Remediation of PCB‐Contaminated Soil Using Extraction and Destruction: Bench‐Scale Test

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a persistent environmental issue worldwide. This study summarizes the results obtained from a bench‐scale test of remediating PCB‐impacted soil. The research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of extracting the PCB Aroclor 1260 from soil, transferring it to a liquid matrix, and then treating the PCB‐containing liquid using an Activated Metal Treatment System, a technology developed by NASA based on zero valent magnesium (ZVMg). The soil was from a former electrical plant area impacted by PCBs. The initial concentration of untreated soil contained an average of 4.7 ± 0.15 mg/kg of Aroclor 1260. The results showed that the mass transfer phenomena is possible using ethanol as a liquid matrix, reaching transfer results up to 93 percent. The ZVMg enabled the destruction of the Aroclor 1260, which reached 20 percent without any buildup of undesirable by‐products, such as less chlorinated PCBs.  ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Impact of Biodegradable Plastics in the Properties of Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Since biodegradable materials are unwittingly mixed with synthetic materials, this work aimed to study the feasibility of reliably identifying some...     

Selective collection as a pretreatment for indirect solid recovered fuel generation

Effective selective collection (SC) has been increasing in many countries of the European Union. As a consequence the composition of residual municipal solid waste (RMSW) is changing not only because of economic development, but also due to the collection system. The input of RMSW treatment plants is thus not homogeneous. This paper analyses two case studies involving a total of five SC scenarios and their impact on the generation of solid recovered fuel (SRF) with/without bio-drying, post-treatment and packaging take back programs (TBPs). These case studies are based on two types of SC: kerbside and drop-off. The latest regulation on SRF classification is taken into account: energy content, Cl and Hg concentrations are assessed and discussed. The role of the respirometric index (RI) is also analyzed. Results show that when SC is highly efficient RMSW can be classified directly as SRF, but only if the introduction of RI does not set stringent respirometric targets. The role of packaging TBPs is important as the residual waste remaining after the packaging has been processed, can be valorized increasing the lower heating value (LHV) of the residual RMSW and minimizing the streams that should be landfilled. The source separation of food waste has a significant impact on the suitability of bio-drying: when the SC of food waste is very efficient, its percentage in the RMSW may be too low for effective bio-drying.     

A Functional Approach to the Assessment of the Nutritional Value of Particulate Organic Matter

Organic matter lability can be determined with different approaches, based on the quantitative and qualitative estimate of its nutritional value. the C/N ratio and the particulate organic matter (as the sum of protein, carbohydrate and lipid bulks) vs total suspended matter (POM/TSM) deal with a quantitative assessment of the organic matter bulk, while other indices such as proteins/carbohydrates ratio (PRT/CHO) may give also qualitative information. Gordon (1970) proposed a functional approach, based on organic carbon decrease after enzymatic digestion. Coupling Gordon's approach with the evaluation of the main biochemical components (proteins, carbohydrates and lipids) contained in the particulate organic matter, a simple method to assess lability and nutritional value of organic substrates is proposed.

Water samples were collected at the surface and close to the bottom in a shallow coastal station (10 m depth) in the Marconi Gulf (Ligurian Sea, NW Mediterranean). the difference between “total labile” and “hydrolyzed labile” organic matter (respectively before and after enzymatic digestion) suggests a relevant presence of resuspended refractory materials vs about 60% of labile hydrolyzed organic matter, thus confirming the importance of a more qualitative approach to organic matter studies.     

Prenatal diagnosis of thalassemia major by fetal blood analysis: Experience with 1000 cases

In this report we have summarized our experience with the prenatal diagnosis of β-thalassemia in 1000 pregnancies followed at least until 12 months after birth. In the majority of these cases, the thalassemia lesion was the nonsense mutation at the codon corresponding to amino acid 39, which produces the hematological phenotype of β-thalassemia. Fetal blood sampling was carried out by placental aspiration, by which a sufficient amount of fetal blood for analysis was obtained in the majority of cases (99 per cent). The fetal mortality associated with fetal blood sampling was 6·3 per cent. Those placental samples contaminated by maternal cells were successfully purified by Ørskov lysis. Fetal blood was analysed by globin chain synthesis on CM–52 columns, which gave reliable results. Two misdiagnoses (0·2 per cent) have been made of which one was due to a non-globin protein co-migrating with the β-chains while the other resulted from a misclassification of the type of thalassemia segregating in the family.     

Study of the degradation of dyes by MnP of Phanerochaete chrysosporium produced in a fixed-bed bioreactor

The production of ligninolytic enzymes by the fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium in a fixed-bed tubular bioreactor, filled with cubes of nylon sponge, operating in semi-solid-state conditions, was studied. Maximum individual manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) and lignin peroxidase (LiP) activities of 1293 and 225 U/l were detected.The in vitro decolourisation of two structurally different dyes (Poly R-478, crystal violet) by the extracellular liquid obtained in the above-mentioned bioreactor was monitored in order to determine its degrading capability. The concentration of some compounds (sodium malonate, manganese sulphate) from the reaction mixture was optimised in order to maximise the decolourisation levels. A percentage of Poly R-478 decolourisation of 24% after 15 min of dye incubation was achieved.On the other hand, a methodology for a long treatment of these dyes based on the continuous addition of MnP enzyme and H(2)O(2) was developed. Moreover, this enzymatic treatment was compared with a photochemical decolourisation process. The former allowed to maintain the degradation rate almost constant for a long time, resulting in a decolourisation percentage of 70% and 30% for crystal violet and Poly R-478, respectively, after 2 h of treatment. As for the latter, it was not able to degrade Poly R-478, whereas crystal violet reached a degradation of 40% in 2 h.     

Exploring the phytoremediation potential of Cynara cardunculus: a trial on an industrial soil highly contaminated by heavy metals

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Metal uptake capacity and growth patterns of three cardoon cultivars (Sardo, Siciliano, and Spagnolo) were investigated for phytoremediation in a...     

Evaluation of Online Information Sources on Alien Species in Europe: The Need of Harmonization and Integration

Europe is severely affected by alien invasions, which impact biodiversity, ecosystem services, economy, and human health. A large number of national, regional, and global online databases provide information on the distribution, pathways of introduction, and impacts of alien species. The sufficiency and efficiency of the current online information systems to assist the European policy on alien species was investigated by a comparative analysis of occurrence data across 43 online databases. Large differences among databases were found which are partially explained by variations in their taxonomical, environmental, and geographical scopes but also by the variable efforts for continuous updates and by inconsistencies on the definition of “alien” or “invasive” species. No single database covered all European environments, countries, and taxonomic groups. In many European countries national databases do not exist, which greatly affects the quality of reported information. To be operational and useful to scientists, managers, and policy makers, online information systems need to be regularly updated through continuous monitoring on a country or regional level. We propose the creation of a network of online interoperable web services through which information in distributed resources can be accessed, aggregated and then used for reporting and further analysis at different geographical and political scales, as an efficient approach to increase the accessibility of information. Harmonization, standardization, conformity on international standards for nomenclature, and agreement on common definitions of alien and invasive species are among the necessary prerequisites.