An overview of the Central Queensland University self-contained evapotranspiration beds

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (10) ◽  
pp. 273-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Kele ◽  
D.J. Midmore ◽  
K. Harrower ◽  
B.J. McKennariey ◽  
B. Hood
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Health ◽  
Citrus Fruit ◽  
Nutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Faecal Coliforms ◽  
Trial Site ◽  
Treated Effluent ◽  
Microbial Analysis ◽  
Reuse System ◽  
Over Time

The Central Queensland University (CQU) has championed a self-contained concrete lined evapotranspiration channel. Any non-transpired effluent returns to a holding tank and is recirculated through the evapotranspiration channel until it is used. This paper examines the results from the Rockhampton trial site. Nutrient ions in the effluent were quantified over time and found not to accumulate in solution. Microbial analysis of the treated effluent was performed and was found to be within the ranges required by the relevant legislative codes. Citrus fruit grown in the evapotranspiration channel were sampled and no elevated levels of faecal coliforms were recorded. Macronutrients and micronutrients of the soil in the channels were measured over a 5-year period. No toxic accumulations or nutrient deficiencies in the soil occurred. Levels of salinity and sodicity in the evapotranspiration channel soil were quantified. Salinity rose slightly, as did sodium. Concentrations of salts and sodium did not reach unsustainable levels. The aim of the trial was to develop an on-site treatment and reuse system that is sustainable and protects public and environmental health.

Meta-analyses in environmental and occupational health

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 443-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P A Ioannidis
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Health ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Consultancy Firm ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Over Time

ObjectivesMeta-analyses are considered generally as the highest level of evidence, but concerns have been voiced about their massive, low-quality production. This paper aimed to evaluate the landscape of meta-analyses in the field of occupational and environmental health and medicine.MethodsUsing relevant search terms, all meta-analyses were searched for, but those published in 2015 were assessed for their origin, whether they included randomised trials and individual-level data and whether they had authors from the industry or consultancy firms.ResultsPubMed searches (last update February 2017) identified 1251 eligible meta-analyses in this field. There was a rapid increase over time (n=16 published in 1995 vs n=163 published in 2015). Of the 163 eligible meta-analyses published in 2015, 49 were from China, followed at a distance by the USA (n=19). Only 16 considered randomised (intervention) trials and 13 included individual-level data. Only 1 of the 150 meta-analyses had industry authors and none had consultancy firm authors. As an example of conflicting findings, 12 overlapping meta-analyses addressed mobile phones and brain cancer risk and they differed substantially in number of studies included, eligibility criteria and conclusions.ConclusionsThere has been a major increase in the publication of meta-analyses in occupational and environmental health over time, with the majority of these studies focusing on observational data, while a commendable fraction used individual-level data. Authorship is still limited largely to academic and non-profit authors. With massive production of meta-analyses, redundancy needs to be anticipated and efforts should be made to safeguard quality and protect from bias.

A General Strategy for Single-Subject Research

1989 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 687-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Holtgrave
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Health ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Important Application ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
General Strategy ◽  
Single Subject Research ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Environmental Health Problem ◽  
Over Time

This article offers a general strategy for conducting single-subject research. The strategy is designed to capture the behavior of the subject over time; this necessitates using a stream of behavior research methodology. The strategy guides the researcher through the exploratory analytic and modeling steps appropriate for stream of behavior studies. An important application (to an environmental health problem) is discussed.

Delivery of microbial indicator organisms to coastal waters from catchment sources

1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D. Wyer ◽  
David Kay ◽  
Helen M. Dawson ◽  
Gerry F. Jackson ◽  
Frank Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Catchment Management ◽  
Indicator Organisms ◽  
Faecal Coliforms ◽  
Management Planning ◽  
Treated Effluent ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
High Flows ◽  
Catchment Inputs ◽  
Total Discharge

The introduction of ultraviolet disinfection of sewage effluent in Jersey has served to focus attention on other sources of faecal pollution responsible for subsequent compliance failures in coastal water quality in St Aubin's Bay. Studies of microbial concentrations (total coliforms, faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci) in streams draining to the bay showed concentrations to be elevated by an order of magnitude or more following rainfall. Detailed monitoring of indicator organisms during hydrograph events showed rapid increases in concentration with flow associated with the rising limb of the hydrograph and transport of suspended solids. Microbial budget estimates suggested that between 42 and 97% of microbial delivery was associated with high flows, which account for just 20% of the total discharge. Budgets also revealed the relative importance of different catchment inputs, revealing the low bacterial input associated with UV treated effluent which provided 48% of the total volume discharged to the bay. Implications for water quality standards are discussed with reference to catchment management planning.

scholarly journals 218 Dissipation of Isoxaben in Simulated Gravel-based Nursery Runoff Retention Basins

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 428D-428
Author(s):  
Gretchen L. Mondt ◽  
Melissa B. Riley ◽  
Ted Whitwell
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Source ◽  
Constructed Wetlands ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Preliminary Analysis ◽  
Sole Carbon Source ◽  
Microbial Analysis ◽  
Retention Basins ◽  
Nursery Runoff ◽  
A Site ◽  
Over Time

Recent research indicated that the herbicide simazine dissipated quickly in gravel-based subsurface-flow constructed wetlands. This indicates that retention areas at nurseries may be developed to facilitate pesticide remediation and reduce offsite movement. A site to simulate runoff retention areas at a containerized nursery was established with troughs containing pea gravel and controls containing no gravel in an open field. Irrigation water was applied daily to replace half of the capacity of the trough, simulating daily irrigation and runoff at a nursery. A study was conducted to determine the effects of this system on isoxaben (a pre-emergent herbicide) concentrations in the water leaving the troughs and the change in microbial organisms associated with the gravel. Initially, 19 L of a dilute isoxaben solution (1.3 μg/L) was added to each tank. Drainage was collected and assayed for isoxaben concentration over a 40-day period. Isoxaben was detected in troughs containing gravel through 14 days while isoxaben was detected in troughs containing no gravel through only 4 days. Microbial analysis of the gravel showed a variety of microorganisms initially, but, by day 14, Pseudomonas spp. became the dominant genus present. Preliminary analysis revealed that the isoxaben binds to the gravel, and is then desorbed over time. Further investigations will include the abilites of Pseudomonas and other isolated organisms to metabolize isoxaben as the sole carbon-source in the laboratory.

On-site greywater treatment and reuse in multi-storey buildings

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (10) ◽  
pp. 187-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Friedler ◽  
R. Kovalio ◽  
N.I. Galil
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Pilot Plant ◽  
Biological Treatment ◽  
Faecal Coliforms ◽  
Microbial Indicators ◽  
Toilet Flushing ◽  
Reliable Performance ◽  
Reuse System ◽  
Very High ◽  
Bod Removal

The paper presents a study of a pilot plant treating light greywater for seven flats. The pilot plant combines biological treatment (RBC) with physicochemical treatment (sand filtration and disinfection). The pilot plant produced effluent of excellent quality, meeting the urban reuse quality regulations, and was very efficient in TSS turbidity and BOD removal: 82%, 98% and 96%, respectively. COD removal was somewhat lower (70–75%) indicating that the greywater may contain slowly-biodegradable organics. The RBC (attached growth biological system) was able to retain most of the solids as a result of bioflocculation; further it was proven to have very stable and reliable performance. Faecal coliforms and heterotrophic reductions were very high (100% and 99.99%, respectively) producing effluent that also met drinking water standards. The combination of low organic matter, nutrients and microbial indicators reduces the regrowth and fouling potentials in the reuse system, thus ensuring safe reuse of the treated greywater for toilet flushing.

E-Waste Work: Hierarchies of Value and the Normalization of Pollution in Guiyu

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Lora-Wainwright
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Health ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Electronic Waste ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Black Box ◽  
Work Spaces ◽  
The Government ◽  
Over Time

The last substantive chapter examines a third case study which differs in important ways from the first two. Unlike Baocun and Qiancun, Guiyu town is a well-known, indeed a notorious environmental health hotspot. Pollution is caused by a vast and complex cottage industry processing electronic waste. Chapter 5 explores how such “e-waste work” became closely embedded within the local community, family and social relations, as domestic and work spaces were inextricably blurred. It disaggregates the black box of “e-waste work” to show how it evolved over time, the great diversity that composes the sector, how the government attempted to regulate particular activities within it and why their efforts were not fully effective. It shows that, as in Baocun and Qiancun, the economic benefits and environmental costs of these activities are unevenly distributed. By describing a range of diverse e-waste workers engaged in a spectrum of more or less polluting work, the chapter illustrates how locals fashion counter-discourses of relative harm to excuse their practices and avoid blame. In these circumstances, as in Baocun, toxicity is naturalised and parameters of health are adjusted to normalise and accept widespread pollution-induced ailments.

Estrogenic personal care products in a greywater reuse system

2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (12) ◽  
pp. 45-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.R. Andersen ◽  
M. Lundsbye ◽  
H.V. Wedel ◽  
E. Eriksson ◽  
A. Ledin
Keyword(s):  
Detection Limit ◽  
Chlorine Dioxide ◽  
Biological Treatment ◽  
Personal Care Products ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Personal Care ◽  
Treated Effluent ◽  
Reuse System ◽  
Greywater Reuse

The occurrence and fate of parabens in a greywater system was assessed. The potential for removal of residual paraben concentrations in effluent greywater with chlorine dioxide was also investigated. The influent to the greywater plant was characterised by considerable variation, with concentrations from below the detection limit to 40 μg/L and the five commonly used parabens in consumer products were frequently detected. After the biological treatment only two paraben were detected with concentration from 65–120 ng/L. Chlorine dioxide treatment of the biologically treated effluent with dosages down to 0.75 mg/L resulted in more than 97% reduction of all parabens. Formation of the by-product chloroform was insignificant from the chlorine dioxide treatment.

Social transmission bias and the cultural evolution of folk-economic beliefs

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hirshleifer ◽  
Siew Hong Teoh
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Social Transmission ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Economic Problems ◽  
Economic Attitudes ◽  
The Social ◽  
Economic Beliefs ◽  
Over Time

AbstractEvolved dispositions influence, but do not determine, how people think about economic problems. The evolutionary cognitive approach offers important insights but underweights the social transmission of ideas as a level of explanation. The need for asocialexplanation for the evolution of economic attitudes is evidenced, for example, by immense variations in folk-economic beliefs over time and across individuals.

Applications of CCEM to Environmental Health Problems

1985 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 102-103
Author(s):  
R. J. Lee ◽  
J. S. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Image Analysis ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Computer Control ◽  
External Agent ◽  
External Agents ◽  
Computer Controlled ◽  
Primitive State ◽  
Textural Changes ◽  
General Aspects

Electron microscopy (EM), with the advent of computer control and image analysis techniques, is rapidly evolving from an interpretative science into a quantitative technique. Electron microscopy is potentially of value in two general aspects of environmental health: exposure and diagnosis.In diagnosis, electron microscopy is essentially an extension of optical microscopy. The goal is to characterize cellular changes induced by external agents. The external agent could be any foreign material, chemicals, or even stress. The use of electron microscopy as a diagnostic tool is well- developed, but computer-controlled electron microscopy (CCEM) has had only limited impact, mainly because it is fairly new and many institutions lack the resources to acquire the capability. In addition, major contributions to diagnosis will come from CCEM only when image analysis (IA) and processing algorithms are developed which allow the morphological and textural changes recognized by experienced medical practioners to be quantified. The application of IA techniques to compare cellular structure is still in a primitive state.

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