Factorial designs are accurate tools to pick up the most promising extremophiles for future biosurfactant production.

In this study, five strains previously isolated from black liquor (BL) and vinasse (V) were tested to assess the most promising regarding its capacity of biosurfactant production. For that, four factorial designs of two factors at two levels (2) were run for each strain. Selected factors were the production time and the composition media, while the surface tension reduction and optical density were the responses variables.

Tracking SARS-CoV-2 in rivers as a tool for epidemiological surveillance.

The aim of this work was to evaluate if rivers could be used for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance. Five sampling points from three rivers (AR-1 and AR-2 in Arenales River, MR-1 and MR-2 in Mojotoro River, and CR in La Caldera River) from Salta (Argentina), two of them receiving discharges from wastewater plants (WWTP), were monitored from July to December 2020. Fifteen water samples from each point (75 in total) were collected and characterized physico-chemically and microbiologically and SARS-CoV-2 was quantified by RT-qPCR.

[Proposal for the control and mitigation of COVID-19 dissemination: strategic management of the disease].

The rapid spread of COVID-19 throughout the world, has led most of the affected countries to close their borders and implement some form of lockdown. Six months after the pandemic started, many countries made decisions tending to relax the lockdown, although without a vaccine or treatment capable of confronting SARS-CoV-2 infection, the situation could be reversed at any time. In this context, the aim of this work was to propose a decision algorithm that will allow to optimize asymptomatic case detections and strategically manage quarantine to prevent the spread of the virus and drive the transition to a managed new normal.

Sediments quality must be considered when evaluating freshwater aquatic environments used for recreational activities.

Although water quality from freshwater recreational aquatic environments (RAEs) has been long analyzed worldwide, little information is available about their sediments. The aim of this work was to study the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of water and sediment under different seasonal events. For that, Wierna River (WR) and General Belgrano reservoir (GB) were used as freshwater RAEs models.

How long can culturable bacteria and total DNA persist in environmental waters? The role of sunlight and solid particles.

In this work, sunlight inactivation of two indicator bacteria in freshwater, with and without solid particles, was studied and the persistence of culturable cells and total DNA was compared. Environmental water was used to prepare two matrices, with and without solid particles, which were spiked with Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis. These matrices were used to prepare microcosm bags that were placed in two containers: one exposed to sunlight and the other in the dark.

Strategies to optimize monitoring schemes of recreational waters from Salta, Argentina: a multivariate approach.

Several recreational surface waters in Salta, Argentina, were selected to assess their quality. Seventy percent of the measurements exceeded at least one of the limits established by international legislation becoming unsuitable for their use. To interpret results of complex data, multivariate techniques were applied.

[Quantification of parasites in aquatic environments in the Province of Salta, Argentina].

Microbiological pollution of recreational waters is a major problem for public health as it may transmit waterborne diseases. To assess water quality, current legislation only requires limits for bacterial indicators; however, these organisms do not accurately predict the presence of parasites. Small number of parasites is usually present in water and although they are capable of causing disease, they may not be high enough to be detected.

[Comparison of nucleic acid extraction efficiency using different commercial kits and qPCR. Effect of inhibitors].

The detection of specific nucleic acid (NA) sequences by PCR has revolutionized the biological and medical sciences. Real-time PCR (qPCR) opened up the possibility of obtaining quantitative results. NA extraction is a decisive step prior to qPCR since it may produce either the removal or co-extraction of inhibitory substances of the enzymatic reaction, which in turn affects the amplification efficiency.

The impact of point source pollution on shallow groundwater used for human consumption in a threshold country.

Many developing and threshold countries rely on shallow groundwater wells for their water supply whilst pit latrines are used for sanitation. We employed a unified strategy involving satellite images and environmental monitoring of 16 physico-chemical and microbiological water quality parameters to identify significant land uses that can lead to unacceptable deterioration of source water, in a region with a subtropical climate and seasonally restricted torrential rainfall in Northern Argentina. Agricultural and non-agricultural sources of nitrate were illustrated in satellite images and used to assess the organic load discharged.

Increasing capacity for environmental engineering in Salta, Argentina.

Background: The Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the United States National Institutes of Health includes the International Training and Research in Environmental and Occupational Health (ITREOH) Program. The "International Training Program in Environmental Toxicology and Public Health" Center, funded in 2002 is based at the University of California, Davis, and is part of the ITREOH group of Centers. It has major efforts focused at the public universities in Montevideo, Uruguay, and Salta, Argentina.