The Treatment of Wastewater Produced from Al-Doura Refinery to Increase Production and Minimize Pollutant Materials

The undertaken study includes investigating the performance and effluent characteristics of the treatment plant of Al-Doura refinery. Influent concentrations for some important contaminants, which are TDS, oil and grease, TSS, COD, BOD, and turbidity were 2595 mg/L, 13934 mg/L, 466.45 mg/L, 2538.9 mg/L, 1739.2 mg/L, and 89.18 NTU, respectively, while the effluent concentrations were 1337.8 mg/L, 0.53mg/L, 21.7mg/L, 25.45 mg/L, 17.81 mg/L, and 7.08 NTU, respectively, giving removal efficiencies of 44.47%, 99.99%, 94.4%, 98.96%, 98.96% and 92.05%, respectively. All these results indicate that Al-Doura wastewater treatment plant was efficient in removing contaminants according to Iraqi and EPA specifications. Hence, the second part of this study concentrated on finding a simple and efficient treatment method to treat the effluent so that it can be reused in the boiler system. A pilot plant was designed and dedicated for this purpose, including three units of granular activated carbon filter, ultra filtration filter, and reverse osmosis filter. Average removal efficiencies of oil and grease, turbidity, COD, and BOD were 85.25%, 100%, 34.92%, and 31.11%, respectively at the granular activated carbon filter, with very low efficiencies for the removal of TDs and conductivity. Ultra filtration showed average removal efficiencies for COD and BOD of 30.81% and 32.31%, respectively. While the average removal efficiencies for TDs and conductivity was very low. The reverse osmosis filter removed TDs and conductivity very efficiently, giving average removal efficiencies of 97.63% and 95.43%, respectively. In addition, it provided good removal percentages for COD and BOD, with values of 61.73% and 64.1%, respectively. A recycling procedure was created and the results were eventually comparable to those conferred by some of the traditional approaches.

An Efficient Control Strategy for an Optimal Operation on Clear Water Process Station

Water process stations are very common nowadays, that can be noticed everywhere from a small house to very big industrial area. The main objective of the water process stations are to reduce the hardness of the drinking water. In order to attain such a clear drinking water, the process station will work over several stages like sediment filter, carbon filter and RO membrane. Usually all these stages will be taken into account by the process stations on the feed water irrespective on its hardness measurement. The control strategy imposed in the paper verifies the hardness of the feed water at the very first step to avoid several stages for making the process simpler and faster. In the same way, at the stage of each filtering process huge amount of water will be wasted in the traditional process station. Due to the implementation of an efficient control strategy such wastages can also be minimized in the proposed work. The experimental study performed based on the proposed methodology explores the amount of water saved during the clear water processes as well as the time requirement for processing the feed water.

Effect of Filter Types on Physicochemical Properties, Volatile Compounds, and Sensory Evaluations of Purified Water by Point-of-Use Water Treatment

This study investigated purified water from four different filter types for removing minerals, anions, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and affecting sensory perception and consumer acceptability. Ultrafiltration (UF), CSM-ultrafiltration (CU), alumina nanofiber (AN), and reverse osmosis (RO) filters were used for a point-of-use water treatment system with a pre-carbon filter (PR) and post-carbon filter (PO). Filters efficiently removed VOCs, which could negatively affect the sensory perception of water. The total VOC concentration of tap water (TW) (14.97 µg/Kg) was reduced by 70% by the PR, 75.3–88.7% by the PR-main filter, and >97% by the PR-RO-PR. Using the polarized sensory position test, the subjects clearly discriminated TW from the samples; however, most of the purified water was not. The difference in the mean ratings of consumer acceptability among the purified samples was <1 except for PR-RO-PO in consumer testing. These results suggested that although there are differences in the capability of different filter types to eliminate minerals, anions, and VOCs, overall consumers did not identify sensory differences among them, and demonstrated similar consumer acceptability of the purified water produced. Simply applying a pre-carbon filter for TW treatment is enough to minimize VOCs, which negatively influence consumer acceptability.

Validation of chemotherapy drug vapor containment of an air cleaning closed-system drug transfer device

Purpose The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of ChemfortTM, an air filtration closed-system drug transfer device to prevent release of chemotherapy drug vapors and aerosols under extreme conditions. The air cleaning system is based on the adsorption of drug vapors by an activated carbon filter in the Vial Adaptor before the air is released out of the drug vial. The functionality of the carbon filter was also tested at the end of device’s shelf life, and after a contact period with drug vapors for 7 days. Cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil were the chemotherapy drugs tested. Methods The Vial Adaptor was attached to a drug vial and both were placed in a glass vessel. A needle was punctured through the vessel stopper and the Vial Adaptor septum to allow nitrogen gas to flow into the vial and to exit the vial via the air filter into the glass vessel which was connected to a cold trap. Potential contaminated surfaces in the trap system were wiped or rinsed to collect the escaped drug. Samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Results Cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil were detected on most surfaces inside the trap system for all Vial Adaptors without an activated carbon filter. Contamination did not differ between the Vial Adaptors with and without membrane filter indicating no effect of the membrane filter. The results show no release of either drug for the Vial Adaptors with an activated carbon filter even after 3 years of simulated aging and 7 days of exposure to drug vapors. Conclusions Validation of air cleaning CSTDs is important to secure vapor and aerosol containment of chemotherapy and other hazardous drugs. The presented test method has proven to be appropriate for the validation of ChemfortTM Vial Adaptors. No release of cyclophosphamide and 5- fluorouracil was found even for Vial Adaptors after 3 years of simulated aging and 7 days of exposure to drug vapors.

Intenção de Compra do Consumidor para a Comercialização do Filtro de Carvão Ativado do Ouriço da Castanha-do-Brasil em Sinop, Mato Grosso

As preocupações ambientais no Brasil cresceram nos últimos anos. Uma dessas preocupações é em relação à destinação de resíduos das atividades extrativistas que ocorrem em todo o país. O ouriço da castanha-do-brasil, proveniente da atividade extrativista, representa um desses resíduos. Uma destinação economicamente sustentável para o ouriço é que esse pode servir de matéria-prima para o desenvolvimento de um novo produto ambientalmente correto. Contudo, uma pesquisa de mercado, com base no perfil e nas percepções dos futuros consumidores, se torna fundamental para um correto posicionamento estratégico para a comercialização de um novo produto. Para isso, foi utilizada uma pesquisa na cidade de Sinop - MT, por meio de um questionário estruturado. Posteriormente, foi possível verificar o perfil dos possíveis consumidores, além de analisar os principais fatores que podem influenciar na decisão de compra do produto. A pesquisa descritiva nãoprobabilística contou com 316 entrevistados. Os resultados revelaram que os valores referentes à consciência ambiental demonstraram a preocupação dos entrevistados com a questão ambiental e consumo consciente, porém, apesar dessa preocupação, não existe por parte dos entrevistados a atitude de influenciar ou conscientizar pessoas próximas. Também foi verificado que o principal fator impactante na decisão de compra é o fator econômico (fator renda). Palavras-chave: Biocarvão. Renda. Resíduo. Castanha-do-Pará. Abstract Environmental concerns in Brazil have grown in recent years. One of those concerns is regarding the disposal of waste from extractive activities that occur throughout the country. “Hedgehog” of Brazil nut, from extractive activity, represents one of those residues. An economically sustainable destination for the “hedgehogs” is that they can be used as a raw material for the development of a new environmentally friendly product: the activated carbon filter of “hedgehog ” of Brazil nut. However, a market analysis based on the profile and perceptions of future consumers becomes essential for a correct strategic positioning for the commercialization of a new product. Thus, a market research was used in the city of Sinop – MT, through a questionnaire to collect the information. Later, it was possible to verify the potential consumers’ profile and to analyze the main factors that may influence the decision to purchase the product. The non-probabilistic descriptive research had 316 respondents. The results showed that the values regarding environmental awareness, demonstrated the interviewees’ concern with the environmental issue and conscious consumption, however, despite this concern, there is no attitude when it comes to the interviewees to influence or raise awareness among close people . It was also found that the main impacting factor in the purchase decision is the economic factor (income factor). Keywords: Biochar. Income. Waste. Brazil Nut.

Efficiency of Commercial Face Masks in PM2.5 Prevention

Background: Thailand has a high air pollution crisis especially in particle matter smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) which affects health quality. People should prevent themselves by using face masks. However, there are many types of commercial face masks. Each type of face mask does not have the same efficiency. Objective: To evaluate the efficiency of commercial face masks including supplement filter of face masks in PM2.5 reduction under breathing simulation. Methods: A tool for evaluating the efficiency of face masks in PM2.5 filtered under breathing simulation was created. Comparisons of the efficiency of each face mask and supplement filter were performed. Results: N95 mask had the highest efficiency (97.2%) followed by surgical mask (56.3% - 83.2%), cotton cloth mask (40.9% - 42.4%), muslin cloth mask (37.8%), and sponge mask (33.5%), respectively. In the part of the supplement filter, the carbon filter had the highest efficiency (88.3% - 98.8%) followed by face wash tissue (63.3%) and air filter for air conditioner (43.3%), respectively. Conclusions: N95 mask or surgical mask for PM2.5 prevention should be used in the high air pollution area. If unable to supply, cloth mask with a supplement filter was an alternative solution, and also a carbon filter was recommended.

Application of effective microorganisms technology on dairy wastewater treatment for irrigation purposes

Due to the massive amounts of freshwater consumed in dairy industries, as a result, thousands of liters of wastewater were produced as one liter of milk produces 10 liters of wastewater which represents a major threat to the surrounding environment and aquatic life. The application of a promising technology called “effective microorganism (EM)” was the key solution due to its low operating cost, low technology, and eco-friendly condition. Three different effective microorganisms were used, such as Bacillus bacteria (EM1), Staphylococcus bacteria (EM2), and EM stoste + Molasses (EM3). EM1 and EM2 were isolated from the dairy wastewater by using streaking for isolation on an agar plate process, while EM3 was prepared by mixing 12 % EM stoste, 6% molasses, and 82% distilled water. A laboratory pilot consists of aeration and final settling tanks, both tanks followed by an activated carbon filter. Four trials were performed, the first trial was without any EM, the second trial was adding EM1 with a dose of 50 ml to the aeration tank, the third trial was EM2 with a dose of 50 ml to the aeration tank, finally adding EM3 with a dose of 30 ml to the aeration tank. Results showed that using Bacillus bacteria (EM1) was the most effective trial as it was effective in reducing TSS (total suspended solids), BOD (biological oxygen demand), COD (chemical oxygen demand), TN (total nitrogen), and TP (total phosphorous) concentrations by removal efficiency of 93%, 96.2%, 95.9%, 94%, and 64%, respectively which were below the limitations of the Egyptian code for reuse for irrigation purposes.