Isabela Maria Simion

Comparing environmental impacts of natural inert and recycled construction and demolition waste processing using LCA

AbstractConstruction and demolition wastes (C&DW) are usually recognized as not dangerous, but their accumulation can generate serious environmental problems. In spite of C&DW high potential to be reused/recycled, the practical procedures need to be assessed in terms of environmental consequences. The objective of this study is to quantify the environmental impacts of C&DW recycling/reuse, specifically in the production of aggregate 0/30 mm, comparative to those generated during the natural inert processing, in terms of global impacts addressing the whole process and for each technological phase. The analysis was carried out using Life Cycle Assessment methodology, assisted by SimaPro software, and based on primary data collected directly from the Italian Emilia Romagna region. Three methods were used for impact quantification: Eco-Indicator 99, EDIP/UMIP and Cumulative Energy Demand. The analysis revealed that the environmental impacts generated by C&DW recycling/reuse accounting for about 40% of the imp...

Potential of biosorption and bioaccumulation processes for heavy metals removal in bioreactors

Environmental contamination with heavy metals, especially of soils and water, became a significant problem because most of them are toxic to the living organisms, non-degradable and persistent in the contaminated media. Physico-chemical methods, such as chemical precipitation, electrochemical treatment, filtration, ion exchange, evaporation, reverse osmosis and membrane technologies are currently the most used methods to remove heavy metal ions from wastewaters. Bioremediation technologies, which are known to be environmentally sound natural processes, have become attractive alternatives to the conventional methods. Among these, biosorption and bioaccumulation address various interactions and concentration of toxic metals in either living (bioaccumulation) or non-living (biosorption) biomass. The aim of this paper is to emphasize the proficiency of biosorption and bioaccumulation processes applied in different types of bioreactors (stirred tank, fixed bed, fluidized-bed and air-lift) using various microorganisms for the removal of heavy metals from contaminated effluents.

Environmental impacts of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production process

The increasing demand for plastics in the world leads to pressures on the environment generated by the consumption of raw materials based on fossil fuels and the need for plastic waste reduction and absorption to diminish their environmental impacts. In this paper we evaluated the environmental impacts induced by the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), one of the most widely used plastics in the manufacture of various goods. The impacts were calculated based on Life Cycle Assessment methodology. The negative environmental impacts of PVC production may be reduced by recycling, a sustainable, effective, currently available alternative of waste management. Our study showed that the use of recyclable materials, such as organic biodegradable waste as raw materials instead of crude oil can lead to significant reduction of environmental impacts.

Life cycle assessment of paper manufacturing: Environmental and human health impacts

The reduction of production waste impact started to be an important subject in the context of industrial development. In the last years the authorities became to be interested in the reduction of impacts generated by the large amount of waste, by recycling or reuse in processes. In this context, the present study is developed to help decision makers to take the best decision regarding the management of production waste from paper manufacturing so as to mitigate its impacts. According to the results obtained after an analysis of the production waste conducted in the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) framework, the recycling of this type of waste can reduce considerable the impact on the environment and human health by reducing tree cutting and increasing the absorption capacity of CO2 from the environment.

Overview of human health hazards posed by pesticides in plant products

Pesticides use, one of the hottest topics nowadays when it comes to human health, started to be a serious concern to consumers considering their known harmful effects. This paper provides a short overview on pesticides application and their corresponding maximum residue levels (MRLs) in plant products, risks associated to human health and steps in conducting a human health risk assessment. The procedure of assessing the MRLs is discussed and a methodology of assessing human health risks to pesticides is considered based on currently existing framework provided by USEPA. This analysis highlights the requisite of continuous monitoring programmes of pesticide residues in plant products, and deep knowledge of their toxic effects and assessment strategies necessary in human health risk estimation and mitigation.