Evaluación del contenido de Sulfuros Ácidos Volátiles y Metales Extraídos Simultáneamente en los sedimentos de L'Albufera de Valencia. Modelación matemática de procesos biogeoquímicos en el perfil del sedimento

Los sedimentos presentes en el fondo de las masas de agua se forman de manera natural por deposición de partículas desde la columna de agua. El desequilibrio del aporte natural de sedimentos, inducido en numerosas ocasiones por actividades humanas, genera impactos negativos en las masas de agua receptoras, relacionados tanto con la cantidad de los sedimentos como con la calidad de los mismos. Con relación a la calidad, la tendencia a fijarse a la fase sólida de algunos contaminantes, como los metales pesados, favorece su retirada del agua mediante sedimentación por lo que, en este sentido, la sedimentación juega un papel importante en el mantenimiento de la calidad del agua. Sin embargo, este efecto no puede considerarse positivo ya que implica la acumulación de metales en el sedimento y dado que no son biodegradables permanecerán en el sedimento por largos periodos de tiempo, pudiendo ejercer efectos adversos sobre la comunidad biológica. Una vez en el sedimento, la concentración de metal libre en el agua intersticial estará controlada por diversos procesos (adsorción/desorción, precipitación/disolución, absorción/ mineralización, complejación) y dependerá de la disponibilidad de ligandos y de la afinidad de los metales por éstos. En condiciones anóxicas, la presencia de sulfuros posibilita la formación de sulfuros metálicos muy insolubles. Este escenario fue empleado por diversos autores para desarrollar un indicador de la toxicidad potencial del sedimento en función de la disponibilidad de sulfuros, medidos como sulfuros ácidos volátiles (AVS), para mantener los metales divalentes, medidos como metales extraídos simultáneamente (SEM), en forma de sulfuros metálicos. En la presente tesis doctoral se estudian nuevos aspectos, no abordados hasta el momento, sobre los sedimentos del lago de la Albufera, una masa de agua de incalculable valor ecológico que presenta actualmente un estado hipereutrófico, encontrándose lejos del buen potencial ecológico requerido por la Directiva Marco de Aguas. La parte troncal de la tesis es la evaluación de la disponibilidad de AVS para mantener los metales inmovilizados en forma de sulfuros metálicos. Asimismo se han determinado otros componentes importantes del sedimento como el contenido total de los metales estudiados (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb y Zn), el contenido de materia orgánica, la fracción de limos, la demanda bioquímica de oxígeno del mismo o la potencial capacidad de liberación de nutrientes y metales al agua. El trabajo se ha estructurado en dos fases, una fase preliminar en la que se ha estudiado el sedimento superficial del lago y su entorno, y una segunda fase en la que se ha estudiado el perfil en profundidad del sedimento. El estudio del perfil del sedimento ha sido complementado con el desarrollo de un modelo matemático que incorpora los principales procesos biogeoquímicos del sedimento que afectan a los sulfuros y los metales. Los resultados obtenidos refuerzan y actualizan la información conocida hasta el momento sobre la calidad de los sedimentos como el alto contenido de materia orgánica, una proporción de limos elevada con una gran capacidad de fijación de metales o concentraciones de metales pesados que varían entre los niveles de fondo y altas concentraciones, y amplían aspectos clave como la disponibilidad de AVS para mantener precipitados los metales, pero con una tendencia a su disminución, una demanda de oxígeno y una potencial liberación de nutrientes importantes y liberación relativamente baja de Zn. El estudio del perfil ha mostrado una capa superficial, de entre 20 y 30 cm de espesor, más contaminada en los puntos perimetrales del lago. Los niveles de metales medidos han resultado no tóxicos en base al indicador AVS-SEM pero con probabilidades altas de toxicidad para Ni y Zn principalmente, según las clásicas guías de calidad de sedimentoHernández Crespo, C. (2013). Evaluación del contenido de Sulfuros Ácidos Volátiles y Metales Extraídos Simultáneamente en los sedimentos de L'Albufera de Valencia. Modelación matemática de procesos biogeoquímicos en el perfil del sedimento [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/34787TESI

Guía didáctica sobre diseño de humedales artificiales

En los últimos años se ha observado un creciente interés por parte de los estudiantes de diversas ingenierías (civil, ambiental, industrial...) en desarrollar sus Trabajos Finales de Grado (TFG) o de Máster (TFM) en el ámbito de las tecnologías ambientales basadas en la naturaleza (NBS, por sus siglas en inglés). Entre ellas, el diseño de humedales artificiales es uno de los temas más habituales. Los humedales artificiales son sistemas de tratamiento que se pueden emplear para depurar distintos tipos de aguas residuales o contaminadas. En esta guía se recogen los principales criterios de diseño, recomendados en manuales internacionales y nacionales, realizando un énfasis especial en el porqué de éstos. La explicación de los criterios de diseño viene acompañada de ejercicios y ejemplos, para ayudar al lector a lograr una mejor comprensión.Hernández Crespo, C.; Martín Monerris, M. (2023). Guía didáctica sobre diseño de humedales artificiales. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/REA.2023.665301Recursos Educativos Abiertos edUP

The role of different sustainable urban drainage systems in removing microplastics from urban runoff: A review

[EN] Urban runoff is considered an important source of microplastic pollution. This review provides an in-depth analysis of studies that assess the role of sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) as nature-based solutions, to tackle this worldwide problem. Sedimentation-based systems, such as wetlands or ponds, and filtrationbased systems, such as bioretention cells or gardens, as well as permeable pavements have been shown to effectively retain a significant number of MPs. Nevertheless, it is considered that efficiencies can be enhanced through some design improvements, proposed in this review. Polypropylene, Polyethylene terephthalate, Polyethylene and Polystyrene, are the most frequent and abundant polymers in urban runoff, due to high consumption in a wide variety of urban products and activities. Smaller particles and fibers are the most challenging fraction. Maximum rainfall intensity, antecedent dry days, rainfall depth, land use, dwelling density, imperviousness, hydraulic loading, SUDS age, and the presence of forebays or gross pollutant traps have been influential variables on the abundance of MPs in some of the studies, although not always statistically significant. The assessment of the fate of MPs by some studies indicates that they are more concentrated in the sediment or filter media near the inlet, as well as in the shallower layers. The existence of a similar behaviour and a correlation between total suspended solids and microplastic concentration, makes them a potential indicator of microplastic pollution. A wide variability of microplastic detection methods and reporting data format has been found, which makes it difficult to draw global conclusions. Measures to reduce microplastic pollution in urban areas and subjects for further research are finally suggested.This research has been developed within the ENGODRAIN (Ref. RTI2018-094217-B-C31) and SUDSLong-VLC (Ref. PID2021-122946OB-C32) projects, both funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/and "ERDF Away of making Europe". Eduardo Garcia-Haba appreciates the pre-doctoral grant Ref. PRE2019-089409 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by "ESF Investing in your future".García-Haba, E.; Hernández Crespo, C.; Martín Monerris, M.; Andrés-Doménech, I. (2023). The role of different sustainable urban drainage systems in removing microplastics from urban runoff: A review. Journal of Cleaner Production. 411:1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.13719711341

Biokinetic model for nitrogen removal in free water surface constructed wetlands

[EN] In this article, a mechanistic biokinetic model for nitrogen removal in free water surface constructed wetlands treating eutrophic water was developed, including organic matter performance due to its importance in nitrogen removal by denitrification. Ten components and fourteen processes were introduced in order to simulate the forms of nitrogen and organic matter, the mechanisms of autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms in both aerobic and anoxic conditions, as well as macrophytes nitrogen uptake and release. Dissolved oxygen was introduced as an input variable with a time step of 0.5 days for mimicking eutrophic environments: aerobic conditions were assigned during daylight hours and anoxic conditions during the night. The sensitivity analysis showed that the most influential parameters were those related to the growth of heterotrophic and autotrophic microorganisms. The model was properly calibrated and validated in two full scale systems working in real conditions for treating eutrophic water from Lake L'Albufera (Valencia). In the studied systems, ammonium was mainly removed by the growth of autotrophic microorganisms (nitrification) whereas nitrate was removed by the anoxic growth of heterotrophic microorganisms (denitrification). Macrophyte uptake removed between 9 and 19% of the ammonium entering to the systems, although degradation of dead standing macrophytes returned a significant part to water column.We would like to acknowledge the support of Confederation Hidrografica del Jucar (CHJ, MMARM) and the staff members in Tancat de la Pipa. We also acknowledge the anonymous reviewers and the editor for their valuable comments to improve this paper.Gargallo Bellés, S.; Martín Monerris, M.; Oliver Rajadel, N.; Hernández Crespo, C. (2017). Biokinetic model for nitrogen removal in free water surface constructed wetlands. The Science of The Total Environment. 587:145-156. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.089S14515658

Sedimentation and resuspension modelling in free water surface constructed wetlands

[EN] Eutrophication is a widespread problem that is being tackled from many perspectives and the recently applied technology of constructed wetlands is being used in the treatment of eutrophic water. However, process-based models to simulate their performance are scarce, so in this work a mechanistic model was developed to simulate the removal of total suspended solids, phytoplankton and total phosphorus in free water surface constructed wetlands treating eutrophic water. The model represents the influence of the main factors of the biotope and biota on these water quality variables, and particular attention is paid to resuspension produced by wind and by avifauna. Likewise, the effect of emergent vegetation cover in sedimentation, resuspension and phytoplankton growth is included. Phytoplankton is considered to store phosphorus internally in order to use it when growing, and the contribution of phytoplankton concentration to the suspended solids budget is included. The software AQUASIM was used to calibrate and validate the model in two full-scale constructed wetlands treating eutrophic water from Lake l'Albufera de Valencia (Spain) for three years. The simulated data and field measurements showed satisfactory adjustments for the three studied variables. The budgets obtained for each variable reveal that sedimentation and resuspension are the main processes in total suspended solids performance. Sedimentation of organic particulate phosphorus is the most important process in total phosphorus removal. The sum of the effect of resuspension by avifauna and by wind increases by more than 50% the quantity of solids that enters the water column. The model reveals that simulating the effects of the emergent vegetation cover and resuspension is crucial for representing the performance of the studied variables. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.We would like to strongly thank to Pablo Vera (SEO/BirdLife ) for him collaboration with waterfowl monitoring and data analysis and to Maria Antonia Rodrigo and Matilde Segura (ICBiBE, Universitat de València) for collecting Chl a data. We would also like acknowledge the support of Confederación Hidrográfica de Júcar (CHJ, MMARM) and the staff members in Tancat de la Pipa.Gargallo Bellés, S.; Martín Monerris, M.; Oliver Rajadel, N.; Hernández Crespo, C. (2016). Sedimentation and resuspension modelling in free water surface constructed wetlands. Ecological Engineering. 98:318-329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.09.014S3183299

Numerical simulation of vertical flow wetlands with special emphasis on treatment performance during winter

[EN] In Austria, single-stage vertical flow (VF) wetlands with intermittent loading are a state-of-the-art technology for treating domestic wastewater. They are designed according to the Austrian design standard with a specific surface area of 4 m(2) per person (i.e. 20 g COD/(m(2).d)) and thus demand a bigger amount of land to treat the same amount of wastewater compared to intensified technical treatment systems. In order to reduce the amount of land needed, a modified design for VF wetlands has been proposed. The modified design has a specific surface area of 2.5 m(2) per person (i.e. 32 g COD/(m(2).d)) and it has been shown to be able to meet the Austrian effluent requirements. To allow higher organic loading, more loadings per day but lower volume of a single loading, a constant loading interval, and increased number of openings per m(2) are applied. A simulation study using the HYDRUS Wetland Module was carried out to compare the treatment efficiencies of single-stage VF wetlands with classical and modified design. Data from a classical Austrian single-stage VF wetland was used for calibration of the model using the standard parameter set for the CW2D biokinetic model. The influent COD fractionation was calibrated to adapt to the wastewater. The simulations showed a good performance of the modified design compared to a classical VF wetland for COD removal with COD effluent concentrations in winter (effluent water temperature of 4.5 degrees C) of 35 and 29 mg/L, respectively. The simulation study showed that during high-loading events the VF wetland with modified design has lower maximum NH4-N effluent concentrations. Single-stage VF wetlands with modified design seem to be very effective and allow application of higher organic loads compared to single-stage VF wetlands with classical design.The stay of Alba Canet Marti in Vienna was funded by an ERASMUS+ scholarship. The authors are grateful for the support.Canet, A.; Pucher, B.; Hernández Crespo, C.; Martín Monerris, M.; Langergraber, G. (2018). Numerical simulation of vertical flow wetlands with special emphasis on treatment performance during winter. Water Science & Technology. 78(9):2019-2026. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2018.479S2019202678

Evaluación de la toxicidad de efluentes del lavado y del tratamiento inencogible de la lana en peces: Dosis letales y observaciones hemáticas.

La industria lanera genera diferentes tipos de efluentes durante los procesos y tratamientos del vellón desde su obtención hasta su conversión en fibra empleada en el tejido. Dos de los más importantes procesos aplicados a la lana son el lavado y el tratamiento inencogible. La producción de efluentes en el lavado resulta de los siguientes procesos: mojado y desgrasado, y lavado completo del vellón. En algunos de ellos se utilizan agentes tales como bicarbonato sódico y un detergente no iónico. En el tratamiento inencogible es importante resaltar la utilización de compuestos de cloro. En la evaluación de la toxicidad de estos efluentes en peces, se han llevado a cabo ensayos detoxicidad agudos y subcrónicos y se han estudiado los efectos en Oncorhynchus mykiss y en Brachydanio rerio.The wool industry generates different kinds of effluents throughout the processing and treatment of the fleece from its obtaining to its conversion into the fibre employed in the fabric. Two of the most important treatments applied to wool are the scouring and shrinkproofing processes. The effluent production in the scouring results from the following processes: sweating and degreasing washing, and complete washing of fleece. In some of these processes some agents as builder and nonionic detergent take part. In the shrinkproofing treatment ir is important to note the utilization of chloride compounds. In order to evaluate the toxicity of these effluents to fish, acute and subchronic toxicity tests were carried out, and the effects on Oncorhynchus mykiss and Brachydanio were studied.L'industrie de la laine génére differentes types d'effluents pendant les procedés et traitements du flocon de laine, dépuis l'obtention jusqu'à la conversion en fibre ou tissu. Les deux procedés les plus importants appliqués a la laine sont le lavage et le traitement irrétrécisable. La production d'effluents dans le lavage provient des opérations de mouillure ou trempage et de dégraissage, et du lavage complet du flocon de laine. Il faut rémarquer la presence des agents tels comme le bicarbonate de sodium et un détergent non ionique. Dans le traitement irrétrécisable de la laine est important l'utilization des composés au chlore. Des essais de toxicité aigue et subchronique ont été efectues en étudiant les effets sur Oncorhynchus mykiss et sur Brachydanio rerio.Peer Reviewe

Influence of rainfall intensity and pollution build-up levels on water quality and quantity response of permeable pavements

[EN] Permeable pavements are part of stormwater management practices known as sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS). This study describes the influence of several environmental variables, such as the rainfall regime or the pollution build-up level, on the hydraulic and water quality performance of permeable pavements. Four infiltrometers with different configurations of pavement layers were used to study the influence of two rainfall regimes (Atlantic and Mediterranean) and two rainfall intensities (0.5 and 2.2 nn/min). The influence of the progressive pollution build-up level was studied by dry sprinkling of road deposited sediments collected with a mechanical street sweeper with a dose of 5 g/m(2)/d. The results show that permeable pavements retained a significant rainwater volume and improved the infiltrated water quality in terms of suspended solids, organic matter and nutrients when compared to the corresponding surface runoff potentially generated from an impervious pavement. The volume of rainwater retained inside them varied between 16 and 66% depending on the variables studied. The water infiltrated from permeable pavements subjected to a Mediterranean rainfall regime contained, in general, higher concentrations of organic matter (22 to 89 mg Chemical Oxygen Demand/l) and nutrients (0.6 to 2.1 mg Total Nitrogen/l and 0.05 to 045 mg Total Phosphorus/l) than those under Atlantic regime. However, the latter infiltrated higher loadings in terms of mass. Nitrogen was the substance that infiltrated the most, reaching a 25% of the total mass of nitrogen deposited on the pavements surface. The concentration and mass loading in infiltrated water increased as the pollution build-up level did. The leachability of nutrients and organic matter was greater for high rainfall intensities. The results suggest that it is essential to carry out an adequate cleaning in dry conditions, especially when high intensity rainfall events are foreseen, because of its greater capacity to mobilize pollutants.This research was funded through the SUPRIS-SUPeI (Ref. BIA201565240-C2-2-R MINECO/ERDF, UE), financed by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Miriam Fernandez-Gonzalvo has a pre-doctoral contract funded by Generalitat Valenciana within the framework of the Program for the promotion of scientific research, technological development and innovation in the Valencian Community (ACIF/2018/111-FSECV 2014-2020). Authors would like to thank the manufacturer QUADRO for yielding paving stones and information on their composition for the research.Hernández Crespo, C.; Fernández-Gonzalvo, MI.; Martín Monerris, M.; Andrés Doménech, I. (2019). Influence of rainfall intensity and pollution build-up levels on water quality and quantity response of permeable pavements. The Science of The Total Environment. 2019(684):303-313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.271S303313201968

Active methodologies for deep learning in sustainable development goals

[EN] The general objective of this project was to improve the quality of student learning, from the point of view of a global objective, sustainable development, and therefore aligned with the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). It is intended that students achieve deep learning in this area, favouring the transfer of the knowledge acquired to their future professional and social life. This deep learning promotes the integral development of the student, not only from an academic point of view, but also social and ecological. Project Based Learning (PBL), as an active learning methodology, is being widely used as a deep learning strategy. In this project, it has been used in several subjects, from different degrees, schools, and campus. The learning strategies have been evaluated by means of a learning evaluation questionnaire (CEVEAPEU) before and after the application of the PBL. In addition, student satisfaction and generic skills (i.e. ethical, environmental and professional responsibility) have been assessed. The project aims to find a solution a specific real case, such as an environmental or social problem. The results show that PBL has favoured the cooperative work of students and has increased their motivation. The students could select the topics that interest them the most and that they consider important in their professional future. They have worked collaboratively and actively, planning the project, making decisions, implementing it, and evaluating it. The students have ¿acted¿ and the teachers have been advisors or guides, thus promoting intrinsic motivation. This active methodology has allowed students to learn in a collaborative and cooperative way, fostering their motivation and achieving deep learning in environmental aspects.The project of innovation and educational improvement in which this communication is framed has received financial support from the Institute of Education Sciences (ICE) of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) Proyecto de Innovación y Mejora Educativa (PIME/19-20/174 ), Objetivo Agenda 2030 y UPV 2020: Aprendizaje ambiental profundo en la UPV.Romero Gil, I.; Paches Giner, MAV.; Sebastiá-Frasquet, M.; Hernández Crespo, C. (2021). Active methodologies for deep learning in sustainable development goals. IATED Academy. 5506-5513. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2021.1115S5506551

Aplicación de metodologías activas para mejora del aprendizaje y desarrollo de competencias transversales. Experiencia en una asignatura de calidad de aguas de máster universitario

[EN] Integration in the European Higher Education Area requires the implementation of active learning methodologies that focus on the student and promote the development of transversal competences. In the present study the experience carried out in a subject of University Master is exposed. The active methodologies applied are the resolution of practical cases and the field visit where various activities are carried out to recognize in situ the knowledge acquired in the classroom. The results of a specific survey completed by the students at the end of the course are very positive, indicating a good acceptance of the applied methodologies. The grades obtained by the students in the evaluation activities also show that the learning has been deep and that different transversal competences have been adequately worked.[ES] La integración en el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior requiere la implementación de metodologías activas de aprendizje, que centren el protagonismo en el alumno y fomenten el desarrollo de competencias transversales. En el presente estudio se expone la experiencia llevada a cabo en una asignatura de Máster Universitario. Las metodologías activas aplicadas son la resolución de casos prácticos y la visita de campo durante la que se realizan diversas actividades para reconocer in situ los conocimientos adquiridos en el aula. Los resultados de una encuesta específica cumplimentada por los estudiantes al finalizar el curso son muy positivos, indicando una buena aceptación de las metodologías aplicadas. Las calificaciones obtenidas por los alumnos en las actividades de evaluación también muestran que el aprendizaje ha sido profundo y que se han trabajado adecuadamente diversas competencias transversales.Hernández Crespo, C.; Martín Monerris, M.; Paredes Arquiola, J. (2017). Aplicación de metodologías activas para mejora del aprendizaje y desarrollo de competencias transversales. Experiencia en una asignatura de calidad de aguas de máster universitario. En In-Red 2017. III Congreso Nacional de innovación educativa y de docencia en red. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 897-904. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2017.2017.6813OCS89790