Chemical recycling of municipal packaging waste by pyrolysis

[EN]The present doctoral thesis centers on studying pyrolysis as a chemical recycling technique for rejected packaging waste fractions coming from separation and sorting plants. The pyrolysis experiments have been carried out in a lab-scale installation equipped with a 3.5 L semi-batch reactor and a condensation and collection system for the liquids and gases generated. In the present thesis, an experimental study on the conventional pyrolysis process applied to the aforementioned waste fractions has been conducted, as well as the study of non-conventional or advanced pyrolysis processes such as catalytic and stepwise pyrolysis. The study of the operating parameters has been carried out using a mixed plastics simulated sample, the composition of which is similar to that found in real fractions, and subsequently the optimized process has been applied to real packaging waste. An exhaustive characterization of the solids, liquids and gases obtained in the process has been made after each experiment and their potential uses have been established. Finally, an empirical model that will predict the pyrolysis yields (% organic liquid, % aqueous liquid, % gases, % char, % inorganic solid) as a function of the composition of the initial sample has been developed. As a result of the experimental work done, the requirements have been established for an industrial packaging waste pyrolysis plant that aims to be sufficiently versatile as to generate useful products regardless of the nature of the raw material.

Mechanisms implied in Escherichia coli removal during wastewater treatment

Poster presentado 12th Symposium on Aquatic Microbial Ecology (SAME12) August 28 – September 02, 2011 Germany , Rostock–Warnemünde

Fate of Escherichia coli during an activated sludge wastewater treatment

Poster presentado al . 3rd Congress of European Microbiologist (FEMS 2009)celebrado en Gothenburg, Suecia del 28 de junio al 2 de julio de 2009

The impacts of leadership in the quality of municipal public services: case study of a portuguese municipal council

[EN]The present research work, based on some of the components of the Common Assessment Framework, sets to analyse the influence held by leadership in specific factors that constitute the organisational climate, and also the impact that these factors have on the quality of municipal public services. For the purposes of this study, we propose Likert’s exploitative autocratic and participative leadership styles to explain the genesis, structure and workflow. As far as the organisational climate is concerned, the variables used are motivation, satisfaction, empowerment, conflict and stress. The main conclusions that arose was that a participative leader confers higher relevance to the quality of service, through motivation, satisfaction, empowerment and human resources positive results, than an exploitative autocratic leader. Performed contributions are based on the empiric research hereby presented, and new research guidelines are proposed. The research methodology used was qualitative, based on the case study.

Reposición de la Red Básica Municipal de Donostia/San Sebastián

En el presente Trabajo Fin de Grado, se trabajará sobre la Red Básica Municipal de Donostia/San Sebastián, donde el autor ha sido partícipe en la campaña de reposición de la Red. Nos remontaremos a los orígenes de la Red, explicando cómo nació la Red Básica Municipal de Donostia/San Sebastián y la metodología que se usó para los trabajos previos a su implantación. A lo largo del trabajo, se explicará la metodología de observación y cálculo que se ha empleado en la actual reposición de la Red, el cual ha sido desarrollado por la empresa Geograma S.L. para el Ayuntamiento de San Sebastián entre enero y mayo de 2014. Finalmente, se estudiará como metodología alternativa las observaciones RTK en Red (NRTK), con el fin de validar el método para trabajos de observación de Redes Urbanas de Referencias Topográficas.

Mechanisms involved in Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens removal during activated sludge wastewater treatment

Wastewater treatment reduces environmental contamination by removing gross solids and mitigating the effects of pollution. Treatment also reduces the number of indicator organisms and pathogens. In this work, the fates of two coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens, were analyzed in an activated sludge process to determine the main mechanisms involved in the reduction of pathogenic microorganisms during wastewater treatment. These bacteria, modified to express green fluorescent protein, were inoculated in an activated sludge unit and in batch systems containing wastewater. The results suggested that, among the different biological factors implied in bacterial removal, bacterivorous protozoa play a key role. Moreover, a representative number of bacteria persisted in the system as free-living or embedded cells, but their distribution into liquid or solid fractions varied depending on the bacterium tested, questioning the real value of bacterial indicators for the control of wastewater treatment process. Additionally, viable but nonculturable cells constituted an important part of the bacterial population adhered to solid fractions, what can be derived from the competition relationships with native bacteria, present in high densities in this environment. These facts, taken together, emphasize the need for reliable quantitative and qualitative analysis tools for the evaluation of pathogenic microbial composition in sludge, which could represent an undefined risk to public health and ecosystem functions when considering its recycling.

Estudio empírico homologable del Servicio Municipal de Deportes de Santurtzi

[ES] En este trabajo presentamos un estudio empírico homologable del Instituto Municipal de Deportes de Santurtzi, en el cual se analizan las características y evolución del deporte en este municipio, el nivel de autofinanciación del servicio, el conocimiento de las diferentes instalaciones deportivas, etc. En definitiva, el estudio trata de profundizar en la gestión deportiva del Municipio de Santurtzi, para ello, se emplea un cuestionario específico en el que l obtenemos datos concretos y reales sobre las variables económicas, sociales, técnicas y de Recursos Humanos. Con los datos y resultados de las variables se consigue que al final del estudio se llegue a conclusiones que permitan la autoevaluación en el transcurso del tiempo y la valoración comparada, con municipios de similares características.