Impacts on particles and ozone by transport processes recorded at urban and high-altitude monitoring stations

In order to evaluate the influence of particle transport episodes on particle number concentration temporal trends at both urban and high-altitude (Aitana peak-1558 m a.s.l.) stations, a simultaneous sampling campaign from October 2011 to September 2012 was performed. The monitoring stations are located in southeastern Spain, close to the Mediterranean coast. The annual average value of particle concentration obtained in the larger accumulation mode (size range 0.25–1 μm) at the mountain site, 55.0 ± 3.0 cm− 3, was practically half that of the value obtained at the urban station (112.0 ± 4.0 cm− 3). The largest difference between both stations was recorded during December 2011 and January 2012, when particles at the mountain station registered the lowest values. It was observed that during urban stagnant episodes, particle transport from urban sites to the mountain station could take place under specific atmospheric conditions. During these transports, the major particle transfer is produced in the 0.5–2 μm size range. The minimum difference between stations was recorded in summer, particularly in July 2012, which is most likely due to several particle transport events that affected only the mountain station. The particle concentration in the coarse mode was very similar at both monitoring sites, with the biggest difference being recorded during the summer months, 0.4 ± 0.1 cm− 3 at the urban site and 0.9 ± 0.1 cm− 3 at the Aitana peak in August 2012. Saharan dust outbreaks were the main factor responsible for these values during summer time. The regional station was affected more by these outbreaks, recording values of > 4.0 cm− 3, than the urban site. This long-range particle transport from the Sahara desert also had an effect upon O3 levels measured at the mountain station. During periods affected by Saharan dust outbreaks, ozone levels underwent a significant decrease (3–17%) with respect to its mean value.

Pollutant emissions during pyrolysis and combustion of waste printed circuit boards, before and after metal removal

The constant increase in the production of electronic devices implies the need for an appropriate management of a growing number of waste electrical and electronic equipment. Thermal treatments represent an interesting alternative to recycle this kind of waste, but particular attention has to be paid to the potential emissions of toxic by-products. In this study, the emissions from thermal degradation of printed circuit boards (with and without metals) have been studied using a laboratory scale reactor, under oxidizing and inert atmosphere at 600 and 850 °C. Apart from carbon oxides, HBr was the main decomposition product, followed by high amounts of methane, ethylene, propylene, phenol and benzene. The maximum formation of PAHs was found in pyrolysis at 850 °C, naphthalene being the most abundant. High levels of 2-, 4-, 2,4-, 2,6- and 2,4,6-bromophenols were found, especially at 600 °C. Emissions of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs were quite low and much lower than that of PBDD/Fs, due to the higher bromine content of the samples. Combustion at 600 °C was the run with the highest PBDD/F formation: the total content of eleven 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners (tetra- through heptaBDD/Fs) was 7240 and 3250 ng WHO2005-TEQ/kg sample, corresponding to the sample with and without metals, respectively.

Analysis of the Brominated Dioxin and Furan Emission Congener Pattern from Different Sources

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) have been studied for several decades and are well-known as unintentionally generated persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which pose serious health and environmental risks on a global scale1. Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/F) have similar properties and effects to PCDD/F, as they are structural analogs with all the chlorine atoms substituted by bromine atoms. PBDD/F have been found in various matrices such as air, sediments, marine products, and human adipose samples.

Effect of Temperature, Atmosphere and Metals on the Thermal Degradation of Printed Circuit Boards

The permanent expansion of the market of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and the shorter innovation cycles, lead to a faster replacement of these appliances, making EEE a fast-growing source of waste (WEEE). As stated in Directive 2012/19/EU1 on waste electrical and electronic equipment, the content of hazardous components in EEE is a major concern during the waste management phase, and recycling of WEEE is not currently undertaken to a sufficient extent, resulting in a loss of valuable resources.

Study of the emissions from pyrolytic and oxidative thermal decomposition of PVC

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one of the plastics most extensively used due to its versatility. The demand of PVC resin in Europe during 2012 reached 5000 ktonnes1. PVC waste management is a big problem because of the high volume generated all over the world and its chlorine content. End-of-life PVC is mainly mixed with municipal solid waste (MSW) and one common disposal option for this is waste-to-energy incineration (WtE). The presence of plastics such as PVC in the fuel mix increases the heating value of the fuel. PVC has two times higher energy content than MSW ‒around 20 MJ/kg vs 10 MJ/kg, respectively. However, the high chlorine content in PVC resin, 57 wt.%, may be a source for the formation of hazardous chlorinated organic pollutants in thermal processes. Chlorine present in the feedstock of WtE plants plays an important role in the formation of (i) chlorine (Cl2) and (ii) hydrochloric gas (HCl), both of them responsible for corrosion, and (iii) chlorinated organic pollutants2. In this work, pyrolytic and oxidative thermal degradation of PVC resin were carried out in a laboratory scale reactor at 500 ºC in order to analyze the influence of the reaction atmosphere on the emissions evolved. Special emphasis was put on the analysis of chlorinated organic pollutants such as polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs) and other related compounds like polychlorobenzenes (PCBzs), polychlorophenols (PCPhs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Another objective of this work was to compare the results with those of a previous work3 in which emissions at different temperatures in both pyrolysis and combustion of another PVC resin had been studied; in that case, experiments for PCDD/Fs emissions had been performed only at 850 ºC.

The deterioration of Circular Mausoleum, Roman Necropolis of Carmona, Spain

The Circular Mausoleum tomb in the Roman Necropolis of Carmona was carved on a calcarenite sequence in an ancient quarry located in the town of Carmona, Southern Spain. This rock-cut tomb, representative of Roman burial practices, currently suffers from serious deterioration. A detailed survey over several years permitted the identification of the main tomb's pathologies and damaging processes, which include loss of material (scaling, flaking, granular disintegration), surface modifications (efflorescences, crusts and deposits) and extensive biological colonization. The results obtained in this study indicated that anthropogenic changes were largely responsible and enhanced the main alteration mechanisms observed in the Circular Mausoleum. Based on the deterioration diagnosis, effective corrective actions were proposed. This study shows that any conservative intervention in the interior of the tomb should be preceded by accurate in situ measurements and laboratory analyses to ascribe the source of the deterioration damages and thus designing effective treatments.

A hydrological–economic model for sustainable groundwater use in sparse-data drylands: Application to the Amtoudi Oasis in southern Morocco, northern Sahara

A hydrological–economic model is introduced to describe the dynamics of groundwater-dependent economics (agriculture and tourism) for sustainable use in sparse-data drylands. The Amtoudi Oasis, a remote area in southern Morocco, in the northern Sahara attractive for tourism and with evidence of groundwater degradation, was chosen to show the model operation. Governing system variables were identified and put into action through System Dynamics (SD) modeling causal diagrams to program basic formulations into a model having two modules coupled by the nexus ‘pumping’: (1) the hydrological module represents the net groundwater balance (G) dynamics; and (2) the economic module reproduces the variation in the consumers of water, both the population and tourists. The model was operated under similar influx of tourists and different scenarios of water availability, such as the wet 2009–2010 and the average 2010–2011 hydrological years. The rise in international tourism is identified as the main driving force reducing emigration and introducing new social habits in the population, in particular concerning water consumption. Urban water allotment (PU) was doubled for less than a 100-inhabitant net increase in recent decades. The water allocation for agriculture (PI), the largest consumer of water, had remained constant for decades. Despite that the 2-year monitoring period is not long enough to draw long-term conclusions, groundwater imbalance was reflected by net aquifer recharge (R) less than PI + PU (G < 0) in the average year 2010–2011, with net lateral inflow from adjacent Cambrian formations being the largest recharge component. R is expected to be much less than PI + PU in recurrent dry spells. Some low-technology actions are tentatively proposed to mitigate groundwater degradation, such as: wastewater capture, treatment, and reuse for irrigation; storm-water harvesting for irrigation; and active maintenance of the irrigation system to improve its efficiency.

Vinasse application to sugar cane fields. Effect on the unsaturated zone and groundwater at Valle del Cauca (Colombia)

Extensive application of vinasse, a subproduct from sugar cane plantations for bioethanol production, is currently taking place as a source of nutrients that forms part of agricultural management in different agroclimatic regions. Liquid vinasse composition is characterised by high variability of organic compounds and major ions, acid pH (4.7), high TDS concentration (117,416–599,400 mg L− 1) and elevated EC (14,350–64,099 μS cm− 1). A large-scale sugar cane field application is taking place in Valle del Cauca (Colombia), where monitoring of soil, unsaturated zone and the aquifer underneath has been made since 2006 to evaluate possible impacts on three experimental plots. For this assessment, monitoring wells and piezometers were installed to determine groundwater flow and water samples were collected for chemical analysis. In the unsaturated zone, tensiometers were installed at different depths to determine flow patterns, while suction lysimeters were used for water sample chemical determinations. The findings show that in the sandy loam plot (Hacienda Real), the unsaturated zone is characterised by low water retention, showing a high transport capacity, while the other two plots of silty composition presented temporal saturation due to La Niña event (2010–2011). The strong La Niña effect on aquifer recharge which would dilute the infiltrated water during the monitoring period and, on the other hand dissolution of possible precipitated salts bringing them back into solution may occur. A slight increase in the concentration of major ions was observed in groundwater (~ 5% of TDS), which can be attributed to a combination of factors: vinasse dilution produced by water input and hydrochemical processes along with nutrient removal produced by sugar cane uptake. This fact may make the aquifer vulnerable to contamination.

Estructura y forma de la ciudad a través de la cartografía histórica: Castro Urdiales, Cantabria (1800-1960)

El presente artículo se plantea como objetivo el análisis de la evolución estructural y morfológica de un espacio urbano de rango y tamaño modestos, Castro Urdiales (Cantabria), desde su condición histórica de villa marinera hasta su consolidación como ciudad industrial moderna. Desde una perspectiva metodológica, la parte más substancial del análisis de la dinámica urbanística se apoya esencialmente en el uso de las imágenes cartográficas, como referencias documentales que proporcionan datos y testimonios que no se encuentran en otras fuentes. No obstante, como sucede con otras fuentes documentales, la información obtenida de mapas y planos ha sido combinada y complementada con otro tipo de fuentes coetáneas a las cartográficas. Y, por descontado, se han adoptado las oportunas precauciones, similares a las tomadas con las fuentes escritas, sobre posibles errores de información mediante el contraste y la comparación de unas y otras fuentes, cartográficas y literarias.

Ecological restoration across the Mediterranean Basin as viewed by practitioners

Restoration efforts in the Mediterranean Basin have been changing from a silvicultural to an ecological restoration approach. Yet, to what extent the projects are guided by ecological restoration principles remains largely unknown. To analyse this issue, we built an on-line survey addressed to restoration practitioners. We analysed 36 restoration projects, mostly from drylands (86%). The projects used mainly soil from local sources. The need to comply with legislation was more important as a restoration motive for European Union (EU) than for non-EU countries, while public opinion and health had a greater importance in the latter. Non-EU countries relied more on non-native plant species than EU countries, thus deviating from ecological restoration guidelines. Nursery-grown plants used were mostly of local or regional provenance, whilst seeds were mostly of national provenance. Unexpected restoration results (e.g. inadequate biodiversity) were reported for 50% of the projects and restoration success was never evaluated in 22%. Long term evaluation (> 6 years) was only performed in 31% of cases, and based primarily on plant diversity and cover. The use of non-native species and species of exogenous provenances may: i) entail the loss of local genetic and functional trait diversity, critical to cope with drought, particularly under the predicted climate change scenarios, and ii) lead to unexpected competition with native species and/or negatively impact local biotic interactions. Absent or inappropriate monitoring may prevent the understanding of restoration trajectories, precluding adaptive management strategies, often crucial to create functional ecosystems able to provide ecosystem services. The overview of ecological restoration projects in the Mediterranean Basin revealed high variability among practices and highlighted the need for improved scientific assistance and information exchange, greater use of native species of local provenance, and more long-term monitoring and evaluation, including functional and ecosystem services' indicators, to improve and spread the practice of ecological restoration.