Effects of different operating conditions on sediment slurry sequencing batch reactors treating marine port sediments contaminated by PAHs

Due to intensive anthropic activities, marine port sediments are often contaminated by organic pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which represent a significant environmental threat. In this study, two sediment slurry sequencing batch reactors (SS-SBRs) were used to biologically degrade a mixture of PAHs (namely fluorene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene) from marine sediments dredged from Cagliari (Italy) and El Kantaoui (Tunisia) ports. To enhance PAHs removal by biostimulation, nutrients were added in both sediments, acetate was used as co-substrate (El Kantaoui, SS-SBR1), and saponins were used as surfactants (Cagliari, SS-SBR2). Moreover, different levels of contamination (up to 200 mgPAHtot/kgdw in SS-SBR1; up to 400 mgPAHtot/kgdw in SS-SBR2) and solid to liquid ratios (S/L, up to 0.2 in SS-SBR1; up to 0.1 in SS-SBR2) were applied. As to SS-SBR1, the highest removal efficiencies (99-100% and 98-100% for 3- and 4-ring PAHs, respectively) were achieved when the level of contamination and S/L were set at 200 mgPAH-tot/kgdw and 0.1, 150 mgPAH-tot/kgdw and 0.13, and 150 mgPAH-tot/kgdw and 0.20, respectively; as to SS-SBR2, very high removal efficiencies (99÷100% and 98÷100% for 3- and 4-ring PAHs, respectively) were observed during the whole experimental campaign. Such results are promising and provide a useful background for testing other important operating parameters (e.g., the volumetric exchange ratio)

Ammonium recovery from agro-industrial digestate using bioelectrochemical systems

Abstract Growing food and biomass production at the global scale has determined a corresponding increase in the demand for and use of nutrients. In this study, the possibility of recovering nitrogen from agro-industrial digestate using bioelectrochemical systems was investigated: two microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) were fed with synthetic and real digestate (2.5 gNH4+-N L−1). Carbon felt and granular graphite were used as anodes in MEC-1 and MEC-2, respectively. As to synthetic wastewater, the optimal nitrogen load (NL) for MEC-1 and -2 was 1.25 and 0.75 gNH4+-N d−1, respectively. MEC-1 showed better performance in terms of NH4+-N removal efficiency (39 ± 2.5%) and recovery rate (up to 70 gNH4+-N m−2d−1), compared to MEC-2 (33 ± 4.7% and up to 30 gN m−2d−1, respectively). At the optimal hydraulic retention time, lower NH4+-N removal efficiencies and recovery rates were observed when real digestate was fed to MEC-1 (29 ± 6.6% and 60 ± 13 gNH4+-N m−2d−1, respectively) and MEC-2 (21 ± 7.9% and 10 ± 3.6 gNH4+-N m−2d−1, respectively), likely due to the higher complexity of the influent. The average energy requirements were 3.6–3.7 kWh kgNremoved−1, comparable with values previously reported in the literature and lower than conventional ammonia recovery processes. Results are promising and may reduce the need for costly and polluting processes for nitrogen synthesis

Efficient Nitrogen Recovery from Agro-Energy Effluents for Cyanobacteria Cultivation (Spirulina)

The present study aimed to obtain an efficient liquid nitrogen fertilizer from the by-product of anaerobic digestion for its subsequent use in the production of cyanobacteria (Spirulina). A simple recovery technology was tested based on the stripping and acid absorption, modifying temperature (50 and 70 degrees C) and pH (10 and 12), of the ammonia nitrogen contained in the digestate produced in a large-scale plant treating livestock manure and grass silage. The results demonstrated how, at a relatively low temperature (50 degrees C), using sulfuric and citric acid solution, it is possible to recover nitrogen from a digestate in the form of ammonium sulfate and ammonium citrate with yields of 70% and 72.1% respectively. By carrying out Spirulina growth tests, promising results were obtained under semicontinuous production, with a maximum dry biomass daily productivity of 0.344 g L-1 day(-1) with ammonium sulfate and 0.246 gDW L-1 day(-1) with ammonium citrate. The results showed that nitrogen can be efficiently recovered on site by using the organic acid, digestate and waste heat from anaerobic digestion for Spirulina biomass production

Nomenclatural synopsis of cirsium sect. Eriolepis (asteraceae) in Italy

The names of the Italian taxa in Cirsium sect. Eriolepis are discussed. The accepted names are: Cirsium echinatum, C. eriophorum subsp. eriophorum, C. eriophorum subsp. spathulatum, C. ferox, C. italicum, C. lacaitae, C. lobelii, C. morisianum, C. scabrum, C. tenoreanum, C. vallis-demonii subsp. vallis-demonii, C. vallis-demonii subsp. calabrum comb. nov., and C. vulgare (= C. crinitum, C. sylvaticum). Four accepted names are typified by specimens preserved at FI (one lectotype), G (one lectotype and one neotype), P (one lectotype), and by illustrations (two lectotypes). Several other heterotypic synonyms of taxa described from Italy are discussed and six of them are typified. A new combination and status are proposed: C. vallis-demonii subsp. calabrum, based on C. eriophorum var. vallisdemonii f. calabrum

Bioleaching of Valuable Elements from Red Mud: A Study on the Potential of Non-Enriched Biomass

Red mud (RM) is the main residue produced by the alkaline extraction of alumina (Al2O3) from bauxite, and it contains valuable metals such as iron (Fe), aluminium (Al), titanium (Ti), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), rare earth elements, etc. This research aimed to investigate the biologically induced leaching of some valuable elements from raw RM without preliminary biomass enrichment and inoculum, simultaneously reducing RM polluting potential and extracting metals for their subsequent recovery within a circular economy-based approach. In addition to the missing inoculum, such an approach is challenging since high RM alkalinity and pH, as well as the absence of any sulphides, constrain the use of the most common biohydrometallurgical techniques. Red Muds from two European locations were tested (RM-I and RM-II, respectively). Bioleaching tests were performed at different temperatures (T = 22 & DEG;C and 28 & DEG;C; and also 15 & DEG;C for RM-II) and solid-to-liquid ratios (S/L = 2%, 5%). A sudden drop in pH from alkaline to constant neutral/acidic values was observed in almost all tests, and such results were attributed to biological activity since abiotic tests did not show any pH decrease. The best results in terms of extraction were achieved with RM-II, in particular for Al, Mg and Mn (17%, 42% and 47%, respectively). At 2% S/L, the highest temperature allowed for a better metal release, while at 5% S/L, the highest extraction of Al, Mg and Ti was observed at 22 & DEG;C. As expected, iron was less available to leach at the achieved pH values, as it was mostly present as hematite in both RMs. Finally, the first microbiological characterisation of the autochthonous biomass selected during the bioleaching treatment of RM was provided

Impacts of Anthropogenic Pollutants on Benthic Prokaryotic Communities in Mediterranean Touristic Ports

Ports and marinas are central nodes in transport network and play a strategic role in coastal development. They receive pollution from land-based sources, marine traffic and port infrastructures on one side and constitute a potential pollution source for the adjacent coastal areas on the other. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of organic and inorganic co-contamination on the prokaryotic communities in sediments from three Mediterranean ports. The structure and composition of the bacterial and archaeal communities were assessed by targeted metagenomic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, and the links of prokaryotic communities with environmental and pollution variables were investigated. The harbors presented pronounced site-specificity in the environmental properties and pollution status. Consistently, the structure of archaeal and bacterial communities in surface sediments exhibited a strong spatial variation among the three investigated ports. On the contrary, a wide overlap in composition of prokaryotic assemblages among sites was found, but local variation in the community composition and loss of prokaryotic diversity was highlighted in a heavily impacted port sector near a shipyard. We provided evidences that organic matter, metals and PAHs as well as temperature and salinity play a strong role in structuring benthic bacterial communities significantly contributing to the understanding of their responses to anthropogenic perturbations in marine coastal areas. Among metals, copper was recognized as strongly associated with the observed changes in bacterial assemblages. Overall, this study provides the first assessment of the effects exerted by multiple organic and inorganic contaminations on benthic prokaryotes in ports over a large spatial scale and designates bacterial community as a candidate tool for the monitoring of the sediment quality status in harbors

Prognostic factors facilitating multiple food allergies and atopiv march occurrence in children with Non-IgE mediated gastrointestinal Food Allergy: results of two years follow up of the NIGEFA project

Objectives and Study: Non-IgE mediated gastrointestinal food allergies (non-IgE-GIFA) are an increasing problem in pediatric gastroenterology clinical practice. These conditions include food protein-induced: enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), enteropathy (FPE), allergic proctocolitis (FPIAP), and motility disorders (FPIMD). The NIGEFA project is focused on the investigation of main clinical features, prognostic factors (presence atopic dermatitis (AD), multiple food allergies, diagnostic delay, and familial history of allergy), and natural history (atopic march (AM) prevalence and timing of immune tolerance acquisition). Methods: Prospective observational study evaluating children with non-IgE-GIFA diagnosed according to standard criteria observed at a tertiary center for pediatric gastroenterology and allergy (both sexes, aged <36 m, follow up 12 m after diagnosis). Main anamnestic, demographic, and clinical data were collected from all enrolled patients. Immune tolerance acquisition was evaluated by the result of oral food challenge. Results: A total of 100 patients were enrolled: 58% male, mean age at diagnosis (SD) 8.5(8.8) m. Non-IgE-GIFA conditions were: FPE (44%), FPIES (11%), FPIAP (18%), FPIMD (27%). Mean diagnostic delay was 5.3 (7.4) m. Multiple non-IgE-GIFA were observed in 47% at baseline. Familial history of allergy was observed in 64% of subjects. Presence of AD before the onset of non-IgE-GIFA was observed in 40% of subjects. The overall rate of immune tolerance acquisition at 12 m was 27%, with a higher rate in FPIAP (44%) compared with FPIMD (29.6%), FPE (22.7%) and FPIES (9.1%) subjects (p<0.05). The rate of immune tolerance acquisition at 12 m was significantly lower in children with familial history of allergy (-48%, estimated risk ratio (RR)0.52 (95% CI 0.28 to 0.99, p<0.05)) and in those with multiple non-IgE-GIFA (-61%, RR at 12 m 0.39 (95% CI 0.18 to 0.85, p<0.05)). At 12 m follow up, the rate of subjects presenting AM was 24% with no difference among the 4 disease groups. The occurrence of AM was significantly higher in subjects with multiple (38%) vs. mono non-IgE-GIFA (11%) (p<.001) at baseline, with an estimated RR of 3.38 (95% CI 1.47 to 7.81, p<0.01) at 12 m. Moreover, for every 1-month of diagnostic delay there was an increase of 1.04 RR(95% CI 1.01 to 1.07) of AM occurrence at 12 m. No associations with other potential predictors (sex, familial allergy risk, AD before the onset of GIFA, type of non-IgE-GIFA) were found. Conclusions: These data shed lights on prognostic factors and natural history of non-IgE-GIFA suggesting the importance of early diagnosis in preventing the occurrence of AM occurrence in these patients. Contac

Sopravvivenza di microrganismi potenzialmente patogeni su superfici porcellanate

È stata valutata la capacità di sopravvivere sulla superficie inerte porcellanata di tazzine da caffè di quattro microrganismi potenzialmente patogeni (Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli). Dopo inoculazione è stata dimostrata capacità di sopravvivenza fino a 24 ore di Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus ma non di Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli. Questi dati suggeriscono il potenziale ruolo patogeno giocato dalle superfici di stoviglie di largo uso nella trasmissione di infezioni da alcuni microrganismi gram-positivi