Environmental Engineering

Anaerobic digestion (AD) of kitchen waste (KW) for biogas production is a major challenge to all over the world due to significant compositional variations in KW, such as different types and quantities of spices used for preparing food. Spices may affect the AD process owing to their antimicrobial activity. In this paper, the effect of spices (garlic, red chili, cinnamon, coriander, clove, turmeric, cardamom, black pepper) on AD of KW has been investigated. Batch experiments were carried out to determine the maximum biogas production potential, methane production rate and lag phase for biogas production. Analysis of the results revealed different magnitude of inhibition of the AD process of KW in the presence of different spices. Cinnamon, cardamom and clove resulted >85%, black pepper resulted 75%, while coriander, chili, turmeric and garlic resulted 55-70% reduction in cumulative biogas yield. Elemental analysis showed high concentration of heavy metals in the spices, which along with other bioactive components of the spices could be responsible for the inhibitory effect of the spices on biomethanation. Microbial examination of the digestate also showed a decrease in population of fermentative and methanogenic bacteria in the presence of spices.

In stitut e of Tropi cal M eteoro logy . Dr Homi I3habha Road. Pa shan. Pun e 41 10m:. India and Kh wai rakpalll Gajananda Shriralllinstillite for Indu strial Resea rch. Env iro nment Protccti on Di vision. 1<). Uni ve rsity Roaci. Delhi liD 007. India O.f; rel'i.l'et/ 20 April 2005 ; ({('ceIJ/l'd 14 Jlllle 2005 Tota l suspended particu lat e (TS P) matter on fortni ght ly basis throu ghou t th e: year and Illass si ze: distri buti on of aerosob as we l l as ultrafine: aeroso ls un week ly ba sis in th e Illonth s of May and June lVe re monitored during I <)<)6-2003 at dilTerent alti tu dinal locations of th e Kullu -M anali touri st co mpl ex in the: nort hwestern Himalaya. Conce ntrati on of TSP ra nged frolll 35.8 (A ugus t I <)l)6) to 207 .3 f1,g nf-' (Julle 2003) at Mohal II 150 m from ave rage: se a level (AS L ) I and from 31.7 (Ju ly 2003) to 23l) f1, g m'-' (A pril 200 I ) at Manali (2050 III ASL). Th e mass size di stribut ion o f aeroso ls showed a bimodal distribution hav ing onc peak in the coa rse size ra nge (3.3-l) f1, m dial and the oth er in th e finc size mnge (0.OX-2. 1 f1,1ll dial at both th e loca ti ons. Ultrafi ne aerosol (UA) (O'( )OI -O.1 f1,m radiu s) co nce ntrati ons we rc found to be hi ghes t at th e lowest experim ental altiwde site (M ohal) and l'ice 1'1' 1'.1'0. The diurn al variati on of UA co ncent rati oll for three yea rs showed lh at the conce ntrati on ranges from 2640 (a t 0500 hI'S LT) to 5 160 N umber (N) cm'-' (at 1300 hI'S L T) at M ohal and from 400 (a t 0400 Ill'S LT) to 2 1l)O N cm' .1 (at 1300 hI'S L T) at Koth i. On an ave rage. TSP crossed its permi ssib le limit set by National Ambielll Air Qua lit y Stand ard (NAAQS) leve l in th e sensiti ve area s such as Kullu -Manali hill spots. Bi modal nallire r Illass si ze dis tributi on indi cates tw o importalll sources co ntri bu tin g in total aerosols-th e fin e mode. primaril y due to anthropogenic act i vities and the coarse mode aeroso ls. mainl y due to natu ral ,ources. La rge number o f' co nce ntrati on o f ultrafine parti cles indicates th e presencc of air pollutants more <1 tl ow altitucies as co mpared to hi gh altillides. Keywords: Aerosols' beh av iour. To tal suspended particulate,. Mass size distri bu ti on. Ultrafinc aerosols. Kull u-Mana li touri st co mplex, North wes tern Himalaya

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An intensive intrusion of nitrate into many aquifers has occurred in the last 20 years. Measures are discussed to prevent high concentrations of this pollutant in pumping wells. In the long run a less intensive use of mineral fertilizers and a diminished disposal of livestock wastes in the catchment areas of pumping wells are the presuppositions for an acceptable concentration of nitrate in groundwater. Before these measures take effect, hydraulic measures are convenient to avoid the pollution of abstracted groundwater: pumping wells have to be placed at locations with low nitrate concentrations and pumping strategies must be applied to keep the nitrate concentration below the tolerable standard of 50 mg N0 3 l" 1 . In a case study groundwater modelling is applied to forecast the effects of different measures. Résumé L'intrusion massive de nitrates dans un bon nombre de nappes souterraines s'est produite au cours de la dernière période de 20 ans. On discute dans cette communication des mesures à prendre pour éviter de fortes concentrations de ces polluants dans les puits de pompage. Pour le long terme un usage moins intensif de ces fertilisants minéraux et une diminution de l'épandage de lisieurs de l'élevage dans les bassins d'alimentation des puits de pompage sont les hypothèses de base pour arriver à une concentration acceptable de nitrates dans les eaux souterraines. Avant que ces mesures fassent leur effet, des mesures d'ordre hydraulique seraient utiles pour éviter la pollution des eaux souterraines extraites du sol: les puits de pompage doivent être implantés à des endroits à faible concentration de nitrates et des stratégies de pompage doivent être appliquées pour maintenir la concentration de nitrate en dessous du standard tolerable de 50 mg N0 3 l" 1 . Dans une étude de cas des modèles d'eaux souterraines sont utilisés pour prévoir les effets de différentes mesures.

The potential of using spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as inoculant carrier and organic amendment on the growth of Hibiscus sabdariffa was evaluated. SMS, peat and vermiculite were mixed with plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) isolate Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Different treatments were applied in the cultivation of H. sabdariffa. We found that application of NPK fertilizer, SMS based inoculant, and peat based inoculant significantly promoted plant growth and chlorophyll content compared to other treatments. SMS based inoculant was the best treatment for increasing biomass and chlorophyll content, followed by NPK fertilizer. In addition, application of SMS inoculant or only SMS as soil amendment showed a significant improvement in soil properties including soil NPK, organic matter, soil PGPB and soil enzyme (i.e. soil fluorescein diacetate and dehydrogenase) as well as peat inoculant application. Our results suggested that SMS could be considered as an alternative low-cost, potential carrier in biofertilizer production or soil amendment for providing soil nutrients and recovering soil fertility in farming.

The potential of using spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as inoculant carrier and organic amendment on the growth of Hibiscus sabdariffa was evaluated. SMS, peat and vermiculite were mixed with plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) isolate Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Different treatments were applied in the cultivation of H. sabdariffa. We found that application of NPK fertilizer, SMS based inoculant, and peat based inoculant significantly promoted plant growth and chlorophyll content compared to other treatments. SMS based inoculant was the best treatment for increasing biomass and chlorophyll content, followed by NPK fertilizer. In addition, application of SMS inoculant or only SMS as soil amendment showed a significant improvement in soil properties including soil NPK, organic matter, soil PGPB and soil enzyme (i.e. soil fluorescein diacetate and dehydrogenase) as well as peat inoculant application. Our results suggested that SMS could be considered as an alternative low-cost, potential carrier in biofertilizer production or soil amendment for providing soil nutrients and recovering soil fertility in farming.

This study explores a large language model (LLM)-based system enhancing design methodology education, focusing on design for environment (DfE). By integrating GPT-4 with DfE guidelines and a dual-loop structured learning workflow, we developed an interactive system addressing persistent challenges in design method learning. Through personalised exercises and systematic feedback, our system guided beginners in applying DfE strategies while fostering self-directed learning. Experiments involving 30 participants revealed significant improvements across Bloom's taxonomy domains, particularly when learners demonstrated sustained or developing proactiveness. This study analysed how LLM-based systems can support education for various design for X methodologies through generalizable interaction frameworks.

The research is an outline of vehicular emission of Ring Road, Kathmandu, Nepal and it's impact on general public's health. Nepal has ranked 16 th position out of 131 countries in terms of worst air quality. Kathmandu has 8 times higher the WHO annual air quality guideline value in PM2.5 concentration in 2022. This research has been conducted using quantitative method, the primary data was recorded by using Open Seneca air quality monitoring device for the real-time measurement of PM2.5. Similarly, For PM10 the data was collected by recording the vehicle passing through the selected sites and emission was calculated using Dhakal (2003) emission factor. The study comprises that particle pollution is maximum in Shankhapark and minimum in Sinamangal. This study then estimates the emission of PM2.5 & and PM10 by different vehicles such as: two-wheeler, bus/truck, minibus, taxi/car, jeep/van/microbus. The maximum amount of PM2.5 was emitted by gasoline vehicle including two-wheeler, taxi/car and minimum amount by bus/truck, minibus, jeep/van/microbus. Similarly, maximum amount of PM10 was emitted by bus/truck, minibus, jeep/van/microbus and minimum by two-wheeler and taxi/car. It was found that, the particulate matter (PM) doesn't comply with the standard given by NAAQS, WHO and NVMES. The results are higher than that of standard given by NAAQS, WHO and NVMES. The study concludes that increase in particle pollution is caused by increase in different types of vehicles in the city and still using old vehicle for transportation. It also recommends for the use of electric vehicle, better quality fuels (high octane) in fuel station, promotion of public transportation and enforcement of high euro emission standard for the control of vehicular emission.

The kinetics of CO oxidation and NO reduction reactions over alumina and alumina-ceria supported Pt, Rh and bimetallic Pt/Rh catalysts coated on metallic monoliths were investigated using the step response technique at atmospheric pressure and at temperatures 30-350°C. The feed step change experiments from an inert flow to a flow of a reagent (O,, CO, NO and Hz) showed that the ceria promoted catalysts had higher adsorption capacities, higher reaction rates and promoting effects by preventing the inhibitory effects of reactants, than the alumina supported noble metal catalysts. The effect of ceria was explained with adsorbate spillover from the noble metal sites to ceria. The step change experiments CO/O, and O/CO also revealed the enhancing effect of ceria. The step change experiments NO/H, and Hz/NO gave nitrogen as a main reduction product and N,O as a by-product. Preadsorption of NO on the catalyst surface decreased the catalyst activity in the reduction of NO with H,. The CO oxidation transients were modeled with a mechanism which consisted of CO and 0, adsorption and a surface reaction step. The NO reduction experiments with H, revealed the role of N,O as a surface intermediate in the formation of N,. The formation of N-N bonding was assumed to take place prior to, partly prior to or totally following to the N-O bond breakage. High NO coverage favors N,O formation. Pt was shown to be more efficient than Rh for NO reduction by H,.

Honeydew honey has differentiated chemical and physicochemical characteristics besides potential functional properties such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. In this sense, the interest and consumption of this honey as a functional product by the food industry and consumers have increased. Honeydew honeys usually present dark color, a lower content of monosaccharides and higher values of pH, acidity, electric conductivity, proteins, minerals, phenolic compounds, and oligosaccharides compared to blossom honeys, which contribute to its outstanding biological activities. Consequently, contaminations and adulterations of this honey can occur and compromise the quality, safety and authenticity of honeydew honey. Thus, detailed knowledge of the composition and properties of honeydew honeys is of great importance, especially considering that honeydew honeys are still few studied and therefore underestimated. Therefore, in this review, the physicochemical characteristics, chemical and bioactive composition, functional and health-promoting properties of honeydew honey as well as contamination, adulteration and authenticity of this honey are summarized.

Изложена алгоритмическая модель регионального геоэкологического анализа речных бассейнов, предполагающая изучение ландшафтно-гидрологической организация территории, определение уровня антропогенной нагрузки на бассейны рек и оценку качества речных вод. По результатам моделирования осуществлено водоохранное ареалирование Сумской области и водоохранные мероприятия для модельного репрезентативного бассейна. Ключевые слова: геоэкологический анализ, река, бассейн, Сумская область Abstract. The article deals with the algorithmic model of geoecological analysis of the regional river basins. The landscape-hydrological differentiation have been determined, as well as the levels of anthropogenic pressure on river basins has been defined and quality of river water has been estimated. By modeling was carried out the water protection arealing of territory of the Sumy region and the protection measures for the representative model basin.

Over the past 50 years demand for plastics drastically increased worldwide resulting in plastic wastes causing serious environmental problems. The main market sector of european plastics industry is the packaging industry most of which is polyolefins and poly(ethythylene-terephtalate). Polymer blends based on waste resources can solve the issues of recycling. We have studied rheological and tensile properties of three types of PET/engineering thermoplastic blends (PET/PC, PET/PA and PET/ABS) produced with different processing techniques. Miscibility of components of blends is limited leading to weak mechanical properties such as low tensile strength and/or elongation at break. Due to that phenomenon compatibilizing additives are also required. As compatibilizing additives olefin-maleic-anhydride copolymer based additives have been used in our experiments. Structure of additives differed from each other both in ratio and length of carbon chains of compounds linked to maleic-anhydride groups . Blends have been studied with PET content ranging from 10 % to 90 %. As an outstanding result we have managed to achieve improving mechanical properties, for example almost 400 % growth was observed in elongation at break of extruded 80/20 PET/PA blends in the presence of 0.2 % compatibilizing additive compared to the sample without additive, meanwhile its strength has also improved.

Over the past 50 years demand for plastics drastically increased worldwide resulting in plastic wastes causing serious environmental problems. The main market sector of European plastics industry is the packaging industry most of which are polyolefins and poly(ethylene-terephtalate). In the EU, 29.1 million tonnes of plastic waste were collected in 2018, of which 32.5% was recycled, 42.6% was recovered for energy, and 24.9% was landfilled (Plastics-the Facts, 2019). Although landfilling of collected waste in the EU is steadily declining, there is still too much unused waste. Polymer blends based on waste resources can solve the issues of recycling. The main purpose of the research was to produce polymer blends from waste based PET that have appropriate mechanical properties and rheological behaviour as well in order to find application areas where product requirements are not strict. Blends containing waste based PET were extrusion moulded and calenderd producing extrusion strings a...

Soil aquifer treatment (SAT) is an effective and sustainable technology for wastewater or stormwater treatment, storage and reuse. During SAT, the vadose zone acts as a pseudo reactor in which physical and biochemical processes are utilized to improve the infiltrated water quality. Dissolved oxygen (DO) is necessary for aerobic microbial oxidation of carbon and nitrogen species in the effluent. Therefore, to enhance aeration, SAT is generally operated in flooding and drying cycles. While long drying periods (DPs) lead to better oxidizing conditions and improve water quality, they reduce recharge volumes. As the population grows, the quantity of effluent directed to SAT sites increases and increasing recharge volumes become a concern and often a limiting factor for SAT usage. In this study, direct subsurface air injection SAT (Air-SAT) was tested as an alternative to long DPs operation. Six long column experiments were conducted, aiming to examine the effect of air injection on the soil's water content, oxidationreduction potential (ORP), DO concentrations, infiltrated amounts and ultimate outflow quality. In addition to basic parameters such as dissolved organic-C (DOC) and N species, the effluent quality analysis also included an examination of three emerging water contaminants -Ibuprofen, Carbamazepine and 1H-benzotriazole. Pulsed air injection experiments were conducted during continuous flooding at different operation modes (i.e., air pulse durations, frequencies and airflow rates). Our results show that the Air-SAT operation doubled the infiltration time (i.e., the infiltration was continuous with no offtime) and allowed up to 46% higher infiltration rate in some cases. As a result, the infiltrated volumes in the Air-SAT modes were 47-203% higher than the conventional flooding-drying operation (FDO). Longer air pulse duration (60 vs. 8 min) and higher airflow rate (~2 vs. ~1 SLPM) led to a higher infiltration rate, while a high pulse frequency (4.5 -1 h -1 ) led to a lower infiltration rate compared to low-frequency operation (24 -1 h -1 ). The air injection also allowed good recovery of the ORP and DO levels in the soil, especially in the high-frequency Air-SAT experiments, where steady aerobic conditions were maintained during most of the flooding. Consequently, the mean DOC,

A common practice in pre-processing step of hydrological modeling is to ignore observations with any missing variable values at any given time step even if it is only one of the independent variable that is missing. These rows of data are labeled incomplete and would not be used in either model building or subsequent testing and verification steps. This is not necessarily the best way of doing it as information is lost when incomplete rows of data are thrown out. Learning algorithms are affected by such problems more than physically-based models as they rely heavily on the data to learn the underlying input/output relationships. In this study, the extent of damage to the performance of the learning algorithm due to missing data is explored in a field-scale application. We have tested and compared the performance of two well- known learning algorithms, namely Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) for short-term prediction of groundwater levels in a well...

The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States. The designation employed and the presentation of material on any map in this work do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. This publication has been externally edited.

Among the actions proposed by the European Union for the implementation of Circular Economy is the use of waste as a secondary raw material (SRM). During the fusion of the scrap, a steel dust is generated, named Electric Arc Furnace Dust (EAFD). The EAFD is composed mainly of potentially leachable heavy metals, so is classified as "hazardous" waste. Around the world, approximately 70% of this waste is deposited in landfills, with a previous treatment through cement-based materials to prevent the metals' mobility. However, this action is not in accordance with the Circular Economy concept due to the greater use of resources and the loss of deposited metals. The present investigation analyses the use of EAFD as SRM in conventional mortar production for its use as a construction material. Different substitution percentages (25%, 50% and 100%) were used replacing siliceous filler by EAFD. The investigation analysed the behaviour of conventional mortars by tests of workability, compressive strength, water absorption by capillarity and leaching behaviour in granular and monolithic state. The results obtained indicate a slight improvement in mechanical behaviour with the incorporation of EAFD, the reason why its use as SRM in conventional mortars would benefit the construction industry and would encourage the Circular Economy. From an environmental point of view, the mechanisms of Pb fixation should be improved in granular state.

A 2021 második felétől kibontakozó energiaár-robbanás, amelyet a lakosságot kevésbé, inkább a közszféra fogyasztóit súlytotta, olyan költségtakarékos megoldásokat követeltek meg a piaci szereplőktől, amelyek jellemzően jelentős beruházást igényelnek és hosszú távon térülnek csak meg. Jelen cikkben a 2020-2022 időszakra fókuszáltan, a témában releváns szakirodalmi forrásokon alapuló adatgyűjtést végeztem, amely az elemzéssel együtt a konstruktivista módon megalapozott kutatási stratégiák mentén zajlott. A két vizsgált kutatási kérdés arra kereste a választ, hogy a magyar szállodapiac szereplői 2020-2022-ben milyen kihívásokkal szembesültek, és milyen tényezők befolyásolják negatívan üzleti tevékenységüket, illetve, hogyan reagáltak a szállodaüzemeltetők az azonosított kihívásokra, és ezek a válaszok hogyan illeszkednek a globális legjobb gyakorlatokhoz. A magyar szállodák általános költségtakarékossági gyakorlatának vizsgálata mellett olyan megoldásokra helyeződik a hangsúly, amelyek a vendégélményt növelik, és a költséghatékony üzemeltetés terén valódi megoldást jelentenek az üzemeltetőktől. Az értékteremtés a szállodai működés különböző területein valósul meg, lefedve a front és back munkaterületeket egyaránt. Olyan megoldások kerülnek bemutatásra, mint a fűtési rendszer korszerűsítése, a digitalizáció, a szervezetfejlesztés vagy a tevékenységek kiszervezése.

Most available climate/weather stations (e.g., COOP stations) are located in valleys. The few high elevation stations we have (RAWS, SNOTEL) and are relatively sparse, so do not adequately capture temperature variation in steep complex topography. There is growing awareness of just how much information current air temperature models are missing in complex mountainous terrain. For example, cold air drainage and lapse rates vary from night to night. Many terrestrial management decisions (tree planting, growth and yield, species occurrence, etc.) are made at the stand or aspect scale, due to variation in solar insolation, and temperature predictions must match that scale in order to be useful for site-level predictions. For aquatics applications, one of the most important questions is understanding the mechanisms associated with how streams warm up & whether that information can be used to predict which types of streams will be more/less sensitive to future changes. As a result, there is growing interest in using inexpensive sensors to develop massive air temperature monitoring arrays in mountains. We are now beginning to make progress in using sensor networks to empirically downscale temperatures in complex topography (see Holden et al. (2011); Holden et al. (in press); and attachments). However, there are some real challenges to accurately measuring air temperature in forested environments. I'm now in my 3 rd year of deploying air sensor arrays across the northern Rockies, I've learned a lot mainly from mistakes that I've made and will try to share some of that information here (see attachment on tradeoffs). In short, it's a significant challenge to measure air temperature accurately but it's also a very important to try and minimize bias associated with solar radiation. Note that we are inherently dealing with a highly modified radiation environment, because of the presence of trees and vegetation, which all absorb and re-emit radiation. In the end, as a user community, ecologists and climatologists should work toward standardizing our methods for monitoring air temperatures in forested environments. I don't claim to have all the answers, but if interested in discussing further or if you'd like more information on our radiation shield design, you can contact me at:

Ag 3 PO 4 is a good photocatalyst but, ubiquitously known for its photocorrosion problem during photocatalytic reaction. Therefore, stabilization of Ag 3 PO 4 with retaining its fundamental properties has immense importance. With this motivation, we designed Ag 3 PO 4 glass nanocomposite to resolve the problem of photocorrosion. Moreover, the effect of size quantization on photocatalytic activity has also been demonstrated by growing the cubic Ag 3 PO 4 nanoparticles with size in the range of 3-9 nm in glass matrix via melt and quenching method. The band gap of Ag 3 PO 4 has been tuned (2.56-2.25 eV) in glass matrix with respect to size. Considering the size tunable band gap of Ag 3 PO 4 glass nanocomposite within visible region, it is demonstrated as a photocatalyst for hydrogen (H 2 ) production from copious hazardous waste H 2 S. The utmost H 2 production i.e. 3920.4 µmol h -1 g -1 is obtained using 1 gm of Ag 3 PO 4 glass nanocomposite powder. The apparent quantum yield for H 2 production is calculated to be 5.51 % for Ag 3 PO 4 glass nanocomposite. Interestingly, presence of plasmonic Ag was also observed in Ag 3 PO 4 glass nanocomposite which contributes for H 2 production through enhanced light absorption, efficient charge separation and improved stability. Recycling study of sample reveals stable H 2 production efficiency and good stability of the photocatalyst. Surprisingly, catalyst can be reused many times and recovery of catalyst is possible just rinsing with distilled water. All these results demonstrate directly the feasibility of designing a new generation photocatalysts.

In this study starch/PVA/ZnO nanocomposite films with antibacterial activity were prepared and modified using gamma irradiation for packaging applications. ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized from Zn(OH) 2 using hydrothermal process and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The prepared ZnO NPs were incorporated into blend films of starch and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with different concentrations from 0.1 to 1 wt% using solution casting method. The results of SEM confirmed good dispersion of ZnO NPs into the films while FTIR spectroscopy showed interactions between ZnO particles and starch/PVA blend. The nanocomposite films were irradiated at the dose range of 1 to 5 kGy. It was found that gamma irradiation induces a significant reduction in water absorptions of the films at the dose of 3 kGy. Different trends were observed for the tensile and elongation properties of the irradiated films. Based on the results, the bacterial growth on the films was effectively inhibited when the dosage of ZnO NPs was only 0.5 wt%.

This work is addressing the decision making process involved in the selection of the most suited air q uality model to assess the impact of a cement plant located within a complex terrain domai n in Northern East of Italy. The overall objective is the description and analys is of operational issues arising from the case stud y which are among others: complexity of problem setting, assumptions and range of model app lic bility (pollutant types, spatial and temporal s cales, orography description, wind calm treatment) and the input data availability. The use of a specific model and its setting up is always a trade off between consistency and accuracy of results. Two air quality models (CALPUF F vs ADMS-Urban) were used to simulate emissions fr om the kiln of a cement plant over a complex orography domain (6 Km x 6 Km). Both models were run under different configurations and sensitivity analysis of results was performed. On strict terms this ‘field testing’ was not a comparison of mode...

Groundwater becomes an alternative water resource to meet up the demand of clean water in our country. Unfortunately, several contaminants could present in groundwater make it unsafe for domestic used and drinking water purpose. Therefore, groundwater should be treated to acceptable level before it can be consumed for further use. The aim of this study was to improve the groundwater quality in terms of physical parameters and bring it within the acceptable level using simple and economical aeration and filtration methods. Gravel, ceramic and charcoal were used as filter materials. The removal efficiency was determined from the calculated percentage removal of the tested parameters. Based on the results, groundwater showed improvement in its physical quality with percentage removal of turbidity, BOD and COD at 92%, 73% and 79%, respectively. Parameter pH also showed good improvement from slightly acidic to neutral range. However, TDS gave different results. With the exception of TDS,...

This study reviews the state-of-the-art application of fiber optics in water distribution networks for leak detection and localization. The use of fiber optics in the oil and gas sector has been well established; however, its potential in water pipelines is not evident owing to limited research. This study, therefore, presents the research developments of fiber optics in water leak detection and localization using the mixed methodology approach by integrating bibliometric and systematic analyses. A scientometric analysis is carried out to analyze the science maps of (1) journal sources, (2) contributing countries, and (3) co-occurrence of influential keywords. The systematic analysis evaluates the use of eight types of fiber optics, such as accelerometer-based fiber optics and hydrophone-based fiber optics, in water leak detection and localization. The review reveals five important directions for future research such as real network-based studies and the development of hybrid techni...

In this work we propose upscaling method for nonlinear Forchheimer flow in highly heterogeneous porous media. The generalized Forchheimer law is considered for incompressible and slightly-compressible single-phase flows. We use recently developed analytical results [1] and write the resulting system in terms of a degenerate nonlinear flow equation for the pressure with the nonlinearity that depends on the pressure gradient. The coarse scale parameters for the steady state problem are determined so that the volumetric average of velocity of the flow in the domain on fine scale and on coarse scale are close enough. A flow-based coarsening approach is used, where the equivalent permeability tensor is first evaluated following the streamline of the existing linear cases, and successively modified in order to take into account the nonlinear effects. Compared to previous works [2, 3], our approach relies on recent analytical results of Aulisa et al. and combines it with rigorous mathematical upscaling theory for monotone operators. The developed upscaling algorithm for nonlinear steady state problems is effectively used for variety of heterogeneities in the domain of computation. Direct numerical computations for average velocity and productivity index justify the usage of the coarse scale parameters obtained for

Closed municipal and industrial waste landfill sites create potential hazard of ground water pollution. Pollutants that occur in leachate infiltrate to the soil substratum, where they are carried to in underground water. A municipal waste landfill substratum can be used for elimination of pollutants contained in leachates. Model research was performed with the use of a sand bed and artificially prepared leachates. Efficiency of filtration in a bed of defined thickness was assessed based on change of COD value. Results of the model tests have indicated that the mass of pollutants contained in leachate filtered through porous ground layer depends on the mass of supplied pollutants, intensity of supplied leachate, and layer thickness. Increase of the mass of pollutants supplied to a unit area of ground layer causes reduction of the relative value of COD mass. The method of evaluation of quality of water seeping through the aeration layer presented in this paper allows for estimation of the flowing out pollutants mass. Based on the test results obtained, efficiency of purification in the aeration zone can be assessed; likewise, safe thickness of the filtration layer under the landfill site can be designed.

Organic and inorganic pollutants found in municipal landfill leachate lead to severe problems for the environment when directly discharged to water bodies without treatment. Due to the existence of recalcitrant organics in leachate, advanced oxidation processes (AOP) are mostly applied to biologically treated leachate as a polishing step. In this study, the effectiveness of Fenton process on leachate treatment was examined. The Fenton process was applied to both young (untreated) and biologically treated leachate provided from Şile Kömürcüoda Landfill in Istanbul. It was treated by using up flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and membrane bio-reactor (MBR) processes respectively prior to AOP application. In addition, the combination of Ultraviolet (UV)/Fenton and Ultrasound (US)/Fenton processes were applied to biologically treated leachate to improve the efficiency of Fenton process. The results suggested that, Fenton process is an efficient oxidation method for the treatment of organic matter and color in leachate. It was able to remove 70 % chemical oxygen demand (COD) from the raw leachate, while for biologically treated leachate the COD removal was over 50 %. On the other hand, color removal was observed to be 90 % and 98% in old and young leachate respectively. It was also seen that the additional treatment techniques used in the study did not improve the treatment efficiency of Fenton process.

Akee apple leaves extract (AALE) was tested for inhibition of corrosion of mild steel in sulphuric acid solution using gravimetric and gasometric measurement. The corrosion of mild steel was investigated at 40-60 0 C in 2M H2SO4 solution. The result of the inhibition revealed AALE efficiently delayed the dissolution of mild steel with inhibition efficiency obtained from gravimetric and gasometric at 60 0 C are 72.19 % and 74.32 % at addition of 0.5 g/l concentration of AALE respectively. The increase in inhibitor (AALE) concentrations results in decrease in corrosion rate and increase in inhibition efficiency. The inhibitive adsorption parameters show the corrosion process followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm with physical adsorption mechanism. Finally, the kinetic parameters established the corrosion process was endothermic reaction and occurred with spontaneous process.

Niger is a resource rich country. Nevertheless, despite the relative abundance of local raw materials needed for the production of refractory materials for its process industries, Nigeria is heavily engaged in the importation of these materials. This study presents the results of comparative analysis and evaluation of the refractory properties of some selected clay deposits in Nigeria's North Central region with a view of determining their suitability for use as refractory materials. Characterization of Maikunkele, Tammah, Otaiko and Bukuru clays were carried out using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) and published data from previous studies were obtained for Tatiko, Beji and Nyikangbe clay. Result of analysis shows that the clay samples are high silicate clays with moderate alumina content, low ferrous oxide content and possess very low contents of other metal oxides. The low iron content gives the clays with the exception of Nyikangbe clay rather whitish appearances establishing their suitability for paint, chalk, and earthenware manufacturing. Maikunkele clay which had an impressive refractoriness value of 1710 o C making it the most excellent for ferrous metal handling and furnace wall lining with Tammah, Otaiko and Bukuru clays posting nearly 1700 o C. Tatiko, Beji and Nyikangbe clays had refractoriness below 1400 o C. Maikunkele clay's thermal shock resistance also outperformed the others at 28 heating and cooling cycles, with 22, 17, and 20 cycles for tammah, Otaiko, and Bukuru clays; against less than or equal to 10 cycles for Tatiko, Beji and Nyikangbe clays. More so the linear shrinkages of all the studies clays were within permissible limits for refractory clays at between 7-10 %.

Atti 11 a Conferenza Nazionale ASITA, Centro Congressi Lingotto, Torino 6 – 9 novembre 2007 – Volume II ... Una metodologia sistemica per la valutazione della vulnerabilità ... Giuseppe VILARDO (*), Andrea PROFICE (*), Eliana BELLUCCI SESSA (*), Rosa NAPPI (*)

River water bodies are being altered due to hydromorphological and chemical pressures. An integrated approach in the assessment of water quality was outlined more as a result of the EU water directives, especially the Water Framework Directive (WFD), which requires the development and harmonization of monitoring and assessment of water quality for all surface water bodies. As WFD addresses water quality in terms of &quot;ecological status&quot; respectively &quot;ecological potential&quot;, the paper aims to discuss the analysis and the assessment of a &quot;heavily modified river water body&quot; in terms of hydromorphological, physico-chemical and biological elements. The analyzed waterbody is in the same time the whole Hartibaciu River (110 km length) located within the central part of Romania. The study is based on monitoring data provided by the National Administration “Apele Romane” – The Olt River Basin Authority for three monitoring sections (one being a reference site). The...

A snow accumulation and melt module implemented in the GEOTOP model is presented and tested. GEOTOP, a distributed model of the hydrological cycle, based on digital elevation models (DEMs), calculates the discharge at the basin outlet and estimates the local and distributed values of several hydro‐meteorological quantities. It solves the energy and the mass balance jointly and deals accurately with the effects of topography on the interactions among radiation physics, energy balance and the hydrological cycle. Soil properties are considered to depend on soil temperature and moisture, and the heat and water transfer in the soil is modelled using a multilayer approach. The snow module solves for the soil–snow energy and mass exchanges, and, together with a runoff production module, is embedded in a more general energy balance model that provides all the boundary conditions required. The snowpack is schematized as a single snow layer where a limited number of physical processes are des...

This paper describes a coupled, distributed, hydrological‐geotechnical model, GEOtop‐FS, which simulates the probability of occurrence of shallow landslides and debris flows. We use a hydrological distributed model, GEOtop, which, models latent and sensible heat fluxes and surface runoff, and computes soil moisture in 3‐D by solving Richards&#39;equation numerically, together with an infinite‐slope geotechnical model, GEOtop‐FS. The combined model allows both the hydraulic and geotechnical properties of soil to be considered and realistically modelled. In particular, the model has been conceived to make direct use of field surveys, geotechnical characteristics and soil moisture measurements. In the model the depth of available sediments is also used to characterize the hydraulic properties of the area examined.To account for the uncertainty related to the natural variability in the factors influencing the stability of natural slopes, the safety factor is computed with a probabilisti...

ABSTRACT: The current Lake Okeechobee regulation schedule is two feet higher than previous schedules that were in operation during the early 1970&#39;s. Its implementation was in response to prolonged periods of drought that occurred during the 1960&#39;s and early 1970&#39;s and the large increases in consumptive uses that were projected, and are presently occurring in south Florida. The additional storage provided by the schedule undoubtedly helped prevent more severe water shortages during the record setting 1980–1982 drought. However, two environmental concerns associated with the present schedule surfaced in recent years with the return to more normal rainfall conditions. First, the present schedule allows frequent high water conditions to exist in the lake that appear to be stressful to the unique littoral zone habitat of the lake. Second, the allowable buildup of storage prior to the dry season, combined with the large required decrease in storage prior to the hurricane (wet)...

Latar Belakang: Keberadaan sampah hingga saat ini masih dianggap sebagai sesuatu yang tidak bermanfaat bahkan merugikan masyarakat. Bau tidak sedap yang ditimbulkannya membuat orang akan menjauhi dan tidak mau menangani. Keberadaannya akan menjadi masalah pelik dan mengancam kehidupan manusia, padahal manusia jugalah yang memproduksinya bahkan dengan berjalannya waktu dan seiring gaya hidup yang konsumtif semakin menambah banyak sampah yang dihasilkan. Jumlah sampah yang semakin meningkat karena adanya aktivitas manusia yang semakin konsumtif perlu ada penanganan untuk mengurangi tumpukan sampah. Sampah erat kaitannya dengan kesehatan masyarakat, karena dari sampah tersebut akan hidup beberapa mikroorganisme penyebab penyakit (bakteri pathogen), dan juga serangga sebagai pemindah/penyebar penyakit (vektor). Oleh sebab itu, sampah harus dikelola dengan baik agar tidak mengganggu atau mengancam kesehatan masyarakat. Tujuan penelitian untuk mengetahui hubungan antara pengetahuan dan si...

The surface of 4100 A-pore-size silica membranes was modified with a covalently bonded polyvinylpyrrolidone brush layer by a novel graft polymerization process. Hydraulic permeability measurements performed with six different solvents and both unmodified and modified membranes suggest that the permeability of the modified membrane is determined by the configuration of the terminally anchored polymer chains. In the modified ceramic-supported polymeric (CSP) membrane, the swelling of the polymer brush layer increases as the solvent power increases, resulting in a decrease in the pore radius and subsequently, the permeability.

This study assessed the physicochemical and microbiological quality of sachet drinking water samples in Kumasi, a major city in Ghana. Samples were collected from various sources within the city. Physicochemical properties, including pH, total dissolved solids, and concentrations of calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium ions, were analyzed following established protocols. Additionally, fluoride concentration was determined. The assessment criteria for water quality were based on the World Health Organization's and the Ghana Standards Authority's recommended standards for drinking water. The samples were also subjected to microbial analysis to detect the presence of E. coli and coliforms, and to evaluate microbial quality. The findings indicated that most physicochemical properties of the samples met the World Health Organization's standards for safe drinking water, except for the slightly acidic pH. Total dissolved solids and the concentrations of calcium, sodium, potassium, fluoride and magnesium ions were within acceptable ranges. Strong positive correlations were observed among various physicochemical parameters of sachet water. However, microbial analysis revealed that 67% of the samples were contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms, including E. coli and coliforms, indicating poor microbiological quality. While sachet water samples generally meet physicochemical safety standards, addressing microbial quality is essential to ensure the safety of drinking water in Kumasi.

A life cycle assessment (LCA) focused on biochar and bioenergy generation was performed for three thermal treatment configurations (slow pyrolysis, fast pyrolysis and gasification). Ten UK biodegradable wastes or residues were considered as feedstocks in this study. Carbon (equivalent) abatement (CA) and electricity production indicators were calculated. Slow pyrolysis systems offer the best performance in terms of CA, with net results varying from 0.07 to 1.25 tonnes of CO 2 eq. t À1 of feedstock treated. On the other hand, gasification achieves the best electricity generation outputs, with results varying around 0.9 MWhe t À1 of feedstock. Moreover, selection of a common waste treatment practice as the reference scenario in an LCA has to be undertaken carefully as this will have a key influence upon the CA performance of pyrolysis or gasification biochar systems (P/GBS). Results suggest that P/GBS could produce important environmental benefits in terms of CA, but several potential pollution issues arising from contaminants in the biochar have to be addressed before biochar and bioenergy production from biodegradable waste can become common practice.

Sandy sediments coming from two beaches being under the various anthropopressure were analyzed. The first beach was situated in Ustka, while the other one on the terrain of The Słowin ´ski National Park. The general content of organic matter (OM), proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, chlorophyll a, and organic carbon were determined. The content of a biopolymeric organic carbon, values of a food index, and a coefficient of aging of the OM were estimated. Research was conducted with intervals for three months. It was established that human activity impacts on the concentration of analytes in the ecosystem of a seaside beaches. Their higher concentration was observed on the beach under more intensive anthropopressure. The results of the analysis of variance proved that the content of chemical parameters depends on the economic and tourist activity, the season of the year, and the impact of sea water. The stations situated at the central part of the beach are characterized by larger concentration of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates rather than those that those who are not under the direct impact of the sea. The concentration of carbohydrates were characterized by the highest percentage contribution, while proteins by the lowest. Uncharacterized fraction of the organic carbon was higher in Ustka, while the food index in Czołpino. This suggests anthropogenic origin of the OM on the beach in Ustka and natural origin in Czołpino. At the sediments, there were comparable coefficients of the ageing of the OM.