bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Groundwater Flow Dynamics in Shallow Coastal Plain Sands Aquifer, Abesan Area, Eastern Dahomey Basin, Southwestern Nigeria.
Authors: Joseph Anne
Published: November 2022

Thirty hand-dug wells were identified and evaluated to study the groundwater flow dynamics and anionic species distribution in the study area. Topography and water table levels method with the aid of Surfer were adopted in the delineation of six recharge and discharge zones correspondingly. Dissolved anionic species of Cl-, HCO3-, SO42- and NO3- were determined using titrimetric and spectrophotometric method. The prominent anions in order Cl- > HCO3- > SO42- > NO3- at discharge and recharge area are Cl- and HCO3- ranging from 0.22ppm to 3.67ppm and 2.59ppm to 0.72ppm respectively. Analysis of groundwater head distribution and flow vector in Abesan area confirmed that Cl- concentration is higher than HCO3-concentration in recharge zones and conversely in discharge zones. A large percentage of the samples showed that the anions falls within the permissible limit of the W.H.O standard. Water Quality assessment revealed saltwater intrusion imprints in the groundwater of the study area. Potential salinity and SO42-/ Cl- ratios signifies that most of the groundwater in Abesan falls in a water class found to be insuitable for irrigation and not saline. Continuous dissolution of these anionic species may pose a significant threat to the inhabitants of Abesan area in the nearest future.
EVALUATION OF PHOTOCHEMICAL DEGRADATION OF ANTIVIRAL ACYCLOVIR BY UVC/PS & UVC/H2O2 IN SYNTHETIC FRESH AND HYDROLYZED URINE
Authors: Xekoukoulotakis N. , Drosou C. , Tyrovola K.
Published: November 2022

The increasing presence of contaminants of anthropogenic origin in the aquatic environment raises the concern of the scientific community (Patel et al., 2019). Antiviral drugs play an important role, as their presence in aquatic bodies is associated with antiviral resistance and chronic toxicity to aquatic organisms (Nannou et al., 2020). Acyclovir is one of the widest antivirals as it is preferred for the treatment of various diseases such as herpes simplex virus, hepatitis virus, and cytomegalovirus. Acyclovir has been detected in WWTPs and industrial effluents as well as drinking water. In the present study, the UVC/PS and UVC/H2O2 treatment of ACV was investigated in synthetic fresh (SFU) and hydrolyzed urine (SHU). Specifically, the effect of each component of these complex aqueous matrices on the performance of the treatment methods was evaluated. It was found that UVC/H2O2 system is effective in ACV decomposition even SHU and SFU, as almost complete degradation of the antiviral is achieved in a short time of treatment. In contrast, UVC/PS system presents a lower efficiency in ACV degradation. It was found that the presence of urea in SFU and NH3 in SHU, inhibits the photo-generated sulfate radicals and consequently significantly slows down the decomposition of antiviral.
Biodegradation of anthracene by an Antarctic fungal strain a member of genus Alternaria
Authors: Alexieva Zlatka , Gerginova Maria , Stoyanova Katya , Peneva Nadejda
Published: November 2022

By the aim to characterize the ability of an isolated from Antarctic soils fungal strain termed Alternaria maritima AL10 to degrade anthracene as sole carbon sources at different temperature conditions (23°C and 10°C), research has performed.
The results from GC-MS analysis have shown that the strain A. maritima AL10 degraded and utilized anthracene only in mesophilic conditions.
Phenol hydroxylase activity measured in cleared cells’ lysate of strain A. maritima AL10 was significantly high - 1,123 U / mg P.
APOC technology as an eco-innovative decentralized sanitation system for wastewater treatment and reuse facilities in the rural locality of Bent Saidane-NE Tunisia
Authors: Chaabane Safa , Ghattassi Anis , Mensi Khitem , M'hiri Fadhel , Plakas Konstantinos
Published: November 2022

Decentralized wastewater treatment systems (DEWATS) in rural areas can be a smart alternative that helps communities to strengthen rural sanitation in improving clean water and sanitation management. To address these challenges, AquaCycle project, funded by the European Union under the ENI CBC MED Program, aims to bring an eco-innovative APOC system that combines anaerobic digestion (AD), constructed wetland (CW), and solar photocatalytic oxidation (SPO) for decentralized wastewater rural sanitation in a cost-effective, economic, green, sustainable, and environmental healthy, manner. The APOC system will be established in the rural locality of Bent Saidane (Governorate of Zaghouan, Northern East of Tunisia) as an appropriate implementation site with a 90.12 km2 area and a flow capacity of 5 to 25 m3/day. About one hectare will be planned for treated wastewater irrigation purposes. Based on the annual average values of the physicochemical and bacteriological raw wastewater quality, a spontaneous biodegradability was noted. Compared to conventional wastewater systems, APOC system will provide reliability, affordability, environmental and financial benefits, that make such system particularly appropriate for rural sanitation in relation to the transition to the circular economy.
EXTRACTION AND DETERMINATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOUNDS ADSORBED INTO MICROPLASTICS
Authors: Sosa-Ferrera Zoraida , Santana-Viera Sergio , Montesdecoa-Esponda Sarah , Torres-Padrón María Esther , Santana-Rodríguez José Juan
Published: November 2022

Microplastics (MPs) are pollutants of emerging concern. These small particles are found throughout the world. Its best-known negative effects are that they can confuse marine organisms that would feed on them, or block their airways. In addition, they have been shown to act as vectors of contamination too.
In this work, a methodology for the extraction of ten widely used pharmaceutical compounds adsorbed into MPs has been developed. This methodology is based on Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE) followed by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). In the optimal conditions, Limits of Detection (LODs) between 0.25 and 15.8 ng·g-1 were obtained. The optimized method was successfully applied to different MPs samples taken from three beaches of Canary Islands. The results indicated the detection of all target pharmaceuticals at least one time in the analysed samples.
QSight-based method for the detection and quantification of polar contaminants in drinking water
Authors: Mattern Derek , Stefan Edler , Becker Thomas , Garaguso Ignazio
Published: November 2022

An analytical method covering various difficult polar contaminats such as chlorate, bromate, bromide, glyphosate and AMPA was successfully developed utilizing direct injection and ion exchange columns. Linearity could be obtained for each compound, with a dynamic range of 2-3 magnitudes and regression coefficients (r2) ≥ 0.995. Furthermore, for some compounds levels as low as 10 ng/L could be reached demonstrating the extreme sensitivity of the QSight UPHLC-MS/MS. Moreover, it could be shown that by simple direct injection of drinking or surface water the sample preparation could be completely eliminated. The present work aims at illustrating the performance of a targeted LC-MS/MS method using a QSight triple quadrupole mass spectrometer for the quantification of several difficult polar contaminants in drinking water and meeting current EU regulatory limits.
Monitoring the algae biomass growth developed on hollow fiber membrane bioreactor
Authors: Luca Fortunato , Novoa Andres
Published: November 2022

This work focuses on using non-destructive imaging techniques to monitor in-situ the formation of algae biomass on hollow fiber membrane bioreactor treating wastewater. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) was employed to acquire cross-sectional scans of the algae growth in real-time under continuous operation. The proposed approach allowed evaluating in real-time the impact of the biomass on the bioreactor performance in terms of TMP increase and permeate quality.
Application of the PALM4U Model Coupled to WRF/Chem Model to Evaluate Wind Comfort and Air Pollution Impacts for Urban Scenarios
Authors: SAN NJOSE ROBERTO , PEREZ CAMANYO JUAN
Published: November 2022

Air pollution and wind comfort are both important indicators of quality of life in urban environments. This study examines the influence of a tree area (Green Park) on the wind patterns and air pollution concentrations over a downtown urban area (1 km x 1 km) in Madrid (Spain) with the CFD PALM4U model (5 m spatial resolution) coupled with the WRF/Chem mesoscale chemical model. Two numerical experiments have been performed: a) with trees (BAU) and b) without trees (NOTREE) to investigate the impacts of trees on the wind patterns and air pollution concentrations. Nitrogen dioxide and ozone concentrations in the BAU scenario were compared with the values at the pollution monitoring station in the area to validate the simulations. The impacts (BAU-NOTREE) indicate that the pedestrian wind comfort and NO2 concentrations is greatly affected by the trees far away of the Green Park area. In some specific locations in the area the NO2 concentrations are found to increase up to 10% and in other locations, reductions of up to 20% are found. This results demonstrate the efficiency of using sophisticated CFD numerical models, such as PALM4U, for conducting air quality and micro-climate simulations in urban areas.
Cluster Analysis and Principal Component Analysis using Micropollutant Measurements on the Most Polluted Tributary of Ergene River: Çorlu Stream
Authors: Cingiroglu Fulya , Emadian SeyedMehdi , Tezel Ulas , Kaynak Burcak
Published: November 2022

This study focuses on investigation the spatial distribution of pollutants in Çorlu Stream is the highest industrialized tributary of Ergene River which is one of the most polluted rivers in Turkey. A total of 250 conventional, metal and micropollutants were scanned at eleven sampling locations for four seasons in Çorlu Stream of Ergene River. At these locations, total of 126, 124, 99 and 107 pollutants were detected at least one sampling location in summer, fall, winter and spring, respectively. Four micropollutants which are associated with textile industry were detected in every location in all seasons. Cluster Analysis found four main clusters for sampling locations from most polluted to low polluted, and six cluster for pollutants ranging from conventional to unique pollutants. Principal Component Analysis identified six components for every season explaining more than 80% of the variation in each. PCA results indicated the impact of textile, leather, metal industries and appliance-electronics production in the Çorlu Region.
Nation-wide monitoring campaign of 49 contaminants of emerging concern in surface waters and sediments (EMNAT 2018): occurrence and PNEC exceedance evaluation
Authors: Assoumani Azziz , Lestremau François , Ferret Céline , Lepot Bénédicte , Le Gall Marion , Salomon Morgane , Budzinski Hélène , Dévier Marie-Hélène , Labadie Pierre , Le Menach Karyn , Pardon Patrick , Wiest Laure , Vulliet Emmanuelle , Staub Pierre-François
Published: November 2022

The overall objective of the 2018 survey campaign of contaminants of emerging concern in surface waters (continental and coastal) and sediments known as EMNAT 2018, is to provide monitoring data for the emerging contaminants prioritization exercise, which will allow the update of the list of relevant substances to be monitored (SPAS), as part of the future Water Framework Directive (WFD) monitoring programmes (2022).
This campaign collected nearly 14,000 data regarding 49 contaminants of emerging concern (32 biocides and 17 surfactants) in surface waters and sediments on 98 sites in mainland France and in the French overseas regions.
Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonic acids (LAS) were the most frequently quantified surfactants and at the highest median concentrations in water and sediment samples, in metropolitan France and in the overseas regions. Fipronil was the most frequently quantified biocide in water samples in metropolitan France and in the overseas regions, but at lower median concentrations than other biocides. Methyl nonyl ketone was the most frequently quantified biocide and at high median concentrations in sediment samples from mainland France and in overseas regions.
Based on the available predicted no effect concentrations (PNEC), several contaminants were identified as highly and moderately critical regarding the PNEC exceedance, and will be considered to be included in the SPAS list for the next WFD cycle.
Environmental Burdens of a Large Water Treatment Plant: The Operational Phase
Authors: Sahin Akkurt Hulya , Elginoz Nilay , Iskender Gulen , Germirli Babuna Fatos
Published: November 2022

Being a metropolis, Istanbul requires a well-functioning urban service system. Water supply is among the most important infrastructures in this city that has around 15-16 million habitants. There are many water treatment plants all around Istanbul to facilitate healthy water supply to people. On the other hand, these plants are sources of negative environmental impacts. In this perspective, it is necessary to investigate the ways to reduce these negative environmental impacts. The objective of this study is to evaluate the environmental impacts of Kagithane Water Treatment Plant (KWTP) by adopting life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. KWTP is one of the biggest water treatment plants in Turkey. The treatment plant is located on the western side of Istanbul. It withdraws water from Terkos Lake and Alibey Dam. Energy input is addressed as the most important contributor to all environmental impact categories. In conclusion, it is recommended to develop strategies for the reduction of energy consumption together with adopting from renewable sources for energy input.
Investigation of the relationship between Hg speciation in soil and human health and ecological risk assessment
Authors: SOUBASAKOU G. , DAMIKOUKA I. , ANAGNOSTOPOULOU K. , CAVOURA O.
Published: November 2022

Mercury (Hg) pollution in soils can have major effects on human health and ecological systems. Concentrations, toxicological behaviour and bioavailability of different Hg species, both in the environment and in biological systems differ greatly, and are significa nt in the estimation of both human health and ecological risk assessment. Herein the significance of appropriate selection of species in both human health and ecological risk assessments is considered.
Small-scale fisheries in Istrian waters (northern Adriatic): preliminary results on catch analysis and presence of thermophilic species
Authors: Iveša N. , Buršić M. , Gelli M. , Barić O. , Filipas R. , Castellicchio A. , Kovačić I. , Pustijanac E. , Štifanić M. , Paliaga P. , Millotti G. , Gavrilović A.
Published: November 2022

Small-scale gillnet fisheries in northern Adriatic have latterly shown certain alterations, mainly related to more frequent occurrence of thermophilic species due to ongoing climate changes. This research presents data on gillnet catch in Istrian waters (Raša and Medulin Bay) in order to show the ratio of thermophilic fish species in the total catch. Net deployment was performed twice a month, from October 2020 to January 2021. A total of 29 fish species were recorded, five of which are categorized as thermophilic: leerfish (Lichia amia), pompano (Trachinotus ovatus), greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili), Mediterranean barracuda (Sphyraena sphyraena) and bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix). This category was represented with 4.68% of the weight in the total catch. L. amia was the most represented thermophilic species with 70.23% of the total catch weight of thermophilic species. Among native species, bullet tuna (Auxis rochei) was the most represented (49.78%), followed by the gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata (30.17%). Results have shown significant presence of thermophilic fish species in the gillnet catch in Istrian waters during the main fishing season. Although that could have significant implications in terms of conservation, management and sustainable use of the living resources, seasonal exploitation of thermophilic species could be considered as an opportunity for local fishermen.
Air pollution assessment for regulatory purposes: a CFD approach design
Authors: Antuña Yudego Elena , Fernández Pacheco Víctor , Suárez López María José , Álvarez Álvarez Eduardo , Carús Candás Juan
Published: November 2022

In a context of atmospheric pollution levels on the rise, there is a growing interest in the use of pollutant dispersion tools, especially for regulatory purposes involving industrial activities. Environmental organizations from different countries legislate and encourage the use of different types of models capable to provide fast and robust results in many scenarios. However, these models are not suitable for certain complex conditions of pollutant dispersion, where CFD tools offer a powerful alternative to consider, despite their higher demands in terms of time and resources. In order to run accurate and reliable CFD simulations, some important steps must be carefully considered, such as the definition of an appropriate computational domain. As for the concerned scenario, the pollution impact assessment of industrial facilities, building such a geometrical domain poses specific challenges that are necessary to address. The present work identifies a case study of pollutant dispersion from an industrial source for which the use of CFD models is advised. A contribution is made towards the establishment of a systematic methodology for the development of CFD computational domains in the field of pollution impact assessment of industrial facilities.
Modelling the Evaporation Flux from Shallow Sandy Aquifers
Authors: Al-Suwaiyan Mohammad
Published: November 2022

A mathematical model based on Richard’s equation and the soil hydraulic properties was developed in order to understand the influence of the soil depth to the water table on the maximum potential evaporative flux through the unsaturated zone. The model was applied on shallow aquifers using different types of sandy soils with hydraulic properties available from literature. Simple equations are presented to estimate the maximum evaporation from shallow sandy water table aquifers.
Performance of a Miniaturized, Lightweight, and Cost-effective Parallel-Plate Differential Mobility Analyzer
Authors: Lekaki Nikoleta , Agapiou Agapios , Costi Marinos , Biskos George , Maisser Anne
Published: November 2022

Size resolved measurements of aerosol particles are essential for understanding key processes in the atmosphere, and assessing their potential impacts on human health and climate. This has led to an increasing demand for compact and portable, yet cost-effective, instruments for characterizing the atmospheric aerosol.
A commonly employed instrument for sizing aerosol particles in the sub-micrometer range is the Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA). Commercial DMAs weigh several kilograms, and have a cost higher than 10 kEUR. When employed in aerosol size spectrometers, they attribute a poor time resolution to the system (in the range of several minutes), as they require scanning of their operating conditions. This limits their ability to probe rapidly-changing aerosols caused by certain processes. One way to overcome this limitation is to employ several DMAs operated at fixed conditions (instead of one in which the operating conditions are scanned), but doing so multiplies the weight, the size and the cost of the entire system.
Here we report on the design and testing of a lightweight, miniaturized and cost-effective Parallel-Plate DMA. The weight of this DMA is reduced to less than 1 kg, whereas its manufacturing cost is two orders of magnitude less than that of their commercial counterparts.
SIMULATION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF OWC DEVICE OPERATING IN COASTAL REGIONS
Authors: Belibassakis K. , Magkouris A. , Rusu E.
Published: November 2022

Wave energy converters are constantly being deployed in nearshore and coastal areas characterized by increased wave potential. The performance of the devices
installed in the nearshore and coastal environment, where the sea bottom terrain may present significant variations, can be evaluated by formulating and solving interaction problems that involve water waves, structures and the seafloor. In this work a novel Boundary Element Method (BEM) is developed and applied to the investigation of a simplified Oscillating Water Column (OWC) system in the
two-dimensional space, taking into account the interaction of the incident wave field with the bottom topography, in the context of the linear wave theory for normally incident waves. Numerical results that highlight the effect of seabed inhomogeneities on the hydrodynamic performance of OWC devices are presented, in combination with other parameters that determine the device’s performance, like the structure’s dimensions and power take off system. Finally, results related to the flow field developed during the operation of the device are presented and discussed.
Bioeconomy value indicators in Sicily
Authors: Matarazzo Agata , Schillaci carmela
Published: November 2022

The emergence of the bioeconomy and the concept of sustainability in production processes have been essential for the protection of the environment and biodiversity, as well as for the implementation of processes for energy recovery, the creation of new jobs and increased competitiveness. Bioeconomy includes all sectors of the economy that use biological renewable resources of land and sea (such as crops, forests, fish, animals and micro- organisms, as well as biological residues and waste) to produce goods and services in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable strategy. The objective of this paper is to quantify the performance of bioeconomy and sustainability of the agri-food chain in Sicily through the analysis of the main business, innovation and bioeconomy start-ups connected to Circular Economy, the overall waste treatment plants that permit material recovery; and the number of biological surfaces.
Assessing the performance of green nano Zero Valent Iron in column experiments for the removal of NSAIDs from water
Authors: Panagou Iliana , Kalli Maria , Noutsopoulos Constantinos , Mamais Daniel , Koumaki Elena , Malamis Simos
Published: November 2022

The existence of emerging contaminants in the aquatic environment is globally a major concern. Among them, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a vast category of pharmaceuticals that are widely consumed and cannot be completely removed in typical wastewater treatment systems, thus entering the environment and causing adverse effects on living organisms and human health. Nano Zero Valent Iron (nZVI) has been proved capable of removing a wide range of recalcitrant pollutants from contaminated water and soil. Its reactivity, and large specific surface area, in combination with the ability to be produced via ‘green’ low-cost methods make it a promising material for the reclamation of wastewater from persistent micropollutants. In this study, nZVI made of green tea extracts, was incorporated in a cationic resin and was used in continuous flow pilot experiments to investigate the removal efficiency of two nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs from wastewater, namely Naproxen and Ketoprofen. Results indicated that the nZVI columns exhibited improved performance to the removal of these pharmaceuticals for the lowest initial concentration of pollutants and for the largest bed height investigated, but pH also played a key role on the overall process performance.
Methane distribution over Greece as derived from Sentinel-5P TROPOMI data
Authors: KANAKIDOU MARIA , EVANGELOU IOANNA , GIALESAKIS NIKOLAOS , DASKALAKIS NIKOLAOS
Published: November 2022

Global warming, induced mainly by greenhouse gases emitted by human activities, is an environmental issue of crucial importance for society. Greenhouse gases, such as methane (CH4), need to be monitored and their anthropogenic emissions quantified in order to be reduced. We here present, the first systematic investigation of CH4 columns over Greece derived from the Sentinel-5 Precursor TROPOMI satellite instrument L-2 high spatial resolution data for the period 2019-2020. We gridded the data in 0.2ox0.2o grids and find an increase in CH4 columns between 2019 and 2020 and a clear seasonal pattern in CH4 column with high columns in summer and fall and the lowest in winter. We also identify Athens, Thessaly, Thessaloniki, Thrace and the Crete as areas with high CH4 columns.
PFAS removal performance of novel technologies for treatment of firefighting water and groundwater
Authors: Hjort Markus , Dalmijn Joost , Roest Kees , ter Laak Thomas , Vaiopoulou Eleni
Published: November 2022

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of widely used man-made organic chemical substances. PFAS have been used because of their particular physicochemical properties: most are stable at high temperatures, recalcitrant to chemical oxidation and biological degradation, and act as a surfactant. Many PFAS may also be bio-accumulative and toxic and there are concerns around their environmental effect.
In this study several treatment technologies for PFAS removal were tested in the laboratory on both groundwater containing PFAS, and firefighting wastewater obtained from a firefighting training site where firefighting foam was applied. The treatment technologies assessed were performance of sorbents, coagulation/flocculation, nanofiltration, foam- and ozo fractionation technologies. In all cases the PFAS removal effectiveness was evaluated.
Experiments showed that all sorbents were able to remove PFAS from both groundwater containing PFAS as well as firefighting wastewater, but the latter required sorbent dosages in g/L range. It was therefore concluded that groundwater containing PFAS can be treated with one of the tested sorbents directly, while for firefighting wastewater, typically has higher PFAS concentrations as well as other contaminants, a treatment train approach is likely to be more efficient.
Application of catalytic hydrodehalogenation for the removal of brominated flame retardants
Authors: Benito del Olmo Raúl , Nieto-Sandoval Julia , Munoz Macarena , De Pedro Zahara , Casas Jose Antonio
Published: November 2022

The aim of this work is to evaluate the feasibility of aqueous-phase catalytic hydrodehalogenation (HDH) for the fast and environmentally-friendly degradation of the flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). TBBPA is a pollutant of emerging concern characterized by a strong persistence that has been associated with negative effects on both the environment and human health. The complete degradation of TBBPA during the HDH reaction ([TBBPA]0 = 1 mg L-1) was achieved in short reaction times (5 min) under ambient conditions using 1 g L-1 of a commercial Pd/Al2O3 (1% wt.) catalyst. Remarkably, bisphenol A, a known endocrine disruptor, was generated along reaction once TBBPA was completely debrominated. However, its complete removal was achieved by further hydrogenation. Although TBBPA suffered a strong adsorption on the catalyst surface, both adsorbed and free molecules reacted completely, and bromine balance was closed (>95%). HDH of TBBPA followed a pseudo-first order kinetic and a kinetic constant value of 1.03 min-1 was obtained. Furthermore, the effect of the temperature was evaluated between 15 and 35 ºC, obtaining higher degradation rates when the temperature increased. A resulting apparent activation energy of 36 kJ mol-1 was calculated. Notably, the catalyst showed a notable stability after three consecutive HDH runs.
Magnetite-decorated catalytic membrane reactor for the continuous-flow CWPO of micropollutants
Authors: López-Aragó Neus , Nieto-Sandoval Julia , Munoz Macarena , de Pedro Zahara , Casas Jose Antonio
Published: November 2022

This work aims at developing a contactor type Catalytic Membrane Reactor (CMR) for its application in the continuous removal of micropollutants by Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation (CWPO). For such goal, a porous alumina membrane tube was homogeneously decorated with magnetite nanoparticles following an optimized method (ion-adsorption, microwave drying, calcination and reduction). In this interfacial system, the water effluent and the H2O2 solution are separated by the catalytic porous membrane, where a controlled reaction zone is formed. The Fe/CMR (0.5% wt.) developed was applied for the treatment of a representative micropollutants mixture (sulfamethoxazole (SMX), metronidazole (MNZ) and carbamazepine (CBZ)) under ambient conditions and slightly acidic pH (pH0 = 5). The initial concentration of each compound was established at 100 μg L-1. Despite the relatively low micropollutants conversion achieved (22.1%, 27.8% and 32.2% for MNZ, SMX and CBZ, respectively), the catalytic system showed a high stability in long-term application (100 h). Further research is currently on the way with the aim of increasing the iron load in the surface of the membrane in order to improve the catalytic performance of the system.
Assessing the risks of climate change for cultural heritage – The CLIMASCAPE project
Authors: Cartalis Constantinos , Polydoros Anastasios , Mavrakou Thaleia , Philippopoulos Konstantinos , Asprogerakas Evangelos , Pantazis Panayotis , Samarina Anna , Zoumpaki Sofia , Karambinis Michalis
Published: November 2022

The protection of cultural heritage sites from the climate change effects is a central priority for protecting the cultural capital of Greece, and the sustainability of the related touristic flows. This paper describes the conceptual framework of the CLIMASCAPE project which aims to develop a methodology to be rolled out as a multi-criteria system for the evaluation of exposure, sensitivity, adaptive capacity and eventually vulnerability of archaeological areas to climate change. Eight UNESCO archaeological sites in Greece are selected as case studies namely; Olympia, Delphi, Delos, Sanctuary of Asklepios, Mystras, Apollo Epicurius, Philippoi and Heraion of Samos. Climate model projections are used to identify possible climate change related risks such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, fires and sea level rise and associate them with each of the eight selected study areas. A methodological framework for assessing the vulnerability and its components is also presented along with examples of possible data that are useful for the quantitative estimation of the above. The preliminary finding of the project suggest that differentiated adaptation plans for each site based on (a) the specific projections regarding the impacts of climate change and (b) the specific characteristics of each site are needed.
TROPOMI NO2 and SO2 Temporal Changes over Large Point Sources and Their Relationship with Electricity Production
Authors: Kaynak Burcak , Cingiroglu Fulya , Deger Sumeyye Sena , Ceker Ali Osman , Akyuz Ezgi
Published: November 2022

This study focuses on the spatial distribution and temporal changes of NO2 and SO2 pollution over large point sources using high-resolution TROPOMI retrievals, and aims to find a correlation between the retrievals and electricity production. SO2 retrievals showed highest signals over power plants, whereas NO2 retrievals showed highest signals over large cities. Daily and monthly time series of NO2 and SO2 for the selected nine coal power plants were compared with electricity production for two years. Correlations between NO2, SO2, and electricity production were calculated for daily and monthly averages for every power plant. Then, the monthly averages with more than 23 days data (~75%, May-October) were used for correlation analysis. Highest correlations were observed for lignite-fired Afsin Elbistan Power Plant with highest total capacity in Turkey. The monthly correlations for May-October were found as 0.71 for NO2, 0.84 for SO2 for Afsin Elbistan Power Plant, as 0.45 for NO2 and 0.43 for SO2 for all selected power plants. Temporal changes in electricity production can be captured on monthly-basis, however, the correlations were lower on daily-basis. Point sources located close to land-sea boundaries and multiple sources located in the same region were poorly captured using satellite retrievals.
Hydrogen and organic acids production from mesophilic and thermophilic dark fermentation of sugarcane vinasse without buffers
Authors: Ribeiro J. , Mota T. , Oliveira V. , Zaiat M.
Published: November 2022

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the valorization of vinasse dark fermentation (DF) through bioH2 and value-added metabolites production without buffers in two similar Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactors under mesophilic (U30) and thermophilic (U55) conditions. An average organic acids yield of (376 ± 52 and 248 ± 122) mg-CODOA.g−1CODtin, and productivity of (17396 ± 5220 and 14024 ± 1642) mg-CODOA.L−1.d−1 was obtained for U30 and U55 reactors, respectively, with only vinasse as substrate. BioH2 production was feasible with sucrose and pH below 3.0, but it ceased with substrate replacement by vinasse along with natural pH increase. A change in the structure of the microbial community was also observed: Ethanoligenens, Clostridium sensu stricto 12, and Liquorilactobacillus using sucrose, under pH <3.0 were replaced by Prevotella, Megasphaera, Pectinatus, Clostridium sensu stricto 11 and Lactobacillus using vinasse, under pH>4.0.
CO2 and NO2 distributions over Greece as seen by OCO-2 and TROPOMI
Authors: Kanakidou Maria , Gialesakis Nikolaos , Daskalakis Nikos
Published: November 2022

Greenhouse gases are the driving force behind human-induced global warming. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the greenhouse gas (GHG) with the longer lifetime in the atmosphere, in the order of hundreds of years, and the largest contribution to the radiative forcing of the atmosphere due to its increasing levels since the pre-industrial era. Therefore, monitoring and restraining CO2 anthropogenic sources is an urgent matter. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is co-emitted with CO2 and due to its short atmospheric lifetime (of the order of a day) it can be used to pinpoint CO2 emission sources. Satellite observations of CO2 levels provide invaluable information in order to understand its levels, and sources and sinks. In this study we investigate the distribution of CO2 and NO2 over Greece for 2019 using data from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) satellite for CO2 and from the Sentinel-5 Precursor TROPOMI satellite instrument for NO2 in order to identify hot spots for CO2 emissions.
Prescribed fire combined with guided herbivory can control shrub development in an Iberian heathland
Authors: Mosquera-Losada Rosa , Álvarez-López Vanessa , Santiago-Freijanes Jose Javier , Ferreiro-Domínguez Nuria , Rigueiro-Rodríguez Antonio
Published: November 2022

The high amount of biomass fuel accumulated in Mediterranean areas due to land abandonment, combined with the effects of climate change, results in high severity fires that strongly affect local environment and social communities. Traditional fire practices and livestock grazing can be efficient tools to manage fuel loads and reduce wildfire impacts. This work is within the Open2preserve project, aimed at the evaluation of prescribed fire use combined with guided herbivory for the control of shrub growth and flammable biomass accumulation in an Iberian heathland dominated by Erica spp.
The low intensity prescribed fire led to a strong reduction in the phytovolume of the whole studied area. An increase in the understory biomass in the non-grazed area was found in the first and second year of the experiment compared to the grazed area. A significant effect of grazing was observed in the phytovolume of Chamaespartium tridentatum in both years of the experiment. Moreover, although not significant, an increase in the phytovolume of Daboecia spp was observed with time in the non-grazed areas. Similarly, Agrosti curtisii appeared only in the non-grazed treatment and showed a tendency to increase with time.
Agroforestry innovation networks (AFINET): Knowledge Transfer and Innovation
Authors: Mosquera-Losada María Rosa , Rodríguez-Rigueiro Francisco Javier , Santiago-Freijanes Jose Javier , Ferreiro-Domínguez Nuria
Published: November 2022

Agroforestry is recognised as climate-smart agriculture, being a powerful tool for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Considering knowledge transfer a capital challenge to overcome the needed transition towards this for the European Commission, the AFINET (AgroForestry Innovation NETworks) project intended to boost agroforestry through a multi-actor approach by defining challenges and providing solutions for end-users. Knowledge transfer is key to maximize dissemination, being innovation networks an instrument that allows the source of knowledge to reach end-users straightforwardly. As part of AFINET, a list of agroforestry innovations was elaborated according to the challenges and bottlenecks raised by end-users enrolled in the project. To obtain the list, regional groups of local stakeholders (RAINS) were created in the nine covered countries involving over 1400 participants. Regional Innovation Network (RAIN) meetings were organized with innovations as focus, providing finally 96 innovations grouped in topics; i) technical challenge, ii) economical challenge, iii) communication/education challenge and iv) policy and governance challenge. Education for consumers, CAP as a major agricultural and forest land use driver, but mainly technical innovations linked to design and farming systems and economic challenges were highlighted by actors on the importance of woody perennials use in agricultural lands or performance from forestlands in Europe.
Energy Supply of a Conference Center Towards Nearly Zero-Energy Building in Accordance with the Standards of the European Green Deal
Authors: ARAMPATZIS GEORGE , SOUKOULI ANASTASIA , KALOGERAKIS ANTONIS , ANGELIS-DIMAKIS ATHANASIOS
Published: November 2022

In December 2019, the European Commission proposed the European Green Deal, a set of policy initiatives that aim to transform the European Union into a low carbon economy and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Building renovation is a core element of the European Green Deal, promoting the decarbonization of heating and cooling and enforcing stricter building performance standards. The purpose of this paper is to implement principles of the Renovation Wave in an international conference and research center: “The Orthodox Academy of Crete”. More specifically, the paper focuses on how to cover annual energy demands of the conference center and examines the installation of PV panels, wind turbines and hybrid solar wind system. All the alternatives cover the energy demands of the building. The most economic feasible alternative in each scenario is chosen based on financial criteria of Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return. According to the results, the installation of PV solar system is the most economic feasible solution that covers completely the energy demands of the conference center.
Aqueous wastewater treatment with aluminum oxide, silica, and alginite
Authors: Thiemann Thies , Bankole Anifat
Published: November 2022

The adsorption of different types of dyes and stains over inorganic adsorbent materials such as silica, and aluminum oxide (basic and acidic) as well as over a mineral with an organic component, alginite, has been studied, with the idea of treatment of remnant dye solutions and solution wastes from small and educational laboratories. To recycle the adsorbents, they were heated to 600 °C where the adsorbates are combusted. The inorganic sorbents were compared to activated carbon derived from coffee grounds (ACCG) in their adsorption behavior. Acidic alumina was found to be an effective adsorbent material for azo dyes and anionic dyes/stains, but also for textile dyes, with very high adsorption capacity. The adsorption capacity of alginate and silica was found to be almost the same for cationic dyes, while the adsorption capacity of ACCG is the least.
ENERGY TRANSITION IN WEST MACEDONIA. WHAT IS THE PUBLIC ATTITUDE OF THE LOCAL SOCIETY?
Authors: Kaldellis John (Ioannis) , Boulogiorgou Despoina , Kondili Emilia , Triantafyllou Athanasios
Published: November 2022

In view of the EU decarbonization policy implementation, the Greek government has recently decided the permanent retirement of lignite based thermal power stations (TPS) of West Macedonia, being in operation since the 70’s. For the last fifty years, the Public Power Corporation has undertaken the responsibility to run the quarries and the thermal power stations offering almost 15000 direct and indirect job positions. In this context and despite the significant environmental impacts in the wider area, the lignite extraction and the operation of the TPS of Ptolemaida, Amintaio, Kardia and Agios Dimitrios have been the major economic activity of the entire prefecture for the last five decades. Although the Greek government has prepared quite ambitious plans to financially support the local communities and to encourage public and private investments, local societies are quite anxious about their future. To this end, the present work not only investigates the energy transition of the West Macedonia but also analyzes the attitude of the local people towards the radical changes anticipated in the near future. Emphasis is put on examining the answers of young scientists, most of them expecting to work in the energy supply chain of the under retirement TPS. The results of this analysis are quite interesting and underline the danger of significant immigration and brain drain for the area, while the involvement in planned energy installations may also be a serious alternative solution.
Development and demonstration of an eco-innovative system for sustainable treatment and reuse of municipal wastewater in small and medium size communities in the Mediterranean region
Authors: Plakas Konstantinos , Karabelas Anastasios , Takavakoglou Vasilis , Chatzis Vasilis , Oller-Alberola Isabel , Polo-López Inmaculada , Al-Naboulsi Tawfik , El Moll Ahmad , Kallali Hamadi , Mensi Khitem , M'Hiri Fadhel , Simon Andreu Pedro
Published: November 2022

Treated municipal wastewater is considered a valuable non-conventional water resource. However, a substantial number of wastewater treatment plants installed in the Mediterranean region have proven to be unsuccessful copies of systems operating in technolo-gically advanced countries. In addition to high operating and maintenance cost, these systems are often unsuited to address the local challenges of wastewater treatment. Therefore, treated municipal water is commonly under-exploited throughout the region. To address these challenges, the AQUACYCLE project aims to develop an eco-innovative wastewater treatment process scheme, comprised of anaerobic digestion, constructed wetlands and a solar photocatalytic reactor, for cost-effective treatment of urban wastewater and maximum environ-mental benefits. This paper presents the distinct features of the novel process scheme and the characteristics of three such demonstration units to be installed in Tunisia, Lebanon and Spain to test and validate the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the hybrid system.
Identification and Assessment of Food Waste Prevention Practices Throughout The Food Supply Chain
Authors: Abeliotis Konstadinos , Chroni Christina , Synani Katerina , Homatidis Dimitris , Gaitanarou Zoi , Korizi Katerina , Lasaridi Katia
Published: November 2022

Food waste generation is an issue that poses grave environmental, social and economic repercussions for the entire European Union (EU). According to the findings of the UNEP Food Waste Index Report (2020), approximately 931 million tonnes of food waste were generated in 2019. To tackle this issue, last decade, hundreds of different actions, practices, and innovations have been designed and employed, posing various levels of efficiency and transferability. This paper identifies and classifies a total of 170 food waste prevention actions.
Determining the Participation of Sub-Basins in Peak Discharge and Runoff Volume with HEC-GeoHMS Model
Authors: Ahmadzadeh-Kaleybar F. , Naeimi Hoshmand F.
Published: November 2022

One of the most important measures in flood management projects is to investigate the participation of different sub-basins of a watershed in determining the various components of flood discharge from the basin. Due to the lack of hydrometric stations at the outlet of all sub-basins, achieving this goal requires simulation of the rainfall-runoff process in the sub-basins through hydrological models. In this study, HEC-GeoHMS model was used in Aydooghmush watershed in East Azerbaijan province of Iran. Three corresponding storm events and floods were used to calibrate and validate the model. The CN map of the basin was extracted in the GIS. Rainfall histogram with different return periods years was entered into the model and by successively removing different sub-basins, its impact on peak discharge and outflow volume Was determined from the desired basin. The results showed that the priority of participation in the peak discharge and flood volume of the basin outlet belongs to sub-basin one (W90), which is due to the larger area of this sub-basin. To achieve unaffected area characteristics, the highest peak discharge is related to sub-basin four (W120) and in case of flood volume, priority is given to sub-basin two (W100). The results provide the possibility of explaining the correct flood management policies through the management of critical sub-basins in the study area.
A comparative analysis upon the utilization of exhaust gas cleaning systems, LNG fuels or conventional fuels as the most viable options to comply with the new IMO Low Sulfur Cap Regulations
Authors: Boviatsis Michael
Published: November 2022

Since the decrease of the global sulfur limit from 3.5% to 0,5% by the International Maritime Organization on 1-1-2020, the ship-owners and carriers are obliged to elect between the three available options in order to comply with the present regulatory amendments. The first available option is the utilization of exhaust gas cleaning systems, also called "scrubbers". By the use of these filters, the vessels are able to burn high sulfur fuels while the sulfur surplus and other dangerous chemicals are evaporated by spraying alkaline water via an open loop, closed loop or hybrid systems. The other option is the use of LNG as fuel, a viable option connected with the constant expansion of the global LNG supply infrastructure network. This network is yet in a developing status, as the majority of the LNG vessels are primarily coastal vessels operated in European waters and many supply ports worldwide have not yet developed full-scale LNG supply facilities and proper equipment is not yet installed. The final option is the utilization of conventional fuels, low on sulfur emissions, such as MGO and ULSFO. The major issue is the availability and the cost of those fuels, with the refiners being unable to forecast if they should produce more low-sulfur fuels to meet potentially higher demand. By the comparative analysis of those three options, pursuant to distinct indicators, their viability will be evaluated and a thorough proposal for their utilization will be provided.