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Environmental Science and Pollution... Jan 2023Due to disparities in the allocation of rainwater and drought, extreme exploitation of groundwater reservoirs has depleted water supplies in many locations. In addition,... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Due to disparities in the allocation of rainwater and drought, extreme exploitation of groundwater reservoirs has depleted water supplies in many locations. In addition, improper disposal of domestic and industrial waste leads to poor drainage and deterioration of water quality. According to studies, desalination methods are an effective solution for treating unconventional water, i.e., sea and brackish water, and making it usable in daily life. Solar-powered desalination has recently received a great deal of attention around the world. Herein, we summarized challenges and future perspectives associated with solar-powered desalination units. Some hybrid technologies are also discussed like solar-wind desalination and RO-ED crystallizer technology in Morocco and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Previously, most experimental studies focused on the use of solar energy in traditional desalination methods such as multistage flash and multi-effect distillation. Desalination with reverse osmosis has become popular due to membrane technology improvement and benefits like high recovery ratios and low energy consumption. Furthermore, it has been seen that solar energy is less expensive than the energy obtained from traditional fuels in the MENA area. This article aims to comparatively and systematically review the economic feasibility of the use of solar photovoltaic reverse osmosis in desalination in the MENA region.
Topics: Feasibility Studies; Membranes, Artificial; Osmosis; Solar Energy; Water Purification
PubMed: 36380176
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24116-z -
International Journal of Environmental... Oct 2022There are several techniques for the removal of pharmaceuticals (drugs) from wastewater; however, strengths and weaknesses have been observed in their elimination... (Review)
Review
There are several techniques for the removal of pharmaceuticals (drugs) from wastewater; however, strengths and weaknesses have been observed in their elimination processes that limit their applicability. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the best techniques for the removal of pharmaceuticals from municipal and hospital wastewater. For this, a non-experimental, descriptive, qualitative-quantitative design was used, corresponding to a systematic review without meta-analysis. Based on established inclusion and exclusion criteria, 31 open-access articles were selected from the Scopus, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, and ScienceDirect databases. The results showed that high concentrations of analgesics such as naproxen (1.37 mg/L) and antibiotics such as norfloxacin (0.561 mg/L) are frequently found in wastewater and that techniques such as reverse osmosis, ozonation, and activated sludge have the best removal efficiency, achieving values of 99%. It was concluded that reverse osmosis is one of the most efficient techniques for eliminating ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, and diclofenac from municipal wastewater, with removal rates ranging from 96 to 99.9%, while for hospital wastewater the activated sludge technique proved to be efficient, eliminating analgesics and antibiotics in the range of 41-99%.
Topics: Wastewater; Sewage; Diclofenac; Naproxen; Norfloxacin; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Carbamazepine; Hospitals; Ozone; Sulfamethoxazole; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Ofloxacin; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Waste Disposal, Fluid
PubMed: 36293682
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013105 -
Electrophoresis Jul 2022Accurate manipulation of fluids in microfluidic devices is an important factor affecting their functions. Since the emergence of microfluidic technology to transport... (Review)
Review
Accurate manipulation of fluids in microfluidic devices is an important factor affecting their functions. Since the emergence of microfluidic technology to transport fluids in microchannels, the electric field has been utilized as an effective dynamic pumping mechanism. This review attempts to provide a fundamental insight of the various electric-driven flows in microchannels and their working mechanisms as micropumps for microfluidic devices. Different electrokinetic mechanisms implemented in electrohydrodynamic-, electroosmosis-, electrothermal, and dielectrophoresis-based micropumps are discussed. A detailed description of different mechanisms is presented to provide a comprehensive overview on the key parameters used in electric micropumps. Furthermore, electrode configurations and their shapes in different micropumps are explored and categorized to provide conclusive information for the selection of efficient, simple, and affordable strategies to transport fluids in microfluidic devices. In this paper, recent theoretical, numerical and experimental investigations are covered to provide a better insight both on the operational mechanisms and strategies for lab-on-chip applications.
Topics: Electricity; Electrodes; Electroosmosis; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Microfluidics
PubMed: 35452525
DOI: 10.1002/elps.202100317 -
Contraception Feb 2020To understand effect of adjunct misoprostol on cervical preparation with overnight osmotic dilators for dilation and evacuation after 16 weeks gestation. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
To understand effect of adjunct misoprostol on cervical preparation with overnight osmotic dilators for dilation and evacuation after 16 weeks gestation.
METHODS
We searched on-line reference databases using search terms for second trimester, abortion, misoprostol, and dilators. Randomized controlled trials of cervical preparation for second trimester D&E using overnight osmotic dilators comparing adjunct misoprostol to placebo were included. Weighted mean with standard deviation (SD) and pooled binary outcomes were compared.
RESULTS
Among 84 articles identified, three met inclusion criteria (n = 457 subjects) adjunct misoprostol did not significantly decrease mean procedure times (8.5 ± 4.6 vs 9.6 ± 5.8 min, p = 0.78) or manual dilation (18% vs 28%, p = 0.23) when compared to placebo. There was no difference in total complications (p = 0.61), major complications (p = 0.44), or cervical lacerations (p = 0.87).
CONCLUSION
Current limited evidence suggests adjunct misoprostol with osmotic dilators after 16 weeks does not affect procedure time or need for manual dilation.
IMPLICATIONS
Further research is needed to determine the effect of adjunct misoprostol on major complications and blood loss.
Topics: Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; Abortion, Induced; Dilatation; Extraction, Obstetrical; Female; Humans; Misoprostol; Osmosis; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, Second
PubMed: 31811840
DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2019.09.005