Removal of phosphate from water using six Al-, Fe-, and Al-Fe-modified bentonite adsorbents.

This study was part of a larger effort that involves evaluating alternatives to upgrading secondary treatment systems in the United Arab Emirates for the removal of nutrients. In this study, six modified bentonite (BNT) phosphate adsorbents were prepared using solutions that contained hydroxy-polycations of aluminum (Al-BNT), iron (Fe-BNT), and mixtures of aluminum and iron (Al-Fe-BNT). The adsorption kinetics and capacities of the six adsorbents were evaluated, and the adsorbents were used to remove phosphorus from synthetic phosphate solutions and from treated wastewater. The experimental adsorption kinetics results were well represented by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, with R(2) values ranging from 0.99 to 1.00. Similarly, the experimental equilibrium adsorption results were well represented by the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms, with R(2) values ranging from 0.98 to 1.00. The adsorption capacities of the adsorbents were dependent on the BNT preparation conditions; the types, quantities and combination of metals used; BNT particle size; and adsorption pH. The Langmuir maximum adsorption capacities of the six adsorbents ranged from 8.9-14.5 mg P/g-BNT. The results suggested that the BNT preparations containing Fe alone or in combination with Al achieved higher adsorption capacities than the preparations containing only Al. However, the Al-BNT preparations exhibited higher adsorption rates than the Fe-BNT preparation. Three of the six adsorbents were used to remove phosphate from secondarily treated wastewater samples, and the removal results were comparable to those obtained using synthetic phosphate solutions. The BNT adsorbents also exhibited adequate settling characteristics and significant regeneration potential.

A Measure of Barriers Toward Medical Disclosure Among Health Professionals in the United Arab Emirates.

BACKGROUND: There has been a growing awareness that patients are subject to injuries that can be prevented as a direct consequence of health care. Error disclosure is an effective technique to restore the lost trust with the health care system. OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to develop a valid and reliable scale to determine the factors facilitating the disclosure of health professionals in health organizations. METHODS: This study had a cross-sectional design that consisted of 722 responses (response rate of 68.3%) from 1 private and 1 public hospital in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The data collection tool included 23 items rated on a Likert scale ranging from 5, strongly agree, to 1, strongly disagree.The internal consistency was established through calculating the split-half reliability for part 1 (12 items), which had a Cronbach coefficient of 0.65, and part 2 (11 items), which had a Cronbach coefficient of 0.62. Scale validity was assessed with the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy, which had a value of 0.62, and the Bartlett test of sphericity (approximated χ = 13012.2, P = 0.0001) supported the factorability of the correlation matrix. The varimax rotation revealed 5 components that explained 77.8% of the total variance. RESULTS: The varimax rotation revealed 21 items loaded on the following 5 factors: fear of disclosure and provider image consequences (factor 1), apology (factor 2), organizational culture toward patient safety (factor 3), professional ethics and transparency (factor 4), as well as patient and provider education (factor 5). CONCLUSIONS: The disclosure of medical mistakes requires preliminary considerations to effectively and compassionately disclose these events to patients. The validity and reliability of the results support the use of this scale at hospitals as part of the health care providers' disclosure processes.

Over-the-counter medication patterns in households in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

BACKGROUND: Self-medication and acquisition of over-the-counter (OTC) medications are emerging community health issues. Besides being a cheap alternative for treating common illnesses, the behavior entails serious ramifications, such as medication wastage, increasing pathogen resistance, and adverse drug reactions. The present study was conducted to explore the extent of OTC medications in households in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), including native UAE and expatriate families. METHODS: The study employed a population-based, cross-sectional, analytical study design. The study population included native and expatriate households residing in the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE. The snowball sampling technique was used, and the sample included a total of 335 households. RESULTS: Expatriate households acquired more OTC medications than did native households (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.7). The demographic determinants for expatriate households were number of family members (aOR=1.6), age of children in the family (aOR=1.8), and annual income (aOR=0.5). Expatriate households purchased more OTC medication practices than did native households (aOR=2.2). In the statistical sense, expatriate household practices were buying medication upon relatives' advice (aOR=0.3), storage condition of medication (aOR=2.4), and disposal of expired medication (aOR=0.6). The highest percentages of OTC medications in native and expatriate households were those related to gastric and ear, nose, and throat illnesses. CONCLUSION: The presence of OTC medications in expatriate households was two-fold more common than in native households in Sharjah, UAE. There were significant associations for behaviors related to the reasons why OTC medications were purchased and stored within the household for both native and expatriate families.