Wastewater Disposal Site Research Articles

Improving the efficiency of energy saving through the use of thermal energy

The article analyzes the problem of energy saving in the context of organizational and technical measures. One of the energy saving factors is the use of waste heat of various potential. The advantages of using waste heat in the energy sector and the scope of their application are considered. Power plants for waste processing and their parameters are described. Examples of the creation of special energy devices for the chemical industry are given. The connection of internal (by-product) energy resources (IER) with technologies using melting furnaces is noted. The boundaries of the use of heat recovery boilers (HRB) in various industries are determined. The schemes of HRB application at the wastewater disposal site with quantitative and qualitative characteristics are given. A method for improving economizers using bimetallic pipes and heat exchangers is given. The use of batteries in the disposal and consumption of waste heat is justified. The ways of increasing the efficiency of compressed air systems and the features of using arc steelmaking furnaces to reduce energy consumption are considered. The comparison of local heat supply schemes with regenerative ones is carried out and the prospects for the development of these schemes are noted.

METODE ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROPHOTOMETRY UNTUK MENDETEKSI KANDUNGAN LOGAM BESI (Fe) DAN MERKURI (Hg) DALAM LIMBAH OUTLET

Wastewater is a contemporary problem as population density increases. Every household living in urban areas will definitely need a waste water disposal site. This research was conducted to determine the levels of iron and mercury. This is done to ensure that the levels of ferrous metal and mercury in the outlet comply with predetermined requirements. The side effect of metal iron and mercury is that if the outlet contains too many levels, the outlet cannot be channeled directly to residential areas, which if released can endanger the health of the community. Quantitative tests were carried out to determine iron content using the flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry method at a wavelength of 248.3 nm and to determine mercury content using the Mercury Vaporizer Unit (MVU) method using atomic absorption spectrophotometry at a wavelength of 253.7 nm. The results of testing for ferrous metal levels in the outlet sample were 0.1969 mg/L. Meanwhile, the mercury level in the outlet sample was 0.0012 mg/L, based on Minister of Environment and Forestry RI No. 05 of 2014 it can be concluded that the levels of ferrous metal (Fe) and mercury (Hg) contained in the outlet wastewater are below the established environmental quality standards.

A systematic approach to derive natural background levels in groundwater: Application to an aquifer in North Lebanon perturbed by various pollution sources

Several efforts have recently emerged to develop methods capable of determining groundwater natural background levels (NBLs) due to their utmost importance in assessing water quality. A recently developed systematic approach to derive NBLs is the Khadra-Stuyfzand (KS) scheme. It has a clear and standardized flow with multi-steps to eliminate biased or contaminated samples, and hence it is capable of dealing with different pollution sources as well as saltwater intrusion. This method was applied to the Koura-Tripoli-Zgharta (KTZ) Miocene aquifer of coastal North Lebanon. It derived baseline conditions for 2 physical, 16 chemical, and 3 bacteriological parameters in addition to 8 trace elements, and 83 pesticides, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds. The results revealed the extent of anthropogenic shift from background levels, and delineated the main contaminated spots. In fact, the established groundwater baseline composition is typical of limestone aquifers with oligohaline-fresh, moderate alkalinity, calcium bicarbonate water, under freshening conditions. Nonetheless, this quality is locally degraded by microbial contamination due to wastewater disposal sites, saltwater intrusion, and minor nutrient loading from agricultural activities and/or urban development. The measured concentrations of major water ions and a variety of drinking water contaminants (e.g. nutrients, pesticides, hydrocarbons, and heavy metals) are below human health benchmarks, but the microbiological content at several spots has exceeded the permissible limits which renders the water unsuitable for domestic use, and calls for prompt mitigation measures.

Monitoring Olive Oil Mill Wastewater Disposal Sites Using Sentinel-2 and PlanetScope Satellite Images: Case Studies in Tunisia and Greece

Mediterranean countries are known worldwide for their significant contribution to olive oil production, which generates large amounts of olive mill wastewater (OMW) that degrades land and water environments near the disposal sites. OMW consists of organic substances with high concentrations of phenolic compounds along with inorganic particles. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of satellite image analysis techniques using multispectral satellite data with high (PlanetScope, 3 × 3 m) and medium (Sentinel-2, 10 × 10 m) spatial resolution to detect Olive Mill Wastewater (OMW) disposal sites, both in the SidiBouzid region (Tunisia) and in the broader Rethymno region on the island of Crete, (Greece). Documentation of the sites was carried out by collecting spectral signatures of OMW at temporal periods. The study integrates the application of a variety of spectral vegetation indices (VIs), such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), in order to evaluate their efficiency in detecting OMW disposal areas. Furthermore, a set of image-processing methods was applied on satellite images to improve the monitoring of OMW ponds including the false-color composites (FCC), the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and image fusion. Finally, different classification algorithms, such as the ISODATA, the maximum likelihood (ML), and the Support Vector Machine (SVM) were applied to both satellite images in order to assist in the overall approach to effectively detect the sites. The results obtained from different approaches were compared, evaluating the efficiency of Sentinel-2 and PlanetScope images to detect and monitor OMW disposal areas under different morphological environments.

GIS-based multi-criteria evaluation for olive mill wastewater disposal site selection

The installation of an olive mill wastewater (OMW) disposal site without well-defined standards and constraints may cause undesirable long-term effects on soils and groundwater. In Tunisia and other developing countries, there are no solid waste control regulations to control the location selection of disposal sites. In this study, the OMW disposal site criteria established in Greece, Turkey, and China’s regulations were used to select the best location for the OMW disposal site in the Sidi Bouzid region of Tunisia. The multi-criteria analysis was performed using a geographic information system (GIS) combined with the different functions of the fuzzy set method for suitability criteria. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to assign the weight of selected criteria and the weighted linear combination (WLC) aggregation method is displayed to create the final OMW disposal site. The obtained results show that the selection of suitable OMW disposal sites is based on different norms, given the spatial differences of the selected areas. The final decision is based on the selection of the strictest solid waste control regulations which takes into consideration environmental and socio-economic effects.

Spatial distribution of water quality in Belawan River, North Sumatra

Belawan river is one of the rivers in North Sumatera Province. Belawan river which crosses Deli Serdang District and Medan City is used for the activities of plantation, agriculture, livestock, sand mining, a place for bathing and washing as well as serving as a lavatory, hospital, hotel, settlements, and industry. Utilization of the river as a wastewater disposal site can cause a decrease in the quality of river water. The purpose of this research was to analyze the Belawan river water quality spatially. Water sampling was taken at nine points which included three upstream segment points in Deli Serdang District, three middle segment points in Deli Serdang District and Medan City, and three downstream segment points in Deli Serdang District. Based on the results of the research it can be concluded that the value of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) at several monitoring points in Belawan river has exceeded the water quality standard limits of class I Government Regulation of Republic of Indonesia Number 82 the year 2001 and North Sumatera Governor Regulation Number 21 the year 2006.

A geostatistical analysis of seismicity in Oklahoma using regression trees and neural networks

ABSTRACT Induced seismicity in the mid-continental United States remains an ongoing concern. In 2016, 4,672 small-magnitude earthquakes occurred in Oklahoma, which now ranks number one for earthquake frequency in the United States. It is thought that this rise in seismicity is related to wastewater disposal (WWD) into Oklahoma’s subsurface near previously inactive faults. Here we model these earthquake frequencies using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), spatial analysis, and machine learning statistical processes. Data representing WWD sites considered Area of Interest (AOI) by the Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS) and Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) were used, as well as the 2016 Oklahoma earthquake and fault data. Euclidean distance values from each earthquake to its nearest WWD site, nearest fault, and average fluid injection rate at each nearest AOI WWD site were used to develop two non-parametric regression models using Classification and Regression Trees (CART) and Neural Networks (NN). Results show (NN R2 = 0.745, RMSE = 0.47; CART R2 = 0.62, RMSE = 0.31) that proximity to AOI WWD sites, fluid injection rates, and adjacency to subsurface faults are sufficient to model seismicity in north-central Oklahoma. These results provide further support for the need for more restrictive guidelines related to WWD.

A Paleoenvironmental Study Tracking Eutrophication, Mining Pollution, and Climate Change in Niven Lake, the First Sewage Lagoon of Yellowknife (Northwest Territories) + Supplementary Appendix 1 (See Article Tools)

Niven Lake was the first wastewater disposal site for the City of Yellowknife (Northwest Territories, Canada), receiving domestic sewage for more than 30 years. Here, we used a high-resolution sediment core to track past sewage inputs to Niven Lake by comparing changes in sedimentary sterols and three diagnostic ratios for human fecal contamination, as well as biological assemblages and overall lake production, with the known history of sewage inputs to the lake from 1948 to 1981. Coprostanol, often considered the best indicator of human fecal contamination, increased by ~8% between depths of 7.5 cm and 5 cm (~1950 to 1981) and was more reliable in tracking sewage contamination than diagnostic sterol ratios. Muted responses in subfossil diatom and chironomid assemblages were noted during the time of sewage inputs, and similar responses have been reported in other eutrophic Arctic sites, as well as in many macrophyte-dominated shallow lakes in general. More marked shifts in diatoms and chironomids occurred a decade after the end of sewage inputs, in the 1990s, a time that closely aligned with the warmest years on record for Yellowknife. This post–sewage era response was indicative of anoxia and possibly of positive feedback from internal phosphorus loading. The response may have been facilitated by recent climate warming, resulting in a lagging recovery from eutrophication. Changes in the diatoms and chironomids of Niven Lake were also indicative of metal pollution, suggesting that the lake has experienced the compounding effects of arsenic contamination from nearby gold mining.

Metabolic and Evolutionary Insights in the Transformation of Diphenylamine by a Pseudomonas putida Strain Unravelled by Genomic, Proteomic, and Transcription Analysis.

Diphenylamine (DPA) is a common soil and water contaminant. A Pseudomonas putida strain, recently isolated from a wastewater disposal site, was efficient in degrading DPA. Thorough knowledge of the metabolic capacity, genetic stability and physiology of bacteria during biodegradation of pollutants is essential for their future industrial exploitation. We employed genomic, proteomic, transcription analyses and plasmid curing to (i) identify the genetic network of P. putida driving the microbial transformation of DPA and explore its evolution and origin and (ii) investigate the physiological response of bacterial cells during degradation of DPA. Genomic analysis identified (i) two operons encoding a biphenyl (bph) and an aniline (tdn) dioxygenase, both flanked by transposases and (ii) two operons and several scattered genes encoding the ortho-cleavage of catechol. Proteomics identified 11 putative catabolic proteins, all but BphA1 up-regulated in DPA- and aniline-growing cells, and showed that the bacterium mobilized cellular mechanisms to cope with oxidative stress, probably induced by DPA and its derivatives. Transcription analysis verified the role of the selected genes/operons in the metabolic pathway: DPA was initially transformed to aniline and catechol by a biphenyl dioxygenase (DPA-dioxygenase); aniline was then transformed to catechol which was further metabolized via the ortho-cleavage pathway. Plasmid curing of P. putida resulted in loss of the DPA and aniline dioxygenase genes and the corresponding degradation capacities. Overall our findings provide novel insights into the evolution of the DPA degradation pathway and suggests that the degradation capacity of P. putida was acquired through recruitment of the bph and tdn operons via horizontal gene transfer.

Bioaugmentation of thiabendazole-contaminated soils from a wastewater disposal site: Factors driving the efficacy of this strategy and the diversity of the indigenous soil bacterial community.

The application of the fungicide thiabendazole (TBZ) in fruit packaging plants (FPP) results in the production of effluents which are often disposed in adjacent field sites. These require remediation to prevent further environmental dispersal of TBZ. We assessed the bioaugmentation potential of a newly isolated TBZ-degrading bacterial consortium in a naturally contaminated soil (NCS) exhibiting a natural gradient of TBZ levels (12000, 400, 250 and 12mgkg-1). The effect of aging on bioaugmentation efficacy was comparatively tested in a soil with similar physicochemical properties and soil microbiota, which was artificially, contaminated with the same TBZ levels (ACS). The impact of bioaugmentation and TBZ on the bacterial diversity in the NCS was explored via amplicon sequencing. Bioaugmentation effectively removed TBZ from both soils at levels up to 400mgkg-1 but failed at the highest contamination level (12000mgkg-1). Dissipation of TBZ in bioaugmented samples showed a concentration-dependent pattern, while aging of TBZ had a slight effect on bioaugmentation efficiency. Bioaugmentation had no impact on the soil bacterial diversity, in contrast to TBZ contamination. Soils from the hotspots of TBZ contamination (12000mgkg-1) showed a drastically lower α-diversity driven by the dominance of β- and γ-proteobacteria at the expense of all other bacterial phyla, especially Actinobacteria. Overall, bioaugmentation with specialized microbial inocula could be an effective solution for the recovery of disposal sites contaminated with persistent chemicals like TBZ.

An Advanced Clarification Process for Treating Produced Waters

Summary An advanced clarification process that was based on enhanced floc removal with magnetite and magnetic ballast [M2 Water Treatment's Magnetic Ballast Clarification (MBC) system] was evaluated in a field study at a hydraulic-fracture wastewater disposal site in southwest Texas. In this process, suspended solids are chemically flocculated in the presence of magnetite, rendering dense floc particles that are also magnetic. Flocculated solids with high settling rates are removed by gravity separation. The settled solids are then removed by use of drum-styled magnetics. Magnetite is recovered and reused. Although technically called clarification, the MBC process is governed by magnetic flux as opposed to gravity forces, allowing for a much smaller unit footprint, a unit that is portable for mobile use, and more dynamic control compared with conventional clarification. Produced water from a total of nine wells was processed during a period of several weeks in July and August 2015 in a 5-gal/min (171-B/D) pilot unit. Most tests were operated at approximately 3.1 gal/min (106 B/D) for consistency with the highly variable wastes encountered. Treated water sufficiently met criteria for reuse on the basis of oil and grease (O&G), total suspended solids, and turbidity removal. The cost included two hypothetical treatment-plant sizes: a local processing unit plant (2,380 B/D or 100,000 gal/D) and a larger regional treatment system (11,900 B/D or 500,000 gal/D). Costs ranged from USD 0.79/bbl for the smaller treatment option to USD 0.22/bbl for the larger option, which included chemical costs and amortized (10 years) capital costs, installation, and labor. Estimates were based on assumptions for water requirements and treatment needs in the Barnett, Marcellus, and Eagle Ford shale plays, and included assumptions on freshwater availability, trucking costs, and treatment costs.

The geochemistry of naturally occurring methane and saline groundwater in an area of unconventional shale gas development

Since naturally occurring methane and saline groundwater are nearly ubiquitous in many sedimentary basins, delineating the effects of anthropogenic contamination sources is a major challenge for evaluating the impact of unconventional shale gas development on water quality. This study investigates the geochemical variations of groundwater and surface water before, during, and after hydraulic fracturing and in relation to various geospatial parameters in an area of shale gas development in northwestern West Virginia, United States. To our knowledge, we are the first to report a broadly integrated study of various geochemical techniques designed to distinguish natural from anthropogenic sources of natural gas and salt contaminants both before and after drilling. These measurements include inorganic geochemistry (major cations and anions), stable isotopes of select inorganic constituents including strontium (87Sr/86Sr), boron (δ11B), lithium (δ7Li), and carbon (δ13C-DIC), select hydrocarbon molecular (methane, ethane, propane, butane, and pentane) and isotopic tracers (δ13C-CH4, δ13C-C2H6), tritium (3H), and noble gas elemental and isotopic composition (helium, neon, argon) in 105 drinking-water wells, with repeat testing in 33 of the wells (total samples=145). In a subset of wells (n=20), we investigated the variations in water quality before and after the installation of nearby (<1km) shale-gas wells. Methane occurred above 1 ccSTP/L in 37% of the groundwater samples and in 79% of the samples with elevated salinity (chloride>50mg/L). The integrated geochemical data indicate that the saline groundwater originated via naturally occurring processes, presumably from the migration of deeper methane-rich brines that have interacted extensively with coal lithologies. These observations were consistent with the lack of changes in water quality observed in drinking-water wells following the installation of nearby shale-gas wells. In contrast to groundwater samples that showed no evidence of anthropogenic contamination, the chemistry and isotope ratios of surface waters (n=8) near known spills or leaks occurring at disposal sites mimicked the composition of Marcellus flowback fluids, and show direct evidence for impact on surface water by fluids accidentally released from nearby shale-gas well pads and oil and gas wastewater disposal sites. Overall this study presents a comprehensive geochemical framework that can be used as a template for assessing the sources of elevated hydrocarbons and salts to water resources in areas potentially impacted by oil and gas development.

Quantitative estimates of flash flood discharge into waste water disposal sites in Wadi Al Saaf, the Eastern Desert of Egypt

Abstract: The hydrology of Wadi Al Saaf was investigated to estimate the quantitative parameters of flash flood and its interaction with the landuse using multitude of remote sensing data, digital elevation models (DEM), field work and topographic survey. The waste water is being conveyed into the lower part of this catchment through a transient drain “Al Saaf Drain” and the newly constructed treatment plant for “Al Saaf City”. The flash flood of May 2014 was completely trapped into the oxidation pools of the treatment plant and its surrounding low areas in the wadi floor. The active channels and accumulated water bodies of this flash flood were traced from the satellite images acquired shortly after the event. The DEM was analyzed into geographic information system (GIS) to estimate the distributed unit hydrograph given the application of Manning's for the open channel flow equation. The surveyed cross-sectional areas of the active channels and their equivalent hydraulic radii gave a mean peak discharge of 110 m 3 per second. The estimated net discharge was 2.1 million cubic meters as calculated from the surveyed topography for the pools and depressions areas, which trapped that flash flood. The wadi is dominated by surface runoff as the percolation into the underlying alluvium is very limited due to the occurrence of thick Pliocene clays few meters below the surface. Furthermore, the seepage of waste water from “Al Saaf Drain” into the artificial depressions of the clay quarries has created massive ponds which are susceptible to breaching by the flash floods. Therefore, the interaction of flash floods with the water bodies in the catchment must be prevented in order to advert any negative environmental consequences. Moreover, the cultivation of edible crops with the waste water is being practiced; this research has suggested specific mitigation measures to be taken to achieve sustainability for the water resources management.

Tolerance of Macrophytes and Grasses to Sodium and Chemical Oxygen Demand in Winery Wastewater

Winery wastewater often contains elevated concentrations of sodium (Na), and has a high chemical oxygen demand (COD). In constructed wetlands, Na may be removed through phytoremediation by such macrophytic plants as Typha latifolia, Juncus acutus and Scirpus maritimus. The relative abilities of these plants to absorb Na, and to tolerate high COD wastewaters was determined in a glasshouse pot trial. Also tested were Pennisetum clandestinum (Kikuyu) and Vetiveria zizanioides (Vetiver) grass, which are used on wastewater disposal sites. Treatments consisted of factorial combinations of Na and COD. Toxicity symptoms were not apparent below 16.2 μM Na/L < 5 000 mg COD L, but were marked at ≥ 40 μM Na/L and ≥ 15 000 mg COD/L. Of the macrophytes, J. acutus was the least affected by high Na and COD levels. Averaged across the Na and COD treatments, total plant dry mass (DM) in the macrophytes peaked at 40 μM Na/L, as did ability to tolerate COD. The total Na in the top growth was greatest in J. acutus from which 61.4 mg Na/plant (767 mg/m2) could potentially be harvested after six months. Equivalent figures for T. latifolia and S. maritimus were 38.8 and 25.0 g/plant, respectively. Of the grasses, P. clandestinum produced 35% more total DM than V. zizanioides. Top-growth Na contents were, respectively, 1427 and 29.1 mg/ plant. To maximise Na uptake in harvestable plant components, J. acutus should be planted in wetlands, and P. clandestinum in pastures used for wastewater disposal.

Endocrine disrupting activities of surface water associated with a West Virginia oil and gas industry wastewater disposal site

Currently, >95% of end disposal of hydraulic fracturing wastewater from unconventional oil and gas operations in the US occurs via injection wells. Key data gaps exist in understanding the potential impact of underground injection on surface water quality and environmental health. The goal of this study was to assess endocrine disrupting activity in surface water at a West Virginia injection well disposal site. Water samples were collected from a background site in the area and upstream, on, and downstream of the disposal facility. Samples were solid-phase extracted, and extracts assessed for agonist and antagonist hormonal activities for five hormone receptors in mammalian and yeast reporter gene assays. Compared to reference water extracts upstream and distal to the disposal well, samples collected adjacent and downstream exhibited considerably higher antagonist activity for the estrogen, androgen, progesterone, glucocorticoid and thyroid hormone receptors. In contrast, low levels of agonist activity were measured in upstream/distal sites, and were inhibited or absent at downstream sites with significant antagonism. Concurrent analyses by partner laboratories (published separately) describe the analytical and geochemical profiling of the water; elevated conductivity as well as high sodium, chloride, strontium, and barium concentrations indicate impacts due to handling of unconventional oil and gas wastewater. Notably, antagonist activities in downstream samples were at equivalent authentic standard concentrations known to disrupt reproduction and/or development in aquatic animals. Given the widespread use of injection wells for end-disposal of hydraulic fracturing wastewater, these data raise concerns for human and animal health nearby.

Assessment of land suitability for olive mill wastewater disposal site selection by integrating fuzzy logic, AHP, and WLC in a GIS.

This paper presents a geographic information system-based multi-criteria site selection tool of an olive mill wastewater (OMW) disposal site in Sidi Bouzid Region, Tunisia. The multi-criteria decision framework integrates ten constraints and six factors that relate to environmental and economic concerns, and builds a hierarchy model for OMW disposal site suitability. The methodology is used for preliminary assessment of the most suitable OMW disposal sites by combining fuzzy set theory and analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The fuzzy set theory is used to standardize factors using different fuzzy membership functions while the AHP is used to establish the relative importance of the criteria. The AHP makes pairwise comparisons of relative importance between hierarchy elements grouped by both environmental and economic decision criteria. The OMW disposal site suitability is achieved by applying a weighted linear combination that uses a comparison matrix to aggregate different importance scenarios associated with environmental and economic objectives. Three different scenarios generated by different weights applied to the two objectives. The scenario (a) assigns a weight of 0.75 to the environmental and 0.25 to the economic objective, scenario (b) has equal weights, and scenario (c) features weights of 0.25 and 0.75 for environmental and economic objectives, respectively. The results from this study assign the least suitable OMW disposal site of 2.5 % when environmental and economic objectives are rated equally, while a more suitable OMW disposal site of 1.0 % is generated when the economic objective is rated higher.

The Pollution Effects of Indiscriminate Disposal of Wastewater on Soil in Semi-Urban Area

The disposal of wastewater is a problem of great concern throughout the world specifically in developing countries. This study investigates the impact of indiscriminate wastewater disposal on soil in Akindeko and Abiola halls of residence at the Federal University of Technology, Akure Nigeria. Soil samples were taken from the wastewater disposal site at the surface and varying depths of 10 cm and 20 cm while the control samples were taken 10 m away from the polluted soil surface. Physico-chemical and bacteriological properties determined include; colour, odour, soil weight, particle weight, bulk density, porosity, pH, Copper, Manganese, Zinc, Lead, Cadmium, Cobalt, Iron, Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, bacteria, fungi and coliforms. The results showed that all the physicochemical and bacteriological properties of the soils have relatively high concentration indicating pollution compared to the control samples. The pH ranged from 8.7 to 7.2 while Ca and K have a range of 1277 ppm to 773 ppm and 1273 ppm to 754 ppm respectively. The highest concentration of Zn and Mn are19.30 ppm and 11.70 ppm respectively. It is recommended that a sustainable wastewater treatment plant should be provided to treat all wastewater generated from all hall of residence in the university and at the same time the soils in the area require various remediation technologies like bioremediation and phytoremediation by growing certain plants in the area to minimize the rate of contamination and extent of future pollution problems. This will go a long way in preventing environmental pollution in the study area.Keywords: Wastewater, Pollution, Heavy metals, Soil, Semi-urban

Isolation and characterisation of a Sphingomonas strain able to degrade the fungicide ortho-phenylphenol.

Ortho-phenylphenol (OPP) is a fungicide used in fruit packaging plants for the control of fungal infestations during storage. Its application leads to the production of large wastewater volumes which according to the European legislation should be treated on site. In spite of this, no efficient treatment systems are currently available, and the development of biological systems based on tailored-made pesticide-degrading inocula for the treatment of these wastewaters is an appealing solution. Enrichment cultures from a soil collected from a wastewater disposal site resulted in the isolation of a pure Sphingomonas haloaromaticamans strain P3 able to degrade rapidly OPP and use it as an energy source. Its degrading capacity was dependent on the external supply of amino acids or on the presence of other bacteria that did not contribute to fungicide degradation. The isolated S. haloaromaticamans strain was able to metabolise up to 150 mg L(-1) of OPP within 7 days, in a wide range of pH (4.5-9) and temperatures (4-37 °C), and in the presence of other pesticides (thiabendazole and diphenylamine) co-used in the fruit packaging industry. Overall, the OPP-degrading bacterium isolated showed high potential for use in future biodepuration treatment systems and bioremediation strategies.

Geostatistical estimation of risk for soil and water in the vicinity of olive mill wastewater disposal sites

Olive mill wastewater (OMW) is often disposed of in poorly engineered evaporation ponds or various environmental receptors in most Mediterranean countries causing contamination of soils and water bodies. The aim of this work is to estimate the risk for soils and waters as a result of OMW disposal in an area of 15 km2 at Rethymnon, island of Crete, Greece. Soil, surface, and groundwater samples were collected over a period of five years and geostatistics using the kriging approach was considered for the assessment of risk. Risk maps for several pollutants, namely phenols, Ni, Cr, and available P, in soil and water were produced. The results of the study indicate the presence of hot spots in the area under investigation, mainly in the vicinity of OMW disposal sites. Finally, the fate of contaminants in affected media is discussed and a framework for monitoring of soils and water bodies in areas affected by OMW disposal is proposed.

Seismological and geodetic constraints on the 2011Mw5.3 Trinidad, Colorado earthquake and induced deformation in the Raton Basin

AbstractThe Raton Basin of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico is an actively produced hydrocarbon basin that has experienced increased seismicity since 2001, including the August 2011Mw5.3 Trinidad normal faulting event. Following the 2011 earthquake, regional seismic observations were used to relocate 21 events, including the 2011 main shock, two foreshocks, and 13 aftershocks. Additionally, interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) observations of both the 2011 event and preevent basin deformation place constraint on the spatial kinematics of the 2011 event and localized basin subsidence due to ground water or gas withdrawal. We find that the 2011 earthquake ruptured an 8–10 km long segment of a normal fault at depths of 1.5–6.0 km within the crystalline Precambrian basement underlying the Raton Basin sedimentary rocks. The earthquake also nucleated within the crystalline basement in the vicinity of an active wastewater disposal site. The ensuing aftershock sequence demonstrated statistical properties expected for intraplate earthquakes, though the length of the 2011 earthquake is unexpectedly long for anMw5.3 event, suggesting that wastewater disposal may have triggered a low stress drop, otherwise natural earthquake. Additionally, preevent and postevent seismicity in the Raton Basin spatially correlates to regions of subsidence observed in InSAR time series analysis. While these observations cannot discern a causal link between hydrocarbon production and seismicity, they constrain spatial relationships between active basin deformation and geological and anthropogenic features. Furthermore, the InSAR observations highlight the utility of space‐based geodetic observations for monitoring and assessing anthropogenically induced and triggered deformation.