Environmental diagnosis methodology for municipal waste landfills

A large number of countries are involved in a process of transformation with regard to the management of municipal solid waste. This process is a consequence of environmental requirements that occasionally materialise in legislation, such as the European Council Directive 31/99/EC on waste release in the European Union. In some cases, the remediation of old landfills can be carried out in compliance with environmental requirements; in other cases, it is necessary to proceed with the closure of the landfill and to assimilate it into its own environment. In both cases, it is necessary to undertake a diagnosis and characterisation of the impacted areas in order to develop an adequate action plan. This study presents a new methodology by which environmental diagnosis of landfill sites may be carried out. The methodology involves the formulation of a series of environmental indeces which provide information concerning the potential environmental problems of the landfills and the particular impact on different environmental elements, as well as information related to location, design and operation. On the basis of these results, it would be possible to draw up action plans for the remediation or closure of the landfill site. By applying the methodology to several landfills in a specific area, it would be possible to prioritize the order of actions required.     

Organization of School Centres and Environmental Education: In Search of Action Models for the Greening of School Organization

The introduction of environmental education (EE) in school centres is a process which has mainly followed two paths. One centred on teaching actions, on the curriculum organization and administration in order to enable educational practice orientated towards attaining the aims of EE. The other, which is here denominated 'organizational strategy' focuses, basically, on the organization and administration of the centre from an environmental perspective. The characteristics and main results of this 'environmental education and school organization' research project are described, dedicating special attention to the assessments of some of the participants. A series of elements for discussion and debate which could be useful in the development of future projects and actions within the framework of school organization greening is presented.     

Quantitative Real-Time PCR and Digital PCR to Evaluate Residual Quantity of HAV in Experimentally Depurated Mussels

Food and Environmental Virology - Kinetics of hepatitis A virus (HAV) accumulation and depuration from mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) was studied in an experimental depuration system....     

Characterization in the archaeological excavation site of heterotrophic bacteria and fungi of deteriorated wall painting of Herculaneum in Italy

Microbiological characterization of frescos in four different locations (Collegio degli Augustali, Casa del Colonnato Tuscanico, Casa dello Scheletro and Casa del Gran Portale) of excavation sites of Herculaneum was carried out. The use of infrared thermography allowed detecting sample points on frescos with greatest moisture not visible to the naked eye, resulting in structural damage. The microclimatic conditions provided perfect habitat for bacteria and fungi, particularly of spore forming and mould. In fact, heterotrophic bacteria were prevalent in all wall paintings monitored (ranging from 18 +/- 2 CFU 100 cm(-2) to 68 +/- 4 CFU 100 cm(-2)), whereas fungi were also detected but at lower levels (ranging from 9 +/- 2 CFU 100 cm(-2) to 45 +/- 3 CFU 100 cm(-2)). Cultural-based method allow us to identify by 16S and 26S rRNA partial sequence analysis heterotrophic microorganisms belonging to different genera of Bacillus and Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium together with the unusual genera as Microascus and Coprinus. By using this approach, Bacillus-related species (B. cereus/B. thuringiensis group, B. simplex/B. muralis group, B. megaterium and B. subtilis) were isolated in all sample points analysed with the exception of the Casa dello Scheletro in which Micrococcus luteus/Arthrobactersp. group and Streptomyces fragilis were found. DGGE analysis of PCR amplified V3 region of rDNA from DNA directly recovered from frescos samples, enabled identification of bacterial species not identified using culturable technology asthose closest related to Microbacterium group, often associated with Brevibacterium, Streptomyces and Stenotrophomonas. Combination of culture-dependent and independent methods provided better microbiology characterization of heterotrophic microbiota present on the surface of ancient frescos of this important archaeological site.     

Integrated survey of water pollution in the Suquía River basin (Córdoba, Argentina)

We report a combined two-year seasonal monitoring of Suquía River basin using both chemical parameters and biomarkers measured in Jenynsia multidentata, aiming to correlate external levels of contaminants with the response of oxidative stress biomarkers in this fish. Identified pollution sources correspond to city sewage as well as agricultural and small industry activities downstream from Córdoba city. Physicochemical parameters integrated into a water quality index (WQI) were measured in Suquía River during dry and wet seasons. Ag, Mn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Fe, Pb and Zn were also monitored in water and sediment samples. Biomarkers include detoxication and antioxidant enzymes: catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR). Enzymes showed a pollution dependent response, with increased activities in fish collected close to the sewage exit and progressive drop further downstream, matching changes in the Water Quality index. The combined use of biomarkers with water quality parameters allowed both the identification of pollution sources and the evaluation of effects of contaminants on the aquatic biota.     

Quantification of Human Adenoviruses in European Recreational Waters

The presence of human adenoviruses (HAdV) in recreational water might cause disease in the population upon exposure. HAdV detected by PCR could also serve as indicators of the virological water quality. In order to assess the applicability of HAdV to the evaluation of the faecal contamination in European bathing waters, a real-time quantitative PCR assay was used for the quantification of HAdV in 132 samples collected from 24 different recreational marine and freshwater sites in nine European countries. Selected samples presenting positive nested PCR results for HAdV were analyzed using quantitative PCR and 80 samples from a total of 132 produced quantitative results with mean values of 3.2 × 10² per 100 ml of water, being human adenovirus 41 the most prevalent serotype between the samples where adenovirus was typified. HAdV were quantified in samples from all 15 surveillance laboratories. Statistical analysis showed no homogeneous linear relation between HAdV and E. coli, intestinal enterococci or somatic coliphages concentrations in the tested samples when considering all the data together. Significant correlations between HAdV and at least one of the other indicators were observed only when data from individual laboratories were considered. The quantification of HAdV may provide complementary information in relation to the use of bacterial standards in the control of water quality in bathing water.     

Food nanotechnologies and policy challenges

Over the last twenty years, nanotechnology has slowly entered the agrifood sector. Meanwhile, testimonies of possible risks associated with the new nanomaterials were collected. This article investigates the reasons for the delay in regulatory intervention with respect to nanotechnology in the agrifood sector. Findings show that the unregulated introduction of nanomaterials into the food system is the result of the current neoliberal food policy, and the power struggles that govern the economic, social and political dynamics of the global supply chain. It is therefore necessary to put at the center of the regulatory debate the question concerning technology. Specifically, how technology influences power relationships within society should be studied. In other words, attention should be shifted from efficiency issues to power issues. New technologies should be assessed from a political perspective rather than an economic or ethical perspective.     

Opportunities and challenges for Common Agricultural Policy reform to support the European Green Deal

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the European Union's main instrument for agricultural planning, with a new reform approved for 2023–2027. The CAP intends to align with the European Green Deal (EGD), a set of policy initiatives underpinning sustainable development and climate neutrality in the European Union (EU), but several flaws cast doubts about the compatibility of the objectives of these 2 policies. We reviewed recent literature on the potential of CAP environmental objectives for integration with the EGD: protection of biodiversity, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and sustainable management of natural resources. The CAP lacks appropriate planning measures, furthering instead risks to biodiversity and ecosystem services driven by landscape and biotic homogenization. Funding allocation mechanisms are not tailored to mitigate agricultural emissions, decreasing the efficiency of climate mitigation actions. The legislation subsidies farmers making extensive use of synthetic inputs without adequately supporting organic production, hindering the transition toward sustainable practices. We recommend proper control mechanisms be introduced in CAP Strategic Plans from each member state to ensure the EU is set on a sustainable production and consumption path. These include proportional assignment of funds to each CAP objective, quantitative targets to set goals and evidence-based interventions, and relevant indicators to facilitate effective monitoring of environmental performance. Both the CAP and the EGD should maintain ambitious environmental commitments in the face of crisis to avoid further degradation of the natural resources on which production systems stand.     

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...     

Experimental evaluation of PCDD/Fs and PCBs release and mass balance of a WTE plant

The behaviour of waste incineration plants with respect to organic toxic trace contaminants such as PCDDs, PCDFs and, to a minor extent, PCBs, is still a matter of concern for the public opinion and the decision makers. It is therefore very important, first, to evaluate the release of these organic toxic trace contaminants in the environment during waste incineration, not only through the stack gas emission but also with the solid and liquid residues, and then to compare the total release with the input through the treated waste in order to assess the plant behaviour as a “sink” rather than a “source” of organic toxic trace contaminants. The experimental investigation carried out on an Italian full scale incineration plant has shown a total 17 PCDD/Fs and 12 dioxin-like PCBs release of 5.5-27 μg WHO-TEQ per tonne of treated waste and an input flux of 1.6-44 μg WHO-TEQ per tonne of waste, with the difference between the input and the output fluxes rather small and the plant behaviour toward organic trace toxic contaminants in average neutral. Results are compared with similar evaluations conducted in the last decade on a number of waste-to-energy (WTE) plants operating in Italy.