Performance evaluation and kinetic modeling of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket septic tank for domestic wastewater treatment.

This work evaluated the UASB-septic tank performance using different kinetic models that correlated process efficiency and methane production with hydraulic and organic loading rates through experiments with five different HRT (48 h, 36 h, 24 h, 18 h, and 12 h) using synthetic domestic wastewater. The modified Stover-Kincannon model provided the best fitting to calculate kinetics constants, with an R above 98% for linear regression, and predicted the effluent COD more accurately than the other models. Methane yield was 0.

Analysis of the Physicochemical and Mineralogical Properties of the Materials Used in the Preparation of Recoblocks.

The construction sector generates 14,000 t/d of construction waste in Mexico City, these materials do not have real applications and end up accumulating in landfills. This work, the objective of which was to analyze the physicochemical and mineralogical properties of soil and construction waste used in the manufacture of Recoblocks, is divided in five stages. First, the excavation material was submitted to field tests.

Efficiency of Opuntia ficus in the phytoremediation of a soil contaminated with used motor oil and lead, compared to that of Lolium perenne and Aloe barbadensis.

Industrial pollutants such as heavy metals and hydrocarbons in soils represent a serious concern due to their persistence and negative effects on the environment, affecting cellular processes in living organisms and even causing mutations and cancer. The main objectives of this work were to evaluate the efficiency of Opuntia ficus in the phytoremediation of a soil polluted with used motor oil. Two other species, one with different and one with similar characteristics, relatively, were used for comparison purposes: Lolium perenne and Aloe barbadensis.

Nitrogen and potassium variation on contaminant removal for a vertical subsurface flow lab scale constructed wetland.

Lab scale constructed wetlands were used to evaluate organic load removal efficiency. Bioreactors were fed with synthetic wastewater (SW) with varying concentrations of nitrogen and potassium. Reactors were planted with species Phragmites australis.

Exploration of the ability of Coleus blumei to accumulate aluminum.

In this study, the capacity of an ornamental species (Coleus blumei) to extract and accumulate aluminum was evaluated. The analyzed parameters were amount of soluble aluminum, radical growth, tolerance rate, bioaccumulation factor, and tissues aluminum concentration. The main limiting factor for aluminum accumulation is the availability of the metal.