Game theory approach to the analysis of inter-plant water integration in an eco-industrial park

Industrial water conservation is an important adaptation to the effects of climate change. In addition to water conservation within individual plants, wastewater can be reused/recycled among different companies through inter-plant water integration (IPWI) schemes. Such schemes are based on the concept of industrial ecology and industrial symbiosis, and can be used to achieve greater water savings than when water conservation is implemented in individual companies separately. However, in IPWI, each participating company seeks to maximise its own benefits. In the absence of centralised authority dictating the terms of water integration schemes, conventional modelling techniques are not appropriate. This paper shows how a game theory-based approach can be used to analyse the interaction of participating companies in an eco-industrial park seeking to develop an IPWI scheme.     

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More European heritage awards     

离心模型试验技术在环境岩土工程中的应用现状与展望

首先简单介绍了离心模型试验技术的发展状况,然后探讨了其在环境岩土工程中的应用,研究了模型和原型的相似规律,提出了环境岩土工程离心模型试验的发展方向.     

A perspective on the prevalence of DNA enteric virus genomes in anaerobic-digested biological wastes

The major goal of this study is to gain a perspective on the prevalence of DNA enteric virus genomes in mesophilic anaerobic-digested (MAD) sewage sludge and manure by comparing their quantitative PCR (qPCR) concentrations and removals with traditional fecal indicators (Escherichia coli, enterococci, and Bacteroidetes). In addition, relationships between qPCR and culture measurements of fecal indicators (FIs) were determined. There was no significant difference between the qPCR concentrations of human adenovirus and E. coli/enterococci in MAD sewage sludge; however, the qPCR concentrations of bovine adenovirus were significantly lower than FIs and bovine polyomavirus (BPyV) in MAD manure. The qPCR concentrations of human polyomavirus were slightly lower than E. coli and enterococci (p ≤ 0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the qPCR concentrations of BPyV and FIs. The digestion treatment achieved higher genome removal of bovine DNA enteric viruses than FIs (p ≤ 0.05). Significant correlations were observed between qPCR and culture measurements of FIs, but the concentrations and removals of FIs determined by qPCR assays were still significantly different than those determined by culture assays. Overall, we determined that the prevalence of DNA enteric virus genomes in MAD biological wastes was high due to their comparable in qPCR concentrations to FIs, indicating that mesophilic anaerobic digestion treatment alone may not be effective enough to remove DNA viral pathogens in biological wastes.     

How to improve reliability in groundwater analysis: over a decade of experience with external quality control in field campaigns on volatile halogenated compounds

The reliability in measurement results obtained during environmental monitoring is crucial for the assessment and further planning of remediation efforts on the respective contaminated sites by the responsible authorities. A case study concerned with groundwater contaminated with perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane including their degradation products which involves private contract laboratories and an independent provider of quality assurance (QA) is presented. The experience gained with biannual monitoring campaigns over 14 years indicates that the selection of contractors on basis of accreditation status and successful performance in interlaboratory comparisons are not sufficient. Rather the auditing of the contractors by the QA provider prior to each campaign and the crosschecking of selected monitoring samples by the QA provider led to a lasting improvement of reliability in the contractors' measurement results. A mean deviation of 20% from the reference value determined by the QA provider for the crosschecked samples was reached.