Method and compositions for the degradation of tributyl phosphate in chemical waste mixtures

DOEpatents

Stoner, D.L.; Tien, A.J.

1995-09-26

A method and process are disclosed for the degradation of tributyl phosphate in an organic waste mixture and a biologically pure, novel bacteria culture for accomplishing the same. A newly-discovered bacteria (a strain of Acinetobacter sp. ATCC 55587) is provided which is combined in a reactor vessel with a liquid waste mixture containing tributyl phosphate and one or more organic waste compounds capable of functioning as growth substrates for the bacteria. The bacteria is thereafter allowed to incubate within the waste mixture. As a result, the tributyl phosphate and organic compounds within the waste mixture are metabolized (degraded) by the bacteria, thereby eliminating such materials which are environmentally hazardous. In addition, the bacteria is capable of degrading waste mixtures containing high quantities of tributyl phosphate (e.g. up to about 1.0% by weight tributyl phosphate). 6 figs.

Conversion of sulfur compounds and microbial community in anaerobic treatment of fish and pork waste.

PubMed

He, Ruo; Yao, Xing-Zhi; Chen, Min; Ma, Ruo-Chan; Li, Hua-Jun; Wang, Chen; Ding, Shen-Hua

2018-06-01

Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) are not only the main source of malodor in anaerobic treatment of organic waste, but also pose a threat to human health. In this study, VSCs production and microbial community was investigated during the anaerobic degradation of fish and pork waste. The results showed that after the operation of 245 days, 94.5% and 76.2% of sulfur compounds in the fish and pork waste was converted into VSCs. Among the detected VSCs including H 2 S, carbon disulfide, methanethiol, ethanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide, methanethiol was the major component with the maximum concentration of 4.54% and 3.28% in the fish and pork waste, respectively. The conversion of sulfur compounds including total sulfur, SO 4 2- -S, S 2- , methionine and cysteine followed the first-order kinetics. Miseq sequencing analysis showed that Acinetobacter, Clostridium, Proteus, Thiobacillus, Hyphomicrobium and Pseudomonas were the main known sulfur-metabolizing microorganisms in the fish and pork waste. The C/N value had most significant influence on the microbial community in the fish and pork waste. A main conversion of sulfur compounds with CH 3 SH as the key intermediate was firstly hypothesized during the anaerobic degradation of fish and pork waste. These findings are helpful to understand the conversion of sulfur compounds and to develop techniques to control ordor pollution in the anaerobic treatment of organic waste. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementation of an evaporative oxidation process for treatment of aqueous mixed wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bounini, L.; Stelmach, J.

1995-12-31

The US Department of Energy and Rust Geotech conducted treatability tests for mixed wastes with a pilot-scale evaporative oxidation unit known as the mini-PO*WW*ER unit. In the evaporative oxidation process, water and volatile organic compounds are vaporized and passed through a catalytic oxidizer to destroy the organic compounds. Nonvolatiles are concentrated into a brine that may be solidified. Ten experiment runs were made. The oxidation of the unit was calculated using total organic carbon analyses of feed and composite product condensate samples. These data indicate that the technology is capable of achieving oxidation efficiencies as high as 99.999 percent onmore » mixed wastes when the bed temperature is near 600 C, residence times are about 0.2 seconds, and adequate oxygen flow is maintained. Concentrations of the tested volatile organic compounds in the product-condensate composite samples were well below standards for wastewaters. Combined gross alpha and beta radioactivity levels in the samples were below detection limites of 12.5 pico-Cu/l, so the liquid would not qualify as a radioactive waste. Thus, the product condensate process by the process is not restricted as either hazardous or mixed waste and is suitable for direct disposal. The brines produced were not considered mixed waste and could be handled and disposed of as radioactive waste.« less

Performance evaluation of an anaerobic/aerobic landfill-based digester using yard waste for energy and compost production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yazdani, Ramin, E-mail: ryazdani@sbcglobal.net; Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Ghausi Hall, Davis, CA 95616; Barlaz, Morton A., E-mail: barlaz@eos.ncsu.edu

2012-05-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Biochemical methane potential decreased by 83% during the two-stage operation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Net energy produced was 84.3 MWh or 46 kWh per million metric tons (Mg). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The average removal efficiency of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was 96-99%. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The average removal efficiency of non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs) was 68-99%. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The two-stage batch digester proved to be simple to operate and cost-effective. - Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate a new alternative for yard waste management by constructing, operating and monitoring a landfill-based two-stage batch digester (anaerobic/aerobic) with the recovery of energy and compost. Themore » system was initially operated under anaerobic conditions for 366 days, after which the yard waste was aerated for an additional 191 days. Off gas generated from the aerobic stage was treated by biofilters. Net energy recovery was 84.3 MWh, or 46 kWh per million metric tons of wet waste (as received), and the biochemical methane potential of the treated waste decreased by 83% during the two-stage operation. The average removal efficiencies of volatile organic compounds and non-methane organic compounds in the biofilters were 96-99% and 68-99%, respectively.« less

Compositions of volatile organic compounds emitted from melted virgin and waste plastic pellets.

PubMed

Yamashita, Kyoko; Yamamoto, Naomichi; Mizukoshi, Atsushi; Noguchi, Miyuki; Ni, Yueyong; Yanagisawa, Yukio

2009-03-01

To characterize potential air pollution issues related to recycling facilities of waste plastics, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from melted virgin and waste plastics pellets were analyzed. In this study, laboratory experiments were performed to melt virgin and waste plastic pellets under various temperatures (150, 200, and 250 degrees C) and atmospheres (air and nitrogen [N2]). In the study presented here, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and the recycled waste plastic pellets were used. The VOCs generated from each plastic pellets were collected by Tenax/Carboxen adsorbent tubes and analyzed by thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS). The result showed the higher temperatures generated larger amounts of total VOCs (TVOCs). The VOCs emitted from the virgin plastic pellets likely originated from polymer degradation. Smaller TVOC emissions were observed in N2 atmosphere than in air atmosphere. In particular, larger amounts of the oxygenated compounds, which are generally hazardous and malodorous, were detected in air than in N2. In addition to the compounds originating from polymer degradation, the compounds originating from the plastic additives were also detected from LDPE and PS. Furthermore, various species of VOCs likely originating from contaminant inseparate polyvinyl chloride (PVC), food residues, cleaning agents, degreasers, and so on were detected from the waste plastic. Thus, melting waste plastics, as is conducted in recycling facilities, might generate larger amounts of potentially toxic compounds than producing virgin plastics.

Treatment of semivolatile compounds in high strength wastes using an anaerobic expanded-bed GAC reactor

EPA Science Inventory

The potential of the anaerobic, expanded bed granular activated carbon (GAC) reactor in treating a high strength waste containing RCRA semivolatile organic compounds (VOCs) was studied. Six semivolatiles, orthochlorophenol, nitrobenzene, naphthalene, para-nitrophenol, lindane, a...

Validation of enhanced stabilization of municipal solid waste under controlled leachate recirculation using FTIR and XRD.

PubMed

Sethi, Sapna; Kothiyal, N C; Nema, Arvind K

2012-07-01

Leachate recirculation at neutral PH accompanied with buffer/nutrients addition has been used successfully in earlier stabilization of municipal solid waste in bioreactor landfills. In the present study, efforts were made to enhance the stabilization rate of municipal solid waste (MSW) and organic solid waste (OSW) in simulated landfill bioreactors by controlling the pH of recirculated leachate towards slightly alkaline side in absence of additional buffer and nutrients addition. Enhanced stabilization in waste samples was monitored with the help of analytical tools like Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Predominance of bands assigned to inorganic compounds and comparatively lower intensities of bands for organic compounds in the FTIR spectra of waste samples degraded with leachate recirculation under controlled pH confirmed higher rate of biodegradation and mineralization of waste than the samples degraded without controlled leachate recirculation. XRD spectra also confirmed to a greater extent of mineralization in the waste samples degraded under leachate recirculation with controlled pH. Comparison of XRD spectra of two types of wastes pointed out higher degree of mineralization in organic solid waste as compared to municipal solid waste.

Ecotoxicological assessment of the potential impact on soil porewater, surface and groundwater from the use of organic wastes as soil amendments.

PubMed

Alvarenga, Paula; Mourinha, Clarisse; Farto, Márcia; Palma, Patrícia; Sengo, Joana; Morais, Marie-Christine; Cunha-Queda, Cristina

2016-04-01

This study aimed to assess the potential impact on soil porewater, surface and groundwater from the beneficial application of organic wastes to soil, using their eluates and acute bioassays with aquatic organisms and plants: luminescence inhibition of Vibrio fischeri (15 and 30 min), Daphnia magna immobilization (48 h), Thamnocephalus platyurus survival (24 h), and seed germination of Lolium perenne (7 d) and Lactuca sativa (5 d). Some organic wastes' eluates promoted high toxic responses, but that toxicity could not be predicted by their chemical characterization, which is compulsory by regulatory documents. In fact, when organisms were exposed to the water-extractable chemical compounds of the organic wastes, the toxic responses were more connected to the degree of stabilization of the organic wastes, or to the treatment used to achieve that stabilization, than to their contaminant load. That is why the environmental risk assessment of the use of organic wastes as soil amendments should integrate bioassays with eluates, in order to correctly evaluate the effects of the most bioavailable fraction of all the chemical compounds, which can be difficult to predict from the characterization required in regulatory documents. According to our results, some rapid and standardized acute bioassays can be suggested to integrate a Tier 1 ecotoxicological evaluation of organic wastes with potential to be land applied, namely luminescence inhibition of V. fischeri, D. magna immobilization, and the germination of L. perenne and L. sativa. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study of Selected Composites Copper Concentrate-Plastic Waste Using Thermal Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szyszka, Danuta

2017-12-01

The paper presents thermal analysis of selected composites (copper concentrate, plastic waste) in two stages. The first stage consisted in thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis on the applied plastic waste and copper concentrate, and subsequently, a comparative study has been carried out on products obtained, constituting composites of those materials. As a result of analyses, it was found that up to ca. 400 °C composites show high thermal stability, whereas above that temperature, a thermal decomposition of the composite occurs, resulting in emissions of organic compounds, i.e. hydrocarbon compounds and organic oxygenate derivatives.

Uptake of organic sulfur and nitrogen compounds by aerosols

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Efforts have been undertaken to monitor and model the uptake of medium-sized organic compounds found above agricultural waste. Field effects performed by our collaborators monitor both the gas phase compounds present in a chicken house in Kentucky; using PILS-IC sampling, the contents of PM2.5 parti...

DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: SOLIDIFICATION/STABILIZATION OF ORGANIC/INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS - SILICATE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

EPA Science Inventory

Silicate Technology Corporation's (STC's) technology for treating hazardous waste utilizes silicate compounds to stabilize organic and inorganic constituents in contaminated soils and sludges. STC has developed two groups of reagents: SOILSORB HM for treating wastes with inorgan...

Edible Oil Barriers for Treatment of Chlorinated Solvent Contaminated Groundwater

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

CF Chloroform Cl# Chlorine Number CO Carbon Monoxide CT Carbon Tetrachloride CVOC Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compound 1,2-DCA 1,2...As Safe HCl Hydrochloric Acid HRC® Hydrogen Release Compound IDW Investigation-Derived Waste ISCO In Situ Chemical Oxidation LEL Lower...Total Organic Carbon VC Vinyl Chloride VFA Volatile Fatty Acid VOC Volatile Organic Compound ZVI Zero Valent Iron viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Influences of chlorine content on emission of HCl and organic compounds in waste incineration using fluidized beds.

PubMed

Wey, M Y; Liu, K Y; Yu, W J; Lin, C L; Chang, F Y

2008-01-01

HCl and some organic compounds are the precursors of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) in municipal solid waste incinerators. In this work, a lab-scale fluidized bed incinerator is adopted to study the relationship between the organic and the inorganic chlorine contents of artificial wastes and the emissions of HCl and organic compounds. The lower threshold limit (LTL) of chlorine content below which HCl and organic compounds are not generated is studied. Experimental results showed that organic chlorides had a greater potential to release chlorine than inorganic chlorides. The generation of organic pollutants fell, but the emissions of HCl increased with the temperature. The concentrations of chlorophenols (CPs)/chlorobenzenes (CBs) increased with chlorine contents. No LTL existed for HCl regardless of whether CaO was added. The LTL for CPs was between 0.1 and 0.3wt% of inorganic chloride, but there was none for organic sources. For CBs, the LTL was between 0.5 and 1.0wt% for inorganics at 700 and 800 degrees C, but 0.1-0.3 wt% at 700 degrees C and 0.3-0.5 wt% at 800 degrees C for organics. The production of PAHs and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) was related to the surplus hydrogen ions that were not reacted with the chlorine. Adding CaO inhibited the production of HCl, CBs and CPs, but did not seriously affect PAHs and BTEX.

Detox{sup SM} wet oxidation system studies for engineering scale up

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robertson, D.T.; Moslander, J.E.; Zigmond, J.A.

1995-12-31

Catalyzed wet oxidation utilizing iron(III) has been shown to have promise for treating many hazardous and mixed wastes. The reaction occurs at the surface of contact between an aqueous iron(III) solution and organic material. Studies with liquid- and vapor-phase organic waste surrogates have established reaction kinetics and the limits of reaction rate based on organic concentration and iron(III) diffusion. Continuing engineering studies have concentrated on reaction vessel agitator and solids feed configurations, an improved bench scale reflux condenser and reflux condenser calculations, sparging of organic compounds from the process condensate water, filtration of solids from the process solution, and flammabilitymore » limits for volatile organic compounds in the headspace of the reaction vessel under the reaction conditions. Detailed engineering design and fabrication of a demonstration unit for treatment of mixed waste is in progress.« less

Mediated electrochemical oxidation of organic wastes using a Co (III) mediator in a nitric acid based system

DOEpatents

Balazs, G. Bryan; Chiba, Zoher; Lewis, Patricia R.; Nelson, Norvell; Steward, G. Anthony

1999-01-01

An electrochemical cell with a Co(III) mediator and nitric acid electrolyte provides efficient destruction of organic and mixed wastes. The organic waste is concentrated in the anolyte reservoir, where the mediator oxidizes the organics and insoluble transuranic compounds and is regenerated at the anode until the organics are converted to CO.sub.2. The nitric acid is an excellent oxidant that facilitates the destruction of the organic components. The anode is not readily attacked by the nitric acid solution, thus the cell can be used for extended continual operation without electrode replacement.

SEPARATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM SURFACTANT SOLUTIONS BY PERVAPORATION

EPA Science Inventory

Pervaporation is gradually becoming an accepted and practical method for the recovery of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from aqueous process and waste streams. As the technolog has matured, new applications for pervaporation have emerged. One such application is the separati...

40 CFR 268.2 - Definitions applicable in this part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... part the following terms have the meanings given below: (a) Halogenated organic compounds or HOCs means...) Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs are halogenated organic compounds defined in accordance with 40 CFR 761.3. (f) Wastewaters are wastes that contain less than 1% by weight total organic carbon (TOC) and less than 1% by...

40 CFR 268.2 - Definitions applicable in this part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... part the following terms have the meanings given below: (a) Halogenated organic compounds or HOCs means...) Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs are halogenated organic compounds defined in accordance with 40 CFR 761.3. (f) Wastewaters are wastes that contain less than 1% by weight total organic carbon (TOC) and less than 1% by...

40 CFR 268.2 - Definitions applicable in this part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... part the following terms have the meanings given below: (a) Halogenated organic compounds or HOCs means...) Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs are halogenated organic compounds defined in accordance with 40 CFR 761.3. (f) Wastewaters are wastes that contain less than 1% by weight total organic carbon (TOC) and less than 1% by...

40 CFR 268.2 - Definitions applicable in this part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... part the following terms have the meanings given below: (a) Halogenated organic compounds or HOCs means...) Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs are halogenated organic compounds defined in accordance with 40 CFR 761.3. (f) Wastewaters are wastes that contain less than 1% by weight total organic carbon (TOC) and less than 1% by...

40 CFR 268.2 - Definitions applicable in this part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... part the following terms have the meanings given below: (a) Halogenated organic compounds or HOCs means...) Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs are halogenated organic compounds defined in accordance with 40 CFR 761.3. (f) Wastewaters are wastes that contain less than 1% by weight total organic carbon (TOC) and less than 1% by...

Development of a novel wet oxidation process for hazardous and mixed wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dhooge, P.M.

1994-12-31

Many DOE waste streams and remediates contain complex and variable mixtures of organic compounds, toxic metals, and radionuclides. These materials are often dispersed in organic or inorganic matrices, such as personal protective equipment, various sludges, soils, and water. The over all objective of the effort described here is to develop a novel catalytic wet oxidation process for the treatment of these multi-component wastes, with the aim of providing a versatile, non-thermal method which will destroy hazardous organic compounds while simultaneously containing and concentrating toxic and radioactive metals for recovery or disposal in a readily stabilized matrix. The DETOX process usesmore » a unique combination of metal catalysts to increase the rate of oxidation of organic materials. The metal catalysts are in the form of salts dissolved in a dilute acid solution. A typical catalyst composition is 60% ferric chloride, 3--4% hydrochloric acid, 0.13% platinum ions, and 0.13% ruthenium ions in a water solution. The catalyst solution is maintained at 423--473 K. Wastes are introduced into contact with the solution, where their organic portion is oxidized to carbon dioxide and water. If the organic portion is chlorinated, hydrogen chloride will be produced as a product. The process is a viable alternative to incineration for the treatment of organic mixed wastes. Estimated costs for waste treatment using the process are from $2.50/kg to $25.00/kg, depending on the size of the unit and the amount of waste processed. Process units can be mobile for on-site treatment of wastes. Results from phase 1 and 2, design and engineering studies, are described.« less

Environmental assessment of cement/foundry sludge products.

PubMed

Ruiz, M C; Andrés, A; Irabien, A

2003-05-01

This work deals with the environmental assessment of products based on cement and a waste from a cast iron activity. The waste is a foundry sludge from wastewater treatment previously characterized. This industrial waste shows a high water content (62.4%) and a hazardous behavior due to its metallic content mainly Zn (16.5%), together with a low fraction of organic pollutants, mainly phenolic compounds. The feasibility of immobilizing both typs of contaminants was studied using Portland cement as binder at different cement/waste ratios. The parameters of environmental control were the ecotoxicity and mobilization of zinc and phenolic compounds, all determined on the basis of compliance leaching tests. The acid neutralization capacity of the cement/waste products was measured in order to obtain information on their buffering capacity. Experimental results from chemical analysis of leachates led to a non ecotoxic character of cement/waste products Although the metallic ions were mobilized within the cement mattices, the organic matter did not allow the formation of monolithic forms and an efficient immobilization of phenolic compounds. Concerning the acid neutralization capacity, this parameter was shown to depend mainly on the quantity of cement, although a decrease in alkalinity was observed when the amount of water in the cement/waste products increased.

Possible sources of nitrate in ground water at swine licensed-managed feeding operations in Oklahoma, 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becker, Mark F.; Peter, Kathy D.; Masoner, Jason

2002-01-01

Samples collected and analyzed by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry from 1999 to 2001 determined that nitrate exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level for public drinking-water supplies of 10 milligrams per liter as nitrogen in 79 monitoring wells at 35 swine licensed-managed feeding operations (LMFO) in Oklahoma. The LMFOs are located in rural agricultural settings where long-term agriculture has potentially affected the ground-water quality in some areas. Land use prior to the construction of the LMFOs was assessed to evaluate the types of agricultural land use within a 500-meter radius of the sampled wells. Chemical and microbiological techniques were used to determine the possible sources of nitrate in water sampled from 10 wastewater lagoons and 79 wells. Samples were analyzed for dissolved major ions, dissolved trace elements, dissolved nutrients, nitrogen isotope ratios of nitrate and ammonia, wastewater organic compounds, and fecal coliform bacteria. Bacteria ribotyping analysis was done on selected samples to identify possible specific animal sources. A decision process was developed to identify the possible sources of nitrate. First, nitrogen isotope ratios were used to define sources as animal, mixed animal and fertilizer, or fertilizer. Second, wastewater organic compound detections, nitrogen-isotope ratios, fecal coliform bacteria detections, and ribotyping were used to refine the identification of possible sources as LFMO waste, fertilizer, or unidentified animal or mixtures of these sources. Additional evidence provided by ribotyping and wastewater organic compound data can, in some cases, specifically indicate the animal source. Detections of three or more wastewater organic compounds that are indicators of animal sources and detections of fecal coliform bacteria provided additional evidence of an animal source. LMFO waste was designated as a possible source of nitrate in water from 10 wells. The source of waste in water from five of those wells was determined through ribotyping, and the source of waste in water from the remaining five wells was determined by detections of three or more animal-waste compounds in the well samples. LMFO waste in the water from wells with unidentified animal source of nitrate does not indicate that LMFO waste was not the source, but indicated that multiple animal sources, including LMFO waste, may be the source of the nitrate.

MICROWAVE-ASSISTED EXTRACTION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM STANDARD REFERENCE SOILS AND SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

As part of an ongoing evaluation of new sample preparation techniques by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), especially those that minimize waste solvents, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of organic compounds from solid materials (or "matrices") was evaluated. Six...

Occupational hygiene in terms of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols at two solid waste management plants in Finland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lehtinen, Jenni, E-mail: jenni.k.lehtinen@jyu.fi; Tolvanen, Outi; Nivukoski, Ulla

Highlights: ► Odorous VOCs: acetic acid, 2,3-butanedione, ethyl acetate, alpha-pinene and limonene. ► VOC concentrations did not exceed occupational exposure limit concentrations. ► 2,3-Butanedione as the health effecting compound is discussed. ► Endotoxin concentrations may cause health problems in waste treatment. - Abstract: Factors affecting occupational hygiene were measured at the solid waste transferring plant at Hyvinkää and at the optic separation plant in Hämeenlinna. Measurements consisted of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols including microbes, dust and endotoxins. The most abundant compounds in both of the plants were aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, esters of carboxylic acids, ketones and terpenes.more » In terms of odour generation, the most important emissions were acetic acid, 2,3-butanedione, ethyl acetate, alpha-pinene and limonene due to their low threshold odour concentrations. At the optic waste separation plant, limonene occurred at the highest concentration of all single compounds of identified VOCs. The concentration of any single volatile organic compound did not exceed the occupational exposure limit (OEL) concentration. However, 2,3-butanedione as a health risk compound is discussed based on recent scientific findings linking it to lung disease. Microbe and dust concentrations were low at the waste transferring plant. Only endotoxin concentrations may cause health problems; the average concentration inside the plant was 425 EU/m{sup 3} which clearly exceeded the threshold value of 90 EU/m{sup 3}. In the wheel loader cabin the endotoxin concentrations were below 1 EU/m{sup 3}. High microbial and endotoxin concentrations were measured in the processing hall at the optic waste separation plant. The average concentration of endotoxins was found to be 10,980 EU/m{sup 3}, a concentration which may cause health risks. Concentrations of viable fungi were quite high in few measurements in the control room. The most problematic factor was endotoxins whose average measured concentrations was 4853 EU/m{sup 3}.« less

Characterization of Crew Refuse Returned from Shuttle Missions with Permanent Gas, Volatile Organic Compound, and Microbial Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, B.; Hummerick, M.; Roberts, M.; Krummins, V.; Kish, A.; Garland, J.; Maxwell, S.; Mills, A.

In addition to the mass and energy costs associated with bioregenerative systems for advanced life support, the storage and processing of waste on spacecraft requires both atmospheric and biological management. Risks to crew health may arise from the presence of potential human pathogens in waste or from decay processes during waste storage and/or processing. This study reports on the permanent gas, trace volatile organic and microbiological analyses of crew refuse returned from shuttle missions STS-105, 109 and 110. The research objective is to characterize the biological stability of the waste stream, to assess the risks associated with its storage, and to provide baseline measures for the evaluation of waste processing technologies. Microbiological samples were collected from packaging material, food waste, bathroom waste, and bulk liquid collected from the volume F waste container. The number of culturable bacteria and total bacteria were determined by plating on R2A media and by Acridine Orange direct count, respectively. Samples of the trash were analyzed for the presence of fecal and total coliforms and other human-associated bacteria. Dry and ash weights were determined to estimate both water and organic content of the materials. The aerobic and anaerobic bio-stability of stored waste was determined by on-line monitoring of CO2 and by laboratory analysis of off-gas samples for hydrogen sulfide and methane. Volatile organic compounds and permanent gases were analyzed using EPA method TO15 with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by gas chromatography with selective detectors . This study establishes a baseline measure of waste composition, labile organics, and microbial load for this material.

Plasma for environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Oost, G.

2017-11-01

Human activity is associated with the permanent emergence of a very wide range of waste streams. The most widely used treatment of waste is thermal processing such as incineration. An alternative environmentally friendly process is based on thermal plasma technology which is a very flexible tool because it allows to operate in a wide temperature range with almost any chemical composition of waste and chemicals needed for processing this waste, and to convert organic waste into energy or chemical substances as well as to destroy toxic organic compounds, and to vitrify radioactive waste in a scenario that for each specific type of waste can be considered optimal, both in terms of energy efficiency and environmental safety.

SOIL SORPTION OF VOLATILE AND SEMIVOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN A MIXTURE

EPA Science Inventory

Studies were conducted to evaluate lipophilicity as a predictor sorption for a mixture of organic compounds with high vapor pressures commonly present at hazardous waste sites. Sorption partition coefficients (K_p) for the mixture of 16 volatile and semivolatile ...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds in biochar and biochar-amended soil: A review

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Residual pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon(aceous) nanoparticles are inevitably generated during the pyrolysis of waste biomass, and remain on the solid co-product called biochar. Such pollutants could have adverse effects on ...

Mediated electrochemical oxidation of organic wastes using a Co (III) mediator in a nitric acid based system

DOEpatents

Balazs, G.B.; Chiba, Z.; Lewis, P.R.; Nelson, N.; Steward, G.A.

1999-06-15

An electrochemical cell with a Co(III) mediator and nitric acid electrolyte provides efficient destruction of organic and mixed wastes. The organic waste is concentrated in the anolyte reservoir, where the mediator oxidizes the organics and insoluble transuranic compounds and is regenerated at the anode until the organics are converted to CO[sub 2]. The nitric acid is an excellent oxidant that facilitates the destruction of the organic components. The anode is not readily attacked by the nitric acid solution, thus the cell can be used for extended continual operation without electrode replacement. 2 figs.

Chemical constituents in sediment in Lake Pontchartrain and in street mud and canal sediment in New Orleans, Louisiana, following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, Peter C.; Wilson, Jennifer T.; Horowitz, Arthur J.; Skrobialowski, Stanley C.; Foreman, William T.; Fuller, Christopher C.; Burkhardt, Mark R.; Elrick, Kent A.; Mahler, Barbara J.; Smith, James J.; Zaugg, Steven D.

2007-01-01

Samples of street mud, suspended and bottom sediment in canals discharging to Lake Ponchartrain, and suspended and bottom sediment in the lake were collected and analyzed for chemical constituents to help evaluate the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent unwatering of New Orleans, Louisiana. The approach used for sampling and analysis of chemical data for the study is presented herein. Radionuclides, major and trace elements, and numerous organic compounds in sediment were analyzed. The organic compounds include organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, urban waste indicator compounds, and current-use pesticides. Methods for the analysis of urban waste indicator compounds and current-use pesticides in sediment were developed only recently.

Electricity generation from food wastes and characteristics of organic matters in microbial fuel cell.

PubMed

Li, Hui; Tian, Yu; Zuo, Wei; Zhang, Jun; Pan, Xiaoyue; Li, Lipin; Su, Xinying

2016-04-01

The microbial fuel cell (MFC) was evaluated as an alternative way to recover electricity from canteen based food waste. Characteristics of the organics in food waste before and after the MFC treatment were analyzed to investigate how the organic matters were biodegraded and transformed during the MFC treatment. A maximum power density of 5.6W/m(3) and an average output voltage of 0.51V were obtained. During the MFC operation, the hydrophilic and acidic fractions were more readily degraded, compared to the neutral fractions. Additionally, aromatic compounds in the hydrophilic fraction were more preferentially removed than non-aromatic compounds. The MFC could easily remove the tryptophan protein-like substances in all fractions and aromatic proteins in hydrophilic and hydrophobic neutral fractions. Additionally, the hydrophobic amide-1 proteins and aliphatic components were readily hydrolyzed and biodegraded in the MFC. These findings may facilitate the pretreatment and posttreatment choices for MFC system fed with food waste. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Release of non-methane organic compounds during simulated landfilling of aerobically pretreated municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuanyuan; Yue, Dongbei; Liu, Jianguo; Lu, Peng; Wang, Ying; Liu, Jing; Nie, Yongfeng

2012-06-30

Characteristics of non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs) emissions during the anaerobic decomposition of untreated (APD-0) and four aerobically pretreated (APD-20, APD-39, APD-49, and APD-63) samples of municipal solid waste (MSW) were investigated in laboratory. The cumulative mass of the NMOCs of APD-20, APD-39, APD-49, and APD-63 accounted for 15%, 9%, 16%, and 15% of that of APD-0, respectively. The intensities of the NMOC emissions calculated by dividing the cumulative NMOC emissions by the quantities of organic matter removed (Q(VS)) decreased from 4.1 mg/kg Q(VS) for APD-0 to 0.8-3.4 mg/kg Q(VS) for aerobically pretreated MSW. The lipid and starch contents might have significant impact on the intensity of the NMOC emissions. Alkanes dominated the NMOCs released from the aerobically pretreated MSW, while oxygenated compounds were the chief component of the NMOCs generated from untreated MSW. Aerobic pretreatment of MSW prior to landfilling reduces the organic content of the waste and the intensity of the NMOC emissions, and increases the odor threshold, thereby reducing the environmental impact of landfills. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DETOX{sup SM} catalyzed wet oxidation as a highly suitable pretreatment for vitrification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, T.W.; Dhooge, P.M.; Goldblatt, S.D.

1995-11-01

A catalyzed wet oxidation process has been developed which uses ferric iron in an acidic water solution to oxidize organic compounds in the presence of platinum ion and/or ruthenium ion catalysts. The process is capable of oxidizing a wide range of organic compounds to carbon dioxide and water with great efficiency. The process has been tested in the bench-scale with many different types of organics. Conceptual engineering for application of the process to treatment of liquid and solid organic waste materials has been followed by engineering design for a demonstration unit. Fabrication of the unit and demonstration on hazardous andmore » mixed wastes at two Department of Energy sites is planned in 1995 through 1997.« less

Plasma for environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Oost, G.

2017-12-01

Human activity is associated with the permanent emergence of a very wide range of waste streams. The most widely used treatment of waste is thermal processing such as incineration. An alternative environmentally friendly process is based on thermal plasma technology which is a very flexible tool because it allows to operate in a wide temperature range with almost any chemical composition of waste and chemicals needed for processing this waste. It allows the conversion of organic waste into energy or chemical substances as well as the destruction of toxic organic compounds in a scenario that for each specific type of waste can be considered optimal, both in terms of energy efficiency and environmental safety.

Detecting waste-combustion emissions: several advanced methods are useful for sampling air contaminants from hazardous-waste-incinerator stacks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, L.D.

1986-01-01

This paper is an overview of sampling methods being recommended to EPA regulatory programs, to EPA engineering research and development projects, and to interested parties in the industrial community. The methods discussed are generally applicable to both incineration and processes closely related to incineration (e.g., co-firing of waste in industrial boilers, and burning of contaminated heating oil). Although methods for inorganic hazardous compounds are very briefly outlined, the primary emphasis of the paper is on organic compounds that are likely to be chosen as principal organic hazardous constituents (POHCs) for a trial burn. Methods receiving major attention include: the Modifiedmore » Method 5 Train (MM5) which includes an XAD-2 sorbent module, the Source Assessment Sampling System (SASS), the recently developed Volatile Organic Sampling Train (VOST), and assorted containers such as glass bulbs and plastic bags.« less

Albuquerque Operations Office, Albuquerque, New Mexico: Technology summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-08-01

This document has been prepared by the Department of Energy`s (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) Office of Technology Development (OTD) in order to highlight research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation (RDDT&E) activities funded through the Albuquerque Operations Office. Technologies and processes described have the potential to enhance DOE`s cleanup and waste management efforts, as well as improve US industry`s competitiveness in global environmental markets. The information has been assembled from recently produced OTD documents that highlight technology development activities within each of the OTD program elements. These integrated program summaries include: Volatile Organic Compounds in Non-Arid Soils, Volatile Organic Compounds inmore » Arid Soils, Mixed Waste Landfill Integrated Demonstration, Uranium in Soils Integrated Demonstration, Characterization, Monitoring, and Sensor Technology, In Situ Remediation, Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration, Underground Storage Tank, Efficient Separations and Processing, Mixed Waste Integrated Program, Rocky Flats Compliance Program, Pollution Prevention Program, Innovation Investment Area, and Robotics Technology.« less

Organic Separation Test Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Russell, Renee L.; Rinehart, Donald E.; Peterson, Reid A.

2014-09-22

Separable organics have been defined as “those organic compounds of very limited solubility in the bulk waste and that can form a separate liquid phase or layer” (Smalley and Nguyen 2013), and result from three main solvent extraction processes: U Plant Uranium Recovery Process, B Plant Waste Fractionation Process, and Plutonium Uranium Extraction (PUREX) Process. The primary organic solvents associated with tank solids are TBP, D2EHPA, and NPH. There is concern that, while this organic material is bound to the sludge particles as it is stored in the tanks, waste feed delivery activities, specifically transfer pump and mixer pump operations,more » could cause the organics to form a separated layer in the tank farms feed tank. Therefore, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) is experimentally evaluating the potential of organic solvents separating from the tank solids (sludge) during waste feed delivery activities, specifically the waste mixing and transfer processes. Given the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) waste acceptance criteria per the Waste Feed Acceptance Criteria document (24590-WTP-RPT-MGT-11-014) that there is to be “no visible layer” of separable organics in the waste feed, this would result in the batch being unacceptable to transfer to WTP. This study is of particular importance to WRPS because of these WTP requirements.« less

Biofiltration kinetics for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and development of a structure-biodegradability relationship

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Govind, R.; Wang, Z.; Bishop, D.F.

1997-12-31

In recent years, regulation of hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act and its amendments, has emerged as a major environmental issue. Major sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air are chemical production plants, manufacturing sites using common solvents, combustion sources, and waste treatment operations, such as waste water treatment plants, vacuum extraction of contaminated soils, and ground water stripping operations. Biofiltration is an emerging technology for treatment of biodegradable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in air. In biofiltration, the contaminants are contacted with active microorganisms present either in naturally bioactive materials, such as soil, peat, compost, etc.,more » or immobilized on an inactive support media. Design of biofilters requires information on biodegradation kinetics which controls biofilter size. In this paper, an experimental microbiofilter system is presented which can be used to measure biofiltration kinetics for any volatile organic compound. A mathematical model is used to derive the Monod biokinetic parameters from the experimental data. Finally, a structure-bioactivity relationship is derived for estimating the biofiltration biokinetic parameters for a variety of VOCs.« less

Determination of biodegradability kinetics of RCRA compounds using respirometry for structure-activity relationships

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tabak, H.H.; Desai, S.; Govind, R.

1990-01-01

Electrolytic respirometry is attaining prominence in biodegradation studies and is becoming one of the more suitable experimental methods for measuring the biodegradability and the kinetics of biodegradation of toxic organic compounds by the sewage, sludge, and soil microbiota and for determining substrate inhibitory effects to microorganisms in wastewater treatment systems. The purpose of the study was to obtain information on biological treatability of the benzene, phenol, phthalate, ketone organics and of the Superfund CERCLA organics bearing wastes in wastewater treatment systems which will support the development of an EPA technical guidance document on the discharge of the above organics tomore » POTWs. The paper discusses the experimental design and procedural steps for the respirometric biodegradation and toxicity testing approach for individual organics or specific industrial wastes at different concentration levels in a mineral salts medium. A developed multi-level protocol is presented for determination of the biodegradability, microbial acclimation to toxic substrates and first order kinetic parameters of biodegradation for estimation of the Monod kinetic parameter of toxic organic compounds, in order to correlate the extent and rate of biodegradation with a predictive model based on chemical properties and molecular structure of these compounds. Respirometric biodegradation/inhibition and biokinetic data are provided for representative RCRA alkyl benzene and ketone organics.« less

Biotransformation of an uncured composite material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welsh, Clement J.; Glass, Michael J.; Cheslack, Brian; Pryor, Robert; Tran, Duan K.; Bowers-Irons, Gail

1994-01-01

The feasibility of biologically degrading prepreg wastes was studied. The work was conducted with the intention of obtaining baseline data that would facilitate the achievement of two long-range goals. These goals are: (1) the biological remediation of the hazardous components in the prepreg wastes, and (2) providing the potential for recycling the prepreg waste fibers. The experiments examined a prepreg that employs an bismaleimide resin system. Initial results demonstrated an obvious deterioration of the prepreg material when incubated with several bacterial strains. The most active cultures were identified as a mixture of 'Bacillus cereus' and 'Pseudomonas sp'. Gas chromatography analyses revealed seven primary compounds in the resin mixture. Biotransformation studies, using the complete prepreg material, demonstrated on obvious loss of all seven organic compounds. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses resulted in structure assignments for the two primary components of the resin. Both were analogs of Bisphenol A; one being bismaleimide, and the other being Bisphenol A containing a diglycidyl moiety. The 'diglycidyl analog' was purified using thin-layer chromatography and the biotransformation of this compound (at 27 ug/ml bacterial culture) was monitored. After a seven-day incubation, approximately 40% of the organic compound was biotransformed. These results demonstrate the biotransformation of the prepreg resin and indicate that biological remediation of the prepreg wastes is feasible.

Sorption interactions of organic compounds with soils affected by agricultural olive mill wastewater.

PubMed

Keren, Yonatan; Borisover, Mikhail; Bukhanovsky, Nadezhda

2015-11-01

The organic compound-soil interactions may be strongly influenced by changes in soil organic matter (OM) which affects the environmental fate of multiple organic pollutants. The soil OM changes may be caused by land disposal of various OM-containing wastes. One unique type of OM-rich waste is olive mill-related wastewater (OMW) characterized by high levels of OM, the presence of fatty aliphatics and polyphenolic aromatics. The systematic data on effects of the land-applied OMW on organic compound-soil interactions is lacking. Therefore, aqueous sorption of simazine and diuron, two herbicides, was examined in batch experiments onto three soils, including untreated and OMW-affected samples. Typically, the organic compound-soil interactions increased following the prior land application of OMW. This increase is associated with the changes in sorption mechanisms and cannot be attributed solely to the increase in soil organic carbon content. A novel observation is that the OMW application changes the soil-sorbent matrix in such a way that the solute uptake may become cooperative or the existing ability of a soil sorbent to cooperatively sorb organic molecules from water may become characterized by a larger affinity. The remarkable finding of this study was that in some cases a cooperative uptake of organic molecules by soils makes itself evident in distinct sigmoidal sorption isotherms rarely observed in soil sorption of non-ionized organic compounds; the cooperative herbicide-soil interactions may be characterized by the Hill model coefficients. However, no single trend was found for the effect of applied OMW on the mechanisms of organic compound-soil interactions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pilot-scale laboratory waste treatment by supercritical water oxidation.

PubMed

Oshima, Yoshito; Hayashi, Rumiko; Yamamoto, Kazuo

2006-01-01

Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) is a reaction in which organics in an aqueous solution can be oxidized by O2 to CO2 and H2O at a very high reaction rate. In 2003, The University of Tokyo constructed a facility for the SCWO process, the capacity of which is approximately 20 kl/year, for the purpose of treating organic laboratory waste. Through the operation of this facility, we have demonstrated that most of the organics in laboratory waste including halogenated organic compounds can be successfully treated without the formation of dioxines, suggesting that SCWO is useful as an alternative technology to the conventional incineration process.

SW-846 Test Method 3511: Organic Compounds in Water by Microextraction

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

a procedure for extracting selected volatile and semivolatileorganic compounds from water. The microscale approach minimizes sample size and solventusage, thereby reducing the supply costs, health and safety risks, and waste generated.

Development studies of a novel wet oxidation process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, T.W.; Dhooge, P.M.

1995-12-01

Many DOE waste streams and remediates contain complex and variable mixtures of organic compounds, toxic metals, and radionuclides. These materials are often dispersed in organic or inorganic matrices, such as personal protective equipment, various sludges, soils, and water. Incineration and similar combustive processes do not appear to be viable options for treatment of these waste streams due to various considerations. There is a need for non-combustion processes with a wide application range to treat the large majority of these waste forms. The non-combustion process should also be safe, effective, cost-competitive, permit-able, and preferrably mobile. This paper describes the DETOX processmore » of organic waste oxidation.« less

Exploring anaerobic environments for cyanide and cyano-derivatives microbial degradation.

PubMed

Luque-Almagro, Víctor M; Cabello, Purificación; Sáez, Lara P; Olaya-Abril, Alfonso; Moreno-Vivián, Conrado; Roldán, María Dolores

2018-02-01

Cyanide is one of the most toxic chemicals for living organisms described so far. Its toxicity is mainly based on the high affinity that cyanide presents toward metals, provoking inhibition of essential metalloenzymes. Cyanide and its cyano-derivatives are produced in a large scale by many industrial activities related to recovering of precious metals in mining and jewelry, coke production, steel hardening, synthesis of organic chemicals, and food processing industries. As consequence, cyanide-containing wastes are accumulated in the environment becoming a risk to human health and ecosystems. Cyanide and related compounds, like nitriles and thiocyanate, are degraded aerobically by numerous bacteria, and therefore, biodegradation has been offered as a clean and cheap strategy to deal with these industrial wastes. Anaerobic biological treatments are often preferred options for wastewater biodegradation. However, at present very little is known about anaerobic degradation of these hazardous compounds. This review is focused on microbial degradation of cyanide and related compounds under anaerobiosis, exploring their potential application in bioremediation of industrial cyanide-containing wastes.

Development studies of a novel wet oxidation process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, T.W.; Dhooge, P.M.

1995-10-01

Many DOE waste streams and remediates contain complex and variable mixtures of organic compounds, toxic metals, and radionuclides. These materials are often dispersed in organic or inorganic matrices, such as personal protective equipment, various sludges, soils, and water. Incineration and similar combustive processes do not appear to be viable options for treatment of these waste streams due to various considerations. The objective of this project is to develop a novel catalytic wet oxidation process for the treatment of multi-component wastes. The DETOX process uses a unique combination of metal catalysts to increase the rate of oxidation of organic materials.

Development of a novel wet oxidation process for hazardous and mixed wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dhooge, P.M.

1994-11-01

This article describes and evaluates the DETOX{sup sm} process for processing of mixed wastes. Many DOE waste streams and remediates contain complex and variable mixtures of organic compounds, toxic metals, and radionuclides, often dispersed in organic or inorganic matrices, such as personal protective equipment, various sludges, soils, and water. The DETOX{sup sm} process, patented by Delphi Research, uses a unique combination of metal catalysts to increase the rate of oxidation of organic materials. Included are the following subject areas: project description (phases I-IV); results of all phases; and future work. 5 figs., 1 tab.

Decontamination Systems Information and Research Program. Quarterly technical progress report, January 1--March 31, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-05-01

West Virginia University (WVU) and the US DOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) entered into a Cooperative Agreement on August 29, 1992 entitled ``Decontamination Systems Information and Research Programs.`` Stipulated within the Agreement is the requirement that WVU submit to METC a series of Technical Progress Reports on a quarterly basis. This report comprises the first Quarterly Technical Progress Report for Year 2 of the Agreement. This report reflects the progress and/or efforts performed on the sixteen (16) technical projects encompassed by the Year 2 Agreement for the period of January 1 through March 31, 1994. In situ bioremediation ofmore » chlorinated organic solvents; Microbial enrichment for enhancing in-situ biodegradation of hazardous organic wastes; Treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using biofilters; Drain-enhanced soil flushing (DESF) for organic contaminants removal; Chemical destruction of chlorinated organic compounds; Remediation of hazardous sites with steam reforming; Soil decontamination with a packed flotation column; Use of granular activated carbon columns for the simultaneous removal of organics, heavy metals, and radionuclides; Monolayer and multilayer self-assembled polyion films for gas-phase chemical sensors; Compact mercuric iodide detector technology development; Evaluation of IR and mass spectrometric techniques for on-site monitoring of volatile organic compounds; A systematic database of the state of hazardous waste clean-up technologies; Dust control methods for insitu nuclear and hazardous waste handling; Winfield Lock and Dam remediation; and Socio-economic assessment of alternative environmental restoration technologies.« less

Case studies in organic contaminant hydrogeology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, John A.

1989-07-01

The effective management of domestic solid waste and hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste is a major problem in the area of environmental geology and water sciences over the world. This series of case studies of organic contaminants from both solid and hazardous waste disposal facilities provides examples of these problems. The facilities were investigated to determine risks and liabilities before acquisition, to determine the site hydrogeologic conditions for design of appropriate groundwater monitoring plans, and/or to determine the potential for groundwater contamination. The results of these studies and investigations by Waste Management Inc. (WMI) and its consultants have shown certain relationships in the distribution of organic pollutants to the different geologic and hydrogeologic charac teristics of each facility. In each of the case studies, all 129 priority pollutants were analyzed in private wells and/or monitoring wells at the request of regulatory agencies. The 31 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of the priority pollutant list were the majority of the organic compounds detected and these data are evaluated in each case study. The case studies are on disposal facilities located in glacial tills, carbonaceous weathered clay soils, weathered shale, limestone bedrock, dolomite bedrock, and alluvial and sedimentary deposits. A brief discussion of groundwater quality impacts and remedial measures also is included.

Bioremediation of trace organic compounds found in precious metals refineries' wastewaters: a review of potential options.

PubMed

Barbosa, V L; Tandlich, R; Burgess, J E

2007-07-01

Platinum group metal (PGM) refining processes produce large quantities of wastewater, which is contaminated with the compounds that make up the solvents/extractants mixtures used in the process. These compounds often include solvesso, beta-hydroxyxime, amines, amides and methyl isobutyl ketone. A process to clean up PGM refinery wastewaters so that they could be re-used in the refining process would greatly contribute to continual water storage problems and to cost reduction for the industry. Based on the concept that organic compounds that are produced biologically can be destroyed biologically, the use of biological processes for the treatment of organic compounds in other types of waste stream has been favoured in recent years, owing to their low cost and environmental acceptability. This review examines the available biotechnologies and their effectiveness for treating compounds likely to be contained in precious metal extraction process wastewaters. The processes examined include: biofilters, fluidized bed reactors, trickle-bed bioreactors, bioscrubbers, two-phase partitioning bioreactors, membrane bioreactors and activated sludge. Although all processes examined showed adequate to excellent removal of organic compounds from various gaseous and fewer liquid waste streams, there was a variation in their effectiveness. Variations in performance of laboratory-scale biological processes are probably due to the inherent change in the microbial population composition due to selection pressure, environmental conditions and the time allowed for adaptation to the organic compounds. However, if these factors are disregarded, it can be established that activated sludge and membrane bioreactors are the most promising processes for use in the treatment of PGM refinery wastewaters.

40 CFR Appendix III to Part 268 - List of Halogenated Organic Compounds Regulated Under § 268.32

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) LAND DISPOSAL RESTRICTIONS Pt. 268, App. III Appendix III to... concentration of HOCs in a hazardous waste for purposes of the § 268.32 land disposal prohibition, EPA has...

40 CFR Appendix III to Part 268 - List of Halogenated Organic Compounds Regulated Under § 268.32

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) LAND DISPOSAL RESTRICTIONS Pt. 268, App. III Appendix III to... concentration of HOCs in a hazardous waste for purposes of the § 268.32 land disposal prohibition, EPA has...

40 CFR Appendix III to Part 268 - List of Halogenated Organic Compounds Regulated Under § 268.32

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) LAND DISPOSAL RESTRICTIONS Pt. 268, App. III Appendix III to... concentration of HOCs in a hazardous waste for purposes of the § 268.32 land disposal prohibition, EPA has...

40 CFR Appendix III to Part 268 - List of Halogenated Organic Compounds Regulated Under § 268.32

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) LAND DISPOSAL RESTRICTIONS Pt. 268, App. III Appendix III to... concentration of HOCs in a hazardous waste for purposes of the § 268.32 land disposal prohibition, EPA has...

40 CFR Appendix III to Part 268 - List of Halogenated Organic Compounds Regulated Under § 268.32

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) LAND DISPOSAL RESTRICTIONS Pt. 268, App. III Appendix III to... concentration of HOCs in a hazardous waste for purposes of the § 268.32 land disposal prohibition, EPA has...

Annual Report to Congress - Fiscal Year 1996. A Report by the Council of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-03-01

volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs), and permeable reactive walls for chlorinated solvents The GRFL is the only... compounds , solvents, and heavy metals. SCAPS technology has been demonstrated to reduce the costs of traditional site screening by up to 90 percent; it...styphnate and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Hazardous wastes also are generated during demilitarization. Under partial sponsorship of SERDP, the US Army

Photochemical oxidation: A solution for the mixed waste dilemma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prellberg, J.W.; Thornton, L.M.; Cheuvront, D.A.

1995-12-31

Numerous technologies are available to remove organic contamination from water or wastewater. A variety of techniques also exist that are used to neutralize radioactive waste. However, few technologies can satisfactorily address the treatment of mixed organic/radioactive waste without creating unacceptable secondary waste products or resulting in extremely high treatment costs. An innovative solution to the mixed waste problem is on-site photochemical oxidation. Liquid-phase photochemical oxidation has a long- standing history of successful application to the destruction of organic compounds. By using photochemical oxidation, the organic contaminants are destroyed on-site leaving the water, with radionuclides, that can be reused or disposedmore » of as appropriate. This technology offers advantages that include zero air emissions, no solid or liquid waste formation, and relatively low treatment cost. Discussion of the photochemical process will be described, and several case histories from recent design testing, including cost analyses for the resulting full-scale installations, will be presented as examples.« less

Calcium and organic matter removal by carbonation process with waste incineration flue gas towards improvement of leachate biotreatment performance.

PubMed

Zhang, Cheng; Zhu, Xuedong; Wu, Liang; Li, Qingtao; Liu, Jianyong; Qian, Guangren

2017-09-01

Municipal solid wastes incineration (MSWI) flue gas was employed as the carbon source for in-situ calcium removal from MSWI leachate. Calcium removal efficiency was 95-97% with pH of 10.0-11.0 over 100min of flue gas aeration, with both bound Ca and free Ca being removed effectively. The fluorescence intensity of tryptophan, protein-like and humic acid-like compounds increased after carbonation process. The decrease of bound Ca with the increase of precipitate indicated that calcium was mainly converted to calcium carbonate precipitate. It suggested that the interaction between dissolved organic matter and Ca 2+ was weakened. Moreover, 10-16% of chemical oxygen demand removal and the decrease of ultraviolet absorption at 254nm indicated that some organics, especially aromatic compound decreased via adsorption onto the surface of calcium carbonate. The results indicate that introduce of waste incineration flue gas could be a feasible way for calcium removal from leachate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 62.3632 - Effective date.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROMULGATION OF STATE PLANS FOR DESIGNATED FACILITIES AND POLLUTANTS Indiana Landfill Gas Emissions from Existing Municipal Solid Waste Landfills § 62.3632 Effective date. The effective date of the plan for municipal solid waste landfills is May 30, 2000. Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide...

TREATMENT OF VOCS IN HIGH STRENGTH WASTES USING AN ANAEROBIC EXPANDED-BED GAS REACTOR

EPA Science Inventory

The potential of the expanded-bed granular activated carbon (GAC) anaerobic reactor in treating a high strength waste containing RCRA volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was studied. A total of six VOCs, methylene chloride, chlorobenzene, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, toluene ...

A review of the organic geochemistry of shales

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ho, P.C.; Meyer, R.E.

1987-06-01

Shale formations have been suggested as a potential site for a high level nuclear waste repository. As a first step in the study of the possible interaction of nuclides with the organic components of the shales, literature on the identification of organic compounds from various shales of the continent of the United States has been reviewed. The Green River shale of the Cenozoic era is the most studied shale followed by the Pierre shale of the Mesozoic era and the Devonian black shale of the Paleozoic era. Organic compounds that have been identified from these shales are hydrocarbons, fatty acids,more » fatty alcohols, steranes, terpanes, carotenes, carbohydrates, amino acids, and porphyrins. However, these organic compounds constitute only a small fraction of the organics in shales and the majority of the organic compounds in shales are still unidentified.« less

Translations on Environmental Quality No. 139

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-06-20

appropriate measures to treat the waste water of everyday life, industry , and livestock and poultry farms. The widespread use of large quantities of...being given in the industrially developed countries. In these countries, industrial wastes are the primary cause of water pollution; water is also...polluted by oil. radioactive substances and the water used to cool power generating centers. Industrial wastes containing organic compounds, such

Characterization of fill deposits in the Calumet region of northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kay, Robert T.; Greeman, Theodore K.; Duwelius, Richard F.; King, Robin B.; Nazimek, John E.; Petrovski, David M.

1997-01-01

Industrial wastes, municipal solid wastes, steel-industry wastes, and, perhaps, dredging spoil can be associated with increased concentrations of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds, pesticides, cyanide, metals, or major ions in ground water in this area. Construction debris, ash, cinders, and natural fill may be associated with increased concentrations of major ions in ground water.

BACTERIALLY-MEDIATED DEGRADATION OF A CHIRAL DISINFECTION BYPRODUCT

EPA Science Inventory

Disinfection of drinking and waste waters, through chlorination, can result in the production of chlorinated organic compounds, many of which are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Among these regulated compounds are the haloacetic acids, which exhibit toxic e...

Characterization of organic compounds in biochars derived from municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Taherymoosavi, Sarasadat; Verheyen, Vince; Munroe, Paul; Joseph, Stephen; Reynolds, Alicia

2017-09-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation has been growing in many countries, which has led to numerous environmental problems. Converting MSW into a valuable biochar-based by-product can manage waste and, possibly, improve soil fertility, depending on the soil properties. In this study, MSW-based biochars, collected from domestic waste materials and kerbsides in two Sydney's regions, were composted and pyrolysed at 450°C, 550°C and 650°C. The characteristics of the organic components and their interactions with mineral phases were investigated using a range of analytical techniques, with special attention given to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metal concentrations. The MSW biochar prepared at 450°C contained the most complex organic compounds. The highest concentration of fixed C, indicating the stability of biochar, was detected in the high-temperature-biochar. Microscopic analysis showed development of pores and migration of mineral phases, mainly Ca/P/O-rich phases, into the micro-pores and Si/Al/O-rich phases on the surface of the biochar in the MSW biochar produced at 550°C. Amalgamation of organic phases with mineral compounds was observed, at higher pyrolysis temperatures, indicating chemical reactions between these two phases at 650°C. XPS analysis showed the main changes occurred in C and N bonds. During heat treatment, N-C/C=N functionalities decomposed and oxidized N configurations, mainly pyridine-N-oxide groups, were formed. The majority of the dissolved organic carbon fraction in both MSW biochar produced at 450°C and 550°C was in the form of building blocks, whereas LMW acids was the main fraction in high-temperature-biochar (59.9%). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organic Analytical Service within the Superfund Contract Laboratory Program

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page contains information about the SOM02.4 statement of work for the analysis of organic compounds at hazardous waste sites. The SOW contains the analytical method and contractual requirements for laboratories.

Collaboration Between Environmental Water Chemistry Students and Hazardous Waste Treatment Specialists on the University of Colorado-Boulder Campus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dittrich, T. M.

2012-12-01

The University of Colorado-Boulder is one of a few universities in the country that has a licensed Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF) for hazardous waste on campus. This facility, located on the bottom floor of the Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) building, allows CU to more economically treat hazardous waste by enabling treatment specialists on staff to safely collect and organize the hazardous waste generated on campus. Hazardous waste is anything that contains a regulated chemical or compound and most chemicals used in engineering labs (e.g., acids, solvents, metal solutions) fall into this category. The EH&S staff is able to treat close almost 33% of the waste from campus and the rest is packed for off-site treatment at various places all over the country for disposal (e.g., Sauget, IL, Port Aurthor, TX). The CU-Boulder campus produced over 50 tons of hazardous waste in 2010 costing over $300,000 in off-campus expenses. The EH&S staff assigns one of over 50 codes to the waste which will determine if the waste can be treated on campus of must be shipped off campus to be disposed of. If the waste can be treated on campus, it will undergo one of three processes: 1) neutralization, 2) UV-ozone oxidation, or 3) ion exchange. If the waste is acidic but contains no heavy metals, the acid is neutralized with sodium hydroxide (a base) and can be disposed "down the drain" to the Boulder Wastewater Treatment Plant. If the waste contains organic compounds and no metals, a UV-ozone oxidation system is used to break down the organic compounds. Silver from photography wastewater can be removed using ion exchange columns. Undergraduate and graduate students worked with the hazardous waste treatment facility at the Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) building on the CU-Boulder campus during the fall of 2011 and fall of 2012. Early in the semester, students receive a tour of the three batch treatment processes the facility is equipped with. Later in the semester, the students conduct a bench-scale laboratory exercise where they study part of the treatment process. Several small start-up companies are testing components in the lab, which adds to the colaboration of the project.; Figure 1. Students in Environmental Water Chemistry lab conducting a titration.

DEVELOPMENT OF A HAZARDOUS WASTE INCINERATOR TARGET ANALYTE LIST OF PRODUCTS OF INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of pilot-scale incineration testing to develop a comprehensive list of products of incomplete combustion (PICs) from hazardous waste combustion (HWC) systems. Project goals were to: (1) identify the total mass of organic compounds sufficiently to estimate...

Geobacter strains that use alternate organic compounds, methods of making, and methods of use thereof

DOEpatents

Lovley, Derek R.; Summers, Zarath Morgan; Haveman, Shelley Annette; Izallalen, Mounir

2016-03-01

In preferred embodiments, the present invention provides new isolated strains of a Geobacter species that are capable of using a carbon source that is selected from C.sub.3 to C.sub.12 organic compounds selected from pyruvate or metabolic precursors of pyruvate as an electron donor in metabolism and in subsequent energy production. The wild type strain of the microorganisms has been shown to be unable to use these C.sub.3 to C.sub.12 organic compounds as electron donors. The inventive strains of microorganisms are useful for improving bioremediation applications, including in situ bioremediation (including uranium bioremediation and halogenated solvent bioremediation), microbial fuel cells, power generation from small and large-scale waste facilities (e.g., biomass waste from dairy, agriculture, food processing, brewery, or vintner industries, etc.) using microbial fuel cells, and other applications of microbial fuel cells, including, but not limited to, improved electrical power supplies for environmental sensors, electronic devices, and electric vehicles.

40 CFR 442.2 - General definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... pesticides, hazardous waste, organic chemicals including: alcohols, aldehydes, formaldehydes, phenols...: ketones, nitriles, organo-metallic compounds containing chromium, cadmium, mercury, copper, zinc; and...

40 CFR 442.2 - General definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... pesticides, hazardous waste, organic chemicals including: alcohols, aldehydes, formaldehydes, phenols...: ketones, nitriles, organo-metallic compounds containing chromium, cadmium, mercury, copper, zinc; and...

40 CFR 442.2 - General definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... pesticides, hazardous waste, organic chemicals including: alcohols, aldehydes, formaldehydes, phenols...: ketones, nitriles, organo-metallic compounds containing chromium, cadmium, mercury, copper, zinc; and...

Organic waste compounds as contaminants in Milwaukee-area streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldwin, Austin K.; Corsi, Steven R.; Magruder, Christopher; Magruder, Matthew; Bruce, Jennifer L.

2015-09-22

Organic waste compounds (OWCs) are ingredients and by-products of common agricultural, industrial, and household substances that can contaminate our streams through sources like urban runoff, sewage overflows, and leaking septic systems. To better understand how OWCs are affecting Milwaukee-area streams, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, conducted a three-year study to investigate the presence and potential toxicity of 69 OWCs in base flow, stormflow, pore water, and sediment at 14 stream sites and 3 Milwaukee harbor locations. This fact sheet summarizes the major findings of this study, including detection frequencies and concentrations, potential toxicity, the prevalence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the influence of urbanization.

Volatile organic compounds in the unsaturated zone from radioactive wastes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baker, Ronald J.; Andraski, Brian J.; Stonestrom, David A.; Luo, Wentai

2012-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are often comingled with low-level radioactive wastes (LLRW), but little is known about subsurface VOC emanations from LLRW landfills. The current study systematically quantified VOCs associated with LLRW over an 11-yr period at the USGS Amargosa Desert Research Site (ADRS) in southwestern Nevada. Unsaturated-zone gas samples of VOCs were collected by adsorption on resin cartridges and analyzed by thermal desorption and GC/MS. Sixty of 87 VOC method analytes were detected in the 110-m-thick unsaturated zone surrounding a LLRW disposal facility. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were detected in 100% of samples collected. Chlorofluorocarbons are powerful greenhouse gases, deplete stratospheric ozone, and are likely released from LLRW facilities worldwide. Soil-gas samples collected from a depth of 24 m and a horizontal distance 100 m south of the nearest waste-disposal trench contained >60,000 ppbv total VOCs, including >37,000 ppbv CFCs. Extensive sampling in the shallow unsaturated zone (0–2 m deep) identified areas where total VOC concentrations exceeded 5000 ppbv at the 1.5-m depth. Volatile organic compound concentrations exceeded background levels up to 300 m from the facility. Maximum vertical diffusive fluxes of total VOCs were estimated to be 1 g m-2 yr-1. Volatile organic compound distributions were similar but not identical to those previously determined for tritium and elemental mercury. To our knowledge, this study is the first to characterize the unsaturated zone distribution of VOCs emanating from a LLRW landfill. Our results may help explain anomalous transport of radionuclides at the ADRS and elsewhere.

A Model Study to Unravel the Complexity of Bio-Oil from Organic Wastes.

PubMed

Croce, Annamaria; Battistel, Ezio; Chiaberge, Stefano; Spera, Silvia; De Angelis, Francesco; Reale, Samantha

2017-01-10

Binary and ternary mixtures of cellulose, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and tripalmitin, as biomass reference compounds for carbohydrates, proteins and triglycerides, respectively, were treated under hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) conditions to describe the main reaction pathways involved in the process of bio-oil production from municipal organic wastes. Several analytical techniques (elemental analysis, GC-MS, atmospheric-pressure photo-ionisation high-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, and 13 C cross-polarisation magic-angle spinning NMR spectroscopy) were used for the molecular-level characterisation of the resulting aqueous phase, solid residue and bio-oil, in particular. The main reaction pathways led to free fatty acids, fatty acid amides, 2,5-diketopiperazines and Maillard-type compounds as the main components of the bio-oil. The relationship of such compounds to the original components of the biomass was thus determined, which highlights the fate of the heteroatom-containing molecules in particular. Finally, the molecular composition of the bio-oils from our reference compounds was matched with that of the bio-oil from municipal organic waste biomass by comparing their high-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectra, and we obtained a surprisingly high similarity. Hence, the ternary mixture acts as a reliable biomass model and is a powerful tool to clarify the degradation mechanisms that occur in the biomass under HTL treatment, with the ultimate goal to improve the HTL process itself by modulating the input of the organic starting matter and then the upgrading steps to bio-fuels. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Modeling Nitrogen Decrease in Water Lettuce Ponds from Waste Stabilization Ponds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putri, Gitta Agnes; Sunarsih

2018-02-01

This paper presents about the dynamic modeling of the Water Lettuce ponds as a form of improvement from the Water Hyacinth ponds. The purpose of this paper is to predict nitrogen decrease and nitrogen transformation in Water Lettuce ponds integrated with Waste Stabilization Ponds. The model consists of 4 mass balances, namely Dissolved Organic Nitrogen (DON), Particulate Organic Nitrogen (PON), ammonium (NH4+), Nitrate and Nitrite (NOx). The process of nitrogen transformation which considered in a Water Lettuce ponds, namely hydrolysis, mineralization, nitrification, denitrification, plant and bacterial uptake processes. Numerical simulations are performed by giving the values of parameters and the initial values of nitrogen compounds based on a review of previous studies. Numerical results show that the rate of change in the concentration of nitrogen compounds in the integration ponds of waste stabilization and water lettuce decreases and reaches stable at different times.

Human migration activities drive the fluctuation of ARGs: Case study of landfills in Nanjing, eastern China.

PubMed

Sun, Mingming; Ye, Mao; Schwab, Arthur P; Li, Xu; Wan, Jinzhong; Wei, Zhong; Wu, Jun; Friman, Ville-Petri; Liu, Kuan; Tian, Da; Liu, Manqiang; Li, Huixin; Hu, Feng; Jiang, Xin

2016-09-05

Landfills are perfect sites to study the effect of human migration on fluctuation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) as they are the final destination of municipal waste. For example, large-scale human migration during the holidays is often accompanied by changes in waste dumping having potential effects on ARG abundance. Three landfills were selected to examine fluctuation in the abundance of fifteen ARGs and Intl1 genes for 14 months in Nanjing, eastern China. Mass human migration, the amount of dumped waste and temperature exerted the most significant effects on bimonthly fluctuations of ARG levels in landfill sites. As a middle-sized cosmopolitan city in China, millions of college students and workers migrate during holidays, contributing to the dramatic increases in waste production and fluctuation in ARG abundances. In line with this, mass migration explained most of the variation in waste dumping. The waste dumping also affected the bioaccessibility of mixed-compound pollutants that further positively impacted the level of ARGs. The influence of various bioaccessible compounds on ARG abundance followed the order: antibiotics>nutrients>metals>organic pollutants. Concentrations of bioaccessible compounds were more strongly correlated with ARG levels compared to total compound concentrations. Improved waste classification and management strategies could thus help to decrease the amount of bioaccessible pollutants leading to more effective control for urban ARG dissemination. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CO, POHC, AND PIC EMISSIONS FROM A SIMULATED HAZARDOUS WASTE INCINERATOR

EPA Science Inventory

Measurements conducted on full-scale hazardous waste incinerators have occasionally shown a relationship between carbon monoxide (CO) emissions and emissions of toxic organic compounds. In this study, four mixtures of chlorinated C1 and C2 hydrocarbons were diluted in commercial...

Health concerns and hazardous waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yassi, A.; Weeks, J.; Kraut, A.

1990-01-01

This report discusses health effects of hazardous waste and emphasizes human health concerns related to establishing a hazardous waste management facility. The study reviewed world epidemiological and public health literature to identify cases of suspected or substantiated claims of public health impacts associated with hazardous waste management facilities and potential products or emissions from such facilities, and placed them into perspective, including possible routes and consequences of exposure, risk assessment, and the toxicity of selected organic and inorganic compounds.

Green and facile fabrication of carbon aerogels from cellulose-based waste newspaper for solving organic pollution.

PubMed

Han, Shenjie; Sun, Qingfeng; Zheng, Huanhuan; Li, Jingpeng; Jin, Chunde

2016-01-20

Carbon-based aerogel fabricated from waste biomass is a potential absorbent material for solving organic pollution. Herein, the lightweight, hydrophobic and porous carbon aerogels (CAs) have been synthesized through freezing-drying and post-pyrolysis by using waste newspaper as the only raw materials. The as-prepared CAs exhibited a low density of 18.5 mg cm(-3) and excellent hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 132° and selective absorption for organic reagents. The absorption capacity of CA for organic compounds can be 29-51 times its own weight. Moreover, three methods (e.g., squeezing, combustion, and distillation) can be employed to recycle CA and harvest organic pollutants. Combined with waste biomass as raw materials, green and facile fabrication process, excellent hydrophobicity and oleophilicity, CA used as an absorbent material has great potential in application of organic pollutant solvents absorption and environmental protection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decontamination of uranium-contaminated waste oil using supercritical fluid and nitric acid.

PubMed

Sung, Jinhyun; Kim, Jungsoo; Lee, Youngbae; Seol, Jeunggun; Ryu, Jaebong; Park, Kwangheon

2011-07-01

The waste oil used in nuclear fuel processing is contaminated with uranium because of its contact with materials or environments containing uranium. Under current law, waste oil that has been contaminated with uranium is very difficult to dispose of at a radioactive waste disposal site. To dispose of the uranium-contaminated waste oil, the uranium was separated from the contaminated waste oil. Supercritical R-22 is an excellent solvent for extracting clean oil from uranium-contaminated waste oil. The critical temperature of R-22 is 96.15 °C and the critical pressure is 49.9 bar. In this study, a process to remove uranium from the uranium-contaminated waste oil using supercritical R-22 was developed. The waste oil has a small amount of additives containing N, S or P, such as amines, dithiocarbamates and dialkyldithiophosphates. It seems that these organic additives form uranium-combined compounds. For this reason, dissolution of uranium from the uranium-combined compounds using nitric acid was needed. The efficiency of the removal of uranium from the uranium-contaminated waste oil using supercritical R-22 extraction and nitric acid treatment was determined.

Transport of organic contaminants in subsoil horizons and effects of dissolved organic matter related to organic waste recycling practices.

PubMed

Chabauty, Florian; Pot, Valérie; Bourdat-Deschamps, Marjolaine; Bernet, Nathalie; Labat, Christophe; Benoit, Pierre

2016-04-01

Compost amendment on agricultural soil is a current practice to compensate the loss of organic matter. As a consequence, dissolved organic carbon concentration in soil leachates can be increased and potentially modify the transport of other solutes. This study aims to characterize the processes controlling the mobility of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in deep soil layers and their potential impacts on the leaching of organic contaminants (pesticides and pharmaceutical compounds) potentially present in cultivated soils receiving organic waste composts. We sampled undisturbed soil cores in the illuviated horizon (60-90 cm depth) of an Albeluvisol. Percolation experiments were made in presence and absence of DOM with two different pesticides, isoproturon and epoxiconazole, and two pharmaceutical compounds, ibuprofen and sulfamethoxazole. Two types of DOM were extracted from two different soil surface horizons: one sampled in a plot receiving a co-compost of green wastes and sewage sludge applied once every 2 years since 1998 and one sampled in an unamended plot. Results show that DOM behaved as a highly reactive solute, which was continuously generated within the soil columns during flow and increased after flow interruption. DOM significantly increased the mobility of bromide and all pollutants, but the effects differed according the hydrophobic and the ionic character of the molecules. However, no clear effects of the origin of DOM on the mobility of the different contaminants were observed.

TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT: PEROX-PURE™ CHEMICAL OXIDATION TECHNOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

The report evaluates the perox-pure™ chemical oxidation technology's ability to remove volatile organic compounds (VOC) and other organic contaminants present in liquid wastes. The report also presents economic data from the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) demon...

Bench-scale operation of the DETOX wet oxidation process for mixed waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dhooge, P.M.

1993-01-01

Waste matrices containing organics, radionuclides, and metals pose difficult problems in waste treatment and disposal when the organic compounds and/or metals are considered to be hazardous. A means of destroying hazardous organic components while safely containing and concentrating metals would be extremely useful in mixed waste volume reduction or conversion to a radioactive-only form. Previous studies have found the DETOX, a patented process utilizing a novel catalytic wet oxidation by iron(III) oxidant, cold have successful application to mixed wastes, and to many other waste types. This paper describes the results of bench scale studies of DETOX applied to the componentsmore » of liquid mixed wastes, with the goal of establishing parameters for the design of a prototype waste treatment unit. Apparent organic reaction rate orders, and the dependence of apparent reaction rate on the contact area, were measured for vacuum pump oil, scintillation fluids, and trichloroethylene. It was found that reaction rate was proportional to contact area above about 2.% w/w loading of organic. Oxidations in a 4 liter. volume, mixed bench top reactor have given destruction efficiencies of 99.9999+% for common organics. Reaction rates achieved in the mixedbench top reactor were one to two orders of magnitude greater than had been achieved in unmixed reactions; a thoroughly mixed reactor should be capable of oxidizing 10. to 100.+ grams of organic per liter-hour,depending on the nature and concentration of the organic.« less

Bench-scale operation of the DETOX wet oxidation process for mixed waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dhooge, P.M.

1993-03-01

Waste matrices containing organics, radionuclides, and metals pose difficult problems in waste treatment and disposal when the organic compounds and/or metals are considered to be hazardous. A means of destroying hazardous organic components while safely containing and concentrating metals would be extremely useful in mixed waste volume reduction or conversion to a radioactive-only form. Previous studies have found the DETOX, a patented process utilizing a novel catalytic wet oxidation by iron(III) oxidant, cold have successful application to mixed wastes, and to many other waste types. This paper describes the results of bench scale studies of DETOX applied to the componentsmore » of liquid mixed wastes, with the goal of establishing parameters for the design of a prototype waste treatment unit. Apparent organic reaction rate orders, and the dependence of apparent reaction rate on the contact area, were measured for vacuum pump oil, scintillation fluids, and trichloroethylene. It was found that reaction rate was proportional to contact area above about 2.% w/w loading of organic. Oxidations in a 4 liter. volume, mixed bench top reactor have given destruction efficiencies of 99.9999+% for common organics. Reaction rates achieved in the mixedbench top reactor were one to two orders of magnitude greater than had been achieved in unmixed reactions; a thoroughly mixed reactor should be capable of oxidizing 10. to 100.+ grams of organic per liter-hour,depending on the nature and concentration of the organic.« less

Larval digestion of different manure types by the black soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) impacts associated volatile emissions.

PubMed

Beskin, Kelly V; Holcomb, Chelsea D; Cammack, Jonathan A; Crippen, Tawni L; Knap, Anthony H; Sweet, Stephen T; Tomberlin, Jeffery K

2018-04-01

Volatile emissions from decomposing animal waste are known environmental pollutants. The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.), is being evaluated for industrialization as a means to recycle wastes and produce protein for use as food and feed. We examined the ability of black soldier fly larvae to reduce odorous compounds associated with animal wastes. Black soldier fly larvae were reared under laboratory conditions on poultry, swine, and dairy manure at feed rates of 18.0 and 27.0 g every other day until 40% reached the prepupal stage. Volatile emissions were collected and analyzed from freshly thawed as well as the digested waste when 90% of the black soldier fly larvae reached the prepupal stage. Volatiles were also collected simultaneously from manure not inoculated with black soldier fly larvae (non-digested) and held under similar conditions. Manure samples were analyzed for relative amounts of nine select odorous volatile organic compounds: phenol, 4-methylphenol, indole, 3-methylindole, propanoic acid, 2-methylpropanoic acid, butanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid and pentanoic acid. Black soldier fly larvae reduced emissions of all volatile organic compounds by 87% or greater. Complete reductions were observed for 2-methly propanoic acid in digested poultry manure, phenol, 4-methylphenol, indole and all five fatty acids in digested swine manure, and 4-methylphenol, indole, 3-methylindole and all five acids in digested dairy manure. This study is the first to identify volatile emissions from manure digested by black soldier fly larvae and compare to those found in non-digested manure. These data demonstrate additional benefits of using black soldier fly larvae as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly means of livestock manure management in comparison to current methods. Black soldier fly larvae are capable of altering the overall profile of volatile organic compounds and reducing levels of targeted odorous compounds in livestock manure. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Membrane bioreactors for treating waste streams.

PubMed

Howell, J A; Arnot, T C; Liu, W

2003-03-01

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have a number of advantages for treating wastewater containing large quantities of BOD. This paper reviews the inherent advantages of an MBR, which include high potential biomass loadings, lower sludge yields, and retention of specialized organisms that may not settle well in clarifiers. A major problem in effluent treatment occurs when mixed inorganic and organic wastes occur with high concentrations of pollutants. Inorganics that might cause extremes of pH and/or salinity will inhibit microbial growth and only specialized organisms can survive under these conditions. Refractory organics are only biodegraded with difficulty by specialized organisms, which usually do not resist the extreme inorganic environments. The use of membrane bioreactors to help separate the micro-organisms from the inorganic compounds, yet permit the organics to permeate, has been developed in two different designs that are outlined in this paper. The use of membrane contactors in a multimembrane stripping system to treat acidic chlorinated wastes is proposed and discussed.

Material Utilization of Organic Residues.

PubMed

Peinemann, Jan Christoph; Pleissner, Daniel

2018-02-01

Each year, 1.3 billion tons of food waste is generated globally. This waste traces back to industrial and agricultural producers, bakeries, restaurants, and households. Furthermore, lignocellulosic materials, including grass clippings, leaves, bushes, shrubs, and woods, appear in large amounts. Depending on the region, organic waste is either composted, burned directly, or converted into biogas. All of the options set aside the fact that organic residues are valuable resources containing carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and phosphorus. Firstly, it is clear that avoidance of organic residues is imperative. However, the residues that accumulate nonetheless should be utilized by material means before energy production is targeted. This review presents different processes for the microbial utilization of organic residues towards compounds that are of great importance for the bioeconomy. The focus thereby is on the challenges coming along with downstream processing when the utilization of organic residues is carried out decentralized. Furthermore, a future process for producing lactic acid from organic residues is sketched.

Environmental assessment of a wood-waste-fired industrial firetube boiler. Volume 1. Technical results. Final report, January 1981-March 1984

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeRosier, R.; Waterland, L.R.

1987-03-01

The report gives emission results from field tests of a wood-waste-fired industrial firetube boiler. Emission measurements included: continuous monitoring of flue gas emissions: source assessment sampling system (SASS) sampling of the flue-gas with subsequent laboratory analysis of samples to give total flue gas organics in two boiling point ranges, compound category information within these ranges, specific quantitation of the semivolatile organic priority pollutants, and flue gas concentrations of 65 trace elements; Method 5 sampling for particulates; controlled condensation system (CSS) sampling for SO/sub 2/ and SO/sub 3/; and grab sampling of boiler bottom ash for trace element content determinations. Totalmore » organic emissions from the boiler were 5.7 mg/dscm, about 90% of which consisted of volatile compounds.« less

Green Arctic Patrol Vessel

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

Waste Shredder TEG – Thermoelectric Generator THRP – Total Heat Recovery Plant VOC – Volatile Organic Compounds WETT – Wastewater Electrochemical...Every two fibers emit the same amount of light as a 50 W light bulb.[12] There is a 1.2 m (48 in) diameter parabolic dish that collects solar rays...coatings have full functionality in a cold climate, are solvent free, contain low levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and have strong adhesion

Land Application of Wastes: An Educational Program. Organic Matter - Module 17, Objectives, and Script.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarkson, W. W.; And Others

This module sketches out the impact of sewage organic matter on soils. For convenience, that organic matter is separated into the readily decomposable compounds and the more resistant material (volatile suspended solids, refractory organics, and sludges). The fates of those organics are reviewed along with loading rates and recommended soil…

PILOT-SCALE STUDIES ON THE EFFECT OF BROMINE ADDITION ON THE EMISSIONS OF CHLORINATED ORGANIC COMBUSTION BY-PRODUCTS

EPA Science Inventory

The addition of brominated organic compounds to the feed of a pilot-scale incinerator burning chlorinated waste has been found previously, under some circumstances, to enhance emissions of volatile and semivolatile organic chlorinated products of incomplete combustion (PiCs) incl...

Volatile organic compound emissions from green waste composting: Characterization and ozone formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Anuj; Alaimo, Christopher P.; Horowitz, Robert; Mitloehner, Frank M.; Kleeman, Michael J.; Green, Peter G.

2011-04-01

Composting of green waste separated from the disposed solid waste stream reduces biodegradable inputs into landfills, and contributes valuable soil amendments to agriculture. Agencies in regions with severe air quality challenges, such as California's San Joaquin Valley (SJV), have raised concerns about gases emitted during the composting process, which are suspected to contribute to persistent high levels of ground-level ozone formation. The goal of the current study is to thoroughly characterize volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from green waste compost piles of different ages (fresh tipped piles, 3-6 day old windrows, and 2-3 week old windrows). Multiple sampling and analytical approaches were applied to ensure the detection of most gaseous organic components emitted. More than 100 VOCs were detected and quantified in this study, including aliphatic alkanes, alkenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, biogenic organics, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, furans, acids, esters, ether, halogenated hydrocarbons and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS). Alcohols were found to be the dominating VOC in the emissions from a compost pile regardless of age, with fluxes ranging from 2.6 to 13.0 mg m -2 min -1 with the highest emissions coming from the younger composting windrows (3-6 days). Average VOC emissions other than alcohols were determined to be 2.3 mg m -2 min -1 from younger windows, which was roughly two times higher than either the fresh tipping pile (1.2 mg m -2 min -1) or the older windrows (1.4 mg m -2 min -1). It was also observed that the older windrows emit a slightly larger proportion of more reactive compounds. Approximately 90% of the total VOCs were found to have maximum incremental reactivity of less than 2. Net ozone formation potential of the emissions was also assessed.

BIOPLUME MODEL FOR CONTAMINANT TRANSPORT AFFECTED BY OXYGEN LIMITED BIODEGRADATION

EPA Science Inventory

Many of the organic pollutants entering ground water are potentially biodegradable in the subsurface. This potential has been demonstrated in aquifers contaminated by wood-creosoting process wastes. The persistence of many of these organic compounds in the subsurface indicated ...

Methane fermentation process for utilization of organic waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frąc, M.; Ziemiński, K.

2012-07-01

Biogas is a renewable and sustainable energy carrier generated via anaerobic digestion of biomass. This fuel is derived from various biomass resources and depending on its origin it contains methane (40-75%), carbon dioxide (20-45%) and some other compounds. The aim of this paper is to present the current knowledge and prospects of using the methane fermentation process to dispose of various types of organic wastes as well as conditions and factors affecting the methane fermentation process.

In Situ Biological Treatment Test at Kelly Air Force Base. Volume 2. Field Test Results and Cost Model.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

degradation of organic contaminants. In situ treatment affects contaminants sorbed to soil as well as dissolved in groundwater. It is potentially ...indigenous soil micro - organisms to multiply and degrade the waste material. Exxon’s Baytown refinery has been disposing of oily wastes by land farming...Group (ERG). Chemical analyses performed on soil samples included priority pollutant volatile and metal compounds, total hydrocarbons (alkanes), oil and

A Review on overboard CEOR discharged produced water treatment and remediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rawindran, H.; Krishnan, S.; Sinnathambi, C. M.

2017-06-01

Produced water is a waste by-product generated during oil and gas recovery operations. It contains the mixture of organic and inorganic compounds. Produced water management is a challenge faced by the petroleum practitioners worldwide. Build-up of chemical wastes from produced water causes huge footprint, which results in high CapEx and OpEx. Different technologies are practiced by various practitioners to treat the produced waste water. However, the constituents removed by each technology and the degree of organic compound removal has to be considered to identify the potential and effective treatment technologies for offshore industrial applications. Current produced water technologies and their successful applications have advantages and disadvantages and can be ranked on the basis of several factors, such as their discharge limit into water bodies, reinjection in producing well, or for any miscellaneous beneficial use. This paper attempts to provide a review of existing physical and chemical treatment technologies used for management of produced water. Based on our analysis, suitable methods will be recommended for offshore waste water treatment technologies.

Thermal engine driven heat pump for recovery of volatile organic compounds

DOEpatents

Drake, Richard L.

1991-01-01

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for separating volatile organic compounds from a stream of process gas. An internal combustion engine drives a plurality of refrigeration systems, an electrical generator and an air compressor. The exhaust of the internal combustion engine drives an inert gas subsystem and a heater for the gas. A water jacket captures waste heat from the internal combustion engine and drives a second heater for the gas and possibly an additional refrigeration system for the supply of chilled water. The refrigeration systems mechanically driven by the internal combustion engine effect the precipitation of volatile organic compounds from the stream of gas.

Incorporation of organic tritium (3H) by marine organisms and sediment in the severn estuary/Bristol channel (UK).

PubMed

McCubbin, D; Leonard, K S; Bailey, T A; Williams, J; Tossell, P

2001-10-01

Discharges of tritium (3H) into the Severn estuary/Bristol Channel (UK) arise from the authorized release of wastes from nuclear power plants at Hinkley Point and Berkley/Oldbury and from the Nycomed-Amersham radiochemical plant, via the sewer system, at Cardiff. The wastes from the nuclear power plants probably consist almost entirely of 3H2O, whereas those from the radiochemical plant also include uncharacterized 3H labelled organic compounds. The total 3H concentrations in demersal fish and other benthic organisms in the vicinity of the Cardiff Eastern sewer outfall are significantly elevated compared to those observed around other UK nuclear establishments. Concentrations in filtered seawater were approximately 10 Bq kg(-1) whilst levels in surface sediment, seaweed (Fucus vesiculosis) and mussels (Mytilus edulis)/flounder (Platichthys flesus) were in the order of 6 x 10(2), 2 x 10(3), and 10(5) Bq kg(-1) (dry weight), respectively. Almost all the 3H found in sediment and biota were organically bound tritium (OBT). The high concentration in these materials, relative to that in seawater, is due to the presence of bioavailable organic 3H labelled compounds in the radiochemical waste. It is suggested that bioaccumulation of 3H by benthic organisms and demersal fish occurs primarily via a pathway of physico-chemical sorption/bacterial transformation of dissolved 3H labelled organic compounds into particulate organic matter, and subsequent transfer up a web of sediment dwelling microbes and meiofauna. Variations in 3H accumulation between individual organisms have been interpreted in terms of their different feeding behaviour. Relatively low concentrations were observed in the herbivorous winkle (Littorina littorea) and the pelagic Sprat (Spratus spratus) compared with other benthic organisms and demersal fish. The elevated 3H concentrations in seafood, due to bioaccumulation of OBT, have low radiological significance even for the local critical group of seafood consumers.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, S.Y.; Valenti, J.C.; Tabor, D.G.

The use of waste wood as fuel for producing energy is a promising supplement to fossil fuels for many regions of the country. In addition to recovering energy and conserving landfill space, burning waste wood fuels also mitigates global warming created by fossil fuel combustion. However, the environmental consequences resulting from emissions generated by combustion of waste wood which contains paints, resins, or preservatives are not well understood. The combustion of waste wood treated with chemicals may produce potentially hazardous products of incomplete combustion (PIC) emissions such as dioxins. Characterization of PIC emissions from the combustion of waste wood previouslymore » treated with pentachlorophenol is reported in this study. Utility poles and crossbars are typically treated with a preservative such as pentachlorophenol in order to prolong their service life. They are disposed of by landfilling after being taken out of service. Burning such wood waste in boilers for steam generation becomes an increasingly attractive waste management alternative as it contains substantial energy value and reduces landfilling costs. Pilot-scale combustion tests were conducted under well controlled conditions in a 0.58 MW (2 million Btu/hr) combustor to compare PIC emissions from burning untreated wood and pentachlorophenol-treated wood. Sampling and analyses for a wide variety of PICs, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semivolatile organic compounds, and dioxins and furans, were performed to assess the effect of pentachlorophenol preservative present in wood on PIC emissions.« less

Headspace analysis of polar organic compounds in biological matrixes using solid phase microextraction (SPME)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Analysis of biological fluids and waste material is difficult and tedious given the sample matrix. A rapid automated method for the determination of volatile fatty acids and phenolic and indole compounds was developed using a multipurpose sampler (MPS) with solid phase microextraction (SPME) and GC-...

PEROX-PURE CHEMICAL OXIDATION TECHNOLOGY PEROXIDATION SYSTEMS, INC. - APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This report evaluates the perox-pure™ chemical oxidation technology’s ability to remove volatile organic compounds (VOC) and other organic contaminants present in liquid wastes. This report also presents economic data from the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) dem...

Characterization of selected municipal solid waste components to estimate their biodegradability.

PubMed

Bayard, R; Benbelkacem, H; Gourdon, R; Buffière, P

2018-06-15

Biological treatments of Residual Municipal Solid Waste (RMSW) allow to divert biodegradable materials from landfilling and recover valuable alternative resources. The biodegradability of the waste components needs however to be assessed in order to design the bioprocesses properly. The present study investigated complementary approaches to aerobic and anaerobic biotests for a more rapid evaluation. A representative sample of residual MSW was collected from a Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) plant and sorted out into 13 fractions according to the French standard procedure MODECOM™. The different fractions were analyzed for organic matter content, leaching behavior, contents in biochemical constituents (determined by Van Soest's acid detergent fiber method), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Bio-Methane Potential (BMP). Experimental data were statistically treated by Principal Components Analysis (PCA). Cumulative oxygen consumption from BOD tests and cumulative methane production from BMP tests were found to be positively correlated in all waste fractions. No correlation was observed between the results from BOD or BMP bioassays and the contents in cellulose-like, hemicelluloses-like or labile organic compounds. No correlation was observed either with the results from leaching tests (Soluble COD). The contents in lignin-like compounds, evaluated as the non-extracted RES fraction in Van Soest's method, was found however to impact negatively the biodegradability assessed by BOD or BMP tests. Since cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin are the polymers responsible for the structuration of lignocellulosic complexes, it was concluded that the structural organization of the organic matter in the different waste fractions was more determinant on biodegradability than the respective contents in individual biopolymers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence, distribution, and sources of emerging organic contaminants in tropical coastal sediments of anthropogenically impacted Klang River estuary, Malaysia.

PubMed

Omar, Tuan Fauzan Tuan; Aris, Ahmad Zaharin; Yusoff, Fatimah Md; Mustafa, Shuhaimi

2018-06-01

This baseline assessment reports on the occurrence, distribution, and sources of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) in tropical coastal sediments of anthropogenically impacted Klang River estuary, Malaysia. Bisphenol A was the highest concentration detected at 16.84 ng g -1 dry weight, followed by diclofenac (13.88 ng g -1 dry weight) and E1 (12.47 ng g -1 dry weight). Five compounds, namely, amoxicillin, progesterone, diazinon, bisphenol A, and E1, were found in all sampling stations assessed, and other compounds such as primidone, diclofenac, testosterone, E2, and EE2 were ubiquitously present in sediment samples, with percentage of detection range from 89.04% to 98.38%. Organic carbon content and pH were the important factors controlling the fate of targeted compounds in the tropical estuarine sediment. On the basis of the literature from other studies, the sources of EOCs are thought to be from wastewater treatment plants, domestic/medical waste discharge, livestock activities, industrial waste discharge, and agricultural activities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PILOT-SCALE STUDIES ON THE EFFECT OF BROMINE ADDITION ON THE EMISSIONS OF CHLORINATED ORGANIC COMBUSTION BY-PRODUCTS

EPA Science Inventory

The paper reports on a study to evaluate organic combustion by-product emissions while feeding varying amounts of bromine (Br) and chlorine (Cl) into a pilot-scale incinerator burning surrogate waste materials. (NOTE: Adding brominated organic compounds to a pilot-scale incinerat...

Effect of organic fertilizers prepared from organic waste materials on the production of antibacterial volatile organic compounds by two biocontrol Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains.

PubMed

Raza, Waseem; Wei, Zhong; Ling, Ning; Huang, Qiwei; Shen, Qirong

2016-06-10

Three organic fertilizers made of different animal and plant waste materials (BOFs) were evaluated for their effects on the production of antibacterial volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by two Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains SQR-9 and T-5 against the tomato wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum (RS). Both strains could produce VOCs that inhibited the growth and virulence traits of RS; however, in the presence of BOFs, the production of antibacterial VOCs was significantly increased. The maximum inhibition of growth and virulence traits of RS by VOCs of T-5 and SQR-9 was determined at 1.5% BOF2 and 2% BOF3, respectively. In case of strain T-5, 2-nonanone, nonanal, xylene, benzothiazole, and butylated hydroxy toluene and in case of strain SQR-9, 2-nonanone, nonanal, xylene and 2-undecanone were the main antibacterial VOCs whose production was increased in the presence of BOFs. The results of this study reveal another significance of using organic fertilizers to improve the antagonistic activity of biocontrol agents against phytopathogens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Advanced waste management technology evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Couch, H.; Birbara, P.

1996-01-01

The purpose of this program is to evaluate the feasibility of steam reforming spacecraft wastes into simple recyclable inorganic salts, carbon dioxide and water. Model waste compounds included cellulose, urea, methionine, Igapon TC-42, and high density polyethylenes. These are compounds found in urine, feces, hygiene water, etc. The gasification and steam reforming process used the addition of heat and low quantities of oxygen to oxidize and reduce the model compounds.The studied reactions were aimed at recovery of inorganic residues that can be recycled into a closed biologic system. Results indicate that even at very low concentrations of oxygen (less than 3%) the formation of a carbonaceous residue was suppressed. The use of a nickel/cobalt reforming catalyst at reaction temperature of 1600 degrees yielded an efficient destruction of the organic effluents, including methane and ammonia. Additionally, the reforming process with nickel/cobalt catalyst diminished the noxious odors associated with butyric acid, methionine and plastics.

40 CFR 62.9501 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... State Deparetment of Environmental Quality submitted on January 27, 1978, certification that there are..., Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the Capacity...

40 CFR 62.8105 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Gases, Organic Compounds, Particulates and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Hospital/medical..., 1999. [64 FR 43094, Aug. 9, 1999] Air Emissions From Existing Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste...

Atmospheric Release of Organic Chlorinated Compounds from the Activated-Sludge Wastewater Treatment Process.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-01

industrial wastes are from several types of industries but the waste 25 from one manufacturer included several chlorinated precusors of pesticides and flame...Saturator of Watls C Fine Noodle Control Volvo D Mogesgt:c Stirrer with Rod in (2 liter) 3 Nock Round bottomn Flook I. Islt Stream Port 2 IWOt fItirogon

Vapor space characterization of Waste Tank 241-TY-104 (in situ): Results from samples collected on 8/5/94

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ligotke, M.W.; Pool, K.H.; Lucke, R.B.

1995-10-01

This report describes inorganic and organic analyses results from in situ samples obtained from the headspace of the Hanford waste storage Tank 241-TY-104 (referred to as Tank TY-104). The results described here were obtained to support safety and toxicological evaluations. A summary of the results for inorganic and organic analytes is listed in Table 1. Detailed descriptions of the results appear in the text. Quantitative results were obtained for the inorganic compounds ammonia (NH{sub 3}), nitrogen dioxide (NO{sub 2}), nitric oxide (NO), and water (H{sub 2}O). Sampling for hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and sulfur oxides (SO{sub x}) was not performed. Inmore » addition, the authors looked for the 39 TO-14 compounds plus an additional 14 analytes. Of these, eight were observed above the 5-ppbv reporting cutoff. Twenty-four organic tentatively identified compounds (TICs) were observed above the reporting cutoff of (ca.) 10 ppbv and are reported with concentrations that are semiquantitative estimates based on internal standard response factors. The 10 organic analytes with the highest estimated concentrations are listed in Table 1 and account for approximately 86% of the total organic components in Tank TY-104. Tank TY-104 is on the Ferrocyanide Watch List.« less

Biodiesel production by various oleaginous microorganisms from organic wastes.

PubMed

Cho, Hyun Uk; Park, Jong Moon

2018-05-01

Biodiesel is a biodegradable and renewable fuel. A large amount of research has considered microbial oil production using oleaginous microorganisms, but the commercialization of microbial lipids produced in this way remains uncertain due to the high cost of feedstock or low lipid yield. Microbial lipids can be typically produced by microalgae, yeasts, and bacteria; the lipid yields of these microorganisms can be improved by using sufficient concentrations of organic carbon sources. Therefore, combining low-cost organic compounds contained in organic wastes with cultivation of oleaginous microorganisms can be a promising approach to obtain commercial viability. However, to achieve effective bioconversion of low-cost substrates to microbial lipids, the characteristics of each microorganism and each substrate should be considered simultaneously. This article discusses recent approaches to developing cost-effective microbial lipid production processes that use various oleaginous microorganisms and organic wastes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological upgrading of volatile fatty acids, key intermediates for the valorization of biowaste through dark anaerobic fermentation.

PubMed

Singhania, Reeta Rani; Patel, Anil Kumar; Christophe, Gwendoline; Fontanille, Pierre; Larroche, Christian

2013-10-01

VFAs can be obtained from lignocellulosic agro-industrial wastes, sludge, and various biodegradable organic wastes as key intermediates through dark fermentation processes and synthesized through chemical route also. They are building blocks of several organic compounds viz. alcohol, aldehyde, ketones, esters and olefins. These can serve as alternate carbon source for microbial biolipid, biohydrogen, microbial fuel cells productions, methanisation, and for denitrification. Organic wastes are the substrate for VFA platform that is of zero or even negative cost, giving VFA as intermediate product but their separation from the fermentation broth is still a challenge; however, several separation technologies have been developed, membrane separation being the most suitable one. These aspects will be reviewed and results obtained during anaerobic treatment of slaughterhouse wastes with further utilisation of volatile fatty acids for yeast cultivation have been discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Co(III) as mediator in phenol destruction using electrochemical oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herlina, Herlina; Derlini, Derlini; Muhammad, Razali

2017-03-01

Mediated electrochemical oxidation is one of the method for oxidation of organic compound by using a mediator. This method has been developed because have several advantages which low cost and efficient, the exhaust gas does not contain toxic materials and hazardous waste and the process take place at a relatively low temperature. Electrochemical oxidation of organic compounds using metal ion mediator is one alternative method that is appropriate for the treatment of organic waste. Co(III) is a strong oxidizing agent used as a mediator has been prepared in Pt electrodes. The concentration of Co(III) formed during oxidation determined by potentiometric titration where Co(III) aliquot was added into Fe(II) excess solution and the remaining Fe(II) which did not react has been titrated with Ce(IV). In optimum condition, Co(III) was then used to oxidize the organic compound into carbon dioxide. The parameters has been studied are the standard oxidation potential of mediator, acid concentration and temperature. The results obtained at potential of 6 Volt, with nitric acid 4 M and temperature of 25°C give result 23.86% where Co (II) is converted to Co(III) within 2 hours. The addition of silver nitrate can increase the concentration of Co(III). At the optimum conditions, the mediator ion Co(III) can destructed to 66.44% of phenol compound oxidized into carbon dioxide.

40 CFR 62.1501 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxides from Existing Large and Small Municipal Waste... amended at 70 FR 9229, Feb. 25, 2005] Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

40 CFR 62.1501 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxides from Existing Large and Small Municipal Waste... amended at 70 FR 9229, Feb. 25, 2005] Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

40 CFR 62.1501 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxides from Existing Large and Small Municipal Waste... amended at 70 FR 9229, Feb. 25, 2005] Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

40 CFR 62.1501 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxides from Existing Large and Small Municipal Waste... amended at 70 FR 9229, Feb. 25, 2005] Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

40 CFR 62.1501 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxides from Existing Large and Small Municipal Waste... amended at 70 FR 9229, Feb. 25, 2005] Fluoride Emissions From Phosphate Fertilizer Plants ...

Population dynamics in controlled unsteady-state systems: An application to the degradation of glyphosate in a sequencing batch reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Devarakonda, M.S.

1988-01-01

Control over population dynamics and organism selection in a biological waste treatment system provides an effective means of engineering process efficiency. Examples of applications of organism selection include control of filamentous organisms, biological nutrient removal, industrial waste treatment requiring the removal of specific substrates, and hazardous waste treatment. Inherently, full scale biological waste treatment systems are unsteady state systems due to the variations in the waste streams and mass flow rates of the substrates. Some systems, however, have the capacity to impose controlled selective pressures on the biological population by means of their operation. An example of such a systemmore » is the Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) which was the experimental system utilized in this research work. The concepts of organism selection were studied in detail for the biodegradation of a herbicide waste stream, with glyphosate as the target compound. The SBR provided a reactor configuration capable of exerting the necessary selective pressures to select and enrich for a glyphosate degrading population. Based on results for bench scale SBRs, a hypothesis was developed to explain population dynamics in glyphosate degrading systems.« less

Environmental assessment of a wood-waste-fired industrial watertube boiler. Volume 2. Data supplement. Final report, March 1981-March 1984

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Castaldini, C.; Waterland, L.R.

1987-03-01

The two-volume report gives results from field tests of a wood-waste-fired industrial watertube boiler. Two series of tests were performed: one firing dry (11% moisture) wood waste, and the other firing green (34% moisture) wood waste. Emission measurements included: continuous monitoring of flue-gas emissions; source-assessment sampling system (SASS) sampling of the flue-gas with subsequent laboratory analysis of samples to give total flue-gas organics in two boiling-point ranges, compound category information within these ranges, specific quantitation of the semi-volatile organic priority pollutants, and flue gas concentrations of 73 trace elements; Method 5 sampling for particulate; controlled condensation system sampling for SO/submore » 2/ and SO/sub 3/; and grab sampling of boiler mechanical collector hopper ash for inorganic and organic composition determinations. Total organic emissions decreased from 60-135 mg/dscm firing dry wood to 2-65 mg/dscm firing green wood, in parallel with corresponding boiler CO emissions.« less

Fate and impacts of pharmaceuticals and personal care products after repeated applications of organic waste products in long-term field experiments.

PubMed

Bourdat-Deschamps, Marjolaine; Ferhi, Sabrina; Bernet, Nathalie; Feder, Fréderic; Crouzet, Olivier; Patureau, Dominique; Montenach, Denis; Moussard, Géraud D; Mercier, Vincent; Benoit, Pierre; Houot, Sabine

2017-12-31

Recycling organic waste products in agriculture is a potential route for the dispersion of pharmaceutical residues in the environment. In this study, the concentrations of thirteen pharmaceuticals and the personal care product triclosan (PPCPs) were determined in different environmental matrices from long-term experimental fields amended with different organic waste products (OWPs), including sludge, composted sludge with green wastes, livestock effluents and composted urban wastes applied at usual agricultural rates. PPCP concentrations were different in OWPs, varying from a few micrograms to milligrams per kilogram dry matter or per litre for slurry. OWPs from sludge or livestock effluents primarily contained antibiotics, whereas composted urban wastes primarily contained anti-inflammatory compounds. PPCP contents in soils amended for several years were less than a few micrograms per kilogram. The most persistent compounds (fluoroquinolones, carbamazepine) were quantified or detected in soils amended with sludge or composted sludge. In soils amended with composted municipal solid waste, carbamazepine was quantified, and fluoroquinolones, ibuprofen and diclofenac were sometimes detected. The small increases in fluoroquinolones and carbamazepine in soils after individual OWP applications were consistent with the fluxes from the applied OWP. The measured concentrations of pharmaceuticals in soil after several successive OWP applications were lower than the predicted concentrations because of degradation, strong sorption to soil constituents and/or leaching. Dissipation half-lives (DT 50 ) were approximately 750-2500, 900 and <300days for fluoroquinolones, carbamazepine and ibuprofen, respectively, in temperate soils and <350 and <80days for fluoroquinolones and doxycycline, respectively, in tropical soils. Detection frequencies in soil leachates were very low (below 7%), and concentrations ranged from the limits of detection (0.002-0.03μg/L) and exceptionally to 0.27μg/L. The most frequently detected pharmaceuticals were carbamazepine and ibuprofen. Based on the risk quotient, the estimated ecotoxicological risks for different soil organisms were low. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 428: Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 1 and 5, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, REVISION 0, march 1999

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ITLV.

1999-03-01

The Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 428, Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 1 and 5, has been developed in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order that was agreed to by the U. S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office; the State of Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; and the U. S. Department of Defense. Corrective Action Unit 428 consists of Corrective Action Sites 03- 05- 002- SW01 and 03- 05- 002- SW05, respectively known as Area 3 Septic Waste System 1 and Septic Waste System 5. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan is used inmore » combination with the Work Plan for Leachfield Corrective Action Units: Nevada Test Site and Tonopah Test Range, Nevada , Rev. 1 (DOE/ NV, 1998c). The Leachfield Work Plan was developed to streamline investigations at leachfield Corrective Action Units by incorporating management, technical, quality assurance, health and safety, public involvement, field sampling, and waste management information common to a set of Corrective Action Units with similar site histories and characteristics into a single document that can be referenced. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan provides investigative details specific to Corrective Action Unit 428. A system of leachfields and associated collection systems was used for wastewater disposal at Area 3 of the Tonopah Test Range until a consolidated sewer system was installed in 1990 to replace the discrete septic waste systems. Operations within various buildings at Area 3 generated sanitary and industrial wastewaters potentially contaminated with contaminants of potential concern and disposed of in septic tanks and leachfields. Corrective Action Unit 428 is composed of two leachfield systems in the northern portion of Area 3. Based on site history collected to support the Data Quality Objectives process, contaminants of potential concern for the site include oil/ diesel range total petroleum hydrocarbons, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act characteristic volatile organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, and metals. A limited number of samples will be analyzed for gamma- emitting radionuclides and isotopic uranium from four of the septic tanks and if radiological field screening levels are exceeded. Additional samples will be analyzed for geotechnical and hydrological properties and a bioassessment may be performed. The technical approach for investigating this Corrective Action Unit consists of the following activities: Perform video surveys of the discharge and outfall lines. Collect samples of material in the septic tanks. Conduct exploratory trenching to locate and inspect subsurface components. Collect subsurface soil samples in areas of the collection system including the septic tanks and outfall end of distribution boxes. Collect subsurface soil samples underlying the leachfield distribution pipes via trenching. Collect surface and near- surface samples near potential locations of the Acid Sewer Outfall if Septic Waste System 5 Leachfield cannot be located. Field screen samples for volatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and radiological activity. Drill boreholes and collect subsurface soil samples if required. Analyze samples for total volatile organic compounds, total semivolatile organic compounds, total Resource Conservation and Recovery Act metals, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (oil/ diesel range organics). Limited number of samples will be analyzed for gamma- emitting radionuclides and isotopic uranium from particular septic tanks and if radiological field screening levels are exceeded. Collect samples from native soils beneath the distribution system and analyze for geotechnical/ hydrologic parameters. Collect and analyze bioassessment samples at the discretion of the Site Supervisor if total petroleum hydrocarbons exceed field- screening levels.« less

Household hazardous waste in municipal landfills: contaminants in leachate.

PubMed

Slack, R J; Gronow, J R; Voulvoulis, N

2005-01-20

Household hazardous waste (HHW) includes waste from a number of household products such as paint, garden pesticides, pharmaceuticals, photographic chemicals, certain detergents, personal care products, fluorescent tubes, waste oil, heavy metal-containing batteries, wood treated with dangerous substances, waste electronic and electrical equipment and discarded CFC-containing equipment. Data on the amounts of HHW discarded are very limited and are hampered by insufficient definitions of what constitutes HHW. Consequently, the risks associated with the disposal of HHW to landfill have not been fully elucidated. This work has focused on the assessment of data concerning the presence of hazardous chemicals in leachates as evidence of the disposal of HHW in municipal landfills. Evidence is sought from a number of sources on the occurrence in landfill leachates of hazardous components (heavy metals and xenobiotic organic compounds [XOC]) from household products and the possible disposal-to-emissions pathways occurring within landfills. This review demonstrates that a broad range of xenobiotic compounds occurring in leachate can be linked to HHW but further work is required to assess whether such compounds pose a risk to the environment and human health as a result of leakage/seepage or through treatment and discharge.

AUDIT MATERIALS FOR SEMIVOLATILE ORGANIC MEASUREMENTS DURING HAZARDOUS WASTE TRIAL BURNS

EPA Science Inventory

Two new performance audit materials utilizing different sorbents have neen developed to assess the overall accuracy and precision of the sampling, desorption, and analysis of semivolatile organic compounds by EPA, SW 846 Method 0010 (i.e., the Modified Method 5 sampling train). h...

SEPARATION OF HAZARDOUS ORGANICS BY LOW PRESSURE REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANES - PHASE II FINAL REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

Extensive experimental studies showed that thin-film, composite membranes can be used effectively for the separation of selected hazardous organic compounds. This waste treatment technique offers definite advantages in terms of high solute separations at low pressures (<2MPa) and...

Use of farming and agro-industrial wastes as versatile barriers in reducing pesticide leaching through soil columns.

PubMed

Fenoll, J; Ruiz, E; Flores, P; Vela, N; Hellín, P; Navarro, S

2011-03-15

Increased interest has been recently focused on assessing the influence of the addition of organic wastes related to movement of pesticides in soils of low organic matter (OM) content. This study reports the effect of two different amendments, animal manure (composted sheep manure) and agro-industrial waste (spent coffee grounds) on the mobility of 10 pesticides commonly used for pepper protection on a clay-loam soil (OM = 0.22%). The tested compounds were azoxystrobin, cyprodinil, fludioxonil, hexaconazole, kresoxim-methyl, pyrimethanil, tebuconazole, and triadimenol (fungicides), pirimicarb (insecticide), and propyzamide (herbicide). Breakthrough curves were obtained from disturbed soil columns. Cumulative curves obtained from unamended soil show a leaching of all pesticides although in different proportions (12-65% of the total mass of compound applied), showing triadimenol and pirimicarb the higher leachability. Significant correlation (r = 0.93, p<0.01) was found between the observed and bibliographical values of GUS index. The addition of the amendments used drastically reduced the movement of the studied pesticides. Only two pesticides were found in leachates from amended soils, pyrimethanil (<1%) for both, and pirimicarb (44%) in the soil amended with spent coffee grounds. A decrease in pesticide leaching was observed with the increase in dissolved organic matter (DOM) of leachates. The results obtained point to the interest in the use of organic wastes in reducing the pollution of groundwater by pesticide drainage. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of organic compositions of aerobically pretreated municipal solid waste on non-methane organic compound emissions during anaerobic degradation.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuanyuan; Yue, Dongbei; Liu, Jianguo; He, Liang; Nie, Yongfeng

2012-06-01

Odor pollution caused by municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment plants has become a growing public concern. Although aerobic pretreatment of MSW has advantages in accelerating landfill stabilization, the property of non-methane organic compound (NMOC) emissions from aerobically pretreated MSW (APMSW) during landfilling is unknown. To investigate NMOC emissions from anaerobic degradation of APMSW and to study the impact of organic compositions of APMSW and their decomposition stages, five simulative anaerobic bioreactors (R1-R5) were filled up with APMSW of different original organic compositions in a laboratory. For NMOC analysis, samples were collected from the gas that accumulated separately during two successive independent stages of the whole experiment. The results showed that the cumulative quantities of NMOCs from R1 to R5 were 1.11, 0.30, 0.18, 0.28, and 0.31 mg/kg DM, respectively, when volatile solid was degraded by 34.8-47.2%. As the organic content of the original waste was lower, the proportion of NMOCs generated in the early stage of anaerobic degradation became higher. Multiple linear regression analyses of the relationship between the quantities of degraded organics and generated NMOCs showed that lipid and protein have a strong effect on NMOC amount. The effect of lipid on NMOC quantity lasts longer than that of protein. This observation suggests that controlling the lipid and protein contents in MSW can reduce the odor from landfills. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spectroscopic Properties of Tc(I) Tricarbonyl Species Relevant to the Hanford Tank Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levitskaia, Tatiana G.; Andersen, Amity; Chatterjee, Sayandev

2015-12-04

Technetium-99 (Tc) exists predominately in soluble forms in the liquid supernatant and salt cake fractions of the nuclear tank waste stored at the U.S. DOE Hanford Site. In the strongly alkaline environments prevalent in the tank waste, its dominant chemical form is pertechnetate (TcO4-, oxidation state +7). However, attempts to remove Tc from the Hanford tank waste using ion-exchange processes specific to TcO 4 - only met with limited success, particularly processing tank waste samples containing elevated concentrations of organic complexants. This suggests that a significant fraction of the soluble Tc can be present as non-pertechnetate low-valent Tc (oxidation statemore » < +7) (non-pertechnetate). The chemical identities of these non-pertechnetate species are poorly understood. Previous analysis of the SY-101 and SY-103 tank waste samples provided strong evidence that non-pertechnetate can be comprised of [Tc(CO) 3] + complexes containing Tc in oxidation state +1 (Lukens et al. 2004). During the last two years, our team has expanded this work and demonstrated that high-ionic-strength solutions typifying tank waste supernatants promote oxidative stability of the [Tc(CO) 3] + species (Rapko et al. 2013; Levitskaia et al. 2014). It also was observed that high-ionic-strength alkaline matrices stabilize Tc(VI) and potentially Tc(IV) oxidation states, particularly in presence organic chelators, suggesting that the relevant Tc compounds can serve as important redox intermediates facilitating the reduction of Tc(VII) to Tc(I). Designing strategies for effective Tc processing, including separation and immobilization, necessitates understanding the molecular structure of these non-pertechnetate species and their identification in the actual tank waste samples. To-date, only limited information exists regarding the nature and characterization of the Tc(I), Tc(IV), and Tc(VI) species. One objective of this project is to identify the form of non-pertechnetate in the Hanford waste. To do this, we are developing a spectral library of reference non-pertechnetate compounds that can be compared against actual waste samples. The emphasis of the fiscal year 2015 work was Tc(I) tricarbonyl [Tc(CO) 3] + compounds. The key findings are summarized below.« less

Potential application of biodrying to treat solid waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaman, Badrus; Oktiawan, Wiharyanto; Hadiwidodo, Mochtar; Sutrisno, Endro; Purwono; Wardana, Irawan Wisnu

2018-02-01

The generation of solid waste around the world creates problems if not properly managed. The method of processing solid waste by burning or landfill is currently not optimal. The availability of land where the final processing (TPA) is critical, looking for a new TPA alternative will be difficult and expensive, especially in big cities. The processing of solid waste using bio drying technology has the potential to produce renewable energy and prevention of climate change. Solid waste processing products can serve as Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), reduce water content of solid waste, meningkatkan kualitas lindi and increase the amount of recycled solid waste that is not completely separated from home. Biodrying technology is capable of enhancing the partial disintegration and hydrolysis of macromolecule organic compounds (such as C-Organic, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, total nitrogen). The application of biodrying has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and dinitrooksida (N2O). These gases cause global warming.

Use of thermal analysis techniques (TG-DSC) for the characterization of diverse organic municipal waste streams to predict biological stability prior to land application.

PubMed

Fernández, José M; Plaza, César; Polo, Alfredo; Plante, Alain F

2012-01-01

The use of organic municipal wastes as soil amendments is an increasing practice that can divert significant amounts of waste from landfill, and provides a potential source of nutrients and organic matter to ameliorate degraded soils. Due to the high heterogeneity of organic municipal waste streams, it is difficult to rapidly and cost-effectively establish their suitability as soil amendments using a single method. Thermal analysis has been proposed as an evolving technique to assess the stability and composition of the organic matter present in these wastes. In this study, three different organic municipal waste streams (i.e., a municipal waste compost (MC), a composted sewage sludge (CS) and a thermally dried sewage sludge (TS)) were characterized using conventional and thermal methods. The conventional methods used to test organic matter stability included laboratory incubation with measurement of respired C, and spectroscopic methods to characterize chemical composition. Carbon mineralization was measured during a 90-day incubation, and samples before and after incubation were analyzed by chemical (elemental analysis) and spectroscopic (infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance) methods. Results were compared with those obtained by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. Total amounts of CO(2) respired indicated that the organic matter in the TS was the least stable, while that in the CS was the most stable. This was confirmed by changes detected with the spectroscopic methods in the composition of the organic wastes due to C mineralization. Differences were especially pronounced for TS, which showed a remarkable loss of aliphatic and proteinaceous compounds during the incubation process. TG, and especially DSC analysis, clearly reflected these differences between the three organic wastes before and after the incubation. Furthermore, the calculated energy density, which represents the energy available per unit of organic matter, showed a strong correlation with cumulative respiration. Results obtained support the hypothesis of a potential link between the thermal and biological stability of the studied organic materials, and consequently the ability of thermal analysis to characterize the maturity of municipal organic wastes and composts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bonded-phase extraction column isolation of organic compounds in groundwater at a hazardous waste site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rostad, C.E.; Pereira, W.E.; Ratcliff, S.M.

1984-01-01

A procedure for isolation of hazardous organic compounds from water for gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis Is presented and applied to creosote- and pentachlorophenol-contaminated groundwater resulting from wood-treatment processes. This simple procedure involved passing a 50-100-mL sample through a bonded-phase extraction column, eluting the trapped organic compounds from the column with 2-4 mL of solvent, and evaporating the sample to 100 ??L with a stream of dry nitrogen, after which the sample was ready for gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. Representative compounds indicative of creosote contamination were used for recovery and precision studies from the cyclohexyl-bonded phase. Recovery of these compounds from n-octyl-, n-octadecyl-, cyclohexyl-, and phenyl-bonded phases was compared. The bonded phase that exhibited the best recovery and least bias toward acidic or basic cmpounds was the n-octadecyl phase. Detailed compound Identification Is given for compounds Isolated from creosote- and pentachlorophenol-contaminated groundwater using the cyclohexyl-bonded phase.

77 FR 25084 - Revisions to the Hawaii State Implementation Plan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-27

... ), and particulate matter (PM) emissions from motor vehicles, water separation, pumps, compressors, waste... organic 11/14/03 12/14/11 compound water separation. HDOH 11-60.1-41 Pump and compressor 11/14/03 12/14/11 requirements. HDOH 11-60.1-42 Waste gas disposal...... 11/14/03 12/14/11 HDOH 11-60.1-51 Definitions 11/14/03...

Processing liquid organic wastes at the NNL Preston laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coppersthwaite, Duncan; Greenwood, Howard; Docrat, Tahera

2013-07-01

Organic compounds of various kinds have been used in the nuclear industry for numerous duties in uranium chemical, metal and ceramic processing plants. In the course of the various operations undertaken, these organic compounds have become contaminated with uranic material, either accidentally or as an inevitable part of the process. Typically, the chemical/physical form and/or concentration of the uranic content of the organics has prevented disposal. In order to address the issue of contaminated liquid organic wastes, the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) has developed a suite of treatments designed to recover uranium and to render the waste suitable for disposal.more » The developed processes are operated at industrial scale via the NNL Preston Laboratory Residue Processing Plant. The Oil Waste Leaching (OWL) Process is a fully industrialised process used for the treatment of contaminated oils with approximately 200 tonnes of uranium contaminated oil being treated to date. The process was originally developed for the treatment of contaminated tributyl phosphate and odourless kerosene which had been adsorbed onto sawdust. However, over the years, the OWL process has been refined for a range of oils including 'water emulsifiable' cutting oils, lubricating oils, hydraulic oils/fluids and 'Fomblin' (fully fluorinated) oils. Chemically, the OWL process has proved capable of treating solvents as well as oils but the highly volatile/flammable nature of many solvents has required additional precautions compared with those required for oil treatment. These additional precautions led to the development of the Solvent Treatment Advanced Rig (STAR), an installation operated under an inert atmosphere. STAR is a small 'module' (100 dm{sup 3} volume) which allows the treatment of both water miscible and immiscible solvents. This paper discusses the challenges associated with the treatment of liquid organic wastes and the process developments which have allowed a wide range of materials to be successfully treated. (authors)« less

[Environmental toxicity of waste foundry sand].

PubMed

Zhang, Hai-Feng; Wang, Yu-Jue; Wang, Jin-Lin; Huang, Tian-You; Xiong, Ying

2013-03-01

The metal leaching characteristics and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of five different types of waste foundry sands were analyzed with the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and head space-gas chromatography (HS-GC). Microtox and soil dehydrogenase activity (DHA) tests were then used to evaluate the bio-effects of these waste sands. The results showed that due to the different metals poured and casting materials used to make the sand molds, there was significant difference among the five waste foundry sands in the compositions and concentrations of metal and organic pollutants. The concentrations of Fe in the leachates of iron and steel casting waste foundry sand exceeded the maximal allowable concentrations specified in the National Standard of Drinking Water Quality, whereas the As concentration in the leachate of aluminum casting waste foundry sand exceeded the standard. The five waste foundry sands had quite different compositions and levels of VOCs, which resulted in different levels of inhibition effects on the luminescent bacteria (30% and 95%). Additionally, the soil DHA tests suggested that metal pollutants in waste foundry sands may inhibit the soil microbial activity, whereas organics in the sands may slightly promote the microbial activity. The results of this study indicated that the waste foundry sands may pose considerable threat to the environment when improperly disposed.

Workshop Report: Considerations for Developing Leaching Test Methods for Semi- and Non-Volatile Organic Compounds

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Documents a September 2015 workshop on how to evaluate the potential for leaching of semi- or non-volatile organic constituents at contaminated sites where in place treatment has been used to control migration, and from waste that is disposed or re-used.

Toxic remediation

DOEpatents

Matthews, Stephen M.; Schonberg, Russell G.; Fadness, David R.

1994-01-01

What is disclosed is a novel toxic waste remediation system designed to provide on-site destruction of a wide variety of hazardous organic volatile hydrocarbons, including but not limited to halogenated and aromatic hydrocarbons in the vapor phase. This invention utilizes a detoxification plenum and radiation treatment which transforms hazardous organic compounds into non-hazardous substances.

Water-quality characteristics and trends for selected wells possibly influenced by wastewater disposal at the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 1981-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Linda C.; Bartholomay, Roy C.; Fisher, Jason C.; Maimer, Neil V.

2015-01-01

Volatile organic compound concentration trends were analyzed for nine aquifer wells. Trend test results indicated an increasing trend for carbon tetrachloride for the Radioactive Waste Management Complex Production Well for the period 1987–2012; however, trend analyses of data collected since 2005 show no statistically significant trend indicating that engineering practices designed to reduce movement of volatile organic compounds to the aquifer may be having a positive effect on the aquifer.

Organic Compounds Complexify Transport in the Amargosa Desert—The Case for Phytotritiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stonestrom, D. A.; Luo, W.; Andraski, B. J.; Baker, R. J.; Maples, S.; Mayers, C. J.; Young, M. B.

2014-12-01

Civilian low-level radioactive waste containing organic compounds was disposed in 2- to 15-m deep unlined trenches in a 110-m deep unsaturated zone at the present-day USGS Amargosa Desert Research Site. Tritium represents the plurality of disposed activity. A plume of gas-phase contaminants surrounds the disposal area, with 60 distinct volatile organic compounds (VOCs) identified to date. The distribution of tritiated water in the unsaturated zone surrounding the disposal area is highly enigmatic, with orders of magnitude separating observed levels from those predicted by multiphase models of mass and energy transport. Peaks of tritium and VOCs are coincidently located in sediments tens of meters below the root zone, suggesting abiotic stratigraphic control on lateral transport at depth. Surprisingly, the highest observed levels of tritium occur at a depth of about 1.5 m, the base of the creosote-bush plant-community root zone, where levels of waste-derived VOCs are low (approaching atmospheric levels). Bulk water-vapor samples from shallow and deep unsaturated-zone profile hot spots were trapped as water ice in cold fingers immersed in dry ice-isopropyl alcohol filled Dewar flasks, then melted and sequentially extracted by purge-and-trap VOC degassing followed by elution through activated carbon solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Analysis of tritium activities and mass spectrometer results indicate that over 98% of tritium activity at depth is present as water, whereas about 15% of basal root zone tritium activity is present as organic compounds trapped with the water. Of these, the less-volatile compound group removed by SPE accounted for about 85% of the organic tritium activity, with mass spectrometry identifying 2-ethyl-1-hexanol as the principal compound removed. This plant-produced fatty alcohol is ubiquitous in the root zone of creosote-bush communities and represents a family of hydroxyl-containing plant produced compounds that give the plants their pungency. These findings suggest that tritiated hydroxyl groups on plant-produced organic compounds provide an important reservoir and pathway for tritium transport.

Characterization of Products from Fast Micropyrolysis of Municipal Solid Waste Biomass

DOE PAGES

Klemetsrud, Bethany; Ukaew, Suchada; Thompson, Vicki S.; ...

2016-09-05

Biomass feedstock costs remain one of the largest impediments to biofuel production economics. Municipal solid waste (MSW) represents an attractive feedstock with year-round availability, an established collection infrastructure paid for by waste generators, low cost and the potential to be blended with higher cost feedstocks to reduce overall feedstock costs. Paper waste, yard waste and construction and demolition waste (C&D) were examined for their applicability in the pyrolysis conversion pathway. Paper waste consisted of non-recyclable paper such as mixed low grade paper, food and beverage packaging, kitchen paper wastes and coated paper; yard waste consisted of grass clippings and C&Dmore » wastes consisted of engineered wood products obtained from a construction waste landfill. We tested the waste materials for thermochemical conversion potential using a bench scale fast micro-pyrolysis process. Bio-oil yields were the highest for the C&D materials and lowest for the paper waste. The C&D wastes had the highest level of lignin derived compounds (phenolic and cyclics) while the paper waste had higher levels of carbohydrate derived compounds (aldehydes, organic acids, ketones, alcohols and sugar derived). But, the paper material had higher amounts of lignin derived compounds than expected based upon lignin content that is likely due to the presence of polyphenolic resins used in paper processing. The paper and yard wastes had significantly higher levels of ash content than the C&D wastes (14-15% versus 0.5-1.3%), which further correlated to higher levels of alkali and alkaline earth metals, which are known to reduce pyrolysis bio-oil yields. There appeared to be an inverse correlation of both calcium and potassium content with the amount of chromatographic product peaks, indicative of cracking reactions occurring during product formation. Furthermore the effect of acid washing was evaluated for grass clipping and waste paper and the bio-oil yield was increased from 58% to 73% and 67% to 73%, respectively.« less

Characterization of Products from Fast Micropyrolysis of Municipal Solid Waste Biomass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klemetsrud, Bethany; Ukaew, Suchada; Thompson, Vicki S.

Biomass feedstock costs remain one of the largest impediments to biofuel production economics. Municipal solid waste (MSW) represents an attractive feedstock with year-round availability, an established collection infrastructure paid for by waste generators, low cost and the potential to be blended with higher cost feedstocks to reduce overall feedstock costs. Paper waste, yard waste and construction and demolition waste (C&D) were examined for their applicability in the pyrolysis conversion pathway. Paper waste consisted of non-recyclable paper such as mixed low grade paper, food and beverage packaging, kitchen paper wastes and coated paper; yard waste consisted of grass clippings and C&Dmore » wastes consisted of engineered wood products obtained from a construction waste landfill. We tested the waste materials for thermochemical conversion potential using a bench scale fast micro-pyrolysis process. Bio-oil yields were the highest for the C&D materials and lowest for the paper waste. The C&D wastes had the highest level of lignin derived compounds (phenolic and cyclics) while the paper waste had higher levels of carbohydrate derived compounds (aldehydes, organic acids, ketones, alcohols and sugar derived). But, the paper material had higher amounts of lignin derived compounds than expected based upon lignin content that is likely due to the presence of polyphenolic resins used in paper processing. The paper and yard wastes had significantly higher levels of ash content than the C&D wastes (14-15% versus 0.5-1.3%), which further correlated to higher levels of alkali and alkaline earth metals, which are known to reduce pyrolysis bio-oil yields. There appeared to be an inverse correlation of both calcium and potassium content with the amount of chromatographic product peaks, indicative of cracking reactions occurring during product formation. Furthermore the effect of acid washing was evaluated for grass clipping and waste paper and the bio-oil yield was increased from 58% to 73% and 67% to 73%, respectively.« less

The pollution characteristics of odor, volatile organochlorinated compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emitted from plastic waste recycling plants.

PubMed

Tsai, Chung-Jung; Chen, Mei-Lien; Chang, Keng-Fu; Chang, Fu-Kuei; Mao, I-Fang

2009-02-01

Plastic waste treatment trends toward recycling in many countries; however, the melting process in the facilities which adopt material recycling method for treating plastic waste may emit toxicants and cause sensory annoyance. The objectives of this study were to analyze the pollution characteristics of the emissions from the plastic waste recycling plants, particularly in harmful volatile organochlorinated compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), odor levels and critical odorants. Ten large recycling plants were selected for analysis of odor concentration (OC), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and PAHs inside and outside the plants using olfactometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector, respectively. The olfactometric results showed that the melting processes used for treating polyethylene/polypropylene (PE/PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic waste significantly produced malodor, and the odor levels at downwind boundaries were 100-229 OC, which all exceeded Taiwan's EPA standard of 50 OC. Toluene, ethylbenzene, 4-methyl-2-pentanone, methyl methacrylate and acrolein accounted for most odors compared to numerous VOCs. Sixteen organochlorinated compounds were measured in the ambient air emitted from the PVC plastic waste recycling plant and total concentrations were 245-553 microg m(-3); most were vinyl chloride, chloroform and trichloroethylene. Concentrations of PAHs inside the PE/PP plant were 8.97-252.16 ng m(-3), in which the maximum level were 20-fold higher than the levels detected from boundaries. Most of these recycling plants simply used filter to treat the melting fumes, and this could not efficiently eliminate the gaseous compounds and malodor. Improved exhaust air pollution control were strongly recommended in these industries.

40 CFR 62.9501 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... no existing sulfuric acid plants in the State subject to part 60, subpart B of this chapter. [44 FR..., Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the Capacity...

40 CFR 62.9501 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... no existing sulfuric acid plants in the State subject to part 60, subpart B of this chapter. [44 FR..., Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the Capacity...

40 CFR 62.9501 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... no existing sulfuric acid plants in the State subject to part 60, subpart B of this chapter. [44 FR..., Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the Capacity...

40 CFR 62.9501 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... no existing sulfuric acid plants in the State subject to part 60, subpart B of this chapter. [44 FR..., Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the Capacity...

Characterisation of aqueous waste produced during the clandestine production of amphetamine following the Leuckart route utilising solid-phase extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection.

PubMed

Hauser, Frank M; Hulshof, Janneke W; Rößler, Thorsten; Zimmermann, Ralf; Pütz, Michael

2018-04-18

Chemical waste from the clandestine production of amphetamine is of forensic and environmental importance due to its illegal nature which often leads to dumping into the environment. In this study, 27 aqueous amphetamine waste samples from controlled Leuckart reactions performed in Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland were characterised to increase knowledge about the chemical composition and physicochemical characteristics of such waste. Aqueous waste samples from different reaction steps were analysed to determine characteristic patterns which could be used for classification. Conductivity, pH, density, ionic load, and organic compounds were determined using different analytical methods. Conductivity values ranged from 1 to over 200 mS/cm, pH values from 0 to 14, and densities from 1.0 to 1.3 g/cm 3 . A capillary electrophoresis method with contactless conductivity detection (CE-C 4 D) was developed and validated to quantify chloride, sulphate, formate, ammonium, and sodium ions which were the most abundant ions in the investigated waste samples. A solid-phase extraction sample preparation was used prior to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis to determine the organic compounds. Using the characterisation data of the known samples, it was possible to assign 16 seized clandestine waste samples from an amphetamine production to the corresponding synthesis step. The data also allowed us to draw conclusions about the synthesis procedure and used chemicals. The presented data and methods could support forensic investigations by showing the probative value of synthesis waste when investigating the illegal production of amphetamine. It can also act as starting point to develop new approaches to tackle the problem of clandestine waste dumping. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Use of raw or incubated organic wastes as amendments in reducing pesticide leaching through soil columns.

PubMed

Marín-Benito, J M; Brown, C D; Herrero-Hernández, E; Arienzo, M; Sánchez-Martín, M J; Rodríguez-Cruz, M S

2013-10-01

Soil amendment with organic wastes is becoming a widespread management practice since it can effectively solve the problems of uncontrolled waste accumulation and improve soil quality. However, when simultaneously applied with pesticides, organic wastes can significantly modify the environmental behaviour of these compounds. This study evaluated the effect of sewage sludges (SS), grape marc (GM) and spent mushroom substrates (SMS) on the leaching of linuron, diazinon and myclobutanil in packed columns of a sandy soil with low organic matter (OM) content (<1%). Soil plus amendments had been incubated for one month (1 m) or 12 months (12 m). Data from the experimental breakthrough curves (BTCs) were fitted to the one-dimensional transport model CXTFIT 2.1. All three amendments reduced leaching of linuron and myclobutanil relative to unamended soil. SMS was the most effective in reducing leaching of these two compounds independent of whether soil was incubated for 1 m or 12 m. Soil amendments increased retardation coefficients (Rexp) by factors of 3 to 5 for linuron, 2 to 4 for diazinon and 3 to 5 for myclobutanil relative to unamended soil. Leaching of diazinon was relatively little affected by soil amendment compared to the other two compounds and both SS and SMS amendment with 1m incubation resulted in enhanced leaching of diazinon. The leaching data for linuron and myclobutanil were well described by CXTFIT (mean square error, MSE<4.9·10(-7) and MSE<7.0·10(-7), respectively) whereas those of diazinon were less well fitted (MSE<2.1·10(-6)). The BTCs for pesticides were similar in soils incubated for one month or one year, indicating that the effect of amendment on leaching persists over relatively long periods of time. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Organic contamination of ground water at Gas Works Park, Seattle, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turney, G.L.; Goerlitz, D.F.

1990-01-01

Gas Works Park, in Seattle, Washington, is located on the site of a coal and oil gasification plant that ceased operation in 1956. During operation, many types of wastes, including coal, tar, and oil, accumulated on-site. The park soil is currently (1986) contaminated with compounds such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, trace metals, and cyanide. Analyses of water samples from a network of observation wells in the park indicate that these compounds are also present in the ground water. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds were identified in ground water samples in concentrations as large as 200 mg/L. Concentrations of organic compounds were largest where ground water was in contact with a non-aqueous phase liquid in the soil. Where no non-aqueous phase liquid was present, concentrations were much smaller, even if the ground water was in contact with contaminated soils. This condition is attributed to weathering processes in which soluble, low-molecular-weight organic compounds are preferentially dissolved from the non-aqueous phase liquid into the ground water. Where no non-aqueous phase liquid is present, only stained soils containing relatively insoluble, high-molecular-weight compounds remain. Concentrations of organic contaminants in the soils may still remain large.

Geobacter strains that use alternate organic compounds, methods of making, and methods of use thereof

DOEpatents

Lovley, Derek R; Summers, Zarath Morgan; Haveman, Shelley Annette; Izallalen, Mounir

2013-12-03

In preferred embodiments, the present invention provides new isolated strains of Geobacter species that are capable of using a carbon source that is selected from C.sub.3 to C.sub.12 organic compounds selected from pyruvate or metabolic precursors of pyruvate as an electron donor in metabolism and in subsequent energy production. In other aspects, other preferred embodiments of the present invention include methods of making such strains and methods of using such strains. In general, the wild type strain of the microorganisms has been shown to be unable to use these C.sub.3 to C.sub.12 organic compounds as electron donors in metabolic steps such as the reduction of metallic ions. The inventive strains of microorganisms are useful improving bioremediation applications, including in situ bioremediation (including uranium bioremediation and halogenated solvent bioremediation), microbial fuel cells, power generation from small and large-scale waste facilities (e.g., biomass waste from dairy, agriculture, food processing, brewery, or vintner industries, etc.) using microbial fuel cells, and other applications of microbial fuel cells, including, but not limited to, improved electrical power supplies for environmental sensors, electronic sensors, and electric vehicles.

Hydrophobization potential of organic compounds deriving from olive oil production waste water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egerer, Sina E.; Bandow, Nicole; Marschner, Bernd; Schaumann, Gabriele E.

2010-05-01

Olive oil production waste water (OPWW) is rich in dissolved organic carbon and nutrients (e.g. potassium). In order to use it as organic fertilizer, small-scale and family run olive oil production farms in Israel and Palestine often discharge it directly onto agricultural land without any previous treatment. One unwanted side effect that can be observed is the development of soil water repellency (SWR) which is probably induced by amphiphilic substances. Previous studies on the composition of OPWW have shown that it contains oil components such as phenols, fats and large-molecular organic compounds (e.g. Gonzalezvila et al., 1995), some of which have been reported to induce water repellency on soil mineral surfaces (e.g. Ma'shum et al., 1988; Leelamanie and Karube, 2007). For prioritization of compounds the individual hydrophobization potential of 16 common OPWW components was systematically evaluated using the sessile drop and the Wilhelmy plate method. Acid-washed sand was taken as model soil mineral material. In a batch experiment OPWW samples from Israel and Palestine were applied to sand and two different soils in order to investigate their hydrophobization potential under different temperature and humidity conditions. To facilitate the identification of the chemicals responsible for inducing SWR, a fractionation procedure was applied to fraction the OPWW samples using solvents of different polarity. The prioritized compounds were analyzed by GC-MS. First results of this identification will be presented as well.

Distribution and mass loss of volatile organic compounds in the surficial aquifer at sites FT03, LF13, and WP14/LF15, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, November 2000-February 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barbaro, Jeffrey R.; Neupane, Pradumna P.

2002-01-01

Ground-water and surface-water sampling was conducted in the natural attenuation study area in the East Management Unit of Dover Air Force Base, Delaware to determine the distributions of volatile organic compounds in the vicinity of four sites?Fire Training Area Three, the Rubble Area Landfill, the Receiver Station Landfill, and the Liquid Waste Disposal Landfill. This work was done by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, as part of an ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of natural attenuation at these sites. The specific objectives of the study were to (1) determine the areal and vertical extent of the contaminant plumes and source areas, (2) measure volatile organic compound concentrations in ground-water discharge areas and in surface water under base-flow conditions, (3) evaluate the potential for off-site migration of the mapped plumes, and (4) estimate the amount of mass loss downgradient of the Liquid Waste Disposal and Receiver Station Landfills. A direct-push drill rig and previously installed multi-level piezometers were used to determine the three-dimensional distributions of volatile organic compounds in the 30?60-foot-thick surficial aquifer underlying the natural attenuation study area. A hand -driven mini-piezometer was used to collect ground-water samples in ground-water discharge areas. A total of 319 ground-water and 4 surface-water samples were collected from November 2000 to February 2001 and analyzed for chlorinated solvents and fuel hydrocarbons. The contaminant plumes migrating from Fire Training Area Three and the Rubble Area Landfill are approximately 500 feet and 800 feet, respectively, in length. These plumes consist predominantly of cis-1,2-dichloroethene, a daughter product, indicating that extensive dechlorination of tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene has occurred at these sites. With an approximate length of 2,200 feet, the plume migrating from the Receiver Station and Liquid Waste Disposal Landfills is the largest of the three plumes in the East Management Unit. In this plume, the parent compounds, tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene, as well as cis-1,2-dichloroethene, are present downgradient of the source. Vinyl chloride was not detected in the natural attenuation study area. Vertical water-quality profiles indicate that volatile organic compounds are present mainly in the upper part of the surficial aquifer. Plumes of fuel hydrocarbon constituents were not detected in the natural attenuation study area. Volatile organic compounds were present at concentrations above detection limits in 6 of 14 samples collected from the aquifer underlying the bed of Pipe Elm Branch and the drainage ditch adjacent to Fire Training Area Three, indicating that the plumes migrating from Fire Training Area Three and the Receiver Station and Liquid Waste Disposal Landfills are reaching these ground-water discharge areas. In contrast, sampling results indicated that the plume from the Rubble Area Landfill does not reach these ground-water discharge areas. Trichloroethene was present above detection limits in one of four surface-water samples collected from Pipe Elm Branch and the drainage ditch adjacent to Fire Training Area Three. The trichloroethene concentration is below applicable Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control surface-water-quality standards for human health. An assessment of chlorinated-solvent mass loss in the plume migrating from the Receiver Station and Liquid Waste Disposal Landfills indicates that tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene mass loss downgradient of the source is negligible. Cis-1,2-dichloroethene, however, appears to biodegrade by an unidentified reaction in the plume. Plan-view maps of the plume migrating from the Receiver Station and Liquid Waste Disposal Landfills indicate that tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, and cis-1,2-dichloroethene may migrate off Dover Air Force Base property approximately 1,500 f

Treating contaminated organics using the DETOX process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elsberry, K.D.; Dhooge, P.M.

1993-05-01

Waste matrices containing organics, radionuclides, and metals pose difficult problems in waste treatment and disposal when the organic compounds and/or metals are considered to be hazardous. This paper describes the results of bench-scale studies of DETOX applied to the components of liquid mixed wastes, with the goal of establishing parameters for designing a prototype waste treatment unit. Apparent organic reaction rate orders and the dependence of apparent reaction rate on solution composition and the contact area were measured for vacuum pump oil scintillation fluids, and trichloroethylene. Reaction rate was superior in chloride-based solutions and was proportional to the contact areamore » above about 2% w/w loading of organic. Oxidations in a 4-liter volume, mixed bench-top reactor have given destruction efficiencies of 99.9999 + % for common organics. Reaction rates achieved in the mixed bench-top reactor were one to two orders of magnitude greater than had been achieved in unmixed reactions; a thoroughly mixed reactor should be capable of oxidizing 10 to 100 + grams of organic per liter-hour. Results are also presented on the solvation efficiency of DETOX for mercury, cerium, and neodymium, and for removal/destruction of organics sorbed on vermiculite. The next stage of development will be converting the bench-top unit to continuous processing.« less

Photolytic AND Catalytic Destruction of Organic Waste Water Pollutants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torosyan, V. F.; Torosyan, E. S.; Kryuchkova, S. O.; Gromov, V. E.

2017-01-01

The system: water supply source - potable and industrial water - wastewater - sewage treatment - water supply source is necessary for water supply and efficient utilization of water resources. Up-to-date technologies of waste water biological treatment require for special microorganisms, which are technologically complex and expensive but unable to solve all the problems. Application of photolytic and catalytically-oxidizing destruction is quite promising. However, the most reagents are strong oxidizers in catalytic oxidation of organic substances and can initiate toxic substance generation. Methodic and scientific approaches to assess bread making industry influence on the environment have been developed in this paper in order to support forecasting and taking technological decisions concerning reduction of this influence. Destructive methods have been tested: ultra violet irradiation and catalytic oxidation for extraction of organic compounds from waste water by natural reagents.

Anaerobic digestion and co-digestion of slaughterhouse waste (SHW): influence of heat and pressure pre-treatment in biogas yield.

PubMed

Cuetos, M J; Gómez, X; Otero, M; Morán, A

2010-10-01

Mesophilic anaerobic digestion (34+/-1 degrees C) of pre-treated (for 20 min at 133 degrees C, >3 bar) slaughterhouse waste and its co-digestion with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) have been assessed. Semi-continuously-fed digesters worked with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 36 d and organic loading rates (OLR) of 1.2 and 2.6 kg VS(feed)/m(3)d for digestion and co-digestion, respectively, with a previous acclimatization period in all cases. It was not possible to carry out an efficient treatment of hygienized waste, even less so when OFMSW was added as co-substrate. These digesters presented volatile fatty acids (VFA), long chain fatty acids (LCFA) and fats accumulation, leading to instability and inhibition of the degradation process. The aim of applying a heat and pressure pre-treatment to promote splitting of complex lipids and nitrogen-rich waste into simpler and more biodegradable constituents and to enhance biogas production was not successful. These results indicate that the temperature and the high pressure of the pre-treatment applied favoured the formation of compounds that are refractory to anaerobic digestion. The pre-treated slaughterhouse wastes and the final products of these systems were analyzed by FTIR and TGA. These tools verified the existence of complex nitrogen-containing polymers in the final effluents, confirming the formation of refractory compounds during pre-treatment. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emission of volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) during aerobic decomposition of food wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Ting; Wang, Xinming; Li, Dejun; Yi, Zhigang

2010-12-01

Food wastes collected from typical urban residential communities were investigated for the emission of volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) during laboratory-controlled aerobic decomposition in an incubator for a period of 41 days. Emission of VOSCs from the food wastes totaled 409.9 mg kg -1 (dry weight), and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), dimethyl sulfide (DMS), methyl 2-propenyl disulfide, carbonyl sulfide and methyl 1-propenyl sulfide were the five most abundant VOSCs, with shares of 75.5%, 13.5%, 4.8%, 2.2% and 1.3% in total 15 VOSCs released, respectively. The emission fluxes of major VOSCs were very low at the beginning (day 0). They peaked at days 2-4 and then decreased sharply until they leveled off after 10 days of incubation. For most VOSCs, over 95% of their emission occurred in the first 10 days. The time series of VOSC emission fluxes, as well as their significant correlation with internal food waste temperature ( p < 0.05) during incubation, suggested that production of VOSC species was induced mainly by microbial activities during the aerobic decomposition instead of as inherited. Released VOSCs accounted for 5.3% of sulfur content in the food wastes, implying that during aerobic decomposition considerable portion of sulfur in food wastes would be released into the atmosphere as VOSCs, primarily as DMDS, which is very short-lived in the atmosphere and thus usually less considered in the sources and sinks of reduced sulfur gases.

WORKSHOP REPORT - CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEVELOPING LEACHING TEST METHODS FOR SEMI- AND NON-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

The report provides a summary of the information exchange at a workshop on the potential for release of semi- or non-volatile organic constituents at contaminated sites where sub-surface treatment has been used to control migration, and from waste that is disposed or re-used. The...

Tissue concentrations of organic contaminants in fish and their biological effects in a wastewater-dominated urban stream

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Data are presented on the fish tissue concentrations of persistent organic compounds and alkylphenol and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) in large-mouth bass collected from a waste water dominated stream in downtown Chicago. The fish residue concentrations of APEs are compared to concentrations of th...

Toxic Remediation System And Method

DOEpatents

Matthews, Stephen M.; Schonberg, Russell G.; Fadness, David R.

1996-07-23

What is disclosed is a novel toxic waste remediation system designed to provide on-site destruction of a wide variety of hazardous organic volatile hydrocarbons, including but not limited to halogenated and aromatic hydrocarbons in the vapor phase. This invention utilizes a detoxification plenum and radiation treatment which transforms hazardous organic compounds into non-hazardous substances.

Determination of biological removal of recalcitrant organic contaminants in coal gasification waste water.

PubMed

Ji, Qinhong; Tabassum, Salma; Yu, Guangxin; Chu, Chunfeng; Zhang, Zhenjia

2015-01-01

Coal gasification waste water treatment needed a sustainable and affordable plan to eliminate the organic contaminants in order to lower the potential environmental and human health risk. In this paper, a laboratory-scale anaerobic-aerobic intermittent system carried out 66 operational cycles together for the treatment of coal gasification waste water and the removal capacity of each organic pollutant. Contaminants included phenols, carboxylic acids, long-chain hydrocarbons, and heterocyclic compounds, wherein the relative content of phenol is up to 57.86%. The long-term removal of 77 organic contaminants was evaluated at different hydraulic retention time (anaerobic24 h + aerobic48 h and anaerobic48 h +aerobic48 h). Contaminant removal ranged from no measurable removal to near-complete removal with effluent concentrations below the detection limit. Contaminant removals followed one of four trends: steady-state removal throughout, increasing removal to steady state (acclimation), decreasing removal, and no removal. Organic degradation and transformation in the reaction were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry technology.

COMBUSTION AREA SOURCES: DATA SOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

The report identifies, documents, and evaluates data sources for stationary area source emissions, including solid waste and agricultural burning. Area source emissions of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, reactive volatile organic compounds, and carbon mon...

Anaerobic Treatment of Municipal Solid Waste and Sludge for Energy Production and Recycling of Nutrients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leinonen, S.

This volume contains 18 papers presented at a Nordic workshop dealing with application of anaerobic decomposition processes on various types of organic wastes, held at the Siikasalmi Research and Experimental Station of the University of Joensuu on 1-2 Oct. 1992. Subject coverage of the presentations extends from the biochemical and microbiological principles of organic waste processing to descriptions and practical experiences of various types of treatment plants. The theoretical and experimental papers include studies on anaerobic and thermophilic degradation processes, methanogenesis, effects of hydrogen, treatment of chlorinated and phenolic compounds, and process modeling, while the practical examples range from treatment of various types of municipal, industrial, and mining wastes to agricultural and fish farm effluents. The papers provide technical descriptions of several biogas plants in operation. Geographically, the presentations span the Nordic and Baltic countries.

Pollution characteristics of volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalate esters emitted from plastic wastes recycling granulation plants in Xingtan Town, South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, De-Yin; Zhou, Shun-Gui; Hong, Wei; Feng, Wei-Feng; Tao, Liang

2013-06-01

With the aim to investigate the main pollution characteristics of exhaust gases emitted from plastic waste recycling granulation plants, mainly volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalate esters (PAEs) were analyzed in Xingtan Town, the largest distribution center of plastic waste recycling in China. Both inside and outside the plants, the total concentrations of volatile monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs), PAHs and PAEs ranged from 2000 to 3000 μg m-3, 450 to 1200 ng m-3, and 200 to 1200 ng m-3, respectively. Their concentration levels inside the plants were higher than those outside the plants, and PAHs and PAEs were mainly distributed in the gas-phase. Notably, highly toxic benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) could be detected inside the plants, and harmful PAEs could be detected not only inside but also outside the plants, although PAEs are non-volatile. The exhaust gas composition and concentration were related to the plastic feedstock and granulation temperature.

Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions from Dairy Cows and Their Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, S.; Holzinger, R.; Mitloehner, F.; Goldstein, A.

2005-12-01

Biogenic VOCs are typically defined as those directly emitted from plants, but approximately 6% of global net primary production is consumed by cattle that carry out enteric fermentation and then emit VOCs that could also be considered biogenic. Current regulatory estimates suggest that dairy cattle in central California emit VOCs at rates comparable to those from passenger vehicles in the region, and thus contribute significantly to the extreme non-attainment of ozone standards there. We report PTR-MS measurements of ammonia and VOCs, and cavity-enhanced-absorption gas analyzer (Los Gatos Research, Inc.) measurements of CH4, emitted from dairy cattle in various stages of pregnancy/lactation and their waste. Experiments were conducted in chambers at UC Davis that simulate freestall cow housing conditions. CH4 fluxes ranged from 125-374 lb/cow/year. The compounds with the highest fluxes from '3 cows+waste' treatments were: ammonia (1-18), methanol (0-2.3), acetone+propanal (0.2-0.7), dimethylsulfide (0-0.4), and mass 109 (likely ID = p-cresol; 0-0.3) in lb/cow/year. Mass 60 (likely ID = trimethylamine) and acetic acid were also abundant. There were 10s of additional compounds with detectable, but small, emissions. A few compounds that were likely emitted (i.e. ethanol, formaldehyde, and dimethylamine) were not quantified by the PTR-MS. The total flux for all measured organic gases (TOG = CH4 + PTR-MS VOCs(including acetone+propanal)) averaged 246±45 lb/cow/year for '3 cows+waste' treatments, and was dominated by methane (>98%). TOG flux for 'waste only' treatments averaged 1.1±0.1 lb/cow/year, and was instead dominated by VOC (>84%). The PTR-MS VOCs as a percent of TOG (0.6±0.2%) emitted from '3 cows+waste' treatments in chamber conditions was a factor of 10 smaller than that currently estimated by the California Air Resources Board. In addition, the ozone forming potentials of the most abundant VOCs are only about 10% those of typical combustion or plant-derived VOCs, implying dairy cattle have a smaller effect on ozone formation than currently assumed by air districts in central California.

Environmental assessment of a wood-waste-fired industrial watertube boiler. Volume 1. Technical results. Final report, March 1981-March 1984

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Castaldini, C.; Waterland, L.R.

1987-03-01

The two-volume report gives results from field tests of a wood-waste-fired industrial watertube boiler. Two series of tests were performed: one firing dry (11% moisture) wood waste, and the other firing green (34% moisture) wood waste. Emission measurements included: continuous monitoring of flue-gas emissions; source-assessment sampling system (SASS) sampling of the flue gas with subsequent laboratory analysis of samples to give total flue-gas organics in two boiling-point ranges, compound category information within these ranges, specific quantitation of the semi-volatile organic priority pollutants, and flue-gas concentrations of 73 trace elements; Method 5 sampling for particulate; controlled condensation system sampling for SO/submore » 2/ and SO/sub 3/; and grab sampling of boiler mechanical collector hopper ash for inorganic composition determinations. Total organic emissions decreased from 60-135 mg/dscm firing dry wood to 2-65 mg/dscm firing green wood, in parallel with corresponding boiler CO emissions.« less

Marine Organisms with Anti-Diabetes Properties

PubMed Central

Lauritano, Chiara; Ianora, Adrianna

2016-01-01

Diabetes is a chronic degenerative metabolic disease with high morbidity and mortality rates caused by its complications. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in looking for new bioactive compounds to treat this disease, including metabolites of marine origin. Several aquatic organisms have been screened to evaluate their possible anti-diabetes activities, such as bacteria, microalgae, macroalgae, seagrasses, sponges, corals, sea anemones, fish, salmon skin, a shark fusion protein as well as fish and shellfish wastes. Both in vitro and in vivo screenings have been used to test anti-hyperglycemic and anti-diabetic activities of marine organisms. This review summarizes recent discoveries in anti-diabetes properties of several marine organisms as well as marine wastes, existing patents and possible future research directions in this field. PMID:27916864

Rapid estimation of organic nitrogen in oil shale waste waters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, B.M.; Daughton, C.G.; Harris, G.J.

1984-04-01

Many of the characteristics of oil shale process waste waters (e.g., malodors, color, and resistance to biotreatment) are imparted by numerous nitrogenous heterocycles and aromatic amines. For the frequent performance assessment of waste treatment processes designed to remove these nitrogenous organic compounds, a rapid and colligative measurement of organic nitrogen is essential. Quantification of organic nitrogen in biological and agricultural samples is usually accomplished using the time-consuming, wet-chemical Kjeldahl method. For oil shale waste waters, whose primary inorganic nitorgen constituent is amonia, organic Kjeldahl nitrogen (OKN) is determined by first eliminating the endogenous ammonia by distillation and then digesting themore » sample in boiling H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/. The organic material is oxidized, and most forms of organically bound nitrogen are released as ammonium ion. After the addition of base, the ammonia is separated from the digestate by distillation and quantified by acidimetric titrimetry or colorimetry. The major failings of this method are the loss of volatile species such as aliphatic amines (during predistillation) and the inability to completely recover nitrogen from many nitrogenous heterocycles (during digestion). Within the last decade, a new approach has been developed for the quantification of total nitrogen (TN). The sample is first combusted, a« less

Pharmaceuticals, hormones, anthropogenic waste indicators, and total estrogenicity in liquid and solid samples from municipal sludge stabilization and dewatering

USGS Publications Warehouse

Furlong, Edward T.; Gray, James L.; Quanrud, David M.; Teske, Sondra S.; Werner, Stephen L.; Esposito, Kathleen; Marine, Jeremy; Ela, Wendell P.; Zaugg, Steven D.; Phillips, Patrick J.; Stinson, Beverley

2012-01-01

The ubiquitous presence of pharmaceuticals and other emerging contaminants, or trace organic compounds, in surface water has resulted in research and monitoring efforts to identify contaminant sources to surface waters and to better understand loadings from these sources. Wastewater treatment plant discharges have been identified as an important point source of trace organic compounds to surface water and understanding the transport and transformation of these contaminants through wastewater treatment process is essential to controlling their introduction to receiving waters.

Prevalence of organic and inorganic contaminants within a rapidly developing catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Njumbe, E. S.; Curtis, C. D.; Cooke, D. A.; Polya, D. A.; Wogelius, R. A.; Hughes, C.

2003-04-01

Industrialization rates in many developing countries typically outpace investment in water supply, sewage treatment and other waste water facilities. This is futher compounded by the absence of stringent land-use and waste disposal policies. The consequence of this has been contamination of land, surface water, and groundwater in such areas. Efforts to control and remediate these types of systems will rely on a thorough understanding of contaminant levels and mobility. Reliable data, however, is usually not available. Therefore this study was designed to acquire baseline data from a representative developing urban area in tropical west Africa. 43 water and 20 sediment/soil samples from streams, hand-dug wells, springs and deep boreholes within the city and surrounding areas of Douala in Cameroon were characterised. Analyses were aimed at obtaining information on the type and quantity of organic and inorganic contaminants present, and linking them to specific point and non-point sources. Results from gas chromatography (GC/FID) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses of total organic extracts (TOE) of water samples have revealed the presence of a wide range of organic compounds including phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), phthalates, acids and aliphatic derivatives. Concentrations as high as 500 ng ml-1 were detected. These high levels of non-polar compounds measured in drinking water represent a clear health problem. Heavy metal concentrations in bulk alluvial sands and loamy soil have been determined by microwave assisted nitric acid digestion. Concentration ranges (in ppm of dry weight) for the important metals were: Cr, 3.2-84.2 ; Ni, 0.2-57.4 ; Zn, 2.1-92 ; Pb, 0.3-33 ; As, 0.081-9.4 ; Cu, 0.61-17.4 ; and Cd, 0-3.1. Point sources have been identified for several of the organic and inorganic compounds and this spatial information will be integrated with the chemical data to present an overview of environmental degradation within this system.

Organic compounds and trace elements in the Pocomoke River and its tributaries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Cherie V.; Foster, Gregory D.; Huff, Thomas B.; Garbarino, John R.

1999-01-01

In response to concern about recent blooms of the dinoflagellate, Pfiesteria piscicida, samples of sediment and water were collected from the lower Pocomoke River Basin and were screened for trace elements, pesticides, and other organic compounds. A large group of steroid and fatty acid methyl-ester compounds was detected in streamwater using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy in scan mode. Some of these steroid compounds have been identified and further quantified in bed-sediment extracts. Spatial patterns of the concentrations of cholesterol suggest that these compounds are linked to the runoff of animal wastes into the river. Many of the organic compounds found in the Pocomoke River sediments have not yet been identified, but at least several are in the class of hormone compounds related to estradiols and have the potential to promote endocrine-disrupting effects in aquatic life. Particulate forms of arsenic and zinc are slightly elevated above normal levels for streams, but the sources for these elements are still undetermined. Several pesticides were found in low, parts-per-trillion concentrations, but were within the ranges commonly found in streams of this region.

Thermal treatment of medical waste in a rotary kiln.

PubMed

Bujak, J

2015-10-01

This paper presents the results of a study of an experimental system with thermal treatment (incineration) of medical waste conducted at a large complex of hospital facilities. The studies were conducted for a period of one month. The processing system was analysed in terms of the energy, environmental and economic aspects. A rotary combustion chamber was designed and built with the strictly assumed length to inner diameter ratio of 4:1. In terms of energy, the temperature distribution was tested in the rotary kiln, secondary combustion (afterburner) chamber and heat recovery system. Calorific value of medical waste was 25.0 MJ/kg and the thermal efficiency of the entire system equalled 66.8%. Next, measurements of the pollutant emissions into the atmosphere were performed. Due to the nature of the disposed waste, particular attention was paid to the one-minute average values of carbon oxide and volatile organic compounds as well as hydrochloride, hydrogen fluoride, sulphur dioxide and total dust. Maximum content of non-oxidized organic compounds in slag and bottom ash were also verified during the analyses. The best rotary speed for the combustion chamber was selected to obtain proper afterburning of the bottom slag. Total organic carbon content was 2.9%. The test results were used to determine the basic economic indicators of the test system for evaluating the profitability of its construction. Simple payback time (SPB) for capital expenditures on the implementation of the project was 4 years. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In situ pilot test for bioremediation of energetic compound-contaminated soil at a former military demolition range site.

PubMed

Jugnia, Louis B; Manno, Dominic; Drouin, Karine; Hendry, Meghan

2018-05-04

Bioremediation was performed in situ at a former military range site to assess the performance of native bacteria in degrading hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT). The fate of these pollutants in soil and soil pore water was investigated as influenced by waste glycerol amendment to the soil. Following waste glycerol application, there was an accumulation of organic carbon that promoted microbial activity, converting organic carbon into acetate and propionate, which are intermediate compounds in anaerobic processes. This augmentation of anaerobic activity strongly correlated to a noticeable reduction in RDX concentrations in the amended soil. Changes in concentrations of RDX in pore water were similar to those observed in the soil suggesting that RDX leaching from the soil matrix, and treatment with waste glycerol, contributed to the enhanced removal of RDX from the water and soil. This was not the case with 2,4-DNT, which was neither found in pore water nor affected by the waste glycerol treatment. Results from saturated conditions and Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure testing, to investigate the environmental fate of 2,4-DNT, indicated that 2,4-DNT found on site was relatively inert and was likely to remain in its current state on the site.

A comparison of large-scale electron beam and bench-scale 60Co irradiations of simulated aqueous waste streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurucz, Charles N.; Waite, Thomas D.; Otaño, Suzana E.; Cooper, William J.; Nickelsen, Michael G.

2002-11-01

The effectiveness of using high energy electron beam irradiation for the removal of toxic organic chemicals from water and wastewater has been demonstrated by commercial-scale experiments conducted at the Electron Beam Research Facility (EBRF) located in Miami, Florida and elsewhere. The EBRF treats various waste and water streams up to 450 l min -1 (120 gal min -1) with doses up to 8 kilogray (kGy). Many experiments have been conducted by injecting toxic organic compounds into various plant feed streams and measuring the concentrations of compound(s) before and after exposure to the electron beam at various doses. Extensive experimentation has also been performed by dissolving selected chemicals in 22,700 l (6000 gal) tank trucks of potable water to simulate contaminated groundwater, and pumping the resulting solutions through the electron beam. These large-scale experiments, although necessary to demonstrate the commercial viability of the process, require a great deal of time and effort. This paper compares the results of large-scale electron beam irradiations to those obtained from bench-scale irradiations using gamma rays generated by a 60Co source. Dose constants from exponential contaminant removal models are found to depend on the source of radiation and initial contaminant concentration. Possible reasons for observed differences such as a dose rate effect are discussed. Models for estimating electron beam dose constants from bench-scale gamma experiments are presented. Data used to compare the removal of organic compounds using gamma irradiation and electron beam irradiation are taken from the literature and a series of experiments designed to examine the effects of pH, the presence of turbidity, and initial concentration on the removal of various organic compounds (benzene, toluene, phenol, PCE, TCE and chloroform) from simulated groundwater.

Use of thermal analysis techniques (TG-DSC) for the characterization of diverse organic municipal waste streams to predict biological stability prior to land application

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fernandez, Jose M., E-mail: joseman@sas.upenn.edu; Plaza, Cesar; Polo, Alfredo

2012-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Thermal analysis was used to assess stability and composition of organic matter in three diverse municipal waste streams. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Results were compared with C mineralization during 90-day incubation, FTIR and {sup 13}C NMR. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Thermal analysis reflected the differences between the organic wastes before and after the incubation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The calculated energy density showed a strong correlation with cumulative respiration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Conventional and thermal methods provide complimentary means of characterizing organic wastes. - Abstract: The use of organic municipal wastes as soil amendments is an increasing practice that can divert significant amounts of waste from landfill, and providesmore » a potential source of nutrients and organic matter to ameliorate degraded soils. Due to the high heterogeneity of organic municipal waste streams, it is difficult to rapidly and cost-effectively establish their suitability as soil amendments using a single method. Thermal analysis has been proposed as an evolving technique to assess the stability and composition of the organic matter present in these wastes. In this study, three different organic municipal waste streams (i.e., a municipal waste compost (MC), a composted sewage sludge (CS) and a thermally dried sewage sludge (TS)) were characterized using conventional and thermal methods. The conventional methods used to test organic matter stability included laboratory incubation with measurement of respired C, and spectroscopic methods to characterize chemical composition. Carbon mineralization was measured during a 90-day incubation, and samples before and after incubation were analyzed by chemical (elemental analysis) and spectroscopic (infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance) methods. Results were compared with those obtained by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. Total amounts of CO{sub 2} respired indicated that the organic matter in the TS was the least stable, while that in the CS was the most stable. This was confirmed by changes detected with the spectroscopic methods in the composition of the organic wastes due to C mineralization. Differences were especially pronounced for TS, which showed a remarkable loss of aliphatic and proteinaceous compounds during the incubation process. TG, and especially DSC analysis, clearly reflected these differences between the three organic wastes before and after the incubation. Furthermore, the calculated energy density, which represents the energy available per unit of organic matter, showed a strong correlation with cumulative respiration. Results obtained support the hypothesis of a potential link between the thermal and biological stability of the studied organic materials, and consequently the ability of thermal analysis to characterize the maturity of municipal organic wastes and composts.« less

Organic compound emissions from a landfarm used for oil and gas solid waste disposal.

PubMed

Lyman, Seth N; Mansfield, Marc L

2018-07-01

Solid or sludgy hydrocarbon waste is a by-product of oil and gas exploration and production. One commonly used method of disposing of this waste is landfarming. Landfarming involves spreading hydrocarbon waste on soils, tilling it into the soil, and allowing it to biodegrade. We used a dynamic flux chamber to measure fluxes of methane, a suite of 54 nonmethane hydrocarbons, and light alcohols from an active and a remediated landfarm in eastern Utah. Fluxes from the remediated landfarm were not different from a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet or from undisturbed soils in the region. Fluxes of methane, total nonmethane hydrocarbons, and alcohols from the landfarm in active use were 1.41 (0.37, 4.19) (mean and 95% confidence limits), 197.90 (114.72, 370.46), and 4.17 (0.03, 15.89) mg m -2  hr -1 , respectively. Hydrocarbon fluxes were dominated by alkanes, especially those with six or more carbons. A 2-ha landfarm with fluxes of the magnitude we observed in this study would emit 95.3 (54.3, 179.7) kg day -1 of total hydrocarbons, including 11.2 (4.3, 33.9) kg day -1 of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes). Solid and sludgy hydrocarbon waste from the oil and gas industry is often disposed of by landfarming, in which wastes are tilled into soil and allowed to decompose. We show that a land farm in Utah emitted a variety of organic compounds into the atmosphere, including hazardous air pollutants and compounds that form ozone. We calculate that a 2-ha landfarm facility would emit 95.0 ± 66.0 kg day -1 of total hydrocarbons, including 11.1 ± 1.5 kg day -1 of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes).

Characteristic analysis for odor gas emitted from food waste anaerobic fermentation in the pretreatment workshop.

PubMed

Di, Yanqiang; Liu, Jiemin; Liu, Jianguo; Liui, Siyuan; Yan, Luchun

2013-10-01

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, olfactometry, and other related methods were applied for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the characteristics of odorous gases in the pretreatment workshop. The composition of odorous gases emitted from municipal food waste was also investigated in this study. The results showed that the tested gases are mainly composed of aromatic gases, which account for 49% of the total volatile organic compounds (VOC) concentrations. The nitrogenous compounds comprise 15% of the total concentration and the other gases comprise the remaining 36%. The level of odor concentration ranged from 2523 odor units (OU) m(-3) to 3577 OU m(-3). The variation of the total chemical composition ranged from 19,725 microg m(-3) to 24,184 microg m(-3). Among the selected four sampling points, the discharge outlet was detected to have the highest concentration in terms of odor, total chemical, sulfur compounds, and aromatics. The correlation analysis showed that the odor concentrations were evidently related to the total chemical composition, sulfur compounds, and aromatics (P < 0.05, n = 5). The odor activity value analysis identified the top three compounds, hydrogen sulfide (91.8), ethyl sulfide (35.8), and trimethylamine (70.6), which contribute to air pollution complaint of waste materials.

Qualitative Organic Analysis: An Efficient, Safer, and Economical Approach to Preliminary Tests and Functional Group Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dhingra, Sunita; Angrish, Chetna

2011-01-01

Qualitative organic analysis of an unknown compound is an integral part of the university chemistry laboratory curriculum. This type of training is essential as students learn to approach a problem systematically and to interpret the results logically. However, considerable quantities of waste are generated by using conventional methods of…

Effect of fermentation time of mixture of solid and liquid wastes from tapioca industry to percentage reduction of TSS (Total Suspended Solids)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandia, S.; Tanata, S.; Rachel, M.; Octiva, C.; Sialagan, N.

2018-02-01

The waste from tapioca industry is as an organic waste that contains many important compounds such as carbohydrate, protein, and glucose. This research as aimed to know the effect of fermentation time from solid waste combined with waste-water from the tapioca industry to percentage reduction of TSS. The study was started by mixing the solid and liquid wastes from tapioca industry at a ratio of 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, and 30:70 (w/w) with a starter from solid waste of cattle in a batch anaerobic digester. The percentage reduction of TSS was 72.2289 at a ratio by weight of the composition of solid and liquid wastes from tapioca industry was 70:30 after 30 days of fermentation time.

Organics Characterization Of DWPF Alternative Reductant Simulants, Glycolic Acid, And Antifoam 747

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, T. L.; Wiedenman, B. J.; Lambert, D. P.

The present study examines the fate of glycolic acid and other organics added in the Chemical Processing Cell (CPC) of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) as part of the glycolic alternate flowsheet. Adoption of this flowsheet is expected to provide certain benefits in terms of a reduction in the processing time, a decrease in hydrogen generation, simplification of chemical storage and handling issues, and an improvement in the processing characteristics of the waste stream including an increase in the amount of nitrate allowed in the CPC process. Understanding the fate of organics in this flowsheet is imperative because tankmore » farm waste processed in the CPC is eventually immobilized by vitrification; thus, the type and amount of organics present in the melter feed may affect optimal melt processing and the quality of the final glass product as well as alter flammability calculations on the DWPF melter off gas. To evaluate the fate of the organic compounds added as the part of the glycolic flowsheet, mainly glycolic acid and antifoam 747, samples of simulated waste that was processed using the DWPF CPC protocol for tank farm sludge feed were generated and analyzed for organic compounds using a variety of analytical techniques at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). These techniques included Ion Chromatography (IC), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy. A set of samples were also sent to the Catholic University of America Vitreous State Laboratory (VSL) for analysis by NMR Spectroscopy at the University of Maryland, College Park. Analytical methods developed and executed at SRNL collectively showed that glycolic acid was the most prevalent organic compound in the supernatants of Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) products examined. Furthermore, the studies suggested that commercially available glycolic acid contained minor amounts of impurities such as formic and diglycolic acid that were then carried over in the SME products. Oxalic acid present in the simulated tank farm waste was also detected. Finally, numerous other compounds, at low concentrations, were observed present in etheric extracts of aqueous supernate solutions of the SME samples and are thought to be breakdown products of antifoam 747. The data collectively suggest that although addition of glycolic acid and antifoam 747 will introduce a number of impurities and breakdown products into the melter feed, the concentrations of these organics is expected to remain low and may not significantly impact REDOX or off-gas flammability predictions. In the SME products examined presently, which contained variant amounts of glycolic acid and antifoam 747, no unexpected organic degradation product was found at concentrations above 500 mg/kg, a reasonable threshold concentration for an organic compound to be taken into account in the REDOX modeling. This statement does not include oxalic or formic acid that were sometimes observed above 500 mg/kg and acetic acid that has an analytical detection limit of 1250 mg/kg due to high glycolate concentration in the SME products tested. Once a finalized REDOX equation has been developed and implemented, REDOX properties of known organic species will be determined and their impact assessed. Although no immediate concerns arose during the study in terms of a negative impact of organics present in SME products of the glycolic flowsheet, evidence of antifoam degradation suggest that an alternative antifoam to antifoam 747 is worth considering. The determination and implementation of an antifoam that is more hydrolysis resistant would have benefits such as increasing its effectiveness over time and reducing the generation of degradation products.« less

Alkyl halide-free heteroatom alkylation and epoxidation facilitated by a recyclable polymer-supported oxidant for the in-flow preparation of diazo compounds.

PubMed

Nicolle, Simon M; Hayes, Christopher J; Moody, Christopher J

2015-03-16

Highly reactive metal carbenes, generated from simple ketones via diazo compounds, including diazo-amides and -phosphonates, using a recyclable reagent in-flow, are transient but versatile electrophiles for heteroatom alkylation reactions and for epoxide formation. The method produces no organic waste, with the only by-products being water, KI and nitrogen, without the attendant hazards of isolation of intermediate diazo compounds. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Purification of liquid products of cotton wipes biotransformation with the aid of Trichoderma viridae in orbital flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viacheslav, Ilyin; Korshunov, Denis

Recovery of various organic wastes in space flight is an actual problem of modern astronautics and future interplanetary missions. Currently, organic waste are incinerated in the dense layers of the Earth's atmosphere in cargo containers. However, this method of anthropogenic waste treatment is not environmentally compatible with future interplanetary missions, and is not suitable due to planetary quarantine requirements. Furthermore, the maintaining of a closed ecosystem in spaceship is considered as one of the main ways of ensuring the food and air crew in the long term fully autonomous space expedition. Such isolated ecosystem is not conceivable without biotransformation of organic waste. In this regard, currently new ways of recycling organic waste are currently developed. The most promising method is a method for processing organic waste using thermophilic anaerobic microbial communities.However, the products of anaerobic fermentation of solid organic materials contain significant amounts of organic impurities, which often give them sour pH. This presents a significant problem because it does not allow to use this fluid as process water without pretreatment. Fermentation products - alcohols, volatile fatty acids other carbonaceous substances must be withdrawn.One way to solve this problem may be the use of microorganisms biodestructors for recycling organic impurities in the products of anaerobic biodegradation Under the proposed approach, the metabolic products (having acidic pH) of primary biotransformation of solid organic materials are used as media for the cultivation of fungi. Thus, cellulosic wastes are recycled in two successive stages. The aim of this work was to test the effectiveness of post-treatment liquid products of biodegradation of hygienic cotton wipes (common type of waste on the ISS) by the fungus Trichoderma viridae under orbital flight. The study was conducted onboard biosatellite Bion -M1, where was placed a bioreactor, designed to carry out the fermentation in space flight. For aerobic post-treatment of substrates remaining after biodegradation of cotton wipe there was selected a strain of the fungus Trihoderma viridae, able to grow at a slightly acid environment , and to bring the pH to neutral values. Bioreactor working volume of 40 ml, where 20 ml of liquid subjected to post-treatment was placed. Strain Trihoderma viridae, isolated from ISS environment, showed steady growth in terms identical to those of pre- cultivation. Efficiency of purification was assessed using the method of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry comparing the amount and concentration of the volatile organic compounds in the samples. It turned out that the number of compounds detected in the flight sample almost halved compared to the original sample obtained after biodegradation gauze anaerobic bacteria. The total concentration of volatile impurities dropped 6 times. Thus, despite the limited resource of oxygen, due to lack of aeration in the bioreactor strain Trihoderma viridae demonstrated the ability to perform aerobic purification of substrate obtained after anaerobic biodegradation of cotton wipes under orbital flight.

Hospitals and plastics. Dioxin prevention and medical waste incinerators.

PubMed

Thornton, J; McCally, M; Orris, P; Weinberg, J

1996-01-01

CHLORINATED DIOXINS and related compounds are extremely potent toxic substances, producing effects in humans and animals at extremely low doses. Because these compounds are persistent in the environment and accumulate in the food chain, they are now distributed globally, and every member of the human population is exposed to them, primarily through the food supply and mothers' milk. An emerging body of information suggests that dioxin contamination has reached a level that may pose a large-scale, long-term public health risk. Of particular concern are dioxin's effects on reproduction, development, immune system function, and carcinogenesis. Medical waste incineration is a major source of dioxins. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, as the dominant source of organically bound chlorine in the medical waste stream, is the primary cause of "iatrogenic" dioxin produced by the incineration of medical wastes. Health professionals have a responsibility to work to reduce dioxin exposure from medical sources. Health care institutions should implement policies to reduce the use of PVC plastics, thus achieving major reductions in medically related dioxin formation.

ROLE OF SULFUR IN REDUCING PCDD AND PCDF FORMATION

EPA Science Inventory

Past research has suggested that the presence of sulfur (S) in municipal waste combustors (MWCs) can decrease downstream formation of chlorinated organic compounds, particularly polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). Thus, co-firing a...

Co-composting as an oxygen stabilization of an organic fraction of municipal solid waste and industrial sewage sludge.

PubMed

Milczarek, M; Neczaj, E; Parkitna, K

2013-01-01

The purpose of this work is to study the characteristics of the co-composting of municipal solid waste (MSW), sewage sludge, grass and sawdust. Differing proportions of biodegradable waste were investigated through changes of temperature, oxygen consumption, organic matters, moisture content, carbon, nitrogen, C/N ratio as well as heavy metals and pathogen microorganisms content. The present study has shown that addition of MSW above 10% had a negative impact on the composting process. The initial C/N of the mixtures with a higher MSW content was below 18. Lower losses of organic matter occurred during composting for the mixture with the highest addition of MSW. Although studies have shown that composting is a good method for the disposal of organic waste additional research is required in order to optimize the organic and nitrogen compounds degradation during the co-composting process. In conclusion, a 1:4:4:1 mixture of MSW:sewage sludge:grass:sawdust is recommended because it can achieve high temperature as well as the highest organic matter degradation and highest N content in the final composting product. The concentration of heavy and light metals in all composts was within the limits of regulation of the Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Organic Wastewater Compounds, Pharmaceuticals, andColiphage in Ground Water Receiving Discharge from OnsiteWastewater Treatment Systems near La Pine, Oregon:Occurrence and Implications for Transport

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinkle, Stephen J.; Weick, Rodney J.; Johnson, Jill M.; Cahill, Jeffery D.; Smith, Steven G.; Rich, Barbara J.

2005-01-01

The occurrence of organic wastewater compounds (components of 'personal care products' and other common household chemicals), pharmaceuticals (human prescription and nonprescription medical drugs), and coliphage (viruses that infect coliform bacteria, and found in high concentrations in municipal wastewater) in onsite wastewater (septic tank effluent) and in a shallow, unconfined, sandy aquifer that serves as the primary source of drinking water for most residents near La Pine, Oregon, was documented. Samples from two types of observation networks provided basic occurrence data for onsite wastewater and downgradient ground water. One observation network was a group of 28 traditional and innovative (advanced treatment) onsite wastewater treatment systems and associated downgradient drainfield monitoring wells, referred to as the 'innovative systems network'. The drainfield monitoring wells were located adjacent to or under onsite wastewater treatment system drainfield lines. Another observation network, termed the 'transect network', consisted of 31 wells distributed among three transects of temporary, stainless-steel-screened, direct-push monitoring wells installed along three plumes of onsite wastewater. The transect network, by virtue of its design, also provided a basis for increased understanding of the transport of analytes in natural systems. Coliphage were frequently detected in onsite wastewater. Coliphage concentrations in onsite wastewater were highly variable, ranging from less than 1 to 3,000,000 plaque forming units per 100 milliliters. Coliphage were occasionally detected (eight occurrences) at low concentrations in samples from wells located downgradient from onsite wastewater treatment system drainfield lines. However, coliphage concentrations were below method detection limits in replicate or repeat samples collected from the eight sites. The consistent absence of coliphage detections in the replicate or repeat samples is interpreted to indicate that the detections reported for ground-water samples represented low-level field or laboratory contamination, and it would appear that coliphage were effectively attenuated to less than 1 PFU/100 mL over distances of several feet of transport in the La Pine aquifer and (or) overlying unsaturated zone. Organic wastewater compounds were frequently detected in onsite wastewater. Of the 63 organic wastewater compounds in the analytical schedule, 45 were detected in the 21 samples of onsite wastewater. Concentrations of organic wastewater compounds reached a maximum of 1,300 ug/L (p-cresol). Caffeine was detected at concentrations as high as 320 ug/L. Fourteen of the 45 compounds were detected in more than 90 percent of onsite wastewater samples. Fewer (nine) organic wastewater compounds were detected in ground water, despite the presence of nitrate and chloride likely from onsite wastewater sources. The nine organic wastewater compounds that were detected in ground-water samples were acetyl-hexamethyl-tetrahydro-naphthalene (AHTN), caffeine, cholesterol, hexahydrohexamethyl-cyclopentabenzopyran, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), tetrachloroethene, tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate, tris (dichloroisopropyl) phosphate, and tributyl phosphate. Frequent detection of household-chemical type organic wastewater compounds in onsite wastewater provides evidence that some of these organic wastewater compounds may be useful indicators of human waste effluent dispersal in some hydrologic environments. The occurrence of organic wastewater compounds in ground water downgradient from onsite wastewater treatment systems demonstrates that a subgroup of organic wastewater compounds is transported in the La Pine aquifer. The consistently low concentrations (generally less than 1 ug/L) of organic wastewater compounds in water samples collected from wells located no more than 19 feet from drainfield lines indicates that the reactivity (sorption, degradation) of this suite of organic waste

A Study of Rapid Biodegradation of Oily Wastes through Composting.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-10-01

effective method for large-scale composting of organic wastes. This research project was based on the principles of the forced aeration technique. The...carbon results in heat loss and subsequent reduction in effectiveness of pathogen destruction. It is therefore desirable to maintain the C/N ratio at a...investigated the effect of composting on the degradation of hydrocarbons in sewage sludge. Sludge extracts were fractionated into classes of compounds and a

Procedures for making gaseous industrial waste safe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matros, Yu Sh; Noskov, Aleksandr S.

1990-10-01

The application of various methods (adsorption, absorption, thermal afterburning, catalytic purification, and others) for the removal of sulphur and nitrogen oxides, toxic organic compounds, hydrogen sulphide, and carbon monoxide from industrial waste gases is described. Much attention is devoted to the catalytic procedure for making the gases safe using an energy collecting non-stationary method (reversible process). The advantages and limitations of various gas purification methods are considered. The bibliography includes 279 references.

Thermal destruction of organic waste hydrophobicity for agricultural soils application.

PubMed

Comino, Francisco; Aranda, Víctor; Domínguez-Vidal, Ana; Ayora-Cañada, María José

2017-11-01

Use of organic amendments is a good strategy for combating the growing problem of soil degradation due to deterioration of organic matter content, particularly severe in semi-arid European Mediterranean regions, while at the same time providing an opportunity for recycling organic wastes. Olive mill pomace (OMP), the main by-product of the olive oil industry, is being used increasingly in olive grove soils for this purpose. Although the positive effects of OMP amendments have been widely studied, they also have some negative effects on soil. One of the most critical is that they increase water repellency (WR) due to the presence of poorly evolved, strongly aliphatic compounds. This detrimental effect has received very little attention, although it may impair plant water availability and infiltration rates, increase erosion and lower long-term soil quality. This study proposed, for the first time, thermal treatment as an effective way of reducing WR in organic amendments (i.e. mixtures of OMP, olive tree pruning, chicken manure and spent coffee grounds) prior to their application to soil. Thermal treatment at 275 °C proved effective in removing WR, while lower temperatures (175 or 225 °C) can even increase it. Changes by thermal treatment in the characteristics of the organic amendments studied with FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis showed that it strongly reduced the aliphatic compounds mainly responsible for their hydrophobicity, concentrated aromatic compounds and increased thermostability. Heating also reduced phytotoxicity, making all of the organic amendments usable in the field (germination index over 100%). Therefore, heating at 275 °C could be an acceptable option for removing WR from organic amendments, enhancing their quality with more stable evolved characteristics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 428: Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 1 and 5, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, REVISION 0, march 1999

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DOE /NV

1999-03-26

The Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 428, Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 1 and 5, has been developed in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order that was agreed to by the U. S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office; the State of Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; and the U. S. Department of Defense. Corrective Action Unit 428 consists of Corrective Action Sites 03- 05- 002- SW01 and 03- 05- 002- SW05, respectively known as Area 3 Septic Waste System 1 and Septic Waste System 5. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan is used inmore » combination with the Work Plan for Leachfield Corrective Action Units: Nevada Test Site and Tonopah Test Range, Nevada , Rev. 1 (DOE/ NV, 1998c). The Leachfield Work Plan was developed to streamline investigations at leachfield Corrective Action Units by incorporating management, technical, quality assurance, health and safety, public involvement, field sampling, and waste management information common to a set of Corrective Action Units with similar site histories and characteristics into a single document that can be referenced. This Corrective Action Investigation Plan provides investigative details specific to Corrective Action Unit 428. A system of leachfields and associated collection systems was used for wastewater disposal at Area 3 of the Tonopah Test Range until a consolidated sewer system was installed in 1990 to replace the discrete septic waste systems. Operations within various buildings at Area 3 generated sanitary and industrial wastewaters potentially contaminated with contaminants of potential concern and disposed of in septic tanks and leachfields. Corrective Action Unit 428 is composed of two leachfield systems in the northern portion of Area 3. Based on site history collected to support the Data Quality Objectives process, contaminants of potential concern for the site include oil/ diesel range total petroleum hydrocarbons, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act characteristic volatile organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, and metals. A limited number of samples will be analyzed for gamma- emitting radionuclides and isotopic uranium from four of the septic tanks and if radiological field screening levels are exceeded. Additional samples will be analyzed for geotechnical and hydrological properties and a bioassessment may be performed. The technical approach for investigating this Corrective Action Unit consists of the following activities: (1) Perform video surveys of the discharge and outfall lines. (2) Collect samples of material in the septic tanks. (3) Conduct exploratory trenching to locate and inspect subsurface components. (4) Collect subsurface soil samples in areas of the collection system including the septic tanks and outfall end of distribution boxes. (5) Collect subsurface soil samples underlying the leachfield distribution pipes via trenching. (6) Collect surface and near- surface samples near potential locations of the Acid Sewer Outfall if Septic Waste System 5 Leachfield cannot be located. (7) Field screen samples for volatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and radiological activity. (8) Drill boreholes and collect subsurface soil samples if required. (9) Analyze samples for total volatile organic compounds, total semivolatile organic compounds, total Resource Conservation and Recovery Act metals, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (oil/ diesel range organics). Limited number of samples will be analyzed for gamma- emitting radionuclides and isotopic uranium from particular septic tanks and if radiological field screening levels are exceeded. (10) Collect samples from native soils beneath the distribution system and analyze for geotechnical/ hydrologic parameters. (11) Collect and analyze bioassessment samples at the discretion of the Site Supervisor if total petroleum hydrocarbons exceed field- screening levels.« less

Process for recovering actinide values

DOEpatents

Horwitz, E. Philip; Mason, George W.

1980-01-01

A process for rendering actinide values recoverable from sodium carbonate scrub waste solutions containing these and other values along with organic compounds resulting from the radiolytic and hydrolytic degradation of neutral organophosphorous extractants such as tri-n butyl phosphate (TBP) and dihexyl-N,N-diethyl carbamylmethylene phosphonate (DHDECAMP) which have been used in the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear reactor fuels. The scrub waste solution is preferably made acidic with mineral acid, to form a feed solution which is then contacted with a water-immiscible, highly polar organic extractant which selectively extracts the degradation products from the feed solution. The feed solution can then be processed to recover the actinides for storage or recycled back into the high-level waste process stream. The extractant is recycled after stripping the degradation products with a neutral sodium carbonate solution.

Organic waste as a sustainable feedstock for platform chemicals.

PubMed

Coma, M; Martinez-Hernandez, E; Abeln, F; Raikova, S; Donnelly, J; Arnot, T C; Allen, M J; Hong, D D; Chuck, C J

2017-09-21

Biorefineries have been established since the 1980s for biofuel production, and there has been a switch lately from first to second generation feedstocks in order to avoid the food versus fuel dilemma. To a lesser extent, many opportunities have been investigated for producing chemicals from biomass using by-products of the present biorefineries, simple waste streams. Current facilities apply intensive pre-treatments to deal with single substrate types such as carbohydrates. However, most organic streams such as municipal solid waste or algal blooms present a high complexity and variable mixture of molecules, which makes specific compound production and separation difficult. Here we focus on flexible anaerobic fermentation and hydrothermal processes that can treat complex biomass as a whole to obtain a range of products within an integrated biorefinery concept.

Organic waste as a sustainable feedstock for platform chemicals

PubMed Central

Martinez-Hernandez, E.; Abeln, F.; Raikova, S.; Donnelly, J.; Arnot, T. C.; Allen, M. J.; Hong, D. D.; Chuck, C. J.

2017-01-01

Biorefineries have been established since the 1980s for biofuel production, and there has been a switch lately from first to second generation feedstocks in order to avoid the food versus fuel dilemma. To a lesser extent, many opportunities have been investigated for producing chemicals from biomass using by-products of the present biorefineries, simple waste streams. Current facilities apply intensive pre-treatments to deal with single substrate types such as carbohydrates. However, most organic streams such as municipal solid waste or algal blooms present a high complexity and variable mixture of molecules, which makes specific compound production and separation difficult. Here we focus on flexible anaerobic fermentation and hydrothermal processes that can treat complex biomass as a whole to obtain a range of products within an integrated biorefinery concept. PMID:28654113

Production and degradation of polyhydroxyalkanoates in waste environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, S.Y.; Choi, J.

1999-06-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are energy/carbon storage materials accumulated under unfavorable growth condition in the presence of excess carbon source. PHAs are attracting much attention as substitute for non-degradable petrochemically derived plastics because of their similar material properties to conventional plastics and complete biodegradability under natural environment upon disposal. In this paper, PHA production and degradation in waste environment as well as its role in biological phosphorus removal are reviewed. In biological phosphorus removal process, bacteria accumulating polyphosphate (poly P) uptake carbon substrates and accumulate these as PHA by utilizing energy from breaking down poly P under anaerobic conditions. In the followingmore » aerobic condition, accumulated PHA is utilized for energy generation and for the regeneration of poly P. PHA production from waste has been investigated in order to utilize abundant organic compounds in waste water. Since PHA content and PHA productivity that can be obtained are rather low, PHA production from waste product should be considered as a coupled process for reducing the amount of organic waste. PHAs can be rapidly degraded to completion in municipal anaerobic sludge by various microorganisms.« less

UNITEC SENS-IT

EPA Science Inventory

The UniTec Sens-It is a small gas-sensing device that can measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This sensor is used to measure VOCs in applications such as urban air quality, roadside pollution, and (solid waste) landfill monitoring. This operating procedure explains what yo...

40 CFR 62.10627 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.10627 Section 62.10627 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste...

40 CFR 62.3651 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.3651 Section 62.3651 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS..., Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors...

40 CFR 62.5111 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.5111 Section 62.5111 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS..., Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors...

40 CFR 62.10150 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.10150 Section 62.10150 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste...

40 CFR 62.9150 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.9150 Section 62.9150 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS..., Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors...

40 CFR 62.9641 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.9641 Section 62.9641 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste...

40 CFR 62.2355 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.2355 Section 62.2355 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS..., Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors...

40 CFR 62.2606 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.2606 Section 62.2606 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS..., Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors...

40 CFR 62.4975 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.4975 Section 62.4975 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS..., Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors...

40 CFR 62.104 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.104 Section 62.104 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS..., Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors...

40 CFR 62.9505 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.9505 Section 62.9505 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS..., Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors...

40 CFR 62.11870 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.11870 Section 62.11870 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste...

40 CFR 62.5425 - Identification of sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of sources. 62.5425 Section 62.5425 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste...

40 CFR 62.9140 - Identification of source.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of source. 62.9140 Section 62.9140 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS...] Metals, Acid Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste...

40 CFR 62.9642 - Effective dates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Effective dates. 62.9642 Section 62.9642 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors with A...

Hazardous Waste Cleanup: IBM Corporation in Endicott, New York

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Village of Endicott (population 13,500) is situated within the Susquehanna River valley in upstate New York. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were used as solvents in manufacturing operations at the 140-acre industrial facility located in Endicott and

IN-PLACE REGENERATION OF SVE LOADED GAC USING FENTON'S REAGENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Ten out of the 25 most frequently detected groundwater contaminants at hazardous waste sites are chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) 1 . Trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) are among the top three 1 . Granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption is w...

IN-PLACE REGENERATION OF SVE LOADED GAC USING FENTON'S REAGENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Ten out of the 25 most frequently detected groundwater contaminants at hazardous waste sites are chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) 1. Trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) are among the top three 1. Granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption is widel...

MECHANISTIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PCDDS/FS, PCNS, PAHS, CLPHS, AND CLBZS IN MUNICIPAL WASTE INCINERATION

EPA Science Inventory

An extensive investigation was done to understand polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and furan (PCDD/F) formation mechanisms and their relationship with other organic compounds. PCDD/F, chlorophenols, chlorobenzenes, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated naphthalenes were ...

Extraction processes and solvents for recovery of cesium, strontium, rare earth elements, technetium and actinides from liquid radioactive waste

DOEpatents

Zaitsev, Boris N.; Esimantovskiy, Vyacheslav M.; Lazarev, Leonard N.; Dzekun, Evgeniy G.; Romanovskiy, Valeriy N.; Todd, Terry A.; Brewer, Ken N.; Herbst, Ronald S.; Law, Jack D.

2001-01-01

Cesium and strontium are extracted from aqueous acidic radioactive waste containing rare earth elements, technetium and actinides, by contacting the waste with a composition of a complex organoboron compound and polyethylene glycol in an organofluorine diluent mixture. In a preferred embodiment the complex organoboron compound is chlorinated cobalt dicarbollide, the polyethylene glycol has the formula RC.sub.6 H.sub.4 (OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n OH, and the organofluorine diluent is a mixture of bis-tetrafluoropropyl ether of diethylene glycol with at least one of bis-tetrafluoropropyl ether of ethylene glycol and bis-tetrafluoropropyl formal. The rare earths, technetium and the actinides (especially uranium, plutonium and americium), are extracted from the aqueous phase using a phosphine oxide in a hydrocarbon diluent, and reextracted from the resulting organic phase into an aqueous phase by using a suitable strip reagent.

Guideline series: Control of volatile organic compound emissions from wood furniture manufacturing operations, April 1996. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-04-01

This Control Techniques Guideline (CTG) provides the necessary guidance for development of regulations to limit emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from wood furniture finishing and cleaning operations. This guidance includes emission limits for specific wood furniture finishing steps and work practices to reduce waste and evaporation through pollution prevention methods; these represent available control technology for wood furniture finishing and cleaning operations. This document is intended to provide State and local air pollution authorities with an information base for proceeding with their own analyses of RACT to meet statutory requirements.

Guideline series: Control of volatile organic compound emissions from wood furniture manufacturing operations. Draft report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-08-01

This draft Control Techniques Guidelines (CTG) provides necessary guidance for development of regulations to limit emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC`s) from wood furniture finishing and cleaning operations. This guidance includes emission limits for specific wood furniture finishing steps and work pratices to reduce waste and evaporation through pollution prevention methods; these represent reasonably available control technology for wood furniture finishing and cleaning operations. This document is intended to provide State and local air pollution authorities with an information base for proceeding with their own analyses of RACT to meet statutory requirements.

Microbial community structure and function in sediments from e-waste contaminated rivers at Guiyu area of China.

PubMed

Liu, Jun; Chen, Xi; Shu, Hao-Yue; Lin, Xue-Rui; Zhou, Qi-Xing; Bramryd, Torleif; Shu, Wen-Sheng; Huang, Li-Nan

2018-04-01

The release of toxic organic pollutants and heavy metals by primitive electronic waste (e-waste) processing to waterways has raised significant concerns, but little is known about their potential ecological effects on aquatic biota especially microorganisms. We characterized the microbial community composition and diversity in sediments sampled along two rivers consistently polluted by e-waste, and explored how community functions may respond to the complex combined pollution. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that Proteobacteria (particularly Deltaproteobacteria) dominated the sediment microbial assemblages followed by Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi and Firmicutes. PICRUSt metagenome inference provided an initial insight into the metabolic potentials of these e-waste affected communities, speculating that organic pollutants degradation in the sediment might be mainly performed by some of the dominant genera (such as Sulfuricurvum, Thiobacillus and Burkholderia) detected in situ. Statistical analyses revealed that toxic organic compounds contributed more to the observed variations in sediment microbial community structure and predicted functions (24.68% and 8.89%, respectively) than heavy metals (12.18% and 4.68%), and Benzo(a)pyrene, bioavailable lead and electrical conductivity were the key contributors. These results have shed light on the microbial assemblages in e-waste contaminated river sediments, indicating a potential influence of e-waste pollution on the microbial community structure and function in aquatic ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding Mechanism of Photocatalytic Microbial Decontamination of Environmental Wastewater

PubMed Central

Regmi, Chhabilal; Joshi, Bhupendra; Ray, Schindra K.; Gyawali, Gobinda; Pandey, Ramesh P.

2018-01-01

Several photocatalytic nanoparticles are synthesized and studied for potential application for the degradation of organic and biological wastes. Although these materials degrade organic compounds by advance oxidation process, the exact mechanisms of microbial decontamination remains partially known. Understanding the real mechanisms of these materials for microbial cell death and growth inhibition helps to fabricate more efficient semiconductor photocatalyst for large-scale decontamination of environmental wastewater or industries and hospitals/biomedical labs generating highly pathogenic bacteria and toxic molecules containing liquid waste by designing a reactor. Recent studies on microbial decontamination by photocatalytic nanoparticles and their possible mechanisms of action is highlighted with examples in this mini review. PMID:29541632

Limitation of tritium outgassing from tritiated solid waste drums

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liger, K.; Trabuc, P.; Lefebvre, X.

2015-03-15

In the framework of the development of fusion thermonuclear reactors, tritiated solid waste is foreseen and will have to be managed. The management of tritiated waste implies limitations in terms of activity and tritium degassing. The degassing tritium can be under the form of tritiated hydrogen, tritiated water and, in some specific cases, negligible amount of tritiated volatile organic compound. Hence, considering the major forms of degassing tritium, CEA has developed a mixed-compound dedicated to tritium trapping in drums. Based on several experiments, the foreseen mixed compound is composed of MnO{sub 2}, Ag{sub 2}O, Pt and molecular sieve, the threemore » first species having the ability to convert tritiated hydrogen into tritiated water and the last one acting as a trap for tritiated water. To assess the performance of the trapping mixture, experimental tests were performed at room temperature on tritiated dust composed of beryllium and carbon. It was shown that the metallic oxides mixture used for tritiated hydrogen conversion is efficient and that tritiated water adsorption was limited due to an inefficient regeneration of the molecular sieve prior to its use. Apart from this point, the tritium release from waste was reduced by a factor of 5.5, which can be improved up to 87 if the adsorption step is efficient.« less

HIGH VOLTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS, INC.ELECTRON BEAM TECHNOLOGY - INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This report evaluates a high-voltage electron beam (E-beam) technology's ability to destroy volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other contaminants present in liquid wastes. Specifically, this report discusses performance and economic data from a Superfund Innovative Technology...

COMPOSITE SAMPLING FOR SOIL VOC ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

Data published by numerous researchers over the last decade demonstrate that there is a high degree of spatial variability in the measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in soil at contaminated waste sites. This phenomenon is confounded by the use of a small sample aliqu...

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER HANDBOOK: MANAGEMENT OF WATER TREATMENT PLANT RESIDUALS

EPA Science Inventory

Potable water treatment processes produce safe drinking water and generate a wide variety of waste products known as residuals, including organic and inorganic compounds in liquid, solid, and gaseous forms. In the current regulatory climate, a complete management program for a w...

40 CFR 62.9640 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of plan. 62.9640 Section 62.9640 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors with A...

40 CFR 62.3640 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of plan. 62.3640 Section 62.3640 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Hospital/medical Infectious Waste...

40 CFR 62.3340 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of plan. 62.3340 Section 62.3340 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Hospital / Medical Infectious Waste...

40 CFR 62.8103 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of plan. 62.8103 Section 62.8103 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors with the...

40 CFR 62.5110 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of plan. 62.5110 Section 62.5110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors with A...

40 CFR 62.3350 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 8 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Identification of plan. 62.3350 Section 62.3350 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions from Existing Municipal Waste Combustors with the...

Challenges and solutions for biofiltration of hydrophobic volatile organic compounds.

PubMed

Cheng, Yan; He, Huijun; Yang, Chunping; Zeng, Guangming; Li, Xiang; Chen, Hong; Yu, Guanlong

2016-11-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted to the environment highly probably result in ecological and health risks. Many biotechnologies for waste gases containing hydrophobic VOCs have been developed in recent years. However, these biological processes usually exhibit poor removal performances for hydrophobic VOCs due to the low bioavailability. This review presents an overview of enhanced removal of hydrophobic VOCs in biofilters. Mechanisms and problems relevant to the biological removal of hydrophobic VOCs are reviewed, and then solutions including the addition of surfactants, application of fungal biocatalysts, biofiltration with pretreatment, innovative bioreactors and utilization of hydrophilic compounds are discussed in detail. Future research needs are also proposed. This review provides new insights into hydrophobic VOC removal by biofiltration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance of metal compound on thermolysis and electrolysis on sugar industries waste water treatment: COD and color removal with sludge analysis (batch-experiment)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Omprakash

2017-10-01

The sugar cane industry is one of the most water demanding industries. Sugar industries consume and generate excess amount of water. The generated water contains organic compounds, which would cause pollution. The aim of this research work is to study the effectiveness of metal compound for treatment of sugar industry waste water by thermolysis and electrolysis process. The result shows ferrous metal catalyst shows 80 and 85 % chemical oxygen demand and color removal at pH 6, optimum mass loading 4 kg/m3, treatment temperature 85 °C and treatment time 9 h. When ferrous material was used as electrode, maximum 81 % chemical oxygen demand and 84 % color removal at pH 6, current density 156 Am-2, treatment time 120 min and anode consumption 0.7 g for 1.5 L wastewater were obtained.

Effects of organic wastes on water quality from processing of oil shale from the Green River Formation, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leenheer, J.A.; Noyes, T.I.

1986-01-01

A series of investigations were conducted during a 6-year research project to determine the nature and effects of organic wastes from processing of Green River Formation oil shale on water quality. Fifty percent of the organic compounds in two retort wastewaters were identified as various aromatic amines, mono- and dicarboxylic acids phenols, amides, alcohols, ketones, nitriles, and hydroxypyridines. Spent shales with carbonaceous coatings were found to have good sorbent properties for organic constituents of retort wastewaters. However, soils sampled adjacent to an in situ retort had only fair sorbent properties for organic constituents or retort wastewater, and application of retort wastewater caused disruption of soil structure characteristics and extracted soil organic matter constituents. Microbiological degradation of organic solutes in retort wastewaters was found to occur preferentially in hydrocarbons and fatty acid groups of compounds. Aromatic amines did not degrade and they inhibited bacterial growth where their concentrations were significant. Ammonia, aromatic amines, and thiocyanate persisted in groundwater contaminated by in situ oil shale retorting, but thiosulfate was quantitatively degraded one year after the burn. Thiocyanate was found to be the best conservative tracer for retort water discharged into groundwater. Natural organic solutes, isolated from groundwater in contact with Green River Formation oil shale and from the White River near Rangely, Colorado, were readily distinguished from organic constituents in retort wastewaters by molecular weight and chemical characteristic differences. (USGS)

Biodegradation of organic pollutants in saline wastewater by halophilic microorganisms: a review.

PubMed

Castillo-Carvajal, Laura C; Sanz-Martín, José Luis; Barragán-Huerta, Blanca E

2014-01-01

Agro-food, petroleum, textile, and leather industries generate saline wastewater with a high content of organic pollutants such as aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, nitroaromatics, and azo dyes. Halophilic microorganisms are of increasing interest in industrial waste treatment, due to their ability to degrade hazardous substances efficiently under high salt conditions. However, their full potential remains unexplored. The isolation and identification of halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms from geographically unrelated and geologically diverse hypersaline sites supports their application in bioremediation processes. Past investigations in this field have mainly focused on the elimination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols, whereas few studies have investigated N-aromatic compounds, such as nitro-substituted compounds, amines, and azo dyes, in saline wastewater. Information regarding the growth conditions and degradation mechanisms of halophilic microorganisms is also limited. In this review, we discuss recent research on the removal of organic pollutants such as organic matter, in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD), dyes, hydrocarbons, N-aliphatic and N-aromatic compounds, and phenols, in conditions of high salinity. In addition, some proposal pathways for the degradation of aromatic compounds are presented.

Collection and analysis of organic gases from natural ecosystems - Application to poultry manure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, M. S.; Francis, A. J.; Duxbury, J. M.

1977-01-01

Combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify volatile compounds generated from chicken manure and collected in Poropak QS-Carbosieve B traps. Various alcohols, ketones, esters, and carboxylic acids together with dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide were detected when the wastes were incubated in an argon atmosphere. Significant amounts of dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide but few other compounds were found when the manure was incubated in air

Impact of furan derivatives and phenolic compounds on hydrogen production from organic fraction of municipal solid waste using co-culture of Enterobacter aerogenes and E. coli.

PubMed

Sharma, Preeti; Melkania, Uma

2017-09-01

In the present study, the effect of furan derivatives (furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural) and phenolic compounds (vanillin and syringaldehyde) on hydrogen production from organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) was investigated using co-culture of facultative anaerobes Enterobacter aerogenes and E. coli. The inhibitors were applied in the concentration ranges of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 and 5g/L each. Inhibition coefficients of phenolic compounds were higher than those of furan derivatives and vanillin exhibited maximum inhibition coefficients correspondingly lowest hydrogen yield among all inhibitors. Furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural addition resulted in an average decrease of 26.99% and 37.16% in hydrogen yield respectively, while vanillin and syringaldehyde resulted in 49.40% and 42.26% average decrease in hydrogen yield respectively. Further analysis revealed that Furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural were completely degraded up to concentrations of 1g/L, while vanillin and syringaldehyde were degraded completely up to the concentration of 0.5g/L. Volatile fatty acid generation decreased with inhibitors addition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of five agro-industrial waste-based composts as growing media for lettuce: Effect on yield, phenolic compounds and vitamin C.

PubMed

Santos, Francielly T; Goufo, Piebiep; Santos, Cátia; Botelho, Donzilia; Fonseca, João; Queirós, Aurea; Costa, Mônica S S M; Trindade, Henrique

2016-10-15

Overall phenolic content in plants is on average higher in organic farming, including when renewable resources such as composts are used as soil amendments. In most cases, however, the composting process needs to be optimized to reach the desired outcome. Using composts obtained from chestnut, red and white grapes, olive and broccoli wastes, the relative antioxidative abilities of lettuces cultivated in greenhouse were examined. Results clearly coupled high phenolic levels with high yield in lettuce grown on the chestnut-based compost. A huge accumulation of phenolics was observed with the white grape-based compost, but this coincided with low yield. Three compounds were identified as discriminating factors between treated samples, namely quercetin 3-O-glucoside, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, and cyanidin 3-O-(6″-malonyl)-β-d-glucoside; these are also some of the compounds receiving health claims on lettuce consumption. On a negative note, all composts led to decreased vitamin C levels. Collectively, the data suggest that compost amendments can help add value to lettuce by increasing its antioxidant activity as compared to other organic resources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CAV-OX CAVITATION OXIDIATION PROCESS - MAGNUM WATER TECHNOLOGY, INC. - APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This report evaluates the ability of the CAV-OX cavitation oxidation process to remove volatile organic compounds (VOC) present in aqueous wastes. This report also presents economic data based on the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program demonstration and nine...

TREATMENT OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN WASTE GASES USING A TRICKLING BIOFILTER SYSTEM: A MODELING APPROACH

EPA Science Inventory

Biofiltration represents a novel strategy for controlling VOC emissions from a variety of industrial processes. As commercial applications of these systems increase, sophisticated theoretical models will be useful in establishing design criteria for providing insights into impor...

40 CFR 62.2605 - Identification of sources-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Georgia Fluoride Emissions from Existing Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.2605 Identification of... 19, 1983, certifying that there are no existing primary aluminum reduction plants in the State of... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the...

40 CFR 62.4845 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Existing Plants (Section 111(d) Plan). (b) The plan was officially submitted as follows: (1) Control of.... (4) Control of metals, acid gases, organic compounds and nitrogen oxide emissions from existing... (LVHC) systems, steam strippers, and waste water treatment plants. Changes have also been made to...

40 CFR 62.2605 - Identification of sources-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Georgia Fluoride Emissions from Existing Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.2605 Identification of... 19, 1983, certifying that there are no existing primary aluminum reduction plants in the State of... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the...

40 CFR 62.2605 - Identification of sources-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Georgia Fluoride Emissions from Existing Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.2605 Identification of... 19, 1983, certifying that there are no existing primary aluminum reduction plants in the State of... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the...

40 CFR 62.2605 - Identification of sources-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Georgia Fluoride Emissions from Existing Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.2605 Identification of... 19, 1983, certifying that there are no existing primary aluminum reduction plants in the State of... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the...

40 CFR 62.4845 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Existing Plants (Section 111(d) Plan). (b) The plan was officially submitted as follows: (1) Control of.... (4) Control of metals, acid gases, organic compounds and nitrogen oxide emissions from existing... (LVHC) systems, steam strippers, and waste water treatment plants. Changes have also been made to...

40 CFR 62.4845 - Identification of plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Existing Plants (Section 111(d) Plan). (b) The plan was officially submitted as follows: (1) Control of.... (4) Control of metals, acid gases, organic compounds and nitrogen oxide emissions from existing... (LVHC) systems, steam strippers, and waste water treatment plants. Changes have also been made to...

40 CFR 62.2605 - Identification of sources-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Georgia Fluoride Emissions from Existing Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.2605 Identification of... 19, 1983, certifying that there are no existing primary aluminum reduction plants in the State of... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the...

Biological treatment of fracturing waste liquid in a membrane-coupled internal circulation aerobic biological fluidized bed with the assistance of coagulation.

PubMed

Tu, Yizhou; Liu, Xing-Peng; Li, Hui-Qiang; Yang, Ping

2017-12-01

Fracturing waste liquid (FWL) is generated during shale gas extraction and contains high concentrations of suspended solid, salinity and organic compounds, which needs proper management to prevent excessive environmental disruption. Biological treatment of the FWL was attempted in this study using a membrane-coupled internal circulation aerobic biological fluidized bed (MC-ICABFB) after being treated by coagulation. The results showed that poly aluminum chloride (PAC) of 30 g/L, polyacrylamide (PAM) of 20 mg/L and pH of 7.0 were suitable choices for coagulation. The pretreated FWL mixed with synthetic wastewater at different ratios were used as the influent wastewater for the reactor. The MC-ICABFB had relatively good performance on COD and NH 4 + -N removal and the main residual organic compound in the effluent was phthalates according to the analysis of GC-MC profiles. In addition, a suitable pretreatment process for the FWL to facilitate biological treatment of the wastewater needs further research.

Identification and characterization of odorous gas emission from a full-scale food waste anaerobic digestion plant in China.

PubMed

Kong, Xin; Liu, Jianguo; Ren, Lianhai; Song, Minying; Wang, Xiaowei; Ni, Zhe; Nie, Xiaoqin

2015-10-01

Odorous gas emission characteristic along with the successive processes of a typical full-scale food waste (FW) anaerobic digestion plant in China was investigated in September and January. Seasonal variations in pollutant concentration and principal component analysis (PCA) showed markedly different characteristics between the two months. However, the main reason for the seasonal difference at the sorting process differed from the reason for the seasonal difference at other treatment units. Most odorous volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations tested near an anaerobic digestion tank were similar and low in both months. Odor indices, including odor contribution (OC) and odor activity value (OAV) of various odorants, were further calculated to evaluate the malodor degree and contribution to the nuisance smell of any odorant. Brought about by people's different dietary habits, H2S and sulfocompounds were found to be dominant contributors to the large total OVA in the January test. By contrast, oxygenated organic compounds played an important role on the sum of OVA in September.

Content and Formation Cause of VOCs in Medical Waste Non-incineration Treatment Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dengchao, Jin; Hongjun, Teng; Zhenbo, Bao; Yang, Li

2018-02-01

When medical waste is treated by non-incineration technology, volatile organic compounds in the waste will be volatile out and form odor pollution. This paper studied VOCs productions in medical waste steam treatment project, microwave treatment project and chemical dinifection project. Sampling and analysis were carried out on the waste gas from treatment equipment and the gas in treatment workshop. The contents of nine VOCs were determined. It was found that the VOCs content in the exhaust gas at the outlet of steam treatment unit was much higher than that of microwave and chemical treatment unit, while the content of VOCs in the chemical treatment workshop was higher than that in the steam and microwave treatment workshop. The formation causes of VOCs were also analyzed and discussed in this paper.

Green technology innovation in a developing country

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treesubsuntorn, Chairat; Dolphen, Rujira; Dhurakit, Prapai; Siswanto, Dian; Thiravetyan, Paitip

2017-11-01

Developing countries rapidly grow when green technology, which is referred to as eco-friendly processes or methods, is developed in parallel. Here, some examples of green technology research and development in Thailand will be overviewed. A huge amount of agricultural waste is generated during agricultural processes. Applying these agricultural wastes in order to maximize the benefits for environmental cleanups of water, soil and air has been studied and commercialized. For example: 1) Application of agricultural waste and/or biochar developed from agricultural waste as biological adsorbents for wastewater treatment in some industries, such as textile/dye industries, and printing industries. In addition, this agricultural waste can also be applied in decolorization of sugar syrup from sugar industries; 2) The research on modified biomaterials as adsorbents and packing materials in biofilters would also be presented, and now, pilot scale biofilters have been developed and applied to solve air pollution problems in the field for future commercialization; 3) Some agricultural waste and/or biochar developed from agricultural waste in our laboratory can promote rice growth and improve rice quality via the reduction of Cd uptake and translocation in rice. Phytoremediation technology, in which plants are used to improve the environmental quality in water and air, has also been studied and would be presented. 1) Some species of native Thai plants can effectively remove heavy metals and dye from wastewater. For this research, a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment was developed and applied in a real contaminated site. 2) In air phytoremediation, some plant species harbor highly volatile organic compound (VOC) removal efficiency. In addition, plants do not only absorb organic pollutants, but also they have the innate ability to degrade organic compounds and use them as carbon sources for their growth. In addition, plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacteria inoculation into plants can enhance airborne pollutant removal. From this research, an indoor air phytoremediation system was developed in order to reduce CO2 emissions with high VOC removal efficiency. The high cost of technology transfer is a major problem, especially in developing countries, and green technology research and innovation can overcome this problem along with efficient allocation of resources and technologies.

Encapsulation of biological active phenolic compounds extracted from wine wastes in alginate-chitosan microbeads.

PubMed

Moschona, Alexandra; Liakopoulou-Kyriakides, Maria

2018-04-23

Grapes (Vitis vinifera) are produced in large amounts worldwide and mostly are used for winemaking. Their untreated wastes are rich in valuable secondary metabolites, such as phenolics. Thus, in this study, white and red wine wastes (Malagouzia and Syrah variety) were investigated for their added value phenolics, which were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and electrospray ionisation-mass spectrometry (ESI/MS) and subsequently encapsulated in several polymers. Extracts from all wastes gave high amounts of total phenolics (13 ± 2.72-22 ± 2.69 mg g -1 ) and possessed high antioxidant activity (67-97%). In addition to their significant antibacterial activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, interesting results were also obtained from their anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet activity, in vitro. Encapsulation of the extracts was selective, leaving out most of sugars and other organic compounds when alginate-chitosan was used. Encapsulation efficiency recorded for all extracts ranged from 55% to 79%. Release studies were also performed in several solutions aiming in their commercial use in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Methanogenic biodegradation of creosote contaminants in natural and simulated ground-water ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Godsy, E. Michael; Goerlitz, Donald; Grbic-Galic, Dunja

1992-01-01

Wastes from a wood preserving plant in Pensacola, Florida have contaminated the near-surface sand-and-gravel aquifer with creosote-derived compounds and pentachlorophenol. Contamination resulted from the discharge of plant waste waters to and subsequent seepage from unlined surface impoundments that were in direct hydraulic contact with the ground water. Two distinct phases resulted when the creosote and water mixed: a denser than water hydrocarbon phase that moved vertically downward, and an organic-rich aqueous phase that moved laterally with the ground-water flow. The aqueous phase is enriched in organic acids, phenolic compounds, single- and double-ring nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen containing compounds, and single- and double-ring aromatic hydrocarbons. The ground water is devoid of dissolved O2, is 60-70% saturated with CH4 and contains H2S. Field analyses document a greater decrease in concentration of organic fatty acids, benzoic acid, phenol, 2-, 3-, 4-methylphenol, quinoline, isoquinoline, 1(2H)-quinolinone, and 2(1H)-isoquinolinone during downgradient movement in the aquifer than could be explained by dilution and/or dispersion. Laboratory microcosm studies have shown that within the study region, this effect can be attributed to microbial degradation to CH4 and CO2. A small but active methanogenic population was found on sediment materials taken from highly contaminated parts of the aquifer.

Effect of oxidized leachate on degradation of lignin by sulfate-reducing bacteria.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Ho; Kim, Moonil; Bae, Wooken

2009-08-01

Municipal solid waste materials (MSWs) in landfills need a long period of stabilization because lignin compounds in MSWs and leachate are not readily biodegraded, but inhibit methanogenic metabolism. Recirculation of leachate into the landfill offers the potential advantage of increasing the rate of decomposition of organic matter. However, the degradation of lignin by leachate recirculation alone is quite difficult. Several recent studies have demonstrated that sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were able to degrade lignin compounds. In this study, batch tests were conducted to investigate the impacts of SRB enrichment on lignin decomposition rates as well as the decomposition of other biodegradable organics. Further, the effects of nitrite and nitrate on lignin degradation rates were also studied. A 16S rRNA assay showed that the SRB used herein, which were obtained by enriching solid waste collected from a closed MSW landfill, were Thaurea sp. and Desulfovibrio sp. Lignin was found to be biodegraded by the SRB and the rate of lignin removal per unit of waste volatile suspended solid was 2.9 mg lignin g(-1) VSS day(- 1). It was found that the initial degradation rate increased under higher initial lignin concentrations. However, the degradation rate during days 6-19 became slower than that during the initial 9 days because lignin consisted of complexly bonded aromatic compounds that were not readily biodegradable. Adding other organics such as lactate seemed to improve the rate and amount of lignin degradation, probably due to the increase in SRB associated with consumption of the additional organics. The lignin removal percentage decreased with increases in oxidized nitrogen (nitrite or nitrate) concentrations, indicating that oxidized nitrogen could inhibit SRB activity. Conclusively, the study verified the existence of SRB in the landfill and showed that the SRB could be activated for the degradation of lignin by the recirculation of the leachate, which is consistent with other studies showing that leachate recirculation could shorten the stabilization period of the landfill.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Spangler, Lorenz R.; Most, Wm. A.

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Hazardous Waste Facility Permit (HWFP) limits the allowable emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from contact handled (CH) transuranic (TRU) waste. The environmental Performance standard within the HWFP, Module IV, Table IV.D.1, prescribes the allowed VOC emissions from the waste to ensure protection of human health and the environment. Compliance with the performance standard to ensure control of VOC emissions is based on VOC concentrations and monitoring in the underground. One of the mechanisms used to ensure compliance with the emissions standards is measuring the VOC concentration in the headspace gas of waste containersmore » prior to disposal. Headspace gas sampling and analysis is the waste characterization activity used to determine the concentration of VOCs in the headspace of waste containers. In addition to being used to demonstrate compliance with the emissions standards of Module IV, Table IV.D.1, the results of the headspace gas sampling and analysis are used to confirm the hazardous wastes identified in the acceptable knowledge (AK) process. Headspace gas sampling and analysis has been an ongoing part of the CH TRU waste characterization program and therefore data are now available concerning its use and applicability. The information from approved Waste Stream Profile Forms (WSPFs) and the headspace gas sampling and analysis results for over 16,000 containers of CH TRU waste were considered as part of this study. The headspace gas sampling and analysis results are based on data from the WIPP Waste Information System (WWIS). These results were evaluated to determine the usefulness of headspace gas sampling and analysis for confirming AK information. The evaluation shows that the reliability of using the results of headspace gas sampling and analysis to confirm AK information can be grouped by mixed and non-mixed waste streams. In general, for mixed waste streams due to VOCs (i.e., carrying VOC-related hazardous waste numbers), there is no reliable comparison that can be made for the detection of a particular target analyte and its associated hazardous waste number(s) based on the AK information on a compound by compound basis. However, for non-mixed waste streams, the results of headspace gas sampling and analysis show a better correlation to the AK information.« less

Regenerating using aqueous cleaners with ozone and electrolysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcginness, Michael P.

1994-01-01

A new process converts organic oil and grease contaminates in used water based cleaners into synthetic surfactants. This permits the continued use of a cleaning solution long after it would have been dumped using previously known methods. Since the organic soils are converted from contaminates to cleaning compounds the need for frequent bath dumps is totally eliminated. When cleaning solutions used in aqueous cleaning systems are exhausted and ready for disposal, they will always contain the contaminates removed from the cleaned parts and drag-in from prior cleaning steps. Even when the cleaner is biodegradable these contaminants will frequently cause the waste cleaning solution to be a hazardous waste. Chlorinated solvents are rapidly being replaced by aqueous cleaners to avoid the new ozone-depletion product-labeling-law. Many industry standard halocarbon based solvents are being completely phased out of production, and their prices have nearly tripled. Waste disposal costs and cradle-to-grave liability are also major concerns for industry today. This new process reduces the amount of water and chemicals needed to maintain the cleaning process. The cost of waste disposal is eliminated because the water and cleaning compounds are reused. Energy savings result by eliminating the need for energy currently used to produce and deliver fresh water and chemicals as well as the energy used to treat and destroy the waste from the existing cleaning processes. This process also allows the cleaning bath to be maintained at the peak performance of a new bath resulting in decreased cycle times and decreased energy consumption needed to clean the parts. This results in a more efficient and cost effective cleaning process.

Organic waste compounds in streams: Occurrence and aquatic toxicity in different stream compartments, flow regimes, and land uses in southeast Wisconsin, 2006–9

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldwin, Austin K.; Corsi, Steven R.; Richards, Kevin D.; Geis, Steven W.; Magruder, Christopher

2013-01-01

An assessment of organic chemicals and aquatic toxicity in streams located near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, indicated high potential for adverse impacts on aquatic organisms that could be related to organic waste compounds (OWCs). OWCs used in agriculture, industry, and households make their way into surface waters through runoff, leaking septic-conveyance systems, regulated and unregulated discharges, and combined sewage overflows, among other sources. Many of these compounds are toxic at elevated concentrations and (or) known to have endocrine-disrupting potential, and often they occur as complex mixtures. There is still much to be learned about the chronic exposure effects of these compounds on aquatic populations. During 2006–9, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), conducted a study to determine the occurrence and potential toxicity of OWCs in different stream compartments and flow regimes for streams in the Milwaukee area. Samples were collected at 17 sites and analyzed for a suite of 69 OWCs. Three types of stream compartments were represented: water column, streambed pore water, and streambed sediment. Water-column samples were subdivided by flow regime into stormflow and base-flow samples. One or more compounds were detected in all 196 samples collected, and 64 of the 69 compounds were detected at least once. Base-flow samples had the lowest detection rates, with a median of 12 compounds detected per sample. Median detection rates for stormflow, pore-water, and sediment samples were more than double that of base-flow samples. Compounds with the highest detection rates include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), insecticides, herbicides, and dyes/pigments. Elevated occurrence and concentrations of some compounds were detected in samples from urban sites, as compared with more rural sites, especially during stormflow conditions. These include the PAHs and the domestic waste-water-indicator compounds, among others. Urban runoff and storm-related leaks of sanitary sewers and (or) septic systems may be important sources of these and other compounds to the streams. The Kinnickinnic River, a highly urbanized site, had the highest detection rates and concentrations of compounds of all the sampled sites. The Milwaukee River near Cedarburg—one of the least urban sites—and the Outer Milwaukee Harbor site had the lowest detection rates and concentrations. Aquatic-toxicity benchmarks were exceeded for 12 of the 25 compounds with known benchmarks. The compounds with the greatest benchmark exceedances were the PAHs, both in terms of exceedance frequency (up to 93 percent for some compounds in sediment samples) and magnitude (concentrations up to 1,024 times greater than the benchmark value). Other compounds with toxicity-benchmark exceedances include Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (a plasticizer), 2-Methylnapthalene (a component of fuel and oil), phenol (an antimicrobial disinfectant with diverse uses), and 4-Nonylphenol (sum of all isomers; a detergent metabolite, among other uses). Analyzed as a mixture, the suite of PAH compounds were found to be potentially toxic for most non-base-flow samples. Bioassay tests were conducted on samples from 14 streams: Ceriodaphnia dubia in base-flow samples, Ceriodaphnia dubia and Hyallela azteca in pore-water samples, and Hyallela azteca and Chironomus tentans in sediment samples. The greatest adverse effect was observed in tests with Chironomus tentans from sediment samples. The weight of Chironomus tentans after exposure to sediments decreased with increased OWC concentrations. This was most evident in the relation between PAH results and Chironomus tentans bioassay results for the majority of samples; however, solvents and flame retardants appeared to be important for one site each. These results for PAHs were consistent with assessment of PAH potency factors for sediment, indicating that PAHs were likely to have adverse effects on aquatic organisms in many of the streams studied.

40 CFR 62.4950 - Identification of plan-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Maine Fluoride Emissions from Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.4950 Identification of plan—negative... that there are no existing phosphate fertilizer plants in the state subject to part 60, subpart B of... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the...

Groundwater Sampling at ISCO Sites: Binary Mixtures of Volatile Organic Compounds and Persulfate

EPA Science Inventory

In-situ chemical oxidation involves the introduction of a chemical oxidant into the subsurface for the purpose of transforming ground-water contaminants into less harmful byproducts. Due to oxidant persistence, ground water samples collected at hazardous waste sites may contain o...

MEASUREMENT OF VOLATILE CHEMICAL EMISSIONS FROM WASTEWATER BASINS

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this project was to measure the rate at which selected volatile organic carbon (VOC) compounds are being emitted to air from waste-water treatment basins of the pulp and paper industry. The emission rates of methanol, acetone and acetaldehyde were measured and th...

40 CFR 62.10140 - Identification of plan-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... POLLUTANTS South Carolina Fluoride Emissions from Existing Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.10140... submitted on May 3, 1983, a letter certifying that there are no existing primary aluminum plants in the... gases, Organic Compounds And Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With The...

40 CFR 62.4950 - Identification of plan-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Maine Fluoride Emissions from Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.4950 Identification of plan—negative... that there are no existing phosphate fertilizer plants in the state subject to part 60, subpart B of... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the...

40 CFR 62.4950 - Identification of plan-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Maine Fluoride Emissions from Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.4950 Identification of plan—negative... that there are no existing phosphate fertilizer plants in the state subject to part 60, subpart B of... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the...

40 CFR 62.10140 - Identification of plan-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... POLLUTANTS South Carolina Fluoride Emissions from Existing Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.10140... submitted on May 3, 1983, a letter certifying that there are no existing primary aluminum plants in the... gases, Organic Compounds And Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With The...

40 CFR 62.10140 - Identification of plan-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... POLLUTANTS South Carolina Fluoride Emissions from Existing Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.10140... submitted on May 3, 1983, a letter certifying that there are no existing primary aluminum plants in the... gases, Organic Compounds And Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With The...

40 CFR 62.10140 - Identification of plan-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... POLLUTANTS South Carolina Fluoride Emissions from Existing Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.10140... submitted on May 3, 1983, a letter certifying that there are no existing primary aluminum plants in the... gases, Organic Compounds And Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With The...

40 CFR 62.4950 - Identification of plan-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Maine Fluoride Emissions from Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.4950 Identification of plan—negative... that there are no existing phosphate fertilizer plants in the state subject to part 60, subpart B of... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the...

40 CFR 62.10140 - Identification of plan-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... POLLUTANTS South Carolina Fluoride Emissions from Existing Primary Aluminum Reduction Plants § 62.10140... submitted on May 3, 1983, a letter certifying that there are no existing primary aluminum plants in the... gases, Organic Compounds And Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With The...

40 CFR 62.4950 - Identification of plan-negative declaration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Maine Fluoride Emissions from Phosphate Fertilizer Plants § 62.4950 Identification of plan—negative... that there are no existing phosphate fertilizer plants in the state subject to part 60, subpart B of... Gases, Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Existing Municipal Waste Combustors With the...

Environmental Aspects of Two Volatile Organic Compound Groundwater Treatment Designs at the Rocky Flats Site - 13135

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michalski, Casey C.; DiSalvo, Rick; Boylan, John

2013-07-01

DOE's Rocky Flats Site in Colorado is a former nuclear weapons production facility that began operations in the early 1950's. Because of releases of hazardous substances to the environment, the federally owned property and adjacent offsite areas were placed on the CERCLA National Priorities List in 1989. The final remedy was selected in 2006. Engineered components of the remedy include four groundwater treatment systems that were installed before closure as CERCLA-accelerated actions. Two of the systems, the Mound Site Plume Treatment System and the East Trenches Plume Treatment System, remove low levels of volatile organic compounds using zero-valent iron media,more » thereby reducing the loading of volatile organic compounds in surface water resulting from the groundwater pathway. However, the zero-valent iron treatment does not reliably reduce all volatile organic compounds to consistently meet water quality goals. While adding additional zero-valent iron media capacity could improve volatile organic compound removal capability, installation of a solar powered air-stripper has proven an effective treatment optimization in further reducing volatile organic compound concentrations. A comparison of the air stripper to the alternative of adding additional zero-valent iron capacity to improve Mound Site Plume Treatment System and East Trenches Plume Treatment System treatment based on several key sustainable remediation aspects indicates the air stripper is also more 'environmentally friendly'. These key aspects include air pollutant emissions, water quality, waste management, transportation, and costs. (authors)« less

Optimization of conditions for thermal treatment of rice bran using an accelerator including an organo-iron compound.

PubMed

Kanno, Hikari; Tachibana, Naoya; Fukushima, Masami

2011-02-01

A method for thermal conversion of raw organic waste (ROW) to a compost-like material (CLM) with higher levels of unsaturated carbohydrates, nitrogen- and oxygen-containing compounds was developed, in which rice bran and an organo-iron compound were employed as a model ROW and the accelerator, respectively. To evaluate the qualities of CLMs, organic substances of an acid insoluble fraction of alkaline extracts (AIAEs) from a CLM were structurally characterized by elemental analysis, pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and FT-IR. The levels of unsaturated carbohydrates, and nitrogen- and oxygen-containing compounds in the CLM samples were increased by long-term treatment (60°C for 5 days, 170°C for 3 days). In particular, the high lipid content of the AIAEs, which was indicative of inadequate digestion of CLM components, was dramatically reduced in the presence of the accelerator. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hazardous properties of paint residues from the furniture industry.

PubMed

Vaajasaari, Kati; Kulovaara, Maaret; Joutti, Anneli; Schultz, Eija; Soljamo, Kari

2004-01-30

The objective of this study was to screen nine excess paint residues for environmental hazard and to evaluate their disposability in a non-hazardous or hazardous-waste landfill. These residues were produced in the process of spray-painting furniture. Residues were classified according to their leaching and ecotoxicological properties. Leaching properties were determined with the European standard SFS-EN 12457-2 leaching-test. The toxicity of the leaching-test eluates was measured with plant-, bacteria- and enzyme-inhibition bioassays. Total organic carbon, formaldehyde and solvent concentrations in the solid wastes and in the leaching-test eluates were analysed. It seemed likely that leached formaldehyde caused very high acute toxicity in leaching-test eluates of the dry-booth residues. This hypothesis was based on the fact that the formaldehyde concentrations in the leaching-test eluates of the dry-booth residues were 62-75 times higher than the EC50 value reported in the literature for formaldehyde. The results of the water-curtain booth residues showed that the samples with the highest TOC and aromatic solvent concentrations were also the most toxic. The studied excess paint residues were complex organic mixtures and contained large amounts of compounds not identifiable from chemical data. Therefore, the evaluation of the hazard based solely on available chemical data is unlikely to be sufficient, as evidenced by our study. Our results show that harmful compounds remain in the solid waste and the toxicity results of their leaching-test eluates show that toxicity may leach from residues in contact with water at landfill sites. They also confirm the benefit of combining chemical and ecotoxicological assays in assessing the potential environmental hazard of complex organic mixtures found in wastes. Copyright 2003 Elsevier B.V.

Proposal for MSW contaminant classification applied to a tropical aquifer.

PubMed

de Faria, Gabriel Messias Moura; Mondelli, Giulliana

2018-04-01

Groundwater is a natural resource exploited worldwide causing danger due to the lixiviation of waste deposited, which presents high potential degradation. Internationally, regulation aims for the maintenance of the quality of this resource. But the local lithology, mainly in countries with tropical weather, was not considered. This paper has an objective to propose two methodologies of contaminant identification of municipal solid waste (MSW) considering the Brazilian regulation, the local lithology and the temporal aspect. The study site is located in the midwest of São Paulo, at the Marília Formation, Bauru Aquifer, which presents sandstone rich in calcite. At first, the historic monitoring data accumulated between 2002 and 2015 were statistically organized. Then, methodologies of classification of major constituents and contamination method were developed. After these analyses, the compounds that possibly cause anomaly in the local environment are Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, phosphatic, nitrogenous, and sulfated compounds, Fe, K, Mn, Ni, and Pb. Some of these have lithogenic genesis typical of tropical environment, and others come from the disposed waste. Despite different approaches, both methods demonstrate efficiency in identifying the pollutants presenting distinctions among themselves in conjunction with actual local regulation and the lithogenic source of certain compounds.

Characteristics of organic matter in PM2.5 from an e-waste dismantling area in Taizhou, China.

PubMed

Gu, Zeping; Feng, Jialiang; Han, Wenliang; Wu, Minghong; Fu, Jiamo; Sheng, Guoying

2010-08-01

Solvent extractable organic compounds in PM(2.5) samples collected in Taizhou, a city famous for its electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) recycling industry in Zhejiang province of China, were analyzed to identify the main emission sources based on molecular markers. Two types of plastics which were most frequently contained in the e-wastes, wires/cables and plastic blocks, were burned in the lab and the particles emitted analyzed. The concentrations of PAHs and phthalate esters at the e-waste dismantling area during our sampling periods were about two times of that at the reference urban site, indicating the high pollution level there. The high concentrations of quaterphenyl found at the dismantling area indicated that burning of plastics or polymers was an important emission source of the PAHs in the fine particles. The diagnostic analysis based on the compositions of alkanes, hopanes and other molecular markers showed that engine exhaust, biomass burning and kitchen emissions were also important emission sources at the e-waste dismantling area. Our results suggested that more effort should be paid to control the correlative emission sources such as transportation and kitchen to achieve better air quality at the e-waste dismantling area besides regulating the recycling activities. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The micro-environmental impact of volatile organic compound emissions from large-scale assemblies of people in a confined space

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dutta, Tanushree

Large-scale assemblies of people in a confined space can exert significant impacts on the local air chemistry due to human emissions of volatile organics. Variations of air-quality in such small scale can be studied by quantifying fingerprint volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as acetone, toluene, and isoprene produced during concerts, movie screenings, and sport events (like the Olympics and the World Cup). This review summarizes the extent of VOC accumulation resulting from a large population in a confined area or in a small open area during sporting and other recreational activities. Apart from VOCs emitted directly from human bodies (e.g.,more » perspiration and exhaled breath), those released indirectly from other related sources (e.g., smoking, waste disposal, discharge of food-waste, and use of personal-care products) are also discussed. Although direct and indirect emissions of VOCs from human may constitute <1% of the global atmospheric VOCs budget, unique spatiotemporal variations in VOCs species within a confined space can have unforeseen impacts on the local atmosphere to lead to acute human exposure to harmful pollutants.« less

Effect of shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei) farming waste on the growth, digestion, ammonium-nitrogen excretion of sea cucumber ( Stichopus monotuberculatus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yanfeng; Luo, Peng; Hu, Chaoqun; Ren, Chunhua

2015-06-01

In this study, specific growth rate (SGR), ingestion rate (IR), food conversion ratio (FCR), apparent digestion ratio (ADR) and ammonium-nitrogen excretion were determined for sea cucumber ( Stichopus monotuberculatus) reared in plastic containers (70 L; 4 containers each diet treatment). Sea cucumbers were fed with five diets containing different amounts of farming waste from shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei) (100%, 75%, 50%, 25% and 0) and a formulated compound (20% sea mud and 80% powdered algae). Sea cucumbers grew faster when they were fed with diet D (25% shrimp waste and 75% formulated compound) than those fed with other diets. Although IR value of sea cucumber fed with diet A (shrimp waste) was higher than those fed with other diets, both the lowest SGR and the highest FCR occurred in this diet group. The highest and the lowest ADR occurred in diet E (formulated compound) and diet A group, respectively, and the same to ammonium-nitrogen excretion. The contents of crude protein, crude lipid and total organic matter (TOM) in feces decreased in comparison with corresponding diets. In the feces from different diet treatments, the contents of crude protein and TOM increased gradually as the contents of crude protein and TOM in diets increased, while crude lipid content decreased gradually as the crude lipid content in diets increased.

SITE TECHNOLOGY CAPSULE: METAL-ENHANCED DECHLORI- NATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS USING AN ABOVE-GROUND REACTOR - ENVIROMETAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

EPA Science Inventory

In 1980 the U.S. Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, to protect human health and the environment from uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. CERCLA was amended by the Superfund Amendments an...

CLEANER SYNTHESIS OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS USING SEMICONDUCTER PHOTOCATALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

The chemical industry is a significant component of the domestic economy, generating well over $250 billion in sales and a trade surplus exceeding $15 billion in each of the last 5 years. The industry is also a major source of industrial waste and is the dominant source of hazard...

Breakdown of food waste by anaerobic fermentation and non-oxygen producing photosynthesis using a photosynthetic bacterium.

PubMed

Mekjinda, N; Ritchie, R J

2015-01-01

Large volumes of food waste are produced by restaurants, hotels, etc generating problems in its collection, processing and disposal. Disposal as garbage increases the organic matter in landfills and leachates. The photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris (CGA 009) easily broke down food waste. R. palustris produces H2 under anaerobic conditions and digests a very wide range of organic compounds. R. palustris reduced BOD by ≈70% and COD by ≈33%, starch, ammonia, nitrate, was removed but had little effect on reducing sugar or the total phosphorus, lipid, protein, total solid in a 7-day incubation. R. palustris produced a maximum of 80ml H2/g COD/day. A two-stage anaerobic digestion using yeast as the first stage, followed by a R. palustris digestion was tested but production of H2 was low. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estrogen-, androgen- and aryl hydrocarbon receptor mediated activities in passive and composite samples from municipal waste and surface waters.

PubMed

Jálová, V; Jarošová, B; Bláha, L; Giesy, J P; Ocelka, T; Grabic, R; Jurčíková, J; Vrana, B; Hilscherová, K

2013-09-01

Passive and composite sampling in combination with in vitro bioassays and identification and quantification of individual chemicals were applied to characterize pollution by compounds with several specific modes of action in urban area in the basin of two rivers, with 400,000 inhabitants and a variety of industrial activities. Two types of passive samplers, semipermeable membrane devices (SPMD) for hydrophobic contaminants and polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) for polar compounds such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals, were used to sample wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) influent and effluent as well as rivers upstream and downstream of the urban complex and the WWTP. Compounds with endocrine disruptive potency were detected in river water and WWTP influent and effluent. Year-round, monthly assessment of waste waters by bioassays documented estrogenic, androgenic and dioxin-like potency as well as cytotoxicity in influent waters of the WWTP and allowed characterization of seasonal variability of these biological potentials in waste waters. The WWTP effectively removed cytotoxic compounds, xenoestrogens and xenoandrogens. There was significant variability in treatment efficiency of dioxin-like potency. The study indicates that the WWTP, despite its up-to-date technology, can contribute endocrine disrupting compounds to the river. Riverine samples exhibited dioxin-like, antiestrogenic and antiandrogenic potencies. The study design enabled characterization of effects of the urban complex and the WWTP on the river. Concentrations of PAHs and contaminants and specific biological potencies sampled by POCIS decreased as a function of distance from the city. © 2013.

Gaseous emissions during the solid state fermentation of different wastes for enzyme production at pilot scale.

PubMed

Maulini-Duran, Caterina; Abraham, Juliana; Rodríguez-Pérez, Sheila; Cerda, Alejandra; Jiménez-Peñalver, Pedro; Gea, Teresa; Barrena, Raquel; Artola, Adriana; Font, Xavier; Sánchez, Antoni

2015-03-01

The emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC), CH4, N2O and NH3 during the solid state fermentation process of some selected wastes to obtain different enzymes have been determined at pilot scale. Orange peel+compost (OP), hair wastes+raw sludge (HW) and winterization residue+raw sludge (WR) have been processed in duplicate in 50 L reactors to provide emission factors and to identify the different VOC families present in exhaust gaseous emissions. Ammonia emission from HW fermentation (3.2±0.5 kg Mg(-1) dry matter) and VOC emission during OP processes (18±6 kg Mg(-1) dry matter) should be considered in an industrial application of these processes. Terpenes have been the most emitted VOC family during all the processes although the emission of sulphide molecules during HW SSF is notable. The most emitted compound was dimethyl disulfide in HW and WR processes, and limonene in the SSF of OP. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanochemical pre-treatment for viable recycling of plastic waste containing haloorganics.

PubMed

Cagnetta, Giovanni; Zhang, Kunlun; Zhang, Qiwu; Huang, Jun; Yu, Gang

2018-05-01

Chemical recycling technologies are the most promising for a waste-to-energy/material recovery of plastic waste. However, 30% of such waste cannot be treated in this way due to the presence of halogenated organic compounds, which are often utilized as flame retardants. In fact, high quantities of hydrogen halides and dioxin would form. In order to enabling such huge amount of plastic waste as viable feedstock for recycling, an investigation on mechanochemical pre-treatment by high energy ball milling is carried out on polypropylene containing decabromodiphenyl ether. Results demonstrate that co-milling with zero valent iron and quartz sand ensures complete debromination and mineralization of the flame retardant. Furthermore, a comparative experiment demonstrates that the mechanochemical debromination kinetics is roughly proportional to the polymer-to-haloorganics mass ratio. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dams impact carbon dynamics in U.S. rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Atreyee

2012-09-01

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC)—which leaches into freshwater systems from plants, soils, and sediments, and from other detritus present in the water itself—is the major food supplement for microorganisms and plays an important role in several environmental processes and in the global carbon cycle. In some aquatic systems such as estuaries, the optically measurable colored component of dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is often proportional to the concentration of DOC. CDOM forms when light-absorbing compounds are released into the water by decaying organic material and through photochemical degradation of certain organic compounds. Hence, CDOM reflects not just the environment and ecosystem, which is the source of the detritus, but also the processes that deliver the organic matter into aquatic systems. Human activities, such as logging, agriculture, and waste water treatment, also affect CDOM levels in aquatic systems. It is relatively easy and inexpensive to measure the CDOM content in small volumes of water.

Application of contact glow discharge electrolysis method for degradation of batik dye waste Remazol Red by the addition of Fe2+ ion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saksono, Nelson; Puspita, Indah; Sukreni, Tulus

2017-03-01

Contact Glow Discharge Electrolysis (CGDE) has been shown to degrade much weight organic compounds such as dyes because the production of hydroxil radical (•OH) is excess. This research aims to degrade batik dye waste Remazol Red, using CGDE method with the addition of Fe2+ ion. The addition of iron salt compounds has proven to increase process efficiency. Dye degradation is known by measure its absorbances with Spectrophotometer UV-Vis. The result of study showed that percentage degradation was 99.92% in 20 minutes which obtained by using Na2SO4 0.01 M, with addition FeSO4 0,1 gram, applied voltage 860 volt, and 1 wolfram anode 5 mm depth.

Characterization of Natural Organic Matter by FeCl3 Coagulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahyonugroho, O. H.; Hidayah, E. N.

2018-01-01

Natural organic matter (NOM) is heterogenous mixture of organic compounds that enter the water from various decomposition and metabolic reactions, including animal, plant, domestic and industrial wastes. NOM refers to group of carbon-based compounds that are found in surface water and ground water. The aim of the study is to assess organic matter characteristics in Jagir River as drinking water source and to characterize the organic components that could be removed during coagulation. Coagulation is the common water treatment process can be used to remove NOM with FeCl3 coagulant in various dosage. NOM surrogates, including total organic carbon (TOC), ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) and specific UV absorbance (SUVA) were chosen to assess the organic removal. Results of jar test experiments showed that NOM can be removed about 40% of NOM surrogates with 200 mg/L FeCl3. About 60% removal of total organic fraction, which is mainly humic substances, as detected by size exclusion chromatography (SEC).

The removal of lead and nickel from the composted municipal waste and sewage sludge using nanoscale zero-valent iron fixed on quartz.

PubMed

Ghasemzadeh, Parisa; Bostani, Amir

2017-11-01

Reducing the concentration of heavy metals including lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) in organic contaminants such as municipal wastes and sewage sludge is of health and environmental importance. Nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) particles can effectively remove heavy metals from contaminated aqueous and solid media. It was accordingly hypothesized that it is possible to recycle and detoxify organic waste materials containing heavy metals using NZVI and NZVI fixed on quartz (QNZVI). The objective was to investigate the effects of NZVI type, concentration (2% and 5%) and contact time on the removal of Pb and Ni from raw compost, compost fermented with beet molasses, and leachate using a factorial design. The results indicated the significant reduction of DTPA- Pb and DTPA-Ni concentration, in all the organic compounds treated with NZVI and QNZVI (P= 0.01), compared with control. Increased concentration of NZVI in all treatments, increased the rate of DTPA-Pb and DTPA-Ni (P= 0.01) at 113.1% and 180% for Pb (NZVI at 2% and 5%), and at 16.3% and 23.3% for Ni, irrespective of the NZVI type. The reducing trend of extractable Pb and Ni in all the organic compounds was the same, quick reduction at the beginning, followed by a negligible rate. The highest reduction rates for Pb (at one hour) and Ni (at 672h) were equal to 72.93% and 23.27%, respectively. NZVI at 2% was more efficient than NZVI at 5%. There were not any significant differences between NZVI and QNZVI on the removal of Pb and Ni from the organic contaminants. It is possible to immobilize and reduce the concentration of heavy metals such as Pb and Ni in organic contaminants using NZVI, which is affected by NZVI properties, concentration, and contact time, as well as by organic contaminant type. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pesticide interactions with soils affected by olive oil mill wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keren, Yonatan; Bukhanovsky, Nadezhda; Borisover, Mikhail

2013-04-01

Soil pesticide sorption is well known to affect the fate of pesticides, their bioavailability and the potential to contaminate air and water. Soil - pesticide interactions may be strongly influenced by soil organic matter (SOM) and organic matter (OM)-rich soil amendments. One special OM source in soils is related to olive oil production residues that may include both solid and liquid wastes. In the Mediterranean area, the olive oil production is considered as an important field in the agricultural sector. Due to the significant rise in olive oil production, the amount of wastes is growing respectively. Olive oil mill waste water (OMWW) is the liquid byproduct in the so-called "three phase" technological process. Features of OMWW include the high content of fatty aliphatic components and polyphenols and their often-considered toxicity. One way of OMWW disposal is the land spreading, e.g., in olive orchards. The land application of OMWW (either controlled or not) is supposed to affect the multiple soil properties, including hydrophobicity and the potential of soils to interact with pesticides. Therefore, there is both basic and applied interest in elucidating the interactions between organic compounds and soils affected by OMWW. However, little is known about the impact of OMWW - soil interactions on sorption of organic compounds, and specifically, on sorption of agrochemicals. This paper reports an experimental study of sorption interactions of a series of organic compounds including widely used herbicides such as diuron and simazine, in a range of soils that were affected by OMWW (i) historically or (ii) in the controlled land disposal experiments. It is demonstrated that there is a distinct increase in apparent sorption of organic chemicals in soils affected by OMWW. In selected systems, this increase may be explained by increase in SOM content. However, the SOM quality places a role: the rise in organic compound - soil interactions may both exceed the SOM content increase and be less than that. Sorption interactions of herbicides with soils demonstrate a strong hysteresis (which is not expected to be related to a biodegradation). The data suggests that the OMWW - soil interaction seems to change the shape of the apparent sorption isotherms of organic sorbates, and, possibly, their sorption mechanisms: from a Langmuir-like sorption isotherm (describing the adsorptive interactions with a saturation of sorption sites) in the native soils to the sigmoidal or linear isotherms (expected for a partitioning into the bulk OM phases and their swelling) in the OMWW-amended soils. These results may have a significant impact on multiple agricultural and hydrological aspects, e.g., such as the application rate of herbicides in the field, and their possible release and the long term effect on groundwater. The authors acknowledge the support from the OLIVEOIL project (SCHA849/13) funded by DFG.

Volatile organic compound emissions from municipal solid waste disposal sites: a case study of Mumbai, India.

PubMed

Majumdar, Dipanjali; Srivastava, Anjali

2012-04-01

Improper solid waste management leads to aesthetic and environmental problems. Emission ofvolatile organic compounds (VOCs) is one of the problems from uncontrolled dumpsite. VOCs are well known to be hazardous to human health and many of them are known or potential carcinogens. They also contribute to ozone formation at ground level and climate change as well. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of VOCs emitting from two municipal waste (MSW) disposal sites in Mumbai, India, namely Deonar and Malad, are presented in this paper. Air at dumpsites was sampled and analyzed on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) TO-17 compendium method for analysis of toxic compounds. As many as 64 VOCs were qualitatively identified, among which 13 are listed under hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Study of environmental distribution of a few major VOCs indicates that although air is the principal compartment of residence, they also get considerably partitioned in soil and vegetation. The CO2 equivalent of target VOCs from the landfills in Malad and Deonar shows that the total yearly emissions are 7.89E+03 and 8.08E+02 kg, respectively. The total per hour ozone production from major VOCs was found to be 5.34E-01 ppb in Deonar and 9.55E-02 ppb in Malad. The total carcinogenic risk for the workers in the dumpsite considering all target HAPs are calculated to be 275 persons in 1 million in Deonar and 139 persons in 1 million in Malad.

Polymerin and lignimerin, as humic acid-like sorbents from vegetable waste, for the potential remediation of waters contaminated with heavy metals, herbicides, or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Capasso, Renato; De Martino, Antonio

2010-10-13

Polymerin is a humic acid-like polymer, which we previously recovered for the first time from olive oil mill waste waters (OMWW) only, and chemically and physicochemically characterized. We also previously investigated its versatile sorption capacity for toxic inorganic and organic compounds. Therefore, a review is presented on the removal, from simulated polluted waters, of cationic heavy metals [Cu(II), Zn, Cr(III)] and anionic ones [Cr(VI)) and As(V)] by sorption on this natural organic sorbent in comparison with its synthetic derivatives, K-polymerin, a ferrihydrite-polymerin complex and with ferrihydrite. An overview is also performed of the removal of ionic herbicides (2,4-D, paraquat, MCPA, simazine, and cyhalofop) by sorption on polymerin, ferrihydrite, and their complex and of the removal of phenanthrene, as a representative of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, by sorption on this sorbent and its complexes with micro- or nanoparticles of aluminum oxide, pointing out the employment of all these sorbents in biobed systems, which might allow the remediation of water and protection of surface and groundwater. In addition, a short review is also given on the removal of Cu(II) and Zn from simulated contaminated waters, by sorption on the humic acid-like organic fraction, named lignimerin, which we previously isolated for the first time, in collaboration with a Chilean group, from cellulose mill Kraft waste waters (KCMWW) only. More specifically, the production methods and the characterization of the two natural sorbents (polymerin and lignimerin) and their derivatives (K-polymerin ferrihydrite-polymerin, polymerin-microAl(2)O(3) and -nanoAl(2)O(3), and H-lignimerin, respectively) as well as their sorption data and mechanism are reviewed. Published and original results obtained by the cyclic sorption on all of the considered sorbents for the removal of the above-mentioned toxic compounds from simulated waste waters are also reported. Moreover, sorption capacity and mechanism of the considered compounds on polymerins and lignimerins are evaluated in comparison with other known natural sorbents, especially of humic acid nature and other organic matter. Some of their technical aspects and relative costs are also considered. Finally, the possible large-scale application of the considered sorption systems for water remediation is briefly discussed.

Chemical changes in an industrial waste liquid during post-injection movement in a limestone aquifer, Pensacola, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ehrlich, G.G.; Godsy, E.M.; Pascale, C.A.; Vecchioli, John

1979-01-01

An industrial waste liquid containing organonitrile compounds and nitrate ion has been injected into the lower limestone of the Floridan aquifer near Pensacola, Florida since June 1975. Chemical analyses of water from monitor wells and backflow from the injection well indicate that organic carbon compounds are converted to CO2 and nitrate is converted to N2. These transformations are caused by bacteria immediately after injection, and are virtually completed within 100 m of the injection well. The zone near the injection well behaves like an anaerobic filter with nitrate respiring bacteria dominating the microbial flora in this zone.Sodium thiocyanate contained in the waste is unaltered during passage through the injection zone and is used to detect the degree of mixing of injected waste liquid with native water at a monitor well 312 m (712 ft) from the injection well. The dispersivity of the injection zone was calculated to be 10 m (33 ft). Analyses of samples from the monitor well indicate 80 percent reduction in chemical oxygen demand and virtually complete loss of organonitriles and nitrate from the waste liquid during passage from the injection well to the monitor well. Bacterial densities were much lower at the monitor well than in backflow from the injection well.

Characterization of a biosurfactant produced by Pseudomonas cepacia CCT6659 in the presence of industrial wastes and its application in the biodegradation of hydrophobic compounds in soil.

PubMed

Silva, Elias J; Rocha e Silva, Nathália Maria P; Rufino, Raquel D; Luna, Juliana M; Silva, Ricardo O; Sarubbo, Leonie A

2014-05-01

The bacterium Pseudomonas cepacia CCT6659 cultivated with 2% soybean waste frying oil and 2% corn steep liquor as substrates produced a biosurfactant with potential application in the bioremediation of soils. The biosurfactant was classified as an anionic biomolecule composed of 75% lipids and 25% carbohydrates. Characterization by proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H and (13)C NMR) revealed the presence of carbonyl, olefinic and aliphatic groups, with typical spectra of lipids. Four sets of biodegradation experiments were carried out with soil contaminated by hydrophobic organic compounds amended with molasses in the presence of an indigenous consortium, as follows: Set 1-soil+bacterial cells; Set 2-soil+biosurfactant; Set 3-soil+bacterial cells+biosurfactant; and Set 4-soil without bacterial cells or biosurfactant (control). Significant oil biodegradation activity (83%) occurred in the first 10 days of the experiments when the biosurfactant and bacterial cells were used together (Set 3), while maximum degradation of the organic compounds (above 95%) was found in Sets 1-3 between 35 and 60 days. It is evident from the results that the biosurfactant alone and its producer species are both capable of promoting biodegradation to a large extent. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reconnaissance of water quality at a US Department of Energy site, Pinellas County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fernandez, Mario

1985-01-01

Sanitary and industrial wastes at the Pinellas Plant of the U.S. Department of Energy, prior to December 1982, were combined, treated, and disposed of by ponding and spray irrigation on a 10-acre tract within the plant site. Prior to 1972, the treated wastes were released to surface drainage features. An electromagnetic survey for ground conductivity was made to identify changes in the ground conductivity that may be due to the spray irrigation disposal operations. Water samples from four test wells drilled into the surficial aquifer and the two disposal ponds and bottom material from the ponds were analyzed for priority and nonpriority pollutants, total organic carbon, volatile organic carbon, herbicides, insecticides, trace metals, nutrients, and major constituents. Overall, concentrations of constituents in the water samples were (1) less than the detection limits, (2) within U.S. Environmental Protection Agency quality criteria for water, or (3) within the range of results for a designated background water-quality site. Concentrations of 12 priority pollutants were found to be considerably above detection limits. Concentrations of these compounds, mostly coal-tar derivatives, ranged from 220 to 5,500 micrograms per kilogram; the detection limit for these compounds is 10 micrograms per kilogram. Included in these compounds were anthracene, pyrenes, and chrysene. (USGS)

Water-quality assessment of the largely urban blue river basin, Metropolitan Kansas City, USA, 1998 to 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilkison, D.H.; Armstrong, D.J.; Hampton, S.A.

2009-01-01

From 1998 through 2007, over 750 surface-water or bed-sediment samples in the Blue River Basin - a largely urban basin in metropolitan Kansas City - were analyzed for more than 100 anthropogenic compounds. Compounds analyzed included nutrients, fecal-indicator bacteria, suspended sediment, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Non-point source runoff, hydrologic alterations, and numerous waste-water discharge points resulted in the routine detection of complex mixtures of anthropogenic compounds in samples from basin stream sites. Temporal and spatial variations in concentrations and loads of nutrients, pharmaceuticals, and organic wastewater compounds were observed, primarily related to a site's proximity to point-source discharges and stream-flow dynamics. ?? 2009 ASCE.

Redox-promoted associative assembly of metal–organic materials† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental procedures, compound characterization data, and X-ray crystallographic data for compounds 3–7 and 9–11. CCDC 1405641–1405645, 1429643, 1405647 and 1405648. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c5sc02214b Click here for additional data file. Click here for additional data file.

PubMed Central

Glavinović, Martin; Qi, Feng; Katsenis, Athanassios D.

2016-01-01

We develop an associative synthesis of metal–organic materials that combines solid-state metal oxidation and coordination-driven self-assembly into a one-step, waste-free transformation. The methodology hinges on the unique reactivity of ortho-quinones, which we introduce as versatile oxidants for mechanochemical synthesis. Our strategy opens a previously unexplored route to paramagnetic metal–organic materials from elementary metals. PMID:28791114

Modeling of experimental data on trace elements and organic compounds content in industrial waste dumps.

PubMed

Smoliński, Adam; Drobek, Leszek; Dombek, Václav; Bąk, Andrzej

2016-11-01

The main objective of the study presented was to investigate the differences between 20 mine waste dumps located in the Silesian Region of Poland and Czech Republic, in terms of trace elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons contents. The Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Clustering Analysis were applied in exploration of the studied data. Since the data set was affected by outlying objects, the employment of a relevant analysis strategy was necessary. The final PCA model was constructed with the use of the Expectation-Maximization iterative approach preceded by a correct identification of outliers. The analysis of the experimental data indicated that three mine waste dumps located in Poland were characterized by the highest concentrations of dibenzo(g,h,i)anthracene and benzo(g,h,i)perylene, and six objects located in Czech Republic and three objects in Poland were distinguished by high concentrations of chrysene and indeno (1.2.3-cd) pyrene. Three of studied mine waste dumps, one located in Czech Republic and two in Poland, were characterized by low concentrations of Cr, Ni, V, naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthen, benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo (b) fluoranthene, benzo (k) fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, dibenzo(g,h,i)anthracene, benzo(g,h,i)perylene and indeno (1.2.3-cd) pyrene in comparison with the remaining ones. The analysis contributes to the assessment and prognosis of ecological and health risks related to the emission of trace elements and organic compounds (PAHs) from the waste dumps examined. No previous research of similar scope and aims has been reported for the area concerned. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organoclay nanocomposites of post-industrial waste poly(butylene terephthalate) from automotive parts.

PubMed

Quispe, Noe B; Fernandes, Elizabeth G; Zanata, Fernanda; Bartoli, Julio R; Souza, Diego H S; Ito, Edson N

2015-10-01

Polymeric nanocomposites are novel materials of huge interest owing to their favourable cost/performance ratio with low amount of nanofillers, improved thermal resistance, flame retardancy and mechanical properties in relation to their matrices. In this work, composites based on post-industrial waste or primary recycled poly(butylene terephthalate) and 5 wt.% of organic modified montmorillonite clays were melt compounded using a twin-screw extruder. A 2(2) factorial experimental design was used to study the compounding and processing variables: Organic modified montmorillonite with one or two hydrogenated tallow (initial basal spacing) and screw speed of the extruder. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy suggest that a partial exfoliation of the organoclay in the recycled poly(butylene terephthalate) matrix was achieved for organic modified montmorillonite with lower initial basal spacing. On the other hand, formulations containing organic modified montmorillonite with higher initial basal spacing showed only intercalated structure. The recycled poly(butylene terephthalate)-organic modified montmorillonite nanocomposites did not drip flaming material during burning tests. Storage of dynamic-mechanical, tensile and flexural moduli of the recycled poly(butylene terephthalate)-organic modified montmorillonite were improved when compared with both virgin and recycled poly(butylene terephthalate)s, mainly for nanocomposites formulated at a lower initial basal spacing organoclay. This could be related to a better diffusion of polymer into organic modified montmorillonite layers compared with the higher initial basal spacing organoclay. The improvements on the physical properties of recycled poly(butylene terephthalate) showed the feasibility to add value to primary recycled engineering thermoplastics with a very small amount of organic modified montmorillonite. © The Author(s) 2015.

Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in composts and digestates from European countries as determined by the in vitro bioassay and chemical analysis.

PubMed

Beníšek, Martin; Kukučka, Petr; Mariani, Giulio; Suurkuusk, Gert; Gawlik, Bernd M; Locoro, Giovanni; Giesy, John P; Bláha, Luděk

2015-03-01

Aerobic composting and anaerobic digestion plays an important role in reduction of organic waste by transforming the waste into humus, which is an excellent soil conditioner. However, applications of chemical-contaminated composts on soils may have unwanted consequences such as accumulation of persistent compounds and their transfer into food chains. The present study investigated burden of composts and digestates collected in 16 European countries (88 samples) by the compounds causing dioxin-like effects as determined by use of an in vitro transactivation assay to quantify total concentrations of aryl hydrocarbon receptor-(AhR) mediated potency. Measured concentrations of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibeno-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) equivalents (TEQbio) were compared to concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and selected chlorinated compounds, including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs), co-planar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), indicator PCB congeners and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Median concentrations of TEQbio (dioxin-like compounds) determined by the in vitro assay in crude extracts of various types of composts ranged from 0.05 to 1.2 with a maximum 8.22μg (TEQbio)kg(-1) dry mass. Potencies were mostly associated with less persistent compounds such as PAHs because treatment with sulfuric acid removed bioactivity from most samples. The pan-European investigation of contamination by organic contaminants showed generally good quality of the composts, the majority of which were in compliance with conservative limits applied in some countries. Results demonstrate performance and added value of rapid, inexpensive, effect-based monitoring, and points out the need to derive corresponding effect-based trigger values for the risk assessment of complex contaminated matrices such as composts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staszak, Katarzyna; Wieszczycka, Karolina

2018-04-01

The potential sources of metals from energy industries are discussed. The discussion is organized based on two main metal-contains wastes from power plants: ashes, slags from combustion process and spent catalysts from selective catalytic NOx reduction process with ammonia, known as SCR. The compositions, methods of metals recovery, based mainly on leaching process, and their further application are presented. Solid coal combustion wastes are sources of various compounds such as silica, alumina, iron oxide, and calcium. In the case of the spent SCR catalysts mainly two metals are considered: vanadium and tungsten - basic components of industrial ones.

Modelling biogas production of solid waste: application of the BGP model to a synthetic landfill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigo-Ilarri, Javier; Segura-Sobrino, Francisco

2013-04-01

Production of biogas as a result of the decomposition of organic matter included on solid waste landfills is still an issue to be understood. Reports on this matter are rarely included on the engineering construction projects of solid waste landfills despite it can be an issue of critical importance while operating the landfill and after its closure. This paper presents an application of BGP (Bio-Gas-Production) model to a synthetic landfill. The evolution in time of the concentrations of the different chemical compounds of biogas is studied. Results obtained show the impact on the air quality of different management alternatives which are usually performed in real landfills.

Hospitals and plastics. Dioxin prevention and medical waste incinerators.

PubMed Central

Thornton, J; McCally, M; Orris, P; Weinberg, J

1996-01-01

CHLORINATED DIOXINS and related compounds are extremely potent toxic substances, producing effects in humans and animals at extremely low doses. Because these compounds are persistent in the environment and accumulate in the food chain, they are now distributed globally, and every member of the human population is exposed to them, primarily through the food supply and mothers' milk. An emerging body of information suggests that dioxin contamination has reached a level that may pose a large-scale, long-term public health risk. Of particular concern are dioxin's effects on reproduction, development, immune system function, and carcinogenesis. Medical waste incineration is a major source of dioxins. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, as the dominant source of organically bound chlorine in the medical waste stream, is the primary cause of "iatrogenic" dioxin produced by the incineration of medical wastes. Health professionals have a responsibility to work to reduce dioxin exposure from medical sources. Health care institutions should implement policies to reduce the use of PVC plastics, thus achieving major reductions in medically related dioxin formation. Images p298-a p299-a p300-a p301-a p305-a p307-a p310-a PMID:8711095

Partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkylphenols, bisphenol A and phthalates in landfill leachates and stormwater.

PubMed

Kalmykova, Yuliya; Björklund, Karin; Strömvall, Ann-Margret; Blom, Lena

2013-03-01

Partitioning of organic pollutants is essential to their fate, mobility and removal from water and soil. To study the partitioning behavior of selected alkylphenols, bisphenol A, phthalates and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a method for separating the truly dissolved and colloidal phase of organic pollutants was developed, verified and applied to samples of landfill leachate and stormwater from urban areas and waste-sorting sites. Alkylphenols, bisphenol A, phthalates and PAHs were detected in all the untreated samples (total concentrations), most of the filtered samples and frequently in the colloid-bound phase. Concentrations of alkylphenols and PAHs in urban stormwater were one order of magnitude lower than in the landfill leachates and stormwater from waste-sorting sites. The difference between total, dissolved and colloid-bound concentrations in the water samples was not statistically significant for any phenols or phthalates, but for three of the PAHs; naphthalene (mostly dissolved), phenanthrene and fluoranthene (mostly particulate). These results indicate that in landfill leachates and stormwaters, organic pollutants are predominantly attached to colloids and/or truly dissolved in contrast to their expected strong sorption to particulate matter. Occurrence and concentrations of pollutants in dissolved and colloid-bound phases correlated negatively with the K(OW). However, even highly hydrophobic compounds were frequently detected in filtered samples, i.e. the dissolved phases, and it is suggested that the organic content in the colloids decreases the compounds' partition to particles. The results confirm that the K(OW) values of specific organic pollutants well describe the compounds partition-binding process to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) colloids. Our findings call for a re-assessment of the organic pollutants' mobility and associated risks. This knowledge can also serve as a base for selecting efficient treatment methods for stormwater and landfill leachates. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of large volume injection GC-MS to analysis of organic compounds in the extracts and leachates of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Korenkova, Eva; Matisova, Eva; Slobodnik, Jaroslav

2006-07-01

Organic solvent and water extracts of fly ash from a Milan (Italy) municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) were analyzed by large volume injection-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (LVI-GC-MS) with programmable temperature vaporizer (PTV). Using injection volumes of 10-100 {mu}l, typically over a hundred compounds were detected in organic solvent extracts and ca. 35% of them could be tentatively identified from their electron impact ionization mass spectra. A protocol for the determination of the maximum amount of a potential environmental pollutant available for leaching (availability test) was developed for four selected target compounds: pentachlorobenzene (PeCB), hexachlorobenzene (HxCB), o-terphenyl (o-TPH) and m-terphenyl (m-TPH). Keymore » parameters, extraction time and liquid-to-solid ratio (L/S), were studied in more detail. Recoveries of PeCB, HxCB and o-TPH spiked into the fly ash samples at two concentration levels ranged from 38% to 53% for freshly spiked and from 14% to 40% for 40-day aged fly ash. Recoveries of m-TPH were 8% to 11% from freshly spiked and less than 3% from aged spiked fly ash. The native amounts in Milan MSWI fly ash, determined in an interlaboratory exercise using the developed protocol, were 31 ng/g PeCB, 34 ng/g HxCB, 72 ng/g o-TPH and 4.4 ng/g m-TPH. A separate methodology was developed for the determination of compounds extracted from fly ash by water (leaching test). Following 8-h sonication at L/S 20, the leached amounts of PeCB, HxCB and o-TPH were 1.1, 3.1 and 6.0 ng/g fly ash, respectively.« less

Water Recycling in Schools & Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meeten, Nick

2013-01-01

Consider the waste streams generated in schools and universities. So what is in the typical used water generated in schools and universities? It is typically about 99 percent water, with the remaining 1 percent mainly made up of organic compounds. Used water contains nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous. When one judges it on its quality, it…

Novel function of polyaniline for biological environments: Cultivation of paramecium in the presence of polyaniline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goto, Hiromasa

2014-03-01

The reduced form of polyaniline (PANI, emeraldine base) functions as water purification to extend the lives of paramecia. The emeraldine base can absorb discharged waste from the planktons such as nitrogenous compounds and salts. This is a new function of π-conjugated polymers for micro-organisms.

Fate and transport of brominated estradiols as surrogates for native 17ß-estradiol in an agricultural field

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Estrogens are steroid hormones eliminated from nearly all animals at reasonably high levels, and when released into the environment they can act as endocrine disrupting compounds, particularly to aquatic organisms. Tracing the movement of estrogens from animal waste to impacted waters is complicate...

40 CFR 63.1271 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... combustion device that is used for destroying organic compounds. Auxiliary fuel may be used to heat waste gas... that provides the principal heat input (i.e., more than 50 percent) to the device. To be considered... means an enclosed device using a controlled flame, the primary purpose of which is to transfer heat to a...

40 CFR 63.1271 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... combustion device that is used for destroying organic compounds. Auxiliary fuel may be used to heat waste gas... that provides the principal heat input (i.e., more than 50 percent) to the device. To be considered... means an enclosed device using a controlled flame, the primary purpose of which is to transfer heat to a...

40 CFR 63.1271 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... combustion device that is used for destroying organic compounds. Auxiliary fuel may be used to heat waste gas... that provides the principal heat input (i.e., more than 50 percent) to the device. To be considered... means an enclosed device using a controlled flame, the primary purpose of which is to transfer heat to a...

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE--COMPENDIUM OF METHODS FOR ANALYSIS OF METALS, PESTICIDES, AND VOCS IN WATER (EPA-COMPENDIUM)

EPA Science Inventory

This compendium includes descriptions of methods for analyzing metals, pesticides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water. The individual methods covered are these: (1) Method 200.8: determination of trace elements in waters and wastes by inductively coupled plasma-mass s...

Reduction of ammonia and volatile organic compounds from food waste-composting facilities using a novel anti-clogging biofilter system.

PubMed

Ryu, Hee Wook; Cho, Kyung-Suk; Lee, Tae-Ho

2011-04-01

The performance of a pilot-scale anti-clogging biofilter system (ABS) was evaluated over a period of 125days for treating ammonia and volatile organic compounds emitted from a full-scale food waste-composting facility. The pilot-scale ABS was designed to intermittently and automatically remove excess biomass using an agitator. When the pressure drop in the polyurethane filter bed was increased to a set point (50 mm H(2)O m(-1)), due to excess biomass acclimation, the agitator automatically worked by the differential pressure switch, without biofilter shutdown. A high removal efficiency (97-99%) was stably maintained for the 125 days after an acclimation period of 1 week, even thought the inlet gas concentrations fluctuated from 0.16 to 0.55 g m(-3). Due the intermittent automatic agitation of the filter bed, the biomass concentration and pressure drop in the biofilter were maintained within the ranges of 1.1-2.0 g-DCW g PU(-1) and below 50 mm H(2)O m(-1), respectively. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laboratory scale studies on gaseous emissions generated by the incineration of an artificial automotive shredder residue presenting a critical composition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lanoir, D.; Trouve, G.; Delfosse, L.

1998-09-01

Car manufacturers must eliminate automotive shredder residues (ASR). Two ways of incineration are of interest: at 850 C in municipal waste incinerators or at higher temperatures, above 1,100 C in cement plants. These processes reduce the mass and the volume of waste to be disposed of in landfills and energy recovery might be possible. Regulations govern the emission of gaseous effluents to control environmental risk. To determine gaseous effluents from a pilot scale or an industrial incineration plant, an artificial ASR was made by mixing three representative organic polymers present in the real ASR, namely polyvinylchloride, polyurethane and rubber. Thismore » mixture was incinerated at 850 and 1,100 C in laboratory experiments and the analyses of the principal gaseous effluents such as carbon oxides, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, hydrochloric and hydrocyanic acids and sulfur compounds are presented and discussed. Lastly, in order to simulate artificial ASR behavior, the composition of the combustion gases at equilibrium was calculated using a Gibbs energy minimization code.« less

Adsorptive removal of hydrophobic organic compounds by carbonaceous adsorbents: a comparative study of waste-polymer-based, coal-based activated carbon, and carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Lian, Fei; Chang, Chun; Du, Yang; Zhu, Lingyan; Xing, Baoshan; Liu, Chang

2012-01-01

Adsorption of the hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,3-dichlorobenzene (DCB), 1,3-dinitrobenzene (DNB) and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) on five different carbonaceous materials was compared. The adsorbents included three polymer-based activated carbons, one coal-based activated carbon (F400) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). The polymer-based activated carbons were prepared using KOH activation from waste polymers: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and tire rubber (TR). Compared with F400 and MWNT, activated carbons derived from PVC and PET exhibited fast adsorption kinetics and high adsorption capacity toward the HOCs, attributed to their extremely large hydrophobic surface area (2700 m2/g) and highly mesoporous structures. Adsorption of small-sized TCE was stronger on the tire-rubber-based carbon and F400 resulting from the pore-filling effect. In contrast, due to the molecular sieving effect, their adsorption on HCH was lower. MWNT exhibited the lowest adsorption capacity toward HOCs because of its low surface area and characteristic of aggregating in aqueous solution.

Using slaughterhouse waste in a biochemical-based biorefinery - results from pilot scale tests.

PubMed

Schwede, Sebastian; Thorin, Eva; Lindmark, Johan; Klintenberg, Patrik; Jääskeläinen, Ari; Suhonen, Anssi; Laatikainen, Reino; Hakalehto, Elias

2017-05-01

A novel biorefinery concept was piloted using protein-rich slaughterhouse waste, chicken manure and straw as feedstocks. The basic idea was to provide a proof of concept for the production of platform chemicals and biofuels from organic waste materials at non-septic conditions. The desired biochemical routes were 2,3-butanediol and acetone-butanol fermentation. The results showed that hydrolysis resulted only in low amounts of easily degradable carbohydrates. However, amino acids released from the protein-rich slaughterhouse waste were utilized and fermented by the bacteria in the process. Product formation was directed towards acidogenic compounds rather than solventogenic products due to increasing pH-value affected by ammonia release during amino acid fermentation. Hence, the process was not effective for 2,3-butanediol production, whereas butyrate, propionate, γ-aminobutyrate and valerate were predominantly produced. This offered fast means for converting tedious protein-rich waste mixtures into utilizable chemical goods. Furthermore, the residual liquid from the bioreactor showed significantly higher biogas production potential than the corresponding substrates. The combination of the biorefinery approach to produce chemicals and biofuels with anaerobic digestion of the residues to recover energy in form of methane and nutrients that can be utilized for animal feed production could be a feasible concept for organic waste utilization.

Use of organic waste as biofumigant for controlling root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) on potato

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, D. I. P.; Lisnawita; Oemry, S.; Safni, I.; Lubis, K.; Tantawi, A. R.

2018-02-01

Root knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) is one of the important pathogens that causes big impact on potato crop yields. One of the control strategies for controlling this nematode is the use of biofumigants. Biofumigants are volatile toxic compound derived from plants, and have biocide properties against insects and plant pathogens. Organic waste such as Brassicaceae, Leguminoceae, and Solanaceae can be used as biofumigant sources. This research was conducted to determine the effectiveness of Brassicaceae, Leguminoceae, and Solanaceae as biofumigants against Meloidogyne spp. The experiment was set in a completely randomized design (CRD) with the treatments were organic wastes including Brassicaceae, Leguminoceae, and Solanaceae, both single and combinations, and 2 controls (positive and negative controls) with 3 replications. Each of the biofumigant treatments was prepared and stored for 2 weeks. Potato tubers were transplanted 15 days after germination into polybag inoculated with 1,000 Meloidogyne spp. J2s. The results showed that Brassicaceae + Solanaceae were effective in decreasing the number of galls in potato plants, however only Solanaceae improved plant growth.

Fermentation as a first step in carbon and nutrient recovery in regenerative life support systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luther, Amanda; Lasseur, Christophe; Rebeyre, Pierre; Clauwaert, Peter; Rabaey, Korneel; Ronsse, Frederik; Zhang, Dong Dong; López Barreiro, Diego; Prins, Wolter

2016-07-01

Long term manned space missions, such as the establishment of a base on Mars, will require a regenerative means of supplying the basic resources (i.e., food, water, oxygen) necessary to support human life. The MELiSSA-loop is a closed loop compartmentalized artificial aquatic ecosystem designed to recover water, carbon, and nutrients from solid organic wastes (e.g., inedible food waste and feces) for the regeneration of food and oxygen for humans. The first step in this loop is a strictly anaerobic fermentation unit operated as a membrane bioreactor. In this step the aim is to maximize the hydrolysis of complex organic compounds into simple molecules (CO2, ammonia, volatile fatty acids, …) which can be consumed by plants and bacteria downstream to produce food again. Optimal steady state fermentation of a standardized homogeneous mixture of beets, lettuce, wheat straw, toilet paper, feces, and water was demonstrated to recover approximately 50% of the influent carbon as soluble organics in the effluent through anaerobic fermentation. Approximately 10% of the influent COD was converted to CO2, with the remaining ~40% retained as a mixture of undigested solids and biomass. Approximately 50% of the influent nitrogen was recovered in the effluent, 97% of which was in the form of ammonia. Similar results have been obtained at both lab and pilot scale. With only 10% of the carbon driven to CO2 through this fermentation, a major challenge at this moment for the MELiSSA-loop is closing the carbon cycle, by completely oxidizing the carbon in the organic waste and non-edible parts of the plant into CO2 for higher plants and algae to fix again for food production. To further improve the overall degradation we are investigating the integration of a high temperature and pressure, sub- or near critical water conditions to improve the degradation of fibrous material with the addition of an oxidant (hydrogen peroxide, H2O2) under sub- or near critical conditions to further enhanced the oxidation to CO2. The conversion of the soluble organic compounds (mainly volatile fatty acids) into CO2 is being investigated with bio-anodic oxidation in a microbial electrolysis cell. In this way, the energy present in the organic compounds is recovered without excessive biological sludge production.

Sustainable Materials for Sustainable Energy Storage: Organic Na Electrodes

PubMed Central

Oltean, Viorica-Alina; Renault, Stéven; Valvo, Mario; Brandell, Daniel

2016-01-01

In this review, we summarize research efforts to realize Na-based organic materials for novel battery chemistries. Na is a more abundant element than Li, thereby contributing to less costly materials with limited to no geopolitical constraints while organic electrode materials harvested from biomass resources provide the possibility of achieving renewable battery components with low environmental impact during processing and recycling. Together, this can form the basis for truly sustainable electrochemical energy storage. We explore the efforts made on electrode materials of organic salts, primarily carbonyl compounds but also Schiff bases, unsaturated compounds, nitroxides and polymers. Moreover, sodiated carbonaceous materials derived from biomasses and waste products are surveyed. As a conclusion to the review, some shortcomings of the currently investigated materials are highlighted together with the major limitations for future development in this field. Finally, routes to move forward in this direction are suggested. PMID:28773272

Sustainable Materials for Sustainable Energy Storage: Organic Na Electrodes.

PubMed

Oltean, Viorica-Alina; Renault, Stéven; Valvo, Mario; Brandell, Daniel

2016-03-01

In this review, we summarize research efforts to realize Na-based organic materials for novel battery chemistries. Na is a more abundant element than Li, thereby contributing to less costly materials with limited to no geopolitical constraints while organic electrode materials harvested from biomass resources provide the possibility of achieving renewable battery components with low environmental impact during processing and recycling. Together, this can form the basis for truly sustainable electrochemical energy storage. We explore the efforts made on electrode materials of organic salts, primarily carbonyl compounds but also Schiff bases, unsaturated compounds, nitroxides and polymers. Moreover, sodiated carbonaceous materials derived from biomasses and waste products are surveyed. As a conclusion to the review, some shortcomings of the currently investigated materials are highlighted together with the major limitations for future development in this field. Finally, routes to move forward in this direction are suggested.

An RC-1 organic Rankine bottoming cycle for an adiabatic diesel engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dinanno, L. R.; Dibella, F. A.; Koplow, M. D.

1983-01-01

A system analysis and preliminary design were conducted for an organic Rankine-cycle system to bottom the high-temperature waste heat of an adiabatic diesel engine. The bottoming cycle is a compact package that includes a cylindrical air cooled condenser regenerator module and other unique features. The bottoming cycle output is 56 horsepower at design point conditions when compounding the reference 317 horsepower turbocharged diesel engine with a resulting brake specific fuel consumption of 0.268 lb/hp-hr for the compound engine. The bottoming cycle when applied to a turbocompound diesel delivers a compound engine brake specific fuel consumption of 0.258 lb/hp-hr. This system for heavy duty transport applications uses the organic working fluid RC-1, which is a mixture of 60 mole percent pentafluorobenzene and 40 mole percent hexafluorobenzene. The thermal stability of the RC-1 organic fluid was tested in a dynamic fluid test loop that simulates the operation of Rankine-cycle. More than 1600 hours of operation were completed with results showing that the RC-1 is thermally stable up to 900 F.

Microwave remediation of electronic circuitry waste and the resulting gaseous emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, Rebecca L.

The global community has become increasingly dependent on computer and electronic technology. As a result, society is faced with an increasing amount of obsolete equipment and electronic circuitry waste. Electronic waste is generally disposed of in landfills. While convenient, this action causes a substantial loss of finite resources and poses an environmental threat as the circuit board components breakdown and are exposed to the elements. Hazardous compounds such as lead, mercury and cadmium may leach from the circuitry and find their way into the groundwater supply. For this dissertation, a microwave waste remediation system was developed. The system was designed to remove the organic components from a wide variety of electronic circuitry. Upon additional heating of the resulting ash material in an industrial microwave, a glass and metal product can be recovered. Analysis of the metal reveals the presence of precious metals (gold, silver) that can be sold to provide a return on investment. a glass and metal product can be recovered. Analysis of the metal reveals the presence of precious metals (gold, silver) that can be sold to provide a return on investment. Gaseous organic compounds that were generated as a result of organic removal were treated in a microwave off gas system that effectively reduced the concentration of the products emitted by several orders of magnitude, and in some cases completely destroying the waste gas. Upon further heating in an industrial microwave, a glass and metal product were recovered. In order to better understand the effects of processing parameters on the efficiency of the off-gas system, a parametric study was developed. The study tested the microwave system at 3 flow rates (10, 30, and 50 ft 3/min) and three temperatures (400, 700 and 1000°C. In order to test the effects of microwave energy, the experiments were repeated using a conventional furnace. While microwave energy is widely used, the mechanisms of interaction with materials is not well understood. In an effort to better understand how microwaves couple with materials, a newly developed molecular orbital model was investigated. The model proposed an interaction mechanism associated with the development of coupled oscillators upon application of microwave energy. The model was used to model several of the waste gases that appear in the waste stream. Results from experimentation support the data generated thus far.

Solid waste deposits as a significant source of contaminants of emerging concern to the aquatic and terrestrial environments - a developing country case study from Owerri, Nigeria.

PubMed

Arukwe, Augustine; Eggen, Trine; Möder, Monika

2012-11-01

In developing countries, there are needs for scientific basis to sensitize communities on the problems arising from improper solid waste deposition and the acute and long-term consequences for areas receiving immobilized pollutants. In Nigeria, as in many other African countries, solid waste disposal by way of open dumping has been the only management option for such wastes. Herein, we have highlighted the challenges of solid waste deposit and management in developing countries, focusing on contaminants of emerging concern and leaching into the environment. We have analyzed sediments and run-off water samples from a solid waste dumping site in Owerri, Nigeria for organic load and compared these with data from representative world cities. Learning from previous incidents, we intend to introduce some perspective for awareness of contaminants of emerging concerns such as those with potential endocrine disrupting activities in wildlife and humans. Qualitative and quantitative data obtained by gas chromatography and mass spectrometric analysis (GC-MS) provide an overview on lipophilic and semi-polar substances released from solid waste, accumulated in sediments and transported via leachates. The chromatograms of the full scan analyses of the sediment extracts clearly point to contamination related to heavy oil. The homologous series of n-alkanes with chain lengths ranging between C16 and C30, as well as detected polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds such as anthracene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene support the assumption that diesel fuel or high boiling fractions of oil are deposited on the site. Targeted quantitative analysis for selected compounds showed high concentration of substances typically released from man-made products such as plastics, textiles, household and consumer products. Phthalate, an integral component of plastic products, was the dominant compound group in all sediment samples and run-off water samples. Technical nonylphenols (mixture of isomers), metabolites of non-ionic surfactants (nonylphenol-polyethoxylates), UV-filter compound ethyl methoxy cinnamate (EHMC) and bisphenol A (BPA) were particularly determined in the sediment samples at high μg/kg dry weight concentration. Measuring contaminants in such areas will help in increasing governmental, societal and industrial awareness on the extent and seriousness of the contamination both at waste disposal sites and surrounding terrestrial and aquatic environments. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Movement and Fate of Solutes in a Plume of Sewage-Contaminated Ground Water, Cape Cod, Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Waste Ground-Water Contamination Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-03-01

contains many inorganic and organic chemicals such as sodium , nitrate, detergents, and volatile organic compounds which can be toxic and render a ground­...1983-- 51 24 . sodium in ground water, 1983---------------------------- 53 25 . chloride in ground water, 1983-------------------------- 54 26...contains elevated concentrations of chloride, sodium , boron, nitrogen, detergents, and other constituents of the treated sewage. The plume was

Reconnaissance investigation of petroleum products in soil and ground water at Longmire, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, 1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sumioka, S.S.

1995-01-01

The removal of an underground waste-oil storage tank in Mount Rainier National Park, at Longmire, Washington, led to the discovery that soil surrounding the tank was saturated with unidentified petroleum hydrocarbons. Subsequent investigations by the National Park Service indicated that a petroleum product smelling like diesel oil was present in the unsaturated zone as far as 120 feet from the tank site. A study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service to determine the extent to which the petroleum hydrocarbons have affected the unsaturated zone and ground water in the Longmire area. Measurements of water levels in wells and of water-surface elevations of the Nisqually River and a wetland west of Longmire indicate that ground water does not flow from the maintenance area to the river or to the wetland. Waste oil and diesel oil were detected in soil samples from the site closest to the waste-oil storage-tank site. Diesel oil was also detected in samples from a site about 200 feet northwest of the storage-tank site. Organic compounds of undetermined origin were detected in soil samples from all of the other sites. Waste oil was not conclusively detected in any of the ground-water samples. Diesel oil was detected in water samples from the well closest to the storage tank and from a well about 200 feet west of the storage-tank site. Ground-water samples from all of the other wells contained organic compounds of undetermined origin.

Employing CO2 as reaction medium for in-situ suppression of the formation of benzene derivatives and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during pyrolysis of simulated municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Lee, Jechan; Choi, Dongho; Tsang, Yiu Fai; Oh, Jeong-Ik; Kwon, Eilhann E

2017-05-01

This study proposes a strategic principle to enhance the thermal efficiency of pyrolysis of municipal solid waste (MSW). An environmentally sound energy recovery platform was established by suppressing the formation of harmful organic compounds evolved from pyrolysis of MSW. Using CO 2 as reaction medium/feedstock, CO generation was enhanced through the following: 1) expediting the thermal cracking of volatile organic carbons (VOCs) evolved from the thermal degradation of the MSWs and 2) directly reacting VOCs with CO 2 . This particular influence of CO 2 on pyrolysis of the MSWs also led to the in-situ mitigation of harmful organic compounds (e.g., benzene derivatives and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) considering that CO 2 acted as a carbon scavenger to block reaction pathways toward benzenes and PAHs in pyrolysis. To understand the fundamental influence of CO 2 , simulated MSWs (i.e., various ratios of biomass to polymer) were used to avoid any complexities arising from the heterogeneous matrix of MSW. All experimental findings in this study suggested the foreseeable environmental application of CO 2 to energy recovery from MSW together with disposal of MSW. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Solid Biological Waste Compost on the Metabolite Profile of Brassica rapa ssp. chinensis

PubMed Central

Neugart, Susanne; Wiesner-Reinhold, Melanie; Frede, Katja; Jander, Elisabeth; Homann, Thomas; Rawel, Harshadrai M.; Schreiner, Monika; Baldermann, Susanne

2018-01-01

Large quantities of biological waste are generated at various steps within the food production chain and a great utilization potential for this solid biological waste exists apart from the current main usage for the feedstuff sector. It remains unclear how the usage of biological waste as compost modulates plant metabolites. We investigated the effect of biological waste of the processing of coffee, aronia, and hop added to soil on the plant metabolite profile by means of liquid chromatography in pak choi sprouts. Here we demonstrate that the solid biological waste composts induced specific changes in the metabolite profiles and the changes are depending on the type of the organic residues and its concentration in soil. The targeted analysis of selected plant metabolites, associated with health beneficial properties of the Brassicaceae family, revealed increased concentrations of carotenoids (up to 3.2-fold) and decreased amounts of glucosinolates (up to 4.7-fold) as well as phenolic compounds (up to 1.5-fold). PMID:29616051

Integrated system for rehabilitation of mine wastes and exploitation of added-value compounds from Cistus ladanifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Erika S.; Balseiro-Romero, Maria; Abreu, Maria Manuela; Macías, Felipe

2017-04-01

The rehabilitation of mining areas with sulfide materials, both abandoned and active mines, is a priority because these areas are sources of acid mine drainage and multielemental contamination and, consequently, environmental and health risk. The combined use of Technosols and Phytostabilisation accelerates the area recovery, and ensures the sustainability at long-term of the physical, chemical and biological processes involved in the rehabilitation due to the functional complementarity of the components. Nowadays the rehabilitation strategy of contaminated areas must be based on circular economy, environmental improvements and economic approaches. Cistus ladanifer L. is an autochthones and spontaneous species that contributes to natural rehabilitation of contaminated soils from mining areas. Moreover, bioextracts obtained from C. ladanifer growing in São Domingos mining area (Iberian Pyrite Belt) presented several valuable compounds, which can provide an economic return by their use for fragrance and pharmaceutical approaches. This study aimed to evaluate, under controlled conditions, the efficiency of an integrated system for the rehabilitation of sulfide-rich and gossan tailings, which combines the application of Technosols and Phytostabilisation, and exploitation of added-value compounds from C. ladanifer bioextracts. The rehabilitation system comprised a surface layer of Technosol and a barrier of alkaline residues (biomass ashes and limestone wastes) that covered sulfide-rich wastes. Two Tecnosols composed of gossan wastes and different mixtures of agro-industrial wastes (from distilleries and greenhouse agriculture without any valorisation) at 150 Mg/ha were tested. In the Technosols was seeded C. ladanifer. After three years of plant growth, shoots biomass was quantified and used to obtain bioextracts (extraction with n-hexane). The organic composition of the bioextracts was determined and some compounds with added value (α-pinene, camphene, camphor, fenchona and verbenone) were quantified. During the assay, the Technosols presented better structure, pH (5,7‒6,0) and concentrations of organic C (9,0‒26,2 g/kg) and NPK (204‒490 mg Ntotal/kg, 163‒329 mg Pextractable/kg, 80‒308 mg Kextractable/kg), compared to control (only gossan wastes; pH: 3.7‒4.0; [Corg]: 2.2‒5.2 g / kg; Ntotal]: 126-341 mg / kg; [Pext]: 0.2‒0.9 mg/kg; [Kext]: ≈ 20 mg/kg). In Technosols, concentrations of nutrients (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn and Zn) in available fraction (Rhizzo extraction) were also higher (>50-fold compared to control) but Cu and Pb concentrations decrease. The improvement of these characteristics in the Technosols stimulated the germination (control: 1 %; Technosols: 5‒11 %) and plant growth. After 40 days, seedlings from control died but the Technosols support the vegetative growth at long-term. The shoots biomass obtained was between 67.9 and 76.4 g of fresh weight, corresponding to 5.8 and 6.7 ton of dry weight/ha. The increase of evapotranspiration by C. ladanifer growth and the alkalinizing barrier decreased the sulfide oxidation of the sulfide-rich wastes and, consequently, the generation of acid drainage and dispersion of potentially hazardous elements by leachates. Several compounds with economic interest were quantified, being benzenepropanoic acid the major compound (15‒42 %). Verbenone showed significant concentrations in bioextracts (≈7 mg/kg). The integrated rehabilitation system was adequate and sustainable, contributing to the recovery of unproductive and contaminated areas, which can be economically exploited.

Sol-gel (template) synthesis of macroporous Mo-based catalysts for hydrothermal oxidation of radionuclide-organic complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papynov, E. K.; Palamarchuk, M. S.; Mayorov, V. Yu; Modin, E. B.; Portnyagin, A. S.; Sokol'nitskaya, T. A.; Belov, A. A.; Tananaev, I. G.; Avramenko, V. A.

2017-07-01

Molybdenum compounds are industrially demanding as heterogeneous catalysts for oxidation of various organic substances. Highly porous structure of molybdenum-containing catalysts avoids surface's colmatation and prevents blocking catalytic sites that makes these materials play a key role in processes of hydrothermal oxidation of radionuclide organic complexes. The study presents an original way of sol-gel synthesis of new macroporous molybdenum compounds using ;core-shell; colloid template (polymer latex) as poreforming agent. We have described three individual routs of template removal via thermal decomposition to obtain porous materials based on molybdenum compounds. Thermal treatment conditions (temperature, gaseous atmosphere) have been studied with respect to their influence on composition, structure and catalytic properties of synthesized molybdenum systems. The optimal way to synthesis of crystal molybdenum (VI) oxide with ordered porous structure (mean pore size 100-160 nm) has been suggested. Catalytic properties of macroporous molybdenum materials have been investigated in the process of liquid phase and hydrothermal oxidation of such organic substances thiazine and stable Co-EDTA complex. It was shown that macroporous molybdenum oxides could be applied as prospective catalysts for hydrothermal oxidation of organic radionuclide complexes during the processing of radioactive waste.

Ground-water contamination by organic bases derived from coal-tar wastes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pereira, Wilfred E.; Rostad, Colleen E.; Garbarino, John R.; Hult, Marc F.

1983-01-01

A fluid sample from a shallow aquifer contaminated by coal-tar wastes was analyzed for organic bases. The sample consisted of a mixture of aqueous and oily-tar phases. The phases were separated by centrifugation and filtration. Organic bases were isolated from each phase by pH adjustment and solvent extraction. Organic bases in the oily-tar phase were further purified by neutral-alumina, micro-column adsorption chromatography. Separation and identification of the organic bases in each phase were achieved by using capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-computer (GC-MS-COM) and probe distillation-high resolution mass spectrometry (PD-HRMS) techniques. Organic bases present in the aqueous phase included primary aromatic amines (such as aniline, alkylated anilines, and naphthylamines) as well as azaarenes (such as alkylated pyridines, quinolines, acridine, and benzoquinolines). The oily-tar phase contained acridine, benzacridines, dibenzacridines, and numerous other azaarenes, the elemental compositions of which were determined by PD-HRMS. Azaarenes in the oily-tar phase, varying in size from 6 to 12 rings, are reported for the first time. The origin and environmental significance of these compounds are discussed.

Groundwater contamination by organic bases derived from coal-tar wastes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pereira, W.E.; Rostad, C.E.; Garbarino, J.R.; Hult, M.F.

1983-01-01

A fluid sample from a shallow aquifer contaminated by coal-tar wastes was analyzed for organic bases. The sample consisted of a mixture of aqueous and oily-tar phases. The phases were separated by centrifugation and filtration. Organic bases were isolated from each phase by pH adjustment and solvent extraction. Organic bases in the oily-tar phase were further purified by neutral-alumina, micro-column adsorption chromatography. Separation and identification of the organic bases in each phase were achieved by using capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-computer (GC-MS-COM) and probe distillation-high resolution mass spectrometry (PD-HRMS) techniques. Organic bases present in the aqueous phase included primary aromatic amines (such as aniline, alkylated anilines, and naphthylamines) as well as azaarenes (such as alkylated pyridines, quinolines, acridine, and benzoquinolines). The oily-tar phase contained acridine, benzacridines, dibenzacridines, and numerous other azaarenes, the elemental compositions of which were determined by PD-HRMS. Azaarenes in the oily-tar phase, varying in size from 6 to 12 rings, are reported for the first time. The origin and environmental significance of these compounds are discussed. ?? 1983.

Analysis of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Compounds in Wastewater Sludge and Aqueous Samples using GC-MS/MS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhong, Lirong; Mitroshkov, Alexandre V.; Gilmore, Tyler J.

The Bioenergy Program at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is evaluating the feasibility of converting wastewater sludge materials to fuels. Wastewater sludge from various municipalities will be used in the evaluation process and as with any municipal waste, there is the potential for residual contaminates to remain in the sludge following wastewater treatment. Many surveys and studies have confirmed the presence of pharmaceuticals in municipal wastewater and effluents (World Health Organization, 2011). Determination of the presence and concentrations of the contaminants is required to define the proper handling of this sludge. A list of targeted compounds was acquired from themore » literature and an analytical method was developed for the pharmaceutical and personal care compounds. The presence of organics complicated the analytical techniques and, in some cases, the precision of the results. However, residual concentrations of a range of compounds were detected in the wastewater sludge and the presence and concentrations of these compounds will be considered in identifying the appropriate handling of this material in conduct of research.« less

Ground-water contamination at an inactive coal and oil gasification plant site, Gas Works Park, Seattle, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turney, G.L.; Goerlitz, D.F.

1989-01-01

Gas Works Park, in Seattle, Washington, is located on the site of a coal and oil gasification plant that ceased operation in 1956. During operation, many types of wastes, including coal, tar, and oil, accumulated on site. The park soil is presently (1986) contaminated with compounds such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, trace metals, and cyanide. Analyses of water samples from a network of observation wells in the park indicate that these compounds are also present in the groundwater. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds were identified in groundwater samples in concentrations as large as 200 mg/L. Concentrations of organic compounds were largest where groundwater was in contact with a nonaqueous phase liquid in the soil. Concentrations in groundwater were much smaller where no nonaqueous phase liquid was present, even if the groundwater was in contact with contaminated soils. This condition is attributed to weathering processes at the site, such as dissolution, volatilization, and biodegradation. Soluble, volatile, low-molecular-weight organic compounds are preferentially dissolved from the nonaqueous phase liquid into the groundwater. Where no nonaqueous phase liquid is present, only stained soils containing relatively insoluble, high-molecular-weight compounds remain; therefore, contaminant concentrations in the groundwater are much smaller. Concentrations of organic contaminants in the soils may still remain large. Values of specific conductance were as large as 5,280 microsiemens/cm, well above a background of 242 microsiemens/cm, suggesting large concentrations of minerals in the groundwater. Trace metal concentrations, however , were generally < 0.010 mg/L, and below limits of US EPA drinking water standards. Cyanide was present in groundwater samples from throughout the park, ranging in concentration from 0.01 to 8.6 mg/L. (Author 's abstract)

The Effects of Organic Pollutants in Soil on Human Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgess, Lynn

2013-04-01

The soil has always been depository of the organic chemicals produced naturally or anthropogenically. Soil contamination is a serious human and environmental problem. A large body of evidence has shown the risks of adverse health effects with the exposure to contaminated soil due to the large quantities of organic chemicals used in agriculture and urban areas that have a legacy of environmental pollution linked to industrial activities, coal burning, motor vehicle emissions, waste incineration and waste dumping. In agricultural areas, because of the effort to provide adequate quantities of agricultural products, farmers have been using an increasing amount of organic chemicals, but the resulting pollution has enormous potential for environmental damage. The types of organic pollutants commonly found in soils are polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides, herbicides and organic fuels, especially gasoline and diesel. Another source of soil pollution is the complex mixture of organic chemicals, metals and microorganisms in the effluent from septic systems, animal wastes and other sources of biowaste. The soils of the world are a vast mixture of chemicals and although conditions are such that an individual is rarely exposed to a single compound, the great majority of people are exposed to a vast chemical mixture of organics, their metabolites, and other compounds at low concentrations Human exposure to organic pollutants in the soil is an area of toxicology that is very difficult to study due to the low concentration of the pollutants. The toxicological studies of single organic pollutants found in soils are limited and research on the metabolites and of chemical mixtures is very limited. The majority of toxicological studies are conducted at relatively high doses and for short periods of exposure. This makes the application of this data to exposure from soil very difficult, with the exposure from soil usually being chronic and at very low concentrations. The vastness of the soil has led to the dilution of these pollutants and most of the pollutants remain on or near the surface of the soil unless they have moved by the action of water, organisms, or mechanical mixing. This dilution has reduced the toxicity of these pollutants but the unknown factor is the action of the soil, its chemistry, and the combined action of all the microorganisms, plants, and invertebrates that live in the soil. This biological action combined with the influences of the soil components has the potential of creating new metabolites and chemicals. Toxicologists needs expand their studies to include the persistent organic pollutants and the organic pollutants that can bioaccumulate in organisms. We do not know if the addition of organics chemicals to the soil is creating very toxic xenobiotics and at very low concentrations but with important health effects to humans and other organisms. These unknown compounds could be accumulating in plants that we use for food or as forage for our livestock, then bioaccumulating in the livestock and then on into us.

A fluidized bed enhances biotreatment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-03-01

Chlorinated organics such as trichloroethylene (TCE) are often difficult to treat biologically because they degrade into intermediate compounds that are toxic to most microorganisms. But recent advances in fluidized bed biotreatment by Envirex, Inc. (Waukesha, Wis.) indicate that difficult-to-treat wastes like TCE can be successfully biodegraded. The key is to add chemicals (dubbed co-metabolic substrates), which promote the growth of microbes that preferentially degrade the unwanted intermediate compounds. Preliminary field tests using phenol, toluene and methane as the co-metabolic substrate show that TCE levels can be reduced by as much as 95%.

CLEANER SYNTHESIS OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS USING NANO-STRUCTURED TIO2 PREPARED BY FLAME AEROSOL METHOD

EPA Science Inventory

The chemical industry is a significant component of the domestic economy, generating well over $250 billion in sales and a trade surplus exceeding $15 billion in each of the last 5 years. The industry is also a major source of industrial waste and is the dominant source of hazard...

USBI Booster Production Company's Hazardous Waste Management Program at the Kennedy Space Center, FL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venuto, Charles

1987-01-01

In response to the hazardous-waste generating processes associated with the launch of the Space Shuttle, a hazardous waste management plan has been developed. It includes waste recycling, product substitution, waste treatment, and waste minimization at the source. Waste material resulting from the preparation of the nonmotor segments of the solid rocket boosters include waste paints (primer, topcoats), waste solvents (methylene chloride, freon, acetone, toluene), waste inorganic compounds (aluminum anodizing compound, fixer), and others. Ways in which these materials are contended with at the Kennedy Space Center are discussed.

Mobility of Source Zone Heavy Metals and Radionuclides: The Mixed Roles of Fermentative Activity on Fate and Transport of U and Cr. Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gerlach, Robin; Peyton, Brent M.; Apel, William A.

2014-01-29

Various U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) low and medium-level radioactive waste sites contain mixtures of heavy metals, radionuclides and assorted organic materials. In addition, there are numerous sites around the world that are contaminated with a mixture of organic and inorganic contaminants. In most sites, over time, water infiltrates the wastes, and releases metals, radionuclides and other contaminants causing transport into the surrounding environment. We investigated the role of fermentative microorganisms in such sites that may control metal, radionuclide and organics migration from source zones. The project was initiated based on the following overarching hypothesis: Metals, radionuclides and othermore » contaminants can be mobilized by infiltration of water into waste storage sites. Microbial communities of lignocellulose degrading and fermenting microorganisms present in the subsurface of contaminated DOE sites can significantly impact migration by directly reducing and immobilizing metals and radionuclides while degrading complex organic matter to low molecular weight organic compounds. These low molecular weight organic acids and alcohols can increase metal and radionuclide mobility by chelation (i.e., certain organic acids) or decrease mobility by stimulating respiratory metal reducing microorganisms. We demonstrated that fermentative organisms capable of affecting the fate of Cr6+, U6+ and trinitrotoluene can be isolated from organic-rich low level waste sites as well as from less organic rich subsurface environments. The mechanisms, pathways and extent of contaminant transformation depend on a variety of factors related to the type of organisms present, the aqueous chemistry as well as the geochemistry and mineralogy. This work provides observations and quantitative data across multiple scales that identify and predict the coupled effects of fermentative carbon and electron flow on the transport of radionuclides, heavy metals and organic contaminants in the subsurface; a primary concern of the DOE Environmental Remediation Science Division (ERSD) and Subsurface Geochemical Research (SBR) Program.« less

Ecotoxicological assessment of soils polluted with chemical waste from lindane production: Use of bacterial communities and earthworms as bioremediation tools.

PubMed

Muñiz, Selene; Gonzalvo, Pilar; Valdehita, Ana; Molina-Molina, José Manuel; Navas, José María; Olea, Nicolás; Fernández-Cascán, Jesús; Navarro, Enrique

2017-11-01

An ecotoxicological survey of soils that were polluted with wastes from lindane (γ-HCH) production assessed the effects of organochlorine compounds on the metabolism of microbial communities and the toxicity of these compounds to a native earthworm (Allolobophora chlorotica). Furthermore, the bioremediation role of earthworms as facilitators of soil washing and the microbial degradation of these organic pollutants were also studied. Soil samples that presented the highest concentrations of ε-HCH, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, pentachlorobenzene and γ-HCH were extremely toxic to earthworms in the short term, causing the death of almost half of the population. In addition, these soils inhibited the heterotrophic metabolic activity of the microbial community. These highly polluted samples also presented substances that were able to activate cellular detoxification mechanisms (measured as EROD and BFCOD activities), as well as compounds that were able to cause endocrine disruption. A few days of earthworm activity increased the extractability of HCH isomers (e.g., γ-HCH), facilitating the biodegradation of organochlorine compounds and reducing the intensity of endocrine disruption in soils that had low or medium contamination levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Induced effects of advanced oxidation processes

PubMed Central

Liu, Peng; Li, Chaolin; Zhao, Zhuanjun; Lu, Gang; Cui, Haibo; Zhang, Wenfang

2014-01-01

Hazardous organic wastes from industrial, military, and commercial activities represent one of the greatest challenges to human beings. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are alternatives to the degradation of those organic wastes. However, the knowledge about the exact mechanisms of AOPs is still incomplete. Here we report a phenomenon in the AOPs: induced effects, which is a common property of combustion reaction. Through analysis EDTA oxidation processes by Fenton and UV-Fenton system, the results indicate that, just like combustion, AOPs are typical induction reactions. One most compelling example is that pre-feeding easily oxidizable organic matter can promote the oxidation of refractory organic compound when it was treated by AOPs. Connecting AOPs to combustion, it is possible to achieve some helpful enlightenment from combustion to analyze, predict and understand AOPs. In addition, we assume that maybe other oxidation reactions also have induced effects, such as corrosion, aging and passivation. Muchmore research is necessary to reveal the possibilities of induced effects in those fields. PMID:24503715

Induced effects of advanced oxidation processes.

PubMed

Liu, Peng; Li, Chaolin; Zhao, Zhuanjun; Lu, Gang; Cui, Haibo; Zhang, Wenfang

2014-02-07

Hazardous organic wastes from industrial, military, and commercial activities represent one of the greatest challenges to human beings. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are alternatives to the degradation of those organic wastes. However, the knowledge about the exact mechanisms of AOPs is still incomplete. Here we report a phenomenon in the AOPs: induced effects, which is a common property of combustion reaction. Through analysis EDTA oxidation processes by Fenton and UV-Fenton system, the results indicate that, just like combustion, AOPs are typical induction reactions. One most compelling example is that pre-feeding easily oxidizable organic matter can promote the oxidation of refractory organic compound when it was treated by AOPs. Connecting AOPs to combustion, it is possible to achieve some helpful enlightenment from combustion to analyze, predict and understand AOPs. In addition, we assume that maybe other oxidation reactions also have induced effects, such as corrosion, aging and passivation. Muchmore research is necessary to reveal the possibilities of induced effects in those fields.

Furniture wood wastes: Experimental property characterisation and burning tests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tatano, Fabio; Barbadoro, Luca; Mangani, Giovanna

2009-10-15

Referring to the industrial wood waste category (as dominant in the provincial district of Pesaro-Urbino, Marche Region, Italy), this paper deals with the experimental characterisation and the carrying out of non-controlled burning tests (at lab- and pilot-scale) for selected 'raw' and primarily 'engineered' ('composite') wood wastes. The property characterisation has primarily revealed the following aspects: potential influence on moisture content of local weather conditions at outdoor wood waste storage sites; generally, higher ash contents in 'engineered' wood wastes as compared with 'raw' wood wastes; and relatively high energy content values of 'engineered' wood wastes (ranging on the whole from 3675more » to 5105 kcal kg{sup -1} for HHV, and from 3304 to 4634 kcal kg{sup -1} for LHV). The smoke qualitative analysis of non-controlled lab-scale burning tests has primarily revealed: the presence of specific organic compounds indicative of incomplete wood combustion; the presence exclusively in 'engineered' wood burning tests of pyrroles and amines, as well as the additional presence (as compared with 'raw' wood burning) of further phenolic and containing nitrogen compounds; and the potential environmental impact of incomplete industrial wood burning on the photochemical smog phenomenon. Finally, non-controlled pilot-scale burning tests have primarily given the following findings: emission presence of carbon monoxide indicative of incomplete wood combustion; higher nitrogen oxide emission values detected in 'engineered' wood burning tests as compared with 'raw' wood burning test; and considerable generation of the respirable PM{sub 1} fraction during incomplete industrial wood burning.« less

Effects of microbial processes on gas generation under expected WIPP repository conditions: Annual report through 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Francis, A.J.; Gillow, J.B.

1993-09-01

Microbial processes involved in gas generation from degradation of the organic constituents of transuranic waste under conditions expected at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) repository are being investigated at Brookhaven National Laboratory. These laboratory studies are part of the Sandia National Laboratories -- WIPP Gas Generation Program. Gas generation due to microbial degradation of representative cellulosic waste was investigated in short-term (< 6 months) and long-term (> 6 months) experiments by incubating representative paper (filter paper, paper towels, and tissue) in WIPP brine under initially aerobic (air) and anaerobic (nitrogen) conditions. Samples from the WIPP surficial environment and undergroundmore » workings harbor gas-producing halophilic microorganisms, the activities of which were studied in short-term experiments. The microorganisms metabolized a variety of organic compounds including cellulose under aerobic, anaerobic, and denitrifying conditions. In long-term experiments, the effects of added nutrients (trace amounts of ammonium nitrate, phosphate, and yeast extract), no nutrients, and nutrients plus excess nitrate on gas production from cellulose degradation.« less

Investigations of biological processes in Austrian MBT plants.

PubMed

Tintner, J; Smidt, E; Böhm, K; Binner, E

2010-10-01

Mechanical biological treatment (MBT) of municipal solid waste (MSW) has become an important technology in waste management during the last decade. The paper compiles investigations of mechanical biological processes in Austrian MBT plants. Samples from all plants representing different stages of degradation were included in this study. The range of the relevant parameters characterizing the materials and their behavior, e.g. total organic carbon, total nitrogen, respiration activity and gas generation sum, was determined. The evolution of total carbon and nitrogen containing compounds was compared and related to process operation. The respiration activity decreases in most of the plants by about 90% of the initial values whereas the ammonium release is still ongoing at the end of the biological treatment. If the biogenic waste fraction is not separated, it favors humification in MBT materials that is not observed to such extent in MSW. The amount of organic carbon is about 15% dry matter at the end of the biological treatment. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engineering design and test plan for demonstrating DETOX treatment of mixed wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldblatt, S.; Dhooge, P.

1995-03-01

DETOX is a cocatalyzed wet oxidation process in which the catalysts are a relatively great concentration of iron ions (typically as iron(III) chloride) in the presence of small amounts of platinum and ruthenium ions. Organic compounds are oxidized completely to carbon dioxide, water, and (if chlorinated) hydrogen chloride. The process has shown promise as a non-thermal alternative to incineration for treatment and/or volume reduction of hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes. Design and fabrication of a demonstration unit capable of destroying 25. Kg/hr of organic material is now in progress. This paper describes the Title 2 design of the demonstration unit,more » and the planned demonstration effort at Savannah River Site (SRS) and Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project (WSSRAP).« less

Biological treatment of leachate from a Superfund site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Opatken, E.J.; Howard, H.K.; Bond, J.J.

1989-02-01

Studies were completed on treating a leachate from New Lyme, Ohio. The leachate was transported to Cincinnati, Ohio, where a pilot-sized rotating biological contactor (RBC) was used for a treatment evaluation. The biomass was developed on the RBC discs with primary effluent from the City of Cincinnati's Mill Creek Sewage Treatment Facility. Experiments were then conducted to determine the effectiveness of treating a hazardous waste leachate and to provide information on the following: the rate of organics removal; the final effluent quality; the fate of priority pollutants and specific organic compounds; and the loss of volatiles via stripping in themore » RBC. The paper reports on the results from these experiments and the applicability of an RBC to treat a hazardous-waste leachate from a Superfund site.« less

A comparison between ultraviolet disinfection and copper alginate beads within a vortex bioreactor for the deactivation of bacteria in simulated waste streams with high levels of colour, humic acid and suspended solids.

PubMed

Thomas, Simon F; Rooks, Paul; Rudin, Fabian; Atkinson, Sov; Goddard, Paul; Bransgrove, Rachel M; Mason, Paul T; Allen, Michael J

2014-01-01

We show in this study that the combination of a swirl flow reactor and an antimicrobial agent (in this case copper alginate beads) is a promising technique for the remediation of contaminated water in waste streams recalcitrant to UV-C treatment. This is demonstrated by comparing the viability of both common and UV-C resistant organisms in operating conditions where UV-C proves ineffective - notably high levels of solids and compounds which deflect UV-C. The swirl flow reactor is easy to construct from commonly available plumbing parts and may prove a versatile and powerful tool in waste water treatment in developing countries.

Volatile organic compound sensing devices

DOEpatents

Lancaster, G.D.; Moore, G.A.; Stone, M.L.; Reagen, W.K.

1995-08-29

Apparatus employing vapochromic materials in the form of inorganic double complex salts which change color reversibly when exposed to volatile organic compound (VOC) vapors is adapted for VOC vapor detection, VOC aqueous matrix detection, and selective VOC vapor detection. The basic VOC vapochromic sensor is incorporated in various devices such as a ground probe sensor, a wristband sensor, a periodic sampling monitor, a soil/water penetrometer, an evaporative purge sensor, and various vacuum-based sensors which are particularly adapted for reversible/reusable detection, remote detection, continuous monitoring, or rapid screening of environmental remediation and waste management sites. The vapochromic sensor is used in combination with various fiber optic arrangements to provide a calibrated qualitative and/or quantitative indication of the presence of VOCs. 15 figs.

Volatile organic compound sensing devices

DOEpatents

Lancaster, Gregory D.; Moore, Glenn A.; Stone, Mark L.; Reagen, William K.

1995-01-01

Apparatus employing vapochromic materials in the form of inorganic double complex salts which change color reversibly when exposed to volatile organic compound (VOC) vapors is adapted for VOC vapor detection, VOC aqueous matrix detection, and selective VOC vapor detection. The basic VOC vapochromic sensor is incorporated in various devices such as a ground probe sensor, a wristband sensor, a periodic sampling monitor, a soil/water penetrometer, an evaporative purge sensor, and various vacuum-based sensors which are particularly adapted for reversible/reusable detection, remote detection, continuous monitoring, or rapid screening of environmental remediation and waste management sites. The vapochromic sensor is used in combination with various fiber optic arrangements to provide a calibrated qualitative and/or quantitative indication of the presence of VOCs.

Purgeable organic compounds in ground water at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho; 1988 and 1989

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mann, L.J.

1990-01-01

Groundwater samples from 38 wells at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory were analyzed for 36 purgeable organic compounds in 1988-89. Thirty-six of the wells obtain water from the Snake River Plain aquifer and were equipped with dedicated or portable pumps. Water samples from one well that obtains water from the aquifer and one that obtains water from a perched groundwater zone were collected using a thief sampler. Analyses of water from 22 wells indicated the aquifer locally contained detectable concentrations of at least 1 of 19 purgeable organic compounds, mainly carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and trichloroethylene. Except for five wells, the maximum concentration of a specific compound in groundwater was 6.4 microgram/L or less; concentrations of most compounds were less than 0.2 microgram/L. Water from four wells at and near the Test Area North contained from 44 to 29, 000 micrograms/L of trichloroethylene. Water from a well that obtains water from a discontinuous perched groundwater zone at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex contained 1,400 micrograms/L of carbon tetrachloride, 940 micrograms/L of chloroform, 250 micrograms/L of 1,1,1- trichloroethane, and 1,100 micrograms/L trichloroethylene. Selected purgeable organic compounds, such as total xylene and methylene chloride, were detected in some groundwater samples and some blank samples consisting of boiled deionized water. Their presence in the blank samples suggest the compounds could have been inadvertently introduced into the groundwater sampled during or subsequent to collection. (USGS)

Sediment-quality assessment of Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake and the upstream reach of the Columbia River, Washington, 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bortleson, Gilbert Carl; Cox, S.E.; Munn, M.D.; Schumaker, R.J.; Block, E.K.

2001-01-01

Elevated concentrations of trace elements were found in bed sediment of Lake Roosevelt and the Columbia River, its principal source of inflow. Trace-element concentrations in whole water samples did not exceed criteria for freshwater organisms. Bed sediments of Lake Roosevelt were analyzed for organic compounds associated with wood-pulp waste. Dioxins and furans were found in suspended sediment and water of the Columbia River. Abundance and diversity of benthic invertebrate communities were analyzed.

Headspace needle-trap analysis of priority volatile organic compounds from aqueous samples: application to the analysis of natural and waste waters.

PubMed

Alonso, Monica; Cerdan, Laura; Godayol, Anna; Anticó, Enriqueta; Sanchez, Juan M

2011-11-11

Combining headspace (HS) sampling with a needle-trap device (NTD) to determine priority volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water samples results in improved sensitivity and efficiency when compared to conventional static HS sampling. A 22 gauge stainless steel, 51-mm needle packed with Tenax TA and Carboxen 1000 particles is used as the NTD. Three different HS-NTD sampling methodologies are evaluated and all give limits of detection for the target VOCs in the ng L⁻¹ range. Active (purge-and-trap) HS-NTD sampling is found to give the best sensitivity but requires exhaustive control of the sampling conditions. The use of the NTD to collect the headspace gas sample results in a combined adsorption/desorption mechanism. The testing of different temperatures for the HS thermostating reveals a greater desorption effect when the sample is allowed to diffuse, whether passively or actively, through the sorbent particles. The limits of detection obtained in the simplest sampling methodology, static HS-NTD (5 mL aqueous sample in 20 mL HS vials, thermostating at 50 °C for 30 min with agitation), are sufficiently low as to permit its application to the analysis of 18 priority VOCs in natural and waste waters. In all cases compounds were detected below regulated levels. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mercury contamination extraction

DOEpatents

Fuhrmann, Mark [Silver Spring, MD; Heiser, John [Bayport, NY; Kalb, Paul [Wading River, NY

2009-09-15

Mercury is removed from contaminated waste by firstly applying a sulfur reagent to the waste. Mercury in the waste is then permitted to migrate to the reagent and is stabilized in a mercury sulfide compound. The stable compound may then be removed from the waste which itself remains in situ following mercury removal therefrom.

An eco-compatible process for the depuration of wastewater from olive mill industry.

PubMed

Ena, A; Pintucci, C; Faraloni, C; Torzillo, G

2009-01-01

Olive mill wastewater (OMW) is the by-product of olive oil industrial production. It is characterized by a dark brownish color and a strong odor and is considered one of the most polluted agricultural wastes. In this paper we briefly describe an innovative procedure for the depuration of olive mill wastewater. With this procedure it is also possible to recover valuable substances such as phenolic compounds which have important commercial applications: they can be used in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and as antiviral, antioxidant and antitumor agents. The proposed OMW treatment uses two different packed vegetable matrices which remove most of the pollutant substances by absorption. After filtration of OMW on the matrices the pollutant load of the waste is greatly reduced: the organic content (COD) is reduced more than 80% and the phenol compounds are completely removed.

Collection of domestic waste. Review of occupational health problems and their possible causes.

PubMed

Poulsen, O M; Breum, N O; Ebbehøj, N; Hansen, A M; Ivens, U I; van Lelieveld, D; Malmros, P; Matthiasen, L; Nielsen, B H; Nielsen, E M

1995-08-18

During the last decade, a growing interest in recycling of domestic waste has emerged, and action plans to increase the recycling of domestic waste have been agreed by many governments. A common feature of these plans is the implementation of new systems and equipment for the collection of domestic waste which has been separated at source. However, only limited information exists on possible occupational health problems related to such new systems. Occupational accidents are very frequent among waste collectors. Based on current knowledge, it appears that the risk factors should be considered as an integrated entity, i.e. technical factors (poor accessibility to the waste, design of equipment) may act in concert with high working rate, visual fatigue due to poor illumination and perhaps muscle fatigue due to high work load. Musculoskeletal problems are also common among waste collectors. A good deal of knowledge has accumulated on mechanical load on the spine and energetic load on the cardio-pulmonary system in relation to the handling of waste bags, bins, domestic containers and large containers. However, epidemiologic studies with exposure classification based on field measurement are needed, both to further identify high risk work conditions and to provide a detailed basis for the establishment of occupational exposure limits for mechanical and energetic load particularly in relation to pulling, pushing and tilting of containers. In 1975, an excess risk for chronic bronchitis was reported for waste collectors in Geneva (Rufèner-Press et al., 1975) and data from the Danish Registry of Occupational Accidents and Diseases also indicate an excess risk for pulmonary problems among waste collectors compared with the total work force. Surprisingly few measurements of potentially hazardous airborne exposures have been performed, and the causality of work-related pulmonary problems among waste collectors is unknown. Recent studies have indicated that implementation of some new waste collection systems may result in an increased risk of occupational health problems. High incidence rates of gastrointestinal problems, irritation of the eye and skin, and perhaps symptoms of organic dust toxic syndrome (influenza-like symptoms, cough, muscle pains, fever, fatigue, headache) have been reported among workers collecting the biodegradable fraction of domestic waste. The few data available on exposure to bio-aerosols and volatile compounds have indicated that these waste collectors may be simultaneously exposed to multiple agents such as dust containing bacteria, endotoxin, mould spores, glucans, volatile organic compounds, and diesel exhaust. Several studies have reported similar health problems as well as high incidence rates of pulmonary disease among workers at plants recycling domestic waste.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Test Plan: WIPP bin-scale CH TRU waste tests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Molecke, M.A.

1990-08-01

This WIPP Bin-Scale CH TRU Waste Test program described herein will provide relevant composition and kinetic rate data on gas generation and consumption resulting from TRU waste degradation, as impacted by synergistic interactions due to multiple degradation modes, waste form preparation, long-term repository environmental effects, engineered barrier materials, and, possibly, engineered modifications to be developed. Similar data on waste-brine leachate compositions and potentially hazardous volatile organic compounds released by the wastes will also be provided. The quantitative data output from these tests and associated technical expertise are required by the WIPP Performance Assessment (PA) program studies, and for the scientificmore » benefit of the overall WIPP project. This Test Plan describes the necessary scientific and technical aspects, justifications, and rational for successfully initiating and conducting the WIPP Bin-Scale CH TRU Waste Test program. This Test Plan is the controlling scientific design definition and overall requirements document for this WIPP in situ test, as defined by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), scientific advisor to the US Department of Energy, WIPP Project Office (DOE/WPO). 55 refs., 16 figs., 19 tabs.« less

Metals and polybrominated diphenyl ethers leaching from electronic waste in simulated landfills.

PubMed

Kiddee, Peeranart; Naidu, Ravi; Wong, Ming H

2013-05-15

Landfills established prior to the recognition of potential impacts from the leaching of heavy metals and toxic organic compounds often lack appropriate barriers and pose significant risks of contamination of groundwater. In this study, bioavailable metal(oids) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in leachates from landfill columns that contained intact or broken e-waste were studied under conditions that simulate landfills in terms of waste components and methods of disposal of e-wastes, and with realistic rainfall. Fourteen elements and PBDEs were analysed in leachates over a period of 21 months. The results demonstrate that the average concentrations of Al, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb and V in leachates from the column that contained broken e-waste items were significantly higher than the column without e-waste. BDE-153 was the highest average PBDEs congener in all columns but the average of ∑PBDEs levels in columns that contained intact e-waste were (3.7 ng/l) and were not significantly higher than that in the leachates from the control column. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Destroying chemical wastes in commercial-scale incinerators. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, J.W.; Cunningham, N.J.; Harris, J.C.

1976-12-01

Tests were conducted at Zimpro, Inc., Rothschild, Wisconsin, to determine the effectiveness of wet air oxidation for destruction of two selected aqueous industrial wastes: coke plant waste and Amiben (herbicide) manufacturing waste. A pilot scale facility was tested for the coke plant waste with less than 6g/1 total solids and 5.5 g/1 Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), chemical compounds such as cyanides, phenols and cresols were 99% destroyed; BOD5 and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) were reduced by about 90%. The concentration of quinoline was reduced by only 66%. Estimated costs for treating 2,120 cu m/day of coke waste were: $12.3 MMmore » capital investment and $9.90/cu m total operating cost. For the Amiben waste, with 55 g/1 total solids and 31 g/1 BOD5, the test showed greater than 99% destruction of the major organic waste components, dichloronitrobenzoic acids, with about 10% conversion to an intermediate degradation product, dichloronitrobenzene. The BOD5 and COD were reduced by 90% and 82%, respectively. Estimated costs for treating 151 cu m/day of Amiben waste were: $2.2 MM capital investment and $18.00/cu m total operating cost.« less

Solid waste from leather industry as adsorbent of organic dyes in aqueous-medium.

PubMed

Oliveira, Luiz C A; Gonçalves, Maraísa; Oliveira, Diana Q L; Guerreiro, Mário C; Guilherme, Luiz R G; Dallago, Rogério M

2007-03-06

The industrial tanning of leather usually produces considerable amounts of chromium-containing solid waste and liquid effluents and raises many concerns on its environmental effect as well as on escalating landfill costs. Actually, these shortcomings are becoming increasingly a limiting factor to this industrial activity that claims for alternative methods of residue disposals. In this work, it is proposed a novel alternative destination of the solid waste, based on the removal of organic contaminants from the out coming aqueous-residue. The adsorption isotherm pattern for the wet blue leather from the Aurea tanning industry in Erechim-RS (Brazil) showed that these materials present high activity on adsorbing the reactive red textile dye as well as other compounds. The adsorbent materials were characterized by IR spectroscopy and SEM and tested for the dye adsorption (reactive textile and methylene blue dyes). The concentrations of dyes were measured by UV-vis spectrophotometry and the chromium extraction from leather waste was realized by basic hydrolysis and determined by atomic absorption. As a low cost abundant adsorbent material with high adsorption ability on removing dye methylene blue (80mgg(-1)) and textile dye reactive red (163mgg(-1)), the leather waste is revealed to be a interesting alternative relatively to more costly adsorbent materials.

Pressurized liquid extraction using water/isopropanol coupled with solid-phase extraction cleanup for industrial and anthropogenic waste-indicator compounds in sediment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burkhardt, M.R.; ReVello, R.C.; Smith, S.G.; Zaugg, S.D.

2005-01-01

A broad range of organic compounds is recognized as environmentally relevant for their potential adverse effects on human and ecosystem health. This method was developed to better determine the distribution of 61 compounds that are typically associated with industrial and household waste as well as some that are toxic and known (or suspected) for endocrine-disrupting potential extracted from environmental sediment samples. Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) coupled with solid-phase extraction (SPE) was used to reduce sample preparation time, reduce solvent consumption to one-fifth of that required using dichloromethane-based Soxhlet extraction, and to minimize background interferences for full scan GC/MS analysis. Recoveries from spiked Ottawa sand, commercially available topsoil, and environmental stream sediment, fortified at 4-720 ??g per compound, averaged 76 ?? 13%. Initial method detection limits for single-component compounds ranged from 12.5 to 520 ??g/kg, based on 25 g samples. Results from 103 environmental sediment samples show that 36 out of 61 compounds (59%) were detected in at least one sample with concentrations ranging from 20 to 100,000 ??g/kg. The most frequently detected compound, beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol, was detected in 87 of the 103 (84.5%) environmental samples with a concentration range 360-100,000 ??g/kg. Results for a standard reference material using dichloromethane Soxhlet-based extraction are also compared. ?? 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Green remediation. Tool for safe and sustainable environment: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Mamta; Pant, Gaurav; Hossain, Kaizar; Bhatia, A. K.

2017-10-01

Nowadays, the bioremediation of toxic pollutants is a subject of interest in terms of health issues and environmental cleaning. In the present review, an eco-friendly, cost-effective approach is discussed for the detoxification of environmental pollutants by the means of natural purifier, i.e., blue-green algae over the conventional methods. Industrial wastes having toxic pollutants are not able to eliminate completely by existing the conventional techniques; in fact, these methods can only change their form rather than the entire degradation. These pollutants have an adverse effect on aquatic life, such as fauna and flora, and finally harm human life directly or indirectly. Cyanobacterial approach for the removal of this contaminant is an efficient tool for sustainable development and pollution control. Cyanobacteria are the primary consumers of food chain which absorbed complex toxic compounds from environments and convert them to simple nontoxic compounds which finally protect higher food chain consumer and eliminate risk of pollution. In addition, these organisms have capability to solve secondary pollution, as they can remediate radioactive compound, petroleum waste and degrade toxins from pesticides.

Enhanced corrosion resistance of stainless steel type 316 in sulphuric acid solution using eco-friendly waste product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanni, O.; Popoola, A. P. I.; Fayomi, O. S. I.

2018-06-01

Literature has shown that different organic compounds are effective corrosion inhibitors for metal in acidic environments. Such compounds usually contain oxygen, nitrogen or sulphur and function through adsorption on the metal surface, thereby creating a barrier for corrosion attack. Unfortunately, these organic compounds are toxic, scarce and expensive. Therefore, plants, natural product and natural oils have been posed as cheap, environmentally acceptable, abundant, readily available and effective molecules having low environmental impact. The corrosion resistance of austenitic stainless steel Type 316 in the presence of eco-friendly waste product was studied using weight loss and potentiodynamic polarization techniques in 0.5 M H2SO4. The corrosion rate and corrosion potential of the steel was significantly altered by the studied inhibitor. Results show that increase in concentration of the inhibitor hinders the formation of the passive film. Experimental observation shows that its pitting potential depends on the concentration of the inhibitor in the acid solution due to adsorption of anions at the metal film interface. The presence of egg shell powder had a strong influence on the corrosion resistance of stainless steel Type 316 with highest inhibition efficiency of 94.74% from weight loss analysis, this is as a result of electrochemical action and inhibition of the steel by the ionized molecules of the inhibiting compound which influenced the mechanism of the redox reactions responsible for corrosion and surface deterioration. Inhibitor adsorption fits the Langmuir isotherm model. The two methods employed for the corrosion assessment were in good agreement.

An economic and ecological perspective of ethanol production from renewable agro waste: a review

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Agro-industrial wastes are generated during the industrial processing of agricultural products. These wastes are generated in large amounts throughout the year, and are the most abundant renewable resources on earth. Due to the large availability and composition rich in compounds that could be used in other processes, there is a great interest on the reuse of these wastes, both from economical and environmental view points. The economic aspect is based on the fact that such wastes may be used as low-cost raw materials for the production of other value-added compounds, with the expectancy of reducing the production costs. The environmental concern is because most of the agro-industrial wastes contain phenolic compounds and/or other compounds of toxic potential; which may cause deterioration of the environment when the waste is discharged to the nature. Although the production of bioethanol offers many benefits, more research is needed in the aspects like feedstock preparation, fermentation technology modification, etc., to make bioethanol more economically viable. PMID:23217124

Extraction of cesium and strontium from nuclear waste

DOEpatents

Davis, Jr., Milton W.; Bowers, Jr., Charles B.

1988-01-01

Cesium is extracted from acidified nuclear waste by contacting the waste with a bis 4,4'(5) [1-hydroxy-2-ethylhexyl]benzo 18-crown-6 compound and a cation exchanger in a matrix solution. Strontium is extracted from acidified nuclear waste by contacting the waste with a bis 4,4'(5') [1-hydroxyheptyl]cyclohexo 18-crown-6 compound, and a cation exchanger in a matrix solution.

Physico-chemical analysis of tannery solid waste and structural characterization of its isolated humic acids after composting.

PubMed

Amir, Soumia; Benlboukht, Fatima; Cancian, Nadia; Winterton, Peter; Hafidi, Mohamed

2008-12-30

In Marrakech, solid by-products from tanneries are highly polluting, generating large amounts of nitrogenous and organic matter. In the present study composting is tested as a cost-effective method for waste management to overcome many of the environmental hazards and produce a stable, rich material for soil fertilization. Two composting trials were conducted after neutralization by ammonia or lime. The aim of the neutralization was to avoid the antimicrobial effects of the acidity in the tannery waste, thus ensuring correct composting. Different techniques such as elemental analysis and 13C NMR spectroscopy were applied to analyse humic acids isolated from raw and composted materials, and to monitor the process of tannery waste composting, and the stability and maturity of the final product according to the means of neutralization. Comparison of data showed similar behaviour in both trials, but the composting process appeared to be more complete following neutralization with lime. The C, H and N content decreased, while the O increased. The FTIR and 13C NMR spectra show the decrease of aliphatic compounds demonstrated by the reduction of absorbance around 2922cm(-1) and of the resonance in the C-alkyl area around 0-55ppm. The humic acids newly formed during composting were richer in the O-N alkyl and oxidized aromatic structures that increased almost twofold on composting after neutralization with lime. The first principal component axis PC1 (54%) separated C-aliphatic, C-carboxylic and other less stable and less polycondensed compounds such as polyphenols from the more polycondensed O-N alkyl and oxidized C-aromatic compounds.

Effect of solid waste landfill organic pollutants on groundwater in three areas of Sicily (Italy) characterized by different vulnerability.

PubMed

Indelicato, Serena; Orecchio, Santino; Avellone, Giuseppe; Bellomo, Sergio; Ceraulo, Leopoldo; Di Leonardo, Rossella; Di Stefano, Vita; Favara, Rocco; Candela, Esterina Gagliano; La Pica, Leonardo; Morici, Sabina; Pecoraino, Giovannella; Pisciotta, Antonino; Scaletta, Claudio; Vita, Fabio; Vizzini, Salvatrice; Bongiorno, David

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to obtain information on the presence and levels of hazardous organic pollutants in groundwater located close to solid waste landfills. Eighty-two environmental contaminants, including 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 20 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 29 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 7 dioxins (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, PCDDs) and 10 furans (polychlorinated dibenzofurans, PCDFs) were monitored in areas characterised by different geological environments surrounding three municipal solid waste landfills (Palermo, Siculiana and Ragusa) in Sicily (Italy) in three sampling campaigns. The total concentrations of the 16 PAHs were always below the legal threshold. Overall, the Fl/Fl + Py diagnostic ratio revealed that PAHs had a petrogenic origin. VOC levels, except for two notable exceptions near Palermo landfill, were always below the legal limit. As concerns PCB levels, several samples were found positive with levels exceeding the legal limits. It is worth noting that the % PCB distribution differs from that of commercial compositions. In parallel, some samples of groundwater containing PCDDs and PCDFs exceeding the legal threshold were also found. Among the 17 congeners monitored, the most abundant were the highest molecular weight ones.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This purpose of this report is to summarize the activities of the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (ACL) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) for Fiscal Year 1990. The ACL has four technical groups -- Chemical Analysis, Instrumental Analysis, Organic Analysis, and Environmental Analysis. The Chemical Analysis Group uses wet-chemical and instrumental methods for elemental, compositional, and isotopic analyses of solid, liquid, and gaseous samples and provides specialized analytical services. The Instrumental Analysis Group uses nuclear counting techniques in radiochemical analyses over a wide range of sample types from low-level environmental samples to samples of high radioactivity. The Organic Analysis Group uses amore » number of complementary techniques to separate and to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze complex organic mixtures and compounds at the trace level, including synthetic fuels, toxic substances, fossil-fuel residues and emissions, pollutants, biologically active compounds, pesticides, and drugs. The Environmental Analysis Group performs analyses of inorganic environmental and hazardous waste and coal samples.« less

Air ionization as a control technology for off-gas emissions of volatile organic compounds.

PubMed

Kim, Ki-Hyun; Szulejko, Jan E; Kumar, Pawan; Kwon, Eilhann E; Adelodun, Adedeji A; Reddy, Police Anil Kumar

2017-06-01

High energy electron-impact ionizers have found applications mainly in industry to reduce off-gas emissions from waste gas streams at low cost and high efficiency because of their ability to oxidize many airborne organic pollutants (e.g., volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) to CO 2 and H 2 O. Applications of air ionizers in indoor air quality management are limited due to poor removal efficiency and production of noxious side products, e.g., ozone (O 3 ). In this paper, we provide a critical evaluation of the pollutant removal performance of air ionizing system through comprehensive review of the literature. In particular, we focus on removal of VOCs and odorants. We also discuss the generation of unwanted air ionization byproducts such as O 3 , NOx, and VOC oxidation intermediates that limit the use of air-ionizers in indoor air quality management. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Afghan National Security Forces Facilities: Concerns with Funding, Oversight, and Sustainability for Operation and Maintenance

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

facilities, such as water supply, waste water treatment , and power generation.  The Ministry of Defense’s procurement process is unable to provide the...the Joint Regional Afghanistan Security Forces Compound Water Treatment System...Ministry of Interior NTM-A North Atlantic Treaty Organization Training Mission-Afghanistan O&M operation and maintenance PCO Primary Contracting Officer

Flavonoid glycosides and limonoids from Citrus molasses.

PubMed

Kuroyanagi, Masanori; Ishii, Hiromi; Kawahara, Nobuo; Sugimoto, Hiroyuki; Yamada, Hideo; Okihara, Kiyoshi; Shirota, Osamu

2008-01-01

Molasses of tangerine orange (Citrus unshiu Markovich) is obtained as a waste product in the course of tangerine orange juice production. This molasses is expected to be a useful source of organic compounds such as flavonoids and limonoids. To elucidate a use for this molasses waste, we isolated and identified its organic constituents. Two new flavanonol glycosides were isolated from tangerine orange molasses, along with several flavonoids such as hesperidine, narirutin, eriodictyol, 3',4',5,6,7,8-hexamethoxy-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxyflavone, and 3',4',5,6,7,8-hexamethoxy- 3-beta-D-[4-O-(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaloyl)]-glucopyranosyloxyflavone, and limonoids such as limonin, nomilin, and cyclic peptide, citrusin III. The structures of the new flavanonol glycosides were determined as (2R,3R)-7-O-(6-O-alpha-L-rahmnopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-aromadendrin and 7-O-(6-O-alpha-L-rahmnopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-3,3',5,7-tetrahydroxy-4'-methoxyflavanone by means of spectral analyses using (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, and 2D-NMR. Of these compounds, flavanone glycoside, hesperidin and narirutin were isolated as the main constituents. Thus, molasses is a promising source of flavonoid glycosides.

Remediation of ground water containing volatile organic compounds and tritium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shukla, S.N.; Folsom, E.N.

1994-03-01

The Trailer 5475 (T-5475) East Taxi Strip Area at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, California was used as a taxi strip by the US Navy to taxi airplanes to the runway from 1942 to 1947. Solvents were used in some unpaved areas adjacent to the East Taxi Strip for cleaning airplanes. From 1953 through 1976, the area was used to store and treat liquid waste. From 1962 to 1976 ponds were constructed and used for evaporation of liquid waste. As a result, the ground water in this area contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and tritium. The ground water inmore » this area is also known to contain hexavalent chromium that is probably naturally occurring. Therefore, LLNL has proposed ``pump-and-treat`` technology above grade in a completely closed loop system. The facility will be designed to remove the VOCs and hexavalent chromium, if any, from the ground water, and the treated ground water containing tritium will be reinjected where it will decay naturally in the subsurface. Ground water containing tritium will be reinjected into areas with equal or higher tritium concentrations to comply with California regulations.« less

Development of new peat based growing media by addition of pruning waste and biochars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieto, Aurora; Gascó, Gabriel; Paz-Ferreiro, Jorge; Plaza, César; Fernández, José Manuel; Méndez, Ana

2015-04-01

In the last years, several researches have been performed to find high quality and low cost substrates from different organic wastes in order to decrease peat consumption since the indiscriminate exploitation of peat lands is exhausting this non-renewable useful resource and destroying endangered wetland ecosystems worldwide. The use of organic wastes as soil amendments or possible peat substitute could be improved by pyrolysis treatment, leading to biochar, a carbon-rich material that has attached important attention. Our research group has been worked in the formulation of new based-growing media by peat substitution in 50 and 75 vol% of pruning waste (PW), commercial charcoal (CC), biochar from PW at 300°C (B300) and 500°C (B500). Growing media show adequate physicochemical and hydrophysical properties. Experiments performed with lettuce germination show that PW addition in a 75vol% reduces germination index probably due to their high content on phenolic compounds. Lettuce growing experiments were performed during 5 weeks and show that addition of PW and CC to peat decreases biomass production whereas; B300 and specially, B500 addition significantly increases the lettuce biomass.

Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds as Indicators of Change in a Deep Arid Unsaturated Zone, Amargosa Desert, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, C. T.; Baker, R. J.; Luo, W.; Andraski, B. J.; Haase, K.; Stonestrom, D. A.

2016-12-01

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (bVOCs) are important agents in atmospheric chemistry, climatic forcing, plant physiology, and ecologic signaling. Despite a marked increase in scientific attention to bVOCs since the 1990s, relatively little is known about bVOC dynamics in soils and virtually nothing is known about bVOCs in deep unsaturated zones. The goal of this study was to systematically explore subsurface bVOCs through characterization and analysis of deep unsaturated zone VOCs in an arid setting. A wide range of VOCs have been sampled from the unsaturated zone at the Amargosa Desert Research Site (ADRS) at least annually for over a decade in the vicinity of a hazardous waste repository in southwestern Nevada. Grid- and transect-based soil gas samples were collected at shallow (0.5-m and 1.5-m) depths, and vertical arrays of samples were collected from three unsaturated zone boreholes ( 10m intervals from 0 to 110 m below ground surface), one of which is in an undisturbed area 3000 m from the waste repository. The VOC data were analyzed to identify bVOCs and processes related to bVOC transport in the deep unsaturated zone. Locally generated bVOCs were identified on the basis of (1) frequency of detections at the remote borehole location, (2) patterns of distribution in shallow unsaturated zone samples around the waste repository, (3) comparisons with atmospheric concentrations, and (4) comparisons with travel blank samples. Several dozen compounds met the criteria to be characterized as bVOCs. The relatively abundant compound m,p-xylene was selected as a tracer for subsequent modeling analysis of vertical and horizontal transport processes in the unsaturated zone. Targeted processes comprised (1) changes in vertical bVOC profiles as a result of ecological shifts, and (2) predominantly horizontal transport of unsaturated-zone gases following installation of the low level nuclear waste repository at the ADRS. To the best of our knowledge the results document, for the first time, the presence of a substantial reservoir of bVOCs in the deep unsaturated zone of a desert ecosystem and demonstrate that such reservoirs can serve as potential windows into past ecological changes and unsaturated zone disturbances.

Recycling of blast furnace sludge by briquetting with starch binder: Waste gas from thermal treatment utilizable as a fuel.

PubMed

Drobíková, Klára; Plachá, Daniela; Motyka, Oldřich; Gabor, Roman; Kutláková, Kateřina Mamulová; Vallová, Silvie; Seidlerová, Jana

2016-02-01

Steel plants generate significant amounts of wastes such as sludge, slag, and dust. Blast furnace sludge is a fine-grained waste characterized as hazardous and affecting the environment negatively. Briquetting is one of the possible ways of recycling of this waste while the formed briquettes serve as a feed material to the blast furnace. Several binders, both organic and inorganic, had been assessed, however, only the solid product had been analysed. The aim of this study was to assess the possibilities of briquetting using commonly available laundry starch as a binder while evaluating the possible utilization of the waste gas originating from the thermal treatment of the briquettes. Briquettes (100g) were formed with the admixture of starch (UNIPRET) and their mechanical properties were analysed. Consequently, they were subjected to thermal treatment of 900, 1000 and 1100°C with retention period of 40min during which was the waste gas collected and its content analysed using gas chromatography. Dependency of the concentration of the compounds forming the waste gas on the temperature used was determined using Principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation matrix. Starch was found to be a very good binder and reduction agent, it was confirmed that metallic iron was formed during the thermal treatment. Approximately 20l of waste gas was obtained from the treatment of one briquette; main compounds were methane and hydrogen rendering the waste gas utilizable as a fuel while the greatest yield was during the lowest temperatures. Preparation of blast furnace sludge briquettes using starch as a binder and their thermal treatment represents a suitable method for recycling of this type of metallurgical waste. Moreover, the composition of the resulting gas is favourable for its use as a fuel. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bio-refinery approach for spent coffee grounds valorization.

PubMed

Mata, Teresa M; Martins, António A; Caetano, Nídia S

2018-01-01

Although normally seen as a problem, current policies and strategic plans concur that if adequately managed, waste can be a source of the most interesting and valuable products, among which metals, oils and fats, lignin, cellulose and hemicelluloses, tannins, antioxidants, caffeine, polyphenols, pigments, flavonoids, through recycling, compound recovery or energy valorization, following the waste hierarchy. Besides contributing to more sustainable and circular economies, those products also have high commercial value when compared to the ones obtained by currently used waste treatment methods. In this paper, it is shown how the bio-refinery framework can be used to obtain high value products from organic waste. With spent coffee grounds as a case study, a sequential process is used to obtain first the most valuable, and then other products, allowing proper valorization of residues and increased sustainability of the whole process. Challenges facing full development and implementation of waste based bio-refineries are highlighted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treatment of copper industry waste and production of sintered glass-ceramic.

PubMed

Coruh, Semra; Ergun, Osman Nuri; Cheng, Ta-Wui

2006-06-01

Copper waste is iron-rich hazardous waste containing heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Co, Pb. The results of leaching tests show that the concentration of these elements exceeds the Turkish and EPA regulatory limits. Consequently, this waste cannot be disposed of in its present form and therefore requires treatment to stabilize it or make it inert prior to disposal. Vitrification was selected as the technology for the treatment of the toxic waste under investigation. During the vitrification process significant amounts of the toxic organic and inorganic chemical compounds could be destroyed, and at the same time, the metal species are immobilized as they become an integral part of the glass matrix. The copper flotation waste samples used in this research were obtained from the Black Sea Copper Works of Samsun, Turkey. The samples were vitrified after being mixed with other inorganic waste and materials. The copper flotation waste and their glass-ceramic products were characterized by X-ray analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy and by the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure test. The products showed very good chemical durability. The glass-ceramics fabricated at 850 degrees C/2 h have a large application potential especially as construction and building materials.

Extraction of cesium and strontium from nuclear waste

DOEpatents

Davis, M.W. Jr.; Bowers, C.B. Jr.

1988-06-07

Cesium is extracted from acidified nuclear waste by contacting the waste with a bis 4,4[prime](5) [1-hydroxy-2-ethylhexyl]benzo 18-crown-6 compound and a cation exchanger in a matrix solution. Strontium is extracted from acidified nuclear waste by contacting the waste with a bis 4,4[prime](5[prime]) [1-hydroxyheptyl]cyclohexo 18-crown-6 compound, and a cation exchanger in a matrix solution. 3 figs.

Analysis of microbial community variation during the mixed culture fermentation of agricultural peel wastes to produce lactic acid.

PubMed

Liang, Shaobo; Gliniewicz, Karol; Gerritsen, Alida T; McDonald, Armando G

2016-05-01

Mixed cultures fermentation can be used to convert organic wastes into various chemicals and fuels. This study examined the fermentation performance of four batch reactors fed with different agricultural (orange, banana, and potato (mechanical and steam)) peel wastes using mixed cultures, and monitored the interval variation of reactor microbial communities with 16S rRNA genes using Illumina sequencing. All four reactors produced similar chemical profile with lactic acid (LA) as dominant compound. Acetic acid and ethanol were also observed with small fractions. The Illumina sequencing results revealed the diversity of microbial community decreased during fermentation and a community of largely lactic acid producing bacteria dominated by species of Lactobacillus developed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comparison between Ultraviolet Disinfection and Copper Alginate Beads within a Vortex Bioreactor for the Deactivation of Bacteria in Simulated Waste Streams with High Levels of Colour, Humic Acid and Suspended Solids

PubMed Central

Thomas, Simon F.; Rooks, Paul; Rudin, Fabian; Atkinson, Sov; Goddard, Paul; Bransgrove, Rachel M.; Mason, Paul T.; Allen, Michael J.

2014-01-01

We show in this study that the combination of a swirl flow reactor and an antimicrobial agent (in this case copper alginate beads) is a promising technique for the remediation of contaminated water in waste streams recalcitrant to UV-C treatment. This is demonstrated by comparing the viability of both common and UV-C resistant organisms in operating conditions where UV-C proves ineffective - notably high levels of solids and compounds which deflect UV-C. The swirl flow reactor is easy to construct from commonly available plumbing parts and may prove a versatile and powerful tool in waste water treatment in developing countries. PMID:25541706

Lethal and sub-lethal evaluation of Indigo Carmine dye and byproducts after TiO2 photocatalysis in the immune system of Eisenia andrei earthworms.

PubMed

Genázio Pereira, Patrícia Christina; Reimão, Roberta Valoura; Pavesi, Thelma; Saggioro, Enrico Mendes; Moreira, Josino Costa; Veríssimo Correia, Fábio

2017-09-01

The Indigo carmine (IC) dye has been widely used in textile industries, even though it has been considered toxic for rats, pigs and humans. Owing to its toxicity, wastes containing this compound should be treated to minimize or eliminate their toxic effects on the biota. As an alternative to wastewater treatment, advanced oxidative processes (AOPs) have been highlighted due to their high capacity to destruct organic molecules. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate Indigo Carmine toxicity to soil organisms using the earthworm Eisenia andrei as a model-organism and also verify the efficiency of AOP in reducing its toxicity to these organisms. To this end, lethal (mortality) and sub-lethal (loss or gain of biomass, reproduction, behavior, morphological changes and immune system cells) effects caused by this substance and its degradation products in these annelids were evaluated. Morphological changes were observed even in organisms exposed to low concentrations, while mortality was the major effect observed in individuals exposed to high levels of indigo carmine dye. The organisms exposed to the IC during the contact test showed mortality after 72h of exposure (LC 50 = 75.79mgcm - 2 ), while those exposed to photoproducts showed mortality after 48h (LC 50 = 243min). In the chronic study, the organisms displayed a mortality rate of 14%, while those exposed to the photoproduct reached up to 32.7%. A negative influence of the dye on the reproduction rate was observed, while by-products affected juvenile survival. A loss of viability and alterations in the cellular proportion was verified during the chronic test. However, the compounds did not alter the behavior of the annelids in the leak test (RL ranged from 20% to 30%). Although photocatalysis has been presented as an alternative technology for the treatment of waste containing the indigo carmine dye, this process produced byproducts even more toxic than the original compounds to E. andrei. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Overview of human health and chemical mixtures: problems facing developing countries.

PubMed Central

Yáñ ez, Leticia; Ortiz, Deogracias; Calderón, Jaqueline; Batres, Lilia; Carrizales, Leticia; Mejía, Jesús; Martínez, Lourdes; García-Nieto, Edelmira; Díaz-Barriga, Fernando

2002-01-01

In developing countries, chemical mixtures within the vicinity of small-scale enterprises, smelters, mines, agricultural areas, toxic waste disposal sites, etc., often present a health hazard to the populations within those vicinities. Therefore, in these countries, there is a need to study the toxicological effects of mixtures of metals, pesticides, and organic compounds. However, the study of mixtures containing substances such as DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, an insecticide banned in developed nations), and mixtures containing contaminants such as fluoride (of concern only in developing countries) merit special attention. Although the studies may have to take into account simultaneous exposures to metals and organic compounds, there is also a need to consider the interaction between chemicals and other specific factors such as nutritional conditions, alcoholism, smoking, infectious diseases, and ethnicity. PMID:12634117

Overview of human health and chemical mixtures: problems facing developing countries.

PubMed

Yáñ ez, Leticia; Ortiz, Deogracias; Calderón, Jaqueline; Batres, Lilia; Carrizales, Leticia; Mejía, Jesús; Martínez, Lourdes; García-Nieto, Edelmira; Díaz-Barriga, Fernando

2002-12-01

In developing countries, chemical mixtures within the vicinity of small-scale enterprises, smelters, mines, agricultural areas, toxic waste disposal sites, etc., often present a health hazard to the populations within those vicinities. Therefore, in these countries, there is a need to study the toxicological effects of mixtures of metals, pesticides, and organic compounds. However, the study of mixtures containing substances such as DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, an insecticide banned in developed nations), and mixtures containing contaminants such as fluoride (of concern only in developing countries) merit special attention. Although the studies may have to take into account simultaneous exposures to metals and organic compounds, there is also a need to consider the interaction between chemicals and other specific factors such as nutritional conditions, alcoholism, smoking, infectious diseases, and ethnicity.

Preparation of biochar from sewage sludge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieto, Aurora; María Méndez, Ana; Gascó, Gabriel

2013-04-01

Biomass waste materials appropriate for biochar production include crop residues (both field residues and processing residues such as nut shells, fruit pits, bagasse, etc), as well as yard, food and forestry wastes, and animal manures. Biochar can and should be made from biomass waste materials and must not contain unacceptable levels of toxins such as heavy metals which can be found in sewage sludge and industrial or landfill waste. Making biochar from biomass waste materials should create no competition for land with any other land use option—such as food production or leaving the land in its pristine state. Large amounts of agricultural, municipal and forestry biomass are currently burned or left to decompose and release CO2 and methane back into the atmosphere. They also can pollute local ground and surface waters—a large issue for livestock wastes. Using these materials to make biochar not only removes them from a pollution cycle, but biochar can be obtained as a by-product of producing energy from this biomass. Sewage sludge is a by-product from wastewater treatment plants, and contains significant amounts of heavy metals, organic toxins and pathogenic microorganisms, which are considered to be harmful to the environment and all living organisms. Agricultural use, land filling and incineration are commonly used as disposal methods. It was, however, reported that sewage sludge applications in agriculture gives rise to an accumulation of harmful components (heavy metals and organic compounds) in soil. For this reason, pyrolysis can be considered as a promising technique to treat the sewage sludge including the production of fuels. The objective of this work is to study the advantages of the biochar prepared from sewage sludge.

Renewable energy recovery through selected industrial wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Pengchong

Typically, industrial waste treatment costs a large amount of capital, and creates environmental concerns as well. A sound alternative for treating these industrial wastes is anaerobic digestion. This technique reduces environmental pollution, and recovers renewable energy from the organic fraction of those selected industrial wastes, mostly in the form of biogas (methane). By applying anaerobic technique, selected industrial wastes could be converted from cash negative materials into economic energy feed stocks. In this study, three kinds of industrial wastes (paper mill wastes, brown grease, and corn-ethanol thin stillage) were selected, their performance in the anaerobic digestion system was studied and their applicability was investigated as well. A pilot-scale system, including anaerobic section (homogenization, pre-digestion, and anaerobic digestion) and aerobic section (activated sludge) was applied to the selected waste streams. The investigation of selected waste streams was in a gradually progressive order. For paper mill effluents, since those effluents contain a large amount of recalcitrant or toxic compounds, the anaerobic-aerobic system was used to check its treatability, including organic removal efficiency, substrate utilization rate, and methane yield. The results showed the selected effluents were anaerobically treatable. For brown grease, as it is already well known as a treatable substrate, a high rate anaerobic digester were applied to check the economic effect of this substrate, including methane yield and substrate utilization rate. These data from pilot-scale experiment have the potential to be applied to full-scale plant. For thin stillage, anaerobic digestion system has been incorporated to the traditional ethanol making process as a gate-to-gate process. The performance of anaerobic digester was applied to the gate-to-gate life-cycle analysis to estimate the energy saving and industrial cost saving in a typical ethanol plant.

Sorption of selected pharmaceuticals and pesticides on different river sediments.

PubMed

Radović, Tanja T; Grujić, Svetlana D; Kovačević, Srđan R; Laušević, Mila D; Dimkić, Milan A

2016-12-01

In the present work, the sorption ability of 17 pharmaceutical compounds, two metabolites, and 15 pesticides (34 target compounds in total) onto four different river sediments was investigated separately. Selected compounds present the most frequently prescribed pharmaceuticals in human and animal medicine and the most frequently used pesticides in agriculture. Their presence into the surface, ground, and waste waters was confirmed into the numerous papers in literature, as well as their presence into the river sediments (for some of them). However, investigations of their sorption onto the river sediments, as major natural protection from potential pollution of ground water by them is missing. Sorption in this study was investigated onto river sediments taken from rivers in the Republic of Serbia, where only less than 10 % of total generated waste water passes through mainly basic treatment processes. Experiments were based on batch equilibrium procedures and obtained solutions were analyzed by previously developed and validated sensitive high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analytical methods. All results were modeled by Freundlich isotherms. Obtained results have shown that Kf coefficient values are in correlation with organic carbon content. Kd sorption coefficient values were relatively low and ranged in wide ranges for almost all compounds and sediments. That implicates on the conclusion that capacities of the investigated sorbents are not large for those compounds.

Emerging contaminants at a closed and an operating landfill in Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Andrews, William J.; Masoner, Jason R.; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.

2012-01-01

Landfills are the final depositories for a wide range of solid waste from both residential and commercial sources, and therefore have the potential to produce leachate containing many organic compounds found in consumer products such as pharmaceuticals, plasticizers, disinfectants, cleaning agents, fire retardants, flavorings, and preservatives, known as emerging contaminants (ECs). Landfill leachate was sampled from landfill cells of three different age ranges from two landfills in Central Oklahoma. Samples were collected from an old cell containing solid waste greater than 25 years old, an intermediate age cell with solid waste between 16 and 3 years old, and operating cell with solid waste less than 5 years old to investigate the chemical variability and persistence of selected ECs in landfill leachate of differing age sources. Twenty-eight of 69 analyzed ECs were detected in one or more samples from the three leachate sources. Detected ECs ranged in concentration from 0.11 to 114 μg/L and included 4 fecal and plant sterols, 13 household\\industrial, 7 hydrocarbon, and 4 pesticide compounds. Four ECs were solely detected in the oldest leachate sample, two ECs were solely detected in the intermediate leachate sample, and no ECs were solely detected in the youngest leachate sample. Eleven ECs were commonly detected in all three leachate samples and are an indication of the contents of solid waste deposited over several decades and the relative resistance of some ECs to natural attenuation processes in and near landfills.

Description and hydrogeologic evaluation of nine hazardous-waste sites in Kansas, 1984-86

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hart, R.J.; Spruill, T.B.

1988-01-01

Wastes generated at nine hazardous-waste sites in Kansas were disposed in open pits, 55-gal drums, or large storage tanks. These disposal methods have the potential to contaminate groundwater beneath the sites, the soil on the sites, and nearby surface water bodies. Various activities on the nine sites included production of diborane, transformer oil waste, production of soda ash, use of solvents for the manufacture of farm implements, reclamation of solvents and paints, oil-refinery wastes, meat packaging, and the manufacture and cleaning of tanker-truck tanks. Monitoring wells were installed upgradient and downgradient from the potential contamination source on each site. Strict decontamination procedures were followed to prevent cross contamination between well installations. Air-quality surveys were made on each site before other investigative procedures started. Hydrogeologic investigative techniques, such as terrain geophysical surveys, gamma-ray logs, and laboratory permeameter tests, were used. Groundwater level measurements provide data to determine the direction of flow. Groundwater contamination detected under the sites posed the greatest threat to the environment because of possible migration of contaminants by groundwater flow. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and trace metals were detected in the groundwater at several of the sites. Many of the same compounds detected in the groundwater also were detected in soil and bed-material samples collected onsite or adjacent to the sites. Several contaminants were detected in background samples of groundwater and soil. (USGS)

Fractionation and characterization of organic matter in wastewater from a swine waste-retention basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leenheer, Jerry A.; Rostad, Colleen E.

2004-01-01

Organic matter in wastewater sampled from a swine waste-retention basin in Iowa was fractionated into 14 fractions on the basis of size (particulate, colloid, and dissolved); volatility; polarity (hydrophobic, transphilic, hydrophilic); acid, base, neutral characteristics; and precipitate or flocculates (floc) formation upon acidification. The compound-class composition of each of these fractions was determined by infrared and 13C-NMR spectral analyses. Volatile acids were the largest fraction with acetic acid being the major component of this fraction. The second most abundant fraction was fine particulate organic matter that consisted of bacterial cells that were subfractionated into extractable lipids consisting of straight chain fatty acids, peptidoglycans components of bacterial cell walls, and protein globulin components of cellular plasma. The large lipid content of the particulate fraction indicates that non-polar contaminants, such as certain pharmaceuticals added to swine feed, likely associate with the particulate fraction through partitioning interactions. Hydrocinnamic acid is a major component of the hydrophobic acid fraction, and its presence is an indication of anaerobic degradation of lignin originally present in swine feed. This is the first study to combine particulate organic matter with dissolved organic matter fractionation into a total organic matter fractionation and characterization.

Mutagenic effect of extracts from particulate matter collected with sediment traps in the archipelago of Stockholm and the open northern Baltic

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Broman, D.; Naef, C.; Rannug, U.

The load of various hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) on the Baltic Sea aquatic environment is considerable. This investigation samples the water area around Stockholm, of special concern since it is one of the most densely populated urban areas in the Baltic region. Stockholm also houses several power plants, municipal waste incinerators, waste water treatment plants, ports and oil terminals. The runoff from a large lake also passes through the estuarine-like archipelago of Stockholm. Due to the high particulate-water partition coefficients (K[sub p]) of most ecotoxicologically relevant HOCs, particulate matter (PM) becomes very important for occurrence and distribution in the aquaticmore » environment. This PM is the basic food source for important organisms in the benthic, pelagic and littoral parts of the aquatic ecosystem. The load of various HOCs such as petrogenic hydrocarbons (PHCs), various polynuclear aromatic compounds (PACs), and chlorinated hydrocarbons such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in association with PM in the aquatic environment of the Stockholm area is well documented. However, the ecotoxicological relevance of organic extracts of PM, including the above identified compounds and various unidentified HOCs, is not fully evaluated. To evaluate the genotoxic potential of extracts of PM, collected with sediment traps in the Stockholm water area and in the open northern Baltic, we used the Ames test on Salmonella typhimurium strain TA100, with and without a metabolizing system. After extraction and before the mutagenicity tests all PM samples were fractionated on an HPLC-system into three fractions containing aliphatic/monoaromatic-, diaromatic, (containing, e.g., PCDD/Fs and PCBs) and polyaromatic compounds (containing various PACs). The relative mutagenic potential of these fractions at the different sediment trap sampling stations are discussed and evaluated. 13 refs., 1 tab.« less

The evaluation of an analytical protocol for the determination of substances in waste for hazard classification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hennebert, Pierre, E-mail: pierre.hennebert@ineris.fr; Papin, Arnaud; Padox, Jean-Marie

Highlights: • Knowledge of wastes in substances will be necessary to assess HP1–HP15 hazard properties. • A new analytical protocol is proposed for this and tested by two service laboratories on 32 samples. • Sixty-three percentage of the samples have a satisfactory analytical balance between 90% and 110%. • Eighty-four percentage of the samples were classified identically (Seveso Directive) for their hazardousness by the two laboratories. • The method, in progress, is being normalized in France and is be proposed to CEN. - Abstract: The classification of waste as hazardous could soon be assessed in Europe using largely the hazardmore » properties of its constituents, according to the the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) regulation. Comprehensive knowledge of the component constituents of a given waste will therefore be necessary. An analytical protocol for determining waste composition is proposed, which includes using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) screening methods to identify major elements and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC–MS) screening techniques to measure organic compounds. The method includes a gross or indicator measure of ‘pools’ of higher molecular weight organic substances that are taken to be less bioactive and less hazardous, and of unresolved ‘mass’ during the chromatography of volatile and semi-volatile compounds. The concentration of some elements and specific compounds that are linked to specific hazard properties and are subject to specific regulation (examples include: heavy metals, chromium(VI), cyanides, organo-halogens, and PCBs) are determined by classical quantitative analysis. To check the consistency of the analysis, the sum of the concentrations (including unresolved ‘pools’) should give a mass balance between 90% and 110%. Thirty-two laboratory samples comprising different industrial wastes (liquids and solids) were tested by two routine service laboratories, to give circa 7000 parameter results. Despite discrepancies in some parameters, a satisfactory sum of estimated or measured concentrations (analytical balance) of 90% was reached for 20 samples (63% of the overall total) during this first test exercise, with identified reasons for most of the unsatisfactory results. Regular use of this protocol (which is now included in the French legislation) has enabled service laboratories to reach a 90% mass balance for nearly all the solid samples tested, and most of liquid samples (difficulties were caused in some samples from polymers in solution and vegetable oil). The protocol is submitted to French and European normalization bodies (AFNOR and CEN) and further improvements are awaited.« less

Superfund record of decision (EPA Region 4): Milan Army Ammunition Plant, operable units 3 and 4, Milan, TN, October 2, 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-03-01

This decision document presents the selected remedial action for the soil within the northern industrial area of Milan Army Ammunition Plant, Milan, Tennessee. The goal of the cleanup activities at the northern industrial areas of MAAP is to remove the soil contaminated with explosives compounds above risk-based levels. The excavated soil will be treated using a bioremediation process to reduce the concentrations of explosives compounds, the toxicity of the leachate, and the mobility of the remaining organic compounds. The treated soil will then be placed in an on-site solid waste landfill in compliance with State of Tennessee regulations. Additionally, inmore » areas where excavation of the explosives-contaminated soil is infeasible, the soil will be covered with an engineered cap to prevent worker exposure to the explosives compounds and prevent leaching of these compounds to groundwater.« less

Abatement of chlorinated compounds in groundwater contaminated by HCH wastes using ISCO with alkali activated persulfate.

PubMed

Santos, A; Fernandez, J; Rodriguez, S; Dominguez, C M; Lominchar, M A; Lorenzo, D; Romero, A

2018-02-15

In this work, in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) with alkali activated persulfate has been tested for the elimination of HCH isomers and other chlorinated compounds in groundwater from Sabiñanigo (Sardas landfill), which was contaminated by solid and liquid wastes illegally dumped in the area by a company producing lindane. Due to the site lithology and the type of pollutants found in groundwater (HCHs and chlorobenzenes) alkali (NaOH) activated persulfate (PS) was selected as oxidant. The influence of variables such as PS concentration (42-200mM) and NaOH:PS molar ratio (2:1 to 4:1) on chlorinated compound abatement has been studied and a kinetic model to predict the composition of all chlorinated organic compounds (COCs) in the aqueous phase with time was obtained. It was found that a fast initial hydrodechlorination reaction took place in which HCH isomers reacted to trichlorobenzenes (mainly 1,2,4 TCB) at pH≥12. Mono-, di-, tri and tetrachlorobenzenes remaining were oxidized without producing aromatic intermediates. At the condition tested a first order kinetic model for COCs and PS concentration was obtained. Zero order alkali concentration was obtained while pH was being kept at 12 for the whole reaction time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of thermodynamic parameters in the thermal decomposition of plastic waste-waste lube oil compounds.

PubMed

Kim, Yong Sang; Kim, Young Seok; Kim, Sung Hyun

2010-07-01

Thermal decomposition properties of plastic waste-waste lube oil compounds were investigated under nonisothermal conditions. Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were selected as representative household plastic wastes. A plastic waste mixture (PWM) and waste lube oil (WLO) were mixed with mixing ratios of 33, 50, and 67 (w/w) % on a PWM weight basis, and thermogravimetric (TG) experiments were performed from 25 to 600 degrees C. The Flynn-Wall method and the Ozawa-Flynn-Wall method were used for analyses of thermodynamic parameters. In this study, activation energies of PWM/WLO compounds ranged from 73.4 to 229.6 kJ/mol between 0.2 and 0.8 of normalized mass conversions, and the 50% PWM/WLO compound had lower activation energies and enthalpies among the PWM/WLO samples at each mass conversion. At the point of maximum differential mass conversion, the analyzed activation energies, enthalpies, entropies, and Gibbs free energies indicated that mixing PWM and WLO has advantages in reducing energy to decrease the degree of disorder. However, no difference in overall energy that would require overcoming both thermal decomposition reactions and degree of disorder was observed among PWM/WLO compounds under these experimental conditions.

The effect of microwave electromagnetic radiation on organic compounds removal efficiency in a reactor with a biofilm.

PubMed

Zielinski, M; Krzemieniewski, M

2007-01-01

This article shows the results of research on microwave radiation as a factor affecting organic compounds removal in a reactor with a biofilm. In the experiment a bioreactor was situated inside a microwave tube and there exposed to radiation. Municipal wastes were supplied to the bioreactor from a retention tank, to which they returned having passed through the reactor's packing. The whole system operated in a time cycle comprising a 24-hour detention of the wastewaters supply. The research was based on the specific properties of microwave heating, i.e. their ability to heat only the substances of appropriate dielectric properties. As the reactor was properly constructed and the microwave generator work was synchronised with that of the volumetric pump, microwave energy was directed mostly to the biofilm. It was observed that as a result of microwave radiation the process of organic compounds removal, defined as Chemical Oxygen Demand COD, increased its rate nearly by half. Simultaneously the process efficiency increased by 7.7% at the maximum. While analysing the changes the organic compounds underwent it was revealed that the load in-built in the biomass decreased by over half as a result of microwave radiation input at 2.5 W s(-1), which was optimal under the experimental conditions. Similarly the amount of pollutant remaining in the treated effluent decreased nearly by half, whereas the role of oxidation in removing organic pollutant increased in excess of 25% when compared to the control system.

Greener and Sustainable Trends in Synthesis of Organics and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Trends in greener and sustainable process development during the past 25 years are abridged involving the use of alternate energy inputs (mechanochemistry, ultrasound- or microwave irradiation), photochemistry, and greener reaction media as applied to synthesis of organics and nanomaterials. In the organic synthesis arena, examples comprise assembly of heterocyclic compounds, coupling and a variety of other name reactions catalyzed by basic water or recyclable magnetic nanocatalysts. Generation of nanoparticles benefits from the biomimetic approaches where vitamins, sugars, and plant polyphenols, including agricultural waste residues, can serve as reducing and capping agents. Metal nanocatalysts (Pd, Au, Ag, Ni, Ru, Ce, Cu, etc.) immobilized on biodegradable supports such as cellulose and chitosan, or on recyclable magnetic ferrites via ligands, namely dopamine or glutathione, are receiving special attention. These strategic approaches attempt to address most of the Green Chemistry Principles while producing functional chemicals with utmost level of waste minimization. Feature article for celebration of 25 years of Green Chemistry on invitation from American Chemical Society (ACS) journal, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.

Characterisation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by the composting of different waste matrices.

PubMed

Schiavon, Marco; Martini, Luca Matteo; Corrà, Cesare; Scapinello, Marco; Coller, Graziano; Tosi, Paolo; Ragazzi, Marco

2017-12-01

The complaints arising from the problem of odorants released by composting plants may impede the construction of new composting facilities, preclude the proper activity of existing facilities or even lead to their closure, with negative implications for waste management and local economy. Improving the knowledge on VOC emissions from composting processes is of particular importance since different VOCs imply different odour impacts. To this purpose, three different organic matrices were studied in this work: dewatered sewage sludge (M1), digested organic fraction of municipal solid waste (M2) and untreated food waste (M3). The three matrices were aerobically biodegraded in a bench-scale bioreactor simulating composting conditions. A homemade device sampled the process air from each treatment at defined time intervals. The samples were analysed for VOC detection. The information on the concentrations of the detected VOCs was combined with the VOC-specific odour thresholds to estimate the relative weight of each biodegraded matrix in terms of odour impact. When the odour formation was at its maximum, the waste gas from the composting of M3 showed a total odour concentration about 60 and 15,000 times higher than those resulting from the composting of M1 and M2, respectively. Ethyl isovalerate showed the highest contribution to the total odour concentration (>99%). Terpenes (α-pinene, β-pinene, p-cymene and limonene) were abundantly present in M2 and M3, while sulphides (dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide) were the dominant components of M1. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dormancy and Recovery Testing for Biological Wastewater Processors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hummerick, Mary F.; Coutts, Janelle L.; Lunn, Griffin M.; Spencer, LaShelle; Khodadad, Christina L.; Birmele, Michele N.; Frances, Someliz; Wheeler, Raymond

2015-01-01

Resource recovery and recycling waste streams to usable water via biological water processors is a plausible component of an integrated water purification system. Biological processing as a pretreatment can reduce the load of organic carbon and nitrogen compounds entering physiochemical systems downstream. Aerated hollow fiber membrane bioreactors, have been proposed and studied for a number of years as an approach for treating wastewater streams for space exploration.

Biofiltration of odors, toxics and volatile organic compounds from publicly owned treatment works

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Webster, T.S.; Devinny, J.S.; Torres, E.M.

1996-12-31

Increasing federal and state regulation has made it necessary to apply air pollution control measures at publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). Traditional control technologies may not be suitable for treating the low and variable contaminant concentrations often found in POTW off-gases. An alternative control technology, biofiltration, was studied. An experiment using bench- and pilot-scale reactors established optimal operating conditions for a full-scale conceptual design. The waste airstream contained ppmv levels of hydrogen sulfide and ppbv levels of specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Granular activated carbon (GAC) and yard waste compost (YWG) were tested as possible biofilter media with and withoutmore » pH control. The 16-month field study bench reactors achieved 99% removal of hydrogen sulfide, 53 to 98% removal of aromatic hydrocarbons, 37 to 95% removal of aldehydes and ketones, and 0 to 85% removal of chlorinated compounds. The GAC and YWC pilot reactors removed more than 80% and 65% of the total VOCs at 17 second and 70 second empty bed retention times, respectively. The YWC reactors performed poorly at empty bed retention times of 30 and 45 seconds, removing less than 40% of total VOCs. Declining pH had little negative effect on contaminant removal, suggesting costly control measures may not be necessary. Biofiltration appears to be a feasible alternative to traditional control technologies in treating off-gases from POTWs. 13 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs.« less

The influence of wine-distillery waste compost on nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics and uptake by a melon crop in a shallow calcareous soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Requejo, M. I.; Villena, R.; Ribas, F.; Castellanos, M. T.; Cabello, M. J.; Arce, A.; Cartagena, M. C.

2012-04-01

In Mediterranean countries, the large quantity of organic wastes generated by the winery industry constitutes a serious environmental concern, due to its low pH and high content of phenolic compounds. This is accompanied by a seasonal production that makes their management difficult. Winery wastes are characterized by high organic matter contents, low electrical conductivity values and notable contents in macronutrients, so their use as organic amendments is a good management option for improving soil fertility. However, a composting treatment is necessary to convert these organic wastes into more stable, hygienic and humic-rich materials. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of the application of exhausted grape marc compost (composed of dealcoholized pulp, skins and stems) as fertilizer in soil nitrogen and phosphorus availability and uptake by a melon crop (Cucumis melo L.). This experiment was carried out from May to September 2011 in Ciudad Real (Spain). This area was designated "vulnerable zone" by the "Nitrates Directive" 91/676/CEE. The soil was a shallow sandy-loam (Alfisol Xeralf Petrocalcic Palexeralfs) with a depth of 0.60 m and a discontinuous petrocalcic horizon between 0.60 and 0.70 m, slightly basic (pH 7.9), poor in organic matter (0.20%), rich in potassium (407 ppm) and with a medium level of phosphorus (19.4 ppm). The experiment had a randomised complete block design, with four treatments consisted of four compost doses: 0 (D0), 6.7 (D1), 13.3 (D2) and 20 T compost ha-1 (D3), in order to determine the optimum dose to ensure nutrient demand, maximizing yield and minimizing nutrient losses. Acknowledgements This project has been supported by INIA-RTA2010-00110-C03-01.

Lignocellulose-degrading enzymes, free-radical transformations during composting of lignocellulosic waste and biothermal phases in small-scale reactors.

PubMed

Bohacz, Justyna

2017-02-15

Environmentally friendly strategies of waste management are both part of legal solutions currently in place and a focus of interest worldwide. Large-scale composting plants are set up across various regions while home composting is becoming increasingly popular. A variety of microbial groups are successively at work during composting and enzymatic activities detected in the composting mass fluctuate accordingly. Changes in the activities of oxidoreductases and hydrolases, i.e. glucose oxidase, horseradish peroxidase, lignin peroxidase, laccase, xylanase, superoxide dismutase and keratinase, low-molecular weight compounds, i.e. methoxyphenolic and hydroxyphenolic compounds, and the relative level of superoxide radicals and glucose were determined periodically in water extracts of composts to investigate the process of biochemical transformations of ligninocellulose in relation to biothermal phases and to identify a potential priming effect in two composts containing different ratios of lignocellulosic waste and chicken feathers. Composting was conducted for 30weeks. An important aim of the study was to demonstrate that a positive priming effect was induced during composting of a variety of lignocellulosic waste types using native keratin (chicken feathers) as a source of N. The effect was more evident in compost containing grass, which was related to a more rapid depletion of easily available sources of C and energy (glucose) during composting. Ligninolytic enzymes known to biodegrade recalcitrant organic matter were induced in subsequent biothermal phases of composting. Compost I enriched with grass (pine bark, grass, sawdust and chicken feathers) exhibited a higher enzymatic activity than compost II which did not contain any grass but which had a greater number of hardly-degradable components (pine bark, wheat straw, sawdust, chicken feathers). Similar observations were made for the concentrations of low-molecular weight compounds. The enzymes activities and concentration of low-molecular weight compounds listed above can be used to estimate the biodegradation of lignocellulose during composting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The public health significance of trace chemicals in waste water utilization

PubMed Central

Shuval, Hillel I.

1962-01-01

The practice of waste water utilization has grown considerably in recent years, owing to the growing demand for water for agricultural, industrial and domestic purposes. Such utilization presents certain problems in respect of the quality of the reclaimed water, on account of the presence of certain trace chemicals in the waste waters to be re-used. The presence of these trace chemicals may have important consequences in the agricultural or industrial utilization of waste waters, but from the public health point of view it is in the re-use of waste waters for domestic purposes that their presence has most importance, owing to their possible toxic effects. This paper discusses the public health significance of trace chemicals in water, with special reference to some of the newer complex synthetic organic compounds that are appearing in ever-increasing numbers in industrial wastes. Current information on the acute and chronic toxicity of these substances is reviewed and related to possible methods of treatment of waste waters. In conclusion, the author points out that the problem of trace chemicals is not confined only to direct waste-water reclamation projects, but arises in all cases where surface waters polluted with industrial wastes are used as a source of domestic supply. PMID:13988826

Potential of Fruit Wastes as Natural Resources of Bioactive Compounds

PubMed Central

Deng, Gui-Fang; Shen, Chen; Xu, Xiang-Rong; Kuang, Ru-Dan; Guo, Ya-Jun; Zeng, Li-Shan; Gao, Li-Li; Lin, Xi; Xie, Jie-Feng; Xia, En-Qin; Li, Sha; Wu, Shan; Chen, Feng; Ling, Wen-Hua; Li, Hua-Bin

2012-01-01

Fruit wastes are one of the main sources of municipal waste. In order to explore the potential of fruit wastes as natural resources of bioactive compounds, the antioxidant potency and total phenolic contents (TPC) of lipophilic and hydrophilic components in wastes (peel and seed) of 50 fruits were systematically evaluated. The results showed that different fruit residues had diverse antioxidant potency and the variation was very large. Furthermore, the main bioactive compounds were identified and quantified, and catechin, cyanidin 3-glucoside, epicatechin, galangin, gallic acid, homogentisic acid, kaempferol, and chlorogenic acid were widely found in these residues. Especially, the values of ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and TPC in the residues were higher than in pulps. The results showed that fruit residues could be inexpensive and readily available resources of bioactive compounds for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries. PMID:22942704

Potential of fruit wastes as natural resources of bioactive compounds.

PubMed

Deng, Gui-Fang; Shen, Chen; Xu, Xiang-Rong; Kuang, Ru-Dan; Guo, Ya-Jun; Zeng, Li-Shan; Gao, Li-Li; Lin, Xi; Xie, Jie-Feng; Xia, En-Qin; Li, Sha; Wu, Shan; Chen, Feng; Ling, Wen-Hua; Li, Hua-Bin

2012-01-01

Fruit wastes are one of the main sources of municipal waste. In order to explore the potential of fruit wastes as natural resources of bioactive compounds, the antioxidant potency and total phenolic contents (TPC) of lipophilic and hydrophilic components in wastes (peel and seed) of 50 fruits were systematically evaluated. The results showed that different fruit residues had diverse antioxidant potency and the variation was very large. Furthermore, the main bioactive compounds were identified and quantified, and catechin, cyanidin 3-glucoside, epicatechin, galangin, gallic acid, homogentisic acid, kaempferol, and chlorogenic acid were widely found in these residues. Especially, the values of ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and TPC in the residues were higher than in pulps. The results showed that fruit residues could be inexpensive and readily available resources of bioactive compounds for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Relationship between anaerobic digestion of biodegradable solid waste and spectral characteristics of the derived liquid digestate.

PubMed

Zheng, Wei; Lü, Fan; Phoungthong, Khamphe; He, Pinjing

2014-06-01

The evolution of spectral properties during anaerobic digestion (AD) of 29 types of biodegradable solid waste was investigated to determine if spectral characteristics could be used for assessment of biological stabilization during AD. Biochemical methane potential tests were conducted and spectral indicators (including the ratio of ultraviolet-visible absorbance at 254nm to dissolved organic carbon concentration (SUVA254), the ratio of ultraviolet-visible absorbance measured at 465nm and 665nm (E4/E6), and the abundance of fluorescence peaks) were measured at different AD phases. Inter-relationship between organic degradation and spectral indicators were analyzed by principle component analysis. The results shows that from methane production phase to the end of methane production phase, SUVA254 increased by 0.16-10.93 times, the abundance of fulvic acid-like compounds fluorescence peak increased by 0.01-0.54 times, the abundance of tyrosine fluorescence peak decreased by 0.03-0.64 times. Therefore, these indicators were useful to judge the course of mixed waste digestion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of anthropogenic inputs in the surface waters of the southern coastal area of Sfax during spring (Tunisia, Southern Mediterranean Sea).

PubMed

Drira, Zaher; Kmiha-Megdiche, Salma; Sahnoun, Houda; Hammami, Ahmed; Allouche, Noureddine; Tedetti, Marc; Ayadi, Habib

2016-03-15

The coastal marine area of Sfax (Tunisia), which is well-known for its high productivity and fisheries, is also subjected to anthropogenic inputs from diverse industrial, urban and agriculture activities. We investigated the spatial distribution of physical, chemical and biogeochemical parameters in the surface waters of the southern coastal area of Sfax. Pertinent tracers of anthropogenic inputs were identified. Twenty stations were sampled during March 2013 in the vicinity of the coastal areas reserved for waste discharge. Phosphogypsum wastes dumped close to the beaches were the main source of PO4(3-), Cl(-) and SO4(2-) in seawater. The high content in total polyphenolic compounds was due to the olive oil treatment waste water released from margins. These inorganic and organic inputs in the surface waters were associated with elevated COD. The BOD5/COD (<0.5) and COD/BOD5 (>3) ratios highlighted a chemical pollution with organic load of a low biodegradability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FTIR-PAS: a powerful tool for characterising the chemical composition and predicting the labile C fraction of various organic waste products.

PubMed

Bekiaris, Georgios; Bruun, Sander; Peltre, Clément; Houot, Sabine; Jensen, Lars S

2015-05-01

Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy has been used for several years as a fast, low-cost, reliable technique for characterising a large variety of materials. However, the strong influence of sample particle size and the inability to measure the absorption of very dark and opaque samples have made FTIR unsuitable for many waste materials. FTIR-photoacoustic spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS) can eliminate some of the shortcomings of traditional FTIR caused by scattering effects and reflection issues, and recent advances in PAS technology have made commercial instruments available. In this study, FTIR-PAS was used to characterise a wide range of organic waste products and predict their labile carbon fraction, which is normally determined from time-consuming assays. FTIR-PAS was found to be capable of predicting the labile fraction of carbon as efficiently as near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and furthermore of identifying the compounds that are correlated with the predicted parameter, thus facilitating a more mechanistic interpretation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incineration for resource recovery in a closed ecological life support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Upadhye, R. S.; Wignarajah, K.; Wydeven, T.

1993-01-01

A functional schematic, including mass and energy balance, of a solid waste processing system for a controlled ecological life support system (CELSS) was developed using Aspen Plus, a commercial computer simulation program. The primary processor in this system is an incinerator for oxidizing organic wastes. The major products derived from the incinerator are carbon dioxide and water, which can be recycled to a crop growth chamber (CGC) for food production. The majority of soluble inorganics are extracted or leached from the inedible biomass before they reach the incinerator, so that they can be returned directly to the CGC and reused as nutrients. The heat derived from combustion of organic compounds in the incinerator was used for phase-change water purification. The waste streams treated by the incinerator system conceptualized in this work are inedible biomass from a CGC, human urine (including urinal flush water) and feces, humidity condensate, shower water, and trash. It is estimated that the theoretical minimum surface area required for the radiator to reject the unusable heat output from this system would be 0.72 sq m/person at 298 K.

Dual-objective optimization of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems using genetic algorithm: a comparison between basic and recuperative cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayat, Nasir; Ameen, Muhammad Tahir; Tariq, Muhammad Kashif; Shah, Syed Nadeem Abbas; Naveed, Ahmad

2017-08-01

Exploitation of low potential waste thermal energy for useful net power output can be done by manipulating organic Rankine cycle systems. In the current article dual-objectives (η_{th} and SIC) optimization of ORC systems [basic organic Rankine cycle (BORC) and recuperative organic Rankine cycle (RORC)] has been done using non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (II). Seven organic compounds (R-123, R-1234ze, R-152a, R-21, R-236ea, R-245ca and R-601) have been employed in basic cycle and four dry compounds (R-123, R-236ea, R-245ca and R-601) have been employed in recuperative cycle to investigate the behaviour of two systems and compare their performance. Sensitivity analyses show that recuperation boosts the thermodynamic behaviour of systems but it also raises specific investment cost significantly. R-21, R-245ca and R-601 show attractive performance in BORC whereas R-601 and R-236ea in RORC. RORC, due to higher total investment cost and operation & maintenance costs, has longer payback periods as compared to BORC.

Fluorescence evolution of leachates during treatment processes from two contrasting landfills.

PubMed

Sun, W L; Liu, T T; Cui, F; Ni, J R

2008-10-01

Landfill leachates are composed of a complex mixture of organic matter, including a wide range of potentially fluorescent organic compounds. The fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (FEEM) of leachates during treatment processes is investigated. Particular attention is paid to the fluorescence evolution of leachates during treatment processes. Two typical types of landfill, landfill A (a direct municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill) and landfill B (disposal of bottom ashes from MSW incinerators), in a city in Southern China were selected. The results show that two characteristic and intense excitation-emission peaks located at Ex/Em = 310-330 nm/395-410 nm (peak alpha) and Ex/Em = 250-260 nm/450-460 nm (peak alpha') are observed. As the aromatic chemicals, capable of emitting fluorescence, are more recalcitrant to biodegradation than aliphatic chemicals, enhancement of the dissolved organic carbon normalized fluorescence intensities is demonstrated during treatment processes of leachate A and leachate B. This is confirmed by the variation of ultraviolet absorptivity of leachates at 254 nm. Peak alpha' and peak alpha are attributed to a mixture of xenobiotic organic compounds with low molecular weight and relatively stable aromatic fulvic-like matters with high molecular weight, respectively. Humic substances are more resistant to biodegradation than xenobiotic organic compounds, so a significant reduction in the Ialpha'/Ialpha values (fluorescence intensity ratios of peak alpha' and peak a) of leachate A was observed during treatment processes. However, no evident variation for the Ialpha/Ialpha values of leachate B was found during treatment processes owing to the low concentrations of xenobiotic organic compounds in leachate B after incineration.

[Assessment of so called organic trace compounds in drinking water from the regulatory, health and aesthetic-quality points of view, with special consideration given to pharmaceuticals].

PubMed

Dieter, H H; Mückter, H

2007-03-01

More than 2500 chemically defined substances are approved as drugs in Germany. Unlike agricultural pesticides, these biologically active structures are not used in open environmental compartments and therefore their environmental toxicological data base is not nearly as complete. Nevertheless, some of them become environmental contaminants after their intended use. Therefore, from the viewpoint of environmental health protection, there are gaps in their health-related environmental risk assessment. Organic trace compounds that lack an adequate toxicological database, and their mixtures, in drinking water can be safely regulated and provisionally assessed by combining the "similar joint action" addition rule with the recommendation of the Federal Environment Agency of March 2003 "Assessing the presence of substances in drinking water without (adequate) toxicological database from the health point of view". The general precautionary value (Gesundheitlicher Orientierungswert GOW1=0.10 microg/l), which is a recommendation for weakly to not genotoxic compounds, re presents a workable compromise between preventive health protection, water management considerations and aesthetic quality claims (purity). Compliance with this value in the long term will only be possible if the chemical and biological degradation of pharmaceuticals and their metabolites in waste water and waste water treatment plants is effectively improved. Alternatively, there is the risk of drinking water degenerating into a sink for highly mobile, polar and persistent compounds. Their elimination at a stage as late as technical drinking water treatment would be neither close to the initial cause nor justifiable in terms of technical effectiveness. The risk assessment of their byproducts would give rise to further uncertainties. Possible conflicts with the therapeutic quality must be solved by developing substitute products which are environmentally sound.

Bioaccumulation of pharmaceuticals and other anthropogenic waste indicators in earthworms from agricultural soil amended with biosolid or swine manure

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kinney, C.A.; Furlong, E.T.; Kolpin, D.W.; Burkhardt, M.R.; Zaugg, S.D.; Werner, S.L.; Bossio, J.P.; Benotti, M.J.

2008-01-01

Analysis of earthworms offers potential for assessing the transfer of organic anthropogenic waste indicators (AWIs) derived from land-applied biosolid or manure to biota. Earthworms and soil samples were collected from three Midwest agricultural fields to measure the presence and potential for transfer of 77 AWIs from land-applied biosolids and livestock manure to earthworms. The sites consisted of a soybean field with no amendments of human or livestock waste (Site 1), a soybean field amended with biosolids from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (Site 2), and a cornfield amended with swine manure (Site 3). The biosolid applied to Site 2 contained a diverse composition of 28 AWIs, reflecting the presence of human-use compounds. The swine manure contained 12 AWIs, and was dominated by biogenic sterols. Soil and earthworm samples were collected in the spring (about 30 days after soil amendment) and fall (140-155 days after soil amendment) at all field sites. Soils from Site 1 contained 21 AWIs and soil from Sites 2 and 3 contained 19 AWIs. The AWI profiles at Sites 2 and 3 generally reflected the relative composition of AWIs present in waste material applied. There were 20 AWIs detected in earthworms from Site 1 (three compounds exceeding concentrations of 1000 ??g/kg), 25 AWIs in earthworms from Site 2 (seven compounds exceeding concentrations of 1000 ??g/kg), and 21 AWIs in earthworms from Site 3 (five compounds exceeding concentrations of 1000 ??g/kg). A number of compounds thatwere present in the earthworm tissue were at concentrations less than reporting levels in the corresponding soil samples. The AWIs detected in earthworm tissue from the three field sites included pharmaceuticals, synthetic fragrances, detergent metabolites, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), biogenic sterols, disinfectants, and pesticides, reflecting a wide range of physicochemical properties. For those contaminants detected in earthworm tissue and soil, bioaccumulation factors (BAF) ranged from 0.05 (galaxolide) to 27 (triclosan). This study documents that when AWIs are present in source materials that are land applied, such as biosolids and swine manure, AWIs can be transferred to earthworms. ?? 2008 American Chemical Society.

Do pharmaceuticals, pathogens, and other organic waste water compounds persist when waste water is used for recharge?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cordy, Gail E.; Duran, Norma L.; Bouwer, Herman; Rice, Robert C.; Furlong, Edward T.; Zaugg, Steven D.; Meyer, Michael T.; Barber, Larry B.; Kolpin, Dana W.

2004-01-01

A proof-of-concept experiment was devised to determine if pharmaceuticals and other organic waste water compounds (OWCs), as well as pathogens, found in treated effluent could be transported through a 2.4 m soil column and, thus, potentially reach ground water under recharge conditions similar to those in arid or semiarid climates. Treated effluent was applied at the top of the 2.4 m long, 32.5 cm diameter soil column over 23 days, Samples of the column inflow were collected from the effluent storage tank at the beginning (Tbegin) and end (Tend) of the experiment, and a sample of the soil column drainage at the base of the column (Bend) was collected at the end of the experiment. Samples were analyzed for 131 OWCs including veterinary and human antibiotics, other prescription and nonprescription drugs, widely used household and industrial chemicals, and steroids and reproductive hormones, as well as the pathogens Salmonella and Legionella. Analytical results for the two effluent samples taken at the beginning (Tbegin) and end (Tend) of the experiment indicate that the number of OWCs detected in the column inflow decreased by 25% (eight compounds) and the total concentration of OWCs decreased by 46% while the effluent was in the storage tank during the 23-day experiment. After percolating through the soil column, an additional 18 compounds detected in Tend (67% of OWCs) were no longer detected in the effluent (Bend) and the total concentration of OWCs decreased by more than 70%. These compounds may have been subject to transformation (biotic and abiotic), adsorption, and (or) volatilization in the storage tank and during travel through the soil column. Eight compounds—carbamazapine; sulfamethoxazole; benzophenone; 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole; N,N-diethyltoluamide; tributylphosphate; tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate; and cholesterol—were detected in all three samples indicating they have the potential to reach ground water under recharge conditions similar to those in arid and semiarid climates. Results from real-time polymerase chain reactions demonstrated the presence of Legionella in all three samples. Salmonella was detected only in Tbegin, suggesting that the bacteria died off in the effluent storage tank over the period of the experiment. This proof-of-concept experiment demonstrates that, under recharge conditions similar to those in arid or semiarid climates, some pharmaceuticals, pathogens, and other OWCs can persist in treated effluent after soil-aquifer treatment.

Genotoxic effects and serum abnormalities in residents of regions proximal to e-waste disposal facilities in Jinghai, China.

PubMed

Li, KeQiu; Liu, ShaSha; Yang, QiaoYun; Zhao, YuXia; Zuo, JunFang; Li, Ran; Jing, YaQing; He, XiaoBo; Qiu, XingHua; Li, Guang; Zhu, Tong

2014-07-01

Electronic waste (e-waste) disposal is a growing problem in China, and its effects on human health are a concern. To determine the concentrations of pollutants in peripheral blood and genetic aberrations near an e-waste disposal area in Jinghai, China, blood samples were collected from 30 (age: 41±11.01 years) and 28 (age: 33±2.14 years) individuals residing within 5 and 40km of e-waste disposal facilities in Jinghai (China), respectively, during the week of October 21-28, 2011. Levels of inorganic pollutants (calcium, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, selenium, and zinc) and malondialdehyde (MDA), identities of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), micronucleus rates, and lymphocyte subsets were analyzed in individuals. Total RNA expression profiles were analyzed by group and gender. The population group living in proximity to the e-waste site displayed significantly higher mean levels of copper, zinc, lead, MDAs, POPs (B4-6DE, B7-9DE, total polychlorinated biphenyls, and BB-153). In addition, micronucleus rates of close-proximity group were higher compared with the remote group (18.27% vs. 7.32%). RNA expression of genes involved in metal ion binding and transport, oxidation/reduction, immune defense, and tumorigenesis varied between groups, with men most detrimentally affected (p<0.05). CD4(+)/CD8(+)T cell ratios, CD4(+)CD25(nt/hi)CD127(lo)regulatory T cell percentages, and CD95 expression were greater in the e-waste group (p<0.05). Residing in close proximity to e-waste disposal facilities (≤5km) may be associated with the accumulation of potentially harmful inorganic/organic compounds and gender-preferential genetic aberrations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Municipal solid waste management in India: From waste disposal to recovery of resources?

PubMed

Narayana, Tapan

2009-03-01

Unlike that of western countries, the solid waste of Asian cities is often comprised of 70-80% organic matter, dirt and dust. Composting is considered to be the best option to deal with the waste generated. Composting helps reduce the waste transported to and disposed of in landfills. During the course of the research, the author learned that several developing countries established large-scale composting plants that eventually failed for various reasons. The main flaw that led to the unsuccessful establishment of the plants was the lack of application of simple scientific methods to select the material to be composted. Landfills have also been widely unsuccessful in countries like India because the landfill sites have a very limited time frame of usage. The population of the developing countries is another factor that detrimentally impacts the function of landfill sites. As the population keeps increasing, the garbage quantity also increases, which, in turn, exhausts the landfill sites. Landfills are also becoming increasingly expensive because of the rising costs of construction and operation. Incineration, which can greatly reduce the amount of incoming municipal solid waste, is the second most common method for disposal in developed countries. However, incinerator ash may contain hazardous materials including heavy metals and organic compounds such as dioxins, etc. Recycling plays a large role in solid waste management, especially in cities in developing countries. None of the three methods mentioned here are free from problems. The aim of this study is thus to compare the three methods, keeping in mind the costs that would be incurred by the respective governments, and identify the most economical and best option possible to combat the waste disposal problem.

Rationale for Selection of Pesticides, Herbicides, and Related Compounds from the Hanford SST/DST Waste Considered for Analysis in Support of the Regulatory DQO (Privatization)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiemers, K.D.; Daling, P.; Meier, K.

1999-01-04

Regulated pesticides, herbicides, miticides, and fungicides were evaluated for their potential past and current use at the Hanford Site. The starting list of these compounds is based on regulatory analyte input lists discussed in the Regulatory DQO. Twelve pesticide, herbicide, miticide, and fungicide compounds are identified for analysis in the Hanford SST and DST waste in support of the Regulatory DQO. The compounds considered for additional analyses are non-detected, considered stable in the tank waste matrix, and of higher toxicity/carcinogenicity.

Wet-oxidation waste management system for CELSS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takahashi, Y.; Ohya, H.

1986-01-01

A wet oxidation system will be useful in the Closed Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) as a facility to treat organic wastes and to redistribute inorganic compounds and elements. However at rather higher temperatures needed in this reaction, for instance, at 260 deg C, only 80% of organic in a raw material can be oxidized, and 20% of it will remain in the liquid mainly as acetic acid, which is virtually noncombustible. Furthermore, nitrogen is transformed to ammonium ions which normally cannot be absorbed by plants. To resolve these problems, it becomes necessary to use catalysts. Noble metals such as Ru, Rh and so on have proved to be partially effective as these catalysts. That is, oxidation does not occur completely, and the unexpected denitrification, instead of the expected nitrification, occurs. So, it is essential to develop the catalysts which are able to realize the complete oxidation and the nitrification.

Environmental assessment of a wood-waste-fired industrial firetube boiler. Volume 2. Data supplement. Final report, January 1981-March 1984

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeRosier, R.; Waterland, L.R.

1987-03-01

The report gives emission results from field tests of a wood-waste-fired industrial firetube boiler. Emission measurements included: continuous monitoring of flue-gas emissions; source assessment sampling system (SASS) sampling of the flue gas with subsequent laboratory analysis of samples to give total flue-gas organics in two boiling-point ranges, compound category information within these ranges, specific quantitation of the semivolatile organic priority pollutants, and flue-gas concentrations of 65 trace elements; Method 5 sampling for particulates; controlled condensation system (CSS) sampling for SO/sub 2/ and SO/sub 3/; and grab sampling of boiler bottom ash for trace-element-content determinations. Emission levels of five polycyclic organicmore » matter species and phenol were quantitated: except for naphthalene, all were emitted at less than 0.4 microgram/dscm.« less

Heat treatment of organics for increasing anaerobic biodegradability. Annual progress report, June 1, 1976-May 31, 1977. Civil engineering technical report No. 222

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Healy, J.B. Jr.; Owen, W.F.; Stuckey, D.C.

1977-06-30

This report represents the results of the first year of study on the heat treatment of organics to increase its biodegradability by anaerobic bacteria for the microbial production of methane. The purpose of this study is to develop a means for increasing the yield and reducing the cost of methane, a useful energy source. The procedures being evaluated are heat treatment at temperatures up to 250/sup 0/C, under pH ranges of 1 to 13. Included in this report are results on: (1) lignocellulose digestion and acclimation to its products from heat treatment; (2) the fate of waste activated sludge andmore » its cellular nitrogenous compounds; and (3) the biodegradability of model compounds likely to be formed during heat treatment.« less

Coupling pervaporation to AAS for inorganic and organic mercury determination. A new approach to speciation of Hg in environmental samples.

PubMed

Fernandez-Rivas, C; Muñoz-Olivas, R; Camara, C

2001-12-01

The design and development of a new approach for Hg speciation in environmental samples is described in detail. This method, consisting of the coupling of pervaporation and atomic absorption spectrometry, is based on a membrane phenomenon that combines the evaporation of volatile analytes and their diffusion through a polymeric membrane. It is proposed here as an alternative to gas chromatography for speciation of inorganic and organic Hg compounds, as the latter compounds are volatile and can be separated by applying the principles mentioned above. The interest of this method lies in its easy handling, low cost, and rapidity for the analysis of liquid and solid samples. This method has been applied to Hg speciation in a compost sample provided by a waste water treatment plant.

Review Article: Persistent organic pollutants and landfills - a review of past experiences and future challenges.

PubMed

Weber, Roland; Watson, Alan; Forter, Martin; Oliaei, Fardin

2011-01-01

The landfilling and dumping of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and other persistent hazardous compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorocyclohaxane (HCH), polybrominated diphenylether (PBDEs) or perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) can have significant adverse environmental consequences. This paper reviews past experiences with such disposal practices and highlights their unsustainability due to the risks of contamination of ecosystems, the food chain, together with ground and drinking water supplies. The use and associated disposal of POPs have been occurring for over 50 years. Concurrent with the phase-out of some of the most hazardous chemicals, the production of new POPs, such as brominated and fluorinated compounds has increased since the 1990s. These latter compounds are commonly used in a wide range of consumer goods, and as consumer products reach the end of their useful lives, ultimately enter waste recycling and disposal systems, in particular at municipal landfills. Because of their very slow, or lack of degradability, POPs will persist in landfills for many decades and possibly centuries. Over these extended time periods engineered landfill systems and their liners are likely to degrade, thus posing a contemporary and future risk of releasing large contaminant loads to the environment. This review highlights the necessity for alternative disposal methods for POP wastes, including destruction or complete removal from potential environmental release. In addition to such end of pipe solutions a policy change in the use pattern of persistent toxic chemicals is inevitable. In addition, inventories for the location and quantity of POPs in landfills, together with an assessment of their threat to ecosystems, drinking water and food resources are identified as key measures to facilitate appropriate management of risks. Finally the challenges of POP wastes in transition/developing countries, the risk of increased leaching of POPs from landfills due to climate change, and the possible negative impact of natural attenuation processes are considered.

Tracing pharmaceuticals in a municipal plant for integrated wastewater and organic solid waste treatment.

PubMed

Jelic, Aleksandra; Fatone, Francesco; Di Fabio, Silvia; Petrovic, Mira; Cecchi, Franco; Barcelo, Damia

2012-09-01

The occurrence and removal of 42 pharmaceuticals, belonging to different therapeutic groups (analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-ulcer agent, psychiatric drugs, antiepileptic drug, antibiotics, ß-blockers, diuretics, lipid regulator and cholesterol lowering statin drugs and anti-histamines), were studied in the wastewater and sewage sludge trains of a full scale integrated treatment plant. The plant employs a biological nutrient removal (BNR) process for the treatment of municipal wastewater, and a single-stage mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion for the treatment of wasted activated sludge mixed with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), followed by a short-cut nitrification-denitrification of the anaerobic supernatant in a sequential batch reactor. Influent and effluent wastewater, as well as thickened, digested and treated sludge were sampled and analyzed for the selected pharmaceuticals in order to study their presence and fate during the treatment. Twenty three compounds were detected in influent and effluent wastewater and eleven in sludge. Infiltration of groundwater in the sewer system led to a dilution of raw sewage, resulting in lower concentrations in wastewater (up to 0.7 μg/L in influent) and sludge (70 ng/g d.w.). Due to the dilution, overall risk quotient for the mixture of pharmaceuticals detected in effluent wastewater was less than one, indicating no direct risk for the aquatic environment. A wide range of removal efficiencies during the treatment was observed, i.e. <20% to 90%. The influent concentrations of the target pharmaceuticals, as polar compounds, were undoubtedly mostly affected by BNR process in the wastewater train, and less by anaerobic-co-digestion. Mass balance calculations showed that less than 2% of the total mass load of the studied pharmaceuticals was removed by sorption. Experimentally estimated distribution coefficients (<500 L/kg) also indicated that the selected pharmaceuticals preferably remain in the aqueous phase, and that biodegradation/transformation is the primary removal mechanism for these compounds during wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vermiremediation and nutrient recovery of non-recyclable paper waste employing Eisenia fetida.

PubMed

Gupta, Renuka; Garg, V K

2009-02-15

With the industrial growth, changing life style and consumeristic attitude paper consumption has increased significantly in yesteryears. The authors have observed that waste paper obtained from consumable items and used paper products are disposed in open by the consumers as these are not accepted by the salvaging industry. In the present study, an attempt has been made to vermicompost non-recyclable post-consumer paper waste (PW) amended with cow dung (CD) employing Eisenia fetida earthworm in order to transform it into a value added product, i.e., vermicompost. Vermicomposting of paper waste resulted in net reduction in ash content and total organic carbon (42.5-56.8%) but increment in total Kjeldhal nitrogen (2.0-2.4-fold), total potassium (2.0-fold), and total phosphorous (1.4-1.8-fold) was achieved after 91 days of worms' activity. The C:N ratio decreased with time in all the worm-worked vermireactors in the range of 71.9-82.0%, depicting advanced degree of organic matter stabilization. The FT-IR spectroscopy of the vermicomposts showed reduction in aliphatic compounds during the vermicomposting process. The results also demonstrated the worm growth and reproduction are not significantly affected if PW content is upto 30% in the vermireactor.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M. L. Abbott; K. N. Keck; R. E. Schindler

This screening level risk assessment evaluates potential adverse human health and ecological impacts resulting from continued operations of the calciner at the New Waste Calcining Facility (NWCF) at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC), Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). The assessment was conducted in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report, Guidance for Performing Screening Level Risk Analyses at Combustion Facilities Burning Hazardous Waste. This screening guidance is intended to give a conservative estimate of the potential risks to determine whether a more refined assessment is warranted. The NWCF uses a fluidized-bed combustor to solidifymore » (calcine) liquid radioactive mixed waste from the INTEC Tank Farm facility. Calciner off volatilized metal species, trace organic compounds, and low-levels of radionuclides. Conservative stack emission rates were calculated based on maximum waste solution feed samples, conservative assumptions for off gas partitioning of metals and organics, stack gas sampling for mercury, and conservative measurements of contaminant removal (decontamination factors) in the off gas treatment system. Stack emissions were modeled using the ISC3 air dispersion model to predict maximum particulate and vapor air concentrations and ground deposition rates. Results demonstrate that NWCF emissions calculated from best-available process knowledge would result in maximum onsite and offsite health and ecological impacts that are less then EPA-established criteria for operation of a combustion facility.« less

Comprehensive waste characterization and organic pollution co-occurrence in a Hg and As mining and metallurgy brownfield.

PubMed

Gallego, J R; Esquinas, N; Rodríguez-Valdés, E; Menéndez-Aguado, J M; Sierra, C

2015-12-30

The abandonment of Hg-As mining and metallurgy sites, together with long-term weathering, can dramatically degrade the environment. In this work it is exemplified the complex legacy of contamination that afflicts Hg-As brownfields through the detailed study of a paradigmatic site. Firstly, an in-depth study of the former industrial process was performed to identify sources of different types of waste. Subsequently, the composition and reactivity of As- and Hg-rich wastes (calcines, As-rich soot, stupp, and flue dust) was analyzed by means of multielemental analysis, mineralogical characterization (X-ray diffraction, electronic, and optical microscopy, microbrobe), chemical speciation, and sequential extractions. As-rich soot in the form of arsenolite, a relatively mobile by-product of the pyrometallurgical process, and stupp, a residue originated in the former condensing system, were determined to be the main risk at the site. In addition, the screening of organic pollution was also aimed, as shown by the outcome of benzo(a) pyrene and other PAHs, and by the identification of unexpected Hg organo-compounds (phenylmercury propionate). The approach followed unravels evidence from waste from the mining and metallurgy industry that may be present in other similar sites, and identifies unexpected contaminants overlooked by conventional analyses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Composition and leaching of construction and demolition waste: inorganic elements and organic compounds.

PubMed

Butera, Stefania; Christensen, Thomas H; Astrup, Thomas F

2014-07-15

Thirty-three samples of construction and demolition waste collected at 11 recycling facilities in Denmark were characterised in terms of total content and leaching of inorganic elements and presence of the persistent organic pollutants PCBs and PAHs. Samples included (i) "clean" (i.e. unmixed) concrete waste, (ii) mixed masonry and concrete, (iii) asphalt and (iv) freshly cast concrete cores; both old and newly generated construction and demolition waste was included. PCBs and PAHs were detected in all samples, generally in non-critical concentrations. Overall, PAHs were comparable to background levels in urban environments. "Old" and "new" concrete samples indicated different PCB congener profiles and the presence of PCB even in new concrete suggested that background levels in raw materials may be an issue. Significant variability in total content of trace elements, even more pronounced for leaching, was observed indicating that the number of analysed samples may be critical in relation to decisions regarding management and utilisation of the materials. Higher leaching of chromium, sulphate and chloride were observed for masonry-containing and partly carbonated samples, indicating that source segregation and management practices may be important. Generally, leaching was in compliance with available leaching limits, except for selenium, and in some cases chromium, sulphate and antimony. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolution of water chemistry during Marcellus Shale gas development: A case study in West Virginia.

PubMed

Ziemkiewicz, Paul F; Thomas He, Y

2015-09-01

Hydraulic fracturing (HF) has been used with horizontal drilling to extract gas and natural gas liquids from source rock such as the Marcellus Shale in the Appalachian Basin. Horizontal drilling and HF generates large volumes of waste water known as flowback. While inorganic ion chemistry has been well characterized, and the general increase in concentration through the flowback is widely recognized, the literature contains little information relative to organic compounds and radionuclides. This study examined the chemical evolution of liquid process and waste streams (including makeup water, HF fluids, and flowback) in four Marcellus Shale gas well sites in north central West Virginia. Concentrations of organic and inorganic constituents and radioactive isotopes were measured to determine changes in waste water chemistry during shale gas development. We found that additives used in fracturing fluid may contribute to some of the constituents (e.g., Fe) found in flowback, but they appear to play a minor role. Time sequence samples collected during flowback indicated increasing concentrations of organic, inorganic and radioactive constituents. Nearly all constituents were found in much higher concentrations in flowback water than in injected HF fluids suggesting that the bulk of constituents originate in the Marcellus Shale formation rather than in the formulation of the injected HF fluids. Liquid wastes such as flowback and produced water, are largely recycled for subsequent fracturing operations. These practices limit environmental exposure to flowback. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An overview on characterization, utilization and leachate analysis of biomedical waste incinerator ash.

PubMed

Rajor, Anita; Xaxa, Monika; Mehta, Ratika; Kunal

2012-10-15

Solid waste management is one of the major global environmental issues, as there is continuous increase in industrial globalization and generation of waste. Solid wastes encompass the heterogeneous mass of throwaways from the urban community as well as the homogeneous accumulations of agricultural, industrial and mineral wastes. Biomedical waste pose a significant impact on health and environment. A proper waste management system should be required to dispose hazardous biomedical waste and incineration should be the best available technology to reduce the volume of this hazardous waste. The incineration process destroys pathogens and reduces the waste volume and weight but leaves a solid material called biomedical waste ash as residue which increases the levels of heavy metals, inorganic salts and organic compounds in the environment. Disposal of biomedical waste ash in landfill may cause contamination of groundwater as metals are not destroyed during incineration. The limited space and the high cost for land disposal led to the development of recycling technologies and the reuse of ash in different systems. In order to minimize leaching of its hazardous components into the environment several studies confirmed the successful utilization of biomedical waste ash in agriculture and construction sector. This paper presents the overview on the beneficial use of ash in agriculture and construction materials and its leachate characteristics. This review also stressed on the need to further evaluate the leachate studies of the ashes and slag for their proper disposal and utilization. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method for converting asbestos to non-carcinogenic compounds

DOEpatents

Selby, Thomas W.

1996-01-01

Hazardous and carcinogenic asbestos waste characterized by a crystalline fibrous structure is transformed into non-carcinogenic, relatively nonhazardous, and non-crystalline solid compounds and gaseous compounds which have commercial utilization. The asbestos waste is so transformed by the complete fluorination of the crystalline fibrous silicate mineral defining the asbestos.

Method for converting asbestos to non-carcinogenic compounds

DOEpatents

Selby, T.W.

1996-08-06

Hazardous and carcinogenic asbestos waste characterized by a crystalline fibrous structure is transformed into non-carcinogenic, relatively nonhazardous, and non-crystalline solid compounds and gaseous compounds which have commercial utilization. The asbestos waste is so transformed by the complete fluorination of the crystalline fibrous silicate mineral defining the asbestos. 7 figs.

Role of Rhodobacter sp. Strain PS9, a Purple Non-Sulfur Photosynthetic Bacterium Isolated from an Anaerobic Swine Waste Lagoon, in Odor Remediation

PubMed Central

Do, Young S.; Schmidt, Thomas M.; Zahn, James A.; Boyd, Eric S.; de la Mora, Arlene; DiSpirito, Alan A.

2003-01-01

Temporal pigmentation changes resulting from the development of a purple color in anaerobic swine waste lagoons were investigated during a 4-year period. The major purple photosynthetic bacterium responsible for these color changes and the corresponding reductions in odor was isolated from nine photosynthetic lagoons. By using morphological, physiological, and phylogenetic characterization methods we identified the predominant photosynthetic bacterium as a new strain of Rhodobacter, designated Rhodobacter sp. strain PS9. Rhodobacter sp. strain PS9 is capable of photoorganotrophic growth on a variety of organic compounds, including all of the characteristic volatile organic compounds (VOC) responsible for the odor associated with swine production facilities (J. A. Zahn, A. A. DiSpirito, Y. S. Do, B. E. Brooks, E. E. Copper, and J. L. Hatfield, J. Environ. Qual. 30:624-634, 2001). The seasonal variations in airborne VOC emitted from waste lagoons showed that there was a 80 to 93% decrease in the concentration of VOC during a photosynthetic bloom. During the height of a bloom, the Rhodobacter sp. strain PS9 population accounted for 10% of the total community and up to 27% of the eubacterial community based on 16S ribosomal DNA signals. Additional observations based on seasonal variations in meteorological, biological, and chemical parameters suggested that the photosynthetic blooms of Rhodobacter sp. strain PS9 were correlated with lagoon water temperature and with the concentrations of sulfate and phosphate. In addition, the photosynthetic blooms of Rhodobacter sp. strain PS9 were inversely correlated with the concentrations of protein and fluoride. PMID:12620863

MICRO AUTO GASIFICATION SYSTEM: EMISSIONS ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A compact, CONEX-housed waste to energy unit, Micro Auto Gasification System (MAGS), was characterized for air emissions from burning of military waste types. The MAGS unit is a dual chamber gasifier with a secondary diesel-fired combustor. Eight tests were conducted with multiple waste types in a 7-day period at the Kilauea Military Camp in Hawai’i. The emissions characterized were chosen based on regulatory emissions limits as well as their ability to cause adverse health effects on humans: particulate matter (PM), mercury, heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). Three military waste feedstock compositions reflecting the variety of wastes to be encountered in theatre were investigated: standard waste (SW), standard waste with increased plastic content (HP), standard waste without SW food components but added first strike ration (FSR) food and packaging material (termed FSR). A fourth waste was collected from the Kilauea dumpster that served the dining facility and room lodging (KMC). Limited scrubber water and solid ash residue samples were collected to obtain a preliminary characterization of these effluents/residues.Gasifying SW, HP, and KMC resulted in similar PCDD/PCDF stack concentrations, 0.26-0.27 ng TEQ/m3 at 7% O2, while FSR waste generated a notably higher stack concentration of 0.68 ng TEQ/m3 at 7% O2. The PM emission

Fate of Organic Micropollutants during Hydrothermal Carbonization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiner, B.; Baskyr, I.; Pörschmann, J.; Kopinke, F.-D.

2012-04-01

The hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is an exothermic process, in which biomass in an aqueous suspension is transformed into a bituminous coal-like material (hydrochar) at temperatures between 180-250°C and under moderate pressure. With these process conditions, little gas is generated (1-5%), and a fraction of the organic carbon is dissolved in the aqueous phase (10-30%) but the largest part is obtained as solid char. The respective yields and the molecular composition depend on the choice of educts and the process conditions, such as temperature, pH-value, and reaction time. Various biomass-educts have recently been studied, such as waste materials from agriculture, brewer's spent grains, sewage sludge, as well as wood and paper materials. Besides their use for energy generation, the hydrochars have also been investigated as soil amendments. Prior to addition of the chars to soil, these should be free of toxic components that could be released into the environment as harmful organic pollutants. Herein, the potential for the degradation of trace organic pollutants, such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals, under typical HTC conditions will be presented. The degradation of selected organic pollutants with different polarity and hydrophobicity was investigated. Scope and limitations of the degradation potential of the HTC are discussed on examples of micro pollutants such as hormones, residues of pharmaceuticals and personal care products including their metabolites, and pesticides. We will show that the target analytes are partially and in some cases completely degraded. The degree of degradation depends on the HTC process conditions such as reaction temperature and time, the solution pH value, the presence of catalysts or additional reagents. The biotic and abiotic degradation of chlorinated organic compounds, in particular chlorinated aromatics, has been a well-known environmental problem and remains a challenging issue for the development of a HTC process for contaminated biomass. Chlorinated aromatic compounds are not fully degraded during HTC. Therefore, the addition of catalysts and reagents for a possible reduction has been studied. Zero-valent environmentally acceptable metals, such as Fe or Si, are presented as potential additives for the dechlorination of chloronaphthalene as a representative of chloroaromatics. Furthermore, when using municipal household waste, such as the 'organic' bin, or gardening greens as biomass educts, these materials often contain traces of synthetic plastics, which can lead to problems during waste incineration. Initial studies on the fate of synthetic polymers will also be presented.

[Even cigarette butts can impact environment and health: preliminary considerations].

PubMed

Martino, Gianrocco; Gorini, Giuseppe; Chellini, Elisabetta

2013-01-01

In Italy, every year about 72 billion of cigarette butts are thrown away in the environment. Cigarette butts represent 50% of the wastes of urban areas (parks, roads) in the world, and 40% of Mediterranean Sea wastes. In particular, total polluting load is constituted of 1,872 Bq millions of Polonium-210, assuming 75 mBq per cigarette butt, and 1,800 tons of volatile organic compounds. As a matter of fact, according to several surveys, cigarette butts are considered by smokers and non-smokers as a common and acceptable waste in the environment. In 2008, European Union issued a Directive on wastes considering the «extended producer responsibility» (i.e., every industry is liable for costs of collection, transport and disposal of its own products). In October 2012, the Italian Parliament proposed a bill that classifies cigarette butts as special wastes in the frame of this responsibility. It could be interesting in the future to follow the legislative process of that bill in the Italian Parliament in order to show how strong it will be supported.

Enzyme-assisted hydrothermal treatment of food waste for co-production of hydrochar and bio-oil.

PubMed

Kaushik, Rajni; Parshetti, Ganesh K; Liu, Zhengang; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar

2014-09-01

Food waste was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis prior to hydrothermal treatment to produce hydrochars and bio-oil. Pre-treatment of food waste with an enzyme ratio of 1:2:1 (carbohydrase:protease:lipase) proved to be effective in converting food waste to the two products with improved yields. The carbon contents and calorific values ranged from 43.7% to 65.4% and 17.4 to 26.9 MJ/kg for the hydrochars obtained with the enzyme-assisted pre-treatment, respectively while they varied from 38.2% to 53.5% and 15.0 to 21.7 MJ/kg, respectively for the hydrochars obtained with no pre-treatment. Moreover, the formation of carbonaceous microspheres with low concentrations of inorganic elements and diverse surface functional groups was observed in the case of enzyme-assisted food waste hydrochars. The enzymatic pre-treatment also facilitated the formation of the bio-oil with a narrow distribution of organic compounds and with the highest yield obtained at 350 °C. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensor System Fo4r Buried Waste Containment Sites

DOEpatents

Smith, Ann Marie; Gardner, Bradley M.; Kostelnik, Kevin M.; Partin, Judy K.; Lancaster, Gregory D.; Pfeifer, Mary Catherine

2003-11-18

A sensor system for a buried waste containment site having a bottom wall barrier and sidewall barriers, for containing hazardous waste. The sensor system includes one or more sensor devices disposed in one or more of the barriers for detecting a physical parameter either of the barrier itself or of the physical condition of the surrounding soils and buried waste, and for producing a signal representing the physical parameter detected. Also included is a signal processor for receiving signals produced by the sensor device and for developing information identifying the physical parameter detected, either for sounding an alarm, displaying a graphic representation of a physical parameter detected on a viewing screen and/or a hard copy printout. The sensor devices may be deployed in or adjacent the barriers at the same time the barriers are deployed and may be adapted to detect strain or cracking in the barriers, leakage of radiation through the barriers, the presence and leaking through the barriers of volatile organic compounds, or similar physical conditions.

Sensor system for buried waste containment sites

DOEpatents

Smith, Ann Marie; Gardner, Bradley M.; Kostelnik, Kevin M.; Partin, Judy K.; Lancaster, Gregory D.; Pfeifer, May Catherine

2000-01-01

A sensor system is disclosed for a buried waste containment site having a bottom wall barrier and/or sidewall barriers, for containing hazardous waste. The sensor system includes one or more sensor devices disposed in one or more of the barriers for detecting a physical parameter either of the barrier itself or of the physical condition of the surrounding soils and buried waste, and for producing a signal representing the physical parameter detected. Also included is a signal processor for receiving signals produced by the sensor device and for developing information identifying the physical parameter detected, either for sounding an alarm, displaying a graphic representation of a physical parameter detected on a viewing screen and/or a hard copy printout. The sensor devices may be deployed in or adjacent the barriers at the same time the barriers are deployed and may be adapted to detect strain or cracking in the barriers, leakage of radiation through the barriers, the presence and leaking through the barriers of volatile organic compounds, or similar physical conditions.

Sensor System Fo4r Buried Waste Containment Sites

DOEpatents

Smith, Ann Marie; Gardner, Bradley M.; Kostelnik, Kevin M.; Partin, Judy K.; Lancaster, Gregory D.; Pfeifer, Mary Catherine

2005-09-27

A sensor system for a buried waste containment site having a bottom wall barrier and/or sidewall barriers, for containing hazardous waste. The sensor system includes one or more sensor devices disposed in one or more of the barriers for detecting a physical parameter either of the barrier itself or of the physical condition of the surrounding soils and buried waste, and for producing a signal representing the physical parameter detected. Also included is a signal processor for receiving signals produced by the sensor device and for developing information identifying the physical parameter detected, either for sounding an alarm, displaying a graphic representation of a physical parameter detected on a viewing screen and/or a hard copy printout. The sensor devices may be deployed in or adjacent the barriers at the same time the barriers are deployed and may be adapted to detect strain or cracking in the barriers, leakage of radiation through the barriers, the presence and leaking through the barriers of volatile organic compounds, or similar physical conditions.

The Glymphatic System – A Beginner's Guide

PubMed Central

Jessen, Nadia Aalling; Munk, Anne Sofie Finmann; Lundgaard, Iben; Nedergaard, Maiken

2015-01-01

The glymphatic system is a recently discovered macroscopic waste clearance system that utilizes a unique system of perivascular channels, formed by astroglial cells, to promote efficient elimination of soluble proteins and metabolites from the central nervous system. Besides waste elimination, the glymphatic system may also function to help distribute non-waste compounds, such as glucose, lipids, amino acids, and neurotransmitters related to volume transmission, in the brain. Intriguingly, the glymphatic system function mainly during sleep and is largely disengaged during wakefulness. The biological need for sleep across all species may therefore reflect that the brain must enter a state of activity that enables elimination of potentially neurotoxic waste products, including β-amyloid. Since the concept of the glymphatic system is relatively new, we will here review its basic structural elements, organization, regulation, and functions. We will also discuss recent studies indicating that glymphatic function is suppressed in various diseases and that failure of glymphatic function in turn might contribute to pathology in neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury and stroke. PMID:25947369

Occurrence and Removal of Organic Micropollutants in Landfill Leachates Treated by Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes.

PubMed

Oturan, Nihal; van Hullebusch, Eric D; Zhang, Hui; Mazeas, Laurent; Budzinski, Hélène; Le Menach, Karyn; Oturan, Mehmet A

2015-10-20

In recent years, electrochemical advanced oxidation processes have been shown to be an effective alternative for the removal of refractory organic compounds from water. This study is focused on the effective removal of recalcitrant organic matter (micropollutants, humic substances, etc.) present in municipal solid waste landfill leachates. A mixture of eight landfill leachates has been studied by the electro-Fenton process using a Pt or boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode and a carbon felt cathode or by the anodic oxidation process with a BDD anode. These processes exhibit great oxidation ability due to the in situ production of hydroxyl radicals ((•)OH), a highly powerful oxidizing species. Both electrochemical processes were shown to be efficient in the removal of dissolved total organic carbon (TOC) from landfill leachates. Regarding the electro-Fenton process, the replacement of the classical anode Pt by the anode BDD allows better performance in terms of dissolved TOC removal. The occurrence and removal yield of 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 15 volatile organic compounds, 7 alkylphenols, 7 polychlorobiphenyls, 5 organochlorine pesticides, and 2 polybrominated diphenyl ethers in landfill leachate were also investigated. Both electrochemical processes allow one to reach a quasicomplete removal (about 98%) of these organic micropollutants.

Public health assessment for master disposal service landfill, Brookfield, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, Region 5. Cerclis No. WID980820070. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-02-08

The Master Disposal Service Landfill (MDSL) accepted industrial wastes from 1962 to 1982. The wastes were placed in a 26-acre wetland area and were confined by surrounding berms. Groundwater, surface water, soil and sediments have been contaminated with volatile organic compounds and metals. The remedial investigation of the landfill identified a plume of contaminated groundwater extending from beneath the site to approximately 675 feet southwest of the site. There is no evidence of human exposure. The site is of no apparent public health hazard at the present time. However, this could change if no remediation of contaminated groundwater occurs.

Non-thermal plasma destruction of allyl alcohol in waste gas: kinetics and modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeVisscher, A.; Dewulf, J.; Van Durme, J.; Leys, C.; Morent, R.; Van Langenhove, H.

2008-02-01

Non-thermal plasma treatment is a promising technique for the destruction of volatile organic compounds in waste gas. A relatively unexplored technique is the atmospheric negative dc multi-pin-to-plate glow discharge. This paper reports experimental results of allyl alcohol degradation and ozone production in this type of plasma. A new model was developed to describe these processes quantitatively. The model contains a detailed chemical degradation scheme, and describes the physics of the plasma by assuming that the fraction of electrons that takes part in chemical reactions is an exponential function of the reduced field. The model captured the experimental kinetic data to less than 2 ppm standard deviation.

Efficient use of shrimp waste: present and future trends.

PubMed

Kandra, Prameela; Challa, Murali Mohan; Jyothi, Hemalatha Kalangi Padma

2012-01-01

The production of shrimp waste from shrimp processing industries has undergone a dramatic increase in recent years. Continued production of this biomaterial without corresponding development of utilizing technology has resulted in waste collection, disposal, and pollution problems. Currently used chemical process releases toxic chemicals such as HCl, acetic acid, and NaOH into aquatic ecosystem as byproducts which will spoil the aquatic flora and fauna. Environmental protection regulations have become stricter. Now, there is a need to treat and utilize the waste in most efficient manner. The shrimp waste contains several bioactive compounds such as chitin, pigments, amino acids, and fatty acids. These bioactive compounds have a wide range of applications including medical, therapies, cosmetics, paper, pulp and textile industries, biotechnology, and food applications. This current review article present the utilization of shrimp waste as well as an alternative technology to replace hazardous chemical method that address the future trends in total utilization of shrimp waste for recovery of bioactive compounds.

Sustainable production of valuable compound 3-succinoyl-pyridine by genetically engineering Pseudomonas putida using the tobacco waste.

PubMed

Wang, Weiwei; Xu, Ping; Tang, Hongzhi

2015-11-17

Treatment of solid and liquid tobacco wastes with high nicotine content remains a longstanding challenge. Here, we explored an environmentally friendly approach to replace tobacco waste disposal with resource recovery by genetically engineering Pseudomonas putida. The biosynthesis of 3-succinoyl-pyridine (SP), a precursor in the production of hypotensive agents, from the tobacco waste was developed using whole cells of the engineered Pseudomonas strain, S16dspm. Under optimal conditions in fed-batch biotransformation, the final concentrations of product SP reached 9.8 g/L and 8.9 g/L from aqueous nicotine solution and crude suspension of the tobacco waste, respectively. In addition, the crystal compound SP produced from aqueous nicotine of the tobacco waste in batch biotransformation was of high purity and its isolation yield on nicotine was 54.2%. This study shows a promising route for processing environmental wastes as raw materials in order to produce valuable compounds.

Emissions from small-scale energy production using co-combustion of biofuel and the dry fraction of household waste.

PubMed

Hedman, Björn; Burvall, Jan; Nilsson, Calle; Marklund, Stellan

2005-01-01

In sparsely populated rural areas, recycling of household waste might not always be the most environmentally advantageous solution due to the total amount of transport involved. In this study, an alternative approach to recycling has been tested using efficient small-scale biofuel boilers for co-combustion of biofuel and high-energy waste. The dry combustible fraction of source-sorted household waste was mixed with the energy crop reed canary-grass (Phalaris Arundinacea L.), and combusted in both a 5-kW pilot scale reactor and a biofuel boiler with 140-180 kW output capacity, in the form of pellets and briquettes, respectively. The chlorine content of the waste fraction was 0.2%, most of which originated from plastics. The HCl emissions exceeded levels stipulated in new EU-directives, but levels of equal magnitude were also generated from combustion of the pure biofuel. Addition of waste to the biofuel did not give any apparent increase in emissions of organic compounds. Dioxin levels were close to stipulated limits. With further refinement of combustion equipment, small-scale co-combustion systems have the potential to comply with emission regulations.

Characterization of odorous charge and photochemical reactivity of VOC emissions from a full-scale food waste treatment plant in China.

PubMed

Ni, Zhe; Liu, Jianguo; Song, Mingying; Wang, Xiaowei; Ren, Lianhai; Kong, Xin

2015-03-01

Food waste treatment plants (FWTPs) are usually associated with odorous nuisance and health risks, which are partially caused by volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. This study investigated the VOC emissions from a selected full-scale FWTP in China. The feedstock used in this plant was mainly collected from local restaurants. For a year, the FWTP was closely monitored on specific days in each season. Four major indoor treatment units of the plant, including the storage room, sorting/crushing room, hydrothermal hydrolysis unit, and aerobic fermentation unit, were chosen as the monitoring locations. The highest mean concentration of total VOC emissions was observed in the aerobic fermentation unit at 21,748.2-31,283.3 μg/m3, followed by the hydrothermal hydrolysis unit at 10,798.1-23,144.4 μg/m3. The detected VOC families included biogenic compounds (oxygenated compounds, hydrocarbons, terpenes, and organosulfur compounds) and abiogenic compounds (aromatic hydrocarbons and halocarbons). Oxygenated compounds, particularly alcohols, were the most abundant compounds in all samples. With the use of odor index analysis and principal components analysis, the hydrothermal hydrolysis and aerobic fermentation units were clearly distinguished from the pre-treatment units, as characterized by their higher contributions to odorous nuisance. Methanthiol was the dominant odorant in the hydrothermal hydrolysis unit, whereas aldehyde was the dominant odorant in the aerobic fermentation unit. Terpenes, specifically limonene, had the highest level of propylene equivalent concentration during the monitoring periods. This concentration can contribute to the increase in the atmospheric reactivity and ozone formation potential in the surrounding air. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

C.R.O.P. - Combined Regenerative Organic food Production: Employing the benefits of natural communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bornemann, Gerhild; Hauslage, Jens; Hemmersbach, Ruth; Hendrik Anken, Ralf; Moeller, Ralf; Wasser, Kai; Tonat, Tim

The reutilization of nutrients bound in organic wastes for food crop cultivation is a central topic of BLSS (Bioregenerative Life Support System) research. The conversion of organic wastes into inorganic compounds utilizable by plants proceeds stepwise and each step is carried out by specific microorganisms with varying environmental demands. In BLSS design different steps are often allocated to different treatment units. Each unit is inoculated with selected microbial cultures and provides optimal growth conditions for these. The compartmented set-up is also often used in public wastewater treatment. But as wastewaters usually carry their decomposers with them, specified inoculates are only applied in special cases. Due to the highly variable composition of wastewater, diverse communities of microorganisms are found in treatment plants enabling these to cope with the unpredictable substrate. Although in isolated space habitats, microorganisms necessary for degradation will also be present on wastes and in wastewaters, their diversity will be limited to those species introduced into the system until launch. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a stable microbial community in the waste processing system that is capable to degrade all kinds of wastes, including micropollutants like pharmaceutical residues, before launch. The C.R.O.P. project aims at combining the utilization of liquid and solid organic wastes with soilless plant cultivation. The envisioned waste processing system is a trickling filter designed to join all required functions in one compartment thus reducing size and weight. To achieve this, the filter medium provides habitats with differing conditions so that a diverse microbial community grows as biofilm on its surface. We assume that, once established, such a quasi-natural community makes the system multifunctional with regard to the substrates that can be degraded, and stable with regard to invasion of undesirable microorganisms. Our current research focuses on the characterisation of the system’s capability to degrade different substrates like urine and plant wastes and the usability of the filtrate as fertilizer. Molecular analyses revealed a variety of different microorganisms in the filters. Future research will address the question how to introduce specialised microorganisms into the system to enable it to degrade micropollutants, and the question how to maintain these during periods of absence of their substrate.

Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production from alkylphenols, mono and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons using Bacillus sp. CYR1: A new strategy for wealth from waste.

PubMed

Venkateswar Reddy, M; Mawatari, Yasuteru; Yajima, Yuka; Seki, Chigusa; Hoshino, Tamotsu; Chang, Young-Cheol

2015-09-01

In the present study five different types of alkylphenols, each of the two different types of mono and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons were selected for degradation, and conversion into poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) using the Bacillus sp. CYR1. Strain CYR1 showed growth with various toxic organic compounds. Degradation pattern of all the organic compounds at 100 mg/l concentration with or without addition of tween-80 were analyzed using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Strain CYR1 showed good removal of compounds in the presence of tween-80 within 3 days, but it took 6 days without addition of tween-80. Strain CYR1 showed highest PHB production with phenol (51 ± 5%), naphthalene (42 ± 4%), 4-chlorophenol (32 ± 3%) and 4-nonylphenol (29 ± 3%). The functional groups, structure, and thermal properties of the produced PHB were analyzed. These results denoted that the strain Bacillus sp. CYR1 can be used for conversion of different toxic compounds persistent in wastewaters into useable biological polyesters. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Co-treatment of hydrogen sulfide and methanol in a single-stage biotrickling filter under acidic conditions.

PubMed

Jin, Yaomin; Veiga, María C; Kennes, Christian

2007-06-01

Biofiltration of waste gases is cost-effective and environment-friendly compared to the conventional techniques for treating large flow rates of gas streams with low concentrations of pollutants. Pulp and paper industry off-gases usually contain reduced sulfur compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide and a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), e.g., methanol. It is desirable to eliminate both of these groups of compounds. Since the co-treatment of inorganic sulfur compounds and VOCs in biotrickling filters is a relatively unexplored area, the simultaneous biotreatment of H2S and methanol as the model VOC was investigated. The results showed that, after adaptation, the elimination capacity of methanol could reach around 236 g m(-3) h(-1) with the simultaneous complete removal (100%) of 12 ppm H2S when the empty bed residence time is 24 s. The pH of the system was around 2. Methanol removal was hardly affected by the presence of hydrogen sulfide, despite the low pH. Conversely, the presence of the VOC in the waste gas reduced the efficiency of H2S biodegradation. The maximal methanol removal decreased somewhat when increasing the gas flow rate. This is the first report on the degradation of methanol at such low pH in a biotrickling filter and on the co-treatment of H2S and VOCs under such conditions.

Is the molecular diversity of marine dissolved organic matter already imprinted in the exometabolome of single strains?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noriega-Ortega, B. E.; Wienhausen, G.; Dittmar, T.; Simon, M.; Niggemann, J.

2016-02-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the ocean, the marine geometabolome, is an extremely complex mixture composed of a wide variety of compounds. The molecular chemodiversity affects the function and turnover rate of DOM in the ocean. We hypothesize that the active microbial community essentially contributes to the complexity of the DOM pool through uptake and excretion of compounds. We tested this hypothesis in culture experiments with fully-sequenced strains of the Roseobacter clade. Bacteria of the Roseobacter clade are among the most abundant microbial players in the ocean. We studied the exometabolome of two representatives of the Roseobacter clade, Phaeobacter inhibens DSM 17395 and Dinoroseobacter shibae. The organisms were grown separately in cultures on defined single model substrates (acetate, succinate, glutamate, glucose). We used a non-targeted analytical approach via Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) to characterize the exometabolome at the molecular level, complemented by compound-specific analyses of free and combined amino acids and carbohydrates. The exometabolome composition varied between the tested strains, which released a different suite of compounds depending on the growth phase as well as on growth conditions (substrate). Both organisms exhibited a core exometabolome with compounds released when growing on either substrate and at all growth phases, and a variable exometabolome specific for different substrates and growth phases. However, only a small fraction of the exometabolites detected by FT-ICR-MS could be directly linked to the genome or transcriptome. We interpret these findings as evidence for the excretion of molecularly highly-diverse metabolic waste, whose composition is dependent on the metabolic state and genetic repertoire of the organisms. The molecular diversity of compounds excreted by a single strain is extraordinary and is likely the reason for the molecular diversity of natural DOM in the ocean.

The major components of particles emitted during recycling of waste printed circuit boards in a typical e-waste workshop of South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bi, Xinhui; Simoneit, Bernd R. T.; Wang, ZhenZhen; Wang, Xinming; Sheng, Guoying; Fu, Jiamo

2010-11-01

Electronic waste from across the world is dismantled and disposed of in China. The low-tech recycling methods have caused severe air pollution. Air particle samples from a typical workshop of South China engaged in recycling waste printed circuit boards have been analyzed with respect to chemical constituents. This is the first report on the chemical composition of particulate matter (PM) emitted in an e-waste recycling workshop of South China. The results show that the composition of PM from this recycling process was totally different from other emission sources. Organic matter comprised 46.7-51.6% of the PM. The major organic constituents were organophosphates consisting mainly of triphenyl phosphate (TPP) and its methyl substituted compounds, methyl esters of hexadecanoic and octadecanoic acids, levoglucosan and bisphenol A. TPP and bisphenol A were present at 1-5 orders of magnitude higher than in other indoor and outdoor environments throughout the world, which implies that they might be used as potential markers for e-waste recycling. The elemental carbon, inorganic elements and ions had a minor contribution to the PM (<5% each). The inorganic elements were dominated by phosphorus and followed by crustal elements and metal elements Pb, Zn, Sn, and lesser Cu, Sb, Mn, Ni, Ba and Cd. The recycling of printed circuit boards was demonstrated as an important contributor of heavy metal contamination, particularly Cd, Pb and Ni, to the local environment. These findings suggest that this recycling method represents a strong source of PM associated with pollutants to the ambient atmosphere of an e-waste recycling locale.

The production of chemicals from food processing wastes using a novel fermenter separator. Annual progress report, January 1993--March 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dale, M.C.; Venkatesh, K.V.; Choi, H.

The basic objective of this project is to convert waste streams from the food processing industry to usable fuels and chemicals using novel bioreactors. These bioreactors should allow economical utilization of waste (whey, waste sugars, waste starch, bottling wastes, candy wastes, molasses, and cellulosic wastes) by the production of ethanol, acetone/butanol, organic acids (acetic, lactic, and gluconic), yeast diacetyl flavor, and antifungal compounds. Continuous processes incorporating various processing improvements such as simultaneous product separation and immobilized cells are being developed to allow commercial scale utilization of waste stream. The production of ethanol by a continuous reactor-separator is the process closestmore » to commercialization with a 7,500 liter pilot plant presently sited at an Iowa site to convert whey lactose to ethanol. Accomplishments during 1993 include installation and start-up of a 7,500 liter ICRS for ethanol production at an industry site in Iowa; Donation and installation of a 200 liter yeast pilot Plant to the project from Kenyon Enterprises; Modeling and testing of a low energy system for recovery of ethanol from vapor is using a solvent absorption/extractive distillation system; Simultaneous saccharification/fermentation of raw corn grits and starch in a stirred reactor/separator; Testing of the ability of `koji` process to ferment raw corn grits in a `no-cook` process.« less

Partitioning studies of coal-tar constituents in a two-phase contaminated ground-water system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rostad, C.E.; Pereira, W.E.; Hult, M.F.

1985-01-01

Organic compounds derived from coal-tar wastes in a contaminated aquifer in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, were identified, and their partition coefficients between the tar phase and aqueous phase were determined and compared with the corresponding n-octanol/water partition coefficients. Coal tar contains numerous polycyclic aromatic compounds, many of which are suspected carcinogens or mutagens. Groundwater contamination by these toxic compounds may pose an environmental health hazard in nearby public water-supply wells. Fluid samples from this aquifer developed two phases upon settling: an upper aqueous phase, and a lower oily-tar phase. After separating the phases, polycyclic aromatic compounds in each phase were isolated using complexation with N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and identified by fused-silica capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Thirty-one of the polycyclic aromatic compounds were chosen for further study from four different classes: 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 10 nitrogen heterocycles, 5 sulfur heterocycles, and 4 oxygen heterocycles. Within each compound class, the tar/water partition coefficients of these compounds were reasonably comparable with the respective n-octanol/water partition coefficient.

Advantages and risks of using steel slag in preparing composts from raw organic waste.

PubMed

Tu, Xuefei; Aneksampant, Apichaya; Kobayashi, Shizusa; Tanaka, Atsushi; Nishimoto, Ryo; Fukushima, Masami

2017-01-02

It had been reported that iron and manganese oxides in steel slag enhanced the production of humic acid (HA) from low-molecular-weight compounds, such as phenolic acids, amino acids, and saccharides. In the present study, this function of steel slag was applied to the composting of raw organic wastes (ROWs). The degree of humification of HAs is an important factor in evaluating compost quality. Thus, HAs were extracted from the prepared composts and the humification parameters were determined, in terms of elemental compositions, acidic functional group contents, molecular weights, spectroscopic parameters from UV-vis absorption and 13 C NMR spectra. The timing for adding steel slag affected the degree of humification of HAs in the composts. The weight average molecular weight of a HA when slag was added initially (29 kDa) was significantly higher than when slag was added after elevating the temperature of the compost pile (17-18 kDa). These results show that ROWs are decomposed to low-molecular-weight compounds after the pile temperature is elevated and the presence of slag enhances the polycondensation of these compounds to produce HAs with a higher degree of humification. Because the slag used in the present study contained several-tens ng g -1 to several μg g -1 of toxic elements (B, Cu, Cr, and Zn), leaching tests for these elements from the prepared composts were carried out. Levels for leaching boron from composts prepared by adding slag (0.2-0.4 mg L -1 ) were obviously higher than the corresponding levels without slag (0.05 mg L -1 ).

Development of a simple and sensitive method for the characterization of odorous waste gas emissions by means of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and GC-MS/olfactometry.

PubMed

Kleeberg, K K; Liu, Y; Jans, M; Schlegelmilch, M; Streese, J; Stegmann, R

2005-01-01

A solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method has been developed for the extraction of odorous compounds from waste gas. The enriched compounds were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography followed by simultaneous flame ionization detection and olfactometry (GC-FID/O). Five different SPME fiber coatings were tested, and the carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS) fiber showed the highest ability to extract odorous compounds from the waste gas. Furthermore, parameters such as exposure time, desorption temperature, and desorption time have been optimized. The SPME method was successfully used to characterize an odorous waste gas from a fat refinery prior to and after waste gas treatment in order to describe the treatment efficiency of the used laboratory scale plant which consisted of a bioscrubber/biofilter combination and an activated carbon adsorber. The developed method is a valuable approach to provide detailed information of waste gas composition and complements existing methods for the determination of odors. However, caution should be exercised if CAR/PDMS fibers are used for the quantification of odorous compounds in multi-component matrices like waste gas emissions since the relative affinity of each analyte was shown to differ according to the total amount of analytes present in the sample.

Tobacco Product Waste: An Environmental Approach to Reduce Tobacco Consumption.

PubMed

Novotny, Thomas E; Slaughter, Elli

2014-01-01

Cigarette butts and other tobacco product wastes (TPW) are the most common items picked up in urban and beach cleanups worldwide. TPW contains all the toxins, nicotine, and carcinogens found in tobacco products, along with the plastic nonbiodegradable filter attached to almost all cigarettes sold in the United States and in most countries worldwide. Toxicity studies suggest that compounds leached from cigarette butts in salt and fresh water are toxic to aquatic micro-organisms and test fish. Toxic chemicals have also been identified in roadside TPW. With as much as two-thirds of all smoked cigarettes (numbering in the trillions globally) being discarded into the environment each year, it is critical to consider the potential toxicity and remediation of these waste products. This article reviews reports on the toxicity of TPW and recommends several policy approaches to mitigation of this ubiquitous environmental blight.

Periodic processes in vapor phase biofiltration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moe, W.M.; Irvine, R.L.

1998-07-01

Most industrial processes and environmental remediation activities generate large volumes of air contaminated with low concentrations of volatile organic compounds. Carbon adsorption is the most widely used conventional treatment technology, but it has many drawbacks including secondary waste streams and excessive regeneration costs. Biofiltration, a microbial-based treatment technology, removes and biodegrades contaminants from a wide variety of waste streams without the disadvantages of carbon adsorption. In biofiltration, contaminated air flows through a packed bed containing microorganisms which convert contaminants primarily into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass. This paper describes how periodically operated, controlled unsteady state conditions were imposed on biofiltersmore » which used a new polyurethane foam medium that couples high porosity, suitable pore size, and low density with an ability to sorb water. The potential benefits associated with the controlled, unsteady-state operation of biofilters containing this new polyurethane foam medium are described herein. An example system treating a toluene contaminated waste gas is presented.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cramer, Alisha J.; Cole, Jacqueline M.

The ever-increasing demands of the modern world continue to place substantial strain on the environment. To help alleviate the damage done to the natural world, the encapsulation of small molecules or ions (guests) into porous inorganic structural frameworks (hosts) provides a potential remedy for some of the environmental concerns facing us today. These concerns include the removal of harmful pollutants from water or air, the safe entrapment of nuclear waste materials, or the purification and storage of small molecules that act as alternative fuel sources. For this study, we review the trends in using inorganic materials as hostmedia for themore » removal or storage of various wastes and alternative fuels. In conclusion, we cover the treatment of water contaminated with dyes or heavy metals, air pollution alleviation via CO 2, SO x, NO x, and volatile organic compound containment, nuclear waste immobilization, and storage for H 2 and methane as alternative fuels.« less

Biofiltration of composting gases using different municipal solid waste-pruning residue composts: monitoring by using an electronic nose.

PubMed

López, R; Cabeza, I O; Giráldez, I; Díaz, M J

2011-09-01

The concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the composting of kitchen waste and pruning residues, and the abatement of VOCs by different compost biofilters was studied. VOCs removal efficiencies greater than 90% were obtained using composts of municipal solid waste (MSW) or MSW-pruning residue as biofilter material. An electronic nose identified qualitative differences among the biofilter output gases at very low concentrations of VOCs. These differences were related to compost constituents, compost particle size (2-7 or 7-20mm), and a combination of both factors. The total concentration of VOCs determined by a photoionization analyser and inferred from electronic nose data sets were correlated over an ample range of concentrations of VOCs, showing that these techniques could be specially adapted for the monitoring of these processes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical Resistance of Ornamental Compound Stone Produced with Marble Waste and Unsaturated Polyester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribeiro, Carlos E. Gomes; Rodriguez, Rubén J. Sánchez; Vieira, Carlos M. Fontes

Ornamental compound stone are produced by industry for decades, however, few published studies describe these materials. Brazil has many deposits of stone wastes and a big potential to produce these materials. This work aims to evaluate the chemical resistance of ornamental compound stones produced with marble waste and unsaturated polyester. An adaptation of Annex H of ABNT NBR 13818:97 standard, with reagents commonly used in household products, was used. The results were compared with those obtained for natural stone used in composite production.

Estimation of incremental reactivities for multiple day scenarios: an application to ethane and dimethyoxymethane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stockwell, William R.; Geiger, Harald; Becker, Karl H.

Single-day scenarios are used to calculate incremental reactivities by definition (Carter, J. Air Waste Management Assoc. 44 (1994) 881-899.) but even unreactive organic compounds may have a non-negligible effect on ozone concentrations if multiple-day scenarios are considered. The concentration of unreactive compounds and their products may build up over a multiple-day period and the oxidation products may be highly reactive or highly unreactive affecting the overall incremental reactivity of the organic compound. We have developed a method for calculating incremental reactivities for multiple days based on a standard scenario for polluted European conditions. This method was used to estimate maximum incremental reactivities (MIR) and maximum ozone incremental reactivities (MOIR) for ethane and dimethyoxymethane for scenarios ranging from 1 to 6 days. It was found that the incremental reactivities increased as the length of the simulation period increased. The MIR of ethane increased faster than the value for dimethyoxymethane as the scenarios became longer. The MOIRs of ethane and dimethyoxymethane increased but the change was more modest for scenarios longer than 3 days. MOIRs of both volatile organic compounds were equal within the uncertainties of their chemical mechanisms by the 5 day scenario. These results show that dimethyoxymethane has an ozone forming potential on a per mass basis that is only somewhat greater than ethane if multiple-day scenarios are considered.

Evaluation of Externality Costs in Life-Cycle Optimization of Municipal Solid Waste Management Systems.

PubMed

Martinez-Sanchez, Veronica; Levis, James W; Damgaard, Anders; DeCarolis, Joseph F; Barlaz, Morton A; Astrup, Thomas F

2017-03-21

The development of sustainable solid waste management (SWM) systems requires consideration of both economic and environmental impacts. Societal life-cycle costing (S-LCC) provides a quantitative framework to estimate both economic and environmental impacts, by including "budget costs" and "externality costs". Budget costs include market goods and services (economic impact), whereas externality costs include effects outside the economic system (e.g., environmental impact). This study demonstrates the applicability of S-LCC to SWM life-cycle optimization through a case study based on an average suburban U.S. county of 500 000 people generating 320 000 Mg of waste annually. Estimated externality costs are based on emissions of CO 2 , CH 4 , N 2 O, PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO x , SO 2 , VOC, CO, NH 3 , Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr (VI), Ni, As, and dioxins. The results indicate that incorporating S-LCC into optimized SWM strategy development encourages the use of a mixed waste material recovery facility with residues going to incineration, and separated organics to anaerobic digestion. Results are sensitive to waste composition, energy mix and recycling rates. Most of the externality costs stem from SO 2 , NO x , PM 2.5 , CH 4 , fossil CO 2 , and NH 3 emissions. S-LCC proved to be a valuable tool for policy analysis, but additional data on key externality costs such as organic compounds emissions to water would improve future analyses.

Use of cement-fly ash-based stabilization techniques for the treatment of waste containing aromatic contaminants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banaszkiewicz, Kamil; Marcinkowski, Tadeusz

2017-11-01

Research on evaluation of evaporation rate of volatile organic compounds from soil beds during processing is presented. For the experiment, soil samples were prepared with the same amounts of benzene and stabilized using a mixture of CEMI 42.5R cement and fly ash from pit-coal combustion. Solidification of soils contaminated with BTEX hydrocarbons using hydraulic binders involves a risk of releasing vapours of these compounds during homogenization of waste with stabilizing mixture introduced and its dilution with water. The primary purposes of the research were: analysis of benzene volume emitted from soil during stabilization/solidification process and characterization of factors that may negatively affect the quality of measurements/the course of stabilization process. Analysis of benzene emission intensity during the process was based on concentration (C6H6) values, recorded with flame-ionization detector above the surface of reacting mixture. At the same time, gaseous contaminants emitted during waste stabilization were passed through pipes filled with activated carbon (SCK, Anasorb CSC). Benzene vapours adsorbed on activated carbon were subjected to analysis using gas chromatograph Varian 450-GC. Evaporation characteristics of benzene during processing contaminated soils revealed the stages creating the highest danger to workers' health, as well as a need for actions connected with modification of technological line.

Production of High-Value Nanoparticles via Biogenic Processes Using Aquacultural and Horticultural Food Waste

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Purabi R.; Fawcett, Derek; Sharma, Shashi B.; Poinern, Gerrard E. J.

2017-01-01

The quantities of organic waste produced globally by aquacultural and horticulture are extremely large and offer an attractive renewable source of biomolecules and bioactive compounds. The availability of such large and diverse sources of waste materials creates a unique opportunity to develop new recycling and food waste utilisation strategies. The aim of this review is to report the current status of research in the emerging field of producing high-value nanoparticles from food waste. Eco-friendly biogenic processes are quite rapid, and are usually carried out at normal room temperature and pressure. These alternative clean technologies do not rely on the use of the toxic chemicals and solvents commonly associated with traditional nanoparticle manufacturing processes. The relatively small number of research articles in the field have been surveyed and evaluated. Among the diversity of waste types, promising candidates and their ability to produce various high-value nanoparticles are discussed. Experimental parameters, nanoparticle characteristics and potential applications for nanoparticles in pharmaceuticals and biomedical applications are discussed. In spite of the advantages, there are a number of challenges, including nanoparticle reproducibility and understanding the formation mechanisms between different food waste products. Thus, there is considerable scope and opportunity for further research in this emerging field. PMID:28773212

High Molecular Weight Petrogenic and Pyrogenic Hydrocarbons in Aquatic Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abrajano, T. A., Jr.; Yan, B.; O'Malley, V.

2003-12-01

Geochemistry is ultimately the study of sources, movement, and fate of chemicals in the geosphere at various spatial and temporal scales. Environmental organic geochemistry focuses such studies on organic compounds of toxicological and ecological concern (e.g., Schwarzenbach et al., 1993, 1998; Eganhouse, 1997). This field emphasizes not only those compounds with potential toxicological properties, but also the geological systems accessible to the biological receptors of those hazards. Hence, the examples presented in this chapter focus on hydrocarbons with known health and ecological concern in accessible shallow, primarily aquatic, environments.Modern society depends on oil for energy and a variety of other daily needs, with present mineral oil consumption throughout the 1990s exceeding 3×109 t yr-1 (NRC, 2002). In the USA, e.g., ˜40% of energy consumed and 97% of transportation fuels are derived from oil. In the process of extraction, refinement, transport, use, and waste production, a small but environmentally significant fraction of raw oil materials, processed products, and waste are released inadvertently or purposefully into the environment. Because their presence and concentration in the shallow environments are often the result of human activities, these organic materials are generally referred to as "environmental contaminants." Although such reference connotes some form of toxicological or ecological hazard, specific health or ecological effects of many organic "environmental contaminants" remain to be demonstrated. Some are, in fact, likely innocuous at the levels that they are found in many systems, and simply adds to the milieu of biogenic organic compounds that naturally cycle through the shallow environment. Indeed, virtually all compounds in crude oil and processed petroleum products have been introduced naturally to the shallow environments as oil and gas seepage for millions of years ( NRC, 2002). Even high molecular weight (HMW) polyaromatic compounds were introduced to shallow environments through forest fires and natural coking of crude oil ( Ballentine et al., 1996; O'Malley et al., 1997). The full development of natural microbial enzymatic systems that can utilize HMW hydrocarbons as carbon or energy source attests to the antiquity of hydrocarbon dispersal processes in the environment. The environmental concern is, therefore, primarily due to the rate and spatial scale by which petroleum products are released in modern times, particularly with respect to the environmental sensitivity of some ecosystems to these releases ( Schwarzenbach et al., 1993; Eganhouse, 1997; NRC, 2002).Crude oil is produced by diagenetic and thermal maturation of terrestrial and marine plant and animal materials in source rocks and petroleum reservoirs. Most of the petroleum in use today is produced by thermal and bacterial decomposition of phytoplankton material that once lived near the surface of the world's ocean, lake, and river waters (Tissot and Welte, 1984). Terrestrially derived organic matter can be regionally significant, and is the second major contributor to the worldwide oil inventory ( Tissot and Welte, 1984; Peters and Moldowan, 1993; Engel and Macko, 1993). The existing theories hold that the organic matter present in crude oil consists of unconverted original biopolymers and new compounds polymerized by reactions promoted by time and increasing temperature in deep geologic formations. The resulting oil can migrate from source to reservoir rocks where the new geochemical conditions may again lead to further transformation of the petrogenic compounds. Any subsequent changes in reservoir conditions brought about by uplift, interaction with aqueous fluids, or even direct human intervention (e.g., drilling, water washing) likewise could alter the geochemical makeup of the petrogenic compounds. Much of our understanding of environmental sources and fate of hydrocarbon compounds in shallow environments indeed borrowed from the extensive geochemical and analytical framework that was meticulously built by petroleum geochemists over the years (e.g., Tissot and Welte, 1984; Peters et al., 1992; Peters and Moldowan, 1993; Engel and Macko, 1993; Moldowan et al., 1995; Wang et al., 1999; Faksness et al., 2002).Hydrocarbon compounds present in petroleum or pyrolysis by-products can be classified based on their composition, molecular weight, organic structure, or some combination of these criteria. For example, a report of the Committee on Intrinsic Remediation of the US NRC classified organic contaminants into HMW hydrocarbons, low molecular weight (LMW) hydrocarbons, oxygenated hydrocarbons, halogenated aliphatics, halogenated aromatics, and nitroaromatics (NRC, 2000). Hydrocarbons are compounds comprised exclusively of carbon and hydrogen and they are by far the dominant components of crude oil, processed petroleum hydrocarbons (gasoline, diesel, kerosene, fuel oil, and lubricating oil), coal tar, creosote, dyestuff, and pyrolysis waste products. These hydrocarbons often occur as mixtures of a diverse group of compounds whose behavior in near-surface environments is governed by their chemical structure and composition, the geochemical conditions and media of their release, and biological factors, primarily microbial metabolism, controlling their transformation and degradation.Hydrocarbons comprise from 50% to 99% of compounds present in refined and unrefined oil, and compounds containing other elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur are present in relatively smaller proportions. Hydrocarbon compounds have carbons joined together as single C - C bonds (i.e., alkanes), double or triple C=C bonds (i.e., alkenes or olefins), or via an aromatic ring system with resonating electronic structure (i.e., aromatics). Alkanes, also called paraffins, are the dominant component of crude oil, with the carbon chain forming either straight (n-alkanes), branched (iso-alkanes), or cyclic (naphthenes) arrangement of up to 60 carbons (Figure 1). Aromatic compounds are the second major component of crude oil, with asphalthenes, consisting of stacks of highly polymerized aromatic structures (average of 16 rings), completing the list of major oil hydrocarbon components. Also shown in Figure 1 are several important classes of compounds that are extensively used in "fingerprinting" crude oil or petroleum sources: sterols derived from steroid, hopanol derived from bacteriohopanetetrols, and pristane and phytane derived from phytol (from chlorophyll) during diagenesis.

Current trends of tropical fruit waste utilization.

PubMed

Cheok, Choon Yoong; Mohd Adzahan, Noranizan; Abdul Rahman, Russly; Zainal Abedin, Nur Hanani; Hussain, Norhayati; Sulaiman, Rabiha; Chong, Gun Hean

2018-02-11

Recent rapid growth of the world's population has increased food demands. This phenomenon poses a great challenge for food manufacturers in maximizing the existing food or plant resources. Nowadays, the recovery of health benefit bioactive compounds from fruit wastes is a research trend not only to help minimize the waste burden, but also to meet the intensive demand from the public for phenolic compounds which are believed to have protective effects against chronic diseases. This review is focused on polyphenolic compounds recovery from tropical fruit wastes and its current trend of utilization. The tropical fruit wastes include in discussion are durian (Durio zibethinus), mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.), rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), mango (Mangifera indica L.), jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), papaya (Carica papaya), passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp), and pineapple (Ananas comosus). Highlights of bioactive compounds in different parts of a tropical fruit are targeted primarily for food industries as pragmatic references to create novel innovative health enhancement food products. This information is intended to inspire further research ideas in areas that are still under-explored and for food processing manufacturers who would like to minimize wastes as the norm of present day industry (design) objective.

Chemical and Biological Investigation of Olive Mill Waste Water - OMWW Secoiridoid Lactones.

PubMed

Vougogiannopoulou, Konstantina; Angelopoulou, Maria T; Pratsinis, Harris; Grougnet, Raphaël; Halabalaki, Maria; Kletsas, Dimitris; Deguin, Brigitte; Skaltsounis, Leandros A

2015-08-01

Olive mill waste water is the major byproduct of the olive oil industry containing a range of compounds related to Olea europaea and olive oil constituents. Olive mill waste water comprises an important environmental problem in olive oil producing countries, but it is also a valuable material for the isolation of high added value compounds. In this study, an attempt to investigate the secoiridoid content of olive mill waste water is described with the aid of ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization (±)-high-resolution mass spectrometry and centrifugal partition chromatography methods. In total, seven secoiridoid lactones were isolated, four of which are new natural products. This is the first time that a conjugate of hydroxytyrosol and a secoiridoid lactone has been isolated from olive mill waste water and structurally characterized. Furthermore, the range of isolated compounds allowed for the proposal of a hypothesis for the biotransformation of olive secoiridoids during the production of olive mill waste water. Finally, the ability of the representative compounds to reduce the intracellular reactive oxygen species was assessed with the dichlorofluorescein assay in conjunction with the known antioxidant agent hydroxytyrosol. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Molecular characterization of urban organic aerosol in tropical India: contributions of biomass/biofuel burning, plastic burning, and fossil fuel combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, P. Q.; Kawamura, K.; Pavuluri, C. M.; Swaminathan, T.

2009-10-01

Organic molecular composition of PM10 samples, collected at Chennai in tropical India, was studied using capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Twelve organic compound classes were detected in the aerosols, including aliphatic lipids, sugar compounds, lignin products, terpenoid biomarkers, sterols, aromatic acids, phthalates, hopanes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). At daytime, phthalates was found to be the most abundant compound class; while at nighttime, fatty acids was the dominant one. Concentrations of total quantified organics were higher in summer (611-3268 ng m-3, average 1586 ng m-3) than in winter (362-2381 ng m-3, 1136 ng m-3), accounting for 11.5±1.93% and 9.35±1.77% of organic carbon mass in summer and winter, respectively. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, C16 fatty acid, and levoglucosan were identified as the most abundant single compounds. The nighttime maxima of most organics in the aerosols indicate a land/sea breeze effect in tropical India, although some other factors such as local emissions and long-range transport may also influence the composition of organic aerosols. The abundances of anhydrosugars (e.g., levoglucosan), lignin and resin products, hopanes and PAHs in the Chennai aerosols suggest that biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion are significant sources of organic aerosols in tropical India. Interestingly, terephthalic acid was maximized at nighttime, which is different from those of phthalic and isophthalic acids. A positive correlation was found between the concentration of 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene (a tracer for plastic burning) and terephthalic acid, suggesting that field burning of municipal solid wastes including plastics is a significant source of terephthalic acid. This study demonstrates that, in addition to biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion, the open-burning of plastics also contributes to the organic aerosols in South Asia.

Impact of chemistry on Standard High Solids Vessel Design mixing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Poirier, M.

2016-03-02

The plan for resolving technical issues regarding mixing performance within vessels of the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Pretreatment Facility directs a chemical impact study to be performed. The vessels involved are those that will process higher (e.g., 5 wt % or more) concentrations of solids. The mixing equipment design for these vessels includes both pulse jet mixers (PJM) and air spargers. This study assesses the impact of feed chemistry on the effectiveness of PJM mixing in the Standard High Solids Vessel Design (SHSVD). The overall purpose of this study is to complement the Properties that Matter document in helping tomore » establish an acceptable physical simulant for full-scale testing. The specific objectives for this study are (1) to identify the relevant properties and behavior of the in-process tank waste that control the performance of the system being tested, (2) to assess the solubility limits of key components that are likely to precipitate or crystallize due to PJM and sparger interaction with the waste feeds, (3) to evaluate the impact of waste chemistry on rheology and agglomeration, (4) to assess the impact of temperature on rheology and agglomeration, (5) to assess the impact of organic compounds on PJM mixing, and (6) to provide the technical basis for using a physical-rheological simulant rather than a physical-rheological-chemical simulant for full-scale vessel testing. Among the conclusions reached are the following: The primary impact of precipitation or crystallization of salts due to interactions between PJMs or spargers and waste feeds is to increase the insoluble solids concentration in the slurries, which will increase the slurry yield stress. Slurry yield stress is a function of pH, ionic strength, insoluble solids concentration, and particle size. Ionic strength and chemical composition can affect particle size. Changes in temperature can affect SHSVD mixing through its effect on properties such as viscosity, yield stress, solubility, and vapor pressure, or chemical reactions that occur at high temperatures. Organic compounds will affect SHSVD mixing through their effect on properties such as rheology, particle agglomeration/size, particle density, and particle concentration.« less

Potential Application of Biohydrogen Production Liquid Waste as Phosphate Solubilizing Agent-A Study Using Soybean Plants.

PubMed

Sarma, Saurabh Jyoti; Brar, Satinder Kaur; LeBihan, Yann; Buelna, Gerardo

2016-03-01

With CO2 free emission and a gravimetric energy density higher than gasoline, diesel, biodiesel, and bioethanol, biohydrogen is a promising green renewable energy carrier. During fermentative hydrogen production, 60-70 % of the feedstock is converted to different by-products, dominated by organic acids. In the present investigation, a simple approach for value addition of hydrogen production liquid waste (HPLW) containing these compounds has been demonstrated. In soil, organic acids produced by phosphate solubilizing bacteria chelate the cations of insoluble inorganic phosphates (e.g., Ca3 (PO4)2) and make the phosphorus available to the plants. Organic acid-rich HPLW, therefore, has been evaluated as soil phosphate solubilizer. Application of HPLW as soil phosphate solubilizer was found to improve the phosphorus uptake of soybean plants by 2.18- to 2.74-folds. Additionally, 33-100 % increase in seed germination rate was also observed. Therefore, HPLW has the potential to be an alternative for phosphate solubilizing biofertilizers available in the market. Moreover, the strategy can be useful for phytoremediation of phosphorus-rich soil.

Environmental assessment of applicability of mineral-organic composite for landfill area rehabilitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizerna, Kamila; Król, Anna; Mróz, Adrian

2017-10-01

This paper undertakes an assessment of the impact of a mineral-organic composite on the environment as well as the potential for its application for land rehabilitation purposes. The analysis involves the release of the leachable contaminations from the material subjected to testing. This material was formed by a composite manufactured on the basis of communal bottom ash and stabilized sewage sludge. The sludge resulting from wastewater treatment was subjected to stabilization and dehydration in waste pounds at the phase of pre-watering until 20% of dry mass is obtained. Subsequently, they were mixed with bottom ash, which was obtained from selective waste collection, in a 1:1 mass ratio. The analysis involved the leaching of inorganic contaminants in the form of heavy metals, sulphates (VI), chlorides, and fluorides as well as organic compounds in the form of organic carbon solution under the effect of leachant with a various level of pH. The analysed components were characterized by various leaching behaviour depending on the leachant pH. On the basis of the results, it was able to assess the potential hazard posed by the examined material on the environment as a consequence of its application for landfill area rehabilitation.

Necessity for Establishment of Inventories for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Landfills and Contaminated Sites for an Evaluation of Mobilisation Risk by Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Roland; Watson, Alan; Forter, Martin

2010-05-01

The landfilling of persistent hazardous compounds with a tendency to migrate, such as Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) or Hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) is a major pollution challenge. Historic dumping and landfilling in badly engineered and unsuitably located sites has resulted in widespread contamination from the landfilling of HCH, HCB and PCB wastes around former production sites. In the case of PCBs this has been exacerbated by subsequent landfilling of contaminated products (oils, capacitors, sealants and other building residues). In most cases locations and amounts are not or vaguely known but impacts are increasingly discovered by monitoring in the most advanced countries with sophisticated monitoring schemes in place. These reveal that entire river systems are being contaminated by these old dumps and contaminated sites and that expensive remediation work is required for to reduce further contamination. In addition more recently other (halogenated) chemicals exhibiting the characteristics of POPs have emerged including e.g. brominated aromatic compounds (e.g. Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and other brominated flame retardants) widely used as flame retardants for electronics; textiles, furniture; upholstery; insulation foam etc.) and fluorinated organic pollutants (e.g. PFOS or PFOA used in carpets, textiles, furniture, paper coating etc.). As products containing these chemicals reach the end of their life these hazardous compounds increasingly ended and end up in the waste stream. In most countries a large proportion of these wastes are disposed to landfills. In developing countries and those with economies in transition almost all this waste is landfilled. Consequently the quantities of POPs in municipal waste landfills have increased the last two decades. Therefore in addition to chemical landfills also municipal landfills increasingly become POPs deposits and sources. Because of their persistence and relative mobility, these compounds will persist in landfills for many decades and probably centuries. Over these extended time frames landfill engineering systems, including basal and capping liners, gas and leachate collection systems will inevitably degrade and loose their abilities to contain contamination. Furthermore consideration must now be given to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. This is likely to result in higher temperatures with increased volatalisation of semi-volatile compounds; longer dry periods with drying of surface caps; together with higher intensity rainfall events and increased flooding risks. These effects will impact on the integrity of the containment systems. It is therefore inevitable that more of the deposited POPs will leach into rivers, lakes and the larger environment via escaping leachate, ground or surface water as well as escaping to atmosphere by volatilisation. At the same time our reliance on water resources is likely to increase. In order to evaluate the associated risks for human exposure and biodiversity, inventories of deposited POPs and other PBTs need to be established, their locations comprehensively mapped and linked to future flooding scenarios for prediction of contamination of the precious water resources. This interdisciplinary task will require the cooperation between POPs experts, geotechnical engineers, contaminated site/landfill experts, water management specialists and geoscientists working on climate change and flooding.

Effects of land use on ground-water quality in central Florida; preliminary results, US Geological Survey Toxic Waste-Ground Water Contamination Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rutledge, A.T.

1987-01-01

Groundwater is the principal source of drinking water in central Florida. The most important hydrogeologic unit is the Floridan aquifer system, consisting of fractured limestone and dolomite limestone. Activities of man in areas of recharge to the Floridian aquifer system that may be affecting groundwater quality include: (1) the use of drainage wells for stormwater disposal in urban areas, (2) the use of pesticides and fertilizers in citrus groves, and (3) the mining and processing of phosphate ore in mining areas. Preliminary findings about the impacts of these land uses on ground-water quality by comparison with a fourth land use representing the absence of human activity in another area of recharge are presented. Drainage wells convey excess urban stormwater directly to the Upper Floridian aquifer. The volatile organic compounds are the most common contaminants in ground water. Trace elements such as chromium and lead are entering the aquifer but their movement is apparently attenuated by precipitation reactions associated with high pH or by cation-exchange reactions. Among the trace elements and organic chemicals, most ground-water contamination in citrus production areas is caused by pesticides, which include the organic compounds simazine, ametryne, chlordane, DDE , bromacil, aldicarb, EDB, trifluralin, and diazinon, and the trace elements zinc and copper; other contaminants include benzene, toluene, napthalene, and indene compounds. In the phosphate mining area, constituents of concern are arsenic, selenium, and mercury, and secondarily lead, chromium, cadmium, and others. Organic compounds such as fluorene, naphthalene, di-n-butyl phthalate, alkylated benzenes and naphthalenes, and indene compounds also are entering groundwater. (Author 's abstract)

Purgeable organic compounds at or near the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maimer, Neil V.; Bartholomay, Roy C.

2016-05-25

During 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, collected groundwater samples from 31 wells at or near the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) at the Idaho National Laboratory for purgeable organic compounds (POCs). The samples were collected and analyzed for the purpose of evaluating whether purge water from wells located inside an areal polygon established downgradient of the INTEC must be treated as a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act listed waste.POC concentrations in water samples from 29 of 31 wells completed in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer were greater than their detection limit, determined from detection and quantitation calculation software, for at least one to four POCs. Of the 29 wells with concentrations greater than their detection limits, only 20 had concentrations greater than the laboratory reporting limit as calculated with detection and quantitation calculation software. None of the concentrations exceeded any maximum contaminant levels established for public drinking water supplies. Most commonly detected compounds were 1,1,1-trichoroethane, 1,1-dichloroethene, and trichloroethene.

Evaluation of the public health risks associated with semivolatile metal and dioxin emissions from hazardous waste incinerators.

PubMed Central

Sedman, R M; Esparza, J R

1991-01-01

The public health impacts associated with stack emissions from hazardous waste incinerators have become a major concern in recent years. Most evaluations of incinerator stack emissions have focused on three classes of compounds: metals, semivolatile, and volatile compounds. These investigations have been complicated by the difficulty and expense of analyzing the emissions and the limited amount of toxicity information for many of the compounds that have been detected. The results of over 20 trial burns at hazardous waste incinerators were assembled in an attempt to determine which compounds may pose a significant threat to the public health. The risks associated with semivolatile emissions were found to be inconsequential, although further study of dioxins and dibenzofurans emissions appears to be warranted. The risk associated with the emission of cadmium and perhaps chromium (VI) may pose a significant risk to public health at certain facilities. Controls on waste feed or air pollution control devices should be employed to reduce the emission of these metals. Any monitoring of metal emissions from hazardous waste incinerators should focus on cadmium and chromium (VI). PMID:1954929

Volatile trace compounds released from municipal solid waste at the transfer stage: Evaluation of environmental impacts and odour pollution.

PubMed

Zhao, Yan; Lu, Wenjing; Wang, Hongtao

2015-12-30

Odour pollution caused by municipal solid waste is a public concern. This study quantitatively evaluated the concentration, environmental impacts, and olfaction of volatile trace compounds released from a waste transfer station. Seventy-six compounds were detected, and ethanol presented the highest releasing rate and ratio of 14.76 kg/d and 12.30 g/t of waste, respectively. Life cycle assessment showed that trichlorofluoromethane and dichlorodifluoromethane accounted for more than 99% of impact potentials to global warming and approximately 70% to human toxicity (non-carcinogenic). The major contributor for both photochemical ozone formation and ecotoxicity was ethanol. A detection threshold method was also used to evaluate odour pollution. Five compounds including methane thiol, hydrogen sulphide, ethanol, dimethyl disulphide, and dimethyl sulphide, with dilution multiples above one, were considered the critical compounds. Methane thiol showed the highest contribution to odour pollution of more than 90%, as indicated by its low threshold. Comparison of the contributions of the compounds to different environmental aspects indicated that typical pollutants varied based on specific evaluation targets and therefore should be comprehensively considered. This study provides important information and scientific methodology to elucidate the impacts of odourant compounds to the environment and odour pollution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical, Thermal and Spectroscopic Methods to Assess Biodegradation of Winery-Distillery Wastes during Composting.

PubMed

Torres-Climent, A; Gomis, P; Martín-Mata, J; Bustamante, M A; Marhuenda-Egea, F C; Pérez-Murcia, M D; Pérez-Espinosa, A; Paredes, C; Moral, R

2015-01-01

The objective of this work was to study the co-composting process of wastes from the winery and distillery industry with animal manures, using the classical chemical methods traditionally used in composting studies together with advanced instrumental methods (thermal analysis, FT-IR and CPMAS 13C NMR techniques), to evaluate the development of the process and the quality of the end-products obtained. For this, three piles were elaborated by the turning composting system, using as raw materials winery-distillery wastes (grape marc and exhausted grape marc) and animal manures (cattle manure and poultry manure). The classical analytical methods showed a suitable development of the process in all the piles, but these techniques were ineffective to study the humification process during the composting of this type of materials. However, their combination with the advanced instrumental techniques clearly provided more information regarding the turnover of the organic matter pools during the composting process of these materials. Thermal analysis allowed to estimate the degradability of the remaining material and to assess qualitatively the rate of OM stabilization and recalcitrant C in the compost samples, based on the energy required to achieve the same mass losses. FT-IR spectra mainly showed variations between piles and time of sampling in the bands associated to complex organic compounds (mainly at 1420 and 1540 cm-1) and to nitrate and inorganic components (at 875 and 1384 cm-1, respectively), indicating composted material stability and maturity; while CPMAS 13C NMR provided semi-quantitatively partition of C compounds and structures during the process, being especially interesting their variation to evaluate the biotransformation of each C pool, especially in the comparison of recalcitrant C vs labile C pools, such as Alkyl /O-Alkyl ratio.

Chemical, Thermal and Spectroscopic Methods to Assess Biodegradation of Winery-Distillery Wastes during Composting

PubMed Central

Torres-Climent, A.; Gomis, P.; Martín-Mata, J.; Bustamante, M. A.; Marhuenda-Egea, F. C.; Pérez-Murcia, M. D.; Pérez-Espinosa, A.; Paredes, C.; Moral, R.

2015-01-01

The objective of this work was to study the co-composting process of wastes from the winery and distillery industry with animal manures, using the classical chemical methods traditionally used in composting studies together with advanced instrumental methods (thermal analysis, FT-IR and CPMAS 13C NMR techniques), to evaluate the development of the process and the quality of the end-products obtained. For this, three piles were elaborated by the turning composting system, using as raw materials winery-distillery wastes (grape marc and exhausted grape marc) and animal manures (cattle manure and poultry manure). The classical analytical methods showed a suitable development of the process in all the piles, but these techniques were ineffective to study the humification process during the composting of this type of materials. However, their combination with the advanced instrumental techniques clearly provided more information regarding the turnover of the organic matter pools during the composting process of these materials. Thermal analysis allowed to estimate the degradability of the remaining material and to assess qualitatively the rate of OM stabilization and recalcitrant C in the compost samples, based on the energy required to achieve the same mass losses. FT-IR spectra mainly showed variations between piles and time of sampling in the bands associated to complex organic compounds (mainly at 1420 and 1540 cm-1) and to nitrate and inorganic components (at 875 and 1384 cm-1, respectively), indicating composted material stability and maturity; while CPMAS 13C NMR provided semi-quantitatively partition of C compounds and structures during the process, being especially interesting their variation to evaluate the biotransformation of each C pool, especially in the comparison of recalcitrant C vs labile C pools, such as Alkyl /O-Alkyl ratio. PMID:26418458

Baseline levels of bioaerosols and volatile organic compounds around a municipal waste incinerator prior to the construction of a mechanical-biological treatment plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vilavert, Lolita; Nadal, Marti; Inza, Isabel

New waste management programs are currently aimed at developing alternative treatment technologies such as mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) and composting plants. However, there is still a high uncertainty concerning the chemical and microbiological risks for human health, not only for workers of these facilities, but also for the population living in the neighborhood. A new MBT plant is planned to be constructed adjacently to a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain). In order to evaluate its potential impact and to differentiate the impacts of MSWI from those of the MBT when the latter is operative, a pre-operational surveymore » was initiated by determining the concentrations of 20 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and bioaerosols (total bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, fungi and Aspergillus fumigatus) in airborne samples around the MSWI. The results indicated that the current concentrations of bioaerosols (ranges: 382-3882, 18-790, 44-926, and <1-7 CFU/m{sup 3} for fungi at 25 deg. C, fungi at 37 deg. C, total bacteria, and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively) and VOCs (ranging from 0.9 to 121.2 {mu}g/m{sup 3}) are very low in comparison to reported levels in indoor and outdoor air in composting and MBT plants, as well in urban and industrial zones. With the exception of total bacteria, no correlations were observed between the environmental concentrations of biological agents and the direction/distance from the facility. However, total bacteria presented significantly higher levels downwind. Moreover, a non-significant increase of VOCs was detected in sites closer to the incinerator, which means that the MSWI could have a very minor impact on the surrounding environment.« less

Creation of Technosols to decrease metal availability in pyritic tailings with addition of biochar and marble waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno-Barriga, Fabián; Acosta, José A.; Ángeles Muñoz, María; Faz, Ángel; Zornoza, Raúl

2017-04-01

Creation of Technosols with the use of different materials is a sustainable strategy to reclaim mine tailings and reduce metal mobility. For this purpose, a short-term incubation experiment was designed with biochars derived from pig manure (PM), crop residues (CR) and municipal solid waste (MSW) added to tailings alone or in combination with marble waste (MaW). We aimed to assess the efficiency of the different amendments to decrease Cd, Pb and Zn availability in the Technosols and the fractions where metals were retained. Results showed that all amendments reduced metal mobility, directly related to increases in pH. Those materials with higher content of carbonates were more effective to immobilize metals ( 99%). MSW was highly effective to decrease metal mobility owing to the higher carbonate content, but addition of MaW was needed to enhance metal immobilization with PM and CR. Decreases in Cd mobility were related to retention by the carbonate, Mn/Fe oxides and oxidizable (organic compounds) fractions. Decreases in Pb mobility were related to retention in the Mn/Fe oxides and residual fractions, while decreases in Zn mobility were related to retention in Mn/Fe oxides and oxidizable fractions. The increase in the retention of metals in all fractions was directly associated to increases in pH. Association of Zn and Pb with the oxidizable fraction was also related to the recalcitrance of the organic compounds, and so dependent on biochar type. SEM/EDX showed that biochar showed great affinity to interact with iron oxides, calcium sulfates and phyllosilicates. Acknowledgements This work was supported by Fundación Séneca (Agency of Science and Technology of the Region of Murcia, Spain) [grant number 18920/JLI/13].

Quadrant III RFI draft report: Appendix B-I, Volume 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-12-01

In order to determine the nature and extent of contamination at a RCRA site it is often necessary to investigate and characterize the chemical composition of the medium in question that represents background conditions. Background is defined as current conditions present at a site which are unaffected by past treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste (OEPA, 1991). The background composition of soils at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) site was characterized for the purpose of comparing investigative soil data to a background standard for each metal on the Target Compound List/Target Analyte List and each radiological parameter ofmore » concern in this RFI. Characterization of background compositions with respect to organic parameters was not performed because the organic parameters in the TCL/TAL are not naturally occurring at the site and because the site is not located in a highly industrialized area nor downgradient from another unrelated hazardous waste site. Characterization of the background soil composition with respect to metals and radiological parameters was performed by collecting and analyzing soil boring and hand-auger samples in areas deemed unaffected by past treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste. Criteria used in determining whether a soil sample location would be representative of the true background condition included: environmental history of the location, relation to Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU`s), prevailing wind direction, surface runoff direction, and ground-water flow direction.« less

Quadrant III RFI draft report: Appendix B-I, Volume 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-12-01

In order to determine the nature and extent of contamination at a RCRA site it is often necessary to investigate and characterize the chemical composition of the medium in question that represents background conditions. Background is defined as current conditions present at a site which are unaffected by past treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste (OEPA, 1991). The background composition of soils at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) site was characterized for the purpose of comparing investigative soil data to a background standard for each metal on the Target Compound List/Target Analyte List and each radiological parameter ofmore » concern in this RFI. Characterization of background compositions with respect to organic parameters was not performed because the organic parameters in the TCL/TAL are not naturally occurring at the site and because the site is not located in a highly industrialized area nor downgradient from another unrelated hazardous waste site. Characterization of the background soil composition with respect to metals and radiological parameters was performed by collecting and analyzing soil boring and hand-auger samples in areas deemed unaffected by past treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste. Criteria used in determining whether a soil sample location would be representative of the true background condition included: environmental history of the location, relation to Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU's), prevailing wind direction, surface runoff direction, and ground-water flow direction.« less

Nonoxidative removal of organics in the activated sludge process

PubMed Central

Modin, Oskar; Persson, Frank; Wilén, Britt-Marie; Hermansson, Malte

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The activated sludge process is commonly used to treat wastewater by aerobic oxidation of organic pollutants into carbon dioxide and water. However, several nonoxidative mechanisms can also contribute to removal of organics. Sorption onto activated sludge can remove a large fraction of the colloidal and particulate wastewater organics. Intracellular storage of, e.g., polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), triacylglycerides (TAG), or wax esters can convert wastewater organics into precursors for high-value products. Recently, several environmental, economic, and technological drivers have stimulated research on nonoxidative removal of organics for wastewater treatment. In this paper, we review these nonoxidative removal mechanisms as well as the existing and emerging process configurations that make use of them for wastewater treatment. Better utilization of nonoxidative processes in activated sludge could reduce the wasteful aerobic oxidation of organic compounds and lead to more resource-efficient wastewater treatment plants. PMID:27453679

U.S. Geological Survey program on toxic waste--ground-water contamination; proceedings of the Third technical meeting, Pensacola, Florida, March 23-27, 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Franks, Bernard J.

1987-01-01

Because of the widespread distribution of creosote in the environment, an abandoned wood-treatment plant in Pensacola, Fla., was selected by the U.S. Geological Survey Office of Hazardous Waste Hydrology as one of three national research demonstration areas in order to increase our understanding of hydrologic processes affecting the distributions of contaminants in ground water. The site was selected because of its long, uninterrupted history (1902 81) of discharging wastewaters to unlined surface impoundments, availability of a preliminary data base (Troutman and others, 1984), and the high probability of useful technology transfer from an investigation of the fate of organic compounds associated with wood-preserving wastewaters in the subsurface environment.