Environmental impact estimation of ceramic tile industry using modeling with neural networks

The ceramic tiles industry has a significant environmental impact due to consumption of raw materials, energy and environmental emissions. There are numerous activities on global level in accordance to the principles of sustainable development. This paper presents the development and application of mathematical models of manufacturing processes based on static neural networks for prediction and control of environmental impact of ceramic tiles production process. The neural network learning is made based on known input and output values from the production process. The control of the environmental impact is made on the basis of the output values from the process amounts of correct and faulty ceramic tiles. The model for prediction of correct amount of tiles and percentage of waste with an average error of 1.7% is presented in this paper. It could be successfully used to estimate and control the environmental influence. A simple model of production process has been applied in the manufacturing process of ceramic tile factory KIO Keramika d.o.o. Orahovica. It produced ceramic tiles using monofiring process according to EN 14 411 B III group Part L. The company has introduced and certified management systems according to ISO-9001. and ISO 1400

Neue Mikroschadstoffe in der aquatischen Umwelt

Farmaceutici se, uz druga mikroonečišćivala kao što su pesticidi i mikroplastika, ubrajaju u nova onečišćivala koja izazivaju zabrinutost. Prisutnost farmaceutika u okolišu je posljedica njihove proizvodnje, uporabe u liječenju i proizvodnji hrane te nepropisnog odlaganja. Dospijeće farmaceutika u vodeni okoliš može rezultirati njihovim unosom u hranidbeni lanac. Posljedično, izloženost ljudi farmaceuticima iz okoliša povezuje se s konzumacijom hrane biljnog i životinjskog porijekla te pitke vode. Dosadašnjim studijama detektirani su brojni farmaceutici u okolišu te utvrđene njihove koncentracije, no vrlo malo se zna o njihovom ponašanju i sudbini u okolišu, kao i negativnom utjecaju na zdravlje ljudi. Istraživanje prisutnosti farmaceutika u okolišu je vrlo važno s ekološkog aspekta kako bi se u budućnosti regulirale maksimalne dopuštene koncentracije farmaceutika u vodi. Koncentracija i utjecaj farmaceutika u okolišu najviše ovise o fizikalno-kemijskim svojstvima te okolišnim parametrima, izvorima onečišćenja te primijenjenim tehnologijama obrade otpadnih voda. Ispusti iz uređaja za pročišćavanje otpadnih voda prepoznati su kao jedan od glavnih izvora dospijeća farmaceutika u okoliš budući da su konvencionalne metode obrade nedovoljno učinkovite u njihovu uklanjanju iz vode. Stoga hibridne tehnologije koje uključuju napredne metode obrade kao što su napredni oksidacijski procesi (AOP-i) pokazuju velik potencijal u nalaženju rješenja za problem unosa farmaceutika i ostalih mikroonečišćivala u vodeni okoliš.Pharmaceuticals, in addition to other micropollutants such as pesticides and microplastics, are among the new contaminants of emerging concern. The presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment is a consequence of their production, their use in treatment and in food production, and their improper disposal. The release of pharmaceuticals into the aquatic environment may result in their uptake into the food chain. Consequently, human exposure to pharmaceuticals from the environment has been linked to the consumption of plant and animal origin food and to drinking water. Studies have so far detected numerous pharmaceuticals in the environment and determined their concentrations; however, very little is known about how they behave and where they end up in the environment, or about their negative impact on human health. Research into the presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment is very important from environmental aspects, so that maximum permissible concentrations of pharmaceuticals in water could be regulated in the future. The concentration and impact of pharmaceuticals in the environment mostly depend on their physico-chemical properties and environmental parameters, the sources of pollution and implemented wastewater treatment technologies. Discharges from wastewater treatment plants have been identified as one of the main sources of the pharmaceuticals’ release into the environment, since the conventional treatment methods are insufficiently effective in their removal from wastewater. For this reason, hybrid technologies that include advanced treatment methods, such as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), show great potential in view of finding solutions to the problem of the release of pharmaceuticals and other micropollutants into the aquatic environment.Neben anderen Mikroschadstoffen wie Pestiziden und Mikroplastik zählen die Arzneimittel zu neuen Schadstoffen, die Sorge bereiten. Die Arzneimittel gelangen in die Umwelt aus der Produktion, nach ihrer Anwendung in der medizinischen Behandlung, aus der Nahrungserzeugung und wegen der unangemessenen Entsorgung. Wenn die Arzneimittel in die aquatische Umwelt gelangen, können sie auch in die Nahrungskette gelangen. Folglich wird die Aussetzung von Menschen den Arzneimittelrückständen in der Umwelt mit der Aufnahme von pflanzlichen und tierischen Lebensmittel sowie Trinkwasser verbunden. In bisherigen Studien wurden in der Umwelt zahlreiche Arzneimittel gefunden und ihre Konzentrationen ermittelt, allerdings weiß am noch immer nur sehr wenig über das Verhalten und die Auswirkungen von Arzneimitteln in der Umwelt sowie über ihre negative Wirkung auf die menschliche Gesundheit. Die Untersuchung des Vorkommens von Arzneimitteln im der Umwelt ist aus ökologischer Sicht sehr wichtig, damit in der Zukunft die maximal erlaubten Arzneimittelkonzentrationen in Wasser reguliert werden können. Die Konzentration und die Auswirkung von Arzneimitteln in der Umwelt hängen vor allem von physikalischen und chemischen Eigenschaften sowie von Umweltparametern, Verschmutzungsquellen und von angewandten Technologien zur Abwasserbehandlung ab. Der Auslauf von Kläranalgen ist einer der Hauptwege, über die die Arzneimittel in die Umwelt gelangen, weil die konventionellen Behandlungsmethoden in ihrer Entfernung aus Wasser unzureichend wirksam sind. Deswegen zeigen die Hybridtechnologien, einschließlich der fortschrittlichen Behandlungsmethoden wie fortschrittliche Oxidationsprozesse (engl. advanced oxidation processes, AOPs), großes Potential hinsichtlich der Lösung dieses Problems des Eintrags von Arzneimittelrückständen und anderen Mikroschadstoffen in die aquatische Umwelt

Neue Mikroschadstoffe in der aquatischen Umwelt

Farmaceutici se, uz druga mikroonečišćivala kao što su pesticidi i mikroplastika, ubrajaju u nova onečišćivala koja izazivaju zabrinutost. Prisutnost farmaceutika u okolišu je posljedica njihove proizvodnje, uporabe u liječenju i proizvodnji hrane te nepropisnog odlaganja. Dospijeće farmaceutika u vodeni okoliš može rezultirati njihovim unosom u hranidbeni lanac. Posljedično, izloženost ljudi farmaceuticima iz okoliša povezuje se s konzumacijom hrane biljnog i životinjskog porijekla te pitke vode. Dosadašnjim studijama detektirani su brojni farmaceutici u okolišu te utvrđene njihove koncentracije, no vrlo malo se zna o njihovom ponašanju i sudbini u okolišu, kao i negativnom utjecaju na zdravlje ljudi. Istraživanje prisutnosti farmaceutika u okolišu je vrlo važno s ekološkog aspekta kako bi se u budućnosti regulirale maksimalne dopuštene koncentracije farmaceutika u vodi. Koncentracija i utjecaj farmaceutika u okolišu najviše ovise o fizikalno-kemijskim svojstvima te okolišnim parametrima, izvorima onečišćenja te primijenjenim tehnologijama obrade otpadnih voda. Ispusti iz uređaja za pročišćavanje otpadnih voda prepoznati su kao jedan od glavnih izvora dospijeća farmaceutika u okoliš budući da su konvencionalne metode obrade nedovoljno učinkovite u njihovu uklanjanju iz vode. Stoga hibridne tehnologije koje uključuju napredne metode obrade kao što su napredni oksidacijski procesi (AOP-i) pokazuju velik potencijal u nalaženju rješenja za problem unosa farmaceutika i ostalih mikroonečišćivala u vodeni okoliš.Pharmaceuticals, in addition to other micropollutants such as pesticides and microplastics, are among the new contaminants of emerging concern. The presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment is a consequence of their production, their use in treatment and in food production, and their improper disposal. The release of pharmaceuticals into the aquatic environment may result in their uptake into the food chain. Consequently, human exposure to pharmaceuticals from the environment has been linked to the consumption of plant and animal origin food and to drinking water. Studies have so far detected numerous pharmaceuticals in the environment and determined their concentrations; however, very little is known about how they behave and where they end up in the environment, or about their negative impact on human health. Research into the presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment is very important from environmental aspects, so that maximum permissible concentrations of pharmaceuticals in water could be regulated in the future. The concentration and impact of pharmaceuticals in the environment mostly depend on their physico-chemical properties and environmental parameters, the sources of pollution and implemented wastewater treatment technologies. Discharges from wastewater treatment plants have been identified as one of the main sources of the pharmaceuticals’ release into the environment, since the conventional treatment methods are insufficiently effective in their removal from wastewater. For this reason, hybrid technologies that include advanced treatment methods, such as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), show great potential in view of finding solutions to the problem of the release of pharmaceuticals and other micropollutants into the aquatic environment.Neben anderen Mikroschadstoffen wie Pestiziden und Mikroplastik zählen die Arzneimittel zu neuen Schadstoffen, die Sorge bereiten. Die Arzneimittel gelangen in die Umwelt aus der Produktion, nach ihrer Anwendung in der medizinischen Behandlung, aus der Nahrungserzeugung und wegen der unangemessenen Entsorgung. Wenn die Arzneimittel in die aquatische Umwelt gelangen, können sie auch in die Nahrungskette gelangen. Folglich wird die Aussetzung von Menschen den Arzneimittelrückständen in der Umwelt mit der Aufnahme von pflanzlichen und tierischen Lebensmittel sowie Trinkwasser verbunden. In bisherigen Studien wurden in der Umwelt zahlreiche Arzneimittel gefunden und ihre Konzentrationen ermittelt, allerdings weiß am noch immer nur sehr wenig über das Verhalten und die Auswirkungen von Arzneimitteln in der Umwelt sowie über ihre negative Wirkung auf die menschliche Gesundheit. Die Untersuchung des Vorkommens von Arzneimitteln im der Umwelt ist aus ökologischer Sicht sehr wichtig, damit in der Zukunft die maximal erlaubten Arzneimittelkonzentrationen in Wasser reguliert werden können. Die Konzentration und die Auswirkung von Arzneimitteln in der Umwelt hängen vor allem von physikalischen und chemischen Eigenschaften sowie von Umweltparametern, Verschmutzungsquellen und von angewandten Technologien zur Abwasserbehandlung ab. Der Auslauf von Kläranalgen ist einer der Hauptwege, über die die Arzneimittel in die Umwelt gelangen, weil die konventionellen Behandlungsmethoden in ihrer Entfernung aus Wasser unzureichend wirksam sind. Deswegen zeigen die Hybridtechnologien, einschließlich der fortschrittlichen Behandlungsmethoden wie fortschrittliche Oxidationsprozesse (engl. advanced oxidation processes, AOPs), großes Potential hinsichtlich der Lösung dieses Problems des Eintrags von Arzneimittelrückständen und anderen Mikroschadstoffen in die aquatische Umwelt

Od makro do mikroplastike; utjecaj fotooksidativne degradacije

The impact of plastic waste on the environment, human health, and ecosystems is one of the most important issues today. Once released into the environment, plastic waste is exposed to various stress factors that can lead to a reduction in its structural integrity and consequently to its fragmentation into smaller pieces. In this work, the effects of simulated UV aging on the surface properties and fragmentation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) films were studied. HDPE films were prepared from pristine polymer granules, and aged for 14, 28, and 42 days under artificial UV irradiation. The samples were characterised before and after each irradiation period to inspect structural and surface changes. FTIR spectra revealed the appearance of carbonyl (C=O) and carbon-oxygen (C−O, O−C=O, C−O−O−) groups due to photodegradation of HDPE. The change in surface polarity with UV irradiation time was determined by measuring the water contact angle, while the surface morphology was analysed using a SEM microscope. The results revealed a significant increase in carbonyl index, increased hydrophilicity, and increased brittleness resulting from a high degree of photodegradation after 28 and 42 days of UV irradiation. The different particle size distribution yielded upon grinding indicated that aged HDPE films are more prone to fragmentation into micro-sized particles.Utjecaj plastičnog otpada na okoliš, ljudsko zdravlje te ekosustav jedno je od najvažnijih pitanja današnjice. Nakon što se ispusti u okoliš, otpad je izložen različitim okolišnim utjecajima koji mogu dovesti do narušavanja cjelovitosti strukture, a posljedično i do fragmentacije na manje dijelove. U ovom su radu istraživani učinci simuliranog UV starenja na površinska svojstva i fragmentaciju filmova polietilena visoke gustoće (HDPE). HDPE filmovi pripremljeni su od polimernih granula te potom stareni 14, 28 i 42 dana pod utjecajem simuliranog UV zračenja. Uzorci su karakterizirani prije te nakon svakog razdoblja ozračivanja da bi se utvrdile strukturne i površinske promjene. Na temelju FTIR spektara ustanovljena je pojava karbonilnih (C=O) i ugljiko-kisikovih (C−O, O−C=O, C−O−O−) skupina kao rezultat fotodegradacije HDPE-a. Promjena polarnosti površine s vremenom UV ozračivanja određena je mjerenjem kontaktnog kuta, dok je morfologija površine analizirana SEM mikroskopom. Rezultati su ukazali na znatno povećanje karbonilnog indeksa te hidrofilnosti, kao i povećanu lomljivost kao rezultat visokog stupnja fotodegradacije nakon 28 i 42 dana UV zračenja. Različita raspodjela veličine čestica dobivena mljevenjem materijala upućuje na to da su stareni HDPE filmovi skloniji fragmentaciji u čestice mikroveličina