Delivery and frequency distributions of combined wastewater collection system wet and dry weather loads

Combined wastewater collection systems continue to serve as a common urban conveyance method in urban areas of Europe and older urban areas of the United States. This study uses combined wastewater collection system monitoring data from the urbanizing Liguori catchment and channel in Cosenza (Italy) to illustrate event-based delivery and distribution of conveyed pollutant indices. Motivated by recent European Union (EU) discharge control legislation, this study specifically differentiates the event-based delivery of these indices between dry and wet-weather flows. Although the relatively steady to diurnal-variable delivery phenomena in dry weather flows are known, transport limiting phenomena for wet-weather hydrology and mass delivery typically are not known for the same catchment. Limiting categories of transport for a pollutant phase are generated by variables such as flow volume and duration, stream power, hydrograph parameters, and previous dry hours (PDH). Transport limitations of wet and dry weather events from the 414-ha catchment were analyzed and characterized as limited by mass indices (first-order, first flush transport) or limited by flow (zero-order transport). Results indicated significant concentration differences between mass- and flow-limited events. Higher concentrations were associated with mass-limited events. Frequency distributions of flow, total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) were consistently exponential for wet-weather and mass-limited events. In contrast, flow, TSS, and BOD5 concentrations were distributed normally for flow-limited events. Results indicated a reasonable linear relationship between discharged TSS, COD, and BOD5 (biochemical oxygen demand) for Liguori Channel discharges into the Crati River. Wet-weather event transport was predominately mass-limited for TSS, COD, and BOD5.     

Psychological consequences of prenatal diagnosis in a case of familial Angelman Syndrome

Angelman Syndrome (AS), characterized by mental retardation, absence of speech, seizures and motor dysfunction, is caused by genetic defects leading to loss of expression of the maternal copy of the chromosome 15q11–13 imprinted region. Most cases are sporadic, being caused by de novo deletion of maternal chromosome 15q11–13 (75%) or by paternal uniparental disomy (3–4%). Familial cases can occur, due to mutations in the UBE3A gene or in the imprinting center. We describe the case of a pregnant woman having two nephews with AS caused by a UBE3A mutation; lack of communication within the family led the woman to be completely unaware of the risk of disease recurrence until 15 weeks of gestation. UBE3A genetic testing revealed she carried the familial mutation 892–893delCT. Prenatal diagnosis was performed on amniotic fluid and demonstrated that the fetus had inherited the mutation. The unexpected diagnosis and the subsequent termination of the pregnancy caused the woman to undergo acute psychological distress showing relevant psychopathological symptoms. Nevertheless, at 2-year follow-up, adverse consequences were minimized, and the couple was planning a new pregnancy. Factors affecting the psychological outcome of abortion and the role of psychological support in reducing the risk of long-term unfavorable consequences are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Slurry wall containment performance: monitoring and modeling of unsaturated and saturated flow

A specific 2-year program to monitor and test both the vadose zone and the saturated zone, coupled with a numerical analysis, was performed to evaluate the overall performance of slurry wall systems for containment of contaminated areas. Despite local physical confinement (slurry walls keyed into an average 2-m-thick aquitard), for at least two decades, high concentrations of chlorinated solvents (up to 110 mg l^− 1) have been observed in aquifers that supply drinking water close to the city of Milan (Italy). Results of monitoring and in situ tests have been used to perform an unsaturated-saturated numerical model. These results yielded the necessary quantitative information to be used both for the determination of the hydraulic properties of the different media in the area and for the calibration and validation of the numerical model. Backfill material in the shallower part of the investigated aquifer dramatically affects the natural recharge of the encapsulated area. A transient simulation from wet to drought periods highlights a change in the ratio between leakages from lateral barriers that support a specific scenario of water loss through the containment system. The combination of monitoring and modelling allows a reliable estimate of the overall performance of the physical confinement to be made without using any invasive techniques on slurry wall.     

Proposal for new quantitative eco-design indicators: a first case study

Eco-design is a valuable approach in order to reduce the environmental impact associated with a product system, by introducing environmental considerations early on in its design. Different strategies are possible for the implementation of eco-design, depending on the intended goals as well as the characteristics of the products. The present work proposes a series of eco-design indicators and tests to what extent the application of these simple indicators provides a reliable indication of the reduction of environmental impact, as measured by commonly employed Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) indicators. The product chosen for the case study was a water source heat pump. Two of the newly-developed indicators were applied and compared to LCIA indicators, focussing on design for disassembly and for recycling. A good and robust correlation was found, providing support to the thesis that these simple eco-design indicators can be used as a proxy to quickly and effectively gauge the environmental improvements introduced in a product system at the design stage.     

Reduction of CO2 emission by optimally tracking a pre-defined target

The recent global financial crisis has highlighted the need for balanced and efficient investments in the reduction of the greenhouse effect caused by emissions of CO₂ on a global scale. In a previous paper, the authors proposed a mathematical model describing the dynamic relation of CO₂ emission with investment in reforestation and clean technology. An efficient allocation of resources to reduce the greenhouse effect has also been proposed. Here, this model is used to provide estimates of the investments needed in land reforestation and in the adoption of clean technologies for an optimum emission and abatement of CO₂, for the period of 1996–2014. The required investments are computed to minimize deviations with respect to the emission targets proposed in the Kyoto Protocol for European Countries. The emission target can be achieved by 2014 with investments in reforestation peaking in 2004, and a reduction of the expected GDP of 42%, relative to 2006. Investments in clean technology should increase between 2008 and 2010 with maximum transfer figures around 70 million American dollars. Total (cumulative) costs are, however, relatively high depending on the price of carbon abatement and the rate at which the expected CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere should be reduced. Results highlight the advantages for policy makers to be able to manage investments in climate policy more efficiently, controlling optimum transfers based on a portfolio of actions that tracks a pre-defined CO₂ concentration target.     

Ozone and forests in South-Western Europe

The paper provides basic information about background, objectives and structure of O3SWE (Ozone at the permanent monitoring plots in South-Western Europe), an international co-operative project aimed at evaluating O3 concentrations, cumulative exposure, uptake and effects on forest vegetation in four countries of South-Western Europe (France, Italy, Luxenbourg, Spain and Switzerland). The project covers a total of 83 permanent plots of the EU and UN/ECE intensive forest monitoring programme and span over three years of investigation (2000-2002). The O3SWE project aims to demonstrate how, using data collected routinely in an intensive forest monitoring network, O3 exposure, flux and effects can be assessed and exceedances critically evaluated.     

Preferential retention of POPs on the northern aspect of mountains

Soils are the main reservoirs of POPs in mountain ecosystems, but the great variability of the concentrations, also at small scale, leaves some uncertainties in the evaluation of environmental burdens and exposure. The role of the aspect of the mountain side and the seasonal variation in the contamination levels was analysed by means of several soil samples taken from central Italian Alps. A greater contamination content was present in northern soils with a mean ratio between the north vs. south normalised concentration of around a factor of 2 (North-South Enrichment Factor). Experimental factors agreed with theoretical calculations based on temperature-specific calculated K_sa values. From May to November consistent differences in normalised concentrations up to 5-fold were observed. A dynamic picture of the POP contamination in high altitudinal soils is derived from the data in this work, with spring-summer half-lives between 60 and 120 days for most of the compounds.     

Where is the best site for wave energy exploitation? Case study along the coast of northern Latium (ITALY)

The present work proposes a siting process for the detection of a suitable site for wave energy exploitation. The choice of a suitable site is based on the good agreement between energy availability, environmental sustainability, and equipped facilities to exploit wave energy. The case study in the northern Latium coast is explicative because in this area there are several activities that affect marine ecosystems, and the introduction of renewable energies promote the reduction of anthropic pressures. The nearshore wave power is studied through the numerical wave model (CMS-Wave), and available wave buoys along the coast were used to compare numerical results. In correspondence with Civitavecchia harbour, the largest nearshore wave energy was found; the large depth in front of the breakwater allows to conserve a great part of offshore wave power, with an average dissipation rate of 10 % less than offshore, with mean annual available wave energy of 25.4 MWh/m and seasonal fluctuation of 5.4 MWh/m. This area appears to be an optimal site for nearshore and shoreline wave energy device tests and installations, for energy availability (intermediate level respect Mediterreanean Sea), low potential environmental impact, easier accessibility, and policy oriented towards a larger sustainability of harbour activities.     

Human influence over 150 years of coastal evolution in the Volturno delta system (southern Italy)

This paper focused on the past shoreline change rates along the coastal plain of the Volturno River, in southern Italy, western Mediterranean. A wide database comprising historical maps, aerial photographs, topographic sheets, bathymetric data was used to extract the spatial and temporal information of the coastlines at seven time points. Coastline displacement was calculated for two successive time points and relative surface variation (accretion and erosion) was estimated as well as minimum and maximum accretion/erosion linear values and rates. The surface variation analysis has revealed that the studied coast can be considered homogeneous since the 1970s, whereas it exhibits a variety of shoreline evolutionary trends after that time period. Timing and causes of trends and rates of variation were detected. Based on the estimated shoreline change rates, an appropriate morhodynamic one-line model was applied to predict evolutionary scenarios also in presence of port and defence works. The results obtained strongly emphasize that a successful coastal management requires a constant monitoring of the human-induced changes to account for the variability of rates over time.