 3.6-3.7mL of DMSO/g of sediment, at 64-67 degrees C for 50-51min, respectively, releasing the 76% of the chlorophyll-b and the 100% of the total carotenoids in a single extraction.

[Maternal attitude to breast feeding and difficulties in the immediate puerperium]. / Actitud materna ante la lactancia natural y dificultades en el puerperio inmediato.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the attitudes of women who have just given birth towards breast feeding according to their social class and level of education, as well as the problems arising during their stay in hospital, and the possible repercussions the latter might have. DESIGN: Transversal descriptive study, based on random sampling. SITE. The Maternity Unit of the "Marqués de Valdecilla" University Hospital, Santander. PARTICIPANTS: 100 mothers of newborn babies chosen at random amongst those who had given birth vaginally to normal babies after a nine months pregnancy. RESULTS: The results from the questionnaire show that: 35% derived their information on breast feeding from magazines, 25% from the psychoprophylactic obstetrician (PPO), 28% had no information. 60% of the sample took the decision to breast-feed before pregnancy, 21% during the pregnancy, and 6% after the birth. 78% of the children were fully documented at the hospital on: first time at the breast, frequency of feeds, glucose solution supplement. 60% of the mothers evidenced problems with their breasts. On leaving hospital, 83% were breast feeding. CONCLUSIONS: To continue promoting breast feeding and helping mothers not to have so many problems at the beginning, we should use primary health attention, PPO courses and prenatal education as platforms for action, emphasising the importance of preventive care of the breast and breast-feeding technique. Hospitals should incorporate the international recommendations on initial lactation, with subsequent reinforcement during home visits and health centre appointments.

Prenatal diagnosis of isolated hypospadias.

Ten cases of prenatal diagnosis of isolated hypospadias are presented, six of them in the second trimester. The echographical basis for the suspected diagnosis of hypospadias are: anomalous distal morphology of the penis, small lateral folds (dermal remains of the prepuce), small penis with ventral incurving and anomalous urinary stream. The embryogenesis and the clinical utility of prenatal study of the genitals of the fetus, not only to determine the sex, but also to detect anomalies, are discussed.

Prenatal diagnosis of testicular torsion.

A case of the prenatal diagnosis of testicular torsion at 39 weeks' gestation is presented. The affected testicle was observed as a small rounded area of hypoechogenicity with a peripheral echogenic ring without hydrocele. The appearance was suggestive of the chronic phase of testicular torsion. The neonatal genital exploration confirmed the diagnosis.

Early detection of reversed diastolic umbilical flow: should we offer karyotyping?

In normal pregnancy, end-diastolic flow appears in the umbilical artery around the 13th week of gestation, with a velocity which increases progressively with advancing gestation. The detection of reversed flow in the umbilical artery, the highest expression of an increase in placental vascular resistance, is extremely uncommon in the first half of gestation and, in three of the four cases reported in the literature, there were chromosomal abnormalities. We report a new case of reversed end-diastolic flow in the umbilical artery in a 13-week fetus with increased nuchal translucency thickness, megacystis and tachycardia. Cytogenetic analysis of chorionic villi and amniocytes revealed trisomy 13. The findings provide further evidence for a possible association between reversed end-diastolic flow in the umbilical artery and chromosomal abnormalities. However, the effectiveness of this potential marker in an unselected population requires further evaluation.

Urgencias en usuarios de cocaína

En España, el consumo de cocaína ha ido aumentando progresivamente en estos últimos 15 años, y con él también se han incrementado las urgencias toxicológicas asociadas a este consumo y las demandas de deshabituación. El espectro de manifestaciones de la sobredosis de cocaína es multiorgánico, pero incide sobre todo en el sistema nervioso central y en el aparato cardiovascular. Algunas complicaciones pueden ser mortales y podrían presentarse inmediatamente después del consumo (muerte súbita). La cocaína carece de antídoto específico, por lo que las medidas a aplicar son sintomáticas, siendo las benzodiacepinas la herramienta farmacológica más eficaz en algunas de estas manifestaciones (AU)