Removal of Volatile Toluene Using K2CO3-Activated Carbon Adsorbents Prepared from Buckwheat Hull

Carbon adsorbents for use in the removal of gaseous toluene from the air were prepared from buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) hull. A chemically-activated adsorbent was prepared via the impregnation of raw hull powder with potassium carbonate, followed by thermal decomposition. The chemically-activated adsorbent exhibited improved adsorption capacity for toluene compared to the adsorbent prepared without chemical activation. Toluene concentration in the air decreased from 220 ppm to 160 ppm during 24 h of adsorption using unactivated adsorbent. Only a trace amount of toluene remained after the adsorption under the same conditions using K2CO3-activated adsorbent. This improvement was explained based on experimental results, specifically, iodine adsorption tests, methylene blue adsorption tests, and microscopic observations. Chemical activation dramatically increased the specific surface area of the adsorbent and created mesopores capable of adsorbing toluene. This study revealed that a mesoporous adsorbent for use in volatile toluene removal can be prepared from waste biomass (buckwheat hull) by chemical activation using potassium carbonate.

The Evaluation of the Impact of a Saharan Event on Particulate Matter Using Compositional Data Analysis

The proposed approach based on compositional data analysis was applied on simultaneous measurements of the mineral element concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 from a typical suburban site with and without a Saharan event. The suburban site is located in the city of Rome. The selected mineral elements were Al, Si, Ca, Fe, Ti, Mg, and Sr. The data relating to these elements are reported in a previous study. The considered elements are mainly related to mineral matter. The proposed approach allows statistically validating that the mineral element concentrations of PM during days with a Saharan event differ from those without a Saharan event in terms of mineral element composition and size distribution. In particular, the results showed that the compositional data analysis applied to simultaneous measurements of mineral element concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 is a helpful technique that can be used to study environmental sites affected by natural sources such as Saharan events. Moreover, the presented technique can be handy in all those conditions where it is important to discriminate whether the occurrence of an exceedance or a violation of the daily limit value established for PM could also be due to natural sources.

Quantification of Platinum in Edible Mushrooms Using Voltammetric Techniques

Edible mushrooms are a food source with interesting nutritional values. The chief objective of this research was to develop a consistent method for the quantitative ultra-trace analysis of Pt in mushrooms, which is complex because it cannot be readily quantified by common analytical procedures. This research is one of the first analytical methods to establish Pt amount in these vegetables. In this research, 28 different edible mushroom samples from Italy were investigated. Determination of Pt in mushrooms was completed using Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV). In this study, we applied the standard addition method because there are no certified reference mushrooms containing platinum group elements on the market. The platinum quantification limit was 0.03 µg kg−1 d.w. In the analyzed samples, platinum amount was in the range of 0.03–73 µg kg−1. Our mushroom samples had a Pt content lower than the concentrations recommended by international establishments for other foodstuffs. In the future, the optimized method could be used for the analysis of plant and animal matrices intended for food supply.

Use of Clay Minerals to Control Radioactive Cesium Leaching from Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Ash in Fukushima Prefecture in Summer and Winter

Radioactive cesium (r-Cs) released from the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant attaches to vegetation/soil and is collected as municipal solid waste (MSW) for incineration, being concentrated in incineration ash (bottom ash [BA], fly ash [FA], and chelate-treated FA [TFA]). r-Cs in FA and TFA can easily leach upon contact with moisture. It is important to prevent further contamination, as r-Cs has negative effects on ecosystems and the human body. Naturally available clay minerals, considered effective for capturing r-Cs, are a good alternative. Here, we sampled ash from MSW incineration facilities in Fukushima in August 2016 and February 2017. We used energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and Ge semiconductor detector to determine elemental composition and r-Cs concentration in the samples and conducted leaching tests. We also determined the extent of leaching suppression by zeolite, acidic clay, and vermiculite. Chloride contents and r-Cs leaching rates were higher in FA and TFA than in BA, regardless of the season. Prior direct addition and mixing of clay minerals (5 to 20 wt.%) effectively prevented r-Cs leaching. This study is the first to examine r-Cs leaching inhibition by clay mineral direct addition and mixing to MSW incineration ash.

Environmental Impact Assessment of Remediation Strategy in an Oil Spill in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region

Past petroleum-extraction activities in Ecuador have contaminated its Amazon region. To assess the environmental impact attributed to remediation activities regarding the cleanup of these oil spills, two scenarios were studied according to Life Cycle Analysis methodology: (1) No-action, which means to leave the contamination in place without any further action and (2) Environmental remediation, where the environmental-load attributed to the remediation of the representative oil spill was studied. Results indicated that the no-action scenario presented a higher environmental impact for 12 out of the 16 environmental categories evaluated (climate change, ozone depletion, human toxicity non-cancer effects, particulate matter, ionizing radiation human health, ionizing radiation ecosystem, photochemical ozone formation, acidification, terrestrial eutrophication, marine eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, mineral, fossil and renewable resource depletion). Moreover, the no-action scenario presented a global weighted score of contamination of 5.45 points, while the remediation scenario got a score of 3.3 points, which means that the remediation decreased by 39% of the global environmental impact due to the remediation activity applied, showing the positive influence of environmental remediation to mitigate the effects attributed to the presence of pollution sources associated to the petroleum industry in the Ecuadorian Amazon region.

Understanding Land Changes for Sustainable Environmental Management: The Case of Basilicata Region (Southern Italy)

Sustainable land management is one of the key actions for the achievement of objectives set by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In particular, land represents a fundamental resource to address issues of climate change, biodiversity preservation, maintaining ecosystem services, and at the same time ensuring shared prosperity and well-being. Therefore, it is necessary to activate strategies to monitor changes in land use and land cover in order to evaluate strategies for proper management. To do this, the new open source geospatial analysis tools and the increasing availability of remote sensed open data can allow the activation of methodologies for monitoring changes in land use and land cover in order to provide data usable in other research areas or, for example, to implement a decision support system for environmental sustainability. In this study, a GIS approach based on open remote sensing data has been used to perform a spatial analysis of land cover changes within the Basilicata region (Southern Italy) that is spatially expeditious yet accurate. The results showed a very evident land transformation with important repercussions on the environmental components. The ease of use of techniques makes this methodology replicable in other territory and can be used as a preliminary approach to sustainable development model.

Determination of Antibiotics, Pesticides, Herbicides, Fungicides and Hormones in Water Bodies in Italy in Occurrence with European Watch List Mechanism by Using an UHPLC-MS/MS System: Method Validation, Quantification and Evaluations

In recent years, the quality of aquatic ecosystems has received increasing attention from European institutions. The Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/840 drafted a Watch List (WL) of compounds to be monitored in Europe. In this study, we report a method based on solid phase extraction with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, coupled with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS) to analyze the whole water sample. The method was developed and validated for the determination of 12 listed compounds. The employment of solid-phase extraction by a horizon system ensures the analysis of the entire body of samples and minimizes sample manipulation. Different ng L−1 detection limits (from 2 to 50 ng L−1), linearities (from 2 to 500 ng L−1), accuracy (from 70 to 130%) and levels of precision (RSD less 20% at LOQs levels) were assessed to be satisfactory for quantification and confirmation at the levels of interest. The developed method was applied for quantitative analysis for Watch List compounds (with the exception of hormones) in surface water samples from different Italian sites during monitoring activities by the Regional Environmental Protection Agencies in the years 2019 and 2020.

Bisphenol A: Quantification in Complex Matrices and Removal by Anaerobic Sludges

The endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most commonly found micropollutants in the environment. However, the biodegradation of BPA under anaerobic (methanogenic) conditions is still an understudied process in wastewater treatment systems. The current study thus addresses the need for a simple and user-friendly analytical method for the rapid and accurate quantification of BPA in complex matrices such as digested and co-digester sludges. We established a microwave-assisted extraction method, followed by derivatization and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to quantify BPA by comparing it with a deuterated internal standard. The BPA removal capabilities of three digester sludges and three co-digester sludges were examined under mesophilic methanogenic conditions in biogas plants. The endogenous BPA concentration (dry weight) ranged from 1596 to 10,973 µg kg−1 in digested sewage sludges, and from below the limit of quantification to 9069 µg kg−1 in co-digester sludges. When BPA was added to the sludges, the removal capabilities ranged from not significant to 50% after 21 days of incubation. Biogas production was unaffected by the addition of BPA (228 µg kg−1) to the aqueous sludge. The study demonstrated that BPA could be removed under anaerobic conditions in accustomed inoculates. The findings have far-reaching implications for understanding BPA persistence and detoxification under anaerobic conditions.

Inhalation Exposure to PCB from Contaminated Indoor Air—How Much Is Absorbed into the Blood?

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were used in many construction products until their banning in the 1970s and 1980s. Nonetheless, exposure to PCBs from contaminated indoor air is still an important public health issue. The aim of our study was to estimate the contribution of PCB congeners in indoor air to the levels of PCBs in human blood. We analyzed all 209 PCB congeners in the blood of 35 individuals exposed to PCBs from contaminated indoor air. For each individual, we measured the six marker indicators PCB28, PCB52, PCB101, PCB138, PCB153 and PCB180 in indoor air at the workplace. Statistically significant correlations between PCB-contaminated indoor air and the existence of the sum of mono-, di-, tri-, tetra- and pentachlorinated biphenyls (∑PCB1–127) in the blood of the exposed individuals were found. We quantified the proportions of PCBs that are absorbed into the blood via inhalation of contaminated indoor air. Inhalation of PCBs from contaminated indoor air, especially in children, adolescents and younger adults, may lead to PCB blood burdens that are higher than general PCB background levels or in approximately the same range.

An Overview of the Glucocorticoids’ Pathways in the Environment and Their Removal Using Conventional Wastewater Treatment Systems

Numerous micropollutants, especially endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), can pollute natural aquatic environments causing great concern for human and ecosystem health. While most of the conversation revolves around estrogen and androgen, glucocorticoids (GCs) are also prevalent in natural waters. Despite the fact that GCs play a crucial role in both inflammatory and immunologic development activities, they are also detected in natural waters and considered as one of the EDCs. Although many researchers have mentioned the adverse effect of GCs on aquatic organisms, a complete management technology to remove these pollutants from surface and coastal waters is yet to be established. In the current study, six glucocorticoids (prednisone, prednisolone, cortisone, cortisol, dexamethasone, and 6R-methylprednisolone) have been selected according to their higher detection frequency in environmental waters. The concentration of selected GCs ranged from 0.05 ng/L to 433 ng/L and their removal efficiency ranged from 10% to 99% depending on the water source and associated removal technologies. Although advanced technologies are available for achieving successful removal of GCs, associated operational and economic considerations make implementation of these processes unsustainable. Further studies are necessary to resolve the entry routes of GCs compounds into the surface water or drinking water permanently as well as employ sustainable detection and removal technologies.