Low Treatment Efficiency Research Articles

A new potential strategy for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma treatment by generating serum-based antibodies from tumor-exposed mice.

Current cancer treatment strategies continue to face significant challenges, primarily due to tumor relapse, drug resistance, and low treatment efficiency. These issues arise because certain tumor cells adapt to the host immune microenvironment and evade the immune system. This study presents a new cancer immunotherapy strategy using serum-based antibodies from mice exposed to mouse cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (mCSCC). The experiment was conducted in three stages. In the first stage, mCSCC cells were isolated and expanded cultured from DMBA/TPA-induced mCSCC. In the second stage, these expanded tumor cells were injected into healthy mice to stimulate the production of anti-tumor antibodies. In the final stage, therapeutic serum was extracted from these healthy mice and reintroduced into the tumor-bearing mice. An ELISA assay was utilized to analyze the levels of p53, Bcl-xL, NF-κB, and Bax. The results showed that the serum treatment not only reduced tumor volume but also reversed changes in p53, Bcl-xL, NF-κB, and Bax. In conclusion, this study developed a new immunotherapeutic strategy for treating mCSCC. However, further research is needed to fully comprehend the mechanism of this serum treatment.

A new potential strategy for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma treatment by generating serum-based antibodies from tumor-exposed mice

Current cancer treatment strategies continue to face significant challenges, primarily due to tumor relapse, drug resistance, and low treatment efficiency. These issues arise because certain tumor cells adapt to the host immune microenvironment and evade the immune system. This study presents a new cancer immunotherapy strategy using serum-based antibodies from mice exposed to mouse cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (mCSCC). The experiment was conducted in three stages. In the first stage, mCSCC cells were isolated and expanded cultured from DMBA/TPA-induced mCSCC. In the second stage, these expanded tumor cells were injected into healthy mice to stimulate the production of anti-tumor antibodies. In the final stage, therapeutic serum was extracted from these healthy mice and reintroduced into the tumor-bearing mice. An ELISA assay was utilized to analyze the levels of p53, Bcl-xL, NF-κB, and Bax. The results showed that the serum treatment not only reduced tumor volume but also reversed changes in p53, Bcl-xL, NF-κB, and Bax. In conclusion, this study developed a new immunotherapeutic strategy for treating mCSCC. However, further research is needed to fully comprehend the mechanism of this serum treatment.

Luteolin-Loaded Hyaluronidase Nanoparticles with Deep Tissue Penetration Capability for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Treatment.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive interstitial lung disease characterized by sustained fibrotic lesions. Orally administered drugs usually fail to efficiently penetrate the interstitial tissue and reach the lesions, resulting in low treatment efficiency. Luteolin (Lut)is a natural flavonoid, active metabolites of which possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and anti-apoptotic properties. In this study, a nano-formulation is developed by loading Lut into hyaluronidase nanoparticles (Lut@HAase). These Lut@HAase nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit small size and good stability, suitable for noninvasive inhalation and accumulation in the lungs, and hyaluronidase at the site of lesions can degrade hyaluronic acid in the interstitial tissue, enabling efficient penetration of Lut. Lut's therapeutic effect, when administered via NPs, is studied both in vitro (using MRC5 cells) and in vivo (using IPF mice models), and its anti-fibrotic properties are found to inhibit inflammation and eliminate reactive oxygen species. Conclusively, this study demonstrates that Lut@HAase can improve lung function and enhance survival rates while reducing lung damage with few abnormalities during IPF treatment.

3D-printing hydrogel programmed released exosomes to restore aortic medial degeneration through inhibiting VSMC ferroptosis in aortic dissection

Aortic dissection (AD) is a devastating disease with a high mortality rate. Exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells (exo-MSCs) offer a promising strategy to restore aortic medial degeneration and combat ferroptosis in AD. However, their rapid degradation in the circulatory system and low treatment efficiency limit their clinical application. Methylacrylated gelatin (Gelma) was reported as a matrix material to achieve controlled release of exosomes. Herein, exo-MSCs-embedded in Gelma hydrogels (Gelma-exos) using ultraviolet light and three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. These Gelma-exos provide a sustained release of exo-MSCs as Gelma gradually degrades, helping to restore aortic medial degeneration and prevent ferroptosis. The sustained release of exosomes can inhibit the phenotypic switch of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to a proliferative state, and curb their proliferation and migration. Additionally, the 3D-printed Gelma-exos demonstrated the ability to inhibit ferroptosis in vitro, in vivo and ex vivo experiments. In conclusion, our Gelma-exos, combined with 3D-printed technology, offer an alternative treatment approach for repairing aortic medial degeneration and ferroptosis in AD, potentially reducing the incidence of aortic dissection rupture.Graphical

Towards stable and efficient nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment processes via an adaptive neural network based sliding mode controller

Advanced controllers often offer an innovative solution to proper quality control in wastewater treatment processes (WWTPs). However, nonlinearity and uncertain disturbances usually make the conventional control strategies inadequate or impossible for the stable operations of WWTPs. To guarantee the stability of ammonia nitrogen concentration (SNH) control in WWTPs, a direct adaptive neural networks-based sliding mode control (ANNSMC) strategy has been proposed in this article. A sliding mode controller is designed and implemented with the help of an adaptive Neural Network (ANN), named Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN), which can approach the desired control law accurately. Also, the stability of a system installed with the ANNSMC is analyzed by using the Lyapunov theorem, which ensures system robustness and adaptability. Additionally, to deal with high energy consumption and low treatment efficiency problems in the wastewater denitrification processes, this paper proposes a dual-loop denitrification control strategy and validates it in the Benchmark Simulation Model No.2 (BSM2) platform. The strategy can strengthen the denitrification efficiency by collaborating the SNH with nitrate nitrogen (SNO) concentration in the WWTPs properly. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed strategy can obtain remarkable stability and robustness, reducing energy consumption effectively compared with other standard and advanced control strategies.

Straw Biochar and Graphite Oxide Enhanced External Pressure Ultrafiltration for Leaded Wastewater Treatment.

In order to solve the problem of the low treatment efficiency of wastewater containing heavy metals in mining areas, straw biochar and graphene oxide enhanced external pressure ultrafiltration (SGU) was used to treat wastewater containing high concentrations of Pb2+. The operation parameters such as pH and temperature were optimized, and the removal efficiency of CODCr, NH3-N, turbidity and Pb2+ via SGU, straw biochar ultrafiltration (SU), ultrafiltration (UF), and conventional treatment (CT) were systematically investigated. The results showed that the pH and temperature of polluted water were 4.8-5.2 and 21-30 °C, respectively, the average removal rates of CODCr, NH3-N, turbidity and Pb2+ by SGU reached 91%, 97%, 98% and 95%, respectively, and the removal effect was better than that of other processes. In addition, under the backwash conditions of clean water, weak acid, and weak alkali, the membrane flux recovered 65%, 88%, and 89% of the new membrane, respectively. This study provides scientific and theoretical support for the advanced treatment of polluted water in mining areas.

Degradation of tetracycline by combining hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) and ultraviolet (UV)

Abstract Antibiotics have become a new type of organic pollutant. Traditional methods of antibiotic treatment have several problems, including low treatment efficiency, high cost, and low safety. As an emerging process intensification technology, hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) can significantly enhance degradation efficiency coupling with other treatment means. This work studies the degradation effect of a representative antibiotic, tetracycline, by combining HC and UV. The effect of various operating factors, including inlet pressure, initial concentration, pH, and temperature, is analyzed. It is found that HC/UV can obtain 1.7∼4.2 times more effectiveness than that of sole use of HC or UV.

Molten glass-mediated conditional CVD growth of MoS2 monolayers and effect of surface treatment on their optical properties

In the rapidly developing field of optoelectronics, the utilization of transition-metal dichalcogenides with adjustable band gaps holds great promise. MoS2, in particular, has garnered considerable attention owing to its versatility. However, a persistent challenge is to establish a simple, reliable and scalable method for large-scale synthesis of continuous monolayer films. In this study, we report the growth of continuous large-area monolayer MoS2 films using a glass-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. High-quality monolayer films were achieved by precisely controlling carrier gas flow and sulfur vaporization with a customized CVD system. Additionally, we explored the impact of chemical treatment using lithium bistrifluoromethylsulfonylamine (Li-TFSI) salt on the optical properties of monolayer MoS2 crystals. To investigate the evolution of excitonic characteristics, we conditionally grew monolayer MoS2 flakes by controlling sulfur evaporation. We reported two scenarios on MoS2 films and flakes based on substrate-related strain and defect density. Our findings revealed that high-quality monolayer MoS2 films exhibited lower treatment efficiency due to substrate-induced surface strain. whereas defective monolayer MoS2 flakes demonstrated a higher treatment sensitivity due to the p-doping effect. The Li-TFSI-induced changes in exciton density were elucidated through photoluminescence, Raman, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results. Furthermore, we demonstrated treatment-related healing in flakes under variable laser excitation power. The advancements highlighted in our study carry significant implications for the scalable fabrication of diverse optoelectronic devices, potentially paving the way for widespread real-world applications.

Simulation and Experimental Study of Circulatory Flash Evaporation System for High-Salt Wastewater Treatment

Treatment methods for high-salt wastewater mainly consist of physical methods, chemical methods and biological methods. However, there are some problems, such as slow treatment speed, high investment costs and low treatment efficiency. To address NaCl solutions, in this study, a circulatory flash system was designed based on gas–liquid equilibrium, mass conservation equation and energy conservation equation. A circulatory flash evaporation simulation and a static flash evaporation experiment were conducted on NaCl solutions under various operating conditions to investigate the effects of heating temperature, flash pressure and initial NaCl concentration on the circulatory flash evaporation system. The significance of each factor’s influence on the evaporation fraction and energy consumption was examined through static flash experiments. The simulation results demonstrated that increasing the heating temperature, decreasing the flash pressure and having a higher initial NaCl concentration could enhance the treatment capacity of high-salt wastewater. The flow rate of vapor outlets increased with higher heating temperature but decreased as the flash pressure rose. The experimental results demonstrated that flash evaporation pressure was the primary factor influencing both the evaporation fraction and the energy consumption per unit mass of vapor produced. It was observed that with an increase in heating temperature, the flash pressure decreased and there was a corresponding decrease in energy consumption per unit mass of vapor produced. The optimal experimental conditions were achieved at a heating temperature of 99 °C, a flash pressure of 15 kPa, and an initial NaCl concentration of 20%.

Ultrasmall copper-based nanoplatforms for NIR-II light-triggered photothermal/ photodynamic and amplified nanozyme catalytic therapy of hypoxic tumor

The clinical applications of the photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) are restricted by the limited tissue penetration depth of excitation light, while the enzyme catalysis therapy is hindered on account of the low treatment efficiency. Herein, we modify artificial nanozyme Pt nanoparticles on the surface of CuCo2S4 nanoparticles to prepare ultrasmall copper-based ternary bimetallic chalcogenides CuCo2S4-Pt-PEG nanocomposites for PTT/PDT/enzyme catalysis synergistic therapy. The as-fabricated CuCo2S4-Pt-PEG nanocomposites display peroxidase (POD)-like and catalase (CAT)-like activities, which can catalyze hydrogen peroxide to emerge highly toxic hydroxyl radicals and oxygen, respectively. The integration of Pt nanozyme significantly improves the POD-like and CAT-like activity of CuCo2S4 −PEG that can produce more hydroxyl radicals and oxygen to improve the effects of PDT. Furthermore, the nanocomposites exhibit outstanding photothermal properties derived from the enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency (η = 78.46 %) exposed to 1064 nm NIR-II light irradiation with a low power density (0.8 W cm−2). In particular, the photothermal performance of CuCo2S4-Pt-PEG significantly enhances the enzyme-like activity. Additionally, the T1-weighted magnetic resonance and photoacoustic imaging endow CuCo2S4-Pt-PEG with the advantages of guiding the treatment process. The synergistic treatment demonstrates significant anticancer treatment efficiency while also elicits immune response that suppressed metastasis. This study could further promote the application of ternary bimetallic chalcogenides in cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Emergency care and treatment of cerebral stroke at the stages of hospitalisation

According to the World Health Organization experts, about 7 million deaths due to cerebrovascular disease are recorded annually worldwide, and the number of stroke deaths is projected to reach 7.8 million by 2030. The main causes of stroke and its growth are population ageing, urbanisation, unhealthy lifestyles, insufficient control of risk factors (hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, stressful situations, etc.). It is also associated with untimely provision of emergency medical care at the pre-hospital stage and ineffective treatment of strokes at the hospital stage, as well as a low efficiency of preventive treatment for recurrent stroke and rehabilitation measures. The lecture presents modern methods and techniques for treating patients with acute cerebrovascular accident at different stages: pre-hospital, hospital, and rehabilitation.

Review of MOFs and their applications in the preparation of loose nanofiltration membranes for dye and salt fractionation

The improper disposal of unused dyes by various industries is a significant contributor to water pollution. Thus, it is very important to remove the dyes from water. For the treatment of dyes, a number of technologies have been developed, including coagulation/flocculation, adsorption, and chemical oxidation. The main drawbacks of such techniques are their ineffective secondary pollution control and low treatment efficiency. Nanofiltration technology, in comparison, has a high removal rate and is simple to use. Due to its superior selective separation performance, loose nanofiltration (NF) is a potential technique for the fractionation of dyes and salts. Thus, the loose nanofiltration membranes need to be researched and developed more. However, the MOFs are often used in the preparation of loose nanofiltration membranes till now. So, it is necessary to get to know the chemical structure, prospect and challenges in the applications of loose nanofiltration membranes. Metal-organic frameworks, often known as MOFs, are completely novel family of hybrid materials used as adsorbents that are comprised of organic linkers and metal ions or clusters. MOFs and their derivatives have shown unprecedented potential in membrane applications due to their distinct porosity architectures and unique characteristics. They have the benefits of Highly porous, a huge area, flexible pore size, and strong stability due to their unique structural composition. This review provides an overview of MOF membrane fabrication techniques and kinds of MOFs like; UiO-66, MILs, HKUST-1, ZIFs. The review discusses MOF-based membranes for dye/saltwater separation, highlighting challenges and applications. It also discusses modified MOF membranes and their prospects for implementation. While challenges remain, ongoing research and advancements in membrane fabrication techniques hold the key to unlocking the promise of membranes based on MOF for various environmental and industrial applications.

Anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′)2 drug conjugate promotes renal accumulation and glomerular repair in diabetic nephropathy

Poor renal distribution of antibody-based drugs is the key factor contributing to low treatment efficiency for renal diseases and side effects. Here, we prepare F(ab′)2 fragmented vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 antibody (anti-VEGFR2 (F(ab′)2) to block VEGFR2 overactivation in diabetic nephropathy (DN). We find that the anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′)2 has a higher accumulation in DN male mice kidneys than the intact VEGFR2 antibody, and simultaneously preserves the binding ability to VEGFR2. Furthermore, we develop an antibody fragment drug conjugate, anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′)2-SS31, comprising the anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′)2 fragment linked to the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant peptide SS31. We find that introduction of SS31 potentiates the efficacy of anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′)2. These findings provide proof of concept for the premise that antibody fragment drug conjugate improves renal distribution and merits drug validation in renal disease therapy.

Perioperative Factors Affecting the Healing of Rectovaginal Fistula.

Rectovaginal fistula is rare, but a severe complication in gynecology, which despite the effort of clinicians is still not treated successfully in many cases. According to statistics, the healing rates of surgery in patients with RVF range from 20 to 100%. The treatment effectiveness depends on the etiology of fistula, the age of the patients, the presence of comorbidities, the type of surgery and many other factors. Considering the low efficiency of treatment and the high risk of recurrence, the question of possible methods to improve the results occurs. In our review, we analyzed both modifiable and non-modifiable factors which may influence the treatment, healing rate and future fate of the patients. Taking into account all analyzed risk factors, including age, comorbidities, smoking status, microbiology, medications, stoma and stool features, we are aware that rectovaginal fistula's treatment must be individualized and holistic. In cases of poorly healing RVF, the drainage of feces, the use of antibiotic prophylaxis or the implementation of estrogen therapy may be useful. Moreover, microbiome research in women with RVF and towards estrogen therapy should be performed in order to create treatment algorithms in women with fistulae. Those interventions, in our opinion, may significantly improve the outcome of the patients.

Pharmacological body-wide and immunotropic effects of galavit in the treatment of patients with purulent-inflammatory diseases of various origins and allergization

Introduction: Patients with purulent-inflammatory diseases (PID), especially those with allergization, manifest chronicity, low treatment efficiency, and the risk of relapses; the above actualizes the search for innovative treatment technologies.
 The aim of the study: The aim of the study was to specify pharmacological (body-wide) and specific (immunotropic) effects of the immunomodulator galavit additionally prescribed in the context of basic treatment for patients with deep pyoderma, chronic pyelonephritis, adnexitis, purulent infection of soft tissues, complicated by atopic dermatitis.
 Materials and Methods: The study included 331 patients with PID and 30 healthy volunteers of the same age and gender who were examined prior and following the basic treatment of each nosoform. The diverse clinical and laboratory examination options were applied to investigate 17 clinical, 7 hematological, 16 immunological, 13 metabolic parameters that were grouped into clinical, hematological, immunological and metabolic syndromes, and divided into links – cellular, humoral, phagocytic, cytokine, metabolic and antioxidant. The results were statistically processed using variational parametric and nonparametric techniques; this allowed calculating the coefficient of diagnostic value, diagnostic formulas of disorders and targets of galavit under various conditions.
 Results and Discussion: Targeted pharmacological therapy with galavit reliably eliminates clinical, hemato-immuno-metabolic disorders in patients with PID, though dependently on the nosoform of the disease.
 Conclusion: It was demonstrated that the correction of clinical and laboratory disorders depend on PID pathogenesis and allergization; the laboratory mechanism of therapeutic effects was specified.

Occurrence, spatiotemporal distribution patterns,partitioning and risk assessments of multiple pesticide residues in typical estuarine water environments in eastern China

The low terrain and the prosperous agriculture in the east of China, have caused the accumulation of pesticide residues in the estuaries. Therefore, this study analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution and partition tendency of 106 pesticides based on their abundance, frequencies, and concentrations in the aquatic environment of 16 river estuaries in 7 major basins in the eastern China by using solid-phase extraction (SPE) with high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‒MS/MS) and gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC‒MS/MS). In addition, potential risk of multiple pesticides was also evaluated. The results showed that herbicides were the dominant pesticide type, while triazines were the predominate substance group of pesticide. In addition, triadimenol, vinclozolin, diethylatrazine, prometryn, thiamethoxam, atrazine, and metalachlor were the major pesticides in the water, while prometryn, metalachlor, and atrazine were the main pesticides in the sediment. The average total concentration of pesticide was 751.15 ng/L in the dry season, 651.17 ng/L in the wet season, and 617.37 ng/L in the normal season, respectively. The estuaries of the Huai River Basin, the Yangtze River Basin, the Hai River Basin, and the Yellow River Basin have been affected by the low pollution treatment efficiency, weak infrastructure, and agricultural/non-agricultural activities in eastern China, resulting in relatively serious pesticide pollution. The estuaries of Huaihe River, Yangtze River, Xiaoqing River, and Luanhe River had large pesticide abundance and comparatively severe pesticide pollution, while the estuaries of Tuhai River and Haihe River had heavy pesticide contamination in the sediment, which might be induced by historical sedimentary factors. The log KOC values showed that except for thioketone, other pesticides were relatively stable due to the adsorption by sediment. The ecological risk assessment results indicated that insecticides had a high risk. Teenagers were the most severely affected by the noncarcinogenic risk of pesticides, while adults were mostly affected by the carcinogenic risk of pesticides. Therefore, pesticide hazards in the water environment of estuaries in eastern China needs to be further close supervision.

Reduction of pollution loads based on sewage treatment projects around a lake: A case study on Erhai Lake.

Erhai Lake is a highland freshwater lake in Dali, China. Rapid tourism development has generated large amounts of pollutants. Since 2015, six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been built to treat wastewater collected through sewage interception projects. In this study, reductions in the pollution load of wastewater from different sources were evaluated by considering the effects of groundwater leakage, microbial degradation, and rainfall-runoff. The results showed that the systems reduced the chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) loads by 85, 83, and 85%, respectively. Discharge wastewater has the characteristics of a low concentration of domestic sewage discharge, large tourist sewage discharge, and high concentration of livestock wastewater. Due to the high groundwater level, there is groundwater infiltration in the influent water of WWTPs, which dilutes the pollutant concentration of the influent and, therefore, results in a lower treatment efficiency. Further treatment of tailwater also reduced the pollution loads discharged into the lake as well as the COD and TN by 10.25 and 22.90%, respectively. The results indicate that groundwater infiltration in the sewer network system is the primary target to be addressed in future developments.

Bioaugmentation of activated sludge with the immobilized 2-mercaptobenzothiazole-degrading bacterial consortium for rubber industrial wastewater treatment

Effluent from the rubber industry contains 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (2-MBT) as the major persistent pollutant. To remove 2-MBT, this study investigated the bioaugmentation of activated sludge with a 2-MBT-degrading bacterial consortium, which was previously enriched from rubber wastewater sludge. The consortium was immobilized in a commercial porous carrier to increase its efficiency and stability. The 16S rRNA gene analysis showed that the dominant Pseudomonas spp. and Stenotrophomonas spp. were maintained when it was repeatedly used for 4 cycles in a minimal medium containing 300 mg L−1 2-MBT. For bioaugmentation, a stirred tank reactor containing the immobilized consortium and activated sludge at a 1:2 mass ratio was constructed and found to remove 88.2 % of 100 mg L−1 2-MBT from synthetic wastewater. When the rubber industrial wastewater was applied at an organic loading rate (OLR) range of 1.0–3.0 kg COD m−3 d−1, the bioaugmentation reactor had 2-MBT and COD removal efficiencies of 70–79 % and 83–96 %, respectively. The reactors with either immobilized consortium or activated sludge alone had lower treatment efficiency. The bacterial community and its predicted functions corresponded to the activity of the added consortium and the operation of the reactor. Consequently, bioaugmentation should be applied to activated sludge for the treatment of rubber wastewater.

A new treatment step of bioelectrochemically treated leachate using natural clay adsorption towards sustainable leachate treatment.

Standalone and combined leachate treatment mechanisms suffer from low treatment efficiencies due to leachate's complex, toxic, and recalcitrant nature. Bioelectrochemical system (BES) was used for the first time to investigate the treatment of leachate mixed wastewater (WW) (i.e., diluted leachate, DL) (DL ≈ L:WW = 1:4) to minimize these complexities. A natural clay (palygorskite) was used as adsorbent material for further treatment on the BES effluent (EBES) while using two different masses and sizes (i.e., 3 g and 6 g of raw crushed clay (RCC) and 75 μ of sieved clay (75 μSC)). According to bioelectrochemical performance, BES, when operated with low external resistance (Rext = 1 Ω) (BES 1), showed a high removal of COD and NH3-N with 28% and 36%, respectively. On the other hand, a high Rext (100 Ω, BES 100) resulted in low removal of NH3-N with 10% but revealed high COD removal by 78.26%. Moreover, the 6 g doses of 75 μSC and RCC showed the maximum COD removals of 62% and 38% and showed the maximum removal of NH3-N with an average range of 40% for both sizes. After efficient desorption, both clay sizes resulted in regeneration performance which was observed with high COD (75%) and NH3-N (34%) on EBES. Therefore, when BES and clay adsorption technique sequentially treated and achieved with combined removal of ~ 98% for COD and ~ 80% of NH3-N, it demonstrated an efficient treatment method for DL treatment.

Softened Water and Steam Boiler Water Condensate Quality used in the Milk Production Line of a Private Dairy Unit Located in Bechar Province (South-West of Algeria): Physicochemical and Bacteriological Analysis

Background: This study aimed at assessing the physicochemical and bacteriological parameters of the water at the softener outlet and the steam boiler water condensate of a dairy unit located in Bechar province (South-West of Algeria). Methods: Some physicochemical and bacteriological parameters were analyzed based on standard methods given by the American Public Health Association (APHA). Result: The obtained results showed that the parameters: pH, EC, salinity, TA, TAC, sulfate, nitrate, and fluoride ions of most analyzed water samples at the softener outlet (SW) were in agreement with national regulations. However, the steam boiler water condensate samples (BW) were out of specification except for TA, TAC, nitrate, and fluoride ions. The SW and BW samples were qualified as very hard exceeding the standard set at 15°f and 10,5 to 11,5°f, respectively, with high salinity and TDS values. The bacteriological analysis showed that most of the steam boiler water condensate samples complied with national regulations with the absence of fecal coliforms, knowing that the BW5 and BW8 samples were contaminated with spores of sulfite-reducing Clostridia at a load of 3 and 1 spore/50 mL, respectively. However, an average of 6/10 (i.e. 60%) of the softened water samples were contaminated with the opportunistic species ‘Pseudomonas aeruginosa’, while the SW5, SW8 and SW10 samples were contaminated with spores of sulfite-reducing Clostridia (1 to 11 spores/50 mL). All samples were free from Salmonella spp. A high TH of the water at the softener outlet reveals a malfunction of the external treatment (softening). On the one hand, boiler scaling that may occur can reduce the steam flow (low efficiency of the heat treatment), which contributes to poor pasteurization of the milk, especially in the presence of bacterial contaminants, and on the other hand, increase the energy expenditure.