Teschoviruses specifically infect pigs and are shed in pig feces. Hence, their presence in water should indicate contamination with pig fecal residues. To assess this hypothesis, we have developed a real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) method that allows the quantitative detection of pig teschovirus (PTV) RNA. The method is able to detect 92 fg of PTV RNA per ml of sample. Using this me...

Groundwater contamination is a serious problem facing the countries. Because groundwater is vulnerable to contamination from a variety of sources, and, once contaminated, it is very difficult to restore to its original quality. The main objective of this study was evaluation of groundwater quality in Shahrekord aquifer and finding the source of the groundwater contamination. Some of the chemica...

Groundwater contamination is a serious problem facing the countries. Because groundwater is vulnerable to contamination from a variety of sources, and, once contaminated, it is very difficult to restore to its original quality. The main objective of this study was evaluation of groundwater quality in Shahrekord aquifer and finding the source of the groundwater contamination. Some of the chemica...

In this study, the natural Cu background concentration and Cu natural and anthropogenic contamination in soil, water and crop were investigated systematically in Huangshi area. The results show that regional geology is the dominant factor controlling the natural Cu background concentration in soil and water, and that pH is important to control the vertical distribution of Cu in soil under the s...

In the assessment of the quality of surface waters, the typical procedure is that the concentration of contaminants in the surface water is monitored and subsequently compared with their respective Maximum Permissible Concentrations (MPCs). If the MPCs are not exceeded the water quality is considered to be safe. But can we be certain that this is true? We compared MPCs to observed and calculate...

Assessing water sources for drinking and irrigation along with community vulnerability, especially in developing and rural regions, is important for reducing risk posed by poor water quality and limited water availability and accessibility. We present a case study of rural mining-agricultural communities in the Lake Poopó Basin, one of the poorest regions on the Bolivian Altiplano. Here, relati...

We investigated Legionella and Pseudomonas contamination of hot water in a cross-sectional multicentric survey in Italy. Chemical parameters (hardness, free chlorine, and trace elements) were determined. Legionella spp. were detected in 33 (22.6%) and Pseudomonas spp. in 56 (38.4%) of 146 samples. Some factors associated with Legionella contamination were heater type, tank distance and capacity...

Presidential Decision Directive 63 identified water systems as one of the critical infrastructures to the United States. Following this directive and the passing of The Public Health, Security, and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act there has been increased research effort in both assessing the vulnerability of drinking water systems and proposing protection measures. Drinking water net...

INTRODUCTION Unpleasant odour from drinking water in newly built ships is increasingly documented by the German Port Health Authority during sanitary inspections. Chemical contaminations are assumed to originate from washed off solvents of tank coatings due to the non-maintenance of required drying periods. The aim of this study was to explore the frequency of drinking water contamination by ch...

In April 1994, chemical contamination of the River Severn aVected the water supply to a population of 160 000 in Worcestershire. During the incident the health authority free phone emergency helpline received 106 complaints of symptoms attributed to consumption of contaminated water. These complaints were important as they alerted the emergency incident team to the possibility of illness being ...