This study presents the results of a seven-month testing of a pilot-scale ozonation system as a quaternary treatment of effluent from the WWTP in Blansko city (Czechia) with a focus on real-time control of ozonation technology based on the measurement of UV absorbance at wavelength 254 nm (UV254). The study investigated the effect of ozonation on 38 pharmaceuticals (PHAs) that were commonly found in Blansko WWTP effluent. Moreover, the method of ensuring a stable reduction of selected watchlist of PHAs in fluctuating conditions was investigated by evaluating UV254. During testing, an ozone dose of 0.8 mg O3/mg TOC was sufficient to reach 80 % overall removal of all investigated PHAs on average. It is necessary to mention that this sufficient dose only applies to the investigated set of pharmaceutical substances and might differ significantly for other sets of pharmaceuticals or different locations. The use of UV254 absorbance and its relative decrease during ozonation correlated to a stable and reasonably accurate monitoring of the actual level of PHAs removal of investigated/targeted PHAs. Estimating actual levels of reduction of evaluated substances in routine operation will significantly simplify operation, reduce the costs of analytical analyses and ensure compliance with required limits.
- Klíčová slova
- Advanced oxidation processes, Ozonation, Ozone control strategies, Pharmaceuticals, Wastewater treatment plant effluent,
- MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu * toxicita chemie MeSH
- čištění vody * metody MeSH
- léčivé přípravky chemie izolace a purifikace MeSH
- odpad tekutý - odstraňování * metody MeSH
- odpadní voda * chemie MeSH
- ozon * chemie MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu * MeSH
- léčivé přípravky MeSH
- odpadní voda * MeSH
- ozon * MeSH
This paper presents an innovative mathematical model for assessing the dynamics and optimal control of Nipah virus (NiV) with imperfect vaccination. The model formulation considers transmissions through contaminated food and human-to-human contacts. It also incorporates the potential virus transmission through contact with a deceased body infected with NiV. Initially, the NiV model is assessed theoretically, identifying three distinct equilibrium states: the NiV-endemic equilibrium state, the NiV-free equilibrium state, and the equilibrium state involving infected flying foxes. Furthermore, the stability results of the model in the case of constant controls are thoroughly analyzed at the NiV-free equilibrium. Some of the parameters of the model are estimated based on the infected cases documented in Bangladesh from 2001 to 2017. We further perform sensitivity analysis to determine the most influential parameters and formulate effective time-dependent controls. Numerical simulations indicate the optimal course of action for eradicating the disease and provide a comparative analysis of controlling the infection under constant and time-varying interventions. The simulation confirms that the implementation of time-varying interventions is effective in minimizing disease incidence.
- MeSH
- infekce viry z rodu Henipavirus * přenos prevence a kontrola epidemiologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- počítačová simulace MeSH
- teoretické modely MeSH
- vakcinace * MeSH
- virus Nipah * imunologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Bangladéš epidemiologie MeSH
Artificial conditions limit the ability of laboratory studies to describe the complex effects of polluted environments on aquatic life. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of treated wastewater discharge on the survival, growth, and sex ratio balance of the population of brown trout (Salmo trutta m. fario) in situ. Five floating incubators with 1000 eggs each were placed in the upstream reference and treated wastewater-affected sites in the Czech Republic for approximately three months. The hatched fish were grown in a natural environment for nearly one year. Water quality, including nutrients, temperature, pharmaceutical and personal care products, biological effects by bioassays and fish mortality, metabolic rate, and growth, were measured regularly. Up to 72 pharmaceutical and personal care products (7400-23000 ng/sampler) were detected in the passive samplers deployed downstream of the sewage treatment plant effluent. In vitro bioassays of the sampler extracts indicated elevated oestrogenic effects, transthyretin binding inhibition, and aryl hydrocarbon-mediated and androgenic potencies, showing endocrine-disrupting potential at the polluted site. The cumulated mortality of brown trout in the exposed group (9.67%) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in the control group (5.16%). In addition, the body size, growth, and metabolic rate of exposed fish were significantly lower (p < 0.05). The sex ratio of brown trout in the effluent-affected stretch was imbalanced, and sterile individuals were detected after several months of natural development in the stream. The observed effects of treated wastewater on the early developmental stages of aquatic wildlife could be connected to the development and readiness of adult individuals and, consequently, to the sustainability of freshwater ecosystems. Applying the hatching apparatus used in fishery practices, followed by comparing mortality, development, and sex with reference localities, seems to be a promising biomonitoring approach that can indicate hotspots for in-depth investigation and risk assessment.
- Klíčová slova
- Growth change, In situ exposure, Pharmaceutical and personal care products, Population sex ratio, Real exposure scenario, Sewage treatment plant effluent,
- MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu * analýza toxicita MeSH
- endokrinní disruptory toxicita analýza MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí metody MeSH
- odpad tekutý - odstraňování metody MeSH
- odpadní voda * MeSH
- poměr pohlaví MeSH
- procesy určující pohlaví účinky léků MeSH
- pstruh * růst a vývoj MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Názvy látek
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu * MeSH
- endokrinní disruptory MeSH
- odpadní voda * MeSH
This study evaluates the removal efficiency of 15 estrogenic endocrine-disrupting compounds in two operational constructed wetlands with different designs: a hybrid system (constructed wetland A) and a horizontal system (constructed wetland B). The assessment involved analyzing composite water samples obtained from passive samplers through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled with yeast assays. Additionally, grab samples of sludge and sediment were examined to determine the endocrine-disrupting compound's adsorption efficacy. The application of the full logistic model enabled the discernment and ranking of the chemicals contributing to mixture toxicity. The findings revealed constructed wetland A's superior efficacy in the removal of individual endocrine-disrupting compounds (with an average efficiency of 94%) compared to constructed wetland B (60%). Furthermore, constructed wetland A displayed a higher estimated estrogenic activity removal efficiency (83%) relative to constructed wetland B (52%). Estrogenic activity was adequately accounted for (58-120%) in half of the analyzed samples, highlighting estrone as the primary estrogenic agent. The investigation underscores constructed wetlands' effectiveness in purging endocrine-disrupting compounds, suggesting that their integration as secondary or tertiary treatment systems for such pollutants removal merits further exploration.
- Klíčová slova
- constructed wetlands, endocrine-disrupting compounds, estrogenic activity, hybrid-constructed wetlands, tertiary treatment,
- MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu * chemie izolace a purifikace MeSH
- čištění vody * metody MeSH
- endokrinní disruptory * izolace a purifikace chemie MeSH
- mokřady MeSH
- odpad tekutý - odstraňování * metody MeSH
- odpadní voda * chemie MeSH
- recyklace * MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu * MeSH
- endokrinní disruptory * MeSH
- odpadní voda * MeSH
Microplastics are increasingly present in municipal wastewater and wastewater treatment plant effluent, prompting the use of constructed wetlands (CWs) for additional treatment. Enhancing CWs with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), known to aid nutrient removal and alleviate plant pollution stress, is gaining interest. This study is the first to examine the influence of two microplastic polymers (polyethylene microspheres and polyester microfibers) at concentrations of 0.1 and 1 mg/L on nutrient removal, plant health, and microbial composition in AMF-inoculated CWs. The results indicate that AMF inoculation combined with microplastic treatments significantly enhances nutrient removal in wetlands, achieving a 45.7% increase in total nitrogen removal and a 25.3% increase in phosphate removal. The effects of microplastics on plant health vary depending on the inoculation status, with an increase in lipid peroxidation (73.4% ± 25.4), and a decrease in the effective quantum yield of PSII (13.4% ± 5) observed in all treatments. High concentrations of polyester microfibers significantly altered the microbial community, increasing AMF colonization frequency and microbial richness, decreasing evenness and the abundance of denitrifying genera, and creating distinct clusters in beta diversity analysis. AMF inoculation maintained higher species richness and evenness, contributing to the resilience of CWs to microplastic pollution. Overall, AMF-inoculated wetlands and plants showed superior treatment performance, highlighting the successful bio-augmentation potential of this approach.
- Klíčová slova
- Bioaugmentation, Mycorrhiza, Plastic, Polyester, Polyethylene, Treatment wetlands,
- MeSH
- biodegradace MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu * analýza MeSH
- mikroplasty * MeSH
- mokřady * MeSH
- mykorhiza * účinky léků fyziologie MeSH
- odpad tekutý - odstraňování metody MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu * MeSH
- mikroplasty * MeSH
In 1715, two Slovenian physicians, Johann Baptist Werloschnig de Perenberg and Antonius Loigk, published an extensive volume on the last plague epidemic in Central Europe. Hidden within its pages is a description of smallpox inoculation, which predates any record of this procedure in Europe by several years. The procedure was personally witnessed by Loigk in Vienna in or before 1714. Very little is currently known about the context of this event. We do not know how many inoculators there were, how many patients were treated and, crucially, how the procedure was received by the medical establishment in Austria. All these pieces of information would be necessary to understand the impact of this discovery on early 18th-century Austrian (and, by extension, Eastern European) society. In order to sketch out the possible connections, we will focus on a reconstruction of the intellectual network of both Slovenians as it appears in the academic literature of the time. We hope that these links may reveal something about a group of physicians who may have had early knowledge about this important anti-epidemic measure.
- Klíčová slova
- smallpox, inoculation, variolation, Slovenia, early modern period,
- MeSH
- dějiny 18. století MeSH
- lékaři * dějiny MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- pravé neštovice * dějiny prevence a kontrola MeSH
- vakcinace * dějiny MeSH
- Check Tag
- dějiny 18. století MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- historické články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Rakousko MeSH
- Slovinsko MeSH
AIMS: This study evaluates the effectiveness of two standard sterilization methods on microorganisms in bentonite, which is proposed as a buffer around metal canisters containing long-lived radioactive waste. Bentonite, as a natural clay, contains microorganisms with enhanced resistance to harsh conditions and the ability to reactivate upon decompaction. Sterile controls are crucial in experiments estimating the impact of microorganisms on nuclear waste repositories. Yet, the effectiveness of common sterilization methods on bentonite microorganisms has not been fully evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two methods were compared: dry heat (nine cycles at 121°C for 4 h) and gamma irradiation (10-140 kGy at 147 Gy·min-1). Molecular-genetic, microscopic, and cultivation techniques were used to assess sterilization. Heat sterilization did not eliminate heat-resistant microorganisms, such as Bacillus, Paenibacillus, and Terribacillus, from bentonite powder even after nine heat cycles. However, bentonite suspended in deionized water was sterile after four heat cycles. In contrast, gamma irradiation effectively reduced microbial survivability above a dose of 10 kGy, with the highest doses (100-140 kGy) potentially degrading DNA. CONCLUSIONS: Gamma irradiation at 30 kGy effectively sterilized bentonite powder. The findings of our experiments emphasize the importance of using appropriate sterilization methods to maintain sterile controls in experiments that evaluate the microbial impacts in nuclear waste repositories. However, further assessment is needed to determine the effects of potential alterations induced by gamma radiation on bentonite properties.
- Klíčová slova
- abiotic stress, hazardous waste, microbial diversity, radiation, sterilization,
- MeSH
- Bacteria účinky záření izolace a purifikace MeSH
- bentonit * MeSH
- radioaktivní odpad * analýza MeSH
- sterilizace * metody MeSH
- vysoká teplota * MeSH
- záření gama * MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- srovnávací studie MeSH
- Názvy látek
- bentonit * MeSH
- radioaktivní odpad * MeSH
Nanoplastics, commonly used in cosmetics, enter wastewater systems and interact with activated sludge, yet their effects on microorganisms, essential for wastewater treatment, remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of polyacrylic acid-based nanoplastics (PANPs) on microorganisms in activated sludge. The PANPs were characterized in terms of their material composition, size, zeta potential, and additive content. Acute (30 min) and prolonged (up to 6 h) toxicity tests were performed to evaluate negative effects on heterotrophic and nitrifying microorganisms in activated sludge. In addition, ready and inherent biodegradability tests were performed to assess their degradation in the environment and within wastewater treatment plants, respectively. The results showed a significant acute inhibition of heterotrophic and nitrifying activity (up to 55 and 72%, respectively) at the highest concentration tested (100 mg/L, 30 min), primarily attributed to the presence of 1-dodecanol detected in the PANPs. This effect decreased with prolonged exposure, likely due to the volatilization of 1-dodecanol. Nevertheless, the PANPs were found to be non-biodegradable in both the ready and inherent biodegradability tests. Although PANPs do not appear to pose a long-term threat to the activated sludge, their persistence in the environment raises concerns about possible accumulation.
- Klíčová slova
- additives, cosmetics, microbial activity, nanoparticles, wastewater treatment, water-soluble polymer,
- MeSH
- akrylové pryskyřice * chemie MeSH
- Bacteria metabolismus účinky léků MeSH
- biodegradace * MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu toxicita metabolismus MeSH
- kosmetické přípravky * MeSH
- mikroplasty toxicita MeSH
- nitrifikace * MeSH
- odpad tekutý - odstraňování metody MeSH
- odpadní vody * mikrobiologie MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- akrylové pryskyřice * MeSH
- carbopol 940 MeSH Prohlížeč
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
- kosmetické přípravky * MeSH
- mikroplasty MeSH
- odpadní vody * MeSH
We estimated the effectiveness of the adapted monovalent XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccines against PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 hospitalisation during the BA.2.86/JN.1 lineage-predominant period using a multicentre test-negative case-control study in Europe. We included older adults (≥ 65 years) hospitalised with severe acute respiratory infection from November 2023 to May 2024. Vaccine effectiveness was 46% at 14-59 days and 34% at 60-119 days, with no effect thereafter. The XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccines conferred protection against BA.2.86 lineage hospitalisation in the first 4 months post-vaccination.
- Klíčová slova
- case–control study, elderly, severe acute respiratory infections (SARI), test‐negative design, vaccine effectiveness,
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * prevence a kontrola epidemiologie imunologie MeSH
- hospitalizace * statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 * imunologie MeSH
- senioři nad 80 let MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- studie případů a kontrol MeSH
- účinnost vakcíny * MeSH
- vakcinace statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- vakcíny proti COVID-19 * imunologie aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři nad 80 let MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- multicentrická studie MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Evropa epidemiologie MeSH
- Názvy látek
- vakcíny proti COVID-19 * MeSH
Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are biological control agents that naturally kill insect pests, providing an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. Despite extensive research, the mechanisms behind the recovery process, where infective juveniles (IJs) transition to a parasitic state upon contact with the host, remain unclear. This study investigates the stimulatory effect of insect-derived materials on the recovery of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora IJs. Three materials from Galleria mellonella larvae-bioactive homogenates from live and frozen larvae, and heat-inactivated homogenate-were tested, along with non-host stimuli including filtered water and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). While none of the materials induced complete recovery of IJs, all triggered the release of excreted/secreted products (ESPs), with consistent protein concentrations across treatments. However, mass spectrometry revealed significant differences in ESP protein composition. IJs exposed to PBS released the highest number of proteins, while bioactive homogenates induced the fewest. Proteins linked to host-parasite interactions, such as alpha-2-macroglobulins and trypsin inhibitor-like proteins, were more abundant in ESPs following exposure to insect-derived materials and PBS. Interestingly, nematodes exposed to water released a substantial number of proteins, comparable to stimulation by heat-inactivated homogenates, though their protein profiles were distinct, reflecting stress responses in the former and host-parasite interaction-related proteins in the latter. Our findings demonstrate that both host-derived and non-biological stimuli can trigger IJs recovery and ESPs release, underscoring the complexity of host-nematode interactions. These results provide novel insights into molecular mechanisms underlying H. bacteriophora parasitism and may contribute to optimizing biocontrol strategies through a better understanding of nematode activation and released ESPs.
- MeSH
- biologická kontrola škůdců MeSH
- hmyz MeSH
- interakce hostitele a parazita * MeSH
- larva MeSH
- můry parazitologie MeSH
- proteiny červů metabolismus MeSH
- Rhabditida fyziologie MeSH
- Rhabditoidea fyziologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- proteiny červů MeSH
