Possibilities of reducing risks of environment contamination from sewage sludge

The paper deals with the examination of samples of sewage sludge mixed with charcoal. The aqueous extracts were prepared from the experimental samples of the sewage sludge mixing with charcoal. The extracts were monitored by the selective physicochemical parameters. The ecotoxicological properties of charcoal with the addition of sewage sludge were evaluated based on the ecotoxicological tests performed in this experiment. Our investigation obtained results and it is considered to improve the properties of sewage sludge in its future recovery and minimize the negative impacts on the environment, which are to a large extent, sewage sludge unsuitable for further use

An Assessment of the On-Road Mobile Sources Contribution to Particulate Matter Air Pollution by AERMOD Dispersion Model

On-road mobile sources of emissions make important contributions to particulate matter pollution (PM2.5–PM10) in cities. The quantification of such pollution is, however, highly challenging due to the number of interacting factors that affect emissions such as vehicle category, emission standard, vehicle speed and weather conditions. The proper identification of individual sources of emission is particularly necessary for air quality management areas. In this study, we estimated exhaust and non-exhaust traffic-related PM2.5 and PM10 contributions to total ambient pollution in Banská Bystrica (Slovak republic) by simulation based on the AERMOD dispersion model. Emission rates of particular vehicle categories were obtained through vehicle population statistics, traffic data survey and emission factors from the EMEP/EEA air pollutant emission inventory guidebook. Continuous PM10 and PM2.5 data from air quality monitoring stations were analysed for the years 2019–2020 and compared with modelled concentrations. The annual concentration values of PM2.5 and PM10 in the study area reached 16.71 μg/m3 and 15.57 μg/m3, respectively. We found that modelled PM2.5 peak concentration values exceeded the WHO air quality guideline annual mean limit. Traffic-related PM2.5 and PM10 contributions to ambient pollution at the reference point located nearby to a busy traffic route were approximately 25% and 17%, respectively. The reference point located outside the main transport corridors showed an approximately 11% contribution, both for PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations. The simulations showed that PM pollution is greatly contributed to by on-road mobile sources of emissions in the study area, and especially non-exhaust emissions, which require serious attention in association with their health impacts and the selection of Banská Bystrica as an air quality management area