Search

Within the micro and nano world, tiny membrane-enclosed bits of material are more or less free to move and act as communication tools within cells, between cells, between different tissues and between organisms in global environment. Based on the mechanism of membrane budding and vesiculation that includes all types of cells, in this review, we attempted to present a review on SARS-CoV-2 virus actions in compartments of different scales (cells and their surroundings, tissues, organisms and society). Interactions of the virus with cells on a molecular level, with neural system, endothelium, hematopoietic system, gastrointestinal system and genitourinary system. Transmission route between organisms and between mother and fetus are considered. Also, transmission of virus through contact with materials and with environment, the suggested measures to prevent contamination with the virus and to support the organism against the disease are given.

International audience; The fate of modern personal care products in the environment is becoming a matter of increasing concern because of the growing production and assortment of these compounds. More and more chemicals of this class are treated as emerging contaminants. Transformation of commercially available products in the environment may result in the formation of a wide array of their metabolites. Personal care products in swimming pools and in drinking water reservoirs may undergo oxidation or chlorination. There is much data on the formation of more toxic metabolites from original low toxicity commercial products. Therefore, reliable identification of all possible transformation products and a thorough study of their physicochemical and biological properties are of high priority. The present study deals with the identification of the products of the aquatic chlorination of the hexyl 2-[4-(diethylamino)-2-hydroxybenzoyl]-benzoate ultraviolet filter. High-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) and HPLC/MS/MS with accurate mass measurements were used for this purpose. As a result, three chlorinated transformation products were identified.

It is known that the multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) mechanism, mediated by the activity of membrane efflux transporters, represents a first line of defence in aquatic organisms exposed to environmental contaminants. MXR transporters prevent the cellular accumulation of potentially toxic xenobiotics by active export of parental or metabolised products of the contaminant out of the cell. There is a wide range of pesticides that act as chemosensitizers and inhibit MXR function with consequent increase of accumulated contaminants and their toxic effects inside an organism. The accumulation rate of a model MXR substrate, the fluorescent dye rhodamina B (RB), was used to investigate the MXR transport activity in aquatic amphipod G. fossarum and soil earthworm E. fetida stressed by neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid (IMI) and its transformation product 6- chloronicotinic acid (6CNA). In the case of amphipods this method showed a significant increase of RB accumulation in the presence of 6CNA at low concentrations, while IMI presented no significant inhibition compared to control. In addition, co-exposure of amphipods to IMI or 6CNA and the common fungicide copper sulphate resulted in a high cumulative inhibitory effect on MXR activity. In order to check modulatory effect of this pesticide on MXR activity in earthworms we exposed them to tenfold lower concentration of IMI and 6CNA (because higher concentrations were lethal). These concentrations did not exhibit inhibition of efflux pumps. Obtained data show the need for further investigation of neonicotinoid insecticides and its byproducts action as chemosensitizers since these effects may lead to increased toxicity of other present contaminants.

Application of calcium oxide resulted in the reduction of color, turbidity, suspended solids, ammonia and total amount of heavy metals in the landfill leachate. After addition of ferric chloride, removal efficiency of color, turbidity, suspended solids, ammonia and total amount of heavy metals increased. Removal of ammonia increased significantly after final adsorption onto clinoptilolite.

Three methods for the treatment of electroplating sludge highly loaded with zinc and iron were presented and compared: (1) Calcium oxide based solidification/stabilization ; (2) Conversion into inert material by adsorption of organic and inorganic pollutants onto activated carbon ; (3) Conversion of mobile components of the waste into insoluble phosphates. All three methods proved to be highly efficient in the conversion of hazardous waste into inert material.