Virtual Reality as an Adjunctive Non-pharmacological Therapy to Reduce Pain in School-Aged Children With Burn Wounds.

This paper explores the effectiveness of virtual reality in reducing pain in school-aged children undergoing burn wound care. From June 2020 to September 2021, 34 cases of burned children treated in the burn clinic of a hospital were selected. A before- and after-study design was utilized to observe the first and second wound dressing changes of the same patients. The two dressing changes were randomly selected for the VR plan and the Non-VR plan. In VR Plan, patients played virtual reality games using a headset and gamepad to distract from their pain. To determine the effectiveness of VR, the children's pain score, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and adverse reactions such as dizziness and nausea were recorded ten minutes before wound dressing change, during wound dressing change and ten minutes after the bandages was on. The Wong-Baker and FLACC scores of the patients in the VR group were (5.79 ± 1.84) and (4.91 ± 2.08), respectively, whereas the scores of the patients in the non-VR group were (5.47 ± 1.99) and (4.91 ± 2.25), respectively, 10 minutes before wound dressing changes. During wound dressing changes, the Wong-Baker and FLACC scores of patients in the VR group were (3.78 ± 1.49) and (2.73 ± 1.38), respectively, whereas the scores of patients in the non-VR group were (5.58 ± 2.48) and (4.97 ± 2.39), respectively. After wound dressing changes, the Wong-Baker and FLACC scores of patients in the VR group were (2.44 ± 1.65) and (2.12 ± 1.34), respectively, and the scores of patients in the non-VR group were (4.21 ± 2.42) and (3.75 ± 2.05), respectively. The study concludes that virtual reality is effective in reducing pain in school-aged children with burn wounds. The study also concludes that virtual reality does not cause adverse reactions.

WS2 significantly enhances the degradation of sulfachloropyridazine by Fe(III)/persulfate.

The use of antibiotics has become an indispensable part of the production and life of human society. Among them, sulfonamide antibiotics widely used in humans and animals are considered to be one of the most crucial antibiotics. However, antibiotics are difficult to degrade naturally, leading to an accumulation in the environment and a potential hazard to human health. In this paper, WS2 as a co-catalyst could reduce trace Fe(III) to Fe(II) which exhibited a great activating ability to PS through the exposed W(IV) active sites, and formed the Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycle to degrade sulfachloropyridazine (SCP) continuously. This paper systematically discussed the degradation of SCP under different conditions in the PS/WS2/Fe(III) system, including the amount of WS2, Fe(III) concentration, PS concentration, initial pH, natural organic matter (NOM) and common anions (NO3-, Cl-, HCO3-, HPO42- and H2PO4-). The experimental results showed that PS/WS2/Fe(III) system possessed a strong degradation ability for SCP in a wide pH range. NO3- and Cl- could promote the degradation of SCP a little. HCO3-, HPO42- and H2PO4- could significantly inhibit the degradation of SCP. The main types of free radicals that degraded SCP were explored. In addition, the stability and reusability of WS2 were examined, and two possible degradation pathways of SCP were proposed.

Degradation of sulfadiazine by UV/Oxone: roles of reactive oxidative species and the formation of disinfection byproducts.

Sulfadiazine (SDZ) is a typical persistent sulfonamide antibiotic, which has been widely detected in natural drinking water sources. The degradation of SDZ by UV/Oxone (potassium monopersulfate compound) was explored in this study. The results showed that Cl- can effectively activate PMS to promote rapid degradation of SDZ in the Oxone process by forming chlorine in the system. Radical quenching tests suggested that radical oxidation, including HO•, SO4•-, and reactive chlorine species (RCS), played an important role by UV/Oxone. It further verified that concentration and distribution of HO•, SO4•-, and RCS were pH-dependent; RCS act as a major contributor at pH 6.0 and pH 7.0 to degrade SDZ in this process. The SDZ degradation rate was firstly increased and then decreased by Cl- and HCO3- (0-10 mM); HA (0-10 mg L-1) exhibited insignificant influence on SDZ degradation. The degradation pathways of SDZ during UV/Oxone and formation pathways of five disinfection byproducts during subsequent chlorination were proposed. The possible DBP precursors formed by SO2 extrusion, hydroxylation, and chlorination of SDZ during UV/Oxone pre-oxidation.

Effects of MPUV/chlorine oxidation and coexisting bromide, ammonia, and nitrate on DBP formation potential of five typical amino acids.

Disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation is a potential concern with regard to MPUV/Cl2 application in water treatment. In this study, five typical amino acids (AAs) were selected to investigate their DBP alteration during short-term medium pressure (MP) UV/chlorine oxidation following post-chlorination relative to parallel dark controls. The five selected AAs include two potent DBP precursors (aspartic acid and tryptophan), one modest precursor (asparagine) and two poor precursors (phenylalanine and proline). MPUV/chlorine increased the total DBP formation and DBP-associated cytotoxicity of the two poor precursors phenylalanine (Phe) and proline (Pro) as well as their chlorine demands. Conversely, DBP formation and DBP-associated cytotoxicity of the three modest-to-potent DBP precursors showed the opposite changing trends due to MPUV/Cl2 oxidation. The two aromatic AAs (tryptophan and phenylalanine) were more readily to be affected by MPUV/Cl2 oxidation especially at acidic pH condition. Conversely, DBP formation and DBP-associated cytotoxicity of the three modest-to-potent precursors showed the opposite changing trends due to MPUV/Cl2 oxidation. Among the measured DBPs, the absolute formation potential changes of haloacetic acids and haloacetonitriles were the most prominent. Presence of bromide increased the trihalomethane formation potential of five AAs. Ammonia-spiked samples resulted in notably higher chlorine demands but slightly reduced DBPFP. Photonitration caused increased haloacetonitrile and trichloronitromethane formation but lower overall DBP formation potential and DBP-associated cytotoxicity. Results indicated that increased DBP formation of unreactive aromatic AAs may be problematic with respect to MPUV/Cl2 application, while the presence of inorganic ions may not contribute to further increase in calculated cytotoxicity of measured DBPs.

Multifunctional capacity of CoMnFe-LDH/LDO activated peroxymonosulfate for p-arsanilic acid removal and inorganic arsenic immobilization: Performance and surface-bound radical mechanism.

Organoarsenic contaminants existing in water body threat human health and ecological environment due to insufficient bifunctional treatment technologies for organoarsenic degradation and inorganic arsenic immobilization. In order to safely and efficiently treat organoarsenic contaminants discharged into the aquatic environment, Co-Mn-Fe layered double hydroxide (CoMnFe-LDH) and Co-Mn-Fe layered double oxide (CoMnFe-LDO) were fabricated and employed as peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activator for organoarsenic degradation and inorganic arsenic immobilization, and p-arsanilic acid (p-ASA) was selected as target pollutant. Results demonstrated that the satisfactory removal of p-ASA (100.0%) in both CoMnFe-LDH/PMS and CoMnFe-LDO/PMS systems was obtained within 30 min, and substantial inorganic arsenic adsorption could be achieved (below 0.5 mg/L) in two systems with converting major inorganic arsenic species to arsenate. As XPS, ESR and quenching experiment revealed, the existence and generation of surface-bound radicals in two systems were identified. Based on density functional theory calculation and XPS analysis, the catalytic mechanism of CoMnFe-LDO/PMS system that PMS could be activated via direct electron transfer from adsorbed p-ASA was clarified, which differed from PMS activation via coupling with surface hydroxyl groups in CoMnFe-LDH/PMS system. Catalytic performance assessment under various critical operation parameters indicated that CoMnFe-LDH presented more stable ability of p-ASA removal in a wide pH range and complex aquatic environment. The recycle experiment demonstrated the excellent stability and reusability of CoMnFe-LDH(LDO). Besides, seven degradation products of p-ASA in CoMnFe-LDH/PMS system including phenolic compounds, azophenylarsonic acid, nitrobenzene and benzoquinne were identified by UV-Vis spectra and LC-TOF-MS analysis, and the corresponding degradation pathway was proposed. In summary, compared to CoMnFe-LDO/PMS, CoMnFe-LDH/PMS holds great promise for the development of an oxidation-adsorption process for efficient control of organoarsenic pollutant.

Degradation of imidacloprid by UV-activated persulfate and peroxymonosulfate processes: Kinetics, impact of key factors and degradation pathway.

UV-activated persulfate (UV/PS) and peroxymonosulfate (UV/PMS) processes as alternative methods for removal of imidacloprid (IMP) were conducted for the first time. The reaction rate constants between IMP and the sulfate or hydroxyl radical were calculated as 2.33×109  or 2.42×1010 M-1 s-1, respectively. The degradation of IMP was greatly improved by UV/PS and UV/PMS compared with only UV or oxidant. At any given dosage, UV/PS achieved higher IMP removal rate than UV/PMS. The pH range affecting the degradation in the UV/PS and UV/PMS systems were different in the ranges of 6-8 and 9 to 10. SO42-, F- and NO3- had no obvious effect on the degradation in the UV/PS and UV/PMS systems. CO32- and PO43- inhibited the degradation of IMP in the UV/PS system, while they enhanced the degradation in the UV/PMS system. Algae organic matters (AOM) were used to consider the impact of the degradation of IMP for the first time. The removal of IMP were restrained by both AOM and natural organic matters. The higher removal rate of IMP demonstrated that both UV/PS and UV/PMS were suitable for treating the water containing IMP, while UV/PS was cost-effective than UV/PMS based on the total cost calculation. Finally, the degradation pathways of IMP were proposed.

Impact of preoxidation of UV/persulfate on disinfection byproducts by chlorination of 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol.

UV/persulfate (UV/PS) has been as an efficient method to remove many organic contaminants in water. However, little is known about the impact of UV/PS pretrement on the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) during chlorination of 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-D). This research evaluated that UV/PS preoxidation of 2,4-D greatly decreased the DBPs generation during following chlorination. In the 2,4-D solution without any treatment system (O system), trichloromethane (TCM) as the only detected DBP increased with the increase of chlorine dosage. While the formation of TCM declined with the increase of PS dosage in the PS and UV/PS preoxidation systems and decreased the estimated toxicity accordingly. And it was found the residual PS in system could combine free chlorine to further oxidize 2,4-D. And intermediate products were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with triple quadrupole mass spectroscopy analysis. In the presence of bromine, the bromodichloromethane augmented first and then slowly decreased while dibromochloromethane and tribromethane increased both in O and UV/PS systems with the increase of [Br-]. Bromine substitution was decreased by preoxidation of UV/PS. UV/PS could decrease the total-DBPs formation when used in the real water matrix contained 100 µg/L 2,4-D.

Removal of antimonate from wastewater by dissimilatory bacterial reduction: Role of the coexisting sulfate.

The priority pollutant antimony (Sb) exists primarily as Sb(V) and Sb(III) in natural waters, and Sb(III) is generally with greater mobility and toxicity than Sb(V). The bio-reduction of Sb(V) would not become a meaningful Sb-removal process unless the accumulation of produced dissolved Sb(III) could be controlled. Here, we examined the dissimilatory antimonate bio-reduction with or without the coexistence of sulfate using Sb-acclimated biomass. Results demonstrated that 0.8mM Sb(V) was almost completely bio-reduced within 20h along with 48.6% Sb(III) recovery. Kinetic parameters qmax and Ks calculated were 0.54mg-Sb mg-DW-1h-1 and 41.96mgL-1, respectively. When the concentrations of coexisting sulfate were 0.8mM, 1.6mM, and 4mM, the reduction of 0.8mM Sb(V) was accomplished within 17, 9, and 5h, respectively, along with no final Sb(III) recovery. Also, the bio-reduction of sulfate occurred synchronously. The precipitated Sb2O3 and Sb2S3 were characterized by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometer, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Compared with bacterial compositions of the seed sludge obtained from anaerobic digestion tank in a wastewater treatment plant, new genera of Pseudomonas and Geobacter emerged with large proportions in both Sb-fed and Sb-sulfate-fed sludge, and a small portion of sulfate reduction bacteria emerged only in Sb-sulfate-fed culture.

Copper increases reductive dehalogenation of haloacetamides by zero-valent iron in drinking water: Reduction efficiency and integrated toxicity risk.

The haloacetamides (HAcAms), an emerging class of nitrogen-containing disinfection byproducts (N-DBPs), are highly cytotoxic and genotoxic, and typically occur in treated drinking waters at low µg/L concentrations. Since many drinking distribution and storage systems contain unlined cast iron and copper pipes, reactions of HAcAms with zero-valent iron (ZVI) and metallic copper (Cu) may play a role in determining their fate. Moreover, ZVI and/or Cu are potentially effective HAcAm treatment technologies in drinking water supply and storage systems. This study reports that ZVI alone reduces trichloroacetamide (TCAcAm) to sequentially form dichloroacetamide (DCAcAm) and then monochloroacetamide (MCAcAm), whereas Cu alone does not impact HAcAm concentrations. The addition of Cu to ZVI significantly improved the removal of HAcAms, relative to ZVI alone. TCAcAm and their reduction products (DCAcAm and MCAcAm) were all decreased to below detection limits at a molar ratio of ZVI/Cu of 1:1 after 24 h reaction (ZVI/TCAcAm = 0.18 M/5.30 µM). TCAcAm reduction increased with the decreasing pH from 8.0 to 5.0, but values from an integrated toxic risk assessment were minimised at pH 7.0, due to limited removal MCAcAm under weak acid conditions (pH = 5.0 and 6.0). Higher temperatures (40 °C) promoted the reductive dehalogenation of HAcAms. Bromine was preferentially removed over chlorine, thus brominated HAcAms were more easily reduced than chlorinated HAcAms by ZVI/Cu. Although tribromoacetamide was more easily reduced than TCAcAm during ZVI/Cu reduction, treatment of tribromoacetamide resulted in a higher integrated toxicity risk than TCAcAm, due to the formation of monobromoacetamide (MBAcAm).

Adsorption and removal of clofibric acid and diclofenac from water with MIEX resin.

This study demonstrates the use of MIEX resin as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of clofibric acid (CA) and diclofenac (DCF). The adsorption performance of CA and DCF are investigated by a batch mode in single-component or bi-component adsorption system. Various factors influencing the adsorption of CA and DCF, including initial concentration, contact time, adsorbent dosage, initial solution pH, agitation speed, natural organic matter and coexistent anions are studied. The Langmuir model can well describe CA adsorption in single-component system, while the Freundlich model gives better fitting in bi-component system. The DCF adsorption can be well fitted by the Freundlich model in both systems. Thermodynamic analyses show that the adsorption of CA and DCF is an endothermic (ΔH(o) > 0), entropy driven (ΔS(o) > 0) process and more randomness exists in the DCF adsorption process. The values of Gibbs free energy (ΔG(o) < 0) indicate the adsorption of DCF is spontaneous but nonspontaneous (ΔG(o) > 0) for CA adsorption. The kinetic data suggest the adsorption of CA and DCF follow the pseudo-first-order model in both systems and the intra-particle is not the unique rate-limiting step. The adsorption process is controlled simultaneously by external mass transfer and surface diffusion according to the surface diffusion modified Biot number (Bis) ranging from 1.06 to 26.15. Moreover, the possible removal mechanism for CA and DCF is respectively proposed based on the ion exchange stoichiometry.