Search results for "Science and technology"
showing 10 items of 1592 documents
Influence of activated carbon on performance and microbial communities in the treatment of solvent pollutant mixtures in a continuous stirred tank re…
2020
The influence of the addition of granular activated carbon (GAC) on the anaerobic treatment of wastewater with a mixture of ethanol and 1-ethoxy-2-propanol (E2P), which are typical pollutants from the flexographic/printing industry, was evaluated. For this purpose, the reactor performance and microbial community in two continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs), i.e. control and GAC supplemented, were assessed. Both reactors, seeded with anaerobic granular biomass, showed similar global performance (RE > 93%), except after organic load shocks and after E2P addition. GAC supplementation substantially enhanced the response of the biological system to organic load shocks and reduced the acclimat…
Groundwater of Sicily (Italy) Close to Landfill Sites: Quality and Human Health Risk Assessment
2021
Groundwater close to three municipal solid waste landfill sites in Sicily (southern Italy) was sampled to determine the presence of contaminants and the risk associated with its possible use as drinking and sanitary water. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and metals were investigated. These target compounds are the most common pollutants present in leachates. Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS, US EPA) was used to assess human health risk. Ingestion, dermal, and total exposure to these xenobiotic contaminants in groundwater were evaluated, and the cancer and non-cancer risk indexes were c…
Significance and Current Status of Wastewater Reuse in Sicily
1991
In Sicily wastewater is being regarded as a supplemental source of water, especially for agricultural use, which represents the greatest demand at present and in the future. That is because water demand is already approaching total usable resources, and severe shortage is experienced almost everywhere and in every sector. To help overcome possible implementation problems due to high salinity and pollutant concentrations, lack in monitoring capabilities, and emotional public perception of possible health risks, major field research programs have been undertaken, including an experimental station with a pilot plant and a series of field plots.
Potential Off-Flavour Compounds from Chloro-Bleaching of Pulp and Chlorodisinfection of Water
1983
Chlorobleaching of pulp is the most important source of organochlorine pollutants in the Finnish aquatic ecosystems. Similar types of pollutants are formed during chlorodisinfection of water. The model compound approach employed in our laboratory has revealed the structures and amounts of pollutants formed and has made the interpretation and assay of individual organochlorine compounds in the environment possible. Tainting of fish near chlorination plants is frequently observed. Especially chlorinated phenols and anisoles (microbial metabolites of the former) are chlorination products which are known to have a strong odour and taste at very low concentrations. Other chlorinated products, wh…
Microbes and Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Marine Environment
2020
Marine pollution has increased reaching the entire marine environment, from the surface to the deepest sediment, and has become more concerning in the last 70 years. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a fraction of ocean waste that includes, among the others, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and plastic polymers. These chemicals have an extremely long half-life, and (bio)accumulate and damage the marine flora and fauna, and, ultimately, human health. Some organisms have evolved enzymes to attack POPs in the environment and transform them into biomass and CO2. Several microorganisms degrade many POPs in relatively short time. A wide variety of bacteria has been isolated with dif…
Traffic-related pollutants in roadside soils of different countries in Europe and Asia
2015
We investigated the magnetic and chemical properties of the roadside soil samples collected from five European and Asian countries. Spots in which cars slowed down and/or accelerated due to the traffic organization (speed limits, junctions, and traffic lights) were selected for sampling. Apart from the Zabrze site (Poland), the magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal contents decreased with increasing distance from the road edge. The highest mass-specific magnetic susceptibility values (χ) were observed in the samples collected from Mumbai (India) and Zabrze (Poland). Moreover, the high contents of Fe, Ni, Mn, and Co were observed in Mumbai, whereas in Zabrze, all the examined elements demo…
Problems of soil and groundwater pollution in the disposal of “marble” slurries in NW Sicily
2007
This work deals with disposal of slurries generated during the cutting and polishing processes of slabs of decorative sedimentary carbonate rocks in the north western Sicily. At present, they are used as fillers of dismantled quarries near the sawmills and, as a final step of reclamation, are covered with earth layers. In spite of such inexpensive solution, there is lack of knowledge about the composition of the waste. In order to assess if there is any threat for the environment and to suggest indications for alternative solutions, such as recycling or inactivation processes, the slurries were analysed by XR diffraction, simultaneous thermal analysis, ICP/MS, ionic chromatography, FTIR, UV…
Inorganic geochemistry of roadway dust from the metropolitan area of Palermo, Italy
2003
Inorganic matter from roadway dust collected in the urban area of Palermo, Italy, was analysed to identify the chemical elements introduced into the environment as a result of human activities. Metals of environmental concern exhibit very high enrichment factors, which in some cases exceed 100. Metal size distribution indicates that Pd, Pt, Au, Sb, Zn, S, Ni, V, Mo and Cr substantially accumulate in the finest particles, whereas Pb, Br, As, Cu, Ag and Ba are almost independent of the size fraction. SEM/EDS analyses revealed that some individual particles contain clusters of foreign particles (<10 μm) made up of Fe-Ni, Cr-Ni or Fe alone, typical of the abrasion of stainless steel. Others are…
Native and planted forest species determine different carbon and nitrogen pools in Arenosol developed on Holocene deposits from a costal Mediterranea…
2016
In a coastal Mediterranean area, the effects of two native [Quercus ilex (Holm), Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus oxycarpa (Hygro)] and one planted [Pinus pinaster (Pine)] forest species on both content and quality of organic C and total N pools in Arenosols was assessed. Three soil profiles per each forest cover were opened and sampled. Total N in the organic layers was not affected by forest covers, whereas total organic C ranged from 36.1 to 63.2 Mg ha−1, being organic layers under Hygro those with the highest contents. Total organic C in the first 50 cm of mineral soil was 64 Mg ha−1 under Holm and 36.7 and 37.6 Mg ha−1 under Pine and Hygro, respectively. Soil covered by Holm and Hygro stor…
Receiving water body quality assessment: an integrated mathematical approach applied to an Italian case study
2011
This study presents a basin-scale approach to the analysis of receiving water body quality considering both point and non-point pollution sources. In particular, this paper describes an extensive data gathering campaign carried out in the Nocella catchment, which is an agricultural and semi-urbanised basin located in Sicily, Italy. Two sewer systems, two wastewater treatment plants and a river reach were monitored during both dry and wet weather periods. A mathematical model of the entire integrated system was also created. Specifically, a detailed modelling approach was developed by employing three well known models: Storm Water Management Model, GPS-X and Soil and Water Assessment Tool. T…