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Micropterus salmoides rhabdovirus (MSRV) is a significant pathogen that causes high morbidity and mortality in largemouth bass, leading to enormous economic losses for largemouth bass aquaculture in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of four disinfectants (potassium permanganate, glutaraldehyde, trichloroisocyanuric acid and povidone iodine) on MSRV, to control the infection and transmission of MSRV in largemouth bass aquaculture. The disinfectants were tested at different concentrations (5, 25, 50, 100 and 500 mg/L) prepared with distilled water for 30 min contact time, and the viral nucleic acid was quantified using qPCR and the infectivity was tested by challenge experiment. Potassium permanganate at 5–500 mg/L, glutaraldehyde at 500 mg/L, trichloroisocyanuric acid at 50–500 mg/L and povidone iodine at 500 mg/L concentration could effectively decrease the virus nucleic acid, and the survival rate of largemouth bass juveniles after challenge experiment increased significantly from 3.7% ± 6.41% to 33.33 ± 11.11% – 100%. Moreover, the minimum effective time of 5 mg/L potassium permanganate was further studied at 2, 5, 10 and 20 min contact time. The viral nucleic acid decreased significantly at 5–20 min exposure time, and the survival rate increased significantly from 7.41% ± 6.41% to 77.78 ± 11.11% – 100%. The median lethal concentration (LC50) values of potassium permanganate were 10.64, 6.92 and 3.7 mg/L at 24, 48 and 96 h, respectively. Potassium permanganate could be used for the control of MSRV in the cultivation process; the recommended concentration is 5 mg/L and application time should be less than 24 h. The results could be applied to provide a method to control the infection and transmission of MSRV in water, and improve the health status of largemouth bass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Experimental studies have shown that disinfection byproducts (DBPs) including haloacetic acids (HAAs) can cause liver toxicity, but evidence linking this association in humans is sparse. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore the associations between HAA exposures and liver injury. METHODS: We included 922 women between December 2018 and January 2020 from the Tongji Reproductive and Environmental (TREE) cohort study in Wuhan, China. Urinary HAA concentrations including trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) and dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) and serum indicators of liver function, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) were measured. Liver injury was defined as if any of serum indicator levels were above the 90th percentile. Multivariate logistic and linear regression models were fitted to assess the associations of urinary HAA concentrations with the risk of liver injury and liver function indicators. Stratified analyses by age, body mass index (BMI), alcohol use, and passive smoking were also applied to evaluate the potential effect modifiers. RESULTS: There is little evidence of associations of urinary TCAA concentrations with liver injury risk and liver function indicators. However, urinary DCAA concentrations were associated with a higher risk of liver injury [odds ratios (OR) for 1-interquartile range (IQR) increase in natural log (ln) transformed DCAA concentrations: 1.45; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07, 1.98]. This association was observed only among nondrinkers (푝interaction =0.058). We also found that a 1-IQR increase in ln-transformed DCAA concentrations was positively associated with ALT levels (percentage change =6.06%; 95% CI: 0.48%, 11.95%) and negatively associated with AST/ALT (percentage change= -4.48%; 95% CI: -7.80%, -1.04%). In addition, urinary DCAA concentrations in relation to higher GGT levels was observed only among passive smokers (푝interaction =0.040). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that exposure to DCAA but not TCAA is associated with liver injury among women undergoing assisted reproductive technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to explore the epidemiological characteristics and potential preventive strategies of alcohol burns. In this five-year, retrospective study, 163 patients with alcohol burns (admitted from 1 January 2015 to 31 May 2020 were included. There was a male-to-female ratio of 1.1:1, a mean age of 34.1±16.8 years, and a mean burn size of 13.3±13.7% total body surface area (TBSA). The number of patients with alcohol burns was similar year by year during the five-year period. Just over half of patients (n=84, 51.5%) sustained a third-degree burn injury, which was significantly associated with a longer hospital stay and the need for surgery. The most prevalent aetiology was cupping (n=49, 29.5%), followed by cooking hotpot (n=37, 22.7%). Of the patients, seven (4.29%) sustained injuries during experiments at school and one patient sustained injury when using alcohol spray for disinfection against COVID-19. The incidence of facial burn injury (n=105, 64.4%) was significantly higher than previously reported data (33.2%). The result of the study showed that cupping and hotpot were the main causes of alcohol burns in Beijing, which should be taken into consideration for prevention. It is necessary to strengthen safety management of classes at school where experiments are undertaken and to educate the general public on the proper means of disinfecting against COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chlorine radical (Cl) plays a crucial role in the formation of secondary air pollutants by determining the total atmospheric oxidative capacity (AOC). However, there are still large discrepancies among studies on chlorine chemistry, mainly due to uncertainties from three aspects: (a) Anthropogenic emissions of reactive chlorine species from disinfectant usage are typically overlooked. (b) The heterogeneous reaction uptake coefficients used in air quality models resulted in certain differences. (c) The co‐effect of anthropogenic and natural emissions is rarely investigated. In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)‐Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system (updated with 21 new reactions and a comprehensive emissions inventory) was used to simulate the combined impact of chlorine emissions on the air quality of a coastal city cluster in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region. The results indicate that the new emissions of reactive chlorine and the updated gas‐phase and heterogeneous chlorine chemistry can significantly enhance the AOC by 21.3%, 8.7%, 43.3%, and 58.7% in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. This is more evident in inland areas with high Cl concentrations. Our updates to the chlorine chemistry also increases the monthly mean maximum daily 8‐hr average (MDA 8) O3 mixing ratio by 4.1–7.0 ppbv in different seasons. Additionally, chlorine chemistry promotes the formation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), with maximum monthly average enhancements of 4.7–13.3 μg/m3 in different seasons. This study underlines the significance of adding full chlorine emissions and updating chlorine chemistry in air quality models, and demonstrates that chlorine chemistry may significantly impact air quality over coastal regions. Plain Language Summary: The chlorine radical (Cl) plays an important role in the formation of air pollutants such as fine particulate matter and ozone. To better understand its influence, we made significant updates to chlorine chemistry in the widely used chemical transport model Weather Research and Forecasting‐Community Multiscale Air Quality (WRF‐CMAQ). These updates included the addition of 21 new reactions: 13 gas phase and eight heterogeneous reactions. Additionally, we introduced new emissions sources of Cl2 and HOCl resulting from the use of chlorine disinfectants. The impact of reactive chlorine emissions from both anthropogenic sources and sea salt on air quality over a coastal city cluster in the Yangtze River Delta was investigated. These results suggest that chlorine affects the atmospheric oxidation capacity, consequently affecting the formation of ozone and fine particulate matter, especially during autumn and winter. Its impact in inland areas is more significant than that in coastal areas owing to intense anthropogenic emissions. Key Points: The impact of new chlorine emissions from disinfectant usage in the Weather Research and Forecasting‐Community Multiscale Air Quality (WRF‐CMAQ) model was evaluated against observations in the Yangtze River DeltaThe Cl chemistry of WRF‐CMAQ was updated by adding 21 new reactions, including 13 gas‐phase and eight heterogeneous reactionsChlorine chemistry has different impacts on O3 and PM2.5 in different seasons, with higher impacts found in autumn and winter [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chlorhexidine (CHG) is a disinfectant commonly used in hospitals. However, it has been reported that the excessive use of CHG can cause resistance in bacteria to this agent and even to other clinical antibiotics. Therefore, new methods are needed to alleviate the development of CHG tolerance and reduce its dosage. This study aimed to explore the synergistic effects of CHG in combination with bacteriophage against CHG-tolerant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and provide ideas for optimizing disinfection strategies in clinical environments as well as for the efficient use of disinfectants. Methods: The CHG-tolerant P. aeruginosa strains were isolated from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in China. The bacteriophage vB3530 was isolated from the sewage inlet of the hospital, and its genome was sequenced. Time-killing curve was used to determine the antibacterial effects of vB3530 and chlorohexidine gluconate (CHG). The phage sensitivity to 16 CHG-tolerant P. aeruginosa strains and PAO1 strain was detected using plaque assay. The emergence rate of resistant bacterial strains was detected to determine the development of phage-resistant and CHG-tolerant strains. Finally, the disinfection effects of the disinfectant and phage combination on the surface of the medical devices were preliminarily evaluated. Results: The results showed that (1) CHG combined with bacteriophage vB3530 significantly inhibited the growth of CHG-resistant P. aeruginosa and reduced the bacterial colony forming units (CFUs) after 24 h. (2) The combination of CHG and bacteriophage inhibited the emergence of phage-resistant and CHG-tolerant strains. (3) The combination of CHG and bacteriophage significantly reduced the bacterial load on the surface of medical devices. Conclusions: In this study, the combination of bacteriophage vB3530 and CHG presented a combined inactivation effect to CHG-tolerant P. aeruginosa and reduced the emergence of strains resistant to CHG and phage. This study demonstrated the potential of bacteriophage as adjuvants to traditional disinfectants. The use of bacteriophage in combination with commercial disinfectants might be a promising method for controlling the spread of bacteria in hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) flowers will compete with tea leaves in nutrition and are abandoned as an undesirable by-product. In this study, the biological efficacy of tea flowers was investigated. Further exploration of its antifungal activity was explained. Methods: Tea flowers harvested from China were characterized in term of component, antioxidant ability, tyrosinase inhibition, and antifungal ability. Chemical compounds of tea flowers were analyzed by LC-MS. Disinfectant compounds were identified in tea flowers, and 2-ketobutyric acid exhibited antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavusCCTCC AF 2023038. The antifungal mechanism of 2-ketobutyric acid was further investigated by RNA-seq. Results: Water-soluble tea flower extracts (TFEs) exhibited free radical scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2, 2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)(ABTS) as well as a high ferric-reducing ability. However, no inhibition of tyrosinase activity was observed. In the antifungal test, 6.4 mg/mL TFE reached 71.5% antifungal rate and the electrical conductivity of the culture broth increased with increasing concentration of TFE, implying that it damaged the fungal cell membrane by the TFE. Several disinfectants were identified in TFE by LC-MS, and 2-ketobutyric acid was also confirmed to be capable of fungal inhibition. Propidium iodide (PI) staining indicated that 2-ketobutyric acid caused damage to the cell membrane. RNA-seq analysis revealed that 3,808 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found in A. flavus CCTCC AF 2023038 treated by 2-ketobutyric acid, and more than 1,000 DEGs involved in the integral and intrinsic component of membrane were affected. Moreover, 2-ketobutyric acid downregulated aflatoxin biosynthesis genes and decreased the aflatoxin production. Conclusions: Overall, TFE exhibited excellent antioxidant ability and fungal inhibition against A. flavus CCTCC AF 2023038 due to its abundant disinfectant compounds. As a recognized food additive, 2-ketobutyric acid is safe to use in the food industry and can be utilized as the basis for the research and development of strong fungicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonstandard use of disinfectants can lead to the disinfectant resistance of bacteria and even increase antibiotic resistance. However, compared with the study of antibiotic resistance, studies of bacterial resistance to disinfectants are relatively few in number. In this study, we explored the standard strain screening procedure for the evaluation of disinfection efficacy. Staphylococcus aureus strains with different sources and substrates were selected from the National Pathogen Resource Center of China and screened the standard strains that could evaluate the long-term bacteriostatic effect of the chlorine-containing disinfectants through the determination of the physical properties, genome-based safety evaluation, and disinfection test evaluation. In this process, one S. aureus strain was more resistant to the long-term bacteriostasis of chlorine-containing disinfectants than the other strains. This strain and the standard strain ATCC 6538 were cultured in the medium containing a low concentration of chlorine-containing disinfectant synchronously. Then, comparative transcriptome analysis was carried out to investigate the potential mechanism of a high tolerance to chlorine-containing disinfectants. The pathway of significant differential expression is related to the oxocarboxylic acid metabolic mechanism, amino acid metabolic mechanism, and pyrimidine mechanism, which may be the molecular mechanism of S. aureus evolution to adapt to chlorine-containing disinfectants. Our study established a technical process for screening and evaluating standard strains for disinfection, which also provided a reference for studying the bacterial evolution mechanism toward chlorine tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how communications between regulators and firms through comment letters affect the outcomes of large mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in China. Unlike the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which uses comment letters to improve the accuracy of the measurement of deals, Chinese regulators worry about controlling shareholders' self-dealing and use real-time comment letters to expose suspicious deal specifics and to create pressure for controlling shareholders to back down. I find that the Chinese stock exchanges issue more severe comment letters on deal filings that indicate controlling shareholders' expropriation of minority shareholders. More severe comment letters are associated with a lower market response to the receipt of letters, predict a higher probability of voluntary deal cancellation by management, and indirectly increase the probability of deal withdrawal and lengthen the processing time for equity-funded deals by affecting the approving body's scrutiny level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: During several local COVID‐19 outbreaks in China in 2020, SARS‐CoV‐2 or its RNA was isolated or detected from frozen food or packages, revealing the lack of effective disinfection measures in the frozen food chain and risk of transmission. We explored the possibility that disinfectant plus antifreeze could be delivered as thermal fog to realize effective disinfection at subzero temperatures. Methods and Results: We selected two disinfectant‐antifreeze combinations, didecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (DDAB) – propylene glycol (PPG) and peracetic acid (PAA) – triethylene glycol (TEG), and each combination is used with a custom‐optimized thermal fogging machine. The two fogs were tested in −20°C freezer warehouses for their disinfection efficacy against a coronavirus porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) field strain, a swine influenza virus (SIV) field strain, and three indicator bacteria, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis endospores. At −20°C, the DDAB‐PPG or PAA‐TEG thermal fogs settle within 3.5 to 4.5 h and effectively inactivated PEDV with median tissue culture infective dose of 10−3.5 0.1 ml−1 and SIV‐H1N1 with hemagglutination titre of 26 ml−1 within 15–60 min. DDAB‐PPG could inactivate S. aureus and E. coli vegetative cells (106 cfu ml−1) within 15–60 min but not effective on B. subtilis spores, while PAA‐TEG could disinfect B. subtilis spores more effectively than for S. aureus and E. coli. Conclusions: We showed that a practical subzero temperature disinfection technology was effective in killing enveloped viruses and vegetative bacteria or bacterial spores. DDAB‐PPG or PAA‐TEG thermal fogging may be a practical technology for cold‐chain disinfection. Significance and Impact of the Study: This subzero temperature disinfection technology could help to meet the urgent public health need of environmental disinfection in frozen food logistics against pandemic and other potential pathogens and to enhance national and international biosecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the socio-economic burden imposed on the Chinese healthcare system during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A cross-sectional study was used to investigate how COVID-19 impacted health and medical costs in China. Data were derived from a subdivision of the Centers for Disease control and Prevention of China. We prospectively collected information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the designated hospitals to determine the cost of public health care and hospitalisation due to COVID-19. We estimated the resource use and direct medical costs associated with public health. The average costs, per case, for specimen collection and nucleic acid testing (NAT [specifically, polymerase chain reaction {PCR}]) in low-risk populations were $29.49 and $53.44, respectively; however, the average cost of NAT in high-risk populations was $297.94 per capita. The average costs per 1000 population for epidemiological surveys, disinfectant, health education and centralised isolation were $49.54, $247.01, $90.22 and $543.72, respectively. A single hospitalisation for COVID-19 in China cost a median of $2158.06 ($1961.13-$2325.65) in direct medical costs incurred only during hospitalisation, whereas the total costs associated with hospitalisation of patients with COVID-19 were estimated to have reached nearly $373.20 million in China as of 20, May, 2020. The cost of public health care associated with COVID-19 as of 20, May, 2020 ($6.83 billion) was 18.31 times that of hospitalisation. This study highlights the magnitude of resources needed to treat patients with COVID-19 and control the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health measures implemented by the Chinese government have been valuable in reducing the infection rate and may be cost-effective ways to control emerging infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Establishment of scientific disinfection measures in domestic poultry farms and live-poultry markets (LPMs) are critical to prevent the spread of H7N9 subtype avian influenza that outbreaks in poultry and infection in humans. The current study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of four common disinfectants to inactivate H7N9 subtype avian influenza virus (AIV). Methods: According to the disinfection technical specification, the average inactivation logarithmic values of four disinfectants against the epidemic H7N9 subtype AIV, including deciquam solution, glutaral and benzalkonium bromide solution, sodium dichloroisocyanurate powder, and peroxyacetic acid solution, were systematically evaluated. Result: Our data showed that incubation of 0.005% (w/v) deciquam solution for 30 min contact time, or 0.05% (v/v) glutaral and benzalkonium bromide solution for 10 min, or 0.24 g/L sodium dichloroisocyanurate powder for 30 min, or 0.05% (v/v) peroxyacetic acid solution for 10 min, can completely inactivate H7N9 subtype AIV. These results suggested that glutaral and benzalkonium bromide solution as well as peroxyacetic acid solution at recommended concentrations can be effectively used to cut off the spread of H7N9 subtype AIV in poultry farms and LPMs, however, deciquam solution and sodium dichloroisocyanurate powder need to increase their working concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections have become a global health threat. Controlling CRE transmission in hospitals is increasingly dependent on the use of disinfectants to restrict the risk of infection. Here, the susceptibility of patient-derived carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and Escherichia coli (CREC) strains against three common disinfectants and the determinants of resistance to disinfectants were investigated.Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of three common chemical disinfectants: chlorhexidine, trichloroisocyanuric (TCCA) acid and Povidone iodine (PVP-I) against 50 CRE strains were measured. The drug-resistance genes -qacEΔ1, qacA/B and cepA-were determined using polymerase chain reaction.Results: A total of 36 CRKP and 14 CREC strains were collected in our hospital from 2016 to 2018. The MIC ranges of 36 CRKP strains against chlorhexidine, TCCA and PVP-I were 8~512 mg/L, 64~128 mg/L and 8~128 mg/L, respectively. For 14 CREC strains, the MIC ranges against chlorhexidine, TCCA and PVP-I were 4~128 mg/L, 64~128 mg/L and 4~128 mg/L, respectively. Moreover, against chlorhexidine and PVP-I, the MIC90 of 36 CRKP strains was higher than that of 50 CSKP strains. The qacE△1 gene was detected in 15 isolates among 36 CRKP strains (41.7%), and 8 isolates among 14 CREC strains (57.1%); while the qacA/B gene was not detected. Specifically, the cepA gene was much more prevalent than the qacEΔ1; it reached over 80% among CRKP strains. Compared to the CSKP strains, the presence of the qacEΔ1 and cepA genes was significantly higher among the CRKP strains (p < 0.05).Conclusion: CRE strains collected from patients in our hospital exhibit various degree of resistance to the commonly used chemical disinfectants. It is of great help to keep monitoring the tendency of the reduced susceptibility of the pan-resistant strains against disinfectants, in order to effectively control and prevent the spread of the super resistant bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regularity of menstrual cycles is one of the important indicators of female reproductive health. However, the current evidence on the association of occupational exposures and menstrual disorders is scarce. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between occupational hazards and menstrual characteristics in female nurses and non-nurse health care workers in China. We conducted a national cross-sectional study on the reproductive health of female nurses in China. A total of 1, 300 medical institutions in 15 provincial administrative regions in China participated in the study. There were 8, 904 nurses and 3, 977 non-nurse health care workers who were selected using simple random sampling method. All participants were administered a face-to-face standardized questionnaire, including personal socio-demographic information, occupational activities, and self-reported menstrual characteristics. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used for statistical analyses. The results demonstrated that 41% of nurses experienced menstrual disorders. We found handling disinfectants was the most significant risk factor for menstrual disorders (OR = 1.53, 95% CI : 1.39–1.68), followed by abnormal workload (OR = 1.28, 95% CI : 1.19–1.39), and occupation as a nurse (OR = 1.28, 95% CI : 1.18–1.40). Noise, prolonged standing or frequent heavy lifting, night work, anti-cancer drug exposure, and overtime work were moderately associated with the occurrence of menstrual disorder (OR > 1). This national-wide cross-sectional study has revealed the significant association between menstrual disorders and occupational hazards among female nurses in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, qPCR was used to quantify opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs) and free-living amoebae in 11 tap water samples collected over four seasons from a city in northern China. Results demonstrated that the average numbers of gene copies of Legionella spp. and Mycobacterium spp. were significantly higher than those of Aeromonas spp. (p < 0.05). Legionella spp. and Mycobacterium spp. were 100% (44/44) positively detected while P. aeruginosa and Aeromonas spp. were 79.54% (35/44) and 77.27% (34/44) positively detected. Legionella pneumophila was only detected in 4 samples (4/44), demonstrating its occasional occurrence. No Mycobacterium avium or Naegleria fowleri was detected in any of the samples. The average gene copy numbers of target OPPPs were the highest in summer, suggesting seasonal prevalence of OPPPs. Average gene copy numbers of OPPPs in the taps of low-use-frequency were higher than in taps of high-use-frequency, but the difference was not significant for some OPPPs (p > 0.05). Moderate negative correlations between the chlorine concentration and the gene copy numbers of OPPPs were observed by Spearman analysis (r s ranged from − 0.311 to − 0.710, p < 0.05). However, no significant correlations existed between OPPPs and AOC, BDOC, or turbidity. Moderate positive correlations were observed between the target microorganisms, especially for Acanthamoeba spp., through Spearman analysis (p < 0.05). Based on our studies, it is proposed that disinfectant concentration, season, taps with different-use frequency, OPPP species, and potential microbial correlations should be considered for control of OPPPs in tap water. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A sub-catchment of the Haihe River basin goes through the Beijing-Tianjin region with a population of 26 million, therefore, the use and release of home and personal care product ingredients (HPCPs) to the river catchment could be potentially substantial. Many HPCPs have been shown to be toxic to human and animals. So, it is essential to know the exposure level of HPCPs in the river basin. The average concentrations of five preservatives, three disinfectants and an antioxidant were found to be 398, 352 and 77.7 ng L−1, respectively, in the dry season. The chemical concentrations in the effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and untreated wastewater discharge were respectively ca. 1.3–2.2 and 1.6–7.5 times higher than those in river water. The mass flux of ∑HPCPs has been estimated to be 8.7 g/h at the outfall of the Shahe Reservoir and 181 g/h and 214 g/h at the estuary of the Haihe River and Yongdingxin River to Bohai Bay, respectively. The attenuation of ∑HPCPs was over 79% along the Wenyu River. By using the backward method, the estimated average loadings to WWTPs ranged from 0.51 to 2.0 mg/day/cap for the various individual compounds. They were 1–3 orders of magnitude higher than the estimation from the forward calculation for parabens. This indicates the possible underestimation of chemical usage and human exposure levels by the current published studies or the probably additional industrial release to the target catchment. Such a study provides useful information for the development of chemical management approaches and indicates that further research is needed to improve the estimation of HPCPs usage and emissions to aquatic environment. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • The concentration of individual HPCPs is at a level of ng L−1. • The predominant HPCPs are OPP, TCS, TCC and MEP in the Haihe River Basin. • Significant attenuation of HPCPs is found along the catchment. • WWTP effluents are possibly major contributors to HPCPs in the catchment. • The backward-calculation method is used to estimate usage and emission of HPCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The swamp eel (Monopterus albus) is an important commercial farmed fish species in China. However, it is susceptible to Aeromonas hydrophila infections, resulting in high mortality and considerable economic loss. Povidone-iodine (PVP-I) is a widely used chemical disinfectant in aquaculture, which can decrease the occurrence of diseases and improve the survival. However, environmental organic matter could affect the bactericidal effectiveness of PVP-I, and the efficacy of PVP-I in aquaculture water is still unknown. In this paper, disinfection assays were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of PVP-I against the A. hydrophila in different types of water. We found that the effective germicidal concentration of PVP-I in outdoor aquaculture water was 25 ppm for 12 h. In indoor aquaculture water with 105 CFU/mL bacteria, 10 ppm and 20 ppm of PVP-I could kill 99% and 100% of the bacteria, respectively. The minimal germicidal concentration of PVP-I in Luria-Bertani broth was 4,000 ppm. Available iodine content assay in LB solutions confirmed that the organic substance had negative impact on the effectiveness of PVP-I, which was consistent with the different efficacy of PVP-I in different water samples. Acute toxicity tests showed that the 24 h-LC50 of PVP-I to swamp eel was 173.82 ppm, which was much higher than the germicidal concentrations in outdoor and indoor aquaculture water, indicating its safety and effectivity to control the A. hydrophila. The results indicated PVP-I can be helpful for preventing the transmission of A. hydrophila in swamp eel aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the potential formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) during chlorination and chloramination of 20 water samples collected from different points of Yuqiao reservoir in Tianjin, China. The concentrations of dissolved organic matter and ammonia decreased downstream the reservoir, while the specific UV absorbance (SUVA: the ratio of UV 254 to dissolved organic carbon) increased [from 0.67 L/(mg*m) upstream to 3.58 L/(mg*m) downstream]. The raw water quality played an important role in the formation of DBPs. During chlorination, haloacetic acids (HAAs) were the major DBPs formed in most of the water samples, followed by trihalomethanes (THMs). CHCl 3 and CHCl 2 Br were the major THM species, while trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) and dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) were the major HAA species. Chloramination, on the other hand, generally resulted in lower concentrations of THMs (CHCl 3 ), HAAs (TCAA and DCAA), and haloacetonitriles (HANs). All the species of DBPs formed had positive correlations with the SUVA values, and HANs had the highest one (R 2 = 0.8). The correlation coefficients between the analogous DBP yields and the SUVA values in chlorinated samples were close to those in chloraminated samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The second order reaction kinetics constant between chlorine and AMB/BRO were determined. • 2-chloro-4, 6-dibromoaniline and 2, 4, 6-tribromoaniline were firstly identified as emerging DBPs. • Brominated DBP yields from AMB/BRO were much higher than natural organic matter. • Bromine in brominated organic compounds could significantly enhance brominated DBP formation. Ambroxol hydrochloride (AMB) and bromhexine hydrochloride (BRO) are classic expectorants and bronchosecretolytic pharmaceuticals. In 2022, both AMB and BRO were recommended by medical emergency department of China to alleviate cough and expectoration for symptoms caused by COVID-19. The reaction characteristics and mechanism of AMB/BRO with chlorine disinfectant in the disinfection process were investigated in this study. The reaction of chlorine with AMB/BRO were well described by a second-order kinetics model, first-order in both AMB/BRO and chlorine. The second order rate reaction constant of AMB and BRO with chlorine at pH 7.0 were 1.15 × 102 M−1s−1 and 2.03 × 102 M−1s−1, respectively. During chlorination, a new class of aromatic nitrogenous disinfection by-products (DBPs) including 2-chloro-4, 6-dibromoaniline and 2, 4, 6-tribromoaniline were identified as the intermediate aromatic DBPs by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The effect of chlorine dosage, pH, and contact time on the formation of 2-chloro-4, 6-dibromoaniline and 2, 4, 6-tribromoaniline were evaluated. In addition, it was found that bromine in AMB/BRO were vital bromine source to greatly promote the formation of classic brominated DBPs, with the highest Br-THMs yields of 23.8% and 37.8%, respectively. This study inspired that bromine in brominated organic compounds may be an important bromine source of brominated DBPs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorine-containing disinfectants are widely used in hospitals to prevent hospital-acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Meanwhile, ventilation is a simple but effective means to maintain clean air. It is essential to explore the exposure level and health effects of coronavirus disease 2019 patients' inhalation exposure to by-products of chloride-containing disinfectants under frequent surface disinfection and understand the role of ventilation in mitigating subsequent airway damage. We determined ventilation dilution performance and indoor air quality of two intensive care unit wards of the largest temporary hospital constructed in China, Leishenshan Hospital. The chloride inhalation exposure levels, and health risks indicated by interleukin-6 and D-dimer test results of 32 patients were analysed. The mean ± standard deviation values of the outdoor air change rate in the two intensive care unit wards were 8.8 ± 1.5 h−1 (Intensive care unit 1) and 4.1 ± 1.4 h−1 (Intensive care unit 2). The median carbon dioxide and fine particulate matter concentrations were 480 ppm and 19 μg/m3 for intensive care unit 1, and 567 ppm and 21 μg/m3 for intensive care unit 2, all of which were around the average levels of those in permanent hospitals (579 ppm and 21 μg/m3). Of these patients, the median (lower quartile, upper quartile) chloride exposure time and calculated dose were 26.66 (2.89, 57.21) h and 0.357 (0.008, 1.317) mg, respectively. A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between interleukin-6 and D-dimer concentrations. To conclude, ventilation helped maintain ward air cleanliness and health risks were not observed. • Ventilation dilution ensured the indoor air cleanliness in the ICU wards. • Inhalation exposure to chlorine-containing disinfectants were quantified. • The health risk of exposure to chlorine-containing disinfectants was not observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sensitive method for simultaneous determination of 20 trace organic chemicals (TOrCs, including preservatives, antioxidants, disinfectants, oestrogens, alkyl-phenols and bisphenol-A) in surface water and wastewater has been developed and validated based on the optimisation of solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. 500 mL acidified (pH = 2.5) water samples were pre-concentrated by Supel-Select HLB cartridge (200 mg, 6 mL) and eluted with 12 mL mixture of acetonitrile and ethyl acetate (50:50, v/v). This optimised SPE procedure could provide >75% recoveries for the majority of TOrCs. The instrumental methods were developed using two different LC-MS systems: a triple-quadrupole MS (QqQ-MS) and a hybrid quadrupole Orbitrap high resolution MS (Q-Orbitrap-HRMS). Both showed good performance data, but the former system provided better linearity and method precision, with the latter system providing 2–33 times lower detection limits. Different matrix effects were observed for both systems: No remarkable matrix effects were observed for Q-Orbitrap-HRMS but significant matrix effects were found in influent and river water samples for the QqQ-MS. This analytical method was subsequently employed to analyse the TOrCs in river waters and wastewaters from China successfully, which confirmed its applicability to environmental samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the reverse management of the textile industry, the recycling of waste textiles alleviates resource shortage and environmental pressure. The treatments mainly involve exports, second-hand transactions, resource recovery and energy recovery. The safety of the textile recycling industry is facing increasing criticism because of extensive sources and excessive reliance on manual operation. This has led to a desire to move towards harmless recycling of waste textiles, which will implement clean concepts and technologies to protect the health and safety of recyclers, operators and recipients. So far, commercial washing services can support sustainable use of waste textiles. In contrast, the cleaning for recycling as a resource has received little attention. Especially in frequent epidemics, a complete cleaning procedure for waste textiles holds great promise for the safety of the recycling environment. The comprehensive system of decontamination, disinfection and decolorization is defined as a broad sense of cleaning behavior. This paper reviews the application of various physical, chemical and biological technologies in the cleaning process, the influencing factors, technical difficulties and feasibility of each technology. Within the context of cleaner production, green decontamination has become a trend. Multi-disinfection can greatly improve the disinfection, reducing the overuse of disinfectants. Compared with bio-decolorization, ultrasonic technology, photocatalytic technology, electrochemical technology and ozone treatment, which are commonly used in decolorization of textile industry wastewater, show excellent feasibility in that of waste textiles. The review identifies gaps in the availability of combination mode, as without comprehensive data, further decisions cannot be made. The results presented in this paper must be viewed in a broader context of cleaner production: three-in-one is the most ideal production process. However, the results of this study will aid reasonable product framework for life cycle planning making by textile designers and recycling executors, as well as being of use to researchers. [Display omitted] • The operation mechanism of waste textile cleaning system is proposed. • Green washing relies on the optimization of washing conditions and water purification technology. • Biotechnology is not suitable for just-in-time industrial production of disinfection and decolorization in waste textiles. • The improvement of system efficiency needs combination, and three-phase integration is the ideal mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To identify the priority public health challenges with respect to the development of multipurpose prevention technologies in China. Design Review of published literature, databases of state and local disease control agencies and unpublished data relating to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections ( STIs). Setting China. Population General and migrant populations. Methods Review of published data, government reports and databases of China Disease Control agencies, and our unpublished studies. Main outcome measures Reported STI incidence, particularly HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and genital herpes, and the migrant population with respect to disease transmission. Results We found that the reported STI incidence increases along with that of HIV and showed significant geographic overlap with HIV. Economic migrant workers may facilitate the spread of STIs, including HIV. Conclusions To more effectively contain the HIV epidemic, it is imperative to develop preventive measures to simultaneously target HIV and other STIs. We recommend that the development of multipurpose prevention technologies in China should target HIV and STIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Disinfection byproducts were measured in the finished drinking water from ten water treatment plants in three Chinese cities — Guangzhou, Foshan and Zhuhai. A total of 155 water samples were collected in 2011 and 2012. The median (range) of trihalomethane (THM) and haloacetic acid (HAA) levels were 17.7 (0.7–62.7) μg/L and 8.6 (0.3–81.3) μg/L, respectively. Chloroform, dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid were the dominant species observed in Guangzhou and Foshan water, while brominated THMs predominated in water from Zhuhai. Haloacetonitriles, haloketones, chloral hydrate and trichloronitromethane were usually detected at levels ranging from unquantifiable (<0.2μg/L) to 12.2μg/L (choral hydrate). THMs and HAAs showed clear seasonal variations with the total concentrations higher in winter than in summer. Correlations among DBP levels varied, with the strongest linear correlation observed between chloroform and chloral hydrate levels (R2 =0.77). The risk of cancer from ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact exposure to THMs was estimated. CHCl2Br contributed the highest percentage of the cancer risk from ingestion pathway and CHCl3 contributed the highest of cancer risk from inhalation pathway. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Drinking water chlorination plays a pivotal role in preventing pathogen contamination against water-borne disease. However, chemical disinfection leads to the formation of halogenated disinfection by products (DBPs). Many DBPs are highly toxic and are of health concern. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive measurements of DBPs, including iodoacetic acid (IAA), iodoform (IF), nine haloacetic acids and four trihalomethanes in drinking waters from 13 water plants in Shanghai, China. The results suggested that IAA and IF were found in all the water treatment plants, with maximum levels of 1.66 µg/L and 1.25 µg/L for IAA and IF, respectively. Owing to deterioration of water quality, the Huangpu River has higher IAA and IF than the Yangtze River. Our results also demonstrated that low pH, high natural organic matter, ammonia nitrogen, and iodide in source waters increased IAA and IF formation. Compared to chlorine, chloramines resulted in higher concentration of iodinated DBP, but reduced the levels of trihalomethanes. This is the first study to reveal the widespread occurrence of IAA and IF in drinking water in China. The data provide a better understanding on the formation of iodinated disinfection byproducts and the findings should be useful for treatment process improvement and disinfection byproducts controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Adequate compliance with the existing guidelines for cleaning and disinfection of gastrointestinal endoscopes and accessories is necessary to obtain high-level disinfection and prevent pathogen transmission. Aim: To investigate cleaning and disinfection practice in China. Methods: A questionnaire with 21 questions concerning gastrointestinal endoscopy reprocessing was sent by e-mail to 189 endoscopy units in China. Results: One hundred and twenty-two (80.39%) of the 189 units responded. Compared with the low-workload units (<5000 procedures/year), the high-workload units (≥5000 procedures/year) had a significantly higher number of gastrointestinal endoscopes (25.8±3.6 vs. 4.7±1.8, p <0.01) and the higher possessing rate of automated endoscope reprocessors (43.9% vs. 3.1%, p <0.01). Glutaraldehyde was the most commonly employed disinfectant (88.5%) in all the units. In 23/122 (18.8%) units, the exposure time to glutaraldehyde was <45min in the case of infectious disease patients. Eighty-six of 122 (70.5%) units reused disposable materials, of which 21/86 (24.4%) reused disposable forceps and disposable polypectomy hooks, and 2/86 (1.6%) reused disposable injection needles intermittently. Conclusion: Although gastrointestinal endoscopy has developed rapidly in China in the past decade, there is still room for improvement in the practice of endoscopy reprocessing, especially in middle-sized and small cities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

large number of disinfectants and insecticides were used on a large scale after the Wenchuan 5.12 Violent Earthquake. The disinfectants and insecticides, including HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) and DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichoroethane) as representative OCPs, could lead to serious environmental problems. In order to disclose the residues of HCH and DDT in soils following the Wenchuan 5.12 Violent Earthquake, surface soils in Dujiangyan City and Beichuan County were sampled in 2009. The samples were analyzed by GC/MS after pre-treatment by ultrasonic solvent extraction. It has been found that the concentrations of γ-HCH, β-HCH and 4,4′-DDT in soils of Beichuan County were 94-102.4, 14.1-36.1 and 2.9-4.3 times high their concentrations in those of the Wolong Nature Reserve, and the concentrations in soils of Dujiangyan City were 52.4-61.6, 8.8-45.3 and 5.4-6.2 times high their concentrations in soils of the Wolong Nature Reserve, respectively. According to the isomers of HCHs and metabolites of DDTs, it could be concluded that these areas may have additional inputs of lindane and 4,4′-DDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perchlorate is a potent thyroid hormone–disrupting compound. Drinking water is one of the major sources of human exposure to perchlorate. Little is known about the occurrence of perchlorate in waters from China. In this study, water samples ( n = 300) collected from 15 locations in 13 provinces and municipalities were analyzed for the presence of perchlorate. In addition, other inorganic anions that commonly occur in water—iodide, bromide, and nitrate—and the disinfection byproducts, bromate, chlorate, and chlorite were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography interfaced with tandem mass spectrometry. Perchlorate was detected in 86% of the samples analyzed, at concentrations ranging from <0.02 to 54.4 μg l−1 (mean ± SD 2.20 ± 6.39 μg l−1; median 0.62 μg l−1). Mean concentrations of perchlorate in tap water, groundwater, surface waters, and bottled water were 2.46, 3.04, 2.82, and 0.22 μg l−1, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between the concentrations of perchlorate and nitrate, perchlorate and chlorate, bromide and iodide, and nitrate and iodide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrations of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, propionaldehyde, i-pentanal, and butyraldehyde in residential indoor air in Hangzhou were determined. The mean concentration of the total carbonyl compounds in summer was 222.6 μg/m3, higher than that in winter (68.5 μg/m3). The concentration of a specific carbonyl in indoor air was higher than the outdoor air measurement, indicating the release of carbonyls from the indoor sources. Formaldehyde and acetone were the most abundant carbonyls detected in summer and winter, respectively. Multiple regression analysis indicated that carbonyl concentrations in residential indoor air depended on the age of decoration and furniture, as well as their concentrations in outdoor air. In addition, a primary estimation showed that the health risks of carbonyls in summer were higher than those in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrons, which are widely distributed among bacteria and are strongly associated with resistance, are specialized genetic elements that are capable of capturing, integrating, and mobilizing gene cassette. In this work, we investigated classes 1, 2, and 3 integrons associated integrases genes in 365 bacteria isolates, amplified and analyzed the structure of class 1 integron, detected 8 resistant gene cassettes [ dfr17, aadA5, aadA1, aadA2, dhfrI, aadB, aac(6′)-II, and pse-I], and found four novel gene-cassette arrays. We also found that commensal bacteria in the common microenvironment had the same integron gene cassette, which provided direct evidence that integron was an important horizontal transmission element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 2006–2007, a pilot-scale ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system for the treatment of drinking water was operated in Dongguan, China. The main goal of the research was to characterize the biofilm of a model distribution system for different UV correlative disinfection processes. A biofilm annular reactor (BAR) as the model distribution system was employed. Results showed that on its own, UV disinfection could not significantly control the biofilm densities at steady state in BAR. Likewise, hydraulic retention time (HRT) did not have an impact on the coupon biofilms for both of the materials in the experiment. However, UV disinfection was considered to achieve biostability in the model distribution system with 0.7 mg/L chlorine and 0.4 mg/L chloramine after UV. The biofilm kept growing with low residual chlorine and assimilable organic carbon (AOC) level. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results also indicated that UV disinfection alone could not effectively control the biostability of the model distribution system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The hand-foot-mouth disease-causing virus, enterovirus A71 (EV A71), is more resistant to many disinfectants than poliovirus 1 (PV 1), the standard virus strain used for antiviral testing in China. • Many alcohol-based hand sanitizers and low-level disinfectants do not meet the disinfection requirements in China of at least 4-log reduction in average TCID50 from the controls against PV 1 and EV A71. • Replacement of PV 1 with EV A71 as the standard test virus will elevate the requirement of disinfectants and offer higher safety for the public. Poliovirus 1 (PV 1) is the standard virus used in tests to support claims of virucidal property in commercial hand sanitizers and disinfectants in China. Classified within the same genus as poliovirus, enterovirus A71 (EV A71), which causes hand-foot-mouth disease among children, has caused numerous outbreaks in China and other countries. Hand hygiene and surface cleaning are critical to prevent and control this disease and many other infectious diseases. This study compared the efficacies of 17 self-made alcohol-based hand sanitizers and 10 commercially available disinfectants (4 high-level, 4 intermediate-level, 2 low-level) against these two viruses. The results showed that by itself, ethanol needed to reach a concentration of 75 % to meet the inactivation requirement of 4-log reduction in average TCID50 against PV 1. Nine out of 13 laboratory-formulated alcohol-based hand sanitizers reached the 4-log inactivation requirement against PV 1 after 4.5 min, while the remaining four sanitizers did not. Unexpectedly, none of the tested ethanol-based sanitizers inactivated EV A71 by 4-log. For the commercially available disinfectants, all four high-level and one intermediate-level disinfectants passed the inactivation requirements against both PV 1 and EV A71, while two intermediate-level disinfectants met the inactivation requirement against PV 1 but failed against EV A71. The last intermediate-level and both low-level disinfectants did not meet the requirement for either PV 1 or EV A71. Therefore, PV 1 is more susceptible to inactivation by many common alcohol-based and non-alcohol-based disinfectants than EV A71. Therefore, the adoption of EV A71 as the standard test virus would elevate the disinfectant requirement standard and provide better protection for the public. Based on these results, seven new alcohol-based hand sanitizer recipes were formulated and found to be effective against both PV 1 and EV A71, with two candidates reaching the required 4-log virus reduction efficacy within 1 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and organic hydroperoxides were measured from 18 to 30 July in 2006 during the PRIDE-PRD'06 campaign at Backgarden, a rural site located 48 km north of Guangzhou, a mega-city in southern China. A ground-based instrument was used as a scrubbing coil collector to sample ambient air, followed by on-site analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with post-column derivatization and fluorescence detection. The H2O2 mixing ratio over the 13 days ranged from below the detection limit to a maximum of 4.6 ppbv, with a mean (and standard deviation) of (1.26±1.24) ppbv during the daytime (08:00-20:00 LT). Methyl hydroperoxide (MHP), with a maximum of 0.8 ppbv and a mean (and standard deviation) of (0.28±0.10) ppbv during the daytime, was the dominant organic hydroperoxide. Other organic peroxides, including bis-hydroxymethyl hydroperoxide (BHMP), peroxyacetic acid (PAA), hydroxymethyl hydroperoxide (HMHP), 1-hydroxy-ethyl hydroperoxide (1-HEHP) and ethyl hydroperoxide (EHP), were detected occasionally. The concentration of H2O2 exhibited a pronounced diurnal variation on sunny days, with a peak mixing ratio in the afternoon (12:00-18:00 LT), but lacked an explicit diurnal cycle on cloudy days. Sometimes a second peak mixing ratio of H2O2 was observed during the evening, suggesting that H2O2 was produced by the ozonolysis of alkenes. The diurnal variation profile of MHP was, in general, consistent with that of H2O2. The estimation indicated that in the morning the H2O2 detected was formed mostly through local photochemical activity, with the rest probably attributable to vertical transport. It is notable that relatively high levels of H2O2 and MHP were found in polluted air. The unexpectedly high level of HO2 radicals detected in this region can account for the production of hydroperoxides, while the moderate level of NOx suppressed the formation of hydroperoxides. High concentrations of hydroperoxides were detected in samples of rainwater collected in a heavy shower on 25 July when a typhoon passed through, indicating that a considerable mixing ratio of hydroperoxides, particularly MHP, resided above the boundary layer, which might be transported on a regional scale and further influence the redistribution of HOx and ROx radicals. It was found that hydroperoxides, in particular H2O2, play an important role in the formation of secondary sulfate in the aerosol phase, where the heterogeneous reaction might contribute substantially. A negative correlation between hydroperoxides and water-soluble organic compounds (WSOC), a considerable fraction of the secondary organic aerosol (SOA), was observed, possibly providing field evidence for the importance of hydroperoxides in the formation of SOA found in previous laboratory studies. We suggest that hydroperoxides act as an important link between sulfate and organic aerosols, which needs further study and should be considered in current atmospheric models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Organic matter in source water has presented many challenges in the field of water purification, especially for conventional treatment. A two-year-long pilot test comparing water treatment processes was conducted to enhance organic matter removal. The tested process combinations included the conventional process, conventional plus advanced treatment, pre-oxidation plus conventional process and pre-oxidation plus conventional plus advanced treatment. The efficiency of each kind of process was assayed with the comprehensive indices of CODMn, TOC, UV254, AOC, BDOC, THMs, and HAAs and their formation potential. The results showed that the combination of the conventional process and O3-BAC provides integrated removal of organic matter and meets the required standards. It is the best performing treatment tested in this investigation for treating polluted source water in China. Moreover, much attention should be paid to organic removal before disinfection to control DBP formation and preserve biostability. This paper also reports the range of efficiency of each unit process to calculate the total efficiency of different process combinations in order to help choose the appropriate water treatment process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the strengthening efforts for the prevention and control of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) by the Municipal People's Government in Chongqing, China in 2007. A circular issued include implementation of body temperature testing and filling out of SARS cards for incoming passengers, strengthening of precautionary measures in schools and strict implementation of disinfection measures in public transports and venues.

The occurrences of trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetics (HAAs) in the water supply in Beijing and Canada were investigated. The concentrations of THMs and HAAs in Beijing and Canada were below the maximum contaminant levels specified by the USEPA and WHO standards. The multi-pathway risk assessment (assessed through oral ingestion, dermal absorption and inhalation exposure to drinking water) was used to assess the cancer risk and the hazard index of THMs and HAAs from fifteen waterworks in Beijing, China and three treatment plants using different disinfection processes in Canada. Residents in Beijing and residents who were served by three treatment plants using different disinfection processes in Canada had a higher risk of cancer through oral ingestion than through the other two pathways. The cancer risk resulted from disinfection by-products (DBPs) was 2.76E-05(for males), 3.05E-05(for females) in Beijing, China, while it was 4.33E-05, 4.78E-05 in Canada. The risk was higher when water treatment plants used surface water source than when they used ground water source and mixture water source in Beijing. The risk showed different changes in three treatment plants using different disinfection processes in Canada. The lifetime cancer risk for THMs followed the order: Plant 2>Plant 1>Plant 3. And, the lifetime cancer risk for HAAs was: Plant 1>Plant 2>Plant 3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on regulations on supervision and control of disinfectants during the period of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) prevention and treatment promulgated by the General Office of the Ministry of Health in China in May 2003. Disinfectant manufacturing companies are advised to commission other enterprises to process and manufacture their disinfectants to meet market needs for such products. The measures also require a unified management over ultraviolet fluorescent tubes for disinfection.

It is costly to sample all major toxic pollutants in community air. Sampling should be conducted based on an assessment strategy and monitoring planning. Assessment methods that rely on monitoring some representative pollutants have been proposed variously at different times. In Hong Kong, the Environmental Protection Department (HKEPD) launched an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) certification scheme to grade the IAQ in workplaces as "Excellent" or "Good" by measuring the levels of 12 indoor environmental parameters, i.e. carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), respirable suspended particulates (RSP), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), radon (Rn), airborne bacteria count (ABC), temperature (T), relative humidity (RH) and air velocity (V). The present study proposes an Express Assessment Protocol (EAP) to quantify IAQ problems by assessing the "dominant" contributors to unacceptable IAQ prior to any detailed assessment for benchmark purposes. To aid this, a comprehensive measurement of the 12 stated indoor environmental parameters was performed in some Hong Kong offices. The results were used to identify the dominant contributors and assess the performance of the proposed protocol in identifying the associated IAQ problems in an office environment. Comparing the results with the parameter measurements in the certification scheme they showed that for the "Excellent" IAQ level, 96% (94 to 98% for 95% confidence interval (CI)) of the "unacceptable" offices (414 samples) could be identified from the measurements of TVOC, RSP and HCHO; while those that achieved the "Good" level, 93% (90 to 97% for 95% CI) of them (201 samples) could be identified from the measurements of TVOC, ABC, RH, HCHO and O3. The EAP would be a useful tool for policymakers, building owners and professionals to quantify IAG problems in offices and to make improved decisions based on resources and manpower management for efficient mitigation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the disinfection of wastewater in China. Methods During the SARS epidemic occurred in Beijing, a study of different disinfection methods used in the main local wastewater plants including means of chlorine, chlorine dioxide, ozone, and ultraviolet was carried out in our laboratory. The residual coliform, bacteria and trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids were determined after disinfection. Results Chlorine had fairly better efficiency on microorganism inactivation than chlorine dioxide with the same dosage. Formation of THMs and HAAs does not exceed the drinking water standard. UV irradiation had good efficiency on microorganism inactivation and good future of application in China. Organic material and ammonia nitrogen was found to be significant on inactivation and DBPs formation. Conclusion Chlorine disinfection seems to be the best available technology for coliform and bacteria inactivation. And it is of fairly low toxicological hazard due to the transformation of monochloramine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents implementation regulations for preventing atypical pneumonia at hotels and catering establishments issued by the Hotel Association of China on April 24, 2003. It includes information on ventilation and disinfection of hotels and catering establishments, gymnasiums, shopping centers and other service and public areas.

The article discusses provisions of China's law on the management of disinfection. The hygienic requirements of disinfection are outlined. Regulations on the manufacturing and marketing of disinfecting products are discussed. Penalty and supplementary provisions are explained.

It has been 14 years since the world's largest Ulva bloom appeared in the Yellow Sea, China in 2007. Although it is clear that the Ulva bloom originates from the culture system of Porphyra yezoensis (Nori) in the southern Yellow Sea, how to control it is still little understood. Since overwintering banks played a crucial role in the development of spring population of green algae on the cultivation ropes, here, a promising method was presented to prevent the development of Ulva bloom by the inactivation of the overwintering banks of green algae on the P. yezoensis cultivation ropes during February and early March. Chlorine dioxide, an environment-friendly disinfectant was used as algaecide with dosage of no lower than 40 mg/L at the contact time of 1 min. The overwintering green algae gradually disappeared within two weeks after the treatment. Furthermore, the growth of spring population of green algae on the cultivation ropes was effectively inhibited for at least eight weeks, which contribute to prevent the formation of floating populations during cultivation facilities collection. It was expected that the present method, if to be applied in the P. yezoensis cultivation areas in southern Yellow Sea, may mitigate the magnitude of the Ulva blooms in the Yellow Sea at a lower cost. [Display omitted] • A chemical method was built to control the world's largest green tide in south Yellow Sea, China； • The optimal timing for field inactivation was determined based on the monthly investigation of the green alga on the cultivation ropes； • Chlorine dioxide was chosen as algicide of friendly environment and its disinfection dosage was determined by toxicological trials； • Fluorescence microscopic imaging examination was used to determine the effective concentration of algicide accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the occurrence of various opportunistic pathogens (OPs) through four drinking water treatment and distribution systems in eastern China. Conventional treatment trains involving coagulation/sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection efficiently removed total coliforms from 1700 to 2300 CFU/L in the influent to undetectable levels in treated and tap water. However, culture-independent qPCR analysis detected Legionella spp., Mycobacterium spp., Mycobacteria avium , Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the amoeba Acanthamoeba spp. in all water samples, reaching maximum tap water concentrations of 5.33, 4.87, 1.63, 3.85, and 4.32 log (gene copies/mL), respectively. Thus, OPs were abundant in tap water despite total coliforms met applicable microbiological standards in China (GB 5749–2006). Occurrence of OPs correlated positively with turbidity and chemical oxygen demand (COD), and negatively with chlorine residual. Turbidity removal by coagulation and COD removal by ozonation (O 3) followed by biological activated carbon (BAC) filtration was the treatment train with the highest OPs removal efficiency, and ClO 2 was a more effective disinfectant than NaClO. OPs significantly rebounded in the tap water (up to 11-fold for P. aeruginosa and 21-fold for M. avium in tap water). However, quantitative microbial risk analysis (QMRA) showed that the potential infection risks in tap water were still below WHO (10−3) and even EPA (10−4) benchmarks. Overall, likely underestimation of the pathogenic risk by culture-dependent quantification of indicator organisms makes it prudent to use molecular approaches to periodically revisit the safety of water distribution systems. Unlabelled Image • Opportunistic pathogens were found in full-scale DWTPs and tap water by qPCR • Coliforms counts overestimated OP removal and underestimated health risks • O 3 -BAC-ClO 2 disinfection was the most effective treatment train for OP removal • OPs rebounded in tap water but infection risk was below the benchmark level [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome (HPNS) has a severe impact on the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) industry. In this work, a cross-sectional study method was used to assess the association between 55 variables and HPNS. A total of 98 farmers were surveyed, including 34 whose farms had crabs with HPNS (treated as the diseased group) and 64 whose farms did not have crabs with HPNS (treated as the healthy group). The results demonstrated that 11 risk factors had the greatest effects on HPNS, including " Recent pH in the pond ", " Crabs culture method ", " Current incidence of HPNS in nearby farms ", " Single pond area in the farm ", " Depth of pond's water ", " Frequency of water supplement in the farm ", " Frequency of the abamectin use ", " Frequency of switching aerator on in the farm ", " Frequency of disinfectant use ", " Amount of edible animal ingredient ", " How many factories and residential areas are within 500 m ", " Abundance of Cyanobacteria in the pond ", and " Frequency of clearing the ponds ", suggesting that HPNS prevalence might be closely related to water quality and nutrition. The roles of these 11 variables in the occurrence of HPNS were further evaluated, and it was found that there was a greater risk of HPNS occurrence when the following variables coexisted: " >3 factories and residential areas within 500m " + " high pH " + " >1 disinfectant per shell " + " 1.3-2 hm 2 pond " + " <0.48 g edible animal ingredient per crab " + " No aerator ". Moreover, it was found that temperature might also be an important risk factor for HPNS. • The study uses a cross-sectional study to assess the association between 55 variables and HPNS. • The results demonstrated the 11 risk factors, which may be closely related to water quality and nutrition. • 11 variables were analyzed using Bayesian brief network to verify the conditional probability of HPNS. • The occurrence of HPNS may be related to temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hospitals are important sources of pollutants resulted from diagnostic, laboratory and research activities as well as medicine excretion by patients, which include active component of drugs and metabolite, chemicals, residues of pharmaceuticals, radioactive markers, iodinated contrast media, etc. The discharge of hospital wastes and wastewater, especially those without appropriate treatment would expose the public in danger of infection. In particular, under the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic context in China, it is of great significance to reduce the health risks to the public and environment. In this study, technologies of different types of hospital wastes and wastewater disinfection have been summarized. Liquid chlorine, sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, ozone, and ultraviolet irradiation disinfection are commonly used for hospital wastewater disinfection. While incineration, chemical disinfection, and physical disinfection are commonly used for hospital wastes disinfection. In addition, considering the characteristics of various hospital wastes, the classification and selection of corresponding disinfection technologies are discussed. On this basis, this study provides scientific suggestions for management, technology selection, and operation of hospital wastes and wastewater disinfection in China, which is of great significance for development of national disinfection strategy for hospital wastes and wastewater during COVID-19 pandemic. Image 1 • O 3 , UV, chlorine disinfectants are used for hospital wastewater disinfection. • Incineration, chemical and physical techniques are used to disinfect hospital wastes. • Providing suggestions for hospital wastes and wastewater disinfection during COVID-19. • The chlorine disinfection and incineration are primarily recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses disinfection measures for urban public transport to prevent the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and other epidemic situations and to ensure passenger safety declared by the General Office of the Ministry of Construction in China in May 2003. The rules state that necessary steps must be taken to guarantee normal operations of urban transportation. According to the regulations, conscientious concern must be demonstrated for preventive and protection work among public transport workers.