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Spatiotemporal changes in the concentration of UV filters were investigated along the shore according to increasing distance from breakwaters, from the shoreline, as well as according to seasonality in three locations of different anthropogenic pressures, involving those from cosmetic products being released during touristic activity. Nine organic UV filters (benzophenone-1 (BP-1), benzophenone-2 (BP-2), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), octocrylene (OCR), 4-methoxy benzylidene camphor (4-MBC), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), ethylhexyl salicylate (EHS), homosalate (HMS), and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDM)) were determined in core sediments, and the range of determined concentrations above the limit of quantification was between 19.2 ng·kg−1 d.w. (HMS) and 539.5 μg·kg−1 d.w. (4-MBC). Unexpectedly, contrary to the level of anthropogenic pressure, the concentrations of four (BP-1, BP-2, BP-3, OCR) UV filters decreased in the following order: Darłówko > Ustka > Rowy. Higher concentrations of BP-1, BP-2, BP-3, and OCR were determined in spring than in summer and autumn. The maximal concentration of HMS and EHMC/EHS was found in the summer and in the autumn, respectively. BMDM was determined occasionally only in two samples collected in Ustka. The higher maximal concentration range of all UV filters was determined in core sediments taken from the eastern (539.5 μg·kg−1 d.w.) rather than from the western (11.3 μg·kg−1 d.w.) parts of the beaches. According to increasing distance from the breakwaters, higher concentrations of UV filters were determined in sites located up to 100 m away in all locations and seasons. Spatial variation in the concentration of UV filters was observed in profiles perpendicular to the water line. Typically, higher concentrations were determined at sites having contact with water, although incidentally, high concentrations were also noticed at sites located further into the beach. The Polish coast of the Baltic Sea is not free from organic UV filters, and expectations concerning the abundance of UV filters in a given location are far from recorded data due to the impact of hydro-technical treatments (i.e., stony and wooden breakwaters, artificial reefs, nourishment) and coastal littoral drift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purification and thickening tests of metallurgical industrial wastewater from sintering dust dechlorination unit were carried out. Raw wastewater of pH 6.95 consisted primarily of Zn2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Tl+, Cl-, SO4-2, at concentrations of approx. 3,200; 60; 11,500; 100; 40,100 and 5,300 mg/dm3 respectively. The heavy metals removal consisted in chemical precipitation and sedimentation, firstly by sodium hydroxide, and secondly by sodium sulphide solutions resulting in average removal to levels below 1mg/dm3. Moreover, the experimental studies of evaporation process confirmed the possibility of chloride ions reducing, the distillate yield was approx. 80% of the initial effluent stream. The solid product obtained by two-stage evaporation was characterized by satisfactory purity. The results indicate maturity of the applied processes for wastewater treatment, allowing conditions close to zero-liquid-discharge to be achieved.

A method for drying hard coals using an impinging stream dryer has been proposed in the article. A series of screening tests were conducted, seeking optimum process parameters of an innovative coal impinging stream dryer using flue gas as the drying medium. The article addresses measurement results obtained for the flue gas and feedstock flow rate, feedstock sort, and initial moisture content on the specific energy consumption, volumetric water evaporation rate, and moisture reduction. The maximum volumetric water evaporation rate was found to be around 230 kgwater/m3·h and the maximum volumetric heat transfer coefficient came to ca. 2.5 kW/m3·°C. In terms of specific energy consumption, the lowest specific energy consumption was found to be around 1.79 kWh/kgwater. It was established that the relation between specific energy consumption and a product of the flue gas flow rate and the initial water (in the feedstock) flow rate is a power function. The best performance of the impinging stream dryer was achieved for high-moisture coal and high flue gas flow rates. The impinging stream dryer proved to be suitable for surface moisture removal from particulate materials that contain very high moisture. The initial tests conducted at the pilot plant successfully demonstrated reliable operation and promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of carbon dioxide to the gasification media during lignite gasification is introduced. The paper presents thermodynamic grounds of CO enhanced gasification using a simplified equilibrium model. Experimental tests conducted using a pilot-scale circulating fluidized bed gasifier are discussed. Detailed analysis of the CO/C ratio on process conditions, namely on the process gas composition, lower heating value and H/CO ratio, is provided. Process gas composition implies that the gas is suitable for heat and power generation. Alternatively, CO enhanced gasification could be considered as a carbon capture and utilization technology when external, renewable heat supply to the process is used. The results thus obtained are the initial step toward development of the CO enhanced gasification process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of reducing energy consumption of the CO2 removal process from flue gas may be pursued by developing new solvents as well as by modifying the technological process itself. This paper provides a discussion of the experimental results obtained from a process development unit (PDU) using an aqueous 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) solution activated with piperazine (PZ) for post-combustion carbon capture located at the Clean Coal Technologies Centre in Poland. The results are compared for two distinct process setups, namely one with the lean amine stream being split - a solution referred to as split flow, and a system with standard configuration. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The densities of unloaded and partially carbonated piperazine (PZ) and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) aqueous solutions and their blends were measured at temperatures of 293.15 to 333.15 K. The results of these measurements were used to calculate excess molar volumes assuming that the volume of carbon dioxide dissolved in the solutions was zero. The excess molar volumes were correlated as a function of the CO2mole fraction using the Redlich–Kister equation. The results of the actual density are discussed in comparison with the case if no volume expansion occurs during the loading of the solutions. The no-volume-expansion model can be used to give an initial estimate of the density, while the Redlich–Kister equation is suitable for a precise density estimation. It must be noted that the no-volume-expansion model does not require any parameters except the density of the unloaded solution, unlike the Redlich–Kister equation, whose coefficients are regressed from experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of the article is the assessment of the environmental impact of the technology concerning the use of low-quality post-process gas for the production of electricity and heat, along with the treatment of post-process wastewater. This assessment was carried out based on the results of the full life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis. The presented technology is based on the energetic use of low-quality process gases in a reciprocating engine for the production of electricity and heat in cogeneration with the use of heat in the wastewater treatment system. The article presents the adopted assumptions and the results of the LCA analysis for the RECLEG technology developed specifically for a zinc smelter. The aim of the analysis was to check whether the developed technology has a positive impact on the environment. The LCA analysis was performed using the ReCiPe methodology, which is one of the most frequently used methodologies in this field due to the possibility of observing the environmental impact in a full range of different environmental aspects. At the same time, the analysis also allows the results to be presented in three general impact categories: human health, ecosystem and natural resources, which are easier to interpret. By converting the waste post-process gas into electricity and heat, it is seen that this has a positive impact on the environment. Especially due to the waste nature of the source, which is the post-process gas. Each reduction of gas is potentially beneficial for the environment and, in addition, a replacement effect can be observed, because the gas was previously burned in a flare, where it additionally emitted exhaust gases, sent directly to the atmosphere. Moreover, the RECLEG technology combines post-process wastewater treatment, which has a positive effect on water management, and makes the process even more environmentally friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The interest in UV filters' occurrence in the environment has increased since they were recognized as "emerging contaminants" having potentially adverse impacts on many ecosystems and organisms. Increased worldwide demand for sunscreens is associated with temperature anomalies, high irradiance, and changes in the tourist market. Recently, it has been demonstrated that personal care products, including sunscreens, appear in various ecosystems and geographic locations causing an ecotoxicological threat. Our goal was to determine for the first time the presence of selected organic UV filters at four beaches in the central Pomeranian region in northern Poland and to assess their horizontal and vertical distribution as well as temporal variation at different locations according to the touristic pressure. In this pioneering study, the concentration of five UV filters was measured in core sediments dredged from four exposed beaches (Darłowo, Ustka, Rowy, and Czołpino). UV filters were detected in 89.6% of collected cores at detection frequencies of 0–22.2%, 75–100%, 0–16.7%, and 2.8–25% for benzophenone-1 (BP-1), benzophenone-2 (BP-2), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), and enzacamene (4-MBC), respectively. In terms of seasonality, the concentration of UV filters generally increased in the following order: summer > autumn > spring. No detectable levels of 3-BC (also known as 3-benzylidene camphor) were recorded. No differences were found in the concentration of UV filters according to the depth of the sediment core. During the summer and autumn seasons, all UV filters were detected in higher concentrations in the bathing area or close to the waterline than halfway or further up the beach. Results presented in this study demonstrate that the Baltic Sea coast is not free from UV filters. Even if actual concentrations can be quantified as ng·kg−1 causing limited environmental threat, much higher future levels are expected due to the Earth's principal climatic zones shifting northward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the densities of carbonated aqueous solution of amines (ethanolamine, methylethanolamine, aminoethylethanolamine, and N‐methyldiethanolamine with piperazine) in various concentration and CO2 loadings were measured with temperatures ranging from 20°C to 60°C. The measured densities are in good agreement with those reported in the literature. The density experimental data were correlated with temperature and CO2 loading. Additionally, in case of the monoethanolamine, amine concentration was included into the correlation. Furthermore, an obtained correlation for density prediction of carbonated monoethanoloamine solutions was compared with Jouyban–Acree model. The fitted models are able to predict the density of carbonated amine solutions with a satisfactory precision. Presented correlations can be used either to predict the density of carbonated amine solutions or to determine CO2 loading of the investigated solution, if the density is known. The results of this paper may have an industrial application as a tool for process control of CO2 capture systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]