Leachability of Lead from Lead Tailings

Laboratory column studies were used to predict the effect on the leachability of lead when using fly ash or a fly ash/sludge mixture as a cover for a lead tailings site. A high pH fly ash cover produced a leachate with a pH 12. This was sufficiently high to allow for the formation of lead hydroxide complexes which are slightly soluble. Therefore, the leachate had an average lead concentration of about 5 mg L^-1, while the pH in the leachate from the column with only tailings was 7.8 and a lead concentration below the detection limit (≤0.1 mg L^-1). The fly ash cover changed the availability of the remaining lead, making it less available. Rainfall rate did not affect the fly ash cover, but did have an effect on the fly ash/sludge cover.     

Elemental characterization of commercial mate tea leaves (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.) before and after hot water infusion using ion beam techniques

Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. is used to prepare a traditional tealike beverage widely appreciated in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. In these countries, the tea is popularly known as mate or chimarr?o. The aim of this work is to characterize the elemental composition of commercial Ilex paraguariensis and determine the portion of each element present in the leaves that is eluted in the water during the infusion process and consequently ingested by the drinker. Using the particle-induced X-ray emission technique, we verified the presence of Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Rb at different concentrations, which accounts for about 3.4% of the total mass. The results show a loss of about 90% of K and Cl, 50% of Mg and P, and 20% of Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Rb by the leaves after the infusion. The volume of water used in the infusion affects only the concentration of elements such as Cl, P, K, and Mg until the first 600 mL of water, where a steep decrease in the concentration of these elements was observed in brewed leaves. Furthermore, higher water temperatures (typical temperatures used in infusions, between 80 and 100 degrees C) favor the extraction of K and Cl into the infusion, while the concentration of other elements remains practically constant as a function of temperature.     

Effect of oxazolidine E on collagen fibril formation and stabilization of the collagen matrix

Oxazolidine E, an aldehydic cross-linking agent, is used to impart hydrothermal stability to collagen. The purpose of this study was to investigate the exact nature of oxazolidine E induced cross-links with collagen by using synthetic peptides having sequence homology with collagen type I. Tandem mass spectrometry revealed the formation of methylol and Schiff-base adducts upon reaction of oxazolidine E with the peptides. This was confirmed by allowing the reaction to proceed under reducing conditions using cyanoborohydride. Mass spectrometry (MS)-MS analysis clearly showed interaction of tryptophan and lysine residues with oxazolidine E and demonstrated that arginine could be cross-linked with glycine in the presence of oxazolidine E through the formation of a methylene bridge. Collagen fibrils regenerated from monomers in the presence and absence of oxazolidine E were studied using atomic force microscopy to investigate morphological alterations. Regenerated fibrils showing the typical 65 nm D-banding pattern were obtained from those formed both in the presence and absence of oxazolidine E, and there was no evidence of a change in the D-periodicity of these fibrils. This indicated that oxazolidine E does not hinder collagen molecules from correctly aligning to form the quarter-stagger structure.     

Development of Highly Selective and Efficient Prototype Sensor for Potential Application in Environmental Mercury Pollution Monitoring

Mercury (Hg) is an environmental pollutant which is detrimental to the health of living beings due to the toxicity in its all oxidation states. To control mercury pollution development of low cost, efficient and highly sensitive prototype mercury sensor remains a challenge. In the present work, we have proposed a low-cost prototype device based on silver nanoparticle-impregnated poly(vinyle alcohol) (PVA-Ag-NPs) nanocomposite thin film for mercury detection. The thin film, fabricated through a facile protocol, is shown to be a fast, efficient, and selective sensor for Hg²⁺ in aqueous medium with a detection limit of 10 ppb. We have utilized the aggregation and amalgamation of Ag-NPs with Hg²⁺ to develop the low-cost, highly efficient and feasible prototype mercury sensor. In the presence of Hg²⁺, the yellowish thin film turned into colourless due to the loss of intense surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption band of the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) through aggregation and amalgamation with mercury. The developed sensor has high selectivity for Hg²⁺ ions over a wide range of other competing heavy metal ions, generally present in water of natural sources. The sensor response is found to be linear over the Hg²⁺ ion concentration regime from 10 ppb to 5 ppm. The developed sensor has shown to determine a trace Hg²⁺ ions in real water samples. Finally, using the proposed technique, we have developed a simple and inexpensive prototype device for monitoring in field environmental mercury pollution.

Open image in new window

Graphical Abstract ?

     

Quest for the piroplasms in camels: identification of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in Jordanian dromedaries by PCR

DNA of two species of piroplasmids was detected in dromedaries during a survey of blood protozoans in Jordan between 2007 and 2009. Ten clinically healthy camels (10%) originating from three Jordanian districts were found, using a PCR assay, to harbor Theileria or Babesia species in their blood and no mix infection was determined. Analysis of the partial 18S rRNA gene sequences of these parasites allowed their unambiguous identification as equine piroplasmids Babesia caballi (n=6) and Theileria equi (n=4). In case of latter species, a novel genotype was found in horses. This first molecular-based species determination of piroplasmids from camels further contributes to the growing evidence of low host specificity of piroplasmids.     

Effect of Cadmium on Lipid Peroxidation and on Some Antioxidants in the Liver,Kidneys and Testes of Rats Given Diet Containing Cadmium-polluted Radish Bulbs

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of cadmium (Cd), incorporated in radish bulbs, on malondialdehyde and glutathione levels and on superoxide dismutase activity in the liver, kidneys and testes of male rats. The control animals were given diet containing ordinary radish bulbs for 4, 8 and 12 weeks, while contaminated animals were given diet containing Cd-polluted radish bulbs (1.1 mg Cd/g of diet) for the same periods as in the controls. At each time point, rats were euthanized and the liver, kidneys and testes were removed. The results indicated that the body weight gain of contaminated rats was identical to that of the control rats. Cd concentrations in the liver, kidneys and testes increased significantly and gradually from the 4th to 12th week of treatment. Malondialdehyde concentrations decreased significantly in the liver and increased significantly in the kidneys and testes after 12 weeks of treatment, while glutathione levels increased significantly in the liver, and decreased significantly in the kidneys and testes at the same time. No changes were observed in SOD activity in the liver, while in the kidneys and testes, this activity was increased after 12 weeks of treatment as compared with the control rats.     

Dietary supplementation for Santa Inês hair ewes on pasture at pre- and postpartum periods: dry matter intake,digestibility, milk production,and mineral metabolism

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of different levels of dietary supplementation and reproductive stages on dry matter intake, digestibility, milk production, and mineral metabolism in Santa Inês hair ewes. Two dietary supplement levels of 0.5 and 1.5%, based on body weight, were used. A total of 12 hair ewes (six subjected to 0.5 and six subjected to 1.5% of concentrate supplementation based on body weight—BW) of the Santa Inês breed were evaluated in a completely randomized design with fixed effects of supplementation level, period, and its interactions. Dry matter intake, digestibility, milk production, and mineral metabolism (calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), type I insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and osteocalcin (OC)) were assessed. Dry matter digestibility was affected by the supplementation level (during both pregnancy and lactation), with higher values in ewes fed at a level of 1.5% of BW. A significant interaction between treatment × reproductive stages was found for the Mg concentration. A period effect (P?<?0.05) on serum concentrations of P, Ca/P, Mg, and IGF-I was observed. Serum P concentrations were influenced (P?<?0.05) by treatments and reproductive stages. There were significant differences in the Ca/P ratio among the reproductive stages. The enzymatic activity of ALP and serum IGFI differed among reproductive stages. Ewes supplemented at a level of 1.5% of BW produced 18.5% more milk than ewes supplemented at a level of 0.5% of BW. The use of 0.5% of body weight in concentrate supplementation is recommended for the reduction of production costs, without having an effect on the mineral metabolism of Santa Inês hair ewes.

     

Estimating direct healthcare costs attributable to laboratory‐confirmed Lyme disease in Ontario,Canada: A population‐based matched cohort study using health administrative data

The objective of this study was to determine healthcare costs attributable to laboratory‐confirmed Lyme disease (LD) from the healthcare payer perspective in Ontario, Canada. A cost‐of‐illness study was conducted for incident LD subjects from 1 January 2006 through 31 December 2013 ascertained from provincial laboratory and reportable disease databases, linked to health administrative data. All LD subjects included were laboratory‐confirmed, according to provincial case definitions. Incident LD subjects were propensity‐score matched to uninfected subjects on age, sex, comorbidities and urban/rural status. We used phase‐of‐care methods to calculate attributable costs for two phases of illness: initial care (≤30 days following “index date”) and continuing care (>30 days after index date to the end of the follow‐up period). A total of 663 incident, confirmed LD subjects were identified from 2006 through 2013. Mean age was 44.2 ± 20.1 years; 339 (51.1%) were female; and 31 (4.7%) were hospitalized ≤30 days after index date. Six hundred fifty‐eight (99.2%) LD subjects were matched to uninfected subjects; mean follow‐up time was 3.3 years. Mean attributable costs per case during the initial care phase and continuing care were $277 (95% CI: $197, $357) and ?$5 (?$27, $17), respectively. Attributable costs per LD subject aged 5–14 years were $440 ($132, $747), greater than the costs observed for other age strata. Expected 1‐year attributable costs were $832, given continuing care costs were negligible. Limitations to our study include estimating costs using a cohort of only laboratory‐confirmed LD cases, introducing selection bias for diagnosed and treated patients who may have a lower risk of developing sequelae. In conclusion, the initial care phase of LD is associated with increased healthcare costs, but without significant costs attributable to LD infection after 30 days. Estimates of costs attributable to LD are important for healthcare resource prioritization and the evaluation of novel interventions.