http://hdl.handle.net/10174/645 Wed, 04 Mar 2020 05:46:02 GMT 2020-03-04T05:46:02Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/27631 Title: Treatment of reverse osmosis concentrate from sanitary landfill leachate by combined processes: electrocoagulation followed by electro-fenton Authors: Chamen, O; Fernandes, A; Pereira, C; Coelho, S; Sousa, Ana Catarina; Pastorinho, M. Ramiro; Pacheco, M.J.; Ciríaco, L; Zairi, M; Lopes, A Editors: Morrison, Gerardo Abstract: Municipal solid wastes are increasing worldwide and the most common method to dispose solid residues is landfilling. However, in landfills, there is the formation of a highly contaminated leachate that cannot be discharged directly into the environment due to its high toxicity. Some leachate treatment plants are adopting membrane technologies, but a leachate concentrate that requires posterior treatment is obtained. In this chapter, the results obtained in the oxidation of a concentrate from reverse osmosis (chemical oxygen demand of 10±1 g L-1) of a sanitary landfill leachate are discussed. A combined treatment of electrocoagulation (EC) followed by electro-Fenton (EF) was applied. EC was performed using iron consumable anodes and the influence of the applied current intensity, process duration, initial pH and stirring speed was assessed. The EF experiments of the electrocoagulated samples were performed using a boron doped diamond (BDD) anode and a carbon-felt cathode. Since at the end of the EC assays dissolved iron was not enough to perform EF experiments, extra iron was supplied by anodic dissolution of iron electrodes. For the EF assays, the influence of the initial dissolved iron concentration and of the applied current density were evaluated. The results obtained with EF oxidation were compared with the results achieved by anodic oxidation of similar electrocoagulated samples, performed with a BDD anode and a stainless-steel or a carbon-felt cathode. Specific energy consumptions for the different assays were calculated. Ecotoxicological evaluation was assessed with the model organism Daphnia magna. The combined electrocoagulation and electro-Fenton processes showed to be adequate for the treatment of reverse osmosis concentrate from sanitary landfill leachate since it reduces drastically the organic load of the concentrate, as well as the sludge to be discarded. Fri, 01 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10174/27631 2019-11-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/27625 Title: Organotins: Sources and Impacts on Health and Environment Authors: Sousa, Ana Catarina; Tanabe, Shinsuke; Pastorinho, M. Ramiro Abstract: Organotin compounds are used as biocides, plastic stabilizers, and catalysts for the production of polyurethanes and silicones. Their notoriety is due to tributyltin (TBT), a potent biocide extensively used in antifouling paints until the beginning of the 21st century. As a consequence of its widespread use, TBT was responsible for the contamination of the marine environment at a global scale, causing several deleterious effects toward nontarget organisms, including imposex in gastropods, which is still considered the best example of endocrine disruption in wildlife. In mammals, including humans, organotins' negative effects comprise cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and endocrine/metabolic dysfunction, including obesity. Mon, 01 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10174/27625 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/27589 Title: Sampling Pelagic Marine Organisms Authors: Pastorinho, M. Ramiro; Pais, Ricardo Editors: De-Sheng, Pei; Junaid, Muhammad Abstract: Marine life remains far less well documented than terrestrial biodiversity. The main reason resides in the vastness of the ocean. Ocean waters, with an average depth of ≈3,800 m, cover 71% of the world’s surface. The difficult access, the complexity of the logistics (any study below the top few meters of the ocean requires large means, specialized personnel, and equipment), and the high cost of research have determined the majority of studies being performed in the terrestrial environment. However, in recent times, this severe imbalance has started to reverse. This is mainly due to the implementation of supra-governmental cooperation programs. Due to human-driven ecosystems alteration, over-fishing, ocean acidification, and chemical pollution (together with other threats), multiple marine species are endangered, so this effort is more than ever relevant and eminently urgent. Recently, the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) has proposed, the development of an integrated framework for continued and systematic ocean observation. This framework is based on Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) aiming to provide a credible response to scientific and societal issues, a high feasibility for sustained observation, and cost-effectiveness. Ecosystem EOVs have been developed. In this framework, biodiversity will be assessed based on the status of ecosystem components, nominate phytoplankton biomass and diversity, zooplankton biomass and diversity, fish abundance and distribution (as well as marine turtle, bird and mammal abundance and distribution). Recommendations for each EOV, including what measurements are to be made, but up to this point those recommendations do not exist. This chapter will try to identify common sampling procedures for the most diverse and abundant marine organisms considered as ecosystem components under the EOVs, i.e., phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish. Tue, 01 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10174/27589 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10174/27565 Title: Pets as Sentinels of Human Exposure to Neurotoxic Metals Authors: Pastorinho, M. Ramiro; Sousa, Ana Catarina Editors: Pastorinho, M. Ramiro; Sousa, Ana Catarina Abstract: The idea that animals may be used as sentinels of environmental hazards pending over humans and the associated public health implications is not a new one. Nowadays pets are being used as bioindicators for the effects of environmental contaminants in human populations. This is of paramount importance due to the large increase in the worldwide distribution of synthetic chemicals, particularly in the built environment. Companion animals share the habitat with humans being simultaneously exposed to and suffering the same disease spectrum as their masters. Moreover, their shorter latency periods (due to briefer lifespans) enable them to act as early warning systems, allowing timely public health interventions. The rise on ethical constraints on the use of animals and, consequently, on the sampling they can be subjected to has led to the preferential use of noninvasive matrices, and in this case we are looking into hair. This chapter focuses in three non-essential metals: mercury, lead, and cadmium, due to their ubiquitous presence in the built environment and their ability of affecting the mammal nervous system. There is a fairly short amount of studies reporting the concentrations of these metals in pets’ hair, particularly for cats. These studies are characterized, and the metal concentrations corresponding to different parameters (e.g., age, sex, diet, rearing) are described in order to provide the reader with a general vision on the use of this noninvasive matrix on the studies conducted since the last two decades of the twentieth century. Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10174/27565 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z