Fluorescence spectroscopy as an indicator tool for pharmaceutical contamination in groundwater and surface water.

Knowledge of contaminant distribution and transport of contaminant plumes in groundwater is important for effective remediation. Tedious and expensive laboratory analyses could be supplemented with optical measurements such as fluorescence to offer a rapid alternative with the potential for on-site measurements. Here, we explore the applicability of fluorescence spectroscopy as an on-site alternative to identifying the extent of a groundwater contaminant plume in Grindsted, Denmark.

Integrating Enzyme-Based Kinetics in Reactive Transport Models to Simulate Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Biomarkers during Chlorinated Ethene Degradation.

Biomarkers such as functional gene mRNA (transcripts) and proteins (enzymes) provide direct proof of metabolic regulation during the reductive dechlorination (RD) of chlorinated ethenes (CEs). Yet, current models to simulate their spatiotemporal variability are not flexible enough to mimic the homologous behavior of functional genes. To this end, we developed new enzyme-based kinetics to model the concentrations of CEs together with the transcript and enzyme levels during RD.

Contaminant mass discharge estimation of a sulfonamide plume by use of hydraulic profiling tool (HPT) and fluorescence techniques.

The contaminant mass discharge is a relevant metric to evaluate the risk that a groundwater plume poses to water resources. However, this assessment is often vitiated by a high uncertainty inherent to the assessment method and often limited number of measurement points to carry out the assessment. Direct-Push techniques in combination with profiling tools and dedicated sampling can be an interesting alternative to increase the measurement point density and hence reduce the mass discharge uncertainty.

The Adaptive Immune Response in Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma Is Characterized by Dysfunctional and Exhausted HBV-Specific T Cells.

This systematic review investigates the immunosuppressive environment in HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), characterized by dysfunctional and exhausted HBV-specific T cells alongside an increased infiltration of HBV-specific CD4+ T cells, particularly regulatory T cells (Tregs). Heightened expression of checkpoint inhibitors, notably PD-1, is linked with disease progression and recurrence, indicating its potential as both a prognostic indicator and a target for immunotherapy. Nevertheless, using PD-1 inhibitors has shown limited effectiveness.

Natural attenuation of sulfonamides and metabolites in contaminated groundwater - Review, advantages and challenges of current documentation techniques.

Sulfonamides are applied worldwide as antibiotics. They are emerging contaminants of concern, as their presence in the environment may lead to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. Sulfonamides are present in groundwater systems, which suggest their persistence under certain conditions, highlighting the importance of understanding natural attenuation processes in groundwater.