Controlled-release fertilizer(CRF): A green fertilizer for controlling non-point contamination in agriculture

Fertilizers contribute greatly to high yields but also result in environmental non-point contamination, including the emission of greenhouse gas(N 2O) and eutrophication of water bodies. How to solve this problem has become a serious challenge, especially for China as its high ecological pressure. Controlled-release fertilizer(CRF) has been developed to minimize the contamination while keeping high yield and has become a green fertilizer for agriculture. Several CRFs made with special coating technology were used for testing the fertilizer effects in yield and environment through pot experiment and field trial. The result indicated that the CRFs had higher N use efficiency, thus reducing N loss through leaching and volatilization while keeping higher yields. Comparing with imported standard CRFs, the test on CRFs showed similar fertilizer effect but with much lower cost. CRFs application is becoming a new approach for minimizing non-point contamination in agriculture.

Factors Contributing to Contamination of Street Foods in Bamako, Mali

The World Health Organization states that foodborne diseases are a worldwide public health issue. Although street foods can provide nutritious and affordable ready-to-eat meals for city dwellers, their health risks can outweigh the benefits. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Bamako district, focusing on street food vendors near schools, universities, extensive markets, administrative centers, and major roads. We aimed to sample fifty (50) sellers per municipality, making 300 sellers for the Bamako district. We developed a survey sheet to collect data, and six teams rotated between the municipalities each month. Before starting the collection, the teams were provided administrative papers approved by the municipal authority. The survey revealed three types of sales sites: fixed (65%), semi-fixed (30%), and mobile (4.40%). The proportion of sellers was 26.8%, 23.2%, 19.7%, and 4.2% in municipalities III, IV, and I. In municipalities I, II, III, IV, and VI, respectively, 92%, 95.70%, 93%, 87.2%, and 100% of the sellers were female. The age distribution of sellers was 65.63%, 46.81%, 40.82%, 38.30%, 36.17%, 36%, and 32% in the 25-34 and 35 - 44 age groups. Illiteracy rates were 59.20%, 61.70%, 55.30%, 75%, and 56% in municipalities I, II, III, IV, and VI, respectively. The study identified two categories of sellers: 48.3% in type 1 and 51.7% in type 2. The first category comprised 154 sellers, and the second 165 sellers. The survey found that 66.00%, 56.00%, 48.90%, 44.90%, 38.30%, and 34.40% of municipal V, VI, III, I, II, and IV sales sites were open-air. In municipality I, 63.30% of the sites were under hangars, while in municipalities II and IV, the corresponding percentages were 51.10% and 59.40%, respectively. Moreover, 46.00%, 31.90%, 31.30%, 30.60%, and 27.70% of the sites in municipalities VI, II, IV, I, and III were located next to gutters. In conclusion, this study identified several factors that could compromise the quality of street foods sold in the six municipalities of Bamako.

Ultrasonic enhancement of persulfate oxidation system governs emerging pollutants decontamination

Emerging contaminants (ECs) are widely present in aquatic environments, posing potential risks to both ecosystems and human health. Theultrasound-assisted persulfate oxidation process has attracted considerable attention in the degradation of ECs due to its ability to generate bothsulfate radicals and cavitation effects, enhancing degradation effects. In this paper, the principle of ultrasonic synergistic Fenton-like oxidationsystem for degrading organic pollutants was reviewed, divided into homogeneous system, non-homogeneous system, and single-atom system toexplore the synergistic effect of ultrasound-enhanced persulfate technology in three aspects, and the effects of environmental factors such asultrasonic frequency and power, system pH, temperature, and initial oxidant concentration on the system's decontamination performance werediscussed. Finally, future research on ultrasonically activated persulfate technology is summarized and prospected.

Phytoremediation Strategies for Heavy Metal Contamination: A Review on Sustainable Approach for Environmental Restoration

Current globalization trends and important breakthroughs globally need a complete study of heavy metal contamination, its causes, its impacts on human and environmental health, and different remediation strategies. Heavy metal pollution is mostly produced by urbanization and industry, which threatens ecosystems and human health. Herein, we discuss a sustainable environmental restoration strategy employing phytoremediation for heavy metal pollution, the carcinogenic, mutagenic, and cytotoxic effects of heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, mercury, selenium, zinc, arsenic, chromium, lead, nickel, and silver, which may be fatal. Phytoremediation, which was prioritized, uses plants to remove, accumulate, and depollute pollutants. This eco-friendly method may safely collect, accumulate, and detoxify toxins using plants, making it popular. This study covers phytostabilization, phytodegradation, rhizodegradation, phytoextraction, phytovolatilization, and rhizofiltration. A phytoremediation process’s efficiency in varied environmental circumstances depends on these components’ complex interplay. This paper also introduces developing phytoremediation approaches including microbe-assisted, chemical-assisted, and organic or bio-char use. These advancements attempt to overcome conventional phytoremediation’s limitations, such as limited suitable plant species, location problems, and sluggish remediation. Current research includes machine learning techniques and computer modeling, biostimulation, genetic engineering, bioaugmentation, and hybrid remediation. These front-line solutions show that phytoremediation research is developing towards transdisciplinary efficiency enhancement. We acknowledge phytoremediation’s promise but also its drawbacks, such as site-specific variables, biomass buildup, and sluggish remediation, as well as ongoing research to address them. In conclusion, heavy metal pollution threatens the ecology and public health and must be reduced. Phytoremediation treats heavy metal pollution in different ways. Over time, phytoremediation systems have developed unique ways that improve efficiency. Despite difficulties like site-specificity, sluggish remediation, and biomass buildup potential, phytoremediation is still a vital tool for environmental sustainability.

Exploring the mechanical behavior and microstructure of compacted loess subjected to dry-wet cycles and chemical contamination

Due to climatic factors and rapid urbanization,the soil in the Loess Plateau,China,experiences the coupled effects of dry-wet cycles and chemical contamination.Understanding the mechanical behavior and corresponding microstructural evolution of contaminated loess subjected to dry-wet cycles is essential to elucidate the soil degradation mechanism.Therefore,direct shear and consolidation tests were performed to investigate the variations in mechanical properties of compacted loess contaminated with acetic acid,sodium hydroxide,and sodium sulfate during dry-wet cycles.The mechanical response mechanisms were investigated using zeta potential,mineral chemical composition,and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)tests.The results indicate that the mechanical deterioration of sodium hydroxidecontaminated loess during dry-wet cycles decreases with increasing contaminant concentration,which is mainly attributed to the thickening of the electrical double layer(EDL)by Nat and the precipitation of calcite,as well as the formation of colloidal flocs induced by OH,thus inhibiting the development of large pores during the dry-wet process.In contrast,the attenuation of mechanical properties of both acetic acid-and sodium sulfate-contaminated loess becomes more severe with increasing contaminant concentration,with the latter being more particularly significant.This is primarily due to the reduction of the EDL thickness and the erosion of cement in the acidic environment,which facilitates the connectivity of pores during dry-wet cycles.Furthermore,the salt expansion generated by the drying process of saline loess further intensifies the structural disturbance.Consequently,the mechanical performance of compacted loess is sensitive to both pollutant type and concentration,exhibiting different response patterns in the dry-wet cycling condition.

Long-term hydrochemical monitoring and geothermometry:understanding groundwater salinization and thermal fluid contamination in Mila’s basin,Northeastern Algeria

The regular hydrochemical monitoring of groundwater in the Mila basin over an extended period has provided valuable insights into the origin of dissolved salts and the hydrogeochemical processes controlling water salinization.The data reveals that the shallow Karst aquifer shows an increase in TDS of 162 mg L^(-1) while the ther-mal carbonate aquifer that is also used for drinking water supply exhibits an increase of 178 mg L^(-1).Additionally,significant temperature variations are recorded at the sur-face in the shallow aquifers and the waters are carbo-gaseous.Analysis of dissolved major and minor elements has identified several processes influencing the chemical composition namely:dissolution of evaporitic minerals,reduction of sulphates,congruent and incongruent car-bonates’dissolution,dedolomitization and silicates’weathering.The hydrogeochemical and geothermometric results show a mixing of saline thermal water with recharge water of meteoric origin.Two main geothermalfields have been identified,a partially evolved water reservoir and a water reservoir whosefluid interacts with sulphuric acid(H_(2)S)of magmatic origin.These hot waters that are char-acterized by a strong hydrothermal alteration do ascend through faults and fractures and contribute to the contamination of shallower aquifers.Understanding the geothermometry and the hydrogeochemistry of waters is crucial for managing and protecting the quality of groundwater resources in the Mila basin,in order to ensure sustainable water supply for the region.A conceptual model for groundwater circulation and mineralization acquisition has been established to further enhance under-standing in this regard.

Investigation of an electrode-driven hydrogen plasma method for in situ cleaning of tin-based contamination

To prolong the service life of optics,the feasibility of in situ cleaning of the multilayer mirror(MLM)of tin and its oxidized contamination was investigated using hydrogen plasma at different power levels.Granular tin-based contamination consisting of micro-and macroparticles was deposited on silicon via physical vapor deposition(PVD).The electrodedriven hydrogen plasma at different power levels was systematically diagnosed using a Langmuir probe and a retarding field ion energy analyzer(RFEA).Moreover,the magnitude of the self-biasing voltage was measured at different power levels,and the peak ion energy was corrected for the difference between the RFEA measurements and the self-biasing voltage(E_(RFEA)-eV_(self)).XPS analysis of O 1s and Sn 3d peaks demonstrated the chemical reduction process after 1 W cleaning.Analysis of surface and cross-section morphology revealed that holes emerged on the upper part of the macroparticles while its bottom remained smooth.Hills and folds appeared on the upper part of the microparticles,confirming the top-down cleaning mode with hydrogen plasma.This study provides an in situ electrode-driven hydrogen plasma etching process for tin-based contamination and will provide meaningful guidance for understanding the chemical mechanism of reduction and etching.

Assessment of Heavy Metals Contamination of Topsoil and Street Dust around Cement Factory in Southern Jordan

Evaluation of assessment of the metal processes governing the metals distribution in soil and dust samples is very significant and protects the health of human and ecological system. Recently, special attention has given to the assessment of metals pollution impact on soil and dust within industrial areas. This study aims to assess the metal contamination levels in the topsoil and street dust around the cement factory in Qadissiya area, southern Jordan. The levels of seven metals (namely Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Mn) were analyzed using Flame Atomic Absorption Spec-trophotometer (FAAS) to monitor, evaluate, and to compare topsoil and road dust pollution values of metals of the different types of urban area. The physicochemical parameters which believed to affect the mobility of metals in the soil of the study area were determined such as pH, EC, TOM, CaCO3 and CEC. The levels of metal in soil samples are greater on the surface but decrease in the lower part as a result of the basic nature of soil. The mean values of the metals in soil can be arranged in the following order: Zn > Pb > Mn > Fe > Cu > Cr > Cd. The relatively high concentration of metals in the soil sample was attributed to anthropogenic activities such as traffic emissions, cement factory and agricultural activities. Correlation coefficient analysis and the spatial distribution of indices and the results of statistical analysis indicate three groups of metals: Fe and Mn result by natural origin, Zn, Pb, Cu and Zn result by anthropogenic origin (mainly motor vehicle traffic and abrasion of tires) while Cd is mixed origin. The higher content level values of metals of anthropogenic source in soil samples indicate that it is a source of contamination of air in the studied area. .

Evaluating bacterial contamination and surgical site infection risks in intracorporeal anastomosis: Role of bowel preparation

We recently read the study by Kayano et al on intracorporeal anastomosis(IA)for colon cancer,which assessed bacterial contamination and medium-term onco-logical outcomes and affirmed that IA is analogous to extracorporeal anastomosis in reducing intraperitoneal bacterial risk and achieving similar oncological results.Our commentary addresses gaps,particularly concerning bowel preparation and surgical site infections(SSIs),and highlights the need for comprehensive details on the bowel preparation methods that are currently employed,including mecha-nical bowel preparation,oral antibiotics(OA),their combination,and specific OA types.We emphasize the necessity for further analyses that investigate these me-thods and their correlation with SSI rates,to enhance clinical protocol guidance and optimize surgical outcomes.Such meticulous analyses are essential for refi-ning strategies to effectively mitigate SSI risk in colorectal surgeries.

Study on Preservation of Boar Semen and Bacteria Contamination in Kandal Province

The breeding program is progressing steadily,with increasing the awareness among farmers regarding the its critical role in improving productivity,promoting rapid growth,enhancing disease resistance,and boosting household income.At the same time,the dissemination of AI(Artificila Insemination)technique among farmers has been active and effective.For the application of the AI,the quality of boar semen is extended in BTS(Belts Ville Thawing Solution)for more longer preservation period.The study purpose is to evaluate sperm survival time and bacterie contamination in boar semen.Six boars with different breed around 3 years old were used for this study as two Durocs,two Landraces and two Yorkshires.In evaluation sperm survival time in extender on each boar was designed by CRD(Completely Randomized Design)and calculating the survival time of spermatozoa was done after semen dilution and the sperm mobility was determined.The experimental BTS compositions are glucose,sodium bicarbonate acid,trisodium citrate,ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid,potassium chloride and distill water.In the same time,eighteen sample semen ware collected and used for detection of bacterial contamination.The results showed that the survival time of spermatozoa with its straight mobility more than 50%between the commercial BTS and BTS-KH was from 52 to 56 h.They are not significantly different(p>0.05).And the total survival time of spermatozoa was from 92 to 98 h,they are also not significantly different(p>0.05).The survival time of spermatozoa with its straight mobility more than 50%between the Yorkshire,Landrace and Duroc was 55 h 5 min,54 h 25 min and 50 h 18 min respectively.They are significantly different(p>0.05).The total survival time of spermatozoa between the commercial BTS and BTS-KH was 97 h 19 min,91 h 29 min and 92 h 26 min respectively.They are also not significantly different(p>0.05).The main bacteria isolated from the diluted semen were gram-negative bacteria,Escherichia coli 27.78%was contaminated with an average 6.4×106 CFU/mL,and the family Pseudomonaceae was 11.11%with 8.3×106 CFU/mL.In conclusion,the comparative results of the survival time of spematozoa during the breeding period(t=0.5)between the breeds and extender are similar.For bacteria contamination isolate from the semen all breeds may be due to direct and environmental factors.It is a rainy season with heavy rains that can cause infections.

Agricultural Contamination of the Surface Waters of the Upper Ouémé in Benin: The Case of Heavy Metals and Pesticides

Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess the degree of contamination of surface waters by heavy metals and pesticides. Method: To this end, data were collected in December 2022 from four specific sampling stations: Okpara, Térou, Affon and Adjiro. Levels of heavy metals, including cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, mercury, nickel and lead, were measured and subjected to in-depth statistical analysis using graphical summation models. In addition, the concentrations of pesticide active ingredients present in the samples were interpreted and evaluated. The statistical data collected during this study were processed using R software, version 3.5.0. Results: The values obtained at the different stations Okpara, Térou, Affon and Adjiro are respectively Arsenic (2 × 10-4 mg/L;2.2 × 10-1 mg/L;1.2 × 10-4 mg/L;2 × 10-4 mg/L), Cadmium (4.4 × 10-5 mg/L;1.1 × 10-2 mg/L;10-4 mg/L;4 × 10-4 mg/L). Then Copper (7 × 10-4 mg/L;3 × 10-3 mg/L;7 × 10-4 mg/L;1 × 10-4 mg/L), Iron (1.51 mg/L;6.4 × 10-1 mg/L;2.0012 mg/L;2.9 × 10-1 mg/L), Lead (0 mg/L;0 mg/L;1.5 × 10-3 mg/L;1.5 × 10-3 mg/L). Mercury, nickel and chromium were not detected in surface waters. It is important to note that the values obtained for trace metals (Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Mercury, nickel and chromium were not detected in surface waters. It is important to note that the values obtained for trace metals (cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, mercury, nickel and lead) were all below the guideline standards set by the WHO in 2006 for uncontaminated surface waters. This indicates that the surface waters of the Upper Ouémé were below acceptable contamination thresholds in terms of heavy metals. However, the presence of pesticide active ingredients such as cyfluthrin, endosulfan-alpha, endosulfan-beta, profenosfos, tihan, atrazine, gala super and glycel clearly indicates that these surface waters are subject to agricultural contamination.

Attenuation of Chlorinated Contamination in Three Different Depths of Aquifers at Remediation Site

The cleanup of carbon tetrachloride(CCl4)in groundwater is challenging due to its high volatility and tendency to form a dense nonaqueous liquid phase.From the engineering applications perspective,the pump-and-treat(PAT)technology has substantial advantages owing to its large-scale implementation ability to solve groundwater contamination.However,few studies focused on the variation in chloride contaminants in remediation sites after the contaminated groundwater was pumped and treated.Herein,we monitored the changes in chlorinated contamination in groundwater from 12 aquifers at the field level for 6 months.Considering that the natural attenuation of chlorinated contamination is inseparable from the action of microorganisms,the major environmental factors influencing biodegradation were also evaluated.A redundancy analysis(RDA)showed that inorganic salts(DS,DN,and DF)were the most important factor(>60%)affecting the concentration of chloride contaminants,including the negative correlation between DN and the degradation of contaminants in shallow aquifers.In deep aquifers,DS,DF,and pH explained most of the degradation of chloride contaminants.For bedrock layers,DCl was positively relevant to the chloride contaminants in wells PTJ2 and PTJ10.In addition,EC and DS accounted for 73.2%and 92.4%of the contaminant’s variance in wells PTJ4 and PTJ8,respectively.Moreover,the concentrations of the corresponding contaminations and physicochemical variation in three different depths of aquifers were compared;the shallower aquifers showed a higher biodegradation.The in situ monitoring and analysis of contaminated groundwater in remediation sites under PAT will promote practical wastewater treatment technologies in engineering applications.

Q-Learning-Based Pesticide Contamination Prediction in Vegetables and Fruits

Pesticides have become more necessary in modern agricultural production.However,these pesticides have an unforeseeable long-term impact on people's wellbeing as well as the ecosystem.Due to a shortage of basic pesticide exposure awareness,farmers typically utilize pesticides extremely close to harvesting.Pesticide residues within foods,particularly fruits as well as veggies,are a significant issue among farmers,merchants,and particularly consumers.The residual concentrations were far lower than these maximal allowable limits,with only a few surpassing the restrictions for such pesticides in food.There is an obligation to provide a warning about this amount of pesticide use in farming.Previous technologies failed to forecast the large number of pesticides that were dangerous to people,necessitating the development of improved detection and early warning systems.A novel methodology for verifying the status and evaluating the level of pesticides in regularly consumed veggies as well as fruits has been identified,named as the Hybrid Chronic Multi-Residual Framework(HCMF),in which the harmful level of used pesticide residues has been predicted for contamination in agro products using Q-Learning based Recurrent Neural Network and the predicted contamination levels have been analyzed using Complex Event Processing(CEP)by processing given spatial and sequential data.The analysis results are used to minimize and effectively use pesticides in the agricultural field and also ensure the safety of farmers and consumers.Overall,the technique is carried out in a Python environment,with the results showing that the proposed model has a 98.57%accuracy and a training loss of 0.30.

Contamination Identification of Lentinula Edodes Logs Based on Improved YOLOv5s

In order to improve the accuracy and efficiency of Lentinula edodes logs contamination identification,an improved YOLOv5s contamination identification model for Lentinula edodes logs(YOLOv5s-CGGS)is proposed in this paper.Firstly,a CA(coordinate attention)mechanism is introduced in the feature extraction network of YOLOv5s to improve the identifiability of Lentinula edodes logs contamination and the accuracy of target localiza-tion.Then,the CIoU(Complete-IOU)loss function is replaced by an SIoU(SCYLLA-IoU)loss function to improve the model’s convergence speed and inference accuracy.Finally,the GSConv and GhostConv modules are used to improve and optimize the feature fusion network to improve identification efficiency.The method in this paper achieves values of 97.83%,97.20%,and 98.20%in precision,recall,and mAP@0.5,which are 2.33%,3.0%,and 1.5%better than YOLOv5s,respectively.mAP@0.5 is better than YOLOv4,Ghost-YOLOv4,and Mobilenetv3-YOLOv4(improved by 4.61%,5.16%,and 6.04%,respectively),and the FPS increased by two to three times.

Trends of Laboratory-Detected Heavy Metals in Children: Solutions for Heavy Metal Contamination in Infant Food Products

In 2019, an investigation by the U.S. House of Representatives revealed major infant food conglomerates had products with high levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury, posing concerns for infants’ vulnerability to the neurotoxic effects of these metals. Trends of laboratory-detected heavy metals were analyzed in children aged zero to five from 1999-2020, providing insights on heavy metal contamination in infant food products. Utilizing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, mean heavy metal levels in children were calculated, considering gender, race, and income-to-poverty ratio as proxies for assessing associations with increasing heavy metal rates in infant food. Findings indicated an overall decrease in mean concentrations over time, though remaining elevated. Black children exhibited higher lead levels than the overall average, while the Asian subgroup displayed higher levels of total blood mercury and cadmium levels. Lack of internal standards in regulatory bodies, particularly the FDA, exacerbates the issue, with no legally enforceable guidelines or strict maximum levels for heavy metals in infant foods. Urgent FDA interventions are needed, addressing contamination at the sources of raw materials, implementing transparent and extensive product testing, and comprehensive manufacturer labeling to inform consumers about elevated heavy metal levels in infant products.

Acoustic contamination assessment during the transition between the COVID-19 restrictions and reactivation:A exploratory analysis in Guayaquil

Noise pollution is becoming a critical health risk for city life.In 2020,the COVID-19 pandemic forced many cities to implement several mobility restrictions.These restrictions changed human activity patterns and decreased the noise levels and noise pollution that often affect urban settings.As the number of infections decreased,so did the outdoor activities,influencing the population’s perception of noise.This paper aims to evaluate the changes in noise levels associated with mobility restrictions between 2020 and 2021 in Guayaquil,Ecuador.This study used crowdsourcing with the help of smartphones and mobile applications to collect geo-referenced environmental noise data.The data was used to generate noise maps in different time frames.Finally,noise level maps were created using GIS-based tools to identify the urban areas that experienced the highest noise level variation during the study period.The results show that the most significant noise increase occurred at night.Furthermore,when analyzing noise level changes in different urban areas,the western area of Guayaquil was the one that experienced the most significant noise level variation.Findings inform the perception of noise pollution and could potentially serve as a reference for decision-makers during the proposal of public policies that ensure a better quality of life for its citizens.

Assessment of Pesticide Contamination in Cidade Dos Meninos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Using Regional Screening Levels (RSL)

In the mid-20th century, the Malaria Institute in Brazil researched hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and other organochlorines in Cidade dos Meninos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After Malaria Institute closure, there was a 200-ton stock of chemicals compounds abandoned without any surveillance, which led to massive contamination of the nearby community by carcinogenic organochlorines. This article presents a new review of the Cidade dos Meninos’ case, analyzing the HCH and DDT contamination using a Haddon Matrix and Regional Screening Levels (RSL).

Predictive value of Hajibandeh index in determining peritoneal contamination in acute abdomen:A cohort study and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Hajibandeh index(HI),derived from combined levels of C-reactive protein,lactate,neutrophils,lymphocytes and albumin,is a modern predictor of peritoneal contamination and mortality in patients with acute abdominal pathology.AIM To validate the performance of HI in predicting the presence and nature of peritoneal contamination in patients with acute abdominal pathology in a larger cohort study and to synthesis evidence in a systematic review and meta-analysis.METHODS The STROBE guidelines and the PRISMA statement standards were followed to conduct a cohort study(ChiCTR2200056183)and a meta-analysis(CRD420-22306018),respectively.All adult patients undergoing emergency laparotomy for acute abdominal pathology were eligible.The accuracy of the HI was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis in the cohort study and using weighted summary area under the curve(AUC)under the fixed and random effects modelling in the meta-analysis.The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 criteria were used for methodological quality assessment of the included studies.RESULTS A total of 1437 patients were included(700 from the cohort study and 737 from the literature search).ROC curve analysis of the cohort study showed that the AUC of HI for presence of contamination,purulent contamination and feculent contamination were 0.79[95%confidence interval(CI):0.76-0.82,P<0.0001],0.76(95%CI:0.72-0.80,P<0.0001),and 0.83(95%CI:0.79-0.86,P<0.0001),respectively.The meta-analysis showed that the pooled AUC of HI for presence of contamination,purulent contamination and feculent contamination were 0.79(95%CI:0.75-0.83),0.78(95%CI:0.74-0.81),and 0.80(95%CI:0.77-0.83),respectively.CONCLUSION The HI is a strong and accurate predictor of intraperitoneal contamination.Although the available evidence is robust,it is limited to the studies conducted by our evidence synthesis group.We encourage other researchers to validate performance of HI in predicting the presence of intraperitoneal contamination and more importantly in predicting mortality following emergency laparotomy.

Effects of Different Sample Parts and Sterilization Methods on Contamination and Survival Rates of Shoots with Buds in Chinese Chestnut

In this study,we investigated the preferable explant types and sterilization method for tissue culture in Chinese chestnut,in order to provide a technical support for the asexual reproduction of Chinese chestnut.The base,middle and apex parts of annual shoots with buds in Chinese chestnut were sampled and cut to 2-3 cm stem segments each with one bud,then sterilized orderly with different duration in 2%NaClO plus 0.1%HgCl_(2)solutions.The results indicated that the duration of 2%NaClO for 20 min+0.1%HgCl_(2)for 15 min exerted an effective disinfection property on the middle parts of annual shoots with buds,and achieved a contamination rate under 5%and a survival rate over 90%.

Contamination and human health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in topsoil and groundwater around mining and dressing factories in Chifeng,North China

Chifeng is a concentrated mining area for non-ferrous metal minerals,as well as a key prevention and control area for heavyduty enterprises.This situation necessitates an efective ecological and human health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s driven by the wide distribution of metal ore processing,mining,and smelting factories in Hexigten Banner and Bairin Left Banner.We conducted surveys to assess the levels of heavy metal(loid)s(Cr,As,Pb,Cd,and Hg)in the topsoil and groundwater of the areas.The results indicated that the concentrations of As,Cd,and Pb in partial soil samples exceeded the environmental quality standards of Grade II.Based on contamination assessments,such as geoaccumulation indices and pollution indices,we inferred that Cd,Pb,and As were primary pollutants in topsoil.Potential ecological risks when considered as part of the average risk indices(RI)are up to 1626.40 and 2818.76,respectively,in the two areas.Comparative analysis revealed that Cd posed a very high potential ecological risk,followed by As.Moreover,the evaluation showed that the three exposure pathways of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk followed a descending order:inhalation>ingestion>dermal contact,except for Pb.Arsenic in topsoil posed a potential non-carcinogenic risk to human health,while there were no adverse efects of As in groundwater.In addition,the average total carcinogenic risk for As in the two areas,as well as the risk of Pb in the topsoil of Bairin Left Banner and all the fve heavy metal(loid)s in groundwater,exceeded human tolerance.Pb–Zn mines caused higher human health risks.In addition,the tandem contamination of heavy metal(loid)s in soil and groundwater was not obvious.This research study provides a basis for pollution remediation to control heavy industry-induced ecological and health risks of heavy metal(loid)s.