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The commonly used and developing engineering environmental technologies do not remain neutral for an ecosystem. The deepening climate changes are generally considered as the effects of human activities. There is thus no doubt that any human interference in the environment should be comprehensively checked at the beginning for all its positive and negative aspects for the environment as well as society health. There are two different analytical tools useful in environmental management: life cycle assessment (LCA) and risk assessment (RA). The first follows the product from “from birth to the grave” summing the environmental impact at all stages of its “life” including such elements like producing, used electricity, transport and many others. LCA refers to quantification and classification of all effects at all life stages and provides direct and indirect possible environmental interactions. On the other hand, risk assessment focuses on linking stressors and its possibilities and severity. RA tools reveal environmental and human health impacts of strictly separated elements, providing insight as to which emission consists of an important threat. This paper is focused on summarizing two the most used methods and tools for supporting the decision making process in use of environmental engineering technologies. In this paper, the fundamental differences between LCA and RA and benefits from their use has been contained.

Modern technologies (especially with the help of autonomous measurement and control systems) introduced automatic composters for the disposal of household food waste production. Environmental risks connected with the utilization of these composts can be characterized by the high electrical conductivity caused by a presence of sodium chloride in food. Electrical conductivity influences the ecotoxicity of the composts. The presence of pesticides in composted food also represents an important environmental problem. The following pesticides were found in compost samples from household food waste: 1,3,5-triazine, methyl trithion, bifenthrin, bifenox, carbophenothion, pirimicarb, dioxacarb, desmetryn. Pesticide content in composts varied from 0.3 to 16.3 μg/kg, the average value being 30.4 ± 10.1 μg/kg dry matter. The higher decomposition was found of “modern” pesticides in the composters. The removal of salts can ensure that inhibition will be

Resource recovery from biodegradable waste is essential in order to reach the goals of zero circular economy waste generation and zero greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector. Waste whose management is a real challenge is sewage sludge, mainly because of high concentrations of heavy metals. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of material stabilization during aerobic stabilization of two feedstocks with sewage sludge obtained from different sources, namely, digestate from a municipal wastewater treatment plant and digestate from a co-digestion process. Moreover, the goal of the experiment was to assess the quality of compost in terms of remediation potential. The composting process was carried out for four different mixtures consisting of the mentioned digestates, municipal solid waste, and grass. A better composting efficiency with digestate from the co-digestion process was observed. In that case, a higher temperature in the thermophilic phase (>55 °C) and a higher organic matter loss ratio (60%) were obtained as compared to the process with digestate from wastewater treatment plant. Taking into account the fertilizing properties and the concentration of heavy metals, all obtained composts met the requirements set out in the Polish Regulation for organic fertilizers. Only the content of Helminth eggs in the composts produced with the digestate from the wastewater treatment plant was above the acceptable level. The research also proved that the produced composts can be used in the phytoremediation process of the degraded area. It was found that all composts caused a significant increase in fescue biomass. The highest yield was achieved for compost produced from a mixture with the addition of 30% sewage sludge from the co-digestion process.

Soil contamination with heavy metals is a growing issue that results in adverse effects on plant production. In this study, the influence of manures on heavy metals toxicity reduction in Sinapis alba L. and Robinia pseudoacacia L. was tested in order to plan phytoremediation process The primary objective was to assess the effects of manure fertilization on plants grown on highly degraded soil contaminated by a range of heavy metals. The measurement endpoints used were seed germination, plants biomass, roots length, guaiacol peroxidase activity (GPX) and protein concentration. The study showed that among other stress markers, GPX activity showed statistically significant changes (α

The main aim of these studies was to determine the potential for carbon sequestration in brown coal open-cast mine by phytoremediation using scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and giant miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus) plants. This paper presents relationships between soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and carbon phytosequestration in waste dump associated with open-cast lignite mine in Central Poland. The research is the continuation of previously carried out experiments, but was conducted in field conditions. In reclamation of post-mining landscapes, during field experiment, an effect of sewage sludge, compost and lake chalk amendments and in combination of plants was investigated. The impact of soil amendments on carbon stock, CO2 emission reduction, plant biomass production and carbon content in shoots and roots was studied. The highest SOC stock was found in soil treated with sewage sludge (33 Mg*ha−1) and compost (45 Mg*ha−1) stabilized by lake chalk. These fertilizer combinations also contributed the most in relation to CO2 emission reduction through SOC stock (83 Mg*ha−1 and 127 Mg*ha−1 respectively). In addition, greater amounts (60–100%) of soil organic matter was converted into humic acids fraction. This phenomenon could be the initial stage of the progressive process of organic matter deposition and carbon sequestration in post-mining area. Carbon phytosequestration was determined through carbon bound in plant tissues. The highest carbon content (60%) in both plant species was recorded in treatments with sewage sludge and compost with lake chalk. Stabilization of compost by lake chalk application was good method to improve the efficiency of carbon sequestration in soil and carbon phytosequestration. Improving the efficiency of these two processes, through skillfully selected soil additives and plant species, may be used on a larger scale in the future as an alternative to the storage of carbon dioxide, especially in degraded areas.

Sewage sludge (SS) is a byproduct of wastewater treatment which is commonly used as fertilizer in the world. However, due to the possible contamination with heavy metals, xenobiotics and fecal pathogens, its application on fields is not so common in Poland. A safer alternative for agricultural use is the SS produced by food industry in small "inhouse" wastewater treatment plants, as substances that are used in its production are usually less harmful. As pretreatment of industrial wastewater is required before dumping the wastewater into common stream, the SS is an abundant byproduct that needs to be managed in an environmentally friendly and cost effective manner. Because the water content in SS is usually high, the dosage and logistics are problematic and thus we propose converting the sewage sludge into solid granular fertilizer in the vermicomposting process. Not only are the weight and volume of product decreased as a result, but also the nutrients such as N, P, and K become concentrated and made more accessible for plants. The SS is also further stabilized and less prone to produce odors and becoming putrid. The aim of this study was the in-depth analysis of the SS process vermicomposting with biochar. The SS was acquired from a local soft drink factory wastewater treatment plant. The batches of SS were inoculated with 20% mature vermicompost and E. fetida worms. Instead of typical bulking agents (like woodchips or straw) powdered biochar was used in the concentrations of 5, 10 and 15% as it exhibits beneficial influence on the process and increase the value of the final product. © 2019, Journal of Ecological Engineering., Polish Ministry of Science and Higher EducationMinistry of Science and Higher Education, Poland [BS/PB -401-304/11]

The utilisation of waste wood from furniture production brings new problems connected with an incomplete thermochemical decomposition of additives (chemicals for improving properties of plastics) in small heating with the addition of sources. Unique organic compounds produced by the combustion of waste wood allow the identification of the type of fuel. The organic compounds contained in the char deposits were analysed by pyrolysis gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. The deposits from the combustion of briquettes from furniture production contain organic compounds originating by decomposition of phenolic resins, aminoplasts (urea–formaldehyde, resorcinol–formaldehyde and melamine), polyurethanes and wood glue. Additives contained in the deposits include plasticisers such as phthalates (DEHP, dibutyl phthalate and diisobutyl phthalate), flame retardants (2-propanol, 1-chlorophosphate (3:1) and p-terphenyl). Deposits from the combustion of briquettes from virgin wood do not contain these compounds. The total amount of compounds identified in the deposits from the boiler, which do not come from virgin wood combustion, varies in the range between 4.25 and 6.25 g/kg. Phthalates (55.5%) and PVAc adhesives (18.6%) are the main anthropogenic compounds in the deposits from domestic boilers.

The widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in consumer products that release Ag throughout their life cycle has raised potential environmental concerns. AgNPs primarily accumulate in soil through the spreading of sewage sludge (SS). In this study, the effects of direct exposure to AgNPs or indirect exposure via SS contaminated with AgNPs on the earthworm Eisenia fetida and soil microbial communities were compared, through 3 scenarios offering increasing exposure concentrations. The effects of Ag speciation were analyzed by spiking SS with AgNPs or AgNO₃ before application to soil. SS treatment strongly impacted Ag speciation due to the formation of Ag₂S species that remained sulfided after mixing in the soil. The life traits and expression of lysenin, superoxide dismutase, cd-metallothionein genes in earthworms were not impacted by Ag after 5 weeks of exposure, but direct exposure to Ag without SS led to bioaccumulation of Ag, suggesting transfer in the food chain. Ag exposure led to a decrease in potential carbon respiration only when directly added to the soil. The addition of SS had a greater effect on soil microbial diversity than the form of Ag, and the formation of Ag sulfides in SS reduced the impact of AgNPs on E. fetida and soil microorganisms compared with direct addition. This study was funded by the ANSES in the ETNA2 project context and by a grant from the University of Lille and the SMRE doctoral school. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The study was aimed to model and optimize the removal of cadmium from contaminated post-industrial soil via

International audience; The use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in agriculture and many consumer products has led to a significant release of Ag in the environment. Although Ag toxicity in terrestrial organisms has been studied extensively, very little is known about the accumulation capacity and coping mechanisms of organisms in Ag-contaminated soil. In this context, we exposed Eisenia fetida earthworms to artificial OECD soil spiked with a range of concentrations of Ag (AgNPs or AgNO3). The main aims were to (1) identify the location and form of accumulation of Ag in the exposed earthworms and (2) better understand the physiological mechanisms involved in Ag detoxification. The results showed that similar doses of AgNPs or AgNO3 did not have the same effect on E. fetida survival. The two forms of Ag added to soil exhibited substantial differences in speciation at the end of exposure, but the Ag speciation and content of Ag in earthworms were similar, suggesting that biotransformation of Ag occurred. Finally, 3D images of intact earthworms obtained by X-ray micro-computed tomography revealed that Ag accumulated preferentially in the chloragogen tissue, coelomocytes, and nephridial epithelium. Thus, E. fetida bioaccumulates Ag, but a regulation mechanism limits its impact in a very efficient manner. The location of Ag in the organism, the competition between Ag and Cu, and the speciation of internal Ag suggest a link between Ag and the thiol-rich proteins that are widely present in these tissues, most probably metallothioneins, which are key proteins in the sequestration and detoxification of metals.

The objective of this study was to explore possible improvement of plant growth using the activity of the bacterial enzyme ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate) deaminase (endophytes and rhizobacteria). The beneficial effect of ACC deaminase activity was tested on plants growing under stress conditions (high concentrations of heavy metals: cadmium, lead, zinc in the soil). The bacteria were isolated from three plants species: Festuca rubra L., Agrostis capillaris L., Arabidopsis thaliana L. Heynh, acquired from the area contaminated with heavy metals. Strains with the highest ACC deaminase activity were used to prepare a bacterial consortium and inoculate the plants. It has been shown that inoculation of plants with ACC producing bacteria has a positive effect on their growth under stress conditions. The bacterial entophytes strains showed a higher activity of ACC deaminase, which resulted in a higher biomass growth of inoculated plants. PGPB bacteria may limit the toxicity of harmful ions and thus the increase the adaptive properties of plants. Moreover, it was discovered that the bacteria mainly belonging to genus Bacillus and Pseudomonas had the highest AAC deaminase activity in multiple heavy metal contaminated environment. The use of selected microorganisms and plants will provide results in an increasing efficiency of phytoremediation.

Wastewater treatment plants play a key role in preserving the resources of the environment, as well as human health. The applied technological system of a wastewater treatment plant determines the efficiency of wastewater and sewage sludge treatment, but also energy efficiency and operating costs. The aim of the presented work is to analyse the technological unconventional system of a small wastewater treatment plant with some modifications generating ecological profits, mainly the fertiliser, biomass or peat substitution ("biosolids factory" concept). The modification of the technological system consists in the application of sewage microfiltration, conditioning of sewage and sludge with cellulose material and application of short-term thermo-composting (Bionor technology). The use of a belt filter for suspension separation reduces the load on activated sludge bioreactors and aerobic stabilisation. The basic modification is the use of thermo-composting of separated sewage sludge with the addition of a structure-forming agent (straw pellet). Importantly, no precipitating or flocculating chemical substances or agents are used in this technology. The technology used enables the processing of sewage sludge into biomass with high fertilising and energy potential. In the following work, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a wastewater (and sewage sludge) treatment plants was made, comparing different possible concepts of sewage sludge management. The LCA was performed on five applied sewage sludge treatment scenarios: incineration of biomass (S1); biomass as a fertiliser product - "fertiliser substitution" (S2); biomass as a soil addition - "peat substitution" (S3); biomass as both fertiliser and a soil addition - "fertiliser and peat substitution" (S4); and biomass as a filling without any substitution benefits - "no specific use" (S5). The LCA analyses of the Bionor sludge technology applied in the wastewater and sewage sludge treatment plant confirm the environmental benefits and minimise the environmental impact with conventional solutions. The fertiliser and peat substitution scenario cause the least impact on climate change. This scenario was found as beneficial for avoiding net CO2 emissions (-5.8 kg CO2 eq/1 m(3) wastewater) and eutrophication potential (-1.7 to -2.0 kg N2O eq/1 m 3 wastewater, -2.78 to -3.0 PO4 eq/1 m(3) wastewater). The eco-toxicity study also showed low impact potentials for a land application scenario. Incineration of biomass yields higher environmental impacts than any application scenario (13.8 kg CO2 eq/1 m(3) wastewater). The LCA analysis confirmed that the peat substitution scenario was found as the most valuable. Web of Science 319 art. no. 128655

Sewage sludge/biosolids are by-wastes of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment. As sources of nutrients (C, N, P) they are widely used in intensive farming where large supplementation of organic matter to maintain fertility and enhance crop yields is needed. However, according to the report of European Commission published in 2010, only 39% of produced sewage sludge is recycled into agriculture in the European Union. This situation occurs mainly due to the fact, that the sewage sludge may contain a dangerous volume of different contaminants. For over decades, a great deal of attention has been focused on total concentration of few heavy metals and pathogenic bacteria Salmonella and Escherichia coli. The Sewage Sludge Directive (86/278/EEC) regulates the allowable limits of Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr and Hg and pathogens and allows for recovery of sludge on land under defined sanitary and environmentally sound conditions. In this paper, a review on quality of sewage sludge based on the publications after 2010 has been presented. Nowadays there are several papers focusing on new serious threats to human health and ecosystem occurring in sewage sludge – both chemicals (such as toxic trace elements – Se, Ag, Ti; nanoparticles; polyaromatic hydrocarbons; polychlorinated biphenyl; perfluorinated surfactants, polycyclic musks, siloxanes, pesticides, phenols, sweeteners, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, benzotriazoles) and biological traits (Legionella, Yersinia, Escherichia coli O157:H7)., Highlights • Sewage sludge contains organic and inorganic contaminants not regulated by law. • Total content of many compounds (heavy metals) is not a reliable indicator of toxicity. • Regular monitoring is crucial to limit a release of toxic substances to ecosystem.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of vermicomposting process applied on three different sewage sludge (precomposted with grass clippings, sawdust and municipal solid wastes) using three different earthworm species. Selected immune parameters, namely biomarkers of stress and metal body burdens, have been used to biomonitor the vermicomposting process and to assess the impact of contaminants on earthworm's physiology. Biotic and abiotic parameters were also used in order to monitor the process and the quality of the final product. Dendrobaena veneta exhibited much lower resistance in all experimental conditions, as the bodyweight and the total number of circulating immune cells decreased in the most contaminated conditions. All earthworm species accumulated heavy metals as follows Cd>Co>Cu>Zn>Ni>Pb>Cr: Eisenia sp. worms exhibited the highest ability to accumulate several heavy metals. Vermicompost obtained after 45days was acceptable according to agronomic parameters and to compost quality norms in France and Poland.

The main objective of the present review is to compare the existing sewage sludge management solutions in terms of their environmental sustainability. The most commonly used strategies, that include treatment and disposal has been favored within the present state-of-art, considering existing legislation (at European and national level), characterization, ecotoxicology, waste management and actual routs used currently in particular European countries. Selected decision making tools, namely End-of-waste criteria and Life Cycle Assessment has been proposed in order to appropriately assess the possible environmental, economic and technical evaluation of different systems. Therefore, some basic criteria for the best suitable option selection has been described, in the circular economy "from waste to resources" sense. The importance of sewage sludge as a valuable source of matter and energy has been appreciated, as well as a potential risk related to the application of those strategies.

The main aim of this review is to assess the advantages and disadvantages of use of in vitro plant cell and organ cultures as useful research tools in process of phytoremediation. Plant tissue cultures including cell suspensions, callus and hairy roots are frequently used in the phytoremediation research, mostly as a model plant systems. One of the most important advantages of using in vitro cultures is the ability to examine the metabolic capabilities of plant cells as well as their capacity for toxicity tolerance in controlled conditions without any interference from microorganisms and processes occurring naturally in soils. The results obtained from plant cell or tissue cultures can be used to predict the responses of plants to environmental stressors and also to mass produce stress induced proteins and other metabolites. The aim of this review is to present possible applications for in vitro cultures in phytoremediation studies.

The aim of the study was to determine the quality and quantity of siderophores produced by bacteria isolated from plants' roots. The second aim was to determine the effect of siderophores on plants growth (Festuca rubra L. and Brassica napus L.). The study was carried out using bacteria isolated from roots of: Arabidopsis thaliana L., F. rubra, and Agrostis capillaris L., growing on the heavy metals contaminated area. The chrome azurol sulfonate (CAS) test, Arnow's test for catechol siderophores, and Csaksy's test for hydroxamate siderophores were performed. Among the bacteria, 42 isolates (39%) had a positive result in the CAS. Endophytic bacteria were mostly producing the catechol siderophores. It was found that F. rubra is the plant which is linked with the highest number of siderophores producing bacteria. The highest concentration of siderophores was noted for ectorhizospheric bacteria associated with A. thaliana, hyperaccumulating plant. It was found that hydroxamate siderophores are mainly produced by ectorhizosphere and rhizoplane bacteria. The siderophores producing bacteria reduced the toxicity of metals and improved the phytoremediation. Siderophores treatment increased the growth of plants in the biological assay, growing on two different soils: one highly contaminated with heavy metals and the second strongly alkaline soil.

ACL; ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters, types C, G, and B were monitored via qPCR in order to investigate the influence of heavy metal (HM) contamination of post-industrial and post-agricultural soils and the effects of its supplementation with sewage sludge, on Sinapis alba plants. Five house-keeping genes were selected and validated to ensure the best reference points. The relative expression of ABC types C and G genes was profoundly affected by experimental conditions and included their upregulation after plants exposure to heavy metals and downregulation after supplementation with sewage sludge. However, ABC type C was more responsive then type G. The experimental conditions altered the expression of ABC type C gene faster than ABC type G and thus, the expression of ABC type C can therefore potentially be used as a bioindicator during assisted phytoremediation of degraded sites. In clean soil, supplementation with sewage sludge with a slight content of heavy metals still caused an upregulation in the expression of ABC types C and G, which showed that proper toxicity assessments are necessary to ensure safe application of sewage sludge into soils. Results showed that the analysed genes take a significant part in plants metal detoxification and that their expression is regulated at transcriptional level after exposure to soil contaminated with heavy metals by both, industrial activities and by sewage sludge supplementation. Thus, their expression can potentially be used as an early-warning biomarker when soil supplementation with sewage sludge is incorporated into the soil-management process.

The progress of civilization, industrial development, and improper waste management results in an increasing concentration of heavy metals in the soil. Their high toxic nature, which is well known, creates a necessity for the constant and accurate monitoring of their contamination level. Moreover, the toxicity of soils contaminated with heavy metals is closely related to their mobility and, hence, availability. Deepening the greenhouse effect regulates the migration capacity of heavy metals. The futuristic climate makes the diffusion of heavy metals to occur in the soil substrate to the lower layers of the soil profile, and the accumulation in organisms inhabiting this medium changes. This chapter presents the effect of futuristic climate on the mobility of heavy metals in the soil, as well as the risks associated with this influence. Attention was also paid to the possibility of remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals during futuristic climate changes.

The study was aimed to model and optimize the removal of cadmium from contaminated post-industrial soil via Sinapis alba L. by comparing two modeling approaches: Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). The experimental design was done using the Box–Behnken Design method. In the RSM model, the quadratic model was shown to predict the closest results in comparison to our experimental data. For ANN approach, a two-layer Feed-Forward Back-Propagation Neural Network model was designed. The results showed that sewage sludge supplementation increased the efficiency of the Sinapis alba plant in removing Cd from the soil. After 28 days of exposure, the removal rate varied from 10.96% without any supplementation to 65.9% after supplementation with the highest possible (law allowed) dose of sewage sludge. The comparison proved that the prediction capability of the ANN model was much higher than that of the RSM model (adjusted R-square: 0.98, standard error of the Cd prediction removal: 0.85 ± 0.02). Thus, the ANN model could be used for the prediction of heavy metal removal during assisted phytoremediation with sewage sludge. Moreover, such approach could also be used to determinate the dose of sewage sludge that will ensure highest process efficiency.

The state of global warming in the last few years is appalling. The temperature increase on the Earth carries a serious ecological imbalance including decomposition of organic matter. The fate of the terrestrial carbon consists of an important issue due to the possibility of the occurrence of feedback mechanisms to atmospheric CO2 concentrations. The sensitivity of soil carbon to warming consists of suspense in the prediction of future carbon dioxide concentration and further climate changes. So far, many ecosystem models proposed show a positive impact of global warming on the microbial organic matter decomposition. However, a terrestrial experiment does not coincide with those reports—they show an initial limitation of CO2 loss from the soil as a consequence of warming. This work concluded an influence of climate warming on organic decomposition as well as a difference between labile and nonlabile soil organic carbon decomposition under global warming. Attention is also paid on the possible consequence that could be even stronger than predicted.

ACL; The heavy metals (HMs) soils contamination is a growing concern since HMs are not biodegradable and can accumulate in all living organisms causing a threat to plants and animals, including humans. Phytoremediation is a cost-efficient technology that uses plants to remove, transform or detoxify contaminants. In recent years, phytoremediation is entering the stage of large-scale modelling via various mathematical models. Such models can be useful tools to further our understanding and predicting of the processes that influence the efficiency of phytoremediation and to precisely plan such actions on a large-scale. When dealing with extremely complicated and challenging variables like the interactions between the climate, soil and plants, modelling before starting an operation can significantly reduce the time and cost of such process by granting us an accurate prediction of possible outcomes. Research on the applicability of different modelling approaches is ongoing and presented work compares and discusses available models in order to point out their specific strengths and weaknesses in given scenarios. The main aim of this paper is to critically evaluate the main advantages and limitations of available models for large-scale phytoremediation including, among others, the Decision Support System (DSS), Response Surface Methodology (RSM), BALANS, PLANTIX and various regression models. Study compares their applicability and highlight existing gaps in current knowledge with a special reference to improving the efficiency of large-scale phytoremediation of sites contaminated with heavy-metals. The presented work can serve as a useful tool when choosing the most suitable model for the phytoremediation of contaminated sites. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.