Kristof Demeestere

The genome of Tetranychus urticae reveals herbivorous pest adaptations

The spider mite Tetranychus urticae is a cosmopolitan agricultural pest with an extensive host plant range and an extreme record of pesticide resistance. Here we present the completely sequenced and annotated spider mite genome, representing the first complete chelicerate genome. At 90 megabases T. urticae has the smallest sequenced arthropod genome. Compared with other arthropods, the spider mite genome shows unique changes in the hormonal environment and organization of the Hox complex, and also reveals evolutionary innovation of silk production. We find strong signatures of polyphagy and detoxification in gene families associated with feeding on different hosts and in new gene families acquired by lateral gene transfer. Deep transcriptome analysis of mites feeding on different plants shows how this pest responds to a changing host environment. The T. urticae genome thus offers new insights into arthropod evolution and plant–herbivore interactions, and provides unique opportunities for developing novel plant protection strategies.

Heterogeneous Photocatalysis as an Advanced Oxidation Process for the Abatement of Chlorinated, Monocyclic Aromatic and Sulfurous Volatile Organic Compounds in Air: State of the Art

This review focuses on both fundamentals and applicability of heterogeneous photocatalysis as an advanced oxidation technology for degradation of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in air, with peer-reviewed literature data published since 1997 being the backbone of this article. Four key issues are covered. First, the underlying principles of heterogeneous photocatalysis are outlined using the band gap model. Second, a detailed overview is given of chlorinated, monocyclic aromatic and sulfurous VOC recently selected as target compounds in lab-scale photocatalytic degradation experiments. Data on reactor types, photocatalysts, reaction conditions, and reported results are tabulated. The third section deals with reaction products, analytical techniques used for separation and/or identification, proposed reaction pathways, and catalyst deactivation. Finally, effects of process parameters such as gas-phase pollutant and oxygen concentration, relative humidity, temperature, and light intensity on degradation kinetics are reviewed.

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics: an emerging class of environmental micropollutants.

The aim of this review paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of different chemical and environmental aspects concerning fluoroquinolone antibiotics as emerging contaminants. A literature survey has been performed based on 204 papers from 1998 to mid-2013, resulting in a dataset consisting out of 4100 data points related to physical-chemical properties, environmental occurrence, removal efficiencies, and ecotoxicological data. In a first part, an overview is given on relevant physical-chemical parameters to better understand the behavior of fluoroquinolones during wastewater treatment and in the environment. Secondly, the route of these antibiotics after their application in both human and veterinary surroundings is discussed. Thirdly, the occurrence of fluoroquinolone residues is discussed for different environmental matrices. The final part of this review provides a tentative risk assessment of fluoroquinolone compounds and their transformation products in surface waters by means of hazard quotients. Overall, this review shows that fluoroquinolone antibiotics have a wide spread use and that their behavior during wastewater treatment is complex with an incomplete removal. As a result, it is observed that these biorecalcitrant compounds are present in different environmental matrices at potentially hazardous concentrations for the aquatic environment. The latter calls for actions on both the consumption as well as the wastewater treatment aspect to diminish the discharge of these biological active compounds.

Ozonation and advanced oxidation by the peroxone process of ciprofloxacin in water

A bubble reactor was used for ozonation of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Effects of process parameters ozone inlet concentration, ciprofloxacin concentration, temperature, pH and H(2)O(2) concentration were tested. Desethylene ciprofloxacin was identified, based on HPLC-MS analysis, as one of the degradation products. Formation of desethylene ciprofloxacin was highly dependent on pH, with the highest concentration measured at pH 10. Radical scavengers t-butanol and parachlorobenzoic acid were added in order to gain mechanistic understanding. Radical species other than hydroxyl radicals were suggested to occur at acidic pH which can explain fast ciprofloxacin ozonation at pH 3.

Ciprofloxacin ozonation in hospital wastewater treatment plant effluent: Effect of pH and H2O2

The ozonation of ciprofloxacin was studied in hospital wastewater treatment plant effluent with focus on parent compound degradation, degradation product identification and residual antibacterial activity. Before ozonation, ciprofloxacin sorption on suspended solids was tested as a function of temperature (10.0-27.5 degrees C) and pH (3, 7 and 10). Temperature did not significantly affect ciprofloxacin sorption while sorption was highest at pH 7 (logK(d)=4.7) compared to pH 3 (logK(d)=4.3) and 10 (logK(d)=3.9) (n=3). Ozonation was slowest at pH 7 with ciprofloxacin half life times of 29 min, compared to 19 and 27 min at pH 10 and 3, respectively. Addition of 10-1000 microM H(2)O(2) increased ciprofloxacin half life times up to 38 min, probably influenced by competition with H(2)O(2) for ozone as well as radical species. Ciprofloxacin ozonation products were identical as previously detected during ciprofloxacin ozonation in deionized water and revealed strong pH dependence. Residual antibacterial activity was measured by agar diffusion tests. For Pseudomonas fluorescens and Escherichia coli, reduction of antibacterial activity was related to the parent compound degradation, while degradation products indicated to be the main compounds with respect to the antibacterial activity against Bacillus coagulans.

Gas–solid adsorption of selected volatile organic compounds on titanium dioxide Degussa P25

Abstract This paper focuses on the adsorption of gaseous trichloroethylene, toluene and chlorobenzene on the photocatalyst TiO 2 Degussa P25. An optimized EPICS (Equilibrium Partitioning In Closed Systems) methodology was used to study equilibrium partitioning. For the three compounds investigated, equilibrium adsorption was reached within 60 min of incubation. Adsorption isotherms, determined at a temperature ( T ) of 298.2 K and relative humidities (RH) of 0.0% and 57.8% were found to be linear ( R 2 >0.993, n =5), indicating that no monolayer surface coverage was reached in the concentration interval studied (0.02 mg l −1 ⩽C g ⩽10.45 mg l −1 ). Within the linear part of the isotherm, the influence of both relative humidity and temperature was investigated in a systematic way and discussed from a thermodynamic point of view. Data analysis resulted in a double linear regression ln K=−( Δ U ads R −1 ) T −1 +a RH +d(R 2 >0.94,n=13) for 22% ⩽RH⩽90% and 283 K ⩽T⩽313 K . The equilibrium adsorption coefficient K( l g −1 ) represents the equilibrium concentration ratio C solid ( mg g −1 )/C g ( mg l −1 ) and Δ U ads is the internal energy of adsorption ( J mol −1 ) . At RH=0.0%, experimental K values were a factor 5–10 higher than those expected from the regression equation, indicating that another adsorption mechanism becomes important below monolayer surface coverage of TiO 2 by water vapour molecules. Since surface interactions are of primary importance in photocatalytic reactions, this paper contributes to a better understanding of the basic mechanisms of TiO 2 mediated heterogeneous photocatalysis and is an interesting tool for developing optimized mathematical models.

Occurrence patterns of pharmaceutical residues in wastewater, surface water and groundwater of Nairobi and Kisumu city, Kenya

Emerging organic contaminants have not received a lot of attention in developing countries, particularly Africa, although problems regarding water quantity and quality are often even more severe than in more developed regions. This study presents general water quality parameters as well as unique data on concentrations and loads of 24 pharmaceuticals including antibiotic, anti(retro)viral, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and psychiatric drugs in three wastewater treatment plants, three rivers and three groundwater wells in Nairobi and Kisumu. This allowed studying removal efficiencies in wastewater treatment, identifying important sources of pharmaceutical pollution and distinguishing dilution effects from natural attenuation in rivers. In general, antiretrovirals and antibiotics, being important in the treatment of common African diseases such as HIV and malaria, were in all matrices more prevalent as compared to the Western world. Wastewater stabilization ponds removed pharmaceuticals with an efficiency between 11 and 99%. Despite this large range, a different removal is observed for a number of compounds, as compared to more conventional activated sludge systems. Total concentrations in river water (up to 320 μg L(-1)) were similar or exceeded concentrations in untreated wastewater, with domestic discharges from slums, wastewater treatment plant effluent and waste dumpsites identified as important sources. In shallow wells situated next to pit latrines and used for drinking water, the recalcitrant antiretroviral nevirapine was measured at concentrations as high as 1-2 μg L(-1). Overall, distinct pharmaceutical contamination patterns as compared to the Western world can be concluded, which might be a trigger for further research in developing regions.

Acute changes in pulse pressure in relation to constituents of particulate air pollution in elderly persons

An increased pulse pressure (difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure) suggests aortic stiffening. The objective of this study was to examine the acute effects of both particulate matter (PM) mass and composition on blood pressure, among elderly persons. We carried out a panel study in persons living in elderly homes in Antwerp, Belgium. We recruited 88 non-smoking persons, 70% women with a mean age of 83 years (standard deviation: 5.2). Blood pressure was measured and a blood sample was collected on two time points, which were chosen so that there was an exposure contrast in ambient PM exposure. The elemental content of the collected indoor and outdoor PM(2.5) (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm) mass concentration was measured. Oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (oxy-PAHs) on outdoor PM(10) (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm) were measured. Each interquartile range increase of 20.8 μg/m³ in 24-h mean outdoor PM(2.5) was associated with an increase in pulse pressure of 4.0 mm Hg (95% confidence interval: 1.8-6.2), in persons taking antihypertensive medication (n=57), but not in persons not using antihypertensive medication (n=31) (p for interaction: 0.02). Vanadium, iron and nickel contents of PM(2.5) were significantly associated with systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure, among persons on antihypertensive medication. Similar results were found for indoor concentrations. Of the oxy-PAHs, chrysene-5,6-dione and benzo[a]pyrene-3,6-dione were significantly associated with increases in systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure. In elderly, pulse pressure was positively associated with acute increases in outdoor and indoor air pollution, among persons taking antihypertensive medication. These results might form a mechanistic pathway linking air pollution as a trigger of cardiovascular events.

Photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide nanoparticle coatings applied on autoclaved aerated concrete: effect of weathering on coating physical characteristics and gaseous toluene removal

Autoclaved aerated concrete has been coated by TiO(2) nanoparticles through a dip-coating (DC) and a novel vacuum saturation (VS) method to investigate the weathering resistance and gaseous toluene removal potential of both coating types. The effect of intensive weathering - corresponding to a period of about 25 years - on the coating characteristics was studied in terms of TiO(2) content, coating thickness and color changes. Toluene removal was investigated in a lab-scale flow-through photoreactor at 24°C and 52% relative humidity, and results obtained immediately after application of the coatings and after two weathering stages were compared. Weathering of the DC and VS coated samples resulted into a decrease of the coating layer thickness of more than 98%, confirmed by a decline in TiO(2) content by more than 99% and 93%, respectively. Surprisingly, toluene removal efficiencies before and after weathering kept constant at about 95% for both coating types, corresponding to an elimination rate of 60-70 mg/(m(2)h) at an initial toluene concentration of 15 ppm(v) and a gas residence time of 3 min. Increasing the toluene load by applying higher toluene inlet concentrations (up to 35 ppm(v)) and lower gas residence times (1 min) did decrease the toluene removal efficiency to 32-41%, but elimination rates increased up to 214 mg/(m(2)h), being a factor of 1.6-4.5 times higher than reported in recent work.

Advanced Oxidation of Pharmaceuticals: Chemical Analysis and Biological Assessment of Degradation Products

Pharmaceuticals are often hardly biodegradable and physicochemical technologies are required for their removal from water. Degradation by advanced oxidation processes is intensively studied in last years. However, analytical methodologies to detect AOP-induced pharmaceutical degradation products and to assess their biological effects have not been reviewed until now. The authors aim to fill up this literature gap. The main goal is to bring forward a critical overview of the state-of-the-art of analytical techniques and the information they provide to clearly distinct 5 identification levels that are applicable for micropollutant degradation products in general. Next, literature data dealing with the application of identification tools is systematically summarized. Literature sources were mainly published from 2005 to 2008.