Search results for " pollution"

EnzymesIn Vitro as indicators for pesticides: An examination

1992

Pesticides—a serious problem especially for drinking water quality—frequently are potent inhibitors of enzymes in their target organisms. As the established chemical analyses of pesticides are time-consuming, complicated, and expensive, so-called screening methods are urgently needed. For this purpose the sensitivity of 13 different enzymes was tested in vitro by inhibiting their kinetic rates and/or substrate conversions by 16 pesticides (herbicides and fungicides). Because of the stabilization and resulting low sensitivity of enzymes commercially available—especially in test kits—it was necessary to vary the test conditions and to develop special methods for detecting enzymatic inhibition…

Use of biological and sedimentation models for designing Peñíscola WWTP.

2004

This paper presents Peñíscola wastewater treatment plant design. Peñíscola is a tourist city in Castellón (Spain), whose population changes significantly between summer and the rest of the year. The design of the biological and settling treatment units has been confirmed by computer model simulations and provided for biological organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Two different treatment schemes have been proposed in order to optimize the plant performance during both seasonal operations. During low-load season, the plant will be operated under extended aeration conditions, so further sludge stabilization will not be needed. During high-load season, the plant will be operated un…

Distribution of volatile organic compounds in Sicilian groundwaters analysed by head space-solid phase micro extraction coupled with gas chromatograp…

2008

This work presents the results of an assessment of the existence and concentration of 13 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in groundwaters from 14 hydrological basins in Sicily (25,710km (2)). On the basis of hydrological, hydrogeochemical and geological studies, 324 sampling points were selected. All groundwater sampled were collected twice, from October to December 2004 and from February to May 2005, and were analysed to determine the concentration and spatial distribution of the VOCs in the aquifers. The need to analyze a large number of samples in a short space of time so as to obtain quantitative analyses in trace concentration levels spurred us to create a new analytical method, both …

Biogenic volatile organoiodine and organobromine hydrocarbons in the Atlantic Ocean from 42°N to 72°S

1997

During the cruise ANT X/1 and 2 of the research vessel Polarstern from November 1991 to March 1992, 39 surface water samples of the Atlantic Ocean from 42°N to 72.5°S were collected and analysed for their concentration of volatile iodinated and brominated hydrocarbons. The concentration of chlorophyll-a was used as an indicator for phytoplankton, which is one of the main producers of iodinated and brominated compounds in the ocean. For determination of chlorophyll-a, fluorescence spectroscopy was applied, whereas the measurement of halogenated volatile hydrocarbons was carried out by a purge and trap system with subsequent gas chromatographic separation and detection by an electron capture …

Prevention of indoor and outdoor pollution

2013

Assessing the effect of chromium pollution on benthic foraminiferal community: morphological vs. environmental metabarcoding approaches

The purpose of this experimental study is to assess the impact of different concentrations of chromium (Cr) through time on the diversity of cultured benthic foraminifera combining two morphological approaches for the identification of living specimens that are Rose Bengal (RB) staining and CellTracker Green (CTG) labelling as well as environmental DNA and RNA metabarcoding. Seven tanks/aquaria with different concentrations of Cr in water, namely 100 ppt, 1 ppb, 10 ppb, 100 ppb, 1 ppm and 10 ppm plus the control were used. A mesocosm was extracted from each tank at pre-established time (1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks 6 weeks and 8 weeks). Morphological analyses produced 6 datasets based on staini…

Pour une approche cognitive et multiscalaire des conflits environnementaux

2011

Starting with artificial light as new object damage and emerging environmental problem, this paper intends to develop a general reflection showing the importance of a greater consideration of cognitive dimensions of the damage and risk analysis in environmental conflicting processes. We show how the cost-benefit analysis after the neoclassical theory of production, often used in the search for Pareto-optimal state and in the policies of monetary compensation to resolve environmental conflicts can - indeed must - be strongly challenged. Also, with this reasoning, we oppose an analysis in terms of cognitive interactions that groups develop around environmental goods and items of damage, thus …

La préservation de l'environnement nocturne : les enjeux d'une controverse sociotechnique

2013

This communication explains the birth of an environmental problem, light pollution, understood as a socio-technical controversy. Over forty years, in support of the actor-network approach, it traces the conditions of its emergence, transformation and dissemination to local, national and transnational levels, and through various professional disciplines. Schematically, "environmentalists" uphold a holistic approach of "nocturnité" and define artificial light as a pollutant. Facing them, the "technicist" defend a segmented approach and define artificial light as a nuisance. The implementation of this controversy on the political agenda leads to institutional decisions that grasp it with diffi…

(Ré)concilier éclairage urbain et environnement nocturne : les enjeux d’une controverse sociotechnique

2014

International audience; Our paper explains the birth of an environmental problem, i.e. light pollution, viewed as a socio-technical controversy. Supported by the actor-network approach, it traces over forty years the conditions of its emergence, transformation and dissemination to local, national and transnational levels and through various professional disciplines. Schematically, “environmentalists” uphold a holistic approach of “nocturnality” and define artificial light as a pollutant. Facing them, the “technicist” defends a segmented approach and defines artificial light as a nuisance. The introduction of this controversy into the political agenda leads to institutional decisions that gr…

Application of a polymer-based photocatalytic coating for the protection of limestone stones substrates: an exposure study

2022

In the last decades there have been several studies on cultural heritage regarding the performance of protective and consolidating coatings for the prevention of decay. A coating must have several characteristics such as: efficiency, breathability, and must be durable and reversible. In this research work we tried to verify the performance of a commercial protective product such as Fosbuild FBLE 200, which is composed of a TiO2 nanopowder dispersed in an aqueous solution of an acrylic polymer. This product, which exhibits depolluting, antimicrobial, water-repellent and self-cleaning characteristics, has been applied on different lithotypes such as: Carrara marble, Noto and Comiso stone and …