On the way to ‘zero waste’ management: Recovery potential of elements, including rare earth elements, from fine fraction of waste
Abstract Existing schemes of solid waste handling have been improved implementing advanced systems for recovery and reuse of various materials. Nowadays, the ‘zero waste’ concept is becoming more topical through the reduction of disposed waste. Recovery of metals, nutrients and other materials that can be returned to the material cycles still remain as a challenge for future. Landfill mining (LFM) is one of the approaches that can deal with former dumpsites, and derived materials may become important for circular economy within the concept ‘beyond the zero waste’. Perspectives of material recovery can include recycling of critical industrial metals, including rare earth elements (REEs). The…
Data on physical and chemical characterization of wood combustion products derived at cogeneration power plants
The data presented in this article are related to the research paper “Granulation of fly ash and biochar with organic lake sediments – A way to sustainable utilization of waste from bioenergy production” [1] in the context of waste material investigation and possible valorization instead of disposal. This article provides a comprehensive chemical and physical characterization of wood combustion products – fly ashes, bottom ashes, mixed ashes and biochar. Multiple analytical techniques and methodology were exploited to investigate the composition of wood combustion products, among them a loss on ignition, potentiometry, colorimetry, X-ray diffractometry, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, indu…
Environmental Quality of Groundwater in Contaminated Areas—Challenges in Eastern Baltic Region
The lack of water in the future will force society to find more sophisticated solutions for treatment and improvement of groundwater wherever it comes from. Contamination of soil and groundwater is a legacy of modern society, prevention of contaminants spread and secondary water reuse options shall be considered. The aim of the book chapter is to give oversight view on problems and challenges linked to groundwater quality in Eastern Baltic region whilst through case studies explaining the practical problems with groundwater monitoring, remediation and overall environmental quality analysis. The reader will get introduced with case studies in industry levels as credibility of scientific fund…
Dual-purpose wheat technology: a tool for ensuring food security and livestock sustainability in cereal-based cropping pattern
Wheat cultivation under a dual-purpose (DP) system holds great potential to provide additional fodder for livestock with marginal grain reduction. This study explores the potential of wheat as a DP...
Field-portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry as rapid measurement tool for landfill mining operations: comparison of field data vs. laboratory analysis
Landfill mining applied in reclamation at the territories of old dump sites and landfills is a known approach tended to global economic and environmental benefits as recovery of metals and energy i...
Vides apstākļu ietekme uz mikro- un makroelementu saturu pārtikas produktos Latvijā
Bez vitāli svarīgo mikro- un makroelementu ieneses pārtikā no vides (augsnes, ūdens un gaisa) ir iespējams arī barības ķēdes, t. sk., pārtikas piesārņojums ar toksiskiem vai potenciāli toksiskiem elementiem, piemēram, As, Cd, Hg, Pb. Promocijas darba mērķa ietvaros tika veikta Latvijā iegūtu pārtikas produktu paraugu mikro- un makroelementu sastāva kvantitatīvā analīze, lai noskaidrotu vides apstākļu ietekmi uz elementu koncentrāciju un ieneses ceļiem pārtikā. Papildus, lai vērtētu elementu biopieejamību barības ķēdē, tika veikta eksperimentāla pārtikas kultūraugu audzēšana mākslīgi piesārņotā augsnē. Iegūtie dati liecina par vairāku dabiskas un antropogēnas izcelsmes vides apstākļu, piemēr…
Accumulation of metals and changes in composition of freshwater lake organic sediments during the Holocene
Abstract The distribution of metals in the strata of sediments deposited in the freshwater environment formed during the Holocene in the territory of Latvia has been studied rather insufficiently. Considering the large volume of accumulated organic matter in sediments, studies on the content of metallic elements in sediments can help to determine the peculiarities of the metal accumulation process in limnic systems and the biogeochemical cycling of metals. Lake Pilvelis, which is located in the eastern part of Latvia (the northern part of Europe), was selected as the main study site. Lake Pilvelis is a small lake of a glacial origin, and >90% of its depression is filled with organic-rich se…
Valorization of Marine Waste: Use of Industrial By-Products and Beach Wrack Towards the Production of High Added-Value Products
Biomass is defined as organic matter from living organisms represented in all kingdoms. It is recognized to be an excellent source of proteins, polysaccharides and lipids and, as such, embodies a tailored feedstock for new products and processes to apply in green industries. The industrial processes focused on the valorization of terrestrial biomass are well established, but marine sources still represent an untapped resource. Oceans and seas occupy over 70% of the Earth’s surface and are used intensively in worldwide economies through the fishery industry, as logistical routes, for mining ores and exploitation of fossil fuels, among others. All these activities produce waste. The other sou…
Food and Environment: Trace Element Content of Hen Eggs from Different Housing Types
AbstractEleven trace elements (Ba, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Se, Sr, V, Zn) were quantitatively determined in hen egg samples collected from different poultry housing types (large-scale poultry farms, organic farms and domestic farms) over the territory of Latvia. Samples were wet digested and quantitatively analysed by total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (TXRF). The accuracy of analytical method was verified with analysis of certified reference material NCS ZC73017 (GSB-10)-Apple. The most variable range of concentrations and the highest content of elements were determined for hen egg samples derived from organic farms, while egg samples from domestic farms and poultry farms mos…
Implementation of walk-through audits for designing energy management system: A first step towards an efficient campus
Abstract The purpose of this study is to design a concept of energy management control system (EMCS) at the UNSADA campus, Jakarta, Indonesia by utilizing the results of the previous walkthrough audit. EMCS is an important first step by involving all parties on campus to be concerned the sustainable energy savings. The energy efficiency program utilizes the campus as an energy laboratory to identify, recommend, implement and evaluate the energy consumption, so that the expected energy efficiency targeted by the top managements can be achieved. This program is motivated by several reasons, such as; to support government policies in reducing dependence on fossil energy by implementing energy …
Granulation of fly ash and biochar with organic lake sediments – A way to sustainable utilization of waste from bioenergy production
Abstract The main waste generated during the thermochemical processes of biomass burning used for bioenergy production in cogeneration plants are ash and biochar which can be used as fertilizers in forestry and agriculture. However, several difficulties are attributed to possibilities of practical exploitation of ash and biochar due to the transporting, handling and mode of application. Granulation of energy generation waste has been shown in some circumstances as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method. Production of granules (pellets) from wood ash and biochar leads to improved recycling and logistics of waste as well as helps to control and avoid undesirable environmental ef…
Paradigms on landfill mining: From dump site scavenging to ecosystem services revitalization
For the next century to come, one of the biggest challenges is to provide the mankind with relevant and sufficient resources. Recovery of secondary resources plays a significant role. Industrial processes developed to regain minerals for commodity production in a circular economy become ever more important in the European Union and worldwide. Landfill mining (LFM) constitutes an important technological toolset of processes that regain resources and redistribute them with an accompanying reduction of hazardous influence of environmental contamination and other threats for human health hidden in former dump sites and landfills. This review paper is devoted to LFM problems, historical developm…
Levels and Potential Health Hazards of Chlorinated Pesticidesin Surface Water Samples of Charsadda Area of Pakistan Using SPME-GC-ECD Technique
In the present study, we determined the levels of chlorinated pesticide residues in surface water samples collected from the Charsadda district (KPK, Pakistan). SPME-GC-ECD with COMBI PAL CTC autosampler was used for extraction and analysis of 20 organochlorine pesticides in the collected water samples. For maximum efficiency of the SPME procedure, several parameters were studied, including the extraction and desorption time of the fiber, solution pH, agitation of samples, and stirring speed, etc. This method showed good liner response, with R2 values in the range of 0.9887 to 0.9999 for all pesticides. This method also provided good percent recoveries at 1 µg L−1 (87.5 to 106.0%) and at 2 …