Biological recovery of an acid lake after reductions in industrial emissions of sulphur

Currently, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has no hygienic standards in the air of the working area and objects of the human environment in the Russian Federation. By the decision of the Stockholm Convention SC-9/12, PFOA, its salts and derivatives are included in Part I of Annex A of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2019 (with exceptions for possible use). The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade included PFOA, its salts and derivatives in the list of potential candidates for inclusion in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention at the next meeting COP10 in 2021. The use of this chemical on the territory of the Russian Federation entails water and air pollution. Industrial emissions and waste water from fluoropolymer production, thermal use of materials and products containing polytetrafluoroethylene, biological and atmospheric degradation of fluorotelomer alcohols, waste water from treatment facilities are the sources of the release of PFOA into the environment. Analysis of international databases has showed that PFOA is standardized in the air of the working area in Germany, Japan, and Switzerland. In the countries of the European Union, as well as the USA and Canada, the issue of PFOA standardizing in drinking water is being now actively under discuss. Taking into account the high toxicity and hazard of the substance and the serious concern of the civil society of the Russian Federation, the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing requested the Russian Register of Potentially Hazardous Chemical and Biological Substances to develop MACs for perfluorooctanoic acid in the air of the working area and water as soon as possible. The MACs for PFOA have been proposed using risk analysis: 0,005 mg/m3, aerosol, hazard class 1 – in the air of the working area and 0,0002 mg/L, the limiting hazard indicator – sanitary-toxicological, hazard class 1 – in the water.

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Multi-Oxygenated Organic Compounds in Fine Particulate Matter Collected in the Western Mediterranean Area

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos12010094 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 94

Author(s):

Esther Borrás ◽

Luis Antonio Tortajada-Genaro ◽

Francisco Sanz ◽

Amalia Muñoz

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Carboxylic Acids ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Organic Pollutants ◽

Mediterranean Area ◽

Western Mediterranean ◽

Anthropogenic Sources ◽

Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽

Industrial Emissions ◽

Tetradecanoic Acid

The chemical characterization of aerosols, especially fine organic fraction, is a relevant atmospheric challenge because their composition highly depends on localization. Herein, we studied the concentration of multi-oxygenated organic compounds in the western Mediterranean area, focusing on sources and the effect of air patterns. The organic aerosol fraction ranged 3–22% of the total organic mass in particulate matter (PM)2.5. Seventy multi-oxygenated organic pollutants were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, including n-alkanones, n-alcohols, anhydrosugars, monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, and keto-derivatives. The highest concentrations were found for carboxylic acids, such as linoleic acid, tetradecanoic acid and, palmitic acid. Biomarkers for vegetation sources, such as levoglucosan and some fatty acids were detected at most locations. In addition, carboxylic acids from anthropogenic sources—mainly traffic and cooking—have been identified. The results indicate that the organic PM fraction in this region is formed mainly from biogenic pollutants, emitted directly by vegetation, and from the degradation products of anthropogenic and biogenic volatile organic pollutants. Moreover, the chemical profile suggested that this area is interesting for aerosol studies because several processes such as local costal breezes, industrial emissions, and desert intrusions affect fine PM composition.

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Tenebrio molitor in the circular economy: a novel approach for plastic valorisation and PHA biological recovery

Environmental Science and Pollution Research ◽

10.1007/s11356-021-15944-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Paola Sangiorgio ◽

Alessandra Verardi ◽

Salvatore Dimatteo ◽

Anna Spagnoletta ◽

Stefania Moliterni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Circular Economy ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Economic Value ◽

Tenebrio Molitor ◽

World Population ◽

Plastic Pollution ◽

Biological Recovery ◽

Great Opportunity ◽

Novel Approach ◽

The One

AbstractThe increase in the world population leads to rising demand and consumption of plastic raw materials; only a small percentage of plastics is recovered and recycled, increasing the quantity of waste released into the environment and losing its economic value. The plastics represent a great opportunity in the circular perspective of their reuse and recycling. Research is moving, on the one hand, to implement sustainable systems for plastic waste management and on the other to find new non-fossil-based plastics such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). In this review, we focus our attention on Tenebrio molitor (TM) as a valuable solution for plastic biodegradation and biological recovery of new biopolymers (e.g. PHA) from plastic-producing microorganisms, exploiting its highly diversified gut microbiota. TM’s use for plastic pollution management is controversial. However, TM microbiota is recognised as a source of plastic-degrading microorganisms. TM-based plastic degradation is improved by co-feeding with food loss and waste as a dietary energy source, thus valorising these low-value substrates in a circular economy perspective. TM as a bioreactor is a valid alternative to traditional PHA recovery systems with the advantage of obtaining, in addition to highly pure PHA, protein biomass and rearing waste from which to produce fertilisers, chitin/chitosan, biochar and biodiesel. Finally, we describe the critical aspects of these TM-based approaches, mainly related to TM mass production, eventual food safety problems, possible release of microplastics and lack of dedicated legislation.

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Estimating future industrial emissions of hazardous air pollutants in the United States using the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS)

Resources Conservation and Recycling ◽

10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105465 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 169 ◽

pp. 105465

Author(s):

Kaixin Huang ◽

Matthew J. Eckelman

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Air Pollutants ◽

The United States ◽

Energy Modeling ◽

Hazardous Air Pollutants ◽

Industrial Emissions

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Reviewing the Crop Residual Burning and Aerosol Variations during the COVID-19 Pandemic Hit Year 2020 over North India

Pollutants ◽

10.3390/pollutants1030011 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 127-140

Author(s):

Manoj Hari ◽

Rajesh Kumar Sahu ◽

Bhishma Tyagi ◽

Ravikant Kaushik

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Agricultural Waste ◽

North India ◽

National Capital Region ◽

Industrial Emissions ◽

Indian States ◽

Back Trajectories ◽

In Situ Data ◽

National Capital ◽

Waste Burning

The north Indian states of Haryana and Punjab are believed to be the key sources of air pollution in the National Capital Region due to massive agricultural waste burning in crop harvesting seasons. However, with the pandemic COVID-19 hitting the country, the usual practices were disrupted. COVID-19 preventive lockdown led to restricted vehicular and industrial emissions and caused the labours to leave the agricultural business in Haryana and Punjab. With the changed scenario of 2020, the present study investigates the variations in air quality over the Haryana and Punjab, and their relative impact on the air quality of Delhi. The work attempts to understand the change in agricultural waste burning during 2020 and its implication on the local air quality over both the states and the transported pollution on the national capital Delhi. The study utilises in-situ data for the year 2019–2020 with satellite observations of MODIS aqua/terra for fire counts, aerosol optical depth (AOD) and back-trajectories run by the hybrid single-particle Lagrangian integrated trajectory model (HYSPLIT).

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Exposure to Particulate PAHs on Potential Genotoxicity and Cancer Risk among School Children Living Near the Petrochemical Industry

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052575 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2575

Author(s):

Nor Ashikin Sopian ◽

Juliana Jalaludin ◽

Suhaili Abu Bakar ◽

Titi Rahmawati Hamedon ◽

Mohd Talib Latif

Keyword(s):

Cancer Risk ◽

Environmental Protection Agency ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Petrochemical Industry ◽

Industrial Area ◽

Industrial Emissions ◽

Buccal Cells ◽

Genotoxic Effects ◽

Lifetime Cancer Risk ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic

This study aimed to assess the association of exposure to particle-bound (PM2.5) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with potential genotoxicity and cancer risk among children living near the petrochemical industry and comparative populations in Malaysia. PM2.5 samples were collected using a low-volume sampler for 24 h at three primary schools located within 5 km of the industrial area and three comparative schools more than 20 km away from any industrial activity. A gas chromatography–mass spectrometer was used to determine the analysis of 16 United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) priority PAHs. A total of 205 children were randomly selected to assess the DNA damage in buccal cells, employing the comet assay. Total PAHs measured in exposed and comparative schools varied, respectively, from 61.60 to 64.64 ng m−3 and from 5.93 to 35.06 ng m−3. The PAH emission in exposed schools was contributed mainly by traffic and industrial emissions, dependent on the source apportionment. The 95th percentiles of the incremental lifetime cancer risk estimated using Monte Carlo simulation revealed that the inhalation risk for the exposed children and comparative populations was 2.22 × 10−6 and 2.95 × 10−7, respectively. The degree of DNA injury was substantially more severe among the exposed children relative to the comparative community. This study reveals that higher exposure to PAHs increases the risk of genotoxic effects and cancer among children.

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Evaluation of the energy consumption of container diesel trucks in a container terminal: A case study at Klaipeda port

Science Progress ◽

10.1177/00368504211035596 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 104 (3) ◽

pp. 003685042110355

Author(s):

Tomas Eglynas ◽

Sergej Jakovlev ◽

Valdas Jankunas ◽

Rimantas Didziokas ◽

Jolanta Januteniene ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

Dynamic Properties ◽

Container Terminal ◽

Superposition Principle ◽

Critical Parameters ◽

Container Transportation ◽

Industrial Emissions ◽

Transportation Process ◽

Diesel Trucks

Introduction: In the paper, we examine the energy consumption efficiency of specialized container diesel trucks engaged in container transportation at a seaport terminal. Objectives: Using the container terminal at Klaipėda in Lithuania as the background for the research, we produced an improved energy consumption model for measuring the theoretical energy consumption and regeneration of diesel trucks at the terminal and provide a comparative analysis. Methods: We created a mathematical model which describes the instantaneous energy consumption of the diesel trucks, taking into account their dynamic properties and the overall geometry of their routes—“Ship-Truck-Stack-Ship”—using the superposition principle. We investigated other critical parameters relevant to the model and provide a statistical evaluation of the transportation process using data from a case study of Klaipėda port, where we collected measurements of container transportation parameters using georeferenced movement detection and logs from wireless equipment positioned on the diesel-powered container trucks. Results: The modeling results showed that an instantaneous evaluation of energy consumption can reveal areas in the container transportation process which have the highest energy loss and require the introduction of new management and process control initiatives to address the regulations which are designed to decrease harmful industrial emissions and encourage novel technologies and thereby increase the eco-friendliness of existing systems. Conclusion: Based on the research results, the article can provide a reference for the estimation of diesel truck efficiency in seaport terminal operations.

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