Islamic Copper-Based Metal Artefacts from the Garb Al-Andalus. A Multidisciplinary Approach on the Alcáçova of Mārtulah (Mértola, South of Portugal)

A multidisciplinary approach has been applied to investigate the production technology of a collection of copper-based artefacts found during archaeological excavation campaigns carried out in the Almohad neighbourhood of Mārtulah, the Islamic name of modern Mértola (South of Portugal). In stark contrast to other Islamic materials found in the same site such as common and finely decorated pottery, glass, and bone artefacts, metal objects have received less attention despite the number of artefacts recovered. This study focuses on the chemical characterisation of 172 copper-based artefacts dating back to the 12th and the first half of the 13th centuries. The artefacts are daily use objects and consist of personal ornaments (earrings, rings, and casket ornaments), tools (spindles, spatulas, and oil lamp sticks) and artefacts with unknown functions. X-ray fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) and Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), provided information not only about technological issues, as well as on the socio-economic implications of metal consumption at Islamic Mértola. The results revealed that metals were produced with a variety of Cu-based alloys, namely unalloyed copper, brasses, bronzes, and ternary alloys, by mixing Cu, Zn and Sn and Pb without any apparent consistency, as a likely result of recurrent recycling and mixing scrap metals practices or use of minerals available locally.

Resting Behavior of Blood-Fed Females and Host Feeding Preferences of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Morphological Forms in Senegal

Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) is the main vector of most arboviruses in tropical and subtropical urban areas. In West Africa, particularly in Senegal, domestic and wild populations have been described. Both Ae. aegypti aegypti (Aaa) and Ae. aegypti formosus (Aaf) were found in progenies of Ae. aegypti families from several localities of Senegal. However, nothing is known about their resting and trophic behavior, which are key data for vector control. To fill this gap, blood-fed mosquitoes were collected monthly indoors and outdoors with BackPack aspirators and BG-Sentinel 2 traps between July and November 2019 from four urban sites. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique was used to analyze blood-fed Aaa and Aaf specimens. Both forms were found resting in all investigated places with the highest proportions found in scrap metals (51.7% for Aaa and 44.1% for Aaf) and used tires (19.2% for Aaa and 26.1% for Aaf). Blood-fed Aaf females showed lower occupation of the indoors environment compared to Aaa. Overall, the percentages of single bloodmeals from human were 80.5% (916/1138) for Aaa and 71.1% (263/370) for Aaf. A low frequency of other domestic hosts, including bovine, ovine, and cat were detected for both forms. This study provides the first data on resting and trophic behavior of Aaa and Aaf in Senegal. Both forms showed differences in their resting behavior but fed primarily on human and highlight the risk of arboviruses transmission in urban areas.

A Study on the Trend of Domestic Waste Generation and the Recognition of Recycling Priorities in Korea

In September 2015, the United Nations included ‘sustainable consumption and production’ as part of its 12th goal of sustainable development. The EU announced its Circular Economic Package in December 2015 to move from the existing linear economic structure to the net environmental system. Recycling of household waste has become more significant as a circular economic policy has been implemented to reflow waste into the economy through recycling worldwide. In this study, Korea’s household waste generation for 20 years from 1998 to 2017 was analyzed through statistical techniques. Waste generation tended to increase in the order of plastics and cans, and papers tended to decrease. The amount of bottle wastes has been on the decline after increasing. A questionnaire survey on recycling priority was conducted on 261 people, including participants in the EARTH-2019 recycling experience hall, using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technique. According to the survey, the recycling priorities of six types of household waste are (first) plastic, (second) cans, viny, scrap metals, (third) paper, and (fourth) bottles. Statistical analysis of mid- to long-term household waste generation and AHP-based household waste recycling priority survey results can be used as basic data, such as environmental analysis in Korea’s recycling-related policies and research.

Production Usage, and Potential Public Health Effects of Aluminum Cookware: A Review

The ingestion of aluminum from food containers such as cookware, cans, utensils and wrappings and its subsequent release into the environment is a growing public health concern. Aluminum is widely used in manufacturing cookware due to its malleability, high heat conductivity, light weight, durability, availability and affordability. This paper therefore gives a review of most relevant literatures on the benefits and risks of the various types of aluminum cookware in use, the composition and the public health effects of aluminum ingestion. Studies that reported the leaching of aluminum from cookware into food and environmental effects of aluminum leaching were also reviewed. In the developing countries, aluminum cookwares are produced from scrap metals and has been reported to leach harmful substances including heavy metals such as: nickel, arsenic, copper, cadmium, lead, and aluminum into cooked food. Several factors have been reported to increase the rate of leaching of metals from aluminum cookwares. Exposure to metals from aluminum cookware and the public health effects have not been well studied, hence, our recommendation for more studies to elucidate the health effect of this practice. This review also presents measures that can limit exposure to the risks that may arise from the use of aluminum cookware.

Investigation on Construction Solid Wastes Management within Building Sites Environment in Kigali City

The largest volume of construction work in the country is mainly concentrated in this city and improper demolition of construction waste cause improper handling to construction sites. The general objective of the study will investigate on the construction solid and demolition waste management in Kigali City. A cross sectional survey among the construction companies was conducted from 60 contractors by purposive sampling. The research targeted all construction practitioners in various active sites of Kigali city. Sources of data for this study were obtained through questionnaires, interviews and site surveys. Descriptive statistics will be applied to analyze quantitative and qualitative data through SPSS 16 and STATA 13.0 computer package. Analysis of Variance was used to test the relationship between Methods of CSWM and its types of demolished waste by level of satisfaction. The key findings showed that the most construction solid waste identified on construction sites were woods; scrap metals; cement; bricks and trees respectively and the construction companies suggested that those wastes are available on their construction sites and they should be demolished properly. The second category of CSWM identified were insulation; nails; plaster; rocks; dirt and asbestos respectively according to their means and standard deviation. Furthermore, for thermal treatment, the study findings concluded that there is open burning and the respondents were fairly on the adopted methods for waste treatment. Secondary there are incineration and Pyrolysis which are used to treatment waste from construction sites and all respondents were not satisfied on their application to treat waste. Lastly the study findings concluded that there are gasification and is not usually used as the heads of sites were very unsatisfied. The cost associated with SWM for practitioners and it is ranged from 6,000,000Frws-9,000,000Frws used cost of Vegetation/ top soil (site clearance), cost of reinforced concrete, cost of Scrap metals, cost of rocks and municipal waste respectively to clean the construction environment.The next category of cost was valued in ranged of waste costing above 3,000,000Frws-6,000,000Frws and those were the cost of bricks/ tiles demolition, cost of wooden materials and other non inert waste demolition, cost of debris of pipes demolition, cost of sewage demolition and cost of chemical waste (waste oil, lubricants, paints& solvents) demolition from the construction sites respectively. The revenues associated on CSWM ranged from 6,000,000Frws -9,000,000Frws for Vegetation/ top soil (site clearance), Reinforced concrete, Scrap metals, Wooden materials and other non inert waste and Municipal waste management that may generate high level of incomes; and from 3,000,000Frws-6,000,000Frws for Rocks, Sewage and Chemical waste (waste oil, lubricants, paints& solvents) waste.

Challenges and possibilities for environmentally sound recycling of ships and composite boats in European union

In this paper are presented challenges that countries of European Union face when recycling ships and composite boats. European ship owners control over 40 % of the world’s merchant ship fleet, with Greece as the top ship-owning country globally. Nowadays, ship recycling is being regulated and positive progression was made towards it since steel industry belongs in world’s top five and stable market and makes recycling of scrap metals from ships attractive. On the other hand, yachts, sailing boats and small boats are mainly made from composite materials because of their favourable properties, making them great investment, but end-of-life management is more complicated and not quite regulated by the law yet. Unlike commercially oriented ships, which are constantly in move and disposed when the maintenance costs of the vessel start to exceed possible revenue, old boats for recreational and tourism-oriented purposes most rarely move. Hundreds of thousands lie in marinas and are abandoned due to the maintenance costs thus discouraging the owners from keeping it. Hence, a growing number of marinas worldwide will have the problem of boat disposal in a sustainable way in the future. In this paper is given short summary on waste ships and boats management issues. The emphasis is on waste management of small composite boats

Sustainable Transition Models for Municipal Solid Waste Management: A Case Study of Saraburi Provincial Administration Organization, Thailand

Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation exceeding the capacity of mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plants is a major problem for most municipalities in Thailand. The problem is serious for the Saraburi Provincial Administration Organization (SPAO) as the high daily volumes of MSW sent to the SPAO greatly exceeds the MBT plant capacity of 20 ton d-1. This results in accumulation and ultimately, open-dumping of MSW. Transition from a small (< 50 ton d-1) to a medium-sized cluster (50 - 300 ton d-1) is under consideration to address this problem. Therefore, this study evaluated pre-feasibility information, comparing two possible transition models. Model 1 proposes modification of the existing MBT plant to enlarge its capacity to 50 ton d-1, while Model 2 would require establishing a new medium-sized MBT plant (50 - 70 ton d-1). Results from field data collection as well as mass balance calculation and financial modelling indicate that without additional income from tipping or MSW management fee as well as sale of recyclable materials and scrap metals, both models exhibit negative net present value (NPV) or are not economically feasible due to high initial investment in machinery. However, sensitivity analysis based on an expected fall in future machinery prices indicates that the NPV for both models become positive if prices fall by a minimum 20 %. Due to the much higher initial investment, but the higher capacity with higher separation technology and the higher environmental benefits as well as higher ratings for sustainable development indicators, Model 2 is recommended for a long-term transition. Model 1 can still be recommended for a short - to medium-term transition. Results from in-depth interviews also confirm that Model 1, which offers additional local employment and incomes from selling recyclable materials and scrap metals would be the more feasible option owing to familiarity with the process and its lower initial investment requirement.

HUMAN INTERFERENCES TO THE ENVIRONMENT, CONSEQUENCES AND CARE

The need to restore the relationship of mankind with the environment led to the designation of measures, terms and processes worldwide for the prevention or reduction to the highest possible degree of the negative consequences to the environment ensuring a high level of protection of human health and the environment. It is general ascertainment that there is a big lack of objective information in Greece regarding the possibilities of modern science and technology for the treatment of Solid Industrial Wastes (SIW), Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) and biological Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) products safely for the public health and the environment. In Greece the most significant sources of SIW are the big exploitations of “Mineral Ores”.On the contrary, the cement industries provide an important way out for the consumption of SIW like fly ash, red mud, et. A big percentage of the total amount of produced alloys of iron, copper, zinc and aluminium do not use “Mineral Resources” as raw materials but recycle scrap metals. At the end, the successful results of pyrometallurgical production of final products by SIW as well as the results of the production of new friendly to the environment and high technology refractory materials are given in this work.