Semiconductor-assisted photodegradation of lignin, dye, and kraft effluent by Ag-doped ZnO

This work reports a preliminary study of semiconductor-assisted photochemical degradation of lignin, Remazol Brilliant Blue R and Kraft E1 paper effluent by using ZnO and Ag-doped ZnO photocatalysts. The doped semiconductor was prepared in the reaction media by photoreduction of silver nitrate. With the use of 100 mg of ZnO and 15 mg of Ag-ZnO, almost total decolorization of the dye and lignin samples in reaction times lower than 60 min were observed. Extending the photochemical reaction up to 120 min, the total organic carbon content (TOC) was reduced in 90%. For the paper effluent, a fast decolorization was obtained for relatively short reaction times. However, de TOC reduction was negligible (near of 10%) up to high reaction times (300 min). By using the Ag-ZnO photocatalyst, the toxicity of lignin and Kraft E1 effluent toward E. Coli was completely removed. For the dye, the formation of transient toxic species was observed.     

Low-grade MgO used to stabilize heavy metals in highly contaminated soils

Low-grade MgO may be an economically feasible alternative in the stabilization of heavy metals from heavily contaminated soils. The use of MgO is described acting as a buffering agent within the pH 9-11 range, minimizing heavy metals solubility and avoiding the redissolution that occurs when lime is used. The effectiveness of LG-MgO has been studied as stabilizer agent of heavily polluted soils mainly contaminated by the flue-dust of the pyrite roasting. The use of LG-MgO as a reactive medium ensures that significant rates of metal fixation, greater than 80%, are achieved. The heavy metals leachate from the stabilized soil samples show a concentration lower than the limit set to classify the waste as non-special residue. Regardless of the quantity of stabilizer employed (greater than 10%), LG-MgO provides an alkali reservoir that allows guaranteeing long-term stabilization without varying the pH conditions.     

Geomorphological consequences of fraquent and infrequent rainfall and hydrological events in Pyrennez Mountains of Spain

Various aspects of pluviometric andhydrological events have been studiedworldwide, one of which is the geomorphichazards as the intensity of the eventsexceeds various geomorphic thresholds.During the last few years, rainstorms ofdifferent intensities have occurred in theCentral Spanish Pyrenees, including one ofexceptional character. Large, historicaldebris flows have been studied, as well asthe actual sediment transport in smallexperimental catchments. This study showsthat during the most frequent eventssuspended sediment transport is the commongeomorphic process. Bedload is mobilizedseveral times per year while small rockavalanches and channelized debris flowshave a return period of at least 5 years.Hillslope debris flows are triggered byrainfall events with a 25–30 year returnperiod. Reactivation of large, deep massmovements is linked to rainfalls of around100 year return period (between 130 and160 mm in 24 hours). Catastrophicgeomorphic processes occur whenprecipitation exceeds a 100 year returnperiod, as was the case of the Biescascampsite disaster. Geomorphic processestriggered by intense rainfall events havecaused major damage and human disastersbut the hazards have been reduced by theintroduction of several control measures,including reforestation, the constructionof check-dams, canalization of riversegments and improved flood forecasting.     

Emission of nitrous oxide from rice-wheat systems of Indo-Gangetic plains of India

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) accounts for 5%of the total enhanced greenhouse effect and responsiblefor the destruction of the stratospheric ozone. The rice-wheat cropping system occupying 26 million ha ofproductive land in Asia could be a major source ofN₂O as most of the fertilizer N in this region isconsumed by this system. Emission of N₂O asinfluenced by application of urea, urea plus farm yardmanure (FYM), and urea plus dicyandiamide (DCD), anitrification inhibitor, was studied in rice-wheatsystems of Indo-Gangetic plains of India. Total emissionof N₂O-N from the rice-wheat systems varied between654 g ha^-1 in unfertilized plots and 1570 g ha^-1 in urea fertilized plots. Application of FYM and DCDreduced emission of N₂O-N in rice. The magnitude ofreduction was higher with DCD. In wheat also N₂O-Nemission was reduced by DCD. FYM applied in rice had noresidual effect on N₂O-N emission in wheat. In riceintermittent wetting and drying condition of soilresulted in higher N₂O-N emission than that ofsaturated soil condition. Treatments with 5 irrigationsgave higher emissions in wheat than those with 3irrigations. In rice-wheat system, typical of a farmer'sfield in Indo-Gangetic plains, where 240 kg N isgenerally applied through urea, N₂O-N emission is1570 g ha^-1 (0.38% of applied N) and application ofFYM and DCD reduced it to 1415 and 1096 g ha^-1,respectively.     

Estimation of Plant Diversity at Landscape Level: A Methodological Approach Applied to Three Spanish Rural Areas

Approaches linking biodiversity assessment with landscape structure are necessary in the framework of sustainable rural development. The present paper describes a methodology to estimate plant diversity involving landscape structure as a proportional weight associated with different plant communities found in the landscape mosaic. The area occupied by a plant community, its patch number or its spatial distribution of patches are variables that could be expressed in gamma plant diversity of a territory. The methodology applies (1) remote sensing information, to identify land cover and land use types; (2) aspect, to discriminate composition of plant communities in each land cover type; (3) multi-scale field techniques, to asses plant diversity; (4) affinity analysis of plant community composition, to validate the stratified random sampling design and (5) the additive model that partitions gamma diversity into its alpha and beta components. The method was applied to three Spanish rural areas and was able to record 150-260 species per ha. Species richness, Shannon information index and Simpson concentration index were used to measure diversity in each area. The estimation using Shannon diversity index and the product of patch number and patch interspersion as weighting of plant community diversity was found to be the most appropriate method of measuring plant diversity at the landscape level.     

Volatile Organic Compounds in the Area of Madrid: A Chemometrical Approach

Multivariate techniques have been applied to the set of dataobtained after one year sampling of volatile organic compounds(VOCs), including volatile aldehydes in the area of Madrid inorder to evaluate the possible correspondence among groups ofanalysed compounds, as far as modelling of different emissionsources in relation to location and season. The measurements were carried out at four sites in Madrid, characteristic for urban and suburban areas. Additionally, as reference, a rural area 100 km far from the city was considered. Results of correlation analysis, factor and cluster analysis are presented.Higher correlations were found between variables related withtraffic emissions. Factor analysis results showed two mainsignificant variables related to anthropogenic and biogenicemissions respectively. In relation to cluster analysis, samples were grouped according to sampling site and seasonal variations.     

Monitoring trace metals in urban aerosols from Buenos Aires city. Determination by plasma-based techniques

A study was undertaken, within the framework of a 3 years national project, to assess the content of 13 elements in airborne particulate matter collected in representative zones of the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires. The sampling strategy followed consisted in collecting simultaneously 67 samples of PM10 particulate matter in 9 sampling sites covering an area of about 30 km2 during one week. The collection was performed on ash-free fibre-glass filters using high volume samplers. A combination of aqua regia and perchloric acid was used for leaching metals from filters. Key elements, namely Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, S, Sb, Sn, Zn and Zr, were determined by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) at micro g g(-1) and ng g(-1) levels. Analyte concentration varied from 130 ng g(-1)(Mo) to over 30%(Ca). Multivariate statistical analysis was performed on the data set including the measured elemental compositions for the monitored period. The atmospheric concentration found for Pb confirms the decreasing levels of this element since the introduction of unleaded gasoline in 1995: 88 ng m(-3)(2001) < 220 ng m(-3)(1997) < 3900 ng m(-3)(1994). The average S concentration above 3 microg m(-3) is somehow unexpectedly high for Buenos Aires since the relatively low S content of liquid fuels and the massive usage of natural gas imply low emissions of this element from combustion activities. To the best of our knowledge, S concentrations are reported for the first time for this city.     

Toward Explaining Nitrogen and Phosphorus Trends in Chesapeake Bay Tributaries, 1992–2012

Understanding trends in stream chemistry is critical to watershed management, and often complicated by multiple contaminant sources and landscape conditions changing over varying time scales. We adapted spatially referenced regression (SPARROW) to infer causes of recent nutrient trends in Chesapeake Bay tributaries by relating observed fluxes during 1992, 2002, and 2012 to contemporary inputs and watershed conditions. The annual flow‐normalized nitrogen flux to the bay from its watershed declined by 14% to 127,000 Mg (metric tons) between 1992 and 2012, due primarily (more than 80% of the decline) to reduced point sources. The remainder of the decline was due to reduced atmospheric deposition (13%) and urban nonpoint sources. Agricultural inputs, which contribute most nitrogen to the bay, changed little, although trends in the average nitrogen yield (flux per unit area) from cropland and pasture to streams in some settings suggest possible effects of evolving nutrient applications or other land management practices. Point sources of phosphorus to local streams declined by half between 1992 and 2012, while nonpoint inputs were relatively unchanged. Annual phosphorus delivery to the bay increased by 9% to 9,570 Mg between 1992 and 2012, however, due mainly to reduced retention in the Susquehanna River at Conowingo Reservoir.     

Correction to: Sustainable development goals assessment of Erzurum province with SWOT‑AHP analysis

Environment, Development and Sustainability -     

Treatment of wastewater effluents with Phillipsite-rich tuffs

The presence of abundant zeolites in association with volcanic pumiceous materials in Tererife (Canary Islands) prompted us to study their properties as a water purifying bed for inorganic contaminants, pathogenic bacteria, and soluble organic matter. The experimental model used was a chemical percolation reactor with a constant flux of solution, where the fixation kinetics were studied by comparing the input and the output solutions. The ammonium and phosphate retention values found after 10 days of constant percolation were 70% and 14%, respectively. In addition, a high reduction of soluble organic matter was observed, as well as the total removal of the bacteria species studied. The N-P-K values of the soluble and exchangeable nutrients indicate the potential capacity of the bed as a slow-release fertilizer.