Search Results (6,056)

Background/Objectives: Nanopore sequencing is increasingly used in mycobacterial diagnostics, where clinical microbiologists and diagnostic laboratories must decide when broad metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) or focused targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) is most appropriate. This review examined reported clinical and laboratory roles of nanopore mNGS and tNGS in tuberculosis (TB) and nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) settings. Methods: Targeted searches of PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, and Scopus were refreshed on 4 April 2026. Thirty-five records spanning original clinical studies, evidence syntheses, and guideline-context documents were included. Results: Nanopore mNGS is most useful for broad organism detection and diagnostic rescue in unresolved pulmonary and extrapulmonary presentations, particularly when first-line testing is negative, discordant, low-yield, or when mixed infection is suspected. Nanopore tNGS appears better aligned with predefined TB confirmation and resistance-focused workflows because targeted regions allow more standardized interpretation. Agreement is strongest for rifampicin- and isoniazid-related resistance targets. In NTM settings, evidence is stronger for detection and species identification than for disease-level diagnosis. Common implementation constraints include pre-analytical variation, contamination control, host-background interference, inconsistent bioinformatics, and limited workforce capacity. Conclusions: A practical tiered approach is supported in which mNGS is positioned mainly for diagnostic rescue and discovery, whereas tNGS is considered for predefined workflows requiring standardized target interrogation and resistance-associated mutation reporting under local validation and quality systems. Full article

Glyphosate, the most extensively used herbicide worldwide, is frequently detected in aquatic environments due to its high solubility, persistence, and intensive agricultural application. Its occurrence, together with that of its principal metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), raises substantial environmental and public health concerns. Conventional water treatment technologies generally exhibit limited efficiency in achieving complete removal and mineralization of this compound. In recent years, advanced electrochemical oxidation processes, and particularly anodic oxidation, have emerged as promising alternatives owing to their ability to generate highly reactive hydroxyl radicals in situ. This review provides the first contaminant-specific and mechanistic assessment dedicated exclusively to the anodic electro-oxidation of glyphosate. In contrast to previous reviews offering broad surveys of electrode materials or generalized evaluations of glyphosate treatment technologies, this work synthesizes all mechanistic, kinetic, and material-dependent insights reported between 2016 and 2025. A comparative analysis of major anode families (including boron-doped diamond (BDD), ${\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{O}}_2$, mixed-metal oxides, and Magnéli-phase Ti₄O₇) is presented, highlighting glyphosate-specific degradation pathways, intermediate formation, and the operational parameters controlling mineralization efficiency and energy demand. By establishing a structured framework that links electrode properties, radical-generation mechanisms, and pollutant-specific degradation chemistry, this review addresses a critical gap in the literature and provides a scientific basis for designing next-generation electrochemical processes for the efficient and sustainable removal of glyphosate and related organophosphorus contaminants. Full article

This study presents the development and field testing of a Pressurized Driving-Down Air Multilevel Sampler (PDA-MLS), an integrated groundwater sampling device designed for depth-discrete sampling in boreholes affected by floating non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). Conventional sampling methods—such as low-flow pumps, bailers, and packer-isolated systems—often fail under these conditions due to limited accessibility, cross-contamination, or disturbance of the water column. The proposed system addresses these limitations through a controlled pressurized-gas actuation mechanism that transfers groundwater from multiple PTFE-membrane chambers installed at discrete depths. This configuration enables low-disturbance sampling below floating contaminant layers. The use of chemically inert materials (stainless steel and PTFE) minimizes sampling artifacts and ensures compatibility with volatile organic compound (VOC) analyses. A simplified hydraulic conceptual framework describing inflow, outflow, and pressure-driven displacement was developed to support purge-duration estimation and operational parameter definition. The device was tested in a 90 m deep fractured limestone aquifer contaminated by tetrachloroethylene (PCE), where floating hydrocarbons limited the applicability of conventional sampling techniques. Field testing showed stable discharge conditions (~145–160 mL/min), repeatable sampling cycles, and successful collection of depth-discrete groundwater samples under the investigated site conditions. No evidence of sampler-related hydrocarbon entrainment was observed in the collected samples within the analytical detection limits of the adopted laboratory methods. To the authors’ knowledge, the PDA-MLS represents one of the few groundwater sampling systems specifically designed to combine low-disturbance multilevel sampling with operation in wells affected by floating NAPL. These features make it a promising tool for environmental monitoring, high-resolution characterization of fractured aquifers, and long-term assessment of contaminated sites. Full article

Clarithromycin is a widely prescribed macrolide antibiotic that can enter soils using sewage treatment plant effluents, where it is frequently detected. Because it could exert selective pressure on soil microbes, this study examined whether bacterial communities in 12 agricultural soils developed tolerance to clarithromycin after 42 days of exposure to different clarithromycin concentrations (7.8 mg kg⁻¹–2000 mg kg⁻¹). Results showed that tolerance increased in a clear dose-dependent manner and was significantly higher than in control soils at concentrations of 31.3 mg kg⁻¹ and above. Soil characteristics also shaped the response. At lower clarithromycin doses, tolerance was restricted in those soils with higher values of _eCEC, clay content, organic carbon, and C/N ratio. At higher doses, tolerance increased with pH, likely due to increased clarithromycin bioavailability. This study provides evidence of the impact of clarithromycin on soil microbiota and suggests that contamination by this antibiotic may promote the development of bacterial tolerance. Future studies should be carried out to further clarify the factors that influence the development of tolerance and also to determine the possible spread of this resistance in the environment. Full article

Fiber contamination originating from disposable dental microapplicators has received limited attention despite its potential influence on adhesive procedures. The aim of this pilot in vitro study was to evaluate fiber-like structure release associated with different microapplicator types during the application of universal adhesive systems. Three universal adhesives (Clearfil Universal Bond Quick, Gluma Universal, and G-Premio BOND) and five microapplicator types (X-Slim, Clinique, Prima, Single TIM, and ZerofloX silicone-bristle microapplicators) were evaluated. A total of 75 adhesive applications were performed on standardized sandblasted glass substrates under controlled laboratory conditions. Adhesives were actively applied for 10 s, and fiber-like structures were quantified microscopically using ImageJ software. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, two-way ANOVA, and Tukey post hoc testing (α = 0.05). Significant differences were observed among microapplicator types. X-Slim applicators produced the highest fiber counts, whereas Single TIM applicators demonstrated substantially lower values. No detectable fiber-like structures were observed in specimens treated with the ZerofloX silicone-bristle microapplicator. Adhesive system type showed a comparatively smaller influence on fiber counts than microapplicator design. Within the limitations of this pilot in vitro study, microapplicator type appeared to be the primary factor influencing visible fiber contamination during adhesive application. Further studies are required to determine whether the contamination patterns observed influence adhesive performance under clinically relevant conditions. Full article

Nosocomial pathogens persist on hospital surfaces contributing to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), especially among vulnerable patients and in the presence of multidrug-resistant strains. Environmental surveillance is essential to prevent cross-contamination and support timely infection control interventions. However, conventional culture-based methods, although considered the gold standard, are labor-intensive and time-consuming, often delaying critical responses. This study evaluated loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) as a rapid screening tool for hospital environmental monitoring. A total of 100 surface samples were collected from different hospital wards and analyzed using both culture and LAMP assays targeting six major HAI-related pathogens: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii. LAMP showed excellent performance, with sensitivity of 1.00 for all targets and specificity ranging from 0.94 to 1.00. No statistically significant differences were observed between LAMP and culture results (p > 0.05). LAMP may represent a valuable complementary method for routine environmental surveillance. Full article

The removal of heavy oil under low-temperature conditions is a significant global challenge. This study aimed to assess the long-term whole-cell biocatalytic degradation of heavy oil in water and soil by bacteria isolated from contaminated soil in Muroran, Japan, under cold conditions. Enrichment cultures using heavy oil as the sole carbon source yielded 15 potent heavy oil-degrading isolates. However, only the C1 strain retained its activity under low-temperature conditions and was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa C1 using 16S rDNA sequencing. Gas chromatography analysis revealed that at 30 °C (water medium), strain C1 degraded 57% of heavy oil within 7 days. At 15 °C, the degradation efficiency of C1 declined due to a temperature-dependent metabolic lag phase (1 day); however, at 15 °C, 70% degradation was observed in seven days. In long-term experiments at 5 °C and 10 °C, 35% and 40% degradation were recorded for C1 after 98 days. In artificially contaminated soil at 5 °C, C1 achieved 60% biodegradation. These results demonstrate cold-adapted whole-cell activity against heavy oil and motivate the design of controlled, contained ex situ reactors (e.g., enzyme-based or cell-free systems) for safe remediation in cold climates. Full article

Persistent organic contaminants and complex wastewater matrices challenge conventional treatment because parent-compound removal does not necessarily imply mineralization, detoxification, or improved environmental safety. Advanced oxidation processes can address these limitations, but practical effectiveness is often constrained by oxidant activation, gas–liquid mass transfer, reagent distribution, light penetration, catalyst contact, energy demand, and matrix scavenging. This work critically examines hydrodynamic cavitation-assisted advanced oxidation processes for water and wastewater treatment, including systems based on hydrogen peroxide, ozone, Fenton and Fenton-like reactions, persulfate, peroxydisulfate, peroxymonosulfate, UV irradiation, photocatalysis, cold plasma, multi-hybrid configurations, and emerging reduction-oriented approaches. The discussion covers reactor configurations, target contaminants, real matrices, and sustainability-related performance metrics. The central argument is that hydrodynamic cavitation is not automatically sustainable as a stand-alone treatment. It becomes relevant as a sustainable intensification module only when measurable improvements are demonstrated in oxidant activation, mass transfer, treatment depth, biodegradability, toxicity reduction, process integration, or scale-up at acceptable energy and chemical cost. A reporting framework is proposed based on mineralization, COD/TOC reduction, by-products, toxicity, biodegradability, normalized energy consumption, chemical efficiency, real-matrix validation, reproducibility, and cost-relevant indicators. Future progress should move from isolated degradation tests to integrated, controllable, and scalable treatment frameworks. Full article

Persistent microplastics contaminate wastewater systems and pose significant environmental and human health risks due to their small size, buoyancy, persistence, and diverse physicochemical properties, which reduce the effectiveness of conventional treatment technologies. Freeze crystallization, indirect freeze crystallization, eutectic freeze crystallization, and ice-templated separation have emerged as promising long-term technologies for microplastic removal. Particle rejection at the solid–liquid interface, heterogeneous ice nucleation, brine channel formation, and particle entrapment within advancing ice fronts are key crystallization mechanisms governing microplastic separation. Microplastics can adhere to or nucleate growing ice crystals, according to lab and field research. These interactions influence crystal growth kinetics and ice structure formation. Indirect freeze crystallization (IFC) and related chemical-free crystallization systems offer lower energy requirements and improved scalability. Crystallization processes concentrate microplastics for downstream treatment, may connect with photochemical or oxidative degradation at ice interfaces, and are useful in cold areas or low-temperature industrial streams. Despite these advances, several challenges remain, including freezing rate, salinity, particle size distribution, and surface weathering, which are difficult to control. Integrating crystallization into wastewater treatment systems is also difficult. This review covers the latest advances in microplastic–ice interactions, crystallization engineering, and freeze-based separation technologies. It also highlights major knowledge gaps and suggests future research to use crystallization to remove microplastics from wastewater in a sustainable, scalable, and energy-efficient manner. Full article

Nuclear contamination challenges assumptions that harm can be contained through technological control, political borders, or bodily separation. Across the Asia-Pacific, radioactive exposure moves unevenly through racialised, gendered, and colonial histories, rendering some bodies more vulnerable to ecological violence than others. Nuclear regimes continue to depend upon theological logics of purity, sacrificial exclusion, and protected innocence. This article develops a spirituality of fermentation through Asian eco-feminist theology and the Korean practice of sakhim. Fermentation becomes a practice of sustaining wounded life through endurance, permeability, and communal care. From this spirituality of fermentation, I develop the concept of Vital Fluidity as an ethical and theological framework for understanding how life continues through shared vulnerability, where bodies, nourishment, and histories remain deeply entangled. The article contributes to intersectional debates in theology, religion, gender, and ecology by approaching contamination through relation rather than separation. Under nuclear conditions, ethical responsibility emerges through practices that hold grief, contamination, memory, and nourishment together within shared existence. Fermentation therefore becomes a practical theological model for living with nuclear bodies. Full article

The sustainability, crop production, and food safety of agriculture are increasingly challenged by microplastic pollution, as agricultural soils are the largest reservoirs and may serve as points of contact for plastic particles in the food chain. This review provides a comprehensive overview of plant materials, fate and uptake pathways, detection techniques, and the possible risks of microplastics in agriculture. Agroecosystems are also a source of microplastics, such as plastic mulch films, sewage sludge, compost and manure additives, wastewater irrigation, polymer-coated fertilizers, greenhouse materials, atmospheric deposition, and decomposition of discarded agricultural plastics. Their distribution and mobility in soil are controlled by polymer composition, particle size, morphology, density, surface ageing, soil texture, organic matter content, tillage practices, runoff, leaching, and soil biota. Recent data show that microplastics, especially smaller microplastics and nanoplastics, can attach to root surfaces, penetrate plants via cracks in roots, areas of lateral root development, and apoplastic pathways, and eventually move to tissues aboveground. Plant tissue detection is often accomplished by digestion of the sample, density separation, visual and fluorescence microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, pyrolysis–gas chromatography mass spectrometry, and electron microscopy, but standardization of these methods remains a significant challenge. Microplastics can disrupt seed germination, root structure, nutrient absorption, photosynthesis, oxidative homeostasis, biomass buildup, yield development, and quality. Further, their capacity to transport additives, plasticizers, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants raises concerns about the transfer of contaminants to edible plant parts and their potential transfer to human diets. Further studies are needed focusing on field-realistic exposure conditions, long-term crop–soil interactions, nanoplastics behaviour, standardised analysis procedures, uptake and translocation pathways, edible crop risk assessments, and sustainable mitigation approaches to reduce microplastics in agroecosystems. Full article

To address the environmental evolution and management needs of emerging contaminants in the Yellow River Basin (Henan Section), China, nine typical functional cross-sections, covering industrial outfalls, sewage treatment plant (STP) effluents, human activity-dense areas, and baseline tributaries, were selected to systematically investigate the occurrence, potential sources, and multi-dimensional risks of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in surface water. The results indicated a 100% detection rate of the target pollutants across all sites, with PFOA (0.45–7.46 ng/L) being the absolute dominant analogue. The spatial distribution exhibited an evident industrial point-source-driven pattern, where the pollution loads at the Jili District industrial outfall (S7) and STP effluent (S5) were significantly higher than those in non-point sources and natural baseline waters. Source apportionment suggested that direct wastewater discharge and secondary release from regional industrial clusters were likely key contributors to PFAS spatial heterogeneity. Multi-dimensional risk assessments revealed that the current ecological risk quotients (RQ < 0.01) for aquatic organisms and the human health risk values (HR < 0.1) via drinking water ingestion for various age groups were well within safe and controllable ranges. However, PFOS contributed significantly more to the ecological risk than PFOA, and children exhibited slightly higher health exposure vulnerability than adults. Although the overall risk is minimal, PFOA concentrations at high-load cross-sections have exceeded the latest stringent maximum contaminant level (4.0 ng/L) mandated by the US EPA in 2024. This study suggests an urgent need to establish a dynamic, life-cycle monitoring network for PFASs in the basin and to prioritize targeted deep-reduction strategies for high-risk industrial point sources. Full article

Skin wounds in dogs and cats are frequently managed by second-intention healing, yet comparative evidence on topical treatments in these species remains limited. This study investigated wound-healing dynamics in dogs and cats using a standardized experimental model that enabled direct interspecies and within-animal comparison of treatment responses during secondary-intention healing. Standardized full-thickness cutaneous wounds were created on the dorsolateral trunk, with multiple wounds per animal randomly assigned to different treatments, including Manuka honey, Dermapliq, and untreated controls. Healing was evaluated using a multimodal approach, including clinical endpoints, planimetric analysis of epithelialization, contraction and total healing, ultrasonographic assessment, and blinded histopathology. Planimetry-derived total wound healing, the primary endpoint, did not differ significantly among treatments, while treatment-associated differences were identified in selected secondary endpoints. Dermapliq-treated wounds reached complete epithelial coverage earlier and showed smaller ultrasonographic wound areas than untreated controls, whereas Manuka honey was associated with faster complete granulation coverage but greater exudate quantity. Interspecies differences were also identified, with cats generally exhibiting slower progression to key healing endpoints than dogs under identical experimental conditions. These findings suggest species-specific healing responses and phase-dependent treatment-associated differences during secondary-intention wound healing in a controlled experimental model. However, they should not be interpreted as evidence of broad treatment superiority. Further studies in naturally occurring, larger, contaminated, infected, or chronic wounds are required before direct clinical extrapolation. Full article

This study explores the use of endophytic fungi for the biocontrol of harmful aflatoxins (AFTs) in maize (Zea mays L.). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of fungal pathogens and biocontrol agents on the corn seed germination and growth of seedlings under controlled conditions. Experiments were conducted under laboratory conditions in a growth chamber and in a greenhouse to assess the influence of environmental factors on seed performance and treatment efficacy. The growth chamber provided uniform conditions for physiological assessment while the greenhouses represented more realistic field conditions. Corn kernels were sown in sterile pots inside the growth chamber at standard conditions or in the greenhouse at controlled conditions and four treatment groups were established: untreated control seeds, seeds treated with non-AFT-producing (non-aflatoxigenic) strains (Trichoderma harzianum, T. asperellum and Aspergillus niger), seeds inoculated with AFT-producing (aflatoxigenic) strains (A. flavus and A. parasiticus), and seeds co-inoculated with both aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic strains (A. flavus and A. parasiticus with T. harzianum, T. asperellum or A. niger). High-performance liquid chromatography was utilized to detect and analyze the presence of AFTs. Co-culturing of A. flavus with T. harzianum resulted in a significant decrease in AFT levels, achieving a relative reduction of 99.3% compared to aflatoxigenic treatments alone. Among the isolates tested, T. harzianum and T. asperellum were the most effective at lowering AFT production of the aflatoxigenic strains, reducing the 5120 ± 560 µg/kg AFT level produced by A. flavus alone to 50.1 ± 1.10 and 63.1 ± 3.1 µg/kg, respectively. A. flavus negatively affected germination and early growth, whereas T. harzianum significantly enhanced both parameters. This study demonstrates that non-aflatoxigenic Trichoderma isolates can effectively mitigate AFT contamination and improve seedling growth, highlighting their potential as effective. sustainable, and locally adopted biocontrol agents for Pakistan’s chronic AFT problem under diverse environmental conditions—an area with minimal prior research and high national relevance. Full article

The sustainable recovery of high-value metals from wastewater has garnered significant attention in light of the circular economy and environmental preservation. Because of its appealing characteristics, membrane separation technology is essential for the sustainable and effective recovery of valuable metals from wastewater, in contrast to conventional methods, which are chemical- or energy-intensive. In this study, a rational design approach was utilized to synthesize a metal–organic framework (MOF) using a deep eutectic solvent (DES) as a mediating medium to control the reaction of framework formation and particle properties. While DESs have been widely used for the physical modification of materials, their role as a chemically modifying medium during MOF synthesis for structural tailoring remains less explored. This synthesized MOF (DM-Zn-PDC@MOF) was further introduced as filler in polysulfone (PSf)-based mixed matrix membranes (MMMs). The performance of DM-Zn-PDC@MOF within the polymer matrix was examined. Several characterization techniques were used to thoroughly analyze the morphological, chemical, and physical characteristics of the MMMs and DM-Zn-PDC@MOF. The addition of the filler material significantly enhanced the membrane characteristics, including pure water flux, hydrophilicity, porosity, surface roughness, pore size, and heavy metal resource recovery in comparison with the pristine membrane. Stable incorporation of the filler within the membrane matrix was indicated by much less filler leaching (<5%) at all concentrations. With DM-Zn-PDC@MOF loading, the pure water flux increasedmore than nine times from 102.8 L/m²h (M-0) to 971.5 L/m²h (M-4). The functionalized membranes showed better flux retention in high-value heavy metal resource recovery using simulated wastewater: 871.8 L/m²h when filtering a Pb(II) ion solution (compared to M-0 with flux 120.6 L/m²h) and 526.8 L/m²h when filtering a Cr(III) ion solution (compared to M-0 with flux 97.1 L/m²h). These values represented approximately 7-fold and 5-fold improvements, respectively. Overall, Pb⁺² > Cr⁺³, but the rejection of Cr(III) ions was also improved, when compared with M-0. The high flux of the membrane makes it easier to process large volumes and concentrate metals in the retentate, turning diluted contaminated streams into a concentrated feedstock for subsequent recovery procedures. Full article