Search results for "Refinery"
showing 10 items of 33 documents
Composition, distribution, and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of the gulf of Milazzo (Mediterranean Sea, Italy)
2014
This article describes the characterization of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments of Milazzo Gulf (Italy) located in front of an oil refinery and a power plant. The investigated area is characterized by urban and industrial activities. The sixteen PAHs identified by the USEPA, as requiring priority monitoring, and other non USEPA listed PAHs, namely perylene and some methyl derivatives, were investigated The total PAHs concentrations, expressed as ∑ 19 PAH ranges from 5.6–7402 μg/Kg d.w., with a mean value of 492 μg/Kg d.w. The concentrations of PAHs found in 64 out of 67 samples were lower than the effect range low (ERL = 2460 μg/Kg) concentration, while the remaining sam…
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ATMOSPHERIC BULK DEPOSITION AT THE INDUSTRIAL AREA OF GELA (SICILY, ITALY)
2014
Bulk deposition has been collected at six sampling sites in area of Gela plain (Italy) in the period from February 2008 to May 2009. Samples collected each two weeks were analysed for the major ion and trace elements content. Preliminary results allow identifying three different sources that control the abundance of the elements in atmospheric deposition: (1) sea spray, (2)geogenic dust, and (3) anthropogenic pollution. Due to the closeness of the coast, clear evidence of sea spray input is detectable for most of the samples. The high excess of non sea-salt sulphate(50 - 90% of the total) is prevailingly ascribable to the abundant SO2 emissions of the refinery.The pH values of the collected…
Hemp flour, from waste to nutritional and nutraceuticals reuse
2023
One of the main objectives of recent years is to characterize and valorize by-products of agri-food industries, as new sources of bioactive components, from the perspective of a circular economy and a biorefinery approach both for environmental and economic reasons. Hemp flour, obtained from Cannabis sativa seeds, is an example of promising bio-sustainability raw material with a high nutritional value that can be obtained from industrial by-products. From C. sativa seeds is obtained an oil rich in fatty acids, mainly linoleic and α-linolenic acids [1]. After oil extraction, seeds can be ground to obtain edible flour. Foods fortified with these “non-wheat flours” would have an additional sup…
Environmental sustainability – aspects and criteria in forest biorefineries
2012
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine what the most significant aspects of environmental sustainability in the forest biorefinery sector are and what kind of criteria should be applied to an evaluation of environmental sustainability in the forest biorefinery context.Design/methodology/approachThe topic is approached by themed interviews in Scandinavia and North America with 23 representatives from the forest and bioproducts sectors. The interviews were examined using the thematic analysis method.FindingsThe study indicates that environmental sustainability may be an important driver for the forest biorefinery business. From the perspective of environmental sustainability, harvesti…
Paving the crossroad of biorefinery
2018
This thesis focuses on anaerobic digestion and, more specifically, on its role in biorefinery and on the dynamic behaviour of the underlying microbiomes. In recent decades, significant progress has been made in the field of anaerobic digestion. Innovative methods, especially highthroughput sequencing approaches, have allowed for a deeper understanding of biotechnologically relevant biocenosis. However, the exact behaviour of the relevant microbiomes under different conditions has not been thoroughly researched. In order to shed light on the diversity of the underlying biocenosis, this thesis compares multiple biogas production facilities in Germany. It also provides the first multi-OMICs ch…
Pretreatment of trace element-enriched biomasses grown on phytomanaged soils for bioethanol production
2017
Abstract Phytotechnologies are a set of sustainable, ecological options notably for alleviating pollutant linkages induced by contaminated soils. However, concerns exist regarding the processing of trace elements (TE)-enriched biomass and the fate of TEs in the end-products. The fractionation of phytoremediation TE-enriched non-woody lignocellulosic (tobacco) and woody (birch, willow) phytoremediation-borne biomasses was studied using ethanol organosolv, soda and dilute acid pretreatments. TE distribution in the process fractions (pulp, liquid effluents and lignin) was further examined. In dilute acid conditions, a wood pretreatment performed at 170 °C in the presence of 2% w/w of sulfuric …
Organics in soda-anthraquinone black liquors from hot-water-extracted non-wood feedstocks
2019
The chemical compositions of black liquors (BLs) obtained from the soda-anthraquinone (AQ) pulping of untreated and hot-water-extracted non-wood feedstocks (okra stalk, miscanthus stalk, and wheat straw) were determined. These under-utilized renewable and widely available feedstocks could provide a cheaper source for producing fiber and precursors for manufacturing green chemicals. These BLs were mainly characterized in terms of carbohydrate-derived volatile carboxylic acids (acetic and formic acids) and non-volatile carboxylic acids (hydroxy acids) as well as lignin. Additionally, in each case, the average molar mass and molar mass distribution of the dissolved lignin were measured. Result…
Sunflower Residues-Based Biorefinery: Circular Economy Indicators
2023
Fossil fuel price increases, their uneven distribution, environmental issues from their incineration, and lack of guarantees of their energy security are the main drivers for the development of green energy. Agricultural waste is an abundant resource for energy bioprocessing, which improves the functioning of the circular economy. In this study, the following were used as the main indicators: the share of renewable energy and the benefit from it, the coefficient of cyclical use of biomass, and the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. The ways in which sunflower waste is applied for energy purposes are emphasized. The highest comprehensive ecological and economic effects are shown to be ac…
Hemicellulose hydrolysis catalysed by solid acids
2013
Depolymerising hemicellulose into platform sugar molecules is a key step in developing the concept of an integrated biorefinery. This reaction is traditionally catalysed by either enzymes or homogeneous mineral acids. We compared various solid catalysts for hemicellulose hydrolysis, running reactions in water, under neutral pH and relatively mild temperature and pressure (120°C and 10 bar) conditions. Sulphonated resins are highly active, but they leach out sulphonic groups. Sulphonated silicas are less active, but more stable. They have weakly and strongly bound sites and the strongly bound ones do not leach. Zeolites are moderately active and stable. Among them, H-ferrierite especially, d…
Fatty Acids and Triacylglycerols Profiles from Sicilian (Cold Pressed vs. Soxhlet) Grape Seed Oils
2021
Among the Sicilian economic productive sectors, that of wine production has today a considerable economic value. However, with the growth of this sector, notable was the increase in the production of waste, which to date is not only an economic damage for companies, but also a threat to the environment. It is known that waste from wine production has properties (e.g., antioxidants) which have potential reuse at cosmetic, pharmaceutical and nutritional levels to obtain economically sustainable applications. A new goal is given by the recovery of added value compounds from agri-food wastes and by-products. Grape seed oil is a promising vegetable fat and cold pressing does not involve the use …