Search results for "0208 environmental biotechnology"
showing 10 items of 551 documents
Testing the outflow theory of Malcherek by slit weir data
2018
Abstract In this paper the flow-process of a slit weir is analyzed by the outflow theory of Malcherek. Average flow velocity over the slit weir is expressed in terms of head over weir and the momentum correction coefficient. The theoretically deduced stage-discharge formula was then calibrated using experimental data obtained for a ratio between the weir and the channel width ranging from 0.05 to 0.25. The deduced stage–discharge relationship allows to measure discharge values characterized by errors which are, for 91% of the measured values, less than or equal to ± 5%.
Testing the stage-discharge relationship of a sharp crested sluice gate deduced by the momentum equation for a free-flow condition
2018
Abstract In this paper the stage-discharge relationship of a sharp crested sluice gate is deduced by applying the momentum equation for a free flow condition. The theoretically deduced stage-discharge formula was then calibrated using experimental flume data obtained in previous investigations carried out for a free-flow condition. The deduced stage–discharge relationship is characterized by a momentum coefficient which is empirically estimated by the ratio between the height of the orifice and the water depth in the section upstream the gate. The relative errors are always less than or equal to - 10% to +10% and 71.4% of the errors are less than or equal to ± 2%.
Citizens AND HYdrology (CANDHY) : conceptualizing a transdisciplinary framework for citizen science addressing hydrological challenges
2021
Widely available digital technologies are empowering citizens who are increasingly well informed and involved in numerous water, climate, and environmental challenges. Citizen science can serve many different purposes, from the "pleasure of doing science" to complementing observations, increasing scientific literacy, and supporting collaborative behaviour to solve specific water management problems. Still, procedures on how to incorporate citizens' knowledge effectively to inform policy and decision-making are lagging behind. Moreover, general conceptual frameworks are unavailable, preventing the widespread uptake of citizen science approaches for more participatory cross-sectorial water go…
Leaf Biosorbents for the Removal of Heavy Metals
2018
The presence of heavy metals in waters is a global concern. Among various remediation technologies, biosorption is an attractive and promising process since in many cases, it is fast, selective, and highly efficient. Other advantages, such as applicability for various types of pollutants, simplicity, low cost, ease of operation, and the potential reusability of the adsorbents, make it beneficial. Nowadays, more and more green materials, raw or modified, are inclined to be explored instead of conventional adsorbents, within concept of Green Chemistry. This review focuses on the use of leaves-based biosorbents in raw or modified forms to sequestrate heavy metals from waters and wastewaters.
Multivariate analysis of historical data (2004-2013) in assessing the possible environmental impact of the Bellolampo landfill (Palermo).
2017
Multivariate analysis was performed on a large data set of groundwater and leachate samples collected during 9 years of operation of the Bellolampo municipal solid waste landfill (located above Palermo, Italy). The aim was to obtain the most likely correlations among the data. The analysis results are presented. Groundwater samples were collected in the period 2004–2013, whereas the leachate analysis refers to the period 2006–2013. For groundwater, statistical data evaluation revealed notable differences among the samples taken from the numerous wells located around the landfill. Characteristic parameters revealed by principal component analysis (PCA) were more deeply investigated, and corr…
Data quality oriented procedure, for detailed mapping of heavy metals in urban topsoil as an approach to human health risk assessment
2021
Abstract Urban soils' health is important to the community because of the soils' potential use for recreational activities. A data quality-oriented approach to sampling design is proposed for performing soil representative surveys that gives support to defensible and statistically-based decisions. Krowoderski park in Cracow (Poland) was selected as a study case to investigate heavy metals (HMs) accumulation and to assess human risk exposure according to simulated scenarios. Statistical power was computed for optimizing the number of samples to compare HMs concentration against legal upper tolerance levels (LUTL). The samples' location was iteratively designed as random spatial distribution …
Pollution assessment of heavy metals in soils of India and ecological risk assessment: A state-of-the-art
2019
Soil is substantive component of biosphere, which is exposed to plethora of pollutants including heavy metals. These are added by natural as well as anthropogenic activities. Upsurge in heavy metal content affects all organisms by biomagnification. So, it becomes vital to create a database of heavy metals concentration in soil. This is relevant in countries where unsustainable intensive agriculture, industrial and urban development is in progress. The present review of the scientific literature from 1991 to 2018 on heavy metals in soils in India shows that Zn and Pb exceeded their limits for Indian natural soil guidelines (Zn 22.1 and Pb 13.1 μg/g), Canada (Zn 200 μg/g), Swedish (80 μg/g) a…
A multigenerational approach can detect early Cd pollution in Chironomus riparius.
2020
Abstract Cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential highly toxic metal and its presence in the environment has been a concern over the years. On the present study we adopt the spiked water exposure scenario to study early Cd contamination across five generations of the model organism Chironomus riparius. Animals were, at the beginning of each generation, submitted to 0, 1, 3.2, 10, 32 and 100 μg/L of Cd. Classical endpoints like total emergence, EmT50, fertility and the integrative fitness measure, population growth rate (PGR), were calculated at each generation. Results could demonstrate that exposure to brief and low Cd concentrations can affect all the measured endpoints and, therefore, initial Cd …
Evaluation of historical atmospheric pollution in an industrial area by dendrochemical approaches
2019
International audience; We conducted a dendrochemical study in order to evaluate the exposure of territories and 19 populations to different types of pollutants and to characterise the history of pollution in one of the 20 most intensely industrialised areas of Europe: the industrial port zone of Fos, also heavily 21 urbanised. 22 To perform the study, two tree species have been selected, Pinus halepensis and Populus nigra, on arural plot located roughly 20 km away from the industrial harbor, an urban plot located in the city of Fos-sur-Mer and an industrial plot. Our study indicated that poplar was a more relevant model forthe dendrochemical studies exhibiting a higher bioaccumulation capa…
Blackfly Larvae (Simulium spp.) Can Intensify Methylmercury Biomagnification in Boreal Food Webs
2020
AbstractGlobal pollution of mercury (Hg) threatens ecosystem and human health. We measured total Hg (THg) and monomethylmercury (MMHg) concentrations in filter-feeding blackfly (Simulium spp.) larvae in the inflows and the outflows of six boreal lakes with no Hg point source pollution. THg in the larvae ranged from 0.03 to 0.31 mg kg−1 dw and MMHg between 0.02 and 0.25 mg kg−1 dw. The proportion of MMHg in the larvae was 74 ± 0.16% and ranged from 43 to 98% of THg, the highest proportions being comparable to those typically found in aquatic predatory insects and fish. We compared the larvae MMHg concentrations to river water quality, catchment land-use, and to size-adjusted lake pike THg da…