Background: Perchlorate-induced natrium-iodide symporter (NIS) interference is a well-recognized thyroid disrupting mechanism. It is unclear, however, whether a chronic low-dose exposure to perchlorate delivered by food and drinks may cause thyroid dysfunction in the long term. Thus, the aim of this review was to overview and summarize literature results in order to clarify this issue. Methods: Authors searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, institutional websites and Google until April 2020 for relevant information about the fundamental mechanism of the thyroid NIS interference induced by orally consumed perchlorate compounds and its clinical consequences. Results: Food and drinking water should be considered relevant sources of perchlorate. Despite some controversies, cross-sectional studies demonstrated that perchlorate exposure affects thyroid hormone synthesis in infants, adolescents and adults, particularly in the case of underlying thyroid diseases and iodine insufficiency. An exaggerated exposure to perchlorate during pregnancy leads to a worse neurocognitive and behavioral development outcome in infants, regardless of maternal thyroid hormone levels. Discussion and conclusion: The effects of a chronic low-dose perchlorate exposure on thyroid homeostasis remain still unclear, leading to concerns especially for highly sensitive patients. Specific studies are needed to clarify this issue, aiming to better define strategies of detection and prevention.

The synthesis of new chitin derivatives through ultrasound-assisted treatment of the chitin with 1-azido-3-chloropropan-2-ol under Green Chemistry conditions is described. This is the first example of ultrasound-assisted polymer analogues transformation of chitin unaccompanied by noticeable backbone degradation or deacetylation. The obtained water-soluble azido chitin derivatives are characterized by high antibacterial activity, which is comparable with that of commercial antibiotics ampicillin and gentamicin. At the same time, they were demonstrated almost identical in vitro toxicity as unmodified chitin and chitosan. The antibacterial activity of the obtained polymers is mainly provided by azido moiety in their macromolecules. The conjugation of azido moiety to chitin backbone strongly diminishes the toxicity of the azido pharmacophore, but preserves its antibacterial properties. The most potent chitin derivative was used for the film coating of Ricotta cheese samples. This food coating proved to be efficient for the prolongation of shelf life of Ricotta cheese.

Foodborne bacterial infection poses a serious threat to human health. As most diseases are caused by living bacteria, real-time assessment of bacterial viability is vitally important to the public health sector. Herein, we developed a simple and novel colorimetric assay based on the Glucose oxidase (GOD)/Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) bienzyme system for real-time monitoring of bacterial viability in food and drinking water. This bienzyme system is free of any chemical synthesis and only requires 3 sample handling steps. The color response is easily observable with the naked eye or recordable with a smartphone for precise determination of bacterial viability. The proposed strategy was validated with various bacteria both Gram-positive and Gram-negative, indicating its capability for broad-spectrum bacteria viability detection. Therefore, the proposed strategy shows promise for rapid and reliable quality control in food and drinking water.

The interactive dynamics in the food, water, and energy system as a nexus (FWEN) are critical to the sustainable development of global cities, and they can be mediated by green and blue infrastructure (GBI) in the urban area. Here we provide a comprehensive literature review to examine how GBI affects FWEN in urban centers, an area which is currently understudied. In order to do this, we undertake a systematic review of the literature using a meta-analytic approach and topic modelling. Based on our synthesis, we develop a conceptual framework of the key links between urban GBI and FWEN and the direction and magnitude of the relationship. We found that GBIs can benefit food supply, energy saving, and climate change mitigation but at a price of food safety and water contamination. Well-designed urban construction can help curb the negative effects. Therefore, we need to make deliberate and integrative policy to link GBI with each element in urban FWEN. Moreover, the focus of studies on GBIFWEN links is also heterogeneous across cities: urban agriculture and food security are priorities in cities located in Africa and Asia as well as in lower income and larger cities (but not metropolitan areas), while the cooling effect of green space has been a focus for cities of middle or high income. Finally, current research focuses on isolated analysis, lacking integrated studies needed for decision making supporting tools. While isolated analyses lead to connectivity failures and can result in adverse impacts, integrated analyses can identify interdependencies of environmental resources between parts of a cycle and across different scales, which can increase resource efficiency and minimize environmental degradation. Therefore, our key findings point out the importance of linking the effects of GBI on each component of FWEN in both research and policy making.