Environmental Decontamination Research Articles

Ovicidal and toxicological effect of hydroalcoholic extracts of Euphorbia milli var splendens, Synadenium carinatum Boiss and Tagetes minuta L. against Ancylostoma spp.: In vitro study

Nematodes of the Ancylostomidae family consist of important parasitic species. The control of such parasitosis represents an important challenge, given the constant high rate of reinfection of some hosts, among which the domestic dog, as well as the high environmental contamination. Another factor that can have a negative influence is the toxicity of the chemicals used for environmental decontamination, highlighting the need to design research to identify new control strategies for this parasitosis, among which the use of plant extracts. Thus, the objective of this research was to evaluate the toxicity and ovicidal activity of hydroalcoholic extracts obtained by percolation of three plants: Tagetes minuta L., Euphorbia milli var splendens (Bojer ex Hook.) Ursch & Leandri and Synadenium carinatum Boiss, against Ancylostoma spp. In addition, these extracts were tested at different concentrations for toxicity against Artemia salina L. and Allium cepa L. It was observed that the hydroalcoholic extract of all plant species evaluated induced moderate ovicide activity at all the tested concentration, with emphasis on E. milii, which was the only plant species that presented significantly low toxicity in the concentration of 12.5 µL/mL when compared to the other species evaluated.

The sedimented social histories of environmental cleanups: An ethnography of social and institutional dynamics

The scrutiny of environmental cleanups within the United States has been a growing area of interest for social scientists. Scholars have used case studies and modeling to analyze struggles for environmental justice and the economics of stigma associated with Superfund sites. This research has primarily analyzed community perspectives on remediation and removal, such as local strategies for participating in cleanup decisions. There has been less work on analyzing organizational perspectives on the social and institutional dynamics at play during cleanups. Our study addresses this gap by analyzing insights gained through interviewing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency staff who do cleanup work in brownfields, Superfund, and emergency response. This ethnographic research excavates the sedimented layers of social histories of contaminated sites: local and regional contexts, institutional power and authority, and stakeholder relationships and networks. It interrogates how these sedimented social histories affect cleanup decisions, including the temporal and spatial boundaries of sites themselves. We find that the making of relationships is as important to cleanup strategies and outcomes as the scientific and technical aspects of cleanup are. This finding highlights the importance of tools and resources to excavate these social histories during environmental remediation, removal, and decontamination work.

Comparing intervention strategies for reducing Clostridioides difficile transmission in acute healthcare settings: an agent-based modeling study

BackgroundClostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the most common healthcare infections. Common strategies aiming at controlling CDI include antibiotic stewardship, environmental decontamination, and improved hand hygiene and contact precautions. Mathematical models provide a framework to evaluate control strategies. Our objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of control strategies in decreasing C. difficile colonization and infection using an agent-based model in an acute healthcare setting.MethodsWe developed an agent-based model that simulates the transmission of C. difficile in medical wards. This model explicitly incorporates healthcare workers (HCWs) as vectors of transmission, tracks individual patient antibiotic histories, incorporates varying risk levels of antibiotics with respect to CDI susceptibility, and tracks contamination levels of ward rooms by C. difficile. Interventions include two forms of antimicrobial stewardship, increased environmental decontamination through room cleaning, improved HCW compliance, and a preliminary assessment of vaccination.ResultsIncreased HCW compliance with CDI patients was ranked as the most effective intervention in decreasing colonizations, with reductions up to 56%. Antibiotic stewardship practices were highly ranked after contact precaution compliance. Vaccination and reduction of high-risk antibiotics were the most effective intervention in decreasing CDI. Vaccination reduced CDI cases to up to 90%, and the reduction of high-risk antibiotics decreased CDI cases up to 23%.ConclusionsOverall, interventions that decrease patient susceptibility to colonization by C. difficile, such as antibiotic stewardship, were the most effective interventions in reducing both colonizations and CDI cases.

Environmental Disinfection of a Dental Clinic during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Insight.

Background The control of biological hazard risk in health care and dental clinic environments represents a critical point in relation to the Covid-19 infection outbreak and international public health emergency. The purpose of the present review was to evaluate the scientific literature on the no-touch disinfection procedures in dental clinics aiming to limit transmission via airborne particles or fomites using no-touch procedures for environmental decontamination of dental clinics. Methods An electronic database literature search was performed to retrieve research papers about Covid-19 and no-touch disinfection topics including full-length articles, editorials, commentaries, and outbreak studies. A total of 86 papers were retrieved by the electronic research. Results No clinical article about the decontamination of a dental clinic during the Covid-19 pandemic was detected. About the topic of hospital decontamination, we found different no-touch disinfection procedures used in hospital against highly resistant organisms, but no data were found in the search for such procedures with respect to SARS-CoV-2: (1) aerosolized hydrogen peroxide, (2) H2O2 vapor, (3) ultraviolet C light, (4) pulsed xenon, and (5) gaseous ozone. One paper was retrieved concerning SARS-CoV-2; 32 documents focused on SARS and MERS. The cleaning and disinfection protocol of health care and dental clinic environment surfaces are essential elements of infection prevention programs, especially during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Conclusion The decontamination technique that best suits the needs of the dental clinic is peroxide and hypochlorous which can be sprayed via a device at high turbine speed with the ability of producing small aerosol particles, recommendable also for their low cost.

Environmental photochemistry in hematite-oxalate system: Fe(III)-Oxalate complex photolysis and ROS generation

Oxalates, together with iron (hydr)oxides, play important roles in environmental decontamination by photochemical generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, comprehending reaction mechanism about photolytic behaviors across solid-liquid interface is scarce. Here, the photochemical properties of hematite-oxalate system were investigated from complexation, photolysis, and ROS generation tests. Results implied adsorbed oxalate on hematite surface was detached via non-reductive dissolution by irradiating light. Then, the photolysis of Fe(III)-oxalate complexes on hematite surface or dissolved in solution was followed by photodissociation mechanism, in which per Fe(III)-oxalate complex led to two CO2− formation. Moreover, O2−/OOH and OH amounts induced by photodissociation mechanism were much higher than that by classic intramolecular ligand-to-metal charge transfer mechanism in Fe3+-Ox homogeneous system. The photo-degradation and mineralization of sulfadimidine (5 mg/L) reached 95 % and 59 % within 2 h using hematite-Ox system. These findings can help in implementing environmental remediation by utilizing iron (hydr)oxides and oxalate in natural environment.

Toxicological parameters of aqueous residue after using Plectranthus neochilus for 2,4-D phytoremediation

Phytoremediation is a technique that reduces the impact and environmental toxicity of toxic agents. Plectranthus neochilus, a species of aromatic plant, has already promoted phytoremediation of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). In addition, it was unclear whether the degradation of 2,4-D alone allows for a non-toxic environment (decontamination efficiency). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to verify the changes of the volatile compounds and concentrated essential oil of P. neochilus after phytoremediation of 2,4-D and the subsequent antibacterial activity of this essential oil concentrate. In addition, the toxicity of the plant’s tea and the aqueous medium (waste) after the decontamination of 2,4-D was analyzed. The exposure to 2,4-D did not cause many changes in the volatile compounds, nor in the essential oil concentrate from the plant. Therefore, this essential oil concentrate can be used as an antimicrobial after phytoremediation. Regarding the use of this plant in tea form, it was found to be unsafe, even after phytoremediation, as this tea was toxic to the Drosophila melanogaster model (death of up to 100% of flies). The aqueous medium after 2,4-D phytoremediation became less toxic than the initial one (bioassays with Artemia salina and Allium cepa in the waste groups). However, the efficiency of phytoremediation with this plant must be improved. Therefore, we are performing new studies with P. necohilus and 2,4-D in aqueous medium.

A Collaborative Public Health and Veterinary Facility Approach to an NDM-5 Escherichia coli Outbreak

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are an important cause of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in human hospitals. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) made CRE reportable in April 2018. In May 2019, the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital (MJRVH) reported an NDM-5 Escherichia coli cluster in companion animals to the PDPH. In total, 15 infected animals (14 dogs and 1 cat) were reported between July 2018 and June 2019, with no new infections after June 2019. Limited literature is available on the prevalence of CRE in companion animals, and recommendations for dealing with CRE infections currently target human healthcare settings. Methods: A collaborative containment response included assessing interspecies transmission to veterinary staff and a comprehensive evaluation of the infection control program at MJRVH. MJRVH notified all owners of affected animals verbally and via notification letters with PDPH recommendations for CRE colonization screening of high-risk individuals. CRE screening of exposed high-risk employees was conducted by the University of Pennsylvania Occupational Health service and PDPH. Human rectal swabs were analyzed at the Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network (ARLN) Maryland Laboratory. PDPH were invited to conduct an onsite infection control assessment and to suggest improvements. Results: No pet owners self-identified in high-risk groups to be screened. In total, 10 high-risk staff were screened, and no colonized individuals were detected. Recommendations made by the PDPH to MJRVH included improvement of infection prevention and control policies (eg, consolidation of the infection control manual and identification of lead staff member), improvement in hand hygiene (HH) compliance (eg, increasing amount of HH supplies), improvement of environment of care (eg, decluttering and evaluation of mulched animal relief area), and improvement of respiratory care processes (eg, standardization of care policies). MJRVH made substantial improvements across recommendation areas including revision of infection control manual, creation of a full-time infection preventionist position, individual alcohol hand sanitizers for patient cages, and environmental decluttering and decontamination. PDPH and MJRVH maintained frequent communication about infection control improvements. Conclusions: No positive transmission to high-risk staff members suggest that, like in human healthcare facilities, transmission of CRE to caretakers may not be a common event. Stronger communication and collaboration is required from Departments of Public Health (DPH) to the veterinary profession regarding the reporting requirements of emerging pathogens such as CRE. Veterinary facilities should view DPH as a valuable resource for recommendations to fill in gaps that exist in infection control “best practices,” particularly for novel pathogens in veterinary settings.Funding: NoneDisclosures: Jane M. Gould reports that her spouse receives salary from Incyte.

Evaluation of Environmental Decontamination of Surfaces Using Continuous Application of Low-Level Hydrogen Peroxide

Background: Pathogens that remain on healthcare surfaces after standard cleaning have been reported to cause 10%–30% of all healthcare-associated infections among admitted patients. The study reported here evaluated the effect of a continuous application of low-level gaseous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on microbial surface contamination in a pulmonary specialty unit (PSU) of a large magnet-designated urban hospital. Methods: A baseline surface contamination level was measured by obtaining cultures of 5 high-touch points in 8 patient rooms, a nurse’s station, and a nurse’s charting room to determine the bacterial and fungal microbial burden levels (period 1). No revisions to cleaning practices were made during any period. Also, 8 continuous decontamination devices were installed in the HVAC near the area to be treated. The devices convert humidified air into predominately H2O2, which then exited the ducts, covering all surfaces. Environmental sampling was conducted every 4 weeks for 4 months after activation to measure the effects on the intrinsic microbial burden on surfaces as well as the incidence of MRSA and VRE (periods 2–5). In addition, the unit manager tracked the level of absenteeism of employees in the PCU during the trial to compare results to the same 4-month period from the prior year. Results: In concert with regular cleaning and disinfecting practices, the average bacterial microbial burden levels found on 52 locations prior to the activation of the devices were 6,446 CFU/1002. Incidence of MRSA and VRE were 31% and 10%, respectively. During the intervention, the levels of both bacterial and fungal microbial burden on surfaces were significantly lower, as was the incidence of MRSA and VRE. The continuous application of low-levels of oxidizing molecules exerted a significant 78% and 97% reduction in the average bacterial and fungal microbial burden found on PSU surfaces (1,415 CFU/100 2 and 328 CFU/1002 for bacteria and fungi, respectively). The incidences of MRSA and VRE on surfaces were reduced by 63% and 70%, respectively. In addition, the unit manager reported a significant decline in absenteeism, with a reduction of 550 hours (1,313 vs 752) during the 4-month trial versus the same 4-month period the previous year. Conclusions: The introduction of continuous low-level gaseous H2O2 on all surfaces throughout a PSU reduced the overall bacterial and fungal microbial burden as well as lowered the incidence of both MRSA and VRE on surfaces, and it reduced employee absenteeism, providing a potentially safer environment for patients, staff, and visitors.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Functionalized PET Waste Based Low-Cost Adsorbents for Adsorptive Removal of Cu(II) Ions from Aqueous Media

The widespread use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in the packaging industry has led to the discharge of huge amounts of such waste into the environment and is an important source of pollution. Moreover, because the degradation of PET waste requires a very long time (over 180 years), the recycling of this waste is the only solution to reduce environmental pollution in this case. The solution proposed in this study, is the transformation of PET waste into granular adsorbent materials by functionalization with different phenolic compounds (phenol, p-chlor-phenol, and hydroxyquinone), and then their use as adsorbent materials for removing metal ions (ex. Cu(II) ions) from aqueous solutions. The functionalization of PET waste was done with different amounts (2–8 g) of each phenolic compound. The adsorption capacity of obtained materials was tested at different initial Cu(II) ions concentrations, in batch systems, at room temperature (20 ± 1 °C). The experimental results have shown that the adsorbent material obtained by the functionalization of PET waste with 8 g of phenol has the best adsorptive performances (q = 12.80 mg g−1) at low initial concentrations of Cu(II) ions, while the adsorbent material obtained by the functionalization of PET waste with 2 g of hydroxyquinone is more efficient in removal of high concentrations of Cu(II) ions (q = 61.73 mg g−1). The experimental isotherms were modeled using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, to highlight the adsorptive performances of these new adsorbents and their potential applicability in environmental decontamination processes.

Photocatalysis for removal of environmental pollutants and fuel production: a review

Water pollution and fossil fuels are major issues in the context of climate change. Photocatalysis research is rising to develop green technologies for the remediation of pollutants and for energy production. Photocatalysis converts the light energy as photons into chemical energy using semiconducting materials. Different methods are utilised to synthesise these photocatalytic materials. Metal and coupled metal frameworks are applied for the production of photocatalytic materials. Here we review the synthesis and applications of photocatalysts for environmental decontamination and for production of biodiesel, methanol and hydrogen. Pollutants include dyes, pesticides, herbicides, phenols and antibiotics.

Oxidised Biochar from Palm Kernel Shell for Eco-friendly Pollution Management

Oil palm plantations produce palm kernel shell (PKS) that can be converted into biochar for environment-friendly soil remediation and water treatment. Oxidation with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) may enhance surface characteristics and the quality of low-rank PKS biochar as a sorbent for environmental decontamination. This study aims to determine the effect of oxidation on the surface characteristics (i.e., specific surface area, surface charge, and chemical properties) of PKS biochar, and compared with that of PKS activated carbon. The surface area for the oxidised PKS biochar was similar to that of PKS biochar, indicating that oxidation did not remove the pore blocking material from the surface area of the PKS biochar. However, oxidation has increased the amount of negatively charged oxygen functional groups in PKS biochar, as indicated by the analyses of the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The CEC value of raw and activated PKS biochar were similar and 4.6 and 2.6 times lower for PKS biochar and oxidised PKS biochar, respectively. Oxidation caused enlargement of pores on PKS biochar and caused a reduction of specific surface area. More research is required to establish the process conditions to create a greater surface area and sorption capacity.

Environmental Cleaning and Decontamination to Prevent Clostridioides difficile Infection in Health Care Settings: A Systematic Review.

ObjectiveThe aim of this systematic review was to examine the most effective and feasible methods for environmental cleaning and decontamination to prevent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in health care settings.MethodsA systematic search of the databases CINAHL and MEDLINE was conducted from 2008 to 2018 for English language articles with search terms including “Clostridium difficile,” and related medical subject headings, in combination with terms like “disinfection,” “decontamination,” and “no-touch decontamination.”ResultsTwelve studies and 2 systematic reviews were selected for inclusion in this review. The studies were primarily in hospitals (10/12) and used a before-after approach. The studied interventions included cleaning and decontamination with a chlorine-based agent (i.e., bleach; 2 studies), standard cleaning plus the use of hydrogen peroxide decontamination (3 studies), and standard bleach cleaning plus the use of ultraviolet light decontamination (6 studies), and there was 1 study about launderable bed covers. The interventions ranged in frequency, duration, and the area selected for cleaning and decontamination (e.g., all patient rooms versus only CDI patients’ rooms). Studies showed significant reductions in CDI associated with use of bleach (versus quaternary ammonium compound) and hydrogen peroxide decontamination after standard bleach cleaning (versus bleach cleaning alone). Four of 6 studies found significant reductions in CDI after the implementation of ultraviolet light decontamination after standard bleach cleaning.ConclusionsThe studied practices for environmental cleaning and decontamination were associated with significant decreases in facility-level CDI rates in most of the reviewed studies; however, study quality was low. Implementation challenges are worthy of further examination.

Caseload is increased by resequencing cases before and on the day of surgery at ambulatory surgery centers where initial patient recovery is in operating rooms and cleanup times are longer than typical

Study objectiveThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impacts operating room (OR) management in regions with high prevalence (e.g., >1.0% of asymptomatic patients testing positive). Cases with aerosol producing procedures are isolated to a few ORs, initial phase I recovery of those patients is in the ORs, and multimodal environmental decontamination applied. We quantified the potential increase in productivity from also resequencing these cases among those 2 or 3 ORs. DesignComputer simulation provided sample sizes requiring >100 years experimentally. Resequencing was limited to changes in the start times of surgeons' lists of cases. SettingAmbulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient department. Main resultsWith case resequencing applied before and on the day of surgery, there were 5.6% and 5.5% more cases per OR per day for the 2 ORs and 3 ORs, respectively, both standard errors (SE) < 0.1%. Resequencing cases among ORs to start cases earlier permitted increases in the hours into which cases could be scheduled from 10.5 to 11.0 h, while assuring >90% probability of each OR finishing within the prespecified 12-h shift. Thus, the additional cases were all scheduled before the day of surgery. The greater allocated time also resulted in less overutilized time, a mean of 4.2 min per OR per day for 2 ORs (SE 0.5) and 6.3 min per OR per day for 3 ORs (SE 0.4). The benefit could be achieved while limiting application of resequencing to days when the OR with the fewest estimated hours of cases has ≤8 h. ConclusionsSome ambulatory surgery ORs have unusually long OR times and/or room cleanup times (e.g., infection control efforts because of the pandemic). Resequencing cases before and on the day of surgery should be considered, because moving 1 or 2 cases occasionally has little to no cost with substantive benefit.

Tolerance of Bradyrhizobium sp. BR 3901 to herbicides and their ability to use these pesticides as a nutritional source

Several groups of microorganisms degrade and use herbicide residues as a source of carbon and nitrogen. Identification of new strains capable of tolerating and degrading these pesticides can make strategic planning more flexible in environmental decontamination programs. Our objective was to evaluate the tolerance and growth in vitro of Bradyrhizobium sp BR 3901 strain in media without carbon and nitrogen sources, exposed to different herbicides. The biochemical activity of enzymes catalase, esterase, oxidase, reductase, and urease was determined for BR 3901. The time of maximum growth, maximum cell density, and growth in media without carbon and nitrogen sources in the presence of herbicides were evaluated for BR 3901. Formulated products based on glyphosate, sulfentrazone, and diuron were toxic to BR 3901. The presence of glyphosate, sulfentrazone, and diuron decreased maximum cell density and time for maximum cell growth of BR 3901. BR 3901 can use products based on diuron, sulfentrazone, and 2,4-D as a carbon source, even the last two, causing toxicity to this bacterial strain. The oxyfluorfen-based product can serve as a nitrogen source for BR 3901, degrading this pesticide.

Characterization and genomic analysis of a diesel-degrading bacterium, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus CA16, isolated from Canadian soil

BackgroundWith the high demand for diesel across the world, environmental decontamination from its improper usage, storage and accidental spills becomes necessary. One highly environmentally friendly and cost-effective decontamination method is to utilize diesel-degrading microbes as a means for bioremediation. Here, we present a newly isolated and identified strain of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (‘CA16’) as a candidate for the bioremediation of diesel-contaminated areas.ResultsAcinetobacter calcoaceticus CA16 was able to survive and grow in minimal medium with diesel as the only source of carbon. We determined through metabolomics that A. calcoaceticus CA16 appears to be efficient at diesel degradation. Specifically, CA16 is able to degrade 82 to 92% of aliphatic alkane hydrocarbons (CnHn + 2; where n = 12–18) in 28 days. Several diesel-degrading genes (such as alkM and xcpR) that are present in other microbes were also found to be activated in CA16.ConclusionsThe results presented here suggest that Acinetobacter strain CA16 has good potential in the bioremediation of diesel-polluted environments.

Do established infection prevention and control measures prevent spread of SARS-CoV-2 to the hospital environment beyond the patient room?

SummaryThe role of the hospital environment in the transmission of infection is well described. With an emerging infection whose mode of transmission is under investigation, strict infection prevention and control measures, including patient isolation, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment that is doffed on exiting the patient room, and environmental cleaning should be implemented to prevent spread. Environmental testing demonstrated that COVID-19 patients contaminated the patient area (11/26, 42.3% of tests) but contamination of general ward areas was minimal (1/30, 3%) and the virus was detected after cleaning on one item only (1/25, 4%) which was noted to be in disrepair.

Estimation of the soil to plant transfer factor and the annual organ equivalent dose due to ingestion of food crops in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam

In this study, soil-to-plant transfer factor and annual organ equivalent dose due to ingestion of natural radionuclides in 13 popular food crop samples in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam were estimated. The obtained data show that the radioactive elements transported from soil to plants play an essential role as indicators for the nutritional needs of plant and the ability to accumulate radioisotopes and heavy metal elements for environmental decontamination. It is found that B. alba and C. gigantean is useful for decontamination of high content potassium in soil, otherwise, P. fruticosa and C. gigantean may be used for soil with high concentration of 210Pb and 226Ra. In addition, biological effects of the plant ingestion in human body were assessed. The doses due to ingestion of food crop samples varied from organ to organ, depending on the organotrophic properties of the radionuclides. For examples, equivalent dose for 40K in large intestine is higher than other organs. In contrast, equivalent dose for 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb and 232Th were mostly at bone surface. In general, the obtained dose values of lower than the average value recommended by UNSCEAR for food crop ingestion pose no threat to the public’s health. However, close investigations are needed in the near future.

HOME2 Study: Household Versus Personalized Decolonization in Households of Children With Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Skin and Soft Tissue Infection-A Randomized Clinical Trial.

A household approach to decolonization decreases skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) incidence, though this is burdensome and costly. As prior SSTI increases risk for SSTI, we hypothesized that the effectiveness of decolonization measures to prevent SSTI when targeted to household members with prior year SSTI would be noninferior to decolonizing all household members. Upon completion of our 12-month observational Household Observation of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the Environment (HOME) study, 102 households were enrolled in HOME2, a 12-month, randomized noninferiority trial. Pediatric index patients with community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) SSTI, their household contacts, and pets were enrolled. Households were randomized 1:1 to the personalized (decolonization performed only by household members who experienced SSTI during the HOME study) or household (decolonization performed by all household members) approaches. The 5-day regimen included hygiene education, twice-daily intranasal mupirocin, and daily bleach-water baths. At 5 follow-up visits in participants' homes, swabs to detect S. aureus were collected from participants, environmental surfaces, and pets; incident SSTIs were ascertained. Noninferiority of the personalized approach was established for the primary outcome 3-month cumulative SSTI: 23 of 212 (10.8%) participants reported SSTI in household approach households, while 23 of 236 (9.7%) participants reported SSTI in personalized approach households (difference in proportions, -1.1% [95% confidence interval, -6.7% to 4.5%]). In multivariable analyses, prior year SSTI and baseline MRSA colonization were associated with cumulative SSTI. The personalized approach was noninferior to the household approach in preventing SSTI. Future studies should interrogate longer durations of decolonization and/or decontamination of the household environment to reduce household MRSA burden. NCT01814371.

Enhanced photoactivity of cerium tungstate-modified graphitic carbon nitride heterojunction photocatalyst for the photodegradation of moxifloxacin

Design and optimization of visible-light-driven photocatalysts for degradation of organic pollutants is an important step towards environmental decontamination. In this study, wolframite cerium tungstate (Ce2(WO4)3, (CW)) hybridized with g-C3N4 (CN) nanosheets was synthesized via a simple hydrothermal route followed by an ultrasound-assisted synthesis method. The prepared Ce2(WO4)3@ g-C3N4 (CW@CN) heterojunction was investigated for photocatalytic degradation of the antibiotic moxifloxacin (MXF) under visible light irradiation. Structural, morphological, and optical properties as well as chemical composition of the as-synthesized heterojunction were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS) and photoluminescence (PL). MXF photocatalytic degradation by the binary nanostructure (Ce2(WO4)3@ g-C3N4) (94.1%) was the highest compared to g-C3N4 (53.6%) and Ce2(WO4)3 (46.4%). Such enhanced activity could be ascribed to efficient suppression of the charge carriers’ recombination, leading to adequate formation of the reactive species responsible for MXF degradation. Furthermore, the Ce2(WO4)3@ g-C3N4 heterojunction showed remarkable stability over five consecutive cycles, with only 11.5% reduction after the 5th cycle. This work established the potential applicability of Ce2(WO4)3@ g-C3N4 nanostructures towards photocatalytic removal of MXF.

Different Modes of Transmission and Containment Strategies for COVID-19

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a respiratory infectious ailment caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first outbreak of this disease occurred in China and declared a pandemic in a very short period of time. SARS-CoV-2 gets transmitted mainly through the respiratory tract by droplets or respiratory secretions and by direct contact with the infected person as well as indirect contact through touching the contaminated surface accompanied by poor hygiene practice. Until the vaccine, a therapeutic agent or any other treatment modality gets approved; contact tracing and management, social distancing, personal hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and environmental decontamination are the prime factors to be considered for transmission containment and hence for appropriate safety measures for COVID-19 which is possible with the support of social work from the community level.