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Agriculture, one of the main economic pillars in Europe, plays a growing important role towards the environmental sustainability of the extra-urban land, in which the agricultural activities may proactively contribute to control and regulate the whole ecological conditions. Modern agriculture currently needs big quantities of agrochemicals, which are necessary for the growth and protection of crops and animals. These agrochemicals are commercially distributed to consumers in many types of containers. The most widely used packaging solutions usually employ plastic materials (e.g., containers for liquid pesticide; sacks for granular fertiliser; etc.). These materials, after the use of the agrochemical, need to be decontaminated, before being entrained in a recycling process, in the framework of a circular economy. In the present paper the main results coming from a EU-funded international project are reported, with specific reference to a pilot station that was realised in Italy with the aim to implement and test a codified system for the decontamination of these plastic containers for agrochemicals. The experimental tests were supported by relevant laboratory analysis, which have confirmed that the triple-rinsing decontamination procedure - traditionally employed by farmers for washing and decontaminating these containers - may be effective only under some well-defined conditions. Triple rinsing by farmers has indeed led to an only partial decontamination of the plastic containers, if farmers did not follow an appropriate triple-rinsing protocol, or did not triple-rinse the containers immediately after their emptying.

In this work, the photodegradation of methylene blue was investigated by constructing a novel photocatalysis reactor, which was filled with aqueous foam. Nanoscale TiO2 particles were used as photocatalyst. In order to obtain stable foam phase, cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) was used as the frother, and its suitable initial concentration in the feeding solution was 0.20 g/L. Under the suitable conditions of loading liquid volume 200 mL, initial concentration of TiO2 nano-catalysts in the feeding solution 5.0 g/L, inner diameter of foam column 18 mm, aperture diameter of gas distributor 125 μm, and circulating velocity of bulk solution 500 mL/h, the maximum degradation percentage of methylene blue was 97.6 ± 1.2%. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis suggested that the entrainment effect of rising bubbles and the circulation flow of bulk solution inside the aqueous foam did not cause the conspicuous aggregation of TiO2 nano-catalysts under the suitable conditions, but their surface roughness decreased. Meanwhile, foam entrainment had not a significant impact on the polydispersity of TiO2 nano-catalysts. In contrast to the photodegradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution, the photocatalysis process using aqueous foam is the intensity of light received by TiO2 nano-catalyst increases, and irradiation period is less. This work is expected to provide new insight into the rational design of photocatalysis reactor, to facilitate the harmless treatment of dyestuff wastewater.

Effective management of industrial and agricultural wastes requires a multifaceted approach that considers environmental, economic, and social factors. Our ability to recover resources and create a circular bioeconomy from agricultural waste can be enhanced by implementing sustainable methods such as reducing, reusing, and recycling it. Active graphene oxide (GO) was prepared through the gasification of agricultural waste and further mixed with FeAlO x catalyst for three hours at 800 °C as an efficient adsorbent. The synthesized material was comprehensively characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis, and thermal gravimetrical analysis. In order to remove direct red 81 (DR-81) dye from wastewater, the synthesized nanomaterial was implemented as an effective adsorbent. Several processing variables, including pH, contact time, and dosage, were studied to examine the optimum conditions that directly influence the DR-81 decontamination of onto the fabricated GO. The optimal dosage from the synthesized GO for DR-81 decontamination was 0.5 g/L at pH = 7 after 30 min. At pH 7.0 and 25 °C, the produced GO had the highest sorption capacity of 132.14 mg/g towards the DR-81. In addition, equilibrium and kinetic studies were capably fitted via the Freundlich and pseudo-second-order models, respectively. As a result of its particular properties, which include a high surface area, adsorption capacity, structural robustness, variation tolerance, and thermal stability. These promising findings supported the usage of synthesized GO as a superior adsorbent material for DR-81 decontamination from wastewater.

We investigated the removal of a harmful anionic dye, acid orange 7 (AO7), from aqueous solution using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). We prepared four different MOFs (ZIF-8, ZIF-67, UiO-66, UiO-66-NH2) by solvothermal reactions and then tested their adsorption of AO7. Infrared spectra and adsorption capacity data confirmed the removal of AO7 from aqueous solution. The factors we investigated affecting adsorption capacity include variation of the organic linkers and metal clusters of the MOFs. Our results suggest that the hydrogen bonding, π–π interactions, and zeta potentials facilitate the removal of AO7 from water. Of the four MOFs examined, ZIF-67 exhibited the highest adsorption capacity of AO7 and can be regenerated easily.

Over the past two decades, phenol oxidases, particularly laccases and tyrosinases, have been extensively used for the removal of numerous pollutants in wastewaters due to their broad substrate specificity and their ability to use readily accessible molecular oxygen as the essential cofactor. As for other enzymes, immobilisation of laccases and tyrosinases has been shown to improve the performance and efficiency of the biocatalysts in solution. Several reviews have addressed the enzyme immobilisation techniques and the application of phenol oxidases to decontaminate wastewaters. This paper offers an overview of the recent publications, mainly from 2012 onwards, on the various immobilisation techniques applied to laccases and tyrosinases to induce and/or increase the performance of the biocatalysts. In this paper, the emphasis is on the efficiencies achieved, in terms of structural modifications, stability and resistance to extreme conditions (pH, temperature, inhibitors, etc.), reactivity, reusability, and broad substrate specificity, particularly for application in bioremediation processes. The advantages and disadvantages of several enzyme immobilisation techniques are also discussed. The relevance and effectiveness of the immobilisation techniques with respect to wastewater decontamination are critically assessed. A perspective on the future directions for large-scale application of the phenol oxidases in immobilised forms is provided.

This review covers various aspects of the process of anaerobic ammonium oxidation by nitrite with the formation of molecular nitrogen called ANAMMOX (ANaerobic AMMonium Oxidation). Anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria are briefly described, including their phylogenetics, habitat, and morphological and physiological characteristics. The current views on the biochemistry of the microbial nitrite reduction by ammonium are presented. The review is focused on biotechnological wastewater treatment based on the ANAMMOX process. Various nitrogen removal technologies using this process, namely, the SHARONANAMMOX CANON and DEAMOX BC-DEAMOX, and their practical use are reviewed. Various types of reactors and set ups using the ANAMMOX process that are applied to the treatment of wastewater are analyzed. Processing methods for slowly growing ANAMMOX bacterial biomass accumulation aimed at subsequent inoculation in reactors are analyzed. The problems and methods for ANAMMOX bacterial biomass immobilization in reactors and on carriers are described. A description and parameters of laboratory and pilot plants utilizing various high-ammonia wastewater are given. Examples of the currently operating full-scale industrial setups with the ANAMMOX process implementation, including those for the complex biochemical treatment of domestic sewage (BC-DEAMOX) constructed by EKOS (Russia) at the Olympic facilities in the Sochi region, are discussed.

This work aimed to study the production of laccase from Pleurotus ostreatus DSM 1833 and Phoma sp. UHH 5-1-03 using banana peels as alternative carbon source, the subsequent partial purification and characterization of the enzyme, as well the applicability to degrade endocrine disruptors. The laccase stability with pH and temperature, the optimum pH, the K m and V max parameters, and the molar mass were determined. Tests were conducted for assessing the ability of degradation of the endocrine disruptors t-nonylphenol, bisphenol A, and 17α-ethinylestradiol. Laccase production of 752 and 1,117 U L −1 was obtained for Phoma sp. and P. ostreatus , respectively. Phoma sp. laccase showed higher stability with temperature and pH. The laccase from both species showed higher affinity by syringaldazine. The culture broth with banana peels induced the production of two isoforms of P. ostreatus (58.7 and 21 kDa) and one of Phoma sp. laccase (72 kDa). In the first day of incubation, the concentrations of bisphenol A and 17α-ethinylestradiol were reduced to values close to zero and after 3 days the concentration of t-nonylphenol was reduced in 90% by the P. ostreatus laccase, but there was no reduction in its concentration by the Phoma sp. laccase.

The variation of substrate concentration in anode chamber directly affects the power generation efficiency and decontamination performance of microbial fuel cell (MFC). In this study, three concentrations of swine wastewater with 800 mg/L, 1600 mg/L and 2500 mg/L were selected as substrates, and the performance of MFC and response characteristics of anode microbial community were investigated. The results show that the concentration of a selected substrate is positively correlated with the output voltage of MFC and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate. The microbial community diversity in the anode chamber and the performance of battery can be significantly affected when concentration changes in different ways, which helps to selectively cultivate the adaptable dominant bacteria to enhance the stability and decontamination performance of MFC. The community structure of anodic biofilm is mainly composed of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi and Spirochaetae. These findings are meaningful to improve the treatment effects of swine wastewater and can help to find out the mechanism of varying concentration that influences the production of microorganisms in MFC.

The surface treatment (ST) industry is currently undergoing major upheavals, particularly concerning environmental aspects, due to increasingly stringent standards. ST uses large volumes of water and chemicals in its manufacturing processes and its wastewater is acknowledged as being among the most polluting. Although considerable efforts have been made by the industry over the last 20 years, the problem of water pollution remains a significant concern. The main environmental problem facing ST plants is the high pollution load of the effluent they generate. The wastewater is complex and difficult to process as it contains a range of pollutants, some of which can react with each other. However, the tighter legislation in many countries means that the ST industry has reduced its environmental impact. The way decontamination is generally approached by ST plants involves physicochemical treatment to make the contaminants insoluble by adding chemicals then separating the two phases, water and sludge, by physical means. It is in this context that, over a period of 24 months of operation, we analyzed and optimized a physicochemical unit for the treatment of ST industrial wastewater. This article presents the abatements obtained in the levels of pollution after the various chemical optimizations validated in the laboratory and then transposed to the industrial site. The optimization of the station reduced the organic load, nitrite and zinc by about 70%, 85%, and 80%, respectively. To evaluate the utility of each optimization proposal, standard bioassays based on the germination of lettuce seeds were carried out on the influent and effluent of the treatment plant. Decreasing concentrations of pollutants in the effluent led to a reduction of its impact on seed germination. Bioassays based on plant growth also confirmed the environmental benefits obtained after optimization of the station. The biological tests proposed are thus good indicators of the contaminant concentrations present in wastewater pre- or post-treatment. These simple and inexpensive tests are reliable and can be used routinely to assess the impact of effluent. Les traitements de surfaces (TS) utilisent des volumes importants d’eau et de produits chimiques dans leurs procédés de fabrication. Bien que des efforts considérables en matière d’amélioration des procédés aient été réalisés depuis 20 ans, la filière TS est encore considérée comme l’une des plus polluantes en matière de rejets. Le principal problème environnemental auquel est confrontée la filière est celui de la forte charge polluante des eaux issues de leurs procédés. Ces eaux usées sont complexes et difficiles à traiter car elles contiennent des polluants de nature et de concentration variables, et de plus susceptibles d’interactions. La législation étant de plus en plus exigeante dans de nombreux pays, les industriels tendent à réduire les impacts environnementaux. La technique de décontamination qui fait référence dans le secteur TS est la physico-chimie, qui consiste à insolubiliser les polluants par ajout de substances chimiques, et à séparer les deux phases eau-boue par un procédé physique. Dans ce contexte, nous avons analysé et optimisé pendant 24 mois le fonctionnement d’une station de traitement. Cet article présente les abattements chimiques obtenus suite aux différentes solutions d’optimisation validées en laboratoire puis transposées sur site industriel. L’optimisation de la station a permis de diminuer respectivement la charge organique, les nitrites et le zinc de 60 à 80 %, de 70 à 90 %, et de 70 à 95 %. Afin d’évaluer l’intérêt de chaque proposition d’optimisation, des tests écotoxicologiques normalisés de germination de graines de laitues ont été réalisés sur les effluents. La diminution des concentrations en polluants dans les eaux correspond à une diminution de l’impact du rejet sur la germination des graines. Des tests de croissance des plantes ont également confirmé le gain environnemental obtenu. Les tests biologiques proposés sont de bons indicateurs des concentrations en contaminants présents dans les eaux. Ces tests simples, peu onéreux et fiables peuvent être utilisés en routine pour évaluer les impacts d’un rejet.