scholarly journals The Era of Nanomaterials: A Safe Solution or a Risk for Marine Environmental Pollution?

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 441
Author(s):  
Maria Consiglia Esposito ◽  
Ilaria Corsi ◽  
Gian Luigi Russo ◽  
Carlo Punta ◽  
Elisabetta Tosti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Remediation ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
High Reactivity ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Design Framework ◽  
Environmental Matrices ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Environmental Application ◽  
Environmentally Safe

In recent years, the application of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in environmental remediation gained increasing attention. Due to their large surface area and high reactivity, ENMs offer the potential for the efficient removal of pollutants from environmental matrices with better performances compared to conventional techniques. However, their fate and safety upon environmental application, which can be associated with their release into the environment, are largely unknown. It is essential to develop systems that can predict ENM interactions with biological systems, their overall environmental and human health impact. Until now, Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools have been employed to investigate ENMs potential environmental impact, from raw material production, design and to their final disposal. However, LCA studies focused on the environmental impact of the production phase lacking information on their environmental impact deriving from in situ employment. A recently developed eco-design framework aimed to fill this knowledge gap by using ecotoxicological tools that allow the assessment of potential hazards posed by ENMs to natural ecosystems and wildlife. In the present review, we illustrate the development of the eco-design framework and review the application of ecotoxicology as a valuable strategy to develop ecosafe ENMs for environmental remediation. Furthermore, we critically describe the currently available ENMs for marine environment remediation and discuss their pros and cons in safe environmental applications together with the need to balance benefits and risks promoting an environmentally safe nanoremediation (ecosafe) for the future.

scholarly journals Silver Nanoparticles for Water Pollution Monitoring and Treatments: Ecosafety Challenge and Cellulose-Based Hybrids Solution

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Fiorati ◽  
Arianna Bellingeri ◽  
Carlo Punta ◽  
Ilaria Corsi ◽  
Iole Venditti
Keyword(s):  
Water Pollution ◽  
Silver Nanoparticles ◽  
Design Strategy ◽  
Pollution Monitoring ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Environmental Application ◽  
Hybrid Solutions ◽  
Environmentally Safe ◽  
Low Costs ◽  
Recycled Material

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used as engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in many advanced nanotechnologies, due to their versatile, easy and cheap preparations combined with peculiar chemical-physical properties. Their increased production and integration in environmental applications including water treatment raise concerns for their impact on humans and the environment. An eco-design strategy that makes it possible to combine the best material performances with no risk for the natural ecosystems and living beings has been recently proposed. This review envisages potential hybrid solutions of AgNPs for water pollution monitoring and remediation to satisfy their successful, environmentally safe (ecosafe) application. Being extremely efficient in pollutants sensing and degradation, their ecosafe application can be achieved in combination with polymeric-based materials, especially with cellulose, by following an eco-design approach. In fact, (AgNPs)–cellulose hybrids have the double advantage of being easily produced using recycled material, with low costs and possible reuse, and of being ecosafe, if properly designed. An updated view of the use and prospects of these advanced hybrids AgNP-based materials is provided, which will surely speed their environmental application with consequent significant economic and environmental impact.

scholarly journals Environmental Application of Biogenic Magnetite Nanoparticles to Remediate Chromium(III/VI)-Contaminated Water

Minerals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumi Kim ◽  
Yul Roh
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Removal Efficiency ◽  
Magnetite Nanoparticles ◽  
Environmental Remediation ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Physicochemical Characteristics ◽  
High Reactivity ◽  
Environmental Application ◽  
Surface Areas ◽  
Biogenic Magnetite

The physicochemical characteristics of biogenic minerals, such as high specific surface areas and high reactivity and the presence of a bacterial carrier matrix, make them promising for various applications. For instance, catalysts, adsorbents, oxidants, and reductants. The objective of this study is to examine the efficiency of biogenic magnetite nanoparticles (BMNs) that are produced by metal-reducing bacteria for removing chromium. Interactions between ionic chromium (Cr III/VI) and BMNs were examined under different pH values (ranging from pH 2 to pH 12) by using different doses of BMN (0–6 g/L). Chemically synthesized magnetite nanoparticles (CMNs) were used in the experiments for the purpose of comparing them to the BMNs. The results showed that the BMNs had higher Cr(VI) removal efficiency (100%) than the CMNs (82%) after a two-week reaction time. A lower pH and longer reaction time in the Cr-contaminated solution led to a higher Cr(VI) removal efficiency. The Cr(VI) removal efficiency by the BMNs in the Cr-contaminated groundwater was about 94% after a reaction time of two weeks. The BMNs that were coated with organic matter were more effective than the CMNs in leading to adsorption of Cr(III) with electrostatic interactions (82% versus 13%) and in preventing Fe(II) oxidation within the magnetite structure. These results indicate that the BMNs could be used to decontaminate ionic Cr in environmental remediation technologies.

scholarly journals Newly Emerging Airborne Pollutants: Current Knowledge of Health Impact of Micro and Nanoplastics

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 2997
Author(s):  
Alessio Facciolà ◽  
Giuseppa Visalli ◽  
Marianna Pruiti Ciarello ◽  
Angela Di Pietro
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Oxidative Degradation ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Outdoor Exposure ◽  
Environmental Matrices ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Bodily Fluids

Plastics are ubiquitous persistent pollutants, forming the most representative material of the Anthropocene. In the environment, they undergo wear and tear (i.e., mechanical fragmentation, and slow photo and thermo-oxidative degradation) forming secondary microplastics (MPs). Further fragmentation of primary and secondary MPs results in nanoplastics (NPs). To assess potential health damage due to human exposure to airborne MPs and NPs, we summarize the evidence collected to date that, however, has almost completely focused on monitoring and the effects of airborne MPs. Only in vivo and in vitro studies have assessed the toxicity of NPs, and a standardized method for their analysis in environmental matrices is still missing. The main sources of indoor and outdoor exposure to these pollutants include synthetic textile fibers, rubber tires, upholstery and household furniture, and landfills. Although both MPs and NPs can reach the alveolar surface, the latter can pass into the bloodstream, overcoming the pulmonary epithelial barrier. Despite the low reactivity, the number of surface area atoms per unit mass is high in MPs and NPs, greatly enhancing the surface area for chemical reactions with bodily fluids and tissue in direct contact. This is proven in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and flock workers, who are prone to persistent inflammatory stimulation, leading to pulmonary fibrosis or even carcinogenesis.

scholarly journals Methodology for the quantification of concrete sustainability

2018 ◽  
Vol 174 ◽  
pp. 01006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Břetislav Teplý ◽  
Tomáš Vymazal ◽  
Pavla Rovnaníková
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Service Life ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Load Bearing Capacity ◽  
Sustainability Management

Efficient sustainability management requires the use of tools which allow material, technological and construction variants to be quantified, measured or compared. These tools can be used as a powerful marketing aid and as support for the transition to “circular economy”. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) procedures are also used, aside from other approaches. LCA is a method that evaluates the life cycle of a structure from the point of view of its impact on the environment. Consideration is given also to energy and raw material costs, as well as to environmental impact throughout the life cycle - e.g. due to emissions. The paper focuses on the quantification of sustainability connected with the use of various types of concrete with regard to their resistance to degradation. Sustainability coefficients are determined using information regarding service life and "eco-costs". The aim is to propose a suitable methodology which can simplify decision-making in the design and choice of concrete mixes from a wider perspective, i.e. not only with regard to load-bearing capacity or durability.

Health determinants in Canadian northern environmental impact assessment

Polar Record ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 315-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackie Bronson ◽  
Bram F. Noble
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
Limited Attention

The need to address the human health implications of northern development is well founded, and the role of health determinants in environmental impact assessment is increasingly recognised; however, there is limited understanding of the nature of health determinants and current practices in northern project assessment and decision making. This paper reports on a study of the nature and use of health determinants in Canadian northern environmental impact assessment, and discusses the key challenges to, and opportunities for, improved practice. Four themes emerged from this study. First, the consideration of health is limited to physical environments and the physical determinants of health, with limited attention to broader social and cultural health determinants. Second, when health is considered in northern project impact assessments such considerations rarely carry forward to post-project approval monitoring of health determinants and evaluation of health impact management programmes. Third, while there is general consensus that health determinants should be an integral part of northern impact assessment, there exist different expectations of the role of health determinants in project evaluation and decision making due in large part to different understandings and interpretations of health. Finally, a broader conceptualisation of health and health determinants in northern environmental impact assessment is required; one that takes into consideration northern cultures and knowledge systems, and is adaptive to local context, geography and life cycles.

Use of Sugarcane Bagasse Ashes as Raw Material in the Replacement of Fluxes for Applications on Porcelain Tile

2016 ◽  
Vol 881 ◽  
pp. 383-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raimundo J.S. Paranhos ◽  
Wilson Acchar ◽  
Vamberto Monteiro Silva
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Sugarcane Bagasse ◽  
Sintering Temperature ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Potential Use ◽  
Porcelain Tile

This study evaluated the potential use of Sugarcane Bagasse Ashes (SBA) as a flux, replacing phyllite for the production of enamelled porcelain tile. The raw materials of the standard mass components and the SBA residue were characterized by testing by XRF, XRD, AG, DTA and TGA. Test samples were fabricated, assembled in lots of 3 units and sintered at temperatures of 1150 ° C to 1210 ° C. The results of the physical properties, mechanical properties and SEM of the sintered samples, showed that the formulation, G4 - in which applied 10% of SBA replacing phyllite, sintering temperature 1210 ° C showed better performance as the previously mentioned properties due to the formation of mullite crystals, meeting the prerequisites of standards for enamelled porcelain tile, while reducing the environmental impact and the cost of production.

Deactivation of Red Mud by Primary Aluminum Production Wastes

2021 ◽  
Vol 1040 ◽  
pp. 109-116
Author(s):  
V.Yu. Piirainen ◽  
A.A. Barinkova ◽  
V.N. Starovoytov ◽  
V.M. Barinkov
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Red Mud ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Waste Product ◽  
Primary Aluminum ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Aluminum Production ◽  
Environmentally Safe ◽  
Primary Aluminum Production ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Current global environmental challenges and, above all, global warming associated with a change in the carbon balance in the atmosphere has led to the need for urgent and rapid search for ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, which primarily include carbon dioxide as a by-product of human activity and technological progress. One of these ways is the creation of industries with a complete cycle of turnover of carbon dioxide. Aluminum is the most sought-after nonferrous metal in the world, but its production is not environmentally safe, so it constantly requires the development of knowledge-intensive technologies to improve the technological process of cleaning and disposal of production waste, primarily harmful emissions into the atmosphere. Another environmental problem related to aluminum production is the formation and accumulation in mud lagoon of huge amounts of so-called highly alkaline "red mud," which is a waste product of natural bauxite raw material processing into alumina - the feedstock for aluminum production. Commonly known resources and technological methods of neutralizing red mud and working with it as ore materials for further extraction of useful components are still not used because of their low productivity and cost-effectiveness. This article describes the negative impact of waste in the form of "red" mud and carbon dioxide of primary aluminum production on the environment. The results showed that thanks to carbonization of red mud using carbon dioxide, it is possible to achieve rapid curing and its compact formation for safer transportation and storage until further use. Strength tests of concrete samples filled with deactivated red mud were also carried out, which showed the prospects of using concrete with magnesia binder.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF SURFICIAL URANIUM DEPOSITS: OUM DHEROUA CASE STUDY (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC MAURITANIA)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariia Kurylo ◽  
Ivan Virshylo
Keyword(s):  
Clean Energy ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Open Pit ◽  
Open Pit Mining ◽  
Material Base ◽  
Uranium Deposits ◽  
Islamic Republic ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Lower Estimation

Uranium deposits and resources are considered as an important raw material base for the implementation of scenarios for the green and clean energy transition. Traditionally discussed risks of potential environmental impacts of Uranium projects development could be subdivided by deposit type. Surficial type mineralization connected to the calcretes in shallow paleovalleys or playas has many specific features which might be analysed separately. Case study of Oum Dheroua Uranium project in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania shows an unexpected lower estimation of environmental risks comparatively to conventional Uranium projects despite to open-pit mining technology. The reasons for such estimation, connected to geographic location, the inclusion of Uranium minerals in natural ecosystems and low scale of deposits (both in grade and size sense). Potential by-products (Vanadium and Strontium) are not part of environmental factors assessment.

scholarly journals The Use of Tailings to Make Glass as an Alternative for Sustainable Environmental Remediation: The Case of Osor, Catalonia, Spain

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 819
Author(s):  
Pura Alfonso ◽  
Oriol Tomasa ◽  
Luis Miguel Domenech ◽  
Maite Garcia-Valles ◽  
Salvador Martinez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Remediation ◽  
Toxic Elements ◽  
Glass Structure ◽  
Glass Production ◽  
Potentially Toxic Elements ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Waste Materials ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Melting Temperatures

Tailings from the Osor fluorite mines release large amounts of potentially toxic elements into the environment. This work is a proposal to remove these waste materials and use them as a raw material in the manufacture of glass. The chemical composition of the tailings was determined by X-ray fluorescence and the mineralogy by X-ray diffraction. Waste materials have SiO2, Al2O3 and CaO contents suitable for a glass production, but Na as NaCO3 has to be added. Two glass formulations, with 80–90% of the residue and 10–20% Na2CO3, have been produced. The crystallization temperatures, obtained by differential thermal analysis, were 875 and 901 °C, and the melting temperatures were 1220 and 1215 °C for the G80-20 and G90-10 glasses, respectively. The transition temperatures of glass were 637 and 628 °C. The crystalline phases formed in the thermal treatment to produce devitrification were nepheline, plagioclase and diopside in the G80-20 glass, and plagioclase and akermanite-gehlenite in the G90-10 glass. The temperatures for the fixed viscosity points, the working temperatures and the coefficient of expansion were obtained. The chemical stability of the glass was tested and results indicate that the potentially toxic elements of the tailings were incorporated into the glass structure.

The Transportation – Production Tradeoff in the Regional Environmental Impact of Industrial Systems: A Case Study in the Paper Sector

2000 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 817-832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis M Vanek
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Environmental Policy ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Commodity Flow ◽  
Industrial Systems ◽  
Central United States ◽  
Product Manufacturing

The author presents a methodology which is used first to model a product-manufacturing-and-distribution system, and then to predict the resulting changes in environmental impact from changes either in taxation or in costs of inputs. A case study of the paper sector in the eastern and central United States is developed, derived from the 1993 US Commodity Flow Survey. From an analysis of five scenarios, two central findings arise: (1) the model is found to be unresponsive to even large changes in transport taxation, so an environmental policy which considers both transportation and production aspects at the same time is favored, and (2) fluctuations in raw-material costs can have an influence on environmental impact as great as or greater than that of changes in taxation levels.

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