Eco-efficiency in Portuguese companies of marble sector

The activities developed within an eco-efficiency project in mineral industries located in the largest area for marble extraction in Portugal, in Alentejo region, in the Estremoz – Borba and Vila Viçosa anticline are presented in this paper. The project was designed to apply the sustainability concept in seven companies of marble extraction and transformation. The adopted strategy used new cleaner production models together with sustainable value (SV) improvement, leading to the rationalization of the industrial process, the involvement of economic agents and the orientation of the management of production processes towards eco-efficiency. The challenge was to have the mineral industry managing efficiently the resources on which the business depends, according to sustainability principles. Different opportunities for improvement, related to the minimization of materials, water and energy use, were identified in the companies. Some proposals mainly related to social improvement and small and medium-sized enterprise competitiveness benefits were also selected and discussed. This approach allows the integration of sustainability at company's and region's levels by combining in the entrepreneurial activity the creation of wealth together with the environment protection and the achieving of social benefits. Highlights: The involvement of different stakeholders in the project (Eco-efficiency in Portuguese companies of marble sector) was positive in the discussion and search of solutions for companies. It is possible to involve marble extraction and processing companies in eco-efficiency improvement towards sustainability. Companies from the marble sector improved environmental and social performance and reduced the costs of their production processes by applying SV methodology.     

Surface Consolidation of Pentelic Marble: Criteria for the selection of methods and materials - The Acropolis case (6 pp)

Goal and Scope In order to realize surface consolidation of Pentelic marble on the Acropolis monuments, we have collected the criteria that have to be fulfilled by the methods and materials without side effects on the marbles (and other stones). When the existing methods and materials did not satisfy the requirements (criteria), we invented new ones.Methods The criteria were collected from the literature, by thermodynamic and kinetic viewpoints, by laboratory experiments and in situ observations on monuments, both in Greece and in several countries in which the various methods and materials were applied. Concerning our method of ‘Inversion of sulfation’, performed by spraying a K2CO3 solution, its concentration and its temperature were controlled in order to have a total inversion (certified by liquid crystals) of gypsum back to CaCO3. For the new material of ours, ‘Reinforced Lime’, in order to eliminate the disadvantages of plain lime (low carbonation rate, low mechanical properties of CaCO3 formed, lack of carbonation in the bulk of lime), measurements of the rate of carbonation were performed in plain lime and in lime with a different CaCO3 concentration beforehand as well as in a different CO2 environments, using DTG and XRD to measure the rate of carbonation. The detachment (kg/cm2) of marble specimens stuck by lime in each case was also measured. A microscope was also used to measure the dimensions of the grain in each case as well as ammonium citrate and thymolphthalein to certify the depth of carbonation in each case. Part of the work was communicated in an international congress.Results A table with the criteria of the selection of the methods and materials for the consolidation of Pentelic marble surfaces (and other stones) was established. None of the employed methods and materials fulfilled the criteria. Only the ‘Inversion of gypsum ‘ and the ‘Reinforced Lime’ were adopted and applied to the Acropolis monuments and to other monuments in Greece and in several other countries.Recommendation and Outlook All criteria must be used for the selection of methods and materials for the consolidation of the monument surfaces. This is why we have already studied with the same procedures, methods and materials for restoration, surface cleaning and protection.     

有机酸强化废大理石粉脱硫的传质研究

在双搅拌釜上进行了3种有机酸强化废大理石粉浆液脱硫的传质实验研究,测定了脱硫效率η、传质速率Nm、液膜传质系数KL、气相总传质系数KG和浆液pH值等随时间t的变化关系,结果表明己二酸强化可提高传质速率约35%,有效促进了CaCO3的溶解和缓冲pH值的下降.同时,考察了己二酸添加量的变化和气、液两相浓度的改变对传质的影响,结果表明己二酸添加浓度在10mmol/L时强化效果最好;进气SO2体积分率小于1000×10-6时为完全气膜控制;液相浓度的改变对气相总传质系数KG影响不大.     

大理石去除水溶液中Cd2+的性能实验研究

对大理石去除水溶液中的Cd2 进行了实验研究,结果表明,大理石对水溶液中的Cd2 具有良好的去除效果.主要研究的影响因素有:pH值,作用时间,Cd2 的初始浓度和大理石投加量.对于50 mg/L Cd2 溶液,pH=8的条件下,大理石的投加量为12.5 g/L,作用时间30 min,去除效率可达92%,吸附量为3.68 mg/g.大理石对水溶液中的Cd2 的吸附作用符合Langmiur等温吸附方程.     

Kinetics and thermodynamics studies of cobalt,strontium and caesium sorption on marble from aqueous solution

Adsorption onto solid phases plays an important role in the transport of radionuclides and contaminants in the environment. Radionuclides in radioactive waste have been considered to be hazardous pollutants, and their migration with groundwater is strongly affected by sorption on the geologic media. Therefore, the knowledge of radionuclide sorption is of great importance in the management of radioactive wastes. A series of batch sorption experiments were conducted separately to investigate sorption and transport behaviour of cobalt, strontium and caesium on and through marble. Batch-mode kinetic and equilibrium studies have been carried out at different temperatures. Sorption experimental data were analysed by kinetic and isotherm models. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the marble is an economic and efficient retaining material for environmental hazardous migration and/or leakage of some radionuclides. Therefore, this study could be used as a starting point to establish and consider that rock as a reactive barrier around the disposal facilities at the nuclear activity centres.     

废大理石粉湿法烟气脱硫工艺实验

实验研究了废大理石粉作为脱硫剂的湿法烟气脱硫工艺,分析了其吸收SO₂的传质反应机理.试验了不同液气比(L/G)、吸收浆液pH值和进气SO₂浓度等主要参数对脱硫率的影响,并对实验结果进行了分析.结果表明,选择以下操作条件较为适宜:pH₀=5.5～6.5,L/G=3L/m³,a=2%;以上工艺条件下,在进气SO₂浓度为1000ml/m³时,脱硫率达60%以上.本文还讨论了废大理石粉作为脱硫剂的工业应用前景.     

飞灰和废大理石烟气脱硫的传质反应研究

在双搅拌釜上实验测定了飞灰和废大理石浆液的脱硫率η及pH值随过程时间t的变化关系,计算了不同t时的传质速率Nm、液膜传质系数kL、气相总传质系数KG、气膜传质系数kG、传质系数之比KG/kG以及反应增强因子E等,并分析了飞灰和废大理石脱硫的传质-反应过程.实验和计算结果表明,当进口SO2体积分数为4000×10-6时,飞灰和大理石浆液脱硫均受液相阻力控制;pH值越低,KG/kG就越小,液相阻力控制也就越明显,在pH＝4.5时,液相阻力占总阻力的90%; pH值越高,E就越大,化学反应对传质的影响也就越明显;pH＝6时飞灰浆液具有与大理石浆液相近的脱硫率,达70%左右.     

焙烧大理石粉处理工业含磷废水的试验研究

本文研究了焙烧大理石粉处理工业含磷废水的除磷效果。探讨了不同焙烧大理石粉投加量、反应时间、反应温度以及振荡速率对除磷效果的影响。结果表明：焙烧大理石粉的投加量和反应时间是影响除磷效果的主要因素。当焙烧大理石粉投加量为11g/L,反应时间为10min左右,温度为室温,振荡速率保持在100～150r/min时,废水中磷的去...     

Autotrophic Biological Denitrification for Complete Removal of Nitrogen from Septic System Wastewater

The overall objective of this research was to develop a reliable, robust, and maintenance-free passive system for biological denitrification in on-site wastewater treatment systems. The process relies on sulfur oxidizing denitrifying bacteria in upflow packed bioreactors. Since this process consumes alkalinity, it is necessary to add a solid-phase buffer that can scavenge the H⁺ as it is generated by the biologically-mediated reaction and arrest the drop in the pH value. This study investigated the use of limestone, marble chips and crushed oyster shell as solid-phase buffers that provide alkalinity. Two bench-scale upflow column reactors and two field-scale bioreactors were constructed and packed with sulfur pellets and an alkalinity source. The pilot scale bioreactors (∼200 L each) were installed at the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center (MASSTC) in Sandwich, MA. The pilot-scale bioreactors performed better when oyster shell was used as the solid-phase buffer vis-à-vis marble chips. In both (pilot-scale and laboratory-scale) systems, denitrification rates were high with the effluent NO₃ ⁻ —N concentration consistently below 8 mg/L.     

Simulation investigations on the marble deterioration by sulphur dioxide

This paper deals with investigations on corrosion of marble SO2. We have simulated oxidation of SO2 by photochemical process in the atmosphere. The experiments indicate that formation of SO3 aerosols is related to the concentration of SO2, the UV light intensity, the time of irradiation and the humidity of the air. The corrosion feature of surfaces of the marble and the depth profiles of sulphur were obtained by SEM (Scanning electron microscope), EDXA (Energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer) and SIMS (Secondary ion mass spectrometer). The results of experiments show the corrosive extent of marble depends on its compositions and microareas of marble, which contain lower silicon content can be easily corroded by SO2.