High-Throughput Transcriptomics of Water Extracts Detects Reductions in Biological Activity with Water Treatment Processes.

The presence of numerous chemical contaminants from industrial, agricultural, and pharmaceutical sources in water supplies poses a potential risk to human and ecological health. Current chemical analyses suffer from limitations, including chemical coverage and high cost, and broad-coverage in vitro assays such as transcriptomics may further improve water quality monitoring by assessing a large range of possible effects. Here, we used high-throughput transcriptomics to assess the activity induced by field-derived water extracts in MCF7 breast carcinoma cells. Wastewater and surface water extracts induced the largest changes in expression among cell proliferation-related genes and neurological, estrogenic, and antibiotic pathways, whereas drinking and reclaimed water extracts that underwent advanced treatment showed substantially reduced bioactivity on both gene and pathway levels. Importantly, reclaimed water extracts induced fewer changes in gene expression than laboratory blanks, which reinforces previous conclusions based on targeted assays and improves confidence in bioassay-based monitoring of water quality.

Strong transient magnetic fields induced by THz-driven plasmons in graphene disks.

Strong circularly polarized excitation opens up the possibility to generate and control effective magnetic fields in solid state systems, e.g., via the optical inverse Faraday effect or the phonon inverse Faraday effect. While these effects rely on material properties that can be tailored only to a limited degree, plasmonic resonances can be fully controlled by choosing proper dimensions and carrier concentrations. Plasmon resonances provide new degrees of freedom that can be used to tune or enhance the light-induced magnetic field in engineered metamaterials. Here we employ graphene disks to demonstrate light-induced transient magnetic fields from a plasmonic circular current with extremely high efficiency. The effective magnetic field at the plasmon resonance frequency of the graphene disks (3.5 THz) is evidenced by a strong ( ~ 1°) ultrafast Faraday rotation ( ~ 20 ps). In accordance with reference measurements and simulations, we estimated the strength of the induced magnetic field to be on the order of 0.7 T under a moderate pump fluence of about 440 nJ cm-2.

Sustainable Return to Work for Workers with Mental Health and Musculoskeletal Conditions.

Common mental health and musculoskeletal disorders (CMDs and MSDs) are two of the most significant causes of non-participation in employment amongst working age adults. BACKGROUND: This case study fills an important gap in the scientific literature on reintegration back to work after sickness absence due to CMDs and MSDs. It particularly examines the return to work (RTW) experiences of sick-listed employees to understand the facilitators and barriers of sustainable RTW. METHODS: Using a realist evaluation approach within a qualitative inquiry, perceptions of employees were explored to provide in-depth understanding of what, how and under what circumstances sustainable RTW can be enabled for employees absent on a short- or long-term basis. Repeat face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 participants (15 women and 7 men, aged 30-50 years and sick-listed with MSDs and CMDs) who were recruited using purposive sampling. Data was thematically analysed. RESULTS: A total of 2 main codes and 5 subcodes were developed and grouped into three theoretical abstractions. As a result of validating the context, mechanism, and outcome configurations with accounts of participants, all three initial theories explaining the most prominent mechanisms that either facilitates or impedes a sustainable RTW for people with CMDs and MSDs were justified. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal the active role of line managers on the RTW outcomes of returning employees. However, line-manager's competence and ability to effectively support and implement appropriate RTW strategies suited to employees' hinges on working in alignment with key stakeholders and returning employees.

Adsorption kinetics of 20 glucocorticoids at environmentally relevant concentrations in wastewater by powdered activated carbons and development of surrogate models.

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used in the treatment of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), and the toxicity of GCs to aquatic organisms has aroused widespread concern. Powdered activated carbon (PAC) has proven effective in removing various trace organic pollutants. In this study, the adsorption behaviors of 20 typical GCs onto PACs were investigated at environmentally relevant concentrations (ng/L) in real wastewater, using four commercially available PACs (HDB, WPH, 20BF, PWA). The results showed that PAC adsorption was feasible for GC removal at ng/L concentrations. After adsorption for 60 min, the GC removal efficiencies obtained by HDB, WPH, 20BF, and PWA were 90-98 %, 89-97 %, 84-96 %, and 71-90 %, respectively. The adsorption processes of 20 GCs on PACs were well fitted by the pseudo-second-order kinetics model (with R 2 >0.98). Among the four PACs, HDB achieved the highest rates because of the electrostatic attraction between HDB (positively charged) and the complex of GCs and natural organic matter (GC-NOM, negatively charged). Among the 20 GCs, compounds with substitutions of halogen atoms or five-membered rings at C-17 achieved higher adsorption rates because of the enhanced formation of hydrogen bonds and a resulting increase in electron density. In addition, surrogate models with total fluorescence (TF) and ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) were developed to monitor the attenuation trend of GCs during adsorption processes. Compared with the UV254 model, the TF model showed better sensitivity to GC monitoring, which could greatly simplify the water quality monitoring process and facilitate online monitoring of GCs in water.

Uncertainty and Well-Being amongst Homeworkers in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study of University Staff.

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened uncertainties in people's lives-and was itself a source of fresh uncertainty. We report a study of homeworkers on whether such uncertainties, and particularly those related to their work environment, are associated with lower levels of well-being and whether this association is exacerbated by prior poor well-being. We focus on five uncertainties surrounding the pandemic and employment-the virus, the job quality, workload, logistics of work lives, and support from the employer. Our empirical tests show that uncertainties around the virus, employer support, and their job quality have the strongest negative associations with well-being. These are based on data collected over three time periods in the first year of the pandemic from a sample of university staff (academics and non-academics) and well-being is measured on two continua, anxiety-contentment and depression-enthusiasm. The effects of uncertainties around workload and logistics are less pronounced, but more apparent among employees with better (not poorer) past well-being, at various times of the recession. The study adds to our understanding of the pandemic and highlights the need to link uncertainty to mental health more than it has in the past.

Phonon assisted electron emission from quasi-freestanding bilayer epitaxial graphene microstructures.

Electron emission from quasi-freestanding bilayer epitaxial graphene (QFEG) on a silicon carbide substrate is reported, demonstrating emission currents as high as 8.5µA, at ∼200 °C, under 0.3 Torr vacuum. Given the significantly low turn-on temperature of these QFEG devices, ∼150°C, the electron emission is explained by phonon-assisted electron emission, where the acoustic and optical phonons of QFEG causes carrier acceleration and emission. Devices of differing dimensions and shapes are fabricated via a simple and scalable fabrication procedure and tested. Variations in device morphology increase the density of dangling bonds, which can act as electron emission sites. Devices exhibit emission enhancement at increased temperatures, attributed to greater phonon densities. Devices exhibit emission under various test conditions, and a superior design and operating methodology are identified.

Fully-automated SPE coupled to UHPLC-MS/MS method for multiresidue analysis of 26 trace antibiotics in environmental waters: SPE optimization and method validation.

Achieving simultaneous determination of antibiotic multiresidues in environmental waters by solid phase extraction (SPE) coupled with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) with detection limits ≤ ng L-1 is still a huge challenge. Moreover, the offline SPE procedure was performed manually, costly, and time-consuming, while the online SPE required precision pretreatment instruments that require highly-skilled personnel. In this paper, a fully automated SPE coupled with UHPLC-MS/MS method was developed for analysis of antibiotics (sulfonamides, quinolones, and macrolides) in water matrices. Sample preparation optimization included SPE materials and configuration (HLB disks), sample volume (500-1000 mL), and pH (pH = 3) with a flow rate at 2~5 mL min-1, and an elution procedure with 2 × 6 mL methanol, and 2 × 6 mL acetone. Meanwhile, the parameters for UHPLC-MS/S detection of analytes were optimized, including LC retention time, and MS parameters. The instrumental limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of analytes ranged from 0.01-0.72 µg L-1 and 0.05-2.39 µg L-1, respectively, with satisfactory linear calibration (R2 > 0.995) and precision (< 9.9%). Recoveries in spike samples ranged between 77.5-104.9% in pure water, 59.4-97.8% in surface water (SW), and 58.2-108.6% in wastewater effluent (WWE) with relative standard deviations ≤ 12.8%. The matrix effects observed for most analytes were suppression (0-28.1%) except for five analytes having presented enhancement (0-14.6 %) in SW or WWE. This method can basically meet the needs of trace antibiotic residues detection in waters, with examples of concentrations of detected antibiotics being lower than LOQ (LLQ) -94.47 ng L-1 in WWEs and LLQ-15.47 ng L-1 in SW in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River Basin.

Real-time ultra-sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 by quasi-freestanding epitaxial graphene-based biosensor.

We report the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 in infected patients (mid-turbinate swabs and exhaled breath aerosol samples) in concentrations as low as 60 copies/mL of the virus in seconds by electrical transduction of the SARS-CoV-2 S1 spike protein antigen via SARS-CoV-2 S1 spike protein antibodies immobilized on bilayer quasi-freestanding epitaxial graphene without gate or signal amplification. The sensor demonstrates the spike protein antigen detection in a concentration as low as 1 ag/mL. The heterostructure of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody/graphene-based sensor is developed through a simple and low-cost fabrication technique. Furthermore, sensors integrated into a portable testing unit distinguished B.1.1.7 variant positive samples from infected patients (mid-turbinate swabs and saliva samples, 4000-8000 copies/mL) with a response time of as fast as 0.6 s. The sensor is reusable, allowing for reimmobilization of the crosslinker and antibodies on the biosensor after desorption of biomarkers by NaCl solution or heat treatment above 40 °C.

Satisfaction with one's job and working at home in the COVID-19 pandemic: A two-wave study.

As greater numbers of people have worked at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, workers, organisations and policy makers have begun considering the benefits of a sustained move towards homeworking, with workers' satisfaction with homeworking often cited as a key driver. But is satisfaction with homeworking that relevant to workers' overall job satisfaction? In this study, we examine whether job and homeworking satisfaction are predicted by different demands and resources, namely, those well established in the job design literature (workload, job autonomy and social support) for the former and those specific to the context of homeworking (loneliness, work-nonwork interference, work-nonwork interference and adequacy of homeworking environment) for the latter. We also explore whether homeworking satisfaction mediates the relationship between homeworking demands and resources and job satisfaction. Findings of a study of university workers during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 753 in Phase 1, 471 in Phase 2) support our expectations about the domain-specific nature of the predictors of job and homeworking satisfaction, autonomy is positively related to job satisfaction, while loneliness, nonwork-to-work interference and inadequate homeworking environment are negatively related to homeworking satisfaction. Results also support the argument that satisfaction with homeworking mediates the relationship between homeworking factors and job satisfaction, reinforcing the value of differentiating the two concepts.

Do Multicomponent Workplace Health and Wellbeing Programs Predict Changes in Health and Wellbeing?

Organizations typically deploy multiple health and wellbeing practices in an overall program. We explore whether practices in workplace health and wellbeing programs cohere around a small number of archetypal categories or whether differences between organizations are better explained by a continuum. We also examine whether adopting multiple practices predicts subsequent changes in health and wellbeing. Using survey data from 146 organizations, we found differences between organizations were best characterized by a continuum ranging from less to more extensive adoption of practices. Using two-wave multilevel survey data at both individual and organizational levels (N = 6968 individuals, N = 58 organizations), we found that, in organizations that adopt a wider range of health and wellbeing practices, workers with poor baseline psychological wellbeing were more likely to report subsequent improvements in wellbeing and workers who reported good physical health at baseline were less likely to report experiencing poor health at follow-up. We found no evidence that adopting multiple health and wellbeing practices buffered the impact of individuals' workplace psychosocial hazards on physical health or psychological wellbeing.

Homeworking, Well-Being and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Diary Study.

As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments encouraged or mandated homeworking wherever possible. This study examines the impact of this public health initiative on homeworkers' well-being. It explores if the general factors such as job autonomy, demands, social support and work-nonwork conflict, which under normal circumstances are crucial for employees' well-being, are outweighed by factors specific to homeworking and the pandemic as predictors of well-being. Using data from four-week diary studies conducted at two time periods in 2020 involving university employees in the UK, we assessed five factors that may be associated with their well-being: job characteristics, the work-home interface, home location, the enforced nature of the homeworking, and the pandemic context. Multi-level analysis confirms the relationship between four of the five factors and variability in within-person well-being, the exception being variables connected to the enforced homeworking. The results are very similar in both waves. A smaller set of variables explained between-person variability: psychological detachment, loneliness and job insecurity in both periods. Well-being was lower in the second than the first wave, as loneliness increased and the ability to detach from work declined. The findings highlight downsides of homeworking, will be relevant for employees' and employers' decisions about working arrangements post-pandemic, and contribute to the debate about the limits of employee well-being models centred on job characteristics.

Implementing practices focused on workplace health and psychological wellbeing: A systematic review.

RATIONALE: Workplace health and wellbeing practices (WHWPs) often fail to improve psychological health or wellbeing because of implementation failure. Thus, implementation should be evaluated to improve the effectiveness of WHWPs. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a systematic review to identify critical success factors for WHWP implementation and gaps in the evidence. Doing so provides a platform for future theoretical development. METHODS: We reviewed 74 separate studies that assessed the implementation of WHWPs and their effects on psychological health or psychological wellbeing. Most studies were from advanced industrial Western democracies (71). Intervention types included primary (e.g., work redesign, 37 studies; and health behavior change, 8 studies), secondary (e.g., mindfulness training, 11 studies), tertiary (e.g., focused on rehabilitation, 9 studies), and multifocal (e.g., including components of primary and secondary, 9 studies). RESULTS: Tangible changes preceded improvements in health and wellbeing, indicating intervention success cannot be attributed to non-specific factors. Some interventions had beneficial effects through mechanisms not planned as part of the intervention. Three factors were associated with successful WHWP implementation: continuation, learning, and effective governance. CONCLUSIONS: The review indicates future research could focus on how organizations manage conflict between WHWP implementation and existing organizational processes, and the dynamic nature of organizational contexts that affect and are affected by WHWP implementation. This systematic review is registered [PROSPERO: the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews ID: CRD42019119656].

Developmental assays using invasive cane toads, Rhinella marina, reveal safety concerns of a common formulation of the rice herbicide, butachlor.

Identifying the adverse impacts of pesticide exposure is essential to guide regulations that are protective of wildlife and human health. Within rice ecosystems, amphibians are valuable indicators because pesticide applications coincide with sensitive reproductive and developmental life stages. We conducted two experiments using wild cane toads (Rhinella marina) to test 1) whether environmentally relevant exposure to a commercial formulation of butachlor, an acetanilide herbicide used extensively in rice, affects amphibian development and 2) whether cane toad tadpoles are capable of acclimatizing to sub-lethal exposure. First, we exposed wild cane toads to 0.002, 0.02, or 0.2 mg/L of butachlor (Machete EC), during distinct development stages (as eggs and hatchlings, as tadpoles, or continuously) for 12 days. Next, we exposed a subset of animals from the first experiment to a second, lethal concentration and examined survivorship. We found that cane toads exposed to butachlor developed slower and weighed less than controls, and that development of the thyroid gland was affected: exposed individuals had smaller thyroid glands and thyrocyte cells, and more individual follicles. Analyses of the transcriptome revealed that butachlor exposure resulted in downregulation of transcripts related to metabolic processes, anatomic structure development, immune system function, and response to stress. Last, we observed evidence of acclimatization, where animals exposed to butachlor early in life performed better than naïve animals during a second exposure. Our findings indicate that the commercial formulation of butachlor, Machete EC, causes thyroid endocrine disruption in vertebrates, and suggest that exposure in lowland irrigated rice fields presents a concern for wildlife and human health. Furthermore, we establish that developmental assays with cane toads can be used to screen for adverse effects of pesticides in rice fields.

Magnetic ion-exchange (MIEX) resin for perfluorinated alkylsubstance (PFAS) removal in groundwater: Roles of atomic charges for adsorption.

In this study, magnetic ion exchange (MIEX) resin was evaluated to remove six carboxylic and three sulfonic PFAS at environmentally relevant concentrations (∼300 ng/L) in groundwater with low organic content and aromaticity (0.78 mg/L of dissolved organic carbon, DOC and 0.96 L mg-1m-1 of specific UV absorbance, SUVA). In order to evaluate PFAS adsorption, the apparent equilibrium constant for PFAS adsorption in a dilute system was derived as an indicator of the adsorption capacity of MIEX. In adsorption of PFAS, hydrophobic interactions induced by difluoromethylene and trifluoromethyl groups are known to be effective. However, the hydrophobic and charge interactions caused by such functional groups are not easily differentiable from each other since both are additive with respect to the chain length. In this study, the total negative atomic charge [∑Qi(-)] was calculated using density functional theory (DFT) calculation and correlated with the apparent equilibrium constants. The negative atomic charge showed better correlation than the hydrophobicity (log Dow at pH 7) of PFAS, suggesting that the charge interaction would be a more plausible role of fluorinated moieties for adsorption in the MIEX process than the hydrophobic interaction. This was also bolstered by the similar adsorption kinetics and equilibrium of PFOS (log Dow = 3.05) and its less hydrophobic isomer (log Dow = 2.79), but with almost identical total negative atomic charge (8.05 and 8.06 of ∑Qi(-), respectively). The regeneration efficiency of MIEX was also assessed. Almost complete restoration of PFAS adsorption capacity was achieved after 30 min of a regeneration process with a 10% w/w NaCl solution as a regenerant. The efficient regeneration was attributed to the effective desorption of dissolved organic matter that occupied sorptive sites predominantly.

An experience sampling study of organizational stress processes and future playing time in professional sport.

This study examined the relationships between daily cognitive appraisals of organizational events, affective responses, and coping. In addition, a 5-year longitudinal relationship between coping and performance outcomes at the senior professional level was assessed. Using an experience sampling method, professional academy rugby union players (N = 39, Mage = 17.23 years, SD = 0.87) completed daily diary measures of appraisals, affective responses, and coping over 5 weeks of training. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that daily cognitive appraisals were related to daily affective responses and coping functions enacted by behaviours, after accounting for a series of within (e.g., time, day, week) and between-person (e.g., personality, key decision-makers) differences. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression revealed that coping related to eliciting support was associated with minutes played at the senior professional level five years later. This study extends theoretical knowledge of the within- and between-person relationships that explain organizational stress experiences. The findings suggest that some coping functions enacted by behaviours may be early indicators of future performance outcomes in professional sport.

Inhibition of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria by addition of high and low concentrations of chloramphenicol and comparison of attached- and suspended-growth.

Inhibition of anammox activities was tested with two ranges of chloramphenicol (CAP) concentration (5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 mg L-1) and (100, 500, and 1000 µg L-1). In a short-term study, strong inhibition of activity was dependent of CAP concentration in both attached-growth (SBR-A) and suspended-growth (SBR-S) systems. The activities of attached-growth cultures at all CAP concentrations were reversible after 1 day, while activities for suspended-growth cultures were only gradually reversible dependent on the CAP concentrations. In long-term studies with daily additions of 6 mg L-1 CAP, the anammox activity on day 41 in SBR-A had decreased to 18% baseline (SAA reduced from 0.528 to 0.096 mg N mg-1 VSS d-1). More rapid reduction of anammox activity was observed in SBR-S, down to 17% baseline after only 27 days (SAA decreased from 0.576 to 0.096 mg N mg-1 VSS d-1). Inhibition was irreversible in both SBR-S and SBR-A after the long-term study. With lower CAP additions (100-1000 µg L-1), the activities in both reactors were stable during daily CAP addition for two weeks. Attached-growth cultures tended to be more tolerant of CAP addition than suspended-growth cultures. Both un-competitive and non-competitive models could be used to compare anammox activities with the higher CAP concentrations. The SAAmax [fx] (the maximum specific anammox activity) and hKi (the inhibition constant) of SBR-A were 0.48 mg N mg-1 VSS d-1 and 98.3 mg L-1, respectively. The SAAmax[fx] and Ki of SBR-S were 1.25 mg N mg-1 VSS d-1and 71.1 mg L-1, respectively.

A direct injection liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the kinetic study on iodinated contrast media (ICMs) removal in natural water.

Iodinated contrast media (ICMs) are a class of X-ray contrast media worldwide utilized for radiographic procedures. Since they cannot be removed efficiently during water treatment, they can be found in surface and groundwater. In this work, a rapid and sensitive direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem (LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous analysis of seven ICMs media (iopamidol, ioxitalamic acid, diatrizoic acid, iothalamic acid, iohexol, iomeprol and iopromide) in complex aqueous matrices has been developed and validated. The MDLs for the analytes ranged from 0.7 to 21 ng L-1 in ultrapure water, and recoveries ranged from 86 to 100% in drinking water, 85-103% in groundwater and 84-105% in WWTP effluent. A stereo-isomer for iopromide was separated. This analytic method was applied to investigate the removal of target ICMs by low pressure ultra violet light (LPUV) advanced oxidation processes with three oxidants, hydrogen peroxide, free chlorine and monochloramine in groundwater. Results showed that the addition of oxidants did not enhance attenuation of ICMs, since fluence-based decay apparent rate constants were similar (KUV = 3.2 × 10-3, KUV-Cl2 = 3.6 × 10-3 and KUV-NH2 = 3.4 × 10-3 10-3 cm2 mJ-1). This yielded direct photolysis is the main mechanism to attenuate target ICMs.

Attenuation of pharmaceutically active compounds in aqueous solution by UV/CaO2 process: Influencing factors, degradation mechanism and pathways.

As freshwater sources continue to be influenced by wastewater effluents, there is a dire need to develop advanced water treatment processes capable of treating the wastewater-derived contaminants, especially for pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs). Ultraviolet light (UV) combined with calcium peroxide (CaO2) as an advanced oxidation process (AOP) to attenuate five widespread PhACs (carbamazepine (CBZ), primidone (PMD), phenobarbital (PBB), thiamphenicol (TAP) and florfenicol (FF)) was investigated in this paper. The degradation of these compounds followed pseudo-first-order kinetics (R2 > 0.96). The optimum CaO2 dosage was 0.1 g L-1 and lower initial contaminants concentration was beneficial to their degradation. The UV/CaO2 treatment of test PhACs was attributed to the combination of UV/H2O2 and UV-base-photolysis (UV/Ca(OH)2), and the degradation mechanism was recognized as both UV direct photolysis and indirect photolysis caused by reactive radicals (•OH, triplet states of dissolved organic matter (3DOM*), and 1O2). Furthermore, the tentative transformation pathways of the five PhACs were proposed based on the detected intermediates and the degradation mechanisms. The final products of inorganic carbon and nitrogen indicate UV/CaO2 treatment can significantly mineralize test PhACs. Also, the CaO2 addition significantly reduced the energy consumption of UV irradiation according to electrical energy per order. The effective removal of CBZ and PMD in a secondary wastewater effluent by UV/CaO2 treatment demonstrates the potential use of this AOP technology in advanced treatment of wastewater-derived PhACs.

Sustainable Return to Work: A Systematic Review Focusing on Personal and Social Factors.

Purpose A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the impact of important personal and social factors on sustainable return to work (RTW) after ill-health due musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and common mental disorders (CMDs) and to compare the effects of these personal and social factors across both conditions. Sustainable RTW is defined as a stable full-time or part-time RTW to either original or modified job for a period of at least 3 months without relapse or sickness absence re-occurrence. Methods A literature search was conducted in 13 databases and 79 studies were selected for the review, of which the methodological design was graded as very high, high and low quality. Results The most consistent evidence for achieving sustainable RTW for both MSDs and CMDs was from support from line managers or supervisors and co-workers, positive attitude, self-efficacy, young age and higher education levels. Job crafting, economic status, length of absence and job contract/security showed promising results, but too few studies exist to draw definite conclusions. Results regarding gender were inconsistent. Conclusions This review demonstrates that a variety of personal and social factors have positive and negative influences on sustainable RTW. We suggest that the social environment and how it interrelates with personal factors like attitudes and self-efficacy should be studied in more detail in the future as the inter-relationship between these factors appears to impact positively on sustainable RTW outcomes. Areas for future research include more high-quality studies on job crafting, economic status/income, length of absence, job contract/security and gender.

Trace analysis of corticosteroids (CSs) in environmental waters by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Natural and synthetic corticosteroids (CSs) are a class of steroid hormones which could potentially disturb the corticosteroid signaling pathways in wildlife and humans. In this study, a sensitive and robust analytical method using solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for simultaneous analysis of sub-ng/L concentrations of 26 CSs in highly complex natural water matrices. The method performance was validated for WWTP influent, effluent, surface water and finished drinking water. Low practical quantification levels (PQLs) were achieved as 0.008-0.16 ng/L in finished drinking water, 0.019-0.50 ng/L in surface water, 0.047-1.5 ng/L in WWTP effluent, and 0.10-3.1 ng/L in WWTP influent, respectively, with the recoveries ranging from 70% to 130%. The cleanup performance and matrix interferences were also evaluated. This method was then applied to the analysis of target CSs in WWTP influent and effluent samples collected from a local WWTP, as well as surface water downstream of the WWTP outfall, detecting an average summed CS concentration of 744 ng/L in influent, 23.4 ng/L in effluent and 10.9 ng/L in surface water. Four synthetic CSs (triamcinolone acetonide, fluocinolone acetonide, clobetasol propionate, and fluticasone propionate) were found poorly removed in the WWTP. The developed method provides a tool to obtain occurrence data of corticosteroids in environmental waters, which will permit assessing their risk to environmental organisms.