The occurrence, environmental risks and contribution of organic UV filters to detected (anti-)progestogenic activities were examined in samples of wastewater treatment plant influents and effluents, various surface waters and fish from the Czech Republic. Of the 20 targeted UV filters, 15 were detected in the WWTP influent samples, 11 in the effluents, and 13 in the surface water samples. Benzophenone-3, benzophenone-4, and phenyl benzimidazole sulfonic acid (PBSA) were found in all water samples. Octocrylene, UV-327 and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor exceeded the risk quotient of 1 at some sites. In the anti-progestogenic CALUX assay, 10 out of the 20 targeted UV filters were active. Anti-progestogenic activities reaching up to 7.7 ng/L, 3.8 ng/L, and 4.5 ng/L mifepristone equivalents were detected in influents, effluents, and surface waters, respectively. UV filters were responsible for up to 37 % of anti-progestogenic activities in influents. Anti-progestogenic activities were also measured in fish tissues from the control pond and Podroužek (pond with the highest number of detected UV filters) and ranged from 2.2 to 9.5 and 1.9 to 8.6 ng/g dw mifepristone equivalents, respectively. However, only benzophenone was found in fish, but it does not display anti-progestogenic activity and thus could not explain the observed activities.
- MeSH
- Water Pollutants, Chemical * analysis toxicity MeSH
- Risk Assessment MeSH
- Environmental Monitoring MeSH
- Wastewater MeSH
- Sunscreening Agents * analysis toxicity MeSH
- Progestins analysis MeSH
- Fishes * metabolism MeSH
- Ultraviolet Rays MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
A multi-residue UHPLC-MS/MS analytical method, previously developed for monitoring 52 pharmaceuticals in drinking water, was used to analyse these pharmaceuticals in wastewater originating from healthcare facilities in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, the methodology was expanded to include the evaluation of the effectiveness of drug removal in Czech wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Of the 18 wastewater samples analysed by the validated UHPLC-MS/MS, each sample contained at least one quantifiable analyte. This study reveals the prevalence of several different drugs; mean concentrations of 702 μg L-1 of iomeprol, 48.8 μg L-1 of iopromide, 29.9 μg L-1 of gabapentin, 42.0 μg L-1 of caffeine and 82.5 μg L-1 of paracetamol were present. An analysis of 20 samples from ten WWTPs revealed different removal efficiencies for different analytes. Paracetamol was present in the inflow samples of all ten WWTPs and its removal efficiency was 100%. Analytes such as caffeine, ketoprofen, naproxen or atenolol showed high removal efficiencies exceeding 80%. On the other hand, pharmaceuticals like furosemide, metoprolol, iomeprol, zolpidem and tramadol showed lower removal efficiencies. Four pharmaceuticals exhibited higher concentrations in WWTP effluents than in the influents, resulting in negative removal efficiencies: warfarin at -9.5%, indomethacin at -53%, trimethoprim at -54% and metronidazole at -110%. These comprehensive findings contribute valuable insights to the pharmaceutical landscape of wastewater from healthcare facilities and the varied removal efficiencies of Czech WWTPs, which together with the already published literature, gives a more complete picture of the burden on the aquatic environment.
Many reports have documented that the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the influents of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) correlates with the actual epidemic situation in a given city. However, few data have been reported thus far on measurements upstream of WWTPs, i.e. throughout the sewer network. In this study, the monitoring of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Prague wastewater was carried out at selected locations of the Prague sewer network from August 2020 through May 2021. Various locations such as residential areas of various sizes, hospitals, city center areas, student dormitories, transportation hubs (airport, bus terminal), and commercial areas were monitored together with four of the main Prague sewers. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was determined by reverse transcription - multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-mqPCR) after the precipitation of nucleic acids with PEG 8,000 and RNA isolation with TRIzolTM Reagent. The number of copies of the gene encoding SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N1) per liter of wastewater was compared with the number of officially registered COVID-19 cases in Prague. Although the data obtained by sampling wastewater from the major Prague sewers were more consistent than those obtained from the small sewers, the correlation between wastewater-based and clinical-testing data was also good for the residential areas with more than 7,000 registered inhabitants. It was shown that monitoring SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater sampled from small sewers could identify isolated occurrences of COVID-19-positive cases in local neighborhoods. This can be very valuable while tracking COVID-19 hotspots within large cities.
- MeSH
- Water Purification * MeSH
- COVID-19 * epidemiology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Wastewater MeSH
- RNA, Viral MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Within this study, we were interested in the effects of wastewater on the development of antimicrobial resistance. Microorganisms can relatively promptly adapt to evolutionary pressures of the environment, including antibiotics. Therefore, we tested how the adaptability of the model microorganism Salmonella enterica is affected by wastewater full of pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, and other micropollutants. Wastewater samples had been taken from effluent of hospitals and from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) Petržalka influent and effluent. In these samples, presence of 38 substances was monitored. The highest concentration was observed in case of tramadol, citalopram, venlafaxine, cotinine, atenolol, valsartan, carbamazepine, azithromycin, and ciprofloxacin. According to this data, we focused also on individual pharmaceutical compounds presented in wastewater samples in elevated concentrations. Effect on resistance development of two pain relief medications (carbamazepine, tramadol), hypotensive medications (atenolol, valsartan), and the nicotine metabolite (cotinine) was also investigated. For this study, we employed concentrations presented in wastewater as well as in urine of patients and/or users. To determine the frequency of mutations leading to ciprofloxacin resistance, we applied the modified Ames test employing the strain Salmonella Typhimurium. Resistance index increased in the case of all wastewater samples from conventional hospitals where we observed a 1.22-1.69-fold increase of mutations leading to ciprofloxacin resistance. Tested compounds caused rise of resistance index in lower concentrations found in wastewater. The most significant increase of resistance index was detected after carbamazepine treatment.
The inhibition of undesirable nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and desirable ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) by free ammonia (FA) and free nitrous acid (FNA) in partial nitritation (PN) is crucially affected by the biomass growth mode (suspended sludge, biofilm, encapsulation). But, the limitations of these modes towards less concentrated reject waters (≤600 mg-N L-1) are unclear. Therefore, this work compares the start-up and stability of three PN sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) with biomass grown in one of the three modes: suspended sludge, biofilm and biomass encapsulated in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) pellets. The SBRs were operated at 15°C with influent total ammonium nitrogen (TAN) concentrations of 75-600 mg-TAN L-1. PN start-up was twice as fast in the biofilm and encapsulated biomass SBRs than in the suspended sludge SBR. After start-up, PN in the biofilm and suspended sludge SBRs was stable at 150-600 mg-TAN L-1. But, at 75 mg-TAN L-1, full nitrification gradually developed. In the encapsulated biomass SBR, full nitrification occurred even at 600 mg-TAN L-1, showing that NOB in this set-up can adapt even to 4.3 mg-FA L-1 and 0.27 mg-FNA L-1. Thus, PN in the biofilm was best for the treatment of an influent containing 150-600 mg-TAN L-1.
- MeSH
- Ammonium Compounds * MeSH
- Bacteria MeSH
- Biomass MeSH
- Bioreactors MeSH
- Nitrites * MeSH
- Sewage MeSH
- Oxidation-Reduction MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
One of the possible ways to improve the operation efficiency of constructed wetlands and to prevent their clogging is the application of earthworms. They have already been successfully applied for vermicomposting and for sludge dewatering and treatment. A few studies have already examined the effect of earthworms on the treatment of wastewater by vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs), but none of them have provided a yearlong research result from an open-air system or compared the effect that different seasons in a temperate climate area can have on these invertebrates. The goal of this research was to estimate the effect that earthworms and plants have on VFCW's operation. Four mesocosms (a filter, a filter with earthworms, a VFCW and a VFCW with earthworms) were built and their influent and effluent water quality was monitored for a period of 1 year. They were fed with wastewater coming from a building of the University of Bologna (Italy). The results have shown that the presence of earthworms in this specific system did not reduce the organic matter content of the substrate, but it has positively influenced plants' growth. However, since neither earthworms nor plants had a statistically significant effect on the effluent quality, it can be concluded that the integration of these invertebrates cannot improve wastewater treatment of vertical flow filters or constructed wetlands.
- MeSH
- Water Quality MeSH
- Wetlands MeSH
- Waste Disposal, Fluid methods MeSH
- Wastewater chemistry MeSH
- Sewage MeSH
- Oligochaeta physiology MeSH
- Universities MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Italy MeSH
Hypertrofická kardiomyopatia sa u novorodencov vyskytuje veľmi zriedkavo. Často je však v novorodeneckom veku nepoznaná a môže sa manifestovať až v útlom dojčenskom veku náhlym kardiálnym úmrtím. Najčastejšie sa vyskytuje u novorodencov diabetických matiek, pri metabolických, systémových, infekčných ochoreniach, alebo v dôsledku pôsobenia rôznych toxínov. Užívanie psychoaktívnych návykových látok počas tehotenstva výrazným spôsobom ovplyvňuje matku, priebeh tehotenstva, vyvíjajúci sa plod, pôrod, ako i samotného novorodenca. Intrauterinná expozícia psychoaktívnymi návykovými látkami môže spôsobiť vrodené vývojové chyby plodu, intrauterinnú rastovú reštrikciu (IUGR), zvýšené riziko predčasného pôrodu. V prezentovanej kazuistike popisujeme prípad výskytu tranzitórnej hypertrofickej kardiomyopatie u novorodenca matky s polyabúzom psychoaktívnych návykových látok.
The hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in newborn is very rare. It is often unknown in neonatal age and don´t have to be manifested until infantile age, when the unexpected death is set up. It is the most frequently occuring in newborns, whose mother have suffered from diabetes, in cases of metabolic systems, infectious diseases or as a result of the action of different types of toxins. Taking psychoactive addictive narcotics during pregnancy influents noticeably mother, course of pregnancy, fetus, delivery and newborn as well. Intrauterine exposure to psychoactive addictive substances may cause congenital fetal developmental defects, intrauterine growth restriction, increased risk of premature birth. In the present case report, we describe the case of transient hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in newborn of a substance abusing mother.
- MeSH
- Alcoholism MeSH
- Anti-Arrhythmia Agents MeSH
- Anti-Bacterial Agents therapeutic use MeSH
- Barbiturates administration & dosage therapeutic use MeSH
- Diagnosis, Differential MeSH
- Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic * diagnosis physiopathology MeSH
- Hypnotics and Sedatives MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Metoprolol administration & dosage therapeutic use MeSH
- Infant, Newborn MeSH
- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome * diagnosis physiopathology MeSH
- Substance-Related Disorders MeSH
- Tobacco Use Disorder MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Thrombocytopenia diagnosis drug therapy MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Infant, Newborn MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Publication type
- Case Reports MeSH
Unknown compounds with (anti-)androgenic activities enter the aquatic environment via municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Progestins are well-known environmental contaminants capable of interfering with androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway. The aim of the present study was to determine if 15 selected progestins have potential to contribute to (anti-)androgenic activities in municipal wastewaters and the respective recipient surface waters. AR-specific Chemically Activated LUciferase gene eXpression bioassay in agonistic (AR-CALUX) and antagonistic (anti-AR-CALUX) modes and liquid chromatography tandem atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/atmospheric photoionization with hybrid quadrupole/orbital trap mass spectrometry operated in high resolution product scan mode (LC-APCI/APPI-HRPS) methods were used to assess (anti-)androgenic activity and to detect the target compounds, respectively. The contribution of progestins to (anti-)androgenic activities was evaluated by means of a biologically and chemically derived toxicity equivalent approach. Androgenic (0.08-59 ng/L dihydrotestosterone equivalents - DHT EQs) and anti-androgenic (2.4-26 μg/L flutamide equivalents - FLU EQs) activities and progestins (0.19-75 ng/L) were detected in selected aquatic environments. Progestins displayed androgenic potencies (0.01-0.22 fold of dihydrotestosterone) and strong anti-androgenic potencies (9-62 fold of flutamide). Although they accounted to some extent for androgenic (0.3-29%) and anti-androgenic (4.6-27%) activities in influents, the progestins' contribution to (anti-)androgenic activities was negligible (≤2.1%) in effluents and surface waters. We also tested joint effect of equimolar mixtures of target compounds and the results indicate that compounds interact in an additive manner. Even if progestins possess relatively strong (anti-)androgenic activities, when considering their low concentrations (sub-ng/L to ng/L) it seems unlikely that they would be the drivers of (anti-)androgenic effects in Czech aquatic environments.
OBJECTIVES: Urban wastewater contains various micropollutants and a high number of different micro-organisms. Some bacteria in wastewater can attach to surfaces and form biofilm, which gives bacteria an advantage in the fight against environmental stresses. This work focused on analysis of bacterial communities in biofilms isolated from influent and effluent sewerage of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Bratislava, Slovakia. METHODS: Detection of biofilm microbiota was performed by culture-independent and -dependent approaches. The composition of bacterial strains was detected by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting coupled with construction of 16S rRNA clone libraries. Analysis of the concentration of antibiotics and the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant coliforms, Enterococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. in sewerage was also studied. RESULTS: Biofilm collected at the inlet point was characterised primarily by the presence of Pseudomonas spp., Acinetobacter spp. and Janthinobacterium spp. clones, whilst members of the genus Pseudomonas were largely detected in biofilm isolated in outflow of the WWTP. Predominant antibiotics such as azithromycin, clarithromycin and ciprofloxacin were found in influent wastewater. The removal efficiency of these antibiotics, notably azithromycin and clarithromycin, was 30% in most cases. CONCLUSION: The highest number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, with a predominance of coliforms, was detected in samples of effluent biofilm. Multidrug-resistant strains in effluent biofilm showed very good biofilm-forming ability.
- MeSH
- Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology MeSH
- Azithromycin pharmacology MeSH
- Biofilms drug effects growth & development MeSH
- Enterobacteriaceae drug effects genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Enterococcus drug effects genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Clarithromycin pharmacology MeSH
- Wastewater microbiology MeSH
- Prevalence MeSH
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S genetics MeSH
- Staphylococcus drug effects genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Slovakia MeSH
Úroveň vzdělání obyvatelstva obecně hraje stále významnější roli, je základem pro sociální a ekonomický růst společnosti i jedince. Specifickým problémem je vzdělávání aktivních, především elitních (profesionálních), sportovců ovlivňující jejich aktuální osobnostní vývoj doprovázený současně působícími, až často protichůdnými (Christensen, 2009) požadavky vzdělávacího procesu a kultivace sportovního výkonu. Cílem předložené studie bylo zjistit a analyzovat vzdělanostní strukturu současných fotbalových profesionálů, hráčů fotbalu výkonnostní úrovně a populace mužů ČR a pokusit se identifikovat hlavní příčiny rozdílů v této struktuře. Komparace získaných dat naznačuje, že vzájemně působících příčin ovlivňujících rozdílnost vzdělanostní struktury probandů zkoumaného souboru je více, jsou variabilní a determinovány proměnnými vycházejícími z podmínek společenského, rodinného a fotbalového prostředí. Jak jsme předpokládali, nejvýraznější odlišnosti byly u podsouboru současných fotbalových reprezentantů, kde se vliv společenského, rodinného i fotbalového prostředí prezentoval absencí kategorie „vysokoškolské vzdělání“.
The education level of the population is generally of growing importance. It is an essential element of social and economic growth of society and individuals. The very specific problem is the education of the active, primarily elite (professional) sportsmen influencing their current personal development accompanied simultaneously operating and often contradictory requirements of educational process and cultivation of the sports performance. The objective of the provided study was to discover and analyze the educational structure of contemporary football professionals – representatives of the Czech Republic and football players at the performance level with the male population of the Czech Republic in attempt to explain the main cause of differences in this structure. The survey included 42 representatives of the Czech Republic and 111 football players at the performance level. In the re-search methods of semistructured directed interview and a questionnaire – survey were applied. Data processing was based on descriptive statistics, a method of data categorization was used, including the percent expression of frequencies. The comparison of the obtained data indicates that there are more mutual causes which could influent differences in the educational structures of examined probands, they are changeable and determined by variables rising from conditions of social, family or football environment. As estimated, the major differences were found in the group of contemporary football representative players where the influence of social, family and football environment was presented by the absence of the category ‘university education’.
