Analysis and modeling of sunscreen ingredients' behavior in an aquatic environment

Sunscreens have become a product based on increasingly complex formulations that include, among many ingredients, a mixture of UV filters to provide optimal sun ultraviolet radiation protection. A significant group of scientific works deals with the impact of UV filters in aquatic media. However, the knowledge of the mechanism and kinetics of the compound's direct release, fate, and its transformation and interaction with living organisms is necessary to assess its environmental occurrence and behavior and to predict potential and real impacts on the aquatic environment. This review outlines the existing analysis and modeling of the release and behavior of sunscreen's ingredients in the marine environment, including aquatic organisms. The physical-chemical properties, photodegradation, and release kinetics of particles and chemicals into the water are studied by hydrodynamic and kinetic models. Direct photolysis of chemicals is modeled as pseudo-first-order kinetics, while the indirect pathway by the reaction of sunscreen with reactive oxygen species is described as second-order kinetics. The interaction of UV filters with marine biota is studied mainly by toxicokinetic models, which predict their bio-accumulation in the organisms' tissues. These models consider the chemicals' uptake and excretion, as well as their transfer between different internal animal organs, as a first-order kinetic process. The studies analyzed in the present work represent a driver of change for the beauty and personal care industry, in order to seek new ecological alternatives through the application of R&D tactics.This work is funded by the2014–2020 ERDF Operational Programme and by the Department of Economy, Knowledge, Business and University of the Regional Government of Andalusia (project reference: FEDER‐UCA18‐106672)

Influence of the methodological approaches adopted on the food waste generation ratios

Food waste (FW) accounting methodology is of paramount importance in Europe. The European Commission established a common methodology and minimum quality requirements for its measurement. Although these guidelines represents a great advance, important questions as the definition of flows, the Food Supply Chain (FSC) stages considered or the measurement methodology depending on the availability of resources remain open. The study aim is to analyze the implications of these approaches on the FW ratios, based on 109 ratios from different European frameworks obtained by literature review. Among these aspects, the considered FSC stages and the measurement methodology stand out as factors that influence the results; while the direct methods give more accurate values, the indirect methods tend to overestimate the generation. Highlight as significant result, the creation of a superstructure that collects the different approaches used in FW generation ratios and it serves as a tool for benchmarking.This work has been financially supported by the Government of Cantabria R&D project entitled “Obtaining, treatment and dissemination of data related to production and management of waste, and adjustment of the existing indicators system to the valid waste plan of Cantabria”

Self-organizing maps to assess the recycling of waste in ceramic construction materials

Circular economy promotes the use of waste materials into new production processes as a key factor for resource efficiency. The construction sector, and specifically the fired clay industry, is able to assimilate large amounts of waste in their processes, without significantly altering the technical properties of products. The introduction of different waste in ceramic products at the laboratory level has been extensively studied in the literature, but most of these studies have not yet been scaled-up to industrial production. Differences in processing with respect to laboratory conditions introduces uncertainty in relation to the expected properties of the final products. This paper uses a Self-Organizing Map (SOM)-based methodology for analysing and assessing the incorporation of industrial waste, Waelz slag (WS) and foundry sand dust (FSD), in ceramic products obtained sequentially at laboratory, semi-industrial and industrial level, over technological properties and metals release. As a result, from the SOM analysis, a clustered map of the samples developed is obtained that highlights the most important parameters affecting the technological and environmental properties to be the type of clay and therefore, the firing temperature; secondly, the Waelz slag content, being independent of the foundry sand addition; and finally, the type and level of processing (laboratory-pressing, semi-industrial extruder, industrial extruder).This work has been partially supported by (a) the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund by means of the research project RTI2018-097612-B-C22; (b) the BEFESA STEEL R&D, S.L.U.C. Company at Asua, Vizcaya, Spain

Sunscreens as a new source of metals and nutrients to coastal waters

Studies detailing the environmental impact of sunscreen products on coastal ecosystems are considered a high priority. In the present study, we have determined the release rate of dissolved trace metals (Al, Cd, Cu, Co, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Ti) and inorganic nutrients (SiO2, P-PO43-, and N-NO3-) from a commercial sunscreen in seawater, and the role of UV radiation in the mobilization of these compounds. Our results indicate that release rates are higher under UV light conditions for all compounds and trace metals except Pb. We have developed a kinetic model to establish the release pattern and the contribution to marine coastal waters of dissolved trace metals and inorganic nutrients from sunscreen products. We conservatively estimate that sunscreen from bathers is responsible for an increase of dissolved metals and nutrients ranging from 7.54 × 10-4 % for Ni up to 19.8% for Ti. Our results demonstrate that sunscreen products are a significant source of metals and inorganic nutrients to coastal waters. The normally low environmental concentrations of some elements (e.g., P) and the toxicity of others (e.g., Pb) could be having a serious adverse effect on marine ecology in the Mediterranean Sea. This risk must not be ignored.This work is funded by the University of Cantabria “Proyecto Puente 2017” (PI: J.R.V.) under the SODERCAN and ERDF Operational Program. The authors thank A. Moreno and D. Roque for their support with field seawater sampling, F. Gomez for his support in constructing the experimental device, ́ A. Silio for lamp characterization, and I. Carribero for her assistance with chemical analysis. A.R.-R. is supported by the Spanish grant Juan de la Cierva Formacion (JCI-2015-26873)

Flexible green ammonia production plants: small-scale simulations based on energy aspects

The conventional Haber–Bosch process (HBP) for NH3 production results in CO2 emissions of almost 400 Mt/y and is responsible for 1–2% of global energy consumption; furthermore, HBP requires large-scale industrial equipment. Green or e-ammonia produced with hydrogen from alkaline water electrolysis using renewable energy and nitrogen from the air is considered an alternative to fossil-fuel-based ammonia production. Small-scale plants with the distributed on-site production of e-ammonia will begin to supplant centralized manufacturing in a carbon-neutral framework due to its flexibility and agility. In this study, a flexible small-scale NH3 plant is analyzed with respect to three steps—H2 generation, air separation, and NH3 synthesis—to understand if milder operating conditions can benefit the process. This study investigates the aspects of flexible small-scale NH3 plants powered by alkaline electrolyzer units with three specific capacities: 1 MW, 5 MW, and 10 MW. The analysis is carried out through Aspen Plus V14 simulations, and the primary criteria for selecting the pressure, temperature, and number of reactors are based on the maximum ammonia conversion and minimum energy consumption. The results show that: (i) the plant can be operated across a wide range of process variables while maintaining low energy consumption and (ii) alkaline electrolysis is responsible for the majority of energy consumption, followed by the ammonia synthesis loop and the obtention of N2, which is negligible.This study forms part of the ThinkInAzul programme and is supported by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación with funding from European Union Next Generation EU (PRTR-C17.I1) and by Comunidad Autónoma de Cantabria. Project: C17.I01—Plan Complementario de Ciencias Marinas

Assessment by self-organizing maps of element release from sediments in contact with acidified seawater in laboratory leaching test conditions

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is gaining interest as a significant global option to reduce emissions of CO2. CCS development requires an assessment of the potential risks associated with CO2 leakages from storage sites. Laboratory leaching tests have proved to be a useful tool to study the potential mobilization of metals from contaminated sediment in a decreased-pH environment that mimics such a leakage event. This work employs a self-organizing map (SOM) tool to interpret and analyze the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn from equilibrium, column, and pH-dependent leaching tests. In these tests, acidified seawater is used for simulating different CO2 leakage scenarios. Classification was carried out detailing the mobilization of contaminants for environments of varying pH, liquid-to-solid ratio, and type of contact of the laboratory leaching tests. Component planes in the SOMs allow visualization of the results and the determination of the worst case of element release. The pH-dependent leaching test with initial addition of either base or acid was found to mobilize the highest concentrations of metals.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under Project CTM 2011-28437-C02-01, ERDF included. MCMT was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness by F.P.I. fellowship N° BES-2012-053816

Kinetic and equilibrium analysis of penguin guano trace elements release to Antarctic seawater and snow meltwater

The present work extends the scope of prior studies through analysis, modelling and simulation of the As, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe Mn, Mo, Ni and Zn release from Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) and Chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarcticus) penguin guano to the Southern Ocean seawater and to Antarctic snow meltwater. Laboratory experimental results have been modelled considering kinetic processes between water and guano using two element pools in the guano compartment; its application allows us to interpret behaviours and predict release concentrations of dissolved trace elements from guano which are potentially useful for incorporation as elements source into biogeochemical models applied in the Southern Ocean. Variations in quantities and release patterns depending on the type of guano and aqueous medium in contact have been identified. The release percentages from the guano to the aqueous medium, once the steady state has been reached, vary depending on the water medium and guano type in the ranges of 100–2.9 % for Mo; 91.5–68.6 % for Ni; 81.8–22.8 % As; 52.0–43.9 % Cu; 26.9–7.4 % Mn; 24.9–5.4 for Co; 4.4–3.2 % for Zn and 0.94–0.51 % for Fe. Considering a penguin population of 774,000 Gentoo and 8,000,000 Chinstrap, the estimated annual mass released to the both seawater and freshwater would be ≈18,500 kg for Cu, ≈1710 kg for Zn, ≈1944 kg for Fe, ≈1640 kg for Mn, ≈499 kg for As, ≈289 kg for Ni, ≈155This research has been funded by the Spanish Government project PiMetAn (ref. RTI2018-098048-BI00). E. Sparaventi is supported by the Spanish FPI grant (Ref: PRE2019-089679). This research is part of the POLARCSIC research initiatives. We warmly thank the staff of the Spanish Antarctic Base Juan Carlos I, the crew of the BIO Hesp´erides oceanographic vessel and the Marine Technology Unit (UTM-CSIC) for their logistic support, without which the XXXVI Spanish Antarctic campaign and this research would not have been possible

Sedimentation rate and contamination levels profile of potentially toxic elements in the Limoncocha lagoon RAMSAR wetland in the Ecuadorian Amazon

The aim of this study is to analyze the recent sedimentation rate in the center of the Limoncocha lagoon, a Ramsar site in the Ecuadorian Amazon, using the 210Pb dating method and identifying the potentially toxic elements along a 50 cm sediment core. A strategy based on the application of three single and four integrated indices is used to evaluate trace element contamination with depth. Single indices show mainly As and Mo, and Cu, Ba, Cd, Ni, and Pb to a lesser extent, as responsible elements of a minor enrichment between −10 and −40 cm. The multielement slight pollution shows a mixture of potential contamination sources, probably due to agricultural, oil activities, and urban wastewater discharges. However, integrated indices applied, classify the complete core as without potential risk. The 210Pbexcess profile shows three differentiated sections. A surface section where new materials with lower concentrations have been found, probably due to the underground currents that connect the lagoon and the nearby Napo River; a central section where CF-CS model and mass accumulation rate calculations provide a sediment accumulation rate of 0.56 ± 0.03 cm y−1; finally, a deeper section with a constant 210Pbexces profile, showing sediment reworking probably due to local flooding’s

Primary sector waste indicators for regional planning

Decisions are made based on information of different kinds and several tools have been developed to facilite the inclusion of environmental aspects in decision-making. One of these tools is the indicators that have become a vital component of environmental impact assessments and "state of the environmental" reporting. In Cantabria, a northern Spanish region, a specific set of indicators has been developed to monitor the degree of implementation of waste policies recently adopted in the region, identified in the Cantabria Regional Waste Plan 2010- 2014. This Regional Planning covers all waste streams generated: There is a Regional Waste Plan developed through four Sectorial Waste Plans on: (i) Primary Sector and Sanitary Waste; (ii) Industrial, Construction and Demolition, and Mining Waste; (iii) Special Waste, and (iv) Municipal Waste. At the present time, the primary sector waste flows in Cantabria are outstanding, since it is a region where the primary sector is one of the driving forces of the economy together with the tourism. The 86% of municipalities are classified as rural or semirural, and there, it is producing a large rural development from traditional craft production to intensive farms in which waste management is becoming a problem. In this work the methodology developed by European Environmental Agency has been used as a starting point in developing a set of Specific Indicators on the primary sector waste. Eleven indicators have been developed to evaluate the generation and management of forest, agricultural, livestock and food industry waste. These indicators allow not only monitoring the primary sector waste management, but also they highlight the precarious situation in relation to knowledge of actions undertaken in the sector in relation to their waste and with the information flows. Therefore, in this paper the analysis of difficulties for management the available information has been carried out

Evolution of lignocellulosic macrocomponents in the wastewater streams of a sulfite pulp mill: a preliminary biorefining approach

The evolution of lignin, five-and six-carbon sugars, and other decomposition products derived from hemicelluloses and cellulose was monitored in a sulfite pulp mill. The wastewater streams were characterized and the mass balances throughout digestion and total chlorine free bleaching stages were determined. Summative analysis in conjunction with pulp parameters highlights some process guidelines and valorization alternatives towards the transformation of the traditional factory into a lignocellulosic biorefinery.The results showed a good separation of cellulose (99.64%) during wood digestion, with 87.23% of hemicellulose and 98.47% lignin dissolved into the waste streams. The following steps should be carried out to increase the sugar content into the waste streams: (i) optimization of the digestion conditions increasing hemicellulose depolymerization; (ii) improvement of the ozonation and peroxide bleaching stages, avoiding deconstruction of the cellulose chains but maintaining impurity removal; (iii) fractionation of the waste water streams, separating sugars fromthe rest of toxic inhibitors for 2nd generation biofuel production. A total of 0.173 L of second-generation ethanol can be obtained in the spent liquor per gramof dry wood.The proposed methodology can be usefully incorporated into other related industrial sectors.The authors wish to express their sincere gratitude to the Sniace personnel and the financial support of the European Union by the BRIGIT “new tailor-made biopolymers produced from lignocellulosic sugars waste for highly demanding fire-resistant applications” research project http://www .brigit-project.eu/