Erosion control of Chinese loess using polymer SH and ryegrass

The China Loess Plateau is subjected to severe soil erosion triggered by intense rainfall,resulting in significant harm and losses to both human society and the natural surroundings.In this study,a novel technique for managing loess erosion is introduced,which involves the utilization of a combined polymer SH and ryegrass.A comprehensive series of tests were undertaken,including rainfall erosion tests,disintegration experiments,and scanning electron microscopy examinations,to assess the accumulative sediment yield(ASY),disintegration ratio,and microstructural features of both untreated and treated loess samples.The results showed a significant reduction in ASY with increased dry density of untreated loess.Furthermore,the combined technique effectively controlled erosion,limiting ASY to 266.2 g/cm^(2)in 60 minutes.This was approximately one-sixth,one-ninth,and one-fifteenth of the ASY in SH-treated loess(L-SH),ryegrass-treated loess(L-R),and untreated loess,respectively.It resisted disintegration better than ryegrass alone but slightly less than SH.This improvement was due to the combined effect of SH and ryegrass,which reduced raindrop impact,improved loess microstructure,and boosted ryegrass growth.The innovative technique holds the potential to be applied as a field-scale technique in the Loess Plateau region of China.

Erratum to:Influence law of modified glutinous rice-based materials on gravel soil reinforcement and water erosion process

The original online version of this article was revised.The first author is“ZHANG Weng-xiang”in the original article.The first author’s name has been corrected to“ZHANG Wen-xiang”.

Effect of Some Physical Factors on Interrill Erosion of Soils in Gidan-Kwanu Area, Nigeria

Savanna regions in Nigeria face environmental degradation and barren land, negatively impacting food and agricultural productivity. Inter-rill erosion occurs due to raindrop impact and transport, particularly on hill slopes. A study was conducted using a sprinkler rainfall simulator and plot experiment to study soil erosion processes. Soil samples were collected from four farms in Gidan Kwanu, with varying moisture content. Sand content ranged from 46.0% to 76.20%, silt from 11.30% to 23.50%, and clay from 11.0% to 30.0%. Uncultivated and bare land had a higher average porosity (15.47% and 14.99%), while cultivated land had lower porosity (14.4%). The study found that most people in Gidan-Kwanu primarily practice farming, which is season-dependent and rain-fed. Soil type and texture significantly contribute to inter-rill erosion, with cultivated and uncultivated soil being more resistant to erosion than bare land soil. The study concluded that farming practices in Gidan-Kwanu are primarily season-dependent and rain-fed. Soil type and texture significantly contribute to inter-rill erosion, with cultivated and uncultivated soil being more resistant to erosion than bare land soil.

Experimental and numerical simulation study on the erosion behavior of the elbow of gathering pipeline in shale gas field

During the production period of shale gas, proppant particles and rock debris are produced together,which will seriously erode the elbows of gathering pipelines. In response to this problem, this paper takes the elbow of the gathering pipeline in the Changning Shale Gas Field as an example to test the erosion rate and material removal mechanism of the test piece at different angles of the elbow through experiments and compares the four erosion models with the experimental results. Through analysis, it is found that the best prediction model for quartz sand-carbon steel erosion is the Oka model. Based on the Oka model, FLUENT software was used to simulate and analyze the law of erosion of the elbow of the gas gathering pipeline under different gas flow velocities, gas gathering pressure, particle size, length of L1,and bending directions of the elbow. And a spiral pipeline structure is proposed to reduce the erosion rate of the elbow under the same working conditions. The results show that this structure can reduce erosion by 34%.

Distribution assessment of soil erosion with revised RUSLE model in Tianshan Mountains

aSoil degradation caused by soil erosion is one of the world's most critical environmental issues.Soil erosion in the Tianshan Mountains has caused various environmental problems in the surrounding areas.This study used remote sensing data to analyze the distribution of the factors influencing soil erosion,and the revised universal soil loss equation(RUSLE)to calculate the total amount and distribution characteristics of soil erosion in the Tianshan Mountains in 2019.Due to the large error of RUSLE in soil erosion estimation in mountainous areas,this study modified RUSLE equation based on the characteristics of snow cover in the Tianshan Mountains.The results show that the average soil erosion was 1690.3 t/(km^(2)·year),of which insignificant erosion,slight erosion and moderate erosion accounted for 42,8%,22.4%and 9.9%,respectively.Severe erosion and above accounted for 13.3%.The accuracy of the soil erosion modulus calculated by the RUSLE was only 61.9%,with an average error of 1631.9 t/(km^(2)·year).The average error of the double-coefficient correction method was 1259.1 t/(km^(2)·year),and the average error of the modified formula method was reduced by 40.3%compared with the RUSLE,reaching 973.7 t/(km^(2)·year),and its accuracy reached 76.2%.Very severe erosion and catastrophic erosion are distributed on mountain ridges with higher elevation and on the northern area with higher precipitation.Snow cover has a certain inhibitory effect on soil erosion,and snow cover in alpine mountains is a factor that cannot be ignored in soil erosion research.

Effect of coir geotextile and geocell on ephemeral gully erosion in the Mollisol region of Northeast China

The unique geomorphological features and farming methods in the Mollisol region of Northeast China increase water catchment flow and aggravate the erosion of ephemeral gully(EG).Vegetation suffers from rain erosion and damage during the growth stage,which brings serious problems to the restoration of grass in the early stage.Therefore,effects of coir geotextile and geocell on EG erosion under four confluence intensities were researched in this study.Results of the simulated water discharge erosion test showed that when the confluence strength was less than 30 L/min,geocell and coir geotextile had a good effect on controlling EG erosion,and sediment yield of geocell and coir geotextile was reduced by 25.95%–37.82%and 73.73%–88.96%,respectively.However,when confluence intensity increased to 40 L/min,protective effect of coir geotextile decreased,and sediment yield rate increased sharply by 189.03%.When confluence intensity increased to 50 L/min,the protective effect of coir geotextile was lost.On the other hand,geocell showed that the greater the flow rate,the better the protective effect.In addition,with the increase in confluence intensity,erosion pattern of coir geotextile developed from sheet erosion to intermittent fall and then to completion of main rill,and the protective effect was gradually weakened.In contrast,the protective effect of EG under geocell was gradually enhanced from the continuous rill to the intermittent rill and finally to the intermittent fall.This study shows that coir geotextile and geocell can prevent EG erosion,and the effect of geocell is better than that of coir geotextile on the surface of EG.

Soil erosion susceptibility mapping of Hangu Region,Kohat Plateau of Pakistan using GIS and RS-based models

Soil erosion is a crucial geo-environmental hazard worldwide that affects water quality and agriculture,decreases reservoir storage capacity due to sedimentation,and increases the danger of flooding and landslides.Thus,this study uses geospatial modeling to produce soil erosion susceptibility maps(SESM)for the Hangu region,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa(KPK),Pakistan.The Hangu region,located in the Kohat Plateau of KPK,Pakistan,is particularly susceptible to soil erosion due to its unique geomorphological and climatic characteristics.Moreover,the Hangu region is characterized by a combination of steep slopes,variable rainfall patterns,diverse land use,and distinct soil types,all of which contribute to the complexity and severity of soil erosion processes.These factors necessitate a detailed and region-specific study to develop effective soil conservation strategies.In this research,we detected and mapped 1013 soil erosion points and prepared 12 predisposing factors(elevation,aspect,slope,Normalized Differentiate Vegetation Index(NDVI),drainage network,curvature,Land Use Land Cover(LULC),rainfall,lithology,contour,soil texture,and road network)of soil erosion using GIS platform.Additionally,GIS-based statistical models like the weight of evidence(WOE)and frequency ratio(FR)were applied to produce the SESM for the study area.The SESM was reclassified into four classes,i.e.,low,medium,high,and very high zone.The results of WOE for SESM show that 16.39%,33.02%,29.27%,and 21.30%of areas are covered by low,medium,high,and very high zones,respectively.In contrast,the FR results revealed that 16.50%,24.33%,35.55%,and 23.59%of the areas are occupied by low,medium,high,and very high classes.Furthermore,the reliability of applied models was evaluated using the Area Under Curve(AUC)technique.The validation results utilizing the area under curve showed that the success rate curve(SRC)and predicted rate curve(PRC)for WOE are 82%and 86%,respectively,while SRC and PRC for FR are 85%and 96%,respectively.The validation results revealed that the FR model performance is better and more reliable than the WOE.

Bio-cementation for tidal erosion resistance improvement of foreshore slopes based on microbially induced magnesium and calcium precipitation

In most coastal and estuarine areas,tides easily cause surface erosion and even slope failure,resulting in severe land losses,deterioration of coastal infrastructure,and increased floods.The bio-cementation technique has been previously demonstrated to effectively improve the erosion resistance of slopes.Seawater contains magnesium ions(Mg^(2+))with a higher concentration than calcium ions(Ca^(2+));therefore,Mg^(2+)and Ca^(2+)were used together for bio-cementation in this study at various Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratios as the microbially induced magnesium and calcium precipitation(MIMCP)treatment.Slope angles,surface strengths,precipitation contents,major phases,and microscopic characteristics of precipitation were used to evaluate the treatment effects.Results showed that the MIMCP treatment markedly enhanced the erosion resistance of slopes.Decreased Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratios resulted in a smaller change in angles and fewer soil losses,especially the Mg^(2+)concentration below 0.2 M.The decreased Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratio achieved increased precipitation contents,which contributed to better erosion resistance and higher surface strengths.Additionally,the production of aragonite would benefit from elevated Mg^(2+)concentrations and a higher Ca^(2+)concentration led to more nesquehonite in magnesium precipitation crystals.The slopes with an initial angle of 53°had worse erosion resistance than the slopes with an initial angle of 35°,but the Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratios of 0.2:0.8,0.1:0.9,and 0:1.0 were effective for both slope stabilization and erosion mitigation to a great extent.The results are of great significance for the application of MIMCP to improve erosion resistance of foreshore slopes and the MIMCP technique has promising application potential in marine engineering.

Is the Cape Stone Forest in Shantou City formed by wave erosion? A comparison of the pedestal rocks on the coasts and the mountains of Queshi in eastern Guangdong, China

Cape Stone Forest is a group of granite rock pillars(pedestal rocks) towering over Shilin Lake, on the southern shore of Shantou Bay in eastern Guangdong, China. The rock pillars were previously identified as sea stacks because they have marine notch-like concave sidewalls at their base, and more importantly, the lake is immediately adjacent to the bay, which is exposed to the open sea. However, rock pillars similar in shape and size can also be found at the top of Queshi Mountain, which is only about 300 meters northwest of the lake and about 85 meters above sea level. Therefore, the marine origin of Cape Stone Forest is seriously questioned. In this study, 3D imagery and drone technology were used to collect data in the investigations without direct manual measurements in the water or on the mountain. It shows that the concave sidewalls of the rock pillars in the lake and on the mountains occur at different heights and are exposed to different directions, while a natural sea stack on Mayu Island at the mouth of Shantou Bay has a horizontal notch parallel to the sea level, although the granite rock of the sea stack is the same as that of the lake and the mountains. The eastern side of the island, where the sea stack is located, is exposed to the open sea but blocks large waves for the rock pillars in the lake. Therefore, the origin of Cape Stone Forest cannot be explained by wave-based mechanisms. The only satisfactory explanation that takes into account all the field evidence is that the narrow rock pillars of the lake and mountain were formed by chemical weathering that penetrated closely the spaced joints of the granite rock, and the notch-like concave sidewalls were formed by more effective chemical weathering at the base of the pillars.

Numerical simulation of flow field deposition and erosion characteristics around bridge-road transition section

Wind-sand flow generates erosion and deposition around obstacles such as bridges and roadbeds, resulting in sand damage and endangering railway systems in sandy regions. Previous studies have mainly focused on the flow field around roadbeds, overlooking detailed examinations of sand particle erosion and deposition patterns near bridges and roadbeds. This study employs numerical simulations to analyze the influence of varying heights and wind speeds on sand deposition and erosion characteristics at different locations: the bridge-road transition section(side piers), middle piers, and roadbeds. The results show that the side piers, experience greater accumulation than the middle piers. Similarly, the leeward side of the roadbed witnesses more deposition compared to the windward side. Another finding reveals a reduced sand deposition length as the vertical profile, in alignment with the wind direction, moves further from the bridge abutments at the same clearance height. As wind speeds rise, there’s a decline in sand deposition and a marked increase in erosion around the side piers, middle piers and roadbeds. In conclusion, a bridge clearance that’s too low can cause intense sand damage near the side piers, while an extremely high roadbed may lead to extensive surface sand deposition. Hence, railway bridges in areas prone to sandy winds should strike a balance in clearance height. This research provides valuable guidelines for determining the most suitable bridge and roadbed heights in regions affected by wind and sand.

Assessment of soil erosion in the Irga watershed on the eastern edge of the Chota Nagpur Plateau,India

Human activities to improve the quality of life have accelerated the natural rate of soil erosion.In turn,these natural disasters have taken a great impact on humans.Human activities,particularly the conversion of vegetated land into agricultural land and built-up area,stand out as primary contributors to soil erosion.The present study investigated the risk of soil erosion in the Irga watershed located on the eastern fringe of the Chota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand,India,which is dominated by sandy loam and sandy clay loam soil with low soil organic carbon(SOC)content.The study used the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation(RUSLE)and Geographical Information System(GIS)technique to determine the rate of soil erosion.The five parameters(rainfall-runoff erosivity(R)factor,soil erodibility(K)factor,slope length and steepness(LS)factor,cover-management(C)factor,and support practice(P)factor)of the RUSLE were applied to present a more accurate distribution characteristic of soil erosion in the Irga watershed.The result shows that the R factor is positively correlated with rainfall and follows the same distribution pattern as the rainfall.The K factor values in the northern part of the study area are relatively low,while they are relatively high in the southern part.The mean value of the LS factor is 2.74,which is low due to the flat terrain of the Irga watershed.There is a negative linear correlation between Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)and the C factor,and the high values of the C factor are observed in places with low NDVI.The mean value of the P factor is 0.210,with a range from 0.000 to 1.000.After calculating all parameters,we obtained the average soil erosion rate of 1.43 t/(hm^(2)•a),with the highest rate reaching as high as 32.71 t/(hm^(2)•a).Therefore,the study area faces a low risk of soil erosion.However,preventative measures are essential to avoid future damage to productive and constructive activities caused by soil erosion.This study also identifies the spatial distribution of soil erosion rate,which will help policy-makers to implement targeted soil erosion control measures.

Effects of soil crust on the collapsing erosion of colluvial deposits with granite residual soil

Collapsing erosion is a unique phenomenon commonly observed on the granite residue hillslopes in the tropical and subtropical regions of southern China,characterized by its abrupt occurrence and significant erosion volumes.However,the impacts of soil crust conditions on the erosion of colluvial deposits with granite residual soils have only been studied to a limited extent.To address this issue,this study investigates the impacts of three soil crust conditions(i.e.,without crust,10-minute crust,and 20-minute crust)on gully morphology,rainfall infiltration,and runoff and sediment yield during slope erosion of colluvial deposits with granite residues(classified as Acrisols)in Yudu County,Ganzhou City,Jiangxi Province,China,using simulated rainfall tests and photographic methods.The results showed that as the strength of the soil crust increased,the capacity of moisture infiltration and the width and depth of the gully as well as the sediment concentration and yield ratio decreased;at the same time,the runoff ratio increased.The sediment yield in the without-crust test was found to be 1.24 and 1.43 times higher than that observed in the 10-minute crust and 20-minute crust tests,respectively.These results indicate that soil crusts can effectively prevent slope erosion and moisture infiltration,while providing valuable insights for the management of soil erosion in natural environments.

Numerical simulation on sand sedimentation and erosion characteristics around HDPE sheet sand barrier under different wind angles

For the safety of railroad operations,sand barriers are utilized to mitigate wind-sand disaster effects.These disasters,characterized by multi-directional wind patterns,result in diverse angles among the barriers.In this study,using numerical simulations,we examined the behavior of High Density Polyethylene(HDPE)sheet sand barriers under different wind angles,focusing on flow field distribution,windproof efficiency,and sedimentation erosion dynamics.This study discovered that at a steady wind speed,airflow velocity varies as the angle between the airflow and the HDPE barrier changes.Specifically,a 90°angle results in the widest low-speed airflow area on the barrier’s downwind side.If the airflow is not perpendicular to the barrier,it prompts a lateral airflow movement which decreases as the angle expands.The windproof efficiency correlates directly with this angle but inversely with the wind’s speed.Notably,with a wind angle of 90°,wind speed drops by 81%.The minimum wind speed is found at 5.1H(the sand barrier height)on the barrier’s downwind side.As the angle grows,the barrier’s windproof efficiency improves,extending its protective reach.Sedimentation is most prominent on the barrier’s downwind side,as the wind angle shifts from 30°to 90°,the sand sedimentation area on the barrier’s downwind side enlarges by 14.8H.As the angle grows,sedimentation intensifies,eventually overtakes the forward erosion and enlarges the sedimentation area.

Erosion Wear Behaviour of Kenaf/Glass Hybrid Polymer Composites

The awareness amongst the researchers to develop an environment friendly sustainable material leads to explore new class of plant-based fiber for making composites. Hybridization of such plant-based fiber with inclusion of engineered fiber is one of the promising methods to not only enhanced the mechanical performance but also suppressed the drawbacks that associate with such plant-based fiber to some extent. A usual hand lay-up method was taken-up in this work to fabricate four layered of hybrid kenaf(K)/glass(G)polyester laminates with different stacking order such as KKKK,KGKG,KGGK,GKKG and GGGG. The erosive character of the laminates was examined under three distinct particle velocities(48m/s, 70m/s,82m/s)and four different impact angles(30°, 45°, 60°, 90°). All fabricated laminates exhibited a semiductile character at lower velocities(48m/s and70m/s)as peak wear rate was observed at45° impact angle. However,they showed a semi-brittle character at high velocity(82m/s)as maximum rate of erosion was noticed at60° impact angle. Again,the influence of stacking order of piles on erosion wear was also clearly noticed. Moreover,the semi-brittle/semi-ductile characterization was also evidenced in accordance to the range of erosion efficiencies. The micro-structures of worn surfaces were inspected thoroughly from the images of scanning electron microscope(SEM)to evident the mechanism of erosion.

Deep bed filtration model for cake filtration and erosion

Many phenomena in nature and technology are associated with the filtration of suspensions and colloids in porous media. Two main types of particle deposition,namely, cake filtration at the inlet and deep bed filtration throughout the entire porous medium, are studied by different models. A unified approach for the transport and deposition of particles based on the deep bed filtration model is proposed. A variable suspension flow rate, proportional to the number of free pores at the inlet of the porous medium, is considered. To model cake filtration, this flow rate is introduced into the mass balance equation of deep bed filtration. For the cake filtration without deposit erosion,the suspension flow rate decreases to zero, and the suspension does not penetrate deep into the porous medium. In the case of the cake filtration with erosion, the suspension flow rate is nonzero, and the deposit is distributed throughout the entire porous medium. An exact solution is obtained for a constant filtration function. The method of characteristics is used to construct the asymptotics of the concentration front of suspended and retained particles for a filtration function in a general form. Explicit formulae are obtained for a linear filtration function. The properties of these solutions are studied in detail.

Quantifying River Bank Erosion and Accretion Patterns along the Gorai River in Kushtia, Bangladesh: A Geospatial Analysis Utilizing GIS and Remote Sensing Techniques

River bank erosion is a natural process that occurs when the water flow of a river exceeds the bank’s ability to withstand it. It is a common phenomenon that causes extensive land damage, displacement of people, loss of crops, and infrastructure damage. The Gorai River, situated on the right bank of the Ganges, is a significant branch of the river that flows into the Bay of Bengal via the Mathumati and Baleswar rivers. The erosion of the banks of the Gorai River in Kushtia district is not a recent occurrence. Local residents have been dealing with this issue for the past hundred years, and according to the elderly members of the community, the erosion has become more severe activities. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to quantify river bank erosion and accretion and bankline shifting from 2003 to 2022 using multi-temporal Landsat images data with GIS and remote sensing technique. Bank-line migration occurs as a result of the interplay and interconnectedness of various factors such as the degree of river-related processes such as erosion, transportation, and deposition, the amount of water in the river during the high season, the geological and soil makeup, and human intervention in the river. The results show that the highest eroded area was 4.6 square kilometers during the period of 2016 to 2019, while the highest accreted area was 7.12 square kilometers during the period of 2013 to 2016. However, the erosion and accretion values fluctuated from year to year.

Mussel-inspired PTW@PDA composites for developing high-energy gun propellants with reduced erosion and enhanced mechanical strength

The severe erosion and inadequate mechanical strength are prominent challenges for high-energy gun propellants.To address it,novel PTW@PDA composites was prepared by polydopamine(PDA)-modifying onto potassium titanate whisker(PTW,K_(2)Ti_(6)O_(13)),and after was incorporated into gun propellant as erosion-reducing and mechanical-reinforcing fillers.The interfacial characterizations results indicated that as-prepared PTW@PDA composites exhibits an enhanced surface compatible with propellant matrix,thereby facilitating their dispersion into propellants more effectively than raw PTW materials.Compared to original propellants,PTW@PDA-modified propellants exhibited significant less erosion,with a Ti-Kbased protective coating being detected on the eroded steel.And 0.5 wt%and 1.0 wt%addition of PTW@PDA significantly improved impact,compressive and tensile strength of propellants.Despite the inevitably reduction in relative force,PTW@PDA slightly increase propellant burning rate while exerting little adverse impact on propellant dynamic activity.This strategy can provide a promising alternative to develop high-energy gun propellant with less erosion and more mechanical strength.

Utilizing sediment grain size characteristics to assess the effectiveness of clay–sand barriers in reducing aeolian erosion in Minqin desert area,China

The clay–sand barriers in Minqin desert area,China,represent a pioneering windbreak and sand fixation project with a venerable history of 60 a.However,studies on evaluating the long-term effectiveness of clay–sand barriers against aeolian erosion,particularly from the perspective of surface sediment grain size,are limited and thus insufficient to ascertain the protective impact of these barriers on regional aeolian activities.This study focused on the surface sediments(topsoil of 0–3 cm depth)of clay–sand barriers in Minqin desert area to explain their erosion resistance from the perspective of surface sediment grain size.In March 2023,six clay–sand barrier sampling plots with clay–sand barriers of different deployment durations(1,5,10,20,40,and 60 a)were selected as experimental plots,and one control sampling plot was set in an adjacent mobile sandy area without sand barriers.Surface sediment samples were collected from the topsoil of each sampling plot in the study area in April 2023 and sediment grain size characteristics were analyzed.Results indicated a predominance of fine and medium sands in the surface sediments of the study area.The deployment of clay–sand barriers cultivated a fine quality in grain size composition of the regional surface sediments,increasing the average contents of very fine sand,silt,and clay by 30.82%,417.38%,and 381.52%,respectively.This trend became markedly pronounced a decade after the deployment of clay–sand barriers.The effectiveness of clay–sand barriers in erosion resistance was manifested through reduced wind velocity,the interception of sand flow,and the promotion of fine surface sediment particles.Coarser particles such as medium,coarse,and very coarse sands predominantly accumulated on the external side of the barriers,while finer particles such as fine and very fine sands concentrated in the upwind(northwest)region of the barriers.By contrast,the contents of finest particles such as silt and clay were higher in the downwind(southeast)region of the sampling plots.For the study area,the deployment of clay–sand barriers remains one of the most cost-effective engineering solutions for aeolian erosion control,with sediment grain size parameters serving as quantitative indicators for the assessment of these barriers in combating desertification.The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for the construction of windbreak and sand fixation systems and the optimization of artificial sand control projects in arid desert areas.

Erosion Rates in Dam Catchments in Jordan—Effects of Topography, Geology, and Urbanizations

Erosion as a natural process produces soils, which are very important natural resources for the fest land plant- and animal kingdoms. Loss of the soil cover reduces agricultural production, biodiversity, and the role of soil as a filter for infiltrating water to replenish the groundwater. It also threatens the food supplies. The knowledge of erosion rates of rocks and terrains is important for developing proactive measures to protect soils from erosion and loss. In this study, erosion rates of catchment areas were calculated based on dams’ catchment extensions and the sediment loads transported by flood flows into dams’ lakes. The study results show that the chemically, via floodwater, transported quantities of materials are negligible compared to the solid materials transported by the water. It calculates erosion rates ranging from 0.013 to 0.212 mm/yr (13 - 212 m/106 yr) for the different catchment areas. Erosion rates in Jordan are, generally, higher than those calculated for the different parts of the world ranging from 2.5 to 60 m/106 yr. This fact can be explained by the very steep topography, calcareous rock cover of the catchment areas and the barren rock exposures.

Interleukin 6 and Bone Erosions in Rheumatoid Arthritis in an African Hospital

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, erosive and deforming inflammatory rheumatic disease. In the era of biotherapies and the arrival of biosimilars in sub-Saharan Africa, the objective of this study was to describe plasma IL-6 variations in RA patients at Cité Verte District Hospital (Cameroon). Material and Methods: Descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study from December 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022. We included patients over 18 years old suffering from RA (ACR/EULAR 2010). Patients with an infection were not included. The data collected were age, sex, smoking status, family history, disease duration, disease activity by DAS28, CRP, rheumatoid factor, and plasma level of IL-6. Bone erosion was sought on radiography and ultrasound. Result: We included 31 patients, 25 of whom were women (80.6%). The mean age was 47.27 ± 17.97 years. Disease activity was predominantly moderate (32.3%) and severe (32.3%). Mean IL-6 level was 15.29 ± 2.36 pg/ml (extremes: 11.26 pg/ml and 20.15 pg/ml). IL-6 levels were higher in patients with a history of smoking. Similarly, IL-6 levels were higher in patients with mildly active RA in remission than in moderately and severely active RA. Mean IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with erosive RA (16.3 pg/ml VS 14.6 pg/ml). Conclusion: IL-6 levels were significantly elevated in men, weaned smokers and patients with bone erosions.