Plastic Waste Management

U zadnjih pedesetak godina zabilježen je značajan rast količina plastičnog otpada koji nekontroliranim odbacivanjem postaje sve veći problem za okoliš i sa značajnim posljedicama na živuće ekosustave. Plastika je važan i sveprisutan materijal u gospodarstvu i svakodnevnom životu i godišnje u zemljama Europske unije nastaje blizu 26 milijuna tona plastičnog otpada. Oko 30 % tog otpada se reciklira, znatan dio se energetski oporabljuje, a dio se još uvijek odlaže i na odlagališta otpada. Recikliranjem plastičnog otpada čuvaju se prirodne sirovine kao što su nafta i zemni plin koje se upotrebljavaju za proizvodnju plastičnih materijala te se smanjuju emisije u okoliš i potrošnja energije. Planom za resursno učinkovitu Europu, plastični otpad prepoznat je kao važna sirovina za proizvodnju novih proizvoda i jedna je od ključnih sirovina u prelasku na kružno gospodarstvo. U ovom je radu dan prikaz općih mogućnosti recikliranja tj. oporabe plastičnog otpada. Na temelju indikativnih rezultata ispitivanja sastava odvojeno prikupljenog plastičnog otpada u Zagrebu dana je procjena mogućnosti njegove reciklaže. U Republici Hrvatskoj plastični otpad velik je problem budući da se adekvatno ne sortira. Zbog toga je značajno financijsko opterećenje komunalnim društvima koja njime gospodare u sklopu javne usluge prikupljanja komunalnog otpada.In the last fifty years, there has been a significant increase in plastic waste, which has become an increasing environmental problem due to uncontrolled dumping, with significant consequences on living ecosystems. Plastic is an important and ubiquitous material in the economy and everyday life, and nearly 26 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated annually in the countries of the European Union. About 30 % of this waste is recycled, a significant part is recovered for energy, and part is still disposed of in landfills. Recycling plastic waste preserves natural raw materials such as oil and natural gas, which are used to produce plastic materials, and reduces emissions into the environment and energy consumption. Under the Resource Efficient Europe Plan, plastic waste is recognised as an important raw material for the production of new products, and is one of the key raw materials in the transition to a circular economy. This paper presents general possibilities for recycling plastic waste. Based on the indicative examination results of the composition of separately collected plastic waste in Zagreb, an assessment of the possibility of its recycling is given. In the Republic of Croatia, plastic waste is a major problem since it is inadequately sorted, and therefore represents a significant financial burden for utility companies that manage it within public service of municipal waste collection

Monitoring of some dissolved heavy metals in surface waters of north-west Croatia from year 2016 to 2018

Heavy metals have a negative impact on environment and wildlife. In waters, heavy metals appear in two forms, as dissolved and bioavailable; and as solid and non-soluble. We monitored the concentration of dissolved copper, nickel, manganese and iron in water samples at five river locations of north-west Croatia from 2016 to 2018. Concentrations of dissolved nickel measured at Melačka river, near Vularija in Međimurje county and HE Čakovec dam, near Štefanec in Međimurje county were below 5 µg/l and could be considered as not polluted. Concentrations of dissolved copper measured at Plitvica river, near Zbela in Varaždinska county and Horvatska, near Veliko Trgovišće in Krapinsko-Zagorska county were mostly below 5 µg/l and could be considered as not polluted. At Kosteljina river near Jalšje at the Krapinsko-Zagorska county concentrations of dissolved copper were mostly below 5 µg/l; concentrations of dissolved manganese and iron were higher especially during second part of the year, with some fluctuations. For this reason, Kosteljina river could be considered as medium polluted

Tla in sedimenti zaledja Proščanskega jezera kot možen terigen doprinos v jezerski sistem

The Plitvice Lakes National Park is in the northwestern part of the Dinaric Karst in central Croatia. An important role of the soil in the karst is to purify the waters before they reach the phreatic zone. The soil is also a zone of accumulation, transformation, retardation and dilution of a potential pollutant. Knowing soil mineralogical composition is an important factor in understanding fate and transport of contaminants throughout lakes system. Samples of soil, peat and stream sediment were collected in the Prošće lake catchment and partly in the assumed zone of influence, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of samples was performed to determine dominant mineral species in samples. XRD analysis showed predominance of lowquartz, which was found in all samples, most often as dominant phase. Dolomite was found in half of the samples, almost always as a significant phase while calcite was dominant phase in one of the samples. In most of the samples, members of the feldspars and chlorites groups, as well as muscovite, were present as minor phases. The absorption bands in the range of 2800-3000 cm-1 due to the organic matter are visible in spectra of all samples. These minerals can enter lakes system by surface waters, primarily streams and overland flow during snow thawing and rain, and also in cases of shore erosion. Terrigenic input in lakes is small but cannot be neglected due to the longlasting preservation efforts of the Prošće Lake recharge area, and the Plitvice Lakes National Park in general, terrigenous intake still does not pose a threat to water quality and tufa production. Considering the analyzed samples and characteristics of detected soil constituents, soils and sediments in the Prošće Lake catchment have the ability to retain and purify water on its way to the lakes. On the other hand, in case of the possible contamination in the recharge area of the lakes system, the pollutants can enter the system adsorbed on the soil particles. Learning more about the soils surrounding lakes gives valuable insight into their possible influence on lakes water chemistry and adds one piece of the puzzle into understanding this kind of a natural phenomenon.Narodni park Plitviška jezera se nahaja v severozahodnem delu Dinarskega krasa v osrednji Hrvaški. Pomembna vloga tal v krasu je, da čistijo vodo, preden doseže freatično cono. Tla so tudi območje, kjer se potencialna onesnaževala kopičijo, preoblikujejo in redčijo. Tla ta onesnaževala tudi zadržijo. Poznavanje mineraloške sestave tal je pomemben dejavnik pri razumevanju prenosa onesnaževal v jezerskem sistemu. Tla, šoto in sedimente smo vzorčili v neposrednem zaledju in na vplivnem območju Prošćankega jezera. Mineralne vrste smo določili z rentgensko difrakcijo (XRD) in infrardečo spektroskopijo s Fourierjevo transformacijo (FTIR). Analiza XRD je pokazala, da v vzorcih prevladuje kremen, ki je bil v vseh vzorcih ugotovljen kot prevladujoč mineral. Dolomit je bil najden v polovici vzorcev, skoraj vedno kot pomemben mineral, medtem ko je kalcit prevladoval samo v enem od vzorcev. V večini vzorcev so bili v manjšini še glinenci, kloritni minerali in muskovit. Absorpcijski pasovi na območju 2800-3000 cm-1 so bili zaradi organske snovi vidni v vseh spektrih. Minerale lahko v jezerski sistem prinesejo površinske vode, predvsem med taljenjem snega in ob padavinah ali obalnih erozijskih procesi. Terigeni vnos je majhen, vendar ga zaradi dolgotrajnih prizadevanj za ohranitev in obnovo območja Prošćanskega jezera ni mogoče prezreti. Verjetno pa še ne ogroža kakovosti vode in nastajanja lehnjaka. Rezultati kažejo, da tla in sedimenti v zaledju Proščanskega jezera učinkovito zadržijo in čistijo vodo na poti do jezera. Vseeno lahko ob morebitnem onesnaženju v zaledju onesnaževala dosežejo jezerski sistem, če so adsorbirana na delce tal. Poznavanje tal v okolici in širšem zaledju jezera omogoča dragocen vpogled na njihov morebitni vpliv na kemijo vode v jezerih in prispeva k razumevanju tovrstnega naravnega pojava

Peroxodisulphate salts as novel photooxidants for color wastewater treatment

Ispuštanje obojenih otpadnih voda iz pogona primjene bojila kao što je tekstilna industrija, jedna je od glavnih prijetnji okolišu zbog opasnosti za zdravlje cjelokupne flore i faune zbog toksičnosti, vrlo često i kancerogenosti organskih onečišćivala prisutnih u obojenim otpadnim vodama. Takve otpadne vode neophodno je obraditi prije ispusta. Upravljanje tehnološkim otpadnim vodama podrazumijeva multidisciplinarni pristup i usuglašavanje sa sve strožom zakonskom regulativom Europske unije. U ovom radu, napredni oksidacijski procesi (engl. Advanced Oxidation Processes – AOP): procesi Fentonovog tipa, UV/O3, UV/S2O82-/O3, primijenjeni su za razgradnju i mineralizaciju organskog bojila C.I. Reactive Red 45 (RR 45) u vodenoj otopini. Za navedene procese određeni su optimalni uvjeti za maksimalnu djelotvornost razgradnje organskog onečišćivala, a na osnovi promjene sadržaja ukupnog organskog ugljika (TOC). Fotooksidativna razgradnja i mineralizacija RR45 ispitana je primjenom UV zračenja u prisutnosti peroksodisulfata u šaržnom fotoreaktoru. Ispitivan je utjecaj početne koncentracije peroksodisulfata, pH vrijednosti, koncentracije bojila RR45 i dodanog sintetskog zeolita na stupanj razgradnje i mineralizacije. U procesima ozonacije mijenjane su početne pH vrijednosti te je ispitan utjecaj koncentracije peroksodisulfata i ozona na ukupnu djelotvornost procesa obrade. Dobiveni rezultati pokazuju da maksimalan stupanj mineralizacije ovisi o reakcijskim uvjetima za svaki od primijenjenih procesa.The discharge of colored wastewaters from the plant application industries, such as the textile industry, is one of the major threats to the environment due to the documented health hazards caused by the toxicity and very often by the carcinogenic nature of contained organic contaminents. Hence, such wastewater is necessary to treat prior to discharge. Wastewater management technology involves a multidisciplinary approach and complies with stringent law regulation of the European Union. In the present study, Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs): Fenton type processes, UV/ O3, UV/ S2O82-/O3, have been applied to degrade and mineralize organic dye C. I. Reactive Red 45 (RR 45) in water solution. Optimal process conditions for the highest mineralization efficiency were determined on the basis of total organic carbon (TOC). The photooxidative degradation and mineralization of RR45 was investigated using UV radiation in the presence of peroxodisulfat (S2O82-) salt in a batch photoreactor. The influence of peroxodisulfat dosage, pH, initial dye concentration and added synthetic zeolites ZSM5 type on the rate of color removal and mineralization extents was also studied. In the case when ozonation processes were applied the influence of initial pH, peroxodisulfat dosage and initial dye concentration on the rate of color removal and decrease of TOC values was studied. Obtained results show that maximal partial mineralization extents depended on the reaction conditions for each of the applied processes

Peroxodisulphate salts as novel photooxidants for color wastewater treatment

Ispuštanje obojenih otpadnih voda iz pogona primjene bojila kao što je tekstilna industrija, jedna je od glavnih prijetnji okolišu zbog opasnosti za zdravlje cjelokupne flore i faune zbog toksičnosti, vrlo često i kancerogenosti organskih onečišćivala prisutnih u obojenim otpadnim vodama. Takve otpadne vode neophodno je obraditi prije ispusta. Upravljanje tehnološkim otpadnim vodama podrazumijeva multidisciplinarni pristup i usuglašavanje sa sve strožom zakonskom regulativom Europske unije. U ovom radu, napredni oksidacijski procesi (engl. Advanced Oxidation Processes – AOP): procesi Fentonovog tipa, UV/O3, UV/S2O82-/O3, primijenjeni su za razgradnju i mineralizaciju organskog bojila C.I. Reactive Red 45 (RR 45) u vodenoj otopini. Za navedene procese određeni su optimalni uvjeti za maksimalnu djelotvornost razgradnje organskog onečišćivala, a na osnovi promjene sadržaja ukupnog organskog ugljika (TOC). Fotooksidativna razgradnja i mineralizacija RR45 ispitana je primjenom UV zračenja u prisutnosti peroksodisulfata u šaržnom fotoreaktoru. Ispitivan je utjecaj početne koncentracije peroksodisulfata, pH vrijednosti, koncentracije bojila RR45 i dodanog sintetskog zeolita na stupanj razgradnje i mineralizacije. U procesima ozonacije mijenjane su početne pH vrijednosti te je ispitan utjecaj koncentracije peroksodisulfata i ozona na ukupnu djelotvornost procesa obrade. Dobiveni rezultati pokazuju da maksimalan stupanj mineralizacije ovisi o reakcijskim uvjetima za svaki od primijenjenih procesa.The discharge of colored wastewaters from the plant application industries, such as the textile industry, is one of the major threats to the environment due to the documented health hazards caused by the toxicity and very often by the carcinogenic nature of contained organic contaminents. Hence, such wastewater is necessary to treat prior to discharge. Wastewater management technology involves a multidisciplinary approach and complies with stringent law regulation of the European Union. In the present study, Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs): Fenton type processes, UV/ O3, UV/ S2O82-/O3, have been applied to degrade and mineralize organic dye C. I. Reactive Red 45 (RR 45) in water solution. Optimal process conditions for the highest mineralization efficiency were determined on the basis of total organic carbon (TOC). The photooxidative degradation and mineralization of RR45 was investigated using UV radiation in the presence of peroxodisulfat (S2O82-) salt in a batch photoreactor. The influence of peroxodisulfat dosage, pH, initial dye concentration and added synthetic zeolites ZSM5 type on the rate of color removal and mineralization extents was also studied. In the case when ozonation processes were applied the influence of initial pH, peroxodisulfat dosage and initial dye concentration on the rate of color removal and decrease of TOC values was studied. Obtained results show that maximal partial mineralization extents depended on the reaction conditions for each of the applied processes

DEPENDENCE OF CONCENTRATION OF RADON ON ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS – MULTIPLE LINEAR REGRESSION MODEL

Radon (222Ra) is a colourless and odourless natural radioactive element in gaseous state. The concentration of radon in the air is usually low, but it can be very high inside of a living space, because of its possibility to penetrate from a foundation soil over a basement into a building itself. People are daily exposed to a certain concentration of radon that is found in soil, water, air and food. This paper shows a correlation analysis of environmental parameters by using the model of multiple regressions. It defines certain statistical relations between environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure with measured values of radon concentrations. Measurements were carried out at several locations in various residential buildings in north-western Croatia. The results indicated that individual environmental parameters and radon concentration at individual locations were connected. For example, at one location the concentration of radon was decreasing if atmospheric pressure was increasing. Measurements at another location indicated that the concentration of radon was increasing if air humidity was increasing. Due to large number of different parameters affecting the concentration of radon in residential buildings, a satisfactory statistical model to predict the concentration of radon with environmental parameters is not easy to achieve since it was observed variability of radon concentrations with environmental parameters within different local sites. It is necessary to consider a longer period to determine with certainty a mathematical model that would give the most accurate prediction of radon concentration dependence on environmental parameters which can affect human health and quality of life

Hydrogeological characteristics of the watercourse Plitvica in the Plitvice lakes area, Croatia

Rijeka Plitvica se nalazi u sjeverozapadnom dijelu Nacionalnog parka Plitvička jezera. Dužine je oko 4 km, a započinje snažnim krškim vrelom, izvorom Plitvice. Nakon otprilike 900 m toka u rijeku Plitvicu se s lijeve strane ulijeva vodotok Sartuk. Na kraju svog toka rijeka Plitvica se ruši niz 78 m visoku vapnenačku liticu formirajući najveći slap u Republici Hrvatskoj – Veliki slap. U posljednjih 20-ak godina na Velikom slapu su sve izraženiji nedostaci vode, a kao mogući razlog je, osim smanjenja ukupnog protoka na izvoru Plitvice, i gubitak vode duž vodotoka Plitvice. Zbog toga suu raduanalizirani dostupnihidrogeološki, hidrološki podaci i hidrokemijski kako bi seutvrdiliuzroci velikih gubitaka vode na Velikom slapu za vrijeme sušnih razdoblja.Utvrđeno je da je proces pojave i nastanka sedrenih barijera vrlo dobro vidljiv duž vodotoku Plitvice te da ovaj vodotok hidrogeološki gledano ustvari predstavlja umanjeni sustav Plitvičkih jezera. Proces sedrenja je stalan i za sada neprekinut, a na nekim mjestima i toliko velik da izdiže cijelo korito te dolazi do izlijevanja vode u susjedne livade s vrtačama, gdje se za vrijeme sušnih razdoblja u podzemlje gubi najveći dio vode vodotoka Plitvica.The Plitvica River is located in the northwestern part of the Plitvice Lakes National Park. Length of the river is about 4 km, and it starting with the strong karst spring. After about 900 mfrom the spring, the Plitvica River receives water from the Sartukstream. At the end, Plitvica River crashes down the 78 m high limestone cliff, forming the largest waterfall in Croatia - BigWaterfall. In the last 20 years on the Big Waterfall are growing disadvantages of water. A possible reason is,besides reducing of the total amount of water at the source of Plitvice, also loss of water along the watercourse of the Plitvica River. Therefore, in the paper were analysed available hydrogeological, hydrological and hydrochemical data in order to identify the causes of large losses of water at the Big Waterfall during dry periods. It was found out that the process of occurrence and the formation of tufa barriers are very well visible along the watercourse of the Plitvica River, and that this watercourse, hydrogeological looking, is a smaller version of the Plitvice Lakes system. The process of tufa is continuous and uninterrupted for the time being, and in some places so large that rises riverbed what causes a spill of water in the adjoining meadows with sinkholes where during dry periods in underground loses most of the water watercourse Plitvice

Study of Physicochemical Indicators of Water Quality

U ovom su radu analizirani fizikalno-kemijski pokazatelji kakvoće otpadnih voda (kemijska potrošnja kisika (KPK), biokemijska potrošnja kisika (BPK5), koncentracija suspendiranih tvari) tijekom ljetnih mjeseci (lipanj, srpanj i kolovoz) 2013. i 2014. godine na centralnom uređaju za pročišćavanje otpadnih voda Čakovec, koji je predviđen za drugi stupanj pročišćavanja. Ljetni mjeseci 2014. godine ne pokazuju značajnija odstupanja vrijednosti pojedinih pokazatelja, ali u odnosu na iste mjesece u 2013. godini srednje mjesečne vrijednosti znatno su niže i nalaze se unutar dopuštenih maksimalnih koncentracija. Rezultati za lipanj, srpanj i kolovoz 2013. i 2014. godine ukazuju na učinkovito pročišćavanje otpadnih voda na pročistaču.This paper analyses the physicochemical indicators of wastewater quality (chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), concentrations of suspended solids) during the summer months (June, July and August) in 2013 and 2014 in the wastewater treatment plant Čakovec, which is designed for secondary wastewater treatment. The summer months of 2014 do not show significant deviations in the values of certain indicators, but compared with the same months in 2013, the average monthly values are much lower and within the permitted maximum. Results in June, July, and August 2013 and 2014 indicated efficient wastewater treatment

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF BOTTLED WATER ON CROATIAN MARKET

The Ordinance on natural mineral, natural spring and table waters regulates the market of bottled water. The Directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption sets water quality standards and three categories of parameters (microbiological, chemical and indicator). Microbiological parameters show the degree of water pollution by microorganisms, while chemical parameters show the degree of water pollution by different chemical substances. Natural spring and natural mineral water have a certain chemical composition in which the concentrations of individual elements have the prescribed maximum allowable amount. If the concentrations of individual elements exceed the maximum allowed amount, they can have a harmful effect on the human body. All categories of bottled water (table, spring and mineral) can be carbonated and non-carbonated, depending on the carbon dioxide (CO2) content. Due to extracting and bottling of drinking water, in order to improve its quality, it is necessary continuously conduct analyses that prove the safety of drinking water

Analysis of wastewater quality indicators in relation to wastewater temperature and precipitation by means of the RAPS method

Metodom RAPS (eng. Rescaled Adjusted Partial Sums) provedena je analiza ulaznih i izlaznih pokazatelja uređaja za pročišćavanje otpadnih voda u Čakovcu tijekom lipnja, srpnja i kolovoza 2015. godine. Cilj rada je bio ustanoviti povezanost količina oborina i srednje dnevne temperature zraka te vrijednosti ulaznih i izlaznih vremenskih nizova veličina kemijske potrošnje kisika (KPK), biološke potrošnje kisika unutar pet dana (BPK5) i suspendiranih tvari na uređaju za pročišćavanje otpadnih voda. RAPS metoda primijenjena je na vremenski niz količina oborina, no nije imala veliku učinkovitost zbog velikih oscilacija količina oborina u promatranom razdoblju. Daljnja analiza temeljena je isključivo na usporedbi ulaznih i izlaznih vrijednosti KPK, BPK5 te suspendiranih tvari sa srednjom dnevnom temperaturom zraka. Iz rezultata je vidljivo da ulazni nizovi sadrže izraženije podnizove s obzirom na njihove srednje vrijednosti i trendove povećanja, odnosno smanjenja vrijednosti. U usporedbi s ulaznim podnizovima, izlazni podnizovi ne osciliraju u tolikoj mjeri s obzirom da izražavaju izlaznu kakvoću otpadne vode. Vidljivo smanjenje izlaznih vrijednosti pokazatelja potvrđuje kvalitetnu obradu ulazne otpadne vode.The RAPS method (Rescaled Adjusted Partial Sums) was implemented to analysing input and output indictors of the Čakovec wastewater treatment plant during June, July and August 2015. The paper’s aim was to establish a relation of the precipitation volume and daily mean air temperature with the values of input and output time series related to chemical oxygen demand (COD), 5-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5) and suspended solids at the WWTP. The RAPS method was applied to precipitation volume time series, but was not higly efficient due to large osciallations of precipita¬iton volumes in the observed period. A further analysis was based excluisvely on the comparison of the input and output values of COD, BOD5 and suspended solids with daily mean air temperature. The results show that the input series contain more pronounced subseries in terms of their mean value and the trends of increasing or decreasing values. In comparison with the input subseries, the output subseries do not oscillate in such measure since they are related to wastewater output quality. A visible decrease in indicator outlet values confirms a high quality treatment of input wastewater