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26 pages, 8913 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Factors Influencing the Flow Characteristics of Paste Backfill in Pipeline Transportation

by Xianqing Wang, Wen Wan, Yishu Liu, Rugao Gao, Zhenxing Lu and Xiaoyu Tang

Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 6904; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15086904 - 19 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1028

The continuous accumulation of tailings in tailings reservoirs not only causes environmental pollution but may also cause geological disasters. The paste-filling mining method is an effective way to address the accumulation of tailings, and it is necessary to study the flow characteristics of [...] Read more.

The continuous accumulation of tailings in tailings reservoirs not only causes environmental pollution but may also cause geological disasters. The paste-filling mining method is an effective way to address the accumulation of tailings, and it is necessary to study the flow characteristics of the pipeline transportation process—a core process of this method. However, limited by factors such as test conditions, equipment, and cost, the research in this field mainly focuses on the flow performance of conveying materials and the influence of single conveying conditions on the resistance of filling pipelines. The pipeline transportation of paste is a systematic project, and its pipeline transportation characteristics are not only determined by the characteristics of the slurry itself but also related to the geometric characteristics of the pipeline. In this study, an orthogonal test and numerical simulation were used to study the influence of five parameters—i.e., the filling gradient, the curvature radius of the elbow, the inner diameter of the pipeline, the paste flow rate, and the paste concentration—on pipeline transportation characteristics, and they were sorted according to their levels of influence. The results show that, during the pipeline transportation process, the slurry concentration has the greatest influence on the resistance loss and the maximum wall shear stress of the pipeline, and the slurry flow rate has the greatest influence on the maximum flow rate at the elbow. The numerical simulation results were compared and analyzed using rheological theory. The maximum difference rate was 11%, and the average difference rate was 6%. Numerical simulation results indicate that the pipe wall near the outer diameter side of the inlet section and the center of the elbow section wears easily during the paste-conveying process. The results enrich the theory of paste pipeline transportation, improve the understanding of the influence of various parameters on paste transportation characteristics, and provide a reference for paste pipeline design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Water, Air, and Soil Pollution)

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14 pages, 1697 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bioremoval of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solutions by Green Algae (Bracteacoccus sp.) Isolated from North Jordan: Optimization, Kinetic, and Isotherm Studies

by Abdullah T. Al-Fawwaz, Ahmad Al Shra’ah and Engy Elhaddad

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 842; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15010842 - 03 Jan 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1769

Abstract

Algae provide an alternative, sustainable, and environmentally beneficial method of dyetreatment. In this study, algae were successfully used to remove methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The effects of several parameters, such as initial concentration of MB (5–25 mg L⁻¹), algae [...] Read more.

Algae provide an alternative, sustainable, and environmentally beneficial method of dyetreatment. In this study, algae were successfully used to remove methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The effects of several parameters, such as initial concentration of MB (5–25 mg L⁻¹), algae dosage (0.02–0.1 g mL⁻¹), temperature (4, 20, and 30 °C), and contact time (24, 48, 72 and 84 h), on MB removal were investigated. In addition, the characterization of MB before and after treatment was achieved using UV-spectrophotometer and Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The experimental data were applied to three kinetic models, namely pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elvoich. Moreover, Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin–Raduskevich (D–R), and Temkin isotherm models were tested. The maximum removal efficiency of MB (~96%) was accomplished at optimum conditions at the initial concentration of MB (15 mg L⁻¹), temperature (30 °C), and algae dosage (0.06 g mL⁻¹) after 60 min of contact time. The removal of MB follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R² > 0.999), and the experimental data is best fitted by the Langmuir isotherm model (R² > 0.9300). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Water, Air, and Soil Pollution)

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19 pages, 1515 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Methods for Calculation of Stormwater Treatment Required for Meeting Receiving Waters Quality: Application in a Case Study

by Thomas Larm and Anna Wahlsten

Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 15395; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su142215395 - 19 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1183

Abstract

There is a need for tools relating stormwater effluent quality data to the ambient water quality guidelines listed, e.g., in the EU Water Framework Directive. We conducted a literature study and identified four methods to calculate the annual required treatment loads (kg/year) to [...] Read more.

There is a need for tools relating stormwater effluent quality data to the ambient water quality guidelines listed, e.g., in the EU Water Framework Directive. We conducted a literature study and identified four methods to calculate the annual required treatment loads (kg/year) to satisfy the guidelines: (1) StormTac Web, (2) the Vollenweider OECD load model, (3) the model developed by the Swedish Water Authorities and SMHI, and (4) the method using effluent concentration criteria. In this paper, we compile and derive new equations based on these methods to enable calculation of annual acceptable load (kg/year) and annual required treatment load (kg/year) for different types of receiving waters and substances, i.e., not only nutrients but also priority chemicals listed in the Water Framework Directive. Obligatory input data consist of calculated or measured annual flow (runoff and baseflow), actual concentrations and criteria concentrations in the receiving water, or criteria concentration for discharge to the receiving waters. The four methods were applied to address total phosphorus in the urban watercourse of Bällstaån, Sweden. Results showed agreement of the calculated required treatment removals with measured phosphorus concentrations in the receiving water when Methods 1–2 were used but more varied results for Methods 3–4, which neglect the receiving waters concentrations and criteria. Based on these results, we recommend Methods 1–2 for use and further evaluation in projects related to improvements in the quality of receiving waters, as they are based on water quality criteria in the receiving waters themselves. Further investigations regarding input data, complementary measurements, and an evaluation of the validity for substances other than nutrients are recommended to improve the accuracy of calculations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Water, Air, and Soil Pollution)

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17 pages, 5678 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identifying and Characterizing Critical Source Areas of Organic and Inorganic Pollutants in Urban Agglomeration in Lake Baikal Watershed

by Mikhail Y. Semenov, Anton V. Silaev, Yuri M. Semenov, Larisa A. Begunova and Yuri M. Semenov

Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 14827; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su142214827 - 10 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1427

Abstract

Critical source areas (CSAs) are the areas prone to generating runoff and are characterized by a high level of soil pollution. CSAs may accumulate and release soil pollutants emitted by primary emission sources (industrial and municipal enterprises) into the surface water during storm [...] Read more.

Critical source areas (CSAs) are the areas prone to generating runoff and are characterized by a high level of soil pollution. CSAs may accumulate and release soil pollutants emitted by primary emission sources (industrial and municipal enterprises) into the surface water during storm events. The aim of this study was to identify CSAs and their pollution sources and to assess the level of soil pollution in CSAs with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and trace metals (TM). CSAs were identified using a geospatial data model (GIS), and primary emission sources were identified using a positive matrix factorization (PMF) model. It was found that the soils of CSAs were characterized by higher pollution levels than soils outside the CSAs. Pollution levels were highly variable among the identified CSAs due to the different capacities of the plants located in those areas. Due to high variability of TM concentrations in preindustrial soils, the pollution level of PAHs and the pollution level of TMs in CSA soils did not correlate with each other. The PAH composition of bottom sediments was different from that of soils, whereas the TM compositions of the soils and bottom sediments were similar. It was proved that the main sources of PAHs and TMs in CSA soils were traffic emissions and central heating boilers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Water, Air, and Soil Pollution)

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16 pages, 3051 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Revealing the Chemical Profiles of Airborne Particulate Matter Sources in Lake Baikal Area: A Combination of Three Techniques

by Mikhail Y. Semenov, Irina I. Marinaite, Liudmila P. Golobokova, Yuri M. Semenov and Tamara V. Khodzher

Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 6170; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14106170 - 19 May 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1507

Abstract

Positive matrix factorization (PMF) is a widely used multivariate source apportionment technique. However, PMF-derived source profiles are never compared to real ones because of the absence of data on the chemical composition of source emissions. The aim of this study was to verify [...] Read more.

Positive matrix factorization (PMF) is a widely used multivariate source apportionment technique. However, PMF-derived source profiles are never compared to real ones because of the absence of data on the chemical composition of source emissions. The aim of this study was to verify the validity of PMF-derived source profiles using the diagnostic ratios (DR) method and end-member mixing analysis (EMMA). The composition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in particulate matter (PM) sampled in the air above Lake Baikal in summer and the composition of inorganic elements (IE) in PM accumulated in Lake Baikal snowpack were used as study objects. Five PAH sources and five IE sources were identified using PMF. Eight PAHs and six IEs selected from PMF-derived source profiles were recognized as eligible for calculating the DRs (species 1/(species 1 + species 2)) suitable for testing PMF results using EMMA. EMMA was based on determining whether most samples in mixing diagrams that use DR values as coordinates of source points could be bound by a geometrical shape whose vertices are pollution sources. It was found that the four PAH sources and four IE sources obtained using PMF were also identified using EMMA. Thus, the validity of the most of PMF-derived source profiles was proved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Water, Air, and Soil Pollution)

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21 pages, 1625 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Barley Straw Biochar and Compost Affect Heavy Metal Transport in Soil and Uptake by Potatoes Grown under Wastewater Irrigation

by Ali Mawof, Shiv O. Prasher, Stéphane Bayen, Emma C. Anderson, Christopher Nzediegwu and Ramanbhai Patel

Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5665; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14095665 - 07 May 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2054

Abstract

Wastewater can supplement freshwater in agriculture; however, it contains toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, and lead that are hazardous to humans and the environment. We investigated the effects of barley straw biochar, green and table waste compost, and their mix on [...] Read more.

Wastewater can supplement freshwater in agriculture; however, it contains toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, and lead that are hazardous to humans and the environment. We investigated the effects of barley straw biochar, green and table waste compost, and their mix on heavy metal transport in soil and uptake by potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) irrigated with synthetic wastewater for two years. In both years, amending soil with compost significantly reduced (p ≤ 0.05) cadmium uptake in potato flesh, skin, roots, and stems; zinc uptake in potato skin and roots; and copper uptake in potato flesh due to increased soil cation-exchange capacity, dissolved organic carbon, and soil pH. Co-amending the soil with compost and 3% biochar significantly reduced (p ≤ 0.05) the bioavailability of cadmium, copper, and zinc in the contaminated soil. Relative to the non-amended soils, soil amendment with biochar, compost, and their mix affected neither the transport of chromium, iron, and lead in the soils nor their uptake by potatoes. It was concluded that amending soil with barley straw biochar and/or compost produced from city green table waste could be used to improve the safety of wastewater irrigated potatoes, depending on the biochar application rate and heavy metal type. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Water, Air, and Soil Pollution)

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17 pages, 3147 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Source Apportionment of Particulate Matter in Urban Snowpack Using End-Member Mixing Analysis and Positive Matrix Factorization Model

by Mikhail Y. Semenov, Natalya A. Onishchuk, Olga G. Netsvetaeva and Tamara V. Khodzher

Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 13584; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132413584 - 08 Dec 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2805

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify particulate matter (PM) sources and to evaluate their contributions to PM in the snowpack of three East Siberian cities. That was the first time when the PM accumulated in the snowpack during the winter was [...] Read more.

The aim of this study was to identify particulate matter (PM) sources and to evaluate their contributions to PM in the snowpack of three East Siberian cities. That was the first time when the PM accumulated in the snowpack during the winter was used as the object for source apportionment study in urban environment. The use of long-term integrated PM samples allowed to exclude the influence of short-term weather conditions and anthropogenic activities on PM chemistry. To ascertain the real number of PM sources and their contributions to air pollution the results of source apportionment using positive matrix factorization model (PMF) were for the first time compared to the results obtained using end-member mixing analysis (EMMA). It was found that Si, Fe and Ca were the tracers of aluminosilicates, non-exhaust traffic emissions and concrete deterioration respectively. Aluminum was found to be the tracer of both fossil fuel combustion and aluminum production. The results obtained using EMMA were in good agreement with those obtained using PMF. However, in some cases, the non-point sources identified using PMF were the combinations of two single non-point sources identified using EMMA, whereas the non-point sources identified using EMMA were split by PMF into two single non-point sources. The point sources were clearly identified using both techniques. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Water, Air, and Soil Pollution)

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Review

Jump to: Research

14 pages, 2046 KiB

Open AccessReview

Biosorption of Heavy Metals with Algae: Critical Review of Its Application in Real Effluents

by Javier I. Ordóñez, Sonia Cortés, Pablo Maluenda and Ignacio Soto

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5521; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15065521 - 21 Mar 2023

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3618

Abstract

Biosorption is a variant of sorption techniques in which the adsorbent is a material of biological origin. It has become an economic and ecological alternative for the treatment of effluents. Among the biomasses employed in biosorption, algae have emerged as a sustainable solution [...] Read more.

Biosorption is a variant of sorption techniques in which the adsorbent is a material of biological origin. It has become an economic and ecological alternative for the treatment of effluents. Among the biomasses employed in biosorption, algae have emerged as a sustainable solution for producing environmentally friendly adsorbents due to their abundance in seawater and freshwater, profitability, reuse and high metal absorption capacities. Although the research on the use of biosorbents is extensive and has grown in recent years, there are not many cases of their use for the treatment of real industrial solutions, which are more challenging due to the complex composition of metals that results in interference or competition over the functional sites of the biomass. This review aims to highlight the current state of research, focusing on the application of algae biosorption to remove copper from effluents. The most studied metals are those with the most significant health connotations, such as Cd, Cu and Pb. Regarding copper, only 2% of the biosorption works using seaweeds have been applied to real effluents, which leaves a relevant gap to advance the technology in the treatment of polluted solutions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Water, Air, and Soil Pollution)

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