Rinse Water Research Articles

Comparing Color Strength Results through Analysis of Rinse Water between Wool Dyed with Onion Skins and Mordants and Synthetic Dye

The textile industry is one of the biggest global polluters releasing chemicals into the air, land, and water. The majority of these emissions are due to the chemicals that enter the water stream from the textile dyeing process. While synthetic dye effluents are very hard to remove from the wastewater, natural dyes have a very minimal effect on the environment due to their biodegradability. One major issue that prevents the textile industry from using natural dyes is the differences in colorfastness between the synthetic dyes and natural dyes. Because of this, this study will evaluate if the use of a mordant before fiber dyeing could increase the colorfastness of a natural dye so that the use of natural dyes can be increased in the textile industry. Harvesting a dye from yellow onion skins has proved to be an attractive dye product not only due to its color performance but since it is a natural waste product, not interfering in the food supply chain. Dye from onion skins was compared to a synthetic dye counterpart, Rit brand dye. One wool sample was dyed with Rit, and three others with the onion dye without a mordant, and with lemon juice or iron ferrous sulfate as mordants. These samples were then washed until the rinse water became clear. The rinse water was then evaluated with a UV-visible spectrophotometer. The KubelkaMunk theory was used to solve for color strength of the rinse water or how much dye bled from the wool during washing. In conclusion the Rit dye and the onion dye with the lemon mordant performed better than the onion dyes without a mordant and with an iron mordant.

Probing the Affinity of Coronavirus with Contact Surfaces in Simulated Body Fluids.

Transmission of viral pathogens has raised serious public health concerns, but the affinity and strength of viruses adhering to high-touch surfaces are not clear. We systematically investigated the propensities of a coronavirus, Murine hepatitis virus A59 (MHV), adhering onto and releasing from four representative contact surfaces, silica, stainless steel, cellulose, and polystyrene, in simulated saliva and urine using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). We also quantified the interactions between MHV and contact surfaces using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Both initial adhesion rates and saturated adhesion mass of MHV were higher in urine buffer than in saliva buffer, which is attributed to the higher repulsions between the virus and surfaces in the presence of mucin. The maximum adhesion mass of MHV follows the order of stainless steel > silica > cellulose ≈ polystyrene in both urine and saliva buffers. Stainless steel and silica are surfaces with likely higher risks of virus contamination due to their highest maximum adhesion mass in both urine and saliva buffers and lower virus release percentages upon water rinse. The results of this study will provide insights into risk assessment and control of pathogens associated with contact surfaces.

Sustainable Water Use in a Fruit Processing Plant: Evaluation of Microbiological and Physicochemical Properties of Wash Water after Application of a Modular Water Recovery System

The reuse of wash water in the agri-food industry is in line with sustainability goals through the reduction of the water footprint. Depending on the production process and raw material type, wash waters may exhibit severe biological and physicochemical contamination. The use of traditional methods of chlorine disinfection of water may be linked to the formation of hazardous by-products. The recycling of contaminated water should be supported by the evaluation of physicochemical and microbiological parameters before and after application of a treatment to validate the process. This study aimed to assess physicochemical and microbiological properties of rinse water from a post-harvest processing plant before and after applying an innovative modular water treatment system. The test material was washing water after apple rinsing obtained from a post-harvest processing plant (Northern Poland). The water recovery system included a wash water tank, a sand pre-filter, an ultrafiltration system, and an ozonation tank. No microorganisms were found in the treated water. The physicochemical properties of the water were also improved: pH, conductivity, turbidity, ammonium ion, bromide, and nitrate content. The results indicate that rinse water from the fruit industry may be effectively purified using the tested purification system and reused in production processes.

High-pressure batch reverse osmosis (RO) for zero liquid discharge (ZLD) in a Cr(III) electroplating process

A batch RO system was designed and built for high-pressure (120 bar) operation. The system was developed for a ZLD application involving treatment of metal plating wastewater from a Cr(III) electroplating process at a major industrial plant. Hybrid semi-batch/batch operation enabled a compact design to be achieved. To maximize water recovery without exceeding a set peak pressure, a method for controlling the switch point between semi-batch and batch phases was developed. The system was tested with feed representative of rinse water from the electroplating process. A range of feed concentrations (at 10–20× dilution of the plating bath), feed flows (0.21–0.46 m3/h), water fluxes (6–14 LMH) and water recoveries (87–95.7 %) were investigated. The system successfully recovered Cr(III) and restored its concentration to that of the electrolyte bath, thus meeting the requirements for reuse in the electroplating process. Rejection of most species was >99.8 %, sufficient for reuse of the permeate as rinse. However, rejection of boric acid was only 69–80 % such that a second RO pass may be needed to remove boric acid. Specific Energy Consumption was <2.25 kWh per m3 of treated rinse water, representing a 50-fold saving compared to the current method of treatment and disposal at the industrial plant.

Comparing the Effects of Two Culture Methods to Determine the Total Heterotrophic Bacterial Colony Count in Hospital Purified Water

BackgroundAccurately detecting the quantity of microorganisms in hospital purified water is of significant importance for early identification of microbial contamination and reducing the occurrence of water-borne hospital infections. The choice of detection method is a prerequisite for ensuring accurate results. Traditional Plate Count Agar (PCA) belongs to a high-nutrient medium, and there may be limitations in terms of accuracy or sensitivity in detecting microorganisms in hospital purified water. On the other hand, Reasoner’s 2A agar (R2A) has characteristics, such as low-nutrient levels, low cultivation temperature, and extended incubation time, providing advantages in promoting the growth of aquatic microorganisms. This study, through comparing the differences in total colony counts between two detection methods, aims to select the method more suitable for the growth of aquatic microorganisms, offering new practical insights for accurately detecting the total count of heterotrophic bacteria in hospital purified water.MethodsThe most commonly used plate count agar (PCA) method, and the R2A agar culture were adopted to detect microorganisms and determine the total number of bacterial colonies in the water for oral diagnosis and treatment water and terminal rinse water for endoscopes in medical institutions. The two water samples were inoculated by pour plate and membrane filtration methods, respectively. Using statistical methods including Spearman and Pearson correlation, Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test, paired-Chi-square test, and linear regression, we analyze the differences and associations in the bacterial counts cultivated through two different methods.ResultsIn 142 specimens of the water, the median and interquartile range of the heterotrophic bacterial colony number under the R2A culture method and under the PCA culture method were 200 (Q1–Q3: 25–18,000) and 6 (Q1–Q3: 0–3700). The total number of heterotrophic bacteria colonies cultured in R2A medium for 7 days was more than that cultured in PCA medium for 2 days (P < 0.05). The linear regression results showed a relatively strong linear correlation between the number of colonies cultured by the R2A method and that cultured by the PCA method (R2 = 0.7264). The number of bacterial species detected on R2A agar medium is greater than that on PCA agar medium.ConclusionThe R2A culture method can better reflect the actual number of heterotrophic bacterial colonies in hospital purified water. After logarithmic transformation, the number of colonies cultured by the two methods showed a linear correlation.

Accelerated Fabrication of Fiber-Welded Mesoporous Cotton Composites.

Natural fiber-welded (NFW) biopolymer composites are rapidly garnering industrial and commercial attention in the textile sector, and a recent disclosure demonstrating the production of mesoporous NFW materials suggests a bright future as sorbents, filters, and nanoparticle scaffolds. A significant roadblock in the mass production of mesoporous NFW composites for research and development is their lengthy preparation time: 24 h of water rinses to remove the ionic liquid (IL) serving as a welding medium and then 72 h of solvent exchanges (polar to nonpolar), followed by oven drying to attain a mesoporous composite. In this work, the rinsing procedure is systematically truncated using the solution conductivity as a yardstick to monitor IL removal. The traditional water immersion rinses are replaced by a flow-through system (i.e., infinite dilution) using a peristaltic pump, reducing the required water rinse time for the maximum removal of IL to 30 min. This procedure also allows for easy in-line monitoring of solution conductivity and reclamation of an expensive welding solvent. Further, the organic solvent exchange is minimized to 10 min per solvent (from 24 h), resulting in a total combined rinse time of 1 h. This process acceleration reduces the overall solvent exposure time from 96 to 1 h, an almost 99% temporal improvement.

Carbohydrate Oral Rinsing, Cycling Performance and Individual Complex Carbohydrate Taste Sensitivity.

The aim of this pilot study was to determine the effect of individual complex carbohydrate taste sensitivity on cycling performance with complex carbohydrate oral rinsing. Ten male participants completed five cycling time trials in a fasted state with a seven-day washout period between each trial. Participants completed a fixed amount of work (738.45 ± 150.74 kJ) as fast as possible on a cycle ergometer while rinsing with an oral rinse for 10 s every 12.5% of the trial. An oral rinse (maltodextrin, oligofructose, glucose, sucralose or water control) was given per visit in a randomised, crossover, blinded design. Afterwards, participants had their taste assessed with three stimuli, complex carbohydrate (maltodextrin), sweet (glucose) and sour (citric acid), using taste assessment protocol to determine individual taste sensitivity status. Participants were subsequently grouped according to their complex carbohydrate taste sensitivity and complex carbohydrate taste intensity. There were no significant effects of the oral rinses on cycling performance time (p = 0.173). Participants who did not have improvements in exercise performance with the maltodextrin rinse experienced a stronger taste intensity with complex carbohydrate stimuli at baseline (p = 0.047) and overall (p = 0.047) than those who did have improvements in performance. Overall, a carbohydrate oral rinse was ineffective in significantly improving cycling performance in comparison with a water control. However, when participants were grouped according to complex carbohydrate taste intensity, differences in exercise performance suggest that individual sensitivity status to complex carbohydrates could impact the efficacy of a carbohydrate-based oral rinse.

Filtration for removal of microparticles in swimming pool water

Filtration is an effective method for removing particles larger than 10–15 µm in swimming pool water. However, the removal of smaller particles poses a significant challenge. Tests were conducted to improve the filter's performance. These tests included choice of filter cloth, long-term filtration operation, pre-coating with filter aids (Arbocel and Harbolite). As expected, the choice of filter cloth affects particle rejection, but other strategies can be employed to improve the process. During long-term operation, particle rejection continuously improved for all filter cloths, and after 30 min, 50 % of particles as small as 2 µm were removed. Since, the concentration of particles in swimming pool water is low, only part of the filter cloth is covered by particles even after 30 min. Higher particle rejection could also be achieved by recycling particles from the filter cloth or using filter aids. Additional particles have been removed from the filter cloth by rinsing the filter cloth with water followed by the recirculation of part of the rinse water or the coagulated rinse water. Higher particle removal can also be obtained by using filter aids, whereby it is possible to cover the entire surface of the filter. When using Harbolite as the pre-coat material, more than 80 % of the particles with a size of 2 µm or larger can be removed when 100 g Harbolit was used per m2 filter cloth.

Utilization of Tamarind Seeds Extract as a Natural and Sustainable Fabric Dye

This research focuses on the use of tannin components in tamarind seed coats as a mordant and natural dye in cotton fabrics. Tannins were extracted from the tamarind seed coat by boiling method and then the tannin content was determined. The tannin extract was then used as a natural mordant with the addition of metallic copper sulfate (CuSO4) mordant. Tannin extract is also used as a dye on fabrics with the addition of sodium sulfate (NaSO4). The color strength of the tannins in the fabric was analyzed using a spectrophotometer from the rinse water. The results showed that the cloth that had been given the mordant had a stronger color strength than the cloth without the mordant. The use of mordant was varied at concentrations of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25%-owf. The results of the analysis showed the most optimum tannin concentration at 15%-owf. The concentration of tannin used in the coloring process was also varied at concentrations of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25%-owf. The results of the analysis show that the concentration of tannin used in the dye does not affect the strength of the color, but only affects the brightness of this color.

RESEARCH ON THE RECOVERY OF RINSE WATER IN A MICROBREWERY

Background. Water usage during beer production is one of the highest in the food processing indus try. The dynamically growing microbrewery market requires the implementation of water recycling sys tems. The research investigated and presented the technology for the recovery of rinse water from the brewing industry. A case study examined the usage of water during the brewing and cleaning process in a small brewery. Moreover, an analysis of brewery rinse water before and after purifying was conducted. Results and conclusions. The purified water obtained had high technological values, including lower turbidity, reduced content of nitrates and over two-fold increased content of chlorides and met the re quirements for drinking-grade water. The implementation of the analyzed system may both provide finan cial benefits and ensure compliance with sustainable development trends initiated by the largest breweries. The design and features of the analyzed purifying system make it possible to use it commercially in the microbrewing industry.

First Report of Root Rot Caused by Fusarium oxysporum on Aralia elata in China.

Aralia elata (Miq.) Seem., is grown for its medicinal and nutritional properties in northeastern China. The tender shoots are used as wild vegetables. The plant saponin components have antioxidant and neuroprotective activities, and are used for the treatment of chronic disease (Xia et al. 2021). In July 2021, root rot disease was observed in five-year-old A. elata plants in Qingyuan County (41°91' N, 124°59' E), Liaoning Province, China. The incidence of roots rot was approximately 50% in old fields, with the leaves of the infected plants appearing chlorotic and wilting. The lesions on the taproots were dark brown and soft, with degraded internal organization. Leading edge of necrotic tissue from symptomatic roots was cut 5×5×3 mm, placed in 75% ethanol for 30 s, and then in 3% sodium hypochlorite for 2 min. After three rinses in sterile distilled water, the samples were dried on sterile filter paper before plating on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubation at 25℃. Monosporic cultures were obtained by the collection of single spores from individual isolates. After 7 days on PDA, mycelia in the colonies appeared cottony and pink, white, or purple in color, while their undersides were pink and white. Spore characteristics were evaluated after transfer to carnation leaf agar (CLA) and incubation for 20 days (Zhang et al. 2021). The macroconidia were falciform, slightly curved or straight, two to five septate, and 20.57 to 33.75 × 3.62 to 6.11 μm (n=40). The microconidia were ovoid or oval, zero to one septate, and 5.12 to 13.53 × 3.04 to 4.79 μm (n=40). Chlamydospores were globose to subglobose, intercalary or terminal, with an average diameter of 13.76 μm (n=40).To identify the pathogen, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, large subunit (LSU) ribosomal DNA, and translation elongation factor 1 alpha (TEF-1α) gene were amplified using the respective primer pairs ITS1/ITS4, LR0R/LR7, and EF1-728F/EF1-986R (Cheng et al. 2020; Fu et al. 2019). Comparisons with GenBank, the sequences of ITS, LSU, and TEF-1 had 99 to 100% homology with Fusarium oxysporum (accessions numbers- MH707084, OQ380519, and GU250609, respectively). The sequences were deposited in GenBank: OP482273 (ITS), OP491955 (LSU), and OP503498 (TEF-1α). Maximum likelihood phylogeny of the identified sequences using MEGA-X software indicated that the isolate represented F. oxysporum. The taproots of 30 one-year-old A. elata were washed and inoculated with 1×106/ml of the conidial suspension for two hours, and another 30 used as controls with sterile water. After planting in sterilized forest soil in flowerpots (36×30 cm), the plants were grown in a greenhouse for two weeks at 25℃ with 14 h of light. It was found that 50% of the roots showed typical root rot symptoms, while the controls were asymptomatic. The pathogenicity test was repeated three times, and reisolation of F. oxysporum from the roots fulfilled Koch's postulates. This is the first report of root rot in A. elata caused by F. oxysporum in China and indicates the necessity for suitable management strategies to protect A. elata production.

Reusable semi-IPN polymer networks as long-term antibacterial coatings.

The current study aimed to develop a reusable antibacterial coating that can be employed for efficient bacterial killing. We synthesized a water-soluble methacrylamide-based copolymer consisting of cationic and hydrophobic groups and coated it onto a glass surface through the formation of semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPN) of aminopropyl triethoxysilane and glutaraldehyde. The coated surface was exposed to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, where the surface exhibited rapid bacterial killing ability within 5-15 min. The substrates displayed a minimal loss of antibacterial activity even after two water rinse cycles. The coatings were able to kill both the bacterial strains even after 5 weeks, suggesting excellent longevity. The surfaces were stable after repeated wiping cycles with 70% IPA using Kim wipes and 5 min sonication in DI water as no bactericidal activity was lost. Thus, a sustainable antibacterial copolymer coating was developed, and it is stable and reusable against bacterial contamination and could be employed as a long-term antibacterial coating.

Treatment of Stainless Steel Rinse Waters Using Non-Dispersive Extraction and Strip Dispersion Membrane Technology.

The extraction of Fe(III), Cr(III), and Ni(II) from stainless steel rinse water using non-dispersive extraction and strip dispersion membrane technology was carried out in a microporous hydrophobic hollow-fibre module contactor. The fibres were of polypropylene, whereas the organic extractant DP8R (bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid) diluted in ExxsolD100 was used as the carrier phase. The rinse water containing the three elements was passed through the tube side, and the pseudo-emulsion formed by the organic phase of DP8R in Exxol D100 and an acidic strip solution were passed through the shell side in a counter-current operation; thus, a unique hollow fibre module was used for extraction and stripping. In non-dispersive extraction and strip dispersion technology, the stripping solution was dispersed into the organic membrane solution in a vessel with an adequate mixing device (impeller) designed to form strip dispersion. This pseudo-emulsion was circulated from the vessel to the membrane module to provide a constant supply of the organic phase to the membrane pores. Different hydrodynamic and chemical variables, such as variation in feed and pseudo-emulsion flow rates, strip phase composition, feed phase pH, and extractant concentration in the organic phase, were investigated. Mass transfer coefficients were estimated from the experimental data. It was possible to separate and concentrate the metals present in the rinse water using the non-dispersive extraction and strip dispersion technique.

Carbon/MnO2-x nanofibrous membrane for superior O/W emulsions purification with robust and comprehensive-fouling mitigation

Filtration membranes (FMs), with high separation efficiency, robust/comprehensive anti-fouling capacities, and highly anti-corrosive performance, are highly desirable for practical complex oil/water emulsions purification, but still a challenge unsolved. Herein, FM containing oxygen vacancy engineered MnO2-x nanolayer on the outer surface of carbon nanofibrous membrane has been fabricated to address this challenge. Given the existence of oxygen vacancy of the MnO2-x nanolayer, multiple functions have been realized simultaneously: (i) stronger water affinity than oils; (ii) robust anti-corrosion towards diverse corrosive media (e.g., 1M HCl, 1M NaOH, 10 wt % NaCl, N,N-dimethylformamide, and dimethyl sulfoxide); (iii) efficient degradation of organic dyes (methylene blue and rhodamine B) via photocatalytic process; (iv) comprehensive anti-fouling capacities for oils, organic dyes, bovine serum albumin, and humic acid . Consequently, our FM displays superior separation efficiencies (≥ 99.3 %) towards complex oil/water emulsions with high flux (the maximum: 41,557 ± 350 L m−2 h−1bar−1), robust and comprehensive anti-fouling capacity for different pollutants (e.g., oils, bovine serum albumin, humic acid, and organic dyes) via simple water rinse or photocatalytic degradation to 100 % recover permeation flux for 40 cycles. These outstanding functions make our FM with great potential in practically complex O/W emulsions treatments under harsh conditions.

A responsive viscosity sensing system with a flow channel based on a one-port resonator

Recently, more and more SAW sensors have been developed for viscosity sensing, bringing different ways of contacting the liquid with the device. It is important to choose a contact method that maximizes the performance of the device. Therefore, this paper describes the development of devices for detecting the viscosity of liquids and the evolution of fluid-device contact methods. And a responsive viscosity sensing system with a flow channel for real-time monitoring is developed in our work. The channel, made of polycarbonate, is responsible for regulating the flow direction and ensures that the sensing area covered by the liquid, the mass, and the morphology of the liquid load on the sensor are the same for each detection. Based on a one-port resonator, the sensor offers a faster response time, lower attenuation, and higher sensitivity of 38.6 kHz/ kg m−2 s−0.5. The real-time detection results also show that changes in flow rate do not affect resonant frequency. In addition, the sensor's frequency response to viscosity-density product has been conducted using glycerol solution to get a standard curve. Then the viscosity of the rinse water can be accessible by the frequency response. For the first time, the rinse solution directly from the washing machine is used to measure the residual detergent concentration. The residual concentrations of detergent in the first and second rinse solutions are 23 ppm and 6 ppm, respectively. The system is more convenient, more responsive, and more accurate.

First Report of Diaporthe fruit rot and stem canker of hydroponic cucumber caused by Diaporthe sp. in the United States.

Multiple Diaporthe spp. cause root and fruit rots or stem lesions on Cucumis spp.: D. cucurbitae, D. melonis, D. longicolla (syn. D. eres), D. pterocarpi, D. sclerotioides, D. sojae, and D. ueckerae (Broge et al. 2020; Fukada et al. 2018; Udayanga et al. 2012, 2015). From May-August 2021, cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) 'Katrina' and 'Alcazar' were grown in a 24-plant, commercial Bato bucket system with rockwool blocks on a perlite substrate in a research greenhouse in Wooster, Ohio. At maturity, plants collapsed rapidly from stem lesions without foliar chlorosis (25% of 'Katrina' and 17% of 'Alcazar'). Lesions were 7.5 to 15 cm in length, tan to golden-brown with black pycnidia and located 5 to 15 cm above the crown. Stems shredded easily with vascular discoloration around the lesion. Two identical fungal strains were isolated on ½ acidified potato dextrose agar (APDA) following surface disinfestation with 0.6% sodium hypochlorite for 30 s and sterile water rinse. Fungal cultures were floccose, white to tan mycelia with pycnidia. Oblong, elliptical, biguttulate, aseptate alpha conidia were observed with mean dimensions: 8.0 µm (5.2-9.8 µm) by 3.1 µm (2.5-3.8 µm) on ½ APDA and 9.8 µm (6.6-12.4 µm) by 3.0 µm (1.9-5.3 µm) on petioles. On prune extract agar, beta conidia mean dimensions were: 19.7 µm (12.0-27.7 µm) by 1.2 µm (0.8-1.8 µm). Fungal DNA was amplified and sequenced bidirectionally with ITS (ITS4/ITS5), CAL (CAL228F/737R), HIS (CYLH3F/H3-1B), TEF1 (EF1-728f/EF1-986R), and TUB2 (Bt1a/Bt1b) primers (Carbone and Kohn 1999; Glass and Donaldson 1995) (GenBank: OP265712-13, OP288460-65, OQ418506-07). Based on a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of concatenated genes, this novel Diaporthe sp., most closely related to D. stewartii, has not been reported on Cucumis spp. Strains were deposited in the USDA-ARS Culture Collection (NRRL# 64461-62). Koch's postulates were conducted in a greenhouse with mean day temperature of 25°C and 12 hr supplemental lighting. One-month old cucumbers 'Katrina,' grown in rockwool cubes (5 plants per isolate) and potting mix (6 plants per isolate), were inoculated with a one-week-old culture of either strain. The second true leaf was cut and a pipette tip containing an inoculated plug of ½ APDA was placed on the remaining petiole (Mathew et al. 2018). Non-inoculated ½ APDA was used for controls. Plants were tarped for 24 hours to increase humidity and pipette tips removed after one week. After two weeks, petioles were shrunken, tan to golden brown with pycnidia. After 3-4 weeks, stem lesions matching those above were observed on inoculated plants, and plants collapsed. For fruit rot, three Beit Alpha cucumbers were rinsed with tap water, dried, a 5 mm plug was removed from the fruit and replaced with a 5 mm plug of one-week-old fungus on ½ APDA. After 3 days, fruits were water soaked and soft. For root rot, two plates of one-week-old cultures were macerated in 500 mL of sterile water and mixed with 1500 mL of vermiculite. Two seeds of cucumber 'Katrina' were planted into three reps of each isolate and control. All control seeds germinated, but all inoculated seeds experienced pre- or post-emergence damping off. No symptoms were ever observed on any controls. Fungi were isolated from all inoculated tissues as described above. Based on morphology, Diaporthe sp. was isolated from all inoculated plants but never from controls. This Diaporthe sp. may be a new constraint to hydroponic cucumber production, but incidence needs to be determined globally.

First Report of Strawberry Black Root Rot Caused by Globisporangium sylvaticum in Tennessee, USA.

Globisporangium sylvaticum (syn. Pythium sylvaticum), is an oomycete that causes root rot and damping off of field crops, ornamentals, and vegetables. Several species in Pythiaceae are associated with black root rot of strawberry [(Fragaria × ananassa) Duchesne] (Millner 2006). Mature, stunted 'Chandler' strawberry plants, with reduced shoot vigor and black necrotic roots, were collected from Rhea County (June 2018) and Cumberland County, TN (May 2019). Aboveground symptoms occurred in low incidence (<5% of plants) in the fields. Plant roots were rinsed with tap water, cut into 1 to 3 cm pieces, and surface-disinfested (70% ethanol, 1 min) followed by a sterile water rinse. Root segments were crushed, placed on 20% V8 juice agar, and incubated in the dark at 21°C for 3 days. White fluffy mycelia grew from a majority of roots and coenocytic hyphae with globose hyphal swellings, delimited from hyphae by septa, were observed with microscopy. Hyphae were initially branched, curled, hyaline, and aseptate; however, septations were observed in older cultures. Globose structures (terminal and intercalary) were identified as sporangia [11 to 32 (avg. 22.1) µm diameter] when zoospores were observed (Parikh et al. 2022). Oospores [9 to 21 (avg. 16) μm diameter] were globose, smooth, aplerotic, and thick-walled. Oogonia, with or without one or more inflated antheridia, were observed when isolates were paired in culture, characteristics consistent with descriptions of Campbell and Hendrix (1967), Pratt and Green (1971), van der Plaats-Niterink (1981), and Uzuhashi et al. (2010). Genomic DNA was extracted (Extract-N-Amp™; Sigma-Aldrich, MO) for PCR amplification of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA with primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990); ITS and large subunit rRNA regions with primers UN-up18S42/UN-lo28S22 (Robideau et al. 2011); and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) mitochondrial DNA with primers OomCoxI-Levup/OomCoxI-Levlo (Robideau et al. 2011). Primers ITS1/ITS4 were used to amplify isolate TN (GenBank Accession MW386310, which had 100% homology with reference isolate MK326528). Primers UN-up18S42/UN-lo28S22 amplified isolates SAP18 and OO1 (Accessions MZ881935 and MZ881936, which had 99.8% homology with HQ665236), and COI primers amplified isolate SAP18 (Accession OK020192, which had 100% homology with GU071816 and KT692835). To satisfy Koch's postulates, inoculum of G. sylvaticum grown on autoclaved wheat seeds was added (5% w/v) to planting mix (1 peat:1 sand, v/v). Young, rooted strawberry plants were planted in 1.2-L pots with infested (n = 6) and control (no pathogen, n = 6) mixes, which was saturated with deionized water. Pots were covered with clear plastic for 48 h to maintain high humidity. Plants were grown in a greenhouse (24°C avg.) for 8 weeks. The disease assay was repeated. All plants in infested mix died, with black, necrotic roots. Plants in the control mix were healthy and well-established. The pathogen was reisolated from roots of all inoculated plants and confirmed to be G. sylvaticum based on morphology and molecular analyses. Root disease of strawberry caused by G. sylvaticum has been reported in the USA (Campbell and Hendrix 1967; Nemec and Sanders 1970; Pratt and Green 1971). This is the first report of G. sylvaticum causing root rot of strawberry in Tennessee. With the loss of methyl bromide, sustainable disease control strategies are needed to provide effective management options for strawberry black root rot.

Improvement of Fingering-Induced Pattern Collapse by Adjusting Chemical Mixing Procedure

Pattern collapse, also as known as leaning, has become one of the most common and challengeable defects in semiconductor manufacturing process due to device shrinkage. In single wafer wet cleaning, Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) rinse is widely used after Deionized Water (DIW) rinse. Fingering instabilities are observed at the mixing boundary of IPA and DIW, where dry spots are formed due to unbalanced capillary force amid patterns. Unlike previous DRAM devices, we have found that recent 1x-nm DRAM devices have become more vulnerable to pattern collapse induced by dry spots related to fingering instability. In this paper, we examine factors and phenomenon related to fingering-induced leaning through both experiments and simulation analysis. In addition, we also propose improved rinsing methods which could prevent fingering and related pattern collapse by adjusting nozzle configurations (i.e. speed, flow rate and etc.).

Enhancing the efficacy of peracetic acid against Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua on fresh apples using commercial acidic and alkaline cleaners

Peracetic acid (PAA) is a commonly used antimicrobial in brush-bed spray bar interventions during apple packing. Prior to sanitizer application on the brush-bed, specific fruit cleaners, such as Acidex Duo (AD), EpiClean (EC), Nature's Shield 220-ACL (NS 220), or Nature's Shield 330-ALK (NS 330), are used to remove of soil, debris, and natural wax from the surfaces of apples. This study evaluated the effectiveness of commonly used cleaners in the apple industry to improve the antimicrobial efficacy of PAA against Listeria monocytogenes on apple surfaces during brush-bed spray bar interventions. Granny Smith apples, 48 h post-inoculation, underwent submersion treatment with different cleaners, as well as PAA alone or in combination with the cleaners. A 30-sec treatment of 5.0% AD, 4.2% EC, 10.0% NS 220, and 10.0% NS 330 resulted in 0.65, 0.50, 0.68, and 0.51 log10 CFU/apple reduction of L. monocytogenes on apples, respectively. Incorporating AD, NS 220, and EC significantly enhanced the antimicrobial efficacy of an 80 ppm PAA intervention. The enhancing effects were not impacted whether the cleaner was applied consecutively with PAA (sequentially) or in combination with PAA (simultaneously), nor were they impacted by a post-treatment water rinse. A 30–120 s wash of 80 ppm PAA with AD, EC, and NS 220 at their suggested concentration resulted in 2.46–2.55, 1.87–2.03, and 2.34–2.48 log10 CFU/apple reduction of L. monocytogenes, respectively, compared to 1.39–1.64 log10 CFU/apple in PAA treatment alone. The inclusion of AD or NS 220 in 80 ppm PAA solution resulted in a reduction of 1.51–1.63 log10 CFU/apple of Listeria after 30–60 s brush-bed spray wash. This enhancement in efficacy was significant compared to the treatment with 80 ppm PAA alone, which resulted in a reduction of 0.94–1.03 log10 CFU/apple. This study demonstrated that using certain commercially available cleaners along with PAA can enhance the effectiveness of PAA in reducing L. monocytogenes on fresh apples.

Estimate of the maximum amount of dust adhering to skin and the upper limit of dust-skin adherence factor for young adults: An example from Changchun, China

Contaminants present in dust adhering to the skin can pose a significant risk to human health through dermal absorption and hand-to-mouth contact. The adhesion capacity of dust differs significantly from that of soil due to its physicochemical properties. Therefore, applying the raw soil exposure parameters to estimate the health risks associated with dermal exposure to dust may lead to erroneous conclusions. In this study, we quantified the maximum amount of dust that adhered to the skin (MADmax) and the upper limit of dust-skin adherence factor (DSAFmax) in 26 adults using element markers as a proxy for dust. The volunteers were exposed to dust and rinse water samples were collected from their hands, forearms, lower legs, and feet. We analyzed both the raw dust samples and the rinse water samples for 11 element markers, including Be, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Ba, and Pb. The results showed that the MADmax of indoor dust and outdoor dust increased by 0.08–0.62 mg and 0.33–0.56 mg following a 1 cm2 increase in skin surface area, respectively. Based on best dust element markers, the body part-weighted dust-skin adherences (WDSAFmaxs) of indoor dust and outdoor dust were 0.35 and 0.64 mg/cm2, respectively. A smaller particle size and higher moisture content resulted in a larger DSAFmax. Only when indoor dust concentrations exceed 24.2 mg/m3 or outdoor dust concentrations exceed 44.3 mg/m3, can the WDSAFmax be applied directly in the health risk assessment of dermal exposure to dust. The method from this study can be re-applied in different regions, and the adherence data can help to improve future studies on the health effects of dermal exposure to dust.