Characterization of biochar produced from sewage sludge and its potential use as a substrate and plant growth improver.

Biochar is a product rich in carbon produced by pyrolysis of different kinds of biomass and it modifies the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. In this study, biochar, produced at different pyrolysis temperatures (590 °C, 665 °C, and 765 °C), was physico-chemically characterized. It was explored whether biochar made from sewage sludge can become an alternative solution for future water and phosphorus management in agricultural production.

Compositional Changes in Hydroponically Cultivated at Different Growth Stages.

Abiotic stress conditions, such as salinity, affect plant development and productivity and threaten the sustainability of agricultural production. Salt has been proven to accumulate in soil and water over time as a result of various anthropogenic activities and climatic changes. Species of the genus thrive in the most saline environments and have a wide climatic tolerance.

Cultivation and characterisation of Salicornia europaea, Tripolium pannonicum and Crithmum maritimum biomass for green biorefinery applications.

Salt-tolerant halophytes have shown potential for biorefinery and agricultural use in salt-affected soils, increasing the value of marginal lands. They could provide a bio-based source for compounds obtained from the petrochemical industry or an alternative for biomass currently imported overseas. Salicornia europaea, Tripolium pannonicum and Crithmum maritimum were cultivated in hydroponic systems under various salinity conditions, harvested green but not food-grade, and fractionated to green juice and fibre residue.

Screening of Emerging Pollutants (EPs) in Estuarine Water and Phytoremediation Capacity of under Controlled Conditions.

The increasing number of pharmaceuticals in the environment and their difficult biodegradation, can lead to bioaccumulation in different trophic compartments. Their bioaccumulation can have negative consequences, especially in the generation of bacterial resistance by antibiotics, but also in the impairment of plant and animal metabolism. The Tejo estuary in Portugal is the habitat for many plant and animal species, which are also prone to this type of contamination.

Differential effects of NaCl and NaSO on the halophyte Prosopis strombulifera are explained by different responses of photosynthesis and metabolism.

Prosopis strombulifera (Lam.) Benth. is a halophytic shrub found in highly saline soils in Argentina, with high tolerance against NaCl but strong growth inhibition by NaSO In the present study, the differences in the physiological responses caused by these salts and an iso-osmotic combination thereof on photosynthesis, mineral composition and metabolism were analyzed.

Enzymatic degradation of the antibiotic sulfamethazine by using crude extracts of different halophytic plants.

The biodegradation of the antibiotic sulfamethazine (SMT) by using different crude extracts of halophytes was investigated. For this purpose, crude water extracts of the halophytes , and were prepared. Different amounts of SMT were added to the different extracts (final concentration of 1, 2, and 5 mg L) and incubated at 37 °C.

Biofiltration of the antibacterial drug sulfamethazine by the species Chenopodium quinoa and its further biodegradation through anaerobic digestion.

The biofiltering capacity, distribution patterns and degradation of the antimicrobial sulfamethazine (SMT) by halophyte Chenopodium quinoa under hydroponic conditions and its further biodegradation through anaerobic digestion were evaluated. C. quinoa was cultivated for a complete life cycle under different concentrations of SMT (0, 2 and 5mg/L) and sodium chloride (0 and 15g/L).

Removal of inert COD and trace metals from stabilized landfill leachate by granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption.

Landfills in Germany are currently approaching stabilization phase; as a result removal of inert organics and potentially toxic elements in the leachate is becoming a primary concern. Dissolved air floatation (DAF) at the secondary stage reduces only 27% of the residual chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the investigated treatment systems; downstream granular activated carbon (GAC) units are required to further reduce COD concentration by 40-56% to meet indirect discharge or direct discharge limits respectively. Therefore, in this study performance in terms of COD and trace metals adsorption of different types of granular activated carbon were compared over different contact times and dosages.

High-rate anaerobic treatment of wastewater from soft drink industry: Methods, performance and experiences.

At an Austrian soft drink company, an expanded granular sludge bed reactor for anaerobic wastewater treatment was inoculated with sludge from paper and food industries. Detailed online monitoring and laboratory examinations were carried out during startup and subsequent phases, which included a period of inhibition after ca. 80 days during which reactor degradative performance diminished suddenly, following a period of increased effluent VFA.

Uptake and biodegradation of the antimicrobial sulfadimidine by the species Tripolium pannonicum acting as biofilter and its further biodegradation by anaerobic digestion and concomitant biogas production.

This project analyses the uptake and biodegradation of the antimicrobial sulfadimidine (SDI) from the culture medium and up to the anaerobic digestion. Tripolium pannonicum was grown under hydroponic conditions with different concentrations of SDI (0, 5 and 10mg·L(-1)) and the fresh biomass, containing different amounts of SDI taken up, was used as substrate for biogas production. SDI was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to positive ion electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI LC-MS).

Potential use of the facultative halophyte Chenopodium quinoa Willd. as substrate for biogas production cultivated with different concentrations of sodium chloride under hydroponic conditions.

This project analyses the biogas potential of the halophyte Chenopodium quinoa Willd. In a first approach C. quinoa was grown with different concentrations of NaCl (0, 10 and 20 ppt NaCl) and the crop residues were used as substrate for biogas production.