Search results for " waste"

Mechanical–biological waste treatment and the associated occupational hygiene in Finland

2004

A special feature of waste management in Finland has been the emphasis on the source separation of kitchen biowaste (catering waste); more than two-thirds of the Finnish population participates in this separation. Source-separated biowaste is usually treated by composting. The biowaste of about 5% of the population is handled by mechanical-biological treatment. A waste treatment plant at Mustasaari is the only plant in Finland using digestion for kitchen biowaste. For the protection of their employees, the plant owners commissioned a study on environmental factors and occupational hygiene in the plant area. During 1998-2000 the concentrations of dust, microbes and endotoxins and noise level…

Exposure to nitroaromatic explosives and health effects during disposal of military waste.

2003

To investigate the exposure to dinitrotoluene (DNT) and trinitrotoluene (TNT) and the resulting effects in workers which occur during the disposal of military waste.Eighty two employees from a mechanical plant in Germany were studied, of whom 51 were regularly exposed to ammunition containing TNT and DNT, 19 occasionally, and 12 not at all.Air analyses yielded maximum concentrations of 20 micro g/m(3) for 2,4-DNT and 3250 micro g/m(3) for 2,4,6-TNT, respectively. The maximum concentrations in the urine of workers regularly exposed amounted to 5.0 micro g/l of 2,4,6-TNT, 1464.0 micro g/l of 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene, 6693.0 of micro g/l 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene, 2.1 micro g/l of 2,4-DNT, …

Evaluating hazardous waste generation in for-profit outpatient haemodialysis centres

2015

SUMMARYBackground “Green” haemodialysis management to reduce the environmental impact of haemodialysis is growing. Objectives Dealing with hazardous waste production could heighten healthcare professionals’ awareness of this problem, and improve their healthcare involvement in environmental sustainability and environmental-friendliness. Design and Measurements A list of for-profit outpatient haemodialysis centres in the Valencian Community (E Spain) was compiled. Data on their hazardous waste production from 2008 to 2012 through the annual waste reports issued by official organisations competent in environmental issues were collected. Results There are 22 for-profit dialysis centres, that m…

Reactivation of aerobic granular sludge for the treatment of industrial shipboard slop wastewater: Effects of long-term storage on granules structure…

2021

Abstract This work reports on reactivation of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) for the treatment of industrial recalcitrant wastewater (slop wastewater) characterized by high salinity and hydrocarbons. AGS were reactivated in two reactors, R1 and R2, to treat industrial slop wastewater after a long-term storage for 12-months at 4 °C. In R1, salt-adapted mature aerobic granules were previously subjected to a step-wise increase of hydrocarbons, whereas in R2 aerobic granules were previously cultivated in presence of salinity and hydrocarbons. After a short-term reactivation period, the slop dosage caused a simultaneous decrease of granules dimensions and proteins/polysaccharides (PN/PS) ratio do…

Airborne bio-aerosols and noise in a dry waste treatment plant in Pietarsaari, Finland

2001

Ewapower Ltd in Pietarsaari, Finland produces pellets from paper and plastic waste for burning. During 1998 and 1999, several measurements were made to determine the dust, particle, microbe and endotoxin concentrations, and also the noise level in the hall where the waste is received and pre-crushed. The noise level exceeded the Finnish recommended level of 85 dBA. The dust and the particle concentrations were low, but the microbe concentrations, especially in the summer and in the autumn, were at a level which may be harmful to health. The total concentration of microbes (both dead and alive) was high - approximately 4.8 million particles m-3. The concentrations of endotoxins was high in …

Occupational hygiene in terms of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols at two solid waste management plants in Finland

2012

Abstract Factors affecting occupational hygiene were measured at the solid waste transferring plant at Hyvinkaa and at the optic separation plant in Hameenlinna. Measurements consisted of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols including microbes, dust and endotoxins. The most abundant compounds in both of the plants were aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, esters of carboxylic acids, ketones and terpenes. In terms of odour generation, the most important emissions were acetic acid, 2,3-butanedione, ethyl acetate, alpha-pinene and limonene due to their low threshold odour concentrations. At the optic waste separation plant, limonene occurred at the highest concentration of all sin…

Current state and future of biogas and digestate production

2013

Over the past few years, the worldwide cost of energy has increased significantly, due to a growing global demand for energy and the decreasing availability of fossil fuel sources. Many countries are adopting environmental policies promoting the production and consumption of alternative, sustainable and renewable energy sources. Among these sources is green energy production through the anaerobic digestion of agricultural feedstock, like animal manure and food industry by-products, mainly aimed at producing biogas. Nevertheless, only a very small part of the biogas potential is currently used, while many European countries are facing huge problems caused by the overproduction of organic was…

Bio‐based Materials

2021

[Legionella spp. contamination in indoor air: preliminary results of an Italian multicenter study].

2014

Obiettivo. Rilevare la presenza di Legionella spp. nell’aria attraverso un protocollo standardizzato, a fianco dei tradizionali metodi impiegati per la rete idrica. Disegno. In dieci strutture sanitarie è stato selezionato un bagno, la cui acqua presentava una contaminazione da Legionella >1.000 unità formanti colonie (ufc)/litro. La contaminazione dell’aria è stata valutata tramite campionamento attivo (Surface Air System, SAS) e passivo, impiegando piastre di sedimentazione per la valutazione dell’Indice Microbico Aria (Index of Microbial Air, IMA). I campionamenti sono stati effettuati per 8 ore consecutive, a circa 1 m dal pavimento e a 50 cm dal rubinetto. Con il campionamento attivo, …

Aqueous solubility diagrams for cementitious waste stabilization systems. 3. Mechanism of zinc immobilizaton by calcium silicate hydrate.

2002

Zinc oxide was added during hydration of alite (C3S) as an analogue for solidification/stabilization by cement of metal-bearing hazardous waste. Curing of samples was stopped at various intervals between 8 h and 100 d, and the reaction products were analyzed by both X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS at Zn, Ca, and Si K-edges). Calcium zincate hydrate (CaZn2(OH)6 x 2H2O) initially formed together with calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) vanishes from X-ray diffractograms after 14 d, and no other crystalline Zn-bearing phase could be detected thereafter. EXAFS Zn K-edge data analysis reveals that Zn(O,OH)4 tetrahedra continue to determine the first shell coordination…