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Journal of Pharmacy & Bioallied Sciences Feb 2024The objectives of the current study was to evaluate the disinfection efficacy of ozone, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, herbal and glutaraldehyde method for sterilization of...
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the current study was to evaluate the disinfection efficacy of ozone, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, herbal and glutaraldehyde method for sterilization of elastomeric impression materials.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Disinfection of elastomeric impression material was performed with each of the disinfection methods: ozone, UV radiation, herbal, and glutaraldehyde. Later microbiological analysis was performed and the colony-forming units were evaluated and compared.
RESULTS
The highest disinfection efficacy was found with glutaraldehyde, followed by ozone and UV radiation, and the least with neem herbal rinse. Intergroup comparison was highly significant.
CONCLUSION
Dry gaseous ozone and UV radiation can be used effectively for the disinfection of impressions.
PubMed: 38595356
DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_962_23 -
Frontiers in Bioengineering and... 2024We report the inactivation of SARS CoV-2 and its surrogate-Human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), on representative porous (KN95 mask material) and nonporous materials...
We report the inactivation of SARS CoV-2 and its surrogate-Human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), on representative porous (KN95 mask material) and nonporous materials (aluminum and polycarbonate) using a Compact Portable Plasma Reactor (CPPR). The CPPR is a compact (48 cm), lightweight, portable and scalable device that forms Dielectric Barrier Discharge which generates ozone using surrounding atmosphere as input gas, eliminating the need of source gas tanks. Iterative CPPR exposure time experiments were performed on inoculated material samples in 3 operating volumes. Minimum CPPR exposure times of 5-15 min resulted in 4-5 log reduction of SARS CoV-2 and its surrogate on representative material samples. Ozone concentration and CPPR energy requirements for virus inactivation are documented. Difference in disinfection requirements in porous and non-porous material samples is discussed along with initial scaling studies using the CPPR in 3 operating volumes. The results of this feasibility study, along with existing literature on ozone and CPPR decontamination, show the potential of the CPPR as a powerful technology to reduce fomite transmission of enveloped respiratory virus-induced infectious diseases such as COVID-19. The CPPR can overcome limitations of high temperatures, long exposure times, bulky equipment, and toxic residuals related to conventional decontamination technologies.
PubMed: 38486867
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1325336 -
Science & Justice : Journal of the... Mar 2024Good laboratory practice minimizes the biological hazard posed by potentially infectious casework samples. In certain scenarios, when the casework sample is contaminated...
Good laboratory practice minimizes the biological hazard posed by potentially infectious casework samples. In certain scenarios, when the casework sample is contaminated with highly contagious pathogens, additional safety procedures such as disinfection might be advised. It was previously proven that ozone gas treatment does not hamper STR analysis, but there is no data on how the disinfection affects other steps of the forensic analysis. In this study, we aimed to assess the interference of ozone disinfection with forensic tests used to identify biological stains. A dilution series of blood, saliva, and semen samples were pipetted onto cotton fabric and let completely dry. Half of the samples were subjected to ozone treatment, while the rest served as controls. All the samples were tested with specific lateral flow immunochromatographic assays and for specific RNA markers with quantitative real-time PCR. Additionally, luminol test was carried out on blood spots, Phadebas® Amylase Test on saliva stains, and semen stains were examined with STK Lab kit and light microscope following Christmas Tree or Hematoxylin-Eosin staining. Ozone treatment had no detrimental effect on the microscopic identification of sperm cells. Undiluted blood samples were detected with luminol and immunoassay, but at higher dilution, the sensitivity of the test decreased after disinfection. The same decrease in sensitivity was observed in the detection of semen stains using STK Lab kit from STK® Sperm Tracker, and in the case of the immunoassay specific for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Ozone treatment almost completely inhibited the enzymatic activity of amylase. The sensitivity of antibody-based detection of amylase was also greatly reduced. RNA markers showed degradation but remained detectable in blood and semen samples after incubation in the presence of ozone. In saliva, the higher Ct values of the mRNA markers were close to the detection limit, even before ozone treatment.
Topics: Humans; Male; Saliva; Semen; Coloring Agents; Luminol; Disinfection; Amylases; RNA, Messenger; Staining and Labeling; Forensic Medicine; Blood Stains
PubMed: 38431372
DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2023.12.005 -
Theriogenology Apr 2024Infectious endometritis is considered one of the major causes of infertility and it can affect up to 60% of barren mares. It is characterized by the presence of one or...
Infectious endometritis is considered one of the major causes of infertility and it can affect up to 60% of barren mares. It is characterized by the presence of one or more microorganisms in the reproductive tract and it is treated with the administration of antibiotics, ecbolic agents and uterine lavages. Ozone, thanks to its antimicrobial properties that are based on its high oxidative potential, could represent an effective alternative treatment for endometritis. The aim of this study was to test in vitro the bactericidal and fungicidal properties of different ozone formulations, either as gas (experiment 1) or dissolved in two liquid matrices (experiment 2), specifically distilled water or oil (Neozone 4000, Cosmoproject, Parma, Italy), onto 6 different species of microorganisms isolated from mares with clinical endometritis, namely Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus equi subsp. Zooepidemicus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida albicans. In the first experiment, 3 clinical antibiotic-resistant strains per each species were exposed to different conditions: to OO gas mixtures (15 and 40 μg/ml for 1, 3 and 5 min), to 100 % O or left untreated. The results showed a reduction of the microbial count of over 99,9% for every pathogen, time and concentration of OO gas mixtures tested. Furthermore, gaseous ozone showed both a time-dependant effect (5 vs 3 vs 1 min of exposure) and a concentration-dependant effect (40 vs 15 μg/ml) at 1 and 3 min, while after 5 min no differences were observed. In the second experiment, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration (MBC, MFC) of ozonated distilled water and ozonated oil were evaluated. Ozonated oil showed a bactericidal/fungicidal activity against all the strains tested (MIC range 12.5-25 % v/v, MBC/MFC range 12.5-50 % v/v) while ozonated distilled water didn't show an observable antimicrobial effect, discouraging its use as an antimicrobial agent for the treatment of endometritis. The results of this in vitro study indicate that both gaseous ozone and ozonated oil exerted remarkable antimicrobial activities and are promising alternative treatments for infectious endometritis, even when caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and encourage further experiments in an effort to scale down or even prevent the use of antibiotics in equine reproduction.
Topics: Horses; Animals; Female; Endometritis; Ozone; Anti-Infective Agents; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Water; Horse Diseases
PubMed: 38430797
DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.02.011 -
The Angle Orthodontist Mar 2024To assess effectiveness of an experimental sterilization method based on the exposure of an O3/O2 gas mixture directly inside the packaging for clear aligners.
OBJECTIVES
To assess effectiveness of an experimental sterilization method based on the exposure of an O3/O2 gas mixture directly inside the packaging for clear aligners.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fifty samples consisting of pieces of polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PET-G) aligners were contaminated by manual handling and subsequently divided into different groups (n = 30 for exposure to O3/O2 gas at different times, n = 10 for positive control with 2% chlorhexidine digluconate, n = 10 for negative control). The measurement of optical densities (OD) of the initial and final microbial cultures was recorded for all groups. Kruskal-Wallis test was used for differences between groups while Wilcoxon test was used to compare initial and final OD values within groups. Statistical significance was set at P < .05.
RESULTS
Comparison within the groups showed statistically significant differences for exposure to the gaseous mixture (72 hours), for positive and negative controls. Other significant differences were found in the multiple comparisons between the application of gaseous ozone (48 hours and 72 hours) and the negative control.
CONCLUSIONS
The direct exposure of gaseous ozone on the aligners inside their packaging showed microbicidal capacity at 72 hours, which was equivalent to the positive control with immersion in chlorhexidine digluconate. This innovative sterilization procedure could be considered in the final manufacturing processes of clear aligners to eliminate the potentially pathogenic microorganisms that are deposited on surfaces of these orthodontic devices.
Topics: Chlorhexidine; Ozone; Sterilization; Orthodontic Appliances, Removable
PubMed: 38381802
DOI: 10.2319/061623-421.1 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2024Environmentally friendly technologies for the prevention and control of crop diseases and insect pests are important to reduce the use of chemical pesticides, improve...
Environmentally friendly technologies for the prevention and control of crop diseases and insect pests are important to reduce the use of chemical pesticides, improve the quality of agricultural products, protect the environment, and promote sustainable development of crop production. On the basis of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, we developed a prevention and control system for crop diseases and insect pests with two main components: a plant protection device (the hardware) and an information management system (the software). To be suitable for both facility- and field-based production scenarios, we incorporated two types of plant protection devices, utilizing ozone sterilization and light-trap technologies. The devices were equipped with various sensors to realize real-time collection and monitoring of data on the crop production environment. The information management system has an IoT-based architecture and includes a mobile device app to enable remote control of the plant protection devices for intelligent management of plant protection data. The system can achieve efficient management of large-scale equipment applications and multi-device collaborative work to prevent and control pests and diseases. The developed system has operated successfully for several years in China and has been applied to cucumber, tomato, rice, and other crops. We demonstrate the effectiveness and practicality of the system in a greenhouse facility and in the field.
PubMed: 38371415
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1323074 -
Water Research Apr 2024The presence of biofilms in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) is responsible for water quality deterioration and a possible source of public health risks.... (Review)
Review
The presence of biofilms in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) is responsible for water quality deterioration and a possible source of public health risks. Different factors impact the biological stability of drinking water (DW) in the distribution networks, such as the presence and concentration of nutrients, water temperature, pipe material composition, hydrodynamic conditions, and levels of disinfectant residual. This review aimed to evaluate the current state of knowledge on strategies for DW biofilm disinfection through a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the literature published over the last decade. A systematic review method was performed on the 562 journal articles identified through database searching on Web of Science and Scopus, with 85 studies selected for detailed analysis. A variety of disinfectants were identified for DW biofilm control such as chlorine, chloramine, UV irradiation, hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide, ozone, and others at a lower frequency, namely, electrolyzed water, bacteriophages, silver ions, and nanoparticles. The disinfectants can impact the microbial communities within biofilms, reduce the number of culturable cells and biofilm biomass, as well as interfere with the biofilm matrix components. The maintenance of an effective residual concentration in the water guarantees long-term prevention of biofilm formation and improves the inactivation of detached biofilm-associated opportunistic pathogens. Additionally, strategies based on multi-barrier processes by optimization of primary and secondary disinfection combined with other water treatment methods improve the control of opportunistic pathogens, reduce the chlorine-tolerance of biofilm-embedded cells, as well as decrease the corrosion rate in metal-based pipelines. Most of the studies used benchtop laboratory devices for biofilm research. Even though these devices mimic the conditions found in real DWDS, future investigations on strategies for DW biofilm control should include the validity of the promising strategies against biofilms formed in real DW networks.
Topics: Disinfection; Drinking Water; Water Supply; Chlorine; Disinfectants; Water Purification; Biofilms; Chlorides
PubMed: 38359597
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121273 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2024Smog is a form of extreme air pollution which comprises of gases such as ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen and carbon oxides, and solid particles including particulate... (Review)
Review
Smog is a form of extreme air pollution which comprises of gases such as ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen and carbon oxides, and solid particles including particulate matter (PM and PM). Different types of smog include acidic, photochemical, and Polish. Smog and its constituents are hazardaous to human, animals, and plants. Smog leads to plethora of morbidities such as cancer, endocrine disruption, and respiratory and cardiovascular disorders. Smog components alter the activity of various hormones including thyroid, pituitary, gonads and adrenal hormones by altering regulatory genes, oxidation status and the hypothalamus-pituitary axis. Furthermore, these toxicants are responsible for the development of metabolic disorders, teratogenicity, insulin resistance, infertility, and carcinogenicity of endocrine glands. Avoiding fossil fuel, using renewable sources of energy, and limiting gaseous discharge from industries can be helpful to avoid endocrine disruption and other toxicities of smog. This review focuses on the toxic implications of smog and its constituents on endocrine system, their toxicodynamics and preventive measures to avoid hazardous health effects.
Topics: Humans; Smog; Particulate Matter; Air Pollution; Thyroid Gland; Hormones
PubMed: 38352708
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1294205 -
Water Research Mar 2024Water reuse is a growing global reality. In regulating water reuse, viruses have come to the fore as key pathogens due to high shedding rates, low infectious doses, and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Water reuse is a growing global reality. In regulating water reuse, viruses have come to the fore as key pathogens due to high shedding rates, low infectious doses, and resilience to traditional wastewater treatments. To demonstrate the high log reductions required by emerging water reuse regulations, cost and practicality necessitate surrogates for viruses for use as challenge organisms in unit process evaluation and monitoring. Bacteriophage surrogates that are mitigated to the same or lesser extent than viruses of concern are routinely used for individual unit process testing. However, the behavior of these surrogates over a multi-barrier treatment train typical of water reuse has not been well-established. Toward this aim, we performed a meta-analysis of log reductions of common bacteriophage surrogates for five treatment processes typical of water reuse treatment trains: advanced oxidation processes, chlorination, membrane filtration, ozonation, and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. Robust linear regression was applied to identify a range of doses consistent with a given log reduction of bacteriophages and viruses of concern for each treatment process. The results were used to determine relative conservatism of surrogates. We found that no one bacteriophage was a representative or conservative surrogate for viruses of concern across all multi-barrier treatments (encompassing multiple mechanisms of virus mitigation). Rather, a suite of bacteriophage surrogates provides both a representative range of inactivation and information about the effectiveness of individual processes within a treatment train. Based on the abundance of available data and diversity of virus treatability using these five key water reuse treatment processes, bacteriophages MS2, phiX174, and Qbeta were recommended as a core suite of surrogates for virus challenge testing.
Topics: Bacteriophages; Water; Bacteriophage phi X 174; Water Purification; Disinfection; Levivirus
PubMed: 38342066
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121242 -
Scientific Reports Jan 2024Exposure to air pollution is associated with many different health effects, especially cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Additionally, highly significant links...
Exposure to air pollution is associated with many different health effects, especially cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Additionally, highly significant links between exposure to air pollution and fertility, particularly male fertility was observed, however the studies regarding exposure to selected air pollutants and female fertility assessed by ovarian reserve are rare. Hence, the main aim of the study was to analyze relationship between exposure to ambient air pollution and ovarian reserve parameters among Polish women. The study population consisted of 511 women, who attended to infertility clinic because of diagnostic purposes. Participants filled in the questionnaire about social-demographic, lifestyle and health factors. Infertility specialists assessed ovarian parameters such as: antral follicle count (AFC) and concentration of hormones: Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2). The air pollutants level (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, particulate matters) were obtained via National Environmental Protection Inspectorate database. Significant negative association between PM and AHM (p = 0.032) as well as AFC (p = 0.044) was observed. Moreover, SO concentrations decrease AFC (p = 0.038). The results also suggest that PM, PM, SO exposure on antral follicle count may be more pronounced among women with a female factor infertility diagnosis. Additionally, exposure to PM and NOx on AFC and AMH was stronger among older women (> 35 years of age). To conclude, the present study found that air pollution could lead to decrease in follicle antral count and Anti-Müllerian hormone level, especially exposure to PM and SO thus the evidence suggest negative impact to ovarian reserve.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Aged; Ovarian Reserve; Anti-Mullerian Hormone; Infertility, Female; Estradiol; Air Pollution; Air Pollutants; Particulate Matter
PubMed: 38172170
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50753-6