Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) indicative of fecal contamination in urban streams and recreational ocean beaches in Santa Barbara, California often exceed recreational water-quality standards. During low flow, FIB and human-specific Bacteroides concentrations in urban streams were associated with point discharges. FIB concentrations varied three-fold during diurnal sampling as a result of small...

background: hemodialysis is a life-saving process used as a treatment for many patients sufferimg from renal failure. because of the large amount of water used in this process, contamination of hemodialysis water with microbial and harmful chemical pollutants is possible. therefore, considering standards of dialysis water is critical. the aim of this study was to investigate the microbiological...

rice is among the most important food crops throughout the world. hybrid rice benefits from about a 30 percent yield advantage over the conventional pure line varieties and this phenomenon can play an important role in fighting world hunger. to diminish the damage of rice pests, development of insect pest management strategies in hybrid rice is necessary. this study was aimed at evaluating the ...

Heavy metals are normally occurring elements that have a density at least 5 times higher than of water. Their plentiful domestic, industrial, agricultural and technological usages have led to their widespread distribution in the environment; raising worries over their possible impacts on human health and the environment. The toxicity of heavy metals relies on numerous factors including the dose...

In environmental quality bioassessment studies, analysis of host-parasite interactions may well be a valuable alternative to classical macroinvertebrate sampling approaches. Herein, we investigated whether zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) parasites could be useful biomonitoring tools. Mussel populations were sampled twice at two sites in northeastern France representing different levels of c...

In the assessment of the quality of surface waters, the typical procedure is that the concentration of contaminants in the surface water is monitored and subsequently compared with their respective Maximum Permissible Concentrations (MPCs). If the MPCs are not exceeded the water quality is considered to be safe. But can we be certain that this is true? We compared MPCs to observed and calculate...

This report gives a short survey of the situation concerning chemical contamination of foods in Hungary. It starts with a legal background and lists the institutions partaking in control and monitoring of food contamination. The report gives the most important food contaminants analysed in Hungary, and in some cases provides information about the actual levels. It concludes by stressing the imp...