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Masciopinto C, Fadakar Alghalandis Y. An extended colloid filtration theory for modeling Escherichia coli transport in 3-D fracture networks. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 247:120748. [PMID: 37976626 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Microbial transport in fractured carbonate rock using enhanced solutions is a significant and neglected research topic in the literature. We propose an extended colloid filtration theory (CFT) combined with a particle-tracking following streamlines (PTFS) model for the rapid prediction of breakthrough curves (BTCs) and plumes of pathogens in three-dimensional (3-D) discrete fracture networks (DFNs). We adapted CFT in porous media to pathogen transport in fractures containing Terra Rossa (soil) deposits. As an example of the model capability, a simulation was used to predict the 3-D motion field and Escherichia coli count in groundwater originating from the Forcatella managed aquifer recharge (MAR) Facility (Brindisi, Italy) using a DFN composed of 3,900 fractures. In arid regions, MAR facilities are significant for sustaining basic human needs, such as freshwater supply for drinking and crop production. The Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique was applied to E. coli counts in the collected water samples to increase data representativeness. The pathogen transport coefficients were further supported by batch filtration tests carried out in the CNR/IRSA Laboratory (Bari, Italy). The mean E. coli attachment rate coefficient of 0.15 × 10-8 m2 d-1 (sticking efficiency = 1.1 × 10-8 m) resulted in a 2.1 log10 removal in 600 m of reclaimed water filtration. The simulation output visualized the E. coli 3-D pathways in groundwater and the positions of contaminated groundwater spring outflows on Forcatella Beach. The simulation results agreed with the mean MCMC output of E. coli concentrations in bathing water under unperturbed geochemical and environmental flow and transport conditions. However, results indicate that concentrations of pathogenic strains, parasites, and enteric viruses may enter the marine environment of MAR sites during flood periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Masciopinto
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque, via Francesco De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italia.
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Masciopinto C. Extension of probability models of the risk of infections by human enteric viruses. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2023; 20:17499-17519. [PMID: 37920063 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2023777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
This study presents a novel approach for obtaining reliable models and coefficients to estimate the probability of infection caused by common human enteric viruses. The aim is to provide guidance for public health policies in disease prevention and control, by reducing uncertainty and management costs in health risk assessments. Conventional dose-response (DR) models, based on the theory elaborated by Furumoto and Mickey [1], exhibit limitations stemming from the heterogeneity of individual host susceptibilities to infection resulting from ingesting aggregate viruses. Moreover, the scarcity of well-designed viral challenge experiments contributes to significant uncertainty in these DR models. To address these issues, we conducted a review of infection models used in health risk analysis, focusing on Norovirus (NoV) GI.1, pooled Enterovirus group (EV), Poliovirus 1/SM, and Echo-12 virus via contaminated water or food. Using a mechanistic approach, we reevaluated the known DR models and coefficients for the probability of individual host infection in the mentioned viruses based on dose-infection challenge experiments. Specifically, we sought to establish a relationship between the minimum infectious dose (ID) and the ID having a 50% probability of initiating host infection in the same challenge experiment. Furthermore, we developed a new formula to estimate the degree of aggregation of GI.1 NoV at the mean infectious dose. The proposed models, based on "exact" beta-Poisson DR models, effectively predicted infection probabilities from ingestion of both disaggregated and aggregate NoV GI.1. Through a numerical evaluation, we compared the results with the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) probability obtained from a controlled challenge trial with the NoV GI.1 virus described in the literature, demonstrating the accuracy of our approach. By addressing the indetermination of the unmeasured degree of NoV aggregation in each single infectious dose, our models reduce overestimations and uncertainties in microbial risk assessments. This improvement enhances the management of health risks associated with enteric virus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costantino Masciopinto
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque, Bari viale F. De Blasio 5, 70132 Italia
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Panagiotou CF, Stefan C, Papanastasiou P, Sprenger C. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) for setting health-based performance targets during soil aquifer treatment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:14424-14438. [PMID: 36151439 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22729-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A quantitative microbial risk assessment was conducted to assess the health risks associated with the exposure of agricultural workers to tertiary treated wastewater in irrigated fields through soil ingestion in Cyprus. Three pathogenic microorganisms were chosen, particularly E. coli (bacteria), rotavirus (viruses) and Cryptosporidium. Two extreme exposure scenarios were investigated. Monte Carlo simulations were performed using input data from literature, and the model outputs were compared to the health standards of the World Health Organization (WHO). The results suggested that additional treatment is required for all pathogens to satisfy the health standards. Sensitivity analysis identified the source concentration and pathogen reduction due to soil aquifer passage as the most influential factors in the model outputs. Additional computations were performed to evaluate the minimum pathogen reduction due to soil aquifer passage so that the health targets are achieved for the 95 % of the output values. Rotavirus and Cryptosporidium were found to require more treatment than E. coli. The inclusion of these reference pathogens to the monitoring network of the local authorities is recommended, and the role of soil aquifer passage is emphasized on reducing the concentration of the contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantinos F Panagiotou
- Nireas International Water Research Center, University of Cyprus, 75 Kallipoleos, Nicosia, 1678, Cyprus.
- Department of Environment and Climate, Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence, Fragklinou Rousbelt 82, 3012, Limassol, Cyprus.
| | - Catalin Stefan
- Research Group INOWAS, Department of Hydrosciences, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, 01062, Germany
| | - Panos Papanastasiou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, 1 Panepistimiou, Nicosia, 2109, Cyprus
| | - Christoph Sprenger
- Berlin Centre of Competence for Water, Cicerostrasse 24, Berlin, 10709, Germany
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Yosri A, Dickson-Anderson S, Siam A, El-Dakhakhni W. Analytical description of colloid behavior in single fractures under irreversible deposition. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 589:597-604. [PMID: 33515975 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.12.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Irreversible colloid deposition in groundwater-saturated fractures is typically modeled using a lumped deposition coefficient (κ) that reflects the system physiochemical conditions. A mathematical relationship between this coefficient and the physicochemical conditions controlling deposition has not yet been defined in the literature; thus, κ is typically fitted using experimental observations. This research develops, for the first time, an analytical relationship between κ and the fraction of colloids retained in single fractures (Fr). This relationship could be subsequently integrated with available models relating Fr to the system's physicochemical properties to develop an explicit mathematical relationship between κ and these properties. METHOD The Fr-κ analytical relationship was developed through conceptualizing irreversible deposition as first-order decay, as both lead to permanent mass loss, and coupling this with the advection-dispersion equation. The model estimates of colloid deposition were compared to observations from laboratory-scale colloid tracer experiments. A variance-based global sensitivity analysis was applied to identify the parameters controlling deposition. FINDINGS The analytical relationship efficiently replicated the experimental observations, and the global sensitivity analysis revealed that colloid deposition variability is controlled by fracture length, aperture size, and deposition coefficient; this supports the accepted understanding that colloid deposition is controlled by the system's physicochemical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Yosri
- Department of Civil Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S4L7, Canada.
| | | | - Ahmad Siam
- Department of Civil Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S4L7, Canada.
| | - Wael El-Dakhakhni
- Department of Civil Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S4L7, Canada.
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Masciopinto C, Vurro M, Lorusso N, Santoro D, Haas CN. Application of QMRA to MAR operations for safe agricultural water reuses in coastal areas. WATER RESEARCH X 2020; 8:100062. [PMID: 32923999 PMCID: PMC7475278 DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2020.100062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A pathogenic Escherichia coli (E.coli) O157:H7 and O26:H11 dose-response model was set up for a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) of the waterborne diseases associated with managed aquifer recharge (MAR) practices in semiarid regions. The MAR facility at Forcatella (Southern Italy) was selected for the QMRA application. The target counts of pathogens incidentally exposed to hosts by eating contaminated raw crops or while bathing at beaches of the coastal area were determined by applying the Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) Bayesian method to the water sampling results. The MCMC provided the most probable pathogen count reaching the target and allowed for the minimization of the number of water samplings, and hence, reducing the associated costs. The sampling stations along the coast were positioned based on the results of a groundwater flow and pathogen transport model, which highlighted the preferential flow pathways of the transported E. coli in the fractured coastal aquifer. QMRA indicated tolerable (<10-6 DALY) health risks for bathing at beaches and irrigation with wastewater, with 0.4 infectious diseases per year (11.4% probability of occurrence) associated with the reuse of reclaimed water via soil irrigation even though exceeding the E. coli regulation limit of 10 CFU/100 mL by five times. The results show negligible health risk and insignificant impacts on the coastal water quality due to pathogenic E. coli in the wastewater used for MAR. However, droughts and reclaimed water quality can be considered the main issues of MAR practices in semiarid regions suggesting additional reclaimed water treatments and further stress-tests via QMRAs by considering more persistent pathogens than E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costantino Masciopinto
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70132, Bari, Italy
| | - Michele Vurro
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70132, Bari, Italy
| | - Nicola Lorusso
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70132, Bari, Italy
| | - Domenico Santoro
- Architectural and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Drexel, 3141 Chestnut Street, 251 Curtis Hall, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- USP Techonologies, 3020 Gore Rd, London, ON N5V 4T7, Canada
| | - Charles N. Haas
- Architectural and Environmental Engineering, Drexel University, Drexel, 3141 Chestnut Street, 251 Curtis Hall, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Masciopinto C, De Giglio O, Scrascia M, Fortunato F, La Rosa G, Suffredini E, Pazzani C, Prato R, Montagna MT. Human health risk assessment for the occurrence of enteric viruses in drinking water from wells: Role of flood runoff injections. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 666:559-571. [PMID: 30807946 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrated that floods can induce severe microbiological contamination of drinking water from wells and suggest strategies to better address water safety plans for groundwater drinking supplies. Since 2002, the Italian Water Research Institute (IRSA) has detected hepatitis A virus, adenovirus, rotavirus, norovirus, and enterovirus in water samples from wells in the Salento peninsula, southern Italy. Perturbations in the ionic strength in water flow can initiate strong virus detachments from terra rossa sediments in karst fractures. This study therefore explored the potential health impacts of prolonged runoff injections in Salento groundwater caused by severe flooding during October 2018. A mathematical model for virus fate and transport in fractures was applied to determine the impact of floodwater injection on groundwater quality by incorporating mechanisms that affect virus attachment/detachment and survival in flowing water at microscale. This model predicted target concentrations of enteric viruses that can occur unexpectedly in wells at considerable distances (5-8 km) from the runoff injection site (sinkhole). Subsequently, the health impact of viruses in drinking water supplied from contaminated wells was estimated during the summer on the Salento coast. Specific unpublished dose-response model coefficients were proposed to determine the infection probabilities for Echo-11 and Polio 1 enteroviruses through ingestion. The median (50%) risk of infection was estimated at 6.3 · 10-3 with an uncertainty of 23%. The predicted burden of diseases was 4.89 disability adjusted life years per year, i.e., twice the maximum tolerable disease burden. The results highlight the requirement for additional water disinfection treatments in Salento prior to the distribution of drinking water. Moreover, monthly controls of enteric virus occurrence in water from wells should be imposed by a new water framework directive in semiarid regions because of the vulnerability of karst carbonate aquifers to prolonged floodwater injections and enteric virus contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costantino Masciopinto
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque (IRSA), Reparto di Chimica e Tecnologia delle Acque, Bari, Italy.
| | - Osvalda De Giglio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Oncologia Umana, Università degli Studi Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Scrascia
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppina La Rosa
- Dipartimento Ambiente e Salute, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Suffredini
- Dipartimento di Sicurezza Alimentare, Nutrizione e Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
| | - Carlo Pazzani
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Rosa Prato
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Università di Foggia, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Montagna
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Oncologia Umana, Università degli Studi Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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Masciopinto C, Visino F. Strong release of viruses in fracture flow in response to a perturbation in ionic strength: Filtration/retention tests and modeling. WATER RESEARCH 2017; 126:240-251. [PMID: 28961492 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Effluents derived from a municipal wastewater treatment plant were used for virus filtration/retention experiments by using a horizontal laboratory filter. Filtration tests were performed to examine how soil geochemical heterogeneity and fracture patterns affected the transport of viruses in groundwater in order to model the influence of reductive perturbations in ionic strength (IS) during wastewater filtration. Although perturbations of IS and velocity are known to result in resuspension of colloids, we found that the effect of soil geochemical heterogeneity can produce strong and instantaneous virus releases in fractured aquifers, likely an internal additional source of viruses. Sixteen limestone slabs were packed in a PVC box filter at the Bari Laboratory (South Italy) to replicate wastewater filtration throughout a fractured medium similar to the Bari carbonate aquifer. Terra rossa, which is an aggregate of sand, silt and clay, was unevenly spread on the surface of each limestone slab within the filter. Since the mineralogical composition of terra rossa includes iron (hematite, magnetite, and goethite) oxides, the soil exhibited localized unfavorable colloid/collector interactions for attachment. In contrast, soil-free parts of the fracture surfaces maintained favorable colloid/collector interactions. We found in our experiments that the lowering of IS due to the reduction of water salt content, which could occur during runoff injections after rainfall, might be sufficient to cause strong detachment of viruses from fracture surfaces, allowing further migration into the groundwater. The model in this work can predict the count and pathways of released viruses in groundwater fractures under soil geochemical heterogeneity and originated by reductions of IS, by using analytical solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costantino Masciopinto
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque, Reparto di Chimica e Tecnologia delle Acque, 5 via Francesco De Blasio, 70132 Bari, Italy.
| | - Fabrizio Visino
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque, Reparto di Chimica e Tecnologia delle Acque, 5 via Francesco De Blasio, 70132 Bari, Italy.
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De Sanctis M, Del Moro G, Chimienti S, Ritelli P, Levantesi C, Di Iaconi C. Removal of pollutants and pathogens by a simplified treatment scheme for municipal wastewater reuse in agriculture. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 580:17-25. [PMID: 27951439 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The availability of high quality water has become a constraint in several countries. Agriculture represents the main water user, therefore, wastewater reuse in this area could increase water availability for other needs. This research was aimed to provide a simplified scheme for treatment and reuse of municipal and domestic wastewater based on Sequencing Batch Biofilter Granular Reactors (SBBGRs). The activity was conducted at pilot-scale and particular attention was dedicated to the microbiological quality of treated wastewater to evaluate the risk associated to its reuse. The following microorganisms were monitored: Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, somatic coliphages, adenovirus, enterovirus, Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum. The possibility of SBBGR enhancement with sand filtration was also evaluated. The SBBGR removed >90% of suspended solids and chemical oxygen demand, and 80% and 60% of total nitrogen and phosphorous, respectively. SBBGR was also effective in removing microbial indicators, from 1 (for C. perfringens) up to 4 (for E. coli) log units of these microorganisms. In particular, the quality of SBBGR effluent was already compatible with the WHO criteria for reuse (E. coli ≤103CFU/100mL). Sand filtration had positive effects on plant effluent quality and the latter could even comply with more restrictive reuse criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco De Sanctis
- Water Research Institute, CNR, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70123 Bari, Italy.
| | - Guido Del Moro
- Water Research Institute, CNR, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70123 Bari, Italy
| | - Silvia Chimienti
- Water Research Institute, CNR, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70123 Bari, Italy
| | | | - Caterina Levantesi
- Water Research Institute, CNR, Via Salaria Km 29.300, 00015 Monterotondo, RM, Italy
| | - Claudio Di Iaconi
- Water Research Institute, CNR, Via F. De Blasio 5, 70123 Bari, Italy
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Masciopinto C. Management of aquifer recharge in Lebanon by removing seawater intrusion from coastal aquifers. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2013; 130:306-312. [PMID: 24103702 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2012] [Revised: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 08/12/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the feasibility of management of aquifer recharge (MAR) in Lebanon by designing well barriers to remove seawater intrusion from the fractured carbonate aquifers. Groundwater flow and saltwater/freshwater 50% sharp interface have been modeled along the coastal area using the Ghyben-Herzberg theory. The groundwater flow simulations have been supported by field transmissivity estimations and depth measurements carried out on 44 wells during 2003. Results have shown the seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers at Jieh and Damour regions. Three well-injection barriers have been proposed. The water volumes for recharge and the barrier positions have been defined by means of groundwater flow simulations. MAR can provide a valuable contribution to colloid (even pathogen) removal from injectant water, although during water infiltration in subsoil the reduction of aquifer permeability causes clogging. A simple new model for estimating the soil-rock permeability reduction due to the well clogging has been presented. The MAR, including the soil aquifer treatment at Damour and Jieh regions, has been studied by considering aquifer transmissivity (and soil porosity) reduction caused by clogging. Furthermore, the appropriate mixing of the injectant water by using reclaimed water, groundwater and surface water can be simulated using the proposed models. The time required to achieve 5% of rock permeability reduction at the proposed well barriers ranged from 71 to 935 d, by changing water quality and flow rate for recharge. This study can assist regional governments with water management in areas affected by scarcity of freshwater by implementing appropriate well-barrier projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costantino Masciopinto
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, Reparto di Chimica e Tecnologia delle Acque, via Francesco De Blasio, 5, 70132 Bari, Italy.
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