Search results for "Waste"
showing 10 items of 2580 documents
A comparative life-cycle assessment of asphalt mixtures for railway sub-ballast containing alternative materials
2018
Abstract Bituminous sub-ballast in railway track-bed can mitigate the variation of the moisture content in the subgrade and reduce vertical stiffness variations of the track leading to a more durable infrastructure. Nevertheless, durability is only one of the aspects that affects the sustainability of an infrastructure. Other relevant aspects are related to the environmental and economic issues. This research work joins the worldwide effort towards a paradigm shift in civil engineering devoted to assess the sustainability of infrastructures at the design stage. With this in mind, in this study different alternative bituminous sub-ballast mixtures containing recycled materials, namely crumb …
119Sn-NMR Study on Bis(Tri-Butyltin)oxide Derivatives of Phenolic Compounds
1991
Abstract 119Sn-NMR spectroscopy has been utilized in the characterization of various phenolics as their bis(tri-butyltin)oxide, TBTO, derivatives. The present method has been applied both for determination of simple model compounds and for characterization of complex biopolymeric material originating from spent bleach liquor fractionated by an ultrafiltration technique. Based on the large range of 119Sn-NMR chemical shifts of TBTO derivatives of the phenolic compounds and the similar relaxation properties of 119Sn nuclei located in those derivatives, both qualitative and quantitative analytical conclusions can be drawn.
Noise risk assessment in a bottling plant of a modern Italian winery
2014
In the wine industry, bottling is a phase of the production cycle characterized by high levels of noise, mostly owing to repeated collisions between the bottles. In Italy, the Law Decree 81/2008 defined the requirements for assessing and managing noise risk, identifying a number of procedures to be adopted at different noise levels to limit worker exposure. This study was aimed at evaluating the equivalent and peak noise level inside the bottling plant area of a modern Italian winery. In particular, the influence of the working capacity (number of bottles produced per hour) on noise levels was evaluated. Three test conditions were considered: T1 with a working capacity of 4000 bottles/h; T2…
Perfluoroalkyl substances in Breast milk, infant formula and baby food from Valencian Community (Spain)
2016
Environmental and human exposures to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are of emerging concern since they are persistent and bioaccumulative. The present study reports PFASs levels in human milk, infant formulas and baby food (dry cereals and pots) from the Valencian Community (Spain) in order to evaluate the infant exposure to these substances through the diet. The results show that perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were in all the samples of the four selected matrices (except PFOA in one sample of dry cereal baby food). Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were also detected in 70% of the breast milk samples. In infant formulas, P…
Uses of weeds as an economical alternative to processed wood biomass and fossil fuels
2016
Abstract The use of fossil fuels as a main source of energy is directly linked to global climate change (due to CO2 emission), so there is a necessity to find new, cheap and easily available energy sources for the earth’s inhabitants. Nowadays renewable energy sources are forced also for the mitigation of the effects of climate change as a result of greenhouse gases emission control. Decentralized sources of low-cost renewable fuels that may be used, in particular, in those households where there is no possibility of using gas or heat delivered from other sources should be of special interest. This paper describes the possibility of using untreated plants such as Canadian goldenrod (Solidag…
Reed canary grass transportation costs – Reducing costs and increasing feasible transportation distances
2009
Abstract Reed canary grass is used in several heat and power plants in Finland and it is estimated that about 70–80 plants could utilise reed canary grass as a co-firing fuel. Long-distance transport of reed canary grass forms a significant share of the production and delivery costs. Reed canary grass can be transported in bales or as loose matter. The density of the matter and shape of the bales influence the load-size and the cost. At present it is impossible to obtain the full load-bearing capacity of a lorry even with bales, and with light bulk matter the obtainable load is less than one-third of the load-bearing capacity of a lorry. By using Orkel local-baler it has been possible to ob…
Combination of ozonation and photocatalysis for purification of aqueous effluents containing formic acid as probe pollutant and bromide ion
2014
The treatment by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) of waters contaminated by organic pollutants and containing also innocuous bromide ions may generate bromate ions as a co-product. In the present work heterogeneous photocatalysis and ozonation have individually been applied and in combination (integrated process) to degrade the organic compounds in water containing also bromide anions. The results show that: i) the sole photocatalysis does not produce bromate ions and in the case of its presence, it is able to reduce bromate to innocuous bromide ions; ii) the integration of photocatalysis and ozonation synergistically enhances the oxidation capabilities; and iii) in the integrated proces…
Brønsted and Lewis acid catalyzed conversion of pulp industry waste biomass to levulinic acid
2019
Enormous amounts of fiber sludge are generated annually by the pulp industry as a by-product. As a cellulose-rich material, its current usage, mainly as fuel, is inefficient from a material efficiency point of view. This work studied the utilization of fiber sludge from a Finnish and a Swedish pulp mill as a potential feedstock to produce levulinic acid, a valuable platform chemical. The conversion experiments of fiber sludge to levulinic acid were performed in a microwave reactor with a mixture of H2SO4 and Lewis acid as the catalyst. The reaction conditions, which included reaction time and temperature as well as the H2SO4 and Lewis acid concentrations, were studied in detail. The highest…
Almond shell reuse: a viable non-conventional aggregate for sustainable building materials
2022
Bio-based or green architecture is a new way of designing and building in line with the European Green Deal and in light of the Circular Economy principles. The main green approach directs the whole construction life cycle to be eco-sustainable and environmentally friendly from the beginning to the end of the building process. Beyond the use of eco sustainable and highly performing structural materials, new technologies able of reduce the environmental impact of buildings must be used. This paper is aimed at reviewing the possible reuse of bio- wastes of agricultural origin whose massive production generates a number of issues for their treatment and disposal. In particular, this study will…
Management of demolition phases and related waste, in a building renovation project near Salerno, Italy
2020
Compliance with recent environmental regulations, the demolition phase, within the building replacement process, plays a decisive role, in terms of execution and management methods. The contribution addresses the problems related to the management of the site, in compliance with regulatory requirements for selective demolition and disposal of waste materials. Possible organisational and procedural solutions were investigated with particular reference to the phases of selective demolition (in compliance with Minimum Environmental Criteria), excavation, handling, treatment, recycling, and disposal of waste materials.