317 research outputs found
Quantitative and qualitative approaches for CEC prioritization when reusing reclaimed water for irrigation needs – A critical review
The use of reclaimed water for irrigation is an option that is becoming increasingly widespread to alleviate water scarcity and to cope with drought. However, reclaimed water, if used for irrigation, may introduce Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) into the agroecosystems, which may be taken up by the crops and subsequently enter the food chain. The number of CECs is steadily increasing due to their continuous introduction on the market for different uses. There is an urgent need to draw up a short list of potential high priority CECs, which are substances that could be taken up by plants and accumulated in food produce, and/or that could have negative effects on human health and the environment. This review presents and discusses the approaches developed to prioritize CECs when reclaimed water is (re-)used for irrigation. They are divided into quantitative methodologies, which estimate the risk for environmental compartments (soil and water), predators and humans through equations, and qualitative methodologies, which are instead conceptual frameworks or procedures based on the simultaneous combination of data/information/practices with the judgment of experts. Three antibiotics (erythromycin, sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin), one estrogen (17-α ethinylestradiol) and one analgesic (ibuprofen) were found on at least two priority lists, although comparison among studies is still difficult. The review remarks that it is advisable to harmonize the different methodologies in order to identify the priority CECs to include in monitoring programs in reclaimed water reuse projects and to ensure a high level of protection for humans and the environment
Development and Application of Suspect and Nontarget Screening to Characterize Organic Micropollutants in Aquatic Environments of New York State
Organic micropollutants (OMPs) have presented a global challenge to water resources management due to concerns over their adverse impacts on aquatic biota and human health at low exposure concentrations (e.g., at ng/L to ÎĽg/L levels in aquatic systems). OMPs encompass an extensive array of synthetic organic compounds (e.g., pharmaceuticals, pesticides, personal care products, household chemicals, industrial additives) and their transformation products. My research has been centered around establishing analytical methods based on liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS), with a focus on the development and application of suspect and nontarget screening workflows for the identification and prioritization of OMPs in inland lakes, streams, and urban wastewater in New York State. In Chapter 1, I collaborated with volunteers from the Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program and scientists at the Upstate Freshwater Institute to conduct the first statewide investigation of OMP occurrence in New York inland lakes. Through this project, I developed a suspect screening method based on LC-HRMS to identify and quantify 65 OMPs in 314 lake water samples collected by volunteers from 111 lakes, ponds, and reservoirs across the state. I also performed partial least squares regression and multiple linear regression analyses to prioritize total dissolved nitrogen, specific conductance, and a wastewater-derived fluorescent organic matter component as the best combination of explanatory predictors for the inter-lake variability in OMP occurrence patterns. I further applied the exposure-activity ratio approach to estimate the potential for biological effects associated with OMPs. My work demonstrated that engaging an established network of citizen volunteers offers a viable approach to increasing the spatiotemporal coverage of OMP monitoring while raising public awareness of their prevalence. In Chapter 2, I collaborated with Drs. Christa Kelleher and Rebecca Schewe to investigate the occurrence patterns of OMPs in streams draining mixed-use watersheds in central New York. I combined the use of polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) with suspect screening and nontarget screening based on LC-HRMS to identify and quantify 133 OMPs in samples collected from 20 stream sites over two sampling seasons. I also performed hierarchical clustering to establish the co-occurrence profiles of OMPs in connection with watershed attributes indicative of anthropogenic influences. I further evaluated the feasibility of deploying POCIS for estimating daily average loads of OMPs and their potential for biological effects in streams via screening-level risk assessments. My work supported the prospect of combining passive sampling with high-resolution accurate mass screening for the multi-watershed characterization of OMP contamination status in streams. In Chapter 3, I collaborated with colleagues from the School of Public Health to pursue one of the earliest wastewater-based epidemiology studies on population-level substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic. I developed and validated an online solid-phase extraction method for sample preconcentration before LC-HRMS analyses to achieve rapid screening of health and lifestyle-related substances in urban wastewater. I applied this method to quantify the levels of 26 pharmaceuticals and lifestyle chemicals in wastewater influent samples collected from six sewersheds in central New York over a period spanning the rising and falling of COVID-19 prevalence. I back-calculated the population-level consumption rates of antidepressants, antiepileptics, antihistamines, antihypertensives, and central nervous system stimulants and further identified their co-variation with disparities in household income, marital status, and/or age of the contributing populations as well as the detection frequency of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater and the COVID-19 test positivity within the sewersheds. My work highlighted the utility of high-throughput wastewater analysis for assessing substance use patterns during a public health crisis such as COVID-19
Circular Tutelage: a Sustainable Approach Toward Remediation and Enhancement of Endangered Areas
Nowadays, one of the most important topics in the public dialogue concerns the concept of sustainability and its application in everyday life, given the urgence to reduce or counteract the negative effects partly caused by human activities. Fighting poverty, eradicating hunger and malnutrition, increasing the quality of life, protecting and restoring biodiversity, ensuring access to energy sources are just some of the goals for sustainable development included in the United Nations Organization's 2030 Agenda. Every country is called to make its contribution to jointly face these great challenges, rising from the awareness that the planet's resources are limited, unequally distributed and their exploitation often involves the alteration of delicate environmental balances.
In the present work, a very productive transitional area prone to suffer from pollution and dangerous algal blooms, has been studied in order to propose methodologies and solutions which, if adopted, can contribute not only to mitigate environmental damages but also to provide new tools that can contribute to the development of local populations in a circular economy perspective. In particular, research has been carried out aimed at the development of solutions for the environmental restoration of ecosystems threatened by human pressure, proposing highly circular and sustainable processes based on the use of biomass from wastes or by-products. The proposed production processes are aimed at exploiting and valorizing these wastes, avoiding the compromission of the hygiene and quality of the ecosystem. In addition to the environmental sustainability also the economic and social one are considered in the proposed solutions.
The area is characterized by a semi-enclosed lagoon structure, depths of up to two meters, over 25 km2. This area alone is responsible for the production of 55% of all clams produced in Italy, with over fifty million euros in turnover; essentially a collective heritage for the cities and economies that depend precisely on mussel farming and supporting activities. In order to mitigate the effects related to the excessive presence of algal biomass in the area, a cost / benefit analysis was carried out to determine the possibility of exploit this biomass as a secondary raw material for the production of market goods such as biofuels, drugs, supplements, and much more. The possibilities for economic exploitations of the biomass would in fact make the collection of this component from the environment advantageous and would avoid negative phenomena in the aquatic environment. The feasibility of the proposed solutions was also accompanied by a foresight analysis in which possible social dynamics were considered which have led, in the past, to the failure of a project whose mission was to safeguard and improve the conditions of the lagoon.
In order to carry out the feasibility study, in addition to the composition of the constituent elements of algae determination, their possible contamination by various classes of pollutants, whose presence could constitute an obstacle to their exploitation, was also studied.
The thesis also considers another voluminous waste biomass present in the lagoon, namely byproduct seashells which constitute a process waste from the bivalves that are produced in the lagoon and which, unfortunately, are often illegally discharged into the canals or deployed in landfill and classified as special waste. Landfilling not only has an economic impact on small fishing businesses but also reduces the sustainability of aquaculture activities, which according to many, will be a key sector for development in the coming years. Hence, the shell of the clam essentially consists of calcium carbonate and can be used as a constituent of soil conditioners and fertilizers for agricultural purposes or as an adsorbent material in biofilters and in environmental bioremediation methodologies.Oggigiorno, una delle tematiche di maggior rilievo nel dialogo comune riguarda il concetto di sostenibilità e della sua applicazione nel quotidiano per rispondere all’esigenza di ridurre o contrastare vari effetti negativi in parte causati dalle attività umane. Contrastare la povertà , eradicare la fame e la malnutrizione, tutelare e ripristinare la biodiversità , sicurezza energetica, sono solo alcuni degli obiettivi per lo sviluppo sostenibile presenti nell’Agenda 2030 dell’Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite. Ogni Paese è chiamato a fornire il suo contributo per affrontare in comune queste grandi sfide, nate dalla consapevolezza che le risorse del pianeta sono limitate, distribuite iniquamente e il loro sfruttamento spesso comporta l’alterazione di delicati equilibri ambientali.
Nel presente lavoro di tesi si è studiato un ecosistema di transizione molto produttivo, ma fragile, per proporre metodologie e soluzioni che se adottate possano contribuire non solo a mitigare i danni ambientali, ma anche a fornire nuovi strumenti che possano contribuire allo sviluppo delle popolazioni locali in un’ottica di economia circolare.
In particolare, si sono effettuate ricerche orientate allo sviluppo di soluzioni per il ripristino ambientale di ecosistemi minacciati dalla pressione antropica, proponendo processi altamente circolari e sostenibili basati sull’utilizzo di biomasse provenienti da scarti o sottoprodotti. I processi produttivi proposti sono orientati a sfruttare e valorizzare questi scarti evitando che compromettano l’igiene e la qualità degli ecosistemi in cui essi sono presenti o in cui vengono riversati. In questo ambito si sono approfonditi argomenti propri della sfera sociale ed economica, per garantire oltre alla sostenibilità ambientale anche quella economica e sociale delle soluzioni proposte.
La zona è caratterizzata da una struttura lagunare semichiusa, fondali profondi massimo due metri e complessivamente è uno specchio d’acqua di 25 km2. Quest’area sola è responsabile per la produzione del 55% di tutte le vongole prodotte in Italia, con oltre cinquanta milioni di euro di volume d’affari; sostanzialmente un patrimonio collettivo per le città e le economie che dipendono appunto dalle attività di mitilicoltura e dalle attività consortili e coadiuvanti. Allo scopo di mitigare gli effetti legati alla presenza eccessiva di biomassa algale nella zona, si è svolta una analisi costi / benefici per determinare la possibilità di sfruttare al meglio tale biomassa come materia prima seconda per la produzione di oggetti e beni di consumo, come biocombustibili, farmaci, integratori e tanto altro. La possibilità di sfruttare economicamente la biomassa renderebbe infatti vantaggiosa la raccolta di questa componente dall’ambiente.
La realizzabilità delle soluzioni proposte è stata inoltre corredata da un’analisi in previsione in cui si sono considerate possibili dinamiche sociali che hanno portato, in passato, al fallimento di un progetto che aveva la missione di salvaguardare e migliorare le condizioni della laguna. inoltre, è stata studiata la composizione degli elementi costitutivi di alghe e anche la loro possibile contaminazione da parte di varie classi di inquinanti la cui presenza potrebbe costituire un ostacolo per il loro sfruttamento.
Nella tesi viene inoltre considerata anche un’altra voluminosa biomassa di scarto presente nella laguna, “il capulerio” che costituisce uno scarto di lavorazione dei bivalvi prodotti. Lo smaltimento in discarica non solo incide economicamente sulle piccole imprese di pescatori, ma riduce la sostenibilità delle attività di acquacultura. In un’ottica di sostenibilità e circolarità , il guscio delle conchiglie è costituito da carbonato di calcio e può trovare impiego come costituente di ammendanti e fertilizzanti per scopi agricoli o come materiale adsorbente in biofiltri e in altre metodologie di bioremediazione ambientale
Alternative Water Supply Systems
This is the final version. Available on open access from IWA Publishing via the DOI in this recordOwing to climate change related uncertainties and anticipated population growth, different parts of the developing and the developed world (particularly urban areas) are experiencing water shortages or flooding and security of fit-for-purpose supplies is becoming a major issue. The emphasis on decentralized alternative water supply systems has increased considerably. Most of the information on such systems is either scattered or focuses on large scale reuse with little consideration given to decentralized small to medium scale systems. Alternative Water Supply Systems brings together recent research into the available and innovative options and additionally shares experiences from a wide range of contexts from both developed and developing countries.
Alternative Water Supply Systems covers technical, social, financial and institutional aspects associated with decentralized alternative water supply systems. These include systems for greywater recycling, rainwater harvesting, recovery of water through condensation and sewer mining. A number of case studies from the UK, the USA, Australia and the developing world are presented to discuss associated environmental and health implications.
The book provides insights into a range of aspects associated with alternative water supply systems and an evidence base (through case studies) on potential water savings and trade-offs. The information organized in the book is aimed at facilitating wider uptake of context specific alternatives at a decentralized scale mainly in urban areas.
This book is a key reference for postgraduate level students and researchers interested in environmental engineering, water resources management, urban planning and resource efficiency, water demand management, building service engineering and sustainable architecture. It provides practical insights for water professionals such as systems designers, operators, and decision makers responsible for planning and delivering sustainable water management in urban areas through the implementation of decentralized water recycling
The African Marine Litter Outlook
This open access book provides a cross-sectoral, multi-scale assessment of marine litter in Africa with a focus on plastics. From distribution, to impacts on environmental and human health, this book looks at what is known scientifically. It includes a policy analysis of the instruments that currently exist, and what is needed to help Africa tackle marine litter—including local and transboundary sources. Across 5 chapters, experts from Africa and beyond have put together a summary of the scientific knowledge currently known about marine litter in Africa. The context of the African continent and future projections form a backdrop on which the scientific knowledge is built. This scientific knowledge incorporates quantities, distributions, and pathways of litter into the marine environment, highlighting where the impacts of marine litter are most felt in Africa. These impacts have widespread effects, with ecological, social, economic, and human health repercussions. While containing detailed scientific information, this book provides a sound knowledge base for policymakers, NGOs and the broader public
A stochastic approach for assessing the chronic environmental risk generated by wet-weather events from integrated urban wastewater systems
Wet-weather discharges from urban areas with a combined wastewater system represent a threat for surface waters. In fact, when the system capacity is reached during medium/big rain events, a mixture of stormwater and untreated wastewater is discharged through combined sewer overflows (CSOs) or bypass (BP) of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The discharged pollutant loads are highly variable in time and space, making it difficult to correctly monitor and assess the environmental risks for a specific catchment. The present work proposes a methodology to assess the chronic impact of wet-weather discharges from integrated urban wastewater systems (IUWS) by using a stochastic approach. Monitoring data from the literature were used to characterize the discharges and to predict the risk posed by (micro-)pollutants on a yearly basis in an archetype IUWS. Calculated risks from wet-weather discharges are compared against those posed by WWTP effluent. The results show that CSOs pose a higher risk to surface waters compared to WWTP effluent and bypass, with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons being the category of micropollutants of major concern for CSOs. Conversely, WWTP effluent discharges are responsible for most of the risk associated with pharmaceuticals. A sensitivity and uncertainty analysis highlighted the importance of performing an accurate estimation of the recipient flow rate, which can provide a better risk estimation than focusing only on the characterization of the discharged concentrations. In climate change scenarios, where recipient flow rate reduction and overflow volume increment is expected, the risk caused by wet-weather discharges may increase for all micropollutant categories, including pharmaceuticals.Environmental chronic risk generated by wet-weather discharges compared to final effluent was stochastically assessed, also from a climate-change perspective, stressing their growing contribution for many (micro-)pollutants
An integrated modelling framework to assess cascade water reuse in urban areas
In the recent years water scarcity has been an increasing problem for many countries worldwide. For this reason, there is currently a strong focus on increasing reclaimed wastewater reuse, especially for agriculture purposes (Fernandes and Cunha Marques, 2023). Besides, the cost of energy from conventional resources is increasing, thus the energy sector is moving towards more distributed and efficient use of heat sources across urban areas. Typical applications are heat pumps using local groundwater reservoirs and subsequently discharging in the nearby surface water bodies/artificial channels (recipients). Furthermore, for a better quality of these recipients and for a better performance of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), stormwater can be collected in separated sewers discharging only the urban runoff to the recipient. In this context, water is subjected to multiple uses, with potential cross-contaminations across different compartments, posing a risk for the environment. Hence, there is a strong need for tools capable of supporting stakeholders towards a wiser and safer use of water resources, to ensure long-term resilience, stability, sustainability and security of the society with regard to water use. An integrated model was developed to simulate the fate and associated risk of hazardous contaminants in a cascade water reuse system
Living in the Plastic Age: Perspectives from Humanities, Social Sciences and Environmental Sciences
Plastikmüll ist überall auf unserem Planeten zu finden. Er hinterlässt einen augenscheinlichen Fußabdruck des menschlichen Konsumverhaltens und der Massenproduktion. Unser ungebremster Plastikkonsum und dessen Auswirkungen prägen die gesellschaftlichen Naturverhältnisse in einer so tiefgreifenden Weise, dass wir vom Plastikzeitalter sprechen. Um Ansätze für einen Umgang mit diesem Problem zu entwickeln, müssen wir das Phänomen umfassend verstehen: Die Autor:innen beleuchten es aus interdisziplinärer Perspektive. Sie zeigen, welche Rolle Kunststoffe in unserer Gesellschaft spielen und welche Auswirkungen sie auf die Umwelt und die menschliche Gesundheit haben
The preparation and characterisation of microplastics containing contaminants
Alexandra Gulizia studied the behaviours of microplastics in the environment. By investigating their degradative susceptibility, reactive properties, leaching dynamics and relationship with the microbiome, she was able to deconstruct the complexity of microplastics in aqueous matrices to improve technical accuracy for future experiments and environmental risk assessments
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