Drinking Water Salinity and Raised Blood Pressure: Evidence from a Cohort Study in Coastal Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Millions of coastal inhabitants in Southeast Asia have been experiencing increasing sodium concentrations in their drinking-water sources, likely partially due to climate change. High (dietary) sodium intake has convincingly been proven to increase risk of hypertension; it remains unknown, however, whether consumption of sodium in drinking water could have similar effects on health. OBJECTIVES: We present the results of a cohort study in which we assessed the effects of drinking-water sodium (DWS) on blood pressure (BP) in coastal populations in Bangladesh. METHODS: DWS, BP, and information on personal, lifestyle, and environmental factors were collected from 581 participants. We used generalized linear latent and mixed methods to model the effects of DWS on BP and assessed the associations between changes in DWS and BP when participants experienced changing sodium levels in water, switched from "conventional" ponds or tube wells to alternatives [managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and rainwater harvesting] that aimed to reduce sodium levels, or experienced a combination of these changes. RESULTS: DWS concentrations were highly associated with BP after adjustments for confounding factors. Furthermore, for each 100 mg/L reduction in sodium in drinking water, systolic/diastolic BP was lower on average by 0.95/0.57 mmHg, and odds of hypertension were lower by 14%. However, MAR did not consistently lower sodium levels. CONCLUSIONS: DWS is an important source of daily sodium intake in salinity-affected areas and is a risk factor for hypertension. Considering the likely increasing trend in coastal salinity, prompt action is required. Because MAR showed variable effects, alternative technologies for providing reliable, safe, low-sodium fresh water should be developed alongside improvements in MAR and evaluated in "real-life" salinity-affected settings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP659

Optimization of the formulation and post-treatment of stainless steel for rapid manufacturing

Rapid prototyping process called Optoform shapes functional parts from a photocurable paste. This paste contains metal powder, resin, UV photoinitiator and wetting agent. After processing on the Optoform machine, a post-treatment is applied (debinding+sintering). During the post-treatment, the residual carbon coming from the resin modifies the composition of the metal and its melting point. This modification affects densification mechanisms, which leads to a residual porosity that lowers mechanical characteristics. We will present theoretical consideration leading to the optimization of the formulation. To improve the process, bimodal powder is used and thermal treatment is adapted. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

On the Effect of NaCl on Porosity in Elemental-Blend Powder-Metallurgy Ti-5AI-2.5Sn

The presence of small amounts (≤0.2 wt pct) of C1 influences the properties of Ti alloys produced by the elemental-blend method from Ti sponge manufactured by either the Hunter (Na reduction) or the Kroll (Mg reduction) technique