Addressing the life cycle of sewers in contrasting cities through an eco-efficiency approach

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: [Petit‐Boix, A. , Arnal, C. , Marín, D. , Josa, A. , Gabarrell, X. and Rieradevall, J. (2017), Addressing the Life Cycle of Sewers in Contrasting Cities through an Eco‐Efficiency Approach. Journal of Industrial Ecology. . doi:10.1111/jiec.12649], which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12649. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-ArchivingEvaluating the sustainability of the urban water cycle is not straightforward, although a variety of methods have been proposed. Given the lack of integrated data about sewers, we applied the eco-efficiency approach to two case studies located in Spain with contrasting climate, population, and urban and sewer configurations. Our goal was to determine critical variables and life cycle stages and provide results for decision making. We used life cycle assessment and life cycle costing to evaluate their environmental and economic impacts. Results showed that both cities have a similar profile, albeit their contrasting features, that is, operation and maintenance, was the main environmental issue (50% to 70% of the impacts) and pipe installation registered the greatest economic capital expenditure (70% to 75%) due to labor. The location of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is an essential factor in our analysis mainly due to the topography effects (e.g., the annual pump energy was 13 times greater in Calafell). Using the eco-efficiency portfolio, we observed that sewers might be less eco-efficient than WWTPs and that we need to envision their design in the context of an integrated WWTP-sewer management to improve sewer performance. In terms of methodological approach, the bidimensional nature of eco-efficiency enables the benchmarking of product systems and might be more easily interpreted by the general public. However, there are still some constraints that should be addressed to improve communication, such as the selection of indicators discussed in the article.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Women's Pain

Women's Pai

Municipal sewer networks as sources of nitrous oxide, methane and hydrogen sulphide emissions : a review and case studies

Sewers are known as longitudinal reactors where gases such as methane, nitrous oxide and hydrogen sulphide can be produced. However, gaseous emissions have been mainly assessed in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). This article presents a critical review of studies that quantify the generation of these gases in sewers and aims to identify the existing research gaps. Differences in sampling methods and site selection, as well as a limited number of studies, result in incoherent comparisons. To address some of these gaps, sampling campaigns were conducted in two Spanish cities. Results showed that wet wells were the most important sources of gases with concentrations up to 321 μg CH4 Lair−1 and 6.8 μg N2O Lair−1. Regarding emission factors, in the case of Calafell, the estimated annual emissions were 18.6 kg CH4 year−1 and 0.3 kg H2S year−1 in summer and 3.8 kg CH4 year−1 and 0.5 kg H2S year−1 in winter. About Betanzos, these values were 24.6 kg CH4 year−1 and 0.5 kg N2O year−1 in summer and 10 kg CH4 year−1 in winter. The summer campaign resulted in greater gas concentration than in the winter season for both cities, suggesting that temperature is a key parameter. We conclude that gas emissions from sewers are significant compared to those of WWTPs resulting in an important contribution to the carbon footprint. Further work needs to be done to assess the gas production along the entire sewer networks, which can result in very different emission factors depending on the sewer components

Hidratos de gas marinos: ¿un recurso futuro de gas natural para Europa? M.

Los hidratos de gas son compuestos cristalinos donde una molécula de gas, principalmente metano, queda atrapada en una red de moléculas de agua en forma de hielo. La importancia de los hidratos de gas en la naturaleza es muy alta ya que constituye una fuente alternativa de energía y a su vez juegan un papel importante en el delicado equilibrio del clima a nivel global y en los riesgos geológicos en el ámbito marino. La acción COST MIGRATE está diseñada con el fin de integrar la experiencia de un gran número de grupos de investigación europeos y agentes del sector para promover el desarrollo de conocimientos multidisciplinarios sobre el potencial de los hidratos de gas como fuente de energía en Europa. Dos de los objetivos de esta acción son realizar un inventario europeo de hidratos de gas explotables y evaluar los riesgos ambientales. En este trabajo se muestran los principales indicios de hidratos de gas en los márgenes europeos incluida la Península Ibérica, con una primera aproximación sobre el espesor y situación de la zona de estabilidad de hidratos de gas en el margen Ibérico.Gas hydrates are crystalline compounds where a molecule of gas, mainly methane, is trapped in a cage of icewater molecules. The importance of gas hydrates in nature is very high because it is an alternative source of energy and play a major role in the delicate balance of the global climate and in the marine geological risks. MIGRATE COST action is designed to integrate the experience of a large number of European research groups and industrial players to promote the development of multidisciplinary knowledge on the potential of gas hydrates as energy resource in Europe. Two of the objectives of the action aim to estimate the European inventory of exploitable gas hydrates and to assess environmental risks. In this work we show the occurrences of gas hydrates described in European margins including the Iberian Peninsula, with a first approximation on the thickness and location of the area of stability of gas hydrates in the Iberian margin.COST Action ES1405 (MIGRATE)Versión del edito

The Obemat2.0 Study: A Clinical Trial of a Motivational Intervention for Childhood Obesity Treatment.

The primary aim of the Obemat2.0 trial was to evaluate the efficacy of a multicomponent motivational program for the treatment of childhood obesity, coordinated between primary care and hospital specialized services, compared to the usual intervention performed in primary care. This was a cluster randomized clinical trial conducted in Spain, with two intervention arms: motivational intervention group vs. usual care group (as control), including 167 participants in each. The motivational intervention consisted of motivational interviewing, educational materials, use of an eHealth physical activity monitor and three group-based sessions. The primary outcome was body mass index (BMI) z score increments before and after the 12 (+3) months of intervention. Secondary outcomes (pre-post intervention) were: adherence to treatment, waist circumference (cm), fat mass index (z score), fat free mass index (z score), total body water (kg), bone mineral density (z score), blood lipids profile, glucose metabolism, and psychosocial problems. Other assessments (pre and post-intervention) were: sociodemographic information, physical activity, sedentary activity, neuropsychological testing, perception of body image, quality of the diet, food frequency consumption and foods available at home. The results of this clinical trial could open a window of opportunity to support professionals at the primary care to treat childhood obesity. The clinicaltrials.gov identifier was NCT02889406

Body composition assessment in paediatric patients. Validation of new methods of body composition measurements in obese children

L'obesitat es defineix com un excés de greix en el cos, però generalment es diagnostica mitjançant mètodes que en realitat no poden mesurar o estimar el teixit adipós del cos, com l'índex de massa corporal (IMC). Hi ha moltes tècniques que poden diferenciar els compartiments corporals in vivo i després, el greix es pot estimar amb un nivell relativament alt de precisió, per exemple, absorciometria de raigs X de doble energia (DXA), pletismografia per desplaçament d'aire (ADP), dilucions isotòpiques, models multi-components, entre d'altres. El mètode de referència per avaluar la composició corporal in vivo és el model de 4-components. No obstant això, aquestes tècniques tenen algunes limitacions, principalment, totes són cares i inadequades per a la pràctica clínica. L'anàlisi d'impedància bioelèctrica (BIA) s'ha proposat com una tècnica adequada per avaluar la composició corporal en diverses poblacions, inclosos nens obesos. No obstant això, hi ha investigacions que van mostrar una baixa precisió de les mesures amb BIA en obesos. Els nostres resultats van mostrar que aquesta imprecisió podria ser deguda a l'ús de valors constants de les propietats de massa lliure de greix, hidratació i densitat, quan s’avalua la composició corporal mitjançant tècniques basades en 2-components (ADP, BIA). Tenint en compte aquest fet, aquest treball va proposar dos nous mètodes per avaluar la composició corporal en nens obesos: el primer va suggerir que utilitzar valors calculats de la densitat de la massa lliure de greix, amb la nova equació predictiva, en lloc dels valors constants publicats per mesurar la composició corporal mitjançant tècniques basades en 2-components (per exemple, ADP) millora la precisió de la tècnica; el segon mètode mostra una nova equació per calcular la massa lliure de greix a partir de les mesures d'impedància, millorant la precisió de les equacions del fabricant dels analitzadors d'impedància en població obesa.La obesidad se define como un exceso de grasa en el cuerpo, pero generalmente se diagnostica mediante métodos que en realidad no pueden medir o estimar el tejido adiposo del cuerpo como el índice de masa corporal (IMC). Existen muchas técnicas que pueden diferenciar los compartimentos corporales in vivo y luego, la grasa se puede estimar con un nivel relativamente alto de precisión, por ejemplo, absorciometría de rayos X de doble energía (DXA), pletismografía por desplazamiento de aire (ADP), diluciones isotópicas, modelos multi-componentes, entre otros. El método de referencia para evaluar la composición corporal in vivo es el modelo de 4-componentes. Sin embargo, estas técnicas tienen algunas limitaciones, principalmente, todas son caras e inadecuadas para la práctica clínica. El análisis de impedancia bioeléctrica (BIA) se ha propuesto como una técnica adecuada para evaluar la composición corporal en diversas poblaciones, incluidos niños obesos. Sin embargo, existen investigaciones que mostraron una baja precisión de las medidas con BIA en obesos. Nuestros resultados mostraron que esta imprecisión podría deberse al uso de valores constantes de las propiedades de masa libre de grasa, hidratación y densidad, al evaluar la composición corporal mediante técnicas basadas en 2-componentes (ADP, BIA). Teniendo en cuenta este hecho, este trabajo propuso dos nuevos métodos para evaluar la composición corporal en niños obesos: el primero sugirió que usar valores calculados de la densidad de la masa libre de grasa, con la nueva ecuación predictiva, en lugar de los valores constantes publicados al evaluar composición corporal mediante técnicas basadas en 2-componentes (por ejemplo, ADP) mejora la precisión de la técnica; el segundo método muestra una nueva ecuación para calcular la masa libre de grasa a partir de las mediciones de impedancia, lo que mejora la precisión de las ecuaciones del fabricante de los analizadores de impedancia en la población obesa.Obesity is defined as an excess of fat in the body but it is usually diagnosed by methods which cannot actually measure or estimate the adipose tissue of the body, i.e. body mass index (BMI). There are many existing techniques which can differentiate body compartments in vivo and then, fat can be estimated with a relative high level of accuracy, i.e. dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), air-displacement plethysmography (ADP), isotopic dilutions, multi-component models, among others. The gold standard method to assess body composition in vivo is the four-component model. However, these techniques have some limitations, and mainly, all of them are expensive and implausible for clinical practice. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) has been proposed as a suitable technique to assess body composition in a wide range of populations, including obese children. However, there are research evidences that showed a poor accuracy of BIA body composition assessments in this population. Our results showed that this lack of accuracy might be due to the assumption of constant values of the fat-free mass properties, hydration and density, when assessing body composition by 2-component based techniques (e.g. ADP and BIA). Considering this fact, this work proposed two new methods to assess body composition in obese children: the first one suggested that using calculated values of the density of the fat-free mass, with the new predictive equation, instead the published constant values when assessing body composition by 2-component based techniques (e.g. ADP) improves the accuracy of the technique; the second method shows a new equation to calculate the fat-free mass from whole-body impedance measurements, which improves the accuracy of the impedance analysers manufacturer’s equations in obese population

Body composition assessment in paediatric patients. Validation of new methods of body composition measurements in obese children

L'obesitat es defineix com un excés de greix en el cos, però generalment es diagnostica mitjançant mètodes que en realitat no poden mesurar o estimar el teixit adipós del cos, com l'índex de massa corporal (IMC). Hi ha moltes tècniques que poden diferenciar els compartiments corporals in vivo i després, el greix es pot estimar amb un nivell relativament alt de precisió, per exemple, absorciometria de raigs X de doble energia (DXA), pletismografia per desplaçament d'aire (ADP), dilucions isotòpiques, models multi-components, entre d'altres. El mètode de referència per avaluar la composició corporal in vivo és el model de 4-components. No obstant això, aquestes tècniques tenen algunes limitacions, principalment, totes són cares i inadequades per a la pràctica clínica. L'anàlisi d'impedància bioelèctrica (BIA) s'ha proposat com una tècnica adequada per avaluar la composició corporal en diverses poblacions, inclosos nens obesos. No obstant això, hi ha investigacions que van mostrar una baixa precisió de les mesures amb BIA en obesos. Els nostres resultats van mostrar que aquesta imprecisió podria ser deguda a l'ús de valors constants de les propietats de massa lliure de greix, hidratació i densitat, quan s’avalua la composició corporal mitjançant tècniques basades en 2-components (ADP, BIA). Tenint en compte aquest fet, aquest treball va proposar dos nous mètodes per avaluar la composició corporal en nens obesos: el primer va suggerir que utilitzar valors calculats de la densitat de la massa lliure de greix, amb la nova equació predictiva, en lloc dels valors constants publicats per mesurar la composició corporal mitjançant tècniques basades en 2-components (per exemple, ADP) millora la precisió de la tècnica; el segon mètode mostra una nova equació per calcular la massa lliure de greix a partir de les mesures d'impedància, millorant la precisió de les equacions del fabricant dels analitzadors d'impedància en població obesa.La obesidad se define como un exceso de grasa en el cuerpo, pero generalmente se diagnostica mediante métodos que en realidad no pueden medir o estimar el tejido adiposo del cuerpo como el índice de masa corporal (IMC). Existen muchas técnicas que pueden diferenciar los compartimentos corporales in vivo y luego, la grasa se puede estimar con un nivel relativamente alto de precisión, por ejemplo, absorciometría de rayos X de doble energía (DXA), pletismografía por desplazamiento de aire (ADP), diluciones isotópicas, modelos multi-componentes, entre otros. El método de referencia para evaluar la composición corporal in vivo es el modelo de 4-componentes. Sin embargo, estas técnicas tienen algunas limitaciones, principalmente, todas son caras e inadecuadas para la práctica clínica. El análisis de impedancia bioeléctrica (BIA) se ha propuesto como una técnica adecuada para evaluar la composición corporal en diversas poblaciones, incluidos niños obesos. Sin embargo, existen investigaciones que mostraron una baja precisión de las medidas con BIA en obesos. Nuestros resultados mostraron que esta imprecisión podría deberse al uso de valores constantes de las propiedades de masa libre de grasa, hidratación y densidad, al evaluar la composición corporal mediante técnicas basadas en 2-componentes (ADP, BIA). Teniendo en cuenta este hecho, este trabajo propuso dos nuevos métodos para evaluar la composición corporal en niños obesos: el primero sugirió que usar valores calculados de la densidad de la masa libre de grasa, con la nueva ecuación predictiva, en lugar de los valores constantes publicados al evaluar composición corporal mediante técnicas basadas en 2-componentes (por ejemplo, ADP) mejora la precisión de la técnica; el segundo método muestra una nueva ecuación para calcular la masa libre de grasa a partir de las mediciones de impedancia, lo que mejora la precisión de las ecuaciones del fabricante de los analizadores de impedancia en la población obesa.Obesity is defined as an excess of fat in the body but it is usually diagnosed by methods which cannot actually measure or estimate the adipose tissue of the body, i.e. body mass index (BMI). There are many existing techniques which can differentiate body compartments in vivo and then, fat can be estimated with a relative high level of accuracy, i.e. dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), air-displacement plethysmography (ADP), isotopic dilutions, multi-component models, among others. The gold standard method to assess body composition in vivo is the four-component model. However, these techniques have some limitations, and mainly, all of them are expensive and implausible for clinical practice. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) has been proposed as a suitable technique to assess body composition in a wide range of populations, including obese children. However, there are research evidences that showed a poor accuracy of BIA body composition assessments in this population. Our results showed that this lack of accuracy might be due to the assumption of constant values of the fat-free mass properties, hydration and density, when assessing body composition by 2-component based techniques (e.g. ADP and BIA). Considering this fact, this work proposed two new methods to assess body composition in obese children: the first one suggested that using calculated values of the density of the fat-free mass, with the new predictive equation, instead the published constant values when assessing body composition by 2-component based techniques (e.g. ADP) improves the accuracy of the technique; the second method shows a new equation to calculate the fat-free mass from whole-body impedance measurements, which improves the accuracy of the impedance analysers manufacturer’s equations in obese population

Addressing the life cycle of sewers in contrasting cities through an eco-Efficiency approach

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Altres ajuts: LIFE+ Aquaenvec project (LIFE10/ENV/ES/520)Evaluating the sustainability of the urban water cycle is not straightforward, although a variety of methods have been proposed. Given the lack of integrated data about sewers, we applied the eco-efficiency approach to two case studies located in Spain with contrasting climate, population, and urban and sewer configurations. Our goal was to determine critical variables and life cycle stages and provide results for decision making. We used life cycle assessment and life cycle costing to evaluate their environmental and economic impacts. Results showed that both cities have a similar profile, albeit their contrasting features, that is, operation and maintenance, was the main environmental issue (50% to 70% of the impacts) and pipe installation registered the greatest economic capital expenditure (70% to 75%) due to labor. The location of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is an essential factor in our analysis mainly due to the topography effects (e.g., the annual pump energy was 13 times greater in Calafell). Using the eco-efficiency portfolio, we observed that sewers might be less eco-efficient than WWTPs and that we need to envision their design in the context of an integrated WWTP-sewer management to improve sewer performance. In terms of methodological approach, the bidimensional nature of eco-efficiency enables the benchmarking of product systems and might be more easily interpreted by the general public. However, there are still some constraints that should be addressed to improve communication, such as the selection of indicators discussed in the article