Influence of the salinity adjustment methods, salts and brine, on the toxicity of wastewater samples to mussels embryos

One of the main problems of the Whole Effluent Toxicity is related to the use of bioindicator species representative of the target environment. Most wastewater discharges are of fresh water, so their salinity has to be adjusted when they are discharged to transitional and marine coastal waters, in order to perform toxicity bioassays with reliable organisms. At the moment, there is no optimum technique to allow sample salinity to be adjusted and no specific information regarding salinity adjustment when bivalves are being considered for toxicity test performance. This paper provides information on the potential use of different methods to adjust the salinity of hotel/domestic wastewater samples with different brands of natural and synthetic Dry Salts (DS) and HyperSaline Brine (HSB) for use in the embryo larval development bioassay with the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. HyperSaline Brine derived from reconstructed artificial seawater proved to be more viable for wastewater salinity adjustment than DS

Colorectal carcinomas in MUTYH-associated polyposis display histopathological similarities to microsatellite unstable carcinomas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP) is a recessively inherited disorder which predisposes biallelic carriers for a high risk of polyposis and colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Since about one third of the biallelic MAP patients in population based CRC series has no adenomas, this study aimed to identify specific clinicopathological characteristics of MAP CRCs and compare these with reported data on sporadic and Lynch CRCs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>From 44 MAP patients who developed ≥ 1 CRCs, 42 of 58 tumours were analyzed histologically and 35 immunohistochemically for p53 and beta-catenin. Cell densities of CD3, CD8, CD57, and granzyme B positive lymphocytes were determined. <it>KRAS2</it>, the mutation cluster region (MCR) of <it>APC, p53</it>, and <it>SMAD4 </it>were analyzed for somatic mutations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>MAP CRCs frequently localized to the proximal colon (69%, 40/58), were mucinous in 21% (9/42), and had a conspicuous Crohn's like infiltrate reaction in 33% (13/40); all of these parameters occurred at a higher rate than reported for sporadic CRCs. Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were also highly prevalent in MAP CRCs. Somatic <it>APC </it>MCR mutations occurred in 14% (5/36) while 64% (23/36) had <it>KRAS2 </it>mutations (22/23 c.34G>T). G>T tranversions were found in <it>p53 </it>and <it>SMAD4</it>, although the relative frequency compared to other mutations was low.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>MAP CRCs show some similarities to micro-satellite unstable cancers, with a preferential proximal location, a high rate of mucinous histotype and increased presence of TILs. These features should direct the practicing pathologist towards a MAP aetiology of CRC as an alternative for a mismatch repair deficient cause. High frequent G>T transversions in <it>APC </it>and <it>KRAS2 </it>(mutated in early tumour development) but not in <it>P53 </it>and <it>SMAD4 </it>(implicated in tumour progression) might indicate a predominant MUTYH effect in <it>early </it>carcinogenesis.</p

Seawater ecotoxicity of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine

Monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA) are compounds with potential acute, sub-chronic and chronic toxicity effects towards aquatic species.Aliterature review highlighted the existence of a gap in the knowledge on their toxicity with saltwater testing species. A battery of toxicity tests including the alga Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin, the bivalve molluscs Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg) and Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lmk), and the crustacean Artemia franciscana, was considered to update and improve the existing ecotoxicological information. Data were provided as the Effective Concentration that induces a 50% effect in the observed population (EC50), Lowest Observed Effect Concentration (LOEC) and No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC). EC50, LOEC and NOEC values were compared with a reviewed database containing the existing ecotoxicological data from saltwater organisms

To centralise or to decentralise: an overview of the most recent trends in wastewater treatment management

An overview of recent trends in wastewater management is proposed concerning the role of centralisation and decentralisation in wastewater treatment. The main advantages, criticisms and limitations considering social, economic and environmental issues have been summarised. It resulted that none of the approaches could be excluded a priori, but were generally shown to integrate one another on the basis of the specific required situation

I test respirometrici nella verifica di trattabilità biologica dei reflui industriali

Nota interna (pubblicazione in preparazione

Evaporation and air-stripping to assess and reduce ethanolamines toxicity in oily wastewater

Toxicity from industrial oily wastewater remains a problem even after conventional activated sludge treatment process, because of the persistence of some toxicant compounds. This work verified the removal efficiency of organic and inorganic pollutants and the effects of evaporation and air-stripping techniques on oily wastewater toxicity reduction. In a lab-scale plant, a vacuum evaporation procedure at three different temperatures and an air-stripping stage were tested on oily wastewater. Toxicity reduction/removal was observed at each treatment step via Microtox® bioassay. A case study monitoring real scale evaporation was also done in a full-size wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). To implement part of a general project of toxicity reduction evaluation, additional investigations took into account the monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA) role in toxicity definition after the evaporation phase, both as pure substances and mixtures. Only MEA and TEA appeared to contribute towards effluent toxicity

I test respirometrici nella verifica di trattabilità biologica dei reflui industriali

Nota interna (pubblicazione in preparazione