Removal of organic contaminants in bioretention medium amended with activated carbon from sewage sludge

Bioretention, also known as rain garden, allows stormwater to soak into the ground through a soil-based medium, leading to removal of particulate and dissolved pollutants and reduced peak flows. Although soil organic matter (SOM) is efficient at sorbing many pollutants, amending the bioretention medium with highly effective adsorbents has been proposed to optimize pollutant removal and extend bioretention lifetime. The aim of this research was to investigate whether soil amended with activated carbon produced from sewage sludge increases the efficiency to remove hydrophobic organic compounds frequently detected in stormwater, compared to non-amended soil. Three lab-scale columns (520 cm³) were packed with soil (bulk density 1.22 g/cm³); activated carbon (0.5% w/w) was added to two of the columns. During 28 days, synthetic stormwater—ultrapure water spiked with seven hydrophobic organic pollutants and dissolved organic matter in the form of humic acids—was passed through the column beds using upward flow (45 mm/h). Pollutant concentrations in effluent water (collected every 12 h) and polluted soils, as well as desorbed amounts of pollutants from soils were determined using GC-MS. Compared to SOM, the activated carbon exhibited a significantly higher adsorption capacity for tested pollutants. The amended soil was most efficient for removing moderately hydrophobic compounds (log K _ow 4.0–4.4): as little as 0.5% (w/w), carbon addition may extend bioretention medium lifetime by approximately 10–20 years before saturation of these pollutants occurs. The column tests also indicated that released SOM sorb onto activated carbon, which may lead to early saturation of sorption sites on the carbon surface. The desorption test revealed that the pollutants are generally strongly sorbed to the soil particles, indicating low bioavailability and limited biodegradation.

     

Quercus ilex L. carbon sequestration capability related to shrub size

CO₂ sequestration capacity of Quercus ilex L., an evergreen species developing in shrub and forest communities widely distributed in the Mediterranean Basin, was analysed. Experiments were carried out in the period of January to December 2009 on 20 shrubs of different size, growing at the Botanical Garden of Rome. At shrub level, the largest differences concern total photosynthetic leaf surface area per shrub and shrub volume. Shrubs structure significantly contribute to reduce total irradiance and air temperature below the canopy. Leaf mass per area is higher in sun leaves than in shade ones (20 ± 1 and 12 ± 2 mg cm^???2, respectively). Sun leaves are also characterised by the highest leaf thickness (78% higher in sun than in shade leaves), the spongy parenchyma thickness (71% higher in sun than in shade leaves) and the highest adaxial cuticle thickness (7.2 ± 1.2 and 4.7 ± 0.5 ??m, respectively). Net photosynthetic rates (P _N) of sun and shade leaves are the highest in spring, and shade leaves contribute 6% to the whole shrub P _N. Q. ilex CO₂ sequestration depends on shrub size. In particular, the CO₂ sequestration per shrub was 0.20 ± 0.02 Kg CO₂ year^???1 in small shrubs, and it was 75% and 98% lower than in medium and large ones. The highest CO₂ sequestration is measured in spring, decreasing 77% during drought. Q. ilex may play a significant role in mitigating carbon dioxide concentration and lowering air and soil temperature in areas around the Mediterranean Basin.     

Prospect of abandoned metal mining sites from a hydrogeochemical perspective

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Land exploitation for mining sector may leave a series of environmental impacts on our ecosystem if not appropriately managed. Therefore, the present...     

Mediterranean shrublands carbon sequestration: environmental and economic benefits

To date, only a few attempts have been done to estimate the contribution of Mediterranean ecosystems to the global carbon cycle. Within this context, shrub species, composition and structure of the Mediterranean shrublands developing along the Latium coast (Italy) were analyzed in order to evaluate their contribution to carbon (C) sequestration, also taking into consideration the economic benefits at a national level. The considered shrublands had a shrub density of 1,200?±?500 shrubs ha^?1. Shrubs were classified into small (S), medium (M) and large (L), according to their volume (V) and leaf area index (LAI). The total yearly carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestration per species (SC_y) was calculated multiplying the total photosynthetic leaf surface area (spt) of each species by the mean yearly photosynthetic rate and the total yearly photosynthetic activity time (in hours). Q. ilex and A. unedo had the highest SC_y (46.2?±?15.8 kg CO₂ year^?1, mean value), followed by P. latifolia (17.5?±?6.2 kg CO₂ year^?1), E. arborea, E. multiflora, C. incanus, P. lentiscus, R. officinalis, and S. aspera (6.8?±?4.2 kg CO₂ year^?1, mean value). The total yearly CO₂ sequestration per shrub (SC_shy) was 149?±?5 kg CO₂ year^?1 in L, decreasing 30 % in M and 80 % in S shrubs. Taking into account the frequency of S, M and L and their SC_shy, the total CO₂ sequestration of the Mediterranean maquis was quantified in 80 Mg CO₂ ha^?1?year^?1, corresponding to 22 Mg C ha^?1?year^?1. From a monetary viewpoint, this quantity could be valued to more than 500 US$ ha^?1?year^?1. Extending this benefit to the Mediterranean shrublands throughout the whole country, we obtained a nationwide estimated annual benefit in the order of $500 million.     

In acceptance we trust? Conceptualising acceptance as a viable approach to NGO security management

This paper documents current understanding of acceptance as a security management approach and explores issues and challenges non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) confront when implementing an acceptance approach to security management. It argues that the failure of organisations to systematise and clearly articulate acceptance as a distinct security management approach and a lack of organisational policies and procedures concerning acceptance hinder its efficacy as a security management approach. The paper identifies key and cross‐cutting components of acceptance that are critical to its effective implementation in order to advance a comprehensive and systematic concept of acceptance. The key components of acceptance illustrate how organisational and staff functions affect positively or negatively an organisation's acceptance, and include: an organisation's principles and mission, communications, negotiation, programming, relationships and networks, stakeholder and context analysis, staffing, and image. The paper contends that acceptance is linked not only to good programming, but also to overall organisational management and structures.