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With rapid urbanization and industrialization processes, the problem of groundwater pollution under the influence of various human activities has become increasingly severe in most developed areas of China. However, the problem of dissolved salt pollution caused by increasing concentrations of conventional ions is often overlooked and easier to be seen as a high background of natural formation rather than pollution. The Hutuo River alluvial fan in North China was selected as the study area; dissolved salt pollution is evaluated based on the factor analysis method (FA); groundwater exploitation, pollutant input, and the attenuation of the vadose zone were discussed to explain the salt pollution; the formation mechanism and different source contributions were also explored. The results show that the total hardness (TH) and nitrate are the main contributing indicators of salt pollution in the Hutuo River alluvial fan. The long-term overexploitation of groundwater promoted the leaching and nitrification reactions, resulting in a large area of moderate to strong salt pollution in the top unit of the alluvial fan, which accounted for 51.6% of the salt pollution according to the multivariate regression model. In addition, the input pollution generated by various types of pollution sources along with rainfall infiltration is also an important driving factor. The surface pollution load and hydrogeological conditions affected the cation exchange and leaching, resulting in a point distribution of strong salt pollution, with a contribution rate of 37.6%. The analysis of the factors that affect salt pollution and the specific contributions in different regions cannot only help decision-makers understand the causes of water quality deterioration but also propose solutions in a targeted manner.

Recent research has shown that iodine excess may damage children’s intelligence. Years of monitoring results in Shanghai show the iodine status has approached the upper limit of the appropriate range for children aged 8–10 years, indicating a risk of iodine excess. We used multi-stage random sampling to select children. Sixteen districts of Shanghai were divided into five units based on geographic location, and one primary school was randomly selected from each unit. In each selected school, about 40 children aged 8–10 years were randomly recruited to measure their urinary iodine concentration (UIC), household salt iodine concentration (SIC), the score of the final unified exam of the last semester, and school canteen salt iodine concentration. The median UIC of 3213 children aged 8–10 years in Shanghai was 195.4 (122.0, 285.8) µg/L and exceeded 200 µg/L in 48.8% of the population. Household and school canteen iodized salt coverage rates were 60.3% and 82.5% respectively, and mean household and school canteen SICs were 21.51 ± 9.30 mg/kg and 25.29 ± 3.40 mg/kg respectively. By correcting for potential confounding factors, logistic regression demonstrated that compared to the adequate iodine status group, students in the slight iodine excess group were less likely to get “A” (score > 90) in math, Chinese, and English exams (Math: OR  = 0.775, 95% CI = 0.660–0.911, P  = 0.002; Chinese: OR  = 0.707, 95% CI = 0.543–0.842, P  < 0.001; English: OR  = 0.720, 95% CI = 0.610–0.849, P  < 0.001). In Shanghai, the iodine status of 8–10-year-old children is approaching the upper limit of the adequate range. Iodine excess in Shanghai may lead to low exam scores for students.

Global environmental pollution is becoming more serious, and most dietary salts come from nature. We postulated that chemical pollutants could affect the quality of salt. Forty-five different types of salt were collected from supermarkets, convenience stores, and online retailers in Shanghai, 2015. These comprised more than 90% of all cooking salts consumed in Shanghai, China. We measured and analyzed heavy metal elements, fluoride, potassium ferrocyanide, and 16 phthalate plasticizers. Lead was detected in only two types of salt at concentrations recorded of 0.047 mg/kg and 0.077 mg/kg. The concentrations of total arsenic, total mercury, cadmium, and barium were under limit of detection (LOD) in all samples. The maximum fluoride concentration of salts was 2.50 mg/kg. The median fluoride concentration of domestic salts was significantly lower than foreign-produced salts, and it was significantly higher in sea salt than in other types of salt ( P  < 0.05). The maximum potassium ferrocyanide concentration in 12 types of salts was 9.20 mg/kg, which was under the Chinese national standard. Just three salt types had low levels of diethylhexyl phthalate concentrations that were above the LOD, at 0.208 mg/kg, 0.375 mg/kg, and 0.380 mg/kg, respectively. All other phthalate indicators were below the LOD in all samples. The level of chemical pollutants in salt is either very low or under LOD. We believe that dietary salt products are safe at retail, and the long-term dietary exposure of cooking salts will not pose any significant health risk.

The aim was to examine the effects of two different salt reduction strategies on selected cardiovascular risk factors. The study was a four-month cluster randomised controlled study. Eighty-nine healthy Danish families (309 individuals) were randomly assigned to either (A) gradually salt-reduced bread, (B) gradually salt-reduced bread and dietary counselling to further reduce salt intake and increase potassium intake or (C) standard bread (control). The effect was assessed using linear mixed models. Intention to treat analyses comparing changes in the three groups showed a significant reduction in body fat percent (−1.31% (−2.40; −0.23)) and a borderline significant reduction in total plasma cholesterol (−0.25 mmol/L (−0.51; 0.01) and plasma renin (−0.19 pmol/L (−0.39; 0.00) in group A compared to the control group. Adjusted complete case analyses showed a significant reduction in total plasma cholesterol (−0.29 mmol/L (−0.50; −0.08), plasma LDL cholesterol (−0.08 mmol/L (−0.15; −0.00)), plasma renin (−0.23 pmol/L (−0.41; −0.05)), plasma adrenaline (−0.03 nmol/L (−0.06; −0.01)) and body fat percent (−1.53% (−2.51; −0.54)) in group A compared to the control group. No significant changes were found in group B compared to the control group. In conclusion, receiving sodium reduce bread was associated with beneficial changes in cardiovascular risk factors. No adverse effects were observed.

Biological conversion of sulfide, acetate, and nitrate to, respectively, elemental sulfur (S⁰), carbon dioxide, and nitrogen-containing gas (such as N₂) at NaCl concentration of 35–70 g/L was achieved in an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor. A C/N ratio of 1:1 was noted to achieve high sulfide removal and S⁰ conversion rate at high salinity. The extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) quantities were increased with NaCl concentration, being 11.4-mg/g volatile-suspended solids at 70 mg/L NaCl. The denitrifying sulfide removal (DSR) consortium incorporated Thauera sp. and Halomonas sp. as the heterotrophs and Azoarcus sp. being the autotrophs at high salinity condition. Halomonas sp. correlates with the enhanced DSR performance at high salinity.

Reducing sodium in the food supply is key to achieving population salt targets, but maintaining sales is important to ensuring commercial viability and maximising clinical impact. We investigated whether 25% sodium reduction in a top‐selling bread affected sales in 26 remote Indigenous community stores. After a 23‐week baseline period, 11 control stores received the regular‐salt bread (400 mg Na/100 g) and 15 intervention stores received the reduced‐salt version (300 mg Na/100 g) for 12‐weeks. Sales data were collected to examine difference between groups in change from baseline to follow‐up (effect size) in sales (primary outcome) or sodium density, analysed using a mixed model. There was no significant effect on market share (−0.31%; 95% CI −0.68, 0.07; p = 0.11) or weekly dollars ($58; −149, 266; p = 0.58). Sodium density of all purchases was not significantly reduced (−8 mg Na/MJ; −18, 2; p = 0.14), but 25% reduction across all bread could significantly reduce sodium (−12; −23, −1; p = 0.03). We found 25% salt reduction in a top‐selling bread did not affect sales in remote Indigenous community stores. If achieved across all breads, estimated salt intake in remote Indigenous Australian communities would be reduced by approximately 15% of the magnitude needed to achieve population salt targets, which could lead to significant health gains at the population‐level.

A high intake of salt is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Despite decades of effort to reduce salt consumption, the salt intake in China is still considerably above the recommended level. Thus, this study aims to design and implement an intelligent household added salt monitoring system (SALTCHECKER) to monitor and control added salt consumption in Chinese households. A randomized controlled trial will be conducted among households to test the effect of a SALTCHECKER in Chongqing, China. The test modalities are the SALTCHECKER (with a smart salt checker and a salt-limiting WeChat mini programme) compared to a salt checker (with only a weighing function). The effectiveness of the system will be investigated by assessing the daily added salt intake of each household member and the salt consumption-related knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of the household's main cook. Assessments will be performed at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. This study will be the first to explore the effect of the household added salt monitoring system on the reduction in salt intake in households. If the intelligent monitoring system is found to be effective in limiting household added salt consumption, it could provide scientific evidence on reducing salt consumption and preventing salt-related chronic diseases. Chinese clinical trial registry (Primary registry in the World Health Organization registry network): ChiCTR1800018586. Date of registration: September 25, 2018.

Background Acute kidney injury and hyperchloremia are commonly present in critically ill septic patients. Our study goal was to evaluate the association of hyperchloremia and acute kidney injury in severe sepsis and septic shock patients. Methods In this retrospective cohort study in a provincial tertiary care hospital, adult patients with severe sepsis or septic shock and serum chloride measurements were included. Serum chloride was measured on a daily basis for 48 hours. Primary outcome was development of acute kidney injury (AKI) and association of AKI and serum chloride parameters was analyzed. Results A total of 240 patients were included in the study, 98 patients (40.8 %) had hyperchloremia. The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) was significantly higher in the hyperchloremia group (85.7 % vs 47.9 %; p  < 0.001). Maximal chloride concentration in the first 48 hours ([Cl - ] max ) was significantly associated with AKI. In multivariate analysis, [Cl - ] max was independently associated with AKI [adjusted odds ratio (OR) for AKI = 1.28 (1.02–1.62); p  = 0.037]. The increase in serum chloride (Δ[Cl - ] = [Cl - ] max – initial chloride concentration) demonstrated a dose-dependent relationship with severity of AKI. The mean Δ[Cl - ] in patients without AKI was 2.1 mmol/L while in the patients with AKI stage 1, 2 and 3 the mean Δ[Cl - ] was 5.1, 5.9 and 6.7 mmol/L, respectively. A moderate increase in serum chloride (Δ[Cl - ] ≥ 5 mmol/L) was associated with AKI [OR = 5.70 (3.00–10.82); p  < 0.001], even in patients without hyperchloremia [OR = 8.25 (3.44–19.78); p  < 0.001]. Conclusions Hyperchloremia is common in severe sepsis and septic shock and independently associated with AKI. A moderate increase in serum chloride (Δ[Cl - ] ≥5 mmol/L) is associated with AKI even in patients without hyperchloremia.

Industrial waste salt is classified as hazardous waste to the environment. The organic impurity and its occurrence in industrial waste salt affect the salt resource utilization. In this paper, composition quantitative analysis, XRD, TG-DSC, SEM/FIB-SEM coupled with EDS, FTIR, XPS and GC-Ms were chosen to investigate the organic impurity and its occurrence in industrial waste salt. The organic impurities owe small proportion (1.77%) in the specimen and exhibit weak thermal stability within the temperature of 600°C. A clear definition of organic impurity, including 11 kinds of organic compounds, including aldehyde, benzene and its derivatives etc., were detected in the industrial waste salt. These organic impurities, owing (C-O/C-O-C, C-OH/C = O, C–C/CH x /C = C etc.)-containing function group substance, are mainly distributed both on the surface and inside of the salt particles. Meanwhile, the organic substance may combine with metal cations (Ni 2+ , Mg 2+ , Cu 2+ etc.) through functional groups, such as hydroxide, carbonyl etc., which increases its stability in the industrial waste salt. These findings provide comprehensive information for the resource utilization of industrial waste salt from chemical industry etc.

A wealth of details regarding an individual’s state of health, like a person’s respiratory and metabolic functioning, can be studied by analyzing the volatile molecules and atoms in human exhaled breath. Besides, the salinity of seawater is a crucial factor in understanding its characteristics because any variation in the salinity of seawater represents the variations in the hydrological, biological, and chemical distributions. In this paper, a symmetrical one-dimensional phononic structure is theoretically designed using two symmetrical crystals separated with a defective cavity. This structure has been designed to excite a topological edge state coupled with defect mode. The coupled mode achieves high sensitivity to NaCl concentration in an aqueous solution, seven times higher than the defective one. By ranging the NaCl concentration from 0 to 21%, the average sensitivity is 467 and 3160 Hz/% for defect mode and coupled modes, respectively. The bandwidth of the coupled mode of 170 Hz is much narrower than that of the defect mode of 671 Hz for detecting salinity. For detecting the increase in concentration in dry exhaled breath by ranging the concentration from 0 ppm to 100 ppm, the average sensitivity is Hz/ppm for coupled mode. As a result of these enhancements in the sensitivity and bandwidth of the coupled mode, the coupled mode is recommended to be used in different biosensing applications.