Artificial neural network applied in forecasting the composition of municipal solid waste in Iasi, Romania

Neural network time series (NNTS) tool was used to predict municipal solid waste composition in Iasi, Romania. The nonlinear input output (NIO) time series model and nonlinear autoregressive model with external (exogenous) input (NARX) included in this tool were selected. The coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) were chosen for evaluation. By applying NIO, the optimum model is 4-11-6 artificial neural network (ANN, R2 = 0.929) in the case of testing as for the validation, with all 0.849 and 0.885, respectively. Applying NARX, the suitable model became 4-13-6 ANN model, with R2 = 0.999 for training, 0.879 for testing, and 0.931, respectively 0.944 for validation and all. The resulted RMSE is zero for training and 0.0109 for validation in the case of this model which had 4 inputs, 13 neurons and 6 outputs. The four input variables were: number of residents, population aged 15–59 years, urban life expectancy, total municipal solid waste (ton/year). The suitable ANN model revealed the lowest root mean square error and the highest coefficient of determination. Results indicate that NNTS tool is a complex instrument, NARX is more accurate than NIO model, and can be used and applied easily

Costs analysis of municipal solid waste management scenarios: IASI – Romania case study

Effective management of solid waste has become environmentally and economically mandatory due to the increase of environmental problems. In this context, the evaluation of economic aspects is imperative since the implementation of a solid waste management system is connected with considerable investment and operating costs. The goal of this study is to assess and report the performance of various waste management scenarios in terms of costs and to determine the most suitable alternative. For this purpose, we analyzed a case study in a typical Romanian urban area, in terms of the economic impacts of four waste management scenarios. The economic evaluation was performed based on a cost structure, which we have elaborated to analyze the waste management scenarios from a cost perspective. The results indicated that the most suitable alternative for implementation from economic viewpoint in the studied area is scenario which included the following treatment/elimination methods: sorting, composting and landfilling

Environmental evaluation of waste management scenarios – significance of the boundaries

Life cycle concept was applied to analyse and assess some municipal solid waste (MSW) management scenarios in terms of environmental impacts, particularised for Iasi city, Romania, where approximately 380 kg/cap/yr of waste are generated. Currently, the management processes include temporary storage, collection, transport and landfilling, but separate collection, sorting, recycling and composting of solid waste, which should be addressed according to the National Strategy and European policy for waste. Four different scenarios were elaborated as alternatives to the existing waste management system in Iasi, which include both previously applied and current waste management alternatives, as well as some advanced practices. The effectiveness of the scenarios was evaluated in terms of environmental impacts based on Life Cycle Analysis, supported by GaBi software. Some environmental impact categories (acidification, eutrophication, global warming, human toxicity, and photochemical ozone generation potentials, carcinogenic substances, heavy metals, winter smog, photochemical ozone formation) were estimated based on several impact assessment methods associated to GaBi software (CML 2001, CML 96, EDIP 2003, EI95). The study emphasises the importance of system boundaries for the life cycle impact assessment process and consequently – for the optimal waste management alternative. Santrauka Analizuojant ir vertinant komunalinių atliekų tvarkymo scenarijus buvo pritaikyta būvio ciklo koncepcija atsižvelgiant į daromą poveikį aplinkai, remiantis Jasai miesto, Rumunijoje, atveju. Šiame mieste susidaro apytiksliai 380 kg/žmogui/ metus atliekų. Šiuo metu atliekų tvarkymo procesą sudaro laikinos laikymo vietos, surinkimas, transportavimas ir deponavimas sąvartyne, bet pagal Nacionalinę strategiją ir Europos atliekų politiką atliekos turi būti rūšiuojamos, perdirbamos ir kompostuojamos. Todėl buvo detaliau išanalizuoti keturi skirtingi scenarijai kaip alternatyvos esamai atliekų tvarkymo sistemai Jasai mieste, įtraukiant prieš tai taikytas ir šiuo metu taikomas atliekų tvarkymo alternatyvas, taip pat pažangesnes praktikas. Scenarijų efektyvumas buvo vertinamas analizuojant aplinkosaugos aspektus remiantis būvio ciklo analize ir taikant GaBi programinę įrangą. Kai kurios poveikio aplinkai kategorijos (rūgštinimas, eutrofikacija, globalus atšilimas, žmonių apsinuodijimas, fotocheminis ozono susidarymo potencialas, kancerogeninės medžiagos, sunkieji metalai, žiemos smogas, fotocheminis ozono formavimasis) buvo vertinamos remiantis keletu poveikio įvertinimo aspektų, esančių GaBi programoje (CML 2001, CML 96, EDIP 2003, EI95). Atlikta studija pabrėžia sistemos ribų svarbą, vykdant poveikio vertinimą, taikant būvio ciklo procesą ir parenkant optimalią atliekų tvarkymo alternatyvą. Резюме При анализе и оценке сценариев по обработке коммунальных отходов с учетом их влияния на окружающую средув городе Ясай в Румынии, где приблизительно скапливается 380 кг/чел./ год отходов, применялась концепцияцикла существования. В настоящее время в процесс по обработке отходов вовлекаются временные места хранения, сбор, транспортировка и депонирование отходов на свалке. Однако на основании Национальной стратегии иЕвропейской политики, касаюшейся отходов, они должны сортироваться, перерабатываться и компостироваться.В связи с этим детально проанализированы четыре разных сценария в качестве альтернатив существующей в городе Ясай системе обработки отходов с использованием применявшихся ранее и применяемых в настоящее времяальтернатив по обработке отходов, а также прогрессивных практик. Эффективность сценариев оценивалась наосновании анализа природоохранных аспектов касательно анализа цикла существования и с применением программного оборудования GaBi. Некоторые категории влияния на окружающую среду (окисление, эутрофикация,глобальное потепление, отравление людей, фотохимический потенциал образования озона, канцерогенные вещества, тяжелые металлы, зимний смог, фотохимическое формирование озона) оценивались на основании нескольких аспектов влияния, имеющихся в программе GaBi (CML 2001, CML 96, EDIP 2003, EI95). Проведенный анализподчеркивает важность границ системы при оценке влияния и применении процесса цикла существования, а также подборе оптимальных альтернатив обработки отходов. Reikšminiai žodžiai: aplinka, GaBi, būvio ciklo vertinimas, kietosios atliekos, atliekų tvarkymo technologijos Ключевые слова: окружающая среда, GaBi, оценка цикла существования, твердые отходы, технологии обработки отходо

Removal of Erythrosine B dye from water effluents using crop waste pumpkin seed hulls as adsorbent

Erythrosine B is widely used for coloring in various applications, especially in the food industry, despite its already proved toxicity and carcinogenicity. The agrowaste pumpkin seed hulls were applied as potential adsorbent for the removal of Erythrosine from aqueous solutions. Adsorption mechanism and kinetics were analyzed for design purposes. The seed hulls were characterized by specific techniques before and after dye retention. It was found that the attachment of Erythrosine B molecules on adsorbent surface may be attributed to the interactions between carboxyl and/or carbonyl groups of both dye and agrowaste wall components. A univariate approach followed by a factorial design was applied to study and analyze the experimental results as well as to estimate the combined effects of the process factors on the removal efficiency and dye uptake. Adsorption mechanism may be predominantly due to intraparticle diffusion, dependent on pore size. The four equilibrium models applied fitted the data well; the maximum adsorption capacity for Erythrosine was 16.4 mg/g. The results showed that adsorbent is effective for Erythrosine B removal for a large concentration range in aqueous solutions (5400 mg/L) in batch systems.This paper was elaborated with the support of a grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0559, Contract 265/2011. The authors are very grateful to Dr Luciana Pereira from University of Minho, Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering-Centre of Biological Engineering, Braga, Portugal for her substantial contribution and support during experimental investigation and paper elaboration

Thermodynamic study of Cd (II) sorption on soil

Sorption is a major process responsible for the fate of heavy metals in soils, since the mobility of heavy metals is directly related to their partitioning between the soil solid phase and soil solution. Among the heavy metals cadmium is one of the most toxic with adverse health effects. The objective of this study is to analyze the sorption of Cd(II) from aqueous solution on soil from the industrial area of the city of Iasi (Romania) as a function of temperature at natural pH of the solution using a batch technique. A maximum uptake of about 9.7 mg of cadmium per g of soil and aprox. 95 % removal of metal was observed at 20 g/L soil amount, 200 mg/L cadmium solution and 41 °C, with an equilibrium time of 24 hours. Sorption isotherm of Cd(II) on soil were represented by Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich models and the parameters indicated that the sorption of Cd(II) increased with increasing temperature of the system. Enthalpy (ΔH0 ), entropy (ΔS0 ) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG0 ) were calculated from the temperature dependent sorption data, and the results indicated that the sorption of Cd(II) on soil is a spontaneous, feasible and endothermic process

CORRELATION BETWEEN THE METABOLIC SYNDROME AND DEPRESSION IN REGARD OF POLYPATHOLOGY AND SPIRITUAL VIEW

Abstract Any disease can be regarded as a result of the influence of external factors, but also as a spiritual imbalance of the human being. The link between the metabolic syndrome and depression on the basis of this presumption was studied, considering the fact that the imbalance of the so called ‚matter" may have the origin in a spiritual imbalance and vice versa. In order to study the correlation between metabolic syndrome-depression, 66 patients with metabolic syndrome were chosen, to whom there were applied questionnaires for depression. The patients were selected during January 2012 and May 2012 in the V th Internal Medicine and Geriatrics-Gerontology Clinic, from the Railway Hospital Iasi. The preliminary data showed that depression (of different degrees) was associated to the 56 out of the 66 patients with metabolic syndrome (84.84%). The obese patients were the most affected suggesting the important part of the negative feelings (of unacceptance and self-rejection) played in their case. The ways of helping patients with these associated pathologies require a very complex approach, based on a interdisciplinary thinking and acting. Different medical specialists are needed, as well as a psychologist and even a father confessor, because cultivating Christian virtues will help patients fight stress, increase faith and love. Continuous prayer will balance their inner world, recreating it in health, peace and harmony

Evaluarea ciclului de viaţă a ambalajelor de carton ondulat

In this paper corrugated board packaging life cycle was evaluated with life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Two LCA methods were considered for the evaluation: CML 2001-Jan.2016 and ReCiPe 1.08, both included in GaBi software. Results showed that corrugated board packaging has negative impacts on the environment even if there were registered low values. Elimination methods like landfilling and incineration of corrugated board packaging waste are increasing the negative impacts on the environment, while recovery of packaging waste and their use in the corrugated board production leads to the reduction of these impactsand natural resources conservation

Analysis of environmental impact for industry products:Case study: paper manufacturing

Pulp and paper industry has a high environmental impact that occurs in all phases of the paper lifecycle, from fibre acquisition to manufacturing and final to disposal. Reducing paper consumption is an important step to diminish the environmental impacts. Substitution of virgin fibres with recovered fibres reduces the demand for wood and requires less energy. For evaluation of the environmental impacts and potential impacts associated with a paper product can be used various methodologies like lifecycle assessment (LCA). The goal of this paper is to determine the environmental performance of paper products technological process based on the evaluation of four scenarios: the first scenario consists in paper products manufactured from virgin fibre and the other three scenarios contain the manufacturing process of paper with recovered fibre as raw materials and with different environmental impacts (80%, 60% and 40%). The evaluation was realized using GaBi4 software that supports every stage of the analysis, from data collection to quantification of the results and highlights the performance of the evaluated processes. GaBi4 offers the possibility to characterize the inventory results in several impact categories based on different methodologies, such as: CML 2001, CML 96, EDIP 1997, EDIP 2003, EI99, etc

Environmental comparison of solid waste management systems: A case study of the cities of Iasi, Romania and Enschede, Netherlands.

Sustainable approach to solid waste management in any region can be achieved by integrated waste management systems. The waste management systems differ in developed and developing countries. The Netherlands has a unique waste management system, the Dutch approach to waste consist in “avoid waste as much as possible, recover the valuable raw materials from any waste that is created, try to generate energy by incinerating the residual waste, and only then dump what is left”. Netherlands is today among the leading countries in terms of waste management and especially in recycling solid waste. Compared with the waste situation from Netherlands the waste management in România is far behind. Landfilling of municipal solid waste is still the most used method to disposal of waste in Romania. The solid waste management sector in România is expected to develop in the coming years. In this paper environmental impact evaluation of these two different systems was realized with GaBi4 software

Electronic Cigarette Use and Its Relationship with Smoking and Alcohol and Illicit Drug Consumption among Romanian University Students

Background and objectives: This study assesses electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and its relationship with smoking and alcohol and illicit drug consumption among Romanian university students. Materials and methods: A cross sectional study using anonymous questionnaire was performed in 2017 among 400 university students from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Results: 95.5% of the participants had heard about e-cigarettes and 43.7% of these had tried e-cigarettes during their lifetime, while 8.9% declared using cigarettes in the previous month (one out of five students who had tried them during their lifetime). Half of the students had smoked during their lifetime and one third had smoked in the previous month. Eighty-five percent of participants had experimented alcohol intoxication during their lifetime and 45% had done so in the previous month, while illicit drug use during their lifetime and the previous month was 34% and 9.5%, respectively. The results of the linear regression analyses show a positive correlation between e-cigarette use, smoking, experimentation with alcohol intoxication, and the use of illicit drugs. Conclusions: Future studies as well as educational activities should address the complex relationship between e-cigarette and other substance use among Romanian youth