In the current era of globalization, a clean environment remains a crucial factor for the health of the population. Thus, improving air quality is a major focus of environmental policies, as it affects all aspects of nature, including humans. For these reasons, it is appropriate to take into account the health risks posed by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released into the atmosphere. With regard to global GHG emissions, there are concerns about the loss of protection of the ozone layer and it is very likely that climate change can be expected, which multiplies the environmental threat and has potentially serious global consequences. In this regard, it is important to pay increased attention to emissions that enter the atmosphere, which include countless toxic substances. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between selected GHG emissions and the health of the European Union (EU) population represented by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). This aim was achieved using several analytical procedures (descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, cluster analysis, and panel regression analysis), which included five environmental variables (carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) in CO2 equivalent, nitrous oxide (N2O) in CO2 equivalent, hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) in CO2 equivalent, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) in CO2 equivalent) and one health variable (DALYs). An emphasis was placed on the use of quantitative methods. The results showed that CO2 emissions have a dominant position among selected GHG emissions. The revealed positive link between CO2 and DALYs indicated that a decrease in CO2 may be associated with a decrease in DALYs, but it is also true that this cannot be done without reducing emissions of other combustion products. In terms of CO2, the least positive scores were observed in Luxembourg and Estonia. Germany had the lowest score of DALYs, representing the most positive health outcome in the EU. In terms of total GHG emissions, Ireland and Luxembourg were considered to be less positive countries compared to the other analyzed countries. Countries should focus on reducing GHG emissions in general, but from a health point of view, reducing CO2 emissions seems to be the most beneficial.
- MeSH
- Evropská unie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- methan analýza MeSH
- oxid dusný analýza MeSH
- oxid uhličitý MeSH
- skleníkové plyny * analýza MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Hybrid disintegration of waste activated sludge (WAS) before the thermophilic anaerobic stabilization of WAS contributes to the intensification of organic compounds decomposition and increases the effectiveness of the anaerobic stabilization process compared to the fermentation of raw WAS. This article investigates the influence of a chemical-thermal pretreatment procedure with the use of NaOH and freezing by the dry ice on WAS. We found that the hybrid pretreatment of WAS causes higher concentration of released organics in the liquid phase (represented here as a change in soluble chemical oxygen demand - SCOD value) in comparison to these disintegration techniques used separately. The use of disintegrated WAS (WASD) as an additional material in the digester chambers impacts (varying on its proportion added), the generation of biogas and its yield. The recorded amount of the produced biogas and biogas yield after 21 days of fermentation increased by 26.6% and 2.7%, respectively (in comparison to blank sample). In addition, it was observed that the hybrid process before anaerobic stabilization contributes to a higher hygienisation of the digested sludge.
- MeSH
- anaerobióza MeSH
- biopaliva analýza MeSH
- Escherichia coli růst a vývoj MeSH
- fermentace * MeSH
- měření biologické spotřeby kyslíku MeSH
- methan analýza MeSH
- odpad tekutý - odstraňování metody MeSH
- odpadní vody * analýza mikrobiologie MeSH
- Salmonella růst a vývoj MeSH
- vysoká teplota MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
The study was focused on the assessment of cup-plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) as a potential feedstock for biogas production in comparison to reference maize related to the balance needs of nutrients and some microelements for their cultivation, especially with use of digestate for fertilization. Field experiments were carried out in areas of the Czech Republic with less favorable conditions for the cultivation of maize. Obtained results confirmed that cup-plant can be considered a promising novel crop for biogas production due to high yields of biomass (12-18 t/ha DM) and methane (3600-4250 Nm3/ha) competing with reference maize grown under the same soil and climatic conditions. The biochemical analyses characterizing the feed value of phytomass were conclusively better with maize than cup-plant. This corresponds with specific methane yields, which is about 5-10% higher in maize (269-319 Nm3/t VS) than in cup-plant (254-298 Nm3/t VS). On the basis of chemical analyses of tested crops, the uptake of basic nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S) and selected trace elements (microelements B, Fe, Mn, Co, Cu, Mo, Ni and Zn) was determined. Then, using the element contents and average yields, it was possible to calculate the annual removal of each element from the field with cup-plant and reference maize as the basis value for the evaluation of compensatory fertilization needs. With respect to the cultivation of tested crops for biogas production, the possibilities of their compensatory fertilization were evaluated using digestate from biogas plants. The uptake of different nutrients and microelements on tested crops was verified. The experiment showed that cup-plant has higher requirements on all tested nutrients, except N, and microelements, except Cu and Zn. In the case of nutrients, the highest uptake differences between cup-plant and maize were at B (about 11× higher), followed by Mg (3.5×) and K (1.8×). In the case of microelements, the highest uptake differences were B at (about 9× higher), followed by Co (5×), Fe, and Mn (2×). Therefore, increasing yields of cup-plant after using these nutrients and microelements for compensative fertilizing can be expected. For the mixture of maize and cup-plant (1:1 of VS weight), the higher specific methane yield was obtained (292 Nm3/t VS). It was more than expected of the average value (286 Nm3/t VS). It cannot be explained by the improvement in the feed value of cup-plant and maize mixture, but a possible explanation could be the positive synergistic effect of cup-plant due to the better supply with biologically active essential nutrients and microelements. In any case, this phenomenon deserves more detailed research in the future.
A microscale discontinuous fermenter was used for anaerobic digestion of wine waste - a hardly gasifiable feedstock material. Efficiency of biogas production, i.e. changes in content of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and methane in gas phase, was monitored by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Liquid chromatography/high resolution tandem mass spectrometry in combination with principal component analysis and orthogonal projection to latent structures was used to reveal main chemical differences of gasified wine waste mixture from commonly used ones in agricultural biogas plants. Compounds with particular polyphenolic structures appeared among the most distinctive markers. Analysis of samples collected during acidogenic phase and unstabilized methanogenesis indicates formation of certain dihydro-flavonoids in early stages of the process and their consequent degradation. Due to formerly described higher toxicity of some dihydroflavonoids (e.g. taxifolin) compared to their more common counterparts (e.g. quercetin, malvidin etc.), unstabilized digestate would represent a potential environmental risk when used as a fertilizer deserving a proper control.
- MeSH
- anaerobióza MeSH
- biopaliva analýza MeSH
- bioreaktory MeSH
- chromatografie kapalinová metody MeSH
- dusík analýza MeSH
- methan analýza MeSH
- odpadky - odstraňování metody MeSH
- polyfenoly chemie metabolismus MeSH
- potravinářský průmysl MeSH
- průmyslová hnojiva analýza MeSH
- průmyslový odpad MeSH
- tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie metody MeSH
- Vitis chemie MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Production of biogas from different organic materials is a most interesting source of renewable energy. The biomethane potential (BMP) of these materials has to be determined to get insight in design parameters for anaerobic digesters. Although several norms and guidelines for BMP tests exist, inter-laboratory tests regularly show high variability of BMPs for the same substrate. A workshop was held in June 2015, in Leysin, Switzerland, with over 40 attendees from 30 laboratories around the world, to agree on common solutions to the conundrum of inconsistent BMP test results. This paper presents the consensus of the intense roundtable discussions and cross-comparison of methodologies used in respective laboratories. Compulsory elements for the validation of BMP results were defined. They include the minimal number of replicates, the request to carry out blank and positive control assays, a criterion for the test duration, details on BMP calculation, and last but not least criteria for rejection of the BMP tests. Finally, recommendations on items that strongly influence the outcome of BMP tests such as inoculum characteristics, substrate preparation, test setup, and data analysis are presented to increase the probability of obtaining validated and reproducible results.
- MeSH
- anaerobióza MeSH
- biopaliva analýza MeSH
- biotechnologie normy MeSH
- laboratoře normy MeSH
- methan analýza MeSH
- reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Boreal forests comprise 73% of the world's coniferous forests. Based on forest floor measurements, they have been considered a significant natural sink of methane (CH4) and a natural source of nitrous oxide (N2O), both of which are important greenhouse gases. However, the role of trees, especially conifers, in ecosystem N2O and CH4 exchange is only poorly understood. We show for the first time that mature Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees consistently emit N2O and CH4 from both stems and shoots. The shoot fluxes of N2O and CH4 exceeded the stem flux rates by 16 and 41 times, respectively. Moreover, higher stem N2O and CH4 fluxes were observed from wet than from dry areas of the forest. The N2O release from boreal pine forests may thus be underestimated and the uptake of CH4 may be overestimated when ecosystem flux calculations are based solely on forest floor measurements. The contribution of pine trees to the N2O and CH4 exchange of the boreal pine forest seems to increase considerably under high soil water content, thus highlighting the urgent need to include tree-emissions in greenhouse gas emission inventories.
The pretreatment methods for enhancing biogas production from oat straw under study include hot maceration, steam explosion, and pressure shockwaves. The micropore area (9, 55, and 64 m(2) g(-1)) inhibitor formations (0, 15, and 0 mL L(-1)) as well as the overall methane yields (67, 179, and 255 CH4 VS t(-1)) were robustly analyzed. It was confirmed that the operating conditions of the steam explosion must be precisely tailored to the substrate. Furthermore, it was beneficial to prepend the hot maceration before the steam explosion and the pressure shockwaves. The second alternative may give increased methane yields (246 in comparison to 273 CH4 VS t(-1)); however, the application of pressure shockwaves still faces limitations for deployment on a commercial scale.
Microaerobic alternative of anaerobic digestion offers many advantages especially when sulfide concentration in the digester is high. For better understanding of the microaerobic technology more detailed characterization of biomass activity is needed. Two equal digesters were operated under the same condition except of microaeration in one of them. During long term operation of anaerobic and microaerobic digesters the sludge quality and the biomass activity was monitored. The activity of sulfide oxidizing bacteria of microaerobic biomass was significantly higher in comparison with anaerobic biomass. The activity of sulfate reducing bacteria was comparable. The activity of methanogenic bacteria activity depended on sulfide concentration more than on microaeration. The extent of foaming problems was lower in the microaerobic than in the anaerobic digester.
- MeSH
- aerobní bakterie metabolismus MeSH
- anaerobní bakterie metabolismus MeSH
- bioreaktory mikrobiologie MeSH
- methan analýza MeSH
- odpadní vody chemie mikrobiologie MeSH
- oxidace-redukce MeSH
- průmyslová mikrobiologie MeSH
- sírany chemie MeSH
- sulfidy chemie MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- srovnávací studie MeSH
In selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, SIFT-MS, analyses of humid air and breath, it is essential to consider and account for the influence of water vapour in the media, which can be profound for the analysis of some compounds, including H(2)CO, H(2)S and notably CO(2). To date, the analysis of methane has not been considered, since it is known to be unreactive with H(3)O(+) and NO(+), the most important precursor ions for SIFT-MS analyses, and it reacts only slowly with the other available precursor ion, O(2) (+). However, we have now experimentally investigated methane analysis and report that it can be quantified in both air and exhaled breath by exploiting the slow O(2) (+)/CH(4) reaction that produces CH(3)O(2) (+) ions. We show that the ion chemistry is significantly influenced by the presence of water vapour in the sample, which must be quantified if accurate analyses are to be performed. Thus, we have carried out a study of the loss rate of the CH(3)O(2) (+) analytical ion as a function of sample humidity and deduced an appropriate kinetics library entry that provides an accurate analysis of methane in air and breath by SIFT-MS. However, the associated limit of detection is rather high, at 0.2 parts-per-million, ppm. We then measured the methane levels, together with acetone levels, in the exhaled breath of 75 volunteers, all within a period of 3 h, which shows the remarkable sample throughput rate possible with SIFT-MS. The mean methane level in ambient air is seen to be 2 ppm with little spread and that in exhaled breath is 6 ppm, ranging from near-ambient levels to 30 ppm, with no significant variation with age and gender. Methane can now be included in the wide ranging analyses of exhaled breath that are currently being carried out using SIFT-MS.
- MeSH
- aceton analýza MeSH
- analýza rozptylu MeSH
- dechové testy metody MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- hmotnostní spektrometrie metody MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- lineární modely MeSH
- methan analýza MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- pára MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- senzitivita a specificita MeSH
- vlhkost MeSH
- vzduch analýza MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
