Changing Elemental Uptake of Roots and Leaves from Plants Grown on a Soil Variably Polluted by Crude Oil

International audienceA radish species was grown in a sandy loamy soil either unpolluted or polluted by increasing concentrations of crude oil added to watering solutions during one month under controlled laboratory conditions. This procedure was set to evaluate the impact of oil pollution of the substrate on the elemental uptake by plants. In summary, the increasing pollution by crude oil to the soil has not a univocal impact: the changing elemental contents in the roots and leaves of the cultivated radishes are never single trended with the amount of oil pollution, showing in turn that they are not provided by the spilled oil. The most significant elemental increase occurs in the leaves of the radishes grown in the soil polluted by 10 ml of oil and in the roots of those grown in the soil polluted by 4 ml of oil. In the detail, the significant effects of the oil pollution induce in the leaves: (1) similar behaviors for Ca, K, P, Mg, Fe and Al; (2) the highest impact on Ca, K, P, Mg and Al at the intermediate 10-ml pollution; (3) the highest uptake at the high side of pollution for Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Co, Cr and Pb; and (4) no significant impact on the uptake of the REEs. Oil pollution on the plant roots impacts: (1) an increased Ca, Fe, Al and Si uptake, often only in the case of the highest pollution, while P's uptake decreases; (2) an increase of the microbial population by a factor of about 2.5 at low pollution and a dramatic decrease at higher pollution; (3) an uptake of REEs only at the highest degree of pollution by a specific increase of the light REEs. The translocation roots-to-leaves indicates a decrease of Ca to the leaves when oil pollution increases, while remaining state for K and P with a slight decrease when pollution is at its maximum. The total biomass increases in the soil at low levels of pollution, decreases at intermediate levels and remains the same at high levels of pollution. The increase of most of elements at low level of oil supply is correlated with an increase in microorganism density, which suggests that availability of elements in soil can be attributed to an increase in organic activity, which has been stimulated by the oil pollution

Towards Sustainable Application of Wastewater in Agriculture: A Review on Reusability and Risk Assessment

The use of marginal-quality waters, not limited to brackish/saline and treated sewage effluent (TSE), is called reclaimed water. Reclaimed water is a sustainable source in the future for use in agriculture, essentially required to offset the food demand of a rapidly growing population. Moreover, the sustainable recovery of reclaimed water is essential for humanity to satisfy extreme sanitation and water-supply demands. To increase access to water supply, alternate water resources’ use, existing water resources’ degradation, and improved water-use efficiency are imperative. There is a high potential to address these factors by using reclaimed water as an alternative source. The reclaimed water treated at a tertiary level has the potential for use in crop production, especially for forage crops, irrigating urban landscapes, recreational and environmental activities, industry, and aquifer recharge to increase strategic water reserves in water-scarce countries. This way, we can save precious freshwater that can be utilized for other purposes. Eminently, freshwater applications for industrial and agronomic sectors account for 20% and 67%, respectively, depleting freshwater resources. The use of reclaimed water in agriculture can significantly reduce pressure on freshwater. However, if the quality of reclaimed water does not comply with international standards, it may cause serious health risks (diseases) and soil pollution (heavy metals)

The Burden of Influenza-Associated Hospitalizations in Oman, January 2008-June 2013.

Acute respiratory infections (ARI), including influenza, comprise a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Influenza surveillance provides important information to inform policy on influenza control and vaccination. While the epidemiology of influenza has been well characterized in western countries, few data exist on influenza epidemiology in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. We describe the epidemiology of influenza virus in Oman.Using syndromic case definitions and protocols, patients from four regional hospitals in Oman were enrolled in a descriptive prospective study to characterize the burden of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and influenza. Eligible patients provided demographic information as well as oropharyngeal (OP) and nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs. Specimens were tested for influenza A and influenza B; influenza A viruses were subtyped using RT-PCR.From January 2008 through June 2013, a total of 5,147 cases were enrolled and tested for influenza. Influenza strains were detected in 8% of cases for whom samples were available. Annual incidence rates ranged from 0.5 to 15.4 cases of influenza-associated SARI per 100,000 population. The median age of influenza patients was 6 years with children 0-2 years accounting for 34% of all influenza-associated hospitalizations. By contrast, the median age of non-influenza SARI cases was 1 year with children 0-2 years comprising 59% of SARI. Compared to non-influenza SARI cases, a greater proportion of influenza cases had pre-existing chronic conditions and underwent ventilation during hospitalization.Influenza virus is associated with a substantial proportion of SARI in Oman. Influenza in Oman approximately follows northern hemisphere seasonality, with major peaks in October to December and a lesser peak around April. The burden of influenza was greatest in children and the elderly. Future efforts should examine the burden of influenza in other potential risk groups such as pregnant women to inform interventions including targeted vaccination

Incidence rates (per 100,000 persons) and 95% confidence intervals for influenza-associated SARI by influenza season and sentinel site.

<p>Incidence rates (per 100,000 persons) and 95% confidence intervals for influenza-associated SARI by influenza season and sentinel site.</p

Number of patients enrolled in sentinel surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections by month, Sultanate of Oman, January 2008-June 2013.

<p>Number of patients enrolled in sentinel surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections by month, Sultanate of Oman, January 2008-June 2013.</p

Definition and time period of three severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) case definitions used in sentinel surveillance in Oman, January 2008-June 2013.

<p>Definition and time period of three severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) case definitions used in sentinel surveillance in Oman, January 2008-June 2013.</p

Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients enrolled in sentinel surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections by viral influenza etiology, Sultanate of Oman, January 2008-June 2013.

<p>Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients enrolled in sentinel surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections by viral influenza etiology, Sultanate of Oman, January 2008-June 2013.</p