Davide Pinelli

Bioremediation of a soil contaminated by hydrocarbon mixtures: the residual concentration problem

The phenomenon of residual concentration was investigated in the aerobic biodegradation of three different petroleum commercial products (i.e., kerosene, diesel fuel and a lubricating mineral oil) in static microcosms. Two different soils exhibiting different physical-chemical characteristics were used (i.e., a biologically treated hydrocarbon-contaminated soil and a pristine soil). Residual concentrations were observed and a simple way to take this phenomenon into account was proposed.

SOLIDS DISTRIBUTION IN STIRRED SLURRY REACTORS: INFLUENCE OF SOME MIXER CONFIGURATIONS AND LIMITS TO THE APPLICABILITY OF A SIMPLE MODEL FOR PREDICTIONS

Abstract The features of solids concentration distribution were investigated in baffled and unbaffled tanks of high aspect ratio, stirred with multiple radial, mixed-flow or axial impellers. In the baffled tanks the average profiles can be predicted with the sedimentation-dispersion model regardless of impeller type - in spite of slight systematic departures from the average trend at the impeller plane and/or midway between the impellers. This is hardly possible for the unbaffled tanks due to lack of physical foundation of this simple model. When the unbaffled tank is stirred with hydrofoil impellers, an inverted profile is even obtained. The mentioned departures and this last anomalous behaviour are qualitatively discussed with reference to particle-turbulence interaction.

Production of l(+) and d(−) lactic acid isomers by Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei DSM 20011 and Lactobacillus coryniformis subsp. torquens DSM 20004 in continuous fermentation

Abstract With the aim of producing l (+) and d (−) lactic acid to be employed in poly-lactic acid polymer production, for biomedical applications, the strains Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei DSM 20011 and Lactobacillus coryniformis subsp. torquens DSM 20004 were studied in a conventional chemostat mode using various dilution rates. The results obtained showed that the dilution rate influences the fermentation pattern, modifying various fermentation parameters. Nevertheless, the product and biomass yields remained constant and the ratio of the l (+) and d (−) isomers of lactic acid was not affected by the dilution rate. The optimal glucose concentration on inlet feed medium was also determined for the L. coryniformis fermentation.

Bioremediation of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon‐contaminated soil by using different aerobic batch bioreactor systems

The intrinsic depuration capability of a soil contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) originating from a contaminated industrial site was evaluated in this study by using different aerobic batch bioreactors: a slurry‐phase bioreactor, a blade‐agitated bioreactor, and a rotary vessel bioreactor. For each bioreactor, the disappearance of 14 target PAHs and of the total extractable organic matter was monitored. The three treatments exhibited rapid and extensive removal of the PAHs, which disappeared at different degradation rates according to their molecular weight and aromaticity degree. PAHs with two, three, and four aromatic rings were degraded in sequence, with average rates that generally decreased as the number of molecule rings increased. A slight increase in the bacterial biomass concentration and significant CO2 production were also observed during the time course of the treatments. Among the three treatments, the slurry‐phase system provides the most effective and fastest removal of...

Dispersion coefficient and settling velocity of the solids in agitated slurry reactors stirred with multiple rushton turbines

Abstract The feature of solids distribution in tanks stirred with multiple Rushton turbines was investigated. Both transient and steady-state experiments were performed in tanks of two scales with a variety of suspensions. The data were analysed with the axial sedimentation–dispersion model. The axial dispersion coefficient of the solid phase was found not to differ from that of the liquid by more than 20%. The effective particle settling velocity in the stirred medium was then determined. It is confirmed that this parameter is different from the terminal settling velocity. Their ratio exhibits the same dependence on Kolmogoroff microscale and particle size as obtained previously with an indirect, approximate approach.

Comparison of Experimental Techniques for the Measurement of Mixing Time in Gas‐Liquid Systems

Measurements of the homogenisation characteristics during the agitation of a liquid and the mixing time by simple in situ conductivity probes are very well established. However, unless special precautions are taken, in the presence of the second phase such as gas, the conductivity trace becomes distorted to a greater or lesser extent, so that it is not possible to follow the transient change of concentration in the liquid phase or estimate the mixing time. In this paper it is confirmed that, without special precautions, simple in situprobes are unsatisfactory. However, by shielding the probe with a “cage”, the ingress of bubbles into the probe region is essentially prevented and satisfactory results can be obtained in situ with responses having as little noise as in the case without gas. A second technique involves elimination of the gas from a small sample stream and measurement of the streams conductivity transient. By suitable and rather simple treatment of the response, results equivalent to that from the in situ shielded probes can be obtained. The latter technique is especially useful where the placement of in situ probes is difficult. It is also suggested that recent results, which disagree with much of the literature on liquid phase mixing times in gassed systems, arose due to the use of in situ unshielded conductivity probes.

Biodegradation of PAHs in Aggregates of a Low Permeability Soil

In the bioremediation of low-permeability soils, pollutant and, especially, the oxygen bioavailability are often the rate limiting steps. In cases when a biopile treatment can represent an applicable technique, pretreatment of the excavated soil is often necessary to attain an adequate air-filled porosity in the soil and to avoid the presence of large soil aggregates. The present work was performed to evaluate the influence of soil aggregate size in the bioremediation of a silt-clay type soil contaminated by PAHs. Microcosms were arranged with spherical soil aggregates of different diameter in near water-saturation conditions. Concentration of two and three aromatic ring PAHs, total biom-ass, and respiration rates were monitored. PAH concentration profiles inside the particles were also obtained. A simple and quick way to estimate the critical dimension of the soil aggregates was developed based on the evaluation of an oxygen penetration depth, that is, the distance from the external surface to the aggregate core beyond which oxygen concentration is practically zero. A very different time course of PAHs consumption was found in the external layer and the inner core of the aggregates as well as in aggregates of different dimensions. The results suggest that only the 3 mm external layer of the sphere is not limited by oxygen diffusion.

Solids Separation at the Exit of a Continuous-Flow Slurry Reactor Stirred with Multiple Axial Impellers

Measurements of solids concentration in both the withdrawal tube and upstream of the discharge opening were performed in a vessel stirred with multiple impellers and operated in a continuous mode. Apart from the influence of withdrawal velocity on the discharge concentration, which has been thoroughly described in the past, rotational speed plays a role on both concentrations. For the configuration studied, the ratio of the solids concentration in the discharge tube and upstream of the discharge is much lower than unity and can be simply correlated to the operating conditions.

Functionalization of silica through thiol-yne radical chemistry: a catalytic system based on gold nanoparticles supported on amino-sulfide-branched silica

This work proposes a preparation route to heterogeneous catalysts based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) supported on chemically modified silica. More specifically, the latter is functionalized with amino-sulfide branches (Au-SiO2@AeThio) through a thiol-yne radical coupling performed between cysteamine hydrochloride and an alkynyl-substituted triethoxysilane, followed by co-condensation with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The target procedure, involving only a gold precursor without any need of additional reducing and/or stabilizing agents, is straightforward, controllable, reproducible, and particularly appealing from a “green” point of view. The supported AuNPs, with an average diameter of 10 nm, possess a remarkable catalytic activity (specific rate constants of the order of 10−2 s−1 mgcat−1) in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) by sodium borohydride (NaBH4) in aqueous media. The higher performances with respect to previous literature work, along with the possibility of successfully recycling the catalyst, shows the developed materials as attractive functional platforms.

MADFORWATER: WP2: Adaptation of wastewater treatment technologies for agricultural reuse: Task2.3: Agro-industrial wastewater treatment: Subtask2.3.1: Treatment of olive mill wastewater: procedure for the selection of the optimal sorbent for phenolic compounds recovery

A procedure for the selection of the optimal adsorbent for phenolic compounds (PC) recovery from PC-rich wastes and wastewaters was innovatively proposed and applied to compare 4 neutral resins (Amberlite XAD 16, Optipore SD-2, Amberlite FPX66, Amberlite XAD761) and 1 ion-exchange resin (IRA958 Cl) for PC recovery from a Tunisian olive mill wastewater (OMW).