Preparation of activated carbons from unburnt coal in bottom ash with KOH activation for liquid-phase adsorption

In this work, unburnt coal (UC) in bottom ash from coal-fired power plants was soaked in KOH solution and activated for 1 h at 780 °C. The yield of activated carbons varied from 47.8 to 54.8% when the KOH/UC weight ratio changed from 2 to 4. Pore properties of these activated carbons including the BET surface area, pore volume, pore size distribution, and pore diameter were characterized based on N₂ adsorption isotherms. It was shown that the isotherms for the adsorption of methylene blue, acid blue 74, and 4-chlorophenol from aqueous solutions on these activated carbons at 30 °C were well fitted by the Langmuir equation (correlation coefficient r² > 0.9968). The adsorption capacities of methylene blue, acid blue 74, and 4-chlorophenol were obtained to be 2.40–2.88, 0.57–1.29, and 2.34–5.62 mmol/g, respectively. Moreover, the adsorption kinetics could be suitably described by the Elovich equation.     

Physico-chemical characteristics of well waters in four urban centers in Southern Nigeria

An ensemble of thirty physico-chemical characteristics was used to assess the quality of well waters in four urban centers in southern Nigeria: Lagos, Benin City, Warri, and Ekpoma. The characteristics investigated include pH; color; turbidity; salinity; electrical conductivity, EC; total dissolved solids, TDS; total suspended solids, TSS; dissolved oxygen, DO; total hydrocarbon, THC; biochemical oxygen demand, BOD; chemical oxygen demand, COD; and nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, sulfate, and phosphate concentrations. Also monitored were the concentrations of sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate, iron, lead, copper, manganese, zinc, chromium, nickel, and cadmium. The results obtained were compared with World Health Organization, WHO, and Nigerian Federal Ministry of Environment, FME, drinking water standards. The results show that with the well water obtained from Lagos, turbidity, 11.80 NTU; pH, 5.68; EC, 1065.55 μS/cm; TDS, 539.00 mg/L; concentrations of iron, 1.83 mg/L; manganese, 0.14 mg/L; and lead, 1.35 mg/L did not meet the WHO standards. In Warri, pH, 5.19; concentrations of lead, 1.35 mg/L; and chromium, 0.10 mg/L in the well water were above the WHO desirable limits. The results also indicated that the well water from Benin City contained concentrations of chromium, 0.18 mg/L; and lead, 0.20 mg/L that exceeded the recommended WHO limits. In Ekpoma, the pH, 6.00; concentrations of chromium, 0.15 mg/L; and lead, 0.44 mg/L were higher than the desirable limits of WHO. Generally, the assessments revealed that the waters were good and fit for drinking and other domestic application without serious threat to public health.     

Environmental benefits from the use of the residual biomass in nurseries

Every year, nurseries waste about 40 t of residual biomass for each ha of potted plants cultivation. The European nursery sector deals with about 90,000 ha of cultivated land and 120,000 ha of nurseries, with a turnover of 19.8 billion Euros in 2011. In recent years, a number of Italian projects highlighted that GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions for the nursery sector range between 37 tCO₂eq/ha/year and 45 tCO₂eq/ha/year for potted plants, mainly due to the consumption of electric energy, plastics and peat. Moreover, other studies analyse the impacts associated to nurseries, recommending best practices for energy reductions and waste recycle or reuse. Therefore, the present work focused its attention to the possible environmental benefits associated to the reuse of residues (wood and substrate) of potted plants that are discarded from the nursery production chain. GHG emissions and fossil energy requirement were quantified by considering the CO₂eq (CO₂ equivalent) and the CER (cumulative energy requirement) respectively, in order to assess the environmental impacts of two different scenarios proposed for the materials recovery. Final results highlighted that the solutions which are able to recover the substrate and the wood allow impact reductions compared to landfill disposal. In particular, the scenario consisting in the immediate separation of the substrate from the root-plant system and the successive chipping of wood for energetic reuse, allows higher savings than those obtainable through shredding and subsequent wind separation. Moreover, for what concerns the CO₂eq, an adequate use of the residual biomass make it possible to compensate the GHG emissions of the nurseries up to 15%.     

Mineralization of integrated gasification combined-cycle power-station wastewater effluent by a photo-fenton process

The aim of this work was to study the mineralization of wastewater effluent from an integrated-gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) power station sited in Spain to meet the requirements of future environmental legislation. This study was done in a pilot plant using a homogeneous photo-Fenton oxidation process with continuous addition of H₂O₂ and air to the system.The mineralization process was found to follow pseudo-first-order kinetics. Experimental kinetic constants were fitted using neural networks (NNs). The NNs model reproduced the experimental data to within a 90% confidence level and allowed the simulation of the process for any values of the parameters within the experimental range studied. At the optimum conditions (H₂O₂ flow rate = 120 mL/h, [Fe(II)] = 7.6 mg/L, pH = 3.75 and air flow rate = 1 m³/h), a 90% mineralization was achieved in 150 min.Determination of the hydrogen peroxide consumed and remaining in the water revealed that 1.2 mol of H₂O₂ was consumed per each mol of total organic carbon removed from solution. This result confirmed that an excess of dissolved H₂O₂ was needed to achieve high mineralization rates, so continuous addition of peroxide is recommended for industrial application of this process.Air flow slightly improved the mineralization rate due to the formation of peroxo-organic radicals which enhanced the oxidation process.     

Durability of conventional concretes containing black rice husk ash

In this study, black rice husk ash (BRHA) from a rice mill in Thailand was ground and used as a partial cement replacement. The durability of conventional concretes with high water–binder ratios was investigated including drying shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, depth of carbonation, and weight loss of concretes exposed to hydrochloric (HCl) and sulfuric (H₂SO₄) acid attacks. Two different replacement percentages of cement by BRHA, 20% and 40%, and three different water–binder ratios (0.6, 0.7 and 0.8) were used. The ratios of paste volume to void content of the compacted aggregate (γ) were 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6. As a result, when increasing the percentage replacement of BRHA, the drying shrinkage and depth of carbonation reaction of concretes increased. However, the BRHA provides a positive effect on the autogenous shrinkage and weight loss of concretes exposed to hydrochloric and sulfuric acid attacks. In addition, the resistance to acid attack was directly varied with the (SiO₂ + Al₂O₃ + Fe₂O₃)/CaO ratio. Results show that ground BRHA can be applied as a pozzolanic material and also improve the durability of concrete.     

Quantification of hydrochloric acid and particulate deposition resulting from space shuttle launches at John F. Kennedy space center,Florida, USA

Observations of damage to vegetation, acute reductions in surface water pH, and kills of small fish prompted the Biomedical Operations and Research Office at the John F. Kennedy Space Center to initiate intensive environmental evaluations of possible acute and long-term chronic impacts that may be produced by repeated launches of the space shuttle. An important step in this evaluation was the identification of deposition patterns and the quantification of ecosystem loading rates of exhaust constituents from the solid rocket motors (SRMs) in the area of the launch pad. These constituents are primarily aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). During three launches of the space transportation system (STS-11, 13, and 14) up to 100 bulk deposition collectors, 83 mm in diameter containing 100 ml of deionized water, were deployed in a grid pattern covering 12.6 ha north of launch pad 39-A. Estimates of HCl and particulate deposition levels were made based on laboratory measurements of items entrained in the collectors. Captured particulates consisted of a variety of items including Al₂O₃, sand grains, sea shell fragments, paint chips, and other debris ablated from the launch pad surface by the initial thrust of the SRMs. Estimated ranges of HCl and particulate deposition in the study area were 0–127 g/m² and 0–246 g/m², respectively. Deposition patterns were highly influenced by wind speed and direction. These measurements indicate that, under certain meteorological conditions, up to 7.1 × 10³ kg of particulates and 3.4 × 10³ kg of HCl can be deposited to the near-field environment beyond the launch pad perimeter fence.     

Biohythane production from pineapple peel using Methanosarcina mazei enhanced with palm oil mill effluent (POME) sludge in single-stage anaerobic digestion

Biohythane production via single-stage anaerobic digestion (AD) is an effective way for sustainable energy recovery from lignocellulosic biomass. In this paper, biohythane was produced through the AD process from pineapple peel waste substrate using purely cultured Methanosarcina mazei with the enhancement of palm oil mill effluent (POME) sludge as the inoculum. This study focuses on the effects of the lignocellulosic pre-treatment method, the addition of POME sludge into M. mazei culture medium as inoculum, and various operational conditions (food to microorganisms (F/M) ratios, temperature, pH) on gas production performances. The experimental results indicate that these parameters influenced the efficiency of biohythane production by producing the peak maximum biohythane production rate values (HPR_max) and (MPR_max), H₂:CH₄ = 1.93:0.67 L/L-d, and biohythane yield (HY) and (MY), H₂:CH₄ = 1.18:0.55 mL/L-substrate. This study demonstrates that biohythane gas (H₂ + CH₄ + CO₂) production from pineapple waste can be accelerated by M. mazei only with the enhancement of POME sludge through single-stage AD system under mesophilic batch process conditions.     

Solid fuels in chemical-looping combustion

The feasibility of using a number of different solid fuels in chemical-looping combustion (CLC) has been investigated. A laboratory fluidized bed reactor system for solid fuel, simulating a chemical-looping combustion system by exposing the sample to alternating reducing and oxidizing conditions, was used. In each reducing phase 0.2 g of fuel in the size range 180–250 μm was added to the reactor containing 40 g oxygen carrier of size 125–180 μm. Two different oxygen carriers were tested, a synthetic particle of 60% active material of Fe₂O₃ and 40% MgAl₂O₄ and a particle consisting of the natural mineral ilmenite. Effect of steam content in the fluidizing gas of the reactor was investigated as well as effect of temperature. A number of experiments were also made to investigate the rate of conversion of the different fuels in a CLC system. A high dependency on steam content in the fluidizing gas as well as temperature was shown. The fraction of volatiles in the fuel was also found to be important. Furthermore the presence of an oxygen carrier was shown to enhance the conversion rate of the intermediate gasification reaction. At 950 °C and with 50% steam the time needed to achieve 95% conversion of fuel particles with a diameter of 0.125–0.18 mm ranged between 4 and 15 min depending on the fuel, while 80% conversion was reached within 2–10 min. In almost all cases the synthetic Fe₂O₃ particle with 40% MgAl₂O₄ and the mineral ilmenite showed similar results with the different fuels.     

Variability in environmental impacts of Brazilian soybean according to crop production and transport scenarios

Soybean production and its supply chain are highly dependent on inputs such as land, fertilizer, fuel, machines, pesticides and electricity. The expansion of this crop in Brazil in recent decades has generated concerns about its environmental impacts. To assess these impacts, two representative chains supplying soybeans to Europe were identified: Center West (CW) and Southern (SO) Brazil. Each supply chain was analyzed using Life Cycle Assessment methodology. We considered different levels of use of chemical and organic fertilizers, pesticides and machinery, different distances for transportation of inputs and different yield levels. Because transportation contributed strongly to environmental impacts, a detailed study was performed to identify the routes used to transport soybeans to seaports. Additionally, we considered different levels of land occupation and land transformation to represent the impact of deforestation in the CW region. Environmental impacts were calculated for 1000 kg of soybean up to and including the delivery to Europe at the seaport in Rotterdam, at 13% humidity. Overall results showed that the impacts are greater for CW than for SO for all impact categories studied, including acidification (7.7 and 5.3 kg SO₂ eq., respectively), climate change (959 and 510 kg CO₂ eq.), cumulative energy demand (12,634 and 6,999 MJ) and terrestrial ecotoxicity (4.9 and 3.1 kg 1,4-DCB eq.), except eutrophication and land occupation. The same trend was observed for the crop-production stage. Efforts to reduce chemical fertilizers and diesel consumption can reduce CO₂ emissions. Although deforestation for crop production has decreased in recent years, the contribution of deforestation to climate change and cumulative energy demand remains significant. In the CW scenario deforestation contributed 29% to climate change and 20% to cumulative energy demand. Results also showed that although there are different transportation options in Brazil, the current predominance of road transport causes severe environmental impacts. In CW, road transport contributed 19% to climate change and 24% to cumulative energy demand, while in SO it contributed 12% and 15% to these impacts, respectively. Improvements in the logistics of transportation, giving priority to rail and river transports over road transport, can contribute significantly to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and decreasing energy use. Future studies involving Brazilian soybeans should take into account the region of origin as different levels of environmental impact are predicted.     

The influence of the precursor and synthesis method on the CO2 capture capacity of carpet waste-based sorbents

Adsorption is one of the most promising technologies for reducing CO₂ emissions and at present several different types of sorbents are being investigated. The use of sorbents obtained from low-cost and abundant precursors (i.e. solid wastes) appears an attractive strategy to adopt because it will contribute to a reduction not only in operational costs but also in the amount of waste that is dumped and burned in landfills every year. Following on from previous studies by the authors, in this work several carbon-based adsorbents were developed from different carpet wastes (pre-consumer and post-consumer wastes) by chemical activation with KOH at various activation temperatures (600–900 °C) and KOH:char impregnation ratios (0.5:1 to 4:1). The prepared materials were characterised by chemical analysis and gas adsorption (N₂, −196 °C; CO₂, 0 °C), and tested for CO₂ adsorption at temperatures of 25 and 100 °C. It was found that both the type of precursor and the conditions of activation (i.e. impregnation ratios, and activation temperatures), had a huge influence on the microporosity of the resultant samples and their CO₂ capture capacities. The carbon-based adsorbent that presented the maximum CO₂ capture capacities at 25 and 100 °C (13.8 wt.% and 3.1 wt.%, respectively), was prepared from a pre-consumer carpet waste and was activated at 700 °C using a KOH:char impregnation ratio of 1:1. This sample showed the highest narrow microporosity volume (0.47 cm³ g⁻¹), thus confirming that only pores of less than 1 nm are effective for CO₂ adsorption at atmospheric pressure.     

Effect of Fenton pretreatment on anaerobic digestion of olive mill wastewater and olive mill solid waste in mesophilic conditions

The olive mill waste (OMW) generated from olive oil extraction process constitutes a major environmental concern owing to its high organic and mineral matters and acidic pH. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a main treatment for reducing the organic matter and toxic substances contained in OMW and generating at the same time, energy in the form of biogas. AD of OMW that contains lignocellulose is limited by the rate of hydrolysis due to their recalcitrant structure. This study is devoted to the effect of Fenton process (FP) pretreatment on olive mill wastewater (OMSW) /olive mill solid waste (OMWW) co-digestion to improve their digestibility and in this way the biogas production. The FP pretreatment was performed in batch mode at 25°C, various H₂O₂/[Fe²⁺] ratios (100–1200), catalyst concentration ([Fe²⁺]) ranging from 0.25 to 2 mM, reaction time varying from 30 to150 min, and different pH (3–11). The best performance was obtained with H₂O₂/[Fe²⁺] = 1000, [Fe²⁺] = 1.5 mM, 120 min, and pH 3. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests conducted in batch wise digester and at mesophilic conditions (37 °C) showed that cumulative biogas and methane production were higher without FP treatment, and correspond to 699 and 416 mL/g VS, respectively. However, pre-treated OMSW results into an increase of 24% of methane yield. After 30 days of AD, the methane yield was 63%, 54%, and 48%, respectively, for OMSW treated without iron precipitation, with iron precipitation and untreated OMSW sample.     

BIOGEOCIIEMISTRY OF AN OLD-GROWTH FORESTED WATERSHED,OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK,WASHINGTON1

ABSTRACT: The biogeochemistry of a coastal old-growth forested watershed in Olympic National Park, Washington, was examined. Objectives were to determine: (1) concentrations of major cations and anions and dissolved organic C (DOC) in precipitation, throughfall, stemflow, soil solution and the stream; (2) nutrient input/output budgets; and (3) nutrient retention mechanisms in the watershed. Stemilow was more acidic (pH 4.0–4.5) than throughfall (pH 5.1) and precipitation (pH 5.3). Organic acids were important contributors to acidity in throughfall and stemflow and tree species influenced pH. Soil solution pH averaged 6.2 at 40 cm depth. Stream pH was higher (7.6). Sodium (54.0 μeq L-¹) and Cl (57.6 μeq L^?1) were the dominant ions in precipitation, reflecting the close proximity to the ocean. Throughfall and stemflow were generally enriched in cations, especially K. Cation concentrations in soil solutions were generally less than those in stemilow. Ion concentrations increased in the stream. Dominant ions were Ca (759.7 μeq L^?1), Na (174.4 μeq L^?1), HCO₃ (592.0 μeq L^?1), and SO₄ (331.5 μeq L^?1) with seasonal peaks in the fall. Bedrock weathering strongly influenced stream chemistry. Highest average NO₃ concentrations were in the stream (5.2 μeq L^?1) with seasonal peaks in the fall and lowest concentrations in the growing season. Nitrogen losses were similar to inputs; annual inputs were 4.8 kg/ha (not including fixation) and stream losses were 7.1 kg/ha. Despite the age and successional status of the forest, plant uptake is an important N retention mechanism in this watershed.     

Kinetics of sulfur dioxide- and oxygen-induced degradation of aqueous monoethanolamine solution during CO2 absorption from power plant flue gas streams

Studies of the kinetics of sulfur dioxide (SO₂)- and oxygen (O₂)-induced degradation of aqueous monoethanolamine (MEA) during the absorption of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from flue gases derived from coal- or natural gas-fired power plants were conducted as a function of temperature and the liquid phase concentrations of MEA, O₂, SO₂ and CO₂. The kinetic data were based on the initial rate which shows the propensity for amine degradation and obtained under a range of conditions typical of the CO₂ absorption process (3–7 kmol/m³ MEA, 6% O₂, 0–196 ppm SO₂, 0–0.55 CO₂ loading, and 328–393 K temperature). The results showed that an increase in temperature and the concentrations of MEA, O₂ and SO₂ resulted in a higher MEA degradation rate. An increase in CO₂ concentration gave the opposite effect. A semi-empirical model based on the initial rate, ?r_MEA = {6.74 × 10⁹ e^?(29,403/RT)[MEA]^0.02([O]^2.91 + [SO₂]^3.52)}/{1 + 1.18[CO₂]^0.18} was developed to fit the experimental data. With the higher order of reaction, SO₂ has a higher propensity to cause MEA to degrade than O₂. Unlike previous models, this model shows an improvement in that any of the parameters (i.e. O₂, SO₂, and CO₂) can be removed without affecting the usability of the model.     

Optimization of Fenton oxidation pre-treatment for B. thuringiensis – Based production of value added products from wastewater sludge

Fenton oxidation pretreatment was investigated for enhancement of biodegradability of wastewater sludge (WWS) which was subsequently used as substrate for the production of value- added products. The Response surface method with fractional factorial and central composite designs was applied to determine the effects of Fenton parameters on solubilization and biodegradability of sludge and the optimization of the Fenton process. Maximum solubilization and biodegradability were obtained as 70% and 74%, respectively at the optimal conditions: 0.01 ml H₂O₂/g SS, 150 [H₂O₂]₀/[Fe²⁺]₀, 25 g/L TS, at 25 °C and 60 min duration. Further, these optimal conditions were tested for the production of a value added product, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) which is being used as a biopesticide in the agriculture and forestry sector. It was observed that Bt growth using Fenton oxidized sludge as a substrate was improved with a maximum total cell count of 1.63 × 10⁹ CFU ml^?1 and 96% sporulation after 48 h of fermentation. The results were also tested against ultrasonication treatment and the total cell count was found to be 4.08 × 10⁸ CFU ml^?1 with a sporulation of 90%. Hence, classic Fenton oxidation was demonstrated to be a rather more promising chemical pre-treatment for Bt - based biopesticide production using WWS when compared to ultrasonication as a physical pre-treatment.     

Treatment of landfill leachates by nanofiltration

Landfill leachate contains high concentrations of organic matter, color, heavy metals and toxic substances. This study presents the feasibility of a commercial nanofiltration membrane (NF-300) in the removal of pollutants from a landfill leachate generated from the Treatment Stabilization and Disposal Facility in Gujarat state of India. Two different leachate samples (Leachates A and B) were collected from the downstream side of closed landfill cells A and B. The average quality of the leachate was 67 719 mg/L COD, 217 mg/L ammonical nitrogen, 22 418 mg/L BOD, 3847 mg/L chlorides and 909 mg/L sulphate. The operating variables studied were applied pressure (4–20 atm), feed flowrate (5–15 L/min) and pH (2, 4, 5.5 and 6.7). It was observed that the solute rejection (R_O) increased with increase in feed pressure and decreased with increase in feed concentration at constant feed flowrate. In the present study, the rejection of cations followed the sequence: R_O (Cr³⁺) > R_O (Ni²⁺) > R_O (Zn²⁺) > R_O (Cu²⁺) > R_O (Cd²⁺) for leachates A and B. The order of solute rejection sequence is inversely proportional to the diffusion coefficients. The rejection of sulphate ions by the NF-300 membrane was 83 and 85%, while the rejection of chlorides was 62 and 65% for leachates A and B, respectively. The NF-300 membrane was characterized by using the combined-film theory-Spiegler–Kedem (CFSK) model based on irreversible thermodynamics and the ion transport model based on the extended Nernst–Planck equation. The membrane transport parameters were estimated using the Levenberg–Marquadt method. The estimated parameters were used to predict the membrane performance and the predicted values are in good agreement with the experimental results.     

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SOFTWATER FLORIDA LAKES AND THEIR SENSITIVITY TO ACID PRECIPITATION1

ABSTRACT: Based on alkalinity data for 596 lakes, 31 percent of Florida's 7300 lakes have < 100 μeq/l alkalinity and are sensitive to acid depostion. More than two-thirds of the lakes in 12 northern Florida counties fit this criterion. Increasing aluminum and decreasing nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations were observed with decressing pH in a survery of 20 softwater lakes. Maximum measured aluminum values (100-150 μg/L) are below levels asociated with fish toxicity. Factor analysis showed that lake chemistry was related to three principal factors, representing three major processes: watershed weathering, acidification, and nutrient inputs. An acidification index defined as the difference between excess SO₄^2- and excess (Ca²⁺+Mg²⁺) accounted for 74 percent of the variance in lake pH. Comparison of historical (late 1950a) and present data for pH, alkalinity, and excess SO₄^2- indicated loss of alkalinity (>25 μeq/L) and increase in excess SO₄^2- (16-34 μeq/L) in several softwater lakes.     

Scleropyrum pentandrum (Dennst.) mabb—oil as a feedstock for biodiesel production—engine performance and emission studies

A feasibility study on utilization of non edible oil of Scleropyrum pentandrum was carried out to see its potential as a new source for biodiesel production. Nonedible oil seeds of Scleropyrum pentandrum have oil content of 55–60%. Transesterification of freshly extracted oil in the presence of anhydrous sodium hydroxide at a concentration 1% (w/v oil) and methanol-oil ratio of 40% (v/v oil) yields 90.8% methyl esters under conventional heating. Month old oil requires sulfuric acid pretreatment (esterification) before transesterification. The transesterified oil has a density 889–893 kg/m³; kinematic viscosity of 4.21–5.7 mm²/s; cetane index 46.03; pour point of ?15°C and gross calorific value of 40.135 MJ/kg and oxidative stability of 2.35 hours. The properties are well within the Indian, European and American standard limits recommended for biodiesel except the oxidation stability, which can be improved by adding antioxidant additives. The engine performance studies of B10 and B20 blends of Scleropyrum pentandrum biodiesel (SP biodiesel) with statistical inference confirmed that it can be used as a fuel in CI engines without any engine modifications. The engine exhaust emission analysis showed that the emission of hydrocarbons can be minimized by at least 15–20%, CO emission by 15%, smoke opacity by 10–12% and moderately lesser CO₂ and NOx emissions.     

Molecular analysis of carbon dioxide adsorption processes on steel slag oxides

This review presents a summary of the main interactions that occur during the carbon dioxide (CO₂) adsorption at the surface of steel slags with basic (CaO, MgO), amphoteric (Al₂O₃, Cr₂O₃, TiO₂, MnO, iron oxides) and acidic (SiO₂) oxides. The high content of metal oxides in steel slags gives them a great potential to adsorb CO₂, reaching a saturation value of about 0.25 kg of CO₂/kg of slag. CO₂ is physisorbed and chemisorbed on the most of metal oxide types. Generally, the CO₂ physisorption on the basic and amphoteric metal oxides involves an electrostatic interaction between the CO₂ and the cation from the oxides while the CO₂ chemisorption rather implicates the basic sites that acts as the electron donor, and which are associated with O^2? ions localized at surface defects. These interactions result in the formation of carbonates (monodentates or unidentates and bidentates). The affinity of oxides for the CO₂ and the carbonate formation principally depend of the strength and number of basic sites at their surface and varies as following: basic oxides > amphoteric oxides > acidic oxides. The basic metal oxides generally represent the best electron donors and thus the best CO₂ adsorbents due to the high basicity and their great number of reaction sites. Hence, it appears that the surface structure of basic and amphoteric metal oxides which may favour their interaction with the CO₂, as well as their basicity is the determinant factor contributing to the formation of carbonate species. The molecular analysis of CO₂ adsorption on steel slag metal oxides will provide useful data to identify rate-controlling mechanisms and should be considered for the development of new effective methods for the capture of atmospheric CO₂ emissions released from industries.     

Hydrochemistry of drinking water sources and water purifiers in relation to epidemiological study in Hisar,North-West India

The concern related to the drinking of reverse osmosis (RO) water containing low levels of minerals is growing day by day. This study involves the analysis of water samples from various drinking water sources in a rural site, Mirchpur village, an Indus Valley civilization site (grid location: 29° 18′ 42.3″ N, 76° 10′ 33.0″ E) of Hisar, India, along with the health survey of human subjects. The hydrochemistry of water collected from hand pumps, river canals, tube wells, submersibles, and the RO systems installed in various homes was explored for pH, EC, TH, TDS, turbidity, cations (Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺), anions (CO₃²⁻, HCO₃⁻, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, F⁻), and elements (Fe, Pb, Se) employing the ion chromatography, flame photometry, and ICP-AES techniques. Lead (Pb) and Selenium (Se) were detected in trace amounts (0.30–2.6 μg L⁻¹; 0.10–4.1 μg L⁻¹, respectively) in all the samples, including the samples collected from RO purifiers, but Iron (Fe) was not detected in RO samples even in trace amounts. The F-levels in hand pump water (HPW) and submersible water (SW) (1.9  and 1.7 mg L⁻¹, respectively) and TDS levels in SW (3048 mg L⁻¹) were found to be above WHO and BIS safe limits. TDS levels in the river canal (900 mg L⁻¹), tube well (1104 mg L⁻¹), hand pump (1170 mg L⁻¹), and submersible samples (3048 mg L⁻¹) were found significantly higher as compared to the RO personal water (ROPW; 216 mg L⁻¹) and RO supply water (ROSW; 90 mg L⁻¹). The collected epidemiological data reveals that 21%, 19%, 13%, and 12% of natives reported skin, kidney, hair fall, liver, and stomach issues, respectively, suspecting the crucial role of high TDS and fluoride levels in the area. This study also provides a comparison between the quality of RO and the direct supply water, along with correlation matrices for different parameters, which gives a rationale for the limitations of drinking direct supply water without any purification and RO water containing low mineral content.     

A comparison of on-site nutrient and energy recycling technologies in algal oil production

Research on biofuel production pathways from algae continues because among other potential advantages they avoid key consequential effects of terrestrial oil crops, such as competition for cropland. However, the economics, energetic balance, and climate change emissions from algal biofuels pathways do not always show great potential, due in part to high fertilizer demand. Nutrient recycling from algal biomass residue is likely to be essential for reducing the environmental impacts and cost associated with algae-derived fuels. After a review of available technologies, anaerobic digestion (AD) and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) were selected and compared on their nutrient recycling and energy recovery potential for lipid-extracted algal biomass using the microalgae strain Scenedesmus dimorphus. For 1 kg (dry weight) of algae cultivated in an open raceway pond, 40.7 g N and 3.8 g P can be recycled through AD, while 26.0 g N and 6.8 g P can be recycled through HTL. In terms of energy production, 2.49 MJ heat and 2.61 MJ electricity are generated from AD biogas combustion to meet production system demands, while 3.30 MJ heat and 0.95 MJ electricity from HTL products are generated and used within the production system.Assuming recycled nutrient products from AD or HTL technologies displace demand for synthetic fertilizers, and energy products displace natural gas and electricity, the life cycle greenhouse gas reduction achieved by adding AD to the simulated algal oil production system is between 622 and 808 g carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e)/kg biomass depending on substitution assumptions, while the life cycle GHG reduction achieved by HTL is between 513 and 535 g CO₂e/kg biomass depending on substitution assumptions. Based on the effectiveness of nutrient recycling and energy recovery, as well as technology maturity, AD appears to perform better than HTL as a nutrient and energy recycling technology in algae oil production systems.