Yearly Archives: 2016

Abstract:
Mine water from closed sites throughout the main Romanian mining areas represents a significant vector for water pollution. Those mine water, especially from non-ferrous mines have a high variability of chemical-physical characteristics (pH, conductivity, ORP, heavy metals, alkaline and alkaline earth ions, sulphate and chloride). There are significant challenges for the treatment of these types of water, including the removal of sulphate and alkaline-earth metals ions. For the sulphate removal, the biological reduction is one of the possible technical alternatives. This paper presents some results for a lab-scale trial for the evaluation of the potential of passive system for the biological sulphate reduction from mine waters.

Abstract:
A special program of the Norwegian Government, namely INNOVATION NORWAY, tries to transfer know-how and create cooperation and partnerships in various domains (social assistance, resource valuation, environmental protection, industrial competence, etc.). The paper details the results obtained in a specific project dedicated to Environmental Solutions Development (ESD). The Project joined SINTEF-Trondheim, INCD-ECOIND Bucharest and four SME from around Romania: ProAirClean – Timisoara, RITMIC – Suceava, DIREX-Bucharest, PRODINCOM – Suceava. The Project included support of the four partners to acquire state of the art equipment needed in their activities. ProAirClean Timisoara acquired a GC-MS system enabling monitoring of PCBs, DIREX-Bucharest bought a state-of-the-art car painting workshop together with other smaller equipment (lifting, oil-extracting, wheel removal), RITMIC-Suceava bought a greiffer for collecting wooden waste from remote forested areas, a splitter for large wooden logs, a press for plastic waste and a station for domestic waste sorting in view of recycling, PRODINCOM acquired a state of art heat recovery incinerator for animal waste. SINTEF and INCD-ECOIND provided assistance to all SME partners: help in identifying and deciding upon the correct equipment needed chemical analysis of water, ash generated, material and energy balance derivations, economic, social and environmental benefits assessment, etc. INCD-ECOIND and SINTEF assisted the partners in aligning their strategies to the sustainability paradigm and recommended future actions to keep the momentum.

Abstract:
A strange environmental accident happened on the 4th of October, 2010, in Hungary. Hungary has declared a state of emergency in three counties following 600 – 700 m3 toxic red mud spill when a reservoir burst at an alumina plant in Ajka, 160 kilometers south-west of the capital, Budapest [1]. The red mud (bauxite residue) is a hazardous material, rank II, because of its pH = 1. 2 – 13. In Romania a similar factory functioned between 1965-2006 in Oradea, which annually produced 240.000 tons of alumina for ALRO Slatina. (This factory was then sold to the Russian Concern Ruski Alumini) [2]. When producing 1 tonne of alumina, 1.5-2 tones of red mud is resulted. During the more four decades of functioning at Oradea, an immense quantity of red mud resulted, which still exists in a storage and is still unused. Appears that the water of rain diluted the concentration of the alkalis, but a pH of 9.5 was determined. In this form the red mud can be tested as adjuvant in acid composts. For its usage in ceramic mixtures, destined to building materials, its neutralization is necessary with acid wastes for ex. in the vinegar or milk industry.

Abstract:
The monoindustrial developed areas (such as the mining areas, machine construction areas, etc.) have been subjected to qualitative and quantitative changes that strongly influenced both the whole economy and the human factor. The reorganization of these industries has triggered a series of, cost-related problems especially from an economic and social point of view (unemployment is one of these problems, especially in those areas where the economy totally relies on one industry. Subsequently, this paper tries to settle the main stages necessary to draw up the strategies for a sustainable development of monoindustrial areas in process of reorganization, social and economic implications of this reorganization. The paper also intends to presents the efforts made at national, regional and local levels to mitigate the adverse effects and most important, the paper tries to identify the main economic options that should generate a sustainable development. This study is a start that tries to analyse the broad issue of sustainability, underlining the importance of substitution of the production factors during the sustainable development for the investment strategy in monoindustrial areas, considering the phenomenon of globalization and knowledge-based society.

Abstract:
Having the goal to actually increase the quality of life of our society, several industrial activities and applications have been developed in different fields. But in the meantime it has been very clear that these industrial activities and applications can have beside positive direct and desired effects, also negative, undesired and sometimes unthinkable effects on the environment and society. In this context the concept of sustainable development of our society is nowadays very much discussed on different levels. Taking into account the sustainability of our society it is necessary to evaluate industrial processes or generally economic activities not only from economic and technological points of view but from environmental and social ones as well. In the last years the new discipline called Technology Assessment grew up. The discipline bases on several instruments and methods to carry out technology assessment studies but especially for assessing environmental impacts of industrial activities. For such environmental impact assessment studies scientists often use analytical methods and instruments. There are several methods and instruments used in this regard. Presently the most discussed one on an international level is the life cycle assessment (LCA). In the present paper some general notions regarding these tools and application possibilities will be presented. The energetic use of biomass in the form of different bioenergy concepts is a newer technological application. Possible concepts in this regard can be biogas plants, which are operated by electric service providers or a single biogas plant owned by one farmer.

Abstract:
The Responsible Care Initiative of the American Chemical Council, generated by the chemical industry sector in order to minimize the public damage produced by several catastrophic incidents (Bhopal, Seveso, EXXON Valdez, etc.) is a voluntary step taken by managers, going towards stakeholders, to prove them the commitment to make the chemical industry environmentally friendly, safer for human individuals and communities health. It also aims at observing, monitoring and assisting industrial products from cradle to grave, along all their life cycle. The Initiative was endorsed by the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) as well as thousands of chemical industrial platforms on all continents. Up to now, the Responsible Care Initiative did not find its way in Romania. The present paper describes the experience of implementing the Responsible Care Initiative in a machinery manufacturing company. It is found to be similar to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 or OHSAS 18001 certification though many dissimilarities are mentioned. Finally, the Responsible Care Initiative is inserted in the sustainable enterprise strategy, using the Sustainability Balanced Scorecard developed by the authors.

Abstract:
In conditions in which the market economy is running on the law of supply and demand, operators are interested to employ qualified personnel with experience in the eventually field. To come to support both employers and the workers in the European Union has adopted an European model of qualifications and a comparison system of qualifications based on the results of learning. This can assess and certify skills acquired through any form: in the formal system, informal or non-formal. In Romania was founded NATB – National Council for Adult Vocational Training – the structure in charge of vocational training of adults. This structure works by 24 sectoral committees which include and CSFPM – Sectoral Committee training in environmental protection. The European model of professional competence involves developing qualifications as units of competence described in the Occupational Standards. Assessment and certification system of professional competences acquired other than in formal evaluation takes place in CNFPA authorization based on units of competence described in the occupational standards. Until now, environmental protection, have been developed and approved 25 occupational standards. In side of the project POS DRU PROMEDIU led by UNIMED – Employers Association of Equipment Manufacturers and Users of Environmental Protection, the INCD ECOIND was a partner, developed and authorized the first center for environment professional competence assessment in Romania, for two qualifications: Environmental Auditor and Manager of environmental management systems In this project the team INCD ECOIND: develop documents and procedures for operation of the center for evaluation; develop assessment tools for occupation environmental Auditor; performed by two evaluators five professional competenceevaluation for each qualification; obtained the NATB certification for the two evaluators of professional competence. Through another project SOP HRD PRO COMPETENT led by CSFPM and that INCD ECOIND is also a partner, in the institute will develop and authorize a professional competence centers for the evaluation for Responsible environmental qualification.

Abstract:
The integrated management of resource flows is reproducing the functioning of the ecosystems, which are using the by-products of one species and are transforming them in raw materials for some other ones. Identification of by-products and secondary energy sources are stopping the pollutants’ discharges into the environment, considerably reducing both waste quantities and waste treatment costs, thus contributing to reduction of climate change, by use of residual energy. The cost of materials and energy of economic units are subsequently reduced. Cooperation generates better results and provides opportunities for economic units to increase production without increasing the consumption of energy, water and raw materials. The idea behind such symbiotic approach is that units are using each other’s residual and by-products on commercial basis (Kalundborg symbiosis institute, 2011). These ideas have been incorporated in a LIFE+ Project (ECOREG), active since February 2009. The Project is financed by the EU and tries to implement the industrial symbiosis approach to the Suceava County (ECOREG, 2011). The paper is presenting a methodology for implementation of industrial ecosystems within small communities, developed by INCD ECOIND based on the experience gained in industrial symbiosis projects. The main steps of the proposed methodology are: identification of possible focal points (economic units), characterization of their residual flows, identification of the possibilities to interconnect the units (identification of possible synergies between the economic units), assessment of the interconnection results from the environmental, economic, social point of view, development of the implementation plan. As a case study an implementation plan for an industrial ecosystem developed for local small communities is also presented.

Abstract:
The concept of a knowledge-based European Society, with all its shortcomings and weaknesses, creates nevertheless a mainframe that could accommodate, for the time being, projects limited to a specific geographic area, projects trying to put in practice such a generous idea. The work details experience of implementing the knowledge – based development paradigm in a number of communes located in the Suceava County, Romania. Options for KBD are presented, classified using a Pareto-type analysis and results are detailed in 2 major areas for interest for local communities: energy and environment. In addition, efforts were made to present to local specialists new and performing methods for management, namely, the Sustainable Balanced Scorecard.

Abstract:
One of the modern point of views in analysing a business is the value network (VNM, 2011). This a perspective that describes social and technical resources within and between businesses. The nodes in a value network represent people (or roles). The nodes are connected by interactions that represent tangibles and intangible deliverables. The paper stresses the role of intangible deliverables that take the form of knowledge, technical expertize, reputation, personal touch, transparency, tradition, openness to change, innovation potential and capacity, etc. All these are more and more part of the value added by a company and they account more and more substantially for the overall worth of products and services generated by a specific business. Checklists including potential intangible costs are presented and the classical structure of environmental management costs (Jasch, 2006), completed.

Abstract:
The new Industrial symbiosis approach to business can be defined as a way of sharing services, utilities, expertise and knowledge, production capacities, and by-product resources among diverse industrial actors in order to add value, reduce costs and improve the environment footprint of anthropic activities. The concept has been incorporated in a LIFE+ Project (ECOREG), financed by EU and active since Feb 2009 in the Suceava County. (ECOREG, 2011). Specific activities included the creation of a Project Advisory Group, including most important business managers and authorities in the area, the organization of several Workshops each gathering managers form 40-50 organizations and leading to the identification of resources that can circulate among partners (wooden waste, demolition waste, oil waste, production capacities, transport facilities, laboratory expertize, etc.). A large data base was set up with the aid of the UK Partner in the Project (ISL-UK). Results of the Project include more than 500,000 tons of materials diverted from landfill, important areas of virgin forests saved, important reduction in GHG emissions, ca 40 new jobs, important quantities of fossil fuel spared, re-commissioning of some existing equipment.

Abstract:
Several kinds of wastewater are characterized by low carbon to nitrogen ratios and very high ammonia concentrations. Some examples are wastewater coming from sludge dewatering, fertilizer industry, explosive industry or some pharmaceutical processes. A feasible treatment of this kind of effluents is the combination of a partial nitritation, where 50% of ammonia is oxidized into nitrite in an aerobic reactor, and a subsequent anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox), where ammonia is oxidized by nitrite in a second tank. This paper presents the results obtained in a nitritation reactor treating a wastewater from sludge dewatering with different ammonium concentrations in order to obtain a proper ammonium : nitrite ratio of 1:1 suitable for the anammox process and the results obtained during the start-up of an anammox reactor

Abstract:
Aerobic granular sludge has several advantages over conventional activated sludge flocs such as fast settling ability, high biomass retention and ability to withstand high organic loading including potential toxic substrates, leading towards a compact reactor system – aerobic granular sludge sequential batch reactor (AGSBR). After successfully cultivating aerobic granules in SBR systems from flocculated activated sludge fed with synthetic medium with acetate as the sole carbon source or with real municipal wastewater, we investigated the possibility of AGSBR to simultaneously remove the organic loading, nitrogen and phosphorus content. The experiments were performed in a SBR reactor, at loadings rates of up to 3.0 kg m-3 day-1 COD and 0,2 kg m-3day-1 of N-NH4+. Compact granules with good settling ability were maintained during the experimental period and high (>95%) COD removal but insufficient global nitrogen (65%) and phosphorus (62%) removal efficiencies were registered. The size of the granule is closely related to the size of the anoxic zone: the lower the oxygen concentration or the bigger the granule, the larger the anoxic zone and thus, the larger the nitrogen and phosphorus removal capacity. In our study, the aeration intensity was maintained constant during the entire reaction period, in order to maintain the hydrodynamic shear forces within the reactor and implicitly the compact structure of the granules. The processes of COD removal, nitrification, denitrification and phosphorus removal can occur simultaneously in an aerobic granular sludge reactor fed with acetate. However, in case of higher concentrations of influent nitrogen and phosphorus different aeration or feeding strategies should be considered

Abstract:
This study was aimed at testing a possibility of using a biotrickling filter with a moving bed for simultaneous treatment of waste air and waste water. For those purposes a laboratory biotrickling filter with a moving bed was constructed. After inoculating of the laboratory biotrickling filter long-term organic load tests were performed aimed at finding the maximum organic load of biotrickling filter which the biotrickling filter is operated with with high efficiency. The aim of the second test was testing the possibility of simultaneous removal of some odour compounds from waste air and waste water treatment. On the basis of operating parameters of the laboratory biotrickling filter and results of the long-term organic load tests two pilot biotrickling filters with a moving bed were designed and constructed. Subsequently they were installed in operating conditions in production of driving wheels and in a farm. The efficiency of removal of organic compounds for organic load (OL 35 resp. 30 gc.m-3filtre media.h-1) in laboratory resp. operating conditions was about 96%. Simultaneous waste air and waste water treatment increased stability of the biotrickling filter and enabled removal of ammonia from the waste air whereas the efficiency removal of organic pollution waste water expressed as COD achieved 90%. The results confirmed suitability of using the biotrickling filter with moving bed for simultaneous waste air and waste water treatment.

Abstract:
The release of the pharmaceuticals in the environment is a topic of growing concern. The representative sources of pharmaceuticals in the environment are: human medicine (untreated sewage, wastewater and hospital effluent), veterinary medicine (wastewater, untreated sewage) and effluents of pharmaceutical production facilities. Some of pharmaceutically active compounds have negative impact on living organisms and ecosystems. Thus, it is important to pretreat the wastewater with content of pharmaceuticals prior to its discharge to the sewer system. The electrochemical methods are ones of the promising methods of removing pharmaceuticals from the wastewater. This paper was focused on the electrochemical degradation of the diclofenac (DCF) by using dimensionally stables anodes (DSA). DCF is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used in extent scale worldwide and it was found as persistent waste in the aquatic environment. The composition of DSA was Ti/Ru0.3Ti0.7O2 and the electrodes were prepared by thermal decomposition of appropriate precursors. The experiments were carried out in basic medium by using solutions of 50 and 100 mg/L DCF in 0.1 M Na2SO4 as supporting electrolyte. The applied current densities were 100, 200 and 300 A/m2 at various electrolysis times. The degradation process of DCF was assessed by recording the UV spectra and determining the total organic carbon (TOC). At 300 A/m2 and 120 min of electrolysis for each initial concentration the DCF mineralization was about 40 – 50%.

Abstract:
Over the past two decades, environmental regulations have become increasingly stringent because of increased awareness of human health and ecological risks associated with environmental pollutants like pesticides, especially Lindane. Due to its high resistance to microbial degradation, this pollutant having carcinogenic and mutagenic properties has been accumulated into environment polluting ground and surface water. Because application of classical treatment cannot allow an easy Lindane degradation, development of more powerful water treatment techniques, like Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) is necessary. Combination of H2O2 with Fe2 +under UV-VIS irradiation, the so-called solar-Fenton process is one of the AOPs successfully applied, which can significantly enhance degradation of many refractory organic compounds, based on the oxidant action of in-situ generated OH• radicals upon pollutants. It was investigated the degradation of Lindane from wastewater by solar-Fenton process and the assessment of the working parameters on the degradation efficiency. The photooxidadation experiments were performed at pH=3 and tens μg/L pollutant initial concentration, in a tubular collector type solar photoreactor (26 UV-VIS permeable silica glass tubes series connected), plugged in a total recycle loops. Based on the obtained results it was established the treatment solution for advanced degradation of Lindane from wastewater up to the limits immposed by national and european legislation for surface receivers (Lindane ≤ 0.02μg/L).

Abstract:
Heavy metals are toxic substances which, at certain concentrations have serious impact upon water treatment plants. This leads to impaired biological processes of activated sludge, changes in composition of biocenosis and, eventually, no biological activity. The purpose of lab experiments was to test the influence of some heavy metals (cadmium, copper, zinc and nickel) at different concentrations, in batch bioreactors, with a retention time of wastewater of 24 hours. The inoculum was biological sludge and the bioreactors were fed with municipal wastewater supplemented with heavy metals. The community of ciliates is an indicator of the activity of biological sludge, therefore these were predominantly monitored throughout the experiment. The experimental results indicated that of all tested metals, cadmium at a concentration of 0.5-1 mg/l was mainly toxic, while zinc and nickel were less toxic, even at concentrations of 1.5-2.5 mg/l. The most sensitive species of protozoans to heavy metals were Chilodonella uncinata and Oxytricha sp., while the most resistant were the attached ciliates, like Opercularia coarctata and Vorticella microstoma. The attached ciliates resistant to high metal concentrations underwent morphological changes, like legthening of stem or forming buoyant individual cells or colonies. The study emphasized the presence and survival of ciliates in activated sludge in the presence of heavy metals at concentrations exceeding the admitted limits in WWTP influents.

Abstract:
The low-pressure system, also known as vacuum system or vacuum sewer system contains closed pipeline networks without manholes. Vacuum sewer systems are essentially mechanized systems of wastewater transport. Unlike typical gravity sewers, it uses differential air pressure to transport the wastewater and all the sewer mains are under vacuum (under negative pressure). The high transport velocity of the air/water-mixture in the vacuum pipelines prevents sediments. An outlet of wastewater is excluded due to the vacuum occurring inside the system. The system is more economical and efficient compared to the classical gravitational sewage network. Normally the drainage procedure serves as a collection of wastewater in separate systems. Though, vacuum sewer line may be laid in the same trench together with water supply lines and storm water drainage according to the German guideline DWA-A 116-1. In this case, there shall be no physical connections between a public or private potable water supply system and a sewer. The vacuum technology is a special drainage procedure which might – under certain circumstances – be considerably cheaper than the conventional gravity lines sewage system. Investments costs can be considerably lower in comparison with other drainage procedures.

Abstract:
The wastewater results from different foods industry are generally characterized by a high organic load, far above limits discharge referred to legislation. In particular the wastewater results from different technological phases of milk industry processing, contain high quantities of organic compounds, especially proteins (caseine, β-lactoglobuline, α-lactalbumine, serumalbumine, immunoglobuline), lipide (mono, di and triacilglicerides, free fat acids, phospholipids) and disaccharides class (especially lactose). In the treatment processes, the membrane techniques – microfiltration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis – are frequently used for their advantages: are continuous processes, the energetic consumption is very low, not implies temperature and phase changes, not uses chemicals adjuvant, occur in modular equipment. The paper present the experimental results obtained in the ultrafiltration process of a wastewater from milk industry processing- washing the reactors from production of yoghurt. The aim of the experiments was to studied the correlation between the membrane characteristics and the reduction of the organic compounds from the wastewater. 2 composite ultrafiltration membranes were used, polysulphone-polyaniline types, different by monomer used on policondensation chemical reaction in porous structure of the base polymer. The experimental setup that has been used was the KMS Laboratory Cell CF-1 (Koch-Membrane – Germany) ensuring a tangential flow mode in separated process. The following indicators were analyzed from the water samples (the feed wastewater, the permeate and the concentrate): TOC, BOD, COD, total nitrogen, protein contents, conductivity. In the same time were studied the hydrodynamic, electroconductive and structural characteristics of the membranes. Relevant in these experiments were: – reduction the proteine contents in permeate to 42% – higher reduction of the DOC contents in permeate to 92% The BOD/COD ratio in the permeate samples was above 0,3, which indicate the remanent biodegradable characteristics. In this case its possible to introduce the water on the biological treatment setup improving their performances.

Abstract:
The technology for processing waste plant material for their further use as food or dietary products “Lignin-Cellulose Sorbents” and functional foods “CELISORB” was developed. It was studied the organoleptic and physicochemical parameters of these materials and was shown that they were promising materials for use in medicine and food industry as (entero)sorbents, antioxidants and dietary supplements, which could solve many problems of internal ecology of organism (endoecology) and health of people. Integrated radiometric, laboratory and clinical research were carried out. Clinical studies were done to assess the therapeutic and decorporative efficacy relative to 137Cs for children aged 7-17 residing in territories contaminated with radionuclides.

Abstract:
The most preferred method of stabilization of sewage sludge is composting. It is apparently a simple process aimed at stabilization of organic matter – ripening, destruction of pathogenic organisms, production of an environmental friendly material which can be sold or used as fertilizer. To reach the above aims the sludge has to be mixed with structural materials in suitable proportion to obtain a C:N ratio of about 25:1. In practice, the most often used structural materials contain cellulose (i.e. wooden chips, sawdust, bark, straw, leaf litter, other vegetal wastes). The present study presents several composting experiments performed using as raw materials dewatered anaerobic digested sludge from a municipal WWTP, two different vegetal wastes (wood chips, straws, vine shoots) in different proportions and water in order to ensure a 50 to 70% humidity. The experiments were performed using aerated heap method; the heap is arranged on a porous layer, which is periodically aerated by a blower. Composting process evolution was verified during the whole period of 3 months of experimentation by online measurement of temperature, periodic pH and humidity monitoring and by weekly microscopic observations. The quality of the obtained compost was good, similar to commercial products used for pot-flowers, with heavy metal concentrations below the limits imposed by 344/2004 Order.

Abstract:
In the field of remediation it has also become more common to combine two complimentary remediation technologies to present the best technical and economic approach to a given site. This article will examine the use of In Situ Chemical Oxidation (ISCO) utilising RemOx® L ISCO Reagent (sodium permanganate) for source area treatment used in combination with biostimulation for enhanced reductive dechlorination utilizing CAP18 ME® Anaerobic Bioremediation Product for polishing of the source area and treatment of the lower concentration downgradient plume at an industrial dry cleaning facility. The site is a closed industrial dry cleaning facility that is surrounded by both commercial and residential areas. Over the course of the facilities operation, the soil and groundwater at the site became contaminated with tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) which are common chlorinated dry cleaning agents.

Abstract:
This paper presents existent levels of soils pollution with organochlorinated pesticides, Lindane and DDT, in the proximity of two former Lindane and DDT suppliers (historical pollution). There were taken soil samples inside and outside the factories from different depths (20-150 cm). Analytical determination for both locations emphasized the following aspects:  there are two pollution sources: ex-Lindane/DDT installations and the landfills with HCH isomers and other chlorinated organic compounds;  the limit values stipulated by Order 756/1997 were exceeded (alert levels) outside the factories (HCH max =637 g/kg d.w. respectively (HCH max =264 g/kg d.w.) Microbiological load (mesophiles) was 2×108 and 4×107 CFU/g at 220C and 370C respectively (maximum values). DDT presence in soil was detected only in one studied case and the maximum value was 92 g DDX/kg d.w. (outside the factory). Inside the factory/landfill the concentrations levels of HCH isomers and DDX in soil were much higher.