Bacterial degradation of organic pollutants in soil has been studied extensively but little is known about the availability and degradation of pollutants by bacterial resident on leaf surfaces. Here, we examined availability and degradation of phenol on leaves by introduced cells of a known phenol degrader and by natural microbial communities. Phenol-responsive gfp-expressing Pseudomonas fluore...

Authorising Engineers (Decontamination), a group of highly skilled individuals acknowledged as lacking an effective representative professional body over the past decade by Graham Stanton, the chairman of a new IHEEM Decontamination Technical Platform (DTP) established recently to promote their professional interests, have much both to contribute to, and to gain from, the new Platform, he, and ...

The survival of microorganisms of the Mycobacterium avium, M. intracellulare, and M. scrofulaceum (MAIS) complex was evaluated after various soil and water decontamination regimens. Survival was reduced by growing cells in natural waters compared with laboratory media and by inclusion of malachite green in media as an antifungal agent. Decontamination with benzalkonium chloride, while reducing ...

Photocatalysis has been widely applied to solar-energy conversion and environmental purification. Photocatalyst, typically titanium dioxide (TiO(2)), produces active oxygen species under irradiation of ultraviolet light, and can decompose not only conventional pollutants but also different types of hazardous substances at mild conditions. We have recently started the study of photocatalytic dec...

UNLABELLED Unrecognized cross-contamination has been known to occur in laboratories frequently, especially with sensitive recovery system like BACTEC 460 TB. In March 2001, we investigated a pseudo-outbreak of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in three smear negative clinical specimens and would like to present our experience in this communication. METHODS All suspected cases were confirmed...

Decontamination, i.e. cleaning by removal of chemicals or germs, is a term commonly used for the process of treating devices, instruments and surfaces in order to ensure their safe operation. It is of exceptional importance in healthcare, food and pharmaceutical industry as well as in the areas of army and public defense. The decontamination process covers several steps like simple washing with...

In order to provide technical information needed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to evaluate the adequacy of near-surface disposal of decontamination wastes, Brookhaven National Laboratory has measured the release of organic reagents from solidified simulated decontamination wastes. The waste streams consisted of either mixed-bed ion-exchange resins or anion exchange resins equilibrat...

Studies show significant association between cancer risk and being a firefighter. Firefighter bunker gear often contains carcinogens that firefighters may absorb through contact or inhale through off-gassing, thereby increasing cancer risk. Awareness of increased cancer risk has given rise to policies and practices focused on gear cleaning and decontamination processes to decrease risk, yet the...

The phenol nerve block has been widely used in clinical practice for spasticity reduction, but the correlation between the dosage of phenol and its effectiveness has seldom been discussed. The objective was to determine the optimal duration of phenol in contact with the nervous tissue and to investigate the dose-response relationship of 5% aqueous phenol solution by percutaneous nerve block in ...

IMPORTANCE Surgical site infections (SSIs), commonly caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, specifically when hardware is implanted in the patient. Previously, we have demonstrated that a preoperative decontamination protocol using chlorhexidine gluconate washcloths and intranasal antiseptic ointment is effective in...