bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Poly-hydroxyalkanoates production from mixed microbial cultures: effect of dissolved oxygen and pH.
Authors: Ntaikou Ioanna , Kora Elianta , Lyberatos Gerasimos
Published: August 2023

The accumulation potential of poly-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) produced from an acclimated mixed microbial culture (MMC) under different dissolve oxygen (DO) levels and pH was investigated, using volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as carbon source. Specifically, the PHAs production potential of the MMC was evaluated in batch mode in a 5L bioreactor under controlled high aeration (DO level set at 25% saturation, DO25) and low aeration (DO level set at 5% saturation, DO5). The effect of the controlled DO level on the PHAs yield expressed in % PHAs/DCW (w/w) and also the monomeric composition was evaluated in comparison to the results obtained during constant aeration at 2L/min/L rector i.e. with highly varying DO (DOv). The optimal yield of 79.5±0.14% PHAs/DCW was achieved for DO25, while in the cases of DO5 results were similar to those from DOv, i.e. 60 % PHAs/DCW and 65 % PHAs/DCW, respectively . In all cases, P(3HB-co-3HV) was produced whereas the assimilation of propionate to HV in the polymers did not seem to be correlated to the DO changes, with HV content being above 5% in all cases. The subsequent simultaneous advantageous for the process, indicating that control of DO and not of pH proved to be even more advantageous for the process enhancing the assimilation rates as well, indicating that the production of PHAs from MMCs may be quite efficient if the cultivation conditions are properly controlled.
Chromium (VI) and nickel removal by resin supported nanomagnetite: column experiments
Authors: Mystrioti Christiana , Papassiopi Nymphodora , Xenidis Anthimos
Published: August 2023

Magnetite is a mixed-valent iron oxide with magnetic properties, which is considered as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of Cr(VI) from the aquatic environment. However nanomagnetite possesses difficulties for in situ remediation applications due to clogging effects and high separation cost. For this reason a nanocomposite material consisting of nanomagnetite supported on a cation exchange resin, denoted as R-nFe3O4 was synthesized and was evaluated for chromates and nickel removal from contaminated waters under flow conditions. A column test was carried out using a glass column, with 1.80 cm internal diameter and ~7 cm length. The column was filled with 12.1 g of resin supported nanomagnetite. The efficiency of R-nFe3O4 was examined for mixed polluted streams with 1.25 mg L−1 concentration for both hexavalent chromium and nickel. The experiment was carried out using NaCl as background electrolyte and the pH of feed solution was around 3. The total amount of reduced Cr(VI) was equal to 10 mg, while the total amount of removed Ni was 20.2 mg. The adsorption of Cr(VI) was described by the Bohart–Adams kinetic model and the adsorption capacity per unit volume of sorbent bed was found equal to 690 mg/dm3.
Mitigating the Environmental Impact of Construction Projects through Effective Pollution Management Strategies
Authors: Corpus Robert Michael , Bayani Meldanette , Almacha Aldion , Tana Kenneth Bryan
Published: August 2023

Construction initiatives can substantially contribute to air, water, and soil pollution, as well as soil degradation. These activities can have long-lasting negative effects on local communities and ecosystems. It is imperative to develop and implement effective construction pollution management strategies to address this issue. This study intends to investigate the various strategies that can be implemented to reduce the environmental impact of construction projects. It will concentrate on identifying the sources of construction-related pollution and determining how to regulate them effectively. Additionally, the research will assess the current status of construction industry pollution management practices and identify areas for improvement. In addition to a comprehensive literature evaluation, the research methodology will include surveys and case studies of construction projects that have effectively implemented pollution management strategies. The results of the study will be utilized to develop a set of best practices for construction pollution management, which will be presented to construction professionals in the form of a practical guide. The findings of this study will have significant ramifications for the construction industry, as well as for policymakers, regulators, and other constituents concerned with the environmental impact of construction activities. This study will contribute to the development of more sustainable construction practices that minimize environmental damage and promote long-term environmental health by highlighting the significance of effective pollution management strategies.
Analysis of the Sars-COVID 19 trend: from time series to visibility graphs
Authors: Simone A. , Cesaro A. , Esposito G.
Published: August 2023

Sars COVID-19 epidemic continues to represent a relevant and current topic, which is of concern mainly with respect to possible variants. Predictive monitoring can address the need to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, but it needs to rely on non-invasive, as well as effective and inexpensive strategies. Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) fits into this context, representing an approach to surveillance of diseases and early warning for any outbreaks of pathogenic viruses, which provides results relating to the trend of the epidemic in the form of time series. An innovative approach that allows to infer information on the spread of Sars COVID-19 is to transform the data of these time series into visibility graphs using the so-called visibility algorithms. The connective structure of the visibility graph inherits many properties of the starting time series and allows to extract nontrivial information on the behavior of the system using topological metrics of the Complex Network Theory (CNT). In this work, the time series of Sars COVID-19 corresponding to a 12-month period for a treatment plant serving a large size basin is analyzed in order to provide useful data on the spread of the epidemic.
Decreased Dissolved Oxygen Affecting Sustainability of Mussel Farming in East Manila Bay, Philippines
Authors: Enova Ann Elizabeth , Jaraula Caroline Marie , Villanoy Cesar
Published: August 2023

Manila Bay is surrounded by industrial, urban and populated cities of the Philippines and exposed to various pollutants. A hydrodynamic model previously simulated with the influence of tides, winds, rivers and pharmaceutical pollutants showed high dissolved organic pollutant concentration near Pasig & Pampanga Rivers and on the eastern side of the bay where mariculture, especially mussels proliferate (Enova et al, in progress). These organic pollutants may contribute to lower dissolved oxygen (DO) and hypoxic conditions (<2 mg/L) deeper than 4 m in Navotas, and 6 meters in Paranaque. Low DO levels at the bottom waters are consistent with anecdotal reports from fisherfolks that mussels survive at the upper 2 meters of the water column in the past few years rather than at the seafloor. Monitoring of dissolved oxygen is vital in this area as it may affect mussel growth and reproduction. Moreover, targeted monitoring and analysis of specific organic pollutants and other factors that may contribute to hypoxia is recommended for a more comprehensive discussion of the health of Manila Bay and sustainability of mariculture.
Photocatalytic nanofiltration reactor for agricultural wastewater purification and reuse
Authors: Falaras P. , Theodorakopulos G. , Arfanis M. , Agüera A. , Cadena Aponte F.X. , Sánchez Pérez J.A. , Markellou E. , Romanos G.
Published: August 2023

In recent years, the Agrofood industry utilizes pesticides for improving the agricultural production. Nevertheless, the presence of pesticide residues in agricultural wastewater can cause adverse impact on water resources and have harmful effects on human health. Consequently, intensive actions are required for their degradation. Conventional wastewater treatment methods are inefficient to confront pesticides, as most of them are recalcitrant organic molecules.
The novel technology of photocatalytic nanofiltration integrates in one reactor module the most effective water treatment technologies against micropollutants. Photocatalysis and nanofiltration are combined synergistically to achieve augmented efficiency. Photocatalysis leads to the oxidative micropollutant degradation by radicalary mechanisms, while simultaneously, the retention of micropollutants is achieved by nanoporous membranes. Thus, based on a previous engineering study, which materialized a patented photocatalytic membrane reactor concept, a novel pilot-scale photocatalytic nanofiltration reactor (PNFR) was fabricated for the demands of agricultural wastewater purification and reuse. The PNFR pilot unit consists of twelve seven-channeled photocatalytic nanofiltration monoliths, prepared via a wash-coating technique. The smart design of the reactor’s internals endows the process with additional flow channels, which in addition to the monoliths host 240 polyvinylidene fluoride porous hollow fibers with stabilized TiO2 photocatalyst nanoparticles into their matrix. Irradiation is achieved both on the shell side of monoliths and photocatalytic fibers and on the lumen side of the monoliths. The reactor encloses 1.5 m2 of photocatalytically active surface and has a clean water production capacity up to 1.2 m3/day.
Experimental campaigns were performed involving different feed flow rates (2.3-3.3 L/min) and transmembrane pressures (3-4.5 bar) and employing various concentrations (6-55 ppb) of Acetamiprid (ACT) and Thiabendazole (TBZ), which are frequently detected in the fruit-industry wastewater. In about 3 h, 95% of the wastewater was recovered, while the amount of ACT and TBZ was reduced by 25 and 42%, respectively.
Interface engineering approaches for efficient and robust perovskite solar cells
Authors: Falaras P.
Published: August 2023

The field of perovskite photovoltaics has been witnessing a surge of interest over the past few years across the breadth of advanced nanomaterials, nanoscience and nanotechnology. Of particular interest, controlling the nanomorphology of the hybrid perovskite absorber can modify intrinsically different properties (crystallinity, defects, grain boundaries) and optimize charge transport in the bulk structures and at the corresponding interfaces, thus leading to devices with high power conversion efficiency and enhanced stability. The perovskite absorber and its interfaces with the electron transport layer (ETL) and the hole transporting material (HTM) play a pivotal role in obtaining perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with high power conversion efficiency (PCE) and enhanced stability.
This contribution deals with advanced engineering strategies developed by our group focusing on the ETL/perovskite and perovskite/HTL interfaces optimization to regulate the geometric, structural and electronic properties of the solar cell basic components. The energy level alignment at the interfaces of the perovskite solar cells is an essential factor that determines their efficiency and stability. Therefore, an interface capable of appropriate energy band bending, minimal defects and good contacts is the key issue to obtain highly performing and stable PSCs. Both inorganic and organic interlayers have used to adjust the energy levels of perovskite. Improved crystallization is at the origin of increased short circuit photocurrent (Jsc). The improvement of open circuit potential (Voc) and fill factor (FF) can be attributed to the effective perovskite passivation. The addition of interlayers influences the activation energy growth and reduces the crystallization rate, leading to larger perovskite grains with less defects and higher crystallinity. As a result the interfacial carriers (electrons and holes) extraction was enhanced, the nonradiative carrier recombination was suppressed and the power conversion efficiency was increased. Furthermore, the modified interfaces are endowed with an ultra-hydrophobic character, protecting the perovskite from moisture while mitigating ionic diffusion and thus leading to excellent device stability. These innovative interface engineering approaches provide important guidance for the development of functional interlayers that lead to efficient and robust perovskite solar cells.
Behind the scenes: The WFD 2000/60 policy making.
Authors: Farmaki Polytimi
Published: August 2023

This research investigates the impact of legislative negotiations in the water policy of European Union and the crucial role of the European Commission as the formal agenda setter. The coordination of EU institutions and other actors -member states, interest groups and especially "Non-Governmental Organisations"- in law-making process of Water Framework Directive(WFD) 2000/60/EC play an important role in water governance. We have demonstrated that the policy complexity in Water Framework Directive 2000/60 legislative procedure between 1996 and 2000, the complicated nature of the legislative proposal, the large number of amendments, and divergent views had significantly delayed procedures. Consequences of policy complexity in the European Union is very important for European integration and decision-making processes. Our research demonstrates that the adoption of WFD is not only a function of political or institutional factors, but it is also shows how important is the design stage of the Directive. While our study focused on the case of water policy, the question of how policy making, and delay of legislative processes affects the efficiency of EU governance.
The Development and Implementation of an Environmental Coastal Observatory focused on semi-enclosed Gulfs
Authors: Zervakis Vassilis , Tragou Elina , Mosiou Korina , Krasakopoulou Evangelia , Kolovoyiannis Vassilis , Mamoutos Ioannis , Androulidakis Ioannis , Mazioti Aikaterini , Potiris Emmanuel , Kougioumtzoglou Rafailia , Kalatzi Maria , Chaniotaki Maria , Chatzilaou Christos , Vagi Maria , Petalas Stamatios
Published: August 2023

The recent post-Glacial Mediterranean sea-level rise converted mountain valleys to islandic embayments. These bays exhibit distinct hydrographic and biogeochemical characteristics, seasonally alternating thermohaline functioning and their coastal ecosystems support thriving coastal activities. The Kalloni Gulf, Lesvos island, Greece, constitutes a textbook example of the above type of embayments and -due to its proximity to the facilities of the University of the Aegean in the island’s capital, Mytilene- has become the focal point of the development of the prototype Coastal Environmental Observatory “AEGIS”. This laboratory has risen as the culmination of decade-long efforts of three Research Laboratories of the Department of Marine Sciences and includes both observational and forecasting components. The latter component comprises three levels of numerical modeling of the ocean circulation: The low-resolution (level 1) domain corresponds to the Central and North Aegean Sea, the intermediate domain (level 2) corresponds to the marine area surrounding Lesvos island, and the high-resolution model domains (level 3) refer to the three major islandic bays of the North Aegean Sea, i.e. the Kalloni and Gera Gulfs in Lesvos and Moudros Gulf in Lemnos island. The Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) is used for simulating ocean circulation at level (1) and (2) models, while at the high-resolution domains the numerical model Delft3D-Flow is used. The model SWAN is used at all domains to simulate the wind-wave fields, while the biogeochemical model Delft3D-WAQ has been applied preoperationally on Kalloni Gulf. State-of-the art data assimilation is employed by the level 1 circulation model to minimize forecasting errors, using both field and remote observations. For validation and tuning of the level 3 models in the Gulf of Kalloni a coastal monitoring platform anchored in the middle of the Gulf provide meteorological, hydrographic and biochemical observations.
Global Sensitivity Analysis of a Mathematical Model for AnMBR Systems Treating Municipal Wastewater
Authors: Plevri Argyro , Ioannidis Christos , Noutsopoulos Constantinos , Mamais Daniel
Published: August 2023

This study conducted a Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) of a mathematical model for simulating urban wastewater treatment in anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) at ambient temperatures. The Anaerobic Digestion Model ADM1 was modified and implemented in Matlab/Simulink, comparing three sensitivity analysis methods: One At a Time (OAT), Morris and Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST)..Experimental data from an AnMBR operating on municipal wastewater during summer and winter periods were used for model calibration and verification. The AnMBR had a 40L laboratory membrane bioreactor with a submerged flat sheet membrane and a 40L biogas collection tank. Experiments covered temperatures of 14-26°C and three hydraulic retention times (HRTs): 2 days, 1 day, and 12 hours. Performance evaluation included parameters such as COD effluent, total nitrogen effluent, biogas production, and volatile suspended solids concentrations. The primary aim was to compare the effectiveness of the OAT Morris and FAST sensitivity analysis methods in capturing the model's sensitivity to input parameters. This global sensitivity analysis enhances our understanding of the model's behavior and its applicability in designing and operating AnMBRs for urban wastewater treatment.
Morphological changes recorded from an automated beach optical monitoring system in a highly touristic pocket beach, Coral Bay, Pegeia, Cyprus
Authors: Hasiotis Thomas , Chatzipavlis Antonios , Andreadis Olympos , Psarros Fotis , Velegrakis Adonis , Evagorou Evagoras , Loizidi Myria , Chrysostomou Giannis
Published: August 2023

This paper demonstrates preliminary results of a Beach Optical Monitoring System (BOMS) installed in Coral Bay Beach (Pegeia, Cyprus) in the framework of BEACHTECH project. The BOMS is deployed at the southern sector of Coral Bay, a pocket sandy beach of high touristic and economic importance for the region that also faces considerable erosion problems. Shoreline and wave run-up positions are recorded from specialized georectified coastal images following automatic procedures and with fine spatio-temporal resolution. Wind speed and direction data were logged from a meteorological station deployed at the same area and used to access the wind climate. For the examined period, it became evident that beach response to the wind climate is irregular, driven by the hydrodynamic action with different shoreline erosion/accretion and recovery patterns. The research demonstrates that such types of coastal monitoring systems are able to provide a powerful, automatic and efficient tool for coastal engineering, management and planning.
Season Dynamics of Pollution and Changes in Enzymatic Activity in Agricultural Soil near an Industrial Area
Authors: Sukiasyan Astghik , Kirakosyan Armen
Published: August 2023

The aim of the study was to assess the ecological condition of soils in three regions in Armenia - Hrazdan, Gavar, and Martuni. It was shown that the soil samples from the three regions had low humus content in winter. However, in spring and summer, a significant increase in humus content was observed. The soils had a neutral pH of 7.11 to 7.83. The enzymes studied belong to the class of hydrolases (invertase and urease) and oxidoreductases (catalase). The urease activity was almost 2-3 times lower than invertase activity in all soil samples. During the winter-spring period, high catalase activity was observed in all soil samples. It was found that in Hrazdan and Martuni regions the enzyme activity was on average 62% higher than in soil samples from Gavar regions. The HMs distribution depends on seasonal variations and the wind rose in each region. In order to interpret the results, the given total contamination index (Zc) was compared, taking into account the cloud concentration of chemical elements. The value of the total index of pollution of arable soils by HMs near the Gavar region also had a moderately dangerous value.
Monitoring soil water content using IoT Time and Frequency Domain Reflectometry Sensors
Authors: Chrysanthopoulos Efthymios , Floros Epameinondas (Nondas) , Pouliaris Christos , Tsirogiannis Ioannis , Kofakis Petros , Kallioras Andreas
Published: August 2023

Soil moisture is considered a crucial climatic parameter. Understanding and predicting variations in surface temperature, precipitation, drought, flood and the effects of future climate change need a thorough knowledge of soil moisture fluctuations. Furthermore, quantification of soil water content, one of the two variables that describe soil moisture, is essential to provide an accurate estimate of crop water needs, which is a crucial element in maximizing the effective use of water resources in agriculture. This study presents the development of an integrated monitoring programme of soil water content within the whole range of unsaturated zone using custom-made system that uses time and frequency domain reflectometry (TDR and FDR) probes to monitor complex hydrologic processes taking place in the unsaturated zone, including return flow to the atmosphere via evaporation, plant root uptake, and subsurface flow of groundwater. Signals logged by these sensors are recorded by an extensible and adaptable logging software component and are available both on premise and through a web application, facilitating their remote manipulation. For the purposes of this research a kiwi field was selected in the plain of Arta, which is located in the Epirus region, in the westernmost part of Greece.
Acknowledgments: This research is part of the Project “e-Pyrros: Development of an integrated monitoring network for hydro-environmental parameters within the hydro-systems of Louros-Arachthos-Amvrakikos for the optimal management and improvement of agricultural production” (MIS 5047059) and received financial funding from the Operational Programme “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation 2014-2020 (EPAnEK)”.
Synthesis of iron and nitrogen co-doped biochar for the activation of peroxymonosulfate to degrade sulfamethoxazole
Authors: Dewil Raf , Xue Yongtao , Kamali Mohammadreza
Published: August 2023

In this study, iron and nitrogen co-doped biochar (Fe-N-BC) was synthesized by a facile pyrolysis process of mixed walnut shell, melamine, and iron(III) chloride, and then the biochar (BC), nitrogen-doped biochar (N-BC), and iron-doped biochar (Fe-BC) also were prepared as a control. The Fe-N-BC demonstrated an excellent degradation performance (0.5 min-1) for sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in the presence of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) compared with BC (0.026 min-1), N-BC (0.038 min-1), and Fe-BC (0.33 min-1). The transformation products of SMX during the degradation process were also identified through ultra-high performance liquid chromatography in combination with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS), and the predicted toxicity results from Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (T.E.S.T) exhibited that the overall toxicity of the degradation products lower than SMX.
Optimization of wastewater treatment by integration of artificial intelligence techniques: recent progress and future perspectives
Authors: Cairone Stefano , Hasan Shadi Wajih , Zarra Tiziano , Belgiorno Vincenzo , Naddeo Vincenzo
Published: August 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) is proving useful in optimizing the process efficiency in many sectors, including wastewater treatment. The complexity of wastewater characteristics and treatment technologies leads to uncertainties and variability in the efficiency of the processes in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), resulting in environmental risks and increased operating costs. Many studies have shown that AI could be applied to achieve better performance in WWTPs, minimizing potential negative environmental impacts, enhancing the quality of treated wastewater, and reducing costs through efficient, innovative, and smart solutions.
This article provides a review of recent progress in the implementation of AI in wastewater treatment, giving an overview of the state of the art in this field. The analysis conducted in this review demonstrates the enormous potential of implementing AI technologies in wastewater treatment applications, obtaining technologically advanced systems that simultaneously provide high purification performance, simplified process management and reduced operating costs. Furthermore, automation of processes and improved monitoring activities can be fostered by applying AI. Finally, the future potential of the integration of AI techniques in wastewater treatment is discussed and the long-term prospects in this field are presented. Research can make great strides by addressing the challenges and overcoming the limitations that hinder their implementation in full-scale plants.
LCA of Applying a Smart Farming System – Implementing a Territorial Approach for Recommending Good Agricultural Practices
Authors: Karagkounis ATHANASIOS , Fragkou EVANGELIA , Tsegas GEORGE , Barmpas FOTIOS , Moussiopoulos NICOLAS
Published: August 2023

This study is part of the LIFE GAIA Sense project, aiming to evaluate the environmental efficiency of Smart Farming (SF) through LCA and to produce recommendations for good agricultural practices. Thus, the environmental performance of SF treatment, specifically regarding fertilizers/pesticides application and irrigation, is compared to that of conventional agricultural management, under similar soil and climatic field conditions. According to the goal and scope of the study, a cradle-to-field gate approach was selected, while the inventory was built with data recorded in crop logbooks and questionnaires distributed to farmers, containing details about field activities. The impact analysis results reveal the environmental benefit of the SF-based management approach in relation to resource use, ecosystem and human health protection, in most of the field cases examined. Based on single score calculations with the ReCiPe 2016 (H) impact method, the results strongly suggest fossil and mineral resource scarcity as the most essential impacts to be considered, mainly decreased for the SF fields. Moreover, a territorial approach for introducing regionalization in the application of LCA on agricultural systems is conducted. Finally, good practice recommendations are suggested to facilitate decision making, considering foreground and background system processes.
The Phenomenon of Greenwashing In The Fashion Industry: A Conceptual Framework
Authors: Liscio Marco Ciro , Alizadeh Leila , Sospiro Paolo
Published: August 2023

The fashion industry has one of the highest environmental, economic, and social impacts in the world. In recent times, awareness of sustainability issues has certainly increased, with companies making a real effort to reduce their impact. On the other hand, consumer awareness has also increased, with companies seeing sustainability as an element of competitive advantage. However, to achieve these advantages some companies taint themselves with the phenomenon of greenwashing, creating a disparity between the sustainability commitments actually made and those advertised. This paper aims to analyse the phenomenon of greenwashing in the fashion industry at a literature level with the objective of creating a conceptual framework to analyse and recognise elements of greenwashing in the companies studied.
Coding Water Efficiency
Authors: Tijani Ayo , McBrien Rachel
Published: August 2023

Many Engineering projects involve the authoring of repetitive documentation. On one key project that aimed to track clean water leakage from pipelines across a major city, this was the case. This project involved constructing chambers around clean water mains that enabled a tracking device to be inserted into the main. The tracking device travelled with the water flow along the main and identified any leaks in the main, enabling the leak to be fixed and a reduction in clean water loss. To enable tracking of the entire water network across the city, hundreds of these chambers are required. The tracking device gets stuck on tight bends, at junctions in the mains, or when flows are insufficient, increasing the number of chambers required. Therefore constructing these chambers involves a lot of repetitive work, assessing the impact of repetitive hazards, and developing repetitive Pre-Construction documents. The development of an process of automation has led to the efficient creation of construction documentation with a lower opportunity for human error.

For the designer on this project, research is required for each site to identify the likely hazards and construction issues associated with building a chamber. This involves checking underground service maps for services that may obstruct the chamber installation, using google street view for finding above ground hazards like trees and streetlights, and searching for potential environmental and road work issues that my inhibit construction works. A lot of similar hazards arise for each site making it simple to develop a checklist to mark yes/no against these repetitive issues. Along with a checklist, a table enabling user inputs was created for any more detailed research findings, such as where a list or description of a specific hazard is required.

On this project there were two main documents that were required as part of the pre-construction pack: a Pre-Construction Information (PCI) document, and a Significant Design Risk Register (SDRR) document. A VBA code was written using the find and replace function on word, that could populate the necessary documentation templates using data from the checklist and table. The work required from the author was reduced to doing the research and in putting the findings in a table, saving time formatting, and typing out repetitive inputs.

The time saved using this automation process enables a larger volume of packs to be developed in a set time, allowing additional chambers to be built, more leaks to be identified, and ultimately less water from being lost. The automation facilitates good design and risk identification, but the output will still only be as good as the input. Designers are still required to do the research and ensure the documents are checked and approved before they can be issued to the client/contractor.

This automation has begun with a simple ‘home-made’ approach to coding and has the potential to develop a user-friendly tool accessible across multiple projects and sectors within the industry.
Procedure of the replacement of fossil fuels for thermal heat supply by regional renewable energies exemplary for textile companies in Indonesia
Authors: Porzig Michael , Pieper Axel , Wern Bernhard , Clemens Wulf
Published: August 2023

The research project EnaTex (2021 - 2024) is funded within the "CLIENT II Program – International Partnerships for Sustainable Innovation" of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). A major aim is the development and demonstration of innovative approaches for energy savings and renewable energies based on local and regional sources for selected production sites of the Indonesian textile industry. For biomass the focus is on local residual biomasses as energy sources as well as technologies to process those biomasses to thermal energy. The thermal energy is currently generated by 100% with hard and converted to steam and heated thermal-oil as energy carrier. The energy is mainly applied for drying and washing machines the finishing process with focus on dyeing, printing and application of functions of textiles. The electricity is supplied by the national grid operator PLN and mainly used to power motors and electronics as well as to provide illumination and air condition. Here Photovoltaic systems are being investigated to substitute power from the national grid, which is mainly supplied by hard coal fired power plants. The speech will state the technical and legal challenges of the defossilization of the energy supply in the Indonesian Textile Industry.
Simulating the 1-hr Unit Hydrograph for the Ungauged Watershed of Swaqa
Authors: Tarawneh Zeyad
Published: August 2023

This study uses QGIS-3.28 to extract the geomorphological features for the ungauged watershed of Swaqa and employs SWMM-5.2 to simulate its 1-hr unit hydrograph (UH). Visualizing the watershed as an impervious surface of virtual curve number equals 100 subjected to an effective rainfall of 1cm depth, the SWMM has successfully simulated the 1-hr UH after computing the watershed width as this study proposes. The simulated 1-hr UH follows the common pattern of synthetic UHs. It has peak flow of 133m3/s which requires 4.5 hours to attain its value after the runoff has begun. The watershed has lag-time of 4 hours and it drains rainwater to around 45 hours. The derived UH is useful to obtain storm hydrograph for flood analysis and rainwater harvesting studies in the arid region of Swaqa. From regression analysis, a strong relationship was observed between the UH peak flow and the geomorphological attributes of the watershed. Based on that, this study introduces a general equation to predict the UH peak flow given the watershed area, stream length, surface roughness and slope. The predicted peak flow is close to the SWMM simulated value; therefore, this equation is useful to construct synthetic UHs for ungauged watersheds.
Ecotoxicological impacts of pharmaceuticals on marine biota: A Systematic Review
Authors: VAGI MARIA , NTATSI NEFELI , PETSAS ANDREAS
Published: August 2023

Abstract Pharmaceuticals are a wide class of chemicals used for human and veterinary purposes. As many other anthropogenic organic substances, they can be introduced into various aquatic ecosystems including marine and coastal waters via accidental incidents or spatial sources. Consequently, a variety of potential toxic effects on marine inhabitants that are inevitably exposed to those chemicals are provoked. The present study is a systematic review of the scientific literature that has been published up to 31/12/2022 regarding the scientific research which has been conducted and concerns the evaluation of potential toxic effects of pharmaceuticals on marine biota that belong to several different levels of the food chain. Based on the gathered information from the collected and classified articles, useful conclusions, and observations are reported about research trends. At the same time, knowledge gaps and weaknesses in the current research are identified and highlighted. Furthermore, suggestions for future research on this topic are also reported.
Fair guidance in ratcheting up the national net-zero emission ambitions
Authors: Wang Can , Li Mingyu , Zheng Xinzhu
Published: August 2023

National net-zero pledges have brought the Paris Agreement temperature target within reach, yet they still need a boost. Current evaluations and analyses of net-zero targets have fallen short in equity. We use a transparent and multidimensional approach to go beyond the long-standing dispute of detailed equity definitions and assess the Paris Agreement compatibility of national net-zero targets from a general equity perspective. We use the allowed national emissions as a reference to incentivize countries to increase their targets. If countries follow a linearly increasing ambition level of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to net-zero commitments and then remain on this path, global warming will be limited to about 1.8 °C (high NDCs) or -1.9 °C (low NDCs) by 2100. Our work provides essential information for reviewing and advancing net-zero commitments and promoting the convergence of national actions towards the 1.5 °C goal.
Revealing the Hidden Toxin of the Bottom Ashes from Open Municipal Waste Burning
Authors: Ramadan Bimastyaji , Rachman Indriyani , Matsumoto Toru , Rosmalina Raden
Published: August 2023

Bottom ashes caused by open waste burning (OWB) contains a large amount of metal, which can harm human health when exposed directly to human or leached into the waterways. This study aims to reveal the metal in the bottom ashes and its potential health impact. Laboratory field studies which consist of replication of open burning practice and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) analysis, were used to answer the aims. It is found that the carcinogenic risks (CR) caused by arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) from food waste and paper burning are higher through the ingestion pathway. Besides, the hazard index (HI) shows a value of less than 1 for adults and children in all types of waste burning. However, a higher average value for HI is found in the children. This value means that children are the most vulnerable subject to the leaching of bottom ash through the waterways from OWB practices.
Monitoring Air Quality in Cyprus (2016-2022)
Authors: Chtristofidou Maria , Rossidou Ero , Kozakou Sofia , Michael Nikos , Poulli Konstantina , Kokkinofta Rebecca
Published: August 2023

Air pollution is a significant environmental threat to public health worldwide. In Cyprus, the laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Control of Effluents of the State General Laboratory in collaboration with the competent Authorities, the Department of Inspection of the Ministry of labour, develops and implements programs for monitoring every year the efficiency of the quality of air, using special filters. Heavy metals (As, Cd, Ni, Hg, Pb), other metals (Al, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Cr, V), ions (Cl-, SO4 2-, NO3 -, Na+, K+, NH4 + ) as well as 8 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH’s) including benzo(a)pyrene, were monitored and controlled systematically and effectively for more than a decade.
Instrumental techniques like ion chromatography, ICP, ICP-MS and HPLC-fluorescence are used to determine ions, metals, and PAH,'s respectively. In this study, the results of these parameters are presented for the years 2016–2022. Heavy metals, ions, and PAHs are found in low concentrations ranging from low nanograms to micrograms per m3.
Oxic-Settling-Anaerobic under intermittent aeration: effect on system performance, sludge minimization and greenhouse gas emissions
Authors: Bosco Mofatto P , Dı Trapanı D , Cosenza A , Mannina Giorgio
Published: August 2023

The paper presents the results of an experimental study carried out on a pilot scale activated sludge system operated under intermittent aeration and fed with real wastewater at the Water Resource Recovery Facility of Palermo University (Italy). The experimental campaign was divided into two periods: in Period I, the pilot plant was operated as a conventional activated sludge system under intermittent aeration with fixed duration of aerated and non-aerated phases. In Period II, the plant layout was modified according to the Oxic-Settling-Anaerobic (OSA) configuration, by adding one anaerobic reactor in the recycling line from the final settler to the biological reactor. The final aim was to assess the reduction of excess sludge production while monitoring both system performance and N2O emissions. The results highlighted that the implementation of OSA configuration lead to a decrease of the sludge yield from 0.45 to 0.35 mgVSS/mgCOD. The COD efficiency remained quite stable and close to 90%. Conversely, OSA configuration negatively affected the pilot plant nitrification, with a significant decrease of NH4-N removal from 91% to 79%. Such reduction was also confirmed by respirometric analysis which showed a change in kinetic behavior from Period I to Period II.
Short-time numerical simulation of ultrasonically assisted electrochemical removal of strontium from water
Authors: Licht K. , Lončar G. , Posavčić H. , Halkijević I.
Published: August 2023

3D numerical simulations and measurements on an electrochemical reactor were used to analyze the efficiency of strontium removal from water, with and without simultaneous ultrasound treatment. Ultrasound was generated using 4 ultrasonic transducers with an operating frequency of 25 kHz. The reactor used 8 aluminum electrodes arranged in two blocks. Strontium ions in water are modeled as particles characterized by a charge of 3.2∙10-19 C and a diameter of 1.2∙10-8 m. The numerical model was created in Flow-3D software using the basic hydrodynamic module, electrostatic module, and general moving objects module. The performance of the studied reactor variants by numerical simulations is defined by the ratio of the number of model strontium particles permanently retained on the electrodes at the end of the simulation period to the initial number of particles in the water. For the laboratory reactor, the effect of strontium removal is defined by the ratio of the homogeneous strontium concentration in the water at the end and at the beginning of the experiments.
The results show that the use of ultrasound increases the effect of strontium removal from 10.3% to 11.2% after 180 seconds of water treatment. The results of numerical simulations agree with the results of measurements on a reactor with the same geometrical characteristics.
Circular Cities: Challenges and Opportunities towards their transition to a green, smart and circular economy.
Authors: Liogkas Vasileios
Published: August 2023

Cities cover 3% of the land on Earth, however with more than 70% of the population expected to live in urban areas by 2050 they drive almost three-quarters of GHG emissions. They account for two-thirds of global energy demand, consume 60-80% of natural resources and generate 50% of waste.
Urban metabolism is becoming the most important indicator of measuring the sustainability of cities.
Cities are on the front lines combatting major challenges, notably climate change, pandemics, integration of refugees, decarbonisation, air pollution, food security, energy poverty, waste/water management and putting in place circular economy. Cities are hubs of sustainable economic activity, community engagement, innovation.
The policy choices local governments make today will determine the successful transition to greener, cleaner, smarter way of living and will offer new economic opportunities. Cities and regions can act as enablers of the transition, providing the conditions for the circular economy to happen in practice.
This paper/presentation explores major urban challenges driven by climate change. It observes new human-centric urban trends and technologies shaping circular urban planning. It draws the main axes of integrated policies, collaborative governance and technology-powered solutions that cities can deploy to speed-up their transition to a green, smart and circular economy.
The education approach to sustainable water management
Authors: Vgenopoulou Elisabeth , Evrenoglou Leukothea , Damikouka Ioanna
Published: August 2023

Water has a leading role in sustainable development. Water security is a key challenge worldwide. In recent years, new challenges from intensive urbanization and climate change have come to the fore. These challenges are intertwined with environmental, economic and social issues, which threaten the world's population and lead to an increased responsibility to improve the management of water resources in a sustainable way in order to ensure the life and future of the earth. Despite the efforts that have been made, water management is a cause for concern. Education can empower people in such a way that they become active agents of sustainable development themselves and this could be a fundamental step towards a better global future. The article seeks to highlight the necessity of water as a subject of environmental education and to state the conditions required for its successful implementation, in order to achieve awareness of natural resources and develop capacities for the sustainability of our global society.
Use of recycled construction and demolition waste as substrate in hybrid constructed wetlands for the treatment of Olive Mill Wastewater.
Authors: Fountoulakis Michalis , Kotsia Dimitra , Anastasiadi Zinovia
Published: August 2023

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of hybrid constructed wetlands (CWs) for treating olive mill wastewater (OMW) using recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste as substrate material. The experiment was conducted at the outdoor research facility of the University of the Aegean in Mytilene, Greece. Three identical pilot hybrid systems were developed, consisting of a vertical subsurface flow CW and a horizontal subsurface flow CW. The first hybrid system (S1) was filled with recycled demolition waste, the second system S2 was filled with rock (ignimbrite) processing residues while the third system (S3) was filled with gravel for comparison. In all three pilot hybrid systems, four plants of Atriplex halimus were placed in each VF-CW, while four plants of Scirpoides holoschoens were placed in each HF-CW. The experiment lasted for 4 months with hydraulic loading rate 30 L/d. The effluent results from the hybrid systems showed that the hybrid system filled with the rock processing residues had higher removal rates for all examined parameters (COD=87%, Turbidity=99%, Total Phosphorus =75%, Total Phenols=95%).
Comparative analysis of two microalgae-bacterial symbiotic association growth in papermill effluent enriched through food waste digestate
Authors: Ghosh Uttam , Talapatra Kumari Namita
Published: August 2023

New treatment methods are needed to better recycle waste towards the circular economy. Microalgae can be used as an asset to treat effluent and simultaneously produce biofuel. This paper aims to evaluate the growth of microalgae-bacterial symbiotic association in papermill effluent enriched through food waste digestate. Besides that further removal capacity of nutrients from effluent were also evaluated. Two microalgae strains were observed: Auxenochlorella protothecoide, Tetraselmis indica in combination with mixed bacterial inoculation versus the monoculture of microalgae.. Auxenochlorella protothecoide-bacterial symbiotic system growth in the effluent was 1.6 times more than monoculture growth of Auxenochlorella protothecoide. On the 10th day, the symbiotic Auxenochlorella protothecoide system removed 86.95%, 85.67%, and 78.53% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) respectively. The paper mill effluent after treatment can be recycled to use further for irrigation purposes.
Air quality monitoring and control in complex environments by advanced and integrated system
Authors: Zarra Tiziano , Mariniello Aniello , Marino Vincenzo , Oliva Giusy , Valentino Elena , Lalicata Gianluigi , Caputo Fausto , Naddeo Vincenzo , Belgiorno Vincenzo
Published: August 2023

Large civil engineering projects, such as the construction and expansion of Ports are strategic actions for the social and economic development of territories. Air gaseous emissions are among the most important environmental pressures linked to all stages of these projects. Prolonged exposure to air pollutants can cause respiratory disease, nausea, reduced resistance to infections and increased fatigue in humans. Advanced real time monitoring systems are thus needed in order to control the emissions and avoid potential negative impacts. The research presents and discusses the identification and application of an advanced and integrated multi-criteria environmental system for the air quality continuous monitoring in sensitive area. The experimental activities are carried out with reference to a real case study of the Port of Salerno (SA). Conventional and emergent air contaminants are measurred by fixed monitoring stations and mobile laboratories. All data are collected and transmitted in real time on a specifically designed spatial information system (SIT). The results of four years of analysis and monitoring are presented. The proposed system highlights the importance of developing and implementing integrated multi-criteria monitoring plan in order to be effective and guarantees environmental protection and data transparency.