Influence of alternative electron acceptors on the anaerobic biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are chemicals produced by both human activities and natural sources and they have been present in the biosphere since millions of years. For this reason microorganisms should have developed, during the world history, the capacity of metabolized them under different electron acceptors and redox conditions. The deep understanding of these natural attenuation processes and of microbial degradation pathways has a main importance in the cleanup of contaminated areas. Anaerobic degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons is often presumed to be slow and of a minor ecological significance compared with the aerobic processes; however anaerobic bioremediation may play a key role in the transformation of organic pollutants when oxygen demand exceeds supply in natural environments. Under such conditions, anoxic and anaerobic degradation mediated by denitrifying or sulphate-reducing bacteria can become a key pathway for the contaminated lands clean up. Actually not much is known about anaerobic bioremediation processes. Anaerobic biodegrading techniques may be really interesting for the future, because they give the possibility of treating contaminated soil directly in their natural status, decreasing the costs concerning the oxygen supply, which usually are the highest ones, and about soil excavations and transports in appropriate sites for a further disposal. The aim of this dissertation work is to characterize the conditions favouring the anaerobic degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Special focus will be given to the assessment of the various AEA efficiency, the characterization of degradation performance and rates under different redox conditions as well as toxicity monitoring. A comparison with aerobic and anaerobic degradation concerning the same contaminated material is also made to estimate the different biodegradation times.

Le pressioni delle web company sulle istituzioni europee

Grazie all’analisi del dibattito in corso nelle istituzioni europee inerente il tema della neutralità della rete si è avuto modo di capire come le web companies, debbano non solo interagire con il proprio mercato, ma anche con un ambiente in cui vi sono attori che definiscono regole ed influenzano i contesti sociali. Questo ambiente è composto da quei fattori sociali, politici e legali che interagiscono e influenzano dall’esterno i mercati e gli accordi privati. Esso comprende quindi tutte le interazioni economiche che hanno come intermediario un soggetto pubblico, in questo caso le istituzioni europee, e in cui, causa questa presenza, la natura degli accordi non risponde prettamente a logiche economiche ma più a quelle politiche.