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The global construction industry consumes about 50 billion tons of sand every year and in the last two decades; the consumption has tripled in amount. As a critical concern, continuous research is in progress to examine numerous materials as alternatives of river sand. This study focuses to completely replace river sand by induction furnace steel slag (IFSS) for producing standard concrete of M25 grade without compromising the mechanical strength of the resulting mix. One hundred and fifty millimeter sized cubes and 150 mm × 300 mm sized cylinders were casted using Portland slag cement (PSC) and Portland pozzolana cement (PPC) as per Indian standard provisions. Laboratory tests were performed to assess workability, hardened density, compressive strength (7 and 28 days) and splitting tensile strength (28 days). At 100% replacement level, the obtained values of (PSC, PPC) specimens are: slump values (35, 40 mm); hardened density (2730, 2790 kg/m3); compressive strength (34.83, 38.10 MPa) and splitting tensile strength (3.03, 3.32 MPa). This research will act as a game‐changer in the construction industry towards a global sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensive generation of industrial solid waste (ISW) in industrial parks poses a severe threat to the water and soil environment. To address the lack of system‐level guidance strategies for ISW management (ISWM), the paper proposes a systematic ISWM framework within the context of the circular economy principle and applies it to a prominent eco‐industrial park in China. This framework is founded on the metabolic characteristics of the entire ISW process, supported by multi‐stakeholder cooperation, and guaranteed by a shareable information platform and infrastructure. A holistic ISW flow analytical process is introduced to facilitate the implementation of this framework. In the case study, a high‐resolution inventory of ISW is established by 157 enterprises in 2021, covering 116 types of general ISW and 61 types of hazardous waste (HW). By integrating material flow analysis, questionnaires, and interviews, this study quantitatively reveals the underperformance of mini‐scale HW recycling, with a recycling rate of 5.6% in 2021, well below the park‐wide rate of 50.8%. Collaborative inboundary and transboundary disposal emerges as a crucial direction for ISWM, with over 80% of ISW being disposed of outside the park. Following the implementation of circular economy strategies guided by the management framework, notable improvements are observed, including a 26.5% increase in the recycling rate of mini‐scale HW and a 13.5% increase in the proportion of disposal outside Beijing. To foster sustainable ISWM, this study recommends enhancing the decentralized infrastructure of collection–storage–transportation integration for mini‐scale ISW in industrial parks. The developed management framework provides valuable insights and guidance for park‐specific ISWM strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines institutional collective action and transaction cost (TC) dilemmas in a self‐organizing policy network involving federal, state, and municipal agencies for waste services in a port and industrial park. A thematic analysis revealed dilemmas in: (a) vertical levels, which lack leadership in industrial waste management due to unclear responsibility delegation across government levels; (b) horizontal levels, reluctant to take responsibilities and define jurisdiction boundaries for efficient waste services; and (c) functional levels, which exhibit fragmented and unaligned action scopes. Transaction costs, stemming from a deficiency in expertise, infrastructure, and organized information regarding companies' waste management, hinder effective programs and policies. Without tackling these challenges and TCs through a governance framework that includes implementation strategies, monitoring, and institutional controls, the self‐organizing policy network is likely to remain stuck in collective institutional inertia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial waste management is critical to maintaining environmental sustainability. The dairy industry (DI), as one of the major consumers of freshwater, generates substantial whey dairy effluent, which is notably rich in organic matter and thus a significant pollutant. The effluent represents environmental risks due to its high biological and chemical oxygen demands. Today, stringent government regulations, environmental laws, and heightened consumer health awareness are compelling industries to responsibly manage and reuse whey waste. Therefore, this study investigates sustainable solutions for efficiently utilizing DI waste. Employing a systematic review approach, the research reveals that innovative technologies enable the creation of renewable, high‐quality, value‐added food products from dairy byproducts. These innovations offer promising sustainable waste management strategies for the dairy sector, aligning with economic interests. The main objectives of the study deal with, (a) assessing the environmental impact of dairy sector waste, (b) exploring the multifaceted nutritional and health benefits inherent in cheese whey, and (c) investigating diverse biotechnological approaches to fashion value‐added, eco‐friendly dairy whey‐based products for potential integration into various food products, and thus fostering economic sustainability. Finally, the implications of this work span theoretical considerations, practical applications, and outline future research pathways crucial for advancing the sustainable management of dairy waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable polyesters produced by a wide range of microorganisms, including extremophiles. These unique microorganisms have gained interest in PHA production due to their ability to utilise low‐cost carbon sources under extreme conditions. In this study, Halomonas alkaliantarctica was examined with regards to its potential to produce PHAs using crude glycerol from biodiesel industry as the only carbon source. We found that cell dry mass concentration was not dependent on the applying substrate concentration. Furthermore, our data confirmed that the analysed halophile was capable of metabolising crude glycerol into poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) copolymer within 24 h of the cultivation without addition of any precursors. Moreover, crude glycerol concentration affects the repeat units content in the purified PHAs copolymers and their thermal properties. Nevertheless, a differential scanning calorimetric and thermogravimetric analysis showed that the analysed biopolyesters have properties suitable for various applications. Overall, this study described a promising approach for the valorisation of crude glycerol as a future strategy of industrial waste management to produce high value microbial biopolymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current widespread and intensive soil degradation in India has been driven by unprecedented levels of population growth, large‐scale industrialization, high‐yield agriculture, urban sprawl and the spread of human infrastructure. The damage caused to managed and natural systems by soil degradation threatens livelihoods and local services and leads to national socio‐economic disruption. Human‐induced soil degradation results from land clearing and deforestation, inappropriate agricultural practices, improper management of industrial effluents and wastes, careless management of forests, surface mining, urban sprawl, and ill‐planned commercial and industrial development. Of these, inappropriate agricultural practices, including excessive tillage and use of heavy machinery, over‐grazing, excessive and unbalanced use of inorganic fertilizers, poor irrigation and water management techniques, pesticide overuse, inadequate crop residue and/or organic carbon inputs, and poor crop cycle planning, account for nearly 40% (121 Mha) of land degradation across India. Globally, human activities related to agriculture contribute to the transgression of four of the nine Planetary Boundaries proposed by Rockström et al. (2009): Climate Change, Biodiversity Integrity, Land‐system Change, and altered Phosphorus and Nitrogen Biogeochemical Flows. This review focuses on how knowledge of soil processes in agriculture has developed in India over the past 10 years, and the potential of soil science to meet the objectives of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger (End hunger, achieve food security, improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture), using the context of the four most relevant Planetary Boundaries as a framework. Solutions to mitigate soil degradation and improve soil health in different regions using conservation agricultural approaches have been proposed. Thus, in this review we (1) summarize the outputs of recent innovative research in India that has explored the impacts of soil degradation on four Planetary Boundaries (Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, Land‐system Change, and altered Biogeochemical Flows of Phosphorus and Nitrogen) and vice‐versa; and (2) identify the knowledge gaps that require urgent attention to inform developing soil science research agendas in India, to advise policy makers, and to support those whose livelihoods rely on the land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1997, Mitchell brought his concerns to EPA, and spoke with Cynthia Purifoy, the Environmental Justice Coordinator of the EPA Region 4 office in Atlanta. I This essay is part of a series of essays that are based on interviews conducted for this special issue with people who practice risk communication related to human or natural hazards as part of their professions i . The two-day meeting Tim Fields moderated was held in 1996 to discuss threats of dioxin and inadequacy of prior EPA dioxin removal efforts. After leaving EPA in 2001, Timothy Fields joined the consulting firm MDB as a facilitator with a goal of providing assistance to communities. [Extracted from the article]

In the current era of rapid industrialization, the foremost challenge is the management of industrial wastes. Activities such as mining and industrialization spill over a large quantity of toxic waste that pollutes soil, water, and air. This poses a major environmental and health challenge. The toxic heavy metals present in the soil and water are entering the food chain, which in turn causes severe health hazards. Environmental clean‐up and reclamation of heavy metal contaminated soil and water are very important, and it necessitates efforts of environmentalists, industrialists, scientists, and policymakers. Phytoremediation is a plant‐based approach to remediate heavy metal/organic pollutant contaminated soil and water in an eco‐friendly, cost‐effective, and permanent way. This review covers the effect of heavy metal toxicity on plant growth and physiological process, the concept of heavy metal accumulation, detoxification, and the mechanisms of tolerance in plants. Based on plants' ability to uptake heavy metals and metabolize them within tissues, phytoremediation techniques have been classified into six types: phytoextraction, phytoimmobilization, phytovolatilization, phytodegradation, rhizofiltration, and rhizodegradation. The development of research in this area led to the identification of metal hyper‐accumulators, which could be utilized for reclamation of contaminated soil through phytomining. Concurrently, breeding and biotechnological approaches can enhance the remediation efficiency. Phytoremediation technology, combined with other reclamation technologies/practices, can provide clean soil and water to the ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last two decades, environmental experts have focused on the development of several biological, chemical, physical, and thermal methods/technologies for remediation of PAH‐polluted water. Some of the findings have been applied to field‐scale treatment, while others have remained as prototypes and semi‐pilot studies. Existing treatment options include extraction, chemical oxidation, bioremediation, photocatalytic degradation, and adsorption (employing adsorbents such as biomass derivatives, geosorbents, zeolites, mesoporous silica, polymers, nanocomposites, and graphene‐based materials). Electrokinetic remediation, advanced phytoremediation, green nanoremediation, enhanced remediation using biocatalysts, and integrated approaches are still at the developmental stage and hold great potential. Water is an essential component of the ecosystem and highly susceptible to PAH contamination due to crude oil exploration and spillage, and improper municipal and industrial waste management, yet comprehensive reviews on PAH remediation are only available for contaminated soils, despite the several treatment methods developed for the remediation of PAH‐polluted water. This review seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of existing and emerging methods/technologies, in order to bridge information gaps toward ensuring a green and sustainable remedial approach for PAH‐contaminated aqueous systems. Practitioner points: Comprehensive review of existing and emerging technologies for remediation of PAH‐polluted water.Factors influencing efficiency of various methods, challenges and merits were discussed.Green nano‐adsorbents, nano‐oxidants and bio/phytoremediation are desirous for ecofriendly and economical PAH remediation.Adoption of an integrated approach for the efficient and sustainable remediation of PAH‐contaminated water is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore green and efficient methods for the synthesis of nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were rapidly synthesized assisted by the Monascus pigments under simulated sunlight. Prepared AgNPs were characterized using various analytical tools such as ultraviolet‐visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Zeta, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)–energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX), and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR). There is an absorption peak at 410 nm in the UV–Vis absorption spectrum, which confirms the formation of AgNPs. XRD results affirmed that the synthesized AgNPs were crystalline in nature and preferentially oriented in (111) plane. The morphology of the nanoparticles was found to be spherical by SEM and particle size analysis study revealed the average particle size to be 18.10 ± 0.30 nm. Zeta potential measurement showed excellent stability of AgNPs with negative values of −9.2 ± 0.66 mV. The FT‐IR study represented involvement of functional groups in AgNPs synthesis. The biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited significant antibacterial activity with zones of inhibition of 9.1, 14.5, and 18.0 mm against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. Through the determination of hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity, ABTS radical scavenging capacity, total reducing power, and total antioxidant capacity, it is proved that the AgNPs have certain antioxidant capacity. In addition, AgNPs could catalyze the degradation of methylene blue, methyl orange, and congo red with a pseudo first‐order rate constants of 0.07998, 0.24666, and 0.11805 min−1, respectively. Overall studies indicated that the Monascus pigments could be used to prepare AgNPs with potential antibacterial, antioxidant, and extraordinary catalytic activity. It can be used in biomedical applications, commercial food packaging, pathogen mitigation, and industrial waste water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND In the circular economy context, the present article proposes a green technical solution by manganese ions adsorption on oak wood ash and the reuse of the new waste generated by the adsorption process as soil amendment. RESULTS: The influence of the main process variables: pH, adsorbent dose and contact time was investigated for optimal manganese ions adsorption. The highest adsorption efficiency of the wood ash (more than 98%) was recorded at pH 6, adsorbent dose of 10 g L−1 and contact time 15 min. The ion adsorption process is best described by Langmuir isotherm and pseudo second‐order kinetic model. Maximum adsorption capacity, 54.94 mg g−1, is better than other adsorbent materials previously used for manganese adsorption. The exhausted wood ash, resulted after the manganese adsorption was used as soil amendment for barley crop, Hordeum vulgare L. The beneficial effect upon the studied plants was highlighted using the specific parameters: germination percent (up to 10% higher), plant average length (higher by 14–35%), biomass (up to 200%) and relative growth rate (higher by 6–12%) compared to those obtained for the control sample. CONCLUSION: These results show that all the wastes involved have been used successfully and support the proposed eco‐friendly technical solution for some industrial wastes management. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystalline ferrites are known to be used in different applications, including industrial wastewater management. For environmental water issues, one of the most widely applied techniques is the adsorption of pollutants. The adsorption capacity of Congo red (CR) dye on different MFe2O4 (M = Co2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+) ferrites, synthesized by coprecipitation method, was determined. Specific isotherms and kinetic models were used to characterize the adsorption process. Interesting results were obtained for MgFe2O4 with adsorption capacity ranging from 39% up to 70% dependent on the initial dye concentration. Furthermore, an artificial intelligence model based on neural network was developed in order to model the adsorption rates followed by the generation of 3D adsorption rate models for each type of synthesized ferrite. These models were obtained in order to provide information about the particle‐dye system's kinetics at various initial CR concentration. Specific techniques were used to characterize the functionalized magnetic particles. The main steps for obtaining 3D adsorption map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The disposal of reject brine, a highly concentrated waste by‐product generated by various industrial processes, represents a major economic and environmental challenge. The common practice in dealing with the large amounts of brine generated is to dispose of it in a pond and allow it to evaporate. The rate of evaporation is therefore a key factor in the effectiveness of the management of these ponds. The addition of various dyes has previously been used as a method to increase the evaporation rate. In this study, a biological approach, using pigmented halophilic bacteria (as opposed to chemical dyes), was assessed. Two bacteria, an Arthrobacter sp. and a Planococcus sp. were selected due to their ability to increase the evaporation of synthetic brine. When using industrial brine, supplementation of the brine with an iron source was required to maintain the pigment production. Under these conditions, the Planococcus sp. CP5‐4 produced a carotenoid‐like pigment, which resulted in a 20% increase in the evaporation rate of the brine. Thus, the pigment production capability of halophilic bacteria could potentially be exploited as an effective step in the management of industrial reject brines, analogous to the crystallizer ponds used to mine salt from sea water. The pigment production capability of halophilic bacteria could potentially be exploited as an effective step in the management of industrial reject brines The pigment produced by CP5‐4was sufficient to increase brine evaporation rates in a controlled system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: To generate meaningful results, life cycle assessments (LCAs) require accurate technology data that are consistent with the goal and scope of the analysis. While literature data are available for many products and processes, finding representative data for highly site‐specific technologies, such as waste treatment processes, remains a challenge. This study investigated representative life cycle inventory (LCI) modeling of waste treatment technologies in consideration of variations in technological level and climate. The objectives were to demonstrate the importance of representative LCI modeling as a function of the specificity of the study, and to illustrate the necessity of iteratively refining the goal and scope of the study as data are developed. A landfill case study was performed where 52 discrete landfill data sets were built and grouped to represent different technology options and geographical sites, potential impacts were calculated, and minimum/maximum (min‐max) intervals were generated for each group. The results showed decreasing min‐max intervals with increasing specificity of the scope of study, which indicates that compatibility between the scope of study and LCI model is critical. Hereby, this study quantitatively demonstrates the influence of representative modeling on LCA results. The results indicate that technology variations and site‐specific conditions (e.g., the influence of precipitation and cover permeability on landfill gas generation and collection) should be carefully addressed by a systematic analysis of the key process parameters. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the targeted waste treatment technologies is necessary to ensure that appropriate data choices are made within the boundaries of the defined scope of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feasibility of recycling the reduction slag, limestone sludge, iron‐oxide sludge, and stone sludge produced in the manufacture of cement was investigated through compressive strength testing, differential thermal and thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray diffraction, and 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. The major crystalline phases of ecocement clinkers, namely C3S, β‐C2S, C4AF, and C3A, were observed. C3S content decreased and β‐C2S and α‐C2S content increased in the reduction slag. The compressive strength of EcoA pastes (ecocement contain 78% of limestone sludge, 19.51% of stone sludge and 2.49% iron‐oxide sludge) was similar to that of commercial ordinary Portland cement. The Q0 (−70 ppm) species shifted to the Q1 (−80 ppm), and Q2 (−87 ppm) species during curing. The addition of stone sludge, iron‐oxide sludge, and limestone sludge had no negative effect on the hydration of the cement pastes. In contrast, the addition of reduction slag negatively affected the formation of clinker minerals. Cement samples with reduction slag content of 1–7 wt % had lower 28‐, 60‐, and 90‐day compressive strength than did the control mix. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 37: 669–677, 2018 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Positively charged nanofiltration membranes often exhibit excellent antibacterial and antifouling properties. Nanofiltration membranes with high solvent resistance also find special applications in industrial waste water separation. Cellulose acetate is used to prepare various separation membranes due to its comprehensive performance. LSCF (La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3), a kind of cathode and electrolyte material, shows good conductivity in water solution. The nanosized hydrophilic inorganic additive LSCF is added to the casting solution to improve the performance of cellulose acetate nanofiltration membranes. After reaction with glutaraldehyde and trichloro dihydroxypropyl trimethylammonium chloride (TTAC), the prepared membrane demonstrates positively charged characteristics and excellent solvent resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Klebsiella pneumoniae strain NJ7 was isolated and screened for the production of bioflocculant and used for the flocculation of starch processing industrial wastewater (SPIW). The bioflocculant had the ability to reduce 41% chemical oxygen demand and 90% turbidity, from the SPIW. The strain is capable of utilizing the bioflocculated nutrient rich SPIW as a sole source for the bioflocculant production with doubled yield as compared to its conventional production medium. The parameters influencing bioflocculant production were optimized using Taguchi's orthogonal array (OA) experiments which suggested that 85.79% flocculation and 111.67 (mg/100 mL) bioflocculant yield could be achieved when 80% of SPIW inoculated with K. pneumoniae strain NJ7 at 30°C for 24 h at 120 rpm. This is the first report on bioflocculant production by K. pneumoniae using wastewater, without any additives and its statistical optimization (Taguchi's OA). The concept of statistical optimization and the use of wastewater lead to bioflocculant production cost effective. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 1458-1465, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the policy/legal status of both multistream residues and potential secondary products ('symbiosis products') and whether there could be environmental benefits associated with the utilization of residues from integrated pulp and paper and carbon steel mills as raw materials for such secondary products. Waste-related European Union (EU) and Finnish policy and legal instruments were reviewed to identify potential constraints for, and suggested next steps in, the development of potential process industry residue-based symbiosis products. The products were soil amendment pellets, low-grade concrete, and mine filler. A global warming potential (GWP) assessment and an exergy analysis were applied to these potential symbiosis products. Some indicative GWP calculations of greenhouse gas emissions associating similar and/or analogous products based on virgin primary raw materials, more energy-intensive processes, and the alternative treatment of these residues as wastes are also presented. This study addresses GWP, exergy, and legal aspects in a holistic manner to determine the potential environmental benefits of secondary products within the EU legal framework. The GWP assessment and exergy analysis indicate that the utilization of multistream residues causes very low environmental burdens in terms of GWP. The utilization option can have potential environmental benefits in terms of GWP through process replacement and avoided landfilling and waste treatment impacts, as well as potentially through emission reductions from product replacement if suitable and safe applications can be identified. Waste regulation does not define the legal requirements under which utilizing residues in such novel concepts as introduced in this study would be possible, nor how waste status could be removed and product-based legislation be applied to the potential products instead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Utilization of wastes and industrial by-products for production of valuable bio-based chemicals has economic and environmental advantages. The aim of this study was to investigate utilization of two industrial by-products, distillery stillage and sugar beet molasses combined as a substrate for lactic acid and biomass production. A selection of the most appropriate lactic acid bacteria that could effectively utilize this waste substrate was performed. In addition, the effect of initial sugar concentration on lactic acid production and growth of lactic acid bacteria on the combined waste substrate was evaluated. RESULTS Lactobacillus paracasei NRRL B-4564 was selected as the most promising for lactic acid production on distillery stillage and sugar beet molasses. The highest lactic acid productivity of 1.42 g L−1 h−1 and yield of 0.91 g g−1 were achieved on stillage/molasses media at initial sugar concentration of 56.74 g L−1. The highest number of L. paracasei cells at 5.3 × 109 CFU mL−1 was achieved at initial sugar concentration of 78.22 g L−1. CONCLUSION Combined distillery stillage and sugar beet molasses could provide valuable nutrients for growth of fastidious lactic acid bacteria and enable efficient lactic acid production, while processing industrial waste in this way has great environmental relevance. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Under a consent agreement among the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and proponents both for and against stricter regulation, EPA is to issue a new coal ash disposal rule by the end of 2014. Laboratory toxicity investigations often yield conservative estimates of toxicity because many standard test species are more sensitive than resident species, thus could provide information useful to the rule-making. However, few laboratory studies of coal ash toxicity are available; most studies reported in the literature are based solely on field investigations. This brief communication describes a broad range of toxicity studies conducted for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston ash spill, results of which help provide additional perspective on the toxicity of coal ash. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2015;11:5-9. © 2014 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A baseline ecological risk assessment (BERA) was performed for residual ash in the Watts Bar Reservoir following a release of fly ash from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston Fossil Plant. The site consists of parts of 3 rivers in eastern Tennessee comprising over 32 river kilometers. The purpose of the assessment was to determine if residual ash negatively impacts maintenance and reproduction of balanced communities or populations of potentially exposed ecological receptor groups in these rivers. This introductory article summarizes the site and environmental setting, assessment and measurement endpoints, risk characterization methods, and the study approach. Subsequent articles describe ecological risks to fish, benthic invertebrates, aquatic- and riparian-feeding wildlife, and aerial-feeding insectivores; and the role ecological risk characterization played in determining the most effective management of the residual ash, setting project remediation objectives and targets, and designing long-term monitoring to measure the effectiveness of the selected removal action. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2015;11:32-42. © 2014 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the ways for the elimination of the wastes of the modern workplaces. It mentions the article "Wastes in the Modern World: The Silent Killers of Productivity and Profitability" published in the spring 2014 issue of the journal "Employment Relations Today" which describes wastes as responsible for the resources and revenue loss. Moreover, the importance of understanding the changing nature of work for the elimination of the wastes in the modern workplaces is also discussed.

There is growing concern regarding the inappropriate disposal of industrial wastes. The impossibility of adequately treating certain wastes and the desire to eliminate any environmental risk has led the industry to apply different techniques to meet these challenges. The use of waste coprocessing in cement furnaces as a substitute for a portion of the fuel can provide energy gains without changing the gas emissions and the quality of the produced clinker. This study aims to describe the effects of a mixture of wastes coprocessed in an industrial rotary kiln on cement properties. The leaching and solubilization tests proved that the analyzed elements presented in the cement are not transferred to the environment. The cement compressive strength tests conducted showed that coprocessed cement achieved the minimum values specified by the Brazilian Standard Association. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 33: 956-961, 2014 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of biofilms has skyrocketed in recent years due to increased awareness of the pervasiveness and impact of biofilms. It costs the USA literally billions of dollars every year in energy losses, equipment damage, product contamination and medical infections. But biofilms also offer huge potential for cleaning up hazardous waste sites, filtering municipal and industrial water and wastewater, and forming biobarriers to protect soil and groundwater from contamination. The complexity of biofilm activity and behavior requires research contributions from many disciplines such as biochemistry, engineering, mathematics and microbiology. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive analysis of emerging novel antimicrobial techniques, including those using myriad organic and inorganic products as well as genetic engineering techniques, the use of coordination complex molecules, composite materials and antimicrobial peptides and the use of lasers as such or their modified use in combination treatments. This review also addresses advanced and recent modifications, including methodological changes, and biocide efficacy enhancing strategies. This review will provide future planners of biofilm control technologies with a broad understanding and perspective on the use of biocides in the field of green developments for a sustainable future. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology for the assessment of the performance of industrial hazardous materials emergency plans. This approach is based on a structuro-functional model of the emergency plan, which highlights the plan's functions, resources, support services and interactions. A resource taxonomy is used to manage the complexity of the emergency response system. The model can be used both as a planning guide and for the analysis of the performance of the emergency response system, based on the risk assessment of the system. The failure probability is estimated through the plan's functions and resources fault trees. The failure severity of each function is determined by using the facility's hazard study. The failure criticality of each function is hence obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The review discusses the development of loofa sponge ( Luffa cylindrica) as a biotechnological tool and the diversity of applications in which it has been successfully used since it was first reported as a matrix for the immobilization of microbiological cells in 1993. The fibro-vascular reticulated structure, made up of an open network of random lattices of small cross-sections coupled with very high porosity (79-93%), having very low density (0.02-0.04 g/cm3), and high specific pore volume (21-29 cm3/g), has the characteristics of a carrier/scaffold well-suited for cell immobilization. This has been confirmed through the immobilization of cells of diverse types, including filamentous and microalgae, fungi, bacteria, yeasts, higher plants, and human and rat hepatocytes. The cells immobilized in loofa sponge have performed well and better than free suspended cells and those immobilized in conventionally used natural and synthetic polymeric materials for the production of ethanol, organic acids, enzymes, and secondary metabolites. The loofa-immobilized cell systems have been efficiently used for the treatment of wastewaters containing toxic metals, dyes, and chlorinated compounds, and the technology has been used to develop biofilms for the remediation of domestic and industrial wastewaters rich in inorganic and organic matter. In addition, three-dimensional loofa sponge scaffolds for hepatocyte culture have been suggested to have the potential for development into a bioartificial liver device. Loofa sponge is a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and easy to handle matrix that has been used successfully as a biotechnological tool in a variety of systems, purposes, and applications. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 29:573-600, 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance and bio-kinetic coefficients of the activated sludge process (ASP) treating synthesised dairy wastewater were evaluated in a lab-scale setup. The step-loading experiment showed that the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency, in general, increased with increasing influent wastewater COD concentration from 180 to 1200 mg/L (correlation coefficient was 0.80). The COD removal efficiency ranged from almost 80-88.4% depending on the COD concentration of the influent wastewater. Also, it could be stated that the ASP was probably underfed with organics at COD concentrations <725 mg/L. Monod, Moser, Contois and Chen & Hashimoto substrate utilisation models, relating the growth of micro-organisms to substrate utilisation, were employed to describe the bio-kinetics of the ASP at an organic loading rate of 1200 mg/L. Amongst them, the Contois and Monod models predicted the bio-kinetic reactions of the ASP very well with coefficient of determination ( R2) values of 0.95 and 0.93, respectively. The estimated bio-kinetic coefficients of the Contois model (on COD basis) were as follows: half-velocity constant (0.20 mg/L), maximum substrate utilisation rate (3.13 per day), biomass yield coefficient (0.68), endogenous decay coefficient (0.07 per day) and maximum specific growth rate (2.13 per day). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of wastewater systems with high-industrial effluent input requires avoiding temporary overloads due to influent volumes and/or pollutant loads that exceed the system's treatment capacity. The multiagent paradigm is shown to be a suitable methodology for managing all information related to the state of the entire system to apply optimal influent assignment criteria. However, to be efficient, this methodology requires a prioritization process to assign priorities to different influent classes. A novel approach is proposed for solving this complex issue using a combinatorial optimization procedure with multiple constraints that is implemented when the treatment system lacks the capacity to accept all of its influent. The metaheuristic method applied is an ant colony optimization-based method, and the solution is achieved using two distinct algorithms with different processes for updating the pheromone trail. The results illustrate their usefulness, even when industrial effluents exhibit large fluctuations in their pollutant concentrations. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 58: 3070-3079, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Solid waste is one of the most discussed environmental issues, especially in urban centres where both public and private sectors are active participants in its management. This increased attention has been due to the continuous insanitary and health threatening conditions, in spite of governments' huge budgetary interventions. Meanwhile, for most urban poor, waste collection and recycling is a common means for eking out a living, yet this potential for improving solid waste management appears untapped by the authorities. Using mainly qualitative research techniques, this study examines the role of the informal sector and promotes dialogue on the potential of this sector in solid waste management. The findings show that the practice has become a survival strategy for thousands among the urban poor and that, the proper integration of the sector into the existing solid waste management policies can lead to sustainable management practices and possibly help alleviate poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screenings produced as the first stage of wastewater treatment and currently disposed of to landfill, are rich in volatile organic solids, nitrogen and phosphorus which could be recovered through anaerobic digestion. Biochemical methane potential ( BMP) tests on screenings demonstrated a methane yield of 0.33 m3 methane/kg volatile solids ( VS) and a VS destruction of 50%. Consequently, the effect of a range of hydraulic retention time ( HRT) and organic loading rates ( OLRs) was evaluated in lab-scale continuously fed mesophilic digesters. The highest methane yield of 0.416 Nm3 methane/kg VS added was observed with an HRT of 15 days and an OLR of 2.5 kg VS/m3/day, when up to 65% of the VS were destroyed. If treated by anaerobic digestion, every dry tonne of screenings digested would divert 466 kg from landfill, save 4.6 tonne equivalent carbon dioxide ( CO2 eq) and deliver 3.4 MWh of renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, advanced oxidation technologies, namely Fenton Process (FP), Fenton-Like Process (FLP), ozonation (O3) and O3/H2O2 processes, were applied to synthetic wastewater containing 3-indolebutyric acid (IBA). The effectiveness of each process was investigated at different pH values, Fe+2, Fe+3, O3 and H2O2 concentrations with respect to the removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC). The best removal efficiencies were seen at pH 3 and 2 mM Fe concentration in both FP and FLP, in which the optimum H2O2 concentrations were 6 mM for FP and 10 mM for FLP. Optimum process conditions were pH 12 for the O3 process, pH 9 for the O3/H2O2 process and 1:1 O3/H2O2 molar ratio. The highest COD removal efficiency was 86 percent, obtained in the O3/H2O2 process and the highest TOC removal efficiency was obtained at 77 percent in the FP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of implementing an integrated basin-based wastewater management dealing with water pollution for the Upper Citarum River (UCR) Basin, Indonesia, has implications for the Saguling Reservoir, which was investigated in this study. This study incorporates a comparative assessment of stage-type models in other systems as a reference, focusing on the impacts of combined measures on pollutant load reduction. Analysis of pollutant loads from various sectors was initially addressed to identify major contributors to the pollutant load in the basin and the Saguling Reservoir. Focus on initial improvement of selected pollutant targets by applying such an integrated approach with respect to domestic waste water was subsequently addressed. In elaborating a comparative assessment, case studies of Japanese- and Thai-type models were analysed from a technological perspective. This aspect addressed the pollutant load reduction by comparing the input-output of treatment systems in both models. The result suggests that, in the case of a high reliability of both structural and non-structural measures, an independent one-stage measure could be sufficient to achieve a certain target of pollutant load reduction, as exhibited by the Japanese case study. On the other hand, when both measures are still limited and have relatively lower performance, a two-stage measure is required. Accordingly, a two-stage collaboration among limited treatment measures could be a 'lesson learned' for the UCR Basin. Nevertheless, incorporation of other aspects, such as a dual-support of socio-economic framework, also is required to endorse this technological aspect. Further integration requires future investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investment in environmental protection, in connection with all productive investments in industrial processes and plants, is obligatory and routine in industrialized and high-income countries. The quality of the environmental regulatory system, including regulatory stringency, has been found to have a connection with national wealth. In this study, the relationships between environmental performance, the cost of environmental protection and the wealth of nations are examined by using international statistics on industry, economics and the environment. Environmental performance is studied using data on emissions of organic water pollutants resulting from industrial activities as well as the investments and current expenditure on wastewater management in selected countries. Variations in environmental performance discovered among countries are both absolute and relative with respect to the level of expected BOD intensity based on the wealth of these countries. The costs of wastewater management to Finnish industry are presented. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Starting in 1970, Japanese businesses were made responsible for the disposal of their own industrial waste. Thereafter, in principle, tax money could no longer be used to cover the costs of industrial waste disposal, a task entrusted to private-sector contractors engaged in waste collection, transport and disposal. Letting economic principles dictate the handling of waste - which has no intrinsic value - opened the door to the rampant problem of illegal dumping by waste-emitting businesses; private-sector waste disposal contractors carried on a thriving business of improper waste disposal, creating an enormous black market. To deal with the illegal dumping and improper disposal of waste, the Waste Management Act was amended several times starting in 1991. An indirect effect of creation of the Industrial Waste Site Restoration Fund in 1997 was the economic incentive for prefectures to improve their own administrative capacity; in addition, the strengthening of punitive measures not only suppressed criminal activity but also created the incentive for law enforcement to improve its capabilities. Another amendment in 2000 gave waste-emitting businesses greater responsibility for waste disposal, and the fact that they could become liable for costs, even if not in violation of the Act when waste disposal was subcontracted out, gave them the incentive to select trustworthy contractors with which to deal. As a result, problems such as illegal dumping have begun to decline. Several issues remain for Japan to address, among them some institutional problems in dealing with illegal dumping sites that have not been immediately cleaned up, and the fact that unscrupulous operators are exploiting a loophole that fails to classify contaminated soil as waste, still allowing them to dump it illegally. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the vehicle emission countermeasures, illegal dumping of industrial waste, and water environment.

This study investigated the legal performance of UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with producer responsibility legislation. The research incorporated legislation controlling packaging and packaging waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment and the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. Compliance audits and interviews were conducted with SMEs, regulators, government officials and SME support organisations. A total of 44 SMEs from the north-west of England were audited between April and September 2008. The study's findings suggest: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses on wastewater disposal problems and on how to address them through wastewater management in Lagos, Nigeria. It says that increased industrial wastes lead to water pollution and inadequate water resources posing health problems in the community. It states that Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) address the issue through its sustainable and decentralized sanitation systems. It suggests that providing basic sanitation facilities can improve environmental quality.

By-product synergy (BPS) is an industrial ecology practice that involves utilization of industrial by-products as feedstocks for other industrial processes. A novel decision support tool is developed to analyze BPS networks that involve material processing and transport among regional clusters of companies. Mathematical programming techniques are used to determine the optimal network design and the material flows that minimize total cost or environmental impacts. This methodology is incorporated into a graphical software package called Eco-Flow™. The tool has been applied to model and analyze available synergies in an existing BPS network centered in Kansas City, Missouri. A base case, which assumes no synergies, is compared with the optimal BPS solution found by Eco-Flow™. The results for Kansas City suggest that when companies in the network cooperate to optimize the system profitability, up to $15 million per year of savings are possible. The findings also indicate that the BPS approach would result in 29% reduction in total cost, 25.8% reduction in average company cost, 30% reduction in carbon dioxide (CO) emissions, and 37% reduction in waste to landfill. The modeling approach is being extended to better represent the dynamics of industrial and ecological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, one of the challenges on managing solid wastes is how to realize waste reduction, reuse and recycling while maintaining rapid development, leading to a demand for an Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) approach. A practical way to improve ISWM in developing countries is to learn from successful experiences in developed countries. Hence, systematic comparisons that reflect the complexity of ISWM systems in different contexts are needed. This paper takes a system perspective to compare and contrast two cases, the Region of Waterloo in Canada and Dalian in China, exploring the reasons for the different management approaches between the two cases. The results show that in some aspects, differences between the two waste management systems are tightly linked to their respective social and economic contexts, which can hardly be changed, whereas other differences can be attributed mainly to management strategies and tools. Suggestions are provided on waste planning, the development of waste diversion programs and waste treatment industries, the design of new programs, and the role of the local government. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a discussion with water utility managers to identify the issues within the water and wastewater utilities in the U.S. It presents several categories of discussion including environment and resource wherein it mentions climate change, reuse and recycling, and watershed management. Several lessons learned during the facilitated discussion include optimizing resources, utility collaboration, and financial practices.

The article discusses the research of TAP Resource Development Group Inc. on effective leadership in water and wastewater utility managers. It is stated that the research was based on the importance of aligning leadership with the way the organization values and focuses on customer intimacy. It notes that the research assesses the leadership behaviors of utility managers including vision development, implementation and team work. Details on the study results and findings are also included.

This paper presents a method for determining the conditions under which large solids (i.e., solids with a vertical dimension greater than the depth of water) are able to move in a pipe. Depending on the value of a dimensionless number [s(d/y) - I], where s specific gravity of the solids, d = water depth, and y = height of solids, motion will occur if a sufficient velocity (also reported as a Froude number or modified "solids" Froude number) is exceeded. Flume experiments were used to determine the coefficients to be used in the design. The velocity required to reach fluid movement was approximately 0.6 to 1.0 m/s (2 to 3 ft/s), which is consistent, although slightly higher than values generally used in conventional sewer design practice. However, it was demonstrated that increasing the pipe slope to achieve a higher velocity does not ensure that the solid will move. Water Environ. Res., 81, 709 (2009). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research on the development of an optimization approach to the design and integration of eco-industrial parks. The paper focuses on the management of wastewaters via processes such as recycling, reuse and separation. A source-interception-sink structural representation is used to account for the possibilities of direct recycling, materials exchange, mixing and segregation of streams, and allocation to process users. A case study is used to show the applicability of the described methodology.

Chemical leaching of the toxic metals (cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, and Zinc) and behavior of other elements (aluminum, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, phosphorus, and sulfur) in the wastewater sludge of the Montreal Urban Community wastewater treatment plant (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) were studied in 2-L beakers using sulfuric acid and three oxidants [H2O2, FeC13, and Fe2(SO4)31 and their association. Metal removal efficiencies of these oxidants were evaluated under different conditions of pH (2.0 and 2.5) and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) (350 to 500 mV). The solubilization of the different elements was linked to pH and/or ORP, and a period of 2 to 4 hours was required to obtain satisfactory metals removal yields. Sludge-fertilizing properties generally were little affected by the decontamination process, especially for processes using a ferric salt. Finally, optimal conditions, for best metals solubilization, were established at pH 2.5 and ORP = 450 mV in a 4-hour period. Water Environ. Res., 81, 523 (2009). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to study a process modification for reducing the mass of waste sludge from sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) by promoting the use of intracellular products released by ozonation of the biomass. For this purpose, biomass generated in laboratory- scale SBRs was exposed to ozone (O3) as a cell-lysing agent to partially solubilize intracellular material. The results indicated that the application of low doses of ozone reduced the mass of waste sludge production by an average of 29%. This positive aspect of the process was achieved using an average daily ozonation rate of 0.0 106 mg O3/mg TSS . h, with slightly less than 2 hours of ozonation per cycle with 3 cycles per day. In addition, the short-term settling characteristics of the ozonated biomass were observed to have improved. A negative aspect of the ozonation process resulted in decreased effluent quality, as determined by measured increases in the soluble chemical oxygen demand, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and total phosphorus concentrations of reactor effluent. Water Environ. Res., 81, 506 (2009). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The processes that fiushable solid products may undergo after discharge to wastewater systems are (I) physical disintegration of solids resulting from turbulence, (2) direct dissolution of water-soluble components, (3) hydrolysis of solids to form soluble components, and (4) biodegradation of soluble and insoluble components. We develop a mathematical model for physical disintegration of fiushable solid consumer products and test it with two different fiushable products—product A, which has 40% water, soluble-content, and product B, which has no water-soluble components. We present our modeling analysis of experimental results, from which we computed disintegration rate constants and fractional distribution coefficients for the disintegration of larger solids. The rate constants for solids of product A in units of (hour-1) are 0.45 for >8-mm, 2.25 X 10-2 for 4-to 8-mm, 0.9 X 10-2 for 2-to 4-mm, and 1.26 X 10-2 for 1-to 2-mm solids. The rate constants for solids of product B in units of hour-1 are 1.8 for >8-mm, 1.8 for 4- to 8-mm, 3.6 X 10-1 for 2- to 4-mm, and 2.25 X 1 0-3 for I - to 2-mm solids. As indicated by the rate constants, larger solids disintegrate at a faster rate than smaller solids. In addition, product B disintegrated much faster and went mostly to the smallest size range, while product A disintegrated more slowly and was transferred to a range of intermediate solid sizes. Water Environ. Res., 81, 459 (2009). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the problem of the simultaneous design of a distribution network with central treatment facilities, transfer stations and landfills, and the coordination of waste flows within this network for a long-term planning horizon. We apply these concepts in a research project for the development of a solid waste management system for a specific region in Greece. We then formulate a dynamic mixed integer programming model that minimizes the sum of costs for opening facilities and variable transportation costs related to solid waste flows. Finally, we analyze the results of the model and evaluate the various technologies that may be implemented in the treatment facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical leaching of the toxic metals (cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, and Zinc) and behavior of other elements (aluminum, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, phosphorus, and sulfur) in the wastewater sludge of the Montreal Urban Community wastewater treatment plant (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) were studied in 2-L beakers using sulfuric acid and three oxidants [H2O2, FeC13, and Fe2(SO4)31 and their association. Metal removal efficiencies of these oxidants were evaluated under different conditions of pH (2.0 and 2.5) and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) (350 to 500 mV). The solubilization of the different elements was linked to pH and/or ORP, and a period of 2 to 4 hours was required to obtain satisfactory metals removal yields. Sludge-fertilizing properties generally were little affected by the decontamination process, especially for processes using a ferric salt. Finally, optimal conditions, for best metals solubilization, were established at pH 2.5 and ORP = 450 mV in a 4-hour period. Water Environ. Res., 81, 523 (2009). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The QUAL2E model was applied to the Büyüksu Stream, Bolu, Turkey, to predict the effect of conventional and industrial pollutant sources on stream quality. The model parameters were conditioned using data from eight sampling stations on a 24-km stretch of the stream during a steady-state period between May 2003 and June 2004. The higher biochemical oxygen demand (>50 mg/L) and lower dissolved oxygen concentrations measured (<4.0 mg/L), with their expected values, indicated that the water quality of the Buyuksu Stream was threatened by industrial and domestic pollution. The oxygen-sag curves obtained by the model calculations proved that discharges of the Bolu City wastewater and wood- processing plant effluent were the two primary pollutant sources affecting the stream. Results suggested that the conditioned model can be used as a tool to show the effects of pollutant sources on the Büyüksu Stream and to assess improvements expected by reducing the contribution of pollutant sources. Water Environ. Res., 81, 325 (2009). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]