Search results for "WASTE"
showing 10 items of 2580 documents
Understanding the performance of an AnMBR treating urban wastewater and food waste via model simulation and characterization of the microbial populat…
2018
[EN] An anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) pilot plant treating kitchen food waste (FW) jointly with urban wastewater was run for 536 days. Different operational conditions were tested varying the sludge retention time (SRT), the hydraulic retention time (HRT) and the penetration factor (PF) of food waste disposers. COD removal efficiency exceeded 90% in all tested conditions. The joint treatment resulted in an almost 3-fold increase in methane production (at 70 days of SRT, 24 h HRT and 80% PF) in comparison with the treatment of urban wastewater only. Mathematical model simulations and Illumina technology were used to obtain in-depth information of this outstanding process performance.…
Occurrence of enteric viruses in reclaimed and surface irrigation water: relationship with microbiological and physicochemical indicators.
2016
Aims To assess the prevalence of enteric viruses in different irrigation water sources and in the irrigated produce, and the possible links with microbiological and physicochemical water characteristics. Methods and results The prevalence and levels of Escherichia coli, Norovirus (NoV) genogroup I (GI) and II (GII), as well as Hepatitis A virus were assessed in three types of water: surface water (surface-W), reclaimed water subjected to secondary treatment (secondary-W) and reclaimed water subjected to tertiary treatment (tertiary-W), as well as in zucchini irrigated with these irrigation water sources. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, total suspended solids, alkalinity, and maximu…
From waste to health: sustainable exploitation of grape pomace seed extract to manufacture antioxidant, regenerative and prebiotic nanovesicles withi…
2020
AbstractPomace seed extract loaded vesicles were prepared as promising technological and green solution to exploit agri-food wastes and by-products, and develop high value-added products for human health. An antioxidant extract rich in bioactive compounds (epicatechins, catechin, gallic acid, quercetin and procynidins) was obtained from the seeds isolated from the pomace of Cannonau red grape cultivar. The extract was incorporated into phospholipid vesicles ad hoc formulated for intestinal delivery, by combining them, for the first time, whit a maltodextrin (Glucidex). Glucidex-transfersomes, glucidex-hyalurosomes and glucidex-hyalutransferomes were prepared, characterized and tested. Gluci…
Predictors of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Titers two decades after vaccination in a cohort of students and post-graduates of the Medical School at th…
2017
Introduction and objective. The introduction of a vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV) for newborn babies in Italy in 1991, extended to 12-year-old children for the first 12 years of application, has been a major achievement in terms of the prevention of HBV infection. The objective of this study was to analyse the long-term immunogenicity and effectiveness of HBV vaccination among healthcare students with different working seniorities. Materials and method. A cross-sectional observational study of undergraduate and postgraduate students attending the Medical School of the University of Palermo was conducted from January 2014 – July 2016. HBV serum markers were performed with commercial …
Investigating the emerging role of comparative proteomics in the search for new biomarkers of metal contamination under varying abiotic conditions
2016
13 pages; International audience; This study aims at investigating the potential use of comparative proteomics as a multi-marker approach of metal contamination, taking into account the potential confounding effect of water temperature. The major objective was to identify combinations of proteins specifically responding to a given metal, even if included in a metal mixture. The diagnostic approach was performed via the comparative analysis of protein expression on spot mapping provided by adult males of Gammarus pulex (Amphipoda, Crustacea) respectively exposed to arsenate (As), cadmium (Cd) or a binary mixture of these metals (AsCd) at three realistic temperatures (5, 10 and 15 °C). Proteo…
Electrooxidation of coconut oil in alkaline electrolyte
2017
Providing more and more energy is an essential task of the today’s energetic industry. In the last few years, in addition to the traditional methods of energy production, alternative energy sources have been developing fast. One of the devices that can make use of these sources is a fuel cell. The fuel cells can be a power source of future mainly due to their high efficiency, low influence on environment and the possibility of powering with different fuels. Most often, fuel cells are powered by hydrogen. However, the problems with its cheap production and storage are the reason for the search for alternative fuels for fuel cells. It is important that the new fuel will be characterized by ze…
What happens in hospitals does not stay in hospitals: antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospital wastewater systems.
2016
Hospitals are hotspots for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB) and play a major role in both their emergence and spread. Large numbers of these ARB will be ejected from hospitals via wastewater systems. In this review, we present quantitative and qualitative data of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli, vancomycin-resistant enterococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hospital wastewaters compared to community wastewaters. We also discuss the fate of these ARB in wastewater treatment plants and in the downstream environment. Published studies have shown that hospital effluents contain ARB, the burden of these bacteria being dependent on their local prevalence. The…
Genomic traits of Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614, an uncommon metal-nanoparticle producer strain isolated from acid mine drainages
2018
Background Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614 - isolated from acid mine drainages - grows anaerobically using Fe(III)-citrate as sole carbon and energy source, unlike other enterobacteria and K. oxytoca clinical isolates. The DSM 29614 strain is multi metal resistant and produces metal nanoparticles that are embedded in its very peculiar capsular exopolysaccharide. These metal nanoparticles were effective as antimicrobial and anticancer compounds, chemical catalysts and nano-fertilizers. Results The DSM 29614 strain genome was sequenced and analysed by a combination of in silico procedures. Comparative genomics, performed between 85 K. oxytoca representatives and K. oxytoca DSM 29614, revealed th…
Early detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection cases or outbreaks at nursing homes by targeted wastewater tracking
2021
Objectives Near-source tracking of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the sewage drains serving particular buildings may allow rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2 infection cases or local outbreaks. In this pilot study, we investigated whether this was the case for nursing homes (NH). Methods The study involved five NH (from A to E) affiliated to the Clínico-Malvarrosa Health Department, Valencia (Spain). These were nursing or mixed nursing/care homes of different sizes, altogether providing care for 472 residents attended by a staff of 309. Near-source sewage samples were screened for presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-qPCR at least 5 days per week during the study period. SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing in nasopharyn…
New waves underneath the purple strain.
2016
Summary Successful merging of chemical and biotechnological operations is essential to achieve cost‐efficient industrialization of bio‐based processes. The demonstration of the use of syngas, derived from microwave assisted pyrolysis of municipal solid waste, for the improved growth and poly‐3‐hydroxybutyrate production in Rhodospirillium rubrum, stands out as an example of the synergistic contribution of chemical engineering and applied microbiology to sustainable biomaterial manufacturing, paving the way to similar applications for other syngas derived bioproducts.