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BACKGROUND: Combined sewer overflow (CSO) events release untreated wastewater into surface waterbodies during heavy precipitation and snowmelt. Combined sewer systems serve ~40million people in the United States, primarily in urban and suburban municipalities in the Midwest and Northeast. Predicted increases in heavy precipitation events driven by climate change underscore the importance of quantifying potential health risks associated with CSO events. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to a) estimate the association between CSO events (2014–2019) and emergency department (ED) visits for acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) among Massachusetts municipalities that border a CSO-impacted river, and b) determine whether associations differ by municipal drinking water source. METHODS: A case time-series design was used to estimate the association between daily cumulative upstream CSO discharge and ED visits for AGI over lag periods of 4, 7, and 14 days, adjusting for temporal trends, temperature, and precipitation. Associations between CSO events and AGI were also compared by municipal drinking water source (CSO-impacted river vs. other sources). RESULTS: Extreme upstream CSO discharge events (>95th percentile by cumulative volume) were associated with a cumulative risk ratio (CRR) of AGI of 1.22 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05, 1.42] over the next 4 days for all municipalities, and the association was robust after adjusting for precipitation [1.17 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.39)], although the CI includes the null. In municipalities with CSO-impacted drinking water sources, the adjusted association was somewhat less pronounced following 95th percentile CSO events [CRR= 1.05 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.33)]. The adjusted CRR of AGI was 1.62 in all municipalities following 99th percentile CSO events (95% CI: 1.04, 2.51) and not statistically different when stratified by drinking water source. DISCUSSION: In municipalities bordering a CSO-impacted river in Massachusetts, extreme CSO events are associated with higher risk of AGI within 4 days. The largest CSO events are associated with increased risk of AGI regardless of drinking water source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is shed in the stool of infected individuals and can be detected in sewage and wastewater contaminated with infected stool. This study is aimed at detecting the virus and its potential survival in sewage and wastewater in Ghana. The cross-sectional study included samples from 16 validated environmental surveillance sites in 7 regions of Ghana. A total of 354 samples composed of wastewater (280) and sewage (74) were collected from November 2020 to November 2022. Overall, 17% of the samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time PCR, with 6% in sewage and 11% in wastewater. The highest number of positive samples was collected from the Greater Accra Region (7.3%) with the least recorded in the Bono East Region (0.6%). Further characterization of the positive samples using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach yielded two variants: Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Delta (AY.36). Attempts to isolate SARS-CoV-2 in the Vero cell line were not successful probably due to the low viral load concentrations (Ct values > 35) or prolonged exposure to high temperatures rendering the virus noninfectious. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewage and wastewater may not be infectious, but the prevalence shows that the virus persists in the communities within Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The border city of El Paso, Texas, and its water utility, El Paso Water, initiated a SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring program to assess virus trends and the appropriateness of a wastewater monitoring program for the community. Nearly weekly sample collection at four wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs), serving distinct regions of the city, was analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 genes using the CDC 2019-Novel coronavirus Real-Time RT-PCR diagnostic panel. Virus concentrations ranged from 86.7 to 268,000 gc/L, varying across time and at each WWTF. The lag time between virus concentrations in wastewater and reported COVID-19 case rates (per 100,00 population) ranged from 4–24 days for the four WWTFs, with the strongest trend occurring from November 2021 - June 2022. This study is an assessment of the utility of a geographically refined SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring program to supplement public health efforts that will manage the virus as it becomes endemic in El Paso. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has become an occupational and environmental concern. WWTPs are engineered systems that treat wastewater to meet public health standards before release into the environment. The residuals, as either effluent or solids, are then discharged or beneficially recycled into the environment. Since these wastes contain a diverse array of microorganisms, some of which are resistant to commonly used antibiotics, there is a potential for these organisms to spread in the environment via residual recycling and effluent discharge. Human infections with ARB are increasing, and it is not well known how the interaction between humans and the environment plays a role in this process. WWTP workers, who are on the front lines, may come into direct contact with materials containing these microbes. This study aimed to determine the number of ARB present in both air and sewage sludges in a WWTP using nonselective media supplemented with two antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and azithromycin). The densities of total heterotrophic bacteria, ciprofloxacin-resistant bacteria, and azithromycin-resistant bacteria were 7.82 × 105 − 4.7 × 109, 7.87 × 103 − 1.05 × 108, and 2.27 × 105 − 1.16 × 109 CFU/g, respectively. The prevalence [(concentration on medium with antibiotics/concentration on medium without antibiotics) × 100] of ciprofloxacin-resistant bacteria in treated sludge was twice as low as in digested sludge and approximately three times lower than in raw sludge. For azithromycin, the prevalence of resistant bacteria in treated sludge was about the same in digested and nearly twice lower than in raw sludge. Despite a marked reduction in the mean prevalence of resistant bacteria in dewatered treated sludge for both antibiotics, these differences were not significant. The highest prevalence of antibiotic resistance was observed for azithromycin. Similarly, the prevalence of airborne azithromycin-resistant bacteria inside the belt filter press room (BFPR) was nearly seven times higher than the prevalence of airborne ciprofloxacin-resistant bacteria. These concentrations of ARB were not negligible and may represent an exposure pathway for some workers in WWTPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: From 1 February 2018, codeine was rescheduled from an over‐the‐counter (OTC) to a prescription‐only medicine in Australia. We used wastewater‐based epidemiology to measure changes in population codeine consumption before and after rescheduling. Methods: We analysed 3703 wastewater samples from 48 wastewater treatment plants, taken between August 2016 and August 2019. Our samples represented 10.6 million people, 45% of the Australian population in state capitals and regional areas in each state or territory. Codeine concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and converted to per‐capita consumption estimates using the site daily wastewater volume, catchment populations and codeine excretion kinetics. Results: Average per‐capita consumption of codeine decreased by 37% nationally immediately after the rescheduling in February 2018 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 35.3–39.4%] and substantially in all states between 24 and 51% (95% CI = 22.4–27.0% and 41.8–59.4%). The decrease was sustained at the lower level to August 2019. Locations with least pharmacy access decreased by 51% (95% CI = 41.7–61.7%), a greater decrease than 37% observed for those with greater pharmacy access (95% CI = 35.1–39.4%). Regional areas decreased by a smaller margin to cities (32 versus 38%, 95% CI = 30.2–34.1% versus 34.9–40.4%, respectively) from a base per‐capita usage approximately 40% higher than cities. Conclusion: Wastewater analysis shows that codeine consumption in Australia decreased by approximately 37% following its rescheduling as a prescription‐only medicine in 2018. Wastewater‐based epidemiology can be used to evaluate changes in population pharmaceutical consumption in responses to changes in drug scheduling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Positive correlations have been reported between wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations and a community’s burden of infection, disease or both. However, previous studies mostly compared wastewater to clinical case counts or nonrepresentative convenience samples, limiting their quantitative potential. OBJECTIVES: This study examined whether wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations could provide better estimations for SARS-CoV-2 community prevalence than reported cases of COVID-19. In addition, this study tested whether wastewater-based epidemiology methods could identify neighborhood-level COVID-19 hotspots and SARS-CoV-2 variants. METHODS: Community SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was estimated from eight randomized door-to-door nasal swab sampling events in six Oregon communities of disparate size, location, and demography over a 10-month period. Simultaneously, wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations were quantified at each community’s wastewater treatment plant and from 22 Newport, Oregon, neighborhoods. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was sequenced from all positive wastewater and nasal swab samples. Clinically reported case counts were obtained from the Oregon Health Authority. RESULTS: Estimated community SARS-CoV-2 prevalence ranged from 8 to 1,687/10,000 persons. Community wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations ranged from 2.9 to 5.1 log10 gene copies per liter. Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations were more highly correlated (Pearson's 푟 = 0.96; 푃² = 0.91) with community prevalence than were clinically reported cases of COVID-19 (Pearson's 푟 = 0.85; 푃² = 0.73). Monte Carlo simulations indicated that wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations were significantly better than clinically reported cases at estimating prevalence (푝< 0.05). In addition, wastewater analyses determined neighborhood-level COVID-19 hot spots and identified SARS-CoV-2 variants (B.1 and B.1.399) at the neighborhood and city scales. DISCUSSION: The greater reliability of wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations over clinically reported case counts was likely due to systematic biases that affect reported case counts, including variations in access to testing and underreporting of asymptomatic cases. With these advantages, combined with scalability and low costs, wastewater-based epidemiology can be a key component in public health surveillance of COVID-19 and other communicable infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Sewage surveillance, by detecting SARS-CoV-2 virus circulation at the community level, has the potential to supplement individual surveillance for COVID-19. However, to date, there have been no reports about the large-scale implementation and validation of sewage surveillance for public health action. OBJECTIVE: Here, we developed a standardized approach for SARS-CoV-2 detection in sewage and applied it prospectively to supplement public health interventions. METHODS: We analyzed 1,169 sewage samples collected at 492 sites from December 2020 to March 2021. Forty-seven of 492 sites tested positive, 44 (94%) of them had traceable sources of viral signals in the corresponding sewershed, either from previously unsuspected but subsequently confirmed patients or recently convalescent patients or from both patient groups. RESULTS: Sewage surveillance had a sensitivity of 54%, a specificity of 95%, a positive predictive value of 53%, and a negative predictive value of 95% for identifying a previously unsuspected patient within a sewershed. Sewage surveillance in Hong Kong provided a basis for the statutory public health action to detect silent COVID-19 transmission. DISCUSSION: Considering the epidemiological data together with the sewage testing results, compulsory testing was conducted for individual residents at 27 positive sewage sites and uncovered total of 62 previously unsuspected patients, demonstrating the value of sewage surveillance in uncovering previously unsuspected patients in the community. Our study suggests that sewage surveillance could be a powerful management tool for the control of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To test if there was a reduction in alcohol consumption in wastewater samples in the Northern Territory of Australia after the implementation of a minimum unit alcohol price policy (MUP) in October 2018. Design, setting, cases: Between August 2016 and February 2020, wastewater samples were collected across 66 sites in the Northern Territory and all other states and territories in Australia. Samples were collected every 2 months in capital cities and every 4 months in regional places during this period. Overall, 4917 samples were taken (2816 before MUP and 2101 after). Measurements The number of standard drinks per 1000 people per day in the respective catchment areas was estimated based on the concentration of an alcohol‐specific metabolite, ethyl sulphate in the samples (using the excretion factor of ethyl sulphate, the flow of wastewater entering the wastewater treatment plants and the population of each wastewater catchment). Findings Results from a linear mixed model showed that there was a large drop in alcohol consumption immediately after the MUP in Northern Territory [estimated drop = 1231, 99% confidence interval (CI) = 830, 1633; 38.75%]. There was no significant drop in all other states/territories except for Queensland, which showed a significant but much smaller drop (estimated drop: 310; 99% CI = 114, 550). One year after the MUP, the drop narrowed to 520 (99% CI = 189, 851) and was no longer statistically significant in February 2020 (15 months after MUP; estimated drop = 283, 99% CI = −114, 681). Conclusions: Per‐capita consumption of alcohol appears to have decreased substantially in the Northern Territory of Australia immediately after the implementation of a minimum unit price but consumption steadily recovered and almost returned to the pre‐MUP consumption level after 15 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In April 2023, the Taliban banned poppy cultivation and the trade of all narcotics. This caused a 95% reduction in opium production. Usually, that would be good news. But there is a substantial worry: synthetic opioids might fill the void left by heroin. This is concerning because these drugs have led to health emergencies in areas where they are prevalent. This paper highlights the limitations of the current drug surveillance system in Europe and proposes improvements. It argues that reliance on secondary data is insufficient. Instead, we need to interview a sentinel group of people who inject drugs and adjust city-level sentinel systems, such as wastewater analysis, to specifically track the spread of synthetic opioids. Without these proactive steps, we risk only noticing a transition from heroin to synthetic opioids after it has occurred, with its harmful impacts already in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited sources of fresh water necessitate the application of health policies for treatment and decontamination of human sewage for further use. A wide variety of infectious agents, including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses, can be found in sewage. Enteric viruses such as hepatitis A virus (HAV) can survive the current treatments and infect susceptible hosts. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate HAV contamination in human sewage before and after treatment in the wastewater treatment plant of Ekbatan town in Tehran, Iran, and analyze the phylogenetic properties of the identified viruses. Methods: Over a 12-month period, we collected the wastewater samples including influent, before chlorination, and effluent, from the wastewater treatment plant of Ekbatan town in Tehran, Iran. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) extraction, complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) synthesis, and semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed to identify HAV contamination. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to investigate subgenotypes of the virus. Results: HAV was detected in all influents and samples before chlorination, while the virus was detected in 50% of the effluent samples. All detected viruses belonged to subgenotype IB. Conclusions: Investigating the presence of HAV in sewage provides a general picture of the virus spread in the population of interest. HAV was detected in all influent samples, indicating that the infection is endemic in this area all year round. This also indicates the inability of the current treatment protocols in virus removal, which can be a threat to the public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO doped TiO2 nanocomposite was synthesized by the Sol-gel method. The synthesized nanocatalyst was characterized by XRD, SEM, FT-IR, UV-Vis to evaluate the crystal patterns and size, Band-gap energy, morphology, surface area into the ZnO doped TiO2. Degradation of phenol was carried out under UV-Visible light irradiation by varying the reaction parameters such as initial phenol concentration, Catalyst loading and pH with an irradiation time of the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To compare long‐term trends in wastewater data with other indicators of stimulant use in three locations and to test the reliability of estimates based on 1 week of sampling. Design: Comparison of trends in quantities ('loads') of stimulants or their metabolites in wastewater with trends in other indicators of stimulant use (e.g. treatment, police, population survey data). Setting and Participants: Populations in Oslo (Norway), South‐East Queensland (Australia) and Eindhoven (the Netherlands). Measurements: Wastewater data were modelled for MDMA (3,4‐methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine), benzoylecgonine (a metabolite of cocaine), amphetamine and methamphetamine in Oslo; benzoylecgonine in Eindhoven; and methamphetamine in South‐East Queensland. Choice of stimulants modelled in each region was primarily determined by availability of useable data. Findings: In Oslo, wastewater data, driving under the influence of drugs statistics and seizure data all suggested increasing MDMA use between 2009 and 2017. In South‐East Queensland, there was an estimated 31.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 29.4–32.9%] annual increase in daily loads of methamphetamine in wastewater between 2009 and 2016, compared with a 14.1% (95% CI = 10.9–17.3%) annual increase in seizures. Some of the increase in wastewater can be explained by increased purity. In Eindhoven, there was no evidence of a change in cocaine consumption from wastewater, but a reduction was observed in numbers in treatment for cocaine use from 2012 to 2017. In approximately half the cases examined in Oslo, credible intervals around estimates of annual average loads from a regression model versus estimates based on a single week of sampling did not overlap. Conclusions: Long‐term trends in loads of stimulants in wastewater appear to be broadly consistent with trends in other indicators of stimulant use in three locations. Wastewater data should be interpreted alongside epidemiological indicators and purity data. One week of wastewater sampling may not be sufficient for valid inference about drug consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim The widespread application of crude oil and its products has caused numerous environmental pollutions. This study aimed to isolate, identify, and determine a bacterial strain’s potential of oil degradation isolated form oily sludge. Methods & Materials After preparing the oily sludge in the sterile containers and cultivating in Bushnell-Haas medium, 24 distinct bacterial colonies were obtained. After performing biochemical and molecular tests, the “Acinetobacter radioresistens strain KA2” with the highest growth rate and crude oil degradation was selected. Then, degradation of various concentrations of crude oil at different PHs (5, 6, 7, 8 and 9), bacterial adherence to hydrocarbons and emulsification index of the selected strain were measured. Total petroleum hydrocarbons were determined by gas chromatography. Ethical Considerations This study has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University of Kermanshah Branch (Code: 19250587962001 ). Results The results indicated that the removal efficiency of crude oil at concentrations of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5% were 65.24, 76.14, 53.81, 31.84, and 25.21%, respectively. Crude oil removal at pH values of 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 was 42.4, 69.16, 65.24, 59.41 and 48.24%, respectively. Bacterial adherence to hydrocarbons and emulsification index of the isolated strain were calculated to be 13.69 and 59.14%. Conclusion The isolated bacterium is an efficient strain in treating the crude oil and petroleum compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sewage sludges represent a potential health hazard because of the quantity of different microbiota detected in sewages. Among microbiota detected in sewages, also belong representatives of the phylum Firmicutes. In the past, environmental enterococci in addition to coliforms were widely used as indicators of faecal contamination. Regarding the enterococcal strains as potential pathogenic bacteria, their pathogenicity is mainly caused by production of virulence factors. Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyse incidence of virulence factors in enterococci from cows' dung water. Species identification of 24 enterococci using MALDI-TOF MS system allotted 23 strains to the species Enterococcus faecium with highly probable species identification and E. faecalis EEV20 with a score value meaning secure genus identification/probable species identification. Enterococci were absent of cytolysin A gene, hyaluronidase gene, and element IS gene. It can be concluded that they are not invasive which is very important from safety aspect. The most frequently detected gene was adhesin E. faecium (efaAfm, in 22 E. faecium strains and in one E. faecalis). Adhesin efaAfs gene was detected in E. faecalis EEV20 and in two E. faecium. GelE gene was present in three strains. E. faecium EF/EC31 was absent of virulence factor genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aichi virus (AiV) is an emerging virus, which belongs to Kobuvirus genus of the Picornaviridae family. AiV was recently determined as an etiologic agent of gastroenteritis in susceptible humans. After shedding of virus particles from affected people, AiV particles can contaminate water sources. Then, infection with this virus occurs in humans by the fecal-oral route after exposure with contaminated waters. Thus far, some research around the world demonstrated that different kinds of water sources including river water, ground water and treated or untreated sewage water have contamination with AiVs. Molecular detection of AiV has been mostly depended on reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods, which targeted 3CD junction region of the virus genome. Methods: The present study aims to assess the molecular detection of AiVs in treated and untreated sewage water and river water specimens by the development of reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay for all AiV genotypes. Results: Out of 50 samples tested (consisting of 28 river water samples and 22 sewage water samples), the AiV genomic RNA was identified in 15/28 (~50%) river water samples and in 14/22 (~70%) sewage samples. Conclusion: Our results, for the first time, indicate that AiVs have been circulating in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Advanced oxidation of municipal wastewater by UV/H 2 O 2 , UV/PDS and UV/Chlorine. • Oxidation performance followed the order of UV/Chlorine > UV/H 2 O 2 ≈ UV/PDS. • UV absorbance (UVA), total fluorescence (TF) revealed highest R2 values with TOrCs. Abstract UV-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been widely explored to remove organic contaminants from water streams. In this lab-scale study, the removal of 17 trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) by UV/H 2 O 2 , UV/PDS and UV/Chlorine was investigated at equimolar radical promoter concentrations in municipal wastewater. Direct comparison of the UV-AOPs was conducted with eight TOrCs being resistant to direct oxidation by H 2 O 2 , PDS and chlorine and revealed a general oxidation performance following the order of UV/Chlorine > UV/H 2 O 2 ≈ UV/PDS while UV/PDS and UV/Chlorine exhibited higher compound selectivity than UV/H 2 O 2. However, although oxidation performance of UV/Chlorine is outstanding in comparison of the three UV-AOPs, it has to be noted that oxidation by-product (OBP) formation potential might be substantially higher during both UV/PDS and UV/Chlorine compared to UV/H 2 O 2 which was not investigated in this study. Evaluating potential optical surrogates to predict trace organic chemical (TOrCs) removal in UV-AOPs, nine parameters were selected representing chromophore and fluorophore features of DOM including components derived by parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) of excitation-emission matrices. UV absorbance (UVA), total fluorescence (TF) and the selected fluorescence peak P_IV revealed highest linear correlation coefficients and were therefore identified as surrogates representing underlying mechanistic reactions of each UV-AOP. As none of the surrogates directly reacted with UV irradiation, slopes of surrogate-indicator correlations for photo-susceptible TOrCs decreased towards higher oxidant dosages. Correlations for these compounds should therefore only be determined for a limited range of oxidant dosage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Noroviruses are a leading cause of epidemic and pandemic acute gastroenteritis (AGE) worldwide, and contaminated food and water are important routes for its transmission. Raw sewage has been used for viral surveillance to monitor the emergence of new norovirus strains with the potential to cause epidemics. In this study, we investigated norovirus occurrence and norovirus RNA levels in 156 samples collected from May 2013 to May 2014, across three different stages (52 samples each) of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We also explored norovirus GII diversity in raw sewage samples by next-sequencing generation (NGS). In addition, we examined norovirus prevalence and molecular epidemiology from acute gastroenteritis cases. Using RT-qPCR, norovirus GI and GII was detected in 38.5% and 96.1% of raw sewage samples, 40.4% and 96.1% of primary effluent samples and 1.9% and 5.8% of final effluent samples, respectively. Norovirus RNA levels varied from 4 to 6.2 log 10 genome copies per litre (gc L−1) for GI and from 4.4 to 7.3 log 10 gc L−1 for GII. Using MiSeq NGS, we identified 13 norovirus genotypes over the one-year period, with six dominant capsid genotypes, including GII.4, GII.17, GII.5, GII.2, GII.3 and GII.1. GII.4 noroviruses were the most prevalent in wastewater samples (68.5%), and a similar trend was observed in AGE cases (71%). The emergent GII.17 was the second most prevalent genotype (14.3%) identified in the raw sewage samples, however, it was not detected in clinical cases. Due to the high burden of norovirus outbreaks and the lack of vaccine and antiviral drugs, it is essential to understand the genotypic diversity of norovirus at the population level. Complementary data obtained from both clinical and environmental (sewage) samples proved to be an effective strategy to monitor the circulation and emergence of norovirus epidemic genotypes. Highlights • We identified 13 norovirus genotypes in the raw sewage using deep sequencing. • Major and minor norovirus GII genotypes were detected from raw sewage. • Norovirus GII.17 genotype was detected prior to its detection in clinical cases. • Secondary sewage treatment decreased norovirus RNA levels to undetected levels. • Autumn/winter seasonality was observed only for norovirus GI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The determination of water quality along a river drainage network is of paramount importance for many environmental applications. Whereas several codes have been proposed to deal with this problem along a single reach of a river, no simple solution has been proposed for a complex river network. In this contribution, a methodology is presented for preliminary screening of river water quality at the watershed-scale and at steady state. The solution process exploits the information contained within the watershed's space-filling drainage network (SFDN), that is automatically computed by processing the raster map of the watershed's elevations. To this end, a visiting algorithm for non-binary trees is coupled to a Newton-Raphson method that locally solves the system of nonlinear water-quality mass balances. We believe that the resulting framework will be especially valuable for initial screening analyses in data-poor watersheds. A free code called Q2T that implements the described methods is provided. Highlights • A simple distributed model for dissolved oxygen dynamics along a river network is presented. • The model is suitable for preliminary screening at the watershed-scale and at steady state. • A free code called Q2T that implements the described methods is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of identifying and monitoring urinary excretion of illicit drugs and their metabolites in wastewater has been seen by governments and international organisations as 'promising'. It is claimed that such approaches will enable governments to effectively direct resources to priority areas, monitor the progress of demand and supply reduction strategies, as well as identify emerging trends. Drawing on poststructural approaches to policy analysis and insights from science and technology studies, we consider how the technology of wastewater analysis may be seen as a kind of proposal with productive capacity and constitutive effects. Through this analysis, we seek to raise ontopolitical questions about the production of data by interrogating the claims to 'accuracy' promoted in wastewater analysis, and illuminating the assumptions underpinning such pursuits. By taking an approach which sees method as performative rather than as descriptive of a pre-existing reality, we consider how wastewater analysis enacts realities into being in the drugs field. Taking Australia's National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program as a case example, we argue that wastewater analysis constitutes drug use as measurable, countable and comparable and, in doing so, enacts a homogenous drug using population in a bounded geographical space, with implications for drug policy. Furthermore, the claim to 'accuracy' constitutes people who use drugs as lacking in knowledge and unaware, and relates to a range of practices which work to continually re-produce people who use drugs as criminal, untrustworthy and in need of surveillance. Through this analysis, we seek to generate critical discussion about practices of 'evidence-making', the privileging of 'scientific data' in drug policy processes (especially as it relates to population prevalence of drug use), and the hitherto unexamined effects of wastewater analysis for drug policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Various civilian, agricultural and industrial activities cause the presence of nitrogen compounds in surface and groundwater, where they are further converted into ammonia and its salts. The progressive increase in ammonium concentration in the environment represents a serious concern since it is one of the main causes of eutrophication and its transformation may lead to carcinogens. On the other hand, wastewater has recently been considered as a potential source of nitrogenous nutrients for plants, once adequate recovery processes have been provided. Among the latter, the adsorption processes must be considered reliable and clean due to the mild operating conditions. An experimental study on the removal of ammonium by adsorption on a zeolite cation exchanger (clinoptilolite mineral) was undertaken, considering the water from an Italian groundwater treatment facility with a treatment capability of 150,000 L/h. The activity was focused on the polishing step before surface discharge (from 20 mg/L to 5 mg/L, according to restrictions due to neighboring water bodies of naturalistic relevance). The experimental study was part of a wider activity for the evaluation of the performances of a 1000 L/h cation-exchange pilot plant operated at the same industrial site. Thus, the peculiar features of the reported study are ammonium removal until the level of traces, use of a conditioned zeolite, and co-presence of high concentrations of other dissolved cationic species competing for exchange. Graphical abstract Image Highlights • Ammonium removal by cation exchange has been studied. • Adsorption on Clinoptilolite allows reducing the NH 4 + content to <20 mg/L. • Effectiveness of aged Clinoptilolite has also been assessed. • Competitive adsorption of other cations takes place, affecting regeneration as well. • Pseudo-second-order and Langmuir equations are adequate for data fitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The giant amoebal viruses of Mimivirus and Marseillevirus are large DNA viruses and have been documented in water, soil, and sewage samples. The trend of discovering these giant amoebal viruses has been increasing throughout Asia with Japan, India, and Saudi Arabia being the latest countries to document the presence of these viruses. To date, there have been no reports of large amoebal viruses being isolated in South East Asia. Objective: In this study, we aim to discover these viruses from soil samples in an aboriginal village (Serendah village) in Peninsular -Malaysia. Method and Results: We successfully detected and isolated both Mimivirus-like and Marseillevirus-like viruses using Acanthamoeba castellanii. Phylogeny analysis identified them as Mimivirus and Marseillevirus, respectively. Conclusion: The ubiquitous nature of both Mimivirus and Marseillevirus is further confirmed in our study as they are detected in higher quantity in soil that is near to water vicinities in an aboriginal village in Peninsular Malaysia. However, this study is limited by our inability to investigate the impact of Mimivirus and Marseillevirus on the aboriginal villagers. More studies on the potential impact of these viruses on human health, especially on the aborigines, are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a new multi-residue analytical method for the simultaneous determination of 38 psychoactive drugs (including benzodiazepines, antidepressants and drugs of abuse) and related metabolites in raw wastewater. Potential analyte losses during sample filtration and stability in wastewater were evaluated. Analyte losses, especially for 12 compounds, were observed during filtration, indicating a strong sorption onto the filter material. In order to overcome this effect, filtered water samples were combined with methanolic washes of the corresponding filters and the resulting solutions were solid-phase extracted on mixed-mode (reverse-phase plus cation-exchange) sorbents. Extracts were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Quantification was performed by the internal standard method with isotopic labeled analogs. Recovery percentages varied between 65% and 137%; method quantification limits ranged between 0.2 and 22 ng/L in ultrapure water and between 0.3 and 30 ng/L in wastewater for all the analytes but three (for which they were ∼60–80 ng/L). The analysis of 24 h-composite samples collected during one week in the city of Santiago de Compostela demonstrated the ubiquity of 31 analytes, which were positively quantified in all samples. The highest concentrations were found for some of the antidepressants, with mean and maximum levels exceeding, in some cases, the levels previously reported in literature. This fact could be related to the additional washing step of the filters using methanol, which allowed to desorb retained analytes highlighting the importance of this step during the sample preparation protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing use of TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) in customer products has also increased the concerns about their effects in the environment. Anaerobic digestion is a process probably exposed to high concentrations of TiO 2 NPs due to its application for wastewater and waste sludge treatment. In this work, it was studied the anaerobic digestion performance and the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production in presence of TiO 2 NPs, as well as the fate of TiO 2 NPs in anaerobic reactors. Results showed that methane production enhanced an average of 14.9% in presence TiO 2 NPs, which is considered a positive effect. A strong affinity between TiO 2 NPs and EPS was found, especially for proteins (PRO) and polysaccharides (PS) in the loosely and tightly bound EPS layers of microorganisms (LB-EPS and TB-EPS). Ti quantification indicated that 92% of the TiO 2 NPs are removed by anaerobic sludge, while 8% remain in the treated effluent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Reactor is an efficient technology in composting of smuggled cigarettes tobacco and industrial sewage sludge. • The seed germination index results showed the production of matured compounds. • Spectroscopic results showed that maturity was reached in 120 days of process. Abstract The maturity of smuggled cigarette tobacco (SCT) and industrial sewage sludge (ISS) compost during composting in reactors was evaluated through physicochemical, phytotoxic and spectroscopic parameters. The temperatures reached peaks above 52 °C in the three reactors and were enough to achieve the stability of the compounds. The electric conductivity was in the optimal interval for farming uses and the pH alkaline band was favorable to produce inorganic nitrogen. The reduction in the C∕N ratio and the increase in cation exchange capacity (CEC) indicated an increase in the compost humification. After 120 days, the seed germination index (SGI) reached 95 % in reactor 3. In the three treatments, the reduction in E 2 /E 6 and E 4 /E 6 ratios (UV/Vis), the increase in humification indices, obtained through FTIR and the aromatic carbon resonance (13C NMR) indicated a high degree of aromaticity. The composting process in reactors was efficient to degrade different proportions of SCT and ISS, resulting in mature composts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mine tailings and wastewater generate man-made environments with several selective pressures, including the presence of heavy metals, arsenic and high cyanide concentrations, but severe nutritional limitations. Some oligotrophic and pioneer bacteria can colonise and grow in mine wastes containing a low concentration of organic matter and combined nitrogen sources. In this study, Pseudomonas mendocina P6115 was isolated from mine tailings in Durango, Mexico, and identified through a phylogenetic approach of 16S rRNA, gyrB, rpoB, and rpoD genes. Cell growth, cyanide consumption, and ammonia production kinetics in a medium with cyanide as sole nitrogen source showed that at the beginning, the strain grew assimilating cyanide, when cyanide was removed, ammonium was produced and accumulated in the culture medium. However, no clear stoichiometric relationship between both nitrogen sources was observed. Also, cyanide complexes were assimilated as nitrogen sources. Other phenotypic tasks that contribute to the strain’s adaptation to a mine tailing environment included siderophores production in media with moderate amounts of heavy metals, arsenite and arsenate tolerance, and the capacity of oxidizing arsenite. P. mendocina P6115 harbours cioA/cioB and aoxB genes encoding for a cyanide-insensitive oxidase and an arsenite oxidase, respectively. This is the first report where P. mendocina is described as a cyanotrophic and arsenic oxidizing species. Genotypic and phenotypic tasks of P. mendocina P6115 autochthonous from mine wastes are potentially relevant for biological treatment of residues contaminated with cyanide and arsenic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton fabrics dyed with Reactive Black 5 (RB5) was electrochemically stripped using Ti/TiO 2 -RuO 2 -IrO 2 anode in water, pyridine and phenol solution. The results showed that RB5 dye could be easily stripped from the surface of cotton fabrics through the cleavage of chromophoric group ( N N ) under the attack of hydroxyl radicals ( OH) and active chlorines generated in situ . Efficient stripping performance could be obtained in water and pyridine solution, whilst the stripping percent was not obviously affected by pyridine concentration and layers of dyed cotton fabrics. Whereas, phenol existing in water slowed the stripping rate due to the competition between the stripping of RB5 dye and the degradation of phenol. In the case of multi-layer dyed cotton fabrics, the stripping performance of the inner layer is superior to that of the outer layer owing to that the cotton fabrics hinder the diffusion of active chlorines and OH. The FTIR analysis of stripped cotton fabrics showed that the effect of electrochemical process and the existence of pollutant in water on the stripped cotton fabrics could be negligible. Electrochemical oxidation could also successfully strip various dyes from waste cotton fabrics in the investigated stripping solutions. Therefore, electrochemical oxidation provides an environmentally friendly alternative for color stripping of dyed cotton fabrics. The removal of dye from cotton fabrics and the degradation of pollutant in water could occur simultaneously, implying that wastewater containing chloride ions may replace the fresh water as stripping solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work here presented aimed at developing an analytical method for the simultaneous determination of 22 pharmaceuticals and personal care products, including 3 transformation products, in sewage and sludge. A meticulous method optimization, involving an experimental design, was carried out. The developed method was fully automated and consisted of the online extraction of 17 mL of water sample by Direct Immersion Solid Phase MicroExtraction followed by On-fiber Derivatization coupled to Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (DI-SPME – On-fiber Derivatization – GC – MS). This methodology was validated for 12 of the initial compounds as a reliable (relative recoveries above 90% for sewage and 70% for sludge; repeatability as %RSD below 10% in all cases), sensitive (LODs below 20 ng L −1 in sewage and 10 ng g −1 in sludge), versatile (sewage and sewage-sludge samples up to 15,000 ng L −1 and 900 ng g −1 , respectively) and green analytical alternative for many medium-tech routine laboratories around the world to keep up with both current and forecast environmental regulations requirements. The remaining 10 analytes initially considered showed insufficient suitability to be included in the final method. The methodology was successfully applied to real samples generated in a pilot scale sewage treatment reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, residues of the neuropsychiatric and illicit drugs including stimulants, opioids, hallucinogens, antischizophrenics, sedatives, and antidepressants were determined in influent and effluent samples from a small wastewater treatment plant, a receiving creek, and river waters in the Four Rivers region of the Midwestern United States. Nineteen neuropsychiatric drugs, eight illicit drugs, and three metabolites of illicit drugs were detected and quantitated in the water samples using HPLC–MS/MS. Residual concentrations of the drugs varied from below the detection limit to sub-μg/L levels. The source of residual cocaine and benzoylecgonine in wastewater is primarily from human consumption of cocaine rather than direct disposal. Wastewater based epidemiology is utilized to estimate the community usage of drugs based on the concentration of drug residues in wastewater, wastewater inflow, and the population served by the centralized wastewater treatment plant. The per-capita consumption rate of methamphetamine (1740 mg/d/1000 people) and amphetamine (970 mg/d/1000 people) found in this study were the highest reported per-capita consumption rates in the USA. Antidepressant venlafaxine found to have the highest environmental emission from the WWTP (333 ± 160 mg/d/1000 people) followed by citalopram (132 ± 60.2 mg/d/1000 people), methamphetamine (111 ± 43.6 mg/d/1000 people), and hydrocodone (108 ± 90.1 mg/d/1000 people). Bee Creek, an immediate receiving water body, is found to be a source of several neuropsychiatric and illicit drugs including methamphetamine, methadone, alprazolam, oxazepam, temazepam, carbamazepine, venlafaxine, citalopram, sertraline, oxycodone, and hydrocodone ( p  < 0.036) in the Clarks River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method for the simultaneous determination of 11 pharmaceuticals has been developed. The method is based on a microextraction procedure applied to wastewater samples from different regions of Hungary followed by high‐performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. The effect of the nature of the extractant, dispersive solvent, different additives, and extraction time were examined on the extraction efficiently of the dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method. Under optimal conditions, the linearity for determining the pharmaceuticals was in the range of 1–500 ng/mL, with the correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9922 to 0.9995. The limits of detection and limits of quantification were in the range of 0.31–6.65 and 0.93–22.18 ng/mL, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treated wastewater is increasingly of interest for either nonpotable purposes, such as agriculture and industrial use, or as source water for drinking water supplies; however, this type of advanced treatment for water supply is not always possible for many low resource settings. As an alternative, multiple barriers of physical, chemical and biological treatment with lower cost and simpler operation and maintenance have been proposed as more globally applicable. One such water reclamation system for both non-potable and potable reuse, is that approved by the State of North Carolina “for Type 2” reclaimed water (NCT2RW). NC Type 2 potable reuse systems consist of a sequence of tertiary treatment to produce well oxidized reclaimed water that is then then further treated by two steps of disinfection, typically UV radiation and chlorination. In this case study, the log10 microbial reduction performance of NCT2RW producing water reclamation facilities is evaluated. Based on the results presented here, NCT2RW consistently achieved high (6 for bacteria, 4 for virus and 4 for protozoan parasite surrogates) log10 reductions using the NC proposed treatment methods. Additionally, lower but significant log10 reduction performance was also documented for protozoan parasites and human enteric viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceutical residues and other micro-contaminants may enter aquatic environments through effluent from sewage treatment plants (STPs) and could cause adverse effects in wild fish. One strategy to alleviate this situation is to improve wastewater treatment by ozonation. To test the effectiveness of full-scale wastewater effluent ozonation at a Swedish municipal STP, the added removal efficiency was measured for 105 pharmaceuticals. In addition, gene expression, reproductive and behavioral endpoints were analyzed in zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) exposed on-site over 21 days to ozonated or non-ozonated effluents as well as to tap water. Ozone treatment (7 g O 3 /m 3 ) removed pharmaceuticals by an average efficiency of 77% in addition to the conventional treatment, leaving 11 screened pharmaceuticals above detection limits. Differences in biological responses of the exposure treatments were recorded in gene expression, reproduction and behavior. Hepatic vitellogenin gene expression was higher in male zebrafish exposed to the ozonated effluent compared to the non-ozonated effluent and tap water treatments. The reproductive success was higher in fish exposed to ozonated effluent compared to non-ozonated effluent and to tap water. The behavioral measurements showed that fish exposed to the ozonated STP effluent were less active in swimming the first minute after placed in a novel vessel. Ozonation is a capable method for removing pharmaceuticals in effluents. However, its implementation should be thoroughly evaluated for any potential biological impact. Future research is needed for uncovering the factors which produced the in vivo responses in fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since alcohol and tobacco consumption are among the leading causes of population health harm, it is very important to understand the consumption behaviour to develop effective harm reduction strategies. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a potential tool for estimating their consumption, but there are several uncertainties that need to be determined, including the stability of biomarkers in the sewer. Utilizing a real rising main sewer, this study investigated the stability of alcohol and tobacco consumption biomarkers. Rhodamine and acesulfame were used as flow tracer and benchmarker to understand the transportation of wastewater in the sewer with a hydraulic retention time between 2.7 and 5.0 h. Ethyl sulphate (EtS) and ethyl glucuronide (EtG), two biomarkers of alcohol consumption, were found to have different in-sewer stability, with EtS much more stable than EtG. The degradation rate of EtS is approximately 8% per hour, while EtG has a half-life of 1.9 h. Formation of nicotine, cotinine and trans -3′-hydroxycotinine, three biomarkers for tobacco consumption, was observed during the experiment, probably due to deconjugation of their glucuronide chemicals. The deconjugation process has prevented the determination of actual stability of the three chemicals. However, it is suggested that cotinine is relatively stable, while nicotine and trans -3′-hydroxycotinine degrade to a certain degree in the sewer system. According to our findings, the in-sewer degradation is more important during the interpretation of alcohol consumption estimation than for tobacco consumption estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silk industry was an important mainstay of Asian textile industry. However, a large volume of filature wastewater is produced during the cocoon cooking step and it might lead to severe environment pollution without effective treatment. In fact, the wastewater contained an important and valuable protein, silk sericin. In this work, foam fractionation was purposed to recover silk sericin (SS) from the filature wastewater. A novel column with groined internal component (GIC) was developed for strengthening foam fractionation at room temperature. Compared with the control column, the collected foam from the experimental column possessed of a low liquid holdup because the low gas-liquid weakened the viscous effect caused by the rising velocity of the bubbles, when the rising foam passed through the corner channels creased by GIC. Under the suitable operating conditions of pH 4.0, length of GIC 400 mm, volumetric air flow rate 200 mL/min and pore diameter of gas distributor 180 μm, the enrichment ratio and the recovery percentage of SS reached 6.77 and 80.29%, respectively. This work is expected to provide a cost-effective technique to recover SS from the filature wastewater, and to facilitate the industrialization of foam fractionation in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies attest to the pollution of wastewaters by organic molecules including drug of abuse (DAs) residues and new psychoactive substances (NPS) at trace levels. The occurrence of these emerging micropollutants in influent wastewaters (IWW) from three Tunisian Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) was assessed. Influent wastewater composite samples (24 h) were collected over 7 consecutive days in November 2019. The determination and quantification of 11 drug of abuse or their metabolites was performed by the application of an optimized multi-residue method liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). MDMA, THC and the cocaine metabolite benzoyl ecgonine were the most detected substances across the three investigated sewage plants. A new wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach was applied in this study to estimate illicit drug consumption. This innovative approach was used to calculate and to assess collective drug consumption of illicit drug at a community level, based on the concentration of selected illicit substances and their major metabolites in influent wastewater. The average MDMA consumption found in the selected cities ranged between 35,8–1531,1 mg day− 1/1000 inhabitants and increased during the weekends. Cocaine consumption varied from 24.5 to 179.8 mg day− 1/1000 inhabitants. Complementary qualitative investigation of new psychoactive substances was monitored for the first time for an African country, examining the occurrence of 33 NPS in wastewaters samples. Out of 33 totals screened NPS across all sampling sites, 16 were tentatively identified with this approach. The 16 detected NPS covered most of the representative and used molecules of different NPS classes; including synthetic opioids, synthetic cathinones, amphetamines derivatives and synthetic cannabinoids. • A reliable SPE-LC-MS/MS method for the determination of 11 drug of abuse or their metabolites in wastewater was performed. • MDMA, THC and the cocaine metabolite benzoyl ecgonine were the most detected substances across the three sewage plants. • A new wastewater-based epidemiology approach was applied in this study to provide an estimate of illicit drug consumption. • The surge in MDMA consumption mainly during the weekends. • Complementary qualitative investigation of 33 NPS was monitored for the first time for an African country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotavirus has been identified as a major cause of gastroenteritis in Nigeria. There is limited information on the intragenotype diversity of Nigerian rotavirus isolates. We therefore investigated the molecular characteristics of some rotavirus gene sequences detected in sewage from Nigeria. Seven sewage samples, out of a total of 68, tested positive for rotavirus RNA (10.3%). Genotype G1P[4] was the most common genotype (5 isolates) and one isolate for genotypes G1P[8] and G3P[6]. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial VP7 gene of 3 G1P[4] isolates analyzed identified them as genotype G1 Lineage 2 along with Chinese strains with 99.1% to 100% amino acid similarity. Amino acid substitutions D-97→E and S-147→D/N were observed within the 7-1a and 7-2 domains of VP7 gene among the study G1P4 isolates in reference to vaccine strain RotaTeq®. Phylogenetic analysis of the G3P[6] study isolate identified it as genotype G3 Lineage 3, forming a monophyletic cluster with 100% bootstrap value with other West African strains G3 isolates. Phylogenetic analysis of GIP[4] VP4 genes identified them as P4 Lineage 5, while 3 NSP4 gene sequences belonged to genotype E1, while 1 belonged to E2. The results from this study represent phylogenetic analysis of partial gene sequences of environmental group A rotavirus (RVA) isolates from Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The societal impact of drug use is well known. An example is when drug-intoxicated drivers increase the burden on policing and healthcare services.Methods: This work presents the correlation of wastewater analysis (using UHPLC-MS/MS) and positive roadside drug testing results for methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and cannabis from December 2011-December 2016 in South Australia.Results: Methamphetamine and MDMA showed similar trends between the data sources with matching increases and decreases, respectively. Cannabis was relatively steady based on wastewater analysis, but the roadside drug testing data started to diverge in the final part of the measurement period.Conclusions: The ability to triangulate data as shown here validates both wastewater analysis and roadside drug testing. This suggests that changes in overall population drug use revealed by WWA is consistent and proportional with changes in drug-driving behaviours. The results show that, at higher levels of drug use as measured by wastewater analysis, there is an increase in drug driving in the community and therefore more strain on health services and police. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background and aims: Tobacco and alcohol consumption remain priority public health issues world‐wide. As participation in population‐based surveys has fallen, it is increasingly challenging to estimate accurately the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use. Wastewater‐based epidemiology (WBE) is an alternative approach for estimating substance use at the population level that does not rely upon survey participation. This study examined spatio‐temporal patterns in nicotine (a proxy for tobacco) and alcohol consumption in the Australian population via WBE. Methods: Daily wastewater samples (n = 164) were collected at 18 selected wastewater treatment plants across Australia, covering approximately 45% of the total population. Nicotine and alcohol metabolites in the samples were measured using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Daily consumption of nicotine and alcohol and its associated uncertainty were computed using Monte Carlo simulations. Nation‐wide daily average and weekly consumption of these two substances were extrapolated using ordinary least squares and mixed‐effect models. Findings: Nicotine and alcohol consumption was observed in all communities. Consumption of these substances in rural towns was three to four times higher than in urban communities. The spatial consumption pattern of these substances was consistent across the monitoring periods in 2014–15. Nicotine metabolites significantly reduced by 14–25% (P = 0.001–0.008) (2014–15) in some catchments. Alcohol consumption remained constant over the studied periods. Strong weekly consumption patterns were observed for alcohol but not nicotine. Nation‐wide, the daily average consumption per person (aged 15–79 years) was estimated at approximately 2.5 cigarettes and 1.3–2.0 standard drinks (weekday–weekend) of alcohol. These estimates were close to the sale figure and apparent consumption, respectively. Conclusions: Wastewater‐based epidemiology is a feasible method for objectively evaluating the geographic, temporal and weekly profiles of nicotine and alcohol consumption in different communities nationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: The overarching aims of this study were to determine if microbes found in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) carry silver resistance genes and ascertain whether a relationship exists between silver loading and sil silver resistance gene copy numbers. Methods and Results: Activated sludge samples were collected from 17 WWTPs across the United States and characterized for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total silver concentration. Gene copy numbers were quantified using qPCR for four common silver resistance genes (silC, silP, silR and silS). Spearman correlation analyses were performed to examine associations between three WWTP characteristics (i.e. size, COD and total silver concentration) and sil gene copy numbers. sil genes were found in all activated sludge samples, however the quantity of gene copy numbers was inconsistent. Of the sil genes screened, silS was the most abundant, followed by silR. Gene copy numbers for silC and silP were generally similar and overall lower than silS and silR. Conclusions: Neither individual or combined sil gene copy numbers correlated significantly with total silver concentration, suggesting either the presence of alternate mechanisms of silver resistance or that a critical silver concentration threshold within WWTPs was not met that would require specific resistance against silver. Significance and Impact of this Study: To the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first studies to measure the prevalence of sil genes in engineered systems. Results from this study suggest that at least four silver resistance genes are commonly found within WWTP‐activated sludge, however it is unclear if these genes are being expressed under current total silver loadings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Vietnam, intensive shrimp farms heavily rely on a wide variety of antibiotics (ABs) to treat animals or prevent disease outbreak. Potential for the emergence of multi-resistant bacteria is high, with the concomitant contamination of adjacent natural aquatic habitats used for irrigation and drinking water, impairing in turn human health system. In the present study, quantification of AB multi-resistant bacteria was carried out in water and sediment samples from effluent channels connecting a shrimp farming area to the Vam Co River (Long An Province, Vietnam). Bacterial strains, e.g. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Aeromonas hydrophila , showing multi-resistance traits were isolated. Molecular biology analysis showed that these strains possessed from four to seven different AB resistance genes (ARGs) (e.g. sul 1, sul 2, qnr A, erm B, tet A, aac(6)lb, dfr A1, dfr 12, dfr A5), conferring multidrug resistance capacity. Sequencing of plasmids present within these multi-resistant strains led to the identification of a total of forty-one resistance genes, targeting nine AB groups. qPCR analysis on the sul 2 gene revealed the presence of high copy numbers in the effluent channel connecting to the Vam Co River. The results of the present study clearly indicated that multi-resistant bacteria present in intensive shrimp cultures may disseminate in the natural environment. This study offered a first insight in the impact of plasmid-born ARGs and the related pathogenic bacteria that could emerged due to inappropriate antibiotic utilization in South Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern high-temperature nickel alloys used in the aviation industry and engine building are doped with different elements to the maximum and thus have a complex chemical composition. Production of these alloys can result in contamination with wastewater dumped into centralized sewerage system. Therefore, an important task is to control the chemical composition of wastewater produced at industrial enterprises. In this work, the contents of aluminum, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, chromium, manganese, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in wastewater samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The technique of dissolving the sample and preparing it for analysis is given. Spectral interference was addressed using a reaction-collision cell and a mathematical correction. The range of determined concentrations was 0.0001-50 mg/dm3, the relative standard deviation did not exceed 20%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies on the performance of flow inside a rotating disk filtration module. This module consists of a disk rotating at speeds between 1000 and 3000 rpm inside a cylindrical housing equipped with a stationary circular flat membrane. In order to investigate the influence of surface geometry, a smooth disk and a disk equipped with vanes were used. Commercial CFD software was utilized for the characterization of the flow inside the membrane module. The predicted results were compared at different values of rotating and inlet velocities with previous works and also with experimental ones obtained in the filtration of dairy effluent in the same conditions. The influence of the geometry of the disk was also evaluated. The obtained results show that an increase in rotating velocity leads to an increase in the pressure and shear stress at the membrane surface. The highest pressures were obtained when using disks equipped with vanes, this was due to the turbulent area created between the vanes visualized in animated views. It was also found that the presence of vanes on the surface of disk has a great effect on the shear stress; it contributes to the reduction in fouling and improvement in filtration flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emitter clogging is the major problem of drip irrigation systems operating with wastewater. The objective of this study was to evaluate the alteration of the flow rate variation coefficient (FVC) and to identify the biological agents that cause obstruction in drip units operating with swine effluent and public water supply. The experiment was set up in a split-plot scheme, with the times of application of swine effluent and public water supply in the main plots and dripper types in the secondary parcels, evaluating times of FVC in the tertiary parcels, using a completely randomized design (CRD) with three repetitions. The FVC of the drip subunits was calculated on every 40 hours as well as the microscopic analysis of the biological agents of clogging, until 160 h. At the end of the tests, biofilm samples were collected in each drip unit to identify the groups of predominant bacteria. The results indicated that the FVC was effective in detecting the clogging of the emitters, evidencing that the construction characteristics and the times of application of swine effluent and of the public water supply interfere in this process. Microscopic analyzes of the biofilm indicated that the main biological agents that caused obstruction were algae, bacteria, fungi and protozoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metagenomics is a powerful tool for characterizing viral composition within environmental samples, but sample and molecular processing steps can bias the estimation of viral community structure. The objective of this study is to understand the inherent variability introduced when conducting viral metagenomic analyses of wastewater and provide a bioinformatic strategy to accurately analyze sequences for viral community analyses. A standard approach using a combination of ultrafiltration, membrane filtration, and DNase treatment, and multiple displacement amplification (MDA) produced DNA preparations without any bacterial derived genes. Results showed recoveries in wastewater matrix ranged between 60–100%. A bias towards small single stranded DNA (ssDNA; polyomavirus) virus types vs larger double stranded DNA (dsDNA; adenovirus) viruses was also observed with a total estimated recovery of small circular viruses to be as much as 173-fold higher. Notably, ssDNA abundance decreased with sample dilution while large dsDNA genomes (e.g., Caudovirales) initially increased in abundance with dilution before gradually decreasing with further dilution in wastewater samples. The present study revealed the inherent biases associated with different components of viral metagenomic methods applied to wastewater. Overall, these results provide a well-characterized approach for effectively conducting viral metagenomics analysis of wastewater and reveal that dilution can effectively mitigate MDA bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste water and waste water treatment plants can act as reservoirs and environmental suppliers of antibiotic resistance. They have also been proposed to be hotspots for horizontal gene transfer, enabling the spread of antibiotic resistance genes between different bacterial species. Waste water contains antibiotics, disinfectants, and metals which can form a selection pressure for antibiotic resistance, even in low concentrations. Our knowledge of antibiotic resistance in waste water has increased tremendously in the past few years with advances in the molecular methods available. However, there are still some gaps in our knowledge on the subject, such as how active is horizontal gene transfer in waste water and what is the role of the waste water treatment plant in the environmental resistome? The purpose of this review is to briefly describe some of the main methods for studying antibiotic resistance in waste waters and the latest research and main knowledge gaps on the issue. In addition, some future research directions are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown the potential of food waste materials as low cost adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals and toxic elements from wastewater. However, the adsorption experiments have been performed in heterogeneous conditions, consequently it is difficult to compare the efficiency of the individual adsorbents. In this study, the adsorption capacities of 12 food waste materials were evaluated by comparing the adsorbents' efficiency for the removal of 23 elements from complex multi-element solutions, maintaining homogeneous experimental conditions. The examined materials resulted to be extremely efficient for the adsorption of many elements from synthetic multi-element solutions as well as from a heavy metal wastewater. The 12 adsorbent surfaces were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and showed different types and amounts of functional groups, which demonstrated to act as adsorption active sites for various elements. By multivariate statistical computations of the obtained data, the 12 food waste materials were grouped in five clusters characterized by different elements' removal efficiency which resulted to be in correlation with the specific adsorbents' chemical structures. Banana peel, watermelon peel and grape waste resulted the least selective and the most efficient food waste materials for the removal of most of the elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stability of photocatalyst plays an important role in efficient hydrogen recovery from sulphide waste streams. This research focuses on the stability and efficiency of visible light active photocatalysts viz., RuO 2 /CuGa 1.6 Fe 0.4 O 4 , ZnFe 2 O 3 , (CdS + ZnS)/Fe 2 O 3 and Ce/TiO 2 for H 2 production. RuO 2 /CuGa 1.6 Fe 0.4 O 4 photocatalyst was found to give maximum hydrogen production of 8370 μmol/h. The reusability of the photocatalysts was tested by multiple cycles of catalyst regeneration along with H 2 production. The result shows that (CdS + ZnS) coated iron oxide core shell particles were found to be stable than other prepared nano photocatalysts. It is also demonstrated that H 2 S can be split into hydrogen and sulphur under visible light irradiation using sulphide and sulphite reaction media at room temperature. This research paper will help in search of stable photocatalysts in recovering hydrogen from sulphide wastewater along with sulphur separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]