Evaluation of the biochemical methane potential of residual organic fraction and mechanically-biologically treated organic outputs intended for landfilling.

Mechanical biological treatment (MBT) approaches are being adopted to manage residual municipal waste (RMW) to promote the prevention or reduction of potential environmental impacts of landfilling. From this perspective, the present study aimed to increase the knowledge of the biological (anaerobic) stability of different MBT organic outputs and, conversely, initial methane generation from residual organic waste. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests, along with initial and final characterisations of substrates and digestates, were conducted on: a mechanically separated organic fraction from RMW (ms-OFRMW); a first MBT organic output represented by a biostabilised organic fraction from RMW (bios-OFRMW); and a different MBT organic output represented by a biodried fine fraction from RMW (biod-FFRMW).

Comparison of biomethane production and digestate characterization for selected agricultural substrates in Italy.

Starting from (but not limited to) their importance in the Italian context, three agricultural substrates, two of fruit origin (grape seeds and plum stones) and one of herbaceous origin (woad), were comparatively tested for both biomethane production and digestate characterization. The anaerobic digestion tests showed that grape seeds had the highest net methane production of 253.0 NmL g volatile solids (VS)(-1), followed by plum stones, whose best resulting net methane production was 174.

Linking Pd(II) and Ru(II) phthalocyanines to single-walled carbon nanotubes.

The preparation of new Pc-SWCNT hybrid materials is described. The synthesis of both Pd(ii)Pc-SWCNT and Ru(ii)bis(pyridine)Pc-SWCNT was carried out by esterification reaction between modified SWCNTs and the corresponding unsymmetric Pcs and , both endowed with three solubilizing tert-butyl groups and a hydroxymethyl function. Compound was prepared following the straightforward, statistical condensation of the corresponding phthalonitriles.

Industrial wastes from the boat-building sector in the Marche Region (Italy): a parametric and chemical-physical characterization.

Using the renowned leisure boat-building sector in the Marche Region (Italy) as a case-study, this paper addresses the characterization of (1) the industrial waste generation from the building of composite material-based boats and (2) some chemical-physical properties of representative types of boat-building residues (plastic foam, hardened resin, fibre-reinforced composite residues, and sanding dust). A parametric evaluation based on the number of employees gave a representative unit generation rate per employee (UGRpE) of 1.47 tons(waste) employee(-1) year(-1) for the entire Marche regional boatbuilding district, whereas evaluations carried out separately for three case-study companies provided values of 1.