Construction and Demolition (C&D) wastes contribute the highest percentage of wastes worldwide (75%). Furthermore, ceramic materials contribute the highest percentage of wastes within the C&D wastes (54%). The current option for disposal of ceramic wastes is landfill. This is due to unavailability of standards, avoidance of risk, lack of knowledge and experience in using ceramic wastes in const...

Wastes from the agro-industrial sector, due to their toxic effects with regard plants and living organisms, cannot be dumped in soil. However, they can serve as renewable source of value-added products, following specific digestive treatment. This research was focused on studies vinasse fermentation processes presence bioactive substances introduced directly into digested biomass. The results o...

Currently, much of our biodegradable wastes such as kitchen wastes, agricultural wastes & animal wastes are used to produce Biogas, a powerful greenhouse gas. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a treatment that composts these wastes in the absence of oxygen, producing a biogas that can be used to generate Heat & Power. Producing renewable energy from our biodegradable wastes helps to tackle the energy...

Introduction: Nowadays, advancements in industries, technology and human welfare level have lead to accumulation of solid wastes and have endangered environmental health. Incorrect waste management intensifies this problem. Recycling and composting (transformation of organic waste to humus) are the most important ways in waste management. Health and safety of the compost is an important issue b...

Heavy metals, such as, cadmium, zinc, Strontium and Arsenic have different chemical and physical properties. Also, each metal has its specific toxicological effects; in general, the contamination caused by heavy metals can have different effects in a human health. It is worth to summarize the effect of each element on human health. Scientific literature shows that cadmium affects the cardiovasc...

The management of medical waste is of great importance due to its potential environmental hazards and public health risks. In the past medical waste was often mixed with municipal solid waste and disposed of in residential waste landfills or improper treatment facilities (e.g. inadequately controlled incinerators) in Korea. In recent years, many efforts have been made by environmental regulator...

Not all heavy metals are toxic. Some at lower concentrations are essential to the physiological status of the organism. Under certain conditions, induced toxicity occurs when the heavy metals are in the form of cations which tends to bind to certain biomolecules, thus becoming toxic to organisms. In many industries, toxic heavy metals such as As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn, are released mainly i...

Cadmium has a toxic effect on soil microbial activity which plays an important role in nutrient cycling and, therefore, in maintaining soil fertility. In addition, the mobility of this heavy metal in soil is affected by the addition of urban wastes such as sewage sludge. This study was conducted to determine the effect of sewage sludge amendment of a semiarid soil, previously polluted with Cd, ...

The primary degradation of a linear alcohol ethoxylate (AE) and a branched nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) was investigated in bench-scale activated sludge units treating a synthetic sewage feed. Biotreaters were gradually adapted to 10-100 mg/J surfactant and effluents monitored for loss of nonionic ethoxylate, foaming, feed BOD removal, nitrification and biosolids growth. Both surfactants were d...

High-temperature, controlled incineration and thermal treatment of contaminated soils, sediments, and wastes at Superfund sites are often preferred methods of remediation of contaminated sites under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 and related legislation. Although these methods may be executed safely, formation of toxic combustion or reaction by...