Musty Odor Research Articles

Characterization of Musty Odor-Producing Actinomycetes from Tropics and Effects of Temperature on the Production of Musty Odor Compounds.

Geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) outbreaks in tropical water bodies, such as Southeast Asia, by actinomycetes have not yet been elucidated in detail. Six Streptomyces isolates from lowland environments in Malaysia were selected and evaluated for their odor production under different temperatures. The gene responsible for the production of geosmin, geoA, was detected in all isolates, while only two isolates harbored tpc, which is responsible for 2-MIB production. This result suggested that geosmin and 2-MIB synthesis pathway genes already existed in the environment in the Tropics of Southeast Asia. Furthermore, our isolates produced musty odor compounds at 30°C, and differences were observed in musty odor production between various temperatures. This result indicated the potential for odor episodes in water bodies of the tropical countries of Southeast Asia throughout the year due to the mean annual ambient temperature of 27°C in the lowlands.

First report of Penicillium glaucum Link causing Penicillium rot of pear fruits Pyrus communis L. in Jammu and Kashmir, India

Pears Pyrus communis L. collected from different sites of Kashmir Valley were found infected with Penicillium glaucum causing Penicillium rot. The diseased fruits appears light tan to dark brown. The decayed tissue becomes soft, watery and the lesion has a very sharp margin between diseased and healthy tissues. Decayed fruit has an earthy, musty odor. The pathogen was isolated and cultured on PDA medium for further fungal morphological observation and confirming its pathogenicity according to Koch’s postulates. Results of morphological data and pathogenicity test showed that the pears were infected by Penicillium glaucum Link resulting in Penicillium rot of pears. To our knowledge, it is the first report of pear fruit rot caused by P. glaucum in India. Study was also undertaken for the management of Penicillium rot of pear with some fungicides. It was revealed from the study that different concentration of fungicides brought about significant reduction in the mycelial growth and spore germination of Penicillium glaucum under in vitro conditions. Amongst the tested fungicides, carbendazim proved highly effective in inhibiting the mycelial growth and spore germination of Penicillium glaucum followed by hexaconozole, bitertanol and myclobutanil respectively. Higher concentration proved effective than lower concentrations.

A Case Report of Pediatric Brucellosis in an Algerian Immigrant.

An 8-year old girl presented to our facility with a 10-day history of fever, fatigue, abdominal pain and refusal to walk. She recently travelled from her native Algeria where she first developed symptoms. On evaluation, she was ill-appearing, febrile and tachycardic with hepatosplenomegaly and lymphadenopathy noted on examination. A strong musty odor was also noted from the child. Laboratory evaluation revealed pancytopenia, hyponatremia, and an elevated AST, ALT, and LDH. Malaria testing was negative, as was a PPD. On further questioning, the family reported multiple sick contacts in Algeria with similar symptoms. After discussion with Oncology and Infectious Diseases, she underwent a bone marrow biopsy that was significant for multiple non-caseating ring granulomas. She was started on combination therapy of doxycycline and for presumed brucellosis infection with improvement in her symptoms and resolution of fever. Bone marrow culture returned several days later positive for Brucella melitensis.

Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from chronic suppurative otitis media

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is the most common middle ear infection characterized by recurrent ear discharges or otorrhoea through a tympanic perforation from the middle ear. The organisms isolated from CSOM include both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Among the bacteria, <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> (<em>P. aeruginosa</em>) has been particularly blamed for deep seated and progressive destruction of middle ear and mastoid structures through its toxins and enzymes. The present study was done to determine the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility of <em>P. aeruginosa</em> isolated from CSOM.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> This was a retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in South India in March 2016. Data was obtained from the microbiology records from January 2014 to January 2016. Patients who had active ear discharge for at least three months were included in the study. <em>P. aeruginosa</em> was identified by colony morphology, pigment production, characteristic musty or earthy odor. The identification was confirmed by motility and standard biochemical tests. </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> A total of 293 cases of CSOM were included in the study. Microbial growth was seen in 248 (84.6%) cases and remaining 45 cases did not show any growth. Among 248 bacterial growth, 87 (35%) were positive for P. aeruginosa. Most common organism was <em>P. aeruginosa</em> followed by <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>. Highest resistance was seen with Gentamicin and Ofloxacin and least resistance with Imipenem. The increased resistance to Cephalosporin group is warning sign, as these are potent anti-Psuedomals.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> <em>P. aeruginosa</em> and Staphylococcus aureus were found to be the common cause of CSOM in the present study. <em>P. aeruginosa </em>was resistant to commonly used antimicrobials. There was no resistance seen with Imipenem and only two strains were resistant to Piperacillin+tazobactum. Regular evaluation of the microbiological pattern and antibiogram of isolates will help in decreasing the complications of CSOM. </p>

Desiderosmia (Craving of Olfaction): A Novel Symptom Associated with Iron Deficiency Anemia

BACKGROUNDIn recent years,we saw four patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in our clinical practices who developed a compulsive craving for certain odors including rubber tires, gasoline, Pine-Sol® (a popular household alcohol ethoxylate-based cleaning agent), and "musty odor of the basement." Such behavior resolved after treatment of IDA, and recurred in a patient whose IDA relapsed. This resembled pica, a craving to eat non-nutritive items, which is commonly associated with IDA. Because we had never heard of or read about this phenomenon, we reviewed the English medical literature and World Wide Web to determine if such experience had been previously reported. METHODSWe searched the PubMed, Google, and Google Scholar to find publications, reports, presentations, or testimonies of individual in online blogs using a combination of search terms including "nasal, olfactory, smell, craving, iron deficiency, and anemia." RESULTSWe found no scientific publication, report, or presentation similar to our experience in PubMed and Google Scholar. However, using Google search engine, we found several testimonies of individuals in online blog posts (mostly at babycenter.com and medhelp.org), several of which were pregnancy blogs that reported these peculiar symptoms. Individuals were reporting powerful cravings of olfaction, frequently being overtaken by a desire to smell certain odors. The types of substances for which they craved and their associated medical conditions (when reported) are summarized in the Table. CONCLUSIONSThese preliminary findings and testimonies give suggestive evidence that a condition, entirely separate from pica, exists in certain patients suffering from IDA or during pregnancy. For this, we propose the name, desiderosmia, derived from the Latin word "desiderare" for desire and the Greek word "osme" for smell. In naming this condition, we hope to inspire further investigation, and hopefully shed some light for patients who suffer from this newly described olfactory symptom. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Gender Differences in the Association of Individual and Contextual Exposures with Lung Function in a Rural Canadian Population.

To investigate the association of individual and contextual exposures with lung function by gender in rural-dwelling Canadians. A cross-sectional mail survey obtained completed questionnaires on exposures from 8263 individuals; a sub-sample of 1609 individuals (762 men, 847 women) additionally participated in clinical lung function testing. The three dependent variables were forced expired volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC ratio. Independent variables included smoking, waist circumference, body mass index, indoor household exposures (secondhand smoke, dampness, mold, musty odor), occupational exposures (grain dust, pesticides, livestock, farm residence), and socioeconomic status. The primary analysis was multiple linear regression, conducted separately for each outcome. The potential modifying influence of gender was tested in multivariable models using product terms between gender and each independent variable. High-risk waist circumference was related to reduced FVC and FEV1 for both genders, but the effect was more pronounced in men. Greater pack-years smoking was associated with lower lung function values. Exposure to household smoke was related to reduced FEV1, and exposure to livestock, with increased FEV1. Lower income adequacy was associated with reduced FVC and FEV1. High-risk waist circumference was more strongly associated with reduced lung function in men than women. Longitudinal research combined with rigorous exposure assessment is needed to clarify how sex and gender interact to impact lung function in rural populations.

Kinetics and mechanisms of formation of earthy and musty odor compounds: Chloroanisoles during water chlorination

Chloroanisoles are often reported as off-flavor compounds which produce an earthy and musty flavors and odors in drinking water. To improve understanding and ultimately minimize the formation of 2,4-dichloroanisole (2,4-DCA), 2,6-dichloroanisole (2,6-DCA) and 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA), which have low odor threshold concentrations (OTC: 0.03–4 ng L−1), a kinetic database for the chlorination of anisole was established by kinetic measurements. The results showed that HOCl reacted with anisole in acidic solution, with the hydrogen ion as an important catalyst. Quantification of product distribution of the produced chloroanisoles demonstrated that a chlorine attack in the para-position was favored over the ortho-position. A kinetic model was formulated, which permitted investigation of the relative importance of the chlorine dose and other water quality parameters including the concentrations of anisole and several metal ions, as well as temperature, on the product distribution of chloroanisoles. In general, high chlorine doses led to low concentrations of intermediates. The presence of ions such as Fe3+ and Al3+ facilitated the formation of chloroanisoles, but Zn2+ and Mn2+ did not. The kinetic model can be applied to optimize water chlorination and minimize earthy and musty odors.

Okara (soybean residue) biotransformation by yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

Okara, or soybean residue, is a soy food processing by-product from the manufacture of soymilk and soybean curd (tofu). In this study, solid-state fermentation of okara was conducted over 5days using yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, and the changes in proximate composition, antioxidant capacity, non-volatiles and volatiles were investigated. Yeast metabolism of okara significantly increased the amounts of lipid, succinate and free amino acids and enhanced the antioxidant capacity. In particular, there was a marked increase in important umami tastants after fermentation, with 3-fold increase in succinate and a 20-fold increase in glutamate. The final fermented okara contained 3.37g succinate and 335mg glutamate/100g dry matter. Aldehydes and their derived acids in the fresh okara were catabolised by Y. lipolytica mainly to methyl ketones, leading to a reduced grassy off-odour and a slightly pungent, musty and cheese-like odour in the fermented okara. Amino acid-derived volatiles, such as 3-methylbutanal and 2-phenylethanol, were also produced. Overall, the okara fermented by Y. lipolytica had a greater amount of umami-tasting substances, a cheese-like odour, improved digestibility and enhanced antioxidant capacity. These changes highlight the potential of Yarrowia-fermented okara as a more nutritious, savoury food product or ingredient. Y. lipolytica was thus demonstrated to be suitable for the biovalorisation of this soy food processing by-product.

Studying Haloanisoles Interaction with Olfactory Receptors.

In this paper, computational means were used to explain and predict the interaction of several odorant molecules, including three haloanisoles, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA), and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP), with three olfactory receptors (ORs): OR1A1, OR1A2, and OR3A1. As the X-ray structure of these ORs is not known, the three-dimensional structure of each OR was modeled by homology modeling. The structures of these ORs were stabilized by molecular dynamic simulations and the complexes of the odorant molecules with each ORs were generated by molecular docking. The theoretical results have shown that each OR has distinct but well-defined binding regions for each type of odorant molecules (aldehydes and alcohols). In OR3A1, the aldehydes bind in the bottom region of the binding pocket nearby Ser257 and Thr249. In the paralogues OR1A1 and OR1A2, the aldehydes tend to interact in the top region of the binding pocket and close to a positively charged lysine. On the other hand, the alcohols interact in the bottom region of the active site and close to a negatively charged aspartate. These results indicate that when aldehydes and alcohols odorants compete in these two ORs, the aldehydes can block the access of the alcohols odorants to their specific binding site. This observation goes in line with the experimental data that reveals that when the odorant is an aldehyde, a lower quantity of ligand is needed to cause 50% of the maximum response (lower EC50), when compared with the alcohols. The theoretical results have also allowed to explain the differences in the activity of (S)-(-)-citronellol in the wild-type and mutated OR1A1. The theoretical results show that Asn109 has a preponderant role in this matter, since when it is mutated, it leads to a conformational rearrangement of the binding pocket that prevents the interaction of (S)-(-)-citronellol with Asp111 that was shown to be important for the OR activation. The good agreement between the theoretical and experimental results also lead us to study the potential interaction of the haloanisoles, TCA, TBA, and TCP with these ORs. The results have shown that these compounds can compete with other known agonists/antagonists for the access to the binding regions of ORs. These results may partially explain the capability of these compounds to give a musty odor to food and beverages at very low concentrations.

Simultaneous removal of multiple odorants from source water suffering from septic and musty odors: Verification in a full-scale water treatment plant with ozonation

Ozonation is known to be very effective in the removal of odorants from source water. However, it is not known if ozonation is effective in the removal of multiple odorants causing different types of odors. In this study, the removal performance for odors and odorants were evaluated in a Water Treatment Plant (WTP), which was equipped with coagulation, sedimentation, ozonation, biological activated carbon (BAC) filtration, sand filtration, and chlorination in succession and located in the downstream of the Huangpu (HP) River, over the period from April, 2014 to April, 2015. Flavor profile analysis (FPA) results showed that the source water was constantly associated with septic and musty odors. Geosmin and 2-MIB, with an average OAV of 4.54 and 1.38, respectively, were the major odorants for musty odor, while bis(2-chloroisopropyl) ether, DEDS and DMDS with an average OAV of 2.35, 1.65 and 0.78, respectively, might be responsible for the septic odor. While the musty odor could be removed effectively through the combination of ozonation and BAC, the septic odor and associated odorants required further treatment with sand filtration and chlorination for complete removal. It is clear that the advanced treatment process was effective for the treatment of source water containing complicated odorants. It should be noted that the sedimentation process needs careful management because release of odorants may occur during the treatment. The result of this study will be helpful for the mitigation of odors in WTP using source waters suffering from complicated odor problems.

Identification of complex septic odorants in Huangpu River source water by combining the data from gas chromatography-olfactometry and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography using retention indices

Identification of the trace odorants causing the septic odors in source waters with complex matrixes has long been a big challenge. The Huangpu (HP) River, an important source water for Shanghai, has long been suffering from septic and musty odors, although major odorants have not been identified. In this study, combining the data from gas chromatography-olfactometry with mass spectrometry (GC-O/MS) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) using retention indices (RIs) was used for the identification of odorants in HP source water. Olfactometry peaks detected in water extracts by GC-O/MS were combined with the chromatography peaks detected by GC×GC-TOFMS based on the RIs determined using the retention times (RTs) of alkanes C7–C30. A total of thirteen olfactometry peaks were obtained though GC-O/MS analysis, and potential odorants corresponding to each of the olfactometry peaks were screened based on the odor characteristics and match similarity using GC×GC-TOFMS. Finally, fourteen odorants (one odorant was detected in GC×GC-TOFMS without an olfactometry peak), including three septic odorants (bis(2-chloroisopropyl) ether, diethyl disulfide and dimethyl disulfide) and two musty ones (geosmin and 2-MIB), were confirmed by using authentic standards. The septic and musty odorants in six source water samples taken over a period of six months were quantified. Bis(2-chloroisopropyl) ether, with an odor activity value (OAV) of 1.84–3.2, was found to be a major septic odorant in HP source water, followed by diethyl disulfide (OAV 1.56–1.96) and dimethyl disulfide (OAV 0.37–2.42), while geosmin (OAV 4.37–11.44) was the major musty odorant, followed by 2-MIB (OAV 1.13–1.89). This is the first comprehensive study focusing on the identification of odorants in a complex source water. The integrated approach used in this study could be applied for the identification of odorants in other complex source waters suffering similar odor problems.

Eutrophication mediates a common off-flavor compound, 2-methylisoborneol, in a drinking water reservoir

Off-flavors, such as 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) and geosmin, cause drinking water to have earthy or musty tastes and odors. Humans can detect such compounds at minute concentrations (10 and 30 ng/L for MIB and geosmin, respectively), and, although not a health risk, off-flavors can promote consumer distrust. Removal of these compounds is costly and often unreliable or only suitable under certain conditions. Minimizing off-flavor production at the watershed-scale may be more cost-effective in addition to improving ecosystem health and aesthetics. Cyanobacteria are considered to be the primary drivers of off-flavors in freshwater systems. Due to their ability to produce toxins, cyanobacteria have been under particular scrutiny, and environmental factors promoting cyanobacterial blooms are relatively well-studied. Using this body of literature, we conducted a seven-week, limnocorral experiment where we manipulated nitrogen and nitrogen-to-phosphorus concentrations to influence phytoplankton community structure and off-flavor production. The addition of a single nutrient across broad ranges (nitrogen or phosphorus) had no effect on MIB. However, the addition of both nitrogen and phosphorus promoted high concentrations of MIB relative to treatments that received no nutrients (448% increase) or only nitrogen or phosphorus (722% increase). Interestingly, cyanobacteria waned during the experiment and were replaced by diatoms, which were the dominant taxa by the end of the experiment. Our findings clearly show that eutrophication affects MIB production, but mechanisms leading to the production of this compound may differ from what has been previously predicted.

Higher measured moisture in California homes with qualitative evidence of dampness.

Relationships between measured moisture and qualitative dampness indicators (mold odor, visible mold, visible water damage, or peeling paint) were evaluated using data collected from California homes in a prospective birth cohort study when the infants were 6 or 12months of age (737 home visits). For repeated visits, agreement between observation of the presence/absence of each qualitative indicator at both visits was high (71-87%, P<0.0001). Among individual indicators, musty odor and visible mold were most strongly correlated with elevated moisture readings. Measured moisture differed significantly between repeated visits in opposite seasons (P<0.0001), and dampness increased with the number of indicators in a home. Linear mixed-effect models showed that 10-unit increases in maximum measured moisture were associated with the presence of 0.5 additional dampness indicators (P<0.001). Bedroom (BR) walls were damper than living room (LR) walls in the same homes (P<0.0001), although both average and maximum readings were positively correlated across room type (r=0.75 and 0.67, respectively, both P<0.0001). Exterior walls were significantly damper than interior walls (P<0.0001 in both LRs and BRs), but no differences were observed between maximum wall readings and measurements at either window corners or sites of suspected dampness.

Occurrence of earthy–musty taste and odors in the Taihu Lake, China: spatial and seasonal patterns

The occurrence of earthy–musty T&amp;O in the Taihu Lake evaluated in 2009/2010 and the main contributors are β-ionone, β-cyclocitral, IPMP and IBMP.

Occurrence and Emergency Response of 2‐Methylisoborneol and Geosmin in a Large Shallow Drinking Water Reservoir

Taste and odor causing compounds (TOCCs) especially 2‐methylisoborneol (MIB) and geosmin (GSM) should be eliminated because of increasing complaints of undesirable musty and earthy odor in drinking water. Spatial and temporal distributions of MIB and GSM in a large shallow drinking water reservoir were investigated since its first filling. The results showed that the GSM concentration was &lt;15 ng/L and its potential to cause a taste and odor event was small. The concentrations of MIB in the transition zone were higher than in the riverine and the lacustrine zones of the reservoir and could reach 330 ng/L during warmer seasons, which was an alarm for taste and odor events. Emergency response practices showed that (i) powdered activated carbon was effective in removing MIB while the raw water was flowing through the pipes to the drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs); (ii) the ozone‐biological activated carbon process was effective in removing MIB in DWTPs; and (iii) the combination of these two technologies could ensure that the MIB content in treated water stayed below the olfactory threshold concentration even when its concentration in the reservoir was &gt;300 ng/L. Continuous monitoring of TOCCs not only provides water quality information to the reservoir operators but also shows the development of TOCCs, which would help researchers and engineers to find effective ways preventing the occurrence of TOCCs in drinking water.

Geosmin induces genomic instability in the mammalian cell microplate-based comet assay.

Geosmin (GEO) (trans-1,10-dimethyl-trans-9-decalol) is a metabolite that renders earthy and musty taste and odor to water. Data of GEO genotoxicity on mammalian cells are scarce in the literature. Thus, the present study assessed the genotoxicity of GEO on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in the microplate-based comet assay. The percent of tail DNA (tail intensity (TI)), tail moment (TM), and tail length (TL) were used as parameters for DNA damage assessment. The results demonstrated that concentrations of GEO of 30 and 60 μg/mL were genotoxic to CHO cells after 4- and 24-h exposure periods, in all parameters evaluated, such as TI, TM, and TL. Additionally, GEO 15 μg/mL was genotoxic in the three parameters only in the 24-h exposure time. The same was observed for GEO 7.5 μg/mL, which induced significant DNA damage observed as TI in the 24-h treatment. The results present evidence that exposure to GEO may be associated with genomic instability in mammalian cells.

Photocatalytic degradation of geosmin by Pd nanoparticle modified WO3 catalyst under simulated solar light

Geosmin (GSM), a typical musty odor compound, causes undesirable earthy off-flavors and is a serious concern in the drinking water and aquaculture industries. Here, we employed a novel palladium (Pd) modified tungsten trioxide (WO3) photocatalyst to remove GSM from water under simulated solar light. We also investigated the effect of catalyst loading, GSM initial concentration, light intensity, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) for GSM destruction. The Pd/WO3 catalyst almost completely degraded GSM within 20min under optimum conditions, with GSM degradation conforming to a pseudo-first-order reaction. This catalyst also exhibited a superior reuse performance. Photocatalytic degradation rate of GSM decreased in the presence of hydroxyl radical trapping reagent, implying oxidation by hydroxyl radicals plays a very significant role in the photo-degradation mechanism. Some possible intermediates were also identified. These results could provide helpful information for constructing a new efficient system for rapid GSM removal under solar light.

Seasonal occurrence and species specificity of fishy and musty odor in Huajiang Reservoir in winter, China

This paper describes the results of measurements from one year period on the existence of fishy and musty odor in drinking water at low temperatures (1–2°C) in Baotou, China, using an open-loop stripping analysis (OLSA) systems and Gas chromatography spectrometry (GC). The main results show that it is micro-contaminated water body of the raw water in Huajiang Reservoir. The average phytoplankton abundance was 2.06×107L−1, Cyanobacteria counts were at 2.0×106L−1 and the dominate family of the algae are Chlorophyta, Cryptophyta, and Bacillariophyta. Experimental results indicated that under the ice whose thickness was 0.55m, the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) of the surface varied from 70 to 636Wm−2 from November to March of next year. The average surface PAR was 114.8Wm−2, and the lowest value was 70.57Wm−2 (in December) and the average bottom PAR was 19.04Wm−2, and the lowest value was 3.84Wm−2 (in December). The surface PAR, bottom PAR, eutrophic conditions in ice-covered Huajiang reservoir satisfied the growth and MIB/geosmin production of Cyanobacteria algae in winter. The 2-methyl-isoborneol (MIB) concentration ranged from 29ngL−1 to 102ngL−1. The concentration of trans-1,10-dimethyl-trans-9-decalol (geosmin) ranges from 20ngL−1 to 65ngL−1 and it is 2 to 5 times of the odor threshold concentrations (OTC). The correlations between MIB/geosmin and nitrogen are 0.63–0.37. Eutrophication is the most important factor influencing synthesis of taste and odors, but not temperature. Using bypassing pipe pumping Yellow River water directly to the Water treatment plant (WTP) is an efficient way about T&O compounds׳ control in drinking water of Baotou city in winter.

Musty odor producing benthic cyanobacteria in the Tama River (Japan) and identification of species by genetic analysis

In upstream reaches of the Tama River, musty odor substance (2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB)) began to be detected in 2008 and the concentration has been increasing thereafter. Then, in 2012, 2-MIB in raw water of a water treatment plant reached 210 ng/L. It was suspected that cause of musty odor was benthic cyanobacteria ( Phormidium ) which attached to stones on the riverbed. However, identification of the benthic Phormidium by microscopic observation had been difficult, thus genetic analysis was carried out. In genetic analysis, almost full-length 16S ribosomal DNA and internal transcribed spacer region gene of benthic Phormidium strains, which include the strain isolated from the Tama River, a strain in the Yoshino River (350 km away from the Tama River) and standard strains, were sequenced and compared. From homology search of these sequences, 2-MIB producing Phormidium in the Tama River was classified into Phormidium autumnale . Furthermore, it was found that P . autumnale in the Tama River was the same species in the Yoshino River. In addition, the result of in vitro cultivation shows that the P . autumnale inhabiting the Tama River thrives and produces more 2-MIB at high temperature, but it can grow and produce 2-MIB even at low temperature.

G299(P) Awareness levels of the public in derbyshire about the quality of medicines

Aims The rationale for this study was to explore public’ 1) willingness to consider the possibility of defective medicines; 2) awareness of the Yellow Card Scheme (YCS) to report any safety issues regarding medicines; and 3) views on purchasing medicines from online pharmacies and their awareness about the official logo of registered online pharmacies in the UK as the only mean to identify legitimate online pharmacies in the UK. Methods This was a questionnaire study containing case scenarios derived from actual reported incidents of defective medicines from the MHRA. The questionnaire was piloted with 14 members of the public. All adults attending the outpatient department of the Derbyshire Children’s Hospital, with or without a child, were considered as potential participants. Results 400 questionnaires were completed and returned (response rate 90%). Only a few participants (8%) considered the possibility of manufacturer error in the first scenario when the defect was obscure (ibuprofen containing antipsychotic drugs due to packaging errors). The percentage increased to 37% in the second scenario when the defect was more obvious (an antihistamine with musty and mouldy odour). In both cases, most participants preferred to report complaints to healthcare professionals. Only 4% of the participants were aware of the YCS. More than one-third of the respondents (35%) felt that online pharmacies are convenient in terms of buying medicines and 41% of them said that they will consider buying medications from online pharmacies if they were sold at cheaper prices. However, only 9 (2%) respondents were aware of the official logo for legitimate and registered online pharmacies. Conclusions The survey results showed that members of the public, in Derbyshire, were not aware about the possibility of defective medicines or that they can report via the YCS. Furthermore, despite the growing acceptance of using online pharmacies to obtain medicines, participants were unable to identify legitimate pharmacies and therefore are vulnerable to the risk of purchasing defective medicines. This study recommends more public campaigns to increase awareness of YCS and the official online pharmacy logo.