Evaluation of safety culture factors in the construction industry: a cross-country study of sites.

In the construction industry, most safety culture studies are limited to a single country, with minimal attention to cross-country studies. This limits creating a foundation for a robust framework and reliable safety culture scale. This study addresses this gap by studying safety culture in 10 countries, including those without previous studies.

Evaluation of psychosocial risks affecting academician using the sine trigonometric pythagorean fuzzy (ST-PFN) DEMATEL method.

Background: In the realm of academia, psychosocial risk factors play a pivotal role, exerting considerable influence on the well-being and performance of scholars. Factors such as excessive workloads, unrelenting performance expectations, time constraints, and competitive atmospheres can detrimentally affect their health and overall quality of life. Moreover, issues like social isolation, work-life imbalance, and academic anxiety further compound these challenges, impeding academic progress and success.

Enhancement of hydrazine accumulation in anammox bioreactors.

The role of hydrazine (NH) in anammox metabolism has been widely studied; however, studies on NH biosynthesis by anammox bacteria are limited in the literature. In this context, the current research aims to investigate the enhancement of biological NH production in the anammox process in a long-term manner. The experimental studies started with the optimization of the operating conditions to achieve maximum NH accumulation.

Short- and long-term effects of copper on anammox under gradually increased copper concentrations.

This study aims to determine both short- and long-term response of enriched anammox culture to Cu. Assessment of short-term inhibition is based both on total applied Cu concentration and potential bioavailable fractions like intracellular, surface-bound, soluble and free Cu ion. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for total applied, soluble, intracellular and cell-associated concentrations were determined as 4.

Transcriptomic analysis of nonylphenol effect on .

Nonylphenol (NP) is a bioaccumulative environmental estrogen that is widely used as a nonionic surfactant. We have previously examined short-term effects of NP on yeast cells using microarray technology. In the present study, we investigated the adaptive response of BY4742 cells to NP exposure by analyzing genome-wide transcriptional profiles using RNA-sequencing.

Genome reprogramming in upon nonylphenol exposure.

Bioaccumulative environmental estrogen, nonylphenol (NP; 4-nonylphenol), is widely used as a nonionic surfactant and can affect human health. Since genomes of and higher eukaryotes share many structural and functional similarities, we investigated subcellular effects of NP on BY4742 cells by analyzing genome-wide transcriptional profiles. We examined effects of low (1 mg/l; <15% cell number reduction) and high (5 mg/l; >65% cell number reduction) inhibitory concentration exposures for 120 or 180 min.

Transcriptomic analysis displays the effect of (-)-roemerine on the motility and nutrient uptake in Escherichia coli.

Among the different families of plant alkaloids, (-)-roemerine, an aporphine type, was recently shown to possess significant antibacterial activity in Escherichia coli. Based on the increasing demand for antibacterials with novel mechanisms of action, the present work investigates the potential of the plant-derived alkaloid (-)-roemerine as an antibacterial in E. coli cells using microarray technology.

Anammox-zeolite system acting as buffer to achieve stable effluent nitrogen values.

For a successful nitrogen removal, Anammox process needs to be established in line with a stable partial nitritation pretreatment unit since wastewater influent is mostly unsuitable for direct treatment by Anammox. Partial nitritation is, however, a critical bottleneck for the nitrogen removal since it is often difficult to maintain the right proportions of NO-N and NH-N during long periods of time for Anammox process. This study investigated the potential of Anammox-zeolite biofilter to buffer inequalities in nitrite and ammonium nitrogen in the influent feed.

Analysis of transcriptional profiles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae exposed to bisphenol A.

Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disrupting chemical, is used as a monomer in the production of epoxy resins and polycarbonates, and as a plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride. As such, it is produced in large quantities worldwide and continuously leaches into the environment. To capture the genome reprogramming in eukaryotic cells under BPA exposure, here, we used Saccharomyces cerevisiae as model organism and analyzed the genome-wide transcriptional profiles of S.

Preparation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) films from halophilic archaea and their potential use in drug delivery.

Halophilic archaea offer a potential source for production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Hence, the experiments were carried out with five extremely halophilic archaeal isolates to determine the highest PHA-producing strain. PHA production of each isolates was separately examined in cheap carbon sources such as corn starch, sucrose, whey, apple, melon and tomato wastes.

Spatial and temporal analysis of black carbon aerosols in Istanbul megacity.

Black carbon (BC) is an important component of particulate matter due to its effects on human health and climate. In this study, we present the first BC concentrations measured in the Istanbul megacity (~15 million inhabitants). Two measurement campaigns have been conducted to measure BC and fine particulate matter (PM2.

Treatment of landfill leachate using UASB-MBR-SHARON-Anammox configuration.

Leachate treatment is a challenging issue due to its high pollutant loads. There are several studies on feasible treatment methods of leachate. In the scope of this study, high organic content of young leachate was eliminated using an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and a membrane bioreactor (MBR) in sequence and effluent of the system was given to single reactor for high activity ammonia removal over nitrite (SHARON) and anaerobic ammonia oxidation (Anammox) reactors to remove nitrogen content.

Solidification/stabilization of landfill leachate concentrate using different aggregate materials.

The application of reverse osmosis for the treatment of landfill leachate is becoming widespread in Turkey as well as in Europe. A major drawback of this process is the production of concentrate, which could be as much as 30% of the feed stream, and high concentrations of salts and contaminants. The reverse osmosis concentrate is disposed of by using several methods including re-infiltration, drying, incineration and solidification/stabilization.

Inhibitory effects of free ammonia on Anammox bacteria.

Anammox bacteria can effectively treat high ammonia and nitrite concentrations under anoxic environments. However, the presence of high ammonia and nitrite concentrations may cause free ammonia and nitrous acid inhibition at high pH and temperature environments. In this study, the inhibitory effect of free ammonia on Anammox bacteria was investigated in a lab-scale upflow fixed-bed reactor with Kaldnes biofilm carriers.

Investigation of nitrogen converters in membrane bioreactor.

In this study, the activity and diversity of nitrogen converters, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and Anammox bacteria in a pilot-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) were investigated and monitored using amoA and 16S rDNA-based molecular tools. The pilot-scale MBR (100 m(3)/day) was located inside the full-scale Pasakoy Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), and operated for approximately 5 months without sludge purge. During 148 days of operation, volatile suspended solids (VSS) concentration increased from 2,454 mg/L to 10,855 mg/L and the average organic carbon and ammonia nitrogen removal rates were 92% and 99%, respectively.

Identification and quantitative evaluation of nitrogen-converting organisms in a full-scale leachate treatment plant.

The presence of ammonia nitrogen in landfill leachates poses a significant problem for treatment plant operators. The nitrification-denitrification process mostly carries out the nitrogen conversion in biological treatment systems. However, recent research shows that other processes by anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (Anammox) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) were also responsible for the removal of nitrogen in biological systems.

Monitoring of population shifts in an enriched nitrifying system under gradually increased cadmium loading.

The changes in nitrifying bacterial population under cadmium loading were monitored and evaluated in a laboratory scale continuous-flow enriched nitrification system. For this purpose, the following molecular microbiological methods were used: slot-blot hybridization, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), real-time PCR followed by melting curve analysis, cloning and sequence analysis. The initial cadmium concentration was incrementally increased from 1 to 10mg/l which led to a drop in ammonia removal efficiency from 99 to 10%.

Long-term assessment of nitrification in a full-scale wastewater treatment plant.

In this study, long term nitrification performances and microbial composition in a full-scale oxidation ditch type wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were monitored and evaluated using different molecular methods; fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), slot-blot hybridization and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. In situ and membrane hybridization results indicated that Nitrosomonas species were identified as the dominant ammonia oxidizing bacteria and Nitrospira related species were detected as the prevailing nitrite oxidizing bacteria in a full-scale wastewater treatment plant throughout 2 years of operation. Real-time PCR using the LightCyclerinstrument has been developed for the quantification of ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) and 16S rRNA genes.

Effects of insufficient air injection on methanogenic Archaea in landfill bioreactor.

In this study, methanogenic Archaea diversity in an aerated landfill bioreactor filled with co-disposed incineration bottom ashes and shredded incombustible wastes was monitored and analyzed as a function of time using molecular techniques. Besides, the effects of insufficient air injection on the bioreactor performance and methanogenic diversity were evaluated thoroughly. Results indicated that rapid bio-stabilization of solid waste are possible with aerated landfill bioreactor at various oxygen and oxidation reduction potential levels.

Comparative analysis of nitrifying bacteria in full-scale oxidation ditch and aerated nitrification biofilter by using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE).

In this study, nitrification performances and composition of nitrifying populations in a full-scale oxidation ditch and a high-rate submerged media nitrification biofilter were comparatively analyzed. In addition to different reactor configurations, effects of differing operational conditions on the nitrification efficiency and bacterial diversity were also explored and evaluated thoroughly. In microbial analysis of sludge samples fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) techniques were used complementary to each other.

Landfill leachate management in Istanbul: applications and alternatives.

Treatment alternatives for Istanbul, Komurcuoda Landfill (KL) leachate that is currently transported to the nearest central wastewater treatment plant were comprehensively investigated with laboratory scale experiments. As flow rate of leachate increases parallel to increment in landfilled solid waste, an individual treatment will be needed to reduce the transportation cost and pollution load on central treatment. However, if the leachate is separately treated and discharged to a brook, in that case more stringent discharge standards will be valid and therefore advanced processes in addition to conventional ones should be included.

Molecular analysis of microbial communities in nitrification and denitrification reactors treating high ammonia leachate.

Molecular analysis of microbial populations in two bench-scale nitrification and denitrification reactors fed with high ammonia landfill leachate was conducted in this study by using DGGE, cloning, and FISH techniques in addition to classical efficiency control parameters. Nitrification tank was operated with a computer-controlled alkalinity dosing system to supply the alkalinity intermittently as consumed on the basis of on-line pH monitoring. By keeping the pH at 7.