Waste Contamination Research Articles

Utilization of waste with biofuel and fertilizers obtaining

Scientific developments have taken place and there has been offered a new approach to utilization of sediment from municipal sewage for receiving biogas and fertilizers. That will allow for implementation of the zero-emission biotechnologies of receiving biogas and organic- mineral fertilizers from harmful communal wastes. Biogas generating systems of VP - 1 type have been developed and tested in experimental conditions. These systems are able to eliminate harmful waste, receive a complex organic-mineral fertilizer from this waste, increase a few times the exit of gas fuel from the waste as compared to existing fermenters (bioreactors), provide the protection of the environment from organic waste contamination, extend the possibilities of using small bioenergy systems in country cottage yards and farm estates, and increase the efficiency of the energy systems that have to transform waste into fuel.

Graphene oxide for effective radionuclide removal

Here we show the efficacy of graphene oxide (GO) for rapid removal of some of the most toxic and radioactive long-lived human-made radionuclides from contaminated water, even from acidic solutions (pH < 2). The interaction of GO with actinides including Am(III), Th(IV), Pu(IV), Np(V), U(VI) and typical fission products Sr(II), Eu(III) and Tc(VII) were studied, along with their sorption kinetics. Cation/GO coagulation occurs with the formation of nanoparticle aggregates of GO sheets, facilitating their removal. GO is far more effective in removal of transuranium elements from simulated nuclear waste solutions than other routinely used sorbents such as bentonite clays and activated carbon. These results point toward a simple methodology to mollify the severity of nuclear waste contamination, thereby leading to effective measures for environmental remediation.

Diffusion of municipal waste contaminants in compacted lateritic soil treated with bagasse ash

Compacted clay can minimize infiltration of liquid into waste or control the release of contaminated liquids to the surrounding soils and groundwater. Compacted lateritic soil treated with up to 12 % bagasse ash and municipal solid waste (MSW) leachate sourced from a domestic waste land fill were used in diffusion test studies to access the diffusion characteristics of some inorganic species present in the municipal solid waste leachate. Diffusion set-up were prepared containing 0, 4, 8 and 12 % bagasse ash—soil mixes compacted at 2 % wet of optimum using the modified proctor effort. The set up was saturated with water for 30 days before the introduction of MSW leachate and initiation of diffusion test for another 90 days. After diffusion testing, water content within the soil column showed a decrease with depth. Diffusion test results generally showed that diffusion is an active means of transport of chemical species even at very low flow rates in the compacted soil-bagasse ash mixes, and the effective diffusion coefficient is affected by bagasse ash. The pore fluid concentration profile for the various chemical species tested showed that the compacted soil-bagasse ash mix has the capacity to attenuate Ca2+, Pb2+ and Cr3+ ions.

Leaching of Contamination from Stabilization/Solidification Remediated Soils of Different Texture

Abstract Development of soil and groundwater remediation technologies is a matter of great importance to eliminate historically and currently contaminated sites. Stabilization/solidification (S/S) refers to binding of waste contaminants to a more chemically stable form and thus diminishing leaching of contamination. It can be performed using cement with or without additives in order to stabilize and solidify soil with the contamination in matrix. A series of experiments were done to determine leaching properties of spiked soils of different texture bound with cement. Results of experiments showed, that soil texture (content of sand, silt and clay particles) affects the leaching of heavy metals from stabilized soils.

3-12-3 木質震災廃棄物の重金属汚染に対する磁気スクリーニング : 塩竃市,石巻市,釜石市での廃棄物の比較(3-12 原料・燃料化2,Session 3 バイオマス等)

3-12-3 木質震災廃棄物の重金属汚染に対する磁気スクリーニング : 塩竃市,石巻市,釜石市での廃棄物の比較(3-12 原料・燃料化2,Session 3 バイオマス等)

Hazardous Waste Contamination: Implications for Commercial/Industrial Land Transactions in Silicon Valley

More than 400 hazardous waste contamination sites exist in California's Silicon Valley. Zealous enforcement of deanup laws and the threat of litigation have meant that toxic con­ tamination can drastically affect market values of property. Uability insurance to cover cleanup costs is virtually unavail­ able. However, Silicon Valley's competitive commerdal/ industrial real estate market has forced buyers and sellers to allocate the risks posed by contaminated properties instead of immediately terminating transactions. Nine case studies in this article illustrate that many contaminated properties in Silicon Valley continue to sell at near-market prices. Such land transfers are now routinely subject to an array of mech­ anisms designed to internalize the costs of cleanup, includ­ ing in-depth environmental risk assessments, detailed pur­ chase agreements, and long escrow periods during which cleanup can begin.

Tandem mass spectrometry of bilin tetrapyrroles by electrospray ionization and collision-induced dissociation.

Bilins are metabolic products of hosts and bacteria on porphyrins, and are markers of health state and human waste contamination. Although bilin tandem mass spectrometry reports exist, their fragmentation behavior as a function of structure has not been compared, nor has fragmentation been examined as a function of collision energy. The fragmentation of bilins generated by positive ion mode electrospray ionization is examined by collision-induced dissociation (CID). CID on a quadrupole ion trap and on a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer as a function of collision energy is compared. Methyl esterification was used to deduce which product ions contain the inner pyrrole rings. FT-ICR high mass accuracy measurements were used to determine the formulas of the resultant product ions. The central carbon's bonding to the inner pyrrole rings influences fragmentation. Bilirubin is unique because fragmentation adjacent to the central methylene group between innermost rings predominates, and loss of a terminal pyrrole is observed only with helium collision gas. The other bilins lose the terminal pyrroles first; as CID energy is increased, additional fragmentation due to neutral losses of small molecules such as H(2)O, CO, CO(2), and methanol occurs. Based on these observations, fragmentation schemes for the bilins are proposed that are strongly dependent on the molecular structure and collision energy; only bilirubin fragmentation is influenced significantly by the collision gas used. This report should have value in identification of this class of molecules for biomarker detection.

River acid mine drainage: sediment and water mapping through hyperspectral Hymap data

The Odiel River (Huelva, southwest Spain) carries acidic water originating from mine waste contamination, including massive sulphide ore deposits. As the river approaches the coastal estuary, tidal factors influence both sediment and water dynamics. As water velocity decreases, sediment load transport capacity also decreases, building river bars consisting of boulders upstream and sands downstream. Salt water near the estuary affects river water chemistry by neutralizing acidity derived from mine wastes. The occurrence of pyrite mud and hydrated iron sulphate efflorescence, precipitated from acidic waters, is plugged by marine water with chloride, which precipitates from the salt water. Hymap airborne hyperspectral data were used to evaluate tidal influence using spectral features. Grain size variations on river pebble bars, localized crusts of variably hydrated iron sulphate and oxides and cation exchange with chloride salts in the lower river segment as it enters the estuary were spectrally described and mapped. The presence of vegetation proved particularly problematic for the spectral identification of contamination products as well as the precise delineation of inundated areas along the river. The transition from dry to wet zones is the crucial challenge in using spectral imagery to identify and track contaminants in the river and along its flood plain. The use of a reference mineralogical spectral library, developed in the laboratory, requires a careful geological context evaluation to provide efficient environmental information on contamination parameters. Based on hyperspectral analyses of critical spectral features, river locations that may be a key for tracing significant, future contaminant fluctuations were identified.

Degradation Kinetics of Three Veterinary Antibiotics in Composted and Stockpiled Manure

Two typical animal waste management practices, composting and stockpiling, were evaluated for their effect on the degradation of three veterinary antibiotics (VAs), chlortetracycline (CTC), tylosin (TYL), and monensin (MNS). The VAs were applied to horse manure plots subject to composting or stockpiling, and core samples were collected over a period of time. Selected buffer solutions were used to extract the VAs and analysis for concentration was conducted with solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS) technique. The VAs demonstrated rapid dissipation within ten days followed by a gradual decrease in concentration until the end of the experimental period (141 days). All three VAs degraded more rapidly in the composting samples than in the stockpiling samples, particularly between 20 and 60 days of the observation period. Degradation of the three VAs generally followed a first-order kinetic model, and a fitted model with a calculated rate constant was determined for each treatment. TYL in composting showed the fastest degradation, with a calculated rate constant of <TEX>$0.91day^{-1}$</TEX>; the slowest degradation was exhibited by MNS in stockpiling, with rate constant of <TEX>$0.17day^{-1}$</TEX>. Calculated correlation coefficients ranged from 0.89 to 0.96, indicating a strong correlation between measured concentrations and fitted values in this study. Although concentration of TYL in composting treatment showed below detection limit during the test period, this study suggests that composting can reduce animal waste contaminants prior to field application as fertilizer.

Comments Regarding Practice Recommendations of the American Thyroid Association for Radiation Safety in the Treatment of Thyroid Disease with Radioiodine

The authors of the recently published ‘‘Radiation Safety in the Treatment of Patients with Thyroid Diseases by Radioiodine (I): Practice Recommendations of the American Thyroid Association’’ (1) are to be commended for creating a document that reflects the result of countless hours of literature review, survey compilation, discussion, and compromise. This study has systematically applied techniques to achieve as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) exposure to radiation, and this represents a significant step forward in the protection of those coming in contact with individuals treated with I. It effectively communicates newer approaches to assessing the likely maximum dose to another person (usually family) that are not only based on total administered doses but also estimates of clearance and retention. For example, an individual with Graves’ disease with high radioactive iodine uptake who received 10 millicurie (mCi) of I may expose others to more radiation than someone with thyroid cancer post–total thyroidectomy, stimulated with rhTSH and ablated with 100 mCi. We have already modified our institution’s protocols by adapting some of the committee’s recommendations. However, we would like to share our concerns about some of the committee’s recommendations regarding the following. In regard to the section titled ‘‘Post-therapy living situations,’’ the recommendation about sleeping in separate beds, the committee should consider the dynamic clearance of the I as predicted by the expected pharmacokinetics of I. For example, the amount of radioiodine delivered to and retained in the thyroid gland of a patient with Graves’ disease who receives 10 mCi is often greater than the radiation exposure of someone with a multinodular goiter who is either euthyroid or only mildly hyperthyroid receiving 30 mCi. Yet, the former patient would be advised to sleep alone for 3 days, while the latter patient would be told to do so for 11 days. The section entitled ‘‘Personal hygiene’’ contains instructions on the disposal of radioactive trash that cannot be flushed or washed in a routine fashion which require several considerations. First of all, just how much contamination will there be? Highly conscientious, environmentally aware, independently living people are unlikely to generate much radioactive trash. On the other hand, a debilitated, dependent patient, who wears incontinence diapers, is quite likely to produce a significant amount of contamination. Recommendations should, therefore, be based on likely levels of contamination. For example, when considering the use of disposable versus washable utensils, we recommend using washable utensils—as opposed to disposable ones. We instruct patients to wash them separately from the family dishes whenever possible. This minimizes the amount of material that must be stored. When counseling patients about transporting radioactive trash, the recommendation states, ‘‘Bring your specified trash bag back to the treatment facility.’’ We feel that it is not feasible for many urban dwellers who are dependent on public transportation, which should not be used for this purpose, to comply with this recommendation. Further, in regard to the home storage of radioactive trash, it is recommended that, ‘‘After 80 days the bag may be removed as other trash bags.’’ We believe that holding biohazard trash for 80 days poses a hygienic risk and storage challenge for those living in small apartments in multi-unit dwellings. Seeking alternative storage options may force them to compromise their right to privacy and expose others to unnecessary radiation. We recommend landfill disposal after a shorter period for continent patients, such as 4 weeks depending on the sensitivity of local landfill detectors. Incontinent patients should be treated as inpatients. Willegaignon et al.’s (2) experience in Brazil indicates that patient home waste contamination levels were a third of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concentration limit for release criteria. We propose that our professional societies request that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) adopt IAEA limits as reasonable alert levels for waste site monitors. Driving an automobile while potentially impaired by the effects of hypothyroidism has led us to carefully consider our recommendations to patients undergoing thyroid hormone withdrawal procedures. We routinely instruct patients who are overtly hypothyroid not to drive. Consider, for example, the case of a school bus driver with severe hypothyroidism who caused a fatal collision, cited by Rosenthal (3). First and foremost this tragedy could have been prevented by not

Stabilization and Solidification Technology Implementation in Latvia: First Studies

Soil and groundwater are environmental compartments that are primarily affected by industrial development with increasing amount of industrial wastes and inadequate dumping of them. A special attention should be paid to heavy metal contamination at least 56 contaminated territories of National priority are known as contaminated with heavy metals in different amount and concentration in Latvia. The stabilization / solidification technology refers to binding of waste contaminants to a more chemically stable form and thus diminishing leaching of contamination. In order to choose the remediation method the pre-investigation in industrial case study area was done in stages: data analysis of previous research, sampling and testing for the future application of the S/S method. In order to select the most applicable binder material, series of experiments were done to determine leaching properties as well as compression and freezing-thawing tests in order to get information about geotechnical properties of bound soil with Portland cement additive. This was the first pilot research for implementing of this technology in Latvia as the final treatment step in cases of large amount of chemically hazardous wastes.

Changes in bacterial community of anthracene bioremediation in municipal solid waste composting soil

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common contaminants in a municipal solid waste (MSW) composting site. Knowledge of changes in microbial structure is useful to identify particular PAH degraders. However, the microbial community in the MSW composting soil and its change associated with prolonged exposure to PAHs and subsequent biodegradation remain largely unknown. In this study, anthracene was selected as a model compound. The bacterial community structure was investigated using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) and 16S rRNA gene clone library analysis. The two bimolecular tools revealed a large shift of bacterial community structure after anthracene amendment and subsequent biodegradation. Genera Methylophilus, Mesorhizobium, and Terrimonas had potential links to anthracene biodegradation, suggesting a consortium playing an active role.

Characterization of post-consumer polyolefin wastes by hyperspectral imaging for quality control in recycling processes

In this paper new analytical inspection strategies, based on hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in the VIS–NIR and NIR wavelength ranges (400–1000 and 1000–1700 nm, respectively), have been investigated and set up in order to define quality control logics that could be applied at industrial plant level for polyolefins recycling. The research was developed inside the European FP7 Project W2Plastics “Magnetic Sorting and Ultrasound Sensor Technologies for Production of High Purity Secondary Polyolefins from Waste”. The main aim of the project is the separation of pure polyethylene and polypropylene adopting an innovative process, the magnetic density separation (MDS). Spectra of plastic particles and contaminants resulting from post-consumer complex wastes and of virgin polyolefins have been acquired by HSI and by Raman spectroscopy. The classification results obtained applying principal component analysis (PCA) on HSI data have been compared with those obtained by Raman spectroscopy, in order to validate the proposed innovative methodology. Results showed that HSI sensing techniques allow to identify both polyolefins and contaminants. Results also demonstrated that HSI has a great potentiality as a tool for quality control of feed (identification of contaminants in the plastic waste) and of the two different pure polypropylene and polyethylene flow streams resulting from the MDS-based recycling process.

Characterization and Inventory of PCDD/Fs and PBDD/Fs Emissions from the Incineration of Waste Printed Circuit Board

Many developing countries have not significantly changed their course with regard to electronic waste contamination, and they are still facing the specter of mountains of hazardous electronic waste, with serious consequences for both the environment and public health. An efficient and stable analytical method was developed to determine the inventory and emission factors of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) formed from the incineration of scrap printed circuit boards (PCBs). Both PBDD/Fs and PCDD/Fs have been found in all experimental sections with a maximum formation rate at temperatures between 250 and 400 °C. The amounts tended first to increase and then began to decrease as the temperature rose. When subjected to a heating temperature of 325 °C, the total content of twelve 2,3,7,8-substituted PBDD/Fs congeners (tetra- through octabromo-) gathered from three outputs was the largest, at 19 000, 160 000, and 57 ng TEQ/kg in solid, liquid, and gaseous fractions, respectively; the total content of seventeen 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/Fs congeners (tetra- through octachloro-) was 820, 550, and 1.4 ng TEQ/kg. The formation of PCDD/Fs was remarkably less than that of PBDD/Fs because bromine concentrations considerably exceeded chlorine concentrations. The ingredients and conditions necessary to form PCDD/Fs or PBDD/Fs were definitely present, such as products of incomplete combustion, halogenides, an oxidizing atmosphere, and a catalyst-Cu salts being the most effective, significantly increasing the yields of PCDD/Fs and PBDD/Fs and decreasing the optimum temperature range.

Immobilizing silver nanoparticles onto the surface of magnetic silica composite to prepare magnetic disinfectant with enhanced stability and antibacterial activity

In this article, silver nanoparticles inlaid Fe 3O 4–SiO 2 magnetic composite (Fe 3O 4–SiO 2–Ag) was successfully synthesized and its potential application as an antibacterial material in water disinfection was investigated. Silver nanoparticles, with diameter of about 10 nm, were anchored homogeneously and tightly onto the silica coat of Fe 3O 4–SiO 2 magnetic nanoparticles, which increased the antibacterial abilities by avoiding the aggregation of Ag nanoparticles. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of Fe 3O 4–SiO 2–Ag magnetic composite to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 15.625 mg L −1 and 31.25 mg L −1, respectively, and the minimum bactericidal concentrations were 250 mg L −1 and 500 mg L −1, respectively. In inactivation experiment, 150 mg L −1 of Fe 3O 4–SiO 2–Ag disinfectant in 150 mL of normal saline solution could kill 99.9% of the tested bacteria within 60 min. Paper disk diffusion assay also showed excellent antibacterial abilities to both E. coli and S. aureus. The silica coat not only acted as a supporting matrix, but also enhanced the stability of the disinfectant. The obtained Fe 3O 4–SiO 2–Ag composite has a high magnetic saturation value of 75 emu g −1, which indicates that the composite can be recovered from water solution for reuse through magnetic separation and the waste and possible contamination of disinfectant to environment are avoided.

Distribution of rare earth elements in marine sediments from the Strait of Sicily (western Mediterranean Sea): Evidence of phosphogypsum waste contamination

Concentrations of rare earth elements (REE), Y, Th and Sc were recently determined in marine sediments collected using a box corer along two onshore–offshore transects located in the Strait of Sicily (Mediterranean Sea). The REE+Y were enriched in offshore fine-grained sediments where clay minerals are abundant, whereas the REE+Y contents were lower in onshore coarse-grained sediments with high carbonate fractions. Considering this distribution trend, the onshore sediments in front of the southwestern Sicilian coast represent an anomaly with high REE+Y concentrations (mean value 163.4μgg−1) associated to high Th concentrations (mean value 7.9μgg−1). Plot of shale-normalized REE+Y data of these coastal sediments showed Middle REE enrichments relative to Light REE and Heavy REE, manifested by a convexity around Sm–Gd–Eu elements. These anomalies in the fractionation patterns of the coastal sediments were attributed to phosphogypsum-contaminated effluents from an industrial plant, located in the southern Sicilian coast.

Molecular detection, quantification and characterization of human polyomavirus JC from waste water in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Polyomavirus JC (JCPyV) is largely excreted by the human population through the urinary route and has been recognized as a potential viral marker for human waste contamination. This study aims to investigate the dissemination of JCPyV in waste water from a sewage treatment plant (STP) located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and to describe the prevalence of JCPyV subtypes currently present in this population. Raw and treated sewage samples were collected bimonthly during one year, and examined for the presence of JCPyV using nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) and quantitative real time PCR (qPCR). JCPyV was detected by nPCR in 96% and 43% of raw and treated sewage samples, respectively. The concentration of JCPyV present in the samples ranged from 1.2x10(3) to 3.2x10(5) and 2.6x10(2) to 6.2x10(3) genome copies per 2 ml of concentrated raw and treated sewage sample, respectively. The strains were characterized and the obtained nucleotide sequences indicated that the detected JCPyV strains clustered with subtypes of East African, West African and European origin. To our knowledge, this is the first study describing the incidence and diversity of JCPyV strains in raw and treated sewage in Brazil.

Discrimination of Farm Waste Contamination by Fluorescence Spectroscopy Coupled with Multivariate Analysis during a Biodegradation Study

The persistence of potential tracers of dissolved organic matter (DOM) generated from farm waste-amended soil was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with classification and regression tree (CART) and principal component analysis (PCA) during a short-term (8 days) to midterm (60 days) biodegradation study. Pig manure (PM), cow manure (CM), wheat straw (WS), and soil alone (SA) treatment inputs were used. Waste amendments were potential sources of higher DOM concentrations. PCA revealed the DOM quality differences between farm wastes and soil alone as well as a significant shift observed from the biochemical to the geochemical fluorescent fraction in SA and PM treatments. The tryptophan:Humic-Like ratio and tryptophan zone were the potential discriminators of recent and midterm pollution by farm wastes. Integral intensities of the Fulvic-Like zone and region III discriminated the PM from CM and WS during the 60 days. CART analysis showed 90 and 100% potential for farm wastes discrimination from soil during P1 and P2, respectively. The prediction successes were 72 and 57% for PM from other wastes and 60 and 100% for WS during both periods. Fluorescence spectroscopy in combination with CART analysis can be a nondestructive innovative method for monitoring susceptible farm waste contamination.

Mg-Cu-Al layered double hydroxides based catalysts for the reduction of nitrates in aqueous solutions

The secondary waste and bacterial contamination in physico-chemical and biological separation processes used today for nitrate removal from ground water make novel catalytic technologies that convert nitrates to unharmful gaseous nitrogen, very attractive for scientific research. The Mg-Cu-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) based catalysts with different Mg/Al ratio were investigated in water denitrification reaction in the presence of hydrogen and with solely copper as an active phase. Since LDHs have ion exchange properties and their derived mixed oxides possess memory effect (restoration of layered structure after thermal decomposition), their adsorption capacity for nitrates was also measured in the same model system. All studied samples showed nitrate removal from 23% to 62% following the decrease in Al content, as well as the substantial adsorption capacity ranging from 18% to 38%. These results underlie the necessity to take into account the effects of the adsorption in all future investigations.

Analysis of a finite-volume-finite-element scheme for a nuclear transport model

We consider a problem of nuclear waste contamination, taking into account thermal effects. The temperature and the contaminant's concentration obey convection-diffusion reaction equations. The velocity and the pressure in the flow satisfy the Darcy equation, with a viscosity depending on both concentrations and temperature. The equations are nonlinear and strongly coupled. Using both finite-volume and nonconforming finite-element methods, we introduce a scheme adapted to this problem. We prove the convergence of this scheme and give error estimates.