Valorization of winery waste vs. the costs of not recycling

Wine production generates huge amounts of waste. Before the 1990s, the most economical option for waste removal was the payment of a disposal fee usually being of around 3000 Euros. However, in recent years the disposal fee and fines for unauthorized discharges have increased considerably, often reaching 30,000–40,000 Euros, and a prison sentence is sometimes also imposed. Some environmental friendly technologies have been proposed for the valorization of winery waste products. Fermentation of grape marc, trimming vine shoot or vinification lees has been reported to produce lactic acid, biosurfactants, xylitol, ethanol and other compounds. Furthermore, grape marc and seeds are rich in phenolic compounds, which have antioxidants properties, and vinasse contains tartaric acid that can be extracted and commercialized. Companies must therefore invest in new technologies to decrease the impact of agro-industrial residues on the environment and to establish new processes that will provide additional sources of income.     

Characterization of alkali-activated thermally treated incinerator bottom ash

The fine fraction (<14mm) of incinerator bottom ash (IBA) obtained from a UK energy from waste plant has been milled and thermally treated at 600, 700, 800 and 880 degrees C. Treated materials have been activated with Ca(OH)(2) (10wt%) and the setting times and compressive strengths at different curing times measured. In addition to decomposition of CaCO(3) to CaO, thermal treatment increases the content of gehlenite (Ca(2)Al(2)SiO(7)), wollastonite (CaSiO(3)) and mayenite (Ca(12)Al(14)O(33)). Thermally treated samples were significantly more reactive than milled IBA and heating to 700 degrees C produced a material which rapidly set. Silica, gehlenite and wollastonite were the main crystalline phases present in hydrated samples and a mixed sulphate-carbonate AFm-type phase (Ca(4)Al(2)O(6)(CO(3))(0.67)(SO(3))(0.33).11H(2)O) formed. Significant volumes of gas were generated during curing and this produced a macro-porous microstructure that limited strength to 2.8MPa. The new materials may have potential for use as controlled low-strength materials.     

Trace element mobility in soils seven years after the Aznalcóllar mine spill

The long-term influence of the Aznalcóllar mine spill on soils was studied seven years after the accident in the area of Vado del Quema. Soils where the pyritic sludge was not removed after the cleaning operations and soils where this process was accomplished successfully were sampled and studied in detail. Sludge and soil horizons were characterised, determining their physico-chemical parameters, mineralogy and the total concentrations of major and trace elements. Moreover, leaching studies were performed using batch tests. The main mineralogical changes detected in the soil beneath the weathered sludge are the neo-formation of jarosite, gypsum and sainfeldite, together with the almost total depletion of calcite. An important acidification of soil has been also produced, especially in the uppermost soil layers. These two factors show to be the main responsible for the vertical distribution and leachability displayed by trace elements. Critical total concentrations were found for most trace elements in the soil still affected by the sludge weathering. Furthermore, the Cd and Zn leachable contents showed to be extremely high. Therefore, in those areas affected by the mine spill where the removal of sludge was not accomplished properly, special care should be paid to trace elements highly mobile in acidic conditions. Additional restoration measures should be undertaken to avoid further pollutant dispersion.     

Soil carbon and nitrogen storage in response to fire in a temperate mixed-grass savanna

Vegetation fires may alter the quantity and quality of organic matter inputs to soil, rates of organic matter decay, and environmental factors that influence those processes. However, few studies have evaluated the impacts of this land management technique on soil organic carbon (SOC) and total N in grasslands and savannas. We evaluated the impact of repeated fires and their season of occurrence on SOC and total N storage in a temperate mixed-grass-mesquite savanna where fire is used to control woody plant encroachment. Four fire treatments varying in season of occurrence were examined: summer only (SF), winter only (WF), alternate summer and winter fires (SWF), and unburned controls. In each treatment, soils were sampled to 1 m under three vegetation types: C3 grasses, C4 grasses, and mesquite trees. The SOC storage at 0 to 20 cm was significantly greater in SF (2693 g C m(-2)) and SWF (2708 g C m(-2)) compared to WF (2446 g C m(-2)) and controls (2445 g C m(-2)). The SWF treatment also increased soil total N (271 g N m(-2)) relative to all other treatments (228-244 g N m(-2)) at 0 to 20 cm. Fire had no effect on SOC or total N at depths of > 20 cm. Vegetation type had no significant influence on SOC or total N stocks. The delta13C value of SOC was not affected by fire, but increased from -21 per thousand at 0 to 10 cm to -15 per thousand at depths of > 20 cm indicating that all treatments were once dominated by C4 grasses before woody plant encroachment during the past century. These results have implications for scientists, land managers, and policymakers who are now evaluating the potential for land uses to alter ecosystem C storage and influence atmospheric CO2 concentrations and global climate.     

EVALUATING POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF INSECTICIDE APPLICATIONS IN A BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION PROGRAM1

ABSTRACT: Concerns have been expressed about the potential insecticide contamination of regional water resources from a boll weevil eradication program in Oklahoma. A mathematical model and geographic information system techniques were utilized to evaluate the potential of insecticide leaching and runoff from a major proposed program area in the state. Different but equally likely weather patterns were generated, and potential insecticide losses associated with each pattern were predicted. Soil types and their locations within cotton areas were identified, and potential chemical losses from each soil were delineated. Model simulations indicated that azinphos-methyl and diflubenzuron could leach from some porous soils and that all insecticides suggested for use in the program could be lost to runoff. The predicted chemical movements with runoff were significantly higher on irrigated land than from non-irrigated land. Malathion demonstrated no leaching and low potential of runoff losses among the insecticides evaluated.     

Speciation and preservation of inorganic arsenic in drinking water sources using EDTA with IC separation and ICP-MS detection

The native distribution of As(III) and As(v) in drinking water supplies can influence the treatment removal strategy. The stability of As(III) and As(v) in iron-rich drinking waters can be affected by the formation of Fe precipitates (Fe oxides and/or hydroxides designated by "FeOOH"). These precipitates (ppts) can form during the transport of the sample to the laboratory for arsenic speciation analysis. The analysis of the ppt indicates considerable loss of the aqueous arsenic species (As(aq)) to the solid phase "FeOOH" ppt. Studies of laboratory reagent water containing both As(III) and Fe(III) indicate that the resulting "FeOOH" ppt contained a mixture of As(III) and As(v) with near quantitative removal of the As(aq) in 18 hr. The corresponding aqueous fraction after filtration through a 0.45 microm filter was composed primarily of As(v). The formation of "FeOOH" ppt and the loss of As(aq) to the ppt can be virtually eliminated by the use of EDTA, which sequesters the FeIII). Reagent water fortified with Fe(III), As(III) and EDTA produced less than a 1 ppb change in the As(III)aq concentration over 16 d. The EDTA treatment was also tested on three well waters with different native As(III )/As(v) ratios. The native distribution of As(III)/As(v) was stabilized over a period of 10 d with a worst case conversion of As(III) to As(v) of 2 ppb over a 30 d period. All well waters not treated with EDTA had dramatic losses (a factor of 2-5) of As(aq) in less than 1 d. These results indicated that EDTA preservation treatment can be used to preserve As(aq) in waters where the predominant species is the reduced form [As(III)] or in waters which the predominant species is the oxidized form [As(v)]. This preliminary investigation of EDTA to preserve As species in Fe-rich waters indicates stability can be achieved for greater than 14 d.     

A conductive polypyrrole based ammonium ion selective electrode

In view of the development of miniaturized sensor arrays, a solid-contact ammonium ion selective electrode has been investigated. A conductive polypyrrole film was electrochemicallydeposited on a glassy carbon surface and used as an internal solid contact layer between the sensing membrane and solid electrode surface. A systematic evaluation of the importantparameters affecting the electromotive force (emf) response ispresented. The performances of this solid-contact sensor were verified using a batch-mode measurement setup and a wall-jet flow cell system. The designed sensor exhibited excellent selectivity for the primary ion and a linear response over the pNH₄ ⁺ range 1–5 with a slope of 56.3 mV decade^-1. The sensor has a fast response and is relativelyrobustness, and was also used to determine ammonium concentrations in natural waters, with promising results.     

Dissolved organic iodine in marine waters: role in the estuarine geochemistry of iodine

Non-volatile dissolved organic iodine (DOI) can be a major, or even the dominant, species of dissolved I in coastal, inshore and estuarine waters. It can be converted to IO3- in the presence of an oxidizing agent and to I- by reacting it with a reducing agent. Depending on the exact experimental conditions, the yields of these reactions may not be quantitative. In previous analytical schemes for the determination of IO3-, I- and DOI in marine waters, if oxidation or reduction steps are involved and the concentrations of one or more species are estimated by difference, the presence of DOI can lead to an overestimation of the concentrations of the inorganic species determined by difference and an underestimation of the concentration of DOI. In two cruises covering the James River to the southern Chesapeake Bay and from the southern Chesapeake Bay to the Atlantic, above a salinity (S) of 2, the contribution of DOI to total I increased with decreasing salinity and reached a maximum of 80%. DOI, I- and IO3- were successively the dominant form of dissolved I at 0.1 < S < 15 in the James River estuary, 15 < S < 30 in the Southern Chesapeake Bay and S > 30 in the Atlantic Ocean at the Bay mouth, respectively. Total I behaved conservatively (i.e., no evidence of consumption or production) during estuarine mixing during both cruises. In the southern Chesapeake Bay, total inorganic I was also approximately conservative. The primary process affecting the speciation of dissolved I was the conversion of IO3- to I-. In the James River estuary, there were indications of the conversion of both IO3- and I- to DOI. The concentrations of total I, IO3-, I- and DOI in James River water were 0.121, undetectable, 0.068 and 0.053 microM, respectively. These concentrations of total I and I- are significantly higher while that of IO3- is noticeably lower than those used presently for estimating global riverine input of these I species to the oceans. The riverine flux of DOI to the oceans is presently unknown.     

The Yellow Fever Epidemic in Western Mali,September—November 1987: Why Did Epidemiological Surveillance Fail?

Recent yellow fever epidemics in West Africa have underlined the discrepancy between the official number of cases and deaths and those estimated by a retrospective epidemiological investigation. During the yellow fever epidemic that broke out in western Mali in September 1987, a total of 305 cases and 145 deaths were officially notified, but estimates revealed true figures abut five times higher. This paper attempts to discuss the factors that hindered early case detection and more complete reporting. They were, first, the insufficient training on the clinical diagnosis, the blood sampling method for laboratory confirmation, and the curative treatment of patients (resulting in low utilization of services); second, the lack of an action plan to prepare in advance a quick response to the epidemic, affecting reporting procedures at the peripheral level and active case-finding during the outbreak; and third, the lack of laboratory facilities for a quick confirmation of the disease.
The difficulties experienced during the yellow fever epidemic in Mali demonstrated the importance of a preparedness strategy for epidemic control, based on an integrated approach of epidemiological surveillance within basic health service activities. The need for regional collaboration and for institutionalized funds in the donor community that could be mobilized for epidemic preparedness activities is also emphasized.