Optimization of the recovery of plastics for recycling by density media separation cyclones

Material recovery processes are presented as the optimum option for recycling plastic wastes as a means of recovering hydrocarbon resources. There exist a large variety of automated material recovery processes for recycling of such wastes but each with significant limitations. Of these, the separation based on differences in densities is advocated as the optimum process either for producing recycled products or preparing wastes for subsequent recovery processing.Density separation processes based on cyclone type density media separation (DMS) is presented as an important, potential method for increasing plastics recycling process capacities. It is demonstrated to have the capacity to separate a significantly larger range of particle sizes than those presently processed industrially. The mathematical relationship for the prediction of quality of typical LARCODEMS type density media separations by particle size and density as expressed by the Ecart Probable is presented.A proposed device configuration is presented for density media separation to optimize the recovery and purity of both density fractions produced. It is also suggested that to be economically viable, a large scale of operation is required for industrial plastics recycling operations recovering and producing a number of different plastics with a purity to be used as a substitute for virgin material.     

Overview of non-hazardous solid waste in the small island state of Mauritius

In Mauritius, solid waste disposal has been a cause for concern since the 1980s. Currently, there is no segregation of waste and some 1200 tonnes of solid waste are generated daily by the 1.24 million inhabitants of the island. As processes such as recycling and composting are still in their infancy stage, most of the waste generated have to be disposed of at the sole landfill. The solid waste management practices of 1980s and early 1990s are no longer compatible with the changing composition and quantity of wastes now generated. As a result, there is an urgency to review the whole waste management system and come forward with sustainable solutions.This paper presents an overview of the disposal of non-hazardous solid waste in Mauritius and provides recommendations for improving the current disposal system.     

Confronting socially generated uncertainty in adaptive management

As more and more organizations with responsibility for natural resource management adopt adaptive management as the rubric in which they wish to operate, it becomes increasingly important to consider the sources of uncertainty inherent in their endeavors. Without recognizing that uncertainty originates both in the natural world and in human undertakings, efforts to manage adaptively at the least will prove frustrating and at the worst will prove damaging to the very natural resources that are the management targets. There will be more surprises and those surprises potentially may prove at the very least unwanted and at the worst devastating. We illustrate how acknowledging uncertainty associated with the natural world is necessary but not sufficient to avoid surprise using case studies of efforts to manage three wildlife species; Hector's Dolphins, American Alligators and Pallid Sturgeon. Three characteristics of indeterminism are salient to all of them; non-stationarity, irreducibility and an inability to define objective probabilities. As an antidote, we recommend employing a holistic treatment of indeterminism, that includes recognizing that uncertainty originates in ecological systems and in how people perceive, interact and decide about the natural world of which they are integral players.     

Quantification of uncertainty of experimental measurement in leaching test on cement-based materials

When mineral wastes are reused in construction materials, a current practice is to evaluate their environmental impact using standard leaching test. However, due to the uncertainty of the measurement, it is usually quite difficult to estimate the pollutant potential compared to other materials or threshold limits. The aim of this paper is to give a quantitative evaluation of the uncertainty of leachate concentrations of cement-based materials, as a function of the number of test performed. The relative standard deviations and relative confidence intervals are determined using experimental data in order to give a global evaluation of the uncertainty of leachate concentrations (determination of total relative standard deviation). Various combinations were realized in order to point out the origin of large dispersion of the results (determination of relative standard deviation linked to analytical measured and to leaching procedure), generalisation was suggested and the results were compared to literature. An actual example was given about the introduction of residue (meat and bone meal bottom ash--MBM-BA) in mortar, leaching tests were carried out on various samples with and without residue MBM-BA. In conclusion large dispersion were observed and mainly due to heterogeneity of materials. So heightened attention needed to analyse leaching result on cement-based materials and further more other tests (e.g. ecotoxicology) should be performed to evaluate the environmental effect of these materials.     

Water quality requirements for sustaining aquifer storage and recovery operations in a low permeability fractured rock aquifer

A changing climate and increasing urbanisation has driven interest in the use of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) schemes as an environmental management tool to supplement conventional water resources. This study focuses on ASR with stormwater in a low permeability fractured rock aquifer and the selection of water treatment methods to prevent well clogging. In this study two different injection and recovery phases were trialed. In the first phase ~1380 m(3) of potable water was injected and recovered over four cycles. In the second phase ~3300 m(3) of treated stormwater was injected and ~2410 m(3) were subsequently recovered over three cycles. Due to the success of the potable water injection cycles, its water quality was used to set pre-treatment targets for harvested urban stormwater of ≤ 0.6 NTU turbidity, ≤ 1.7 mg/L dissolved organic carbon and ≤ 0.2 mg/L biodegradable dissolved organic carbon. A range of potential ASR pre-treatment options were subsequently evaluated resulting in the adoption of an ultrafiltration/granular activated carbon system to remove suspended solids and nutrients which cause physical and biological clogging. ASR cycle testing with potable water and treated stormwater demonstrated that urban stormwater containing variable turbidity (mean 5.5 NTU) and organic carbon (mean 8.3 mg/L) concentrations before treatment could be injected into a low transmissivity fractured rock aquifer and recovered for irrigation supplies. A small decline in permeability of the formation in the vicinity of the injection well was apparent even with high quality water that met turbidity and DOC but could not consistently achieve the BDOC criteria.     

Source and Delivery of Nutrients to Receiving Waters in the Northeastern and Mid‐Atlantic Regions of the United States1

Moore, Richard B., Craig M. Johnston, Richard A. Smith, and Bryan Milstead, 2011. Source and Delivery of Nutrients to Receiving Waters in the Northeastern and Mid‐Atlantic Regions of the United States. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(5):965‐990. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00582.x Abstract: This study investigates nutrient sources and transport to receiving waters, in order to provide spatially detailed information to aid water‐resources managers concerned with eutrophication and nutrient management strategies. SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) nutrient models were developed for the Northeastern and Mid‐Atlantic (NE US) regions of the United States to represent source conditions for the year 2002. The model developed to examine the source and delivery of nitrogen to the estuaries of nine large rivers along the NE US Seaboard indicated that agricultural sources contribute the largest percentage (37%) of the total nitrogen load delivered to the estuaries. Point sources account for 28% while atmospheric deposition accounts for 20%. A second SPARROW model was used to examine the sources and delivery of phosphorus to lakes and reservoirs throughout the NE US. The greatest attenuation of phosphorus occurred in lakes that were large relative to the size of their watershed. Model results show that, within the NE US, aquatic decay of nutrients is quite limited on an annual basis and that we especially cannot rely on natural attenuation to remove nutrients within the larger rivers nor within lakes with large watersheds relative to the size of the lake.     

膜法处理低温低浊水技术综述

低温低浊水的处理是给水处理的一个难点.分析了常规混凝方法难处理低温低浊水的原因,介绍和比较了膜处理低温低浊水的4种方法.研究结果表明,膜法出水水质好、稳定,采用低压膜直接过滤降低能耗,节省药剂投加费用;混凝-超滤工艺中加入粉末活性炭后可增加溶解性有机物的去除,膜生物反应器能有效去除氨氮.膜法处理低温低浊水对浊度和有机物的去除明显好于传统工艺,能提供水质良好的饮用水,是低温低浊水处理的发展方向.     

1949年以来河南省城镇化进程及城镇密集区研究

河南省是中部地区城镇化水平较高较快的省份,研究其城镇化格局与过程对提升河南省城镇化的质量具有重要的示范意义与应用价值.在时间进程方面,对建国后河南省的城镇化时间进程进行了阶段划分和原因分析;在空间进程方面,考虑到统计口径和有些年份数据的缺失,采用对比分析方法进行空间分析并通过kernel密度分析方法进行了辅助分析.研究表明,河南省城镇化时间进程存在明显差异,且在1949-2009年间不断扩大;河南省城镇化水平空间分布格局“中间密、外围疏”的基本倾向没有发生根本性变更;河南省城镇化水平发育逐渐趋于稳定的差异化发展;河南省城镇密集区1995年之后逐步形成,2000年后城镇密集区的集聚核心区逐步发育成长.     

乌昌地区城镇污水处理方式探讨

随着乌昌经济的发展,城市人口快速增长,生活污水的排放量剧增,对环境造成直接和潜在威胁。通过对乌昌地区城镇污水处理现状,昌吉州人工防护林建设状况分析,结合防护林用水量及地下水资源现状分析。探讨城镇污水处理的全新模式,从其生态效益、环境效益、社会效益和经济效益做了分析阐述。     

汽车及零部件行业VOCs污染现状及减排对策分析

分析了汽车及零部件行业VOCs的主要来源和危害,阐述了我国现阶段汽车及零部件行业VOCs的污染现状。建议采取以源头削减和过程控制为重点、兼顾末端治理的全过程综合防治措施,控制汽车及零部件行业的VOCs排放。