A Study on the Development of Livestock Odor (Ammonia) Monitoring System Using ICT (Information and Communication Technology)

Recently, environmental problems due to livestock odor have emerged in Korea, and technologies to solve these problems are being developed. This study developed a livestock odor monitoring system using ICT technology and an ammonia sensor. This system consists of a sensor, communication equipment, server, database management system (DBMS), and user operating program. The requirements for each component were presented and applied to the system. The livestock odor monitoring system is divided into Livestock Odor Management System (LOMS) and Livestock Odor Control System (LOCS). LOMS comprises a sensor that can measure ammonia in livestock farms or treatment facilities and communication equipment that transmits and receives data. LOCS consists of a server that can receive data and a program to check real-time data. This system will be used for trend analysis using livestock odor data and to plan to reduce livestock odor in the future.

Eternal engine of progress

Качество услуг водоснабжения и водоотведения за первые двадцать лет XXI века вывело на новый уровень развития ГУП «Водоканал Санкт-Петербурга» благодаря внедрению инновационных технологий в системах водоснабжения и водоотведения. Использование технологий, таких как двухступенчатое обеззараживание питьевой воды, дезодорирование полигонов, геотубирование, применение центрифуг «Флоттвег», порошкообразного однокомпонентного флокулянта, порошкообразного активированного угля, внедрение системы измерения осадков, осуществлялись при активном участии Федора Ивановича Лобанова – помощника генерального директора ГУП «Водоканал Санкт-Петербурга» по работе с промышленностью, которому в ноябре 2021 г. исполнилось 80 лет. The quality of water supply and wastewater disposal services over the first twenty years of the 21st century has brought SUE «Vodokanal of St. Petersburg» to a new level of development owing to the introduction of innovative technologies in water supply and wastewater disposal systems. The use of technologies, such as two-stage disinfection of drinking water, odor control of landfills, geotubing, the use of Flottweg centrifuges, powdered one-component flocculant, powdered activated carbon, the introduction of a precipitation measurement system, were carried out with the active participation of Fedor Ivanovich Lobanov, Assistant to the General Director of SUE «Vodokanal of St. Petersburg» on dealing with industries, who turned 80 in November 2021.

The Use of Calcium Phosphates in Cosmetics, State of the Art and Future Perspectives

Calcium phosphates (CaPs) belong to a class of biomimetic materials widely employed for medical applications thanks to their excellent properties, such as biodegradability, biocompatibility and osteoinductivity. The recent trend in the cosmetics field of substituting potentially hazardous materials with natural, safe, and sustainable ingredients for the health of consumers and for the environment, as well as the progress in the materials science of academics and chemical industries, has opened new perspectives in the use of CaPs in this field. While several reviews have been focused on the applications of CaP-based materials in medicine, this is the first attempt to catalogue the properties and use of CaPs in cosmetics. In this review a brief introduction on the chemical and physical characteristics of the main CaP phases is given, followed by an up-to-date report of their use in cosmetics through a large literature survey of research papers and patents. The application of CaPs as agents in oral care, skin care, hair care, and odor control has been selected and extensively discussed, highlighting the correlation between the chemical, physical and toxicological properties of the materials with their final applications. Finally, perspectives on the main challenges that should be addressed by the scientific community and cosmetics companies to widen the application of CaPs in cosmetics are given.

Laundry Hygiene and Odor Control – State of the Science

Laundering of textiles – clothing, linens, cleaning cloths - functionally removes dirt and bodily fluids which, prevent the transmission and re-exposure to pathogens as well as odor control. Thus, proper laundering is key to controlling microbes that cause illness and produce odors. The practice of laundering varies from region to region and is influenced by culture and resources. This review aims to define laundering as a series of steps that influence the exposure of the person processing the laundry to pathogens – with respect to the removal and control of pathogens and odor causing bacteria, while taking into consideration the types of textiles. Defining laundering in this manner will help better educate the consumer, highlight areas where more research is needed, and how to maximize products and resources. Control of microorganisms during laundering involves mechanical (agitation, soaking), chemical (detergent, bleach), and physical processes (detergent, temperature). Temperature plays the most important role in terms of pathogen control, requiring temperatures exceeding 40°C to 60°C for proper inactivation. While detergents play a role in reducing the microbial load of laundering through release of microbes attached to fabrics and inactivation of microbes sensitive to detergents (e.g. enveloped viruses). The use of additives (enzymes) and bleach (chlorine, activated oxygen) become essential in washes with temperatures below 20°C, especially for certain enteric viruses and bacteria. A structured approach is needed which identifies all the steps in the laundering process and attempts to identify each step relative to its importance to infection risk and odor production.

Control of felinine-derived malodor in cat litter

Objectives Malodors stemming from soiled cat litter are a major frustration for cat owners, despite the widespread use of absorbent litters with claims of odor control. Technologies for effective litter odor control have not been rigorously evaluated. Here, we report on the effectiveness of a novel litter formulation of 1-monochlorodimethylhydantoin (MCDMH)-modified clinoptilolite zeolite (MCDMH-Z) to control the odors of 3-mercapto-3-methylbutanol (3M3MB) and ammonia, the principal products generated by the enzymatic breakdown of felinine and urea, respectively. Methods The efficacy of MCDMH-Z for the odor control of 3M3MB was determined by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis, colorimetric analysis and a sensory panel. Enzyme inhibition was monitored by a colorimetric coupled assay for ammonia. The antimicrobial properties were measured by a reduction in colony-forming units (CFUs). Results 3M3MB proved highly susceptible to modification by MCDMH-Z granules. Headspace above litter exposed to MCDMH-Z showed no detectable 3M3MB; levels >59 ng were detected in commercially available products. Urease activity decreased by >97% after incubation with MCDMH-Z to 0.14 mg/ml. Cat litter F showed comparable inhibition (0.13 mg/ml); others showed less inhibition, producing up to 4.8 mg/ml of ammonia. MCDMH-Z reduced the CFUs of Proteus vulgaris by six log reduction values in 30 mins; in the same amount of time, no reduction was seen with commercial products tested. The odor control capability of the MCDMH-Z granules was further supported by a sensory panel scoring 3M3MB-spiked litters. Conclusions and relevance Samples of commercially available litter products showed an effect on malodor, or inhibition of urease, or contained antimicrobial activity; no samples were capable of accomplishing these concurrently. In contrast, MCDMH-Z granules were effective in all three test categories. Control of felinine-derived odors, in particular, has the potential to improve cat owner satisfaction, and may beneficially affect cat behaviors provoked by pheromonally active sulfurous metabolites deposited in the litter.