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Engineering a Biopolymer-Based Ultrafast Permeable Aerogel Membrane Decorated with Task-Specific Fe–Al Nanocomposites for Robust Water Purification
No full textEffects of pesticides and electromagnetic fields on honeybees: a field study using biomarkers
No full textThe effect of pesticide mixtures and electromagnetic fields were evaluated on honeybees in three experimental sites located in northern Italy: a control site far from anthropogenic stress sources, a semi-natural site close to a high voltage electric line and an agricultural site with intensive pesticide treatments. From each experimental site, young workers and foraging bees were taken monthly from May to October and analysed for four enzymatic biomarkers: acetylcholinesterase (AChE), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and alkaline phosphatase (AP). Results revealed timeand site-specific effects in respect to control site, confirming the role of biomarkers as diagnostic and early-warning tools for multi-stress sources on honeybees. In the electromagnetic-stress site an effect of an over-activation of all analyzed biomarkers was observed at the end of the season. According to other literature findings, this event was related to a behavioral over-activation in a period in which bees should prepare themselves to overwintering. This finding poses potential problems to winter survival. In the pesticide-stress site, different pesticide-induced responses were identified. We demonstrated in the field that pesticide mixtures, currently used in agriculture, were able to greatly affect biochemical parameters of bees (with both enzymatic under- and
over-activations)
A new concept in constructed wetlands: assessment of aerobic electroconductive biofilters
No full textThe METland® concept constitutes a hybrid concept for treating wastewater where microbial electrochemical technologies (MET) are integrated with constructed wetlands (CW) to enhance pollutant removal. Although electroactive bacteria (EAB) were thought to be restricted to anaerobic environments, we decided to explore alternative aerobic conditions like those found in down flow vertical CW. Two electroconductive (EC) biofilters fed with real urban wastewater were operated under downflow (aerobic) and upflow (anaerobic) conditions. The objective was to evaluate the impact of the operational mode on both the removal of pollutants and the microbial community profile. Surprisingly, despite the aerobic nature of the downflow EC biofilter, our results revealed an abundance of EAB from the Geobacter genus, opening a new scenario for treating wastewater based on stimulating extracellular electron transfer. Furthermore, the co-presence of Geobacter and Thiobacillus suggests the existence of interspecies electron transfer leading to nitrate respiration in our system. Moreover, the downflow EC biofilter outperformed the anaerobic upflow one in terms of COD, BOD5 and nitrogen removal
Novel bioelectrochemical strategies for domesticating the electron flow in constructed wetlands
No full textConstructed wetlands are an effective biofilter-based technology for treating wastewater in a sustainable way; however, their main disadvantage is a large area footprint. To cope with this limitation a new generation of constructedwetlands, theMETlands®, have been recently reported.METlands® replace gravelwith a granular electrically conductive material to enhance the oxidative metabolisms of electroactive bacteria by facilitating the flux of electron through the material and, consequently, increase bioremediation rates. In this work we evaluated the performance of a new electron sink (e-sink) device with the purpose of controlling and enhancing the electrochemical consumption of electrons from microbial metabolism without energy consumption. The e-sink device was integrated inside the biofilter bed and was tested using different electron acceptors with high redox potentials, like oxygen and hypochlorite. Interestingly, the presence of the e-sink allowed novel redox gradients to forminside the METland® and, consequently, a new electron flow was demonstrated by measuring both the electric potential and current density profiles of the bed. Three independent biofilters were constructed and operated under flooded conditions. Ec-coke and electroconductive biochar (ec-biochar) were used as electrically conductive bed materials, while gravel
was used as an inert control. Furthermore, e-sink integration inside the electrically conductive bed outperformed METlands® for removing pollutants, already much more efficient than standard gravel biofilters. COD removal was increased from 90% in METland® to 95% in the e-sink METland® as compared to 75% for the control, while total nitrogen removal was enhanced from 64% in METland® to 71% in e-sin
Desalinización sostenible: electroquímica microbiana para obtener agua potable con bajo coste energético
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El análisis de aguas residuales con fines epidemiológicos: presente y futuro en España Wastewater-based epidemiology: present and future in Spain
No full textGuidelines on the benefit-risk assessment of the presence of phthalates in certain medical devices covering phthalates which are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction (CMR) or have endocrine-disrupting (ED) properties
No full textBy the new Medical Device Regulation (MDR, EU 2017/745) the use of certain phthalates which are carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction (CMR) or have endocrine-disrupting (ED) properties, above 0.1% by weight (w/w) is only allowed after a proper justification. The SCHEER provide Guidelines on the benefit-risk assessment (BRA) of the presence of such phthalates in certain medical devices.
The Guidelines describe the methodology on how to perform a BRA for the justification of the presence of CMR/ED phthalates in medical devices and/or or parts or materials used therein at percentages above 0.1% w/w. They also describe the evaluation of possible alternatives for these phthalates used in medical devices, including alternative materials, designs or medical treatments.
Relevant stakeholders e.g. manufacturers, notified bodies and regulatory bodies, can use the guidelines. The approach of these guidelines may also be used for a BRA of other CMR/ED substances present in medical devices.
SCHEER noticed that a number of BRA methodologies are theoretically available. However, there is a considerable lack of data needed for the BRA for potential relevant alternatives to be used in medical devices. Therefore, SCHEER encourages manufacturers to generate data of high quality on such alternatives for CMR/ED phthalates in medical devices
Pharmaceuticals and trace metals in the surface water used for crop irrigation: Risk to health or natural attenuation?
No full textThe use of surface water impacted bywastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents for crop irrigation is a form of unplanned water reuse. Natural attenuation processes can buffer contamination spreading. However, this practice can promote the exposure of crops to contaminants of emerging concern, such as pharmaceuticals, trace metals (TMs) and metalloids, posing a risk to health. This research aimed to evaluate the presence of 50 pharmaceuticals, some transformation products, 7 TMs and a metalloid in thewater-sediment-soil-plant system, and their potential to be bioaccumulated into edible parts of plants, as a result of the unplanned water reuse. The study site consists of an extensive agricultural land downstream Madrid city (Spain) where surface water, strongly impacted byWWTP effluents, is applied through gravity-based systems to cultivate mainly maize. Sampling campaignswere conducted to collectWWTP effluent, surface and irrigationwater, river sediments, agricultural soils and maize fruits. Results demonstrate the ubiquitous presence of several pharmaceuticals. The concentration pattern in irrigation water did not resemble the pattern of contents in soils and plants. Thepharmaceuticals included in the EU surface water watch lists were quantified in the lowest concentration range (macrolide antibiotics, ciprofloxacin) or were not detected (most of the hormones). Therefore, hormones do not
represent an emerging risk in our scenario. The TMs and the metalloid in water and agricultural soils should not
arise any concern.Whereas, their presence in the river sediments may have an adverse impact on aquatic ecosystems.
Only acetaminophen, ibuprofen, carbamazepine, nicotine, Zn, Cu and Ni were quantified in corn grains. Calculated
parameters to assess bioaccumulation and health risk indicate that neither pharmaceuticals nor TMs pose
a threat to human health due to consumption ofmaize cultivated in the area. Results highlight the need to include different environmental matrices when assessing contaminant fate under real field-scale conditions
