UCGWATER+: un proyecto europeo para el desarrollo de estrategias de descontaminación de aguas procedentes de la gasificación subterránea del carbón y otras actividades industriales

This project is funded by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) of the European Union (EU) under Grant Agreement No. 101033964.Peer reviewe

Anti-inflammatory effects of the diet

Proces zapalny rozwija się w odpowiedzi na czynnik zapaleniotwórczy. Może on być fizyczny, chemiczny lub biologiczny. W czasie zapalenia produkowane i uwalniane są liczne mediatory prozapalne z komórek uczestniczących w procesie.Celem pracy jest wykazanie wpływu diety na proces zapalny w oparciu o patogenezę wybranych chorób o patomechanizmie zapalnym i procesu starzenia oraz scharakteryzowanie wybranych składników pokarmowych, które działają przeciwzapalnie, w oparciu o analizę literatury naukowej.Analizowane artykuły wykorzystane do przygotowania pracy były nie starsze niż z 2000 roku, w języku polskim i angielskim oraz wyszukiwane w bazach danych takich jak Pubmed, Embase, a także w Scholar Google. Stan zapalny może mieć charakter ostry lub przewlekły. Ten drugi nie jest korzystny dla organizmu, może on być predyktorem wielu chorób, takich jak otyłość, cukrzyca, miażdżyca czy depresja. Także podczas starzenia się organizmu toczy się przewlekły stan zapalny. Aby przeciwdziałać procesowi zapalnemu, należy zadbać o skład mikrobioty jelitowej za pomocą probiotyków i prebiotyków (błonnik pokarmowy). Składniki diety, które wpływają hamująco na zapalenie to: kwasy omega-3, polifenole, w tym resweratrol, kurkumina, flawonoidy; witaminy C, D, E, A oraz prowitamina witaminy A – β-karoten; cynk, selen, glutation, bromelina. Dieta prawidłowo zbilansowana i bogata w substancje o działaniu przeciwzapalnym, probiotyki i prebiotyki są kluczowe dla ograniczenia rozwoju procesu zapalnego w organizmie.The inflammatory process develops in response to an inflammatory factor. It can be physical, chemical or biological. During inflammation, numerous proinflammatory mediators are produced and released by the cells involved in the process.The aim of the study is to present the influence of diet on the inflammatory process based on the pathogenesis of selected diseases with an inflammatory pathomechanism and aging phenomenon as well as to present nutrients that posses anti-inflammatory properties based on the analysis of the scientific literature.The analyzed articles used to prepare the graduate work were not older than 2000, in Polish and English, and were searched in databases such as Pubmed, Embase, as well as in Google Scholar.Inflammation can be acute or chronic. The second one is not beneficial for the organism and can be a predictor factor for many diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis and depression. Chronic inflammation also develops during the aging process. In order to counteract the inflammatory process, it is necessary to take care of the composition of the intestinal microbiota using probiotics and prebiotics (dietary fiber). Dietary ingredients that are known inhibit inflammation are: omega-3 acids, polyphenols, including resveratrol, curcumin, flavonoids; vitamins C, D, E, A and vitamin A provitamin - β-carotene; zinc, selenium, glutathione, bromelain.A properly balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory substances, probiotics and prebiotics are crucial for limiting the development of the inflammatory processes in organism

Material and Energy Flow Analysis (Mefa) of the Unconventional Method of Electricity Production Based on Underground Coal Gasification

Purpose: In this paper, the application of Umberto NXT LCA software to devise a Material and Energy Flow Analyses (MEFA) for the technology of producing electricity from gas extracted in the process of shaftless underground coal gasification is presented. The Material Flow Analyses of underground coal gasification includes a range of technology, through obtaining process gas and its purification, to electricity production, and, additionally, the capture of carbon dioxide. Methods: To evaluate electricity production based on Underground Coal Gasification, Material and Energy Flow Analyses (MEFA) was used. Modeling material and energy flow helps a high level of efficiency or technology of a given process to be reached, through the effective use of resources and energy, or waste management. The applied software for modeling material flow enables, not only, the simulation of industrial processes, but also the simulation of any process with a material or energy flow, e.g. in agriculture. Results: MEFA enabled the visualization of material and energy flow between individual unit processes of the technology of electricity production from UCG gas. An analysis of material and energy flow networks presented in the form of Sankey diagrams enabled the identification of unit processes with the biggest consumption of raw materials and energy, and the greatest amount of emissions to the environment. Practical implications: Thanks to applying material and energy flow networks with Umberto software, it is possible to visualize the flow of materials and energy in an analyzed system (process/technology). The visualization can be presented in the form of an inventory list of input and output data, or in the form of a Sankey diagram. In the article, a Sankey diagram has been utilized. MEFA is first stage of the plan to conduct analyses using Umberto software. The analyses performed so far will be used in the following stages of the research to assess the environmental impact using the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) technique, to analyze costs using the LCC (Life Cycle Cost) technique, and to analyze eco-efficiency. It is important to highlight the fact that this is the first attempt of material and energy flow analysis of electricity production from UCG gas. Originality/value: This is the first approach which contains a whole chain of electricity production from Underground Coal Gasification, including stages of gas cleaning, electricity production and the additional capture of carbon dioxide

Are Wetlands as an Integrated Bioremediation System Applicable for the Treatment of Wastewater from Underground Coal Gasification Processes?

Underground coal gasification (UCG) can be considered as one of the clean coal technologies. During the process, the gas of industrial value is produced, which can be used to produce heat and electricity, liquid fuels or can replace natural gas in chemistry. However, UCG does carry some environmental risks, mainly related to potential negative impacts on surface and groundwater. Wastewater and sludge from UCG contain significant amounts of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, ammonia, cyanides and hazardous metals such as arsenic. This complicated matrix containing high concentrations of hazardous pollutants is similar to wastewater from the coke industry and, similarly to them, requires complex mechanical, chemical and biological treatment. The focus of the review is to explain how the wetlands systems, described as one of bioremediation methods, work and whether these systems are suitable for removing organic and inorganic contaminants from heavily contaminated industrial wastewater, of which underground coal gasification wastewater is a particularly challenging example. Wetlands appear to be suitable systems for the treatment of UCG wastewater and can provide the benefits of nature-based solutions. This review explains the principles of constructed wetlands (CWs) and provides examples of industrial wastewater treated by various wetland systems along with their operating principles. In addition, the physicochemical characteristics of the wastewater from different coal gasifications under various conditions, obtained from UCG’s own experiments, are presented