EVALUATION OF LANDFILL LEACHATE POLLUTION: FINDINGS FROM A MONITORING STUDY AT MUNICIPAL WASTE LANDFILL

The monitoring that was carried out at the landfill specialized in leachate, groundwater and surface water. There were 6 sampling sites. The observed parameters were pH, BOD5, CODCr, conductivity. Leachate reached the high values in all observed parameters. Groundwater samples were collected at two monitoring wells and the sampling site (A, B, C). Surface water was collected from two sampling sites (D, E). The pH showed slightly acid values at all sampling points. The pH of surface water was slightly acid to neutral. Both BOD5 and CODCr values remained stable over the reporting period. The average conductivity value at sampling points D, E remained constant. In line with the Czech National Standard ČSN 75 7221 “Classification of Surface Water Quality” sampling point D belongs to II Water Quality Class – slightly polluted water and sampling site E to Class I water quality – unpolluted water. The authors believe that the fluctuations occurring with regard to the values of certain samples were not caused by the operation of the landfill itself, but were a result of the intense agricultural activity nearby the landfill

Research of the biodegradability of degradable/biodegradable plastic material in various types of environments

Research was carried out in order to assess biodegradability of degradable/biodegradable materials made of HDPE and mixed with totally degradable plastic additive (TDPA additive) or made of polyethylene (PE) with the addition of pro-oxidant additive (d2w additive), advertised as 100% degradable or certifi ed as compostable within various types of environments. Research conditions were: (i) controlled composting environment – laboratory-scale, (ii) real composting conditions – domestic compost bin, (iii) real composting conditions – industrial composting plant and (iv) landfill conditions. The results demonstrate that the materials made of HDPE and mixed with totally degradable plastic additive (TDPA additive) or made of polyethylene (PE) with the addition of pro-oxidant additive (d2w additive) or advertised as 100% degradable did not biodegrade in any of the above-described conditions and remained completely intact at the end of the tests. Biodegradation of the certified compostable plastic bags proceeded very well in laboratory-scale conditions and in real composting conditions – industrial composting plant, however, these materials did not biodegrade in real composting conditions – domestic compost bin and landfill conditions

XMM-Newton Conclusively Identifies an Active Galactic Nucleus in a Green Pea Galaxy * * Based on observations obtained with XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA

Green Pea galaxies are a class of compact, low-mass, low-metallicity star-forming galaxies in the relatively local Universe. They are believed to be analogs of high-redshift galaxies that reionized the Universe, and, indeed, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is now uncovering such populations at record redshifts. Intriguingly, JWST finds evidence suggestive of active galactic nuclei (AGN) in many of these distant galaxies, including the elusive Little Red Dots, which broadly lack any detectable X-ray counterparts. Intuitively, one would expect to detect an AGN in their low-redshift analogs with X-rays, yet no study to date has conclusively identified an X-ray AGN within a Green Pea galaxy. Here we present the deepest X-ray campaign of a Green Pea galaxy performed to date, obtained with the goal of discerning the presence of a (potentially low-luminosity) AGN. The target—SDSS J082247.66+224144.0 (hereafter J0822+2241)—was previously found to display a comparable X-ray spectral shape to more local AGN (Γ ∼ 2) and a high luminosity (L2−10 keV ∼ 1042 erg s−1). We show that over 6.2 yr (rest frame) the 2–10 keV luminosity of J0822+2241 is constant, whereas the soft 0.5–2 keV flux has decreased significantly by ∼60%. We discuss possible scenarios to explain the X-ray properties of J0822+2241, finding transient low column density obscuration surrounding an AGN to be the only plausible scenario. J0822+2241 thus provides further evidence that low-luminosity AGN activity could have contributed to the epoch of reionization and that local analogs are useful to derive a complete multiwavelength picture of black hole growth in high-redshift, low-luminosity AGNs

BIODEGRABILITY OF BIOPLASTIC MATERIALS IN A CONTROLLED COMPOSTING ENVIRONMENT

The objective of this study was to determine the biodegradability of bioplastic materials – sponge cloths – available on the European market that are labeled as 100% biodegradable but not certified as compostable. The test was carried out in a controlled composting environment. The project length was 22 weeks. The emphasis was put on discovering whether the sponge cloths are biodegradable or not. Based on the results thereof it can be concluded that sponge cloths have not decomposed completely but their color has changed and that degradation and physical changes occurred. Samples A1, and A2 have not decomposed completely and exhibited very slow degradation rate. Sample B5 exhibited the highest degradation rate. Samples B3, B4 exhibited high degree of decomposition. The main conclusion from this study is that biodegradation of bioplastics materials strongly depends on both the environment in which they are placed and the chemical nature of the material

Emission assessment at the Štepánovice municipal landfill focusing on CO2 emissions

Emission concentrations from the landfill Štěpánovice have been examined. Measurements were carried out in the years 2004–2011. The results of the study were used to diagnose the emissions of CO2 as important landfill gas components. They indicate that the concentration of CO2 emissions and the annual sum of these emissions do not exceed the reporting thresholds and therefore, the landfill does not meet conditions for being included in the integrated register of polluters

Emission Assessment at the Štěpánovice Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Focusing on Ch4 Emissions

The study was conducted to measure the emission from landfill in the years 2005– 2011. The results are used to diagnose the emissions of CH4. The mean value of CH4 in vol. % in the collection wells ranged from 0 to 2.14 vol. % the mean concentration of CH4 in mg/m3 ranged from 0 to 25 251 mg/m3, the average concentration of CH4 in mg/Nm3 at the measuring and control points ranged from 2.2 to 24.1 mg/Nm3. CH4 emissions from the landfill do not exceed the reporting thresholds the landfill does not meet conditions for being included in the Integrated Register of Pollutants

Czy degradowalne/biodegradowalne tworzywa sztuczne rozkładają się w domowym kompostowniku?

Biodegradation of plastic materials advertised as degradable/biodegradable or certified as compostable was tested in composting conditions (domestic compost bin). This study was carried out in order to assess the biodegradability of the samples under real conditions of home composting, and to find out whether there were any physical changes in terms of their thickness when exposed to natural composting environment. The samples were obtained from retail chains in the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and the UK. The experimental samples were placed in home compost bins and were checked and visually assessed during the experiment, which lasted 14 weeks. From the results it can be concluded that the polyethylene samples with the additive (samples A, B and E) have not decomposed, their colour has not changed and that no degradation neither physical changes has occurred. Samples C, F have not decomposed. Samples certified as compostable G, H and I have not decomposed. Sample D exhibited the highest decomposition rate. The main conclusion from this study is that degradable/biodegradable plastics or plastics certified as compostable are not suitable for home composting.Biodegradacja materiałów sztucznych reklamowanych jako degradowalne/biodegradowalne oraz certyfikowanych jako kompostowalne była badana w przydomowych warunkach kompostowania (w kompostownikach). Badania zostały przeprowadzone w celu oceny rozkładu próbek w rzeczywistych warunkach kompostowania oraz w celu sprawdzenia, czy badane próbki wykazują jakiekolwiek zmiany fizyczne. Badane materiały pochodziły z sieci sklepów handlowych w Czechach, Polsce, Słowacji i Wielkiej Brytanii. Umieszczone w domowym kompostowniku próbki sprawdzano i oceniano wzrokowo podczas eksperymentu, który trwał 14 tygodni. Na podstawie wyników można stwierdzić, że próbki wykonane z polietylenu z dodatkami (próbki A, B i E) nie uległy rozkładowi, ich barwa nie zmieniła, jak też nie wystąpiła degradacja fizyczna, nie rozłożyły się także próbki C, F. Również próbki certyfikowane jako kompostowalne G, H i I nie uległy rozkładowi. Próbka D wykazywała najwyższy stopień rozkładu. Z przeprowadzonego doświadczenia wynika, że degradowalne/biodegradowalne oraz certyfikowane jako kompostowalne tworzywa sztuczne nie nadają się do przydomowego kompostowania

The Toxicity of Two Types of Sewage Sludge from Wastewater Treatment Plant for Plants

The aim of the present study was the estimation of the phytotoxicity of soils amended with sewage sludge with relation to Sinapis alba L. The study was realized in the system of a plot experiment. Two kinds of sewage sludge: dewatered and anaerobically stabilized sludge with dry matter content of about 24%, and dewatered sludge “Palikal” with dry matter content of about 92%. The results indicate that the tested samples are toxic. Growth inhibition at the studied samples ranged from 70.45% to 100%

Assessing of various methods of cast-off tyre disposal

Production of cast-off tyres and ways of dealing with this waste have been analysed. Possible ways of processing cast-off tyres such as "use as fuel" and "tyre crushing" have been compared in terms of their environmental impacts. The presented research is ecobalance and despite using the knowledge of LCA method, the method itself according to ISO standards is not applied. Use for energy ("use as fuel" process) was assessed as more environmentally efficient, i.e. with lower environmental impacts than "tyre crushing"