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Influence of Metal Oxide Coatings on the Microstructural and Electrochemical Properties of Different Carbon Materials
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Enhancing antimicrobial properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/hexafluoropropylene copolymer membrane by electron beam induced grafting of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and iodine immobilization
No full textHighly efficient antimicrobial properties were imparted to a solution cast poly(vinylidene fluoride)-co-hexafluoropolypropylene (PVDF-co-HFP) NF membrane by modification with povidone-iodine (PVP-I-2) complex using electron beam (EB) induced grafting of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) and subsequent iodine immobilisation. The changes in the morphology of the PVDF-co-HFP membrane in correlation with preparation procedure (NVP grafting and I-2 loading) were monitored by a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) whereas, the variation in chemical composition was investigated with FTIR-ATR, UV-vis/NIR and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The free surface energy and hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of the membranes were studied using contact angle measurements. The antimicrobial activity of I-2 loaded membrane was evaluated against Gram negative Escherichia coli and Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus in comparison with pristine and PVP grafted membranes. The pure water permeation flux and bacterial suspension filtration through the membranes were also investigated. The use of radiation grafting with EB was found to be highly effective in modification of PVDF-co-HFP membrane by imparting PVP ligands capable of hosting I-2 and conferring it very strong antimicrobial activity. Moreover, the obtained membrane is highly promising for water disinfection applications
Microbial electrochemical systems outperform fixed-bed biofilters in cleaning up urban wastewater
No full textIn this work, we present for the first time the concept of integrating microbial electrochemical technologies (MET) with natural wastewater treatment biofilters used in constructed wetlands (CW) to form METlands. In order to validate this technology, three lab-scale horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) biofilters, two hosting electroconductive materials and one gravel biofilter (control) were operated for 525 days to define the best design and operational conditions to maximize the removal of wastewater pollutants. Organic loading rates tested ranged from 2 to 24 g BOD5 m−2 d−1 at hydraulic retention times (HRT) from 4 days to as low as 0.5 day, respectively. The electroconductive biofilter showed the best COD and BOD removal rates per volume of bed, achieving mean values of 213 g COD m−3 d−1 and 119 g BOD m−3 d−1 at the lowest HRT (0.5 d). Ammonia and total nitrogen maximum removal efficiencies at 3.4 days of HRT were 97 and 69%, respectively, in the electroconductive biofilter. Bacterial communities were studied by 16S rDNA Illumina sequencing with the aim of understanding the role of the electrically conductive material in selecting microbial populations. Deltaproteobacteria (a known electroactive taxon) were enriched in the presence of an electrically conductive bed. Geobacter and Geothrix were the dominant genera in the deeper zone of the electrically conductive bed where oxidation of organic matter occurred. The results suggest that the enhancement in biodegradation rate will significantly reduce the area requirements of classical CW
Sistema inteligente para optimizar el uso de agua: Smart-Hydro
No full textLa gestión eficiente de este recurso es uno de los grandes retos de la agricultura actual
Hydro-economic Analysis on Cost-Effective Solutions to Close Ulaanbaatar’s Future Water Gap. Technical Report
No full textProceso para el tratamiento de aguas procedentes de lodos bentoníticos
No full textProceso para el tratamiento de agua procedente de lodos bentoníticos que comprende las etapas de burbujeo en una columna de CO2 y sedimentación tal y como se define en la descripción
Pattern of richness and distribution of groundwater Copepoda (Cyclopoida: Harpacticoida) and Ostracoda in Romania: an evolutionary perspective
No full textIt is assumed that the south-eastern Europe and especially the Romanian Carpathians were important regions for surface and underground invertebrates survival during glacial periods and acted as a source of post-glacial colonization processes. We analyzed data from 233 georeferenced records for 164 species of groundwater copepods and ostracods from Romania and used a comparative approach to recognize the determinants of the regional-scale richness, endemism, and distribution patterns, with a primary focus on species from the Carpathian Mountains. In addition, we examined the driving forces for the observed pattern of distribution and richness linked to contemporary (groundwater habitat fragmentation and heterogeneity, climate, vegetation) and historical (past climate and vegetation) environmental conditions. Our analyses showed that: (1) species richness was high, irrespective of habitat heterogeneity, in karst and non-karst areas; (2) the main driver accounting for high species richness in the karst landscape was the rainfall regime (> 1350 mm per year), whereas, in non-karst areas, it was woodland vegetation; and (3) there was significant species richness and richness of phyletic lineages in hypothetical forest glacial refugia of the Carpathian arc. The combination of the distribution pattern, diversification, and evolution of stygobite lineages provides reliable evidence for species persistence in the Romanian groundwater during Pleistocene
