Comparative Comprehensive Analysis on Natural Infections of Hymenolepis Diminuta and Hymenolepis Nana in Commensal Rodents.

This first comprehensive report from Punjab province of India relates to patho-physiological alterations alongwith morpho-molecular characterisation and risk assessment of natural infections of Hymenolepis diminuta and Hymenolepis nana in 291commensal rodents including house rat, Rattus rattus (n=201) and lesser bandicoot rat, Bandicota bangalensis (n=90). Small intestine of 53.61 and 64.95 % rats was found infected with H. diminuta and H. nana, respectively with a concurrent infection rate of 50.86 %. There was no association between male and female rats and H. diminuta and H. nana infections (ᵡ2 = 0.016 and 0.08, respectively, d.f.= 1, P>0.05), while the host age had significant effect on prevalence of H. diminuta and H. nana (ᵡ2 = 28.12 and 7.18, respectively, d.f.= 1, P≤0.05) infection. Examination of faecal samples and intestinal contents revealed globular shaped eggs of H. diminuta without polar filaments (76.50 ± 3.01µm x 67.62 ± 2.42 µm), while smaller sized oval eggs of H. nana were with 4 - 8 polar filaments (47.87 ± 1.95 µm x 36.12 ± 3.05 µm). Cestode infection caused enteritis, sloughing of intestinal mucosa, necrosis of villi and inflammatory reaction with infiltration of mononuclear cells in the mucosa and submucosa. Morphometric identification of the adult cestodes recovered from the intestinal lumen was confirmed by molecular characterisation based on nuclear ITS-2 loci which showed a single band of 269 bp and 242 bp for H. diminuta and H. nana, respectively. Pairwise alignment of the ITS-2 regions showed 99.46 % similarity with sequences of H. diminuta from USA and 100 % similarity with sequences of H. nana from Slovakia, Kosice.

PBDE-47 and PBDE mixture (DE-71) toxicities and liver transcriptomic changes at PND 22 after in utero/postnatal exposure in the rat.

Pentabromodiphenyl ethers (PBDE) are found in human tissue, in household dust, and in the environment, and a particular concern is the potential for the induction of cancer pathways from these fat-soluble persistent organic pollutants. Only one PBDE cancer study has been conducted and that was for a PBDE mixture (DE-71). Because it is not feasible to test all PBDE congeners in the environment for cancer potential, it is important to develop a set of biological endpoints that can be used in short-term toxicity studies to predict disease outcome after long-term exposures. In this study, PBDE-47 was selected as the test PBDE congener to evaluate and compare toxicity to that of the carcinogenic PBDE mixture. The toxicities of PBDE-47 and the PBDE mixture were evaluated at PND 22 in Wistar Han rat (Crl: WI (Han)) pups after in utero/postnatal exposure (0, 0.1, 15, or 50 mg/kg; dams, GD6-21; pups, PND 12-PND 21; oral gavage daily dosing). By PND 22, PBDE-47 caused centrilobular hypertrophy and fatty change in liver, and reduced serum thyroxin (T4) levels; similar effects were also observed after PBDE mixture exposure. Transcriptomic changes in the liver included induction of cytochrome p450 transcripts and up-regulation of Nrf2 antioxidant pathway transcripts and ABC membrane transport transcripts. Decreases in other transport transcripts (ABCG5 & 8) provided a plausible mechanism for lipid accumulation, characterized by a treatment-related liver fatty change after PBDE-47 and PBDE mixture exposure. The benchmark dose calculation based on liver transcriptomic data was generally lower for PBDE-47 than for the PBDE mixture. The up-regulation of the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway and changes in metabolic transcripts after PBDE-47 and PBDE mixture exposure suggest that PBDE-47, like the PBDE mixture (NTP 2016, TR 589), could be a liver toxin/carcinogen after long-term exposure.

Di 2-ethylhexylphtalate in the aquatic and terrestrial environment: a critical review.

Phthalates are being increasingly used as softeners-plasticizers to improve the plasticity and the flexibility of materials. Amongst the different plasticizers used, more attention is paid to di (2-ethylhexylphtalate) (DEHP), one of the most representative compounds as it exhibits predominant effects on environment and human health. Meanwhile, several questions related to its sources; toxicity, distribution and fate still remain unanswered. Most of the evidence until date suggests that DEHP is an omnipresent compound found in different ecological compartments and its higher hydrophobicity and low volatility have resulted in significant adsorption to solids matrix. In fact, there are important issues to be addressed with regard to the toxicity of this compound in both animals and humans, its behavior in different ecological systems, and the transformation products generated during different biological or advanced chemical treatments. This article presents detailed review of existing treatment schemes, research gaps and future trends related to DEHP.

Bio-processing of agro-byproducts to animal feed.

Agricultural and food-industry residues constitute a major proportion (almost 30%) of worldwide agricultural production. These wastes mainly comprise lignocellulosic materials, fruit and vegetable wastes, sugar-industry wastes as well as animal and fisheries refuse and byproducts. Agro-residues are rich in many bioactive and nutraceutical compounds, such as polyphenolics, carotenoids and dietary fiber among others. Agro residues are a major valuable biomass and present potential solutions to problems of animal nutrition and the worldwide supply of protein and calories, if appropriate technologies can be used for their valorization by nutrient enrichment. Technologies available for protein enrichment of these wastes include solid substrate fermentation, ensiling, and high solid or slurry processes. Technologies to be developed for the reprocessing of these wastes need to take account of the peculiarities of individual wastes and the environment in which they are generated, reprocessed, and used. In particular, such technologies need to deliver products that are safe, not just for animal feed use, but also from the perspective of human feeding. This review focuses on the major current applications of solid-state fermentation in relation to the feed sector.

Sewage treatment in integrated system of UASB reactor and duckweed pond and reuse for aquaculture.

The performance of a laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and a duckweed pond containing Lemna gibba was investigated for suitability for treating effluent for use in aquaculture. While treating low-strength sewage having a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of typically less than 200 mg/L, with an increase in hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 10.04 to 33.49 h, COD removal efficiency of the UASB reactor decreased owing to a decrease in organic loading rate (OLR) causing poor mixing in the reactor. However, even at the lower OLR (0.475 kg COD/(m3 x d)), the UASB reactor gave a removal efficiency of 68% for COD and 74% for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). The maximum COD, BOD, ammonia-nitrogen and phosphate removal efficiencies of the duckweed pond were 40.77%, 38.01%, 61.87% and 88.57%, respectively. Decreasing the OLR by increasing the HRT resulted in an increase in efficiency of the duckweed pond for removal of ammonia-nitrogen and phosphate. The OLR of 0.005 kg COD/(m2 x d) and HRT of 108 h in the duckweed pond satisfied aquaculture quality requirements. A specific growth rate of 0.23% was observed for tilapia fish fed with duckweed harvested from the duckweed pond. The economic analysis proved that it was beneficial to use the integrated system of a UASB reactor and a duckweed pond for treatment of sewage.

Partial ozonation pre-treatment for sludge solubilization and simultaneous degradation of bisphenol A: quantification studies.

Ozonation pre-treatment was investigated for the enhancement of sludge solids and organic matter solubilization and simultaneous degradation of bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor compound from wastewater sludge (WWS). The ultrafast method (15 s per sample) used for the analysis of BPA in WWS is based on Laser Diode Thermal Desorption/Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization coupled to tandem Mass Spectrometry. The statistical methods used for optimization studies comprised the response surface method with fractional factorial designs and central composite designs. The ozonation pre-treatment process was carried out with four independent variables, namely WWS solids concentration (15-35 g l(-1)), pH (5-7), ozone dose (5-25 mg g(-1) SS) and ozonation time (10-30 min). It was observed that among all the variables studied, ozone dose had more significantly (probability (p) < 0.001) affected the efficiency of the ozonation pre-treatment by increasing sludge solids (suspended solids (SS) and volatile solids) solubilization and organic matter (soluble chemical oxygen demand and soluble organic carbon) increment and BPA degradation from WWS. During the optimization process, it was found that higher BPA degradation (100%) could be obtained with 24 g l(-1) SS, 6.23 pH with an ozone dose of 26.14 mg g(-1) SS for 16.47 min ozonation time. The higher ozone dose used in this study was observed to be cost effective on the basis of solids and organic matter solubilization and degradation of BPA.

Telephone consultation for two-week-wait ENT and head and neck cancer referrals: initial evaluation including patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the outcomes of telephone consultation, including patient satisfaction, for two-week-wait head and neck cancer referrals. METHODS: Analysis of the data of this prospective study was centred on outcomes of the consultation, patient satisfaction and preference for telephone consultation. RESULTS: Patient satisfaction and preference for telephone consultation were influenced by patient awareness of cancer referral. When comparing the three most common presenting symptoms, patients with sore throat were more satisfied than those with neck mass. Regarding telephone consultation outcomes, patients with neck mass were less likely to be discharged and more likely to require investigations than those with sore throat or hoarseness. Patients with hoarseness more often required a face-to-face appointment. CONCLUSION: Telephone consultation might be a valid initial encounter for the majority of two-week-wait head and neck cancer referrals, especially when the referral symptoms are considered. This work shows the validity and safety of telephone consultation for two-week-wait head and neck cancer referrals.

Bio-encapsulation of microbial cells for targeted agricultural delivery.

Biofertilizers, namely Rhizobium and biocontrol agents such as Pseudomonas and Trichoderma have been well established in the field of agricultural practices for many decades. Nevertheless, research is still going on in the field of inoculant production to find methods to improve advanced formulation and application in fields. Conventionally used solid and liquid formulations encompass several problems with respect to the low viability of microorganisms during storage and field application. There is also lack of knowledge regarding the best carrier in conventional formulations. Immobilization of microorganisms however improves their shelf-life and field efficacy. In this context, microencapsulation is an advanced technology which has the possibility to overcome the drawbacks of other formulations, results in extended shelf-life, and controlled microbial release from formulations enhancing their application efficacy. This review discusses different microencapsulation technologies including the production strategies and application thereof in agricultural practices.

Extraction and analysis of polyphenols: recent trends.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in diets rich in fruits and vegetables and this is mostly due to their presumed role in the prevention of various degenerative diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This is mainly due to the presence of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, carotenoids, among others. Polyphenols are one of the main classes of secondary metabolites derived from plants offering several health benefits resulting in their use as functional foods. Prior to the use of these polyphenols in specific applications, such as food, pharmaceutical, and the cosmetic industries, they need to be extracted from the natural matrices, then analyzed and characterized. The development of an efficient procedure for the extraction, proper analysis, and characterization of phenolic compounds from different sources is a challenging task due to the structural diversity of phenolic compounds, a complex matrix, and their interaction with other cellular components. In this light, this review discusses different methods of extraction, analysis, and the structural characterization of polyphenolic compounds.

Enhanced solid-state citric acid bio-production using apple pomace waste through surface response methodology.

AIMS: To evaluate the potential of apple pomace (AP) supplemented with rice husk for hyper citric acid production through solid-state fermentation by Aspergillus niger NRRL-567. Optimization of two key parameters, such as moisture content and inducer (ethanol and methanol) concentration was carried out by response surface methodology. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, the effect of two crucial process parameters for solid-state citric acid fermentation by A. niger using AP waste supplemented with rice husk were thoroughly investigated in Erlenmeyer flasks through response surface methodology. Moisture and methanol had significant positive effect on citric acid production by A. niger grown on AP (P < 0·05). Higher values of citric acid on AP by A. niger (342·41gkg(-1) and 248·42gkg(-1) dry substrate) were obtained with 75% (v/w) moisture along with two inducers [3% (v/w) methanol and 3% (v/w) ethanol] with fermentation efficiency of 93·90% and 66·42%, respectively depending upon the total carbon utilized after 144h of incubation period. With the same optimized parameters, conventional tray fermentation was conducted. The citric acid concentration of 187·96gkg(-1) dry substrate with 3% (v/w) ethanol and 303·34gkg(-1) dry substrate with 3% (v/w) methanol were achieved representing fermentation efficiency of 50·80% and 82·89% in tray fermentation depending upon carbon utilization after 120h of incubation period. CONCLUSIONS: Apple pomace proved to be the promising substrate for the hyper production of citric acid through solid-state tray fermentation, which is an economical technique and does not require any sophisticated instrumentation. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The study established that the utilization of agro-industrial wastes have positive repercussions on the economy and will help to meet the increasing demands of citric acid and moreover will help to alleviate the environmental problems resulting from the disposal of agro-industrial wastes.

Nanoparticles--production and role in biotransformation.

Renewed interest has arisen in the manufacture of nanoparticles due to their unusually enhanced physico-chemical properties and biological activities compared to the bulk parent materials. The industrial scale production and wide variety of application of nanoparticles has resulted in broad range applications in biotechnology, more recently in the increase in efficiency of biotransformation processes. Biotransformation processes utilized to form different bio-products and nanoparticles demonstrate various roles in the bio-products formation. In order to address the issue, it is necessary to understand the different methods available for synthesis of nanoparticles and their effects on biotransformation process, an efficient process for utilization of nanoparticles. In this review, an overview of physical, chemical and biological methods for synthesis of nanoparticles and their role in biotransformation process on formation of different bio-products, such as bioethanol, biohydrogen, biodiesel, enzymes and bioplastics is outlined. In fact, the nanoparticles are going to prove revolutionary in the field of biotransformation by improving the efficiency and yield and often widening the application range.

Bioproduction of hydrolytic enzymes using apple pomace waste by A. niger: applications in biocontrol formulations and hydrolysis of chitin/chitosan.

Studies were carried out for ß-glucosidase production using apple pomace (AP) in solid-state fermentation using 2(4) factorial design and response surface methodology. The influence of four independent variables including initial moisture level and inducers [veratryl alcohol (VA), lactose (LAC) and copper sulfate (CS)] was studied. The experimental design showed that initial moisture level had significant negative effect on the response. Higher ß-glucosidase activity of 64.18 IU/gram fermented substrate (gfs) was achieved in solid-state tray fermentation with optimum conditions having initial moisture level 55% (v/w), pH 4.5, 2 mM/kg VA, 2% (w/w) LAC and 1.5 mM/kg CS concentration, respectively,. The non-specific chitinase 70.28 ± 6.34 IU/gfs and chitosanase activities 60.18 ± 6.82 to 64.20 ± 7.12 IU/gfs were observed. The study demonstrated that AP can be potentially used for the ß-glucosidase production by Aspergillus niger. Moreover, ß-glucosidase can be used for the hydrolysis of chitin/chitosan to depolymerized products and in the formulation of biocontrol agents for enhanced entomotoxicity levels.

Optimization of spray drying process for Bacillus thuringiensis fermented wastewater and wastewater sludge.

Response surface methodology was used to optimize spray drying process for producing biopesticide powders of Bacillus thuringiensis by using fermented broth of starch industry wastewater and wastewater sludge. Analysis of variance was carried out using number of viable spores in the powder as dependent variable. The determination coefficients of models were 92 and 94% for fermented broth of starch industry wastewater and wastewater sludge, respectively. Under the optimal conditions of the operational parameters of spray drying, the numbers of viable spores were 2.2 × 10(8) and 1.3 × 10(8) CFU/mg in the dry powders for starch industry wastewater and wastewater sludge respectively, with a loss of viable spores of 18 and 13% when compared with their respective fermented broths. The entomotoxicity (measured by the bioassay method) of the powders obtained under optimal conditions showed a loss of 28 and 18% when compared with the fermented broth of starch industry wastewater and wastewater sludge, respectively. The optimized results of spray drying were used for field application calculations. The volume of fermented broth required to produce powder formulated product when compared with the volume required for liquid formulation product in order to treat 1 ha of balsam fir was less and offered several advantages.

Rheological profile of diets produced using agro-industrial wastes for rearing codling moth larvae for baculovirus biopesticides.

A rheological study of diets using the agro-industrial wastes (brewery wastewater and pomace waste) was carried out in order to obtain a diet most adapted to supply nutrients for growth of codling moth (CM) larvae. Nutritive capacity (g/L) of brewery wastewater (BWW) (25.5 ± 5.5 carbohydrates; 16.9 ± 2.1 proteins; 6 ± 1.6 lipids) and pomace waste (POM) (22.0 ± 0.03 carbohydrates; 11.3 ± 1.3 proteins; 2 ± 0.2 lipids) were essential and important as replacement or in association with other ingredients [soya flour (SF), wheat germ (WG), yeast extract (YE)] of the standard diet for the breeding of codling moth larvae. These diet additives also contributed to the preservation of texture and nutritive content of larvae diet. The eggs and CM larvae were grown on alternate diets under industrial conditions (16:8 h photoperiod; 25 ± 1 °C and 50 ± 0.5 % of humidity). The higher assimilation of nutrients of the diets in BWW and control diet was observed by calculating the rate of hatching of eggs (0.48 to 0.71); larvae growth (0.23 to 0.4) and fertility (1.33 to 3 for control diet). The excellent growth and fertility rates of codling moth larvae were attributed to variations in viscosity (varying from 50 to 266 mPa.s⁻¹), particle size (varying 24.3 µm in 88.05 µm with regard to 110 µm the control diet) and total solids (145.88 g/L POM + YE; 162.08 g/L BWW + YE; 162.2 g/L POM + WG; 173 g/L control; 174.3 g/L BWW + WG) diets. Lower viscosity favored improved diet due to ease of assimilation of nutrients. Thus, rheology is an important parameter during preparation of diets for growth of codling moth larvae as it will dictate the nutrient assimilation which is an important parameter of larvae growth.

Molecular characterization and histo-physiological alterations induced by concurrent helminthosis in the liver of urban commensal rodents in Punjab, India.

BACKGROUND: Rodents harbour a number of parasites of public health importance, thus, they threaten human health and livestock. AIMS: The present study aimed to characterize two helminthic species found in commensal rodents and record histo-physiological alterations induced by them. METHODS: A total of 300 synanthropic rodents of three species: Rattus rattus (n=201), Bandicota bengalensis (n=90), and Mus musculus ( n=09 ) were live trapped and necropsied in different seasons during November 2017 to October 2019 at Ludhiana, Punjab, India. RESULTS: Liver of two species B. bengalensis (72.22%) and R. rattus (65.67%) were found infected with two helminthic parasites Taenia taeniaeformis, and Calodium hepaticum. These endoparasites were present either alone (4.33-6.33%) or as mixed infection (65.55%). The level of total proteins and liver marker enzymes including aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were found significantly higher in the liver of rodent species infected with single and mixed infection compared to those with no infection. In histopathological assay, granulomatous liver lesions and necrosis of hepatocytes were seen which were associated with eggs and adults of C. hepaticum and inflammatory reaction in hepatic parenchyma adjoining to cysts of T. taeniaeformis. Based upon scanning electron microscopy (SEM) identification and molecular characterization using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) region, the metacestodes in whitish cysts were confirmed to be of T. taeniaeformis for the first time in Punjab, India. CONCLUSION: The study highlights an alarmingly high infection of rodents with zoonotic parasites and suggests immediate pest (rodent) control to check the dissemination of zoonotic diseases by helminth species under study.

Optimization of Fenton oxidation pre-treatment for B. thuringiensis - based production of value added products from wastewater sludge.

Fenton oxidation pretreatment was investigated for enhancement of biodegradability of wastewater sludge (WWS) which was subsequently used as substrate for the production of value- added products. The Response surface method with fractional factorial and central composite designs was applied to determine the effects of Fenton parameters on solubilization and biodegradability of sludge and the optimization of the Fenton process. Maximum solubilization and biodegradability were obtained as 70% and 74%, respectively at the optimal conditions: 0.01 ml H(2)O(2)/g SS, 150 [H(2)O(2)](0)/[Fe(2+)](0), 25 g/L TS, at 25 degrees C and 60 min duration. Further, these optimal conditions were tested for the production of a value added product, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) which is being used as a biopesticide in the agriculture and forestry sector. It was observed that Bt growth using Fenton oxidized sludge as a substrate was improved with a maximum total cell count of 1.63 x 10(9)CFU ml(-1) and 96% sporulation after 48 h of fermentation. The results were also tested against ultrasonication treatment and the total cell count was found to be 4.08 x 10(8)CFU ml(-1) with a sporulation of 90%. Hence, classic Fenton oxidation was demonstrated to be a rather more promising chemical pre-treatment for Bt - based biopesticide production using WWS when compared to ultrasonication as a physical pre-treatment.

Methane production potential (B0) of swine and cattle manures--a Canadian perspective.

Canada's agricultural emissions accounted for 60 Mt or 8% of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2007. The estimation of CH4 emission factor (B0) from manure management systems in Canada is prone to uncertainty owing to lack of B0 values for Canadian conditions. Therefore, in this study, manure samples from six Canadian animal farms, two each of swine, beef and dairy cattle, were investigated in order to estimate their methane production potential (B0). The ultimate anaerobic biodegradability was measured with ISO standard batch fermentation. The extent of biodegradation of the manure samples with or without sodium benzoate was always greater than 60% and hence showed no inhibitory effect on methane production by the manure. The impact of use of antibiotics in the animal feed on methane production was also considered; however, no inhibitory effect on methane production could be observed. The plateau of methane production in all cases was achieved by 63 d of anaerobic digestion process and the final pH was within 6-8. The calculated B0 were in the range of 0.47-0.42, 0.21-0.19 and 0.35-0.30 for swine, beef cattle and dairy cattle, respectively. The uncertainties associated with B0 values were +/- 9% for swine, +/- 3% for beef cattle and, +/- 6 and +/- 2% for dairy cows.

Germline variants and phenotypic spectrum in a Canadian cohort of individuals with diffuse gastric cancer.

Background: CDH1 pathogenic variants (pvs) cause most cases of inherited diffuse gastric cancer (dgc), but have low detection rates and vary geographically. In the present study, we examined hereditary causes of dgc in patients in Ontario. Methods: CDH1 testing through single-site or multi-gene panels was conducted for patients with dgc meeting the 2015 International Gastric Cancer Linkage Consortium (igclc) criteria, or with isolated dgc at less than 50 years of age, or with a strong family history of cancer identified at the Zane Cohen Centre (zcc). All CDH1-positive patients at zcc, regardless of cancer history, were summarized. Results: In 15 of 85 patients with dgc (17.6%), a pv or likely pv was identified through CDH1 single-site (n = 43) or multi-gene panel (n = 42) testing. The detection rate was 9.4% overall (8 of 85) and 11% using igclc criteria (7 of 65). No CDH1 pvs were identified in patients with isolated dgc at less than 40 years of age, but 1 pv was identified in a patient with isolated dgc at less than 50 years of age. Multi-gene panels identified 9 pvs (21.4%), including CDH1, STK11, ATM, BRCA2, MLH1, and MSH2. Review of 81 CDH1 carriers identified 10% with dgc (median age: 48 years; range: 38-59 years); 41% were unaffected (median age: 53 years; range: 26-89 years). Observed malignancies other than dgc or lobular breast cancer (lbc) included colorectal, gynecologic, kidney or bladder, prostate, testicular, and ductal breast cancers. Lobular-breast cancer was seen only in 3 families. Conclusions: In Ontario, the detection rate of CDH1 pvs in patients with dgc was low: no pvs were identified in patients with isolated dgc at less than 40 years of age, and 1 was identified in a patient with isolated dgc at less than 50 years of age. Isolated lbc with no dgc was observed in CDH1-positive families, as were pathology-confirmed nondgc or non-lbc malignancies, which had not previously been reported. Given a phenotype that overlaps with other hereditary conditions, multi-gene panels are recommended for all patients with dgc at less than 50 years of age and for those meeting igclc criteria.

Pre-treatment and bioconversion of wastewater sludge to value-added products--fate of endocrine disrupting compounds.

Development of processes for the production of value added products (VAPs), such as biopesticides, microbial inoculants or industrial enzymes through biotransformation of raw or pre-treated wastewater sludge (WWS) has undergone a substantial progress over the last decade. WWS based VAPs are low cost biological alternatives that can compete with chemicals or other cost intensive biological products in the current markets. However, when WWS is used as a raw material for VAPs production, questions still remains on the persistence of organic pollutants within the biotransformed WWS, especially, endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and the production of their toxic intermediates. WWS pre-treatment prior to biotransformation as well as the microbial strains used for biotransformation can possibly remove these organic pollutants. The literature findings concerning the impact of WWS pre-treatment and value added products on EDCs removal are reviewed in this paper. The microbial potential to degrade or detoxify EDCs and toxic intermediates concomitant with value-addition is also discussed. The concept of obtaining EDCs free-WWS based VAPs and simultaneously achieving the objective of pollution control is presented.

Starch industry wastewater for production of biopesticides--ramifications of solids concentrations.

Total solids (TS) concentrations ranging from 15 to 66 g L(-1) of starch industry wastewater (SIW) were tested as raw material for the production of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD-1 (Btk) biopesticide in shake flasks and a 15 L bench-scale fermenter. Shake flask studies revealed a higher delta-endotoxin concentration of Btk at 30 g L(-1) TS concentration and 2.5% (v v(-1)) volume of pre-culture. The fermenter experiments conducted using SIW at 30 g L(-1) TS concentration under controlled conditions of temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen showed higher spore count, enzyme production (protease and amylase) and delta-endotoxin concentration as compared with those of SIW at 15 g L(-1) TS concentration. The entomotoxicity, at the end of fermentation, with SIW at 30 g L(-1) solids concentration (17.8 x 10(9) SBU L(-1), measured against spruce budworm) was considerably higher as compared with entomotoxicity at 15 g L(-1) solids concentration (15.3 x 10(9) SBU L(-1)) and semi-synthetic medium (11.7 x 10(9) SBU L(-1)). The pellet, comprising spores and delta-endotoxin complex obtained after centrifugation and followed by resuspension (in supernatant) in one-tenth of the original volume, of SIW at 30 g L(-1) solids concentration media registered the highest potential for application (to protect forests against spruce budworm) than other media in term of entomotoxicity.