Environmental Engineering

RESUMO -O presente trabalho teve como objetivo comparar diferentes métodos de extração de lipídeos a partir da biomassa da cianobactéria Trichormus sp. CENA77. Quatro métodos extrativos foram testados para esta finalidade: Bligh e Dyer, Folch (empregando ultrassom); Folch (empregando micro-ondas) e 2-EE (2-etoxietanol). O material lipídico da cianobactéria foi quantificado e caracterizado quanto ao perfil de ácidos graxos. A análise comparativa dos resultados mostrou que os métodos que forneceram teores mais elevados de lipídeos foram 2-EE (25,8% m/m) e Folch conduzido no ultrassom (21,6% m/m). Com relação ao perfil de ácidos graxos, a matéria-prima lipídica apresentou aproximadamente 18% de ácidos graxos saturados e 82 % de ácidos graxos insaturados, com destaque para os ácidos oleico (48,57%), linoleico (29,48%) e palmítico (11,88%). A extração de lipídeos a partir de micro-organismos, em especial microalgas e cianobactérias é basicamente uma operação de transferência de massa, a qual depende da natureza do soluto e da seletividade do solvente, bem como o sistema empregado para conduzir o processo e o nível de convecção no meio . A seleção de solventes adequados é essencial para o processo, tendo em vista que podem enfraquecer a estrutura da parede celular, facilitando o seu rompimento, e assim, a liberação do material lipídico. O solvente orgânico ideal deve apresentar as seguintes características: polaridade adequada aos lipídeos nas células, baixo custo de aquisição, fácil remoção, toxicidade nula, insolubilidade em água, reciclável e eficiente para dissolver os componentes de interesse (Chen et al., 2010). Muitos sistemas mecânicos e abordagens físico-químicas têm sido avaliados, aliados ao solvente extrator para promover a ruptura da parede celular dos micro-organismos, dentre os mais utilizados encontram-se os reatores de micro-ondas e ultrassons . As cianobactérias tem se destacado perante a terceira geração de matéria-prima para produção de biodiesel. Dependendo da linhagem e condições de cultivo, elas podem sintetizar de

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Microbial desalination cell (MDC) is considered as an eco-friendly technology for water purification in which organic contaminants in wastewater are used as energy source to drive the desalination process. MDCs with a single-desalination chamber (single-DC MDC) offers a simple desalination configuration without facing the challenges associated with electrodialysis stacked MDC (ED-SMDC), e.g., osmosis water loss and high internal resistance. However, single-DC MDCs suffer from low desalination rate, low power recovery, and high anolyte to saltwater volume ratio. To address these challenges, this present study provides insights into a polygonal MDC design by proposing a new quadruple microbial desalination cell (QMDC). The QMDC performance was investigated under three different connection configurations; i.e., individual (IQMDC), parallel (PQMDC), and series (SQMDC). Among these configurations, PQMDC showed the lowest internal resistance over the desalination cycle along with the highest power recovery of 17.7 mW, overall desalination rate of 48.12 mg/h, and desalination ratio of 98.9%. These findings revealed 127% and 88% increases in power generation and mass desalination rate in comparison with the values obtained in the conventional three-chamber MDC, respectively. Step by step evaluation of the QMDC performance in terms of continuous current generation, mass and concentration desalination rates, and power recovery revealed that the QMDC performance was most affected by the internal resistance as the main controlling factor. The results also showed that the performance of the developed polygonal (quadruple) MDC could compete with that of the ED-SMDCs through optimizing reactor configuration.

Background: An alternative for improving water quality is the use of an up-flow slow sand filter, which is a water treatment system with a main medium of sand, active carbon and gravel. Materials and Methods: This study aimed to analyze the quality of a water source from a well in Tallo district with parameters of odor, taste, pH, turbidity and bacterial standards in accordance with the regulation of the Minister of Health and then to analyze the effect of the thickness of the sand layer in the filter on the function of the system processing water with values of 60, 65 and 70 cm. Results: The results showed that the system has an effect in sustaining the pH value. The results also revealed that the filtering system with a sand thickness of 70 cm is the most effective for being able to raise the pH from 5.47 to 6-7. Sand thickness of 60 cm reduces the turbidity of 56-43 NTU and the thickness of 70 cm reduces it to 21 NTU. In addition, the odor detected before treatment in the filter system was eliminated as was the taste. Finally, some respondents found that no microbes were present in their water after the treatment. Conclusion: This study shows the effect of variations in the thickness of the sand layer in an up-flow sand filtration system on the effectiveness of the filter in treating water into clean water, particularly in increasing the pH, reducing the turbidity, eliminating odors and reducing bacteria.

This paper presents a study on the degradation of smuggled cigarette tobacco combined with domestic organic waste and sawdust or wood chips, using facultative reactor. Four reactors with different amounts of residue were assembled. For the study of the quality of the compost obtained, physicochemical, phytotoxicity and microbiological analyses were carried out. The mixture with wood chips presented the best temperature conditions and pH variation optimizing the degradation. The final germination index (GI) values of all treatments were above the recommended GI value (50%) and the final C/N ratio between 8 and 13 indicated a mature compost. The concentration of metals under study was below the limit allowed for the commercialization. The composting carried out in all facultative reactors provided ideal conditions for the total sterilization of the final compost. Therefore, the treatment of smuggled cigarettes through facultative reactors was efficient to produce stable and mature com...

Self-centering precast concrete walls have been found to provide excellent seismic resistance. Such systems, however, typically exhibit low energy dissipation, requiring supplementary dissipating components to improve their seismic performance. An economical option is to use mild steel shear connectors as energy dissipating elements. The design of steel shear connectors for a new precast wall system was undertaken using finite element analyses. Of the different types studies, an oval shaped connector (or O-Connector) was found to provide the most suitable response, with stable force-displacement behavior and large displacement capacity. An experimental test program was conducted to verify the performance of two different O-Connector designs, confirming the expected excellent response with sufficient energy dissipation. The experimental data demonstrated excellent correlation with the finite element model developed. The O-Connector has since been incorporated into a large scale PreWEC test specimen, behaving as expected and providing an excellent connector for the system.

Biophysical properties of agricultural materials are important in designing of processing machines. In this study, some physical properties of tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) fruits were determined and their mutual relationships were studied. Dimensions (major diameter, minor diameter, and length), mass, volume, fresh and dry matter weight, as well as rupture point under uniaxial loading were measured. Other properties; including Poisson's ratio, modulus of elasticity, energy for rupture, density, arithmetic mean diameter, geometric mean diameter, diameter of equivalent volume sphere, and sphericity were calculated accordingly. Statistical analysis of the data indicated significant correlations between the rupture force and fresh weight, volume, dry weight, major diameter, minor diameter, arithmetic mean diameter, geometric mean diameter, and diameter of equivalent volume sphere. Fruit volume has significant correlations with fresh weight and average diameter. Correlations betwe...

Industry operators using downhole water separation technology in bottom water drive reservoirs with water coning problem have employed two major approaches. One approach uses downhole hydrocyclone and pumps to separate water from oil in one co-mingled production stream. This approach involves elaborate completion design and high cost equipment. The second approach, termed "gravity segregation" uses dual completion technology with zonal isolation packer to separately produce the water and the oil and so counter the cone development at the wellbore. Both methods, currently, do not completely eliminate the problem of contaminated water production but reduces it to, perhaps, some manageable level. The growing emphasis on environmental-friendly oil production operation and increasing cost of water handling requires the production of oil-free disposable water in a simple completion design. This paper presents case studies of the pre-installation design of gravity segregation met...

DOI: 10.35629/5252-0312812816 Impact Factor value 7.429 | ISO 9001: 2008 Certified Journal Page 812 Physical Methods of Nanoparticles Preparation – An Overview Surender, Ajay Gahlot 1. Assistant Professor, Maharaja Surajmal Institute of Technology(GGSIPU), Janakpuri, New Delhi-110058, India. 2. Associate Professor, Maharaja Surajmal Institute of Technology(GGSIPU), Janakpuri, New Delhi-110058, India.

The issue of allocating capacity to accommodate emergent surgery cases while scheduling elective patients has major policy implications for Level-1 trauma centers including most large academic medical centers. This is because operating rooms (ORs) are the greatest source of revenues for hospitals, while also being the largest cost centers. However, scheduling ORs, especially at level-1 trauma hospitals, is challenging due to significant uncertainty in the arrivals of patients requiring emergent surgery. When scheduling surgeries, hospitals face a trade-off between the need to be responsive to emergency cases and the need to conduct scheduled elective surgeries as planned. We develop a model that allocates the OR capacity to elective patients so that the emergency patients who arrive randomly can be accommodated without incurring any excessive delays. The objective is to develop a framework for aggregate weekly schedules and generate detailed daily schedules that minimize a weighted sum of the ORs' operating time, idle time, and overtime. Optimization procedures are developed to devise effective block schedules while a rescheduling procedure schedules elective patients who are affected by an emergency arrival. Initially, the procedures are based on deterministic surgery times for the elective patients and then they are extended to stochastic surgery times. We illustrate our methodology on specialized ORs for trauma cases related to neurosurgery. We show that for a given arrival rate of emergency patients, the total expected cost is convex in the weekly load of the elective surgeries scheduled. Numerical experiments are devised to obtain the total expected cost curves for various arrival rates of emergency patients. Using these cost curves the optimal capacity allocation of ORs to elective patients can be determined as a function of the arrival rate of emergency patients.

Riverine flooding is associated with not only displacement of people but also loss of property and lives in the lower course of rivers. However, there is a dearth of literature on land use and land cover within flood risk zones and safe zones within the Western Region in Kenya. Using Landsat satellite images and household surveys, this study aimed at mapping land use and land cover within flood risk and safe zones in Budalangi sub-county, Kenya. A sample size of 162 household heads was selected using stratified random sampling. Flood stage scenarios were hypothesized, and overlay analysis was done to determine the locations for evacuation and land use at risk. Descriptive data analysis was adopted to analyze data from respondents. Analyzed Landsat satellite images reveal that 39.1 % (76.2 km²) of the study area were flood risk zones, while 60.9 % (118.8 km²) were safe zones. Ninety percent (90 %, 68.6 km²) of the flood risk zones were located at altitudes less than 1144 m above sea level (a.s.l) while safe zones were located in areas with more than 1144 m a.s.l. Within the flood risk zones, 57.0 % (39.1 km²) was covered with papyrus vegetation, 19.2 % (13.2 km²) with riverine vegetation, 18.4 % (12.6 km²) with farmland, and 5.4 % (3.7 km²) with buildings or bare land. Ninety percent (90 %) of the safe regions were found within learning institutions, market centres and administrative centres. Majority of the respondents (n = 157, 96.9 %) had experienced flooding on their farmlands and some of them (n = 125, 79.6 %) indicated that floods had destroyed their crops. The flooding that occurred frequently within the study area during high rain season was mainly mitigated through terracing and use of canals. Current study concludes that flood risk zones were covered by natural vegetation while safe zones were occupied by human settlement. This study suggests that residents in flood prone areas should avoid residing within flood risk zones during rainy seasons.
Key words: Floods, Flood risk, Fluvial/Riverine Flooding, Safe zones, Budalangi

In this study, an aeration volume control strategy for an activated sludge process is evaluated in a pilot plant at Hammarby Sjöstad in Stockholm, Sweden. The main idea has been to let the DO concentration in some of the aerated compartments be determined by the DO concentration in other compartments. In this way only sensors for measuring the DO concentrations are needed for the decision of time varying DO set-points. The high reliability of such sensors implies robust input values for the proposed control strategy. The suggested manipulations of the DO set-points are indirectly determined by the current load into the plant. Compared to constant DO control, the suggested aeration volume control strategies could reduce the effluent nitrate and ammonium concentrations significantly without increasing the aeration energy. A simulation study including an evaluation of different controller design parameters has also been performed.

Introduction The nitrates are proven to be harmful to the human health especially to pregnant women and neonates. The main sources of water contamination with nitrates are from the over use of fertilizers in agriculture, waste effluents from industries and the ground water ...

Risk assessment is essential to making informed decisions on occupational risk prevention. The health and safety conditions of workers can be improved by issuing voluntary certifications, such as ISO 45001. This is particularly important in sectors such as wineries. In 2017 these numbered 4093, representing 14% of the food and drink industry in Spain, of which 290 were in Andalusia. The incidence rate for 2017 in the industrial sector in Spain was 5.264 work accidents with sick leave for every 100,000 affiliated workers, making this the sector with the second highest number of work accidents after that of construction. The study aims to assess the risks in wineries in Andalucía, southern Spain, by analysing the opinions of a group of experts with experience in the sector. The Delphi method was used for this study and was carried out in conjunction with a panel of 11 experts. The results indicated that the most significant workplace risks were those occurring in the production facility, workshop or factory; in terms of occupation, those exposed to the greatest risk were machine operators; regarding the type of work, production, processing and storage posed the highest levels of risk; operating machinery was the physical activity with the highest risk; in the area of causes of accidents, the highest risk was of slipping, tripping and falling; and, finally, with regard to how an accident could occur, the highest level of risk was considered to be contact with electric current.

Risk assessment is essential to making informed decisions on occupational risk prevention. The health and safety conditions of workers can be improved by issuing voluntary certifications, such as ISO 45001. This is particularly important in sectors such as wineries. In 2017 these numbered 4093, representing 14% of the food and drink industry in Spain, of which 290 were in Andalusia. The incidence rate for 2017 in the industrial sector in Spain was 5.264 work accidents with sick leave for every 100,000 affiliated workers, making this the sector with the second highest number of work accidents after that of construction. The study aims to assess the risks in wineries in Andalucía, southern Spain, by analysing the opinions of a group of experts with experience in the sector. The Delphi method was used for this study and was carried out in conjunction with a panel of 11 experts. The results indicated that the most significant workplace risks were those occurring in the production facility, workshop or factory; in terms of occupation, those exposed to the greatest risk were machine operators; regarding the type of work, production, processing and storage posed the highest levels of risk; operating machinery was the physical activity with the highest risk; in the area of causes of accidents, the highest risk was of slipping, tripping and falling; and, finally, with regard to how an accident could occur, the highest level of risk was considered to be contact with electric current.

The modern increase in building construction sector is resulting in get larger production of fine sand. The marble industry of India is account one of the chief decorative building material industry. With the increase in production of marbles it increases the waste that get from it. Marble dust creates environmental problems. Due to environmental problems, it affects Human health as well as nature. As marble dust is the waste product, get during the sawing and polishing of marble by parent marble block and about 20-25% of the processed marble is turn into dust form. The production of cheaper concrete using waste marble dust can solve to some extent the ecological and environmental problems. Therefore this paper aims to study the effect of using marble dust as partially replace of fine sand on concrete.

A building should be planned to make it comfortable, economical and to meet all the requirements. The attempt of the planner should be to attain maximum convenience with the limited money available. Functional utility, cost, habits, taste, requirements, etc., should be considered by the planner. Circulation area should be minimum possible without affecting other requirements and convenience. To start with, all the requirements should be collected and then planning should be taken up and a number of alternative proposals are prepared and comparing their advantages and disadvantages, the best one should be adopted. The engineer and architect shall have to satisfy the owner, for which a number of sitting will be required to finalize the plan. By Scheduling, we assign a particular time for completing a particular job. The main objective of scheduling is to arrive at a position where we will get minimum processing time. The basic principles and mechanics of network technique (CPM/PERT) i...

The present paper deals with addition of two new flowering plants records from different parts of the Satpuda ranges of Jalgaon district, Maharashtra are new distributional records for the first time. These species are Peristylus constrictus (Lindl.) Lindl. and Begonia picta Sm. are reported for the first time for Satpuda ranges of Jalgaon district, Maharashtra. The study provides a detailed taxonomic description, photographs and relevant information based on fresh collections.

This work assesses the feasibility of using wind energy for pumping water to supply the Te ´ne `s region in Algeria. The assessment starts with taking the velocity data and the direction of the wind acquired at 10 m height to establish a statistical analysis model using the Weibull distribution. This developed wind power model is then correlated to the water flows via data collected in two local turbine pumps. The Weibull parameters were derived monthly through water pumping data from the Te ´ne `s water pump stations and the results are extrapolated to 45 m AGL (i.e. the wind turbine height) empirically. The wind direction variation is recorded and incorporated into the model. In addition, the efficiency of the pumping systems is also evaluated. The results obtained suggest that water flow predicted by this model can supply the needs of population of Te ´ne `s.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) found in the environment, posing significant health concerns for the population. This research aimed to assess the PAH levels in road dust near bus stops, identify their sources, and evaluate potential health risks. The analysis involved the use of a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) to measure PAHs and absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) for source apportionment of PAHs. The results indicated that the measured PAHs concentrations in road dust ranged from 137.8 to 5813 ng g -1 , with Indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene having the highest PAHs concentrations. The study identified three main sources of PAHs such as oil spills, fuel combustion, and coal burning, determined through APCS-MLR modeling. Further analysis revealed that the aggregate incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for children and adults were 2.16 × 10 -6 and 2.08 × 10 -6 , respectively. Additionally, the hazard index (HI) for children exceeded that of adults, suggesting greater vulnerability to the potential health effects of PAH exposure. The findings indicate that long-term exposure to PAHs may negatively impact lung function and increase the risk of cancer and skin diseases. As a result, it is crucial for the local government to implement effective measures aimed at improving fuel quality and promoting green public transportation within the city. These initiatives may help mitigate PAH emissions and safeguard public health.

This study attempted a comparative analysis of the suspended and dissolved sediment yields of a tributary of the Kubanni River, Zaria. The suspended sediment yield has been acquired in a previous study by Yusuf (2006). From the samples of the filtered river water (i.e. aliquot) from which the dissolved concentration (i.e. total dissolved solids) was derived and the discharge records which have been carefully kept, the dissolved sediment discharges provide the basis for estimating the dissolved sediment yield. The results showed that the dissolved sediment yield is higher than the suspended sediment yield of the tributary. However, there is no statistically significant difference between them. This implies that estimating sediment yield by considering only suspended sediment yield is an underestimation and this further complicates the already established reservoir siltation problem of the Ahmadu Bello University Reservoir as it influences the water quality.

Working parts of tillage machines are in direct contact with soil abrasives. The shape and dimensions of the working parts undergo changes due to friction and wear. A finite-element model has been created for studying the stresses and in-soil movement work of the designed cultivator tip. The problem has been solved with a coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian method (the SIMULIA ABAQUS software). It has been shown that the minimum in-soil movement work of 3400 J is done by a tip with a sharpening angle of 185°.

Yucca Mountain in southwestern Nevada is a prominent, irregularly shaped upland formed by a thick apron of Miocene pyroclastic-flow and fallout tephra deposits, with minor lava flows, that was segmented by through-going, large-displacement normal faults into a series of north-trending, eastwardly tilted structural blocks. The principal volcanic-rock units are the Tiva Canyon and Topopah Spring Tuffs of the Paintbrush Group, which consist of volumetrically large eruptive sequences derived from compositionally distinct magma bodies in the nearby southwestern Nevada volcanic field, and are classic examples of a magmatic zonation characterized by an upper crystal-rich (> 10% crystal fragments) member, a more voluminous lower crystal-poor (< 5% crystal fragments) member, and an intervening thin transition zone. Rocks within the crystal-poor member of the Topopah Spring Tuff, lying some 280 m below the crest of Yucca Mountain, constitute the proposed host rock to be excavated for th...

This study applies spatial analyses to examine the consequences of accelerated urban expansion on a hydrologic system over a period of 24 years. Three sets of historical aerial photos are used in a GIS analysis to document the geomorphic history of Las Vegas Wash, which drains the rapidly growing Las Vegas urban area in southern Nevada. New spatial techniques are introduced to make quantitative measurements of the erosion at three specific time intervals in the hydrologic evolution of the channel and floodplain. Unlike other erosion studies that use two different elevation surfaces to assess erosion, this study used a single elevation surface to remove systematic and nonsystemic elevation errors. The spatial analysis quantifies channel changes for discrete time periods, calculates erosion volumes, and provides a foundation to examine how the specific mechanisms related to urban expansion have affected Las Vegas Wash. The erosion calculated over 24 years is the largest documented sediment loss attributed to the effect of rapid urban growth.

Removal of As(V) from groundwater by a new air-injected electrocoagulation (EC) reactor using iron (Fe) ball anodes was investigated and the operating conditions were optimized. Effects of operating parameters such as initial pH (pH i : 6.5-8.5), current (i: 0.1-0.5 A), operating time (t EC : 1-3 min), size of Fe anode ball (d p : 5-10 mm), initial As(V) concentration (C o : 50-150 μg/L), air flow rate (Q air : 2-10 L/min), and column height of Fe ball (h: 2-8 cm) in the EC reactor were evaluated with a three-level factorial design viz. Box-Behnken statistical experiment design. The model program provided with responses such as effluent As (V) concentration, removal efficiency, and operating cost for the EC process. Analysis of variance for all variables had confirmed the predicted models by the experimental design within 95% confidence level (R 2 : 0.94, adj-R 2 : 0.87), which ensured a satisfactory adjustment of the quadratic model with the experimental data. The maximum removal efficiency of As (V), minimum operating cost, and lowest effluent concentration at the optimized conditions (pH i 7.2, 0.5 A, 1.2 min, 5 mm ball size, column height of 4.8 cm, and 9.9 L/min) for initial concentration of 100 μg/L were obtained as 99.2%, 0.031 $/m 3 , and 0.4 μg/L, respectively.

Galvanizing plants contain reasonable amounts of heavy metal ions which pose a serious risk to humans, animals and the environment. In the present study, removal efficiencies of Cr, Ni and Zn from galvanic rinse wastewater (GRW) by electrocoagulation (EC) process using iron plate electrodes were investigated in a laboratory scale EC reactor. The effects of operational variables, such as operating time (0-50 min), current density (10-40 A/m 2 ), initial pH i (2.4-6.4) and electrode connection modes (MP-P: monopolar-parallel, MP-S: monopolarserial and BP-S: bipolar-serial), on the removal efficiencies of heavy metals were explored to determine the optimum operating conditions. Removal efficiencies of 99.77% for Cr, 85.62% for Ni and 99.04% for Zn at the optimum operating conditions (pH i 5.4, current density of 30 A/m 2 , operating time of 30 min and MP-P electrode connection mode) were obtained. The results showed that Cr, Ni and Zn removal efficiencies from GRW increased with increasing current density and pH at MP-P electrode connection mode. The results showed that EC can effectively reduce metal ions to a very low level. Amount of sludge generated and operating cost at the optimum conditions during the EC process were calculated as 2.32 kg/m 3 and 0.70 €/m 3 . This study revealed that the EC process was very effective for removal of Cr, Ni and Zn from GRW.

In the laboratory-scale experiments, treatment of baker's yeast production wastewater has been investigated by electrocoagulation (EC) using a batch reactor. Effects of the process variables such as pH, electrode material (Fe and Al), current density, and operating time are investigated in terms of removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), turbidity, and operating cost, respectively. The maximum removal efficiencies of COD, TOC and turbidity under optimal operating conditions, i.e.

In the present study, electrocoagulation process employing Fe-Al composite electrode was applied for treatment of different types of textile wastewaters. Effect of major operating parameters such as pH, reaction time, current density, voltage and inter-electrode distance were investigated for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and colour removal efficiency. The process was found promising and produced more than 90% COD and colour removal efficiency at optimised operating conditions of pH 8, reaction time 80 min, current density 20 A/m 2 with an inter-electrode distance of 3 cm. Robustness of the process was investigated on real and anaerobically pretreated textile wastewater. For real textile effluents, the process produced approximately 99% colour removal efficiency, creating virtually colourless solution even at a lesser reaction time of 60 min. Electrocoagulation effectively detoxified the anaerobically pre-treated textile wastewater by eliminating 78% of aromatic amines within a reaction time of 180 min.

In this investigation, arsenic removal from drinking water using electrocoagulation (EC) in a batch mode was studied by response surface methodology (RSM). The RSM was applied to optimize the operating variables viz. current density (CD, A/m 2 ), operating time (t EC , min) and arsenic concentration (C o , lg/L) on arsenic removal in the EC process using iron electrodes. The combined effects of these variables were analyzed by the RSM using quadratic model for predicting the highest removal efficiency of arsenic from drinking water. The proposed model fitted very well with the experimental data. R 2 adjusted correlation coefficients (AdjR 2 : 0.93) for arsenic removal efficiency showed a high significance of the model. The model predicted for a maximum removal of arsenic at the optimum operating conditions (112.3 lg/L, 5.64 A/m 2 and 5 min) after the EC process was 93.86% which corresponded to effluent arsenic concentration of 6.9 lg/L. The minimum operating cost (OC) of the EC process was 0.0664 e/m 3 . This study clearly showed that the RSM was one of the suitable methods for the EC process to optimize the best operating conditions for target value of effluent arsenic concentration (<10 lg/L) while keeping the OC (energy and electrode consumptions) to minimal.

A series of laboratory, field, and modeling studies were performed evaluating the potential for in situ aerobic cometabolism of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon (CAH) mixtures, including 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), 1,1-dichloroethane (1,1-DCA) and 1,1dichloroethene (1,1-DCE) by bioaugmented microorganisms that grew on butane. A butane-grown bioaugmentation culture, primarily comprised of a Rhodococcus sp., was developed that effectively transformed mixtures of the three CAHs, under subsurface nutrient conditions. Microcosm experiments and modeling studies showed rapid transformation of 1,1-DCE with high transformation product toxicity and weak inhibition by butane, while 1,1,1-TCA was much more slowly transformed and strongly inhibited by butane. Field studies were conducted in the saturated zone at the Moffett Field In-Situ Test Facility in California. In the bioaugmented test leg, 1,1-DCE was most effectively transformed, followed by 1,1-DCA, and 1,1,1-TCA, consistent with the results from the laboratory studies. A 1-D reactive/transport code simulated the field responses during the early stages of testing (first 20 days), with the following extents of removal achieved at the first monitoring well; 1,1-DCE ($97%), 1,1-DCA ($77%), and 1,1,1-TCA ($36%), with little or no CAH transformation observed beyond the first monitoring well. As time proceeded, decreased performance was observed. The modeling analysis indicated that this loss of performance may have been associated with 1,1-DCE transformation toxicity combined with the limited addition of butane as a growth substrate with longer pulse cycles. When shorter pulse cycles were reinitiated after 40 days of operation, 1,1-DCE transformation was restored and the following transformation extents were achieved; 1,1-DCE ($94%), 1,1-DCA ($8%), and 1,1,1-TCA ($0%), with some CAH transformation occurring past the first monitoring well. Modeling analysis of this period indicated that the bioaugmented culture was likely not the dominant butane-utilizing microorganism present. This was consistent with observations in the indigenous leg during this period that showed effective butane utilization and the following extents of transformation: 1,1-DCE ($86 %), 1,1-DCA ($5%), and 1,1,1-TCA ($0%). The combination of lab and field scale studies and supporting modeling provide a means of evaluating the performance of bioaugmentation and the cometabolic treatment of CAH mixtures.

Water pollution is a major threat to human population and dumping of pollutants into water body result in rapid deterioration of water quality and affect the ecological balance in the long run. The present study was undertaken to assess pollution load from river Borkena. In urban and suburban parts of Kombolcha, the use of industrial wastewater for irrigation purpose is a common practice. Local farmers in Borkena watershed use the wastewater to irrigate their agricultural fields for cultivation of vegetables. But they suffered from loss of productivity of leafy vegetables and skin injury because of their exposure to the wastewater during irrigation practices. That is why this study focused on assessing the amount of industrial waste load on river Borkena and its effects on communities in the watershed. The main aim of this study was: to assess the physico-chemical characteristics of River Borkena before and after industrial waste discharges mixed to it by the waste carrier small streams; and its environmental impact on the surrounding communities and vegetable farms. The methodology consisted: 1) Basic survey in order to assess the physical and chemical characteristics of the river water, and 2) a case study performed by focus group discussions with the community authorities and farmers in the study area who used the river water mainly for irrigation purposes. Sampling was conducted at 6 sites in the study area during low and high flow periods with an interval of three months for a period of one year in order to account for the seasonal hydrological cycle of the Wollo University, College of Natural Science 2020 IV river water. Laboratory measurements of river water and leafy vegetables for metal concentration were also determined to investigate the effect of the use of the river water for growing vegetables and other personal cases. The findings of this dissertation showed metal concentrations in leafy vegetables and irrigation water are within the permissible limits of FAO/WHO standards and not significant for the time being, but is expected to be a challenge in the near future if not well addressed. The concentrations of metals in leafy vegetables will provide baseline data and it shows that, in the current situation consumption of leafy vegetables grown in the study area may not have health risks in the context of metal concentrations. To avoid the entrance of metals into the food chain, municipal or industrial wastes should not be drained into the river and farmlands without prior treatment. The continuous monitoring of the soil, vegetable plant and irrigation water quality are prerequisites for the prevention of potential health hazards to human beings. Finally this study fills the gaps in information for concerned regional and federal governmental offices and may use it as an input to design regulations and policies which benefits the communities in the watershed.

In agricultural areas, the contamination of feedstuffs with molds and mycotoxins presents major environmental and health concerns. During cattle feeding, fungi and mycotoxins were monitored in corn silage, oilseed cakes and bioaerosols collected in Normandy. Most of the corn silages were found to be contaminated by deoxynivalenol (mean concentration: 1883 mg kg À1 ) while a few of oilseed cakes were contaminated by alternariol, fumonisin B 1 or gliotoxin. In ambient bioaerosols, the values for fungi per cubic meter of air varied from 4.3 Â 10 2 to 6.2 Â 10 5 cfu m À3 . Seasonal variations were observed with some species like Aspergillus fumigatus which significantly decreased between the 2 seasons (P ¼ 0.0186) while the Penicillium roqueforti group significantly increased during the second season (P ¼ 0.0156). In the personal bioaerosols, the values for fungi per cubic meter of air varied from 3.3 10 3 to 1.7 10 6 cfu m À3 and the number of A. fumigatus spores significantly decreased between the 2 seasons (P ¼ 0.0488). Gliotoxin, an immunosuppressive mycotoxin, was quantified in 3 personal filters at 3.73 mg m À3 , 1.09 mg m À3 and 2.97 mg m À3 .

The inclusion of soil wetness information in empirical landslide prediction models was shown to improve the forecast goodness of regional landslide early warning systems (LEWS). However, it is still unclear which source of information 10 -numerical models or in-situ measurements -are of higher value for this purpose. In this study, soil moisture dynamics at 133 grassland sites in Switzerland were simulated for the period of 1981 to 2019 using a physically-based 1D soil moisture transfer model (CoupModel). A common parametrization set was defined for all sites except for site-specific soil hydrological properties, and the model performance was assessed at a subset of 14 sites where in-situ soil moisture measurements were available on the same plot. A previously developed statistical framework was applied to fit an empirical landslide forecast 15 model, and ROC analysis was used to assess the forecast goodness. To assess the sensitivity of the landslide forecasts, the statistical framework was applied to different CoupModel parametrizations, to various distances between simulation sites and landslides, and to measured soil moisture from a subset of 35 sites for comparison with a measurement-based forecast model. We found that (i) simulated soil moisture is a skilful predictor for regional landslide activity, (ii) that it is sensitive to the formulation of the upper and lower boundary conditions, and (iii) that the information content is strongly distance-dependent. 20 Compared to a measurement-based landslide forecast model, the model-based forecast performs better as the homogenization of hydrological processes and the site representation can lead to a better representation of triggering event conditions. However, it is limited in reproducing critical antecedent saturation conditions due to an inadequate representation of the long-term water storage.

The Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) was established by the University of Technology Sydney in 1996 to work with industry, government and the community to develop sustainable futures through research and consultancy. Our mission is to create change toward sustainable futures that protect and enhance the environment, human wellbeing and social equity. For further information visit: www.isf.uts.edu.au.

Within the framework of recycling and reusing carbon fibre, this study focused on the fabrication of a thermoelectric composite encompassing recycled carbon fibre and two thermoelectric fillers (i) bismuth telluride and (ii) bismuth sulphide. This study investigated the effect of the concentration of bismuth telluride and bismuth sulphide fillers respectively on the thermoelectric, morphology, structural and thermal stability of the recycled carbon fibre thermoelectric composites. The optimum thermoelectric filler concentration is 45 wt% for both fillers, which resulted in a power factor of 0.194 ± 9.70×10 -3 µWK -2 m -1 and 0.0941 ± 4.71×10 -3 µWK -2 m -1 for recycled carbon fibre-bismuth telluride and recycled carbon fibrebismuth sulphide composites respectively. This study exhibited the energy harvesting M A N U S C R I P T A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT capabilities of recycled carbon fibre composites from low grade waste heat when coated with thermoelectric materials.

Groundwater-dependent vegetation is globally distributed, having important ecological, social, and economic value. Along with the groundwater resources upon which it depends, this vegetation is under increasing threat through excessive rates of groundwater extraction. In this study we examined one shallow-rooted and two deep-rooted tree species at multiple sites along a naturally occurring gradient in depth-to-groundwater. We measured (i) stable isotope ratios of leaves (δ 13 C), xylem, and groundwater (δ 2 H and δ 18 O); and (ii) leaf-vein density. We established that foliar discrimination of 13 C ( 13 C) is a reliable indicator of groundwater use by vegetation and can also be used to estimate rooting depth. Through comparison with a continental-scale assessment of foliar 13 C, we also estimated the upper limits to annual rates of groundwater use. We conclude that maximum rooting depth for both deep-rooted species ranged between 9.4 and 11.2 m and that annual rates of groundwater use ranged from ca. 1400 to 1700 mm for Eucalyptus camaldulensis and from 600 to 900 mm for Corymbia opaca. Several predictions about hydraulic and leaf traits arising from the conclusion that these two species made extensive use of groundwater were supported by additional independent studies of these species in central Australia.

Partitioning evapotranspiration (ET) into its components reveals details of the processes that underlie ecosystem hydrologic budgets and their feedback to the water cycle. We measured rates of actual evapotranspiration (ET a ), canopy transpiration (T c ), soil evaporation (E g ), canopy-intercepted precipitation (E I ), and patterns of stomatal conductance of the desert shrub Calligonum mongolicum in northern China to determine the water balance of this ecosystem. The ET a was 251±8 mm during the growing period, while E I , T c , and E g accounted for 3.2%, 63.9%, and 31.3%, respectively, of total water use (256±4 mm) during the growing period. In this unique ecosystem, groundwater was the main water source for plant transpiration and soil evaporation, T c and exceeded 60% of the total annual water used by desert plants. ET was not sensitive to air temperature in this unique desert ecosystem. Partitioning ET into its components improves our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie adaptation of desert shrubs, especially the role of stomatal regulation of T c as a determinant of ecosystem water balance.

Daily and seasonal patterns of tree water use were measured in a temperate, open, evergreen woodland using sap flow sensors. Investigations of soil, leaf, tree and micro-climatological variables were undertaken to validate a soil-plant-atmosphere (SPA) model. A comparison of measured and modelled rates of sap flow showed strong positive correlations across the 115 day study period. Using measured and modelled data we examined (a) the sensitivity of sap flow to abiotic and biotic factors; (b) the depth from which water uptake must occur to achieve observed rates of tree sap flow; (c) the importance of the water content of the upper soil profile as a determinant of sap flow; (d) the occurrence of nocturnal sap flow. We found that sap flow was very sensitive to the leaf area of the stand, whole tree conductance and the critical water potential of the leaves but insensitive to stem capacitance and increases in root biomass. Water uptake must have occurred from depths of up to 3 m and sap flow was independent of the water content of the upper soil profile. Nocturnal sap flow was observed and this was mostly because of incomplete stomatal closure at night.

The effects of electrode potential and the initial concentration of 2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate (dichlorvos, DDVP) on its oxidation/mineralization reaction kinetics, using an electrochemical oxidation system based on SnO 2 -Sb 2 O 5 anodes, have been studied. Electrochemical degradation followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism, with adsorption equilibrium constant K = 0.082 L mg 1 of dichlorvos on the electrode material surface, and reaction rate constant k = 0.021 mg L -1 s 1 of the organic compoundelectrocatalyst adduct. Chemical oxygen demand and CO 2 measurements in neutral media suggest that the rate limiting step for mineralization is the same as for the electrochemical oxidation. The results show that the electrochemical mineralization of dichlorvos was readily possible at potentials more positive than 2.5 V vs. SCE, with lower reaction halflives than obtained with other advanced oxidation process. The fastest overall degradation rate constants were obtained at limiting low concentrations of dichlorvos in aqueous solution, k obs = kK = 0.0017 s 1 .

Environmental gradients and wastewater discharges produce aggregated effects on marine populations, obscuring the detection of human impact. Classical assessment methods do not include environmental effects in toxicity tests designs, which could lead to incorrect conclusions. We proposed a modified Whole Effluent Toxicity test (mWET) that includes environmental gradients in addition to effluent dilutions, together with the application of Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) to assess and decouple those effects. We tested this approach, analyzing the lethal effects of wastewater on a marine sandy beach bivalve affected by an artificial canal freshwater discharge used for rice crops irrigation. To this end, we compared bivalve mortality between canal water dilutions (CWd) and salinity controls (SC: without canal water). CWd were prepared by diluting the water effluent (sampled during the pesticide application period) with artificial marine water. The salinity gradient was included in the design by achieving the same final salinities in both CWd and SC, allowing us to account for the effects of salinity by including this variable as a random factor in the GLMM. Our approach detected significantly higher mortalities in CWd, indicating potential toxic effects of the effluent discharge. mWET represents an improvement over the internationally standardized WET tests, since it considers environmental variability and uses appropriate statistical analyses.

Nancy Artioli, Hanna Solt, Philippe Bazin, Damien Aureau, Arnaud Etcheberry, Séverine Rousseau, Gilbert Blanchard, Najat Moral, Denis Busardo, Alina Bruma, Sylvie Malo, Marco Daturi* 1Laboratoire Catalyse et Spectrochimie, ENSICAEN, Université de Caen, CNRS, 6 Bd Maréchal Juin, 14050 Caen, (France) 2 IREM-Institut Lavoisier, 45 rue des Etats-Unis, 78035 Versailles Cedex, France , 3 PSA Peugeot Citroën Centre Technique de Vélizy A Route de Gisy 78943 Vélizy-Villacoublay, , France 4 Renault Automobiles, Centre Technique de Lardy, 1 Allée de Cornuel, 91510 Lardy, France 5 Scientific Director, Quertech, 9 rue de la Girafe 14000 Caen 6 CRISMAT, UMR CNRS ENSICAEN 6508, 6 bd Maréchal Juin, 14050 Caen Cedex 4, France *marco.daturi@ensicaen.fr

Pt-K/Al 2 O 3 (Pt 1%; K 5.4% wt/wt) catalyst active for the simultaneous Diesel particulate oxidation and NO x reduction have been characterized in comparison with 1% Pt/Al 2 O 3 catalyst. IR spectra of adsorbed CO at -140 • C and at room temperature allowed the detection of oxidized Pt centers and of their very strong oxidizing ability. TPD and IR spectra of adsorbed CO 2 allowed to characterize the basicity of the samples. The data indicate that Pt centers lie in close proximity of potassium oxide species generating basicity.

2020 is the year of wildfire records. California experienced its three largest fires early in its fire season. The Pantanal, the largest wetland on the planet, burned over 20% of its surface. More than 18 million hectares of forest and bushland burned during the 2019–2020 fire season in Australia, killing 33 people, destroying nearly 2500 homes, and endangering many endemic species. The direct cost of damages is being counted in dozens of billion dollars, but the indirect costs on water‐related ecosystem services and benefits could be equally expensive, with impacts lasting for decades. In Australia, the extreme precipitation (“200 mm day −1 in several location”) that interrupted the catastrophic wildfire season triggered a series of watershed effects from headwaters to areas downstream. The increased runoff and erosion from burned areas disrupted water supplies in several locations. These post‐fire watershed hazards via source water contamination, flash floods, and mudslides can re...

Climate drives the coevolution of vegetation and the soil that supports it. Wildfire dramatically affects many key eco‐hydro‐geomorphic processes, but its potential role in coevolution of soil‐forest systems has been largely overlooked. The steep landscapes of southeastern Australia provide an excellent natural laboratory to study the role of fire in the coevolution of soil and forests, as they are characterized by temperate forest types, fire frequencies, and soil depths that vary systematically with aridity. The aims of this study were (i) to test the hypothesis that in Southeastern Australia, fire‐related processes are critical to explain the variations in coevolved soil‐forest system states across an aridity gradient and (ii) to identify the key processes and (iii) feedbacks involved. To achieve these aims, we developed a numerical model that simulates the coevolution of soil‐forest systems which employ eco‐hydro‐geomorphic processes that are typical of the flammable forests of ...