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Electrochemical-assisted microbial degradation technology was considered a crucial strategy to reduce micropollutants, but the mechanism of the pulsed electric field (PEF) in affecting biodegradation had not been systematically studied. This study aimed to construct a bio-electrochemical system (BES) using PEF to investigate its effect on the degradation of triclosan (TCS) by the aerobic bacterium Bacillus sp. DL4. The operating optimal parameters for the BES (i.e. 0.01 A of the pulsed current, 1000 Hz of the pulse frequency, Fe (+)–C (−) of the plate materials, 4 cm of the plate spacing) were obtained by batch experiments. The maximum biomass (OD600 = 1.0 ± 0.05) was achieved and the removal efficiency of TCS reached above 95% in 24 h under the obtained operating conditions. Meanwhile, a thorough and methodical investigation of the metabolites in strain DL4 stimulated by PEF using untargeted Liquid Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). In multivariate analysis, the experimental groups showed a notable separation in Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Analysis discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) score plots. A total of 3181 differential metabolites were obtained, and the up-regulated metabolites were mainly related to 'Aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis', 'Arginine and proline metabolism', 'Lysine degradation', 'ABC transporters', and 'TCA cycle', implying that PEF enhanced the degradation efficiency of TCS by enriching functional genes with transport ability and ion migration ability in cells. This study illuminated how PEF can affect TCS biodegradation and gives insights into the application prospect of electrochemical-assisted biodegradation technology in water environment treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a frequent complication after abdominal surgery and impacts morbidity, mortality and medical costs. This systematic review evaluates whether the use of triclosan-coated sutures for closing the fascia during abdominal surgery reduces the rate of SSI compared to uncoated sutures. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. On February 17, 2024, a literature search was performed in Medline ALL, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Embase. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on abdominal fascial closure in human adults, comparing triclosan-coated and uncoated sutures, were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool. Pooled meta-analysis was performed using RevMan. Results: Out of 1523 records, eleven RCTs were included, with a total of 10,234 patients: 5159 in the triclosan-coated group and 5075 in the uncoated group. The incidence of SSI was statistically significantly lower in the triclosan-coated group (14.8% vs. 17.3%) with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.84 (95% CI [0.75, 0.93], p = 0.001). When polydioxanone was evaluated separately (coated N = 3999, uncoated N = 3900), triclosan-coating reduced SSI; 17.5% vs. 20.1%, OR 0.86 (95% CI [0.77; 0.96], p = 0.008). When polyglactin 910 was evaluated (coated N = 1160, uncoated N = 1175), triclosan-coating reduced the incidence of SSI; 5.4% vs. 7.8%, OR 0.67 (95% CI [0.48; 0.94], p = 0.02). Conclusion: According to the results of this meta-analysis the use of triclosan-coated sutures for fascial closure statistically significantly reduces the incidence of SSI after abdominal surgery with a risk difference of about 2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] It has been a challenge to prepared polyether block amide (PEBA) fibrous membrane via solution electrospinning. The only few reported methods though involved hazardous solvents and surfactants which were against the principle of green chemistry. In this work, uniform fibrous membrane of PEBA was successfully fabricated by solution electrospinning with a bio-based solvent dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene). To further improve the mechanical strength and adsorption performance of the PEBA membrane, a hierarchical magnesium hydrogen phosphate (MgHPO 4 ·1.2H 2 O, MHP) was synthesized to blend evenly into the PEBA matrix. A Janus MHP/PEBA membrane with one side of hydrophobic surface and the other side of hydrophilic surface was subsequently prepared, which exhibited fast adsorption, high capacity, good selectivity and reusability towards ibuprofen, acetaminophen, carbamazepine and triclosan. In addition, the Janus membrane showed high removal efficiency of the above contaminants in secondary wastewater effluent with good long term stability. It demonstrated that this Janus MHP/PEBA membrane had a good potential in practical wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clothing and textile industries are major contributors to environmental pollution including textile manufacturing through garment production, spinning, weaving, and dyeing. In this context, the sustainability textile industry is a big challenge and contributes to serving a large segment of society. Also, textile wastes could be used as a raw material for added-value products. Herein, in this study, recycling of residues fabric was treated with antimicrobial nanocomposite to reach the best use of exhausts and obtain multifunction products of aesthetic via the technical design of the waste raw materials. Besides, solving the unemployment problem by opening fields for small industry projects capable of producing high-value textile artifacts, especially when treated against microbes, can be applied to home furnishings. The waste fabric was treated via green synthesis nanocomposite based on chitosan and in situ prepared ZnONPs and cross-linked with tannic acid. The prepared nanocomposite was characterized using physicochemical analysis including attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Additionally, the nanocomposite and treated fabric topographical behavior were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) attachment with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and images were processed to evaluate the roughness structure. Additionally, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were performed to ensure the size and stability of the nanocomposite. The obtained results affirmed the green synthesis of nanocomposite with a size around 130 nm, as well as the doped ZnONPs average size of 26 nm and treated waste fabric, performed a promising attraction between nanocomposite and fabric fibers. Moreover, the antimicrobial study observed excellent activity of nanocomposite against bacteria and unicellular fungi as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant challenge to public health, and is worsened by the widespread misuse of antimicrobial agents such as triclosan (TCS) in personal care and household products. Leveraging the electrochemical reactivity of TCS's phenolic hydroxyl group, this study investigates the electrochemical behavior of TCS on a Cu-based nano-metal–organic framework (Cu-BTC) surface. The synthesis of Cu-BTC via a room temperature solvent method, with triethylamine as a regulator, ensures uniform nanoparticle formation. The electrochemical properties of Cu-BTC and the signal enhancement mechanism are comprehensively examined. Utilizing the signal amplification effect of Cu-BTC, an electrochemical sensor for TCS detection is developed and optimized using response surface methodology. The resulting method offers a simple, rapid, and highly sensitive detection of TCS, with a linear range of 25–10,000 nM and a detection limit of 25 nM. This research highlights the potential of Cu-BTC as a promising material for electrochemical sensing applications, contributing to advancements in environmental monitoring and public health protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wound is defined as the damage to biological tissues including skin, mucous membranes and organ tissues. The acute wound heals in less than 4 weeks without complications, while a chronic wound takes longer than 6 weeks to heal. Wound healing occurs in 4 phases, namely, coagulation, inflammatory, proliferative and remodeling phases. Triclosan and benzalkonium chloride are commonly used as skin disinfectants in wound healing. However, they cause allergic contact dermatitis and antibiotic resistance. Medicinal plants are widely studied due to the limited availability of wound healing agents. The present review included six commonly available medicinal plants in Malaysia such as Aloe barbadensis Miller, Carica papaya Linn., Centella asiatica Linn., Cymbopogon nardus Linn., Ficus benghalensis Linn. and Hibiscus rosa sinensis Linn. Various search engines and databases were used to obtain the scientific findings, including Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, PubMed Central and Research Gate. The review discussed the possible mechanism of action of medicinal plants and their active constituents in the wound healing process. In addition, their application in nanotechnology and wound dressings was also discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new screen-printed electrode (SPE) modified with carbon black and ternary oxide (SiO2/TiO2/Nb2O5), denominated SPE/CB/SiTiNb and was developed for the direct detection of triclosan in tap water and mouthwash samples. The morphological characterization and electrochemical behavior of the sensors were performed by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. Differential pulse voltammetry was used to evaluate the proposed sensor in Britton–Robinson buffer 0.1 mol L−1 and showed a limit detection of 1.23 nmol L−1 in a linear range from 0.025 to 57.01 µmol L−1. Studies with possible interferents were performed demonstrating a significant selectivity of the sensor to the triclosan oxidation reaction. The sensor was applied in tap water and mouthwash real sample analyses, whose recoveries ranged from 93.4 to 98.8%, demonstrating that the sensor shows promise in the detection of triclosan in different matrices allied to high sensitivity, selectivity, low-cost, portability, disposability, and low sample volume, without pre-treatment, per analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the ESKAPE pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an extensively notorious superbug that causes difficult-to-treat infections. Since quorum sensing (QS) directly promotes pseudomonal virulence, targeting QS circuits is a promising approach for disarming phenotypic virulence. Hence, this study scrutinizes the anti-QS, antivirulence, and anti-biofilm potential of citral (CiT; phytochemical) and triclosan (TcN; disinfectant), alone and in combination, against P. aeruginosa PAO1/PA14. The findings confirmed synergism between CiT and TcN and revealed their quorum quenching (QQ) potential. At sub-inhibitory levels, CiT-TcN combination significantly impeded pyocyanin, total bacterial protease, hemolysin, and pyochelin production alongside inhibiting biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa. Moreover, the QQ and antivirulence potential of CiT and TcN was positively correlated by molecular docking studies that predicted strong associations of the drugs with QS receptors of P. aeruginosa. Collectively, the study identifies CiT-TcN as an effective drug combination that harbors QQ, antivirulence, and anti-biofilm prospects against P. aeruginosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut shells' adsorption performance in caffeine and triclosan removal was studied. Peanut shells were analyzed for their chemical composition, morphology, and surface functional groups. Batch adsorption and fixed-bed column experiments were carried out with solutions containing 30 mg/L of caffeine and triclosan. The parameters examined included peanut shell particle size (120–150, 300–600, and 800–2000 µm), adsorbent dose (0.02–60 g/L), contact time (up to 180 min), bed height (4–8 cm), and hydraulic loading rate (2.0 and 4.0 m3/m2-day). After determining the optimal adsorption conditions, kinetics, isotherm, and breakthrough curve models were applied to analyze the experimental data. Peanut shells showed an irregular surface and consisted mainly of polysaccharides (around 70% lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose), with a specific surface area of 1.7 m2/g and a pore volume of 0.005 cm3/g. The highest removal efficiencies for caffeine (85.6 ± 1.4%) and triclosan (89.3 ± 1.5%) were achieved using the smallest particles and 10.0 and 0.1 g/L doses over 180 and 45 min, respectively. Triclosan showed easier removal compared to caffeine due to its higher lipophilic character. The pseudo-second-order kinetics model provided the best fit with the experimental data, suggesting a chemisorption process between caffeine/triclosan and the adsorbent. Equilibrium data were well-described by the Sips model, with maximum adsorption capacities of 3.3 mg/g and 289.3 mg/g for caffeine and triclosan, respectively. In fixed-bed column adsorption tests, particle size significantly influenced efficiency and hydraulic behavior, with 120–150 µm particles exhibiting the highest adsorption capacity for caffeine (0.72 mg/g) and triclosan (143.44 mg/g), albeit with clogging issues. The experimental data also showed good agreement with the Bohart–Adams, Thomas, and Yoon–Nelson models. Therefore, the findings of this study highlight not only the effective capability of peanut shells to remove caffeine and triclosan but also their versatility as a promising option for water treatment and sanitation applications in different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Mineral-activated perxymonosulfate (PMS) shows dewaterability and triclosan removal. • Iron-rich minerals are more economical than traditional sources of Fe2+. • Rheological test demonstrates that siderite/PMS can promote sludge fragmentation. • Siderite could release Fe2+ more sustainably to persistently produce free radicals. High water and pharmaceutical and care products (PPCPs) bounded in sludge flocs limit its utilization and disposal. The advanced oxidation process of perxymonosulfate (PMS) catalyzed by iron salts has been widely used in sludge conditioning. In this study, two iron-rich minerals pyrite and siderite were proposed to enhance sludge dewatering performance and remove the target contaminant of triclosan (TCS). The permanent release of Fe2+ in the activation of PMS made siderite more effective in enhancing sludge dewater with capillary suction time (CST) diminishing by 60.5 %, specific resistance to filtration (SRF) decreasing by 79.2 %, and bound water content (BWC) dropping from 37.1 % to 2.6 % at siderite/PMS dosages of 0.36/0.20 mmol/g-TSS after 20 min of pretreatment. Pyrite/PMS performed slightly inferior under the same conditions and the corresponding CST and SRF decreased by 51.5 % and 71.8 % while the BWC only declined to 17.8 %. Rheological characterization was employed to elucidate the changes in sludge dewatering performance, with siderite/PMS treated sludge showing a 48.3 % reduction in thixotropy, higher than 28.4 % of pyrite/PMS. Oscillation and creep tests further demonstrated the significantly weakened viscoelastic behavior of the sludge by siderite/PMS pretreatment. For TCS mineralization removal, siderite/PMS achieved a high removal efficiency of 43.9 %, in comparison with 39.9 % for pyrite/PMS. The reduction in the sludge solids phase contributed the most to the TCS removal. Free radical quenching assays and EPR spectroscopy showed that both siderite/PMS and pyrite/PMS produced SO 4 -· and ·OH, with the latter acting as the major radicals. Besides, the dosage of free radicals generated from siderite/PMS exhibited a lower time-dependence, which also allowed it to outperform in destroying EPS matrix, neutralizing the negative Zeta potential of sludge flocs, and mineralizing macromolecular organic matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan (TCS), an antimicrobial additive in various personal and health care products, has been widely detected in aquatic environment around the world. The present study investigated the impacts of TCS in the gills of the fish, Cyprinus carpio employing histopathological, biochemical, molecular docking and simulation analysis. The 96 h LC50 value of TCS in C. carpio was found to be 0.968 mg/L. Fish were exposed to 1/1000th (1 µg/L), 1/100th (10 µg/L), and 1/10th (100 µg/L) of 96 h LC50 value for a period of 28 days. The histopathological alterations observed in the gills were hypertrophy, hyperplasia, edematous swellings, and fusion of secondary lamellae in TCS exposed groups. The severity of these alterations increased with both the concentration as well as the duration of exposure. The present study revealed that the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and reduced glutathione content decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in both concentration and duration dependent manner. However, a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the activity of the metabolic enzymes such as acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase was observed in all three exposure concentrations of TCS from 7 to 28 days. The activity of acetylcholinesterase declined significantly (p < 0.05) from 7 to 28 days whereas the content of acetylcholine increased significantly at the end of 28 day. The experimental results were further confirmed by molecular docking and simulation analysis that showed strong binding of TCS with acetylcholinesterase enzyme. The study revealed that long-term exposure to sublethal concentrations of TCS can lead to severe physiological and histopathological alterations in the fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a debilitating chronic inflammatory skin condition that typically develops in adults but can rarely affect adolescents and prepubertal children. In paediatric cases, topical antibiotics and antiseptic washes are first-line therapies, based on expert consensus, with more severe and/or recalcitrant cases generally needing systemic antibiotics or hormonal therapies. Biologics demonstrated efficacy in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in adults, with adalimumab approved in patients aged 12 years and above; adult studies in interleukin inhibitors are in progress. The efficacy of biologics needs to be balanced against their cost and generally subcutaneous routes of administration. RCTs that include paediatric patients are needed in HS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Staphylococcus aureus, a severe public health hazard, causesfoodborne diseasesfrom the consumption of contaminated food. Various antimicrobials and disinfectants are used throughout the food chain to reduce microbial contamination or eliminate microorganisms on food contact surfaces. However, little is known about the susceptibility of disinfectants to food pathogens, including S. aureus, which can develop resistance to antimicrobials and cause severe diseases. Materials and Methods: The antimicrobial activity of triclosan, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), acetic acid, citric acid, and lactic acid against 50 S. aureus isolates, including multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates originating from ground beef, chicken, and fish, was investigated using the broth microdilution method. Results: The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of triclosan, CTAB, acetic acid, citric acid, and lactic acid against the isolates were 0.125-16 μg/mL, 0.25-32 μg/mL, 102.5-26250 μg/mL, 187.5-12000 μg/mL, and 703-22500 μg/mL, respectively. Almost all MDR isolates showed resistance to triclosan. There was a statistically significant difference in MICs between triclosan and organic acids, as well as between CTAB and organic acids (p < 0.05). However, a statistically significant difference was not observed in triclosan and CTAB, as well as in acetic acid and lactic acid (p > 0.05). Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a strong relationship between triclosan and multidrug resistance. Based on the multiple linear regression analysis, triclosan had a positive effect on multidrug resistance (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This research gives helpful information on the susceptibility of disinfectants to S. aureus, particularly to resistant S. aureus isolates from meats, which may help to recommend proper disinfectant use in food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial toxicant found in a myriad of consumer products and has been detected in human tissues, including breastmilk. We have evaluated the impact of lactational TCS on UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) expression and bilirubin metabolism in humanized UGT1 (hUGT1) neonatal mice. In hUGT1 mice, expression of the hepatic UGT1A1 gene is developmentally delayed resulting in elevated total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels. We found that newborn hUGT1 mice breastfed or orally treated with TCS presented lower TSB levels along with induction of hepatic UGT1A1. Lactational and oral treatment by gavage with TCS leads to the activation of hepatic nuclear receptors constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), and stress sensor, activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4). When CAR-deficient hUGT1 mice (hUGT1/Car−/−) were treated with TCS, TSB levels were reduced with a robust induction of hepatic UGT1A1, leaving us to conclude that CAR is not tied to UGT1A1 induction. Alternatively, when PPARα-deficient hUGT1 mice (hUGT1/Pparα−/−) were treated with TCS, hepatic UGT1A1 was not induced. Additionally, we had previously demonstrated that TCS is a potent inducer of ATF4, a transcriptional factor linked to the integrated stress response. When ATF4 was deleted in liver of hUGT1 mice (hUGT1/Atf4ΔHep) and these mice treated with TCS, we observed superinduction of hepatic UGT1A1. Oxidative stress genes in livers of hUGT1/Atf4ΔHep treated with TCS were increased, suggesting that ATF4 protects liver from excessive oxidative stress. The increase oxidative stress may be associated with superinduction of UGT1A1. The expression of ATF4 in neonatal hUGT1 hepatic tissue may play a role in the developmental repression of UGT1A1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carpet cleaning guidelines currently do not include the use of an antimicrobial, except after a bodily fluid event. To address this gap, we compared the efficacy of three antimicrobials--two hydrogen peroxide-based (H2O2) products (A and B) and one chlorine-based product (C)--and a steam treatment against two norovirus surrogates, specifically feline calicivirus (FCV) and Tulane virus (TuV). These tests were performed on nylon carpets with either water-permeable or waterproof backing types. The effect of repeated antimicrobial use on carpet properties was also evaluated. For a carpet with water-permeable backing, products A, B, and C achieved a 0.8, 3.1, and 0.9 log10 PFU/coupon reduction of FCV and 0.3, 2.5, and 0.4 log10 TCID50/coupon reduction of TuV, respectively, following a 30 min contact time. For carpet with waterproof backing, only product B achieved a 5.0 log10 PFU/coupon reduction of FCV and >3.0 log10 TCID50/coupon reduction of TuV, whereas products A and C achieved a 2.4 and 1.6 log10 PFU/coupon reduction of FCV and a 1.2 and 1.2 log10 TCID50/coupon reduction of TuV, respectively. Steam treatment achieved a = 5.2 log10 PFU/coupon reduction of FCV and a > 3.2 log10 TCID50/coupon reduction of TuV in 15 seconds on the carpet with both backing types. The repeated use of products A and B decreased the tensile strength of the carpet backing, while use of product B resulted in cracks on carpet fibers. Overall, steam treatment for 15 seconds was efficacious on both carpet types, but only product B achieved efficacy after a 30-minute exposure on the carpet with waterproof backing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial biofilms present a significant challenge in treating drug-resistant infections, necessitating the development of innovative nanomedicines. In this study, we introduce triclosan-conjugated, lipase-responsive polymeric micelles designed to exploit biofilm properties and serve as a responsive drug delivery platform. The micelles were created using an amphiphilic block polymer synthesized via ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (CL) and triclosan-containing cyclic trimethylene carbonate (MTC-Tri). Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-OH) acted as the macro-initiator, resulting in micelles with a PEG shell that facilitated their penetration into bacterial biofilms. An important advantage of our micelles lies in their interaction with local bacterial lipases within biofilms. These lipases triggered rapid micelle degradation, releasing triclosan in a controlled manner. This liberated triclosan effectively eliminated bacteria embedded in the biofilms. Notably, the triclosan-conjugated micelles displayed minimal toxicity to murine fibroblasts, indicating their biocompatibility and safety. This finding emphasizes the potential application of these micelles in combatting drug resistance observed in bacterial biofilms. Our triclosan-conjugated, lipase-responsive polymeric micelles exhibit promising characteristics for addressing drug resistance in bacterial biofilms. By harnessing biofilm properties and implementing a responsive drug delivery system, we seek to provide an effective solution in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large outbreaks of Shigella sonnei among children in Haredi Jewish (ultra-Orthodox) communities in Brooklyn, New York have occurred every 3–5 years since at least the mid-1980s. These outbreaks are partially attributable to large numbers of young children in these communities, with transmission highest in child care and school settings, and secondary transmission within households. As these outbreaks have been prolonged and difficult to control, we developed an agent-based model of shigellosis transmission among children in these communities to support New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene staff. Simulated children were assigned an initial susceptible, infectious, or recovered (immune) status and interacted and moved between their home, child care program or school, and a community site. We calibrated the model according to observed case counts as reported to the health department. Our goal was to better understand the efficacy of existing interventions and whether limited outreach resources could be focused more effectively. We evaluated how well disseminating hand washing education in child care programs can reduce the number of infected children. The model indicated that intervention efficacy may be as high as 24% when all intervention parameters are at optimal values but only approximately 7% for a more realistic, less stringent scenario. We ranked intervention parameters according to their permutation importance using a random-forest regression analysis. The most important parameter was the minimum number of reported cases in a child care program that triggers a visit to disseminate hand washing education, followed by the use of non-antibacterial soap in hand washing education, the number of additional visits to child care programs, and the probability of successfully obtaining information on child care program attendance via patient interview. Additional strategies should be considered, such as working with community partners to assist with hand hygiene education at facilities during an outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC) are two highly effective broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents having embryo toxicity, endocrine disruption, and reproductive toxicity. These two chemicals are presently emerging pollutants of wide concerns and may cause cancer, DNA damage, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. In 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has banned market entry of the over-the-counter antibacterial bath products containing antibacterial agents such as TCS and TCC. In China, however, TCS and TCC are still allowed to be used in a limited quantity as quasi-preservatives for cosmetics, and are not restricted for soap products. As emerging exogenous chemical pollutants, TCS and TCC can enter the natural environment with domestic wastewater and pose potential threats to local aquatic lives, ecological security and human health. In order to investigate the toxic effects of TCS and TCC on the long-term exposure and four different developmental stages (i. e., embryo, yolk sac absorption, larval, and juvenile stages) of the Chinese native fish species of Gobiocypris rarus (GR), the fertilized eggs of GR were exposed to TCS and TCC until 60 days post hatching (60 dph) in this study. The results showed that TCS and TCC in the ranges of 6.25 ~ 100 µg ⋅ L-1 and 0.938 ~ 15 µg ⋅ L-1, respectively, had no significant toxic effects on the embryo hatchability of GR. In the larval stage, the no observed effect concentration (NOEC) of the 30 dph survival rate in the exposure groups of 6.25 ~ 100 µg ⋅ L-1 TCS and 0.938 ~ 15 µg ⋅ L-1 TCC were 100 µg ⋅ L-1 and 0.938 µg ⋅ L-1, respectively. According to the national standards of China, the hazards of TCC to the aquatic environment were classified as long-term chronic category 1. In contrast, it is impossible to make a clear judgment for TCS because its maximum testing concentration did not reach 1 mg ⋅L-1, but the hazards of TCS to the aquatic environment can be judged as the non-long-term chronic category 1. At the juvenile stage, TCS (6.25 ~ 100 µg ⋅ L-1) and TCC (0.938 ~ 15 µg ⋅ L-1) could induce vitellogenin in both females and males of GR, but did not affect sexual differentiation. During the postembryonic development, TCS of 6.25 ~ 100 µg ⋅ L-1 could significantly affect the fish body weight, which gradually decreased with increasing TCS concentration, indicating that TCS could inhibit the body weight of GR. TCC of 0.938 ~ 15 µg ⋅ L-1 had no significant effect on the fish body weight and body length. In addition, it was found that the toxic effects on the different developmental stages of GR were different. The tolerance of GR at embryonic stage was significantly higher than that at postembryonic development stage, while the tolerance at yolk sac absorption stage and larvae stage was lower than that at the juvenile stage. Therefore, when more of these life stages are included in a test, more toxicity endpoints can be obtained by fewer test animals. Moreover, the toxic effects of different life stages in the tests are all from the same batch of the test animals, making the test results of different life stages more comparable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceutical personal care products, which include both prescription and over-the-counter chemicals, are categorized as "emerging contaminants". Triclosan serves as a substance that kills bacteria, while methylparaben acts as a preservative that prevents the growth of microorganisms in medicinal personal care items. Three accurate, rapid, simple, inexpensive, and green spectrophotometric methods were developed for the simultaneous determination of triclosan and methylparaben in a binary mixture in some personal care products. The first technique is the "second derivative peak-to-baseline" was selected at the selected wavelengths. The second technique is the ratio spectra derivative. The third one is the "mean centering ratio derivative spectra". The proposed techniques were successfully applied to some real samples. The suggested approaches' effectiveness is demonstrated by the recovered values that varied from 96.40% to 100.75% with an RSD less than 3.84%. The methods were verified in accordance with "ICH" guideline; interference, accuracy, and precision were found to be within acceptable value. Statistical comparisons of the precision and accuracy of the outputs from the suggested methods and the methods provided reveal no discernible differences when using One-way ANOVA. Lastly, the proposed techniques are measured as the "greenness" profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental caries is a global health problem that requires better prevention measures. One of the goals is to reduce the prevalence of the cariogenic Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus mutans. We have recently shown that naturally occurring arachidonic acid (AA) has both anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm activities against this bacterium. An important question is how these activities are affected by other anti-bacterial compounds commonly used in mouthwashes. Here, we studied the combined treatment of AA with chlorhexidine (CHX), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), triclosan, and fluoride. Checkerboard microtiter assays were performed to determine the effects on bacterial growth and viability. Biofilms were quantified using the MTT metabolic assay, crystal violet (CV) staining, and live/dead staining with SYTO 9/propidium iodide (PI) visualized by spinning disk confocal microscopy (SDCM). The bacterial morphology and the topography of the biofilms were visualized by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM). The effect of selected drug combinations on cell viability and membrane potential was investigated by flow cytometry using SYTO 9/PI staining and the potentiometric dye DiOC2(3), respectively. We found that CHX and CPC had an antagonistic effect on AA at certain concentrations, while an additive effect was observed with triclosan and fluoride. This prompted us to investigate the triple treatment of AA, triclosan, and fluoride, which was more effective than either compound alone or the double treatment. We observed an increase in the percentage of PI-positive bacteria, indicating increased bacterial cell death. Only AA caused significant membrane hyperpolarization, which was not significantly enhanced by either triclosan or fluoride. In conclusion, our data suggest that AA can be used together with triclosan and fluoride to improve the efficacy of oral health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan (TCS) is an anti-microbial widely used in personal care and medical antibacterial products. Despite the widespread occurrence of TCS in municipal sewage sludge, understanding toward the fate of TCS within sewage treatment and environmental risks in the eventual land application is still limited. This review summarizes the TCS loads and transfer mechanisms in the sewage treatment process, sludge management process, land application, and its potential environmental impacts. TCS transfer from sewage to sludge mainly occurs in the primary sedimentation process, representing 2.50 to 4.58 times more compared to the secondary sedimentation process. This transfer is facilitated through adsorption because of the presence of humic acid-like and protein-like substances in sludge. Both anaerobic digestion and aerobic composting contribute to the degradation of TCS with aerobic composting being more effective, exhibiting TCS degradation rates 1.04–2.87 times higher than those observed in anaerobic digestion. After sludge land application, TCS majorly dissipates in the soil through biodegradation by fungi and bacteria, potentially posing environmental risks, such as inhibiting the seedling growth of plant species. Additionally, the degradation of TCS, coupled with the formation and subsequent degradation of MeTCS, is observed, with MeTCS exhibiting a higher half-life and greater toxicity than its parent compound (TCS). Overall, this research offers vital insights to enhance understanding of TCS's migration and degradation processes in sewage treatment and soil. It also provides guidance in environmental protection and sustainable resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Products used in daily life can contain chemicals such as parabens, benzophenones, triclosan, and triclocarban that have potential endocrine-disrupting effects. Little is known about the temporal trends of exposure levels to some of these chemicals in Japan. Our study assessed the intake and risk associated with exposure to commonly used chemicals. We measured the concentrations of five parabens, four benzophenones, and triclosan and triclocarban in 133 single spot urine samples. The urine samples were collected in 1993, 2000, 2003, 2009, 2011, and 2016 from healthy female residents in Kyoto, Japan. With the exception of methylparaben, ethylparaben, and butylparaben, there were no significant fluctuations in the concentrations of target chemicals over the study period; however, methylparaben, ethylparaben, and butylparaben showed temporal changes in concentrations. Methylparaben concentrations peaked in 2003 with a median value of 309 μg/g creatinine, ethylparaben concentrations peaked in 1993 with a median value of 17.3 μg/g creatinine, and butylparaben showed a decline, with the median values becoming non-detectable in 2009 and 2016. We calculated estimated daily intakes and hazard quotients for each chemical. In the analysis of total samples, 2.3% (3 samples) for butylparaben and 0.8% (1 sample) for propylparaben were found to surpass a hazard quotient of 1. Overall, 3% (n = 4) of the study participants exceeded a hazard index of 1. The potential health risks associated with exposure to butylparaben and propylparaben emphasize the need for further monitoring and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan is a widely used antibacterial agent and disinfectant, and its overuse endangered ecological safety and human health. Therefore, reducing residual TCS concentrations in the environment is an urgent issue. Bacillus sp. DL4, an aerobic bacterium with TCS biodegradability, was isolated from pharmaceutical wastewater samples. Response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) were carried out to optimize and verify the different condition variables, and the optimal growth conditions of strain DL4 were obtained (35 °C, initial pH 7.31, and 5% v/v). After 48 h of cultivation under the optimal conditions, the removal efficiency of strain DL4 on TCS was 95.89 ± 0.68%, which was consistent with the predicted values from RSM and ANN models. In addition, higher R2 value and lower MSE and ADD values indicated that the ANN model had a stronger predictive capability than the RSM model. Whole genome sequencing results showed that many functional genes were annotated in metabolic pathways related to TCS degradation (e.g., amino acid metabolism, xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism). Main intermediate metabolites were identified during the biodegradation process by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS), and a possible pathway was hypothesized based on the metabolites. Overall, this study provides a theoretical foundation for the characterization and mechanism of TCS biodegradation in the environment by Bacillus sp. DL4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration of antimicrobial agents in environments like water and food has increased rapidly, which led to a rapid increase in antimicrobial resistance levels in the environment. Monitoring of bacterial resistance levels is considered as a necessary means to control the bacterial resistance. Reference standards are critical for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. CLSI M45 A3 standard defines pathogenic microorganisms that cause infections less frequently than those covered by CLSI M02, M07, and M100 as Infrequently Isolated or Fastidious Bacteria and specifies antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods. Our study investigated the epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility testing data of Infrequently Isolated or Fastidious Bacteria strains isolated from blood specimens in 70 hospitals in Guangdong Province between 2017 and 2021. We defined testing methods other than those specified in CLSI M45 A3 as "Non-Standardized." The proportion of standardized antimicrobial susceptibility testing for penicillin increased significantly (Corynebacterium spp. 17.4% vs. 50.0% p < 0.05; Micrococcus spp. 50.0% vs. 77.8% p < 0.05; Abiotrophia spp. and Granulicatella spp. 21.4% vs. 90.9% p < 0.001), while for cefotaxime (Corynebacterium spp. 0.0% vs. 45.2% p < 0.05; Abiotrophia spp. and Granulicatella spp. 0.0% vs. 14.3% p = 0.515) and vancomycin increased finitely. Non-standardized methods were used for all other antimicrobials. Due to limitations in the economic and medical environment, some clinical laboratories are unable to fully comply with CLSI M45 A3 standard. We recommend that CLSI should add breakpoints for disk diffusion method to improve the standardization of antimicrobial susceptibility testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating global challenge of antimicrobial resistance demands innovative approaches. This review delves into the current status and future prospects of bioengineered metallic nanoparticles derived from natural sources as potent antimicrobial agents. The unique attributes of metallic nanoparticles and the abundance of natural resources have sparked a burgeoning field of research in combating microbial infections. A systematic review of the literature was conducted, encompassing a wide range of studies investigating the synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial mechanisms of bioengineered metallic nanoparticles. Databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Springer, Taylor & Francis online and OpenAthen were extensively searched to compile a comprehensive overview of the topic. The synthesis methods, including green and sustainable approaches, were examined, as were the diverse biological sources used in nanoparticle fabrication. The amalgamation of metallic nanoparticles and natural products has yielded promising antimicrobial agents. Their multifaceted mechanisms, including membrane disruption, oxidative stress induction, and enzyme inhibition, render them effective against various pathogens, including drug-resistant strains. Moreover, the potential for targeted drug delivery systems using these nanoparticles has opened new avenues for personalized medicine. Bioengineered metallic nanoparticles derived from natural sources represent a dynamic frontier in the battle against microbial infections. The current status of research underscores their remarkable antimicrobial efficacy and multifaceted mechanisms of action. Future prospects are bright, with opportunities for scalability and cost-effectiveness through sustainable synthesis methods. However, addressing toxicity, regulatory hurdles, and environmental considerations remains crucial. In conclusion, this review highlights the evolving landscape of bioengineered metallic nanoparticles, offering valuable insights into their current status and their potential to revolutionize antimicrobial therapy in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research delves deeply into the intricate degradation kinetics of triclosan, employing two distinct methodologies: UV and simulated solar irradiation. Through a comprehensive comparative analysis, the study endeavors to elucidate the efficacy of these techniques, aiming to shed light on their respective methodological strengths and limitations. The study compares the efficacy of UV and simulated solar irradiation techniques for triclosan degradation, revealing that both methods exhibit effectiveness in degrading triclosan, with variations observed in degradation rates and byproduct formation. Through a detailed examination of the kinetics of triclosan degradation, the study reveals the intricate pathways and mechanisms involved in the photodegradation process. Results highlight the influence of irradiance levels and residence times on degradation efficiency. The research identifies optimal conditions for triclosan degradation, emphasizing the importance of residence time and irradiance levels. Results show that a residence time of 4 h and an irradiance level of 450 W m−2 maximize degradation efficiency. Analysis of degradation byproducts provides insights into the transformation pathways of triclosan under UV and simulated solar irradiation, indicating the formation of 2,4-dichlorophenol, quinone, and hydroquinone as primary byproducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan (TCS), an antimicrobial drug, is known to occupy different compartments in aquatic ecosystems. The present study focused to evaluate the reproductive toxicity of triclosan, at environmentally relevant (0.009 and 9 μg L−1) and sublethal (176.7 μg L−1) concentrations for 90 days in the pre-spawning phase of the fish, Anabas testudineus. The reproductive biomarkers, namely, gonadal steroidogenic enzymes, expression of aromatic genes, levels of serum gonadotropins, sex hormones, and histology of gonads were analyzed. The weight of the animal, brain weights along with gonadosomatic index decreased while mucus deposition increased significantly at all concentrations of triclosan as the primary defensive mechanism to prevent the entry of toxicants. Triclosan disrupted gonadal steroidogenesis as evidenced by a reduction in the activities of gonadal steroidogenic enzymes. The expressions of cyp19a1a and cyp19a1b genes were up-regulated in the brain of both sexes and testis, while down-regulated in the ovary indicating estrogenic effects of the compound. The endocrine-disrupting effects of triclosan were confirmed. The current results suggest that chronic exposure to triclosan altered reproductive endpoints thereby impairing normal reproductive functions in fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an innovative approach for the reuse and recycling of waste material, brewer's spent grain (BSG) for creating a novel green biocatalyst. The same BSG was utilized in several consecutive steps: initially, it served as a substrate for the cultivation and production of laccase by a novel isolated fungal strain, Coriolopsis trogii 2SMKN, then, it was reused as a carrier for laccase immobilization, aiding in the process of azo dye decolorization and finally, reused as recycled BSG for the second successful laccase immobilization for six guaiacol oxidation, contributing to a zero-waste strategy. The novel fungal strain produced laccase with a maximum activity of 171.4 U/g after 6 days of solid-state fermentation using BSG as a substrate. The obtained laccase exhibited excellent performance in the decolorization of azo dyes, both as a free and immobilized, at high temperatures, without addition of harmful mediators, achieving maximum decolorization efficiencies of 99.0%, 71.2%, and 61.0% for Orange G (OG), Congo Red, and Eriochrome Black T (EBT), respectively. The immobilized laccase on BSG was successfully reused across five cycles of azo dye decolorization process. Notably, new green biocatalyst outperformed commercial laccase from Aspergillus spp. in the decolorization of OG and EBT. GC-MS and LC-MS revealed azo-dye degradation products and decomposition pathway. This analysis was complemented by antimicrobial and phytotoxicity tests, which confirmed the non-toxic nature of the degradation products, indicating the potential for safe environmental disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan (TCS), a common antibacterial agent found in numerous personal care products, has been detected in wastewater and surface water and is now of significant environmental concern due to its health impacts. To mitigate this issue, various treatment methods have been explored. This study investigated the efficacy of Macadamia nut shell activated carbon (MAC) as an economical adsorbent for triclosan removal. A pulsed-bed column adsorption technique was applied to enhance adsorption capacity and prolong the operational lifespan of the column. Batch experiments were conducted to explore various parameters and adsorption capacity. Column experiments were carried out to investigate breakthrough curves and various associated parameters. In batch experiments, MAC exhibited a high TCS adsorption capacity of 119.05 mg/g, and optimal adsorption conditions were determined. Adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order model, and equilibrium data were well-fitted by both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. A pulsed-bed column adsorption showed superior performance compared to a fixed-bed column under specific conditions (flow rate: 10 mL/min, TCS initial concentration: 60 mg/L, bed column height: 10 cm) and removal bed height of only 6 cm, successfully enhancing TCS adsorption capacity to 53.40 mg/g and extending the operational lifespan of the column to 5,280 minutes. Adapting pulsed-bed columns for TCS removal from wastewater in the personal care product industry led to the extension of column life with increased adsorption capacity and minimized the use of adsorbents as a practical and environmentally friendly method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced oxidation processes are the most efficient tool to thwart the overaccumulation of harmful organic compounds in the environment. In this direction bioinspired metal complexes may be a viable solution for oxidative degradations in water. However, their synthesis is often elaborated and their scalability consequently low. This study presents alternative easy-to-synthesize bioinspired metal complexes to promote degradations in water. The metals employed were iron and manganese ions, hence cheap and highly accessible ions. The complexes were tested toward Phenol, Estrone, Triclosan, Oxybenzone, Diclofenac, Carbamazepine, Erythromycin, Aspartame, Acesulfame K, Anisole and 2,4-Dinitrotoluene. The reaction favoured electron-rich compounds reaching a removal efficiency of over 90%. The central ion plays a crucial role. Specifically, Mn(II) induces a non-radical pathway while iron ions a predominant radical one (⋅OH is predominant). The iron systems resulted more versatile toward contaminants, while the manganese ones showed a higher turn-over number, hence higher catalytic behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the pollution of water resources by some contaminants, e.g., chloroquine (CQN), due to its probable benefit in the treatment of the virus. Thus, is necessary the removal of CQN from water through advanced techniques. Black soybeans have been widely used due to their benefits to human health, and as a result, there was an increase in soybean husk residue, the main by-product of the soybean processing industry. Given the current scenario and the need to develop new uses for this agricultural residue, this study aimed to establish an economical and environmental biotechnology by the CQN adsorption process onto black soybean hulls (BSH) for the first time. BSH was characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic techniques that demonstrated porosity, organic functional groups and negative surface charges. The pH study did not affect CQN adsorption pronouncedly, indicating that π-interactions and hydrogen bonds are the main mechanisms of the adsorption process. The maximum adsorption capacity was 75.06 ± 2.24 mg g−1 with 240 min of contact time at 288 K. In order to verify the biosorbent applicability, the safranin orange dye and triclosan adsorption were also evaluated onto BSH. The absorption peaks of the contaminants used in the synthetic mixture demonstrated a removal rate of 90.81 ± 0.80% for safranin orange, 66.79 ± 1.12% for triclosan and 70.62 ± 0.67% for CQN. The satisfactory removal of other contaminants indicates that BSH is a promising, affordable and environmentally friendly biosorbent with applicability potential for alternative treatment of contaminated water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are widely used in versatile applications, from high technology to household products. While numerous studies have examined the toxic gene profile of ZnO NPs across various tissues, the specific lipid species associated with adverse effects and potential biomarkers remain elusive. In this study, we conducted a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based lipidomics analysis to uncover potential lipid biomarkers in human kidney cells following treatment with ZnO NPs. Furthermore, we employed lipid pathway enrichment analysis (LIPEA) to elucidate altered lipid-related signaling pathways. Our results demonstrate that ZnO NPs induce cytotoxicity in renal epithelial cells and modulate lipid species; we identified 64 lipids with a fold change (FC) > 2 and p < 0.01 with corrected p < 0.05 in HK2 cells post-treatment with ZnO NPs. Notably, the altered lipids between control HK2 cells and those treated with ZnO NPs were associated with the sphingolipid, autophagy, and glycerophospholipid pathways. This study unveils novel potential lipid biomarkers of ZnO NP nanotoxicity, representing the first lipidomic profiling of ZnO NPs in human renal epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walnut bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis (Xaj) is one of the most prevalent diseases of walnut (Juglans spp.), causing significant reductions in nut yield and important losses in economy. Enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase (ENR) is one of the key enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of bacterial fatty acids. In this study, we identified a single ENR-encoding gene, RS10040, in the genome of the XajDW3F3 strain. Sequence alignment analysis suggested RS10040 as a candidate fabV gene in Xaj. Expression of XajfabV restored the growth of the Escherichia coli fabI temperature-sensitive mutant under a nonpermissive growth condition. In vitro assays demonstrated that XajFabV catalyzed enoyl-ACPs of various chain lengths to acyl-ACPs, demonstrating its role in de novo fatty acid biosynthesis. Furthermore, we confirmed that XajfabV is an essential gene for growth, as no XajfabV deletion mutant could be obtained, although XajfabV in the chromosome could be deleted after compensating with a functional ENR-encoding gene via an exogenous plasmid. The fabV replacement mutants showed similar growth characteristic and fatty acid compositions. Our data further identified that fabV conferred Xaj with tolerance to various environmental stresses. Although XajFabV conferred Xaj with triclosan resistance, the resistance of Xaj was weaker than that found for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Moreover, triclosan exhibited a control effect against infection of the ΔfabV/EcfabI to its host walnut. This study revealed the function of XajFabV and laid a theoretical foundation for the fatty acid synthesis mechanism of Xaj. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing awareness of marine ecological environment, biocide-free marine antifouling coatings have been gaining increased attention in the field of marine antifouling. Among all the antifouling approaches, constructing fouling-release coatings (FRCs) may be the most effective and economical way caused by the biocide-free. However, the low mechanical strength, weak adhesion to substrates, and poor static fouling resistance of traditional silicone-based FRCs, which limiting their applications. In this work, we synthesized a polyurethane with hydroxyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polytetrahydrofuran (PTMG) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) as main chains, 2,2'-Bis (hydroxymethyl)butyric acid (DMBA) as chain extender, and γ-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (KH-550) as crosslinker by condensation polymerization. Meanwhile, Triclosan (TCS) was used as an antibacterial agent and mixed into the polymer system with uniformly dispersed. We introduced urethane groups into silicone, which improved the mechanical strength (ultimate tensile strength: 1.379 MPa, elongation at break: 282%). As a result, the laboratory bioassays using bacteria (E. coli, and S. aureus) showed that the anti-bacterial efficiency could respectively reach ∼95% and ∼93%, which demonstrated an outstanding antifouling property of the D:K = 0.7:1.3/1.0. This work overcomes the low strength issue of traditional fouling-release coatings and provides a simple strategy for silicone-based polyurethane antifouling coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclopyr, an auxin-like herbicide that is widely employed for managing weeds in food crops and pastures, has been identified in various environmental settings, particularly aquatic ecosystems. Limited understanding of the environmental fate of this herbicide, its potential repercussions for both the environment and human health, and its insufficient monitoring in diverse environmental compartments has caused it to be recognized as an emerging contaminant of concern. In this study, we have investigated how triclopyr affects zebrafish, considering a new alternative methodology. We focused on the endpoints of developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and behavior of zebrafish embryos and larvae. We determined that triclopyr has a 96 h median lethal concentration of 87.46 mg/L (341.01 µM). When we exposed zebrafish embryos to sublethal triclopyr concentrations (0.5, 1, 5, 10, and 50 μM) for up to 144 h, we found that 50 µM triclopyr delayed zebrafish egg hatchability. Yolk sac malabsorption was significant at 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 µM triclopyr. In zebrafish larvae, uninflated swim bladder was significant only at 50 µM triclopyr. Furthermore, zebrafish larvae had altered swimming activity after exposure to 10 µM triclopyr for 144 h. In summary, these comprehensive results indicate that even low triclopyr concentrations can elicit adverse effects during early zebrafish development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloroxylenol is a commonly used antimicrobial agent in antibacterial and disinfection products, which has been detected in various environments, such as wastewater treatment plants, rivers, seawater, and even drinking water, with concentrations ranging from ng/L to mg/L. However, the biodegradation of chloroxylenol received limited attention with only sporadic reports available so far. In this study, an efficient chloroxylenol-degrading consortium, which could degrade 20 mg/L chloroxylenol within two days, was obtained after five months of enrichment. Amplicon sequencing analysis revealed a decrease in the α-diversity (e.g., Shannon index and Inv_Simpson index) of the community during the domestication process. Microbial community dynamics were uncovered, with sequences affiliated to Achromobacter, Pseudomonas, and Rhodococcus identified as the most abundant taxonomic groups. From the consortium, five pure isolates were obtained; however, it was found that only one strain of Rhodococcus could degrade chloroxylenol. Strain Rhodococcus sp. DMU2021 could degrade chloroxylenol efficiently under the conditions of temperature 30–40 °C, and neutral/alkaline conditions. Chloroxylenol was toxic to strain DMU2021 and triggered both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems in response. This study provides novel insights into the biodegradation process of chloroxylenol, as well as valuable bioresources for bioremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption technique has emerged as one of the promising protocols to mitigate the level of emerging contaminants from aqueous media owing to high viability, flexibility and productive recovery of adsorbent. The suitability of template induced mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticles having high surface area to expel out triclosan and chlorpyrifos from aqueous media was investigated in the present study. Biopolymer, xanthan gum templated synthesis of nanosized TiO2 was carried out imposing high frequency sound waves, and the as-synthesized sample was calcined at different temperatures (550–850 °C). The morphological features, crystal phase and size, pore size and surface area, and band gap of TiO2 nanoparticles were evaluated. XRD analysis divulged the 100% pure anatase phase of TiO2 even at 850 °C. Prior to adsorption studies, the persistence studies of triclosan and chlorpyrifos (day 1 to 75) have been carried out which showed the highly persistent nature of both the adsorbates. The nanosorbent anatase TiO2 having 87 m2g−1 surface area and 6.2 nm pore radius showed instant adsorption of triclosan (96%) and chlorpyrifos (89%) optimal conditions. Thermodynamic and adsorption isotherm studies were conducted at different temperatures (293–303 K) and initial concentrations (3–15 mg/L). The calculated thermodynamic parameters ΔG, ΔH and ΔS suggested that the adsorption is spontaneous and endothermic in nature. Further, the recyclability studies demonstrate that mesoporous TiO2 retains the adsorption efficiency for both the adsorbates even after 7 consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles. The findings of the present work have substantial implications for facile elimination of triclosan and chlorpyrifos from aqueous medium with mesoporous TiO2 nanostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial compound widely used in personal hygiene products such as mouthwash and toothpaste; and has been found in human blood, breast milk, and urine. Interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1 beta (IL-1β) are pro-inflammatory cytokines regulating cell growth, tissue repair, and immune function; increased levels of each have been associated with many diseases, including cancer. Previous studies showed that TCS at concentrations between 0.05 and 5 µM consistently increased the secretion of IL-1β and IL-6 from human immune cells within 24 h of exposure. The current study demonstrates that this increase in secretion was not due simply to release of existing stores but was due to an increase in cellular production/levels (both secreted and intracellular levels) of each of these cytokines. Production of IL-1β and IL-6 was increased by exposure to one or more concentration of TCS at each length of exposure (10 min, 30 min, 6 h, and 24 h). TCS-induced stimulation of cytokine production was shown to be dependent on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p44/42 (ERK 1/2). It was also shown that these TCS-induced increases in IL-1β and IL6 production were accompanied by increased mRNA for IL-1β and IL-6. The ability of TCS to increase production indicates that rather than activating a self-limiting process of depleting cells of already existing stores of IL-1β or IL-6, TCS can stimulate a process that has the capacity to provide sustained production of these cytokines and thus may lead to chronic inflammation and its pathological consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the correlation between urinary triclosan (TCS) levels in early pregnancy and glucose homeostasis at 28 weeks of gestation. Methods A total of 241 pregnant women undergoing prenatal examinations at the Second Central Hospital of Baoding from January 2019 to June 2020 were recruited. The primary outcome was gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screened by a 1 hour non-fasting, 50 g glucose load test (GLT) at a median of 28 weeks of pregnancy. Urine samples were collected in early and mid pregnancy to measure urine specific gravity (Sg) and quantify phenolic compounds (bisphenol A, benzophenone-3, and TCS) using online solid phase extraction combined with isotope dilution high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Results According to GLT results, 199 women had normal GLT, while the remaining 42 had abnormal results. Women with abnormal GLT had higher BMI and lower total exercise time compared to those with normal GLT (P<0.05). Positive associations between TCS levels and gestational glucose levels were observed in early pregnancy and mid pregnancy (comparing the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quartiles with the 1st quartile of TCS: adj. OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.191.05; adj. OR 0.43, 95% CI: -0.171.02; adj. OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.141.05) and mid pregnancy (adj. OR0.76, 95% CI: 0.191.32; adj. OR0.66, 95% CI: 0.941.22; adj. OR0.56, 95% CI: 0.041.12). Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) results indicated a positive association between TCS and glucose levels in both early and mid pregnancy (P<0.05). Conclusion Urinary TCS concentration during pregnancy is positively correlated with glucose levels in late pregnancy GDM screening tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The opportunistic bacteria growing in biofilms play a decisive role in the pathogenesis of chronic infectious diseases. Biofilm-dwelling bacteria behave differently than planktonic bacteria and are likely to increase resistance and tolerance to antimicrobial therapeutics. Antimicrobial adjuvants have emerged as a promising strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and restore the efficacy of existing antibiotics. A combination of antibiotics and potential antimicrobial adjuvants, (e.g., extracellular polymeric substance (EPS)-degrading enzymes and quorum sensing inhibitors (QSI) can improve the effects of antibiotics and potentially reduce bacterial resistance). In addition, encapsulation of antimicrobials within nanoparticulate systems can improve their stability and their delivery into biofilms. Lipid nanocarriers (LNCs) have been established as having the potential to improve the efficacy of existing antibiotics in combination with antimicrobial adjuvants. Among them, liquid crystal nanoparticles (LCNPs), liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are promising due to their superior properties compared to traditional formulations, including their greater biocompatibility, higher drug loading capacity, drug protection from chemical or enzymatic degradation, controlled drug release, targeted delivery, ease of preparation, and scale-up feasibility. This article reviews the recent advances in developing various LNCs to co-deliver some well-studied antimicrobial adjuvants combined with antibiotics from different classes. The efficacy of various combination treatments is compared against bacterial biofilms, and synergistic therapeutics that deserve further investigation are also highlighted. This review identifies promising LNCs for the delivery of combination therapies that are in recent development. It discusses how LNC-enabled co-delivery of antibiotics and adjuvants can advance current clinical antimicrobial treatments, leading to innovative products, enabling the reuse of antibiotics, and providing opportunities for saving millions of lives from bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of reclaimed water in agriculture is an effective way to alleviate water scarcity. However, reclaimed water often contains pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), which might be introduced into agricultural soil and crops through reclaimed water irrigation. In this study, a field experiment was conducted to investigate the concentrations of PPCPs in the soil-cereal system after reclaimed water irrigation in 2015 and 2016 in the North China Plain. Three different water qualities were used for summer maize and winter wheat: reclaimed water, mixed water (reclaimed water and groundwater, 1:1), and groundwater. The total concentration of 11 PPCPs in winter wheat grain, summer maize grain and the topsoil (0–20 cm depth) was 1.37–7.65, 4.33–5.07, and 5.85–13.7 μg/kg, respectively. And the total bioaccumulation factors (BCFs) of the 11 PPCPs for summer maize and winter wheat were 3.40–5.23 and 0.11–0.21, respectively. There were no significant differences in the PPCP concentrations in the topsoil-cereal system or in the BCFs among the three irrigation treatments. The total hazard quotients for the 11 PPCPs were 0.019 and 0.053 for adults and toddlers, respectively, suggesting that consumption of the cereal grains in the current research (irrigation with groundwater, mixed water, or reclaimed water) presented little risk to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both geraniol and the products of its transformation, thanks to their beneficial properties, find a variety of applications in cosmetics. Due to their antioxidant and moisturizing properties, these compounds can be added to skin care products such as face creams, lotions, oils, and masks. In addition, these compounds show some antibacterial and antifungal properties, making them suitable for application in skin care products to help fight against bacteria or fungi. This study determined the antimicrobial activity of geraniol and the compounds which were formed during its transformation in relation to selected Gram-positive bacteria, and the preliminary assessment was made whether these compounds can act as ingredients of preparations with potential antimicrobial activity in the treatment of various human diseases (for example diseases of the skin, digestive system, or urinary tract). In addition, this work presents studies on the microbiological purity of cream samples obtained with different contents of geraniol and its transformation products (contents of the tested compounds: 0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5%, 4%, 8%, and 12%). Antibacterial activity tests were performed using the disc diffusion method against Gram-positive cocci, including the reference strains Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, and against the clinical strains Staphylococcus aureus MRSA, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis VRE VanB, Enterococcus faecium VRE VanA, and Enterococcus faecium VRE VanB. The most active ingredient against bacteria of the Staphylococcus genus was citral, followed by linalool and then geraniol. During our tests, in the case of bacteria of the Enterococcus genus, citral also showed the highest activity, but linalool, ocimenes, and geraniol showed a slightly lower activity. Moreover, this study examined the microbiological purity of cream samples obtained with various contents of geraniol and its transformation products. In the tests of the microbiological purity of cream samples, no growth of aerobic bacteria and fungi was found, which proves the lack of microbiological contamination of the obtained cosmetic preparations. On this basis, it was assessed that these compounds have preservative properties in the prepared creams. The addition of the analyzed compounds also had influence on the durability of the creams and had no effect on the change in their consistency, did not negatively affect the separation of phases during storage, and even had a positive effect on organoleptic sensations by enriching the smell of the tested samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new sensor based on copper-zinc bimetal embedded and nitrogen-doped carbon-based composites (CuZn@NC) was prepared for triclosan (TCS) detection by pyrolyzing the precursor of Cu–Zn binuclear metal–organic framework (MOF). The performance for detecting TCS was evaluated using linear scanning voltammetry (LSV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and the proton and electron numbers during TCS oxidation have been proved to be one-to-one. The results indicated that CuZn@NC can present a satisfactory analysis performance for TCS detection. Under the optimized conditions, the linear response range was 0.2–600 µM and the detection limit was 47.9 nM. The sensor presented good stability (signal current dropped only 2.5% after 21 days) and good anti-interference of inorganic salts and small molecular organic acids. The good recovery (97.5–104.1%) for detecting spiked TCS in commercial products (toothpaste and hand sanitizer) suggested its potential for routine determination of TCS in real samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which chemicals bioaccumulate in aquatic and terrestrial organisms represents a fundamental consideration for chemicals management efforts intended to protect public health and the environment from pollution and waste. Many chemicals, including most pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), are ionizable across environmentally relevant pH gradients, which can affect their fate in aquatic and terrestrial systems. Existing mathematical models describe the accumulation of neutral organic chemicals and weak acids and bases in both fish and plants. Further model development is hampered, however, by a lack of mechanistic insights for PPCPs that are predominantly or permanently ionized. Targeted experiments across environmentally realistic conditions are needed to address the following questions: (1) What are the partitioning and sorption behaviors of strongly ionizing chemicals among species? (2) How does membrane permeability of ions influence bioaccumulation of PPCPs? (3) To what extent are salts and associated complexes with PPCPs influencing bioaccumulation? (4) How do biotransformation and other elimination processes vary within and among species? (5) Are bioaccumulation modeling efforts currently focused on chemicals and species with key data gaps and risk profiles? Answering these questions promises to address key sources of uncertainty for bioaccumulation modeling of ionizable PPCPs and related contaminants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:502–512. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of antibiotics saved many lives. Infections were not as deadly a problem for clinicians as they once were. However, due to inappropriate and excessive use of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance has increased dramatically worldwide. Infectious diseases are becoming more challenging to control, and they cause increased morbidity and mortality. Also, a significant risk to human health is posed by infections associated with biofilms. To combat these drug-resistant microorganisms, several novel and alternative strategies have been identified. Bee products such as honey, bee pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, bee wax, and bee bread have the potential of being used as antimicrobial or antibiofilm agents in various industrial and medical applications. Although these products have some restrictions such as their varying and complex composition, they possess significant potential in the field of medical practices as viable alternatives to antibiotics. They offer a potential solution to the issue of antibiotic resistance. The objective of this review was to offer a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of strategies based on bee products that are currently employed or have been suggested against antimicrobial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan (TCS), a broad-spectrum antibacterial chemical, is detected in human urine, breast milk, amniotic fluid, and feces; however, little is known about its impact on the intestinal microbiome and host mucosal immunity during pregnancy and early development. Pregnant female rats were orally gavaged with TCS from gestation day (GD) 6 to postpartum (PP) day 28. Offspring were administered TCS from postnatal day (PND) 12 to 28. Studies were conducted to assess changes in the intestinal microbial population (16S-rRNA sequencing) and functional analysis of microbial genes in animals exposed to TCS during pregnancy (GD18), and at PP7, PP28 and PND28. Microbial abundance was compared with the amounts of TCS excreted in feces and IgA levels in feces. The results reveal that TCS decreases the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes with a significant increase in Proteobacteria. At PND28, total Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were higher in females and showed correlation with the levels of TCS and unbound IgA in feces. The significant increase in Proteobacteria in all TCS-treated rats along with the increased abundance in OTUs that belong to pathogenic bacterial communities could serve as a signature of TCS-induced dysbiosis. In conclusion, TCS can perturb the microbiome, the functional activities of the microbiome, and activate mucosal immunity during pregnancy and early development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triclosan and Triclocarban, preservatives widely used in cosmetics and other consumer products, underwent evaluation using a battery of new-approach methodologies in vitro (NAMs). Specifically, the Microplate Ames Test (MPF™ Test, Xenometrix, Allschwil, Switzerland) was employed to assess mutagenicity, the Comet assay in vitro on the HaCat cell line and the Mammalian Chromosome Aberration Test were utilized to evaluate genotoxicity, and the XenoScreen® YES/YAS assay was applied to investigate endocrine disruption. The chemicals did not exhibit any positive responses for mutagenicity. However, the mammalian chromosome aberration test identified both chemicals as being positive for genotoxicity at 10 µg/mL. In the Comet assay, the percentage of DNA in the tail significantly increased in a concentration-dependent manner (at 5 and 10 µg/mL for Triclosan, at 2.5, 5, and 10 µg/mL for Triclocarban). The positive response depended on the increasing concentration and the duration of exposure. Triclosan, but not Triclocarban in any of the endocrine assays performed, indicated a potential for endocrine activity in the anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic assays. The positive in vitro results detected were obtained for concentrations relevant to final products. The alarming findings obtained with the use of new-approach methodologies (NAMs) justify the current precautionary regulatory approach, limiting the use of these preservatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]