Stabilisation/solidification of landfill leachate concentrate and its residue obtained by partial evaporation.

Landfilling of waste is inseparably linked to the production of landfill leachate, which is treated and processed by different procedures. One of the options according to technical and economic development is the application of pressure-driven membrane processes, where landfill leachate concentrate (LLC) is produced. This may be further subjected to a stabilisation/solidification process (S/S) as one of its possible processing methods that leads to limited re-introduction of undesirable substances into the landfill body. This paper presents the research of the S/S of LLC, investigates the effect of the waste/binder ratio, the influence of Portland cement substitution, the influence of the additional concentration of the concentrate by evaporation at different levels from the original LLC, and the use of an innovative special highly absorbing binder based on specifically treated fly ash for selected leachate characteristics and compressive strength of the test specimen. The S/S process in most cases met the legislative requirements for water leachate characteristics for non-hazardous waste. Additionally, the comparison of indicative expense for selected solidificate compositions and scenarios is involved. The results of the study serve as necessary basement for further development of treatment of LLC.

Pentosidine in osteoarthritis: HPLC determination in body fluids and in tissues.

The aim of this study is to determine whether and to which extent pentosidine (PEN) is influenced in the case of advanced osteoarthritis (OA) in urine and in some tissues. Reverse phase HPLC method for PEN determination with fluorescence monitoring was utilized. Urinary pentosidine (U-PEN) and pyridinoline (U-PD) were determined in the group (N=67, age 67.1+/-11.7 years) in patients with OA before and after surgery (knee or hip replacement), and in healthy age-matched controls (N=18, age 67.0+/-6.0 years). Cartilage, synovial membrane and granulation tissue were also treated. In OA group significantly higher (P<0.001) U-PEN concentrations before (7.5+/-5.1 nmol/mmol creat.) and after (4.9+/-2.6 nmol/mmol creat.) surgery were found. U-PD was not significantly different between the groups (62.5+/-33.0 and 55.0+/-29.51 nmol/mmol creat., respectively), but differed significantly (P<0.0002 and P<0.01) from healthy subjects (40.2+/-16.5 nmol/mmol creat.). In the newly formed granulation tissue, PEN concentrations are significantly lower than in cartilage and in synovial tissues.

Advanced glycation end-products in patients with chronic alcohol misuse.

AIMS: The aim of our study was to determine serum levels of advanced glycation end-products (AGE) in patients with chronic alcohol misuse and to examine their relationship to markers of nutrition and inflammation. METHODS: The study group consisted of 23 heavy alcohol drinkers treated for chronic alcohol misuse and 22 healthy controls. Studied parameters included AGE (fluorescence, CML - carboxymethyllysine and pentosidine), lipids, glucose, albumin, leptin, prealbumin, C-reactive protein (CRP) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A). RESULTS: AGE fluorescence was significantly higher in chronic alcoholic patients than in healthy subjects (4.3 +/- 0.7 x 10(3) vs 3.7 +/- 0.5 x 10(3) AU/g protein, P < 0.005), while CML was only slightly but not significantly elevated (569.1 +/- 106.6 vs 545.5 +/- 85.8 microg/l) and pentosidine levels did not differ (105.4 +/- 29 vs 102.2 +/- 23 nmol/l). In alcoholics, AGE correlate significantly negatively with leptin (r = -0.46, P < 0.05) and pentosidine with prealbumin (r = -0.43, P < 0.05), otherwise there was no relationship between AGE and other biochemical parameters (glucose, cholesterol, albumin, CRP, PAPP-A). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a more complex relationship among advanced glycation, oxidative stress and metabolism of ethanol and their link to nutrition and nutrition-associated parameters. AGE as a result of oxidative stress might be similarly linked to increased cardiovascular risk of heavy alcohol drinkers, as are malnutrition and inflammation; however, further studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Glycoxidation and inflammation in chronic haemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Uraemia and haemodialysis treatment are associated with microinflammation and oxidative as well as carbonyl stress, which result in enhanced formation of glycoxidation products. Although both glycoxidation and inflammation can contribute to severe vascular and cardiovascular complications, the role that these pathogenic mechanisms play in the complex response of the whole organism remains to be elucidated. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study in 34 clinically stable chronic haemodialysis patients and in 14 healthy controls while determining serum concentrations of pentosidine, fluorescent advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) and acute phase reactants. We further assessed the relationship between these glycoxidation products and parameters of inflammation. RESULTS: Glycoxidation products as well as certain acute phase reactants were elevated in haemodialysis patients. There were significant correlations between AOPPs and inflammatory parameters such as orosomucoid (0.39, P < 0.05), fibrinogen (0.49, P < 0.05) and pregnancy-associated protein A (PAPP-A; 0.46, P < 0.05), but no correlations between pentosidine or fluorescent AGEs and any of the inflammatory parameters. CONCLUSION: Oxidative damage showed a closer relationship to inflammation than advanced glycation (glycoxidation). AOPPs may represent a superior acute biochemical marker, whereas AGEs may better describe chronic long-lasting damage.