Performance of high-efficiency UV-C LEDs in water disinfection: Experimental, life cycle assessment, and economic analysis of different operational scenarios.

The widespread use of low or medium pressure mercury lamps in UV-C water disinfection should consider recent advances in UV-C LED lamps that offer a more sustainable approach and avoid its main drawbacks. The type of water and the mode of operation are critical when deciding on the treatment technology to be used. Therefore, this study investigates the potential application of UV-C LED disinfection technology in terms of kinetics, environmental assessment, and economic analysis for two scenarios: the continuous disinfection of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and disinfection of harvested rainwater (RWH) in a residential household that operates intermittently.

Using multi-site data to apportion PM-bound metal(loid)s: Impact of a manganese alloy plant in an urban area.

The identification and quantification of the PM emission sources influencing a specific area is vital to better assess the potential health effects related to the PM exposure of the local population. In this work, a multi-site PM sampling campaign was performed in seven sites located in the southern part of the Santander Bay (northern Spain), an urban area characterized by the proximity of some metal(loid) industrial sources (mainly a manganese alloy plant). The total content of V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, Sb and Pb was determined by ICP-MS.

Metal(loid) bioaccessibility and inhalation risk assessment: A comparison between an urban and an industrial area.

The content of metal(loid)s in particulate matter (PM) is of special concern due to their contribution to overall (PM) toxicity. In this study, the bioaccessibility and human health risk of potentially toxic metal(loid)s associated with PM were investigated in two areas of the Cantabrian region (northern Spain) with different levels of exposure: an industrial area mainly influenced by a ferromanganese alloy plant; and an urban area consisting mainly of residential and commercial activities, but also affected, albeit to a lesser extent by the ferroalloy plant. Total content and bioaccessible fractions in simulated lung fluids (SLFs) of Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, Sb, Mo, Cd and Pb were determined by ICP-MS.

Estimation of PM-bound manganese concentration near a ferromanganese alloy plant by atmospheric dispersion modelling.

Numerous studies have associated air manganese (Mn) exposure with negative health effects, primarily neurotoxic disorders. This work presents a description of the emission and dispersion of PM-bound Mn from industrial sources in the Santander bay area, Northern Spain. A detailed day-specific emission estimation was made and assessed for the main Mn source, a manganese alloy production plant under 8 different scenarios.

Characterization of manganese-bearing particles in the vicinities of a manganese alloy plant.

Numerous studies have associated air manganese (Mn) exposure with negative health effects, primarily neurotoxic disorders. Despite there is not a specific European regulation, institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO) have proposed an annual average guideline value of 150 ng/m. Bioaccessibility and toxicity mechanisms of Mn remain unclear, however it is generally agreed that adverse health effects are strongly linked to particle size and morphology, chemical composition and oxidation state.