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Research Gaps In Contaminants Of Emerging Concern (CECs): Routes To The Standardization Of Chemical Test Methods By GC/LC-Mass Spectrometry: A Review

A literature review was undertaken with a focus on 1) identifying the research gaps regarding CECs, 2) identifying the most common ones, and 3) identifying the typical analytical methods/technologies employed, for their analysis. A total of 214 papers were noted, with a total of 21 review articles (9.8%). Of this total, a surprisingly high number were from South Africa alone: 117 (54.7%), of which 44 (20.6%) reports were associated with South Africa’s Water Research Commission (WRC). The top three CECs research gaps were (decreasing rank: Number of “gaps”, %): 1) Toxicity/Risk/Impact (260, 21.5%), 2) Analysis/Tests/Methods (118, 9.8%) and 2) Future research/studies (118, 9.8%), and 3) Monitoring (89, 7.4%). The common classes of CECs that were reported on, were : (i) Chemical: pharmaceuticals, personal care products, steroids, chlorinated and brominated contaminants, PAHs, PCBs, phthalates, alkyl phenols, herbicides, organochlorine pesticides, engineered nanomaterials and (ii) “Microbiological”: antibiotic resistance genes, human enteric bacteria and viruses, microbial pathogens (e.g., E Coli, rotavirus, Crypto, etc.), infectious biological water contaminants (e.g., E Coli isolates), cyanobacterial blooms (Microcystis). Common test methods used for analysis of the chemical contaminants were found to be chromatography (gas, liquid)-mass spectrometry; for the microbial contaminants, they were culture-based methods, ELISA, fluorescence microscopy, qPCR, RT-qPCR, gel electrophoresis, Raman spectroscopy, and also chromatography (largely liquid)-mass spectrometry, were also used. Some proposals were additionally made to address the very common, significant research gaps noted in CECs research, especially the standardization of analytical chemical test methods, based on chromatography-mass spectrometry, for quantification.

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Syntheses of Clofarabine and Related C2′-β-fluorinated Nucleoside Analogues

A multistep synthesis of 2-chloro-9-(2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-β-D-arabinofuranosyl) adenine (clofarabine) is described from methyl β-D-ribofuranoside. A new improved method for preparation of 1,2-diacetyl D-ribofuranose derivative was developed via acetolysis of tri-O-pivaloylated D-ribofuranoside and plausible mechanism of the reaction was proposed. Synthesis of 3′,5′-di-O-pivaloyl-2,6-dichloropurine β-D-riboside along with isomeric 2′,5′-di-O-pivaloyl nucleoside was carried out by stereoselective glycosylation reaction of 2,6-dichloropurine with peracylated D-ribofuranose followed by regioselective 2´-O-deacetylation of protected β-ribonucleoside with different bases. Mild C2′-β-fluorination of the purine 3′,5′-di-O-pivaloyl ribonucleoside with an excess of diethylaminosulfur trifluoride afforded protected 2,6-dichloropurine 2′-fluoro β-D-arabinoside as the key intermediate. Efficient route to clofarabine was also investigated using anion glycosylation of 2-chloroadenine potassium salt with the 1-α-bromide and potassium tert-butoxide in binary solvent mixture, chromatography for separation of a mixture of anomeric nucleosides (a β/α ratio of 3.0:1) and deacylation of benzoylated 2′-fluoro β-nucleoside. Novel N6-isopentyl clofarabine analogue was synthesized by a direct alkylation of the parent nucleoside

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A Cross Section Survey Assessment Study on the Knowledge and Practice of Periodic Medical Check up among the Saudi population

In Saudi Arabia most of the individuals give very little attention to issues like health or no priority to medical checkup. This investigation was carried out to measure knowledge, practice of periodic medical checkup in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia people. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted among 1015 participants. A structured interviewer administered an online questionnaire were distribute by social media and whatsApp. We collected data and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Association between categorical variables were explored using bar chart and tables, Level of significance was set at 5%. The main age of the respondents was 21-30 years, 78.4% were females and 64.2% were married. About 42.1% have ever heard of periodic medical check-up , 57% of those who haven’t ever heard of periodic medical checkup and only 21.9% among those who had ever done it had frequent medical check-up and 78.1% didn’t do it. Attempt is required in ensuring that periodic medical check-up is urged. There is a need to study the factors associated with the uptake of medical check-up among the study population and effort should be made by health agencies to educate traders on the various types of medical check-up, their indications and benefits as well as its practice encouraged.

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Characterization of Ground Water Quality in Southern and Northern Region of Zanzibar Island

Millions of people from different countries depend on groundwater, which might contain elevated levels of unhygienic constituents. Poor quality of drinking water in many countries has been forcing people to use bottled water. In the present study, groundwater samples were collected in November 2014 leading to twenty-nine analysis of groundwater samples. The primary objective of this paper is to study the selected groundwater quality parameters as an establishment of preliminary baselines on groundwater constituents. A total of twenty nine water samples were collected (fourteen and fifteen samples from North and South regions of Zanzibar Island respectively. Physical parameters (Turbidity, oxidation-reduction potential ORP, Eh, pH, total dissolved soild TDS, salinity, and Electrical conductivity (EC) were determined in situ using Horiba multiparameters digital meters. Analysis of anions (NO3-, Br- , SO42-, F-, NO2-) was carried out using Ion chromatography (IC). Nitrite and nitrate for some water were below detection limit (BDL) The order of relative abundance for anions in samples collected at Northern region of Zanzibar Island, was NO3- > Br- > SO42- > F- > NO2- , while for the Southern region the order was NO3- >Br- > NO2- > SO42- > F- . In both regions, the orders for other parameters were; Turbidity > pH > salinity; and EC >TDS > ORP > Eh. Almost all the measured parameters were within the WHO guidelines for drinking water. However, for nitrate and bromide, the percentage that exceeded the WHO limit was 7%, and 10.3% respectively. Based on toxicological perspective, although few samples had concentrations above groundwater quality criterion it is fundamental to estimate the intake by humans through the drinking water pathways.

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Evaluation of Physicochemical, Spectral and Thermal Properties of Energy of Consciousness Healing Treated Iron Sulphate

Iron sulphate is used in the treatment of iron deficiency anaemia and other chronic disorders such as heart and kidney diseases. This study has the objective to analyze the impact of The Trivedi Effect®-Energy of Consciousness Healing Treatment on the physicochemical, spectroscopic and thermal properties of iron sulphate using various analytical techniques. In this, the test compound, i.e., iron sulphate was divided into two parts; one as control (without Biofield Energy Treatment), and the other as Biofield Energy Treated, which received the Biofield Energy Treatment remotely by the renowned Healer, Mr. Mahendra Kumar Trivedi. The PXRD analysis of the Biofield Energy Treated sample showed significant alterations in the range of -39.49 to 301.40% in the relative intensities, and from -15.40 to 33.36% in the crystallite sizes, compared with the control sample. The average crystallite size of the treated sample was also increased by 4.98% as compared to the control sample. The particle sizes in the treated sample at d10, d50, d90 and D(4,3) values were significantly increased by 67.12%, 47.72%, 33.18% and 42.01%, respectively; whereas, the specific surface area was significantly reduced by 38.39%, compared with the control sample. The TGA thermograms showed three steps of thermal degradation in which, the weight loss of Biofield Energy Treated sample in the first and second step was reduced by 5.82% and 16.09%, respectively, while, it was increased by 6.78% in the third step, compared to the control sample. The total weight loss in the treated sample was also reduced by 2.76%, along with slight alteration in the maximum thermal decomposition temperature, compared with the control sample. The DSC analysis showed the decrease in the melting temperatures of the 1st, 2nd and 4th peaks by 8.24%, 19.29%, and 0.61%, respectively, while 4.57% increase in the 3rd peak of the treated sample, compared with the control sample. The latent heat of fusion (ΔH) corresponding to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th peaks of the treated sample also showed alterations by -92.29, -86.29, 60.92, and 6.37%, respectively, compared with the control sample. The Trivedi Effect®-Consciousness Energy Healing Treatment might produce a novel polymorphic form of iron sulphate having increased crystallite and particle size along with enhanced thermal stability. It may help in improving the quality, safety and stability during the process of handling, storage, and shipment of the iron sulphate with better therapeutic response against iron deficiency anaemia.

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